AN: And we're back. That didn't take long.

Writing between working is hard. Props to Coeur for being able to do it weekly with five stories a week and another every other week.

Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. Bwuh.

Chapter 143

Akasha

[Noman]

It was with grudging patience that I waited for the rest of the Beginners to arrive. Cobb had a point about the dangers of pursuing the book thief through a tunnel without any knowledge about where it led, and if I had been more composed, I may have considered it.

But where the artifacts were concerned, I could not pull off cool or composed. I could only be anxious and fidgety. Much like I was when the others found me. Lenzington quickly explained the situation while Cobb stood guard by the tunnel, watching me.

"So you're telling us that that book thief, Arquero, went invisible and stowed away on the Asmodeus when we were in Chataan and none of us noticed?"

"Yes. It served as the perfect escape for him." Lenzington nodded. "Though, perhaps he had an ulterior motive, considering how quickly he revealed himself when the Herobrine books were on display."

"You woke us up over those damn books!?" Floyd snapped. Indeed, he looked like he'd been rudely awakened, his posture sluggish and his eyes bleary. "I thought this was a situation, like someone had been kidnapped."

"Language." I chastised before turning to Cobb. "I knew they wouldn't care. Waiting up was a waste of time, let's just go get those books back."

"Why do you care so much about those books?" Soul questioned, moving to stand beside Floyd and across from us. The sides were already forming. "Those items are contraband and that Book Burglar is a criminal. Go after either of them and you'll stir up trouble. We need to remember what we're here for." He slapped a fist into his palm. "Cultists! Too many are getting arrested in this Kingdom to be written off as coincidence. There are dark things at work here and we need to get to the bottom of it. For the Silver Intent."

Floyd nodded, showing where his priorities lay. They didn't have a clue. None of them had any idea!

"We need those books, because they detail the—!"

"NOMAN!"

I stopped myself only after Cobb shouted, his glare hardening. There was an order to things. Befriend his guild first, and then share the information about the artifacts. I had no doubt that informing them about the stolen Artifact List would convince them of its importance… though, knowing that Herobrine made them and used them to kill the Kings may have been a turn off.

Either way, Cobb wanted me to get to know them. To trust them and have them trust me. To build a friendship that wouldn't be colored by the knowledge of almighty artifacts.

I grit my teeth, frustrated by how little I could explain. The more we bickered, the further away the Artifact List got.

"The books matter." I spat out, blue eyes glaring at Floyd and Soul. "They matter to me… and they matter to Lenzington." The engineer nodded frantically and I knew I had an ally there. "We're going after Arquero and we're going after the books. That's the end of it."

I turned to walk away and came face to face with Cobb. The fisherman was still guarding the tunnel. Standing in my way.

"Please, move." I said.

"What do you even need the book for?" He whispered under his breath. "I thumbed through it. I have a basic idea of what the artifacts do and where they were sighted. Between the two of us we can recall what was written."

It was a tempting offer, but it was more than that. "Those artifacts started wars and assassinations. The information needs to be controlled or the Hackers might just involve themselves again." And if the Hackers were out searching for the artifacts again like they had during Herobrine's time, it would be that much harder to gather them to stop the Endward Cult.

I needed that list back.

Cobb let out a groan, scratching at his head furiously before calling his guild to attention. "Okay, look, we have two things that need to be done. There's no reason we can't split up."

"Only that it makes us easier to pick off." Floyd sniped, to which Cobb shushed him.

"I'm not happy about this either, Floyd." Cobb grimaced before gesturing to the tunnel. "We know that a known criminal of Akasha has a secret tunnel seemingly leading into the Kingdom. We're in a blind-spot and there are no patrols. It stands to reason that the guards don't know about this tunnel and wherever it pops out won't be under any kind of security."

He then pointed to Floyd and himself. "We're criminals, suspected of being cultists, and this Kingdom hates anything to do with Herobrine and the Endward Cult."

"Therefore," Lenzington caught on, "you have no reason not to follow Arquero. The Book Burglar would never venture into a tunnel that would get him caught by the guards."

"Exactly. In the meantime," he then steered Lenzington and I away from the tunnel and towards Jade and Soul. "You four went through the trouble of getting Entry Passes into Akasha. Best to enter legally now when, regardless, we'll all be wanted the day after tomorrow once word from Chataan arrives."

Right. Once those guards spread the news of how we were in possession of Herobrine books and escaped in an airship, there was nowhere we could hide. For now, we were innocent. But in two days…

"Why should I go into the tunnel when I have no investment in getting those books back?" Floyd asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

"Everyone can regroup later." Cobb assured. "This is just to get everyone inside without raising any alarms. Of course, we'll need to lay low since our posters are likely here."

"We can buy you some masks." Jade chimed in. "They'll cover your faces and names. If not, we'll stow you away in an Inn."

"We'll play it by ear. Like always." Soul joked, holding up his map. "Once inside, we'll find you and figure out where this tunnel winds up. Just… don't do anything stupid."

That comment was more directed at Cobb than Floyd, but they both nodded anyway. Lenzington hurried off to submerge the airship in the sands. Like before, the bridge was exposed, allowing us to enter and exit at our leisure. We'd have to dig out the engine room again, but that was a later problem. The important thing was that the Asmodeus was hidden. Being near the entrance to the secret tunnel, there was also the possibility for a clean getaway if things went south in the Kingdom.

Lenzington hoisted himself out the glass window of the bridge, shivering under the cold night sky. "Just in case Arquero doubles back and tries to burglarize our ship, I removed an essential bit of redstone connecting the Command Block to the controls. Nobody will be flying without the express permission of Skipper Lenz."

"Terrific." Soul drawled sarcastically. "Can we move on? It's cold as tits out here."

"How are tits cold?" I asked, confused.

"Ah, poor innocent, Noman." Soul shook his head, shivering in place. "The cold makes your nips stick out. Hence, the term 'cold as tits'." Everyone gave the axe-wielder strange looks. "Oh come on, you've never heard the phrase? Jade, help me out, your tits are cold, right?"

"Don't talk about my girlfriend's tits like that."

"This conversation is over." Jade deadpanned, but not before giving Cobb a playful swat on the shoulder.

With the moon as our witness, we split up our group. Cobb and Floyd bravely ventured into the tunnel after Arquero. The rest of us followed the base of Akasha's mesa east in search of a toll gate. Our Entry Passes clutched tightly between frozen fingers.

[Floyd]

Why are we bothering with this?

I thought while trudging through the dark tunnel. Arquero hadn't bothered to light it, probably since it would have stood out at night. The guards wouldn't notice it, but we had to fight our way through spawning Mobs. Creepers. Spiders. Zombies. Skeletons. Witches. The usual crap.

Unknowingly, Arquero was leaving us a trail of breadcrumbs; rotten flesh and bones littered the tunnel's floor, showing us the Book Burglar had been busy.

Busy stealing the Herobrine books. We should really be thanking him for taking them off our hands. Instead we're bending backwards to get them back. Why? What's so important about the books of a madman?

Who cares? And what is Cobb thinking going along with this?

I thought he'd be on our side, against the books and Lenz and Noman. Instead he's allowing this wild goose chase when we should be focused on the Endward Cult's presence in Akasha. We're splitting our forces and for what!?

My iron sword flicked out, angrily slicing apart a Spider before breaking against a Skeleton's skull. While it fell apart in my hand, two Zombies teamed up on me, getting in my face. Cobb jumped in, ending one with his diamond blade. The other I brutally beat to death with an iron ingot.

I panted for breath, falling on my rear. I was so tired.

"Hang on." Cobb set down a torch so we could see better before taking out the rest of the Mobs before us. EXP flowed into his arm but he steered clear of all the drops. His Inventory was enough a mess and mine was hardly better. "There. Clear. Now we can…" He trailed off, turning around. What was he looking at? "Floyd, you're smoking!"

"Wha..?" I looked down and gasped. Smoke was swirling around my arms and seeping out of my eyes. It had been so dark I hadn't noticed. I focused my attention on the power within and demanded it knock off whatever it was doing. It was stubborn, though, and felt different from how it usually was.

It took a few moments of concentration to fully rein it in, and the effort it required brought me to my knees, gasping for breath.

Cobb hurried over, kneeling down next to me, unsure of what to do. "Floyd, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I-I don't… know." I had trouble swallowing, having to stretch and turn my neck just to get it down.

"Were you moving faster?" Cobb asked, checking my eyes and body. "Maybe you activated your Speed without realizing…?"

"No… no, it wasn't that." I swept a hand through my hair, frowning when it came back damp. I was sweating. It certainly felt like I exerted myself, but I couldn't have. Not from a few measly Mobs. A terrible thought seized me. "What if… you don't think I'm losing control of it…?"

It was bad enough I could only use my Hack for thirty-five seconds at a time before fatiguing myself. At least I could control it then. Shape it to what I wanted to be. If even that choice was being taken from me, how was I ever going to be around other people?

How was I going to help anyone like this?

Before my self-deprecating thoughts could spiral out of control, Cobb grabbed my other arm and hoisted me to my feet, supporting me with one shoulder.

"Don't think like that, alright? Has this been happening a lot lately?"

"…Once or twice the last few days."

"Well which is it? Once or twice?"

"Twice." I admitted. "Once when I woke up this morning and another time when I was piloting." Cobb and I hobbled forward through the tunnel. Slowly, so I could recover. "It's just been brief flashes of smoke. I rein it in and it passes."

"But not without taking a lot out of you." Cobb summarized, giving my shoulder a light shake. "Have you been doing anything different lately? Poor sleeping habits, new diet?"

"No, Doctor Cobb."

"I'm just trying to figure this out. Has anything changed? Anything?"

"No." I sighed, feeling frustrated. "I can't think of anything. I thought I had a grasp of these powers, but I'm still in the dark."

"Yeah." Cobb's eyes shifted awkwardly. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's too bad Thed isn't here."

"The same Thed that beat you and Soul up and thought I was brainwashed?"

"That's why I couldn't believe I was saying it." He shot back flatly. "He was a snobby jerk, but I bet he'd know more about Hacker puberty than us."

"…Can we not call it that?"

"Sure. So how are we getting you through your Hacker period? Chocolate?"

I threw a half-hearted fist at his shoulder, laughing. This was what I liked about Cobb. He used humor to help take my mind off the bad. And just joking and talking, back and forth, was helping more than he knew. After a while of leaning on him, I could support myself.

"We can tell the others about this. Or we don't." He added, giving me the choice. "Either way, we'll keep an eye on you and see if this worsens."

"And then what?" I asked, knowing full well we'd be powerless to do a thing. Nothing to do but watch and wait.

"Then…" Cobb closed his eyes. "We fix it. Together. Like we always do."

"…Of course." My breathing steadied, but my mind kept playing out worse-case scenarios in which my Hacker powers malfunctioned and got people killed. I quickly ruled that out, however. If there was a risk involved with my powers, Thed would have let me know before leaving. He cared. In his own, familial way. "K-Keep talking. Take my mind off it."

"Sure." Cobb took the lead, wracking his brain for a topic. "Arquero. This tunnel is his." He let his eyes wander to the ceiling and walls. "The guards called him a book burglar so he's clearly a criminal. You think he dug this out to circumvent the toll gates?"

"Probably." I focused my mind on the mysterious book thief, trying to understand what he'd done. "Kind of lame, though. If he wanted to be a burglar, you'd think he go big by stealing valuable items. So why is he after books? And Herobrine books at that?"

"Beats me." Cobb answered stiffly.

"Having them on hand, especially inside Akasha's walls, puts him in danger."

"Uh-huh."

"So why take them? Unless…" I brought a hand to my chin. "Maybe he's exclusively targeting Herobrine books. That would explain why the guards hate him. They hate anything to do with the guy."

"Mhm." Cobb's mouth was a thin line.

"How are we even going to find him, though?" I asked. "I mean, the guards have probably been looking for him—bet he's got a poster like us—But he's still burglarizing books and has enough sense to erect a secret tunnel. Something tells me he won't be easy to find."

I was subtly trying to steer Cobb away from his, Lenz's, and Noman's fool's errand. Finding Arquero in a Kingdom wouldn't be easy. Was it really worth it for a couple of books written by the head cultist himself?

I didn't think so. So why did Cobb?

"Plus, with the Endward Cult active here," I threw up a hand, trying to be nonchalant about it, "a united front would be best. There's nothing we can't handle as a guild, right? The six of us, working together. The Cult doesn't stand a chance."

"Yeah…" Cobb smiled and I felt like I was really getting through to him. "We're unstoppable as a team."

"Like when we stopped the Berserkers or escaped Carys. When we're working together, there's nothing we can't do."

"Hell, yeah." Cobb grinned. "Don't worry. I'll get the guys to help out after we've settled the Arquero issue."

Just like that, my hopes were snuffed. "Why, Cobb?"

"Hm?"

"Why waste time on the books?" I pressed, scowling. "We need to stay together and already the team is split because of a couple of books. Why do you care so much?"

"I don't." Cobb's voice warned, lowly. "I don't care so much. I don't care period."

"So then why…?"

"Noman and Lenz are going for the books whether I'm with them or not. I'm tagging along to keep them safe." He kept his gaze firmly forward. "They want to tire themselves out hunting Arquero, fine. Give them a day of fruitless searching and they'll reconsider. Sure, they're stubborn now, but after failing to find anything," he smirked, "they'll give up and we can all focus on dealing with the Endward Cult as a team. Good?"

"Great." I laughed, feeling silly to have doubted him. "You really think they'll give up, though? Lenz and Noman seemed pretty adamant."

"They'll change their minds." Cobb assured, his gaze growing cloudy. "They'll realize that a couple of books just aren't worth it."

[Jade]

If Cobb could see me now, he'd be pretty upset. But we all have to make sacrifices…

"Jade, get off me, I can barely walk."

"Shut up, heat source." I grumbled before hugging him tighter.

Little known fact about me: I hated the cold. It stemmed from my time in the snowy Kingdom of Lazuli, as part of the Frost Golems. Joining up with them had been unbearable because they practically frolicked in the frost and ice. Not me, though. I preferred the balmy jungle biome of Jolin.

Akasha at night was nearly as bad as Lazuli. The flat landscape allowed wind to blow unimpeded, and without the sun to warm things up, it was a cold, cold wind that chilled you to the bone. How I prayed for the sun to come up and bathe us in its warmth.

If Cobb were here, I'd be hugging him. He generated a ton of body heat and his black-and-white hoodie made nuzzling up to him cozy. My own leather jacket may have helped block the wind, but it did nothing to warm me up. Lenz was lucky; He had a scarf.

Could be worse. I thought, turning to Noman. I could be wearing a suit. That thing looks like it's made of silk. Soft, yes. But it's like swiss cheese against the wind.

Noman's teeth were chattering and he was trying and failing to rub some warmth into his shoulders. I saw how he looked at the way I huddled against Soul for warmth and I instinctively hugged tighter.

Find your own warmth, pretty boy.

He looked away just in time for us to reach the toll gate. It wasn't heavily guards, likely due to the budget cuts outlined at the last toll booth we'd visited. There were only five orange-capped guards and I desperately hoped this wouldn't be another hairy situation. I had triple-checked our inventories just in case any of us were carrying any Herobrine contraband. The guards didn't look to recognize us. That was a good sign.

One thing that stood out, however, was that there was a sixth guy hanging back. Unlike the rest of the guards, he was fully clad in orange leather and looked at us severely.

"State your business." He demanded.

"Just visiting." Lenz spoke for the group.

"Visiting whom?" The man-decked in orange demanded again, this time more agitated. The rest of us looked to one another in confusion. We never had to state our business with other Kingdoms. At our lack of a response, the man continued.

"This is the toll gate to Akasha, a Kingdom infamous for its poor state and cruelly nicknamed 'the Mess Kingdom'." He paced before us, his eyes sharp and watchful. "Anyone even remotely aware of Akasha's history would not be so willing to 'just visit'. The people here are stubborn and hardy, clinging to the dry, cracked earth and braving violent winds to suck up the smallest drops of moisture they can come across. They are a strong people!"

"Oh, he's doing the spiel…" One of the regular guards groaned in the back.

"And most importantly," the man continued, "these people don't take kindly to strangers. So banish any thoughts that this will be a fun visit filled with amusement rides and cookies. This land is dry! Expect dry things, like crackers!"

"So, I ask again," the man bent over to glare into Lenz' tinted glasses, "what business do you have here?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake…" Soul pushed Lenz aside, forcing the guard to step back. "We're here because we heard about the arrests going on."

The guard fixed his eyes on Soul. "And what arrests are you referring to?"

"The ones that involve bastard cultists, that's what." The guards all bristled at the word. This seemed like a great idea to tick them off, but a horrible idea to get in. I tried to shut him up with my eyes. "What? No point talking around it? We heard cultists were getting arrested and we want to know what the hell is going on? So let us in so we can investigate for ourselves."

"And why, pray tell, are you so interested in their activities?" The head guard inquired, resting a hand on his blade. The others did the same and I tensed. Soul really needed to shut up now.

"I'm interested because I have a vendetta against those killer worshipping assholes." Soul admitted, unashamed. His words made the guards pause. "I hate them. They killed one of my best friends a few months back and I've made it my mission to kill any of those turds the moment I lay eyes on 'em." He spat to the side, growling to himself. "Those guys kill anyone, even innocent people not even trying to fight. They can't keep getting away with that shit!"

"…We feel the same." The head guard relaxed, his hand falling off his sword. "Indeed, we share a strong hatred for the Endward Cult, Minecraftia's greatest evil."

"Yeah, they suck!" Soul nodded earnestly. Whether he knew it or not, his grudge was actually playing to these guards' emotions. It was nice to see he learned something from my story. "But what's this I hear about all the cultist arrests? You mean you don't just execute them on the spot?"

"No, sadly we have rules." The head guard spoke as if it were a hindrance, though the guards behind muttered in agreement. "The depths of the Pit are the closest those cretins will get to hell. Some argue it's a worse fate."

"But why are all these arrests even happening? Are cultists still roaming around, even with all the work you've done?"

"Rats will always find a hole to squirm through." The guard replied coolly. "The ACC remains vigilant and Captain Obsidian's passion for justice ignites a spark in us all. Those cultists will rue the day they messed with him."

"Excuse me…" Noman raised his hand, interrupting the cultist shit-fest we bore witness to. "First, I'd like to say, language. And secondly, could you tell us what the ACC stands for?"

"The Anti-Cult Committee," the head guard puffed out his chest, "of which I am a proud member. It's a force separate from the guards and enforced by an avenger so great he's only second to the Angel of Death. Captain Obsidian leads our investigations and arrests cultists as easily as one noshes on potatoes."

"Really? There's an avenger that hates the Endward Cult almost as much as Car—uh, the Angel of Death?"

Oh, brother. I thought with an eye roll. Soul idolized the Angel of Death… until she tried to kill the whole group. Then she was moved to the 'respected, but feared' column. But now that he was hearing there was a new crusader against the cult, his interest had been piqued.

"So… what's Captain Obsidian done so far?" Soul tried to sound nonchalant, but anyone who knew him could tell he was barely holding himself back.

Thankfully, he had touched upon a topic that the ACC guy wanted to share. "What hasn't he done? Captain Obsidian, at the time simply Glowing_Obsidian, got his start at Oonchaee Village, slaughtering cultists occupying the settlement. When the dust cleared, he was standing atop a pile of Heads and gear like some sort of demon. Since then, he went from one village to the next, wielding that massive Cleaver of his, and torturing cultist locations from other cultists. His great achievements got him recognized by Councilman McGahn and he became our first ever third Captain in charge of the ACC."

That was a lot of information for us to take in, but Soul was hooked. "How many cultists does he have under his belt?"

"Nobody knows for sure. There are guesses." The ACC guard allowed. "Personally, I think he's in the triple digits because for every cultist he captures and tortures, he learns of at least ten more. And then those ten tell him about others and then those others tell him about more and more. It all compounds." He folded his arms. "Those cultists are quite tight-lipped. It takes a great deal of intimidation to get them to crack, but Captain Obsidian has that in spades!"

"Bhajan." One of the orange-capped guards urged. They, like us, had been forgotten in the background while those two talked. "Are we letting them in or not?"

The ACC guy, Bhajan, looked between the five guards and us, giving Soul a little side eye as he did.

"…This one." He pointed to Soul, a small smile gracing his face. "This one is like-minded. I can see his hatred for the cult. He's true." He titled his head to look at the rest of us, wrinkling his nose at the sight of Noman and Lenz. "These two look timid. And her…" He glared at me and I looked back impassively. He clicked his tongue. "I can't even read her."

"They're with me. That should be enough." Soul extended an arm, speaking for us. "I promise you, they're against the Endward Cult. Most of us were at Ringwood when the Creeper Herd hit. You must have heard of that." The guards murmured amongst themselves at that information. "And Noman here dueled Lieutenant Leadstripe alongside Jade in Zeppil not too long ago. You can trust us."

Bhajan nodded at the information, impressed. "Hard to believe looking at those innocent eyes of his." He noted, glancing at Noman. "You all tough enough to stand against a Lieutenant and live to tell the tale?" We all nodded. "Hmm. Then maybe you should be introduced to Captain Obsidian."

The guards behind Bhajan urged him to make a decision. "They're clean." He decided. "Pay your dues and I'll show you inside. If you can afford it."

I had a sinking feeling in my wallet that we were about to get royally screwed.

The toll for Akasha was twenty emeralds per person. Even with the Entry Passes we got at Chataan Village.

Fucking Mess Kingdom…

We scraped enough with the emeralds on our person. We had more in the ender chest but we had to be careful taking from that without the Silk Touch Shovel to replenish our funds. Noman had a lot and Lenz had little. We had to pool our emeralds together to get eighty. Noman kept twenty-six emeralds as change.

"Alright. It's good you have the gems. It's the wealthy people that know what they're doing." Bhajan noted. The guards searched us deliberately, the ACC guy occasionally poking or peeking at our inventories. It felt more intrusive than usually, but I guess these guys had reason to be cautious. They found nothing related to Herobrine on us. "Sorry for inconveniencing you, but we have our reasons. I suspect you'll encounter similar delays within the walls."

What walls? Akasha's mesa was built like an anvil. Smooth walls that curved upward made it impossible to climb. The only way in was a tunnel built into the base of the rock. It made me uncomfortable, wondering if the tunnel Cobb entered would somehow lead to this one and get him caught. That Arquero better not have led them into a trap…

Because we were at the base, we couldn't get a good look at the inside. Since it was a mesa, I could only assume the top was flat. No idea what the buildings would be like.

"Alright, you're good to go." Bhajan nodded in satisfaction and I snatched my Cutlass back after one guard had been turning it over covetously. "Just follow the tunnel and go up the stairs. Oh, and, uh…" He leaned over to Soul, passing him a slip of paper. "You can see our Captain in action tonight if you want. We got a hot tip and it looks like we're planning a raid. Come to this address at sunset if you want a piece of the action. The more the merrier."

"I'll think about it." Soul took the paper and stashed it in his pocket before leading us forward.

"Are you really going to meet with them?" Lenz asked. "Comparators, you have only just met this man—"

"Well I'm certainly not helping you guys look for books, now am I?" Soul shot back coldly before leaving Lenz in the dust. Noman winced at the tone, in the same boat as the engineer. This divide over the books was a real problem.

One that I wasn't sure Cobb could manage.

[Cobb]

The tunnel angled upward and the Mobs stopped at some point. Floyd and I kept going until we hit a wall with a button on it.

The two of us stood, staring at it.

"Well? Go press it."

"I'm not pressing it. You do it."

"No way. What if a pitfall opens up? I had enough of that with your stupid Inhouse entrance."

"Okay, first, Lenz was the one who built it. And second, it was the coolest thing he's ever built so shut your mouth."

Floyd sighed. "Fine. We'll press it at the same time. Fair?"

"Alright. On three. And not one, two, three go, but—"

"Just push the damn thing!"

With a click, blocks of sandstone were pushed out of the wall in a vague approximation of a staircase, followed by an opening appearing overhead, light streaming in. Floyd and I shared a look before ascending the impromptu staircase and hoisting ourselves up into…

A dusty basement.

There was nothing of interest, just a few torches to light it up. We could only tell it was a basement because there were high windows where sunlight was streaming in. A staircase in the corner led further up.

As soon as we had pulled ourselves up, the secret staircase sealed behind us. It must have been on a timer because there was nothing to activate to open or seal it on our end.

"Guess Arquero knows his redstone." Floyd noted, running a hand over the smoothened floor where the staircase had been. "Smart. He covered his tracks."

"Which'll make it all but impossible to find him. Lenz won't be pleased." I scratched my head, not feeling too upset by it. Instead, I walked over to the staircase leading out of the basement with Floyd right behind me. Our weapons were drawn, just in case we wound up someplace bad.

A door creaked open and we took in what seemed like an average, everyday kitchen. The walls and floor were sandstone, but there was a furnace and cauldron, a metal fridge, a table with chairs, a counter.

We peered into the next room. The living room. Empty. There was a layer of dust on everything. This house had been abandoned for some time. Jade did say that only the stubborn stayed in the Mess Kingdom. Maybe most of the Kingdom's houses were like this.

"Cobb, check this out." Floyd called me over to one of the windows he was peeking through. I cupped my hands over my eyes and peered out, spotting a street of gravel and red sand…

And a large, rock arch casting a shadow upon sandstone buildings.

My eyes widened at the sight of a thick chunk of sandstone arcing from one end of the Kingdom to the other like a rainbow. That comparison was more appropriate than I first thought when I noticed the layers of different colored stone making up the arch. It really was like a rainbow and it cast the Kingdom in a spate of cool shade.

"I didn't see any of this last night."

"Well it would have been dark at night, so yeah."

"Smartass…" I pushed off the glass and then froze when I saw some orange-capped guards through the window. "Down!"

I yanked Floyd down to the ground just in time. A shadow passed dangerously close to the windows before passing. We had to stay out of sight. Not just because we were criminals, but with Akasha's many run-ins with the Hack Clan, there was a good chance they'd recognize Floyd as a Hacker the moment they saw the lines stretched over his eyes. That would overcomplicate things.

"Let's look out from the second floor." Floyd suggested to which I nodded. Up a second flight of stairs, we came across a bedroom with a cozy pair of beds and a second, smaller bathroom. Still no sign of Arquero. We were alone. We peered out the window, but carefully. It was easier to avoid being spotted from a taller vantage point.

"Well, the others made it in okay." I waved my map, showing the white blips that were our friends. "We just need to wait out here."

"And then what?" Floyd asked. "Arquero isn't here. Noman and Lenz will keep looking. And then there's the cult to worry about, and getting around—"

"We can talk about it when the others get here." I dismissed. There was no point making plans when there was only the two of us there. "In the meantime," I threw myself onto one of the beds and leaned back, comfortably, "since we're gonna be here a while, might as well get comfortable."

Floyd sighed. "Yeah, that does sound pretty good…" He lowered himself on the other bed, testing its springiness while keeping an eye out the window. "The streets are so empty here. Remember how packed Ringwood was? It's nothing like this place."

"With a name like Mess Kingdom? Not surprising." I commented, closing my eyes. "Let's just be thankful we have someplace to lay low. Wanted as we may be, we're safe here."

"Nobody will be looking for us yet."

[Akasha West Gate]

"We all set?"

A woman with tan, leathery skin and long, braided gray hair stood before a group of nineteen Crafters. With her going, that made it an even twenty.

Captain Chaara had been taught early on in her career the importance of the number twenty. She knew not to question it, for it had been painstakingly calculated by Akasha's skeleton crew of a council.

Her and her band of Crafters—and they really were a band, gathered from guards, willing citizens, and members of the ACC alike—had been dreading this day for weeks. Some had tried to get out of it, making excuses as to why they couldn't make the week-long ride. It was disgraceful. Guards were supposed to protect the citizens, not the other way around. Here were some everyday citizens—bartenders, innkeepers, farmers—having to take up the responsibility of guards too frightened to do the job for their Kingdom.

Mess or not, Akasha was their Kingdom. And they needed twenty people.

But, they had scraped by. Maybe because everyone knew what would happen if they didn't.

"We're ready, ma'am." A small, twig of a guard shook visibly. Really, she could bend him over her knee he was so feeble. He was new, but he had heart. Or maybe he just didn't have the heart to refuse an order.

So long as he could carry the food, that was all she needed him for.

It was September 24th. Today was the day they would set off for the Obelisk to deliver the Hack Clan's tribute. They'd arrive by the first of the month, as was the designated drop-off date. A month's worth of food so they wouldn't kill everyone in Akasha.

It was amazing how good people got at math when their lives were at risk. The average Crafter could eat five bits of food per day. Five steaks, five porkchops, five cooked chickens, five apples, five loaves of bread, or five whatever order they desired. Five meals every day for thirty-one days and for roughly two-hundred Hackers. The numbers had been adjusted over the years as more and more Hackers were brought to the Obelisk, but the number was at a little under two-hundred now.

Twenty Crafters. Each one had a different ender chest Inventory filled with a different kind of food. The ACC members were in charge of meats. The twiggy guard was chosen to carry vegetables. One guard had been given an ender chest filled with cookies and pies. They only really needed eighteen Crafters to carry the necessary amount of food, but it was always safe to bring backups should anyone die on the journey or—Notch forbid—the Hackers wanted more food.

Better to bring more than less.

This trip was important. Every Crafter there knew it. This tribute would keep the Hackers fed and appeased for the entire month of October.

But, whenever dealing with Hackers, there was always a risk. They were beings on a different level. Almighty and powerful and they knew it and flaunted it. They thought themselves Gods, and, for the longest time, Captain Chaara believed it.

But when news of Halstatt came…

And then Nitebane…

Suddenly, Hackers weren't as unreachable as everyone thought.

They were mortal. They could be killed.

And maybe… just maybe… there would be something close to justice in the future.

But Captain Chaara never once voiced these thoughts, for fear that the Hackers were watching. No, she kept to herself and delivered the tribute, only now with a small, defiant flame burning in her soul. A flame that assured her that the Hackers would be punished one day by Crafters more powerful and nobler than her. She just had to swallow her fear and deliver the food so that she and her Kingdom could live to see that glorious day.

The day the Hackers truly felt the weight of what they've done.

"Everyone keep a tight formation." The Captain shouted to the band of Crafters as they began to mount their horses. "This isn't the first time I've met with the Hackers. The one that meets with me is usually fair. Do not make eye contact and keep quiet; I'll do the talking."

There was a collective sigh of relief, as if a great burden had been lifted. Captain Chaara kept her focus on that small, defiant flame within. So long as she did that, she could face those Hackers calmly and professionally.

Captain Chaara steered her horse forward and was about to give the command to ride out onto that flat mesa landscape…

…When a shadow passed by overhead.

Chaara looked up, thinking it was a cloud, only to feel her heart stop at the sight of a human silhouette circling above them.

It left a trail of smoke…

"EVERYONE ON YOUR KNEES!"

The shout had been startling, but not nearly as much as the sight of Captain Chaara throwing herself off her horse and prostrating herself in the sand, her lips practically kissing it. The guards had complied, slowly at first, until they saw the smoky figure circling above. They then abandoned everything to kneel upon the sand and bow their heads. The ACC members and citizens did the same.

They recognized that their very lives were at risk.

The smoky figure circling above slowly dipped towards the ground, not that anyone dared to look up. Chaara could tell by the shadows growing closer and closer to the ground. Right in front of her.

She gulped, but steadied her trembling hands thinking of the Hackers that had been killed by common Crafters. She found that defiant flame and felt it fill her with confidence. 'They aren't gods', she kept telling herself.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a heavy set of legs landed before her prostrated form, followed by a second, lighter set that made her heart plummet even more.

Two Hackers.

"I recognize her. She's the Captain in charge of delivering our food." A cool, female voice stated from above.

"Please, may I have permission to speak?" Chaara asked, her forehead pressed to the sand.

"You may not, slug." A second, gruff voice shot her down. There was little she could do with that. Why had they come here?

"Winslow…" The female voice chided half-heartedly. "She asked nicely. And the rest of them are on their knees in record time. The least we can do is hear her out." The shadow shifted above. "You may speak, Captain Chaara."

She didn't dare lift her head. "If you are visiting Akasha due to an error in our delivery of your tribute, rest assured we were just about to—"

"We're not here for that." The gruff voice, Winslow, shot her down once more. Chaara didn't know either of these Hackers. She had no idea if they were reasonable like the one she dealt with at the Obelisk, or…

"Not that we don't appreciate the effort." The female Hacker said quickly. "No, we're very, very pleased with the level of preparedness you're displaying. It shows you know not to keep us waiting. I like that." She clapped her hands sharply and one of the bowed guards—the twiggy one—shivered. "Relax! Like Winslow said, we're not here for you. Just had him drop me off here to remind you who you're providing for."

A thick hand dug into Chaara's belt pocket, taking out food she had reserved for the trip. The male Hacker chewed noisily. The Captain clung to that defiant flame within.

"No, we're here for one of ours." The female Hacker continued. "Someone I saw coming. Someone worth more than any bum in this tumbleweed Kingdom."

"Akasha is a proud Kingdom!"

Chaara bit her lip at the idiot who had shouted that. One of the ACC members.

Winslow had stopped chewing.

Suddenly there was a loud choking sound from behind her. The Captain had a feeling it was the same guy who had shouted. Winslow hadn't even moved from his position over her. She closed her eyes, focusing on that defiant flame.

"Please, forgive my foolish subordinate." Chaara begged. "He's carrying a fraction of the tribute. He didn't mean to speak out of turn."

"Kind of looks like he did." The female noted.

"I promise he won't again."

"Ever again." Winslow did something and the choking grew louder until there was a burst of gear tumbling upon the ground. The ACC member was dead.

"Better find yourself a replacement." The female said. "Might I recommend someone quieter?"

With that, the two Hackers strode past nineteen prostrated Crafters and one pile of gear before passing through Akasha's gates. The group was silent as the grave until the Captain pushed herself to her knees, checking to see if the Hackers were truly gone.

And praying on that small defiant flame inside that one day they'd be gone permanently.

"…Pratis. Please, accompany me to Indrad Rock. We need to request more food… and a replacement."

They were one short of twenty.

Inventory (Cobb): 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Mending I, Unbreaking I], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Boots, 1 Fishing Rod {Backlash} [Knockback II, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Sword, 1 Banner {Beginners}, 64 Cobblestone, 61 Cobblestone, 64 Gravel, 64 Gravel, 64 Gravel, 4 Gravel, 1 Bed, 36 Dirt, 7 Coal, 24 Flint, 12 Jungle Wood Logs, 56 Jungle Wood Planks, 2 Sticks, 7 Torches, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Lava Bucket, 1 String, 21 Emeralds, 1 Ender Pearl, 4 Snowballs, 9 Gunpowder, 27 Cooked Mutton, 27 Rotten Flesh, 2 Maps {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}

[EXP: 33]

Inventory (Floyd): 1 Leather Cap [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Leather Pants [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III] {Weak}, 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 3 Iron Ingots, 47 Dirt, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 21 Cooked Mutton, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Emerald, 1 Iron Sword {Weak}, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Leggings, 16 Gunpowder, 4 Ender Pearls, 1 Splash Potion of Invisibility {6:00}, 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: 32]

Inventory (Lenz): 1 Leather Pants [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III] {Weak}, 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III], 1 Bow, 1 Shears, 2 Levers, 5 Redstone Torches, 1 Bed, 9 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 28 Redstone, 18 Blocks of Redstone, 2 Hoppers, 3 Pistons, 2 Sticky Pistons, 48 Cobblestone, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 25 Gunpowder, 32 Arrows, 16 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 43 Cooked Mutton, 1 Ender Pearl, 16 Sugar Cane, 8 Paper, 5 Ink Sacs, 3 Leather, 1 Book {Airship Piloting 101}, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Daymonte Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Akasha Entry Pass}

[EXP: 15]

Inventory (Soul): 1 Diamond Axe [Sharpness V], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 64 Iron Ingots, 52 Iron Ingots, 20 Flint, 12 Gold Ingots, 1 Milk, 1 Diamond Helmet [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, 24 Torches, 34 White Wool, 58 Dirt, 64 Cobblestone, 62 Cobblestone, 64 Gravel, 64 Gravel, 64 Gravel, 18 Gravel, 32 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Armor Stand, 3 Ender Pearls, 51 Cooked Mutton, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Akasha Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {21 Mool Road}

[EXP: 26]

Inventory (Jade): 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV], 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III] {Weak}, 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III] {Weak}, 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV], 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Cutlass, 1 Bed, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 16 String, 26 Cooked Mutton, 14 Torches, 30 Jungle Wood Planks, 64 Cobblestone, 64 Cobblestone, 24 Obsidian, 2 Buckets, 1 Compass, 1 Clock, 1 Ender Chest, 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}, 1 Paper {Akasha Entry Pass}

[EXP: 36]

Inventory (Noman): 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness I], 1 Diamond Chestplate {Severe Shield}, 1 Leather Boots {Bottes Zephyr} [Dyed White], 1 Black Shield {Slight Shield} [Blue Cross] {Weak}, 1 Flint and Steel, 1 Bow [Infinity], 28 Birch Wood Planks, 34 Iron Ingots, 18 Sticks, 1 Bucket, 1 Crafting Table, 16 Cooked Mutton, 6 Ender Pearls, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Potion of Water Breathing {8:00}, 1 Bed, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Map {Zeppil}, 1 Paper {Akasha Entry Pass}, 1 Compass, 1 Arrow, 3 Sugar, 14 Bookshelves, 6 Enchanted Golden Apples, 1 Diamond Helmet, 1 Diamond Leggings, 1 Diamond Boots, 26 Emeralds, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 18 Bones, 64 Gravel, 64 Gravel, 64 Gravel, 49 Gravel, 9 Flint

[EXP: 25]

AN: Something Hacker this way comes.

Akasha is pretty much an anvil-shaped Mesa with an arched rock like a bucket handle. An anvil with a handle. That's what Akasha is. It's also the least densely populated Kingdom at the moment (with Nitebane back on the rise). Considering the insane emerald costs, it's not surprising.

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