AN: I'm pleased with how this Chapter turned out. High quality.
It's also a Chapter I've been looking forward to ever since this Triplex Arc began.
I hope you enjoy it, dear readers.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd put Killer Rabbits back in.
Chapter 178
Spite
[Lenz]
October 22nd. The fourth day of our travels.
My eyelids fluttered closed before snapping open in alarm. Cobbert's bed was empty.
I bolted up, remembering the TNT attempt of last night. Baltic and the Paragons were mere moments away from turning into sticky bits on that hill had it not been for Z7's and my interference. But that only revealed that Carys put tails on us, anticipating this very scenario. I feared that Cobbert snuck off during the night to make another attempt at it—
But then, I visibly calmed down when I spotted the fisherman on the outskirts of the camp. Curiously, he had an ender chest opened before him again. It seemed like he was peering inside every chance he got. It was a waste of ender chests, seeing as how they couldn't be retrieved and broke into obsidian without a Silk Touch Pickaxe. Yet he just kept placing them down to check their contents. It had to be important, whatever it was.
The rest of the Paragons were late packing up. Trenay was at the crest of the hill, glancing down to ensure the procession of refugees holding us up had passed. Baltic was stooped over a map, pondering to himself. He shot a glance towards Cobbert and myself before dropping and picking up the map in quick succession. He did that more often than Cobbert checked his ender chest.
No Paragons were missing. Cobbert had not committed any murders in the night. I breathed a sigh of relief, even while scanning the canopy of trees overhead. Somewhere up there, Z7 was watching. She was keeping tabs on everybody, and I had a sinking suspicion Carys ordered her to keep an especially close watch on Cobbert and me.
If Cobbert continued on his plans to kill the Paragons, it was only a matter of time before Z7 intervened. Who knew what the assassin would do. Would she kill us? Would she somehow report back to Carys and get Floyd and the others killed? It was too much of a risk.
Not to mention, Cobbert was completely bonkers thinking killing them would solve our problems. Sure, some of them were unfriendly—Perry and Dwight and Wing—but there was also some hope with Baltic, who genuinely seemed like he wanted to help make this alliance work. Cobbert was not thinking clearly. I had to talk some sense into him. Privately.
With that in mind, I packed up my bed and hurried to confront the fisherman. Sensing my approach, he shared a look with me before jerking his head towards the woods and away from the camp. We both left, feeling the eyes of Baltic and Perry—and even Z7—watching us.
Once we were reasonably far away, Cobbert started the conversation with:
"I'm not sorry for last night."
The admission caught me by surprise, even if the sentiment was expected. To be willing to say it out loud…
"The Paragons are a liability, Lenz. One we don't need." He asserted. "They keep trying to convince us that we need them to overcome the Endward Cult, but we've done just fine with the Beginners. We bested the Berserkers, the ACC, the Hackers, and the Paragons themselves. We're better than them. We're stronger than them. That's why they're trying to trick us with this alliance bullshit. Trying to get us to lower our guard."
"I think you are wrong, Cobbert."
"You think I'm seeing it wrong? After experiencing it firsthand?" He stressed. "Carys wants to make my life a living hell. She's not going to keep to this alliance. She's probably already plotting how to kill Floyd and take Noman's Severe Shield."
"You cannot keep trying to kill them." I interjected. "Z7 is watching us from the trees." His eyes widened in surprise. "She intervened last night. She threw that dagger at you so I could be free to put out the fire. She was protecting—"
"See! I knew that bitch couldn't be trusted!" Cobbert raged, whirling about and kicking at the closest tree. "She's got her pet assassin watching us. I bet there are more than her, too. She's so sure we'll try something."
"You did try something!" I snapped in exasperation. "You tried to blow her people up!"
"That's hardly the point! She's keeping secrets from us to suit her needs. Withholding the aces up her sleeves when she knows we have no more allies to depend on. She's turned Minecraftia against us. We can only trust ourselves!"
"We can trust the Paragons." I assured, earning a dismissive scoff from the fisherman. "We can! They despise the cult as much as we do. We share a common enemy. Or are you suggesting something so foolhardy as to continue endangering them despite the assassin watching our every move? Can you not see you are only jeopardizing our friends' safety?"
"Do you know how we've pulled through all the impossible battles and situations we've encountered?" He switched gears. "We've relied on one another. Floyd, Soul, Noman, and you. When we're together, we can achieve anything. But now that we're split up, we—!"
"We can depend on the Paragons' strength!" I cut him off before he could continue. "If, as you assert, our combat strength improves with every ally we make, then we can only get stronger by joining hands with the Paragons. We cover their weaknesses, just as they cover ours."
"Why are you bothering to defend them!?" He suddenly exclaimed. "They're bullies! They treat you like dirt! They mock you for being an archer who can't use armor or a sword! What about them makes you want to trust them!?"
I stepped back, stunned by his thundering questions. They gave me pause for thought, while I considered an appropriate answer.
I knew about bullies. I knew about getting treated like dirt. I knew about being unable to trust anyone, and burying myself in the complicated science of redstone engineering to ignore the crushing loneliness. And I knew what it was like to find friends—comrades to fight beside. People I could finally trust.
I lifted my tinted glasses and looked Cobbert in the eye. They were flat and dull, his hood drawn over his head. A shadow of his former self.
"Let me… tell you a story."
He flinched slightly, baffled by the sudden change in topic. I quickly began to speak.
"Once upon a time, there was a redstone nerd. He loved redstone more than anything because he felt like it was something he was good at. It was something that made him feel like he belonged. He was so absorbed in tinkering with redstone that he would spend nights in the college's classrooms after hours, rigging repeaters and comparators and pistons into the devices discussed during the daily lectures of the same day."
"Then, one day, the nerd wandered into the forbidden Northeast Sector of Daymonte. He found an abandoned stronghold with maze-like stone corridors, filled with traps and redstone devices more advanced than what was being taught at the college. So he studied them in secret." I closed my eyes, remembering the past fondly. "He built a minecart track to them, operated through the use of arrows and buttons. He trained himself to fire at those buttons, improving his archery and eyesight as he did so. And as he navigated the stronghold and its traps, he began to suspect that the maker of the advanced redstone devices he had been finding was the first king of Daymonte, Jeb, and that this was the secret entrance to his personal laboratory. A discovery he coveted and sought to find on his own."
"So he kept the stronghold a secret, and delved deeper and deeper into it each week, eventually finding a combination door that he was certain would lead him to the lab."
"But the nerd had grown careless." I opened my eyes. "He allowed himself to be followed. By a simple fisherman."
Cobbert's lips thinned.
"The fisherman followed the nerd through the tracks and uncovered the stronghold. The nerd feared his discovery would become aired to the public through this fisherman. He did not think he could trust the fisherman. And, in his foolishness," I licked my lips nervously, "the nerd tried to use the traps of the stronghold to kill the fisherman. Not just once, but thrice. Yet the fisherman did not abandon the nerd."
Cobbert rubbed his arm uncomfortably, seeing where the story was going.
"And then, the nerd and the fisherman, working together, were able to breach the redstone door, and uncover the laboratory hidden behind a shell of unbreakable bedrock."
"They found things there—including a gruesome amalgam of Mob and man—and the nerd was blasted into a portal, straight into a dimension no one has ever heard of. That should have been the end of it." I acknowledged. "The nerd tried to kill the fisherman, and he was under no obligation to follow him through that mysterious portal to Jeb knows where. He could have simply left the nerd to his fate… out of spite. But instead," my eyes were shining as I recounted the next part, "he went in after him with the intent to save him. And together, the two found a way to make it back, and grew to be lifelong friends. All through that one simple act of trust."
"Now," I said with finality, "I shall give you one guess as to who that nerd and fisherman were."
Cobbert's gaze fell to the grass, his empty eyes recalling the day we met. Not even half a year ago, and yet he changed so much. We all did.
"I know you do not trust the Paragons." I acknowledged. "But trust must be built somehow, with one side just dropping all the drama and taking a leap of faith. Whether it is accepting help or jumping through a portal, the first step is on you. You cannot isolate yourself from everybody. You may have forgotten, but I have not. You taught me that people are worth trusting."
At that, all feeling drained from Cobbert's face. He slowly tilted his head up, his eyes empty and lost, and he uttered two words that had me stymied.
"Jade wasn't."
Just like always, it circled back to AceOfJades. All the pent-up stress and betrayal in Cobbert had the Lieutenant at its core, and fed right back into it. Trust was hard to build and easy to break, and nobody on the Beginners took it harder than him.
The closeness they had was turned against him, and he did not want to relive that. Least of all with Carys and her Paragons.
"…We should get moving." He ended the conversation, tightening his hoodie and brushing past me. I lowered my tinted glasses back down, disappointed that my words did not reach him. Maybe it was beyond my capabilities. What did I know about girlfriends and betrayal? What could I say that I have not already said before?
"I do not know…" I muttered to myself before drawing my scarf up and leaving those woods. There was a chill in the air.
[Cobb]
With the procession of Crafters having passed, we were clear to continue our journey east. The ride on Midnight gave me plenty of time to reflect.
What do I want?
How should I go about it?
What am I willing to sacrifice?
What good is trust when I know it can never last?
Wouldn't it be better to kill them now? Strike Carys before she can strike my friends?
I must have checked my map a dozen times, yet the blips on the west side of Minecraftia still remained.
She doesn't trust me. That's why she sent Z7.
I can't work with these Paragons. They don't want to work with me. There's no trust, so why continue this alliance?
Even with the Endward Cult as a shared enemy, I don't think that's enough to work with them. But what else is there?
Why can't Lenz see that this'll always be doomed to fail? One way or another, Carys will pursue revenge. She'll never drop it. That's what's driving her against the cultists in the first place.
I'm not wrong. I'm learning from my mistakes rather than repeating them. Isn't that what it means to grow up?
Blood: Exactly. You don't want to be the dumb newb you used to be, right?
Liver: I miss those days.
Brain: Speaking of those days, take a look at where we are. Anything about this location ringing a bell?
I spared a glance at the surroundings, feeling nostalgic. The trees were starting to thin as we approached two looming mountains, one of which obscured by looming thunderclouds. That one was Blitz Peak, the mountain where thunderstorms happened year-round as well as the chief supplier for Mob masks. That meant the other one was…
"Caerbannog Mountain…" Lenz uttered worriedly beside me. "Cobbert, do you realize where we are heading towards?"
Oh, I was aware. I remembered it from the last time we came through. The valley between Blitz Peak and Caerbannog Mountain was the infamous home of the Valley Beast, the most demonic, foul-tempered rabbit in Minecraftia.
Or at least it was, until it was blown up by Lenz's Holy TNT Cannon of Antioch. Now the valley was home to the Beast's hundreds of offspring. That was how we left it.
"Do you think they know about the fluffy devils?" Lenz asked.
I kept my mouth shut, my eyes facing forward.
"Cobbert, we have to warn them! They could be killed!" He hissed.
"They could." I acknowledged with a nod, my eyes fixed on Baltic's back. "Wouldn't even be our fault."
"You…" Lenz gave up with an incensed huff before spurring his horse towards the front. Towards Baltic. I let him go, knowing exactly how 'warning' the Paragons would turn out. Baltic might listen, but the rest wouldn't give two shits.
"Baltic." Lenz spoke urgently. "Are you aware we are galloping towards the lair of the Valley Beast?"
"I am aware." He nodded politely, gesturing to the warning signs dotting the valley's entrance. Pleas to turn back. Cautions for what lay ahead. We weren't too far from the Beast's den.
"We've been through this path dozens of times, nerd." Perry chipped in. "See, Carys, in her elite, badass fashion, encountered the Valley Beast years ago. She instilled in it an inherent fear. It was a clash of terrifying auras in which Carys won. That bunny wasn't going to cross her, and it turned into a cuddly cottontail whenever she, or one of her recognized Paragons, passed through. Thanks to her, the Paragons were able to pass through the valley and knock two days off of travel time that would have otherwise been spent circumventing the mountains."
"Yet another perk for tagging along with us." Dwight added snidely, earning a few chuckles from the others. My face was stone as I kept my gaze forward.
When Baltic finally quieted them down, Lenz went on. "You may know about the Valley Beast, but do you know about its offspring?"
"What? Offspring?"
We were on the sloping trail now. Dense foliage was on either side. Good for cover. Also good for Z7 to hide behind while she tailed us. From the corner of my eye, I tried to find her. All while pretending to focus towards the conversation going on.
"The Valley Beat was blown up by my Holy TNT Cannon of Antioch months ago."
"What's with the Antioch…?" Heather tried, only for Lenz to cut her off.
"The bunny blew up, but not before it mated and produced offspring. The valley is populated with hundreds of fluffy devils! They have no 'understanding' with you or Carys. You will be meeting them for the first time."
The trail split and leveled out near some dense shrubbery. Just behind the greenery was a cliff overlooking the small and jagged, canoe-shaped valley. The steep rocky slopes where one slip could mean disaster. And, most predominant, the piles and piles of gear from Crafters who foolishly tried to cross the Beast's lair.
The gear was all in a semi-circle. And at its center, indented into the mountain, was the large shadowy cave the Beast called home. It was likely the home of its offspring now, for the fluffy devils were nowhere in sight.
A fact Perry was quick to point out.
"I don't see any fluffy devils." He said with folded arms. "The Beast isn't out either. We should be able to cut across this no problem."
"Hang on, Perry." Baltic stopped him before turning back towards Lenz. "You're certain that the Valley Beast bred children?"
"Yes."
"And those children are all snow-white with blood-red eyes?"
"Yes!"
Baltic scanned the valley with worry, prompting the other Paragons to make dissenting comments.
"Come on, Baltic. First the waste of time with the river, then this!?" Dwight argued.
"I fail to see how this killer rabbit could've fornicated enough to produce hundreds of babies." Perry shouted crudely. "The nerd is trying to slow us down. Sabotage us on every stupid thing—"
"It is true!" Lenz argued. "If we go into that valley, we will all be in terrible danger! Those bunnies know nothing of any fear pact with Carys. They will eat you alive!"
"Oh yeah? And Cobb will back that up?"
I shut my eyes as I became the center of attention. I could tell Lenz was looking at me, though. I could feel him practically begging me to help convince them about the Beast's offspring. Instead, I kept my mouth shut, running through my head how this could go down.
Enter the valley.
Get attacked by killer rabbits.
Paragons die.
Lenz and I ender pearl out of there.
Z7 will be stuck saving the asses of what's left.
We're free to continue onto Oak Docks by ourselves.
It was perfect.
And yet…
"When was the last time you passed through here? Hm?" Lenz tried next, not waiting for my help. "You have been flying the Asmodeus for so long, I doubt you have had to deal with any beast in this valley. Things have changed! Baltic, I beg of you, do not lead us into that death trap."
"Don't fall for it, Baltic." Wing shook his head. "You've humored these fools long enough. You keep being lenient and they keep throwing it back in your face."
"What if it's true?" Baltic phrased. "We'll be risking the horses, and more, our lives. It wouldn't hurt to go around—"
"We're way behind schedule, sir." Luis implored. "Going around these mountains would add two days to our journey."
"It's not worth it!" Perry shouted, spurring his horse closer to Lenz and grabbing at his collared shirt. "I'm telling you, he's making shit up to delay us! He and Cobb are a couple of fucking liabilities!"
"Unhand him, Perry!" Baltic commanded.
"You're buying into his bullshit?" He rounded on him. "When it's his word against ours and his own pal, Cobb, can't say one word in his defense? Go ahead, Cobb." He let go of Lenz and turned towards me with a sneer. "Say a few syllables! Tell us all about the fluffy devils and how dangerous going down there is! Don't you care about our well-being?"
I bit the inside of my cheek trying to ignore the guy.
"Spit it out! Back up your nerd's story if it's the truth!" Perry pressed, daring me to speak up.
Everyone was looking at me. Everyone was waiting. Baltic, Heather, Witige, Luis, Trenay, Dwight, Wing, Perry.
And Lenzington.
"See? Nothing." Perry turned his horse back. "He can't say a single thing because we've got a pair of uncooperative dead weights we're dragging around. One can't say shit, the other freaks out over the littlest of things. So if there's no more interruptions, I say we clear this valley and—"
"The fluffy devils are real."
The words were out before I could stop them. I dismounted my horse and looked Perry straight in the face. I couldn't ignore them anymore. The sound of my voice turned quite a few heads as the Paragons figured I'd keep my trap shut forever.
"He speaks!" Wing exclaimed.
"Lenz is telling the truth. There are about a thousand vicious rabbits making a home out of that valley." I threw out a hand as I approached Perry and his horse. Off to the side, a proud smile was forming on Lenz's face. "Going down there is suicide, which you're welcome to commit if you're up for it. Would bring a little peace and quiet to this motley crew of extras."
"You fucker!" Perry snapped, drawing his sword only for Baltic to ride his horse in the way.
"You satisfied?" The old alchemist asked. "Cobb just corroborated Lenz's information. If that valley is a death trap, we go around. End of discussion."
"Screw that! You think I'm going to waste my time on anything this loser has to say? Need I remind you he hasn't spoken or cooperated with us for three days! He doesn't care about our safety! This whole fluffy devil business is a big, fat lie."
"You wanted my opinion, I gave you my opinion." I fired back, glaring at him. "Unlike your boss, I don't lie when lives are at risk."
"Don't bad-mouth Carys like that!" Perry snapped. Again, Baltic got in his way. He brought his arms up to Perry while the loud-mouth slipped a hand into Baltic's belt and grabbed something. "I'll go down there myself and prove there are no devils!"
"Calm down, Perry. That's an order." The alchemist warned, with Dwight coming in to help hold him back.
"Why are you letting these losers influence you?" Perry demanded of Baltic.
"Because we actually know what we're doing." I jabbed. "Not like you wannabe commandos—"
An arm was flung. I saw it coming as Perry tore the Splash Potion of Harming II out of Baltic's belt pocket and hurled it down towards me in a fit of rage. I dove to the side out of Parkour reflex and the bottle smashed onto the ground, sending a wave of damage to the surrounding horses.
Perry, Dwight, and Baltic—the closest—had their horses struck by the damaging brew. They shrieked in agony and bucked violently, spreading out in a chaotic fashion and bumping into Lenz and his horse, Speckle. All while precariously close to the valley's edge.
The result being that the four of them and their horses all fell down the steep rocky slope.
"LENZ!" I cried out in alarm as he slid out of sight. The other Paragons joined me at the edge, calling out to their respective Paragons.
Lenz's horse died on impact with the ground, crushing the engineer's leg and causing him to cry out. Dwight and Perry managed to stay on their steeds without any problems, and Baltic actually threw down one of those new Splash Potions of Slow Falling so that he and his horse would float down.
While Baltic tended to Lenz, Perry looked up with a smug grin and his arms held out.
"See? What did I tell ya? Valley's as safe as it's ever been."
"Fucking idiot…" I snarled while Trenay, beside me, slapped another Paragon's arm and pointed towards the cave.
"Unholy litter…" She breathed out. I followed her line of sight and paled as I watched hundreds of snow-white devil spawn start to pour out, lured by the sound of prey.
"RUN FOR IT, GUYS!" Heather shouted, already drawing her bow. Lenz and the Paragons below saw the oncoming tide and, after Lenz was healed up, they all made a break for the opposite side of the valley. The fluffy devils pursued. They wouldn't make it on their own.
"Damn it!" I dug into my backpack and withdrew a stack of ender pearls. Trenay, Wing, Luis, and Heather all had their bows drawn and were firing into the tide of rabbits, but they weren't very effective. Not at this angle.
"Forget the horses! Take these ender pearls and warp to a better vantage point along those cliffs!" I barked out orders without thinking, handing out my small stack of pearls. "Focus fire on the closest rabbits and make every shot count. Don't let them get too close. Those rabbits are dynamite!"
"Since when are you giving the orders?" Trenay snarked.
"Since nobody else has a fucking plan!" I snarled, shutting her up. "Just do it! It's my engineer down there!" I grabbed my own pearl and flung it towards the closest cliff before they could argue any more.
I couldn't shoot, but I had my own kind of projectiles.
[Lenz]
Speckle was dead. The fall broke my leg, but Baltic fixed it with a potion before hurrying me along towards the other end of the valley. He and the other Paragons still had their horses and could easily outstrip me, but Baltic refused to leave me behind. And Dwight and Perry refused to leave Baltic behind.
We waded through the gear of dead Crafters while the tide of deadly rodents descended. I tore out my bow and started firing at the ones that got too close. Meanwhile, Perry and Dwight had their swords drawn and were futilely trying to fight the rabbits off before they got at the horses. They failed, and their steeds were the next to go.
"BOB!" Perry bemoaned for his fallen horse before Dwight dragged him off.
"There's nothing we can do! We gotta get out of this deathtrap!"
Baltic was throwing out Splash Potions of Swiftness for us and Splash Potions of Weakness, Poison, and Slowness against the rabbits. It bought us time, but there was just so many. He soon had to give up his own steed. The rabbits tore it apart like a pack of piranhas.
One of the rabbits was about to reach me when a salvo of snowballs knocked it back. I glanced up and saw Cobbert perched on the side of the cliff, balls of ice in hand.
"Keep running!" He ordered before throwing more to cover my retreat. As he did so, I saw Paragons ender pearling to points along the cliff and shooting at the horde of rodents. With their help, we were able to reach the opposite side of the valley with minimal contact with the fluffy devils.
It was a steep slope, though. It rose before us like a wall. We would never be able to climb it in time.
I cried out as a rabbit barreled into my legs and tore at my feet, taking six Hearts with it as well as what was left of my cursed leather boots from Jolin. I kicked the shredded armor off and tried to dislodge the rodent to no avail. It was just as vicious as its mother!
Just then, a stream of purple hair descended before me, an iron dagger flashing out and dispatching the rabbit nipping at my legs.
"Tvg fk, mviwormt." Z7 muttered, nudging me to my feet.
I was at a loss for words at her sudden arrival, even as she turned and directed her daggers at the oncoming horde, dispatching three at a time. We still had our backs pressed against the wall and no way out.
Except my ender pearls!
I pulled one out with the intent to use it, but I need not have bothered, for a fishing hook fastened itself into the back of my collared shirt and, with a sharp tug, I was whisked into the air and up the slope.
At the zenith of my ascent, a pair of arms reached out and secured me before hauling me onto the safety of the edge. Cobbert had ender pearled to the top.
"More height than I thought." He commented, marveling at his fishing rod.
"Cobbert. The others!" I urged, pointing down. He hesitated, and for a moment, I thought he would actually leave them there. But then he flung down his bobber and snatched Baltic. He yanked up and the elderly alchemist was thrust into the air where we caught and pulled him to safety. We were aided by a trio of Paragons who we did not even know were accompanying us—Dark_Shroud, Aurand, and Doyle. They were all members of Z7's assassin squad.
They were still helping Baltic onto solid ground when Cobbert fished for Z7 next. The Jibberwoman was disoriented from the sudden haul, but she gripped onto the cliff's edge under her own power, allowing Cobbert to get Dwight next.
All that was left with Perry.
"HEY! GET ME UP!" He hollered, swinging wildly at the fluffy devils and wearing himself ragged. "GET ME OUT! HELP! HEEEEEELP!"
Cobbert's fishing hook fastened itself into the back of Perry's leg and hoisted him up by the ankle. He was airborne for a second and waved his arms futilely before he was grabbed by Cobbert and Z7 and pulled to safety. Down below, a few rabbits made fruitless leaps towards us, desperate to claim their escaping prey.
Once everybody was out of the fire, Cobbert and those that had initially fallen into the valley collapsed and fought for breath. The other Paragons who had been sniping warped in to join us, with Witige handing out potions to heal the damage we took.
"Quick thinking… Trenay…" Baltic nodded gratefully while nursing a stitch in his side. "Hoo, I'm not as young as I used to be…"
"Actually, sir," Trenay began, "it was King_Cobb's plan to snipe from the cliffs. I was just following his orders."
"Is that right?" Baltic looked to Cobbert with a bit of fond pride. "Thank you, Cobb."
Cobbert gave a slight glance of acknowledgement, for his attention was fully on a winded Perry. His expression was thunderous.
"What was that?" Cobbert demanded of the hot-headed Paragon. "I thought you Paragons were supposed to be elite soldiers. What the hell are you doing throwing Splash Potions of Harming!?"
"…More elite than you." Perry shot back.
"Big talk from someone screaming for help a second ago."
"Blow it out your ass, newbie." Perry countered before slowly getting to his feet.
*WHAM*
Perry was laid out in one hit as Cobbert lunged towards him with a fist. He then stood over the downed Paragon with the rest of us watching with mouths agape.
"Cobbert!" I exclaimed, rising to my feet.
"Don't do it, Cobb!" Baltic warned, even as the assassins were moving to interfere. I let out a yelp as Z7 dragged me back by my scarf and held me in place.
"NO!" Cobbert boomed, his voice echoing impressively off the valley and stilling the Paragons. "I've had enough of this bastard's attitude! He has this coming!"
"Oh, you want a fight? After your last stunning beat down?" Perry challenged, shooting back up and drawing his sword. "You're on! I've been dying to put you in your place!"
He brought his sword up and lunged at Cobbert, but the fisherman responded by simply placing down a bucket of lava. The valley was at Perry's back, so the lava naturally flowed towards him. He hopped off-step, trying to stop himself from the sudden surprise, but he was too slow. His foot caught and he caught flames.
"Cobbert, you cannot kill him!" I begged.
The next instant, Cobbert bucketed up the lava and threw out some water, extinguishing the burning Paragon. He then turned and flashed me a wink before continuing with his fight.
With the water flowing against him and pushing him back towards the valley, Perry dug his sword into the ground and fought to get at Cobbert. So the fisherman nailed him in the face with Backlash's bobber.
"Bobber." He taunted, sending Perry reeling.
"Whoa! Stop—hang on!" He waved his arms at the very edge.
"Bobber." Cobber repeated, flinging the red and white floatation sphere at him.
"Knock it off!"
"Bobber. Bobber. Bobber."
"Face me like a man!"
Cobbert bucketed the water back up and stopped bobbering Perry, allowing the man to get in close with his sword. Cobbert's own sword met his while Backlash snuck under his guard and tapped his side, the Knockback flinging him into a tree and driving the air from his lungs.
Perry stumbled groggily to his knees, but Cobbert was faster, enderpearling over and tearing Perry's chestplate off before slashing at him with his Sweeping Edge blade. Perry cried out, but Cobbert silenced him with a right hook to the jaw. The meaty impact sent Perry into the dirt, where Cobbert proceeded to snag him with his fishing rod and whip him up before slamming him into the ground closest to the edge of the cliff. One time. Then two. Then three.
By the time Cobbert loomed over him again, Perry was crawling on hands and knees, clutching at a pain in his side, and trying to get away from the fisherman. It was amazing how one-sided it had been. The Paragons watching were stunned, and nobody dared to make a move to stop him.
I put my faith that Cobbert knew what he was doing.
"You think I took that beat down yesterday because I couldn't fight back?" Cobbert challenged, straddling Perry and pressing his neck into the edge of the cliff. The rabbits below were leaping up, attracted by the scent of looming prey. "I took it because I didn't give a shit. But I'm not going to stand for this schoolyard bully shit anymore."
"Before you complained that I wasn't talking enough. I wasn't contributing enough. So when I spoke up and advised you NOT to go into the valley, you complained just as much and called me a liar and a waste of space. It seems to me that you want to reserve the right to complain!"
"So yeah, I'll call you an extra! You're all extras!" He flung out his arm, gesturing to the watching Paragons. "Except for you. You're cool." He pointed to Baltic. "And you too, I guess." He added to Z7. "But the rest of you, yeah, I don't give a shit about you. Because the people I do give a shit about are on the other half of Minecraftia and I'm forced to babysit you chuckle-heads while assholes like this," he shook Perry by the neck, "try and lead us to our deaths! And I don't need that!"
"I don't need any of this!" He shouted. "I don't want any of this! But I've got it and that's the life I was forced into!"
"None of us can trust each other!" He claimed. "I can't help but think that Carys is killing the friends I foolishly left her because she is just that much of a bitch to do it! And this whole time, I've been contemplating killing every last one of you, simply because I didn't want to get struck first!"
I glanced around awkwardly. He was basically admitting to attempted genocide. The Paragons were all muttering to themselves and reaching for weapons, afraid Cobbert might kill Perry.
"But you know what," he finally said, "I was wrong. I've been looking at this wrong from the beginning. It's not about who strikes first." He flashed a diabolical grin. "It's about who caves first."
His words had the Paragons mumbling in confusion, though an aged smile graced Baltic's face as he listened attentively.
"None of you can trust me, so I'm going to give you the ultimate reason as to why I won't be stabbing any of you in the back. It's SPITE!" He revealed, finally stepping off Perry and away from him. "That's right. Spite! You can all trust me out of spite. Because when Carys ultimately betrays me, as I expect she will, I'm not going to sink to her level. No, no, no. I'm going to hold up my end of this stupid alliance bullshit. I'm going to slay cultists, take down Executives, and be a general badass all out of spite. I'll even fight my damnedest, and put my life on the line, to make sure none of you nameless extras die. I'll pretend that all of you matter as much to me as my friends and fight to protect you, all out of spite."
"That way, when Carys ultimately kills all my friends, stabs me in the back, and makes my life a living hell," his diabolical grin doubled in intensity, "I'll have the satisfaction of knowing that, in the end, I kept my word to uphold the alliance and put aside my hatred of her, and she didn't. Because she's a petty bitch, as I will endeavor to remind her of as a final 'fuck you' before she kills me. And you know what? That's going to sit with her for the rest of her life. And I'll be happy. Truly happy. Between her and me, I'm more honest, I'm nobler, and I keep my word. And at the core of all of this is spite. Spite, spite, spite." He happily chirped.
"So I'm not going to kill you, Perry." He nodded to the Paragon looking at him like he was a crazy person. "I'm not going to kill any of you. I'll work with you and see this alliance through. And remember! It's allllllll out of SPITE."
After that long-winded diatribe, Cobbert took in a deep breath and let it out like a whoosh of fresh air.
"Haaaaaa. I feel better now."
Baltic chuckled with a shake of his head before ordering Witige to go tend to Perry. He then turned to address the rest of the Paragons.
"Well, there you have it." He announced. "Cobb and Lenz will be cooperating with us from here on. So I'll have no more discouraging comments or incidents. Doing so will only diminish our leader's honor." He flashed Cobb a reassuring smile. "We don't want to be the first ones to crack, now do we?"
"No, sir." Many Paragons echoed. Z7 released me and sheathed her daggers in acceptance. Only a few kept silent, not sure what to make of this outburst.
I could see, though. Cobbert had made his choice. I never would have expected him to derive trust from spite. It was a shaky excuse, and I was sure he would be devastated if his friends died, regardless of the satisfaction of being proved right.
But then again… considering Carys' personality, maybe it was all the excuse he needed. He kept thinking she would strike first, but now he was almost hoping for it, just to prove how dishonorable she was. The two competed constantly, throwing out barbs, trying to one-up each other, at each other's throats. This could be just the deterrent to keep them both in check.
"We don't have horses anymore." Baltic commented, pointing to the other side of the valley where six horses were left behind, Cobbert's included. "Should we go back?"
"That'll add two days around the mountains and two days back, delaying us further. I don't want to give Carys an excuse to call me a burden." Cobbert discussed. He actually discussed! He and Baltic were talking like co-leaders now. "We're not too far off from the completed minecart rail, are we?"
"Not too far. No." Baltic agreed.
"Then I say we walk it. Once we're in Daymonte, we get new horses."
"Sounds like a plan." The alchemist nodded. "We better keep moving, though. We have a lot of ground to cover."
"Lead on." Cobbert nodded.
"…Cobb?" Baltic began tentatively. "About the assassins tailing us..." He hesitated. "Carys wanted them with us as support… but also to keep an eye on you in case you tried anything."
"…I almost did." He admitted.
"I know." The reveal that he knew had Cobbert shocked. "I didn't tell the other Paragons and Carys doesn't know. I want us to work together too." He scratched at his beard.
"…I know this alliance had a rocky start, but I really hope we can think of each other as comrades in arms. Do you… think that's possible?"
Slowly and deliberately, Cobbert faced Baltic with flat emerald eyes looking into Baltic's black orbs.
"No."
The crippling shutdown mirrored the one from two days ago, and all life nearly drained from Baltic's face.
"…but," Cobbert spoke slowly, granting the old man hope, "in spite of that," he sighed, "I'm going to try."
Immediately, Baltic's face lit up like the sun. Euphoria was etched into his aged wrinkles and, when Cobbert extended his own hand, Baltic took it in both of his and shook emphatically.
"Thank you, Cobb! I look forward to working together!"
"Anyone ever tell you that you try too hard?" Cobbert shot back, reaching up one hand and tugging off his hood. No longer was it covering his head and shadowing his face. "Geez, I'm sweating in this thing. Wouldn't happen to have any bottled water in your bag of potions, would you?"
"Of course. I have just the thing."
The two walked side by side, the heart of the formation as Paragons and Beginners continued eastward. I smiled fondly, happy that all the drama piling for the past four days was finally released. Like a breath of fresh air. The reasons may have been shaky, but Cobbert was ready to trust again.
And our band of ten was now a band of fourteen with the addition of Z7 and her three assassins.
Speaking of which, I raised a brow when I noticed that Z7 had stationed herself at my side. Her long purple hair was dragging against the ground and her scarred face and coal-black eyes were solely on me.
"Um… hello. I guess you will be traveling with us."
"Wlm'g ozt yvsrmw, mviwormt."
There it was again. She was speaking Jibberish. I thought the words over in my head for a good three minutes before piecing together what she was trying to tell me.
"(Don't lag behind, nerdling.)"
It then took me another three minutes to think up an appropriate response.
"R dzh mlg yvsrmw dsvm blf dviv gzrormt nv. (I was not behind when you were tailing me.)
The belated response had her eyes lifting in interest. She appraised me before spitting out another jumble of words.
"Bvg blf hovkg hl hlfmwob. Zh wvuvmhvovhh zh z xzg. Nb zhhzhhrmh xlfow sziwob yvorvev blf ovg blfi tfziw wldm. Xzm blf vevm pvvk fk drgs dszg R'n hzbrmt drgslfg z yllp gl ivob lm? Rg'oo yv nlimrmt yvuliv blf wvgvxg gsrh kzigrxfozi yizmw lu hmzip. R'oo pmld rg yb gsv sfnrorzgvw vckivhhrlm lm blfi uzxv."
"Okay, okay, okay. Wait, wait! Please slow down!" I furiously tried to remember as much as I could, but it was no use. The heavily scarred woman snickered under her curtain of hair and went on ahead with a burst of speed. "Wait! Repeaters! Say it once or twice more! Lmxv li gdrxv nliv! I can get it!"
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, 8 Ender Pearls, 14 Coal, 37 Snowballs, 6 Ender Chests, 24 Obsidian, 64 Steak, 41 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]
Inventory (Lenz): 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], 53 Arrows, 11 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 7 Ender Pearls, 64 Steak, 11 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]
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 Fire Resistance {8:00}, 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 Spite! Its supereffective!
In all honesty, the scene of Cobb just going on a rant about spite has been a scene I've had in my mind for quite a while. It's a pivotal moment for his character, and I'm glad I got to write it out. No more distrustful bullshit with the Paragons. He'll stay true to this alliance... out of spite.
And really, what better reason do you need than that?
I'll be deviating from the three part Arc method now. You're going to get another few Cobb Chapters as they get closer to Daymonte.
Nice callback with the Killer Rabbits of the valley. That was way back from Chapter 29. Almost 150 Chapters ago. My how time flies.
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. PM. FORUM. DISCORD. GIRL SCOUT COOKIES.