Corrupted - A Hermitcraft (and Empires) Fanfiction

22: Impulse

'S**t.' I immediately swear. 'No... No no no I need to help him.' I head out the room, stopped immediately by Scar.

'You can't go. Grian'll kill you.'

'And you can't go because he'll turn you skulky.' I shoot back. 'And I'm not bringing Badtimes with me because I'll kill myself before they get a chance. And I can't wait for anyone else to come help because that means Tango'd in danger for longer. I need to go now. Alone. And if I'm not back in an hour... Tell Skizz goodbye from me.'

Without waiting for him to argue, I sprint out the door and take to the air. I've got more weapons and equipment in my ender chest if I need it. And I have experience fighting from the Life Series... It doesn't take long for the monstrous Frozen Citadel to appear ahead. I land, running inside, sword in hand and...

It's empty.

'TANGO?' I scream into the hall. There's not even any skulk. 'TANGO IF THIS IS A JOKE I SWEAR TO NOTCH I WILL KILL YOU!'

Silence. I step further in, fear rising. Where is Tango? I check the messages again... He said to come here. Am I too late? What happened?

'TANGO!' Still nothing. 'TANGO WHERE ARE YOU?!'

'IMPULSE!'

I break into a run at the sight of him ahead, hugging him, unable to stop myself starting to sob.

'Oh- oh my goodness... Tango... You're ok.'

No reply.

'Tango...?'

A laugh. 

'Wow Impulse... I didn't expect you to come so quickly...'

'I wasn't going to let the skulk get you.'

A sigh. 

'Pity.' Tango laughs. I freeze.

'It already did.'

Tango shoves me.

I hit the ground. Tango grins, eyes black, covered in skulk.

'No...' I try to back up. 'No no no no no... this isn't how it's supposed to be... I THOUGHT I'D BE QUICK ENOUGH!' Every moment I was slow rises in my memory. I should've seen chat sooner. Got Scar and Badtimes off my back quicker. 

'Oh, you mean seeing the message? It was already too late at that point. This was a trap.'

I scramble to my feet, turning to the exit. It's all skulk. I can't leave. There's no way out. 

'Well...' I try to act brave. 'Well I'm not falling for it!'

I break into a run, past Tango, further into Decked Out.

Towards the dungeon. 

I break through the giant door. I break through the iron door. I forget how to make minecarts for 5 seconds, and by the time I've made and placed one, Tango's reached me again, laughing.

'Come on Impy. You could've just asked me for a key.'

'Didn't want to bother you.'

I jump in the minecart.

And ride down.

I hit ground inside, staggering to my feet, instantly feeling the cold... ahead, the giant doors scrape open. I don't waste any time running inside. 

I don't know my way around, stuck in the icy caves, getting lost in the maze of corridors immediately. Tango can't find me here. Tango won't kill me here. Tango won't-

Ravager.

I scream at the sight of a ravager, right as it lunges to bite. I don't know how I avoid it, sprinting deeper and deeper still... past rivers, into some kind of crypt... another couple ravagers make themselves known before I reach a big hall and a bigger problem.

'Come on Impulse. You think I don't know my own dungeon?!'

Tango lands behind me. I hide my shock, turning. The other ways out cover with skulk. It's just him and me. In Decked Out. I'm in Decked Out and one of my best friends is possessed by skulk.

'There's only one way left, Impulse.' He hands me a key as I back past what looks like the place to put it. 'Down.'

I don't hesitate.

I throw the key in the slot, racing through the doors and out of sight, into level 2. Tango follows, still laughing, as I reach the end.

It's covered in skulk.

'No...' I glance back. Tango's blocking the way, laughing.

'Come on Impulse... Grian and Xisuma aren't that bad. And if the boring shmoring un-skulky hermits do what we say, you won't have to be here too long at all. 

'TANGO!' I break into a run up the stairs. But Tango's blocking the way, shoving me back. I hit the ground, skulk wrapping around my wrists. For a moment he stands, silhouetted by the freedom behind, before stepping through the doorway and covering it in skulk.

I'm trapped.

'TANGO!' I scramble to my feet, running up. There's no way up. There's no way out. 'TANGO PLEASE!'

He doesn't reply. I sink to the ground, my calls growing slowly quieter and quieter until I'm crying and can't stop.

Time stops moving. It doesn't matter how long I've been in here. I can't break free of the skulk around my wrists, nor the skulk covering either the bottom or top entrance. I can't reach anything in my inventory, or my communicator. I can't even jump down far enough that I take damage, so I can kill myself to escape either this prison or my life. The Skulk thought of everything. There's no way out.

'Aww...' I jump at Grian's voice, in a strange way grateful that something's happening. Even if it is whatever horrors the Skulk has in store for me next. 'It's alright. You'll be out of here before you know it... come on.'

I stand, knowing there's no option except following. Besides, the less problematic I am, the less they'll worry about my eventual escape. Out into the giant hall that's already changed. Skulk covers the ground and every potential exit I vaguely remember and centre of it all, what used to be a statue of a kneeling figure has been turned into a giant throne of skulk next to me. A throne occupied by the most terrifying sight yet.

Xisuma.

Grian leads me over to stand in front of what used to be my friend, forcing me to my knees. I don't look at X.

'Impulse. I thought it would be kind to share the plan with you. Since you play such a huge part in it.'

I don't reply.

'Grian is going to go to your little base and he is going to offer a trade they have a week to agree to. We get back Cubfan, and they get back you, completely free and unharmed.'

'What if they refuse?' I question back. 'What then?'

A cold laugh.

'We kill you.'