Before beginning the chapter, just wanted to clarify that, even though EX is mainly the main character, there will be a lot of side stories in the book about a lot of the other hermits, so don't be surprised if suddenly it goes to focus on  one of them more than EX .

Also, I just realized my top ranked tag is in #Scar, even though Scar hasn't even made one appearance in this book. Can someone tell me how the heck do tags rank?
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/-+* Grian's POV *+-\

...

I opened my eyes, I was in a white space and it seems that I'm... floating?
Where am I? Where is this?

"Grian! Have you lost your mind!? This isn't right!"

I jumped as I heard that, and turned around
By the time I blinked, the white space has turned into a place that seem quite... familiar...

"Shut up, Taurtis! I know what I'm doing, and I don't care if you disagree!"

Two people, arguing over something...
Wait... Is that Taurtis and... me?

"You've gone completely insane! There's no way you can kill them, we don't even know who and what they are!"

I think I remember this argument... wait... am I back in EVO?
That means this is...
I listened to the argument

"Of course I know! The Watchers they call themselves, but I don't care who they are! I'm the owner of this server! And if they think they can just go and try to steal my authority, then they'll pay!"

"I thought you said this server was just for fun!"

"It is for fun! They're the ones that are trying to stop us!"

"And so you're planning on massacring them!?"

"What else can I do!? If it's for something I want, I'll fight Notch if I have too. I'll do whatever it takes to tell them who's boss! It's not like I'm getting the entire server involved!"

"GRIAN! You're not seeing my point! You're blind! Blinded by the power you have! You forgot the main point of the server: having fun! You say you're doing this for fun, but you only care about the Empire! You're too selfish, you're not fighting the Watchers for the server, you're doing it for power! The Watchers aren't even doing anything wrong! They're just punishing you for the things you DID do-"

"JUST. SHUT. UP!"

...

Right... I think I remembered... Ah what a fool I was...

I pushed them all away...

Trusted nobody...

And walked straight into my own death end...

At least, when I was still alive, I was able to eliminate the treat... becoming one in the proses...

What am I kidding? I'm still actively trying to avoid the truth about what I did.

Now that I'm no longer on the server,

The Evolutionsts are all probably doing better without me...

Taurtis was right,

I was selfish.

/-+* Third Person's POV *+-\

Grian shot up from his bed, almost falling off in the proses. He was breathing heavily, He looked around, and saw that he was still in his mansion.

He sighed, "What was... that dream?" he mumbled to himself, "did I... just went into one of my memories?" he pondered to himself. What was he even doing?

Right, since Bdubs wasn't afk, he slept, and had that dream.

Few moments later, he heard someone knock at his door, "Coming!" Grian shouted, getting off his bed to answer the door.

He opened the door, which revealed the Iskallman on the other side, "Hallo Grian!"

"Oh, Iskall! what's up?"

"Nothing, but me and Mumbo would like to chat with you, more specifically me." Iskall had a serious face, before sighing, "Mumbo will be here in a minute."

Grian raised a brow, before realization hit, "This isn't about Evil X, right?" he asked Iskall.

Iskall pondered what to answer, "Well.. that's a part of it."

"Iskall! I've had this conversation with Mumbo, EX changed-"

"-We don't know that for sure-!"

"I know that for sure!"

"Grian, I know you trust them, but-"

"...Are you two arguing?"

Both turned to see that Mumbo has arrived, "Oh, Spoon! You're finally here!" Iskall sighed.

"Seriously, you both, this is all just unnecessary!" 

"It is necessary, Grian-"

"Iskall, It's already been about 6 days since he arrived, and he has done nothing wrong that makes him suspicious! Just give him a chance!"

"Grian I-"

"Okay you two, stop!" Mumbo shouted to stop the argument, and both turned to him, and Mumbo turned to Grian, "Gri, I know you trust EX, and we decided to respect that. Iskall is just worried, I'm also a little unsure, but I understand why you wanted to befriend EX and give him a chance." Grian calmed down a little hearing this, but Iskall has a hesitant expression. Mumbo continued, "But, that's not what worrying us the most, there's something else bothering us that we would like you to explain-"

And then it started to rain, "Let's continue this inside." Grian said inviting the two inside the mansion.

"So what is it?"

"Well..." Mumbo fiddled his fingers, "It's more about your... behavior."

Grian raised his brow, "my 'behavior' on what? Wait, Are you two trying to scold me for starting the Turf War? If that's the case, then in my defense, Scar started it first by removing the mycellium-!"

"No no Grian, that's not what were talking about. Well, I would like to talk about the fact that you single-handedly caused an entire conflict just from dirt, but that's not we're here for," Iskall chuckled, "tell him Mumbo"

"Well Gri, rather then the fact that you're friends with EX, it's more about the way you see EX as a friend."

"Explain?"

"First, You seem to sympathize with EX sometimes especially on the first day, it seemed like you actually understand him. And Second, sometimes, and you did this in season 6 too, you would blurt out statements that sounded a little off if you think about them. Like, 6 days ago, when EX was first announced as a member again, you talked about how we shouldn't look at someone by their past, and then you said "If that were that case, then nobody'd like me...". Are you trying to indicate something? And that's not the first time you said something like that."

Grian stood stunned for a second, surprised on how much Mumbo was paying attention, "your point?"

"Gri, I knew you even before Hermitcraft, and I remember, back then, you never said anything like that. Suddenly back then, we also lost contact with each other for almost a year, did something happen between that span of time?"

"...Mumbo, I never knew you were very observant." Grian said, things were starting to become awkward for him.

"Of course I am, I'm just worried something happened."

"Gri, If something happened, you know you could just tell us right?" Iskall said, inserting himself into the conversation again.

"..."

Grian stayed silent, and Mumbo sighed, "If you don't want to tell us, it's fine. We just wanted to show we care, and you can tell us if somethings wrong anytime, okay, Gri?"

"...Yeah, thanks guys."

-[Meanwhile]-

"Brother, you're sure you're fine?"

"I'm fine, X, I'm fine."

X and EX were talking to each other, X inhaled, "Exy, I know you're bothered by how the others feel about you, but can you just please look at me? I'm trying to help you."

"..."

"I thought you said you weren't mad at me? It's okay EX, just tell me what's wrong."

EX sighed, "X, you know exactly what's wrong."

"But I want you to tell me what's wrong. Please trust me."

EX took a breath in before answering, "everything is wrong. You know that. You know how most of the hermits act towards me. If I'm honest... I-It feels the same as being in the void. Alone." He admitted.

EX started tearing up, X immediately acted and hugged him, "It's okay, EX, you're not alone. It's not like the hermits don't like you, they just still don't trust you for your past behaviours."

"...Do you trust me though?"

"I-"

"be honest."

"...I'm...not too sure you wouldn't do anything wrong, but trust that you've become a better person. You're my brother afterall."

"..." 

"If you need to talk, you can always talk to me, brother. And there are hermits that do care, right? You're not alone."

"... Thanks brother, I feel a little better." EX sighed.

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Words Count: 1471 words

Yeah, pretty short and not really story-related, this is more like a filler chapter.

Also, yes, Grian has a interesting backstory.

Also, Tip on writing angst: If you can't seem to get any ideas, listen to music like Angry too, Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, Control, or any song that gives of a pretty angsty vibe, while writing your story. Helps a lot.