Out of Your Control - a Hermitcraft AU

~ Chapter 4 ~

Grian didn't know whether he should go over to Mumbo's or not. He was unsure about the war and whether it was worth it, especially after finding out that he was one of the leaders. And he wanted to tell Mumbo really badly, but Doc told him not to mess up, which was really vague. Does that include telling people about it or not? Aarggh at you, Doc! Looking at the tiny note he left for Grian, he made up his mind and pulled out his phone.

Grian: hey Mumbo can we talk?

No reply.

Grian: Mumbo? 

Standing up quickly, Grian headed to the tunnel and broke into a run.

"Grian!"

He stopped short, and turned around to see Doc jogging towards Grian, with his trident in hand.

"What did I tell you about being careful?" Doc asked, in a way that could only be described as a scold. "You can't go telling everyone that oh hey I'm power-hungry leader that can kill you anytime."

"Very flattering impersonation of me, Doc. But seriously, why are you in my house!? Also I think something's wrong," Grian replied, throwing up his arms in exaggeration, but he was also trying to hide his other thoughts, that Doc was no doubt listening to. 

"That's probably true," Doc said. "Fine, what's wrong?"

"It's- I think something happened to Mumbo, like Iskall."

"Fine, let's go."

Grian wanted to start running to Mumbo's, but, honestly, Doc made him nervous and he didn't want to seem too needy. As they exited the inner hobbit hole, Grian ran up and saw that Mumbo's nether portal was broken apart. His stomach knotted up as he broke through a wall of stone to see layers of dirt up to his chest.

"Doc- w-wha-" and before Grian could finish his sentence, Doc hit him hard on the head, knocking him out.

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Iskall wondered if this is what being dead felt like. Kinda crappy, he thought to himself. ASll he remembered was Tango making a rune or something. And now this. Pitch black.

"HELLOOOOOoOOOoO!" he hollered.

"No one can hear you," came another voice, amused. It came from what looked like him though.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Your evil side," it said proudly. Iskall blinked, incomprehensive. "You know, the other half of your soul," it explained, annoyed. "And now, I've been freed."

"Great. Now I'm Jekyll and Hyde," Iskall snarked, as his mirror faded away.

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"You can't just go around knocking people out!" one voice yelled. 

"Right, the next time I see someone acting very questionable during a war I'll leave them be! Great idea!" shouted another. "Seriously, they have a tunnel connecting their bases and he's the last person that Mumbo saw before disappearing; they slept together last night! Are you telling me that's not suspicious!?"

"Yes, because they're best friends!"

"Wait," came yet another voice. Grian was starting to lose count; his head hurt that much. "They're sleeping together? Did you just say they slept together? Also why do you know that?"

"Yes," said the second voice, which Grian recognized as Doc's. "Oh no, not like that, no. Oh. Guess who's finally awake."

"Grian?"

Grian opened his eyes, adjusting them to the low light. "Bdubs? X-eye-soo-ma-void? What's going on? Where are we?" he asked, glancing at the surrounding caves.

"We're under my rock shop," Xisuma replied. "Do you know why you're here?

"Yeah, because Doc attacked me."

"I was taking precautions. You are a leader, after all," Doc said. "I think we should still leave him hear," he said turning back to X.

"No! You can't just leave me here," Grian said, trying to sound menacing, except for the fact that practically everyone was taller than him and he was the one who was tied up. He tried to stand up, but fell back down. 

"Doc?" X asked, glancing at the mind reader.

"He has no idea what's going on. Or where Mumbo is, who he's thinking a lot about, by the way," Doc said, muttering the last part.

"Glad that's settled then," Bdubs said, frowning at Doc. He walked over to Grian and started untying the ropes binding him. 

But even though he had his arms and wings free, it still made Grian uncomfortable how Doc was already in a battle position. "Do you really think that I'm gonna do something?"

"You never know," he replied after a while.

"Well, please tell me I'm here for a reason, not because Doc thought I was dangerous."

"Actually, yes," X said, glancing at Doc for confirmation. "We need your help. Care to end a war?"

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Mumbo was staring at what appeared to be himself. "Your my soul, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes, but so are you," the look-alike replied. "Come now, we are needed by the Queen."

"Wha-"

Then, Mumbo felt as though he was being sucked up by a vacuum, and dropped from a great height. 

"Ooorgghh, let's not do that again, okay?" he said weakly, feeling sick. But it wasn't his voice at all. It was gravelly and menacing. He looked down at the pond at his feet to see his reflection, just with red eyes. "What's going on?" he yelped, trying to jump back from his reflection, but instead the other voice talked. "Finally, I'm free," the voice drawled out.

Then, he noticed Queen Terra scrutinizing the alternate Mumbo. "What do you feel like?" she asked.

"Like winning a war," alter ego Mumbo said, smiling slyly.

Okay. Well. That took longer than necessary.

Anywaaaayyyysss... thanks for reading!

(921 words... want me to make it shorter?)