~The First Step~ a Hermitcraft AU

Chapter 45

wc: 2302

Getting to the base hadn't taken much effort. The location of the pathway was in a little corner of stone, where there was a tiny fracture in the rock. Xayla had gone first to demonstrate, reaching in and slowly tracing the crack all the way down. Once she'd done so, she disappeared without a sound and no trace save for a few purple sparks.

After Stress and X were through, Grian went in himself. There was the familiar warping sensation, and he appeared in the base.

The first word he thought of when he saw the damp stone walls and flickering torches was dingy. Compared to the large and slightly grandiose main base with its many floors and Listeners darting to and fro, this one definitely didn't measure up. Of course, Grian wasn't complaining, but when Stress had regained her balance from the teleport, her nose wrinkled.

"How did you sneak this in here?" Xayla was asking.

"This is entire building and sightseeing spot was built by Listeners," a man said proudly. He had very fluffy hair. Dyed, Grian realized, brown with a green streak through it. Perhaps it was a disguise made by magic.

Grian approached the group as the man continued to talk. "It was originally a mistake in a blueprint. We told the builders to continue building it according to the plans, and ended up repurposing it." His grin faltered. "A lot of the men that were involved on the plan in rescuing Xelqua didn't return. Honestly, was getting him out even-" His eyes landed on Grian, who'd removed his mask, and jumped a foot in the air, large fluffy wings bristling. "Oh, gosh," he muttered, a hand running through his curls, before he suddenly bowed his head. "Uh- my apologies- sir? Your Majesty? My Lord?"

Grian, who'd originally probably been wearing a scowl after hearing the conversation, was struck with a moment of shock. And then he started laughing. Wheezes rendered him speechless for a little bit as he hunched over, trying to regain his composure. After managing to wrestle his chuckles under control, he said, "Just call me Grian, please."

"Grian?" the man said with a weird face. "That's a dumb name. For a dumb man. Why'd you go and get yourself in prison again?"

The sheer audacity of the statement left Grian's mouth hanging open. After a moment of shocked silence, Grian sputtered, "And what's your name?"

"Xoel," the man grumbled. "But I go by Joel now."

! DISCLAIMER okay yes i know joel was in last life. but i could NOT pass up this wondrous opportunity and i just love joel so much so joel is now a normal watcher dude who definitely did not participate in last life. forget that happened :D DISCLAIMER !

"Joel's a dumb name," Grian told him. They glared at each other for a moment.

"Well, I'm glad you're not a dead man," Joel said, turning around. "Otherwise we'd be a little bit screwed. Come over here." He opened his palm, a little ball of magic lighting up the room, and motioned for them to follow. "Your friends are around here somewhere." Grian and Xayla exchanged a look, Grian quirking his eyebrows and eyeing Joel. Xayla giggled and hid it behind a cough.

Grian had already decided he liked Joel.

The base was mainly one large room with a couple rooms on each wall. Joel lead them to the left, counting three rooms and opening the door of the third.

All of the hermits had apparently already gotten there. It was a training room, Grian realized, with straw dummies that were still animated by magic. It didn't have everything that the previous base did, but Grian knew through experience that you didn't need a lot of equipment to become a good fighter.

"Oh, the group's all together again!" Scar said happily, slinging an arm around Grian's shoulders casually. The Hermits' chattering made Grian blink in dazedness (although that may have also been the magic overuse). When was the last time they had gathered calmly? Now was certainly not the time, but seeing the Hermits that joked around lazily, he wasn't opposed to it. Yes, it was a time to be serious, but... this worked too.