Cleo ran through the rain, she burst through the dead tree line into the ruins of the shopping district, checking through tents until she finally found someone.

Cub looked up from what he was doing. "Cleo, you're soaked. Are you alright?"

Cleo paused. Ready to burst out about Hels kidnapping her and taking her power. Before she did she suddenly remembered something else.

"Joe! He's hurt." She ran out, Cub running to catch up.

"What happened?" Cub slowed down to grab Zedaph by the arm and pull him along as well.

"Ow. Why are we running?"

Cleo slowed down from a sprint to a jog. "Hels ambushed us. He pushed Joe off a tower and kidnapped me and took my magic."

They finally made it to the bottom of the tower and found Joe sitting against the wall. "Hey guys. Uh, I'm fine. My leg hurts a bit though."

Cub knelt down. "I think it's broken. You're pretty lucky all things considered. You fell from pretty high."

"Now you're making me sound clumsy. I didn't fall, I was pushed." Joe winced as Cleo and Zed helped him up and supported his weight. "Dang it. This really hurts."

"You'll be fine when we get you back." Zed hesitated. "It's a pretty long walk back to decked out. Especially in this state."

Joe chuckled. "Yeah this could take a while. I still find it funny that we've made decked out our little makeshift base. Considering how dangerous it's always been."

"Yeah I guess Tango's pretty good at dealing with those ravagers." Zed froze in place. "That's it! I'll be right back."

Zed took off into the sky and Cub ran in to support Joe.

Cleo frowned. "Did he just leave us?"

"Uh, it seems like it. Maybe he's getting help?" They continued to slowly walk forwards.

There was heavy footsteps as Tango and Zed rode up on two massive ravagers. Tango jumped off and at his command the ravager lowered as low down as it could go.

"Here. Help me lie him on here. It's actually a pretty smooth ride and shouldn't hurt his leg or anything."

Cleo and Tango helped Joe onto the ravager. Tango sat back on the saddle and Cleo joined Zed and Cub on the other one. They quickly rode back to decked out and helped Joe into the main room.

Scar ran up to meet him. "Joe! What happened."

Cleo explained the situation to him and Scar nodded. "Take Joe to the medical tent."

Zed and Tango nodded and helped Joe walk away.

A few more Hermits met up with them, wanting to know what happened. Scar began to address the group. "Alright. We aren't all here but just pass on the news to everyone. So it's a bit of a good news, bad news situation. The bad news is that we were attacked by Hels. He broke Joes leg and took Cleo's magic. This both makes us weaker and him stronger. Before they arrived though I had just received some good news. Gem is alive. We don't know where, but Impulse and Jevin went to check out the ruins of Xisuma's base and they didn't find her body anywhere. She got away. It's possible that Hels or Iskall has her or she's injured somewhere. We're going to hope for the best case and try to find her."

Impulse spoke up. "I can head back there and start looking around that area."

Scar shook his head. "I have a job for you, Zedaph and Tango. But it will be dangerous so you don't have to do it."

Zed shrugged. "Danger is what we do. What's the worst that could happen."

Tango chuckled. "I think the word you're searching for is stupidity."

Scar smiled at the joke. "I need the three of you to try and find where Iskall, Grian, Mumbo, Stress and Etho are hiding out. We have to know what they're up to."

Impulse nodded. "On it."

"Great. Now Bdubs and I are going to be searching for any sign of Gem. Not only is she one of us, we dragged her into danger. Her psychic abilities would also be incredibly valuable against Hels and Iskall."

Bdubs started getting ready to leave. "You're the boss."

——————————————————————————

Doc looked out the back of the ship. "We shouldn't have left them. We should turn around."

Fwip shook his head. "Your people need all the help they can get. Ren seems pretty strong and he's got support from some pretty capable people."

Pearl stood at the wheel. "I don't know. I told Scar that I wouldn't bring anyone else into this."

"It's our choice." Joel looked at the island nearing them. "We're bringing ourselves into it. We want to help."

"Yeah. And we can't all be there to help Ren. He needs a small but important group. He's got friends. People both connected to the situation and people who are strong and capable." Katherine added.

Fwip chuckled. "Which one of those are Jimmy?"

"Probably not the second one." Joel turned to pack up his things. "We're almost here."

Doc walked to the front of the ship. "Oh. It's so much worse than I thought." He looked at his home, destroyed.

Joel nodded. "It's even worse here."

Pearl let out the anchor and stood next to Doc. "Yeah, I guess you've hadn't seen it like this yet." She put her hand on his shoulder. "We'll fix it."

"I hope so. But I don't think I'll ever get used to the fact that there's two less hermits now." Doc climbed down onto the sand. The large group walked up steps into the ruins of the shopping district. Scar and Bdubs saw them and ran towards them. They had backpacks and it looked like they were heading out, maybe for food or looking for something. It was odd considering the storm that they were in.

"Doc? Pearl? What are you guys doing here? Where's Ren and False?"

Doc walked forward and hugged him.

"What happened?" Doc spoke softly.

"Everything."

——————————————————————————

The thunder began to crack louder. Iskall looked up into the rain. With the storm, he could barely see the scars in the sky, like wounds that had healed over.

This was it. Hels was going to die today. He had destroyed everything and Iskall wouldn't rest until he was dead. He stood at the big wooden doors to the castle knowing Hels was in there. Iskall pulled out the vial of Iskallium, the glowing lime green fluid almost seemed to call for him. He pulled out a syringe and filled it with the liquid, he pushed the needle into his robotic eye and filled it with Iskallium. He felt it's power entering his veins and fueling his emotions. He had used it before against Xisuma, but this was far more. He could see his own veins glowing green, he felt so powerful. Powerful enough to kill a god.

Iskall opened the door and walked into the main throne room. It was completely empty apart from two thrones up high at the back of the room, there was a staircase leading to them. He started to walk up the steps until he stood by Hels' throne. There were also his old thrones. Iskall's, Grian's Mumbo's Stresses and Grim's, all knocked over.

He pushed on Helsknight's throne, it easily toppled over with his new strength and rolled down the stairs. The noise echoed through the castle and Hels walked in, Evil Xisuma following close behind.

"Iskall. Don't you think this is stupid, even for you." Hels looked to Evil. "Keep an eye out. The others must be hiding to ambush us."

Iskall drew his sword. "They're gone. It's just me."

Hels' eyes seemed to glow for a second. "He's telling the truth. Wow, you've finally driven everybody away from you."

"I don't need them. I'm more powerful than you could ever imagine."

"I can see that. Do you know what that Iskallium is doing to you? Mortal body's aren't meant to handle that."

Iskall tightened his fist. "I'm not just a mortal. I'm so much more. I'll become strong enough to control the entire world."

"What are you even doing Iskall? Can you even remember what it was all about? How it started? I've halfway destroyed the world but I have purpose. I have reason to wake up every morning. What about you? What do you have left?"

"My name is Iskall. I'm the strongest person on the server and I'll become a god. I killed the admin and I'm going to kill you. When your body is cold I will steal back my Iskallium and take the souls of everybody in the server. I'll be immortal and I'll rule over everything."

"That's wrong. I put that there." Hels stepped forward. "Don't you get it? You're nothing but a hollow shell. You don't want these things, you just think you do. You're just another stepping stone for me, go home Iskall."

"No. I won't."

"Fine. I'll make you." Helsknights eyes began to glow with warm embers but nothing happened.

"You really think you can control my mind when I've got this much Iskallium pumping through my veins. It ends now Hels."

Evil and Hels drew their swords.

"Fine. Have it your way."

Iskall leaped off the stairs bringing his sword down at Hels. The knight sidestepped it and slashed his blade along Iskall's arm.

Red blood ran down his arm but he felt no pain. Nothing at all. Iskall's sword swung around, dodging attack from both sides. He rolled to dodge a swing from Evil and kicked at his legs. Iskall backed up until he hit a wall.

"It's two on one. Give up Iskall. I'm feeling nice and you existing on the server could still be helpful to me. This is your last chance to walk away." Hels and Evil closed in on him.

Iskall smirked. "I think I'd rather die."

"And so you will." Evil prepared to attack.

"Try me." Iskall charged out between them, blocking Helsknight's sword but getting a cut in the side from Evil for it. He swung at Evil and Hels slashed his upper arm, his blood splashing on the floor. He couldn't hold them both off at once.

Evil brought his sword down on Iskall but he grabbed Evils arm before it could hit him. Iskall took the chance and punched Evil in the face, the Iskallium powered blow sending him flying back and cracking his helmet.

Iskall didn't waste a moment and turned on Hels, dodging an attack and tackling him. He knocked him to the ground and pinned his arm with the sword down. With he free hand he started punching Hels repeatedly in the face. Suddenly a chain wrapped around his arm and held it back. Evil was getting up and using his magic on him. In the distraction Iskall went flying back in a blast of fire.

"Oh right. Magic." Iskall stood up and grabbed his sword off the ground as Hels and Evil closed in on him.

Hels covered his fist in fire and punched Iskall across the face. Iskall faked at attack at him but swung his sword at Evil, cutting his arm. But Iskall had left himself open. He realised his mistake and tried to spin and defend in time but was too late.

Hels grabbed Iskall by the throat and lifted him into the air, knocking his blade onto the floor.

"You'll- you'll die. I'll turn it all to ashes." Iskall struggled to choke out the words.

Hels chuckled. "This knight doesn't burn."

With that statement he plunged the blade into Iskall's stomach.

Iskall gasped at the sensation but felt no pain, the Iskallium blocked that out. Hels lowered him down to the floor and Iskall's hands went to the handle of the sword.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way. You were so helpful to me." Hels tried to pull the sword out but couldn't.

Iskall was holding the sword into his gut, not letting Hels take it out. "I ain't done."

Iskall spat in Hels' face and in the confusion the knight drew back. Iskall jumped away and picked up his sword from the floor.

"What are you doing?" Hels yelled. "Give up!"

Iskall pulled the blade from his stomach, his blood spilled onto the floor but he didn't care. He duel-wielded both the swords. "I said, I ain't done."

He defended attacks from both sides. Evil tossed his sword to Hels and started to attack with his chains and fists.

The Iskallium started to ware off, he was feeling weaker by the second and the blood loss was getting to him.

Hels knocked him over and kicked him in the gut. He was angry. "Why won't you just die!"

Iskall got to his knees slowly and smirked. He reached into his jacket and showed them what he was holding. TNT.

He lit it and tossed a lot of it onto the floor. He got up and ran for the door. He threw open the door and didn't even hear what Hels yelled. The massive explosion sent him flying into the forest.

He tired to get up but failed. He crawled, leaving a blood trail behind him. He was feeling the pain now and the blood loss left him dizzy. His vision was getting cloudy.

There was suddenly something bright in front of him. The person standing over him seemed to almost glow.

They spoke in a distant, familiar voice. "Iskall."

He looked up and instantly recognised his face.

"You're dying Iskall." The figure held out his hand. "Come and be with me."

Iskall grabbed his hand, letting himself be pulled up. He was able to stand now, as if this person was giving him some magical strength to hold himself up.

"Oh, Iskall." Xisuma looked into his eyes. "What have you done?"

——————————————————————————
So...
That was a bit of a longer chapter than usual
And I wrote it pretty quickly too
Feeling good

Next chapter: Little Soldiers