AN: Well it's time for Chapter 60. And you know what that means!
That's right! It means I'm barely gonna publish this on-time!
Who needs sleep, right? (T_T)
This is debatably the best Chapter I have written. Maybe. I dunno. It's debatable.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did...I'd switch the combat system back to normal! Seriously! It's really awkward fighting Mobs when you have to wait everytime you slash. Yeah, you got shields, but dual wielding doesn't even allow you to swing with two weapons at once! And I know that the options for controls are a bit limited when using a mouse and left and right click, but it could be a little better! Personally, I prefer the old combat! You could just spam attack things without having to worry about waiting after each strike! AGHH!
*inhales calming breath*
Sorry. Had to be said.
Beta: AxeHelix
Chapter 60
King take Bishop
[Lenz]
"This storm is only getting worse." I spoke as several lightning bolts struck in quick succession, crashing into a multitude of houses. Then I remembered my companion's current state. "Right. Still unconscious. So I am just talking to myself."
Solara barely stirred in response.
"Why do I even bother?"
I was still carrying the downed guard through the besieged village. Occasionally coming across Griefers or Mobs that spawned in all the chaos…but never fellow allies.
Cobbert. Captain Wynn. Cosmic. Leslie. Ringwood guards. Halstatt villagers.
I had not met any of them along my route. Whether they were still alive or a pile of gear strewn across the dirt, I had no idea.
For all I know…they could all be…
…
No.
Whatever Cobbert's faults, he was a survivor. Had he not proven as much surviving all those traps I tried to kill him with?
…Probably should apologize to him for that.
And the title of Captain was not bestowed upon just anybody. Wynn was undoubtedly skilled.
Surely, the two of them could handle the Griefers. Especially since I reduced their numbers so drastically.
Dragging Solara around a corner, I heard the sound of a familiar Mob.
*GHAIYA*
Comparators! An Enderman! I cursed as I backtracked into cover, averting my eyes at the same time. Arrows could not hit Endermen and I had no skill with a sword, even if I was carrying one.
Just as I was about to double back, I remembered the strategy Cobb and I discovered in the End. I searched through my Inventory before finding the pumpkin.
Donning the fruit, I was easily able to pass the slender Mob who was picking at the remnants of a lightning struck house. Since Solara's eyes were closed and my own vision covered by the pumpkin, the Endermen ignored us.
"Hey! There's one of 'em!"
Unfortunately, the pumpkin did not have the same effect on the Griefers who suddenly showed up.
"Repeaters!" I cursed as I quickly turned back the way I came, dragging Solara with me. I needed both my hands free to shoot.
Behind me, I heard the rapid footfalls of six or seven Griefers as they approached. Their sounds of excitement over the prospect of slaying a Crafter spurred me to hobble away faster. I could practically feel their bloodlust.
Just as I was about to attempt to block their initial attack, I spotted a slender black arm clothesline the nearest Griefer.
*GHAIYA*
One of them must have caught the Enderman's eye. Because the Mob looked livid.
I did not need a second to know how lucky I was as the Enderman attacked the group of Griefers, buying me enough time to hobble away.
I rested Solara against a house and aimed my bow towards the Griefers. However, the pumpkin obstructing my vision was making it harder to aim.
The Enderman teleported around the houses and street, keeping the attention of three of the Griefers, while the rest refocused on me. As they charged, I ultimately decided to risk angering the Enderman and take off the pumpkin so I could actually fight.
Taking a deep breath and feeling that same icy composure take hold, I easily riddled them with arrows. No flinching or hesitation. I killed four of them in the time it took the other three to slay the Enderman. Seeing their fellow Griefers dead, the rest of them angrily charged.
Only for two green-capped Crafters to intercept and dispatch them.
Finally some allies. I sighed in relief. By their green-dyed leather caps, they were definitely Ringwood guards. I could not tell which ones (mainly because I never bothered to remember their names) but after they finished the last of those Griefers, they approached me.
"Was Cobb here?" One of them asked. I wanted to say his name was Spencer, but I was only eighty percent certain. A quick glance above their heads verified their names. Spencer and Liam.
"No. It is only me and Solara." I gestured to the downed guard resting against a house.
"Wait…" Spencer tilted his head. "Then…then who took out these Griefers?" He gestured to the piles of gear strewn about.
At first, I was confused by his bewilderment. Then I realized what my image to the guards was. In their eyes, I was still a nerd. So much so that they did not even consider I had defeated the enemies.
"It was me." I puffed out my chest defiantly, hoping to look more impressive.
Spencer looked skeptical, but Liam had a thoughtful expression on his face. "You carried Solara all the way here." He spoke it as a statement instead of a question. "And you took out some Griefers too. Impressive."
"Oh…uh…yes, well," I reddened at the praise and rubbed my head sheepishly before a sudden thought came to me. "You asked if Cobbert was here? Are you looking for him?"
"Oh, crap! Liam we gotta find him!" Spencer was about to rush off, only for Liam to stop him. "Hey! What gives!? If we don't find Cobb, Alec'll kill him! And then Wynn will kill us for letting him die!"
"Wait—what—hold on! What is going on?" I tried to keep calm, but a twinge of urgency could be heard in my tone.
"Alec, the leader of the Griefer army, is a Hacker." Liam spoke, informing and frightening me at the same time. Hackers were classified as unstoppable Crafters by their powerful abilities and enigmatic dark smoke.
In the past, I had read an old Daymonte article describing how a Hacker razed Ohm Tower, the source of Daymonte's daylight sensors, to the ground. Despite the amount of guards that tried to stop that Hacker…they were unsuccessful. The Hacker's own boredom was what drove him away where hundreds of guards failed.
But what does searching for Cobbert have to do with…
…
"Oh, Comparators. He is off fighting against Alec, correct?"
"N-no. That's not it at all." Spencer stammered before folding his arms. "Captain Wynn stayed behind to distract Alec and ordered us to get Cobb to safety."
"And did you?" Spencer avoided my tinted gaze. "Did you?"
"Well…we were…but then he woke up, and—and—he sort of…ran away…yeah."
"Presumably back towards Alec and the Captain." Liam added unhelpfully.
"But!" Spencer raised his finger dramatically. "In our defense…he had a fishing rod."
I grabbed tufts of my dark-gray hair, threatening to tear it out. "Honestly, you guards are...are…BAH! Do I have to do everything!?" I stomped over to the downed Solara, grumbling about impetuous fishing rod wielding Crafters and guards who had one job. I dragged Solara back to Spencer and Liam and deposited her in their hands. "Here! Watch out for her until she wakes up. I will find Cobbert."
"Don't be stupid!" Spencer grabbed my arm, halting me. "The Captain and Cobb are fighting a Hacker! If they can't stop him, then you sure as hell won't stand a chance! You'll only get in the way."
"Even so," I wrenched my arm free as I turned to them. "If I have the power to do something, then I should be someone whom others can rely on and do it." And with that, I hurried in search of Cobbert or the Captain.
As rain pelted my face and lightning arced overhead, I remembered Cobbert's words when we agreed to travel together.
'If we're going to be traveling together, we do it as equals. And maybe friends if either of us can stand each other longer than a minute.'
Friends.
If it meant saving my first real friend, I would use any skill at my possession to meet this Hacker threat head-on.
[Wynn]
I rolled aside as an explosion obstructed my sight, the heat of it washing across my face.
Burke wasn't called the 'Destroyer' for nothing. He was setting TNT everywhere and blasting apart the streets and houses. All in an effort to keep me away.
"You must really want this rapier back!" Burke taunted as he placed several more blocks of TNT down. "Can't say I blame you. Without it, I bet you're nothing special. Certainly not worth your status as a Captain."
My eyes narrowed as I fished in my backpack for anything useful. One Potion of Leaping left.
Better make it count.
I drank the potion and felt its effects take hold.
"That's right!" Burke laughed as if suddenly realizing something. "You haven't been using any other sword. I bet all you brought was this rapier!" He waved my prized weapon tauntingly. "You must have been so confident that you'd never lose your prized weapon!"
Another series of explosions shook the street. Just how much TNT did he have?
I took shelter before speaking aloud. "You're right. That rapier is my prized weapon. But not for the reasons you might think."
I climbed over the ruined structures of a house and concealed myself, watching as Burke glanced around the street.
"Where did you run off too?" He growled as he whipped his head this way and that.
"That rapier was given to me by the previous King of Ringwood, a man I respect and would give my life for." My voice echoed across the crater-riddled street, making it impossible for Burke to pinpoint it. As he turned away, I dashed across the roof and used my potion-enhanced jumping ability to clear a gap between two houses.
"Am I supposed to care about your sentimental story?" He sneered, though I could see his hands shaking as he once more failed to notice me dashing across a nearby roof.
"No." My voice rang-out, devoid of any sympathy for this bomber. "It's not. But it is why I'll be taking it back from you. After I beat you to a bloody pulp for laying your scum-crusted, criminal hands on it."
"HA!" He shouted with a forced laugh, his head whipping back and forth to try and find me. "Like I'm afraid of you! There's no way you've fully recovered from your beating earlier!"
I crept to the edge of the nearest roof, keeping my footfalls silent so as not to tip him off. I crouched low, my amber eyes locked on his quivering form, as he backed towards me.
"Without this weapon, you're nothing!"
I sprung forward.
The bomber whirled around just in time to receive a drop kick to the chest. I flipped back to land on my feet before surging forward again.
Burke tried to set down some TNT, but I grabbed his hand and twisted it behind his back. I gave it a sharp twist, eliciting a wince and a yelp of pain before the TNT fell from his broken wrist.
"That's for stealing my rapier."
I released his hand just as he pulled out his stone sword and tried to impale me. I jumped and twisted over his jab, using the momentum to deliver a heel kick to his jaw.
"That's for blowing me up!"
He staggered back before lashing out with his sword. I dropped to the ground and swept at his legs, unbalancing him. Then I shot back up, throwing an elbow into his face before kicking his stone sword aside.
"That's for attacking this village!"
Burke stumbled, his back hitting a house wall. "I'll…kill you!" In a last ditch effort, he withdrew my rapier and jabbed forward with primal ferocity.
My eyes widened as the rapier struck, bypassing my armor to deliver a solid dent to my Health. My feet skid across the dirt, refusing to give up ground, while Burke smiled victoriously.
He pulled back to deliver another jab…
But he couldn't.
"What the—" His eyes widened as I gripped the hand holding my rapier. "H-hey! Let go!"
He tried to wrench it away, but my grip wasn't faltering. I raised my head to lock my piercing amber eyes with his, and I watched as his pupils dilated in terror.
Slowly and deliberately, I twisted his hand, displacing the rapier from my chest.
Burke was positively shivering in terror as he watched the tip of the rapier move, his movements too weak to resist.
The rapier was no longer pointing at me. It was twisted to point at Burke.
Or more specifically a lower region of Burke.
"H-hang on a sec—"
"And this," my eyes snapped open in anger, "is for attacking my friend!"
I pushed forward with all my strength, skewering Burke's privates to the wall and eliciting an ear-splitting screech so high, only wolves could hear it.
The pain was so traumatizing that Burke's body went limp, my rapier the only thing holding him up.
I worked my rapier out of the wall, allowing the bomber to collapse, before wiping my prized weapon of all traces of the criminal's filth.
"Burke, the 'Destroyer'." I spoke coldly to the criminal's crumpled form. "As an ally of Daymonte, I hereby place you under arrest for multiple counts of terrorism, bombings, threatening the peace of Daymonte, and collaborating with a Hacker."
I sheathed my rapier and walked away from the Bomber, making a mental note on where to pick him up later.
After I made sure Cobb was okay.
[Cobb]
"Grah!"
My sword swung through the air, catching Alec by the arm, but did little to keep the Hacker's sword from stabbing me in the gut and twisting around.
"You little—" He lashed out with a kick that sent me bouncing across the dirt. "Just DIE already!"
Alec's eyes and body were still seeping smoke, but his jet black hair was disheveled and sticking to his forehead. His face was an interesting shade of red, somewhere between livid frustration and unbridled rage.
In short, he was really, really, pissed off.
I sputtered out some rain water and tried to lift myself to my feet. I couldn't stop. Not after what he did to Leslie. Not after what he did to Billy and Halstatt and who knows how many other villages. Not after how he beat Wynn nearly to death.
I couldn't let things end like that.
Before I could pick myself all the way up, Alec marched over and kicked my arm out from under me. My face hit the dirt hard. "King_Cobb! You and your fucking— *kick* —insignificant— *kick* — plans have failed miserably!" He poised his sword over my neck. "So just roll over and DIE!"
I swung my leg and managed to sweep him off his feet before managing to crawl away. I ravenously tore at some cookies, desperate to refill my Hunger.
"And yet you just keep going!" Alec shouted with unrivaled fury as he got to his feet and whipped his blade through the air. "Don't you get it!? Without your iron-built lummox," my eyes strayed to the well, "you can't win! I'm invincible! And no matter how hard you try, you'll never kill me!"
"…That just means I'm your worst opponent." I wiped some rain out of my eyes and stood tall. "Because no matter how invincible you think you are, I'll always find a way around it." I withdrew my fishing rod and stared the Hacker down. "That's what I do best."
I felt a scrap of satisfaction as Alec_Bishop gnashed his teeth in anger. But aside from that I was pretty exhausted. And while it was fine to say I'd find a way to beat him, it would have been infinitely better if I could actually come up with something.
Leslie was really all I had.
Alec dashed forward and I weakly swung my fishing rod towards him. He threw himself aside in an awkward dodge before regaining his balance and barreling towards me.
I pressed my back against a wall and swapped my fishing rod for my one and only ender pearl. I tossed it lightly and caught it before hurling it past Alec. Just as his sword was about to stab me, the ender pearl landed, instantly teleporting me away.
Getting over the disorienting feeling of changing locations, I latched my fishing rod onto Alec's shirt and pulled him off his feet and into the ground. I took out my sword, intending to strike…
*sssssssSSSSS!*
But upon hearing the Creeper's tell-tale hissing, a spun on the spot and held my sword defensively.
*BOOM*
I blocked the explosion well enough, skittering across the ground and taking little to no damage.
Of course, more Mobs soon poured into our street. Zombies. Skeletons. Creepers. Spiders. All of them out for Crafter blood.
Brain: As if fighting a Hacker wasn't problem enough, now we got Mobs to worry about. What's next? Lava tornadoes?
Bladder: Lavanadoes?
Brain: Lavanadoes.
I swung my golden blade, dispatching Zombies and Spiders while keeping my distance from the Creepers. However, the Skeletons were still able to shoot me, chipping away at my Health.
It's kind of amazing I haven't died yet. I internally chuckled as I fell to my knee. There was just so much I could take.
The Skeleton archers were about to take another shot, only for a volley of arrows to obliterate them.
I looked behind to see Lenz sniping from a rooftop position. "Get up, Cobbert! You cannot fall now!"
Lenz…he's alive… I thought in relief as I struggled back to my feet. My muscles strained in protest, but I ignored the pain.
A few Zombies were attacking Alec, but the attacks may as well have been the angry buzzing of flies for what little damage they caused him. And like flies, he swatted them aside.
Lenz took some shots at the Hacker, testing what effect they would have. Besides pushing him back and angering him further, they didn't do much.
"More pests!" He shouted. "Where's LeShui and Burke when I need them!?"
At those words, a white blur launched herself from above, dropping onto Alec with a devastating strike. She tumbled across the ground before regaining her feet, looking ready for round two.
"Wynn! You're okay!" I exclaimed happily.
"Of course." Wynn flipped her ivory hair aside as she eyed Alec carefully. "As if a two-bit bomber like Burke could defeat me one-on-one."
Hearing that, Alec shook his head in disappointment. Dark smoke was still seeping from his body, a grim reminder of his Hacker powers. "So Burke's been defeated…if you want something done right…" He lashed his blade out, killing a Zombie and a Spider before stomping towards Wynn. "I'LL KILL YOU ALL MYSELF!"
Lightning crashed above and the air surrounding the street felt charged with electricity. It was a feeling I remembered after almost getting struck with lightning so many days ago.
And considering the storm raging above…
Sure enough, several lightning bolts crashed down into the street and surrounding houses. I shielded my eyes from the blinding light as several Mobs were engulfed by the bolts. The house Lenz was positioned on was struck, sending the stunned archer falling to the ground. Wynn and Alec covered their eyes, the lightning barely missing them, as they squared off to face one another.
When the lightning finally ended, spots of light danced across my vision, making it hard to see. My ears were ringing slightly from the close thunder, but I could still make out the sounds of clashing swords as Wynn and Alec undoubtedly fought each other.
I blinked rapidly as I glanced around the street. A Zombie was nearly in my face and I quickly swung my blade to kill it.
And that's when I saw it.
A Creeper with an electric-blue glow.
Charged Creeper. I thought fearfully, taking a half-step away. One of the Creepers must have gotten hit by the lightning. And remembering how devastating an explosion one of them…could…cause…
The gears inside my head began to turn as I looked between the Charged Creeper and the Hacker bashing Wynn back towards the edge of the well.
"Ahahaha!" Alec_Bishop laughed madly, kicking Wynn onto the well's edge. "All that bravado and it's a repeat performance!" He raised his blade to deliver the killing blow. "Any last words!?"
"Hey, Alec!" I shouted, withdrawing my fishing rod and running towards them. "I've got some last words for you!"
I swung my fishing rod back, snagging the Charged Creeper and spun around, pulling with all my might. The Charged Creeper was yanked off its four legs, and was sent hurtling towards the unsuspecting Hacker.
"Charged Creeper Flail!"
Alec's eyes widened fearfully as the blue glowing Creeper crashed into him, sending both of them streaking towards a house and away from an awestruck Wynn.
*sssssssSSSSS!*
*KA-BOOM*
The Charged Creeper exploded with the force of several TNT, blasting surges of electricity across the street. Wynn shielded herself from the force of the explosion by rolling behind the well's structure while I was blown onto my back. I grit my teeth as bits of dirt and debris pelted my face.
When I recovered enough to lift myself up, I looked across the street at what was left. The house was reduced to a smoldering crater filled with debris…
And a lone Head.
There was a sharp intake of breath as I crawled towards the carter to get a better look. Wynn was peeking from her cover behind the well and Lenz was limping over after recovering from his fall off the roof.
There was no mistake.
Lying in the crater of that explosion was the Head of the Hacker Alec_Bishop. His gear was scattered about as well. A diamond sword here and a pile of food there.
However, was it the smoke from the explosion…or was his Head smoldering?
Dark smoke began to steadily seep from the Head, pooling against the ground but no longer bound to the Hacker's will.
And then, all too suddenly, the dark smoke began to swirl around the Head. Faster and faster. Until finally leaving the Hacker's empty husk and shooting high up into the sky before streaking off towards some unknown location.
The three of us, Wynn, Lenz, and I, remained silent as we watched that smoke vanish. Alec's Head looked just like any other Crafter's disembodied Head.
I collapsed back onto my rear, letting out a well-deserved sigh of relief. Exhausted was too mild a word for what I was feeling. And yet, after everything, I felt so much lighter.
"…aha…ha…"
I weakly laughed as the impact of what I did finally hit me. Wynn's legs wobbled before she too sunk to her knees. An airy giggle rolled out of her stomach, unfurling into the air as we finally had a moment of reprieve.
Lenz was the only one with a feeling of restlessness. "This is no time to celebrate. Even though Alec's gone, we still have the remains of his Griefers to worry about."
Lenz was right, and there was more to worry about too. Like…
"Leslie…"
"What about him?" Wynn asked questioningly.
I shook my head. "Dead. Alec did it. And Billy…"
"Oh." Wynn glanced down in guilt. "Giving their lives to protect Halstatt…I'm sure neither of them would have wanted it any other way."
"Yeah…I…" I wiped my eyes free of the tears threatening to stream forth. "I just…drowning is such a terrible way to go! Cut off from air. Almost like he was strangled to death."
Wynn nodded sympathetically before doing a double take. "Wait…who drowned?"
"Leslie." I pointed to the well. "Alec tricked him into falling down. He sunk like a sack of bricks."
"Er…Cobb," Wynn spoke awkwardly. "Leslie isn't—"
"I know, Wynn." I interrupted, wiping the tears from my eye. "Leslie isn't suffering anymore. He's with the angels now. All those big-nosed angels in that big Testificate village in the sky."
"No, I mean…ugh." Wynn pulled me to my feet and walked me over to the well. She pointed into it and instead of seeing whatever iron golems drop in death, I spotted Leslie walking at the bottom of the well.
"Wha…I didn't know golems had gills!"
"What!? No!" Wynn dragged a hand across her face. "Iron Golems are just that. Golems. They don't need to breathe air like you and me. And they're so steadily made that they're immune to fall damage."
I blinked in surprise before forming a relieved smile. "Thank goodness. So we just need to find a way to pull him out?"
"That can wait until later." Wynn walked over to the crater where Alec's Head lay and scooped it up. "First, we need to deal with the Griefers. And I think I know how."
[Halstatt Village Square]
"Keep holding them back!" Lucas shouted to the surrounding villagers and Ringwood guards.
The Griefers were belligerent in trying to break past Halstatt's last line of defense. And even though the guards had come with the warning of a Hacker leading the Griefer army, none of them had gottn a chance to escape before the Griefers showed up.
All of them were hacking away at the blockades set up, trying to get to the Testificates shivering in the cover of houses.
Cosmic had shown up to help, but there were just too many Griefers. Even with all the good Wynn and her people did on reducing their forces, it looked like it was the end.
"Hey, Griefers!"
A loud, if weary, voice rang out across the Village Square, catching the attention of everybody. As Lucas looked at the source, he saw that billionth Crafter, King_Cobb, standing atop a house. Lightning crashed behind him, making him look more imposing to the Griefers below.
"What!?" One of the Griefers shouted while pointing his sword at Cobb. "You want to have a go at all of us!? I'd like to see…you…try…?"
The Griefer's voice grew smaller as Cobb lightly tossed something at their feet. It looked to be a Crafter's Head, but Lucas couldn't quite tell whose.
"Oh my God." One of the Ringwood guards spoke in shock as they looked at the Head. "Th-that's that Hacker's Head!"
"It's what?" Cosmic pushed herself to the front of the defending villagers as she too looked upon the scene.
The Griefers all took shaky steps away from Cobb as he leapt onto the ground below. He stumbled a bit on the landing, but it didn't affect the level of fear he inflicted upon the Griefers.
"Alec's…dead?"
"No! That's impossible. Nothing could kill him!"
"He was supposed to be invincible. He took out a Captain!"
"This isn't happening. This isn't happening."
"If the invincible Alec_Bishop lost…what's that say about the guy that beat him?"
Their murmurings took a renewed sense of fear as Cobb casually walked towards them. They were all so frightened of what this unknown Crafter was capable of; they shirked away, refusing to even meet his eyes.
King_Cobb tried to look composed, walking straight through the deathly silent crowd of Griefers like it was nothing. He actually tripped on some dirt, stumbling a bit before righting himself and shrugging it off as if nothing happened.
The Griefers kept out of his way, allowing him to walk up to the barricades before he turned and fixed all of them with an icy glare.
"Your boss is dead." He spoke softly. There was no need to raise his voice as everyone was listening with rapt attention. "Your strongest fighter is dead and unless you all want a taste of my awesome power," he thrust his finger out, pointing towards a random group of Griefers who cowered as if they were about to be smitten by some 'awesome power', "I suggest you all leave, and never come back."
The Griefers quaked in terror, glancing at each other in the hopes that someone would challenge the little upstart.
But nobody dared to move.
"I'll give you to the count of three to clear out." He held up his hand with three fingers before lowering one. "One…"
They all ran away before Cobb could get to two. Throwing others behind them in an effort to escape, the Griefers hurried down Halstatt's streets in varying direction. All of them desperate to get away from the fearsome King_Cobb. The slayer of the Hacker, Alec.
"What a bluff." Cosmic laughed with her hand covering her eyes. Tears of joy and elation and of sheer hysterical humor streamed down her face as all the Griefers fled.
The Ringwood guards and a few villagers hopped over their barricades and walked up to Cobb, fearfully at first, as if he was some kind of all-powerful Crafter.
And then he fell to his knees, sweat dampening his brow. "I almost thought they weren't gonna run." He chuckled weakly as his legs refused to work. "If they had attacked, we would've been screwed."
"At this point," Captain Wynn and that Lenz fellow jumped down from a nearby house, the latter having trouble with the landing, "a bluff was all we could manage. And you did it well."
Cobb laughed before several hands encompassed him, pulling him to his feet and carrying him like a champion.
"You did it, Cobb!"
"I can't believe you did that! I would've been too busy shitting bricks to bluff like that!"
"Did you really kill a Hacker? How did you pull that—it was the fishing rod wasn't it?"
Cobb smiled brightly before withdrawing the tool. "You know it!"
[Lenz]
Waking up the next morning, it was almost absurd to think of everything we endured just last night.
The Griefers fled the village as fast as they could, not caring whether any of their own were left behind and forgetting about causing further harm to Halstatt. The village was in tatters, obviously. Damage caused by invading Griefers, Mobs, explosions, and lightning needed to be repaired. And Leslie, after being taken out of the well, had worked all night to rid Halstatt of its Mob infestation; screaming his patented 'Leslie Smash!' all over.
The Testificates, who had been cramped in the Village Square, were free to wander and return to their homes once Leslie had verified the dangerous Mobs had been dealt with. There were a few Creepers here and there, but the Ringwood guards and villagers managed well enough. The villagers were already hard at work repairing damages.
The villagers agreed to send for Daymonte's aid, hoping that the Kingdom could spare enough guards to repair all the villages Alec's army laid waste to and find the Testificates Billy had reported the Griefers were stockpiling.
Hearing of Cobbert's heroic exploits in facing the dreaded Hacker, the Testificates opted to start what became known as 'The Legend of the Billionth'. Needless to say, Cobbert held a newfound sense of self-respect.
And I suppose that was the same for me.
"Here. Hope this is enough redstone tech for you."
"It is perfect." I smiled at Cosmic before depositing the redstone and repeaters into my backpack. She had even given me a stack of arrows for all the ones I used. "Thank you for all the help, Cosmic."
Cosmic laughed lightly. "I should be the one thanking you. You and Cobb…and even Wynn. All of you fought for this village." Her eyes lit up as if remembering something. "Actually…do you know where Cobb is? I want to give him something."
I thought for a second. "Last I saw of him, he was by the quarry." She nodded in thanks before extending her hand, and I shook it without a second thought. "Take care, Cosmic. I only hope all redstone experts I meet are as charming as yourself."
"Likewise." Cosmic blushed coyly before walking towards the quarry. She offered a wave over her shoulder before turning a corner.
I hummed thoughtfully and turned around.
Only to bump into somebody.
"Ow. Space please." I rubbed my forehead before noticing Solara before me. "Solara! You have recovered, I see."
"Oh…yeah." She nodded absentmindedly before staring at me with a pleased expression.
"Er…is everything okay?"
She considered that question for a moment before nodding thoughtfully. "When I woke up in Liam and Spencer's company, I thought that you had bitten the dust. All I remembered was us getting blasted atop that wall."
Not knowing how to respond, I simply nodded.
"But then Liam told me how you had dropped me off." Solara continued with a knowing smirk. "How you looked bruised and beaten. How you practically dragged me through Halstatt, no doubt encountering droves of Griefers. And yet I, being unconscious throughout all of it, managed to make it to them safe and sound."
"All true." I shrugged, trying to hide how pleased I felt. "And your point?"
Solara remained silent, flashing that same knowing smirk.
My eye twitched slightly "What?" I asked with a bit of annoyance.
Solara shrugged, the action betraying how inordinately pleased she looked. "I'm just glad I was right about you all along."
"About?"
She stepped a bit closer. "That you're just as strong as the rest of us."
I looked aside, a small smile forming at her words. I was strong. Just in different ways. And that was fine.
"So, I'm guessing you've figured out why we guards do this for a living, right?" She asked, reminding me of the talk we had before the battle.
The feeling of being someone others can rely on. Of being reliable enough to be counted on. Of being entrusted to protect those that turn to you for help.
It was a good feeling. One I had never considered or experienced before.
And now that I had…
My smile grew a bit warmer. "I think I have."
"Great!" She slung an arm over my shoulder and half guided, half pushed me down the street. "So now that you get it, I think I should properly introduce you to the rest of the guards. I think you guys will finally have something in common."
"Huh? Wait! Hold on!" I tried dragging my heels into the dirt, but Solara was too strong. "I am not ready for that level of social contact!"
"Well, no better training for it than actually doing it!" Solara smirked as she kept pushing me towards the group of Ringwood guards. "I guarantee that you'll be better at befriending them than Bitters."
"No! Solara! Please!" I begged, but it was only half-heartedly.
Honestly, after everything I went through last night, talking did not sound too bad.
[Cobb]
Back at the base of the quarry, where I made the initial decision to help protect Halstatt. It seemed only fitting to come back there before saying goodbye to the village. All the gear from the Griefers that fell into the pit was collected by Halstatt's villagers to be sold for emeralds and used to repair the damages.
"Well…we did it, guys."
I spoke it aloud, even though I was talking to my internal organs.
Brain: Hell yeah, we did! I'd like to say I never doubted you for a minute.
Heart: Sure you did, Brain.
Brain: No, really, I did! Why doesn't anyone believe me!?
Lungs: *Sigh*
Brain: Well, when you put it like that…
Liver: I feel like Karma owes us one. Like…we just earned one redeemable Karma Coupon.
Not like we did this for Karma's sake. I sighed, remembering Alec's defeat and how that dark smoke shot up into the sky. Wonder where that dark smoke went.
Stomach: Who cares? Let's not forget the most important thing we pulled from this experience.
Right! We finally mastered the Mob Flail! Now, if we fling Creepers at people, it's ten times more devastating—
Stomach: Not that! I'm talking about how we learned how to eat cake!
Heart: That's the most important thing you've pulled from this experience!?
No, no. He's got a point.
Stomach: Ha! *sticks out tongue*
Do Stomach's even have tongues?
Stomach: Well how else can I enjoy the taste of food?
…Because you're all a figment of my imagination?
Stomach: Harrumph.
"Hello?" I quickly looked up, spotting Cosmic's periwinkle pigtails as she climbed down the quarry. "Cobb, you down here?"
"Yeah, what's up?" I called back as I stood to my feet.
Cosmic walked up to me, panting slightly from the effort of climbing before bowing slightly. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you for saving Halstatt."
"Oh! Well, yeah, no problem." I rubbed my head awkwardly, not exactly sure how to respond. People didn't usually bow to me. "But you don't need to thank me when you guys did just as much—"
"No," She interrupted, fixing her faded pink eyes onto mine. "I'm thanking you because we would have died if not for your selflessness. It was you who decided to stay, bringing Lenzington, and eventually Captain Wynn to help us. Forget Alec. Those Griefers would have steamrolled right through us if not for all of you."
I paused for a moment, thinking of what to say. "Yeah, well…they were a couple of assholes anyway."
Cosmic laughed at that. "No arguments here." She looked me up and down. "Are you really numbered one billion?"
I held a fist to my chest. "Yep. And proud of it." Cosmic looked down for a moment. "Why?"
She shook her head. "I was utterly useless in this battle. All the experience in my arsenal—all the time I spent in Minecraftia—and I couldn't even protect my village. My family." She looked up again. "And yet, you…and Lenz. You were able to do what I couldn't. What nobody could have expected. You made a miracle happen."
"Well, miracle is a strong word. I just wish we could have saved Billy…" I commented before registering what she said. "Um…how experienced are you?"
She rubbed her arm awkwardly. "Well…to give you an idea, my spawn number is one-hundred-and-one."
"One…hundred…and…" I paled at the implications. "But then…that means you spawned right after the First 100!"
"Shh!" She silenced me with her hand. "Not so loud. I don't like bragging about it."
I moved her hand, whispering instead. "But then, you're like, one of the oldest Crafters in Minecraftia."
She nodded. "And despite all that experience under my belt, I was stumped on how to turn the tables on that Griefer army." She fixed me with her faded pink eyes. "But then you and Lenz show up, not only beating back the army, but defeating a Hacker. Even with the gap in our numbers, you could do something I couldn't."
I smirked. "I prefer to think of it as everyone having their own experience to impart. Everyone's got some valuable knowledge, whether they know it or not."
It was my dream to prove that to the world. And after successfully saving Halstatt, it felt like I had taken that first step.
But what to do next?
"That has a nice ring to it." Cosmic smiled before reaching into her backpack for something. "And it's why I feel comfortable giving this to you."
"Oh, no, no. You shouldn't." I tried to dismiss her offer. "I didn't help because I wanted anything in return."
"That so?" Cosmic smirked before lifting her empty hand out of her backpack. "In that case, I think I'll just keep it."
My eyes snapped open as she started to stroll away. "Wait, wait!" She turned to look at me with an expectant smile. "Uh…I mean…I wouldn't mind it if you insisted enough."
"No, no." She waved her hand airily. "If the noble hero wishes to turn away my generous gift, I will respect his wishes." She glanced at me out of the corner of her eyes, looking mischievous, "Unless you'd like to change your mind."
"Um…well…I…" I stared at the ground. "Yes, please."
"You really should say what you mean." Cosmic chuckled before walking up and pressing a tool into my hand.
"It's…a shovel." I remarked flatly and somewhat disappointed as I waved the golden shovel around. "Um…you shouldn't have. Really. You shouldn't have."
"If you don't want it, I'll take it back." She held out her hand but I shook my head vigorously.
"No! No. Really. Thanks. I'll…" I struggled to think of a use. "I'll be sure to use it whenever I'm digging things up."
Cosmic laughed loudly, clutching her sides as if I just told a fantastic joke. "Yep. You're the Billionth alright. You didn't even bother looking at the Enchantment."
The Enchantment? I turned my attention back to the shovel, which I only then noticed was glowing with the aura of an enchanted tool. "Unbreaking III and…Silk Touch I?" It was an enchantment I'd never heard of before. "So what's it do?"
Cosmic waggled her finger chidingly. "Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise. Just keep it a secret from the others. I'm sure you'll thank me for it someday."
"Ah…hmm…well, that's vague enough for me to want to keep." I spoke as I stowed the golden shovel into my backpack.
We both climbed out of the quarry before exchanging warm handshakes. "If you ever pass through Halstatt again, don't be a stranger. You'd probably be a living legend to anyone that heard about Alec."
"I'll keep that in mind." I smirked, half hoping the stories wouldn't be exaggerated…while also not opposed to the idea of them making me sound a thousand times cooler.
Would laser beam eyes be believable?
"Oh, and tell Lenz that if he ever stops by, I wouldn't mind taking some private lessons in redstone." She commented suggestively. And with a wave Cosmic strolled back towards Halstatt, leaving me staring with my mouth hanging open.
…Damn, Lenz is good.
After a while, I walked back towards Halstatt's front gates where Wynn, Lenz, and her guards were packing up. Surprisingly, Lenz was the center of attention amongst a group of guards. And he looked like he was enjoying himself, explaining the finer points of redstone traps to the interested crowd.
Meanwhile, Wynn was speaking to Oswald, the Village Leader. "Can I trust that you and your villagers will keep an eye on Burke until Daymonte's guards show up?"
"Of course. After all you've done, we'll make sure he gets the justice he deserves."
"Good. I can imagine a certain blonde will be happy with that." She muttered to herself before bidding the Village Leader goodbye and mounting her horse. "Cobb, I'm not going until you're on your steed."
"Wow. That means a lot that you'd wait for me like—"
"Because otherwise, I'm certain you would go off and challenge another Griefer army and Hacker before I could blink."
"Alright, Captain." I rolled my eyes as I leapt onto Ace. Lenz rode up beside me on his donkey, Reginald.
"So, with no further interruptions," Wynn eyed me sharply, but I could tell it was done jokingly. It was practically a staple of our interactions. "Let's move."
Her horse reared to life and we all followed in her wake, Lenz and I trotting along at a slower donkey-pace.
"Hey, Lenz." I spoke to my companion. "I know I already said it…but thanks for staying." He raised his tinted glasses to look at me. "Without you—"
"Perish the thought, Cobbert." He dismissed and he looked happier than I had seen him throughout the journey. "I think I grew a bit from that little experience. And you know what?" I tilted my head to look at him. "I do not regret it."
I smiled at those words. "Yeah, I'll say. After all, you got a girl interested in you."
"Ah, you mean Solara." Lenz nodded, causing me to do a double take. "Yes, saving her last night seems to have earned her respect. She properly introduced me to the other guards and asked if I could teach her a few things. Only she says she is shy and can only be taught privately and in the comfort of her own home."
I blinked in amazement. "Lenz…I meant Cosmic."
His eyes widened. "Cosmic? What makes you say that?"
"She asked me to tell you that she wouldn't mind redstone lessons next time you visit Halstatt." I leaned towards him. "Private redstone lessons."
"Hmm." He rubbed his chin in thought. "She must be as equally shy as Solara to want private lessons."
I stared at him flatly before returning my attention forward. "Lenz, you are both the luckiest and most oblivious guy I know. And I happen to know myself."
Inventory (Cobb): 1 Wooden Shovel, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Stone Sword, 1 Golden Sword [Sharpness I, Unbreaking I]{Weak}, 1 Golden Shovel [Silk Touch I, Unbreaking III], 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 Bone, 5 Pumpkin Pies, 12 Cookies, 25 Steak, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Chainmail Helmet, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Unbreaking I], Iron Leggings {Weak}, 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: 25]
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, 59 Redstone, 18 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, 1 Carrot, 32 Steak, 64 Arrows, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}
[EXP: 5]
Inventory (Reginald the Ass): {Empty}
AN: And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, concludes the Halstatt Arc.
I don't know how he called it, but Laner fucking called it. Charged Creeper Flail to beat Alec. I must be super predictable for him to be able to guess that. Though a lot of you speculated on everything ranging from fall damage to Ender Crystals to Noman just showing up out of the blue to give his Severe Shield to Cobb.
Funny, but impractical given their locations.
Didn't stop me from writing an Omake about it. Non-Canon obviously.
Omake: A Little Too Convenient (Not Canon)
"How does it feel, King_Cobb?" Alec taunted with a twirl of his diamond blade. "To come so close to saving the day…only to fall short."
Cobb clutched a stitch in his side, panting heavily. He had exhausted every move, every trick, and every possibility in his fight against Alec. But they were all meaningless before his Hacker ability. It was only a matter of time before the Hacker cornered him.
Damnit! DAMNIT! Cobb internally cursed. I've tried everything, but at this point it would take some kind of miraculous artifact of untold power to kill this guy!
Just then, a black-suited man with dark, tidy hair walked onto the very street Cobb and Alec were fighting upon.
"Not sure how I ended up here…" The man muttered confusedly. Above his head was the name Nowhere_Man. "It's raining and thundering, not to mention there are a bunch of violent Crafters running around…But I don't have to worry about them."
He pulled out a diamond chestplate from his backpack. "Because with this miraculous artifact of untold power, I can one-hit kill anything!"
Cobb blinked at the new arrival in mild surprise before calmly walking over to him.
"Oh, hello good sir." Nowhere_Man nodded politely. "My name is Noman. Might you perhaps tell me where I—"
As soon as Cobb got close enough he socked Noman across the face, knocking the poor man out, and picked up the diamond chestplate he had been boasting about. Alec watched all this with a bemused expression before noticing Cobb put the chestplate on.
"It's over, Alec." Cobb spoke dramatically. "Thanks to this kind soul's selfless artifact donation," Noman twitched on the ground, "I now possess the strength to defeat you."
"Selfless—you punched him in the face!" Alec argued.
"It's not like he was using it anyway." Cobb shrugged before running up to Alec and punching him right in the nose.
The Hacker's super regeneration was no match for the artifact's unbridled power, and Alec exploded into a shower of dark smoke and gear. Dead.
"Holy crap it worked!" Cobb shouted elatedly. "That's awesome! Why wasn't that guy wearing this all the time?" Cobb was about to take it off to return to Noman, but then he paused, thinking it over.
"Hey, No-whatever-your-name-is-man." Cobb began, prodding the downed Crafter with his toe. "Would you mind letting me keep this artifact for a little while longer?"
Noman twitched in response, still out-cold.
"One twitch for yes, two twitches for no."
Twitch. Twitch.
"I'll take that as an 'it's mine now, suckah'!" Cobb shouted giddily as he skipped away. "Hey, Wynn! You'll never guess how I defeated Alec! Wha—NO, it was not an artifact of immeasurable power! It was totally, 100% fishing rod! Obviously!"
AN: It's funny. But impractical.
And because I feel guilty about not Omake-ing for a while, here's another one. This one is in fact Canon. And involves everyone's favorite killer rabbit!
Omake: Valley Beast Again
Down below, in a rocky valley absolutely filled with the discarded gear of fallen Crafters, a seemingly cuddly rabbit lolled around, basking in the warmth of the sun.
But this was no mere rabbit. It was the Valley Beast of Caerbannog Valley, possessing the speed and ferocity of a hundred men. And anyone that ever underestimated it usually met a grisly fate at its adorable claws.
Meanwhile, on a rocky alcove overlooking the valley, three heads peeked out.
"…Are you fairly certain that rabbit is the dreaded Valley Beast?" Lenz asked skeptically as he turned to Wynn and Cobb. "It does not look particularly fearsome—"
"Yeah, it doesn't look terrifying." Wynn stressed with a knowing grin. "What do you think, Cobb?" She tilted her head to glance at the fisherman who looked to be reliving a traumatic experience. "Does that rabbit down there look terrifying to you?"
Cobb shivered at the memory of getting swung around by the bloodthirsty rodent. "Lenz. Don't question it." He spoke in a defeated tone. "That rabbit's a force of nature."
Wynn nodded in satisfaction before turning to the rest of her guards. "Anyone care to share some ideas on how we can get around this valley before nightfall?"
"Rock-climbing."
"Ender pearls."
"Wing suits."
Wynn rolled her eyes at Daniel's suggestion. "Daniel, there's no such thing as wing suits. Be realistic, here."
"Even though we took out a Hacker, that Beast is still too tough for us." Cobb complained before rubbing his chin in thought. "Hmmm. We could take that rabbit out…if only we had a Holy Hand Grenade…"
"A what?" Wynn shot a questioning glance at the fisherman.
"Huh? Oh sorry. I'm…not sure why I just suggested that." Cobb scratched his head in confusion. Darn Normal Sense. "But that sounds pretty good! Hey, Lenz. Think you can use your engineering know-how to make a Holy Hand Grenade?"
"Um…No. The college's course material never covered 'Holy Hand Grenades'." Lenz narrowed his eyes as he glanced into the valley. "But I see enough TNT down there for a TNT cannon. I could make that."
Cobb hummed in thought. "Could we at least call it a 'Holy' TNT Cannon...of Antioch?"
"…Sure."
"Yeah! Good enough for me!"
Several blocks of TNT later, the 'Holy TNT Cannon of Antioch' was finished. Lenz had opted to use cobblestone for the structure, with most of it being supplied by Cobb. The guards chipped in here or there because, like Wynn, they wanted to see if it would work.
"So the flowing water keeps the TNT from blowing us up, right?" Cobb bothered to ask as the engineer finished calibrating the cannon.
Lenz looked pleased that he had understood it. "Why, yes! The TNT that serves as propulsion is inhibited by the flowing water. Thus, the structure of the cannon remains unaffected by the explosion while a block of primed TNT can be launched at an unsuspecting enemy." The engineer spoke in a single breath, taking pride in his redstone engineering knowledge.
Cobb tried to stay awake through all of that.
"Well, everything is set up." Lenz dusted his hands off before flicking the fuse lever. "Conflagration in the opening!"
Wynn looked befuddled from behind her cover. "…Do you mean fire in the hole?"
"That too."
*BOOM*
The primed TNT soared across the valley, its trajectory arcing high before hurtling towards the den of the Valley Beast.
The Beast only had the time to look up at the audacious thing blocking its sunlight, before the projectile impacted.
And exploded.
Everyone shielded their eyes as the smoke from the explosion permeated the den. Bits of rabbit hide and raw rabbit rained from the explosion before settling.
"Yeah!" Cobb and a bunch of guards cheered. "I hope that Valley Beast had jelly in its pockets! Because its toast!" Cobb turned to the engineer. "Lenz, you're like a total badass!"
"I am?" Lenz pointed at himself and tilted his head, sounding hopeful.
A bunch of guards came to clap him on the back. "Gotta admit, that was pretty epic!"
"You've GOT to teach me how to make a cannon, Lenz."
"What else can you make with redstone? Are fighting robots an option? Please tell me fighting robots are an option!"
While the guards swarmed around Lenz, praising the engineer and inflating his ego in the process, Wynn narrowed her eyes looking down into the valley.
"What's up, Wynn?" Cobb followed her gaze to where the Valley Beast's den lay.
And from the den, a little baby rabbit hopped out.
"Wait…is that…?"
"This…might pose a problem." Wynn commented dully as several more baby rabbits came hopping out of the den, disturbed by the recent explosion.
"So…the Valley Beast was a girl." Cobb stated with mild interest.
"No, Cobb." Wynn sighed wearily before turning to the fisherman. "Animals in Minecraftia don't have genders. Any two animals of the same species can mate and have a child. It just means the Valley Beast stumbled across another rabbit."
"Oh." Cobb looked back to the den entrance and paled at how many more baby rabbits showed up. "Well, looks like the Beast stumbled across other rabbits all over the place. And here I thought the phrase 'breed like rabbits' was an exaggeration."
All the other guards stopped congratulating Lenz and joined in looking at the valley below, now positively swarming with snow-white rabbits.
"Captain, you don't think any of those babies inherited their parent's killer genes, do you?"
Wynn gulped slightly, not taking her eyes off the slit-pupiled rodents below. "…I think it'd be best if we avoid this valley."
"Agreed." Everyone spoke in unison.
And it was that day that the Legend of the Valley Beast died…and the Legend of the Valley of a Thousand Fluffy Devils began.
AN: The moral of the story: I liked Monty Python.