AN: Sorry this one came out a bit later. I had to do a bit of research on Potions and EXP.
Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd make Potions of Slow Falling counter Levitation.
Chapter 172
No
[Baltic]
October 20th. It was the second day of our journey. I awoke earlier than the others. Witige was still on watch, passing the early morning hours with a brewing stand before him.
The first thing I did was check our maps. Carys was still heading west, but they were making incredible time, probably riding throughout the night. Reckless, but they'd get farther. I began dropping the map and picking it back up, communicating to Carys via Map Message—or Morse Code—that there was nothing to report. No incidents with Cobb.
There was also a pressing message from Jillian in Nitebane, demanding to know why our maps split up and what was going on. Seems like Carys didn't tell her of the alliance. I quickly sent her a Map Message to assure her everything was fine and that we formed a temporary alliance with the Beginners.
Temporary…
I paused halfway through the message, thinking back to last night and how different Cobb acted around us compared to Lenz. When it was just him and Lenz, he was friendly and, dare I say, approachable. It was likely that the stonewall he put up was just a façade for those he couldn't afford to trust. And he had every right not to trust us. Until a few days ago, we were the enemy.
He had layers. Just like…
I gave an aged sigh, rubbing my arm.
Point being, he had layers. The tough, indifferent exterior hid a deeper, friendlier, and more natural persona. A persona extended to friends and trusted allies.
He's never going to work with us as he is now. I thought. We haven't been fair to him. We haven't given him reason to open up. He still thinks he's surrounded by enemies.
I thought back to how we practically surrounded him with fighters and escorted him yesterday. How we snapped at him and reacted violently, both towards him and Lenz. How Carys had Z7 and her assassins watching his every move, even now. How Carys ordered to let him get caught by Bounty Hunters if the opportunity presented itself. And most personally, how I ordered him away from the group when he was beset by those Phantoms last night.
I felt a wave of guilt, realizing how I burned a bridge on the very first day. He shared some of the blame by going out of his way to ignore us, but I shouldn't have snapped. If both sides put up embargos, no ground would be gained.
Cobb could be friendlier. Cobb could have a bigger role in the decisions.
I just needed to get him to relax his guard.
I smiled genially as I placed my own Brewing Stand down and went to work.
[Lenz]
Forty.
That was how many Phantoms we ended up fighting throughout the night.
They spawned sporadically—sometimes alone, sometimes in groups as big as four—and were doggedly determined not to let us slumber. They also always went for Cobbert.
They only ceased spawning when the sun began to rise and the darkness above was extinguished. Of course, by then we were bleary-eyed and irritable from going a night without sleep. Though, considering Cobbert's dark bags, he hadn't been getting any sleep for some time.
It was not all bad, however. Cobbert's mood brightened when he scribbled down our findings about the Phantoms in his own personal Mob Book. He did not sign it, but he titled it Mobs of the Bounty Days and broke one of his Ender Chests to store it and his Beginners Banner away for safekeeping. His Inventory was fit to burst with all the stuff he carried, so it made sense to keep stuff in his Ender Chest Inventory.
However, his eyes seemed to linger when he opened it. I could not see what Cobbert could see—every Ender Chest was private—but it must have been something important for him to look at.
Additionally, we earned a plethora of the mysterious Phantom Membranes. We were still no closer to figuring out what they did, but I kept them on hand, just in case.
Most profitably, we gained EXP from our night of Phantom slaying. Killing Mobs had never been so rewarding for me. They were usually so far away I could not claim the orbs, but with the Phantoms above, the EXP would simply float down and into my waiting arm. I went from Level 17 to Level 19! Cobbert's return was less, going from 30 to 31. It made him frown and hold up those glass bottles he carried at his belt.
"We're still no closer to figuring out why the Phantoms are gunning for me." Cobbert said as we packed up our unused beds and reluctantly trekked back to the Paragons' camp. They were probably up by now.
"They are little more than nuisances." I shrugged, swapping my goggles to my tinted glasses. "We know that they have ten Hearts of Health and only do one and a half Hearts of damage."
"And they're undead. Noman could damage them with a Splash Potion of Healing." Cobbert checked his map. "Speaking of Noman, they got far. That bitch Carys better not be running them ragged."
"They are all still alive, though." I pointed out, hoping to assure my friend. "They are holding up their end of the alliance."
"For now." Cobbert yawned. "Our group's gonna be a repeat of yesterday. We couldn't figure out how to stop the Phantoms. That means I get to play pariah again, courtesy of Baltic—"
Cobbert cut off as he noticed the aforementioned alchemist approaching with a pair of potions. He nudged my arm slightly before dulling his expression and glancing at Baltic as if he was a Powered Rail with no power. Otherwise known as useless.
"Cobb. Lenzington." He greeted with a polite incline of the head. "Do you have a second to talk?"
There was a long stretch of silence as Cobbert refused to acknowledge the man. Baltic took that as permission and held out the two potion bottles.
"I made extra Healing Potions. They're high tier and I don't want them to go to waste. It'd help me out if you take them off my hands."
Cobbert's green eyes looked to be focused on some tree in the background instead of the aged alchemist's outstretched hands. He held the potions aloft, waiting—hoping—Cobbert and I would accept.
I looked between the two before hastily stepping forward and taking the two brews.
"Thank you, BalticSkies." I handed one off to Cobbert and kept one for myself. "I am sure these will come in handy. Especially against those undead Phantoms." I added, giving Cobbert some side-eye.
"They're undead…?" Baltic asked in surprise before eagerly leaning forward. "Then… I could make more for you! If you need them I mean." He hastily amended. "I've made potions for quite some time. I know every recipe like the back of… my… hand…"
He trailed off as Cobbert stepped around him and towards the Paragons' campsite, the Healing Potion discarded onto the grass.
I gave Baltic a glance and a helpless shrug before hurrying to catch up with the fisherman. The sky became overcast and a light rain began to fall by the time I reached him. There was no lightning, but the storm was only going to get worse.
"Did you have to toss his gift aside like that?" I asked. "It would not have killed you to keep a Healing Potion."
"I'm not going to accept anything he offers me." He countered, balling up his fists and staring straight. "He's just trying to butter me up so I drop my guard. Not happening—"
"Hang on, Cobb! Wait!" Baltic came back with the splash potion in his hand. Far from being discouraged by the cold shoulder, he hurried to hang off of Cobbert's left side, the proffered splash potion of Healing II held before him. "You dropped this…?" There was a flash of surprise before Cobbert twitched in annoyance and continued to ignore the man.
Baltic slowly retracted the curved bottle, his black eyes showing concern.
"If you don't want Healing, I can make something else." He offered, struggling to keep up as Cobbert continued to outpace him. "Regeneration. Harming. Poison. Slowness. Leaping. Water Breathing. I know them all."
The rain was beginning to pick up, soaking into our clothes. Cobbert went from walking to speed-walking and shook Baltic for a few seconds before he came back into his peripherals.
"I-I can even brew up a Thick, Mundane, or Awkward Potion for those moments when you need to take the edge off and relax." The aged man tilted his head to observe Cobbert's face. "You look like you could use it with those dark rings and stress lines."
Cobbert raised both hands and pulled his hood over his head, obscuring his face, hinting that Baltic should stop talking with him, and futilely trying to keep his hair dry. It was a meaningless effort. His hoodie was cloth. Neither rain repellent, nor Baltic repellent.
"Listen, I know it's not easy to trust a couple of strangers," Baltic tried, "because we're new and… and we're Carys' guild." He bit his lip and glanced down. I watched it all carefully through tinted glasses. "We attacked you in Zeppil because we trusted our leader when she told us you were cultists. That was our mistake, and I'm sorry."
Cobbert kept marching forward, never once showing acknowledgment.
"…And I made a mistake snapping at you last night." Baltic soldiered on. "Everyone's a little frustrated and we just got to know each other. It was wrong of me to think you knew why those Phantoms were attacking, especially since they just came up in the latest Bounty Day. You're probably just as stumped as us, and I essentially cast you out instead of offering help."
Cobbert kept on moving.
"I want to make up for it." Baltic pledged. "I want to work with you, not against you. So if you ever need any potions… or advice—OR, or if you need the others for something, and they won't listen," he was throwing out anything he could to appeal to Cobbert, "you can just come to me, with anything, and we'll see if we can't put our heads together and find a solution. This avenue is open to you." He swallowed lightly as he let his offer sink in like the soaking rain. "So what do you say?"
Cobbert did not say anything. He merely tightened his hoodie to obscure his face and pumped more speed into his legs, letting them carry him away from the insistent Baltic and his generous offers. Baltic slowed to a slog, his outstretched hand falling to his side as he looked forlornly upon the fisherman steadily speeding away.
He looked so down and defeated—like a kicked puppy—that I felt compelled to say something.
"Thank you for that." I nodded as I sidled next to him. "I am sure Cobbert appreciates the offer. He is just…" I trailed off, searching for the right word before settling on, "…troubled."
"I can imagine." Baltic agreed before turning to me. "The offer stands for the both of you, though. If ever you need anything, you can always come to me. I promise I'll be the easiest to talk to."
"I might just take you up on that." I accepted. Cobbert might have thought it was a ruse to make us lower our guard, but the fact was that Baltic was offering assistance. He was offering to make us potions and to speak to the other Paragons on our behalf. It would have been impractical to just toss that offer aside like Cobbert had done.
And to be honest, Baltic seemed sincere.
But then, so had AceOfJades. Some of the most convincing people we ever listened to were born liars.
I would have to wait and see about BalticSkies.
"Come to think of it," I said, "I would not mind a Regeneration Potion if you care to make one."
Baltic stared at me as if telling whether I was joking before his aged features split into a proud smile. "Coming right up! You want extended duration? Splash? Amplified effect?"
"Surprise me."
[Cobb]
Brain: You should have taken that offer. Who knows when you might need a potion?
Blood: The only potions you'll get from him are those ones that'll paralyze you, and you'll get them in the back. Blowing him off was the right choice. He won't be tricking us anytime soon…
Liver: That didn't feel right… When is Heart going to speak up again? It's been so long…
Brain: Even I'm starting to miss the guy, and we got along like cats and dogs. Cobb, you need to get over yourself.
Blood: Don't listen to them. Shit happens and you move on. That's life. The only one you can count on is yourself…
Lungs: *SIGH*
Blood: Oh, of course you would say that…
Bladder: I miss Heart.
Stomach: Blood might be stronger, but he's having Cobb push everyone away.
Blood: Maybe you all forgot what letting people in did to us—?
Brain: I can never forget. Eidetic memory, bitch. I remember it like it was yesterday. It's the reason Cobb can't sleep.
Blood: I sleep like a baby. It's the best lullaby.
Liver: You can't mean that.
Lungs: *SIGH*
Blood: Why should I care? She brought it on herself…
Brain: If Heart were here, he could see through your bullshit.
Blood: We're better off without. Her and Heart both. What's the use in something that only wounds you?
Stomach: What's the use in something that only knows how to lash out with single-minded brutality?
Blood: Plenty! When your back's against the wall and you're surrounded by enemies—like now, for instance—you have to be ruthless. With me, Cobb can fight alone, for as long as he needs to if he's to make it to tomorrow. Come hell or high water, through anguish and pain, I let him keep fighting. I'm essential to survival.
Brain: He needs me too. For the enemies that can't be taken head-on. Resourcefulness, strategy, tactics and taunts, using your surroundings to fight for you. Many an enemy has been bested by Cobb when the gears in his head start turning.
Blood: Fine. You're needed too. But not Heart. Never Heart.
Liver: That's not true! Heart has a use too.
Blood: Like what?
Liver: I… I don't know…
Brain: I don't know either. Doesn't change the fact that I want him here. It's not the same without him.
Lungs: *SIGH*
Stomach: You're right. Things will never be the same.
Blood: Doesn't mean they can't be better. That Cobb can't be stronger. No pain, no grief, no burdensome emotions. Tell me we're not better off…
Bladder: Okay. We're not better off.
Blood: Now tell me we're better off.
Bladder: Okay. We're better off.
Blood: My thoughts exactly…
[Lenz]
We continued our journey east in silence, the deluge of rain only adding to the miserable mood. Cobbert kept his hood up and his face obscured, continuing to ignore the Paragons. He especially ignored Baltic, who rode beside him and kept trying to strike up a conversation to no avail. The alchemist may not have been discouraged, but each failed attempt only seemed to anger the watching Paragons, especially the violent Perry.
The overcast weather, of course, kept the lingering Mobs of last night from burning up. We encountered the usual: Zombies, Spiders, Creepers, Skeletons, Witches. The Paragons took them out without me having to do anything, though I noticed that Cobbert laid claim to every Creeper we came across. He dispatched them quickly before the Paragons could get a swipe in and he helped himself to the EXP and gunpowder. He must have taken out at least twenty before we reached the location I had been secretly dreading.
Primary River.
It was a smaller river that served as the border between the Ringwood and Daymonte region and it joined up with the great Kawa River that ran from the northern swamp to the heart of Jolin. I had crossed it twice in my life. The first time after I spawned and went to Daymonte, the second time joining Cobbert to Ringwood. This would be the third time crossing.
I shuddered as we reached the riverbank, the water lapping as the rain pelted the normally still surface. Still waters ran deep. Too deep.
"They really should make a bridge here." Trenay lamented. I could not agree more.
"They'll have one when the cross-kingdom railway is done." Baltic said before peering left and right. "There should be some single-block viaducts. For when Crafters built their own ways across—There." He pointed to a series of single-block walkways. Narrow walkways over deep waters.
I hugged myself, playing it off as warming myself from the pelting rain. The shiver of fear helped to sell it.
"Haven't crossed this in a while." Wing noted, examining the walkways. "We'll have to widen these for the horses. If they fall in, we could be here all day pushing them to shore."
"Start gathering blocks." Baltic ordered. "Cut down trees or dig up rock and dirt. A two-wide path should do."
"I-I think it should be four-wide!"
I could not stop myself from speaking up. The words were more of a desperate shout than a suggestion, and it earned the attention of every Paragon.
"Four-wide?" Perry parroted incredulously. "That would take three times as long! We're not building a bridge! Two-wide is more than enough. Hell, we could even cross on one-wide if we're careful."
"Eh, we could slip with the rain." Heather erred on the side of caution. "We should really make it two-wide—"
"Why not four-wide?" I insisted again. "I, er, if we are talking about mitigating risks… would four-wide not be the safest?"
"No," Dwight drawled with forced patience, "that would take longer."
"Look, nerd, just because you may have built four-block wide paths when you were crossing, doesn't mean we have to do the same."
He could not be more wrong. In truth, the first time I crossed had been… traumatic. I-I managed by boat in the end. The second time, with Cobbert, I had been lucky. We crossed at a shallow point in the river. The water only came up to my steed's belly and the only part of me that got wet was my feet.
This was an entirely different case. The water was deep—I could not see the bottom—and we were expected to cross narrow bridges on horseback. One slip and we would end up in the water. The smothering cold pressing in on all sides, air blocked off, lungs burning as I futilely fight for the surface, my head exploding from the strain as I stave off the reflex to open my mouth and let the water in—
"Hey! You listening?" I snap back as Perry gave me a forceful jostle. My tinted glasses kept the watching Paragons from seeing just how shaken I was. "We're not wasting our time making a bridge that wide."
I tried to still my racing heart as I turned to Baltic. No better time to test how genuine his offer to help was.
"Baltic, please, I would really feel more comfortable with a four-wide path. Can we make it happen?"
Baltic ran a hand through his graying beard, his aged face considering the request. While deep in thought, his black eyes strayed to Cobbert, who was watching from beside the river. He had a critical eye and only looked away when Baltic took notice.
"Come on, Baltic. We don't have to humor this—"
"We can afford some caution." Baltic decided before pointing to the bridges. "Two of them are close enough. Widening them shouldn't be a problem."
"Are you kidding? That's still twice the work!" Perry argued.
"Then I suggest we get started." Baltic gave out orders. "Heather, you take Trenay, Wing, and Luis and go excavate some dirt and cobble. Perry, Dwight, Witige. We'll topple some trees. Cobb and Lenzington…" He trailed off when he saw Cobbert already placing cobblestone and jungle wood planks between the bridges, widening them. "...Keep doing that."
As they set off about their business, I breathed a sigh of relief. That crushing sense of imminent doom left me. I would have to thank Baltic later while he was away from the others and more approachable. A four-wide bridge would be plenty of space, and if I stayed in the center, I would not even have to look at the deep water.
I felt pain blossom. Perry made it a point to slam his shoulder into me as he passed to topple trees. Cobbert heard my wince and spun around to glare at Perry's back before resuming his building.
I rubbed my shoulder and steered myself far away from the riverbank to dig up dirt with my bare hands. I would transfer it and some of my cobblestone to Cobbert, but I would never dare to build across that slim bridge.
Still waters ran deep.
It took longer, but with everyone chipping in, the four-wide bridge was done before sunset. Our horses were able to cross and I rode hunched over, my gaze staring determinedly at the cobble, wood, and dirt used to construct it. Perry, Dwight, and Wing were sour at the waste of time, but nobody else brought it up. Instead, we moved on.
I could not be happier to put Primary River behind us. I nervously chewed on some steak, feeling better and better the deeper into the woods we got.
At the front, Cobbert was flexing his fishing rod, Backlash, between his hands and frowning to himself. It was likely a durability problem. He had Backlash ever since he first became wanted and had since used it to fight a sizable number of Mobs and Crafters. Just because it had Unbreaking III did not make it unbreakable. The Enchantment only tripled its durability, which by now must have been running out. Repairing it would require an anvil or the Mending enchantment. Both would cost him more EXP than he would be willing to spend.
That must have been the thought going through his head, as he kept glancing at his EXP Meter.
Riding under the trees provided us a meager shield from the rain. It would still drip down upon us, soaking into our clothes and chilling us to the skin.
I slipped a hand into my belt to check how Floyd's group was doing when a loud battle cry comprised of dozens of furious voices echoed around us.
Instantly, the Paragons drew weapons and closed ranks for a more defensive position as the bodies started coming out of the trees.
"Griefers!" Heather shouted before hopping off her horse.
"Guard the horses!" Baltic ordered. "Bows out! Bows out!"
Trenay and I notched arrows and started firing them at the oncoming mass. Heather and Baltic did the same, but I found that we were the better archers, firing more accurately and at a greater distance. Wing, Luis, Perry, and the rest put the horses behind them before charging in with swords and shields.
Cobbert was already in the middle of it, having ignored the Paragons' defensive measures. His Sweeping Edge blade came out and slashed at any Griefers that got close. Those that kept their distance were dragged close by Backlash.
Dwight scoffed. "No more than fifty? That's not even a challenge! Juice me up, Witige."
Witige threw out splash potions of Strength and Swiftness, empowering Dwight, Luis, Wing, and Perry before they leapt into the fray. They tore the Griefers apart like paper, overwhelming them with skill and alchemical supplements. EXP flowed like blood and gear exploded every now and again to signal a fallen foe.
The Griefers thought we were easy targets—a measly party of ten, ripe for the plundering. They were soon discovering how wrong they were.
As Perry dispatched one Griefer, a second one was about to challenge him before my arrow caught him in the eye. He screamed in agony, hardly noticing Perry until a sword sliced him to pieces. Perry glared my way before moving on to another foe.
"No thanks necessary." I grumbled under my breath before shooting at a pair of Griefers facing down Luis. I was not going to earn any of that EXP from this distance, but I could help out however I could. Trenay and Heather spared glances at some of the impressive shots I was making, their own arrows focused more on the nearby Griefers trying to attack the horses.
I did a double-take when I saw the aged Baltic abandoning archery in favor of sprinting out onto the battlefield with a pair of potions.
"Baltic! What are you doing!?" Witige shouted.
He was running straight for a circle of Griefers around Cobbert. The Griefers would lunge in with swords or pickaxes, but Cobbert would slash at them or else bat them aside with Backlash's Knockback. He then grabbed a handful of ender pearls and threw them out to perform his latest new move: Warplash.
He blinked around the attacking Griefers, snagging and swinging them into one another like ragdolls. While they were tangled up, he poured down a bucket of lava and burned them before scooping it back up shortly after.
When they died, he made sure to gather their EXP. He checked his arm and grimaced before dispatching another Griefer.
His eyes widened when he saw a flash of movement and he threw himself out of the way of a Splash Potion of Regeneration. It struck the ground wastefully and he glared at the thrower, Baltic, before a Griefer landed a lucky shot, under his arm. Cobbert cried out and took a knee and Baltic hurried to retrieve a new potion.
A Splash Potion of Healing was thrown next, but like before, Cobbert rolled out of the way of it before shooting to his feet and dealing a devastating Critical Hit to the Griefer that struck him. The Griefer struck the ground hard and Cobbert stood over him with a glass bottle in hand.
I watched as Cobbert savagely rammed the glass bottle into the Griefer's arm and twisted it like a faucet, drawing the EXP out from the source to fill the bottle and make a Bottle o' Enchanting. He then splashed it down upon himself, stealing the EXP.
The Griefer recovered and Cobbert leapt back.
This time, Baltic managed to hit Cobbert with a Splash Potion. By the dark red color, it must have been Strength. He was trying to help, but Cobbert whirled his head around with a withering glare, his teeth gnashed.
The Griefers closed in and Cobbert lashed out with a furious yell. The Sweeping Edge diamond blade combined with Baltic's Strength buff had the Griefers toppling like a clear cut forest. All the EXP of the fallen Griefers flowed into Cobbert's arm. When there were only seven left, they dropped their weapons and held up their hands in surrender.
"W-We're done! No more! J-Just let us go!"
Cobbert strode up to them—dark red particles swirling around him—and pointed his sword at them.
"What level are you?" He demanded.
"Wh-What?"
"WHAT LEVEL!?"
"Ah—Ahhhhh, it's 11!"
The other Griefers gave similar numbers and Cobbert quickly tossed them his stack of empty glass bottles. They looked at them questioningly before Cobbert made his intentions clear.
"Drain every last drop of EXP from your arms and give them to me. Then you can go."
"Wh-What?" The Level 11 Griefer stammered. "B-But that's our EXP! Our Strength!"
"And how many Crafters did you have to gang up on to get it?" Cobbert pressed his sword to the Griefer's neck. "I'm getting EXP either way, but taking it by bottle is more efficient than killing you. You got a problem with that, I'll kill you here and now and take it the hard way."
Reluctantly, the seven Griefers took the glass bottles and, after one last glance at Cobbert, began pressing them to their arms and filling them up. Cobbert watched them all carefully, making sure they filled all sixty-one bottles. When they were done, the Griefers still had a bit of EXP left.
"Good." Cobbert took all the bottles back and gave them one last glare. "Pleasure doing business. Here's some career advice, boys. Get out of Griefing. You'll live longer."
"…I suppose it looks like a choice to you, doesn't it?" One Griefer muttered. "Well we didn't choose. This is all there is for people like us."
And with that parting remark, the seven Griefers scampered off. Not long after, the Strength potion wore off on Cobbert.
He did not let that bother him, however, as he spammed the sixty-one freshly squeezed Bottles o' Enchanting at his feet, the green and yellow EXP orbs glittering as they flowed into his arm. I could see the green number on his EXP Meter increase from 32 to 36.
That was why he made so many glass bottles. Forcing defeated foes to bottle their own levels or else forfeit their lives provided him a greater EXP yield than killing them outright. If he kept that up for every enemy he came across, he could get around the diminishing EXP returns.
Cobbert was planning ahead. Stocking up on EXP. Getting stronger.
It was just… awfully cutthroat of him. Holding EXP for ransom at sword point. Not like the usual Cobbert.
The Paragons finished their foes shortly after, killing them all. They did not bother sparing them for more EXP. They slaughtered them like cattle and took the EXP that way. The Griefers did not have much. If their levels were in the thirties, Cobbert's level could jump to the forties through his bottling method. But, they were admittedly low-leveled.
Cobbert turned around and looked to Baltic. The alchemist had seen that display and could only stand there awkwardly, wondering if he overstepped his bounds in trying to help Cobbert with potions. Rain soaked into the two, dripping off their clothes and pooling upon the ground.
But, just like Cobbert, he dulled his expression under the hood and walked past Baltic like he did not exist. No words were exchanged.
[Baltic]
With the rain, I decided it would be better to set up camp early. We used the foliage and tents as a two-fold roof. The better to keep us dry. I vaguely felt bad for Z7 and her assassins tracking us in such a storm. The map showed they were nearby. Watching and waiting in case Cobb acted out.
I let out a weary sigh. So far, my efforts to form a connection with him only succeeded with Lenzington. The archer had gone out of his way to thank me for that four-wide bridge back at the Primary River. That felt like an accomplishment.
But Cobb. Cobb, Cobb, Cobb. He really was like Carys. Stubborn, wanting to do everything on his own, not accepting handouts from anyone.
He was less bloodthirsty, letting those Griefers go. Carys would have probably killed them anyway, just to earn those last dregs of remaining EXP. But deep down, they were both good people. I just needed a way to get him to relax around us.
He didn't accept potions. Not even in the heat of battle. He didn't want advice. He didn't want to make requests of the Paragons through me. He remained as sullen and standoffish as ever.
I looked up and saw Cobb and Lenzington with beds under their arms as they poked around for a place to rest. After last night, they were probably expecting more Phantoms and were already thinking about where to sleep away from us so as not to be disruptive. It reminded me of how harsh I had been to them last night, and I wished there was a way I could bring them back.
But Cobb wouldn't accept it. He didn't want help or handouts from those he perceived as the enemy. If I went over there to try and solve it, he'd just pick up his bed and take it elsewhere, Lenzington accompanying him.
There had to be a way to help him without making it seem like we were helping him…
While I pondered, my mind strayed to the Phantom Membranes I picked up last night. I had two of them, but their use still eluded us.
…I wonder.
I dug a hole and placed a bucket of water into it. Then I set down an ender chest and opened it to reveal my complete set of potion ingredients. With the Silk Touch pickaxe in my backpack, I could break the ender chest without destroying it into obsidian and place it back down at my leisure. Silk Touch was expensive, but it was invaluable for me to carry my ingredients like this.
I scooped up water in three glass bottles and set them in my Brewing Stand along with some Blaze Powder as fuel. After that, I placed a Nether Wart and let the potion simmer. Once that was finished and the Awkward Potions were made, I took one out and drained it in one gulp. I needed a drink after my spectacular failures with Cobb.
I then tried slipping the Phantom Membrane into the brewing stand. I nearly spat out my drink when I saw the potion simmering away. I leaned forward, my aged eyes tracking the bubbling brew of a potion I've never seen before.
Once it was done, I had two pale blue Potions of Slow Falling.
Beside myself with excitement, I swiped one and took an experimental swig. Pale blue particles swirled around me in tandem with the mellow, airy taste playing over my tongue.
I stood up and flexed my hands, taking a moment to observe the new tattoo effect on my arm. It was a pair of feathers, the timer beside it ticking down.
Slow Falling…? Does that mean…?
I glanced around and found a suitable test site: My tent. I climbed to the top of it and quickly jumped off. Instead of falling the short distance to the ground, I found myself floating down. The rate of descent was much slower than if gravity was taking hold, and I found myself floating a lot farther horizontally. I felt as light as a feather, the air carrying me safely to the ground.
The other Paragons noticed.
"Whoa! How'd you manage that!?" Wing asked while Witige went over to the brewing stand with an excited expression.
"What ingredient did you use?"
"It was these." I held out a Phantom Membrane. "They make Potions of Slow Falling. I haven't tested if I can make them last longer or stronger."
"Oh, I got to try this." Witige grabbed the membrane and set his own brewing stand down. "Damn, I wish we had more."
"Yeah, I want to try floating!" Heather and Trenay chimed in unison.
"Tough luck. We don't have any more membranes."
My dark eyes lit up and I turned my attention to Cobb and Lenzington off to the side.
"Actually," I began with a warm smile, "I know exactly how we can get more membranes."
[Lenz]
"This looks far enough."
Cobbert set down his bed under a pair of tall oak trees. I plopped my bed down beside his despite knowing I would be up all night fighting Phantoms. The rain would have no effect on the flying Mobs.
But we were far enough away from the Paragons' camp. They would sleep and we would hunt.
"Hey, Lenz." Cobbert spoke while placing down a furnace and filling it with sand. He was making more glass for bottles. "Back at the Primary River. Were you doing okay?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?" I replied maybe a bit too quickly.
"I dunno." He shrugged, fueling the furnace with leftover jungle wood planks. I was amazed he still had those from Jolin. "You just seemed awfully adamant about a four-wide bridge."
"I did not want our horses to fall into the water." And me along with them.
Cobbert's gaze lingered before he seemingly accepted the answer. The sand was smelting fine, but planks were a horrible fuel source. They burned up in seconds. Much worse than coal or charcoal. Cobbert quickly realized he would have to break trees to keep it going, and went to work.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"You did not want Baltic's potion help?"
"Usually when people are throwing potions at me, it's to debilitate or kill me." Cobbert fired back. "The first time I dodged was just reflex. After that, though, I just didn't want his help."
"There is nothing wrong with letting others help, Cobbert."
"Maybe not for friends or allies." He emphasized the distinction. "Fact is I don't feel like owing these people anything." He examined his last stack of sand, setting it aside. "I just want to be over and done with this."
"…What do you mean over and done with—?"
There was a raspy screech as a pair of Phantoms appeared in the darkness above us. They circled like vultures and Cobbert and I armed ourselves, ready for another night of slaying the belligerent creatures.
However, before I could even launch an arrow, one of the Phantoms was sniped out of the sky. I glanced in the direction it came from and found Heather and Trenay with bows loaded.
Cobbert and I stared in shock as the Paragons poured out of the trees with bows and swords drawn, firing up at the Phantoms. They easily dispatched them, and the EXP and Phantom Membranes floated down, the latter being eagerly scooped up by Witige.
"Nice! We can farm these things!"
"What… what are you doing here?" I asked as the group brought tents and beds over.
"We found a use for this Phantom menace." Wing said. "The membranes are potion ingredients for a new potion. Slow Falling. Baltic wants to test a few and so do the rest of us."
"I'm next up to fly!" Heather insisted as she hung off of Witige's shoulder.
"Ugh, I gotta wait on another one." Dwight clicked his tongue before taking up position near Cobbert. "Stay in my line of sight. They like you the most."
Cobbert looked outraged. Last night, they were fine with exiling him from the camp. He was fine with it too; He did not care for their company. Yet now they were crowding him with swords and bows, their eyes to the skies, waiting for Phantoms.
He looked about ready to shout, but he bit his lip, remembering he was supposed to be acting like they did not exist. That would be an impossible task seeing as how they refused to leave him alone.
"Why don't you get some sleep?" Baltic suggested, bringing up the rear and smiling genially. "You look dead tired. We'll keep those Phantoms off of you… and help ourselves to those valuable Phantom Membranes." He added.
Cobbert glared at the old man suspiciously.
"This is for our benefit." Perry clarified with folded arms. "Baltic and Witige want a full stock of these membranes in case there's a situation that calls for them. You're just the perfect bait." He gave a terrible smile. "That's all you seem to be good for."
Cobbert pretended to ignore him and tried to walk away except for Wing and Luis barring his path and pushing him back onto his bed.
"Oh no, no, no. You stay right there. Good position for those Phantoms—There's some now!" Four more spawned above Cobbert and the paragons went to work sniping them or else slashing them when they swooped down on Cobbert.
They were being rather pushy, but they were protecting him. It was a symbiotic relationship. Now, Cobbert and I could sleep. They could even rotate on watch so they would all get some sleep. Though, judging by Cobbert's grumpy scowl, he did not like it.
Still, this was progress in joining hands with the Paragons. Besides, I owed Baltic for his help at the river. I dug into my backpack.
"If you like, we farmed plenty of Phantom Membranes last night." I held out the thirty-one membranes and found them snatched up by the crowd of Paragons. A few of them thanked me, including Baltic, Heather, Trenay, Luis, and Witige. Perry, Dwight, and Wing said nothing. "Lucky I still have a hand…"
Cobbert, realizing he would be unable to distance himself from the Paragons while they were using him as bait, gathered his furnace and smelted glass and reluctantly settled into bed, slamming his head into the pillow and turning his back on Baltic for good measure.
But Baltic had one more thing to say.
"Listen, Cobb." When he spoke, the Paragons all spared an ear to listen. "I know things have been rocky between our groups, but we're in an alliance. We can cover each other and help out. Neither one of us has to be subservient to the other." He shot Perry and Dwight a look. They snorted and looked away. "We're all on the same team, now. We're all against the Endward Cult."
Cobbert went still as he listened to the aged alchemist. All the Paragons were listening. All of them were watching Cobbert.
"Surely we can put aside our differences, drop this stonewall, and just talk like adults, right? So what do you say? Can we make this work?" He asked hopefully.
Time seemed to slow down as we awaited Cobbert's response. I swallowed audibly in the tense silence, listening as the rain pattered against the canopy of leaves.
Slowly and deliberately, Cobbert sat up from his bed. His hood still up, he turned to face Baltic. His green eyes, once brimming with spirit, were flat and dull. Empty. He spoke the first word to Baltic since we set off.
"No."
And with that crippling shutdown, Cobbert turned his back on a crestfallen Baltic and an irritated group of Paragons, pulled the covers over his body, and pretended to sleep. My head fell, disappointed in my leader's rejection, yet sympathetic to it all the same.
"Asshole." Perry spat. "Told you he didn't give a shit about us."
[Cobb]
Yeah, I'm an asshole. Cobbert thought. An asshole who's onto you, fuckers.
Carys probably put them up to this. They're trying to get me to lower my guard, and then they'll strike. Well they're going to have to wait a pretty long time if they think I'll give them an opening.
The synced maps don't prove anything. They don't prove Floyd, Soul, and Noman are alive. Carys could have just killed them when I wasn't looking. She probably intends to sacrifice them.
This is all just a trap I walked into. That's what she thinks. And I'll let her and these other Paragons think that for as long as it takes.
There was another reason I brought sand. It wasn't just for glass bottles.
There was a reason I hunted Creepers all day.
Hidden under the covers, while the Paragons went about hunting Phantoms, I put off sleep and felt for the sand and gunpowder in my backpack.
Eager for a moment alone where I could craft the two together.
Inventory (Cobb): 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Leather Tunic [Dyed Green], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Boots, 1 Fishing Rod {Backlash} [Knockback II, Luck of the Sea III, Unbreaking III] {Weak}, 1 Diamond Sword [Sweeping Edge III], 12 Cobblestone, 64 Sand, 2 Glass, 63 Glass Bottles, 1 Stone Pickaxe, 1 Bed, 1 Furnace, 18 Flint, 17 Oak Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Water Bucket, 1 Lava Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 16 Ender Pearls, 12 Ender Pearls, 64 Snowballs, 7 Ender Chests, 16 Obsidian, 32 Gunpowder, 64 Steak, 51 Steak, 15 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: 36]
Midnight the Horse
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, 13 Cobblestone, 1 Compass, 25 Gunpowder, 1 Bow, 1 Bow [Infinity], 64 Arrows, 11 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 7 Ender Pearls, 64 Steak, 16 Steak, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 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: 19]
Speckle the Horse
Inventory (Baltic): 1 Iron Helmet [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Chestplate [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Boots [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Sword [Sharpness II, Unbreaking III], 1 Shield, 1 Bow, Diamond Pickaxe [Silk Touch I, Mending I, Unbreaking II], 25 Arrows, 4 Brewing Stands, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Regeneration II {0:22}, 1 Splash Potion of Strength II {1:30}, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Slowness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Swiftness II {1:30}, 1 Splash Potion of Harming II, 1 Splash Potion of Fire Resistance {8:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Slow Falling {4:00}, 64 Glass Bottles, 46 Glass Bottles, 1 Water Bucket, 60 Blaze Powder, 57 Nether Warts, 30 Soul Sand, 28 Bones, 64 Phantom Membranes, 17 Golden Nuggets, 64 Blaze Rods, 28 Fermented Spider Eyes, 60 Carrots, 58 Melon Slices, 30 Steak, 3 Ender Chests, 1 Map {Paragon Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Gold Citizenship Pass}, 45 Emeralds
[EXP: 24]
AN: And so it goes...
Baltic trying to make progress and form connections. But Cobb's been burned before for trusting people. Doesn't mean he's a jerk.
This is the first moment I've had a character abusing the EXP system. I'll address this sometime in story, but the most EXP you get from killing a Crafter is 100 EXP, and that's only if you kill them while they're Level 15 or higher. The formula for it is (7 x Current Level). But if you get it via bottle, you get a lot more. In that sense, Cobb is using his brain and glass bottles to amass EXP. Carys and the EC would just kill people and save themselves the trouble, but not Cobb.
Some headway is made between the Beginners and Paragons, and Baltic is now on the Inventory List. But it may be short-lived. No pun intended.
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