Fwhip was slain by hoglin

They all knew what the message would be even before it came in. Fwhip's terrified comments had haunted the survivors until they couldn't bear them... Jimmy coming over, destroying everything, offering him the sheriff badge and a chance to be his deputy again, and then sending hoglins after him. 

Scott, Oli, Pix, Grian and Hermes all sat in the crypt in silence. Pix's message had come in too late for Sausage and Fwhip was insisting he'd be able to survive. Empires had fallen, just as Hermitcraft had, into factions... The survivors verses Pearl and Shubble verses Ren, Martyn and all the other Emperors.

'Well... I guess it's just us.' Oli finally found the words to speak. A nod back from the others. Hermes cuddled closer to Grian, who was hugging him. Both seemed equally scared. 

'Our only option is to go through the rift and ally with the other hermits... we might have a chance of outnumbering Ren's army and making him surrender... how many were left there?' Pix looked to Grian, who quickly figured it out. 

'5? Impulse, Stress, Wels, Hypno... Keralis. And there are 5 of us here...'

'Hermes isn't going to fight with us.' Scott snapped. 'He's a child.'

'4 here, 5 there. And Ren's got... a lot of people...' 

'Well it's better than hiding here!' Oli retorted. 'We might have more of a chance on Hermitcraft than we do here...'

'Ren's got Jimmy, Lizzie, Joel, Katherine, Joey, Sausage and Fwhip. And Martyn. 9. And back home they've also got Cub, Scar, Bdubs, Xisuma, Cleo, Joe, Tango, Zedaph and Iskall. It's 9 verses 4 or 18 against 9.' 

'Then going there is better, because it increases the odds to half.' Scott reasoned.

'They know Hermitcraft better.'

'The emperors they have know empires better...'

'Look, neither option is good and we're safer here. Besides, they don't like me because... I sold out Cub and Impulse for a chance of survival.'

'What?' Scott's expression turned to confused anger.

'It was a horrible idea, but it was that or they got to go through the rift.'

'And they did that anyway?'

'Because we go into a fight and Martyn snuck in! This- I shouldn't have told you.' Grian sighed. Hermes turned and patted his head in an attempt to comfort him.

'We have Shelby's magic books here.' Scott offered. 'Maybe... we can ally with her and Pearl.'

'They'll turn us into phantoms.' Grian shot back.

'Well it's better than hiding out here doing nothing!' Oli agreed. 'We might as well try it!'

'Oli and Scott do have a point... if we ally with them it gives us more of an advantage... an enemy of an enemy is a friend.' Pix noted. 

'Listen, I know what they're like. They're ruthless, cunning, and unreasonable. If we go over there, they'll turn us all into phantoms and then they will be no one left.' Grian countered. 'They have the advantage and will use it against us.' 

'I don't want to be stuck here forever just because it's safer! I want to go and find a solution to this, and Shubble's base is better.' Oli snapped, standing up. Hermes gave a little whimper. 

'You scared the child!' Scolded Scott.

'Oli, please. We need to make a decision together...' Pix took control. 'And in favour of staying here?' Grian raised his hand. 'All in favour of going to Hermitcraft and gaining more allies there?' Pix raised his own hand. 'And all in favour of going to Shubble's base and trying to befriend her and Pearl.' Oli and Scott raised their hands. 'Then we're agreed.' 

'Does Hermes get a vote?' Grian asked. No one spoke.

'I don't want to go.' He mumbled. 'Daddy Sausage said to go here because it was safe.'

'Then we're tied, and I have the casting vote.' Pix sighed.

'Seriously, leave here and we're all going to get killed.' Grian argued. 'Pearl and Shubble won't help us.' 

'Staying here won't help us either. I can try and talk to her if none of you want to. And Grian can stay here with Hermes if he's being stubborn...' 

'We're not splitting up.'

Pix still hadn't decided, eyes closed, either pondering or using watcher magic to spy elsewhere. Eventually, they opened again. Everyone - even Hermes - looked at him.

'We go to Shelby's base. But first we send Hermes through the rift.'

'What?' 

'It's safer than leaving him here. Oli and Scott are right. We need to do something.'

'Fine.' Grian stood up, carrying Hermes with him. The child let out a frightened whimper.

'I don't wanna go...'

But the group were agreed, leaving the safety of Pix's base and flying over to the rift. Grian crouched down, letting Hermes stand. 

'Hermes... you need to go through the rift and find the other hermits. They should be down a hidden staircase. They'll look after you... it'll be safer there.'

'But Daddy Sausage said...'

'We can tell Daddy Sausage. He'd want you to be as safe as you can.' 

'Tell the hermits that I might not be back for a while, but we're trying to find a solution.' Grian added. 

'I don't want to go.' Hermes blinked, tears shining in his eyes. 'I don't want to go.'

'The people there are really friendly.' Pix promised. 'It'll be a lot safer.' 

Hermes stepped away, turning to the giant purple rift. He was clearly terrified, snuffling, before entering. A moment later he was gone.

'Now we go to Shelby's base.' Oli sighed, staring at where the smol bean was. 

'Exactly.' 

The journey was made in silence. Fear rose in Grian as they got closer and closer, hoping the dawn would arrive before they did. Phantoms swarmed the skies, screeching. Pearl watched from the rooftops, eyes narrowed, before gliding down to join Gem.

The group landed.

'We come in peace.' Pix began, arms raised in surrender. 'All we want is to try out some potions and read some books...'

'You want to stop us.' Shelby guessed instantly, phantom wings raised behind her. Grian backed further away.

'We need to go. I knew this was a bad idea.' 

'We'll let you in. For a trade.' Pearl said instead. A flicker of an idea crossed Grian's mind. If they were successful, it didn't matter who they gave up. And of the three, Pix was the smartest, and Scott knew the most about magic...

'Fine.' Grian spoke. Everyone looked at him. 'You get Oli.'