Corrupted - A Hermitcraft (and Empires) Fanfiction

20: Grian

  Pain.

It doesn't matter how I lie down, how I stand, how I move, sit, even if I just stay as still as I can. All I feel is pain. 

Except of course the unending terror and fear. That's still here. The thought that any second, Xisuma or Cub could come in here and hurt me again. The fear that's driving the 3rd worst thing about this place. The sleeplessness. Even if the pain and paranoia relent enough to let me fall asleep, I wake up minutes (or hours, or days, there's no way of telling how long it's been) later, covered in sweat having relived capture, or the interrogation, or what they did to me, or new nightmares of Mumbo and Scar being taken, corrupted by skulk, just like Cub and Xisuma.

'Right.'

No.

He's back.

I flinch away, wing folding close in case... in case...

'What do you want?' I can't sound brave, as much as I try. 

Pain. 

My other wing.

Skulk tangles tight around me, pinning me. Just like before. No... no they can't hurt me again. They can't. A knife is held against my good wing.

'Please!' I insist. 'I'll tell you anything. Everything. Whatever you want to know!' I don't know how he distinguishes any individual words I say in my panic. 'Don't hurt me. Just don't hurt me. Please.' 

'Tell me everything you know about the magic hermits.' 

I do. I try not to make my lies as obvious as I explain about Scar, False, Pearl, Tango... every question they ask I answer, as much as guilt pulls me deeper and deeper the terror of losing my other wing controls me. I don't even stop to think why Cub isn't here until I stop talking.

'Good. You have been very, very helpful.'

'Can... can you let me go now?' A laugh back, but Xisuma steps away. The skulk stops pinning me. 

'You know what, I'm feeling generous. Try to escape. I won't interfere.' I notice immediately the skulk still around my wrists, though the line connecting it to the wall is gone. No magic. My inventory will be empty. I don't care. I stand, turn to face Xisuma and break into a stumbling sprint towards the skulk wall.

I hit it, ignoring the vines tangling around me, pushing deeper and deeper... I have to get through this. But I can't even see the light at the other side. I can't see anything. The skulk pulls closer and closer, choking, killing. I can't move. I failed. I failed to escape. 

The skulk gives way. 

I hit the ground, hands free, feeling more skulk all around me. I take in the room I'm in, find the exit path, the way to the surface, before I get to my feet. 

A hand on my shoulder. Xisuma. 

'Go.' 

I turn back to him, grinning. 

'See you around.' 

I sprint for the surface as fast as I can, which isn't very fast considering how many injuries I have pertained, navigating my way through the tunnels of skulk. I reach the surface, use my powers to make a sword, shield, wings, and take to the air. Across the world, towards my base and the magical hermits... it doesn't take long to reach, landing on a box covered with skulk. With a certain someone asleep outside it.

'Hello.'

'Grian I'm- wait, GRIAN?!' Scar wakes up. And then doesn't speak.

'What? You didn't expect me?' I laugh as he scrambles to his feet, taking in the fact that I'm here. 'Yeah, I look a little different but it's not too bad.'

'Grian...'

'Skulk looks better than feathers anyway.'

Even with my vision gone, I can sense Scar's horror. I feel his heart racing, just as much as I can sense Cub in the box below me. Trapped. But not for long. Once Scar stops being a problem, I'll free him. I glide to the ground with my mismatched wings.

'I'm sure you've heard how wonderful the skulk is from Cub already but...'

'HELP! GRIAN'S HERE AND HE'S ALL SKULKY AND MEAN!'

I try to detect other players around... there are some ahead, beyond the wall my skulk found. Inside. I cover it, stopping them hearing.

'Aww... can't we do this like Third Life, Scar? One on one?'

'Grian... Back down... I don't want to fight you and you don't want to fight me.'

'Awww... Why don't you want to fight me? The Skulk will protect me. And it will protect you too, if you let it. And if you let me do this.' I charge, trying to shove him to the ground to pin him. He dodges out the way, taking to the air. I follow, his magic a beacon showing exactly where he is... Towards the building his friends are in and-

I hit the wall.

Scar doesn't. He's inside.

Magic.

He used his stupid magic to escape.

'SCARRRRRR!' I wail. 'SCAR LET ME INNNN!'

'NO THANKS!' Comes a yell back. I claw at the wall, cursing myself for not finding out how big it was and blocking more of it with Skulk. With a growl of frustration, I take to the air and fly back to Cub's prison. I have no tools, nothing I can use to break the walls. But I can burrow under with Skulk. I glide back to the ground, forcing the Skulk through the dirt, sensing its progress, creating a small tunnel like the one Xisuma made for the Skulk base until...

Pain.

I hit the ground, scrambling away as I suddenly sense another player. No. 2 players. They tear away my tunnel, tossing the skulk aside. With a screech I try to fight back but one grabs me by my sweater, just holding me up by it.

'LET ME GO!' I scream, clawing.

'Why would he do that you f***ing moron?' Scar? But it's not Scar. I know it's not Scar.

'Language.' The other, the one holding me, snaps back in a voice that's almost Xisuma's. 'They don't like it when you swear here.'

'I don't care what they do or don't like, El. I came to kick some skulky butt. Which officially, in the Badtimes Guide to Butt-Kicking includes insulting them. And to properly insult them, you need to swear.'

'How's that place to put Grian going?'

As they argue, I summon Skulk, from my hands, reaching further, around Not-Xisuma's arm and then his neck until...

'F***!' He yells, realising what I'm trying to do and dropping me. Badtimes cackles with laughter.

'What was that about swearing?'

'JUST GET HIM!' I leave them arguing, taking the air. Xisuma won't appreciate me returning alone so I fly off the other way, as far and fast as I can to find an easier target.

Yeahhh... Grian might or might not've actually escaped