AN: First chapter of the sequel, a rising darkness. (Sorry it took me more than a day- I was busy with "more important" matters.)

Chapter 1: The job's not done.

A bright light- yes, something shining in my face. I groaned, and blinked. "Hey guys! Guys! Look! He's awake!" A voice shouted. But I was already beginning to fade. I was unexplainably tired- all that work in the corruption really wears you out. Just as I began to slip back into my slumber, another voice, this one closer was heard.

"Ah, good good, he is finnaly awake." The voice was obviously feminine- and with a sarcastic and bored tone. I wished with all my might I could go back to sleep.

"Maybe he needs a healing potion?" The first voice asked excitedly. I opened both eyes. I could easily tell that the first voice was guide, currently running to the other room. The other one was unfamiliar, but wearing a stereotypical white nurse outfit. I assumed that they were either doctor or nurse- or maybe surgeon. Whichever, I was almost certain that they had no name other than their trade. As I thought this, I wondered how others of their trade communicated. Wouldn't it be confusing to shout, 'Hey, you!' to everyone you wanted to talk to?

"Oh, glad to see you finally came around, player." The person with the nurse outfit said, glancing at their watch. Player. There was that name again! I sometimes wished I had some sort of nickname. "Now before you ask, you were out for seven hours, and three minutes. I almost wish you would have waited fifty seven minutes just so I didn't have to say minutes. How very rude of you!" I squinted at them and managed to whisper,

"For ease of conversation, you may call me…" I thought; this was an important decision. "Um- Jacob." Jacob. Well, it was better than player. No easier to say- still two syllables but it was a start. They smiled.

"Ok Jacob, call me nurse." They said, momentarily losing their sarcastic air. They then pulled out a clip board, and a pen. "Ok, what's the last thing you remember? I gotta check for amnesia." I thought for a moment, before saying,

"I faced off with the 'eater of worlds' and managed to kill it, before my senses failed. The corruption faded, and I heard some loud cheering." The nurse scribbled something down, before carefully removing a small pulsating scale from her pocket. I winced and tried to look away. "So you recognize this thing?" She asked. I turned back and nodded. She put it on her desk- wait desk? Guide must have made them a house, and me a bed, because I sure never crafted a desk, or considered a bed. "Good, you weren't lying about the eater of worlds. Anyways, we collected a bunch of those scales, and also some more of that purple metal- you can make some tools if you use the scales and metal. I frowned at the idea, but managed to play along. Guide came in at that moment, and smiled.

"Hey hero, nice job out there! So sorry I couldn't come help you earlier; it took me a while to convince everyone to come, and nurse here demanded a house." I smiled, and looked at the red phial of liquid he carried. He put it within range of me, and I gratefully accepted it. I popped off the cork, and drank half of it in one gulp. I handed it back to him, and with renewed energy, smiled and said, "Thanks guide." I swung my leg over the bed, and dropped to the floor. I stumbled, but managed to stay standing. I noticed a bench in the corner of the room, made of a dark and grey wood. I smiled and sat down, looking over at guide. "Well guys, you have a lot to explain to me." I said calmly. Guide, seeming like a bottle whose lid had opened immediately began to spill out information.

"So, when you woke up the eater of worlds, we all heard it. Everyone's heart seemed to quail, but I remained calm. I convinced everyone to come with me, but by the time I got there, you were practically dead, but so was it. I saw you finish it, as did nurse and arms dealer-"He motioned to nurse like, 'I will explain later' and continued. "Everyone cheered, and I walked up to congratulate you. But when I came to your side, you were beginning to fall into unconsciousness, and I barely caught you from hitting your head on the ground. All of the corrupt trees crashed down, leaving a green sapling in place, and the ground formed back together. The grass turned green, and all signs of battle disappeared. We dragged you back, and I managed to throw nurse's house together. Arms dealer will have to wait." I sat, eyes wide, waiting for more. But none came. Guide shifted uneasily.

"And then what?" I asked, smiling decisively.

"And then… well- we saw something. A red splotch, which I believed to be blood was spreading across the ground. It spread backwards, luckily going away from our house but very rapidly. We renewed our pace and got back here."

My eyes widened: I knew what it was. An out of place memory clicked, and I slowly said,

"If what you're saying is true… then we still have a problem." Guide nodded.

"I know. Big problem." We both knew what it was; the late eater of worlds must have given me the memory. Guide already knew everything. I think it was meant as a threat, but I was too horrified at the moment it was placed to notice it. Maybe it simply increased my fear. "The crimson!" We said together. I closed my eyes, and breathed slowly, before saying excitedly, "Well… with the spread of the crimson, I guess my job isn't done. Guide, fetch me my traveling cloak, I'm going out!"