Separated

Chapter 48: Take to the Sky


The thick branches of the many tall oaks within Swampy's oasis shielded Xephos and Honeydew from the sun's harmful rays as they quietly walked along. The birds still chirped and sang in their nests and on their perches, complaisant in the cool shade and with their full bellies. Occasionally a branch shook as a squirrel leapt from the limb, the sudden rustle of leaves startling the nearby members of the forest choir. They would stop singing and tense up with ruffled feathers, ready to take flight in case of an actual threat, only to realize it was nothing and continue going about their business. Honeydew heard something scramble off within the bushes when he accidently crushed a fallen twig underneath his boot. He could only guess that it was a small rodent of some sort.

After navigating through the copse of trees for a few good minutes, the Dwarf began to grow impatient. Xephos walked leisurely behind him, hands in his pockets as he followed wherever Honeydew guided him. The Dwarf then stopped and crossed his arms before he gave a good look around, the sound of the oasis' stream trickling peacefully nearby.

"'Take my animals', he says. What bloody animals? All we keep seein' is birds, rabbits and squirrels. Where the hell would they get us?" He asked rhetorically, brow furrowing. Xephos didn't bother to answer. The Spaceman just stood idly by and waited for his associate to start walking again. The man's insanity seemed to struggle between three different personalities: quiet and calm, manipulatively mean, and just plain psychotic. Thankfully, the jackass the Dwarf had been stuck with down in The Sentinels had seemingly retired, and Xephos was now in one of his calmer lapses; Honeydew could only hope that it didn't mean another bloodthirsty rampage was just around the corner.

Just then a new sound came from somewhere nearby, momentarily drowning out the chronic white noise of chirping birds and the trickling stream. A rhythmic rise and fall of hoofbeats could be heard crackling some fallen leaves, the sound slowly tapering off as the owner of the footsteps grew farther away. Honeydew instantly turned and followed after the sound, careful not to accidently scare the creature off in his pursuit. The Dwarf heard Xephos close behind him as the sound of the stream gradually grew nearer and nearer. The duo soon reached the sandy bank of the small river again, though much farther upstream and away from the large guardian tree at the western-most side of the oasis. Here the water narrowed slightly to allow some reeds and cattails to grow near the banks. A few lily pads rocked gently in the slow current. Somewhere a frog was hidden in the brush, the only sign of its presence its occasional croak. Honeydew stepped out from under the canopy and scanned the bank for whatever he had heard. When his eyes locked onto a few larger shapes further up the stream, his jaw almost dropped in surprise.

At first they appeared to be regular horses, with their sturdy builds and large hooves, but at a closer look proved that it was not the case. From their shoulders sprouted large, angelic wings with feathers that matched the color of their coats. Most of the equines had them folded close, letting the strange appendages run parallel to their lean bodies, while others stretched them out showily and proud, occasionally flapping them to reset their balance. There were eight of them in total, two being young colts that stuck close to their mothers' sides. The herd of creatures were gathered around the stream for a drink, the two colts occasionally crying out for attention or moving to play with one another. Honeydew felt himself blink in disbelief multiple times.

"Pegasi?! I thought these things went extinct ages ago!" He cried out. The two colts playing with one another instantly tensed at the exclamation, rushing back to their mothers as their tiny wings flitted about without coordination. Some of the adults swiveled their ears and shot the newcomers a glance, but ultimately paid very little attention to them. Most of the animals within the walls of the oasis already seemed to know that humans (and therefore dwarves) were generally friendly. The Dwarf took another moment to examine the herd before moving closer, trusting the creatures wouldn't flee at his approach. He shot a glance back towards Xephos, who appeared to be admiring the winged equines from a distance.

"Come on Xeph, pick your ride. These have to be what Swampy meant." Honeydew called back. The Spaceman's watchful red eyes flickered towards his companion for a moment before he turned to do just that.

As Honeydew scanned for the pegasus he wanted, he watched his companion out of the corner of his eye. Xephos took a moment to view the herd and all of its members before approaching the one he took the most fancy for. It was a muscular young adult male, probably the strongest individual present at the stream. His coat was the dark shade of night, save for a couple of pure white splotches on his nose, chest and his hind flanks. Despite him being wild, his mane was cropped short like a Trojan war horse's. The creature's raven wings were folded neatly at his side as he drank from the cool stream, his ebony tail flicking to shoo away a few pesky horseflies. The mighty pegasus straightened and turned to face Xephos as the stranger approached, giving a warning whinny as the young stallion outstretched his wings for intimidation. The Spaceman hesitated for a moment, taking a step back and allowing the creature some room. After the equine relaxed his suspicious, rigid posture, the man began to approach again. Honeydew watched as the wild pegasus let Xephos near, a mutual understanding seeming to form between them in that moment. It was the first time the Dwarf had seen his associate do something gentle since his mental transformation, and at first it surprised him. He then remembered, however, that Xephos had always possessed a soft spot for horses.

After the Spaceman's easy time with finding a mount, Honeydew could only hope his would go just as smoothly. Unfortunately, it soon proved that it would not be the case. After looking over the remaining selection, the Dwarf settled for what appeared to be an older, smaller female. Her build was much more stocky, and with her lesser size, she almost looked like she could be a pony. Her blonde mane hung heavy with its excessive length, and her matching tail nearly trailed along the ground behind her. She had a caramel brown coat with a light-colored patch of tawny yellow dusting the tip of her muzzle. Her wings resembled those of a hawk's, the wingtips growing lighter in color the longer they stretched outwards. She had been busy ruminating on some river reeds when Honeydew abruptly placed his bag on her hindquarters, catching the older mare by surprise.

"Alright lass, hope you're fit for flyin' today." Was all he said as he began to try and fasten his supplies down. "You're gonna have to- hey!"

The Dwarf stopped when the mare swung her hip to the side, shaking Honeydew's bag off and into the mud by the stream. The pegasus then flicked her long tail at him as she began to meander away, taking interest in another nearby patch of reeds sprouting from the bank. Irritated, Honeydew snatched his items back up and stomped after her, placing the pack firmly down again. The mare made a sound of protest as the Dwarf forcefully leapt onto her back, her wings unfolding as a reflex from the sudden addition of weight.

"Listen, like it or not, I have a job to do! So go on, fly! Get going!" He dug his heels into her sides, but without spurs it did very little to get her attention. The female stood perfectly still, chewing on more reeds with her head hanging low and her ears folded back to block out the Dwarf's angry swears. Only when Honeydew yanked back on her lengthy mane did he spark a reaction. The female pegasus reared back with an angry neigh, her powerful wings flapping to help her keep her balance. Honeydew, not expecting such a violent jerk, was nearly bucked off, clutching to his things with one arm and hanging on with the other. The pegasus then planted her front hooves on solid ground again, giving an irritated exhale out of her snout. She shot Honeydew a glare as best as she could over her shoulder before returning to her reeds. She was stubborn, that's for sure.

"Ugh, this is ridiculous! Xeph, how in the hell did you-"

The Dwarf was cut off by another sharp whinny from farther down the stream behind him. There was the sound of a pair of wings unfurling as he turned to investigate the sudden cry, but he instinctively ducked when a dark shape came rushing toward him. Honeydew felt some air hurry past above him as it clambered after a large shadow. He heard the mare stop chomping on her reeds as both looked up to see what had just barreled past. Xephos and his mount were already gliding past the tops of trees as they began to gain altitude. The Spaceman kept his head low and body forward like a racing jockey, allowing enough room for his pegasus to maneuver his powerful feathered wings naturally. The pair were nearly over the wall when Honeydew finally snapped out of staring.

"Hey! Wait for me!" He cupped his gloved hands around his mouth in an effort to carry his words to the madman's ears. No sooner than when he spoke did he feel a sudden jerk from underneath him, and suddenly Honeydew felt himself lurch upwards. Nearly slipping off his mount's back again, the Dwarf found a precarious grip and waited for the sudden, rapid movement to flatten out again. When it did after a few moments, he finally processed that he was up at least forty feet in the air, possibly more. He let out a started yelp and entangled his fingers into the old mare's golden hair. Apparently, the female had been intrigued by Xephos' stallion's takeoff and had decided to follow on her own whim. Her hawk-like wings were fully outstretched as they glided forward, the green canopy rushing past a ways below them.

"You could have warned me, you crazy horse!" Honeydew shouted over the whistling wind that rapidly flew past them. He let go of the mare's golden locks with one hand to hold on to his iron helmet, fearing that it would fly off as they gained speed. The Dwarf's pegasus seemed to be amused before she gave a powerful flap upwards, her legs striding in leaping bounds to help her quicken pace and gain enough altitude to clear the wall. They soared over the tall structure with ease, entering another glide once their height from the ground was deemed favorable. Honeydew caught a glimpse of Xephos further ahead, a red and black speck against the clear blue sky. He urged his ride forward to catch up to him, and for once the mare agreed with him. She flapped her fluttering wings and increased her speed, and soon the pair of riders and their mounts flew side by side. Both Xephos and his pegasus gave them a glance as they approached from behind, but they soon returned their attention forward, looking for familiar landmarks scattered around the rolling Sands far below.

A few minutes of silence passed, the only sounds the rushing wind and the powerful wingbeats from the two pegasi. Soon the rolling dunes began to climb upwards towards the sky, and a shapeless blob of neon green could be seen amongst more impossible arches of sand. The two and their pegasi swooped speedily past the lake of radioactive ooze, leaving it behind along with the large dragon skull and Hubert's discarded ship. By now Honeydew had found his rhythm and moved with the flow of the equine below him, making his aerial journey a lot less turbulent. The two heroes crossed miles in a manner of minutes, and what took them an hour to hike on foot passed easily in less than ten minutes. The plateaus they soared over eventually began to slope down to sea level before flattening again. A ways to their left, standing out from the beige-colored dunes, was a familiar dome of greyish-black metal, still partially buried by the heavy sand.

As soon as the ruined structure came into view, Xephos aimed his stallion downwards in a steady descent. Honeydew followed the best he could, his ride still not being as fully cooperative as she could be. The ground grew closer at a brake-neck pace, and for a moment the Dwarf thought the mare he was riding wasn't going to be able to stop in time (perhaps in a suicidal effort to get back at him). Then, the massive wings fully outstretched again and willed the pegasi and their riders upwards, allowing them to level out and glide easily along the ground. There was a sudden jolt as Honeydew felt his mount lean back, using her wings and the incoming air to brake. Once coming to a near-complete stop, she let herself lower gently onto the sand, her wings returning neatly to her sides. Honeydew let out a sigh of relief, and suddenly he was on the ground, his bag landing on his helmeted head a moment after. Apparently, his pegasus had plopped herself down quickly as a means to force the Dwarf and his things off her back. When he sat back up, she had her muzzle lowered close to his face, blowing an amused exhale at him.

"Oh knock it off." Honeydew shooed the mare's snout away and stood back up, taking a moment to brush particles of sand from his beard. His mount turned away and went to socialize with Xephos', the two having touched down a few feet ahead of them. The Spaceman hopped off and showed his thanks with a soft pat on the muzzle before walking back to Honeydew, leaving the young stallion to commune with the other pegasus in the silent language equines seemed to share. The pair then turned to face the gaping hole in the nearby structure's metallic frame. Honeydew paused a moment to reach into his bag and pull out Swampy's magical cure-all. The liquid still faintly pulsated with golden light, though it was nearly undetectable in the day's bright sunshine. The Dwarf began forward again and entered the strange dome, trusting Xephos to follow.

"Webley?" he called a moment later. At first there was silence, and for a moment or two Honeydew thought that they were too late. But soon there came a low moan of misery from just around the remains of a smashed terminal. The Dwarf moved to see Webley still propped up against the wall, tightly clinging to his injured side with an iron grip. The crossbow the Dwarf had given him lay by his side, but the man appeared too weak to even hold it anymore. The young professor made another pitiful noise as he tried to assuage the aches traveling throughout all of his body. He appeared to have not noticed the newcomers just yet, his agony blinding him to his surroundings.

"Webley?" Honeydew tried again. Xephos stood beside him, hands casually tucked deep into his coat pockets as he assessed the younger man's torment. This time the archeologist lifted his head to look up at them. His bloodshot eyes widened momentarily.

"Good Notch, you actually made it back." He spoke, obviously surprised by the pair's return. Suddenly the man winced and reached for his side again. "J-Just in time, too. I swear I saw the gates to the Aether a few times already."

"Here." Honeydew uncorked the glass bottle containing Swampy's potion and handed it to Webley. The potion's original scent of watermelons was now infused with a faint hint of mint. The professor reached up with his free hand and took the flask, pressing it to his dry lips a moment later. Honeydew watched as the red liquid slowly but surely drained from the bottle until nothing remained. Almost instantly after ingesting the brew, some lively color had returned to Webley's wan face. The archeologist seemed to relax as any cuts or scratches he had began to stitch themselves back together, a thin wisp of golden light serving as the sewing needle. Webley let go of his troublesome side and stood up easily, his newfound strength having awakened his tired legs. He took a moment to wipe his mouth as he looked down at the empty flask in his hand again.

"Now that's what I call medicine!" He said cheerily. He discarded the potion bottle by placing it down on the hard metal flooring before resting his hands on his hips. "So, you two need to get to the Tomb of the Templars, eh? I hope you have a quick way to get around in this desert. If we are where I think we are, it'll take ages."

"Funny you should mention that..." Honeydew began. Before he could continue, a sharp whinny was heard from outside. Xephos was the first to turn and rush towards the gaping hole they called the door, his sword drawn in the blink of an eye. Webley looked mildly perplexed on what was going on as he followed the Dwarf out of the small dome ruin. Apparently, a creeper had startled the pegasi outside. Honeydew's mare sniffed and examined the fresh green corpse, blood and creeper brains staining the sand where the creeper's head lay split open like a melon. Xephos' pegasus simply continued to clean his massive raven wings, though now his two rear hooves had reddened slightly with fresh blood. The three men stared at the odd sight before Webley spoke up.

"Where on Minecraftia did you find pegasi?" He asked, his lower jaw a bit slack from the sight of the two creatures. His caramel brown eyes were wide behind his shattered spectacles, fascinated by the two specimens before him.

"Same place we got you that potion, mate. They'll get us to the Tomb in no time at all!" Honeydew declared. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Xephos had moved over to stroke his stallion's mane, his red-eyed smirk one of pride for once. The Dwarf silently made a note to himself that if his comrade's insanity didn't sort itself out after Israphel was gone, equestrian therapy seemed to be a good Plan B.

"Well I'll be..." Webley replied. He adjusted his useless glasses atop the bridge of his nose and continued to stare dumbfounded at the winged equines for a moment. He soon snapped out of it and strode over to Honeydew's mount. The young professor started stroking her golden mane, causing the older pegasus to look up from the dead creeper and shoot him a confused glance.

"You're quite the pretty one, aren't you?" He asked. This instantly won the stubborn old mare's approval, causing her give a bit of a smile before she licked Webley's cheek affectionately. Meanwhile, Honeydew looked as though he was ready to strangle something.

"You two make it look bloody easy!" He whispered harshly to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, nothing! Can we just get a move on? The heat's startin' to bother me."

"All right. The place should be easy to locate in the air anyway." Webley said before he turned to the pegasi beside him again. The young man beamed. "I'm going to catch a ride on one of the rarest creatures in Minecraftia! If they're even still around, my contacts from university would be flabbergasted!"

"Just get on the fucking horse, Webley."

"Right, right. Ahem. Sorry."

Within the next few minutes, the trio was airborne once again. Still not too trusting of Xephos' current mentality, Honeydew had offered to give Webley a ride on his pegasus, since the two were so obviously getting along (much to the Dwarf's annoyance). With lofty wings riding the warm breeze, the archeologist began to scan the vast expanse of desert that sprawled out underneath them. The landscape remained bland and unchanged for some long minutes, save for a few dead cacti that rose from the sand like eerie black steeples. Finally, a particular copse of the dead desert plants caught Webley's attention; Honeydew recognized the massive cactus patch as the Cactus Forest he and Xephos had passed by earlier.

"Aha! You're going to want to head northwest from here." The professor pointed a little ways off to their left to clarify. Honeydew, only able to trust the other man's words, willed his pegasus in the desired direction as Xephos began to do the same. The wind picked up behind them slightly and increased their current travel speed, as if Notch himself was urging the heroes on. The sand below became a blank, rolling wasteland again once the forest of twisted plants grew smaller and smaller before disappearing completely beyond the hazy horizon behind them. The pegasi and their riders moved swiftly and freely across the open sky, their forms only two miniscule specks on the otherwise perfect blue heavens.

More time passed. Honeydew wasn't quite sure how long it had been since they started their second flight, but within that time they had passed over two more plateaus, one more impossible arch of sand, and another, smaller leak of the Sentinels' neon green lifeblood that seeped up from underground. The Sands were truly just a massive graveyard, for both Sentinel and otherwise. Whether it be cold iron or living flesh, nothing seemed to be able to withstand the smothering heat and overwhelming size that had claimed so many while the desert still fought for Israphel's false cause. The Dwarf's musings were interrupted when Webley called out behind him, abruptly severing the link between him and any deep thought he might have had.

"There! In the flatland between the dunes!" He shouted over the wind. The Dwarf shifted his gaze back down towards the rolling expanse of sand and scanned for any unusual shape. He saw it only a moment later. In a flatter stretch of desert hidden between two massive dunes sat a dusty, ancient-looking mausoleum. The three men let their mounts land before they moved to investigate. The grey stone structure was worn, the elements having long since curved out any rough edges. The place itself looked exhausted. Cracked pillars held up a heavy concrete roof with the last of their strength, and multiple cracks and other impurities marred its walls. Engraved over the double doors were a few words. Their time in the harsh desert left them nearly illegible.

The Tomb of Antioch Templars

Notch rest their weary souls

"So this is it?" Honeydew asked, his voice reflecting his confusion. It was a lot less grand than what he had expected. "It's...rather small, if you ask me. You would've thought the Antiochs could afford more than a mausoleum in the middle of bloody nowhere."

"Actually, the real tomb lies underground." Webley explained. Honeydew turned and raised a brow at the young professor's words. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Xephos do the same.

"Underground?" The Dwarf echoed. Webley nodded, looking towards the crumbling mausoleum once he wiped his brow from the intense heat.

"Yes. This mausoleum is just the entrance. It's rather large and mazelike down there, so I hope you're prepared for a long search for...whatever you two are looking for."

"I hope so too." Honeydew replied. He paused a moment to reassess what the archeologist had just said. "Wait, you mean you're not coming with?"

"I wish I could, but even in my new health, I wouldn't last too long down there if any Mobs were present. I plan to take these creatures home and figure out what to do from there. Apparently, I have years of catching up to do." Webley said as he moved to stroke the mare's golden mane again.

"That makes sense, I guess. Well, good luck with whatever you do." Honeydew then offered his hand in a parting handshake. The archeologist gave a smile and returned the gesture before he climbed back onto the female pegasus. The equine turned and suddenly stuck her snout into Honeydew's face, catching the Dwarf by surprise. She seemed to smile before slathering his face in saliva as she licked his face up and down. Webley laughed as Honeydew made a sound of protest and tried to wipe the sticky substance off.

"Ewww, that's disgusting! Auugh, it's in my beard...!"

"I think she's saying goodbye." Webley replied, still laughing slightly. Even Xephos gave a snicker at his companion's utter disgust.

"Ugh, whatever. Just get that crazy horse away from me already." Honeydew muttered, crossing his arms as he gave a glare at his former mount. The old mare just seemed amused by his reaction. She apparently had a lot of fun messing around with the Dwarf. Soon Webley took off again, the black stallion following a little ways behind. Xephos and Honeydew watched the professor disappear off with their mounts behind a few tall dunes along the horizon. Soon it was just the two of them, the old mausoleum, and the soft sound of the howling wind across the barren desert.

"Well, let's go. We're running out of time." Honeydew said, turning to move closer to the entrance of the ancient tomb. Above him, the blazing sun had passed the checkpoint of high noon and was slowly but surely making its journey back towards where Minecraftia met the sky.

"Yes." Xephos replied, talking for the first time for a good while. He wore another of his signature evil smirks. "Just a few more hours until The End, it seems. Just a few more hours..."

"Sure, sure. Now help me get these doors open!"

Xephos' red eyes flashed for a moment out of annoyance of being interrupted, but he complied either way. Together the two men forced the old tomb's double doors open. The sound of stone slabs grinding against the ground disappeared down a dark set of stairs before rebounding and echoing back to reach their ears, creating cascading ripples of sound that lasted long after the doors were fully open. Honeydew watched as some enchanted torches lit up in pairs along the wall, the ancient magic sensing their presence. Every few seconds a new pair of twinkling bulbs would appear farther and farther away from their current position, illuminating more and more of the dusty old staircase in a bright orange glow. The Dwarf turned to Xephos and made a motion for him to follow.

"Come on." He said, and with that, he grabbed his pickaxe and began the long descent into The Tomb of the Antioch Templars. Xephos took a moment to look back up at the sky, another twisted smile creeping its way onto his face.

"Yes, just a few more hours." The Spaceman repeated. He gave another chuckle to himself. "I just hope The End doesn't disappoint."

Xephos then moved to follow Honeydew before his companion could complain about him lollygagging again. As they two men ventured deeper and deeper into the bowels of the tomb, the heavy stone doors of the mausoleum slowly skidded and closed themselves, the loud rumble they created once more echoing around the dimly-lit stairwell.