~The First Step~ a Hermitcraft AU

Chapter 18 (Grian)

wc: 1069

tw: death, stabbing but no blood

if you didn't read the previous 'chapter' I posted, there I explained all of the Last Life rules and how it works in this book. I suggest you read it, or else things may be a liiiiittle confusing.

the dialogue won't be the same for plot reasons (and laziness reasons) so be aware of that when  you read

enjoy!

Grian held his hand up over the clamor of everybody's panic and after a while, they all quieted.

"The book says that death is not permanent, so let's just... try to treat this like a game. Like this is just a giant prank." He swallowed. "I'm sorry I got you guys into this-"

"This is not your fault!" Big B protested. Grian just laughed.

"Let's just do as the book says. Everything will be fine, I promise."

Last time he said that, he'd broken the promise.

As the crowd dispersed, people going in different directions, Grian took a deep breath and flipped to the last page of the book. The foreign words clicked into place in his mind, and his heart skipped a beat. Grian shoved the book into the back of his inventory and went to collect wood.

His fingertips brushed the wood and he could feel something pulsing inside it, deep in the oak. An ember. A spark. A magic signature. This world, everything about it, felt created. Built, but not polished just yet. As if the final coat of paint had not yet been added. This was just a test world.

Grian's hand clenched against the tree trunk and he swung his fist at it. Soon he had a few oak logs in his hand.

After a bit, Grian's communicator pinged and a holographic screen projected all on its own. The screen flickered.

You have... 

Grian crossed his fingers, numbers flickering in the space after the word  "have".

2 lives.

Grian pounded his fist against the tree as a yellow halo illuminated his head.

This was staged. He knew it. Two lives right off the bat?  There was no point in sulking, Grian realized to himself. He needed to get to work to preserve this life as well as possible.

~~~

You are not the boogeyman.

~~~

"Hello, Scar," Grian said he rounded the corner around a tree to find Scar. 

"Grian," Scar said a bit stiffly. Their relationship had been rocky, to say the least, since Grian's identity had been revealed. 

"Listen," Grian said with a sigh. "I know that this is all because of me. But just hear me out. I may be a Watcher," Grian lowered his voice drastically, "But not by choice." Scar looked as if he were going to argue, but Grian interrupted him and put his hands on Scar's shoulders, looking him straight in the eye.

"Promise me," Grian whispered, "you do not speak a word. About this. Whatever mess has been created, I will fix it. I need you to act normally. As if nothing. Ever. Happened. Do you understand?" His eyes glowed with an unearthly flame.

Scar's mouth clamped shut and he nodded stiffly. Grian released him and looked away. He could feel Scar's eyes on his halo.

"Yellow?"

Grian laughed bitterly. "I'm sure it's no coincidence or accident."

Scar paused, an put his hand on Grian's shoulder. There was a green glow, and Grian felt a strange lifting feeling in his chest. He blinked at Scar, who had a small smile.

"I started with 6 lives," Scar said, pointing at his dark green halo. Grian laughed. 

 "I'll keep it safe for you," he told Scar, waving and walking away. Scar chuckled. 

"Goodbye!"

~~~

"Hey, Grian!" Bdubs said, waving at him. Etho was sitting criss cross applesauce next to the enchanting table, his eyes crinkled in a smile.

"Hey!" Grian replied, grinning. "Any... any boogeys?"

"I've been with him for like an hour," Etho told him. "I'm still alive."

Grian shrugged, standing next to the enchanting table and holding a helmet in his hands. "I'm just gonna enchant some stuff."

After a bit of chatting and enchanting, Bdubs put down a jukebox.

"Etho, why don't you play that disc we found earlier?" he asked in that chipper voice that was dripping with innocence but hid mischief.

Etho slid a music disc into the jukebox and spooky music began to play. 

"Spooky!" Bdubs exclaimed.

"When this plays, someone's gonna die," Etho commented. Bdubs smiled.

"Are you... are you the boogeyman?" Grian asked, donning his new armor. Bdubs let out a cackle. 

"I AM THAT BOOGEY!" Bdubs shrieked, swinging his sword. Grian screamed and attempted to run away, but just like in his nightmares, he tripped and had to scramble back to his feet. However, Bdubs dug his sword deep into Grian's armor. Grian gasped as the tip of the blade unlocked the clasps and his torso was exposed. He lifted his eyes to meet Bdubs, and saw something horrifying.

Purple swirled in Bdubs' irises, and his expression was so inhumane and terrifying that Grian forgot all about self protection. This boogeyman thing wasn't a joke. Grian recognized control when he saw it, and this was a prime example.

However, Grian's freeze cost him the life Scar had so generously gifted.

The sword was driven straight through the middle of Grian's red sweater. As black swirled in his vision, he say the purple streaks in Bdubs' eyes retract. 

Grian's eyes flew open. He was lying in spawn on the hard bedrock. He scrambled to his feet, wincing as a pain spiked through his chest. When you were on a server with limited lives, you felt injuries and death a lot more, compared to when you had unlimited lives and did not really need medical attention.

"Oh, I forgot this was spawn! This is awkward," Bdubs said with a laugh. Etho stood a little shocked. 

"I spent hours with you!" Etho said accusingly, but it was all in good fun.

I told them to treat this like a game, Grian reminded himself. I need to treat this like a game.

"That was Scar's life," Grian said with a grin. "I was kind of keeping it safe for him, so..."

"I'm still in shock," Etho said, running a hand through his snow white hair.

They talked for a little more, Grian's gaze traveling toward's Bdubs' irises every so often and being reassured by the warm brown hue.

After saying his goodbyes, Grian made his way through the forest once again. He knew that with the way things were going, he would not be making it to the end.

I was not meant to survive that, Grian thought. I was meant to start with 2, and Bdubs was purposely made the Boogeyman, so when I went he had to kill me, which was supposed to knock me down to my last life. And then I'd have to kill everyone.

It was not a coincidence. In that moment, all Grian could do was to thank Scar feverishly in his mind for saving him with his 6th life.

hope you enjoyed! watch quite a lot of last life even though I only needed like 5 minutes of it lol, whatever gives me an excuse ;v;

is anything confusing? if so, please do tell me, and I'd be happy to explain, although some of it may be for plot reasons. I've gotten the ending really well planned out but not really the actual meat and buildup (called rIsInG aCtIOn) so I need some feedback on that :3

thank you for reading! have a good day or night, wherever you are!

-Ete