Separated

Chapter 12: The Plot Thickens


Honeydew watched as Knight_Peculier turned towards him, a serious expression on his face. His hand was resting on the hilt of his sheathed rapier. The Dwarf was surprised at how quickly he'd changed in both appearance and demeanor. Not only did he look younger, but the new light in his eyes showed brimming confidence and determination. The two simply looked at each other for a moment before Peculier broke the silence.

"It is clear what we must do now." He said, turning to stare at the Nether portal frame. "Not only must we defeat Israphel, we must make sure that his evil will never hurt anyone ever again."

"Technically isn't that what we meant to do in the first place?" Honeydew asked. Peculier ignored him as he turned towards the exit of the small cavern, his new sword tapping against his leg rhythmically as he walked.

"We have no time to waste! We must find Lysander and head to Verigan's Hold!" He yelled back, disappearing around the corner. Honeydew quickly ran after him, looking confused.

"Verigan's what?"

"No time to explain! Come on!"

Noticing the torch was starting to die out, Honeydew discarded it before reaching into his bag for a new one. He quickly lit it by dragging its head across the wall, and the tunnel was once again brightened by the small flame. He and Peculier continued swiftly and silently back down the narrow tunnel, passing the lava pool again without effort.

"So, you're officially a knight again, huh?" Honeydew asked, looking at Peculier in front of him. The man glanced over his shoulder back at the Dwarf before facing forward again.

"It seems so." He gave the short reply. Honeydew shrugged.

"Looks like I can't call you 'old man' anymore. Hmm, Knight_Peculier… How does KP sound?"

"If that's what you want to call me." KP replied with a small shrug. "I don't really care."

"Alright then! Let's get going." Honeydew declared. KP quickened his pace as the Dwarf followed after him. They soon reached the main tunnel complex where they had fought earlier, and Honeydew sighed when he saw more spiders had decided to show themselves. KP quickly unsheathed his rapier right when the spiders noticed the new arrivals. He gave a cry and charged for the beasts, swiftly chopping their heads and legs off. Honeydew grabbed his pickaxe off his belt and smashed the nearest spider's skull in with his unbridled Dwarven strength. The two men then started working their way towards the stairs, slaying any attacker that came near.

"They keep coming! It's best if we make a break for the surface." KP called as he began to dash up the steps. Honeydew pulled his now-bloody pickaxe out of a spider's abdomen before following KP up. The remaining spiders kept their pursuit, glowing red eyes reflecting their hunger. The few who managed to catch up were swiftly blinded by the torch's light suddenly shoved in their face before being kicked into the pit below. Honeydew and KP reached the top platform and quickly turned to face their pursuers. The spiders now kept their distance, staying out of the torchlight and only visible due to their multiple eyes reflecting back at them. A chorus of hisses then sounded before they all turned to descend the stairs again, having lost interest in their prey. Honeydew sighed in relief as KP leaned on the wall, trying to catch his breath.

"I don't know what's worse; giant spiders or creeper blasts." The Dwarf mumbled. He straightened his iron helm, the headgear having become askew in the run before he turned back to face KP. The man had caught his breath and had turned towards the ladder again, silently beginning to climb back up. Honeydew adjusted his grip on the torch before he began the climb as well. The knight and the dwarf continued to ascend back to the surface silently. As they did, Honeydew suddenly felt as if something was amiss. He was trying to deduce what when he heard KP stop above him. A creak was heard, and the moonlight came pouring down from the open hatch. Honeydew quickly blew out the torch and let it drop into the bit below as KP hauled himself up to the surface, soon turning to help Honeydew out as well.

That's when Honeydew smelled it. The smell of charred wood drifted through the air, and he immediately knew what he'd been dreading only a few seconds ago. He turned as KP glanced up, and both pairs of eyes widened in shock. A large plume of smoke now clouded the sky above Mistral city, the wooden buildings set ablaze in a series of giant fires. The roar of the flames became audible to their ears as ash and embers fell from the sky. The two simply started at the inferno for a good minute at least. Finally, KP snapped out of staring at the fires before running towards the blaze, getting Honeydew's attention.

"We have to find Lysander!" He called back, stopping to face Honeydew again. Honeydew gave a simple nod, and he ran after KP as the man disappeared in the wall of smoke ahead of him. The dwarf took a deep breath before entering the plume as well, carefully making his way around any burning rubble or falling debris from the Upper Level. A loud crash was heard as a large portion of a cobblestone structure crumbled directly in front of the Dwarf, forcing Honeydew to stumble back to save himself from being crushed. He coughed and squinted past the thick black smoke, trying to find a new route. Managing to make out a hole that had been burned through a wall, the dwarf quickly dashed through it, leaping over some small fires before bursting through the building's front door. He quickly gasped in fresh air, the smoke less dense in the new area. Coughing out the pollutants, Honeydew looked around to see he was in what was left of the main square. The bases of the three fountains had been fractured, allowing water to pour out onto the street and wash away some flames.

Honeydew then saw sudden movement and turned to see KP emerge from the smoke next to him, part of his shirt set aflame by stray embers. The knight managed to pat out the flame as he coughed.

"Any sign of Lysander?" Honeydew yelled, rushing over to his friend's side. KP coughed again before he looked over, frowning.

"No, unfortunately. We need to get to the Elysium!" He replied. The two then broke out down across the main square. They'd just past the remains of the Church of the Holy Record (Father_Braeburn having replaced the sign while they were away), and Honeydew stopped when he saw a partly-charred sign staked into the ruined ground. KP stopped to wait for him as the Dwarf quickly read.

To whoever reads this:

The Holy Record is trapped inside the church! If anyone will be kind enough to retrieve it and deliver it to me in Icaria, I'd be very grateful! A reward will be offered as well. May Notch watch over you all!

~Father B.

"Well, at least Braeburn made it out alive…" KP said, mostly to himself. Honeydew studied the sign for a moment before glancing at the crumbling church. The stain-glass windows had been smashed in, and flames could be seen still burning inside. Honeydew shot a glance at KP before rushing through the church door.

"What're you doing?!" KP called over the inferno. A few seconds later, the Dwarf came running back out of the church, panting. A metal case was now in his hands. Honeydew quickly tucked said case into his bag before looking at KP.

"I never miss an opportunity to get rewarded!" Was all he had to say. KP rolled his eyes before taking off back down Victoria Street.

"Just hurry already!" Honeydew quickly caught up to him as they passed Granny's shop. It had burned entirely to the ground. A few segments of the walls and the counter were the only things remaining, and the old woman was nowhere to be seen.

"Looks like everyone's fled to Icaria." KP deduced as he and Honeydew ran, rounding the corner that led to the Elysium. "It's the closest city to Mistral. Hopefully Lysander hasn't gone with them, too. We need him!"

"Right." Honeydew responded. They reached the Elysium, and the building was in slightly better condition than the previous buildings they had passed. The cobblestone frame had stayed intact, and although the wooden portions of the walls had been burned to a crisp, most of the upper floor still stood. Honeydew and KP raced inside, looking around for any sign of the Skylord.

"Lysander? Lysander, where are you?" KP yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth. When he received no reply, the knight quickly climbed the crumbling staircase as Honeydew looked around, not seeing a single sign of the Skylord. He sighed, hoping they wouldn't discover charred remnants of Lysander's body. Suddenly, he noticed something. Where Lysander's pink carpet had once been now say an old wooden hatch, the wood rugged and splintering in some parts. He raised a brow.

"Hey KP, come take a look at this!" He called. The knight quickly made his way back downstairs and stared at the wooden hatch. His brow also raised in suspicion.

"Why would Lysander have this?" He asked. He bent down and pulled the heavy hatch open with the small iron handle attached to the wood. What was revealed was a small staircase built with unusual dark stone, and it curved around a corner so the two couldn't see where it lead. The two shared a look.

"I don't like where this is going…" Honeydew said, staring down the staircase hesitantly.

"Neither do I, friend, but we need to investigate." KP stood and unsheathed his sword before slowly making his way down the steps, Honeydew following soon after. The two rounded the corner and entered a small room. It was made of material clearly not of this world. The walls had a red, flesh-like quality to it, and torches were the only source of slight in the tiny chamber. Honeydew's eyes fell upon a piece of cloth pinned to the wall opposite to them, words written in blood on it. Honeydew quickly read what was written, and his fears were confirmed.

Israphel,

I bow to you, my one true master.

~Lysander

"No…" Honeydew felt his heart sink, and he had to hold onto the wall to keep from falling over in pure shock. "Lysander couldn't be…"

KP silently read the ominous note, his expression unreadable. He let out a heavy sigh as he sheathed his sword.

"Oh Lysander, how could you do such a thing and burn this proud city…" He shook his head as he began up the stairs again. "Let's go, Honeydew."

The dwarf simply stared at the words for another moment before turning and following KP back up the stairs. His and Lysander's trust and friendship had grown the few weeks they'd known each other, making the Skylord's inevitable betrayal all the more heartbreaking. Their team had dwindled from four, to three, and now only two remained. Honeydew's thoughts were interrupted when KP stopped at the top of the stairs suddenly.

"If I remember correctly, Daisy's father had a secret storeroom under his shop." He explained, turning towards the dwarf. "We are a bit ill-equipped. I think we should pay it a visit."

"Sounds good to me." Honeydew replied, giving a half-hearted shrug. He and KP then exited the Elysium, working their way through the dying inferno before they came to Dukes Smithy. Part of the wall had given way, allowing easy entrance. KP quickly walked over to behind the main counter and felt under the tabletop. Eventually, Honeydew heard a click and part of the floor moved to reveal a ladder that lead to an underground storeroom. He quickly peered into the room before climbing down, Knight_Peculier following after him.

Honeydew looked around the brightly-lit storeroom and saw many chests lining the walls. He smiled and instantly started digging through the nearest one. He found a set of what he guessed was Mistral guard armor. It was iron painted camouflage, and the arms and leggings were a sturdy black chainmail. Beside the armor was a crossbow, a bag of crossbow bolts, and an iron straightsword; Xephos' specialty. The dwarf quickly strapped the armor chest plate and leggings on before shoving the new weapons into his bag. He started going through the next chest, KP doing the same on the opposite side of the room. More crossbow bolts, a stone dagger, and a bag of gold sat in this one. The Dwarf smiled and instantly dug through the bag of gold. There were about twenty-seven gold pieces in the bag. Not much, but it was enough to buy new armor if he were to need it.

Tucking his newly acquired equipment away, Honeydew turned and saw Peculier waiting for him by the door. He hadn't taken much; just an iron helmet and a few resources from what Honeydew could tell. The two had just begun the climb back up into the main shop when a shrill scream pierced the air.

"Unhand me, you fiends! Help!"

"That's Granny_Bacon!" KP yelled back to the dwarf, grabbing his rapier and rushing out the door as soon as he reached the top of the ladder. "Quickly, Honeydew!" The dwarf reached for his pickaxe and followed the knight back out onto the street. The two then rushed back towards the main gate. Both dwarf and knight headed out across the drawbridge, and KP veered to the left down an old gravel path, eventually reaching the crumbling ruins of yet another guard tower.

"What's this place?" Honeydew asked. KP looked the building up and down before responding.

"A long time ago, Israphel had a Cult that worshipped him like a god." He explained. "This was their old headquarters, but they were shut down by my father, a little while before he disappeared. I fear the Cultists have resurfaced and have taken Granny inside!"

Honeydew looked at the tower's door. It had recently been reinforced with a brand new iron one, and parts of the wall had obviously been restructured with better material. The Dwarf then finished his assessment and looked at KP, a confident smirk on his face as he rested his pickaxe on his shoulder.

"Well, what're we standing here talkin' for, then?" He asked. "Let's go save Granny!"

Instead of nodding and raising his rapier like the dwarf had expected him to, KP frowned.

"I'm sorry, friend, but you must do this alone."

"What?! Why?"

"I need to press ahead to Verigan's Hold. I'm sorry to leave you like this, hero, but this business is urgent. I'm sure you can handle yourself down there."

It was Honeydew's turn to frown. He sighed and fixed his helm upon his head again.

"Alright, I guess that works."

"Just follow this path north when you're finished. It'll take you right up to the Hold." KP explained, starting to turn and hurry down the path towards a large, somewhat terrifying rock formation. It depicted a large skull, and the path led straight through its gaping mouth. Peculier stopped right at The Skull's mouth and turned to give a wave back to Honeydew.

"Goodbye, hero! I will see you soon!" With that, he disappeared down into The Skull and was gone.

Honeydew turned his attention back towards the ruins of the old guard tower. He approached the reinforced door and tried to open it. With no surprise, it didn't. Honeydew's brow furrowed as he pulled up his gloves, gripping his pickaxe tightly before swinging it into where the door was shingled to the wall. He then forced the pickaxe forward with all his strength, intent on prying the entire thing off its hinges. The iron door creaked as its frame bent, and soon the bolts holding the door in place popped off. The metal door flew forward, and Honeydew nearly stumbled into the nearby moat at the sudden release. The dwarf then stared into the dark tower before raising his pickaxe in the air.

"I'm coming, my love!" He yelled. His voice echoed down the tower's walls as he then rushed inside, not knowing what might lie ahead.


Xephos' eyes fluttered open when he felt something lap up against his legs. It took a moment for his vision to clear, but he soon became aware that it was the night sky he was staring up at, and not the ceiling of his prison cell. Realizing this, Xephos quickly sat up and looked around.

He was on a beach, the waves softly lapping up and down the shoreline. The moon reflected off the water's still surface, creating a silver stream of light across the water towards the Spaceman. Xephos stood, his pant legs soaking wet from the waves. He turned to study the land behind him. A tree line sat directly where the sand ended, little to no dirt between the two patches of land. Xephos could feel eyes watching him as he turned again, taking in his new surroundings. It was just some ordinary beach in the middle of nowhere. How pleasant.

"I must be dreaming…" He mumbled, not believing Israphel would let him go so easily. But after walking up and down the shoreline a few minutes, Xephos realized he was wide awake and this was real. Again, questions filled his mind. As he turned to continue pacing, he felt a light thump against his back for the first time. He reached behind him and realized his diamond sword was now strapped to his back, the strap slung over his shoulder. At least Israphel was nice enough to leave him in the middle of nowhere equipped.

That was when Xephos realized what was going on. Israphel was using him for something. Why else would he be so suddenly thrown out here? He saw the Spaceman as a pawn, and after making sure his pawn had been influenced, Israphel had sent it out to do whatever he had intended. Xephos reached for his head, a sudden pain striking him before it quickly died away. Influenced he had been. The Spaceman could feel Israphel's taint starting to take a toll on him, and even though he was out of the demon's immediate influence, the threat of corruption was still strong. The Spaceman's hands rolled into tight fists as he glared towards the sky. Once again, he found himself hating this entire situation.

"I don't care what you're planning, you damn demon you!" He yelled upwards, anger and hatred lining every part of his voice. "You're the one who's done this to me, giving me these damn nightmares and all this other bullshit! I can't even trust myself around my friends anymore!" His anger only grew as he remembered the incident with Daisy a few days earlier. He never wanted a moment to happen like that again, completely losing himself to this other, darker side.

"All this shit because of you! Israphel, I swear I'll end you if it's the last fucking thing I do!"

Whilst the Spaceman had been ranting in anger up towards the sky, a zombie had made its way out of the tree line, shambling over towards Xephos with the intent to kill. Still seething with rage, Xephos quickly unsheathed his sword and severed the zombie's head from its shoulders as soon as it came close, the undead falling flat on the reddening sand. Xephos simply glared down at the body before turning and continuing down the beach, sheathing his sword on his back as he did. A plume of black smoke rose up in the distance behind him, but the Spaceman didn't bother to question why. He silently stalked off deeper into the night, unaware of the twinge of red becoming apparent in his eyes as he made his way down the moonlit shoreline.