The Watchers' Call

Chapter 9

TW: Abuse, torture- Same as the rest of the book, really.
In case you're confused, I use "it" as the Watchers' pronouns.
* <This is a footnote. 

----| Grian's POV (btw, timeskip of several days, although Grian doesn't know this) |----

Grian didn't struggle anymore when it came in. The smaller Watcher came quite often, usually just dragging him away to torture him. Any faint hope Grian had been clinging to was gone. His life was endless pain now.

The small one, who Grian mentally called Junior, dragged him out of the cage he lived in and down a now-familiar hallway.

Junior dragged Grian through a doorway, seemingly not caring when it hit the small builder. He chained the hermit to a table, then left.

Once Junior was gone, the other Watchers appeared to do their usual jobs. One of them stuck a needle in Grian's arm. Then, the knife went through his skin and he lost consciousness. 

(Timeskip)

Grian awoke chained to the ceiling by his wrists.

"Hello, little birdie."

Grian tensed at the sound of the huge Watcher's voice. He'd taken to calling it Kyle. Kyle's presence was never good. Kyle rarely visited Grian, and it always brought the worst of the torture.

"I received a visit from your friends," it said. "They wanted you back. They can have you, bird, once I've finished with you. And I won't know if I'm finished until you are fully broken and useless to me," it said evilly. 

Grian didn't reply.

"I believe you're useless to me now physically... but I want to know everything about hybrids," it said.

"I- I do-on't kn-o-ow a-any-thi-ing a-bo-out h-hybri-ids," Grian stuttered weakly, voice broken.

"You are one. I know you must know something. Tell me. You know what happens when you resist..." It pulled out a bedrock dagger.

"P-ple-ease..." he pleaded.

"So, birdie, what other hybrids have you met?" it asked.

"A d-dog, and a-anot-ther b-bird," Grian replied. It was useless keeping things from Kyle. It had a way of finding things out...

"That's all? Two?" Kyle demanded.

Grian nodded. To his relief, Kyle didn't ask for more. Hybrids were quite rare. Grian was glad that Kyle seemed satisfied, because he wasn't lying and didn't want to be asked for more.

"Were you born with your wings or did they grow in later?" Kyle asked, surprising Grian. It had been doing its research. That wasn't good.

"B-born," he answered.

"Do you know why I want you?" it asked.

Grian did not like where that phrasing made his mind go, but he answered, "N-no."

"You see, I plan on giving players magic. Forcing them into being Watchers. Then, with my army of players, I will rule the universe. Oh, right, you? You, little birdie, are my little toy, my test subject. I plan on capturing other hybrids and keeping them under control, as pets, but you? You are useless to me now, especially after what I will do to you... Actually, not totally useless. It will be such fun to watch your server tear itself to pieces when I... you know, I won't tell you, little birdie. I'll let you figure it out yourself."

Grian was shaking now. His friends, captured, forced into an army they didn't want to fight in...

Junior came into the room. "What an impressive monologue, Master!"