False's POV

"!¡∷ᒷ!¡ᔑ∷ᒷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ꖎᒷᔑ⍊ᒷ ╎ᒲᒲᒷ↸╎ᔑℸ ̣ ᒷꖎ|| "

I don't turn around, only giving a small nod.

The door closes behind whoever was sent to tell me, but I'm hesitant to turn around. So I instead look down at the goggles I'm holding. They still have the crack in them from when Stress, Cleo and I were using elytras for the first time.

Not wanting to think of the other two, I shove the goggles into a chest. I usually deal with things by shoving them away where I don't have to deal with them.

Leaving the room, I wonder why they're bringing me. Maybe it's because I know the Hermits, and their weaknesses. After I messed up so badly the last time, I wouldn't want to bring myself along either.

"𝙹リᒷ ᓭꖎ╎!¡ ⚍!¡ ᔑリ↸ ||𝙹⚍∷ᒷ ↸ᒷᔑ↸. ∷ᒷᒲᒷᒲʖᒷ∷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᔑℸ ̣. "A voice reminds me.

"ᔑᓭ ╎⎓ ||𝙹⚍'↸ ꖎᒷℸ ̣ ᒲᒷ ⎓𝙹∷⊣ᒷℸ ̣" I respond sarcastically

The Watcher rolls his eyes, before handing me a netherite sword.

"╎ ↸𝙹リ'ℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ∷⚍ᓭℸ ̣ ||𝙹⚍ ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ ᔑリ||ℸ ̣ ⍑╎リ⊣ ᒷꖎᓭᒷ "

He has a fair point. I haven't been allowed to handle a mere dagger since the Prime Watcher's death, even if that wasn't technically my fault, so a sword like this is more than I expected.

"And stay safe, ok?" He reminds me, brushing some of the hair out of my eyes.

"You know me... I'll try." I mumble, pulling away from him.

He can't tell if I'm joking or not, and to be honest...

Neither can I.

Ezra's POV

"We're going in an hour...you ready?"

"How the hell is this gonna protect me?!"

I'm wearing a red leather tunic that comes down to the bottom of my ribcage, fingerless, leather gloves up to my elbows, knee high boots, and tight (also leather) trousers that are surprisingly good for moving around in.

The only thing protecting me are my knee and elbow guards, and unless the leather gonna help, I think I'm doomed.

"It's that or your other red armour." Celeste tells me "And we don't have time to fix that, so you're stuck with this. As feeble as it looks, it's good armour. You'll be able to move quickly, and it's enchanted to be about 86% resistant to Watcher Magic."

"What about the other 14%?"

"Just try to dodge that bit."

This makes me laugh, despite the serious situation. Turning back to the mirror in the room, I still feel a little uncomfortable. It's clearly armour built for a female body, and the fact that I can't wear a binder doesn't help.

"Why does that matter? You're still Ezra, no matter what you look like."

"There's a difference between not liking how you look and being trapped in a body that just feels... wrong."

"I understand that... but try to think of what matters."

"Grian Joe and Xisuma?"

"Exactly. They're what matter, and you'll do this for them, won't you?"

I nod in response, feeling a little better but also a lot more nervous. I don't want to face them but I know I have to. I'm doing this for my friends... even if they don't love me anymore I'm gonna help them.

"I think I'm ready to go."

Grian's POV

"Mind if I go for 2 minutes? I'll be back pretty soon, and you can come with me if you want. I'm only going into the rocket shop."

I shake my head, Joe giving me a comforting smile and then walking over to Tango's rocket shop. I'm sitting outside the barge, watching him as he goes over. It's a very quiet day in the Shopping District, I think that's why Joe brought me here.

I sit for 2 minutes.

Then 4.

Then 8.

And before I know it I've been waiting for 15 minutes.

I'm very confused now, Joe promised he wouldn't take long. Cautiously wandering over to the shop he entered, I'm starting to get a bad feeling about the situation.

"It's nothing Grian... they're gone, you're safe." I whisper to myself, waking up the steps and into the small building.

"That's what you thought."

I don't have time to scream before I'm kicked and pinned to the ground. I'm having another nightmare... this isn't really happening, I'm ok...

But coming face to face with False tells me otherwise.

"Scream or fuss, and we'll destroy the server and kill everyone." She growls, although I can see her fear behind the anger she puts up. "Just like your precious Evo."

I can't breathe, panic overwhelming me. It feels like the walls are closing in on me, crushing me and leaving me breathless.

"Wh-why are you doing this?" I choke, almost inaudible

"Like I said last time... I have to."

I don't want to hurt her. I don't want to have to fight her. But it's either that or being captured. So I have to.

Slamming her into the wall with a blast of magic, I jump up, unfolding my wings and getting away from her. At the top of the town hall, I pull my phone out, but with my hands shaking and tears blurring my vision, I'm barely able to type a message.

Grian: The watch dead seen back

Cleo: ???

Iskall: Are you watching a horror movie?

Grian: the watchers are back

Xisuma: what

Xisuma: are you sure

Grian: yes

Grian: false is here

Grian: she attacked me

Xisuma: where are you

Grian: town hall

Grian: I can't find Joe

Looking back down, I see False isn't the only one here. There's about 30 others, each bearing obsidian swords. I feel my breath hitch, remembering how the same swords took Nora's life.

Someone grabs my wrist, and I almost scream, before turning around and seeing Team Z.I.T.

"Hey, it's ok. You're gonna be safe, we'll protect you " Tango assures me

"I'm sorry... this is my fault." I whisper, choking on my tears

"No it's not. You didn't choose this, they're just assholes." Impulse responds

"Deadly assholes, mind you... but we've got this." Zedaph finishes

There's a scream from down below, where the Hermits have all somehow made it here and have started fighting the Watchers. We're outnumbered this time though, and I know they need help.

Jumping down off the roof, I barely avoid sharp spikes of ice Etho shoots from his hands. Despite the nickname 'Elsa' he's pretty dangerous when provoked. Scar is letting all hell loose on the Watchers, with an anger I've never seen in him before. Xisuma is right by his side, ready to murder anyone who touches the Hermits.

Many Watchers try to grab me as I run to Xisuma, but I narrowly avoid them. Dodging one person though, I end up right in the grasp of another. Screaming, I kick and thrash to try and escape them.

A sword swings at the Watcher holding me, slashing deep into his side. I'm dropped to the floor, shoulder scraping painfully against the stone below me, but I don't care. I instead look up to see who saved me, but Cleo's already moved on.

"XISUMA WE HAVE AN ISSUE" She yells, holding up her cracked shield and barely avoiding a nasty blow to the neck. "8 HERMITS ARE BADLY INJURED, 3 ARE KNOCKED OUT AND WE STILL CAN'T FIND JOE"

"Get the vulnerable out of harm's way, and use magic to defend yourselves if possible!" The Admin tells her "Don't hesitate to kill them if need be, they aren't whitelisted here and won't respawn."

"What about Falsie?"

Those words seem to break the usually tough and stubborn zombie. She was always incredibly close to False, before she turned out to be a traitor.

"Try... try to knock her out or capture her. Don't hurt her if you can avoid it."

Cleo nods solemnly, not admitting how much she doesn't want to fight her old friend.

Emmett and Vali have disappeared off somewhere else, and I have a very bad feeling about that. I really don't trust either of them, and to know they're out there causing chaos is unsettling.

I hear a scream, and turn just in time to see Cleo's arm receive a nasty hit. It gets completely severed from her body, which would be a lot more worrying if it wasn't something that happens all the time.

Even though she can easily stitch it back on, she doesn't have the time to do that and is therefore left with only one arm she can use. Her weapon is picked up from the ground and driven straight through her body.

ZombieCleo was slain by [entity_unknown]

"USE THE OBSIDIAN SWORDS YOU IDIOT!" Another Watcher snaps "SHE'LL RESPAWN NOW!"

Those words give me brief comfort, before I realise we're down to 4 Hermits. The remaining 20 Watchers have encircled us, and there's no hope of escape.

This is it. I've led the Hermits straight to their demise and there's nothing we can do about it. Maybe they truly would be better off if I wasn't here. Maybe I should've just killed myself when I had the chance.

Just as they dive forward to kill off the rest and take me, one falls to the ground, dead. Everyone's heads snap in their direction, and we see the angel-like being standing over their body.

"Please don't tell me I died." TFC mumbles "Seeing angels is never a good sign."

"You didn't." I whisper "And I don't think they're angels."

"He's right." A woman responds, a sword made of what seems like pure, white crystal in her hands. "Don't worry, we're here to help."