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

Chapter 16 - Bdubs

 I only planned this story out to halfway. 

Oh no. 

It's the writers block. 

ITS COMING BACK. 

I wake up.

It takes a few minutes to remember what had happened the previous day. Patrol, finding Impulse, Grian and Etho, Zedaph's death... the body's still lying on the ground. The only other person there is Grian, who's looking worriedly down at me. It's then that I realise he woke me up.

I hate being woken up.

'What's happened? You must have a VERY good reason for waking me.'

'ImpulsewentoffwithEthoandthenTangodecidedtofollowthembutnoone'scomebackandi'mgettingveryworriedaboutthemandHELP.'

'I heard nothing there except help.' I admit icily. 'What happened?'

'I think Impulse killed Etho.' 

'WHAT?!' My brain finally comprehends what he said. 'Where's Tango?'

'Impulse and Etho went off together. Tango followed after them.'

'When?!' 

'Ages ago? It was the middle of the night, and now...' 

I nod. Sunlight's slipping through the slits in the roof, illuminating a line of blood. I look down it. 

'There's a trail. Let's follow it. Have you got a weapon?' I find a knife in the back of my jeans. Grian grabs his own. 

'Yes?' 

'Then let's go.'

We make our way silently further into the maze. Neither of us speak, not wanting to lure in any more of the creatures in here. I'm getting very suspicious about them not showing up at our lack of nicknaming. The blood leads us straight towards a new path I've never been down before, and I can see Tango standing at the end of it. 

'Pancakes?' I whisper. He doesn't turn around. Hoping it's just because I didn't speak loud enough, I creep forwards, Grian watching my back. As I finally see what's ahead, I freeze. 

Etho's dead body lies in the middle of what seems to be a small room. Blood drips from words on the wall: I KILLED ETHO. Tango's still not noticed us, so I say his name again. 

'Pancakes!'

He turns suddenly, eyes wild.

'What? Bdubs? Why are you here?!'

'Grian got scared. What happened here?! Where's Impulse?'

'Impulse?' 

His hysteria dies down at his friend's name. I repeat the question. 

'He's... gone.' Tango's on the verge of tears. I blink stupidly up at him.

'Gone? As in dead?'

'As in walked away! As in he... left us!'

'What?! Why?' 

'I DON'T KNOW!' 

I watch as he breaks down, punching the wall. There's a loud crack, and Tango howls with pain as he pulls his hand back. He's properly crying now, and sinks down against the wall. I look back at Etho's body. 

'Who killed him?' I dare to ask, even though I know the answer. 'If it's one of the creatures in here, then Impulse might be in danger and-'

'It wasn't. I don't want to talk about it.' 

'Ok...' I glance up at the hole in the maze. 'Someone needs to go back to the others and tell then what happened. Before they worry about us. We've been gone for over a day. Everyone already thought you two were dead...'

'I'll stay here. Besides, you know the way better than me.' Grian says. I nod back. 'Try not to run into anyone, and come back as soon as you can.' 

I nod. 

'xB's group will definitely be out by now. If I can find them, even better.'

'Good luck...' I walk off, tracing the route back to where Zedaph's body is. From there I know where to go, breaking into a run and recalling my way to safely. I don't see anyone else as I go, and I thank the Creators for that. Finally, I arrive in the blinding sunlight. 

'Bdubs!' Doc runs up to me. 'What happened? Where have you been? Where's Etho and Zedaph?'

'Dead. Both of them. I found Tango, Grian and Impulse. Impulse ran off. The other two are back where the bodies are.'

'Etho's dead?' I nod back, forgetting in my tiredness how close Doc and Etho were. 'What?! No...'

'I'm sorry. I literally found out just before I came back.' 

'Who killed him?' I don't answer immediately, and Doc suddenly shoves me against the wall. 'TELL ME WHO KILLED HIM!' 

'I don't know! I think Tango does, but he doesn't want to say. I think Impulse did it.' 

'Show me.' 

I get back to my feet. Cleo's walking past, so Doc calls her over as well. 

'Wait. We need Stress. All of us are hurt.'

'What happened? Bdubs? You're alive?'

'Yes. But we need Stress. Get her for us now.' My tone's harsh, but it's enough to get Cleo to obey, running away and returning a few minutes later with Stress. 

'People hurt in the maze. I'll tell you more on the way. Come on.' Doc explains briefly, setting off. Me and Stress follow, and I quickly take the lead again. The journey back is quick, and I have to explain everything once again, before we get back to where I left Grian and Tango. 

The former stops his pacing, running towards us with obvious relief. 

'You're back!' Stress sees his missing wing, pulling out some wool and healing potions from her pockets. 'And you got help.'

'Yes.' I try and find Doc, who's crouched next to Etho's body. I think he's crying. 

Doc never cries. 

Tango's in his same position, looking away. Stress quickly finishes covering Grian's wounds and runs over to him, checking if he's ok. My friend is unresponsive, crying silently, refusing to look at anyone. Doc's the next one to speak, standing again, hands clenched tight at his side. He looks back at the rest of us. The look of sheer fury on his face is terrifying. 

'Where did he go?' He asks. I frown with confusion. 'TANGO, WHERE DID HE GO?'

'Who?'

'IMPULSE.'

'Why do you want to know?' I step between the two. 

'So I can kill him.'