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

Chapter 17 - Grian

'We're not killing Impulse.' The words are out of my mouth and my dagger in hand before I can think. Doc faces me, glaring. 

'What?'

'We're not killing him.' I repeat. 'And that's final.'

'You have no control over the matter. You've been here a week and you're already acting like you own the place.' 

'No, I'm acting like a normal person would! Like a HUMANE person would.'

'Etho was my closest friend and advisor. Impulse slew him in cold blood. It's called justice. It's one of our rules. You kill, you die.' 

'He's not lying...' Bdubs interrupts quietly. 'It's something everyone agreed on at the start.'

'Well, most of those people are dead now, if you hadn't noticed.'

'It's still a rule. I'm doing my duty as Xisuma's deputy and making sure this place is fair. If you'd actually been here for more than a week, you'd know that, and you'd know your place.' 

'My PLACE is stopping you from killing my friend.' 

'He killed Etho!'

'Etho killed Skizz and Zedaph! He watched Martyn die without helping! He let Scott walk away to his own death! And you're telling me that IMPULSE is the one that needs to be killed?!' I burst out. 'That's not justice! That's what I like to call favouritism and obvious bias!' 

'You're the biased one here! You weren't there at all for ANY of those deaths. And if Zedaph's dead, where's the body?'

'It's gone?' 

'I didn't see it as I passed...' realises Bdubs. 'But he did die. All of us saw it. All of us can confirm it was Etho.'

'Was it an accident?'

Bdubs nods. 

'You can't be siding with him here!' I cry incredulously. 'You know what Etho did! You were ready to kill him yourself yesterday!' 

'Were you?' 

'Zedaph had just died. I was upset. Etho was the only person I could blame.'

'And it was the convex that killed Skizz, actually.' 

'No, it was Etho. Impulse was sure.'

'Impulse was just looking for another reason to hate Etho. He's done nothing wrong.'

'What about Scott?'

'Scott chose to go into the maze. It wasn't Etho's fault he wanted to kill himself.'

'Excuse me?!' 

'I'm sorry, Grian. But I'm sticking with my point. Impulse needs to go.' 

'No!' 

'Do I get a say in whether we murder my best friend or not?'

It's Tango. With a flash of guilt, I realise that I'd forgotten him. He's on his feet now, glaring around the group. Stress is also still there, busying herself by packing up her supplies, trying not to catch a glance at Etho's bleeding body. 

'I'm sorry.' I mutter. 

'No, I understand.' My friend begins to walk off, and I run after him.

'Tango...'

'No, it doesn't matter. Go kill Impulse if you want. I don't care. It's not like everyone else I love has died.'

'I'm still here! And so's Bdubs!' I continue to follow, jogging alongside Tango. 'We're your friends, right? Tango... please...' I grab his jacket, and he spins to face me, grabbing my arm. 

'Impulse has been here for me since the DAY I arrived. He saw me alone and befriended me. We were always together. Him, me and Zedaph. We called ourselves team ZIT. And now they're both dead.' He walks away again. Continuing to plead, I follow again. 

'Come on... it'll all be ok. It's not like he's actually dead.'

'No, instead he chose to leave me. Do you know what the last thing he told me was?' 

'No.' 

''I wish I was dead.''

'Oh.'

'Yeah. He's probably going to try and kill himself again. Then he'll be dead.' The last word is spat. I sigh. 

'Tango... Just calm down. And stop walking. Before we get lost, or killed.' 

'They're DEAD, Grian. My best friends, and they're DEAD,'

'I've said I'm sorry! Tango, please...' 

'No. It doesn't matter. Like I said. I don't care.'

'Please... listen to me. Just come back. Before they miss us.'

'Doc will never miss us. And Bdubs will just move on. Other than that, no one cares.'

'I care.'

'You're here with me. You'll die too.'

'Please...' I hear a voice ahead, and running. I look around, pulling out my knife. Tango doesn't seem to notice.

'Pancakes, stop.' Sensing the use of nicknames again, he turns to me. 

'What?'

'Someone's coming.'

'Where?'

'Over there.' I wave over to my left. Tango glances off where I've looked. 

'Wait... isn't this where Dog-guy is?' 

'Oh shoot. Pancakes, let's head back.'

Though seriously considering it, Tango shakes his head. The footsteps are getting louder. Closer. Hold on, dog-guy doesn't...' 

The wolf bursts around the corner, snarling. I scream, dragging Tango away from him. I get between the two, knife pointed straight at them. But they don't attack instantly. 

'Get back.' I mutter. I'm not sure whether I'm talking to dog man or Tango, but neither move. I slowly back away, keeping my eyes on the wolf at all times. 

'Feathers?' Tango's voice wavers as he says my name. 'Don't be stupid...'

'I'm not going to be.' My mind is still flashing with the fact I heard footsteps. I KNOW I heard them. But who was it?

Dogman's still approaching. I swipe at him threateningly, but he doesn't back down, growling. It's then that I hear the voice. 

'My liege, be careful.' 

My liege?! Isn't that what you say to royalty?

I don't recognise the voice, and don't dare to look back at Tango to see if he does. Dogman approaches again, running. I manage to kick him back, and he tumbles back down the maze, whining. 

'My liege! I'm coming!' Footsteps again, and a figure appears from where the wolf had. His clothes are shreds, and he's horrifically scarred, with half on his face practically missing. Long, tangled blonde hair, and one bright blue eye. As he runs over to dogman, who's still recovering I hear Tango's surprised 'no way...' from behind. I frown, figuring out who this must be.

'Ren! Ren, are you ok? My Lord, are you still alive?' Ren - the wolf claws his way back to his feet. 

'I'm fine...' he assures, shocking me first by speaking, and then with what he says next. 

'I'm fine... Martyn.'

Woo! Shock horror! Martyn's not dead! 

Also third life references are POG.