For the 3rd chapter in a row:

:)

Scar screams. 

I hear the noise and know Cub's dead. And I smile for a moment before...

What have you done. 

'He freed Cub.'

Scar goes limp, someone drags him away.

'EX WHAT THE F***?! Did you just-'

'Sleeping potion. If he dies here we have no idea where'd he'd respawn. If he even does. I'm not giving him a chance to make this more difficult than it needs to be.'

'His best friend just DIED IN FRONT OF HIM! Give him time!'

'We don't HAVE time!'

Scar was completely and utterly on our side before you decided to intervene. He would've let Cub go. But you shot him and THAT convinced Scar he still cared. If you hadn't been a SELFISH-

'I'm SORRY!' I snarl. 'I didn't know!'

Enough of the attitude, Pearl. I've been endlessly kind and respectful to you and you've replied with ungratefulness every time.

'BDUBS!'

A sudden movement outside. My focus returns to the fighting. Someone just stopped Tilly killing Bdubs. From the voice I realise it must've been Etho.

What have I ever done to you, Pearl? I've kept you safe, and protected. I've given you the freedom to do and create whatever you want... You've replied with ungratefulness and insolence ever since we got here. I've never done anything wrong, Pearl.

There are less people outside now. Scar's been brought back to the overworld. I hear another few hermits following - Grian, and someone leaning on Etho for support. I can still feel Cuddles getting weaker and weaker from the remaining 3 until-.

He's dead. 

It's just Tilly left.

Hide.

'I need to help Tilly.'

If they get you, it's all over.

'Sculk, please.' I hear more people moving outside, feel them moving on the Sculk. 4 more. There's only three of the others left, but 7 hermits against Tilly... 

Come on, Pearl. I'm pulled towards the staircase down. 

'I need to save Tilly.'

I said COME ON!

'She's IMPORTANT, Sculk! I love her! I...'

Tilly's killed.

'NO!' I scream. I try to run for outside, get revenge, but the Sculk drags me, fighting and clawing against it, away. 'NO, TILLY- TILLY- WHY- WHY WOULD YOU...' I hear the Hermits voices getting louder, entering the building, and back into a corner. They're calling my name. I don't answer. With shaking hands, I reach into my pockets and pull out a small pair of objects.

The flint and steel.

Thief.

The stupid Sculk speaks. The Sculk that let Tilly die. It let Tilly die. Tilly's dead. Tilly's... 

I ignite the flint and steel. Burning warmth hits me. And through the warmth I see...

I see.

A blurred, alien warmth crosses my vision. Vision. Sight. Something I can see. I'm so focused on sight, I can ignore the pain spiking through my fingers, through the sculk...

Pearl stop.

The Sculk speaks. Now it's on fire, I can feel it. More than ever before. More than sensing it there, I feel it. The cold tendrils, the pressure, the constant touch of the sculk, constantly there on my skin, on my clothes, on me. Touching me. Always touching me. The fire burns out.

'No- no no no...' I stagger to my feet, but the Hermits outside are getting closer. I can't leave here. 'No no... get- get off me...'

Pearl, you're losing your mind.

'No- no I'm...'

'Pearl?' Comes a voice just outside. Impulse. 'Pearl... is that you.' I hiss at him as he enters my room, backing even further away. I feel the Sculk, impossible to ignore, covering me. I need to get rid of it. I need to get rid of the Sculk. But the Hermits... they killed Tilly. I don't want to be a Hermit either. 'It's ok Pearl. It's just me. Impulse. Your- your buddy Impulse... Just- just come with us and we'll make it all better.' I hear the lie in his voice. It won't all be ok. I'm still holding the flint and steel. I still feel the sculk all over me. 'Just come with your buddy Impulse...'

'You're NOT!'

I run for the wall and it gives way. The room beyond is larger, a way to the balcony. Bdubs shouts about me making a run for it as I skid to a stop at the edge of the balcony at the front of my fortress. I hold the flint and steel higher.

'Pearl, drop the flint and steel. You don't want to hurt us. It's just the Sculk making you think you do.'

Sculk. Mentioned again. I feel it even more than before. Everywhere. Creeping across my skin, around my neck. I feel a spike of pain through the tendrils helping me hear. I feel my eyes straining to see. 

I light the flint and steel again.

And I set myself on fire. 

'PEARL!' Impulse screams. I laugh as the flames spread across the sculk. It'll kill the Sculk. I'll be free of the Sculk. And if not... I'll be gone. 'Pearl- Pearl no. Pearl I'm not losing you too. I'm- I'm not- HELP!'

'Oh my goodness PEARL STOP!' Martyn. The flames burn through my clothes to my skin. I feel the warmth, the fire, the pain... 'Water. We- we need water. Does anyone have...'

'Fire. Is. My. F***ING THING!' 

Cold covers me, extinguishing the flames. I stumble backwards, over the edge, but the sculk below pad my fall. I don't feel it over me anymore, just a deep coldness.

'Pearl? Are you ok?' Impulse again. I curl up tighter. Someone says something about going to the overworld. Another person mentions the Sculk.

'We blow it up!' The one who put water over me speaks. 'As we planned!'

'How?' Someone asks, quiet, but like they've been holding onto the question for a while.

'Have you never blown anything up before, Wels?!'

'How are you going to light the TNT while you're still in here?' 

'I...' he's lost for words, but I'm not.

'Leave.' 

'What?' 

I hold up the flint and steel.

'Leave this world.'

'Pearl, no. We just saved you...'

'I killed Mumbo. And Gem. And Cleo. And Scott. And Cub. And... xB. I tortured Scar. Even if you saved me from the Sculk, I wouldn't survive the guilt.'

'Pearl...' Impulse speaks, trying not to cry. Most of the group are gone. Only Impulse remains, with Bdubs not far behind him. 'No...'

'Tilly death do us part, Impulse.'

'No- no Pearl you can't...'

'Impulse, come on. We can't convince her to join us.'

I let gunpowder run through my fingers, sensing for Impulse and Bdubs to be gone before holding out the flint and steel again.

'Goodbye, Sculk.' I smile. 

I light the ground on fire, seeing that brightness for just a moment before I watch the world end.

:)

I cut this chapter down from 1400 words to <1100 in 1 edit through