The labyrinth of monsters (a Hermitcraft and third life AU fanfic)

Chapter 14 - Impulse

I scream Zedaph's name as his body falls, landing in a pool of blood, lifeless. Despite Tango pulling me back down, and the cut across my chest, I stagger to my feet, over to the body. Etho's dropped his bow. Bdubs is glaring at him. Grian's merely staring at Zed uncomprehendingly. Hels is long gone. 

I sink back to the ground next to my friend, face streaming with tears. My brain's still flashing through what's just happened, the voice in my head whispering to me to join Zedaph in the underworld. I can just hear Tango's howls of pain behind me, faintly over my own. A sword clatters to the ground, and in an instant Bdubs has Etho against the wall. 

'YOU KILLED HIM YOU MONSTER YOU KILLED ZEDAPH... I... I... I'LL KILL YOU!'

Shoving his hysterical friend away, Etho screams back.

'I DIDN'T MEAN TO KILL HIM!' 

It's the loudest he's ever been before, and it's certainly loud enough to make everyone else shut up. Tango's still sobbing quietly behind me. 

'I DIDN'T MEAN TO KILL ZEDAPH, OK? I DIDN'T MEAN TO KILL ANYONE. I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO HAPPEN AGAIN.'

'Again?!' I snarl back. Etho hesitates, quickly correcting himself.

'I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO HAPPEN.'

But it's already out. Bdubs is still glaring incredulously at him. 

'Who did you kill?' He questions, first quietly. When Etho doesn't respond, he resolves to shouting. 'WHO DID YOU KILL?' Again, his friend is against the wall. Bdubs grabs his sword, pointing it at his throat. 'TELL ME OR THERE'LL BE TWO DEAD BODIES HERE!'

'Bdubs calm down!' Grian snaps. 'You're not helping!'

'TELL ME!'

Meanwhile, my mind is still flashing through possibilities, what must've happened. Two deaths. Two deaths were he was present. Martyn and-

Skizz. 

'YOU killed him, didn't you?' I find myself back on my feet. The bleeding around my wound has stopped, most of it covered with scabbing and dried blood. Hels's sword is still in Zed's hand, so I prise it out. Ignoring Tango's quiet attempt to stop me, I point it at Etho. 

'I don't know who you're talking about.' Etho's sincerity enrages me, and I barely manage to stop myself from goring him,

'YOU KILLED SKIZZ! MY BROTHER!'

'Impulse, calm down!' 

'NO! I KNOW YOU KILLED HIM, ETHO! STOP LYING AND CONFESS IT!'

'How do you know that?' The Canadian monster challenges. 'Who told you?'

'Scar.' 

'Who's Scar?'

'One of the vex! He told me he didn't do it!'

'And you believe him over me?!'

'Not until now. But I KNOW you killed him.' 

'IMPULSE!' I turn to see Tango standing. His eyes are somehow redder than normal, and slowly drying tears shine on his face. 'You've lost a lot of blood. Calm down.'

At his words, all my fatigue rushes through me at once and I collapse onto my hands and knees. Tango's at my side, but I can't answer is questions as I fall unconscious. 

I'm running. My brother is right behind me, and the Vex turns a corner several blocks behind. Black robes with gold accenting, a worn cowboy hat, and that grinning, soulless blue mask. That mask will be the last thing he ever sees. You know what's going to happen. You know he's going to die. 

I look forward again.

'We're still ahead. He's got to tire soon...'

'I'm ALREADY tired!' Skizz snaps in his panic. 'Where's the exit to this place?! Where's Etho gone?'

'Etho will come back. He'll save us.' Etho won't help you. Etho will never help you. Confidence fill my voice. Etho's just a coward. 

Suddenly, my body turns to ice as I sense someone falling behind me. I stop, turning and seeing Skizz, lying on the ground. This is it. This is where you fail. 

'Brother, get up!' I don't move towards him, every nerve in my body telling me to leave Skizz behind. Save myself. I shake the thought quickly away. 'We need to run!'

'I... I think I've broken my leg.'

'How?!'

'I tripped on that damn cat he has!'

In the darkness, I barely saw it, but now I notice the streak of white and grey returning to her master. I still don't move.

'Is the Vex there?'

'They've disappeared. We must've lost them.' You know you haven't. 

'Phew. Lucky us...'

'Yeah...' I want to go over and help, but know that if I do, we'll both be more likely to die. Here I still have the extra steps ahead in case the vex returns.

'Are... Are you going to help me?' Skizz finally says it, and I take a step forward. HELP HIM. BEFORE HE DIES. 

'I think so?' It's a rubbish answer. I know the right thing is to help him. The most important thing. But I can't. Somehow, I'm stuck where I am. 'At least stay here, please? When I die? I don't want to die alone.' You know he dies alone. 

'I'll stay. I promise. You're my brother. I'm not going to abandon you.' Liar. 

'I hope not! Hey, when we get back, we'll have quite the story to tell! How we outran the convex. They can't stop us. Skizzleman and Impulse coming out on top!'

'Don't use our-' it's already too late. I run forwards, as the vex turns around the corner. I swear loudly, just about to grab Skizz's hand, save him, do what I should've done ages ago, when another pair of hands drags me away.

I scream his name. Both names. Real name and nickname. Because it doesn't matter any more. He's yelling back at me, as the vex pulls him to his feet, sword at his neck. Ready to kill him.

'NO DON'T KILL HIM PLEASE HE'S MY BROTHER SKIZZ PLEASE NO!' The words fall out in a tumble of sheer panic. I'm struggling desperately. Kicking and clawing and fighting to escape from the grip of the other vex.

'IMPULSE!' Skizz howls back. 'DON'T LET ME DIE!'

'I WON'T! ETHO! WHERE ARE YOU?!'

'IMPULSE!' Skizz is crying now, and his face shines with tears. I don't know how I'm not. Fight or flight is in full overdrive within me, but from where I am neither is possible. 'I DON'T WANT TO DIE!'

'I WON'T LET THEM KILL YOU.' THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO, YOU'RE BOTH GOING TO DIE. 'SKIZZLEMAN! BROTHER! I PROMISE!'

Just as all hope seems gone, my capturer hollers with pain, letting me go. Suddenly, everything seems to go as if in slow motion. My eyes follow the path of the arrow until I see blood spray ahead, and a body fall to the ground. 

Time returns to normal, and I've fought my way to safety. Etho's grabbed my hand, about to pull me away as I stare ahead, mind racing as the vex runs over to his friend, abandoning Skizz's - my brother's - dead body. For a moment, I can't do anything. It doesn't seem right. I can't let it be right. He's not dead, he's not dead, he's not...

The arrow. 

There's an arrow in his neck.

It wasn't Scar.

Etho killed him.

Etho killed your brother.

Suddenly, I burst awake, my mind scrambling through my dream again. The convex. Skizz. Etho. 

I know what I have to do.