Never Really Gone

Chapter 51

Nora's POV

"Nora?"

"Yeah?"

"You have a lot of scars"

A sleepy Stella is curled up next to me, gently tracing a finger along a scar on my forearm.

"Yeah... I do"

"Do you get into a lot of fights?"

"No, actually. Most of these were... were from the one person."

She tilts her head to the side a little, looking up at me with curious eyes. I stay quiet.

"Oh... you don't have to tell me..."

She awkwardly avoids looking me in the eye, and I sigh.

"He was my friend. Then he lost everyone he loved, and... his anger was taken advantage of. They made him into a completely different person from the one I used to know, just turned him into a puppet for them to use... the Watchers only let him go right before he was..."

I stop talking, trying to hold back tears. I don't want to cry, not in front of Stella.

"Before he was killed?"

I look up at her.

"How do you know that?"

"The executions of powerful Watchers are a rare thing."

"No, I mean, they never let that kind of news get out. Only council members are allowed to know"

Then I pause

"Council members and..."

I suddenly back away from Stella, things clicking in my head. Why her magic feels so strong. The reason she's immortal. Why she's so reluctant to talk about herself...

"You're the Prime Watcher aren't you?!"

She doesn't answer, her expression being enough to tell me it's true. She comes closer, her eyes full of worry.

"Nora I-"

"GET AWAY FROM ME! WHY WOULD YOU LIE?!"

"I was afraid you wouldn't trust me!"

"THEN WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU LIED ABOUT?! WAS I JUST A PAWN FOR YOU TO GET GRIAN?!"

"No! I want to stop them too-"

"Why would you?! You're the main reason everything is so fucked up!" I roar, not caring that I've pushed Stella to the verge of tears "This is all your fault!"

"NORA STOP IT!" She screams, completely losing it. I realise that I've just pushed it too far, having not even given her a chance to speak.

"You aren't the only one who's life has been ruined by those monsters, ok?! I don't have ANY say over what those horrible people do, and if I did do you really think I'd make them do THIS?!"

I'm confused by this, and she glares at me.

"Yeah. I'm just someone who's mouth they wanted to keep shut, because I've seen and experienced first hand what happens when they take control of power as strong as Grian's. And trust me Nora, it is MUCH worse than you could ever imagine."

Stella's seething with an anger I never knew she possessed. Purple eyes, usually filled with joy and curiosity, scare me for once as rage takes over her.

"So don't you DARE try and blame me for this, when all I've done for eight THOUSAND years is try to stop it"

That horrible realisation that you've just messed up hits me as Stella goes to leave, and I'm not sure whether to stop her or let her go.

With everything that's happened to me, I just want someone to blame it all on. Someone I can just lose my shit at and not even care because I'm so mad at them. And Stella was NOT that person.

Biting my lip, I walk back towards her, seeing she's stopped.

"Stella I'm-"

"Wait."

She points toward a portal that just opened in the empty Hub, and someone walking through. I don't recognise the person, but the name of the server is very familiar.

It's Hermitcraft.

I'm about to run toward the portal when Stella grabs my wrist.

"Don't."

"But-"

She glares at me, and I can tell she's indicating for me to be quiet. She shares her feelings with me, like the day we met, feelings of warning and distrust. Looking back at the person, it's only then that I feel the strong Watcher Magic coming from within them.

The portal closes behind them, and the Prime Watcher turns back to me.

"They entered without weapons or use of magic. That was a server member." She tells me "Was it your nephew or any of his friends?"

"No" I respond

"I didn't think so, they don't have good intentions. I can feel it."

Stella's expression is deadly serious, and I begin to catch on.

"This means The Watchers have a spy in Hermitcraft"

??? POV

As I enter Hermitcraft, I'm forced to stomach my guilt. It's tempting to break my deal with The Council, and warn them about the plans for Xelqua's capture. I know I can't, at least I only have to wait a few more days. Possibly less. Then it's over. I can forget all about them.

Passing Grian, my heart sinks a little. I'm well aware he's an ex-Watcher, as well as Joe and Xisuma, despite the latter doing a good job at hiding as an Admin. I can't go back, everything is already planned out. Just wait a while until the next server meeting, then I give the signal. Then the plan takes place. I won't need to think about Hermitcraft again.

'Starting to have second thoughts?' A voice asks me, almost from the back of my mind.

"No, sir" I mumble, gritting my teeth

'Don't lie to me'

...

"Does... does everyone have to die?"

'You know the plan. The whole server is all in the one place, you give the signal, we take Xelqua, and you kill the rest. No witnesses can stand'

Something in my heart seems to break at those words. All the Hermits... all gone. Forever.

'Don't make this difficult. You're a key part of this plan, you know what would happen if you were to back out of it now.'

I take a deep breath.

You can do this.

You will do this.

You're not weak.

You won't even miss them...

'So, are you with me?"

"Yes sir"