Forgotten monsters (Hermitcraft and Evo Fanfic)

Ch 21

Xisuma woke early, as he normally did, the day after they buried Iskall. He yawned, and sat up, blinking. It was a normal morning, nothing much in chat. He assumed most hermits were still asleep. 

After a cup of tea and breakfast, the admin prepared to fly to the shopping district. But before he could, Xamphe stumbled blearily into view, hair a mess and shadows around his eyes. 

'Hey, Bro!' X greeted. There was a tired grunt of reply. Xisuma shrugged and flew off. 

There was nothing going on in the shopping district either. Except Scar, sitting on the diamond throne, alone and forlorn. The admin paused in front of the town hall, wanting to comfort the mayor but unknowing of how. 

'Hey, Scar...' he ended up saying. The Hermit looked up and sighed.

'Hey, X. What you doing?'

'Buying some stuff... You?'

'Pretending that the last few days didn't happen.' 

'Oh.'

'It's amazing... When I became mayor I didn't think it would be this stressful, and I didn't think there would be Permadeath everywhere... So much that people are forgetting. No one mentions Jevin and Wels's deaths. No one except me and Cub saw what happened, and even we didn't see the whole thing. I wonder if this will end soon, or if everyone will go until there's one person left, and they flicker out on their own.'

The admin was silent after this speech. 

'And now Cub's telling me he's going to be next to die, Grian hates me, Zedaph is avoiding everyone and the robot I rescued and befriended has killed another one of my friends...' Scar continued tearfully. 

'I didn't know Zed was avoiding everyone.' 

'He's turned into a real hermit... you know, the cavey kind of hermit.... But I'll let you get on with shopping...' Scar made it clear the conversation was over. X flew off again, looking down at the district below, before swooping in front of Tango's rocket shop. He entered as he normally would, looked in the chests for fireworks and found it had been cleared of stock, and only diamonds remained. 

Then the admin remembered Tango was dead. 

He left the shop quickly, but instead of looking elsewhere for shopping he set off for Zedaph's base. 

It was eerily quiet around former team ZIT's bases. But Xisuma didn't spend too long outside, landing by The Cave of Contraptions, and entering. 

Zedaph was inside, and noticed him instantly. He pulled a random lever and X fell into a small hole. A trap. 

'Why are you here?' The mourning hermit questioned fiercely 'Here to tell me Iskall's better again?' 

'No, Zed. I was checking that you were ok...'

'I'm fine! And I'll be even better if you leave!' 

'You've been here alone too long.' Was all Xisuma replied. 

'Like I said, I'm FINE!' Zedaph looked at another lever that probably caused a whole lot of chaos for the admin. 

'I understand that Impulse and Tango's deaths were terrible and...' 

'Not as poignant as Iskall's? Not worth any attention?' 

'No. Tango and Impulse's deaths were horrific and if I could've stopped them, I would've done in an instant.'

'Impulse didn't even deserve it! He was just doing what everyone forced him into doing! And do you know who killed him? Your stupid, evil brother.'