Land of Memory - a Hermitcraft and last life threequel

Chapter 24 - Martyn

What do you mean all the chapters that are from Martyn's perspective include 90% angst between him and Ren? 

And why do you think this one is going to be any different? 

'Doc's coming.' 

Ren runs into the center building of dogwarts. I turn to face him. This is the first time we've talked since I got back. 

Since I killed Grian. 

'I... is everyone armed? Is there anyone on red life who might die permanently from this?' I ask back, trying to sound like I know what I'm doing. Like I'm not panicking. 'Other than us.'

He shakes his head. 

'I don't think so... He's not here yet. Doc, I mean. Wels spotted him near BigB's old place.'

'Right. There's a bit of time... was he hurt at all? Anything we can use to help us?'

'No. I don't know.' Ren glances away, to the Red Winter axe lying nearby, then back to me. 'You should hide. It's you he's after.'

'Ren- you're not fighting. You're red too. Like me. I'm not letting you die for me.'

'Neither. You're getting through this. I'll always die to protect you Martyn. Whatever it takes.'

'I- why are you talking like you're already dying?! You're not going to die!' 

A call from outside. Ren looks outside, grimacing. 

'Stay here. Please. I... I can't lose you too.' 

I watch him leave, taking the axe with him. A moment of nothing. I begin pacing. They're going to die for me. They're all going to die. Pearl. Wels. Everyone. Ren will be the first to jump in front of Doc's sword for me. I'm going to be the only one left- 

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||𝙹⚍ ∴╎ꖎꖎ ⎓╎リ↸ ⍑╎ᒲ, 𝙹∷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ↸𝙹⊣ ∴╎ꖎꖎ ↸╎ᒷ.

∷ᒷᒲᒷᒲʖᒷ∷, ∷ᒷ↸ !¡∷╎リᓵᒷ.

ᔑリ↸ 𝙹⚍∷ ∴╎ꖎꖎ ʖᒷ ↸𝙹リᒷ. 

I double over as the voice comes again, stifling a yell of reply. I can't make Ren worry. I can't make Ren worry. I can't make Ren worry-

The words spin in my head. I try to ignore them. I can't ignore them. If I ignore them, Ren dies. They want me to kill Grian. Until he's lost all his lives. Ruin everything. I can't. I can't do it. I can't do what they say. 

'Do it.' 

The voice comes in English. A cold, sadistic voice. 

'Do it or watch them die.'

'No...' I reply. 'I'm not- I'm not going to do what you say.'

'You WILL obey our word, listener.'

I freeze. 

'What did you just call me?' 

'What you are.'

How do they know? How do the creators know? How do they know everything?! Everything about everything?! Why are they doing this? How do we deserve it? Icy cold seeps up my face. The marks growing. I bite my tongue until it bleeds, trying not to scream as pinpricks of darkness crawl up my other arm. Eyes closed as tight as they can be. Sobbing. Crouching, fingernails digging into my legs as I hold back any sound that would alert Ren to my situation. 

'Our will be done.' It stops as soon as it began. The shadow talks tenderly. As though I'm nothing more than a child. 'Our will be DONE.'

'Y...yeah... your will be done.' I barely hear my own voice. 'Your will be done. Your will be done. Your will be- be-'

Someone howls a name outside. A death message appears in chat. Doc. Killing someone. One of the group. Ren?! 

I pull up the hood of my cloak, over my face. Over my eyes. So no one can see. So Ren can't see. I draw my sword, letting out a deep breath as I leave the building.

It's carnage outside. Pearl's huddled at the side, trying to stem the bleeding. xB and Hypno are firing arrows. Jevin's staying back, watching as Ren fights Doc in a bloody 1v1.

He's bleeding badly. One arm hangs at a gruesome angle. The other still holds the axe. His tail hangs low, clothes torn, a dark red covering his t-shirt and jeans. 

He's going to die. 

'REN NO!' 

I run in as Doc swings. Pain, as the trident hits me. I'm brought right back to the maze, where the same happened. Impulse had just killed Bdubs, and Doc was on the offensive. That was when he turned. That was how it happened.

'M...Martyn?!' Ren's there. I don't know how much I'm hurt, curled up there. Jevin goes in for an attack while me and him are distracted.

'Ren- you were going to die- I got scared- I wanted to help and- and- oh notch, is this the end?' 

'What- no- Martyn you're not dying on me. Not after everything. Not again. Please. Dude. Don't-'

'I- I saved you again. I need to stop doing that. At some point I won't come back-'

He hugs me. Despite our predicament, he hugs me. As tight as he can without hurting more, sobbing. I return, letting out all the emotion I'd tried to hide.

'Don't die- Don't die- Don't die- Don't die- Don't die-' He repeats it over and over. A prickling over the pain in my back. Where the trident hit. What's happening? Is this what death is like? 

It fades away. The injury doesn't hurt. Blood stops spreading. I push away from the hug. 

'Something just healed me.' 

Even though I should care more about being alive, a worried tone fills my voice. 

'What?'

'Something wants me to stay alive. Someone.'

'The creators? Whatever voice is forcing you to do everything?'

'We saved you for a reason, shadow prince. Now kill the sun as we commanded before. Or we will kill you and the dog.'

'Martyn? Your eyes just went purple and'

'They just spoke again- yes they healed me. They want me to do something.' 

'What?' 

iJevin was slain by DocM77

'They- They want Grian dead.' 

'Grian? Why Grian?'

'I don't know!' I burst out. 'I don't know why they want anything. All I know is that they say they'll kill us if I don't. And now they've proven that they can stop me from dying, they can-'

I realize. 

I realize everything. 

How they did it. 

How they did everything. 

How the creators did what they did. 

Why they called me a listener. 

Why they want Grian dead. 

'They- they I need to talk to Grian.'

'They want you to kill Grian! Martyn, dude, you can't just talk to him.'

'No. I need to do it. I need to do it now. Ren- stay safe- please. Don't get too upset.'

'Upset?! Why would I be upset about-'

Doc pulls him away, stopping him from talking. I get to my feet as he struggles out of his grip. 

'RUN!' He snarls. 'DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. I'LL HOLD OFF DOC.'

There's no time for any further goodbyes. Heart hammering, knowing this will be the end, I sprint for the exit, leave dogwarts, and run, hoping to find Grian before the shadow kills us all again.