Only One [hermitcraft au]

Chapter 2

Grian woke up in a panic. He had fallen asleep outside his mansion by mistake that night, and the moon still hung in the sky, over the jungle. Grian was wide awake, however. 

His bad dreams were getting more and more frequent, each one more frightening than the last. He had just woken up after his worst one yet, a scenario where he had to look two of his closest friends in their eyes and choose one of them to kill...

He tried to push the idea out of his mind, but it still bothered him as he stood up and looked at the crescent moon. It looked so peaceful: the clear sky that surrounded it and the stars dotted around the black abyss. It was a brutal contrast to the thoughts inside Grian's mind.

Something in his subconscious told him to equip his firework rockets and fly towards Grumbot. He didn't know why he went, but once he got into the air, he wouldn't go back down again. He felt the cold, night air under his wings as he glided over the ocean, his own reflection looking back at him from the water. He looked tired; he hadn't really slept much that week. His nightly visions had kept him from sleeping simply because he was afraid to.

Grumbot looked a lot more intimidating at night. His illuminated features looked infinitely brighter, breaking through the darkness, and Grian felt like maybe he shouldn't be there. But he couldn't go back now. It was as if his subconscious mind was holding him against his will, forcing him to confront this clearly broken AI.

Grian grabbed one of the diamonds that were in his pocket. He knew what he wanted to ask, but how would he ask it? He decided he would just say it how it was, no vagueness or ambiguity. He needed a direct answer. Standing in front of the anvil, he chose his words carefully:

Do you want me to hurt anyone?

At first, Grian was hesitant to submit his question, feeling anxious about what the answer could possibly be. He wasn't sure if he even wanted to know the answer. But then, struck with a sudden sense of determination, he threw the diamond into the dropper and pushed all four buttons quickly after one another.

Grumbot's usual chime sounded slightly more distorted than usual.

Grian almost didn't pick up the piece of paper lying on the ground a few metres away. Part of him wanted to fly away from the machine and never return. But he knew that if he didn't get a definite answer, the bad dreams would continue and he'd be questioning Grumbot's plans for possibly the rest of his life.

He had to read it.

When he bent down to pick it up, his hands trembled and his knees became weak. Just a split second before he-

"Grian?"

Grian snapped his head around. Stood there was none other than his Swedish friend, Iskall.

"Oh, uh...Iskall, I- why are you here?" Grian asked, stepping in front of the piece of paper so that Iskall wouldn't see it.

"I could say the same to you, dude," Iskall laughed. "It's like, two in the morning!"

Grian smiled awkwardly. "I was just, um, asking Grumbot something..."

"At two in the morning?"

"Yeah. So why are you here?"

Iskall shrugged. "Just...uh...I don't know. I was just passing by and-"

"Is that pink concrete in your pocket?"

Iskall looked uneasy. "Maybe. Anyway, I guess I'll see you later. Ciao."

Grian watched his friend take off to the sky, leaving a trail of sparkling fireworks behind him. Once he was out of view, Grian looked down at the paper on the floor. He didn't hesitate to pick it up this time, before taking a faltering look at the words on the other side.

Only one, Grian. The rest shall perish.