AN: Okay, so I got a majority for the puzzle idea. So I'm gonna do that for a couple of chapters. Once again, first person to review or PM the correct answer gets a Victory Cookie (::) and acknowledgement next chapter. Wrong people get a Negative Cracker [::]. But if the same person keeps getting the puzzles right then I'm gonna have to do...something about it. And no cheating.

Puzzle: There are two eggs in a basket. When one minute passes, the eggs in the basket double. In sixty minutes the basket is full. When is it half-full?

Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, Endermen would be able to kidnap young villagers.

Chapter 12

Stickman

[Cobb]

Nice going, Cobb. You managed to piss off the one sort-of-good guy in this entire forest. Now what? I thought to myself as we continued down the tunnel in silence. I checked my clock and found that the sun was just beginning to rise. Dawn.

Oh, how I wanted to be back above ground. Back in broad daylight and far away from any Mobs. Away from the dark, enclosed, sure-to-be-filled-to-the-brim-with-death cave.

Away from the tense atmosphere caused by Floyd.

There was little point in trying to win him over anymore. I pretty much screwed that up several different ways.

Why is impressing people so hard!? Helena scoffed at my Mob fighting skills and now Floyd thinks I'm a whiny idiot who only cares about food. It's not my fault rotten flesh is flavorless! I'm the victim here!

…maybe I'll always be just a huge disappointment.

In the midst of my self-deprecating thoughts, I heard the faint sound of rushing water. I glanced around the lit up tunnel to locate to source, but found nothing.

"Do you hear that?" I asked the Crafter ahead of me.

"The awkward silence? Yeah, I heard it just fi—"

"No, no. I mean the water." I shushed him as I perked up my ears. It was definitely the sound of rushing water and it was coming from the left wall.

Floyd heard it too now. He readied his pick and began mining out the left wall where the sound was the loudest.

A few pieces of cobble later, he dug out a new tunnel that led to another cavern. This one had a pool of water that rushed through an opening to create the sound. The current was as strong as rapids as it cascaded over protruding rocks.

Floyd lit the cavern up before taking a quick look around. Probably to find some more ores. In the meantime, I walked over to the pool and bent down to take a few gulps, careful not to fall in.

"There's nothing of value in here." Floyd called in discontent. "Let's keep moving. The sun should be almost up by now."

"It is up. My clock says so." I replied tiredly. "Can't we rest for a bit? I haven't gotten much sleep."

Come to think of it, I hadn't gotten any sleep for three nights. I was always trying to survive so sleep just eluded me. Helena's bed was so comfy and warm. Like sleeping on a cloud. It was the best rest I ever had…by default.

"…alright I guess we could both use some rest." Floyd sighed reluctantly as he sat beside the tunnel he dug…and far away from me.

Super.

I sought out the comfiest chunk of rock to sleep on and rested my head. My eyes soon closed to the sound of the rushing water.

"Cobb…wake up Cobb! We need to go now." I heard the panicked voice of Floyd and felt him jostle me in an attempt to wake me up.

"Uhnnnn." I groaned in a Zombie like manner. "Nooooo…let me sleep…"

Floyd paused in his jostling. "I found a stash of bacon."

"WHERE!?" I rushed to my feet and looked in every direction trying to locate the bacon, only to have a hand clamp down over my mouth.

"Shut up!" Floyd hissed. "I'm hearing something in the walls and it doesn't sound good."

"So…the bacon was…"

"A complete lie. Yes." Floyd released his hand from my mouth and pointed towards the tunnel he made. "We should get out of here before we find out what's making those noises."

I strained my ears to hear the noises Floyd was mentioning. Once I made them out, I realized how familiar they sounded.

*UNK*

It was that same low oink that I heard in that cavern below the Crapshack. Half of me was curious to find out what thing was making that noise, but the other half of me wanted to leave in one piece.

But first, I needed to fully wake up. My eyelids were still heavy and I couldn't feel my face. Not to mention my neck felt sore. Sleeping on rocks, albeit comfy rocks, will do that.

I returned to the pool and splashed some water in my face before remembering an item of mine. I withdrew my bucket and scooped out some water to dump on my face. With that action, the bucket became a [WATER BUCKET], but when I dumped it out over my head, instead of pouring out traditionally, the water was placed at my feet and flowed toward the pool.

It was so unexpected, that I failed to react in time as the water carried me into the pool. Then, the current dragged me towards the opening in the cavern.

"What are you doing!?" Floyd shouted out as he ran along the pool's bank trying to grab a hold of me.

"I'm sorry! Don't hate me! I just—"

That was all I managed to get out before the current swallowed me up and dragged me in a raging torrent.

[Floyd]

"Goddammit!" I cried out frustrated as Cobb's brown hair disappeared beneath the rushing water.

I reacted without thinking and searched my Inventory for an item I had crafted a while ago. It was supposed to be for a wooden bucket to carry water, but instead of making a bucket, it made something else.

A [BOAT].

And there was no better time than now to use it. I threw it into the water and watched in amazement as it became a small boat capable of seating one person.

I leapt into the boat as it flowed with the current and guided it towards the cavern opening. I was amazed at how easily the boat responded to my guiding. I didn't need paddles or anything. I just had to will it towards a direction.

And right now I was willing it towards Cobb.

This guy is more trouble than he's worth! He better have some more tips on how to survive Mobs.

After I cleared the opening, I was thrust into total darkness. I couldn't see anything and I couldn't tell if I was inches from crashing into rocks or Cobb.

I can't place these torches in water. I internally curse as I attempted to light up water. I guess there's only one thing for it.

I withdrew a dark blue potion and downed it in one gulp. It felt warm going down my throat and left an aftertaste of carrots before I felt the effects. The warm feeling that traveled into my gut rose back up, but not as vomit. It felt more like a burp.

Only the burp didn't exit from my mouth or nose. The warmth rose further until it reached the center of my head. Then, I felt the warmth extend to my eyes. They felt stronger with that warmth behind them and suddenly the darkness that once surrounded me lit up as if it were daytime.

Everything was lit up. The rushing water, the cave walls, the protruding rocks about to hit me, Cobb's head barely keeping afloat, the bats—

"Rocks!" I shouted as I leaned to the left to avoid crashing.

"Cobb, hang in there!" I called out to him.

"Floyd, where are you!? I can't see anything!" He turned his head left and right to try and locate the direction my voice was coming from, but the rushing water was preventing him from staying above too long.

I desperately thought of a way to fish Cobb from the river. The current's too strong and this boat can't support both of us. I need…

I need to stop the current.

I withdrew some cobble as I willed the boat to travel faster forward. I passed right by Cobb…and then kept going. My target was a narrow part of the river that was forty yards ahead of us. I withdrew all my cobblestone and lined up the boat to crash into the river bank.

Just as it was about to crash, I leapt from the boat and skidded across the bank bank, almost falling back into the rapids. My boat was not so lucky. It crashed and sunk in an explosion of planks and sticks.

With little time to mourn the loss of my boat, I built a cobblestone barrier across the narrow part of the river. Just as I finished placing the last block, Cobb came rushing in and smacked into my barricade with a muffled yell of pain. With a combination of my dragging and his waterlogged crawling, he was removed from the river.

*Cough Cough* "Thanks, Floyd…you are Floyd right?" He reached out in a random direction to try and find my location.

"Yeah, it's me. And I'm this way." I spun him around to face me before placing a torch on the cave floor.

"Whoa! Bright!" Cobb shouted as he shielded his eyes. With my night vision still active I didn't notice any differences.

Instead, I looked at my right arm to verify the potion's effects. Just like with the swiftness potion and the poison potion, a small timer had appeared with a symbol right next to it. The timer read seven minutes and the symbol that accompanied it was a solitary green eye.

Night vision for seven more minutes. Well, it was put to good use.

"Hey, what's going on with you?" Cobb asked as he stared at me. "You got some weird, blue, particles floating off you…and your eyes! They're green!"

"It's a side effect of the potion of night vision I drank. It'll wear off soon." He assured as he got to his feet and took a quick look around. "I don't see any ores. I'm thinking Crafters have looted this cave for a long time."

"So should we head back to the surface or—" The rest of Cobb's sentence was cut off as a new sound caught our attention.

*ZWIP*

"Something's standing right behind us." I deadpanned to which Cobb silently nodded. As quick as lighting, I reached for my sword and whirled around to meet my attacker head on.

What I didn't expect was for the attacker to be so tall.

I lifted my head up as I slowly traced the attacker's figure until I met its purple eyes.

And in the blink of an eye, it vanished in a purple flash, leaving behind some purple particles.

"…you saw that too right?" Cobb asked with a hint of fear in his voice.

Before I could answer, a low, quiet growling assaulted our ears. The sound was so unearthly that we covered our ears to try and tune it out. But the horrible wailing only grew louder and louder. The closest thing it resembled was the static a television makes when the cable isn't working.

…whatever cable, television, and static were.

All I knew was that we needed to get far away from that noise. Fast.

"Run!" I shouted as I turned to sprint upstream. Hopefully, whatever was making that noise would be too slow. Cobb was right behind me.

"What was that thing? It was so tall and its arms and legs were so long!" He shrieked with his sword already out.

"I thought you were the Mob expert!? I've never seen anything like that before!" I replied with a bit of panic in my voice. "Did you see the look in its eyes!?"

"No, I was kinda preoccupied with its limbs!"

*ZWIP*

"Whoa!" I yelped as I slid underneath the creatures extended arms. It had suddenly appeared in front of us to deliver a swipe and had missed me by mere inches.

Without missing a beat, I retaliated with a swipe of my own. However, just as soon as the creature appeared, it vanished in that same purple flash and my blade met nothing but air.

"Floyd, what happened!? Put some torches down, I can't see!" Cobb shouted as he stumbled around trying to locate me. The night vision remained in effect, but Cobb was still unable to see. I quickly placed a torch to fix that.

"Here, just…hang on to my torches." I directed as I tossed them to him. "Whatever this thing is, it appears to be able to appear and disappear at will."

Before Cobb could voice his thoughts on the manner, another static wail echoed from all around us. The creature could be anywhere. This cavern is too cramped to fight something like this. We need to get to the surface.

"Floyd! Over here! There's an opening!" Cobb called from beside a one block wide hole in the wall. He quickly expanded it with his pick before we were able to squeeze through it.

We were now in a new cavern. One with a tunnel that steeply climbed up. Coal littered the walls in veins, but we were too preoccupied with escaping the creature to mine any of it.

Speaking of which…

*GHAIYA*

The creature screamed as it tried to follow us through the opening we created. But it was a block too tall and even its long limbs couldn't reach us.

"Move!" I commanded as I rushed to the steep tunnel and began ascending it quickly. Cobb followed, but at a much slower pace. Sometimes he slipped on a rock, other times he tried jumping a gap only to fall down even further. All while placing torches haphazardly around the tunnel. "Pick up the pace Cobb!"

Doesn't he realize that we're in danger here? Why doesn't he speed it up? Why does he keep slowing me down!?

"I'm trying!" He called back.

*ZWIP*

The creature had grown tired of struggling with the opening in the wall and had decided instead to just teleport through it. So it's not invisibility, it's teleportation. It looked up at us with its purple eyes and I once again met its gaze.

*GHAIYA* It screamed as it began to climb the tunnel as well.

"Don't look back!" I shouted to Cobb as he almost turned his head around to witness the creature that was approaching him. "You'll just waste more time if you keep looking back!"

Cobb nodded as he redoubled his efforts to climb the sloping tunnel. In the meantime, I readied my bow to cover him. I had one shot left and if I missed, then that thing would attack Cobb.

The creature got closer to Cobb. Its superior legs and arms were making it too easy to climb the slope. But still, Cobb kept his face forward with a sheer determination to escape.

When the creature was right upon him, I let loose my one and only arrow and watched in awe as it pierced the creature…

…only to miss as the creature flashed away instantaneously.

*ZWIP*

"GHK!" I grunted in pain as the creature swung its oversized arms at me and knocked me back down the slope. In that instant I shot at it, it teleported behind me in a sneak attack.

"Floyd!" Cobb cried as he saw my body crumple against the rocky slope. My sword clattered to the side and I felt the wind get knocked out of me upon landing. I glanced at my arm to assess the damage and was shocked to find I had taken six hearts of damage.

Is this the end? I thought to myself as I shakily got to my feet. The creature was rushing towards me with those long black appendages and its mouth agape in that same bloodcurdling shriek.

*GHAIYA*

But, what about Soul? What about Silent? If I die here, then who's going to stop those cultists?

"Floyd, get out of there!" Cobb shouted as he rushed faster up the slope.

No…If I die here, then nobody's gonna stop those cultists! Nobody's gonna care if people lose everything to them!

I can't die here!

Just as the creature was about to take one last swipe at me, I rolled out of the way and fell further down the slope. As I tumbled, I fished through my backpack for one of my [TNT] blocks and my [FLINT AND STEEL].

Once again, the creature descended upon me. I quickly placed my TNT block and got ready to set it off. However, in another purple flash, the creature was right beside me. Although I lit the TNT, in my effort to dodge the creature's deadly swing, I lit myself on fire and tumbled further down the slope.

*ssssssssSSSS*

*GHAIYA*

*BOOM*

Chunks of [GRAVEL] and cobblestone pelted me from the explosion and all that was left was a smoking crater upon the slope. The creature was gone…

…and I was on fire.

"AGH!" I yelled as I tried to put myself out. My health was getting lower and lower. Near the levels of my health when I fought Spring. And the fire wasn't stopping.

"Floyd!" Cobb called out as he kneeled next to my burning body. "Are you ok?"

"No, of course I'm not ok you idiot!" I shouted at him and would have killed him if I had my sword in hand. "I'm burning alive here!"

I guess this really is the end. Now nobody will find Soul or avenge Silent or kill the Endward Cult.

Well…there is always Cobb.

Maybe he can do it.

"Cobb, listen…I don't have much time left…" I stated weakly as he searched his backpack.

For once, would you listen to me!? This is important dying last man's wishes stuff!

"When I first came into existence…I had two friends…" I explained as Cobb poured a bucket of water on me.

Godamnit! This is my tragic back-story and instead of listening you're dowsing me…with…

And the fire was put out.

*Phew* "It worked." Cobb sighed in relief as I stood myself up. My health was low, but I was still alive.

And it was all thanks to Cobb.

Huh.

He withdrew an apple from his backpack and offered it to me. "So…did you kill the Stickman?"

I greedily devoured the apple before registering his question. "Stickman?"

"Yeah, it had stick-like arms and legs. So it's a Stickman." Cobb stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. The water he poured had begun to cascade down the slope. Wanting to avoid a repeat of what happened last time, I moved him away from the slope edge and running water.

The water was behaving strangely though. The amount of water Cobb collected in that one bucket could not have been so much. Yet still, it ran down the slope and through the opening at the bottom to join the underground river.

"Well whatever that thing was, it's gone n—"

*ZWIP* *GHAIYA*

"OH COME ON!" Cobb shouted as the Stickman reappeared in front of me. It swung both of its arms down for the kill, but Cobb tackled me out of harm's way.

The Stickman paused, as if remembering who to target, before charging towards my prone self. It completely ignored Cobb who kept his head to the ground.

"Why is it only targeting me!?" I shouted as I dodge rolled from another strike.

"I don't know, I guess it just doesn't like you!" Cobb responded as he stood up and withdrew his sword. He struck at the Stickman's exposed back and I was pleased that he managed to land a solid hit.

*GWUP*

The enraged Stickman whirled upon Cobb and swung its left arm in a wide backhanded strike. Cobb backpedaled, but the Stickman's reach was too long and he was smashed into the slope.

Judging by his wincing, I could tell he took a lot of damage. I withdrew a red potion from my Inventory, a [POTION OF HEALING II], and downed it before rushing the Stickman once again.

As I swung my sword, I noticed I had recovered four hearts from that potion. Bringing my total up to five hearts. The wooden sword struck the Stickman's torso and prevented it from finishing Cobb. But then in a flash, it was gone.

"Cobb, on your feet! We need to watch each other's backs!" I called as I kept my back to his recovering form.

"Right…on it." He replied weakly. "I just lost half my health though. That thing is tough."

"Same health for me. We have to be careful."

*GHAIYA* *GWUP* *GHAIYA*

I turned my attention to the shrieks emanating from the bottom of the slope. The Stickman was teleporting erratically around the water. And it looked like it was taking damage.

"Floyd…I think the Stickman doesn't know how to swim!"

"Or water hurts it." I whispered in realization.

"Or…it can't swim." Cobb affirmed, but I wasn't listening anymore as I pulled him towards the water he had placed.

The water has a greater surface area than its original source. That's why it can flow for as long as it can. And if the Stickman can't touch water…

With my night vision still active, I searched the ceiling for any holes or openings we could escape through. In the corner where the ceiling and wall met, I spotted a 2x2 opening we could pass through.

"Cobb, can you pick the water back up and place it by that wall?" I pointed towards the spot and he nodded before collecting the water back in the bucket. As he did, the water that cascaded down the slope began to dry up. It was like watching a waterfall die out.

The Stickman was still struggling with the water pooling at the base of the slope and I smiled to see how occupied it was.

Cobb placed the water against the wall and, just like last time, it created more flowing water that ran down. "Toss me that bucket." I directed. Cobb immediately complied and I began collecting the water to place it back down a block higher.

My goal, which I accomplished, was a water elevator of sorts. Each time I picked up and placed the water, I was able to rise a bit higher. We were like two salmons swimming up a waterfall. Who cared if it defied physics? It was getting us out of that cavern and that's all that mattered.

*GHAIYA* The Stickman cried out in frustration as it teleported up the slope and tried to assault us. But like a protective force field, the water prevented the Stickman from touching us.

"Yeah, fuck you too!" Cobb called out as he presented his middle finger to the soulless creature.

Even though my mind didn't know what the gesture meant, I felt an instinctual smugness in knowing the Stickman was being taunted.

And after escaping that thing, even I couldn't hold back a smile.

[Cobb]

This is good. We're working together. I thought as I hoisted myself onto solid ground. The waterfall we swam up took us to a new tunnel and I immediately lit it up.

Honestly, when you've seen one underground cave/tunnel, you've seen them all. The only noticeable difference was a chunk of mineral I wasn't familiar with. It was coarser than cobblestone and the only other time I had seen it was on the sloping tunnel below.

Of course, I was more preoccupied with the Stickman trying to punch my heart out than with examining a new block.

But now…

"Crap…hey Cobb. You got any food on you? My Hunger Meter is—" Floyd began before I cut him off with a bowl of rabbit stew.

Sorry, stomach. I know how much you wanted that stew. But he saved my life and now we're finally getting along. It's the right thing to do.

Stomach: FUCK THE RIGHT THING IN THE ASS! That's my food and I will not have you—

Sorry, what was that?…I can't hear…ell.

Stomach: I said, that is my—

Sorr…I'm…through a tunnel. I think I'm…aking up…ello?

Stomach: BULLSHIT! YOU ARE NOT…well actually you are in a tunnel right now…BUT WE"RE NOT TALKING ON A CELL PHONE! SO YOUR EXCUSE IS BULLSHIT!

Ye…st…ba…ing

Stomach: Don't you hang up on me. DON"T YOU—

"This is the last food I have." I broke away from my stomach's distressing voice. "After this it's all rotten flesh. And let me warn you, it tastes as bad as it looks."

Floyd looked at the stew in my hand before looking down. "Yeah, well…I…" He appeared to be undergoing extreme internal struggle. "I suppose, Minecraftia…won't always have plates of edible food just lying around…so…"

I raised a brow at his mumblings with my outstretched hand still holding the stew.

He sighed. "So…I should get used to the lesser, more readily available varieties."

…Huh?

"Huh?" I voiced my thoughts.

"Just give me the damn rotten flesh." He snapped. Startled, I hastily swapped the stew with a few hunks of rotten flesh and passed them to him.

He quickly snatched them before closing his eyes and taking a bite out of one.

Immediately his eyes flew open and I heard the faint sound of glass shattering that undoubtedly represented Floyd's soul crushing regret.

Are those tears in his eyes?

"Look, Floyd. You know you don't have to—" My protests were cut off as Floyd tossed my bucket of water and nailed me in the head.

"Don…mad…me…talck…while…I'mb…edink…dis!" He muttered in between mouthfuls of flesh. He looked like he was about to puke, but his pride wouldn't let him stop eating until his Hunger was full.

After that fight, I was pretty hungry too, but I didn't want to eat the rotten flesh when I had perfectly delicious rabbit stew just waiting to be eaten.

Not to mention it would have been downright cruel to enjoy food like that when Floyd was standing a few feet away gorging himself on rotten flesh.

So, I did the only honorable thing.

I pretended to sneeze so I could turn my head away, devoured the rabbit stew while Floyd was lying on the ground, and turned back before he could notice anything.

*COUGH* *HACK* "Ugh…that was terrible." He groaned as he lied on his back staring at the ceiling.

"Yeah, the rotten flesh backlash will wear off eventually." I recalled as I remembered the unsavory side effects of the flesh. Floyd looked at his arm to confirm the side effect and that his Hunger was as full as it was going to get. "If you stay still it might prevent you from losing any Hunger."

I knew what it was like eating that stuff so I was sympathetic, but not enough to not enjoy the taste of that rabbit stew. It was so delicious. And surprisingly filling. It restored half of my Hunger and left an empty solitary [BOWL] in my hand.

"Yeah that stuff is pretty bad." Floyd agreed with his left arm held in front of his face. He just watched his health tick back up. "It's disgusting and shabby and not worth much, but it gets the job done."

From the corner of my eye, I thought he looked at me when he said that last bit, but when I turned to verify, he had his left arm shielding his eyes.

"Right, well…we should probably leave before Stickman shows up again." Once more, the awkwardness had returned to the situation. Things were better between us, but it still felt forced to me. I saved his life and he saved my life. That's a good connection. But still, I feel like he's reluctant to team up with me.

Well, one step at a time.

"Actually, since we're waiting anyway…" Floyd began as he pointed to the wall with the coarse mineral embedded into it. "Why don't you mine some of that gravel?"

"Gravel?" I asked confused as I made my way to the wall.

"Yeah, just use a shovel and keep mining until you get a sharp item. It won't be a block." Floyd directed as he sealed up the hole we escaped through.

I withdrew my shovel and began excavating the [GRAVEL]. After mining the tenth piece, my shovel broke and I was forced to craft a new one. Thankfully, I had all the supplies needed to make a new wooden shovel. God, these shovels break easily. I wouldn't mind getting an iron upgrade on my tools. Maybe I can ask Floyd for that piece of iron back?

One shitty shovel later, I continued my mining and was happy to obtain the object described by Floyd on the thirteenth gravel. A [FLINT].

"Alright, I got it. Now what?" I asked as I handed him the flint. Floyd got up off the ground and fished through his backpack before withdrawing the leftover iron ingot. He combined the two and handed me the finished product. A [FLINT AND STEEL]. "Wow…what is it?"

"It's called a flint and steel." Floyd explained exasperatedly. "It can light things on fire, but just like tools it has a finite durability. So don't go burning everything in sight."

Whoa, cool! I am King_Cobb and I have mastery over FIRE! Oh look, a herd of Zombies. Whatever will I do? If only I had…

BAM! FIRE!

"Ha. Take that, Zombies." I muttered dreamily as I deposited the new tool in my backpack. Speaking of which, my backpack was getting pretty full. Soon, I wouldn't be able to carry any more items and I'd have to go through the painstaking process of shifting through my Inventory. That won't be fun.

Floyd looked though his Inventory and made a note of everything he had. "We should be close to the surface by now. Is it still daytime?"

I quickly checked my clock. "Yeah, the sun is at the top. So that's…noon?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right. The tunnel slopes up this way." He gestured to the side of the cavern that sloped up. "Best option."

"Actually," I stopped Floyd from proceeding up the tunnel as an idea formed in my mind, "if we need to get out of here fast, I have a better way."

It took a bunch more ladders, and a bit of mining and digging, but we finally managed to climb our way out of that cavern and back onto the surface. No way was I taking the chance of meeting Stickman in a dark tunnel again and Floyd agreed it was the better option. Floyd actually agreed!

Alright, Cobb! Things are good right now. You're close to making him realize teaming up is for the best. I just need a little more time to—

"Hey, I think we've reached the mountain." Floyd commented as he looked up. I followed his gaze and realized what he was staring at.

Mt. Mur towered several thousand feet above us, its peak barely visible through the clouds. It had looked a lot smaller from the Origin Zone. But now, with the sun beaming off the rocky outcroppings, it was breathtaking.

But screw that! If we're this close, then that means we're almost out of the forest!

Which means our alliance is nearly…over.

"You said you wanted to go over the mountain right?" Floyd asked as he sealed up the hole we climbed out of. "Still think that's a good idea?"

I saw what he meant. Climbing a mountain like that would take several…hours. Which in Minecraftia time was days. But it couldn't be worse than going around the mountain. Without knowing its approximate size, skirting around the base could take just as long.

"It could take a while, but it might be easier locating Ringwood from a higher vantage point." I suggested with a note of hope.

But the blue-nette just shook his head. "That mountain will be barren of animals, but not Mobs. We won't have any food except for rotten flesh. The cultists will see us on those bare rocky cliffs a mile away." He ticked off his fingers as he made each point. "And one slip up and we fall to our deaths."

…yeah those are all good points. And I guess…wait. We?

"We?" I asked unsure. "But I thought you…didn't want—"

"W-what I meant to say was that…I'm going around the mountain. And going over is a bad choice so…if you decide to go around too…then I don't see why we can't extend our alliance." He managed to mumble out. "But only until we get to Ringwood."

A smile spread across my face as what he said hit me. He wants to stick together! I knew he was a good guy! Any guy with blue hair has to be good deep down.

"Stop smiling like that." He frowned at my expression. "It's creepy."

"You got it, ally buddy!" I chirped out happily before lowering my smile from a ten to a seven. "Lead the way."

"Alright, we're traveling by day now so keep an eye out for any cultists or residual Mobs." He ordered with a confident stride. I followed with a confident stride of my own, and as we walked through the forest, keeping Mt. Mur to our right, I could only think one thing.

Things are looking up.

Oh, how wrong I was.

[Carys]

I am a woman of simple needs.

"Yah!" I shouted as I swung my golden sword at the nearest Creeper. The Mob exploded in a shower of EXP and gunpowder before it even saw my red irises.

To fight the strong and crush the weak.

"Tah! Tah! Tah!" Each stab of my sword was pronounced with a similar exclamation as I dispatched four Cave Spiders. String and Spider Eyes were left in their wake.

*TWANG*

My body reacted before my mind even registered the sound and I ducked just as an arrow flew over my head. The guilty archer could only stand at its vantage point and feign innocence.

Not gonna help.

I swapped to my personal bow and let loose a burning arrow right between the Skeleton's eyes. It ignited and flailed around for a bit before joining its brethren in oblivion.

Too easy.

A pack of Zombies began a charged, tank-like assault on me. I merely looked at them with a bored expression before withdrawing a splash potion of slowness. I chucked it at them and watched as their sluggish movements became even more sluggish.

I then withdrew some TNT and placed a block at my feet before turning my attention to a newcomer. I grinned.

An Enderman.

I didn't even hesitate as I gave it a long challenging stare. Red eyes met purple and the battle was on.

*ZWIP*

I nimbly dodged to the right as it swung its arms down with rock shattering force. I downed a potion of swiftness and enjoyed the exhilarating feeling the potion provided as a side effect.

The Enderman ran towards me and I couldn't resist laughing at how goofy it looked running on those stilts-for-legs. It swung its arms at me in a coordinated assault, but after the potion I just drank, it couldn't touch me.

It struck with the left arm and I dodged to the left. It struck with the right arm and I dodged to the left. It struck with both arms and I backpedaled.

Things like fighting are second nature to me.

*TWANG* *TWANG* *TWANG*

I spun on my heel to dodge a flurry of arrows sent by a new pack of Skeletons.

Awfully ambitious.

I prepared to dispatch them, but the Enderman took the opportunity to strike me in the back.

I could have dodged, but I had a better idea. So with a grin, I merely took the attack.

The Enderman struck me hard on the shoulder, but with my Protection enchanted diamond armor, I barely felt a thing.

But there was more to it.

*GHAIYA* The Enderman screamed as my diamond armor glowed unnaturally before sending the creature sprawling across the floor. Courtesy of my newest Thorns enchantment.

That was worth every emerald.

I returned my attention to the slow moving Zombie pack and saw that they were getting closer to the TNT I placed.

I still got time.

*TWANG* *TWANG* *TWANG*

Three more arrows flew towards me and I simply used my enhanced speed to sidestep each one.

But first, those Skeletons. I licked my lips as I charged towards them full speed with my golden sword in hand.

The Skeletons tried to get a shot at me, but I was always a few steps ahead from where they were aiming.

*ZWIP* *GHAIYA* The Enderman had teleported in front of me and it did not look happy.

"Wait your turn." I responded simply as I went from a sprint to a smooth slide beneath the Enderman's legs just as it brought its arm down in front of him. I performed a short tumble before returning to my feet and somersaulted over the central of the three Skeletons. As soon as I landed, I changed the grip of my sword and swung a horizontal backwards slash.

The Skeleton stumbled back with an audible rattle before I finished it with a powerful blow to the skull. The other two Skeletons on either side of me aimed their bows at my head.

Oh please.

I yawned as I merely ducked to not only dodge their shots, but have them shoot at each other. The Skeletons angrily exchanged bone rattles with each other before completely ignoring me to engage in their own archery battle. I smiled at how easily their attention drifted.

*ZWIP* Again the Enderman teleported within striking distance, but all of its swings met air. However, I had toyed with the Mobs long enough. It was time to end it.

I readied my golden sword and dodged both the Enderman's arms before getting within its guard. My sword plunged deep into its torso with an audible squelch. And boy did it scream.

*GHAIYA* *GHAIYA* It attempted to strike me while I was up close.

They never learn.

*SLASH* *SLASH* *SLASH*

Three strikes later and the Enderman was nothing more than a couple of ender pearls on the ground.

Enderman's done.

I turned my attention to the two Skeletons still dueling and caught a glimpse at one of them disappearing in a puff of smoke, EXP, and bones. The remaining Skeleton rattled in triumph.

"Congrats. You get to be killed by me." I congratulated as I finished it with a flaming arrow.

Skeletons are done.

Finally, I returned my attention to the pack of Zombies slowly trying to make their way over to me.

"Ah, perfect position gentlemen." I cheerily called out as I aimed my fire bow at the block of TNT surrounded by Zombies.

*TWANG*

*BOOM*

It's raining rotten flesh.

"Now back to mining." I concluded happily as I hung my bow at my belt, collected any useful Mob drops, and withdrew my iron pick.

Things like killing are second nature to me.

Second nature for the Angel of Death.

Inventory (Cobb): 1 Wooden Shovel, 1 Wooden Pickaxe, 1 Wooden Hoe, 1 Wooden Sword, 1 Wooden Axe, 1 Flint and Steel, 6 Cobblestone, 12 Gravel, 5 Coal, 23 Torches, 1 Chest, 1 Stick, 31 Oak Wood Planks, 2 Wooden Pressure Plates, 1 Trapdoor, 1 Stone Slab, 3 Oak Doors, 1 Wooden Button, 1 Clock, 40 Dirt, 2 Signs, 3 Ladders, 1 Water Bucket, 1 String, 1 Bone, 1 Bowl, 1 Leather Boots, 10 Rotten Flesh, 1 Emerald

Inventory (Floyd): 1 Wooden Shovel, 1 Wooden Sword, 1 Wooden Pickaxe, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Wooden Axe, 1 Bow, 1 Flint and Steel, 21 Cobblestone, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 35 Oak Wood Planks, 1 Book, 1 Paper, 1 TNT, 5 Gravel, 5 Coal, 11 Dirt, 2 Gunpowder, 2 Glass Bottles, 1 Splash Potion of Swiftness, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Regeneration, 1 Awkward Potion, 1 Head {Crawford}

AN: In case any of you had forgotten, yes Carys is the same 'Angel of Death' mentioned in chapter 10. Not sure if that was obvious or not.

Also, I'm looking forward to next chapter. Why you ask? Oh...you didn't ask?...well...fine I wasn't going to tell you anyway. (v_v)

As always, share, like, subscribe...wait, no that's youtube.

Uh...fav, follow, review, PM, and have a good week!