AN: This really shouldn't have taken me this long. I blame the Noman section.
If you're interested in submitting an OC, you might have a chance. See the Author's Note at the end of the Chapter for more details.
But enough about that crap! 300 FOLLOWS! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLY CRAP! I can hardly believe it! You're all wonderful, beautiful people for following and favoriting this half-baked story of mine! I must show my appreciation with better writing!
As well as... A RIDDLE!
Puzzle: Two coins make thirty cents, and one of them isn't a nickel. What are they?
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. Bwuh.
Chapter 118
Registration
[Cobb]
"Well, how did you think it would go? You verbally insulted this Kingdom's royalty, and in front of a Captain, to boot." Floyd said.
"At least I did something!" Soul defended, fists clenched around the bars of his cell. "You were all content to mope and whine. We never would have known about the airship prize without my stellar and in no ways criminal questioning."
"And now we're down a man for these games." Jade sighed, scratching her head. "Are we really doing them? I mean, I know you really want an airship…" She took a glance at Lenz's quivering lip. "Really, really, really want an airship," she amended, "but I've heard about these games before. We'll be up against the best in the region."
"Not to mention a Captain rivalry to contend with." Lenz mentioned, lifting his tinted glasses to reveal eyes with a laser focus. "We will need nothing less than our best to have any hope of airship—I mean victory."
"No pressure." I sighed.
The four of us were outside Soul's cell in Zeppil's prison. Captain Fo had quickly locked him up, saying he would be released at midnight per Prince Yukuo's generosity, and that he should be fortunate the Prince even graced Soul with such a mercy.
Soul had some choice words for the Captain and what he thought of her Prince, but the rest of us had drowned them out, distracting the Captain with our own questions. So long as we were polite, she seemed to tolerate us. We were allowed to visit the axe-wielder, but only for a little while.
"Well… thank you, Soul, for getting verbal with the Prince." Lenz nodded gratefully. "Even though it was foolish, the sentiment was appreciated."
"Tch. Whatever." Soul leaned back against the wall, acting indifferent. "I just wasn't about to say nothing after we came all the way down here for something that isn't there no more."
"And thanks to you, we know it is still there for us." Lenz nodded. "We just have to win these Parkour Games."
"We have to register first." Floyd said. "It ends tonight, right?"
"We will also need to review the rules." Lenz adjusted his glasses, looking serious. "Whatever preparation needs to be done, we shall do it."
"But Soul won't be able to register right?" I asked. "What's he going to be doing during all this?"
"If I can't do any games against Captain Hoe—"
"Captain Fo!"
"I know what I said—then I might as well focus on the Silver Intent side of things." Soul relaxed his shoulders, letting go of his irritation with the Captain. "While you guys are busy winning the airship, I'll talk to some of the Silver Intent members in the Kingdom. Brett said their base was around the prison anyway, right?" Floyd nodded. "Perfect! Soon as I'm out of here, I'll just go talk to them about recent cult activity."
"Assuming there is any." Jade felt the need to add.
"I told you Brett's information is never wrong!"
"Even though the story seems a little too suspect?" Jade shot back.
"Alright, you two." I got between them only because openly arguing about organizations dealing in Endward Cult information in a prison was a terrible idea. "Soul, you do what you can. We'll meet back up with you tomorrow at dawn. We can track each other with the maps. We'll trade information and revise our plans from there. Sound good?"
Everyone murmured in agreement, though Jade and Soul shot each other sour looks over my shoulder.
I'll take what I can get.
"Alright, so let's hurry and register while there are still spots." Floyd said, causing all of us to pause.
"…You mean they might not have enough spots?"
"I don't know, maybe? They can't have too many competitors, right? Who's to say they won't cut off registration early?"
Lenz and I looked to one another before the both of us bolted for the door, Floyd and Jade following in our wake. Behind me, I heard Soul asking a stationed guard for a harmonica to 'sing of his prison woes'.
Our rush to the door soon became my rush to the door when exhaustion caught up with the feeble engineer. I burst out the front, glancing back to see what was taking them so long. If they dawdled any longer, there was a chance we'd—
*SMACK*
My shoulder struck something hard exiting the prison and one of my legs got tangled with someone else's as two bodies hit the street.
"Sorry…" I saw the guy wince as he got to his knees, rubbing his finely dressed shoulder. He was wearing a black suit over a white collared shirt and dark dress pants. Clad in diamond armor save a blue tunic, with a shield at his belt.
"No, it was my bad. I was in a rush." I still was, but I stooped down, extending a hand to help the guy up. He took it firmly, looking up for the first time and showing off royal blue eyes. I glanced above his head.
What kind of name is Nowhere_Man?
"Cobb? What happened?" I turned, hand still holding onto the guy, as Jade and the others caught up.
"Nothing." I said quickly, showing them I was alright. "I just bumped into someone. I wasn't looking where I was going."
"Cobbert, we should get on line to register as soon as possible." Lenz panted, Floyd helping him along. "There is no telling how long the line will take!"
"Oh, yeah." I gave the finely dressed man his hand back and patted him hurriedly on the shoulder. "Sorry, for bumping into you, gotta go, bye!" We rushed past him, making our way to Cloud Castle so we could get our registration over and done with.
"How do you think they'll score these games?" Floyd asked as he hefted Lenz into a better position on his shoulder. The engineer seemed oddly resigned to being carried around like a sack of potatoes.
"Well, seeing how the Prince mentioned four events, I can only surmise that points are awarded depending on how you place. First getting the most, last getting the least."
"We'll find out soon enough…" I noted as the registration stall and an annoyingly long line of Crafters came into sight.
The entire time waiting, Lenz took notice of the other competitors as well as some of the gossip they were spreading. Apparently, the rivalry between Captain Fo and Captain Bak was widely known and everyone was already thinking up ways around them. People were mentioning big-name Crafters from across the region that would be the most problematic to deal with. Famous archers, famous spleefers—if that was even a word…
However, one name in particular earned a choked gasp from Jade.
"Captain XoX?" I echoed, posing the name to Jade. "You know him?"
It took her a moment to reply, her gaze fixed upon the street and filled with worry.
"Captain XoX… he's from Exter and he's insanely strong." She spoke in a hushed whisper. "They call him the Ogre of the West, and for good reason." She looked back up to the registration stall and cursed. "Herobrine, that guy is going to be a handful…"
"Just because he's strong, doesn't mean he has an advantage." I spoke, trying to comfort her. "I'd like to see how his strength helps him in a parkour test."
"It's not parkour I'm worried about." She shook her head. "XoX is well-known because he takes part in Exter's Combat Arena, and he's never lost a fight. He makes Soul and Enyeto look like infants. There's no way he'll be competing in tests of speed, archery, or maneuverability in these games." She looked to me with worry, and I began to understand what she meant.
That only left Spleef.
Whatever the hell that was.
Brain: Maybe it's a game where you remove your spleen. And when you do, you yell out, 'SPLEEF'! Then you win.
Heart: It's alarming that I can't disprove your theory.
Blood: As long as it's something violent…
Finally, we made our way to the front of the line, staring down a pair of Crafters with books laid out before them. They looked like they desperately needed sleep given the amount of competitors they had to sign up.
"Hullo." One of them greeted with a yawn. "Would you like to register for the Parkour Games?" The four of us nodded, but the guy was already moving on to the next step. "Very good. Do you need to hear the rules? Please say no…" He added to himself.
I didn't want to be that guy. I really didn't… which is why I pushed Lenz forward to ask.
"Yes, what are the rules?"
The two tired Crafters sighed/groaned/banged their heads on the table before gesturing to a set of item frames behind them. They held a bow, leather boots, a shovel, and a feather respectively.
"The Parkour Games consist of four events. Archery, Sprinting, Spleef, and Parkour. Four events mean four members to a team; every team member has to register for their own event. Since the events all happen simultaneously, no one team member can do two events."
"Each event is split into three rounds and points are only awarded to the top fifteen spots. First place gets five points, second and third get four points, fourth through sixth get three points, seventh through tenth get two points, and eleventh through fifteenth get one point. The winning team will be whoever gets the most points. Ties will be broken with a tie-breaker of the King's choosing."
That was a lot of rules to figure out. The point system was a little confusing to get, at first, until I thought about it through an example.
If Lenz did really good in archery and got, say, third place, he'd get four points. Meanwhile, if I placed sixteenth, I would get no points, but we would still have Lenz's four.
However, if there was a really good team, like one of the Captain's, it was possible for them to place first in all four events, earning a maximum of twenty points. If any team got twenty points, it was over.
But that didn't mean getting one point was worthless. Every point could help your team's overall score. In fact, if one team had a guy who scored first and the others scoring fifteenth in all other events, they could be tied by a team of tenth placers.
If anything, the best way to win was to consistently get fourth, fifth, or sixth. A total of twelve points. At least then you would have a better chance.
But everyone would have something they were good at. Something they would excel at. So we had to think carefully about who was going to represent us in each event.
"I will need a team name, as well as a moniker, if you'd prefer."
"A moniker?"
"A nickname. Something to give the audience so they can root for you more easily." The registration guy yawned. "You don't have to have one. In fact, forget I said anything, it'll make this go by faster—"
"I want to be called the Billionth!"
"Awwww…" The guy groaned dispassionately as he scribbled something down on a book. "Well, so long as the rest of you don't want moniker's, it shouldn't be too bad—
"Call me the Blue Blur." Floyd said while running in place.
"Awwww…"
"Er…" Lenz raised his hand tentatively. "I would like to be referred to as the Gray Eagle."
"Awwwwwwwwwww…" The guy stretched out the whining sound, his dull eyes looking to Jade.
"Nothing for me, thanks."
"Bless you…" The registration guy sniffed before scribbling our nicknames down.
"There's that Gray Eagle stuff again." Floyd said, turning to the engineer. "Where did you even get that name from?"
"Master—ah, Mastah Veronica." Lenz amended, looking embarrassed. "She said I would spread my wings like an eagle during our training… and she kept calling me Gray Eagle. Maybe because she called herself the Golden Hawk of Daymonte? A mastah and apprentice vibe."
"I think it works." Jade nodded approvingly.
"If you're all done talking over me…" The registration guy interrupted. "I need a team name—"
"Team Beginners!" We all said in unison before laughing.
"—And the events each of you will be competing in. Take your time. And by that I mean hurry it up, we don't have all day…"
"Group Huddle!" I suddenly shouted, prompting all of us to gather round and bend our heads forward so that our faces were side-by-side.
"I don't get paid enough for this…" One of the registration Crafters grumbled.
"Okay, so, I think it should be obvious that Jade should be Parkour and Lenz should be Archery."
"Obviously." Jade rolled her eyes. "The problem is the last two. Sprinting and Spleef."
"I'm the fastest here," Floyd mentioned, "so I think I'll be okay for the Sprint."
"So long as you don't use your… you-know-what…" I whispered, causing Floyd to nod gravely. He knew there was a risk if his desire to win accidentally activated his Speed Hack. It would earn him the win hands-down, but he'd expose himself at the same time. Forget disqualification, they'd run him out of Zeppil.
"I've gotten better control over it. Don't you worry." Floyd said seriously.
"Then that leaves Cobbert with Spleef." Lenz noted. "Cobb do you think you can do it."
"Absolutely." I said with a smile.
"And you know what Spleef is?"
"Absolutely… not…" I said with that same smile, earning a groan from the others. "So I'll be winging it. Kind of like I've been doing my whole life."
"'Winging it' is not going to get us the airship, Cobbert." Lenz slid his fingers under his glasses, massaging his eyes.
"Not to mention, Spleef is likely the event XoX is going for." Jade reminded. "I don't fancy your chances against him."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence." I grumbled. "Seems pointless to say I won't stand a chance when I haven't even met the guy yet. Maybe he has a weakness that I can exploit in this Spleef game."
"You still don't even know what Spleef is!"
"No, but I can't run, I can't shoot, and my parkour isn't nearly as good as your's," I shot back, "so I'd rather go with the mystery event. The Wildcard."
Jade sighed. "I guess Cobb's unpredictability might give him an edge…?"
"It's a long shot…"
"No, I will be making the long shots. In archery." Lenz corrected, to much facepalm.
We didn't have much choice. Maybe if Soul were here, we could switch up our roster, but he was stuck in prison for the day. We could only sign up four, and four was all we had. I didn't need to be reminded that our competitors probably trained months in advance for this. I was likely going to be up against pros…
In an event that I had no knowledge of.
Maybe I can swing fifteenth place…
"Alright, BREAK!" We all clapped, exiting the huddle and turned back to the registration Crafters. "We got our spots."
After they recorded our names and the events we'd be participating in, we handed over a modest registration fee and Team Beginners was all set for the games.
"The Parkour Games begin tomorrow at noon, but you'll need to get here in the morning to be directed to your designated courses and arenas." The registration Crafter droned. "The rules of each event will be explained in length. Until then, good luck. You'll need it."
With that ominous final note, the four of us left to find a place to stay for the night. I would have to learn Spleef as soon as possible. Lenz's airship was at stake.
[Noman]
Finding a place to stay. Easy.
Tracking down artifact leads, not so much.
I must have gone through a dozen bookstores and libraries in the Yang District, but none of the owners had any myth mentioning magical flying boots. And, to my frustration, they kept referring me to the flying tortoise, thinking that was what I was interested in. It wasn't!
Some of the bookstores had other myths while neglecting some of the ones the librarian in Zhuge mentioned. It seemed like no two stores held the same stories or legends.
I tried asking for a place that would have a complete set of Zeppil's legends, but they deflected me by saying the only library that would have that would be the Akashic Records in Akasha. Going there would be a detour in itself, especially considering I had just come from there.
All I had was the vague Labyrinth legend to go off of, and it was already looking like a dead end. There was no way I would suddenly be whisked away to a mysterious place in my dreams like the boy in the tale.
Speaking of the tale, with no leads or distractions, I sat down in my large, empty room and continued to read where I had left off.
The boy had reached the Labyrinth, and had a sense that there was something valuable hidden within. So he attempted to solve it. He made marks every time he went a way that led to a dead end and left a trail of blocks like breadcrumbs so he wouldn't get lost. He even used the 'follow the left wall method,' knowing it would eventually lead him to the center.
However, the boy soon realized that the maze itself was winding deeper and deeper than it ought to. The blocks he left behind him suddenly ended up in front of him and the marks he had been leaving at every intersection were causing him to double back on himself. The Labyrinth, it seemed, was alive; moving in ways to confuse those that entered.
The boy feared he would run out of food if this were to continue. To starve to death inside the Labyrinth, all in the pursuit of the treasure he so desperately sought. He couldn't even escape he was so lost! And the walls… they were indestructible.
I found myself invested in the young boy's plight, wondering how he found the treasure, let alone escaped with it.
But no matter how invested I was in the tale, it still didn't change the fact that I was searching blind. I let out a sigh and lay back across the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"I wish I had someone to bounce ideas off of…" I mused quietly.
"Or someone to offer ideas. No matter how crazy."
"Someone to talk to would be good. Or is that asking for too much?"
How I wished Spark was here. She couldn't utter a word, yet she could convey so much with that little book of hers.
Or Marble. Him and his Scout antics always livened things up.
And Old Man Bailey, the kind and caring teacher who helped me understand aikido.
I kicked out with my feet, my thoughts going back to Annette and the others. The words they used to hurt me…
I closed my eyes, thumping my head against the mattress softly.
"I have to talk to myself, I'm so lonely. It's pathetic." I noted bitterly before I snapped my eyes open, slapping my cheeks with both hands. "No more of that! I need to dive into work!"
Better that than to let the events of the day catch up to me. I just needed to dive headfirst into locating the artifact, and the rest would sort itself…
…
"Dive headfirst…"
I bolted upright, flipping through the Labyrinth tale once more, right at the beginning.
"The boy nodded off in his sleep…" I repeated. "He had a dream… about drowning in a pit of snakes."
I had no idea if snakes existed in Minecraftia, but 'drowning' could be a clue. Maybe the entrance to the Labyrinth was near a body of water, and only diving into it headfirst could uncover the hidden maze.
"I need a map…"
The Inn I stayed at had a lobby where a map of all of Zeppil was laid out along the wall. It was done with the intent of showing visiting Crafters all the districts and locations of the Kingdom. The markets, the slums, the tourist traps, the sights. Hole-in-the-wall businesses could even collaborate with Inns to garner customers.
The Kingdom was divided into twelve districts—two rings surrounding Cloud Castle with six districts per ring. I was in the Yang District.
From what I could tell, a series of small rivers ran through Zeppil, crossing through several districts. But there were also ponds and brooks, making it harder to pinpoint a possible location for this vague tip. If the entrance was near water, it could be any of those sites.
I needed to narrow my search further.
Going back to the book, after nearly drowning in the pit of snakes, the boy was awoken by the barking of dogs. So maybe the entrance was near a store that bred dogs? I was grasping at straws for answers!
"Excuse me." I spoke up, walking up to the Inn Owner. "Do you know a place I can buy some dogs?"
"Ah, looking for a companion, eh?" The Inn Owner guessed.
I shifted uncomfortably. Yes, but that's not why I'm asking.
"Is there anywhere you can think of?"
"Sure, no better place than the Dog District."
My ears perked up. "It's called the Dog District?"
"Oh, no, no. Sorry, forgot you're an out-of-towner." He amended. "It's called the Gou—meaning dog—District, but sometimes people just call it the Dog District since it's easier to pronounce."
"Are a lot of the districts like that?"
"Oh, sure!" He laughed. "I can't tell you how many times I had to pronounce the word 'Gongji' to tourists before just flat out calling it the Rooster District. It saves a load of time."
Dog? Rooster?
"Are all the districts named after animals?"
"Not just any animals. The twelve Zodiac animals. Twelve animals, twelve districts. Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig."
It was as if a lamp had flickered to life in my head. The story… the boy had been counting sheep to fall asleep, dreamed about drowning in a pit of snakes, and then awoke to the sound of barking dogs.
"Please," I spoke, my voice trembling with excitement. "Can you point out the Sheep, Snake, and Dog Districts for me?"
"Sure." The man looked confused as he walked around the counter to the map wall. "Shouldn't be too hard, they're all right next to one another."
As he pointed out the Sheep, Snake, and Dog Districts—respectively named Yang, She, and Gou—I spotted a pond at the border where the Yang District met the She District. Suddenly, the Labyrinth lead was looking more and more promising.
The Inn Owner gave me a copy of Zeppil's map and, after I memorized which District was which, I left fully prepared to find the Bottes Zephyr. Being in the Yang, or Sheep District already, I was on the right track.
[Soul]
"Stupid prison, stupid Captain, stupid rules." I muttered reasonably while exiting the building I had been imprisoned inside. It was past midnight, and, as promised, I was released, my Inventory completely returned to me.
Didn't change the fact that that bitch of a Captain was going to get away with it.
What I wouldn't give to beat her in those Parkour Games… as in defeat her. Not physically beat her, that would be wrong. Very wrong.
…
Anyway…
The streets of Zeppil were pretty empty at night, and I would've been concerned about thugs or predators if I didn't have an axe on display at my belt. My armor was no joke either.
I doubted there would be any cultist attacks though. On the rise or not, they couldn't just target people on the street if they wanted to survive. And although a small part of my brain reminded me of the contrast between the cultists laying low and attempting to assassinate royalty, I disregarded it. Jade didn't know what she was talking about, doubting Brett. The guy's information was solid so far. Why would it be any different now?
I was looking for the Silver Intent base near the prison. Apparently, it was hidden there to allow agents to watch for suspicious persons being brought in. The base itself was stashed under the prison's foundations.
And to enter, one only needed to know where to look.
I peeked over a garden of thick sugarcane, smirking when I saw the hidden ladder leading down into the ground. A lot of Silver Intent bases had cheeky secret spots like that. Ringwood's was under a barn, Nitebane's was under a bathroom.
I looked over my shoulder twice, making sure the coast was clear before stealthily climbing down the ladder. My feet touched down onto damp earth and I trudged down a tunnel lit with dim, redstone torches. I could tell the tunnel led right under the prison.
When I reached a set of double iron doors, I had to pause. There was no switch or button to open them. I looked the door up and down before pressing myself to it and peering into the small openings. I could make out wooden furnishings and stone brick walls, but no signs of anyone.
If Lenz were with me, I could ask him to rig up a switch or something, but since this was a Silver Intent base, it was probably better not to barge in. As much as I wanted to kick the door down, I instead rapped a fist against it.
There was a sound of sudden movement behind the door, followed by faint footsteps. A single turquoise eye peeked through the opening, studying me warily.
"Brett sent me." I said immediately, my hands held up. Better to let the guy know immediately I meant no harm.
The eye narrowed. "Just saying a name doesn't mean I'll throw these doors open. I got some questions for you."
I sighed, aggravated at the hold-up, but understanding enough not to start something. I folded my arms and leaned back, tilting my head to tell him to begin.
"Where's the Ringwood Silver Intent base located? Be specific."
"Beneath Granger Barn. Entry is behind some hay bales."
"Hm." The eye blinked before continuing. "What color is Brett's hair?"
"Silver." I replied easily. Just like the Silver Intent.
"What does Brett specialize in?"
"Making potions."
"Our banner?"
"A fucking silver horseshoe. Now will you let me in, already?" A bit of frustration slipped through. The guy was wasting time asking questions when the cult was slowly building its power back up.
The eye blinked again before retreating. Then, with the flick of a lever, the doors opened to welcome me.
"Finally." I said as I walked in, looking at the Silver Intent member before me.
Moist_Charles, as he was named, had short, blond hair and turquoise eyes that stood out in the dim lighting. He wore a skintight fishing suit. As in really skintight. The veins were popping out of his arms, skintight. It looked like it would cut off circulation for any normal person, but, for whatever reason, he didn't mind. He had a sea-green belt and backpack, but other than the fishing suit wore no other garments. Not even shoes.
"Can't be too careful." He said calmly. "Someone usually stays inside to ask the questions."
"So you trust me now, right?" I asked with arms folded. "I don't have to do any other crazy tests?"
"No more tests." He returned. "If you knew the answers to all those questions, either the Ringwood base was compromised or you're telling the truth."
"…Fair point." I glanced around the base, noticing a lack of people. "Where is everybody?" A thought crossed my mind. "Don't tell me… did the cultists—?"
"Everyone is out recruiting." Moist_Charles spoke, moving over to a desk. As he did so, his skintight suit rubbed against his body, releasing an ear-grating squeak that persisted whenever he moved a muscle. It had me wincing until he mercifully sat down at a desk. "Also, forgive me for not introducing myself sooner. You can call me Charles, the leader of the Zeppil branch of the Silver Intent. So," he rested his hands on the desk with a squeak, "to what do I owe this visit?"
"Brett sent me over." I answered, happy to be getting to the meat of this meeting. I sat down at the desk, leaning forward. "I came with someone else to help with the cultists."
At that, Charles leaned back in his seat, a strange look overcoming him. "Cultists…?"
"Yeah, you know, with the latest assassination attempt." I tried to clarify, only to watch Charles fall further into confusion.
"…I'm afraid I don't understand."
"The cult sent an assassin against the rulers of Zeppil." I spoke harshly. "Brett sent us all the way down here because, if they're bold enough to attack royalty, they're probably close to reclaiming this place. None of us want the Angel of Death's work to be for nothing! Come on!"
Charles narrowed his eyes before leaning forward in his seat once more, squeaking as he did so. "Lost_Soul. May I call you Soul?" I nodded. "Well, Soul, it seems you're lost in more ways than one. There have been no assassination attempts made upon the royalty of this Kingdom."
"…Say what?"
"I repeat," Charles spoke calmly, "there have been no assassination attempts, either by cultists or by suspected cultists, upon Zeppil's royalty. There has been no cultist activity either. As far as we have observed, Zeppil remains vacated of the Endward Cult. The Angel's reputation, it seems, still frightens the cultists from retaking this place."
"But…" I fumbled for words. "But… Brett said…" I shook my head. "Didn't you send a report that you needed help combating rising cultists!?"
"No. I am glad you finally see why there would be some confusion." Charles squeaked in his seat, remaining calm through it all. "While I did petition to Brett to send more members, seeing as how we're short-handed down here, I did inform him that it wasn't a pressing matter. Cultists are non-existent here, for the moment, and I simply wished to bolster my forces. Just in case."
That… didn't sound right.
"So… let me see if I got this right." I said, hands raised as I tried to process it all. "There are no cultists in Zeppil."
"None."
"There was no assassination attempt."
"None."
"And you didn't send Brett a report that there was one."
"No."
"Then… then…" I scoffed in disbelief. "Then what did we come all the way here for!?"
"Well, not to sound rude," Charles looked at me over steepled hands, "but you may be of assistance in helping us recruit members. As I said before, we're in need of members, and I'm sure many of Zeppil's citizens would be eager to support an anti-cult organization."
Jade's words reverberated inside my head.
'I'm just saying that blindly believing everything you hear will get you killed one of these days. You should hear the full story of what happened from another source, just to be sure.'
Suddenly, Jade's suspicions were looking a lot more like she was goddamn right, goddamnit! I sunk in my seat, not looking forward to admitting she was right. Brett never usually messed up reports like that. Or maybe Charles was lying? No, he wouldn't send a report to get us there just to turn us away.
So then… Was it possible someone else fabricated a report? And that was the one Brett received?
I shook my head. No, that was just silly. Reports were delivered with the utmost caution. The idea that someone would intercept it before fabricating a new one was ridiculous.
After all, who would go through so much trouble just to get Floyd and me to Zeppil?
"…I'll be on the lookout for recruits." I offered, knowing I should help the Silver Intent however I could. "Do you mind sending a report to Brett again? Just to let him know everything is fine here?"
"Already on it." Charles responded, scribbling some notes down into a book. "Frankly, I am as confused as you as to why Brett sent you. I had already sent him an update on Zeppil's status. No cultists whatsoever."
"Yeah, well, hopefully we can get to the bottom of it." I didn't want to believe that Brett made a mistake, but I didn't have much else to go off of.
Brett said there were cultists.
Charles said there wasn't.
They couldn't both be right, but it made less sense for the Kingdom to feel comfortable enough to host the Parkour Games following an assassination attempt.
Not looking forward to Jade saying 'I told you so.'
With that, I rose from my seat, gave a few parting words, and left the Silver Intent base with more questions than when I arrived.
Inventory (Cobb): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Fishing Rod {Backlash} [Knockback II, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III], 1 Golden Shovel [Silk Touch I, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Sword, 1 Banner {Beginners}, 64 Cobblestone, 47 Cobblestone, 1 Bed, 5 Dirt, 19 Torches, 34 Coal, 17 Cooked Mutton, 12 Jungle Wood Logs, 60 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Water Bucket, 5 String, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Mending I, Unbreaking I], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Boots, 22 Emeralds, 2 Gunpowder, 25 Rotten Flesh, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 29]
Inventory (Floyd): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Iron Sword {Weak}, 30 Iron Ingots, 1 Fishing Rod, 2 Ender Pearls, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Emerald, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Leggings, 22 Cooked Mutton, 1 Potion of Fire Resistance {8:00}, 17 Gunpowder, 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 31]
Inventory (Lenz): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Bow, 1 Shears, 2 Levers, 1 Flint and Steel, 1 Stone Button, 5 Redstone Torches, 1 Bed, 9 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 28 Redstone, 18 Blocks of Redstone, 2 Hoppers, 3 Pistons, 2 Sticky Pistons, 21 Cobblestone, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 25 Gunpowder, 5 Arrows, 16 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 16 Sugar Cane, 11 Cooked Mutton, 8 Paper, 5 Ink Sacs, 3 Leather, 5 Emeralds, 1 Book {Airship Piloting 101}, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 15]
Inventory (Soul): 1 Diamond Axe, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 64 Iron Ingots, 55 Iron Ingots, 12 Gold Ingots, 1 Milk, 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV, Feather Falling IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Crafting Table, 1 Bed, 1 Furnace, 1 Anvil, 35 Torches, 34 White Wool, 37 Dirt, 64 Cobblestone, 31 Cobblestone, 5 Stone Slabs, 33 Coal, 32 Jungle Wood Planks, 2 Sticks, 1 Armor Stand, 47 Emeralds, 44 Cooked Mutton, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 49]
Inventory (Jade): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Leggings [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV], 1 Iron Sword, 1 Bed, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 27 Cooked Mutton, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 17 Coal, 36 Torches, 34 Jungle Wood Planks, 64 Cobblestone, 29 Cobblestone, 16 Obsidian, 1 Water Bucket, 1 Bucket, 1 Compass, 1 Clock, 23 Emeralds, 4 Ender Chests, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Dover Plains Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Lazuli Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 30]
Inventory (Noman): 1 Diamond Chestplate {Severe Shield}, 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness I], 1 Black Shield {Slight Shield} [Blue Cross], 1 Bow [Infinity], 34 Birch Wood Planks, 35 Iron Ingots, 19 Sticks, 13 Torches, 1 Bucket, 1 Crafting Table, 52 Cooked Mutton, 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 Book {The Labyrinth}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Dover Plains Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Map {Dover Plains}, 1 Map {Mesa}, 1 Map {Zeppil}, 1 Compass, 64 Arrows, 2 Glass Bottles, 5 Sugar, 14 Bookshelves, 7 Enchanted Golden Apples, 1 Diamond Helmet, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Blue] {Weak}, 1 Diamond Leggings, 1 Diamond Boots, 64 Emeralds, 64 Emeralds, 58 Emeralds, 2 Bones
[EXP: 19]
Beetroot the Horse
AN: Team Beginners is ready for the games!
I'm gonna try and cram in as many OCs as I can into these games, so you'll probably see me drop a few names and characters here and there. Keep in mind, these are just competitors in Spleef, Parkour, Sprinting, and Archery. I have a list of OCs I'm drawing from, but if you feel like entering one, PM me, and I'll see what I can do. Don't expect a fully-fleshed out character arc for them, though. More likely a paragraph to describe them as well as some mild fighting against Team Beginners! Maybe some dialogue, maybe some rivalry.
I'll make references to all of them in the Author's Notes. Speaking of which, special thanks to Platypotato for their OC: Moist_Charles. Just a name and a face for the Silver Intent branch of Zeppil.
Until next Chapter, review, fav, follow. And have a nice day!