Awaken (Hermitcraft Fanfiction)

XXVI. Rescue Mission

TW: injuries, blood, death

"Grian, how does it work?" Xisuma asked urgently, removing his elytra. The red-sweatered hermit folded his wings neatly, flicking switches as he woke the giant Al computer.

"Well," he began, grabbing a loose lever and flicking it back and forth, "non-Grians are supposed to pay a five diamond fee to use the Content Generator™, all rights reserved, copyright me."

Xisuma groaned, fidgeting nervously with the helmet he clasped in his hands. "We're not here to use the Content Generator, Gri-"

"However, since you're not using the Generator, we can waive that." Grian looked him directly in the eye. "X, whatever you want to use Grumbot for, you can. We just don't have a lot of time. They've already been gone for over an hour."

Xisuma looked at the glass portal imitation. The layers of purple and magenta blurred together to form a stationary vortex. He dove into the magic, searching for signs of portal travel. The magic barriers and wards were sound, save for a virtually nonexistent knot. He raised a hand to dispel it, then stopped.

"A disguised portal spell with an anti-tracking charm." He chuckled, shifting the knot toward Grumbot. "I should have guessed. You taught her well, G." He grabbed a set of wires and began tweaking them, setting each frequency in tune with the knot. Soon, a chord of magic was humming as he guided the magic onto new paths, forming a detaiIed network of towers and bridges.

"Wow," Tango breathed, "you should teach me to do this."

Xisuma chuckled again, settling the map in place. "It can be to scale, too. That's a bit over the top, though." He enlarged it slightly, allowing them to see the individual bridges and minor towers. Satisfied, he plopped on the smooth store floor, crossing his legs.

"Is he medida- medidatating- meditating again?" Scar asked, watching sky blue magic flood Grian's basement. "Nailed it," he added under his breath.

Xisuma furrowed his brow, sweat beading on his forehead. Abruptly, his features relaxed as a spectral version of him stepped out of his physical shell. The pegasus whinnied, standing over his body as he ran into the air as a spectator. The only difference between his physical and spectral forms was the translucency: you could discern the stone outcropping behind the Admin as he examined the city.

"Wow," Tango whispered, "you really need to teach this one."

Xisuma buried himself in strategy and calculations. "They portaled in on the island beneath the city and used a chorus flower to access the lower walkways. Creative. Virtually silent and uses naturally formed terrain as an advantage.

"They most likely worked toward the center, where the council resides. However, with security being brutal, even for the military, they got caught. And if it was a trap, as Zeroc said, that would have been in the heart of the city."

"Are you just theorizing right now?" Bdubs asked. "'Cuz you sound awfully serious. And like you're almost a hundred percent sure. And that's terrifying."

"Do you want to be comforted or told the truth?" Xisuma checked, his spectator's voice reverberating in the space as he examined the ins and outs of the central tower.

"The truth?"

"I'm certain the events I described took place. However, the most worrying information is what we lack. My guess would be that Xalyn plans on killing Pearl, while holding both Impulse and Gem hostage to bait me. So, one almost certainly dead, the other two dead the moment after I lay eyes on them."

"That's really bad," Scar observed. "Do you have a plan?"

The spectator pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed. "This tower right next to the center is the dungeon, pretty much. I can portal in, release Impulse and Gem, send them back here, then help Pearl. However, I'm not accounting for injuries or security. I may end up needing a second person, which I hesitate to do. It will be dangerous as it is."