Legacies || Hermitcraft

Chapter XXIII - The Knight

Timeline: August 2016

Word Count: 3.5k

TW: Mild Injury

Ezra didn't feel like he belonged in this group.

Even a year after his reunion with Xisuma, he still barely spoke to anyone but his own brother. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he'd started a conversation with one of them of his own accord, as on the rare occasion that did speak to anyone else, it was usually because they started speaking to him first.

There were two reasons behind his reluctance to engage with any of the others. The first was the language barrier, as although he was able to understand them far better than he was when he first arrived here, Ezra was still far too insecure to talk in any language other than his own. Secondly, and far more importantly, was the unyielding distrust he had developed of everyone and everything around him. 

Perhaps he was scared of the Hermits themselves, scared that they could be just another danger hiding behind the mask of a friendly face, or perhaps he was scared of what might happen should he get too close to any of them. Ezra was no stranger to grief, and it was something he never wanted to be faced with again. Perhaps this was just his way of shielding himself from the heartbreak that loving someone entailed.

Someone placed their hand on Ezra's shoulder, and as if their touch had sent electrical shocks throughout his body, he momentarily froze in panic. He turned, eyes wide as he struggled to catch his breath, and Xisuma quickly withdrew his hand. He'd forgotten how much Ezra now despised being touched, and often still struggled to comprehend just how much his brother had been changed and scarred by the events of the last few years.

He had become cold, reclusive, barely even talking to his own twin let alone anyone else. His tone was frequently harsh and sarcastic, perpetually full of bitterness and frustration, and Xisuma couldn't even remember the last time he'd seen his brother smile. Under his breath, he mumbled a quiet 'Sorry', and without saying a word Ezra turned around and continued walking.

Xisuma sighed, trying not to take the exchange between them too personally. He would have been more surprised if his brother still acted like his old, sweet, bubbly self, and had slowly come to accept that the person he'd once known had essentially perished alongside everyone else in that fire.

"You weren't much different when I met you, you know."

Xisuma glanced to his left to see False beside him, and briefly wondered how much she'd seen. Not that it really mattered, it was quite easy to tell that things were tense, to say the least, between the twins and most of the Hermits had picked up on it by now. "Sorry, what was that False?"

"I said you weren't that different when I met you than Ezra is now." False repeated. "I don't know if you even remember or not, but it took months for you to talk to me for the first time. You would just sleep or sit by yourself most of the time... I'm glad you're doing better now, but it looks like he still needs a while to get there."

"I was lucky you found me, or I'd be in just as bad of a state as he is." Xisuma admitted. After Ezra's arrival, he had finally found it within himself to talk to False about what had happened the day they met, and although she was the only one who knew so far, it had helped him quite a lot to tell someone about all he'd been through. She had listened patiently, believed every word he'd said in spite of how ludicrous it had all sounded, and when the tears inevitably came she had remained by his side to comfort him.

False opened her mouth as if to say something, but was cut off as a wolf and two foxes eagerly bounded past her. "Sakta ner, Ren!" Came Iskall's frustrated call. "Du kommer att skada någon!"