AN: I have Covid.
My sister caught it and I caught it from her three days ago. Have to quarantine from work for at least five days before checking to see if I'm healthy.
But it's bad. Chills, Fever, Coughing, Sore Throat, Sore Muscles, Feeling Weak, Headaches, Runny Nose, Tossing and Turning at Night and getting little sleep. It's seriously kicking my ass. I'm drinking tea, stuck in one room, wearing a mask everywhere so I don't infect people. I got a little trash can by my bed which I'm throwing all my tissues and empty bottles into.
The only silver lining is I don't have to work for a week. It also gave me plenty of time to type up this Chapter. I know originally, I said this half of Cobb's Stigmata Arc would be 5 Chapters, but that's because I planned for this Chapter to be a two-parter. However, the first part was so short that I figured I can just combine them into one big Chapter.
Once again, I'm reminded that I'm better at writing fight scenes and various perspectives when I'm writing third person. There's a lot more freedom, where as first person is more personal.
Anyway, let's get started. As always, I'll leave some end of Arc notes in the closing Author's Notes.
Nothing happens this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, Vexes would drop something.
Chapter 217
Raid
[Milstatt: West Gate]
Cobb watched carefully from Milstatt's wall as the outlined figures approached the village. For some reason, ringing the town bell made them have outlines that glowed in the dark as if they were hit with spectral arrows. The darkness couldn't conceal them, and they stood out plain as day. Easy to keep track of. He counted six in all.
"There's... going to be a fight?" Ines asked hesitantly. "I'm a non-combatant. Anyway, there's only six of them - the golems can handle that much. Plus, Apostolos and the Screw Divers. Did you really need to send Baltic for backup?"
Cobb said nothing as he watched the Screw Divers and golems square off against the figures with the glowing outlines.
"It's the crossbow Mobs again." The female Screw Diver commented boredly.
"PUNY CROSSBOW BABIES NOT HAVE ENOUGH?" Sheryl boomed while lumbering forward. "YOU BUGS PAY FOR CAGING SHERYL!"
The iron golem swept its iron arms across and struck the crossbow Mobs like a freight train. One was flung in the air, and another was killed instantly. The others started firing their crossbows at the iron giant but were little more than annoyances. Of course, the Screw Divers weren't content to sit around. Apostolos skewered one with a well-thrown trident while the other male Screw Diver slashed at one with a sword.
As they were being dispatched, and the glowing outlines started blinking out one by one, Cobb looked over his shoulder at the red bar that had appeared over Milstatt the second the 'Raid' started. It was going down with each slain crossbow Mob, first emptying to half, then a quarter. Only when Ferrus slammed the last crossbow Mob into the dirt did the bar completely empty.
"HA! PUNY CROSSBOW BABIES NO MATCH FOR GOLEM TRIUNE!" Ferrus roared in triumph. "RAID IS KID STUFF! NOT SO SCARY!"
The golems started high-fiving each other while the Screw Divers dusted themselves off and settled down. Ines breathed a sigh of relief.
"And you had me worried over nothing." She dismissed. "It's already sorted."
Cobb's eyes narrowed as he watched the empty bar start to fill back up with red.
"We're not done yet."
Those Health bars were reserved for challenging Boss Mobs. He knew there was no way it would be wrapped up as simple as that. He considered this Raid on the same threat level as a Wither.
When the red bar filled back up, another war horn rent the air. The villagers panicked and the bell was rung, illuminating several incoming Mobs with a bright, white outline. They marched towards the west gate, and the golems and Screw Divers readied themselves to intercept. This time there were seven foes, and they weren't limited to crossbow wielders. Ines gasped when they got closer for her to inspect from the wall.
"Vindicators!" She cleaned her glasses as if she was seeing things. "But... but we've only ever encountered them in the mansion! Why are they here?"
"It's the Raid." Cobb said. He watched the axe-wielding Mobs that resembled Testificates as closely as he was able to from the wall. There were two of them and they were indeed fast, outstripping the five crossbow Mobs as they charged the wall. The Screw Divers recognized the threat immediately and kept their distance, shooting bows or lobbing a trident at the vicious Vindicators. They were the front line while the crossbow Mobs laid down fire from the rear. The golems got right up to them and swung their heavy arms to decimate them, but the Vindicators got a few hits in on Qwongo before dying, cracking and weakening his iron exterior. Once the Vindicators were dealt with, however, the crossbow Mobs - the Pillagers, Cobb decided - were soon to follow.
"We're here!" Cobb turned to see Baltic returning with everybody. It didn't take him long to gather everyone seeing as how the village was small. Even Arwen and Belenzia were there, though Professor Fulgur was noticeably absent. Probably hiding from the Raid like the other Testificates. They came up and joined him and Ines on the wall. Lenz and the Paragons were all armed to the teeth as per Cobb's brief orders.
"What's the problem?" Trenay asked. "Baltic woke us up in the middle of the - why is there a red bar over the village?"
"And what's with the glowing Mobs? What even are those things?" Dwight peered out over the wall at the Pillagers as the Screw Divers and golems dealt with them.
"This," Cobb began, his voice carrying impressively, "is a Raid. It's a new occurrence from the latest Bounty Day. It happened when one of the Screw Divers brought back some cursed affliction from exploring the outpost. As soon as he entered the village, the war horn sounded, and that red bar showed up. These Mobs resembling Testificates have something to do with it." He gestured to the plain.
"Well, it doesn't look like there's many." Wing pointed out.
"Yeah, did you really need all of us to handle this?" Heather asked grumpily, her eyes bloodshot from being rudely awakened. "The golems have this under control."
"Listen closely. I know this doesn't seem like much now, but I want you to treat this Raid as you would a Wither attack." His words wiped the drowsiness right out of the Paragons who couldn't believe such a comparison. Seven tiny Mobs were as deadly as a Wither? How? "It's going to get worse. You're going to see a Mob that nobody has ever seen. Some sort of bull-rhino. I know it sounds farfetched, but I saw it in a Bounty Day vision." He explained fast. "You might all think I'm crazy or mistaken, but you have to trust me when I say this is going to get bad."
Cobb expected dissent and skepticism from Wing, Shroud, Perry, and Dwight. Instead, he was met with absolute faith and conviction. They all believed him. There was no need to elaborate further. If he said it was a threat, it was a threat. It was a far cry from the incident at Caerbannog Valley with the killer rabbits. Nobody believed him then. This was different.
"What are you orders?" Baltic asked expectantly.
"Okay." Cobb was taken aback for a moment but recovered quickly. "Lenz. Trenay. Heather. Dwight. Luis. You five get out your bows and hold position here on the wall. Lay down supporting fire when you can and keep everything outside the village. If a Mob gets past us, shoot it." They nodded and spread out along the wall. "Baltic, Witige. Can you handle potion support on the battlefield?"
"Sure thing."
"Good. The rest of you will be with me for close combat. We keep going," he pointed to the near-empty red bar over the village, "until that bar stops refilling. Understand?"
"Yes sir!"
Cobb was stunned at being called sir by the Paragons. It must have been a soldier thing. The discipline was drilled into them.
"I'm not sure what's going on," Belenzia spoke to Ines and Arwen, "but it looks like they could use some help. Maybe we can do something. Come on." They vacated the walls while the rest of us drew our swords and jumped down.
Apostolos was just finishing off the final Pillager when we marched out onto the plain. The golems and Screw Divers looked to us in confusion.
"You're a little late." The female Screw Diver said while resting a hand on her hip. "We've already cleaned up everything."
In answer, Cobb hitched a thumb over his shoulder at the rapidly refilling red bar over Milstatt. As soon as it was filled, a fresh war horn sounded.
"You sure about that?" He asked flatly before bellowing over his shoulder. "Lenz! Shoot the bell!"
"The bell...?" Lenz looked around before spying the bell tower. "Oh!" He drew his bow and fired, his projectile striking the bell and ringing it. Again, the Mobs were given a glowing outline that made a stark contrast with the dark terrain. No other Mobs were illuminated by the bell; just the ones resembling gray-skinned Testificates.
There was a larger shape amongst the outlines this time. One large one and seven small ones. Cobb had already anticipated such a thing, and he was about to find out just how dangerous that bull-rhino could be.
"What... WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS THAT ABOMINATION!?"
You're going straight into my Mob book when this is over. Cobb swore.
This latest force of Mobs was made up of four Pillagers, two Vindicators, one Witch, and one of those bull-rhinos Cobb still didn't have a name for. Cobb had glimpsed such a creature in his Bounty Day vision, but it still looked mythological to him. A combination of bull, rhino, and triceratops, with the forehead, face, and nose of a Testificate but magnified tenfold. It looked churlish with a thick, brown hide that may as well have been carved from granite. Jagged teeth, a horn on each temple, and four legs with silver manacles around the ankle but with shoulders that extended past the body and appearing as silver-capped humps. It also had a saddle, leading Cobb to believe it could be ridden, but one problem at a time.
"Huh. Really does look like a bull-rhino." Wing commented idly while the Screw Divers backed off and let the golems push forward.
"Fight the Vindicators and Witches at a distance! Close in on the Pillagers!" Cobb called over the battlefield.
"What are those?"
"Vindicators have the axes, Pillagers have the crossbows!" He clarified. After that, a barrage of arrows started pelting the Vindicators and Witch while Z7 lunged for the Pillagers. "The Vindicators hit hard! Keep your distance if need be!" Ines would be delighted to know the Mob information she provided was being put to good use.
The bull-rhino was another story. Cobb had no intel on it other than what he saw in his vision, which was that the thing could match iron golems in terms of raw power. It was also fast, moving at almost the same speed as a sprinting Crafter on account of its four legs. Sheryl got up close to it as it advanced.
"SHERYL SMASH BIG RHINO!"
She swung her arms up and struck the bull-rhino in the chin, eliciting the sharp crack of its teeth clacking together. The bull-rhino growled, its voice coming out like a Pillager's, only slower and more distorted. There was a metallic clink as it took the hit. Despite taking enough damage to kill a Crafter, the bull-rhino shrugged it off and struck back. Its horned head shot out like a piston and struck Sheryl square in the chest, the small cracks in her body widening as her iron skin splintered. The golem fell back, stunned but standing.
The two powerhouses continued to exchange heavy blows. It was a battle between titans. The bull-rhino could move faster but its piston head was slower. The iron golem could get two arm swings in the time it took the bull-rhino to get one. Cobb didn't want to see what such an attack could do to a Crafter.
It looked like Cheryl was going to win, but two of the Pillagers Z7 was dealing with broke off and fired at the golem. Their added damage was enough, and Sheryl flexed her last flex. She was reduced to iron ingots and a single poppy.
"FRIEND!" Qwongo roared with Ferrus fast behind. "YOU KILLED MY BEST FRIEND!"
They ganged up on the bull-rhino and killed it with a few more swings while Z7, Shroud, and Aurand mopped up the Pillagers. The Witch and Vindicator were killed by Lenz and the other archers. No casualty other than Sheryl.
"Damnit, there are other Mobs out here too!" Perry shouted as he caught the eye of an Enderman. He and Wing had to deal with that while more Creepers, Spiders, Zombies, and Skeletons went after the combatants. The Screw Divers worked with the Paragons to repel the Mobs, but Creeper explosions were going off and creating craters around the plain. It was an extra hazard to worry about while that red Raid bar started filling back up.
"Get ready!" Cobb called out just as the bar reached full. However, this time the war horn was distant, coming from the north. "Don't tell me... Lenz! The bell!"
He was already shooting it. The bell rung and the Raid Mobs were given an outline for everyone to track. Only this time, the glowing outlines were on the north side of the village. They were changing up their approach.
"Move to the north!" Apostolos cried out. "Hurry! They'll break into the village!"
"Lenz! Get to the other side!" Cobb shouted as he and several Paragons ran into Baltic and Witige's Splash Potion of Swiftness. Z7, the assassins, and the golems were at the back while the rest of them hauled ass around the village wall from the west side to the north side. Moving their defenders gave the Raid Mobs precious seconds to mount an attack. Three Vindicators had already bypassed the gate, killing the two guards on watch before moving towards the Testificate houses with murder in their hearts. The six Pillagers and three Witches making up the rest of their force were still outside.
A trident whizzed by and killed a Pillager while Trenay and Heather pointed out the Vindicators inside the walls. They tried to shoot them, but the Vindicators moved between houses and into cover as they systematically broke down doors with their axes and mutilated the helpless Testificates inside.
Cobb and Wing killed three Pillagers together while Perry struggled to catch a Witch that drank a Swiftness Potion after hitting him with a Slowness Potion. The golems were too slow to do any good, but Z7 arrived on the scene and threw her daggers at one Witch while Aurand, Doyle, and Shroud killed the last two Pillagers. The third Witch was beaten by the Screw Divers.
Inside the village, the three Vindicators continued to terrorize the homes. Testificates screamed for help as axes hacked into wooden doors. However, three engineers, took up position on the street.
"Hey, Vindicator!" Belenzia shouted, an egg getting hurled into the Vindicator's face and a tiny chick popping out. The Vindicator turned with a murderous look and sprinted at the trio, the moonlight gleaming off its brandished axe.
The engineers had what looked like a cannon laid out. There were two dispensers at the front which they filled with arrows. Arwen was at the back with some redstone torches and repeaters that he broke fast before replacing. The red dust flashed repeatedly in the night. Between the dispensers was a switch which Belenzia hovered one hand over.
"Get the hell out of our town." She said coldly before flicking the lever.
What followed was a barrage of arrows that pelted the space of the street. The Vindicator was riddled with the projectiles, its charge falling short and then falling back as the force of the barrage obliterated its Health. It died in the span of five seconds and the engineers cheered and high-fived.
The other two Vindicators kept swerving around the streets and picking houses at random with Testificates inside. One attacked the Weaponsmith's place while the Testificate in question cowered within.
"Oh, if you can hear me," he bawled, "please save me Lady Trish!"
A Splash Potion of Slowness struck the Vindicator's back courtesy of Witige. The alchemist had taken a shortcut through the west gate instead of going around to the north side. He paled as the Vindicator turned and went after the alchemist at an admittedly slower pace. Witige backed up slowly, steering the Mob beneath the bell tower.
When the Vindicator was in place, Baltic dropped a Lingering Potion of Harming right where the Mob was standing from the bell tower. A cloud of damage lingered that choked the Mob and obliterated it with ease.
Witige looked around with disappointment. "Sure wish one of the guys were around to see that."
The last Vindicator with the glowing outline went towards the windmill lighthouse where Professor Fulgur was residing. The senior meteorologist backed away from the door as he heard the axe repeatedly strike the deteriorating wood.
"III'm toooo ooold tooo diiie." Fulgur spoke with fear. "III haaave sooo maaany liiightning faaacts leeeft tooo impaaart. Liiike hooow liiightning aaas staaatic electriiicity caaan ooonly beee feeelt iiif iiit's thiiirty-fiiive huuundred vooolts ooor mooore."
If possible, the meteorologist's words made the axe strikes come faster and more belligerently, like it was spurring the Vindicator to want to kill him more. The old man had that effect on a lot of people.
However, the Vindicator was pulled away from the door when three of Milstatt's guards arrived, having traced the Mob's glowing outline. The Vindicator turned and moved fast, exchanging a blow with the guard but doing far more damage. The guard had to be tagged out by another who rushed in and dealt another blow. The Vindicator's axe snuck another hit in, however, then another killing strike. The third guard watched the lifeless Head of his friend tumble to the ground before rushing with a furious howl and finishing the axe-wielder off.
With the final Vindicator dead, the red Raid bar hanging over Milstatt emptied.
...Only to get filled back up for the fifth wave.
"How many of these things are there!?" Dwight complained as the bar started filling up. He and the other archers were still on the wall.
"We need to spread out in case they come at us from another angle." Trenay barked out orders. "Lenz, head back to the west side - you can hold it alone. Dwight and I will hold here. Heather, Luis, you take south side."
"Can I partner with someone else-?"
"GO!" Trenay cut Heather off. Now was not the time for petty relationship drama. The two bolted with Lenz and got in position just as the red bar filled up and the horn sounded. Lenz rung the bell from his position to get an idea where the raiders were coming from.
North side again. Fortunately, all the close combatants were already there. Even the golems had lumbered into place, albeit chipped, cracked, and dented.
The enemies showed up as thirteen glowing outlines this time. A bull-rhino was among them, this time with a Pillager riding on top. There were also six Pillagers on foot, four Vindicators, one Witch, and one Mob that Trenay and the Paragons couldn't place, but the Screw Divers were familiar with. It looked like a gray Testificate like the Vindicators and Pillagers, but it wore a black and gold robe.
"EVOKER!" Cobb screamed as he pulled out an enchanted golden sword and rushed the raiders with single-minded focus. He ignored every other Mob but the Evoker. "Take that thing out fast!"
Z7 caught his intent - as did the Screw Divers and the Paragon - and they all directed their attention upon the Evoker. However, the other raiders stood in their way like a defensive line. The bull-rhino moved to the front the fastest, its rider shooting an arrow at Cobb.
Cobb strafed to the side to dodge, but he had to give a wide berth as the bull-rhino chased after him. Z7 and the assassins ignored the bull-rhino entirely as they ran at the Evoker. The robed Mob raised his hands and dark purple particles surrounded him like magic.
"DODGE IT!" Apostolos shrieked, him and the Screw Divers throwing themselves aside. The assassins were unprepared as a parade of crocodile fangs surfaced from the ground in a straight line, striking them underfoot and tearing into their Health.
"Xilxlwrov uzmth uiln svoo." Z7 grimaced as she tumbled to her knees. She blew the curtain of hair out of her face in a huff before rolling aside a moment later to dodge a Witch's Splash Potion of Poison.
Cobb set down a block of obsidian and an End Crystal atop it as he lured the bull-rhino closer. He took an arrow to the arm, but his snowball did far more damage when it set off the crystal and blew the Mob sky high, raining chunks of EXP and a saddle. The Pillager riding it survived, however, having fallen off of the bull-rhino when it died. It recognized its sudden lack of a steed and saw how the tables had turned when Cobb advanced. It tried to flee, but an arrow finished it off courtesy of Dwight.
"Thanks for doing the easy work." Cobb muttered under his breath before jogging towards the Evoker with golden Looting sword in hand.
I gotta get that kill. He thought wildly.
The Screw Divers struggled against four Vindicators and six Pillagers. Apostolos couldn't keep throwing his trident when retrieving it meant going into the enemy's territory. It would be easier if it was raining and he could use his Riptide; He'd dominate the battlefield, then. For now, he and his fellow Screw Divers had to carefully fight the Vindicators without getting his in the exchange. Those axes were deadly. The golems were still moving up and couldn't help quite yet.
Wing took an arrow to the knee and almost got axed if not for Aurand bull rushing the Mob. Z7 was reeling from a Potion of Weakness until a tipped arrow struck her shoulder and imbued her with Strength. She flashed a grin at Lenz on the wall before digging two daggers into the Witch's neck and twisting. The Witch tried to sip a Potion of Healing, but Z7 Quickdrew a third dagger and sunk it up into her chin and through her mouth, reducing the Witch to EXP and potion ingredients.
Another parade of crocodile fangs emerged from the ground to sow chaos and rip apart more Health. Ferrus' knee got scraped badly and Perry had to take a break to recover his Health. Lenz was doing his best to substitute potion support with his tipped arrows, but even the good effects caused a bit of damage because the arrow had to hit its target. It was better suited as an offensive projectile rather than a supportive one.
Baltic and Witige were just returning to the battlefield - and looking winded from their jog over - when the Evoker raised its hands and mustered white particles in the space above it.
"It's summoning Vexes!" Apostolos warned.
"I don't know what those are supposed to be!" Shroud exclaimed before getting shot. The Pillager this time had a glowing enchanted crossbow, and the projectile went through Shroud and then through Aurand behind him like a piercing drill. The assassin bent knee and grimaced on the ground.
A little pixie appeared before his widening eyes. The thing smirked evilly before its face cracked open to reveal a red, splotchy face. It cackled as it carved at the assassin's eyes with its tiny iron sword.
*Hyeeeehehe!*
"AUGGGHHH!" Shroud screamed - his voice echoed by two others as the Evoker's summoned Vexes spread out. There were three of them, the Evoker's summoning limited to three at a time. It couldn't summon twenty at once. In spite of that, the three Vexes threw the battlefield into chaos. They cackled madly as they swooped in with their razor-sharp blades or else phased through the ground to avoid retaliation only to emerge like sharks and carve up an unsuspecting victim. Ines was right about them. They were terrifying.
"DEMON TINKER BELLS!" Ferrus exclaimed as he waved his arms wildly to no avail. He was too slow to hit them.
"Slow hgroo blf orggov nlmhgvih!" Z7 exclaimed, her daggers flitting out and hitting nothing. They were too small!
"Shit! Augh! Auuugh!" A horrendous scream rent the air as the male Screw Diver was beset by a cackling Vex. "Help me! HELP ME! I'M ALMOST-!"
*Hyeeeehehe!*
The man died in an explosion of gear that left Apostolos and the female Screw Diver speechless. The woman recovered first, however, snarling as she sprinted at the Vexes with sword waving madly.
"You bastards! I'll kill you! I'll kill you all!"
"Calm down!" Apostolos warned. His words fell on deaf ears as the woman was beyond reasoning with. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She was inconsolable.
"All of you Vexes! I'll kill you all!"
She chased after one and threw her whole body on her sword to crush it in a single blow. The Vex evaded it by phasing into the ground and leaving the female Screw Diver pouncing on nothing.
Then two Vindicators surrounded her. Apostolos' desperate trident knocked one away, but the other swung its iron axe cruelly into the female's back. She let out a sharp shriek that was cut off by an explosion of gear. Her lifeless Head and gear toppled to the ground.
"N-No... NOOOOOO!" Apostolos screamed as he tackled the Vindicator that did it and started beating it up with his bare fists. The other one tried to sneak behind him, but Wing and Doyle dispatched it together.
The Evoker raised its hands again and more white particles showed up. It summoned three more Vexes even though fighters were still suffering from the first three. Then it summoned another three. The nine of them swarmed Ferrus like angry bees, shaving away at his metal skin and making the cracks widen.
"NOT LIKE THIS!" Ferrus roared desperately. "NOT LIKE-!"
He was reduced to ingots.
Cobb understood now why the Evokers were so deadly. He understood why they decimated the expedition team. The Vexes were the biggest danger, and there was no limit to how many the Evoker could summon. They missed their chance to kill the Mob quickly and were reaping the consequences.
In all the chaos, some Pillagers and Vindicators slipped past their line. They were picked off by Lenz and Trenay and the archers, but five of the Vexes joined the attack, their ghostly bodies phasing right through the wall and making the archers do a double take. Then, more screaming was heard inside Milstatt as the Vexes bypassed the doors to kill the Testificates directly.
The other four Vexes flew after the Crafters on the battlefield. Baltic had to brew and drop down Lingering Potions of Healing and Regeneration to form temporary healing zones for the injured, or else protect them from the belligerent Vexes.
Z7 wore a serious face as she darted straight for the Evoker with daggers drawn. Cobb shadowed her with his golden sword, hoping to provide backup. The Evoker raised its hands and summoned dark purple particles, but this time they were both expecting it and they strafed out of the way of the jaws. Vexes broke off to attack them, but they were intercepted by precise, tipped arrows of Weakness or Poison.
"Mrxv hslg, mviwormt!" Z7 praised before she ducked every injured Vex and went straight for the summoner. The Evoker raised its hands and formed a defensive circle of jaws, but Z7 had already jumped into the air. An arrow of Harming soon found its way into the Evoker's neck, and while it was busy choking, Z7 dropped on it with both daggers digging into its eyes. Then Cobb darted forward and stabbed his Looting sword into the Evoker's gut, killing it. He exploded into emeralds and something gold along with a few EXP orbs.
Though the Evoker was dead, the Vexes weren't. They kept terrorizing the battlefield and Milstatt, but at least more wouldn't be summoned.
Z7 darted off when she saw her assassins in trouble, but Cobb lingered a second longer to retrieve the golden thing that had dropped from the Evoker.
A Totem of Undying.
The Looting enchantment didn't work on the totems. Only one dropped. That just proved how valuable they were, and somewhat confirmed what Cobb thought they could do. With Ines' he now had two, and by the way the battle was going, he had a feeling he would need to keep one close.
He tucked it away into his Pocket Box along with his Looting sword, instead opting for his diamond blade with Sweeping Edge. If Sweeping Edge could extend the blade's range, then...
As a Vex flew at him, giggling madly, Cobb swung his blade down before him in a wide sweep. The Vex screamed in pain as the enchantment made contact before Cobb swung again to kill it.
The red bar hanging over Milstatt was nearly empty. All that was left were the Vexes and one Pillager that Dwight finished off. Still the screams echoing inside Milstatt's walls told everyone that the Testificates were being wiped out. Guards too as they tried to fight against the tiny Mobs they could never have prepared for.
Perry hid behind a shield as a Vex kept trying to cleave through him. Aurand actually grabbed the thing in his great big fist and slammed it into the ground over and over until it died.
Lenz shot two more with his eagle eyes, but there was no way he could shoot through the houses they were phasing through. All any of them could do was ride it out until the Vexes' time limit expired. They could only exist for a short while before they started taking damage and died. Baltic went about healing the injured while the rest of the Paragons mitigated the standard Mobs spawning from the darkness. It was an opportune time for the Mobs as everyone was far too focused on the Raid.
The Vexes must have reached their expiration, because the red Raid bar started to tick back up again. The sight of it was a blow to morale considering how bad the last wave had been. Two Screw Divers were dead, as was Ferrus and Sheryl. The only golem left was Qwongo. How many guards and Testificates were dead inside Milstatt's walls?
The Paragons and Beginners were all still accounted for, but for how long? Cobb, Z7, Baltic, Perry, Witige, Wing, Aurand, Doyle, Shroud. Lenz, Trenay, Dwight, Heather, and Luis on the wall. Any of them could die.
How many more waves?
In reply, the war horn sounded to the distant south of the village as the sixth wave commenced. The bell was rung like the start of a boxing match, and Cobb and the Paragons moved to face it.
[Milstatt: South Gate]
"They need a breather."
"Heather, you can't take that wave on." Luis stopped her from doing anything reckless. The sixth wave of Mobs were given glowing outlines from the town bell, and they were approaching fast.
"I only count twelve of them and there are none of those big horned things." Heather reasoned as she took out her crossbow. "Plus, Cobb and the rest are still moving into position. No risk of friendly fire." She took out a firework rocket from her pack. "Trenay wants a test run? This is as good as it gets."
"This is no training simulation." Luis chastised. "What if this thing blows up in your face?"
"What do you care?" She asked coldly as she pulled back on the crossbow's mechanism and loaded her rocket. She selected the ones with the biggest boom. "We have no bond. Whether I live or die, you won't feel a thing. Easier that way, right?"
He looked away in shame. "...You... You know that's not-"
"Quiet." Heather spoke coldly before looking down her sights. "You'll throw off my aim."
She counted six Pillagers, four Vindicators, one Witch, and one Evoker. She already witnessed firsthand which was the biggest threat, so she waited until the raiders were close before pulling the trigger.
White sparks flew out the back of the rocket as it was propelled forward. Its flight was straight with no deviations, and it flew past all the Mobs of lesser threat before hitting the Evoker in the face. The rocket exploded on contact in a flurry of white sparks that encompassed a six or seven block diameter area. Not only did it damage the Evoker, but it also damaged some adjacent Pillagers. Not enough to kill, but Heather knew they were hurting.
She loaded one more up and fired again. This time, she was happy to report that the Evoker and three Pillagers died on impact. She rested a hand on her hip and blew the tip of her crossbow while flashing a smug smirk.
When Lenz and the other archers got there, they noticed a significant drop in raiders. Trenay saw Heather with the rockets and put two and two together, but she made no mention of it, instead directing her fire at the surviving Vindicators that could not be allowed in the village again.
Lenz, Dwight, Heather, Luis, and Trenay dispatched the remaining Mobs before they could reach the wall. By the time Cobb and the others rushed to the south gate, the threat was over and the red Raid bar hanging over the town was filling up for the seventh wave.
"What happened?" Perry asked the archers on the wall.
"Heather blasted them, that's what happened!" Trenay called down enthusiastically. "Those rockets were worth every emerald!"
"We'll use rockets on Evokers if any more show up." Heather called down. "Cobb, I got a weakness for those Evokers to put in your Mob book: ME!"
"You killed an Evoker? Where...?"
"...Did she just call you Cobb?" Apostolos backed away slowly, his trident pointing out. "The wanted Endward Cult Executive Cobb? That Cobb?"
Cobb and the Paragons froze, Heather covering her mouth at her slip-up.
"Er... you may have misheard-"
"Don't give me that!" Apostolos backed away again, treating the Paragons like enemies. "I just heard her say it! You going to lie!? Take off that pumpkin!"
Feeling that the jig was up, Cobb slowly lifted the carved pumpkin off his head, revealing his face to all. The revelation still shocked Apostolos, confirming his fears.
"You're really him. The criminal." He spoke in disbelief. While he did so, the war horn sounded for the seventh wave. It came from the north this time, and the archers on the wall were already moving to intercept.
Cobb held up his hands cautiously, the action making Apostolos point his trident at him and wear a fierce expression.
"I know this must be confusing," Cobb tried to reason, "but rest assured you're not my enemy. I'm only trying to save this village."
"Bullshit!" He swore.
"It's not." Cobb shook his head. The other Paragons tried to get around him to protect the village, but Apostolos raised his weapon against them instead, warding everyone off from doing their jobs. The bell rang and outlines were illuminated to the north. Cobb could count sixteen. Two of them those large bull-rhinos with riders. "Milstatt needs us, Apostolos."
"We don't need cultists!"
"We're not cultists." Baltic told him, stepping forward with his hands raised and empty. "You can't fight this Raid alone."
"I wasn't alone this morning." He spoke desperately, tears coming to his eyes. "I had... I had a team. The Screw Divers. Anyone that crosses us gets screwed. Not anymore, though. Not anymore. Now I'm nobody..."
"So avenge them, then." Perry told him curtly. He didn't care for this man's grief, having experienced it and seen it all too often. "Beat this Raid. Beat their killers. But don't get in our way."
Apostolos looked to Perry with uncertainty, his trident wavering between everyone present. Behind him, Cobb heard screams coming from the village. The raiders were breaking through, and those screams seemed to snap him out of whatever funk he was feeling.
"Apostolos!" Cobb shouted.
The man lowered his trident but pointed at Cobb accusatorially. "You... you stay the hell away from me. All of you!" He screamed at the last, backing away towards the village before darting past the south hate and inside. Seems he was going to fight after all, but not at the side of possible killers.
"Forget him." Shroud dismissed. "We need to move. They're already in the village."
"Don't take on those bull-rhinos alone." Baltic warned. "Move in teams. Cobb, you're - Cobb, where are you going?"
Cobb was surreptitiously moving away from the village and Paragons, his eyes scanning the darkened plain for any hint of gold treasure. He could see the drops from the Mobs Lenz and the archers took care of. It had to be there.
"Cobb! What are you waiting for?" Doyle asked.
"Just... just give me a minute alright?" He called out distractedly.
"A minu-? COBB! The villagers are screaming!"
"I know! I'll be right there just give me a minute!"
"Cobb!"
"R'n mlg dzrgrmt fk uli srn." Z7 spoke impatiently. "Ovg'h tl." She and her assassins formed one team as they entered the village. Perry, Wing, Witige, and Baltic formed the other, with Baltic lingering at the back wondering what Cobb was looking for in the grass.
On the north side of the village, the raiders had moved fast, especially the bull-rhinos, of which there were now two. They charged straight up to the gate with their riders and used their battering ram piston heads to bust through the stone wall and forego the gates entirely. The archers hadn't had time to stop the bulk of the raiders from entering the village, and already the Testificates were screaming in homes getting demolished by the bull-rhinos. Testificates and Crafters died by the dozens.
"Shit! What are you waiting for? Load the rockets!"
"We can't. We can't!" Trenay shouted. "These explosions are too big, and those Mobs are weaving between buildings. We'll do more harm than good."
"The Paragons are also engaging them." Lenz pointed. "They will get caught in the crossfire if we are careless."
Among the illuminated forces, the archers counted four Pillagers, six Vindicators, two Witches, two Evokers, one bull-rhino with a Vindicator riding it, and one bull-rhino with an Evoker riding it. In addition, the Evoker riding the bull-rhino held a banner in the likeness of one of those gray-skinned raiders. The archers were too late to stop the faster forces, but they were able to kill two of the Pillagers outside the walls. Everything else got in.
"We need to mop up." Trenay decided. "Take them out in the village. Only use the fireworks if you got a clear shot."
"Yes, ma'am." Dwight saluted before jumping down off the wall. The other Paragons did the same.
"...I shall just take the ladder, then." Lenz awkwardly shuffled off last.
Inside the village, the engineer trio of Arwen, Belenzia, and Ines used their repeating turret to kill two lured Vindicators, but were forced to fall back when the bull-rhino came in.
"What in God's name is that!?" Arwen shrieked at the horned Mob being ridden by a Vindicator. It demolished whole buildings with its battering ram piston head in its single-minded focus to kill all Crafters and Testificates. The Vindicator on top steered it through the hail of arrows and overran their position. The engineers scattered.
Ines squeezed between two buildings just in time to avoid the bull-rhino and circled round to the back of another building to catch her breath.
Then she heard the familiar evil cackle that haunted her nightmares.
She slowly looked up and screamed when three Vexes swooped down on her with red splotchy faces. One cut her shoulder as she fled into the street with reckless abandon, crying for help. The Vexes pursued with glee, phasing through the houses and buildings that Ines tried to put between them.
"LENZ! BELENZIA! ANYONE!" She screamed as her leg was sliced open next and she faceplanted into the dirt. She crawled back on hands and knees as the demon spawn sought to end her.
A soft padding was heard as a purple-haired blur intervened, standing between Ines and the Vexes and swiping her daggers in a defensive flurry to ward them off. Ines recognized the long hair of Lenz's escort. The Jibberwoman that didn't like her.
"Ru blf xzm'g urtsg, hgzb yvsrmw nv." Z7 spoke coolly without looking at the woman. "Gsv mviwormt dlfow yv wvezhgzgvw ru zmbgsrmt szkkvmvw gl srh mviw uirvmw."
"...What?"
Z7 let loose an exasperated sigh before waving back with one hand. The Vexes swooped down to attack the two. Z7 waved her daggers in a circular motion around her, like a protective sphere. She moved so fast - a result of her quick reflexes - that the Vexes couldn't get close without getting sliced. It was her only defense against them considering she had a noncombatant to protect.
The Vexes looked displeased at her efforts, however they soon laughed gleefully when six more Vexes joined them in attacking her. She began to show worry as she redoubled her defense.
Then four of the nine Vexes phased through the ground.
"Hsrg...!" She hissed through her teeth as the Vexes popped out of the ground below her and sliced her legs. She fell down and her defense was rendered useless. She was soon swarmed by the flying pixies as they hacked away at her rapidly depleting Health. They went for Ines too, the woman sure to die first without any armor.
"GET DOWN!"
Z7 understood the intent and threw her body over Ines' so they'd both hug the ground. There was a high-pitched whistle and a bang of light blue sparks that was accompanied by the dying screams of the Vexes. They were all blown to smithereens in the space above their heads.
Trenay lowered the smoking crossbow with a pleased expression. "I can see why Gunnah liked these."
She helped the two ladies up and they went back to hunting the Mobs.
On the coast side of the village, Dwight and Wing were dealing with some things.
"Diiid youuu knooow liiightning iiis-"
"For Christ's sake, shut up old man and let me save you!" Dwight threw Professor Fulgur over his shoulder and swam out to the ocean with Wing just as a Vindicator came to kill them. They managed to get away and the Vindicator lost interest, instead going back to attack the villagers.
A pair of small red crossbow rockets struck it in the back, killing it.
"Okay, that's pretty awesome." Wing nodded appreciatively while swimming. "Remind Trenay to tell me how she made those."
"Youuu knooow whaaat eeelse iiis awesooome?" Professor Fulgur droned. "Liii-"
Dwight bonked the old man on the head with his crossbow, knocking him out.
"Best let him get some sleep." He nodded, pleased. The two then ferried the old meteorologist out of the waters outside the village and towards the safe plains further south.
The bull-rhino with the Vindicator riding on top was ravaging homes and wrecking everything in its path. Testificates cowering in bed were killed instantly by the battering ram piston head or else hacked away by the Vindicator.
Qwongo, the last of the three iron golems, stood in its path beside the weapon Smith's building. The golem had cracks along his skin - a testament to the punishment he endured against the raiders - but he stood his ground as the beast stampeded toward him.
"THIS NOT MY VILLAGE," he spoke resolutely, "BUT QWONGO WILL DEFEND IT UNTIL THE END! FOR SHERYL! FOR FERRUS! FOR ALL PUNY TESTIFICATES THAT CALL THIS PLACE HOME!"
The bull-rhino's roar was matched only by Qwongo's battle cry.
"LET'S GOOOOO!"
He struck first in a devastating uppercut that nearly lifted the bull-rhino off the ground. He then swept his arms and sent the beast crashing into the weaponsmith's house. Inside were Arwen and Belenzia, hiding out from the raiders. They scrambled to the back of the building as the bull-rhino and riding Vindicator attempted to kill them.
Instead, the bull-rhino let out a pained roar as a metal arm like a steel girder slammed into its butt.
"LEAVE PUNY CRAFTERS ALONE!"
The bull-rhino turned around and struck with its piston battering ram, cracking Qwongo further and sending the golem into the dirt.
"We got to do something. Come on." Belenzia roused Arwen to his feet and the two engineers made their way to the weaponsmith's lava forge. It was half demolished by the hole the bull-rhino had made in the building, but Belenzia and Arwen broke the cobblestone holding back the lava, allowing it to spill out into the street.
The bull-rhino was about to finish Qwongo before the lava touched its legs and it caught fire. It roared in agony as fire consumed it and its Vindicator rider. The rider tried to steer it away, but for Qwongo tackling it into the lava and holding it there while they both burned.
"Qwongo! Get out of there!" Arwen cried.
"QWONGO... AT... PEACE." He smiled before he, the bull-rhino, and the Vindicator rider all burned to ashes.
Arwen and Belenzia could only allow for a few moments of silence for the fallen defender as more raiders could be heard incoming. They circled past the ruined homes, staying low and using them for cover as they made their way to Milstatt's outer wall. It was time to leave.
Lenz climbed to the top of the belltower and took up a sniper position. From where he was, he had a great aerial view of everything. The illuminated outlines of the Mobs also made them easier to locate.
Those bull-rhinos, though. They were ravaging everything in sight. One had been taken out, but the other - the other Ravager - was still wrecking mayhem.
Lenz spotted the assassin trio of Shroud, Doyle, and Aurand dispatching the two Witches and Baltic and Witige killing a Vindicator together with Lingering Potions of Harming.
There was also an abundance of Vexes flitting in and out of buildings. Too many to keep track of, so Lenz focused on the next best thing and fired a tipped arrow of poison at the Evoker. It writhed in pain and set up defensive fangs thinking it would protect it, but they did little to stop the poison damage that ate away at its Health.
Lenz fired another tipped arrow of slowness to impede the Mob further as well as stack up damage. At that point, the Evoker summoned more Vexes and they started to fly up to Lenz's position. His eyes widened behind tinted goggles.
"Repeaters!" He switched to normal arrows and started sniping the little gremlins out of the sky. They were hard to hit, but then Lenz wasn't a normal archer. For someone who could intercept arrows, shooting the Vexes was easier than wiring an XNOR gate.
He killed the three and returned his attention to the weakened Evoker. It was surrounded by white particles, but before it could summon any more Vexes, a diamond blade came down on it, courtesy of Cobb.
"Nice one, Cobbert." Lenz nodded respectfully. However, the engineer noticed Cobb crouching down where the Evoker died and picking something up. He stowed it in his Pocket Box before moving deeper into Milstatt.
Lenz didn't reflect on it long. Instead, he directed his arrows at the two Vindicators fighting Luis and Perry. With his arrows, he was able to give the Paragons an edge over those deadly axe-wielders.
Cobb was the last to enter the village because of his detour, but he was able to find a weakened Evoker and kill it with one swing. He harvested what it dropped before moving deeper into the village.
There was another Evoker outline by the windmill lighthouse. Cobb moved towards it with diamond blade and Backlash drawn. The enchanted fishing rod was on maybe a molecule of durability, but Cobb knew he might need it.
As he passed ruined farmlands, he walked up to the base of the lighthouse and found a beleaguered Apostolos fighting two Pillagers and an Evoker. Cobb had to get the kill on that Evoker, but Apostolos had threatened him to stay away. If he jumped in, the Screw Diver would attack him too.
Apostolos let out a furious roar as he stabbed one Pillager and twisted. The Pillager fired, but Apostolos ducked, then turned the trident to use the Pillager as a human shield against the other one. He was struck dead on by a parade of the Evoker's fangs, before he skidded to the ground, injured.
Cobb was about to step in, but a high-pitched whistle rent the air, followed by an explosion of white sparks. The Pillagers died and the Evoker took heavy damage.
Before it could summon anymore, Cobb flicked out Backlash and snagged the thing before drawing it in and killing it with a well-placed slash. It dropped the totem of undying like the rest, and he stooped down to collect.
Heather stepped out of cover with crossbow drawn. She admired her handiwork, one foot brushing aside the remains of the Mobs she exploded.
"This thing is fun." She smiled appreciatively.
"Did you give Lenz any?"
"These things cost us a bajillion emeralds. No we didn't give him any!" Heather shot back with a hand on her hip. She looked around at the devastation. "Christ, are there even any Testificates left?"
"I'm not sure." Cobb noticed Apostolos struggling and went over with a Potion of Regeneration in hand. "Here. Drink-"
Apostolos slapped the thing away, his expression crazed. "Don't touch me!"
Cobb backed up with his hands held out. No weapons. "I'm just trying to help, man. Come on. If Heather or I wanted to kill you, we would have blasted you with those rockets. We're not cultists."
"I don't believe you." He growled. "I don't believe your mind games."
Cobb threw his hands up in exasperation. "Fine. Suit yourself. Go bleed out for all I care."
*Hyeeeehehe!*
There was a demonic cackle that caused all three Crafters to turn their heads in time to watch an incoming band of Vexes. The summoner being the Evoker with the banner riding the back of a Ravager. The last and deadliest foe.
Each Vex targeted a separate Crafter. Cobb got his neck nicked, and Heather got cut across her forehead. But Apostolos - near-death Apostolos - had his Vex going right for the chest.
With such limited time, Apostolos hurled his trident as hard as he could at the oncoming sprite. He missed. The trident flew in an arc and stuck at the top of the windmill lighthouse while Apostolos - defenseless Apostolos - was killed when the Vex flew right through him. The last Screw Diver joined his fellows, his Head and gear tumbling to the ground.
"Ngh!" Heather growled before loading a rocket and firing it at the Ravager. The explosion was smaller this time, Heather switching to avoid hurting herself. The Ravager fell back with a pained growl before letting out an earsplitting howl that cost Cobb and Heather two Hearts each and made them cover their ears.
Didn't know they could do that! Cobb thought before getting clipped by the Evoker's parade of fangs. He fell back, ducking a Vex that nearly decapitated him, and slashing another with his Sweeping Edge blade.
The Ravager went after Heather and forced the Paragon to take shelter behind the lighthouse. The Ravager bulldozed his way through it, though it thankfully missed Heather as she doubled back.
I killed the other two Vexes before looking up at the windmill lighthouse. Apostolos' trident was still sticking out of it, glinting in the moonlight.
Not like Apostolos will be needing it anymore.
Cobb parkoured up the blades of the windmill, climbing up the half-demolished building to reach the weapon embedded at the top. The Evoker summoned more Vexes in its efforts to kill Heather, and two of them went for the fisherman.
"Get. Off. My. Ass!" Cobb punctuated with each swing as he warded the demons away. He scurried higher up, and took a running leap before his hands grabbed the trident by the handle and pulled it free. He landed awkwardly on one of the other windmill blades, but he got it. He got the trident.
Down below he witnessed Heather fleeing from the Ravager. She couldn't get a shot off with her rocket without hurting herself. Cobb didn't hesitate to jump off, his trident angling down.
"YAAAAAAH!" He screamed as the trident buried itself in the Evoker's back. It twisted violently and activated a defensive barrier of fangs that hurt Cobb and forced him to roll off.
Heather used the diversion to get some distance before firing another rocket. It struck the Ravager and caused more damage. It was nearly dead, the Ravager and Evoker both.
Sensing Heather's rockets were the bigger threat, the Ravager charged straight at the Paragon while she was in the middle of reloading. She wouldn't make it in time.
"Not so fast!" Cobb flicked out Backlash and snagged the Evoker riding on top, yanking sharply. As he did, he felt his beloved fishing rod crumble into dust in his hands. The durability had finally run out. Backlash was gone.
Its final act saved Heather's life, though. Tearing the Evoker off diverted the Ravager just slightly enough to the right to miss her. Heather scrambled back with wide eyes while the Evoker stumbled around in a daze.
Gotta kill it now! Cobb thought. He hurled the trident as hard as he could, just as Apostolos had done. The man's weapon flew true, skewering the Evoker and killing it.
"Yes!" Cobb cheered. He ran up and retrieved the trident as well as the totem the thing dropped. With one more, he now had-
"COBB! EYES UP!"
The fisherman had been so preoccupied with grabbing the totem and gripping it in his hand that he failed to notice the Ravager before it was right in front of him. His Quickswap training with Z7 took over and his free hand drew his Looting II, Knockback II, Sharpness III sword. He lashed out blindly, thinking the Knockback would buy him some precious seconds.
The blade struck, but the Ravager wasn't knocked back. It was immune to Knockback.
"Oh fu-"
The piston head shot out, the horns goring Cobb and fully caving in his sternum with nine Hearts of damage. Cobb's mouth opened in a noiseless scream before he exploded in a shower of gear and EXP. His gear blew back five blocks into the ruined lighthouse, the Ravager roaring in triumph. Cobb's lifeless Head was the last to fall.
Heather saw it all with disbelief and horror. Cobb was... dead? But... but he just saved her. He was supposed to be Carys' hidden ace against the Endward Cult. He always seemed so strong and knowledgeable. He always had a way out.
She recalled Luis' words, that anyone could die at any time. That relationships weren't worth nurturing when you didn't know when they could end.
But Cobb didn't believe that. He got to know Heather.
'It's really hard to fight for someone when you don't know who that someone is.'
Even if he conceded Luis' point about relationships, he didn't deserve to die like that. He saved her life. He saved her life just like Iyal stayed behind to give her a chance to escape those cultists. He saved her life!
Heather loaded her biggest rocket with a click and screamed as she fired it at the Ravager. The last Mob of the seventh wave died in a massive explosion of white sparks and the red Raid bar hanging over Milstatt finally emptied.
It did not fill back up.
Heather fell to her knees, the crossbow sliding out of her numb grip. Her face was twisted into shame that she could never repay Cobb's sacrifice. Avenging him was meaningless when he was just as dead.
She heard movement behind her and turned to see Luis and Baltic approaching with Z7 and Ines following after. Luis crouched down beside her to see if she was okay, then hugging her. She couldn't stay mad at him now, and instead cried unrestrainedly into his arm.
"Cobb died... saving me..." She sobbed. "He's gone..."
Baltic took a sharp intake of breath, his face looking to age a hundred years. He and Cobb had been developing a bond, and he saw the young man as something of a son. Misguided at times, but capable of change. He saw how much he could evolve. How much he could sacrifice or out aside for the greater good. He never thought such a resourceful fighter could die.
Lenz... Oh God, Lenz would need to be told. And Floyd and Soul and Noman. Would Carys consider it good news or bad news? Her most despised enemy was gone, and not by her hand. He was supposed to be a weapon against the cult. Would the alliance break down after this? They promised Cobb's safety, and they couldn't deliver.
"Achoo!"
Baltic, Luis, Heather, Ines, and Z7 looked up in time to witness a Crafter step out of the wreckage of the lighthouse, one finger rubbing under his nose after sneezing, the other holding a gold sword.
Cobb stepped out of the rubble like it was completely normal. "Hey, the Raid's over?"
Heather broke out of Luis' embrace and bolted for the fisherman. Pink and amber particles were swirling around him, but she ignored all that as she cupped his face with both hands, then his shoulders, then his face again as she tilted it left or right. She was checking if he was real.
"Y-You're alive!" She sobbed in relief before hugging him. "You saved me!" Cobb held his hands up awkwardly considering Luis was standing right there. Luis watched the display with a complicated expression. The other Paragons quickly showed up, bringing with them Professor Fulgur, Lenz, Belenzia, and Arwen.
"Glad to see you're okay." Baltic wiped at his eyes slightly before giving Cobb's shoulder a comforting squeeze.
"B-But how!?" Heather exclaimed, cutting the hug short and holding Cobb at arm's length. "I saw that thing ram you! Y-You were gear! I s-saw your Head fly off!"
"I'm not sure myself." Cobb lied. "It was a very near thing, though." He rubbed his chest. "That thing hurt."
"That Ravager hurt." Lenz supplied. "That is what we are calling them."
"Ravager, huh? I suppose it fits. I'll add it to the book." Cobb commented. "Any reason for that particular name?"
"It keeps to the motif of Mobs with 'V' in their names. Evoker, Vex, Vindicator, Ravager."
"I get it. Ravager." Cobb wrote the name down. "So is the Raid officially over?"
"I guess." Trenay said, her eyes looking over the village. "That red bar is gone. Those waves were getting progressively harder. Did you notice?"
"I know I saw you die, though..." Heather repeated, sounding confused. "I saw it."
"In the heat of combat, a person can see many things." Shroud said. "You must've seen differently, Heather. Cobb's fine, see?"
"I really am fine, Heather." Cobb comforted.
"Since you're so fine," Ines walked up with her palm held out expectantly, "I'd like it if you could return my good luck charm."
For a second, Cobb took a half step back with a dubious expression. However, it soon faded as he dug into his Pocket Box.
"...Yes, of course." He took out the totem of undying Ines had given to him, and, under the watchful eyes of the Paragons, he returned it. "There you go. Don't lose it."
"Not after what I went through to get this." Ines smiled as she pocketed the totem. "Looks like it gave you some good luck, hm?"
"You have no idea."
"You call this good luck?" Doyle asked. "Look around? Milstatt's a wreck."
"So was Halstatt by the end of it." Cobb shrugged. "The important thing is we saved the people. Testificates and Crafters alike. We should feel proud for-"
Baltic silenced Cobb with a hand on his shoulder. "Cobb. We didn't save anyone other than the eighteen of us here."
Cobb's easy demeanor evaporated as he took stock of the survivors. It was him, Lenz, the twelve Paragons, the three engineer friends of Lenz's, and Professor Fulgur. The golems were dead. The Screw Divers were dead. The Crafters that called this far-flung village their home were dead. The only Testificate still alive was Fulgur.
Maybe the Raid didn't end because they endured it. Maybe it ended because there was nothing left to protect.
Maybe they lost.
The thought brought a dour mood upon the survivors. Ines glanced around and noticed the people missing. She saw the trident at Cobb's belt.
"The Screw D-Divers?" She asked tremulously. "Apostolos-?"
Cobb shook his head grimly.
Ines fell to her knees, her mind a swirling torrent of misery. "But... but he was so tough... he... he beat the mansion. He beat the mansion and saved us. How... how can he be gone?"
Lenz and the engineers moved to comfort her while the Paragons maintained a stoic silence. Dawn broke. The sun began to rise from the ocean, bathing them all in its orange light as they stood on that beach in the ruined village. The sound of Ines' sobbing was the only background noise. Even Fulgur knew enough to keep quiet.
Those eighteen survivors experienced firsthand what a Raid was. They now understood why it had a Health bar, and why it was the same threat level as a Wither or Ender Dragon. They fought their hardest, tested new skills, learned of new foes, and claimed wondrous items.
But they also lost.
It was later in the morning now. The engineers had tried looking for any survivors only to find nothing. The Paragons decided to keep using the ruined lighthouse as their base while they scavenged for supplies. The Pillagers and Vindicators dropped plenty of emeralds. Though the Screw Divers had top quality gear, the Paragons honored them by burning it with their fallen Heads. It would do no good if the cult stumbled upon the ruined Milstatt and seized the Heads for their twisted quotas.
For his part, Cobb spent most of the time writing in his Mob book and sharing with Trenay what he knew of the Raid's cause.
"Something at that outpost gave Apostolos an effect." He reasoned, his quill tapping the page. "Those dark green particles of his vanished the second he entered the village. That's when the Raid commenced."
"It's almost like he was used as a trojan horse." Trenay commented. "He was used as a carrier and brought the devastation right to Milstatt's doorstep."
"He couldn't have known." Cobb defended. The man was dead. He didn't want to speak ill of him.
"Ignorance isn't an excuse. Had he milk on him, or even waited for the effect to pass, this could have been avoided." Trenay sighed. "Thanks for telling me this. Jillian and Carys will need to be warned about poking around those outposts."
"Jillian has enough on her plate with the Griefer army coming in." Baltic reminded. "Save your report for another day. She's probably too focused on shoring up Nitebane's defenses."
Again, Cobb felt an uncomfortable niggle in his gut knowing the Hackers leading the Griefers likely knew Carys' identity. They would be calling her out when they arrived, and the Angel of Death would be elsewhere, too far to assist. How bad would that make things if they demanded she step forward to prevent a war?
Baltic and Trenay soon walked off, leaving Cobb to finish his writing. He was surprisingly calm considering what that Ravager had done to him - or rather what it hadn't done to him. He wasn't quite ready to tip his hand to the Paragons. For all he knew, this could be a hidden ace against Carys.
A pair of legs walked right up to him, a person standing over. Cobb looked up and found himself face to face with Luis of all people.
"Something you need?" Cobb asked.
"...Yeah." Luis nodded before bowing respectfully. "Thank you for saving Heather."
Cobb figured that was what this was about. He shrugged. "It was nothing."
"It was everything." He spoke firmly. "Heather told me how you diverted that Ravager and nearly died. You saved her life. I mean, we're your enemies."
"You're not my enemies. Carys is my enemy." Cobb clarified.
"We told her so much about you and your friends." Luis shook his head in bewilderment. "Why would you risk your life to save one of us?"
"Because I know her." Cobb said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "Heather isn't just some grunt. Neither is Perry, or Witige, or Baltic. I spoke with them all. I got to know them all. Knowing who they are - forging that bond - that's why I saved her." He leaned back. "Though to be honest, if it came down to you or Lenz, I'd save Lenz every time. He's more my World than any of you."
"Your World, huh?" Luis hummed, one hand rubbing his chin. "Heather's like that for me. She's my World. I know things have been tense as of late, but I still care about her. I would have been devastated if she died."
"You don't want to love her, though. Not deeply." Luis bristled at the comment. "Heather told me. Sounds like trouble in paradise between you two."
Luis frowned as he considered his next words carefully. He looked to be teetering between asking something and departing. It seemed that his curiosity won out, for he had his next question ready.
"You speak about bonds and risking your life for others." He said. "If today showed anything, it was that death is always lurking in unexpected places. Should I bother nurturing a bond with Heather... should I bother deepening our love when I know it'll end in pain?"
"No." Cobb said brusquely. "Relationships are destined to end in tragedy."
Luis smiled sadly. "Yeah. That's what I figured too." He started to walk away then.
"Wait." Cobb stopped him, the fisherman standing up and rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "Sorry about that. I lied. It's just... I said something similar to Heather, but I think I conveyed the words wrong."
"All relationships are doomed to end in loss eventually. That's fact. It's inevitable." Cobb explained. "We may live forever, but that's not accounting for disaster, killers, or the odd Creeper. Loss is around every corner. People know this. And yet," he smiled, "they still go out looking for girlfriends and boyfriends, friendfriends and spouses. They keep wanting to forge bonds. It'll end in pain. The worst kind. Doesn't stop people from forming bonds. Know why?"
Luis shook his head before Cobb jabbed him in the chest with a light smile.
"Because they don't lose heart. The heart is the strongest muscle - it can bounce back from anything."
His eyes widened at the implication and Cobb's hand moved to rest on his chest.
"I don't regret loving Jade." He revealed sadly. "I used to think I hated her. I used to think opening my heart was a mistake. I don't know if it was ever real between us, but it was real to me. Remembering the joy I felt every day I was with her..." He gripped his chest tightly. "I'd do it all over again. Because I'd rather have these memories of the good times than not feel anything and have no memory of her. Loss and grief. They're the ultimate sign of love, that you love someone even when they're gone."
Luis was touched by his words, even as Cobb placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Go for it with Heather." He encouraged. "You'll feel love and loss, but it's an experience you shouldn't give up on just because you're afraid of what might happen. Trust me." He gave him a firm chuck. "You won't regret it."
Luis smiled at the floor, his head slowly nodding. "You're right. You're right. Thanks for helping me see clearly."
"I'm glad." Cobb nodded.
Without further delay, Luis walked off towards Heather who was sitting down. Cobb watched the exchange as Luis said some things, Heather said some things, and then Luis said some profound things - no doubt ripping off Cobb's words, the poser - and Heather covered her mouth with tears in her eyes. Luis got on his knees then and bowed his head so that his forehead was scraping the ground. He attracted the attention of other Paragons, but he didn't care about humiliating himself. He spoke from the heart, Cobb could tell, and Heather looked so happy to kneel down and embrace him, the two locking lips as their romance was forged.
Cobb watched it all with a sad smile. He still despised couples, but he couldn't help but feel proud of what he helped facilitate. He remembered when he and Jade were like that. Then he remembered what he did to her at the end, and he tried to bury himself in his Mob book again.
Hopefully Heather and Luis wouldn't end the same way he and Jade had.
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 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, 15 Oak Wood Planks, 1 Stick, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Water Bucket, 1 Lava Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 10 Coal, 64 Snowballs, 10 Snowballs, 3 Ender Chests, 36 Obsidian, 36 Steak, 1 End Crystal, 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}, 4 Nautilus Shells, 32 Blocks of Emerald, 8 Emeralds, 1 Lapis Lazuli, 64 Books, 2 Books, 1 Golden Sword [Sharpness IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Golden Sword [Sweeping Edge III, Sharpness IV], 1 Golden Sword [Looting II, Knockback II, Sharpness III], 1 Enchanting Table, 1 Totem of Undying, 1 Totem of Undying, 1 Totem of Undying, 1 Totem of Undying, 1 Trident [Riptide III, Unbreaking III]
[EXP: 30]
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, 11 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}, 1 Book {Redstone Textbook}
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, 58 Arrows of Poison {0:11}, 64 Arrows of Harming II, 62 Arrows of Harming II, 61 Arrows of Weakness {0:30}, 57 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}, 63 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}, 20 Emeralds, 36 Cooked Chicken, 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 Regeneration II {0:05}, 1 Splash Potion of Swiftness II {1:30}, 1 Blue Shulker Box {Pocket Box}
Blue Shulker Box {Pocket Box}: 58 Glass Bottles, 64 Dragon's Breath, 62 Dragon's Breath, 43 Blaze Powder, 40 Nether Warts, 30 Soul Sand, 63 Phantom Membranes, 64 Blaze Rods, 20 Fermented Spider Eyes, 51 Carrots, 50 Melon Slices, 55 Rabbit's Feet, 49 Gold Ingots, 1 Gold Nugget, 53 Gunpowder, 54 Redstone Dust, 53 Glowstone Dust, 63 Ghast Tears
[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, 18 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, 29 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, 61 Cobblestone, 32 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Armor Stand, 10 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, 28 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 Gold 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}, 34 Cooked Chicken, 39 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: Thus wraps up the Stigmata Arc.
Some end of Arc Notes for those that care. The Stigmata Arc encompassed a lot of things. We had the King's Trials with Wynn. Spring, KillGore, and Carmen making a Wither Skull Grinder. Noman and Carys dealing with the Stigmata attack in the West. Cobb and Baltic dealing with the Raid in the east. I planned it to last eighteen Chapters, but I'm happy to have cut one out, making this one Chapter instead of a drawn-out two parter.
But what do all these events have in common? Well, Stigma obviously refers to what Noman and Carys had to deal with, but a Stigma is also a mark of disgrace or a visible characteristic of a disease. Wynn and Spring are clearly disgraced, having either failed their Kingdom or else fallen out of favor with the cult. The four Chapters I devoted to them were their efforts to wash that disgrace - that Stigma - away. And of course, the gray-skinned illagers that look ill. That's about as clear a characteristic of a disease as any. For all these reasons, naming it the Stigmata Arc felt poetic.
These Chapters also showed how the Beginners and Paragons are faring on their respective journeys. Obviously, they faced obstacles, but more importantly, they're obstacles in which they don't exactly win the day. Maybe you readers thought Carys or Noman or Floyd would kill the Stigma and do something impressive like they've always done, or that Cobb and his group would prevail against the Raid and become Heroes of the Village. That didn't happen, though. They lost. The villages were destroyed and many Crafters/Testificates died. The Beginners/Paragons may have survived and become stronger or else obtained important gear, but it's still a loss. There was actually supposed to be one more Wave to Cobb's Raid. It didn't happen because the raiders won. They killed every Testificate in the village, except for Fulgur who was taken outside the coast by Dwight before returning.
And let's talk about the Raid. I had to look up the range of enemies for each wave. Since My Craft is hardcore difficulty, the Raid had the maximum number of waves with one bonus wave. A total of eight. The last bonus wave would have been 4 Pillagers, 7 Vindicators, 2 Witches, 2 Evokers, 2 Ravagers with Vindicator riders, 1 Ravager with Evoker rider. No way they could have handled three more Evokers and three more Ravagers. Not without losing some core people. Most annoying thing, however, was writing the Ravagers as bull-rhinos and the Pillagers as crossbow Mobs before Lenz and Cobb gave them names. Cobb's Mob book is filling up rather nicely. In one day, he got five new Mobs.
So I have both sides evolving, the Endward Cult getting more threatening weapons, and stronger bonds being formed. Losing has a way of making you stronger. Also, just to be clear, this is all happening before Spring returned to the cult and was elected as a candidate for Southern Executive. All that Wither Grinder prep took weeks. Weeks Cobb and friends spent getting to Oak Docks. Right now, I have their timeline trying to catch up with Spring's. I'll tell you it's after the Griefers and Hackers attack Nitebane when Spring came back to the cult.
I enjoyed writing Cobb and Spring's parts the most. I'm biased, but Spring just had an interesting dynamic between KillGore and Carmen.
Next time: All Out Spaghetti Arc.
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. FORUM. DISCORD. COUGH DROPS.