Chapter Text
The lava around him burns a fiery yellowed glow. The sheer heat of it burrows deep into his skin, through the netherite trim of his armour, and into his bones. He's never liked the heat. It just takes and takes and leaves nothing but empty husk behind. It reminds him too much of that unending need for more that had once fuelled his every decision. To be the most feared. To be the most powerful. To be the most dangerous. It reminds him far too much of himself. Wemmbu misses the End. He misses the cold indifference that it heralds. There's little to nothing there. Nothing or no-one to judge him for what he has done and will do. Minus the two people he knows that live there. He misses his best friend. He misses Egg. He even misses Minutetech. It worried Wemmbu that he had vanished when he’d last visited the end. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud. He didn’t know if that was because he knew that Minute couldn't have been defeated so easily by Flamefrags. Egg did say that he was able to escape to the outer End islands. He hopes that the man is alive anyway.
He stopped paying attention to Parrot’s endless chatter ages ago. As far as Wemmbu can tell, he's still going on about “virtue” and how “he's lost” and “it's time to pay the consequences of his actions.” All of this just so Parrot can prove himself to be the righteous one in this situation. The hero. He’s making a lot of assumptions for someone who knows nothing of his situation. He assumes that all Wemmbu is, is a villain that must be stopped to save the server. That he causes nothing but destruction and chaos. That he's a lost cause.
He's not entirely wrong.
Wemmbu had wanted power. To prove himself to be strong. An image of Zam flashes in his mind. No. He’s not weak anymore. He can fight and he can win. He isn’t going to lose anymore. He won't lose anymore.
He knows that he's not a good person. That's part of the whole reason he faked his death in the first place. Everyone does things that they later regret. Hell, he even feels a little guilty about killing Boomie. But in all honesty, what the hell gives Parrot any right to accuse him of using a fake identity as anything other than trying for a new start? Using Boomie as a leverage point? That they did nothing wrong and that he was only trying to start fresh? Boomie was in no way an innocent player. They literally attacked Capital City, just like he had. Though not to an as serious degree that he had, but still! Boomie was not some innocent player that had committed zero crimes throughout his time on the server. He tells Parrot so.
And what a surprise. Parrot ignores everything he says because he’s the “Bad Guy” in this situation and that therefore discredits everything he says. Who was he kidding, of course Parrot wouldn’t listen to him. The guy already has this whole narrative in his mind that he's the “Hero” and the server needs to be saved from Wemmbu, who was obviously the “Villain”. Like Flame, who stood right next to him, hadn’t done any worse. As if Parrot even had the right to decide his fate. There has to have been some ulterior motive that Wemmbu had to disappear off the server. Because why wouldn’t he? He was the servers most feared mace user that beat “The Immortal Demon” in a 1v1. He had access to multiple orbital strike cannons and was known to use them without discretion. People with that amount of power wouldn’t just disappear without a word.
But what are you supposed to do when you achieve the thing you sought to achieve? There’s nothing left after that. What purpose was there left? Wemmbu was tired of this. Tired of the constant fighting, the constant running, the constant loss. Whether that was losing a fight or actual people. Being the strongest was supposed to help him escape all that. When that didn’t work, the fake identity was supposed to help him leave all that behind and look where it's got him.
He just wants to be left alone at this point. He should have known that would have been practically impossible. The strongest player suddenly dies for some uncertain cause? Yeah, fat chance. He should have laid low for a few days before actually starting with the whole "Invisible Knight” crap. Should have let the rumour spread its roots just that bit further. Netherite trim on diamond armour was also kinda dumb. Who the hell would be stupid enough to use netherite for trims on diamond armour instead of turning it into netherite? Him apparently.
None of that particularly mattered anymore, did it? He thought as he pulled the milk from his inventory. The invisibility potions effects that he practically relied on, falling from him. His body coming back into view for the first time since he’d fallen into that weird void dimension with Boosfer. It was disconcerting, how his own body didn’t feel like it was his. Skin that feels like it wraps around him wrong. He’d grown so accustomed to the transparency provided by the invis potions. This body, that most definitely was him, didn’t belong to him anymore. It belonged to whoever, whatever, came before. That wasn’t him anymore.
You can never outrun your past for long he supposes.
Parrot's seemingly unending gloating was beginning to become grating to listen. He doesn't know where Parrot got the idea that he doesn't like him. He cannot think of a single time, other than what’s happening right now, where Parrot ever bothered him enough to actually hate the bird. But, Wemmbu supposes, once Parrot believes something there's little point in trying to change his mind. With that, Wemmbu throws a wind charge at him, knocking him off the platform. He notices Flame check the spot where the avian had fallen. Wemmbu doesn't care to look. The other likely had a stasis chamber already set up in case things got a bit dicey.
Now it was just him, Flame, and the ever present heat of the lava on the floating platform.
Flamefrags, Flame, the Immortal Demon, come to reclaim his title as the strongest on the server. The thing is, Wemmbu didn’t doubt that Flame was stronger than him. The only thing that really held him back was that he just had to fight fairly. No tricks, no cheats and definitely no orbital strike cannons. In a real battle though, what use was honour? Do anything and everything at your disposal to win. That’s how he was taught to fight and that’s how he will fight. If they were to fight right now, Wemmbu was almost certain that Flame would win. He was severely undergeared, his armour half broken, and reasonably injured from his earlier fights with Theo. The other avain’s bombs doing a number on him. He had no clue why Flame thought this fight was any fairer than their previous one. Maybe he didn’t realise just how drained Wemmbu actually is. Or he’s just a hypocrite.
Even with the blindfold over his eyes, the demon’s face was incredibly expressive. His mouth curled upwards in a fanged grin. A predator eyeing up their next meal. His netherite sword shining in one hand and a shield gripped in the other. He looks like everything that Wemmbu should be. Confident, powerful, strong. Everything that Wemmbu refuses to admit he isn’t. He’s sure he looks horrid. The cloak that covered his shoulders and wings was ripped and fraying at the edges. The veil that covers his face wasn’t in much better condition. The long hair that he was usually so proud of, unkempt and dull.
The sound of pots breaking brought him back to reality.
“If you’re really the strongest bro, you could beat me right now. No matter the circumstances” Flame’s voice cut through the lingering haze covering his mind. His full attention snapping to the demon
“The strongest will win, no matter what.”
Wemmbu takes a long breath. Sifting through his remaining few potions, bracing himself for the coming onslaught that was bound to happen. Flame wasn’t the kind to settle things with just words. He was the kind to take action first, ask questions later. He couldn’t blame him.
“Well, I guess you’re right.” With that, he smashes the potions at his feet and lunges at Flame.
Their swords crash together. Flame’s grin only widens. Wemmbu stops himself from wincing as his foot lands at an awkward angle. He can’t let Flame see that he’s struggling. He ran out of rockets ages ago after his fight with Theo, left with only wind charges and ender pearls. He flings himself into the air to come crashing down with Gambit. Flame’s sword catches a part his arm left exposed by the significant damage done to his armour. He grits his teeth as he feels the tell tale burn of fire aspect bite into the flesh.
He launches himself back up into the air to try to land another hit with Gambit. What he doesn’t expect however, is to hear the sound of voices coming from outside the dome. There were people here, for whatever reason, trying to break into the dome. They had to be here for Flame. The only people who would come for Wemmbu are in the end. He’s never seen Minute leave his post as guardian of the end to return to the overworld and it would take Egg weeks to get anywhere close to spawn. Unless Parrot or Theo was back. No-one else even knew he was alive and the birds can’t chatter away that quickly.
“Yo Flame? So there’s like 50 people here.”
“...What?”
Wemmbu scoffed.
“So you lied about the 1v1 and brought back up? Wow man. And I thought you wanted a fair fight.”
Flame took a look at the players that were currency flooding into and interrupting their fight. The banner that covers their shields is eerily familiar.
“Oh my god bro… These guys aren’t with me, they’re Lawmen dawg.” Flame groans in exasperation. The name is also familiar to Wemmbu, he just can’t quite recall where from… Oh, wait a minute. Right. The Law were the ones that owned that one base he blew up some time ago. That does not bode well for his current predicament. That and the fact that the Lawmen’s appearance did nothing to stop Flame from attacking him.
“Wemmbu! Wow, you’re alive. That’s convenient, killing two birds with one stone.” Another familiar voice was the last thing that he wanted to hear right now. LettuceK, leader of The Law steps into view. Lava dripping off of him and his bright, gold trimmed armour. Fire resistance potions doing their work. He could see Flame in his peripheral getting jumped by another 10 players as they trickled in from… how ever they got in.
Wemmbu offered the man no reply. The platform they were on was almost entirely covered with people attacking both Flame and himself. This, however, did not stop Flame’s tunnel vision of attacking him specifically. He saw Flame’s sword just as it managed to graze his cheek.
“Are you actually kidding me bro.” He glanced back to see Flame get distracted by Lettuce and a few others from the Law. Serves him right.
Taking the opportunity, he fled. Finally managing to break through the layer of obsidian that surrounded the dome. He jumped out into the water, taking out the trident he’d got from his little adventure with Jaden. The water of the ocean is cold and soothing against his skin and burns from either the lava or Flame’s sword. Finally away from that damn heat. He takes a moment to just breathe in the fresh air around him. The air is crisp and untainted by the constant burnt smell that often accompanied the molten rock. After a second or two he riptides away, in no general direction, just away. It reminds him of his time with Jaden.
He is soon ripped from his thoughts as he hears the distinct sound of a trident. One that isn’t his anyway. Wemmbu’s face falls as he spares a glance behind him. There he spots Flame, chasing him once again, with a riptide trident of his own help in his hand. Great. Just wonderful even. Maybe the other hasn’t spotted him yet. Maybe he has some time to get away.
“Hey! Wemmbu! We’re not done yet bro!”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Nevermind.
They had resumed their fight for maybe 10 minutes before the Law showed up again. No matter where they moved the fight, there was Lettuce and his stupid army only a small way behind them. It was starting to get to a point where Wemmbu was considering just nuking all of them. He’d already used one earlier. In the past, he probably would have but he doesn’t particularly want to waste them when he only has so many left. Killing that many people also left a bad taste in his mouth. It doesn’t sit right with him and he doesn’t know why. Flame didn’t seem to be much less annoyed than him at the Law’s persistent chase for him. Speaking of Flame, the man was currently staring down at him from his perch in a tree. Wemmbu could almost feel the demon’s eyes clock every single slight movement that he made. Despite the blindfold still tied around his head. His eyebrows furrowed, properly taking in Wemmbu’s disheveled appearance. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say that the demon looked concerned.
“So Flame, you like, wanna put the fight on hold for now? If we deal with Lettuce first then we can just fight without getting interrupted.”
Flame hesitated. Possibly weighing his options. Both of their armour was half broken and both are currently running low on supplies. Well, Wemmbu running lower than he already was before. The Law had already interrupted their fight twice and would no doubt do it again.
“... Fine bro. I guess we can have a temporary truce. But once Lettuce isn’t a problem anymore, I'm getting my rematch.”
“I wouldn’t expect any less.”
They go back to Flame’s base to re-gear. Which was kinda dumb but where else would they go? Wemmbu didn’t have a base and the end was the second most likely place for them to go. There was also the fact that Wemmbu didn’t really want to put Egg in any danger with his and Flame’s presence. It was bringing him into a fight that he had no part in in the first place.
The Law came. Because of course they would find them here. It was kind of nice to be fighting with Flame instead of against him for once. Wemmbu would watch the skies while Flame would deal with things on the ground. It wasn’t hard to get rid of the players that showed up when both of them had restocked. He stayed up in the air as much as he could, he didn’t particularly feel like fighting when he was fairly certain his ankle was sprained. It felt great not worrying about people seeing his wings anymore. The fight was going reasonably well. That was until one of the Law-men managed to get a cheap shot through his chestplate. The diamond sword slicing through his skin. He only just managed to bite back a cry of pain. Flame was still nearby. He’d think of him as weak. Wemmbu’s smashes down his mace on the Law-man that managed to get him.
He can feel it, as blood seeps its way into the clothes underneath his armour. It hurts. It hurts bad, but it’s not debilitating. By that logic there’s no need to tell Flame. The only thing he needs to worry about is the fact that one of his perfectly good shirts is now ruined. That, and the fact that Lettuce is currently getting away. He ignores the way Flame glances at him. Eyebrows furrowed in that weird way, like he was concerned. Which was impossible because there was no way that Flame of all people was concerned about him. They need to focus on getting rid of Lettuce right now.
He’s fine.