My chapter titles get less and less creative :)
Alternate title- Second chances, for reasons you shall see

Mia will be coming in very, very soon. I can't wait to add her :D
Also, Roxanne is rather useless when it comes to running.

Roxanne's father Lane is not the same Lane from High Seas. They are two separate people.

" Amethyst! Get up! Get up! "
The princess' eyes fluttered tiredly. Marrion whined softly at her chest. She winced at the light, and closed them again, trying to ignore the weight on top of her. However, they just got more insistent.
" Amethyst, you have to get up! Now! " Roxy cried, shaking her shoulders harder. Her eyes opened again with a growl. " Roxanne, Marrion and I are trying to sleep! What I- "
She froze. Zayliee was barking, something she had somehow managed to sleep through. It was loud, and sounding urgent. She never did it the way she did unless there was danger.
Something was not right in the air.
It hit her suddenly, like a harsh blow to the throat that left you gasping and breathless, or the shock of a good event turned sour.
Dear Notch no.
The upper inn room was filled with smoke. It filled her lungs and nose, making the air hard to breathe. She pulled Marrion closer, trying to lessen the smoke that may reach the toddler. For most, it would leave them down, coughing, unable to breathe. For her, having grown up in the Nether, where smoke was common, and having it as her natural element, it had no effect. But for Roxy, Marrion, and, possibly, Zayliee, it could prove fatal.
She felt the heat before she saw the flames. They crawled up the inn, just outside the window. The building creaked, on the verge of toppling. She jolted up, throwing Roxy to the end of the bed. Marrion whined again. Amethyst threw her legs over the side of the bed, narrowly avoiding hitting Zayliee. The wolf stared up at her, white fur turning grey with ash. She got to her feet, clicking her tongue for her pet to fall in beside her.
Roxy struggled to get on her feet. Amethyst quickly pulled her up, pressing her walking stick into her hands. She coughed violently, shoulders shaking. Amethyst led her over to the stairwell, which was covered up with flames. The younger brunette's eyes widened. She reached out to step onto the stairs, trying to get down before they lost their only escape.
Beneath her foot, they collapsed.
She shrieked. Amethyst hooked an arm around her skinny waist, pulling her back and to her side, opposite Marrion. She looked at the stairs, then moved her eyes to Zayliee. She did not look scared, as Roxy did, or even worried, like Amethyst. She simply stared back at her master, tail swishing. Her yellow eyes, reflecting in the flames, met her's.
I hope I am doing the correct thing, Zayliee.
Amethyst sighed. " Step back. "
" Wh-why? " Roxy stammered. Her terror shone in the blue pools that were her eyes.
" You'll see. Just get back. " She pressed Marrion into Roxy's arms. The younger woman stepped back away from Amethyst, watching her. She took a deep breath,
The demigoddess raised her hands, eyes narrowing. The flames surrounding the stairwell flickered, and starting shrinking. The stairs lifted up, the broken shards mending back together. They seemed to reform, coming to rest in their original position.
" What are you doing? Roxy asked.
" Telekinesis. Or, a form of it. Powers I inherited from my father, though they are weak still. " She strained to hold them up, limbs trembling. Beads of sweat started forming on her forehead. " Go, now! Find Drake and Grayson. " she frowned. " Where have they even gone? "
" They're helping people. " Roxy managed to get out as she limped past her. Zayliee cast one look towards Amethyst before running after them, her duty being to protect Marrion.
Amethyst watched them leave, before lowering her hands. She took a few moments to breathe. The stairs fell back down. She could not try and raise them again anytime soon. Her energy was too the building was going to collapse. She had to get another way out.
She turned away from the stairs, moving back to her bed. Leaning against the front was her worn leather bag, covered in soot. She knelt down, brushing off the grey coating. She frowned as it blacked her fingers and sleeve. She hauled a strap over her shoulder, wincing slightly. She had forgotten how heavy it could be. Having still-sore shoulders from the attack on her home did not help.
Amethyst grabbed for the blade leaning close to it. It gleamed a faint orange when she picked it up. Relishing in the comfort of wielding Firesoul once again. She sighed. Whispering softly to the sword, she rose to her feet, not watching the transformation of the blade.
The diamond blade bled into a deep purple color; obsidian. The handle faded to a gleaming, smooth white quartz. The center of the handle hollowed out, and filled with lava. Jewels lined the top of the handle, another larger gem forming in the center of the upper part. She gave it a small spin in her hands, before slipping it into its sheath on her bag.
She made her was quickly back to the stairwell. After looking around a few moments, she realized this was her only way out. The windows were covered by flames, and too dangerous to jump out of, and this was the only set of stairs.
She would have to trust her instincts. She pulled the other strap over her shoulder. Amethyst took a few deep breaths, grimacing at the ash and smoke that came with it. She was glad the potentially fatal air could filter through her lungs and leave her unharmed.
Lining herself up with the stairwell, she exhaled. Amethyst back up a few steps, then ousted herself forward, breaking into a sprint. Her muscles screamed their exhaustion. Her feet left the wooden floor. She closed her eyes. She had done this before. She could do it again.
She was falling. Please, please, do not let me fail...she pleaded in her mind. Please...
Air rushed up around her, showing she was still falling. The ground, she knew, was close. She took a sharp breath. It was not going to work.
She felt the sudden change. The rush became a soft breeze, and the falling sensation became a feeling barely there. She cracked open one eye. She was floating, gently moving towards the ground. The demigoddess' eyes widened. She had done it!
Amethyst let out a sigh of relief, but quickly felt her remaining energy draining away. Her feet met the ashy floor once more. She instantly doubled over, gasping. Her arms and legs shook with exhaustion, making standing a difficulty.
She managed to push herself back up after a few heartbeats. She took a few slow breaths, walking cautiously in case she fell. The floor above her creaked, showing it would not hold up much longer. She looked up at it, worry in her eyes, before rushing as quickly as she could out of the inn.
Her eyes widened at the destruction of the Red Keep. It was in ruins. Flames blazed on all sides of her. The building around her had fallen to pieces. Walls crumbled and collapsed in on themselves, the stone roofs fallen in and in pieces. The wood still gleamed from the flames, burning away to ash. The sidewalks were littered with smoldering planks and shards of glass from the shattered windows. It was almost unrecognizable from what it had been when they had arrived.
The inn groaned, and she jumped, moving away from it. She watched as the top floor fell in, breaking through the top of the ground level. Large clouds of soot rose up with it, and the flames leaped higher into the sky. Her eyes stared at it in shock. They could have been stuck in there. They could have went down with that. They could have died.
She shakily moved away. Her gaze lifted towards the sky.. She needed to find the others, but first...she wanted to know where the man behind it all was at.
It did not take long to spot him. He was floating in the air, continuing to keep the fires roaring. He looked worse than the last time she had send him, more battered and messy. He was a good distance away from her, so she doubted she would be in much danger, for now, but it did little to soothe her. As long as he remained around, no one was safe, not even the woman who was his daughter.
Amethyst started down the gravel walkways. " Roxanne? " She called. There was no reply. Strange, she thought. With her foot, she could not have gotten far...
" Drake? Grayson? " Nothing. " Zayliee? " Again, no answer. There was no footsteps, no shouts to answer her calls. She began to get a tad worried. For all she knew, they could be trapped beneath a fallen building, crushed to death. They could only be corpses now, nothing left of them.
Her eyes widened at the thought, and she shook her head. No. She would not think about that. She would not think about them potentially having been killed. She refused to.
She moved her gaze around the buildings around her. She paused at a faint noise. " Hello? " She called. There was a pause, then the noise came again. She quickly sped up, running towards the source.
Amethyst came to a stop outside one of the destroyed shops. She stepped closer, looking around, and her eyes widened at what she saw. Trapped beneath one of the fallen walls was one of the paganum that lived in the Red Keep. She gasped quietly, momentarily startled by it, then sprinted over.
Halfway to them, they began to make what sounded like panicked cries. She stopped moving. She stared at them a few moments, before the realization hit her. It was her eyes. They were frightened of her eyes.
She reached up, and tugged her hood down, along with adjusting her bangs, to hide the gleaming eyes. She raised her hands, showing peace. The cries quieted down. She walked closer to them, waiting for any more noises. No more came.
The demigoddess knelt next to the wall, looking for a way to lift it up. She felt along the bottom, frowning when she saw it pressed into the ground where she knelt. She shuffled along, feeling at the edges for where she could hook her fingers under.
She eventually found a a lot where she could just barely wedge her fingers under. She lowered her other hand, and slid them both underneath the wall as best she could. It refused to budge, and she killed her hands away with a hiss, looking at the red marks lining them now.
She tried again, moving down a little farther and trying to push her fingers father. She strained, pulling up on the wall, groaning as she managed to slightly lift it up. She pushed it higher, arms shaking violently. She managed to move herself around so she could put both palms flat on the wall, and use her back to help push it.
The paganum scrambled to get up. She noticed they did not seem to have very many visible injuries, surprisingly. They quickly made a move to get away from the wreckage, not looking back to Amethyst.
She whined and quickly moved away from the wall, letting it fall back to the ground. Ash and small sparks exploded around her, and she pulled her cloak out of the way. She turned to watch the paganum leave. She hoped they were the only one trapped...she did not think she would have the strength to try again.
Still playing hero, Amethyst?
The brunette's eyes shot wide. She looked around wildly. There was no one else around no, especially not him. No way for him to be speaking to her. His voice seemed to echo, coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. It rang clear, as if he stood right next to her, but she was alone.
Are you forgetting, Amethyst? I'm a god. This is easy.
Her eyes narrowed. She had forgotten his ability to see into her head, something that was still new to her. Damn him. " What do you want, Father? " she hissed.
Does there have to be a reason for me to want to speak to my child?
" Yes. "
Herobrine tsked. What a shame you think that, child. You look lonely. I'm just trying to give you some company.
Her anger flared. " You are attacking innocent people! You are killing people who never did anything to you! Destroying their homes, destroying their lives, destroying everything! Yet you have the nerve to try and strike up a friendly, casual conversation with me? You disgust me! "
Temper, Amethyst. Calm yourself. Alister would not approve of this behavior, now would he? Act like he would want you to. I would have for anything to get worse, now...
" How dare you threaten lives over your own silly little grudge against Uncle! And how dare you bring Alister into this! "
You think I wanted this? I never did! But someone has to pay the price for what your uncle did to me!
" So you take it out on innocents? Mortals who never did anything to you, who you simply kill for existing? Is that it? "
It's far more complicated than that, child.
" How complicated? If you can act on it, you can explain it! "
Sorry, Amethyst, but there's no time for me to explain.
" What do you mean? "
A voice rose up. " Amethyst! "
Amethyst suddenly felt herself getting dizzy. Her vision blurred. Her limbs felt heavy all of a sudden. She staggered on her feet, raising a shaking hand to her head. Her legs felt like they would break under her at any moment,
The shout came again. " Amethyst! "
I'm sorry, little Jewel.
I love you.
She toppled forward. Solid arms wrapped around her, stopping her from falling to the gravel path below. She was pulled back to someone's chest, then her vision went black.

Amethyst...a voice called softly.
Amethyst, wake up.
Amethyst.
Amethyst!
Wake up!
Amethyst's eyes flickered open. She moaned softly, letting then fall closed again. She felt herself moving. Her arms were draped over something, or someone. She felt the person carrying her pause.
" Really? She chooses now to wake up? " Came a fuzzy-sounding complaint. She recognized the voice. Roxanne...?
Her feet hit the ground, and she was gently sat down. Her eyes opened once more, and they met Grayson's green ones. " Amethyst? Are you with us? " He asked. She blinked a few times, staring at him. " ...What happened? " she murmured. Were they not just at the Red Keep, fighting her father? Where were they?
Father. The events that she had last experienced played over in her mind. What had he meant, more complicated? How complicated could it possibly be? Why had he chosen then to talk to her?
She jumped slightly as new weights hit her, but smiled when she felt a tongue on her cheek. Zayliee. She raised a hand and weakly rubbed the wolf between the ears. At her other side, Marrion clung tightly to her. She hooked her free arm around the young girl, pulling her up into her lap. She noticed something new hung around her neck, but she couldn't quite make it out then.
" We aren't sure, " Drake said. She looked up to the ended hybrid. She noticed his clothes looked slightly burned, and ashy. In fact, all of them looked to not be in good shape. She frowned. The man continued. " Roxy came to meet up with us, with Marrion and Zayliee, but you weren't with them...she told us you'd stayed behind, to help them get out. Grayson went off looking for you, with Zayliee...he found you yelling at, well, nothing. You suddenly passed out, and he caught you. He carried you out of the city. "
She frowned as she looked around. They were on a bridge, that looked slightly broken down. Scattered around it were the bodies of a horde of zombies, wearing a small amount of armor. She frowned again. " I see...you have been busy... " She muttered.
" Yeah. We have been. " Drake looked back towards the corpses.
" Why'd you choose now to wake up? " Roxy spoke up. Amethyst looked at her.
" I..I do not know...I just...heard someone shouting at me to wake up, and... " She closed her eyes, trying to remember. Grayson knelt next to her. " Don't push yourself to remember, Amethyst. You don't need to remember. "
Amethyst looked up at them. " This...does not look like anything near the red keep. " She frowned. " Where...are we? "
Drake shrugged. " We...don't know. "
" How...how long has it been? "
Grayson, Roxy, and Drake shared a look. " Amethyst... " Roxy began. " You...you've been unconscious for about two weeks. "
Her eyes widened. Two weeks?
" Look, we don't have time to talk over long she's been unconscious for. " Grayson said. He looked at Amethyst. " Can you stand? "
She nodded, and started pushing herself up. Zayliee nudged her, supporting her as she shakily rose back to her feet. She adjusted Marrion on her hip. " Why so urgent, Grayson? " She asked.
" The mercenaries can't be far behind us. The Emperor wouldn't let them stay at home very long, not with the chance of our trail running cold. We can't stay in one spot too long. We risk the dogs catching up. "
" They have dogs? " Roxy asked. He nodded.
" Not even really dogs anymore...they're bred and raised to hunt, and to hurt. They don't know what care, or love is. All they know is how to track down the targets that are just destined to die. "
Amethyst frowned, and looked down to Zayliee, sitting obediently by her side. She could not imagine any creature being treated like she could imagine the Empire wolves were. They needed respect, love, and patience, not harshness, cruel treatment. Zayliee looked back up at her, tail swishing. She smiled. " Yes. Let us get moving. " I do not want them around my wolf.
" Just what I was thinking, " Roxy said. " I don't want to be caught out if they do catch up. "
Grayson nodded. " Let's get across, then. Mind the bodies, though. "
" What did you even do? " Amethyst questioned.
" They came out of nowhere. We had to kill them all right as you woke up. "
" Thanks for that, " Roxy put in. " Waking up right after we didn't need you anymore. "
Marrion giggled. Amethyst huffed, rolling her eyes. " Come on, you two, " Grayson told them. He had already started walking ahead of them with Drake. " Let's get going. "
Both women glanced at one, before chuckling and following after them.
" So, Roxy... " Grayson began. They had been walking for a short while, leaving the bridge and zombies behind above them. Up until now, they had all been quiet. The blonde had been the first to break the silence. " Tell us more about you, we hardly know anything still. "
Roxy chuckled at the question. " Oh, where do I even begin... "
" Tell us more about your family. " Amethyst said.
Roxy tensed slightly, then nodded. " Well, I was born and raised in Lanercoast, a village quite a few miles from the Empire, if that gives you an idea of how far I've come. It was my mom, Eloise, my dad, Titan, thou he preferred his idle name, Lane, and my sister, Sage. "
A small, fond smile formed on her face. " She was the one who carved my staff for me... " she murmured, running her fingers over the designs.
Roxy then sighed." Then, there...was also my... " She swallowed hard. " My fiancé, Hogan. He...he got killed in the attack."
Amethyst's face fell at the words. " Oh, Roxanne... " she whispered, placing one of her calloused hands on the younger's shoulder, hoping to give her what little support she could. She knew what it was like to lose someone you loved, and it was not easy. Then again, one of the men she loved had done this to the poor girl.
The thought hit her again as she wondered how she could even stand to be around her. She was part of the people who had destroyed her entire life.
The brunette continued talking, as if Amethyst had not even moved. " It's...been a long time, but... " She exhaled again. " I can't help but miss him, y'know? I'm fine with moving in, finding someone else now...but half the reason I've fought this long is because of him. I'm trying to make sure his death wasn't meaningless.
" That I can remember him as someone I'm fighting for. Him and my parents. " She went silent again. Marrion looked up at her, blue-gold eyes wide. " You loved them? "
Roxy gave a weak snort, and ruffled the child's hair. " Yeah. I did, kiddo. "
Marrion looked away. " I don't have a daddy, " she said. " But it's okay. Mama says he loves me! " Though it showed in her voice, the little girl did not seem too certain about it.
" And he does, " Drake was quick to assure her, looking over his shoulder. " He loves you very, very much, Marrion. You will meet him one day. We'll make sure of that. "
Marrion moved her gaze to Amethyst. " Mama...where did Daddy go? "
Amethyst gave her a half-smile. She did not want to talk about the man she loved, but it was only fair to her daughter to know a little. " Well, Marrion, your father...before you were born, had to make a decision, to keep us all safe...I was not there for it, but...he chose to put a stop to a very, very bad evil. He did it so Zayliee, and Drake, and Grayson, and myself, and so many others would be okay. He did it so you, " she kissed to nuzzle her daughter's hair, " would be okay. He loves you, and is watching over you, until he can come back to us. "
Marrion frowned. " But I wanna meet him now, Mama! "
" I know you do, Sapphire, and he wants to meet you as well. But you have to be patient. "
" Mama...what's patient mean? "
" Waiting, beloved. "
Marrion whined. " But I hate waiting! "
The older Minecraftians laughed. Amethyst gently kissed her daughter's forehead. " I know you do. But you must, alright? "
She sighed. " Okay, Mama... " The little girl started kicking her legs, asking to be put down. Amethyst set her next to Zayliee, who bumped her nose to Marrion's cheek. She giggled, and patted Zayliee's head, a little harder than nessesary. Amethyst frowned. " Be gentle with her, Marrion. " She scolded.
Zayliee looked up at Amethyst with a look in her eyes that seemed to speak her disbelief. Drake voiced it for her. " If the old girl has handled, what, four attacks from Him, one major attack with your home army, and however long she had been out on her own before you found her, I think she can handle a four year old. "
Amethyst simply snorted. None of them had brought up any more mention of Roxy's family, or anything of her past, knowing it would be bad for her. Amethyst could only guess that Marrion's interruption had been something she had desperately needed, to escape the memories bound to come back to hit her.
She noticed Zayliee's demeanor had changed. She had started sniffing the air more, lips occasionally curling back into a snarl, soft growls rising in her throat. Her eyes were narrowed, only small yellow slits. She watched the beat worriedly. She only got like this if something dangerous was around. She gently patted the wolf's head, shushing her as she growled once more. " Zayliee, what is wrong? " She tried to soothe her companion with her petting, but she did not even respond to it.
Another growl left Zayliee, louder than the previous one. It caught the attention of the others, who watched her worriedly. Amethyst motioned for Grayson to pick up Marrion, who squeaked when she was suddenly swept off her feet. Zayliee came to a halt, nostrils flared and head raised towards the sky. Amethyst stopped next to her, and waved her hand. " Back away from her. "
She turned her attention to the wolf, gently cuffing her ears.
" Zayliee. Stop. We have to keep moving. "
Zayliee gave no sign she had heard the demigoddess. Amethyst frowned, and snapped her fingers in front of her face. Zayliee twisted to face her, snarling. Her eyes were wild, not showing restraint. Just animalistic instinct.
Amethyst stepped back, then her eyes narrowed. She quickly struck Zayliee again, making her lower her head.
" Zayliee! " She ordered. " Calm down. Now! "
Zayliee stayed put for a few moments, before looking up to her master again. She was no longer growling. Amethyst sighed, and gently ran her fingers through her long white and black fur. " I am sorry, darling... " she murmurred, kneeling next to her. Zayliee leaned forward, and bumped her nose to Amethyst's, before moving closer and licking her cheek. Amethyst smiled and briefly hugged the wolf's neck.
" Amethyst...what did she just do? " Roxy asked, eyes wide.
" I...am not sure. She has only ever did that when we went into the forest back at Skyrise...I see no reason for her wild side to have shown. Especially after so long... "
" What are times it would show up? " Grayson questioned.
" Occasionally when in close proximity to other packs, she would start reacting similar, as she never had a liking for other wolves. But...I have not seen any other wolves... "
She flinched as something cold landed on her nose. She looked up, and promptly got struck in the eye with a similar cold droplet. She hissed. " Rain. "
Drake frowned, yelping as the water hit his own skin. He looked at the others, trying not to show his discomfort. " Anyone else getting bad vibes? First the zombies attack, next Zayliee panics, now it's raining... "
" We...should probably keep moving. " Grayson spoke, sounding uncertain. " Don't know what could be waiting around, and standing out in the open isn't a very smart plan. "
Amethyst nodded, and rose back to her feet. Zayliee fell into step next to her, still cautiously sniffing the air every few moments. She felt someone still watching them, and saw Roxy was staring at them. She met her gaze, and the younger looked away awkwardly. Amethyst frowned, but did not say anything.
The rain increased.
They made it to the edge of the hill they were on. Drake stared down at the water below and grimaced. Grayson was already working his way down. Marrion was clutched closer to him as he cautiously stepped from one edge to the next, trying not to stare too much at the drop. Roxy looked over to Drake. " I- " she cut off. " There's no way I'm getting across that river. Let alone climb down to begin with. "
" Don't worry. " He placed a hand on her shoulder. " I'll carry you down, okay? We can do this together. " He looked to Amethyst.
" You can get Zayliee down fine yourself, can't you? "
She nodded. " She is not as heavy as she looks. At least, not for me. "
He turned away from her again, and knelt down slightly. Roxy pulled herself onto his back. He stood back up, grabbing onto one of her legs with one hand, and started down the side of the hill. Amethyst could tell he was uncomfortable with the height, and the water below. As if a reminder of what she would soon be feeling, a raindrop landed on her nose, stinging her skin. She hissed.
She followed after them. The demigoddess clutched close to the wall, feeling the ground below her starting to get slick, and muddy. She stepped to the side as best she could, and started easing Zayliee down next to her. The wolf's paws scrabbled on the ground, whining as her paws started to sink.
They continued working their way down. She saw Grayson already swimming across to the other side, while Drake tried to find a way to get both him and Roxy in without accidentally dunking her.
She yelled as mud splashed over her cloak, and looked down to see Zayliee and leaped down beside her, sending mud flying. The beat snarled softly at the brown on her fur, and shook herself, sending more in Amethyst's direction. She shrieked, shielding her face. " Zayliee! Not now. "
There was a splash below, and she saw Drake and Roxy were in the water. She could hear Drake complaining, and Roxy putting in her own quips at the man's expense. She rolled her eyes. She sometimes wondered if they would soon have another Armen and her amongst them. Her expression soured. No. No one deserved what she and Armen had suffered through together. Especially not Drake and Roxy, who had both suffered so much already in their short lives.
She lowered herself down to the grass next to the river. She looked at Zayliee. " Can you swim across in your own, girl? " Zayliee whined in reply, nosing at the bottom of her cloak. She sighed softly and nodded. " Then let us get this over with. "
The white wolf leaped in almost instantly. Amethyst jumped back, shielding herself from the large spray that came with it. She lowered her arms after a moment, and watched as Zayliee started swimming across. She took a few deep breaths. She would have to go in eventually. They needed to keep moving, and her issues with water could not slow them down.
She reached down to the golden clasps holding her cloak together. She unhooked them, letting the cloak fall free around her. She slipped it off, and tied the sleeves around her waist. She shivered at the cool air. Amethyst stepped close to the water, watching it swirl and move away from her, carrying bits from upstream with it. With one last shaky breath, she lowered herself down into the river.
She bit her tongue hard as the burn set in. It spread across her skin, sending waves of agony through her. She continued moving into the water, and could not hold back a gasp as her legs were fully submerged.
" Amethyst! " Grayson yelled. " Are you alright? "
" I-I am fine! " She yelled. " Just...give me a moment! " She got the rest of her body into the water, and, though her body screamed in pain, she started swimming across. Was this what it felt like to be burned? What did water feel like to her mortal friends? Why did it hurt so badly? All those questions went through her mind as she swam. She gagged and started coughing violently as water splashed up, getting in her mouth and down her throat. She felt sick, like she was on the verge of vomiting.
Once she got close to the other side, Grayson stretched a hand out to her. She reached up and took it. With the help of Drake, he pulled her out of the water. She collapsed onto the ground, coughing. Roxy knelt next to her and rubbed her back. Marrion watched her worriedly. " Mama? "
Amethyst tried to sit up, then shivered, going back down. " G-give me a moment... " she whispered.
" Amethyst, what's wrong? " Roxy asked fearfully.
" Nether begins...are pained by water, " she stopped to cough. " We...cannot have prolonged exposure to it...even I, as a half mortal, suffer from it...I simply need...to let...let the nausea and burning pass. "
Zayliee padded over, and laid next to Amethyst, nudging her cheek with her nose. Amethyst looked in at the wolf, and let a small smile grace her face. She turned away, and started coughing again. She stayed that way for a few minutes longer, until she was able to shakily pull herself back onto her feet.
Grayson passed Marrion back over to her. She instantly reached out to grab onto her mother, whining at the chill. She gave the young child a weak smile, and pulled to her chest. " Once this rain lets up, " she whispered to her, " I will have a fire to start for us, alright? Then you will not be cold anymore. " Marrion nodded, and pressed closed to her. Amethyst ran her fingers through her hair. She hoped the could would not make anyone sick. She doubted she had enough potions lot to handle sickness, and Grayson did not have too many, either. They needed them for facing off against Herobrine, not for dealing with illness.
The small group turned towards the path, and started down, towards the woods once more. None of them noticed the man waiting at the start of the trees for them. But they did notice one thing. The wolves.
Zayliee suddenly jerked back away from them, letting loose a bloodcurdling howl as she took off towards the trees.
" Zayliee! " Amethyst shouted, making to run after her.
She froze when she saw the white wolf lunged towards another shape, this one grey, and larger. The two locked into a wrestling match, rolling around in the. Following the first were three more wolves, all grey, and all with a glint in their eyes. Before they could land on Zayliee, she wriggled her way away from the lead wolf, and too, off farther into the forest, away from the Minecraftians.
Zayliee was right, Amethyst thought. There were wolves around. She had tried to warn us, and we did not listen. She froze. But, then that means...
Drake grunted as an arrow came out of seemingly nowhere, striking him in the leg. He stumbled back, towards the hills behind him. Grayson turned in the direction the arrow came from. His eyes narrowed when he saw the suit of armor, accented with amethyst gemstones, and familiar wild, violet hair.
Amethyst, having not noticed the man yet, was too focused on Zayliee, or who still had pain blurring her vision, jerked around to follow their gazes. She pushed Marrion to Roxy, and made a motion for them to back up. She tried to ignite her hands, but it only formed a small flame, then sputtered out. Her eyes widened. Oh, dear Notch, I do not have time for this...
" Grayson, look out! " Drake shouted. Grayson jumped back as a man dropped down, and rushed towards him. His bow was gone, and had been replaced by a sword. Amethyst raised her hand back to her own blade, pulling it out. It glimmered and transformed in her grasp. Roxy watched it with wide eyes. " Whoa... " She whispered, staring at the new blade.
Amethyst ignore her. She had other things to worry over. She rushed towards them, jumping between Grayson and the mercenary just as he was about to bring his sword down on the blonde. She brought her own blade up. It met his with a loud clang.
The demigoddess strained to hold it against the man. She was a trained sword fighter, with incredible strength, but none of that mattered when she was so drained from the water. The man pushed back, managing to start moving Amethyst backwards. She groaned, pressing forward. Her eyes opened. She never realized she had closed them.
They met a pair of orange and blue ones. She gasped softly. Her grip loosened, and the mercenary shoved her hard. She toppled backwards, landing on the ground. He stared down at her, looking worried for her, but trying his hardest to hide it. He raised his sword.
" Leave her alone! " Grayson shouted as lunged at him, striking him hard in the face with his elbow, then hitting him in the stomach with the hilt of his sword.
He grunted as he was struck, stumbling back and away from the duo. Grayson snarled, " You two-faced traitor, first you kill my wife, now you're trying to kill my friends...! " Before rushing him once more.
The two locked into a battle again, Amethyst too frozen to keep fighting, or to get up. She barely registered it when Luke managed to shove Grayson back into the river. She barely felt the pain the rain inflicted on her. Never heard the loud howls rising from the wolves. All she could think of right then and there was the fact that she was fighting someone she loved, someone she cared about.
Someone who was trying to kill them.
She leg out a startled gasp as she was thrown backwards. Her body hit the ground again, rolling across it, but thankfully not falling into the water. She pushed herself shakily up into a kneeling position, just in time to see the man rise into the air, then be sent flying in the opposite direction to them. Her eyes widened once more. " Luke! " she cried.
She staggered to her feet. She did not even take time to see where the others were. She rushed towards where the mercenary had went, eyes wide. " Amethyst! " Drake shouted after her. She ignored him, as she had Roxy. She had to find Luke.
She quickly leaped up the hill Luke had disappeared behind. Rushing down it, she quickly spotted where Luke had fallen. She made her way over, looking concerned.
He, thankfully, was not awake, and was still breathing. She noticed his leg looked strange beneath his boot, so she slipped it off to check. His left ankle was bent awkwardly, and looked swollen. She flashed back to the Arctic rig, when she had fallen and broken her own ankle. She winced, feeling pity for her friend. It was an awful pain, and would make it impossible for him to get away unless his fellow mercenaries came after him.
She checked over the rest of his body. Nothing else seemed broken, but he was bruised. His hair was turning a faint crimson color, along with his hat. She sat him up, and gently pulled off the penguin hat. Amethyst felt around his head, until her hand came back wet. She cringed and wiped the blood off on the grass.
The injury did not look too bad, but she did not want to take any chances, especially with how much it seemed to be slid her bag off her shoulders, and unlatched it. She felt around inside, and pulled out a small amount of bandages. She unraveled them, and started wrapping them around his forehead.
" Amethyst, what are you doing? "
She jerked up and looked behind her, at Grayson walking up. She glared.
" Helping a man, " she snapped.
" He doesn't deserve help. "
" Everyone deserves help! " She suddenly shouted. His eyes narrowed, but he did not fight her on it. She turned back to the mercenary, tying the ends of the bandage together. She stared down at him, eyes sad. Amethyst turned away, and reached back into her bag. She pulled out a small folded slip of paper. She had write it, back at the inn, just in case she ever met the man again. Now seemed like a good time to leave it with him. She slipped the note in one of the small pouches on his belt. Hopefully he would see it.
She rose back to her feet, sliding her bag back onto her shoulders. She turned to look at Grayson. " The others? "
" Back waiting for us. Come on. "
They started back to the group. When they got back, she saw Roxy heliport Drake limo over towards the shelter of a tree. Amethyst frowned, and moved over to them. " Is he alright? "
" He will, once he gets healing. " Roxy assured her. She nodded. The brunette made to reach for her daughter.
" Hopefully, we can do that s- "
A loud, agonized howl rang through the forest. Amethyst felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise at the noise. Her blood ran cold, and her limbs froze. No.
" Zayliee! " She shrieked, instantly spinning on her heels and sprinting in the direction her wolf has went off to. Another loud cry came, sounding weaker than before.
She heard Grayson in the distance, yelling at the others, " Dammit! She needs to stop running off! Amethyst! "
" Hold on, Zayliee! " She yelled, blocking out the blonde. Tears started blurring her vision. This was her closest friend, her longtime companion. She would not let these wolves take her Zayliee from her.
She burst from the trees, and felt her entire body freeze at the sight before her. Zayliee was sprawled out on her back, snarling weakly, then whining, as she was overpowered again and again by the outnumbering, bloodthirsty Empire wolves. Blood covered the once green clearing, staining the plants and running away with the water. Zayliee's once white fur was now turned pink from the massive wounds her body had received. Amethyst felt her blood boil as one of the Empire wolves curled their lips back, aiming a bite straight for an uninjured area of Zayliee's chest.
Amethyst shrieked, and ran forward, blade clutched so tightly in her fingers she thought she would break the handle. The wolves looked up at her, and ,apes back, growling and barking. They formed a small circle around her and Zayliee. Amethyst watched them, anger rising with ever passing moment, then she shrieked again. A large circle of fire erupted around her, blocking the wolves out.
They gave cries of terror, stumbling and backing away from the sudden fire, seemingly untouched by the rain. She raised the fire higher. They quickly rushed out and away from them, tails between their legs. She let out an angry huff of air. The fire died around her, sending them back into the darkness of the night.
She took a few deep breaths, then her eyes widened. Zayliee. She turned around and rushed over to the beast's side. Zayliee looked up at her and whined softly, giving her tail a weak thump. Amethyst gently patted her head, smoothing down the wet fur. Her hand came away red. She swallowed down a choked sob. For the second time that night, she dropped her bag, and started searching.
She pulled out a half-empty bottle of healing potion. She lightly tapped on the wolf's muzzle, telling her to open it. She did so, though it obviously pained her. Amethyst uncorked it, and poured what was left into her mouth. She tried not to look at the wounds left behind. They would scar. She knew they would. She could see them them.
She began looking through her items for more gauze. After some time, she managed to find some. She started covering the worst of her injuries, wiping away what blood she could. She ignored the others as they came up. She needed to help Zayliee. She was her top priority.
" Mama? "
Amethyst turned to look at her daughter. " Yes, Marrion? "
" Is Zay gonna be okay? "
She paused. I-I do not know, Sapphire. " She looked back to Roxy. " Let her walk. Yiummay need to help Grayson with Drake. "
She turned back to her wolf, and, whispering apologies, hooked her arms under her legs, and started lifting her up. Zayliee whined, and she flinched. She managed to lift her up and over her shoulders, resting her on top of them. She turned to look at her friends. " We need to get moving. Before the rest of the mercenaries show. "
Grayson nodded. " We'll keep following the path, see where it takes us. We're bound to find a cave, or...or something before long. "
Amethyst did not respond, just turned away and started walking. Marrion ran over to her mother's side, leaving the others to follow behind.
As they made their way along, she heard hooves in the distance. She knew Luke would be found, and helped.
She only hoped he would discover her note, before anything could get worse between them.
After a long walk through the pouring rain, they had finally made a discovery. An old, broken down home tucked away in the trees and undergrowth. There were chunks missing in the wall, and a section of the roof by the entrance way was missing. Vines hung around, tangling in the wood and broke areas. But it would have to do. It was the best they could find for a temporary shelter.

A small fire warmed the room. They were sat around it, eating. Amethyst was gently petting Zayliee between the ears. She was asleep next to her, with fresh bandages wrapped around the slowly healing wounds. An abandoned potion bottle sat next to Drake, who's own leg was wrapped up in white.
Marrion sat in her mother's lap, eating away obliviously. Roxy rested next to Drake, fussing over him. He was trying to convince her he was okay, but she would not listen. Grayson was beside Amethyst, staring absentmindedly into the fire. He looked more distant than usual. Amethyst glanced at him. She knew he was not the same as he had been prior to his wife and son's death, but she had never seen him like this. She wondered how long it had been since he had actually spoken to Luke, let alone fight him.
Grayson then sighed, looking up at them. " We need to figure out sleeping arrangements. "
" Well, I know already that Drake and Zayliee will get the bed if this house has one, " Amethyst muttered.
" I'm sure it does. We just need to find it. " He stood up. " Amethyst, help me look. "
The demigoddess glared at him after the demand, but rose anyways, setting Marrion down. The two started off into the house to search.
When they came back, they came with the news that there were two rooms, each containing a single bed. They'd decided that Drake and Zayliee would share one together, to keep them close, but did could not decide who would get the second.
After a while of arguing, Amethyst crossed her arms. " Grayson will get it. There, settled. "
Grayson's eyes widened. " Me? I'm the only one here who doesn't need it! "
" Yes you do, Grayson. Just take it. Please? "
Grayson frowned, then exhaled in defeat. " Fine. I'll take it. But next time, both of you girls get first pick of sleeping options. " He turned away. " I'll get Drake and Zayliee to the room, alright? You two keep resting. "
The two women nodded, and turned back to the fire. Grayson walked over to Drake, to help him to his feet, and to help him limp over to the bedroom.
Amethyst watched them leave, then turned back to Marrion. She finally took time to see what was around her daughter's neck.
The Aero Amulet. The Amulet that deflected arrows. Her Amulet.
Her eyes widened. Drake could have kept it himself, as she had left it to him. He could have kept it, and stopped himself from getting shot as he had. But the ended hybrid had given it to her child, to protect her. Given up his own safety for her.
A small smile formed on her face. Maybe they had not changed as much as she thought.
It would be a long night. But they would be prepared for what was to come.

There was a haze to his vision as he woke. The sky was still dark, twinkling with stars. The moon shone bright, landing on the white, bandaged wolf curled up next to him, back to him. Their fur gleamed silver, hiding the forming scars barely visible.
His hand grasped at the sword resting at the side of his bed. One feeling ran through him, one thought he needed to act on.
There were enemies around. They had to die.
He started across the old, cracking floor. The wold creaked beneath his feet. He felt small stabs at the bottoms of the , but he paid them no mind. He would not until they were dead.
He opened the door leading into the attached room. It squeaked as it was opened. His eyes fell on the room's only inhabiter, a blonde man who looked far too aged for what he could guess he was. His grip on the sword tightened. He was the most dangerous. After him, the brunette girl with the mangled foot. They would only get in the way of the plans laid out.
He crept closer, trying to make his steps lighter. He reached the bedside, and raised his sword. He hated to make it quick, but it would have to do. He did not have time to waste.
A pair of green eyes opened, then shot wide when they saw their friend. " Drake? "
The haze disappeared. He stumbled back, confused. " Grayson? Wh-what's going...? " He looked from the sword, to his friend, then at the open door. He then returned to Grayson. " What happened...? "
Footsteps rushed in behind them, and both their heads snapped around to see A,ethyst standing there,staring at them with wide eyes. Firesoul was clasped between her finger, raised defensively. She opened her mouth to speak, then froze, gasping softly.
" Amethyst, what's wrong? " Drake asked.
" Drake... " Grayson began. The ended moved his eyes back to him. " Why is your eye glowing? "

I wanted to add more, to make up for my absence, but...I couldn't think of anything else.
Hopefully this is alright, I tried to add more plot, and actual canon events

What do you think Luke's gonna do? Is he gonna be double agent man, or will he even find the note at all?
(You probably already know what he'll do)
(You probably do)

I got into TF2. I have fanfiction ideas. Help me.

ALSO! VERY IMPORTANT!
I have a new Haunted story uploaded! It's called High Seas, and is a pirate AU I'm doing with a friend of mine
More info in the actual story
I sugges you check it out! Second chapter will be out before the next chapter of GITS, so you can use those stories to keep yourself entertained until then lol

That's all I got. Sorry for not updating for so long. Sorry this chapter kinda sucks.

Keep on mining, my mineshafters!
-CaptainBat