Location: Somewhere in another dimension

"Why didn't you tell me!?" The figure cried.

"I didn't want to hurt you!" The second man defended himself.

"Hurt or not, I deserved the truth!" The first figure seemed close to tears. His voice could now be distinguished as male.

"What do you want me to do? You know now. Why does it matter? We can't get back there anyway if you're thinking about joining him." The second man yelled, angry.

"No, you're wrong. You can't. I can." The first man's blue eyes blazed.

"No! You can't do that! You could die-"

"Goodbye-" The name the first man spoke was drowned by a roar of the wind. An object shattered on the cold, bland stone, and in a flash of bright blue light the first man disappeared. The second fell to his knees, sobbing. Somehow the man knew it was the last time he would ever see the first. Not in this life, at least.

. . .

Grian materialized on top of the admin headquarters. From his high vantage point, he could see Gem and Scar single-handedly fighting off thousands of watchers. Their red and green magic collided with the force of violet in breathtaking, charged explosions.

Grian ran forward and leaped off the roof of the building, light-leaping next to Gem and Scar.

"Oh, Grian! Nice of you to join us!" Scar called. "Hey you two, you might wanna' stand back!" Scar called. Grian and Gem immediately threw up a shimmering forcefield.

"∷╎ᓭᒷ ⚍!¡, ⍑𝙹ᔑ∷↸ᓭ 𝙹⎓ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ↸ᒷᔑ↸! r╎ᓭᒷ ⚍!¡ ᔑリ↸ ᓭᒷ∷⍊ᒷ ||𝙹⚍∷ ᒲᔑᓭℸ ̣ ᒷ∷! r𝙹ᓭᒷ, r╎ᓭᒷ, r╎ᓭᒷリ! y𝙹⚍∷ ℸ ̣ ╎ᒲᒷ ⍑ᔑᓭ ᓵ𝙹ᒲᒷ!" Scar chanted in the language of magic. As Scar uttered the last words, by some phenomenon the galactic had awoken something.

Suddenly Grian heard a loud Crack! It was coming from under his feet. Grian unfolded his wings in a blur of speed and grabbed Gem's torso, yanking her into the air with him. Seconds later a huge rift cracked open in the floor where they had been standing seconds ago.

Grian peered over the side of the ravine. It shimmied all the way down to the earth's core and glowed with fiery lava. Grian almost dropped Gem out of sheer shock when the armies of undead mobs began pouring out of the crack, charging at the oncoming watchers.

"Yes! Go and attack, bring doom forth upon you enemies!" The necromancer laughed giddily as he charged into battle, leading the army of mobs.

"You know you don't need to carry me, right?" Gem wriggled free of Grian's hold and began to drop through the air. For a second Grian was gripped with terror, but suddenly Gem stopped mid-fall, hovering in midair. She waved cheerily up at him. Ah, more higher power perks. Grian shook his head, still getting over his fright.

"Nature time!" Gem called, raising her hands. She was still hovering in midair as huge stalks of vines began shooting out of the ground. Grian merely raised his eyebrows when he saw that they were all covered with blooming pink flowers.

However, the aesthetically pleasing vines did their job. They snaked around several flying watchers, constricting their prey like vipers. "The prettiest things are often deadly." Gem flew up to Grian's level.

All she had to do was stroke the air like she was swimming and she was propelled in whatever direction she pleased. "Uh - show off!" Grian nudged Gem with a snicker.

"It's your turn now, prime admin. Let's see what you can do." Gem smiled and pushed Grian forward. Already the remaining watcher forces were dwindling severely. Many had been snagged by Gem's vines and thrown to the ground where Scar's undead forces waited.

The few remaining in the air were dodging the swaying vines frantically. Whether on the ground or in the air, the watchers were in mortal danger.

"I don't know... you honestly might have done enough." Grian raised his eyebrows. "I guess I might be able to-"

"Oh no," Gem breathed, backing away.

"What? Don't worry, I don't live on the edge as much as Scar - get it, the edge?" Grian laughed as he pointed to the ravine. Gem looked positively terrified.

"No, no... it's him." Gem pointed at a glowing white figure. Grian swore.

"Well, well... who could've guessed Niaya and Zebdar had joined the party... it certainly would've affected our plans if we'd known." Hevonir glared at the head watcher, who had materialized behind him.

"Our spy didn't report any new admins, let alone higher powers." The head watcher sulked.

"Why she isn't new at all, is she? Hmph. The last time I saw you you were a scared little level eight admin. If I'd known you were dear Niaya I would have certainly given you a warmer welcome!" Hevonir pouted.

"That makes two of us, then." Gem stepped forward, her hands raised threateningly.

"Now, now, there's no need to-" Hevonir was cut off. Boom! Boom! Vines broke through the earth all over the grounds. Several vines shot right at Herobrine's descendant. Hevonir was forced to try to blast each one away with magic, but for every vine he destroyed two more grew in its place.

Grian saw sweat dripping down Gem's brow as she commanded the vines, muttering in ancient galactic. Suddenly Hevonir stopped trying to fight the vines and instead looked directly at Gem. As vines dragged him down, Hevonir's stare broke Gem out of her concentrated chanting.

Gem met Hevonir's glowing white eyes. "You foolish girl... that was the last mistake you'll ever make." Hevonir snarled with a grin. Gem suddenly became entirely still.

"Gem...?" Grian placed his hand on the lady of nature's shoulder. She remained completely still. "G-" Grian nearly shrieked as Gem whipped around to face him, her eyes glowing bright white. Just like Hevonir. When she spoke it wasn't Gem's voice... it was Herobrine's descendant's.

"Now you'll all pay." Gem grinned a nasty, mangled smile as she raised her hands over her head. Boom! Boom! Vines threw themselves at Grian. Grian's mother's words had come back to him too late... the mind-bender. That was Herobrine's ability. He could control people's minds. Hypnotize them, if you will.

Grian had to warn Scar. Grian dodged Gem's vines with expert precision as he dove down towards the man in the top hat, who was still wearing a wild grin. He was completely unaware of what had just taken place above him. "SCAAAAR!" Grian yelled as he landed right next to the higher power.

"Why hello there, Grian! Did you see-"

"Scar, now's not the time! Herobrine's descendant just got a hold of Gem's brain! You can't look into his eyes! Scar, promise me you won't look into he ey-EYES!" Grian yelled as a vine finally succeeded in grabbing him.

"Whoa, Grian! Don't worry, I'll set you free!" Scar sliced the vine in half with a glowing red sword.

"Oh no, Scar..." Grian murmured as the vine grew back two more branches.

"AAAH! They're multiplying, Grian!" Scar shrieked.

"I KNOW!" Grian shouted, shoving Scar out of the way as a vine snaked its way right towards him.

"Grian, I hate to tell you this but I don't know if we stand a chance against two higher powers!" Scar squealed, ducking behind one of his zombies.

"There are two of us!" Grian called.

"Yes... but you don't even have Notch's power! Have you seen that Herobrine guy's power!? It's out of this world!" Scar called back, ducking behind another zombie.

"Scar, don't give up! If we charge him together, we might have a chance!" Grian directed.

"Okay, gotcha! What do you want me to raise, prime admin?" Scar grinned.

"Umm... will an army withers work?" Grian wasn't actually serious, but Scar's eyes lit up.

"Oh yes, why didn't I think of it before?" Scar rubbed his hands together.

"Wait - Scar, you're actually seriou-" Shock and fear flitted across Grian's face.

"Your wish is my command!" Scar cracked his knuckles, stretching his arms out. "ᓭꖌ⚍ꖎꖎᓭ 𝙹⎓ ℸ ̣ ⍑∷ᒷᒷ, ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷᒷ, ᔑリ ᔑ∷ᒲᔑ↸ᔑ 𝙹⎓ ↸ᒷᔑℸ ̣ ⍑, ᔑ ᓵ⍑ᔑ𝙹ᓭ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ʖᒷ. W╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷ ᔑリ↸ ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷, ꖎ╎ℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ꖎᒷ ᓭꖌ⚍ꖎꖎ, ᓭ𝙹𝙹リ ||𝙹⚍'ꖎꖎ ↸∷╎リꖌ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ╎∷ ʖꖎ𝙹𝙹↸ ℸ ̣ 𝙹 ⎓⚍ꖎꖎ. C𝙹ᒲᒷ, ↸𝙹ℸ ̣ ⍑ ∴╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷ ↸╎ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷!"

The hair on the back of Grian's neck stood on end. Even the vines recoiled momentarily as the Scar's blood-curdling summon took effect.

First, the earth began to rumble. Then the vines began to shake. Then the clouds began to twist. Lightning flashed, hale pelted the fighters below, and suddenly a storm of withers descended from the clouds. Scar directed the withers in the ancient language, and suddenly nearly every watcher left alive was gone.

Hevonir roared in rage as the vines receded into the ground, giving him a clear path to Xebdar's descendant. "You're powerful, Zebdar." Hevonir sized up Scar. "Join me! Think of the chaos we could unleash upon the worlds!"

"Does your base have jellie pandas?" Scar asked suddenly. Grian facepalmed.

"What are these... jellie pandas? Are they instruments of death? Destruction? World domination?" Hevonir's eyes narrowed. Was Zebdar playing some kind of joke on him? He had never heard of jellie pandas. Scar gasped.

"You've never heard of jellie pandas!? Grian, that's just sad!" Scar gaped. "Don't you pity this poor, poor soul?" Scar looked like he was actually about to cry.

"Pity me!?" Hevonir roared. What was going on? "We don't need jelly panda-things to take over the world. Zebdar, consider my-"

"Excuse me? We don't need jellie pandas!?" Scar charged at Hevonir without any warning.

"Scar don't look into his eyes-!" Grian's cry came too late. Scar was frozen in place mere feet away from Hevonir. Grian watched as the necromancer's eyes glazed over with a glowing white film, just like Gem.

"Now your turn." Hevonir looked directly into Grian's eyes. Grian couldn't look away for some reason... he swayed slightly, but nothing happened. "Impossible..." Hevonir broke eye contact. "No one can resist... ah..." The head watcher had leaned over and whispered something into Hevonir's ear.

Hevonir looked ready to throw up, he was pale as paper and looked as though the whole world was crumbling in. "So you're a watcher-prime... born in secret, for it is forbidden for a watcher to love... yet it's impossible... but obviously not."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Grian challenged.

"Foolish boy. If you knew the myths you would know watchers were my minions at the beginning of time. They are created by my magic. Therefore, they are also immune to some of my... abilities." Hevonir scowled. "It seems you will not become one of my pawns... too bad, we could have had such fun. Niaya, Zebdar... finish the job." Hevonir turned away.

"N-no. Gem, Scar! You don't have to do this!" Grian yelped.

"Oh, but they do." Hevonir grinned. "Goodbye, Xelqua."

Boom! Crack! Bang! Withers exploded on the ground beneath Grian's feet. Vines threatened to pull him apart, bees stung him, and poisonous fumes choked him. Then there was red hot pain. As Grian glanced down at his torso he saw the end of a silver blade sticking out of his stomach.

Grian collapsed to the ground, the sword still impaled in his stomach. He was dimly aware of the head watcher standing above him. So his former mentor had finally been able to get his long-awaited revenge. Grian's eyes fluttered shut. There was a peaceful black... no more pain... just emptiness. Then...

Accept it. A voice stirred in Grian's conscious. You're dying. You won't survive. Your friends will die. Accept the power, Xelqua. Accept the void. Accept it, accept it, accept it...