Tw: Panic, Derealization, Trauma, Suicidal idealization, Slight mentions of SH (Kinda? The man was mind controlled), Mentions of death
POV: Hermitcraft!Grian
The world snapped into focus, leaving the world of darkness and nightmares behind. He gasped, looking around. All he could see was darkness, darkness... His eyes were adjusting, and finally, he realized he was surrounded by obsidian.
He was alone, well and truly alone. He'd screwed up - He had to have, he was alone in the cell. He always screwed up - He was a failure through and through. He probably deserved this...
"Grian?"
His eyes shot open, he hadn't even realized he had closed them. Light flowed through bars at one edge of the cell. Pearl stood there, looking at him. Next to her, X stood, his mask obscuring his emotions.
Grian was worried, remembering what he said to Pearl last. She'd probably told X that he'd betrayed Hermitcraft. And in a way, he had.... No. It was them, not him. He had to remember that if he wanted anything resembling a somewhat positive mental state.
It stung. X had been nothing but supportive, and everyone on Hermitcraft was his friend, but now they all probably thought that he'd betrayed them. He'd have to play the role of traitor watcher... Fun! Time to act like his worst freaking nightmare had happened.
He felt his neck. Good. The necklace was there. That explained the lethargy he felt. His power was being drained by the necklace, likely supplied or suggested by Pearl. He hoped she hadn't had to give too much away to get this on him.
But another thought surfaced with that positive one. Watchers couldn't have their power drained forever, especially with a necklace not designed to keep their victim alive. He'd say he had around... a week, given his current state, until he fell into unconsciousness, and 3 days after that he'd likely be dead. He could stall the timer by sleeping, but honestly, he didn't see the point.
"Grian. I know you can hear me." X's voice spoke sternly, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"I suppose I can, yes." Grian replied, figuring it was safer to give simple answers and avoid too many questions. He didn't want to screw up the story Pearl had told.
He had to stay here... There was no other choice. The watchers might be quiet right now, but he wouldn't let himself get lulled into a false sense of security.
"Some nerve you have!" Pearl snapped, causing him to flinch. This was an act. It had to be. She understood the risk of having him walk free. "Pretending an apology makes up for all you did! WE let you go, thinking you were going to safety! BUT you just went to join the watchers! You betrayed me again..." She shouted at him, glaring through the bars. Her gaze softened as he cowered against the wall, and she mouthed 'Sorry.'
He couldn't stop shuddering. It was an act, Pearl wasn't mad... X was, but X didn't know - But X knew though... X knew he was a watcher, Pearl confirmed it with that 'outburst', X hated him...
No. Now wasn't the time to fall apart, he had to act, he had to, he had to...
"Pearl, please, I agreed to let you come, but you can't yell at him... Grian. I have some questions, I just... Can't understand." X's voice was softer now, but he couldn't let himself trust it. He just... Couldn't. X should hate him. Heck, Grian hated him, and he knew what was going on... Why wasn't X yelling?
"First off, what server did you come from? Don't lie. I know you didn't live in a single player world." X stared at him, shaking him out of his spiral again.
He met Pearl's eyes, and saw an almost imperceptible nod. "Evo. Of course." He let steel enter his voice. Put on the facade. He'd done this too many times. Cold expression, almost hostile, but not mad... Just, bored, give off some amusement here and there, you don't care about these mortals.
"So you are the admin of Evo." X nodded, tapping something into his communicator. "Pearl told me as much, but now I can confirm it. Grian..."
"Do not call me by that shameful mortal name." He chuckled, smiling at X. It hurt, hurt so much, but he had to sell it.
X wouldn't believe it if it was anything less than perfect. X was so trusting, he would grasp any hope of being able to let him free, but no one could risk that.
Grian continued speaking after pausing. "My name, my true one, not the mortal one I claimed upon entering this realm, is Xelqua. And you WILL refer to me as such." He rose, fluffing out his wings behind him proudly...
~+~
"My name is Xelqua. And you WILL refer to me as such."
"No- I'm sorry-"
"Do not say such empty words, [Redacte-]. It will change my mind. It will not undo the wrongs you did."
"It was all a joke! We were friends! Just joking around, goofin' and gaffin'-"
"Shut up. Stop your excuses. They won't work on me anymore."
"Come on, you don't wanna do this-"
"Put down the knife, [Redacted]."
"W- What knife?"
"The one you thought you hid you reaching for. I see everything, [Re-]. I'm stronger than you ever were. You can try to run. I will hunt you down. you will never escape, Sam."
~+~
"Xelqua." The voice snapped him out of the flashback as his eyes re-adjusted to the cell. "That's your real name, huh." Pearl's voice was scornful, but even acting, he could tell she had been trying to snap him out of it. No one knew better than her. After all, she had been watching that whole encounter.
He could still feel the blood splash his face, the scream...
Something in him had reared, wanting... more.
He began to pace, trying to somehow escape his restless mind. "Heh, Pearl, you've been so... Useful. One of the survivors. Right here. I could have killed you. Anytime I wanted to actually." The words flowed... Easily- Too easily. He knew they would trigger a bad response, a genuine one, but he couldn't stop- Not again not again, they were trying to screw this all up- "I let you go once. For a friendship that once was. I won't-."
He shook his head, stopping whatever that had been. "MOON-" He saw her stumble back, and the yell was torn from his throat, quickly, he managed to call to her in Galactic, trying to warn her. "It's happening again. They're messing with us. Get out as soon as you can. Check the defenses, and if you sense something wrong, GET THEM OUT. Please, save them. But save yourself too."
X glared at him in response from the outburst of galactic. "Don't try anything again. No chants or anything."
Pearl was panting, and he couldn't tell if it was genuine panic or not. "I-"
"Pearl... You should go... I'll handle him. I'm sorry this all happened..." X looked at her, his voice softening. X had also noticed Pearl's response to what he said - Sometimes, he thought he didn't deserve X, and other times he knew he didn't.
Pearl nodded and practically ran out of the room.
He angrily thought up at the Watchers, or whoever else was messing with him. Are you happy? Are you laughing in your little palace where no one can hurt you? You mess with my mind and don't even sacrifice anything.
A wave of dizziness overtook him. Good. Let them suffer. He was done. He had one week. Then he could finally be done with this all. It was too risky for him to remain alive. "Farewell X-eye-suma, I'll speak to you after this is over." He smiled, and let himself fall back into his own mind.
~+~
He wasn't sure when he woke up. He was slumped against a wall, and instinct caused him to leap up, a bad idea. Everything spun, and his mind felt fuzzy and dull.
All he knew was burning pain filled every part of his body. He winced, looking at his hands. His nails were bloody, the blood a sharp violet. Finally, his brain seemed to have somewhat caught up. He knew what happened... He pulled up the sleeves of his jumper, and sure enough, right above the emblem of Evo, a cruel reminder of the oaths he had once made, claw marks, almost like one of a feral animal, lined the previous scars.
He sighed, slumping against the wall. The sheer energy of standing had been exhausting. He was done. He figured he had a couple of days. The watchers must have kept him under for a while. That, or they knocked him out. Given the sheer pain, and the violet smears on the wall, likely the latter.
The pain would be a friend for a while. Based on past experiences, he knew that power draining made you tired, slowed, and felt a lot of pain. And no watcher had been able to stop it. Eventually whoever was attached would be dead, if no one saved them. This was used as a torture method for strong watchers. That, and as an execution method.
And it would be his fate.
X was staring from the bars. "Xelqua... You seem weakened. Now, will you finally talk? We both know that this isn't fun for you."
Grian sighed. X didn't know. If the admin did, he wouldn't keep the necklace on.
He decided to riff off of whatever the watchers had said, to figure out what X knew. "What more is there to say?" He tried to keep his voice cold, but it cracked, and he fell into a coughing fit. Eventually, Violet's blood splattered onto the floor. His prediction was wrong... The draining was farther along, and moving swiftly
This was likely his final full day he would be aware of...
Good.
"Look. I'm not going to be a thorn in your side for much longer..." He grinned weakly. "Soon, I'll be dead and gone. Don't blame yourself." He could almost feel his consciousness fading. "This is what I wanted from the start."
"Grian, you're not dying." Another voice sounded. Sun. Shoot. "We all know this is a..." Sun's voice faded in and out. "... Him go, or..." His voice raised. "He's going to..!"
X retorted something... "He poses... Admitted.... Killed people! Sun... Leave, now!"
Sun sighed. With a flick of his hand, X was magically restrained, with purple light holding him.
Darkness came, sweeping him along into the land of painless oblivion. It was like drifting on a river of clouds... Soft, gentle, and slow. Not what he had expected of death... But inviting nonetheless.
He relaxed. But, the next thing he knew, he was awake again. The necklace was gone. He was still weakened, but the pain was lessened.
"Oh gosh oh gosh-" Sun seemed to be having a breakdown. "I hurt someone-" He whispered, tears falling.
"Sun- Just let him go, let me stay here. I don't want to be free" Grian whispered, looking up at the huddled form. "No one will blame you... I sure as heck don't."
"I'm not letting you die! No no, You're right. You're right... Shut up...PLEASE! I'll take him, wherever you want, just stop." Sun was crying more and more, weakly reaching out a hand to touch Grian's shoulder.
Before he could react beyond confusion at the alternate's odd behavior, the world flashed magenta, and disappeared around him.
A/N
Hi! Just wanted to give folks a heads up, throughout the month of June, Updates will likely be irregular due to my schedule being busy. Sorry!
ALSO THANK YOU ALL FOR 4k READS THE HECK-
WC: 1964
- Xera