AN: Beat Red Dead Redemption II. Didn't 100% it, but the story is done. Quite a good game, though I feel there are a few story things that don't quite add up. I will say I'll miss Arthur Morgan. Played the whole game as him and got used to his voice and humor and mannerisms.
Just checked the Favs and Follows. 801 Favs. 819 Follows. That's insane! Thank you all so much for your support! I thought I'd have to hit Part VIII before I got that many, but this story seems to be getting attention, which I'm happy for.
Now, back to All Out Spaghetti.
Nothing happens this chapter. You can skip it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add Potions of Blindness.
Chapter 219
Cadboro Bridge
[Cobb]
November 21st. Cadboro Bridge in our sights and only a few miles off.
Lenz and I worked side by side on a beach (and far from the water) while everyone else packed up camp. I had made more shovels and dug more sand. I was using the glass I smelted along with some Eyes of Ender and any Ghast Tears Baltic and Witige could spare to make some highly volatile End Crystals, and Lenz was using gunpowder, charcoal, Blaze powder, bone meal, and some paper he got from some coastal sugar cane to make some highly volatile crossbow rockets. He couldn't make as many as Dwight, Trenay, and Heather purchased, but he could make enough to have as a secret weapon should he need it. The last ingredient he needed to make the rockets his trademark gray color was being retrieved by the long-haired assassin.
Z7 swam up to the beach and stepped out dripping wet, a dagger in one hand and a couple of ink sacs in the other. Her soaked hair dragged against the sand and gathered gritty grains as she walked up to Lenz before handing him the items.
"Yollkvi hfiurmt hzuzir xlnkovgvw."
"R wl mlg pmld dszg z yollkvi rh, yfg gszmp blf. Gsrh rh qfhg dszg R mvvw gl trev nb ilxpvgh z kvihlmzo glfxs."
"SPEAK. COMMON."
Z7's face twisted in annoyance before it morphed into a sly grin. "Caa... Caaaaab... i-izzzz... p-poooo..."
"Almost, Z7. Not Cab, but Cobb. Cooooobb. Ahhhhhh - like that - Ahhhh."
"Ahhhhh... Coooooobb..." She repeated carefully. "Coooobb izzz pooo."
"Very good, Z7! Very good!" He turned to me and started at my deadpan expression. "Er... encouragement aids the learning process."
Z7 swelled with smug pride over insulting me in common and getting commended for it. She dried off and wrung the water from her hair while Lenz got all the items together.
"Now, with the bones I gathered from the Skeletons," he mashed the bones into bone meal, then mashed them even more into white dye, "and the ink sacs from the squids," he squished the fleshy sacs into black dye, "I can combine them to make..."
He mixed the white and black dyes together to make gray. The same shade as his hair. Gray rockets for the Gray Eagle.
"Very nice." I nodded appreciatively. "The dullest color out there, but nice."
"Bah! Everyone knows the dullest color is light gray." Lenz noted with disdain. "Light black is already gray, why make it lighter? Might as well go all the way to white. It is so extra."
"You've clearly thought about this more than I have."
Lenz began mixing and matching his miscellaneous items per Trenay's instructions. She had the firework shop owner explain the whole step by step process back in Milstatt. He mixed one half of his gray dye with gunpowder and the other half with gunpowder and fire charges, which he made from gunpowder, Baltic's Blaze powder, and the charcoal he prepared by burning dark oak logs. After that, he packed paper and gunpowder together and shoved in as many of his gray firework stars as he could cram. By the end of it, he had three gray rockets of small explosion and three gray rockets of big explosion. He sighed wistfully while looking at the wasted materials.
"So much effort... to yield so little."
Six fireworks was hardly much. Trenay, Heather, and Dwight had six times that each. Then again, Lenz was armed to the teeth with tipped arrows. The fireworks were an ace in the hole. Powerful and near-deadly. It would finish off a wounded Crafter. Luis and Wing didn't have any of either despite requesting the crossbows Lenz made. Nobody from Team Beta or Epsilon bothered to take one, and neither did Perry or I. The offer was tempting, but I wasn't much of an archer. Besides, I had my End Crystals to blow people up.
Whatever glass I didn't use for crystals, I used to make more glass bottles for stealing EXP from a particular brand of scum. Speaking of which...
As we hiked up a wooded slope towards where the Cadboro Bridge began, we noticed smoke rising from over the hill. When we peered over, we spied the smoldering ruins of a village being attacked by some specks. Lenz was quick to don his tinted goggles and identify the specks.
"The invaders are wearing gear piecemeal. Griefers."
"I smell EXP." I elbowed Perry eagerly and he grinned. "Baltic?"
"...Oh, very well!" He permitted with a sigh. "If I'm not mistaken, that's Rosses Point - a village of Nitebane. Whatever rolled through, our men should be down there. If they're in danger, we should lend a hand."
"If they can't handle a couple Griefers, they should hang their heads in shame." Dwight mocked.
"We should help all the same."
"Especially if we get some EXP out of it."
"Last one down pulls double watch duty tonight!" Wing exclaimed before running down the wooded slope towards the ruins. The rest of us bolted after him.
Dealing with Griefers was nothing new. They lacked in quality what they made up for in numbers. They capitalized on any ruined kingdom, village, community, or homestead they could find. They stole food out of mouths, wealth out of wallets, weapons off of hands, and armor off of backs. They took and took until there was nothing left to take, and they gathered under Hackers, following their lead and scavenging off bodies left in the wake of their devastation like vultures picking meat off a wolf's kill.
They were scum. People who found purpose in robbing from others. People who couldn't learn to sustain themselves in any other way. I had no sympathy for them after Halstatt.
Our group rolled into the ruined village and fought with surgical precision. Z7 led her squad of assassins through town and they speedily disposed of any Griefers in sight. Baltic and Witige provided potion support at the rear alongside the trio of engineer noncombatants. Lenz, Heather, Trenay, Luis, Dwight, and Wing fired their bows and crossbows at Griefers further away or else camped on rooftops. They moved further in as Perry and I cleared the area with our blades.
I found myself blocked by a band of seven Griefers sporting piecemeal armor and a mishmash of weapons. They were about to gang up on me until I used my secret weapon.
"Carys_Angel!? Here!?" I exclaimed suddenly while pointing behind the Griefers. They all whirled around in fear, granting me precious moments to plant my obsidian and End Crystal. I detonated it from afar with a snowball while their backs were turned. Griefer bits pelted the battlefield like rain and my arm sapped up their EXP while I held up a peace sign to Heather.
"When are you going to stop doing that?" She asked wearily.
"Whenever people stop falling for it!" I laughed. The green meter on my arm rose from 30 to 35 EXP levels off those seven. They were worth a hundred EXP apiece so long as they were level 15 or higher. Though, they were worth more if they bottled up their EXP and handed it to me willingly, but to do that I'd have to thin out the herd, so to speak.
Z7 was certainly earning a swell of EXP. She was racking up kills like she was playing a video game. Her daggers flashed and sliced into throats and faces. Her hair flew behind her as she sped along on bare feet, stabbing dudes in the heart or brain. She must have taken out twenty or more Griefers and gained four levels. The other Paragons were earning their share, but none more than her.
Meanwhile, Perry was running up to the Griefers that got shot by our archers and was reaping the EXP rewards to great indignation from Dwight, Luis, Trenay, and Heather.
"You don't get the truffles without getting your hands dirty!" Perry mocked.
Seeing Z7 burn through their forces, the Griefers on the outskirts of the village wisely chose to beat a hasty retreat. They ran south with their tails tucked between their legs. A few of them got shot in the back by Lenz and Trenay, but most of the ones that fled got away. All that was left was to mop up the rest of the stragglers.
I made sure to ask Lenz and Baltic to take a few alive if they could help it. I didn't make all those glass bottles for nothing. After all the major fighting, I barely broke level 38. Eight levels for twelve Griefers, and with the bare minimum of effort fighting. They may have been scum, but they were a great source of EXP I missed while traversing the Ohm Mountains.
Lenz started paralyzing Griefers with tipped arrows. Baltic did the same with splash potions. The rest of the Paragons killed without prejudice, making the last scraps of resistance want to get paralyzed just to live a little longer. Trenay, Heather, and I went door to door, picking through the dilapidated ruins for Griefers or clues as to what happened.
"Those Griefers that got away. I bet they'll be joining the army heading to Nitebane." Trenay noted.
"A few extra heads won't make a difference." I dismissed. "It's a drop in the bucket."
"As the Mob Grinders in Nitebane say, the drops add up."
"What drew the Griefers here anyway?" Heather asked as she studied a building with the whole front of it caved in. "Look at this damage. Do you think a Creeper did this?"
"Can't be. There's no crater in the ground." Trenay pointed out. "Looks more like a wrecking ball hit this place."
A few buildings were like that, as were the walls. It reminded me of what the Ravagers were capable of, but a Griefer could have done as much with a few pickaxes.
Heather pointed out a Griefer looting some ruins and she and Trenay went to apprehend him. Meanwhile, I caught one making a break for it between two buildings. I circled around the street and headed him off, tackling him down and pinning him in place.
"What's wrong? Griefing not fun anymore? Giving you too much grief?" I taunted while kicking his stone sword away from him. He groaned in defeat (and maybe at my lame joke). "Let's get you up, pal. Make this easy and you'll be set..."
Something glinting on his belt caught my eye and made me take a sharp intake of breath. I ripped the item from his belt and held it up to my eyes. The green gemstone eyes and gold statue glittered brilliantly in the sunlight. I slowly turned upon the Griefer, pointing at him with the totem of undying. "...Where did you get this?"
"Why? Is it valuable?"
I seized him by the collar and roughly dragged him up. "It's worth more than your life deserves. Answer the question!"
"Ugh. Take it easy. I found it glittering in the grass. All sparkly and shiny." He gave a toothy smile. "I liked it, so I pocketed it. No one around here needs it. No one left to."
I threw him to the ground and stood over him to scrutinize the EXP level on his arm. His was decent enough. I grabbed his arm and proceeded to drag him towards where the other captured Griefers were gathered and paralyzed, awaiting judgement. Trenay and Heather brought in one between them. With the one I got, we had twelve. The rest were either dead or fled.
"A Raid happened here." I informed the group.
"You're sure?" Trenay asked.
"Very sure." I deposited the Griefer I grabbed with the rest and took out some glass bottles before throwing them at them. "Here. Draw out all your EXP. Every last drop. Bottle it for us. We'll let walk anyone showing an EXP level of zero."
"...Bullshit." A Griefer spat. "We'd be doing you a favor before you kill us. And you will kill us. Of that, I have no doubt."
"You've already lost. You're no threat." I told him. "All I care about is your EXP. That's the only reason I bothered taking you alive."
"You'll have to kill us for our EXP. We won't make it easy." It was the same Griefer who said it, but it was plain to see that the other captured guys felt differently.
I pointed my sword at him. "If you want to die so badly, fine. I won't shirk away from it. I'll kill every one of you if I must. But if I were you, I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and I would take the deal and live to die another day. Know you're not the first I gave this deal to. I won't waste any more time trying to convince you. Make your choice."
It didn't take long for the Griefers to start picking up the bottles and holding them up to their arms, draining the EXP like a tap and setting the bottles at my feet. Even the defiant Griefer from earlier joined in when he saw Z7 looming over him. The Griefers that were paralyzed we had to wait a bit longer for before they could bottle anything. In that time, Aurand brought someone else to our attention.
"This guy's one of ours." Aurand informed as he dragged the weak Paragon over. Baltic was over him in an instant with food and Potions, nursing him back to health. He coughed painfully. His name was Jorge.
"B-Baltic? Is that really you?" He chuckled. "A-And the Slumbering Death? I never imagined Carys would send you to our aid."
"She didn't." The admission left Jorge crestfallen. "We were in the area when we saw the Griefers attacking. Can you tell us what happened here?"
"We were attacked..." Jorge groaned. "It was a contingent of Mobs. They were organized. I swear. I know it sounds farfetched, but-"
"It was a Raid. We've lived through it." Baltic assured. "We know what it's like. We barely survived one a couple days north of here. Milstatt didn't survive."
"Neither did Rosses Point." Jorge coughed as his ribs were healed. "Ooh, that feels better. I got rammed by one of those horned beasts."
"A Ravager." I added. Jorge finally took a good look at me and grew tense as he tried to sit up.
"Is that King_Cobb!?" He looked to Baltic and Trenay. "The hell are you doing with an Endward Cult Executive!?"
"He's not-" Trenay sighed in shame. "Carys got it wrong. He's no more a cultist than I am."
"Carys got it wrong? What does that mean? She said he attacked her as a member of the Endward Cult. This guy is a fiendish killer!"
"I'm just gonna walk over this way for a bit." I excused myself before my anger could boil over and hurt the guy further. It wasn't Jorge but Carys who I was truly angry at for cooking up such a petty lie just because I killed and ate her stupid pig. It was better I was out of the way anyway so Baltic and Trenay could question the guy properly without me making him nervous. I had something to give Lenz anyway.
"Here." I whispered so only Lenz could hear me, covertly handing him the totem I got off the Griefer. "Keep it on you."
"Another good luck charm?" Lenz scoffed. "I do not believe in superstitions."
I stopped him from walking off before pushing him back in place, pushing the totem into his hand deliberately. "You'll believe this one. Just take it."
He showed confusion as I laid it out for him, probably sounding like a crazy person.
"Listen to me, Lenz. This might sound mad, but you gotta trust me when I say this thing will save your life. You take this thing and keep it close at your belt or backpack and if you ever think you're about to die, you use your Quickdraw training to put it in your hand. I mean you hold onto it real tight. Hold it for dear life. You got it? No matter what situation you're in, even if it's a false alarm, if you think you're about to die, your hands better fly to this totem. You grab it and don't let go until the danger's passed. You got it?"
"Y-Yeah, okay, I got it." He slowly took the totem.
"Repeat it."
"I grab this statuette if ever I am in danger. It will save my life."
"That's right." I patted his shoulder. "You keep it for yourself." I spared a dubious glance over my shoulder towards the Paragons. "And keep it to yourself."
"...Alright." He stowed it away in his backpack. Maybe he was just agreeing to keep me calm without really understanding or believing what the totem could do, but it was enough for me. Satisfied, I stepped back.
I had four more totems on me. One for me, one for Floyd, one for Soul, and one for Noman. Everyone in the Beginners would get one and be told what to do with them. Until I met back up with the rest, it was best I keep the totems in a safe place where the Paragons didn't know about them. Inside my Pocket Box, then inside my ender chest.
I was able to overhear some of the questioning between Jorge, Trenay, and Baltic. The Raid began just before the storm on the 17th. Jorge was the only survivor, though, interestingly enough, not because the waves of raiders ended when all the Testificates died. No. Jorge had something a lot more interesting to attribute it to.
"It was a Berserker that caused this, I know it. We need to get back at her - at Trishmegistus!"
I wasn't the only one who noted the similarities between Trishmegistus and Lady Trish. Lenz, Baltic, Trenay, Ines. We all perked up hearing that name.
"Trishmegistus?" Baltic asked. "Did she also go by Lady Trish?"
"She's no lady," Jorge growled, "but yes. The Testificates kept calling her that while they were kissing her ass."
Yet another similarity. Just as Lady Trish had charmed Milstatt, she did the same to Rosses Point. But why was he saying she caused the Raid? Did she attack an outpost and bring back the dark green status effect?
"I know her." Ines spoke with disdain for the Berserker in question. "Trishmegistus. A Berserker. Platinum blonde hair in a side ponytail. Privileged, spoiled, entitled."
"How do you know her?" I asked.
"She and some cowboy were in Milstatt the first day we got in. They left later that same day, but I had to keep my head down. The Berserkers and I aren't exactly on good terms considering those misunderstood criminal kidnapping charges I got in Jolin."
"You mean how you kept tax collectors in your basement?"
"I was feeding them!" Ines defended hotly. "Anyway I let them go, but they must've ratted on me anyway since the guards and Berserkers were looking for me. Pretty sure I can't go back to Jolin for a while. I was afraid Trish knew I was in Milstatt, but she was too busy either squeezing the Testificates for all they were worth or poring over that book of hers."
Ferrus had mentioned something similar about Trish. I thought. She was always with a book.
"She squeezed more out of these Testificates than they had." Jorge shouted. "Look at what she's done! This is how she repays devotion and worship. There's a special place in hell for people like her!"
"How did she cause this?" Trenay asked. "What did Trish do?"
"...I don't know." Jorge admitted. "But I know she did it! She had those particles around her when she had the Testificates wrapped around her finger! Everyone knows she caused it somehow. We insulted her and as soon as she left, we were attacked. Then, the next day, she came back and killed the survivors!"
"She did what!?" Perry, Dwight, and several other Paragons were outraged at the allegations.
"You heard me." Jorge said to get them worked up. "I saw her. She rode into our ruined village after the Raid and instead of helping, she started killing the survivors one by one. Gloating while she did it." He clutched his head as he remembered the day, looking sick. "It was so strange. She never used a sword. She just... she fired beams at people. Dark beams came shooting out of the spine of that book."
My ears perked up at that information.
"She inflicted some kind of effect that drained people's Health and made them sick. But she didn't use any Splash Potions or Lingering Potions. It was all in that weird book." He shut his eyes. "I-I think I'm the only one she couldn't find. Her cowboy partner, Alfonso, saw me last night. He looked right at me. I thought he'd tell Trish where I was hiding, but he... he just held a hand up to his lips and diverted her somewhere else. He kept quiet about spotting me. They both left last night. The Griefers came in shortly after."
"Where'd she go?" I asked suddenly, forgetting that I wasn't liked by Jorge.
"I have nothing to say to you, cultist!"
"Where did she go, Jorge?" Baltic asked next. Jorge shot him a betrayed look, but Baltic held up a hand. "There is more going on than you know. I know you've suffered a great ordeal, but we need you to answer us. Where did Trishmegistus go?"
Jorge sat up slightly. "You going after her?"
"...We have our own mission. Please just answer."
"You have to go after her! She killed our people! That bitch was gloating-!"
"Jorge!" Baltic boomed. "Where did she go?"
Jorge's eyes narrowed at Baltic with hostility. "...Carys would go." He made a point to spit out. "The bridge." He pointed to the Cadboro Bridge and the wooded slope that was a hike leading up to it. "That's the last place I saw her heading. If you got the stones to call yourself one of Carys' inner circle, you'll follow her trail and enact justice."
Baltic remained quiet for a while before placing some recuperative potions and a bit of food at Jorge's feet. "I assume you can make it to Nitebane on your own. You don't need me to tell you that trying to take on Trish alone is a fool's errand." Jorge grumbled disobediently. "There's nothing I can do to keep you here," he looked hard into Jorge's eyes, "but I have to believe you won't do anything reckless after you're all healed up. Being in Carys' confidence is about more than having 'the stones'. It's about being wise and knowing when to pick your battles. Don't throw your life away, son. Nitebane is going to be attacked by Griefers in the coming days and we need every able body we can spare." Jorge gave a surprised start hearing that, his expression turning contemplative and conflicted. "You'll do nobody any good falling to Trish. Get back to Nitebane and defend the people there. That's purpose enough."
Jorge remained silent as Baltic stood up to his full height and beckoned for everyone to depart the ruined village. The Griefers, having had their EXP extracted, bottled and handed to me, were let go as per our agreement. They made threats and moaned, but it was all a lot of noise. We had their EXP - they filled every bottle I had, and I was glad I collected more sand for glass because otherwise I wouldn't have had enough. Five-hundred-and-forty-three bottles o' enchanting in all. However, the Paragons demanded I share the bottles among them for their help in catching the Griefers. What would have been a sizable sum of EXP for Lenz and me soon became worth a mere level or two split fourteen ways, and another reminder of why I needed to keep the totems to myself. There wasn't enough to go around.
I kept my discovery about Trish's book to myself as we left the ruins of Rosses Point and began hiking up the wooded slope to where the Cadboro Bridge connected to the mainland. It was built high up and not at all close to the water, so Lenz's phobia didn't flare up. When the slope leveled out, we saw where the bridge began through the trees. Two massive support towers of obsidian and wooden planks stretched towards the sky, more of them arranged in a pattern along the bridge that also reached to the watery abyss below. There was a guard rail of stone brick walls to prevent people from falling off. A few light fixtures were erected along the center to keep things illuminated at night. There was also plenty of space to walk or ride horses; the bridge was fifteen blocks wide.
"Lenz." I spoke to him.
"Yes?"
"See anyone on the bridge?" I asked. "Anyone with platinum blonde hair?"
"So you thought the same about Trish." He nodded in understanding before switching to his goggles and putting his eagle eyes to work. "...I see her. The cowboy Alfonso is with her too. They are about a mile out with horses... but they are not riding them, nor are they moving. They look to be waiting. Leaning on the railing."
"Did I hear that right?" Dwight asked. The other Paragons turned their attention to us in response. "Trish is waiting on the bridge?"
I nodded before making my intentions clear. "We're going after Trish."
"No." Baltic shook his head. "Trish is a Berserker. We're keeping you away from bounty hunters as long as you have that price on your head."
"I only have that price because of your fearless bitch leader. Why should that stop you?"
Baltic's jaw tightened and I thought I saw Shroud and Doyle exchange a look but it was gone too quick.
"We have a mission." Baltic stressed almost heatedly. "Infiltrate the Eastern Division. Sabotage their portal network. Destroy anything we find."
"We gotta cross the bridge anyway. They might even be heading to Oak Docks. It's on the way. We have to fight past them anyway."
"Or we can disguise you and quietly slip by as they'll have no quarrel with us. We'd just be strangers passing through."
"They might have no quarrel with us, but we have a quarrel with Trish." Perry growled, earning a round of nods from Wing, Dwight, and Luis. "She killed our people. We need to exact vengeance."
"I am just as upset about Rosses Point as you," Baltic tried to mollify, "but this is a fight we don't need. Not when we're so close to Oak Docks. Have you forgotten our mission?"
"Have you?" Perry challenged. "Why do you think the Paragons exist? We fight for all who've been slain. We fight for justice. If we get hit, we hit back harder. That's the Paragon way. That's Carys' way."
"...He's not wrong, Baltic." Heather added. "Carys wouldn't have taken such an insult from Trish. She'd want her Head as much as any Paragon would."
The numbers were slowly turning against him. With Trish in sight - she was literally on the way to Oak Docks - many Paragons saw it as not much of an inconvenience to exact vengeance. Maybe if we had to track her down it would be more trouble than it was worth, but she was right there waiting. Nothing I heard about the woman was endearing me to her. She caused a Raid for the people that worshipped her just because one guy insulted her. My opinion of her only worsened after hearing she came back to taunt and kill the survivors. If that book was how she was charming Testificates, then it made sense she was a Berseker; this kind of extortion for wealth and supplies was no different than Desideratum. That made her unlikable in my book.
"The Paragons exist to stop the Endward Cult." Baltic found an argument. "Our mission lies beyond this bridge. We should focus our efforts on that."
"And let our allies' killer get away with it?"
"I didn't say that."
"Come on, Baltic! Don't shirk away. You're acting cowardly."
"Well forgive me for thinking with a level head." He countered
"There's no need to grapple with a decision, Baltic." I assured him. "There is no choice in this at all. Lenz and I are going out there regardless."
Baltic whirled on me, looking beyond confused. "You... you want to risk yourself because of revenge? This doesn't concern you, Cobb, this is our business."
"I don't care about that. Revenge is just a neat little incentive to get all of you on board with us fighting her." I wasn't going to bullshit them and pretend I wanted justice for Paragons I never even met. "What I do care about is that the book that fires potion beams is one of the nine artifacts Noman's after. Oh?" I gave a little smirk when I saw the collective reaction. "I see that's caught your attention. Trish has the Vivlio Zythopoopoo and-"
"Zythopoiias." Trenay corrected with a groan.
"Zythopopolopagus-"
"Zythopoiias."
"Fuck's sake. The book." I settled with exasperation. "She's got it. I need it. I'm gonna steal it."
"...You're telling me she has an artifact?" Dwight asked. There was a certain air of excitement about him. And greed. "That book. What's it do?"
"The Vivlio... book... deals with potion effects. I remember the entry from Noman's artifact list. It's a book with colored text to match potion effects, the wielder able to select them simply by touching the appropriate text. It can be used on the wielder, enhancing them with positive effects, or it can be fired from the spine like a beam, afflicting foes with negative effects. It's pretty formidable." I shrugged slightly, pretending to act disinterested. "It'd sure be easier taking down Teal and the Eastern Division with that kind of firepower."
"In that case, that changes things." Trenay nodded, the idea becoming more appealing not just to her but for other Paragons still on the fence. "It's not about revenge, Baltic. This is about securing advanced weaponry to better aid our war with the cult. Stealing it from the woman who killed our guild members is just an added bonus."
Baltic remained obstinate. "We don't have enough information to do this without risk."
"What more do we need? Cobb knows what the artifact can do and we'll have the drop on them. We're all willing." She made sure her gaze was on me when she added, "Just as long as Cobb understands that all of us claiming the artifact means we all get a claim for the artifact. It's a joint resource for Paragon and Beginner alike. Not like the exclusive ownership Noman enjoys."
I chewed on the inside of my cheek. The artifacts were supposed to be our secret weapon once the alliance ended. Giving the Paragons equal access to such a thing only increased the risk of them pilfering it to combat our artifacts. Since Carys was aware of them, I had no doubt in my mind she would seek more artifacts as a viable counter.
I didn't like it.
"We need those artifacts." I muttered to myself. "We need them. You guys have an army backing you-"
"If you want our help fighting these guys, that's the price." Trenay folded her arms.
"Weren't you just saying how gung-ho you were for revenge?"
"You don't like us taking our share?" Trenay made a grand gesture towards the bridge. "Then by all means, test your luck against an artifact wielder. We'll watch you in action."
"No we won't - Cobb, don't let her egg you on like this." Baltic pleaded. "This is a needless risk. Larkspur has an artifact. You can get one from her once we conquer the Eastern Division, but that's a mission. This isn't! If Trish sees you, she'll want your bounty."
"What are you so worried about, Baltic?" I asked. "We outnumber them."
"We don't have all the information. What do we know about Trish?"
"Trishmegistus is a Berserker famed for bringing in the most bounties alive." Ines explained. "They're always paralyzed when she brings them in."
"So then we'll bring milk." I shrugged while displaying a milk bucket at my belt. "Effects get canceled and we're free to fight."
"And the cowboy? We know nothing about him. What if he's a significant threat?" Baltic continued. "Carys would gather intel and take action only when she had all the pieces. This kind of rash decision is foolish."
"Why don't we ask Carys, then?" Trenay suggested, a map held in her hand. "Shoot her a quick message explaining the situation. We decide off of her orders."
"No." Baltic refused tiredly.
"And why not?"
"Because I know what she'll say." Baltic muttered lowly. "Look. We can't-"
"Don't try and convince me." Trenay held up a hand. "My involvement depends on whether Cobb feels like sharing or not. Otherwise, he can get the artifact himself. But it seems to me he's doing this regardless, so if you want to talk anyone down, let it be him."
Again, Baltic turned to me with desperation. "Please reconsider, Cobb. This isn't a battle you have to fight. We can all just walk by, get to Oak Docks, and continue our mission - the reason we came all this way. Forget about Trish. Forget about the book."
For a long time, I deliberated in a silence broken only by the ocean breeze blowing through the bridge's support beams. The high-pitched whistle emanated an air of detachment to the situation. Here we all were arguing while our possible targets stood on the bridge none the wiser.
I thought about Noman. We promised to get him Teal's artifact. He'd never be expecting a second. How much easier would things be if we had it? We wouldn't even need an alchemist anymore, or potions or ingredients. The brewing book would do away with all of it. And it could probably do more if it had all existing effects and constantly updated like the artifact list said. It was too good to pass up. Also more formidable, probably. However long Trish had it, she was likely a master. As much as I hated to admit it, Trenay's help might not be a bad thing.
"Sorry, Baltic." I muttered lowly, making the old alchemist pause. "I have to go for it."
"No..."
"I'll accept your assistance on two conditions." I told Trenay. The woman listened quietly as I gave them. "First, I make the ambush plan. I'm in charge of everybody. That work for you?" Trenay nodded. "Second, you give me and Lenz a crack at them first. Before you argue, if they're too tough for us, my plan will have you all on standby with bows and swords. We'll gang up on Trish and Alfonso and split the claim like you said. But that's only if Lenz and I can't deal with it on our own." That way, we could take the artifact for ourselves and cut the Paragons out if their help is unnecessary. We'd only share if we couldn't do without them. "Is that understood?"
"Whatever you say, boss." Trenay saluted.
"Cobb..." Baltic sounded pained. "You don't know what complications this might cause. We'll be attacking another of the Big Three guilds."
"Meh. Berserkers are washed up anyway." Dwight dismissed as he readied his weapons.
"A cornered rat is the most dangerous." Baltic said wisely. "Are you prepared for the risks?"
"I won't let anyone here die." I promised. "My spite won't allow it." I tilted my head at the alchemist as he prepared his potions. "So you are going to help?"
"I'm not petty enough to stand back and let a bad decision ruin people. I'll do whatever I can to see this runs smoothly. But this really is reckless! Doing this without further intel... starting a fight we can avoid... the consequences of this rash decision-"
"-Will be mine to bear." I assured him. "I don't know if you know this, but I've been on the receiving end of most shitty events for a long time. Always reacting to the next big threat catching me off guard. Well this time, I have the drop on them. I get to make the choice, and I choose to go for it. And if there are consequences, I'll face them. I'll follow through with wherever this decision takes me."
Baltic nodded sadly. He was unhappy with getting voted out, but I made my stance clear. The Paragons already had itchy trigger fingers for Trish after what she did in Rosses Point. They wanted this. They couldn't let Trish go any more than I couldn't let the artifact go. Not while they were right in front of us. This was a one-time chance I had to take for Noman's sake. I had to try. With Trenay, Baltic, and the Paragons as my backup, I was sure we could beat those two.
However, Baltic's haunting words made me cautious enough to stow some stuff away in my Pocket Box, and then that into my ender chest for safe keeping. My tridents and totems, some obsidian and Eyes of Ender so I could make more ender chests, and a few other things I found valuable. I stowed them all away - keeping my diamond sword, lava, milk, and water buckets, some snowballs and ender pearls, a flint and steel, and a Strength II Potion - and broke the ender chest before going into the details of my ambush plan.
I had no way of knowing my decision to ambush Trish on that bridge would result in the most chaotic and impactful consequences imaginable. I was about to set in motion one of the greatest battles of all time. Death and war and destruction on a scale I could scarcely comprehend. I didn't realize, then, the consequences I swore to face. If I had, I might have listened to Baltic and just walked down that bridge to Oak Docks like he said.
[Cadboro Bridge]
"Aaaah." Trishmegistus closed her eyes and held her arms out as she leaned against the brick wall guard rail, feeling the ocean breeze blow around her. The horses were tied up nearby. "That salty sea air. The smell of the ocean. That wonderful breeze. I might actually get a little chilly if we stay out too late. Sometimes I wish I spawned with warmed clothes, you know?"
Silence was her response.
Her eyes darted to Alfonso leaning on a support tower nearby. "Hey. Are you listening?"
"I'm listening." Alfonso tipped his hat over his eyes.
"Well? You wanna hold up your half of the comversation?"
"I'm content to keep quiet."
"Well I'm not. Say something. Flap those gums. Talk."
He sighed. "About what?"
"I don't care. Just fill the silence." Trish demanded. "Or is this about Rosses Point? I told you I had to go back. What if some of the guys who insulted me got away?"
"So you say."
"...The hell does that mean?"
"It means it's as you say." Alfonso appeased. "They insulted you so they had to die."
"It's not just they insulted me, it's the way they insulted me - insulted the Berserkers. We're losing our street cred." She leaned on the railing. "People need to know to show proper respect. Nobody has any manners nowadays."
"So you say."
Trish glared at him. "There you go again. Sounding like you're just humoring me. I never feel like we're partners with you acting that way."
"...What's your idea of a partner?" The cowboy asked.
"Someone who watches my back. Someone I can trust. Someone I look after." Trish gave a harsh smirk. "Someone who holds their end of a conversation."
"I see a partner as an equal." Alfonso coughed to clear his throat as he pushed off the support beam. "Mutual respect. Both sides have a voice."
"And you don't think you have that."
"I'm just thinking..." he rubbed his chin, "those Testificates didn't do wrong by you. They adored you. So calling down that Raid-"
"If they adored me, they'd be glad to die for me." Trish said that so sweetly despite the appalling undertones. Alfonso grunted in disgust, but he didn't contest her further. He had pushed her enough. "They're just Testificates. There's a million more like them that'll be like putty in my hands while I've got Hero of the Village. Giving them the joy of servicing me, aren't I the greatest gift of all?"
"So you say-"
"You don't like it?" Trish's body language became aggressive. "Maybe you'd like to break off on your own? See how far you get." Alfonso stiffened at Trish's threat as she pointed down the bridge. "No sense being partners if you can't tolerate how I operate. But then, I wonder, what chance do you think you'll have against the Endward Cult without my book?"
"I-I didn't mean no offense."
"Well there was. I feel thoroughly offended right now." Trish hugged herself as she turned away. "You came to me for protection and I agreed because your skills left an impression. Partners. That's what we agreed to. Protecting each other - covering our weaknesses - that's what we agreed to. But if you're so noble and can't accept how I take action against parties that wronged me-"
"No, no! You're right, Trish. You're right." Alfonso tipped his hat back and stood before her imploringly. He was taller, yet she was in control. "We're partners. We look after each other. We don't go alone. That's how we survive the cultists and their Withers."
She sighed dramatically. "I don't know. You seem to have such deep qualms about how I use my book. I'd just hate it if I was forcing you and making you unhappy."
"No more. I swear. I won't question what you do anymore - it's your book, anyway! Where do I get off denouncing what you do?" He was beside himself begging her. "Please. It's like you said. We're strongest when we're together. We compliment each other. I cover your weaknesses and you cover mine. Please. Don't send me away."
"Ah." Trish turned around with a kind smile. "How can I say no to that? Here." She spread out her arms. "Bring it in for a hug."
Alfonso shuffled awkwardly before reluctantly going along with the humiliating act and hugging Trish. She clutched him close, her mouth finding his ear.
"See? This is nice." She patted his back. "We should remember this day. Keep it at the forefront of our minds. That way, next time," she pulled away and shot the cowboy a closed-end smile, "we know never to question me. Mhm?"
"...Mhm." Alfonso muttered in defeat.
"Good. All better now." Trish gave him another pat before stepping away to lean on the wall and stare to the north. "Haaa... what's taking them?"
Alfonso was staring at the bridge like a whipped puppy before his head shot up and he turned to the west side of the bridge where two Crafters were approaching. Seeing they were seen, one of the two Crafters announced their prescence.
"Greetings, travelers!" The Crafter waved his hand. It was Cobb, but he was wearing a pumpkin to conceal his name. Beside him, Lenz was equally concealed with his Dragon Head. If Trishmegistus was a Berserker, she'd know all about the Crafters caught saving Princess Alaqua. Tipping their hand would do them no favors.
"Howdy!" Trish called back amicably. "Lovely breeze today, eh?"
"Oh, for sure." Cobb answered back.
As he spoke, his plan was already put into action. Baltic, Witige, and the engineer trio were back at the west end of the bridge where they'd be safe. They'd just doused the other ten Paragons with Splash Potions of Invisibility. Cobb knew they'd be creeping by unseen, circling Trish and Alfonso and barring their escape to the east end of the bridge. Cobb just had to buy time for them all to get in position. They'd only attack if he needed them.
"That's close enough." Alfonso stopped their approach with a few words. His face was rough and suspicious. "Why are you wearing a pumpkin? Seems like a strange design choice."
"It's a style for Dahlia and Brandr." Trish joked with a nudge to his shoulder. Alfonso wasn't amused, his suspicious gaze sticking to Cobb and Lenz. Trish leaned back and looked to the north again. "Geez, what's taking her?"
"We're wearing masks because we got killers hunting us down." Cobb explained. "We ratted on them to some guards and they swore to kill us. We've been running for a few weeks now." It was a decent lie. Not too outside the realm of possibility. Alfonso didn't lower his guard, though. "We were hoping to hide out at Rosses Point. Then we saw the place..."
Alfonso looked ashamed for a moment while Trish pretended to act sympathetic. "You saw that, eh? Terrible. Just terrible."
"Yeah. Looks like a bulldozer came through." Cobb continued, watching Trish carefully through the eye holes of the pumpkin he wore. "You know what hit them?"
"Well, Minecraftia is a dangerous place." Trish simpered. She made sure to catch Alfonso's eyes with her own. "Who knows who or what was angered by them. But, as they say, life goes on."
"Yeah. No sense getting too broken up about it." Cobb muttered with great dislike for the Berserker.
Alfonso's eyes suddenly zeroed in on something before his eyes darted left and right. He turned his head to look behind him while Cobb and Trish talked. A hand reached towards the crossbow at his belt.
"Why isn't your other friend talking?" Trish suddenly asked, pointing to Lenz who gave a little start. "No need to be shy. Speak up. That Dragon Head you're wearing is a conversation starter in and of itself."
Lenz looked to Cobb for a second before the fisherman nodded. He trusted Lenz to know what to say next. They rehearsed this, after all.
"We..." Lenz began. "We do not mean to insinuate, but did you have anything to do with what transpired at Rosses Point?"
Trish's face froze in a smile as she processed the words. "Whahat?" She laughed. "Me? Surely you must be joking."
"No, madam."
"Well!" Trish acted insulted. "To go around accusing others on baseless assumptions. Why? Just because I'm passing through and saw the devastation? You think I had anything to do with-"
"There was a survivor." Lenz's reveal cut her off and made her go silent. "He said a woman named Trishmegistus came back and killed the survivors with a book that shot magic beams." Lenz's dragon mouth flapped open as he took a step closer. "Did you do it? Do you have this book?"
Trish looked between Cobb and Lenz with a disgruntled expression before smoothing it over with a disarming smile. "So all this banter was just you pussy-footing around? Seems you've made up your mind about me, so what are you going to do about it?"
"We'll cut to the chase, then." Cobb spoke up next. "Hand over the potion book."
Trish scoffed. "That's what you want? And here I thought you were noble knights looking to avenge those villagers. You're just bandits. I assume that story of yours was just a load of crock?"
"I know you won't want to hand over the book, but I felt like I should try anyway." Cobb shrugged. "You can go ahead and spout something about how you're worthier to hold it, or lie and say it's a gift when we know who it originally belonged to. It won't change anything."
Trish narrowed her eyes while Alfonso took in his surroundings carefully. It appeared to be just the four of them, but Alfonso knew differently. He leaned over and whispered something into Trish's ear. A smile spread across her face and her blue eyes darted slightly as she looked around her.
"You seem to know a bit about my book." Trish commented. "I'll have you know the guy I stole it off of, Archibald, likely stole it off someone else. Then again, I doubt you're talking about dear old Archibald. He didn't have many friends. Whoever's it was, it's mine now. I assume you know what it can do. So where'd you hear about it?" She asked. "I always wondered what the deal was with it. Who made it?"
"You don't need to know. You gonna pull out the book or aren't you?"
"Maybe I just haven't found the right reason to yet." She taunted.
Nothing else for it then. Cobb had to confirm she had the artifact on her and not in an ender chest. Best way to do that would be to give her someone she'd want to use it on.
He reached up and pulled the carved pumpkin off his head, revealing his name and face for everyone to see. Recognition flashed before Trish and Alfonso's faces. The former wore a cocky grin and the latter opened their mouth in a rictus of terror.
"An Executive... an Executive!" He drew his crossbows out impossibly fast and fired twice. It was so fast that Cobb and Lenz were caught flat-footed. The first arrow hit Cobb's shoulder and the second he barely dodged. Lenz was dumbstruck by Alfonso's draw speed. It was as fast as Z7's. Maybe faster. "They're here! They've found us! I knew this day would come!"
"My lucky day." Trish spoke with a hungry expression as she fished out the Vivlio Zythopoiias from her backpack. She held it open with her fingers at the top of the pages while her forearm was braced against the spine. "Dahlia's been gunning for your head for a while now, King_Cobb. Alfonso, shut the hell up! I'm gonna enjoy cashing in your bounty." She flipped open to a particular page of her book. Cobb and Lenz readied themselves to dodge her artifact's beams.
Before she could fire anything, however, Alfonso reloaded his two crossbows faster than normal and started firing gold-tipped spectral arrows around him. Nine invisible targets (the tenth one - Z7 - avoided) were struck before glowing outlines in the shape of the Paragons started appearing. Cobb paled at how easily his ambush plan was seen through.
"Isn't he something?" Trish noted idly while flipping the pages of her artifact. "There's a reason I have Alfonso as my partner. He's a former Bird of Prey. The Mocha Snipe, I believe. He sees the things I'm blind to." Her eyes strayed to the glowing outlines of the others. "It's a terrible thing, being blind. Let me show you what it's like."
She flipped the book up and over so that the pages were face down with her thumb pressing the text and her other fingers squeezing against one side of the spine. From the other side of the spine, a dark gray beam shot out and struck one of the glowing outlines before they had time to dodge. Cobb didn't know who it was, but they collapsed on hands and knees.
"I... I can't see." Trenay's voice rang out clearly as the outlined Crafter was covered in dark gray particles. She held her hands up to her eyes, the fear in her voice mounting. "I can't see! I can't see! Baltic! Help me!" She called for him, forgetting Baltic was hidden back on the west side of the bridge for safety. Far away from the combat.
"Didn't see that coming, did ya?" Trish joked before swinging her artifact around and firing another dark gray beam at an outline. Whoever it was dodged it. "The world's a big place. Lot of choice status effects out there. Ones you don't know about. Like Blindness." She suddenly fired a dark gray beam towards the other side and hit someone, blinding them. "Impairs your vision and makes you unable to run or perform Critical Hits. Perfect for crowd control and dealing with small-fry upstarts," she turned upon Cobb with a vicious smile, "who challenge their betters!"
The dark gray beam came hurtling toward Cobb before he dropped and hugged the bridge to avoid it. It struck one of the bridge's support towers instead before dissipating. It didn't leave an area of effect like the Lingering Potions. Whatever that beam hit gained that effect, though.
"Time to show you what this baby can really do, cultist." Trish smirked as she flipped through her pages quickly, her finger picking out several effects as she did so. Colored particles started to emanate off of her one after the other, each one giving her particles of a matching color. That was the other half of what the artifact could do. She was buffing herself with effects. So many it was like a rainbow was swirling around her.
Cobb recognized the ones he saw most. Electric blue for speed, dark red for strength, pink for regeneration, bright green for jump boost. But then he saw ones he was less familiar with, like yellow and redwood, the same shades he experienced from the Scouts' beacon in the End. Then there were ones he didn't have a clue about. What was red? What was orange? What was azure?
"Cobbert," Lenz fired an arrow only for Trish to laugh and take it without batting an eye. "Cobbert, she just tanked that. She has stacked at least nine separate effects upon her. The Vivlio Zythopoiias appears able to stack effects."
"I can see that! I haven't been hit with Blindness, Lenz!" Cobb took out his sword and ran in close. It was better to fight the book from a distance - especially with Trish powered up - but Cobb knew someone had to distract her from the glowing outlines who were putting their armor back on now that their invisibility was ruined. Only one Paragon was still invisible. The only one sharp enough to dodge: Z7.
Cobb found his charge stopped short when a pair of arrows struck his shoulders. He tumbled back only to roll aside as another two arrows almost hit him. Alfonso was firing those crossbows and reloading them far quicker than they had any right to be. There was some enchantment on them.
"That's good, Alfonso. Keep them off me while I thin things out." Trish licked her thumb as she selected a new page like she was browsing a toy catalogue. "This one's fun. Ha!"
She fired a sky blue beam at an outline that must have been Heather. She dodged it the first time, but let out a yelp when the beam was dragged sideways across her torso without dissipating or shrinking back. The beam held a certain distance away like a lightsaber while Trish had her finger held on the text. The sky blue particles danced around Heather's body before her feet lifted off the bridge and she started floating to the sky, thrashing and spinning in panic all the while.
"Whoa! Help! HELP!"
"HEATHER!" Luis shouted as his love floated like a free balloon. Cobb recognized it as the same levitation effect the Shulkers used. She was too high that using her milk would bring her splatting down onto the bridge.
"Like shooting clay pigeons..." Trish aimed her book at the helpless Heather. Four Paragons fired upon her to throw off her aim, but they were masterfully intercepted by Alfonso and his quick reloading crossbows.
A high-pitched whistle sounded before a streaking rocket slipped through Alfonso's watchful eyes and detonated in Trish's face in a massive explosion of gray sparks that blasted the Berseker into a support beam. Lenz lowered his crossbow, having just fired his first rocket.
"That's our Gray Eagle!" Cobb cheered, the name earning a twitch from Alfonso as he turned his attention on Lenz. Heather had stopped floating, her hands having grabbed one of the bridge supports high up and holding on for dear life. The effect was infinite, so if she floated up past the bridge without any milk, she was doomed. Luis started to climb up, calling to her that he was on his way.
"Grrr... Alfonso! Do your job!" Trish stood back up while dusting herself off. Dear Herobrine, she shrugged off an explosion packed with gunpowder like it was nothing! "Was that a firework? How come your crossbows can't do that? You been holding out on me?"
"The dragon-headed archer is a Bird of Prey." Alfonso answered. "One I never heard of."
"Save your reunion for later! Keep their arrows off me properly!"
Lenz attempted to reload his crossbow only for Alfonso to shoot it out of his hands with a Quickdraw. It spun away and Lenz tried to switch to his other bow only for that to get knocked away next. He ducked behind a support beam, narrowly dodging another arrow.
Without having to look, Alfonso directed his other crossbow to intercept another rocket aimed at Trish and fired from one of the outlined Paragons. The two projectiles struck in midair and exploded in a massive burst of red sparks. Since the firework was red, it was Dwight's doing.
Heather sent a white rocket hurtling towards Trish from her spot on the bridge support. Alfonso intercepted it again and Trish retaliated with a purple beam that Heather evade by pulling herself down and behind the bridge support.
Cobb ran in while he had the chance, his Sweeping Edge blade swinging for Trish. The Berserker sidestepped quickly thanks to her speed effect, but the Sweeping Edge range managed to nick her. She brought her own diamond blade out and started swinging, her slashes three times as fast and scoring hits stronger than what Cobb was capable of.
"Speed. Haste. Strength." Trish taunted, her blade scathing Cobb's legs out from under him. He was caught when Trish grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked back only to follow up with a strengthened knee to the face. "Buffing myself with them all makes fighting a breeze. You're moving in slow motion to me!"
She fired a point-blank potion effect into Cobb's chest. It was bistre in color. Cobb had only a second of warning before his body felt drained and hurt all over. Bistre particles danced around him and the Hearts on his arm had gone black as they drained away. She had withered him.
While he stumbled back feeling lousy, Trish let out a pleased sigh while seeming to breathe in tiny bistre streaks that were coming off Cobb and flowing into her, replenishing her Health (not that she needed it). The Wither effect was how the Wither drained Health from its victims and regenerated itself. Trish was able to do the same to her victims while using Wither.
Cobb's hearts were going down as he backed up. He was about to grab his milk bucket when he got an idea. "You... you dumbass." He taunted. "I'll be... dead before... you can cash in... my bounty. They want... me alive..."
"This isn't my first rodeo, asshole. I got time before you wither away." Trish selected a new effect. "I just need to make you nice and compliant first."
She fired another beam. This one gray blue. Cobb threw himself aside, but the beam held and seared across his ankle, afflicting him with Slowness. He fell behind a support tower, the bucket of milk coming out.
"Too late! Next Life awaits!" He bluffed before drinking the milk and dispelling the Wither and Slowness. He then placed an End Crystal beside him on the readily available obsidian the bridge was made out of.
"The living aren't through with you yet." Trish rounded the support tower, firing off a pink beam of Regeneration that struck Cobb before she realized she wasn't draining his Health anymore and he wasn't about to die. Cobb had tricked her into giving him endless Regeneration II. Cobb threw down his bucket of lava right at her feet and set her ablaze.
"Agh! Fuck!" She thrashed about before quickly flipping the pages and selecting Fire Resistance. The amber particles swirled around her and rendered the fire and lava damage useless. Cobb warped away with an ender pearl and directed a snowball at the Ender Crystal near Trish.
The explosion was tremendous. The wooden and stone brick parts of the bridge in the blast zone were obliterated while only the obsidian endured. Trish's seared body was blasted backward where she skid across the bridge before impacting the stone brick wall opposite with a mighty crack.
Cobb's feeling of accomplishment was short lived as Trish stood back up and dusted herself off. Cobb shook his head in disbelief. That explosion was as strong as a Charged Creeper. It could kill a Hacker! How was she still alive? How was she still fine?
"You got me pretty good there." Trish rotated her shoulder that was sore from hitting the wall. "Guess that's why you're an Executive. But no matter. It's gonna be all right-"
Trish choked out a garbled gasp as a pair of floating daggers struck her neck. Z7 turned visible shortly after, her body behind Trish's as she wrenched the blades out and stabbed again. It wasn't killing her, though. All that damage and it wasn't killing her.
"Sinking in yet?" Trish laughed over the daggers in her neck before performing a Jump Boost assisted jump that turned into a backflip to get behind Z7. The assassin spun with her daggers, but Trish was three times faster thanks to Speed and Haste. She swatted the assassin's blades aside then fired a purple beam at her that the assassin bent double to dodge. The beam struck Doyle instead, his body falling over as he complained about warbling vision and feeling sick. The Paragons were all appearing now, the invisibility ending.
"Saturation so I never get hungry. Regeneration so I heal up fast." She caught the dagger by the blade and slashed at Z7 to send her back. "Resistance so I take less damage. Health Boost and Absorption so I have more Hearts. I'm the slimmest goddamn tank you're ever gonna see!"
Aurand and Shroud ran in with their swords, but both got arrows to the ankles for their troubles. Lenz tried to hit Trish with a tipped arrow, but it was intercepted by the same guy. Alfonso was keeping an eye on Lenz no matter what, ranking him the biggest threat and cutting off his ranged support. Lenz didn't dare waste another rocket with how Alfonso kept intercepting them.
Everyone was given at least one bucket of milk as a countermeasure for this battle. Cobb's was gone and Trenay, Doyle, Wing, and Heather had used up theirs to dispel Trish's effects. That was almost half their milk already.
Cobb realized it had been foolish to attack without knowing what sort of support Trish had. Alfonso was better than he thought, and him cutting off Lenz's aid was making dealing with Trish a lot harder. So, while he still had infinite Regeneration, he switched tactics.
"Focus on Alfonso!" He shouted before sprinting toward the archer. Z7 caught his meaning and disengaged from Trish along with the other Paragons.
"Showing your back to me? You cultists really do love death! All you had to do was ask!"
Trish fired a bistre beam that held and then swept it before her. A few Paragons jumped or slid under it - Cobb doing the same - but Perry and Aurand were too bulky to dodge it entirely and were withered for it. They immediately took out their milks to dispel it. Wither was too deadly to ignore.
Alfonso had to jump over the Wither beam just like the rest, but he kept one crossbow on Lenz even while getting charged by seven enemies. He shot at Doyle then reloaded fast before backing up to the support tower. Lenz tried to shoot him with a tipped arrow, but he intercepted it again.
"Not much of a Bird of Prey if this is all you can do." Alfonso insulted before turning both crossbows on the charging five, leaning back slightly, and shooting from the hip. He reloaded impossible fast, pushing the mechanism back by sliding the crossbow into his belt and having the hardened leather catch the string. His belt pockets were full of arrows that caught and were loaded as he pushed the crossbows down. He was Quickdrawing and Quickreloading at the same time, the result being a volley of arrows that felt like Cobb and the Paragons were running at a line of eight archers. The arrows were as accurate as they were speedy, seeking out eyes or joints to slow them down further. Lenz's eyes widened at the display even as he loaded a rocket into his crossbow...
Only to have it intercepted as soon as he fired by the Mocha Snipe firing backwards under his arm without looking. The small gray explosion of sparks blew up in Lenz's face and knocked him so that he rolled back across the bridge, his Dragon Head falling off.
"Lenz! You okay!?" Cobb called out before Alfonso turned his Quickdrawing crossbows on them again. Only Z7 was able to get in close, her daggers coming up to rake against Alfonso's eyes. The Mocha Snipe leaned back and fired warding shots that Z7 had to one-hand cartwheel away from.
That was when a sky blue beam struck the archer. Trish had hit him with Levitation and Alfonso began to float towards the sky. Shroud and Dwight lunged for him, but they barely brushed his ankles as he ascended. Cobb thought this was a bad thing for the guy, but instead of being nervous, Alfonso calmly angled himself so that his legs were facing up and touched upside down on one of the horizontal obsidian beams of the support tower.
Can he even fire while disoriented like that?
Apparently, he could. Arrows rained down from his Quickdraw salvo as everyone ran for cover. The Birds of Prey were masters of archery, and it looked like this was the Mocha Snipe's signature skill. He had mastered Quickdraw with those crossbows; a feat made more impressive considering crossbows had only been introduced recently. The Bounty Day for it had been four weeks ago. In four weeks, he mastered dual crossbow Quickdraw. Even while upside down. What the hell!?
Trish hit him with another couple of beams Cobb and the Paragons had no way to reach. Haste. Regeneration. Resistance. She was sharing the bluffs and Cobb was helpless to stop her.
They were covering each other perfectly. It was impossible to focus on one without the other interfering. Splitting them up was the best he could come up with, but he couldn't think of a way to with how things were going.
Up on the supports, Heather fired another rocket to disrupt Alfonso's barrage for a short while. It was a waste because the Bird of Prey would just intercept it, but Cobb and the Paragons needed some breathing room. Luis was covering Heather up there as well, the two of them slipping behind cover whenever Trish fired a beam at them.
"Now what?" Wing groused while putting up blocks for cover. Z7 and Doyle ducked behind before Alfonso could shoot them. "This is a shit show and we're low on milk."
"I know." Cobb wiped his face. He was still affected by permanent regeneration, but the others weren't so blessed. He had been banking on the End Crystal to be enough - it was his best weapon - but even that had failed. He racked his mind for some other option.
Brain: I'm doing my best here! Don't rack me!
It felt like Cobb was facing an impossible problem. They needed ranged support to fight Trish and the Vivlio Zythopoiias, but Alfonso's ranged support was interfering. So they needed to take out Alfonso at close range, but Trish's potion support was interfering. He was up where nobody could get him and Cobb would surely get shot down if he tried to parkour up to him. He was stuck, and the Paragons rushing him to make a decision weren't helping.
"...Retreat." He decided despairingly, surprising the Paragons. "They were better prepared than we thought. We have to pull back."
"Seriously? After all that!" Dwight grumbled before leaning out of cover and firing a rocket at Trish. Predictably, Alfonso shot it down. "Damn! That Snipe's a pro."
"We don't have a choice with how this is going." Trenay shook her head. "The two of them together are too strong."
"I know. I just don't want to get lectured by Baltic." Dwight groaned as he ducked back and narrowly avoided getting shot. "Guess we're in for an 'I told you so' from the old man. How we getting away?"
"We can ender pearl." Cobb decided. "Can one of you give a signal to Heather and Luis up there?"
"I can do that." Wing volunteered before he moved between cover, making his own as he went. Trenay and Dwight took turns shooting off rockets to distract Alfonso's fire and buy Wing some time to move around.
"Okay. That's those two covered." Cobb picked out some ender pearls from his belt. "Aim for the west side. As far as you can throw. If Trish pursues, she'll leave her ranged support behind on that beam. He's stuck there if he doesn't have any milk. I'll go get..." Cobb's eyes strayed as he saw a green beam. "Oh no. Lenz!"
The engineer was shooting at Trish on the west side of the bridge, the Berserker only a few meters away from him. Lenz's face was on full display, his tinted goggles askew as he fired shot after shot at the slowly advancing Trish who tanked them.
"I remember you. You're the archer that blew up our airship in Jolin." Trish spoke with a deadly calm. "I liked that airship."
"I also like airships!" Lenz coughed out while green particles of Poison swirled around him. "How about we talk about our mutual love of airships before - agh!" Lenz fell back from a slash to the arm. He readied his tipped arrows and fired several at the woman. She tanked them without realizing what they were, the particles for Weakness, Slowness, Poison, and Harming affecting her and countering a few of her bluffs, but only for a short moment.
"My buffs are infinite, genius. Your meager arrows aren't gonna do jack."
Lenz Quickdrew his rocket loaded crossbow like Z7 had taught him only for it to get knocked out of his hands by a well-placed arrow from Alfonso. His heel touched the stone brick wall guard rail. His other bow was wrenched out of his hand before Trish stepped into his guard and backhanded him across the face with her book. The blow sent the engineer teetering over the stone brick wall before he tumbled over and fell towards the ocean.
"AHHHHHHH!" Shroud and Perry shouted while pointing. It was nowhere near Cobb's reaction as he shouted out the engineer's name before ender pearling out of cover and charging Trish.
"LENZ!" Z7 shouted in common before vaulting off the opposite side of the bridge after Lenz in a heartbeat. Cobb had to believe the Jibberwoman would get to him in time before his Thalassophobia made him seize up and drown. Right now, Cobb directed all his unbridled fury at Trish, drinking his own Potion of Strength II for one last spurt.
He sheared into her front before coming back around and stabbing her in the chest. He twisted his blade and wrenched it free before cracking a fist across her jaw. He Quickswapped to his flint and steel and set her ablaze before throwing a flurry of snowballs into her face to knock her off the bridge, and he even brought down his diamond blade in a colossal cleave that would have killed any other Crafter when adding in all the accumulated damage.
Her blue eyes crinkled mockingly as she stared back at him once it was over, unscathed.
A dark gray beam shot out and struck Cobb square in the chest. Everything went black like the lights had turned off. His gut exploded in pain as a sword enhanced with strength gutted him while he was helpless to see or impede it. He doubled over in pain before a dull green beam hit next, making his stomach twist with hunger.
"It's actually a good thing you got infinite regen." Trish's mocking voice stood out in his blindness. "Means I can really go to town on you. Let's try... this one!"
The beams struck one after the other. Gray for Weakness. Bistre for Wither. Green for Poison. Gray blue for Slowness. Dark khaki for Mining Fatigue. His body became riddled with negative effects, and if it wasn't for the Potion of Strength he drank which was countering the Weakness, his body would have already seized up, paralyzed.
"Ngh... nnnngh..." Cobb slurred as it felt like his insides were on fire, twisting, exploding, and shredding themselves all at the same time. His skin ached. He couldn't see. Everything was telling him to fall over, and it was only his endurance training that kept him on his feet and gripping a sword he was too weak to swing.
"Yeesh! Still standing after all that? I suppose I should be impressed." Her voice continued to mock. "But all I can think is that this is hilarious." Cobb took a half step forward. "Now it's annoying." Cobb tried to raise his sword only for it to clatter to the ground. "Now it's just sad." Cobb raised a weak fist and felt it tap Trish's chest. "And now it's annoying again."
Cobb felt a fist slam into his face and shatter his nose before he collapsed unconscious.
Trish looked to the remaining stragglers while she grabbed Cobb by his hood. The Paragons had watched the brutal display with trepidation and saw that Cobb was out of the fight. They were cautious, but they weren't about to let Trish take him. The Berseker smirked while looking to the northern sky. A shadow passed overhead that made the Paragons turn and gasp.
"Ahhh, fashionably late as always, Dahlia!"
It was an airship. A small, speedy vessel of dark oak with green sails. It couldn't have been more than twenty blocks long and seven blocks wide and styled like an ocean vessel. It moved fast, flying between the support towers and over the Cadboro Bridge.
"Well, this has been fun!" Trish announced cheerfully, the Wither effect sucking up Cobb's Health for herself as she flipped open her book and buffed her and Cobb with Levitation. "But our ride just got here. You can go pick up your Executive - or what's left of him - from the authorities down by Nitebane. I'm sure they'll be very pleased to see you, cultists. Ta-ta." She gave a happy laugh as she started floating up. Dwight and Trenay aimed rockets at her but lowered them when they realized Cobb would die. Behind them, Alfonso stepped off his beam and let his Levitation carry him up to the airship where he boarded upside down before drinking some milk. Trish and Cobb got on next and the airship carried on flying with the Paragons helpless to stop it.
Below the bridge, Z7 had the catatonic engineer held close in her arms as she swam to shore for the both of them. He was still permanently poisoned by the Vivlio Zythopoiias and unwilling to cure himself with his milk bucket while he was neck deep in water. The damage he took fighting Trish coupled with the poison eroding his Health made it so he was on half a Heart; Even a scratch would prove fatal. The Jibberwoman watched the airship floating away with a sour expression, but there was little she could do with Lenz the way he was. She just kept kicking for the shore, stabbing any Guardians or Drowned that got too close.
The Battle on Cadboro Bridge was over. The Beginners and Paragons lost.
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], 7 Cobblestone, 8 Ender Pearls, 12 Glass Bottles, 1 Stone Pickaxe, 1 Stone Shovel, 4 Nautilus Shells, 1 Furnace, 17 Flint, 1 Flint and Steel, 9 Oak Wood Planks, 3 Sticks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Water Bucket, 2 Buckets, 2 Ender Chests, 8 Obsidian, 25 Steak, 12 Rotten Flesh, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
Green Shulker Box {Pocket Box}: 55 Eyes of Ender, 16 Ender Pearls, 36 Obsidian, 64 Chorus Fruit, 64 Snowballs, 9 End Crystals, 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], 1 Trident [Loyalty II, Channeling], 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}
[EXP: 37]
Inventory (Lenz): 1 Chainmail Helmet, 1 Dragon Head, 1 Chainmail Chestplate, 1 Chainmail Leggings, 1 Chainmail Boots, 32 Pumpkin Seeds, 11 Bone Meal, 2 Fire Charges, 1 Iron Dagger, 1 Totem of Undying, 14 Ender Pearls, 1 Paper, 2 Cobblestone, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Compass, 9 Gunpowder, 1 Bow, 1 Bow [Infinity], 1 Crossbow, 42 Arrows, 2 Firework Rockets {Flight Duration: 1, Small Ball x 7, Gray x 7}, 2 Firework Rockets {Flight Duration: 1, Large Ball x 7, Gray x 7}, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 37 Charcoal, 62 Dark Oak Planks, 2 Steak, 1 Stick, 60 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, 56 Arrows of Poison {0:11}, 64 Arrows of Harming II, 60 Arrows of Harming II, 54 Arrows of Weakness {0:30}, 51 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: 25]
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, 20 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, 61 Dragon's Breath, 39 Blaze Powder, 34 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, 52 Gunpowder, 54 Redstone Dust, 49 Glowstone Dust, 53 Ghast Tears, 53 Sugar
[EXP: 32]
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, 11 Baked Potatoes, 1 Bucket, 1 Milk 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: 47]
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, 16 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, 4 Steak, 24 Torches, 34 White Wool, 61 Cobblestone, 32 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Armor Stand, 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, 5 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}, 27 Cooked Chicken, 32 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: Um... All Out Spaghetti?
I struggled with the Inventory List a bit for Cobb and Lenz this time because I had to have them gather a lot of charcoal and sand for fireworks/smelting/glass bottles/End Crystals, etc. Also had to do some Minecraft testing to see how fireworks are named to put them into Lenz's Inventory. He's gotta have gray because it's his color, but gray is actually easy to make so long as you have bones and kill some squids for ink sacs. Z7 did the killing/swimming on Lenz's behalf.
Trish and Alfonso's synergy is too good. Their relationship may be messed up, but they know how to work well together. If it was either one or the other, Cobb and the Paragons would've won, but together they were too strong. Cobb underestimated the types of effects that exist in Minecraftia 1.14.
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. PM. FORUM. DISCORD. ICE POPS.