~The First Step~ a Hermitcraft AU

Chapter 43

wc: 1363

Grian opened his eyes to aching muscles and a constant jostling.

He attempted to push himself into a sitting position, but hands immediately gently pushed his shoulders back down against whatever was supporting him. While the world was too bright for Grian to be able to see anything just yet, the constant bumping of a road and turning wheels meant that they were in a carriage car.

"Easy," someone said. Xayla, Grian thought, not without relief. "You shouldn't be moving around too much for at least a few days."

Grian finally managed to blink the spots out of his vision. While the world still seemed to spin, he forced himself to turn his head to survey his surroundings.

They were in a simple carriage car, curtains covering the windows and the interior a deep purple. It seemed to be a taxi, given the worn down seats and patched cushions. His coat was laid on top of him like a blanket. Xayla was across from him, and Grian saw X and Stress squeezed next to her; clearly he was taking up an extra seat.

X and Stress had been given civilian clothes, with X in a simple tunic and trousers and Stress in a maiden's dress. It was unnerving to see, but he was glad they could blend in a little better. It had been hard to see in the low lighting, but when he looked closer, he could see that their hair had been dyed black.

"Wh..." Grian's voice came out hoarse, and he cleared his throat. "Where are we going?"

"A base hidden in the mountains," Xayla replied, watching as he propped himself on one elbow. "We're under the disguise of a taxi going to vacation. We have forged papers and managed to get them to look like Watchers. Most people keep their wings hidden to avoid knocking them around, so we should be fine in that area. If worst comes to worst, there's always staircases and such for those who've..." She shot a glance at Grian. "Lost their wings." He flinched anyhow.

When Grian reached to look out the window, she clicked her tongue. "The price on your head rose by a considerable amount. I'd keep that window closed if I were you."

Grian let himself slump back against the seat, rubbing his temples to try and ward the headache working its way around his skull. "The Hermits...?"

"Some are in cars like this one." This time it was Xisuma who replied. "A couple went by sky, although it's generally not advised. We don't have a lot of options right now."

"I hope they're okay," Stress fretted, her leg bouncing. She pushed a hand into her brown curls. "Everything is way worse than I..." She met Grian's eyes and immediately glanced away, words trailing off.

"They'll be okay," Xayla reassured her, placing a hand on hers. "Xerion is very capable, and the Hermits aren't too shabby either."

Grian snorted. "I hope we can change that to something a bit better.

Xayla shot him a glare. "I don't want a word out of you. What happened before was a rookie mistake, you know."

Suppressing a grimace, Grian thought of the fight earlier. He hadn't been in his right mind, that was for sure. The adrenaline of battle had completely swept him away; he vaguely remembered the general's dying expression, strings around his fingers, and the thundering bootsteps of an army.

"Are you mad at me?" Grian teased, flashing a grin that reflected the opposite of how he felt.

"Yes," Xayla informed him. "We had to haul your knocked out ass into this carriage car discreetly. You owe me big time."

Grian winced at the language, and again at the thought of how he'd inconvenienced them. "Well, I did save the lot of you," he shot back, although there was no real heat behind it. Xayla seemed to sense his exhaustion, gaze softening.

"You're in no state to be doing anything," Stress said, worry (and something else) in her chocolate eyes. "Get some rest. We'll wake you up when we need to."

While the offer was tempting, Grian pushed himself into sitting position, closing his eyes to let the dizziness pass. "It's fine," he said, waving the hands moving to push him back down. "This is no time to he taking naps." He glanced down at the ugly bruises mapping his bloodflow and the paths that the magic had taken to his hands.

"You have to rest," X said. His voice was calm, but his tone seemed a bit nervous. "If we run into trouble later, we have to be ready to defend ourselves."

Grian met X's eyes, and X held eye contact steadily. Do you finally understand what's at stake? Grian's stare asked.

X's eyes flicked downward. Yes.

"Were there any casualties on our side?" Grian asked.

Xayla nodded. "About a dozen were injured badly, four were killed." At Grian's change in expression, she added, "It could have been much worse if you hadn't stepped in when you did."

Grian buried his face in his hands. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes; losing a comrade, named or not, always stung just as much every time. He inhaled, trying to maintain his composure. A hand rested on his shoulder.

"Don't worry," Stress said. "What you did was... it was scary, but it was amazing."

When bursting into tears was less likely, Grian straightened himself again, dropping his hands into his lap. "We'll need to organize a ceremony."

"We will once we"ve reached the base," Xayla reassured him. "The dead belong to the soil on which they passed, so they've been buried at the original base, but we will hold the funeral at a later time."

Grian nodded. "What's the plan once we reach our destination?"

"The driver's a Listener, and he has papers that will allow us to get there without trouble," Xayla said. "If need be, he has a secret compartment in the benches. They can be locked from the inside." Grian nodded; having backup plans was a must. "Once we get there, which should be in around an hour, we'll hike up into the mountains. And I know it's against our causes, but..." She reached into a small bag and pulled out a pristine mask.

Grian liked to think that he had a lid on the emotions that brewed in his heart, but holding one of those wretched masks seemed to freeze his muscles. Breathing suddenly became a laborious task, and the exhaustion in his bones weighed even heavier.

You never take this mask off, Xeluph had once told him through gritted teeth and eyes lit up in fury. His hand had squeezed Grian's neck, blood beading from where nails broke skin. Grian had tried to take off his mask to suck in a few breaths of air after one experiment left his lungs feeling contracted and heavy, but even that small crime had been caught immediately.

The day you take it off is the day you die.

Xelqua.

Grian gasped, one hand on his heaving chest and the other braced on the side of the carriage. Xayla was right in front of him, rubbing circles on his back.

"I'm sorry, but you have to wear it," Xayla murmured apologetically. The mask sat on the floor of the carriage car, innocent. "It'll be only for a little bit."

The gazes pinned on him from X and Stress reminded him to regain his composure. This was not a time to be succumbing to fear. He grimaced, bending to pick up the mask. When he straightened, the sudden movement made his vision go spotty and threw him off balance.

He didn't fight off Xayla's steadying hand. Since when did I get so weak? Grian asked himself, hands balling into fists. The darkness spreading in his vision seemed to laugh at him.

"You seriously need rest," Stress said, eyes full of concern. "Don't worry, we're capable of defending ourselves."

Grian sighed and gave in. "Wake me up when we get there."

He leaned his head against the side of the carriage car, closing his eyes. He was pulled under almost immediately.

guys its real. three updates with a week or less time between them.

i know, it's crazy !!!!!! i've been struck with sudden inspiration, and not much happened in this chapter, but next update will be in probably a few days!!! its already written, just needs some basic edits and will be out as soon as possible!!!

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

-Ete