Destruction Among Us

Chapter Eight

"Ack, that hurts," Jason whined, complaining about the burn on his right arm. Somehow a ghast's fireball had got through his suit and burned him—looks like he needs to make a few modifications. The nurse smiled softly, pressing a wet cloth to the burned area. Jason winced but looked at where Ant was located. Ant had been injured pretty badly and was unconscious for the moment. Sky refused to leave his brother's side and when they all returned to the Sky Base, Ssundee disappeared to his room.

"Well, that battle could've gone worse," Husky walked through the door, his eyes red. Jason could tell his mudkip friend had been crying, they all had been, he was still pretty sure Jerome had climbed his tree to escape.

Sky chuckled grimly. "I almost lost Ant, and we all lost Ms. Faye—not to mention several recruits' lives." They had a moment of silence for the fallen before speaking again.

"I just—I don't get it. Why would Ms. Faye be so willing to fight Herobrine, knowing that she would die?" Jason asked. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sky fidget and he turned to him, receiving a glare from the nurse. "Sky?"

"I can't keep this from you any longer," Sky sighed. "Ms. Faye came to me when the portals kept popping up. She told me of her plan and made me swear to keep you all in the dark." He looked down at his and Ant's entwined hands. "She-she knew what would happen and she told me that we have to find her old book—that there was a letter in it with instructions."

Husky and Jason glared at him momentarily before realizing that Faye wouldn't have allowed Sky to deny her plan. She would use her power over them to get him on her side. She was manipulative at times too.

"Ne, ne, where's Mama Faye?"

The three awake men looked to the door and Noah stood there, a frown on his face. Sparklez was behind him, also wondering where their caretaker was. Husky sighed, looked at Jason and Sky, and then quickly escaped from the room. He didn't want to have to tell the seven year old his "mama" was dead.

"She's in a better place now Noah," Jason said awkwardly. Noah's gaze hardened into a glare and his white eyes turned to Jason.

"If Mama Faye was in a better place then she would be answering the Nether Star I gave her. She's not answering!" Noah cried. "She said that she would always answer, Mama Faye would never lie to me!" Jason's heart clenched in sympathy for the boy. He knew that Noah would be crushed and probably not talk to anyone for a while.

"Noah, when Jason says 'better place' he means that, Faye, that she… she died." Sparklez whispered the last part, bending down to his brother's level.

"No! She can't have died! Mama Faye wouldn't let father kill her!" Noah protested, backing away from his brother.

"She's-"

"No! I won't believe it; Mama Faye didn't survive five years in the horrible place to die by that man!" Noah screamed, tears pooling in his eyes. "Mama Faye is different than everyone else, she-she—" Sparklez pulled the boy to his chest and began whispering comforting words to him. Noah pushed the older away from him and glared at nothing in particular. "I'll kill him for harming Mama Faye." Noah's white eyes flashed brightly and he left the room.

"Noah!"

"Target practice."

Sparklez let his younger brother go, those two words keeping him in his place. Noah was serious—he would fight their "father" when it was time. Sparklez walked to Ant's bedside, pulling a chair up and taking a seat. "How's he doing?"

"The doctors say he should be waking up any time now, but—I can't believe I almost lost him too." Sky answered quietly, not removing his eyes from Ant's face. Jason grunted, his burn finally treated and he pulled a chair up to the foot of the bed. They sat quietly for a few minutes, just basking in the quiet, thinking.

A couple knocks were heard at the door and they turned to see Ssundee there, eyes red and puffy. "Ant doing okay?" Sky nodded in response and Ssundee moved closer. Sparklez got up to offer his chair and go check on Noah, but Ssundee asked him, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit my friend in the medical room, is that a problem?"

Ssundee scoffed before saying, "You weren't even at the battlefield; you don't even know what happened to him."

Sparklez stared at him, sighing, "I know why you're being like this. It's because Faye died and you can't cope with it. I miss her too but-"

"Don't you dare," Ssundee sneered. "You weren't there. You didn't see her soul leave her body. You have nothing to say! You barely even talked to her and you say that you miss her? She was my older sister!" Ssundee's calm speaking was getting louder by the second until he was screaming. "If you were there, she might've been saved!"

The group was silent, a groan from Ant the only noise breaking the silence. "Ant!?" Sky shouted, then clamping a hand over his mouth when another pained groan came from his brother.

"Who was yelling?" Ant moaned, his eyes opening halfway.

"I was," Ssundee raised his hand slightly. "Sorry, didn't know you would wake up."

"But—why were you… yelling about... Ms. Faye?" Ant panted. The group was quiet, Ssundee turning and leaving the room, the others watching him go. He brushed past Mitch and Jerome on his way out, glaring.

The two came inside, Mitch asking, "What's wrong with him?" Sparklez shook his head, leaving also. Mitch gave him a questioning look before turning to the others. "Ant, you're awake!"

Ant groaned, placing a hand on his head. "Please… don't yell." His eyes were drawn to the quiet bacca beside Mitch. "Jerome? What's… wrong?" He was worried for his friend, Jerome's eyes were red and puffy and he kept rubbing at his nose sniffling. Jerome looked at the bedded man, mumbling something incomprehensible, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. Jason sighed, finally deciding to stop beating around the bush.

"Ms. Faye's dead Ant."

Ant's eyes widened and he whispered, "Wh-what?" Tears pooled in his eyes and Sky tugged him towards himself for a comforting hug. When he was in Sky's arms, he sobbed on his brother's shoulder. This caused Jerome to bury his head in Mitch's shoulder and hiccup; trying to keep his own tears in.

~Destruction Among Us~

Ssundee walked along the pathway, angrily kicking pebbles off it. Sparklez had no right to even think about Faye. She died trying to protect him and he dare says he would do anything for her? Ssundee wouldn't put it past him that Sparklez knew about what Faye was getting into and let her do it anyways.

It pissed him off to know that Faye had told certain people what she was doing, but not him. He could've helped! He grumbled angrily before he heard a sound of crushing and he moved towards it. The noise led him into the forest surrounding the hometown inside the Sky Base and he maneuvered through the trees with practiced ease. The crashing noises got louder and Ssundee could see a small figure, exploding trees.

Ssundee watched, eyes widening in shock, seeing Noah's white eyes. He was crying and shooting off explosions from his palms. "Noah?"

Noah turned around, ready to kill, but paused when he saw Ssundee. "What?"

"You okay?"

The words seemed to break Noah and he fell to the ground, sobbing. Ssundee rushed forward and awkwardly pulled the seven year old into a hug. Noah buried his face into Ssundee neck, clutching at his shirt. "Why?" Noah hiccupped. "Why Mama Faye?"

Ssundee buried his face into Noah's head and sighed, deciding he cried enough for one day. "I don't know why it had to be Faye."

"She-she could've stay-ed. Sh-she didn't have to go." Noah wailed. Ssundee just held the boy, afraid to say something that would upset him entirely. The boy seemed traumatized at losing someone so close to him for the first time. "I'll kill him. I'll kill that man for Mama Faye."

Ssundee tensed when he realized the seven year old was talking about Herobrine. "Noah," Ssundee sighed, pulling the boy away from him, grabbing his shoulders. "Faye wouldn't want you to go after Herobrine without a plan. She has a letter to us that will help us defeat him." Noah stared at Ssundee for a little before wrapping his arms around the seventeen year old's neck and exclaiming in a cracked voice;

"Thank you Uncle Ssundee!"