Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Void it’s cold.

That’s the first thought that pops into Grian’s head when he first steps foot into the Watchers domain.

Yes he knows it was dumb but he can’t control his thoughts.

Maybe the Watchers can’t feel cold,he means they aren’t human are they?

Grian glances over to the Watcher beside him having just learned their name was Two.

Bit boring but not sure what he expected.

He manages to catch Two’s eye or pair of eyes,they have at least fifty pairs just floating in the air.

“What is you question,Xelqua?” Two asks in a dead tone.

Grian blinks and forces eye contact no matter how weird it is.

“Not my name by whatever,” he grumbles under his breath “Uh it’s kinda dumb but you’re not human right?”

Two sighs heavily,or at least Grian thinks he does Two doesn’t have a mouth.

“No,Xelqua,we Watchers are not human,we are omnipotent beings who rule over the void.” Another pair of eyes makes eye contact. “It’s best if you remember what I tell you,Xelqua.”

“Again not my name but I’ll ask about that later.” Grian mumbles under his breath again. “Then where are we going,it’s kinda all just black.”

Two nods and turns away to the black void. “That is because you have not yet been given our gift of Watching.Once you have been bestowed this gift you will be able to see our dwelling place.”

Grian relaxes when Two lets go of his gaze,before trying to squint out to the pure black void.

Nope still nothing.

“So when will I be ah bestowed this so called gift of Watching?” He asks in heavy quotations.

Two’s gaze returns full force all fifty pairs of their eyes burning into Grians skull.He snaps his spine straight out of pure reaction.

Void that is terrifying…

“Do not patronize me Xelqua.” Two snaps out. “Your lucky you have not yet been formally made into a Watcher or else a punishment would have been imposed.Never absolutely never again will you insult our gift that we so graciously give to you.Got it Xelqua?”

Grian swallows hard,heart beating like a jackhammer as he nods rapidly.

Yes-yes of course I understand.” Grian manages to stutter out taking a small step back.

Two keeps their gaze a bit longer before turning away.

“Good now come closer Xelqua you’ll get lost quickly here with your mortal eyes”

Grian nods and shuffles closer to Two still shaking slightly but out of fear does as he was told.

Two places a hand on his shoulder to guide him and Grian barely manages to hold a flinch.

Their hand is freezing!

And Grian worked with ice and clay for his mega build for Evo,he knows what cold is and has built a high tolerance to it.

But this?

He is lucky his shoulder doesn’t immediately turn to ice from their touch.

“Follow Xelqua,if you get lost it will not be my fault.” Two says firmly beginning to walk again.

Grian doesn’t know if he can pry their hand off his shoulder if he tried,but he keeps pace anyways.

“So…” Grian starts after a few minutes of walking in silence,he always hated silence always finding ways to fill it. “How long will we be walking for? I kinda figured you could teleport or use your wings or something” Grian says glancing at the several pairs of wings melded together on Two’s back and even a few on their head.

Two sighs again before answering. “Of course we Watchers can teleport but if I did so it would tear apart you code in an instant. As for the wings they are more of a symbol than a use of transportation. Once you have learned and have become a Watcher you too will be gifted these powers.”

Yeah Grian decided to not ask anymore

After all this is the fate he had chosen,for his friends,for his family.

Whatever keeps them safe he will become a Watcher.

Chapter Text

Two was right when they said he wouldn’t be able to see their dwelling place with his “mortal eyes”.

But they didn’t mention he wouldn’t be able to see anything at all!

Two guided him around keeping a firm hand on Grian’s shoulder walking through a place he could not see.Stopping by what Grian thought were doors and making sharp turns around places.

After bumping into a corner for the fifth time Grian figured it would be better at this point to just be teleported and deal with his code tearing apart.

Thankfully after what seemed like an hour of walking Two opens one last door and walks him inside.

“Listen now Xelqua for this is important.” Two says in a sharp tone. “You will listen and do as you’re told and you will not question anything,if you do punishment will be in order,understand?”

Grian swallows hard shrinking at his sharp words and nods “Yes I do.” He whispers out turning his gaze to the floor.

“Good,on your knees Xelqua you are about to be acknowledged by our leader,act out of line and you will learn what true torture is.” Two says squeezing Grians shoulder hard enough to draw blood.

Grian bites his tongue hard shaking as he drops to his knees keeping his back straight and only responding with a stiff nod.

Two nods approvingly taking their hand off his shoulder and leans down to whisper one last thing. “Do not raise your head until you are spoken to,do not talk unless told to,do not move unless ordered too.” Two straightens and walks back into the shadows leaving Grian to face the so called leader of the Watchers.

Grian licks his lips nervously trying hard not to look up or fidget with his clothes.If you knew him for a second you would know staying still was not an easy task for him.But out of fear he kept still keeping his gaze and what was hopefully the floor.

He doesn’t have to wait because after a few seconds that seemed to last for hours a cold and sharp voices echos throughout the room.

“1 year,2 months and 21 days we have perused you.” Grian feels a sharp tug at his chest like something was ripped out of him but remembering Two’s warning doesn’t dare look up to see.

“1 year,2 months and 21 days and all it took was isolation and a little threatening,” The cold voice chuckles darkly “We are very patient beings Xelqua,we have been waiting for you for a long time.”

Grian shudders lightly when he feels something being poked deep inside him and suddenly it all clicks.

His code….

Their looking at his code…

Grian bites down his gasp and squeezes his eyes shut to try and block out the feeling of his core code being looked at,

It didn’t work.

“But I must draw this little chat to a close,I am in no mood for this to drag out any longer.” The booming voice turns even colder as the changing begins. “You were once known as your mortal name Grian,” The voice spits out his name full of disgust at just the mention. “But now as you take the responsibility of a Watcher you shall be known forever more as Xelqua.”

Grian barely manages to swallow a scream as he feels his code start to warp into a Watchers.He feels his every being rip apart and be built back together but it’s wrong.

It’s wrong…

It’s WRONG!

“And now as we accept you into becoming one of us,” The voice continues either oblivious or ignoring his pain. “You will be gifted with our power of Watching all that has happened..”

His eyes are starting to burn like acid.

“Will happen”

He starts to scream it hurts to much to care anymore.

“And forever more be the same”

Grian drops from his knees to face plant the floor screaming so loud his voice starts to crack,desperately pressing his palms against his eyes.

It only makes the pain worse.

And as his body slowly begins to fade into the sweet release of the unconscious from the pain he barely manages to hear the last words of the voices speech.

“And now as you are gifted the power of the Watchers slowly our second gift,our symbol with be shown to you…”

Grian feels like he should know what the voice is talking about because as his body crumbles into unconsciousness all he feels is one thing….

Fear…

Chapter Text

Grian groans as he slowly returns to consciousness attempting to open his eyes only to slam them back closed.

“Ugh what happened again?..” He mumbles to himself his eyes were burning like crazy.Thankfully it didn’t take long for his memory to slowly resurface.

With a gasp Grian shoots upwards forcing his still burning eyes to open once more.

His code! He needs to fix it right…now?

Grian slowly blinks his eyes the burning slowly going away still blurry but much better.But his point being one thing,

He could see his room! It wasn’t all pure black void!

“Oh void,I’m guessing I successfully obtained their gift of Watching?” He mumbled to himself shaking as he attempts to stand

Although it seemed like he didn’t fully adjust quite yet since there were still black spots out of the corner of his eyes.Thankfully though he could see just fine with just a little burning,so finally he could get a clear view of his room.

The first thing he registered was how purple the room was,it was in the drapes the outlines of most objects and even the room seemed tinted in it.Though there was still bits of black and a few scrapes of white but mostly black.Now Grian felt out of place with his green Zelda cosplay he never changed out of when Two brought him here.

With a heavy sigh Grian slowly walks around the room examining whatever he could without touching anything just in case.Soon he managed to find a mirror and gasped once had taken a look.

His pupils were a different shape.

They were the same shape as that symbol that had first appeared in Evo made out of bedrock.Bit instead of pure black it was,of course,a light purple and pulsing.

“So that’s what happened to my eyes…” He whispers to himself,carefully peeling back eyelid to see it better.

Ok no more of that.

With a frown he decides to instead look at anything else.His hair hasn’t been dyed in a while leading to his light brown hair peeking out of his roots,a stark contrast to the blond he dyed it.

Grian sighed for what felt like the fifth time this day and final noticed the clothes hanging on the door of his closet along with a note.

Xelqua these are your clothes for now on change into them immediately.

Grian frowned but carefully ran his hand over the clothes feeling their texture before taking them off the hook.

“How did they get my exact size?” He asks to myself pressing the outfit to his body.

The clothes were,of course,mostly purple with pure black outline the same symbol that was imprinted on his eyes were labeled on the clothing as well.

Seeing no other option for clothes and not wanting to anger Two any more then he needed too,Grian grabbed the clothes and quickly changed into them from his bathroom.

Feeling the unfamiliar fabric as he slowly moves around is certainly a feeling.But nonetheless it is still much better then the clothes he had been wearing for at least three days by now.

Void that actually feels nice…

Shaking his head he finally does the thing he probably should have down from the start but got easily distracted.

Right,his code,check that now.

With a heavy breath he carefully tries to bring out his code.

Key word tries.

It doesn’t work.

What…

WHAT.

“No no no no no this can’t be happening…” Grian mumbles quickly trying again and again to summon his code. “Please please please just cmon! GET OUT!” He yells out desperately breathing beginning to get more panicked.

Deciding to stop the fruitless battle and focus on calm lung himself back down slowly pacing back and forth shaking his hands.

“It’s okay,it’s going to be okay,so what if you can’t summon the core thing that makes you up? It’ll be fine Grian it’ll be fine…” Slowly he breathes out swallowing hard as his heartbeat slows down little by little.

Falling back on his bed he groans loudly placing his hands over his eyes.

This is not fine…

He misses his friends…

He misses Pearl and Jimmy…

He misses home…

Chapter Text

The only reason Grian even bothered to get up after that was the knocking on his door.

He had been laying curled up in his bed for at least a few hours at this point he was honestly was surprised it took this long.

“Xelqua open this door.” A voice came out flat and clearly not Two’s. “You have wasted to much time in here already you’re lucky we’ve given you this much.”

Grian sighs heavily to myself,he’s been doing that a lot more lately,and slowly uncurls himself.Standing up and brushing his new clothes flat before answering the door.

“Took you long enough Xelqua,” the Watcher says sharply though giving him a nod of approval at his attire. “Though I am glad you changed out of those filthy clothes.Come along now we have work to do.” The Watcher says before turning and walking away not even waiting for his response.

Grians brain short circuits before deciding it’s best to follow and quickly racing after him.Almost falling twice with his newer much longer clothes on.

“So uh what is your name?” Grian asks as politely as he could,trying to dispel the hard tension radiating off of the Watcher.

The Watcher let out a sharp tsk sound,a few eyes narrowing with annoyance.

“I do not see the point in you knowing my name Xelqua but for the sake of it I’ll tell you.And I’ll only say this once,forget and you will be punished.” The Watcher says sharply turning all of their eyes forward. ”My name is Ataes,remember it Xelqua for I will be your teacher.”

Grian nods along hesitantly deciding it would be best not to ask any more questions.

Thankfully Ataes continues. “We have high standards for you.And I will not give you breaks simply because you were once mortal.You are a Watcher now you will be given assignments just like any other.But fear not you’ll be given beginner level assignments since you are a new Watcher.”

Grian nods along and takes time to half listen to them and half take in Ataes appearance.

There wasn’t much difference between them and Two but there still were some.Like how there were less eyes floating and less head wings wrapped around his face.Maybe they were a younger Watcher?

But other then that it seemed like all the Watchers were generally the same.Same pure black skin with eyes peeking out.Still the large number of wings on their backs and heads.Still the abundant amount of purple eyes staring at everything.

Would he turn out like that as well?

Grian doesn’t like that thought…

Grian’s thoughts thankfully were interrupted when Ataes voice struck through his head.Actually is was an actual slap from their ice cold hand.

“Did I not say to listen when I speak Xelqua?” Ataes hisses out all eyes glaring down at him. “You’re lucky I’m letting this slide with this little of punishment.Space out again and I’ll be glad to put you in your place.”

Grian swallows hard and slowly places his hand on his cheek,nodding slowly to their words.

“I-yes,yes I understand I won’t space out again.” He stutters out after a moment of silence. “I’m sorry.”

“Save your apologies for later,they mean nothing to me.” Ataes says sharply,thankfully turning away and walking once more. “Now will you listen when I talk to you this time?”

“Yes I will,” Grian says softly still rubbing his cheek but following them.

“Good now back to what I was saying,you will first be trained before given assignments.Basic things all Watchers can do,using our eyes,learning to teleport and ripping into code with ease.If you cannot do those basic task I see no use in you.” Ataes says without a care like those powers were just normality and to them it was.

But to Grian?

Grian nods along to their words like he understands and knows that.When in reality he had no idea how he would pull this off.

Teleporting?! Ripping through code like it was nothing?!

Grian was doomed from the start…

Regardless he shook off those thoughts and kept his attention on the Watcher in front of him.

“Once you have basic control over those powers we can begin the other assignments.” Ataes says pushing open a door to what looked like an observatory expect instead of constellations of things he knew.It instead mimicked the Watchers and their so called blessings.

“Here is where I’ll teach you along with our history in which you will memorize by heart.Settle down now Xelqua we have much work to do on you.” Ataes says sitting on their knees in the middle on the room.

Grian swallows hard and slowly sits down a few feet away.

This is going to be a fun day….

Chapter Text

“The birth of a Watcher is no small feat.” Ataes began, as the fake stars begin to shift showing the history as they speak. “It quite literally requires all the stars to align.”

Grian’s eyes widen as he watches the stars spin around him as Ataes begins the history lesson. Actually trying hard to pay attention. Wether from fear of punishment or actually being intrigued.

“There are, in fact, three major steps in the creation of a Watcher.” Ataes begins. “The first is waiting for all the planets to align perfectly, around an estimate of 13.4 trillion years to do so. Now that may seem like a long time to you, but to us it feels around fifty years in your time.”

“Because you’re immortal beings right?” Grian asks softly trying not to interrupt. “So time feels differently for you?”

Ataes nods. “Yes that is correct, we feel time much quicker than mortals do.” Ataes glances down at Grian for a second before adding. “No more interruptions, keep your questions in until I am finished.”

Grian nods and closes his mouth again to keep from asking anymore.

“Then here comes the hard part. A creation of something can’t come out of no where it needs something to build off of and feed into. The next step is being gifted a single drop of Creator blood.” Ataes says grimly closing his fist tight as Grian lets out a gasp.

“No questions Xelqua.” Ataes reminds firmly eyes narrowing.

Grian hesitates but nods swallowing hard as they continue.

“If we are so blessed to be given the blood our leader takes the drop and places it in the deepest darkest part of the void.
Leaving it there to grow for the next few thousand years. Then the Watcher springs out of the void already knowing its purpose and is quickly asserted into our kind.” Ataes finally lowers his hand and looks down at Grian’s almost gaping face. “Questions Xelqua?”

Grian snapped out of his stupor shaking his head as he somehow managed to ask his question. “Yeah a few, first of all, you’re made of Creator blood?!” He yell out in shock.

Ataes nods like this was normal. “Yes Xelqua all Watchers are made with a single drop of Creator blood. Next question.”

Grian splutters a bit before taking a deep breath and calming down slightly. “If Al Watchers are created fully grown then why do you look different from Two?” Grian asks cocking his head a little.

Ataes sighs and looks back up at the stars. “Good you noticed,you’re more perceptive then I thought. You see Xelqua while all Watchers are created via Creator blood not all blood is from the same Creator. The older the Creator try more powerful the Watcher is when created. It is said that our leader was made by one of the oldest of Creators.”

Ataes shifts around wings around his back and skull twitching. “Even though all Watchers have the same three back wings, the head wings are different. You see I have around four sets of head wings. While Two had around six,those are the small differences in power which are the most obvious. Tell me Xelqua there is one more difference between Watchers, do you know what it is?”

Grian hesitates but answers. “I think so, the amount of eyes you have floating around, right?”

Ataes nods approvingly. “Yes that is correct these purple eyes we have must always be out at all times. I myself have around twelve pairs as you can see.”

Grian nods along but slowly raises his hand nervously.

Ataes nods at his hand. “Go on, you are aloud to ask one more question.”

“What about the eyes on you skin?” Grian asks, it was the second thing he had noticed about the Watchers. While they wore long robes that covered their bodies when they moved it showed their skin. Or rather pure blackness replaced as skin, with purple eyes sometimes popping out and looking at him.

Ataes nods and opens a few eyes on their arm. “You see those are there permanently. It isn’t so much a show of power to have them. But rather a show of power to keep them hidden. As you had learned we Watchers enjoying toying with mortals a bit. And what would you think I’d you say us with these eyes wrapped around our bodies?”

Grian bites his lip and doesn’t answer getting the point.

Thankfully Ataes isn’t insulted by his no reply but continues. “Exactly, this concludes our first history session. Every day I’ll take you back here and review before going into a new lesson. You’ll pick it up fast,” There was a knock on the door as Ataes finishes with a sigh. “And my time is up here,you’ll be given over to Lyec now.” Ataes stands up smooths over their clothes walking over to the door. Leaving Grian to quickly scramble after him.

“More history?” He asks in confusion trailing behind Ataes.

“No this will be physical training,learning to use your Watcher powers.” Ataes answers smoothly not even looking back.

“Hey-Wait! Didn’t you say you were going to teach me that?!” Grian yelps out in confusion,temporarily forgetting who he was talking to.

Ataes sigh and turns their head glaring down at Grian. “We have more important things to do then babysit you Xelqua. There will be multiple Watchers seeing you over. I suggest you get used to it.”

Grian stops and looks down at the floor and nods.

Ataes turns their head away and opens the door. “Do be careful Xelqua, Lyec is much less…patient than I am.” And with that they leave Grian with the new Watcher staring at him with a wide smile.

“Oh this will be fun.” They say eerily grabbing Grians wrist harshly and dragging him away.

Chapter Text

Grian stumbled along desperately trying to walk along side Lyec, but every time he came close he was yanked again. Due to his concentration being on prying the hand off his wrist he barely heard their words coming out of their mouth.

“It’s been so long since I’ve trained someone new! Two and Ataes are always so uptight and never train with me! Even though they say, ‘it’s only 13.4 trillion years Lyec you can wait’ it’s so boring!” Lyec says with a wide grin that keeps getting sharper.

Grian bits his lip hard to keep from crying out in pain. His wrist was turning an unnatural shade of purple and he was beginning to lose feeling from the ice cold tight grip Lyec had on it.

“-And now you’re here! I cannot wait to break a new one in!” Lyec says finally turning to him with a smile that sent shivers down his spine. “Aren’t you lucky!”

Grian swallows hard trying desperately to separate his wrist breathing hard. Hesitantly reminding himself that he had to answer.

“Yes?” He says hesitantly trying to shrink away from the towering Watcher over him. Slowly losing the feeling in his hand trying to pull it away.

Lyec somehow smiles even wider and Grian feels even more scared. “Correct answer! You’re learning fast!”

Lyec sighs dramatically and continues to pull Grian down the hallway.

“But enough of that Ataes probably already told you my name. But! So you won’t forget my name is Lyec and I’ll be your physical trainer!” Lyec smile falls and yanks Grians hand up close to their face. “Do. Not. Forget.”

Grian lets put a gasp of pain and rapidly nods his head.

“I won’t, I won’t I promise!” He manages to yelp out.

Lyec smiles wide at his cry of pain and lowers his hand still not letting go. “Great! Now that that’s cleared up we get to start on your training!”

Lyec pushes open a door that Grian haven’t even seen. It open to show the outside of the Watchers domain.

Now Grian personally loved the outside being inside always felt too suffocating. But being outside of the domain while in the void?

It was somehow even worse.

There were no stars in the sky just an endless blackness. There was no light and even the air felt heavier.

Grian hated it already.

He was quickly snapped out his trance with Lyec digging their nails into his wrist even more.

“Yeah the view is great isn’t it?” Lyec says with an even wider smile. “But you’re going to need to pay attention if this is going to work Xelqua!”

Grian yells even louder as he watches the blood drip from his wrist. Snapping his head up fast, (ignoring the wave of unease at how easily he had adjusted to the new name.) and nodding so fast his head hurt.

Thankfully Lyec finally lets go of his hand, not even bothering to wipe the blood from their hand.

“Wonderful! Let’s get started Xelqua you have so much to catch up on!” Lyec says happily opening their purple eyes for the first time to stare down at him.

Something tell X-Grian this won’t be nearly as interesting as Ataes was…

Lyec smiles and grabs Grians face tightly,digging their nails into his skin. Using their other hand to pry one of his eyelids even more apart.

“Look at you! You already obtained our eyes! I guess it was a good idea after all t keep you. But this is the absolute bare minimum for us.” Lyec says before releasing his face with a bored sigh. Barely glancing at Grian when he let out a gasp of pain.

Grian shuddered hard accidentally making the mistake of trying to use his wounded hand to feel his face.

Key word try.

He barely lifted his very limp and nearly black skin. (Which should concern him a lot more then it did) Before crying out in pain again.

Lyec sighs and rolls a pair of their purple eyes. “Come on now Xelqua I just praised you for having the bare minimum. If you’re going to act like a child and scream at every little wound we’re going to have to work a lot longer! I’m not complaining but Ataes will be all winy about it if you stay too long.”

Grian gasps hard and looks up with terrified eyes watching seeing Lyec lean in closer with their sharpest and most manic smile yet.

“Me personally would love to see how much we can do with you Xelqua. I’ve never had a once mortal to train before. Something tell me you have much less…endurance than we do.”

Grians breathing begins to pick up fast as he stares into Lyecs eyes.

Only a fool could ignore the feel of hanging dread in the air.

And Grian was no fool