hi I have risen from the grave to update this

review replies:

WTP storm: the whole enderman situation is kinda screwed up tbh :(

Lenticel: In nullified the elder is significantly bigger! The lore there is totally different from here. Also I keep being too shy to say this, but I absolutely love your reviews. You always touch on the stuff I'm happiest about and I love seeing that stuff appreciated, so thank you :'D

As the boat drew near to the port, Qorin teleported from where he stood near the hatch, appearing about 20 feet down the nearest dock. He wobbled, then grasped a pole for balance. Turning to where the ship pulled up to the dock, he let out a cheerful chirp, and Herobrine smiled as Valor waved in response. The friendship between his own child and Earl's never ceased to bring him joy.

To Valor's disappointment, the cargo ship had not run across a single guardian during their voyage. Regardless, the trip was painless and quick enough, and Valor's leg had managed to heal somewhat during this time of rest. Herobrine was glad to see him moving more quickly, though he wished he would wait until there was no risk of reinjury. He understood that his son had little choice. If Skorr got his hands on Valor's amulet, he was likely to lose his immortality, if not perish altogether.

The gangplank was lowered to the dock, sailors securing it in place before giving their passengers the go-ahead to disembark. Valor hesitated by the railing, and Null came up beside him, wrapping an arm around the young man's back and helping him to get down the ramp without falling. Herobrine, bound to the pickaxe, was dragged through the air behind them once he reached the end of his invisible tether. With this stranger, Wraith, in their midst, he had decided it would be wise to avoid revealing himself for now. Something about the mercenary gave him a bad feeling.

Null, on the other hand… he found he trusted quite a bit. The sorcerer had been rude, crass, and cynical, but he hadn't made any attempt to attack neither Val nor Qor, and in fact had been more help than harm. Null had also responded to the revelation that he was alive- well, sort of - very well, rather than descending into a rage as Herobrine had sort of expected him to.

Herobrine was very proud of his son. Valor famously responded very poorly to being without him, but he had survived so far, through recruiting his nemesis, being attacked by rogue Endermen several times, serious injury and a sea voyage. Herobrine had Qorin to thank for that, and Earl for bringing him to the sovereign, and to Steven for passing along his message to send him to the End. Even Null had supported him while Herobrine could not.

But this 'Wraith' fellow… Herobrine couldn't get a read on him. On the surface he appeared to be nothing more than an opportunist, hoping to take advantage of some travelers in their weakness, then when Valor refused to pay him for his assistance he jumped at the next chance of riches. He seemed to have taken a special interest in Valor, though. More than his companions anyway. Herobrine didn't know why, but he didn't like the special attention. This was another reason he refrained from revealing himself just yet.

"Alright, my poorly lit friend." Wraith gave Null a nudge as he came to a stop next to him, glancing around the port. It was nighttime, so there were few people about, most of which being the crew of the ship that had just docked. "Where to?"

"Due south." Null gestured ahead of them. "I'm not sure how far they are, but I assume they reached this port at least a day ahead of us. Perhaps they have already sold the amulet."

"If they have, it will probably make it easier to find." Val muttered, adjusting his weight. "Let's go."

" We would be wise to remain alert." Qorin interjected. "I don't know how Skorr is tracking us, but I don't doubt that he is. Now that we're off the ocean, we will be targets again."

"Qorin says we should remain alert for Enderman attacks." Valor translated for his companions. "And he's right."

"Of course." Wraith nodded pleasantly. "Null, if you would lead the way?" Null nodded, starting to shuffle forwards with Val leaning on him, but Wraith lifted a hand to stop him. "Let me help you for a while, Valor, that our guide may focus on his task." Valor frowned, looking hesitant, but finally eased his arm out from around Null's shoulders and accepted Wraith's arms instead. Herobrine's white eyes narrowed.

Null took the lead, with Val and Wraith behind him and Qorin taking up the rear. Herobrine's pickaxe was secured inside Valor's backpack, so he was tugged along just behind Qorin, eventually starting to walk to stay a bit closer to his son. As the group walked, Valor and Qorin began a quiet conversation, in which they agreed that unless the amulet was in town, they should leave before daylight to avoid frightening the populace. Wraith and Null remained oblivious to this conclusion.

As they talked, however, Wraith turned, not deviating from his path as he looked Herobrine right in the eye and smiled.

"Y'know, the boat wasn't even that bad." Wraith said, looking up as he lowered Valor to the ground. "Right, bud?" Qorin gave him a flat look, dumping an armful of sticks next to their small fire.

"He came out of the hold all of four times." Null said, examining his nails "I counted."

"At least we had a break from the enderman attacks." Valor shrugged off his backpack, setting it on the ground next to him. He was anxious. Partially, he guessed, due to a lack of sleep, as he hadn't rested since the previous night on the boat. Beyond that, they were on land, in a wooded area, and it was dark. This seemed to be the optimal conditions for Skorr's endermen to attack them.

"Oh, I'm not too concerned about the endermen." Wraith sank down next to Val with a smile. "We chased them off last time without issue, and that was with you down for the count and Qorin already captured."

"You haven't seen the big one." Null said morosely. "That one certainly packs a punch."

" Indeed." Qorin agreed. "And 'the big one' is specifically hunting me, which is why we need to be wary." Valor translated his words to the other two, stretching out his broken leg in front of him, and Wraith nodded.

"Surely we can handle him as a team." He said cheerfully. Valor just shrugged, not willing to argue the point with him.

"How is your leg?" Null nodded towards him.

Valor huffed a sigh. "It's healing, slowly." Being injured, now, with no opportunity to rest or even slow down, was certainly not ideal. Especially around Wraith and Null, who seemed a lot more comfortable with each other than they did with him. Valor hoped that Null wasn't planning to use his new friend to escape.

"Didn't you injure that same leg around the time we first met?" Null commented. "A… tunnel collapsed. Correct?" Valor frowned, recalling the incident, and nodded.

"Right."

"How ironic. Well," Null straightened up, stretched, then made his way over to him. "I once knew a healing spell, if you would like me to attempt it." Valor's frown deepened, and he glanced at Qorin to ensure his bodyguard was close.

"Why didn't you mention this before?"

"I've been trying to recall it," Null sat down at his feet. "And I believe I have. Well?" He waited expectantly, and Valor hesitated, then gave a small nod.

"Sure. Go ahead."

Null's cold hands lowered to wrap around his ankle, which was splinted with a few scraps of wood and cloth he had acquired while on the boat. A tingling feeling began to grow within the injury, and Valor hesitantly began to relax, only to cringe as he was hit with a stab of pain an instant later.

"Ow." He growled, and Null shot him a look.

"Hold still."

"That hurts, what are you doing?"

"Healing you, now hold still." Null gripped his ankle tighter, and Valor clenched his jaw tight, throwing his head back as he tried to avoid crying out. He sought out Qorin again, who was standing a foot away, looking deeply uncomfortable as Null did… whatever he was doing. Valor's hands fisted in the grass. He had to trust, trust that Null, even if he didn't have Val's best interests in mind, had his own self-preservation. Herobrine was right here. He would stop him if he tried to escape.

The pain abruptly melted away, and Valor blinked, looking down at his ankle again.

"Well?" Null let go, sitting back, and Valor twitched his foot experimentally.

"It… seems alright." He mused. Tugging the wrappings free, he removed the rudimentary splint. No pain, no bruises.

"Excellent." Null clapped his hands once, pleased. "I wasn't sure if that was going to work."

Val pushed himself upright, testing his ankle, and he was pleased to find it strong. "What would have happened if it didn't work?"

"Nothing." Null told him. "Or, it could have broken your tibia entirely. Or I could've killed you on the spot." Valor just sighed, almost certain the sorcerer was pulling his leg.

"Well… thank you." He sank down the ground again, feeling a little better with his mobility returned to him. Null had been just as rude and mocking to him as usual, but he'd gone out of his way to heal him, and hadn't even tried to pretend that it was for his own sake. The sorcerer really had changed in the past year.

"Alright." Wraith clapped his hands together. "Excellent. Let's eat, then sleep. We have more walking to look forward to tomorrow." Valor nodded, reaching into his backpack to dig out of it his provisions.

It was impressive how comfortable he felt around these people, Val considered as he ate his late supper. Qorin made sense- Val had always felt more at ease around endermen than humans, but Null had once murdered him and Wraith was all but a total stranger. Excluding Steven, who was a special case, it usually took him far longer than this to develop any kind of relationship with people. And yet… he felt good.

Valor tipped his head back, staring up at the stars.

nothing sussy going on here

~FFF