AN: Nothing happens this Chapter. Skip it.
Oh, who am I kidding, that just makes you want to read it more.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add Flamethrowers.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."
Chapter 161
Wither (Part 2)
[Birchbark Village]
The Village of Birchbark was having a rather strange week.
First, there were the Bounty Days. The Testificates had predicted there would be two within seconds of each other. The villagers of Birchbark were skeptical about this since Bounty Days hardly ever happened for five-hundred years. Never mind how this year alone there had been a total of five Bounty Days, but to hear it would be the second time where two would occur on the same day sounded impossible. And yet, the Days had rolled in and the Crafters learned of new things.
But then, the very next day, during a storm, a Flying Man appeared. He wore a black suit and tie and seemed to run of the wind itself as he slid into the quaint village and rushed to the apothecary's shop. The mysterious Flying Man then upended a king's ransom worth of emeralds on the apothecary's counter and proceeded to buy out every Splash Potion of Healing and Regeneration in stock. He didn't even bother to check the costs, effectively throwing money at the proprietor for potions. Needless to say, the proprietor made quite the killing off the mysterious Flying Man. And as quickly as he arrived, he was gone, taking off into the sky like a whirlwind as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do.
Two days later, the Flying Man returned, though this time he walked into the village. Innkeepers, hearing of the Flying Man's vast fortune and wanton spending of it, stood outside their inns to welcome the man and offer a shelter for him to rest his head. He politely declined all offers, instead taking his emeralds to food markets and buying enough steak for four people. He never stayed in the village, instead passing through the toll gates with emeralds coming in and with supplies going out. Many suspected he was camped somewhere, but were baffled at why he would pay the emerald entrance fee each time he visited instead of taking up residency in town.
His visits persisted for three days. He'd bring in emeralds, buy a few things, then depart. He kept a polite distance away from the villagers, as if he was trying to fade out into obscurity. Fat lot of good that did, considering he had already mystified the populace with his inexplicable flight into town. The Flying Man—Nowhere_Man—could never fade into the background of Birchbark Village.
But on the third day, something different happened.
Nowhere_Man and one other man wearing a Creeper head mask rushed into town. They threw out the emerald entrance fee for the guards, but completely bypassed the search check. The Creeper Man didn't even flash any identification or displayed his name hidden under his mask. Instead, they just barreled through the toll gates with several guards chasing after them. No matter how many emeralds a man had, they couldn't just disregard a village's security measures. Those were put in place to keep the Testificates and villagers safe from Griefers, bandits, criminals, and the other lawless of Minecraftia.
But the Flying Man and the Creeper Man paid the guards little mind as they raced to the market and stables, their belt pockets jingling with the sweet sound of emeralds… and their movements just shy of frenzied panic.
They asked for horses. Four of them. The fastest on hand. But the stable was fresh out, having rented their horses to some passing Crafters just the other day.
Instead, they asked for ender pearls. As many as the Cleric Testificates could part with. It was a strange purchase, but they were strange people. Still, ender pearls were expensive. Five emeralds per pearl.
The two men must have dropped a combined total of seven-hundred emeralds. They cleaned out every Cleric until they couldn't trade anymore. One-hundred-and-forty ender pearls.
THEN, they rushed to the cow pen where the Creeper Man crafted a bunch of buckets and they proceeded to pilfer milk from the cows. Buckets and buckets of milk they stole. It didn't matter that the Flying Man was apologizing profusely or offering emeralds as appeasement, or maintaining that the milk would be used to save lives. Those cows didn't belong to them and they had no right milking them for all they were worth!
By the time the guards showed up, the villagers were clamoring for the Flying Man and Creeper Man to be arrested or kicked out. No amount of emeralds would be enough to tolerate such rudeness. However, as the guards closed in, the Flying Man kicked on a pair of white boots and took off to the skies with the Creeper Man in hand.
The guards tried to shoot them down, but they were no match for the Flying Man's evasiveness. All they could do was watch as the mysterious men flew away and out of the village.
They never came back.
[Endward Cult: Northern Division HQ]
Ember had to send Spring and 4Blite away before Jade could report all her findings. 4Blite had insisted to be around to hear everything, but Jade had insisted right back that the information would be for Ember's ears only until she decided who needed to know and who didn't.
Ember agreed, but only because Jade had brought a wealth of gifts from her time with the Billionth. She gave her Lieutenant and friend the benefit of the doubt that whatever would be said would be of the utmost importance. Spring and 4Blite were ushered out of her office with the Asmodeus still sticking out and the two women were left alone.
And then, Jade began her report.
Everything she encountered while traveling with the Billionth and his Beginners. Through Jolin, Zeppil, Shansi, and Akasha.
She spoke of a Ghast hybrid in the Wailing Vale. She spoke of Cobb's duel with the Angel of Death. She spoke of Nowhere_Man, a Crafter possessing powerful items developed by Herobrine Himself! She spoke of an invincible chestplate wielded by Notch—the Severe Shield—capable of slaying a Hacker with ease. She spoke of Nowhere_Man's mission, and of his true status as the Billionth. Cobb was merely a double. A mistake in name only.
A mistake she came to care for, but who defended Herobrine's name in front of an angry mob of Akashic citizens with his own head on the chopping block. She spoke of his possession of Mob books written by Herobrine. She paid particular attention to his refusal to abandon what many would see as tabooed contraband. He refused to part with the Mob books.
Ember found herself interested in his dedication. Even more so with how insistent Jade was that Cobb could be turned into a powerful ally. She pointed out how he was an enemy of Carys. She pointed out how he respected Herobrine. She pointed out multiple times how he wasn't the real Billionth, and that Nowhere_Man was the true threat. She spoke of each member of the Beginners—their names, strengths, weaknesses, habits, appearances—she gave each of them up. She pointed out she had one of their linked maps, capable of tracking them anywhere in the world—though for how long depended on whether they made new maps or kept the old, linked ones.
Then she went into Hackers. One of the Beginners—Floyd—was a Hacker, and the Beginners figured out that every time a Hacker perished, a Bounty Day would come around exactly one week later. Carys and the Paragons issued those wanted posters of them. The two sides were at odds. But Carys had taken over Nitebane by slaying the pair of Hackers presiding there. That made the Hackers Carys' enemy too.
She spoke of ways to get around a Hacker's invincibility. Just as Floyd dispatched Sandra by convincing her she was mortal, anyone could dispatch a Hacker so long as they convinced them the same. It was all about shattering their morale. Do that and they would die like any man.
She spoke of Lost_Soul and Flawwed_Floyd's involvement with an anti-Endward Cult group calling themselves the Silver Intent. A group that operated out of Ringwood's Eastern District—the farmlands. It didn't hold a candle to the Paragons' influence, but Ember wasn't one to allow weeds to grow.
And finally, Jade confessed how she was revealed. She confessed that she grew sloppy in framing McGahn, and that she only did it to protect Cobb. She admitted that she had feelings for him. She cared for their relationship like no other. It wasn't like infiltrating those other newbs or guilds. This one felt so real at times that she forgot about everything else.
It made Ember recall the moment Jade closed her heart. It made her remember Jack_Pall, the abusive husband that got exactly what he deserved at Jade's hands. There was a marked difference between how Jade had talked about Jack in the past and how she talked about Cobb now. The way Jade's eyes lit up when talking about when Cobb braved a haunted coal mine to rescue her. The fireworks that went off between the two when they were dancing or dating or kissing.
The crushing misery when Jade was let go. The screaming and crying. The regrets.
It was hard for Ember to see her Lieutenant and friend like this. She never grew attached. She never dropped her mask. She never bore her true feelings. But with Cobb, she had. That's what made it hurt more when she had to run. Her betrayal was known. Her identity was known. She couldn't be the Poisoned Dagger anymore. She was in the same boat as 4Blite, Teal, and Leadstripe. She'd have a target on her back.
When the explanation was over, and Jade assured she never revealed any information or secrets to Cobb or the Beginners, Ember rested her hands on the controls of the Asmodeus and rolled all the information around in her head.
The expression, 'you could hear the gears turning in her head' wouldn't quite be accurate for Ember at the moment.
It would be more appropriate to say, 'you could hear the gears shredding violently in her head, the clock that was her mind threatening to come undone'. Ember was thinking a mile a minute in light of all the information Jade had passed on. Having her stay with the Beginners had truly paid off. Most of all because they now had a Wither Skeleton skull.
Carys was inconvenienced with the loss of her airship and an enemy to both the Beginners and the Hackers.
Nowhere_Man was searching for nine artifacts—one of which sounded startlingly familiar to something Teal possessed... and would explain the explosive bow from the weapons outpost that got attacked.
Cobb had Herobrine books. Three. He had three Herobrine books written by Herobrine's own hand and she had to have them because they were written by Herobrine.
It was a lot to process, and she said as much to her Lieutenant who stood patiently with her arms folded behind her back.
"I really wish you had gotten those Herobrine books. I would have loved to read them." Ember said.
"Sorry. I thought I'd have time to get copies. Then everything sort of fell apart."
That was putting it lightly. Still, Jade had done marvelously to learn all these things. The Beginners may have been small, but they were privy to a lot of Minecraftia's most hidden secrets. Some of these were so important, they gave Ember ideas. Plans within plans. She needed a second mind to bounce half of these ideas off of. They were too perfect to pass up, but she required a sharper mind for some of the finer details.
She needed Sdraw's Domino.
Finally, Ember stood up. "I need to meet with Sdraw." She announced. "Jade, I'll take that Wither Skeleton skull. I'll keep it safe."
Jade blinked. "You want it now, ma'am?" She hesitated. "You don't plan to use it right away—?"
"Not yet. I still need to run some of my ideas past Sdraw and the supercomputer he calls a brain." She joked. "I do intend to get the other skulls we need from Sdraw, though. Carrying the skull with me now is just a means of security. Don't worry, Jade." She assured as the Lieutenant handed over the skull. "Nothing in this world can pry this skull from my belt pocket. After all, it's the key to passing Herobrine's final test."
Jade nodded, though it was obvious she had no idea what Ember's plans were
If she had, she would have been more reluctant to hand that skull over.
"I'll be back tomorrow." Ember promised. "Rest up. Be ready to fight. You've done well, Jade. Very well."
[Cobb]
My blood was thundering through my ear. My lungs were on fire. Darkness was creeping at the edges of my vision. Yet still, I ran.
I parkoured over the top of the birch trees, no matter how much I disliked relying on the skills Jade taught me. I kept running and running towards that towering mountain I knew Jade would have had to clear in the Asmodeus.
To my left and right, I caught glimpses of Floyd or Noman as they kept pace with me. Lenz was the slowest, and would be near the back, but we couldn't stop for him. Night was fast approaching and the Mobs would make it harder to run unimpeded.
I dove across a gap between trees, my legs working overtime. Our discovery of the Wither and Jade's possession of a Wither Skeleton skull had jolted the lethargy out of my body for the time being. I was still weak, but I'd use every ounce of energy left in my body to get to where I was going.
Another jump, another gap cleared. I had to rely solely on my legs. I couldn't free up my hands to help pull me up anything. My hands were both full. Map in one hand, ender pearls in the other.
Whenever my Hunger Meter fell so low I couldn't run, I would chuck an ender pearl as far north as I could and devour a steak or two. Then, the pearl would land, I'd lose a chunk of Health in exchange for warping further north, and occasionally an Endermite would spawn and try to bite my leg off.
Looking at the map, I'd see the other Beginners doing much of the same. Their white blips would vanish from one spot only to appear further north in a blink. We were all ender pearling and running, desperate to reach Ringwood and warn them of a potential attack. It didn't even matter that we were leaving Soul to chase after us. There was no time to waste waiting on the axe-wielder to reach Birchbark Village. The second we got the ender pearls, we were off to the races.
I knew in the back of my head we'd never catch up to Jade. We had no chance before and now she had a three-day lead. She'd get to Ringwood before us, and I knew she'd go there. The Northern Division base was there somewhere. She'd go straight there, tell the mysterious Ember everything, and hand over the skull. And if they had two others…
It would be the Tragedy of Nitebane all over again. All those people that would die...
We had to warn them!
Blood: Use me…
A dark voice crept upon my panicked state of mind.
Blood: You must feel angry at her now. Accept it, and I'll lend you all the strength you need to get there. No more hollow emptiness. You'll have fire in your veins. You'll be energized.
No. I bit back a growl. I'm not lashing out again. You had me kill my friends.
Blood: Only because one of them wasn't your friend! I'll admit, I made a mistake. I should have focused on the one who wronged you. Now I know who the traitor is. Now we don't have to hold anything back. Take me. Use me and I'll get us there faster. You'll run faster and longer without rest. You'll be unstoppable! Your other organs think they're necessary, but I'm all you really need…
"Shut up…" I whispered between pants. "Shut up…"
Further and further north we ran. Birch trees melted into oak as we reached the Origin Forest. Lenz was taking longer, but not by much. Even he seemed to be pushing his limits, knowing what was at stake. The sun set and Mobs started spawning below. Also strange gliding things I never saw before appeared above, but I paid no mind to them as I kept doggedly traveling north. The moon rose, the stars and heavens moved, the clock ticked, but that one, impossibly tall mountain never seemed to get any closer.
More and more running and warping and eating and gasping. My legs were worked so hard they felt like string beans. Huh. String Bean. I was reminded of Captain Iron_Lung's fond nickname for me during training, and worry for Ringwood started up all over again.
The sun started to rise on a new day when we reached a familiar landmark.
The Origin Zone.
The stone monument that I now knew was built by Herobrine greeted us as we warped into the Origin Zone. Helena's tiny house was there like always. The inside was lit by torches, casting a warm, homey glow through the glass windows. Part of me should have been happy to see her.
I wasn't happy. I wasn't anything without a heart to feel. All that was there was my overworking mind and the urgency of reaching Ringwood before a Wither could be spawned.
Still, I needed a break. I wasn't a machine. I couldn't run and warp forever without running low on Hunger or Health or both. I bent over beside the Origin with my hands on my knees as I heaved great, deep breaths. A few warping sounds later, I was joined by Floyd and Noman.
"We… we won't make it… tonight…" Floyd gasped. He was the most frustrated at how slow we were. If his Speed Hack was fully developed, he'd be the first to reach Ringwood. As it was, he could only run forty seconds before collapsing. And out in the wilderness, that was a risky gamble.
Noman, meanwhile, could fly for how little good that did in this situation. The Bottes Zephyr would help in height—like if we were getting over Mt. Mur—but his forward speed would only be as fast as he could run. Even then, he'd have to take a moment to backflip and fall, since every step with the Bottes Zephyr would only take a Crafter up and forward one block.
"You really… think… Jade… will go… to Ringwood?" Noman clutched a stitch in his side.
"Positive." I nodded. "And even if she didn't… Ringwood needs… to be warned." I had to let Wynn know about the Wither. She'd believe me even if the whole kingdom thought us criminals. Through her, the guards could prepare and armor up. I'd tell her all about the Wither and its weaknesses. Hell, I'd make them believe that milk would be the difference between life and death.
But I had to get there first to do it. I cursed how long it was taking Lenz. I cursed our lost airship now more than ever. Every second we wasted would be another chance for the Wither to spawn. What if it was already summoned? What if it was already tearing great chunks of land out from Ringwood? I couldn't stop thinking of the Wither entry or of the hushed tone people would use whenever they talked about the Tragedy of Nitebane.
The only silver lining with the Wither was that we had all the tools to fight one. Notch had beaten it with the Severe Shield, but Noman had the chestplate AND could fight the Wither in the skies. Plus he had a lot of Splash Potions of Healing against the undead Mob, and we'd be there offering backup. We could do it if we had to.
I just didn't want it to come to that.
Finally, Lenz caught up and warped beside us. As soon as he did, he collapsed onto his back, panting like a dog, his chest rising and falling, and an Endermite nipping at his ankle. Noman quickly squashed it under sword.
"I'm good…" Lenz wheezed, his tinted glasses hanging off one ear and his eyes screwed shut. "Just… a minute… just give me a minute… to catch… breath…"
"We can't keep going like this." Noman said after catching his breath. He gathered us all around and threw down a Splash Potion of Regeneration to help with our low Hearts. "We'll exhaust ourselves. Plus, every ender pearl wears away at our armor."
He was right, though that worked in Lenz's favor in this case. The cursed armor he was forced to wear was starting to peel away. The leather pants were gone, leaving only a weak pair of brown leather boots. He would be the last to be lifted of Jolin's cursed gear.
"We just have to rally." I tried. "We made good time reaching the *COUGH* Origin Zone. What do you think? Two days distance we covered in one?"
"We burned through a third of our pearls, though." Floyd grimaced.
"Me… more… so…" Lenz panted apologetically, still sprawled out on the ground. "So-sorry…"
I bit my lip, debating whether it would be better to just leave Lenz behind. He had to know he was the slowest and frailest. If we kept having to wait on him, we'd never make it. Maybe it would be better to leave him here to wait on Soul and relay the situation.
"If we can get to the base of Mt. Mur," Noman suddenly said, shielding his eyes as he gazed at the looming mountain, "I may know of a shortcut we can take through the mountain."
"Seriously?" My head whipped up. "That would be… hugely helpful." Anything that would save time would be, especially if it meant bypassing a chunk of dirt and rock.
"We have to get to the base first." Floyd said. He was staring at his map. "Soul must have a horse. He just reached Birchbark."
"If only I had the Destierro del Palillo." Noman lamented. "It's a stick with Knockback M. I could just hit you guys into Mt. Mur."
"Uh… wouldn't we go splat?"
"No, you'd just get caught on the surface. No different than the impact from an ender pearl. It would only kill you if you hit the Border."
"AH!" Lenz suddenly exclaimed, bolting to sit upright with his glasses half hanging off his face. We all looked at him cautiously, but his magenta eyes were lit up like twin beacons. "TNT Cannon, I just got an idea!"
"What is it?"
"A TNT Cannon!"
Floyd and Noman shared perplexed looks while I just raised an eyebrow.
"Are you okay, buddy?"
"I am better than okay! I am an engineer!" He half laughed, half wheezed. He weakly got to his knees before pulling out an ender chest. He couldn't place it within the Origin Zone, as he soon discovered. "Forget physically exerting myself. Crafterkind developed brains so they would not have to out-muscle anybody! Redstone can move ships, propel Crafters into the air, blast apart rock and stone faster than scores of men, kill deadly rabbits, entrap an army of Griefers, and even make unbeatable artifacts. It can get us to Ringwood faster too!"
"But, wait," I held up a hand. "How is a Cannon going to get us there faster? I mean, you're not going to shoot us out of one are you?" I joked.
"That is exactly what I am going to do!" He grinned maniacally, making us all pale.
[Endward Cult: Western Division HQ]
Ember and Sdraw sat at a table, the former watching the latter expectantly as he mulled over all the information and plans Ember presented. And she had to present it to him.
Each Executive possessed a unique skill. It wasn't like if you became an Executive you suddenly developed one, nor was it you needed to have a skill to become an Executive. It was just something they developed over the hundreds of years they'd been around. It was just a talent for each of them.
For Ember, it was her Soul-Gaze. For Abyssmal, it was his Foresight. And for Sdraw, it was his Domino.
Sdraw was no fighter, but he had a mind like a supercomputer. It was how he developed Domino, the ability to see people and events in the world like cause-and-effect dominoes. Each domino could be triggered by an action—sometimes even the most mundane—and they would in turn tip over and knock down other dominoes. Like a trail of the collapsing objects, Sdraw could read any situation and take the necessary steps to ensure the desired outcome would occur. Even something as simple and inconsequential as purchasing a flower at a market could have large repercussions that only Sdraw could see from the beginning.
Here's an example. Many years ago, Sdraw made a generous donation to the civil works department in Exter so that they could replace a lousy and unappealing gravel road with smooth stone bricks. On the day the construction work was done across twelve streets, a bombing occurred in someone's home and the guards couldn't get there fast enough to find any culprits due to the construction work. THEN, since the man who died in the bombing accident had been contesting for a special ordered Tinker's warhammer, the weapon instead went to Exter's Captain and secret Endward Cult Lieutenant, XoX. Furthermore, the newly paved streets increased the value of the houses overlooking that area, allowing a hefty return for the owners of said property, all of whom were influential members of Exter's council who felt they owed Sdraw a few favors for his initial donation. And finally, the cherry on top, the citizens were unaware that the loud, explosion-based construction works being done were smothering out the sounds of other explosions as the underground Western Division HQ was being built in the heart of Exter.
All of that was predicted and guided to fruition by Sdraw's steady hand and steadier mind. That was the power of his Domino.
So, naturally, Ember took her plans to the Endward Cult's authority on plans. She relayed all of what Jade told her—Sdraw could only use Domino if he had all pertaining data—and shared with him the rough draft of her plans. She watched as he mulled it over, his perpetually closed eyelids and unchanging apologetic smile betraying nothing unless Ember turned on her Soul-Gaze.
"So?" Ember finally broke the silence, her hand resting on the Wither Skeleton skull on the table. "You think I'm on to something?"
"Oh, my dear," Sdraw smiled, "you'll make me green with envy devising such a plan."
"It can work, right?" Ember asked, though she felt confident gaining Sdraw's approval. "It'll be poetic using the Angel's own mask for this."
"Deliciously poetic." Sdraw nodded. "And more so in Notch's kingdom. Though, I'm a bit hesitant in turning over our skulls."
"Why have them if we don't use them?" Ember had her response at the ready, expecting resistance. "I know XoX has been hard at work gathering them, but there's no better time than now to summon it. You can make up the skulls with more hunting. Just send in more men."
"We've been losing men." Sdraw maintained. "The Wither Skeletons chew up all but the toughest. Why do you think I put XoX on skull gathering duty? The Looting III Sword is only good in his meaty hands. Even muscle-brains have their uses."
"Preaching to the choir." Ember rolled her eyes, thinking of 4Blite. "Anyway, we've been meaning to find a time and place to set one of these off. This'll kill three birds with one arrow. Plus, it'll let us pass Herobrine's final test."
"Only if you get the star."
"Which is why I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket." She wasn't backing down from this. "Sdraw, please, this could be the Endward Cult's springboard. After tomorrow, everything will start accelerating. Everything will be in motion and we'll have everything at our fingertips. I just need the skulls… and Leadstripe."
"You want my Lieutenant too? Didn't he just get back from a ruined weapons outpost?" Sdraw sighed, though he tilted his head up, thinking back. "You know, a Wither hasn't been spawned in nearly four-hundred years."
"I know." Ember smirked. "What better way to put the fear of Herobrine into those ingrates?"
"I've spawned it myself, Ember." Sdraw said. "I saw what it could do. Whoever spawns it will have to get out fast. I want my Lieutenant aware of all risks."
"Of course. I can do that." She said too quickly. Excitedly. "So? You think it'll work?"
"I think it will work. The Billionth will come running with the right bait, and I'd say you've got it." He paused. "There are some particulars."
"I'd love to hear them."
"Just some small things to optimize your impact."
"I like the sound of that." She dragged the Wither Skeleton skull back across the table, keeping it secure. It was a third of a super weapon, after all.
"One more thing." Sdraw held up a hand, though he seemed somewhat hesitant about it. "What you've told me about the Hack Clan has piqued my interest. They care much for their brethren if Jade's testimony regarding Flawwed_Floyd is to be believed. I," he canted his head slightly, "I can see the dominoes forming. It's a rewarding path. Risky, but rewarding."
"How so?"
"Much of the details are still a work in progress." He admitted. "But I see no reason to remain idle while you make a big splash in Ringwood. Though I must ask something of you." He stood up and Ember felt the weight and seriousness behind her fellow Executive. In a fight, she could take him eight ways to Sunday, but in terms of influence and brainpower, he had her beat in spades. That's what she respected.
"If I were to suddenly disappear in the coming weeks—please don't interrupt," he stopped her mid-protest. "If I were to suddenly disappear, and you don't hear back from me, I'd like you to assume the worst and take command of the Western Division."
"What!?" She bolted out of her seat, eyes alarmed. "What do you mean? What's going to happen to you? If you need help fighting someone I can—"
"This is something you can't help me with." He waved her down, his apologetic smile appearing genuine for once. "This is something I must endure alone. Not just to further the Endward Cult's goals," he nodded to himself, "but also to test my limits. This will prove I have what it takes to negotiate with superior beings. If not, well…" he shrugged, "better luck next life."
"This seems like a risk."
"I said it would be." He nodded. "But there's a reward that's worth it. I can't let this opportunity slip any more than you can let your Wither slip." His words had Ember beat. She felt a comforting hand on one shoulder. "No matter what happens to me, I know you'll take whatever Herobrine left for us and see his beliefs through to the end. The only way forward—"
"—is endward." Ember finished. "Alright then. Just try to stay alive. I don't want to think how much of a nightmare it'll be managing both our divisions."
"There's always Abyssmal."
"Abyssmal couldn't manage his way out of a box, stupid! That's what he got Mark for." She laughed, the Western Executive chuckling along. "Alright, so, what particulars did you want to make with my Wither plan?"
"Well first, the cows have to go."
[Cobb]
This was either going to really save time or really get all of us killed, and if Ringwood wasn't in potential peril, I wouldn't have even bothered with it.
But my home kingdom was in peril, and Lenz's TNT Cannon was looking pretty attractive if it could get us to the base of Mt. Mur in an instant. We had it set up on the outskirts of the Origin Zone. Noman and Floyd were hard at work clearing trees while Lenz dug in his ender chest for TNT and redstone. This was another machination from the big book of Lenzington.
"The cannon will not fire us." He explained as he set up TNT and water. "But the blast will launch a projectile. TNT blasts always do."
"So what? We'll be launching an arrow?"
"Ender pearls fall under the projectile category when thrown." He waved one in front of my face before busying himself with the wiring. "If we time it right, we can trigger an explosion and rocket the pearl further than what any of us could throw."
"And you can direct where the pearl is shot?" I asked, unsure. "This'll really work?"
The engineer rolled his eyes. "Cannons can fire projectiles because of a strong barrel. The explosive force has nowhere to go but out, thus it compounds and is given direction. We are doing the same thing, just with ender pearls. Remember when I used TNT to launch us over Ringwood's walls?"
"And you've done this before with ender pearls?"
"…"
"Lenz?"
"I mean, I read the theory..."
"Oh for—there's a chance we warp too high up and fall to our death, isn't there?"
"Excuse me! Reading about something once is enough if you are not dim! You have an eidetic memory, do you not? You should know what I am talking about."
"Memorizing a book and firing us out of a cannon sound like two completely different things!"
"Well, how do you expect us to get to Ringwood faster without this?" Lenz shot back, his hands on his hips. "I am all ears."
I looked between the half-finished ender pearl cannon and the expectant Lenz.
"…We fire Noman first."
"I'm sorry, what!?" Noman overheard.
"You have the stupid flying boots and the invincible chestplate, what are you worried about?"
He hummed to himself. "Fair point. I'll do it."
"Of course. The one time we clear trees without our axe-wielder." Floyd grumbled as he knocked out some leaves and logs. "This better work. We're burning daylight."
"Do not rush me." Lenz admonished, his tinted goggles focused solely on the wiring and the placement. "Let me think… water goes here… TNT here… switch here…"
He was going as fast as he could. I knew that. I still wished he'd hurry it up. Clearing the trees and setting everything up had eaten through much of the day. It was nearly sunset.
As if that wasn't bad enough, another unpleasant occurrence urged us to pick up the pace.
"Guys!" Noman exclaimed, pointing at his map. "A blip just showed up in Ringwood!"
I felt my stomach drop. It was just a blip, yet it meant I had been right. Jade was there.
She was there, and she had the tools to spawn a Wither.
"It's not Soul or the old blip there, right?" Floyd rushed over, even though he himself had a map in his pocket.
"No, it just suddenly showed." Noman said. "It has to be Jade. She's holding the map. Maybe she's checking on us? Seeing where we are?"
"No." I grunted, my brain working overtime while my chest felt empty. "It's an invitation. She wants us to know she's there. She's taunting us with the information, daring us to show up and stop her."
"You think so?"
"She wouldn't be showing the blip otherwise." I bit my lip, thinking of the damage she could cause with the skull I left for her. "Lenz, please tell me this cannon thing is done."
"It is." He nodded seriously. "Nowhere, I will launch you first. Put on whatever protective equipment you want."
"Got it." He put on the Severe Shield and Bottes Zephyr and took out an ender pearl. "So how does this work?"
"When I say 'go', you throw your ender pearl straight at this point." He tapped a spot just above the water source and TNT. "The pearl will be propelled and you will have a few seconds before it lands. Then, you should warp to the base of Mt. Mur."
"Couldn't you just adjust it to land on the other side?"
"No. Mt. Mur is too big and, to be perfectly honest," he looked sheepish, "I may be off in my initial calculations."
"…How off?"
"Alright! Let us get ready!" Lenz bulldozed through Noman's reluctance and hurried over to the lever.
"Wait, can you aim around there?" Noman roughly pointed out a section of the mountain, having to get beside Lenz just to specify. "Right there is where we all need to go for my shortcut."
"Roger that." Lenz moved Noman to a proper angle before nodding in satisfaction. "Okay, when I say 'go', throw."
"Got it."
"And it will be one, two, three, go. Got it?"
"Got it."
"Okay." He flicked the lever and the TNT lit, falling into the water source and hissing away. "One, two, three… GO!"
Noman threw the pearl as commanded just before the TNT went off. The pearl changed trajectories on a dime and rocketed through the air and past the cleared trees. It arced high over the origin forest, Lenz probably being the only one who could track it with his superior eyesight.
Noman? He kind of just stood there, nervously awaiting the pearl striking something. He started whistling and rocked on the balls of his shoes, looking around with tense energy.
"So—"
He was cut off as he suddenly vanished in a burst of purple particles. Lenz and I checked our maps in confirmation, the former pumping his fist and letting out a whoop of cheer.
"YES! Redstone engineering!"
Noman's white blip spun to signal to us he was alive. His spinning blip was further north and just touching Mt. Mur. Right where Lenz aimed. His crazy cannon plan actually worked. If only I could laugh in relief…
"Me next. Me next." Floyd got in position while Lenz reset the TNT for the cannon.
Lenz's ender pearl was the last to be launched. The engineer's precision was impeccable; we all managed to warp around the same area, no more than twenty meters away from each other and against a steep stone cliff face. Lenz's little redstone trick had saved us days of travel, but I was unfamiliar with where we were. We were against the mountain's base, but nowhere near Miner's Warren.
"So where's that shortcut?" I asked Noman only to be ignored as he pressed his body to the grass and scanned the ground. "Noman?"
"It has to be here somewhere..." He said to himself, having to strain his eyes to see as the sun fully set. I could hear Mobs already spawning in the woods behind us. "Can someone put down a light?"
I quickly placed one down just as a Zombie started marching out of the forest. I moved and struck out against it, using more force than I had to. My sword stuck in the ground and Floyd hurried over to finish it off.
"How you holding up?" He asked quietly, referring to my fighting.
"My worry is outweighing my exhaustion." I answered honestly. "But I'm running on fumes."
"Yeah, but..." Floyd looked hesitant. "If Jade really spawns a Wither in Ringwood, maybe you should sit out the fight. You're not at a hundred percent right now. And Noman and I can handle—"
"I am not staying behind while a monster destroys my Kingdom." That was the bottom line. Weakened or not, I would fight.
"Right..." Floyd sighed before swiveling his head back. "Noman! Where's the shortcut?"
"Just a minute!" He shouted back, stopping at a blue flower planted in the grass. "Got you." He whispered to himself before walking a straight line to the rock face. He used the blue flower like a marker, keeping between it and Mt. Mur. Once he was close enough, he patted the rock with one hand and had the other grasping towards us, palm up. "Pickaxe." He demanded. Floyd threw him his own and we all watched as Noman cracked open the wall. We gasped.
Behind a layer of stone was a pre-dug tunnel lit with torches. It looked to have been there a long time and trailed deep into the mountain.
"How did you know that was there?" Lenz asked.
Noman smiled. "Spark. She helped fresh spawns get from the Origin to Ringwood. She has a minecart track all set up that travels straight through the mountain."
Floyd and I shared a look. A railway that led through the mountain? That sounded very familiar.
More Mobs were coming out of the darkness, urging us to keep moving. As we passed through the threshold of rock, Noman called for someone to seal it off. Since I was brining up the rear, I did so with a few choice blocks of cobblestone. It would stand out against the stone, but we hardly had the time to make it properly camouflaged.
We pushed on.
[Spark's House]
Creation's_Spark was happily feeding the cows and chickens in the pen of her built-in-the-mountain home when a clamor came from the corner where the ladder came out. It was the exit for the secret tunnel she had built. She turned and faced it with wide eyes.
Four people pulled themselves up the rungs in quick succession, two of which she recognized as Crafters she helped in the past: Nowhere_Man and King_Cobb. The other two were lost on her.
Their movements were a flurry of panic as they bickered and bandied words in her presence.
"Where do we go next?"
"This looks like someone's house, Noman."
"Hi, Spark! It's nice to see you again. Sorry to bother you at this hour, but we—"
"Comparators, I believe I found the rail system!"
"Well what are we waiting for? Are there carts?"
"Don't rifle through her stuff! Show some manners!"
"This is an emergency! Decorum can wait."
"I've found some minecarts. Everybody grab one."
"Oh, so now we're just taking her things? She's standing right there!"
"What? She's not saying anything."
"That's because she's a mute you insensitive—"
"Hang on, how can she be mute? Didn't she have to announce her name to spawn from the Void? How could she do that if she was mute?"
"I… uh… huh. You know, that is a good point—b-but we still shouldn't take her stuff without asking!"
"Just throw some money at her or something, we're in a hurry."
"We shall require a minecart with furnace to get us moving. How very stone age. If it were me, I would set up a powered rail that could propel us with the press of a button. In fact, if we have some time I could—"
"NO! No more redstone detours. Just stuff some coal in the furnace thing and we can go. Here, I got some."
"Alright, all aboard everyone. Let's go, let's go, let's go go GO!"
"S-Sorry about this, Spark." Noman apologized profusely as he and his companions boarded the carts and set the minecart with furnace to push them along the railway. "It really was nice seeing you again!" He called out at the last before they all sped off.
Spark blinked after they had left, the seeds she was feeding to the chickens falling out of her numb hands and scattering across the floor. Chickens mated and baby chicks popped out while she struggled to understand if any of what just happened really happened.
She rigidly turned back to her work, a look of bemusement on the upper half of her face. She picked up the seeds and resumed feeding her animals, slightly shaking her head at the absurdity of it all.
I'm glad Noman made some friends. She thought to herself.
[Noman]
It was my second time racing down the clickety clack of the railway. Cobb and Floyd's too, if the familiarity with how they pointed out the lava pool we rode over was to be believed.
"If you look to your right, you'll see where we almost killed Carys_Angel." Cobb spoke like he was a tour guide. "And if you look to your left, you'll see the same thing, but from a different perspective."
It helped to alleviate the tension, but there was always that foreboding sense of things to come whenever I peeked at the map. Jade's white blip was still stationed firmly in Ringwood, beckoning to us like a lighthouse guides ships. I could tell it was eating up at Cobb, even if he tried not to show it. He'd blame himself if a Wither came about. He left the skull on that ship and let her go.
But I had been the one who truly messed up. If I had stopped Leadstripe from taking that Looting Sword in Dover Plains, maybe all this panic could have been avoided. If Cobb's mistake was worth one skull, mine had to be worth thirty. They could keep farming Wither Skeletons with it and there was no telling how much durability it would go through before breaking. And would it even break? If they had diamonds and EXP, they could just repair it on an anvil and start over from scratch. It would be expensive, but possible. The sword was something I never should have let fall into their hands.
At the end of the railway, when you exited out the hidden station, you had a great view of Ringwood. Even in the dark of night, you could see all the lights illuminating warm homes from within the walls. You could even glimpse the plateau rising from the center and the palace nestled atop it.
At the end of the railway, when I gazed upon Ringwood, would that be the sight I'd see? Or would it be a kingdom in ruin, beset by a deadly abomination?
My shaking hands gripped the edges of the minecart, terrified to know. But with fear came focus. With fear came strength. My shaking hands and sweaty brow were all signs that my body was preparing for what was coming. I was already expecting the worst.
That didn't make the blow any less of a sucker punch.
As before, we came to an abrupt halt in a small, dirt-covered station. A hole in the ground where Spark could safely transport fresh spawns from one side of the mountain to the other.
We all clambered out and Cobb and I got to the dirt wall at the same time—both of us desperate to learn the truth with our own eyes. We shared a look and nodded together before digging through the dirt with our bare hands. At the first block, a warm, orange glow flooded the dirt cave.
It wasn't sunlight, though. It couldn't be with the night sky and stars still hanging overhead.
No, the warm glow was fire.
Fire so vast and bright that it blazed like a miniature sun and bathed Ringwood with its glow, illuminating a grim scene straight out of our nightmares.
The Northern District was aflame.
And a large, dark blur could be seen hovering about, wreaking havoc and devastation amongst the densely populated Southern District. Red fireworks could be seen shooting up into the sky before exploding in the form of Creeper faces. The Stage 5 Emergency Alarm, normally reserved for Hacker emergencies, was blaring loudly. Screams and explosions as well as alien cries could be heard even this far out. Buildings of wood and stone were bombarded as the dark flying monster sought out any living beings to drain of Health and strengthen itself. Nobody was spared its destructive path—the carnage already hinting that this thing had been busy since earlier today. We had been too late to warn anybody.
The Wither was here.
"Oh, sweet Jeb, no." Lenz whispered in horror, his tinted glasses coming off as his eyes saw worse than what we could glimpse. "The poor people…"
"Damn them…" Dark smoke was pouring out of Floyd and I couldn't find the words to correct his language. The fires and explosions were reflected in my wet eyes. "Damn those Endward Cult fucks! What's the point to this!?" He roared, his anger fueling his Hack.
I was about to fall to my knees in anguish when Cobb roughly seized me by my suit and pulled me face to face. His eyes didn't shed a single tear, but his face was twisted with something. Still, he spoke with determination.
"What are you waiting for?"
"Wh-What…?" I asked pathetically.
He shook me slightly, slapping my face. "You're the Billionth aren't you? It's you and not me, right!?" He reached into my belt and shoved the Severe Shield under my nose. "Notch gave you this, didn't he? He trusted you to protect Minecraftia, right? That's why you've been hunting these artifacts since you got here. Well, look!" He pointed out to the burning and Wither beset Kingdom. "Notch's Kingdom is in peril! The Endward Cult is trying to wipe all those people out! There's no better time for you to leap into action!"
At his words, I could feel a fire burning in my soul. The Severe Shield was a powerful weapon too dangerous to use for fear of killing someone inadvertently. But here was an abomination that sought only to destroy, that needed to be extinguished. Notch defeated it before in Nitebane with less. He didn't have flying boots, but I did. I had the tools. I had the power. And now, thanks to Cobb, I had the drive. Even as emotionally dead as he was, he could still light a fire under me. I wiped away my tears, my eyes hardening like twin sapphires.
"Take it!" He commanded, my hand clutching at the diamond surface with determination. "Take the Severe Shield! It's enchanted with enough firepower to stand up to that creature! You're the Billionth! So get out there and save the day!"
"RIGHT!" I shouted like a war-cry before kicking on the Bottes Zephyr and taking off into the skies.
I slipped on the Severe Shield as I ascended, the wind whistling past my ears as I ran as fast as I could. Not away from the terrifying monster as my old timid self would have done, but towards it.
Aikido made it clear that all life was precious.
I threw an ender pearl further north to close the distance and warped there in a blink, the damage hardly scratching me while I was wearing the Severe Shield.
Aikido was all about fighting without fighting. Doing no harm. Finding peaceful ways of resolution.
Another pearl was lobbed as I watched the Wither blow chunks out of Ringwood's walls. I could see it more clearly. It flew untethered, its skeletal ribcage body supporting a trio of heads. The middle one larger and more terrifying than the other two which shot exploding heads like projectiles in every direction. A Health Meter appeared over its head as I got closer, partly diminished. The guards and Crafters were trying to fight, shooting arrows at the flying abomination, but it was doing little. Even now, it would be inflicting the Wither effect on the poor people of Ringwood, healing whatever damage was being caused and killing Crafters by the hundreds.
Killing was against the way of Aikido, but this wasn't a living thing. This was undead death incarnate, killing and destroying all life merely because it was its nature. All life was precious, and this Wither had no business putting an end to all that!
I cleared the wall, my sword and shield flashing out. It had been a while since I wanted to kill something so desperately.
"WITHEEEEEEEEEER!" I screamed, catching the Mob's attention as it focused its fire on me.
I weathered explosion after explosion with my Severe Shield as I closed the distance and reared back one arm. It came down in a mighty blow, tearing away 6% of the Boss Mob's Health Meter. It screamed in pain before flying off to put up some distance.
A thrown Splash Potion of Healing managed to catch it in the head first. The Healing brew worked as Herobrine had instructed, hurting rather than healing an undead monster and taking away another 4% of its Health Meter.
I had to pause, however, as I was taking damage too. The Thorns Enchantment didn't seem to work on the Wither's exploding projectile heads, but my damage output was still good, as was the Resistance and Health Boost keeping me alive. I lost a lot of Health tanking those attacks, however, and my Hearts were all black as the Wither effect took its toll.
I canceled it out with a swift drink of milk and replenished what was lost by consuming one of my Notch apples. Everything Notch gave me was being put to use. Notch and Herobrine.
I roared challengingly at the Wither and very unlike how I usually acted. This was to be a brutal fight. A desperate duel for the fate of Ringwood. And this monster would be vanquished.
"Come on!" I shouted, darting on the wind between projectiles and slicing off another chunk of its health. "I'm right here! COME ON!"
[Cobb]
The three of us warped into Ringwood just in time to watch Noman score a devastating blow against the Wither.
Crafters were fleeing for their lives past a half-torn toll gate and into the woods. Anyone who fell would be trampled by the endless tide of bodies. Nobody cared that three wanted criminals suddenly showed up. The people had bigger concerns. Streets were a mess, making it even harder to get around. Whole buildings were smashed apart. From the large crater off to the side, the Wither must have been spawned in the heart of the Southern District, when the streets had been busiest. Gear and Heads littered the ground in piles, occasionally getting picked up by a fleeing Crafter if their Inventory wasn't already filled with the gear of corpses.
"The whole place has turned upside down…"
"Then it's time for us to do our jobs!" I shouted back over the screams. "Noman's keeping that thing occupied, we need to help evacuate everybody! I'll take the Northern District!"
"Cobb, wait, that's not what we should be focused on—!"
"I'll take the North!" I shouted over Floyd, already throwing a pearl onto a nearby smashed roof. It would be easier parkouring around the panicked chaos than barreling through worn torn streets.
I knew Floyd was right. We should be prioritizing fighting off the Wither. We knew what we were up against, the guards didn't. They should have been the ones focusing on evacuation. And yet, the Northern District engulfed in flames burned in my mind. The mansions were up there. The homes of the influential.
Wynn. Erin.
I had to make sure they were okay. I had to know they were safe or got out before the fires spread too bad. I had to get there as fast as I could.
I parkoured over another gap and narrowly dodged a stray screaming head sent by the Wither. Even when dueling, it was still targeting any living thing it could sense. Stray heads kept detonating all over the place. Buildings would get totaled, people would get struck…
The people getting struck hit me the hardest.
"Help… me…" One cried out from a group of prone Crafters rendered immobile by agony. They were all afflicted with the Wither ailment, slowly dying, their drained Hearts going to the Boss Mob. I remembered the milk in my belt and made a half-step towards them before the first burst into gear, dead. The shock of how sudden it was made me unable to act in time as the others burst apart in quick succession.
"Holy shit…" I said in a hushed gasp, feeling sick. How many other Crafters were dying like that? How many others were withering away into nothing? I only had two buckets of milk. Two lives I could save out of a Kingdom of thousands. How was I supposed to choose who deserved to be saved?
I bit my lip and turned away from the grisly scene. One good thing about not having a heart was that I wasn't shedding a tear. Ringwood was blowing up and burning around me, yet my eyes were as dry as a desert. I felt dread, but other than that I was stone cold. I could think clearer, and yet here I was, doing something stupid, and running across the whole Kingdom to get to the Northern District. I could have been helping in the fight. I should have been helping in the fight.
Instead, I kept parkouring past devastation and broken buildings. And piles of gear and Heads.
Finally, I reached the halfway mark. The plateau in the middle of the Kingdom. Crafters were flocking up the stairs to the top, thinking they'd be safe, or else taking refuge in the Crystal Catacombs beneath the plateau, where the Captains and councilmen and kings of Ringwood rested in eternal slumber.
As I passed, my eyes caught sight of something that made my stomach turn.
A black-capped Crafter was humming contentedly as he picked out Heads from a pile of withered Crafters.
"Herobrine above, this is the easiest job I ever had." He laughed. "I've never gotten this many—EUGH!"
He cut off as my sword buried itself in his spine. I dropped straight from the building, crashing into him with all my weight. He turned around in fear, begging for me to stop, but my Sweeping Edge blade came down again on his face, killing him instantly. His EXP floated into my arm.
I counted about twelve Heads that weren't his. How many other cultists were out there, harvesting the dead like this? All for quotas. What was it for!?
"Is this what you wanted Jade?" I asked myself, gazing upon the destruction like I wasn't even me. "Was this worth so much to you that you couldn't walk away?"
I left the slain cultist in the streets as I navigated around the plateau.
I passed the Western District. It looked as run-down as I remembered, making me wonder if the Wither even targeted that place. It was hard to tell. The Wither only focused in one area in Nitebane because the skyscrapers kept it pegged in like cell bars. Ringwood didn't have any tall buildings like that. The Wither was free to fly unhindered.
It would be a bloodbath if Noman didn't finish it quick.
I chanced a glance back before rounding the plateau to the north. Noman and the Wither were still duking it out. I couldn't tell how much Health the Boss Mob had, but I trusted Noman to take care of himself. He had all the tools. He just had to buckle down and show that thing who's boss.
I circled the plateau and Noman and the Wither's duel in the sky became obstructed by stone. I turned all my attention on the fires to the north.
The heat hit me before the smoke did. It hit like an unbearable wave that only seemed to get worse when I shambled through the Northern District's gates. They had been set up to separate the wealthy mansions from the common rabble.
Now the mansions were smoldering away.
Finely trimmed hedges went up like matchsticks. Beautiful, ornate manors were engulfed in flames. Fires spread from one side of the street to the other, with nobody even attempting to put them out. I knew why. All the guards were busy evacuating or fighting the Wither. Wynn might even be out there with Iron_Lung and Private_Showers, battling the man-made Mob or else organizing rescue and evacuation. That sounded like something Wynn would be good at. She'd be far away from the fighting with a thin rapier for a weapon.
I hacked up a lung as the smoke became too unbearable. I had to cover my mouth navigating through a burning wreck of a mansion. My eyes finally shed tears, though only because they were blinking past the smothering emissions.
Mansion after burning mansion I passed, desperately searching for Wynn's.
Finally, I found it. It was burning just like the others, but I could see the pond in the back. It was that side I came through, passing an untouched outhouse and diving into the pond just to cool off and wash away the smoke.
I waded through pulling myself back on land and making my way to the fiery mansion. The back door was gone and much of the interior and carpet was combusting, but I recklessly dove through.
Peering through my arms, I felt a pang in my chest as the homey, familiar setting was tainted by the encroaching swathe of flames. The couch where we sat was a smoldering lump of charred wood, the dining room table where we talked and shared meals was turning to ash. The tiles of the kitchen were holding up as well as stone could in fire, but the stairs to the second floor were half gone. The ceiling was partly collapsed, Wynn's bedroom peeking through the flames. And—
My heart stopped.
Up there, on the balcony of the steps, Erin's Head lay on its side, her gear spilling over the side and becoming fuel to the fire burning the home she cleaned and cared for.
She was dead. A part of my World was dead. I could even feel it breaking off, tumbling away into darkness, never to be recovered again. The housekeeper who cooked us meals, helped bargain for grass blocks, and was so stuttering, shy, and innocent she could never harm a fly...
ErinRunner was dead.
And standing over her, covering her mouth to keep out the smoke and wielding a cutlass—
*CRACK*
Blood: Take me! Yes! Take me and kill her!
Inside my head, I tore the door off its hinges. I reached out with both hands and seized Blood, strangling the winding stream of red and forcing it into my body like an injection. It burned like fire in my veins, making my exhaustion evaporate like steam. The aches and pains of the journey there became smothered by a white hot ball of anger. Blood literally pounded in my ears and all I saw was red as I looked upon the traitor. Only then did Jade notice me.
"Aw, Herobrine above. Don't tell me this housekeeper was part of your World too." She said, kicking Erin's Head off the side where it burned like everything else.
My fists tightened and I felt energy well up in my body. No longer was I weak and hiding my anger. I felt it. I really felt it. I finally felt the weight of everything Jade did to us. This had just been the final straw. And I felt something come over me. Something dark and violent that ached to reach out and throttle the Lieutenant appraising me cautiously.
Blood: Kill her! Kill. Her. NOW!
"What?" She finally broke the silence. "Still don't have anything to say to me—?"
I screamed a furious, heart-rending sound before rushing her.
Inventory (Cobb): 1 Book {Mission Update}, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green, Mending I, Unbreaking I], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Boots, 1 Fishing Rod {Backlash} [Knockback II, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Sword [Sweeping Edge III], 1 Banner {Beginners}, 64 Cobblestone, 51 Cobblestone, 1 Bed, 5 Coal, 18 Flint, 12 Jungle Wood Logs, 56 Jungle Wood Planks, 3 Torches, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Lava Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 16 Ender Pearls, 6 Ender Pearls, 1 Ender Chest, 4 Snowballs, 9 Gunpowder, 30 Steak, 22 Rotten Flesh, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Book {Mobs of the Nether}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 29]
Inventory (Floyd): 1 Mob Head {Creeper}, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 2 Iron Ingots, 2 Sticks, 31 Coal, 20 Torches, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 20 Steak, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 16 Gunpowder, 16 Ender Pearls, 2 Ender Pearls, 1 Splash Potion of Invisibility {6:00}, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 33]
Inventory (Lenz): 1 Leather Boots [Dyed Brown, Curse of Binding I, Unbreaking III] {Weak}, 1 Shears, 1 Lever, 9 Redstone Torches, 1 Bed, 8 Redstone Repeaters, 3 Redstone Comparators, 18 Blocks of Redstone, 2 Hoppers, 3 Pistons, 2 Sticky Pistons, 48 Cobblestone, 1 Compass, 25 Gunpowder, 1 Bow, 21 Arrows, 12 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 11 Ender Pearls, 40 Steak, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Airship Piloting 101}, 1 Book {Notebook}, 1 Book {How to Kill Stuff for Numb Nuts}, 1 Book {Advanced Mob-Slaying}, 1 Book {Mobs of the Nether}, 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 (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], 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Bucket, 2 Cobblestone, 1 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 16 Ender Pearls, 5 Ender Pearls, 30 Steak, 1 Phantom Membrane, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Splash Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Akasha Entry Pass}, 1 Arrow, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 3 Enchanted Golden Apples, 1 Diamond Helmet, 1 Diamond Leggings, 1 Diamond Boots
[EXP: 26]
AN: How much suffering -
Cobb: AGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!
Okay, okay, I'll ask later.
I might get crucified in the Reviews, but sadly, yes, Erin is dead. It was a decision I really had to struggle with. Like Cobb said, this was the last straw in the amount of shitty things Jade did to him, to his friends, to Ringwood, and to Minecraftia in general. And now, Cobb is showing a whole lot of bloodlust.
The ending scene is based off of Infamous: Second Son, after Delsin watches his brother die and proceeds to throw himself at Augustine after letting out a furious, heart-rending scream. It's such a powerful scene that I really recommend you play it while reading this ending, just to get an idea what Cobb's fury sounds like.
Also pretty sure this'll be when most of the 'I Hate Jade' witchhunt fanmail comes in. The only real humor came from the Creation's_Spark cameo.
A little extra detail for anyone that didn't notice, but Cobb's words of inspiration to Noman are the very same words Herobrine said to Notch before first giving him the Severe Shield to fight off the Wither attacking Nitebane. It's been brought full circle with the next Wither, Cobb being Herobrine and Noman being Notch.
This Chapter was done around August 17th, 2020. Future me might have to start posting these in September.
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. PM. OC. FORUM. DISCORD. SERVER. POPTARTS.