AN: It's not midnight yet! IT IS STILL MAY 11th, GODAMNIT!
AND I WILL PUBLISH THIS CHAPTER! EVEN IF I CAN'T GET IT TO MY BETA IN TIME! SO PUT YOUR PITCHFORKS AND TORCHES AWAY!
More importantly, I've reached 300 reviews in under 300,000 words and 40 chapters. Awesome!
Congrats to Laner for guessing the last puzzle correctly. The answer was my profile picture: A cob of corn! You get rid of the outside (husk) to cook the inside, then you eat the outside (corn) and throw away the inside (the gross cobby bit). Enjoy your cookie and your acknowledgement.
(::)
Puzzle: What belongs to you, but others use it more than you do?
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add pitchforks.
Beta: Myself this time...for the second time
Chapter 40
Engineer
[Cobb]
[SILVERFISH]
[Description: Small, gray, hairy, and bug-like with beady black eyes. Makes a distinctive hissing noise.]
[Tips: One of the more annoying Mobs I've had the pleasure of meeting, these pests normally lie in stone, patiently waiting for a Crafter to unknowingly mine them and unleash their fury.]
[Silverfish have the unique ability to meld into stone. And that includes their variants: Stone Bricks, Cobblestone, Chiseled Stone Brick, Mossy Stone Brick, and Cracked Stone Brick. It is nearly impossible to tell the difference between a normal stone block and an 'infected' stone block, save for the subtle softness in the 'infected' stone.]
[In stone form, they are dormant and don't move. But when disturbed, they attack the player belligerently.]
[Alone, they are no big threat. They each have 4 hearts of health and deal half-a-heart of damage per bite. Get enough of them together, however, and you'll find yourself eaten alive. These things are unrelenting, and if they take damage, they alert any nearby Silverfish within 'infected' stone, which then assist in attacking the Crafter.]
[When left alone, Silverfish meld back into stone, ready to attack the next Crafter that disturbs their slumber. Normally, this Mob only exists in Strongholds, one of the reasons why they are largely unknown. However, I have found evidence of them within the extreme hills of Zeppil.]
[These Mobs are small and weak. But also not the easiest of targets to hit with a sword or bow. Splash Potions or TNT—weapons with a lot of splash damage—would be best to clean these pests up. And if outnumbered, RUN.]
[Weakness: Splash Potions of Harming, TNT, Bane of Arthropods.]
"So that's what they were called." I turned another page of the Advanced Mob book, reviewing the information I just gleaned.
As soon as Wynn threw herself out the window—I'm sure she's fine—I took the opportunity to gather up all my rocks for the mason I completely neglected. That was a dick move on my part.
But I figured, since I was walking, a bit of reading into Herobrine's book couldn't hurt. And it was amazing. I never thought reading could be so interesting. But the way Herobrine described the Mobs. His experiences in researching them. All the work he put in. As well as the understandable way he explained his notes.
Why couldn't all books do the same?
The only exception was the last few pages, which I couldn't understand a word of. It looked like it was written by a spastic typewriter.
Just the first line:
[Lmxv xlmhgifxgvw, gsv Drgsvi droo uozhs yofv zmw tild ozitvi rm hrav. Rm gsrh hgzgv, rg rh fmzyov gl nlev li rmuorxg wznztv, yfg rh zohl rmermxryov.]
I didn't know what the Russian language looked like, but that was the first thing my Normal Sense registered when reading it. There were commas and spaces, but all of the words had vowels and consonants in the strangest places.
It looked like a load of gibberish to me.
And the rest of the book was legible so I had no idea what Herobrine was thinking. Maybe he just ran out of things to write and just said—Fuck it. I'm gonna fill the space with randomness. Let my readers decide whether it means anything.
Well in my case, I ultimately decided it meant nothing and focused on the more substantial writing: The Mob info.
It would have to wait until after I traded in my rocks to the mason. I was already in the market place.
"His stand was around here…OH MY GOD!"
I gasped in horror upon reaching the mason's stand. There was something standing behind the counter, but it wasn't pretty.
"What have I done!?" I shouted while clutching my face. "I made him wait out here so long that his skin and muscles rotted away, leaving only a bare and oddly wooden-looking skeleton behind!"
"I'm awake!" Someone shouted from behind the counter as a head of messy hair rose. "How can I—Oh! Bucko! You're back."
It was the mason. Looking tired, but otherwise not a skeleton. "Wait…if you're here, what's that skeletal think wearing your leather armor?"
"Oh, this?" He pointed to the skeletal figure wearing his armor. "This is just an armor stand I use as a fake me whenever I need some shut-eye on the job." To prove his point, he tapped the armor stand with his hand and took off the leather armor before putting it on himself. "So, I trust you have the rocks you promised?"
"Yeah…sorry about that." I laughed sheepishly as I set the colorful rocks on the counter for him to examine. "I sort of underestimated how far the Inn was."
"It's no problem. I only had to wait…a day." He commented kindly before smiling appreciatively at the stones. "And it was worth it! You know, not many people see the aesthetic value of these stones. Most people ignore them for ores and gemstones."
"Sounds like a couple of losers, am I right?"
"Yes. I can see you're a Crafter of exceptional mineral tastes. And for such a haul of stones, proper payment is in order."
"That's what I like to hear." I smiled as the mason passed me ten emeralds. My first proper trade. "Oh! And…uh…there's something else…"
The mason tilted his head curiously as I pulled out a stack of that End Stone stuff. I watched his eyes for any signs of recognition in the odd substance, but saw only puzzlement.
"Have you seen this stone before?" There was no way I could keep that much of an unknown material in my Inventory without Wynn asking questions and prying into where I got them. So ditching the rocks was the safest thing to do. But it wasn't entirely ridiculous asking about stone from a stone expert. And if he found value in the bleached rock, it would mean more emeralds for me.
Two birds. One stone sword.
The mason tilted the rock as he examined the item's name. "End Stone? I've never seen a rock like this before…such an unusual color…"
"Think you can make anything from it?"
"I'm not sure…but I am always up for a challenge." He smiled eagerly as he turned to me. "Do you have any more of it?"
I breathed a sigh of relief before piling all my End Stone on his counter. The look on his face as the stone cascaded down; the look of pure excitement he had over the prospects of studying an unusual new stone.
Bringing the rocks was a good idea.
"So how much can I get for all these?"
"Oh, sorry bucko. Until I know the value of these rocks, I can't exactly put a price tag on them."
Bringing the rocks was a bad idea.
"Now if you'll excuse me," the mason spoke as he gathered all the colorful rocks, "I have some bricks to make and some discoveries to discover."
With the trade already completed, I waved goodbye and walked deeper into the marketplace. I still had some errands to get done. Like finding out what happened to Lenz. Shopping for supplies I might need for the trip back to Ringwood.
And maybe digging more into what I saw in that lab…
I could still remember that Creeper-woman's face before she exploded. Fully aware of her fate…the relaxed expression etched upon her gruesome face…
…
What was Jeb doing down there?
"Come again, soon."
I flashed an appreciative smile at the bookstore owner. I felt entitled to after the great deal he gave me on those three books. From what the bookstore owner told me, 'Feelings: And How to Destroy Them', 'Fifty Shades of Chicken', and 'The History of Cadboro Bridge' were all published centuries ago, and were very hard to come by. Although he shot me a strange look when I mentioned 'Fifty Shades of Chicken', he agreed to pay me three emeralds per book.
I kept 'Advanced Mob-Slaying' for myself.
Most of the emeralds were already needed to replace what I broke or lost on my latest adventure. A new iron pick, a flint and steel, and a cool new helmet made of some metal mesh that resembled what I saw the Griefers wearing. I think it was called chain mail or something, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to craft it. It seemed strong enough though and I needed a replacement for my leather helmet.
It was great having money. Like having something that society generally wanted. Being able to buy things instead of repeatedly asking for free samples saved so much time.
However, the marketplace didn't have everything.
"What do you mean donkey armor doesn't exist!?"
But I was satisfied with my Inventory. My backpack was brimming with useful gear. Especially after I crafted a new stone axe and refilled my bucket with water.
I was on my way to the college when a familiar shout reached my ear.
"Cobbert!"
Only one person would bother lengthening my name while talking to me. I didn't even have to turn around completely to know it was the grey-haired college student, Lenzington.
"Lenz! You're okay." I breathed a sigh of relief. "I was worried you were lost in the End forever."
"When I woke up in my bed, with no sign of you anywhere, I feared the same." Lenz wiped a bit of dust off his glasses. "I went back to the laboratory to find you, but came up empty. I assume you did the same searching for me."
"Uh…well…it was pretty late…"
His glasses slid down his face along with his spirits, revealing the resentment in his eyes. "You mean…you did not even bother—"
"Look, I wanted to search for you," I held up my hands to ward off his outrage, "but Wynn, the scary lady we talked about, wasn't letting me go. I couldn't risk it."
Lenz was shaking his fists in anger. "I skipped classes today and threw away my chance at the perfect attendance award …thinking I was aiding a lost brethren. All while you slept easy!?" I caught the makings of his furious magenta orbs before his glasses covered them up. "Well let me tell you, Cobbert. This Wynn of which you speak could never compare to an enraged Mrs. Cornhaven! If she found out I faked calling in a personal emergency to skip the Redstone Lab…"
In response to his fretting, I scratched my cheek sheepishly. "I'm sorry. Really. I just figured you'd end up close by or something." I then remembered a bit of information. "I wound up in my bed too. After the End, I mean."
Lenz looked at me traitorously before humming in thought. "We both wound up in our respective beds…interesting." He whipped out a notebook and started jotting stuff down. "It seems that the fountain portal returned us to our last place of rest. Further testing would be needed, but it is not an implausible hypothesis."
"Quit talking science-y and all." I complained while plugging my ears.
Lenz frowned and turned away. "And after all the trouble I went to find you. That laboratory was thrice as scary by myself."
"Well, why didn't you wait?" I nodded to the side as a sign for us to move. Standing in the middle of a busy marketplace wasn't the best place to have on conversation. "And how did you know I'd be here."
"I could not wait because I was unsure whether you were in dire need or not." He explained. "Leaving an imbecile stranded in another dimension to his own devices would be like letting an ocelot run into a cactus farm."
"Gee, thanks."
"You are very welcome."
"…"
"Secondly," Lenz stated while lowering his voice, "I considered it prudent to perform another once-over on that laboratory."
"Find anything?"
He shook his head. "Whoever owned that lab, did not leave many clues involving their research. No sign as to what was kept in those remaining cells, either."
Once again, that Creeper-woman entered my mind. Was it possible that the other cells held Creeper-people as well? Or did they hold something else entirely?
Something worse.
"You said, 'whoever owned the lab.' Does that mean you don't think it was Jeb's?"
He shook his head again and stared at the ground. "I do not know. Or rather…I do not know if I want to know. I want to believe Jeb would not do something so atrocious…but I cannot completely overrule his possible association with that laboratory."
I felt like I should say something. After all, it must have been hard for Lenz, doubting whether his role model was good or bad. "I don't think it was Jeb's. The potion stands in the lab mean that whoever really owned it knew how to brew potions. Plus, housing a magical portal to another dimension doesn't sound like something an engineer would do."
Lenz kept his eyes on the ground. "…Indeed. The college has spawned many an inventive mind. Any one of them could have built that laboratory."
"See? There you go!" I smiled, thinking I cheered him up. "I'm sure Jeb is still the brilliant and totally sane man you think he—"
"You were honest."
I stumbled at his interruption. "Um…what?"
"The emergency exit." He clarified while looking at the ground in shame. "Just like you said. It was there, in the portal room, and it would have returned you to Daymonte. Only instead, you saw it in your heart to follow me into the unknown."
It took me a moment to realize he was talking about how I followed him into the End. "Oh! Well, yeah, I couldn't just leave you there."
"Why?"
I blinked in surprise, not expecting the questioning. "What do you mean why? Because it was the right thing to do. Not everything needs a 'why'."
"You would risk so much for someone you just met…someone that tried to kill you on three separate occasions."
I scratched my head awkwardly. He wasn't making this any easier. Didn't he know that everything was supposed to be forgiven after two people saved each other's life? "Well, are you upset that I went back for you?"
He stared quietly before finally shaking his head.
"Then don't think too much on it." I dismissed with a wave. "We're even now. And neither of us is going to tell anyone about what went down in those labs. Right?"
He nodded in agreement, causing me to sigh in relief. Being discreet about the lab wasn't just for the sake of sparing people the horrors of what we saw down there. If either of us blabbed to the guards about it, they would doggedly question us about every little thing that happened.
We'd probably be arrested for trespassing in the Northeast Sector or some similar crime. And if that got back to Wynn…
I didn't want to think about it.
"So how did you know I'd be in this marketplace." I changed the subject, hoping to spark a casual conversation.
"I did not." Lenz shrugged. "But I recalled you mentioned you were staying at the Stonewall Inn. I was cutting through here to check on you."
"Well, I saved you the trip, then."
"But that is not all." Lenz hastily continued. "I came to request a favor."
"…What kind of favor?" I questioned hesitantly.
Lenz took a deep breath before lifting his glasses and looking me straight in the eye. "I wish for you to accompany me on a journey outside Daymonte."
"…"
"…"
"…um…what?"
"I do not know how my statement could have possibly confused you, but I will repeat myself." He cleared his throat, but I stopped him.
"No, I'm not confused by what you said…I'm just…why?"
"Not everything needs a 'why'." He parroted my words with a small smile.
"Yeah, pretty sure this needs a why." I urged with a frown. "I thought you didn't want to leave Daymonte."
"For the longest time, I did not. And I thought I was making the right decision." He lowered his glasses and withdrew a piston from his backpack, staring at it purposefully. "But after that adventure of ours in the End, I thought there was no hope for escape. I gave up.
"It got me thinking about my entire life, and how it was spent either letting others fight for me while I ran away, or permitting myself to live within a single Kingdom. Before yesterday, I never shot a Mob before. I never went to an alternate dimension before. My redstone never saved a life other than my own before. I never really worried about a life other than my own before.
"But here I am, today. Still alive despite all I have gone through. And it is all thanks to a Crafter I have just met." He pointed to me. "What I am trying to say, is that I have always been running away from things. Just this once, I would like to see how I fare in the outside world. And I would appreciate it if you would accompany me, as a sort of chaperone."
I blinked at that word. Chaperone? Was I just an escort to this guy?
"And…you're sure you want to do this?" I questioned.
"No. Not really." Lenz deflated a bit. "To be honest, I am scared out of my mind at the prospects of what I may face out there. But I am sure that if I stick with you, I will be able to live to see the next day. And the day after. And so on."
"What about college?"
"The year is almost over. All that is left are Finals and I should be able to request to take them ahead of schedule. If I finish them all tomorrow, I should have three months of break before the next semester starts. More than enough time to see the outside world." He tossed the piston in the air before deftly catching it in the other hand. "Besides, I hope to find other aspiring engineers abroad, and see the kinds of machinations they have perfected. I am certain it will broaden my engineering knowledge more considerably than private lessons in a stuffy classroom."
I bit my lip to hold back my protests. I didn't really want Lenz to be outside because I didn't think he'd last 10 minutes. He had no grasp of sarcasm, and was afraid of Mobs. Could he even fight with engineering?
But at the same time, he looked like he had thought it over for a while. He seemed intent on journeying outside Daymonte, even if I tried to talk him out of it.
As for being his chaperone, that idea sounded terrible. Despite how much my skills were improving, I couldn't guarantee I could keep him safe. But I was always advocating that experience didn't matter. That anyone had the right to survive, if given the chance to learn. I'd look like a real hypocrite if I turned him down, just because I didn't think he was ready for it.
I took both hands and scratched my head furiously. "Bah!" My eyes shot open as I looked at Lenz. "Alright, but I have a set of conditions."
Lenz gestured forward. "Name them."
I held up a finger. "First, none of this escort stuff. I'm not your chaperone and you're not my chaperee."
"That is not a word—"
"Upupup!" I silenced his response as I continued. "If we're going to be traveling together, we do it as equals. And maybe friends if either of us can stand each other longer than a minute."
Lenz adopted a contemplative look. "Friends…" He muttered to himself before eventually nodding in approval.
"Good. Numero two-o."
"If you keep making up these words, conversing with you will be tedious—"
"You can't let me do all the fighting." I pointed to the bow at his belt. "You say you're a good shot, right?"
"Indeed." He took out the bow and admired it. "I have trained myself to be able to hit a button while seated in a speeding minecart moving at approximately—"
"Yeah-yeah-yeah-bah-bah-bah-whatever." I tossed him the single arrow from my backpack. "Try to hit something."
He looked between me and the arrow with confusion. "Hit something?"
"Yeah. Show me your archery skills." I didn't see what the problem was, but apparently Lenz did.
"But…but I am not seated within a speeding minecart…nor are there any buttons which I could aim at."
I dragged a hand over my face. As if talking with this guy wasn't difficult enough. "Just aim at anything. Like…" I looked around before spotting a perfect target. Across the chasm there was a flashing billboard in the shape of a grinning woman holding up a bowl of soup. "That billboard. Hit that from here."
Lenz looked across the chasm and seemed to ponder the distance before he swapped his glasses for his goggles and loaded his bow with the arrow I gave him.
His bow was fully drawn, ready to fire, when suddenly he lowered it. "Is that all? Just hit the billboard woman? Or were you referring to the buttons on its eyes? Or the buttons on its shirt?"
"What buttons?" I narrowed my eyes and shielded them to try and see what he was talking about.
"The buttons on the billboard." He clarified. "There is one wooden button on each of the billboard woman's redstone lamp eyes. Additionally, there are several stone buttons along the woman's shirt, most likely emulating a buttoned-up shirt."
No matter how much I narrowed my eyes to focus on the billboard, I couldn't see what Lenz was seeing. Just how good was his eyesight? Or was it all in the goggles? "Um…then hit the eye."
"Left or right?"
"Left."
"Very well." He raised his bow again and calmed his breathing. His face was clear of any stress or tension, completely relaxed, as he pulled back the bowstring and slightly shifted his fingers on the grip.
He aimed carefully, slightly above the targeted billboard…
And then fired!
The arrow moved so fast I could only see it as a blur against the chasms artificial lights. It left a trail of stars in its wake, which I remembered to be Crit Aura, as it sped across the chasm. The direction it was heading was off from the billboard, but as if by magic, the arrow arced slightly near the chasm's center before angling towards the billboard. High.
I couldn't see the arrow the whole way, but I had a feeling Lenz could as he just stared across the chasm. A second later, the billboard's left eye lit up.
He hit his mark.
"Is that good enough of a shot?" Lenz inquired politely as he switched to his glasses again. I just nodded numbly.
"Yeah…yeah that'll do it." Even someone like me who had no grasp on impressive feats of archery had to admit that that was an amazing shot. He fired across the chasm, which was easily a hundred meters wide. And topped it off by hitting a wooden button the size of my hand.
If he applied those archery skills to combat, he could kill people from a mile away. What did he have to be afraid of with skills like that?
"Were you that skilled when you first spawned?"
"That looked like skill?" He questioned in mild surprise before shaking his head. "No. I learned it while in Daymonte. Self-taught."
"Well, I wouldn't want to get you mad with skills like those." I admitted with newfound respect for the college student.
"So does that mean you will accompany me?"
"Not so fast, bull's-eye." I held up a hand while Lenz wrinkled his nose in disdain at my recent nickname. "The third condition is…well…I'm kind of travelling with a group."
"Are they friends of yours?"
"More like acquaintances that think I'm awesome." I said with absolutely no modesty. "But they're led by Captain Wynn of Ringwood. I need to stay with them, so you'll have to stay with them too. And I don't think she would want another tag-along unless I asked her first."
"Ask me what, Cobb."
I froze at the sound of that voice and slowly turned to see the ivory-haired Captain behind me, arms already crossed. "Captain! What a surprise to see you…standing ominously behind me."
"Well, after I threw myself out of that window and gave myself time to calm down, I thought it best to get some supplies." She tapped some cooked porkchops hanging off her belt. "I didn't think you'd be here though. Your pockets aren't exactly heavy with emeralds if I remember correctly."
I raised my mouth to come up with an excuse for the emeralds, but stopped when Lenz cut in with an extended hand. "You must be Captain Wynn." He greeted politely. "Cobbert has told me so much about you."
"Cobbert…?" Wynn blinked in confusion but shook Lenz's hands regardless. More out of habit than anything.
"Though I must say, you do not seem nearly as scary as Cobbert described."
I paled while Wynn's eyebrow twitched angrily. "Oh?" She spoke calmly, but her amber eyes were flashing dangerously. "And what else has Cobb been saying about me?"
"Well, he did mention that your personality was akin to a barren—mmph."
I quickly slapped a hand over his mouth and pulled him aside. "Ahahaha! Lenz! Such a kidder!" I tried to laugh it off, even while Wynn's eyes narrowed. "He's joking, Captain. Just joking."
I gave Lenz a look through his tinted glasses in an attempt to relay a silent plea not to tell Wynn any of what I told him. Some things had to be kept secret for the greater good.
My good.
Wynn glared at me before turning back to Lenz. "So who is he anyway?"
"He's a student at the Redstone College." I answered for him as I removed my hand from his mouth. "I met him when I checked out the fair…and we sort of…"
"…We formed a lasting friendship over our shared interest in redstone." Lenz finished hastily. "And nothing else!"
Sure, that doesn't sound suspicious. I thought sarcastically as Wynn seemed to look for possible faults in our explanation. "Anyway, Lenz wanted to know if he could come with us when we leave Daymonte."
Wynn gave an uncharacteristic groan and rubbed a spot on her forehead. "Another tag-along? We aren't an escort service, Cobb."
"Well, that's why I'm asking you first instead of doing it anyway."
She frowned at my comment but turned to face Lenz. "Were you the one that took that shot?"
"Pardon?"
She pointed towards the billboard. "That arrow in the billboard's eye. Did you take that shot?"
"Er…yes." He nodded a little off-put, wondering if he did something wrong.
"Can you make it again?"
Lenz looked at Wynn in surprise before sending me a searching glance. I don't know why he was looking at me for what to do, as if I knew any better, but I nodded. What was the harm, right?
Lenz lowered his goggles, raised his bow, and loaded one of the many arrows he carried with him. "Right eye this time." Wynn spoke, giving all of her attention to Lenz instead of the billboard.
Lenz shuffled in place before shifting his aim to the right slightly, and just like before, he took his stance, calmed his breathing, and took the shot. A few seconds later, the right eye lit up. Both eyes fully illuminating the billboard.
Wynn nodded in approval before facing me. "He can come. My guards won't attack him, nor will they protect him. If he can defend himself, I have no problems."
Lenz smiled at her approval and bowed. "Thank you, Miss Whispers."
"Good to see someone has manners." Wynn commented before walking up to me and whispering something. "He's a good archer. That shot he just took. I only know one blonde capable of making that shot. And he just did it twice."
She patted me on the shoulder before walking away. "Now with that settled, I have a meeting with Rotjes soon. Cobb, try and keep your staying-out-of-trouble streak going. Or else I'll regret letting Lenzington accompany us."
"Right…thanks, Captain." I waved at her fleeting form before turning back to Lenz. "Well, I guess it's settled then. We'll probably be leaving Daymonte in a few days so you better stock up on gear."
"Not to worry!" Lenz assured happily as he reached into his backpack. "I have all the necessary supplies. Redstone torches, pistons, comparators, string—"
"I think we need to have a serious talk about useful items." I started walking towards the Stonewall Inn, with Lenz following along.
"Sounds like an exceptional learning experience." He beamed eagerly, taking out his notebook to jot some things down. "Perhaps you could also share some tips on sarcasm and social norms for my handy dandy notebook."
"Sure. Social Tip Number One: If I tell you something insulting about someone else, don't fucking tell that someone else about the insults!"
"Ah. That is one for the notes!" he scribbled down excitedly while I just face palmed.
I miss Floyd.
[Three Days Later: Blitz Peak]
It was midnight. Captain Thistle strode forward with stoic purpose, flanked by four of his most trusted guards, as he approached the small pack of Griefers.
As Alec's letter promised, the Griefers were waiting at the base of Blitz Peak. About twenty of them. Hardly the thousand Alec threatened Daymonte with. Thistle smiled at the accuracy of his and Rotjes' assumption.
These Griefers were just a couple of upstarts. All bark, no bite.
Still, it paid to be cautious. Prior to approaching the Griefers, Thistle had ordered his remaining twenty-five guards to find sniper positions amongst the mountain's underbrush. If things turned violent, which they most likely would, they had their orders to take out all hostiles.
Thistle was simply there to give them the chance to surrender peacefully...semi-peacefully. The Griefers had to die, not like they'd be missed, but their leader, Alec_Bishop, was to be arrested for killing several Daymonte guards.
If he tried to resist, he'd be killed too.
That was how it was going to go down.
Thistle stopped in the middle of an open area, his guards stopping with him. The Griefers were watching distrustfully, their hands already on their weapons.
"We're here in response to the message you sent. Where's Alec?" Thistle was in no mood to mince words, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. The Griefers weren't worth any more of his or His Lordship's time.
The Griefers tensed in anger at Thistle's bluntness. All except for the one in gray leather armor with the blond bowl-cut. He looked rather bored, fiddling with a lever on the ground.
In response to the Griefers' obvious hostility, Thistle's guards readied their swords.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on a second." A man ran in between the Griefers and Thistle's guards. "We shouldn't be rude to our guests. After all, I'd look like a real prick inviting these guys here just to kill them off."
Thistle's eyes widened at the man's statement. He had a full head of jet black hair styled in a comb-over. His dark-gray eyes gleamed in amusement, though he had some black markings over his eyes. Two vertical lines over each eye.
He wore a simple mahogany T-shirt with black sleeves and a pair of black sweat-pants. He wore a fingerless black glove on his left hand, simple black sneakers, and his belt and backpack were a deep crimson.
He flashed a cocky grin to Thistle before walking forward and extending his hand. "Hi. I'm Alec."
Thistle glared coldly at the hand until Alec had the sense to drop it. "Helluva handshake you got there." Alec commented sarcastically, his eyes still gleaming contentedly.
"I don't touch filth." Thistle responded, loud enough for just Alec to hear. His smile fell a little, but he tried to keep his spirits high.
"Well, now that pleasantries have been exchanged, why don't we get to the business at hand." Alec swung his arms back and forth, fully relaxed and seemingly oblivious to the tension exchanged between Thistle's guards and his Griefers. "I assume you brought the Command Block Codex?"
Thistle smiled a little. "I'm afraid not." Alec's pleasant mood quickly dropped and his eyes narrowed. "Neither Daymonte nor His Lordship will be intimidated by empty threats. The only reason I bothered coming out here was because of what you did to my men."
Alec bit the inside of his cheek slightly before adopting an apologetic face. "If you mean those guards of yours, I am hugely, terribly, immensely, remorsefully, sorry for your loss. I didn't enjoy giving my Griefers the order to kill them, but it had to be done."
Thistle bristled with fury and his hand flexed to his sword. But he stopped himself. There was no need to let a worthless nothing get the better of him. He could be the bigger person.
"I appreciate your apology." Thistle replied. "And I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me when I kill all your men."
Thistle expected Alec to strike first at the provocation, but he remained as irritatingly calm as ever. "Well, I am the bigger person. You didn't bring me my Codex, and yet I'm keeping you all alive right now. That's the only reason why you're still alive right now."
Thistle smirked to himself. "You really think I'd only bring four guards to this meeting? I came prepared. I got snipers all along the mountain, with their sights on you and your fearsome 'Griefer army'." He gestured to the twenty Griefers behind him.
"Is that right?" Alec paced in front of Thistle, flexing his gloved hand.
"Yeah. And if you so much as lay one finger on me, you'll be dead before you hit the—GUFF!"
Thistle coughed painfully after Alec drove a fist into his gut, doubling the confident Captain over.
"Well, I just laid five fingers into you and yet I'm still standing!" Alec boasted loudly to the laughter of the Griefers behind him. The guards flanking Thistle all readied their swords, furious at Alec's actions, but smart enough to wait for their Captain's orders.
Thistle struggled to get air back into his lungs. "Th-Archers!" He shouted out angrily. "Take them out!"
However, nothing happened.
There was no volley of arrows sinking into Alec or the Griefers behind him. There was no sound of compliance to Thistle's orders.
Just a stretching silence.
"Archers!" Thistle desperately called again. "This is the signal to attack!"
"Wow, this is sad. Here let me give it a try." Alec cupped a hand to his mouth. "Hey, archers! Take out the buff-looking guard on the far left!"
Immediately, a hundred arrows flew from the mountain. All aimed at one of Thistle's guards. The buff-looking guard barely had the chance to run before the arrows riddled him. The spot where he was standing was soon just a pile of gear and a soulless Head.
Thistle looked horrified at his guard's demise, but even more so by the amount of arrows shot. Those weren't his men. Not nearly enough for all the bows that must have been fired.
"Awesome," Alec spoke to himself before cupping his hand again. "This time, take out the bald one!"
The bald guard had the sense to try and dodge. Prolonging his life for just a couple of seconds. But it was futile. The sheer amount of arrows easily cornered him, ending his existence in a pile of gear.
"Get behind me! Both of you!" Thistle called out to his two remaining guards. One of them quickly hurried over to get in a defensive stance, but the other one was shaking too much. "William! Get over here!"
"Ooh, a challenge shot. I'm game." Alec cupped his hand again. "Try and hit the guard he's covering, without killing the Captain!"
Another hundred arrows flew from the mountain, aimed at Thistle and his fellow guard. Thistle tried to block as many as he could, even though they weren't quite directed at him, but every so often, one would slip through his defense and hit his guard. And the arrows were unrelenting. Hundreds at a time.
Soon, the third guard joined his fellows.
After witnessing that, the final guard, William, sprung into action. He turned and sprinted away from the mountain, panic streaked across his face.
"William! Stop!"
Thistle's words never reached William, because the guard stepped on pressure plate before being engulfed in several explosions almost instantly. His gear got destroyed in the subsequent blasts.
Alec whistled appreciatively. "Nicely done, LeShui. Almost makes up for you and Burke screwing up my TNT supply."
"That wasn't me." LeShui protested futilely from amongst Alec's Griefers. "It was Burke."
"Yeah, yeah, heard it all before." Alec dismissed before walking up to Thistle. "I'm sorry I had to kill your men. I really am. I don't want to be that guy that orders people to kill other people. But a point needed to be made." He whistled loudly.
As if on command, the mountain burst forth with hundreds of Griefers. They were all either concealed by rocks or underbrush, but now they were marching down the mountain on Alec's command. They all pooled at the base of Blitz Peak, looking inordinately pleased with themselves to have outsmarted Daymonte's Captain.
Thistle, in the meantime, was livid. His hands were shaking, not in fear, but in unrivaled fury. His four trusted guards were dead. The archers he sent to hide out along the mountain: Dead, most likely.
And Alec truly had an army of over a thousand Griefers at his disposal. This was a very real threat.
"You see?" Alec spoke as he gestured to the hundreds of Griefers surrounding him and Thistle. "This is real. My threat was real. And my attempt at negotiating was real. You just didn't want to listen." He frowned slightly as if to say he regretted it.
But not by much.
His grey eyes still gleamed with content.
Thistle couldn't let this man live. For his fallen guards and for Daymonte's sake…Alec had to die.
He reached for the sword at his belt.
Alec scoffed. "You really think you can kill an army by yourself?"
"No." Thistle scowled as he readied his sword. "Just you."
The dark-haired man gave out a harsh laugh, one in which most of the Griefers joined in. The lines over Alec's eyes began to seep a dark vapor. A black glow washed over him, almost like a black aura. When Alec opened his eyes, they no longer had any white in them. His sclera was a solid black, bits of smoke released out of the corner of his eyes. Thistle paled at the sight before him.
"You're better off facing an army."
*POW!*
"UGH!"
*POW!*
"GAH!"
*POW!*
*COUGH*
Thistle coughed painfully as he was thrown to the ground, utterly defeated.
"What do you think, guys?" Alec, smoke still enveloping his body, asked the watching Griefers while massaging his hand. "Too much?"
The Griefers responded with loud 'no's' but Alec shrugged them off.
"Meh, you guys are sadists." He dismissed before closing his eyes. He took a deep breath before exhaling slowly. As if turning off a faucet, the black smoke seeping from him, gradually stopped. And when he opened his eyes again, his white sclera had returned.
"What…what are you…?" Thistle coughed out from the floor.
Alec just knelt down beside him and smiled. "I'm real, Captain Thistle. We all are!" he shouted the last bit as he addressed his army. "Listen to this, Griefers! The King of Daymonte didn't honor our humble request for the Codex, because he thinks we aren't real!"
The Griefers booed in response.
"Yeah, it is pretty upsetting!" Alec agreed as he paced in front of Thistle's defeated form. "King Rotjes seems to think that all of you are just some silly bluff! That we don't have the manpower to conquer Daymonte's surrounding villages! That we don't exist!
"Well I say, we do! And who would know better than me, right!?"
The Griefers all cheered in response, eager to follow their leader in whatever he ordered.
"We exist just as much as Rotjes, Daymonte's citizens, or Thistle here! And—!" Alec stopped himself as if suddenly realizing a mistake he made. "Whoops, my bad." He turned to Thistle and picked up the fallen Captain's sword.
Then he positioned it over the Captain's chest.
"Captain Thistle won't be existing anymore."
Inventory (Cobb): 1 Wooden Shovel, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Stone Axe, 1 Stone Sword, 1 Golden Sword [Sharpness I, Unbreaking I]{Weak}, 1 Wooden Pickaxe {Weak}, 1 Fishing Rod {Weak}, 1 Flint and Steel, 8 Cobblestone, 12 Flint, 22 Torches, 34 Oak Wood Planks, 8 Oak Wood Stairs, 1 Oak Wood Door, 1 Stick, 1 Clock, 45 Dirt, 2 Signs, 1 Water Bucket, 10 String, 1 Ender Pearl, 1 Bone, 6 Baked Potatoes, 17 Pumpkin Pies, 30 Cookies, 1 Cake, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Chainmail Helmet, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Unbreaking I], Iron Leggings, Iron Boots, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 10 Rotten Flesh, 4 Item Frames, 8 Emeralds, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Temporary Entry Pass}
[EXP: 9]
Inventory (Lenz): 1 Bow, 1 Shears, 3 Levers, 4 Wooden Buttons, 3 Stone Buttons, 5 Redstone Torches, 30 Redstone, 7 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 1 Hopper, 3 Blocks of Redstone, 3 Pistons, 8 Gravel, 17 Cobblestone, 10 Torches, 3 Redstone Lamps, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 15 String, 17 Carrots, 35 Arrows, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}
[EXP: 0]
AN: RIP Thistle. On the plus side, there's probably a new opening for the Captain position.
...Too soon?
Anyway, this chapter was tough to write. But I kept my Wednesday deadline since it's still before midnight. I also probably pissed off some people. My bad. Please put away those torches.
Cobb now has a new ally in Lenzington and trouble is brewing in Daymonte's horizon.
Not much else to say. Chapter 41 will be published tomorrow so don't kill me.
As always, leave a fav, follow, OC submission, PM, review, or fifty dollars. Ciao.
Omake: No Ship Like Shipship
"For Christ's sake, Lenz—"
"I fail to see what part Christ has to play in this decision."
"We're going through dangerous territory." Cobb shouted exasperated. "As in, bring more weapons and less redstone tech."
"Ah, my naïve young Cobbert," Lenz placed a hand on his shoulder as if he was speaking to a child. "In my capable hands, redstone tech is a weapon."
"What, are you gonna build a tank?"
"No…but that is very creative." Lenz made a note in his personal notebook. "I was thinking traps and—er…is that your Inn? Up ahead?"
Cobb followed the student's finger and saw why he was confused. Wynn's guards were standing outside it, arguing heatedly about something.
Cobb barely caught any of it as he approached, but tapped the guard named Noah on the shoulder. "Hey, what's going on?"
As soon as Noah saw him, an eager smile spread across his face. "Perfect timing, Cobb. You can clear this up." Before Cobb could protest, he was gripped by the shoulders and absorbed into the group of guards. "Hey guys. Cobb's finally here, so he can tell you himself what he and Wynn were up to just this morning."
The other guards turned their attention to Cobb, a few of them showing disbelieving stares. Cobb, realizing they meant the 'straddling' situation and the implications behind it, was caught off guard by how big a deal the guards made of it.
"Yeah, go on, Cobb!" Spencer urged with a pat on the back. "Tell them how you tempered the Captain's ironclad heart."
"I didn't temper anything!" The fisherman denied frantically. "What have you been telling everyone?"
"Only what we saw." Noah defended. "What other option is there? That Wynn just so happened to pin you down and straddle you for a purpose other than sex?"
"Yes! There was nothing going on between us!" Cobb argued with a scowl.
"Aha! I knew it." Solara stated proudly besides Micah and Daniel. "That means Wyronica is still a possibility!"
"Wyroni-what-ica?" Cobb questioned looking between the two groups. "What are you guys arguing about?"
"Only the most important thing in the world." Micah chimed in. "Our Captain's relationship with others."
Cobb just stared flatly at the guards as they explained themselves. "See, Hollie, Spencer, and I, after witnessing what happened this morning, are more than convinced that Royal Whispers, you and Wynn's ship name, is a thing."
"But those delusional naysayers," Spencer pointed to Solara, Micah, and Daniel, "seem to be convinced that Wynn…swings for another team."
"Just say lesbian. The word won't kill you." Micah scowled. "And you can't deny that there's a connection between those two."
Hollie rolled her eyes. "There's nothing there. That's just a friendship."
"No! Wyronica is real!"
Daniel raised his hand. "I'm actually more partial to Wynnica…"
"The ship name is FINAL!" Micah shot back.
Cobb kept looking at them flatly before turning his attention elsewhere. "What about those two?" He pointed to Bitters and Liam.
"They're still on the fence."
"Liam's on the fence." Bitters clarified. "I just don't care."
It was painful to admit, but Cobb agreed with Bitters. Was this truly what the guards did in their downtime? Talk about relationships they played no part in?
Why?
Just…why?
"Cobb has been staying at Wynn's mansion." Hollie reasoned. "She wouldn't do that for a simple friend."
"But there's clearly a history between Veronica and the Captain!" Solara responded. "And considering Wynn's behavior, not to mention the way she dresses—"
"If you saw what we saw, you wouldn't be questioning this!"
"Wyronica!"
"Royal Whispers!"
As the two groups looked on the verge of conflict, Lenzington squeezed into the crowd. He placed a supportive hand on Cobb's shoulder. "Best not to get involved, Cobbert. It is out of your hands…out of anyone's hands, really."
Cobb halted in his attempts to intervene. "But…there's gotta be something we can do. They look ready to tear each other apart!"
Lenzington shook his head sadly. "You are fighting a battle against shipping, Cobbert. And I am afraid, that is a battle you will lose every time. Unless Wynn wishes to make a public confession about whom she loves, it would be best to steer clear. Let them tire themselves out. I should know." His face darkened. "I read a bit of romantic literature, involving a plucky male protagonist and three female love interests, which sparked similar responses amongst its fanbase."
"How did it go?"
"Badly." His face scrunched up as if he was remembering something particularly gruesome. "If bloodshed was possible in Minecraftia, I am certain it would have been spilled that day."
"Geez…how did it end?"
"With slowness potions and multiple incarcerations. I do not wish to say any further."
AN: I too prefer Wynnica to Wyronica. It just sounds better.