~The First Step~ a Hermitcraft AU

Chapter 51

wc: 2716

Grian's sharp, staccato steps echoed in the damp stone room as he strode to the exit. A fleeting touch on a particular stone brick sent him back to that little hallway, tiny crystals glittering in dark, shadow soaked corners. He felt his belt for the reassuring edge of the dagger in its sheath; yes, he was paranoid that someone was lurking. No, it was not an issue.

The place felt almost abandoned- not a single guard or resident remained, all congregated at the conference square, probably. Grian dropped the elytra over his head and looped his arms into the straps as he made his way towards the light. He shivered as he fingers tightened around the buckles, remembering cramping wings pressed against thick leather straps and a back that ached and trembled as he dreamed of a day where he could soar without the burden of those heavy appendages. Now he wished he had that pain instead of....

Never mind.

It was easy to find a way to lift off even without the loud rockets. Grian let out a small burst of magic from both hands and felt the elytra spread, suddenly weightless. It's not the same, with the mechanical motions and artificial feathers, but it did hold a resemblance, and he revelled in it. I'll take what I can get, Grian thought absentmindedly, golden energy buzzing from his fingertips to propel him forward.

The flight was a little directionless- Grian had spent all his time in the city tucked away in the desolate corner of the capital building, and had gone years without feeling sun on his back (even if the sun here was nothing more than a cold light in the sky). He glided lazily above the tall, blocky buildings- all varying shades of gray with a smattering of white, purple banners hanging from windows to celebrate the anniversary. The streets were scrubbed spotless, which was a little pointless, in Grian's opinion- everyone was gathered in that little congregation area that Xayla had talked about, anyway.

After some time of lazy flying (or so he told himself, as if his heart wasn't jackhammering in his chest), Grian heard it. It was... eerie.

More than eerie- chanting, all of one tone yet a multitude of voices, echoed down the empty streets. Grian let himself flicker out of existence, golden sparks showering the road below before giving one last boost towards a rooftop. He landed soundlessly and crouched down, scanning the crowds.

Grian suppressed the urge to flinch when his eyes landed on Xeluph, standing on a dais, hand outstretched and speaking low tones that amplified over the entire expanse of people. The city spoke as a whole- everyone's mouths moved in sync, masks glowing slightly with violet hue. The hivemind, Grian recalled, mouth dry. He'd seen it once- when he'd first been taken, the guards had spoken in unison, walking the same steps and making the same motions. It had been terrifying, but was nothing compared to what had come after.

While Grian had been mulling this over, the chanting had stopped. Xeluph was making a speech of some sort, the steady flow of galactic filling the air.

"We embrace a new era," he heard Xeluph say, "of superiority." The voice sent a shiver down Grian's spine and left him feeling unsteady, as if... as if... he was back there, and...

With a small hiss, Grian placed a hand carefully against the cold concrete of the roof, grounding himself. He was just here to assess the situation. He had freedom, he had magic, he was stronger than Xeluph.

A sound of scuffle somewhere in the crowd caught Grian's attention. He inched closer to the edge of the roof, peering down into the thick masses of wings and robes. Grian felt his stomach drop as he saw-

A boy. Probably no older than twelve, although Grian couldn't be too sure because of the mask, getting dragged out of the uniform formations into an empty space. A small girl who had been standing next to him turned, hand outstretched, and was promptly struck across the face. She dutifully turned back to the stage, and even from the distance, Grian saw the tremble in her shoulders.