AN: I really struggled with this chapter. I had a lot of thoughts, but I decided to split it up into two chapters rather than put it all together, because they really should be separate. Give the characters and the readers time to process things.

I dunno. I didn't like this chapter very much.

Kudos to Puppet3 for guessing the Troxler Mirror Badge is for killing an Illusioner.


Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add Gerbils.


Chapter 254

13th

[Noman]

"You got back pretty late." Carys narrowed her crimson gaze at me as she sat in her chair with her legs crossed. "I notice a distinct lack of wings. What happened at SutsCo?"

It was the morning of December 13th, the day of the siege on the Endward Cult's Eastern Division. It may have even been happening as we spoke. Floyd and Soul had been pleading with the other Paragons for a map message update all morning, but no update was forthcoming. The Paragons were under strict orders not to give anything away until I delivered the goods to Carys.

That was going to be hard, since Marble said he'd need a few days to iron out the details with his guild before we could proceed with our deal. I'd help him kill a rare Mob in the tunnels under the Miner's Guild, he'd get me a pair of Wonder Wings. Part of me wondered if he was lying - how could an employee get his hands on merchandise I was told would take half a year to obtain? - but I ultimately chose to trust him... and prayed I wasn't wrong.

As for our 'merry' band, we had picked an unorthodox safehouse as our base of operations. The Sos... Sosnov... Sosnovy Bor Hot Springs Resort. Ugh. Pronunciations hurt.

Anyway, we were staying at the... Hot Springs Resort... located in the southeastern quadrant of the capital. All ten of us, including the wanted criminal Carys, the discriminated Dover Plainer Albert, and the pair of Hackers who'd be turned over to the Hack Clan. Over half of us were here illegally, so, yes, I was a little tense that guards - headed by the bellicose Captain XoX - would rappel in and start arresting us at any moment.

Albert and Reuben had to sneak in after Albert was turned away at the gate, but they were here with us. The Team Beta alchemists were making a stockpile of Invisibility Potions knowing we'd need them to move about the capital without the guards on our heels. The resort room we were staying in was a four-person room reserved under Spaatz' name, with our own beds crammed in to accommodate the ten of us.

The room was enclosed, and there was a bathroom to hide in if any cleaning or room service staff showed up. Outside was a series of geothermally heated springs to relax in, which Anibal and Soul wasted little time to enjoy. Soul even had his new pet Axolotl swimming around. He had doled out what food he could afford, informing us that the price of food was astronomical in light of the hostilities between Exter and Dover Plains. Anibal had gone into more detail on the matter, and it filled me with a dreaded sense of foreboding. It looked like a war was on its way.

The investigation on Terenti_Murst had turned up fruitless, so we were low on leads. Then, things turned to the SutsCo wings, and I had the floor.

"About the wings..." I began carefully. "I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"

Carys hummed for a moment. "...The good news. I could use some since our investigations have come up nix."

"Alright." I started before letting a beat of silence pass. "Er, actually, now that I think of it, the good news is sort of tied into the bad news, so you can't hear one without the-"

"SO WHY DID YOU ASK?"

"Ahh! I'm sorry, don't kill me!"

Carys let out an irritated groan before massaging the bridge of her nose and waving one hand. "...The bad news?"

"Right. So." I clapped my hands together. "The wings won't be available until six months from now."

"Six-!?"

"But! Buuut..." I fished out the lime Pocket Box from my backpack and tossed it to her. "I was able to get you a full refund, and a five-hundred emerald store credit on top." I shrugged. "And a complimentary Pocket Box too. Lime is a nice color."

"I don't want any of this junk-!"

"I'll just take that off your hands, then. Athankyou." Anibal casually walked through our talk, picking up the Pocket Box with the ten-thousand emeralds inside. She had dollar signs in her eyes, though Soul chased after with protests on his mouth to share the wealth. The two were like a pair of feral squirrels fighting over an acorn. Again, Carys massaged the bridge of her nose until they took their squabbling elsewhere.

"...I don't want any of that junk, what I want are my wings." Carys emphasized. "And yet I find myself still a wingless Angel. If you think a refund is good news enough to offset that bad news, you must be crazy."

"That wasn't the good news." I spoke quickly. "There's more. I met up with an old acquaintance of mine, and he said he could get us a pair of Wonder Wings sooner in exchange for the same emeralds and some help with something."

Carys narrowed her eyes skeptically. "That sounds a little too good to be true. He's just willing to give the wings away for a favor? Did you see the wings?"

"...No."

"Is this acquaintance of yours trustworthy?"

"Well... he's, uh... um... mm... hum um mum hum mum..."

"..."

"..."

"Excuse me, you didn't answer me. You just trailed off."

"Yeah..." I rubbed my neck sheepishly under her agitated glare. "Yeah, I did kind of trail off there, didn't I...?"

"Let's do that again and pretend you aren't weird and my blood pressure is peachy. Is. He. Trustworthy?"

"...He's a Scout-"

Carys' face fell into her hands just as Anibal and Soul ran back through the room and around her, the former keeping the lime Pocket Box high and out of the latter's reach.

"B-But he's reliable! He helped me in the past. He'll come through."

"You sure he just wasn't trying to come through on his Bullshit a Twit Badge?" Carys' face came back up, her expression irritable enough to make me refrain from chastising her foul language. "Because that's what this sounds like. It's already shady as hell he's offering wings - worth a king's ransom - for a favor, but to hear its from a Scout who couldn't even show you the goods beforehand?"

"He works for SutsCo. He said he could pull some strings." I tried to justify. "Marble's... a little eccentric, yes, but I know for sure he's good for it since there's a badge in it for him. He wouldn't trick us with a badge at stake."

"Are you listening to yourself right now?" Carys groaned into her hand. "There are millions of badges he could get for any number of reasons. It's impossible to guess a Scout's motivations. He'd just as soon fuck you than help you."

"Well," I sniffed slightly, "I like to think he's doing this to help out a friend. He took me out for dinner, after all."

"The hell does that have to do with anything? You like being wined and dined before you get fucked?"

"I didn't hear that!" I declared valiantly.

"This is just-"

"Look, you want these wings or not?" I cut her off. I knew I was being short with her, but I was doing the best I could. "Because I'm doing everything I can to get them for you. All you seem to want to do is whine about it." Her eyebrows rose dangerously, but I wouldn't back down. "I won't hand over the emeralds until I get confirmation on the wings. Just leave this to me, okay?"

Carys frowned as she regarded me. It looked to me like she was mulling it over.

In the midst of her silent contemplation, Anibal and Soul ran back in, the former screaming as a flapping Christopher Squawken pecked at her hair, Cat-Face hung off her eyeballs by its claws, and Axolittle flopped bonelessly on top of her head.

"You're doing great, sweetie!" Soul encouraged his newest pet as he eyed the lime Pocket Box covetously, waiting for the right opportunity to swipe it.

The matter, as well as the Pocket Box, was taken out of either of their hands when Carys snatched the box of wealth back with ease. There was a moment of confusion for the dark-skinned thief before she tumbled to the floor in a heap with Soul's trio of pets still attacking her face. Carys shooed them away with a wave of her scythe handle.

"I'll hold onto the emeralds until I see the wings, and you can tell your acquaintance that." She added to me before resting a hand on her hip. "We'll see how this pans out. What favor does he have you doing, anyway?"

I told her about the rare Mob they spawned that was currently interfering with the Miner's Guild. Carys hummed as she listened attentively.

"Well, it makes sense why they'd ask for help. The mines under the Miner's Guild are an ancient complex, dug since Exter's inception. Finding anything down there, let alone a mysterious Mob, is like finding a needle in a haystack. I don't suppose they specified what kind of Mob you're hunting?" I shook my head, no. "Ask them. Get more details. I don't know how those buffoons got access to Command Blocks and their commands, but better them than the cultists."

"Speaking of the cultists," Spaatz chimed in, "our investigations on them have proved worse than fruitless. Our leading suspect, Terenti_Murst, died after facilitating the trades with Tinker. Officially, he died by Creepers in the mines, but it's more probable that he was simply murdered for being a loose end once he'd served his purpose."

"That's terrible." I spoke quietly.

"And callous. But that's cultists for you." Ciro added. "So all we have as a suspect is someone from the Brimstone Bastion. Whoever he or she is, they know how to cover their tracks."

"We found the gap in the stone bricks when we checked out the bastion's outer wall." Kal pointed out. "Tinker was telling the truth about the dead drops, and we know the mastermind will have been at the bastion for three-hundred-and-ten years, since that was the earliest instance."

"Which brings us to a task more laborious than even waiting on line at SutsCo." Carys declared with a resigned air before Spaatz came forward and dumped a bunch of books on the table. Floyd and Soul eyed the pile warily, even as Anibal added more books to it. Carys' face was grim as she delivered the news.

"We gotta do background checks." She sighed as she cracked open the first book. It was a record of Citizenship Information for a Daniil_Dubov, a councilman. "Spaatz and Anibal doubled back to the Hall of Records, after hours, and made copies of every councilmember, heir, Captain, king, or similar bigwig that's currently walking the halls of the Brimstone Bastion. Obviously they couldn't include the guards or servants, as they're too many to narrow down, but they got the big names." She slapped the pile. "All fifty-seven of them."

"...Fifty-seven?" Soul groaned, realizing what this meant. Ciro had already accepted the tedious task, pulling out a chair to start sifting through the pile.

"We have to narrow it down somehow." Carys explained, her eyes scanning the Citizenship Information in her hands. "On the first pass, look for Crafters who've been at the bastion for three-hundred-and-ten years or more. After that, we'll have to peer more deeply. Really analyze the suspects."

"It's the longest of long shots." Anibal made her thoughts known before slumping in a chair and picking a book at random. "Our mastermind could be here, or maybe they're not and it's really a random guard or servant, or some other occupation we haven't considered. They still gotta be close if they did the battleaxe trade."

"Is this really all we can do?" Soul asked desperately. He really didn't want to spend days combing through all these books. "While Cobb is leading an attack on the East, we're stuck reading?"

"Cobb isn't leading shit. I have Baltic, Trenay, and Attila for that. And I don't like this either, but it's the only lead we have." Carys tossed a book behind her as she ruled out Daniil_Dubov. "After we narrow down our suspects, we can find a way into the bastion to investigate them more closely, but I'm praying cultists ambush us so we can forego this whole slog entirely."

"Seconded." Anibal chirped.

"Thirded." Soul sighed before reluctantly grabbing a book and peeling it open. "This has gotta be the most evil thing you've made us do." He added as an aside to Carys.

"Quit whining. This is a fine way to pass the time while we await news from the east." She picked up a new book and took on a condescending drawl. "Or those of us who can receive the news, I should say."

"Rub it in a little more why don't you." Floyd spoke testily.

This is so illegal. I thought as I took up a random book from the pile. I got XoX, the Captain who had brutally attacked me in Galitsino. I opened up the first page and quietly read through his background.

XoX, aka the Ogre of the West. Originally from Jolin. A seven digit, numbered at eight-million nine-thousand and four-hundred-and-fifty-seven. Anibal and Spaatz were able to share more of his background than what was on his Citizenship Information. When he first spawned, he harbored an intense distrust for Crafters, and he traveled south until he reached the jungles of Jolin, where he lived in isolation. Supposedly, his time in isolation and away from people caused his speech to deteriorate and for him to revert to a feral, primal state. Kind of like a Tarzan situation... whoever that was.

XoX later overcame his distrust and started interacting with other Crafters, though his telegraphic way of speaking stuck as a result of his primal lifestyle. He moved to Exter and joined the guards in 238, rising to prominence and fame after his courageous defense of Yurshor, a southern Exter village, against an army of three-hundred Griefers. He was promoted to Captain in 245, was awarded a Tinker's Warhammer for his efforts, and he annually defends his title of grand champion of the Exter Combat Arena, valuing strength above all else.

His joining the guards was too early to make him a suspect; the first Tinker trade was forty-eight years before he arrived. That ruled him out as our mastermind. I tossed the book aside, but Carys leaned over and dragged it to a side pile without looking at me. She was still suspicious of the Captain for his unprovoked attack against me. Just because he wasn't our mastermind didn't mean he wasn't still a cultist. I didn't refute her as a selected a new book at random. The Paragons and Beginners quietly did their research as the clock ticked by.


It was in the afternoon when it happened.

We were all in the middle of looking over the books when Albert hurriedly ran in from his potion making to whisper urgently into Carys' ear. The display drew our gazes. We watched as Carys' eyes flicked as she processed what she was being told. Then she stood up abruptly and withdrew her linked map, studying it with an intense eye as a message was relayed. Anibal, Kal, and the other Paragons did the same.

I shared a look with Floyd and Soul as we dropped our books and tried to judge the news by their expressions. A hand flew to Anibal's mouth in a horrified gasp. Kal's mouth twisted and his eyes screwed shut as he couldn't stand to read the news further. Carys took a sharp intake of breath, her crimson eyes quivering slightly - something I'd never seen them do.

"What is it?" Soul got to his feet. "What's the news?" Anibal's eyes started to mist over, a whimper sounding from the back of her throat. It made Soul agitated. "HEY! Look, if you're trying to overdramatize things knowing we can't read the messages, just stop! Stop rubbing it in and just tell us already!"

"I already agreed to get you your wings." I pleaded while Carys lowered her map to her side. "Don't punish them because of me! I'll leave the room, so just tell them what-!"

"The Eastern siege has ended." Carys told us freely, dropping the very punishment she imposed on us. She turned her gaze to the far wall, seemingly staring at nothing. "The Eastern Division HQ has been gutted, but Baltic, Perry, Dwight, and your two Beginners are among the lost."

A terrible silence settled over our group as we processed the news.

"What... What do you mean by lost? What does that mean...?" Floyd looked to Carys and Kal, askance.

"...It means nobody knows what happened to them and there's no evidence that they died. No confirmation." Albert explained slowly when none of the Team Leaders were forthcoming. "They're MIA - missing in action. It's a casualty classification for those reported missing during a siege like this."

"What are you calling them casualties for, then!?" Soul snapped. "If there's no evidence, then they could be fine!"

To prove a point, Soul tore out his linked map and scanned it for blips before letting out a noise of exclamation. "See!? Look! Right th-!" He cut off as the white blip that he saw in the northern region of the Lacquerlands blinked out as if it were never there. "What...? No! No, it was there! Someone was there!"

"To the north of us." Kal confirmed. "One of our blips was just there too." Kal lowered his map. "They gave the 'going dark' signal, so a Paragon was among them... but we don't know who did it. They're gone now. We don't know why they can't talk now. We don't know how they got from Oak Docks to the Lacquerlands. We don't know who made it of those five."

"So why all the long faces?" Soul asked, still agitated by Anibal's hopelessness. "They're just missing! Why are you making it sound like they're dead!"

"A Wither was set off." Kal replied bluntly, the name of the Boss Mob unsettling us. "The cultists did it as a desperate last resort, and lost a chunk of their forces because of it. Hundreds of united army Crafters are MIA because they got caught in the collapsing underwater tunnels, Baltic included."

Carys clenched her fists as her gaze lowered to the floor. She still wasn't looking at anyone.

"What about the Stasis Chambers? You had Stasis Chambers for Cobb and Baltic, didn't you? Warp them back." I reasoned. "You can warp them back like you did with us-"

"Someone," Carys' voice cracked, making her pause to recompose herself before she continued, "someone sabotaged their Stasis Chambers prior to the siege. No one noticed. They can't be brought back. And Lenzington, Perry, and Dwight were prisoners-" Anibal let out an aggrieved sob that made Soul wince before he grew more agitated.

"What the hell? WHAT THE HELL!? NOBODY NOTICED!? DON'T SCREW WITH ME!" Soul marched over to Carys and grabbed her by the front of her sleeveless, green turtleneck, dragging her to face him. "How could your people be so careless!? Did they let a cultist spy slip into your united forces and wreck their chambers?"

Carys scowled at Soul coldly. Red glare locked with red glare. "I suppose you'd know, being the leading expert in having cultists into your guild before they stab you in the back."

Soul's nostrils flared as he reared back a fist. In an instant, Carys headbutted him to break his nose, broke out of his grip, and kicked him in the chest so hard he flew into the opposing wall. He slid to the ground, his mouth open in a noiseless groan as he curled into himself and fought for breath with a caved in ribcage.

The Beginners moved. I rushed to Soul's side, trying to ease him back into breathing. I also took out my alchemist tools to brew him a Potion of Regeneration. His trio of pets stood on guard, facing Carys, including the flopping Axolittle. Floyd had his Hacker smoke gushing forth as he pointed his arm at Carys, prepared to use MultiAura

The Angel of Death glared at Floyd next, her voice loaded with vitriol. "Still got your Hacker powers in check, hm? All your emotions in order? Steady as a rock? You don't even realize that the people you call your friends are probably dead."

Floyd hesitated, his smoke flickering slightly. "...You don't know that-"

"No, YOU DON'T GET IT!" Carys exploded, flinging her arm to the side and looking furious. "ANYONE CAN HOLD A MAP! WE CAN'T CONFIRM SHIT ON WHICH TWO MADE IT OUT! THEY MIGHT EVEN BE THE SAME CRAFTER HOLDING TWO MAPS! ONLY A FRACTION OF THOSE FIVE MADE IT OUT, AND THEM GIVING THE 'GOING DARK' SIGNAL DOESN'T INSTILL A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THEIR CONTINUED SURVIVAL!"

Again, Floyd's smoke flickered as doubt festered. Whether Carys intended to or not, her words were messing with his emotions, and by extension his powers.

"Cobb wouldn't have perished." I spoke with surety.

"But my Paragons would've. Is that what you're saying?" Carys rounded on me. "You're so confident that Cobb survived, but what about your nerdy Beginner, huh? If Baltic, Perry, and Dwight are on the chopping block, Lenzington most certainly would've-!"

"Carys!" Kal suddenly shouted, his own smoke flaring angrily as a beam of dark smoke shot from his eyes and took out a lamp, casting the room into shadows. Carys turned to him angrily, but her temper lost heat when she saw that her callous words had Anibal screwing up her face and sobbing into her hand, Spaatz at her side. Dwight was her second-in-command of Team Gamma, and Perry was a member of Kal's Team Alpha. They were clearly affected by the news, and her cruel disregard for everyone's feelings was making things worse.

Carys swallowed her anger and screwed her eyes shut. "...I need to be alone." She said curtly before grabbing a few Potions of Invisibility and storming out of the resort room, the door slamming behind her.

In the silence left behind by Carys' absence, I tended to the hurt Soul, giving him a nice Potion of Healing to fix him up. Floyd's hands fell to his side as his Hacker smoke diminished. None of the Paragons bothered to chase their leader despite the dangers outside. Whether that was attributed to their faith in her abilities or their knowledge of when to leave her alone, I didn't know

"...It's not all bad news." Reuben of all people tried to look on the bright side. "This siege set a precedent for a united army against the cultists. Kingdoms working hand in hand. And, despite the losses on our side, the cult sustained far worse. Their portal network is down, their Wither skull stockpile was destroyed, and the Eastern Division HQ is literally underwater. Jillian projects that 90% of the Eastern Division cultists are gone. That's huge for us. I'm sure... Baltic would feel..." He trailed off, unsure of the proper words to honor his Team Leader. He didn't even know if he was alive.

"We also know the East's leaders, now." Ciro filled the silence. "Abyssmal, Teal, and Mark. We know who we're dealing with-"

"And they all got away." Spaatz spoke in a low growl, still comforting a weeping Anibal. "They escaped."

"Abyssmal and Teal are being pursued across the skies." Albert pointed out. "There's a fleet of airships after them, and Attila and Trenay and Z7 are with them. They'll catch them yet."

"...Maybe they know what happened to the others." Floyd commented aloud.

We settled into silence after that.


[Carys]

I roamed.

My feet were sluggish. My arms hung to my side.

I felt some lump in my throat that grew painful the longer I went without swallowing.

My vision swam as I swayed. Although I was invisible, I carelessly bumped into Exterians who looked around in confusion.

Baltic... I thought to myself. Old man...

What was happening? Why did he go dark? Was he even still alive?

...Why did it hurt so much?

I sought out an alleyway and slammed my back against a wall when my invisibility faded. I balled up my fists and pressed them into my eyes as long-unused tear ducts started to leak.

Why? Why? Why, why, why?

I should be used to this. I should be past this. How many Paragons have I lost over the years? Baltic shouldn't undo me like this.

I cracked the back of my head against the wall as I slid to the ground.

Stop crying. STOP CRYING.

Crying never solved anything in my life. I would cry a river and nothing would change. It was only when I changed myself that the world followed suit. Now, I had the power to make what I want happen.

...Except I wanted to hear from the Old Man.

I slammed a fist into the wall as I furiously rubbed at my face. Stupid tears. What would the others think if they saw me like this!? They'd see me being weak.

"Only one thing matters: Victory. Don't get sentimental." I told myself as I took deep breaths in that alleyway. "You've sacrificed too much to stop now. Now, you have to finish it. No matter the cost. I swore I would."

I swallowed thickly. "I... am... prepared for Baltic's death." I spoke slowly. "I am prepared for it. I am prepared - no - expecting it." I corrected. "I am expecting his death. He's... already dead. I know it. He's already dead, and I can accept that. I can. I can accept it. I can accept it."

I can't accept it. A tiny voice in the furthest recesses of my mind whimpered before I trapped it under a rough, jagged shell.

"His death won't affect me. I won't topple. I can keep fighting without him. I can keep fighting until I'm the last left if that's what it takes!" I raised my voice before remembering where I was. I pressed further into the alleyway as some Crafter came to investigate the noise only to find nothing. I reapplied my invisibility and slunk away.

I won't let this destroy me. I thought, trying to steady myself as much as possible. I can't let this destroy me. I'm the one who will destroy the cult. Not Cobb. Not Noman. ME!


[Floyd]

The mood of the group was poor, as if in mourning.

Carys was still out on her own, even as the sky darkened. She was taking the news hard - a way I never expected from her. She knew Baltic the longest, but I never thought she'd be this affected. She powered through casualties in the past, but Baltic was a little too close to home, it seemed.

Every Paragon was affected in some way. The Beta-males lost their Team Beta leader, Kal lost Perry, another member of Team Alpha, and Anibal lost her second-in-command of Team Gamma, Dwight, and right after reeling from the loss of Buckner and Devers. It was no wonder why she clung so tightly to Spaatz, the last Team Gamma member around.

It wasn't that they thought the whole five were dead. The 'going dark' signal was proof at least one Paragon made it out, so there was hope. The despair was in the doubtful odds that all five survived. Cobb, Lenz, Baltic, Perry, Dwight. One or more of them could be dead, and there was no way to confirm without their map blips showing up. The not knowing was torture.

Us Beginners knew that all too well.

Ciro seemed the most unaffected, though he felt something for Lenz. He had respect for the engineer after their battle in Jolin.

Soul was an angry mess, and I made it a point to talk with him about it. Why? Because Cobb made me the leader of this group, and it was leaderly duties that compelled me to try and keep morale up.

After I was done with Soul, however, I went to talk to Noman next. He wasn't in the room, but outside near the hot springs. Maybe he wanted to escape the oppressive mood like Carys. It was late enough that nobody would be taking a dip in the springs. He wasn't either when I found him. Instead, he was quietly brewing potions, preparing for the days ahead.

"Mind if I join?" I asked. Noman gestured to the stand, and I knelt down beside it.

"I only have the one stand to brew with."

"I can take them out when they're done. Let's you focus on the ingredients." I grew nostalgic. "You know, I learned potion making from Brett back in Ringwood. I know a thing or two."

"How come you don't carry brewing equipment, then?" Noman asked.

I shrugged. "I guess keeping everything stocked was just too much of a hassle. The potions are worth it, but the ingredients and inventory space necessary to steadily pump them out..." I trailed off with a sigh. "I really don't give those Team Beta guys enough credit. No wonder Reuben feels underappreciated."

"Well, I don't feel that way." Noman said while fishing out some ingredients from his ender chest. "I'll gladly support you with potions, for however long you need them."

"...Yeah." I nodded, feeling like now was the time to get to the meat of the matter. "Hey. Cobb and Lenz are gonna be okay. They're big boys. They can take care of themselves."

Noman looked up, his blue eyes tinged with worry. "...I know."

"Good." I nodded, though I kept talking as if drawing confidence from my own words. Like I was hyping myself up. "I mean, think of all the things Cobb's faced. Cultists and Hackers and heartbreak. Crazy bounty hunters, guards, monsters, other dimensions. He's been through the wringer, but he didn't do all that just to kick the bucket now."

"Floyd." Noman spoke up, resting a hand on my shoulder. "I know."

"...You know? What do you mean you know?"

"I mean, my faith is in people." Noman explained, though not without a flash of doubt as his voice wavered. "I have faith in Cobb. And Lenz." He added hastily. "And Baltic, and Perry, and Dwight. They'll all make it back safe and sound. I have faith in them." It didn't sound like he quite believed it himself, but he stuck to his guns. "And Cobb wouldn't want me to complain. He told me that whining is pointless, back before our attack on the Obelisk." Noman explained while dutifully brewing potions. "I'm done whining and playing the victim. I should just be doing things to help. That's all. I just got to keep doing." He looked down at his hands. "That's what Cobb would want me to do..."

I quietly contemplated Noman's words. He was trying to appear fine, but he was really just throwing himself into work as a distraction. Like a shark always moving, if he stopped, he'd drown.

He needed a pep talk.

"Yeah, I thought you were a bit too whiney too." Noman deflated at the insult. "Bit preachy also." The pacifist deflated further. I smirked. "But I can't deny what you're capable of when you put your mind to it."

Noman quirked a brow as I continued.

"What you did at the Obelisk. Changing Serafina's mind and sticking to your beliefs? That took some serious guts, but you pulled it off. It felt like you were invincible, even when you didn't have that chestplate on."

I nodded to myself as I looked into the sky. "Sometimes I wonder... if you were the one with Hacker powers... you could unlock Invulnerability with ease. You just seem so incorruptible at times. So impenetrable. So good." I looked back to Noman with a smile. "I think I see why Ciro has so much faith in you. I really think you can do anything."

Noman canted his head as an unbidden smile spread and he wiped at misty eyes. He took a deep, steadying breath as he contained the waterworks. "...Thank you, Floyd."

I slapped his back reassuringly. "Don't sweat it. It's what leaders do... even though I've done the bare minimum of what a leader should." I added. "Maybe Cobb should've put you in charge."

"He was right not to." Noman asserted, surprising me. "I preserve all life, but Cobb wanted someone who'd stop at nothing to preserve his friends' lives. There are lines I wouldn't have crossed, or I would've hesitated to cross. Because I'm, uh, whiney and preachy." He added humorously. "I didn't always know my way getting here. Having someone responsible like you in charge of us was the right choice."

"That's..." I blinked at the glowing expectations Noman set upon me, not quite believing his faith in me. I didn't think I was worthy of being a leader, but he never thought that. "...Thanks." I chuckled to myself, feeling uplifted despite the dour news hanging in the air. "I suppose you don't have to worry about Carys' wings anymore, seeing as how the Paragons are keeping us updated on the East anyway."

Noman looked up curiously. "I'm still getting Carys her wings, Floyd."

"Aheh. Heh... what?" I questioned. "Why? You don't have to. They shared what they know. Carys herself told us. She showed her own bluff."

"I still made a commitment." Noman said it like it was obvious. "If Carys needs the wings, and they'll make her stronger, I should get her the wings. Besides, there's a monster in those mines claiming lives. I can deal with it."

"But you're not fully certain what you'll be hunting in those mines. And those Scouts are too unpredictable."

"Didn't you say I was indestructible?" Noman posed with a wry smile. "I can handle it, Floyd."

I sighed wearily. I hadn't been lying when I called Noman indestructible. He was unwavering and ironclad in his conviction. That also meant he had a tendency to be rash. He was driven to complete some side quest when our priority should've been the cultists, and he wasn't doing us any favors needlessly exposing himself to danger like this. Sure, he might be fine, but what about the rest of us. Hell, he was only on this side quest because he rashly rushed off to save some Scouts from a giant they didn't need saving from.

I guess this was what Cobb saw when he made me leader. I thought to myself before speaking up.

"You won't be going alone." Noman's gaze jerked up at my simple words. "I'll tag along."

"No, Floyd. You don't need to-"

"Shut it. You're a fool if you think you're the only one who has to face the consequences of your actions. When you're in a team, your consequences are all of our consequences." Maybe this way, he'll think twice about making rash, heroic calls. "Soul and Ciro will probably say the same. We're not gonna let you do this alone when cultists could show up any second." Especially not after some of our own went missing in a confrontation with those murder cultists. "Besides, Soul and I wanna get a handle on these Scouts. See what they're all about."

"They're all about headaches." Noman commented with a sigh. "You're right, though. I'm sorry I acted rashly. I never wanted to drag any of you into the consequences of my actions... but I should know by now that I can't always control what's solely my problem when I have such well-intentioned, officious friends."

"Bite me." I said in lieu of cursing, earning a light laugh.

We stayed like that for a while in a comfortable silence, our thoughts consumed by our missing friends and what they may be facing.


[Brimstone Bastion]

King Sdraw was asleep in his bedroom, contentedly cozy, his breathing steady and relaxed. He was in his nightclothes, which was just his usual white collared dress shirt without the deep blue, ostentatious suit he wore over it. It was past midnight, and all the inhabitants of the bastion were fast asleep, save for the guards patrolling the halls.

It was then that a trio of ender pearls landed on his balcony, materializing three assailants wearing Zombie Heads to cover their faces and names. The first was a young female, wearing red and purple. The second was an older woman wearing tan and green. The third was a young man garbed in green and brown. The three were alert as they quietly crept to the bed and surrounded the slumbering king.

Sdraw was roughly awoken by three sets of hands. One slapped over his mouth, smothering his calls for guards. Two more seized his wrists, pinning them behind his back as he was rolled onto his side. Two more held his legs together momentarily so he wouldn't kick out while the others worked. The final one was on his back, propping him up as he was pulled from the bed to a standing position.

"Don't make this difficult, Your Exalted Cultishness." The young female hissed, making Sdraw go still. These assailants knew he was an Endward Cult Executive. That helped narrow down who they were. Even with his brain still half-asleep, Sdraw thought things over meticulously. If they were Carys or her Paragons, and they suspected him, he'd already be dead. Instead, the three of them shunted him to the balcony and used a splash Potion of Slow Falling to safely descend to a lower balcony, bypassing the guards outside his room.

The trio of assailants carefully escorted the king, not off the grounds, but deeper into the bastion. One would go ahead to scout for guard patrols while the other two would focus on holding Sdraw captive, awaiting the signal to move ahead. Sdraw made no escape attempts and kept cooperative; he stayed aware of the threats the assailants made.

After careful navigation and sneaking, he and the three assailants arrived at the door to Sdraw's private study - the deepest, most secure room in the whole bastion. As the door opened, the king's closed eyes seemed to tighten as he beheld the Zombie-masked figure lounging at his chair, with feet kicked up and resting on his desk.

"Aaah, Your Majesty." The lounging assailant spread his arms out in welcome. He wore gold and silver. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. You don't mind, do you?"

Sdraw raised a brow with his mouth covered and unable to answer. The lounging assailant chuckled.

"Good." He waved one hand once the iron door to the study was closed. "You can unhand him now. The good king has made this room soundproofed - likely to keep his cultist conversations private." The three assailants released Sdraw, though not without frisking him. All he had on him were wooden planks.

"Never had the stomach to carry weapons." Sdraw informed the frisking assailants with his trademark apologetic smile. "Wouldn't do me much good, I'm afraid."

After they were done searching him, they backed off. The young female in red and purple stood guard at the door with folded arms, barring an escape that Sdraw had no intention of making.

"I suppose you'd like to know what this is all about?" The assailant lounging at Sdraw's desk cheerfully asked.

"The question crossed my mind, yes." Sdraw noted, though his closed-eyed stare held on the feet kicked up on his desk. "You have me at a disadvantage, but, if I could be so bold, could you refrain from putting your feet on my desk? I work hard to keep my study tidy."

In response, the lounging assailant examined one of his shoes, noticing a bit of grime. He made a noise of disgust before lifting that foot and scraping it along the side of Sdraw's desk. He did so purposefully as a sign of disrespect, and Sdraw only watched coolly while the other three assailants chuckled along at the insult.

"Allow us to clear up your confusion." The disrespectful assailant ignored Sdraw's request, keeping his feet propped up on the large desk in a show of power. "We are members of the Ten Eyes - high-ranking members of the Spider Queen's spy guild."

Sdraw raised a suspicious brow. "If you're allies of Mox, you must know that she's allied to the cult. No need for all the clandestine breaking and entering... and kidnapping."

There was a snort from the gold and silver Crafter before the green and brown one added, "You're woefully behind when it comes to information, aren't you? Don't you know what happened up north?"

"How can I? Portal transportation has been cut off entirely." Sdraw observed the four assailants and saw honest confusion in their exchanged glances. "You didn't know? Well, it seems I'm not as woefully behind as you'd like to believe. But I digress." Sdraw willed on his blue suit in motes of light and adjusted the sleeves to a degree of comfort. He donned his suit to maintain a civil, businesslike appearance, even while the four spies seemingly had the upper hand. "Half my division hasn't returned from the duel, and there's been no word why the portals are down. If Mox didn't send you to tell me this, why are you here?"

The cheerful gold and silver spy recovered fast. "We're here because we bear bad news, Your Exalted Cultishness. Mox has decided she'd like to pursue other interests, and she's formally severing all ties with the Endward Cult."

"You mean the horse she was backing broke its back right out of the gate, and she and the other Plagues had to cut and run." Sdraw read between the lines, having already anticipated such an outcome. The spies stiffened as the Executive went on. "4Blite lost the duel, but instead of allowing him to die for his failure, Mox and the rest of the Plagues stepped in and rescued him, making enemies of the cult in the process." Sdraw tutted chidingly. "If your leader was smarter, she would have let 4Blite take the fall and moved on. A lame horse like him can't be worth much."

"Our Spider Queen is smart enough. She escaped, after all, and your transportation network seems to be in shambles while her communication network is still booming." The spy in green and brown snapped back. "It's why we're here - why she's ordered us to make contact with you."

"If you're going to kill me, I'd prefer you get it over with. I don't enjoy listening to the grandstanding prattle of a pack of pinheads." Sdraw spoke with minimal regard for his own life.

The cheerful Crafter finally got out of Sdraw's desk and rounded it languidly. "Now why would we want to kill you? Why would we go to all the trouble of masking ourselves and bringing you to this soundproof room just to kill you?"

Sdraw glanced to the side, his apologetic smile thinning to a grimace as he had to suffer this idiot's grandstanding.

"We came here because our Spider Queen has demands - demands you will meet."

"Is that right?"

"Yes." The gold and silver clothed spy walked right up to Sdraw and gripped his head between his hands. He forced his gaze forward to stare into the cheery spy's Zombie mask. "Mox wants Heads. Enough Heads to do the Hybridization Ritual a thousand times over. You've got at least thirty-million to spare." The spy released Sdraw's head contemptuously. "She also wants Spring to disappear, and for you to order some Hackers to make it happen."

"I can't force the Hackers to do anything." Sdraw spoke steadily. "What I have with Entity 303 is a delicate alliance, and I wouldn't send them to kill someone I couldn't be bothered to finish off. If your queen's master is so intent on Spring's death, he wouldn't have lost the duel to begin with." Sdraw had to turn his head to keep his gaze on the cheery spy. "And give me one good reason why I should entertain Mox's demands when she's supposedly 'cut off all ties to the cult'?"

"Because," the red and purple clothed female at the door chimed in, the amusement in her voice clear, "you wouldn't want us to spill the beans about you, now would you?"

Sdraw jerked his head, allowing a flash of panic to cross his face. It was all carefully orchestrated.

He nervously chuckled to himself. "You're a couple of nameless spies - criminals - and I'm the beloved king of Exter. You think anyone would listen to you?"

"Carys and the Paragons would." The cheery spy casually dropped the ace he was holding. Again, Sdraw allowed a flash of panic to cross his face as he turned to him. "They're at the Sosnovy Bor Hot Springs Resort, now. We might be untrustworthy scum, but the Angel of Death has beef enough with you lot to look into any lead she can find. What do you think she'll do when we tell her where your Western HQ is? What do you think she'll do when we tell her you're their Executive?"

"You... You can't!" Sdraw let panic overcome him as he threw out one arm. "You'd destroy everything I've built here! Carys would take my head herself if she knew!"

"Yes, she would, wouldn't she." The cheery spy commented casually as if discussing the weather. "I'm pleased you understand the gravity of the situation, and the importance of following our Spider Queen's demands." He gave the the king a condescending pat on the cheek. "We'll keep your secrets for as long as you adhere to our demands. Heads first. Spring's death second."

"If you seek to test our willingness to leak your secrets," the older female spy in tan and green spoke up for the first time, "your HQ will be the first to be revealed. Test us a second time, and the Paragons will know that the king of Exter is the Western Executive, and that your Lieutenant is that boorish Captain of yours."

Sdraw sunk to his knees as the reality of the blackmail sunk in... or seemed to sink in. The spies sneered at his reaction. "Seems His Exalted Cultishness gets the picture." The red and purple clothed spy remarked slyly.

Sdraw brought a hand to his forehead as the composed face he usually put forward began to crack. The spies on either side of him gave him a smug glance, sure in their superiority, before vacating his study.

"You're not in charge anymore." The cheery spy made it a point to lean down and whisper into the king's ear. "Our queen is the real monarch now. Don't forget it."

When the last spy had gone from the room, leaving a shaken Sdraw behind, it looked like they had the last laugh.

Sdraw counted to thirty after they left before dropping his trembling visage of weakness and getting to his feet. His composed face was back in place as he took out a wooden plank from his backpack and circled his large desk. He crafted the plank into a button and placed it under his desk before pressing it. His large desk was like a control panel, built to conceal redstone circuitry that went throughout his private study, and he alone knew where to place the buttons to trigger what.

Upon pressing the button, a side room opened up on the left. The room had two beds, chairs, a table, modest lighting, and a fully stocked fridge, and two Hackers stepped out from it, having been waiting and overhearing everything on the Executive's orders. Sdraw anticipated a visit from Mox's spies, expecting this exact blackmail scenario out of over a dozen possibilities in response to the duel's outcome. He was prepared.

The first Hacker was a male named Andrey_Nichto. He had curly, ginger hair, green eyes, glasses, a reversed dark gray cap, a pencil thin mustache, and a dark blue vest over a flannel, long-sleeve, button up shirt of red, gray, and white. He wore black sweatpants, a dark gray belt and backpack, and black sneakers.

The other Hacker was a female named Nikitakrylya. She had a harsh face, red eyes, and a black, porkpie hat over gray, shoulder-length hair. She wore a brown zip-up blouse, cream-colored jeans, black heels, and a red backpack and belt. She looked at Sdraw with disgust, as if sharing a room with him was an insult. Andrey was more tolerant working for him, but not by a lot. They both had the dark Hacker lines stretched vertically across their eyes.

"Follow those four back. Find out where they're gathered. Maybe even their names. Please, don't lose them." Sdraw asked of Andrey. The Hacker nodded before closing his eyes and allowing dark smoke to gush from them to envelop his body. He fell backwards for Nikita to catch while his consciousness flew off, unseen and unheard. This was Andrey's Freecam Hack, allowing his consciousness to leave his body behind so he could fly and move through walls like a ghost, following the quartet of spies back to where they came. His body would be vulnerable, but that was what Nikita was there for. She held him protectively.

"So those spy bastards wanted us to be their errand boys?" Nikita asked harshly. "I was skeptical why you had us waiting in here all day, but you were right on the money that they'd show. Why didn't you let us loose on them? Hell, I could've squashed them in a snap."

"I'm sure you could've, but there are other spies, my dear." Sdraw explained himself respectfully. "Those spies wouldn't come here if they didn't have insurance, no matter how weak I made myself out to be."

"You are weak."

"Perhaps I am." Sdraw replied noncommittally. "But more to the point, the Ten Eyes likely had backups ready to leak my identity should those four not have returned safely. This way, with Andrey, they'll lead us to their base of operations and give me more information to work with."

"You got a plan? Not that I care."

"They're rough ideas, but they're promising." Sdraw revealed. "I have a lot of Domino trails I need to set up, still. For that, I need data. Data Andrey will secure, and at little risk with you safeguarding him."

Nikita snorted, but didn't admit she agreed with him. He was just a lowly bug 303 asked her and Andrey to help out for the time being.

Sdraw was expecting the news of 303's mycelium planting in Dover Plains to hit Exter any day now, but he wasn't expecting the portal network to be cut off entirely. That meant no communication and no reinforcements. Something was off in the east, where King_Cobb was reported to be. The two points were not unrelated.

And Abyssmal. That slacker's first priority would've been setting up new portals connecting the main divisions, but he wasn't doing that if the delayed return of half of Sdraw's forces was any indication. It was a good thing Sdraw kept XoX and Leadstripe from attending the duel, since he was now down half his division. The Western Division was at half strength and on its own, and Sdraw would have to deal with Carys and the Lighter Billionth with the pieces he had.

"...Why were you acting so weak?" Nikita asked suspiciously, breaking Sdraw from his inner thoughts. "You're all lower than dirt to us, but you lowered yourself further before those Ten-Eyed insects. Aren't you a king? Why show weakness?"

"Ever read The Art of War?" Sdraw asked warmly as he went to his bookshelf and took out a copy of that very book. He liked reading it in his personal time. "'Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.'"

"I don't get it."

"Of course you don't. You Hackers always appear strong, never needing to appear weak, or seeing the advantage in it." Nikita bristled at the note of condescension in Sdraw's voice, which he quickly remedied as he took to guiding her like a teacher. "I showed weakness to make the spies think they have the upper hand. They'll happily gamble all their chips on a hand they think they've already won, only to feel like fools when I reveal I have the upper hand. In other words, I'm giving them a false sense of security. Let them think I'm distressed. Let them think I'm backed into a corner. I'll be the one ahead in the end." Nikita nodded, somewhat understanding.

"On the other end of the spectrum, sometimes you must appear strong when you're weak, like how I went to your leader like an equal when he can kill me with a flick of his pinky." Sdraw joked, earning another amused snort from Nikita. "Bluffing an opponent into thinking you have a better hand when it's garbage is necessary at times. It's riskier, however, and could cost you your life if used too often. But, if used sparingly, it can be a powerful tool."

Nikita closed her eyes and let out a condescending smirk while she shrugged. "It can't be helped. You bugs will always cling to any king of feeble advantage you can get."

"You should read it." Sdraw suggested, tossing the Hacker his cherished copy of The Art of War. She'd be waiting until Andrey returned to his body anyway. "You'd benefit from taking knowledge from other sources. It can help invigorate your rigid, stale, Hacker fighting style."

"And just what's wrong with my fighting style?" Nikita asked dangerously, a bit of her smoke leaking out and the sclerae of her eyes blackening to the point that her red eyes seemed to glow out of the darkness.

"Other than it basically being 'blast everything' with no real substance or technique?" Sdraw countered, unafraid. He knew 303 told the Hackers not to harm him unless he put one of them in danger. "Read it or don't. Just be ready to move out when Andrey comes to. You're going to be flushing Carys out now that the Ten Eyes have graciously told us where to find her. You know, they really are ahead of me in information." He said mildly. "It's a shame we couldn't work something out."

Nikita grinned diabolically while waving The Art of War in front of her. "Carys, eh? Am I gonna show up on her doorstep, 'appearing strong'?"

"No, you're going to appear weak." Sdraw ducked when Nikita's power shattered the bookshelf behind him and his desk like a controlled explosion of air had gone off. Books littered the floor of his private study before he poked his head back above his desk with a disarming, apologetic smile and his light-brown hair slightly disheveled. "Allow me to clarify..."


Inventory (Floyd): 1 Mob Head {Creeper}, 1 Diamond Pickaxe, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Shears, 2 Iron Ingots, 24 Coal, 20 Torches, 19 Baked Potatoes, 5 Cooked Porkchops, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 16 Gunpowder, 9 Ender Pearls, 1 Splash Potion of Slowness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Bucket, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}

[EXP: 48]

Inventory (Soul): 1 Diamond Axe [Sharpness V], 1 Iron Cleaver, 1 Diamond Pickaxe, 60 Iron Ingots, 19 Flint, 1 Flint and Steel, 5 Ender Pearls, 8 Gold Ingots, 11 Blocks of Diamond, 9 Emeralds, 11 Raw Salmon, 10 Pumpkin Seeds, 4 Cooked Porkchops, 18 Baked Potatoes, 1 Shears, 1 Bucket of Axolotl {Axolittle}, 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, 22 White Wool, 61 Cobblestone, 14 Jungle Planks, 2 Bowls, 1 Armor Stand, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Exter Entry Pass}, 1 Splash Potion of Slowness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}

[EXP: 41]

Cat-Face the Cat

Christopher Squawken the Parrot

Axolittle the Axolotl

Inventory (Noman): 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness I], 1 Shield, 1 Diamond Chestplate {Severe Shield}, 1 Golden Boots {Stivali Magma}, 1 Leather Boots {Bottes Zephyr} [Dyed White], 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Diamond Chestplate, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 1 Diamond Pickaxe, 1 Flint and Steel, 10 Cobwebs, 1 Ender Chest, 19 Baked Potatoes, 5 Cooked Porkchops, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Water Bucket, 5 Buckets, 1 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Exter Entry Pass}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Paper {MarbleFinder; 1909 Oleg Street}, 1 Written Book {The Art of Peace}, 1 Written Book {Artifact List}, 1 Enchanted Golden Apple, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II, 1 Splash Potion of Healing II

[EXP: 35]

Inventory (Kalmarin): 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Mob Head {Skeleton}, 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness III, Unbreaking I], 1 Map {Paragon Minecraftia}, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Gold Citizenship Pass}, 1 Bow [Power I], 36 Arrows, 6 Ender Pearls, 20 Baked Potatoes, 1 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 40 Torches, 31 Sand, 12 Cobblestone, 21 Oak Planks, 1 Bucket, 1 Lava Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 43 Coal, 1 Clock, 1 Compass, 1 Iron Pickaxe [Unbreaking I], 1 Wooden Pickaxe {Old Reliable} [Unbreaking III, Efficiency V], 1 Written Book {Meetup}

[EXP: 43]

Inventory (Anibal): 1 Crossbow {Buckner}, 1 Crossbow {Devers}, 64 Arrows, 38 Arrows, 16 Firework Rockets {Flight Duration: 1, Large Ball x 7, White x 7}, 13 Firework Rockets {Flight Duration: 1, Large Ball x 7, White x 7}, 6 Ender Pearls, 5 Cooked Mutton, 13 Apples, 18 Oak Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 1 Bed, 39 Torches, 21 Coal, 1 Map {Paragon Minecraftia}, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Gold Citizenship Pass}, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 3 Ender Chests, 41 Emeralds, 29 Cobblestone, 1 Bow [Flame I], 1 Bow [Power V], 1 Diamond Sword [Sweeping Edge III], 1 Diamond Sword [Smite V], 1 Diamond Sword [Fire Aspect II], 1 Diamond Sword [Bane of Arthropods V]

[EXP: 53]


AN: In terms of timeline, everything is caught up to the present now. December 13th was the day of the siege on the Eastern Division HQ as well as the duel between Spring and 4Blite, and now there's no more back and forth parallel timeline stuff. Thank goodness.

I think the stuff with Sdraw and the humor prior to the news were the best things out of this chapter. Maybe because I just loathe writing people in mourning. I dunno.

FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. FORUM. DISCORD. BAGELS.