Invasion.

'What?'

3 of them... It pauses. I don't speak. As I  start preparing, the Sculk speaks again. We have information. But first, find out what the invaders are doing and get them out. 

I nod, running off. Tilly pads along loyally beside me, Cuddles is able to be summoned if needed.

I stay silent and as low to the ground as I can manage. They're not far, and I sense another portal to Hermitcraft. I can spy on them. But first, the intruders. Two aren't moving, just lying on the ground. The other is speaking.

'Pix, just wake up you f***ing- Cleo, are you awake? Are you alive? Cleo? Cleo?'

Cleo and Pix. The names are almost familiar. But more familiar is the voice of the third invader. Scar. But it can't be Scar. I focus my attention on the portal instead, crouching low enough to hear through the sculk.

'...do something! xB, Keralis... One of you find Cub, one of you find Scott. Grian... Get supplies.'

'Why?'

'To get back our friends! What, do you think Badtimes is going to fight off all the Sculk himself? And Pearl? And her warden monstrosity, and-'

'Martyn, I get it!'

'This is terrible idea.'

'It's the only idea we have.'

'And what about you?'

'I'm telling Badtimes the plan.'

A second later, another player appears through the portal.

'WHEN THE F*** DID YOU GET HERE?!' Badtimes shrieks.

'Shhhh! I'm here to help you! Oh notch... Are they alive?'

'No clue.'

'You didn't even check their pulse?'

'Listen, Littled***. My talents are killing people, not... unkilling them. I didn't think anyone would be happy if I lit them on fire. Though it would help me find out if...'

'F*** off and watch for Pearl! The Sculk must know we're here...' Martyn, or Littled*** as Badtimes called him, crouches next to the two unconscious people. Badtimes starts pacing again, seemingly looking out for me. I won't be able to tell if he sees me unless he speaks. But he's too dumb to know that.

Vexling. Just like Scar. And Littled*** Martyn is a listener. The Sculk tells me. Pix was under my control on the other side, but couldn't do much. The other's magicless.

'Alive?' I whisper, as quiet as I can.

Barely. We can get information out of her still.

'Information? Like...'

Like what you did to Scar. But this one is more disposable.

'Pix is alive,' Littled*** explains. 'Get him back to Hermitcraft. He needs help...'

'I thought you wanted me to pretend I'm a Watcher.'

'Not any more... You're annoying enough as it is.' I only catch the last bit through the Sculk. 'Can you carry him?'

'Obviously.'

Badtimes and Pix disappear from the world. With a sigh, Listenerd*** crouches to see if Cleo's alive.

'Come on, Cleo... You're strong. I know you're strong... You can survive this...' I sneak closer. 'Just wake up... Before Pearl reaches me.'

I freeze. Martyn Littled*** stands, turning.

'Who told you I was here?'

'My ears hear you're here.' I go for his legs with Sculk. Martyn stumbles back.

'Watch it, sculky.'

'Why? It's not like you can fight back when you're controlled by the sculk. Just give me the girl and I'll let you go.'

'No chance.' I've struck a nerve. I take my advantage.

'It's not like you'd be abandoning her. She won't live very long anyway.'

'They're my friend. I'm not letting you hurt them. And Scott really isn't going to be happy if you kill her.'

'I remember Scott.' Memories rise in my mind about my old soulmate. 'I'll enjoy killing him.'

'You... Remember? Cleo was his fake-soulmate, wasn't she?'

'She was your soulmate,' I recall. 'If you join me, you can get revenge.'

'I got revenge when I pushed her off the... Stop trying to possess me!' He moves away from my sculk again.

'Force of habit. Do you like my wolf?'

'Tilly! Of course you couldn't leave your true soulmate behind in the Life Series... which one was it?'

'Double Life.'

'Yeah, Double Life. Where you and Scott won.'

'I won. He didn't win. He killed himself.' The memory overwhelms me, like nothing else has after the Sculk possessed me. Scott yelling triumphantly, the pain, collapsing as he exploded and I didn't. It felt like I didn't. There was a moment, eons long, when he was gone and I was lying there before I respawned, and Grian was comforting me. The hermits were comforting me.

I remember having fun. I remember life on Hermitcraft. Do I have fun here? The Sculk isn't fun. Here I'm-

Pain.

Reality crashes over me. My leg burns. I hear Badtimes laughing. I must've missed him coming back. And now he's set me on fire. And the Sculk soothes the pain, helps me, as it would've done if Scott had killed me now. Protecting me from the 'fun' of Hermitcraft. Stupid Badtimes. Stupid Scott. Stupid Cleo. Stupid Martyn. Littled***.

'WHAT THE F*** BADTIMES, I WAS SO CLOSE!' Martyn screams. He was manipulating me. Controlling me. Like they claim the Sculk is.

'I should've possessed you when I had the chance. Instead of listening to your LIES!' I snarl, charging at Martyn. He's not there.

'What did you WANT me to f***ing do?!'

'Stay in Hermitcraft! Don't get in trouble and ruin EVERYTHING!'

I go for plan B.

'I'll kill her.' I threaten, holding a knife against Cleo's neck. Martyn turns then stops.

'You're still soulmates. Deep down. I feel souls. I can tell. I can kill her now.'

'Don't you f***ing dare.' Badtimes growls. But there's fear in his voice. Fear that I missed, trapped here doing nothing.

'Stay here with me, and I'll let her go.'

'Or what?'

'I possess THAT one. And I trap you and your soulmate in my dungeons with Scar and hurt you until you can't stop screaming. And then I kill her, and you heal, and we do it all again, just like we did with Mumbo.'

'If I'm possessed, set me on fire.' Badtimes mutters to Martyn.

'Um...what?'

'It'll help. It'll get rid of the sculk.'

The backup is coming. The Sculk warns. I hear them gathering on the other side. You need to hurry up.

'5...' I start counting down. '4-'

The invasion arrives.

Another chapter that went easier than I thought it was!

And from here on...

Wait.

We're only one chapter away from a particular chapter I've been waiting for forever.

:)