Chapter 12
Into the Frying Pan...
BanjoNote: Banjo here with another Chapter! I don't really know what to expect from this chapter, since it wasn't planned in the document which details every chapter.
For you people who want to write books, it's a great way to organize your book. However, it does take quite a long time to set up.
And yes, it's Into the Frying Pan, not Out of the Frying Pan.
You fools thought I fucked up!
Lastly, the Percy Jackson book I teased? It won't be out in a while. In fact, since The Fall is delayed for quite some time, I have another book that I'm putting together. Since I now have Xbox Game Pass, I can play Minecraft: Dungeons! Wouldn't it be cool to write a telling of that story?
I'll get that first chapter done as soon as possible.
Now, let's get this chapter started!
BanjoMano does not own Minecraft. I am, however, saving up money to do so.
Only... not even going to guess.
[Alex]
Focus...
I breathed in deeply, my eyes closed and my hair tied back into a ponytail. I stood a decent distance away from the city of Lafor, which seemed to glow in the early night.
I needed a place away from people, in order to attempt to even control a fraction of my Crafter abilities. I gripped my sword in my hand, and I raised it towards the sky.
"And what do you think you're doing?"
A male voice peirced my concentration. I opened my eyes and quickly pointed it to the man.
He looked like a classic detective. He wore a black trench coat, buttoned up and smoothed down. He tipped his fedora, revealing a bald head. His beard was, however, magnificent.
"Sorry, m'lady, for surprising you. A hundred and thirty years does something to a man." He apologized, putting his fedora back on.
I put my sword back into my inventory. "Alright... but what are you doing all the way out here? Shouldn't you be in Lafor?"
He laughed. "My dear, you're obviously new. Do you not recognize me?"
"... I'm sorry." I shook my head.
"My name is Notch." He tipped his fedora again. "Nice t' meet you."
[Gimero]
"I hate this." I mumbled shakily, crouched under a bush. Conner looked down on me from the apartment behind me and shrugged.
Beside her was the woman who wore black leather, who I learned her name was Cylia. She looked across the street and gave me a thumbs up.
I sighed, acheiving a new high pitch, and stepped out of the garden. I walked up to the gates to Castle Kirnside, where two guards stepped in front of me.
"You, citizen. You have no right to be in the presence of His Majestly, King Korthall. Leave at once." The taller one said, taking his sword out.
"Thern, let him in." Rosa walked down the street to me and flashed me a pained smile. "Sorry 'bout that. I had to apprehend some Greifers."
"Oh." I breathed a sigh of relief. Thern looked between the two of us and took out a book and quill, scribbling down something.
"You." He pointed the quill at me. "What's your name?"
"Gimero." I stated. If you're scared, just say as little as possible. At least I didn't say Giminah.
"Alright." He closed the book and handed it to Rosa. "I need you to sign this. We have to make sure that you're actually a captain.
She grabbed the book violently and signed her name, Rosa_Lind. Its common knowledge that people can't sign false names on books.
She handed the book back impatiently. "Can we go in now? I've got business with Gimero here."
He looked down at the signature and shrugged. "Go on in."
He stepped out of the way, and the other guard stepped to the left. We walked through the large iron gates, as a contraption of redstone opened them up. I swallowed audibly as I looked up onto the high walls, with guards holding bows and swords. Rosa walked straight ahead down the dirt path, leading to the indoors of the castle. I jogged up to her, looking around way too much.
"Don't look so nervous." She muttered to me, looking dead ahead. "Don't draw attention to yourself."
"Well... as a Trader, that's quite hard." I whispered back. "But believe me. No one-"
"Hey, you! What're doing over there?" A guard called. He walked up to me, standing at a tall 6'3. I looked up to him and opened my mouth to say something, but only a tiny speak came out.
I could tell this dude was going to smash me into a pulp.
His eyes investigated me, and he huffed finally. "Eh, you're too small to do anything. Rosa, why is this kid here?"
"Official business, Strommer." She answered coolly. "Athara wanted to see him."
He raised an eyebrow but went off to his post. I hadn't even realized I was holding my breath for that entire thing, and breathes a sigh of relief.
Rosa looked at me. "Strommer usually would wipe the floor with you as a mop. You really must be something."
"Hey, as they say," I gave her a disarming smile. "Cowardice is Key."
[Alex]
"Notch?" I racked my mind, trying to remember if I've heard that name before.
"Jeez Louis, girl! You must be fairly new to not know me!" He laughed again. "Not like I asked for the fame, but I suppose that just comes with being the first Crafter."
"Wait- you're a Crafter?" I asked, maybe more excited then I should've been. He sighed and nodded.
"You're not another fangirl, are you? I swear, everytime I enter a populated area, I have to go by an alias. It's fairly annoying."
"Wha- No, I'm not another fangirl! I'm the 14th Crafter! Alex!" I corrected him. Notch snapped his fingers and pointed at me.
I felt a subtle shift in my body, but nothing else happened. Notch nodded in confirmation.
"Yep. Only a Crafter can resist my power. Well, only if I don't focus on it too much." He noted. I frowned and looked around. "What even is your power? I don't notice anything different."
He smirked and pointed to a flock of cows to the right if us. They were moving, but extremely slowly. Slower then normal.
"You can slow things?" I asked, confused. "That's not..."
"Uh, no. That would be a lame ability." He clapped his hands together and waved his left one counterclockwise. The cows began to move backwards, as if...
"Time." I realized. "You can control Time."
He gave me a wink and waved his hand, returning time to normal.
"So, Alex, you said your name is?" He confirmed. "Eh, doesn't matter. I was looking for you to give you... where is it..."
I watched him, amused, as he looked through the various pouches on his belt. Finally, he exclaimed "Aha!" and withdrew a cutlass.
Now, this wasn't some normal cutlass. The blade was made of silvery-blue diamonds, and at the base of the blade was an amethyst. The hilt was curved, and the grip itself was made of a blue-purplish gemstone.
"It's..." The words got caught in my throat. Notch held it up and gave it a few swings. Purple sparks shot out of the blade as he cut through the air.
"A cutlass is maybe the quickest weapon, meant to strike quicker then the eye can catch." Notch explained, holding it out to me. "Every hit it deals is considered critical."
I gripped the hilt, and it automatically felt right. I swung it in the air, causing Notch to duck and flatten his fedora. He straightened up and fixed his hat.
"Watch it there!" He complained. "This hat is expensive! I totally can't fix it with a thought!"
"Sorry," I apologized. "But why are you giving me this?"
He chuckled and patted my shoulder, causing me to flinch. "Alex, this is a Crafter's weapon. Originally, I was going to give it to the 12th, but he spawned with his weapon. So I kept this with me for... twenty years? It was a pain. Dinnerbone refused to take it, since he prefered that trident of his. Oh, I was so mad..."
I put it in my belt. "Still, I haven't done anything a Crafter would do. I don't even know my abilities!"
"You don't think we all said that?" He asked, chuckling. "This isn't a gift for what you've done. This is a tool to help you do what you have to."
"I..." I didn't know what to say. I looked down at it, tracing a finger down a ruby.
"Anyways, you might want to find that golem of you friends," Notch winked, stepping backwards. "Josie, I think her name was?"
I gave him a confused look, but he waved his hand and disappeared, leaving me staring in the grass where he stood.
After a minute or two, I blinked.
"Right, the golem." I turned my gaze to Lafor. "Where would Gimero bring a golem?"
[Fryrs Golem Care]
(This Morning)
It was a quiet day in the daycare. Fryr played with an iron ingot, twirling it through his fingers.
There wasn't much need for a daycare for Iron Golems anymore, since the guards have been doing a great job protecting Lafor. He was surprised when a man in an elegant blue robe walked in, with an Iron Golem at his side.
"JOSIE DOESN'T WANT TO STAY IN PUNY HOME! OLD VILLAGE LET JOSIE STAY OUTSIDE!" The Iron Golem roared, shaking Fryr out of his stupor. He put his ingot away and sat up in his chair.
"Can I help you?" Fryr asked, keeping his voice from yawning.
"Yes, actually." The blue-robed man answered, pulling out two emeralds. "Can you keep her for the day? I have an appointment with some potatoes, and I have to find a friend."
Fryr stifled a yawn. "Yeah, sure. I'll take those, just need you to sign this." He slid a book. "I need you to sign sections A and C, of you'd so please."
The blue dude put his signature in the sections and signed the cover with his name, Gimero. Fryr flipped through the book and looked up at Gimero.
"You have a last name, Mr... Gimero?" He asked. Gimero frowned.
"Yes...?" He wondered. "You need it?"
Fryr sighed and slid a paper down to the man in blue. "Just write your name in here."
Gimero took the quill from the daycare man and wrote Gimero Mohabi. Fryr took the paper and put it in his backpack.
"Married? Is this your last name or your wife's last name?"
"It's mine, and I'm single. Notch, why are this intrusive?"
Fryr sighed and pulled out the Terms of Service. "Section R: All Merchants, salesperson, or any similar according to His Eminence, King Korthall, must ask the customer for their full name in order to keep such records in case a person of similar name in spelling or speech-"
"- Got it." Gimero nodded and slid the emeralds over the counter. "Now, my potat- I mean, my friend is waiting for me. I'll check on you later... if I don't get pulled into anything. That never happens."
[Gimero]
"Oh, crab." I swore to myself.
"Oh, crap?" Rosa looked at me. "Why did you say crab?"
"Cause it's rude to swear!" I argued, as we walked down the various hallways of the castle. "But that's besides the point. I forgot to pick up my Golem from daycare."
Rosa looked at me. "The things that come out of your mouth."
I sighed and continued in silence. We walked down a set of stairs down into the basement, where the light level went considerably lower. I gulped and looked around the room, to make sure nobody was following us.
Rosa sighed as she saw me worriedly looking around. "There's no mobs, Gimero. And-"
"Hssst!" I raised a finger. I pointed to the corner we just turned, where I saw the slightest shadow of a helmet.
"Someone's following us. Badly." I whispered, but this hallway echoed my voice to make it louder.
Strommer, the dude from earlier, walked out with a sword in one hand and a sheild in the other. He raised his sheild.
"Well, well. What do we have here?" He shifted his armour. "Maybe... tra-"
"Oh, shut up." Rosa took out her cleaver. "I don't have time for this. Gimero, get the weapon."
Looking between the two of them, I didn't argue. I stepped one step backwards, then another, then I tumbled down the staircase.
I sat up and looked around, rubbing my head. This room was a square, and behind me, deep into the wall, was some sort of vault door. A gear made of various ore blocks stretched from floor to roof, about twenty blocks high. Various buttons were inset amongst the lining of the door.
I looked at each of the buttons, counting twelve of them. I turned to look up the staircase, where I heard metal on metal.
I kneeled down to the bottom right button, which was made of stone. I raised a finger, then closed my hand.
Maybe I should think about this. I thought. There's got to be some sort of puz-
"GIMERO!" Rosa yelled. "YOU GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT UPDATE TO GET IT!?"
I decided Rosa's wrath was eternally scarier then this door. Before I could give myself a second thought, I smashed my fist into the button.
Click!
Nothing happened.
I frowned and went to the next button and pressed that one. Nothing happened there.
I continued to press all of the buttons, realizing eventually that there was some sort of code.
From the sound of combat upstairs, I didn't have enough time to guess it. I reached into my backpack and took out my stone pick.
I broke myself a doorway into the room, but when I looked down, I narrowly missed a tripwire. I stumbled backwards and managed to not trigger the string. I placed down a crafting table and pulled out some iron ingots leftover from the outpost and built some shears, using it to cut the tripwire.
[Alex]
"Wait..."
I pulled out the shears that Pete gave me at the outpost.
"I have the strange feeling that I should've used this in the outpost somewhere..."
I put it away and shrugged, walking towards the gates of Lafor.
[Gimero]
I walked into a circular room, with a chest in the middle of the room. The roof was domed, lined with fences and cobblestone walls. I stepped up to the chest, breathed in, and opened it.
Click!
Oh, fiddlesticks.
Before I could even look into the chest, fire zombies and five skeletons dropped from the roof and around me.
Since I didn't have a weapon, I reached inside the chest and pulled out the legendary, prophesied...
...frying pan?
In my hand I held a glowing purple frying pan. I brandished it at the nearest zombie and assaulted it.
In three swings, it exploded into rotten flesh. I looked down at it, and then turned to the other zombies.
And I fled.
I bolted through my hole in the wall and blocked it up with the correct blocks, making it appear as if I hadn't broken it in the first place. I bolted up the stairs to see Rosa and Strommer, swords crossed, trying to push each other off balance.
"Finally!" Rosa snapped through gritted teeth. "Took you long enough!"
Strommer laughed. "This weak kid is your backup? How!"
I raised my frying pan and bonked him in the side of his head in panic. He turned to me, blinked, and fell on his back.
Rosa let out a heavy breath and put away her sword. "So, you got the weapon?"
I raised the frying pan. "I, uh, wouldn't call it much of a weapon."
She dragged Strommer and slid him down the stairs. "It'll have to do. Luckily, the guards all around here were busy with Cylia."
She dusted her hands off, walking down the hallway. I put away my fearsome frying pan and followed her out of the castle.
BanjoNote: Ladies and Gentlemen, our Heroes have weapons.
On other news, I have received my first OC submission! Kudos to Marcelipola for submitting! If you want a character to appear in Update: Destruction, follow the format found on my profile! Marce's OC will appear in the next arc, and it's name will appear at chapter 15.
Next Chapter: Memories of Days Past! Untill then, Read, Review, Favourite and Follow! And, as always, Banjo-on!
Thank you to ChocoDrake to Favoriting and Following! Hope to see more of you in these shoutouts!