Xisuma was confused. Could you really blame him? Between the bedrock texture shifting and the earlier earthquake, it felt like the server was spiralling out of his control. The more he thought about it the more his unease grew.

You see, the tremor wasn't normal. X had gone to search the server's code the morning after he'd felt it but was still yet to find anything.

He figured most of the Hermits had simply brushed it off

"But Isabelle," you're probably asking, "it's just a little earthquake, why would Xisuma freak out over such a small thing? Grian said himself in the other chapter that it wasn't unheard of."

That's because it wasn't geographically possible, my dear readers. Unlike some previous seasons, the new map had no fault lines. So where did it come from?

Then there was the glitch in the bedrock texture.

Bedrock isn't supposed to glitch. It's the most stable block in the game. It can't just 'glitch out' without something big happening. X hadn't bothered to check the bedrocks code until Impulse brought it up because of this. Was it linked to the tremor?

The answers to his queries were annoyingly hard to find.

The most likely answer was that an outside force had forced its way in, creating a shock wave as it landed. If said force was powerful enough to break in and make as big of an impact as they'd seen. In that case, was it out of the question that it could also disturb the most stable files Xisuma and the server had?

No. That would be insane right? Right?

He'd triple-checked the code but everything seemed in place, bar the bedrock. But it wasn't. The mystery was off-putting yet oddly thrilling. It felt as if something, or someone, was calling for him to find it.

The feeling unnerved him. So he was going to do what any respectable (and utterly lost) admin would do in his situation. He would have to call a server-wide meeting.

With a heavy sigh, X reluctantly pulled out his communicator to send out the emergency alert. He put his communicator on silent so he could begin preparing the giant circular table. It would have to host everyone for the meeting. He ignored the influx of messages that followed his own.

Scar was the first to arrive but in a move of pure derpy-ness, they both forgot that the meeting was being held at spawn.

The two were the last to arrive at the meeting hall. Everyone else was already seated and waiting. Xisuma hurried around the table to stand at the front.

"You're probably wondering why I've called you..."

Almost 50 eyes were on him, staring at him expectantly. He noticed Grian looking in his direction but not quite at him, and Pearl who wasn't blinking, her eyes trained on the gremlin man. It was strange but he had a presentation to give.

"First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for coming. Now, as some of you might already know, there have been some concerning glitches on the server." He summoned the screens he'd had open earlier. He began pointing out the issues and why they were so worrying. When it came time, X showed the new glitched texture of the bedrock. "If anyone knows anything about this, now is the time to say it."

Pearl raised her hand for a moment but flinched as she lowered it before anyone else noticed. Grian had snapped his head towards her as she did. Pearl opened her mouth to say something, but she only managed a squeak. The two had locked eyes and seemed to be communicating without speaking. Impulse was also glancing at her in apprehension.

Cub tentatively raised his hand after an awkward minute of silence. X gestured for him to speak.

"Um... I'm not entirely sure but I think one of the pictures... there was something... the Vex mentioned something about a symbol like it once." X flipped to the picture he was talking about.

"You mean this?" X brought up another transparent layer and traced the symbol he was talking about. Cub nodded so everyone looked at the new symbol with intent. Everybody else started discussing what it could mean or what it could stand for. X finally took notice of the peculiar pair. Grian now shifted uncomfortably in his seat while Pearl gave him a death glare.

"Grian, do you have anything you'd like to share with the class?" Now the attention directed itself towards him. Grian visibly paled with anxiety. Bullets of sweat made their way down his neck.

"What? Me? Nooooo... actually you know, I've gotta do a thing somewhere, NICE MEETING GUYS, GO TEAM, WOO!" Grian blurted out his hurried speech before swiftly flying away. He did seem to know or care that everyone was staring at him. Pearl's expression was almost unreadable. Except for a certain look in her eyes that read; 'Why are you such an idiot, why did you do that.' She banged her head into the table repeatedly

I'd like everyone to have a moment of silence for the fourth wall. The poor thing didn't even last 5 chapters -Jay

Word Count: 854

Cheers,

Isabelle