The Face of Death

Chapter 2

Well, hello there! It's Cinny here finally updating this fic! That's right, it isn't dead, I just...didn't write it for a few months XD
I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you thought, feedback is greatly appreciated <3

C:C:

With the server quiet and believing himself to be faster than any Phantom, Grian felt confident enough to start early that day. An hour before the clock struck 5 a.m., the newer Hermit had gathered as many supplies as he could, pulled on his elytra, and flew out into the chilly air. Exiting his home within Hermitville––and apologizing hastily to an unhappy villager––Grian flew upwards to the top of the tower upon his house. He circled, searching for the perfect perch to begin his next extension in the Build-Off, an outlandish plan of dragons playing in his head. It was enough to make the grown man grin like an idiot. 

Any moderately sane person may be found lying in bed at such a time as 5 a.m., curled under the covers and head nestled into a fluffed pillow. It was a dangerous time to be out, especially in a world where monsters of all breeds roamed the lands in search of blood. It was a much better choice to remain housed in for the night, wait for sun-up, and pray you would not be attacked in sleep. The Hermitcraft world was no exception, every last man and woman holed in their bases with pets and heat. There were clear skies that night, so no reason presented itself other than to hunt the Phantoms. Yet that did not deter the excitable Grian, his body beginning to buzz from a rush of adrenaline.

Finding a spot atop an overhanging ledge, he propped himself there, friction managing to catch his fall at the last moment. Grian breathed a sigh of relief and drew his arms back to his side, before craning his head to stare up at his tower's peak. The height of his home had grown over the days, standing a good fifteen stories from the ground up. An impressive feat in itself, but when comparing it to Iskall's seventeen story home, it was lacking. That was the blond Hermit's goal for that morning: build his house taller than Iskall's while making it more impressive than the rest of the competitions'.

The red-clothed Hermit began to place down Shulker chests upon his ledge, counting them as he went along. Spruce logs were in one while red concrete was in another, an extra chest filled to the brim with decorative pieces. Grian glanced over to Iskall's building, took an estimated guess how tall he would need to make his own tower, and dived into the chest to grab the wood for his layout.

While his head was buried in the chest, the sound of a muffled screeching filled his ears. Grian jumped, head slamming against the top of Shulker and eliciting a cry. The Hermit pulled himself free, blue eyes narrowing as they searched the star-filled sky. Not even a phantom could be seen among the darkness, causing Grian to frown in worry.

"My brain must be playing tricks," laughed Grian, running a hand through his hair. He ducked down once more, only this time he was more swift in his collection of supplies. With slabs of wood in his possession, he placed them in his inventory. He had only been counting the stacks he had when the same scream filled his ears once more, this time more clear and much closer.

Grian glared up at the dotted darkness, brows furrowed in suspicion. He recognized the screech this time as the popping of a rocket, meaning something was flying about, more than likely another Hermit. The nighttime sky kept the mystery person well hidden, setting a feeling of unease over Grian. For all he knew, this could be someone in the Build-Off trying to one-up him. He would not be having that. Not at five in the morning with the sun not yet up.

He emptied his inventory, dumping his collection of wood in a messy pile before leaping from his ledge. He plummeted, wind ramming against his face, biting his bare face with teeth of cold. The elytra caught the wind, evening him out so he may pop one of his own rockets. With a jerk, he was soaring high, eyes scouring the skies for the mystery Hermit.