HAHA LOOK UPLOADS TWO DAYS IN A ROW I'M SO COOL /J

Warnings for a sort of war-ish thing, swords with no combat, lots of sadness, and mentions of death (though no one actually dies)

WC: ~1600

Enjoy!

It started out with traps.

After Hels had fled to the Nether when he'd lost to Wels, he'd opted to leave traps to his good counterpart. Wels left some in turn, and they progressively got more and more deadly.

Soon enough, everyone in Hels lived in fear of death by TNT or arrows because of the Hermits. Safety protocols were put in place, but they could only do so much.

Eventually, Hels gave up and went to leave a note for Wels, requesting that they meet in three days to finally settle this.

He'd never forget the way Xay stared at him in complete horror when he confessed what he'd done. When he finally came clean that in three days, only one of the two clones would live a fourth.

It wasn't easy, but it was what had to be done.

As expected, the third day came, and after Hels had bode a quick goodbye to everyone else in his land, it was just him and his husband.

The pair stood right next to the portal, neither of them knowing what to say, neither wanting to acknowledge the inevitable.

"Listen, Xay," Hels finally spoke to Xay. "I need you to swear that you will not follow me through that portal. Don't come and look for me. Don't go to kill Wels or Xisuma yourself."

Xay just looked down, and while his helmet was forever expressionless, the way he shrunk into himself said a lot about how Xay felt with this arrangement.

"Xay," and while Hels's voice was still firm, there was an unmistakable gentle undertone to it. "I need your word. I'll come back, but you might not."

"Liar."

Hels blinked, shocked to hear such strong emotion in Xay's normally sarcastic voice. Behind the initial surprise brought the meaning behind the statement- Xay didn't think he'd make it out of this alive.

And before Hels could react, Xay shoved him back with his left forearm and used his right hand to unsheath Hels's sword. He clutched it in a trembling grip, backing away with it unthreateningly brandished.

"Xay," the warning tone was back. "I need that back."

It was like he was talking to a wild animal, and for a moment, perhaps he was. Perhaps this wasn't the lover he was used to, just a fear-ridden shell who desperately wanted his husband to stay.

"No," came a whisper, before Xay broke into a run, off into the Crimson Forest, away from Hels with his sword.

"Wh- Xay!!" Hels shouted, chasing after him.

Both left the clearing, and in their absence, a figure emerged from the portal.

Wels glanced around the small Nether clearing, sword drawn. To his surprise, no one was there. He'd come through to try and ambush Hels, because while it wasn't honorable by any means, it was safe.

At that point, he cared more about safety than anything. Not his own, but rather the Hermit's.

Footsteps.

He was right, Hels was here.

Wels followed the sounds into the nearby Crimson Forest, eyes darting around to catch sight of his evil clone.

"Xay!!" there was his voice, but what was he saying? Wels blinked a couple times, trying to think of an instance where he'd heard the word. Was it a name? A bizarre curse?

Wels turned a corner, then instantly ducked behind the nearest tree-like fungi upon what he saw.

It was Evil X, but he was on the floor, his back against a tree, knees hugged to his chest and his whole body shaking.

Wels's jaw dropped. He was crying.

No. He couldn't be.

A thousand words flew through Wels's head. A part of him wanted to help EX, another wondered how this was possible. Nothing about that situation checked out, and it only got worse when Hels arrived.

"Oh, Xay," he breathed out upon seeing EX. And to Wels's complete and utter disarray, Hels kneeled down, took off EX's helmet, and pulled him into his lap.

"Shh," Hels whispered as EX struggled for a moment. The soldier gave up, relaxing into Hels's arms with a soft whine.

"Don- Don't go," he stammered out. "Please. I can't lose you-"

"You won't," Hels replied, each movement increasingly gentle and loving. EX didn't respond, merely cried harder into Hels's chest.

"And besides," Hels added. "This is for you. I'm doing this for you. For all of Hels. If I kill Wels, we'll all be safe."

"If Wels kills you, then we'll all be in danger," EX retaliated.

"I'm willing to take that risk,"

Wels felt pity mixed with horror fill his stomach. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't in their code, it was impossible for them to feel love.

But... it was happening.

He couldn't take that away.

By coming through to kill Hels, he'd erased any and all odds of working up the courage to deal the final blow.

Hels's mouth was moving, presumably whispering something into EX's hair. EX sniffled at the words, his sobs ceasing a little.

"I have to go," Hels murmured. EX took a deep breath and slowly detached himself from Hels. Hels smiled at him, the expression soft and grateful.

He took his sword from the ground, putting it back in its sheath, before turning back to EX, who was still sitting on the floor. He knelt down, taking both of EX's hands in his own.

"I'm not doing this because I hate Wels," Hels whispered. "Remember that. This isn't because I hate him, it's because I love you."

And they kissed, soft and full of broken promises.

Wels felt sick.

Not for the stereotypical reason after seeing two people kiss, but because he knew that there was no way he'd ever view Hels or EX the same way again.

"If things do go wrong," Hels murmured, taking something off his finger and pressing it into EX's hand. In the transition, Wels saw it glint under the light of the lava, before it vanished into EX's palm. Presumably metal. "I want you to hold onto this.

EX stared down at it, a couple of tears dripping down and falling on it as he nodded. "Okay."

Wels couldn't watch any longer.

Silently creeping away, he travelled through the portal with a thousand thoughts racing in his mind.

None of it was supposed to be possible.

Hels, he'd felt love. Selflessness. A fight with his counterpart wasn't something he'd turn down, yes, but not for those reasons.

EX, yes, it'd been sorrow and paranoia, but it'd drawn from love. If EX acted as they all thought he did, he should've been happy Hels was leaving. Hopeful for his own survival. Not concerned about Hels.

He had to stop this. Neither knight wanted to kill, so why should they?

An idea formed in Wels's mind as he made his way back to the hopefully forever-clean battlefield.

He just had to pray Hels would agree.

"Well, well, well," Hels's deep voice rang out. "I'm surprised you mustered up the courage to actually show up. Figured those traps you set ate away at your honor."

Wels grit his teeth and turned to face his alter, who had his visor down to cover up his eyes. A smirk was plastered on his face, but all Wels could see was the loving man that just wanted safety.

Hels drew his sword, and Wels's eyes flickered to the blade, then back up to the emotionless visor.

"Well?" Hels asked. "Are you not going to draw your own blade?"

Wels didn't respond.

"Coward," Hels hissed. "Come on."

"No."

That seemed to surprise Hels. He'd come here for a fight, after all. Perhaps he thought Wels was heartless, just as the good knight had once perceived his counterpart.

"I- I don't want to fight you, Hels," Wels slid his visor up as he spoke. That had to signify something- Hels wasn't stupid. He knew that if he were to shoot an arrow right now, he could've killed Wels.

No arrows flew through the air as Hels waited for the other knight to continue.

"Listen," Wels sighed, holding up his right hand. "I- I swear on my honor as a knight that I will not, and I'll make sure the other Hermits won't either, attack your realm in any way, shape, or form if and only if you promise the same for Hermitcraft."

"Let me get this straight," Hels said slowly. "You're willing to just... call this off?"

"I don't want a fight," Wels said simply. "I want peace. And so do you. For us, for the ones we know."

Hels paused, and for a second, Wels feared he'd refuse.

And there was the metallic sound of him sheathing his sword before holding his hand out to Wels.

"I have your word, correct?" he asked, tipping his head to his outstretched hand. Wels nodded and shook it.

"You do."

Wels smiled to himself as he lay in bed that night. The afternoon had quickly morphed into going to Xisuma to talk it out with Hels, then Hels leaving to go back home. Wels and Xisuma had talked through what Wels had seen, both shocked by the fact that their alters could actually produce emotions.

While it didn't make a lot of sense, Wels honestly couldn't complain about the new development.

Laying there in the dark, he wondered what Hels was doing. Perhaps he'd come back and EX- or rather, Xay?- had hugged him in relief that he'd made it out alive. Perhaps the people of Hels had been happy that they didn't have to deal with the constant fighting any longer.

Wels smiled.

They'd cleared things up, moved past the misunderstandings.

And that was what truly mattered most.

yes the ending was rushed, shhhh /lh

-Storm