Fall of Hermitcraft

12

Xisuma

A few seconds after stepping out of the portal and back into Hermitcraft, a gun was being pressed to my helmet.

By Cleo.

"Make one move, Scott, and I blow his brains out." she snarled. I jerked my head at him.

"Go. Find the Soup Group." I said. He hesitated, but went anyways.

"You know that it won't go through my helmet, right?" I said numbly. She lowered it to my visor, which a bullet would DEFINITELY go through. My shoulders sagged.

"Where'd you go? And where's Ren?" she demanded. I closed my eyes, tears threatening to spill over again.

"We did everything we could." I said softly. Her arms started trembling.

"Bullshit. He died to try and save your sorry ass, X. The least you could've done is try." Cleo snarled.

"Blood was in his right lung. The left had collapsed and his heart was torn open. You want me to describe how I held onto him as he drowned in his own blood?" I said slowly, calmly. But I could barely keep the wobble of anger out of my voice. She shook her head.

"As much as I hate to admit it: Doc was right about at least one thing. You've long since overstepped your authority as Admin." she said, her own voice wavering.

"Cleo, don't!" Pearl's cracking voice came over the sound of warfare. Cleo and I both immediately looked up.

And there she was, mask on and axe swinging, running down the hill from the castle with murder in her eyes.

I grabbed Cleo's gun, quickly pushing it down to a chink in my chestplate.

"You're right. I messed up. I messed up big time. I made everyone lie to Grian for years. I made everyone hide. I essentially trapped you on this planet. I did it for your safety, but it was a mistake. And I was lying to you all the whole time, too. So if you're gonna shoot me, shoot me. Pull the damn trigger." I said coldly. Her arms trembled.

"X..." she mumbled. I roughly grabbed her shoulder, pulling her a little closer.

"Do it. Pull the gods damned trigger. I know you want to." I growled.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Cleo! No!" Pearl wailed.

"Pull the f**king trigger!"

A burst of light.

Then excruciating pain.

.  .  .
Pearl

"Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Listen. Do you hear it?" Xisuma whispered. I nodded tersely, listening as the birds and crickets chirped in the moonlight. I lifted the bow, and, with some effort, pulled an arrow back.

"Visualize your target. Let the bow become a part of you." he whispered. I closed my eyes, picturing the bird in the tree.

After a moment I let go.

The string snapped at my forearm, sending immediate jabs of hot pain up my arm. I hissed, dropping the bow and gripping the whiplash. Tears started at the edge of my vision.

Xisuma was there immediately, wrapping a white cloth bandage around it.

"Are you ok?" he asked calmly. I nodded quickly, trying not to cry out.

After a moment he was done, and patted me on the back.

"Do you know what you did wrong?" he asked patiently. I nodded.