<TW> mention of violence, mention of possession, goodbye, blood, injury, reunion, crying

<CW> fluff, angst

This is it.. the final chapter. After this there's the epilogue, and then I'll probably add a little a/n thing to officially end it.

But, I have loved writing this, and I hope you've enjoyed reading.

Now, I'm gonna stop with this, since I still have more to do (and I might make an anniversary special in September..) and I'm rambling-

Well, enjoy the finale!!

[MAIN PLOT BY Roxy-Rox0 ]

The Being knew they lost. As much as they hated to admit it; they failed. They didn't take over Hermitcraft in time.

And now they'd be all alone again, just a disappointment rotting away on the inside in the Watchers' realm.

The headmasters were getting on the server, the Being could feel it. They dreaded the moment they'd be taken away, and just felt angrier towards the Watchers and Listeners on Hermitcraft.

So, the Being supposed, it was the end. They were saying goodbye.

But, that didn't mean they were going to leave without leaving the Hermits some final difficulties.

✦✦ m a g i k ✦✦

  Grian finally reached X's base, where an unconscious BDubs and Xisuma greeted him. He huffed and Scar stumbled beside him, Etho being dragged behind the two.

  Grian had sent the call to the headmasters, so he hoped that they would listen for once and deal with the Being.

  "Do you want me to-" Scar started but Grian cut him off.

  "No, Scar, you're hurt and can't walk. Just call for someone else to help once I get you inside," Grian said.

  Scar would call him a hypocrite, but decided against voicing it. After all, Grian had just been unconscious a half hour ago, in agony. His wing was still burnt horribly and bruises covered him.

  Grian dropped Etho off beside BDubs and carefully helped Scar inside. Once he entered though, he was met with Cub, who was preparing to go outside.

  They blinked at each other, both wide eyed, and Scar broke the silence. "Well, hello there, Cub!"

  "Scar?" Cub muttered, "Grian? What are you-? You know what, I don't care, come in, Stress is in the other room, she'll help you. I need to go find X-"

  "He's on the porch," Grian said, shuffling forward to enter the other room and find Stress.

Cub nodded and walked outside, letting Grian and Scar past. "Stress!" Grian called out.

She immediately popped out of a doorway, probably about to greet them, but she froze when she noticed the duo's injuries. "Grian, Scar! What happened?"

Stress fussed and stopped the boys from walking any closer, instead forcing them to take a few steps back to sit down on the couch. "Never mind, just stay there, I'll be right back." She told the two.

Grian sighed and leaned against Scar, wincing when the burned bare skin of his wings brushed against the fabric of the couch. Scar put his arm around Grian and rubbed his shoulder comfortingly.

Stress returned with some first aid supplies, False trailing after her and branching off to help Cub carry the trio of Hermits that were passed out on the porch.

Stress removed the bloody and ripped sweater from Scar's head and placed actual bandages, making sure it was secure and that Scar had no other severe injuries before she moved on to Grian.

Stress bandaged Grian up next, putting a cream on his burned skin and washing away any drying blood.

  False and Cub came in through the door, Cub struggling to half drag in Etho, and False carrying BDubs in easily. BDubs looked more like a ball of moss, though.

  Grian giggled at them. "You alright, Cub?" He said.

  "Perfectly fine," Cub responded dryly, propping Etho up against the couch.

False grinned and placed BDubs delicately down on the corner of the couch near Stress. "Want me to get X?" She asked, covering her snickers with one of her gloved hands.

Cub grumbled to himself and went back outside to grab the admin by himself.

Scar smiled at the little interaction, still holding Grian close. Grian sighed and wrapped his unburned wing around the two of them, letting his eyes droop closed. They stayed close, the (desert)duo passing out from exhaustion on the sofa.

  Etho blinked his eyes open as Stress carefully made him drink a regeneration potion. Stress smiled at him as False rummaged through her inventory in the background in search of any other helpful potions she might have on her.

  "Thanks, Stress," Etho mumbled, taking the bottle from the brunette and finishing it himself, feeling the strange sensation of his energy returning and any pain fading.

  "No problem," Stress hummed, her eyebrows furrowing as she bandaged Etho's damaged face carefully.

  Etho winced when Stress wiped some blood away from his eye, Stress quietly apologizing immediately.

Etho smiled as Stress tightened the bandage, then stepped away. The two could hear Cub muttering under his breath as he tried to carry Xisuma safely inside.

Etho stood up and walked over to Cub, helping him place Xisuma where Etho had been.

  "Thanks," Cub huffed, looking over at Scar and Grian peacefully cuddled up together.

  Etho watched Stress hand False some smaller bandaids and instruct the blonde to fix up BDubs while she helped X. He smiled again and looked at Cub, who was dusting off nonexistent dust from his coat.

  "No problem."

✦✦ f r o g g y ✦✦

  Over the next few days Cub found out that the Being was gone. But the possessed Hermits remained easily angered and green eyed. It confused Cub, but he also figured out it was easier to apprehend them now that the Entity wasn't giving them any orders.

He put the angry group in a room together, most of them got unchained because they became unresponsive. Slowly their green eyes became faded, and their attitudes dulled.

  "Is-" Grian appeared behind Cub and started.

  "No, Mumbo's not back yet." Cub cut the brunette off. "I think we don't even need to do anything, they should turn back to normal actually pretty soon."

  Grian's wings slumped at the information; he wanted his friends back now, not later. But he did gaze hopefully into the white room through a large window.

  He stared at Mumbo, the mustached Hermit looked frustrated, but his pupils were slowly regaining a black color.

  "I hope so," Grian said, leaning against a chest Cub had placed for his stuff.

Pearl came back first. Hours after Grian's visit, when it was already far past midnight. Her eyes flickered to their normal color slowly before they returned.

"Pearl.." Cub muttered, quickly rushing to get inside the room and pull the brunette out.

"Cub?" Pearl asked drowsily, staring at the green eyes of the people in the room she had just been in.

"Yeah, right here." Cub guided Pearl into the joining room he was staying in.

  "What? Gem was- The green thing-" Pearl muttered, rubbing her temple with her fingers.

  "Calm down, Gem's in that room, and the Being's gone."

  "Oh," Pearl paused and looked at Cub. "It's gone? It's over?"

  "It's over, Pearl, it's over."

✦✦ c h o b b l e s o m e ✦✦

  Mumbo was still in shock, in all honestly. He was free. His body was his own again.

  Cub wanted all the previously possessed Hermits to surprise the other Hermits in the morning, giving them time to rest. To say Mumbo didn't want to wait was an understatement, but he didn't know how else to say it.

  So when Cub was yawning and telling Mumbo and the others to follow him, he did so eagerly. Although he did notice Zedaph hanging back.

  Mumbo's first reaction to the outside world in his own body was to recoil, because he wasn't used to the brightness of the sun or grass. But once the previously possessed Hermits came out they were immediately engulfed in affection from friends. 

  The crowd was honestly overwhelming to Mumbo, so despite his happiness to see his friends again, he had to step back and breathe his own air again. Although, as always, Mumbo's peace could never last long. But he wouldn't want it any other way.

  "Mumbo!" A voice practically screeched, moments later a body tackling Mumbo.

  "Grian!" Mumbo laughed, steadying himself.

  "Are you alright?" Scar asked, tears already threatening his eyes as he helped Mumbo straighten up.

  "Yeah, thanks-" Mumbo replied, his voice breaking a bit at the end as his emotions overwhelmed him.

  Scar pulled Mumbo closer and engulfed him in a comforting hug, Grian quickly doing the same to Mumbo's back and wrapping his wings around the three of them.

  Mumbo cried again, clinging to Scar and feeling the warmth of Grian's soft wings. This time he felt as though the tears were more from relief, than sadness, though.

  Scar smiled at Mumbo, blinking away his tears as Mumbo's flowed. Grian buried his face in Mumbo's back, clinging to Mumbo's suit as if he would leave him again.

  "Welcome back, Mumbo." Scar sniffled, putting his head on Mumbo's shoulder.

  "Welcome home." 

✦✦ i ' l l  m i s s  t h i s ✦✦

  Yes, Zedaph didn't walk out with everyone else. Yes, he still blamed himself for a chunk of what happened. Yes, he desperately wanted to hug another Hermit.

  Yes, Zedaph was still confused about the entire situation.

  But he didn't know how everyone else still felt about him. Would Doc ever forgive him? Will Ren ever not hate him? Can Zedaph ever forgive himself?

  Zedaph exited from another door, creeping around the crowded areas and finding a solitary space away from everyone. Then he just stood there, feeling sorry for himself.

  "Zed?" A voice called out, Zedaph's ears twitching as their footsteps came to a hesitant stop a bit away from him.

  Zedaph's eyes widened as he recognised the voice and he turned, tears filling his eyes and clouding his vision. But he could still see his brunette hair, his lab coat, his robotic arm, his green skin.

  "Doc.." Zedaph muttered to himself.

  He turned fully and ran towards the creeper hybrid, the tears beginning to fall. Doc smiled slightly, opening his arms in anticipation for what Zedaph would do.

  Zedaph almost tackled Doc, wrapping his arms around the creeper hybrid and burying his wet face in Doc's chest. Doc wrapping his arms around the shorter goat hybrid in comfort.

  "I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, Doc.!" Zedaph cried, sniffling.

  Doc placed his hand on top of Zedaph's head, patting him comfortingly. "It's alright, I forgive you." He said softly.

  "Really?" Zedaph mumbled into Doc's chest.

  "Yes, they'll all forgive you Zed," Doc reassured him.

  Zedaph hugged Doc tighter and squeezed his eyes closed. "It's over." He told Doc.

  "I know," Doc hummed. "You can come home, we'll welcome you back with open arms."

  Zedaph sobbed again, this time practically with relief. Because he could come home.

  Because it was over.

1828 words 

Goodness, I wanted to cry when writing this- not 'cause of the writing, but because I won't be writing this again.

I'll see you in the epilogue, which'll hopefully be out soon!

Have a great one!