Prison of the dead (Labyrinth of Monsters' sequel) A hermitcraft/3rd life fanfic

Chapter 11 - Impulse

I wake up. 

Bandages cover my arms and legs. Everything stings, and I bite back a scream of pain. There was a fire. I fell. The last thing I remember was Cub calling my name. 

Cub. 

I don't know whether to hate him or not. I have even less of an idea whether I want him dead. He helped kill Skizz. And then you killed Scar. You've had your revenge. Just get over it and accept his friendship.

Someone enters the room, sees me awake, then instantly leaves. I realise then that I'm inside my home, lying on my bed. I'm topless as well, but I don't think anyone will care. 

Cleo returns, with Cub just behind. I don't look at them. 

'You're awake!' Cub sighs with apparent relief. 'I didn't know if you would! Your injuries were quite bad. 

'Wh...what happened?' I ask.

'You fell over and passed out in the fire. Cub carried you to safety.' Cleo explains. 'Are you feeling ok?'

'I feel terrible.' I confess, as the truth slowly sinks in. 

Cub saved my life. 

After all I've done to him, ignoring him, wanting him dead, he saved my life. 

'Why?'

'Why what?'

'Why did you save me?' I look up at Cub. He blinks back.

'Because I don't want you to die?'

'You should hate me. I killed Scar.'

'Scar would save you as well. He forgave you just before you killed him.' Cub reminded quietly. I look down at the ground, pretending to look over my injuries. No one's fooled. With a sigh, Cub continues. 

'Look, Impulse. If you want the truth, I saved you because I want you to stay safe. I feel like it's... my right... to protect you. I killed Skizz, you killed Scar, and now we're even I don't want you to die and feel like I have to give something else back to you.'

'So you're doing it because you don't want to have to feel sorry for yourself?'

'I'm doing it because I care about you!'

'WHY?! I killed your best friend!'

'Do you want me to protect you or not?!'

'I don't know! I don't know if I should hate you or not! I don't know if we should stay as enemies or not. Because one of the last things I did before I died was killing your friend. I haven't had the time to get over it, recover. You had more time than I did.'

'CUB! CUB! YOU NEED TO SEE THIS! YOU NEED TO SEE WHO'S JUST TURNED UP!' Scott burst into the room. 

'What?!' The vex turned to face him. There's an ecstatic look on Scott's face. Dubiously, I follow him out after Cub and Cleo. 

My jaw drops when I see who's there.

'SCAR!' 

'CUB!' 

The two run at each other and hug delightedly. I'm left standing there, shellshocked, unsure how to react. 

'Scar?! What happened?!' Cleo questions. She also sounds unsure. 

'I was killed by Doc- why are all of you here? What happened? Cub, it's so good to see you again.' Scar babbles back, eyes shining with happy tears. I clench my fists. Skizz still isn't here. With one last look at the Convex, I return to my home. 

'Impulse?' Cleo follows me in, closing the door behind. I sink down onto my bed, shuffling away as she sits down next to me. 'What's up?'

'I don't know. I know I should be happy for them. But I still have no one. Everyone else has at least one person they like here. I'm stuck here alone.'

'Aren't I your friend?'

'Yeah, but you're not Skizz, or Tango, or Zedaph. Even Grian.' 

'You need to cheer up at some point.'

'Do you even care?!' I snap back.

'Yes! I do! However, you can't just be miserable forever. Skizz wouldn't want you to be miserable forever. So get up, stay up, and actually smile.' She storms out the room and I swear loudly at her, before lying down on my bed and eventually falling asleep. 

Scar's there when I wake up. I scramble into a sitting position, giving him a furious look. 

'Hey... Impulse...'

'What do YOU want?!' 

'To... talk...'

'About what?'

'I know you hate me.'

'Yeah, I do. You should hate me too. I killed you.'

'Oh, but that doesn't mean I should hate you!'

'Why?! Why doesn't it? Why am I the only person who thinks that murder isn't right?!'

'Doc clearly doesn't, since he killed me.'

'He did?'

'I was trying to kill him...'

I don't reply. Mostly because I don't know what to reply with. I still hate him. Hate him for coming back and making Cub so happy. Making me the only person without someone close to them here. And I know it's not his fault. The worst thing about it is that I know it's not his fault. He deserves to be happy. 

And then he speaks again.

'Skizz misses you.' 

Three words, and a million realisations, but it takes a moment to realise what he's saying. 

Skizz is alive somewhere.

And he spoke to Scar.

'How's he doing? Is is alright? How's he coping with me not being there? Is everything ok?'

'One question at a time! Jeez Louise! But he's ok. And apart from joining a group with me that wants to murder Doc and Etho, he's coping with your death ok!'

'So he's forgiven you?'

'Of course!'

I'm silent again. I don't look at Scar. He's still watching me. Skizz is alright. He's ok. He's safe. 

For now. 

'So... do you forgive me?'

'Yes.'

'Friends?'

Silence. 

I don't know how to reply. Should I befriend him? Should I accept that Skizz is dead? Accept everything he's done, and actually get past it. 

Yes. I should. 

And with a smile, I reply. 

'Yes.' 

Yay! Cub and Scar are together again!