The Lost Watcher

Familiar Friends

It was a relatively normal day in Hermitcraft. 

All the Hermits were up to their usual affairs on the server, including one Hermit everyone knew by the name of Grian.

And on this particular day, Grian could be found humming busily to himself as he packed up a few shulkers, filling them to the brim with various items and supplies. He was currently on his way to the Shopping District, needing to restock various items in his own shop.

A small flight later brought Grian to the Shopping District, filled with its tall, gorgeously sculpted buildings and beautiful decor. Even after living on the Server for three years, he could never truly get over the skill of everything behind the Server's beauty.

As he approached his shop, he came face to face with another Hermit who seemed to be rifling through the chests in Grian's shop. Upon seeing him, Grian offered a warm smile. 

"Hi, Mumbo!" he called in greeting. Mumbo jumped back, letting out a startled gasp in surprise. After seeing Grian, Mumbo laughed and returned the smile. "Goodness, Grian!" he exclaimed, putting a hand over his forever still heart, “You startled me.”

Grian gave a sheepish but amused smile. “Sorry, Mumbo,” he said apologetically. Grian placed down the shulkers and began to restock chests. “It's fine, mate,” Mumbo replied as he continued to rifle through the different chests, exchanging shining diamonds for parcels filled with concrete. “After all,” he added, “Bit late for a heart attack considering it doesn't beat anyways.”

The two busied themselves with their own tasks, Mumbo still trading out items and Grian replacing them. As Mumbo finished up his shopping, he turned to face his friend.

"So," Mumbo began, "Are you going to be at the party later tonight?"

"Party?" Grian questioned, looking up from the shulker he was currently emptying, "What party?"

Mumbo took one final stack of concrete, this time from Grian’s open shulker, and  placed a few diamonds in his hand before continuing. 

"Well, there's going to be a Welcome Party tonight,” Mumbo explained, “A new Hermit got invited, though I forgot what her name was. Something kind of long, maybe having to do with... the sky? Or some kind of planet? I'm not sure, I can't really remember."

"Oh, huh," Grian replied. It was a wonder how he hadn't heard about this sooner.

"Yeah, I'll be there I suppose," he answered after a moment. Mumbo smiled in reply. "Great! Then I'll see you there!" Mumbo replied. 

Mumbo said his goodbyes before his elytra opened. He waved before taking off, though his launch was a bit shaky. Grian watched and laughed a bit to himself. He found it amusing how even after years of practice, Mumbo still had trouble flying properly.

After Mumbo left, he felt himself beginning to get lost in his own thoughts. In fact, Grian nearly forgot about the shop he was currently restocking. Instead, his mind was rolling over the news of a new Hermit joining.

Something in his stomach gripped him, a feeling of strange anxiety stemming from seemingly nowhere. Accompanying it was another feeling of Familiarity.

He couldn't explain the feeling that seemed to grip his chest, pulling his heart towards this gripping kind of dread and longing all in one, but he wasn't given time to understand it. 

Another, much more dreadfully familiar nervousness began to swirl in his gut, alerting him to a growing pain in his core. His stomach twisted with the beginnings of a burning, angry pain.