Chapter 34: Subwoofer Lullaby

The following dawn saw Alex and I leaving the mansion stealthily, and almost unceremoniously. I say almost because Matilda was waiting to bid us farewell. We had made our preparations separately the day before, and we even said goodbye to the allays, so it seemed like the only thing left for us to do was to begin our quest towards the east. Cornelia was undoubtedly the most promising place to investigate, after all.

At first, while we were traversing through the roofed forest, we didn't talk much. I wasn't sure if I should say something, or just drink in the blissful silence. Once the snowy plains' frosty air blasted my face, I figured asking how she was, couldn't hurt.

"I'm fine. You?"

"Same."

"Good."

"..."

"..."

"You tied your hair into a ponytail again?"

"Yeah, I tried leaving it loose yesterday. I liked it, but it got in the way."

"Well, if it counts for anything, I prefer it this way. I don't know, a ponytail just...suits you."

She thanked me, and I could just about make out her cheeks getting a red tint. Something told me it wasn't because of the cold.

A long stretch of silence ensued.

To be frank, I generally didn't mind quiet moments like this, but this time around, since we were in this together, I felt we should communicate accordingly. That's why I decided to rack my brain in an attempt to find something worth discussing.

"I'm wondering. Were there any building ideas you had while you were in charge of the illagers, that you just couldn't bring to fruition?"

She scratched her chin thoughtfully.

"Well, nothing specific to be honest. That said, living in such a massive building for so long made me yearn for something a little more modest, like...a cozy house, or a humble cabin," she explained, and I couldn't help but notice the giddiness that subtly lit up her eyes, something I was all too acquainted with.

"In that case, that's exactly what we should focus on once this is over," I suggested while rubbing her arm that was farther away from me.

"Mmm, I can't wait."

Since the topic of the mansion was brought up, I asked a question that I had shoved away in a corner of my brain a long time ago.

"On an...unrelated note, do you know who built the woodland mansion?"

She clicked her tongue before answering.

"Not exactly. I believe it was either someone of our kind, or the early humans. I never found out."

Personally, I suspected it was the latter, since I don't recall any being of creation constructing a building this imposing. Not that my memory was a particularly reliable source of information, but it was just a hunch I had.

"I did do some renovations myself, though, like your room, for instance. I even built the courtyard," she added.

"Ah, seriously? That's impressive! The courtyard in particular is quite beautiful."

"Aw, that's sweet of you to say."

The rest of our time in the snowy plains was filled with mostly easy going discussion, primarily centered around our building preferences, like block selection. Of course, there were also quiet moments, but even those were pleasant in a way.

Taking in the atmosphere and listening to the snow crunch beneath our boots was refreshing, and offered us time to think.

It wouldn't be until around late noon, when we'd spot something mildly interesting. Off on a distant hill, a chunk or so away from our trajectory, was an igloo. I remembered that we had passed by it during the trek to the mansion, when I first joined the illagers.

"Have you ever explored that igloo over there?"

"Not personally, although Matilda informed me that at some point, she used to do research in a lab that's beneath it."

"Really? That's an...odd place to build a lab."

"Well, since it was probably constructed by one of our kind, it makes sense that practicality wasn't taken much into account," she pointed out.

"Fair enough."

"..."

"Matilda can be odd at times."

She chuckled a bit.

"Yeah, but if you ignore her antics, she's genuinely a good person. She's probably my closest friend and comrade out of the tribe."

"I see..."

The rest of the day was a bit mundane. We had left the plains, and crafted a boat that would allow us to sail across the vast body of water that was unfolding ahead of us. The more reasonable climate of the temperate ocean was certainly an enjoyable change of pace.

As we'd take turns paddling, a pod of dolphins began following our boat. They lingered nearby for a little while, emitting high-pitched whistles, and went on their own way with a somersault. We were both delighted to have come across these fascinating creatures together.

Once dusk gave way to night, we decided to stop. Doing so on a cramped boat wasn't easy, but we tried our best to get into the least uncomfortable position possible. We even used our shirts as a mattress, which provided at least some comfort.

As we laid there, my gaze was naturally guided to the clear, starry sky. Don't get me wrong, the night sky had always been a marvelous sight to me, but due to my compromised position, I couldn't really look at anything else, which in turn forced me to give it a more thorough look.

"Steve?" Alex asked softly.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, I just like the sound of your voice."

"Ha ha, is that really all you had to say?"

"No, but it is true. Anyhow…Did we ever establish any constellations during our past life? Can you remember?"

"No, I don't recall...but that's no reason not to try now. What do you see?"

She lifted her hand, and pointed to a cluster of stars that formed a crescent shape.

"That kind of looks like a bow with an arrow."

"Yeah, I can see that."

"Can you come up with anything?"

It took me a while to recognize a pattern. What I was doing wrong was that I was focusing on images in my head, and tried to adjust them into the stars. What I should have been doing was to focus on the stars themselves, and let any similarity come naturally.

Once I figured it out, I said, "That's like one of those white, flying monsters from the Nether."

"You mean a ghast? Where?"

"Look; there's its body, and those are the tentacles. They're a little curved."

"Oh, yeah...Now I get it. Okay...ah, that almost resembles a tulip!"

"Are those supposed to be the petals?"

"Yes."

"Nice one."

I waited patiently for my mind to recognize the next pattern.

"I think that's an allay."

"I...don't see it."

I lifted her hand, and guided it to the constellation.

"There's the head...and the body...and those are the wings! It's like it has its back slightly turned."

"Impressive," she remarked with a giggle.

A yawn escaped my lips.

"It's just part of being the incarnation of the sky. I feel like we should rest for now, don't you agree?"

"Sure. Good night."

I kissed the top of her head, which was under my chin.

"Good night."

After an unrewarding sleep and an awkward awakening, in which we stretched our aches away, we continued forward for nearly an entire day. In the afternoon, land came into view.

We beached our boat on the shore of the peninsula, and disembarked in a rather ungraceful manner, thanks to how long we had been sitting practically still for. Taking our time so that our legs could adjust, we leisurely set foot on the field I, or rather we, had first spawned.

Seeing the familiar sight of the looming mountain's snow peaks, the small forest, and finally, my house, felt strangely nostalgic. Things aren't always the same in reality as they are in one's nostalgia-tinted memories, however, and I was surprised when I saw just how different my house was from how I remembered it.

I had been expecting a modest, if not kind of pitiful wooden cube, but what I got was a fairly decent building, with an actual inverted v-shaped roof and frame, both made of cobblestone. There was even a wheat field next to it, which I had also forgotten about.

It may not have been anything spectacular, especially compared to other builds we had created, but it was mine, so I was proud of it.

I glanced at the sun once again. There was still some daylight we could have taken advantage of by traveling, but I suggested something else.

"Do you want to take the rest of the day off? We could catch our breath in my house if you'd like."

"Fine by me. I suggest we harvest some of your crops and make some dinner."

"Sure."

After reaping the wheat that was ripe, I entered my house for the first time in what felt like ages. Sure, the interior may have been smaller than what I was expecting, but in a way, that only added to the comforting feel it gave. Everything appeared to be exactly as I had left it.

Once my feet sunk into the plush white carpet, there was little else I wanted to do, other than lie in bed and sleep for days on end. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately depending on how one looks at it, there were other priorities present.

"How about that dinner?"

"Right. Let's see what we've got."

After some coordination and planning, we enjoyed a fairly balanced meal, consisting of steak, carrots, potatoes, some bread, and water. The crafting table had to be used as an actual table, to accommodate for the lack of other options.

We were sitting across from each other, enjoying the moment. On occasion, our eyes would meet, and I'd smile to myself, and so would she.

"Cute house," Alex commented.

"Thank you."

"This is sort of what I had in mind when I said I wanted a humble house to live in," she added while looking around curiously.

"In that case, maybe once this quest is over, we could expand this together. I didn't build it with two people in mind."

"I'd love that...This seems like a pretty nice area, too. A little remote, but still compelling to me."

I understood what she meant, but I didn't feel ready to agree quite yet. There were still other potential spots to settle down in. Perhaps we were going to find one along this journey.

Once finished, we focused on planning the rest of our course. I opened the chest, which protested with a loud creak caused by long-term neglect. Everything appeared to be untouched, and the note I left behind for Rana to find was no exception.

Thus, a visit to Cornelia was unavoidable.

It's weird to think that even though the mountain we were ascending was one of the first landmarks I had seen once I awoke after the Sky dimension was ruined, I had never actually reached the summit until now. The closest I got was when Rana and I's attempt to fulfill the prophecy led us to the Nether portal, but even that was just on a lower plateau.

It seemed like the low temperature here was perpetual, so we were forced to keep moving in order to remain at least moderately warm. I was feeling glad I had the clothes Alex had gifted me.

It was a tough hike, for we would sometimes sink into the powdery snow. Despite the adverse conditions, a pair of llamas was grazing indifferently along the exposed patches of grass.

When we reached the top, we stood still for a moment to take in the view of the land that stretched out before our eyes. The valley and the ocean extended all the way to the horizon in the west. The water was glimmering brilliantly in the sunlight.

Because the mountain took up our entire vision in the north and the south, our attention was naturally guided to the east. Cornelia was within our sight, the rising sun casting its halo on it. As far as structural integrity was concerned, no radical changes had occurred while I was away. Due to the distance, there wasn't much else I could make out.

While we were too busy feeling like rulers of our world, sitting atop our tall thrones, my attention was grabbed by a shuffling noise from the left. The moment I turned my head, flashbacks centered around pain, agony, and general discomfort rushed before my eyes.

It was another goat! And it was charging towards me, too!

Before the distance between us could be reduced to less than two blocks, I placed down an oak log, stopping it dead in its tracks.

'Not this time.'

It got knocked back, and I noticed that one of its horns had fallen off. Shaking its head wildly, the goat fled, as I went to pick up the 'victory trophy'. Alex whistled.

"Impressive. Your reflexes are truly admirable."

"Ah, thank you. Check this out," I said, showing her the goat's horn.

"Oh, cool. These things make a wide range of sounds, and can be heard from very far away. Want to give it a try?"

I followed her suggestion and blew into the horn's pointy end. It made a deafening sound, identical to the one from the raid.

"Well…" she started, a little surprised, "Let's hope that whoever is still in Cornelia doesn't die of a heart attack from hearing that."

As morbid as that joke may have been, I couldn't stop myself from laughing along with her. I didn't know whether her humor had always been on the darker side, or if it was something she picked up along the way, but I found it strangely charming...

We started descending the mountain side, and I managed to catch a glimpse of the now-inactive portal that led to the Nether. The lava that was around it was still bubbling, at least.

Taking the first step in Cornelia's gravel pathways after so long, gave me an inexplicable feeling. The village seemed so desolate, I could practically visualize the dead bushes rolling in the breeze.

The fact that the only audible sounds were our footsteps, and the gentle air current that was weaving through the hollow roads, only amplified the uncanniness. In a way, it was anticlimactic. While on our way to get here, I had been subconsciously preparing myself for this moment. I had even imagined what the most plausible interactions between the villagers and us would be, and how they would go down, but this nothingness, while something I considered, wasn't something I deemed likely. Perhaps, in hindsight, I should have reconsidered.

"Hello?" Alex asked loudly, "Is anybody home?"

The only answer we got was a subtle echo.

"We come in peace," I added, and got an identical response.

We explored the seemingly abandoned settlement, until a metallic screech reached my ears.

"Did you hear that? I think it came from this way."

We rounded a corner, and found the source of the sound, slumped against the wall of a house. It was Talos.

The golem's decrepit state perfectly reflected the town's apparent fate. Its arms, which I knew from experience just how strong they used to be, had been torn clean off, and the house's wall was visible through the gaping gash on its torso.

Its eyes flickered red for a moment, as it raised its cut-off appendages, but seemed unable to do much else. I couldn't tell if I was the sole culprit behind this, or if something else had helped seal Talos' fate.

"This thing had caused so much pain, Steve..."

"..."

"It's not really its fault, which makes me feel a little guilty...but it's like I have to do this. For us."

Without saying anything else, she brandished her sword, and thrusted it straight through the golem's head. Soon enough, Talos was no more. A bunch of iron ingots, along with a single poppy laid where it once sat.

Alex stood there for a moment, absent-mindedly. I placed a hand on her shoulder both to bring her back to reality, as well as reassure her.

"Why have you come here?" someone asked.

We quickly turned our heads, and saw someone standing next to an adjacent house, in a manner that suggested they had just left their hiding spot. It was Catherine. Their expression spoke volumes of the fatigue the race for survival had brought upon them. Alex responded first.

"We are here to find Rana. Tell us where she is."

Catherine scowled.

"You have some nerve to return here, and make demands after everything you've done. Scram. Both of you."

Alex took a step forward, her eyes narrowed.

"Or what?"

"You filth...Leave. Now!"

"Listen here, you insolent-"

Once again, I placed a hand on her shoulder, only this time, it was to stop her from doing anything too hasty, or working herself up.

"It's not worth it," I told her, "We'll find another way to get answers. Follow me."

We marched over to the inn, with the intent to reach the upper floor. Surely there'd be clues in Rana's room that could point us to her whereabouts. A part of me doubted she'd be inside, herself.

In the meantime, Catherine was pestering us with questions, but we hardly paid her any mind. Along the way, six more villagers popped out of their shelters, (probably due to the commotion), and drew near us. I recognised Emily and Gordon, but no one else. They all seemed to be in a similar mental state to Catherine, and they all received the same treatment.

We stormed inside the inn, and soon enough, I was standing outside Rana's room. I gulped and gave the iron door a couple knocks.

"Rana, are you in there?"

Naturally, there was no response. I pushed the button and stepped inside, Alex in tow.

The room was just as barren as the rest of the town, at a first glance anyway. Her pink bed was unoccupied, and most of her stuff, like the jukebox and the paintings were absent.

There was a potted dandelion sitting on the table, and the chest on the foot of her bed was still there. Conspicuously, there was an oak wood block resting on top of the lid. Curious, I broke it, and opened the chest.

"...I'll check the other room," Alex stated.

"Okay."

Inside the chest was a note written with coal, which was jarring, but at least the letters were legible. It had the following text written on it.

Dear Steve,

I don't know where you are, or if you'll ever read this note, but I probably won't be in Cornelia when that is. Before I tell you more, there is something I need to get out of the way.

If nothing else, I feel relief, you know? I'm happy that, in the time I got to know you, I managed to pay you back for saving me. Taking the hit from that beast was the perfect opportunity for us to become even. But, even if it weren't for that, I'd still do it. As many times as I'd need to.

Because I love you. I love you, Steve. And I'm so sorry you're learning this through a note. If I hadn't been such a coward, and just told you how I felt, things could have gone differently. Your kindness, your patience, your warm hugs, your cheeky jokes... It hurts knowing I might not see you again...

So that's why I'll look for you. I'll travel three days non-stop in each cardinal direction starting from Cornelia, and then settle down for another three. First, I'll look north, then east, then south, then west.

If you ever read this, we might find each other. If not... Thank you.

Sincerely yours

-Rana

...

Getting my thoughts in order was more complicated than one would assume... I ran a hand through my hair. This turn of events certainly made things harder for us, which left me feeling lost and uncertain. What were we even supposed to do now?

...

I didn't have the necessary time to figure out an answer to that. A clamour resonated outside the room. I dashed outside, while some of the villagers were standing at the far end of the hall, looking strangely mortified.

As all this was taking place, Alex was fending off a...zombie, of all things? It looked different than the rest, but I didn't manage to get a good look at it before it met its demise. How had it even gotten there? It wasn't night, nor were there any unlit spots in the inn.

Eventually, I saw some familiar faces running toward us. Emily, followed by Catherine and Gordon ran past Alex, and peeked inside my old room.

"Did-did you kill the zombies that were inside?" Emily queried in an oddly appalled manner.

"Pets of yours?" Alex asked dismissively.

Emily stared at the floor in disbelief. Gordon comforted them by patting their back. I couldn't understand why those were the reactions they had, or why they were keeping undeads in captivity, but perhaps that monster used to be a villager. I still couldn't be sure.

Catherine addressed us. Conflicting emotions were swirling within them, if the look they were giving us was anything to go by.

"Leave. Please."

"No need to tell us twice," I reassured, "We already got what we came here for."

"We did?" Alex asked in surprise.

"We did. There's one thing I'd like you to tell me, before we leave you be. After you banished me, how many days passed before Rana left?"

Most villagers didn't react to my question, but those that did, merely resorted to murmur to each other in secret. With some time, and some diplomatic convincement on our behalf, they gave an answer. Roughly three days, was what they settled on. It wasn't the most concrete answer, but it seemed reasonable, and it wasn't like I had any way of getting a better one.

"Alright. Let's go, Alex."

We walked past the villagers, and sat near the well in order to regroup.

"So, what was it that you found?"

I took a deep breath. I didn't know why, but I felt like I had to be cautious of my phrasing.

"She left me this note. If I counted the days correctly, she should be somewhere in the east right now."

Alex skimmed through the note, before asking, "And what do you think we should do now?"

I scratched my cheek.

"Well...I had a good time traveling with you so far, so I was thinking that maybe we could continue eastwards. We might meet her halfway. What...do you think?"

I had been under the impression that I had gotten better at reading her enigmatic face, but this time, I was genuinely stumped. I really couldn't begin to guess what she was feeling. That, admittedly, made me feel a hint of irritation.

"...Very well, then. Let's not waste any time."

And thus, we left Cornelia just as unceremoniously as we had arrived in it. It may have been too early to tell with certainty, and I could have simply been feeling too pessimistic, but something told me that this part of our journey wasn't going to be as upbeat as the previous one.