Corrupted - A Hermitcraft (and Empires) Fanfiction

12: Scar

I stare around the random world chosen for the meeting. A meeting that's kind, according to Pix, hasn't been managed for years. Ahead is what the various magical beings contructing it decided was a simple structure - a huge round tower of bedrock, stone, and stained blue and purple windows. Grian's next to me, holding my hand. Tango and False are on my other side, dressed as I am in vexling robes. Masks weren't required, thankfully, for either group.

Pix explained that skulk hasn't just affected ours but many servers, a plague upon the Vexlings and Watchers for centuries. And hopefully we can unite together and fix it once and for all. The 3 Watchers (Pix, Grian and Pearl) and the 3 vexlings (Me, Tango and False) were enough to initiate the meeting. And now, the Vexling and (one of) the Watcher leaders have agreed as well, it can commence.

We enter, taking seats around an equally round and equally ornate table. Leaders facing each other, the rest of us around and Martyn - our impartial Listener judge - sat at the head of the table, beginning the meeting.

'Watchers, Vexlings, and... other magical players.' A glance at Shubble. 'We are gathered here on the agreement of Watchers Pixlriffs, Grian, and Pearlescentmoon and Vexlings GoodTimeWithScar, False Symmetry and Tango to discuss the issue of the skulk. Who wishes to begin?'

I raise my hand. Every face in the room turns to me.

'About a week ago on Hermitcraft, me and Cub thought Xisuma was acting weird so... because Cub had been possessed by skulk before thought-'

'Get on with it vex.' Interrupts the many-winged Watcher leader in galactic. I stop. 

'English please, 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ !¡𝙹ℸ ̣ ᒷリℸ ̣ ᒷᓭ.' Martyn's quick to scold. 'Scar, continue.'

'Xisuma's been taken by skulk. And then Cub was taken when he went to investigate. He... it... the skulk also tried to take me, Pix and Grian.' 

'We have a skulk problem. And, as Scar said, it's very violent. Unlike in Empires when it took over last and it... it spread skulk, but not much else.' 

'And this affects the Watchers... how?' The Watcher leader questions.

'Firstly, it's already tried to take me and Grian, two Watchers. And secondly, Skulk's been a problem for you for centuries.'

'Not me particularly for that long... I have come into contact with skulk, but not competition. Skulk corrupts worlds, but the strength of the Watchers can withstand it.'

'It was a 2 on 1 between us and a newly-possessed victim who'd been badly hurt the day before and we barely got out alive.'

'It can stop magic easily.' Adds Grian, holding up one hand, still ringed in a line of red from where the skulk hurt him. 'Any kind of magic, it stops. We couldn't spy from safety due to how much it's affected.'

'It might stop yours, but not mine.' 

'You don't know that. The skulk is powerful. If it spreads to your land, there'd be no stopping it. If you help fight it on a larger scale, see where it comes from, while we save our friends...'

'We could,' another Watcher brought along by the leader says. 'The question is if it's worth it. If it's so dangerous, why would we choose to help you and put ourselves in danger?'

'Right now, you'd be assisted by the vexlings and our server,' Explained Pearl. 'Later... you'd be alone. You'd fail easier.'

'Watchers do not FAIL!' I draw back as the leader stands, 8 wings raised behind, fury beneath their masked face.

'Alright, alright, sit and calm down.' Intervenes Martyn. 'We know what you think. Does anyone else wish to speak?'

'Alright Mr Wingificator,' Tango interrupts, standing to face the leader who still hasn't sat down. 'You have 2 options here. Die alone or fight with us. We can't defeat the skulk without you, and you can't defeat the skulk without us.'

'We can fight better than you think, Vexling. Do you wish for us to show off our powers now?'

'No violence in the meetings! Tango, sit down. Stop making things worse.'

'Why would I care about your stupid little server with your stupid little skulk problem. If you cannot fight it off, it is a testament to your incompetence not the skulk's strength. Anyone who falls to it is clearly too weak to deserve whatever powers they were somehow gifted with.'

'The SKULK is DANGEROUS!' I snarl, unable to remain silent. Vex power surge within me, wings behind, hands blue and glowing with magic. 'And when it comes to destroy your land we will stand by and do NOTHING as you have done to us.' 

'Control yourself, Vex. It is not our problem whether your little friend is or isn't taken by skulk. Again. Let me remind you that isn't isn't the first time cubfan135 was taken by the skulk after willingly entering the place it is strongest. And that a pair of former watchers unable to use their powers escaped with little more than a single bow.'

'And if I hadn't taken that bow, or hadn't thought of using it, we both would be taken by the skulk too.' Pix intervenes. 'And Xisuma, one of the greatest admins...'

'Xisuma is not one of the greatest admins.'

'Xisuma's better than you'll ever be you stinking... feathered... POO POO HEAD!' I yell, all good insults gone from my mind. But I don't care.  It's not my fault the watchers are refusing to listen. 

'Sit down and let the adults speak, 𝙹ʖᓭᓵᒷリ⚍ᒲ ⎓∷ᒷᔑꖌ.' A watcher to the left of the leader stands and hisses in galactic. 

'We will have no insults like that in this court! Sit down! Everyone!'

'You don't understand what we're dealing with here!' Memories flood back... Xisuma in Grian's game, Cub standing on the building, covered in skulk, Cub pinning me to the ground, sword against my neck, moments from killing me, hissing the truth I refuse to accept.

'Cub's gone.'

'You don't realise how much every single person in this room is in danger from the skulk!' I continue on. 'And... and if you refuse to see the risks then the blood will be on your own hands when it destroys each and every world and player YOU let it corrupt!'

I tear from the room, ignoring Grian and Martyn's yells to come back. All I hear is Cub's distant scream as his necklace lifeline is shattered, the laugh as he stands, possessed, about to kills me, the skulk's cold words, corrupting the voice that always brought me laughter and joy as I sink to the ground and scream.

This got angsty quickly

Still, no regrets