SOI Chapter 6 The Astley Residence
A/N: Hey guys I'm back with another edited chapter of the Shadow of Israphel! This one's pretty long- you have been warned.
Some interesting stuff happens in this one ;)
The room was black, as far as the old man could tell. I can't see anything in here! He thought squinting and barely making out the outline of a man in dark robes in front of him.
"Who are you?" Peculier asked. The figure ignored him. "I said, who are you?" Peculier repeated his request. Again there was no response. Where am I? "What's going on?!" he yelled, but the figure again did not answer him. Instead the figure abruptly vanished in a swirl of black particles that suddenly surrounded Peculier. "What's going on?" Peculier yelled. He tried to move but his limbs weren't responding. Suddenly he dropped down with a loud thump into a soft substance.
"Ouch!" Peculier cried as he slowly tried to gather his bearings. The black particles were gone, it was nighttime. Where am I? Peculier thought as he glanced around him. The soft substance on which Peculier had landed was sand, and as far as he could see the land was infused with sand. It was nighttime.
"Sand and more sand…" Peculier said softly as he looked around in every direction for any sign of life let alone civilization. There was none. Peculier looked far ahead of him, even the walls were not there. There were no monsters as far as Peculier could see either, although the landscape was dotted with several cactuses. Peculier fumbled at his belt but found that he had no sword, all he had were the clothes on his back and his fists.
"Fantastic." Peculier grumbled. Deciding that he might as well try to find some way out Peculier set off along a northern course in the sands. For a while there was nothing and Peculier was getting increasingly hungry. There has to be something Peculier thought hopefully. Suddenly, he saw something poking out of the sands, something red. Curious, Peculier slid down the side of a sand dune to get a closer look. The sand had converged around the red object forming a dip in the sands. Carefully Peculier crouched near the hole in the sands and peered down.
The place was a room, as far as Peculier could see. There was a single man in the room, he was lying face-down, and blood splattered the walls. Although whether the blood was the man's he could not tell. Something terrible had happened there, that was the only thing that was clear. Grunting with effort Peculier leaned over the crevice and hoisted himself on the red object and began to lower himself down into the room. Thankfully the red object was part of a pole and led all the way down. After a few moments Peculier reached the bottom of the pole into the chamber. It was dark, moonlight shone directly over the hole but nowhere else. Peculier peered into the surrounding darkness and listened carefully for monsters for a moment but the sight let alone the sound of one was not forthcoming. In spite of himself Peculier almost smiled as he gave the place a once over. There was nothing in the chamber, no chests let alone any supplies. In fact, all that Peculier could see was the man lying face down in front of him on the rotted wood floors- which clearly suggested the place had long been buried by the sands.
Peculier bent over the mysterious man and felt his pulse for a moment, it was still there. Carefully Peculier rolled the man face-up, checking for any wounds on him. Peculier nearly fell over in shock at the sight of the man's face. The man was old, with brown and gray streaked hair, he looked ordinary except there was something horribly different about him – his eyes were red.
"No…" Peculier exclaimed. The old man sat up and looked at Peculier as if he was in a trance. Suddenly he grabbed Peculier's shoulders and started shaking him "I'm sorry, I've failed! It's over! They're dead! They're all DEAD!" the old man yelled.
"Agh!" Peculier cried trying to distance himself from the old man who had started shaking Peculier even harder.
"I was a fool to trust…IT'S OVER! Don't you understand? THEY'RE ALL DEAD!" he screamed grabbing a knife from his belt trying to stab Peculier with it. "No one…will ever…make it out! The sands…the sands…they suffocated everyone- everything…" he panted, his eyes glowing like red flame.
Peculier felt himself getting steadily weaker as he tried to shield himself with his hands. "It must be done…master I have failed…." The man howled in anguish as he raised his hand getting ready to strike.
But the attack never came. The old man was on the ground, an arrow through his back. His hand fell to the ground as a pool of red spread across his chest. Peculier cried out and grabbed the man, tearing the knife out of his hand. "No! Please …" Peculier said. The man looked at Peculier, the red was gone from his eyes. "The sands…I wish we had never done it to him…" he said as his eyes glazed over and he spoke no more.
"NOOO!" Peculier screamed. But it was no use. Peculier could feel himself getting weaker and weaker. "No…I don't understand- please…" Peculier cried as he collapsed to the floor, he was starving to death. Gradually Peculier heard a strange buzzing that grew louder and louder, the black particles had returned. They consumed his face, his eyes and his ears, Peculier tried to bat them away with a weak swipe of his hands but it was to no avail. Peculier wondered what had happened to the old man before the blackness closed in and he saw no more.
Honeydew had the most monumental of all hangovers. It was like the Dwarf had been hit repeatedly over the head with a wooden sledgehammer, and the light emitting from the bedside window was not helping the Dwarf's miserable situation at all. Clutching his head painfully he stumbled out of bed into the nearby bathroom to the left of the hall right into a very amused Xephos.
"Uh- er morning." Honeydew said awkwardly. The spaceman just smiled.
"Have you got a razor Simon?" Xephos asked scratching the new stubbly beard that had sprouted around the spaceman's neck.
"And some cream!" Lysander called.
"Yeah and er some cream perhaps?"
"Uh I might have some in the trunk."
"The trunk? What trunk?" Xephos asked puzzled.
"The trunk! You know…the thing looks like a chest." Honeydew explained struggling mightily with his words as the hangover was still wearing off. Xephos laughed as he strode over to the bedroom.
"Ooooh…" Honeydew groaned as he walked down the hallway to the main bedroom where the Skylord and Peculier were currently resting. The dwarf paused at the bedroom door adjusting his eyes to the blast of light that greeted him there.
"Oi- Hey Lysander are you there?"
"Aye hero." A muffled voice responded. "Peculier could you close those blind for me- oh never mind I'll do it…" the Skylord grumbled. Suddenly there was a crash and the bedroom became instantly dim.
"Ahh!" Honeydew cried "I was just getting used to all that light Lysander…"
"How'd you like the guest room hero?" Lysander asked the confused dwarf absentmindedly as he shuffled through some papers.
"Oh- um it's very comfortable thanks Skylord." Honeydew admitted it was very comfortable it beat the heck out of sleeping on that glorified stone tablet which the dwarf had slept on the night before. "I just came here to see how he's – you know how he's doing." Honeydew said gesturing to the mostly bald head that was Peculier.
"He's sleeping peacefully hero, as far as I can tell." Lysander said standing and pulling out his pipe.
"Brilliant!" Honeydew said although somewhat doubtfully considering how incredibly uncomfortable the bed in there was. I just wish the same could be said for my head! The dwarf thought mournfully.
"Do you have a shower around here Lysander?" Honeydew inquired becoming increasingly aware of his bedraggled appearance.
"Of course hero, down the hall and to the right." Lysander replied as he poured over some official looking papers on the table. "But the plumbing's not too good I'm afraid!" the Skylord called. Honeydew muttered a reply as he slowly made his way to the shower room gripping his head painfully as another headache came on.
"The plumbing's not too good he says…wonderful…"
The shower room was surprisingly well lit from a skylight that adorned the top of the room. Water, water Honeydew thought blindly stumbling around in the shower. Are those pink towels? The Dwarf thought for a moment noting for some reason, a couple monogramed pink towels which had been hung up near the shower.
"Initialed S.J. …" Honeydew wondered aloud as he pulled the showerhead chain tearing his eyes away from the ugly towels. Wonder what that means, monogramed towels? He thought as the Dwarf pulled the chain. Nothing was forthcoming, no water.
Honeydew pulled the chain again but no water came.
"You bloody—aaaargh!" Honeydew yelled pulling the chain harder again and again. Finally the Dwarf heard a gurgle come through the pipes. It's working! The Dwarf thought excitedly. Suddenly a blast of water shot from the showerhead toppling Honeydew.
"AAAAAARGH!" Honeydew cried in shock as he was thrown against the wall by the sheer force of the water now streaming uncontrollably from the showerhead.
"OI -Lysander! Xephos! Somebody! HELLLP!" the Dwarf cried struggling to get up out of the way of the torrent of water. The plumbing definitely doesn't work!
"Hero!" the Skylord's deep voice called "Are you alright?"
"Um – no I'm definitely not alright Lysander. What do you hell do you think? HELLLLP!" Honeydew replied as he crawled to the rim of the tub trying to get out of the blast of water streaming from the showerhead. As he did so the Skylord and Xephos rushed through the door.
"What the-" Xephos said gazing at the jet of water that was streaming rapidly out the faucet.
"Ah! I've got it hero…" Lysander said reaching for the showerhead chain. The Skylord gave a tremendous yank and the showerhead silent and the only thing that came out of it were a few drops of water.
"Oy…" Honeydew grunted, Xephos reached forward pulling the soaked Dwarf out of the bathtub.
"Lysander, a towel please!" Xephos exclaimed to the Skylord who had paused briefly to examine the showerhead. "Curious…" he said turning to the spaceman and a fairly irritated and now shivering Dwarf "Oh right! Forgive me heroes, the towels indeed." Lysander said apologetically grabbing a bundle of pink towels from a nearby shelf, handing them to the spaceman.
"You're a saint Skylord." Honeydew said taking the entire bundle of towels and wrapping himself in them. Xephos laughed.
"Let's get you somewhere warm hero, follow me." The Skylord directed stepping out of the bathroom and striding over to the guest bedroom, the spaceman and the shivering Dwarf in tow.
"Are you sure you're alright Simon?" Xephos asked the shivering Dwarf who was now wrapped in seven of the Skylord's best pink towels.
"I'll need a few minutes…" Honeydew replied as he struggled to bring the steaming glass of tea Lysander had brought him (moments before) to his mouth.
"I wasn't aware the plumbing was that bad." Lysander observed surveying the sopping wet Dwarf in front of him. Well for your information it bleepin' well is!The Dwarf thought angrily.
"Did you bring a change of clothes with you hero?" Lysander asked as he paused to rub his moisturized goggles with a handkerchief.
"Um…" Oh you FOOL! Honeydew thought unhappily.
"They must've been burnt in the crash." Xephos surmised grimly. Lysander sighed.
"This is unfortunate hero but I think I might have something your size…" Lysander trailed off as he stepped out of the room for a moment "EWLING!" the Skylord was yelling at his butler.
"Yes sir?" the butler replied.
"Please light the grate and heat the sitting room as much as possible!" the Skylord ordered. "Alright hero…" the Skylord called before reappearing near the landing shortly thereafter with a small bundle of clothes in his hands. "Change quickly, a busy day awaits us!"
"A busy-what? Hey Lysander…hang on whose are those?" Honeydew asked bemusedly looking at the pile of blue and black clothes Lysander had just tossed onto the Dwarf's bedside.
"They look like yours Lysander…" Xephos said thoughtfully. The Skylord smiled slyly seemingly confirming Xephos' assumption. "Indeed hero, they are the colors of the Icarian Order of the Skylords which I am part of." Lysander explained to an utterly bemused Honeydew.
"They're…yours?" Xephos asked uncertainly looking at the small clothes; they were much too small for the Skylord.
"No heroes they're not mine personally but they might be a fit for you Dwarf." Lysander mused "You are now Skylord Jankle hero!" the Skylord said seizing the clothes and thrusting them into the Dwarf's lap.
"Oh yeah Jankle I was just getting fond of that name too…" Honeydew murmured draining the rest of his tea, setting the cup aside on a nearby tea cozy.
"Indeed, here you are hero." Lysander said tossing a pair of honorary goggles to the Dwarf "Wear these at all times lest anyone suspect you're an impostor." And with that warning in mind the Skylord popped out of the room yelling something at Ewling about milk and eggs.
"Right…" Honeydew said putting the goggles on his forehead after drying that part of himself off with the end of a towel. "I look very…Skylord-y don't I? Long beard, about five feet tall, giant pickaxe over his back looks like a Skylord to me!" Xephos laughed throwing a shirt at a still quite wet Honeydew.
"You look like a wet pink mop." Xephos said, Honeydew opened his mouth in indignation at this sentiment but Xephos just smiled and turned towards the door "Get dressed Simon." The spaceman said good naturedly as he left Honeydew to dry himself and get changed. The spaceman himself had changed earlier from his bloodied, torn and thoroughly worn out red space shirt into a beige one which gave Xephos the appearance of an overgrown pear, or so he thought. Xephos strode down the hall into the main bedroom as he knew he had to get dressed and ready himself.
The main bedroom was as dimly lit as ever, sacks of books and papers – many of them full of navigational charts of the Skylord's – littered the floors, lying in piles everywhere. The room was in fact almost uninhabited save for the lump in the bed which suggested the silent presence of Peculier.
"Pecu-" Xephos started when the realization hit him that the old man wouldn't be able to hear him anyway whilst asleep. Instead, the spaceman focused his attentions on finding his bunk (which was in fact only a couple of cloaks and a pillow) as it was where his pack, sword and bow rested.
"Excellent." Xephos said as he pulled out his diamond blade by the hilt from under his pillow. The pure white blade flashed in the dim lighting of the room as the spaceman admired it briefly before re-sheathing it.
The spaceman decided to travel lightly leaving most unnecessary items from his pack - some of which included a spinning top and a lever – save for a sack of dirt he'd collected ages ago which was a needed ingredient for Fumblemore's cure all potion. As he tightened his belt the spaceman slung his well wrapped diamond blade over his back. Right Xephos thought checking a mental list of everything he'd need the sword yes, dirt yes, food can get that later…bow… yep. Xephos was all set as he stepped out of the room but not before turning to the dark shape of old Peculier.
"We'll save you…as soon as we can." Xephos resolved to himself as the memories flooded back, especially of the despair that had nearly overtaken Peculier in Terrorvale when he discovered Daisy was missing. I'll never let that happen again, not to him…the spaceman resolved as he finally left the room down the hallway towards the guest room. Better check on HoneydewXephos thought, it had been according to the spaceman's clock, forty minutes since!
"Simon? Are you ready yet?" Xephos asked knocking on the door.
"As soon as I get this…ruddy…sock…ON!" Honeydew's muffled voice exclaimed back through the door. Did Lysander find clothes too small for a Dwarf? Xephos wondered slightly concerned.
"Hello!" Honeydew bellowed "TA-DA!"
"Wha-?" Xephos stared starting at the Dwarf "Oh what!" the spaceman exclaimed as he stared at the Dwarf taking his transformation in. The Skylord's clothes had rendered the Dwarf nearly beyond transformation,he looks Xephos thought quite rationally like a Skylord actually…
"Wow…um…where's Honeydew? What have you done with my friend?" Xephos asked with feigning shock.
"I look amazing!"
"Well come on then we've got to get those ingredients." Xephos said clapping Honeydew on the back as the spaceman turned downstairs. Honeydew grunted in assent pausing by a nearby mirror as he took a comb to a particularly uncooperative curl in his beard.
The Dwarf had barely started combing the curl in his beard by the time the spaceman was downstairs. At the landing Xephos suddenly felt a rush of very hot air. Downstairs was like a tropical forest, the heater must work really well Xephos thought stealing a glance at the enormous fireplace that graced the sitting room.
"Take a seat lad!" a voice called to his left, distracting the spaceman from his brief infatuation with the fire.
"Good morning hero!" Lysander boomed "Ah! All ready to go I see! Excellent, excellent." The Skylord said taking notice of the light pack and the sheathed sword slung over the spaceman's back. Lysander was at the dining table to the far left of the sitting room and was apparently being served an enormous platter of eggs by an impeccably dressed Ewling.
"Good morning Lysander." Xephos said politely.
"Please sit hero!" the Skylord said as Ewling quickly moved out the char nearest to the Skylord for the spaceman.
"Thanks." Xephos said Ewling offered a light bow and moved back through the right-hand door, which by the smell of food, Xephos judged to be the kitchen.
"There is a great deal to be done hero." Lysander started, pausing to stuff himself with a mouthful of scrambled eggs chewing them furiously. Xephos could not have agreed with the Skylord's sentiment more as the spaceman took a fork to his platter of puffy yellow eggs whilst Lysander continued. "Today hero, is the day of my inquiry before Skylord Naboth and the other members of the SkyCouncil a notice for it…" Lysander continued addressing the look of utter surprise on Xephos' face "arrived in the post this morning. What is more important hero is what you will do!" Xephos nodded in assent, gods these eggs are delicious! he thought pleasantly as he polished off the rest of his fork before responding.
"How long with the inquiry last?" the spaceman asked concernedly, it must be for the crash of the Celeno, no wonder Lysander had been so angry!
"Many hours, more than I can count I'm afraid!" the Skylord said morosely "Unfortunately hero, I will not be able to guide you to where you need to go for the ingredients. However someone will be coming by soon who will be able to do so."
"Martin?" Xephos asked. Lysander nodded as he took another bite out of his bacon. Excellent! Xephos remembered his lighthearted, blond companion well. "Lysander," Xephos started suddenly remembering a question that had bothered him a great deal ever since the day Fumblemore had listed off the ingredients to them "do you know a place where we can get a bit of gunpowder?" Lysander almost dropped his fork at the question. The Skylord knew all too well just where gunpowder came from, Creepers… Xephos thought darkly.
"Well, you could try the Astley residence hero. Mr. Astley is a vendor for gunpowder."
"Oh, brilliant!" Xephos exclaimed,we don't need to kill Creepers after all! The spaceman almost cheered at the thought. "Does Martin know where his house is?"
"Oh I wouldn't worry about that sir, there's not a soul in Mistral who doesn't know about Mr. Astley…" Ewling the butler had spoken up, he had reappeared for a moment. Lysander nodded exchanging a brief look with the butler. Is there something I don't know? Xephos thought momentarily curious.
"Yes…well hero Eli will be around to look after Peculier, should anything happen he will be able to manage it." Lysander explained as the Skylord stood up having finished his breakfast.
"When is the Church open, so we can see Father Braeburn?" Xephos asked tearing the last strip of his bacon.
"At around two in the afternoon hero. Do you-"
"Here." Xephos said pulling the gold clock out of his front pocket. Lysander smiled "Good luck hero! Remember Peculier depends on you!" the Skylord said as he too checked his watch. "Let's see…half past eleven…I'll be late if I don't hurry…." The Skylord muttered absentmindedly as he strode past the threshold and out the door.
"Farewell hero!" Lysander called giving Xephos a last look and disappearing out the door.
"Farewell Lysander." Xephos replied with a wave of his hand.
"Yeah see yeh Skylord!" a gruff voice joined in. Honeydew, he's awake! Xephos thought, the Dwarf's voice was very recognizable especially by its somewhat garbled tone from the massive hangover he was suffering.
"Good morning Simon." Xephos greeted his Dwarven companion warmly motioning to the table where at that moment; Ewling had set out a complete omelet for him.
"Wha-oh yeah morning…hang on is that breakfast?" Honeydew asked, the smell of the food seeming to bring him out of his stupor. Then with an almost unbelievable speediness the Dwarf bounded down the stairs and within the minute had sat himself in front of the full omlet platter Ewling had prepared for him.
"Zwheree eid Lyzander go?" Honeydew asked his mouth completely stuffed with the omlet.
"His inquiry apparently, before the other Skylords." Xephos said curiously I hope it goes well. Honeydew made what sounded like a choking sound before managing to sputter disbelievingly "His inquiry? What?"
"Lysander's on trial because of the crash of the Celeno. You remember it happened a few days ago." Xephos explained.
"Oh yeah…Will he be alright? They're not going to sentence him or anything are they?"
"Oh I wouldn't worry about that sir. Skylord Lysander has been through this before but the worst that ever happened was a three day suspension of his Skylord license." Ewling the butler broke in, exiting as quietly as he had come with Xephos' completely polished off plate.
"Oh…that's not so bad then!" Honeydew said cheerily. No it doesn't sound bad at all. Xephos thought comfortably as he gazed off at a picture of the Skylord's grandfather Skylord Baako before he refocused on the task awaiting the pair.
"Simon, we've got loads of ingredients to get." Xephos said to a very overstuffed Honeydew as the spaceman began explaining the Skylord's plan. "We'll need the golden apples for starters. Lysander said that we could get those at er…Granny Bacon's Tea and um…Whoopie Parlor and the other one from the Father. And the rest…" the spaceman said pausing as he took a list of the supplies out of his breast pocket rolling it out on the table for him and the Dwarf to read. "we need gunpowder which we can get from Mr. Astley, Lysander said he's a vendor… and you've got the bottle from the pool of um…Memory." Honeydew laughed, finally polishing off his plate.
"Have you still got that bottle?" Xephos asked inquisitively.
"Er- yeah. Sort of." Honeydew replied as he pulled out a leather pouch, which bulged at the bottom with the required water.
"Excellent." Xephos smiled. Honeydew just grunted shoving the leather pouch back into his pack, which he had set aside near the table.
"Right time to go then?" Honeydew asked setting down his fork on the now completely empty plate. Xephos stared at the Dwarf for a moment,
"How'd you eat all that…that fast?" he asked incredulously. Honeydew shrugged wiping his beard with a napkin.
"I was hungry." Xephos laughed, the only thing he inhales faster is beer he thought mildly. "Well-er I was…pretty-er fairly hungry…" Honeydew protested over the spaceman's laughter. Suddenly the front door burst open at this moment to admit a tall blond man with a bow and quiver slung over his back, it was Martin.
"Hello Martin!" Xephos called to the bowman. Martin smiled at the recognition striding inside the Elysium. "Hello mate. Blimey it's hot in here you know…" Martin said clearly feeling the waves of heat emitting from the giant fireplace to his right.
"Oh er-that's the …dryer I think." Honeydew explained motioning to the enormous fireplace, where the Dwarf's clothes were strung up.
"No bloody kidding it's like a desert in here." Martin said wiping his brow. Xephos laughed.
"Did Lysander send you here?" the spaceman asked formally.
"Yea hero says I'm supposed to guide you two around our fabulous city." Martin explained, "So what in the name of Notch's saggiest left trouser leg are you waiting for? I haven't got all day."
"Well we er- just had breakfast so we can go." Honeydew said standing up causing his chair to fall over with a loud clatter. "Oh er-sorry about the chair…" the Dwarf said apologetically bending over to turn the chair upright.
"You're a Skylord?" Martin's face turned to a look of utter surprise as he stared at the Skylord uniform the Dwarf was wearing.
"Skylord Jankle SIR! At yeh service!" Honeydew said indignantly. Martin laughed at Honeydew's comical attempt at Lysander's deep, businesslike voice.
"He has a Skylord license from Lysander, for um just today." Xephos explained.
"Ohh right…why are you a Skylord for only one day anyway?" Martin asked curiously "I mean it's not some big secret is it? Or is this the official business of heroes?"
"Yeah, it is!" Honeydew shot back hotly throwing slinging his pack over his back.
"They're the only clothes that er fit him well… apparently." Xephos said. Martin laughed but wilted slightly under the Dwarf's glare. "Alright heroes, where do you need to go?"
"Granny Bacon's Tea and Whoopie Parlor." Xephos said.
"Follow me heroes!" Martin said as he strode out the door with the two heroes in tow.
"Thanks for the breakfast!" Honeydew called patting his stomach in obvious appreciation of the meal.
"Yeah, thanks!" Xephos called with a wave of his hand to the butler who was collecting the dirty plates and cups from the table; with that they were gone and into the morning of Mistral.
Throughout the winding and twisting streets of Mistral, Martin kept up a constant stream of conversation which as he insisted was for the heroes' own benefit. For example Martin pointed out many of the important buildings and structures to the heroes.
"Yea and that's the Opium Den, don't want to go in there mates Skylord Jasper runs that place." Martin said pointing to a dingy, low hanging wooden structure not unlike many of the pubs the two had passed by except for a very ornate sign on its front.
The Godly Puff Tavern – A Skylord Jasper & Co. Branch
"The Godly Puff?" Honeydew asked chuckling. Martin shot the Dwarf a glance.
"Be warned Dwarf, it's only a funny place in the name. Skylord Jasper…might not take kindly to your presence. He is very powerful heroes…" Martin said darkly before brightening considerably at the next building "Yea! Here it is heroes…excellent." The bowman smiled brightly. The pair looked up ahead of them to see what Martin was gesturing to. In fancy letters written clearly by someone with a great deal of practice at cursive was the following:
Granny Bacon's Tea &Whoopie Parlor.
All with Kindness, Consideration and Manners Welcome.
"Excellent! I could do with a bit of tea." Xephos said pleasantly. Martin smiled,
"Come heroes, welcome to the best shop in Mistral!"
Martin as it turned out had not lied in the least about Granny Bacon's shop being the best in Mistral. The interior of the place was crowded with people, it was a cozy place and fireplaces lit the shop in multiple places along the walls. As Martin led the way the heroes caught glimpses of the rest of the shop, on one table there were three mustached men playing dice and on another four people were in the midst of a game of pool. Occasionally someone would nod towards Martin and the Bowman would greet them enthusiastically.
"Morning Martin, bit late for you isn't it?" a big burly man with knarled hands called out to the Bowman.
"Oh it never is Evan, the food's too good here you know." Martin said cheerily, the burly man laughed giving the table he was sitting at a funny shake. Martin was not the only one who attracted attention; the two heroes got a great deal of attention from the customers as well. One man in funny goggles gave the Dwarf a very odd stare that completely unnerved him.
"That one's a Skylord. The goggles." Martin whispered to the Dwarf who was not at all eased by this revelation.
At another table was a woman in a fine purple robe cutting up a golden apple on a silver tray. A Golden Apple! Xephos thought excitedly. The spaceman had to fight the urge to bound over to the woman and seize the apple from her now glistening fingers.
"Hello Miss Bacon!" Martin greeted the large lady currently wiping a beer class with a towel behind the bar. The woman smiled at the greeting as she looked up at the bowman and waved a greeting.
Honeydew's breath momentarily stopped at the sight of Granny Bacon. She was short, for a human and roughly the same height as the Dwarf himself. Granny Bacon's hair was long, graying and somewhat curly her wrinkles were few. She also possessed a kind, warm, sort of 'womanly' smile as the Dwarf had noticed at her greeting.
"Hello Granny!" the Dwarf said with a wave of his hand.
"Why hellooo there!" Granny greeted the Dwarf kindly setting aside her knife. "My oh my Martin, are these some friends of yours?" she asked curiously. Martin smiled courteously at the question although he was clearly embarrassed at having his hero companions referred too as 'friends'.
"Yea Granny, they are my companions and they're taking a tour with me of the city. I just thought to myself – well why not take them to the best place in Mistral? Here!" Martin explained cheerily. Granny blushed at the compliment,
"Oh you're such a dear Martin."
The old lady smiled leaning over giving the Bowman's cheek a light peck. Xephos nearly laughed at this but managed to constrain himself to an amused smile.
"Now, what can I do for you dears?" Granny asked kindly turning away from a very embarrassed Martin who was lightly rubbing the spot where Granny had kissed him.
"Er-" Xephos said uncertainly "can we have a look at the Menu?" Granny looked at the spaceman sternly at this request. What did I say? The Spaceman thought awkwardly.
"Say please!" a voice hissed in his ear nearly making the spaceman jump.
"Oh yeah um- may we have a look at the menu please?" the spaceman asked as politely as he could. Granny's expression immediately softened at the revised request.
"Of course young man!" she beamed at him, for a moment she disappeared under the counter before appearing a second later with two thin scrolls of paper, one in each hand. Beaming, Granny handed one to each of the heroes, this must be the menu then… Xephos thought giving thanks as he received the scroll. "Just let me know what you want when you're through looking. Okay dears?" Granny instructed giving them a wave that clearly suggested that it was time for them to take their seats.
"Thank you!" Honeydew said giving Granny what he thought was his best Dwarven smile. Granny gave another little wave and disappeared under a mound of dishes.
"Er-right yea, where do you want to sit?" Martin asked as the three turned to face the seating situation. It was a very legitimate question; the situation of the tables showed very clearly that their arrangement had involved little to no planning.
"There's a spot! Yeah over there!" Honeydew pointed towards a small dusty looking table with three rather rickety chairs surrounding it in the far corner of the maze. Martin took the lead at once guiding the companions haphazardly through the maze of tables, chairs, packs, and people. Xephos could not have counted on both hands how many times he ended up apologizing for nearly knocking something over or bumping into someone on his way to their table.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of navigating the maze of tables and chair-legs, the three companions made their way to the table. Xephos took special care not to sit with his sword poking him in any way as the spaceman well remembered the previous incident with the tree. Having situated himself the spaceman laid out his menu on the table and scanned it for any trace of a golden apple.
"Eight diamonds?!" Xephos said weakly as he came across 'Golden Apple' listed under 'Delicacies' on the menu.
"Eight diamonds?!" Honeydew exclaimed coming across the apple at the same moment as the spaceman. "Do they accept coupons here by any chance?" the Dwarf asked looking unhappily at the small black "8Dia." listed next to the gold apple on the menu. Martin laughed at the Dwarf's query.
"No, Dwarf not for those at least. In fact- I don't even think it's coupon week." Martin explained.
"Coupon week?"
"Maybe I could persuade her to lower the price…a little, you know for me." Honeydew muttered.
"Turn on the old Dwarven charm eh?" Martin smirked.
Unfortunately, the three were forced to discontinue their plans to gain a golden apple off Granny as a waitress came by asking for their orders.
"I'll have the lamb chops please." Honeydew said handing his menu to a very compliant waitress. "And maybe some bacon, a little bit of cheese, a steak, a few porkchops, perhaps a little eggs…"
"Simon." Xephos interrupted.
"Just the bacon." Honeydew said. The waitress laughed.
"And that is your final order?"
"It is!" Xephos said before Honeydew could reply.
"And for you dear?" she asked looking at Martin.
"A steak with sauce thanks." Martin said also passing his menu to the waitress.
"And you?"
"Oh! Um…" Xephos scanned the menu rapidly feeling the eyes of the waitress upon him, which obviously said that she was in a hurry and he was holding her up! "Just some tea thanks." The spaceman said hurriedly, giving the waitress his menu.
"Thank you!" the waitress beamed balancing the menus in one hand, the orders in another as she sped off into the maze of tables to collect more orders from other customers.
"You're only getting tea? The roasted squid is fantastic here you know." Martin said giving the spaceman a slightly puzzled look as to why on earth he wouldn't have immediately chosen roasted squid over all else.
"Roasted…excuse me?" Xephos asked bemusedly.
"Roasted squid mate! It's delicious! Loaded with protein, plenty of vitamin K too…" Martin explained dreamily.
"Uh...I'm not very hungry that's all." Xephos explained cutting across Martin who had now launched into a fantasy about eating Pigs Feet. The spaceman had no desire at all to hear any more about the Bowman's unusual tastes in food.
"Your loss then." Martin shrugged "So what's the plan then heroes?" the Bowman asked leaning onto the table looking curiously at the two.
"Er- what plan?" Honeydew asked conspicuously. Martin sighed, "How are you going to get eight diamonds?
"The Dwarven charm thing right? Negotiate the price down a bit?" Xephos asked.
"Like, to zero?"
"Yeah, yeah I was thinking something like that." Xephos agreed with a smile. "Actually…yeah why don't we ask her now?"
"Now? We haven't even gotten our food yet!" Honeydew whined.
"You had a two course breakfast already!"
"Yeah, it was only two courses!"
"Only two!" Xephos exclaimed. Martin laughed at this,
"You can ask her, see how it works out and then we can eat."
"That works." Honeydew agreed.
"Alright, but we'll come, for moral support you know." Xephos added giving the Dwarf a friendly pat on the back.
"Me as well heroes!" Martin said getting up, kicking his chair out of the way. "You know, to guide you through this mess." The Bowmain explained gesturing to the maze of chairs ahead of them leading up to the bar. It's settled then, I just hope Simon can negotiate that price loads lower than eight diamonds! Xephos thought hopefully as the three approached the bar where Granny was, this time taking an enormous platter of brownies from an enormous furnace.
"Granny!" Martin waved. The old woman whirled around narrowly dropping the brownies before relief filled her eyes upon noticing the bowman.
"Heavens to Betsy Martin! You could have given me a moments warning before shouting out like that dear!" Granny exclaimed setting the brownies safely on a stone platter, giving the Bowman a reproachful look.
"Sorry Granny…" The Bowman murmured. Granny smiled clearly accepting the apology turning towards the two heroes a pleasant smile on her wrinkled face. "Ah, you're back! Well aren't you two dears." Granny said flashing another kindly smile. "What can I do for you?"
"Old woman!" Honeydew growled gently "We require a cheaper price for the golden apple!"
"Ohhh…I'm afraid I couldn't dear…they're so rare." Granny pouted.
"You couldn't go any cheaper? Not even for me?" The Dwarf asked giving Granny a slight, suggestive wink. Oh goodness. Xephos thought fighting hard to suppress a laugh.
"I don't know…" Granny said uncertainly. "Why a big strong Dwarf like yourself, you could have them out in minutes!" the old woman said graciously. "And you're a Skylord to boot! Surely you already have the necessary funds?"
"Well..." Honeydew said scratching his beard thoughtfully "we need the gold apple to save a friend of ours, the magical powers it possesses are the only thing that can save him. As for the funds, my ship crashed recently the Celeno, you may have heard of it m'lady? Everything I had on that ship has tied up all my funds trying to replace them!"
"Oh yes…most un fortunate, good Skylord Naboth told me over breakfast this morning!" Granny said giving Honeydew a pitying look. "But who told you about the apple's magical powers?" the old woman said giving the Dwarf a look of keen interest.
"The wizard Fumblemore." Honeydew replied.
"Oh! Old Walter Fumblemore? Oh we do go far back…" Granny blurted at once "well for you dear I could go to seven! Your cause does seem most grievous…and what an unfortunate crash…" the old woman said sympathetically.
"You're too kind." Honeydew smiled. No, Simon! we…don't…have…seven…diamonds! Xephos thought unhappily. "You couldn't go any lower than seven?"
"I'm afraid not dear." Granny said sadly "They are ever so rare!"
"Ohhh…." Honeydew said "Alright then, seven diamonds it is." Granny smiled cheerfully at the Dwarf's capitulation. "Thank you Granny." The Dwarf said leaning over the bar and pecking the old lady on the cheek.
"No trouble at all dear!" Granny blushed, her cheeks turning a distinctive red hue.
"Yea, um Granny?" Xephos piped up as the Dwarf leaned over again towards Granny in the motion of another kiss. I can't witness that again…Xephos thought mildly barely able to contain his mirth. "Do you know where we might find seven diamonds?" Granny looked towards the spaceman in surprise at the request nearly bumping into the bent over Dwarf as she did so causing them both to cry out in surprise.
"Ohh! I'm all a dither- well now dear, if I could tell you that I'd be putting myself out of business with such information!" Granny said wagging her finger at the spaceman. Xephos' heart sank into his stomach at her statement. Brilliant, where are we going to get all those diamonds? The spaceman thought hopelessly.
Suddenly a little girlish squeal brought the spaceman back to his senses. Honeydew was inhaling a bowl of whipped cream, pausing every short while to give Granny a creamy kiss on the cheek.
"You really shouldn't you naughty boy!" Granny squealed as Honeydew leaned in for another kiss.
"Um…Simon? Simon!" Xephos said loudly, "SIMON!"
"Dwarf!OI!" Martin called putting an arm on the Dwarf's shoulder.
"Ohh-wha? Oh yeah…er hi." Honeydew said awkwardly looking extremely awkward with his arm around Granny, their faces smeared with white cream.
"Here." Martin said grinning as he took out a brown handkerchief from his pocket handing it to the Dwarf.
"Huh?" Honeydew said staring at the handkerchief, in response Martin motioned to the Dwarf's face and made a wiping motion.
"Oh…yeah..right." Honeydew grunted reluctantly letting go of Granny whose face was now completely red. "Um…well thanks for the deal Granny." Honeydew shrugged. Granny just smiled, the cream on her face giving her a ghostly appearance. "No trouble at all dear." She said "Now then…" the old woman bent over and with a final wave disappeared from the bar, the tin of the forgotten brownies in hand.
For several moments after Granny's disappearance there was complete silence, most people in the place were staring at the Dwarf whose face was turning a beet red. Taking his cue from Martin, the Dwarf took the handkerchief to his face wiping the cream from his beard.
"You there!" a voice barked breaking up the silence. It was not a friendly tone of voice Xephos noticed as the spaceman turned looking for its source. The spaceman's heart nearly stopped when he saw who it was. It was the Skylord who had been giving the Dwarf odd looks from before, when they had first entered the shop. He was a tall, balding man with a black mustache and a very angry expression and he was heading right for the Dwarf.
"Simon…" Xephos whispered to the Dwarf as the Skylord drew closer.
"Heroes….Heroes! Dwarf!" Martin whispered urgently to an unresponsive Honeydew. "We've got to get out of here. That's Skylord Jasper, he'll flay you alive!" at the word flay Honeydew seemed to have attained new life.
"H-he w-w-will?" Honeydew asked.
"Yes!" Martin said giving the Dwarf's sleeve a tug "We must leave, now! Through the side exit!"
"A disgrace to the Skylords!" the voice bellowed, heightening the panic the three felt.
"R-right!" Honeydew exclaimed in a scared voice, the Skylord was almost upon them. Suddenly, with speed that Xephos had almost never seen before the Dwarf sped off to the right, the Bowman in the lead. Taking his cue, the spaceman hurried after them as he too could clearly see that nothing good was to come from the infuriated Skylord's mouth.
"This will not be the end! Do not come back here… I will be watching for you!" the Skylord bellowed pointing at the fleeing trio. He's a bit angry isn't he? Xephos thought as the three reached the door and burst out the side exit into the street. The three were panting as they paused briefly to catch their breath from their narrow escape from the infuriated Skylord.
"Who…was that?" Xephos asked panting slightly. Honeydew nodded in agreement, although the Dwarf was currently rendered mute the question was mutual.
"So I guess we're not getting that brunch huh?" Honeydew said sourly.
"Questions later mate… and yeah I guess not." Martin said giving a worried look at the side door as if it might burst open at any moment. "Right now…we've got to merge with the crowd heroes. Where was it you said you needed to go next?" the Bowman asked brushing his long blond hair out of his eyes.
"The Church of the Holy Apple!" Xephos recalled.
"Alright! Follow me heroes!" Martin called as the three set off from Granny's parlor and back onto the crowded streets of Mistral following Martin's navigation of the streets to their second stop, the Church of the Holy Apple. The three had barely been on the streets for twenty minutes before a church bell could be heard ringing in the distance. Suddenly, between the outcrops of two neighboring taverns the white and gray steeple of the church appeared.
"Excellent! That's the bell for the end of midafternoon service heroes, we'd better hurry or we might not catch Father Braeburn!" Martin exclaimed hurrying forwards, taking great care to sidestep two large drunken monks who had just passed by. Small streams of people were leaving the church as the heroes reached the entrance. The three waited several minutes for the remaining worshippers and the altar boys to depart before the reverend himself appeared wearing extremely stylish sunglasses.
Martin grinned at his appearance "Hello Father!" he said brightly.
"Ah! Martin, good to see you my son!" Braeburn greeted the bowman cheerfully. "And welcome back heroes! Come for mass? You're a bit late I'm afraid…perhaps you'd like to taste some of my spare sacramental wine? Braeburn said peeking briefly into the church interior as if to check that it was indeed void of all worshippers.
"Well er- not that actually Father." Xephos explained.
"You have extra sacramental wine-?" Honeydew started but was cut off by Martin.
"The heroes aren't here for mass – although maybe some sacramental wine-" Martin said with a sly smile.
"Yeah – we're back for the Holy Apple Father. We want to make a deal for it." Xephos said as politely as possible although he knew that Braeburn would take any proposal for the bartering of the sacred Apple very seriously.
"Yes…" Braeburn said slowly his eyes narrowing "I've thought a great deal about your proposal heroes for the er… apple. I'll make a deal with you for it but you must give me something of great value in return."
"Like what?" the three asked at once.
"Well heroes, I'm all about the beat. I've thought for some time about it and I have to admit this apple business is getting very old fashioned these days." Braeburn confessed.
"You should start a church of song!" Honeydew suggested. Braeburn's face brightened immediately at the suggestion. "Yes! You understand me completely Dwarf friend!" the reverend exclaimed his face breaking into a wide smile. "You see heroes, that's precisely what I intend to do! You give me a record – a golden record mind, and I will give you this!" Braeburn said with a flourish pulling the gleaming gold apple – which had obviously been recently polished – out of his pocket.
"Any particular preference?" Martin queried.
"Oh yes!" Braeburn exclaimed with another smile "The Presley record of course!"
Where the devil are we going to get that? Xephos thought helplessly.
"Yes I'm all about the beat now!" Father Braeburn said proudly, tucking the Holy Apple back into his priestly robes. "Well forgive me heroes but I'm hearing confessions in a few minutes. Perhaps you have something you want to get off your chest?" Xephos laughed at the offer,
"No thanks Father!"
"Yeah we've got enough to do, getting the record and everything." Honeydew grunted.
"Well, Notch protect you heroes!" Braeburn said with a wave and with that the Reverend turned away and disappeared humming a merry tune on his way.
"Well, that settles it, but where are we going to find a gold record anyway?" Honeydew asked turning to his two companions. Xephos scratched the back of his head thoughtfully hadn't Eli said something about it? No, he didn't that's right…Eli had not told them where to get a record, only that Father Braeburn was a big music fan, a fact they knew already.
"There is one place we might find a Presley record hero." Martin started "From Skylord Jasper, he's an avid music fan."
"Eh? Who?" Honeydew asked tossing The Hymns of Braeburn back onto a nearby pew.
"Skylord Jasper…yeah he's the bloke who chased you out of Granny's place hero." Martin said unhappily.
"T-That's Skylord Jasper?" Honeydew asked, his face aghast.
"Aye hero," Martin said sadly. This quest gets better all the time… Xephos thought with a touch of irony, crossing his arms in a visible expression of his annoyance.
"How are we going to get the record from him?" Xephos asked, after all any possibility of approaching the Skylord had been wasted after the incident with Granny Bacon. Martin's eyes gave a dangerous twinkle at this proposal.
"You'll have to steal it of course." He said simply. Steal it? Xephos thought, drastic times called for drastic measures and the spaceman was prepared to do it if he had to.
"Tonight." Xephos replied "But you'll have to show us the way." Martin nodded "Yea hero," Honeydew looked sick to his stomach at the proposal.
"Alright…. Let's finish this then! We're going to Astley's place right?" the Dwarf said in a slightly high-pitched voice.
"Are you alright Simon?" Xephos asked with a look of mild worry at the Dwarf. Honeydew's voice was at least three octaves too high than it normally was.
"Yeah I'm fine." Xephos and Martin looked at the Dwarf disbelievingly.
"You sure you're alright Dwarf?" Martin asked "I mean if it's the Skylord you're worried about its fine. Do you really think he's going to find us in this crowd?"
"Er- probably not." Honeydew replied scratching his head.
"Well c'mon then heroes, we better get going because the crowd's only going to get worse you know." Martin explained. That was, as it turned out, all it took to get Honeydew moving as the crowd was already quite thick (even the buildings across the street were hard to see through the crowd) and the Dwarf's chances of being found by the angered Skylord were significantly lower in the crowd than anywhere else.
Martin navigated the streets of Mistral skillfully, but by any standard, the trio's progress through the crowds was quite slow. The spaceman was utterly baffled by just how many people there were in the city. Even yesterday, his first day in the city there had not been nearly so many people.
"Hey Martin!" Xephos called out – he had to yell else Martin wouldn't have been able to hear him over the crowds.
"Yea hero?" the Bowman replied glancing back at the spaceman.
"Where are all these people coming from? There's more of them here than yesterday!" the spaceman exclaimed exasperatedly.
"Maybe they're all here for the food?" Honeydew suggested. That might just explain part of it Xephos thought mildly.
Martin laughed "That might just be part of it heroes, you see today is the seventh day of Market Week!"
"Er- I thought it was only Market Day?" Xephos asked confusedly. Martin laughed again "Yea it was, just there's seven." The bowman smiled.
"It's always a holiday…" Honeydew grumbled as he pushed past a tall man in a dark cloak. The man cried out in surprise. "Beware the one who pushes away others in his path!" the man cried suddenly giving the Dwarf a quick haunted gaze, and with that he was gone, muttering something about pigs feet and glowing white eyes.
"What- who was that?" Honeydew asked amusedly.
"He didn't look quite right did he?" the spaceman agreed. There were lots of strange people in the city, not to mention thatweird bloke in the black cloak Xephos thought, recalling his encounter with the short little man who had told the spaceman off the day before.
"There's plenty of…people like that heroes. Apparently they're followers of Herobrine, some kind of minor deity or something." Martin explained, throwing a look of annoyance at the rapidly disappearing black- cloaked figure. Herobrine huh? Xephos thought wonder where we've heard that name before…
"This way heroes!" Martin directed towards a section of rather squat buildings that had all been squashed together with one another. The section had clearly been poorly designed, as if by a drunk architect as the houses had practically been built together with no regard for space or sanitation. It was very clearly as Xephos could tell, the poorer south side of Mistral as the crowd too had changed to a kind of poorer sort. Many of the people were dressed poorly; one woman was dressed in a ragged blouse and was begging on the street corner for food. Xephos was stunned by the sight having never seen such poverty way out in the wilderness where the cave was.
"Simon, d'you see that?" Xephos said to his Dwarven companion, gesturing towards the destitute woman.
"Yeah…" the Dwarf said gazing at a well bosomed woman in a large green and brown dress near the streeet corner. "Simon!" Xephos hissed.
"What? Oh er- her?" Honeydew's face reddened in embarrassment. "What-we should help her mate."
"Martin!" Xephos called to their guide ahead of them "Martin!"
"Hero?" the bowman looked back at him "Something wrong?"
"Yeah did you see her? That woman over there – she looks bad…" Xephos said gesturing to the woman who was now sitting against the wall of a nearby building brushing her filthy hair out of her eyes.
"Yea hero I did. She can't be helped." Martin sighed sadly.
"But-" Honeydew and Xephos protested at once.
"Heroes." Martin said calmly, putting a hand on Xephos' shoulder "I know you both mean to do good. After all you saved Terrorvale from complete destruction! But you've got to understand some things cannot be helped at least not right now. I mean, we can come and help her later, she's always at roughly…the same place every day."
"Haven't you helped her then?" Honeydew asked rashly.
"Yes hero…" Martin said calmly "I bring her food when she doesn't have any. See? There someone gave her some bread." Martin gestured to the woman who was now holding a wam loaf of bread covetously in her thin arms. "Come heroes, there are many more people even worse off than she is." And with that the bowman led the two heroes away, down the crowded street through the throng of poor. Xephos felt sick to his stomach as he passed by the beggars in the street. He looked at Martin from time to time, the Bowman was friendly, kind, and strong but he almost acted as if the beggars were invisible to him. Is this how all the people in Mistral act? Maybe that's how it is in the city… Xephos thought sadly.
"Yea, here we are!" Martin pushed his way through the crowd and stepped onto the cobblestone landing of a squat building covered lightly in black powder.
"Oh thank goodness!" Xephos exclaimed pulling himself away from the throng of people. The body odors had gotten increasingly on the spaceman's nerves. Xephos breathed deeply as he took in the fresh air above the bustling crowd below the landing.
"The Astley Residence." Honeydew read, peering at the sign near the doorway. "Mr. Astley – Certified Gunpowder Vendor."
"Well after you heroes, he's open as far as I know…" Martin mused as the bowman reached for the door handle. "It's open." The bowman smiled as he turned the handle and the door creaked open.
"Mr. Astley? Hello?" Martin called into the interior of the vendor's shop. It was dark and covered with gunpowder, Mr. Astley wasn't there either.
"D'you reckon it's closed?" Xephos asked curiously. "I mean there's no one in there and its all dark…"
"Maybe? Maybe Mr. Astley has night vision so he night looks the same as day to him." Honeydew piped up. Martin laughed at this. "No really!" the Dwarf said defensively "It's true! If you sit in the dark for long enough then you can see in the dark."
Martin and the spaceman laughed at this "Who told you that anyway?" Xephos asked with a smirk.
"Er– my Gran, IT'S A TRUE STORY!" the Dwarf exclaimed crossly at the looks from Martin and the spaceman.
"Alright well, let's see if Astley's in." Xephos suggested repressing a chuckle. The other two companions nodded in agreement and they went – single file (Honeydew was too wide) into the gunpowder store.
"Mr. Astley? Helloooo? Anyone there?" Honeydew called nervously. There was no answer.
"Guess he doesn't get around to house cleaning much does he?" Martin murmured as the bowman brushed his hand on a nearby table. An entire layer of dust coated the Bowman's hand at once, which Martin was now brushing off on his jerkin.
The Astley residence was indeed very dark with light hitting a couple large powder barrels behind a counter from a window near the ceiling. The spaceman couldn't see a thing and neither could anyone else as was apparent from how much they kept bumping into knocked over chairs and other bits of rubble that littered the floor.
"This rubble…it's like a bunch of explosions have taken place here…" Xephos said as he narrowly avoided stubbing his toe on a large chuck of brick near a table leg. Where's the gunpowder? The spaceman thought as he inched carefully over to the barrels. Oh brilliant, I can't see anything! Like on that bridge!
"Martin? Do you have any torches?" Xephos called over to the shape of the bowman.
"Yeah hero. It might be too risky though, all this powder – could be dangerous." Martin surmised. "But I do have a red-stone torch, not nearly as combustible mate."
"Yeah, if we could get some lighting that'd be great." Honeydew grumbled. Seconds passed, and nobody moved as the sound of the Bowman striking the torch was heard and suddenly the room was illuminated in a dim red glow.
"Well nothing's exploded so it works!" Martin smiled, his face emitting a ruddy glow in the red light.
"Brilliant!" Xephos exclaimed as Martin walked carefully over to the spaceman, handing him the torch. Let's see Xephos thought as the spaceman bended over the barrels, gunpowder! This is perfect!
"Oh gods…" Honeydew whispered interrupting the spaceman's train of thought, "Xephos, look!" Xephos turned to where the Dwarf was pointing, near the door. The Dwarf's face had gone completely white; he was in a state of panic. Martin too was rooted to the spot. Holding the torch up into the gloom the source of the panic was clearly revealed. It was a Creeper. So that's where the explosions are coming from...the markings on the floor…this is a Creeper's den!
Suddenly the Creeper opened its mouth and began to speak in a slow snakelike voice, "Good….eeeeveniiiinnngg….ssss..I am….Mr. Asssstleey…."
With almost no thought, Xephos reached for his sword, while Honeydew reached for the axe. As Mr. Astley drew closer the spaceman wasn't sure but it seemed that Astley was getting larger. The spaceman was sure of only one thing though; they needed to get out of there with no time to waste!
Rushing forward Xephos drew his sword and slashed in an arc at the creeper in one fluid motion, taking care to stay at least three paces away from it.
"Sssss!" Astley hissed as he was knocked backwards by the spaceman's blow.
"Watch yourself hero!" Martin called out. Xephos took the Bowman's warning as he dived to the side just barely avoiding Martin's arrow which found its mark squarely in Astley's greenish flesh. The creeper let out a horrible hissing sound at the attack. However, instead of slowing the Creeper down Astley seemed to get even angrier and larger as Xephos noticed the seemingly increasing size of the Creeper.
"He's gonna blow!" Honeydew cried as the Creeper rushed forwards to the trio, growing larger every second.
"Watch out heroes!" Martin bellowed as the bowman shot another arrow at Astley before diving under a nearby table. Xephos took the bowman's cue as he too jumped to the side over a pile of nearby rubble, out of Astley's path. Xephos got out of the way just in time as a loud explosion threw him against the wall and the world went dark.
A/N: Is Xephos okay? And what happened to Peculier at the beginning? Is it a mad vision from the taint or is it something real? Wait until Chapter 8 to find out!
