TW: blood, death, torture, mentions of past trauma and abuse (I was told to harm Grian a 'little'... does this count? Sorry not sorry. I tend to enjoy writing blood.)
Request from That_One_Girl_LOL which just fit so well with EndlessParadox's so I had to do them together.
Grian POV-
The days passed peacefully. It was happiest I had ever been.
But I was strangely antsy. I was safe, but I couldn't stop the worry of what the Watchers would do if they ever found me again.
I never opened up to False and Tango. They visited often and told me about their adventures of traveling through worlds with the purple armoured man, who I learned was named Xisuma, but I never told them about myself.
Well, that's not true. I told them about the amazing powers I held now that I was also a watcher, but I never told them how I was forced to burn down servers, the screams still echoing in my ear in the darkest hours of the nights.
I told them about my wings and how to prune and care for them, but I never explained the scarring down my back, most heavily around my shoulder blades from when Sam tried to cut them out.
I told them about the Evo server and the friends I had there, but I never mentioned the abuse I experienced at the hands of the watchers when I would even slip up once.
I never talked about the day they forced me to kill my best friend with my own hands.
Tango and Xisuma had shared their pasts with me, trying to get me to open up. Xisuma told me about his twin brother who had killed their own parents after he went insane. He cried as he explained how he had had to ban his own brother to the void, never to be seen or heard from again.
Tango carefully explained the testing that had been done to him after the fire demon stole him in front of me when I was 12. He let me play with his tail which had appeared when he had been injected with demon blood. He never said more than I could handle as any mention of torture had me running to the nearest corner sobbing my eyes out. I wouldn't talk for days after break downs like that, a learn response from my training as a watcher.
Stay silent.
Do as you are told.
Or experience a punishment worse than death.
I had just had one of those breakdowns a couple days ago and I had started humming to myself as I worked at the concrete mixing machine placed in the ocean where my base floated, warming up my voice from lack of use. I spun the handle as the gravel, sand and white dye combined in front of my eyes. The smooth concrete mesmerizing as I pondered on my current life.
No worries and no fear.
At least no fear from the other hermits.
As I place the last of the white dye into the concrete mixer, I hear the light thud of a boat against my island.
I whip around, eyes wide, but relax immediately when I see Mumbo Jumbo, my neighbour. He was one of the other hermits that I had learned to trust and he never tried to make me talk about my past, only ever asking about the future plans I had for my base.
He smiles as me and begins wringing out his suit pant legs that had gotten wet on his boat ride. "How you doing Gri?"
"Good!" I say in my chipper voice that I used when I wanted to show I was okay, "Just making concrete." I gesture at the mixer.
"Oh! That is an amazing contraption. Would you mind if I used it to make some concrete as well?"
I nod in agreement as he excuses himself to go get the required materials. The time passes quickly and before long, I hear footsteps on my floating house.
"Hi Mumbo! That was quick!" I chirp as I turn towards the man. But my smile falls as the man standing in front of me in not Mumbo, rather a knight in all black, holding a shimmering black sword. My eyes go wide as I begin stumbling backwards, but he was faster. He grabs the collar of my hoodie and lift me off my feet, the fabric of my sweater digging into the base of my wings, preventing me from slipping out.
"If you obey, you aren't going to get more hurt than necessary."
Fear causes my vision to go red as I shake uncontrollably. The man just smiles under his helmet before dragging me to the boat nearby and roughly shoving me in.
I comply and immediately curl up into myself as tears stream down my face. I can hardly breath as all I can think about is that night, 7 years ago, as I was taken from my family. And this time I don't even get to see them one last time.
Tango POV-
Mumbo: Tango! Grian's gone. Come to his base immediately. No time to explain.
I start at my phone for a moment, processing the words I had just read.
Grian can't be gone. We just got him back. He must have just gone out or something.
But he never leaves his island without someone.
My hand drops to my side before adrenaline finally fills my vein. I immediately turn and begin running towards Grian's home. It's a long run, but I don't let up even as my lungs begin burning. By the time I reached the water's edge, my legs were about to give out and I could barely breathe, but I didn't take a moment. I simply hop into the boat pegged to the sand, kicking the peg as I pushed the boat into the surf.
As I pulled up to Grian's home, I notice Mumbo pulling at his hair nervously. His eyes widened as he saw me struggle to get out of the boat, my entire body sore from running and then rowing.
"Tango!" Mumbo sounded panicked so I quickly run over to him as he begins talking way too fast to understand before shoving a paper in my hand. I don't even bother asking him to repeat himself as I glance at the paper below me.
A gasp escapes my lips as I drop the paper in fear.
He found me.
I felt my heart rate spike as I stare at the paper on the floor, the blood red sword stamp stark against the white. I don't even have to read it to know what it says.
Tears had filled my eyes as I look up to Mumbo, "I know where he is." My voice was barely more the whisper as cold fear filled my bones.
"And, and I know what he wants."
At this moment, a swish of purple caught my eye as Xisuma stepped out of an admin portal. He glances at Mumbo, who must have called him, and me before following my eyes to the paper, "Tango..." his voice was soft, as to not set me off.
But my body was already shaking, fear for Grian and fear of my past filling my bones.
A hand touches my shoulder but I flinch away, my panicked eyes searching for X's behind his visor.
"I have to get him back..."
"Tango, I understand, but..."
"NO BUTS X! I JUST GOT HIM BACK!" My voice was loud, but still shaking as I yelled at Xisuma, tears pouring down my face.
X just nodded, turning to Mumbo, "Thank you Mumbo. You can go. Please inform False."
Turning back to me, X reached his hand into nothing, his arm up to his elbow disappearing in a pocket of space before retracting to reveal a shining star.
The crown jewel of our family.
The proof of our power.
The reason we had all survived the torture.
Xelqua's Soul.
"Tango, you know what could happen if you willingly hand this over."
I don't move, staring at the star. It looked similar to a nether star but instead of being purple, it was a coral orange. It was an heirloom that had been passed down from generations within our family, starting at Xelqua himself. The man who mapped the Far Lands before returning absolutely insane, holding the star. It is said to hold his soul and that whoever used it gains unimaginable power.
Even just owning it gave the family unimaginable power. I wasn't even the sole owner, my siblings and I shared the power, but it was enough power to help us survive. No other way could I have survived having demon blood being injected into my blood stream.
My captor had also tortured me, begging to know where it was. I had had no idea back then as False was in possession of it, having taken it from Grian, who was the designated caretaker. When Xisuma had saved me from the demon lair, I found out that he had hidden it in the void, out of reach from everyone except for himself, but it was still owned by us.
I grab the star, looking back up at X, "I can't lose my brother again."
"Okay. But let me come with you."
I nod once, and feel his hand grasp my arm, feeling my body fold in on itself before reopening, my eyes being filled with a red world.
The Nether.
My throat closes up at the heavy air as my tail flicks with the fear building in my chest.
In front of me stands a dark red fortress.
The place I was held captive for nearly 2 years.
A groaning beside me draws my attention away from the red brick and onto the collapsed admin beside me. "Ugh- remind me to never teleport more than once in an hour."
I chuckle lightly, the tightness in my chest releasing slightly at his funny comment.
"Go ahead Tango. I trust you to keep the soul safe and to save Grian. I'll be out here for back up. Once I can stand back up..."
Biting on my lip, I turn back to the red brick, striding towards the massive gated door. He must have seen me coming as the gate slowly raised, followed by the door creaking open, the squealing sound echoing in my sensitive ears and I grimaced in pain, my hand still tightly wrapped around the Soul in my pocket.
As I made my way into the fortress, I glance around, my eyes skimming over the fountain of lava off to the left, bluish trees sprouting around it almost making a mock park in the heat of the underworld. I little past it stood a stable where I could hear the sound of rattling bones from his black skeletal servants as well as the grunts of the strange 2-legged striders. I could just imagine them playing in their lava pool as they always did when I had to clean the stable.
Off to the right was mostly a training ground and weapon storage. The brown soul sand of the training ground shook ever so slightly and the tall black skeletons who fought above it were careful to not touch it with anything more than their booted feet. One of the trainees was knocked over, the sand trickling up around it until it couldn't move anymore.
I watched as some pig like creatures rush over to it and begin digging with golden shovels.
But the thing that caught my eye, was the large entrance to the castle at the back of the fortress. The intricate work of the archway distracting me for a moment before I reached it, placing a hand on the handle, the metal searing hot and even with my fire resistance, I flinch back for a moment before pushing through into the throne room.
"Tango," a deep voice echoes through the room as I glare at the knight sitting on the throne across from me, "How nice of you to join us." His black suit gleamed in the light from the lava flowing along the walls. The burning blue torches contrasting the flame coming out of the knight's helmet.
"Hels. Where is he?"
Hels chuckles at my menacing tone before gesturing at a small man curled up in the shadows. I can barely see him but Hels quickly walks over, grabbing the poor male by his blond hair and dragging him to the throne where Hels sits back down grinning at me.
Grian on the other hand was shaking violently. His eyes wouldn't focus on anything and I could tell his breaths weren't releasing the CO2 necessary since he had his hands clutching at his chest. Otherwise he seemed okay, at least physically.
That was until Hels had a sword to his throat. I swallowed back my fear and glared up at Hels.
"Listen to me when I'm talking boy." His threat dug its way into the recesses of my memory, causing me to gasp, "Now. Where is it?"
Swallowing dryly once again, I pulled my hand from my pocket. Grian's eyes went wide when he saw what I held, finally focused. I saw his breath catch in his throat before desperately shaking his head. The consequences of giving up the soul was enough to snap Grian out of his panic. It must have been how he survived never telling the watchers where it was, I probably would have told Hels within 10 minutes of my first torture but I honestly had no idea what G had done with it.
Hels grin widened before glancing at Grian who was silently pleading with me to not give it up. I could almost see him telling me that his life wasn't worth it. But it was to me.
Hels could sense my hesitation and without another thought, he had pulled a dagger out with his free hand and dug it into Grian's back. The strangled cry of the small blond nearly had me on the floor in tears, but Grian just tightened his jaw at my reaction, not letting another sound out. I could see him twitching slightly as Hels pulled the dagger down his back. Grian's wings slumped to the floor in pain as blood began staining the white feathers. I glance into G's eyes only to be met with desperation and fear.
I can't tell if it's fear that I'll give up the Soul or if it's fear of what will happen if I don't.
Probably both.
Hels had pulled the dagger out of Grian's back as blood continued to pool around the smaller boy. I was amazed how he was still conscious and silent. What has he gone through?
"Give it to me Tango? You know he's dying."
I shoot Grian an apologetic look and begin walking towards the throne.
I can't lose my brother again. Especially since I just found him.
Hels' eyes grew greedy and his sword dropped slightly from Grian's neck as I neared. I held the Soul out to the knight but just as he went to take it, a small body snatched it from my hand, backing away slowly before tripping on a limp wing.
A cry of pain escaped Grian's throat as he hit the ground, rolling awkwardly over a wing and onto his mortally injured back. His whole body was shaking in pain and blood loss as Hels and I both stared at him in shock.
"N-No." Grian croaked out. His voice barely above a whisper, "I spent 7 years of torture protecting this. I'm not letting it go. My life isn't worth it." The longer he talked, the quieter his voice became. He struggled to sit up on an arm, screeching in pain when he tried to move his now broken wing, "Take it home Tango. I'm ready to die for it."
"Grian..." my voice was a panicked whisper as I heard Hels laugh loudly.
"There is NO WAY you are leaving with that now that it is in my house."
"You'll have to take it over my dead body."
"Easy." Hels begins sauntering towards the grounded hermit before my mind snaps back to the present and my body moved without thinking. I lunge at Hels, baring my teeth, sinking the sharp canines into his neck. He cried out in surprise before reaching over his head with his hand, grabbing my shirt and flipping me onto the floor, my head snapping against the hot brick, my hair turning red from Grian's blood as it dripped into my eyes.
Or was it mine?
My mind was foggy, but I could clearly see as Hels reached towards the clearly fading Grian. Grian in a panic stuffed the star into his mouth, swallowing as Hels grins over the fallen man, raising his sword above him and digging it into the heart of the winged hermit.
Fog filling my mind, ringing blocking all sense of sound, I cry out and push up from the ground before diving at Hels. My feet slip on the slick blood and I land face first on the ground and look up in panic as Grian's body begins to glow slightly orange, rising up from the dark red brick, stained darker with blood.
Hels backs up in shock as Grian's wounds knit themselves back together in front of us. His pale bloodless face slowly turning pink once again before the light faded and Grian was flitting in the air, his wings completely restored. He looked around wildly before resting his eyes on Hels, "As I said. Over my dead body."
I rested my head against the stone once again, the pain behind my eyes overwhelming as a crash from outside shook the fortress. Distant yelling and clanging of swords echoes through the haze in my mind before gentle hands pick me up lightly, resting my head in their lap.
"Stay with us Tango."
"We're gonna get you fixed up."
"Stress! We need your help!"
"Oh my word, Tango."
"Stay with us."
"You're going to be okay."
"Hurry up Stress!"
"I'm working on it! This head injury is pretty nasty."
"Hang on brother, it's going to be okay."
"There. Tango, can you say something?"
"..."
"Anything? Please Tango?"
"Hmm....... Sleepy..........."
"Okay, okay, you're going to be okay. I'm okay. We're okay."
"..."
"Thank you for saving me."
"......hmmm........."
"Grian. Let him sleep. He'll be okay."
"Thanks Stress. Thank you everyone for coming to help. False stop crying. We're okay."
"......ah......"
"You can go to sleep now Tango."
"....hmm...."
"Sleep..."
"..."
Quick backstory to clarify what happened: Xelqua, False's, Tango's and Grian's ancestor, found a way to survive death while in the Far Lands and then went insane due to the many times he died.