AN: Hope you're all staying healthy.
Nothing else to say really.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add rockclimbing.
Chapter 154
No Man's Land
[Cobb]
The march through the dry mesa biome with the searing sun shining down was brutal. My twenty guard escort didn't offer me a drop of water or a morsel of food and only spurred my tired, sweating body forward. Many of them cruelly took sips from water bottles while in my line of sight. By the time we reached the Kingdom's gates, my lips were cracked, my tongue felt like sandpaper, and I must have sweated the equivalent of a bucket of water. My Hunger Meter was also low, at about four drumsticks.
There was a good chance I'd starve to death before getting publicly executed.
As to how I knew I'd get publicly executed, that was because what was waiting for me outside the gates was a high wooden scaffolding with Captain Obsidian at the top, his massive iron cleaver resting on one shoulder. ACC members and guards stood beside him. Gathered around the base of the scaffolding were hundreds of Crafters—Civilians, guards, and ACC members all. They watched as I was led forward and threw insults and objects at me as I walked.
"Murderer!" One cried out.
"Cultist Scum!"
"Today you die!"
I grimaced from some of the objects hitting me, lowering my Health, but then I noticed a familiar face in the crowd. Peedit, the Innkeeper. She watched somberly as I was led forward. Our eyes met for a second and she looked away in shame. Maybe she was remembering how the guys and I fixed up her Inn after some jerks messed it up. She was probably thinking how she'd never be able to pay me back that kindness.
At least if the prison escape worked out, she'd see her husband again. Thinking of Peedit and Kapila reuniting made me think of Jade's face, and that thought alone gave my tired body the strength to weather the blows and insults and walk to the scaffolding with my head held high.
I was forced to walk up some steps that led to the high platform. From there, I could see the angry faces of everyone in the crowd. They all looked up to me as I was brought to the very edge of the platform and forced to my knees.
Then, the din started to die down until it was a quiet hush.
From behind, I felt a towering, weighty presence approach. Obsidian. I tensed up, thinking this was it, but then let out a breath when instead the Captain stepped forward and to the left of me.
"Executive." He greeted lowly.
"…I'm not an Executive." I replied, more for lack of anything else to say.
He looked somewhat hesitant before speaking. "Nowhere_Man. Is he one of your Lieutenants? A fellow Executive? A grunt?"
"I—he's my friend." I spoke confidently. "And neither of us are cultists."
He narrowed his eyes. "You must realize how absurd that sounds. You were carrying devil books. We caught you red-handed working with Arquero and Alexicon. You're wanted in all ten Kingdoms."
I sighed. "I know how it looks—and it would probably take too much time to explain everything—but you should forget how it looks and think to yourself how this feels."
"…Feels?"
"Does what you're doing feel right?"
The Captain breathed a shaky breath. "You… you're trying to confuse me. You're trying to fill me with doubt. That's why Nowhere_Man saved me. The ACC needs me and all you've done has been an attempt to confuse and weaken me. McGahn warned me about this."
"McGahn's been manipulating everyone for nearly three-hundred years." I protested, thinking back to Mitr's story about the young councilman. "He had Nephrait frame people so that his regime would be the only one people would listen to. But now it's gotten so far out of hand that he refuses to relinquish even a fraction of the hold he has. You have to have seen something of what I'm talking about."
"I…" The Captain glanced down, unsure. "I don't…"
"That's enough of your poison, cultist."
The two of us turned to the right and saw Councilman McGahn clear the top step, his expression calculating.
"Captain Obsidian, I hope you haven't fallen for this cultist's silver tongue."
"No, sir." The Captain stepped back and out of my sight. "I was just interrogating him about his allies."
"I doubt he'll spill much, even with your effective interrogation methods." McGahn stepped before me, his eyes watching me. "Executives are particularly hard nuts to crack."
"I talked to Mitr." I revealed, enjoying how McGahn's eyes widened just a fraction in surprise. "He told me a lot about you."
"…My former colleague really should learn to keep his mouth shut." He muttered, clearly unsettled by my knowledge of him.
"I'll admit, what happened to you was cruel and unfair. And you were probably justified in framing those councilmen—"
"He's rambling." He told to a curious Obsidian. "The desperate ramblings of a guilty man."
"—But you've taken things too far. This has to stop, McGahn."
"Yes, we should stop this pointless discussion and get on to the real reason we're here." He held up a trio of books that looked very familiar to me. "Your trial and execution."
I narrowed my eyes in defiance.
[Lenz]
I reached the buried Asmodeus and quickly reactivated the redstone I disabled. By that time, the sun was high in the air and Cobbert's whereabouts were still unknown. Indrad Rock, the execution grounds, or the Pit. One of those three could be where he was held. If he was at the execution grounds, I quietly hoped that Floyd and Nowhere would arrive in time to stop it before the fisherman's Head rolled. The prison was Soul and Arquero's job. I needed to get to Indrad Rock and search for our guild leader.
Skipper Lenzington was on the case!
Flicking the levers and stepping on the pressure plates, I commanded the airship to ascend from the sand and take off. I needed to get up fairly high to clear the lip of the mesa Akasha was stationed upon.
"Next stop, Indrad Rock."
[Soul]
"That the place?"
Arquero nodded, pointing out the walled compound and the guards watching from high towers. "It's mainly manned by a skeleton crew since breaking out of the Pit is harder than breaking in. If we had time, a night infiltration would be better, but…"
"Yeah, I get it. We need to bust in swinging." I reached for my axe, but Arquero stopped me before pulling me back around the butte we were hiding behind.
"Let's try and be stealthy first. Skeleton crew or not, they still outnumber us." He took out some Potions of Invisibility and I immediately knew what he had planned. I shed my diamond gear and accepted one of the bottles.
"Bottoms up." We clinked the bottles together before downing them and vanishing from sight. I waved my hands forward, searchingly, before grabbing Arquero's shoulder and silently urging him to lead the way.
The outside compound had only one way in, and it was covered by two guards and a locked iron door. The walls were low enough for a parkour master like Jade—or even a novice like Cobb—to climb over, but Arquero and I weren't as acrobatically inclined. And the iron door had no lever or switch beside it; it looked like the only way to activate was from the inside.
There was no way around it. We had to take out the guards.
I whispered for Arquero to stand back while I crept forward and executed the most ingenious stroke of brilliance in my entire career.
Invisible, I shoved one guard hard.
"Hey, watch who you're shoving!"
The other guard turned with bemusement. "I didn't shove you."
"Oh, so I suppose the wind shoved me?"
"Maybe you're just clumsy because you had too much to drink yesterday."
"Oh, is this about the party again? Look, I'm sorry I didn't invite you. It was with some ACC guys. You wouldn't have known anyone."
"Doesn't change the fact that I like to party." The other sniffled.
"Look, I'm sorry."
"It's just… I feel like all my friends are drifting away."
"Come on. You know that's not true."
"You know where I was last night? Sitting in my kitchen eating a cake all to myself. You know how sad that sounds?"
"I had no idea." The guard rubbed his head sheepishly. "Alright, look, how about after today, you and I can hit the bars and let loose."
The other guard sniffed, wiping his eyes. "You really mean it?"
"Course. It'll be a night we never forget."
"Thanks man. You… you're a cool dude."
The two brought it in for a hug, and that was when I grabbed the both of their heads and smacked them together three stooges style. They collapsed to the ground and I quickly dragged their unconscious bodies to the blind spot beside the iron door.
"Okay, we're clear." I whispered. Moments later, I felt Arquero touch my shoulder. "Now how do we open the door?"
"Got any iron or gold?"
"Sure." I handed over some iron ingots and Arquero fashioned them into what looked like an iron pressure plate. He placed it beside the iron door and stomped down with one foot, opening the iron door. "Nice! Didn't know you can make those."
"Ask your engineer about them sometime." Arquero commented before dragging me past the threshold and into the compound. "We need to hurry. That plate and those guards won't be unnoticed forever."
"Neither will this invisibility."
We silently moved forward, avoiding guards and ACC members as we made it to the lip of the Pit. There was a waterfall activation switch like Arquero described. That was how the guards got in and out without falling to their deaths. It was shut off for now, but it was guarded by another pair of guards. As eager as I was to use the same method as before in dispatching them, I realized it wouldn't do any good with how open the pit was. Guards were watching from the towers. There were eyes everywhere and no blind spots.
"What should we do?" I asked Arquero.
"I-I don't know." His voice wavered. "There's no way we can lower the waterfall without getting noticed."
I bit my lip. If Cobb was still down there, the water was the only way he could get out. And if we couldn't lower the water without getting noticed…
"…We're going to have to play defense, then."
"What? Hey, Soul, stop—!"
Before the invisibility was used up I brought out my axe and struck the two guards, catching them completely by surprise and knocking them away from the waterfall activation switch. Predictably, I was noticed and the compound went on high alert with guards shouting and pointing to the lip of the Pit.
"Are you crazy!?" Arquero sounded like he was ripping his hair out, but I saw an invisible form put on armor.
"Little bit, yeah."
"Ugh, the things I do for Alexicon…" He muttered before shooting some approaching guards.
I activated the waterfall and let the water run down before breaking the switch completely so they couldn't shut it off. After that, I armored up and prepared for battle.
"COBB!" I shouted down into the Pit as loudly as I could. "IF YOU'RE DOWN THERE, GET THE LEAD OUT AND SWIM FOR YOUR LIFE!"
I took a defensive position before the waterfall and joined Arquero in holding off the guards.
[The Pit]
"Did you hear that?"
Casimir, Mitr, Kapila, Bakara, Delaney, and the cultists looked up after hearing an angry exclamation. They saw the falling water and Casimir bolted up with a start.
"He said Sir Cobb's name!" Moorkh spoke eagerly. "It's Sir Cobb's allies! They've come to rescue us!"
"Good enough for me." Casimir drew the swords that Jade gave him and pointed one to a standing Mitr. "Now's our window. Get that netherrack and start building! I'm going on ahead."
He dove into the waterfall the second it touched the floor of the Pit. The other prisoners stirred at the flurry of activity and fresh hope filled their pitiful faces when they saw the water without guards. Delaney and Kapila swam up next despite having no weapons.
"Peedit… I'm coming…" Kapila promised under his breath before holding it.
"Moorkh, Bakara, Kesh! Get the cultists to start building. This is it!" Mitr encouraged, his voice growing to alert the prisoners of the Pit. "This is your only chance, people! We're busting out!"
There were some cheers of assent, but most everyone was scrambling, taking orders, and being handed netherrack as they made the impossible climb possible.
[Soul]
I swung out with my axe, the Sharpness V enchantment doing serious damage to an armored guard and forcing him to back off or risk death. Arquero did his part too, firing his bow to ward off approaching enemies and keep them from blocking the waterfall.
Despite the compound being manned by a skeleton crew, there had to be at least thirty or forty-five guards and some of them were taking shots from the towers. One ricocheted off my helmet and made me shout in alarm. I lashed out with my axe, only for a guard to duck and catch my side with the tip of a blade. I cursed not having a chestplate.
As more guards surrounded us, a shadow passed overhead and struck at a pair of guards with dual stone swords. His movements were fast and precise, disarming the attackers in a manner that reminded me of a certain, suit-wearing pacifist.
"Who the hell are you?" I asked politely.
"Casimir." He replied with a grunt, disarming a guard and trading up to his superior iron sword. He tossed the old stone one to another Crafter that had swam out of the Pit. One I recognized.
"Delaney? What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't really care to tell you." She grimaced, swiping at the nearest guard. "This whole month has been the worst of my life, but I'm not about to let it end with me in prison for the rest of my life. That goes double for Sue and Clyde."
"Where's King_Cobb?" Arquero asked, pulling an arrow out of the ground and notching it. "Is he coming up? We could use the—"
"Cobb got taken already!" Casimir revealed, disarming an ACC member and lashing out with a vindictive kick. "We don't know where he went, but he certainly ain't here!"
"You got to be shitting me!"
"No, I am not shitting on you."
"Ugh! So… he's gotta be at Indrad Rock or the execution grounds!" I realized. "Arquero, we need to get moving!"
"We can't with all these guards in our way."
"Just hold out. The cavalry is coming." Casimir said with a grin. "Looks like I'm finally gonna get my army against McGahn and the ACC."
"Army? What are…?" I trailed off, watching as a group of Crafters cleared the lip of the Pit and rushed into the fray. "Oh."
First ten, then twenty, then forty. Prisoners were rushing out of the Pit in droves, and, though unarmed, they took to the fighting with blocks of netherrack. Whenever Casimir disarmed a guard, he tossed out weapons which were gratefully accepted. The guards and ACC members on the towers shouted out in alarm, calling out for someone to seal the Pit. They kept throwing out arrows, but there were too many and the numbers were only increasing.
Seeing how outnumbered they were, most guards had the sense to stop everything and just fall back. The ACC members, who were more defiant, refused to back down and fought the overwhelming odds… only to be brutally slain by—
"Finally!" A guy named Moorkh celebrated after decapitating an ACC member. "After years of being locked away, we're finally free to perform Herobrine's work! For the Endward Cult!"
"For the Endward Cult!" Half of the attacking prisoners roared.
"Hoooooo fuck, we're with the bad guys!" I realized, taking notice that some prisoners were more deadly than others.
They're killing the people in our way, but I'm basically helping the group I swore vengeance on. What the hell am I doing!?
"Stop! Stop!" One guy, Mitr, shouted in vain to the horde of cultists. "They're already retreating! There's no sense in killing beaten enemies!"
"They took our Executive!" One female cultist shouted. "Sir Cobb is in danger! We must rescue him and slay the rapacious McGahn and his brutish Captain! FOR SIR COBB!"
"Yeah, let's take them out!" Casimir cheered. "Follow me, men! We'll settle the corruption in Akasha!"
"No! Stop! This is way out of hand!" Mitr's voice was drowned out as the tidal wave of bodies surged forward. Even the non-cultists who had been framed and accused went along with the momentum because it was their best chance to escape the compound.
There was no stopping this. Not with the cultists taking advantage of all the anger and chaos.
The ACC members that weren't smart enough to know a losing battle when they saw one were killed or beaten down by a mass of bodies while the guards fled for their lives. Weapons and armor were appropriated from the dead and the front door of the compound was so swamped with prisoners that people were getting squished. A pair of Testificates hung near the back with Delaney. Arquero looked to me with worry.
"What have we done!?"
"We lit a powder keg McGahn's been prepping for centuries." I said breathlessly. "We don't have a choice anymore. If this group is out to save Cobb and make trouble for McGahn, we gotta go with them. It's out of our hands now."
I looked to the angry mob as they broke down the compound's front gates and killed the very guards we knocked out earlier.
"No one can stop this."
[Indrad Rock]
"Nephrait, ma'am." A trio of ACC members saluted the thief as she affixed herself with the orange-leather uniform. She was gathering some things from her office. "Councilman McGahn has already left for the execution grounds."
"I know, I know. I'm running late." She waved them aside as she decided upon taking either Cobb's Sweeping Edge III diamond sword, or Jade's diamond cutlass. She weighed the two blades between her hands before ultimately slipping both weapons into her belt. She grabbed a few splash potions too. She wanted to be prepared in case any cultists crashed Cobb's execution. "Alright. Let's head out. Did Captain Obsidian leave already?"
"He left earlier." One ACC member piped up. "I think he wants to get some alone time roughing up that Executive."
No wonder McGahn left in a hurry. Nephrait hid her grimace well as she and her three escorts walked down the halls of Indrad Rock. She realized that McGahn was right. The Captain was starting to waver. Leaving him alone with the Executive to talk things out was a recipe for disaster.
The sooner they proved Cobb's guilt and executed him, the better.
The halls were largely empty, with most of the ACC members and guards either outside on patrol or flocking to the execution grounds to manage the gathering crowd. Quite a lot of people were itching to see an Executive croak. And this would be the first time the ACC could claim credit for taking one down. Nephrait was confident that her reputation was about to get a whole lot better.
As they went, they four Crafters passed McGahn's office. The three ACC members didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, but Nephrait paused when she saw that the door was left opened.
Not once in all the years she worked for the councilman did he leave his door ajar while he wasn't in.
Nephrait held up her hand, stopping the ACC members as she cautiously approached the door. Her fingers went to the cutlass at her belt and the ACC members armed themselves in turn. She pressed herself against the doorway and peered inside.
Before she could see anything, a chest slammed shut and AceOfJades stepped from out of the darkness, an iron sword in hand. The ACC members all piled into the office, swords pointed at the cultist.
"I've been wondering when I'd run into you again." Nephrait said with a calm that she didn't feel. Jade looked angry and completely unconcerned with the difference in numbers. Nephrait noticed the broken window and the signs of forced entry. "You climbed all the way up here? I'd be flattered if you didn't break into the wrong room. This is McGahn's office."
"I'm right where I need to be." Jade spoke lowly, the sunlight glinting off her iron blade. One of the ACC members took a nervous step back.
"You seem upset." Nephrait tried to stay cocky. "Is this about the cutlass I confiscated?" The thief waved the weapon tauntingly. "Or maybe your imprisoned boy toy?"
Jade shot forward with her parkour reflexes, slicing into one ACC member before kicking aside the second. She ducked a slash by the third one only for Nephrait to unleash a crescent slash that caught her lower armpit and had her skid back a step. The ACC members recovered and tried to attack…
Only for an arrow to catch one of them in the side. It came out of nowhere and caught the Crafter by surprise, allowing Jade to lash out with a devastating Critical Hit that had him crumple against the side of McGahn's desk.
Jade swiped at Nephrait again, but the thief ducked behind one of the standing ACC members, letting him take the hit. Before anyone could land a hit, the parkourist bounced off a piece of furniture, then the wall, and then struck out from above, cutting into Nephrait's Health.
She was too acrobatic and evasive. She could maneuver and twist her spine around any attack like a cat. Something widespread was necessary to land something.
Another arrow struck one of the ACC members in the leg from out of nowhere. Nephrait glanced around, wondering if there was a hidden assailant. That fit Arquero's M.O.
Nephrait killed the ACC member she knocked out, spraying his gear all over the office. The brutality of it had one ACC member falter, and when Jade turned her livid glare onto Nephrait, the thief nearly fumbled withdrawing Cobb's Sweeping Edge III sword.
Jade darted low, sliding under an ACC member who didn't even look like he wanted to get in her way, and bounced back up to avoid Nephrait's attack. However, the Sweeping Edge did its job, striking more in a widespread wave than a precise slash. It connected with the parkourist's legs and broke off her brown-dyed cursed leather boots as well as a chunk of Health. Not to mention it completely threw off her balance and had her impact the floor with a heavy thud.
"Looks like you're finally grounded." Nephrait taunted. "And by your boy toy's weapon to boot. Okay, boys, get her—AGH!"
Nephrait clutched her shoulder where an arrow was sticking out. She turned and finally realized where the shots were coming from. Outside the broken window, an airship with black sails was moving towards Indrad Rock. It was the same airship the guards reported in Chataan. The same airship Cobb's group used to get around.
But what sort of archer could shoot a target through a window from that far away!?
Another arrow was launched and Nephrait saw it coming this time, ducking as it flew over.
"No, please—AUGH!"
Nephrait snapped back in time to see Jade back on her feet with a shiny new pair of enchanted diamond boots… and her iron sword ripping through an ACC member. His gear fell loose along with his Head, the EXP flowing into Jade's arm.
"Thanks for beating off those cursed boots." Jade complimented before advancing towards the thief and the last trembling ACC member.
Jade was between Nephrait and the exit now, and the thief didn't like the look of things. She looked around like a wild animal before moving towards the open window.
"Get back here you klepto!" Jade snarled.
Nephrait pushed the last ACC member towards Jade before clambering out the window and starting to climb the steep face of Indrad Rock. She heard a dying wail below followed by an eerie silence before a head of green hair poked out after her.
Jade's dexterous fingers sought out handholds in the rock face with practiced ease as she pursued the fleeing thief.
"You're a hundred years too early to beat me in a parkour challenge. Why not stay and fight the good fight?" Jade taunted.
She was right. Both of the green-haired women could climb, but Jade was better at it. Nephrait had to climb with sandals for Tanner's sake! The parkourist was going to catch her.
Grudgingly, Nephrait took out Jade's cutlass and dropped it just outside of the parkourist's reach. Jade saw the diamond surface gleam in the sunlight and jumped to grab it. She succeeded, but not without sliding down the rock face, her fingers and boots bruising as they struggled to stop her descent.
She blew out a strand of hair in her face before climbing to make up for lost ground.
Nephrait glanced at the approaching airship. It was closer than ever now, but, oddly enough, the archer had stopped firing. Maybe his bow was broken or he was out of arrows. Either way, that meant Nephrait had a chance to escape.
Sensing Jade was catching up, she chose Cobb's Sweeping Edge III sword this time, dropping it just out of reach once again. Jade snarled.
"I got that gift for my boyfriend you—!"
Jade jumped for it, grabbing it with her teeth this time and keeping both hands on the rock face. Because she expected it, she didn't lose nearly as much ground as before.
She slid Cobb's sword into her belt pocket before climbing again. "All out of things I want, bitch!" She threatened. "Except, of course, your life."
"Oh y-yeah?" Nephrait called down, fighting to keep fear from her tone. "I got information!"
"Nothing I care to listen to."
"No? So you don't care that your precious boyfriend is being laid out on the chopping block as we speak?" Jade's lips curled back. "Maybe you should head to the execution grounds! If you go now, you might just have something to remember him by."
"Thanks. I know what my next stop is after I kill you."
Nephrait let out a frightened squeal as Jade put on a burst of climbing prowess. She was nearly touching her ankles and there was no way the thief could out-climb her. She instead took out some splash potions and hurled them down at the parkourist.
The first one, poison, caught Jade in the face and had her screaming with her eyes screwed shut, burning. She resisted the instinct to let go of the rock and rub at her face, even as a splash potion of Harming took out a chunk of her Health.
Nephrait laughed as she rummaged around for some fun potions that would surely eliminate her annoying tail, but Jade, with her eyes screwed shut and Hearts bleeding out, caught that sound. She grabbed her iron sword—the replacement weapon used to fill the void created from her stolen cutlass—reared back her hand, and lobbed it spinning directly towards Nephrait's laugh.
The sword struck true, scything at Nephrait's ankles and throwing her off long enough for her sandals to slip off their footholds. Her one hand—the other having been rifling through her belt for potions—couldn't possibly hold the full weight of her body, and her grip slackened as her numb fingers gave up.
Nephrait428 let out a high-pitched scream as she dropped from the rock face like an ant off a wall. Her body plummeted past Jade and down the center of the rainbow-shaped Indrad Rock. Jade couldn't see her hit the ground—with her eyes still screwed shut—but she heard the scream peter out until it was lost on the wind.
"Good riddance." Jade whispered, hugging the wall while riding out the poison's pain. She thought she heard a familiar engineer calling out to her.
Next, she had to go rescue Cobb. Otherwise she'd never be able to return his Sweeping Edge sword.
[Noman]
"Looks like we drew the lucky numbers." The blue-nette commented as we peeked around a butte near the execution grounds. Cobb was up there on a high scaffolding. So were McGahn, Captain Obsidian, and a few guards/ACC members. The crowd that had gathered before them were all hurling obscenities at Cobb so foul, I had to pinch my hand to stop myself from screaming out 'Language!'
"A-are we too late?" I asked tremulously.
"No, they're not about to execute him yet." Floyd shook his head. "It looks like they're doing a trial or something. I can't imagine why."
His response had me scared. I wasn't concerned about Cobb's safety—one way or another he was going to survive—I was concerned with the how he was going to be saved. In my head, I could already see the confluence of events going like this: Cobb in danger by bad people, bad people get killed by Floyd or me, Cobb gets saved. That was the whole outline! Maybe there were a few twists and turns along the way, but someone had to die for Cobb to live.
Soul's callous words, with no room for argument, reverberated in my skull.
'It's them or Cobb, Noman! Suck it up!'
I… I couldn't. I didn't have it in me to… to… to what, even!? Put on the Severe Shield and waltz up there like some grand destroyer? How many wouldn't listen to me? How many would challenge my claim and take a swipe at me? How many would have to die before they finally listened, backed down, and handed over Cobb?
Better Floyd than me! His Hacker powers were already universally recognized and feared. But then, he didn't want to be some feared weapon either, did he? He was trying to paint Hackers in a better light. He wanted to make a brighter future for his people.
'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.'
"Noman…" Floyd touched my shoulder, noticing my hesitance and fear. "…You should wait here. I should be enough to get them to back off—"
"No!" I grabbed his hand desperately, just as the smoke started to seep out of his eyes. I dragged him back, refusing to let him go out there. "I can't let you do this! You're not some weapon of mass destruction. Neither of us is!"
"I appreciate the sentiment." He nodded to the execution grounds. "But if one of us doesn't do something, Cobb's Head will roll. I can't let that happen. At least if I go out there, there's a good chance nobody will have to die."
"What about your dream?" I insisted. "You were going on about Hackers and Crafters as equals. Cowing those people into submission will take you further away from your goal than ever! You can't throw it away like that."
"I can't throw away Cobb's life either. Don't worry about me." He assured. "There's no way I'm forcing the new guy to do the one thing he hates himself for."
I was shocked into silence, unable to find my voice.
…My voice.
'Don't underestimate the human will, son. On occasion the Voice of Peace resounds like thunder, jolting human beings out of their stupor. I hope you find that voice one day. Because when it lends you its power, you'll find that you won't have to fight.'
Old Man Bailey's words never felt so far away than they did then. He had a voice that could persuade Griefers to give up a life of banditry and settle down as farmers. What about me? What voice did I have? I was just one guy. One guy who could only accomplish anything with a chestplate on my back and a dead man before me. I was powerless. A slave to my own artifact, forced to bear it because I was too pitiful to stop a fight before it could start. Instead, Floyd would be the one making the sacrifice, and I hated it. I hated it so much that I…
"Ladies and Gentlemen!" A booming voice carried across the execution grounds as McGahn addressed the gathered crowd. Floyd and I turned to watch the trial unfold. "Before you stands—or should I say kneels—a strong ally of the Endward Cult, and a vile pawn of the devil we dare not name: Executive King_Cobb."
The boos and insults increased and Floyd prepared to use his Hack, but I stopped him with a hand.
"No—I… let me do this." I begged. "I… I always knew, deep down, that I never had the strength to settle things peacefully. Soul was right when he said I'd have to make a choice. I wanted aikido to work out of guilt, but… but maybe it's time I accept that I'm just not strong enough to fight the current."
"Yes." McGahn continued. "King_Cobb has an extensive record under his belt as one of the Endward Cult's heavy hitters. Just the other day, he was apprehended by Nephrait after killing no less than fifty brave ACC members for his blasted cause." The insults and boos increased to a crescendo. McGahn had to raise his voice. "He is wanted in all ten Kingdoms, and he was aiding and abetting the treasonous Alexicon and Arquero in smuggling books written by his accursed Founder!"
"Of course you can fight the current!" Floyd snapped, throwing my arm aside. "You think Soul is the final word on anything? You think I didn't have the same doubts you're having now? I'm the first Hacker to kill a Hacker, and I don't think there's anybody in this world just like me! I fight the current every day, so can you!"
"You'll intimidate this crowd into letting Cobb go. I know you don't want to do that!"
"And I know you don't want to kill anybody! Even your enemies! Between the two of us, you're nobler."
"A nobler man would be the one stepping up to sacrifice their beliefs… so that someone else won't have to."
We glared holes into one another, silently hoping the other would back down. It would be just our luck for both of us to run up there and intimidate and kill our way to rescue Cobb.
"What I hold before me," McGahn held up three books for all to see, "are three books written by the devil we dare not name!" The crowd sounded appalled and repulsed by the notion. "As you all know, possession of these books is tantamount to colluding with the devil I will only dare name this one time… Herobrine." He said the word with such venom that many in the crowd had to cover their ears as if hearing profanity. "The author of such books is a stain on the history of Minecraftia and his name should be stricken from every book, every mind, and every space until there's no trace left of it!"
The crowd all roared in approval. McGahn had everybody eating out of the palm of his hands as he turned to the kneeling fisherman and held the books before him.
"King_Cobb, do you deny possessing these books?"
Just as Floyd and I were about to play a game of chicken, Cobb's voice carried out over the execution grounds.
"Do I deny possessing the Herobrine books?"
Many in the crowd booed and hissed at the mention, but McGahn nodded, prompting Cobb to even try and spin a defense that nobody would listen to. He was just one man, after all. Who would listen to his voice?
Cobb looked up to face the thousands of stares trying to burn a hole into his head. He was so far away, but his expression looked…
Serene.
"Before I 'confess'," he said dryly, "I want to talk about something first. It's a story."
McGahn looked at him in confusion, but he didn't wait for an invitation.
"Once upon a time," Cobb began, his voice carrying far and wide "there was a scared Crafter who found himself in a world beyond anything he could have predicted. Lost, alone, unknowing."
"And this Crafter had to find a way to piece things together so that he wouldn't be ripped apart by the monsters that went bump in the night. He hid himself away, fearing that his next breath would be his last, terrified out of his tiny mind."
"But he learned more about the world before anyone else, and wasted no time passing that information down to freshly spawned Crafters so that they wouldn't have to experience the same fear he went through that first night. Indeed, it was his greatest wish to be able to pass on information to instruct the new generation… and leave behind a legacy he could be proud of."
The crowd exchanged bewildered looks, wondering where Cobb was going with this.
"…I'd like to ask you all of a time I'm sure many of you have blocked out." He continued. "Of a time when you were that scared and alone Crafter—and don't try and tell me you weren't. We all were." He scanned the crowd, looking into as many faces as he could. "We all spawned from the Void and found ourselves in a world we didn't know crap-all about. And how could we? We didn't know about Crafting recipes, or Mobs, or how to make a freaking torch." There were one or two chuckles. "Mobs especially were a danger. They spawned from the dark and could extinguish our lives in an instant. You must all remember, the first time you encountered a Mob."
The crowd went silent, some nodding imperceptibly, others muttering in agreement.
"I fail to see what this has to do with—"
"How many of you remember learning how to fight those Mobs?" Cobb steamrolled through McGahn's comment. "How many of you remember kindly Helena, showing off a coveted book that outlined the strengths and weaknesses of the basic Mobs? Zombies, Skeletons, Spiders, Creepers. How many of you remember that?"
The murmurs grew louder, with some Crafters raising their hands. Captain Obsidian and some of the guards remembered a book like that, and it was then that I saw Cobb's trap.
"That Mob book was jokingly entitled How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts," more chuckles from the crowd, "and it's one of the very books your councilman is waving around, written by Herobrine himself." The chuckles abruptly died and the crowd went into a state, gasping, glancing around, or else slapping their hands down so that they wouldn't be accused as cultists.
"You see how ironic that is!?" Cobb shouted out over the din, which quickly died out. "The books are contraband—illegal—and yet I bet there's not one of you who haven't learned something from it. We've all read it! And like it or not, that knowledge has saved our butts time and time again. Because that was how Herobrine wanted the knowledge to be used."
"I think we've heard enough—"
"Wait." Obsidian cut him off, allowing Cobb to speak.
"I myself have learned a lot from these books… before I knew about Herobrine's sordid past. I taught my friends to block explosions, I escaped from a dimension of Endermen, I repelled a herd of Creepers with cats, I navigated through a crowd of Zombie Pigmen without getting hurt, and I learned… just what sort of man Herobrine truly was."
"Most people remember Herobrine as a monster. To them, he's a book they judge by the bad ending it concluded upon, but that's not right!" His eyes hardened. "He wanted to pass on knowledge, he wanted to build a Kingdom of prosperity, and he wanted to make a world where a Crafter could feel safe! That was the Herobrine who wrote these books and that is the Herobrine I choose to look up to and remember!"
He turned to glare at McGahn. "Do I deny possessing those books? NO! They're mine and I'm proud that I've memorized the shining example of goodness that Herobrine was before he spiraled into darkness! I'm proud to own those books just as I'm proud to have learned how to protect my friends with them. I will never, ever throw those teachings aside to save my own head! And that's the truth!"
"What is he thinking!?" Floyd slapped his forehead, nearly hysterical. "That's just what they wanted him to say! He basically confessed!"
While Floyd ranted over Cobb's stupidity, I thought back to how Cobb broke down over the Herobrine business days ago.
'I found out my hero is a villain, and now I'm left to wonder if he found that information on Mobs to help others… or just to keep them alive long enough to sacrifice for the Endward Cult.'
It sounded like Cobb had found his answer. He'd remember Herobrine by the advice he left behind rather than the Endward Cult Founder he became. He accepted it.
"…Quite the fanatic, isn't he, Captain?" McGahn said after a pregnant pause. He took out a flint and steel and sparked a fire before burning the trio of books to much applause from the watching crowd. "Only an Executive could speak so highly of the devil we dare not name. There can be no doubt that he is a cultist of the highest order and a killer of the lowest kind."
"…Yes, Councilman." Obsidian nodded grimly. "His respect for his Founder borders on worship. I'm convinced on what must be done." He lifted his cleaver only to slam it into the scaffolding and drag it as he stepped forward and around the kneeling fisherman. The ACC members grabbed Cobb by the shoulders, holding him in place.
"Damn it, they're doing it now!" Floyd's eyes smoked briefly, but I was already running past him and up into the air with the winged Bottes Zephyr on my feet. "Noman, WAIT!"
Sorry, Floyd. I thought with a pang. But if Cobb is willing to let his voice be heard, then so am I!
"King_Cobb," McGahn's voice boomed over all as Cobb's head was pushed forward and the Captain's blade rested on the back of his neck. "For colluding with the Endward Cult as one of its Executive's and for the deaths of more Crafters than I can list, your punishment is DEATH!"
"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!" I screamed, flying over the crowd and landing upon the scaffolding to the surprise of everyone. The guards and ACC members withdrew blades and bows and pointed them at the strange flying man while the Councilman took a half-step back.
The Captain, however, relaxed the grip on his cleaver and stood up straight to face me. "Nowhere…?"
"Cobb is innocent!" I defended, my mind not yet putting together how stupid of a move this was. "He's not a cultist and those ACC members that died were killed by Pigmen in the Nether. Cobb had nothing to do with it. He saved Nephrait only for her to stab him in the back. That's how she captured him! I promise you he's a good guy."
Cobb perked at the praise, but McGahn was quick to make orders.
"Men, seize this interloper. He's clearly one of Cobb's cultist allies and I won't fault a double execution today."
I glanced around worriedly as the guards closed in, but one voice stopped them in their tracks.
"Let him speak." Captain Obsidian ordered.
"Captain, what are you thinking? Remember what I told you?" McGahn urged lowly. "This is why he saved you. He's capitalizing on your moment of weakness."
"All the same," the Captain looked to me, "this is still a trial, and he has the right to make a defense… however flimsy it may be."
"This is ridiculous, Captain."
"I will allow it." Obsidian waved a hand and the guards and ACC members backed off. "Go on, Nowhere. Say your piece."
Oh, Notch, this made so much more sense in my head. I mentally freaked out as I shakily turned to look at the sea of faces glaring up at me. All of them looked like they wanted nothing more than to rip me limb from limb. How had Cobb defended Herobrine while staring this down? Wasn't he scared? I swallowed thickly and loosened my tie, feeling strangled.
"…Very well, Captain." McGahn conceded, putting one or two ACC members between us and him. "I'll allow this cultist to speak. But you must dole out the justice. Your duty as a Captain and head of the ACC demands it."
"Yes, sir."
My mouth suddenly got really dry as everyone awaited what I had to say. I glanced to Cobb out of the corner of my eye and saw him mouth the words 'say something' over and over. I was painfully reminded on how I stood up to make a speech a few days back when Obsidian and Nephrait came to the Inn accusing Jade of murder. That had panned out poorly and nobody had jumped to my aid. Now, I was facing a much larger crowd in a much angrier state and without a lick of sense on how to talk my way out of it.
I really didn't want to pull out the Severe Shield.
I really didn't want to have Floyd bail me out.
I just wished I had a voice like Bailey. The Voice of aikido which could supposedly 'jolt human beings out of their stupor'. To resolve fights with words instead of violence.
Looking at the sea of faces for inspiration, I zeroed in on one somber face in the crowd.
Peedit. The Innkeeper with the imprisoned husband.
I looked to her and saw the sorrow and guilt etched upon her face. She hated McGahn's regime and how it deprived her of her spouse—deprived a lot of people of their spouses and friends and freedom.
My mouth was moving before I could stop it.
"The Anti-Cult Committee has done much since its conception."
As starts went to defending Cobb, it was pretty lousy. But I soldiered on anyway.
"It was created to investigate cultists and lock them away so that the Kingdom could carry on safely. Many suspects were taken to the Pit, and I'm sure many of you felt secure knowing you had such an outstanding champion of justice," I gestured to Obsidian, "leading the fight against them."
Many faces in the crowd nodded emphatically… though I noticed some that didn't move.
"Just as I'm sure," I spoke slowly, "that many of you felt more terrified than ever."
The somberness that was just Peedit, spread like water on pavement amongst the crowd. It had many faces avert their gazes.
"What do you mean?" Captain Obsidian asked. "The ACC kept the people safe."
"No matter how many cultists were locked away," I went on, "more seemed to crop up like weeds. The ACC's work was never done. They were always needed."
"Fighting the Endward Cult is a rigorous task." McGahn defended. "Their agents exist everywhere and their evils know no bounds."
"Strange then, how many cultists appeared among your political enemies, Councilman." I accused.
McGahn only chuckled. "Oh, this sorry excuse again. You cultists must be desperate. Of course my political enemies would be cultists!" He exclaimed to the watching crowd. "They would infiltrate any party, large or small, to destabilize the peace we have worked so hard to achieve. It was one of the reasons I wanted them investigated."
Many of the ACC members applauded his words, as did the crowd… but some averted their eyes and stayed quiet. Peedit among them.
Come on, Peedit. Speak up.
"And yet every cultist you had investigated was stupid enough to leave blatant evidence lying around to incriminate them?" I countered, my voice rising. "Doesn't that seem a little too perfect?"
"Well, Nowhere, perhaps you haven't heard, but cultists are stupid." Laughs broke out amongst the crowd. "They slip up. They made mistakes. They grow complacent."
"They denied any involvement."
"Any rat would deny."
"Cobb didn't."
"An Executive that knows when he's beat." He dismissed. "But we're not talking about the ACC, we're talking about your Executive. Try and stay on topic, Nowhere_Man."
[Floyd]
My hand was clutching the butte so hard I was about to crack it. Noman was actually challenging them with words. He had yet to pull out the Severe Shield. Nobody on that scaffold had died yet.
That was the only thing keeping me from running out there. No fighting yet, but if things went south—
"Floyd!"
I whirled around, nearly drawing my weapon, but paused with my mouth hanging open when I saw Soul and Arquero approaching with what appeared to me a small army. From our position behind the butte, we were completely hidden from the crowd at the execution grounds.
"Soul… what the hell is this!?"
"Long story. Abridged version—Prison Break." He peered over my shoulder and gasped when he saw what was going on. "What are you standing around up here for while Noman's down there!? He needs backup to beat off those ACC goons."
"Not yet."
"Say what?"
"Not yet. He's… talking it out."
"…Are you stupid or something!?" Soul raged.
"That namby-pamby is trying to talk his way out?" Another guy wielding dual swords sneered. "Who does he think he is, Old Man Bailey? He doesn't have the voice! Violence is the only thing those bastards listen to."
"Sir Cobb is down there!" A female Crafter pointed out. "We must go save him! With our forces, we can cause enough confusion for him to get away!" Half of the army of prisoners waved their fists and weapons in agreement while some watched the gathered crowd below with longing. "Lieutenant Floyd, please, lead us into battle."
"I'm not—what did you call me?"
"Yeah, they think we're cultists." Soul whispered. "When in Rome… whatever that is…"
"Floyd, there's no way your friend can talk Obsidian and McGahn down. As much as it pains me, attacking may be our only option."
"No, I'm giving Noman his shot." I stood my ground. "Nobody move until I say so."
"You can't be serious." The guy with the dual swords, Casimir, said dryly. "With this army, we can take back Akasha. Free it from McGahn."
"You mean you'll kill everyone down there." One guy, Mitr, chastised. "No deal, cowboy."
"Agreed. My wife could be down there." A man named Bakara said. "I'm not risking a bloodbath if she could get hurt."
"Me neither."
"You ungrateful bums!" A new guy spat. "The Endward Cult freed you and yet you cower while your savior is in peril!? We must free these miserable souls from this world! We must carry out Herobrine's work!"
"I just want to punch a hard reset on this whole crooked Kingdom." Casimir drawled. "I say we rush down there and put McGahn's Head on a fence post! Who's with me!?"
The cheers of support were strangled out when I turned to face them with my eyes gushing smoke and my body enveloped in a dark aura. My black sclerae must have made my purple eyes stand out even more and I spoke in a threatening, low tone.
"Nobody. Moves. Until. I. Say. So."
I held my gaze upon the cowed army for ten seconds before slowly turning my attention back to the trial. My Hacker smoke receded back into my eyes as they watched Noman continue with his defense.
You can do it, Noman.
[Noman]
"Try and stay on topic, Nowhere_Man."
"This is on topic. It matters." I asserted. "Captain!" I suddenly turned to the man with the large sword. "You have always imprisoned suspects with implicating evidence?"
"In a heartbeat."
"And you interrogate these same people."
"If I think they have additional information, yes."
"Did you do the same for Cobb?"
"Well… no. His trial execution was arranged fairly quickly. I didn't have a chance to interrogate him like the other suspects."
"He wouldn't have confessed anything. He's an elite—"
"He just owned up to possessing the Herobrine books!"
"He wouldn't give up any of his allies, I mean." McGahn corrected.
"And so you get to decide whether he lives or dies?" I challenged. "You get to rush the judicial process? That's within your right?"
"He is a threat to Akasha and should be dealt with accordingly!"
"Just like all your political enemies?" I shot back. "Tell me, councilman, is speaking against you a prerequisite to becoming a cultist?"
"You would know. You and Cobb would love nothing more than to tear down the ACC and all we stand for." The councilman turned to Obsidian. "You see what he's trying to do, Captain? He's trying to turn you against me. This is his ploy to destabilize Akasha. It's all so textbook."
"You don't have any critics," I boomed, "because you frame your critics just like you frame your enemies. Your approval isn't born out of respect, it's born out of fear!"
"Oh, this is ridiculous."
"You've stripped Akasha of its freedom and wrongly imprisoned hundreds of innocent Crafters! Is this what all of you want!?" I appealed to the crowd. "How many of you actually feel safer because of the ACC? How many of you have watched innocent men and women carted off to the Pit, all the while knowing they were as normal as you or me?"
A few of the crowd clamored angrily, shouting out denials, but most of them were quiet on the matter. Peedit included.
Come on, Peedit. Say something! You have to speak your mind!
"You intend to turn the crowd against me?" McGahn asked in disbelief. "This crowd, more than anything else, has been painstakingly screened and investigated because it contains the very people not thrown into the Pit. You'll be hard-pressed to find an ally to speak on your behalf—unless, of course, you've had cultists infiltrate the innocents. If any of them were foolish enough to oust themselves," he threatened with complete surety, "they'd share in your fate."
"Let's test that, then." I turned to the crowd and pleaded with them. "I know many of you are afraid to speak out against the ACC, but now is the only time to win back your freedom. Think of all the injustices that have been brought about by this man and his schemes. How could you live with yourselves if you stay silent now?"
I gulped as nobody stood up to speak. Worse, I lost sight of Peedit in the moving crowd. Beside me, Cobb hung his head in defeat. The Captain scowled in my direction. Pockets of angry cussing erupted from the crowd, all directed at me.
There was a sharp clap from McGahn. "You see? You have no power in our Kingdom anymore. Obsidian and the ACC have uprooted your grunts, your support, and your influence. We already lost more than enough to you and your blasted Founder, and this failure proves that we're finally winning against you. Nobody would dare to defend—"
A shrill cry rang out.
"I don't feel safe!"
McGahn and Obsidian whipped their heads to the crowd as it parted to reveal a trembling yet defiant woman glaring up at the scaffolding. Peedit!
"I've never felt safe since my husband was taken!" She admitted. "Every day, my heart aches for him. My eyes yearn to gaze upon his rugged face. I just want to hold him in my arms again!"
McGahn pointed to her accusingly. "The wife of a known cultist. I remember you. I should have known you had a hand in it."
"The only crime I've committed is letting you get away with throwing my precious Kapila in prison!" She sobbed. "I've stayed quiet, but no more! I'd rather be thrown in prison beside him than go another night without!"
"Well, that can be easily arranged." McGahn spoke dangerously. "ACC! Arrest that little fool—"
"I miss my husband as well!"
I turned to see another brave woman stand up, this one braver than Peedit.
"Councilwoman Tyaag. Why am I not surprised?" McGahn drawled. "You knew I was onto you when I caught your husband red-handed—"
"Don't pretend you didn't have your little thief plant evidence on his person!" Tyaag accused. "We're all wise to your game, McGahn. We just never had the balls to go public about it. But no more! I've had it up to here with your tyranny!"
"ACC! Apprehend the councilwoman immediately! And that slip of a woman too!" Orange-garbed Crafters moved towards the two woman… only for two more voices to sound out over the crowd.
"My best friend was the nicest person around! He got thrown into the Pit just for aligning against McGahn!"
"My neighbor mentioned reading a less than savory book once. I never saw him again. What's the deal, McGahn?"
"ACC! A-Arrest them too!" The councilman stumbled as three more voices rang out. "And get… who said that just now? Step forward right this instant, you cultists!"
I couldn't believe it. Tears flowed from my eyes as I saw what my one voice had done to inspire people. More and more Crafters were raising their hands and criticizing McGahn. And with each one, the people's courage grew. Their accusations became bolder, hinting at some of the horrid schemes McGahn had a hand in.
"I can't do anything without fear of being spied upon! We need room to breathe!"
"How can so many cultists exist in our Kingdom!? The arrests never stop! It makes me more paranoid than ever!"
"I never know who to trust thanks to you, McGahn! I live a lonely life in this Mess Kingdom!"
The Captain's head was spinning so much at the latest accusations, and not all of them were for McGahn.
"You interrogate people, but of course they'll say whatever you want them to say just to avoid pain!"
"You're just a pawn of McGahn!"
"I used to look up to you! Now all I can do is fear you!"
The Captain shook his head, unsettled. "N-No, I… I was just trying to…"
"Obsidian, don't show weakness! We need to cow these people into submission." McGahn snapped. "Give the order to your men!"
"R-right…" The Captain raised his hand, but as he did, another voice shouted over the rabble.
"PEEDIT!"
The Innkeeper spun around and gasped in joy. "KAPILA!"
From behind one of the buttes, a man slid down the red sand and fought through the crowd, his eyes never leaving the Innkeepers.
"PEEDIT!" He cried, a brilliant smile on his face.
"KAPILA!" The Innkeeper called back, her eyes just as wet, hiking up her clothes and running through the crowd which even now was parting to allow the two to meet.
"PEEDIT, my sweet!"
"KAPILA, my darling!"
The two ran to one another at full speed, and when they met, I could feel fireworks in the air. They embraced one another in a spinning hug, their mouths crushed against one another in a passionate moment. The crowd of Crafters cheered their union, a husband and wife reunited after years of separation.
The sight of which had Obsidian falter.
In that moment, I hurried to Cobb and helped him to his feet. His Hunger was so low, I offered him cooked mutton which he greedily devoured.
"You did good, Noman." He congratulated.
The gratification had me wiping away the tears that were streaming down my face. My voice had been heard. Just like Bailey's had.
Following Peedit and Kapila's reunion, more Crafters revealed themselves from behind the butte. They all slid down, calling out to people in the crowd who responded in kind. None of them were attacking anyone from what I could see. The prisoners of the Pit were restraining themselves from attacking any guards or ACC members.
"Tyaag!" One man called out.
"BAKARA!" The councilwoman threw people aside in her haste to reach her husband. "How did you get out? No, it doesn't matter! Nothing matters anymore now that we're together again!" The two hugged one another tightly. "I'm never letting you go."
"I can live with that."
Friends reunited with friends, neighbors met with neighbors, wives met with husbands and husbands with wives. How all the prisoners of the Pit had escaped became apparent when Soul and Arquero showed up on the scaffolding with Floyd and… Casimir!?"
"I still despise you." The dual-wielder griped. "But I gotta admit, not even Old Man Bailey could have done it better." The praise from a fellow pupil of aikido cemented just how far I'd come.
"Nice work, Noman." Floyd bumped my shoulder supportively. "You settled it without having to lift a finger. I'd like to see an artifact do that."
I laughed/cried at those words.
To really round the whole gathering of the guild, the Asmodeus flew in and docked on the scaffold with Lenz and Jade disembarking shortly after. Jade immediately wrapped her arms around Cobb.
"Get a room you two." Soul rolled his eyes.
"NO!" We all gave a start when McGahn snarled. He had gathered the ACC and guards on one side with himself and the stunned Captain at the front. "You! You're all cultists! Collaborating together! Captain Obsidian, I order you and your men to execute every cultist here! Akasha's safety depends on it!"
The Captain gripped his sword and the ACC guards were looking to him for support. But his eyes. His eyes were wide and confused. The only thing keeping him going was the routine he established with the councilman. He always followed orders. It was like he was on autopilot, but he still proved to be a threat. Even with everyone embracing and reconnecting below.
I took a step towards the Captain, heedless of how Cobb and Lenz warned me off.
"Kill them, Captain Obsidian!" McGahn shouted, half-mad. "Give the order! We need to bring this all under control now!"
"What are you going to do, Captain?" I pointed at him, my expression firm. "What are you going to do with that cleaver?"
"St-Stand back!" Obsidian warned, his blade lashing out.
"What are you going to do?" I repeated. "You going to kill me? You going to behead me?" I grabbed Cobb by his hoodie and pulled him forward. "You going to kill him!?"
"Sh-shut up!"
I went to Floyd. "You going to kill him, too!? And her!?" I passed Jade. "And all of them!?" I gestured to the thousands of people interacting below who would surely be called cultists for either breaking out of prison or criticizing McGahn. They all watched the scene unfold on the scaffold. "Is that what you're going to do, Captain!?"
"Do it, Obsidian! Do it now!" McGahn commanded.
The Captain's mouth worked like a fish struggling to breathe. He couldn't kill everyone here. The whole population of Akasha was in attendance. Even if he and his ACC could overcome those odds, what would be left of the Kingdom?
"Is that what you're going to do, Captain!? Kill him, me, all of them, all of us! Is that what you're going to do!?" I screamed at him, emphasizing how pointless it all was. His mouth worked to make words, but nothing came out. He just stared blankly back at me.
"It's over, ENOUGH!" I said like a malediction. "Enough!"
The cleaver lowered in his hands and I slowly marched up to him, looking him straight in the face, before I yanked it out of his grip and tossed it aside. He flinched at the action, but made no aggressive movements. I patted him down for any other weapons, but found nothing. Instead, I gripped him by his clothes, getting right up in his face, before I released him and backed away.
The Captain lumbered about, his eyes unfocused as he looked at the crowd below. McGahn kept shouting out commands, but nobody paid him any mind. Not even the ACC members who looked to their defeated Captain—a man they thought invincible—cut down to size by just a few words.
There'd be no more trouble from them.
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, 12 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 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, 13 Arrows, 16 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 16 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, 50 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, 35 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 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV], 1 Diamond Sword [Sweeping Edge III], 1 Diamond Cutlass, 1 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 16 String, 10 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 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: 37]
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, 2 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: And the Akasha Arc is very nearly wrapped up. Next Chapter should be the last one before I can start the newest Arc, a real doozy I've been looking forward to! I'm so excited EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (^_^)
The title, No Man's Land, is a pun based on Noman's name, in case nobody caught that, but it refers to Noman placing himself in a position nobody has the courage to stand in. Thankfully, our wannabe Billionth found his voice to have others find their voices and finally be heard. This is very much a Noman moment, a climax and conclusion achieved without fighting. How befitting an aikido user.
The ending I drew inspiration from Harrison Ford's Witness film. Look up the ending of youtube and you'll see where Noman got his dialogue from.
Also, we got Cobb finally accepting Herobrine for the man he chooses to remember. He's willing to tell a Kingdom of Herobrine haters what he feels, and if that isn't true dedication, I don't know what is.
I feel like there was a real clusterfuck of characters at the end since everybody came together to swarm the execution grounds. Keeping track of them all was a challenge.
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. PM. FORUM. DISCORD. SERVER. POPTARTS.