Forgotten (sequel of Cursed) - Hermitcraft fanfic REWRITE ON HIATUS

Ch 24 - stuff happens and some of it is bad

'Is everyone prepared?' Cub asked, standing above where the group had hidden NPG. Tango nodded, gripping his sword so tight his knuckles turned white. Beef looked ready to fight, and Stress was standing amongst all her animal friends. Xisuma just seemed wary, staying a bit further back.

3 days of healing, planning and preparations had led to this. Everyone knew what they needed to do. Cub looked down at the grass, as though debating why he ever fought a war for it, before breaking it with his shovel. 

Taurtis didn't move, curled up at the bottom of the hole. Tango stepped back slightly.  

'Is he going to attack us?' He asked.

'I don't know.'  Cub replied. 'Taurtis?'

The watcher looked up. His mask had been torn off and discarded, showing still-bleeding scarring. His hair was a mess, his clothes torn and burnt. 

'I killed my friend...' he murmured to himself.  'I killed Grian.'

'Taurtis?'

'What?' Taurtis was standing in a flash, glaring at the pharaoh. 'You set me free. How... heroic.'

'What happened?' Xisuma asked. 

'The watchers made me kill Grian. He died hating me.'

'Can you still permadeath people?' Cub questioned. Taurtis shrugged.

'Guess we better find out. Who do you not care about very much?'

Tango's hands lit on fire at this, but Taurtis was laughing.

'Only joking! Don't worry! I'm not evil any more!'

'How believable.' Tango replied drily, 'Cub, Xisuma, do I have permission to set him on fire?'

'No.' Cub replied. 'Taurtis, if you can still permadeath people, then we need a certain evil robot killed.'

'I can do that.'

'Hmm...' 

'Tango, chill.' Beef ordered. 'Let's go try and trust him.'

'Xisuma, do you happen to know anything about watchers?' Cub asked.

'No. I don't know anything... the only person who really knew stuff was Grian.'

'When a watcher removes their mask, they become normal.' Taurtis explained. 'I removed my mask, and now I'm normal.'

'Fine. Scar's dead by the way.' Xisuma added casually. Cub stiffened, and Taurtis seemed to be on the verge of tears.

'N... no... you're lying, right?'

'Nope.' Cub confirmed, though it was difficult.

'You never said Scar was dead...' Tango noted. 'I'm sorry.'

'We became so close... he told me everything.' 

'Everything?'

'Yeah, he said that you'd betrayed him by sending him to the remains of Evo... Stupid watchers.'

'Oh... right.'

'Do we trust him?' Tango's hands were still on fire.

'Yes. I believe him.' Cub affirmed. 

'Then let's get him out of this hole.'

Once Taurtis was free, the group was ready to go. Xisuma lit something he and Cub called 'a nether portal' and they stepped into it. 

Stress pretended she wasn't absolutely terrified, grabbing Beef's hand in a non-romantic way. The other person looked over, but smiled. 

'Thanks. I need someone to hold hands with too.'