'What happened?' Grian asks the moment I arrive at his base to discuss findings with him and Scar. 'You have information?'

'Yeah.' I reply. It's the next day, as soon as I could meet the others. 'I saw something concerning, but...'

'Oh, Scar's coming!'

'SKIZZ.'

Pain. An arrow hits my shoulder and I stumble back, balance lost. In seconds, I'm pinned to the fishing-shack wall.

'Don't you dare,' Scar hisses, sharp fangs showing, claws digging into my neck. 'Treat my best friend like that again.' I struggle against his grip.

'Please,' I reply, trying to prise myself free, at least enough to breathe. 'Listen. It got us vital information-'

'I don't give a fuck about information when Cub came to my base in tears after you little fitst pinned him to a wall and screamed at him!'

'What?! Skizz...'

'It wasn't like that!' I cut through Grian's horror. 'You weren't there!'

'Tango said it looked like you'd been possessed. You attacked Cub, out of nowhere, making up lies-'

'I needed some excuse or he'd know we're onto him! I just thought I saw something, and had to see if I could spot it again! Which I did. I didn't hurt him, I feel terrible about it, I never wanted to hurt Cub!'

'Then WHY DID YOU ATTACK HIM?'

'Scar! Calm down!'

'SHUT UP, GRIAN!'

Scar's eyes flash white as he turns on Grian. I try to break free.

'Don't you FUCKING dare.' A knife slams into the wood, inches from my face as Scar notices. I freeze. 'You try to escape again and I'll tear you into pieces.'

'Scar, I never wanted to hurt him! I know went too far. I- I just panicked when I saw...'

'Saw WHAT?'

'Sculk. On his neck,' Scar's expression shifts to horror. 'Like it was part of his skin.'

'What?'

A prickle claws down my back at Scar's tone, the mix of terror, fury, and burning defensiveness.

'That's what I saw.'

'You definitely saw that?'

'I definitely saw that.'

Scar steps away, staring at the ground. I massage my neck, not taking my eyes off him.

'Scar?' Grian steps closer. 'It'll be ok. We can fix this. Just sit down, take a moment.'

'No.' Scar swats his attempted comfort away. 'We need to do something. Now. Was that all you learnt, Skizz?'

'I also gathered that he was hiding something in his base.'

'Then we start there. Grian, you look around, but no going down any secret hidden passages, or anywhere that looks private. He may've trapped them. Skizz, you're coming with me and apologizing to Cub's face.'

He flies off. I have to follow, Grian behind me, in total silence. The journey takes forever, but eventually we get there. Scar crouches down next to the sculk. Grian perches on a fencepost. I skid to a stop on the path.

'Scar?'

'It's not regular sculk.' Scar realizes. 'Or what he spread in Empires. Or even what possessed him. I need to look into this further. Maybe give some to Pix...' Scar tears out a clump of sculk. Even I hear the hiss and ripple of the rest reacting, covering the patch thicker than before, and shudder.

'What's going on out here? Scar?'

Cub.

Scar stands, hiding the sculk in a bundle.

'I got distracted. When bringing someone over here to apologize,' A glare at me. I look away.

'Skizz.'

'Cub, I'm so, so sorry for...'

'Inside,' Cub enters his house again. I frown, not moving.

'Skizz. Inside. Now,' Scar snaps. I hurry after Cub. Scar follows into the dark interior, leaning on the fence gate out. Blocking my exit.

'Can I... apologise now?' I ask. Cub eyes pierce through me.

'Go ahead.'

'Cub. I feel horrible. I was a huge jerk. I'm so sorry. I promise to never do anything like that ever again and if I do, you and Scar have full permission to punish me. You don't need to forgive me. Just understand that I will never do it again.'

'Why did you do it?'

I pause, glancing at Scar and immediately giving away that he's in on this.

'Look, Cub, buddy... I panicked. I thought I saw something, and my stupid, jerk mind thought that attacking you was the best way to spot it again.'

Cub steps back, pulling his lab-coat closer.

'And did you see something?'

Another look at Scar. I follow his gaze, all the way to Cub's neck, where I saw the Sculk before.

At the bloody bandages Cub's trying to hide.

'I... did. Yes.'

'Cub?' Scar speaks.

'It's nothing,' Cub's gaze stays fixed on me, his hands deep in his pockets. 'Did you tell anyone about what you saw?'

'I told Scar as soon as I could.'

'What's going on, Cub?'

'And what did you tell him you saw?' Cub's gaze stays fixed on me. I struggle for an answer.

'The Sculk.'

'Cub, stop ignoring me. I want to help you.'

'There's nothing to help with. You wouldn't try anything I haven't already.'

'I still want to know.'

'I'll tell you when I'm ready to tell you. I promise.' Cub steps further towards the staircase leading underground.

'And when will that be?'

'I don't know. But I need time to figure everything out without being harassed, or questioned, or spied on.'

'I want an answer, Cub.'

'I don't have one!'

'We already know it's the Sculk! What else is there to-'

A flash of fireworks. The room explodes in blue light and I stumble back, out of the burning sparks.

'CUB! HEY!' Scar shouts, running into the explosion. 'DON'T YOU DARE, MISTER!'

The firework fades.

And Cub's gone.

'Well that went well...' I mutter. Scar swears, glancing over at the staircase down.

'He's hiding underground somewhere... get Grian, we're exploring this together.'

'Alright.'

It's only a minute after messaging that Grian arrives.

'Did you find anything?' Scar asks from where he stopped further down. Grian shrugs.

'Nope. What happened here?'

'Cub ran away underground. We're finding him. And not touching anything. Come on.'

Scar leads the way down, past a netherwart farm and into a hidden staircase leading even further down. I recognise the glowing blue crystal over the walls. Vex magic.

'Scar! There's something here!' Grian whispers. We turn, seeing the door he's opened. 'Some kind of room?'

'I'll go first,' Scar slips inside. I peer inside after, taking in the dark room beyond. Every step echoes. I barely catch his frown as I follow into the room.

'It's some kind of safe room,' he murmurs. I feel the many angles and shapes in the walls.

'Sound amplification,' I realise. 'Aren't wardens sensitive to loud noise?'

'Blood.'

Scar's attention snaps to Grian.

'What?'

'Here. On the ground.' he crouches down, holding a torch to the dull stains.

A click.

The door slams shut.

The room flashes with sudden light as blue flames cover the walls, spreading towards the ground.

'Vex fire,' Scar whispers. Grian's eyes widen.

'It's a trap.'