Doubled Powers (Hermitcraft & Dream SMP Crossover AU)

Happy April Fools (Angst & Death)

Grian was surprised as a knock came on the door. "Coming!" He called, setting down a pot of plants and brushing the dirt off his hands. He scurried to the front door and opened it, tilting his head in confusion as he spotted a paper package on the floor. Shrugging, he took it inside to open.

~~~

Wilbur narrowed his eyes as the single white paper drifted down to meet him. "Ay, what's that?" Tommy asked, reaching up to take it but Wilbur plucked it out of the air before him using his height. "Hey, that isn't fair, I wanna read it too." Tommy complained as Wilbur opened the letter, sending a smirk towards his younger brother.

The smile quickly slid down his face as he read the contents of the paper, his brown eyes widening with fear.

"Wilbur, what's wrong?" Tommy asked.

Wilbur's voice was filled with terror. "Get Phil, Tommy, we're going."

"What's wrong?"

"It's Grian."

~~~

Well, the package was innocent enough on the outside. On the inside, though, it was a different story.

Grian placed the package on the table and rubbed his hands evilly - he loved opening presents. Admiring the beautiful bow tie, he tugged it apart and unwrapped the paper. All was still for a moment, and then all was on fire.

Great, scorching heat bursted from the paper package. Grian's instinct kicked in and he opened his wings and wrapped them around his body, trusting in his feathers. He screamed as the explosion ripped the iridescent rainbow feathers off his wings, turning them a single color of bloody red on cool gray. Grian felt metal bits lodge into his wings, his legs, whatever was exposed to the bomb and felt himself being propelled backwards, landing with a soft crunch.

The world was made of fire. Everything was burning around him, melting away his once-shiny feathers and leaving but a trail of ash behind. It wasn't even done there, instead carved a path toward his flesh, licking at his clothes to consume anything it could.

Grian wanted to stand. He needed to stand. He needed to get up and move out of this dangerous place, to survive. He willed himself to flip over, letting his burnt wings protect him from falling embers above. He propelled himself up on his elbows, and then his hands, wincing as wooden splinters poked at him. Grian was on his knees, and he started to crawl, through the rubble and wood, towards the darkness, the coolness, anything that gets him out of this place.

He had the will to live. Grian wanted to live, to breathe the fresh air, to see the sky again. But none of that would happen if he didn't crawl out of his burning mansion. His breath became harsh as smoke and ash invaded his lungs. His knees grew weak and his hands hurt from rubbing across the carpet, and Grian collapsed after a few feet.

Grian's eyes closed and he just let the heat surround him, feeling comfier than he had ever in the past ten minutes and felt the will to float to peace. No. He gritted his teeth to get up again. I need to see Philza again.

Their faces flew through his mind. Philza. Techno. Wilbur.

Tommy.

He dug his fingernails into the ground and forced himself to rise. Slowly, slowly, Grian raised onto his elbows and crawled forwards, his family's faces in his heads as he inched towards the exit.

But the fire caught up, and soon, the world was burning.

And Grian burned with them.

~~~