(HmtCraft) A Tale Of The End
(originally published as a prologue to a now-abandoned book, it works as a oneshot)
also i know this isn't an accomplishment but hermitpadd archives followed me and put this book on their lists and it just makes me so happy because that means THEY KNOW ABOUT ME-
i feel accomplished now lol
Deep in the dark, threatening dimension known as the End, there is a group of people who live on the edge of reality, dwarfed by the terrifying presence of the Void.
To most, it seems cold, unforgiving, and menacing, a shadowy force that will gladly kill you, leeching the life from you until its groping tendrils overcome you and you fall deep into its embrace.
But to the few who live forever within its grasp, it is home.
It is a violet blanket, dense and enveloping. It watches over you and protects you from outside harm, a comforting presence that shields you from the rest of the world.
Some say it is alive, conscious. Some fear it. Some worship it.
To Xander, it was simply a part of life.
Xander lived on an outer island for most of his life with his family; his mom, his dad, and his brother.
Xisuma.
Even then, Xander spat the name with pure, uncontainable hate. Xisuma, perfect, kind Xisuma. Well... kind to everyone except Xander.
Xisuma mostly ignored Xander, which was fine by Xander. He didn't need Xisuma's love or attention; he didn't want it anyway. Not after he'd proved so clearly that he didn't love Xander.
The memory filled Xander with spite. He'd never forget that day.
The day had begun as usual; or at least a day as much as they had days and nights in the End. There was no Sun or Moon, just Void, but they lived similarly to Players (as far as Xander knew from the books he loved to read. He'd never actually met a Player).
Xander awoke on time as usual, needing no alarm clock, and hopped out of his bed; green, his favorite color. They didn't have green in the End, but Xander dreamed of seeing green one day- the green of the Overworld, the plants like they learned about in science.
He pulled on his school clothes. They were just like the ones everybody else wore- one-piece jumpsuits with T-shirt sleeves, and heavy-duty boots. Xander's boots were dyed green- his one act of rebellion.
Xander headed downstairs where their mother was already awake, preparing their usual breakfast of chorusmeal- the End version of "oatmeal." Xisuma was, as usual, not awake yet; Xander liked to be up early for this reason.
"Good morning, Xan!" his mother greeted warmly. Xander loved his mom. Xisuma was like their dad; antisocial, businesslike, methodical. Xander was more like their mom; smart, friendly, happy, and slightly mischievous.
"Morning, Mom," Xander replied. "Can I have sugar in my chorusmeal?"
"You know you can't," his mom smiled.
"I know," Xander grinned. Worth a try, though.
Before long, Xisuma was up and stomping around upstairs. The chorusmeal was ready and their mom poured two bowls. She wordlessly slipped a bit of sugarcane to Xander and he grinned.
By the time Xisuma pounded down the stairs, Xander had stirred the sugarcane imperceptibly into his breakfast- Xisuma never noticed.
When they'd finished, their mom cleared their bowls and then hugged them both goodbye as they gathered their school bags and books. "Have a great day, I love you both!"
"I love you too, Mom," Xander hugged her back.
"Mmph, yeah, love you too," Xisuma told her disgruntledly.
Xander followed his brother out the door and together they walked silently along their usual route to school. Arriving in the schoolyard, Xisuma walked wordlessly away to talk to his friends. Xander went and sat with his back to the building, reading as he waited as usual for the bell to ring.
Before long, two boys wandered up to Xander. "Hey nerd."
Xander ignored them, as he did to everyone.
"Hey, I'm talking to you," the first one growled.
Xander didn't reply.
"Hey!" Two knocked the book out of Xander's hands. "He's talking to you."
"What do you want?" Xander asked irritably.
"Well, we saw you had no friends-" One smugly replied.
"Don't need any," Xander muttered.
"What was that?" Two demanded.
"I said I don't need friends," Xander told them. "And especially not you."
"Now that's not very nice," One told him.
"You're not very nice," Xander retorted.
"Hey!" Two grabbed Xander's collar and dragged him upright against the wall. "What you sayin' that for!?"
"Cause it's true," Xander said nervously, heart pounding and mind racing, trying frantically to think of a way out.
Two bashed Xander against the wall. The hard brick smashed against Xander's back and head and pain exploded in his head, fogging his mind. "Owwwww," he moaned.
Two smirked and grinned evilly, reveling in Xander's pain.
Xander hazily tried to think of something, anything, he could do to get out. "Xisuma!" he yelled.
Xisuma glanced up from where he stood. A crowd started to gather around in a semicircle, just watching the bullies beat Xander up.
"Xisuma!" he called again. "Help!"
Two smashed him against the wall again, then threw him to the ground. Xander yelped in pain as his already sore back hit the rough, hard endstone. "S-suma-"
One grabbed Xander by the arm when he tried desperately to crawl away. "Suma!"
"Suma isn't gonna save you, wimp. No one wants to help a nerd like you," One said.
It wasn't true. "Suma- please- don't you love me?"
The world went silent. There was a minute of stillness as everyone watched.
Xisuma did nothing. Xisuma stood by and waited. Xisuma didn't reply.
One threw Xander against the wall again and the already dull and foggy world dimmed.
"No one loves you."
It was the last thing Xander heard before the darkness overtook him.
Xander had awoken in the nurse's office later that day. The nurse had told him that the bullies had been expelled and punished severely. Xander didn't care.
Xisuma didn't love him. He'd stood by doing nothing. Letting Xander be beaten up.
Xander never forgot that day.
Never, not as he grew up bullied and hated at school.
Never, not as he reluctantly left home, leaving behind years of bad memories.
Especially not as he tried to take revenge on his brother by ruining his server and was once again hated by his brother.
Especially not as his brother denied their past, and decided to introduce Xander as someone, something else, a name that wasn't him, a name he'd despondently accept. One he'd eventually embrace. One which gave him the identity he'd hopelessly fallen deep into.
EX.
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