Collin. Collin was the name I chose and kept. Spur of the moment name to be quite

honest but it was a good name, in my opinion, no bias. No bias at all.

The two of them, Crystal and Marcus, took me in like one of their own. Actually, that's

something they said. The symbols above my head is what they used to distinguish someone as 'one of them.' I never could see my symbols, and they said the same. We were only able to see each other's. It was a strange world we were in.

I asked them once about their first days in this world. Crystal, her story was interesting,

then again she was 'interesting' from the start. She told me:

"My first days? Heh, they were a blast, quite literally. I arrived in a region close to

hear. It was a gorgeous place with a mountain range with a river that flowed into a sparkling lake. One day, as I was tending to my crops I had made along that lake, a group of green monsters approached me. There were so many of those green things, can't remember their names…"

"Creepers, Crystal, Creepers." Marcus noted.

"Yes, yes creepers. I knew that. I was just testing you to see if you remembered."

Marcus did not agree, he just rolled his eyes. "There were just tons of 'em. Their little pig feet waddlin' around. They were just sooo cute. At least until they started trying to blow me up. I was scared. Terrified even. I ran and ran and ran. They chased me away from that beautiful area and into a forest. The sun was setting and I knew that that meant danger. Fear trickled through my body. Then I reached a wall. I was trapped.

"That was around when I met him. He came at those monsters with a steely

determination locked within his pupils. He was majestic. The way he swung that blade, the way his feet moved. Such elegance, such grace. It seemed like battling was an art to him."

"I'm guessing you're referring to 'Steel?'" I asked.

"Yes, yes." Her eyes sparkled as she relived the memory. This Steel guy must be quite

the person. "He yanked my arm and dragged me away. The best moments of my life. He never once looked me in the eyes. But he didn't have to. I could see everything I needed from the faintest glimpses my eyes had on his. They were soft, yet focused. He took me here and let me stay and that was about it."

Short and sweet. Preferred not hearing her speak for extended periods of times. Marcus

even said he was surprised that her story was so short. Perhaps there is more to her story.

Marcus. He was a lot calmer than Crystal. He was often down in the mine. He'd go in

the morning and come out later, exhausted, with some iron ore and coal, and lots of cobblestone.

He worked most days but took a rest every once in a while. Rare though. On one of

these days I inquired upon his story.

"My story?"

"Yeah. I already know Crystal's. And it's been a few weeks since we first met and I still

feel like we just met."

"Not that interestin' I'm afraid."

"I want to know." I felt like a little kid the way I was asking him for his story. But I wanted

to know. And he told me.

"Sigh. I suppose I may as well. Got nothin' else t' do today. All right. Well, m' first day

here I was panicked. I think mos' are a wee scared when they first arrive here. I was in a forest. The sun was a settin.' Night was a comin' bringin' the darkness 'long with it. I don' know why but i' scared me thinkin' of the dark. I mean, I didn' know nothin' that was ou' there. So I dug up some dirt and buried myself. I was a coward. When the day came I climbed outta my hole and started breakin' down trees. Don' know why, jus' felt like t'was the right thing t' do. Anyway, not important. Aroun' one week after comin' to this place I was attacked.

"I decided to be brave n' take on the night. Boy, that was a mistake. I had one piece o'

armor from one of them monsters that died in the mornin' light. A little wooden sword at my side. I felt like I could take on the world. Quickly proven wrong I was. Few zombies, a skeleton, nothin' too bad. Ha! The skeleton shot, my body rang out in pain. Armor didn' do nothin t' help me. The zombies came. Tried fendin' them off with my crude sword, didn't to a damn thing to those green buggers. Just marched right on, attackin' me with their decomposing arms. Thought it was the end. I backed up tryin' to keep them away from me. Hit a wall, of all the luck. I was trapped. Similar to Crystal in fact.

"Then a figure came a boundin,' couldn't make much out of it. Thought i' was another

monster comin' to lamb baste me. Nope. And that was when I first met Steel. He took out those monsters like they were nothin.' Pulverizin' them into dust in a blink of an eye. I watched, cowering against the wall, and stared. After takin' care of them monsters he took me by the hand and led me to his home. A little house in the forest. Same house we have here t'day in fact. Few renovations course.

"Few weeks later she came," he said looking out the window at Crystal who was tending

to the crops, as she did every day. "Things got lot louder after she came. But, don't get me wrong. 'Tis not that I don't like her, we're family y'know, she just gets on me nerves. A lot." We both had a little laugh at that. Then he sighed and looked around, reminiscing about the past. He closed his eyes and smiled, little laugh, then he looked back at me. "I'm glad yer here. Don' forget that. Whatever happens, we'll be there. I'm sure Steel will quickly take a likin' t' you. He's quiet but has much t' say. He rescued both a us. Never will forget that." A tear seemed to come to his eye, "we all owe so much t' him. He's saved so many people. That's where he now in fact. After seein' you on the shore. He decided t' go on 'nother one of his rescue missions."

"On his own?"

"Yes. Don't fret m' friend. He's strong. He's been here far longer than most o' us. He

knows things. So quiet though, never really fin' out anythin' that exists within that noggin o' his."

"When's he comin' back."

"I ain't got a clue. Sometimes he's gone fer weeks, sometimes months. Never really c'n

tell with him. Goes where the wind blows, y'know?"

"I suppose." The room went silent for a bit. Then I turned to leave but turned back to

thank him.

"It was a pleasure. And hey," I turned my head, "never forget, we will always be there.

You've nothin' to worry about with us 'round."

"I thank you." He waved, I waved and I left, closing the door behind me. Outside, I took

in the air around me. Fear was a thing in the past. My friends, no, family, would always be there to protect me and I would do the same for them. The unknown did not exist to me. All I needed to know was right next to me, comforting me.

A few days later he returned.