AN: Been having some digestion problems the past couple of days. Not sure what it is. Could be Acid Reflux, could be Indigestion, could be something more serious, I don't know. It's not painful. Just abdominal discomfort for certain foods. Burping makes it better, so it might not even be something serious and I'm just overreacting.
If it gets worse, I might see a doctor. I'm reluctant since I saw a doctor and they didn't really help that much. In fact, I might be like this because the medicine they gave me for something minor gave me an allergic reaction. Since then, I can't discount the possibility that they're purposefully making patients sick so they can get more money. It's disgusting to consider, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was true. Sometimes you just gotta wonder if they even know what the hell they're doing.
Anyway, forget that morbid stuff. Here's another Chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add telephones.
Did I already use this one? Meh. Maybe.
Chapter 179
Found in Translation
[Cobb]
October 23rd. The day after the incident in the valley.
Now that I had the assuring leverage of spite on my side, I was ready to put any rebellious or uncooperative ideas behind me and instead focus on leveling up. Sadly, that meant continuing with my draconian regimen of training while weak and on low health. For that, I needed Baltic's potions again.
Of course, now that we were on more cooperative terms, the elderly alchemist just had to come along to see what I was doing with the harmful brews. I could've done without that.
"This is too extreme, Cobb." He warned after I downed a Harming Potion to lower my Hearts back to near death.
"Yeah, Lenz said something similar." I spoke raggedly, swinging my blade into a tree.
"Well, you should listen to him." Baltic had Splash Potions of Healing and Regeneration prepared whenever I wanted to call off this hellish training. It wasn't nearly as bad as the first time. Still pretty bad, but less so. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable preparing potions for you like this."
"I need stamina and endurance training." I explained for the second time. "Carys can fight far longer than I can—"
"Well, you're not going to fight her, are you?"
"Not while we're in an alliance." I clarified. "I already told you I won't be the one to break this 'peace'." I used the term loosely. I'd honor my word out of spite. Breaking the Beginner-Paragon alliance would be on her. "I'll focus my attention on the Endward Cult, but I'm going to have to fight like Carys if I'm to have a chance against those Executives. Ember has me beat in swordsmanship if she can overwhelm Wynn. I need better staying power. My body needs to learn how to fight past exhaustion and injury."
"There are safer ways to train endurance. Even Carys had to—"
I perked my ears, but Baltic bit off his words abruptly. I turned to face him.
"Carys had to what?" I asked a bit too quickly.
"Carys… had to build her endurance steadily, over time." He threw out. I had the feeling he was trying to change the subject.
"I don't have the luxury of time." I shook my head, taking another sluggish swing at my tree through the Weakness coursing through my body. "We'll be in Oak Docks in less than a month. I need to bring my stamina and endurance up to her level. Plus, I need to stock up on EXP so I can match Ember's 105—if she even stays at that level."
"Well, you're certainly driven." Baltic sighed. "Not many Paragons would go through with this."
"Not even Carys?"
Baltic hesitated.
"Really?" I groaned. "She'd come up with this torturous training too?"
"She'd do anything if it meant getting stronger." Baltic muttered with folded arms. "I guess it's just another similarity you two share."
"I might be grudgingly working with her, but that doesn't mean I don't take insult being compared to her." I grumbled with a pointed stab into my tree. "We're very different, her and I. For one, I actually have friends while she has minions. No offense."
"None taken. Carys is… very abrasive." He admitted. "But it's not like she's never had friends. I've known her all her life and I consider her a close friend, even if she'd never admit to it."
"Okay, sure." I rolled my eyes. "You two are best buds."
"Carys thinks of friendship as a weakness." Baltic said carefully. "I can see why you would think otherwise, what with how you value your comrades. Indeed, the two of you seem like opposites, but you're actually quite similar."
"You'll forgive me if I snort in derision."
"Like I said," Baltic noted gravely, "she'd do anything to get stronger. Even if it meant abandoning how she used to be."
That one line caught me by surprise. Abandoning how she used to be? What was that supposed to mean? What did she used to be?
Before I could ask more, a rustle of bushes near Baltic revealed the appearance of a grumpy Lenz. He had his notebook in hand, which he promptly closed and stuffed into his belt.
"What's got you so upset?" I asked.
"I just finished translating Z7's parting words." He spoke shortly. "She spoke it so fast and I was only able to glean a few words, but from the gist of it, she was mocking me." He planted his hands on his hips and fumed. "Mocking me for trying to understand her garbled words. The nerve! She even said something to me after breakfast! Listen to this."
He then uttered a series of garbled words that had my brain reeling.
"Zs, R hvv blf urtfivw lfg dszg R hzrw bvhgviwzb. Yvggvi ozgv gszm mvevi, mviwormt. Blf nfhg szev yvvm fk zoo mrtsg gfimrmt levi nb dliwh. R'oo szev gl dzgxs dszg R hzb zilfmw blf ovhg R rmxfi blfi dizgs gsv ulooldrmt wzb. Li R xlfow ufigsvi xlmufhv blf yb hkrggrmt nrmwovhh mlmhvmhv. Sviv'h zmlgsvi hgirmt lu hvmgvmxvh uli blf gl kfaaov levi. Wlm'g klmwvi gll olmt mld."
"And that means…?" I asked.
"Hoppers if I know. Give me until tomorrow and I will let you know."
"You mean she spoke all that to you? All at once?" Baltic looked surprised. "And you understood her? You understood Jibberish?"
"Not all of it and not all at once, but yes." He said, hoping to be mollified for his efforts. "I tried to get her to slow down, but she just went off. I am still learning."
"Lenz, Z7 never communicates in paragraphs. She usually speaks in simple words or single sentences. Or nods." Baltic added. "She doesn't bother because, in long discussions, we can't understand her and she can't understand us."
"Wait, so then how do you get her to do stuff?" I asked.
"There's a certain intent behind her words that we can understand. Like, if she's scowling and talking quickly and loudly, she's angry. Or, if she doesn't trust someone, she'll draw her daggers and keep her eyes trained on them. When Carys gives orders, she gets what she's asking for. Sometimes we have to point or look to her when we're talking, but she's intuitive in that she can tell what we're asking of her. In that way, we get around the language barrier. To be honest, I never knew it was a translatable language. All those discordant consonants and vowels…"
"I assure you, Jibberish is a language." Lenz nodded. "You invert letters. A is Z. B is Y. C is X. Et cetera. The problem is getting around those consonants. It is far easier to translate a written record than trying to follow it all."
"The fact that Z7 is bothering to converse with you is a bigger deal than you think." Baltic pointed out. "As leader of Team Epsilon—the covert ops, stealth, and assassin unit—she doesn't usually converse with others. Her garbled language doesn't help either. So, if she's talking with you in complete paragraphs, it might be because she's hoping to finally have someone to converse with."
"But I do not fully understand the language." Lenz complained. "All the pronunciations and consonant combinations. And she refuses to slow down."
"That just means she's excited to finally find someone to talk to." Baltic insisted.
"Excited? She is the picture of calm."
"On the surface, maybe. She's always cool and collected. She's an assassin; she has to be." He gave an aged smile. "Just keep at it. Play her game and keep trying to understand her."
"Agh, I really prefer deciphering Jibberish text." Lenz rubbed his head sheepishly. "I suppose I can try. Now that she is traveling with us, it is important to maintain communication."
"Don't forget her three assassin tagalongs." I added, finishing my training with a final huff of exhaustion.
"Dark_Shroud, Aurand, and Doyle." Baltic nodded. "You'd remember Shroud from Zeppil."
"Yeah. Fun times." I muttered sarcastically, sheathing my sword and taking out my map. "How much further is the railway?" Baltic took out his map to compare, revealing a similar set of white blips on the western half of Minecraftia that overlapped with Floyd, Soul, and Noman's white blips. So he did have a linked map with Carys.
"If we still had the horses," Baltic began, pointing along the map, "we could reach the railway by today. However, since we're going by foot, we'll most likely get there by tomorrow afternoon. Here."
The alchemist handed me a Potion of Regeneration II and I eyed it warily. My Hearts were awfully low from training. I slowly took the bottle and thanked him before drinking deeply. Immediately, I could feel my sore and raw insides knitting back together. Within seconds, I was back to normal.
"My offer still stands if you need any potions." Baltic reminded. "Witige and I are in charge of potions, but it might be better if you come to me for them. At least at first."
"The other Paragons still do not trust Cobbert?" Lenz asked. "But he helped pull them out of the valley!"
"Many of them are not sure what to think of him. I think Z7 and Trenay accept him, but the others are of the mind that Cobb is…" He trailed off, desperately searching for the right word.
"Unbalanced?" I guessed.
"No no. No. Not unbalanced. Just… yeah… yeah, they think you're unbalanced." He gave up. "You've proven that you're strong—Perry's still sour after you humiliated him in front of everyone—but after your spite speech and the way you were grinning maniacally—"
"It was a heat of the moment thing!"
"—they think you're unstable. It doesn't help that this is following a period of indifference and you're torturing yourself with this training method. You're changing so often they don't know what to make of you. One moment you're saying how you planned to kill us, the next you're promising to keep them alive. They need more time to figure you out."
"What's to figure out? I'm not asking to be their friend." I replied. "We're working together. So long as we can do that, they can think whatever they want of me. If they can work with a Jibberwoman assassin, and a vicious edgelady, they can get over me."
"They'll need time." Baltic insisted. "It might interest you to know that not every Paragon blindly put their faith in Carys. It took time to develop trust between the guild leader, the team leaders, and the low-end Paragons."
"Oh yeah?" I asked with interest. "How did Carys deal with the stubborn, willful, tough guys?"
"She pounded them into submission."
I tapped my lip thoughtfully. "So then Soul would be…."
[Soul]
I slammed down, cushioned only by the loose sand of the Redbone Desert. A second later, a purple boot stomped into my gut, driving the air from my lungs. The terrain may have been merciful, but my attacker was not.
"Did I say you could rest, Lost_Soul?" Carys asked, her scythe balanced on her shoulders. In this dry desert heat, she was baking and perspiring just like the rest of us. However, she refused to take a rest day. She was determined to keep moving west at our current pace. None of the Paragons dared to argue with her, but I looked at the state of Noman and knew I had to speak up.
"We walked all day yesterday! It's hot and Noman looks like he's ready to collapse. He needs water!"
"No he doesn't." Carys dismissed, even while, off to the side, Floyd helped to prop up the shield-bearer. "There's no Water Meter for dehydration. You don't need it to live. You just need food and Hearts. Water is just a luxury that staves off heat." She punctuated this with a hearty sip of water, taunting us. "Ahhh. Thirst-quenchingly good." She smacked her lips together.
"He's thirsty! Just give him some water!"
"Hoh, does baby want his bottle?" She taunted, holding up a filled glass bottle of water with a shark-like grin. I dove for it, but Carys gracefully evaded before tripping me with her scythe handle back into the sand. "Too bad. I warned you we were going into the desert. If you really wanted water, you should have packed some like the rest of us."
All the Paragons were carrying bottles filled with water, yet they refused to offer one to the dehydrated Noman. They'd let him thirst just to teach him a messed up lesson about being prepared. He wouldn't die, but he'd suffer clinging onto his horse with the sun beating down on him. He already had to will off his dark suit—which absorbed heat—and his undershirt and pants. He was down to his underwear, yet Carys was content to let him sweat. Christopher Squawken was resting on his back, fanning his wings to try and shade him.
All we had in terms of liquid was a bucket of milk, but that wouldn't do anything to quench his thirst. We needed a water source, but there was nothing but barren sand for miles. It would only cool down at night, when we rested.
"Maybe we'll get some rain." The Paragon called Buckner suggested jokingly.
"Damn it, Carys! This is inhuman!" I shouted.
"And this is me caring." She countered indifferently. "The desert is kinder than me. You can either come take this water bottle off me and show me what you're made of—my guess is the stuff of losers—or you can man up and endure this desert's harshness. OR. I can contact Baltic and let him know a certain engineer needs his living privileges revoked. So what'll it be?"
"You… fucking…" My red face had nothing to do with the heat. Frustration welled up within me and memories of my helplessness in Akasha rose to the surface. Without a better outlet, I lunged at Carys and the water bottle only to get sidestepped and kneed in the chin. Next instant, I was doubled over by her scythe handle again and eating sand.
"Come on now. That was really close." Carys taunted, waving the bottle.
There was a rush of wind and a blur of smoke as Floyd used his Speed Hack to snatch the bottle from the Angel of Death. Carys blinked at her empty hand before glaring Floyd's way as he tilted the bottle into Noman's mouth.
"Burning your Hack on a measly bottle of water." She shook her head. "What a waste."
"If it's so measly, why do you hang onto it like liquid gold?" He shot back.
"Out here, water is more precious than gold." She gestured to the vast sands. "There's a reason no Kingdom claimed these unforgiving lands. All the Testificate villages are empty—swallowed by Mobs—and the nearest and biggest water source is the Red River. We'll be reaching it tomorrow, so I suggest you start gathering sand to make glass bottles. It'll be the only water you get for miles."
Floyd scowled at her until his Speed fizzled out and he collapsed along Noman's horse. The shield-bearer was barely stirring after gulping down the water. I struggled to my feet and clutched my bruised gut before limping over to help the two back onto their horses. The Paragons didn't wait up. They were already riding their horses over the next dune.
"I hate her." Floyd gnashed.
"Get in line." I agreed. "I doubt even Noman could find a reason to want her alive."
"Water…" Noman panted, draped over his horse like a towel. "Water…"
"Just hang in there, buddy." I comforted. "It'll be cooler tonight. And tomorrow, you can dunk your head in the Red River and drink 'till you're sick."
"Sounds… nice…" He closed his eyes and smiled weakly before Snow carried him on. After that, I draped the numb Floyd over his horse and set him off after him.
"If we're having this much trouble, how are Cobb and Lenz faring?"
[Lenz]
"So that letter would be… 'O'. And then this letter would be… 'J'. No, wait, 'I'. It's an 'I'. Repeaters this is exhausting. Yet just like a complex puzzle, I am compelled to solve it!"
I was furiously transcribing in my notebook while we walked. Like Baltic said, the other Paragons were avoiding Cobbert, convinced he was unstable. Their fears were correct, seeing as he nearly blew them all up. But that was our little secret.
It was a shame that we could not drop by Halstatt. We were in that area, and Cobbert even suggested the idea, but Baltic and Trenay vetoed him, stating Halstatt got a lot of attention after the business with Alec. It was the historical site where a Hacker first fell. The cultists would expect Cobbert to return at some point, making it a risky excursion. Cobbert could not fault their reasoning, and agreed that it was better for everyone that he not return there.
"What about Daymonte? That place has to have cultists. And Lenz and I are wanted men."
"You are. But Lenzington's poster was issued by Ringwood only recently. It's still being circulated in other kingdoms." Trenay informed. "It'll take time for him to be hunted down."
"That is a relief." I sighed.
"Well, what about me?" Cobbert asked. "And the rest of you? The cultists must recognize a few of you as Paragons. How are you going to avoid detection?"
"We don't have to. We just need to make sure Beginners and Paragons aren't seen collaborating." Baltic said. "It's easier to hide two than to hide twelve, so I'm afraid you two will need to wear masks or stay invisible while inside Daymonte's chasms."
"I vote invisibility." Cobbert raised his hand. It made sense, since we had an alchemist on our side.
"We still need to get there—" Trenay started before stopping short. Z7 was on high alert, her daggers drawn. Her three assassins were similarly pulling out their weapons. "Z7's caught wind of something."
Next moment, a group of Griefers on horseback came barreling towards us.
I reacted on instinct, drawing my bow and sinking an arrow into one horse's leg at the same time a pair of daggers sunk into two separate Griefers. Z7 darted forward, her purple hair streaking behind her like a contrail. She recovered her daggers in a blink and stabbed both Griefers in the neck before violently ripping them out and killing them. Her empty black eyes showed no remorse.
'That just means she's excited to finally find someone to talk to.'
I wondered if Baltic read the signs wrong. That was not the face of someone who wanted to make friends.
The other Paragons split up to tackle the threat and, like before, Baltic paired with Cobbert, throwing splash potions at his feet to help him out. And this time, Cobbert accepted.
The difference was astounding. First, Baltic must have juiced the fisherman up with a Strength Potion, because he was dispatching Griefers in two hits, his Sweeping Edge sword helping by spreading the damage to a wide area. The EXP from the fallen foes flowed into his and Baltic's arms.
Some Griefers pulled out bows to take Cobbert out from a distance, but Baltic was several steps ahead, empowering Cobbert with a Swiftness Potion so he could zigzag between the projectiles and land a series of devastating slashes. Even Cobbert seemed surprised with how easier things were.
And if he even took an iota of damage, Baltic was there with a Healing or Regeneration Potion to fix him back up. The Griefers could not possibly have any potion support unless they picked them up themselves; they did not know how to brew.
Baltic punished them for that, splashing them with debilitating Weakness or Slowness or Poison. Despite Cobbert wearing himself out training earlier today, he breezed through a group of seventeen Griefers like they were nothing.
I could see when it dawned on him. The realization was plain on his face.
The Paragons were making him stronger.
How should I put it. In terms of Rock-Paper-Scissors, he was fighting with only the rock and scissors before. The Beginners never had a dependable alchemist to rely on. But now he was learning the importance of potions. Now he could use every available option. And that made him truly terrifying on the battlefield.
He did not even have to pull out Backlash.
By the end of it, only three Griefers were left. They had surrendered and were about to be put to death by the assassins until Cobbert hurried over, asking them to stop.
The Griefers' moment of hope was cut short when Cobbert pulled out the glass bottles and ordered them to tap into their EXP meters. The assassins looked on with dawning interest at the idea, and any complaints the Griefers had were dealt with when Z7 leered at them with her empty black eyes, a dagger turning over in her hand.
They drained themselves to the last drop and provided Cobbert with twenty-five bottles o' enchanting. After that, the assassins still wanted to gut them, but Cobbert and Baltic talked them out of it.
"They'll only attack us in the future." The assassin named Aurand pointed out.
"Then they'll have more EXP to give." Cobbert countered before distributing the bottles to Baltic and the assassins. He even gave some to Z7. There was no denying that they were getting more EXP this way instead of outright killing them, and the assassins were so pleased with their level gains that they did not bat an eye when the three Griefers were released back into the woods.
"Can't believe we never thought of that." The assassin named Doyle marveled. "Dwight, how come you or Anibal never thought of using EXP bottles like this?"
Dwight stammered. "Well… I… she never…"
"It would make a good collaboration between the potion unit and the arms unit." Witige pointed out. "Think of all the EXP we'd be saving!"
After that little incident, the assassins became less wary of Cobbert. He was no longer just the crazy guy conspiring to kill everybody. They saw he had a mind to him.
"Progress." I remarked contentedly.
Later that night, we established a camp and everyone went about their business. I was leaned against a tree, reciting some phrases to myself.
"The sky is blue." I recited before glancing at my notebook. "Gsv hpb rh yofv." I repeated the garbled words until they matched the inflections Z7 used. Then I moved onto the next.
"Redstone is forever." I recited. "Ivwhglmv rh ulivevi. Yes, that is good. Very good."
By practicing the language, I was familiarizing myself more with which letters equated to which. 'Z' being 'A' was the easiest, being the first and last letter of the alphabet. And 'M' and 'N' rhymed and could always be remembered as the other. The rest of the letters still confused me, and I was sure my language sounded disjointed. But, next time, Z7 would have a hard time catching me unawares.
Suddenly, I was caught unawares when a mass of purple hair was dumped on my open notebook. I sat up with a yelp, clutching my rapidly beating heart as I spied the Jibberwoman hanging upside down from the tree I was sat under.
"Dszg'h fk? (What's up?)" She quipped.
"Blf. (You)." I replied straight away. She smirked at my quick response before dropping to the ground before me.
"Mlg yzw. (Not bad.) Yfg xzm blf nzgxs nb kzxv? (But can you match my pace?)"
A bead of sweat rolled down my face. She was only using one syllable words—child's play—but if she started spewing Jibberish word vomit, it would be a challenge.
I threw down the gauntlet.
"Wl blfi dlihg. (Do your worst.)"
She leaned back, her black eyes narrowing at the provocation. She licked her lips and pushed the curtain of hair out of her face before striking.
"Blf dzmg nb dlihg? Blf'iv gsv xolhvhg kvihlm gl fmwvihgzmw dszg R'n hzbrmt. Vevi hrmxv R hkzdmvw, R dzh lhgizxravw uli gsv dzb R gzopvw. Mvevi nrmw gszg R hkzdmvw gsrh dzb hrnkob yvxzfhv R xlfowm'g xlnv fk drgs z mznv uli nbhvou. Kvlkov hvv nv zh z mlmhvmhv-hkvdrmt uivzp, drgs z hxziivw uzxv gl nzgxs, zmw szri gszg wizth rm gsv wrig. Xzibh dzh gsv lmob lmv dsl zxxvkgvw nv, zmw hsv wrwm'g mvvw gl fmwvihgzmw nv. Dszg zn R gzoprmt zylfg? Blf kilyzyob zivm'g vevm tvggrmt zmb lu gsrh."
Oh, comparators, there was so much. I only caught every fourth word, and even then, I doubted I got it right. There was no way I could understand her native tongue in a few short days.
"(You want my worst? You're the xolhvhg kvihlm to understand what I'm saying. Ever since I hkzdmvw, I was lhgizxravw for the way I gzopvw. Never nrmw that I hkzdmvw this way hrnkob yvxzfhv I couldn't come up with a name for nbhvou. Kvlkov see me as a mlmhvmhv-hkvdrmt freak, with a hxziivw face to nzgxs, and szri that wizth in the dirt. Xzibh was the only one who zxxvkgvw me, and she didn't need to understand me. What am I gzoprmt zylfg? You kilyzyob zivm'g even tvggrmt any of this.)"
But then, what was it Baltic said? She was intuitive. I had to read her expression. Her voice. Her body language.
I lowered my tinted glasses to get a better look. If there was one thing I prided myself on, it was my discerning eye.
She started off challenging. Her black eyes hard and tough. Then she grew reminiscent, as if recalling the past. Then she grew self-deprecating, insulting herself with harsh words. Then she finished with a somber tone, her voice petering out like a dying flame.
Suddenly, the words I missed did not matter. I had enough information to connect the dots.
"(You want my worst? You're the closest person to understand what I'm saying. Ever since I spawned, I was ostracized for the way I talked. Never mind that I spawned this way simply because I couldn't come up with a name for myself. People see me as a nonsense-spewing freak, with a scarred face to match, and hair that drags in the dirt. Carys was the only one who accepted me, and she didn't need to understand me. What am I talking about? You probably aren't even getting any of this.")
"R tlg vmlfts lu rg. (I got enough of it.)" I answered slowly, shocking her. "Blf dviv mlg gsv lmob lfgxzhg rm gsv kzhg. Dszg nzggvih rh gszg dv szev ulfmw xlnizwvh gl yvolmt gl. (You were not the only outcast in the past. What matters is that we have found comrades to belong to.)"
Again, my pronunciation was off, but I think the gist was there. Z7 blinked in silence, observing me carefully as I lowered my tinted glasses back into place. Then, she gave me a short nod of respect before turning on one barefoot and going to her tent.
Was she happy or disappointed? The answer, like the assassin, eluded me.
Meanwhile, Cobbert was camped out in the middle of the Paragons. He was talking with Baltic about something and making pointed gestures.
"Why do you keep throwing that map down and picking it up?" Cobbert asked. The alchemist had a map in his hands and had been doing that morning and night ever since we left Ringwood.
"Oh, I'm communicating with Carys' group via Morse Code. Map Messages." Baltic explained.
"Every time he drops or picks up the map, his blip disappears and reappears." Heather added. "Through this, we can send distant Paragons messages. We all share the same map network and keep eyes on blips round the clock. It's an essential part of Jillian's information network."
"And you can all understand that?" Cobbert asked, surprised.
"Of course. Excluding Z7, every Paragon is versed in Morse Code. It was part of their training, along with sword-fighting, archery, and the like." Trenay supplied. "Carys took it very seriously—"
"So, wait, that means you can send them messages?" Cobbert cut her off, standing up and giving the map his full attention. "You can check up on them and see how they're doing?"
"Yes. Carys has been sending me messages every day at morning and night." Baltic nodded, holding up his map. "And I've been doing the same. Things like progress, complications, how everyone is doing."
"And how my friends are doing?"
"Ah." Baltic hesitated. "Sorry, Cobb, but Carys hasn't shared anything about your friends. It could be because she doesn't want to burden the other Map Watchers with what she considers superfluous information."
"It's not superfluous. It's super-salient." He insisted. "Send her a message. I want to know that my friends are still alive and not being tortured."
"Jillian's Map Message Network is for the passing of essential information, Cobb." Luis stressed, joining in on the conversation. "She won't be happy with you wasting Paragon resources."
"Well, I want to know that she's not wasting Beginner resources." He spoke firmly. "Baltic, you're reporting to her anyway. Can't you drop a line that I want to verify their safety?"
"Well…" Baltic rubbed the back of his neck. "I suppose I can try. But I'm not promising she'll be happy."
"You kidding? She'll be livid." Wing said with excitement as he scooted closer. "This I gotta see." The other Paragons similarly gathered round, interested in hearing Carys' rebuttal. I sidled beside Cobbert as Baltic began dropping and picking up the map in rapid succession. He spoke the words as he relayed them.
"Carys. King_Cobb is requesting an update on his friends' safety. Verifying this will ease his doubts and ensure he is more trusting towards us. Please answer back. Baltic."
After the final map pickup, Baltic spread the map out for everyone to see. Our heads crowded it as we watched the white blip that was Carys in the Redbone Desert.
The reply was instantaneous, as the white blip blinked on and off in rapid succession, the rhythm and duration of the blinks changing. With each passing second, many Paragons had their grins widening, and Baltic and Trenay had their faces paling.
When the white blip finally stopped blinking, Baltic turned his head up to relay the message.
"She says that she's sorry, but she can't relay that information at this time. She needs to focus her time communicating with the Paragons in Nitebane, and she hopes you understand—"
"Bullshit." The speed at which Cobbert called him out was staggering. "What did she really say?"
"…That your stupid questions are wasting her time and that you should blow her." Baltic confessed. "B-But I'm sure if you read between the lines—"
"She also said that your friends' lives are hers to use as she pleases." Dwight added with a smirk. "And that they may or may not be gone. You'll never know."
"Of course she did." Far from being upset by this news, Cobbert developed the same diabolical grin that he had for his spite speech. I shifted slightly to get more comfortable as I watched what unfolded. "Ooooookay! I have a retort. Baltic, can you quote me word for word?"
"Um…" Baltic hesitated. "Cobb, remember your talk about spite and being the bigger person—"
"I remember. Now can you help me?"
"…Very well." He took up the map. "Ready."
Cobbert cleared his throat before relaying his message. Baltic worked feverishly to send it all.
"Carys. This is Cobb. I'd like to say I expected this kind of pettiness from you, but I'm sure the truth of the matter is that you got them killed the second they were out of sight. I should inform you that, in the same situation, I did not endanger the Paragons you entrusted to me. Instead, I rescued them from certain death just yesterday. I did this because, whatever my feelings towards you, I agreed with this alliance to take on a bigger threat. And, though you cannot perform the laborious chore of verifying the safety of my friends, rest assured that I will continue to protect and collaborate with your Paragons and work towards the ultimate defeat of the Endward Cult because I am able to rise above such pettiness. I am the bigger man, and I am better than you will ever be. Good night."
There was a nervous silence as Baltic finished relaying the message. Many were the Paragons that stared and gaped at Cobbert's audacity. The fisherman checked his nails idly, unconcerned with the looks as he awaited Carys' reply.
I had to wonder what was happening on the other end of the map.
A minute passed. Then two. Then three. Just when it looked like she was not going to answer, Carys' blip started blinking again. This time, it was Trenay that relayed the message.
"Cobb. This is Floyd. I don't know what you said to Carys, but she was frothing at the mouth when she pulled me over to one of her goons and demanded I send you a message. We're all okay here. Noman's a little thirsty, but we're alive. How are you guys?"
"There we go." Cobbert smiled happily before his expression grew serious. "Baltic, keep quoting me verbatim." He cleared his throat again while the Paragons watched, impressed that he got his way with Carys_Angel. "Floyd. If this is really you and not one of her Paragons, tell me something only the real Flawwed_Floyd would know. When we returned to the Origin Zone and encountered Thed_Hearst, what was the full name of the fresh spawn who turned out to also be a Hacker like you?"
The reply came fast.
"DouGlassCannon."
Relief. Cobbert and I shared it as we both slumped forward, our shoulders loosening. He needed a second to laugh to himself before resuming his chat.
"That settles it. Glad to hear from you. Lenz and I are alive as well. We just passed the Caerbannog Mountain. We lost the horses but we'll be arriving in Daymonte tomorrow night at the latest. Noman's thirsty? He didn't bring any water?"
"No. And Carys refuses to give him a drop more. He's not suited to this desert."
"Tell Carys that a bottle of water is a small maintenance cost for the wielder of an invincible chestplate. Or are times so tough that she can't afford a bottle of water?"
There was another pause before the blip started flashing again.
"That did it. She threw us a couple of bottles. Soul caught one in the face, but Noman's happily hydrating himself. How is Lenz?"
"I already said he was fine."
"Carys keeps threatening his safety if we disobey her orders."
"Oh yeah?" Cobbert spared Baltic a glance. "Well, take it from me, there's not a Paragon here who'd threaten him while I'm around. Carys' leverage isn't as available as she thinks."
"That's good to..." The message stopped as the blip suddenly vanished. Cobbert and I shared a quick glance before the blip started flashing again. "That's enough babbling. Baltic, get on the map and kick Cobb away. I want to speak with you privately on why you bothered to share this communication method with that annoyance. This is a secure network, so you better have a good explanation on why you're relaying his messages. And what's this about him saving Paragons? That better be a joke. If not, I want you to name the maggots that indebted themselves to that massterbaitor."
"And that concludes tonight's entertainment." Cobbert clapped his hands with finality and a big smile. "Don't bother kicking me, Baltic. I'm going to turn in, as I've had a very gratifying day. If Carys grills you about passing on my message, just tell her I spotted you dropping your map and blackmailed you into helping me. Night."
As Cobbert clambered into his bed and snuggled under the covers with a pleased smile—falling into a deep slumber in seconds—the Paragons leaned back in disbelief.
"I don't believe it." Dwight muttered. "He got Carys to do what he asked… with just his words!"
"Spite is a two way street, it seems." Baltic smiled before messaging Carys back. "The rivalry between Cobb and Carys allows for a certain level of understanding. Or rather, they're more alike than either one would ever admit."
"I still think you're crazy." Perry spoke for perhaps the first time since Cobbert beat him yesterday. He looked more upset now that Carys would learn of him getting saved yesterday. Dwight, Z7, and Baltic were in the same boat, but only the former seemed remotely worried.
"You can't deny he's got guts, though." Doyle commented. "He could've set her off. Instead he got in touch with his allies, got them concessions, and removed her leverage. Not to mention the EXP method he came up with…" He hesitated. "Maybe the guy isn't the newb we thought he was."
"They must have some merit." Shroud nodded. "They escaped us in Zeppil, after all."
"I'm starting to like our chances more and more." Wing agreed. "Teal and the rest of the Eastern Division better watch their backs. Once we reach Oak Docks, their days are numbered."
As the Paragons continued with their uplifting discussions, I volunteered to be the one on first watch. Now that Cobbert was fully on board, he was using his smarts to make things better for the Beginners as a whole. And he would continue to cooperate so long as he had spite on his side. Same with Carys, now. Neither one would want to give the other ammo. Nor would they want to let the other prove their moral superiority.
Our friends' safety was assured…
…unless Carys made a mistake and lost one of them. If that happened, Cobbert would keep to his word, but be devastated during and after all was said and done.
Then… then he might just go back to how he was after AceOfJades left.
[Cobb]
Brain: Following you led us to the brink of destruction! We were being watched! The Paragons could communicate with Carys' group at any moment! Had Lenz not stopped us, we would have doomed him, the others, everything!
Blood: Following Heart did much of the same! He put our trust in someone we hardly understood for the sake of love. The cultists learned everything about us through her and we lost Erin. In that moment, Cobb came to me for the strength to act! You think Cobb could have done half the stuff he did if I wasn't there spurring him on?
Brain: You were going to blow them to smithereens!
Blood: At least I did something!
Lungs: ENOUGH! This arguing solves nothing! We need to address what's best for Cobb as a whole.
Bladder: Yeah. Brain is important because he's smart. He thinks things through and retains knowledge. It's because of him that we find solutions around unsolvable problems or formidable adversaries.
Brain: Damn straight.
Stomach: And Blood is important because he channels Cobb's inner rage. He gives Cobb the strength to fight alone. The strength to fight through pain. Savagely and mercilessly, but belligerently. His draconian stamina training and EXP loading will only help Cobb for the harder battles to come.
Blood: You're strongest when your back's against the wall. No way out. No choice but to fight.
Liver: B-but Heart is also necessary.
Blood: What for!? You saw where he got us! What use could we possibly have for that soft-hearted fool?
Liver: …What about… when we can't fight alone?
Blood: …
Liver: Heart allows us to connect to others. To extend our reach and inspire others to fight alongside us. Like Lenz said, people are worth trusting. We would never have overcome half the challenges we faced if not for the friends we made connections with. Even… even Jade.
Blood: Jade was never our friend. She was a mistake. Never again. We can't trust ever again.
Liver: Not without Heart. And we need Heart. For the battles we can't fight alone. The battles we need help to win. Crafters are stronger together. Even Carys, for all her talk of fighting her own battles, has allies. Those she's inspired.
Brain: She's about as inspirational as a rabid raccoon. Can't we just use the reason of spite to keep her from betraying us?
Lungs: No. Liver is right. We need more than that. Spite can be a springboard, but we need help if we're to take on the Endward Cult.
Brain: …Yeah. To be frank, I just really want Heart back. I miss our arguments and his sweet naiveté. And if Baltic hadn't bothered to connect with us, we'd probably have no level of control with this group at all.
Blood: They already despise us. This is a waste of time.
Liver: Well… can't we at least try? Just a tiny bit?
Bladder: I'm all for it.
Stomach: Same here.
Lungs: *Sigh*
Blood: …Fine. I'm clearly outvoted. But when our back's against the wall, I call the shots!
Brain: And when we need an epiphany moment, or time to think things through… ooooor there's a calculus problem, I call the shots!
Liver: Good. Now… let's go get our Heart back.
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, 45 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, 37 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: 38]
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], 52 Arrows, 11 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 7 Ender Pearls, 64 Steak, 8 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 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: 30]
Inventory (Floyd): 1 Mob Head {Creeper}, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 2 Iron Ingots, 64 Steak, 54 Steak, 2 Sticks, 31 Coal, 20 Torches, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 16 Gunpowder, 16 Ender Pearls, 2 Ender Pearls, 1 Splash Potion of Invisibility {6:00}, 1 Bucket, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 34]
Stratus the Horse
Inventory (Soul): 1 Diamond Axe [Sharpness V], 1 Iron Pickaxe, 64 Iron Ingots, 28 Iron Ingots, 20 Flint, 12 Gold Ingots, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV, Feather Falling IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Crafting Table, 1 Jukebox, 1 Music Disc {chirp}, 1 Bed, 1 Furnace, 24 Torches, 34 White Wool, 58 Dirt, 26 Pumpkin Seeds, 64 Cobblestone, 62 Cobblestone, 32 Jungle Wood Planks, 1 Armor Stand, 64 Steak, 6 Cooked Mutton, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 26]
Long-Face the Horse
Cat-Face the Cat
Christopher Squawken the Parrot
Inventory (Noman): 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness I], 1 Diamond Chestplate {Severe Shield}, 1 Leather Boots {Bottes Zephyr} [Dyed White], 1 Green Shield [Beginners], 1 Flint and Steel, 1 Milk Bucket, 6 Buckets, 2 Cobblestone, 1 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Water Bottle, 3 Glass Bottles, 5 Ender Chests, 16 Ender Pearls, 5 Ender Pearls, 1 Nether Star, 54 Steak, 3 Phantom Membranes, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Akasha Entry Pass}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Enchanted Golden Apple, 1 Diamond Helmet, 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Diamond Leggings, 1 Diamond Boots
[EXP: 26]
Snow the Horse
AN: Cobb with that mic drop. Let's gooooooooooo.
This one was kind of a mix between the Cobb and Carys sections. More Cobb than anything, but I really liked the humor of the message he left her. I purposefully didn't show Carys' side, as that just makes it funnier imagining how she read Cobb's message, got angry, and then stormed over to Floyd, dragging him over to another Paragon so they could relay a message and prove to Cobb she wasn't a petty bitch. Also, Cobb calling out Baltic for trying to pass on the message in a gentler tone. Hilarious.
I do like the dynamic between Cobb and Carys. Even with miles apart, they still find the time to snipe at one another. Massterbaitor being an insult for a fisherman.
There was one more scene I wanted to add, but I can add it to the Cobb section next time. They'll be getting to Daymonte before long, and the Triplex Arc will be concluded.
Hope you enjoyed.
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. PM. FORUM. DISCORD. STEEL CUT OATS.