Chapter 17: Secrets and Surprises

The only time Victor sounded this serious was when life and death were at stake.

"I thought you were at your house…" Reed began, trying to delay whatever news Victor had. "Snuck out," Victor said flatly, "now don't try to distract me." Reed sighed at his failed attempt. "Can we at least get the others?" he asked. "Later," Victor replied, "Do you remember that stick Notch gave me when we were kids?" "The one he said could tell if a miner was a spawn or a breed? What about it?" Reed replied, becoming rather confused.

"There's something you need to see…"

Victor led Reed to Pickaxe's room, slowly opening the door. Without saying a word, they slowly approached his bed, with Reed still confused. At this point, Victor took out a purple-glowing stick. He motioned for Reed to pay attention. He pointed the stick at himself. It turned from purple to red. He pointed the stick at Reed. It turned from purple to red. "So?" whispered Reed, not wanting to awaken Pickaxe. Victor pointed the stick at Pickaxe.

It turned from purple to green.

It took some time for Reed to process what he had just seen. He and Victor left the guest room, with a storm of questions surging in his brain. "How… did you find out?" he asked Victor, still in shock. "I always keep the stick in my hotbar," Victor explained, "I didn't notice the color change at first. I realized what he was when he was in that coma." Reed paused. "So it's true, then… he's a spawn," Reed concluded. Victor noded.

"...when are you going to tell the others?" he asked.

The next morning, Pickaxe found himself being shook awake. The sudden movement was enough to make him yell "GAH!" and fall out of bed, landing flat on his face. He grumbled and rubbed his head, turning to see who the perpetrator was. It was Sabrina, but… her face showed concern. Pickaxe knew that wasn't good. Sabrina extended her hand to Pickaxe, who excepted as she pulled him up on his feet. "What is it?" he inquired, wondering why she carried that facial expression.

"We… need to talk," was all Sabrina said.

She led Pickaxe to the dining room, where everyone else was present. Great, Pickaxe thought, something to make me feel even more uneasy. He took a seat at the table, Reed's eyes drilling into his very soul. He had to look away; he'd never seen him that serious. "Mind telling us why we're here?" Sarah asked, attempting to break the tension. Reed took a breath. "Pickaxe," he began, his voice uneasy, "do you know… what you are?"

Parker fiddled in his cell, waiting or one of its guards to show up.

Fools, he thought, they have no idea what I'm planning. He continued to play with some of the various items in his possession: soul sand, wither skulls, flint & steel… TNT. He had a plan that would soon be set in motion, and everyone who opposed him would pay. Especially Endre and Pickaxe, he recalled, those two have been thorns in my side for far too long. When no one was looking, he turned behind him, looking at the trapdoor. Now all he needed was a witness.

"Wait… Pickaxe is a SPAWN!?"

Stan said this in the most incredulous manner he could manifest. Pickaxe a spawn? Impossible! "Hold your horses, son," Reed interrupted, bringing Stan back to silence. "Pickaxe," he asked again, "what exactly do you remember when you first saw the world?" Pickaxe put his hand on his chin. "I was in front of a river," he stated, "There was a forest behind me. The sun had started to rise. Other than that, nothing." "There wasn't anyone else?" interjected Madison, "No other miners?" Pickaxe shook his head.

"Born in total isolation…" Victor whispered, nodding in certainty.

"But that can't be right!" Endre argued, refusing to believe a word, "When did he meet Jewel then!?" "I think four days afterward," Pickaxe replied, earning shocked expressions from the group. "Plus, he didn't have a name before I met him," Jewel added, making the case that Pickaxe could very well be a spawn. "B-but it still doesn't add up!" Stan exclaimed, still refusing to believe this claim, "Spawns haven't been around for centuries! Your lucky to even find one today! He could be lying, or suffering from amnesia!" Pickaxe silently observed as the arguments continued to fly back and forth.

Personally, he believed he was indeed a spawn.

It all seemed to add up to him. His first time actually encountering the world was in the middle of nowhere. He was alone, whereas everyone else had parents. That, and he showed up fully grown, while everyone else claimed they spawned into the world as babies. While he and his friends both had to learn new and unfamiliar concepts, he felt more in the dark, but at the same time, he could register new information quicker than everyone else. He could learn the names of things just by looking at them. He didn't even have a name at the start.

Honestly, it was hard to see why Pickaxe wasn't a spawn.

Vincent suddenly busted through the doors. He looked even more pale than usual, and seemed to be out of breath. Everyone turned towards him, all arguments suddenly silenced. "It's… Parker…" he wheezed, still trying to catch his breath. Everyone's eyes widened. "Did he escape?" inquired Victor, fearing for the worst. "No…" Vincent whispered, "Killed himself… TNT explosion… saw his inventory…" Everyone remained silent. Texik jumped out of his seat.

"Okay, this is something I've GOT to see," he declared, running out of the house.

It took several seconds for the group to process the madness that Texik had just announced. They quickly gave chase after him, catching up to him inside the prisons. Where Parker's cell had been, there was now a gaping hole in the walls. Several items were laid about in the style that a miner had just lost his inventory. Even Texik was speechless. "That fool…" Rosetta choked, "he actually did it…"

Jewel heard someone else enter the prison, and they also strung an arrow.

Instinctively, Jewel pushed herself in front of Pickaxe, taking the hit for him. She gasped "GUH!" before falling to the floor, unconscious. "JEWEL!" Endre cried out, only to get shot himself. The volley of arrows struck everyone in the room. The last thing Pickaxe saw was a flash of bronze hair and silver eyes before passing out himself. Parker smiled smugly at his recent victory, walking towards the now defeated group.

"Child's play," he bragged.

He slung Jewel and Rosetta over his shoulders, walking just before the entrance. He had his prize, as well as a hostage to boot. He turned to face the other miners that were once his loyal followers. Their faces were filled with fear and uncertainty, given the events they just witnessed. Naturally, Parker laughed maniacally at them. He placed a lever on top of one of the blocks. "Good riddance!" he yelled, pulling the lever down.

As he walked out of the prison, the faint sound of a sizzle could be heard…

Pickaxe and company woke up to a wasteland. As they slowly stood up, they noticed that the entire prison had been reduced to rubble. Scattered inventories were in the former prison cells. "Wait…" Sarah began, "Where's Jewel?" Victor looked panicky as well; "Where's Rosetta?" he asked, expecting an answer. Nobody had one. Endre looked furious. "Darn you, Parker…" he muttered under his breath.

Out of the corner of his eye, Pickaxe saw a glowing purple hue.

He walked away from the rubble, finding the Nether portal active. "That foolish boy…" Margret fumed, an uncharacteristic rage on her face, "...he took them there." Pickaxe knew what she was talking about. Parker had gone back to the Nether, Jewel and Rosetta in tow. Texik knew exactly what to do… he flung himself into the portal full force, bellowing "PaAaArKeEeEr!" at full volume. Madison and Sarah followed close behind, Endre not hesitating to join them. Pickaxe looked at his inventory. He still had plenty of food and potions, and his tools were still in good condition.

Let's finish this, he thought, running through the portal.