*slides into view*

*deep breath*

*final countdown plays* 

IT'S THE FINAL CHAPTERRRR- DADADA-DAAAA! DADADA DA DAAAA-

:)

It's a week and a half after the battle when Stress stops giving Scar sleeping potions and lets him wake up. Beef's already 'better', even leaving the area for his own base yesterday. But after whatever nightmare-inducing s*** the Sculk put Scar through, he's needed a lot more help and bandages. Though bandages won't help his mind recover. He was on the edge before Cub died. Now, without time to mourn properly? There's no chance.

A small groan and I snap to focus. Scar's eyes are open, just a crack. He's looking around, figuring stuff out, trying to remember how he got here, what happened...

'Hey there, pal,' I say. 'You getting better, Scar?'

'Cub... Cub's...'

'How are you feeling, luv?' Stress asks. 'Does anything hurt?'

He tries to speak, still looking around. There's pure confusion in his expression.

'Where's... where...'

'We're in Hermitcraft,' explains Stress. 'You're safe, we're giving you medical...'

'No- no... Cub... where's Cub?'

I glance at Stress. She nods. 

'Cub's... dead.' 

Every bit of life, of confusion, of hope, snaps from Scar's expression. His eyes dull, becoming unfocused. I can almost see the death repeating in his mind, over and over. If not for his slowly quickening breathing, he could be dead.

'Scar? I know this will be hard for you...' He doesn't, or can't, listen, hyperventilating, shaking his head, stuck in the memories. 'Scar, breathe. It's me. Grian.' I take his hand and he flinches away immediately. 'Scar, please. Just listen, ok? Just breathe, take deep breaths... In... And hold...'

'No- no no no...' Scar chokes out. 'No I- I...'

'Just deep breaths... Please...'

'No... no...' He starts scratching, clawing at the marks from the Sculk. Like it's still there. I grab his wrists, pulling his hands apart to stop him hurting himself. His eyes widen.

'Scar, listen to me. Listen. You're safe now, Scar.' I hold tight to his wrists. They're still freezing He's looking right at me, but doesn't see me. He isn't breathing normally, just shallow, gasping breaths as he struggles to free his hands.

'Sculk. N-no more Sculk- let- let me go...'

'Bdubs is coming,' Stress says. 'He helped Impulse. Hopefully he can help Scar too...'

'Sculk- no... Cub... Cub's...' He struggles to free himself again, pulling his hands towards himself, trying to twist his wrists free. I don't let go, and he lets out an animalistic whine.

'It's alright, Scar. You're in Hermitcraft now. It's not the Sculk.' I loosen my grip, but can't let go of him and risk him causing damage to himself.

'Sculk... stop Sculk...'

'Scar, it's just me!' What would Cub do right now? How would Cub help him? 'Scar, there's no Sculk. I'm just stopping you hurting yourself ok? I'm keeping you safe!'

'Grian, luv. Calm down.' Stress tries to advise me. Behind, I hear the door open. 'Scar, it's alright. Jus' promise not to hurt yourself, ok?' I hear the door open behind.

'Let go- let go of me- let go...' Scar repeats, on the verge of crying, or screaming. Blue starts spreading across his face, eyes turning the same colour, growing paler, glowing brighter. 

'What's going- GRIAN! Grian, let go!' Bdubs demands. 'Now.'

'He'll start hurting himself again!'

'I'll handle that. You go.' I let go. Scar falls back, letting out terrified whimpers, just holding onto his wrists.

'Scar? It's me, Bdubs. Grian said you tried to hurt yourself... Is this true? You can just nod, or...' Scar shakes his head.

'Scar, you were just-'

'Grian, leave him alone! Go!'

'Bdubs...'

'Grian, I'm serious.'

'I'm sorry...'

And with one last glance at Scar, I leave the room.

It's 3 more weeks until Scar's allowed out. Me, Bdubs, Stress and sometimes Doc or even Badtimes try to help him physically and, as far as we can, mentally. But without Pearl, we have no idea what really happened to him. 

The other concern is organising a funeral for Cub. Any progress with Scar stops the moment we mention Cub, so we can't get any ideas from him, and there's no instruction left in Cub's base. So we decide to host something small at the graveyard with short eulogies from most of the Hermits. And then, once Scar's had a few days back in Scarland (with me taking care of him), we do it.

I keep an eye on Scar throughout the whole funeral, especially during my own eulogy as I talk about Cub's constant kindness and determination, and how far he'd go to protect his friends. 

And then Scar stands. I stop speaking. There's a new clarity in his expression as he, limping over to the lectern with a crumpled sheet of paper in his hands. I sit down, and let him speak.

'Cub was my best friend.' Scar's shaking voice barely reaches us. No one speaks. 'He- he... He was always there. He always tried to be there. I know now he... always loved me. Even when I couldn't see it. And he never lost faith in me. E- Even when I was physically and... And mentally lost I know now that the one thing that I never lost... That was never lost... Was Cub's constant belief. In me. He always helped me. With- with everything. But he never let me...' Scar trails off, lost in thought, holding his necklace, still stained with blood. Bdubs's about to stand, but I force him to let Scar continue. Eventually, he closes his eyes, swallows, and finishes. 'I loved Cub. And Cub loved me. And that's all that matters. Thank you.'

He sits down next to me, and I feel a note being forced into my hand my him. I take it and, quietly, once the tears have died down again, read.

Stay afterwards.

-Scar

The last few eulogies are short and the funeral ends with us all leaving stuff for Cub on his grave. I stay, watching as Scar gives his own offering - a pair of vex heads that could only be his and Cub, and then the paper with the speech he read out. For a moment he just sits there, lost in thought before...

'Grian?'

'Yeah?' I hide my shock that he knows I'm here.

'Can you... come over?'

I do.

'I liked your speech.' Is all I can say. Scar gives a sad smile. Again, I notice the clarity in his eyes. Like he's back to normal.

And then I see the paper.

Dear Hermits,

It's a letter. 

'Scar, what are you...'

I stop as I look back and see the tears down Scar's face.

'Take this.'

He removes his necklace.

And places it around my neck.

'Scar, what are you doing?'

'Goodbye Grian.' His hands don't shake as he takes out a small bottle from his inventory. 'Goodbye Hermitcraft.'

He drinks the contents.

And collapses.

Dead.

The end

:)

IT.

IS.

DOOOOONE!!!

This duology was so fun to write.

Hope y'all enjoyed reading!