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EX grabbed a blaze rod and stuck it into the pot, stirring it around slowly, gently. The water around the blaze rod started to bubble, and EX began stirring the pot faster. They watched the clear water start to turn red as the fungi began to release their spores into the water. They let go of the blaze rod, letting it bubble for another minute, before they grabbed the pot and poured it through the messily-made filter.
It held, luckily, and EX grabbed each small block and threw them into the bowl. They looked much duller than before, less appetizing, but EX had find out the hard way that shortcuts are the worst thing to take, handling food like this.
Crimson fungus, golden carrots, popped chorus fruit. EX sliced the fungus, before grabbing the blaze rod again, using it to mix the sliced food together.
They tossed it aside once they decided it was good enough, and picked up their fork.
EX had a mouthful before they sighed.
If they could taste much, it would probably taste awful. But the only thing they could taste was the slightest hint of sweetness from the golden carrot.
Good to know.
They finished their food quickly and threw the dishes in their sink. They took a moment to consider washing them before waving the idea away. They could do that later.
EX wandered into the living room, looking at their suit of armor. Their eyes fell to the communicator strapped onto the wrist, and a thought entered their mind.
…well. It couldn’t hurt.
They walked over to the armor stand, disassembling the display and pulling each piece on, snapping each together.
When they were adjusted, they powered the communicator on.
The mute settings they’d set it on before had saved; thank fuck. If they had to see one more worried message, they were going to lose it.
Now, where was it?
EX messed with the settings for a solid minute before they found it, and they tapped the code in - their fingers moving out of pure muscle memory, before EX’s mind could catch up.
And before they knew it, they were launched into the dark. The move was disorienting, and they had to take a moment before they pulled up another thing on their communicator - this, at least, they knew how to do - and when they tapped the button on the comm, a large screen flashed up in front of them in the void.
There it was. EX walked over to it, beginning to work.
Player data, player data… there. They scrolled down, clicking on their own file. The name flashed at them and they seethed. Clicking it over and over again, trying to change the data, rename the name that was taunting them. Xisuma.
They felt something watching them over their shoulder and they snapped at it, “What the fuck do you want? You can either help me or leave me alone.”
They growled when the server didn’t react, and continued to watch over them. EX’s hand almost slammed the screen as they scrolled down now, moving through line after line that they didn’t understand- that they half understood. But they knew what it meant when they saw the glitchy, blocked out text. They reached out for it, attempting to force a code wipe.
They felt the server reach for them now, but the feeling was washed away by the flickers of… something, that popped into their mind.
Looking into the mirror, the face wasn’t theirs, they didn’t want to see it. Running a hand over the scars on his arm, his eyes fixed on his face. Thinking. It was wrong, the gentle eyes, soft face, light scar-
Stop!
An aching pain in his chest, spreading deep inside him. This wasn't good, was it? It felt sick, like an infection spreading through him.
<Xisuma> died.
Of the faces of the hermits through tinted glass. Happy. Laughing. Ones EX wanted to rip apart.
Let me go!
His eyes opened slowly, revealing…
Nothing. He was surrounded by fog, gentle, peaceful fog. He looked down, and saw a reflection in a ground that looked like glass, but acted like water. Was that his? It must’ve been his, it started almost where his feet ended. Though the features looked alien; bright-looking purple eyes and something covering his face and arms- but if he looked at his arm, the same thing was there. Was that supposed to be there? Why shouldn’t it have been…
The- his reflection was distorted slightly, though no ripples disturbed the surface of the- water? Sure, that’s what he would call it.
He tried to yell- “Hello?” but nothing came out. Not even a breath.
A breath. He couldn’t feel his chest moving. Deep breath in. Long exhale. But nothing came out. Where was he? This wasn’t where he should be. He should be-
He should be…
He pushed the idea away. He had a feeling that if he still had a heartbeat it would be pounding.
Okay. So what did he know?
He wasn’t supposed to be here. Though he didn’t know the place he was supposed to be. He no longer breathed, nor did his heart beat, but he was alive, seemingly. He couldn’t speak. He didn’t know where he was.
So if he was supposed to not be here, the best thing to do was to try and find a way out. Yes, that seemed sensible. A good plan.
He started walking, moving through the fog. His path seemed aimless at first, just wandering this- wherever this might’ve been, but soon he realized he was following something. What was it? There was nothing to see, the world around him was empty, quiet. But somewhere, he knew he was following something.
Was this a bad idea? Following something here; what if it wasn’t here to help?
What if it killed him.
His feet never strayed from the unseeable path laid out for him, his pace never faltered. There was somewhere he had to be.
And then there was something there, he could see it through the fog. He walked faster now, needing to see it, maybe it would get him out of here.
But it was just a wall. A long wall, that seemed to stretch on forever, up and out.
And in the wall he saw another reflection. This one wasn’t like the one he’d seen before, but somewhere he knew that it was still him.
Long, white hair, contradicting the fluffy brown. Red eyes - bright, glowing that he couldn’t look away from. Was this him? that didn’t seem right. Red lines, snaking up their arms. Hiding the scars, glowing slightly. Fascinating, but… sickly.
But it was. Wasn’t it? He lifted his hand, reaching out and touching the mirror - the reflection doing the same. The mirror rippled beneath his touch, and he got a sudden flash of alarm - too late, far too late - as the reflection grabbed his arm and pulled him in.
Its hands were cold.
EX pulled back like they’d been burned.
“I didn’t want to see that.”they hissed. “I want them gone. Get rid of them.”
The server was… holding them, now, keeping them steady as they shook. They felt something from it, worry, concern-
“Fuck off!”they screamed, waving their hands in the air, trying to drive it away. “Fuck you! I’m not your fucking Admin, stop treating me like that! And if you think I am, why won’t you fucking help me!”
No answer. Of course. Just the buzz of code. It was ignoring them.
“Void, I hate all of you.”they growled, pulling screens on on their communicator again, the button this time, bringing them back into the world-
Throwing them into the overworld.
Void damn it.
They looked around to see spawn, full of buildings made by the Hermits.
They needed to leave, quickly. They started walking, looking for a Nether portal - but when they saw a Hermit, they paused. They could run, but… what if…
They made their way over to the Hermit, recognizing him quickly by the bright, fluffy wings on his back.
“Hey there,”they said smoothly, “I don’t think we’ve met.”
He jumped, clearly startled by their sudden appearance - not very alert, for a knight. “You… you’re them. Evil Xisuma.”
“No shit, genius.” EX said sarcastically, “What tipped you off?”
“I- no, hi there. I’ve just heard about you, we haven’t been able to reach you.” Wels shifted on his feet, looking EX up and down. He was so calm, why was he calm? It was pissing EX off. Why wasn’t he scared, why wasn't he mad?
“You wouldn’t be able to, I don't have a comm.” The lie slipped off their tongue easily. As far as they were concerned, they didn’t.
Wels frowned, his wings fluttering slightly. He knew that look, he was thinking- shut up. “Okay… sure. Look, can you answer a question for me real quick? I just need to…” That was worry. The fallen angel looked - unhappy, uncomfortable.
“Sure,” EX shrugged, their heart rate picking up. Maybe he would ask something that would let them tear out his heart.
“Do you know where Xisuma is? You're, ah, but, I need to know.”
Yes. There it was. “Oh, he’s gone.”
“Gone?” Wels asked, his posture shifting ever so slightly. Scared, there we go.
“Yep, absolutely gone,” EX shrugged like they weren’t enjoying this.
“What do you mean gone.”
“Gone, as in I fucking killed him.” EX said casually.
“You what?” Wels asked, and EX watched his hand drift towards his sword. Too late.
“I killed that asshole,” EX repeated, closing the gap between the two, grabbing Wels’ shoulder. Close - close enough he couldn’t swing. It wouldn’t pierce their armour.“Do you want me to do it to you too?” EX asked dangerously. They summoned magic like they practiced, electricity, sparking at their fingers - sparking high above them, and if they pulled-
Nothing happened.
They tried again. Still, nothing.
They could feel it working. It hurt, somewhere deep. But it-
The server was stopping it. The server was fucking-
Asshole. They cursed it out silently, stepping away from Wels, turning away from his wide-eyed expression. Later. They would come back with weapons, maybe they could play with them a little.
EX practically snarled at the Hermit holding them. Doc was stupidly strong, and they couldn't shake his grip.
“This had better work.”EX heard - Hypno? Hypno. - mutter under his breath. Shit, they remembered what he could do. Just don’t look into his eyes.
Doc grabbed the top of their helmet and pulled it up as Hypno said, “Who are you?”
“I’m EX. Evil Xisuma.” They said, biting their tongue, even though they wanted to say more.
“No, fuck, okay.” Hypno muttered, letting out a deep breath.“What did you do to Xisuma.”
Fuck, they thought as their tongue burned in their mouth. They can’t make me say it.
Yes they can.
“I didn’t do anything.”the words almost forced themselves out. “I didn’t do anything to him. But he’s dead, and I killed him.”
The gentle-looking one - Keralis, right, seemed like he wanted to say something, and he opened his mouth, but Hypno spoke again.
“Explain.”
They don't want to. Fuck, they don’t want to, it would be so much more fun to continue taunting them.
“In your simple terms? You could say I am him. I say I killed him. I like that one much more.” they spat out. But Hypno wouldn’t let them go. Stupid fucking Hermits.
“Xisuma is dead. You saw that message. You know it meant perma-death. I’m just a fucking virus puppeting his corpse.” That got the expressions they wanted. Horror, spreading across Keralis’ face. Something deep in Hypno’s eyes, pain. They could only imagine what was going through Doc’s head.
The words were wrong, not quite right, they knew, but the magic let them say it.
“No… no, shashwammy,” Keralis muttered. “No…”
“They have to be lying.” Doc’s voice, beside them.
“Uh-huh, that’s what you’ve all said.” EX laughed. “But right now, unless you think I can lie to Hypno…”
“Damnit, they’re right.” Hypno muttered. Such conflict in his face, but there was a deep sadness there. “Doc, let go of them.”
“But-” he started, and Hypno shook his head.
“No. We don't need them anymore. And if- and they’re right. Just…”
Doc didn’t say anything, but let go of EX. They moved away quickly, putting as much distance between themself and the three Hermits as possible.
“Oh those looks on your faces… I can't believe you held out hope…” EX hummed. “Now, if you ask me…”
“We didn’t. Now, I think you should get out of here.” Doc snapped.
“Touchy…”
“Get out!”
“Fine, Void…” EX mumbled, leaving the Hermits to the revelation.
Would it have been better not to know?
They put up a memorial for him.
EX stood in front of it, unmoving.
Of course they fucking did. Of course.
Somewhere, they felt sick. This wouldn’t have happened had EX not been here.
Shut up. It may not have, but they liked this. They liked being here. The Hermits were so damn stupid. Mourning him.
He didn’t get to be mourned.
EX pulled their sword out of its sheath, burying it in the stone base, that everything was piled on top of.
No. Xisuma was dead, and that’s how it should’ve been.
EX would make sure it stayed that way.