Corrupted - A Hermitcraft (and Empires) Fanfiction

8: Scar

No I am not affected by my own angst and making sad puppy noises as I think about it all

I try to smile as I drop the last shulker of books inside me, Grian and Impulse's new skulk-stopping-services. We've got a lot of stuff. Enough to start finding a way to save Cub and Xisuma. And, with our 3-storey building between Scarland and Grian's base practically done, research can start as soon as-

A tug around my neck.

Cub's scream.

Silence.

My knees hit the ground before I fully realise what's happened, the shulker in my hands crashing to the ground. I sob, coldness filling me.

It broke Cub's necklace.

It stopped his respawn.

'GRIAN!' I howl through the tears. 'Grian... they...' He's at my side in seconds, hugging me as I sob. 

'What happened? Are you ok?'

'They- they stopped Cub respawning.'

'What?'

'They- they stopped it... they hurt him... and... and...' I glance down, just as my necklace gem still connected to Cub fades from bright blue to skulk black.

He's fully controlled.

'Scar, breathe. Breathe in... breathe out... breathe in... Scar... Scar are you listening to me?' I barely comprehend Grian's words, let alone the fact I'm hyperventilating. 'Scar DO YOU KNOW HOW TO BREATHE?!'

'NO!' I yell back before breaking down into sobs again. 

'I... I heard shouting... what's going on... oh my goodness, Scar, are you ok?' And now Impulse joins us, crouching next to me as I continue crying. 

'Something about Cub's respawn...'

'Skulk stopped it,' I mumble? Impulse freezes

'What?! How? And how do you know?'

'Necklace... they broke it...' I hold up my own necklace, still skulk-black.

'Wait, that's normally blue... did it do that because...'

I nod.

'Oh my goodness...'

'We're going to stop it, Scar.'

'With a million books and the passion of a thousand Hermits, right Scar?' I try to smile at Impulse's attempt to cheer me up but can't. They've got him. They've forced Cub to join them again.

'I... I need some time alone.' I admit. 'You two do what you want.'

They let me out the hug and away, out of the building. I slam the door behind, sliding to the ground. But I don't cry, just staring at the necklace. I should've helped him... refused to let him go alone... anything...

'Hey Scar!'

'Oh hey Cub!' I call back, cheerful on instinct.

Wait.

I scramble to my feet, backing away from where he stands on the awning of the second floor, covered in skulk. Cold turquoise eyes, covered in skulk, clothes torn, hands clawed and blue as skulk. And a large, terrifying smile crossing his face.

'You'd be surprised how great this actually is,' he calls, voice as cold and wrong as his expression 'New powers... you don't hurt by skulk, or wardens, I can hear whatever's going on around different places through the skulk.' He jumps to the ground, taking no damage. 'Of course... you'd lose the benefits of being a vexling but this is a lot better, man.'

'Get away from me.' A vex dagger flashes into my hands. Skulk-Cub laughs, forming the skulk growing down his arm into a sharp sword.

'Mine's bigger.' An even larger smile. 'And harvests the souls of whatever it kills to make me stronger. But I've not tried that out yet. It's just what the skulk told me.'

A slash. I stumble back, trying and failing to stem the bleeding.

'Pity X wants you alive.'

Another blow. I dodge, but it still hits my arm. Vex magic forms at my hand... I shoot it at Cub. Hit. He falls backwards, pain crossing his face. Cub's face. 

'Leave me alone.' I insist. He doesn't. I know he won't. And the moment he recovers, he attacks again. 

I hit the ground as he pounces, struggling under his weight, the sword against my neck. I try to force him away,  fight him away, kick him away from from me... nothing. 

'GRIAN! IMPULSE!' I yell. The sword digs deeper and I cut off, choking, struggling for breath. Skulk starts to wrap around my wrists. 'Cub... Cub please... break out of it... this isn't you... remember the vex... remember all the time we spent together... please... please listen to me...'

'Cub's gone.' Hisses the skulk controlling Cub. 'And you'll be next.'

'No... no...' I shove again... I swear I used to be stronger than Cub... but the skulk's too strong. 'You don't get to win... YOU DON'T GET TO WIN!' 

I shove again, forcing him away just enough to roll away. The skulk cuts deeper into my wrists with every spark of vex magic I try to summon... but there's a normal sword in my inventory I grab, slashing with two hands. Cub stumbles back and I stand, fighting the faintness.

'Get back to Xisuma and tell him we're not going to let a bully like you win.' I snarl. 

A smile.

'You think a little diamond sword will help you?' 

'No. But friends will... GRIAN! IMPULSE!'

Silence.

'GRIAN? WE'RE MURDERING MY VERY, VERY POSSESSED BEST FRIEND OUT HERE... DO YOU WANT TO HELP?'

A laugh. I glare at Cub as he laughs, and then explains.

'They can't hear you.'

'They're literally just inside, I'll have you know, mister... when did that get there?!' I turn to see the walls of the base covered in skulk, vines growing up towards the tower's peak.

'Another fascinating ability of the skulk that. It can block out sound as well as enhance it. Your friends have no idea you're out here. It's just you and me, Scar.'

'Then I'll have to defeat you on my own.'

I don't hesitate before sprinting at him, slicing down... a shield of skulk blocks me, forcing it from my still-tied hands and away. Cub shoves me back. I hit the ground again, scrambling away, trying to free my hands... nothing works... all I can do is keep crawling towards the base, watching as my best friend approaches, forced to hurt me. 

'Come on... we don't have to do this, Cub... just let me go and everything will be ok...'

He doesn't. But he also remains unarmed, the skulk sword and shield returned to covering him. The only other skulk is covering the base behind. 

He can't summon any more. 

He's summoned all the skulk he can, and exhausted himself doing it.

'What's the problem, Cub? Too tired to fight me?' I rise slowly to my feet, approaching again. Blood covers my clothes from all his hits, I'm barely standing, weaponless.

'No.'

'Then what is it? Come on! Hit me with all your skulky powers!'

'Fine.'

With the last of his energy, Cub charges. A moment too late I see the skulk sword forming in his hand, stabbing. Instinctively, I block with my hands. The sword cuts past, through the skulk tying them together. Magic flares, hitting Cub, just as his sword hits me. We both fall back. 

'I'll be back.' He swears, the skulk falling back to protect him, uncovering the door behind and letting me run through, slamming it behind right as I fall unconscious.

Skulky skulky fighty fighty angsty angsty