'Ok dude, here's the deal.'

Bdubs blinked as he woke up, eyes half-closed as he shifted around to be sitting up, staring as the silhouetted figure standing there, watching him. 

Ren.

The first one dead.

'What... what do you want from me?!' Bdubs's legs rose to his chest as he spoke, heart rate increasing, breath growing shallower. Ren gave a small laugh, stepping into view.

It was like he'd been drained of colour. His skin... eyes... hair... all grey, matching his silver crown and torn grey cloak. But that wasn't all. That wasn't important compared to the enormous scythe he held in one hand, sharp silver blade glinting.

'Bdubs. The loyal hand to the king... to me... I have a proposal for you, dude. That, if followed, will stop you from getting killed immediately. Bdubs didn't look at Ren, just the blade... but Ren couldn't attack him with it. He had to die to a trap...

Ren continued

'You are going to work for me.'

'What?' Bdubs blinked, daring a glance into Ren's cold grey eyes.

'You are going to do what I want you to, or I hunt you down and kill you. Do you understand me?'

A small nod. Ren smiled back. 

'Great. You will join me on my first kill... I'll set the trap, you get my first target into it. Understood?'

A nod back. Ren's smile grew, revealing sharp teeth. 

'I'll dm you details when it is time, my dude. And don't worry.' A glitter of diamonds beneath his cloak. 'I'll make sure you get paid in more than your life.'

And dropping a diamond on the ground, Ren swept from the room, slamming the door behind and leaving Bdubs in darkness. 

Of all the places Grian could've gone in a game where dying eliminates you, Total Chaos wasn't the most typical. And, already down 3 hearts from just the nether tunnel, he was already regretting it. But he had to persevere. If he didn't manage to do what he wanted... he'd seen how badly it could go before.

'Cub?' He called as he navigated out the death trap entrance, into the sunlight and tangled redstone of the murder monstrosity. 'Cub? Are you here?' Ensuring he had enough fireworks, he took to the air, flying around... it was a big place, and the hermit could've been in any number of places... if he was even here and not back wherever else he might live... 'Anyone home...? Cub?Are you here?' Grian squinted over lines of identical pumpkins and a maze of redstone he couldn't even start to understand... 

There. Grian dived down, landing roughly next to where Cub was restocking something... bad move. Now down to just 4 hearts, Grian landed on hands and knees.

'Grian?' 

'Hey... Cub...' Grian quickly grabbed some golden carrots, eating a couple before accepting Cub's hand of help.

'What's going on?'

'I... wanted to ask you something. Well... offer something...' he scratched his neck, already awkward. 

'Alright... what is it?' 

Grian paused for another second then...

'Scar. I'm already worried about him.' Admitted Grian. 'And... You're normally the best person to find when I'm worried about Scar.'

'True... What do you suggest?' Cub crossed his arms, clearly intrigued.

'An alliance. Or... pact. Or something.' Wings raised, Grian started pacing the small distance he had. 'To keep Scar alive at all costs. Because... I've seen Scar... In the life series on his last life... and I imagine you have too if... what he's said about the vex stuff is true...'

'It will be... and it didn't affect him well last time we... played demise.'

'Exactly. So we need to keep him alive. Make Scar doesn't die... and maybe even wins this... are you in?' Grian held out his hand to shake. Cub barely hesitated before shaking it.

'I'm in.'

Cleo sighed as she finished sorting out her items. Even in the midst of an unexpected server-wide death game, there was work to be done and builds to be built... another sigh as she grabbed her pickaxe, gathered her shulkers of stuff and was about to take to the air when-

'Cleo!' Called Bdubs as he landed. Hiding her surprise, Cleo smiled back. 

'Hey Bdubs... you doing alright?'

'Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine... listen, I thought we could just... walk around your base. I haven't really seen it all much.'

Cleo frowned, eyes narrowed, crossing her arms. 

'Why?'

A sigh. 

'Because... because I'm scared.' Admitted Bdubs quickly. 'Of dying... and... being out of the game... and what's going to happen to me. Ren's already dead... he's in a bad way... any moment now someone could just... hit a wall, or get blown up by a creeper, and then they'll be even more people hunting us down...'

'Hey, it'll be ok... to be honest, I'm scared too. Let's just walk around a bit as you said... you can look around my base... we can make some predictions about who's going to die next maybe to calm our nerves.'

'Scar. Has to be.'

'Oh, definitely Scar. To be honest, I'm surprised he's lasted as long as he has...' Cleo and Bdubs set off, walking around.

'You know how fast he dies in the life series... especially Limited Life. Where he's now your son and your responsibility...'

'...Don't remind me...' 

'Sorry, Mom.' Bdubs stepped away at the glare back, but it was worth it. 

'Anyway... how's your base doing? It's... very impressive how much detail is in it.' 

'Oh, thanks. It's going great...' They continued to talk as they walked, seemingly innocently... But all the while, Bdubs just led Cleo closer and closer to Ren's trap... down a corridor here, along to where he sent just one word.

You whispered to Renthedog: ready

A piston.

And a trap opening.

One block away from where Cleo stood.

'Uhh...' Bdubs stepped away as Cleo turned to face him, expression smouldering with anger. 'I... Can explain.'

'BdoubleO...' She stepped towards him. 'You are in SO MUCH trouble right now!' She pushed him. He stumbled backwards.

'Uhh... REN!' Bdubs yelled back, pointing. Cleo turned, distracted, for the moment it to him to push her into the hole.

A scream. The click of a tripwire. And TNT raining on the Cleo's head.

'BDUBS YOU'RE SO-!' 

ZombieCleo blew up

Bada bum bum bum...

Another one bites the dust 

:)