Prison of the dead (Labyrinth of Monsters' sequel) A hermitcraft/3rd life fanfic

Chapter 28 - Cleo

Ya know what I said about knowing what's going to happen in every single chapter until the end? 

I've forgotten what this one was going to be. 

No, wait, I've just remembered. 

But who's perspective? 

Hmmm... 

Wait! Am I going to change chapter orders around? 

Yes. The answer is yes.

The first thing EX said to me when he arrived at the edge of the camp was 'don't freak out, I'm on your side.' 

I very quickly let him know my opinion of this.

'That is absolute rubbish. Why should I believe you.'

'Because I'm desperate, unarmed and homeless.'

'Why?' I cross my arms, one eyebrow raised. 'Everyone knows you killed those people we found in the forest.'

'No! It was Doc!'

'Doc isn't here. Now get out or I'll break your legs.'

'They're here. They ambushed Cub,  Scar, Scott and Ren in the woods. I watched it with my own eyes.'

'Yeah... for some strange reason involving you trapping us in a giant death murder maze, I don't believe you.'

'I'm unarmed! At least ask Xisuma if I can join or not!'

'He's dead.'

'What?!'

'He's dead. Someone killed him. And I'm pretty sure it was you.'

'Why would I kill my own brother?!'

'Cleo, what's going on?' The tired voice of Joe reaches me, and I look over.

'I'm just dealing with the person that trapped us in a giant maze and slowly let us kill each other and ourselves. EX, did you see Impulse at all? Did you see what he went through? Do you think that's nice?'

'Oh, hey EX. Don't mind Cleo.'

'You... WHAT? Joe, if you've been secretly talking to him, then I swear I will break your legs.'

'I'm trying to be civil and polite.' Joe replies with a stubborn civility. 'Good morning, Evil Xisuma, don't mind my friend Cleo here. She's just cranky because her friend died.'

'I'm not Evil Xisuma... That's just what my dear old brother called me when I joined the game, because he's nice like that.'

'I'm very sorry. What would you like to be called.'

'A murderer.' I call over.

'Xamphe.' He explains instead. 'Call me by my actual name.'

'Well, Howdy Xamphe! Would like to come in?'

'Hold on. He is not coming in here.'

'I'm being polite. What part of that don't you understand?'

'Good morning sweetfaces- EVIL X IS HERE!' Keralis squawked as he appeared. 'He's not coming in, is he?!'

'No, he's not. Joe tell him to go.'

'No! I'm very sorry about my friends.'

'Tell him to go or I will break your legs again.'

'You seem to like breaking legs.' Xamphe comments.

'You seem to like causing harm as well, so I guess we're equal. No, wait,  I haven't made any murder mazes. Sorry...'

There's a rustle in the trees, but I ignore it. 

'Right. You either get out, or I make you get out.' 

'I'm not armed! I'm not going to kill you!'

I hear an explosion from somewhere, and I look towards the noise, concerned. 

'Joe...? Can you see what that was?'

'Ok...' My friend jogs cautiously towards the noise. I look back at Xamphe. 

'So,  are you going to go or not?'

'Not.'

'Keralis, can you help me get rid of him?'

'Maybe?' 

There's a commotion somewhere behind, and someone yells my name. I turn around for one second, and look back to see Keralis bleeding to death, with Xamphe grinning over the almost-corpse, holding a knife.

'My mistake, guess I was armed.'

With quick thinking and quicker reflexes, neither of which I thought I had, I pull out my sword and block his attack, backing away into the chaos. There's fighting everywhere. I guess EX was right about Doc being here.

I duck to avoid a trident, slashing at Xamphe, stabbing, fighting. Joel joins in, already covered in blood, and sends him running with a couple of dogs yapping behind.

'T...thanks.'

'You're welcome. Let's fight someone else.'

I manage to get a good look around at the area as I look for someone else to fight. BigB's arrived, and is losing against Etho, Mumbo's standing on a roof, desperately throwing potatoes at Zedaph, near where Joe's fighting Doc and Jimmy, cornered and yelling some very long words no one else knows the meaning of as a last resort against them. I run in, pulling Jimmy away. He turns and stabs at my face, but I duck just in time. Some more of Joel's dogs (which I didn't know he had) claw at his legs. It doesn't take long to unbalance him and let him be killed by them. A twinge of sorrow passes through me. He was a good person. He didn't deserve to die like this. 

A trident flies towards me and I dive to the ground to avoid it. Doc's killed Joe, and runs towards me and Joel, not letting himself be fazed by all the dogs. Etho pulls the latter of us away, having finished fighting BigB, who I assume is now dead. I'm left fighting Doc alone, but slice and stab against him furiously, not letting myself lose. I get a nasty blow to the shoulder, blood spilling down, and I'm about to be killed when a rouge spud hits the creeper's head. 

'MR POTAT IS HERE TO SAVE YOU!' Mumbo yells triumphantly. 'PEACE, LOVE, PLANTS AND MURDER!' He proceeds to pelt a very confused Doc with starch-based vegetables, while I stab him in the back. He dies, and Mumbo celebrates, seemingly having forgotten about Zedaph, who drags him off the roof and impales him until he dies. 

I run at the blonde, who blocks my attack quickly. I continue against him, while hearing the sounds of Joel dying behind, and knowing I'm the last one left. I manage a killing blow on Zedaph, and turn to Etho. Blood drips from his sword. He's badly injured, hiding a limb and a broken arm. And, I think bitterly, of course Etho's the last other person in this world. Of course it's the person who could never seem to die. Well, until Impulse brutally murdered him that is.

He doesn't attack, merely staring at me. So I don't fight him, waiting to see what he's going to do. Is is all a ruse? Is he going to fight as soon as I drop my guard. 

But the only thing dropped is his sword, as he sinks to his knees from exhaustion. I watch him, confused.

'Kill me. I've done enough damage.' He pleads. 'Just kill me.'

'Why?'

'Because Martyn and Bdubs were right.'

I don't understand what he means, and don't speak until he explains.

'They... as soon as they arrived they killed themselves instead of joining Doc. I should've done the same. I should've left him again. He's just a murderer now. He's not the friend I once knew. So kill me, and then kill yourself, and we can finally leave this world. 

I frown, looking down at my weapon, knowing he's right, and do exactly what he told me to. 

Two chapters left y'all!