A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I've been working on a my graduation project so i can complete highschool. But to make it up, I've made this chapter nearly twice as longer than the usual chapters. so enjoy :D
The daylight began to fade as Shroud finally passed by Rhagall's walls. Shroud shivered from the water that still clung to his clothing and he tried to shake some it off. It didn't take long for Shroud to give up as his tired body protested from the shaking.
In his weary state, Shroud almost missed Tyler talking to the Admin from earlier. He simply raised a brow to the scene outside of Tyler's home, but barely paused in his walk. The Admin soon flew off back into town to help repair the damaged buildings and those trapped under rubble.
As Shroud came closer Tyler took notice of him and waved. Shroud didn't wave back as his mind started to wander. Words floated through his head, mostly about the Follower; did he say the attack was just a test? Had he misheard Tyler when he yelled 'you again?!'? How devastating would a real attack be?
He simply shook his head, trying to think of nothing. He was too mentally and physically tired because of the day's events.
And… deep down Shroud felt the first trickles of home-sickness.
'You don't have a home idiot.' Shroud thought angrily at himself, but a flash of mountains and plains wanted to disagree. Before he could begin pondering about the glimpse of the image, Shroud felt the depressed feelings of jlott come to light.
'What's the matter?' Shroud simply asked not really caring about anything.
'I was completely useless in that fight… all I could do..was call for the admin's help like everyone else.' jlott admitted to Shroud who felt the emotions of disgust flow through. 'I wish I could be given admin powers, cause then that Follower creep would have such a hard time messing with you!'
Shroud pondered about the just what an admin COULD do, but Tyler's voice suddenly pierced the air for him.
"HEY! Is the OLD MAN home? Or is he too deaf to hear me?!" Tyler shouted with a huge grin on his face, unaware of Shroud's shorten temper.
'OLD MAN?!' Shroud screamed in his mind, not catching the joking tone. So, Shroud's tired mind took offense to something he'd otherwise be okay with.
While Shroud's anger grew to a boiling point to the false insult, he had yet to realize the burning sensation building up within him looking for an escape. Tyler on the other hand started to notice the flicker of fire beginning to appear around Shroud's balled up fists.
"Um… Shroud? You okay ther-"Tyler cautiously said, unsure what was going on, but shut himself up when flames bursted to life around Shroud's blocky fists.
"ggGRRRR…" Shroud growled at a bewildered Tyler as he turned around with rage-filled eyes. However, Tyler didn't budge as he put on a brave face.
"Yo Shroud, I was kidding about the whole 'old man' thing. You just kept on walking as I was shouting for your attention." Tyler explained cautiously to Shroud, not wanting him to flip and attack. "So just calm down… I'm sorry if I bothered you." Tyler then took a step forward with his hands slightly raised.
It worked as the fire died away and Shroud's previously enraged expression gave way to reveal his exhaustion.
"I'm just stressed at the moment…" Shroud said as he sighed loudly. "I just need to be alone for a while." And with that Shroud started to move towards the forest to look for a quiet place to ease his nerves.
"Wait!" Tyler shouted out, catching Shroud's attention. "I was trying to tell you that the Admin is looking for anyone with information about the guy who attacked the town. Just so you know." Shroud nodded in understanding before turning around once more towards the forest. He'd tell the Admin later what he knew, but not now.
Darkness soon set in as Shroud took his first steps into the forest. He quickly dug down a few blocks and made a small four by four shelter for the night.
'Just a little sleep and I'll be fine…' Shroud told himself as he started to drift off. However, a few short hours into his sleep, he heard a dull thud from above. He quickly awoke from his sleep and held his breath waiting for another thud.
Seconds go by and soon another thud was heard. Shroud recognized it as footsteps hitting the grass above him. He pulled Old Faithful off his back and held it firmly as he began to punch the dirt block above with his left hand.
'Careful, it could be a fff-ing creeper. Also, your iron chest plate is in the red.' jlott warned Shroud as the dirt block shrunk down to its smaller form. Shroud waited a few seconds before he peeked his head out of his shelter.
Nothing could be seen, however Shroud still heard the soft, unsteady footsteps. Soon a louder thud could be heard before silence took over once more. Shroud quickly climbed out of his hiding hole and cautiously moved towards the last of the dying sound.
He moved quietly as he looked all around him, wary of any hostile mobs in the area. None were around at the moment, but the eerie silence prodded at Shroud's nerves.
Soon he came across a small clearing. At first he didn't see anything, but soon his eyes caught a dark silhouette on the damp grass. Shroud paused for a moment, unsure if he should risk moving closer. A raspy cough from the figure broke Shroud's indecision as he ran towards the person, wondering if they were injured.
Shroud remained silent as he grabbed the person and flipped them onto their back; her aging face was revealed, but Shroud couldn't see what was ailing her as the crescent moon gave little lighting.
'Try your flaming thingy-ma-gig.' jlott's loud, but yet quiet voice rang inside Shroud's mind. He paused, confused as to why jlott would suggest that. It was then his now rested mind remembered the burning feeling from earlier and realized that he could possibly still create fire.
Shroud shut his eyes tight, seeking the fire within him. He couldn't find it and he growled in frustration, but then he felt a flicker of sparks. Surprised, he lost his focus and the sparks died away, but Shroud's hope did not and so he tried again.
This time he managed to grip the fire within him and focus it towards his hands. The flame created was small and feeble, but provided the light Shroud needed.
The elderly woman before him was out cold with a large, swollen bruise to her forehead. She had other scrapes and injuries here and there from some unknown battle, but she was alive thankfully.
Shroud then gripped her dark long-sleeved shirt, allowing his fire to diminish now that he knew she wasn't bleeding to death, and lifted her into his arms. A clink of bones echoing through the forest caused Shroud to dash quickly to the only safe place he could think of at the moment; Tyler's house.
Thankfully, Tyler had left his door unlocked and Shroud easily slipped inside with his charge. He gently placed her down near the fireplace. A drowsy Tyler walked out of his bedroom after he heard the door slam shut.
"MmHmm? Shroud the frick you doing up?" Tyler said sleepily, yawning at the end of his sentence. One look at the elderly woman out cold woke up his senses. "Who's she?"
"I don't know, but she's hurt." Shroud said simply as he brushed some of her graying hair out of her face, revealing the large bruise to Tyler. "Take care of her."
"What?! Are you nuts? She might freak out if she realizes who I am! Besides what are you planning to do?" Tyler loudly announced his disapproval as Shroud strode towards the door.
"Do you know where the admin lives?" Shroud asked without turning around.
"At the center of town, in the building with gold at the bottom of the stairs." Tyler answered, realizing that Shroud wanted to simply talk to the admin, but still eyed the woman warily like she'd spring up and scream like a startled Ghast.
Shroud said nothing as he exited the building and began sprinting towards town with renewed energy.
"BUT-!" Tyler shouted as he saw Shroud leave his house. "sigh… Great he leaves me to take care of some dirty hobo." Tyler mumbled, but remained by the injured woman's side awkwardly waiting for her to wake up.
Shroud entered Rhagall once more as he searched for the center of town. Few people were awake and so Shroud managed to avoid them with ease as he weaved in and out of the various narrow streets. He made it to the center of town, only losing his way a couple of times.
He scanned the buildings bordering the town square looking for the one with gold. It was hardly difficult to spot and Shroud walked in it with confidence.
"Hello? Any one he-" Shroud called out into the spacious entry room only to be cut off by a poof of smoke. Shroud coughed as he waved the smoke away from his face.
"What do you need stranger?" Shroud turned towards the person's voice as the smoke cleared itself up. The admin stood a good two feet away from Shroud with his face as stern as ever. "Well?"
"Heard you were looking for information about someone." Shroud truthful told the admin whose expression hardly twitched. Shroud's unease grew slightly. He didn't mention that he agreed with what Tyler told the admin before; he wanted to sound like a true witness and not a false one.
"Yes… about the man who attacked the town." The admin said with a dull monotone that buried any emotion the minecraftian might have. "I have a few questions about him." Shroud simply nodded for him to continue.
"What is his name and/or player's name?" The admin started off as he stared at Shroud with calculated brown eyes.
"I don't know, he calls himself a Follower of Herobrine though." Shroud replied, shifting his weight to his better leg. The admin's face scrunched up for a split second at the sound of 'Herobrine', but soon his face was blank once more. Shroud pondered what the admin could be thinking, but continued to answer the admin's questions.
So time flew by as Shroud replied to the admin's questions such as 'why did he attack?' 'Does he have a base?' 'What powers does he have?' etc, etc. However, the answer he gave about the Follower's powers peaked the admin's interest.
"He can do all sorts of tricks like teleporting and flying." Shroud stated, but the admin nodded for him to continue. "and uh… he can 'force' a player away from their minecraftian and take control. I know this is true because I'm pretty much an example."
Suddenly the Admin's blue eyes broke out of their dull stare into a look of realization. Shroud didn't know why his last statement caused such a reaction, but soon the admin was gone in a puff of smoke. Shroud waved the smoke away with annoyance and scowl at the place where the admin once stood.
'Argh… why'd I say that last bit?' Shroud angrily questioned himself as he looked around the deserted building.
He waited for five minutes as jlott had suggested before both of their patience ran out and they decided to head back to Tyler's house. Shroud planned in his head to say his good-byes to Tyler before heading off to Glenn. He thought about following a road up to Kettil and continuing from there as he exited Rhagall once more.
However, He didn't step even ten paces out when a group of familiar bandits showed up. Shroud stopped in his tracks as the wither skull donned minecraftians armed with stone swords and diamond armor approached. Shroud reacted quickly enough as the four bandits charged, escaping their first attacks.
'Quick! Get into town, PVP is turned off there!' jlott panickingly shouted within Shroud's mind. He didn't reply as he dashed back behind the town's walls. One of them swung their sword as Shroud crossed the threshold, hitting Shroud in the back. Yet, the blow did no damage as Shroud had made it inside in time.
"You're lucky you have a safe zone to protect you!" One of them sneered as they circled Shroud menacingly.
"Once you leave, we're going to claim that bounty on your head!" Another, more feminine sounding, bandit stated as she jabbed her currently useless sword under Shroud's chin. Before Shroud could question them about the bounty; an explosion of smoke swamped the bandits and Shroud.
"Wha-"One of the Bandits said in shock as the smoke was swept away and an angry looking Admin stared down at the four bandits. Said bandits didn't get to mutter a single word before the admin teleported the four outside the walls in a heap.
"Come inside my town again and I shall make sure all four of you are banished from this server." The admin calmly announced to the bandits as they rose to their feet. "Your harassment and illegal weapons are not welcome here."
The four bandits glared at the admin in disgust before turning around and walking out of view shouting towards the admin 'The Stone-Edged faction WILL be back!' The admin merely sighed and grumbled out 'stupid minecraftians with inexperienced players.' Once the peace had settled in once more, the admin turned to Shroud with blank eyes.
"Thanks for the information citizen. You brought me something I've needed for a long time." The admin stated simply as he turned away and began walking back to his place. Shroud stood there confused as he tried to understand the admin's words.
"Wait what?" Shroud asked aloud enough for the admin to hear. The admin faced Shroud once more with a faint smile playing on his lips.
"For giving me a bit of hope of ending this stupid hysteria among the citizens here. You're pretty much the evidence I need to finally persuade them that Tyler isn't some demon, but a victim." The admin explained as his usual stern face shone with hope. Shroud continued to stare at the Admin with confusion. Soon though, his thoughts but together two pieces of a puzzle and realized that Tyler must've encountered a Follower before and something must've happened similar to what happened to himself.
'So that's why Tyler knew so much about that creep! And why he shouted "you again?!" 'jlott exclaimed aloud to only Shroud.
'Hey! Don't peep at my thoughts jlott!' Shroud mentally scowled at jlott who quickly said 'sorry! I'm an accidental eavesdropper.' Shroud soon noticed the admin continuing to talk.
"I would need you to show up for a court meeting sometime soon. I hope you don't have anything to do?" The admin said as he looked Shroud straight in the eye.
"I have to meet up with a friend in Glenn soon." Shroud replied as he's eyes shifted around and noticed the many people beginning to exit their homes. He didn't want to be in town any longer and not get side-tracked. The admin didn't even flinch one bit and simply asked Shroud to come back as soon as he could.
"And don't worry, your player can contact mine if you ever need help." The admin concluded their talk and pointed Shroud to a teleporter. Unfortunately, Rhagall's one and only teleporter went to the town Montais. The admin assured Shroud that Montais was just a few days walk away from Glenn. Shroud said his good-byes and told the admin to tell Tyler he left.
And so Shroud stepped onto the teleporter and was instantly gone as he traveled thousands of blocks in a few short seconds.