The Red Moon Always Shines

Chapter 71: Stars in the nightsky

Grian looks on as his uncle heals Iskall, ears twitching each time the taller hisses out in pain. His violet eyes wander around the room with sharp eyes, trying to find something to distract himself with, but there's honestly not a lot to comment on. It's mostly the same, with a few minor things having been moved or replaced, which meant he had nothing here to comment on. Joy.

The silence was suffocating, unbearable even, but Grian didn't know what to say to end it.

Perhaps telling the healer the truth about your father? Rook suggested, speaking up for the first time in a while, He deserves to know what really happened.

That's not just something you bring up out of nowhere, the dirty blond internally scoffed. Plus he needs to focus on Iskall at the moment - me telling him would most definitely just distract him.

Rook hummed, I suppose that's true, but you will have to tell him soon.

'Soon' isn't now.

Grian tuned out whatever Rook said next, focusing back to what was going on around him.

"-eks and your arm should heal up okay. I must say you got lucky, had you been hit from a different angle you most definitely would have lost this arm." His uncle gently patted Iskall on his non-injured arm gently, "But yeah, you'll be fine, kid."

"That's a relief." Mambo breathed out, shoulders slumping finally. He turned to Grian with a tired grin, "You heard that G? Iskall will be fine! He gets to keep both arms."

Grian grins back, "Yeah! Having two different arms is cool and all but it does take a lot to get used to."

"That they do." Apollo mumbled, having just walked in as the short man had said it, "How did this happen?"

The gathered Hermits all froze, remembering the truth of their recent adventures. Grian looked around, only to find everyone looking at him. Damn it why is it always him?

He sighed and sat down on the chair nearest to himself, "Would you believe me if I said I got it from Death?"

"Sounds reasonable." Xavion shrugged, uncaring for the others looks, "I did go out adventuring in my early years, you know that right? I saw some pretty out there stuff there - nothing your throw at me would shock me."

"What if I said I kinda - not really - got adopted by Death?" Grian wondered, eyebrows raised.

His uncle paused in his movements but just shrugged, "Well I'm happy to know you've gotten a parent figure finally." The man visibly flinched as he said it, clearly remembering his brother.

Now, Grian, Rook hissed, and Grian could practically see the dragon sneer down at him, Strike!

"Dad was innocent!" He blurted out, his words more jumbled then he would have liked due to Rook's pushing. Using the elders stunned silence he gathered himself again, "Dad didn't do anything of what you think - well he kind of did but he was being controlled and had no way to know what he was doing - and he was being controlled by the same person who took me."

"I-I-" Xavion stared blankly at his nephew, tears building in his eyes without him even noticing. Xisuma and EX were quick to hug him, wrapping him up tightly, "Xen was innocent? He didn't have control? I - oh my god. Oh my god he didn't have control over himself."

Doc looked as his mom's eyes slitted, a hiss building low in her throat, "Mom?"

"Who did it!" She bellowed, teeth bared in a snarl as stood up, "Who do I need to kill?"

"No one. Fallacy's already dead, you can't kill them." Doc said, gently grabbing his mom and bushing her back down in her seat, "We killed them."

"Have you?" She breathed, calming down slightly at the information.