A Glitch of Magic - a Hermitcraft (and third life?) Fanfiction

Chapter 28

Almost done! 

3 chapters left (including this one) and the epilogue!

Woo! 

I mean- I've only got a few more

Chapt-aha-s 

:) 

'Skizz, at least tell me what's been going on.'

'I want to be left alone, Grian.'

'You've been quiet this whole time. I know something's wrong. I've hung out with you enough on third-life to know that.'

'Impulse is dead and Tango betrayed me,'

'Wait... Impulse is dead?'

'Yes!'

'I've missed a lot...'

'I can tell.'

'Is anyone else dead?'

'Yes.'

'Who?'

'Other hermits.'

'Thanks for that, Skizz.'

'Mumbo.'

'WHAT?!'

'Mumbo's dead, if you wanted to know.'

'NO! He can't! He just- no!' Grian let loose a sob, 'He can't...' he dissolved into tears. Something moved above him. A fight. He didn't care who it was. Mumbo was dead. Mumbo was dead. Mumbo was- 'WHY?!'

'Maybe you understand why I want to be left alone now.'

'Skizz, I- how is that what you care about still?! One of my closest friend's is DEAD.'

'THEN WE'RE EVEN.'

Silence. The only noise was Grian crying, tears down his face. Skizz bit his lip, worried he'd gone too far.

'Look, Grian. I'm sorry.' 

'I can tell.' Came the icy response. The torch had long since died out, but Skizz still heard the shuffling of Grian turning away. 

'I'll leave you in peace.' 

The fighting had ceased above. There was quiet for a moment longer before-

To Grian, a better noise had never existed. The sound of pistons pulling back blocks, blinding light. The builder sobbed again, pure happiness. Never before had anything sounded so good. The sound of freedom. Pure freedom. 

As though in a dream, he got to his feet, Cub was standing there, barely holding his composure. Skizz was climbing out next to him. Grian approached. The Vexling pulled him out. Grian hugged him, and wept. 

'Cub...'

'Grian. You're free now. I won't let him trap you again.' 

'I know.' 

'Can we get out of here?' Skizz broke through the moment, clearly scared. There was a howl of fury from the pile of vex-magic against the wall. Scar's voice broke through it.

'Get out! I'm fighting him but I can't hold on much longer! Cub... just... get them...'

'I'll fight him. You two go.' Skizz pulled out a sword. Cub grabbed Grian's hand and fled towards the exit, through a moment of darkness, then out into a stone room. Skizz screamed a mad war-cry below, fending off Herobrine, before racing past them. 

'RUN!' He screeched. Grian stumbled on behind. Cub glanced back to see a very furious, bloody Herobrine behind them. Through a door, into a sun-filled room... Grian followed Skizz blindly until-

They broke through into the outside world. Pupils narrowed to dots, blinded by the sun, Grian skidded to a stop. The wind- the light- the- everything. He almost cried again, instead howling with joy and running wildly out. His wings shot out behind him and he took to the air, whooping and celebrating, face tear-stained and heart soaring. He'd never be trapped again. He was free. Forever. Free. 

'GRIAN?!' He looked up, hovering, to Tango and Jevin flying towards him. Recalling how Skizz had got trapped, the winged hermit didn't immediately trust him. He swooped down towards the ground instead, landing. The two hit the grass moments later, and Tango hugged him. 

'Hey... Tango...' He pushed the boomer away. Instantly, he frowned.

'What's wrong?'

'Can I trust you?!' Grian blurted out. 'Skizz told me you trapped him.' 

'I... if Herobrine isn't here, yes.' 

'TRAITOR!' Skizz yelled over unhelpfully. 

'Skizz, I'm sorry.'

'No, sorry's not covering it.' Skizz stormed over to his friend. 'You ruined my trust. I believed you then. I'm not just going to believe you now.'

'Skizz, I know it was a rubbish thing I did and...'

'It was more than rubbish, Tango.'

'Dreadful, awful, abysmal, disgusting, unforgivable...' Tango rallied off a list of synonyms, growing steadily more upset with each one. 'Herobrine made me do it. He's caused all this. Not me. And I understand that you don't trust me, and I know that he's just going to force me into being the monster again, but please... just forgive this one thing and make me feel a bit better.'

'I'm sorry, buddy. But you don't deserve it.' 

Tango accepted the blow, wiping away his tears. He deserved this. He should've done better a long time ago. Grian still stood between the two. 

'I don't blame you, Tango.' He stated quietly. 

'You don't know what I did.'

'I know it's not your fault.'

'HEROBRINE NEVER TOLD ME TO KILL MUMBO.' Tango burst out suddenly. 'I DID THAT. AND CONTINUE TO DO IT EVERY TIME I CLOSE MY EYES. I HEAR IMPY'S HOWLS OF TERROR EVERY TIME I FALL ASLEEP. HE'S TURNED ME INTO A MONSTER.' 

'Y...you killed Mumbo?' Grian stepped away, mind changed. 'Tango, why?'

'F...f*** off.' The half-blaze sobbed back. 'I can't deal with this right now.' He ran off, over to a small house Grian assumed was where he was staying. The builder looked over to where Cub was fighting Herobrine again, clearly in agony. 

'We need to help him.' 

He glided over, enjoying the use of his wings again, pulling out a sword before he arrived and slashing at the glitch. The surprised face that he'd seen so much before from Scar looked back at up, stumbling away, bleeding. Cub backed up, finally allowing himself to collapse to the ground. Grian sliced at Herobrine again, conscious of his PvP failings in the past. The glitch disappeared, teleporting behind him to quickly kill him,  but the combination of him flying out the way and Skizz dragging him out of range stopped it quickly. Grian landed again, sword ready to strike again as Herobrine struggled out of Skizz's grasp and ran away. Both watched him go, before Grian looked back at Cub, who's breathing was shallow and was insisting to a worried Jevin that he wasn't dying. 

'We should get to somewhere where our favourite glitchy-boi can't get to us.' The winged hermit suggested. Skizz nodded back. Cub got to his feet, hobbling over towards Grian's starter base. 'So, what did I miss?' Grian attempted conversation. Cub postponed the offer with his reply. 

'I'll tell you when we're inside. I've got some stuff to tell everyone as well.' 

Actually, I think I'm going to go to 32 chapters. 

I mean, I have ideas for 3 more...