Forgotten monsters (Hermitcraft and Evo Fanfic)

Ch 22

Scar landed outside Cub's pyramid, on the balcony entrance. He walked inside, admiring the splendour of the pharaoh's base. In the main section, he flew down, calling his former business partner's name. 

Cub glided out from Targét, smiling. 

'Scar! Nice to see you!'

'You... wanted me to come over?'

'Yes, I did... I just wanted to ask if you were ok... You seemed to be spending a lot of time moping on the diamond throne after Iskall's death.'

'NPG betrayed me. What else do I need to say?'

'I'm sorry.' 

'And also, you telling me that you're going to die!'

'We're all going to die.' Cub reasoned. 'My death will just be sooner than formerly planned.' 

'But... but I can't lose anyone else!' 

'You'll be fine. And it'll probably be a while until NPG comes for me. But I'm certainly going to be next.' 

'I wish you wouldn't keep saying that...' 

'It's true, though... You know it is...'

'Did you hear about Zedaph?' Scar changed the subject slightly. 

'Yeah... And then Xisuma and Xamphe found, and Xamphe ran away...' Cub sighed in reply. 'I wish people would stop dying!'

'Then stop talking about your own prophesied death!'

'I imagine Grian must be devastated.' Cub continued with the new topic of conversation. 

'No one's told him yet. Everyone's scared of him yelling at them, and then him doing something stupid. I feel like I should tell him.'

'Then tell him. If we have nothing else to discuss, and still aren't going to restart Concorp...' 

'Fine. Bye Cub! See you around.' 

'See ya Scar!' 

The mayor flew off, hitting several pillars and other objects as he navigated his way out the pyramid. Eventually he made it, turning sharply and heading over to Grian's mansion. He tried not to look at Iskall's omega tree as he passed it, and landed smoothly outside. 

'Grian?' Scar called nervously. There came an emotionless response from the builder, and he decided to enter. 

'Hey, G-man. How's life going?' 

Grian turned around from his position next to his villager trading station, glaring at Scar. 

'How do you think it's going?' The builder was already grumpy. 

This was going to be great. 

'Of course...' Scar sat down next to Grian. 

'Why are you here?' 

'Checking in on you, sharing news...'

'Who died now?' 

'Zedaph.' The mayor didn't try to hide the information. 'And then Xamphe jumped into the Void.' 

Grian was about to protest, when Scar continued. 

'But X says he can survive the Void... actually came from the Void... so he's not dead... hopefully... and...'

'So you're telling me that not only is Iskall dead, Mumbo not speaking to me and everyone dying, but the only person left alive that still cared has abandoned me?!'

'I'm sorry. I wish I could've made it easier for you. Everything is going wrong. Even Cub is convinced he's going to die.'

'It's not like Cub helped...'

Scar wanted to argue in his friend's favour, but decided against it. Instead, he changed the subject. 

'Jellie's still adorable as usual. She spent the entirely of yesterday trying to befriend a bee she saw.'

'I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR STUPID CAT!' 

'JELLIE IS NOT A STUPID CAT!' Scar yelled back. 'JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE IN A BAD MOOD, DOESN'T MEAN EVERYONE HAS TO BE.' 

'JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE ACTUALLY GOT SOMETHING GOOD IN YOUR LIFE, DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO RUB IT IN!'

'I'm just trying to cheer you up!'

'YOU TELL ME THAT MY BEST FRIEND LEFT, AND THEN DEMAND THAT I BE HAPPY?!'

'I'm sorry! Please! I don't want to argue! This is exactly why no one told you! We knew you'd just shout!'

Grian was silent. He remembered saying very similar words. Yelled them, to be more precise. And he said it to Doc.

'So... you're not going to shout now?' Scar asked nervously.

'You know what?'

'What?' 

'I wish NPG does kill Cub so you stop being such a naive idiot!' Grian snarled savagely. 

'Don't you DARE say anything like that again. Not to me, not to anyone. Because this is exactly why Doc ended up killing himself. You and your despicable comments. What was it you said to him? No one told me. But I can tell that it was just as bad as what you told me now. So APOLOGISE before someone else dies from your tongue!' Scar was angrier than he ever had been before. He flew out of Grian's mansion, crashing into the wall as he went, and set off back to his magical village. 

At the same time, unaware of any arguments (whether within the jungle or not), Cub was relaxing in the sunshine outside his pyramid. He had nothing to do. And the sun was particularly nice. 

Suddenly, something blocked the light. The pharaoh looked confused and mildly annoyed, other than terrified at NPC Grian standing in front of him with a netherite sword. 

'Do you mind - you know - moving over a bit? You're blocking the sun?' Cub asked civilly. The robot growled in reply. 'Or, you could stop pointing that sword at me. It's a mild inconvenience to me...' 

'Or, you could stop talking so I can kill you.' 

'Right. I'm going to go now, so if you don't mind...'

NPG's sword impaled the chair Cub was sitting on, moments after the pharaoh's ender pearl landed. He looked up at his metal enemy and ran. 

NPC Grian followed, flying over. Cub hurled another ender pearl into the depths of his base, teleporting away as it landed. The robot continued to fly, hunting down his target straight into Targét. 

'You can't stop me yet!' Cub protested, pointing a threatening-looking crossbow at NPG. 'I want to play some games in here first! Come on, man!' 

'Cease your nonsense, pyramid-dude!' The robot hissed. 

'Pyramid dude? I haven't heard that one before! A new nickname! Right before I perish!' 

NPC Grian threw a trident at Cub, who caught it expertly and set it soaring back. 

'We're in Targét, dude! Use a bow! Show off your accuracy!' 

The robot obeyed, having lost his trident, but Cub was already breaking out of his base and rocketing towards The Valley of Tatooren. He darted around the area, into the jungle, and made a beeline for Scar's village. 

'Hey, Cub!' Stress greeted from her own base. 'What're you doing?'

'Just running away from NPC Grian. You know, the usual.' 

'Wait, WHAT?!' 

'Yeah... I think I lost him. But if you see him around here, do let me know. He needs to return a bow to Targét.'

And with that, Cub continued running.