Corrupted - A Hermitcraft (and Empires) Fanfiction

5: Cub

:)

'We can save him.' Scar repeats, pacing. 'We can save Xisuma... we can do it!'

'Which one of us?' I ask. He falls silent. 'How?'

'We... can both go into his base and find him. Force him to believe us over the skulk and... leave.' 

'If we both go he might feel threatened... and I'm not letting you go...' I trail off.

Scar stops pacing, frowning, eyes widening as he realises what I mean.

'You... want to go? Alone?'

'I don't want to. Really don't want to. But Xisuma knows I have experience of skulk. He might believe me over you. And I'm not letting the skulk get you.'

'I'm not letting it get you again.' Insists Scar back. 

'It won't.' I hope I'm not lying. 'I... I'll be fine. I need to prove myself. Get over it. Doing this will help.'

A pause. I can see how torn he is about this. I know he doesn't want to go. I know he'll get himself in trouble if he does. I have to do this. 

'Fine. But we need to prepare... I'll find out if anything hinders skulk at all from these books... get some magical stuff from here. You gather armour, weapons... stuff to fight with.'

I nod.

'Meet you back here.'

And I sprint away to get ready.

It doesn't take as long as expected to get everything I think I need, returning to Scar's starter base. He's there, with a whole lot more things I'll need.

'Here.' He shoves a crystal into my hand. 'If in danger, throw it at the ground and it'll tell me. I've got a matching one.'

'We already have matching crystals.' I hold up the vex-crystal around my neck.

'This one is immediate... potions that'll stop the skulk hurting you. If it gets too close. If it gets too bad I give you full permission to go full-vex to get out...' A pause. 'Magic healing, strength, protection, resistance, bravery crystals...' he shoves a whole bag of crystals at me. 'Leave a trail so you can get out. Torches or... something that you'll see easily. Torches maybe... what have you got on you? To stop the skulk?'

'Just... Netherite armour, sword, bow and arrows... ender pearls... just normal non-magical stuff. Several stacks of torches.'

'Good. You need light. Flint and steel? Some of these books said about fighting it with fire and heat... use that if you're cornered too. Just... don't get hurt. If it goes wrong, get out. Don't act brave, don't try to fight, just run. Please. Cub, tell me if it goes wrong you'll get out.' I see Scar's panic already, gripping onto my shoulders, trying to look me into the eyes.

'I will. I promise. In, try to convince Xisuma, get out.'

'If he's not there, get out. If he's fully skulky, get out. If he isn't agreeing with you after 15 minutes, get out. Ok?'

'Ok. I will. I will get out. Don't worry.'

'And if you're not back here in an hour, I'll find you.'

'No.' It's my turn to insist. 'If I'm not in an hour, find other hermits. Tell them what happened, that the skulk is back. Don't go in alone under any circumstances. Ok?'

'Ok. I won't. Stay safe, don't take risks...'

'I won't. I promise.'

Scar hugs me tight, protective, and I hug back. For a few minutes we just stay there hugging.

'Whatever happens, I'll be here,' Scar murmurs. 'I'll always be here. No matter how long it takes. No matter what I have to do. I'll always be here for you, ok?'

'You are and always will be my best friend, Scar.' I step away. 'I'll be back. I'll be smart.'

'You always are a big brain, Cub.'

I laugh, smiling at Scar. He smiles back.

'See you in an hour.'

'See you.'

I try to stay silent as I land outside the dark entrance to Xisuma's base... everything beyond is shrouded in darkness, the only light flickering within the skulk that tangles up the walls. A solid line between happiness and nightmares. Every part of me screams to turn back, ask Scar to do this instead. But I can't. I need to find Xisuma. Get him back. Save him before the skulk spreads too much.

I step into the base. 

I lay a trail of torches behind me in hope that it helps at all... a way back to the surface if nothing else. Below foot, skulk crawls lazily like snakes... but they can't be moving. They're not moving. They're not about to... I fight the memories, the choking sensation, the skulk covering me, trapping me, taking over...

No.

No. I'm safe. 

Right?

I force myself to step further, deeper and deeper into the nest of skulk... where's X? I can't call him. I can't make any noise or the skulk... no. It's not going to happen. I can fight it. If it gets too dangerous I can tell Scar to help me.

If you have enough time to...

I finish my first stack of torches, fumbling for another as I continue... my path stretches far behind me to safety. The skulk continues further ahead into the dark, the eerie flickering blue of souls. On and on and on and down and down and down and... 

I drop my torches.

I snatch them up, as quick as I can, back prickling as I hear it.

'Vexling...'

No.

I turn back at the voice, knuckles white as I grip the torches... No one there. Nothing except skulk. No one to hear me scream. But no. No. It can't be speaking to me. It's in my head. It's all in my head. There's nothing going on... I can't see the entrance. Where are my torches? Where's my trail of torches? Are they going out? No. No. I just turned a corner. It's nothing.

You can't do this. You're too paranoid.  But I need to. I need to prove myself. Save Hermitcraft, stop what I did to Empires happening here too. 

I continue into the darkness, stomach twisting, constantly reminding myself to breathe, that the skulk isn't trying to strangle me. It's harmless. It's doing nothing. It can't hurt me...

Light ahead. A room. A couple soul lanterns hang above a large pinboard... pictures, names. Hermits. But it's empty. Xisuma isn't here. I glance around. The other ways are covered in skulk. He's not here. I'll have to come back later. Do it all again...

I stop, frowning, attention turning back to the pinboard.

GoodTimeWithScar: Vexling, wizard, incompetent.

'What the...' I mutter, snatching up a picture of Scar... He's not alone. Myself... Grian... Pearl... 

My torch flickers.

Darkness.

A shadow behind. 

I turn.

Skulk covers him.

A chasm of souls flicker in his chest.

Glowing eyes.

Pain.

And everything turns black.

Oops...

:)