Fall of Hermitcraft

2

Xisuma
3 hours after Scarland

I immediately retreated back to my mountainside bunker after the festival to tend to my wounded arm. I had barely gotten back from another Server in time to make it.

I stepped into the main chamber, a completely black and lightless room, spraying a healing ointment onto the claw marks along my bicep.

"Turn on." I said loudly. Holographic screens immediately popped up, filling the room in a dim blue light. Information flooded through, from all across the Gigaverse and the local Galaxy. The usual bullshit was on the news, like the Grand Empire and Gigacorp colonizing another server, or another corrupt Admin being killed again (guilty).

But one article, from some obscure station in the far end of the Galaxy, caught my eye.

"Open." I said, waving it forwards.

BREAKING: RIOTS AGAINST THE GRAND EMPIRE CONTINUE IN THE DESOLATE KARNAVAS SYSTEM OF THE OUTER ARMS—MILITARY ACTION GUARANTEED BY THE SENATE

"Shit." I hissed, waving to the right and pulling up more information, of which there was frighteningly little. My mind ran through a thousand scenarios, all of them bad.

The military trying to disperse riots ended in violence and more riots, which equates to more military action which will push the Karnavas system to full rebellion, which would lead to a civil war, and in the process attract... unwanted attention.

"Download all the information to my helmet and send me every possible update on the situation." I said. The images vanished, and the room went dark.

I sighed deeply, stepping outside of the room and pulling my helmet off.

"Bad news?" TFC's kind, gentle voice came to my right. Cleo and Impulse stood with him.

I nodded.

"Shit just hit the fan out there. There's been riots, practically rebellions." I said. Cleo's eyebrows shot up.

"Seriously? Why's that bad? Maybe we can get someone who can actually bring the galaxy to peace." she said. I shook my head.

"It'll be complete war. No one wins this. Thing have changed over the past hundred years, Cleo. It'll be the end of civilization as we know it." I said. Not a lie, technically. But not quite the truth.

"What are we gonna do about it?" Impulse asked. I cracked my neck.

"I'll take care of it myself."

. . .
Grian
3 hours after Scarland

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off after Scarland, no matter how hard I tried.

I found myself sitting in Gem's tree, unable to sleep with my racing mind.

What had Pearl so damn scared? In fact, she'd always been somewhat paranoid. I just had never questioned it before. She had always done her best to push me away from any form of fighting, instead pushing me to build and even doing the silly little pranks that always lead to some kind of war.

She and Gem were constantly practicing their fighting with Impulse, Skizz, and each other, but whenever I showed up they seemed very... reserved about it. I had never seen them practice, but I always saw the wooden swords and axes they tried to hide, and the exhaustion that came with a workout. But why were they hiding it from me? I resolved to talk to Mumbo and Scar to some extent tomorrow, see what they thought of it.

I growled in frustration, throwing a stick as far as I could, following it with my eyes as it fell to the ground far below.

I frowned suddenly, standing. Someone stood on the bride between Pearl's base and Impulse's Keep, adjusting a black and gold colored Mechanical Elytra. Impulse.