Chapter Text
<GoodTimesWithScar> got hte redstone stuff! Meet up in few minutes?
<Grian> sure thing, just let me grab some things
Grian slid his communicator in his pocket mid flight, before circling over the bridge and landing smoothly on the grass beneath his base. His pockets were full of eggs, and he wanted to sketch up some blueprints for the machine. As he shuffled through some items in his chest, he paused.
Something was wrong.
It was an uncertain feeling, like something was just.. off. Grian looked behind him but no one was there. He placed a shulker box and shoved his eggs and blueprints inside.
The feeling of uneasiness didn’t go away, much to his dismay.
Grian paused again, thinking. Was it just his imagination? He began walking, still lost in thought. A server setting must have changed, he figured. Something minor, behind the scenes. Or, more likely, he was just being paranoid.
Then he got a soft ping on his communicator, taking it out of his pocket to read it.
<GoodTimesWithScar> g are you here
<Grian> just a minute
He once again set down his communicator, and found he had stopped walking on the edge of the hole beneath his base.
“Scar’s so impatient.” He muttered to himself.
His froze, completely still, as he heard the somewhat familiar sounds of the Rift.
Grian flew down with little grace, stumbling as he reached the bottom. He gaped at the swirling purple, fluid-like portal. How did this happen?
He had installed a small monitoring system back when the Rift was active, so he could see how long it would hold up. Luckily all the Empires’ folks made it home in time, before it closed completely.
He blinked. Was the Rift connected back to Empires? Grian didn’t know.
Should he go through?
Let’s think rationally , he persuaded himself. It’s only ever connected to Empires. Where else could it take him?
“Should I call other hermits?” He murmured to himself, before his communicator pinged. Again.
<GoodTimesWithScar> grian are we doing this or not
<Grian> Scar relax I’m busy
<GoodTimesWithScar> come onn hurry
<GoodTimesWithScar> …
<GoodTimesWithScar> griannnn
But Grian had already set aside the device, ignoring its persistent chimes. He decided he’d go in for a peek, it’s been several months since he’s seen his friends.
By now he was standing in front of the portal. It was still swirling, the motion mesmerizing. Grian’s wings were tucked against his back. Why was he nervous, of all things?
Refusing to dwell any longer, he stepped inside.
~+~+~+~+~+~+~
“Scar, I think that’s our cue to leave.” Grian spoke, watching as Joel scavenged for his chestplate he fought so hard to get. Pearl was dead on the floor, Scott collapsed nearby.
He wasn’t quite sure if Scar had heard him over the shouting around them, but Grian grabbed Oreo’s lead and began pulling him anyway.
“I didn’t think they’d actually kill.” He said, turning toward the dimly lit jungle
“They’re bloodthirsty!” Bdubs called, his voice fading out as they made their getaway.
“Oh my gosh..” Scar muttered, following Grian back.
“I’m still.. kind of in shock.” Grian murmured, “I mean, I was just playing the fishing rod game.”
“Yeah.” Scar agreed. They were quiet for most of the ride until they came toward the ranch, taking a few moments to chat with the Ranchers.
After a bit of back and forth, Grian look up towards the sky, red streaks reaching across the mass. It was nearly daylight.
“Let’s go.” Grian said quickly, once again beckoning Scar along. “I need to talk to you.”
Once they returned to the ‘birthday cake’, as many had dubbed the spiky structure, Grian pulled Scar aside. The rising sun displayed golden rays on the floor, a flock of birds chattering in the trees.
He shuffled through his inventory as Scar checked on his pandas and put away his horse. Once he gave Grian his full attention, he began to elaborate on his plan.
“Defensively, I say we go up to build height and make some dripstone protection.” Grian pulled out some of the stalactites, placing one on a block to demonstrate.
“Ooh, and drop it on their heads?” Scar asked with enthusiasm.
“Yeah, yeah if we need to we can do that.” He broke a block and watched the dripstone fall and embed itself into the soil, before picking it up and tucking it in his inventory.
“Yeah I- wait, someone’s eating-“
Both of them froze and swung around at the sudden noise, to see Joel and Etho standing behind.
“Do you have the enchanter, Scar?” Joel asked coldly, stepping closer. His eyes were a bloody red, which made Grian even more on edge. They weren’t like that before.
“I- no, no why?” Scar replied coolly. Grian stepped back.
“You're lying, we’ve been told you have it. You just lied through your teeth.” Joel walked closer, face to face with Scar, and narrowed his eyes. “You want to lie to a red name , Scar?”
“Guys guys, listen.” Grian stepped forward, his wings subconsciously blocking Scar, trying to ease the conversation. “Listen please.”
“Yeah, settle down.” Scar added smugly as Grian only faces the red names.
Joel glared at both of them in turn, then waved Grian away.
“I need to talk to Scar.”
Both of them hesitated. Grian didn’t want to leave his accident-prone partner with blood lusting red names, but he couldn’t really act on the defense either. He stepped away, but stayed within earshot, pointedly glaring at both Joel and Etho as the debate continued.
His attention shifted suddenly, hearing noise in the birch woods behind him.
At first he passed it off as a mob, before hearing a somehow familiar voice that he couldn’t place.
Whoever’s trying to sneak up on them, isn’t doing a great job.
He glanced back to the discussion, but it seemed too heated for anyone to notice him. He turned and went towards the forest.
“Hello?” Grian asked tentatively, his white wings brushing against his back. He had no reason to be nervous, he reminded himself.
He brushed aside a low lying tree branch, stepping over a bush, when he looked up.
Whatever he was seeing, it didn’t make sense
Standing in front of him, an exact reflection of shock on his own face.
Grian physically stumbled back, hurriedly pulling out his sword.
“Who.. what-“ his words stumbled over each other, trying to make sense of it all. The man in front of him looks almost exactly like Grian- save for his tri-colored wings and different clothes. It was uncanny.
“Put that away!” The man shouted, putting his hands up in defense. “What’s the matter with you?”
Grian did not, in fact, put his sword away. Instead he stood and jarred it forward, the tip brushing the doppelgänger’s throat.
“Who are you?” This time, his words came out more intimidating. But I can’t kill , Grian reminded himself, I’m still a green life . Though, as he held eye contact with the man, he couldn’t exactly tell what life he was on. His eyes were only brown.
“I’m Grian.” The man said, wincing as the cold diamond brushed his vulnerable skin. “Who are you ?”
“Wh- you can’t be Grian!” Grian shouted, his wings puffing up. “ I’m Grian.”
For a few tense moments they stood there, neither of them daring to move.
“Grian!” Scar called, his voice faint. “Can you come back?”
Both Grian’s turned their heads, and Grian- the real one- gave him one last icy glare before tucking his sword away.’
“Whatever game you're playing, you need to quit it.”
“I seriously don’t know what’s going on.” Then he paused and squinted. “Why do you have goat horns?”
“Why don’t you ?”
“Well- I mean, I..” he stammered. “These wings are kinda my brand.” The wings in question, large and brightly colored, puffed up slightly. “It’s.. odd. To see myself all beat up, with horns sticking out of my head.”
Grian scoffed at that, and at Scar’s second call, began to walk back to his base.
“Wait.” The second Grian caught his shoulder. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Go back the way you came?”
“I can’t.” He bit his lip slightly. “I tried walking around the forest, but found some kind of transparent wall . Swear I’ve seen it before.”
“Guess you found the border.” Grian shrugged. “Seems you're not leaving anytime soon.”
“But-“
“Grian!” Scar pushed past a tree, and both Grians jumped. “What in the world is taking…”
His jaw practically hit the floor.
The three of them stood there awkwardly, waiting for someone to speak. Scar blinked, collecting his thoughts it seemed. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it immediately.
“Wha- I.. I don’t even… who..?” He managed to stammer, his thoughts probably a jumbled mess. The parrot Grian narrowed his eyes, while the dove one slipped behind his soulmate.
“Don’t even ask, because I've got no answers, Scar.”
“Scar?” The other Grian asked, eyes widening. “I hardly even recognize you! You look so different!”
He coughed slightly in response.
“Look, I don't know why I’m here, do you?”
Scar glanced towards Grian- the one he knew- and leaned over to whisper.
“How am I supposed to answer that?”
“I really don’t know, Scar. I’m as clueless as you are.”
“Look,” the parrot Grian raised up his hands. “I’ve got nothing on me. Could I borrow some armor and food? I kinda ran into some mobs and waited out the night.”
Grian narrowed his eyes, shooting a glance toward Scar. He felt inclined to give him some things, even just to help him leave . Wherever the avian came from, he should go back.
“Fine, but don’t try anything.”
Grian led the way back to the base, scouring through chests for spare armor.
“Don’t worry about a chestplate,” The second Grian added. “It doesn’t really fit with my wings.”
“You think I wouldn’t know that?” Grian asked. “I make them custom with the wing slits. It might be better to take it.”
He hesitated, but took the iron chest piece from Grian’s hand.
“Thanks.”
Grian checked his inventory, before heading out back to grab some dripstone, aware that the other Grian was following him.
“Why do you need that?” He asked.
“Defense.”
“From what?”
“Look,” Grian sighed. “We are green lives, with a lot of enemies. The reds are after us. Not sure how many lives you have but try not to die much.”
He turned to see the parrot Grian, an expression of confusion written on his face.
“What’d you mean, lives?” He asked skeptically. “I mean, is that why your eyes are green? You mentioned that you and Scar were ‘green lives.’”
“Yeah?” Grian returned the look. “I mean, we all have three lives. Greens are more passive, yellows are bit more tense, and reds..” his voice trailed off, but he seemed to get the idea
“So, the dripstone?” He asked after several moments of silence. “How are you going to drop it?”
Grian turned around, his white wings brushing his back.
“We’re going up.”
~+~+~+~+~+~+~
Grian was standing on top of the fort, fiddling with his shirt collar as Scar and Grian, the goat hybrid one, towered up.
“Are you coming up?”
He looked up to see they had built a wooden base, small spikes attached to the bottom.
“Uh, do you want me to?” Grian asked, skeptical. He still didn’t really know what was going on, but he was sure he wasn’t on Hermitcraft anymore. Or even Empires, for that matter.
Other Grian shrugged in response, dumping a bucket of water for Grian to climb.
Once he was up, he squeezed water out of his feathers. Grian built a dirt ring around the platform, sharp dripstone emerging from the soil.
“Alright, we’re stuck for now, then.”
“Can’t you fly?” Grian asked. When the other two looked at him, confused, he elaborated. “You have wings, you know. If anything happens, just glide down.”
“Look, bird boy.” The other Grian sighed, earning a chirp of indignation from parrot Grian. “My wings can’t carry my weight, let alone if I carried Scar.”
“ Bird boy , great.” Grian rolled his eyes dramatically.
“I think it suits you!” Scar chimed. “It gets confusing, having two Grian’s around. We should give you a new name!”
“I’m not some kind of pet, Scar.” He once again rolled his eyes. Yeah, this man had to be Scar.
“Come on!” He pushed. “Seriously, every time I say your guys’ name, both of you turn around in sync.”
“Yeah, well, that’s not my fault.” The white-winged Grian muttered. He was now perched on the dirt ring, leaning over the edge precariously, looking at something below. “I’m gonna just call you number two.”
“Creative.” Grian muttered.
They stood up there for a while, Scar and the other Grian conversing quietly, pointing towards something farther out. Suddenly, they all turned at the sound of faint voices.
“It’s the Ranchers.” Scar said, leaning over. “Visiting hours are over!” He called loudly to the people below.
“Are they red? Or just enemies?” Grian asked, the whole life system was clicking a little better in his mind, though his thoughts strayed to wondering what happened after three deaths.
“Yellow.” Other Grian corrected, his wings curling protectively. “They aren’t really against us, but..”
“I think they want to enchant.” Scar interrupted. “Should I let them up, G?”
“We don’t need more enemies.” He nodded. “Let them up.”
Scar dumped the bucket of water down again, glancing over the edge as two figures emerged, climbing over the dirt barrier.
Grian’s breath hitched.
“Hey, Grian!” Tango greeted. “Can we use..” his voice trailed away as he glanced at the parrot Grian, standing very awkwardly in the corner.
“Hi.”
“What in the world..” Grian noticed Jimmy too, to his surprise. But he was different, his eyes were a bright, unnatural yellow, and he didn’t have his sheriff outfit.
“Don’t mind him, hurry up and enchant.” Scar replied cheerily.
“Scar.” Other Grian began, he was once again leaning over the edge.
“Okay, do you need lapis? Because I-“
“ Scar .” He said again. “I just uh.. I have a feeling… ”
Scar joined him by the edge and inhaled harshly.
“What? What’s wrong?”
Jimmy and Tango joined them, leaving Grian once again in the corner, absently preening his wings. What’s wrong?
“Tango..” Jimmy began. “I think we came up at a bad time.”
“Guys.” Tango began. “Did you build this pillar out of wood?”
The silence spoke for itself.
“What?” Grian spoke loudly, breaking the silence. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” Dove Grian said, taking something out of his inventory and handing it to parrot Grian. It was a water bucket.
All of their communicators pinged, excluding Grian’s, since he assumed it was still on Hermitcraft network.
“Bdubs and Impulse..” He began. “They died! Scar, we’re the last greens!”
Their celebration was short lived, as they all looked down.
“Oh, they’re going for the pandas..” Tango said. “Scar-“
He didn’t get to finish his sentence as Scar, wielding his bucket full of water, leaped off the platform, shouting something.
“Scar!” Both Grian’s shouted in unison.
There was silence for a few moments, then Grian stood and joined them looking over the edge.
A few things caught his eye.
For one, Scar had actually landed the bucket clutch, and he was surrounded.
“Why are they all here?” Grian exclaimed, gaining a few confused glances. “I mean, Joel and Cleo and Etho..”
Other Grian poured water down, clearly paranoid.
“Come on Scar.” He muttered quietly.
“Wait, so..” Grian once again began. “How many people are on this server here?”
“Fourteen, why?” Jimmy answered, before glancing back awkwardly. “Though, I guess it’s fifteen now.”
Grian blinked. “ Fourteen ?”
“I don’t get why that surprises you.” The other Grian remarked. “You seem to know them all.”
“Yeah, but not from Hermitcraft.”
“From what ?” Jimmy asked, before being cut off by Tango and other Grian shouting.
“The water! Get rid of the water!”
“I’ve lit it!” Grian heard Joel’s voice, fading away.
“Lit what?” Jimmy turned back toward the other Grian. “Grian, below you!”
Everyone looks down, a plume of smoke rising through the wooden floor.
“Oh, oh no.” The other Grian jumped down from the dirt ring, dousing the flames with water. But the fire was from below, and the wood was burning from the bottom up.
“Replace it with dirt!” Parrot Grian exclaimed, his wings were puffing up in panic. Everyone scrambled to fill in the gaps.
Briefly, dove Grian’s wings caught ablaze, but he managed to put it out with water, even though his wings were burned.
“End of the session, yeah?” He called, shifting so his wounded wing was shielded from view.
“Ha, good luck with that.” Tango commented.
“Joel!” Jimmy shouted, standing a bit too close to the edge. “You’d better watch your ba-“
The scream as he fell wasn't loud.
Tango collapsed to the floor, his eyes glossing over.
Both Grian’s stood in shocked silence.
“Wh.. why did Tango die?!” Grian exclaimed as the body disappeared in a puff of smoke. At least respawns work the same here , he thought miserably.
“They’re soulmates.” The other Grian said simply, as if that cleared up anything .
“What’s that supposed to mean? Just cause they’re in love or something means that… that..”
“They’re not lovers .” He rolled his eyes. “They’re lives are linked. All of us have a soulmate.”
Silence.
The other Grian was scooping up items, handing some to the him.
“I shouldn’t take this.” He said quickly. “It’s his stuff.”
“They took Tim’s.” The goat hybrid shrugged. “And I don’t think he’s coming back up to get it.”
“..Fine.” He replied after a moment of silence. “But what are you going to do now? People are coming up.”
“…that’s true.” The other Grian muttered. “Like I told you, I can’t fly. And I don’t think I can MLG.”
Grian thought for a moment, then grinned slightly.
“Come over here, to the edge.”
“I do not trust you not to push me.”
“I would never!”
“I’m you .” The goat hybrid rolled his eyes. “And if I were taking the action, I’d probably push someone off.”
“That’s true.” He shrugged. “Though, seriously, I’m gonna fly you out.”
“You're going to what ?”
Before he could say much more, Grian grabbed him and jumped, his wings spread as he glided.
“YOU-“
He screamed again as he almost slipped out of Grian’s grip.
“I’m trying to save you, idiot!” Parrot Grian shouted, wind in his ears.
“Doesn’t feel that way!”
“Just hang on. Where do you want to go?”
“The other border.” He said quickly. “As far as you can get.”
“Okay, just try not to kill yourself first.”
~+~+~+~+~+~+~
Joel watched, stunned, as Grian was carried away by a figure with large, tri-colored wings. Everyone was busy grabbing Jimmy’s stuff and shouting. Beside him, Etho was aiming his bow, his shot missing by a lot.
“What even is that?” Joel asked, lowering his crossbow. They were getting farther away.
“Can’t be a mob.” Etho said simply. “It seems like a person.”
“Yeah, but who ?”
“No clue.”
Joel sighed. Grian got away, again , and they’d lost Scar too.
“At least we got Jimmy and Tango.” Etho commented, reflecting his thoughts. “We were paid for that, anyway.”
“No enchanter, though.” Joel grumbled, following behind Etho as he rejoined the group.
“We’ll get it.”
Etho turned back to the group conversation, and Joel aimed his bow one more time.
He shot.
One second..
..two seconds.
The arrow embedded itself in colorful wings, sending the creature (human? Animal?) falling steady down towards the river. He never took his eyes off it, until he heard a soft splash from far away.
He didn’t look away until someone called his name.
He’ll get it next time .