'You can't.'

'What do you mean?'

'Etho, you can't. I'm not letting you.'

'Bdubs? I'm talking to you. I'm not doing anything?'

'Then why are you standing by the portal like you're about to go through it?'

'Uhh...'

I open my eyes at the sound of voices through the portal. Etho and Bdubs, talking about going through the portal. Attacking. Attacking the Sculk. I must protect the Sculk.

'I wasn't gonna go through.'

'I'm not losing you too. You listen to me, Etho. I'm not letting you go and get killed or hurt again too. I love you.'

'Bdubs...'

'Promise me you're not gonna go through!'

'But... but it killed Cleo... and- and drove Xisuma to kill himself... and it took Scar prisoner...'

'I'll tell Joel if you go through and he'll kill you. You'll see.'

'Not if the Sculk kills me first...'

'What was that?'

'Joel can't hurt me if the Sculk kills me first?'

I creep towards the portal, still listening, trying to figure out when they're going through, if not immediately. I can't let them hurt the Sculk. I can't... 

And then I hear sobbing, and stop. Etho. Etho's crying. He won't go through if he's crying. 

'I- I'm so scared, Bdubs. I can't lose anything else. I can't let anyone else die.'

'Shhh... shhh... it's ok.'

'I can't lose you, Bdubs. I love you. I love you.'

'I know.'

Martyn what are you doing?

'Shhh! I'm spying!' I hiss back as the portal comes into view. 'Bdubs and Etho are talking... they mentioned invading...' I listen again, but they're not discussing an invasion any more, just crying. 'They've stopped discussing it but... they mentioned it.'

Keep me informed of any actual dangers, ok?

I nod.

'Of course.'

It's a little later that I hear through the portal next. But this time it's not just a 2 person conversation.

This time they come through.

They're silent. I can't sense the Sculk as much as Pearl can, but there must be 3, 4... maybe more of them. I sneak after. I can't let them hurt the Sculk. 

'Will this really work the same, dude?' One of the group asks. A name flickers into mind. Ren. 

'Of course it will, Ren-b****.'

'Hang on... You said you wouldn't give us nicknames if we came along. That's the only reason I'm here and not...'

'Same.' 

'Fine! Fine! No nicknames... I couldn't think of anything good for 'Hypno' or 'Jevin' anyway... and until we're out of sight of the place, we're putting gunpowder. It's harder to spot.'

'Badtimes is actually right... it works just the same as TNT if magic is involved.'

'See? Doc understands.'

So there are 5 people. Ren, Badtimes, Hypno, Jevin and Doc. Spreading gunpowder around the Land of Souls. The precious home of the Sculk. Ruining the Sculk. Blowing it up...

'Where was rescuing Cub in their plan?'

'After saving Pearl and Martyn. Then Cub helps get Scar back to normal, and we can blow this place to smithereens.' The slime-one speaks again. 'And how couldn't you find nicknames for Hypno? I do it all the time.' 

'Hey!' Hypno protests. I listen to them arguing some more, creeping closer, listening to Hypno and Jevin (I think) splitting away from the other 3. I creep even closer, hiding in the sculk, wrapping it around myself to stay hidden. I smell the gunpowder tainting the precious sculk. I must stop them. I must...

'Now, let's start placing TNT and...'

'NO!'

I pounce, landing squarely on Ren's shoulders, knocking him the ground. The other two are yelling. Loud. Far too loud.

'GET OFF, YOU SCH****KOPF!' 

I'm dragged away, held back as I struggle to escape. 

'No! NO- DON'T HURT THE SCULK! DON'T HURT IT!' I try to bite the arm holding me back. Metal. I can't get rid of it. I try spreading sculk to kill them, but I can't. It's not fast enough. I'm not strong enough...

'I'm so sorry Martyn... but we have to do this.'

'HELP! PEARL! PEARL HELP! SCAR!' I scream, desperately trying to escape as something's held to my mouth. A bottle. A glass bottle of... something. I try to hear what Hypno and Jevin are doing, if anyone's coming to help... far in the distance, I hear shouting. Fighting. 

This was a distraction.

'NO! NO YOU...'

Some burning liquid is forced down my throat. I splutter, trying to spit it out, but instinct makes me swallow. The sculk screeches, clawing at my mind. I'm forced to take another mouthful of the poison, unable to stop them force-feeding it to me. I feel the sculk writhing and dying around me, my mind tearing apart in a splitting hearache.

What- where- what's going on- no- no- why is there Sculk get rid of it get rid of it.

They're forcing the sculk away.

THEY'RE FORCING THE SCULK AWAY.

'NO!' I screech, but it just gives them another opportunity to make me drink that poison. 

That's getting rid of it. Yes. More. More. Get rid of the sculk. Get rid of all of it... Ren, is that you? Please, get rid of it. Get rid of it.

'You're doing so well, Martyn. You're doing so well...' Ren insists, holding onto me like he can replace the Sculk. Like anything could replace the-

I collapse in his arms, gasping for breath. 

'M-Martyn?' Ren. Ren's here, hugging me. 

'I- I'm alive.' I don't know where I am. My head throbs with the worst headache I've ever had. I want to vomit. Sculk spreads all around me. The Land of Souls. Wasn't I just...

Flashes of memory come to me. Scott dying. Pearl approaching. Grian just watching me, unable to help as the Sculk...

'It- it took over.' I realise. 'The Sculk... oh notch my brain...'

'It's ok, Martyn. You're safe, dude.'

'I'm safe...' I hug Ren back, seeing another person standing awkwardly.

'Oh great... you're here too, Badtimes.'

'Where's my flint and steel?'

'Your what?'

'My flint and steel. That I gave you in case I was possessed. Don't you remember, Littled***?'

'I'm sorry, BadTimesWithYourMumLastNight.' I snap back. 'I've just got back from being possessed!'

'...BadTimesWithYourMomLastNight?!' He repeats. I smirk. 

'You like it?'

Doc, who I hadn't realised was here, is cracking up behind. Ren does too.

'You came up with a nickname!'

'Just came to me. Now, what are we doing here?' I stand, and immediately regret it as I lose balance instantly. Ren keeps me steady though. 

'We're blowing up the Land of Souls. Just give over my flint and steel...'

I search my pockets for the flint and steel I do actually remember being given and put in... nope, not that pocket. Or... that one. Or the other two pockets... or anywhere on me. I look over at Badtimes, grimacing.

'I don't have it.'

Martyn's back!