(Ages ago)

I run at the enderdragon again, knowing it must be low on health. Another arrow is nocked already as I pause for a second, aim, and fire.

With a scream, it explodes in a bundle of light and xp. I grin, gathering as much as I can. For a moment I consider taking the egg too but... no. I don't need it. Someone else can get it.

I jump into the portal, victorious.

And land in a completely new world.

There's purple carpet beneath my feet. I'm crouched on the ground, confusion filling me. Why- where is this? Did I end up at the wrong base?

I look up, then scramble to my feet. A huge creature sits in front of me. Wings. Cloak. A halo of eyes covering half its face. A smile.

They speak, but I don't understand. A strange whispered language is all I hear, only a few familiar letters, but otherwise, nothing. I frown. The creature laughs.

'Forgive me. I'm sure you must be confused.'

'Who are you?' I frown, but I already know. But not who it is. More what it is.

A Watcher.

'I am !¡∷𝙹ℸ ̣ ᒷ⊣ᒷリᓭ, Leader of the All-Protecting Watchers. I am the one who left you notes in your charming world. Evo.'

'I...' I give a small bow. 'I'm Grian,'

'We know. But you may excuse us insisting to call you ̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ instead.'

'̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ?' I try to speak the whispered name, 

'In your language, Xelqua. It is a name of honour. You will have a place of honour here,'

'What... what about Evo? My server? What about Jimmy... and Martyn... and...'

'Don't worry about them. They're happy. But here you will be loved more than any player can love you. We can teach you things you never even thought of knowing.' They approach, then pause, unnervingly close, and whisper. 'We can teach you to be a god.'

I remember what the Watchers did. They helped us get to other versions of the game. They pranked, yes, but everyone pranks. And now...'

'I get to be a Watcher?'

'Indeed you do, ̇/ᒷꖎᑑ⚍ᔑ, if you accept.' The Watcher leader holds out a hand to shake. 'Do you accept?'

I pause for a second, then take their hand.

'I accept.'

(Now)

'Grian?' I jump at the sound of Mumbo's voice, nearly slipping off the end island I found. A hiding place. Safety.

'How did you find me?' I frown. 

'Xisuma's admin tricks,' 

'Of course.' I look back into the void. 'How's Scar?'

'He's looking for you.'

'Really?' I frown, disbelieving. 'Why would Scar look for me?'

'He cares about you. We all care about you...' Mumbo sits next to me. I shuffle away,

'Grian...'

'Mumbo, go back to the overworld or I push you into the void.' Silence. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. But...'

'Grian... come on. You can't just hide from the server.'

'You heard what Doc said. I'm dangerous.'

'Doc's paranoid.'

'Doc's right.' Another silence. I sigh. 'When... when he asked me that question...' My mind tells me to not continue. I do anyway. 'When he asked me that question, I didn't know the answer.' I admit. 'I didn't know what I would do. Because Scar's my friend but the Watchers... the Watchers are like my family. They taught me for years.'

'Years?' Mumbo frowns.

'Yeah.'

'Grian, you arrived on Hermitcraft only a month after leaving Evo.'

'Maybe they didn't tell you exactly when I left then... because I was with the Watchers for years. And then building this world... that took even longer. What do you mean it was only a month?!'

'Calm down. I don't know. Maybe... time works weird there. I don't know. A day for us could be a month or week for them.'

'This is why no one believes I trust the watchers. Because you only think I was there for a month!' I stand. 'I can tell Doc I was there for longer. And he can trust me!'

'Grian, Doc isn't good at changing his opinions. You should stay away from him... but come on, let's head back to the overworld and...'

'Stay.' I grab his hand as he starts to leave. 'Just... stay with me for a bit. Talk to me about stupid things... distract me from everything.'

He pauses, but does.

'What kind of stupid things?' I think for a second.

'What's your dumbest death so far in season 7?'

He replies, and we keep talking. Ages pass. Talking, laughing, joking, being friends, until I'm ready to head back with him to the overworld.

'What if people hate me?' I ask.

'They don't. Trust me.'

It doesn't take long to reach the end portal. I stare in for a second, memories coming back. Half of me wants to jump through here and be in the Watcher world. The other half thinks how sad Mumbo and the other Hermits would be if I just disappeared now.

I jump. 

Grass under my feet as I land at spawn. I find fireworks in my inventory before I pause, looking back at Mumbo.

'Thanks.'

'For what?'

'Always being here for me.'

I take to the air, gliding over towards my base. The mansion appears quickly, and I land outside. I should probably start working on it again... start making...

'GRIAN!'

I turn at the sound of Scar's voice. 

'Scar?' I step back slightly, surprised. 'You seem... excited?'

'Are you ok? Cub said Doc was being mean to you.'

'Oh... I'm fine.' I don't know if I'm lying. 'Are you alright?'

'Yeah, yeah. There's something I need to ask you about.'

'Yeah?' I frown. 'Is it... Watchers?'

'No? Well, I don't think so. I found this weird robot in the jungle that...  looked like you.'

I frown.

'What?'

'Do you know what it is? It was all broken and...'

'No, no. I don't know what that is.' I lie. 'I don't care about it. Do what you want... use it for scrap parts... prank someone with it... use it as target practice.'

'Oh... ok.' Surprise crosses Scar's face. 'Well... I'll tell Cub you said that.'

'What?'

'I... told Cub about it. I wanted to tell you, but... couldn't find you. Where were you?'

'End. Thinking.' I explain briefly. 'I'll see you around then.'

'Yeah, yeah, bye Grian!' He flies away, and I continue on into the mansion, collapsing on my bed, staring at the ceiling far above, until I drift asleep.