As three ships sailed back to the harbour, Xisuma felt a glimmer of hope. They docked and Pearl jumped down. "350 troops. Ready to fight. Just put food on their table and you have their undying loyalty."

Scar nodded to the crowd. "Aren't you going to give them one of your big speeches?"

"I suppose I have to, don't I?" He stepped forward and spoke loudly. "People. You are here because you are going through the hardest of times. You have nothing to lose. Nothing to fight for. We are giving you something to fight for. Protect this world. Your name will live forever!"

Cheers erupted in agreement. Scar sighed. "I don't know how he does it." He then called out.
"Come with us. We'll take you to the armoury."

They led the troops down to the large warehouse and distributed swords among them. Most seemed to know how to wield them. The rest didn't need much practice.

Later Xisuma, Evil and Scar stood in a meeting room. They stared at a table with a map of the server on it. Xisuma put a counter on one spot. "They have a castle here. I say we storm them. If we attack before they are ready we could have an advantage."

"I see no problem with that." Evil casually added.

"Great. Rally the troops."

Evil ran out and Scar turned to X. "I can't see how this can turn out well. This is already destroying the hermits. I haven't heard doc speak in days. He just stands there. Staring at the floor. What if he has to face Ren in battle? Do you really think he'll be able to bring himself to defend against him."

"That's why we'll have his back. We'll have all of their backs. If we can just hold them together and figure out what's going on we can do this." Xisuma replied.

"Really? Because the other day I found Joe on the floor crying, holding a picture of him and Cleo."

"Scar trust me. We don't have any other choice."

———————————————————————

Iskall could see Xisuma and his army in the distance. Marching to them. "Seems they had a similar idea. Attack first. Looks like they were a little too late."

He turned to Etho. "Remember. Protect Cleo at all costs. If she gets taken down. We lose an army."

Hels stared at Etho and Cleo. "What's is with these two. Can they speak? Are they just lifeless zombies?"

"They can speak if they have a commander that allows them to. Which I am." Iskall replied.

Hels waved his hand infront of ethos face. "Hello? Anybody home?" He moved to touch him but Etho grabbed his arm and pushed him away. "Ok jeez. Calm down Kakashi."

"Don't call me that."

"He speaks!" Hels cheered.

"Stop, both of you." Iskall looked at his group. "Remember. Don't go for X. You can't beat him. My blade is designed to kill admins."

"Fine by me. I don't want to go up against him." Grian said.

"Agreed." Mumbo added.

"Let's go." Iskall led them through a field into a large open space. As they arrived he saw the enemy reach the opposite end of the field.

———————————————————————

Evil noticed Scars nervous face out of the corner of his eyes. Scared of death? Sacred of hurting his friends. Does it matter?

"Let's send someone in to talk to them." Xisuma said.

"I've got it." Evil Xisuma volunteered. "I know how bad guys think. Plus I know Hels."

Xisuma nodded. "Be careful."

Evil walked out to the center of the soon to be battle field. He saw Hels volunteer. As the nether knight met him in the middle of the field, they stared eachother down.

Hels looked at the landscape. "What do you think old friend? Is this a good place to die?"

He didn't know if that was trash talk or a threat. "We don't have to do this Hels. Tell Iskall to call them off."

"No chance."

"Fine. So we fight." He walked back to his side and looked at X. "No luck."

"I figured as much. He looked at the hermits and the army. "Some of you have known these people for years. They are your closest friends. But please. Prioritise your safety over theirs. If you have to hurt them. So be it."

The group murmured reluctant agreements. Xisuma stood forward. "Well, I suppose its time." He called out. "Hermits! Let's take our server back. Charge!"

Everyone from both sides charged forward. The two brothers leading the hermits. Evil locked eyes with Hels. Evil summoned a chain and threw it. It started to wrap around Hels but he quickly cut it with his blade. Hels threw a fire ball and followed through with a thrust with his sword. Evil jumped out of the way and wrapped a chain around Hels, throwing him to the ground. Hels jumped back up and blasted fire. Evil dodged and jumped forward, drawing his blade and slamming the hilt into the knights helmet. He pushed him over and Hels collapsed.

"Stay down."

Meanwhile. Cleo's eyes were glowing, book levitating in hand as she controlling the army of armour stands, fighting the opposite side. Etho stood by her, defending. Every now and then a soldier would make it over but he seemed to see every attack before it happened. Like he could replicate their attacks right back at them before they had a chance to move. After knocking out one of Pearls townsfolk he turned around to stare at joe.

Joe glared. "Get out of my way."

Etho pulled his hand back, lightning forming around it. Almost like a blade. Joe jumped out of the way as Etho punched it forward. Joe swung the blade, Etho brought up his hand and the sword deflected of the metal plates on his gloves.

Joe jumped forward, attacking with his sword. "Give her back!"

Over on the other side of the field Grim and Stress stood back to back as townsfolk ran at them. Grim wielding his scythe and Stress, her whip. Grim watched the soldiers fall around him. Some of them were probably dying. He didn't feel anything though. He moved forwards until he got to Impulse. After a bit of dodging and deflecting attacks Grim swung wide, Impulse narrowly dodging. Then Grim saw it. The opening. Impulse could kill him right now. And he took the chance.

Impulse swung his scythe straight at Grims throat. He didn't have time to dodge. He was already dead. But this would end even that. Dead for real. Just as he was preparing for the end, something green rammed into impulses side, knocking him over.

"Doc! What are you doing? You know it has to be done. He could kill any of us. He could kill me now."

Docs face was laced with guilt. "I know. But I can't let you kill him." Tears pricked at his eyes. His voice was croaky from lack of talking.

In the middle of the battlefield Iskall was fighting Xisuma. "You know what this sword is X?" Their weapons clanging together. "It's a spirit blade. It's designed to kill admins."

He threw the sword and it flew past and boomeranged back into Iskalls hand, narrowly missing Xisuma. Xisuma quickly typed something in into the screen on his wrist. And chunk of earth lifted up and flew at Iskall. After the fight went on for a bit it became clear to Iskall he was not winning. He knew that Grian and Mumbo were fighting somewhere behind him with Scar and False.

He knew what he had to do. "Cleo. Do it now." He called backwards.

Cleo nodded. Joe managed to push Etho over and stopped to look at Cleo. The book started glowing and the armour stand soldiers lifted high into the air. They changed shape into sharp spikes and were launched into the battlefield. They struck soldiers everywhere. Xisuma stepped back. Not sure what to think. He typed in a command to check who had been injured. About 150 soldiers. He was taken aback. Iskall just killed 150 people. Then. One name stood out to him. VintageBeef. He gasped. It can't be true. He quickly scanned and found him then ran over. He was followed by many other hermits.

"Beef?"

Beef was lying on the ground. One of the armour stand spikes was impaled through his stomach. The only sound was his shaky cough.

"I-I guess this is it." He managed to get out.

Xisuma couldn't let this happen. He could stop it. He had to. "No it's not. It's going to be ok Beef. We can still help you."

Beef knew the truth. "I always thought I would live a long happy life."

"And you still will. We can help you." Scar said through tears.

Beef shook his head. "At least I got the happy part down."

He laid his head back and after a few moments, stopped breathing. Xisuma knew, that even though his eyes were still open, he was no longer with them. Suddenly Cleo dropped to her knees. Something changed in her. Had the sight of the people she killed changed her? Xisuma typed something in his bracer. All of the injured soldiers were teleported to a hospital tent. The dead soldiers were taken to a flower field. Far away. Where they can rest, forever. He then selected the remaining soldiers.

"Let's retreat."

Joe called out. "Wait!" He ran and grabbed Cleo and they were teleported back to Xisuma's base.

———————————————————————

Iskall looked at the battlefield. Only blood left. It was just him, Grian, Mumbo, Hels, Grim, Stress and Etho. They lost their entire army. They had to be smarter. Everyone on his team looked fine except Hels, who was holding his head. Like he had a headache. He assumed Wels wasn't too happy about Beefs death.

"Lets go back to base."

———————————————————————

I won't lie
This hurt
Sorry it took so long btw
Poor doc

Next chapter: Change