"Iskall- Iskall slow down, I'm out of rockets!"

Iskall disappeared in the End fog, too far to hear Xisuma's cries. The Void was open and dark, seemingly dragging X down. He struck his last rocket, but it fizzled and died without igniting.

"Come on..." There was no land. No where. Only Void. It called. Shivers crawled up X's spine. Not again. Not again not again notagainnotagain-

Xisumavoid fell out of the world

X gasped, sitting up sharply. Ex held his shoulders gently. "Are you alright?! I'm so glad I made you sleep here before leaving!"

"I'm- I'm fine." X took a shuddering breath, staring into the floorboards under his feet.

"...I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Exy."

As the two sat in silence, there was a sharp knock at the door and quick steps coming up the stairs. Mumbo burst into the loft panting, worry in his eyes. "Exy, are you alright? Your texts sounded urgent, and since I was nearby..."

Ex moved to take his hand off X's shoulder, but decided against it. "I was... worried about X, but it's fine. You can go." He mumbled, embarrassed.

Mumbo sat in a wooden chair nearby, much to Ex's dismay. "Why were you worried about Xisuma? Falling into the Void happens all the time!"

"Have you ever seen me fall in the Void though?" Even saying the name made X shiver.

"I- I suppose I haven't. Why, does this mean something?" Mumbo furrowed his brow. "Does this have to do with your... origin?" Mumbo whispered, glancing at Ex.

Ex turned to Xisuma, who simply nodded. "I suppose we'd better tell someone."

"Fine, but you tell the story, I don't wanna," Ex said shortly.

X shook his head. "Fine. Promise you won't tell anyhermit until we're ready?"

Mumbo nodded, excited but nervous to finally hear the story of Evil Xisuma.

X sighed. "Where to start... I suppose it all started when I was first alone.

I was an admin, granted full power over my world. But, my world was empty. All the other admins I had talked to had people living in their world, but I didn't.

For a long time, I liked it. It was peaceful, calm. I could do whatever I wanted! I built houses, cities, nations. I built rustic, and modern, and everything in between. I filled them with animals and villagers to give them life. I terraformed the landscape, as far as the eye could see. But, after a while, even the creature sounds weren't enough to fill the silence. Months turned into years, and the silence grew upsetting.

I went rouge.

I killed every creature I had befriended. I burned every forest I had built by hand. I tore down every building I had made over the years. I was insane. I was unstoppable. I was powerful.

The world was destroyed. It was bedrock, as far as the eye could see. My sanity was destroyed. I had nothing left to give. I decided to end it all.

I jumped.

I wasn't sure what death from the Void would feel like, but what happened definitely wasn't death. The Void almost... caught me, in a way. I was saved.

I begged and pleaded- for death, for freedom, anything. And the Void responded.

Ask for what you truly desire.

I was confused. I didn't want anything. I asked for death. But the Void said no. I asked for freedom. The Void said no. What did I want?

A friend. I asked for a friend, and the Void agreed silently.

You may have your heart's desire, if you give us what we desire in return.

Well, what do you desire?

We cannot tell the secrets of the universe. What the Void gives, the Void takes away. Do you accept?

I accepted. Anything to be free and happy again.

Next I woke up, I was back in the overworld, everything rolled back. Back before I destroyed it all. Before I had built anything. But something was different.

A figure.

A lone figure on the horizon, coming towards me.

A real, live, human person.

I introduced myself as Xisumavoid. I added the 'void' part in that moment- out of respect, I suppose. The person didn't have a name, so we came up with one.

How about Donovan?

No, that's stupid. My name was cool, he needed a cool name.

What's cooler than Xisumavoid?

Well if I go by Xisumavoid, why don't you go by Xisuma? It's only the two of us, so it shouldn't matter too much!

And so it was: Xisumavoid and Xisuma, friends till the end. However, over time, as you probably expected, things started going downhill.

Xisuma started acting super irritable. He would yell at me, some days worse than others. We could argue for hours on end. His anger was uncalled for, and he did nothing to stop himself.

I wasn't without my faults either. I found myself short of breath often, struggling to keep up with Xisuma on our adventures. I complained constantly, which I regret now.

This cycle tore a rift between us: I couldn't keep up, and he would lash out in anger. I didn't know what to do, and I didn't want things to go back how they were before.

I jumped again. This time, I knew what to expect.

I want information. What did you do to me? And what about the angry Xisuma with me?

With every action the Void takes, an action must be given. The gift of your friend came at a price. He is one and the same as you.

What are you saying?

Your Xisuma comes from your own self. His passion is from you.

I don't understand.

We have given, now you must take. Go.

And I woke up again, the world rolled back. The 'Evil' Xisuma faced me with hatred. How dare I go to the Void without his permission!

I'm my own person, unlike you! You're made of part of my soul, the Void told me so! You aren't real!

He didn't like that.

The hot-tempered Xisuma attacked me, and we fought for a long time. We were the same. He was my passion, my hatred, my anger.

And he was angry. Tears fell from his face as he screamed. He was abandoned. The Void brought him to life, and tossed him aside. The Void is heartless. And then I left him too. I left without telling him, left to the Void, his enemy. He cried and begged and I couldn't console him.

He was hurt, lonely and afraid.

I tried to comfort him and apologize, but he wouldn't accept. He ran, but I couldn't keep up, just like always. I was alone again. Just like always.

I resigned to my fate, having driven away my only friend and literal other half. In my free time I learned complicated redstone and technology. That's when I made this suit for myself! The mask helped me breathe properly, and I was finally able to explore as I pleased.

I roamed for years, not quite sure what I was looking for. The generic trees blurred together, the landscape growing flat and dull. Everything was pointless without someone to do it with. The idea of building a nation didn't excite me like it used to. Until I found him again.

He ran to me, and we hugged for a long time. We apologized. He admired my new armor, and I taught him everything I had learned. Soon, we had matching sets! Mine was green, after my connection to the world around me. His was red, after his temper and energy.

We lived happily for a long time after that. Just two good friends, adventuring and building together, just like before. Tensions were high sometimes, but we always worked it out.

And then people arrived.

They came from nowhere, yet here they were! I wanted to welcome them with open arms. I had been alone so long, I craved more human contact. Xisuma, however, disagreed. He wanted to keep them at a distance; he was afraid of being abandoned again. After much debate, I introduced myself, and Xisuma wasn't seen for a very long time after that- although I always suspected he never went too far.

Occasionally one of my new friends would ask me about loading errors and spawn rates in their farms. Even as the admin, sometimes I wasn't sure of the cause, so I blamed 'Evil Xisuma' who supposedly roamed the lands.

The joke was ongoing in our growing community, and apparently Evil Xisuma heard about it at some point. He confronted me in a fit of anger, and it ended in many, many scars- physical and mental.

After that, we split ways permanently. I suppose they say time heals all wounds, huh? Now here we are, arms around each other again!"

X hugged Ex tightly, who sighed but didn't pull away.

"Wait, hold on," Mumbo shut his eyes, running through the story again. "So X went to the Void, the Void split him into good X and bad X, and that's-?" Mumbo searched for clarification.

"You've got it! We were technically one person once!"

"And that's why you wear the mask, huh?"

"Well, I did. I don't need it much anymore, it's mostly aesthetic." X chuckled and removed his helmet, smoothing his hair.

"I never needed it for health reasons, but I feel better keeping it on..." Ex muttered.

"He's self-conscious of the cool scars I gave him," X said with a wink and a nudge.

Ex shoved him back. "Not true! I just don't like people asking about them, is all. They're still cool."

"Wow, I had no idea, I'm so sorry. Did- Did you talk to It just now?" Mumbo asked with concern, but curiosity.

X laughed. "No, I've only spoken to the Void once after these events," X grew distant in his thoughts. "Although I suppose that's another story altogether, haha!"

"Well, I'd be willing to listen if you want to tell it some day. For now, I'd probably better go. Thank you for telling me Xisuma! And it's nice to get to know you better Exy." Mumbo left with a genuine smile.

"...I can't believe you just told him..." Ex shook his head.

"He's been a friend for a long time, Exy, he deserves to know. And you deserve love."

"Blegh, don't get mushy on me now."

>:3

Love you, my little stars!
-RaeTheStar