(now)

No one moves. Pix turns, his mouth contorted into a sick grin, sculk twisting at his fingers.

'He deserved it.' He hisses. I fight the urge to run; even after the horror stories, I didn't expect THIS.

'Some- someone message...' Grian's barely able to speak, shaking. I take his hand. He can't look away from Joe.

'Grian? Who should we message?' I block his view, try to divert his attention. Behind him, I see Cub staring silent at the ground, pale. I can't comfort both alone. Pix doesn't move. Grian blinks, attention on me.

'Cleo. EX. Privately.'

'What will they do? Defeat me with sarcasm?'

'Isn't sculk defeated by anything no one's tried?' I spit back.

'Then I'll have to kill you before you can.'

Pix attacks.

Sculk spreads across the ground towards us, Pix charging forwards with it... I barely draw my sword in time to block a hit aimed at Grian. Cub's not moved, focussed on his communicator.

'Messaged.' Is all he declares, and all it takes to let Pix know he's here too, turning to him. Before Cub can do anything, sculk grabs his leg, dragging him forwards, yelling, onto the ground. I sprint over, knowing I'm abandoning Grian... How long with EX and Cleo take? All I can do to help Cub is grab his arms, drag him to safety as he struggles to break free. But the sculk's too strong.

'Come on Cub. Fight back.' Pix taunts. 'Or are you to scared? Is that why you never tried to help Scar?'

The words hit. Hard.

'Or do you not care about him.'

'Shut up.' 

'But... let the Sculk save you again and can be with him.' I continue trying to pull Cub to safety. He's stopped fighting, shaking his head, eyes closed. The sculk creeps closer. 'Come on, Cub. I thought you'd do anything for him.'

'LET HIM GO YOU F***ING PSYCHOPATH!' I scream, pulling as hard as I dare.

'GO!' Grian. Violet Watcher fire shoots for the sculk around Cub's leg, burning through. Pix turns to the Watcher. Cub free, legs hopefully not too burnt, holding onto me as he starts to sob. I glance at Grian. His eyes are closed.  At his silent command, black obsidian grows from the ground around Pix. A scream of fury. He realises his predicament, turning, searching for an exit as the walls grow higher and higher before- 

They stop hopefully high enough to stopped the possessed hermit escaping. Grian's eyes open, unfocussed. Even basic knowledge of Watchers tells me summoning that much will've completely drained him. I can't abandon Cub, still clinging to me and crying. All I can do is watch him collapse unconscious.

It's too long later that EX finally arrives, falling next to Grian, question.

'What happened?'

'Exhaustion.' I explain. Cub's silent, but doesn't let go of me. I don't make him. I know him and Scar were close. I know the Sculk possessed him twice already. He needs me. 'He used Watcher magic to stop Pix.'

'I'll get free. You know I will,' Pix snarls at his name, pacing the make-shift cage. 'The sculk is stronger than your magic and...'

I don't hear as Cleo appears from the sky, landing next to Joe.

'WAKE UP. JOE WAKE UP OR I BREAK YOUR LEGS.' She demands like he's deaf, not dead. But as he remains unmoving, their panic raises, the realisation setting in. No more puns. No more poems. They hug him close, letting out a scream of pure pain.  Now it's me hugging Cub for emotional support. For a moment, it's like the old bond between us in Double Life returns, as a stab of grief fills me.

'Cub... I... I'm sorry. I have to...' I let him go, but he nods, understanding, letting me run to Cleo. I fall next to her, not knowing whether to sit there, say something comforting, put an arm around their shoulder, hug them.... The only thing I manage to produce is a weak 'Cleo I... I- I'm-'

She turns. Her burning green stare silences me.

'Where is he?' 

'Where's... who?'

'Pix?' 

'He...' against my better judgment, I raise one shaking hand towards the box. Cleo stands, drawing a sword. 'Wait- wait- Cleo...'

'I don't give a f***, Martyn.' Pix turns. I realise with horror the box is lower on this side, the obsidian walls rough. 

He can't get out. 

But Cleo can get in.

'CLEO STOP!' I have to spring up, run over, grab the zombie's shoulder...

'F*** OFF!' Pain. I hit the ground, trying to ignore the blood as I scramble back up... Cleo raises her sword for the kill. EX's already there, wrestling Cleo away from Pix.

'CLEO BACK DOWN!' The admin demands over their screams for revenge. I run to assist. Pix is flat against the wall, black eyes betraying his fear. 'I SAID BACK DOWN!'

'HE KILLED JOE! HE F***ING MURDERED MY BEST FRIEND I'M NOT GOING TO STAY F***ING CALM!'

'CUB GET HELP! GET- GET SCOTT!' Life series alliances are my best knowledge of who might be able to stop this. Cub's already messaging. A buzz in chat. A reply. An impressively short time later Scott lands, unable to take in the scene before he has to help. 

'OH MY GOSH- CLEO- I -I'M HERE!' EX's got Cleo far enough from Pix, but she's still screaming for murder and revenge. 'I'M HERE DON'T KILL ME!'

'I'M NOT F***ING KILLING YOU I'M KILLING PIX! AND EX BECAUSE HE STOPPED ME AND MARTYN AND... AND JOE'S DEAD!' 

'Hang on- I didn't do anything!' I protest before my brain can tell me not to.

'Then why. Did you stop me. Getting. REVENGE?!'

'Cleo- Cleo please... EX I... I might be able to handle it? Just let go of them.'

'She'll just go for Pix again!' 

'Just- just let go. You're hurting her.'

EX lets go. 

Cleo collapses to her knees, recovering. Me and Scott fall either side of them. I watch him put a hand on her shoulder, both to keep them down and provide comfort.

'I'm here, ok?' Scott speaks slowly. 'We can consider revenge later. Just calm down. Please.'

'F*** off.'

'Cleo... I know you're upset, but we'll work this out, ok? You can get revenge later.'

They don't move. Tears run down Cleo's cheeks as she sits there, glaring at Pix. But after a moment she turns away, hugging Scott as they sob and sob.

It turns out the PoV I was worried about having too few words was 1200 words before I edited through

Welp-