AN: This Chapter is brought to you in part by sadness.
Congrats to gs gaming who got last week's riddle correct. The answer: Coffin! Enjoy your cookie and your acknowledgement.
(::)
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add Hacker Police.
Beta: Myself
Chapter 58
Hack
[Lenz]
Pain.
That was the first thing I registered with the return of my senses. Pain in my arm.
Am I dead? I thought to myself as darkness was all that surrounded me. Had I returned to the Void via Burke's explosives?
It was childish to think so, but I always secretly hoped that when I died I would go to Redstone Heaven. A magical place filled with wondrous machinations and redstone that stretched for miles. And Jeb would be there at the pearly front gates, welcoming me with open arms. Maybe he would even ask me to help construct a redstone calculator or computer.
But instead I was only met with darkness. How disappointing.
I hate Cobbert. I thought to myself, internally cursing that brown-haired idiot for getting me killed in a battle for a random village. If I had just hid with the Testificates, I might have lived longer. But instead I just haaaaaad to snipe Griefers at the front wall.
And now I was dead.
*Drip*
"…Mmph?" Something cold dripped onto the back of my neck, while something else muffled my voice. My arm was still in pain, which begged the question…
How can I feel pain if I am dead?
The answer? I was not dead.
I was the exact opposite of dead.
I was…undead!
…
…Wait, no. I…I was alive. Yes. That was it.
Alive.
More water dripped onto the back of my neck as I slowly regained the feeling in my arms. I was face down in a pile of dirt with cold rain pelting my back and something pinning my arm to the floor.
As I propped myself up by my elbow, I saw that I was in one of Halstatt's houses. Only it looked like Burke's TNT had blown half of it apart. I must have gotten tossed amongst the wreckage after all those explosions.
Across from me, I saw the guard Solara, unmoving and laid across the ground. Unconscious, but still alive. Her quick thinking in jumping off that wall had spared us both from oblivion.
I turned to see what was pinning my arm so painfully to the ground. An anvil. The heavy object must have fallen through the house's upper floors, breaking its fall on my arm only. No wonder it was in so much pain.
Still, better an arm than my head.
That was what I should have thought. However, at the time all I could think was…
AGH! My Arm! It hurts so bad! How will I ever wire redstone again!? Get it off!
I did not say any of that, however, because I still had the common sense to keep my mouth shut. Especially when I remembered the situation I was in.
Outside the remnants of the house I was pinned in, I heard the shouts of Griefers as they poured into Halstatt. With the walls down and the only two archers incapacitated, there was nothing stopping them.
"No sign of them anywhere, Burke, Sir!" I overheard one Griefer through the crumbling wooden walls. "They must have died in the explosions!"
I heard a loud slap and a grunt of pain. "Bullcrap! Those two archers jumped at the last second! They're around here somewhere, wounded and still sucking air. Now find them before I demonstrate what ten blocks of TNT can do to a Griefer with USELESS INFORMATION!" There was a quick scrambling of feet as the Griefers resumed their search.
This is bad. I surmised quickly, as I pushed the anvil with all my strength. It was not much, but it managed to dislodge the anvil. My Health was still high at eight hearts, but I was not going to stick around when Burke and those Griefers were looking for me. And probably Solara too.
I crept over to one end of the ruined house, using the crumbling wooden walls as cover from the Griefers. My plan was to run out into the streets when nobody was looking. I would find a safe spot, bury myself, and wait until the Griefer army left.
It was cowardly, but it was completely natural for a coward such as myself. I was weak after all. I did all I could. I built the trap. I kept a few Griefers away and dispatched several. Nobody would blame me for running.
I was not supposed to do this.
However, just when I noticed a gap in the invading Griefers, a perfect time to bolt out onto the street…
I remembered Solara.
I turned to the unmoving guard. In her unconscious state, she would be helpless if discovered. She would be killed if I left her.
…
It was not my concern.
It should not have been my concern.
It would not be my concern!
She was a guard! She was fully prepared to die! This was what she was meant for! This was what she was supposed to do!
'If we live to survive this Griefer attack, I'm sure you'll understand why we guards do this for a living.'
Bringing her along would just jeopardize my safety. How could I worry about myself when I had to drag an unconscious body along?
I turned back towards the street, again waiting for a gap in the Griefers after missing the first chance.
…She is not my concern.
I am weak and she is strong. I am supposed to use her to ensure my own survival. Leaving her here to die—no, that is not what this is! I am surviving! I am keeping myself alive! This is not murder!
Even if we fought side by side, our arrows hitting the Griefers one after another, it was not done as equals. She should have known I was weak! She should have known I would not have the strength to save us both! She should have known I would save my own skin before hers! She should never have put her faith in someone as weak as me!
…
My eyes strayed to the downed guard.
[Cosmic]
"Oh no…"
The wall was down. Griefers were streaming into Halstatt. Lenz and Solara were nowhere to be seen.
In short, things were going poorly.
"Tyke!" I called down to the baby Testificate. "Activate TNT three and six!"
"Yes, Ma'am!" The baby Testificate waddled over to the wooden pressure plates labeled 'Three' and 'Six' and jumped on them. Moments later, I watched as two landmines detonated on the battlefield. There was always a few seconds of delay for the redstone to reach the concealed TNT, but I had gotten the timing down pretty well.
Still, it wouldn't be enough to stop the flow of Griefers. Not when it was this bad.
"Ma'am! There's only a few more TNT left! What should we do?"
"…We need to stop as many Griefers as possible." I concluded with determination. "Keep activating the TNT when I tell you. Speaking of, activate ten, two, and seven."
"Yes, ma'am—Eek!"
"Tyke?" I called down, wondering what the problem was. Had the baby Testificate tripped or something.
Then I heard an unfamiliar voice.
"So this is where the landmines were being detonated from."
My eyes widened and I quickly jumped down to the lower level, readying my sword.
Tyke was cowering over in the corner. And over by the pressure plates, someone with a blond bow-cut was digging themselves up from the ground. He wore gray leather, but I immediately knew he wasn't a villager of Halstatt.
"Who are…you?" I questioned tentatively, before reading the name above his head. LeShui. He was one of the bombers Wynn had said was working with Alec and the Griefers.
He admired the pressure plates and redstone with childlike wonder. "Gotta say I'm impressed with your redstone wiring. The landmines and especially that gravel trap were pure genius!" He lifted himself to his feet and scanned the room to see that I was his only opponent. "But leaving an underground redstone trail straight to you." He tsked chidingly. "Rookie mistake."
His expression darkened as he withdrew a stone sword of his own and pointed it at me.
"But that's not why I'm here. I have a bone to pick with you."
I gulped in fear until LeShui's expression turned into a pout.
"I mean how am I supposed to blame Burke for my explosions if you're making explosions that beat me to the punch!?" He reasoned insanely. "All those Griefers that died by explosions…explosions that weren't mine for once…even though I would've blamed Burke for them anyway. It's not right! I feel cheated!"
I raised an eyebrow at the man. He wasn't making sense, but he sure seemed dangerous.
"What I'm trying to say," he leveled his sword at me, "is that nobody blows people up but me…and then I blame Burke for it."
[Cobb]
"You have no idea how fucked you all are."
Everyone could only stare at the dark-haired man as he said those words. He didn't even look worried that he was outnumbered.
Wynn had called him something. A Hacker? Not like I knew what that was, but from the reactions on everyone's faces, it must have been something bad. Something that had to do with the dark smoke seeping from him.
"All that time I spent raising an army of Griefers," Alec chuckled without an ounce of humor in his voice. "And now most of them are dead because of a couple of Crafters who didn't know when to lay down and die. Which means my campaign ends at this village full of nobodies. That…really pisses me off."
Alec lifted a diamond blade from his belt and casually strolled toward Wynn, dragging the blade as he went. Yet Wynn just stood there as if paralyzed. Why wasn't she doing anything?
"Raaaah!" A diamond blade slashed through the air, crashing into Alec and sending him skidding to the side. Billy had taken it upon himself to attack the dark-haired man.
"Really." Alec complained as he rubbed the side of his face. He shrugged off the diamond blade to his face as if it were a mere pinch. "You're going to die anyway. The least you could do is hold still and accept it."
"Billy, you can't win!" Wynn finally responded to warn the brash Crafter. "He's a Hacker! We should just—"
"I don't care." Billy spoke with an icy resolve. "You guys go get everyone out of the village. This guy and his Griefer army are the reason my friends are dead. No way am I backing down now."
"That's brave and heroic and all," Alec rolled his eyes as he pointed his sword at Billy, "But, frankly, I've heard that excuse more times than I can count. People always trying to kill me for killing their friends or loved ones or some bullshit. It can be grating on my nerves."
"My sword's gonna be grating your face!" Billy roared, charging the dark-haired man. Alec just grinned as he prepared his blade.
I moved to help Billy, only to feel something pulling me back. "Wha—Hey!"
"Don't even think about facing him, Cobb!" Wynn dragged me along by my hoodie, the other guards running alongside us as we rushed back to Halstatt.
"But…but he's just one guy—!"
"And that one guy is a Hacker!" Wynn argued back as she hurried to put as much distance between us and Alec. "It's no wonder those Griefers were following him. This goes far beyond what we predicted would happen."
"Wynn, let go of my hoodie! I can run for myself, you know!" I tried to make her release me, but she had my hoodie in a vice-like grip. "Seriously, stop! Let me go!"
If it wasn't for my hoodie, I could…
…
Oh, right! I can remove articles of clothing!
I focused my mind on removing my hoodie, and not a second later it faded into glimmers of light. Now free from Wynn's hold, I re-materialized my hoodie and turned to face her.
"What's going on with Alec?" I wanted to know why everyone was so afraid of him. I wanted to know what a Hacker was. What that smoke surrounding him was.
Wynn paused for only a second, staring back at where Alec and Billy were still fighting each other, before jerking her head towards Halstatt. "I'll explain as we run! Now come on!"
"But…but what about Billy?" I looked back to watch Alec deal a strike to Billy's abdomen only to recieve an uppercut in retaliation. "Shouldn't we help?"
Wynn shook her head. "He's made up his mind. And he's stalling Alec so we can get away. Don't let it go to waste."
I was hesitant as I glanced between Wynn and Billy, but eventually I decided to follow the Captain.
"So…what's a Hacker?" I asked as we caught up with the other guards in our sprint back to the village.
I was sure Wynn could outpace me if she wanted to, but she slowed down enough to stay beside and slightly behind me. Almost as if she were worried I'd turn around and go back for Billy.
"Back when I told you about the people of Minecraftia—Griefers, Jibbermen, Crafters—I may have skipped another group." Her eyes looked away as if remembering something awful. "Hackers are…they're basically super-powered Griefers."
"…Super-powered? What do you—?"
"You know that Crafters spawn at the Origin. They come into this world from the Void and venture out into Minecraftia." Wynn looked uncomfortable explaining things to me. "But every so often, a bad Crafter spawns…it's a…a bad egg, so to speak.
"Those Crafters develop an affinity for a dark power—that smoke you witnessed surrounding Alec—that they can shape to their own needs. The smoke seeps from their eyes, changing their sclerae, and surrounds their bodies, empowering them. It enhances their abilities. The small percentages of Crafters that can use that dark smoke are known as 'Hackers'."
My eyes widened at the intake of new information. Super-powered Griefers? Dark powers? Hackers? It was too much to process.
If Alec was super-powered, was that how he survived that pit full of Mobs? Was that how he could enforce obedience out of the Griefers he commanded?
"Well…so he's super-powered? So what? We still outnumbered him!" I tried to reason to Wynn, even as we reached the front gates of Halstatt. The other guards worked to take out remaining Griefers, even though most of them had blown through to cause as much destruction as possible and to find the hidden Testificates. "If we worked together, then I'm sure we could—"
"Concerning Hackers, the general rule of thumb is this." Wynn interrupted, speaking directly to me. Willing me to understand the severity of Alec's powers. "If you see dark smoke, you run and you run fast. And don't look back unless you're sure you got away."
I paled at how serious she sounded. Remembering how she looked when that smoke started seeping from him, she was obviously terrified of Hackers.
"There've been incidents involving Hackers." Wynn continued, taking my silence as a sign of dawning realization. "They turn up occasionally throughout Minecraftia's history, but then fade back into obscurity, only to reappear fifty or sixty years later. One Hacker in particular was responsible for killing a third of a Kingdom's population in under a month. From what witnesses say, he did it on nothing more than a whim."
I could feel my blood freeze in my veins. A third of a Kingdom? I tried to think of all the people I saw on Ringwood's bustling streets or suspended on Daymonte's bridges. And then an unknown Hacker would just show up and kill a third of them off.
"Why…why didn't anyone stop him!?" I shouted in anger. "Why didn't anyone stand up to that Hacker!?"
Wynn just shook her head sadly. "They did stand up to him. That's just how terrifying they can be, and how terrifying Alec can be if he decides to! Hackers have access to skills and abilities that exceed Crafter limitations. All because of that black smoke they possess."
"But then…Billy challenged him…"
"There've been no recorded instances of a Hacker being slain in battle. Billy knows he can't win." Wynn informed sadly. "He was fighting to buy us time…and for his fallen friends."
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky and I could almost sense something leaving me. It was small, but it felt as if someone I knew just left the world for good.
Billy…
Wynn looked out across the plain, narrowing her eyes to spot something I could not. "He's coming."
The Captain turned to what remained of her guards. "Micah. Take Hollie into one of the nearby buildings and wait until she regains consciousness. After that, try and find a chance to escape into the woods. Noah, Daniel. Head towards where the Testificates are hidden—that's probably where the rest of the villagers are rushing to defend—and spread the word that we're facing a Hacker. If that doesn't convince them to leave, nothing will." The two guards nodded before running deeper into the village.
"And us?" I asked the Captain, who again looked out across the plain. I followed her gaze, finally making out the dark-haired form of Alec as he sprinted towards us.
"…Liam and Spencer. You're with me and Cobb. We're going to use ourselves to lure Alec into the village, but away from the Testificates and our escape. No attacking. We're only luring him in. Got it?" The two remaining guards and I nodded our assent before we all hurried deeper into the village.
I was glad we planned ahead in hiding the Testificates, but there was no way we could have planned for whatever Alec was. He had killed Billy so quickly…would it be just as easy for him to kill us?
I shook those thoughts from my head. It wouldn't come to that. We would only be luring him away from the Testificates and villagers…and then…
…
I'd figure that out later.
But if it came down to a fight, I doubted whether I could do much against Alec. From Wynn's reactions, my only impression of Hackers was that they were monsters.
[Lenz]
This is asinine.
I stumbled across the street, my feet tripping on the uneven surface. Ironically, it was my own fault that there were patches of gravel missing from the streets. I had demanded the block to make the trap, after all.
I could not feel more foolish doing this. Just what am I thinking?
My grip on Solara began to slip, and I had to pause in the middle of the street just to shift her into a better dragging position.
You heard right. I was dragging the unconscious guard through a besieged village. All while Griefers let out bloodthirsty howls into the night, hunting for any Crafters they could sink their swords into.
I wiped the rain from my goggles before heaving the guard in between two buildings. I leaned her on a wall while I peered out onto the next street. There were a few Griefers ransacking a particularly large house, hoping for anything valuable. I would have to wait before crossing to the next street.
My plan was to maneuver between the streets and alleys before veering off in a direction away from the center of Halstatt. That was where all the Testificates were gathered, and where the Griefers were certain to gravitate towards.
And somewhere along the planning stages, I decided to carry Solara along with me. Now that I thought about it, was it ever something I decided?
It just sort of happened.
And it was stupid. Why did I bother to worry about her when I should have been more worried about myself. I was surrounded by savage Griefers. Angry savage Griefers. Who smelled bad and would not hesitate to kill me. I should have been putting as much distance between them and me as I could.
Instead I was worrying about someone else.
The Griefers around the corner whooped excitedly, apparently finding something of value, before moving on to another street. I looked both ways, ensuring the coast was clear, before hiking Solara over one shoulder and trudging towards another alley.
Whoever said all girls were feather-light had probably never had to haul one for several blocks. It was not because I had poor muscle-tone. No, it was because Solara was too heavy.
That was the story I was sticking with.
"Solara, wake up!" I hissed into her ear, hoping it would spontaneously awaken her. She remained as motionless as ever. Glancing at her arm, I saw that her hearts were not regenerating. She needed food. But to eat it, she would have to be awake.
Why am I doing this? I should just toss this woman into the street. I would get around faster if I was not tethered to this unconscious guard.
I could not carry her forever, and if any Griefers spotted me, I would have to drop her and run. Solara would be at the mercy of the Griefers, but in her unconscious state, she would not feel a thing.
I should just drop her now. Indeed. For the sake of survival, it only makes sense to worry about myself and forget about the rest.
I kept trudging through the streets, Solara close to my side.
It would be for the best to drop her now. She is a guard, after all. She is prepared to die. I am not.
I stumbled on some wet dirt, falling to the ground with Solara on top of me. I groaned aloud before propping myself up, wiping my face of dirt, and hefting the guard over my shoulder again.
…For comparator's sake, why can I not drop this guard!?
I am weak and she is strong! That is how things are supposed to be!
Solara's foot caught on the edge of a building and I had to struggle to lift her off of it. All the struggling I was subjected to, just to keep this guard alive.
She should be the one carrying me through this hellish situation! Not the other way around!
I pressed the both of us against an alley wall, just as a hoard of angry Griefers rushed past. They just missed us.
Why are things so different now!?
Why was it not like this before?
Back when I first traveled to Daymonte, I was always the one holding the group back. The weakest link. Unable to defend myself, always relying on others to survive.
But it was fine! I had told myself it was fine, because there was no other way to do things! Weak people like me relied on strong people like them! People like Cobbert, Solara, Captain Wynn, and all the rest of her guards!
My group had been a bunch of brainless meatheads! That was why they had died and I had lived!
I felt no guilt! There was nothing I could have done to save them! Just like how there was nothing I could do to save Solara! Just like how I was helpless to save the doomed Halstatt!
Because if there was…
"Hey! There's one!"
I froze before turning my head to spot five menacing Griefers at the end of the street. They had spotted us and were already raising their swords. Their faces were full of grim satisfaction, knowing a sure-kill was standing before them.
A sure-kill that was carrying a second sure-kill.
I turned fully around, dragging Solara as I went, and began to sweat in fear.
I knew this would happen! This is what I get for worrying about Solara!
"Finally, something to kill in this blasted village." One of the Griefers growled as he took a menacing step forward. "After that trap you sprung on us, I've got so much pent-up frustration to take out on you."
"…I made it."
"Whuh?" One of the Griefers muttered, prompting me to continue.
"That is right." I spoke aloud, my knees shaking. "I made the pitfall trap. The villagers may have prepared the materials, but it was my idea and I wired it up."
I did not know why I was trying to antagonize them, but it looked to be working. Their eyes narrowed dangerously, and they gripped their weapons tighter. I backed away as I talked, the Griefers slowly advancing all the while.
"I-I was supposed to be the weak one." I continued, my voice trembling. "I was supposed to be the nerd. The weakling. The one nobody could count on." My back hit a wall, the perfect metaphor for my current situation.
"But…but fighting today," I knelt down to lay Solara against the wall before stepping in front of her, "today, for the first time, I became someone people could rely on." My hands shakily grasped for my belt before finding my familiar bow.
"How touching." One of the Griefers sneered. "And I assume you're going to protect that downed woman behind you?"
"You can laugh." And to my surprise, I gave a shaky laugh of my own. "But it is because I am a nerd that I managed to build the trap that killed two-thirds of your army." That angered them even more, and they tensed their muscles, ready to charge us.
Back then, there was nothing I could do to save anyone. Whether I cared about them or not. Because I had been weak and that was how things were supposed to be. How I thought things would always be.
But not anymore.
I was not the same Crafter I was back then.
I studied redstone engineering.
I trained myself in archery.
And slowly…without even realizing it…
The Griefers lunged forward, just as lightning crashed across the sky.
The arrow hit one of them before they even realized. Followed by a second. And a third.
I shifted my aim towards the Griefers closing in, my hands flying to shoot as many arrows as I could. The fact that they had to come at me from a straight street was more to my advantage than theirs.
They had no cover.
My arrows hit knees, legs, necks, eyes. Anything to slow them down or cause as much damage as I could.
Is this why you fight, Cobbert? Even knowing you cannot win?
One of the Griefers died in a shower of gear.
Because, like me, you were weak. And thought you would never be able to help anyone.
Another Griefer kept trying to run right at me, but my arrows hit him one after another. He was running into my shots, hastening his own demise.
The both of us are just so weak. But you never let that stop you from jumping in to save this village.
After two more Griefers were shot to death, the remaining two realized I was not just some easy kill, anymore.
And they were right. I was not weak anymore.
That is why you are strong, Cobbert. I realized with mental clarity. All my focus was put into my shots. Making sure not a single one missed.
The Griefers tried to evade the shots, but all their effort did nothing in the face of my precision. Remarkably enough, with my back against a wall and my enemies all in front of me, I could defend myself all the easier.
Not just myself though. Solara too.
Finally, the Griefers decided just to rush in, hoping they could reach me before my arrows finished them.
'Don't ever flinch.' I remembered Captain Wynn's words in the midst of all my shooting. 'You're an archer. In a fight, you keep your eyes open to the end.'
I did not flinch.
Not when they drew closer.
Not when lightning crashed into a nearby house.
Not even when they were within a sword stroke of hitting me.
"AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" I let out an unnatural guttural cry as I kept my eyes open, pumping them full of arrows until the end.
One of them died just as the other swung a sword into my shoulder. I was unused to the pain and unprepared to take the hit.
I crashed into the ground before skidding across the rain-slicked dirt. Next instant, I felt an agonizing slash rake across my chest as the Griefer tore into me. He was not giving me any time to recover, the pain lacing through my body enough to wipe any other thought from my mind.
And without my thoughts to guide me, I was driven by pure instinct.
I reared back a leg and kicked with all my might, causing something solid to buckle. A loud grunt pierced the air. I kicked out again and again, trying to do as much damage as I could.
Arcs of lightning lit up the sky, illuminating a flash of iron being brought down towards me. I quickly rolled to the side as the blade missed, burying itself into the ground.
Through all that, I still had my bow in a vice-like grip. I brought up my other arm to pull back an arrow just as the Griefer unstuck his blade from the dirt. Three arrows were loosed as the Griefer charged towards me angrily.
The third arrow hit just as the blade reached my neck, causing the Griefer to explode in a shower of gear that scattered across the ground or fell into my Inventory space. A few bits of EXP floated into my arm as well.
I panted tiredly as I looked at the scene before me. Rain continued to pelt my face, cooling the hot-surge of battle and allowing my thoughts to return to me.
I was still tense. My hands were gripping the bow like a life-line and my eyes darted across the street as if expecting more Griefers to show up. When none did, I realized I had a moment to collect myself.
I was still alive.
I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling my erratic heartbeat. I checked my Health…three hearts. Yes. I was still alive.
I allowed myself a weak chuckle, the disbelief clearly evident in the tone. I had stood up to those Griefers…I had defeated them.
No…more importantly than that…
I turned to look at Solara. She was right where I left her, leaning against a wall. She was unconscious but still alive.
She was still alive because of me. I had protected a guard—someone who was meant to protect others. I had protected someone meant to be strong.
…
I was strong.
I allowed myself a louder chuckle, this one filled with pride, before I picked up Solara and got moving.
[Cosmic]
*BOOM*
"Agh!" I shielded my face from the dust of the explosion, only for LeShui's sword to slap me away.
Wynn wasn't kidding when she said LeShui was an expert with TNT. He was making use of the very redstone we had used to wire up our traps. The building we were in could barely contain the explosions. Bits of planks and bricks littered the floor and the gaps caused by the explosions was letting the rain in.
"Geez, Burke's really going to town on this building." LeShui stated pointlessly as he placed some TNT on a nearby wall and wired it up a fair distance away. "He's waaaaay too explosion crazy."
I didn't know what he was planning, but I wasn't going to sit by and watch. I lifted my sword and tried to attack the bomber.
However, I was interrupted when an explosion went off right beneath my feet.
When did he—!?
The explosion threw me off balance, sending me staggering towards LeShui, who promptly responded by ducking and flipping me over his shoulder…
Right on the TNT he set up.
I tried to roll off, but the bomber activated the explosive instantly. The force of it threw me across the room where I impacted the wall. Hard.
I was being tossed around like a ragdoll. He wasn't even that good of a sword fighter. But he had planted so much TNT under the floor prior to our battle. He had full control of the battlefield.
"Well, this has been fun." LeShui stated with mild boredom, apparently tired of our 'fight'. "But I have so many other Crafters to beautify via fiery explosion. Soooo…"
He flipped a lever I didn't even see him set up, causing the floor beneath me to explode, opening up a hidden chamber.
One he had filled with TNT.
This is bad! I tried to pick myself up, but I was too weak to do anything, much less climb out of the pit he had tossed me into.
"Let this be a lesson to you." LeShui reprimanded as he placed a final lever. "Don't ever—huh?"
"Don't hurt Cosmic!" The baby Testificate, Tyke, had run out to beat his fists futilely against LeShui's shins. Testificates couldn't harm Crafters, but that little guy was trying his hardest.
"Tyke, get away from him!" I warned, trying to muster up the strength to climb out of the hole.
"Cosmic is super nice!" Tyke continued, raising his small fists to cutely beat into LeShui's legs. "Leave her alone, you…you…you big meanie!"
"Big meanie!? Those are fighting words!" LeShui shouted angrily, lashing out at Tyke. The baby Testificate gave an audible cry of pain as he was flung into the pit of TNT. I had enough strength to catch the little guy and prevent him further harm. "I'll have you know that I'm not a 'meanie' in the slightest! Burke's the big meanie! He's the one using TNT to kill you! Not me!"
"Cosmic…this guy is crazy." Tyke needlessly mentioned, sniffling slightly at the pain LeShui had caused. I clutched him more tightly to myself, not wanting him to see the explosion that would eventually kill us.
…Wait.
LeShui caused Tyke pain…!
"I'm completely blameless in all this!" LeShui raved even louder, pacing back and forth above the TNT pit. He was so lost in his tirade, that he didn't notice the ground trembling slightly. "And, yeah, Burke isn't here right now. But he's responsible for all these bombings! I would certainly never detonate a ton of TNT just to kill a Crafter and a Testificate half-pint!"
"But you would hit a Testificate. Even a baby one." I countered back, feeling relief wash over me as the ground shook louder and louder; A signal of something's approach.
"Yeah, I guess I would hit a baby Testificate." LeShui called down, reaching for the dooming lever. "What's your point?"
"Leslie won't like that."
LeShui raised an eyebrow, just as the loud thumping climaxed. "And who is Leslie supposed to be?"
"THE IRON GOLEM THAT'S ABOUT TO POUND PUNY BOWL-CUT INTO STREET PIZZA!"
LeShui whirled around, his eyes wide with fear. His cry of shock was strangled by a massive metal fist closing around his neck. His body was jerked away from sight, the TNT-igniting lever remaining off.
I cringed as I heard a series of crashes and thuds above, occasionally punctuated by a whimper or shriek of pain. "No! Please! I didn't hurt the baby—IT WAS BURKE!"
"LESLIE SMASH!"
A bunch of gear sprayed out above. Mostly TNT and redstone tech, though there was the occasional piece of food or sword.
LeShui's Head tumbled into the pit before coming to a stop at my feet.
Leslie's head poked into sight above, offering me a hand up. "ARE CHARMING COSMIC AND TINY TYKE ALRIGHT!?"
"Thanks to you, Leslie." I smiled, my eyes shining with gratitude. Being careful not to activate any of the TNT LeShui had left, I climbed out of the pit, Tyke beside me.
"That was amazing, Leslie!" Tyke gushed, his eyes wide with child-like wonder. "We were all like 'oh no!' and that crazy bomber guy was like 'I'm going to kill you, but not before I rant for eleven minutes' and then Cosmic was all like 'look behind you, bitch' and then you showed up all 'LESLIE SMASH' ! It was so cool!"
"YOU ARE MAKING LESLIE BLUSH!" The Iron Golem shouted as he bashfully kicked at some dirt.
"What about the Testificates? You were supposed to protect 'em." I didn't want to sound ungrateful for the help, but the other Testificates were the priority. They were what we were fighting to protect.
Leslie shook his head sadly. "I AM SORRY, CHARMING COSMIC! BUT I COULD NOT STAY HIDDEN WITH THE TESTIFICATES WHILE MY VILLAGE WAS UNDER ATTACK! IF THOSE PUNY GRIEFERS WANT A FIGHT, THEN A FIGHT I SHALL GIVE THEM!"
I sighed in exasperation. I really should have expected this from the big lug. Keeping him cooped up was never going to work.
"Alright, the Griefers are in the village anyway. If you find any, take 'em out. Just…" My eyes softened as I observed the golem. "Just be careful, okay?"
Leslie nodded confidently before marching off down the street. Already, he had spotted several enemies traveling in a group. "PUNY GRIEFERS! CARE TO MEET MY TWO FISTS!? I CALL MY LEFT ONE MR. FISTY, AND THE OTHER ELAINE!"
There was a smattering of panic as the Griefers fled down separate streets. I took the opportunity to carry Tyke to a safer location.
LeShui's dead, but this fight is far from over. Hope the others are still okay…
[Cobb]
Something was wrong.
The plan was to lure Alec away from where the Testificates were hidden. It was to give the other guards enough time to warn everyone about the presence of a Hacker and to evacuate as best as they could.
But Alec wasn't following.
A soon as he entered Halstatt, he continued forward towards where the other Griefers were running to. He didn't even bother to chase after us, even when we purposefully made ourselves visible.
"Why isn't he following?" Liam cursed under his breath, glancing between Spencer and the Captain. "Is he just not seeing us?"
That couldn't be right. Wynn's hair color, with its sharp contrast with the surroundings, would have instantly drawn attention. And even if we weren't close enough to get attacked, we were visible enough that he should have at least been catching glimpses of us.
"He's purposefully ignoring us." Wynn frowned grimly. "He's probably too sure it's a trap or that we're just trying to distract him."
"Well, we better think of something and fast." I spoke urgently as I watched Alec from an adjacent street. He was leisurely sauntering through the besieged village as if he owned the place. But he still had his sword drawn, the blade dragging across the ground. And that same smoke continued to seep from his very being.
At the rate he was going, whether he realized it or not, he would reach the hidden Testificates and fighting villagers. If he got there, he'd use whatever Hacker powers he had to kill anyone that irked him.
Just like he had Billy.
"Captain?"
Spencer had posed the question, wondering what the next course of action would be. However, as I turned to face her, I saw that her eyes were closed in thought. Her lips were drawn into a thin line and she unconsciously clenched her fists.
Then she opened her eyes, showing a resigned expression. "I'll face him."
I felt something terrifying clutch my chest.
"What…Captain, what are you saying?" Spencer couldn't keep the worry from his face. "If he's a Hacker, then there's no way you can beat him. He'll kill you!"
"I don't plan on beating him." She corrected. I opened my mouth to protest, but she quickly cut me off. "I don't plan on dying either. I'll cross swords with him a few times. Keep his attention while the rest of you help evacuate the others. I should be able to manage that much."
"And if you can't?" I couldn't help but question, worrying for her safety.
"If I can't…" She shook her head, dispelling the thought. "It won't come to that. I'll be fine."
She was lying. Or at least there was some doubt in her words. I could tell by the way her amber eyes wavered slightly. And any sign of doubt was too much of a risk.
"You shouldn't be going alone against that guy." The other two guards nodded in agreement, bolstering me to continue. "It would be easier if we all fight toge—"
"No, Cobb." She spoke sharply, her eyes hardening momentarily before losing their edge. "We need as many able-bodied Crafters to help evacuate. Only one of us should stay behind and I'm the only one strong enough to stall him."
"But…" I hoped the other guards would argue, but they couldn't find fault in the Captain's reasoning. It was really the most sensible option. Anyone with common sense would have seen that.
But screw that! I'd abandon common sense if it meant risking Wynn's life!
"What if something happens?" From Wynn's resigned expression, she was certainly prepared for the worst. But I wasn't! It was because of me that all the guards were in this mess in the first place. How could I be alright with Wynn risking her life in a fight I had roped them all into.
"Cobb, I won't be trying to die. If anything I'll be trying my best to survive. You can be sure of that."
I shook my head. Wynn going against Alec alone sounded like a terrible idea. "Who says you should be the one to distract him? I think we can all agree that I'm the most distracting and irritating Crafter here!"
Wynn let out an uncharacteristic rumble of laughter. "No arguments there. You're tied with Veronica for most infuriating Crafters I have to deal with." Wynn's eyes remained closed as she tilted her face up. The rain just fell atop her face, running down her neck and dripping onto the ground.
I was a bit cautious of her laugh. That wasn't how Wynn usually acted. Especially in a situation like this.
But still I pressed on. "We should face him together." I wasn't as terrified of facing a Hacker as Wynn undoubtedly was. Hell, I still wasn't sure of what a Hacker was capable of. "If we work together and watch each other's backs, we can make sure both of us get out alive."
Wynn opened her eyes, taking in the stormy sky above us. "It seems like you'll never follow orders. No matter what I do."
She closed her eyes again before taking a deep breath. She held it for a second before letting loose a sigh somewhere between exasperation and determination.
"Alright, we'll stall him together." I felt a swell of relief at Wynn's acceptance. "Just stay close and try not to do anything stupid."
"Well, you know me." I laughed jokingly. "Stupid is my middle name."
"Yeah." The Captain offered a small smile. "I guess I do know you."
Something about those words sounded off, but I couldn't quite place it.
However, I didn't dwell long on it because Wynn was beckoning me over to her. She was reaching into her backpack for something. "If we're going to face a Hacker, there's something you'll definitely need."
Without even thinking, I moved forward.
I had so much trust in Captain Wynn. The woman who initially hated me for committing a crime and fooling her King. The woman who threw barbed insults at me that slowly transformed into slight jabs.
The woman who had helped train me. The woman who had offered advice. The woman who answered my questions about Minecraftia and how the world worked, even when the questions were idiotic.
The woman who had defied her duty to her Kingdom just to help out a stubborn idiot like me. The woman who I considered a friend. The woman who fought beside me, protected me, and made sure I always survived.
The woman…who had just driven a knee into my gut.
I would have gasped in shock if not for the air leaving my lungs. The pain in my gut. My vision already beginning to fade as consciousness slipped away. They were all the same feelings of the first day we met.
Except this time was unforgivable.
'Being a leader necessitates difficult choices. Especially if it means being hated.'
"…W-Wynn…you…" I clutched at her shoulders weakly, trying to force myself to stop her. To stop her from facing Alec alone. To stop losing my senses. To stop losing consciousness. To stop losing her.
The last thing I saw were Wynn's determined amber eyes before it all faded to black.
[Wynn]
I caught Cobb before he could hit the ground. Even as he lost consciousness he still defiantly tried to stop me. His determination to keep me alive would have been heartwarming in any other situation, but it only felt hollow.
"Captain!" Spencer shouted in outrage, even while Liam remained silent. He at least seemed to understand why I did what I did. "Why did you just—!?"
"Get him out of here." I interrupted, placing Cobb's unconscious form between the two of them. "He's fought more than his fair share tonight. If the past is any indication, he should wake up in a day-and-a-half." I couldn't help but remember the time it took him to regain consciousness after I knocked him out at the Razed Bar.
Spencer still appeared confused, but Liam stepped forward to carry Cobb.
"Make sure to evacuate as many villagers and Testificates as you can AND survive this." I looked Liam dead in the eye. "Keep Cobb as far from this as you can, understand?"
Liam nodded respectfully, though the frown on his face showed that he didn't approve of what I had done. I was fine with that. After all, I didn't feel too happy doing that either. It was one thing stabbing him with my rapier, but this was betraying his trust entirely.
He'd probably never forgive me.
"But…Captain…" Spencer still appeared hesitant, causing me to narrow my eyes at him.
"Get out of here! Both of you! That's an order!"
Spencer flinched, looking torn between staying and leaving, but Liam was gracious enough to pull him along. "Come on, Spencer. We have our orders."
After several more tugs, Spencer finally relented, following Liam and the unconscious Cobb. However, Spencer turned around to offer one last piece of advice.
"You better come back, alright?"
I didn't offer a nod or even a grunt of affirmation, and Spencer didn't wait for one. Soon I was alone, my fist clenching my trusty rapier and my muscles ready to throw all my frustration out on something.
But that wasn't going to keep me alive. I had to be smart. I was stalling, not fighting. And without Cobb to be concerned over, I would be that much more focused. Indeed, keeping him from facing Alec was already an enormous relief.
He was innocent in all this. Just a newbie Crafter wanting to do the right thing. He had already risked himself to fight an army and it was thanks to his and Lenz's efforts that the enemy's forces were cut as much as they were.
Now it was my turn to make an effort.
I took another calming breath before downing a Swiftness Potion and racing off towards where Alec had been.
I made sure my Hunger and Health Meter were full and that I was ready for the fight that was to follow. If I was going to keep his attention, I'd have to strike him a few times or at least appear to be a threat.
Whatever Hacker powers Alec had were still unknown to me. Witnesses of Hacker attacks reported a wide variety of abilities that could only be explained by the enigmatic dark smoke that surrounded them.
Killing in a single hit.
Moving faster than any Swiftness Potion could allow.
Shooting arrows that never miss.
Flying.
The last one was probably out since Alec wouldn't have needed to ender pearl out of the pit if he could otherwise fly, but I didn't know what to expect.
There was a possibility Alec could do all those things…and more.
I shook my head. There was no sense keeping those pessimistic thoughts. If I was to survive, I'd need to stay focused.
I caught up with Alec soon enough. He was still sauntering down the streets at a leisurely pace. Ahead of him were a few Griefers tearing apart a house for the pleasure of destruction alone.
I quickly passed the Hacker, skidding to a stop before him. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, but seemed to recognize me by my white hair. "Captain, Wynn_Whispers."
"Hacker, Alec_Bishop." I responded in turn, raising my rapier to point steadily towards him.
Alec laughed at that. "You know what I am and you still want to fight me? Don't tell me you're going to follow Billy's footsteps." At those words, he pulled out a Head from his belt and tossed it onto the ground.
It was Billy's.
"He didn't leave much of an impression." Alec's dark-gray eyes, still with black sclera, shined with amusement as he brought a foot down onto Billy's Head and ground it into the dirt. "Kept whining about me causing his friends' death. As if I give a crap about that when he and all the rest of you fucked up my plans."
My rapier didn't waver from his direction as he continued to talk. He seemed relaxed enough, but I wasn't going to start something. The objective was to stall, after all.
"It was supposed to be so simple." Alec stuck his diamond sword into the ground and leaned on it idly. "Amass an army of Griefers. Threaten Daymonte. Get Command Block and Codex. Present it to the others. And regain my rightful place in the Clan again."
He closed his eyes and his face scrunched together. "But then there were complications. I had to go out of my way to pressure Daymonte. And then I really had to go out of my way when you lot decided to fight back instead of simply surrendering your lives."
"Sorry that our survival is an inconvenience to you." I countered, pretending not to notice the group of Griefers creeping up behind me.
"That apology doesn't sound too sincere." Alec frowned before shrugging. "But now that my army is less than half, I'll have to start all over again. Recruit more Griefers, target Daymonte's villages, and finally get that damn Command Block and Codex. But all that time I'll have to spend…" His face darkened. "That really pisses me off."
"Hmph." I snorted before ducking as one of the Griefers behind me decided to strike. With my Swiftness Potion still in effect, my movements were like lightning. A series of precise stabs and strikes that killed the Griefers before they knew what hit them.
It was just me and Alec now.
"Before we start this little tussle of ours," Alec continued, lifting his sword to rest on his shoulder. "I just gotta know, why go through all the trouble for this dinky village?"
Because I had to save my guards and Cobb.
"Because it's the right thing to do." I answered immediately.
"Oh, what a beauty-pageant response." Alec rolled his eyes before pointing at my leather cap. "You're from Ringwood. You shouldn't give two shits about what happens to this worthless village when it's Daymonte's problem. You even interfered with our TNT supply back in Daymonte. Hell, you care more about this village than the guards who worked here! I haven't seen a single red-dyed cap!"
I paused as I considered a better answer. "Then I'm doing this…because scum like you needs to understand that you can't get away with attacking the innocent."
"Ugh." Alec cringed, waving an arm over his nose as if smelling something foul. "That's an even dumber beauty-pageant response. It's high time I ground your little air-head into reality." He readied his sword into a sloppy stance before charging forward.
I instantly panicked over what ability he was going to use and dodged a full five seconds before he swung. I didn't want to take any chances.
His swing was sloppy too. No refined technique or anything. There was only raw strength in his attack.
Alec offered a lopsided smirk. "Somebody sure is jumpy. I wonder why?"
He lifted his blade and charged once again. This time, I waited a bit longer before staying clear of his strike. He didn't stop his charge and kept on towards me, the dark smoke making a wispy trail behind him.
I waited until the last second before dodging his swing and rolling under his outstretched arm, delivering a slash to his lower arm. I was surprised that I actually hit him and even more surprised when he let out an agonized yell.
"Agh! My arm! Feels like it was sliced off!" Alec screamed as he clutched his arm to the side. "Is it bleeding!? Oh God, I think it's bleeding!"
I raised an eyebrow at his display, but remained cautious. He could have been acting for all I knew.
After a few seconds, in which I kept my distance, he finally recovered his composure and turned to charge at me again. "Here's a sword with your name on it!"
Again, his movements were sloppy. It was like he had never practiced with a sword in his life. And even though the Hacker smoke still surrounded him, he wasn't exhibiting any unnatural abilities.
If anything, he looked like an amateur instead of the fearsome Hackers I had heard about.
My guard was slightly lowered, but not enough to disregard him completely. He had definitely killed Billy and he wouldn't be able to command so many Griefers if he didn't have any power.
He swung at me wildly, none of his attacks ever hitting me, before I responded with a sharp stab to his neck and an elbow to his sternum. He staggered back, clutching his chest and wincing sharply.
"Oof. Boy, did I feel that one."
Oof? That wasn't the response I had been expecting. Alec's technique may have been terrible, but he certainly had stamina if he could keep shrugging off my attacks like that.
He rushed towards me once again, with still no sign of him employing his Hacker abilities.
I deftly dodged his swings, manging to circle him before stabbing him in the center of the back.
"Ouch! You sure do pack a punch."
I felt a twinge of irritation. Was he mocking me? There was definitely something about his tone that suggested he thought of this fight as one big joke.
I flipped over his latest slash and over his head before lashing out with my rapier. His neck. His shoulder. His chest. I struck at all three before Alec finally managed to catch me with his fist.
It was only a graze, but my eyes widened at the hit he had gotten in on me. It hurt as much as a fist should and I was still alive after taking it. And since his Hacker smoke was still billowing forth, it meant he couldn't kill in one hit.
Regardless, I rolled with the impact, tumbling to my feet and returning to my original stance. A bit of my rain-soaked hair touched my eyes and I quickly flipped it out of sight, not wanting to take my eyes off Alec.
"Ugh. Floats like a butterfly, stings like a bitch." He complimented, though it sounded mocking with the accompanying sneer.
My eyes narrowed in confusion. Something wasn't right. After all that damage I did, he should have been more worried. Just looking at the Health Meter on his arm I could tell—
Wait…
Why was his Health Meter completely full?
"You're slippery." Alec continued with a confident smirk. "But I hit you on that last exchange. I guess you Captains aren't as strong as you think you are."
Don't let his taunts get to you. I warned myself, easing the grip on my weapon. Focus on the problem. Why isn't his Health going down?
"Tell you what," Alec returned his blade to his backpack and held out his arms. "Since you need all the handicap you can get, I'll give you a few free shots."
"What?" I took a hesitant step back, not sure what he was planning. It would be harder for him to draw a weapon from his backpack than his belt, and he had nothing at his belt that could kill me.
"Better hurry." Alec wagged a finger chidingly, his face smug and condescending. "I won't give you another chance like this."
I grit my teeth in anger.
Have it your way.
The next instant, I darted forward until I was right in front of him. Then I lashed out with as many slashes and stabs as I could get out. I was a whirlwind of metal as I flipped and twisted and twirled around Alec, who just stood there and took it all.
It was after twenty seconds that I finally realized what was happening. I quickly jumped away, panting exhaustively from all the effort.
Throughout all my slashes, I kept a close eye on Alec's Health Meter. And while it definitely took damage anytime I scored a hit, it would instantly regenerate before my next slash could make contact.
All Crafters' Health regenerated, but Alec's regeneration rate was faster…almost instantaneous. It took half a second for him to heal a quarter of his Health.
That had to be his ability. Enhanced regeneration.
Hyper regeneration.
"I think I saw my life flash before my eyes on that last one." Alec mocked. The pain was still there, but it healed so fast it never fazed him. This whole time he was just toying with me.
What did he have to worry about when any hit he took was instantly healed? It was no wonder he survived that pit full of Mobs.
"Has it sunk in yet?" Alec continued, withdrawing his diamond sword once again. "I only have one Hack to work with, but one's all I need. With my regeneration, I'm invincible. Nothing can kill me!"
"One…Hack?" I questioned in between labored breaths.
Alec smirked as he began to move towards me. "Hackers are classified by the amount of enhancements or 'Hacks' they possess. A lowly Level 1 like me only has one, while a Level 2 Hacker has two Hacks, a Level 3 has three, and so on."
I took a shaky step back as I tried to catch my breath. My barrage of attacks had drained my Hunger Meter. I reached into my belt to withdraw a steak, but was soon beset by Alec's wild attacks. They were telegraphed so obviously that I should have had no problem dodging them, but my speed was cut in half by my Hunger.
His sword caught me in the side, sending me skidding towards an alley. The sword was enchanted, too, shaving off a good portion of my Health.
"I can't lose in a battle of endurance!" Alec continued to boast as he charged me. I brought up my rapier to push him back, but doing so cost me more effort than it should have. Alec was laughing the whole time. "Any Crafter that thought they could stubbornly stand their ground against me has become reacquainted with oblivion!"
Alec was back, not even a bit winded, as he brought his sword crashing down. I dove to the side, but not fast enough as his blade caught my ankle, eliciting a sharp wince.
"The Griefers respect the power of a Hacker! The power to shrug off any amount of strikes with a full Health Meter and a wide grin!"
Alec stood over me, lifting his blade to drive into my neck. I twisted out of the way as it came crashing down and swept at the Hacker's feet. He fell like a sack of bricks and I took the opportunity to stab him in the neck, even though I knew it was pointless.
All my attacks were doing nothing to him while steadily draining myself of stamina. And any attack he delivered, however small, slowly added up to lower my Health Meter.
This was a fight I couldn't win.
Good thing Cobb isn't here to see this. I thought while Alec's blade came slicing towards me.
Inventory (Cobb): 1 Wooden Shovel, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 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, 12 Oak Wood Planks, 8 Oak Wood Stairs, 1 Oak Wood Door, 1 Clock, 45 Dirt, 1 Water Bucket, 10 String, 1 Ender Pearl, 1 Bone, 3 Baked Potatoes, 5 Pumpkin Pies, 17 Cookies, 1 Cake, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Chainmail Helmet, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Unbreaking I], Iron Leggings, Iron Boots, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 7 Rotten Flesh, 4 Item Frames, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Temporary Entry Pass}
[EXP: 24]
Inventory (Ace the Ass): 8 Lapis Lazuli, 34 Iron Ore, 10 Gold Ore, 13 Coal
Inventory (Lenz): 1 Bow {Weak}, 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, 2 Pistons, 10 Cobblestone, 10 Torches, 5 Sticks, 3 Redstone Lamps, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 12 String, 25 Gunpowder, 4 Carrots, 23 Arrows, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}
[EXP: 3]
Inventory (Reginald the Ass): {Empty}
AN: Two-consecutive cliff-hangers? Dramatic!
This Chapter...just so powerful. I love it.
Also, since the professors at my college all decided to spring a metric crap-ton of homework on me all at once, I'm gonna have to skip next week's usual publish date.
Either I free up my time or I get an F. No two ways about it. I literally have to right up twenty page papers and I'm all like, 'I've written a 400,000 word story'.
But seriously, I need to take off next week.
[Chapter 59 will be published October 5th.]
It'll give you plenty of time to talk about what happened this Chapter.
Also, believe it or not, somebody made 'My Craft' fanart. Yeah. Don't believe me? I have a link in my profile at the bottom of the page. Check it out!