Chapter 20: Raid
Part 2
Johnathan had died. The leader that everyone respected and looked up to, was no more. Some cried out in outrage. Others were stunned. The two humans were among the latter. The evoker knew how to rally the more vocal parts of the crowd.
"I gave you a fair warning, but you didn't listen. You brought this upon yourselves."
As the outcries raged on, the leader of the illagers locked eyes with Steve. The man in blue could just barely make out a green glimmer. The evoker took a step forward, and threw an item toward Steve, who instinctively jumped back.
Once the item in question landed on the ground, it became apparent that the gesture probably wasn't meant to be hostile. It resembled a gold ingot, but upon closer examination, it was actually a gold statue of a villager. Its eyes were made of emeralds. Amid the roars, Steve still somehow managed to make out the evoker's words.
"Keep it. You'll need it."
She then turned to her followers and ordered a retreat. Vincent was exasperated by the command, but didn't have a say in the matter, as Matilda practically dragged him by the hand. At a moment's notice, the evoker vanished from her spot, as did everyone else who was on her side. The most deafening silence ensued.
Was the raid over? Were they safe? What were they even supposed to do first? Should they start counting losses? Who would even pick up the mantle the mayor left behind?
Steve picked up the item that was thrown to him and inspected it absent-mindedly. 'Totem of Undying' was its name. It had a mystical aura around it. It was pulsating in the same frequency as a human heart when calm.
In the meantime, Emily, Sebastian and Gordon had regrouped. The two humans had reunited, too. The rest of the villagers stepped out of their homes. Some were relieved, most were in grief. Out of the twenty or so inhabitants, at least eight had perished.
The atmosphere was heavy, yet the weather seemed oblivious to their dreadful state. The sun was shining all the same. The sporadic clouds were white as snow. Time kept marching on, stopping for no one. Everyone had to move on, eventually. But when could they take the first step?
...
*thump*
...
*Thump*
...?
*Thump*
...!
The Cornelians were taken out of their stupor by sudden vibrations of the earth. They focused on the direction the commotion was coming from. Descending from the north, a giant creature, joined by another group of pillagers, started to gallop toward the village. It was the ravager, the illagers'...trusty steed.
It was a real atrocity, that made the ghast of the Nether look cute and cuddly. As it advanced, a purple bar, of a design similar to the experience bar, appeared on the top of Steve and Rana's fields of view, that corresponded to the beast's health. This was going to be a long, uphill battle...
The enemy finally breached the border of the village. The ravager, steered by its rider, ran through the northern wheat fields, trampling the crops along its path. The pillagers fired away with their crossbows, taking advantage of the villagers' jumbled state. Their arrows served as a rude wake-up call. The Cornelians scrambled away, once again seeking refuge in buildings. This had grown tiresome...
The pillagers scattered accordingly, chasing their prey in groups.
Steve and Rana split up once again, homing in on the newest invaders. The iron golem went face-to-face with the ravager. The latter got the first hit off, as its horns collided on the defender's metal torso with a loud clang. The golem retaliated by slamming its heavy arms right on the ravager's forehead. The beast roared but appeared unaffected otherwise.
The volume of said roar was so great, that the windows of every nearby building trembled. Light cracks formed all over the iron golem's body. The beast's rider knew that despite its immense strength, the ravager's main target shouldn't be the golem, but those it was meant to protect. So, they pivoted their steed, and headed down toward south.
In the meantime, the two humans were fighting the rogue pillagers, separately. There wasn't as much opposition in this wave as there was in the previous one. Steve was having a bit of trouble adjusting to his lack of shield, a fact that led to him getting shot a few times more than he otherwise would've. Even so, he protected the townsfolk as best he could.
He was running by the blacksmith's shop, while a couple villagers were a few paces ahead of him. All he needed to do was keep guarding them, until they could reach a safe haven. Right as they were about to cross the road, however, the ravager jumped out of an alley. It charged full speed ahead, and rammed itself against the villagers, knocking them aside like ragdolls. They collapsed on the ground as a result.
The ravager got closer to one of the villagers. It raised one of its forelegs and stomped on the villager in a lightning-fast motion. The Cornelian died instantly. The other one got up in a blind panic, and ran the opposite direction, taking cover behind Steve. The man was frozen. He exchanged looks with the foul beast, as the latter galloped toward him.
Just barely snapping out of it on time, Steve squeezed the hilt of his sword, and delivered a thrust, stabbing the ravager in the head. The beast began to flail wildly, roaring once more. The rider could just barely hold on. As the ravager pulled itself away, the sword broke.
It had been a special sword, too. It was the enchanted one, gifted to him by Gordon. He had used it on so many adventures, that he felt his weariness amplify now that he no longer had it. The rider noticed that the target was unarmed, and decided to take advantage of that. They steered the ravager, so that it would land directly on the enemy.
The ravager's body slam sent its victims flying approximately six blocks, which was an insane distance, even when compared to a goat's ram. Steve grunted in pain, shaking. The behemoth was staring him down. He felt too weak to stand upright on his feet, as his entire body ached.
As the enraged ravager was about to initiate another attack, his thoughts were filled with regret. He couldn't protect the ones close to him, after all...The inn was now one more attack behind him, so he'd soon get cornered. Assuming he could survive another hit like that, of course...
He pathetically raised his arms and crossed them defensively, forming an "x". The distance between the two combatants was decreasing ever more quickly. Steve clenched his teeth, shut his eyes firmly, and braced for impact.
But that painful impact never came. He was pushed, not from the direction he was expecting, but rather, from his right. It didn't hurt much, either. Opening his eyes to see what had happened, he saw...Rana. She had pushed him aside with all her strength. He saw her outstretched arms, and the frantic look in her eyes. His heart ached as the realization sunk in.
She got knocked back by the attack and hit her head against the wall of the inn, instantly falling unconscious.
He was stunned for a few moments. He couldn't exactly tell how much time had passed. It couldn't have been that much – everything seemed still. Once Steve came to, adrenaline coursed through his blood vessels. He saw the ravager stand where he had been standing before, and did the only thing he could do. He dished out the most ferocious punch he could muster. Then another. Then another.
He ignored the roughness of the beast's skin. He just kept punching until it hurt. In truth, it hurt him much more than it did the ravager. Even though the ravager seemed unscathed, one of those punches actually managed to hurt it, by flinging it one block up into the air. How had Steve done that?
He hadn't. Talos had caught up to them, so that it could continue their duel. The ravager roared loudly, but by the time it turned around and actually fought back, it was too late; it had gotten too hurt. One more arm bash had done the job. The ravager died in the usual mob manner. It left behind, a saddle and experience orbs.
Once the rider was dispatched, a status icon appeared in Steve's view. It depicted an emerald over a red ribbon. The status was called "Hero of the Village". The raid was over. But did they win?
...
The bell was ringing solemnly.
The people of Cornelia were mourning the loss of their loved ones. Most of them had gathered over to the church, or the library to give comfort to each other. Nearby, Gordon, in an attempt to distract themself, was mending the iron golem by applying one of the last remaining iron ingots to the fissures...
The inn was vacant – for the most part, anyway. In Rana's room, Steve was sitting by his unconscious partner. She was alive thanks to the gold helmet she had been wearing, which shattered upon the collision. She was stripped down to her underwear, so that her injuries could be examined. Her frog hat had been placed upside-down on top of her single chest. Sky had curled up beside it.
Instead of a hat or a helmet, Rana's warm head was covered in cool, wet, makeshift bandages. A few red locks stuck out through the wraps. Her torso and right leg were handled in a similar manner. The villagers had made the bandages by tearing pillowcases and sheets of beds that had no one left to occupy them anymore...
Steve held her hand in both of his, as various, discombobulated thoughts swirled inside his skull. Two times. Two times Rana risked her life to save his hide. First in the Nether, and then in the raid. He felt ashamed and spiteful for his weakness. Had he been just a little stronger, just a little more competent, she wouldn't have had to get in danger like this... The words she had blabbered to him in the desert rang in his ears.
"The day I take off my frog hat...will be the day I-"
'NO! It was a joke! Just a joke...Keep calm...She's out of harm's way now, and that's all that matters. I'll support her until she recovers – however long that may take.'
He sat there for a few more moments, before soaking another bandage strip in the cauldron and using it to clean Rana's face. It was getting close to sunset. Today was a massive setback, that would permanently alter the lives of everyone involved. And yet, still, the only thing they could do, was move forward. What was needed most, was time to make peace with the reality of the situation.
*Knock-knock*
Catherine opened the door. Having scanned the room, they requested Steve to follow them to the main square, so that they could all formulate a short-term damage control plan. Steve eyed the innkeeper. Their gaze held the same, depressed look as everyone else's. He felt hesitant to leave Rana in her time of need. He hadn't even had the time to tend to his own injuries. Catherine was especially adamant, however.
Getting the impression that this was going to be a quick role assignment, he complied. The two eventually arrived at their destination. Steve took a mental photo of the townsfolk, only to realize that they were all glaring at him. He felt a little weirded out.
"Bind him!"
Before he could react, Steve found himself constricted by two leashes. He struggled in futility to free himself, as Sebastian called to him.
"Steve. We have brought you to this trial with the purpose of bringing you to justice. You are being held responsible for criminal negligence, which led to the deaths of over half of Cornelia's population, its mayor included, the destruction of crops, as well as damage to an iron golem, all by the hand of a rival tribe. That is evident by the 'Bad Omen' effect you had applied to yourself. Can anyone else attest to that?"
The rest of the villagers responded positively. The librarian, now serving as a judge, continued.
"Additionally, there are records of hostile mobs spawning at a higher rate in your presence, putting our humble village in danger. Can anyone else attest to that?"
A similar response. Sebastian added one last charge.
"There have also been reports of creepers spontaneously combusting when in close proximity to you. A witness, our local blacksmith, can even confirm so."
Gordon hesitantly testified. Sebastian exchanged looks with Emily and Catherine. The latter two slowly nodded.
"Taking all this into account, the Council finds you guilty, and sentences you to death. Do you have any final words?" The iron golem stomped toward Steve.
"I couldn't have possibly known-!"
"May whatever divine being rules the universe take pity on your soul. Rest."
As the convict struggled to break loose, he made eye contact with his executioner. The sentient statue's red eyes pierced his soul as it raised its massive arms. It ultimately slammed them down on the criminal's head, as though he were a foul undead. His helmet cracked before falling apart completely. His ears were ringing, and his vision was blurry. He could barely make out the villagers' cheers and cries of joy.
Zombies, skeletons, pillagers, even the ravager itself paled in comparison to the sheer pain the golem inflicted upon him. It felt as though an entire mountain was dropped on top of him. One heart. That was the lowest he had ever gotten to.
As Steve's consciousness was hanging by a thread, Talos struck him on the chest, crushing his ribs. Steve's vision turned black. His blood was flowing relentlessly from his mouth, his open gash and Talos' arms, and was accumulating in a pool under his body.
...
For the longest time, Steve felt nothing. No pain, no weight, no strength. A feeling similar to that of sleeping; enveloped in the sweet embrace of oblivion. Until, through the abyss, shone a beacon of blue light. As the brightness subsided, Steve found himself standing before the totem of undying. It was levitating, and its emerald eyes were shimmering.
After an indefinite amount of time, the totem shook gently, letting out a high-pitched jingle. Steve felt numb. Then, it shook a second time, which felt like a tug. There was the sound of a child-like voice, accompanying the totem's movements, which grew gradually louder and frantic. Finally, it shook a third time, in a more violent manner, before bursting, letting out a cry.
As this was happening, from the villagers' point of view, the criminal was shrouded in a blinding light, one that could be seen from a great distance in the night. When the light slowly dimmed, illumination was provided solely by torches, and the night sky. This visibility was sufficient enough for the villagers to see that the leases they'd been using to restrain the convict had ruptured.
How could he have survived two hits from a golem? Steve stood before them, uninjured and unrestrained. His body had healed completely, and even his clothes had been mended back to pristine condition. Neither of those things appeared to have phased him. In fact, he didn't react at all. They watched carefully. He was completely still, and his eyes were half closed and vacant. Was he even alive? Whatever the case, the iron golem attacked once more, as it was created to do.
A sharp clang rang across the surroundings, and Talos' red eyes met a pair of glowing white ones. They were shining as brilliantly as the stars above.
Steve had caught the golem's wrists, a scowl smearing his face. No movement occurred for a few seconds, until the grinding of metal could be heard. It wasn't obvious right away, but once Talos shook the human off, the villagers saw that its arms got badly wrinkled under the force of Steve's strong hands, in a manner similar to paper.
The giant wasn't deterred. Willing to terminate the threat, even at the cost of its life, Talos hammered down again. Before its attack could land, Steve threw back his mighty arm, and punched the incoming threat, right on the center of its torso. The iron golem got blown so far back, it actually crashed on the wall of the opposite building.
Steve advanced slowly. At this point, mass hysteria ensued. Sebastian gathered their courage, and shouted at Steve, to bring him back to his senses. But how could he? That totem, even if it was for a short while, granted absolute power! Power that could create anything! Power that could destroy anything! Power that could corrupt anything! Power that could...could...could...
'What the hell am I doing!?'
Steve snapped back to reality, and addressed the situation, his powers granted to him by the totem slowly diminishing, and his eyes reverting back to normal. He couldn't decipher the buzz of words that had surrounded him, but he could make out a few words. Namely, 'monster', and 'witchcraft'. Sebastian, having noticed that the threat had come to, opted for the second-best option that could ensure Cornelia's safety.
"Have you not hurt us enough?"
Steve looked around. He saw the faces of the villagers. He saw the gash in Talos' torso. He saw the damage that was done to Cornelia. Being told that he was responsible for it, made him feel a great sense of guilt.
"We have no need for those who practice witchcraft. You are no longer accepted in our community."
Steve objected, but...
"Silence, you filth! If you wish to make amends, kill the illager leader. Now, be gone!"
Having seen the damage he'd caused, Steve went to exile, crushed and drained.
He headed up the mountain; down the built tunnel; pushed through the cave's stream; passed by enemy mobs in apathy, their attacks barely harming him; exited the complex cave; descended the mountain and entered the small forest. Finally, he stepped inside his old, pathetic, wooden cube of a house, and went to bed in defeat.
In the span of a single day, Steve had lost everything he held dear.