AN: Had a difficult day at work the other day. Had to come in early to another work location maybe twenty minutes away. Spent four hours doing the work, came back to my usual site to run the tests, then get told I might have to invalidate everything because they couldn't be bothered to calibrate the damn machine they had me use. Yeah, maybe they should have warned me about that before I wasted the gas. They also promised to reimburse me the gas I spent (I took pictures of my mileage as proof) but now they're saying they might not be able to, which I'm taking to mean they're too greedy to fork over TEN DOLLARS worth of gas. I got to leave early, though. That was the best thing. I skipped lunch and was able to walk out that door soooooo early. It was glorious. Then I ate Shrimp Scampi and everything was well in the world.
So yeah. Had a day.
As I'm writing this, the return to Cobb's Chapters, I'm realizing we haven't had a Cobb Chapter for five months. Last one was 204, then we had four Chapters dedicated to Wynn and her King's Trials and Spring with his Wither Grinder adventure. Then five Chapters of Noman and Carys. We've gotten a glimpse of him last chapter, but nothing really major. I'm interested in seeing if there's a difference in viewership in these next five Chapters.
Cobb's half of the Stigmata Arc will be interesting and engaging. Old faces and new faces will be showing up and there will be considerable set-up for the next Arc that I'm excited for. I'm looking forward to writing this.
Without further jibber jabber, let's dive right in.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd ramp up the trident drop rate. That shit is low.
Chapter 214
Milstatt
[Cobb]
We started November 11th in high spirits. Why? Because we were finally free of the enclosed Ohm Mountains. The place was terrible for Mob farming - you risked fighting on a slope in the dark - and there were no Griefers to stea - appropriate EXP off of. Most I did was grow closer with the more standoffish Paragons. Witige, Perry, Heather, Z7. I got to know them better and even started picking up new techniques. I used Jillian's tips on deceit to practice my bluffs and lies. Z7 was teaching me Quickswap and Quickdraw with Lenz in between my draconian endurance training that Perry participated in and Witige supplied the potions for. By the last day, Perry looked to have gained the same level of endurance that I got. My threshold for exhaustion also increased.
Blood: You've learned well, young grasshopper...
I wasn't the only one making friends. Lenz and Trenay kept in the loop regarding crossbow discoveries, and he was also progressing in Quickdraw with Z7 as his self-declared mastah. His wrist reflexes and draw time were faster than mine, though still behind Z7's. He was working hard, and he and Z7 would often talk a lot in Jibberish. I couldn't understand a word of it, but it was obvious by how animated they sounded that they were enjoying each other's company. The past few days, Z7 had been telling Lenz jokes, speaking into her dagger like it was a microphone and cutting her comedy teeth on the engineer. He snorted and chuckled at every other joke, groaned at some, was confused by others, and, if Z7 was lucky, burst into uncontrollable laughter when she told a real rib-tickler. The way she beamed with a closed-eyed smile whenever she got him like that...
It irked me.
I kept telling myself they weren't a couple - I hated couples - but the two of them were talking all the time, with Z7 usually initiating it. I shouldn't have been surprised. She was a Jibberwoman starved for attention and Lenz was the only one who she could talk to and could understand her. For a gloomy-looking assassin, she was surprisingly affable. She was training him on Quickdraw and even loaned him one of her prized daggers. He was an outlet for her comedy material. Why shouldn't they get along?
But did they have to get along so well? Did Z7 have to share her sweets with him at mealtimes? Did she have to brighten up whenever the two got together for a training session? Gah! It was too sweet, and I had to stomach it whenever Z7 was training me on Quickswap. She was a lot harder on me than Lenz, I noticed, and took every chance to show off for him. It was just like how Jade-
"..."
I squared my jaw and focused on what was important: We were finally clearing the Ohm Mountains.
The rocky trail dipped downwards at the end, leading the fourteen of us into a dense brush that emptied out into a wide, grassy plain. Beyond that?
The ocean.
The Eastern Ocean. It was my first real look at a body of water that big - I never went so far east. Floyd and Soul got a good glimpse of it on their Silver Intent mission into Nitebane, but this was a first experience for me. Somewhere across those rolling waves was Oak Docks. If there really was a peninsula out there, it was too far out to even catch a glimpse of. To the south of us, however, I could just make out a bridge on the horizon, stretching east to that coastal kingdom.
Lenz shuddered noticeably staring out at the water.
"See something?" I asked, knowing Lenz's eagle eyesight could probably make out things in greater detail. Maybe he saw a Guardian? He frantically shook his head.
"N-Nothing. It's nothing."
"I wouldn't say that. It's pretty amazing." Heather remarked, the ocean breeze blowing through her long hair.
"Meh. You see one of Minecraftia's largest bodies of water, you've seen them both." Perry waved a hand.
"He's not wrong." Shroud added. "We're greeted by the ocean every morning in Nitebane."
"You guys must eat a lot of fish."
"You're forgetting the capital lies on those rocky cliffs. We have to get down to the water to fish, but you're right, the diet is more or less what it is in Oak Docks." Baltic told me. "Seafood is supposedly better for you. Probably explains why most people in the eastern kingdom are so laid back. Enjoying the beach resorts..."
"How long will it take us to reach Oak Docks?"
"On foot, fifteen days. By horse, twelve." Baltic took out his map and pointed to it. "It'll take us around a week to reach the Cadboro Bridge through the Woodland Forest, then another week to cross into Oak Docks."
"The bridge is that long?"
"Yeah, but it's a straight shot with no Griefers. It's also lit up so no chance of Mobs spawning." Dwight told us.
"Boats are out of the question?" I asked.
""""Denied"""" Baltic, Trenay, Luis, and Lenz said in unison. The refusal on all sides had me cowed.
"Guardians are a hazard to get around." Trenay offered as an explanation. "They're at home in the water and schools of them swarm you. They say crossing the ocean in a boat has a 50% survival rate. The first settlers relied on the Arcticum Arma. Anyone else wanting to live in Oak Docks had to either risk the boat ride or come up with creative work-arounds. It was only after the bridge was finished - after numerous delays - that the tourist industry there skyrocketed. Crafters could finally cross over, and they've been using the bridge to this day."
"It would've been different if we had an airship-" Luis started only to get elbowed by Wing.
"We'll manage on foot." Baltic said. "Though maybe we can scrounge up some horses. The closest village would be... Milstatt."
I did a double take. "...Wait, did you say Halstatt?"
"No, Milstatt. Mil. The name is similar because they're both Daymonte villages. Some kind of naming convention, I think."
"Milstatt. I've been there. It's a small, walled off place on the coast. They have a lighthouse designed like a windmill." Doyle described.
"Hopefully they have a pyrotechnist there to explain why these rockets aren't working with our crossbows." Trenay added, looking at the rockets in her hand distastefully.
"Oh, Cobb, hang on." Baltic raised his voice to stop me. "I'm getting a sudden message from Carys' group. The timing of it is a bit unusual - usually reports come at night."
"Maybe something serious happened..." Witige suggested.
"Hang on..." Baltic watched the map blip carefully. "Huh. It's from Albert. A message on Noman's behalf. It's for you, Cobb."
Wonder what it's about?
Baltic wore a nervous expression following communications with Albert and Noman. He spared a glance my way and tried to break the ice while we walked south along the shore towards Milstatt.
"You, uh, you feeling alright? You were pretty upset talking with Noman."
I had a deep frown on my face. "No, I'm not alright."
"What's wrong?"
"Carys is a butt."
"A-Ah."
The conversation with Noman had been unpleasant to listen to. He wasn't the problem, but what he told me about Carys was. Apparently the she-beast wanted to recruit a Hacker so badly that she was willing to tip off the guards and rig the situation in her favor, not to mention blame it all on Noman and his negligence. When it came to saving other people, Noman was never negligent. Carys was full of shit, and all because she wanted another Hacker in her forces.
I hope Noman blows the whistle on her and makes it all blow up in her face. Serves her right for playing on Noman's doubts.
I warned him to be careful accusing Carys - in clever three-time code talking, huhu. I'd have to see tomorrow how it went. Nothing else I could do.
Also, Captain XoX attacked Noman out of nowhere and broke his arm. I had thought the guy was cool after our honorable Spleef battle, but to attack somebody unprovoked was a huge, unexplained red flag. I hated to say it, but Carys may be onto something thinking him related to the Endward Cult. Why else attack Noman?
As for the Hacker, I had no problem with wandering Hackers going off to live their own lives. I hoped Pheodora would get away. Better that than to join those megalomaniacs at the Obelisk. But hearing Exter seek out Hackers for some sort of deal sounded worrying. What was the better option? Exter succeeds and has to feed the Hackers for the rest of their lives. Exter fails and goes the same way as Akasha. Servitude or death. They both sucked!
Naturally I relayed everything to Lenz, but decided to leave out the parts where Carys was a lying, finger-pointing bitch. I told Lenz that part, but I didn't let on to the Paragons that I knew what she did and was doing. Maybe they were okay with that kind of forced recruitment, but not me.
Besides, Lenz and I had a good relationship with our half of the Paragons. I just saw Z7 telling a joke to Lenz that got him chuckling. Blaming them for Carys trying to recruit a Hacker would just stir up unnecessary drama. It wasn't their fault.
Best not to dwell on it. Noman would be careful. He had to be with Pheodora's safety on the line. I wiped the frown off my face and smiled easily to make Baltic relax. Had to practice my lies.
"It's fine, Baltic. You don't-"
A trident whizzed by, the sharp edge of one of the prongs catching my cheek and scraping up over one eyeball, then the bridge of my nose, then the other eyeball before passing.
I stood there for a second, my rallying smile frozen in place, before I fell to my knees and clutched at my ruined eyes, screaming through a closed mouth. Four of my Hearts were gone.
The Paragons were on guard immediately, weapons drawn and a perimeter set up. "What was that?"
"Trzmg ulip." Z7 observed.
"It came from the water." Wing and Dwight took tentative steps towards it, Lenz covering them, while Baltic checked on me.
"You need a potion?"
"N-no..." I waved him off, my Health starting to tick back up on its own. "It's fine."
As Wing peered into the ocean, he leapt back as a trident nearly skewered his neck. The trident sailed in an arc, and stuck in the ground a fair distance away, giving me a good show of what it looked like.
"A trident..." I muttered breathlessly, remembering my coma dream and the trident I wielded. A trident that always returned to me and helped fight off the shadowy imitations of my friends.
"What is it?" Trenay demanded.
"Looks like a waterlogged Zombie!" Wing retorted, scrambling back on hands and knees. "There's six of them. One had the trident."
"A new Mob?" I asked with interest. I was still filling out my own Mob book. So far I had Phantoms, Shulkers, Husks, and an Ender Dragon. If this was another Bounty Day Mob, I had to check it out. Plus, I felt drawn to that trident. It was a comfort in my coma dream, it'd be a comfort now.
"MINE!" Dwight and Trenay exclaimed immediately before diving into the water.
"Wha - Hey! Dwight!" Baltic shouted only for me to blow past him and dive in after them. "Guys! Really!? Safety first!"
Those guys wanted the trident just as much as I did. Made sense. Trenay was all about information and studying new Bounty Day things - she was also the one that got us all that SutsCo merchandise. As for Dwight, he was Team Gamma, the theft and arms unit. He was all for shiny new weaponry, and more than willing to steal it out from under me. If I wanted the new stuff, I had to compete for it.
Their dives were the stuff of Olympic swimmers. Hands on top of each other, fingers pointed out, arms over the head, hands breaking the surface first. I emulated them and felt my body cool from the ocean water that enveloped me. I knew how to swim, but this was the first time in a body of water this large. Not many chances to swim in Minecraftia and a good chance for the skill to grow rusty from disuse.
Opening my eyes in water, I saw Trenay and Dwight will away much of their over clothes to reduce their weight. They kept only their boxers, bras, and underwear. Clothes soaked in water weighed you down, but I never accounted for that when swimming up waterfalls. I copied what they did, willing off my hoodie, jeans, and even my undershirt until I was down to my boxers. It helped make me lighter and more maneuverable.
The waterlogged Zombies were swimming too. Under the water, the shore dropped significantly, like a cliff, and the six drowned Zombies floated beside it, sinking or rising as it suited them. There in the middle was the one with the glowing trident. In terms of appearance, they could only be described as grotesque. Rotten skin left to soak - blue-green, almost mossy - hung from their faces and bodies or else was spongey and engorged in pockets. Their clothes were more brown rags, soaked through, tattered, and clinging to their bodies more than their flesh. Their swollen eyes and mouth were a pale, empty blue, and their moans bubbled like their lungs were full of water. Like they were drowning.
As Trenay and Dwight were in the lead, they were the first to be targeted by the trident wielding Mob. When it was thrown, the weapon carved through the water with ease, impaling Dwight in the chest and knocking him back. The Mob already had a new one in hand when Trenay brought out her crossbow and fired. The arrow shot out fast but lost a lot of speed twelve meters out, eventually swerving off target before sinking into the water. The trident didn't have that problem, the next one thrown catching Trenay in the shoulder.
Sensing that a frontal assault would be useless, I swam to one of the other drowned Zombies - Drowned - and slashed at it with my Sweeping Edge sword. It let out a gurgling moan before I finished it off with a stab between the ribs. It dissipated in a bit of EXP, rotten flesh, and some sort of shell which I let fall to the ocean floor. The EXP seeped into my arm, joining the rest I had accumulated. I'd need a lot more if my level was to get anywhere.
Below me, I saw Dwight dispatch another of the Drowned with a sword and Trenay shoot one at range. Neither was the trident wielder, which continued to fling an endless number of pronged weapons at us. It was like how Skeletons never ran out of arrows.
I saw something out of the corner of my eye and almost decapitated Witige coming down to help. He threw a Splash Potion at me and suddenly I didn't need to hold my breath.
Water Breathing. Smart.
He went to splash Trenay and Dwight next. If it wasn't already indicative by their lungs sounding like they were full of water, the Drowned had no trouble breathing underwater. A prolonged battle only suited them, so the Potions of Water Breathing were necessary.
A long flowing curtain of hair left a trail behind Z7 as she joined the fun. She buried two daggers into one Drowned's neck and used it like a human shield to block a trident. The trident finished the job for her, killing the Drowned, and Dwight slashed the fifth one. Only the trident wielder was left.
Z7 looked to me and made a circle motion with one finger. I got the message. She wanted us to circle around it. She and I swam around while Witige took a blow from a trident. We had to hurry. That weapon packed a punch.
Trenay got the Drowned's attention away from Witige with her crossbow, finally hitting it, and Dwight was able to circle the Mob with Z7 and I. By the time the Mob refocused on us, it was already too late.
I slashed, Z7 stabbed, Dwight executed.
He smiled giddily as the Mob dissipated into EXP, but his expression soon soured when no trident came out. Trenay and I were equally put off, the disappointment clear.
All we got were shells.
"Nothing to show for it." Dwight groaned. "That trident could've been mine."
After getting out of the water and drying off, we continued our hike south.
"What are you doing with those shells?" Trenay looked to me with a raised eyebrow.
I was trying to mash the [NAUTILUS SHELLS] together, thinking they might be the secret recipe for tridents. If the Drowned dropped them, then maybe-
"You can't craft tridents." Dwight informed. "No recipe - and don't think Anibal or the rest of Gamma haven't tried! They can only be dropped exclusively by waterlogged Zombies-"
"Drowned." I corrected
"Drowned?"
"Yeah. They look and sound like drowned Zombies. Drowned." I shrugged, stowing the shells away and taking out my Mob book instead to jot the new entry. "It's a good name. Drowned."
"Who died and gave you the right to name these things?" Perry asked. "You didn't discover them. These things have been terrorizing Nitebane's shores since the fifth Bounty Day." That had been the one triggered by Sandra's death.
"Well, it's not like they drop an item named after them. Not unless they're called Nautilus. Drowned sounds better, though." I jotted down some basic description of the Drowned as well as its drops and the tactics to face it. I'd fill out more of the entry once I did further research. "You guys have seen these before? Tell me about them."
"Well, from what we've seen," Trenay spoke up, "they spawn in deep water, or if a Zombie is left underwater for too long. The most noteworthy thing about them is that they're a source of tridents. Jillian has Team Gamma hard at work trying to make a Mob Grinder for these things back home."
"Are tridents that impressive?"
Trenay smirked. "Do you want one?"
"Yes!" I blurted out, making her chuckle.
"We're of the same mind. Dwight and I, and Anibal, and Jillian... Teams Gamma and Delta too. Sadly these things are pretty rare. Rarer than Wither Skulls if I'm being honest." That simple fact surprised me. "Only a small fraction of Drowned spawn with a trident, and only a small fraction of those actually drop one. You'd definitely need Looting III."
"So what you did back there..."
"We thought we'd get lucky." Dwight threw out a hand. "We only have a few tridents back home, but we've barely scratched the surface of what they can do."
"In the same boat with crossbows." Heather added, looking at her own.
"We'll fix that once we get to Milstatt." Luis tried to assure, a hand reaching up to pat Heather's shoulder. The woman moved out of his reach, her expression showing nothing but contempt for him. It was hard for the rest of us to watch, Lenz coughing uncomfortably in an effort to fill the silence.
"Anyway, those shells aren't good for anything." Trenay dismissed with a wave.
"How do you know?" I challenged, this not being the first instance that useless items were a secret treasure trove. Here's looking at you, snowballs.
"Just dump them. They're a waste of backpack space."
"Ah, but with my handy dandy Pocket Box," I said dramatically, the green box coming out with a flourish, "I can store all the useless items I want! Ha! Hahaha!"
"You're an idiot." Perry said.
"Of course I talk like an idiot. How else would you understand me?" I grinned at his dead expression. "Like that? I've been saving it for Carys. You can feel honored now."
"Well, you're a... you would be... you..." Perry floundered for a clever comeback but ultimately withdrew, grumbling conspiratorially. Score one for the King.
"Ah, I see it!" Lenz exclaimed, pointing off to the distance. "The lighthouse you mentioned. That must be Milstatt." He paused. "Funny. It does not look anything like you described. It does not resemble a windmill at all."
I saw a bit of it too. It peeked over the horizon so it was hard to miss. It was also closer inland. Not like a lighthouse at all. I asked Doyle as much.
"Shouldn't that thing be closer to the shore?"
"That's..." Doyle had a funny look on his face. "No, that can't be it. Milstatt is further away and right beside the coast. That's not our lighthouse."
"So then what is it?"
"I... don't know." He admitted. "I've no memory of a tower ever being there. It's been some time, though. Maybe someone built something out here?"
"Want to check it out?" Wing asked. A few people - including myself - showed an interest, but the majority ruled it out.
"My feet are killing me and I want to sleep in an actual building for a change." Heather complained. "No detours. No delays. Straight to Milstatt."
"I agree completely and supportively with Heather!" Luis said aloud. It was painfully obvious he was only trying to get on Heather's good side, a fact the woman sniffed out immediately as she glared at him and marched away. The man in question could only look around helplessly.
She wasn't the only one against exploring the tower - a tower with a roof Lenz later identified as being made of dark oak wood. Baltic, Lenz, Witige, Shroud, Aurand, and Doyle were all opposed to investigating the dark oak tower. They had Milstatt and a warm bed on their minds, and, after a second thought, I agreed with them. We weren't exploring. It could've just been someone's home and we'd be sticking our noses into something we shouldn't. Milstatt was the priority.
So to Milstatt we went. The dark oak tower passed us as we continued south, a few of us staring back at it before it slipped beneath the horizon and winked out of sight. It took Lenz a bit longer to lose sight of it.
It wasn't long before we spotted a new tower on the horizon. This time, both Doyle and Lenz confirmed it resembled a windmill and that we were nearly at Milstatt. It was later in the day by then. The sun was just about to set. Baltic and Doyle took it upon themselves to coach Lenz and I on how to enter the village.
"Milstatt is small, so they don't actually have guard presence." Doyle explained. "They have a small building they label as a barracks, but they can't have more than ten guards."
"Ten? That's so little." I said with surprise. "How do they patrol? How do they deal with criminals? Or Griefers? Or cultists?"
"The simple explanation is that Milstatt is too measly to get targeted." Baltic shrugged. "Milstatt is a tiny fishing village with a modest population - mostly Testificates. They have a wall and an Iron Golem to defend against Mobs, but the village itself has little wealth and little influence. Makes it a perfect stop for people passing through to the Cadboro Bridge. As a matter of fact, we're so far out in the sticks, there hasn't been a single cult-related disappearance out here. No cultists, the Griefers only really harass more to the west of here, and even wanted posters have trouble circulating out this far. We're on the outskirts of Daymonte."
"Let's not get carried away, though." Trenay added. "They're sure to have Cobb's poster and Lenz can't be seen with us on the off-chance a cultist shows. Best to cover your Heads and ender pearl inside."
"We could just wait outside the village if it's a problem." I offered.
"I actually wanted to see about the crossbow rockets." Lenz interjected. "I'd rather be within the walls than without."
"Honestly, security is a joke." Doyle waved off. "Don't even waste the emeralds or pearls. The east side of town is open to the water. You can just swim in under the cover of night. No one will catch you. I for one would rather avoid paying a toll if I can."
"It's only one emerald. Doesn't get any cheaper-"
"I'm not swimming!"
The abrupt refusal from Lenz was met with a few odd stares. Why was he shouting? We could all hear him.
"Okay." Doyle said placatingly. "You can ender pearl, then. I won't stop you."
"Good. I shall do that." Lenz finished lamely, his hands already digging for a pearl.
Guess he doesn't want to get wet. I thought. I didn't have such an aversion. If Doyle said swimming in would do the trick, no sense wasting a pearl.
However, Lenz and I would both need to wear our respective face coverings. Lenz his dragon head and I my carved pumpkin. Best way to conceal our names and faces. Then we could hang out with the Paragons at our leisure. I didn't think there was much to worry about. From what Baltic and Doyle described, Milstatt sounded like a far-flung spot that nobody bothered. The kind of place you'd go to escape the hustle and bustle of the kingdoms. A quaint, remote place where you'd retire to and watch the sunrise each morning. Bonus points for it being a fishing village. Maybe they could teach me a thing or two about the fine art of angling.
With that to look forward to and Milstatt's wall in sight, I broke off from the group and headed towards the water with carved pumpkin in hand. Doyle, Dwight, Perry, Shroud, and Wing joined me to get out of spending an emerald. Cheapskates. Lenz went around to the south side of town, Z7 accompanying him. She didn't even have to. Everyone else went towards the western toll gate, ready to pay an emerald apiece.
As we were making our way out, my eyes zeroed in on a trio of Crafters decked out in diamond gear and swimming in the waters outside Milstatt. The swimming isn't what drew my attention, but the trident in one guy's hand sure as hell did.
The guy with the trident had bronze skin and flowing white hair that reminded me of Wynn. He also happened to spot me - and Dwight - admiring the trident and grinned.
"Oho! I see you gentlemen know a quality weapon when you see one!" The man, ApostolosOfTin, remarked. He flashed us a gleaming smile and showed off the weapon as he climbed out of the water, dripping wet. His two associates followed him.
"I heard these things were rare." I said, eyeing the weapon appreciatively. It was as I remembered in my coma dream, but only because I had a Bounty Day vision of it. In person, it looked much more real. Apostolos was kind enough to hold it out for us. "Where did you find this?"
"Just the other day." He answered proudly. "Thing was being held by a water Zombie-
"A Drowned."
"A Drowned? What an exceptional name! Drowned!" He turned to his companions for a moment. "Let's call them that. Anyway, a Drowned was flinging them at me until I slayed it. The Gods of Minecraftia must've been smiling upon me, for I came out of the ordeal with this enchanted beauty."
True enough, the trident was glowing with an enchantment. "What enchantment you got?"
"Ah. Only the most incredible enchantment known to man." He boasted. "The rigorous, revolutionary Rrrrrriptide!"
"What's that do?"
"Why it-"
"You selling it?" Dwight interrupted rudely. Apostolos looked affronted. "Come on. How much? Two-hundred emeralds? Three-hundred?"
Did he even have that much?
"A generous offer," Apostolos admitted, "but I'm afraid the guild-leader of the Screw Divers does not part with his signature weapon easily."
Perry stifled a chuckle. "What, pftt, what did you call yourselves?"
Apostolos snapped his fingers and his two companions took up position on either side to strike absurd poses. Normal Sense compared then to something called the Power Rangers. "The illustrious, incomparable Screw Divers!"
""Screw Divers!"" The two companions echoed.
"Evildoers beware. Run into us and you're screwed!"
"""SCREEEEEW YOUUUUU!""" They shouted in unison, each of them making a fist with one hand and twisting it repeatedly as one would using a screwdriver.
The six of us responded appropriately - with flat, far-off stares or pitying smiles. That had to be the worst guild name and guild intro ever to molest my ears. If they didn't have a trident, I would have broken off from them right then and there.
"...Six-hundred emeralds!" Dwight suddenly offered.
Apostolos looked unamused. "I already told you my trident isn't for sale." He stowed it in his backpack and out of sight. "It's Riptide abilities are too much a marvel to part with. Everyone in Oak Docks should have that enchantment for the sole reason that it can..." He trailed off, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
That it can what? For Herobrine's sake, that it can what!? What does Riptide do!?
Apostolos whispered something to one of his companions before pointing at the six of us. "You boys wouldn't be planning on skirting the law by swimming around the village wall into Milstatt, would you?"
"No, no not us." Shroud lied, sounding innocent. The rest of us shook our heads in denial.
"We were just, uh, checking out the water. For fishing."
"You're fishermen? Pretty armed up for that." One of the Screw Divers - wow, I hated that name - observed our armor. "You even have a fishing rod?" In answer, I took out Backlash. "I guess that checks out."
"Are you planning on visiting Milstatt?" Apostolos asked, to which we all nodded. "Then, you wouldn't mind us escorting you through the gate, no?"
"...You really don't have to go through the trouble-"
"Nonsense. We'll walk you through. The Screw Divers would just hate to think you'd all turn around and skimp out on paying tolls for a tiny, struggling village."
It was clear he didn't believe we wouldn't swim around the walls, but there was little the Paragons could do but acquiesce. I could break off and check the water with my fishing excuse, but the five of them didn't have a fishing rod among them. They grudgingly followed, each one taking out an emerald to pay.
As I broke off and headed towards the water, I caught one of the Screw Divers mention something about getting their commission job done. Something about an outpost.
How unfair was it for Apostolos to get a trident and not me. I didn't even get a chance to hear what the Riptide enchantment did. What was so amazing about it? Was it the one that returned a thrown trident to your hand, like in my coma dream?
It was a cool new weapon filled to the brim with hidden potential. Bonus points for being a fishing related weapon. I wanted to add it to my arsenal so I'd have another option to fight with. Being flexible and resourceful was a staple of my fighting style. But if what the Paragons said was true, I'd need to find a Drowned wielding one and then kill it with a Looting III sword. Those were expensive to buy and costly to enchant. I'd be kissing goodbye all the EXP levels I had been saving up. Was it worth it just for a better chance to get a trident?
As the sun dipped, I used the shadows for cover and swam around the stone wall into Milstatt. Doyle was right, security was laughable. I emerged onto a wooden dock just outside some raised farms and the lighthouse that looked like a windmill. The Testificates were all going in for the night by the time I stepped into town.
Guess I'll meet up with Lenz. Shouldn't even need my map to find him. This place is smaller than the Origin Zone.
[Lenz]
"(I appreciate you coming with me, but I am fine on my own. You are taking an unnecessary risk.)" I spoke to Z7 in Jibberish. "(Despite the lax security, entering the village through proper legal channels seems safest. Plus, you stand out with your long hair and garbled tongue. The populace will notice you immediately.)"
"(Let me worry about that.)" She dismissed easily. "(Any reason you didn't want to go for a dip? Would save you a pearl.")
I forgot my Jibberish for a moment before forcing myself to sound calm "(I did not want to get my glasses wet.")
"(You could always just will them off-)"
"(I don't mind using an ender pearl.)" I said with finality. I wanted the topic put to rest, something Z7 caught on to and complied with. I handed her a pearl. "(This should be a good spot. I see why they call this place Milstatt.)"
The village in question had a moderate stone wall, about seven meters in height, five meters thick. The wall surrounded three sides of the village - each side with a gate - with the eastern side bordered only by the coast. The ocean served as a natural barrier against most Mobs, so the village was kept safe. Even if any Mobs swam to the shore, they had an Iron Golem to take care of it.
The village's name was derived from the two prominent windmills. The first was the lighthouse near the shore. The other one was built above Milstatt's western gate. The windmill did not move and was purely aesthetic, but it was a prominent monument of the humble, far-flung village.
After warping inside with an Ender pearl, I realized how humble it truly was. I counted twenty buildings in total. Eighty meters by a hundred meters. They only had three streets. No wonder they only had ten guards. Any more and they would suffocate.
It was bustling with Testificates, however. With night approaching, they were all heading inside. A few youngsters ran past us only to stop and double back with eyes full of awe.
"Lady Trish!"
Z7 and I looked behind us, but it was Z7 the young Testificates ambled over to. Their exclamation drew many eyes, making it hard to keep a low profile. I dragged the Dragon Head further over my face while the children grabbed Z7's hand, cheered excitedly, and would not let go.
"We're so glad you're back Lady Trish!"
"Don't ever leave us again, Lady Trish!"
"Hey everyone! Look! Lady Trish is back!"
"(Unhand me before I unhand you.)" Z7 threatened calmly. Fortunately, before she could dismember a child, one of the adult Testificates set the record straight.
"That's not our hero! She's lacking the regal majesty of our fair Lady. Stupid kids. They'll grow up to be nitwits like their fathers."
"False alarm, everyone!" Another Testificate addressed the gathering crowd. "It's not our fair Lady Trish. It's just some woman in desperate need of a haircut."
"(Did that Testificate just insult me?)"
"(No, no.)" I lied. "(They just mistook you for someone - a Lady Trish.)"
"Oh, when will Lady Trish return?" One Testificate woman bemoaned. "With each passing day, I long for her more and more."
"Have faith. One day she'll return and grace us with her presence. Look forward to that day, my fellows. Look forward to it."
The crowd of Testificates broke up after that. The sun was going down and they needed to be safely in bed. In a matter of moments, it was just Z7 and I on the street.
And Cobbert.
"You found us fast." I remarked.
"You were only on one of the three streets in town." Cobbert countered. "Seriously, I've never seen a town this small. By the way, what was with all those Testificates? If you've started some civil unrest in a community, you've just beaten my record."
"They mistook Z7 for someone else. Nothing to worry about." I assured. "It should not be hard to meet back up with Baltic and the rest. Let us hope we can find a place to stay. None of these buildings look big enough to be inns."
"No kidding. Our arrival doubled the Crafter population."
We made our way down the street - more of a dirt path - and took note of some interesting landmarks. The three dirt paths of Milstatt were arranged in an 'H' pattern, and in the center of town was a well and a cobblestone tower with a bell at the top. This was my first time seeing a bell, meaning it was likely a Bounty Day object. The recent Bounty Day saw a lot of changes to Testificates, their professions, and the trades they made for emeralds. I had seen a bit of it in Daymonte's marketplace, but it was present in the humble village as well.
There was a large, stone roofed building with furnaces and a forge: The blacksmith's. A large, two-floor library. A dock near the coast, followed by three raised farms growing potatoes, wheat, and beetroots. All in all, everything was made out of oak wood or cobblestone. The stone brick wall was the only exception.
"You think this village has a pyrotechnist?"
"I doubt it, but stranger things have happened." Cobbert replied. "I might dip into our emerald stores. I want to see about making a Looting Sword for-"
"(Hey, nerdling.)" Z7 spoke up, bumping into Cobbert and interjecting herself into the conversation. "(I've got some new material to test out. Let me know what you think?)"
"(Oh, definitely.)" I nodded eagerly. Her jokes were getting funnier and funnier the more she told them. I got the feeling she was probing me for my sense of humor. She would tell a joke, get a read on my reaction, then switch to a different joke she would be sure would make me laugh. In a sense, she was fine tuning her comedy just for me. I suppose it was to be expected considering I was her only audience. Cobbert looked disgruntled over having been shooed aside, but he made no protest as Z7 swept back her hair out of her face, took out a dagger, and spoke into the handle like a microphone. She always did that before telling her jokes.
"(Why did the scarecrow get a promotion?)" She left a pause for me to ask why before delivering the punchline. "(Because he was outstanding in his field.)"
"(Aaah, haha, I get it.)" I chuckled. Z7 grinned.
"(I stayed up all night wondering where the sun went. Then it dawned on me.)"
While I laughed, Cobbert looked away. He could not understand a word of what we were saying. I was about to offer to relay the jokes, but Z7 was already telling her latest zinger.
"(I used to be addicted to soap, but I'm clean now.)"
I snorted amusedly. I would definitely have to tell Cobbert some of these later. The Paragons had no idea of Z7's hidden talent.
"(When a clock is hungry, it goes back four seconds.)"
That one confused me for a second before I caught on. "(Oooh! Seconds as in a second helping!)"
"(You got it.)"
"(Goes back four seconds - that is a good one.)"
"(Not too much of a brain strainer for you, hm, nerdling?)" Z7 teased. "(This is a fun one. The midget psychic escaped prison. He was a small medium at large.)"
Hearing that brought a smile to my face, but not nearly as much as the Crafter I saw passing in the dirt path before me. All thought of Z7 and her jokes escaped me.
"(What did the cannibal get when he showed up to the party late?)" Z7 went on. "(A-!)"
"Ines!"
Z7 pulled a face, thinking I answered in Jibberish. "(What? Rmvh?)"
I left the assassin as I hurried toward the familiar face of a fellow redstone enthusiast. That bob of ginger hair was unmistakable. InesTheInsipid looked bewildered at being addressed by some unknown, dragon-headed Crafter.
She adjusted her square-framed glasses as she observed me. "I don't believe we've met, Mr...?"
"I haven't seen you since Jolin." I hinted. "Have you forgotten your pen pal already?"
"Jolin? Pen pa - Lenzington!?" Ines gasped before I tilted my Dragon Head to confirm her guess and give her a glimpse of my face. Upon recognizing my tinted glasses, she stepped forward and embraced me in a hug of greeting.
"Small world!" She gushed beside me. "I keep bumping into you in the strangest places. What has it been, three months?"
"Thereabouts." I agreed, giving her back a good pat before stepping back. "You look to be in good spirits."
"Same to you. Oh! Did you end up getting that airship in Zeppil?" At once, my face twisted in despair. "Oh no. What happened?"
"Alas, my time as Skipper Lenz was short-lived." I bemoaned. "But I got to pilot one, Ines. For three glorious weeks, I got to feel what it was like to sail the heavens."
Ines, her eyes shimmering with barely restrained awe, could only soundlessly mouth the word 'wow'.
"It was an experience unlike any other." I boasted.
"So then what happened to your airship?"
"Er, it is a bit of a long story." I told her sheepishly. "But enough about me. What about you? Were you not part of an expedition to some mansion? How did that go? Did you uncover any new redstone structures?"
"Ah." She said awkwardly. "That's... hoo boy... that's also a long story."
"Well, maybe we could swap stories." I offered.
"Are you staying in town?"
"We just arrived. You remember Cobbert, right?" I gestured to my friend concealed by a pumpkin, feeling it safe to refer to him aloud by my nickname for him. "Oh, and this is Z7. She's new. (Z7, this is my college pen pal, Ines.)"
Ines looked bewildered at my Jibberish. "You sound like one of them. And yeah, I remember Cobb. Also get why his head is covered up." She nodded before turning to the Jibberwoman. She saw the garbled name and made polite and overly kind gestures, her speech becoming slow and easier to understand. "Nice. To. Meet. You. My. Name. Is. Ines."
Most Crafters regarded Jibbermen and Jibberwomen as pitiable beings with broken names, when in reality they could speak and think just as well as any Crafter. Ines had no idea how intelligent Z7 really was. The assassin glowered at my pen pal, despising the pitying looks.
"Is she alright?" Ines asked. "Her face is all scarred up. Is that why she wears her hair like that? What's the matter, Cobb? I thought you already had a lady in your life. Where's that Jade girl you were with?"
Ines had no idea the landmine she just stepped on. Cobbert's expression was masked by the pumpkin he wore, but I caught his fingers curling into a fist. His tone dropped.
"She..." He started before looking away. "She and I separated."
"Oh..." Ines was apologetic in an instant. "I'm so sorry for bringing it up."
"It's fine." He waved off. "You didn't know."
"Did, uh, did your other friends leave the guild?"
"Floyd and Soul are doing something elsewhere." I answered. Ines did not need to know all the details. "However we are traveling with a big group right now. We were hoping you could point us in the direction of some lodgings."
"Why not crash at my place?"
My eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You have a place here?"
"Yeah. Me and the leftover expedition guys are staying in the lighthouse. The mayor gave us the okay and we got plenty of space."
"Enough for fourteen Crafters?"
"Fourteen? Whoa, you've suddenly gotten popular." She nudged my side approvingly. "But yeah, we have space. I prefer that to you and your friends cramming into one tiny hut. This village isn't built to host groups of Crafters."
"We will have to ask the others what they think, but I am sure they will accept your kind offer." I assured my pen pal. "And, when we are not swapping stories, I would love to talk shop with you regarding some of the new redstone tech from the Bounty Days. Tell me, have you heard of observer blocks?"
"What is this wondrous block and when can I hear more about it?" Ines asked eagerly, prompting an explanation. Finally, I could talk with someone who knew the redstone language.
Ines and I walked off with Cobbert joining soon after with a grumble of being a third wheel all over again.
Z7 lingered a bit longer, her eyes dimming, the hand holding her dagger like a microphone fell to her side. Her face had fallen just the same.
"(...A cold shoulder.)" She delivered her punchline far too late and in a lifeless monotone before dragging her bare feet after us.
[Outside Milstatt]
"Shake a leg, Screw Divers. We're not getting paid to dawdle." Apostolos spurred his two companions onward, his trident out and pointing the way.
"Can't we do this when it's lighter out, bossman?" The female Screw Diver complained. "You know, when we can actually see and Mobs won't be spawning?"
"The expedition is paying us handsomely to clear that structure for them. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can collect the other half of the payment. Just think of the gear we can afford with those emeralds." Apostolos took on a passionate expression. "This is our ticket to becoming a well-known guild. Our humble start to greatness."
"Oh yeah!" The third Screw Diver whooped enthusiastically. "The Screw Divers are about to ride a big wave and take Minecraftia by storm!"
The Screw Divers had already helped the expedition clear out some of the lower levels of the Woodland Mansion after unexpected Mob resistance whittled their numbers down. This was just another recent Bounty Day structure, albeit one that was considerably smaller and more manageable. They were still being paid handsomely to clear it before the expedition went in, just in case.
As the Screw Divers headed northwest, they found the structure in question by the time it was midnight. The moon's pearly glow illuminated the dark oak roof of a tower. As they approached the base, they saw more of the tower's structure. A cobblestone and moss-covered cobblestone base, an open interior of lighter birch wood with stairs leading up, and a curved roof of dark oak wooden planks. The ground around it was littered with tiny structures. Dark oak logs in piles, white clothed tents with a Crafting Table inside, dark oak wood cages - two of which containing iron golems - and a series of scarecrows made up of carved pumpkins, dark oak fence posts, and hay bales.
It wasn't a tower at all but an outpost able to scan the surrounding landscape for miles in any direction and keep watch for incoming threats. Surrounding it were several gray-skinned Mobs that resembled Testificates except for their clothes and crossbows. They wore plum-colored flannel shirts with brown boots and some metal-and-leather hunting equipment on their shoulders and belt. Some even carried banners on their backs that resembled a visage of their sickly, gray faces.
"Never seen these Mobs before." A Screw Diver noted. "They kind of remind me of those Evokers and Vindicators."
"They look ill." The female Screw Diver added.
"Keep your distance and play it safe." Apostolos advised, his trident coming out as several of the ill Mobs pulled back the mechanism of their crossbows. "On this day, these Mobs learn the meaning of getting screwed!"
"""SCREEEEEW YOUUUUU!""" They cheered in unison before diving in.
Inventory (Cobb): 1 Carved Pumpkin, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV, Feather Falling IV, Depth Strider III], 1 Fishing Rod {Backlash} [Knockback II, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III] {Weak}, 1 Diamond Sword [Sweeping Edge III], 12 Cobblestone, 2 Glass, 16 Ender Pearls, 9 Ender Pearls, 56 Glass Bottles, 1 Stone Pickaxe, 1 Furnace, 17 Flint, 1 Flint and Steel, 17 Oak Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Water Bucket, 1 Lava Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 10 Coal, 64 Snowballs, 11 Snowballs, 4 Ender Chests, 29 Obsidian, 40 Steak, 2 End Crystals, 9 Rotten Flesh, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Book {Mobs of the Nether}, 1 Book {Mobs of the Bounty Days}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Green Shulker Box {Pocket Box}
Green Shulker Box {Pocket Box}: 64 Eyes of Ender, 64 Chorus Fruit, 1 Potion of Strength II {1:30}, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 4 Nautilus Shells
[EXP: 38]
Inventory (Lenz): 1 Chainmail Helmet, 1 Dragon Head, 1 Chainmail Chestplate, 1 Chainmail Leggings, 1 Chainmail Boots, 32 Pumpkin Seeds, 1 Iron Dagger, 14 Ender Pearls, 13 Cobblestone, 1 Compass, 25 Gunpowder, 1 Bow, 1 Bow [Infinity], 1 Crossbow, 42 Arrows, 1 Crafting Table, 14 Steak, 1 Stick, 63 Chorus Fruit, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Akasha Entry Pass}, 1 Red Shulker Box {Pocket Box}, 1 Gray Shulker Box {Pocket Box}
Red Shulker Box {Pocket Box}: 1 Shears, 1 Lever, 9 Redstone Torches, 8 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 18 Blocks of Redstone, 2 Hoppers, 3 Pistons, 2 Sticky Pistons, 1 Book {Airship Piloting 101}
Gray Shulker Box {Pocket Box}: 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 1 Crossbow, 63 Arrows of Poison {0:11}, 64 Arrows of Harming II, 64 Arrows of Harming II, 63 Arrows of Weakness {0:30}, 60 Arrows of Slowness {0:30}, 64 Arrows of Fire Resistance {1:00}, 64 Arrows of Healing II, 64 Arrows of Invisibility {1:00}, 64 Arrows of Leaping {1:00}, 64 Arrows of Slow Falling {0:30}, 64 Arrows of Night Vision {1:00}, 64 Arrows of Strength II {0:12}, 64 Arrows of Swiftness {1:00}, 63 Arrows of Swiftness II {0:11}, 64 Arrows of Water Breathing {1:00}
[EXP: 21]
Inventory (Baltic): 1 Iron Helmet [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Chestplate [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Boots [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Sword [Sharpness II, Unbreaking III], 1 Shield, 1 Bow, 1 Diamond Pickaxe [Silk Touch I, Mending I, Unbreaking II], 10 Arrows, 3 Brewing Stands, 1 Water Bucket, 28 Bones, 1 Ender Chest, 1 Map {Paragon Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Gold Citizenship Pass}, 26 Emeralds, 1 Lingering Potion of Slowness {1:00}, 1 Lingering Potion of Slowness {1:00}, 1 Lingering Potion of Healing II {0:05}, 1 Lingering Potion of Harming II {0:05}, 1 Lingering Potion of Harming II {0:05}, 1 Lingering Potion of Harming II {0:05}, 1 Splash Potion of Swiftness II {1:30}, 1 Splash Potion of Swiftness II {1:30}, 1 Blue Shulker Box {Pocket Box}
Blue Shulker Box {Pocket Box}: 64 Glass Bottles, 64 Dragon's Breath, 64 Dragon's Breath, 45 Blaze Powder, 42 Nether Warts, 30 Soul Sand, 63 Phantom Membranes, 64 Blaze Rods, 20 Fermented Spider Eyes, 51 Carrots, 51 Melon Slices, 55 Rabbit's Feet, 50 Golden Ingots, 1 Golden Nugget, 55 Gunpowder, 54 Redstone Dust, 55 Glowstone Dust
[EXP: 30]
Inventory (Z7): 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 32 Cobblestone, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 21 Charcoal, 14 Torches, 9 Oak Wood Planks, 1 Cake, 1 Cake, 1 Cake, 3 Pumpkin Pies, 22 Baked Potatoes, 1 Bucket, 1 Potion of Swiftness II {1:30}, 1 Potion of Slow Falling {4:00}, 1 Map {Paragon Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Gold Citizenship Pass}, 1 Purple Shulker Box {Pocket Box}
[EXP: 42]
Inventory (Floyd): 1 Mob Head {Creeper}, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Shears, 2 Iron Ingots, 32 Steak, 2 Sticks, 29 Coal, 20 Torches, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 16 Gunpowder, 16 Ender Pearls, 2 Ender Pearls, 1 Splash Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 1 Bucket, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 44]
Inventory (Soul): 1 Diamond Axe [Sharpness V], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 62 Iron Ingots, 20 Flint, 12 Gold Ingots, 1 Shears, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV, Feather Falling IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Crafting Table, 1 Jukebox, 1 Music Disc {chirp}, 1 Bed, 1 Furnace, 24 Torches, 34 White Wool, 3 Pumpkin Seeds, 61 Cobblestone, 32 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Armor Stand, 13 Steak, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Exter Entry Pass}
[EXP: 41]
Cat-Face the Cat
Christopher Squawken the Parrot
Inventory (Noman): 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness I], 1 Diamond Chestplate {Severe Shield}, 1 Leather Boots {Bottes Zephyr} [Dyed White], 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Diamond Chestplate, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 60 Nether Warts, 20 Soul Sand, 30 Steak, 1 Flint and Steel, 1 Shears, 10 Cobwebs, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Water Bucket, 5 Buckets, 1 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Brewing Stand, 33 Glass Bottles, 4 Packed Ice, 1 Ender Chest, 16 Ender Pearls, 4 Ender Pearls, 3 Phantom Membranes, 61 Glowstone Dust, 29 Gunpowder, 18 Redstone Dust, 61 Blaze Powder, 62 Golden Nuggets, 61 Brown Mushrooms, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Exter Entry Pass}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {The Art of Peace}, 1 Enchanted Golden Apple
[EXP: 35]
Inventory (Kalmarin): 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Mob Head {Skeleton}, 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness III, Unbreaking I], 1 Map {Paragon Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Gold Citizenship Pass}, 35 Cooked Chicken, 40 Apples, 1 Bow [Power I], 36 Arrows, 12 Ender Pearls, 1 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 40 Torches, 31 Sand, 12 Cobblestone, 21 Oak Wood Planks, 1 Water Bucket, 1 Lava Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 43 Coal, 1 Clock, 1 Compass, 1 Iron Pickaxe [Unbreaking I], 1 Wooden Pickaxe {Old Reliable} [Unbreaking III, Efficiency V], 1 Book {Meetup}
[EXP: 37]
AN: Now it's time for Cobb's half of the Stigmata Arc. Far more interesting than Carys and Noman's side.
Carys: The Fuck!?
Soul: The Fuck!?
Anibal: The Fuck!?
Floyd: The Fuck!?
Noman: The Fudge!?
*Everyone silently glares at Noman*
Noman: ^_^
Maybe you viewers can see the writing on the wall with what I'm setting up. If not, don't feel too bad. They'll be further urgency next Chapter.
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. PM. FORUM. DISCORD. CHOCOLATE-CHIP CRUMB CAKE WITH OREO COOKIES AND CREAM ICE CREAM ON TOP.