The Flames Inside | A Watcher Grian Story; Book 2

Chapter 9

A/N; *Que more evil, maniacal laughter*

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Scar backed up a little, curling his hands into fists... He knew it. He was right. Xisuma claimed he was good, yet clearly he was not... He'd sided with the enemy. He was one of them... He growled slightly. "I knew it!" he shouted. "I knew it! You watchers are anything but good!"

Clearly Scar failed to notice the flinch from Xisuma, including the watery eyes...

Pearl stepped forward. "Scar- stop it!" she snapped at him, making him pause with confusion. He moved to open his mouth, but one dark look from Pearl kept it shut.

Pearl looked back to Xisuma. "Xisuma- you don't have to do this!" she said. "I know you don't want to." she said, moving another step forward.

Xisuma flinched again and hesitated. She was right- he didn't want to do this.

Zeqain stood up from the throne and walked toward him. "I saw that hesitation..." he said quietly. "You remember what I told you, don't you?" he asked.

Xisuma bit his lip, and glanced down to his three friends before him.. He couldn't hurt them, he- he couldn't!

Zeqain narrowed his eyes a little and set a hand on Xisuma's shoulder threateningly. He had Xisuma under his control, and he was going to keep it that way.

Xisuma sucked in a sharp breath, pulling on the chains a little bit again. He looked up to Pearl, who moved to take another step forward. "D-don't come any closer." he said quickly.

Pearl bit her lip. "Xisuma-"

"Shut it- Pearl!" Xisuma snapped. "I d-don't want to hear it! I'm done, Pearl." he said, gripping the chains tighter. "..I'm with him now..." he said quietly, looking to the side.

Pearl hesitated. He wasn't going to listen, was he? He wasn't going to do anything about, was he? He wasn't going to fight back! She glanced to Zeqain, who still stood behind Xisuma. He had him well under his hold... but how? "Ze-"

"No, Pearl. I want none of it." the watcher growled slightly. "Clearly he isn't going to listen. And neither will I." he said. He then turned to Xisuma. "Ximuma, d-"

"..Grian." Mumbo said softly, moving forward as he stopped a few steps ahead of Pearl.

Zeqain came to a pause, glancing to him... he barely expected Mumbo to say anything- let alone be here really... He had almost hesitated, even, before catching himself and standing up straighter.

"Grian, I've only got a few words to say." Mumbo said, watching his friend carefully. "You... are no friend." he started.

Grian furrowed his brow behind his mask... Why would Mumbo come all this way just to say that? Wasn't it clear he had broken their friendship the night he revealed he was the bad guy?

"...You are no friend, Zeqain." Mumbo repeated, noticing the light flinch coming from Grian. He softened his face slightly, his eyes full of clear sadness- and hope... "You are my brother." he said. "And nothing will change that."

Grian widened his eyes a little, glad no one could see through his mask. He chewed on the inside of his cheek a little. He wasn't expecting anything like that... He hurt him- and Mumbo turned around to say he still loved him. How? How could he? After what he did to him? He frowned a little. "No." he said. "No, I'm.... not."

Mumbo hesitated and bit his lip, but quickly shook his head, looking back to Grian. "No- you are. You have been ever since I met you. You have been ever since you moved here." he said, moving forward slowly. "All those games we played together, all those adventures we went on, all the classes we slept through- Grian, that is what pulled us together!" he said.