Pearl doesn't come back.

I ask other watchers about it every day to the point of finding the 𝙹ᒲリ╎ᓭ ᓵ∷ᒷᔑリ↸𝙹 and asking them too. All they say is that there's a plan, and I can be part of it. Not what it is. Not how we're going to get back my friend. 

I spend the rest of my time wandering the fortress, alone. Thinking. Seeing. Trying to Watch for the world Pearl went to. Hermitcraft? Was that it? It's such a strange name... others know it well, but none speak much about it around me, to the point of cutting off conversations the moment I get near.

Until one day.

I wake up the same as on every other day. Tired, lonely, missing Pearl... and see a note next to my bed. Short, simple, written in Galactic.

Central hall

Don't be late

I scrunch it up in my hands. This has to be about Pearl. Getting her back... Still pulling on my mask and cloak as I go, I sprint to the hall. A murmur of voices already comes from within. Without even pausing to knock, I burst into the room.

'Am... Am I late?' I ask in galactic. There aren't many there yet... Just the 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᓵ∷ᒷᔑリ↸𝙹  and 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ !¡𝙹ℸ ̣ ᒷリℸ ̣ ᒷᓭ and a scattering of other Watchers... I don't recognise any of them.

'Don't worry. You are not too late.' The 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᓵ∷ᒷᔑリ↸𝙹  replies with a smile. 'We are just going through the plan to get back Pearl and hopefully stop any other disobedience from the 𝙹ʖᓭᓵᒷリ⚍ᒲ in that world.'

'Indeed. As we were saying, we have information on all the players of the server. Which unfortunately includes the 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᔑᒲᔑリℸ ̣ ᒷᓭ,  ̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ.'

'Grian?!' One of the Watchers, I assume all-powerful from their two pairs of wings, bursts out.

'Indeed, BigB. Grian. Who... I am afraid to say has abandoned us.'

Silence. I blink, disbelieving. The 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᔑᒲᔑリℸ ̣ ᒷᓭ abandoned the Watchers?! But... But they're the leader. They can't just...'

'...we know he is aware of our approach. And we are also aware the server has allied with 𝙹ʖᓭᓵᒷリ⚍ᒲ vexlings. We mustn't let this stop us. In fact, it will give a chance to land a victory in the war, unsettle their defences...'

I listen as the prep-talk continues and all too soon we're on the way. I try to remember everything, repeating names and weaknesses under my breath... Towards what must be the portal room, and through, into the Hermitcraft server.

'HALT!'

I freeze at the yell the moment I arrive, quickly Seeing around me. Water surrounds our small force... There are only 10 of us, including the two leaders. We're on an island. And in front of me stands a furious player, holding a watcher mask in hand. Wings spread behind him. And behind him...

Pearl.

Bleeding, held back by a pair of Listeners. Mask removed, anger filling her purple eyes.

'Give him back or we kill her.' The watcher traitor speaks in perfect galactic.

'You think we are only here for her?' Challenges the 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᓵ∷ᒷᔑリ↸𝙹 .

'Fine. Give us Tango or we kill you.'

What.

The...

They want... No... No it must be someone else. It's not me. I don't know this person. I don't know anything about this world...

'What?!' I burst out.

'Oh yeah. You wiped his memory.'

The words don't make sense any more. My head spins. I try to tell myself it's a lie. It's all a lie...

'Enough. Stop lying.' The 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᓵ∷ᒷᔑリ↸𝙹  intervenes.

'Tango, listen to me. You won't believe me but the Watchers tore you from this world and removed your memories...'

'ENOUGH!' Lightning flashes. I try to focus on the 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᓵ∷ᒷᔑリ↸𝙹's words 'ATTACK!'

'HERMITS, ATTACK!'

I don't move for a moment as the world turns to chaos. I know it's a lie...

But still...

I yell, turning, as someone lands next to me. Small. Shoulder length blond hair. Recognition filling his expression.

'Tango...' He blinks. Terror fills me at the sight of tears in his eyes. 'Don't fight me. It's... It's me. Zedaph. Your friend.'

I shoot fire at him and take to the air.

Fighting already fills the world... Watchers and Vexlings and players. Magic and weapons clashing together... I glide over it all, the plan already gone from my mind... The 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᓵ∷ᒷᔑリ↸𝙹 is facing 5 Hermits at once, overpowering them. Injured already run away... I dive for the nearest player... Dog ears. Red shirt. And now on fire, yelling as I pin him to the ground. He shoves back, twisting free of my grip. Another joins him, a blue half-slime 𝙹ʖᓭᓵᒷリ⚍ᒲ, slashing unwillingly at me, insisting that I'm on his side really... I target close on his health, feeling it, crushing it. A scream. The dog falls next to him.

'Tango please! We're your friends, dude!' The dog insists through tears of pain. I pay no attention, summoning a netherite sword into my hand.

Suddenly, I hit the ground. I See who it is. A vexling. I shove them away, getting to my feet, anger only growing.

'Tango, stop.' They demand. 'Stop this.'

'What? Are you my 'friend' too?' I don't even let them understand what I'm saying.

'It's me. It's me, Impulse. Your FRIEND!'

I ignore, fire at my hands. But something about the name is familiar. Something Pearl said before...

Impulse hits the ground, screaming as the 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᓵ∷ᒷᔑリ↸𝙹 attacks them. Blood pours from his chest. I back away.

'Tango please...' He pleads to me. I glare down at Impulse. 'Please... Please I'm going to die...'

'It's lying. Like all Vexlings do. It doesn't know you.'

'Tango...' Impulse continues to speak. Pain fills his voice. I can't ignore... But I have to. But I can't...

I hold out my hand to him. He's on 2 hearts. I can kill him now.

Or... I can show mercy.

I don't know who they are. I don't know what they want. But they're hurt. And something in the back of my mind is screaming at me to help...

I summon a healing potion into my hand, duplicate it and throw both to him. It'll be enough. The 𝙹ᒲリᒷᓭ ᓵ∷ᒷᔑリ↸𝙹 pauses.

'Tango. What was that?'

'Let him go.'

'What?'

'Let him go.' I can't look at either of them.

Another pause. And a moment later Impulse scrambles to his feet and flies away.

One more chapter after this...