My Craft Chapter 75: Mistakes, a minecraft fanfic

AN: Hello everyone. I know I've been gone for a while (longer than usual), but I'm back and with a bunch of news.

First off, thanks to all my supportive viewers and reviewers for keeping up with this story for as long as you have. 75 Chapters is a lot of content. I'm actually amazed none of you are bored with it. Because, like, there's other stuff to read that's leagues better than my writing. Ever read Harry Potter? I hear it's amazing. Ever read Twilight. Don't.

Second, I have some... interesting news concerning the setting of this story. A viewer by the name of EveMC has decided to make a map of My Craft's Minecraftia in game. And while that is the craziest thing I have ever heard considering that this is just a simple story and I don't want him/her to be slaving away making a map of the world I came up with, EveMC has asked me to make an announcement that he/she is looking for builders to help with the Minecraftia map. Look up his/her penname and PM him/her if you're interested. I'm hoping that's his/her prefferred way of finding people to help on the map.

Third, I got good news and bad news.

The bad news is this Chapter will have no Omake, since it's a bit of a rush. The good news is that I thought up several nifty riddles so I'm brining back the chance to win a Victory Cookie. For those of you that don't know, I will leave a riddle near the top Author's Note. Answer it correctly in a PM or review and you'll earn a Victory Cookie and acknowledgement for being a smarty-pants in the next Chapter. It's first come, first serve though. Get it wrong or fail to answer first and you get a Negative Cracker.

For your reference:

Victory Cookie: (::)

Negative Cracker: [::]

Puzzle: Tear one off and scratch my head, what was red is black instead.

IMPORTANT: I set up a new poll. It's on my profile near the top and it's a Character popularity contest. I figured to set it up just for the heck of it. Vote on your favorite My Craft characters. There's not a lot of memorable ones, but it's up to you, the viewer, to decide which one you like the best. Everyone gets one vote, so check out my profile to cast them.

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

Beta: Myself

Chapter 75

Mistakes

[Wynn]

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*

The blaring alarm roused me from my sleep, signaling the start of a new day. Rubbing away any lingering fatigue, I slipped out of bed and got ready for the day.

Only three more days until the Bounty Day. I thought in equal parts excitement and dread. Oh, Notch, three more days…

There was still so much to do. His Eminence had been informed and the announcement made in today's newsbook, but arrangements still needed to be made to cease imports and exports on the designated holiday. Crafters would be far too busy learning about Minecraftia's newest innovations to work.

And that extended to the guards too. They would want to enjoy the Bounty Day just the same as everyone else (my own excitement was proof of that), but, at the same time, relieving all of Ringwood's guards for even a day posed a huge risk to the Kingdom's security. What if Griefers attacked? What if a Stage 5 Emergency occurred?

We can't relieve all the guards… but maybe they can work in shifts? Would Griefers attack on a Bounty Day? Wouldn't they be too busy enjoying the holiday to attack? After a moment, I scoffed at the idea. What am I thinking? Of course they'd attack. Cultists, especially, would use any advantage to attack the Kingdoms.

I let out a disappointed sigh as I trudged to my office and fished out the half-finished book and quill detailing the order as to whether or not the guards would get the day off. I began to write where I left off.

[Due to the importance of security, Ringwood guards must remain on-duty for the duration of a Bounty Day so as to ensure the Kingdom's enemies remain at bay and the citizens remain at peace. As for the Captains, the very bastions of a Kingdom's pride and strength, they should…]

I paused, tapping my quill on the paper and biting my lip guiltily. My eyes darted to the statement left unfinished and I made a small noise of distress.

I really wanted to try out the new things brought by the Bounty Day and I wouldn't get a chance to do so while acting as security. But it was necessary for Ringwood! And if my men had to suffer, watching as Crafters discovered new items and building materials… and foods… and weapons… and-and maybe Enchantments that could work on Tinker's weapons…

…

After a minute of re-reading those words, I quickly scribbled down:

[…they should join the populace in enjoying the Bounty Day, cementing their connection to the common Crafter and celebrating a new age in Minecraftia.]

I slammed the book shut, signed it with an extravagant signature, and tried not to feel guilty over what I had just done.

The guards would understand. Ringwood's camaraderie was a steel bond, unbroken on the battlefield… but Bounty Days were like a forbidden fruit, available maybe once every five-hundred years.

Besides, I worked hard. I deserved to be a little selfish. Just for one glorious day.

"I'm a terrible human being." I spoke unashamed. "I am a terrible human being who's going to celebrate the Bounty Day with all my friends." I stored the orders in my backpack and moved on to the next ones.

After that was done, I entered the kitchen to find Erin standing over a roaring furnace and wringing her hands with a feverish look. When she caught sight of me, she immediately rushed over, nearly tripping on her own two feet. She looked worried.

"M-m-miss Whispers." Erin bawled with watery eyes. "I-I-I checked the guest b-b-bedroom this morning and-and-and Cobb wasn't there. He… I think he's missing!"

"Erin, calm down." I soothed the housekeeper. "Cobb isn't missing. I told you he went over to check if Floyd got back yet."

"B-b-but that was last night." She whimpered, as worried as ever. "Shouldn't he be back by now? What if something happened to him? What if he got jumped by bloodthirsty gangsters? What if he—" Erin gasped as a new, more terrible thought occurred to her. "What if he was seduced by another woman, a-and was brought to her house for a night of passionate… Oh, Notch, I took too long!" She broke down into regretful sobs.

I shook my head, as the thought of Cobb making passionate anything with anyone was enough for me to want to bleach my brain of the filthy idea. "Cobb is fine, Erin. I told him he could take his time chatting with Floyd if he was at Brett's—he's been worried about him for days."

Erin looked up, alert and with tear-stained cheeks. "H-he has? But *sniff* h-he never told me he was worried about Floyd…"

"Probably because he didn't want you to worry about him worrying about Floyd."

"Eh?"

"He didn't want to worry you." I summarized. "Cobb is fine. He probably stayed over at Brett's."

Truthfully, I didn't expect Cobb to be out all night. Even if Floyd returned, I figured they'd chat for a bit before the fisherman returned home. Sleeping should have taken priority over sharing stories through the night, but maybe Floyd was nocturnal like that. Some Crafters preferred to sleep during the day and work at night. Or maybe Brett had to send him on another mission right away and they only had the night to talk.

Back to my housekeeper. "Did you try asking Lenzington about what's taking Cobb so long?"

"I tried." Erin sniffed, wiping away most of her tears. "B-but he was busy with a bunch of Crafters in the backyard."

"He was?" I looked out the kitchen window to see Lenz working on the outhouse, diligently and by himself. "How long ago were they here?"

"Th-they showed up early in the morning." The housekeeper explained. "Lenz said they were here to help refurbish the outhouse a-and that he already paid them."

"He's still working on that outhouse?" I questioned suspiciously. "Is he making it out of diamond? It shouldn't be taking this long." Erin could only shrug, apparently not having bothered to keep track of the inexplicable strangers in my backyard. Deciding to get the answers out of Lenz, I jogged outside and up to the dinky outhouse.

As I got closer, I noticed that the outhouse did indeed look better. Spruced up and with a different wood. And, like the engineer had promised, the dimensions remained the same. No worries about the structure imposing on my lawn space.

Seeing me approach, the engineer turned with his tinted glasses fixed to his face. "Oh, good morning Captain Wynn. Is there something I can help you with?"

I nodded, my eyes drifting again to the outhouse. "Erin said she saw some other Crafters here. Were they helping you with the outhouse?"

"They still are." Lenz nodded. "While I pride myself on my redstone engineering skills, I desperately needed some experienced Crafters to aid in the structuring of the—"

"Yes, yes. You needed their help." I interrupted, not wanting to waste any more time. "I don't feel comfortable with you having strangers come to my backyard. At least not without me present."

"Oh… My apologies, I… I suppose I would not want strangers in my home either if I were you." He looked down sadly.

I sighed, realizing it was just another small mistake that anyone could have made. He looked sorry enough. "Have you already paid them?" He nodded. "Will they be done with the outhouse by today?" He hesitated for a moment before nodding again. "Then it's fine. Just remember to alert me next time you bring strangers over. We wouldn't want a repeat of that burglar fiasco."

"Understood." Lenz nodded. "Again, my sincerest apologies for infringing upon your hospitality."

I waved away his apology, assuring him that he was forgiven. To make up for it, he offered to show me the finer points of the outhouse's remodeling, but I hastily declined. I had a bathroom inside, after all. And even a tidy, cleaned up, and remodeled outhouse was still just an outhouse.

With that taken care of, I moved on to my next question. "Before I go, I wanted to ask if you knew where Cobb was." Lenz raised an eyebrow. "He hasn't come back yet, and Erin is a little worried. Did he say anything about meeting Floyd or maybe something else?"

Lenz's eyebrow twitched in annoyance. "Actually no. Despite promising to help me with a certain endeavor, he apparently had a prior engagement."

He looked quite irritated. Being ditched must have been a new experience for him. "Don't hold it against him. I just got done telling Erin that he has every right to spend his time with a friend." Lenz folded his arms tightly. "A friend other than you, I mean. Not seeing a good friend for a while and having to catch up, you must know what that's like."

Lenz glanced down with his arms loosening a tad. "Actually… no I do not. Friends were never a subject I excelled at in college."

Oh. I was making the conversation worse, wasn't I? "Sorry, I mean… um… Oh! Look at the time!" I hastily tore what I thought was a clock from my belt when it was actually a compass. "It's half-past North. Better hurry to work."

"Wait, huh?" Was his eloquent reply, but I was already marching away without looking back. I really was good at communicating with others, but once you hit the awkward territory it was just a slippery slope of embarrassment.

Getting back to the kitchen, Erin had finished preparing a delicious breakfast of baked potatoes, steak, and pumpkin pie. She sat down across from me, but didn't bother eating any of the food. She kept sneaking glances at the front door, as if expecting Cobb to come bursting in any second.

While I wouldn't have minded it if he showed up for breakfast, the front door remained closed. Even when I took extra long finishing my potatoes in the hopes that he would turn up, the front door was as Cobb-less as ever. It was enough to make Erin slump in her chair and reluctantly nibble on her share of the food.

I was finished by the time Lenz came in to eat and quickly exited with my rapier and documents in hands. Scanning my front yard for any sign of Cobb's white hoodie, I still saw nothing.

I hope he hasn't gotten himself in trouble again.

As I walked down the mansion-filled streets towards the Palace, a familiar voice caught my attention.

"Please, just let me in!" The purple-haired Cara begged. "I'll be in and out real quick, I promise."

"Nobody enters unless accompanied by a Northern District citizen, a Captain, or without permission from a Northern District citizen or a Captain." One of the guards explained firmly.

"Yeah." Another guard intoned. "In fact, even we're not allowed to go in there."

"If someone asked us to go in there, we'd say 'Not without permission,' and knock ourselves out to resist the temptation."

"We take our jobs very seriously."

"That we do." Without turning to look at each other, the two guards bumped fists.

"But…" Cara looked helplessly between the guards. "But I really need to speak with Wynn. She's—"

"Captain Wynn," the guard stressed importantly, "Is a very busy woman."

"Yeah." The other guard agreed.

"She works hard to ensure that Ringwood is as safe as it can be."

"Yeah."

"And, as we speak, she is hopefully drafting legislation that excuses all guards from their duties on Bounty Day so that we can enjoy all the new things of Minecraftia with all the other Crafters and be able to take a rare holiday."

"Yeah. Holidays matter."

"So I believe the Captain would not want to be disturbed during such a critical time." The guard snubbed his nose at Cara. "So if you could kindly vacate the premises…"

"I'll take it from here, boys." I spoke aloud, not wanting to watch the poor girl get talked down to anymore. Cara's eyes lit up in relief while the two guards spun around, hastily tidying up each other's green leather caps before standing to attention.

"Captain Wynn. Our apologies. We were just sending this woman on her way—"

"Perfect. Then I'll go with her." I smiled politely as I walked past the two gawking guards and stood beside Cara. "We are acquaintances after all. And you needed to talk with me, correct?"

"I… Oh! Yes." Cara nodded quickly. "It's… it's something only you can answer."

Her tone told me it was a very serious issue. One that she desperately needed an answer for. Luckily for her, I had some time to spare. "There's a café I'm particularly fond of. We can talk there if you'd like."

She easily agreed, looking more and more relived by the minute. If I hadn't have shown up it was likely she'd have been escorted away by the guards. Speaking of which…

"Keep up the good work, men." I praised, earning a salute from the two guards. Cara and I then walked around the plateau—with me leading the way—towards the Southern District.

[Cara]

The café Wynn picked, Café de Café, was very quaint. They served standard pastries and beverages—cookies, pumpkin pies, cakes, milk and water—that you'd expect at any café. The prices were cheap and tables were set up both inside and out. The Captain selected a table shielded from the sun by an awning, and we sat ourselves down.

When I had set off to find Wynn, I knew exactly what I wanted to ask and I was determined not to leave without an answer. But now, sitting across from her and her authoritative presence, that determination began to evaporate.

Figuring it'd be better to get it all off my chest at once, I opened my mouth to speak. But before I could so much as utter a word, a waiter rushed over to take our orders.

"Ma'am Whispe—Ah! I mean… er… Miss Whispers… ma'am!" The waiter sweated nervously, stumbling over every word. "I… h-how may I be of service?"

Wynn's expression was neutral as she regarded the waiter. "I'll have one cake to split with my acquaintance and milk to wash it down." She ordered quickly without even asking about the menu. She must have been a regular to know as much.

The waiter committed it to his memory and bowed slightly to her before turning to me. "And you, ma'am?" He asked in a more relaxed tone.

"Oh! I'll… have milk too." I decided.

The waiter nodded politely, making sure to keep his eyes off the Captain. "I'll be right back with your orders." He said before turning to leave.

When he was out of earshot, Wynn let out a short sigh. "They always act like that." I raised an eyebrow in question, but she tilted her head to the side, gesturing the other Crafters sitting down. They were all sneaking glances at Wynn, ready to look away at any second like a bunch of timid deer.

"I have a reputation as a strict Captain." She explained further, flipping her white hair in the process. "It's a combination of my overenthusiastic arrests in my younger years, and my stringent policies on criminal scum. People worry I'll imprison them at the slightest provocation."

That explained why the waiter was so nervous. And not a second later, he returned in a flash, carrying our order. He tossed my milk on the table before me, but carefully set Wynn's beverage and the cake, acting like it was an active bomb. "Is th-there anything else I can get you… Miss Whispers?"

"Just some time to finish this dessert, thank you." Wynn said politely, allowing the waiter to retreat from our table. "See? I've been coming here for several years, and they still act like I'm about to throw them in prison. If Erin's default personality wasn't nervous, I'd say I have the same effect on her."

"Does everyone act like that?" I asked, hoping it wasn't too personal a question.

"Not everyone. The guards respect me, and the Captains are friendly. Some a bit too friendly." She massaged her temple as if feeling a headache coming on. Then she smiled. "There are exceptions too. Some Crafters that defy first impressions." She sampled some of the cake, savoring the sweet flavor. "It's enough attention that I'm not bothered how most Crafters avoid me like the plague."

Not knowing how to respond, I helped myself to some of the cake. It was good, but felt like it was expanding in my throat. I subtly drank some of my milk to wash it down without appearing like I was choking.

"So," Wynn began, "you wanted to talk with me?"

I swallowed through a mouthful of cake and wiped my mouth before gathering my courage. Then I explained everything.

I told her I needed advice. I told her I had been beating myself up over a mistake I made on a mission. And then, realizing I'd have to explain the entire situation… I told her about Floyd and Void's fate.

*COUGH* *COUGH*

Wynn had been drinking milk when I told her (not the best time for breaking bad news), and was now coughing forcefully to clear her airway. "I'm… I'm sorry… *cough* …Could you… could you repeat that, please?"

Her reaction only confirmed my fears. A leader wouldn't have gotten anyone killed. It was my fault they were dead.

Hesitantly, I explained about the deal between us and Attila for information on the Endward Cult. How I had accepted the deal, even after completing my mission, just to glean a bit more intel. How Soul had charged off after the cultists in a blind fury. How we followed… and were crushed by Teal_Larkspur. How she murdered Void and how Floyd somehow distracted the Lieutenant enough for Soul and I to escape… at the cost of his life.

Wynn's face grew graver as my explanation continued. Particularly around the parts about Floyd's death. Her lips were a thin line and her brow creased. Her amber eyes dulled, losing focus.

It only got worse when I told her about Cobb. "He knows?" She questioned with a gasp.

I nodded grimly. "When I told him about Floyd—" I let out a bitter laugh, full of self-loathing. "I didn't even tell him. I had to have Soul do it, I'm so pathetic—He burst into the room, asking where his friend was and I couldn't even think. I couldn't even face him."

Wynn closed her eyes, her mouth a conflicted frown. She mumbled something inaudible to herself, before speaking louder. "He shouted at you, didn't he?"

I nodded, my eyes fixed on the half-eaten cake between us.

"He blamed you, didn't he?"

Another nod, which elicited a frustrated sigh from the Captain. "He must feel horrible. Floyd was a good friend of his."

I remained silent, not daring to speak up or take anymore cake or milk. I still had to ask her my question, but it sounded like she needed a moment to handle the bad news. I didn't know she'd react like that for Floyd; It was more likely for Cobb. The two must have bonded since leaving them in Daymonte. Telling her a friend of her friend had died…

Just another person that hates me. I thought miserably.

The waiter, unfortunately, took our silence as a signal that we were done with our meal. He zoomed back over and reached to clean up the milk and the cake, only for Wynn to stop his hand. "We're not done yet." She warned, causing the waiter to retract his hand and back away slowly.

Once he was gone, Wynn took a steadying breath and fixed me with her amber stare. "You still haven't told me what you wanted to ask?"

This was it. The burning question I wanted to ask. The answer which would either save me from my guilt, or doom me to forever wallow in self-loathing.

"What I wanted to ask… is what you would have done?"

Wynn looked nonplussed. "Excuse me?"

I swallowed thickly before repeating myself. "What I mean to ask is, if you were me on the Nitebane mission, what would you have done?"

Wynn was a capable, experienced Captain, with countless missions under her belt. She had journeyed to other Kingdoms as a diplomat, and fought criminals and enemies of Ringwood for who knows how long. If anyone knew how to successfully lead a mission… or analyze all the mistakes I made in failing it... it was her.

Wynn folded her arms, frowned slightly. "I still don't understand the question?" She shook her head, helping herself to another slice of cake.

"Wha—huh?"

Wynn shrugged. "I don't understand the question. You're asking me what I would have done without acknowledging that one cannot just replace themselves in any given situation." She gestured around her. "What would this café have done if it was just a restaurant? Would it still serve us food? Or would it have served us with a bit more class and presentation." She shook her head. "Background, experience, personal drive—those all affect the missions you accept. You can't just interchange them."

I groaned in exasperation, feeling a lot of tension draining out of me. "I know that. I just… Hypothetically, if you had accepted my mission, what would you have done differently?"

Wynn paused to take a sip of milk, pondering the question. "Well, if we're working in hypotheticals, after completing the initial mission, I would have ignored Attila's offer, taken my troops, and left Nitebane without a second thought."

My heart sank at her blunt words, but still she continued.

"Nitebane is a dangerous Kingdom known for its violent Griefers and mysterious Hackers. Infiltrating enemy territory of that nature requires a specially trained stealth team, prepared for any and all risks. Leading a four-man team, where only one of them knows the terrain, and on a first mission for most of them," I sank deeper into my seat, "it's just foolhardy. For a mission like that, it'd be better to prioritize the lives of your men, rather than risk them for a bit of intel."

"…Yeah…" I mumbled into my tank top, averting my eyes. "That sounds about right."

I had hoped her words would make me feel even a little better… but I was foolish. With how obviously she listed my mistakes, it was clear there was no optimistic way of putting it.

I fucked up.

Wynn was right. I should have never made that deal with Attila. I made stupid mistake after stupid mistake and got people killed! It's all my fault! If Wynn had been leading things would have been different. They would have been—

"But that's only if it were the current me in your place." Wynn's voice cut through my depression, causing me to slowly tilt my head back up. "If it were my first mission, I wouldn't have stopped at two casualties. I would have kept going until all of my men were dead."

My mouth hung agape at the Captain's words. What…? She… what? I thought, fearing I misheard her. Hadn't she just got done telling me to prioritize the lives of my men?

And yet now she was saying she would have led them all to their deaths!? Which was it!? Why even bother listing all my faults?

Just when I thought she couldn't confuse me anymore, she cleared her throat.

"You look confused, so I'll explain." She interlocked her fingers and rested her chin atop them. "When I was younger—well, you've already heard me talk about my overenthusiastic arrests." She chuckled sadly. "Back then, the only thought flitting through my mind was how best I could serve my King. How I could commit my own life to help the man who had saved it."

Wynn's eyes took on a reminiscent gleam as she remembered. "I rose through the ranks, arresting any criminals I could. And it paid off. The day I became Captain was one of the best moments of my life. I felt acknowledged. Accomplished. Like I had begun to pay back the staggering debt I owed His Eminence." She shook her head. "But I owed him more. Much more. And that was the same mindset I took going into my first mission as a Captain.

"It was my first time leading guards. Ten of them in all. We were tasked with tracking a large group of bandits terrorizing Ringwood's villages. We only needed to track their movements. Once we discovered their hideout, we just had to alert a waiting battalion of guards who'd then rush in and finish off the bandits. We didn't even need to fight."

Wynn closed her eyes, her face expressionless. "But I got greedy. Ambitious… Reckless. So badly did I want to impress His Eminence on my first mission. I was so eager for his praise, that I—" She cut off, covering the action with a sip of milk before continuing. "I ordered my men to charge into the bandits' hideout."

My eyes widened in horror, transfixed by the story the Captain was retelling.

"I remember all I was thinking was testing out my new rapier. Thinking back, it was incredibly stupid. We were horribly outnumbered… a fact that anyone with half a brain cell could have deduced." She lowered her arms, resting her head on the table. "But not me. So, I got to watch as all my men were slaughtered."

I looked down in disgust at what I had heard. Her first mission made mine sound like it had gone perfectly. It was hard to imagine the upright, experienced Captain before me was once an overzealous trainee.

One who had made a horrifying mistake.

"In the aftermath, I felt many of the same things you've told me." Wynn continued. "Regret. Horror. Shame. Self-loathing—when there wasn't enough being directed at me from the friends and spouses of those fallen guards. The only difference was that there was no bright-side to it—Apologies, that came out insensitive." She backtracked, rethinking her words. "What I mean to say is I had failed so spectacularly, that only His Eminence, a man of infinite goodness, could find it in his heart to comfort me.

"But you, Cara," she reached across the table to hold my hand, "you dragged Soul back. You saved a life. That's more than I can say for my first mission." She shook her head. "I wanted to resign from my position, right then and there, but His Eminence wouldn't allow it. He told me—and I'll never forget these words—'The only way to learn, is through experience.'"

"Experience?" I questioned, glancing at the levels on my arm.

Wynn nodded. "Anyone can warn you not to touch a burning kettle. They can explain it to you in big diagrams, with research, and multiple sources. They can bring in hundreds of people who've burned themselves from the hot metal. But when it comes down to it, touching the kettle yourself and feeling your flesh sear is a better teacher than what anyone else can teach you. Because you yourself know what it feels like."

I blinked at those words of wisdom before realizing the deeper meaning. "So… what you're saying is… even if you had warned me to be careful on my first mission, I still would have messed up. That it was necessary to mess up. That I had to go through that so… so I wouldn't mess up again!?"

"Precisely."

"But… but that's—" I shook my head angrily. "What if I don't want to experience that?" I shouted. "What if I wanted my first mission to go perfectly, with no casualties, and everyone back home, smiling and laughing, and… and—!" Damn it, I was crying. I tried to reach up to cover my face, but Wynn reached across the table with her other hand and held firm, pinning mine to the table.

"Don't shirk away from this, Cara." Wynn advised. "It's a horrible truth, but us leaders will continue to make mistakes because there's so many things that can go wrong! I myself made the mistake a week ago to tackle a Hacker single-handedly in order to spare my guards. It was a mistake opposite the one I made on my first mission and it would have gotten me killed had it not been for a good friend. It taught me that tackling a problem alone will only cause more trouble."

"Then what lesson am I supposed to pull from this!?" I shouted, the tears pooling in my eyes. "Quit while you're ahead? Never chase cultists? Avoid giggling blue-haired psychos at all costs!?"

"Whatever lessons you learn are yours alone." Wynn replied. "They're taken from your experiences so of course nobody else will be able to tell you." She leaned forward, piercing my aquamarine eyes with her amber ones. "If you hate yourself now more than you've ever had because of a mistake you made, then you better believe you'd never make that mistake again! That's learning from your mistakes."

My struggles to extricate my hands calmed down until I was sitting motionlessly in my seat. Wynn slowly released my hands, freeing them, but I didn't immediately wipe my face of tears.

I tried to recall the way I felt in Nitebane. How powerless I was to stop Teal. How afraid I was.

"I…" I whispered tentatively. "I want to get stronger."

I remembered what I felt returning to Ringwood. All the guilt and shame eating away at my insides. For Void and Floyd.

"I… don't want to let my men die anymore."

I remembered Cobb, his face full of fury and grief as he rounded on me, cursing me as I rightfully deserved.

I looked up to Wynn with a quivering lip and determined face. "I want to beg Cobb for forgiveness!" I sniffed. "I want to be able to promise him I can lead again! I-I want to learn from this failure!"

Wynn smiled supportively. "That's just what I said to His Eminence."

I wiped my tears away with my arm, ignoring the looks the other patrons of the café were shooting our way. The waiter came back around. "Er… can I get you the bill—"

"Can't you see I'm having a moment!?" I burst out, causing the waiter to jump and flee from our table. Wynn let out a light laugh at the sight, helping to raise my spirits.

Actually, talking with the Captain had worked better than I thought it would. I still hated myself for my mistake. But hating that hate wouldn't make me grow as a person. Learning from it would.

A sudden realization crossed my mind. There was someone else hurting over Floyd's death. Probably more than me.

"Will Cobb learn anything from this experience?" I asked Wynn who was in the middle of another slice of cake.

She frowned to herself, her brow creased with worry. "He has to. Accepting loss is important to growing. It won't be easy though, especially to someone as innocent as him, but to do otherwise would be dangerous. He's probably isolated himself since hearing the news."

"Is that normal?"

She nodded. "Most people isolate themselves during the first stages of grief. Taking sullen walks by themselves or just huddling in a secluded corner."

"Yes, but for three days?" Wynn went deathly still. "I can't imagine him grieving by himself for that long. Captain Wynn?"

I looked up to face her, only to question the look of confusion and worry etched across her features. "You… what did you say?"

I blinked in surprise. "Just that… I don't think Cobb would be by himself for three days—Wah!"

Wynn sprung up, slamming her hands on the table and toppling her bucket of milk in the process. Her face, before only mildly worried, was now downright anxious. Dread was etched across her face along with a deeper sense of concern. And her pupils were quivering in fear.

"When did you arrive back in Ringwood?" She demanded, barely keeping her voice under control. She leaned forward, grabbing me by the shoulder and clutching painfully. "When did you tell Cobb about Floyd? Was it yesterday!?"

"Wha… No… I…" I tried to pry her hands off me, but they wouldn't budge. "We got back three days ago! That's when Cobb came over! He was devastated! Ran right out before I had the chance to—!"

But Wynn was no longer listening. She let go of me and steadied herself on the table before her eyes darted as if remembering some past event. "Three days ago… that would have been…" She mumbled under her breath, her face growing paler by the second. "The outhouse…" She mumbled breathlessly. "He isolated himself… he knew all along and lied…"

I didn't understand any of what she was muttering. "Captain? What's wrong?"

"His reaction to the burglars… it all makes sense… and now he's…" Suddenly, Wynn's amber eyes shot back up and narrowed dangerously. "That son of a bitch."

Before I could question her remark, Wynn bolted from the table, leaping over the café's railing, and sprinted back towards the Northern District with reckless abandon. I watched in shock as she downed an electric blue potion and sped off at an inhuman speed. Crafters threw themselves out of the way to avoid getting run over.

"H-hey!" I shouted after the moment of shock wore off. "Wait up!"

I left the table and jumped over the railing before realizing we had left the café without paying. I hopped back over, fishing some emeralds out of my pocket without counting them and chucked them onto the table before running after the ivory-haired Captain.

I don't know what I said, but whatever it is has her upset.

[Wynn]

That little, lying idiot! I thought with a furious growl as I rounded the plateau under the effects of my Potion of Swiftness. I didn't bother darting around Crafters, instead downing a Potion of Leaping to jump over them.

Nothing was going to keep me from finding that asinine fisherman.

The nerve of him! I internally screamed. Pretending to be fine… keeping his pain from me—As if I couldn't understand! Who does he think he is!?

All of my speed suddenly came to a stop in front of the Northern District's gate as I offered a short word to the two shocked guards before continuing my sprint before they could utter a word.

He thinks he's so clever, keeping secrets from me! Thinks I can't figure it out for myself—I knew something was wrong with him! I thought with mounting frustration. Ooooh, when I get a hold of him, I'll teach him to bottle up his grief!

Through the mansion-lined streets I sped, only then realizing I hadn't paid for the food at the café. Normally I'd be more worried about committing what was technically a crime, but I was far too angry to care.

When I finally reached my home, I didn't so much as open the door as kick it down. Erin let out a small shriek, throwing the raw meat she was preparing up into the air and clutching her chest in unbridled terror.

"COBB! LENZ!" I screamed into the mansion. "WHERE ARE YOU!?"

There was a small noise coming from upstairs that my ears immediately zeroed in on. Before Erin could ask what was wrong, I zoomed up the stairs in a whirlwind of ivory-haired fury, rushed down the hallway, and busted into the guest bedroom, where a wide-eyed Lenz was kneeling near the bed.

"Capta—?" The engineer tried before I rushed over and roughly grabbed him by his shirt. I lifted him off the ground like a kitten and forced him against the wall. He clutched at his shirt, and through his tinted glasses I could see a definite look of fear.

Good.

"Where's Cobb?" I growled, my hands holding him steady. My amber eyes were burning furiously, demanding the answer from him.

"I… I…" The engineer stuttered, at a loss for words at the sight before him. "I thought he was with his friend—"

I lifted him off the wall and slammed back into a window. The glass cracked dangerously. "Don't lie to me, Lenz!" I hissed through clenched teeth. "If you know where he is, you tell me now or so help me I will hang you by your ankles out this window."

To emphasize my point, I broke the window and pushed him out so that only his head was outside. "Comparators! Have you lost your mind!?" He shrieked fearfully.

"Cobb isn't with his friend!" I growled lowly. "He has no reason to go see him! Who else would he tell besides you?" I jostled him roughly, eliciting another panicked yell. "You must know where he is!"

"Miss Whispers!" Erin screamed from the doorway. "What are you doing!?" A moment later, Cara was beside her, gasping for air and clutching a stitch in her side.

"What'd… I… miss?" She panted out, looking from me to the terrified Lenz.

Seeing Erin's frightened expression was enough to slap me out of my angered state. With a sideways glance at the engineer, I pulled him back inside and released him. Without my support he slid down the wall, shaking, before coming to rest on the floor.

"I-I-I do not know where he is…" Lenz spoke shakily. His tinted glasses were askew and he was looking right into my seething face. "Why… if he is not with his friend… you said he had no reason to see him?"

The confusion in his tone was genuine. He truly had no idea where that idiot had run off to. Which meant Cobb didn't tell anyone where he was really going. And for someone coping with the death of a friend, that was a really bad sign.

"That idiot…" I snapped as I fell back onto the bed. Those tears he shed in that outhouse. They were the fresh signs of his grief. Probably the lowest Cobb had ever felt since hearing the news. And even then he managed to come up with an excuse to fool me.

But why fool me—why fool everyone close to him? Terrifying thoughts as to what Cobb could be doing crossed my mind. Would he… would he be saddened enough to… to take his own—

"Can someone please explain why Wynn rushed back here?" Cara interrupted my thoughts, sounding out of breath. "She blew right past those gates."

"Cobb never told us that he learned of Floyd's death three days ago." I explained curtly, to Erin's shocked gasp. "This whole time, he's been keeping it to himself, pretending that Floyd and Cara hadn't gotten back yet."

"Oh… my God…" Erin sobbed. "I never realized he was…"

Cara looked stricken over the news. To hear that she had indirectly caused the fisherman enough pain for him to isolate himself from everyone.

"We need to find him." I stated resolutely. "Not just to punish him for thinking his grief isn't worth sharing with us. I'm worried about what he might do. To himself or to others."

Lenz lifted his glasses, his expression somber, yet with a look of dawning comprehension. "The TNT…"

"What was that?" I snapped, eager for any clue as to the fisherman's location.

Lenz looked up nervously. "I do not know if it will help, but… the other day, Cobbert expressed an interest in crafting a TNT cannon. I purchased the TNT, but the next morning it was stolen along with all my redstone." Lenz looked down, thinking to himself. "Cobbert was the only one who knew of it, and would not bother stealing anything else."

"How much TNT did you have?" I demanded.

"…A stack." Lenz admitted, looking pale. "I… I wanted to impress him… He must have had it in his Inventory before leaving yesterday."

I cursed, running a hand through my hair. Did that mean he planned to blow himself up? Was he already gone? Was I too late?

No. No, he… he wouldn't need so much TNT. One block would suffice to… carry out the action. Taking more would have been overkill. He wouldn't need so much redstone either.

I clung to that argument, desperately hoping I was right. Praying I wouldn't search the woods and stumble upon his scattered gear beside a smoking crater, his Head staring blankly at me with dead eyes…

"He's going after the Endward Cult."

Cara spoke those words, her face pale. She looked to be thinking to herself very fast.

"If he's armed with that much TNT and redstone," Cara continued in a hushed tone, "and he's heard that a cultist killed Floyd… he might just be stupid enough to try it—"

My blood froze. This was Cobb we were talking about! Of course he'd be stupid enough to try something like that! This was the same guy who fought off Hackers with fishing rods!

There was also his behavior during the burglary to consider. He had been a wild beast then, but only when Lenz was threatened. He didn't want to lose another friend. And afterwards, didn't he ask if the Endward Cult deserved mercy? That would have probably been when he decided to attack the cult.

"We've got to find him." I repeated, but more urgently. I leapt off the bed, feeling the lingering effects of my two potions. "Cara. You're with the Silver Intent. Where would you go if you were looking for the closest cultist base to blow up?"

Before Cara could answer, Lenz interjected. "He will not be able to blow up anything." Lenz's face was etched with concern, but his glasses had been replaced with his tinted goggles as he thought to himself. "To detonate any structure, it takes more than just redstone and TNT. It would have to be spread to the foundations of the structure… but Cobbert does not know that, for a redstone signal to reach widespread TNT, it would require redstone repeaters placed at intervals along the redstone." He shook his head gravely. "He did not bother taking any of my repeaters. Without them, the signal will never reach further away. He has no chance of blowing up anything."

"You can't be serious." I said incredulously before clutching my head. "Did he think anything through? Cara, give me a location. Anything! Where would Cobb go?"

Cara thought to herself, her eyes darting. "Well… Brett always suspected the cult's Northern Division was hidden within the Kingdom… But there are also a number of outposts they could be operating out of. I don't know which one is the closest, though."

"Find out." I ordered before turning to face Erin. "Take Lenz and ask around if anybody has seen him. Go to all his usual hang-outs. Check the toll gates to see if he's passed recently. Anywhere you can think of." The housekeeper nodded determinedly before beckoning Lenz to follow. "I'll gather the guards and round up a search party for him. Here." I reached into my Inventory and pulled out a set of green fireworks which I passed around to Cara, Lenz, Erin, and myself. Normally they would be used to designate apprehended criminals. "If you see or hear anything about his location, use these. I'll be there shortly. And if you find him… I'll be there shortly to give him hell."

And with that last grim comment, I dashed out of the room. I took the stairs two at a time before rushing out the door towards the barracks.

Hoping I'd be able to stop the fisherman before he did something stupid… and paid for it.

[Cobb]

Numb.

That was all I felt when my eyes fluttered open. The world looked blurry as indescribably shapes spun above me. Lush greens interspersed with blinding light that all just melted together before my eyes.

My ears were my most reliable sense. The sound of running water came from both sides, and I felt a cool wetness along my back.

I tried to push myself up, but the instant my head lifted a foot off the ground, I felt a sick. The world spun faster before my eyes, dizzying me, and sending me crashing back into the wet ground. I barely had enough time to extricate the Creeper mask constricting my face before the contents of my stomach came up. My body shook as I struggled to keep my face out of it.

I didn't have to worry much, though. Running water was already washing the vomit away. I had been laying in a watery run-off. And judging by how damp my back was, I had been there for a while.

I clutched at my stomach as the last disgusting spasm passed, then I rolled back onto my back, my eyes firmly shut to block out the harsh sunlight streaming through the trees.

…Last night was a mistake.

The second that thought crossed my muddled mind, I felt a throbbing pain in my forehead and ankle.

I reached a hand up and gingerly touched the spot throbbing with pain, just above my right eye. Oh, right. I thought hazily. I cracked my head on the cliff.

After waiting for several minutes, the haziness began to clear. The world was in sharper focus, but so too was the pain. My ankle felt like it was on fire and I couldn't feel my toes. Meanwhile, my head throbbed with pain, getting worse by the minute.

I weakly lifted my arm to check my Health and felt sick at the sight. I was on one Heart. And my Hunger Meter had never looked so empty. Slowly, I got up into a sitting position, propped up against a tree, and reached into my backpack for some food before I starved to death.

Thinking better on using rotten flesh when I was already sick, I took small nibbles on pumpkin pies and cooked mutton until my Hunger was full. It was then that my Health Meter began to slowly regenerate.

While that went to work, I tried to recall everything that happened, and how long I had been out.

My 'Blow Up The Endward Cult Outpost' plan had backfired spectacularly. It had been one screw-up after the other. The TNT never went off. I had been running away from cultists. I don't think I even killed one of them. They shot me, my ankle broke, I fell off the mountain… I fell off the mountain?

Looking up to verify, I saw the towering mass that was Mt. Mur. I was near the base, even though the outpost had been at cloud level. How had I gotten down when the fall should have killed me?

As I readjusted myself against the tree, I felt the cool trickle of water flow against my broken ankle. It felt soothing, and it reminded me of what I had done seconds after falling off the cliff.

I had placed water. It cushioned that first fall and continued to flow down, carrying me with it. My head must have struck the cliff, but I had miraculously flowed down to safety.

I glanced down at my black-dyed leather armor. Maybe it too had a part in sparing me damage. Those cultists had shot a lot of arrows into me, after all—

The cultists! I realized with a start, glancing around the woods. They could have followed me…

My clock told me it was noon. Which meant I had been knocked out for half the day. The cultists would have had no trouble following the flowing water right to me. So why didn't they?

All the same, it probably wasn't safe to stay where I was. My head already felt back to normal—

Brain: Did anyone get the number of that cliff that hit us?

—mostly normal, but my ankle still hurt to put pressure on. It was the first time I had ever broken a bone. Would it… would it ever heal properly? Was there a Potion of Bone Mending I needed? I could only hope that it would heal when my Health Meter reached full.

Still, it wouldn't help to be so close to the water that carried me down. I needed a better hiding spot.

While I couldn't stand on my ankle, I found that I was able to crawl with great difficulty. I dragged myself away from the flowing water and into a large bundle of trees growing close together, with low leaves. They formed a sort of cage, but there was enough foliage to conceal me.

As I dragged myself to it, I heard a soft rustling coming from the left. My eyes darted to the side, but didn't immediately pick up on anything.

Then, from between two tall oaks, I spotted a pair of bright orange eyes peeking at me. They seemed to glow in the shade of the two oaks. They blinked at me, before vanishing in another soft rustle of leaves.

"Hello?" I called out hesitantly, stopped my crawling. "Is… is someone there? Can you help me?"

But there was no reply. There was no more rustling either. The woods became silent once more.

"…I think I have a concussion." I reasoned, clutching my head again. "Either that or I'm seeing things… or someone's spying on me." I continued my crawl towards the trees, nestling myself in the center so that I was obscured from view. My eyes strayed back to the twin oaks where I had seen those eyes.

…Maybe it was a Mob…

A minute or two of silence passed before I heard several loud splashes coming from the base of the mountain.

Peering through gaps in the leaves, I spotted seven cultists, all armed to the teeth and surrounding the area where the water flowed. One of them bent low to examine something while the others talked.

"Gone! He got away, that little Creeper-faced—"

"You can hardly blame him." Another one commented. "Would you wait here to get hunted down?"

"I still say it was a female." A female cultist piped up, causing her fellows to roll their eyes. "What? It could have been!"

"Oh, please. People heard him grunt in pain. In a masculine voice."

"Puberty acts in mysterious ways." The female cultist defended. "I've heard of men with high-pitched voices. Why can't the reverse be true?"

"Okay, but what about his chest? He was flat as a pancake!"

"Could have been an A-Cup."

"Oh, brother. Can we just focus on finding him or her before 4Blite gets back."

That name made me tense up. 4Blite was that Lieutenant from the wanted posters. His bounty spoke of how dangerous he was.

"We also gotta find that other mystery intruder." A different cultist chimed in. "He was wearing Franky's Head… poor guy."

Another intruder? I thought to myself. Had someone else invaded the outpost at the same time as me? That seems really unlikely…

"He's in a better place." The female cultist comforted before turning her attention to the ground. "Hey, look at this."

The other cultists gathered around her and I had to lean forward to see what they were pointing at. When they lifted it up, I felt my heart drop.

It was my Creeper mask. I forgot to pick it back up after taking it off.

"Looks like our mystery Creeper-man was here." One of the cultists commented grimly, his eyes already roving across the forest to find me. I remained frozen; worried I'd make a noticeable sound. "The rest of his gear isn't strewn about, so I can only assume he survived the fall."

"A shame." Another cultist commented, raising a menacing iron blade. "It would have been painless for him had he just let death take him."

While I was busy trying to keep my shit together, my Health was ticking back up. It was nearly full, and my ankle already felt loads better. I just had to wait for the cultists to pass, and then I could sneak away—

"Hey, maybe we should check that bundle of trees over there."

Damnit! I internally cursed as one of them pointed at the very bundle of trees I was hiding amongst. No. Don't check over here. There's nothing to see.

"He could be anywhere in these woods, Daton." The female reasoned. "What makes you think he or she is in those trees?"

Yes! Listen to her. She's talking sense.

"I just have this feeling…" The man named Daton continued. "Like we're being watched or something."

That's a stupid reason to go checking trees! Go away!

"Also… I think I see a boot poking out from under there."

My eyes widened and I looked down to see that the toe of my boot was in fact poking out from amongst the foliage. I quickly pulled it back in, but it was too late. The damage was already done.

At once, the cultists armed themselves and advanced slowly on the bundle of trees, surrounding it in a half-circle. I had mere moments to act before they trapped me. But my Health wasn't full yet.

Desperate for time, I did the only thing I could think of.

"Halt mortals!" I boomed in my most commanding voice, which, amazingly, caused the cultists to stop dead in their tracks.

"Who dares disturb the slumber of the Vegetable King!?" I called out, mentally shrugging at the absurdity of it all.

The cultists looked at each other, perplexed, before turning their attention back to the trees. "Are you serious right now?"

"For eons my kind has lived in this forest!" I continued, watching as my Health was half-a-Heart to full. "And yet you meat bags traipse around, cutting my brethren down, and feasting upon them!"

"Trees aren't even vegetables." The female cultist spoke flatly.

"Are too!"

"Really, they're not."

"Insolent meat bag! Bring me a virgin sacrifice to appease me!"

"Are… are we sure this is the same guy that broke into our outpost?" Another cultist asked. "And not just some crazy tree person?"

"Oh, yeah, I saw that guy! The one with the Creeper-mask, right?" I called out in the same booming voice. "Real handsome guy. And likeable. You totally shouldn't kill him!"

"Well if the Vegetable King says we shouldn't," a cultist droned sarcastically, "then we'd better—get him!"

At once, the cultists raised their weapons and leapt forward, cutting away at the foliage and trees that concealed me.

"No! Do not anger the Vegetable King!" I cried out desperately while nestling myself further into the trees. "The King's flaming fury will be the end of you!" I raised my flint and steel and began setting fire to the leaves in front of me. They quickly spread, causing confusion and panic amongst the cultists. While they backed off, I slipped out the back and took off running into the woods.

"After him!" A voice cried out behind before two arrows lodged themselves in trees inches from where my head would have been. I rushed past them, hurrying deeper into the woods.

Which way is Ringwood!? I internally screamed as I whipped out Brett's map and tried to track my white blip. I was running East with Mt. Mur on my right. I needed to turn left, but the cultists looked to be fanning out in that direction.

They were keeping me penned against the mountain.

[Cara]

I ran at a sprint, reaching the Granger Barn in no time. I passed a few Silver Intent members mulling about, but it was Brett's home that I was running to. Cobb's safety was on the line.

"Cara?" The gruff voice of Soul caught my ear as I rushed past. "Hey, Cara, wait. I said wait!"

But I didn't wait. I didn't want to hear Soul insult me for my incompetence as a leader. I didn't want to hear him blame me for Floyd and Void's deaths. I was busy trying to save a life.

I burst through Brett's front door to see the silver-haired man mulling over a map. At my arrival, he quickly stowed it away and glanced at me calmly. "Cara? Is there something I can help you with?"

"As a matter of fact, there is." I marched inside, controlling the hatred I felt for the man who disregarded Floyd and Void's deaths. "I need the locations of nearby Endward Cult outposts and bases. Anything you have."

"My my, how unexpected." Brett drawled as he crossed his room to stand before me. "And what do you plan to do with this information?"

"That doesn't matter right now. Do you have the information or not?"

"Oh, I probably have it lying around somewhere," he commented off-handedly, "though I seem to remember you specifically resigning from leading missions." He tapped his chin in mock consideration. "Could it be you've had a change of heart? Because only a leader can be given this kind of info—"

"Fine!" I shouted angrily. "I'll lead! Whatever! Just give me the information! Cobb's life is on the line!"

Brett smiled before nodding. "That's all I needed to here. I'm glad you've come to see how important your leadership responsibilities are." I clenched my fists in frustration. He was wasting time! "Oh, but what is this I hear about Cobb's life?"

It was then that Soul entered the room, lured by all my shouting. "Cobb's missing and I think he intends on blowing up an Endward Cult base. He wants revenge for Floyd. Has he been here at all?" Soul made an involuntary movement out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored it.

"Why would he show up here?" Brett asked carefully.

"He kept telling Wynn and his friends that he was coming here to see if Floyd came back." I explained in a tumble of words. "I'm just checking everywhere he might have been, since we're currently clueless."

"Well I assure you, Cara," Brett spoke clearly, "Cobb has not visited here to my knowledge."

I hadn't expected him to have seen him and I was already opening my mouth to demand the outpost locations when a voice spoke behind me.

"You're lying."

I turned on the spot to see Soul's face knitted into a scowl. He had spoken those words and he was looking straight at Brett, who had gone chalk white.

"Whatever do you mean, Soul?" Brett asked calmly. "I speak the truth. Cobb hasn't—"

"I saw Cobb leave the barn two nights ago." Soul continued gruffly, causing Brett's face to go paler still. "From my house's window, I saw him leave in a hurry… and then I saw some other guy in a checkered hoodie enter the barn. Only I didn't see him come back out."

Brett glanced away at a loss for words.

And in the absence of words, I was free to glare at him. "What did you talk with Cobb about?" I growled, not caring about any checkered hoodie guy. "And why did you feel the need to lie about it?"

Brett fidgeted on the spot, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Cobb had me swear not to tell anyone what he was doing. He didn't want any of you to get in the way."

"Get in the way of what? His death!?" I marched forward, getting right up into Brett's face.

"He won't die." Brett argued back. "Do you have any idea what that Crafter has done? He killed a Hacker. A Hacker! Surely an outpost full of cultists will be no match for—"

"He's really going after an outpost?" Soul asked, sounding both shocked and impressed. "He'd… go that far for Floyd?"

"Of course he would." Brett dismissed with a shake of his head. "He is a brave Crafter who would go to any lengths when it came to avenging his fallen friend. It's admirable."

"And I'm sure you were all too happy to let him kill himself trying to take out an outpost." I spat in disgust towards the silver-haired man. I knew his manipulative nature. He didn't care whether Cobb lived or died. "Which outpost did you send him to?" I demanded before he could say anything.

"I… why would you need to know?" He countered a bit defensively.

"So I can make sure he doesn't get himself killed!"

"Oh, how mature." Brett spoke sarcastically. "After all this time, now you feel like saving lives?"

I stumbled back as if slapped.

Brett pounced on my moment of weakness. "You've had plenty of time to save lives, but you didn't in order to gain more information against our enemies. And now you expect any of us to believe you would selflessly throw yourself into harm's way just to save a single Crafter. One that doesn't even need saving, mind you."

His words cut deep into me, playing on my fears and guilt.

"You think Cobb wants to see you at all? He despises you. He's in this current situation only because you failed to bring back his friend. And you think if he's in trouble, that you, the woman who caused it all, arriving would somehow benefit him? Ha! If anything, you rushing in to save him will cause more pain!"

"I know that!" I cried out, even while Soul reached a hand to my shoulder. I shrugged it off though. "I know I made a mistake! But… even though facing Cobb will cause more pain, not doing anything will be an even bigger mistake. One I'll forever regret. Especially if he dies—Floyd would never forgive me!"

I breathed heavily in great pants while glaring at the silver-haired man. He fixed me with his impassive eyes, and just when I thought he's call me a fool, he tossed me the map he had been poring over.

"Cobb has a copy of that map." Brett muttered as he turned away from us. "He went for the outpost on Mt. Mur, but his blip is moving east. I still say the Hacker-slayer can handle a couple hundred cultists, but if you really want to check on him, be my guest."

True to his words for once, the map did show a blip hurrying along to the east. That meant Cobb was still alive… or that someone else had his map.

No! He had to be alive. I didn't bother saying anything more to Brett as I turned and left his home. However, I did stop to address Soul.

"Cara, I…"

"No. Let me talk first, and then you can insult me." I stopped him, wanting to speak. "I… I can imagine that you hate me much like Cobb does. And if you don't then you should. I was a fool to value cultist information more than your lives—"

"We all knew the risks, Cara." Soul spoke softly, grabbing me by my shoulders. "Void and Floyd… they weren't there because they thought it would be a safe, cushy mission. We were all prepared for the worst. I still am."

"Even so," I continued, "it shouldn't have been the worst. I had the power to get everyone back alive. I made so many mistakes on my first mission." My eyes were misting over, but I stayed strong. "I know I haven't given you much reason to trust my leadership skills, but… but if you would allow me another chance to lead… I… I promise that everyone will come back alive."

Soul fixed his crimson eyes onto my own. "We're going to get Cobb back, right?"

I nodded.

"Then lead on." Soul gestured forward and it was the unconditional faith in his tone which caused the smile that spread across my face. He truly believed in my leadership, despite my faults. I threw my arms around the axe-wielder, causing him to go rigid for a second before he returned it awkwardly. His arms were strong, yet gentle, enveloping me in a warm hug. One that easily comforted me.

Once we released each other, we packed up our gear and I fired Wynn's fireworks into the sky. At the same time, I saw a green firework shoot up near the Northern District. But we didn't have time to check it out. Cobb's blip on the map was still moving steadily east, as if he was running from something.

So, with a quick word to a Silver Intent member about relaying Cobb's location to Wynn when she arrived, Soul and I rushed to the Eastern District's toll gate, intending on bringing the fisherman back alive.

[Endward Cult Outpost]

4Blite was furious upon his arrival to one of the most well-fortified Endward Cult outposts of the Northern Division. Because, as he came to understand, 'heavily fortified' did not mean 'a porous, sorry-excuse for a base that had been infiltrated.' Naturally, he was quite mad.

A cultist screamed in terror as 4Blite's diamond axe cut him down. The two remaining cultists cowered in fear, wondering which of them would be next to face the Lieutenant's fury.

"A week." He spoke coldly, pacing back and forth. "I leave for a week to further my plan, and what do I come back to?" He swung his axe so that it stuck into the wooden table. "An outpost on high alert. Talks of an intruder. A spy? What is the meaning of this?"

"…Lieutenant 4Blite, sir, w-we…" The smaller cultist gulped fearfully. "It… it was nothing major—"

"Nothing major?"

"No—what I mean to say is… wait, please! AUGH!" The cultist grunted in pain as the diamond axe cleaved across his stomach, tearing off a good portion of Health.

"Security here is everything!" He hissed. "Everything. If Ember ever got wind of this… I've had to work hard these past months to gain her trust. To prove myself to the cult. And you incompetent buffoons jeopardize my hard work by letting an intruder strut within these walls? And why hasn't he been apprehended? Where is his disembodied Head?"

"Please sir, we sent cultists after him." The other one spoke up while his fellow recovered. "We would have sent them sooner, but we had to call them back to deal with the second intruder—Oops."

As soon as he said those words, he knew he had slipped up. 4Blite rounded on him, his eyes like chips of ice. "Two intruders? You let two intruders into this outpost?"

But 4Blite didn't wait for an answer before he crushed the cultist beneath his axe. He died in a shower of gear, causing the remaining one to cower twice over.

"Who were they?" 4Blite asked coldly while picking up the Heads of those that brought him the bad news.

"Uh… ah… one of them wore a Creeper mask and black leather. Th-the other one wore the Head of one of our own… Franky… but we did notice him wearing a checkered hoodie."

"Tch. That could be anyone." 4Blite began to pace again, his diamond axe held at his side, ready to claim another life. "What concerns me most is what they may have learned during their visit."

"S-Sir?"

4Blite turned his attention to the small cultist. "Did they go into the Map Room? Did they see my plans laid out? Do they know what we have planned for Ringwood?" His voice rose as he yearned to know the truth.

"I-in all likelihood, sir," the cultist trembled, "th-they may have seen your plans."

4Blite cursed to himself, but he did not strike down the last cultist. He needed him to relay his message to the rest of the outpost.

"If they know our plans… then we have no choice but to act." He nodded to himself. "Ringwood won't have time to respond, but only if we act now. Spread the word that Phase Two is commencing today." 4Blite commanded coldly to which the shaking cultist nodded before hurrying out of the room.

Alone, 4Blite ran his fingers along the edge of his diamond axe. "I will not be outdone by that woman again. By the end of today, I'll be Ember's favored Lieutenant. Not her."

[Cobb]

"People actually run in their spare time!?" I panted as arrows whizzed past my head. "What are they, masochists!?"

I weaved between trees as the cultists continued to chase me. An arrow nicked my leg before I slid behind a cluster of trees and hastily placed a few blocks of TNT before lighting them. I heard the approaching footsteps and darted out to the left, causing the cultists to point and shout towards me.

I looked behind just in time to see one of the cultists get a little too close to my TNT when it went off. His gear scattered across the forest floor, shocking his companions momentarily before they continued tracking me like bloodhounds. Their black leather caps darted through the trees and arrows kept finding me whenever I paused to take a breath.

Why did I do this on my own!? I internally cursed as an arrow caught me in the hip. I withdrew my golden sword and hid behind a tree, listening carefully for any sign of movement.

There was a faint rustle getting closer and closer, and I carefully peeked my head out to get an idea of where they were coming from.

Just as the cultist passed the tree, I swung at him, earning a satisfying slash across his torso. He cried out, but was able to block my next strike on his own sword. It was all the time he needed for one of the other pursuing cultists to fire an arrow at me.

I leapt back to dodge it, only to receive a hard shoulder to the back. I was sent tumbling to the side where I recovered by latching onto a set of trees before propping myself up. I was rewarded with a face-full of splash potion that demolished four of my Hearts, followed by a heavy slash across my torso that obliterated my leather tunic.

So much for Unbreaking…

Through slightly burning eyes, I watched as the six cultists advanced. I tried to back up, only to bump up against the rocky cliff of Mt. Mur. So they had been corralling me towards it.

The cultists had triumphant looks on their faces now. They knew I was trapped with nowhere to go. All I had for armor were the leather pants and boots, and what could they possibly do when I was outnumbered?

It was as Bitters had warned me. I was useless on my own. And every step of my quest to avenge Floyd had made that painfully obvious.

There was only one thing left to do.

I reached back to grab what little TNT I had left. If I lured all the cultists in close, I could detonate it all at once. Maybe tackle a few of them to keep them from running away. I would die like a Creeper, but it was a hell of a lot better than waiting for them to kill me.

However, my hand stilled upon reaching my backpack. For in the trees, just above the cultists, were those same bright orange eyes I had seen before.

They regarded me curiously, tilting slightly, before blinking and vanishing from sight. The next moment, an orange and black clad figure descended from the foliage and landed with a crash on two of the cultists before rolling to her feet and rushing towards me.

I immediately panicked, taking a step back from what could only be described as a ninja. She wore a skintight black jumpsuit with orange designs, her mouth was covered by some kind of face mask, and her hair was the same bright orange as her eyes. I barely registered the name hovering over her head—Creation's_Spark—before she grabbed the hand trying to pull out TNT and held it there.

While the cultists raised their weapons and helped out their prone fellows, the ninja girl slipped behind me and grabbed hold of my leather pants before yanking down.

I let out a startled 'eep' and covered my crotch despite the fact I had my jeans on underneath. Creation's_Spark ignored my cries as she proceeded to take off my dyed leather boots as well. When all my armor was gone, she grabbed my arm and pulled me close to her before withdrawing a light gray splash potion.

"Stop them!" One of the cultists called out in alarm, apparently knowing what potion the ninja was using.

The ninja held it aloft long enough to turn to me and press a finger to the face mask where her lips would have been in a shushing motion before she threw it at our feet.

I let out an involuntary gasp as my arms, legs, torso, and other body parts vanished without a trace. Creation's_Spark disappeared in much the same way, though I felt her hand gripping mine with a vice-like tightness. An odd sensation overcame me. My body felt pleasantly cool and relaxed, despite the cultists desperately searching for us.

"Find them!" One of them exclaimed, narrowing his eyes to see better while also spreading his hands out before him. Much like a blind man groping in the darkness for something to touch. The other cultists did the same, waving their swords where we once were standing.

But we weren't standing there anymore. I felt the ninja pull me along, keeping her hold on me as we weaved between the frantic cultists and back into the safety of the woods. Remembering what she had told me, I kept quiet. And while I didn't know who she was or why she was helping me, I wasn't one to look a gift ninja in the mouth. It was clear that she didn't want to see me get killed by a bunch of cultists. And that was enough for me.

As we left the cultists, I heard one of them utter one last shout. "4Blite will kill us if we don't find them! Keep looking!"

After several minutes of silent walking, I felt Creation's_Spark stop. From out of nowhere, a bucket of milk materialized before me and tipped over. I heard a gulping sound before the ninja slowly reappeared in front of me. She smiled before raising her mask back up and handing me a separate milk bucket.

I raised my eyebrow at it before remembering that milk cured any potion effect. I took it into my hands and gulped it down, returning her the bucket while the Invisibility effect and sensation left me.

And there we were. The two of us standing in the middle of the woods.

"Uh… thanks a lot." I nodded while scratching my head sheepishly. "If you hadn't have helped me back there—Oh."

She was handing me back my leather pants and boots along with a quickly written book. Bemusedly I accepted the tome and flipped it open to the first page.

[HELLO! MY NAME IS CREATION'S_SPARK. BUT MOST PEOPLE CALL ME SPARK.]

I looked up to her with another raised eyebrow. She smiled with her eyes and waved lightly before making a 'turn the page' motion with her hands. I complied and read aloud:

[SORRY I PANTSED YOU.]

[;P]

Inventory (Cobb): 1 Stone Pickaxe, 1 Golden Sword [Sharpness I, Unbreaking I]{Weak}, 1 Golden Shovel [Silk Touch I, Unbreaking III], 1 Flint and Steel {Weak}, 15 Cobblestone, 12 Flint, 12 Torches, 5 Coal, 2 Oak Wood Planks, 2 Sticks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Oak Wood Door, 1 Clock, 43 Dirt, 1 Bucket, 4 String, 6 TNT, 2 Pumpkin Pies, 21 Steak, 39 Cooked Mutton, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Unbreaking I], Iron Leggings {Weak}, Iron Boots, 1 Leather Pants [Dyed Black, Unbreaking I], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Black, Protection I], 9 Rotten Flesh, 63 Emeralds, 1 Map {Ringwood Region}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}

[EXP: 19]

Inventory (Lenz): 1 Bow {Weak}, 1 Shears, 3 Levers, 4 Wooden Buttons, 3 Stone Buttons, 5 Redstone Torches, 18 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 36 Redstone, 64 TNT, 64 TNT, 3 Firework Rockets {Flight Duration: 3, Burst, Green, Twinkle}, 1 Hopper, 1 Dispenser, 3 Blocks of Redstone, 5 Pistons, 10 Cobblestone, 10 Torches, 5 Sticks, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 12 String, 25 Gunpowder, 27 Steak, 8 Cooked Mutton, 64 Arrows, 1 Potion of Night Vision {8:00}, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Pumpkin, 64 Emeralds, 14 Emeralds, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}

[EXP: 5]

AN: Hello, Spark. The first viewer OC ever introduced. How's it hanging?

This Chapter had so much going on as everyone worked together to find out just what Cobb was up to. I think my favorite part of this Chapter was Wynn's talk with Cara... and then Wynn's subsequent 'furious with Cobb' moment. Poor Lenz, having to deal with an enraged Wynn_Whispers is like handling an enraged sabre-tooth tiger. The two share sabres in common.

But so many characters are moving about and growing. Cobb, Wynn, Cara, Erin, Soul, Lenz, Brett, Spark, 4Blite. But what is it all leading up to? Well, you'll have to stay tuned to see.

Hopefully I'll be able to publish on a weekly schedule now that it's summer. To make up for the three week wait, I tried to make the Chapters longer, but I don't think that was working out quite as well.

Hope you're all looking forward to enjoying your summer. I'm... not actually sure what the age demographic is for this. Hmm. I can't exactly survey it because that seems like a personal question. Whatever. It's a decent story whether you enjoy Minecraft or not. Unlike that other story with the sparkling vampires. Bleh.