A Crown of Broken Runes (ACOBR)

Fragments

"Bdubs! C'mon, stay with us, stay... oh..."

Cleo watched helplessly as Bdubs' body dissolved, his items scattering across the ground. She let out an angry yell and tackled Grian, who was simply standing blankly. He did not fight back.

Cleo wrenched the weapon from his hand, and that seemed to bring him back into reality. The feathers receded again and Grian tried to stand.

"Grian? That you?"

The others had approached now, and Impulse had sat down, standing at the place where Bdubs had died.

He nodded slightly.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't do..."

"How do we get it out of your head?"

He winced, and Cleo grasped his arm and feathers began to resurge, but they bubbled back down again.

"I... don't know... I... the mask!"

He reached up to rip the mask off his face, and Cleo did the same.

Before either of them could, Grian turned feral again and knocked Cleo away.

"Guys! We have to get the mask off him! Then he'll be able to get rid of the presence! Just try to destroy it!"

Grian spoke once again, his voice cold and unfamiliar.

"Do you think he could fight me off even then? You players are more foolish than I had previously assumed. Besides, I doubt he would survive its unintended destruction. But by all means, go ahead! See what it does when you break it, I'm actually rather curious."

He knelt down, and grinned.

"Well? Go on."

Cleo hesitated. What would happen if it was broken?

Xisuma approached, and raised a fist. Grian just chuckled.

Cleo went to stop him, but paused. Just behind the kneeling hermit was Wels, his hands outstretched.

It all happened in an instant.

Wels snatched the mask, removing it without a scratch. Grian let out a yell, and curled up, wings shielding him from their view. Xisuma was knocked down by a wing, but seemed unharmed.

They could do nothing but watch as the eyes on his wings grew brighter, before fading away again over and over, the feathery hermit shaking with effort.

After a minute or two, the wings receded, the eyes gone. There he sat, eyes bloodshot and wet with tears.

"I... he's gone."

They ran in to hug Grian, and he began to half-laugh half-cry.

"I'm sorry... it was going well... then they just... made me wear it... and then they took over when I tried to make a portal..."

Xisuma took the mask, and handed it gently back to Grian. Grian reached up and took it, his hand shaking, and stowed it safely into his inventory. Grian caught his breath, and stood up. He lifted a hand, and lightning crackled around it instantly.

"Oh... looks like I can still use the-"

"How dare you, Xelqua."

A cold voice sounded, and the hermits jumped back, thinking Grian had been possessed once again. However, he seemed just as confused as they were. Out of the mist, 5 watchers strode forwards.

The two in back were shortest, only about as tall as an enderman. They wore simple clothing, and one seemed almost shy.

The other three were dressed more ornately. One had silky clothing that billowed about its long feathers. The other wore shorter robes with delicate embroideries. This one's face was in a grimace, and it was rubbing its back.