"The battle was fierce," Jesse read aloud, having to squint to read the quaky handwriting. It looked as though someone had written it while riding on a horse. On a completely unrelated note, Jesse would really like to have a horse. "But the Order of the Stone emerged triumphant, saving the land and ensuring that peace and prosperity would reign forever."
"Well," Lukas commented, coming over to Jesse, "not exactly forever."
Jesse grinned a little, before looking back at the book. "These... five friends, would give so much to gain their rightful place, as five heroes. They would author their own end. They would slay a dragon," and the next page flipped to an illustration.
Jesse gaped. The fifth member was... was...
"Ivor was a member of the Order of the Stone?" Olivia stared at the book, mouth open, "the stories never mentioned him."
Jesse crossed her arms and stared at the picture, brow furrowing. "This would definitely explain why Ivor was in that journal we found... and of course would explain why he had such a grudge towards Gabriel."
"This is so... crazy," Lukas breathed.
Olivia frowned. "They lied to us," she said, crossing her arms, "They lied to the whole world!"
"Why would they do that?" Axel wondered.
"This is so crazy," Lukas repeated, as if he really couldn't believe it.
Jesse let out a little sigh. "The Order might've lied, but we need their help if we're going to defeat this Witherstorm. And Petra is still out there. That monster, is still out there."
Lukas nodded. "Jesse's right," he agreed, pulling himself together, "we should focus on what we came here to do."
Olivia walked over to a white staircase, looking at it curiously. "Where do these stairs go?" she wondered, craning her neck up as she followed the staircase.
Jesse shrugged at her friend, stepping onto the steps. "Only one way to find out." And they all trekked up the stairs.
Jesse felt her mouth fall open as she came up the stairs, and her eyes widened. "Wow!" she gasped as she emerged into what used to be a large room, but now there were holes in the floor and the walls were crumbling. Even without the walls and falling apart, it was ethereally beautiful, especially in the light of the still-rising sun.
"What happened to the walls?" Axel wondered, looking around with shining eyes.
"More like what happened to this whole place..." Jesse mumbled, before looking around. "Let's all look around- there has to be something- something that'll use the amulet somehow-" she waved the amulet to punctuate her point, "to find the rest of the Order of the Stone."
They all split up. Jesse looked around, and opened the journal as she sat down on a small wooden stair nearby, unsure what else to do. Maybe the journal contained a clue?
'These children are tested every other week, according to the scientists. They all excel in the speed tests, apparently, but when the other tests come into play it's more murky. Some attacks are very good, but they do not like using them. Or, sometimes the child will have aversions towards fighting in general. Apparently some of the children cannot control their talents, or powers, or whatever you wish to call them. The one I have 'custody' of- Petra- apparently nearly burned down the entire lab the previous week.'
Jesse smirked a bit at that. Good going, Petra.
'However, the children all get along very well with one another, and are kept in the same room for the sake of easier monitoring. At least, I believe that's how the scientists put it. I don't mind. It makes it easier to visit them.
~ Gabriel
'I don't really know what to write here. We have a couple more weeks before we have to fight the dragon. We've told the children so, and most of them want to come with us. Except for my hybrid and Soren's. Both of them don't seem to like the idea of fighting very much, and would much prefer sit in a corner and read if they had to. Although whenever they spar with us, they find it very enjoyable- Jesse's already gotten very good at it herself, and knocked me down the other day.'
Jesse had to grin with pride at that.
'I don't think I would be able to recognize any of these children if I didn't see them for an extended period of time to be honest, not unless they were in their full hybrid form, like they are usually in now. I honestly don't know if I would remember them very well even then, however- I don't tag along all that often. I'm usually too busy making healing potions for whenever Gabriel and Magnus decide to have one of their idiotic competitions and end up in a ditch somewhere. Gabriel tells me whenever they go that Jesse often asks for me. Which is pleasing, but... I have to be ready for the dragon. We all have to be ready.
~ Ivor'
Well, that at least explained why Ivor hadn't even seemed to recognize her.
Jesse shut the book again- the journal didn't talk about anything related to the current task.
As she got up, she spotted a flash of color and twisted to see it. On an old, white flag, Jesse found a beautifully sewn version of the amulet blazened across it. She looked up at the space above it, before climbing up a bit and popping it into place. The amulet reflected the rising sun into her eyes, making her squint and climb back down.
Walking back over to a table with lots of levers, she looked at them, before her eyes lit up a little. "This looks like a puzzle," she said quietly to herself. "I like puzzles."
Looking around, she experimentally flipped on and off the switches, lighting up the lights next to the map plastered across the wall. She hummed, and began to test them out, trying out some patterns. It took her five minutes before she toggled another switch, all the lights glowed, and a blazing beam of light shot from the lantern in the middle of the table, hit the center of the amulet, and sent two colored beams of light at the map.
Jesse whistled, as Olivia commented, arching her eyebrow with a small smile, "Okay. Now I'm impressed."
"This must be what Gabriel wanted us to find," Jesse commented, "it's showing where the Order of the Stone is, right now!"
Lukas frowned a bit. "There're only two lights... we don't know anything about how this map works. It might not show them when they're in the End or the Nether."
Jesse nodded, looking at the red and green beams of light shining on two entirely different parts of Minecraftia. "If there are only two heroes left then we know what we have to do. Petra's relying on us, and that Witherstorm is still out there. Gabriel was trying to tell me to find the Order of the Stone. So... I think the options are... Ellegaard," the red light, "and Magnus."
Lukas frowned. "I can't go with any of you guys."
Four startled pairs of eyes turned to Lukas, as he continued, "if there's any chance Petra is still out there, I have to make this place fortified and safe by nightfall. I have to stay here. If I know her, she's doing everything she can to find this place." He looked around, before giving them a sheepish look. "Um, this temple is pretty big though. Maybe if one of you could stay behind and help me?"
"Sounds like Olivia'll have you covered while Jesse and I go look for Magnus," Axel nodded.
Olivia gave Axel a look. "Finding Magnus? You really think that's how it's going to go? We need Ellegaard. She's the world's smartest engineer. She'd figure a way to stop that thing."
"We're trying to destroy it," Axel pointed out, "and when it comes to destruction, Magnus is the master."
Jesse pinched her lips together thoughtfully. "Hmm, honestly, if we need to fortify the temple, Olivia should stay behind- no offense, Axel, but-"
Axel waved it off, pumping his fist. "None taken. It means we get to go find Magnus!"
Jesse shrugged, feeling her other shoulders move as well. "Okay, you could take it that way." She turned back to her friend, adjusting the cloak around her shoulders. "Olivia, could you help Lukas and stay behind to fortify the temple?"
Olivia shrugged as well. "Sure."
Jesse hesitated for a minute- Olivia was stubborn, far too much so to just agree without any argument whatsoever- before waving it off. Maybe Olivia just wanted to stay behind and help? Of course. It was Petra.
"Let's get ready to roll, Axel."
"Um.. guys?"
A sound like thunder rolled through the sky, and Jesse turned to see what Lukas was staring at- the silhouette of the giant Witherstorm writhing in the distance.
"Please hurry."
A/N: Boom! This chapter marks the end of Episode 1!
I thought about going to Redstonia, but I think it's more action-packed for Jesse to go to Boom Town, and I need to practice writing action, so Boom Town it was!
Kaos Ruin: Yeah, people seem really surprised by that. I'm honestly surprised that people are surprised xD
Toni42: When you're in shock, your brain is like 'no time to freak out!' When Episode 4 comes and they'll play the blame game, they'll all have a group freakout session TOGETHER xD and wow, people are surprised by that. HOW?
rebekahtpe: Probably would be one of Rick Riordan's books, and I like all of them, so you can just pick whatever. And... maybe Ivor recognized Jesse? I said he might not in the chapter. Doesn't necessarily mean he didn't. 0-0 And thanks
DemonCatLady: It's settled then- once finishing this story (that will take forever) I'll add in a side story about everything else! Well, more like a book of oneshots that kind of string together... whatevs (shrugs)
angelwings: Yep! That's good, and thanks a lot!
x.X. A.L. X.x.
