In The End

Chapter 13

"He's been on his walk for a while," Reaper said, looking to the cave opening. A small smile played on his boney face. "Do you think the sunlight killed him?" Charybdis and Shaivalak laughed quietly.

The enderman king tilted his head at them. "You all are of the same generation as Xa-Tul, so why do you not like him?" He didn't particularly like him either, but he didn't like any one of them here.

"He's like a mean older brother," Charybdis explained. "And he's so aggressive to everyone."

"And he's so dumb and egotistical," Reaper chimed in.

"And he smells so bad," Shaivalak added. The three broke out into loud laughter.

The enderman king watched them a moment. "Is Feyd like a brother to you then?"

They three of them stopped laughing at the mention of his successor's name. He felt slightly uneasy for even asking.

Suddenly, a younger voice chimed in. "Kinda. Xa-Tul is the oldest, then it's Reaper, then Charybdis."

He turned and the second twin continued what the first had been saying. "Then there's Feyd, with Shaivalak being the youngest."

"What does it matter?" came a deep voice. Chills went down the enderman's back. "He's a traitor, so he's not even worth much of our time. Like someone else who betrayed the monster side."

The enderman king turned and looked up at Malacoda, who was glaring down at him. He quickly looked away, his chest tightening. He let out some small stammers, but no words came out.

The king of the Nether smiled, and opened his mouth to say more, but another loud and voice cut him off.

"Guess what Xa-Tul found!"

Before he could even turn his head or reply, he felt something slam into him, and he stumbled back, wrapping his arms around it.

He was going to start scolding them all for not treating him- the eldest royal present, the king of the enderman, the king of shadows -with more respect.

"How dare-" The thing in his arms let out a small whine, and he looked to it.

Feyd.

The skeleton king immediately got to his feet. "Xa-Tul, why would you-" Reaper started.

"Xa-Tul did a good thing, be glad," the zombie snapped, waving him off.

He watched the royals- siblings? -argue, and let out an annoyed huff before turning his gaze back to Feyd.

The smaller enderman was covered in bruises and cuts and scrapes and water burns; the king couldn't tell if they were from the zombie's abuse or if the enderman did them to himself.

Probably both, he thought.

The younger enderman was out cold, but tremors were going up and down his body. His body was cold, and his face had a pained expression.

He wanted to wake his successor up and tend to him and hold him and let him know he was safe and everything was alright and that he would get through this and-

What am I thinking?

"Ahem."

There was silence, and they all turned. Herobrine had returned, and he didn't look pleased. He was glaring right at Xa-Tul.

The oldest royal wondered where their leader had been and what he was doing.

The shadow-crafter pointed at the two endermen kings, his harsh white gaze on the zombie king. "Why did you bring the traitor here, you insolent rot?"

The zombie king shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. "Er, Xa-Tul thought you would be pleased and-"

"No, you didn't. You didn't think at all!"

He stormed towards the zombie king, who took a nervous step back. He was like a dark bolt, and Xa-Tul was the target.

In a single fluid motion, the shadow-crafter had sent a strong punch the sent the zombie's head into a stone stalactite.

The stalactite cracked from the force and fell onto him, stabbing the rotting being in the shoulder. He let out a loud groan of pain.

Everything had happened so fast. One who didn't know Herobrine would have been surprised at how much strength he possessed, considering his size in comparison to Xa-Tul.

It seems the zombie king is Herobrine's punching bag. Or perhaps his so incompetent and foolish that this is all deserved. That didn't matter right now.

He couldn't help but turn his gaze back to the smaller enderman, who seemed to have responded to the noise. His body was tense, and he seemed to stir just faintly.

Without thinking, he found himself rubbing the younger enderman's back, as if trying to comfort him.

His skin was so soft, and he was so warm now. He could feel the spinal ridges along his back, and he almost seemed frail. Small. Delicate.

Certainly not in spirit, he found himself thinking.

He shook his head, annoyed with himself. How dare he think such positive things about his... lovely, sweet, amazing, perfect, gorgeous... enemy.

Herobrine sighed. "You know what? I can find some way for this to work to my advantage." He turned to the king of the endermen- the older one. "You."

He tore his gaze away from his successor still curled up against him. "Yes, sire?"

Herobrine furrowed his brow. The other royals turned their gaze from the humiliated zombie king to him. They looked confused, annoyed, and even a bit upset.

He should not be holding Feyd the way he was. Not now.

He drew his hands from the smaller king. "I merely was-"

"Silence, enderman," Herobrine and a second voice snapped. It was almost surprising that it wasn't the shadow-crafter's words that made him cringe.

Malacoda glared at him as well, then turned to Herobrine. They both exchanged a suspicious glance, then turned back to the oldest royal.

"You've been oddly infatuated with the traitor," Herobrine said. His white eyes glowed harshly. "And he seems to have taken a liking to you."

"P-Parden, sire?" His face felt hot and his body felt cold.

"You heard him, scab," Malacoda hissed, his voice simular to a growling cat.

"So, Erebus," Herobrine continued, "either get him back on our side... or kill him."