AN: Blah Blah Blah. Short Chapter Blah. One Week Schedule For A Change Blah. Kind Of A Big Deal For Me Blah. No Riddle This Week Blah.
...Though I did get a riddle in the reviews that has me stumped. I don't know the asnwer, but maybe one of you can help me out. No prize, just help me out maybe.
Puzzle: When attached to a brother, our length is more long. But back-to-back, our attachment is gone. I'm a type of paper.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add Poptarts.
Chapter 153
Exec
[Cobb]
"Umph!"
I caught myself on the next ledge gut first, expelling a good bit of air and spittle before dragging myself onto stable footing. The Pit's parkour challenge was ramping up in difficulty; the jumps I had to make growing longer and longer.
I took out loaf of bread and chowed down to refill my Hunger. The cultists may have been killers, but they had kindly offered a lion's share of food for who they believed was an Executive. Even now, below, they were watching me ascend, cheering me on.
Brain: Yeah, make more noise guys. Just tip off what few guards are guarding the top of this thing.
Liver: Th-They're trying to be nice…
Stomach: There's nice and then there's stupid. This is stupid. But they gave me food, so I magnanimously forgive them. Burp.
I stood up and braced myself against the wall before spying the next ledge to jump to. It was roughly the same as the last one, but it was a bit higher. I tentatively crept as close to the edge as I could, focusing solely on what I had to grab onto.
Just like Jade said. I gotta commit!
I cast aside my fear and threw myself forward, arms extended as far as they could go. In that one moment, the cheers below silenced as everyone watched with bated breath.
When my fingers touched stone, they breathed again and cheered while I hung, swinging, like some pendulum. My fingernails scrabbled for purchase and I sucked in a breath before pulling my full weight onto the latest ledge. I sat for a bit, just to regain my breath.
"Notch almighty. Jade could be up this thing in no time." She could pull off jumps and maneuvers like she weighed no more than a feather, hopping from ledges, swinging and making the best use of her weight and flexibility and reflexes.
I could manage a few jumps, but it was taking more effort the higher I climbed. I was a novice. Common stone to Jade's diamond.
There was a short reprieve involving a narrow wall shimmy followed by a few, short, one-gap hops, but it was all a ruse. A trick to lull me into a false sense of security only to be blind-sided by the impossible monster before me.
A five meter jump around a wall.
Yeah. There was a wall jutting out that was perfectly in the way of the jump. Leaning to the left, I could make out the ledge I had to land on, but come on! Not only were they giving me the farthest jump possible, but they were forcing me to maneuver around an obstacle!
I looked up and noticed I was about half-way to the top. That meant it'd be a half-way fall to the bottom if I screwed up. I looked down and saw that I was about twenty meters high, maybe more. What was the most I could fall without dying again?
Could really use Noman's flying boots right about now.
I took another look at the jump, thinking it over. I never made a jump like it before, but if I doubted myself then the fight would already have been lost. I had to give it a shot. Everyone down in the Pit was counting on me and my friends probably had no clue where I was. Escape was the only option.
It didn't help that they weren't giving me much space for this either. I had to make the jump from a single block. No chance for running space. Unless…
"Sometimes a step backward is a step in the right direction." I backtracked across those one-gap hops and readied myself at the shimmy ledge. I committed the jump to memory and saw my goal through the wall in my way.
With a burst of speed, I shot across the bunny hops and, on the very last one, kicked off the corner to maneuver around the wall. My momentum carried me diagonally…
Then my shoulder struck the wall and I spun out of range, falling back down the Pit.
"Sir Cobb!" A few cultists screamed before I crashed into something stocky yet yielding. It was a tangle of limbs, more hands and legs than I had. The fall cost eight-and-a-half Hearts, and I groaned in unison with whoever rushed in to act as a cushion. I expected it to be a cultist, but I was surprised to find Casimir.
"The hell was that? How are you supposed to get us out if you're dead?" He complained before pushing me onto my side, picking himself up, and dusting himself off.
"Thanks…" I groaned, rubbing my numb legs and back. I was back to square one, but with less Health than ever. At least I knew that twenty blocks wasn't enough of a fall to kill me.
"The higher you climb, the further you fall." Mitr said, coming over. "Be thankful this is one fall you can walk away from."
I ate the stale bread the cultists had reserved for me and let my Health tick back up. "I'm just getting started."
"You… you're trying again?" Casimir asked confused. "But… but you nearly died? Aren't you scared?"
"I'll get it this time."
After I recovered, I walked back to the start of the ascent and began my climb once again. I huffed and puffed over the increasingly difficult gaps, though this time knowing what to expect and getting it down that much faster. I did the bunny hop run and maneuvered around the wall without bumping my shoulder…
…but this time I was too far out to grab the ledge.
I fell to the ground where this time Moorkh was there to cushion the fall. I still twisted my ankle and broke my knee. I knee pain was worse and I clutched at it while fighting back tears.
"Sir Cobb? Are you alri—?"
I bit down a scream into a loaf of bread. "One more try…"
And I made the climb again.
And again.
And again.
On the sixth attempt, my fingertips brushed the ledge without catching, but it was the closest I ever got.
Next time for sure. I thought while curled up around my leg.
The seventh time I went up there, the cultists watched in awe at my determination. Mitr said nobody ever made so many attempts in one day. Usually the crippling pain and failure would swear them off for a day if not for life.
I didn't have a day to wait, but I had training. Jade taught me that if I didn't commit in parkour, if I didn't take a leap of faith, I'd never get anywhere. I had to believe that I could do this!
I ran through the bunny hops without even thinking about them. All my attention was on the wall in my way and the path around it I would have to take.
But then… I saw a new path open. I remembered how Jade always swung off fence posts and walls with her crazy finger strength. Could there be a way to carry my momentum and take advantage of it?
Instead of kicking off the corner, I kicked off towards the wall in my way. With my left foot.
The crowd below gasped at what they thought was a slip-up, but instead of smacking the wall, I immediately used my right foot to kick off to the side and push me to the left, clearing the obstacle.
But all my momentum was now going out. So I threw out both hands and snagged the wall along the edge. My fingers bruised carrying my whole weight, but it was only a second of hanging on as I swung off the wall, righted my momentum, and landed in a roll on the other side. I threw out my hands and legs nervously, bracing myself just so I wouldn't fall off.
Below, there was a moment of silence before all the cultists cheered wildly.
"He cleared the wall!" Kesh whistled while Moorkh threw his fists in the air.
"Go, Sir Cobb! Keep climbing!"
"Sir Cobb! Sir Cobb! Sir Cobb!" They chanted, jumping in tune with the syllables. I gave them a cheeky grin, feeling euphoric as the blood rushed to my head.
If that was the worst obstacle of the climb, then I had nothing to worry about!
My good cheer died after moving up six meters to find a jump that made my head spin.
This one had a hovering block, but from the way everything was positioned I had to jump up one meter while also maneuvering around an obstacle at a ninety degree angle. There was no wall to kick off this time. Unless I was a boomerang, I saw no way I could make such a jump.
"You can do it, Sir Cobb!" The cultists below cheered.
I squished my cheeks together with one hand, analyzing the perplexing jump any way I could. This was nothing like the stuff I saw Jade do. Could it even be done or were the guards having a laugh making an impossible jump for the prisoners to die on.
And I would most definitely die if I failed. I was twenty-six blocks high. Those extra six meters would take out my entire Health if I struck the ground. They'd be scraping off my EXP with a stick!
With no immediate answer to such a jump, I sat down. My legs hung over the edge, swinging slightly as I looked over the jump. Below, the cultists and watching innocents caught on that I would be taking a break, and they went back to their busy lives as prisoners. Meanwhile, above, the sun vanished from sight, plunging the Pit into darkness save for a few torches.
Making the jumps in semi-darkness was a very bad idea, so it was another reason to take a break.
What was I supposed to do, though? I couldn't test this one out like the last impossible jump. A fall from here meant death. But I wouldn't learn anything if I didn't at least try.
My face fell into my palms as I stressed over what to do.
Then, my ears caught an almost imperceptible soft thud land beside me. I caught a flash of green and purple and the faint scent of apples.
I turned slightly. "Jade…?"
[Noman]
It had been a fitful night of sleep for me. My dreams were haunted by a slow-motion replay of Winslow_Downes' death at my hands. I'd always be watching it, as if a bystander. I'd call out to myself not to take out the chestplate, but I never listened and the Hacker always died.
Then I'd wake up in a cold sweat and dig up the Art of Peace from an ender chest just to find some kind of solace in my actions. I'd find nothing, lie awake in my bed for a good half hour, then drift off to begin the cycle anew.
In between my waking fits, I noticed Floyd's empty bed. The blue-nette was nowhere nearby, but when I felt the covers, they were still warm, as if someone had just gotten up from it. Maybe I wasn't the only one having fitful dreams.
We both killed a Hacker.
How did Cobb cope with it?
Speaking of Cobb, the next morning, Arquero and Soul left the safety of our book bunker to go track him down as well as locate Jade. They packed Potions of Invisibility and Arquero was a master at slinking through Akasha undetected. They probably planned to use the same tunnel Cobb and Floyd took advantage of earlier.
With them gone, that left Floyd, Lenz, Alexicon, and I to hold down the fort. Alexicon busied herself with taking stock of which books were lost and which books were salvaged. Lenz, being the bookworm that he was, helped her out.
"We needeth to rescueth King_Cobb." Alexicon lamented through an armful of books. "That gent still hast the 'riginal Herobrine books in his ender chest."
"Technically, he only has the originals for Advanced Mob-Slaying and Mobs of the Nether. Helena still has the original for How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts."
"That gent hast plenty of oth'r books too. If't be true that gent dies, we'll nev'r has't access to his ender inventeth'ry. Not to mention, King_Cobb is a h'ro to mine own precious tomes. We has't to saveth that gent, nay matt'r what."
A hero.
It's because of Cobb that Alexicon and Lenz got away… just like it's because of Cobb that Nephrait was saved… and he was taken…
He saved a life when he didn't have to.
Not for the first time, I wondered what things might have been like had Cobb and I switched. If he had the artifact, would he have the restraint I lacked? Would he have been a better hero?
Cobb's words seemed so long ago… and charismatic.
'Your mission will be my mission—our mission. The whole guild hears about it, because you'll officially join the Beginners. Stick with us, and we'll find the other seven artifacts so you can defeat the Endward Cult.'
Well, now, the whole guild had really truly heard about it. Everyone knew about the artifacts, the Severe Shield, my Billionth status, my mission. It was all out in the open, just as Cobb wanted.
But unlike how Cobb wanted, I hadn't befriended everyone yet. The best I managed was connecting to Lenz, but was that even enough to be called friends?
I was bad at this—friends, heroics—I was bad at all of it. So much so that I was just waiting for Cobb to get back. He was the leader. He was the one everyone else followed. I was just another sheep in the herd.
…
"Do I really matter here?"
"What's that?"
"Ah!" I jolted when I heard Floyd's voice, the blue-nette staring at me strangely. "Sorry, Floyd. You startled me."
He hummed before tilting his head to get a better look at me. "Your eyes look tired. Did you get any sleep last night?"
"Ah, no." I pawed at them. "I had some… bad dreams."
"Oh, you too, huh?"
I remembered his empty bed. "…If you don't mind me asking, what were yours about?"
"Sandra." He dragged the word out like it was stuck in mud. "I've had nightmares before—after I lost my friend, Silent—but the ones from last night weren't as bad. Probably because I didn't know Sandra that long."
"Still," I said tentatively, "she must have left an impact to cause you unrest."
He paused for a moment, thinking. "I know more about my powers now than I did a week ago. Even though she and Winslow tried to kill my friends, they were only doing that because they thought it would help me. In their own way, the Hackers care for their own. I feel terrible for killing Sandra just because she was too concerned about my well-being."
"It wasn't your fault. If anything it's mine." I said apologetically. "It's because of my own weakness that I killed Winslow… which only exposed Sandra's weakness. Their blood is on my hands alone."
"No." Floyd spoke deliberately, grabbing my shoulder. "It's not all on you. They pushed us first. They wanted Cobb dead more than they wanted what I wanted. I had to save Soul, just like you had to save Captain Obsidian. I couldn't let him die anymore than you could let the Captain die. Either way, a life was saved and a life was ended."
I shook my head, frustrated with myself. "Aikido says we should be strong enough to be able to save everyone. Not just one or the other."
I clenched a fistful of my pant leg, twisting it as I shut my eyes.
"If I had all the artifacts, I'd be powerful enough to prevent a situation like that from turning deadly."
"That's impossible." Floyd said bluntly, making my spirits sag. "And a bit naïve. Then again," he touched his chin in mock contemplation, a small grin forming, "the impossible has happened before where we're concerned. People used to say hackers were invinci—" He stumbled a bit on the word as if remembering something. "—invincible, yet Cobb proved Minecraftia wrong when he saved Halstatt and became the very first Hacker Slayer." He offered a sad smile. "As Hacker Slayers ourselves, I bet we have a fraction of that 'make the impossible possible' magic."
I slowly opened my eyes, my expression as somber as ever. "The only magic I got is this cursed chestplate."
"I don't think it's as bad as you're making it out to be."
I waved dismissively. "You wouldn't understand."
I felt the blue-nette bristle slightly before his tone got sarcastic and dangerous.
"Right. Because what would I know about cursed powers?"
"What are—Oh." I started before my eyes gravitated towards those dark lines on his face. I lowered my head in shame. "Oh…"
"Least you can take yours off like a shirt."
"I'm sorry." I said quickly. "I didn't mean—I wasn't thinking and I…" I trailed off, my words sounding emptier and emptier the more I repeated them. Eventually, I just tapered off into silence while gathering my thoughts.
Yes. Floyd knew all about cursed powers. He was born into them. I was bequeathed them. The world was afraid of him. I was afraid of myself.
But… just what had he gone through to get to this point? To go through life learning you were a monster connected to a group of people that ruined Kingdoms. Compared to my self-disgust over taking a life, his turmoil must have been inconsolable.
"How did you handle being a Hacker?" I eventually asked. "Knowing that the whole world lived in fear of you?"
"Easy." He smiled. "I learned that the whole world wasn't living in fear of me." He scratched his hair. "I was alone at first, but then I had my friends supporting me. But I tell you, saving Princess Alaqua in Jolin made me feel prouder of being a Hacker than I've ever been. That's the key I think. Just keep doing good things to balance out the bad."
"Random acts of kindness."
"I guess so." He shrugged. "I kept feeling bad because the only Hacker achievements were horrible ones. But once I set a new precedent for the kind of Hacker I wanted to become… everything just felt better."
Floyd stood up, cracking his back. "If you really want to make amends for killing Winslow, you need to do something so magnanimous you never doubt yourself again. That's what I'm working for, after all."
"You are?"
He nodded. "Before she died, Sandra claimed that Hackers could do anything by believing that they could. Well, I want a world where Hackers and Crafters see each other as equals. So, by Sandra's rules, if I set my mind to it, I'll eventually awaken a Hack that can make it a reality!"
I smiled warmly. "I'd like to see that. Though, aren't you already there?"
"Huh?" It was his turn to be confused as I pointed to the two of us.
"A Hacker and a Crafter, talking as equals. You're well on your way."
"…You're right." He whispered dramatically, gazing at his own two, trembling hands. "My God… I've awakened a new Hack! Now Hackers and Crafters can talk without killing one another!"
It was obvious he was joking with how dramatic he was being. I genuinely laughed at his antics, which made him give off a triumphant aura.
Just like that, I felt the distance between us diminish… and the weight in my chest lessened.
[Cobb]
"Jade! Where'd you—how'd you—why're you—?" I kept firing off questions before being enveloped by a warm hug.
"Cobb! Thank goodness you're safe!"
"Jade, whoa!" Not that I didn't like the affection, but we were on a precarious ledge with death a mere slip-up away. I had to peel her off of me just to look her in the eye. "Did the guards see you?"
"Pssh, as if." She declared confidently. "The guards up there are too few and too lax. They don't think anyone can climb out of this pit. Sneaking in was a breeze. Didn't even need a Potion of Invisibility."
"How'd you find me?" I asked. "Without my map, you couldn't of—oh, crap, the maps! You need to ditch yours right away! Nephrait stole mine and she—!"
"Take it easy." She comforted, showing off the ender chests at her belt. "I already stowed mine away after I saw the ACC cart you out of that underground library."
"You saw that, huh?"
"Yes." She rubbed the back of her head. "Soul and I saw the ACC mobilizing. He went for Floyd, I went for you. By the time I got there, though, you were knocked out and being carried away. I couldn't do anything… Sorry."
"No, you did the right thing. It would've been foolish to challenge so many ACC members by yourself."
"Speaking of, I heard you took out a lot of them in the Nether." She smirked. "What was that about being foolish?"
"The Zombie Pigmen did most of the work." I told her about how I saved Nephrait and got caught doing so. I watched the mirth slowly fade from her face when I revealed Nephrait's backstab. She wasn't smiling anymore.
"I'm gonna kill that bitch."
Blood: I love this girl…
"Easy there." I soothed, rubbing her arms. "We can regret my choices later. What have you been doing since I got caught?"
"Figuring out where they took you for one." She folded her arms and turned away grumpily. Not at me, but at Nephrait. "I also lost track of Soul and the others. Any idea where they went?"
"Nope."
"I didn't think so." She sighed. "Luckily, your amazing, gorgeous—"
"—modest—"
"—and modest girlfriend has a way to bust you out of here." She help up an ender chest and an iron pickaxe with a twinkle in her eye.
"That's great." I glanced down at the prisoners looking up to the newest arrival. "But do you think we can spring the rest of the Pit while we're at it?"
Jade blinked in blank surprise. "What…?"
I slowly made my way down so that I wouldn't hurt myself too severely. Since the parkour path snaked around the Pit's edge, there was a ledge I could land on before making the final jump to the bottom.
Jade, the show-off parkour master, opted to do the whole climb in reverse. Many of the cultists stared in awe of her acrobatic feats.
"She's better than Sir Cobb! Erk—!" Moorkh blanched when I looked to him. "N-No offense."
"What's with the Sir, Cobb?" Jade asked, catching the conversation.
"The Executive will be addressed in whatever way he so wishes, miss." Kesh spoke disdainfully. "Sir Cobb, who is this impertinent woman?"
"Ah, sh-she's, ah—"
"I'm a Lieutenant." She lied smoothly, gleaning the situation from just a few short sentences. Moorkh looked taken aback, but Kesh didn't immediately buy it.
"Which Division? You can't be from the South."
"That… would be because I'm from the North." She hesitated for just a second. "I was sent over to lend aid to the Executive." She gestured to me and I quickly nodded along. "We're close enough that I don't have to call him by that stuffy 'Sir' title. In fact, Cobb here prefers I call him something else in private—"
"Thank you, Lieutenant!" I said loudly and hurriedly, bulldozing past the suave lady-killer she was trying to paint me as. I caught the edges of her lips quirk up and glared at her for her teasing.
"O-Oh!" Kesh gasped with a blush. "I-I'm terribly sorry for my presumption, Lieutenant, ma'am!"
"Yes, you should be sorry." Jade said, looking down her nose at the poor cultist. "Next time, think before you speak."
"Yes, ma'am. Apologies, ma'am."
"If you're done abusing your authority—"
"Look who's talking, Sir Cobb."
"—how about you tell everyone your brilliant plan to break us out."
Jade rolled her eyes but showed off the ender chests and the pickaxe. "Everything we need is in this thing."
"…Is that right?" Casimir skeptically eyed the dark chest. Jade gave him a look.
"Show some faith to a Lieutenant, punk."
"Oh?" Casimir smirked. "Last I checked, I wasn't a cultist. Can't you Lieutenants tell?"
Jade flushed in embarrassment. "A-anyway!" She placed the chest down and opened it, taking out a flint and steel before splintering the chest into eight pieces of obsidian. "I got seven other ender chests thanks to my generous boyfriend. We break them, make a portal, and go into the Nether."
"That's a great idea!" Casimir cheered sarcastically. How could a fellow aikido student be so different from Noman? "Except, once we're in the Nether, making a portal back out would give us a fifty-fifty chance of escaping… or dying!"
"But death is an escape." One of the cultists added while I just massaged my nose.
Making me really uncomfortable working with these guys…
"We won't be making a portal in the Nether. I know the risk." Jade added before holding up the pickaxe this time. "But there's plenty of minable netherrack there, which you can then use to build shortcuts up this 'impossible' parkour 'challenge'." She made sure to use air quotes in case any of us missed her superior tone. "I intended for this to just help Cobb and I escape, but!" She clapped her hands and shot me a beaming smile. "Because he's soooooo nice, I suppose we'll just have to help everyone."
I was no expert on women, but I think I maaaaaay have annoyed her with my selfish request.
Heart: You think!?
"Wait, Sir Cobb said he'd come up with something. Is this his plan, or your plan?" Moorkh asked.
"Uh…"
Jade opened her eyes and her amethyst orbs looked like they could melt steel beams.
"…It's her plan."
She nodded happily before turning back to the others.
Casimir spoke under his breath. "Methinks the Executive and Lieutenant have the roles reversed."
The aikido student reminded me of Soul in that instant. Jade must have thought the same thing because she turned to him, put on a big, fake smile, and said:
"I don't like you."
Casimir recoiled, but Jade paid him no mind, instead addressing the cultists. "Build a portal in one of the cells so that any guards that do pay attention won't suspect anything. And one of you start mining netherrack. That's only the first half of the plan. To get everyone up and out, we'll have to figure a way to distract the guards. Nothing spoils a jailbreak like archers badgering you."
"…The Nether is dangerous." Councilman Mitr stepped forward. "If it's possible, I'd like to be in charge of gathering netherrack. The innocent citizens here need to be set free."
"You, I like." Jade nodded before handing him the pickaxe. "Watch the durability. I've got some planks and cobblestone if you want to switch to stone picks. Better take some too." She handed over the planks and rocks. "The rest of you, do whatever this guy tells you."
"Yes, ma'am." The cultists saluted before following Mitr into one of the cells, away from prying eyes.
"Hey, you got any sticks or swords?" Casimir asked.
Jade stuck out her hand. "Talk to the hand, Soul 2.0."
"What did you just—? Look, I'm a good fighter." He assured. "Trust me, you're gonna want me with a weapon in case the guards start fighting."
Jade sent me a questioning glance and I nodded. "He's like Noman. Uses aikido."
"Oh, a pacifist. Great for a fight."
Okay, maybe mentioning the aikido thing wasn't the best confidence boost.
"I'm not like those namby-pamby aikido users. I'm not afraid to get down and dirty with a pair of swords. Provided I'm given some…?"
"Fine, fine. Whatever." Jade plunked down a Crafting Table and crafted a pair of stone swords before shoving them in Casimir's arms. "Herobrine above, this would have been so much easier if it was just you, Cobb."
"We can't just leave all these innocents." I said while Casimir walked off, testing his swords with a few swings. "Some of these guys have been locked up for as long as McGahn's been in power. That's three-hundred years, Jade. They deserve to go out and see their families again."
"And the cultists that do deserve to be in here?" She asked. "What about them?"
"…I'm still working on that."
"Well, you better think fast. Because with how this is set up," she gestured to the newly made Nether Portal and the cultists going in, "everyone will be out by tomorrow afternoon."
"We're going to need some fighters to help cover our escape." I said. "Go back up and try to find Floyd, Noman, and the rest. If you see Alexicon or Arquero, let them know you're a friend of mine. They might know where our friends are."
"Got it. I'll head up right now. That parkour challenge shouldn't be much of one." She scoffed at the jumps she could see. "Once we're out, we'll pay Nephrait back for stealing my cutlass and stabbing you in the back. That bitch is going down."
I stopped her. "Hang on. Forget about Nephrait. I don't care about the backstab."
She swatted my hand aside and turned to face me fully. "I care about the backstab, and everything else she put us through. You think she and McGahn will just sit idly by while we set these criminals loose on the streets? They need to be taken out of the equation, one way or another. Don't tell me you're growing a conscience for them?"
I thought back to Mitr's story about how desperation made McGahn sacrifice his morals for the good of Akasha. It was hard to admit, but without his actions, the Hackers would have wiped Akasha off the map.
"I'm getting my cutlass back. And your Sweeping Edge sword." She tacked on. "That sandal-wearing klepto has this coming."
It sounded like she was angrier on my behalf than her own. Hearing that her boyfriend got stabbed in the back really set her off. There was no talking her out of this.
She took to the start of the climb and started parkouring up. She was so graceful and flexible she made it up in half the time and barely stumbled at the impossible obstacles. Before long, I was watching that green jacket slip out of sight.
There was an appreciative whistle as Casimir returned, still lugging those twin swords. "She's a real spitfire that one. Got any more Lieutenants like her?"
"Sure." He brightened up. "His name is Lost_Soul and he likes long walks on the beach and axes. You two would be perfect for one another." And then the smile slipped off his face and crashed into the ground so fast you could have heard it thud onto the stone bricks. "Goodnight, friend."
I walked off back to an available cell, hoping to get some shut-eye for what I presumed would be a very eventful morning.
My presumptions proved to be true when I was rudely awoken the next morning by a couple of guards manhandling me to my feet.
"H-hey!" I murmured drowsily, growing more alert by the second. "What's going on? I was sleeping!"
"Shut up." One of the guards pinned my hands behind my back while the other shoved me outside the cell.
By the sunlight shining in, it was morning. The other prisoners gathered around to watch what was going on, though I noticed that Moorkh and Kesh had a group of cultists blocking the cell with the Nether Portal from sight. At least they were smart about that. One look and the guards would be wondering how a portal got down here.
"What's this all about?" I asked again as they guided me to a waterfall. The same waterfall the guards lowered to take prisoners out for either questioning or… executions.
"I told you to shut up." The same guard reprimanded, though the second one—an ACC member—had no problem letting me in on the secret.
"The day you've long awaited has arrived, cultist." He sneered. "Your 'Next Life' will be upon you momentarily."
I tensed at the implication only to get further shoved towards the waterfall and ordered to swim.
Casimir took a half step out of line, his hands discreetly slipping to his backpack as he weighed his options, but I caught his eyes and shook my head imperceptibly. Guards were watching from above, their bows trained on any prisoners that got any funny ideas. He'd be shot before he could do anything.
He must have realized the same thing, because he backed off, allowing his hands to hang at his sides again.
At the guards' urging, I swam up the waterfall with a nervous tension in my gut. The swim had the same feeling as the last walk—the one prisoners take from their cells to their executions. It was the longest swim I ever took, even if the execution wasn't waiting for me at the top.
Instead, I was told to walk back to Akasha. I could see the mesa in the distance as a detail of twenty guards surrounded me on all sides. There was no gap in their defense.
All I could do was take my long walk back to the Kingdom.
[Noman]
"GUYS!" Soul barged into the book bunker with Arquero, the two of them looking exhausted. "We have a problem!"
"Did you find Cobbert?"
"Yeah. They're bringing him in… to be executed!"
"WHAT!?"
"It was all over the newsbooks." Arquero added, catching his breath. "A public trial at the front gates. They always do the executions there. McGahn's doing the questioning and Obsidian's the executioner with that cleaver of his. Your friend's head will roll this afternoon."
"Well, shit, we gotta do something right now!" Floyd clamored. "Where's Cobb now? Is he at the Pit or the execution grounds?"
"We don't know. He could be at either."
"Arquero, we has't to doth something!" Alexicon shrieked. "We can't alloweth that gent kicketh the bucket!"
"I know, Alexicon. I'm doing all I can!"
"Fuck this." Soul replied angrily. "The kid gloves are coming off. These bastards want to kill our boss, they got another thing coming. Wait until they get a glimpse of our Hacker and the Severe Shield."
My whole world froze at the words coming from Soul's mouth. I couldn't even correct his language I was so appalled. "You… want me to use the Severe Shield?"
"Yeah. It's an invincible chestplate right? Allows you to stand up to Hackers? Just put it on, kill a few bad ACC goons and intimidate them into letting Cobb go. Floyd'll show a little smoke action and we'll have them pissing themselves in terror."
"Soul, that's—"
I cut off Floyd with an angry shout. "Have you heard a word I said!? My aikido forbids bloodshed, and yet you intend to have me flaunt the Severe Shield like a nuclear deterrent!? What sort of monster are you!?"
"Talking doesn't work." Soul pointed out. "The only thing McGahn and the ACC will recognize is cruel, blunt, unstoppable force, and we've got that in spades with the two of you."
"…So I'm just something to be feared again?" Floyd asked, somewhat coldly.
"Don't take it so personal, Floyd. This is Cobb's life we're talking about. If you think you can rush in and save him without tripping any alarms, more power to you." Soul grit his teeth. "But McGahn is making use of Crafters with vendettas against the cult. He used Obsidian. He used me. And a lot of innocents are locked up or dead because of it. We need to take him down and set the people free of his tyranny once and for all."
"I refuse to use the Severe Shield to kill people! Violence isn't the answer! I'm done with that!"
"Fine! Then give it to me and I'll do the work you big baby—!"
"NO ONE is using it!" I shouted, pushing Soul's hand away. "The Severe Shield is too dangerous and I'm not letting any more blood spill because of it!"
"If you won't, then Cobb, our good friend, will die." Soul stressed, the truth hitting me hard. "Same goes for you, Floyd. Sandra taught you how to use that MultiAura. Now's the time to put it to use."
"Cobbert might not even be at the execution grounds yet." Lenz advised, the only calm head of the bunch. "If he is still at the prison, we may be able to free him without Obsidian or the ACC there to interfere."
"Or he might have been moved to Indrad Rock." Arquero added. "In case McGahn wants a more private Q&A with the alleged Executive."
"I can take the Asmodeus and check Indrad Rock." Lenz volunteered.
"Soul and I can check out the prison." Arquero decided. "Alexicon, you should wait here. I don't want you in the middle of this."
"Then that'll leave our big guns to scope out the execution grounds." Soul assigned. "Floyd. Noman. That'll be you two."
"I-I can't. I can't do this!" I shook my head. "I can't go through another murder! Why are you making me face this—?"
"It's them or Cobb, Noman!" Soul shouted. "Suck it up!"
"That's enough, Soul!" The blue-nette flared his Hacker smoke, his eyes darkening dangerously as he stood before me. The room seemed to quake before his hardened glare. "We'll go. And I'll save Cobb with my Speed. No killing."
"Ugh, not you too!"
"We're not just weapons to be feared, Soul." Floyd said coldly, his smoke extinguishing. "Cobb would agree."
The Hacker led me out of the bunker while I was too busy hyperventilating at the approaching altercation. Kill or let Cobb die? Kill or let Cobb die?
Was this just one more test I had to brave? One more hurdle to clear? They were getting harder and harder on my delicate psyche.
…What would a hero do?
Inventory (Cobb): {Empty}
[EXP: 27]
Inventory (Floyd): 1 Mob Head {Creeper}, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III] {Weak}, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 3 Iron Ingots, 47 Dirt, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 15 Cooked Mutton, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Emerald, 1 Iron Sword {Weak}, 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Leggings, 16 Gunpowder, 3 Ender Pearls, 1 Splash Potion of Invisibility {6:00}, 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 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 {Weak}, 1 Shears, 2 Levers, 5 Redstone Torches, 1 Bed, 9 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 23 Redstone, 17 Blocks of Redstone, 2 Hoppers, 3 Pistons, 2 Sticky Pistons, 48 Cobblestone, 1 Minecart, 1 Compass, 25 Gunpowder, 17 Arrows, 16 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 18 Cooked Mutton, 64 Emeralds, 16 Sugar Cane, 8 Paper, 5 Ink Sacs, 3 Leather, 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}, 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, 32 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Armor Stand, 38 Cooked Mutton, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Akasha Entry Pass}
[EXP: 27]
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 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 16 String, 13 Cooked Mutton, 14 Torches, 12 Jungle Wood Planks, 60 Cobblestone, 30 Emeralds, 22 Obsidian, 2 Buckets, 1 Compass, 1 Clock, 7 Ender Chests, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Book {Mission Update}, 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, 6 Cooked Mutton, 2 Ender Pearls, 1 Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Potion of Water Breathing {8:00}, 1 Bed, 1 Book {Artifact List}, 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, 5 Enchanted Golden Apples, 1 Diamond Helmet, 1 Diamond Leggings, 1 Diamond Boots, 64 Emeralds, 18 Bones, 64 Gravel, 64 Gravel, 64 Gravel, 49 Gravel, 9 Flint
[EXP: 25]
AN: Things are happening fast and nobody is ready for them. Thankfully, that's when the Beginners do their best work.
This is mostly an aftermath chapter, showing what Floyd and Noman are going through and letting them connect. They both think themselves cursed with power, but they still have dreams to drive them forward. Also Soul isn't helping trying to weaponize them.
The Akasha Arc is nearing it's gripping finale. What. Will. Happen. Next.
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. PM. FORUM. DISCORD. SERVER. POPTARTS