Entwining Lives - A Hermitcraft & The Life series crossover

Chapter 17 - [REDACTED] Three, Oh gee.

TW: Mind Control, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Manipulation, Mentions of Violence

POV: [Redacted]

[Redacted] glanced behind themselves. Good. No one was visible. The [Redacted]s would be safe. This wasn't their fate, to be thrown aside in his quarrel.

"[Redacted], you don't have to cloak yourself." He turned, yelling at the sky. It didn't matter if he may have appeared insane, everyone within this area already thought he'd lost it. Perhaps they were right, but that was a musing for another time. "We both know you're here."

A shimmer of violet appeared nearby, and he turned, to smile bitterly at them "You finally face me after what you did."

A watcher, their disguise dropped, their face familiar, appeared. "I... [Redacted], I think of you like a sibling. What I did... I didn't mean to betray you, I'm sorry..." She dipped her head. "But it had to be done. [Redacted], you aren't processing what you're doing! Those people didn't, and still don't, deserve to die! And above all else, WHY, why did you make a deal with the [Redacted]... Why..." Her voice was sorrowful. How... Amusing, that outburst of emotion. It was shameful, pitiful even. Yet it amused him. How she believed she was an equal to him, or even upon a moral high ground, when she threw away her honor like this.

He met her pleading and emotional outburst with a stoic, cold expression. He would not shame his name as she did. "[Redacted]. You are an oathbreaker. I did try to protect you at first, because I swore I would protect the [Redacted], and you are one of them. Unlike you, I am honorable. But perhaps, I should have kicked you out long ago."

She seemed to get more desperate with his reasonable and truthful response. Now she was yelling at him, her desperation mixing in with anger... "The players you're killing don't deserve this! I'd rather die than have others dying on my behalf."

Emotions bubbled up inside himself. He desperately tried to remain calm. He wouldn't shame himself with an outburst like she did. He wouldn't stoop to her level. "The people I sacrifice for our lives are nobodies, people who have harmed others, people who are working to destroy the delicate balance we swore to uphold, or people who harm those who are too afraid to stand against them." He bit his tongue. That was a bit too emotional, he got carried away. He was shaming himself... How could he do as she did?

"[Redacted], no one deserves death, no matter the wrongs they commit." She stared into his eyes, her own filling with tears, even though it brought both of them discomfort. "They might change..."

"I beg to differ. Either way, should I let these... Monsters..." He spat out the word, as if merely acknowledging them pained him. "...Harm more people, while my own friends die before me due to me failing my duty? I'm no oathbreaker, unlike you." His voice began to shake under his stoic persona he equipped like a mask. His wings were poofed out, and his player disguise was long since dropped. Even in his full watcher height, [Redacted] was still quite a bit taller than him, cutting back on the intimidation factor significantly.

"So you don't care. You claim you do, but really, you're shallow. You only wish for your reputation to remain spotless, so you may glory in the spotlight!" [Redact-]a spat at him, her wings fluffing up angrily, similarly to his own.

"I never wanted the spotlight!" He took a deep breath. This outburst was dishonorable. He had to do better, he was failing at everything he had been taught. "I only wished to serve. And that is what I do. My apologies for shouting, it was... Unnecessary. Undignified." He would be the better [Redact-]er, even if [Redacted] shamed herself.

She walked forth, her wings becoming even more fluffed up. "Keep lying to yourself, if it allows you to rest your head at night. Let me know when you silence the screams of the ones you harmed. I want to find a way to quiet my own. I wish to repay the damages I did when I believed their lies, but clearly you do not."