Chapter 20: The Price of Two

"Hold up."

The group stopped short at Esme's command. Ray looked over her shoulder at the Core tracker she so intently stared at, trying to figure out what could've gotten her attention.

"Something the matter?" he asked.

They were still making their way under Luxmouth in a cramped tunnel. Traveling single-file, one of her agents dug through the dirt blocks at the front while another replaced them at the back, ensuring nobody would be able to tell how they got in. A third agent held a lit torch. Ray, meanwhile, had his enchanted book to communicate with the other team. Even underground, they could hear the muffled sounds of fighting.

"The twin Bonemeal Cores seem to be in the same place, but the light Fire Core is held elsewhere. If we want all three, we'll have to split up."

Ray scribbled a message in his book, relaying the information to Tara. Seconds later, a reply appeared beneath his writing.

[What about the unidentified dark Core?]

"We've passed it by," Esme said when he repeated the question. "It's not far, but based on our position I'd say it's right in the middle of the raid. The coordinates are moving away from us as well, so someone must already have it." She frowned. "There's another one, too… a stone one, it looks like. Also in the midst of the battle. I don't know where it came from or why it only now appeared, but getting it would require quite the detour. It's even moving toward the unknown Genesis Core right now."

Once again, he transcribed her report to Tara for the Marshal to decide on. Being the middleman wasn't thrilling, but someone had to do it- he was just glad she'd been subjected to the same role in her team.

[Marshal Orion says we should leave them both and keep going. Our main priorities are the Bonemeal Cores; if we have to abandon the others to retrieve them and escape safely, so be it.]

"We'll focus on the Bonemeal Cores," he parroted. "Follow them first."

"Understood. Agent Jade-2, divert four blocks to the right."

His shoulders stiffened when the faint sound of a horn blast came from above. Though he'd lost the feeling of being watched- the "bad omen" from executing a captive Illager like several of their party had- after crossing beneath the town, the memories of the day he'd inadvertently ruined the operation were fresh on his mind. And it was all because of three Inlanders who'd refused to surrender.

"Do you hate the Inlanders?" he recalled Overseer Fornax asking him not long after being assigned under her in the Industrial Division. "And can you tell me why?"

"Yes, Overseer. They've lived free of worry since our ancestors' exile. While we've struggled to survive in the wastes, the Inlanders have enjoyed this realm's peace for over a thousand years. I want to help bring them down however I can."

She'd clapped him on the shoulder, barking a laugh.

"Good man. You'll do well with us, I know it. Now then, let's go introduce you to your squad."

His grip on the book tightened. He'd let her- and his agents- down with his leadership.

"They won't be in vain," he repeated in his head over and over, "Lime Squad's deaths won't be in vain."

He needed a distraction from thinking about them, if only for a minute. Being stuck in a dark, narrow tunnel didn't offer much inspiration to let his mind wander, and thinking of the raid above would only circle his thoughts back around to the Inlanders who'd wronged him. Instead he decided to ponder the mysterious artifact they had passed by.

"Most of the Cores we've found have been identified already, and the new trackers should be able to tell which is which as long as the Industrial Division's database has the corresponding attribute logged."

Genesis Cores were divided into the light and dark aspects based on their color, but the Industrial Division's Genesis Core Research Branch (the GCRB, of which Ray, Esme, and Overseer Fornax were members) had recently proposed a system to further classify them into one of three broad groups.

Material-type Cores were those which could manipulate preexisting matter but could not generate new blocks from thin air, such as Ray's own Grass Core and the Stone Core which had just shown up. The effect-type Cores, including the Bonemeal twins, were capable of applying a condition to their surroundings or their wielders, depending on the attribute. Somewhere between the two were the element-type Cores, which could both manipulate and create. Examples included Tara's Ice Core, the lost Fire Core, and Marshal Orion's Water Core.

Unfortunately, the current model of tracker had no way to differentiate what type the unknown Core belonged to- such distinctions could only be made through observations and testing. So Ray could only guess what powers they may have just missed out on.

They pressed forward, digging closer and closer to their targets.

One would think Illagers would lose morale and begin to retreat when a raid was going poorly. But if the increasingly harsh horn blasts and battle cries were any indication to Varris, they were actually more motivated as the new wave of soldiers began to overtake them. She swore they were single-minded in their endeavors, never knowing when to cut their losses.

"Oh, well. No skin off my back if they all get themselves killed."

Varris wandered between the houses on the periphery, where she couldn't hear more than the occasional skirmish which was easily avoided. As the witch crept along, searching for a clear path to the outer wall to make her escape, an unsettling realization came to mind.

"Strange, I haven't seen any corpses around here other than Illagers. Have the townsfolk been picking up their dead…?"

The Illager bodies only became more common as she walked down the side paths. She'd been around the undead long enough to be accustomed to the sights and smells of death, but even she shuddered when she passed a small alley where an entire squadron of raiders appeared to have been wiped out with extreme prejudice. One body at her feet lacked a head and both arms. She sucked in air between her teeth when she noticed its torn purple robe.

"Another witch… another poor outcast who got too eager for payback and threw in their lot with people who wouldn't care for them."

"H-hey, get over here quickly!"

Varris jumped, whirling around with a splash potion of harming in hand. Then she paused, unsure if she was seeing things.

A pillager stood in the back of the alley, clutching a crossbow in his quavering- scratch that, his whole body shook like he'd been in the cold for hours. His abdomen sported a nasty gash, and he didn't look long for the world without help.

"What's this? One of them is SCARED?"

She couldn't hold back the tiniest of smirks.

"You've got to heal me," he pleaded. "Some thing's tearing its way through us around here! Give me a potion, then come help my squad!"

Varris threw her splash potion at the wounded pillager's feet. His eyes widened, and he shrieked as the harmful fumes seeped into him. Within seconds, he'd keeled over and begun to twitch.

"Serves you beasts right," she told him on her way past. "I hope that dulls the pain."

She got away from the dying raider as quickly as she could. In her haste she neglected to consider what had him so terrified, but when she reached a house nearest to the cobblestone wall the answer presented itself.

More dead Illagers littered the ground in varying states of dismemberment. Only one trembling, unarmed vindicator remained standing, backed up against the wall by a hunched figure in a dusty brown cloak. He didn't even have the chance to look hopeful at her arrival; the figure drove an axe into him so hard the weapon's head snapped off. He didn't seem bothered to only be holding a splintered stick, quietly chuckling as the vindicator stumbled and fell. Varris, too petrified to run, could only watch and shakily draw another potion of harming from her sleeve.

A pair of fangs rose from the ground and snapped shut around the man's foot, eliciting a growl that barely even sounded human. He looked to his left, where an evoker lay on his stomach with one hand weakly raised after conjuring the attack. The man pried open the teeth with the stick and approached the fallen Illager, his mild limp not stopping him from bringing his foot down on the evoker's head. A sickening crack reached Varris' ears.

"What… IS this…?"

The person turned to her next. He was a human- she thought so, anyway- and an impossibly old one at that. His skin, browner than the average villager's, was wrinkled and thin, and his dark gray hair and long beard were a mess. The man's face was hidden by said scraggly locks, but she could barely make out a pair of lapis-blue eyes behind them, the only part of him which suggested any kind of life in this walking corpse.

He said nothing, only offering a wide, sinister smile. The man pulled an iron sword from the torso of one unlucky pillager, starting toward Varris.

"I-I have no quarrel with you," she said, finally finding the strength to take a step back. "I just want to leave."

"I'm sure you do," he croaked. He showed no sign of stopping.

"Please. I haven't hurt anyone, I swear it. We don't have to fight." She focused on the wall, only a chunk away. Seeing the cobblestone blocks comprising it made a tingle spread from her chest to her fingers. Just a little concentration was all she needed…

"You don't have to fight. I've hunted mobs my whole life, and I'm not about to stop now."

The man lightly dragged the tip of his sword along the grass as he approached, stepping over the bodies of his previous victims. His smile was supplemented with a faint chuckle. "Every one of you is nothing but a dropped item waiting to be claimed," he said. "But I'll admit I've never met a witch who didn't want to attack me. You won't be instantly forgotten like all the others… how does that sound?"

The cobblestone she was looking at twitched, shifting forward in the wall ever so slightly. Varris raised a splash potion of harming, shaking the bottle to show him its hazardous red contents. "Last chance. Just let me go."

"Oh…? You DO plan to fight? Guess you're no different from the rest after all… now sit still and die for me!"

He lunged, sword raised to stab her. As he closed the distance, she yanked back at the air with one hand. The cobblestone flew from the wall and struck the man's head from behind, sending him lurching forward.

"What the hell?!"

Varris swung her arm. The block raised and slammed into him again from above. He hit the ground with a thud and didn't get up. As she walked past, however, the man croaked something else.

"There's something… familiar…"

She put away the harming potion and withdrew a healing one, tempted to give it to him. But the brutal display hadn't left her mind- she hadn't even left the scene of it yet- and his refusal to spare her didn't leave the witch feeling overly generous.

"I don't know you, but… I feel we've met somewhere… somehow…"

His head slumped, and he didn't move again. Varris dropped the block, breathing hard.

"Sorry. But you gave me no choice."

Something was happening to him. The old man's body glowed dark violet and disappeared into thin air, leaving behind nothing but some assorted items- sticks, torches, coal, and the like. None of them looked to have much value, apart from one.

Where the man's chest had been a moment prior sat a translucent, glassy sphere filled with some unknown gas. It gave off a soft purple light, one she found familiar: Varris had come across an identical item, which gave her limited control over stone, as a child. But when she hesitantly reached for it, the orb abruptly vanished like his body.

Now more bewildered than anything, and wanting to just get as far away as possible, she broke into a run for the wall- though not before picking up the evoker's dropped totem of undying. A wave of her hand shifted the stone blocks aside, then she was free.

"I don't know what any of that was about. But I'm not coming anywhere near this place ever again."

None of the Illagers saw her leave, and the mobs which emerged at night wouldn't attack a witch. She was safe as she began the long walk away.

The last thought she spared Luxmouth was a hope that the girl she'd healed earlier was okay.

"They're underground!" Celia was yelling. "They must have used our own strategy against us, getting into the city right under our feet!"

When the three entered the inner wall again, the Countess had enlisted the help of four iron-clad cavaliers to get them and Emily (who climbed down from the archers' platform) back to the palace in a hurry. The more Blake considered the possibility their enemies were responsible for the raid, the more it made sense. Ray had proven persistent already, and if he'd survived the last encounter it wasn't a stretch to think he would report what happened. Using a raid as an intentional distraction was, Blake begrudgingly admitted, ingenious.

"But the innocent people getting caught up in it… does the Usurpation just not CARE about them?"

Though he desperately hoped they were just overthinking the situation, he didn't trust his luck enough to reassure himself. "Do you know where the Cores are kept?" he shouted back to her as the group of eight galloped up the street.

"I do, but the Fire Core is held separate from the Bonemeal Cores! To secure all three, we'll have to split up!"

The battle couldn't be heard anymore by the time they reached the gates to the courtyard, but Blake didn't feel any less anxious. Felix, who dismounted at his side, had his axe gripped so hard his knuckles were turning white from the strain.

"I will retrieve the Fire Core from the vault," Celia announced. "The rest of you, make your way to the garden… the Bonemeal Cores are there, beneath the great tree."

She'd clearly forced the words out. Blake suspected she had just given up some big secret to them.

"If the Usurpation is here, Lady Celia, you shouldn't travel alone," one knight said. "Let us accompany you."

The decision came down to her and two of the soldiers heading down one branch in the entrance hall, while Blake, the Silverhands, and the other two left to find the Bonemeal Cores.

"I know the quickest way there, follow me!" Emily yelled, already tearing down the corridor.

The palace had been breathtaking on his first visit. Now, with only flickering torches lighting the empty halls and their hurried footsteps echoing all around on the tiled floor, it was unnerving. Imagining the Usurpation somewhere under his feet didn't help his nerves.

"Under a giant tree…? Has it come full circle already?"

Recalling the day after he'd left home brought another, more worrying thought to mind. He'd killed plenty of mobs in his life. Undead, creepers, spiders, even the dreaded Illagers. And he'd done it without batting an eye; the monsters were mindless beasts, and although Illagers were more intelligent, their unreasonable drive to commit violent and evil acts was enough of a moral buffer to allow Blake not to feel too broken up about killing them.

But the Usurpation was different. His enemies were people, humans ostensibly just like him. And try as he did to rationalize the "him or them" mentality, Blake simply couldn't shake a feeling of revulsion at the thought of ending a life.

"And Celia… killed TWO of them before the raid. If it bothered her, she didn't let it show. I wonder, should I ask her about it? As awful as it is to think about, I might HAVE to do the job sometime."

Life or death. He could do nothing more than remind himself what was at stake- and unsurprisingly, he felt no better. His stomach twisted at the memory of the Usurpers he'd attacked with saplings on the island. For all he knew, he'd already killed people.

They reached a set of double doors. Another pair of guards in iron armor shouted for them to stop, but the two knights escorting them explained the situation, and the group of seven entered. Blake gawked at the small jungle within; overgrown plant life was everywhere.

"ALL of these trees look pretty big," said Emily, craning her neck to see the tops. "Which one was the Countess talking about?"

"If I had to guess, it'd be that one." Felix was pointing toward the middle of the- could it even be called a room?- the miniature indoor forest. The ceiling featured a dome of stained glass, and it was a good thing; a tree there had grown so tall it would have broken through the roof were it not curved upwards.

"Probably. She said we had to look 'under' it, right?" Blake asked. "Let's go dig around."

The garden impressed him more the further in they went. It even featured a small river winding around the middle in a U-shape, with simple birch bridges reaching over it. Low-hanging branches formed arches overhead, their leaf blocks just within reach. He broke apart a few as they walked, collecting a few saplings.

"Might come in handy… they sure did last time."

Blake came to a stop in front of the giant tree. Of course, it had nothing on the mountainous specimen from his home, but it was still at least four times the size of the average oak. This could only be the work of a Bonemeal Core. Part of the river flowed beside it

"I hope she doesn't mind if we tear up the grass a little…" Felix said.

One of the guards who'd just joined them scratched her head. "Just a bunch of dirt, isn't it?"

"It's nothing that can't be easily fixed later," added Emily.

They got to digging with their hands, pulling up dirt blocks at the base of the tree. It didn't take long for Blake to come across something: a sticky piston. Further investigation revealed more like it, connected by redstone dust.

"So there's a hidden entrance!" Felix remarked. "I recognize this setup. The pistons would pull the dirt apart to make a staircase if activated!"

Blake shrugged.

"I guess it's a little late for that; we're already brute forcing our way through this."

For the briefest of moments he thought he saw Felix's shoulders slump. Had Blake just taken the fun out of it for him?

"I'm glad HE'S finding something to enjoy right now…"

It wasn't long before they broke through into a tiny hollow beneath the tree. Blake stooped to fit, and his breath caught at the sight. The crevice was overgrown with grass nearly bending under its own weight, surrounding a pair of dirt pillars. Soft yellow and purple light shone onto him from the twin Bonemeal Cores atop them, tranquil yet mysterious in appearance as usual. He grabbed the purple one first, feeling its familiar energy tingle in his palm. The odd voices weren't heard when he touched it- perhaps they were a one-time thing?

"Wonder if I'll hear 'em with the other Core?"

As he reached for it, however, the dirt block on which it sat crumbled and broke apart. The yellow Bonemeal Core fell into a hole below, landing in a gloved hand. Blake's shocked gaze moved along the arm until he was face-to-face with a familiar metal mask and goggles.

"YOU!" Ray roared.

The grass under his feet began to twist. Blake clambered out of the hollow in a panic, still clutching the purple Bonemeal Core.

"It's them!" he shouted at the six nervous onlookers. "The Usurpation's down there!"

He made a run for it, but didn't get far- between them and the way out, another hole appeared in the dirt, out of which climbed a second familiar face: "Lady Tara," as he recalled her grunts saying. Her mouth was hidden behind her black bandana, and her hood covered most of her head, but her eyes were as unexpressive as before.

"Inlander," she said, drawing a sword, "it's been a while."

More people emerged behind her: three troopers wearing black cloaks like hers, a fourth with similar garb but a bright red bandana, and a man with his robe tucked back like a cape. He wore neither a face covering nor a hood, revealing a bald head less unnaturally pale than the other Usurpers. At the sight of the Bonemeal Core, he smirked.

"You recognize him, Dame Tara? Is this one of the three you told me about?"

"Yes, sir. He and the boy with blond hair escaped us."

Blake held his diamond blade close, staying next to the others. Behind them, Ray climbed out from under the tree along with three people dressed like the agents he'd first escaped. A young woman in gray robes stood beside him lastly, wearing a similar mask and green-lensed goggles- by now, Blake had noticed the pattern. They must have been from different groups of the Usurpation, and weren't just wearing whatever rags they found.

"They're more organized than they look…"

"But where is the third one?" the man behind Tara asked.

"She called herself Countess," Ray said, grass snaking around his free hand. He held the yellow Bonemeal Core close to himself, but didn't bind it. "I bet she's too important to be here with them."

"Surrender!" one of the guards snapped, drawing his own sword. "All of you!"

Bold as he was, the Usurpers had them surrounded and outnumbered twelve to seven, not the most ideal position to make demands. The unfamiliar man stepped forward, giving them a mock-bow.

"My name is Orion. Ranked as a Marshal in the Usurpation Army, Expansion Division. I understand you've given our troops quite a bit of trouble."

"You just said a bunch of random words," Blake shot back, trying to sound confident. "And we only fought because they attacked us."

"Well, can you blame them?" he chuckled. "You refused to relinquish the dark Bonemeal Core, according to Sir Ray. It's very important to us; think of how easy it'd be to feed an army with just one of those. And you Inlanders are hoarding both."

"Can I blame them for wanting to kill me? Yeah, I think I can!"

Orion shook his head, sighing.

"I fear there's no reasoning with you. We're in a hurry, so I'll make one offer: you hand over the Bonemeal Core, and we'll be on our way. Nobody needs to get hurt."

None of Blake's allies responded or even lowered their weapons. The message was clear and unanimous; to finalize their decision, he crushed the purple orb against himself. Its energy spread throughout his body like it had the first time, and among so many plants he felt even stronger.

"So be it. Looks like Sir Ray and Dame Tara will have their chance for revenge after all." Whatever traces of amicability could be seen in Orion's visage disappeared, replaced by a scowl. "Let's make this quick. Kill them."

The grass underfoot quaked. Blake, realizing what was about to happen, spun to face Ray with a sapling in hand.

"He'll tangle all of us at once if he gets the chance! Gotta keep him busy… or remove him from the fight. A direct hit should do the trick!"

Ray saw it coming this time and threw himself aside as the tree sprouted. He avoided a full blast, but wasn't fast enough to avoid a glancing blow to his arm- specifically, the arm holding the other Bonemeal Core. It flew from his hand, bouncing off the great oak's bark and falling into an overgrown patch of grass. The tree he'd grown fell to the ground, separating Ray from the rest of the Usurpers on that side.

"Not really what I had in mind, but that'll do. Oh, I know…!"

Blake concentrated on the area where it had landed. Grass, weeds, and flowers sprouted at supernatural speeds and grew to equally absurd heights and densities, forming a dense mound of plant matter over the Core. It wouldn't be hard to find, but at least it was out of the Usurpation's grasp for a bit longer.

"And I doubt they'll be able to spend time rummaging for it in the middle of a battle."

Speaking of time, he had none to get a better grasp of the situation: their enemies had begun the attack. In an instant he was on the defensive against Ray yet again. But he wasn't as rusty as he'd been the first few times he met the Usurpation. His training with Felix had paid off tremendously, and Blake parried the incoming strikes with relative ease.

Around him, his friends and allies were standing their ground to similar success. The four guards proved their mettle and then some, not only holding off multiple grunts at once but even driving them back. Felix was side-by-side with his sister, smashing apart thrown ice blocks while Emily returned fire whenever she could with arrows rather than her fireworks. Causing explosions within a confined space full of plant life would be asking for trouble.

However, their predicament wasn't any less dire. They were still surrounded, still outnumbered, and still unable to put down their foes for good. The grunts appeared to fight with more organized tactics, tagging out one another for a quick breather while ensuring they had no such downtime. Try as Blake might to dispatch Ray before the Grass Core proved too much of a nuisance, his fervent enemy refused to let up on the pressure. He kept himself at just beyond arm's length, and at that close of a range it was impossible to focus long enough to use a sapling against him.

"I'm too cramped! And if I'm not careful, I might set it off right in the middle of everyone!"

By then, he couldn't tell what Tara or Orion were doing; sparing a glance behind him would only give Ray an opening.

"Who are you?" his foe hissed when their blades clashed again. "I want to know the name of the one who got my squad- my friends killed."

His eyes narrowed. "I'm Blake. And I'm not going to apologize for running from people who wanted me dead for no reason."

They traded more swings, unable to land any solid blows against one another's armor. Blades of grass crept around Blake's ankles, rooting him in place.

"No reason?! You Inlanders have lived the easy life for over a thousand years! We've clawed and scraped to give ourselves a chance at revenge on you, Notch's Chosen. Do you feel special?"

Something moved in the corner of his vision. The girl in goggles like Ray's had moved around the fight's periphery and was aiming something at Blake: a device identical to the one which had removed the Genesis Core from him when he first arrived. It must have been for close-range use only, otherwise Blake figured he would've already lost the Bonemeal Core. Neither Usurper seemed to notice he'd caught on.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, you LUNATIC!"

He realized Ray was standing right next to the tree he'd grown. The girl took a step closer on his right.

"You don't have to. Once you're dead, we'll put the Bonemeal twins to better use than you could EVER-"

Getting him to talk for just another moment bought Blake the time he needed to concentrate on the tree. A branch sprang from the trunk, knocking Ray off his feet and into the bend of the river flowing nearby. The girl yelped and backed away, unwilling to rush him without support.

A series of crashes resounded behind Blake. Perplexed, he turned to see four of his allies still standing. The Usurpation grunts had fallen back, one of the Luxmouth guards was on his knees holding a wounded arm, and another was facedown, unmoving. Felix and Emily both sported scrapes and dents along their armor, but remained on their feet alongside the other two soldiers, all desperately blocking a veritable storm of thrown ice blocks.

Orion had his hands out to the sides with his palms up, above each of which a block's volume of water materialized from thin air. Tara, in front of him, continually froze and threw his supplied projectiles at the group at a much faster rate than she could have back in the village. Blake took his place alongside Felix to help smash them, but it was clear exhaustion would set in for them much sooner than for their enemies.

"Time to wrap this up," Orion said. "Let's hit them all at once."

Water arose from the river and swirled above his head into a much, much larger mass than he'd created on his own. Blake gulped when Tara turned it to ice.

"If we don't move it'll crush us, but we'll be easy pickings if we split up!"

Tara didn't give him any time to come up with a plan. Her arms swung forward, the ice ball following suit- until it exploded in midair. Though shards went everywhere, nobody was hurt.

Orion jolted, looking over his shoulder. Tara did the same with a low growl. "What just hit it?"

"Sorry I'm late, everyone."

The Countess stood behind Orion, wearing fully black armor and holding a matching sword. One arm was raised, another fireball flickering in her palm. At her side, the two guards who'd accompanied her stood at attention in enchanted diamond armor.

Blake couldn't help but smile. This time, she'd come to their rescue.

Celia had never worn Netherite armor before. So scarce was the material that Luxmouth's vault had enough for exactly one full suit and a single sword; it was almost mythical in its rarity. Her upbringing hadn't given her many chances to wear armor at all, and here she was in the most durable suit of it modern technology could provide. In any other circumstance, her father would no doubt have scolded fiercely her for taking it or for giving her two escorts more valuable armor without permission- especially if her hunch that the Usurpation was behind the raid hadn't turned out to be true.

Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, it had. She'd returned to the garden, Fire Core bound, and arrived at the scene of a battle which made her equal parts nervous and bemused. Her eyes flicked to the different sights: Usurpation grunts surrounding her allies, Tara with her usual expressionless stare, Ray pulling himself out of the river, and two other higher-ups she didn't recognize also partaking.

"Who is this?" the bald Usurper closest to her asked. "Is she the redhead you spoke of, Dame Tara?"

She nodded. "That's her, Marshal Orion. And it would seem she has the light Fire Core."

"Their two Cores against our three," he remarked, fully turning to face Celia. "I have the dark Water Core, you know. Do you feel confident you can win?"

"I don't know what that does, but this matchup doesn't sound favorable…" she thought.

"Lady Tara! I have it!"

Everyone's attention turned to one of the black-garbed troopers, who'd snuck around the skirmish to a large pile of overgrown plants. He held a shining yellow orb above his head, as if taunting them.

"I've got the light Bonemeal Core! Here, take it!"

He threw it over Felix and Blake's group. The Core sailed in an arc, right into Tara's waiting hand.

"Make that our four," Orion said. "You must be the Countess I've heard so much about. Tell me, do you intend to fight us with the odds in our favor?"

Celia wasn't exactly paying attention to him. Her gaze landed on Tara, and she frowned. "Your minions call you 'Lady,' yet this man calls you 'Dame.' What title do you have?"

"Dame Tara is a Usurpation Knight under my command," answered Orion, "much the same as Sir Ray and Dame Esme."

"But that's… none of an Inlander's business," Tara cut in.

The slight hesitation in her voice, the slight uncertainty with which she tried to insult Celia in front of her apparent superior, made something click in her stepped forward with a glare. "I understand now. You've maintained an aura of impassiveness around us, and I'm willing to guess around your allies as well. But I can see right through that- calm collectedness doesn't come naturally to you, does it? It's an act."

Tara stiffened. Frigid air swirled around her arms. "You don't know anything about me, Countess."

"I know how doggedly Ray has pursued me and my friends. When he caught up to us on that island, I saw how motivated he was- how determined he was to avenge his fallen comrades. He fought on in their memory. But you? The only impression you've given me one of a person who just wants to feel better than those around her."

The garden had gone still, all attention shifting between the two of them. Felix and Blake were giving Celia puzzled looks.

"I see you only have a few of your soldiers left," Celia she, gesturing to the three troopers matching her outfit. "The rest must have fallen victim to the raid. Yet here you stand, not expressing the same vitriol of your fellow officer. No, you're actively trying to suppress how angry you are… but at us? I don't think so. Do you even care about the losses, or are you just upset because the deaths made you look bad?"

She took a deep breath.

"Perhaps I don't know much about you, Dame Tara of the Usurpation Army. But I know a thing or two about being a good leader. And you, conditioning your troops to worship you despite such callous disregard for their lives, are anything but. I hope the aloof, unexpressive demeanor you've worked so hard to build makes you proud at least- you monster."

Tara's eyes twitched. She raised the yellow Bonemeal Core as if showing it off. "Okay, Countess. I'll emote for you… I'll express myself."

"No, DON'T!" shouted Orion.

He was too late. With an enraged scream, Tara broke the Core against her body.

All of the nearby plants began to tremble, the smaller ones leaning toward her. A shiver passed through Celia, and her breath clouded. Around Tara, layers of frost had formed on the grass, the flowers, even the trees. Confused mutters resounded through the Usurpation's troops, all except Orion. His expression alone was one of abject terror as he stumbled away from his subordinate.

Tara hugged herself, taking heaving breaths through her nose and stomping a foot on the frozen grass. Her eyes and mouth were squeezed shut, and she doubled over as if holding in vomit. Overhead, the leaves violently rustled. Saplings were thrown in every direction.

"What's going on?!" Ray yelled. "Marshal, what is this?"

Orion didn't answer. He raised an arm, and water from the river surged into the air toward Tara. Whatever he might have been attempting was in vain; all of the water froze over and crashed to the ground before it could reach her.

"You're out of control," he hissed. "You can't wield two of them at o-"

Celia, mouth agape, watched a sapling which had landed near Orion's feet spring into an oak and launch the man into the lower branches of the great central tree. He and a collection of plant debris fell, but he couldn't even hit the ground before a second sapling grew in midair and slammed him down, Thrown well over a chunk by the outburst, the Marshal landed headfirst near an appalled Ray and didn't move again. A purple Genesis Core materialized on the ground beside his body. The midair tree remained suspended above Tara, but froze over like everything else.

When she saw more saplings swirl around her allies, Celia finally found the strength to move again. She threw a wave of fireballs above the berserk Usurper, igniting all of the plants before she could use them to hurt anyone.

"This room is nothing but ammunition for her! I have to… I… I don't have a choice but…"

She looked at the undergrowth all around them, hardening her resolve. There was only one option. Celia threw several fireballs into the garden. Within seconds, all burned.

Ray wondered if just staying in the water might have been safer as he stamped out another small fire which spread too close. The Inlanders and Usurpers alike were scrambling to gain distance from the blaze, any semblance of order evaporating. Trying not to lose his own composure, he picked up the dark Water Core ejected from Marshal Orion's corpse.

"This river's got everything they need. They'll be able to set up their new homes here just fine."

"You're right… hold on, do you see those structures in the distance? What could they be?"

Disembodied voices appeared to be a staple of the Genesis Cores- he'd heard them discuss flora upon receiving his Grass Core, and something similar when he snatched the light Bonemeal Core mere minutes ago. Ray had no idea what they meant, but that didn't matter to him at the moment. Were he not witnessing the result of trying to wield two Cores at once, he might have tried to use Orion's to douse the flames.

Tara had lifted off the ground altogether, hovering a block in the air with her head and arms slumped like she'd been pulled by an invisible string. The Countess was attracting her attention by throwing more fireballs, a diversion her allies used to flee around Tara as the nearby plants erratically froze, thawed, grew, and burned.

The Inlander he'd focused on- Blake- lagged behind, helping up one of the Luxmouth guards who'd been disabled during the fight. As the pair hobbled past Tara, a yellow shockwave surged from her suspended body and enveloped the pair. Neither looked injured, but the dark Bonemeal Core flew from Blake as if forcibly ejected. It sailed away, into the flames of a nearby shrub. The wave stopped just shy of Ray, who still had one Core bound and another in his hand.

"No!"

Ray and Blake locked eyes, drawing their swords again.

"He's right there. He doesn't even have a Core anymore. I could kill him now and avenge Lime Squad... I could get revenge at last. But…"

He saw Tara's troopers grouped together, desperately backpedaling from the encroaching flames. He saw the Jade Squad agents trying to clear a path back underground to escape. He saw Esme looking utterly helpless in the face of such chaos. He saw Ruby-13 skirting around the area Blake's Core had flown into, searching for it despite the peril.

He saw the Marshal's body, and realized it would be up to him to organize their withdrawal. Continuing to fight wouldn't be worth the risk.

Blake appeared to reach a similar conclusion and settled for giving Ray a glare before retreating after his allies. That just left the Usurpation in the burning room, facing down a deranged Tara.

"Esme! Take this and clear a way out of here!"

He threw the Water Core to her. She flinched upon catching it- no doubt hearing the voices for the first time- then looked at him with wide, fearful eyes behind her mask. "What are you going to do?!"

"Hand me back the extractor! I'll deal with Tara."

Esme tossed the device to him, still looking uncertain. She bound the Core and began to clumsily manipulate the water, sweeping a few waves onto the ground and dousing the flames in a small area.

"Everyone, come this way!" she shouted.

The Jade Squad agents immediately rallied to her. Ray blanched at the sight of Crimson Squad's troopers not running from their leader, but approaching her despite the carnage. They shouted and begged for Tara to come to her senses, falling on deaf ears. Heart pounding, he ran toward them.

"Hey! It's not safe, get to Dame Esme!"

"Shut up!" one of them spat. "Lady Tara's our leader, not some failure like you! She'd never forgive us if we can't save her!"

He paused. Were they serious?

"The Countess… she saw what I've been seeing. They were all happy to follow Tara's lead with blind faith, and she never ONCE returned it. She made them into a bunch of zealous maniacs!"

Overthrowing the Inlanders was a noble cause, but doing it for the sake of their leader rather than their people? Ray hated the thought of agreeing with his enemies more than anything, yet in that moment he felt nothing but fury at the unearned pedestal on which Tara's impressionable troops had placed her.

He didn't need to mull it over for long. The last survivors of Crimson Squad were caught up in a wave of frigid air she let out and froze solid on the spot. Ray could do nothing as flaming trees teetered and fell onto them- they'd chosen their fate.

"Sir Ray!" he heard someone cough through the smoke. "I have the d-dark Bonemeal Core!"

It was Ruby-13. Against all odds, he'd found it within the burning undergrowth.

"Get into the hole and go," he ordered, "join up with Dame Esme and get out of here! I'll be right behind you!"

The trooper complied, rushing for the doused patch. Tara rotated in midair to face him, saplings hovering toward Ruby-13's path, but Ray was faster. Throwing caution to the wind, he leaped and dragged her to the ground, pinning the berserk Knight under him. As Ray primed the extractor, he got a look at her face for the first time since the Countess had entered the fray.

More specifically, her eyes. He wasn't even sure they were still there; a pair of black voids in her face stared back, with no pupils to speak of. Not once did he think he'd miss the blank gaze she was known for, yet here he was.

"Damn it all…!"

Ray activated the Core extractor just as he began to feel ice forming on his shoulders and back. He withdrew both light Genesis Cores, storing them within the device itself for the time. Tara slumped and fell unconscious, ceasing her frenzied ice and plant control.

The fire, however, was still going strong. Ray put the extractor away in his inventory, Cores and all, and threw his incapacitated ally over his shoulder. He didn't feel right leaving behind the bodies of Marshal Orion or Crimson Squad, but there was nothing to be done. Barely avoiding a fallen flaming branch, he retreated into the hole after Esme and ran as fast as he could down the newly made tunnel.

"You don't deserve this… but I'm not going to abandon anyone if I can make a difference."

His cohorts made better time than he'd expected. When he caught up to them, they'd dug their way under the streets of Luxmouth and onto a beach beside the port. Wooden rowboats and larger "piston-powered" ships were lined up along the piers, all empty of civilians or guards. The raid had served its purpose well; nobody was there to stop their escape. Jade Squad's troop carrier came to a stop on the beach, piloted by the four agents who hadn't accompanied them into the city. Everyone climbed aboard, and they sped off just as a few stray guards arrived at the ports.

"Are you hurt?" Esme asked him.

"I'm fine, and I think Tara is as well. She's just unconscious- more importantly, I was able to get the two Cores out of her."

He managed a bitter laugh. The Marshal was dead, and three of the four scouting squads under his command were all but obliterated, but they'd gotten away with the twin Bonemeal Cores in the end.

"Mission accomplished, I guess. Let's get the hell out of here; we have a lot to report."

The sun was rising, and Luxmouth was quiet.

Residents of the village district wandered the streets, going about repairs on the ransacked homes and tending to the injured. The death count, while not as high as it could have been due to quick defensive measures on the parts of civilians and soldiers alike, was hardly negligible, and some Illagers had even made it into the inner district before being dealt with by guards. As Blake heard one advisor to Duke Xavier explain, it was the worst raid the city had endured in over twenty years.

Things weren't much better at the palace. Blake and his allies had escaped Tara's rampage without any losses, and the fire hadn't spread into the rest of the building, but only a hill of ashes remained in the garden. Worse still, the Usurpation had gotten away with both Bonemeal Cores. The bountiful daily harvests they provided were cut short in a single night, and strict rationing would have to be implemented until a new agricultural plan could be put in place.

Though the Duke had managed to survive the fighting, when he entered the throne room surrounded by guards and advisors he certainly didn't look alive. Celia was nearly in tears as she hugged her father, who could only return a thousand-block stare.

Blake, as far as he knew, was only allowed to stay because he'd been with her during the Usurpation's heist. Felix and Emily were with him, just as visibly drained.

"It seems I have to thank you yet again for putting your lives on the line to protect the Countess," the Duke told them. "You stepped up in a big way."

"We couldn't stop the Usurpation from stealing the Bonemeal Cores, your grace," Emily said, more solemn than Blake had ever seen her. "Forgive us."

He heaved a sigh and shook his head. "Don't apologize. If anything, the fault is mine for not fortifying our city better. I should have suspected something like this could happen- I should have taken more measures to ensure our safety."

Blake didn't feel deserving of any praise either, but decided against objecting to the Duke. Celia wiped her eyes and spoke up. "Father. I must set out today for Tenebyss."

"You still intend to go? So soon after-"

"You know there's no other choice. We cannot afford to wait; as soon as the Usurpation learns of what happened here, their morale will spike. They'll only get bolder, perhaps enough to launch an attack themselves sooner or later!"

Xavier pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're right… but our supplies are scarce. We have to reequip our knights, repair damages, and strengthen our defenses as soon as possible- to say nothing of the food shortage. I'm not sure we can afford to send you with a proper escort."

"I'll go alone if I must!" Celia insisted. "I'm not going to stand by any longer!"

He knew what had to be done. Blake took a deep breath, then stepped forward with his hand raised. "Duke Xavier- My Lord- uh… I'll go with her."

Both Lumis nobles' attention snapped to him. The Countess' eyes were wide as dinner plates, but the faintest trace of a smile tugged at her mouth.

"Blake…!"

"I will lend assistance as well," said Felix, "if you would agree to it."

The Duke gave them a thoughtful stare. "Hm… I mean no offense, but I won't lie: I don't like the thought of sending Celia out with just the pair of you protecting her. On the other hand… you've certainly proved yourselves capable fighters, and she tells me you're quite the team together."

He slumped on the throne, rubbing his forehead. "This is a difficult time. And if I could have my way, none of this would be happening in the first place. Bah… desperate measures, then. I approve. Miss Silverhand, will you also be accompanying them?"

Emily scratched behind her head. "I saw my brother and Blake fighting together during the raid, and against the Usurpation. While I'd like to say I know my way around a blade, they're much better than I am. Instead, your grace, I'd like to pledge my and my company's services to assisting in the reconstruction efforts. That's where I can do my best work for Luxmouth."

The Duke nodded. "So be it. I suppose a smaller group would have less of a chance of detection, and your help here is most appreciated."

Blake met Celia and Felix's gazes. Both of them gave him uncertain smiles, which he returned.

"I will gather what supplies I can for your journey. In the meantime, the lot of you are to get some rest after last night's havoc. The staff will prepare rooms for you all."

And so Blake found himself using the palace's guest washroom once more. He didn't register much of the luxury this time before flopping into a provided bed and blacking out for a few hours.

They reconvened at noon, and after a quick meal were escorted all the way to the outer gates of Luxmouth. Seeing the damage to the village district firsthand send a fresh wave of anger through Blake; innocents had been put in the line of fire as a distraction. What depths wouldn't the Usurpation go to?

Celia and the Duke were already waiting at the wall. Also present were advisors, ambassadors from other cities, and more soldiers than he'd seen in one place before.

"While we sort out the counteroffensive here," Xavier said, "it will fall on the three of you to rally support from Tenebyss. As a united front, we can turn the tides of this conflict."

"We won't fail you, Father," Celia swore.

"Make sure you two come back okay," Emily told Blake and Felix. "I'll miss having you in the shop."

Her brother raised a brow. "Just that, Em?"

She cracked a smile and ruffled his hair, much to his chagrin. "Seriously though. Be safe out there."

"Your supplies, Countess," said a man dressed in familiar white and gold robes, presenting Celia with a shulker box. "They ought to serve you well."

Another surprise was in store: three saddled horses were led to them by the knights they'd fought the Usurpation with.

"You'll need to move quickly," one of them said. "These girls will get you there. Come and say hello."

Blake approached a dapple gray horse with a bushy mane, recognizing her as the one he'd ridden back to the palace the night prior. He gave her muzzle a pat, not really knowing if that was the right way to endear himself.

"Her name's Cassie," the knight by her side told him. "A little stubborn, but she'll come through for you when it counts. Do you know how to ride?"

"Not really."

"That's okay. These three are a good team; they'll follow the leader just fine. All you have to do is hold on and let her do the work until you get comfortable."

He already felt unsure about this, though he decided to keep that to himself. Blake mounted up on Cassie, who did as promised and fell into step beside Celia's horse. Felix, looking similarly out of his element, followed suit.

"Ride fast, and stay safe," Xavier said. "We're counting on you."

"Thank you all for your support," Celia announced. "We will succeed. We will gain Tenebyss' assistance. And all of us WILL defeat the Usurpation, standing together!"

A cheer rose up. With that, the Countess turned to Blake and beamed at him despite the hardships they'd endured.

"I didn't expect to travel with you two again. Words can't express my gratitude for your help, either."

He grinned. "Sorry, you're not getting rid of me that easily. It seems I'm stuck with you until this whole mess is over."

"I'll follow you as long as it takes for us to win," Felix added. "Lead on, Lady Celia."

"Very well. Forward!"

They set off into the plains, leaving Luxmouth behind. Blake looked ahead with a newfound resolve; "purpose" in the world be damned, there were more important things to deal with. Now, he was on a mission.

And accompanied by his new friends, he felt ready to see it through.

End of Part Three

He awoke in a bed, staring at the ceiling as a familiar tingle shot through him. This feeling hadn't recurred in many, many years, but it was just as invigorating as the last time he'd died.

"I think I was almost 100 this time… that has to be a new record."

The man sat up, rubbing his head- he wasn't really injured, but he swore he could still feel the impact of the cobblestone blocks against his skull. They'd certainly left a mark, one he wouldn't forget any time soon. And the one responsible, that witch who'd actually stood her ground to his amazement, was still out there. He knew she was; if not even he could kill her, surely nobody else would be able to.

How the witch had gotten the better of him was what interested him the most. She'd displayed a magical power like none he'd seen before, but he couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity which had sank in moments before his death. Despite that, he didn't concern himself with questions; all he wanted was to hunt her down and pay her back. The thought of vengeance, he had to admit, almost made his mouth water.

And he would find her, because the odd recognition he'd sensed from the witch was still present. In fact, he felt inexplicably inclined to travel south, drawn by an unseen trail to whatever power she possessed. It tugged at him, beckoned him.

"Hmhm… I've never had prey quite like this before."

He stood and exited the tiny wooden shack he'd been squatting in for the past month. It appeared the raid had been quelled, but Luxmouth's village district was still in disarray, with the residents milling about and trying to put their community back together. Consequently, nobody paid him any mind as he approached the River Lux. That close to the sea, its flow was calm enough for him to get a look at his reflection.

A face he hadn't seen in a very long time smirked back at him, with short, brown hair and a middling skin tone. He lacked a beard, but there would be time to grow one in again; if he had a surplus of anything, it was time. Even his old clothes, a teal shirt and dark blue pants, were back and in perfect shape. In his previous life they'd worn out decades earlier, but thanks to his unique ability they were in their prime again- just like him.

He wandered to one of the gates at the outer wall, mingling with a group of outbound travelers and exiting Luxmouth after a brief inspection by the guards. They seemed perplexed at his lack of items, but agreed to let him leave without issue. Not that he cared what they thought; he didn't plan on returning for at least another lifetime. There was nothing for him there.

"Maybe I'll see what this 'invasion' is all about, too… no, no, don't get ahead of yourself. Payback comes first."

His target was to the south, blissfully unaware of what was coming- blissfully unaware of whose attention she'd gotten.

END OF BOOK ONE