The Temptation of Power ||| Hermitcraft Watcher AU

Chapter Seven

I think you're beginning to understand, Grian's eyes snapped open to the sound of Oリᒷ's voice. The memory he'd dreamt flashed before him briefly and he realised what they were referring to. He opened his mouth to deny it. After all, he remembered how much he'd detested the Watchers, but instead the following words came out;

"I think you're right." There was no point in denying it. He liked the mask, he liked the idea of power, he liked how intimidating he would look to a human. He'd had moments where he talked like a Watcher. Where he thought like one. And somehow, he was okay with that.

Would you like to understand more? T∴𝙹 asked. Grian thought about it for a second, looking at the Watchers.

"Yes." He replied, getting his mask and putting it on. A portal constructed itself next to them and they went through, arriving in the Watchers' End.

You already know that our job as Watchers is to guide humans, Oリᒷ started as they began to walk across an island to an obsidian, sandstone and bedrock temple. It was the one he'd lived in and ran away from before Hermitcraft. It felt surreal to be back, as if he'd never been gone.

He nodded, feeling more like Xelqua than Grian.

And that's what we do, we interfere when necessary. Not all the time, of course, only when we're needed. T∴𝙹 continued.

Humans don't always respect us, in which case we punish them. Oリᒷ told him, as they went inside the obsidian structure and went through the familiar halls. Punishment teaches them what they can and can't do. Punishment is a threat, it controls them, and humans need controlling.

You've compared us to the gods before, T∴𝙹 said, and you didn't realise then, but we are the gods.

Or at least, Oリᒷ continued, as close to them as you'll get. Gods are a myth humans came up with, but they derive from us.

They arrived outside a room; Xelqua's bedroom.

There isn't an individual 'reason' for our job. Oリᒷ said. The line between good and bad is not as solid as you may have originally thought. Our purpose is even less solid than that line, we are here to guide and watch when necessary, but we're also allowed to have fun. We are not limited by human standards or laws. We are the ones with power, and you're allowed to do things with it. You're allowed to have fun, Xelqua. They gestured for him to go inside, so he did.

We're proud of you. T∴𝙹 said.

Grian turned on the light and saw one of his jumpers from when he was a Watcher left on his bed, like the day he'd left. It was similar to his usual summer one, but black instead.

The rest of his room was the same, and he had many memories of sitting on the bed planning to run away. Now, it felt like hundreds of years ago.

Oリᒷ stepped inside and picked up the jumper. Then, their hand lit with fire and the same flame surrounded the clothing item for a second before they handed it to Grian. It'll keep you warm now, without your mask.

Grian took it and it buzzed with the shadow of recent magical activity.

"Thank you." He said, grateful that he wouldn't feel on the verge of frostbite when away from his cloak or mask anymore.

* * *

Apparently, disappearing for days at a time and changing the way he had always dressed wasn't very inconspicuous.

Despite everything that was going on, Grian didn't want to fall behind on building. He'd finished clearing out part of the mountain - resisting the urge to simply use magic and hope no one would notice - and had begun getting rid of the necessary parts of the ocean. He seemed to get really into the swing of it because before he knew it the water was all gone and he was marking out some areas with concrete.