Corrupted - A Hermitcraft (and Empires) Fanfiction

38: Cub

TW: description of gore

This is going to be a very very good chapter

I should've broken out sooner. 

It's what I realize as I watch Scar stagger back towards the tower he trapped me in, holding onto Pix for support. His clothes are torn, bloody, he's clearly limping and tears shine down his cheeks. Something happened. 

I should've been there.

'SCAR!'

I sprint over. He sees me, realizing I got out but didn't go further. Wanting to fight was stupid. But I should've helped at the healing camp at least. I should've gone there the moment I got out instead of pondering whether or not my best friend was right in imprisoning me to stop my own reckless stupidity.

'Cub- you... you got out...' He tries to speed up, but Pix and his leg are stopping him.

'I have a pickaxe... what happened? Are you...' I realize as I speak 'are you alright' probably isn't the best question to ask your very hurt and still crying friend. 'What happened?'

'We lost.'

'We got back Xisuma, Grian and Tango, Scar. We didn't lose.'

'We lost.' He repeats, firm, defeated.

'Scar...' I put a hand on Pix's shoulder.

'I'll handle this.' 

A pause.

'I know. Make sure he gets something on his injuries... he's been refusing help.'

Reassuring him that I will, I take Pix's place supporting Scar, leading him slowly inside. All the beds are upstairs and he won't survive the stairs, but there's a seat down here I help him onto. 

'What happened?' I ask again, closing the door to give us some kind of privacy. Scar sighs. 

'Zed didn't make it. Vex didn't make it. Grian and Xisuma nearly didn't. Pearl and Ren ended up in some weird sculk world we can't find. Oh, and then Badtimes abandoned us.' He knows I'm sorting his injuries whether he likes it or not, so he just tosses his ruined shirt aside to help. 'And it's all my fault.'

'Of course it's not.' A wince as I dab at the clawmarks on his shoulders. 'Seriously, Scar. I know you did everything you could've.' 

'You weren't there. Which is also my fault.'

'I forgive you.'

'And no one knows how to get to wherever Ren and Pearl are. Tango and Doc have gone mad. Impulse and Gem haven't stopped crying... everything's going wrong.' I put an arm around him as he buries his head in his hands. 

'I'm here, ok?'

'I sacrificed Vex. And didn't give Badtimes credit for anything he did.'

'Well...' I struggle for words to cheer him up. They come. Smile 'Well the wisest friend I know once told me cake always makes them feel better.' An empty laugh back.

'They sound stupid.'

'They're not' I find the cake I always keep in my ender chest. 'They also told me the moments of pain are never forever feelings.' I take his hand. He stays staring at the ground, blinking tears, before starting to sob. An arm around his shoulder that quickly turns into a full hug. 'And even if the cake doesn't work, I'm here.' 

'I know.' 

(Timeskip brought by Ember learning how to actually end sections of writing)

A few days pass. We've made no progress in finding where Pearl and Ren are, and Scar and Pix are barely sleeping as they trying to find out. Xisuma's still unconscious, but Grian's awake, recovering slowly. I haven't remembered anything of it yet, but I know deep down I did something. Other memories return. I write all of it down, trying to build a picture of what I did when possessed.