AN: Congrats to AwesomeCoolGuy5 for guessing last week's riddle correctly. The answer: If a farmer puts all his haystacks in one field, they all become one haystack. Enjoy your cookie and your acknowledgement.

(::)

Now, straight to the chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add chocolate cake.

Beta: Void of Shining Darkness

Chapter 53

Halstatt

[Cobb]

"They…ran away?"

I had to repeat those words, both out loud and in my head, to fully comprehend what Cosmic was telling me.

"Er…What exactly were they running away from?" Lenz questioned hesitantly, afraid to hear what had caused Halstatt's guards to drop everything and flee. "It is their job to—"

"Yes, what happened here?" Wynn interrupted, taking a step closer to Cosmic.

Cosmic opened her mouth to answer, but the large Crafter that fought beside her chose that moment to return. "Perhaps it'd be best if you heard the story from a firsthand witness. Someone who was there to see it all. I can take you to him, if you want." The large Crafter pulled Cosmic aside and whispered something into her ear. At first, Cosmic looked taken aback by whatever the Crafter had suggested. But after sharing a look, she relented and left.

"Actually," Wynn spoke with a sense of authority, "first, I'd like to reserve lodgings for my men. They're all in need of rest."

"I…well…" The large Crafter looked aside. "They can stay in the Inn—that's where the witness is staying—but I'm afraid they can only stay for the night. They'll have to leave in the morning." It sounded like the Crafter was being hasty with his offer, but if Wynn noticed anything she didn't say.

"That's fine." Wynn signaled her guards to follow and together we entered the village.

I couldn't believe I was standing in the same Halstatt of only a few days ago. Back then, the streets had been bustling with Crafters and Testificates alike. Performing trades, running errands, retrieving water from the village well, and chatting amicably amongst themselves.

But now, it was little more than a ghost town. There were no Crafters. No Testificates. It was so empty, I half expected a tumbleweed to blow across the street.

"Where is everyone?" Solara questioned from beside me. "I mean, I get that the Testificates are inside—it's night and Mobs attack them at this time—but there should still be some Crafters up."

"Perhaps they fled just as the guards had." Lenz supplied. Even with the tinted glasses covering his eyes, I could tell he was frightened. Some of the guards looked the same, the village's ominous atmosphere getting to them.

I couldn't understand why Wynn suggested we stay the night with things looking so suspicious. And if I could pick up that something was wrong, the Captain should have felt the same.

After the large Crafter had led us to a quaint Inn, he directed us to our rooms. "Each of your guards can take a room. Really." He held up a hand to dismiss Wynn's protests. "We have more than enough space." He chuckled sadly.

The other guards shuffled about nervously before opting to share rooms two apiece, both to be considerate to the Inn's space…and for safety. They couldn't deny something was wrong with Halstatt.

As for Wynn, she was led to a separate room by the large Crafter, Lenz and I tagging along. We couldn't help our curiosity and the Captain didn't seem to mind.

"Billy." The large Crafter knocked on the door sharply. "Billy, open up. These Crafters would like to ask you some questions about…about what you saw."

Slowly, the door opened to reveal a Crafter with dark brown hair, blue eyes, and lightly tanned skin. He wore a white jacket with blue edges, a grey Creeper shirt, black jeans, and a dark blue scarf. His belt and was brown like his hair, but his backpack was light blue. And over his head was the name: Billy_Emerald5.

"Is that right?" He asked, looking at the three of us calmly.

"Yes. We want to know why this village is abandoned." Wynn questioned sharply. "No guards. No Crafters aside from that pitiful defense at the wall. No protection. It's just asking to get attacked by Griefers."

Billy clenched his fists tightly. "That's…exactly the problem." He let out a sigh before ushering us in. The large Crafter chose that moment to leave.

Billy sat down on his bed while the rest of us looked for chairs around the room. There was only one, so naturally, Wynn sat in it, leaving no room for either of us to argue.

I hate standing in place.

"Well to start," Billy began, scratching his chin in thought, "It was two days ago. My friends and I were traveling through Blitz Peak to get to the village of Bregenz…when all of a sudden we hear a bunch of bows going off at once. That constant twang assaulted our ears and drew our attention to the base of the mountain.

"And there…we saw what could only be described as an army of Griefers. Looked to be at least a thousand of them—"

"Impossible." Wynn stated immediately, cutting off Billy's story. "Griefers only travel in packs of twenty or thirty—they're too chaotic and disorganized to stay together otherwise. Sometimes they can grow up to fifty in size…but a thousand? They'd never have enough resources to stay in check."

"Well, I'm telling you, I saw them with my own two eyes." Billy shot back, his blue eyes hardened. "They took out a group of Crafters…guards actually, since they had the red caps. And one of them…" He shivered involuntarily. "One of them seemed to be leading them…commanding them somehow…the Griefers were all chanting his name…Alec_Bishop…"

"Alec?" Wynn's eyes widened slightly. "You're sure that was the name?"

Billy nodded while I just turned to the ivory-haired Captain. "You know him?"

"I know of him." Wynn clarified with folded arms. "He was brought up in conversation between some very dangerous criminals." She turned back to Billy. "Did you see any other Crafters getting a lot of attention? Maybe one with a poison green mohawk…or one with a blond bowl-cut?"

"Yeah…yeah! One of them had a blond bowl-cut!" I couldn't understand who either of them were talking about, but I remained quiet. "He set off some explosives, I think…then he shouted something like it wasn't his fault…?"

"That's LeShui, without a doubt." Wynn frowned to herself. "Which means he and Burke are working for this Alec character…and we didn't spot any Griefers on our journey back, so they could be amassed together…But why are they following Alec? What do they stand to gain?" She asked the question to herself but my own mind was busy processing what was going on.

"LeShui?" Lenz spoke up for the first time since entering that room. "I remember that name…he was a living legend at the Redstone College. Nobody could wire redstone faster than him! Why he…he cannot be collaborating with Griefers, surely."

Wynn turned to look at the college student. "Lenz, whatever you think of LeShui, I'm telling you he's a criminal and a killer." Lenz recoiled at the bluntness the Captain used. "He's a serial bomber. The same one behind all those bridge bombings in Daymonte. The same one who freed Burke, 'the Destroyer', from prison. I've seen him kill people."

Lenz looked stricken by the news of a respected redstone colleague using his abilities for evil. He clutched his head while I just offered an awkward pat.

Billy cleared his throat to continue. "We didn't know why those Griefers were listening to Alec, but we didn't want to stick around to find out. We fled the scene, making our way to Bregenz, and warning everyone we met about the Griefer army. Of course," Billy turned to glare at the Captain, "they were all as skeptical as you, dismissing our warnings as tall tales and going about their day.

"Then, the Griefers attacked."

Billy began to clutch himself and shiver, as if remembering something terrible. "They…they descended upon us. The guards tried to fight them off…but…they took any Testificates they could get their grubby hands on…they plundered and slaughtered…explosions were going off throughout the village…we tried to fight them off…we tried…but…" He screwed his eyes shut. "I was the only one who got away."

As lost as I was on the whole Alec, LeShui, Burke information, what Billy said about being the only one that got away resonated deep within. Realizing what the Griefers must have done to his friends, I clenched my fists in frustration.

"To lose your friends like that…" I spoke up, looking Billy in the eye. "I can't even imagine what that must have been like…I'm sorry for your loss…"

It was the only thing I felt comfortable enough to say without making him feel worse. I secretly hoped I'd never have to go through what he went through; living only to know that your friends are dead.

Luckily, it seemed my consoling words did the trick as Billy wiped some tears from his eyes and gave me a grateful nod before continuing his story.

"After that…after that I ran to the next village, hoping I could warn them. The village of Enns…they took my story a little more seriously…especially since they could see the smoke rising from Bregenz." He wiped at his nose with his scarf. "They were planning on beefing their defenses to prepare for the attack…but upon seeing the hundreds of Griefers emerge from the trees, the guards bolted. A few Crafters had the sense to do the same. And, although I'm ashamed to admit it, I went with them…thinking it best to warn the other villages of this threat.

"Next was Innsbruck—they all fled immediately…though the Testificates were left to fend for themselves—"

"They left the Testificates behind!?" What were these guys thinking? After hearing how the Testificates were getting taken by the Griefers for who knows what, they decided to leave them? How could they be so cold?

Billy shook his head. "I understand why you're angry…but there was no avoiding it. The Testificates wouldn't have lasted outside the village, not with the threat of Mobs hanging over their heads. Leaving them behind was the best option. The Griefers will rough them up a bit, but they'll keep them alive to make a profit." Billy's face turned grim. "It's the Crafters left behind that need to worry."

Wynn ticked off her fingers. "Bregenz. Enns. Innsbruck. Sounds like they're sweeping all of Daymonte's villages. Which means their next target will be…"

"Here." I finished, finally understanding the lack of guards and Crafters. It was as Cosmic had said. They all ran away after hearing Billy's or some other witness' account of the Griefer army. The devastation in its wake.

"How long until they get here?" I couldn't fathom how Wynn could ask that so calmly. Billy's story may as well have been a weather forecast with how little Wynn seemed to care. "Tomorrow night? Or…"

"At their pace…the day after tomorrow…possibly at night."

It was no wonder the Inn had so many available rooms. Or why the large Crafter only permitted us to stay the night. In two days the Griefer army would reach Halstatt, and the way it sounded there was nothing anyone could do to stop them.

"Well…we should alert Daymonte!" Lenz shouted suddenly, looking to Wynn. "If their villages are threatened, then the Kingdom needs to send every guard they have to quell this army."

Wynn shook her head. "Even if a message was delivered as soon as Bregenz was attacked, mobilizing that many guards to intercept the Griefers would be impossible. Plus, the Griefers are probably well-versed in the region's terrain. The guards would never catch up in time."

Billy nodded grimly. "I'm afraid you're correct. None of the villages have seemed to make a dent in their forces…and they all just keep fleeing…Griefers are weak on their own, but in a group this big, it would be insane to challenge them."

I wanted to ask why Billy was still in Halstatt, then, instead of fleeing to warn the next village, however my question died on my lips when I saw Wynn rise from her seat. "Thank you for telling us this, Billy. We won't take up any more of your time."

Wynn gave a slight bow before leaving the room. Lenz and I just glanced at each other and Billy, not really sure whether we should follow Wynn out or keep Billy company.

"Soooo…" I began while awkwardly scratching my head. "You wouldn't happen to know how to eat a cake, would y—"

"Ahem!" Wynn cleared her throat very loudly, causing Lenz to startle slightly before following Wynn's departure.

"…As I was saying," I turned back to Billy. "There's this delectable cake in my Inventory—"

"Cobb, get out of the room."

"…We'll talk later." I offered instead as I hurried towards the door, joining Lenz and an annoyed Wynn in the hallway.

"I cannot believe it." Lenz muttered to himself before looking up at us. "How could the guards just flee? Is it not their job to protect the weak? They should be here, laying their lives on the line."

"If they fled, then they had no pride to begin with." Wynn muttered angrily. She looked appalled by the mere thought of fleeing guards. "They signed up for this, and they have a responsibility to Halstatt and to Daymonte. Even if it meant their deaths, they should have stayed until the end."

"What about the Testificates?" I asked, feeling bad for the defenseless creatures with blimps for noses. "Is Halstatt really going to leave them to the Griefers?"

"No. Billy is right." Wynn explained. "The Testificates are neutral anyway, so the Griefers will have no reason to kill them. They might get sold or ransomed to unsavory sorts, but at least they'll live through it." Wynn looked to each of us. "The two of you should get some rest. If we leave first thing tomorrow, we'll have a wide enough berth to avoid those Griefers. And if we travel through the Caerbannog Valley the Griefers won't follow—"

"Isn't there anything we can do?" I asked hopefully. "I mean, I don't know these Testificates very much, but these Griefers sound like a bunch of assholes, Alec included. What type of guy goes around attacking villages?"

Wynn shook her head. "This is one of Daymonte's problems and we lack the jurisdiction to intervene. Even if we could stop the army, involving ourselves will just be asking for trouble. It's tough," she added, seeing the expression on my face, "But we have to accept that this isn't our problem."

I nodded slowly, repeating those words in my head. They made sense. We were just a group of guards gathered for an envoy mission to another Kingdom. We weren't ordered to defend Halstatt or to offer them help should they need it. We weren't equipped to handle a Griefer army. It was out of our hands.

And yet…why do I feel bad about this?

"By now, half the guards are probably asleep," Wynn mumbled to herself, stifling a small yawn. "And I can barely stay awake. I'll tell them about the situation in the morning." She turned to find her own room, leaving Lenz and I in the hallway.

"What do you think about this?" I addressed the engineer, wanting to hear his opinion.

Lenz frowned. "I…I am not quite sure. The first and only time I ventured through the badlands between the Kingdoms, I was always taught that the strong are obligated to protect the weak. Those that fight protect those that cannot. But…" He adjusted his glasses. "This whole Griefer army business has turned everything on its head. Now the strong are fleeing and the weak are left unprotected…"

"And?" I urged, seeing the engineer struggle with his answer.

"Well," Lenz looked uncertain as he answered. "If the Halstatt guards—who we assume are the strong ones in this situation—are fleeing, we must subsequently assume that they have now become the weak, expecting someone stronger to rush to their defense. Meanwhile, the Testificates—the weak ones—remain in need." He shook his head. "No matter how I look at it, this situation confuses me. The strong should protect the weak."

"Somehow, I think there's more to it than that." I offered. "I don't think the Ringwood guards protect citizens because they're strong and the citizens are weak."

"Well then, what is the reason?" Lenz had his notebook out, ready to take notes. "Why else would guards protect people if it was not their job, otherwise? And why are Halstatt's guards fleeing then?"

"I…I don't know." I shrugged, wondering why Lenz saw me as the final word on the motives of Ringwood's guards. "I'm sure they have their own reasons why—look, nevermind that. We're getting off topic."

Lenz sadly put away hit notebook. "Well, regarding the information we have on the situation—and if it were me, hypothetically—I would flee Halstatt with the other weak ones. In Minecraftia, you can be weak or you can be stupid, but you cannot be both. Fleeing a defenseless and doomed village is a no-brainer…though I find it odd how the guards came to this conclusion when they are supposed to be strong and stupid."

"…yeah. That's what I think too...except for the stupid guard thing." I admitted. It was the truth. Fleeing a village about to be destroyed by Griefers made sense. And yet, I still had that bad feeling in my gut. Maybe it was just hunger or something.

Stomach: Feed meeeeee!

"Well then, we should probably get our rest." Lenz turned to find a room. "Since they offered us separate rooms, I think it best we do that."

Hey, if he wanted that, then I wasn't going to complain. I could finally sleep with torches again instead of those ridiculous night lights.

[Lenz]

Locating a room was simple enough. They were all empty after all. And after placing a few redstone lamps, the room became a proper home.

One we would have to leave first thing in the morning.

The urgency behind that decision was obvious enough. If we stayed, the Griefers would eradicate us. Beat us to death with any weapon they fancied in their destructive haste. Shovels, pickaxes, axes, sticks. So moronic that they could not properly arm themselves. Take into consideration weapon strength and durability.

They were the stupid ones.

But they survived Minecraftia by sticking together. That and targeting weaker ones.

Like me.

Oh, yes. I had my fair share of close encounters with Griefers during that first journey to Daymonte. All those years ago. They were relentless and belligerent, attacking us at every turn. Like wolves at the scent of blood. Day or night mattered little to them when their prey was in sight.

Of course, the group I traveled with was more than willing to fight back. Whether they won of lost mattered little—it was their job to fight, after all—so long as I managed to escape.

That was how it was. The strong ones fought. The weak ones fled.

That was how I survived to Daymonte.

But this whole situation with the Griefer army wove doubt into my mind.

What business did the guards, the strong ones, have fleeing a village in need? It was their job to stay and fight, giving the weaker ones ample time to escape.

And LeShui. LeShui! The redstone wiring legend! All the teachers at the college gushed about his talent. He was an engineer like me who prided himself on his redstone skills. And although he was weak, his intellect more than made up for it. Like me.

So then why had he freed Burke and bombed those bridges? Why was he associating with those barbaric Griefers? Not that I was one to talk, hanging around with Ringwood's guards and Cobbert. But they were not nearly as bad as Griefers.

Cobbert was a friend.

And the guards…well…they were cold to me. But I did not care! Compared to what my original group had treated me with, frosty indifference was a pleasant change.

'What you got there, Lenny? You keeping food from us? Hand it over!'

'Feh! What good are you if you can't even get us food? Can't even swing a sword…why don't you just beat it!'

'Lenny! I saw you run away! Thought you could flee from us? Get back with the others and stay there!'

I gripped the covers of my bed and collected them around my chest. As bad as those neanderthals had been, I was alive because of them. They were the strong, stupid ones, who could not see that I took advantage of their strength. That all the weak ones that survived took advantage of their strength.

That was how the weak survived. By using the strong. By relying on their intellect; the only thing they could fall back on.

That is why a Crafter could be weak or stupid, but not both.

Because a weak and stupid Crafter would find themselves destroyed.

As for Cobbert…

…

He was a special case.

He was not particularly strong. And he was most certainly an idiot.

Yet, it was thanks to him that I managed to escape the End. He borrowed knowledge from Herobrine and that book. Vital knowledge that saved both of our lives.

Everything about Cobbert suggested that he should have died a long time ago. Was it Herobrine's books that were imbuing him with the knowledge to survive? Or was it something else entirely?

I suddenly realized how little I knew of the Crafter, aside from his number of one billion…and his reputation with a fishing rod.

I stared at the ceiling of my room, the thoughts rattling inside my head.

Maybe…he can show me what enables him to survive.

[Cobb]

"Hmmm…Maybe if I…no, that doesn't work. UGH!" I flung the unyielding cake across the room where it hit the opposite wall and slid to the ground. "I'm never going to figure this out!"

I fell back onto my bed, fuming at how the delectable treat continued to evade my grasp. How easy would it have been to ask Billy? Just a quick question on how to eat cake.

Though in hindsight, a question like that would have been tactless given the whole Griefer army situation.

Our group had only ever encountered small packs of the chaotic Crafters. But an army? Why and how were they even sticking together? From what Wynn explained, Griefers only ever lived to make life miserable for other Crafters. Was that why they were sticking together? To make life miserable for more people?

I didn't see the appeal.

And who was this Alec_Bishop that could so effortlessly control so many Griefers? Was he some kind of…King Griefer? Why else would thousands follow him?

Though…I suppose if he was offering cake—NO! Must not be tempted!

And why was he even targeting Daymonte's villages in the first place? What was so important that he needed to sweep through them all like a demonic broom of destruction?

And WHY do I still have this weird feeling in my gut, even after eating!?

I rolled over and over in my bed, trying to find the right position to sleep in. A bed was a luxury I couldn't figure out how to craft, leading to many sleepless nights in my makeshift shelters. I was positive it required wood and wool…but how was I supposed to know how to arrange them on a crafting table?

Why couldn't items of comfort be as simple as rock plus stick?

"Ugh…" I groaned as I rolled off my bed. "Can't sleep like this…" I was wondering if I should have been blaming the bed or whatever upsetting feeling I was feeling.

Either way, I wasn't going to get any sleep.

Maybe a walk will tire me out.

Brain: I'd suggest having Lenz bore you to sleep with an explanation on redstone…but I'm not a masochist so ignore what I just suggested.

Heart: If only all of us could ignore your suggestions.

Brain: Shut up, Liver.

Liver: Wha—? I didn't even—

Can't you guys ever get along?

Brain: Hey, I'm trying to extend the olive branch here, but Liver keeps putting me down with his sarcastic comments and foul language.

Liver: B-but I didn't—

Brain: See? He just said 'butt', and we all know how close 'butt' is to 'ass'. Pretty soon he'll be spouting 'fucks' and 'shits'. We have to stop this madness now! Preferably by killing Liver.

Lungs: *Sigh*

While my organs argued, I slipped out of my room and turned towards where the front door was, intending for a peaceful walk.

What I didn't intend was watching Billy disappear around the corner, the edges of his dark blue scarf trailing behind him in his haste.

…Where is he going in such a hurry?

I looked up and down the halls before stealthily following the Crafter. He couldn't be fleeing the village. Not when he mentioned that the Griefers would take two days to reach Halstatt. It would have made more sense to rest for the night and flee in the morning. That was what Wynn had suggested we do.

I followed the Crafter outside the Inn, and down one of the empty streets. I kept myself a good distance away, but not far enough to lose him. It was a good thing the village was empty. One Crafter stalking another would have drawn too much attention.

Finally, Billy stopped at a large wooden building, a village hall of sorts located right by the well. While he went inside, I skirted around the building's corner, taking a seat beneath a window. I peered inside to see what Billy was up to.

Only, it wasn't just Billy.

Cosmic was there too, along with that large Crafter that led us to the Inn, and a Testificate named Oswald, who I vaguely remembered was the Village Leader. Several other Crafters were there too, but I didn't recognize them outside of knowing they helped defend the wall earlier.

They were probably the only Crafters left in the entire village. All together in some sort of meeting.

"Billy, glad you could make it." Cosmic smiled to the man, offering him a spot between herself and the large Crafter. Billy nodded and took his place. "Have you changed your mind about what you're going to do?"

"No." Billy spoke without an ounce of doubt. "There are more than enough fleeing Crafters to pass the warning. I'm staying."

"Now hold on, Billy." The large Crafter interjected. "I can see that you're frustrated over what the Griefers did to your friends. It's making you make rash decisions. Perhaps if you sleep on it, clear your head a bit—"

"No." Billy repeated, withdrawing a diamond sword from his backpack. "I've made up my mind. When those Griefers show up, I'm giving them a taste of 'Mr. Burns'," he raised his sword a little higher, "and all the strength I can muster will be spent stopping those monsters."

"It won't do you any good." The Village Leader, Oswald, advised the brave-sounding man. "The night those Griefers get here will bear witness to a tumultuous thunderstorm. The downpour will make your Fire Aspect Sword useless."

"That…that doesn't change a thing!" Billy shouted defiantly. "I'm facing those Griefers. And I'm going to stop them!"

"Be reasonable, Billy!" The large Crafter argued. "You'd be facing a thousand enemies! What hope would you have alone?"

"He won't be alone." A voice spoke up, and Cobb was surprised to see that it was Cosmic. "I'm staying too."

"Wha…Cosmic?" The large Crafter looked taken aback. "You can't be serious about taking them on."

"Sorry, bro." Despite her apology, Cosmic smiled. "Halstatt's my home. And the Testificates here are like my family. Abandoning 'em just isn't possible."

"But…but what about what we talked about?" He hissed desperately. "You have that special pickaxe of yours…and the Silk Touch! If you could just mine up enough diamond and gold ores to make a peace offering, then maybe the Griefers will spare our village."

Cosmic just shook her head. "Bargaining with those wild dogs will never work. They'll take our peace offering and burn down the village just for fun. The only way to save the Testificates is to fight 'em off."

"But…but…"

Billy took a step toward the large Crafter. "There comes a time when you've run too far for too long. Now, it's time for us to fight!"

"We all feel the same way." One of the other Crafters spoke up. "We're not letting those Griefers take this village as easily as the others."

"Guards or no guards, we'll give them a run for their money!"

"Yeah!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. These Crafters were willing to stay? To risk their lives for Testificates—no, it was more than that. They were risking their lives for their village. Their home.

They were standing their ground.

Cosmic smiled at the watching Crafters before turning back to the large Crafter. Her 'bro.' "Sorry, bro. We've all made up our mind. But don't think that means we're forcing you to stay. In fact…first thing tomorrow morning, I want you to take a horse and ride somewhere safe. Ringwood ought to be far enough—"

"Ringwood?" As if a light had gone on in the large Crafter's head, he suddenly turned to the watching Crafters. "Those guards that arrived today were from Ringwood. If they helped evacuate the Testificates, we could get them all out in time!"

I gulped nervously over hearing those words. How would the villagers react?

"No. We can't take advantage of 'em like that. This is Daymonte's problem, not Ringwood's." Cosmic argued with a sigh. "Besides, you know as well as I that the Testificates would never survive outside Halstatt. Even with escorts…even with Leslie…the Mobs would get 'em. They're just that relentless."

"Well…then…then…" The large Crafter looked frustrated and stared at the floor with clenched fists. "If…if you're not leaving your family, then neither am I! I'll stay too!"

Cosmic blinked in surprise before attempting to place a hand on the large Crafter's shoulder. "Really, bro. It's okay if you want to run—"

"And why would I run!?" The large Crafter shouted indignantly. "Without me, none of you would last a second! We'll beat those demons back, and we'll do it together!" He tried to give off a confident grin, but even I could tell how forced it was. And how his hand shook in terror.

Cosmic stared at her 'bro' for a long time. I was certain she'd comment about his obvious fear, but instead she gave a beaming smile. "You're right, bro! Those Griefers don't stand a chance!" She grabbed his arm and lifted it high above everyone's heads. "Let's hear it for Halstatt: The toughest of Daymonte's villages!"

"Yeah!"

As they cheered together, a placed a hand over my mouth in horror. They knew perfectly well what they were getting into. They knew exactly what awaited them if they stayed to fight. They knew all of this, but put on brave faces for each other. To keep up spirits before the inevitable truth hit them.

They were all going to die.

And they weren't even going to ask Wynn or her guards for help.

Again, that terrible feeling twisted inside my gut.

And as I listened to Halstatt's remaining citizens give cheers of fake confidence, each one causing another wrench of pain, I suddenly realized what that feeling was.

Guilt.

Brain: Well, shit.

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: 'Well shit' indeed. Cobb doesn't feel too happy with what's about to happen to Halstatt.

So there was some perspective for both Lenz and Cobb. Not a lot of humor this chapter, mainly because it's setting up the Arc's dilemma. Those Griefers are coming.

Special thanks to AwesomeCoolGuy5 for the OC: Billy_Emerald5. It's purely coincidence that his OC premiered in the same chapter I acknowledged him for winning a Victory Cookie. I hope I did the character well.

No Omake this week. Sowwy.

Hope you're all enjoying the last weeks of summer...unless you live in a different hemisphere.