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

Chapter 19 - Cub

I didn't expect there to be other people with Ren and Martyn, but there were. As my other closest friends here, I went to them first, and was surprised to see three of the non-maze people there too. 

I recognise Grian, and vaguely remember another one of them, but the third I haven't seen for a long time. After my original outburst, I falter, but no one attacks. 

'Uhh... I didn't expect... others?'

Grian introduces his friends, and tells me what happened. I nod back.

'Who's Scar?' Tango asks. Bdubs nods. 

'My friend. The other vex. Someone's taken him.'

'Well I think all of us know who it was...' States Grian awkwardly. 

'Impulse...' Tango mutters back, practically inaudible. I recognise that name too, and with a jolt I realise that it was his friend I helped kill. No, his brother. 

'Come on. We need to start looking. Does anyone have any ideas as to where Impulse would've gone?' Grian prompts, taking the lead and setting off. Me and the others follow behind. No one has any ideas for a moment. 

'Wait... the crastle!'

'The castle?' I frown. 'You built a castle?'

'Crastle, and yeah, we did. Me, Skizz and Impulse found a large open area and built a wooden castle there. Then Bdubs found it and named it the Crastle.' He looks over at Bdubs, who smiles weakly at the memory. I continue to ask questions.

'So Scar will be there?'

'Seems a very poetic place for avenging Skizz...' Bdubs notes. Tango nods. 

'Do you know where it is?'

Tango nods, and takes the lead. Grian and Bdubs are just behind. I fall back, to talk with Martyn.

'How's everything going?' I ask. My friend shrugs back. 

'Good, I guess. Ren's been good company for me. He's always been good company for me...'

'I suppose so...' The wolf is padding along next to us, tail flicking nervously behind. Noticing me, he explains. 

'I don't like strangers...' he growls. 'I can't trust them.'

'You trusted me...'

'Only because I could've easily killed you if you betrayed me. You were literally dying.'

'But you still trusted me...' 

'Yes, I did...'

I can't help but smile at their friendship, knowing how lonely Ren was before Martyn had come. If either of them died...

I shake the thought away. They'd both fight until their dying breath for each other. If worst came to worst, they'd go down together. Grian and Bdubs are chatting ahead. Tango's in the lead, silent. I figure he's been through a lot. 

'Cub, why were you away from Scar if you're so scared that he's dead?' Grian asks me. I falter slightly, not expecting the question.

'I... I needed to bury the body.'

'Body?'

'Yeah, a person with blonde hair and a brown top?'

'Zedaph?'

'I think so.'

There's quiet for a moment moment, then Tango speaks. 

'Nearly there.' 

I breathe an internal sigh of relief, hiding the tightness of my chest and the nagging feeling that Scar's already dead. He won't be dead. He won't be dead. He won't be dead. He won't...

'Quiet. We're right by it. If he knows we're here, he'll freak out.'

'You mean, even more than he already has...'

'Shut up, Bdubs. You're not helping.'

I pick up the pace, almost running as I turn the final corner, and enter the area. Tango was right - Impulse is standing right in front of us, on the roof of a half-fallen castle. And next to him, crouching on the ground, Scar. His hands are bloody, bound together, and a sword is pointed at his next. I clench my fists at the sight, quickly filling with the rage and bloodlust that often comes. 

I need to kill Impulse. 

I hear Tango whisper his friend's name, but the black-t-shirted monster doesn't hear. He's grinning like the psychopath he is. 

'I see you've all arrived. I was only expecting his friend.' Impulse looks right at me. I glare back, only calming myself by coming up with different ways to murder him. He's stolen Scar. He's going to KILL Scar. My closest friend. The friend I swore to protect on the day I got here, when we both woke up, all memory gone except our names and the fact we would die for each other. 

'Why are you doing this?' Asks Grian, half pleading. 'Just come down here and calm down.'

'HE HELPED KILL MY BROTHER.'

'You've already killed Etho! Why do you need to kill Scar too?!'

'Because Skizz still needs avenging. This monster caused his death. He deserves to die.' Impulse pokes Scar with his sword, and my friend whimpers back. 

I go in for the kill.

'I'LL MURDER YOU I SWEAR I'LL MURDER YOU IF YOU DO THIS!' I howl. Someone's holding me back as I claw for Impulse, who's still safely out of the way. He laughs coldly.

'Stay where you are or he dies faster.'

Even with the sheer rage filling me, I stop, looking back to see Martyn, who'd been the one stopping me from attacking. He's shaking his head. 

'We'll kill him. I promise. But only when Scar's safe.' 

'Fine...' I reply, before looking back to Impulse, just as Scar stands up. 

My heart jumps with excitement, thinking he's going to fight back. 

 Then he speaks. 'I would like some final requests before you kill me.' 

'No...' I mouth back. He's going to die. He's ready to die. This can't be real. Please... please... SCAR DON'T DO THIS. I scream in my head. SCAR STOP THIS. FIGHT HIM. YOU KNOW YOU'LL WIN. 

'First.' SCAR PLEASE! He throws over something, and I catch it. It's his vex mask. I barely hold back a sob. This is it. He's given up. 'I want everyone to be watching. Everyone. Cub, especially you. If you miss this, I'll be very disappointed with you.' 

You don't have to do this...

'Second, you don't hurt Jellie. Cub keeps Jellie. If she's hurt, he'll murder you, right?' He looks over at me. I have to nod back. Tears break free from my eyes. I promise. Scar, I promise. But please... 'Third - Cub, I left a whole list of things in the mask, by the way - Impulse, make it quick? Please?' The executioner opens his mouth to complain, but Scar cuts him off again. 'This is the wish of a dying man! No one breaks the rules of a dying man!' 

'Fine.' Impulse concedes to the request. I force myself feel slightly relieved about it. He's not going to die in agony. It's going to be quick and painless. You know that's best. 

'And finally, Impulse, I'm sorry. For scaring you... a lot. For trying to kill your brother... Skizz was it? I honestly didn't want him dead. He seemed like a pretty nice person...'

'Can I just do this now?!' Snaps Impulse. I stop breathing. This is it. He's going to die now. And he wants you to watch.

'Oh, yeah. You can kill me.' NO! 'Bye, Cub! Bye everyone else! See you in the afterlife!' 

It's not over quick enough. My vision's blurring from all the tears, so I wipe them away so I can see, watching with a broken heart as Impulse stabs Scar straight through the heart. 

I hope you're crying.