"Found"

Part 2 - The Listener

Grian sprints to the shopping district, cursing himself for not buying more rockets. He looks around and spots Martyn. He runs up with tears in his eyes, his breathing shaky from exhaustion and the horrible adrenaline he currently felt, but was glad to see that he wasn't alone anymore.

"Martyn! Please, you need to help me-" He rambles, grabbing the taller mans  shoulders.

"Grian? whats wrong?" Martyn asked. He is part of the Listeners, the resistance group who fight against the watchers, and one of Grian's oldest friends. 

"It's Valeri! I.. I- She's been captured by the Watchers.. They got to her..." He couldn't get his words out, his breathing was shaky as his heart beat fast, feeling sick and terrified. He felt like he was going to throw up, or pass out any moment now.

"Whoah whoah whoah, take a deep breath!" He puts his hands on Grian's shoulders. Grian closes his eyes, taking a deep shaky breath. He feels a slight relief as he slows his breathing down a bit, but still feels anxious and shaken up from before, trembling, letting his hands fall to his sides from Martyn's shoulders.

"The watchers? Here? On Hermitcraft?" Martyn asks softly, his skin paling.

Grian nods, he is still shaking as he talks. "It's horrible, I don't understand how it's p-possible for them to be here. Xisuma was supposed to put up barriers, and he didn't know if they'd hold. I.. I don't know what to do.. I can't just leave her under their control-"

He looks away, his eyes filled with tears as he clenched his fists. "Okay... Take a breath. Is she using her watcher name?" Martyn asks softly.

"Yes.. She's using her Watcher name.. Vantia.." It stung, saying her new name. It pained him to not hear him call her Valeri anymore..

"Okay... Do not refer to her as that name. Watcher names have power." Martyn warns him.

"I know- I've experienced firsthand what just a Watcher name can do.." He felt a horrid shiver down his spine as he thought about his time as a Watcher. He couldn't help but feel sick thinking about the horrible things he did and was forced to do.

Suddenly Pearl ran up, bruised and bleeding, tears in her eyes "They took her! They took Valeri!"

Grian ran up and embraced Pearl, giving her a tight hug. "It's okay, okay, it's going to be okay, I promise- we will find her, okay? They couldn't have gone far-"

"No... They took her off Hermitcraft! She's not online anymore!" Pearl breathes shakily.

His eyes grow wide with shock as tears fall down his cheeks. His heart sank as he realised she was gone, most likely to the Watcher realm, or worse... He knew exactly what they did to Watchers who rebelled against them. He took out his communicator and checked the list. She was gone. "No no no... how could this happen?"

"We have to find Xisuma.." Martyn takes Grian's hand and pulls him along.

Grian doesn't protest, but simply obliges and allows Martyn to pull him along. He felt numb as they ran towards Xisuma, his mind running through millions of horrible thoughts.

They made it to Xisuma's base and see him outside cutting down large spruce trees. 

"Hey guys, How are- Oh... what's wrong-?" Grian couldn't hold in his tears anymore. He collapsed onto his knees, sobbing and crying.

Xisuma gasped softly and knelt down. "G-Grian! What's wrong-?! Are you hurt?"

"They captured her—! Watchers captured Valeri, she's gone, and she's not online anymore-! We can't reach her, and I- and I don't know what to do..!" Grian sobbed.

Xisuma's eyes widened as he heard what Grian said, immediately understanding the situation. "Oh god..." He took a deep breath, putting his items into his inventory and looking at the trio.

"We need to focus. Okay? This is bad, but panicking won't solve anything. We need to work together to try and find a way to rescue her. Do you understand?"

Grian lets out a quiet sniffle as he nods, trying to control his tears and emotions. "Y-Yes... I understand. We need to get her back."

Tears run down his face as he stares at Xisuma, before looking at Martyn and Pearl, all three ready to do anything for their friend.

"Okay. Now, tell me. How long ago did this happen?" Xisuma asked. Grian was about to answer when Scar Impulse and Mumbo run up. "The Watchers are gone... They took... Valeri..." Impulse pants.

Grian looks up as he sees Scar, Impulse, and Mumbo run towards them. He felt a pit in his stomach as he heard Impulse say that the watchers were gone, and the fact that they took Valeri away. "They're gone? Are you sure..?" Xisuma asked gravely.

Mumbo nods. "They had the same portal that Valeri and Grian arrived here with. The Evo portal." Evo is the server Grian and Valeri used to be part of before being captured by the watchers and converted into a watcher themselves. Xisuma had given them sanctuary, but something had gone wrong.

"I see..." Xisuma lets out a heavy sigh, looking at Scar, Impulse and Mumbo. "Did anyone get hurt? Are you three okay?"

Impulse shakes his head. "We're all good, I healed us already, Pearl come here."

Grian nods in return, still trying to calm himself down. "Thank you Impulse."

He slowly wiped away his tears, as he glances at the rest of his Hermits. "We need a plan. We need to get her back, and fast, before the Watchers can fully take control of her. Is everyone ready?"

Everyone nodded, prepared and determined to do anything to rescue their friend. They were filled with a mix of fear, anger and determination, and nothing would stop them from saving Valeri.

Martyn transforms into his Listener form with a flash of green light. He wears a long green robe with the listener symbol on the front, a bright green swirl, and a blindfold over his eyes. "Let me see if I can find her." He disappears in a swirl of green light.

Grian watched as he disappeared, his breathing shaky as he looked over at Xisuma. "And then what..? If it's worse than we think.. If they've.. convinced her... Then how do we save her from them once she's been converted..?"

Xisuma shook his head, his expression solemn. "I don't know. If the Watcher have gotten to her, I don't know how we would get her back. Our main priority though is getting her out of their hands first. We can deal with her if she is converted, once she's safe first." 

Martyn reappears and takes off his blindfold, transforming into his normal self "I found her. They have her at the same containment facility you escaped from in the Ender Void."