The Temptation of Power ||| Hermitcraft Watcher AU

Chapter Seventeen

Two months. Two months.

Two months had gone by since Grian left. A month and a half since they found out he'd done it by will. A month and a half minus a couple of days since they found out he was the all powerful Xelqua. It was their first regular server meeting since it had all gone down, and the lack of annoying shuffling noises made by Grian messing around with people was a reminder of the solemn truth.

As X told them about various update things, everyone was silent. When he talked about what had gone on with Hermits Helping Hermits, he earned nothing more than couple of 'well done's and 'thanks's to the members.

Someone was missing and they all knew it. They all felt the way the group wasn't quite whole, even the people who hadn't talked to Grian much.

I hate this, Pearl thought to herself as the overwhelming feeling this was her fault multiplied in the presence of the consequences. She should've left Grian to his own business, or maybe should've told more of what she knew, or maybe just tried to have been there for him more. She should've seen the signs, put all the things she knew together to get the fairly obvious conclusion. She shouldn't have let fear get in the way of friendship.

She looked at her lap, her arms crossed as she wanted to hug into herself. She wished things had been different. She wished the Watchers had never come to Hermitcraft. No, she wished they'd never even come to Evo. She wished she could've known Grian better, she wished she could've been there for him and helped. She wished she'd never come to Hermitcraft; maybe that way no one would've known about the Watchers and it could've been Grian's secret, and she wouldn't have been there to drive him away.

She looked around the table, seeing every hermit's sad face. They all felt as bad as she did, even if not for the same reasons.

She wished there was something she could do, even if she couldn't change the past. She wished the portal was still open and she could apologise to Grian, or Xelqua. She wished she could tell him how much he meant to her. She wished she could tell him how much everyone cared. She wished she could help him.

But she couldn't.

* * *

T⍑∷ᒷᒷ is here to see us. T∴𝙹 said. Xelqua had only had a week to prepare, so all he could do was hope it was enough. He glanced at Oリᒷ as they stood up and went to the door to meet the other Watcher. He took a deep breath when his eyes fell on them, maybe this wasn't going to be so bad, maybe they were overreacting and they would never actually hurt them, right?

You let him get stronger. Wrong. From the tone alone Xelqua could tell they weren't here peacefully. Against my instructions.

You aren't in charge of us, Watchers are equal- T∴𝙹 started.

QUIET! T⍑∷ᒷᒷ yelled, magic suddenly spreading from their hands and pushing T∴𝙹 back. They hit against an obsidian wall powerfully, but weren't fazed and summoned their staff, stepping back forwards and slightly in front of Xelqua. Oリᒷ also summoned their staff.

Xelqua had never seen Watchers be violent towards each other before, but there was a first time for everything, and it didn't look like the last time would be any time soon.

I warned you, he will become too powerful, he will be uncontrollable, and you not only ignored me but encouraged him. T⍑∷ᒷᒷ said, a creature emerging from the purple flames of their own black staff and standing in front of them: a griffin. I can't trust you anymore, but if you hand him over now and let me limit him myself, I'll leave you alone.

You won't lay a finger on him. Oリᒷ said spitefully. T⍑∷ᒷᒷ screamed angrily and shot a beam of fire forwards. Oリᒷ pulled Xelqua out of it's line just in time, and T∴𝙹 shot their own beam of fire at the enemy Watcher, who dodged it. They fought for a few seconds, firing back and forth, while Oリᒷ turned to Xelqua. You're best in the air, they said, before blowing a hole in the roof using their staff while giving him a quick hug and whispering "Go." in his ear.