AN: Another Chapter. But this one gets back to Cobb! Yay! I'm also going back to talking first-person since it's Cobb again. Not that third-person wasn't enjoyable to write. They both have their pros and cons.
Before we start, however, I'd like to do that thing that I only occassionally do because I can't do it every Chapter: Answering Reviews!
-Responses-
Void of Shining Darkness: Glad you enjoyed the Chapter. Though I probably should have waited another Chapter before having Marble reappear. I feel like I resolve arguments too quickly, not giving them enough time to make a lasting impact. Still, I'm happy you enjoyed it.
AxeHelix: ...Not gonna answer that. Rated T for a reason.
Laner: If it's Cobb you want, then it's Cobb you get! I actually completely forgot about Noman's Skinny nickname. I also noticed that their were similarities between Carys' and Ciro's fights. Lava. Underground. Though Cobb won when Floyd tossed Carys in lava while Noman won by throwing the helmet into the lava. Each victory had its own moral behind it too, so that was the difference I was going for. Maybe I'm just a sucker for lava fight scenes.
The Ravenclawed Demigod: Well, Cobb has returned. And this Arc is gonna be...well...I can't really spoil it.
Toddem Mach: It's not like Marble cares about emeralds anyway. Noman needs them more than the Scout will.
AwesomeCoolGuy5: *offers a box of tissues*
DISPD: I think I've already established that Command Blocks are a thing in this world. They're just incredibly rare. Potato Tech only has one and they've filled all the commands they've discovered into that Command Block Codex of theirs.
Guest: Great name by the way. Yeah, Noman really should have realized what the Infinity Enchantment did when he looked up the Yanhua Gong in his artifact book. But he didn't because he was worried about Ciro at the time. maybe later I'll finally write him discovering Infinity. Maybe in an Omake.
Puzzle: If a farmer has 5 haystacks in one field and 4 haystacks in the other field, how many haystacks would he have if he combined them all in another field?
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd make the auto-jump function optional.
Oh, wait...they already have that as a thing?
...uh.
Beta: AxeHelix (Void was busy)
Chapter 52
Camaraderie
[Cobb]
With the envoy mission to Daymonte behind us, we began our long ride back to Ringwood to deliver the news to His Eminence. Apparently, Wynn's message to construct a railway between Ringwood and Daymonte was a big deal.
However, our group had gained a new traveling companion in the form of a tinted-glasses-wearing redstone engineer/badass archer/socially awkward nerd named Lenzington. Or Lenz for short.
The engineer, in all his wisdom and redstone expertise, neglected to bring emeralds or consider how he would keep up with a group of horses (and one amazing donkey) on foot.
I tried asking Wynn to pay for him, but as she so eloquently put it:
"No."
Which meant I had to shell out the emeralds for his steed. The only difficult decision was whether I should buy him an expensive, top-quality horse…or one of the cheap, slow donkeys I was forced to ride.
Naturally, I chose the more spiteful—ah…magnanimous route.
"While I appreciate the steed Cobb—Oof!—ert," Lenz tried to speak atop the bumpy ride that was his donkey, Reginald, "I cannot believe the stables were out of—Ow!—horses."
"Oh, they were out alright." I lied easily. "Apparently there was a horse-kidnapper on the loose."
Lenz huffed after a particularly jaunting bump. "Well, I hope they locate the criminal that stole those horses! It is bad enough the Kingdom's bridges have been bombed, but now Grand Theft Equine? When will the madness end?"
I kept myself from laughing and just nodded along. Lenz really had no experience with socializing. He barely understood sarcasm and seemed to believe anything I said. Also he thought I was an experienced Crafter.
So he didn't really know me at all.
But he was also an amazing archer with the ability to hit objects from far away. He would surely impress the guards if he showed off that skill.
Only…he didn't.
Whenever Mobs attacked, he was content to running up a tree or cowering behind a boulder while the rest of us fought. It irritated the guards and made them wonder why Lenz was brought in the first place. Subsequently, Lenz didn't make many friends with the guards, Bitters being especially bitter to him.
After a particularly cold encounter with a group of guards during dinner, a dejected Lenz walked off to eat his carrots alone besides a tree. The sight was oddly familiar with how Cara had eaten by herself all those days ago—
Wait a second…that is the same tree! My arms fell incredulously to my side as I glared at the tree. You're just a tree of sadness, aren't you?
The tree of sadness wisely remained silent.
Brain: Coward.
"Don't let those guards get to you, Lenz." I comforted as I walked over to him. "They just don't know you very well is all."
Lenz let out a long sigh. "Yes, I know. I am no stranger to the distance between barbarians and intellectuals." He said it as if it wasn't an insult. "I take small comfort in knowing that you share this isolation too."
"Actually they kind of love me." I admitted unashamed. To prove my point, I turned and waved at the guards, smiling as they almost all returned the wave.
"We love you, Cobb!"
"See?" I turned back to the dejected engineer, who for some reason looked even more dejected. "Aside from Captain Wynn and Bitters, they all respect me because I've proved my usefulness."
"And…how exactly can I prove my usefulness?"
"Hmm." I pondered aloud. "Would you be willing to jog into a gaggle of Creepers?" A slow and deliberate headshake was my response. "Okay, how about killing a wanted criminal with an unlikely tool?" Another headshake, no. "Well, then I'm out of ideas."
Brain: Wrong! I have an idea.
Heart: Does it involve arson, blackmailing, or chickens? Or all three at once?
Brain: …You know me too well.
Liver: I have an idea.
Brain: Did you guys hear something? Sounds kind of whiny.
Liver: *SOB*
Stomach: Cobb, I'm hungry. Figure out how to eat that cake in your Inventory, already.
Stomach, we have baked potatoes, pumpkin pies, cookies, and rotten flesh.
Stomach: And?
And…you're absolutely right! None of them can compare to cake! I must unlock its secrets!
Heart: Cake as a meal is bad for me. The sugar rush will have you jumping off the walls!
Bladder: We're in a forest, so…jumping off the trees?
"Cobbert, why are you staring off into space?" Lenz broke me out of my thoughts. "And why are you struggling with that cake?"
I looked down into my hands to see that same delicious cake before quickly stuffing it into my Inventory. As I did so, my hand brushed 'Advanced Mob-Slaying'.
"Hey, there's an idea!" Lenz looked at me questioningly as I withdrew the book. "It was the knowledge on Creepers that gave me the extra edge to earn seven-ninths of this group's respect. Maybe if you learn the weaknesses of some of the more advanced Mobs and show the group your knowledge, they'll accept you."
Lenz scratched his grey hair sheepishly. "I am not so sure…Mobs have always been difficult for me to face."
"Lenz, you're an archer." I stressed with an eye-roll. "That means you don't have to face them up close. You could literally snipe them. Or build a robot to face them, or something."
I meant the last bit as a joke, but it immediately caused a smile to form on Lenz's face. "Brilliant! Why did I not think of that? Though," he looked through his backpack, "I do not think I packed enough redstone technology to craft a robot. Perhaps something simpler?"
"Well, if it isn't the misfits." The green hair of Bitters shuffled into view, his face arranged into an arrogant sneer. "All by themselves with no friends. I pity you."
I hastily hid 'Advanced Mob-Slaying' behind my back. "I pity the stick still shoved up your ass." I shot back, taking satisfaction with how Bitters' face heated up from the memory of Veronica's taunt. "What do you want, Bitters?"
The guard narrowed his eyes. "I'm here to warn you. You may have won over all the other guards with your idiocy and luck, but I see what you really are: A Newb." He pointed directly at Lenz. "Why just look at the rubbish you brought along. Only a Newb would bring a redstone nerd into the dangerous wilderness. He cowers at the weakest of Mobs!"
"So what? Lenz has other strengths."
"My name is Lenzington."
"Quiet, Lenz. I'm defending you, here." I fixed Bitters with an irritated glare. "Is this just about how you messed up at the Stonewall Inn?"
"No!" Bitters spat bitterly. "I know you weren't in that room, no matter what the Captain says. And one day, I'll catch you red-handed and prove to my fellow guards that you are and always will be a waste of space." With that, Bitters turned and marched back to the group of guards, who all looked a bit disappointed that I didn't come over too.
What an asshole.
Heart: He's probably just upset at how popular you are with the others. And in such a short span of time—
Brain: Or he has a serious stick up his ass. And it's up to Cobb to pull it out of there…or wave the guard around like an oversized stick-puppet
Heart: That sounds like the plot to one of your dumb fanfics.
Bladder: …I'd read it.
"Finished!" Lenz proclaimed, causing me to turn and watch him standing over a Crafting Table. In his hands was a newly made dispenser.
"Okay." I poked the mechanical block. "What are you going to do with that?"
Lenz tossed me the device and folded his arms, looking particularly pleased with himself. "Why, to fight Mobs with, of course! It might not be a robot, but it is the next best thing...even though there is no next best thing compared to a robot." He withdrew some redstone from his belt and began trailing it around in a circle with some of those redstone repeaters in between and a lever hooked up to one side. "All I need to do is set up a clock circuit to blah-blah blah-blah blah—"
"For the sake of staying on the same page, why don't you explain it in a layman's terms?" Honestly, it was like my brain simplified all his redstone-tech talk to 'blahs' and 'drivels'.
Brain: Your welcome.
"Oh!...right…I forgot, neanderthal brain…" My eye twitched in response. "Well, think of a clock circuit as a loop." Lenz flicked the lever on, but then quickly back off, causing the dust to light up going round and round. "Each time the glowing dust loops, it outputs a signal, which in turn can power any number of redstone related technologies." He snatched the dispenser from my hand and placed it a block away from the flashing loop. "Each loop is a pulse, and the loop can indefinitely hold a pulse until it is broken." He connected the dispenser to the loop via a bit of redstone, causing a repeated clicking sound to emanate from the dispenser.
"So…if you fill the dispenser with arrows you'll have a turret?" I guessed. I had seen something similar at the redstone fair, though I didn't pay attention to the specifics.
"Precisely." Lenz smiled, happy that I had caught on. "And when Mobs try to do me harm, my turret will punch them full of holes."
I frowned at that explanation and kicked at the dispenser, noticing how it wasn't budging. "How exactly are you taking this with you, though?"
"What?"
"I mean it doesn't move." I clarified walking around the contraption. "You'd have to wait for the Mobs to come to you."
Lenz' eyebrows knit into a scowl. He apparently took offense when anyone criticized his work. "Do not be ridiculous. The range on this machination can take out Mobs from a great distance away."
"Lenz, I've already seen you take shots from a great distance away." I folded my arms. "Besides, we're trying to think up ways to show off your skills to the guards. I doubt this thing will get an arrow as far as you."
Lenz huffed. "Oh, do you!?" He took out an arrow and walked up to the dispenser. "Well, we will soon find out!"
He loaded the arrow into the dispenser and immediately it was shot out at an astonishing speed. The guards huddled together eating dinner flung themselves out of the way, scattering like leaves from a gust of wind.
Lenz smiled proudly.
At least until the arrow hit something.
In a surprising show of accuracy, the arrow, which pelted right towards where the groups' steeds were tied, snapped the knot of a lead and struck the rear of the now untied horse. It let out a sharp whinny of pain before rearing back and galloping off into the forest, hitting trees and leaves in its frightened dash.
The racket it made drew the eyes of every Crafter in the vicinity. The guards were all pale-faced, except for Bitters who smiled gleefully. For a second, I had no idea why.
Then I realized that the horse Lenz had shot was a pristine white. Meaning it belonged to…
"Lenz," I began calmly. "We need to go."
"What? Why?"
"We need to find a rock or tree to hide under before she gets back!" I whispered urgently. The engineer had no idea whose horse that was, or how she'd react when she found out her personal horse ran off into the woods, or how she'd punish those responsible for scaring her horse away.
Namely, Lenz and I. Though for the sake of self-preservation, I would have happily thrown Lenz under the ivory-haired bus.
"I…I do not think I underst—"
"You want to live, don't you!?" I shouted while shaking the engineer. "Then we got to hide!"
Suddenly, a cold aura cut through the air, dropping the temperature below freezing. I could feel something scary watching…it was a feeling I was familiar with.
"Who," a cold voice sounded out, causing all the guards to stiffen, "is responsible for scaring off my horse?"
I turned to see the ivory-haired Captain emerge from her expertly-constructed shelter. Her eyes swept across the group of guards and the two of us on the outskirts, confident that she could discover the culprit with a simple observation.
"They did, Captain Wynn!" Bitters eagerly pointed us out, almost jumping in his haste.
The Captain's eyes followed Bitters to us before her amber eyes became shrouded behind her ivory locks. Though judging by how her hand unconsciously slid over to her rapier, she was far from willing to forgive us.
"Cobbert, I t-think I understand now." Lenz stammered in terror as he cowered behind me, Wynn's angry aura too much for him to bear. "She is exactly as scary as you described."
"Cobb…" Wynn's voice, almost a low growl, demanded my full attention as she lifted her head and fixed me with hardened amber eyes. "After the two of you locate my horse, I think it best for the three of us to have a little sparring session." I gulped as Wynn withdrew her rapier with a sharp flourish.
"Um…" I backed away nervously while Lenz stubbornly gripped my hoodie as if I were some human shield. "I'm kind of tired…"
"Don't worry," Wynn smiled cruelly as she advanced. "It'll just be a friendly, simple slaugh—bout of swordsmanship."
"My sword is…at the cleaner's…"
"Use your stone sword then."
"Also at the cleaner's."
"Since when?"
"Since now."
"I'm sure you'll manage."
"I'm sure I won't!"
I grabbed Lenz' hand and flipped him over my shoulder towards Wynn; a feeble attempt at a distraction. As I turned to sprint away, I heard Lenz' distressed yell behind me, followed by the swish of an iron rapier, the sharp sound of metal smacking flesh, and fast footsteps closing in.
I almost made it to the trees before a hand snagged my hoodie, yanking back with a sharp, whiplash-inducing tug. My arms still flailed and failed to move forward, even as Wynn slowly dragged me back towards where her horse fled.
"First, we find my steed. Then we can spar." The Captain spoke, looking pleased at how easily she caught me.
As I dragged my heels into the grass, I spotted Lenz lying face down, his head already sporting a swollen bump. "He threw me…" He muffled weakly into the grass as I was dragged past him.
No! I thought frantically as I kept moving my arms to escape. Still, nothing could break Wynn's vice-like grip on my hoodie. She'll wipe the floor with me in a fight!
Bladder: Help! She's gonna stab me!
Brain: Quick, Cobb! You need to gnaw off your own head to escape!
Heart: How is that supposed to help all of us escape?
Brain: To hell with all of you! If it means saving my own skin, I'd happily separate!
Are we forgetting the part where if my Head falls off, I DIE!?
Brain: Don't be selfish, Cobb.
I struggled desperately to extricate myself from Wynn's grasp, but nothing was working. My hoodie was starting to dig into my neck just enough to make breathing uncomfortable.
Agh! If only…If only I could take off this hoodie!
Suddenly, I tumbled forward, no longer drawn by Wynn's grip. I was so surprised that I couldn't stop myself from falling into the grass. I scrambled away before finally realizing what had happened.
Wynn hadn't let go of my hoodie.
But…I wasn't wearing a hoodie anymore.
Whatever was left of the hoodie had vanished into glimmers of light at the end of Wynn's hand. The Captain looked between the fading hoodie and myself—my torso left only with my blue undershirt—before walking towards me again.
"What…what happened to my hoodie?" I questioned as I touched arms now missing a familiar fabric. I had worn that hoodie throughout Minecraftia. Now that it was off, I felt…exposed.
Though somehow my backpack was still on as well as my dyed leather tunic. How the hell did that work?
"Right. I keep forgetting you don't know much about Minecraftia." Wynn noticed my surprise and stood over me with her rapier, thankfully, sheathed. "Crafters can take off articles of their own clothing at will. You just need to envision taking the particular article off."
"Okay…but how do I get it back? That was my favorite hoodie!"
"It was your only hoodie." Wynn reminded with an eye-roll. "Just envision putting it—Oh. There, you got it already."
The hoodie had returned just as quickly as it had gone, materializing as glimmers of light along my arms and torso before solidifying into my trademark black and white hoodie. "Wow. So that's how Crafters take showers!"
Wynn wrinkled her nose. "Don't tell me you've skipped showering because you couldn't figure that out."
I rubbed my head awkwardly. "No…I just kind of stood under the water…with my clothes on."
Wynn let out a soft chuckle, the guards behind her showing amusement with far less subtlety. Bitters was frowning at how quickly the atmosphere had changed. Which reminded me…
"Well, I suppose I should find your horse and focus the rest of the day mastering this new clothing trick. No real time for anything else—"
I stopped when Wynn gripped my shoulder and smiled evilly at me. "You're not getting out of sparring."
Finding Wynn's horse was simple enough. Even though it was nighttime, the horse was pure white, clashing drastically with the green foliage.
The real problem was sparring with the Captain.
To prevent our armor from getting damaged, we had wisely taken it off. We had been sparring in a wide clearing, non-stop, for what seemed like an hour. Yet while I was gasping for air, Wynn didn't even look to be breaking a sweat.
"How…how come I'm…the only one…gasping…" I choked out as I tried to regain breath.
"Probably because I'm deflecting your strikes with the minimum amount of effort. Take notes, all of you!" Wynn called out to the handful of guards watching from the sidelines. "When it comes to fights that drag on, the winner is usually whoever can conserve the most energy."
Bitters raised his hand, reveling in my suffering. "But Captain, doesn't that only apply to opponents of equal skill?"
I fucking hate that guy…
"You're not wrong, Bitters." Wynn nodded. "However, this is just a simple spar. Very different from a real fight. For one, a real opponent wouldn't be holding back."
She doesn't have to be so honest about how much she's holding back…
I swallowed a mouthful of cookies to replenish my Hunger and slowly got to my feet. My stone sword was held tightly in my right hand. Meanwhile, Wynn stood across from me, her rapier held at the ready, watching my every move.
Oh, and Lenz was there too. The Captain had given him a sword, but he could barely swing the thing, let alone land a hit. It took thirty seconds for her to trounce him before he collapsed onto the ground. After trying to prod him into action with her rapier, Wynn had given up to focus her attention on me.
I frowned as I tried to think of a way to hit her. She was fast, liked to leap and twirl over her opponents, and her rapier stung wherever it struck.
Only one thing to do.
"CHARGE!" I shouted as I sprinted at the ivory-haired Captain. She widened her stance a bit in preparation. I started with a wide swing, only for her to twist out of the way, the momentum adding to her swipe. She struck at my leg, rapping it sharply to throw off my balance before she brought her knee up to slam into my chin. My teeth cracked together loudly.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow…" I backpedaled while clutching my jaw, barely avoiding one of her kicks. A moment later she was in pursuit, pushing me further back with a series of simple jabs. I brought up my stone sword to hastily deflect them, but each time I did, it threw my sword arm further and further away from my center.
When my arm was thrown out as far as it could go, Wynn's amber eyes flashed with triumph. She twirled and seamlessly transitioned from jabs to a diagonal slash aimed at my torso.
It was going to land painfully if I didn't block or dodge.
Brain: Swap swords!
Thinking fast, my right hand let go of the stone sword while my left hand flew to my belt to withdraw my gold sword. I unsheathed it just in time to intercept the Captain's strike, our blades clanging together loudly.
"Oooooh!" The watching guards whistled in appreciation at my move. Even Wynn's eyebrows raised in surprise at my quick-thinking. And Bitters looked aggravated at the attention I was getting. It was great!
I pushed back against her rapier, causing her to spin slightly off balance. She wasn't in a position to block and I pressed my advantage by jumping in the air to perform a Critical Hit. Combined with the gold sword's Sharpness enchantment, it was sure to do plenty of damage.
However, just as the blade was inches from hitting her, she slid beneath my jump, the white stars of Crit Aura trailing harmlessly above her. She got to her feet behind me and lashed out with a sharp kick to the side. I was sent flying through the air, hitting the ground and bouncing once before skidding to a stop.
Brain: Damn. Thought you had her there.
Using my sword as a crutch, I slowly got to my feet. Once again I was out of breath, but I was satisfied to see the Captain wipe her forehead free of sweat. It was causing her ivory hair to cling to her forehead.
After the short breather was over, Wynn readied her rapier and dashed towards me.
Only for an arrow to pierce her in the arm, courtesy of Lenz. The engineer had finally recovered enough to launch an attack.
Only, attacking Wynn with a bow when we were practicing swordsmanship probably wasn't the best idea. The thought seemed to dawn on Lenz, too, because he started to look scared.
Wynn turned all her attention to Lenz as she dashed towards him instead. The engineer gave a startled gasp before raising his loaded bow towards the Captain. However, his hands were shaking so badly that it was throwing off his aim.
Meanwhile, Wynn just kept charging forward, not even bothered by the arrow staring her in the face. Her rapier was held back, ready to strike.
"Lenz, take the shot!" I called out to goad him into firing. But the engineer couldn't do it. He flinched in fear, closing his eyes, as Wynn drew close enough to strike.
However, at the last second, Wynn stopped her rapier. It hovered over Lenz who still had his eyes screwed shut.
After waiting several seconds for the expected attack, Lenz finally opened his eyes and fell back at the sight of Wynn's rapier hovering over his head.
"Don't ever flinch." Wynn advised, dropping the rapier to her side. "You're an archer. In a fight, you keep your eyes open to the end."
Lenz nodded numbly before the Captain turned away.
"Shoot at me again and next time, I won't stop short." She called over her shoulder, earning another numb nod from the engineer.
I watched Lenz closely as he collapsed against a tree, staring at his bow sadly.
I don't get it. I thought he just had a phobia of Mobs, but it looks like he's afraid of fighting in general.
Heart: I don't think that's it. He wouldn't have shot the arrow if he was afraid to fight.
Stomach: And we saw what he looked like when he shot out that billboard. He was in his element!
So…then he's afraid of close-combat?
Heart: Well, he is an archer. And an engineer. He probably never needed to get up close to fight, if he had to at all. Maybe agreeing to bring him along was a bad idea…
We don't know that. Maybe he—
Brain: Duck.
"YEOW!" A rapier struck my shoulder, causing me to tumble backwards into a tree.
"Let that be a lesson to you all." Wynn called to her guards. "Never space out."
"Or, at the very least," Bitters added. "Don't look spaced out with your mouth hanging open and eyes glazed." That earned a couple of laughs from the other guards and made Bitters grin gleefully.
I'll show you spaced out, you little—
Brain: Duck.
I didn't even think as I obeyed Brain's command. To my confusion, however, I ducked right into Wynn's ferocious kick, sending me skidding across the ground.
Brain! I ducked and got hit!
Brain: Oh, yeah. Sorry, I sometimes get duck and jump mixed up.
"Alright, that's it!" I shouted as I sheathed my golden sword, earning the attention of Wynn and all the guards. "Time for my secret weapon!" I reached into my backpack, slowly and deliberately, as I—
"It's not the fishing rod again, is it?"
"Wha—?" I stopped myself, the fishing rod already halfway out of my backpack. "How'd you know?"
"Because it's what you always use." Wynn sighed, more out of exasperation than exhaustion. "But fine. I've beaten it before, I'll do it again."
As I readied my fishing rod, I saw a dull green movement out of the corner of my eye. It looked like I…
…
Oh, yeah! Night time!
That gives me an idea!
As Wynn began to speed towards me, I whipped out my fishing rod, not to snag or bobber the Captain, but to grapple something from the corner of my vision.
*UHNN*
"Mob Flail!" I called out as my hook snagged the Zombie from the tree line and flung it towards the approaching Captain. Her eyes widened in surprise at my attack and even the guards gasped in shock at my innovative new technique, which was effectively throwing something at someone.
However, my excitement dulled as Wynn simply cut the Zombie aside; a depressing anti-climax to my newest technique.
With nothing left to stop her, she flipped overhead, grabbing a handful of my hoodie, and used the momentum to fling me over her shoulder and into a tree.
The last thing I remember was my head hitting something hard before I blacked out.
"It was an excellent fight." Lenz offered the next day as our donkeys trotted to keep up.
He filled me in on how, after I bashed my head into a tree, Wynn ordered her guards to carry me and my dropped gear back to my shelter. Bitters had volunteered to carry me, but after accidentally dropping my on my head, twice, one of the other guards, Liam, carried me instead.
That was little comfort for my aching head.
Wynn even had something to say on the battle. As we trekked across the wide basin—once filled with a gaggle of Creepers, it was now empty save for a smattering of gunpowder and craters—she hung back on her steed to talk to me.
"You had a few good moments in that fight, Cobb," she admitted, "But you blew it with that fishing rod."
I sighed out loud as I held the tool in my hands. "I just…I really thought that Mob Flail would work."
Wynn shook her head, her ivory hair swaying gently. "Your…um…inventive technique didn't work because a Zombie isn't going to scare an experienced Captain. I've dealt with criminals who can think and react and lash out. Crafters who are dangerous and devious. Compared to that, a Zombie isn't much of a threat."
"So…Mob Flail is a bust?"
"Other than a distraction, I don't see it becoming much of a threat." Wynn advised. "But when you switched your sword in the midst of battle—that's something you should be practicing. Your swordsmanship."
I slowly nodded to her words, not really feeling like abandoning my fishing rod skills. They had saved me before; giving a splash of surprise to my style of fighting that unbalanced my opponents.
"As for you Lenzing—huh?" Wynn looked around for the missing engineer, spotting him stooped over a pile of gunpowder. He appeared to be piling it into his backpack with a content smile. Wynn went over to advise him on his archery while I just stared at my fishing rod, deep in thought.
There's got to be some way I can make this work…
We were making such good time through the forest—not encountering a single Griefer along the way— that Wynn speculated we could make it to the village of Halstatt before midnight and rest there. I shivered at the thought of meeting the Iron Golem Leslie again, but anything was better than roughing it in the woods. Especially since I had to share my shelter with Lenz.
He replaced the torches I placed inside with lit redstone lamps, saying it was, 'More intellectually stimulating.'
Whatever the fuck that means.
Anyway, with the full moon illuminated our way, we had no trouble finding the wide open clearing where Halstatt was located. There was the quarry, a gigantic hole in the ground, where Crafters could mine out resources. There were Halstatt's cobblestone walls, standing as sturdy as ever with a gaping hole in front. There was the—
…Gaping hole?
"Oh, Comparators!" Lenz shouted in fear, apparently seeing something the rest of us couldn't. "Mobs are attacking that village!"
The group of guards looked at each other anxiously before turning to Wynn. After a moment she nodded, signaling her guards to help defend the village. Then we were off.
Lenz and I trailing behind on our donkeys.
As we got closer, I could finally see what Lenz had seen with his incredible eyesight. A handful of Crafters and the Iron Golem Leslie were fighting off an onslaught of Mobs. Mainly Zombies and Spiders with a few Creepers sprinkled around. It was probably the Creepers that blew open the wall, though I noticed there were no red-capped guards amongst those fighting.
Whatever trouble the Crafters were having fighting off the Mobs was quickly resolved upon Wynn's arrival. She easily jabbed and swiped at the brainless Zombies, taking out seven in less than a minute. The other guards got to work, too. Thinning the Mobs numbers with swords and bows and, to my delight, a fishing rod.
It was Solara who whipped her fishing rod through the air, snagging Zombies and crudely recreating my Mob Flail technique to fling them at each other and gather them all in one area. I withdrew my fishing rod and did the same. Liam and Noah worked together to finish the gathered Zombies off.
Meanwhile, Lenz, positioned a good distance away, worked up enough courage to shoot at the Spiders scaling Halstatt's wall. He only took five or six shots, but each one met its mark.
Spencer and Hollie dealt with the Creepers by using their swords to block their explosions. While it was effective and mitigating damage to themselves, it didn't really help protect the wall.
"If you'd kindly stop destroying our wall, I'd appreciate it!" One of the fighting Crafters shouted. I recognized her as Cosmic, the girl who had defended me from Leslie's wrath last time I was in Halstatt, by her periwinkle pigtails. A large male Crafter fought beside her.
"LESLIE SMASH!"
Aaaand there was Leslie. Smashing Mobs.
With our combined efforts, we managed to defeat the Mobs. The large Crafter beside Cosmic already started patching up the wall while Cosmic just slumped to her knees in exhaustion.
Wynn walked up to her, glancing around at the unguarded walls. "How could a Mob attack like this have happened?" She demanded. "Why weren't there any archers on the wall? Or guards on patrol?"
Cosmic just shook her head sadly. "There are no more guards. They…they're all gone."
"Gone?" I questioned, cutting into their conversation with Lenz right beside me. "What do you mean gone? Did they…you know…die?"
Cosmic shook her head again, her eyes looking determinedly at the ground.
"They ran away."
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, 50 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, 3 Baked Potatoes, 14 Pumpkin Pies, 24 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: 12]
Inventory (Ace the Ass): 8 Lapis Lazuli, 34 Iron Ore, 10 Gold Ore, 13 Coal
Inventory (Lenz): 1 Bow, 1 Shears, 3 Levers, 4 Wooden Buttons, 3 Stone Buttons, 5 Redstone Torches, 29 Redstone, 7 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 1 Hopper, 1 Dispenser, 3 Blocks of Redstone, 3 Pistons, 8 Gravel, 10 Cobblestone, 10 Torches, 5 Sticks, 3 Redstone Lamps, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 12 String, 25 Gunpowder, 15 Carrots, 29 Arrows, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}
[EXP: 0]
Inventory (Reginald the Ass): {Empty}
AN: Thus begins the Halstatt Arc.
Cosmic, if any of you would remember, was an OC I introduced back in Chapter 29, along with the village Halstatt. You know what that means? It means I planned this Arc ahead of time from waaaaaaaay back then. Inner J.K. Rowling with that continuity.
Anyway, you'll see more of Cosmic.
The sparring scene between Wynn and Cobb...as well as the return of Cobb's internal organs. It really is so much fun writing for them. I felt pretty good about how I wrote that fight scene.
Bitters is still bitter. What else is new. But the other guards like Cobb enough...just not Lenz.
The Omake below is...well...like the title describes. It's mainly just a reminder since you haven't seen these characters for...two months? Meh, about 11 Chapters.
As always, leave a Fav, Follow, OC, Review, PM, EMP, RPG, ASAP, LOL, RSVP - I'm rambling...
Omake: Looming Threat
Alec_Bishop yawned loudly as he strode through the ransacked and smoldering village of Enns. While his army of Griefers were content with destroying property and claiming the lives of the village's inhabitants, Alec passed the time admiring what a lovely night it was.
The village's protection was laughable in the face of Alec's army. Their walls may as well have been made of paper for all the good they did against the bombers' explosives. Recruiting them had been a smart move indeed.
As for the guards protecting Enns, most of them were overwhelmed by his forces while the rest simply fled on horseback and Swiftness Potion. He didn't even get the chance to show off his power—or test out his latest trophy.
"Such a shame." Alec spoke to himself as he held up his trophy: Captain Thistle's Sharpness I enchanted diamond blade. "Hope I can find a time to use this."
As he passed a house, he watched several Griefers pull a man and a woman from it. After throwing them into the street, the Griefers lifted their mismatch of weapons and proceeded to beat the two to death. Alec vaguely wondered if the two were a couple before moving on.
"Alec, sir!" Two Griefers popped up before him, holding a struggling Testificate in between. "Where should the Testificates be kept?"
Alec combed his jet black hair with a hand before pointing down the street. "We're burying them back there. So get to it."
"But…but when will we get the chance to sell them?" At those words, the Testificate struggled even more.
Alec sighed. "After we raid the other villages, we'll come back to dig them up—not like they need food, right? Then we'll either sell them to Jolin or ransom them off to Daymonte. That enough of an explanation?" The two Griefers nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Now if you'll excuse me…"
The Testificate let out a desperate wail, but Alec simply walked on, admiring the beauty of the full moon.
All around him, houses were being burned, Crafters slain, Testificates taken, resources plundered. Daymonte only had themselves to blame for the destruction facing their surrounding villages. Alec had offered them a chance to prevent such tragedy. All he demanded was the Command Block Codex, yet instead they replied with that joke of a Captain and his feeble collection of guards.
But, let it be known that Alec_Bishop was not one to give up easily. He'd ask King Rotjes for the Codex again. Only first, just to show he meant business, he'd lay waste to Daymonte's surrounding villages. Schwartz, Innsbruck, Enns, Halstatt, and all the rest. Then Rotjes would have no choice but to comply.
An explosion ripped apart the house to the right of Alec, causing him to cover his ears in pain. "OW! LeShui!"
"It wasn't me!" A cry echoed as LeShui poked his head from a nearby alley. "It was Burke."
"Give it a rest." Burke, the Destroyer, brushed past LeShui looking particularly irritated. "Hey, Alec. How much longer is this 'campaign' of yours going to last?"
"Why, Burke, it sounds as if you're eager to be rid of me." Alec commented with a laugh, though the veiled insinuation was still there. Burke shivered a bit, but kept his cool.
"It's just that, between your Griefer army, this explosion-happy psycho—"
"I have a name, you know." LeShui frowned.
"—and your…uh…unique powers," Burke's eyes darted to the dark vertical lines over Alec's eyes, "I can't find any opportunity to do what I do best! Hell, destroying that wall was all the action I got today!" His poison-green Mohawk practically bristling in anxiousness.
"Well, I would have had you two amassing more TNT for my army…if somebody hadn't blown the warehouse AND the supply to Kingdom Come!" Alec pointed an accusatory finger at the bowl-cut bomber. "Hint hint, LeShui!"
"I'm telling you it was Burke's fault…and that duo of lesbian Captains." LeShui defended with folded arms.
"Yeah, right. You're always saying Burke's to blame. Why you refuse to take blame for—?"
"Actually, to be fair," Burke admitted sheepishly, "I did sort of blow the place up. It would've been confiscated anyway…just as soon as the Golden Parakeet called her guards in."
Alec blinked in surprise while LeShui wore a smug grin. "Oh. Well then…first time for everything." Alec cleared his throat as he addressed the two bombers. "Look, you two. I extended my offer to join my army because, while the two of you aren't Griefers, you specialize in demolition and destruction; both of which I need. Not to mention, you're smarter and more skilled than the foot soldiers I command.
"So trust me when I tell you, our business with each other will be concluded once the Command Block Codex is within my possession. With that knowledge…the unlimited powers of the Command Block at my—our disposal will make us invincible!" Alec slung an arm over LeShui and Burke's shoulders, pulling them closer in a show of camaraderie. "But remember, we can't accomplish anything on our own. I need you as much as you need me. Got it?"
"Got it." LeShui nodded easily.
"…yeah, I got it." Burke added with a growl.
"Good." Alec pushed off the two, getting some distance. "But before we claim that Codex, we need to finish attacking Daymonte's villages and force Rotjes to acquiesce.
"So there we have it, we're gonna attack Innsbruck, we're gonna attack Halstatt, we're gonna attack Schwartz—or we could attack Schwartz first, then Innsbruck, and then Halstatt—or Halstatt, Schwartz, Innsbruck—whatever!" Alec walked away, brandishing his sword menacingly. "So long as all of Daymonte's villages are reduced to ash, I'll be satisfied."
AN: I think you can all guess where this is going.