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It had been almost a decade since Xelqua had last heard his real name spoken. He’d been keeping track, counting the days since They’d given him his new name. And in two days it will have been exactly a decade since he’d heard anyone speak his name. In two days he would be getting out of this place.
Xelqua continued patrolling for Them, he’d long ago realised the only way to get away was to gain Their trust. When he was told he would be able to finally watch worlds he’d been ecstatic. Watching meant looking for weaknesses, weaknesses that he could use to escape.
There was one world he’d been monitoring closely, Hermitcraft. When he first saw the world he was rather impressed, the world's admin was diligent and protective of his players, and it took Xelqua a moment to be able to look upon the world. And as the years marched on it only became more and more difficult for Xelqua to view the world of Hermitcraft, the admin growing stronger and more protective of his Hermits.
Now as Xelqua was sitting in what They had called a room, he knew exactly where he was going. He didn't have munch, only a simple red sweater and jeans to fit in amongst the players, and a pair of red and blue wristbands, but it was all he would need. He was confident that he could escape for long enough without Them noticing that he’d be able to slip into Hermitcraft and be rid of his flowing robes and reminders of a place he could no longer call home.
He Just had to be patient.
And perhaps if he’d waited just a second more he wouldn’t be crashing into the hermitcraft server, winded and bleeding. But he’d gotten away from Them, to a place They’d never be able to get to him, so to Xelqua it had all been worth it.
It had been a full week before Xelqua had met any of the Hermits, though he supposed the word met was a bit generous for the encounter. An older Hermit had found him when he bumped into him in a cave, waved at him, and wandered down one of the many spiralling tunnels within the cave. Xelqua stood stunned for a second before quickly retreating out of the cave, deciding that he didn’t want to risk being seen by any more of the players on this server just yet.
The second time a player saw Xelqua the encounter was much more awkward. It was a blond haired player with fiery hair and red eyes, lacking both pupil and sclera, this time Xelqua was able to read their code, seeing that their name was Tango. However, instead of waving or turning away like the previous player Tango merely stared at him, curiosity burning in his eyes. Xelqua stood beneath the Hermit's gaze for a moment, but when Tango began to speak Xelqua retreated back into the tree line and bolted away.
The next time Xelqua was spotted it was by none other than the admin himself, Xisuma. It took Xelqua a moment to notice that Tango was trailing behind the admin, looking somewhere between cocky and relieved.
Before Xelqua got the chance to fly off again, the admin spoke, asking a single question.
“How did you get here?” From Xisuma’s closed off stance and firm tone it was clear that he knew what Xelqua was, and he wasn’t sure if the fact that the admin knew made him feel better or worse. Maybe he would be too scared to act against Xelqua and would let him stay in hermitcraft, but maybe because he knew what he was he’d send Xelqua away from the server, back to somewhere where They could get him.
Just the thought of being back with Them made Xelqua feel queasy. He’d worked so hard to get away and who knows what They’d do to him if they ever got hold of him again. Xelqua’s face must have betrayed his slowly spiralling thoughts, as after a minute or so of tense silence the admin softened slightly.
“Why are you here?'' This time when Xisuma asked, his tone was much softer, sounding almost sympathetic. This took Xelqua by surprise, and as he snapped his head up to look at the admin his arms tightened around himself- when had he started hugging himself?
The admin had a sad sort of smile on his face and after a moment of Xelqua holding eye contact, too shocked to look away, Xisuma gestured for Tango to leave. And after only a moment's hesitation, he did.
This baffled Xelqua even more, he had not spoken a word and yet this admin seemed to know so much about him. It took Xelqua a moment, but he finally spoke.
“Why?” and even though it was only one word Xisuma seemed to understand what he meant.
“I know the look in your eyes,” he began, “I’ve seen it on countless of my Hermits when they first joined. Fear. You’re scared and running from something. I can’t trust you just yet, but I want to help you. This is a safe place for those living here, and it’s clear that you need that. I’m willing to provide that for you, but I need to know why someone so powerful is running, and I need to make sure that above all my Hermits are safe.”
And Xelqua was sceptical, nobody had ever offered him something so incredible without wanting something big in return. But the look in Xisuma’s eyes was so genuine that Xelqua wanted to believe that he could finally be safe, he wanted so badly for it to be true. He wanted so badly to stop running, he wanted so much to believe the words that had come from the admins mouth moments ago to be true, that he let himself.
Xelqua was tired, he wanted to stop running, and in a place so secure that he barely managed to get in, he finally let himself believe. That maybe, just maybe he could finally be safe. And after a moment, he finally spoke.
“Grian.” For the first time in over ten years Xelqua Grian, finally acknowledged who he really was. And when he met Xisuma’s eyes again, and saw kindness and understanding, he finally felt safe. After years of running, Grian finally felt safe.