Book 1: The Mob Invasion
Chapter 12: The Edgelands

Days Since the Mob Invasion: 752

The Edgelands. Few places in Minecraftia have such a bloody history. Situated on the northern side of the Iron Mountains, it is impossible to travel from Northern Minecraftia to Southern Minecraftia without first passing through the Edgelands. It did not take long for the ambitious warrior king Notch to set his sights toward the hill and mountain-covered Edgelands during his campaign to unite all of Minecraftia under his banner during the Baron Wars.

The ensuing battles were bloody and resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, but over many months Notch's army was able to whittle down the Edgelands' defenses enough to completely conquer the region. With the Edgelands conquered, Notch had free reign to journey past the Iron Mountains and into Southern Minecraftia, furthering his own ambitious expansion. The people of the Edgelands, however, never forgot. Years later after Notch had completely conquered Southern Minecraftia, the people of the Edgelands revolted against their emperor, seeking to once again become an independent people. This war became known as the Edgelands Rebellion, and the bloodshed shaped the final days of Notch's Empire.

But as young Zoe lifted her face to the sky and felt the crisp, autumn breeze dance over her eyelids, her thoughts were not of the beautiful yet haunting scenery she found stretched before her, nor was she very concerned of the Edgelands' history. No, her mind was preoccupied with matter of far greater importance.

"Is dinner ready yet?" Zoe grumbled, holding her hungry stomach as she laid next to the campfire.

"I am cooking this rabbit as fast as a rabbit can possibly be cooked without being reduced to char, Zoe," Rinoa responded, her left eye beginning to involuntarily twitch from the annoyance of being asked the same question for the fourth time in one evening.

"At this point I would probably eat char," Zoe moaned before rolling over to look up at the purple painted sky. The sun was just about to dip over the horizon. Within 30 minutes it would be completely dark. Until then, however, the sun was putting on a beautiful light show, painting the sky in shades of purple, pink, orange, blue, and violet. It was the most beautiful sunset that Zoe had ever seen, but somehow she figured it would probably look even better if she had a belly full of rabbit.

The two traveling companions had found themselves deep in a forest high up a hill, almost hanging off the side of an even larger mountain. The two were camped beside a large pond, well hidden by the steep cliffs and thick foliage of the woods. Their horse was curled up under a tree, thankful for the opportunity to rest. Although they knew better than to assume they were completely safe, they were well-hidden enough that neither one of them predicted they would be having an eventful night with either mobs or griefers.

Rinoa still kept her hatchet within arms distance at all times anyway. Just in case.

"Okay, let's see here..." Rinoa removed the two cooking spits from the flames of the fire. One for her, one for Zoe. She could hear the tender meat of the rabbit sizzle as the smell of a freshly cooked meal filled the air. Using her gloved hand, she pinched some of the meat off and inspected it. Even through the thick leather of her gloves, she could feel the searing heat, but nonetheless the meat was fully cooked. "Alright, looks good. Let's eat."

Zoe happily chirped up as she eagerly scooted over to sit next to Rinoa and grab her meal. She practically snatched her cooking spit from Rinoa as she handed it to her, and opened her mouth to take a big bite.

"You should really probably wait for that to cool down a li-"

"OW! Hot! Hot!" Zoe's cries interrupted Rinoa's attempted warning as Zoe spat the still searing bite of rabbit haunch into her lap and began fanning her mouth with her hand.

"By the gods, drink this you damn fool," Rinoa sighed as she passed Zoe their water flask. Zoe grabbed that even faster than she did her meal, and immediately began chugging water to soothe her burning tongue.

"Th-thanks, Rin," she said in between panted breaths after drinking her fill. Rinoa just rolled her eyes as she blew on a piece of rabbit to cool it off before shoving it in her mouth.

"Seriously, Zoe, how did you even survive at all before you met me?" Rinoa had never encountered somebody so skilled with archery, and yet so hopelessly lost at everything else at the same time. Rinoa wasn't sure if it was more annoying or amusing. Zoe looked over at her and let out a small whimper.

"It wasn't fun, I'll say that much," Zoe answered. She put the cooking spit over to the side to allow it time to cool off, despite her stomach's demands. Curling up, she placed her knees under her chin as she watched rays of the sunset trickle in through the branches of the forest and reflect off the pond. "Beautiful sunset today," she said, almost dreamily.

Rinoa looked up from her rabbit haunch she was picking apart to look at it, not really noticing it until now. "Yeah," she agreed. "It really is."

The two kept quiet for awhile after that as they nibbled on their food. Rinoa couldn't help but be slightly taken aback by the past couple days. She told Zoe her story days ago. Fully sat her down and told he the entire truth. The truth about her. The truth about her past. The truth about her sister, Sofie, and everything she planned to do when she got back to Hunter's Watch. Zoe knew all of this, however, it didn't seem to really bother her much, if at all. Rinoa was convinced that Zoe wouldn't want to travel with her. And yet, still, here she is. Was it necessity of survival that she still chose to travel with her? Maybe, Rinoa thought. But, at the same time, the past few days Zoe had been nothing but pleasant. If Rinoa's story truly had bothered her, Zoe did not show it.

"Wellp," Zoe started after finishing her supper, "I guess it's my turn to take first watch for the night, eh?" she smiled over at Rinoa as the fireplace illuminated her face and sparkled in her eyes. "Why don't you go ahead and get some rest. I'll wake you up when it's your turn."

This seemed to break Rinoa out of her trance. She looked up from the fire and realized the sun had now completely set, the crickets were chirping, and the stars were out. It was time for rest. Rinoa nodded and began to crawl into her sleep sack for the night, but wound up stopping herself.

"Everything alright?" Zoe raised an eyebrow as she eyeballed her friend. Rinoa just sat there, staring into the fire a puzzled look on her face. It took her a few seconds to finally form her question.

"Hey, Zoe... When you take watch like this... what do you think about to pass the time?" Rinoa asked before finally looking over at Zoe. Zoe's eyes seemed to light up a little bit at this. Was Rinoa actually initiating small talk first for once?

"Well," Zoe grinned a little bit before thinking of what to say. "Hmm... I'd say, probably, I think a lot about Monteian. My life before the invasion. My father. My friends..." The grin from her face slowly started to become sullen as the memories flooded back to her. "I used to be nobility. 'The Iron Princess of Monteian,' but now..." she let out a small, half-hearted chuckle as she vaguely gestured around her. "Look at me. I won't lie, it's a little humbling." Zoe rubbed the back of her neck a little, not sure what else to say. "What about you, what do you think about?" she asked.

Rinoa stared into the fire, wondering how to answer. At first, she thought the answer was obvious. Ever since she was banished from Hunter's Watch, it felt like the only thing on her mind was revenge. Hatred. Fire. Burning the community that betrayed her to the ground, and then spitting on the ashes. But Zoe already pretty much knew that. And, if Rinoa was being entirely honest with herself, she knew deep down inside there was something else that weighed heavy on her mind during the few silent moments when the quiet set in. Something she had never really confessed to anybody before.

"I think..." Rinoa started after several long seconds. "...I think about... the future that almost was, you know?" she looked back over to her younger friend. "I think about how close I was to finishing my demolitions classes at the Capitol University. I think about how I had a job lined up to work in the mines up north at the Red Mountains. The house I was going to buy. I think about whatever foolish ass man I would have met that would have been dumb enough to end up marrying me and-" Rinoa stopped herself a little short in surprise, realizing she had said more than she planned on. She could tell by the look on Zoe's face, however, that she wanted her to continue. Rinoa shook her head and groaned a little bit before looking up at the sky, unable to make eye contact with Zoe anymore. "Being a-... being a mother," she finally admitted. "Above all else I just... I really wanted to be a mom one day."

A cool breeze blew through their campsite as Rinoa took a second to appreciate the weight of the words that poured out her mouth. It was something that she barely admitted to herself, much less another person. It was almost embarrassing, but she couldn't help feeling the way she felt. Even as a kid she had envisioned herself growing up to have a big family. Marrying someone that genuinely loved her. All of her kids would know their grandparents. Her children would know their aunts, Sofie and Lana, who would come over to visit with their children too, and their children would all be the best of friends.

But now, as a young woman, Rinoa was faced with the bleak reality that the future she had always dreamed of is a future that would never be. The world was ending all around her everyday. Sofie was dead. Lana hated her. She'd never have a home. She'd never fall in love. She'd never have children. Not while the dead still walked the Overworld and ate the living.

Just another thing stolen from me by this bitch of a world, Rinoa thought to herself, a quiet anger smoldering inside her.

"I think you'd make a great mom."

Zoe's words took a second to register with Rinoa. Rinoa's eyebrows raised and she looked over at Zoe confused. She pushed her pink-dyed hair behind her ears so she could hear better.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I said, I think you'd make a great mother, Rin. I'm serious," Zoe's voice was gentle and calm compared to her usual upbeat demeanor. Rinoa stared at her a few seconds before letting out a small laugh.

"Haha, well, y'know, maybe back in the day or if the world hadn't ended, but not so much now..." Rinoa tried to laugh it off, but Zoe wasn't about to let her. This was only the second time she had seen Rinoa open up about something, and she wasn't about to let her wave it away like it was nothing.

"No, Rin," Zoe shook her head. "You still would be a good mom even today. I mean it. I mean, look at you!" A smile began to creep over Zoe's face as she gestured over to her friend. "You know how to survive out in the wild, you know how to fight, you were able to re-tame our horse like it was nothing, and you know how to make TNT! You're smart... and as much of a jerk as you probably think you are... I think you're pretty nice... Yeah, you'd be a great mother."

Rinoa was about to protest when suddenly her mind began to wonder. For a brief second, she imagined herself today with a small little boy. Her child. She imagined herself teaching her son to ride horses. To build a camp and pitch a tent. She imagined teaching him how to fish for food, and forage in the wild. She would teach him how to fight, and how to know when to run. And then, for just a moment, Rinoa's lips formed the faintest smile as she daydreamed about a possible future.

...But then, she remembered. She remembered why she was out here in the wilderness in the first place. She remembered how she was a griefer for the Redstone Ocelots. She remembered the people who ended up dying because of TNT that she had sold to the Redstone Ocelots. The broken promise that she had made to Sofie that she would keep her safe. Then she remembered the people she had directly killed with her own hands... and the people she still had to kill. These dark thoughts buried the sweet visions of her future deep within her mind. Rinoa's eyes darkened as they lowered.

"No," Rinoa turned her back to Zoe as she laid down in her sleep sack, "I wouldn't be."

Zoe could clearly see that Rinoa was through with the conversation. Realizing that she wasn't able to get through to her friend like she had hoped she would, Zoe's smile faded as she stared solemnly into the fire.

"Well, I think you would..." Zoe whispered, barely audible. Resting her chin back on her knees, Zoe prepared herself for another long shift of keeping watch alone.

What Zoe didn't realize, though, was that the only reason Rinoa turned her back towards her is so that Zoe wouldn't see the tears that had begun to stream down her face.

Next Chapter: Clues