Frostbite | Hermitcraft AU | (OLD)

Chapter 7

Doc fell to his knees, desperately trying to ease the pain somehow. Snowfall walked away, towards the far right of the main cavern. Grian wanted to help; he couldn't stand Snowfall hurting Doc like that. Doc moaned in pain as he sat down, reaching for the end of his lab coat. He tore off a strip and folded it up, pressing it against the wound. 

"What are you doing?" Grian asked quietly, as Snowfall was still in the main cavern, making something out of ice. 

"It's called being resourceful, Grian," Doc said, as he took off his belt and put it around the wound. He tightened it, wincing a bit. Grian winced too; he didn't like the idea of injuries. 

"I should get back to work..." Doc murmured, looking at Xb's unconscious body. The bleeding from him had died down, but there was still blood on the ground. Grian watched as Doc scooped up the blood in a vial and poured it into the liquid he created before. It turned a vibrant deep blue, like the color of a sun-lit ocean. Grian stared into the liquid, and started to relax a bit. That liquid really does it's job, huh? He thought. Doc poured it into the bracelet and snapped it close. 

"Snowfall! It's finished," Doc hollered, catching Snowfall's attention. 

"Oh! Wonderful!" He exclaimed, his voice back to its usual joy. "I'll go get Bubbles!" Grian felt butterflies in his stomach; he was scared of what Bubbles would be like.

"He's just gonna let him out? Doesn't that seem dangerous?" Stress whispered, as if she was reading Grian's mind. 

"Let's just hope he doesn't kill all of us..." Doc said, standing up with the bracelet. They watched as Snowfall walked into a different cavern, making an ice chain on his way there. A few moments later, with a lot of roaring involved, Snowfall came back. He was dragging Bubbles behind him, with cyan-colored blood dripping from his mouth. He was grinning his smug smile again, as if he won another victory.

"Here he is!" Snowfall said, "Put up a decent fight, not gonna lie," He wiped the blood off on his sleeve, as Doc stared at his unconscious shark friend. Grian saw pure hate in Doc's eyes, no doubt he was annoyed at Snowfall even more. He bent down and clicked the bracelet around Bubbles's wrist, without making a sound. Before their eyes, the man-shark Bubbles had transformed back into the Bdubs they all knew.

"Brilliant!" Snowfall exclaimed, "You'll keep watch until I finish my prison!" Doc looked at Snowfall, confused. 

"Wait. Prison?"

"Yep!" Snowfall nodded, "Where else am I going to keep my prisoners?" He looked at Grian, Stress, and Xb. He looked back at Doc. "Perhaps you too if you don't behave." 

"Stulte..." Doc said, just loud enough for Snowfall to hear him. But he ignored him, walking towards his half-finished prison. "Wait!" Snowfall turned to face him.

"What?"

"I did what you wanted," Doc said, crossing his arms, "Now give me the diamonds and I'll be on my way." Snowfall laughed.

"I'm not done with you!" He grinned, "And I'm sure you don't want to leave your friend here," He gestured at Bdubs. Doc was quiet, staring into Snowfall's eyes.

"How 'bout we make another deal? We get rid of the diamonds entirely-"

"What?!"

"-and we talk about you and your friend's freedom." Doc was silent. Snowfall continued, "Like, you do more things for me and when I'm done with all of you, I let you and your friends go." Doc didn't say anything, and just stared at Snowfall.

"Fine." He finally said.

"Great! We have another deal!" Snowfall exclaimed, sticking out his hand. Doc looked at it, but refused to shake it. Snowfall frowned. "Whatever. I didn't want to touch your filthy hands in the first place. Just watch the prisoners." He walked towards the prison, leaving Doc with the rest of them. 

"W-what happened...?" Xb started to wake up as Grian tried to look at him. "Where am I?"

"Welcome to Snowfall's lair, the place that you will most likely love being in for the rest of your life," Doc answered sarcastically. 

"Snowfall? Who's Snowfall?" Xb asked.

"Wait, you don't know who Snowfall is?" Grian said, confused. Xb shook his head. "Oh, well he's...umm...the alter ego of Etho I guess," 

"Wait, hold on," Stress interrupted, "He didn't do that thing where he introduced himself and tried to knock you out after?" Xb shook his head again. 

"One moment I was fine, then the other I was unconscious." 

"Oh..." 

"Most likely because of me," Doc said, "It seems I pissed him off yet again." He glanced at Snowfall, "That merciless bitch..."

"Done!" Snowfall exclaimed. "There's only four cells for now, but I'll add more when needed." He smiled at his prisoners. 

"Um, four cells?" Doc asked, suspicious. 

"Mhmm! If you or Bubbles decide to misbehave!" Snowfall said, continuing to smile. He gasped suddenly, getting an idea. "I should make a torture chamber!" He rushed off, deeper into the main cavern.

"T-torture chamber??" Xb asked, scared of what Snowfall could do. They heard Snowfall gasp again.

"I FORGOT!!" He yelled, rushing back. "I forgot to put the prisoners in their cells!!!!"

"This idiot..." Doc sighed. 

"Oi! Watch your mouth, smart-ass," Snowfall said, starting to get annoyed at Doc yet again. "If you don't, then we're gonna put that extra cell to good use." Doc was quiet. "Now, who should we move first? How 'bout-" He pointed at Xb, "Did I ever come up with a name for him?" Doc shook his head.

"I think Placid is a good name..." He said quietly. 

"Placid!" Snowfall exclaimed, "I know I could count on you for names!" He then pointed at Stress. "What 'bout her?" 

"Flytrapper?" 

"Yes! Flytrapper...I'm sure you could feel her potential too to come up with a name like that." He smiled. "Anyway, I'll take Placid first," He started forming his hammer again, but Doc interrupted.

"Maybe you shouldn't do that again, it might...um...kill them, which isn't very useful." Snowfall was silent for a moment.

"Hmm, fine. Then how do u suggest I move them?"

"Keep the hands in ice, but melt everything else," Doc said, glancing at Grian for a moment. 

"Fine. I'm blaming you if they escape." Snowfall walked over to Xb, who was terrified. He melted the ice off his arms and legs, and asked Xb to stand up. He did what he was told; he didn't want to get on Snowfall's bad side. Grian watched Snowfall ice Xb's hands together again, and pull him over to his cell. I need to get out of here... He thought. He watched as Snowfall pushed Xb in the cell, and ice up the doorway.

"Who's next?" Snowfall asked, grinning. He looked at Grian, then Stress; his icy blue eyes seemed like they were piercing their souls. He glanced at Doc, who stared at him with pure hatred. Snowfall advanced towards Grian, saying, "How 'bout you, Ptarmigan?" Grian whimpered, as Snowfall melted the ice on his arms and legs. He then pulled him up by the collar of his sweater, barely lifted his feet off the ground. He grinned; his pointed teeth gleaming. 

"I have plans for you..." He said, dropping Grian back to the floor. Snowfall iced his hands together, the pain stinging his skin. He pulled Grian towards the prison, as Grian got an idea.

"I guess you won't be able to execute them..." He said, as he bit Snowfall's hand. He yelped, letting go off Grian's arm. He raced towards the exit, as he spread his wings majestically. He heard Snowfall yell, as he swooped out of the exit, finally leaving the icy cavern. 

I'm free! Grian thought excitedly as the wind hit his face gently, But Snowfall is definitely gonna hunt me down... He felt himself go invisible, He won't find me if I'm always invisible and always moving... He looked behind him, as if Snowfall was chasing him. He then realized.

I can't go back home...