_~*[FriendCraft - A hermitcraft/oc fanfic]*~_

_~*[Chapter 25]*~_

POV: Vern

Another dream. 

This was dark. The trickle of water was nearby. The bubbling lava was near too. A groan of a zombie. The rattle of a skeleton. These noises I could usually tune out, but... it was so loud. I couldn't see because of the darkness and it hurt my eyes. I shook my head. 'There has to be some kinda trick here.' I thought. 

"Try to see."

It was the voice of Spell. "Great instructions! So helpful!" I barked into the darkness. I heard Elixir stifle a giggle. I tuned around. The darkness was so... pushy. I felt like I was in a big crowd and everyone was running. I could barely move. I squinted. 'What do I do?' I wondered. The fire magic came so easy to me. Why was this hard? 

Then I realized: Spell just said 'try to see.' Nothing else. I had just assumed I could give myself night vision. But what if it was a trick question? Maybe Watchers couldn't give themselves night vision. So I simply opened my hand, and summoned a fire ball. 

I lifted my hand. The light was bright. It glittered off the cave walls, which were mostly stone, but studded with the purple jewel that was in my other dreams. My eyes stopped hurting and I stopped feeling pushed. In front of me I saw Elixir and Spell floating down, landing in front of me. Spell looked surprised, Elixir looked proud. I noted Spell's bun.

"I'm surprised. That was a trick question. Watchers can't see in the dark. But I didn't expect you to actually use magic to solve it. I didn't even know you were that advanced." Spell blabbered. Elixir laughed. "I knew she'd figure something out! We chose her for a reason." Elixir commented. 

"Who said to give me that question?" I asked. Spell sighed. "Me." He said. I squinted. I kinda grabbed their conscious like I did with fire. I twisted it with my mind. 'Just like I did with Evander.' It was weird, Spell's conscious was more... squishy I guess? Easier to twist. 

Spell hunched over, looking visibly ill. They tightened their fists in pain. I watched as what little part of their face I could see contorted. I slowly let go, watching them fill with relief. "That's what you get." I said snakily. 

Elixir was immediately at Spell's side. "What happened? Are you okay?" They whispered over and over. "Y-yeah, I'm fine, just... surprised. She just... how does she know that magic?" Spell responded, panting. Elixir turned their head to me. "You truly are a natural." They whispered. "How?"

"How what?" I snapped. "I just played with Spell's mind. It's not that difficult." I spat. "It usually takes weeks for most to learn that skill. You did it right now with no help!" Elixir explained. I smiled. "I am special after all." I said, mostly to myself. 

Spell coughed, returning to his normal standing position. It was weird, he was clearly stunned and disoriented, but still insisted on teaching me. "So, since you already know that, let's try some healing magic then?" Spell panted. It was obvious that they were way to shaken to teach, but I didn't speak up. 

"So, describe what you did to me, and see if you can figure out how to change it to heal." Spell asked. "Well, like with fire magic, I kinda just grabbed your mind. I twisted it, and I guess it hurt you." I explained. Spell nodded, humming. "Well, how could you change that to heal?" Spell asked.

I just sat there, dumbfounded. 'Wh- what? How could I change it?' "Twist it the other way?" I murmured. "Try it." Spell encouraged. Elixir gave Spell a glare, but I saw Spell move his wing slight in a way I thought meant 'do not protest.' 

I tried, and I saw Spell double over in obvious pain. "Nope, not it." Spell croaked. I let go, watching Spell get up again. He looked drained. 'Beautiful.'

"I have no idea how Philza powered through this-" Spell muttered under their breath. 

Elixir looked very concerned. "A-anyway, where were you last night? We tried to get to you but I don't think you were sleeping last night." Elixir asked, obviously trying to change the subject, and make sure Spell didn't say anything that would make me use my magic on them. 

'Oh. That.' I thought. 'I was dragging BadTimes home.'

"I was having trouble sleeping. Sorry about that." I lied. Elixir seemed convinced. "That's okay, happens to the best of us. It's no problem." Elixir said kindly. "Except when its exam night and your teacher is Quackity." Spell joked, nudging Elixir with his wing. I didn't really understand, but I could infer it was an inside joke. 

"Well we aren't Quackity and also you were the only one who got 100% on that test, you have no right to complain." Elixir joked back, visibly resisting the urge to whack Spell. "I'm assuming Quackity was a jerk." I commented. 

Spell sighed. "Only as a teacher. Except I only ever saw him as our teacher so basically yeah, he was a jerk." Spell explained. "He was so strict, and always made jokes no one understood, and also was really mad when people didn't get the material even though he was teaching history which is the hardest class!"  Spell ranted. 

"Sounds like a jerk." I replied blankly. Elixir laughed. "I have other stories to tell. A lot of honors teachers were pretty mean." Spell joked. Elixir smiled, but looked concerned. "I'd rather not. You -both of you- need rest. Lets justo go." Elixir said. Spells smile dropped, a flash of tiredness spreading across his face before turning dead serious. "Yeah, I agree. See you, Veronica." Spell said.

And with that, everything faded too black.

------------

A lump of shadows looked over the chapter. We're almost done, y'know. Just a few chapters left. I don't know how many, I'm thinking at most the ending chapter will be 35. Maybe before then. I'll be doing a book two, but its so fun to see this wrapping up.

But hold on tight, this will be a wild ride.