Chapter 39: Pause for Thought

Earlier that day…

It took more effort than Esme would have admitted to drag herself out of bed and don the new uniform delivered to her small quarters. She'd taken the time to rest on her day off, perusing more of Felix Silverhand's notes and just imagining the possibilities, yet as she prepared for the new assignment ahead of her she didn't feel particularly revitalized. Maybe it would just require some getting used to her new routine, working in the GCRB's headquarters.

As she made her way down the hall from the residential wing, passing a few other Usurpation soldiers and technicians, she noticed more and more just how young many of them appeared. None of the staff were literal children, as far as she knew, but Esme was around 19 years of age and even she seemed older than some of them.

"Three years ago… I was just a kid when I joined Fornax, so was it good timing? I don't think I could've fought in a war at that age."

The life expectancy in the wastes was low, and even living to the mid-teens was an impressive feat, in a twisted sort of way. She'd survived that long as a scavenger like so many others had, keeping her head down and never venturing too close to a haven for long, lest she pose an easy target for bandits or raiders. But she didn't want to think about the wastes more than she needed to. The Inlands were her chance at a real life, at making something of herself without the daily struggle to survive. Why focus on the past, when her present held so much potential?

That was what she used to think, when she'd arrived at the beginning of the war. Now, though…

A few minutes later, Esme had followed the signs to her destination: the GCRB's research and development wing. Even from outside the closed iron doors she could smell the redstone dust and hear the shunting of pistons, or the low buzz of redstone engines like those in their naval carriers. A guard with bags under his eyes verified her identity them stepped aside to open the doors, looking disappointed to learn she wasn't his relief after a night of keeping watch in the dull Nether brick hallway.

If only he could have seen what he was guarding. Esme may have thought Incursia's aesthetic was disjointed at best, but the R&D facility was nothing short of spectacular. Redstone and magic devices lined the central hub's walls corner to corner, many of which she recognized from her time with Fornax in the planning phase of the invasion: automated havenite refineries, micro-scale arrow factories, and even an enchanted furnace system which could be set to regulate the room's temperature. These devices were products of the Usurpation's best and brightest thinkers, and if Felix's journal was any indication, the Inlanders had no knowledge of such mechanisms. Where the Army had actually gotten the resources to produce all this from a place as barren as the wastes was highly classified, and Esme had long since learned not to question it. As Fornax once curtly told her, "If that information ends up in the wrong hands, it could endanger all of our operations."

Speaking of whom, Fornax stood with a small crowd of people near one corner of the hub, by a corridor leading deeper into the R&D facility. She spotted Esme approaching and grinned under her mask. The various agents with her turned as well, and Esme recognized their faded gray cloaks immediately: as promised, she'd been reunited with Jade Squad. Her agents stepped forward to greet her, all silent but clearly bursting with questions as they saluted. Esme awkwardly returned the gesture, then listened in to what Fornax was saying.

"Right on time, unlike certain new allies of ours. At least you haven't let me down, Dame Esme."

The praise didn't exactly lift her spirits, but she took it in stride. Fornax turned to a Nether brick podium in the corner and pulled a block of smooth stone from her inventory, placing it down.

"The Usurpation Army is strong, but it's clear our numbers will need some bolstering against the Inlanders and the mobs," she explained. "That's where Project Titan comes in. Overseer Pyxis came up with the idea, and I thought it was just what we needed."

Esme knew very little about Overseer Pyxis. He was an Industrial Division officer, but wasn't part of the GCRB, so she assumed his duties were more focused on infrastructure.

"I'm planning to present the first model of titan to Commandant Green later today, in fact. And you, Jade Squad, have the honor of fine-tuning it one last time with me before then," Fornax continued. "Dame Esme, do you still have the dark Water Core?"

She thought back to their arrival and fought the urge to wince. "No, Overseer. Marshal Crux confiscated it."

"I thought she might have… very well, bind this one to yourself in that case."

Fornax retrieved from her inventory a glowing purple Genesis Core, which she passed to Esme as casually as one might hand over a bundle of sticks. Never one to underestimate such a powerful item, Esme took it from her as gently as she could.

"It's so bright here… we really did it!"

"Yes… we've found the Overworld…"

The disembodied voices resounded as usual when her hands met the Core. She'd heard them before, but this time curiosity got the better of her. "Does everyone hear those two speakers, Overseer?"

Fornax gave her a silent stare. Her eyes, barely visible through the lenses of her mask's goggles, were narrowed impatiently. Esme dropped the question and did as told, pushing the Genesis Core against her chest until it broke apart and the gaseous substance within seeped into her body.

The lights in the room all flared brilliantly, only to then blink out entirely. A moment later they flickered back on noticeably brighter than before yet not as blinding as they had been. Even then, Esme felt a strange, distinct awareness of the shadows cast by everything in the room, like they were each a gap in her perception.

"Are you okay, Dame Esme?" a concerned Jade Squad agent asked, while the others quietly whispered to one another.

"She'll be fine, would everyone focus?" Fornax interjected. "She was just adjusting to the effects of the dark Luminescence Core. Now then, pay close attention."

Esme still hadn't finished adjusting, but Fornax wasn't going to wait. She next pulled out a leather-bound book, apparently enchanted like those used for communication but with a dark green cover rather than the usual black. Fornax used a quill to write something down, after which a series of clicking noises emitted from nearby. The source turned out to be the stone block. Its smooth surfaces cracked and shuddered, coming apart like an eggshell while something inside broke free. There was a low whirring sound and the sliding of metal components back and forth, as a type of being Esme had never seen pulled itself upright in front of her.

It was made of iron like the Inlanders' golems, but its shape and dimensions were closer to the skeletons which prowled the night. Its chest wasn't open like a ribcage, but was enclosed to form an armored chassis around what had to have been a miniature redstone engine. The machine's head, if one could call it that, was little more than a small metal cube with a circular amethyst crystal in the center. Whatever the thing was had condensed and folded its body to fit in the dimensions of a typical block, but now stood as tall as her.

"Say hello to the Usurper Titan," Fornax said, with practiced gravitas. "And now, a demonstration! Dame Esme, hold still."

She wrote something else in the book, after which the Titan turned to Esme and held an arm out to her. Its crystal "eye" flashed, and the gas which had just entered her body flowed out, condensing back into a sphere in the Titan's metal hand. The lights in the room took another moment to return to normal in her vision, but so close to the lanky machine she could still make it out. Its chest cavity opened to reveal both a small redstone engine and a round groove, into which it deposited the extracted Genesis Core. The iron plating slid shut, and the Titan stopped moving.

"Impressive, isn't it? This fine machine can receive orders remotely, and we're in the testing phase of giving it more autonomous thought like a golem would have," explained Fornax. "We have several kinds of Titans in the works, this one is a Scout-Class. As you've seen, it can disguise itself as a block and extract Genesis Cores from living hosts. But that's not to say it has no combat potential…"

Another scrawl on the page, and a short blade extended from the Titan's forearm. Had it still been reaching out toward Esme, it could have stabbed her squarely in the chest.

"We'll be rolling these out in droves soon, once Commandant Green-"

She was cut off by the resounding boom of a thunderclap, which made everyone present jump. Rain wasn't common in the badlands, let alone lightning strikes, so Esme immediately had a feeling of unease.

Fornax validated said feeling a moment later, when she opened her (suddenly glowing) communications book and scoffed at one of the pages within. "There's a little uprising going on near the eastern gate. Seems one of the Inlander slaves got their hands on a Genesis Core, and they're leading a mob." Her grin faded a bit. "That was where I stationed Sir Ray."

Esme's heart sank. "He's out there? Are we going to help him, Overseer?"

Fornax didn't reply immediately, still keeping her eyes on the book with an increasingly unamused frown. Eventually she looked back up at Jade Squad, her probing gaze lingering on Esme for a second. "All of you are to stay here. I'll be back soon."

Without another word, she hurried out the door, leaving them alone in the R&D hub. The Titan remained motionless without any input from Fornax, like a thin metal statue with a slight hunch to its stance and the lights in the room reflecting off its crystal eye. Try as Esme might to calm down by inspecting it and pondering what feats of engineering could have yielded such a product, every subsequent lightning strike only made her more anxious.

"What was it like to work with Commandant Red?" a Jade Squad agent asked. She realized, with some concern, that she couldn't quite remember what number he was designated with.

The rest of the agents gathered around to hear her tale. She wasn't able to meet any of their gazes in particular. "He… is very skilled in battle. Certainly more powerful than anyone I've ever met."

"Then you must have been in combat with him a lot," remarked another agent, her voice laden with awe. "How many Inlanders did you kill? Did you get to impress him?"

"I heard Dame Tara was detained after you made it back," added a third. "You must have done better than her on the mission, right?"

"Enough, please!" Esme yelped, as her chest began to feel tight. The agents were standing too close for her liking, and she needed to step back to get some space and catch her breath. Jade Squad looked surprised, but didn't press her further.

Jade Squad, the Industrial scouting team she'd been put in charge of for reasons she still didn't quite understand. Esme hadn't made any substantial decisions as a leader, she hadn't commanded any important missions behind enemy lines or put her tactical know-how to the test, not like Ray and Tara had. She hadn't even learned anything from watching Commandant Red lead while accompanying him on his assignment, she and the others had just been put through the wringer time and time again. Had she missed something, a subtle lesson he'd wanted them to pick up on?

"We fought when we had to. I did my best to help him," Esme eventually replied, hoping her forced impassive tone would hide her mounting discomfort. For a moment she wondered if this was what Tara had been getting at with her cold exterior. "I'm afraid the assignment wasn't as exciting as it sounds, and there isn't much else to say about it. Stand by until we receive further instruction from Overseer Fornax."

It was the first real order she'd given in what felt like ages, and one her team was none too happy to receive. They all broke away from the huddle, some going off to inspect the various redstone devices and others forming smaller groups to quietly talk. Esme could hear the dejection in their whispers; they were clearly expecting a grander story about the Commandant. Even those who had joined her in stealing the Bonemeal Cores, who had battled the Countess and her allies, must have yearned for more thrilling tales. She hadn't considered their thoughts on the matter. But as Esme pondered this, a more troubling realization took hold.

Who were these people? Ray and Lime Squad had fought together in the wastes for a few years, fighting assorted wild beasts while the invasion plans were being put together, but Esme had no such familiarity with her team. She hadn't even been promoted to a Usurper Knight all that long before the war began, and it felt like no time at all had passed between her assignment to Jade Squad and Fornax sending them off to join Marshal Orion. She didn't know her agents beyond their numbers, and she could barely recall those. Her ties to the Usurpation seemed flimsier by the day, but without them who even was she?

"There must be something wrong with me… maybe I should ask Overseer Fornax for advice later on…"

The prospect didn't sound much more comforting.

Not long after, she stopped hearing the thunderclaps. Wondering if the fighting was over, Esme pulled her communication book out and flipped it open to a gently glowing page. Sure enough, a new message had been relayed throughout the city.

[Notice to all stations: Inlander uprising has been quelled. Outer sectors and Nether transit stations are to remain on lockdown until further notice. Specific instructions will follow.]

That was good news, but she was still worried about Ray. Had he been caught up in it? He'd seemed so dazed the day prior, and Samuel's death to the Warden had clearly left an impact on him… would he even be capable of fighting off the mob?

A few moments later, another message appeared on the page. But this was no general announcement, it was for her in particular.

[Dame Esme and Jade Squad, Industrial Division. Report to Eastern Gate Check-In Station. Special instruction from OVS Fornax: "Follow the Titan."]

As if on cue, there was a whirr and the hum of a redstone engine as the Scout Titan came back to life. It paid her and her squad no mind, just stomping out of the room with heavy footsteps and only pausing for a moment for the surprised guard outside to open the door. Esme hurried after it, beckoning for her agents to follow and wondering just what she was about to get herself into.

There wasn't much left of the ruined village.

Melissa and her companions hesitantly approached, weapons drawn, but nothing jumped out at them. When it became clear they were the only beings present, living or otherwise, the group fanned out to investigate. Whatever had attacked the town was gone, as were any signs of the residents. She wound up by the outskirts with Blake and Felix, and she found she couldn't focus much on the search. The sad sight of the empty village, burned and broken, weighed too heavily on her. As if to match the mood, the skies grayed and a few clouds overhead began to roll in.

"What happened here?" Melissa asked aloud. "Everyone's gone… was this the Usurpation's doing?"

"Maybe there was a Genesis Core here, and they decided to ransack the town and leave after they found it," suggested Felix.

Blake was quiet, but there was a subtle anger radiating from him. At that moment, Celia and Cupa rejoined them from the other side of the village, looking similarly dejected.

"Any luck over here?" Cupa asked.

Felix sighed. "Nothing but rubble. What'd you find?"

Cupa gestured somewhere over her shoulder with a shrug. "Just some discarded arrows and a few weird tracks in the grass nearby. Never seen any like them. What'd you say they were from, Celia?"

"Horses. They seemed to lead out of the village, so somebody may have escaped. "

Melissa wasn't surprised to hear Cupa didn't know what horses were- they were a rare sight for her as well, growing up in an underground city.

Blake spoke up at last, his tone grim. "This wasn't the Usurpation's doing. It was a mob attack. Given half a chance, the undead will drag people off into the night, never to return. It almost happened back in my village a few times."

"The dangers of mob raids are nothing new to small, outlying settlements, but rarely do they escalate this much," Celia remarked. "They never happen all at once, either… normally, the townsfolk would have been able to send for help from nearby communities during the day while barricading their homes at night."

Melissa picked up on her operative word- 'normally'- and heaved a sigh. "That was before the war began. Now, nobody who needs it can call for help anymore. Towns razed, people disappearing, and worsening mob attacks. What does the Usurpation even stand to gain from all this?"

"Back in Luxmouth, Ray ranted something about 'Notch's Chosen' living the easy life in the Overworld," Blake said. "Meanwhile, the Far Landers have struggled to survive for generations."

"Is that it?" Melissa asked, incredulous. "They couldn't have organized an entire invasion out of spite, could they?"

"Under Tenebyss, the Usurpation's boss also called that man Herobrine, and I think he mentioned treachery," added Felix. "Herobrine was said to have betrayed mankind, but I think that's the only consistent detail between our stories."

Celia frowned. "The palace library holds many tales about the pair, yet I've never heard of either of them 'choosing' anybody. And Herobrine's treachery would only explain half of the Usurpation's motives. What grudge do they hold against Notch?"

"Who are these two? You all keep mentioning them," said Cupa, scratching her head like she was trying and failing to keep up. "We've never heard of 'em in Teras."

That lack of familiarity was a bit more surprising for Melissa. Nevertheless, she explained the broad strokes of the legend: the dangerous world tamed by Notch and Herobrine, the latter's betrayal and the creation of mobs, and the conflict that followed. By the end, Cupa was fidgeting a bit uncomfortably.

"…I wonder if… huh… well, in Teras, we all know about someone called the Shaper. When I was little, my dads used to tell me a story about our people, how we were different to all the other mobs even before getting transformed. The Shaper made us special, and that was why the Illagers wanted to give us our new bodies instead of any other creepers or zombies." Her shoulders slumped, and she pulled her hood up over her eyes. "I'm not sure how much of that was just them trying to make us kids of Teras feel better about ourselves, while we were in hiding."

"My sister told me stories when I was younger too," replied Felix, giving her a gentle look. "But… I never had to live like you all did. I'm sorry."

Cupa lifted her gaze to meet his, and Melissa saw a slight smile get exchanged between the two. "Hey, it's not your fault. And anyway, if your 'Herobrine' guy created mobs then I guess he and the Shaper have something in common. Maybe they were even the same person…"

"All humans and villagers seem to have an innate knowledge of Notch and Herobrine," Celia pointed out, "so it's possible the transformed mobs have something similar. Now I have to wonder if the Usurpation knows anything about your story."

Cupa crossed her arms in thought. "I know I've never met any of these Usurper people, but it sounds like the only way we'd get some kind of answers to all this is to talk to them about it."

"They've never shown any willingness to cooperate or coexist," replied Celia. "It's as though their entire identity is formed around an unyielding hatred of us. Regrettably, I doubt we could ever hold a civil discussion with them."

Melissa was looking between her companions during the discussion, and she thought she saw Blake's expression shift, like he suddenly wasn't sure about something.

"You never know," Cupa continued. "Maybe one of 'em isn't like the others. There's gotta be someone who'd be up for a friendly chat."

The clouds in the sky were darkening, and the wind blew harder between the decrepit houses. There was no sign of rain yet, but Melissa knew it wouldn't be long before that changed. "If we're all set here, we'd better keep moving. We still have a ways to go, and we should cover more ground before a storm hits us."

Nobody else seemed interested in lingering, so they gave the ruined settlement one last look out of respect before continuing northeast, back into the wilderness.

"Snap out of it, Ray. You're better than this. You knew what you were getting into when you joined the Army."

He'd repeated the thought over and over, yet with every instance he only felt less sure about himself, and the image of the dead Inlanders scattered about the street only grew clearer in his mind. Their bodies were being dragged off to some uncertain fate by minor Usurpers, including the late Sir Damian's team. That left Ray, for the most part, by himself while he watched the strange warrior greet Marshal Crux. As the highest-ranking soldier present at the eastern gate, technically he should have been the one to deliver a report on what had happened. But the scene spoke for itself and Crux didn't appear very interested in hearing what he had to say anyway- a blessing in disguise, perhaps, because he wasn't sure he'd even be able to speak.

It wasn't long before Overseer Fornax arrived, flanked by a squad of guards. Ray tried to meet her gaze, but she didn't pay him any mind at all. Commandant Red was coming up the street as well, accompanied by both his elite Red Squad troopers and- interestingly- the visitors from the Ender Forge. Benedict and the one calling himself Shade must have been among them, but as they all had their hoods and masks on it was hard to tell.

Ray just watched, finding he lacked the energy to move from where he awkwardly stood behind the meeting.

"You've caused quite the stir out here," Red began as he approached. "I assume by your armor that you are another Forger."

It went a bit beyond that. When the Ender Forge grunts drew near, each of them dropped to one knee before the stranger with their heads bowed. He said nothing to them, but slowly looked over his peons with a guttural growl of a chuckle before turning his attention to Red again. "I speak for the one denied his throne, the victim of the greatest injustice of this world. My voice is his, and his destiny is mine to fulfill. I am the Mouth of the Banished King."

"You're a little long-winded, aren't you?" snorted Red, crossing his arms. "We're aware of your title. Do you not have a true name?"

"Would you have me believe you were Red by birth?" he countered. "Such a title brings with it connotations of power, of intense drive and the spark of conquest. I cannot see your face, Commandant, but I need not glimpse the man beneath the armor to recognize him. This Likewise, my title is my name, to all intents and purposes."

"It is an honor to see you, great Speaker," said one of the Forgers, rising to greet their leader. Ray recognized his voice- it was Benedict. "However, we thought you would not be joining us for at least another week."

Ray saw Commandant Red shoot a look at Fornax, who hastily spoke up. "I had heard more of your subordinates would be arriving sooner."

The Mouth's helmeted stare landed on her. "And you are?"

"She is called Fornax, sir," answered Benedict. "Our associates met several months ago, and arranged the meeting between myself and Commandant Red."

Ray saw a change in Fornax's posture, like she'd straightened herself up to look more impressive. "That's right. I planted the seeds of this alliance, and I must say I'm honored to see you've taken up our offer."

"That will be enough from you," Red snapped. "Leave your brown-nosing for Commandant Green, when she arrives. Nevertheless, Mouth of the Banished King, why have you come here alone? Where is the rest of the Ender Forge?"

More Usurpation soldiers, those not still tied up in getting the eastern sector back in order and keeping sharp eyes on the slaves who hadn't joined the riot, were gathering to listen in.

"The situation has changed," the Mouth replied, "and my underlings will not be joining us here. They will remain abroad, covertly gathering intelligence from within our enemies' ranks. The information they have already gathered, and which I am here to deliver, will compensate for our abrupt change of plans."

He looked around at the assembled Usurpers, and although no part of his body was visible, let alone his face, Ray swore the man was smiling under his helmet.

"My spies tell of strange troop movements from your enemies. Soldiers and militia alike from Luxmouth and Spruce Roost have departed their cities in small groups, moving eastward. There are detachments of Iron Garrison monster hunters slipping away from the northern front of the war, and they are making for Incursia."

Whispers broke out among those listening. Ray's horror at what he'd just witnessed was compounded by the thought of a full attack on their fortress city. He'd been away from the front lines for most of the war, now they were coming right to him.

"If that's true, then the rest of our forces coming from the wastes will have fewer enemies to punch through," said Commandant Red, staring at the Mouth. "But we'll also need to withstand a siege until that happens… do you know exactly how many troops will be coming?"

"I cannot specify the amount. But if my informants are to be believed, more than enough to pose a threat to this city. In addition," the Mouth's voice somehow became an even deeper growl, "a certain local hero calling herself the Diamond Knight is said to be among the fighters coming for you. It appears you are in for quite the battle, Usurpation Army."

There was a tense silence as the two stared each other down. Red finally spoke again, but only after an exasperated sigh. "I can tell there's more to your report than just a warning. What do you have in mind to help us?"

"Ah… how perceptive," the Mouth chuckled. "I believe this would be better discussed in private."

The impromptu meeting adjourned soon after, with Red and the Ender Forge heading deeper into Incursia while the Usurpers present dispersed to their duties. There was still work to be done in repairing the damage from the riot, and reestablishing order.

But for Ray, who'd spent the last few days uncomfortable and distressed, who'd been forced to notice the suffering wrought by his fellow exiles, who'd just watched dozens of slaves fighting for a chance at freedom be slaughtered, none of it mattered. He pulled out his sword and stared at it, seeing the reflection of a metal mask and goggles in its spotless curved blade.

"When the fighting finds its way here, I'll have to fight. I'll have to kill. I told myself I was strong enough to do it in the wastes, all those years ago…"

Yet the sight of death had only gotten harder for him since he'd led Lime Squad under that giant tree. Had he really been so bloodthirsty in his pursuit of Blake and the Bonemeal Core? When they'd dueled in that village, and again in Luxmouth, had Ray actually planned to kill Blake to avenge a group of agents whose names he couldn't even remember? It all felt unreal to him. What had taking Samuel under his wing, and the encounter with the Warden, and the momentary truce with Blake, done to him? Or was it something more? Was it just being away from the wastes that had caused him to doubt himself?

The sword slipped from his hand and clattered to the street. He didn't bother picking it up.

"Sir Ray. Proceed to GCRB Staging and await my arrival." Overseer Fornax had acknowledged his presence at last, but only for long enough to give an order.

Like a zombie, he stepped over his fallen sword and shuffled away, barely able to mumble an affirmative response. The Usurpation Army had given him everything he had, but his loyalty to the cause suddenly felt smothered, like the Far Lands' dark clouds had thickened overhead. Even that name, which Fornax had given him personally so long ago, was rolling about his head in a stupor. It didn't feel familiar.

Ray. Ray.

Who even was he anymore?