Day 1: Lights in The Darkness

"…so you'll be in charge of production, I can give you that building over there." Brick pointed at a residential complex. "Build on top of it if you can, Sock" he said to the robotic man.

"Captain?" a static voice called out. Brick picked up his walkie-talkie, "Yeah?"

"We've got survivors."

"Survivors? Other people? Players?" he questioned.

"Real people, natives, inhabitants." the voice replied. "A search party encountered them being attacked by orcs… I think some- no, many of them need therapy."

"Well shit." Brick thought.

"Put them in the hotel, for now, expand it quickly for them." Brick began to pace around the room, to look at the hotel, with Sock listening in. "Any other builder faction's available?"

"I think Milly's or Ared's group are free."

"Thanks, call them." he turned off the radio.

"Heh, looks like you're moving up in the world." Sock said, looking at the masked man. "Man…" he sat back down in his chair exhausted. "I'm really gonna become a bastard politician aren't I." Sock smiled robotically, even though he only had one optic lens on his face. "Well, compared to the others Joe, you were really into the war-leader roleplay. And, I think you might be a real leader yourself." Sock sat down with him, pouring some green tea.

"Pff, I wasn't really all that impressive though. Just copied some movie and book character personalities and mixed it in to create this persona." he said as was accepting a cup of tea from the trenchcoat-wearing mechanical man.

"That act is more useful than you think, you know. It made people trust you, enough to follow you to the depths of hell itself. You are the very textbook definition of being a father to your men, even before we got transported." he somehow drank the tea without a mouth.

"Fuck off buddy…" Brick said embarrassed, though quite troubled.

"I did what I had to. We could've gone into a purge frenzy, but, I'm still ain't comfortable with this arrangement."

"And who could've organized us, as well as you did?"

Brick couldn't answer that question.

"*sigh…* What to do… really…" Looking out the window, Sock saw many people restless in their wake of their new reality. Though the threat of being temp-banned may have contributed to their orderly behaviour, he was quite sure Brick was the one that held them together. Both infamous and famous, many darkly muttering that just because he was friends with the server admin that he became this prosperous. Even though he's seen the admin himself trying to play fair, hint word; 'trying'.

With that he left the brotherhood, to act as god in command of the server he ruled. Though there were complaints still, of it being unfair, and accusing him of being deceitful. Brick was there to tell them off and fight a war for him. Cementing him as a figure in his own hands, more than just being buddy-buddy with his best friend, the server admin.

When the Salvation War event popped up, many came to look up to him after that.

"Ah, can you make this room a little bigger, to the side?"

"What? Over here?"

"Wait, let me show you…"

As the man in question was making notes on the table, mostly about the situation they were in and the possible ways that they would be screwed. He heard a roaring sound, and got up to go towards the bridge. Zeron was with him, who was fiddling with the computer, also heard the sound, and followed with.

He looked up to see Chris landing with his jetpack.

"Chris?" the server admin walked towards him.

"I've got the pictures." He handed them to Brick.

Graciously accepting it, he looked at each one of them, seeing the aerial view of cities, towns and…. He lowered the pictures as he looked at him straight in the eye.

"What?" Chris asked, confused.

"We're in Kuroinu…" the bits and scraps were all fitting together now, he thought.

"No way…" Zeron muttered.

"What?" he tilted his head.

"Look at what they're wearing!" he said, waving the picture around. The image showed women in pastel-colored hair wearing their, 'armour'. He believed them to be either Dawn Knights or Iris Knights…

"Delightful breast blades, I know," he noted.

"Pff…"

"Wh- You're not familiar with the setting are you?" Brick tilted his head, looking deflated.

"Never heard of it." Chris shook his head.

"Welp…, what I do know though, is that we have to build up our army…, maybe our arsenal." He went back inside. "I'll have to make battle plans to blow them to kingdom come." Brick chuckled as he got another piece of paper. The three companions were now in conspiratory distance at one another.

Chris looked at him. His glowing white eyes shining with burning questions, against his dark visage.

"So we're gonna attack?" Zeron said.

"Yeah, we'll sharpen- no wait. I don't think so, yet." He sat down again. "But we'll have to prepare for war, an all-out assault, and infiltrate their society." Chris looked at him nervously. Brick looked back at him, before saying…

"Because we're in a porn setting," he said in a serious tone.

Zeron blinked once.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-!" almost lost it.

"W-WAIT! WHA-!?"

"Yale, I think I can see it!" Mark shouted

"There it is!" The doctor joyfully shouted.

"Daamnn… the rtx is well done on this one." Tiko whistled, impressed.

The villagers perked their heads up, seeing the mountain of light glowing amidst the darkened wastes. Many shed tears, after the strangers had the generosity to give them a new home after their old one was destroyed in the rapine and slaughter. Maybe, perhaps they'll be all in a better place, when this all ends.

It had been hours after packing whatever items they had. The surviving men, women and children all got on the wagons, including their dead with them. Carefully covered in woolen cloth, to preserve whatever dignity they had left.

"Damn. We're almost out of fuel!" Farly warned.

"Let's save it, I think we're fine walking." Yale declared, and all of them got out from the truck and Yale picked it up by shrinking it and absorbing it through his face.

What weird magic.

This also prompted the rest of the villagers to go out too. "Nah stay, we can take it from here… I think." he and the rest of the survivors felt a pull. Many saw Mark pulling the carriages, sweat was pouring out from his face. They were quite impressed with his feat of strength, some more than others.

"My… he's strong."

"He's carrying all of us…"

Albert, who was in the cart Mark was pulling, felt a bit peeved for some reason, but decided to ignore it and watch as the city came closer to his view. "*giggle…*"

Ugh, these women…

"Lord Mark, do you have someone?" a brunette girl asked with sparkling eyes.

This was going to be a long day, Albert despaired…

"Uh oh Mark, something sussy balls is goin' on…" Tiko flashed red when Milford gave him the honourable rights to his fists. "Ow."

The convoy had finally arrived, seeing others like their rescuers with their unusual way of picking up objects through their faces. They were digging the ground around them, in perfect cubes. They didn't know what they were doing, but it looked like they were cultivating the wasteland. Some of the farmers shook their heads, the badlands were as good as dead, absolutely nothing grew there.

The wagon stopped and all of them got out to see two large towers in front of them. Mostly made out of stone with wooden platforms surrounding it. They were lead into the left tower, many of the inhabitants at them, making them feel like strangers themselves. Though they didn't stay too long and continued their work.

"We got refugees here!" Milford yelled inside the tower, calling to the people above.

"They're here? Send them to the hotel, I think they're finished with the renovating."

"Aight, thanks!" he gave them a thumbs up

"You guys need extra health pots?"

"Yeah?"

"Buy 'em then."

"Jerks."

"Heh."

Upon reaching the main street, the group were led towards a multi-roofed building made of brick and wood, it had a tower in the middle of it. This sense of awe was not shared by most of them however as many more odd people stared at them, whispering and gesturing.

"Don't worry 'bout them, they're harmless." The doctor reassured. Not entirely true though.

Mark went forward to the mess hall, buying food from the chest-shop, he realized it looked like medieval vending machines. "Neat." he took the food cart, once a decorative knick-knack, now having a real purpose of serving food. He placed the dishes on the plates, with spaghetti and meatballs and all.

"Hey!" he turned his head to see a girl in a yellow hoodie. "You part of the rescue group?" she asked.

"Yeah!" he nodded.

"Then, buying for them won't be necessary." popping out some mushroom stew in her hands for him to see. "Brick says they'll get food and meds free of charge. They're in the dining room right?" she asked. He nodded again as he went together with her.

Lily felt her spirits lift up as she tasted the delicious food. She never knew mushrooms would taste like this, and the aroma was so enticing. She felt it surging inside of her, growing and growing until she felt an orgasm of taste and flavour incorporating her entire being. Making her quiver in delight and in pleasure.

"Jesus… did they really have to moan like that." one of the fighters blushed. The male players, including some females, were also red-faced, witnessing it in front of their eyes. "Are we in some anime limbo right now?" a glasses-wearing tracksuit girl said.

The survivors were mostly covered in wool towels and blankets, as their clothes looked worse for wear. One of the girls looked at them and asked, "Where will we live now?" the players looked at one another before one of them answered. "For now, you'll be staying in the hotel, until either you can rent a place or build one."

"Oh yeah, and you'll be tax-free until you are fit for it." the hooded girl added. That definitely upped the mood for the refugees, who were very much gratified. "So who are you people?" a boy asked.

"We're Minecrafters!/Gamers!/Verodians!/Stevians!" they all said in unison. Before they looked at each other in confusion.

"Stevians!"

"That's a dumb label."

"How dare you!"

Brick looked at the mirror, his gaping holes in his mask staring at his form in judgement. He huffed and pulled his collar to let out some air, revealing his burned skin and the scars below his undershirt. He buttoned up his uniform and stepped outside to look overhead in the keep's mess hall. They looked okay, bantering here and there, h-anime and porno logic barely hidden. He breathed in, and exhaled, ready to face the music.

He looked at his old friends, Chris giving him reassuring glowing eyes, giving him a sense of confidence. Walking down the stairs with them in tow he stopped in front of them, taking the attention of the room towards him.

Mark watched as their de-facto leader took the whole room's atmosphere towards him. Was he… taller? Maybe this was the effect of the beer he drank. "Good evening…" he started. "I hope my people have been treating you well?" an atmosphere of dread washed over the minecrafters. They've been treating them well haven't they?

"Yes! They rescued us from the orcs!"

"Gave us free food!"

"We are thankful!"

The man's aura brightened up considerably, lifting the atmosphere into breathable levels. "Welp, it's a good thing we don't have anything regretful happening as of late. Let me introduce myself…"

On Verod's first night, they welcomed their new citizens from the outside world. They were met with much fanfare, building up new friendships and new deals. And shaping the future outcomes from this act of goodwill towards their neighbours. They were taken to settle down, and given to trusted establishments to hire them and in a comfortable and safe working environment.

Soon many parties began to reach out to the far-flung villages of the marches, though encouraged with the command from the city authorities to at least keep the nature of their being and abilities a closely guarded secret. Only revealing it to those they trust and have confidence in. Brick knew that it will be inevitable that someone will know the true nature of themselves, and will exploit anything about them if given the chance.

For now, though, he planned.

To expand the city infrastructure and underground.

To find an area for experimental weapons to test on.

To infiltrate the legions of the north, and the fortresses to the south.

To uncover the secrets of the ruins west of the black fortress before anyone else could.

To protect his own, from forces who saw fit to threaten or take advantage of their city and its people.

And to kill that son of a bitch, Vult.

Watching over a crystal ball, the Queen of Darkness narrowed her eyes at the fortress-city.

AN:

26/09/21: Overhauled the first two chapters, as well as releasing current chapter.