AN: Last Chapter of a truly tumultuous year. It seems only fitting that 2020 is the year of Jade's reveal as a Lieutenant, and the year Ringwood got attacked by three Withers. Darkest just before the dawn, folks.
Hope you enjoy this Chapter. Leave a review plz. I like reading them.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add fuses.
Chapter 175
Self-Destruct
[?]
The screams of the Withers finally ceased. The heavy impacts of metal on flesh subsided. Only labored, enraged breathing rent the night air of that back alley. The scene of a brutal fight.
A body was dragged away from that scene. A body so weakened and injured that it couldn't move under its own power.
The body hocked up a glob of spit and spoke in a distorted voice, through a broken nose and windpipe.
"You… you didn't finish the job…" She coughed.
"…"
"O-Oh come on…" She tried to chuckle but instead coughed more painfully. A broken rib, perhaps. "It's n-not like death frightens me… This was always the final fate for a cultist… Everyone goes to the Next Life. N-none are spared…"
"…"
"Heh… the silent tr-treatment again?" The voice came out weak and scratchy. "Did you get everything out of your system, Cobb?"
The body was dragged slowly and with difficulty. Both parties sustained serious injuries, but Cobb could still walk, and his dislocated arm would heal.
"M-Maybe you've got the foolish idea in your head th-that I can be redeemed…" Jade tried next. "I think we've been through this before. We're beyond the point of try-trying that…"
"…"
"Or… or maybe you're thinking about interrogating me for information. That's why you're keeping me alive." Jade guessed. "I might as well save you the time when I say I won't talk. I'm not like those weak-willed grunts. My broken body aside, y-you can't break me."
"…"
"Or maybe you have the really stupid idea that you can imprison me. Lock me up and throw away the key. Deprive me of the Next Life awaiting me…" She coughed, her amethyst eyes blinking blearily. "There's not a prison in Minecraftia that can hide me from Ember. Sooner or later, she'll bust me out and we'll be right back to square one…"
"…"
"…Not that I would mind. Once I'm back out, I mean." She admitted with a sigh. "It'd be kind of nice hunting you down for a change. We'd encounter one another, exchange sharp blades and sh-sharper words. Fight each other as equals—no more lies between us—and then… and then…"
She looked up at the starry night sky, blinking back tears.
"…I'd let you go."
Cobb stopped dragging her for a moment, his breath hitching.
"I'd let you go and we can both keep on being enemies. Beginner and EC Lieutenant. I think I'd like that life…"
"…"
"I wish I got to you first…" She coughed. "Recruited you. It never would've happened—you're a Newb, I would've killed you—but, if there was a Bounty Day that could achieve time travel, and I could go back in time, knowing everything I do now about you…" She swallowed. "I think… I think it could've been heaven…"
"…"
"Oh, but who am I kidding. There's no g-going back for us. Not now…"
"…"
"Alright, Cobb… I g-give. Where are you dragging me…?"
[Cobb]
My eyes shot open, a horrified yell tearing free from my throat. I bolted out of bed, hugging and grabbing at myself as I fought to calm down.
It was morning. October 21st. I must have nodded off without realizing. That hadn't been the plan. I kicked out of bed with frustration. I'd never feel comfortable enough around the Paragons to sleep! It just happened while lying on the bed. The exhaustion after many sleepless days just overwhelmed me. I could still feel the bags under my eyes, but they were less pronounced.
I sat up and rubbed at my eyes, my hood still drawn. The rain had ended and I was in the middle of a Paragon camp. They set up beds around Lenz and I to better deflect the Phantoms. Most of them were asleep, save for Perry and Wing on watch. They seemed to notice my panicked awakening from my nightmare as Wing took the time to snicker.
I ignored them. The first thing I did was check the maps to see that the guys were safe with Carys. It didn't do a damn thing to calm me down. There would always be a moment my eyes weren't on that map. Always a chance that they were already dead, and that Carys and her flunkies were just carrying the maps.
I shoved it away angrily and packed up my bed. While the Paragons were asleep, now was a good chance to do some covert mining—
"Hold it right there, King_Cobb."
The voice had come from Perry. The blond detached from Wing's side and approached with dark brown eyes narrowed harshly.
"I got a bone to pick with you." He continued. "We stayed up all night protecting you and that nerd in shifts. Even when those Phantoms stopped spawning, we kept watch. All while you two snoozed away. You owe us—HEY! Don't you walk away!"
I was already well into walking away, my hood shadowing my face as I ignored Perry's complaints. His footfalls sped up and I could tell he was winding up for a fight. I just let him grab me, uncaring for how this would end.
When he seized me and spun me around, his lips were drawn back in a snarl.
"You're on thin ice you little shit." He threatened. "Baltic puts himself out to help your sorry ass and you blow him off like he was trash. He might have the patience of a saint, but the rest of us don't. Keep acting like a petulant child and I'll straighten you out myself. You got it?"
For my part, I let my head hang limply, even as he shook me. My gaze lazily drifted to the leaves, my eyes nearly rolling to the back of my skull in an effort to annoy him. By his angry hiss, it worked.
He reared back a fist and struck my jaw. I fell back and onto the ground, slightly dazed. My face felt white hot where he struck me before it dulled into a throbbing ache. It only took off half-a-Heart, but it hurt. And yet, I felt detached from the pain, like it wasn't even my own. I just couldn't care to be mad at him for it.
He stood over me and looked ready to deliver another punch only for a voice to still him.
"PERRY!" Baltic shouted, hurrying over with a Splash Potion of Healing in hand. He threw it at me and I felt the pain in my face fade.
I didn't ask for your pity, old man.
"What are you doing wasting Healing Potions on an ungrateful child like him—?" Perry tried, only for Baltic to cut him off.
"Did Cobb strike you?"
"He was being a—!"
"Did he attack you?"
"…No, but he's acting like—!"
"I don't care what he's acting like!" Baltic shouted, his aged face furious. "Don't go picking fights, Perry."
"Oh come on, Baltic. He's asking for it! You heard what he said last night—"
"I forbid you from laying a hand on him again." He ordered, shocking Perry into silence. By then, some of the other Paragons had started to stir. Dwight and Heather and Luis.
I slowly picked myself up off the dirt and patted myself down. Baltic made to come over and help, but I moved outside his reach and ignored his pleas asking if I was alright. My drawn hood blocked them all from sight. I left the camp to attend to more important matters.
Like mining with my stone pickaxe.
[Baltic]
I watched with a troubled expression as Cobb wandered off. It was only the third day and things had already started violently. Cobb hadn't even thrown the first strike. Any progress at bridging the gap between Paragons and Beginners had been flushed away by one selfish temper.
I whirled on Perry, my black eyes letting him know precisely how disappointed I was in him.
"Cut him some slack, Baltic." Dwight rushed to his defense. "King_Cobb's acting like a petulant child. You heard him last night. You tried extending the olive branch and he rejected you. He wants nothing to do with us."
"He did call us extras." Heather pointed out. "To his delusions, we're the ones he's dragging around."
"We'd be better off without them." Perry declared. "Especially if they keep up this silent treatment."
"Lenzington has no trouble talking with us." I pointed out.
"Oh, praise Notch! We have the loyalty of a nerd who can't swing a sword or wear iron armor!" Wing joked to much amusement from the others. My face remained stern and disapproving. "Oh really, Baltic. It's obvious that the other group got the lion's share of the Beginners' forces. They got the heavy hitting Hacker and a man decked in artifacts. Also axe guy. Soul. Very formidable."
"Very formidable indeed." Luis agreed. "A worthy adversary—"
"You two are only saying that because he beat you in Zeppil." Heather snickered.
"That's hardly the point!" Luis defended hotly. "Carys has the greater warriors. King_Cobb and Lenzington—what difference are they gonna make against the Cult's Eastern Division?"
"What's the plan here? Just cart along an uncooperative guy all the way to Oak Docks? How are the rest of us going to fight with him at our backs?"
"I was thinking the same." Perry nodded. "If you ask me, we're just waiting on them to try and stab us in the back. Isn't that why Z7 and her assassin squad are shadowing us? If I know Carys, she probably wants us to dump those two deadbeats in Nitebane where they can be locked away. Then we can proceed to Oak Docks on our—"
"Well, you don't know Carys." I snapped.
The Paragons turned with varying expressions of confusion. Perry couldn't know how right he was. Letting Cobb and Lenzington get caught by bounty hunters and locked away in Nitebane was an option Carys presented in her orders. They'd be kept an eye on and be out of the way and Carys could reach them at her leisure. All while using Cobb's own friends as cultist-hunters. But those orders were only known by myself and Z7's assassin squad.
More upsetting was the idea that Perry knew Carys best.
"You think you know what Carys is thinking?" I asked Perry. "You think you know what she'd do?"
Perry stuck his chin out defiantly. Challengingly.
"Do you know why Carys swore vengeance against the cult? Do you know how it all began? Do you know what she went through? Do you know what she had to do—what she had to endure—to be the woman she is today?"
With every word, Perry's defiance was beaten down until his face—and the faces of the listening Paragons—dulled to quiet reflection.
I breathed out a composed sigh, my expression as tranquil as still water.
"I know Carys' past and I've seen her present. That's why… I know that Carys and Cobb are cut from the same cloth. They're similar."
That brought a round of skeptical outrage. "Oh, give me a break!" Perry yelled. "Are you joking? You're saying Cobb's like Carys? He's a deadly warrior? An instrument of righteous vengeance?"
"I'm saying that deep down, Cobb's a kind, innocent soul." The admission had the others balk, and then share befuddled expressions at the insinuation. "His kindness is overshadowed now, because he's hurting, but I'm going to reach it. I'm not giving up." I swore resolutely.
Carys or Cobb. Whether the Paragons understood it or not, I had no intention of giving up on either of them.
[Cobb]
I got everything I needed from mining. Lots of coal and three iron ore. I was tired of wasting planks to cook everything. Coal really was the best fuel source. I smelted it before packing up on Midnight and setting off with the rest of them.
Perry shot me glares—which I ignored—but the 'escort' that usually surrounded Lenz and I was absent. More of Baltic running interference, probably. We galloped through the forest in single-file. I wouldn't thank the old man for it, but I was happy to talk with Lenz in private.
"They kept watch over us all night." The engineer began. "The Phantoms did not disturb your rest, did they?" I could tell he was scrutinizing me under his tinted glasses. "Those bags are still visible. Did you get any sleep?"
"Some." I said honestly. "I didn't want to. Can't sleep a wink with these lackeys looming over me. I just… nodded off."
"I was hoping you would say that." Lenz smiled. "The Phantoms stopped spawning sometime during the night according to Baltic."
I scowled. "You two are on a first-name basis now?"
"Well, how am I supposed to refer to him?" Lenz defended. "As I was saying, I think your lack of sleep is what drew the Phantoms."
"You think?"
"I am almost sure of it." He nodded. "They attacked Nowhere in the past after he maintained a silent vigil over you. And the Phantoms have been hounding you since we left Ringwood. That week you were missing, did you sleep at all?"
There was a flicker of dark thought through my mind.
"No."
"Then that would explain why they kept targeting you. We can test it later tonight. See if they return." He nudged my shoulder. "You can add another factoid into your Mob Book."
Despite the fleeting dark thoughts, the idea of filling up the Phantom Entry sounded nice. It was almost enough to bring a smile to my face. Almost.
The ten of us continued to gallop east, occasionally sampling some food to keep our Hunger Meter full. We didn't encounter any more Mobs and Griefers, to my disappointment. I had bottles all set up to extract EXP and yet there were no arms to tap.
Well… there were always the Paragons. My shadowed eyes tracked them as they rode their steeds. Just because they were Carys' flunkies didn't mean they didn't have any EXP worth taking.
Blood: I bet if you drained them all, you'd get your level up to the fifties. Maybe the sixties.
Brain: Let's not get crazy here. There's no way they'll bottle their EXP for you.
Blood: Feh. Fine. We'll do something more rewarding. We need to get started on training Cobb's stamina and endurance. I know just the way—
I was taken from my internal musings when the parade of horses stopped at the crest of a hill. Trenay and Baltic were at the front, the former pointing out over the hill and murmuring something. Suddenly, Baltic turned our way.
"Lenzington. We require your farsightedness."
Lenz started but spurred his horse forward. The rest of the Paragons fanned out along the hill, staring eastward. I was the last to sidle up besides them, curious as to why we were stopping.
I soon found out. There, in the distance, was a huge procession of Crafters on foot. Had to be at least two-thousand of them. They were all heading north.
"What do you see?" Baltic encouraged. The engineer swapped his glasses to his goggles and peered out.
"…They are not Griefers." Lenz deduced. "Most of them do not have armor, though they have makeshift weapons. They… look quite starved." He noted forlornly. "I think they are refugees. The ones that fled Ringwood after the Wither attacks."
"I was thinking the same." Trenay nodded. "They figured they'd find sanctuary in the Daymonte region and are now going from village to village, seeing which places have vacancies. I imagine Daymonte's population is swelling beyond its britches. Can't fit them all."
"You mean they don't even have a roof over their heads?" Heather noted sadly before scowling. "Those damn cultists. This is their doing."
"It presents another problem for us." Luis spoke from beside Baltic. "There are too many Crafters down there. We can't keep track of them all, and how easy would it be for a cultist to infiltrate them?"
Baltic nodded. "We'll be seen if we get too close. The refugees are also too many bodies thick to sneak through." He sighed wearily. "No choice. We'll have to camp here until they move on in the morning."
Many Paragons groaned at the news. It was barely noon and we were forced into another detour. Meanwhile, Carys' group had just about reached the Redbone Desert. Even without her one day head start, we were taking too long.
"Can we not chance it?" Lenz suggested to Baltic.
"No, we don't want to be seen. We're trying to avoid attention. At least for as long as we're able." Baltic asserted. "It does us little good to tip our hand to the Eastern Division before we're in Oak Docks. Same with Carys and Exter."
"Assuming the Western Division is even there." Dwight snarked, earning a disapproving glare from Baltic.
"If Cobb said its worth investigating, we should believe him. Now then, we should set up camp. We're going to be here for a while."
With the orders given, the Paragons began to flit about setting up tents and beds and whatnot. I tied up Midnight next to Speckle and separated from the group to get some training done.
"Cobb, wait up."
I did NOT wait up and instead put on a burst of speed. However, Baltic threw down a Splash Potion of Swiftness II and caught up with me in no time. Fastest old man I ever saw.
Brain: Are we sure he and Floyd aren't related?
"Sorry to bother you again." He apologized. "I just wanted to check in on you. Perry didn't mean to hit you this morning. He's just antsy to attack the Endward Cult."
"…"
"Oh, I almost forgot to give you one of the new Potions of Slow Falling." He held one out generously, but I didn't take it. "Thanks to you and Lenz, we have a surplus of Phantom Membranes. I'm sure I'll find a use for Slow Falling. Honestly, it's a little exciting, thinking there are new potions yet to discover." He gave an aged smile and I kept my hood drawn up and my mouth shut, counting blades of grass under my feet.
After a while, he tried another topic.
"I saw you use an ender chest, but you're forced to break them since you don't have a Silk Touch pickaxe. Well, that just won't do." He held up a pretty diamond pickaxe. "I use this all the time when I want to pack up. With this, you won't have to reduce your ender chests to obsidian. I'd be more than happy to let you borrow it. No sense in depriving you of a private inventory."
At the mention of Silk Touch, all I could think about was the golden Silk Touch shovel Carys stole from me. I had gotten that from Cosmic in Halstatt. Now it was Carys' and she was probably abusing it to rake in a fortune. Selling grass blocks…
Like the grass blocks Erin sold for us in Ringwood…
Misinterpreting my somber look for having done something wrong, Baltic hastily stashed the pickaxe away and made a new offer.
"I've got bottles! Yes, glass bottles! I saw how you 'harvested' the EXP from those Griefers yesterday. It's an unorthodox method, to be sure, but it's one the Paragons haven't considered. There's no doubt it yields more EXP than the alternative." He fished in his backpack for the stuff and I clenched my fists in mounting annoyance. This guy just wouldn't leave me alone. No matter how cold a shoulder I gave him!
"I know glass and sand are hard to come by in the forest. It's always important for us alchemists to carry enough on hand. Without glass, we have no vessel for the potions—"
"You want to be useful!?" I snapped, finally speaking to the old alchemist. His black eyes blinked in surprise but he eagerly nodded, even while the watching Paragons rested hands on weapons at my violent tone of voice.
"I want potions." I demanded. "Harming, Poison, and Weakness. High tier. Make me a couple of them and then stop bothering me."
At once, his expression became worried. I had asked for debilitating—even deadly—potions. By the looks on the Paragons, it made them nervous. Lenz's tinted gaze watched anxiously as Baltic gave his answer.
"I… I'm sorry, Cobb. I can't make you potions that could threaten the safety of the others."
"Are your ears working?" I spoke coldly. "I never said I wanted splash potions, did I?"
His eyes crinkled in confusion.
Blood: We need to improve your stamina and endurance.
I stood in a small clearing with my sword drawn, only a short distance from the camp. In my hands were the potions Baltic reluctantly made for me.
Potions of Harming II. Potions of Poison II. Potions of Weakness. All drinkable.
Stomach: I'm not gonna like this am I?
Blood: Do you recall back on the ramparts of Cloud Castle?
Brain: Do the words 'eidetic memory' mean anything to you?
Blood: Then you'd remember that Carys mopped the floor with us three times over. She had to keep healing us to keep us fighting and lengthen our suffering and her vengeance. I can't help but admire how far she's willing to go in her vengeance for Mr. Piggles…
Bladder: Admire is a strong word…
Blood: Anyway, despite being healed, Cobb grew more and more exhausted because of his low stamina and endurance. Comparatively, Carys fought several battles against Cobb, Jade, the Beginners, and even found the stamina to pursue the Asmodeus on horseback and continue fighting Noman in Shansi. EXP is all well and good, but in terms of staying power, Carys has us beat.
Lungs: *SIGH*
Blood: Excellent question. I propose we simulate physical and mental fatigue, exhausting Cobb into a state where he is left on his last legs. When he's weakest and most vulnerable.
Stomach: I'm really, really, really not gonna like this…
I grimaced before taking a deep swig of the Poison Potion. It burned as it went down and I felt sick as my Hearts started to ebb away. My eyes watered through the painful sensation of my insides burning.
No wonder people only make splash potions out of these!
Baltic did his job right, at least. The poison was so high-tiered it left me at half-a-Heart within seconds. I clawed at my body, somehow finding myself on my knees.
Blood: Now the Weakness. Go on. Take your medicine.
I grimaced before forcefully bringing the bottle to my lips and throwing my head back. It tasted gross and I could feel all the warmth and energy fleeing my body. Soon, I could barely lift my sword. It fell into the dirt, my hands weakly trying to lift it.
Low on Health and low on strength. It was a sensation I vividly remembered from some of my hardest battles. Alec. Oliver. Carys. Jade. Not all of them were victories. Maybe if I had more endurance, they could have been…
Blood: Good. Now, FIGHT!
It took a great deal of effort, but I slowly lifted my blade before me. Then I pushed from my knees to my feet. I glared at a standing tree and slowly approached. There I was, on the brink of life and death. One hit and it would be over.
It would be too risky to challenge anyone to a fight like this. It was training after all. Instead, I'd practice by swinging at a tree until the Weakness wore off and my Hearts regenerated. Then I would drink a few disgusting potions and return to that low point. Rinse and repeat.
Swinging the sword was beyond difficult. It was like my arms and legs were made of lead and my guts were getting tied into knots. My vision got blurry and I couldn't feel past the throbbing in my arm. I couldn't tell how many times I swung at that tree; I could only say that each swing grew more laborious.
Blood: Keep at it. If you can keep fighting at your worst, imagine how much stronger you'll be at your best. Not only that, but you'll be able to keep on fighting, even when your body is beaten raw. Not everyone can get back up after a hit. Stamina and endurance determines whose left standing in the end. You'll thank me for this training.
Stomach: Existence is paaaaaaain!
After fifty or sixty swings of my sword, the Weakness wore off. I took an absolutely necessary break to devour food and refill my Health only to cull it with the Harming Potions. They'd only ever been thrown at me. The taste was bitter and it burned all the way down, making my stomach protest.
Stomach: Fuck you! Fuck you, Cobb! I quit! I can't do this! AAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!
It ripped six Hearts from me. I had to be careful not to kill myself with it. The poison was safer… as strange a sentence that was.
The second round of sword swings was a little bit easier. It's like how they say in a workout that the first time is the worst. I was familiar with the sensation. Blood had helped me fight through pain in the past. To give myself over to unbridled, animalistic fury. The kind that knew no pain nor weakness nor mercy. It was swift and brutal.
I had to be like that.
Blood: When you're fighting on your own, the only one you can count on is yourself. You can't expect your friends to swoop in and bail you out every time. Especially now, with most of them on the other side of Minecraftia.
And whose fault is that? I thought with self-loathing. I never should have agreed to this farce.
Brain: We can still make the best of it.
Blood: Oh, we will. I can assure you of that.
I was on the fourth round of sword swings, knocking back a Potion of Harming, when Lenz arrived on the outskirts of my training ground. He tore off his tinted glasses, his magenta eyes appalled.
"Cobbert! Are you mad drinking that!?"
He hurried over to stop me, but by then I had a half dozen empty bottles.
"I'm mad alright." I replied, swinging tiredly at my practice tree. "Mad enough to make a change. Mad enough to train myself up."
"This is not training, it is torture." Lenz made to grab me, but stopped upon seeing my low Health. It was like he was Noman with the Severe Shield. The slightest hit would kill. "Why are you destroying yourself like this? Must you resort to such extremes?"
I overextended with my last swing and found myself hunched over, my hands propped against the tree I savaged with my blade. I titled my head to glance at Lenz past my drawn hood. Sweat dripped off my nose and chin. My eyes looked like death.
"There are fighters out there stronger than me. Carys, Entity 303, Ember. I can't just assume we'll be ready for them when they show themselves. I'm training for the fight of my life." I struggled to my feet, my arms going numb. "If I have to self-destruct to build myself back up, so be it."
Then, in a whisper, I murmured:
"I'm not losing anybody again."
[Lenz]
Cobbert's draconian training lasted from noon to sunset. By the time he had run out of Baltic's lethal brews, he was so tired he needed me to help guide him back to our camp on the hill. His clothes were drenched in sweat and his arms hung like dead weights. Whatever gains he hoped to obtain, it could not be worth such torture.
I was no stranger to training. Mastah Veronica instructed me in the art of moving while sniping, and I had spent many years practicing my archery on the minecart tracks in Daymonte, shooting at buttons to redirect the track to my hidden Stronghold. Training my eye to spy the small mechanical objects and see great distances. Even the fine science of redstone required practice. But that had been a steady effort spanning years.
Cobbert seemed to think he could drastically improve in a matter of weeks. That was all the time we would have before Oak Docks.
To be so determined as to willingly swallow lethal potions. I feared for his mental sanity.
I set him down by his bed and made sure he ate enough to refill his Health. The Paragons took notice of our presence and Cobbert's taxed state, but soon went back to talking amongst themselves. Baltic and Trenay were missing, likely keeping an eye on the group of northward bound refugees from the hill's crest.
It was a shame. Baltic was the only nice one. The others were too unapproachable. Especially Perry. I could still remember the violent beating he subjected me to in Zeppil. Dwight was not much better. Same with Wing. They were all the same aggressive jock type. Just like the ones I first traveled with at the start.
Witige, another alchemist, was cloistered. A fellow man of science, busying himself with a brewing stand. I did not think I could befriend him, though. The Paragons all seemed to think I was a burdensome fellow, my only redeeming quality being my archery skills.
Heather and Luis were alright. They did not like me, but they did not dislike me either. They were neutral—about as good as I could ask for. It could have been worth it to try establishing friendly relations with them.
They were by one of the tents, chatting affably with one another. Heather offered him an apple as a snack, which Luis gratefully traded for a carrot. Heather leaned forward, her arms draped over her legs and her long brown hair sweeping to one side. She muttered something I could not hear and got Luis to blush.
Luis mouthed something back and Heather covered her mouth to stifle a giggle, her own cheeks heating up in turn. Luis looked pleased at the result and continued to say things to brighten Heather's mood. It got to the point where she could no longer stifle her laughter. It came out in delighted squeals.
Cobbert suddenly propped himself up beside me. I glanced up in confusion. Was he not going to rest up?
It was hard to tell with his hood drawn, but I think he was watching Heather and Luis.
I glanced back to the two and saw that they were now playfully elbowing each other, their faces glowing red. Heather produced another apple, but when Luis made to accept, she held it out of reach, shaking her head teasingly. She then held it up to his mouth and said "say ahhh". Luis' ears turned scarlet and he tugged down his silver hair to hide his face. Wing and Dwight were jeering, pointing out his embarrassment while Heather kept trying to feed him the apple.
Cobbert took a sluggish step towards the couple, showing for a moment the expression shadowed beneath his hood. It was that same twisted expression he took to having whenever he was reminded of AceOfJades.
Realizing what was going on, I shot to my feet and made to catch his shoulder, but I was too slow. He was already marching off, gaining speed, and approaching the cheerful couple. Heather was leaning more closely to Luis, trying to feed him the apple.
Cobbert picked up speed.
Luis gave some half-hearted protests with a scarlet face. Heather was just about to press the apple to his lips when Cobbert arrived…
He inserted himself between the two, forcibly prying them apart and laying them flat on their backs. Heather scrambled back, her face alarmed. Luis shot up faster.
"Hey, what's wrong with you!?" He shouted.
Cobbert whirled on him, his expression stricken and his breath coming out harsh. The glare had Luis falter slightly before Perry, Wing, and Dwight—smelling trouble—hurried over.
"I saw that, you little shit!" Perry accused. "You trying to start a fight?"
Cobbert's breathing began to calm down now that the couple was split. His shoulders relaxed, but he soon noticed the five Paragons surrounding him and demanding an explanation. One he was unwilling to provide. He shut his eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to play it off as nothing.
"HEY! Answer me!" Perry got right up in Cobbert's face, his forehead pressing into his. The incensed man was breathing through his nose and looking like a bull ready to gore the poor fisherman.
"Apologize to Heather." Luis demanded with a scowl after helping her up.
Cobbert refused, silently jerking his head and attempting to slink away.
*BAM!*
A meaty fist connected with the back of Cobbert's head and sent him face-first into the dirt. Perry was fed up with the silent treatment. So were the other Paragons based on how they circled him.
"I warned you what would happen if you kept up this petulant shit!" Perry spat, winding up and driving a foot into Cobbert's side. The fisherman coughed painfully, his body too exhausted from training to make a defense. "Go on and say something! Scream! Cry out like the spoiled brat you are!"
I ran over with cries to cease, but Wing and Witige kept me at bay on the outskirts while Cobbert continued to get wailed on.
"Think you're so tough? Throwing Heather like that?" Luis spoke coldly as he dragged Cobbert up by the scruff of his hoodie before slugging him in the jaw.
"How does it feel to get beat up by a couple of extras, oh Billionth one? Can't you do something impressive?" Dwight mocked before stamping Cobbert's face into the dirt and grinding. There was a sickening crack that had me crying for them to stop. "No Baltic here to bail you out!"
Baltic! That was it!
I disentangled myself from Wing and Witige and instead ran around the scuffling towards the crest of the hill. The sounds of fists impacting flesh urged me to move faster. It was when the sounds faded that I found Baltic and Trenay standing lookout.
"Baltic!" I cried, startling the alchemist into turning around. I panted as I relayed what was happening. "Please! The Paragons are beating up Cobbert! They will kill him!"
Baltic's black eyes widened before he threw down a Splash Potion of Swiftness and sped past me back to the camp, Trenay on his heels and me bringing up the rear. When he saw the scuffle, his voice boomed impressively.
"Stand down! I SAID STAND DOWN, PARAGONS!"
His shouts stopped the scuffle immediately. The Paragons all took a step back, widening the circle of bodies and showing the beaten mess that was Cobbert, lying with his face in the dirt and one of his legs bent unnaturally.
Baltic shoved them all aside and threw a Splash Potion of Regeneration II at Cobbert's back. By the time Trenay and I showed up, the fisherman's leg had mended and his Hearts were back to full. Baltic swept over the collection of Paragons with an accusing glare.
"How did this happen?" He demanded. "Who started this?"
"He did, sir." Perry pointed at Cobbert. "He threw Heather and Luis into the dirt without any provocation." Heather and Luis nodded fervently, and, when Baltic directed his gaze towards me, even I had to nod reluctantly. It was the truth.
Baltic narrowed his eyes between the group of Paragons and the still fisherman before making his way to Heather and Luis with a Healing Potion.
"Are you two seriously hurt?" He asked.
Heather and Luis shared uncomfortable expressions. I knew why. Cobbert's shove may have been unwarranted, but it could not have caused more than a scrape of damage. It was likely already healed.
"He threw you, did he not?" Baltic insisted, somewhat angrily. "It must have been quite the blow to inspire three of you to attack him like this!"
Luis looked slightly ashamed, but not Dwight or Perry. The latter was willing to dispute.
"He attacked us first, sir. We didn't do a thing to antagonize him—"
"Did he fight back?"
"…We wouldn't have let him get a hit in edgewise—"
"Did he attack you three!? Did he defend himself!?" Baltic thundered. "Did you ravage him like a pack of wolves!?"
The Paragons bit their lips, no arguments springing forth. Only Perry had the audacity to say:
"…Why are you defending him over your own guys?"
"This is an alliance!" Baltic boomed, his kindness gone. "We're all on one side! We're all supposed to be working together!"
"But he—!"
"I don't care who started it! I expect you to be disciplined enough to prevent senseless infighting like this!" I hurried over to Cobbert's side and gently tried to flip him onto his front. Baltic crouched down to help. "I forbade you from laying a hand on him! And I'm gone for a few minutes and I find you huddled around… and…"
Baltic trailed off when he turned Cobbert over. His hood had been obscuring his face, so we thought he was knocked out. Instead, his green eyes were wide open and dulled, his lip bit tightly. He was awake the whole time, keeping silent through a broken leg by sheer force of will.
But those eyes. Those empty, empty eyes. As if getting beat up was no more than a mild inconvenience. Baltic looked into those eyes with a flash of worry.
"Oh, Gods, it's just like her…"
Cobbert ignored those words and slowly propped himself up by his own power. He shrugged off Baltic's helping hand and slowly balanced himself on wobbly knees. His empty gaze was fixed on the grass, though he ran a hand over his green leather tunic, checking how much damage it sustained.
Then he turned and walked off, the Paragons doing nothing to stop him. Baltic looked like he wanted to hand Cobbert more potions, but his offers and pleas for forgiveness were rebuffed as they always were. I stood there helplessly, unsure of what I should do for my friend, yet wishing I had the foresight to prevent this, or the strength to save Cobbert myself.
Relations between us and the Paragons were irrevocably destroyed on the third day of our travels. Nothing could make this worse.
I did not approach Cobbert for a while. I knew he needed someone to talk to and that I was the only one he trusted, but I… I was unsure of what to say to him. He was drinking lethal brews, tormented by memories of AceOfJades, and got beaten up by Paragons we were supposed to be allied with. I could not tell what he was thinking or how I could make things better. At the end of the day, he would continue his self-destructive training routine, AceOfJades' presence would linger like a bad smell, and we would continue our alliance with the Paragons despite everything that happened.
We were very much stuck, and there was little I could do to fix it.
So I waited by the beds, pondering on what to say or do, while the sun set and the moon rose.
Baltic really laid into the others. I overheard him denouncing their actions and suspending potion privileges barring emergencies.
"That goes for Witige too! Until you lot can learn some discipline, the breweries are closed! Carys would be ashamed of you!"
"Carys wouldn't be siding with Cobb over her own men!" Dwight challenged. "You expect us to take abuse?"
"You call a little shove abuse? You're the pride of the Paragons! Act like it!"
"That worthless fool can't even finish what he starts. I knew him escaping was just a fluke." Perry spat. "I could take him with both arms tied behind my back!"
"He knows how to pick his battles. Something I wish the rest of you could understand." Baltic spoke coldly. "Perry, since you haven't cooled off yet, you and Dwight can take the first watch."
The two groaned and Perry muttered conspiratorially while the others shuffled to bed. Baltic, however, noticed me sitting by myself and approached cautiously. He bowed his head low.
"I'd like to apologize on their behalf. I warned them off starting fights this morning, but it's clear it didn't stick. I'll endeavor to keep a closer eye on them. I also told Trenay and Witige to head off any future infighting before it starts."
I sighed. "You should not be apologizing, and I am not the one that should be apologized to."
"I know." He gave a weary sigh. "It's all this old man can offer, though. Can I bother you to pass it on to Cobb?"
"…Sure." I nodded. "I do not think it will mean much to him."
"All the same, I want him to know that this behavior from the Paragons will not be tolerated. Do you know what possessed Cobb to shove Luis and Heather? I want to know how it started so I can prevent any future conflicts."
I hesitated, wondering how much I could share. "It is… not my place to say." Cobbert's experience with AceOfJades was extremely personal and private. Not something that could be conferred. Despite his seemingly good intentions, Baltic was still an outsider.
"Then I won't pry." Baltic alleviated any concerns, though he did rummage in his backpack and pulled out a gray blue splash potion. "Here. Just in case."
I examined the bottle and saw that it was a Splash Potion of Slowness IV. Good for twenty seconds of glacial sluggishness.
"What is this for?"
"If any Paragons try to attack Cobb again." He explained. "I don't want violence to be answered with violence. If someone dies, I'll have to report to Carys. I don't think I have to explain how bad that would be for your friends." His grim words had me nodding in understanding. It was not a threat, just a statement of fact. "This whole group feels like an explosion waiting to happen. If another fight occurs, hopefully you can buy time with this potion. Normally, I make the low-tiered versions since they last longer. This one is the highest tier, but the shortest time. They'll move so slow it'll look like they're standing still. Use it if Perry, Dwight, or the others get any ideas."
"I will keep a look out." I promised, pocketing the curved glass bottle.
"Alright. Well, I should go to bed." He started walking over to his tent. "See if you can get Cobb to come back. I don't want him out there, alone with his thoughts." He adopted a nostalgic expression as if remembering something before dispelling it and leaving properly.
The alchemist was right. Cobbert did not deserve to be alone right now. Even if he started the fight, he did not do anything particularly violent or aggressive. It was just all the tension that caused the fight. He had to be told he did not do anything wrong.
I took out my synced map and used it to follow where Cobbert had gone. He was actually quite close. On the other side of the hill we were camped on. I followed the white blip and ignored the foul comments from Perry and Dwight on watch.
I weaved through tree after tree, shooting down some Zombies and Spiders that tried to attack. There was the faint trail of Mob drops, showing where Cobbert had been. Also, noticeably, the leaves of the trees had been stripped bare. I glanced around at the naked stumps as I continued to track the fisherman.
Then, I found him. He was just crawling out of a hole in the ground, his hoodie covered in dirt. In his hands were some leaves, which he packed tightly into the hole with little emotion. His eyes were as empty as ever. Green pools devoid of warmth. He was combining a flint with an iron ingot when I made myself known.
"Cobbert. There you are."
The fisherman gave a start, his hands holding the crafted flint and steel as he faced me with a shadowed face and tired eyes.
"Listen, Cobbert." I approached slowly, searching for the right words. "You have to know that you did nothing wrong. I know why you shoved those two apart, but you did no lasting harm. You reigned yourself in for the sake of your friends. It was admirable!" I asserted.
"Tensions are just high because of the silent treatment going on. Neither side wants to trust the other. Egos will clash." I waved airily. "This is all natural. It does not mean this alliance is doomed, though. We all want the same thing: The end of the Endward Cult. Baltic is appalled by the Paragons' behavior. He is going to make an effort to calm them down, and he wanted me to tell you how sorry he is. For what it is worth." I added.
Cobbert's empty gaze stared at the flint and steel in his hands.
"I know that if we all put aside our differences, we can work together. Baltic wants to work with us. The others will too, given time. So please, do not let this petty squabble ruin any entreaties. Do not be mad."
"…Lenz." His head shook, his face confused. "I'm not mad at them."
"You are not?"
"No." I almost breathed a sigh of relief before Cobbert continued. "How can I be mad when I don't feel anything towards them, good or bad?"
My eyes widened and shot up to watch Cobbert's pitiless green orbs as he swayed to the side.
"I've ignored them so far. Whether it's insulting me or hurting me, I don't care about them. I've never cared about them. They're Carys' flunkies. Her arms and legs. Worthless extras." His face was eerily calm. "I'm not mad at them and I don't care what they do. This isn't personal."
He turned his back on me, staring at that hole in the ground packed with leaves. He would have needed shears to clip those without breaking them. But why cram them into a hole?
Wait, no, why was there a hole to begin with?
"What is not personal?"
"I'm not killing them out of malice or retribution." He spoke calmly. "I'm doing it out of necessity. They can't be allowed to live anymore, so I'm ending them. Simple as that."
"You… h-huh?" I asked dumbly. He was scaring me with how calm he was being. "Cobbert, what are you talking about? What are those leaves for?"
"I was never good with redstone. That was always in your wheelhouse" He admitted. "I don't know how to make the damn repeaters, but there's another way to set off TNT." He held up the flint and steel. "If I use leaves like a fuse, I can light it from afar. The TNT will go off in that hill and we won't have any more Paragons to humor. Advantage Beginners."
"No!" The horrified gasp tore free from my throat. "You cannot! Cobbert, you are not thinking straight! What good is killing them going to do—?"
"It'll free us from being oppressed. We're just slaves dancing to their tune. They have all the liberty to insult us and beat on us because they think they have all the power. They're falling to that same inherent weakness: Hubris." He spat. "With them gone, we won't have to look over our shoulders when we take on the Eastern Division."
"Cobbert, this is a mistake—!"
"NO, the mistake was agreeing to this accursed 'alliance' in the first place!" He snarled. "I never should have let any of you talk me into this! They obviously don't want to work together—I bet Carys already gave them the order to stab us in the back. She's probably even planning our friends' demise as we speak! Well, I'm not letting her get the jump on me. I'm gonna get that bitch before she gets me!"
"What if you are wrong!?" I pleaded. "What if they have a means of contacting one another, and killing them is dooming our friends?"
"Our friends were doomed the second she split us up!" He shouted, clutching at his face as if deranged. "What good are our maps when there are moments we aren't watching the blips!? Who's to say they aren't dead already and she isn't laughing at us while we go along with this! She can't be trusted! The Paragons can't be trusted! I can't trust anyone except for my friends!"
He brought his flint and steel close to the leaves, threatening to light the fuse.
"Cobbert, wait!" I shouted, my mind panicking. "Take a deep breath and think about what you are doing. You… you are overcome by the… the heat of the moment—"
"No, this is 100% premeditated." He asserted. "Why do you think I brought all this sand from Ringwood? Why do you think I've been hunting Creepers for gunpowder? This was always how it was going to go, Lenz. I planned to do this the moment Carys lent us her lackeys."
"But… but Cobbert! You cannot justify murdering them under the assumption that she is planning the same! What if you are wrong!? What if Floyd and the others are safe, and it is your actions in blasting this alliance that will spell their doom!? I cannot let you go through with this!"
"I can see that you learned nothing from Jade!" His face twisted in pain. "You let yourself get swayed by Baltic and his elderly facade. 'Oh, I'm just a simple old man. Please be my friend, Lenz.' BAH! He's an enemy, just like the others, and I'M NOT GETTING JADED AGAIN!"
He struck the flint and steel together, the sparks igniting the first leaves and drawing a panicked scream from my throat. I rushed to break the leaf block, but the handle of Backlash struck my chest and sent me flying backwards into a bare tree. I winced as Cobbert placed himself between me and the fuse, which had already burned into the hole, out of sight.
"I knew you'd be like this!" Cobbert accused. "Baltic's playing you, Lenz! He's playing on our kindness. That's why only I can do this! I don't have any kindness left!"
"Comparators, you are going to get our friends killed!" I shot back, struggling to my feet. "Put it out, Cobbert! There is still time!"
"Not for much longer."
I grit my teeth and whipped out my bow, notching an arrow and pointing it at him.
"I cannot let you do this."
"And I won't let you stop me from ending this alliance."
The bowstring was stretched taut.
"Last chance to move, Cobbert."
"What? You going to fight me over this?" He chuckled humorlessly. "Sorry, but you don't have it in you to—"
The arrow sunk into his knee, dropping Cobbert and making him cry out. With him crippled, I circled outside of his range, quickly making my way towards the hole. Even now, the leaves were burning and making their way towards the TNT in the hill. I would have to follow the tunnel all the way until I reached the fuse to stamp it out.
I was halfway to the hole when a fishing line snagged my scarf and dragged me into the dirt. I felt myself getting pulled towards Cobbert and fought to extricate myself. Rolling with one particularly powerful tug, I angled my bow and fired two more shots at his elbow and eye. The first one missed, but the second one forced him to duck and grazed his cheek. Still, he kept reeling me in.
Once I was close, he kneed me in the gut, driving the air from my lungs, and spun me around so that he was on top and I was pinned down by his weight. One hand tore the bow from me and tossed it out of reach. His legs pinned mine and his other arm grabbed mine by the wrist and slammed that into the dirt too.
Close-range grappling. My greatest weakness.
I only had one free hand left, which I frantically waved around as Cobbert sought to pin it and my last hopes of resistance.
"COBBERT, STOP!"
"This is how it has to be, Lenz." His empty eyes stared back. "It's nothing personal."
Without a weapon, there was only one thing I had left to try. My flailing hand feinted high to draw Cobbert's before I darted back down to my belt and grabbed the Splash Potion of Slowness IV that Baltic gave me.
I would definitely call this an emergency!
I grabbed the curved bottle and brought it up to splash, but Cobbert finally seized my wrist and held it steady, preventing me from using it. I struggled fruitlessly, but his EXP strength was far higher than mine.
"Just let it go, Lenz." He assured. "All our troubles are finally over."
"NO!" I struggled and strained. I spat and cursed. I could feel the veins in my neck stretching and my face flooding with blood as I fought to free myself and spare such a catastrophe. "NOOOOOOOO!"
Suddenly, from the treetops, an iron dagger whizzed.
"AUGH!" Cobbert screamed, clutching his face. The dagger had sliced across both eyes, momentarily blinding him. His hands, which reflexively shot up, released their hold on me. I was free!
I smashed the Splash Potion of Slowness into Cobbert's face. The gray blue particles swirled to life around him, even if he himself looked frozen. His movements had slowed to a glacial pace. But it would only last for twenty seconds.
Seeing my window, I dragged myself out from under Cobbert, snagging the water bucket at his belt while I was at it, and rushed over to the hole where the fuse had been lit. Without wasting a second, I emptied the bucket into the hole and listened as it rushed through the dug tunnel. After a few moments, there was a faint 'hiss' of extinguished flames and I breathed a sigh of relief, slumping to my knees.
Cobbert tackled me away a second later. We rolled around, his hands scrabbling against my limbs and slamming me into the grass. I coughed in pain and looked fearfully into Cobbert's empty eyes as he held a sword to my neck.
"You… you… you…!" He stammered, his face twisted in betrayal.
I shivered on the ground, my tinted lenses askew and my eyes showing just how scared I was.
Cobbert saw those eyes. He saw the fear. A glimmer of life returned to those green orbs and he slowly lowered his sword to his side, ashamed.
We were there for a while. Him looming over me and myself too scared to say anything. We would have probably stayed there until morning if not for the sound of footsteps from the side. I tilted my head and saw all eight Paragons approaching. The sounds of our scuffle must have reached them.
"Whoa, ladies, ladies," Dwight jeered, "what's up? You having a catfight?"
"Fuck off!" Cobbert snarled, removing himself off of me and gracing the Paragons with a middle finger.
"Ho! He speaks! It's a miracle!"
"Shut it, Wing." Baltic reprimanded. "We heard noises. What's going on?"
"J-Just a spar!" I hastily threw out, hoping they would not scrutinize the hole in the ground or follow it to the hill packed with TNT. I would have to keep watch over Cobbert to ensure he did not try and set it off again.
"Really? Just a spar?" Baltic asked.
The fisherman did not bother explaining. He just snatched his bucket back from me, scooped up his water, and left. Baltic's black eyes scanned the scene closely, his face suspicious. The other Paragons, however, remained oblivious to how I just spared them an explosive death.
"Well, keep it down." Perry said. "I need to keep watch for actual threats. If you two aren't going to keep watch, the least you can do is sleep. At least that way we can pretend you're not here—"
"That's quite enough, Perry." Trenay yawned. "Let's all go back to bed."
"I need my beauty sleep." Heather growled.
"Like you need it." Luis whispered, earning a fond smile from the brown-haired woman. They all filed out, leaving me alone.
I sighed, rubbing my sore body and retrieving my bow. Things had been so close to falling apart. I was lucky to put out that fuse. Even luckier that Cobbert recoiled off of me from that dagger—
My eyes widened behind my tinted glasses. The dagger! My head swiveled left and right, scanning the scene until I saw something glinting in the moonlight.
I hurried over and stooped down to pick it up. Indeed, it was an iron dagger. A Tinker's exclusive weapon. It would not just be lying out here. Someone—not a Mob—had thrown it at Cobbert. But who—?
There was a soft thud onto the grass behind me. I turned around slowly and gave a little hop of fright at the scarred face and long, purple, disheveled hair of Carys' best assassin, Z7KHD9H.
Or Z7, for short.
Had she… been following us all along? On Carys' orders? Had she seen everything of Cobbert's explosive plan!?
She held out her hand, her fingers flexing. "Wzttvi." The Jibberwoman said simply.
If my Jibberish was correct, she was asking for her 'dagger'. I numbly handed it back to her and she took it quietly before darting back into the darkness and out of sight.
But not out of mind.
That night, I slept with both eyes open. One eye was on Cobbert, ensuring he did not go back to the TNT and stayed firmly in bed. The other eye was directed to the treetops, where every slight rustle could have been the sound of Z7, watching us from the shadows.
If the Paragons got blown up, would she have killed us?
[Baltic]
It was just as I thought.
Going back to the scene where Cobb and Lenzington had been 'sparring', I found a hole that led into a tunnel. Three quarters of the tunnel were empty, but the last quarter was stuffed with leaves. And beyond that…
…Was a hill packed with nine blocks of TNT. Directly under our tents.
Cobb had tried to kill us. Lenzington stopped him, but this was definitely a violent act. None of the other Paragons knew, for if they did, they would have executed Cobb and Lenzington on the spot. Those hadn't been Carys' orders, however.
She would have preferred them captured and sent to Nitebane. But if Cobb tried anything to endanger the Paragons… Carys' orders had been very specific.
If he tries anything that would endanger you, your team, or this mission, kill Lenzington on the spot and apprehend Cobb. Contact me via our linked maps if there are any developments I should be aware of.
I laid awake in bed, the linked map in my hands. I had yet to send a message to Carys. She had to know that her group had almost been blown to smithereens. This was a very real threat. Something that couldn't be brushed aside.
But… Lenz had stopped it. He was against it. This was just Cobb. He was silent and deadly, enduring getting beaten up and waiting for the right opportunity.
I ran a hand over my face, internally struggling. If someone on either side died, the alliance was through—hell, if this news got out, the alliance was through. To beat the Endward Cult, we had to—
No, no! This wasn't about the Endward Cult. This was about reaching a man who, deep down, was innocent and good. I had seen it.
He's just like her. I thought. If I can reach him, I can reach her. I'm not quitting on either of them.
I dropped and picked up my map, sending Carys my nightly report.
No problems. All clear.
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, 28 Sand, 2 Glass, 64 Glass Bottles, 5 Glass Bottles, 1 Stone Pickaxe, 1 Bed, 1 Furnace, 17 Flint, 1 Flint and Steel, 17 Oak Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Clock, 1 Water Bucket, 1 Lava Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 16 Ender Pearls, 12 Ender Pearls, 14 Coal, 64 Snowballs, 7 Ender Chests, 16 Obsidian, 64 Steak, 44 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, 13 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 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 Harming II, 1 Splash Potion of Fire Resistance {8:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Slow Falling {4:00}, 64 Glass Bottles, 45 Glass Bottles, 1 Water Bucket, 60 Blaze Powder, 56 Nether Warts, 30 Soul Sand, 28 Bones, 64 Phantom Membranes, 17 Golden Nuggets, 64 Blaze Rods, 27 Fermented Spider Eyes, 60 Carrots, 58 Melon Slices, 27 Steak, 3 Ender Chests, 1 Map {Paragon Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Gold Citizenship Pass}, 45 Emeralds
[EXP: 24]
AN: Cobb used Self-Destruct! It missed! Will he ever successfully blow something up?
Is Cobb being an asshole? I mean, you can kind of see where he's coming from. Guy's got trust issues. Also Carys vowed to kill his friends and he finds himself going along with it, with no control whatsoever.
I'm proud of this Chapter. Not much humor, but plenty of drama. It's like I'm about to explooooooode!
See you all in 2021!
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. PM. OC. FORUM. DISCORD. COOKIES.