AN: For those of you wondering what the title of this Chapter means... look it up, I ain't telling.

Congrats to Lord Mortem for guessing last week's riddle correctly. The answer was that a fox can only go half-way into a grove, because afterwards it's going out of the grove. Enjoy your cookie and your acknowledgement.

(::)

Here's an easy one for you.

Puzzle: A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires; the second, assassins with loaded guns; and the third, lions who haven't eaten in years. Which room is the safest?

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

Chapter 98

Distal

[Lenz]

"Ngh…" I blearily opened my eyes as I felt the first rays of sunlight upon them. I felt at the material beneath me and took note of the comfortable feeling smothering the back of my head.

Soft. I thought to myself as I realized I was laying on a bed. I remembered encountering and getting attacked by Thed_Hearst, the Hacker. Was it all just a dream?

"Lenzington?" A voice called from nearby. I looked up and saw Floyd sitting at a table with Helena across from him. We were in her house. "You're finally awake."

I slowly got up, wincing as I felt a dull pain in my chest. "Oof… why am I hurt? Was it…" I narrowed my eyes. "It was not a dream, was it?"

Floyd looked aside. "No, it wasn't. Everything with Thed really happened. You got knocked out halfway through the fight, but the rest of us managed to drive him off."

"How?" I looked to the blue-nette before zeroing in on his eyes. There was a niggling of anxiety as I looked at those dark lines and realized what they meant. "Did you…?"

"I used my Hack, yeah." Floyd caught on before tracing those lines. "It drained the strength out of me and I couldn't move for a while. The fight only ended a little past midnight. It's dawn now." He flexed his hand. "I think I got my mobility back now, though."

"So you killed him, then?" I asked, remembering that another fallen Hacker meant another Bounty Day. Floyd, however, shook his head.

"Even with my Hack—it's speed, just so you know—Thed survived. He would have killed us, but I managed to talk him out of it. He took Douglass with him, though." Floyd added resentfully. "Their Hack Clan got one more member today."

"But they also lost a member." I commented, bringing a smile to his face. "And everyone is still alive?"

"I would have started with that if anyone had been killed." Floyd assured. "They're all alive. Soul's mad about losing, but the best cure for wounded pride is time. He's doing some last minute training with the newbs about how NOT to get drawn into a battle with a Hacker."

"I do hope he bounces back." I commented as I got into a sitting position. "That meathead is strongest in terms of physical ability."

Floyd stood up to approach me, only to pause. He took a step back, his face conflicted, as I realized what I had done.

I had unintentionally shirked away from him as he drew close.

"Sorry!" I instantly apologized, cursing myself for my slip-up. "I did not mean to… I do not even know why I—"

"You're afraid of me."

The words were not an accusation, but they made me feel like garbage when I heard the note of disappointment. "No… I… it was not… I know you would never intend to harm me—"

"It's okay." Floyd looked up with a brittle smile. "I get it. I… you have every reason to be afraid. After all the things you've heard about Hackers, it's normal to want to keep your distance from one."

His disheartened tone made me stare down at the floor. I may not have been the most socially adept, but even I could tell that I had just shot down Floyd's hopes. He was clearly conflicted dealing with what he was—ever since he learned what he was.

"…How long were you aware you were a Hacker?" I asked instead.

"Two or three weeks ago."

I winced. The whole time I had known him he was struggling with that kind of information. None of us were the wiser.

"That… must have been hard." My words fell flat, forcing me to come up with something better to say. "Living in Daymonte, I heard my fair share of stories about Hackers. They were little more than whispers that hinted of the worst kinds of tragedies. Similar to the Tragedy of Nitebane." I let out a sigh. "I grew up thinking them inhuman. There were never any stories about a benevolent Hacker."

I raised my glasses and looked Floyd in the eye, ignoring the twinge of panic I felt about those dark lines.

"I suppose your story will be the first, then." I nodded, causing Floyd's breath to catch.

"You… you really think I can be that? A benevolent Hacker?" He was clinging to my every word.

"It will definitely be a first." I settled on before bowing my head. "Please forgive me. I reacted instinctually on fear. It will take time to be fully comfortable with your Hacker status and I hope you will be patient with me."

Floyd was speechless as I kept my head bowed in humility. Finally, I heard him let out a small chuckle, prompting me to look up.

"Take your time." He said without a hint of resentment. "I'll look forward to the day you can fully accept me."

I flashed him a grateful smile before replacing the tinted glasses over my eyes. I then let out a long sigh. "Cobbert and the meathead accepted you in a heartbeat, I would bet."

"Yeeeaah…" Floyd dragged out sheepishly. "But it's fine! There's no rush. Really. They're a bunch of weirdoes anyway."

I was about to point out that we were all 'a bunch of weirdoes' before thinking better on it. Honestly. A fisherman, an axe-wielder, a redstone engineer, and a Hacker all traveling together. We sounded like the start of a bad joke. All we were missing was—I do not know—a hero with invincible armor or some other implausible being.

But for Cobbert and Soul to accept Floyd so readily… Cobbert especially since he personally dealt with Alec. How was he able to do it? To accept a Hacker despite the worst rumors about them? It was mind-boggling. Even after discovering what he was from Helena, he wasted no time running out looking for him.

He did not even flinch. It made me ashamed to not have that level of accepting resolve.

"I feel so out of the loop right now." I had completely forgotten Helena was in the room until she spoke up. "How was Thed able to do all that flying stuff? How was Floyd able to move so fast? Why was their smoke the same as the stuff that surrounds the Command Block during a pulse? I want answers, darn it!"

"It's—"

"And don't tell me it's complicated!"

"But it is!" Floyd replied evasively. "Lenz a little help, here."

"Er…" I thought for a moment before settling on something. "If you forget about everything you saw last night, I promise to keep an eye out for more Herobrine books."

Half of Helena's face twitched in happiness while the other side looked conflicted. It was clear her curiosity was burning to know more, but she also valued Herobrine and any of his written records quite highly.

Finally, with a reluctant sigh she held out her hand. "…Deal."

I shook it promptly and made to stand from the bed, only for Floyd to raise an arm. "Actually, I also wanted to ask you for something."

I raised an eyebrow. "Is this about those archery lessons I promised you? I will admit I am curious to see how you can apply your power to—"

"It's not about that. But it does have to do with my powers." He looked down at his fist, tightening it in determination before he looked back to me.

"Could you make a timer out of redstone?"

[Soul]

"Okay, so let's review!" I shouted out to the watching newbs. "If you see some kind of epic battle between people with powers beyond your comprehension… what should you do?"

"Watch from a safe distance." They droned in unison, sounding a little put-out. They had every right to be. I wouldn't have followed that advice. If there was a fight, I would have been in the thick of it, God powers or not. Thankfully, teachers were allowed to be hypocritical, otherwise they wouldn't tell students that if they followed their dreams they could do anything. Ha!

"Good. Glad you all understand. Now, I've done all I could to train you in the ways of combat and I'm confident you can handle Mobs or maybe a violent Crafter if you outnumber them. Yes, Wyatt, a question?" Wyatt had raised his hand and coughed to clear his throat.

"That guy last night. He really beat you up."

"That… wasn't a question, but fuck you too. Yes, Gina?" I ignored Wyatt's look of outrage as I moved to the next newb.

"So, what's better? An axe or a sword?"

"Axe."

"But what if you want to block an—"

"Axe."

"Mr. Soul, you're not being very open-minded—"

"Axe. Axe. Axe."

Gina finally got the hint and rolled her eyes before going silent.

"Good. If that's all, you're free to go—" My eyes suddenly widened as I noticed one of them missing. And not the one that Thed had taken last night. "Hang on, where's Troy? I thought the guy would love one last combat lesson."

"He's… he's over there." Gina hesitantly pointed to the tree line to the side. Troy was wielding a sword and swinging at a tree next to the trail of devastation Floyd and Thed's battle had caused. "He… He said he wanted to train alone…"

I hummed at the comment before turning my attention back to the expectant newbs. "Well, you can go. Maybe help Lenz with his sugar cane garden if he's up by now." Nance, Guile, and Wyatt—Lenz's studious helpers—all brightened at those words and were quick to see the progress of the plants. Gina got up much slower, glancing back to me and then Troy, before ambling towards Helena's house with a sigh.

With them taken care of, I stretched out my arms and moved my legs towards Troy. As I got closer, the dull whacks of a wooden sword against a tree grew louder and louder.

Troy was furiously striking out against the tree, his back facing me. Sweat was dripping off his face and his chest rose and fell, but still he struck out.

"Not bad." I complimented, announcing my presence. Troy paid me no mind. "You got good strength, but you need to focus your attacks more. Wild slashing won't get you anywhere."

"Nnn." Troy grunted curtly before continuing the wild slash works I had advised him against.

"You're just gonna keep attacking the same way, huh?" I asked, moving to get a better look at his slashes. He stared fixedly at his target, though.

He didn't acknowledge me this time.

"So me and my friends are gonna leave soon." I said instead, not liking the feeling of being ignored. "I thought you would be listening to my last combat practice. You and Gina always showed a lot of promise in my lessons so I—"

"I think I can train myself by myself just fine, thanks." He called back between thrusts. "You can go now."

I frowned at the dismissive tone. "Okay, what gives? This cold shoulder stuff just came out of nowhere."

"Wow. I'm amazed you picked up on the hints." Troy called back sarcastically. He stopped his slashes to catch his breath. "Just get out of here. You have no reason to be looking out for me."

"I'm here because I don't want you getting lost or stolen."

"Didn't stop you before."

"I—the hell did you just say?" I growled, but Troy balked.

"Douglass." He answered simply. "You just let him get taken by that smoke guy last night. Didn't even try to stop him or protest. He just walked off with one of us."

"Douglass wanted to go with Thed." I shot back. "That's the reason that smoke guy showed up. What were we supposed to do? Tell him no?"

"He looked reluctant to take his hand." Troy recounted.

"Because he didn't want to fly! It had nothing to do with his willingness."

"Whatever." Troy shook his head. "Call it what you want, but it was obvious that Thed guy overpowered all of you. It had nothing to do with anyone's 'willingness'. You couldn't have stopped him from taking Douglass if you tried."

Suddenly, I had Troy pressed against the tree he had been striking. My axe handle flew to his neck, pinning him as he looked to me with fear.

"You listen here." I growled, blood pounding in my ears. "I did everything in my power last night to fight him off. I took hit after hit, blow after blow, from attacks that make this," I pressed my axe harder against his neck, eliciting a wince, "seem like a pillow-fight. I threw myself into danger. I even protected those newbs from getting killed while you stood in the safety of the Origin Zone. From your perspective, I'm sure I looked like a weak, little nothing last night. But from my perspective, all I can see is you spouting your mouth off when you weren't even in the fight!"

His eyes were starting to roll up from the pressure of my handle, so I reluctantly pushed off him. He fell to his knees, coughing and gasping for breath as he clutched his throat.

"I don't need to listen to you to know I lost last night." I growled. "And believe me, nobody is beating themselves up more over this loss than me." And with that final word, I stalked off, leaving Troy to recover what dignity he could salvage.

That little shit had gotten under my skin. As I walked towards the Origin Zone, I clenched my fists so hard that my nails dug into flesh, physically hurting me. I was down a Heart or two before I crossed the zone, preventing me from further harming myself.

I had lost. I had lost. I had lost.

First against Spring. Then against Teal. Then against Thed.

Every loss was a nail being driven through my chest. A mistake that could've been my death. I hated it. I hated that Thed let us live, that he took pity on us. The others may have been fine with it, but it didn't change the fact of the matter.

We lost. We had been at the mercy of someone else. The more times this happened, the less likely we'd all come out unscathed. Lenz had nearly died, for Notch's sake.

I thought it would be my moment of glory, doing what Cobb had done back in Halstatt. Killing a Hacker. I thought I could do it, and I pushed myself every step of the way to achieve it.

But Thed had crushed me. Crushed us. Crushed us so bad that Floyd had to step up, and even then he crushed us.

Well, if there was one lesson I had drilled into my skull, it was that you never let an enemy live. You never show mercy. You never wound what you can't kill. And I was living proof of that because I vowed to get back at them all. I vowed to fight them and crush them without a hint of mercy. Spring, Teal, AND Thed. They'd regret letting me live. I'd make sure of it.

'You couldn't have stopped him from taking Douglass if you tried.'

"Damnit…" I cursed to myself, wanting to get it all out of my system before meeting back up with the others.

"Damnit…!"

[Noman]

"What other lessons are there in the Art of Peace?"

Old Man Bailey let out a sound of annoyance as he, rather roughly, threw together planks from logs. It was still dark outside, but some well-placed torches were keeping the Mobs at bay while we fixed what the Griefers damaged.

I knew I shouldn't have pressed my luck, since it was clear Bailey didn't want to teach me the Art of Peace, but I wanted to know more. It was engrossing. The more I heard of it, the more I knew it was right for me.

"Son, while I appreciate your… earnestness in learning this philosophy, I'd rather you learn aikido from someone else." Bailey said.

"I know, but who said anything about aikido?" I questioned, causing Bailey to quirk an eyebrow. "Surely you'd have no qualms sharing a bit of the philosophy behind the Art of Peace while we repair your home, no?"

Old Man Bailey frowned to himself and I could tell he was thinking it over. After a few moments, he eventually shrugged. "Ah, I guess then… if it's only to pass the time…"

"It is." I nodded, hanging on his every word with thinly veiled hope.

He relented. "Fine. Fine. Notch knows I've memorized the teachings of that book enough to quote them… one of the pinnacle teachings is that all life is precious. You can't kill anyone. But also you should save anyone you see. If there's a man drowning in a river, you pull them out. If you see a man drowning another in a river, you pull them both out and subdue the one that would seek to cause harm."

"Because all life is a manifestation of the spirit, right?" I said, remembering the quote from the book. "A warrior is charged with bringing a halt to all contention and strife."

Bailey nodded before closing his eyes and reciting, "The Art of Peace is medicine for a sick world. There is evil and disorder in the world because people have forgotten that all things emanate from one source. Return to that source and leave behind all self-centered thoughts, petty desires, and anger. Those who are possessed by nothing possess everything."

"…Possessed by nothing?" I questioned. "What's that mean?"

"Well, think about it." Bailey said as he repaired part of the wall. "In the absence of the desires that drive us—material things like how much emeralds we can earn or how much fame we can garner or how successful we can be—what would be left for us?"

"…Nothing?"

"Right." He nodded. "Griefers raid and kill Crafters because of a difference in wills and aptitudes. They fail to learn how to craft, to farm, to live, and are forced to band together because of it. Their frustration drives them to cause grief for others."

"And how about those Endward Cultists?" He continued. "They can survive just fine on their own, but they choose to kill Crafters for various reasons. Whether it's to limit overpopulation and a subsequent dearth of resources, or gain power through intimidation. Or even because they've been wronged and now seek to wrong the world around them. Their anger and desires drive them to commit unspeakable acts."

"Even the Hackers. They assume they're better than everyone else and at the center of the universe. Everything should revolve around them because of it. They fail to understand that all life, not just their own, has a power that must be protected. Their self-centered thoughts lead them to treat Crafters as less than dirt." He sighed. "It's a sick world we live in, son."

"But aren't there cases where having drive and desires is important? Like having goals or ambitions." I argued. "True, without them, maybe the world would be more peaceful, but it would be driven by… well… nothing. It'd be boring."

"The Art of Peace isn't meant to be entertaining, son." Old Man Bailey growled, clearly irritated. "It's about upholding life. Ambition is exactly what gets Crafters killed in the first place. If Minecraftia has to endure boredom just to keep everyone alive, then by all means stare at drywall. Just think, if Crafters focused on growing food instead of wasting their time on frivolous materials, they'd have everything they needed to survive. I use a stick for Notch's sake, not unlike you and your diamond gear."

His note of disapproval caused me to stare down at my armor and weapon. It's true, it was diamond, but that was only because Notch had given me them in my quest against the Endward Cult. Just because Bailey was fine with a stick, didn't mean the cultists would be.

"Back in the Age of Heroes, they understood things." Bailey remarked fondly as he tilted his head up. "Yeah, those were the good old days. When Crafters would protect you, not for money or fame, but because it was the right thing to do. Because they sought to save people."

"The Age of Heroes?"

Before guilds became money-grubbing, attention-hogging farces." Bailey filled in. "The Age of Heroes was Notch's heyday. Heroes like him protected all sorts, even the bad kind. Because to them, killing didn't solve anything. I respect them for it… even if that age is long gone." He let out a somber sigh. "Times have changed… the world is worse now than ever before."

"…I still think there's good in the world." I spoke up, albeit a little unconfident. "I don't think all the heroes are gone. You just need to look closely."

Marble and Spark had been like that. They had been helpful (though the former had been a bit eccentric). This was still an age of heroes.

But then I remembered all the bad. Griefers. Bandits. Nana Widow. Ciro. Cultists. Whatever Hackers were.

Maybe Bailey was right, and the bad was already overshadowing the good…

We kept talking back and forth about the Art of Peace and the other lessons it involved. I made a point of not asking about the combat technique, which I designated as aikido if only to differentiate between the two. While Old Man Bailey had no trouble talking about the philosophy, he kept his guard up about anything combat related.

"The essence of the Art of Peace is to cleanse yourself of maliciousness," he quoted, "to get in tune with your environment, and to clear your path of all obstacles and barriers."

"Is that why you chose to live in this barren mesa?"

"It isn't barren at all! There's a freedom out here that can't be achieved in the heart of Akasha. Not to mention a greater appreciation of nature. You know the mesa behind this farmhouse bears witness to the most beautiful sunset. It's breathtaking, and anytime I want to affirm my beliefs, I always take a gander up there."

That got him talking about other impressive sights and admitting that he'd travelled the world training in aikido before settling on Akasha's outskirts. The way he spoke of the sights with vivid detail made me imagine I could see it. The crystal lake of Lazuli—a frozen lake under which a large section of the artistic Kingdom flourished. The towering Gift Tree of Jolin from which homes and crisscrossing paths hung like cocoons. The rolling grassy hills of Zeppil where the wind could be as fierce as a hurricane or as gentle as a caress. The warm shores of Oak Docks where salty, sea air filled your nostrils and the lazy atmosphere melted all your troubles away. Even the Lacquerlands had calming lava-fueled hot springs and saunas amongst the prickly obsidian landscape.

Bailey had seen it all.

All too soon, we were finished repairing the farmhouse.

Under the excuse of taking a bathroom break, I snuck upstairs and picked out the Art of Peace book before pocketing it. I left the stick, which I suspected belonged to the dark-haired youth in the picture frame. When I came back downstairs, it was to see Bailey letting out a yawn and stretching. By then, I could see bits of sunlight filtering through the window.

"Sunrise. Time for bed. You know the way out." He dryly noted before heading off to his room. I was a little exhausted too, but I didn't want to trouble him for another night.

So instead, I walked outside to the stable and called over my horse. Carrot was well-rested and happy, having apparently made friends with another horse if the way they were nudging against one another was any indication—and they just made a baby.

My cheeks grew red, but I called Carrot over and fed him some sugar before climbing onto his back. I rubbed his back comfortingly before urging him to jump over the stable fence. With one last glance at Bailey's farmhouse, I turned Carrot east and set him at a steady gallop.

Minutes ticked by as I rode through the valley formed by the mesas on either side of me. Those dried Zombies were walking around too, and some of them almost got a little close, but Carrot outpaced them all.

I was in the middle of checking my map when it happened.

Carrot let out a whinny of distress as something darted from the top of one of the mesas and struck the side of his head. The horse stumbled, nearly throwing me off, but I quickly caught myself on the saddle while my horse started to panic. I tried to calm it down only to yelp as I saw more arrows coming from the mesa above.

Instead, I spurred Carrot forward at top speed. We barely evaded the pelt of arrows and kept right on galloping as more seemed to aim for us. I caught a glimpse of Crafters wearing mismatched armor and recognized them as the Griefers from yesterday. They were camping out the valley, it seemed. And I had unknowingly wandered into a trap.

Up ahead, there was a narrow bend between two mesas and I urged Carrot faster towards it, thinking it would be the means to our escape.

But suddenly, before I realized, there was a ditch in the ground. My depth perception had seen it only as more of the same flat landscape, but it was actually a dug trench from which more Griefers were hiding.

Five of them leapt up to stand in our way and dove for my steed's legs. Carrot let out another whinny of distress and I saw in slow motion as one of the Griefers thrust an iron pickaxe in between his galloping legs.

"No—!" I called out before the whole world tumbled. Carrot tripped and I was chucked off the side, head over heels, along with a few of the Griefers that had stood in our way.

I hit the ground hard and I watched as Carrot's shrieking form tumbled into the pre-dug trench before exploding in a plumage of dust, leather, and a saddle.

"Carrot!" I called out in anguish before I suddenly had to roll out of the way of an arrow. The Griefers from the top of the mesa had climbed down and were now running towards me to finish the job. Wincing from a pain in my shoulder, I crawled over to the narrow bend in the mesa before running down the length of it.

Behind me, I heard the Griefers laughing and following, thinking they had me cornered. Little did they know, I had thought this through.

After taking a few moments to get as deep into the narrow niche as I could, I turned around and equipped my Infinity bow before filling the path with arrows. I was shooting at random, but it hardly mattered in such an enclosed space. I heard shocked squawks and cries before the Griefers turned tail and retreated.

I kept shooting as I backed up, confident that my Infinity bow would outlast them. Once I could no longer see any of them, I took out my diamond sword and busted through the rock that made up the walls before covering it back up.

I caught my breath before falling to my knees and curling in on myself. "Carrot…" I whispered before going silent as I heard the Griefers pass.

"Damnit, he got away!" I covered my mouth so as not to shout disapproval over her profanities. "That guy had diamond gear too! He was probably loaded!"

"Whatever. We'll have some guys patrol the area. He won't get far without a horse."

"Well what if he goes back to that Stickmaster's house to borrow one?" The female Griefer asked, causing my ears to perk up.

Bailey.

The other Griefer scoffed. "That Old Man won't be a problem for much longer. The boss is coming out to deal with him personally, juuuust like the Old Man wanted."

"Oooh, it's about time!" The female Griefer crowed. "He's our toughest fighter, but when it came to that Old Man, he always sent us to deal with it. Nice change of pace to see him stepping up." She laughed. "Either he'll win or he'll know what it's like to get beaten by a stick. A win-win for us, I'd say."

As the two Griefers continued their conversation onward, I kept silent, not even daring to eat food to refill my Hunger Meter. Those Griefers had sounded pretty confident in their 'boss'. And even then, the Old Man was hopelessly outnumbered.

It looks like Bailey will need some help.

[Cobb]

"Well, this visit to the Origin Zone turned out exactly as I thought it would."

"Truly?" Lenz questioned.

"No." I replied flatly. "I thought you understood sarcasm by now."

"Sometimes it is hard to tell with you. Your dry tone does little to help."

"Then take my tone with a bottle of water. How's the map situation?"

At that, Lenz smiled proudly, holding out five map copies. "I expanded your Ringwood Region map to cover all of Minecraftia, then I made four copies of it." He handed one to me, one to Floyd, and one to an approaching Soul who accepted it with a grunt. "With these, we will be able to keep track of our locations all over Minecraftia."

I glanced down at the map, eager to see if I could track everywhere I had been, only to pause. "Um… Lenz? This only shows the Ringwood Region and the Origin Zone."

It was a small area that only covered the center of the map. Given the remaining space, however, it was likely that the map could cover all of Minecraftia.

"I'm only getting Ringwood and the Origin too." Soul grunted. Floyd said the same. We all looked to the engineer who sweat-dropped.

"Well… the map will only show places we have been to. We have to travel there first—But! It is synced with us, which is infinitely more important." He held up his copy to show the six white blips huddled near the Origin Zone. One for each map. It really was keeping track of us, which would come in handy if we were ever lost.

"But why six blips?" Floyd asked, scrunching his eyes at the map.

"Well, before I made these we had two map copies of the Ringwood Region." Lenz explained, holding out two fingers. "Then, I took one of those copies, expanded it, and made four copies of that. A total of six."

"But why make five massive maps when there are only four of us?" Soul asked before his eyes lit up. "Ah, it's in case we recruit someone else, right? Like a back-up?"

"No, actually." Lenz shook his head before the fresh spawns walked over. "Nance, I have your map."

"Oooh, you do?" Nance cheered as Lenz handed her the spare massive map. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I promise not to lose this."

"Be sure that you do not. That map is more precious than you know." Lenz glanced towards me as he said this and I couldn't help but agree.

We were giving the fresh spawns a map to help them find their way across Minecraftia. But, at the same time, their map would be synced with ours. They'd know where we were at all times. Considering we were wanted criminals, plenty of bounty hunters would kill for that map.

After thinking to himself for a bit, I saw Soul hand over his own map to the fresh spawns. It wasn't the massive copy Lenz had made, but it was one of the copies for the Ringwood Region that Brett had made for me. It was a zoomed in version, but it would give the fresh spawns a more precise route to a safe Kingdom. Not to mention, it was also synced up, so it could keep track of the two Crafters that held them.

Soul gave the map to Troy, who only accepted it after a nudge from Gina. "Thanks." He mumbled without looking at the axe-wielder. Soul didn't seem offended.

"Be careful getting to Ringwood." Soul advised before his expression turned grim. "And don't trust any Crafters you meet along the way. Trust me. Mobs are predictable, but people can be scary when they want to be. If any of them have black leather caps, you avoid them."

Right. The Endward Cult was still a threat to fresh spawns, after all.

"Also, when you get to Ringwood," I added, inspiration suddenly coming to me, "look for Captain Wynn Whispers. Tell her Cobb is still dishing out the fishing rod. She'll probably crack a smile."

"Um… actually…" Nance fidgeted nervously and turned to the other fresh spawns (bar Troy) who whispered encouragement. "We were wondering… I mean, you've already helped us so much…"

She turned to Guile and Wyatt for help and they quickly stepped forward. "We were wondering if, instead of going to Ringwood, we can travel with you guys."

"…Huh?" I asked, genuinely surprised. But Guile and Wyatt were quick to offer incentive.

"You wouldn't even know we're there." Guile started. "We'd get our own food and would only bother you with a question or two if we get stumped on how to craft things—"

"If we stumbled upon Mobs or those Forward Cultists you talked about, we'd feel safer having you to protect us." Nance added.

"There's so much we don't know about Minecraftia." Gina continued, sparing a glance to Troy who had his arms folded. "We feel like riding with you guys is the best way to safely learn. We all think that." She stressed, to which Troy scoffed.

"So please, if you'd be so kind as to have us?" Nance asked, clasping her hands before us in a cute gesture. "Can we travel with you four? Can we join the Beginners?"

I blinked owlishly at the request. It should have been obvious they would have wanted to come with us, but I guess I never pieced it together. I quickly turned away from the fresh spawns and shared a glance with each of my friends. They all looked between themselves, before smiling and nodding in my direction. The message was clear, and I had a smile on my face when I turned back to the anxious fresh spawns awaiting my reply.

"No."

Nance's cute expression cracked at my brutal honesty, as did the hope die on all the faces of the fresh spawns. "Er… what?"

"No, you can't come with us." I repeated, to which my friends all agreed. It was funny how we were all of one mind on this issue. No way were these fresh spawns tagging along.

"B-but… uh…" Nance looked back to her cohorts who could only shrug helplessly. Clearly they hadn't been expecting our outright refusal. They probably thought of us as benevolent Crafters sent to deliver them to wealth, fame, and safety. But reality was a harsh mistress. And, in all honesty, we'd probably get them killed in a week.

"But why?" Guile stepped in. "Why can't we travel with you? We won't be a burden! We promise you!"

"That isn't the problem." Floyd stepped up. "You see," he shared a glance with me and we both smirked before he turned to deliver the bombshell. "We're sort of international criminals."

I could actually pinpoint the exact moment all of their hopes died when I saw the expressions on their faces. It really shouldn't have been so funny, but it was true. We were wanted criminals with outstanding bounties on our heads. We didn't know why or how, but that was that. Bringing them along would just mean they'd be just as hunted as the rest of us. They'd technically be accomplices, and with no bounties on their heads, they'd be more likely to get killed than captured.

"O-oh!" Wyatt stuttered, his vocalization hitting the air like a belly flop. "I get it! You… you're joking, right? Haha, you really got us." His laughter made our silence more awkward, more for them than us, and then I watched as his expression slowly deflated. "You are joking… right?"

"Nope." Soul commented, popping the 'p'. "You're looking at two of Minecraftia's most wanted." He threw his arms over me and Floyd's shoulders before jostling us. "Apparently, they're charged with being leaders of those Forward Cultists that want to kill innocent newbs such as yourselves. Crazy right?"

Maybe it was pushing it, but to see their faces all widen in fear and horror as they stepped away from us… it was kind of funny. No better way to keep them from following us. It was better that they went off on their own, anyway. A fact that Soul and the rest of us understood.

"S-So… So… y-you are…" Nance gulped, her finger shaking as she pointed to us. "You're criminals?" She said in a small voice.

"Yeeeup!" I smiled, showing my teeth. "See ya!"

And with that, the four of us turned around and began to head South, leaving five terrified and gaping fresh spawns in our wake. They were more experienced than most thanks to our teachings, and therefore more likely to last in this unforgiving world. Maybe we'd even see them again someday.

But not any day soon.

"God, we're assholes." Floyd chuckled to himself, which then broke the dam and caused all of us to burst into laughter.

Yeah.

We really were.

Inventory (Cobb): 1 Fishing Rod {Backlash} [Knockback II, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III], 1 Stone Pickaxe, 1 Stone Sword, 1 Golden Shovel [Silk Touch I, Unbreaking III], 1 Flint and Steel {Weak}, 13 Cobblestone, 2 Ender Pearls, 16 Torches, 4 Coal, 2 Oak Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Water Bucket, 4 String, 40 Steak, 60 Cooked Mutton, 41 Baked Potatoes, 1 Pumpkin, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Unbreaking I], 1 Iron Boots, 40 Emeralds, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}

[EXP: 19]

Inventory (Floyd): 1 Iron Pickaxe {Weak}, 1 Iron Sword, 4 Iron Ingots, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Potion of Fire Resistance {8:00}, 2 Flint, 8 Rotten Flesh, 6 Gunpowder, 20 Cooked Chicken, 32 Apples, 3 Wool, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots {Weak}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Entry Pass}, 4 Emeralds

[EXP: 25]

Inventory (Lenz): 1 Bow {Weak}, 1 Shears, 2 Levers, 1 Flint and Steel, 1 Stone Button, 5 Redstone Torches, 9 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 15 Redstone, 1 Hopper, 5 Pistons, 21 Cobblestone, 25 Dirt, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 25 Gunpowder, 34 Steak, 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Green], 14 Arrows, 20 Wooden Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Pumpkin, 18 Sugar Cane, 11 Paper, 6 Ink Sacs, 4 Leather, 4 Feathers, 64 Emeralds, 14 Emeralds, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Airship Piloting 101}, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}

[EXP: 8]

Inventory (Soul): 1 Iron Axe, 1 Wooden Pickaxe, 1 Stone Pickaxe {Weak}, 2 Ender Pearls, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 1 Milk, 1 Iron Helmet {Weak}, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 5 Dirt, 64 Cobblestone, 10 Coal, 7 Oak Wood Planks, 9 Emeralds, 10 Cooked Chicken, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}

[EXP: 38]

Inventory (Noman): 1 Diamond Chestplate {Severe Shield}, 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness I], 1 Shield, 1 Bow [Infinity], 34 Birch Wood Planks, 35 Iron Ingots, 19 Sticks, 13 Torches, 1 Bucket, 1 Crafting Table, 64 Beetroots, 64 Bread, 1 Birch Fence, 1 Bed, 1 Book {Notch Mission II}, 1 Book {Artifact List}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Book {The Art of Peace}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Dover Plains Entry Pass}, 1 Map {Dover Plains}, 1 Map {Mesa}, 1 Compass, 64 Arrows, 2 Glass Bottles, 10 Sugar, 7 Enchanted Golden Apples, 1 Diamond Helmet, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Blue] {Weak}, 1 Diamond Leggings, 1 Diamond Boots, 64 Emeralds, 64 Emeralds, 64 Emeralds, 64 Emeralds, 22 Emeralds, 2 Bones, 14 Rotten Flesh

[EXP: 7]

AN: Well you didn't think I'd actually bring those fresh spawns along, did you? Haha, no.

No perspective from Floyd, but he got enough attention last Chapter. And RIP Carrot. You... probably won't be missed.

Like I said, this is a wrap-up Chapter for the Identity Arc (for the Beginners at least). Noman still has things he has to deal with.

Little bit of humor, little bit of drama. And for some reason I'm publishing on Sundays instead of Wednesdays. Nothing makes sense anymore!

Not much else to say. See ya!