AN: More problems with the site. Not much I can do except post stories people will read to better promote their site.

I wanted to put more in this Chapter, but it felt like a good stopping point. It's a decent size.

I've recently started losing weight after a near-death experience. Everyday I eat less, walk up a steep hill three times, and avoid sugar like the plague. My stomach's flatter after a week of this and I lost nine pounds, so I think it's working.

I've also been watching some shows on Netflix. Cobra Kai and the Queen's Gambit. It keeps me relaxed.

I don't own Minecraft. if I did, I'd add a gun that shoots lava.

Chapter 177

A Lifetime Ago

[The Lacquerlands]

Lieutenant Leadstripe crept across the unyielding obsidian landscape under the cover of night, with a Skeleton Skull mask to hide his face. Ahead lay his destination: the Myasin Mountains, a collection of obsidian peaks that stood at Exter's northern border. Beyond that was the Western Ocean and the Morel Islands, where the Executives had made a shocking discovery.

Already, arrangements were being made to obtain the cursed music disc necessary for the ritual. The Executives were eager to test the method to see how viable it was in increasing the cult's combat strength.

Leadstripe knew he should have been doing his part. He should have been helping gather Heads, or else helping his overtaxed Executive locate stray Hackers to turn over to the Endward Cult. Five days had passed since he spoke with the Hack Clan, and he only managed to locate one Hacker who was otherwise unaligned. He had twenty-five days to find nine more. Otherwise, the Hack Clan would make good on their promise to exterminate Exter and the Endward Cult. Just like they did to Akasha.

Plus, Exter had to take over the responsibility of the Hacker's food tribute. Add in all of the regular duties Sdraw had to keep on top of as King and he was working himself to death. He needed less to stress over.

That's why Leadstripe was here.

The black Lacquerlands were a dangerous place to be traveling alone at night. There was more to fear out here than just the roaming Stigmata. These lands—particularly the Myasin Mountains—were home to one of the deadliest men in Minecraftia. The Ultimate Bounty Hunter spat back by the Berserkers, well-versed in over a hundred ways to kill a Crafter. The cult often employed him for particularly difficult kills, interrogations, and when strong-willed people needed 'persuasion'. He didn't come cheap, but he got the job done every time.

He was a loner caring only for emeralds and wealth, which he hoarded in his mountain home. The Bounty Hunter Gunnah. Lone_Gunnah.

Reaching the base of the mountain, Leadstripe took off his mask and peered up at the hundreds of fenceposts dotted along the rocky slopes. Each one had a disembodied Head atop it. They all were positioned so that their blank faces stared at the entrance to Gunnah's den.

The Lieutenant straightened his glasses before giving a shout. "Gunnah! It's Leadstripe! I require your services!"

The moon passed slowly overhead as Leadstripe patiently waited. He was never to enter the bounty hunter's den. Not only would his claustrophobia kick in, but nobody was allowed anywhere near Gunnah's hoard of hard-won spoils. You tried, you died. Very few have seen his face and lived to tell of it. He had killed so many travelers that there was a clamor to make a wanted poster for him. However, recognizing his use to the cult, Sdraw insisted to the people that avoiding him was better, and Gunnah was grateful for the seclusion. In exchange, he agreed to take contracts from the cult, despite refusing to join with them. He was on his own side.

Slowly, a figure began to emerge from the mountain's den. An oval face with messy red hair, green eyes, and a scar running between his left eye and nose. He wore a tight-fitting navy blue jumpsuit overlain with a jacket of leather brown. Steampunk goggles on his forehead. A light brown backpack. A cherry wood colored belt.

"What's the job?" He inquired in his no-nonsense tone.

"Two targets. Their existence is a threat to the cult's rising power which I prefer to mitigate… even if my superiors disagree." He added bitterly. "A Lieutenant is missing, but they'd rather keep them alive to answer questions. Not me, though. I want you to find King_Cobb and Nowhere_Man—the Billionths—and end them. I'll pay double your usual fare. Money up-front." He displayed the emerald, diamond, and gold blocks in his backpack. "But this order didn't come from me. If any cultists ask, I was never here."

"Consider it done." He accepted. "Anything I should know about them?"

"Steer clear if they're wearing a diamond chestplate." Leadstripe advised. "They possess a chestplate with… a special level of Thorns. You can't hit them or get hit by them while they're wearing it."

"A catch, hm?" Gunnah looked intrigued. "Still, more than one way to skin a rabbit. I'll see it done."

[The Nether]

"Which way, cultista?" The Magma Cube Hybrid named Carmen_Delacruz demanded. "Rápido."

She was currently in her giant, full-sized form, carrying Spring in her fist like an action figure. She lumbered across nether brick highways that to her were more like sidewalks, and the two continued to navigate the hellish dimension under Spring's guidance.

"Look, the paths are self-explanatory." He shot back, shifting in her grip. Her skin was so jiggly that it pressed snugly in on all sides, molded to his form. It'd be comfortable if not for the hanging threat of getting scalded and suffocated to death. "Signs are posted at crossroads and existing portals. See that one?" He pointed at a signpost at the center of an eight-way intersection. "That'll tell you where you want to go."

She leaned down and narrowed her big orange eyes to read. Abyssmal had the paths memorized, but for the rest of the cult, signs had to be put up designating certain portals and areas. The Nether Portal transportation network was one of the exclusive perks to joining the Endward Cult. All of Minecraftia was within walking distance with the right pair of portals.

Everything was connected by nether brick highways and signs. It took ages of mining and smelting, but it made navigating the portal network a breeze. The highways shot through netherrack mountains and stretched over the magma seas. There was always the possibility the network would be found by Crafters wandering the hellish dimension in search of Nether Fortresses and potion ingredients, except for the fact that the Nether, unlike Minecraftia, was without borders. It went on forever. There was no predicting where setting a portal would land you… unless you had a brain like Abyssmal's. The whole cult depended on him to set them up.

Because of how valued it was, abandoned outposts and bases always destroyed their respective portals so the other bases would remain secure. Like pruning the diseased branches from the main hedge. The Nether's hostile environment usually dealt with any witnesses, but on the off chance Crafters stumbled upon the portal network, they were dealt with by cultist patrols wielding bows and arrows.

Unless, of course, they encountered a giant magma woman. The small bands of cultists that arrived to stand between Carmen and her goal were swept off the highways and into the magma seas like ants.

"Dover Plains… Dover Plains… Ah." Carmen smiled at the appropriate sign before lumbering in that direction.

"You want to go to Dover Plains?" Spring asked. "Why?"

"My restaurant and my amor." She answered in her vibrato tone. "I've been away for more than tres siglos. That's three centuries."

"And what's an amor?"

"Amor means love. Mi amor. My love, Alton."

"And what does Alton mean?"

"Alton's his name, cábron! And cábron can mean many things." She ticked off her fingers. "Asshole. Fucker. Bitch. Take your pick."

"Well, if I'm such a bitch, why are you hauling me around with you?" Spring asked. "You killed all those other cultists. What makes me so special?"

"With you, I don't have to re-explain myself." Carmen answered simply. Spring winced as the Hybrid squeezed the air from his lungs before relaxing a second later. "You understand that you're in the palm of my hand."

"I get the message." Spring huffed, trying to prop himself more upright only to sink straight back down into her fist. It was no use. Like trying to fight your way out of quicksand. At least his arms were free. He propped his arm up by the elbow and leaned on it with an expression of resigned acceptance.

That's when he heard the faint, rapid footfalls of a dashing Crafter. Craning his neck, he glanced behind the Hybrid and spotted his pursuer at the same time as Carmen. He couldn't believe his eyes.

It was Ember.

"Mierda! The bruja!" Carmen swore before gripping Spring tightly and quickening her pace.

Now, you'd think being bigger, Carmen would be faster. But it wasn't like that at all. Crafters were bigger than bats, yet the bats could fly in circles and were impossible to land a hit on. The culprit was mass. Carmen had more mass to carry with a body as big as hers. Meanwhile, Ember was light and fast. Carmen was harder to stop, but Ember was faster. The result being that Ember was catching up to the Hybrid's giant, lumbering footfalls.

Ember drew her rapier with a rasp of diamond as she neared the Hybrid's ankles. As far as she could tell, Spring was still alive. She didn't know what the giant woman wanted with him, but she wasn't going to let another cultist in her division be labeled MIA. Not while she could do something about it.

She put on a burst of speed and darted in with her rapier, sticking Carmen in the heel. The Hybrid yelped and hopped on the spot.

When she did, Ember had to tilt her head all the way up, since that little hop was about double the giant's height. She had the jumping strength of a Magma Cube.

Carmen landed back down a little ways away, teetering on the nether brick highway. She lifted her foot and inspected her heel with a grimace. Spring was still clutched in her oversized hand.

Ember, remembering that Magma Cubes hardly had any Health before splitting up, decided to hack away at the Hybrid's legs until she split up to her size. She'd blundered before, allowing the smaller bits to slip her notice. This time, she'd stamp out all the tiny bits until there was nothing left. She darted forward for the same heel to make good on her plan…

Only for Carmen to take a massive jump off the nether brick highway and into the sea of magma. Ember's eyes widened and she leaned over the side, watching as the Hybrid and a screaming Spring broke the surface of the lava.

Carmen sunk up to her waist, then her chest, then her chin, then her head and hair. She kept the arm holding Spring held high, the whimpering cultist watching his fiery doom slowly approach. However, just when the sea of lava reached her wrist, it stopped.

Spring shifted in her fist, glancing around in bewilderment. Then, the arm started to rise. The lava churned below as skin of dark red and black broke the surface. She swept her long, dark red hair out of her face and blew out a stream of lava from her mouth. She was bobbing in the lava like it was water, her legs and one arm kicking against the lava to keep herself afloat.

"Right." Ember slapped her forehead. "Fireproof and lavaproof."

Carmen spared Ember and the nether brick highway a glance before sticking out her tongue to taunt her. Then she leaned back to lay flat against the surface of the lava, depositing Spring on her surfaced chest to free up both arms and perform a leisurely backstroke.

"Come on in, bruja, the temperature's fine."

Spring didn't dare try and run. Not when he was surrounded by a sea of magma. Instead, he stayed right where he was, gazing helplessly at Ember as he floated further and further away.

Ember smacked her fist into the railing before pushing off and backtracking to the last signpost she passed. Spring and Carmen floated further and further away, but she paid it little mind as she memorized the locations on the signs. One of them had to be the Hybrid's destination for them to have gone this way.

"Let's see where you're heading… Redbone Desert. Exter. Dover Plains. Or Jolin."

[New Northern Division HQ]

"…Is this possible?"

"Herobrine wouldn't have written it if he wasn't sure." 4Blite replied.

He and his Plague, Sam, were in the privacy of the Lieutenant's new office. They had just gotten back, so 4Blite took it upon himself to share what he picked up from the Morel Islands while Ember was busy searching for that orange-haired nuisance.

Sam poured over the contents of the book entitled A Deadly Strain with a kind of dark fascination. The usually bored man naturally good at everything had finally found something that piqued his interest.

"I'll assume you want this kept secret." Sam guessed, handing the book back. 4Blite nodded, stashing it in an ender chest. "And we don't speak of it unless in private. Should the other Plagues be informed?"

"…No." 4Blite decided. "The more people know, the more likely the secret will get spilled."

"They swore loyalty to you—"

"That's not the problem. The problem is that Executive that can read people like a book." 4Blite bit his nail. "If she uses her Soul-Gaze and asks the right questions, I'll have no way to lie to her. She'll figure out what I'm planning and put a stop to it. It goes against everything Next Life stands for."

"She'll kill you, you mean." Sam understood.

4Blite nodded. "I need to minimize my contact with her. Bury myself in work. Put off meetings until absolutely necessary. You should do the same."

"You must trust me a great deal to share this." Sam preened slightly before returning to professionalism. "You're right to keep this on a need to know. If the other Plagues ask, I'll just tell them you've got something to ensure their loyalty to you is well-invested. Though, you know we won't be able to keep a secret from Mox for long, right? She's the leader of a guild of spymasters. Secrets are her forte. She'll find out sooner or later."

"Sooner."

4Blite and Sam jerked their heads towards the voice. From the darkest corner of the room where the walls met the ceiling, Mox_Faith, the Spider Queen and Plague, was perched. She dropped from the corner after being spotted and landed softly on the ground. Her stormy grey eyes watched the two men from the darkness.

"How long were you there?" 4Blite demanded.

"Since you two walked in and took out the book."

"And you saw—"

"I see everything." She cut off, walking up to the two. "I'm happy to hear you found something worthwhile on the Morel Islands. Care to share a bit more?"

"If you were listening, you'd know why more people knowing is to my detriment." 4Blite shot back harshly.

"I can keep a secret." Mox shrugged one shoulder. "I'd have to be to lead a guild of spies. The Executive's Soul-Gaze trick won't work on me."

"That a fact?" Sam frowned. "Or are you just guessing?"

"I can keep a secret better than you." She defended, taking out her iron Mattock and leaning on it. "I know things and keep an ear to the ground for things you need to know. Who better to keep a secret with, yeah?"

4Blite considered her a moment, walking up to his desk so that his back faced her. He rested both hands behind his back and quietly deliberated.

"One more won't hurt." He spoke to himself, opening his ender chest and sliding the book to the spymaster. "But Brandeen cannot know. Unless you can vouch for his secret keeping skills?"

"I cannot." Mox admitted, flipping through A Deadly Strain and letting out a surprising hum. "So Herobrine was behind those half-Mobs."

"…You know about Hybrids?"

"That's what they're called? Hybrids. Has a nice ring to it." She accepted. "Anyway, yes, I know about them. Exter had a run-in with a few freakish creatures that could warp like Endermen. They were barely sentient, but the information found its way to my ears all the same. This was prior to my incarceration, mind you. This, however," she closed the book and handed it back, "is much more frightening. Did you learn how to turn people into Hybrids?"

"Through a ritual." 4Blite deposited the book safely into his ender chest. "We need the cursed music disc '11' and a thousand Heads a piece."

"And a piece of whatever Mob we want to Hybridize into." Sam added.

"Sounds risky." Mox said. "Any side effects I should be concerned about?"

"Hard to say. The Hybrids we fought weren't all there." Sam said. "The Executives want to run tests to be sure. We'll observe whatever guinea pig they choose before we make any kind of concrete plans."

"In the meantime, we should focus on branching out and consolidating power." 4Blite decided. "Mox, can you look into any artifact rumors? And perhaps an airship?"

"As you wish." Mox nodded. "Ember's keeping the Asmodeus for herself, but I can look into securing one from Zeppil. I've also heard some news from my spies in the Paragons."

4Blite's eyes sharpened. "Any weaknesses we can exploit in Nitebane?"

"Sadly, no. My spies aren't that high on the totem pole." Mox shook her head. "What they tell me, however, is that Jillian, the woman sitting on Nitebane's throne, is a puppet. She's one of Carys' highest officers. Part of her inner circle. However, Carys and the rest of her inner circle aren't in Nitebane. They're abroad somewhere."

"Find out where. Might make for a good diversion. Get Ember off our backs." 4Blite sat at his desk while Mox and Sam remained standing. "Where are the other Plagues?"

At this, Mox glanced aside, coughing awkwardly.

"Keen… ah… she declared her intent to visit Jolin. Called it a field trip."

There was a beat of silence as 4Blite and Sam processed what she just suggested. The arson-klutz Keen, responsible for the terrible Blaze of 420 in Ringwood, had gone to the jungle kingdom.

4Blite leaned back in his chair. "That's… foreboding."

"It gets worse. She invited Cyan with her." Mox continued. "That sadist was overjoyed. I believe her exact words were, 'Jungle? Arson? I'm in!' and then they stepped through the portal and left."

"And you didn't think to stop them?"

"Get between two crazy people and their murderous hobbies? You're right. Why didn't I think of that?" Mox rolled her eyes. "Erma went with as a chaperone. Can't imagine how she can keep them in check, though."

"So long as it doesn't get back to us, I doubt any cultist will care." 4Blite sighed. "I would've preferred to warn her not to burn the Heads, though. They're now a valuable resource."

"She didn't burn them doing the hundred Head challenge." Sam pointed out.

"The ones she handed in were the ones she didn't burn." Mox clarified. "Didn't you hear how many villages were burned down? That pyromaniac killed far more than a hundred people in that week. At the very least, we'll find out how well Jolin's guards can fight fires."

[Dover Plains]

After some careful navigation and lava-swimming, Carmen and Spring escaped Ember and wound up at the Dover Plains portal. Once there, Carmen split up into her four normal-sized clones and sent one through to check for cultists. They all shared the same senses, so the clones could see it was safe to go through.

The Dover Plains outpost wasn't a huge base. It was just a simple portal location hidden under a field of wheat. The locations were out of the way to avoid suspicion. Akasha's was the same, before it was destroyed in the recent Hacker attack.

Spring and Carmen moved out of the wheat field using the light from the rising sun, but Carmen was eager to find a shelter before the sunlight could fully reveal her monstrous form. So she dragged Spring to a small Inn and demanded he reserve a room, threatening him with death should he defy her. Reluctantly, Spring had to draw from his own funds to pay for a simple room isolated on the second floor. Carmen snuck in as her smallest bits and reformed once she was safely inside.

Then, she gave her next order.

"Room service." Came a knock at the door.

The door opened slightly as Spring stood rigidly with a forced smile, blocking the rest of the room from sight. Unbeknownst to the knocking innkeeper, Carmen's four clones had their hands on Spring's back and were threatening to scald him to death if he tried anything.

"Morning, sir. Did you order the baked potatoes, carrots, beetroots, beetroot soup, rabbit stew, mushroom stew, steak, bread, watermelon, golden carrots, apples, cookies, pumpkin pies, and the cooked cod, salmon, mutton, porkchops, chicken, and rabbit?"

Spring couldn't resist. "No, that was the guy down the hall—Ahhhhh, I mean yes!" He winced as Carmen grabbed and burned his neck. "Yes, I ordered all of that and…" There was a quick vibrato whisper. "You don't have any Chorus Fruit?"

"No, sir. Only SutsCo is selling that. They've got a store in the inner city if you're looking for it."

"I'm sure I will eventually." Spring sighed, but when the innkeeper attempted to enter, he blocked the way. "You don't have to bring it in. Just hand it over and I'll pay you."

"You sure? This is a lot of food." The innkeeper offered. "Say, do you have anyone else in there with you? This is an awful lot of food for one person."

"You know, you're absolutely right." Spring nodded, deciding to take another jab at the Hybrid. "You're probably thinking, 'What sort of fat pig could eat all this by themselves?' Agh!"

"Te asaré como a un cerdo!" One of the clones whispered harshly. "Just take the food, already!"

"I didn't mean to offend you, sir." The innkeeper apologized, but Spring waved him off.

"It's fine. I'll take it off your hands." Spring accepted as much of the food, depositing it in his backpack only for one of the clones to reach in and pilfer it, freeing up space for more. "How much do I owe you?"

"Thirty-one emeralds."

Spring winced again, though it had nothing to do with the Hybrid behind him, who had released him and was now currently devouring the food. The money he had saved he'd stolen off of dead Crafters (was it really stealing if they didn't need it anymore?), and it was all going towards that walking garbage disposal. However, he had to get rid of the innkeeper quick, so he slowly handed over the proper amount before slamming the door and turning to face Carmen.

"Mmmm!" One clone cooed in delight. "Oh, Dios mío! I forgot how delicious apples can be! The bitter and sour notes only amplify the overall sweetness! And the juicyness! Sabrosa!"

"And these beetroots." Another clone marveled. "They've got an earthy taste and are a little bitter," she took another hearty bite, "but there is a hidden sweetness buried deep down. The taste shows itself most profoundly in this soup!" She held up the wooden bowl and drank deeply, her eyes crinkling in happiness. "The chunks of beetroot retain their distinct flavor. Very unique." She tossed the wooden bowl aside and helped herself to another one.

"Light meat, a mild, milky flavor." A third clone summarized, enjoying some cooked cod. "The texture is nice and flaky, yet so, so savory. Mm Mm Mmmm!"

"This pumpkin pie is deliciosa!" The fourth clone praised. "Smooth and creamy center with a crisp crust. The pumpkin's distinct sweetness is prevalent throughout. You simply must try this."

"We already are!" All the clones spoke in unison before laughing. Their senses were all linked, so they were fully able to enjoy the foods the others ate. They hummed and cooed in pleasure, sampling new foods as well as foods they haven't enjoyed in over three centuries of captivity.

"I thought you didn't need to eat." Spring commented, sitting on the bed and folding his arms.

One clone tore a chunk off some bread and answered with her mouth full. "I don'd. Bwuh it shtill tase goot."

"What?"

She swallowed and dabbed at her mouth daintily. "I don't. But it still tastes good."

"I'm a food conocedora. A lover of food." Another clone chipped in, scarfing down a cookie and tingling with delight. "I feared what that puta madre did to me would prevent me from enjoying food. Turns out, I can eat as much as I want, four times as much! I never get full."

"Sadly, that doesn't excuse getting locked up and turned into this hideous form." She lamented.

"How did Herobrine do that anyway?" Spring asked. "Is it a Command Block thing?"

"I see no reason to answer you, cultista." She simpered, sipping at her rabbit stew.

"Well, you dragged me out of that bunker before Ember could find out what Herobrine left. So now I'm dying of curiosity—"

"The only thing that puta madre will have left are the Hybridization notes. The process to turn Crafters into horrors like me."

"I wouldn't call you the horror." Spring threw out. "Those other ones, yeah, they were messed up and not thinking straight. You don't seem to have that problem, though."

"And I suppose you think this dark red and black skin is attractive?" She pinched at her skin and pulled before it snapped back in place with a jiggle.

"I don't know. Some guys like girls with a tan."

"A tan? Look at me! Or better yet, I'll look at myself." Three of Carmen's clones stood up while the fourth one remained seated. They began to revolve around, stretching their arms and legs and showing off their bodies to the one sitting down. Her glowing orange eyes seemed to dim. "Skin like molten lava. I can smother and burn a Crafter to death in seconds. And together I'm a gigantic freak!" She averted her gaze. "I'm monstruosa. Alton can never see me like this."

The clones stopped showing off their bodies and instead sank to their knees, the depression felt by all of them. They didn't have the vigor to enjoy the rest of the food.

Spring shrugged one shoulder, unsure of what to say to the woman. He really had no reason to care since he was the one being kidnapped. He could at least snark, though.

"Hey, at least you're hot."

The clones all fixed their gazes on him and glared, pouting.

"You're so hot you're scalding." He went on, smirking to himself. "If I was a block of ice, I'd melt standing next to you because you're so hot."

"Ay caramba."

"Lava evaporates when you touch it. You make the Nether look like the North Pole. You could melt the sun."

"What is this?" Carmen asked suspiciously. "Are you coming on to me?"

"No, I'm trying to lighten the mood, since I don't know what you'll do to me if you get angry enough." He shrugged. "Besides, I already have an umor."

"Amor."

"Uh, amor—I already have someone I love. Ember."

"The bruja?" Carmen and her clones giggled.

"What's so funny?" He curtly asked.

"She's not your amor." One clone said matter-of-factly. "She doesn't love you. She's not yours and you're not hers."

"Well, I'm working on it." Spring defended. "I had a couple of setbacks and lost her interest, but I just gotta do something to put myself on the map again. Then I can impress her."

"Really? You have it all figured out?" Carmen smirked. "What's her favorite food?"

"…What?"

"It's a simply question cultista. What's her favorite food?"

"I… look, just because you enjoy food doesn't mean she will." He countered.

"Alright, smart guy. Favorite place to visit."

Spring blinked in silence. "She… ah…"

"Do you know the happiest moment of her life?" Another clone piled on while he was staggering.

"I… I… no..."

"Hobbies? Favorite pastimes?"

"She… fights with a rapier…?"

"Do you at least know her interests or aspirations?" One clone asked with folded arms.

"W-Well, she likes Herobrine… and… uh…"

"So all you know is that she likes another man? Sounds like you two have a ton in common." The clones all giggled at that joke, causing Spring to flush red. "Tonto. You have no connection to her. She shows more interest in Herobrine than she does you, cultista."

"Well, I can learn all those things once we get together." Spring defended. The Carmen clones, however, all shook their head as if he was hopeless.

"Learning all those things is required if you want to start a relationship. If you even really love her at all. I've seen your kind before." Carmen said. "Before I was transformed, men would trip over themselves to compliment my beauty. They only cared for the surface, not caring for what laid beneath. Superficiales."

"Alton was the only one who was different." Carmen noted fondly. "He shared my enthusiasm for food and our two restaurants fought to be the best. In the end, we pooled our resources and joined together to own the best restaurant in Dover Plains. We married later." One clone held up a tiny golden nugget. "This is the nugget he proposed to me with. It was muy romántic. He broke apart a gold ingot into nine nuggets and used eight of them to make a golden carrot. Then, with the ninth remaining nugget, he proposed. It's all I've carried on me during my imprisonment."

"In comparison, you only seem to side with the cult because the bruja is a belleza. A beauty."

"I didn't join just for her." Spring defended. "I was a killer. A crazy murderer who acted like I had nothing to lose. They were hunting me and I was never going to last. I joined for protection. Ember just… happened to also be beautiful."

"So you don't really believe in that puta madre, Herobrine?"

"No. I mean… not until I saw a bunch of half-Mobs walking around." He confessed. "Now I'm forced to believe that he wasn't the crackpot I thought he was. Still crazy to turn people into Mobs, but it wasn't all myth and nonsense."

He reached for one of the bits of food Carmen hadn't yet touched, but was rebuffed when the clones snatched the food from out of his reach.

"Mi comida." She said greedily before taking a bite.

"Hey, I paid for it. I deserve a bite." Spring declared. Carmen had to admit he had a point, and she couldn't let her prisoner starve to death before he fulfilled his purpose, so she grudgingly turned over a small cookie. He glared at it, unamused. "Gee, thanks."

"De nada." He raised an eyebrow at the strange words. "It was nothing."

"I'll say." He muttered before swallowing the cookie in one bite. "So, aside from emptying my wallet and going on a food binge, what did you kidnap me for?"

"I need your asistencia to track down mi amor. And to see what's become of mi restaurante. A lot can change in tres siglos. This inn never existed before." She gazed at the walls on all sides. "Food isn't the only new thing around."

"And then you'll let me go?" Spring guessed.

"...Perhaps." She said maddeningly. "You'll be my prisoner until I have sorted out all my business."

"Can't you give me an exact time?"

"You mean like how that puta madre told me exactly how long I was to be incarcerated in that hellhole?"

"…I see you're still upset about that, but that wasn't my fault. How'd you end up there?"

"He took us from our homes and experimented on us. We didn't have a choice." She spat. "Because of him, I was separated from the three things I treasure the most: mi restaurante, mi amor, and my beauty. Today, I'm going to find out what's become of them. And if you know what's good for you, cultista, you'll help."

"Alright, fine! But it better not cost me any more emeralds. I'm not made of money." He scooted closer to Carmen and her clones. "So where is this restaurant of yours?"

Dover Plains was a Kingdom comprised of twenty-two large, family-owned farms and an inner city where most of the population resided. It was an urban speck in a sea of farmland, and it was there where Carmen's restaurant was located.

The inner city was guarded by a tall cobblestone wall and guards wearing yellow-dyed leather. There was no way Carmen could sneak by them in her large or regular-sized forms, so she opted to split into her smallest form and cling to Spring's body, unseen. Only a few of these stuck with him. The rest would sneak in on their own.

"Don't try and run, cultista." She advised, one of her mini clones clinging to his neck. "Just because I'm small doesn't mean I can't burn you—"

"Shove it." He bit back, grabbing her small form and waving her in his fist. "I'm wise to your tricks. You're part Magma Cube, so this is the smallest you can ever be. It's also your weakest without your other forms present to merge with."

The miniature Carmen clone had her eyes widen fearfully at the reversal. Before, when Spring was in her fist, she had all the power. But she had nothing now. Worse, if he killed just one of them, they'd never again be able to reform into their giant size. She was either one giant, four normal-sized clones, or sixteen bite-sized clones. With only four clones clinging to him, she was incredibly vulnerable. A fact she realized as he squeezed the life from—

He relaxed his fist and held her up to his gaze.

"I want this done." He made it clear. "I promised to help you, so I'm going to keep to my word. Don't keep threatening me every chance you get." He placed the gaping clone back on his shoulder. "Nobody deserves to be locked up for three centuries. This'll square things and we can both move on with our lives. So do we have a truce?"

The small Carmen blinked her eyes in bewilderment, not expecting a self-proclaimed killer and cultist to honor his agreements. He had all the power now, yet he was going to help her. As small as she was, she was in no position to argue with him.

"Tregua." She nodded. "That means—"

"Truce, right?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." She smirked. "Onward cultista."

Spring marched forward to the cobblestone gates while the three Carmen clones hid behind his left heel, behind his right arm, and inside the white bandana tied around his neck. He slipped in without incident, even giving the guards a small wave, before enter the inner city.

"Which way?" He whispered into his bandana. A small, dark red and black head poked out.

"Everything's más grande." She squinted. "I don't even remember half these buildings being here. Where's the Farmer Supply store?"

"Carmen."

"Un momento." She glanced left and right. "Izqueirdo. Go left."

Spring followed Carmen's directions as she shouted them out, and the two navigated the crowded inner city. Carmen took it upon herself to point out strange anomalies as they went.

"Shields? Escudos! When did shields become possible?"

"Those were from the first Bounty Day earlier this year." Spring answered.

"And what animal is that merchant using to carry his wares?"

"That's a llama. Those came in on the… third Bounty Day, I think."

"And those colorful birds? Are those…?"

"Parrots. Fourth Bounty Day… or maybe it was the fifth? There've been so many lately I can hardly keep track."

"What triggers them?" Carmen asked.

"A Hacker's death."

"Oh. What's a Hacker?"

Spring had to stop and wonder just how much Carmen missed. She said three-hundred-and-eighty-two years. That would have predated the first Hacker attacks. She didn't know.

"Hackers are these guys with dark powers." He tried his best to explain. "They've done a lot of damage recently, wiping out Akasha."

"Estás bromeando! You must be joking!" She gasped. "They're powerful enough to destroy a Kingdom?"

"Yeah, you don't want to get on their bad side." He concealed his bandana when a Crafter got too close. "Keep it down. People think I have a feminine voice with all your yelling."

"Lo Siento. Derecho up ahead, Spring. No, derecho. Right. Go right."

Eventually, the two made their way to their destination—a packed block with a number of storefronts on either side. As it happened, it was right next to the SutsCo store, which had the typical line going around the block.

"This it?" Spring asked.

"It should be, but there's no view of the palace from here." Carmen craned her neck from within Spring's bandana, her other clones climbing up his arm and leg to join her.

"You wouldn't see the palace. It was burned down long ago when the people rose up against their tyrannical, emerald-embezzling king. Today, Dover Plains is governed by the twenty-two families in their council."

"Even the royalty is different." Carmen's clones bemoaned. "Then this is the right place. Mi restaurante should be here."

"Well, the only restaurant is that one, there." Spring pointed to one with a glowing sign depicting an apple and a bee. "Apple & Bee. Is that yours?"

"No, but… but the front looks near identical. Move us closer, por favor."

Spring approached the restaurant and peered inside the glass windows, spotting the bustling waiters managing the lunch rush. The place was packed and the people seemed content as they ate their meals. The restaurant was also waiting on the line of Crafters outside the SutsCo store, serving mouth-watering meat and vegetables while the Crafters were helpless to escape. What else were they going to do?

"This is wrong." Carmen realized. "This is definitely mi restaurante, but it should be called El Celler De La Cruz! What has happened to mi restaurante!?"

"Shh, keep it down!" Spring brought up his bandana, unbalancing the three miniatures and hiding them before a waiter approached.

"Hello, sir." The waiter greeted. "Welcome to Apple & Bee, where quality and satisfaction are guaranteed. Do you have a reservation or are you online?"

"Uh, neither. I had a question about your fine establishment." He began. "I heard a different restaurant used to stand here. It was called El Celler… uh…" He tilted his head so that his ear would be closer to his bandana. "El Celler De La Cruz. Do you know what happened to it?"

"No, this restaurant has been around for as long as I can remember." The waiter glanced over one shoulder. "Let me go get the owner for you."

He vanished out of sight for a few seconds before being replaced by a tall, dark-haired man.

"I'm the owner of this restaurant. Is there a problem, sir?"

"No. No problem. I was just wondering if you knew what this restaurant used to be? I heard it was called El Celler De… something something."

"El Celler De La Cruz! Yes!" The owner said enthusiastically. "My goodness, it feels like a lifetime ago since I met someone who remembered that place. It was the best restaurant in Dover Plains. The two owners, Carmen_Delacruz and Alton_Browne, served everything. They had farm-raised rabbits and cookies and the best apples and the freshest fish. No expense was spared." His smile weakened. "It's a shame about what happened to the young miss."

"What happened?" Spring asked, even though he could guess.

"Carmen went missing one day. Just, poof. Gone. Alton was devastated. He spent all his time and money searching for her."

Around Spring's neck, the clones clutched tightly. They had all stilled their breathing to listen.

"The restaurant fell apart and Alton could no longer sustain it. He had to sell. It was such a darn shame—I loved eating here! And to see it all boarded him up collecting dust. It near broke my heart." His smile returned. "So I made some calls, scrounged enough emeralds together, and bought the place. It's a shell of its former glory, but it's still a place people can come in and eat at. We actually lucked out with that SutsCo store setting up shop nearby. We've never gotten this much traffic!" He let out a hearty laugh as he gestured to the long line. "Say, did you want to order lunch here? We're booked up, but I can get a fellow restaurant lover a table."

"Thanks, but I was just asking." Spring felt a small tug on his bandana. "I really should be going. Take care." He left with a wave.

Once he was in an enclosed alley and away from prying eyes, he held up his bandana and looked inside to see a trio of mini sniffling Carmen clones. They were wiping each other's faces.

"Mi amor…" She sniffled. "He looked for me. He was so devastated. Oh, mi corazón." They all clutched at their chests. "It aches. How much I missed him."

"Why don't you tell him that yourself?" Spring suggested.

"What? No. No! He cannot see me like this!" She gestured to her monstrous form, though Spring honestly didn't think it was as bad as she made it out. "Still, I'd like to see him… if he's still alive."

"Where did he live?"

"The restaurante had a second floor." Carmen explained. "We lived there out of convenience. If he sold the place, I don't know where he could be. We'll have to check the Hall of Records for his name and number."

"Alright. You know where that is?"

The miniature trio sobered up and pointed in the direction to go, determined to see what had become of her amor.

[Redbone Desert]

Unbearable heat. Air so warm it suffocated you when you breathed it in. Loose sand slipping beneath his feet. His clothes, damp with sweat, sticking to his skin.

Mark trekked across the Redbone Desert using a wooden shovel as a walking stick, his stance wobbling. Moving was always on his mind the second he popped out of the Nether Portal. Abyssmal couldn't delay Teal for long. She'd be after him.

Desert rabbits scampered from his path and dead bushes and cacti dotted the sands. The distant horizon looked wavy from the unending heat, and the sun seemed to dog him relentlessly—the only reprieve being the sandstone landmasses that piled high to offer sweet shade.

He nestled himself at the base of one such landmass and took out some food and plenty of water. This was only the first day of being on the lam. As the days dragged on, Teal would grow more determined to find him and smother him with affection for the spawnday gifts he got her. Staying in one place too long was risky.

What he really needed was an underground mineshaft. There had to be one somewhere under the sand. Just pop a few torches down and it'd be a lot safer than aboveground. Those Husks were exhausting to fight at close range.

He finished off his food and patted his hands clean, ready to resume his walk. Stepping out from the shadows of the landmass, he chose to move north to the next largest sandstone mountain. He took some slippery steps up a sand dune and used his shovel as leverage to reach the top.

That's when he heard it.

"MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK~!"

His heart stopped, feeling fear and excitement in equal measure. As he turned towards the direction of the feminine shout, he spotted a speck standing atop the sandstone mountain he had taken shelter under. The speck had wings and a Dragon Head.

He splashed himself with a Swiftness Potion and started to run in the opposite direction.

Teal watched the magenta speck with an eager grin under her Dragon Head. She flared her Wonder Wings out, having more or less gotten the hang of them during the hunt, and dove off the sandstone mountain towards her hapless stud muffin.

The wind caught under her wings, enabling her to angle herself out into a glide. She turned her vertical acceleration into horizontal acceleration, rocketing towards Mark at a breakneck pace that far outstripped his highest tier Swiftness Potion.

"Ruuuuun!" Mark shouted to himself as Teal's giggles grew closer. He could feel her vivid eyes staring him down like a hawk hunting a field mouse. "Fucking ruuuuuuuun!"

He lucked out when he stumbled across a chasm. Without wasting any time, he splashed himself with the brand new Potion of Slow Falling and slid off the side just as a blue missile darted overhead.

"Immagetchu!" Teal threw out, like the call of an impish Pokémon. She swooped up, her stomach barely grazing the sand, and she angled to the side to swerve around.

Meanwhile, Mark was slowly descending to the chasm's floor. The chasm's sandy edges were like a window framing a sliver of the blue sky. A shadow zoomed by, searching for the right angle to follow him into the chasm.

Mark refocused his attention on the chasm walls, floating down to the nearest one in the hopes that he could somehow hide from her. It hadn't even been half a day and she found him! What did Abyssmal even do!?

His arms and legs worked as he was about to touch the side. However, his hopes were jarringly dashed when a blue missile scooped him up in its arms and rocketed to the chasm's edge. They were going so fast that he was sure they'd crash.

However, Teal angled her body delicately and made a sharp swoop, bleeding off all of her momentum and allowing her to gently float down to touch the bottom. Like a butterfly.

She then pinned Mark to the stone floor, carefully cradling his head so as not to hurt him. She lifted the Dragon Head from her face and grinned down at him seductively.

"I love your gifts." She said simply before laying a tender kiss on his lips.

Mark melted into the kiss, freeing both arms and wrapping them around Teal's waist before hugging her close. She hummed in delight before intensifying the kiss, slipping her tongue in and exploring his mouth. Both of them had their eyes shut as they enjoyed the feeling of one another.

It was Teal who broke the contact first, but it wasn't for long as she then started peppering him with kisses much like a chicken pecking for corn. One on his nose, one on his forehead, one on each cheek, his chin, his ear, his neck. Mark ran a hand through her long ponytail, Teal willing off the pink band holding it in place so it would all flow freely.

"You got me."

"Now, what am I going to do with you?" She purred, tracing the contours of his chin.

"Happy Spawnday, Teal." Mark whispered into her ear.

"The best one yet." She breathed, hugging Mark close and pulling his head into the crook of her neck. "I got you pretty fast."

"Abyssmal caved?"

"Abyssmal caved."

"…Remind me to thank him later."

The two laughed before surrendering to their feelings, both of them thankful for the day Teal was brought into this world.

AN: And that's the most I can put into a T-rating. But nobody wants to see these two doing the do, so I'll leave it up to your imagination.

Shoutout to AwakenedKarbon for his OC Lone_Gunnah. I reserved him a spot ever since he first proposed the character years ago, and it felt natural to include him since his other OC, Glowing_Obsidian, was killed last Chapter. Part of me still regrets doing that...

Next time, we get to the Chapter I've been eager to write since this whole Arc began.

FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. PM. OC. FORUM. DISCORD. LIFESAVERS.