AN: Shorter Author's Notes are good. It's not Wednesday, but neither was last week's publish day. So at least I'm consistent in not being consistent.

I'm thankful AxeHelix has the time to Beta these.

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

Beta: AxeHelix

Chapter 82

The World

[Cobb]

"…And that's pretty much everything that happened on my end for the past few weeks. Any questions?"

"Yeah." Floyd's eyebrow twitched. "Only about seven thousand! I can't even remember everything you just told me!" He clutched his head like it was about to burst from information overload.

"I can repeat it from the top if you want…?"

"No! No, no. I just…" He sighed. "I can't believe so much happened to you in such a short amount of time."

Brain: I know, right? It's like he's the protagonist of some shitty story.

"Okay, okay." Floyd closed his eyes and nodded to himself. "I think I have all my questions sorted and ordered, from greatest to least levels of importance."

"Okay, so what's first?"

"…Wynn really asked you if she looked like a lesbian?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You really think that's the most important thing I've recounted?"

He nodded.

"Well good, because it was pretty shocking. And awkward." I then proceeded to launch into the finer details of the event

The two of us were chatting while fixing a badly exploded street with cobblestone. We would've swapped stories at a bar or restaurant, but that would've been tricky.

Since, well, everything was shut down.

To focus attention on relief efforts, every business aside from Inns was shut down and the freed up workers were dispatched to the damaged districts to either A.) Breed cats, B.) Herd the Creepers outside of Ringwood using said cats, C.) Rescue trapped or injured Crafters throughout the Kingdom, or D.) Repair the buildings, roads, and walls blasted apart by the worst Mob Crisis since the Tragedy of Nitebane. (Floyd had filled me in on that tragedy after I overheard some Crafters bringing it up.)

We were all doing our part. Floyd and I had volunteered for rebuilding so we could get a chance to talk. Soul and Cara were helping to push Creepers out of the Eastern District along with the other Silver Intent members. (I guess they didn't want their Headquarters surrounded by Creepers.) Lenz was… actually I had no idea where he was. I thought he went into the outhouse, but he was in there a long time. Erin was helping to breed cats, apparently finding them to be the second most adorable thing she's ever seen. When I asked her what the first most adorable thing was she went real quiet and red-faced. Touchy subject, I guess.

Wynn, Iron_Lung, and all the guards had been split between rescue duty and Creeper herding duty. Their job was probably the hardest since, according to Lenz and his pie chart, the Creepers had occupied a maximum of twenty-five percent of Ringwood at a time. Half of the Eastern District, half of the Western District, and a small sliver of the Southern District. The Northern District went untouched.

Even though that sounded bad, it had its own form of silver lining. While the Creepers had breached the wall on three fronts, most Crafters had enough common sense to run away like hell, which limited a lot of chances for the Mobs to blow up.

The crops in the Eastern District were trampled upon, scattering vegetables everywhere, but the farmland was still intact. Farmers just needed to re-plow the land and plant new crops. They would do so as soon as the Creepers were pushed out.

That was what Wynn told me, anyway.

The Western District… fared pretty badly. It was already run-down, so it was hard to tell where the neglected structures ended and the Creeper explosions began, but the damage was still there. A lot of gear was found in dead-ends and back-alleys, where the Crafters had nowhere to run to escape the suicidal Mobs.

Wynn didn't want to tell me that. I overheard it from Liam and Spencer.

The Southern District was the quickest to respond. Thanks to the command of a certain ivory-haired Captain they were able to block the Creeper explosions using their swords and form a series of lava-filled trenches to dispose of the Mobs. I was so proud of her.

As quick as they were, however, a lot of the buildings closest to the southern toll gates were a wreck. In fact, they were the ones we were currently fixing up.

So, all in all, the inside of Ringwood was badly damaged, but mostly okay.

As for the outside…

It was still on fire.

How 'on fire' you ask?

Well, we were working at night without any torches or lamps, yet we could still see perfectly thanks to the orange glow coming from the other side of an 80-foot high wall.

So… yeah. That 'on fire'.

Buuuut… it was going to rain soon!

…Probably. The rain-dancers thought so.

…

Nope! It wasn't even my problem!

I had told Soul not to dangerously light fires, but he had convinced me to go along with it by lifting me like a sack of potatoes and carrying me while I did it—okay, so maybe it was my problem. But what was I supposed to do!? There were cultists everywhere and they would've just impeded us. That or attack Ringwood in all the confusion.

Even now, the fire was spreading, burning through tree after tree. It was good because it acted as a trash bin for all the Creepers getting pushed out of the Kingdom. It was bad because Ringwood, believe it or not, had a booming lumber industry. Who knew?

In short, their lumber industry wasn't so booming, BUT they had a way to get rid of all the Creepers. You win some, you lose some.

Soul had stepped forward to take full responsibility for the fire (even though it had been Cara's plan at first) and had stood before Wynn with the courage of a man who had no idea what a rapier to the balls felt like. Wynn, however, in a rare show of leniency, spared him. She agreed that, given the circumstances, burning the forest had been the best move for both eliminating the Creepers and limiting the cultists' movements. He would have received jail time nonetheless, since burning down forests was a serious offence, but Wynn covered for him with the council by claiming the Endward Cult had started the fires to further harm the Kingdom. She even asked Solara to keep quiet about seeing us crossing the gaggle with our swathe of flames; all to maintain our story.

It wasn't like piling blame on the Endward Cult mattered. At this point, I doubted there was a single citizen in Ringwood who didn't hate the black-capped killers. Businesses were shut down, Crafters were dead. And what confused me the most was what the cultists were even trying to accomplish. I still had no idea about their motives or goals, and everyone I asked could only answer, with no lack of venom, that the Endward Cult's goal was to kill every Crafter in Minecraftia.

To me, that just made no sense. Weren't they themselves Crafters? Were they intending on killing themselves in the end after everyone else? Why would anyone support such a crazy goal?

Bladder: Cultist bad. What else do we need to know?

How about why they're bad?

Brain: I get what you're saying. But the only one who could really tell us about them is… well… them.

…Yeah, that's not going to happen.

Considering Floyd's and my track record with cultists, talking with them probably wasn't the sanest option. That 4Blite guy had been trouble enough. I still couldn't forget his last chilling words…

'Your time will come, as will Ringwood's, very soon.'

That suggested that not only were they not discouraged by their Creeper plan failing, but they were also determined to try again. What would they throw at Ringwood next? What could they throw at Ringwood next?

And what had 4Blite been trying to ask me about?

'The Founder! You know where he is! You must!'

'You know where he is! You were the last thing he warned us about! You must! Know! Something!'

He could've killed me… but he didn't. Because he thought I knew something. Something about a Founder…?

It was at this time I finished recounting about the Wynn lesbian incident. I looked up from placing gravel in a broken road to look at my blue-haired friend. "Hey, Floyd."

"Hmm?"

"Did the Silver Intent ever mention the Endward Cult having a Founder? Like, who was the guy who started it all?"

"Not sure why you want to know that. They're killers, no matter who founded them." He thought to himself for a bit. "Well… Nitebane was the cult's birthplace, and apparently the cult's Founder was the one who released a killer Mob on that Kingdom." He rubbed his chin. "I haven't heard a name though. If you really want to know, I can ask Brett for you."

"That would help, thanks." I smiled. The sooner I got a name for the guy, the sooner I could figure out why 4Blite would think I knew him. Maybe I did. Though 4Blite only mentioned anything when he recognized me as the billionth Crafter. What was the story there?

"So…" Floyd began, thinking up more questions for my recount of events. "Halstatt, huh? I actually passed that place on my way back here. They were spreading rumors about the 'Legend of the Billionth,' but I couldn't believe that was you. So it's true then?"

I nodded proudly. "Every word."

"You mean you actually rode down from the heavens on a silver dragon of thunder and lightning—?"

"Okay, that part didn't happen." I amended.

Heart: Talk about embellishing…

Brain: I don't know what you're talking about, that's how I remember it happening.

"Here are the basic facts: Lenz made a massive army-sized trap, killed off most of the army, their leader turned out to be a Hacker, I killed that Hacker, and the rest of the army fled upon seeing their leader dead… hey, that rhymed."

"So… a Hacker, huh?" Floyd asked hesitantly. He was pointedly focusing on the cobblestone instead of me. "How, uh, how was he?"

"…How was he? What do you mean?"

"I—Nothing!" He accidentally dropped the cobblestone before scooping down to pick it up. "I mean… I saw a Hacker in Nitebane and…" He trailed off, unsure of where he was taking the conversation.

That made two of us. "Well, he was a total asshole!" I spoke unashamed. "He gathered an army of Griefers just to intimidate Daymonte into giving him what he wanted. A lot of villages were destroyed because of him. Testificates were taken and Crafters were slain. And he nearly killed Wynn! I won't miss that Alec_Bishop bastard one bit. And according to Wynn, ALL Hackers are like that! Stealing from people and abusing their powers. Jerks, the lot of them."

For some reason, my answer seemed to make Floyd more nervous. "So… you hate Hackers?"

I huffed in affirmation. "Definitely. If I ever see one of them abusing their powers, I won't just stand around and do nothing. I'd Creeper Flail the hell out of them—OH!"

Floyd looked startled at my sudden exclamation. "What? What's wrong?"

"I forgot to pick up my—crap, everything's shut down though!" I slapped a hand to my forehead. "That enchanting guy better have my order ready. I already paid him in advance!"

"Paid who for what… what?" Floyd asked confused before I hastily finished the road and prepared to leave. "Wait, where are you going? We have a road to finish!"

"I know, I know!" I hastily apologized. "Cover for me for a few minutes I just got to check if my order is ready. I'll be back I promise."

"But—"

"Thanks, Floyd!" I cut him off before running towards the 'Falcone the Enchanterer' store. Hopefully, it would still be open.

And I could get my special weapon!

[Soul]

"And that's about the gist of it." Cara spoke to the silver-haired leader of the Silver Intent. It was clear by her clipped tone that she still felt resentment towards him over what he had said to her. She was only willing to put up with Brett, however, because the Endward Cult was a far bigger problem on their plate.

We had just finished herding Creepers for the day. The three of us were in the Silver Intent Headquarters beneath the Granger Barn, going over everything that had happened during the herd crisis. Cobb. 4Blite. Floyd. Everything.

"So the cult herded Creepers to our front door." Brett mulled over to himself. "As cruel as they are clever. The lengths they'd go to in order to see us fall…" Brett steepled his hands and leaned his chin upon them. "I cannot help but admire their tenacity."

"Forgive me if I don't feel the same." Cara spoke coldly.

"Temper, temper, Cara." Brett waved his hand with a charming smile. "A leader should be more composed, wouldn't you say?"

Cara took an aggressive step towards Brett, but I pulled her back shaking my head that he wasn't worth it. After locking gazes with me, Cara took a deep breath and calmed down. Being aggressive and unreasonable was my thing, not hers.

"Don't mistake my words of respect for words of praise." Brett continued, ignoring Cara's almost-attack-moment. "The cult's actions have severely shaken this Kingdom to its core. I abhor them for this, but I cannot deny their ingenuity in such moments, no more than I can begrudge an opponent a clever move in a game of chess. It is by respecting these moves, and your opponent, that one can avoid underestimating them in the future. Remember that." He spoke the last part to Cara, but she only answered with narrowed eyes. "What worries me, however, is the cult's remarkable response time to all this."

I twitched. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" He slapped down a map on the desk before him. "I sent some Silver Intent members to perform recon on the outpost—"

"You same outpost you sent Cobb to die for?" Cara interjected.

"I'd like to point out that Cobb survived, as I said he would." Brett answered without missing a beat. "Furthermore, Floyd returned alive. So I don't understand why you still detest me so." Brett stared back into Cara's glare before continuing. "As I was saying, I sent a small group to the outpost for recon purposes. Imagine my surprise when they returned to inform me that the place was empty."

"What!?" I shouted, to which Brett nodded solemnly.

"Cleaned out. Completely abandoned. Whatever documents and information the cultists couldn't take was burned and destroyed. They must have vacated it, knowing that Ringwood or another group would retaliate after the Creeper herd failed to kill us." He shuffled through some books in his backpack. "The guys I sent there, however, reported finding a broken Nether Portal in a large room in the center of the outpost."

Cara frowned, rubbing her chin in thought. "That would explain how they escaped so quickly. They used the Nether… but if it was located in a central room…" She trailed off before looking back to Brett. "Did the room have many exits?"

He nodded, causing Cara to think to herself again.

"A room with multiple exits in the center of the compound… that would make it the easiest room to evacuate to. Perfect for emergencies and quick escapes… but also as a mode of transportation." She let out a gasp. "You don't think… through the Nether…?"

"My thoughts exactly." Brett smiled, pleased that Cara was catching on to something I couldn't really follow. "From what we know, the cult has or had Divisions near Ringwood, Zeppil, and Oak Docks. North, South, East, and West. Their bases are in the corners of Minecraftia… and yet they have no trouble staying connected.

"It's just a theory at the moment and we'd need evidence to back it up, but the credibility is high enough to assume that the Endward Cult is able to stay connected through Nether Portals."

"Nether Portals…?" I asked, only remembering vaguely that they were portals to another dimension. A hellish world of fire and lava with rules of its own. "How would that even work?"

"Space in the Nether with relation to Minecraftia is very different." Brett explained. "Moving ten meters in the Nether could be the same as moving thousands of meters in Minecraftia. If the cult connected all of their outposts with Nether Portals, and all those portals connected close to one another in the Nether, they could instantly travel anywhere they wanted. Think of it like a warp gate between hubs in a video game."

That sounded way too convenient. To be able to travel from, say, Ringwood to Oak Docks just by passing through a few portals. But if that was the case…

"How come the Kingdoms don't use that as a mode of transportation?" I asked. "Wouldn't it be better for trade and travel if they had a portal like that in every Kingdom?"

"It would be." Brett nodded. "And it's been attempted, but it never worked out."

"Because…?"

"Because the space in the Nether isn't just different to Minecraftia; it's unpredictable." Cara explained. "A longer distance in Minecraftia could equal a shorter distance in the Nether, but by the same token, a shorter distance in Minecraftia could be a longer distance in the Nether. The space laws relating the two dimensions is still being studied and Crafters still have no idea how to crack it. It's entirely up to chance."

"One time, while I was in the Nether and I lost sight of the entry portal, I had to break the law and make a new one or else get killed by Pigmen." Brett recounted. "The new portal took me to a snowy forest Kingdoms away from where I started."

"Making portals is against the law?" I questioned while internally wondering what Pigmen were and why they would nearly kill Brett.

"Making portals in the Nether is against the law, since you have no idea where they'd end up." Cara filled in. "You could wind up in someone's living room, but the law was enacted mainly because they have a chance of warping you outside of the Border, killing you instantly."

That was a dark thought. You wouldn't even know what happened, either. Just stepping through the wrong portal could kill you. It was at that point I vowed never to go to the Nether.

"But then the cult can't be doing that, right?" I asked instead. "If it's so risky and unpredictable, they wouldn't want to try it, right?"

"Again, it's just a theory." Brett concluded. "We could just be looking too much into it. The portal could have just been a desperate evacuation method. We'll need to investigate other outposts and cult bases to be sure. We still don't know where in Ringwood the Northern Division is hidden."

"Or if it's even in the Kingdom."

"Oh, it's in the Kingdom alright." Brett took out a separate book and slid it across the table. "I got that little book of info from a Captain that owes me some favors. It details that, despite all the strewn gear of slain Crafters, not a single Head was found among them."

Cara frowned as she perused the book. "So you're saying the cultists got to the Heads first? Even in all the confusion, chaos, and Creepers?"

"They could have been invisible, but yes. That's what I'm saying." Brett scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Again, their response time was too quick. They would have needed to be inside the Kingdom to get to those Heads as fast as they did. The Northern Division is definitely in Ringwood. We just need to find out where…"

"They're hardly going to announce to us their hiding spot." Cara rolled her eyes.

"True, but given the latest Creeper attack, hatred for them will spike." Brett reasoned. "Crafters might just go out of their way to inform the guards if they glimpse a black leather cap. The cult will have to be doubly careful to avoid detection."

"That's great and all, but—" I paused when a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in." Brett called out before a small Crafter pushed open the door. "Ah, Takaki. How good it is to see you again." Takaki bowed respectfully, greeting Cara and I in turn before standing before Brett. "What news do you bring?"

"Sir." Takaki began before pulling out a small book and sliding it across the table. "That report details my investigation in an Oceanic Museum robbery near Oak Docks. Witnesses reported seeing a group of Crafters wearing black leather caps fleeing the scene."

"Hmm." Brett flipped through the book, humming to himself at certain parts. "They stole a set of enchanted armor. One suited for deep-sea diving."

"Yes, sir."

"Yet another puzzling theft." Brett mulled over thoughtfully. "First the Looting Sword in Dover Plains. Now this. Only this time no Lieutenants were identified."

"Apologies, sir, but the witnesses claimed none of the cultists stood out as the leader."

"It's quite alright, Sakaki." Brett nodded to the small Crafter before sliding the report into a chest with the others. "Intel is never wasted. Each piece helps to paint a bigger picture for what the cult has planned. Thank you for this."

"If you'll excuse me then, sir," Sakaki bowed, "I only just arrived today. This… Creeper incident has me quite shaken. I must check to see my friends in the Southern District are alright."

"By all means." Brett nodded politely. "Take a few days off. You've earned it after such a long journey. No better time for a vacation than a Bounty Day."

Takaki's shoulders slackened and his mood seemed to lift a little. "That would be nice. Thank you, sir." And with that, the small Crafter turned on his heel and promptly exited the room.

"That was Takaki_Masoya." Brett informed the two of us. "He's been in Oak Docks for a few weeks, keeping an eye out for cultists."

"Was that all the cultist activity he noticed?" I asked skeptically. "One measly theft?"

"As Cara said, they're hardly going to announce their hiding spot." Brett replied coolly. "And I doubt this theft was by any means 'measly'. That armor set had expensive, high-tiered enchantments and was designed for Crafters to easily traverse the ocean floor."

Brett stood up from his seat and walked over to a board containing several signs and a single Wanted Poster of 4Blite. He took out some signs from his backpack and began to write something down. When he was done, he added the signs to the board.

[KNOWN LIEUTENANTS]

[4Blite]

[Teal_Larkspur]

[Leadstripe]

Three Lieutenants. North, East, and West. Before we had only known of 4Blite's identity. But now, the cultists were getting sloppy. They were losing their anonymity; their biggest advantage.

Or… well third biggest advantage if you counted Teal's crazy battle-strength and mysterious blue-leather cap.

But we were slowly learning who they were. Meaning it would be harder for them to avoid detection or walk around in public.

At the same time though, they were only getting sloppy because they were taking bigger chances. Which meant whatever they were trying to achieve was probably worth such risk. High risk, high reward.

We still had no idea who the other three Lieutenants were. Each Division had two, after all… and one Executive.

Glancing further down the board, I couldn't help but notice the 'Executive' portion was a bit empty. They were holding onto their identities with a vice-like grip. All we had up there was a single name—the one Cobb and I had heard 4Blite and Spring_Fever discussing.

[Ember ?]

But Ember who? What did she even look like? The name was so common that I'd spotted a few walking down the street. RemEmber, EmbersOfLove, Ember_Waves, SaffronEmbergress, Ember_ MacDonald… there were too damn many and any of them could have been the cultist! We'd have to be wary of every Ember we met, which was murder on my nerves.

"Slowly, but surely…" Brett nodded to himself, sparing one last glance at the board. "Slowly, but surely…"

Brett folded his arms behind his back and moved to the map of Minecraftia on the back wall. "You two better get back to herding the Creepers." He ordered without turning to look at us. By his tone, it was clear that our 'meeting' was adjourned.

"Gladly." Cara called back disdainfully before exiting. The rift between the two would probably never mend. But it was none of my business.

Whether she was right or wrong, Cara felt that Brett's callous disregard for the Intent members was unbecoming of a leader. Conversely, Brett believed that results and information were worth sacrificing lives for and that trying to have a war where everyone survived was unrealistic.

As for me? I was kind of in the middle.

Although… Cara makes a way better friend than Brett would.

[Cobb]

I finally had it!

I hummed to myself and practically skipped back to Floyd, ready to work the rest of the day with no complaints, because I had it.

Falcone had pulled through on my order. Even with every business shut down and Creepers being rerouted into a fiery death, he had kept his word. I had the weapon of my dreams safely tucked away in my backpack. It would be a game-changer for sure.

I had picked good Enchantments. Seeing how 4Blite used the same Enchantment to toss Soul around, I had a vague idea of how it worked. Even if it wasn't a standard weapon, it had to have some type of effect.

The biggest problem for the weapon was that it worked great at a distance, but only at a distance. If an opponent got too close, I was screwed. Hopefully, that particular Enchantment would help out.

There was just the matter of naming it. I needed to find an anvil and it would cost me some EXP, but a it deserved a name. I was sure there wasn't another weapon like it in all of Minecraftia. Practical and powerful. It just had to have a name! While I had a few ideas, none of them really stood out for me.

Returning to fix the roads, I passed the time talking with my friend. He seemed hesitant to bring up Halstatt again, but had no trouble venturing into the topic of the lab in Daymonte. He was on the edge of his seat hearing about the labyrinth of the Stronghold and the Silverfish and he recoiled in disgust when I told him about the Creeper-woman in vivid detail.

Thinking back, I couldn't believe how easily I had shrugged it off. I mean, yeah, there was a lot going on with looking for Lenz in the End (Floyd was positively spellbound by that part), but that woman looked so… alone.

She was probably there for years with nobody to talk to, forced to live a life devoid of fresh air and sunlight as that… that creature.

And then we show up… only for her to kill herself.

How long had she been waiting just to die like that?

What… was she?

Floyd didn't seem to have any answers. He did, however, admire Herobrine's Advanced Mob-Slaying book. He even pointed out the Mobs that had attacked him. It was an entry I was already familiar with, having read the book multiple times.

[GUARDIAN]

[Description: Sea-green with sharp, retractable orange spikes. With a tail, fins, and gills. Thick scales made up of prismarine shards. Possesses one, large eye with a red pupil. Closest resemblance is that of a puffer fish. The noises they make on land are high-pitched and alien in nature, but I believe it to be a form of sonar or echolocation that sounds differently when traveling through water. Hearing them beneath the water's surface, they sound akin to a ghostly siren, echoing a great distance. Beware. Hearing a symphony of these Guardians' songs can only mean a watery grave.]

[Tips: Guardians are tricky and territorial, with Health exceeding most standard Mobs, about fifteen hearts. They are at home in the water, capable of using their strong tails and fins to propel themselves forwards. They have two methods of attacking. The first involves them extending their orange spikes, much like a pufferfish. While not poisoned, the spikes deal a heart of damage everything they are hit. This attack is mainly used defensively when the Guardian is cornered or when it's out of water, so watch your attacks when the spikes are out.]

[More dangerous than its spikes is its powerful laser. A Guardian will lock onto any Crafter in its sight, and its lone eye will launch a purple beam that will follow a Crafter's every move. Its eye can see through invisibility. When the laser changes from purple to bright yellow, that will be the warning that it is about to fire. Not only does the laser hit you with four-and-a-half hearts worth of damage, but it is strong enough to penetrate through armor to an extent. Only the highest tiered armor would hope to stand a chance against its piercing beam. The laser cannot be dodged, but it can disengage when a Crafter escapes the Guardian's range or finds suitable cover from its gaze.]

[These Mobs keep to the ocean, only spawning above Ocean Monuments. Their spawn rate, however, has progressed to the point that both of Minecraftia's oceans are populated with the aquatic Mobs.]

[In water, they are nigh unstoppable. These Mobs do not suffer the same sluggish movements of a waterlogged Crafter. They can move freely, swimming around a Crafter like bloodthirsty sharks and firing off their powerful laser beams until a Crafter dies. Their scales are resistant to fire. One could never hope to land a hit on them in the open water.]

[So don't.]

[Fight them on the land. Beach them if you're able to and the aquatic Mobs begin to flop around like fish out of water. Their spikes will be fully extended, but it'll be the best time to pounce and do as much damage as you can. They're tough in water, but manageable on land. Just beware the laser they fire at point-blank range.]

[Additionally, since they are pretty much fish, it makes sense that you can catch them just like you would any other fish: with a fishing rod. Snag them hook, line, and sinker and yank them out of the water and onto land. And if you're still wary of the spikes and beams, you can never go wrong with a long-range bow.]

[Weakness: Dry land, fishing rods, bows.]

"Remind me how you survived falling into an ocean full of these things?" I asked the blue-nette, genuinely impressed he was still standing before me. Anyone else would have died from what the book told me.

Floyd could only shrug. "Just lucky, I guess. I mean… I got knocked out." He rubbed his head as if remembering the feeling. "Maybe my boat obstructed me from their view? Maybe my boat was faster than them? I don't know."

I hummed in thought before closing the book and returning it to my backpack. "Well whatever it was, I'm glad you made it back." He returned my smile and we got back to our work.

Ringwood wasn't going to repair itself.

My arms were dead tired by the time we finished. Who knew rebuilding a city involved lifting and carrying blocks?

…

Alright, maybe that was rather obvious.

Anyway, I trudged back to Wynn's mansion with Floyd in tow, hoping Erin had a delicious meal planned for us after a hard day of work.

As we walked up the streets of the Northern District, however, I paused when I noticed Wynn leaning against the outside of her home. She spotted me immediately and pushed off to approach.

Oh, God. What did I do now?

"I see that look." Wynn called out with a sigh. "You're not in any trouble. Though I feel I should be insulted that's all I'd come over to talk to you about."

"Eheheh." I rubbed my head sheepishly. "Force of habit. Did you rescue a lot of Crafters?"

"A few." She replied before her eyes slid over to Floyd. "I'm sorry to ask this, but would you mind—"

"Leaving you two a moment to talk?" Floyd guessed to which she nodded. "That depends. Will you invite me in for dinner?" Wynn nodded stiffly. "Then, go right ahead. I'll be inside." He spared me a cautious glance before stepping past Wynn and into her home.

That left Wynn and I standing on the front lawn.

"It's going to rain later." Wynn commented.

"Hmm?"

"The Testificates said it was going to rain later today." She clarified with a flip of her hair. "It'll take care of the fires at least. Hopefully the Creepers will be burned to a crisp by then and we won't need to start any more."

"Again, it was Soul's fault. Not mine."

"I'm not here to talk about that, though." Wynn sat down upon the lawn and motioned for me to do the same. As weary as I was from the day's work, I practically flopped onto my but, wincing at my bruised tailbone. The grass felt nice though. Erin had done a good job tending to it.

"So what's up?"

Wynn closed her eyes, drumming fingers on her arm while contemplating how to proceed.

"…I guess I wanted to know if you were okay." She began, looking aside.

This threw me completely for a loop. I was alive, and so was Floyd, so of course I was okay. Did she think I was traumatized by 4Blite or something?

"I couldn't be better." I replied honestly, though Wynn didn't seem to believe me. "Do you… think there's something wrong with me?"

Wynn bit her lip in hesitance, choosing her words very carefully. "It's about… it's about how you get when you're mad."

"…Huh?"

After those initial words, the rest came tumbling out. Like it had been a steadily growing concern all this time.

"I've seen how you are when one of your friends is in danger. It's because of what happened to Floyd and how you felt responsible." She spoke fast, averting her eyes. "Even though he turned out not to be dead, you can't deny you wouldn't do the same thing if the lives of your friends were in danger.

"You were irrational, self-destructive, and with only a single goal fueling your actions. When those burglars attacked Lenz, I saw in you a reckless bloodlust. You were a beast, overcome with a boiling fury that knew no equal, and if things had gone your way, you would have choked the life out of that burglar."

I briefly remembered the desperate gasps of breath choked out beneath my crushing fingers. I really had done something like that, hadn't I?

"I don't want to see that again. Ever." Wynn stressed, holding herself tight. "Not just because it legitimately frightened me to see someone as innocent as you harbor such bloodlust. In that state, your focus narrows and you only see the enemies in front of you instead of the ones at your back. I assume something like that happened at the outpost, right? It's a small miracle you're still alive."

She breathed out a shaky sigh, filled with concern… and weariness.

"All I'm saying is that you need to prepare yourself. You need to accept that your friends may die. If you can't do that, you're only risking yourself when the inevitable happens and you fly off the handle again." She fixed me with those amber orbs of hers. "Your friends wouldn't want to see that."

Silence carried for a few moments as Wynn left me to ponder her words. She occupied herself with admiring the sunlight skimming off the mansions of the Northern District.

This whole time… she had been worried about my mental health. Terrified of how I acted whenever a friend was about to die. But calling me a bloodthirsty beast sounded a bit too far. I couldn't really be like that.

…Could I?

Not that it mattered. Wynn had given me her perspective, so it was time I gave her mine.

"I understand what you're saying, Wynn." I started. "And I can promise you I won't fly off the handle when one of my friends dies."

Wynn breathed out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Cobb. I know this isn't the cheeriest topic to discuss, but the sooner you—"

"I won't fly off the handle because I'd die before one of them dies."

Wynn did a double take.

"…You what? No! Did you even listen to what I—"

"What do you think of when you think of the world?"

"…Excuse me?"

"When you close your eyes and think of the world," I prompted "what comes to mind?"

By her face I could tell she was confused. So I elaborated.

"Most people would probably see buildings or Kingdoms. Landscapes, mountains, plains, flowing rivers, sunsets, that sort of stuff. But for me, it's different. I don't see the world as a map.

"When I first spawned, I had no one. Hell, you could argue before I spawned I had no one. I was just floating in a dark void, completely unaware of the world I would face. I was the same way leaving the Origin Zone. I didn't have the faintest idea where I was going, what I'd be doing, or what I wanted from life. As far as I could tell, the world was a scary place filled with explosive monsters, undead creeps, giant spiders, and ghastly skeletons. I was scared out of my mind. I could die at any time.

"But I went out there… because Helena had mentioned that there were others like me. Other Crafters that spawned into existence before me. People with actual personalities and dreams and goals. I still had yet to find a purpose, so when I heard that," I clenched my fist as if taking hold of the same hope I had sought back then, "I decided it was worth the risk braving a Mob filled world. Just to get a glimpse of somebody besides myself. Just for the possibility to find a friend.

"And then… I ran into Floyd. Quite literally, too." I chuckled, remembering the event fondly. "I was so excited to meet someone that, before I realized it, he ran away. So I followed.

"And that's pretty much how I got to Ringwood. I stuck to Floyd like glue. Not out of survival, but because talking with somebody else made the world seem a little less frightening."

I folded my arms and smiled softly.

"You could say… Floyd became a part of my world."

"And then I met more people in Ringwood. You, for instance, who knocked me unconscious and hated me, and yet… it was thanks to you that I traveled to Daymonte. Whether I was forced to accompany you or not, I clung to you like I clung to Floyd, because I still had no dreams or goals. I was as lost as ever, simply sticking myself to others like a wad of gum.

"And my world got a little bit bigger. A piece at a time."

I began to tick off my fingers. "I met Lenzington and stuck with him in Daymonte. I stuck to Cosmic in Halstatt and defended them from Griefers. And you were there too and I was so happy because I found out that you cared about me as much as I cared about you. We weren't strangers anymore. We were friends."

"And then Soul… and Cara… and Leslie… and Erin… and Iron_Lung… and your guards… and even Bitters…"

My eyes slid shut. "When I close my eyes and think of the world, I can only see all of you. The people I've encountered, the friends I've made. They all mean the world to me."

I laughed bitterly. "I really am the worst. My friends mean more to me than the world. My friends… are my world. I just can't imagine where I'd end up without them.

"To me, the death of one of my friends… it's like a piece of the world getting destroyed. That's what I felt with Floyd, and that's what I know I'd feel with Lenz or Soul or you."

I picked myself up off the grass and dusted myself off. Wynn remained sitting, looking up towards me with wonderment.

"So you don't have to worry about any of them dying." I concluded firmly. "Because for the sake of the world, I'll put my life on the line before any of my friends have to. That's a promise."

Wynn's eyes were crinkled with concern. I was basically telling her my friends meant more to me than my own life. But that was my answer.

After a while, she let out a world-weary sigh. She looked morose, but she picked herself up with the same fierce determination she was known for.

"I think you're wrong, but I know you won't listen to me. What else is new..." It was a confirmed statement rather than a question. "Then go. Protect them all. You just might be naïve and innocent enough to do it. Though, let me tell you one last thing."

She turned so that her back was facing me, but I noticed the edge of a rare smile playing on her lips. She tilted her head so that a single amber eye was watching me over her shoulder.

"Your way of thinking isn't so different from your friends' way of thinking." She spoke. "If they're anything like me, they wouldn't be too happy letting a goofball like you die. So don't be surprised if, when you're taking a bullet for them, they'll kick you out of the way and take it themselves."

And on that note, the Captain entered her home.

Leaving me to hope I'd never face such a scenario where my friends would give their lives for me.

It was fine when I was saying I'd do it. But that's what they invented double standards for.

After my talk with Wynn, I met back up with Floyd around the dinner table and we talked more about our separate adventures. Erin was busy preparing dinner and Wynn went back to her bedroom for some light reading. The sound of rain pouring was music to everyone's ears, since it meant the fires surrounding the Kingdom would finally be extinguished.

Those rain dances really worked.

At around sunset, the front door was busted open and Soul waltzed right in. "Yo! Floyd here?"

"Eep!" Erin leapt in shock, throwing baked potatoes into the air. I tried to dive to save them, but gravity was a cruel mistress and they all spilled upon the floor. I wept sadly for the shamed spuds. "S-Sorry, Cobb. I'll m-m-make a fresh batch. B-but why is the scary delinquent from the park h-here?"

"Scary delinquent!?" Soul rounded on the housekeeper, startling her further. "I take offense to that! I'm more of a terrifying delinquent than a—"

"Soul?" Wynn's voice rang out coldly from her position on the stairs. Soul had frozen immediately upon feeling the Captain's amber gaze on his back. "Entering my home without permission is one strike. Frightening my housekeeper is another. If you wouldn't mind keeping your voice down in my home, I won't have to show you what happens on the third strike. Am I clear?"

"…Sorry for scaring you." Soul politely apologized and bowed low until the Captain returned to her reading.

Floyd chose that moment to make a comical whipping motion and sound in Soul's direction, to which Soul replied with a rude hand gesture.

"So what's up, Soul?" I asked as the axe-wielder took a seat at the table and kicked his feet up. Then, remembering Wynn's words, he slowly took them off the table and sat in a refined manner. "What brings you to Wynn's mansion."

"The same thing that brought Floyd here."

I gasped in delight. "A friendly conversation!?"

"Pfft. No." He scoffed. "Free food."

"Wha… Floyd didn't come for that! Right, Floyd?" I looked to my companion, only to find him staring fixedly at the ceiling. He winced at the look of betrayal on my face before shrugging.

"Erin's a good cook."

"Yeah, well that doesn't give you the right to eat her delicious cooking!" I accused. "The food she makes is the privilege of those that live under this or the outhouse's roof! And you think you can just waltz in here and—Erin why are you panting heavily?"

"Cobb… Cobb loves my… my cooking…" Erin's eyes were lidded and unfocused and her face was flush. Her breath came out in heavy pants and… moans? Dear God, was she having a stroke!?

"Ugh. Did I really walk through rain to see this?" Soul grumbled before averting his gaze towards the backdoor. He did a double take as someone's face was pressed against the little window. "What the…?"

A second later, Lenz burst through the backdoor, dripping wet. His once tousled dark-grey hair now matted his face, though his large, yellow-tinted glasses shined through.

"It is raining." He announced needlessly before taking notice of the two new guests at the dining room table. "Oh! Er… hello."

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"The ceiling, but I fail to see how that matters." Lenz moved on without noticing Floyd and Soul's confused expression. "Cobbert. There is a problem with the wiring of the outhouse and I need a second person to help verify the issue."

"Sure, Lenz." I sighed, already accepting I'd have to eat a late dinner to help the engineer with whatever redstone thing-a-ma-jig he needed help with. "I'll help with… did you say outhouse wiring?"

"Yes, I did." Lenz said. "The lighting is not working properly and it is casting shadows everywhere. I absolutely cannot stand it!"

Oh. So he meant the lights in the outhouse. I thought with a laugh. Of course, only Lenzington would put in redstone lights for a simple outhouse. Weren't those things supposed to just be wooden boxes with a crap-hole on the bottom?

"Aren't outhouses supposed to just be wooden boxes with a crap-hole on the bottom?" Soul must've read my mind to voice the same concern.

Brain: How dare he read me!? How very dare!?

Lenz, however, seemed offended by the axe-wielder's words. "Perhaps a simple caveman such as yourself would only see an outhouse as that, but us more refined individuals perceive things with a tad more class."

"Oh? You got a lot of nerve calling me a caveman, four-eyes." Soul's eye twitched as he got up from his seat and took a menacing step towards the engineer.

"Ah, the classic 'four-eyes' comment intended to belittle me for wearing glasses." Lenz analyzed shrewdly. "I suppose you schoolyard bullies thought yourselves clever for thinking up that little gem. Was 'nerd' or 'dork' too mainstream for you?"

Brain: Oooh! Get that ambulance here on the double! Soul's getting some bad third-degree BURNS!

"How about I just skip to the part where the schoolyard bully steals the lunch money from the annoying nerd!?" Soul raged, running at Lenz only for Floyd to hold him back. "Grah! Let me go! He's asking for it!"

"Soul, leave him alone. He's Cobb's friend."

"No wonder he's so AGGRAVATING!"

"Moving on," I changed the subject, stepping between Soul and Lenz when it looked like the former was going to break free. "I'll help you with the redstone check, but just to get introductions out of the way… Lenzington, this is Flawwed_Floyd and Lost_Soul. One of them is a hot-headed, ill-tempered delinquent and the other has blue hair."

"Say that again when my axe is buried in your face you little—!"

"And this is Lenzington. He's a redstone engineer and an expert shot with a bow. And, contrary to how he looks, he has two women interested in him, which is two more than Soul has."

"GRAH!"

Ah, messing with Soul was the best. Especially when Floyd was holding him back from beating me to a pulp. Such a good friend.

"Alright, we'll be right back." I called over to Erin who had finally recovered from her mini-stroke and was back to making dinner. "Save us some dinner."

As we made our way out into the backyard, the rain fell heavily upon us. Lenz and I were drenched in a manner of seconds. I told myself this was a good thing, though, because it meant the fires surrounding Ringwood would be equally drenched.

When we reached the outhouse, I admired the good job Lenz did on it. Not only had he changed the wood and replaced the door. He had also enlarged it slightly, allowing for more space to do your business or, in our case, sleep.

It was a good thing Floyd and Soul had houses with the Silver Intent. I didn't want them to add to the sleeping arrangement we had going. Three of us would have to share the outhouse every night. That would result in a cramped, uncomfortable slumber.

"Get back here you nerd!" Came Soul's enraged voice as I heard a door slam open, followed by two sets of footsteps. I turned to see Soul charging us with spittle flying from his face. Floyd was in hot pursuit, catching up quick with his superior speed.

"Oh, Comparators." Lenz turned, looked aghast at the approaching axe-wielder. He quickly threw open the outhouse door and scurried inside before slamming it closed. I heard a faint *click* coming from inside, but couldn't see anything due to the covered door.

"You can't hide from me, nerd!" Soul taunted menacingly, running up to the outhouse before ripping open the door. "Take your lumps like a… man?"

He paused in his anger as he gazed inside, looking confused. I glanced over his shoulder with Floyd checking over the other, and felt just as bewildered.

The outhouse was empty.

"What the… is he a magician now? Where the hell did he go!?" Soul cursed as he entered the outhouse and double-checked the corners. Floyd looked around the outside, apparently thinking he slipped through and away.

I, however, remembering the clicking sound, turned my attention to the wooden button on the inside. It hadn't been there the last time I went inside. Did Lenz add it to flush waste or something? Don't tell me he flushed himself away to escape!

Hesitantly, I reached out a hand and pressed the wooden button while Soul was still examining the inside. It let out a click and suddenly…

…

I was staring down an empty outhouse.

My mouth was parted as I could only stare dumbly at the button, trying to process—

"What just happened?" Floyd popped over to my right looking into the outhouse and whipping his head back and forth. "Hey, where's Soul?"

"Um… I'm not quite sure."

"…What do you mean you're not sure?"

"Hang on… uh… okay!" I turned and gripped Floyd by the shoulders before moving him into the outhouse. "I need you to stand right there. Got it? Good. Now," I pointed to the button, "see that? I need you to press it."

He shot me a questioning look before moving his hand towards the device. "Wait! Let me back up first." He shot me another questioning look as I backed away a fair distance. "Okay, go!"

He raised an eyebrow before pressing the button. There was another click and just like with Soul, Floyd dropped out of existence.

Because the floor beneath him had opened up to swallow him.

I caught the end of Floyd's cry of surprise before the outhouse floor closed back up. There wasn't the slightest change in the dingy structure. It still looked like a regular outhouse.

Gaping at the bizarre outhouse like a fish, I hesitantly entered and closed the door before clicking the button. Like before, the floor opened up and I felt a sense of weightlessness as I fell down.

And down.

And down until I splashed into a shallow pool of water.

I screwed my eyes shut as the sudden brightness was too much for me. When they finally adjusted and I had rubbed water out of my eyes, I finally took in my surroundings.

And my jaw hit the newly refurbished floor.

I found myself in a large, pristine, white room made out of a marble-like substance and lit by a series of redstone lamps along the ceiling. In the center of the room was a sofa made up of wooden stairs and red carpet. There was a small table along with chests, a crafting table, and a shelf containing item frames.

My head whipped to the side to spy a wall positively overflowing with levers, buttons, repeaters, and dispensers. All of them were labeled by signs, indicating their uses.

Over in the corner was a kitchen with an island-counter, ten furnaces, a fridge, a set of brewing stands, and… was that a c-cake button? Yes! That sign was no lie! 'CAKE BUTTON" in big bold letters! My mouth was watering just looking at it.

But wait, no, there was more. So much more! Odd redstone contraptions hung from the ceiling. Towers of bookshelves were arranged in the corner along with some modest reading chairs, an enchanting table and anvil, and little desk lamps. Pictures hung from the sides, adding a homey feel to the décor. Notice boards were posted along the back wall along with a large map of Minecraftia similar to what Brett had. The massive room led out into a small hall with six or seven doors on either side leading to who knows what else.

It was… it was…

"Ulk!"

Boy, it was hard to take everything in over the sound of someone choking.

"Gak!"

…Wait a second!

"Soul, stop choking him! He said he was sorry!" Floyd tried to pull Soul of off Lenz, but the axe-wielder had a good grip.

"Not so smug now, are you, nerd?" Soul taunted while Lenz weakly slapped his hand against his arm. With one final wring of the neck, Lenz was released. The axe-wielder let out a pleased sigh, having gotten the rage out of his system.

It was only then that he took notice of the room he was in.

"Holy crap, where are we?" His eyes lit up as he glanced around the pristine room. "Nether Quartz floors? Carpets? Fancy stuff."

"How are you just realizing this now?" Floyd asked with a shake of the head. He was quick to admire the surroundings, however. "This really is impressive. I had no idea there was a hidden structure underneath that outhouse."

"Neither did I!" I spoke with the biggest forced smile I could manage. "How did this happen, Lenz?" I hissed through my teeth, which is really difficult to do without biting your tongue. "What did you do, Lenz? Where did all this come from, Lenz? Please tell me you simply made a wish on the construction fairy, Lenz!"

"…Construction fairy?"

"Answer the questions, damnit!"

"Well, I did what I said I would." Lenz defended without shame. "I fixed the outhouse."

"Since when did the outhouse have a secret underground bunker!?"

"I admit… I may have gone a tad overboard with that, but I knew I would not feel at home unless I had some strong connection to my redstone roots! So I… fluffed it up a bit."

"A bit!?"

"Just a smidge."

"A SMIDGE!? You completely redecorated everything!" I screamed. "This is way past overboard! This is throwing a passenger off the ship, only to find out an iceberg is about to hit, sending all the passengers overboard! It's that overboard!"

Lenz looked down in shame. "You mean… you do not like it?"

"Fuck no; it's the coolest thing I've ever seen!" I gushed enthusiastically, causing Lenz to preen a little. "Look at this place! It's like a villain's evil lair! All we're missing is a shark tank!"

"I tried for the shark tank, but it was an extra hundred emeralds."

"Aww! We could've had a shark tank!" I complained before shaking my head clear of the distractions. "And emeralds… how much did this cost you?"

"Well, I am paying it in small increments." Lenz explained. "I calculated it all out and our Silk Touch Shovel covers it all and then some."

"I can't… I can't even wrap my head around all this." I gasped when I saw Soul wander over to the kitchen to press the cake button. It actually dispensed a cake into his waiting palm. This place had everything.

"So you had someone build all of this?" Floyd asked in surprise, admiring the brewing stands in the kitchen. "When did they build it?"

"It was completed during the course of a few days. I made the outhouse entry method using slime blocks and sticky pistons. I also made a way of getting back out through the outhouse. That part was tricky." Lenz readily admitted. "The finishing touches were done yesterday. They worked through the night and were gone before Wynn even noticed. It would have been rude disrupting the peace of her home with the noises of—Urk!"

At the mention of Wynn's name, I dragged Lenz down to eye-level and pierced him with an unforgiving gaze. "What made you think Wynn would be okay with this?"

"W-well," Lenz paled a bit, but quickly cleared his throat. "She said it was fine so long as I did not build past the dimensions of the outhouse—"

"But you did!"

"No, I did not!" He defended. "The outhouse above ground is still within the same dimensions. Her immaculate lawn is perfectly preserved."

"That's not the point, you idiot!" I shook him by his collar. "What outhouse dimensions have a damn BUNKER underneath it!?"

"I… I… I was only trying to make a good home." He defended weakly.

"She's not going to care about that!" I pushed the engineer away and began pacing back and forth. "Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod, when Wynn sees this she's going to explode!"

"With happiness?" Lenz hoped.

"No!" I shot down his hopes like a clay pigeon. "Don't you get it!? Right now, Wynn is a ticking pipe bomb poised to trigger the moment she sees any of this! She'll explode and send bits of rapier shrapnel into all our balls!" Lenz and Floyd quickly covered their privates, but Soul was quick to interject.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hang on! What do you mean 'all our balls'?" He asked with a raised brow. "This was your doing, not ours. Our balls are innocent in all this."

"Says the guy scarfing down 'Cake Button' cake?"

"That's beside the point." Soul replied through a mouthful of dessert, though it sounded more like, "Morfbl, fuff, mmm… Cake."

"Technically, this is all Lenz's fault." Floyd jumped to my defense, the lawyer inside shining through. "He was the one who authorized the builders to make this room. Cobb had nothing to do with it so Wynn can't blame him."

I happily accepted Floyd's airtight defense. That's right! There was no way Wynn could blame me for it! I could just claim I had no idea what Lenz intended to do with the outhouse… which was the truth! Yeah! Telling the truth! It had to work!

"Well, actually, Cobbert did have a role in some of the décor decisions."

My mouth was frozen in a perpetual smile as Lenz's words finally sunk in. "I had a role in what now?" I asked with far more calm than I should have.

"The décor decisions. You remember me asking you, right?" To make matters worse, he pulled out the notebook I definitely remembered him using to jot down my choices. He had evidence, damn it! "You said you preferred oak wood and a door with more privacy—"

"Yeah, because those were normal choices!"

"Nether Quartz floors instead of iron ones, double beds in the bedrooms—"

"We have bedrooms? I mean—I thought you were actually repairing an outhouse!" I protested.

"An outhouse with beds?" Lenz questioned skeptically. "I thought it would be obvious that that was not the case. I was always referring to building this." He glanced back at his book and checked off the last thing. "And reading materials. So I included a library."

"I thought you meant magazines or newsbooks! Augh! I'm a dead man!" I sunk to the floor, beating my fist futilely against the well-furnished nether quartz. Compared with unyielding iron blocks, it was definitely the better decision. But I was too distraught to admit it!

"Yeah, that's a real tear-jerker." Soul spoke indifferently before clapping his hands together. "Welp, about time we leave before Captain Stabby Balls gets here. Just point us in the right direction, nerd, and we'll be on our way."

"Well, it is that way." Lenz pointed to the chute we entered through which I only now noticed had sticky pistons and slime blocks on the inside. "Cobbert, has to help me test out the lights anyway so… oh!"

Lenz pointed up to the top of the chute where a redstone lamp behind red-stained glass lit up. There was also a faint clicking sound coming from above.

"…What does that light mean?" Floyd asked.

"It means you will have to wait to use the chute because someone is coming down."

I looked up to stare owlishly at the engineer. "But… we're all here. So who's left to…?"

The question died on my lips when a Crafter splashed down into the shallow water. The figure seemed disoriented by the sudden fall and even more so by the surroundings. It was only when the figure flipped the long ivory hair out of her face that she finally noticed the four of us.

I had to remind myself that Wynn was my friend and not an enemy just because of the arctic glare she sent our way. The whole left side of her face twitched to the most furious expression I had ever seen. Yet she didn't say a word as she stepped out of the shallow water and dried her boots on the furnished carpet.

None of us dared to say a word. We probably figured if we didn't move or say anything, she wouldn't see us. Had she investigated the outhouse just to call us for dinner?

Wynn's furious gaze felt like a blizzard whipping against my face, freezing my blood. Her amber eyes were unforgiving. It was clear that no matter what excuse I had, she'd already decided on what to do with us.

Her expression darkened as, with a rasp of steel, she pulled out her rapier and pointed it at me. Why was it always me!? Why couldn't it ever be Soul first!?

Involuntarily, Soul took a step back.

"Don't try and run." Wynn whispered harshly, though we were deathly quiet enough to hear her. Her eyes were obscured, but her intent was as sharp as her weapon.

"Wynn… I…" I tried to talk my way out of her ire, but it was tough to concentrate due to the slow, imposing steps she was taking towards us. "Please don't be mad—"

"Mad? I'm not mad. Why would I be mad?" Wynn looked up with the most disarming smile she could muster. It scared the hell out of me. "I only just found out there's a building underneath my home. I'm not mad, Cobb. Not one bit." She spoke with a saccharine tone that I was one-thousand percent certain promised pain. "I just don't want you to run away. No," she tilted her head as she took another imposing step, "I only wish for you to stay where you are so I can give you all something."

As if that wasn't menacing enough, she said it all with that same overly sweet smile and she moved the rapier behind her back to obscure it from view. Was it possible for her rage to increase enough to come around full-circle? I hoped not. I preferred angry Wynn to the all-fake-smiles Wynn.

"Fellows…" Lenz chimed in, not realizing he was the closest to the frightening Captain. "I believe the only thing she wants to present to us is a jab with her weapon."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"It is Lenz, actually. But names are difficult, I know." The engineer fidgeted on the spot before relaxing slightly. "Well… perhaps if we give ourselves up, she will have mercy on us. What do you say, fellows?"

There was a brief pause as every one of us mulled over that option.

And I thought to myself…

…

"Every man for himself!"

Inventory (Cobb): 1 Fishing Rod [Knockback II, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III], 1 Stone Pickaxe, 1 Iron Sword, 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, 10 Steak, 30 Cooked Mutton, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 1 Iron Helmet {Weak}, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Unbreaking I], 1 Iron Leggings {Weak}, 1 Iron Boots, 9 Rotten Flesh, 46 Emeralds, 1 Map {Ringwood Region}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}

[EXP: 21]

Inventory (Floyd): 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Bow, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 3 Sticks, 3 Ladders, 8 Cobblestone, 1 Oak Wood Door, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Potion of Fire Resistance {8:00}, 2 Flint, 2 Gunpowder, 9 String, 10 Ink Sacs, 9 Cooked Fish, 3 Wool, 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 5 Arrows, 1 Paper {Entry Pass}, 4 Emeralds

[EXP: 20]

Inventory (Lenz): 1 Bow, 1 Shears, 3 Levers, 4 Wooden Buttons, 1 Stone Button, 5 Redstone Torches, 17 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 24 Redstone, 64 TNT, 15 TNT, 1 Hopper, 1 Dispenser, 3 Blocks of Redstone, 5 Pistons, 10 Cobblestone, 10 Torches, 13 Wheat, 2 Sticks, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 9 String, 25 Gunpowder, 15 Steak, 42 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]

Inventory (Soul): 1 Iron Axe, 1 Potion of Strength II {1:30}, 1 Potion of Strength II {1:30}, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 1 Crafting Table, 20 Oak Wood Planks, 24 Steaks, 9 Emeralds, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}

[EXP: 35]

AN: Cobb will do anything for his friends... except take a rapier to the balls for them. Being a guy, I can relate.

Cobb's 'World' speech is actually borrowed from a manga I read when I was younger. I thought it was so powerful and moving and it fits Cobb's personality perfectly so I figured to include it. I doubt anyone could guess which manga I referred to, but I challenge you to try!

This Chapter marks the start of a smaller Bounty Day Arc, which will show a bit of the new items brought forth by 1.9.

It also marks the end of Carys' Operation: Overshadow. How does it end, you ask?

Why, just read below, silly! :D

Omake: Overshadow (Part 8)

In the days following the deaths of the Hackers and the mass exodus of Griefers, the skyscraper communities of Nitebane were able to set foot onto the ground without fear of being pursued or killed. For the first time in centuries, Nitebane's people were allowed to live—actually live—in their own Kingdom. No longer did they have to scrounge for supplies or consort with shady smugglers. No longer did they have to eat garbage or else suffer the hollow pangs of hunger so that others didn't have to.

Now, they had all of Nitebane to themselves.

It was beyond ruined. Buildings were quite literally split in half. Roads were pockmarked. Water and lava leaked across streets. The EXP Factories needed work. Farmland was barren, livestock was running all over the place, and small bits of Griefers were still lurking around.

But… it was also their home. It was theirs. Not the Griefers'. Not the Hackers'. But theirs.

And, despite the state of it, the citizens of the skyscraper communities shed tears of joy that they could call the ruined Kingdom their home once again. Much like in the skyscraper communities, they shared food, resources, weapons, armor, and anything they could scavenge from the ruined Kingdom. They knew how to survive, and they now had the whole Kingdom to live in.

And they all had their savior to thank for it. The Hacker Slayer that had defeated the two god-like beings in mortal combat. The single person who deserved songs of praise for their bravery and heroics.

But who was it who had mustered up the army of Crafters to distract the Griefers? Who had dealt the finishing blow to the tyrants casting dark shadows on Nitebane when countless others had failed for over three centuries?

The citizens were in a frenzy over who the hero now residing in Lunar Castle was and what plans they had for the Kingdom. Were they to become the new ruler? Would there be an election to decide the newest line of kings? Would there even be a Kingdom due to the general state of disrepair? It was a confusing time.

It was the day before the highly anticipated Bounty Day that the citizens got their answer when a grand announcement was to be made in front of Lunar Castle. The citizens that had spent decades living together in the skyscraper communities had become like family to one another, allowing the news to spread rapidly. On the day of the announcement, the outdoor amphitheater of Lunar Castle was packed with Crafters. There were hastily set up stands handing out free food and everyone was abuzz over what announcement was to be made.

High above the crowd was a small stage converted from one of Lunar Castle's balconies. There was a small podium erected atop it that would give whoever was up there a good view of the crowd below, and the crowd below a good view of whoever was up there.

A few minutes after the amphitheater was full of Crafters, a single man stepped out of the inside of the castle and onto the balcony. The Crafters below all immediately took notice and began to quiet down so that, by the time the man had reached the podium, the amphitheater was absolutely silent. You could hear a pin drop it was so quiet.

The man stepped to the podium and cleared his throat before speaking. "Hello, fellow citizens." He began, not having to raise his voice due to the collective silence. "No, I'm not the Hacker Killer, so you don't have to stare in awe of me." He joked, getting a few laughs from parts of the crowd.

"No, I'm not that hero. Though, I can bet a few of you recognize me as the leader of one of the Skyscraper communities." There were a few nods and murmurs of recognition coming from pockets of Crafters. "I'm up here, however, as a favor. I'm here to introduce the person responsible for rescuing us from the dark years of the Hackers' rule." His expression grew somber. "I was there when it happened. When that… that monster was unleashed upon this land."

He looked out towards the ruined skyscrapers, getting a far-off look in his eyes. "The destruction of that day still haunts me. Indeed. The scars of this Kingdom run deeper than any other." The crowd was in silent mourning, as if remembering lost friends or lovers. Fallen comrades or acquaintances. The end of life for them and the beginning of a starved hell full of cruel Griefers and unholy Hackers.

"But we're still here." He began again, looking up to face the crowd. "The darkness was thick and suffocating… but every single one of us here has survived it." His eyes scanned the crowd before him. "We have survived and endured and struggled in the hopes that things would change. Even when things looked horrible, even when life was so cruel that it ripped our loved ones right from our fingertips, we kept on living. Hoping… praying… that things would get better."

"And a few days ago… they did."

The man leaned forward on the podium, his voice gaining a steely edge. "One Crafter, a single face out of so many, arrived. That Crafter brought with her an army to suppress the Griefers. That Crafter alerted the skyscraper communities of a turning point in our fortunes. That Crafter sought to unify us as a single Kingdom and return Nitebane to its former glory. And that Crafter swept into Lunar Castle like a whirlwind of vengeance and KILLED the Hackers that cursed this great land for so many centuries!"

Cheers and shouts of support grew in intensity along with the man's speech so that by the end of it, the amphitheater was positively roaring in tribute to the Hacker Killer.

The man waited for the crowd to die down before he began again.

"So, it is my great honor to introduce to all of you enduring survivors the Crafter who saved us from our dark times. The woman with the strength to slay Hackers and the determination to stand before all of you now with promises to return this Kingdom to its former greatness. The woman with no fear, the woman of great influence—"

"Oi! Just get on with it!" Came a shout from the crowd, followed by several shouts of assent.

The man on the podium quickly cleared his throat. "Forgive me, I, uh, got carried away." he spoke with a light blush. "So, without further ado, I introduce you to the Hacker Killer herself. Our Savior…"

"JILLIAN!"

Carys_Angel watched with amusement as JillianLikeAVillian stepped onto the balcony and up to the podium amidst a chorus of deafening cheers and praises from the crowd. Carys herself was watching the events unfold from the shadows of one of the ramparts, near the far corners of the amphitheater.

No Kingdom would blindly accept someone to lead them. Kings and rulers established relationships of trust with their people long before arranging for hand-picked heirs to take over. That was why Nitebane was the perfect place to take over. When Darwinism was the only thing dictating who ruled, it was fairly simple to take over. At least to her. Just kill the biggest and baddest dogs in town and become the new top dog.

The problem? She didn't want to be top dog if it meant sticking around Nitebane to drag it out of the gutter. All those people down there were overjoyed to be rid of those Hackers and Griefers. They'd do anything for the savior that ended those fools… or for the savior they thought had ended those fools.

By giving Jillian the credit, Carys didn't have to shackle herself down with the responsibilities of reconstructing a Kingdom and instead focus her attention on spreading her power and influence to other corners of Minecraftia. She was a fighter, not a ruler.

Conversely, Jillian's diplomat background was perfect for the role. The blonde was once a Captain during a time when Zeppil was dominated by Endward Cultists. Nitebane's situation was cut from a similar cloth. She was level-headed and she had connections with high-ranking figures in several Kingdoms through her information network. It was why Carys had ordered her to meet with the leaders of the skyscraper communities first. All to maintain the illusion that she was the savior behind it all.

The blonde could have the credit for killing the Hackers. Carys already had the personal satisfaction of knowing it was her own accomplishment. After all the whining that it was impossible, she had been the first to kill a Hacker. Jillian couldn't take that away and neither could anyone else.

Noticing the sun start to shine through the ramparts, Carys tucked herself deeper into the shadows and continued to watch the assembly Jillian now presided over. She almost laughed at how nervous Jillian looked addressing so many people that thought her a god-slayer.

"Hello… er… thank you, for your praise. Please… please settle down. Yes, you are too kind. Please settle down." It took a while for her words to be heard, since the crowd below was still shouting praises towards her. But once her words were noticed, everyone quieted down immediately. She already had their respect.

"Thank you." She nodded before glancing at them all. She took a deep breath. "Honestly… I didn't think I'd be up here." She began with a nervous laugh. Her eyes then glazed over as if she were remembering something depressing. "In fact you could almost say I had no choice in coming up here. Almost as if this position was… thrust upon me less than an hour ago! Hahaha!" She laughed hollowly, though the crowd thought nothing of it.

Carys couldn't help herself from grinning remembering how suddenly she had broken the news to Jillian.

"Hey, Jillian, you doing anything right now?"

"Um… no. Why?"

"I need you to take credit for killing the Hackers."

"…I'm sorry?"

"Oh, and I need you to lead Nitebane on my behalf."

"I'm sorry!?"

"You don't have to apologize. Not like you've screwed anything up… yet. Now hurry up, you're addressing your subjects in thirty minutes."

"I'M SORRY!?"

Yeah, Carys may have had too much fun with that.

She explained it in finer details, both to Jillian and the rest of the Paragons. Baltic had been against the idea, claiming that putting Jillian on the throne would be like painting a target on her back. The Hackers would be after her blood for killing two of their own, and the Endward Cult would be gunning for her since Nitebane was the cult's birthplace and reclaiming it before the cultists was something like a slap in the face.

But when Carys had asked who else was to be in charge, Baltic went quiet.

The truth was that Carys had already acknowledged that, however Operation: Overshadow went, it would incite conflict from all the major enemies of Minecraftia. Hackers. Cultists. They'd all want revenge against whoever pulled Nitebane out of the darkness. Which is exactly why the Paragons' involvement was kept secret.

If it was known that the Paragons had saved Nitebane, the Endward Cultists would watch for whoever claimed the throne and assume them to be the Angel of Death. If the ruler was male instead of female, the cultists would assume the Angel was ruling Nitebane by proxy and attack to try and lure her out of hiding. Unless the cultists exposed some of their higher-ups in attacks against Nitebane, neither option was favorable. At least in anonymity, Jillian had the chance to help Nitebane. Kalmarin would be guarding her too, so she would be fine… for now.

"So… when I killed those Hackers," Jillian continued, "I didn't imagine everyone clamoring for me to be their leader." She focused her light blue eyes on the crowd before her. "But I'd be lying if I said I didn't come here to better Nitebane's condition."

You'd also be lying if you said you killed the Hackers. Carys thought to herself, though she paid attention to Jillian's speech. She was waiting for the end of it especially.

"I don't want to be your ruler forever." Jillian explained. "You deserve a ruler that you want. One that you've chosen. I only want to be in charge for the beginning, so that I can start this Kingdom on the path to recovery. After that, I'll happily step down and let the properly chosen ruler handle the fate of this great land.

"Nitebane's suffered a lot." She continued. "Much of its knowledge and culture and people have been swallowed up by those that just don't care." She shook her head. "Ever since I heard about the Tragedy of Nitebane I thought… what a waste." She closed her eyes. "What a waste for a Kingdom as magnificent as Nitebane to be torn apart by men of cruelty and greed. To be beset by killers and thieves, by bandits and Griefers, to be at the mercy of smugglers and Hackers. It isn't fair!"

She looked over all the Crafters gathered before her. "When I look at all of you, I see hardened, experienced Crafters with a will to live beyond anything I've ever seen. The people of this Kingdom deserve to be proud just to still be here! No one has suffered more than all of you! No one deserves a win more than you do!"

The crowd began to cheer in increasing intensity, just as they had with the man before.

She really has a way with words. Carys admitted. That was why she chose her to lead them.

"I look at you all and I want to see you win!" Jillian continued, leaning over the podium. "I want to see this Kingdom go back to what it once was—no! I want to see it better than what it was! I want it to prosper and thrive like never before so that the future Crafters can look upon our history books and gasp in sheer awe that such a beautiful Kingdom could ever have rebuilt itself from the brink of extinction!" The cheers and shouts were growing louder and louder, forcing Jillian to raise her voice.

"I want to show the other nine Kingdoms how strong the people here truly are! I want to show them how we make up for numbers in sheer tenacity! I want to show them that we can handle ourselves! That we can save ourselves! That we can come back, stronger than ever, without them having to lift so much as a finger to aid us!

"In short, I want to give you all something more to be proud of! Something you can brag about to the other prissy Kingdoms that say they're better, because they've never had the misfortune of having the Endward Cult drop monsters of mass destruction on their doorstep!"

"YEAH!" The crowd screamed in assent, really getting into Jillian's speech. They were applauding and shouting and cheering for Jillian to lead them. To help them help themselves. To begin their recovery at once.

"Farms need to be re-plotted!" Jillian shouted back. "Buildings need to be repaired! EXP Factories need to be up-and-running so that we have exports! Emeralds need to be flowing again! And all of you need to be trained to be able to defend yourself against any Griefers that think they can muscle back into our Kingdom!"

"YEEEEEEAAAAAAAH!"

"And the Endward Cult!" Jillian continued, remembering what Carys had asked her to include in her speech. "They need to pay for what they've done to us!"

"YEAH!"

"Those cultists destroyed everything when their founder released that monster onto our Kingdom!" Jillian continued, voice growing a tad hoarse. "They want to see all of Minecraftia in ruins! They're the ones responsible for our current state, and I'll be damned if I let them be the end of us!"

"YEAH!"

"In fact," Jillian continued, gritting her teeth as if remembering a dark memory, "there was once a time where… where they almost killed me."

The crowd immediately died down to catch Jillian's hushed words. It was amazing how she had them all in the palm of her hand. A true politician.

"Yes. Much like with this Kingdom, the Endward Cult almost killed me too." She wiped away at her eyes as if she was crying. Crocodile tears. Though the crowd just ate it up.

Any minute now… Carys smirked to herself, unfolding her arms.

"One of their Executives… he cornered me and my comrades deep in the woods. This was a long time ago, mind you. I wasn't quite as strong as I am now." Jillian admitted. "He was incredibly strong. Beyond anything we could ever hope to stand up to at the time. Half of us were killed… just like that." She shook her head while the crowd below listened with rapt attention. "We tried to escape, but then, out of nowhere, a Lieutenant appeared and shot us like dogs!" Jillian screwed her eyes shut and hung her head over the podium. "I… I was the only one that managed to escape."

She paused to allow the story to sink in, garnering sympathy and support from the crowd below. It was quite masterfully done, Carys had to admit. The crowd didn't even bother to question why an Executive and a Lieutenant would be out killing Crafters without any low-grade cultists accompanying them. The crowd was too spellbound to look for plot-holes.

"But that was their mistake!" Jillian suddenly shot up, clenching her fist. "They failed to kill me, just like they failed to kill Nitebane! We're still here!" The crowd cheered in response. "And because I survived that day, I was able to escape with the names of those two cultists!"

Carys leaned forward eagerly. Here it comes…

"These cultists may be scum on earth," Jillian spat vehemently, "but I don't want to kill them. I want them alive so that I can force them to scream all about the Endward Cult and live the rest of their lives rotting away in prison cells! Am I being selfish in asking this!?"

"NO!" Came the immediate response of the crowd. All of them were in a frenzy, spouting words of encouragement to the blonde leader.

"Then I want these cultists brought to me alive!" Jillian continued. "And I'm offering a reward of one thousand emeralds for their capture from my own personal savings!" There were a series of shocked gasps emanating from the crowd. "The names of these damned cultists..."

She glanced down at the book Carys had provided her. The one detailing the names of two Crafters at the top of her shit list.

She stepped aside and flicked a lever, causing two curtains of gravel to fall from the sides of the castle and reveal the blown up Snow Prints of a brown-haired Crafter with a dumb expression and a blue-haired Crafter with dark lines over his eyes

"…Are Executive King_Cobb, and Lieutenant Flawwed_Floyd!"

And there it was. Another happy moment of Carys' life. She relished Jillian speaking those names, grinning deviously the whole time.

She had just painted targets on their backs. They weren't cultists, but that hardly mattered. They deserved to be thrown into a pool of lava like they had done to her. While Jillian was speaking over the crowd, their wanted posters were already circulating and being sent to every nearby Kingdom. It was a fair ratio representing her hatred towards them. One thousand emeralds for Cobb, two-hundred for Floyd. And only if they were captured alive.

Everyone would be gunning for them. Crafters, bounty hunters, anyone who cared about money more than anything else. There'd be nowhere in Minecraftia left for them to hide. She expected they'd be brought to Nitebane within the month. And she'd be there, waiting with scythe in hand, to happily accept them. Though, why use a scythe when Lunar Castle had a perfectly good set of torture chambers for her to modify? She couldn't help the dangerous smile that stretched across her face.

See you soon, Cobb. She chuckled darkly before slipping back into the shadows of the ramparts, unnoticed by the crowd cheering Jillian's name.

See you soon.

AN: Ahhh, I love Carys' character. So diabolical.

Anyway, leave a fav, follow, review, PM, OC, or just recommend to Mojang (or is it Microsoft, now?) that I make a video game of this. Similar to Minecraft story mode... but probably with a lot less cursing and swears.