AN: It's funny how people think that me skipping a publishing date for one week accounts for the hiatus I warned you all about. Yeah right. When I take a hiatus, I make sure it's a considerable and reasonable length.

That being said, Chapter 62 will be the last Chapter before the hiatus. Just so you all know.

Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add a different type of cake.

Beta: AxeHelix

Chapter 59

Unforgivable

[Cobb]

Urgh…my stomach…

Stomach: So much pain…knees were never meant to be buried into stomachs…

What's…going on…why does everything feel so…heavy?

Brain: Hey! Wake up idiot! You wanted to be the one to save Halstatt, right? Well you can't do that all unconscious and crap! So get up and kick ass!

What? What happened? The last thing I remember was…

A knee to the stomach. Loss of senses. Determined amber eyes.

Oh no…

Heart: Move, Cobb! Wynn's going to DIE if you don't do something!

Slowly, as if waking up from a dream, my senses began to return. Countless raindrops pelted my skin and drenched my clothes. There was a dull ache in my gut and the feeling of movement, even though I wasn't the one moving. Was someone carrying me?

Then my hearing returned, just in time to catch a clap of thunder, followed by bits of a conversation.

"…should go back. She's facing off against a Hacker."

"If we go back to help her, who'll be here to help the Testificates? The villagers?" A closer voice spoke with resigned determination. "Besides, the Captain gave us orders to get him out of here." I was jostled a bit as whoever carried me got a better hold. "So that's what we're going to do."

"Like…hell..."

"Um…Spencer, was that you?"

"Was what me?"

"Like hell…I'm letting that…white-haired…dumbass…die!"

Finally regaining movement in my limbs, I flailed my arms and legs and rolled out of Liam's grip. I landed awkwardly on the ground, but I didn't let that stop me from getting back up.

Spencer looked taken aback at my recovery. "Cobb! How are you up so quickly? The Captain said—"

"Screw what the Captain says!" I shouted dazedly as I whirled my head around. It was still night-time and there was still a violent thunderstorm raging overhead. And we were still on the streets of Halstatt, though it was a different part than where I had last seen Wynn.

I'm not too late…I got to find her before Alec does…

I looked at the surrounding streets, trying to think of where Wynn and Alec could be. Deciding to go with blind luck and hope for the best, I picked a random street to run down before a hand stopped me.

"Cobb, don't." It was Liam, looking determined to stop me. Didn't he want Wynn to live? Why was he trying to stop me? Why was Wynn so stupid as to try and fight Alec alone!? "The Captain gave us orders to—"

"What type of guards are you to follow orders that risk your Captain!?" I shouted as I tried to push past him. "She could die!"

Liam grabbed a fistful of my hoodie and brought me up to his face. "Listen!" He growled lowly. "Wynn is distracting Alec to buy us the time to escape! She doesn't want to risk anyone's life but her own! Everything she's done, including knocking you out, was done for our safety! And you're just going to ignore all that and go running back in there, half-cocked, without some sort of plan!?"

"You're damn right I am!" My emerald eyes hardened and my hands flew to my belt to withdraw my fishing rod.

At the sight of it, Liam stiffened, releasing his hold on me and taking a few steps back. His hands were held up in a calming gesture. "Whoa…take it easy, Cobb. Just…just put down the fishing rod—"

I didn't catch the end of his sentence as I hooked onto his clothes and flung him towards Spencer, causing the two guards to hit the ground in a tangle of limbs.

As they struggled to their feet, I took the opportunity to run down the street. I heard them shout some words to try and stop me, but I was already gone.

I can't believe she knocked me out! Honestly, you think you know someone and then they bury a knee into your gut!

Stomach: So…much…pain…

Brain: Though to be fair, it's not the most painful thing she's done to us? Right, Bladder?

Bladder: The ball stabbings were bad, yes.

I took a left down a street, hoping I knew where I was going. As I did, I passed a hand over my stomach.

But it's weird. Last time she kneed me in the gut, I was out for a day and a half. Why'd I wake up so much sooner this time?

Brain: I don't know. Lazy writing?

…What?

Brain: What?

Lungs: *Sigh*

Heart: Of course! Lungs is right…as usual. Cobb wasn't wearing a leather tunic last time. It must have cushioned the blow.

Really? I rubbed the spot where Wynn had struck, beneath my tunic. It felt sore, but it was a dull soreness. Not nearly as bad as last time. So…it's thanks to the green-dyed tunic—the very symbol of Ringwood's guards—that I recovered early?

Brain: Wow. That's kind of haiku-ic.

Heart: Poetic, you mean.

Brain: …Haiku-ic.

Guys, focus! Everything in this village looks the same! I stopped in the middle of a crossroads, alternating my gaze between three different directions. Now…if I was an evil, super-powered, Hacker…where would I be?

Bladder: Probably killing Wynn.

Not HELPING!

Liver: Well…if I was evil and super-powered…I would raise an army of blood cells and antibodies within Cobb's body. Then, I'd command them all to swarm Heart, the very center of the body…and I'd use its blood pumping to spread my blood cell army to the furthest corners of the body, taking over everything in their path.

Brain: …

Heart: …

Liver: After Heart, Lungs would fall next. Then Stomach. Bladder. And finally…that bastard Brain.

Brain: Um…

Liver: But I wouldn't finish him off easily. Oh no. After all the tormenting I've had to endure from that cynical asshole, I'd make his face twist in agony and anguish until he BEGGED for the sweet, merciful, embrace of death!

Brain: …Liver you're scaring me.

Liver: And then I'll be the ruler of Cobb and all his organs! I'll plunge this body into a thousand years of darkness! Nobody will ever shrug off my life-sustaining functions and call me 'chopped liver' ever again! MWAHAHA!

Brain: …

…Okay, I'm just gonna go right this time.

My organs decided to quiet down after that. And for good reason too. Liver had issues.

Liver: I do not!

As I rounded a corner, I had to quickly duck when a pickaxe came hurtling towards me. I had unluckily stumbled upon a pack of Griefers.

"Nice duck, loser." One of the Griefers taunted as he raised his pick. "Let's see you do that again."

I withdrew my gold sword and rolled aside to dodge the Griefer's latest attack. Then I brought my sword up in a heavy slash. I shouted over his yelp of pain.

"Where's Alec!?"

One of the Griefers snorted before withdrawing an iron sword. "How would we know where our all-powerful General is? Though, I can only guess he's mincing your little allies into paste!"

My face scrunched up in anger as I leapt into the air and brought my sword crashing down in a powerful Critical Hit. The Griefer smashed into a house and slid down unconscious.

"Y-You don't scare us!" Another Griefer raised her weapon, a stone axe, as she charged me. I may have been more afraid if not for her slight stutter. I blocked her axe swing before tackling her into the ground.

"What are you even fighting for!?" I shouted in anger as I punched the Griefer square in the jaw. "What is all this destruction for!?"

I gestured to the smashed-in and exploded houses. The broken outer cobblestone wall in the distance. The empty streets where villagers and Testificates should have been contentedly going about their day. The pack of Mobs that were slowly emerging from an alley. The dented street signs—

Wait. Mobs?

My internal question was answered as an arrow pierced my shoulder, throwing me off the Griefer. A skeletal archer was the culprit. It looked like Griefers weren't the only ones invading Halstatt. With the wall down and everything in so much chaos, Mobs must have stumbled inside.

The good news was that the Mobs were impartial. They didn't choose which Crafters to attack. They attacked everyone equally, and the Griefers were no exception.

That was also the bad news, since I was a Crafter in their sights.

"No! Go for them!" I tried to egg them on towards the Griefers. "They're assholes attacking this village."

The Mobs just looked at each other, maybe exchanging a questioning gaze, before resuming their march towards both the Griefers and I.

"Okay, then." I swapped my sword out for my fishing rod. "Time for my Mob Flail!"

I whipped the fishing rod through the air before snagging a Skeleton by its ribcage. I pulled back and swung the Mob into two more of its brethren. The Skeletons, however, were quick to recover. The fishing rod didn't do much damage to them after all.

"Crap. Bobber! Bobber!" I began to fling my fishing rod's bobber at the Mobs, knocking them slightly back. However, unlike with Crafters, bobbering didn't annoy Mobs. They were slightly inconvenienced at best. They didn't have the emotional capacity to rage at my annoying tactics. "Maybe Wynn was right about this move being useless. Bobber! Bobber! Back you Skeletons! Back I say!"

I backed into an ally before taking off. I couldn't waste time when Wynn was in danger of getting killed by Alec.

Now if only I could find her…and tell her off for kneeing me in the gut and trying to face that guy on her own! Doing reckless things is my thing!

Come on, Wynn. Please don't be dead.

[Wynn]

*huff* *huff*

"You know, I'm trying to be the bigger person here by killing you quickly." That accursed Hacker strolled forward with his diamond blade dragging against the dirt. "But you just keep dodging. Isn't it getting kind of old? Wouldn't you just want the pain to end?"

"I'm…not…"

"Not what?" He held a hand to his ear mockingly. "Could you speak up? Can't hear you over your haggard breath."

I grit my teeth as I got back to my feet. My Hunger Meter was so low that I couldn't run or regenerate Health. The only thing keeping me alive was my last Potion of Swiftness. Its effects allowed me to keep my distance from Alec.

I could have used it to escape, but that would have gone against what I had intended to do from the beginning. Stalling.

By now, Liam, Spencer, and the others would have gotten the message to the villagers and started evacuation.

But I needed to stall him as long as I could. Griefers my men could handle. But not Hackers.

Seeing me get back to my feet, Alec let out a weary sigh. "Well if you want to prolong your suffering—I'm not usually into that, but for you I'll make an exception." He raised his diamond blade and ran towards me.

"Ngh!" My footing was unstable but I kept my eyes open, waiting for the right moment to strike. The second Alec's sword nearly cleaved my head off, I ducked and twisted under his outstretched arm. His attack rolled over me harmlessly as I gripped my rapier and jammed it into his neck.

It lacked any and all elegance, but at my level of exhaustion, it was all I could do without crumbling. It was effective at sending Alec crashing into the rain-soaked dirt, even if the damage was instantly healed.

Seeing an opportunity to eat some food uninterrupted, my hands flew to my backpack where I withdrew some steak. I went in for a big, hearty bite, expecting my Hunger Meter to refill—

Only for my vision to jar as something solid struck me in the head, knocking the steak from my grasp.

Now I was the one crashing into the rain-soaked dirt. I skid a few meters away before propping myself up to see who had hit me.

"Well, if it isn't the second half of the lesbian Captain duo." The voice of Burke announced as he brandished a stone sword. "Never thought I'd see you here. But if it means I can pay you back for exposing our TNT warehouse, I'm not complaining."

"Hey! Back off, Burke!" Alec got to his feet and dusted himself off before storming up to the bomber, dark smoke still seeping from his body. "She's my kill."

"Pfft. Says the Hacker eating dirt." Burke countered, his acid green Mohawk quivering with contempt. "How is someone like you having so much trouble killing a regular Crafter?"

"She's a flighty one, alright!?" Alec shouted back. "She's still caused me a shit-ton of trouble, so she's mine!"

Great. Now there are two enemies I have to worry about.

Wynn used their bickering to her advantage as she shakily got back to her feet. She reached into her backpack, but found no other food. Those steaks that were now lying on the rain-soaked dirt were all she had left.

"Okay, how about this." Burke suggested instead. "We kill her together since we shouldn't waste any more time. Deal?"

"…I guess." Alec reluctantly agreed before readying his blade once more. Burke did the same, shuffling to the left to surround me better.

I had to stick my rapier into the ground just to support myself. I kept racking my brain for any way to stall them without getting killed, only to consistently come up with nothing.

Burke was the first to spring forward, white stars shimmering off his stone blade in a Critical Strike. I half dodged, half stumbled out of the way only for him to follow-up with a backhanded strike. I managed to block it with my rapier, but the force sent me stumbling backwards.

Right into Alec as he tried to stab me.

"Rgh!" I dove aside, even as the blade skimmed off my arm and a bit of Health. My only retaliation was a weak push that barely staggered the Hacker.

Alec's next slash was incoming, and I panted as I tried to dodge…only for my movements to become more sluggish.

My Potion of Swiftness had run out.

The slash hit and I heard a sharp snap as something buckled. The arm holding my rapier was at a strange angle and before I could question it, I was sent skidding into the ground by the Hacker's strike.

Then the pain hit me.

It was a sharp jarring pain that told me my left arm and a few ribs were now broken. Any pressure I put on them was met with screaming protest and agonizing pain.

I completely forgot that I was still in a fight. And it was the explosion of Burke's TNT that reminded me just where I was.

The explosion rocketed me across the street and smack into a wall before I crumpled to the ground. Broken and defeated.

"You're welcome." I heard someone speak nearby, though it sounded distant and muffled from the explosion.

There was a scoff. "Oh, sure, your TNT was totally necessary. I broke her arm!"

"Only after I distracted her." I glanced at my arm. One Heart left. "Just take a page out of LeShui's book and give me credit for a job well done. Speaking of, where is that bomber?"

"Probably blowing stuff up." Alec walked up and nudged my face with his boot. "Sheesh, this is almost pathetic."

"You know…I change my mind." Burke walked up closer and knelt down beside my broken arm. "I'm fine with you killing her so long as I get that cool rapier of hers." He reached down and grabbed the weapon by the blade.

"Works for me." I heard Alec let out a breath as the dark smoke enveloping him slowly vanished. He tapped his foot impatiently. "Well, take the damn rapier already so I can finish her."

"I'm…trying…" Burke struggled to extricate the rapier from my grasp. He tried and failed to pry my fingers off the treasured weapon. "I thought you said you broke her arm."

He had. But even in the haze of pain I was feeling, even with my arm broken, I refused to give it up.

"Get…your filthy…hands…off…" I propped myself up by my right arm, even though every other sense in my body was screaming in protest to just let it all end.

Alec stared down coldly at me. His eyes were back to normal. His had shut off his Hacker powers. This was my only chance to stop him.

"This…rapier…was given to me…by…by…" I fought to pull back my arm from Burke's grasp, but the pain was too much. "I…won't…let…you…take it…from me!"

"This isn't almost pathetic anymore." Alec lifted his foot and pressed it against my forehead. "This is pathetic."

He ground my head into the wall while Burke pulled at the rapier, removing it from my broken grasp. My empty and numb hand fell to my side, defeated.

"Well, Captain Wynn," Alec removed his foot from my forehead and replaced it with a diamond sword held at my neck. "It's time I relieve you of duty. But don't worry. I'll make sure your guards join you shortly.

My amber eyes glared furiously at the hated man with all the defiance I could muster. Even as he reared his diamond blade back to deliver the final blow, I was determined to stare him down.

To face my death head-on.

"CAST!"

A fishing hook soared through the air and attached to Alec's T-shirt, causing my eyes to lose their defiance and widen slightly.

…Cobb?

"…The hell was—?"

Alec was suddenly whisked away as something pulled him back. Burke whirled in response, raising my rapier.

"Crafter Flail!" Alec was swung around before being sent crashing into the bomber. The two rolled to a stop at one of the other houses, but I was paying more attention to the Crafter running in to pick me up.

He was panting heavily, probably from running all around Halstatt trying to find me, and he had somehow willing himself conscious after being knocked out.

But it was definitely Cobb. Who else would be wielding a fishing rod of all things to battle? He picked me up and turned to face the recovering Alec and Burke.

"Reinforcements, huh?" Alec growled as dark smoke began to seep from him once again. "What makes you think you'll fare any better than your Captain?"

"One, she's not my Captain. She's my friend." Cobb spoke without any doubt. "And two…is that Carys_Angel behind you?"

I was almost embarrassed that that actually caused Alec and Burke to turn around in surprise. Cobb used the bluff to his advantage as he quickly turned around and sprinted down an alley with me secured in his grasp.

[Cobb]

Works every time. I thought smugly as I turned down a second alley and hid inside an empty house. Outside I heard Alec and the green-mohawk guy shout in confusion as they tried to find where we fled.

"We should be safe. For a little while, at least." I set Wynn down and glanced at her Health and Hunger Meters. They were pretty low. I rummaged in my backpack before withdrawing the last of my baked potatoes and offering them to the Captain.

Wynn just weakly pushed them away with her right arm. Her left arm was bent at an unnatural angle and remained motionless at her side. "What…what are you doing here? How are you even here?"

"If you mean how I'm not unconscious after getting kneed in the gut by a certain Captain, it's because of this green tunic that that very same certain Captain gave to me." I remarked, possibly holding a little bit of a grudge. "When I heard the explosion and went to check it out, I saw you with that guy's blade against your neck. And I came here to save you from getting killed. So unless you want to starve to death I suggest you eat something." I tried to give her the potatoes again, but she pushed them aside.

"Why…?" She narrowed her eyes. "Why can't you just follow orders for once?" She tried to get to her feet, but judging by her wince of pain, I could tell how injured she was. "I told you to evacuate the Testificates!"

I blinked in confusion. "You can't be serious!?" I hissed, not wanting to let Alec or Burke hear us. "If I had done that, you'd have been dead!"

"I'm the Captain of this group!" Wynn argued back. "It's my job to risk my life so that they don't have to! So that you don't have to!"

"Well you have other jobs too! Jobs you can't do if you're dead!" I shot back, surprising the ivory-haired Captain. "Who's going to tell me how Minecraftia works if you're dead? Who's going to hold the threat of castration over my head if you're dead? Who's going to be there to doubt the effectiveness of my fishing rod if you're dead? Who am I supposed to impress with the superiority of the fishing rod if you're dead!? Who am I supposed to show how strong I've become if you're dead!?"

She had no idea how terrified I was when I first stumbled upon the scene. For a second, I had thought Wynn was gone. If she had died trying to defend Halstatt—a decision I practically forced her and her guards into—I'd never forgive myself.

Some tears were threatening to make an appearance, but I kept my voice firm. "So don't say your only job is to die for us! Because you're more than just that! You're my friend."

Her amber eyes softened before a small smile graced her features. I returned the gesture and once more shoved the food into her hand. Only this time, she gratefully accepted it.

After all the running I did to find her, I needed to refill on food too. My immediate thought was cookies until I remembered the unsolvable delicacy in my Inventory.

"So, Wynn?" I began. I expected her to make me stress her title of 'Captain' like she usually did, but she remained silent. "Do you, by chance, know how to eat this cake?" I held up the entire thing and tried to cram it into my mouth. Not only didn't it work, but it made Wynn let out a hysterical laugh.

It must have been such a relief for her to laugh like that.

"You…haha…you're not supposed to eat it like that." She spoke in between giggles and bites of baked potato. "You have to set it down first and then eat it slice by slice."

"…" I quickly placed it on the house floor and watched as it materialized as a square meter of icing-frosted cake, sprinkled with some red things. "…Oooooh." I stretched the word and blinked at the cake before kneeling down to hastily gobble it up. "OM NOM NOM NOM. Sho gwood."

Stomach: So good, indeed. The sugary flavor is so powerful it makes me want to expl—!

*BOOM*

A loud explosion unassociated with the tumultuous lightning storm assaulted our ears. I ran over to the window and glanced out to see one of the nearby houses reduced to a smoking crater. That green-mohawk guy was already rigging up more TNT by another house. It looked like they figured out we were hiding in one of the houses.

Meaning it was only a matter of time until they found us.

"Okay, Wynn." I turned to face her and noticed how her Hunger was ticking back up. She had polished off the potatoes and was taking some of my—!

Stomach: My cake! Cobb! Swat her hands away! Break her other arm! She can't have it! It's mine!

Stomach, calm down! She's hungry and near-death!

Stomach: She's gonna be closer to near-death if she doesn't back the fuck away from my cake! Brain! Take control of basic motor functions and get her away from my cake!

Brain: Wha—I can't do that! We're all just figments of Cobb's crazy mind anyway!

"Cobb. What's going on out there?" Wynn asked in between bites of cake. "And why is your eye twitching?"

Stomach: CAKE!

"No reason." I replied evasively as I covered my twitching eye. "A-anyway, they're trying to flush us out by blowing up houses. You wait here and heal up while I go distract them."

I turned towards the door, but Wynn's voice stopped me. "You can't fight them, Cobb. It's two on one. And one of them is a Hacker."

"I'm just going to distract them. Like what you did…only…minus the nearly dying part."

"I'm serious!" Another explosion from outside told us that they had destroyed another house. "Alec's too strong."

"Look, I understand he's a Hacker and that's bad, but—"

"I saw his ability in action." Wynn stressed as she nursed her ribs with her right arm. "I watched his Health Meter. He has some kind of super regeneration. Any attack I landed on him—any dent to his Health—was instantly healed."

My eyes widened. "Super regeneration? That's a thing?"

"For Hackers it is." Wynn tried to get to her feet like it was no big deal, but I could tell the amount of effort it was taking her. And the amount of pain. "Alec is unkillable. As long as he has that Hack active, we'll never be able to land a finishing blow."

I tapped my chin in thought before a sudden realization came to me.

"We could," I offered a devious smirk, "If our first strike is the finishing blow."

Wynn's expression morphed into confusion just as another explosion sounded from outside. "What do you mean?"

"Any hit you landed still hit, right?" I continued, wanting to verify my assumption. "It definitely did damage, but it just healed instantly. Right?"

She nodded in response before her eyes widened, catching my meaning.

"So then, if we land a hit that does ten Hearts of damage, Alec won't have anything to regenerate. He'll be as dead as Carys_Angel!"

"I really wish you'd stop gloating about that."

"Not gonna."

"But, Cobb," another explosion, this one closer, rocked the house. "To do ten Hearts of damage…not even a Potion of Strength and Sharpness Enchanted Diamond Blade combination could do that. There's fall damage, but even Lenz' pitfall wasn't high enough. And we'll never lure Alec up to the mountains to drop him."

"Then we'll just have to find something that can do just as much damage." I racked my brain for anything that we could use. "Something big…something strong…something capable of doing ten Hearts of damage in one earth-quaking…smash."

'LESLIE SMASH!'

"I think it's time I introduce Alec to Leslie."

Time to do what I do best. I thought as I crept down an alley and focused on the two enemies.

"Okay. Now blow up that house."

"But we already checked that one. They're not in there."

"I know." Alec nodded in agreement. "It's just fun watching these houses explode. It's catharsis for all the shit I've had to endure tonight. Now get to it!"

"Yes sir." Mohawk guy droned before setting up more TNT.

"Hold it right there!" I shouted as I sprung from my hiding spot and pointed dramatically at them. My eyes spotted Wynn's rapier hanging off mohawk guy's belt. "Return Wynn's rapier…mohawk guy!"

"Mohawk guy!?" Mohawk guy bristled in anger. "I have a name you know!"

"Nobody cares!" I called back blatantly, internally smiling at the anger bubbling up in the guy. "You're both bad guys, that's all I need."

"I'm an infamous criminal from Daymonte for crying out loud!" Mohawk guy stomped his foot angrily. "No, not even that! You literally can't take the two seconds to read the name above my head!?"

"I don't have time to read, mohawk guy."

"BURKE! My name is Burke! How would you like it if I called you…if I called you…fishing rod guy!"

"I wouldn't mind, actually." I countered, tapping the fishing rod at my belt. "My fervent admirers call me the fishing rod champion."

"Well, look who finally decided to come out." Alec's dark-gray eyes gleamed in malicious amusement. The mohawk guy moved to arm himself, but Alec pointed at him. "Burke. I thought I asked you to blow up that house. I still need the catharsis."

"But...fishing rod guy—"

"Is no threat to me." Alec finished. "I'll handle him."

Mohawk guy grumbled, his mohawk drooping in disappointment before he relented. "Fine. But when I find that Captain, she's mine."

"Don't hold your breath." Alec turned to face me. "This won't take five minutes."

"I couldn't agree more."

"Oho! Think you can succeed where your Captain failed? Why don't you just tell us where she's hiding and I'll make your suffering quick."

"You're a real ass, aren't you?" He narrowed his eyes in annoyance, proving I was the ultimate distraction ever.

Now that I was facing him, I was able to notice more of his features. That same Hacker smoke was seeping from his body and he had black sclera around his eyes. But he also had two black marks, resembling lines, each stretching over an eye.

It seemed remarkably similar to the marks over Floyd's eyes.

"I trounced your Captain without breaking a sweat." Alec spoke, regaining my attention. "What makes you think you'll do any better? You're just another guard."

I frowned. "I thought I already told you, she's not my Captain. I'm not her guard. I'm just wearing this tunic because it's a symbol of Ringwood's camaraderie. That…and it matches my eyes."

Alec let out a harsh laugh. "Camaraderie? What idiot would ally themselves against a Hacker?"

I hiked a thumb up to my face. "This idiot."

"Hmph." Alec scoffed as mohawk guy detonated another batch of TNT and destroyed another house. If they were hoping they could keep guessing Wynn's location, they wouldn't find her. "Maybe it's not that you're stupid…just inexperienced. What number are you?"

"One billion! And proud of it!" He was making it really easy to stall for time.

Alec let out another bark of harsh laughter. "That explains everything! No wonder you're standing before me without a care in the world! All heroic and shit! Woefully oblivious to how things are in Minecraftia!"

"What are you saying?"

Alec shook his head as if scolding a child. "I'm saying you're a little late, boy! All the so-called 'heroes' of Minecraftia died long ago! In Notch's heyday, heroes sprung up wherever the innocent were threatened, stopping guys like me from doing things like this!"

At his words, another house exploded and lightning flashed across the sky.

"But heroes are a dying breed! Hackers. Griefers. The Endward Cult. And any other villainous schmucks in between. Heroes wore themselves out trying to stop them all! Until eventually they realized that selfless heroism gets nobody nowhere! All it does it get you killed! Just like it'll do to you, now."

"You still don't get it do you?" I countered. "I'm not trying to get anywhere! But I am trying to stop assholes like you from attacking peaceful villages like this! But even more than that, you beat up my friend! And I'm not letting that go unpunished!"

"Then prepare to face oblivion." Alec raised his diamond sword and began to charge towards me. His dark-grey eyes shone with smug confidence. There was absolutely no doubt in his minds that he'd be protected by his Hacker powers.

His expression morphed into confusion when a bobber nailed him in the face, stopping his momentum and sending him back a bit.

"Wha—did…did you just hit me in the face with a hook?"

"You bet I did!" I whipped my fishing rod back towards me and brandished the tool dramatically. "I may only be fifty percent as strong as the Captain, but I'm a thousand percent more annoying!"

"You really think a measly fishing hook can stop a Hack—Ow!" Another bobber to the face cut him off, sending him back again.

"Bobber." I taunted.

Alec rubbed his face. "Why you little—Ow!"

"Bobber. Bobber. Bobber." I repeatedly flung the bobber at him, disrupting his attempts to get closer.

"Ow!—stop it—Ow!—knock it off—Ow!—That's not even doing any damage!—Ow!—It's really annoying!—OW!"

"Yeah, I bet it is!" I taunted as I advanced. "Bet you don't like it! Bet you want me to stop, right? Okay, I guess I'll stop—NO, I think I'll just keep bobbering you! Hahahaha!"

Alec raised his sword and tried to ward off my bobbering attempts, but to little effect. "I'm confused and annoyed all at the same time!—OW!—Use a sword or something sensible!—OW!"

It was hard to believe, but I was actually pushing a Hacker back with a fishing rod.

Take that Wynn! And all the others who doubted the power of the fishing rod! This thing can handle any—

*SNAP*

Time seemed to slow down as the string connecting the bobber to the rod snapped. The tool crumbled in my hands, its durability all but run out, as the bobber flew into the air as a result of my last swing. Both Alec and I watched the bobber's trajectory with wide eyes before it clattered across the ground and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

We were both staring at the spot where the bobber had vanished and when we both looked up at the same time, I saw the grim satisfaction on Alec's face.

"Uh…you wouldn't mind giving me a second to make a new one, would y—Ahh!"

I ducked as Alec closed the distance and swung his diamond sword. I was expecting a follow-up, but Alec didn't look to be too skilled with a sword. That dark smoke was still seeping off of him though, meaning any counter attack was pointless.

"Not so tough without a fishing rod, are you!?" Alec mocked maliciously as he lashed out with a series of wild slashes.

"L-look, if you could just wait a moment—Whoa!—for me to arrange some sticks and string—AGH!" His sword cut my arm and I quickly withdrew my gold sword to block his latest attack. Our blades grinded against each other, scattering sparks across the ground.

"So you can use a sword!" Alec laughed as the dark smoke continued to swirl around him. "And here I was expecting you to fight with a carrot!"

I inhaled sharply. "Oh, yeah, well—*Cough* *Cough*—UGH!" I coughed as I accidentally inhaled some of Alec's Hacker smoke. "Ugh, it got in my mouth! *Cough* *Cough* Eugh! It tastes like Spider eyes and rotten flesh!"

"That's right—wait, how do you know what those taste like?"

"Never mind how I know!" I pushed back against his blade, not particularly enjoying breathing in his Hacker smoke. "*Cough* Why couldn't it be cake flavored or something!?"

Alec returned, intent on stabbing my neck, but I deflected the strike with the flat of my blade before delivering a bold punch to his face. His head jarred to the side and I took the opportunity to run to the next street. Alec followed behind me.

"Running away?" Alec taunted. "What happened to not letting me go unpunished?"

But I didn't let that get to me. I was buying time for Wynn to find Leslie and bring him back to take care of Alec. For good.

Running out onto the next street, I spotted a few Zombies and Skeletons fighting some Griefers by the village's well.

I would have used my Mob Flail to snag a Zombie and fling it, but that was kind of hard to do without a fishing rod. I set my crafting table down to make one only for a Skeleton to stop me with an arrow.

The next second, I was forced to duck around my crafting table when Alec's diamond blade came crashing down, sticking into the table where my head had been.

I positioned myself on the other end of the table while Alec unstuck his blade. He reached over the table with a quick jab, barely nicking my tunic. I countered with a jab of my own, hitting him square in the chest and sending him away from the table, even if it didn't cause any lasting damage.

I need a fishing rod. I thought frantically as I reached into my backpack and dumped some string onto the table.

I needed to work fast.

I hastily arranged the string, before realizing I had planks instead of sticks. But before I could make them, Alec returned and swept across the table's surface with a slash. I ducked to dodge it but not without it clearing off my string.

"Hey!" I complained as I withdrew more string. Alec tried to run around the table to get at me, but I ran around it just the same. And when he stopped to go the other way, I did the same to ensure we were always opposite each other.

"Rrgh!" Fed up with chasing me around the table, Alec jumped onto it and drove his blade towards my skull. I raised my sword and blocked the arm holding his sword, stopping his strike in its tracks and locking his arm in place. Then I tumbled backward, bringing Alec with me, as I flipped him overhead and into the dirt.

I got back to my feet and crafted planks into sticks before putting them with the string to make a new fishing rod. "YES!"

I quickly snagged a nearby Zombie and flung it at a recovered and charging Alec. "Mob Flail!" I called out, just as the Zombie crashed into the Hacker.

While Alec struggled with the Zombie, I couldn't help but think how terrible a sword-fighter he was. He was actually worse at it than I was. Almost as if he neglected sword-fighting in favor of his Hacker ability.

My pondering was cut short as a stone blade crashed into my side. I skid across the rain-soaked dirt before looking up to see the mohawk guy, Burke.

The other Griefers surrounding us finally finished fighting their Mobs before approaching my downed form. I gulped as I looked at them all. What chance did I have against seven Griefers, Burke, and Alec?

Just as one of the Griefers raised their sword to attack, there was a thunderous tremor completely unrelated to the thunderstorm raging above. A glint of silver at the end of the street caught my eye and caused a smile to form.

"Griefers." I pointed at the Iron Golem behind them all. "Meet Leslie."

"LESLIE SMASH!"

At those thunderous words, Leslie lumbered up to the Griefers and swept his arms into them like two heavy anchors. Whichever Griefers didn't immediately die in a shower of gear were flung into adjacent streets.

Wynn did it! I internally cheered as I got to my feet and avoided Leslie's titanic arm swings. She found Leslie!

"WHO'S THE GOLEM!?" Leslie roared as he smashed a Griefer into the ground, killing him instantly. "SURPRISE! IT'S MEEEEEEE!"

Burke fell back, pulling out Wynn's rapier as if it would protect him from the golem, but I focused more of my attention on Alec as he finally recovered from the Zombie I threw at him.

"Leslie!" I shouted, pointing him towards Alec. "That guy said you were puny!"

"WHAT!?" Leslie roared, lumbering angrily towards the Hacker. "NOBODY CALLS LESLIE PUNY!"

"What? No I didn't!" Alec cried out, and I noticed the hint of worry in his tone. It seemed he realized his Hacker regeneration wouldn't do shit against an Iron Golem's one-hit-kill strikes. "Uh…uh…Burke! A little help would be nice! Get over here and blow this lumbering hunk of iron to bits!"

"Oh…yeah…I'm on it!" Burke rummaged into his backpack and withdrew some TNT…

Only for an ivory-haired blur to leap onto him from an adjacent rooftop.

"What the—!?"

"Your fight's with me!" Wynn shouted, kneeing Burke in the face before lashing out with a kick that dented his mohawk. "Now give me back my rapier, scum!"

"Burke! What are you waiting for!?" Alec called out, missing how Burke was sent scrambling backwards into an alley, Wynn doggedly in pursuit. "Burke! Where—I need help, here!"

I watched as Alec was in full retreat, dodging Leslie's devastating arm swings. I had felt one first-hand, and knew what they were capable of. If Leslie put enough force into it, then just one swing would end that Hacker.

"Gah!" Alec clumsily rolled aside, not used to dodging. Why would he be when he had no problem taking hits so long as they were instantly healed? Alec's eyes glanced around before lighting up at the sight of something. "I refuse to lose to a couple of idiots like you!"

Brain: Says the guy running away.

Brain was right. Alec was in full retreat, running to take cover behind the Halstatt well. Leslie lumbered up to it, trying to reach his large metal arms around to grab the Hacker. I was about to use my fishing rod to pull him out when I noticed Alec break the top of the well with his sword, exposing it.

What's he up to? Is he trying to hide down the well?

Alec kept his distance away from Leslie as the two rounded the exposed well. Finally, Leslie decided to climb straight across to get at the Hacker—

"Shit!" I realized as I hurried towards them. "Leslie! Stop!"

However, Leslie wasn't listening, instead focusing all of his anger on Alec. The Hacker kept dangerously close to the golem, trying to bait him further across the well.

Because he was trying to get the golem to fall into it.

"Leslie STOP!" I called out desperately.

"LESLIE SMASH!" The golem roared as he lunged forward to smack Alec into oblivion.

But Alec was able to barely dodge, a triumphant sneer adorning his face as Leslie fell down the well and sank like a rock.

"LESLIE…SINKING!" The golem called out fearfully as his head dipped beneath the surface, leaving nothing but a few bubbles.

"No! Leslie!" I called out as I ran up to the well in a fruitless attempt to pull him up.

Alec wouldn't have any of it as he got between me and the well, diamond sword raised and grim satisfaction on his face once again.

"Nice try. Now if you could just keel over and die, that'd be great."

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, 1 Flint and Steel, 8 Cobblestone, 12 Flint, 22 Torches, 10 Oak Wood Planks, 8 Oak Wood Stairs, 1 Oak Wood Door, 1 Clock, 45 Dirt, 1 Water Bucket, 4 String, 1 Stick, 1 Ender Pearl, 1 Bone, 5 Pumpkin Pies, 17 Cookies, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Chainmail Helmet, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Unbreaking I], Iron Leggings, Iron Boots, 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: Cobb to the rescue!...or not.

So close and yet so far.

This chapter...actually had a bit of humor in it. Mainly with Cobb vs Alec. Though there was also dramatic bits with Wynn.

No Omake. Though I do have one planned that's pretty good.

As always, leave a fav, follow, review, OC, or whatever.

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!

And check out the other link if you want to see what a map of Cobb's Minecraftia looks like. It helps keep track of where everything is.