The Temptation of Power ||| Hermitcraft Watcher AU

Chapter Nineteen

Not long later, Xelqua felt Mumbo's breathing even out as he relaxed and leant onto him. The Watcher carefully removed himself and gently lowered the redstoner down onto the bed, picking up his mask as he did so and putting it on. He glanced around, seeing that everyone was still asleep and safe, before wandering down what was going to be the path - marked with concrete - until he was about five metres away from the hole where he'd emptied out the sea.

The dragon followed, walking beside him, at the size of a large cat, and looking up at him every few seconds. When he stopped, he sank down to the ground and sat cross legged before lighting his hand with a small, tender flame.

Using his magic, he slowly began constructing two figures out of stone. He sat, staring at them as he slowly built them up. He could've simply made them in a few seconds, letting the magic do the work in making them accurate, but instead he did it himself. He thought carefully about every detail instead of just letting it fall into place. He thought about the precise sizes and shapes things were, and slowly they started coming together to look like Oリᒷ and T∴𝙹.

He built T∴𝙹 holding their staff, with the phoenix sat on the top, it's fiery tale hanging down and past it's owner's hand, it's wings neatly by it's side, sat obediently, ready for anything. He built Oリᒷ in a similar position, summoning their staff from against the bedpost and slipping it carefully into their hand. He chuckled sadly as the dragon flew around the statues, landing on Oリᒷ's arm and looking at them curiously.

The sun was rising as he finished off the last details, indenting the Watcher symbol on their masks and around the edges of their cloaks where they met the ground, just like there were symbols on his own. The hermits had woken up one by one and were watching him as he officially finished. The dragon sat on Oリᒷ's staff, completing the memorial.

He tried not to let any tears pass his eyes as he looked up at the accurate stone figures.

Eventually, he stood up and turned around. Everyone looked at him.

"Yesterday, I lost a lot of things." He started, speaking loud enough for everyone to hear, but not yelling or shouting. "I lost my home, safety and two people I had wanted to protect. In their last moments, they protected me, which is how I got here. I'm not going to lose you all too, even if you hate me now, which I would understand. I- I'm going to leave, before I'm found, so that I don't put you in any danger. I thought, since today will probably be the last time I see you, I'd say goodbye properly this time." His voice was wobbling slightly. "I was selfish and power-hungry last time I saw you, I was irresponsible and childish. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry it had to end like this, it's my fault."

He turned around, looking at the Watcher statues for the last time and giving them halos made of magic for a few seconds before looking away again and summoning a portal against the cliff. The dragon jumped down from Oリᒷ's staff and followed as he was about to walk into the portal.

"Wait," Pearl said. Xelqua turned and faced her, realising with a bit of surprise she had a couple of stray tears slowly making their way down her cheeks. "Please don't go away again." He stood silently.

"We'll help you," Iskall said confidently.

"What?" He replied.

"Help you fight the danger, whatever it is." The Swedish hermit elaborated.

"You can't, they'd- they'd kill you within seconds. Even if they didn't, you wouldn't be able to harm them." Xelqua said, looking at the group, worried that they didn't seem keen on backing down.

"We can work something out." Etho said.

"We're not going to let you face whatever it is alone." False said, glancing around at the others.