Chapter 16: Swamplands and Spells
The sunflower plains seemed a bit out of place next to the beach.
At this point, the group was actually making significant progress. Jewel said she could remember her mother sneaking her out to visit these fields when she was little. "It was so much fun…" she sighed reminiscently. "We always snuck out during the day, and we'd always hide in this cute little shack when it was dark, and- oh! There it is!" Jewel darted to hut made of dirt and wood. The floor inside was cobblestone. There were two beds and a small chest inside. Windows finished the little area's minimalist touch.
Jewel felt at home again.
"How much farther, then?" asked Madison. "Not TOO far…" Jewel stated. "But… there is a swampland we have to go through…" "Swampland!?" exclaimed Texik. "As in slime-infested, murky water wretched, witch hut spawning swampland!?" Clearly, he was against the idea. "What happened to your sense of daring?" Madison asked mischievously. "I woke up, that's what!" retorted Texik, "I nearly died by a creeper explosion because I thought nothing could touch me! I was an idiot! A greifer! I-" "Is that a horse?" Pickaxe interrupted.
Within several minutes, Jewel had made another friend.
She rode her horse with glee, his shimmering diamond armor making her look like royalty. Pickaxe was glad he got the saddle back at the jungle temple. Jewel looked pretty pleased with herself as they strode across the beach. "Once we get to the end of the beach, we'll have to go through the swampland," Jewel commented. "Woop de doo!" Pickaxe heard Texik mutter. The horse simply obeyed the will of his mistress, continuing along the beach. The parrot perched itself on top of its head, much to Texik's disbelief.
Eventually, the group made it to the swampland's border, as night was about to decend.
"Shelter?" asked Pickaxe. "Shelter," confirmed Jewel. The horse and the parrot made neighs and squaks of approval, respectively. Once they set up the shelter and beds, Jewel pulled out a crafting table, making a lead and a fence post. She tied her horse down to the post, and kissed it on the forehead. He affectionately nuzzled against her in reply. Madison and Texik were already passed out on the beds. "They're so cute…" Jewel whispered. Pickaxe was already starting to nod off.
He's a good person, Jewel thought.
The morning began with Pickaxe digging out the shelter's roof. Jewel untethered her horse, placing the lead in her off-hand instead. The group entered the swampland, immediately wishing they could go back afterwards. Even in the daylight, the place was creepy. Vines creeped down the oak trees like hands trying to strangle them. The murky waters added to the sense of darkness. There were the bright sides, however. The lily pads were somewhat adorable. "I hear there are fossils made of bone and coal below here…" Texik muttered greedily. Everything seemed to be going so smoothly…
Then Pickaxe noticed a blur dashing amongst the trees.
The rest of the group noticed the figure too. They quickly took pursuit, but the figure was fast. It seemed as though a pale blue aura surrounded it. "Potion of swiftness… classic!" Texik complemented, missing a near head strike from Madison. "Whatever it is, it doesn't seem so eager to meet us…" Jewel mentioned. "I'll sa- LOOK OUT!" yelled Madison, who darted out of the way of a splash potion. It had a dark brown red hue. "Splash potion of harming…," Jewel muttered, "What the-" The group noticed the blur had vanished into the swampland.
Stubbornly, the group headed in the direction they last saw the blur.
They came across a wooden hut in the water. It was elevated, so it would require some block placement to get up there. Pickaxe was already halfway to the top, the rest of the group scrambling to catch up. Cautiously, he entered the hut. Which was seriously underwhelming. Mushrooms were scattered thinly around the place. A crafting table sat next to a dejected empty cauldron. Not much to brag about, but he took the mushrooms regardless. Then he remembered what time it was.
His skin crawled as he saw a figure pop out of thin air slowly turn to face him.
It almost looked like a villager. But it was wearing dark purple robes. Its nose wiggled and had a small wart. It wore a black, pointed cap, and it seemed to be more… hostile. Just like a zombie villager, Pickaxe thought, but somehow still just as terrifying. As if on cue, it threw a splash potion at Pickaxe, who narrowly dodged it. It was a yellow green, and felt like it was trying to sap the energy out of anything it could hit. Potion of Poison.
Pickaxe was no fool; he ran out of the hut, into the water, and back to the swamp.
Unfortunately, the swamp was slime territory at night. He wondered why he heard sloshing noises as he slept. But he and the group had to keep going. The thing probably wasn't even following them, and- oh, wait, no it was onto them. And she was also surrounded in a pale blue aura. "Now I remember!" Madison proclaimed, "That was a witch hut. We're being chased by a witch!" "Don't they like using potions?" commented Texik. Coincidentally, the witch decided to throw a splash potion of slowness at the team.
It hit right on the mark.
While the rest of the group held off the ever-annoying slimes, Pickaxe was struggling with the witch. His first strategy? Try to drown it. It took a potion of waterbreathing. Opposite plan: burn it. Potion of fire resistance. Just when he thought he'd finally take it down, the witch would retreat, and drink a potion of healing. This went on for several minutes. Finally, after one particularly long retreat, the witch decided it was tired of playing mind games.
It took a potion of swiftness, and began its endgame.
First, attacked him with a splash potion of slowness. Then it threw another black-grey splash potion...weakness. His attacks started doing less damage, and the witch took full advantage of it. It threw a splash potion of harming to knock him back. Then it threw another splash potion of poison. His vision was darted. How was this monster so strong? It had backed him into a corner like it was nothing. There had to be a way to counter it. There had to be… "CATCH!" yelled Texik, throwing a bucket of milk. Of course! Milk nullified status effects! He gulped the liquid wholeheartedly. It was time to bring this witch to its knees.
After several arrows, it was finally defeated.
It had dropped redstone, gunpowder, sugar, a spider eye, and an empty glass bottle. Not a bad haul. Texik reached out to grab the goods, but a mysterious splash potion suddenly showered upon them. The mysterious figure from earlier dashed out of its hiding place, snatching the loot. "The old water bottle trick never gets old," it said, making off with the bounty. Water bottle trick? ... it wasn't a potion.
Texik was the first to chase after the figure.
The rest of the group followed in close pursuit. To their surprise, the figure stopped running, and turned to face them. It was a girl. She had dark, flowing black hair. Her eyes sparkled a deep blue. She wore a purple cape, with a longsleeved purple gown, with black stockings underneath. She wore light blue shoes to finish the look, as well as mole on her cheek. She pulled out a splash potion of harming. "Uh, no," said Pickaxe, pulling out his bow and firing and arrow. It stunned the girl long enough for Jewel to corner her with her sword. They had the advantage.
Somewhat reluctantly, the girl pulled out a white paper as a symbol of surrender.
After daylight had returned, the group was able to learn more about their new companion. Her name was Sarah. She liked using magic as her line of work, and was thus very knowledgeable about potions and enchantments. She had just created the perfect set of enchantments to use, when a small group of miners had raided her underwater home built underneath a fossil. While all of her items necessary for survival, her potions, and her enchanted books remained intact, her home had been flooded, so she had to abandon it. She was planning on starting anew, but then she spotted the group. Thinking they were with the group that had drowned her home, she tried to lose them at the witch hut, hoping it would end them.
Obviously, it didn't go as planned.
"Probably for the best, I suppose…" she finished. "I don't suppose you want me to stick around after what I did." Madison was willing to say otherwise. "We let a rogue greifer join our group," she explained. "REFORMED griefer!" Texik defended. "I'm sure Pickaxe wouldn't mind…" Jewel vouched. Pickaxe shook his head in approval. "That's very kind," Sarah stated, "But I highly doubt I'd be much use without the proper equipment." "Any weapons?" Pickaxe asked. Sarah pulled out her golden sword. "Not much use, but that's why I have these enchanted books. Unfortunately, I don't have an anvil…" Anvil? Pickaxe and Texik looked at each other knowingly, remembering the sheer amount of iron Texik got from the dungeon.
By the time the group started building the second shelter for the night, they had a new anvil, and Sarah had an enchanted golden sword with Unbreaking III and Sharpness V.