AN: Went to another Texas Hold Em Tournament the other day. Got destroyed. Much like Cobb did against Abyssmal.
It started out great. I won the very first hand with three Jacks. Then kept hold of my money for a little bit before splitting a hand with another guy with trip fives. But then things too a terrible turn, and I foolishly went all in against the same guy I split with on an earlier hand. I was probably the first one out, in thirty minutes. That'll teach me to play aggressively. Should know to play as many hands as possible to increase chances of getting good cards. Oh well. They let you buy back in if you go out early, but I didn't. I know when to walk away. I did feel a little bummed, though, since I expected to stay for at least two hours, but went out in a quarter of that time.
Anyway, the Chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I could afford to fund my growing gambling addiction.
...Forget you heard that.
Chapter 249
Duel of Fate
[Northern Lacquerlands]
In the Northern Lacquerlands, nestled between jagged, obsidian mountains, and before an active Nether Portal frame, Cobb beat his fists and forehead into the ground. Frustrated tears seeped from eyes scrunched closed as his spirit cracked near to the breaking point. He felt utter anguish, his nails clawing at the unyielding obsidian ground of the Lacquerlands. The new portal had taken him to the other side of Minecraftia when he absolutely needed to be in Portal Hub A.
And now, Lenz was...
'They need you more than they need me.'
Cobb slapped his palm into the ground. Why would you think that? He thought. What possessed you to think you're less important than me? What did I do to make you think that? It's the other way around; wasn't that obvious? Don't you know how much your life means? You're needed more! You're all needed more than me!
Cobb let out an anguished sob.
I promised him he'd graduate...
Another Crafter emerged from the Nether Portal. It was Baltic. His nose still broken from Cobb's wildly thrown elbow. The aged alchemist let out a gasp of relief. "Oh, thank God..." Then he went back into the portal and returned with Dwight a few seconds later.
Baltic's relief was over the simple fact he and Cobb were alive at all. Once Cobb went back into the portal first, after the alchemist was certain the portal at the Eastern HQ was blown up, there was no telling where the portal would've taken them. There was the possibility that the new portal emerged outside the Border, and that Cobb died immediately. There was also no way of telling whether Cobb's delayed return back to the Nether was because he was dead or because he was consumed by anguish and incapable of returning on his own.
So Baltic's decision to verify himself was fairly risky. There was a high chance he'd die instantly going through that portal, and he warned Dwight to assume as much if he didn't come right back, and to venture into the Nether with the knowledge that Baltic and Cobb were dead.
The alchemist had to risk his life, however. Cobb was vital. Which is why he was so relieved the portal took them someplace inside Minecraftia's Border, and that Cobb was alive.
It was a risky gamble. A weighty gamble. One Cobb wasn't in a state to fully appreciate.
"The Lacquerlands...?" Dwight recognized the obsidian landscape immediately. "Geez, we got warped to the whole other side of the world..."
"We're in the northern region." Baltic confirmed their location from his map. After that, he spared the anguished Cobb a condoling look. "Cobb..."
The fisherman was hunched over with his head in his hands. He didn't even register Baltic or Dwight's voices, even when the alchemist came over to kneel before him and tilt his head up.
"It's okay, Cobb. It's alright."
Every fiber of Cobb's being wanted to lash out. To blame those nearest. To hurt them. Shake them. Shout at them. But he knew it wasn't their fault. That was the one thought staying his hand. The Paragons weren't to blame. It was the Endward Cult. It was Teal's fault specifically for holding Lenz back at the cusp of escape. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory - that battle junkie.
Baltic tried hugging Cobb, but the fisherman, not having any of it and not trusting himself enough not to lash out, wedged his arms between their bodies and shoved away, more powerful than ever thanks to his recent acquisitions of EXP. His cry was a mix of anguish and anger. A warning to keep away from him while he was like this.
Baltic didn't know what to say. Despite Lenz's fate being unconfirmed, the chances he was still alive back with Teal and Abyssmal were extremely low. He didn't know how to feel. The Eastern Division was gone, as was most of their forces and their Portal Hubs, but it hadn't come without a price. There were losses. People died. Aurand was dead. Doyle was dead. Shroud was dead. Perry was dead. Lenz was assumed dead. Baltic couldn't even confirm who else was dead without a message from Trenay in Oak Docks.
"...I need to send a message." Baltic decided, taking out his map. "Trenay needs to know what happened, who made it out, and who we lost-"
"He's not dead!" Cobb blurted out, still kneeling and hunched over on the ground. "Lenz isn't dead. He's tough. They're only dead if there's a Head. They're only dead if there's a Head." There was that mantra of his again. His rule of thumb regarding death. Unless there was a disembodied Head that sat motionless without resurrecting from a spent totem, Lenz was alive.
Baltic, having been a Paragon for years and experienced situations where a Paragon lost or MIA was synonymous with being deceased, was of the opinion that Lenzington was likely already dead at the hands of Teal and Abyssmal, and that holding out hope for his miraculous survival was the fisherman clutching at straws.
Baltic remembered how Cobb swore not to leave that HQ until Lenz was properly rescued. No Paragon would dictate when he left that place. In a way, he was right. Lenz was the one to decide, against Cobb's wishes. He would've stayed and fought.
"He's not dead..." Cobb repeated to himself. "He can't be dead..."
Baltic didn't know if it was kinder to go along with Cobb's sliver of hope or immediately set him straight. Carys would have ripped the band-aid off instantly. Cruel and direct, and truthful.
Baltic wasn't ready to make a decision, though. Instead, he directed his attention to the map as he prepared to send his report.
"Oh, shit..." Dwight slowly cursed, backing away from the direction he was staring at. "Uh, Baltic? You might wanna put a hussle on that message! We got problems!"
Baltic heard the alarm in Dwight's voice and looked up from his map, to the east. The blood drained from his face.
Of all the rotten luck...
A Zombie Pigman trekked into view from the east. It wore a glass dome over its head and had the number '5' hanging over it.
"A Stigma..." Baltic swore as the distant Mob spotted them and let out an angry squeal that seemed to reverberate against the obsidian mountains. Then it started to multiply explosively, the Stigma becoming an army of Stigmata that raced towards the three Crafters.
"Let's get OUTTA HERE!" Dwight shouted as he was halfway to the Nether Portal. He didn't have the blocks to nerdpole to safety. Baltic agreed that the portal was their best choice to escape. The Stigmata couldn't exist in another dimension since they were the product of a Command Block's commands in Minecraftia's dimension.
The alchemist didn't have time to send a proper message to Trenay. All he could do was send out the 'going dark' signal, picking up and dropping the map three times to make his blip blink. Their map blips wouldn't show in the Nether. "We need to leave, Cobb. Now."
However, Cobb was now standing up with a trident in one hand and his diamond sword in the other. He faced the oncoming Stigmata horde with an eerie calm. He saw them as an outlet for his anger and frustration, and he wasn't backing down.
"Cobb? COBB! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!?"
"I can fight." Cobb murmured to himself, his gaze unflinching as he stared at the horde. "I can take them."
"No, you can't! We need to leave!" Baltic ran over and tried to pull Cobb back to no avail. His EXP strength was beyond him. "Cobb, stop being crazy! You can't fight Stigmata!"
"That's what they said about Hackers." Cobb murmured back as he glared forward darkly. He adjusted his grip on his weapons. "I can fight. Lenz is east - behind them. I can fight."
"Stigmata are like a force of nature! It would be like fighting a tornado! YOU CAN'T! NO ONE CAN!" Baltic kept tugging Cobb to no avail, even when Dwight ran back to try and talk some sense into the fisherman. He wasn't listening. "COBB!"
Baltic splashed himself and Dwight with a Potion of Strength as they fought to drag Cobb backwards to the portal. It worked to an extent, but Cobb was still resisting.
"I can do it. I can fight them." Cobb kept muttering. There was a bit of insanity in his gaze. "Lenz is that way. I'm not detouring. I'm not stepping back."
The army of invulnerable Stigmata squealed in reply as they stampeded towards the struggling trio.
"Damnit, Cobb!" A hand smacked his face, damaging the smacker with Thorns. "Ack. I know you're grieving, but this is just plain suicide!" Dwight roared in his ear. "Lenz wouldn't want you being this irrational!"
Cobb spun on Dwight, snapped out of his trance by anger. "Don't talk like he's gone! He's still alive and I'm gonna save him!"
"HOW!? BY THROWING YOUR LIFE AWAY!?"
Before Cobb could reply, Baltic doused him with Slowness and Weakness. The paralysis combo. He left them with no choice. Cobb's body seized up and stopped resisting, allowing Baltic and Dwight to drag him back to the portal. Cobb was shouting and howling the whole time.
"LET GO OF ME! I CAN FIGHT THEM! I'M NOT TAKING ONE STEP BACK! I GOTTA GET TO LENZ! LET GO, YOU FUCKS!"
The trio made it to the portal in the nick of time, the Stigmata multiplying explosively to overrun the area behind them. They returned to the Nether, and any Stigmata that followed them vanished. Only the original Stigma - the one labeled with a '5' - could exist in other dimensions, but with its Command Block powers stripped. The Stigma didn't follow, however. It stayed in Minecraftia, roaming in search of prey amidst an army of clones.
Meanwhile, in the Nether, the still paralyzed Cobb was laid flat against warm netherrack while Baltic and Dwight berated him for his recklessness.
"We told you 'No', Cobb! The Stigmata aren't something you can fight. Best you could manage is to lure the original into the Nether, but good luck doing that without dying-"
"Shut up and fix me!" Cobb spoke impotently.
"Not until you convince me you're good." Baltic countered calmly. With Cobb the way he was, Baltic had to be the leading authority.
"I'm fine!"
"I don't think you are. I don't think you can make sensible choices right now based on what we just saw."
"I could've fought them..." He growled lowly.
"Come on, you would have died." Dwight told him bluntly. "Even Carys knows to flee to higher ground."
Cobb's expression turned dark. "You have no idea what I'm capable of." His marred cheek stood out in stark contrast with the harsh features of his face. Dwight took a step away, looking unnerved.
"That's enough." Baltic's tone brokered no argument as he knelt down before Cobb's paralyzed form and spoke clearly. "We need you to hold it together, alright? Or else I can keep you paralyzed all day."
Cobb grimaced. He had no choice but to listen.
"There is nothing we can - No, listen to me! - There is nothing we can do to help Lenz right now. We're in the Nether, but we may as well be on the moon for all the good we can do. There is nothing to be done."
"You're wrong!"
"How am I wrong? What can we do?"
In reply, Cobb's eyes darted to the portal. "We can break and reset the portal. Make it so it can take us closer to Oak Docks-"
"That won't work."
"If Abyssmal can do it, so can we!"
"You don't seem to understand the complications of Nether Portals, so allow me to simplify matters." Baltic offered, his tone serious. "Think of portals like a suspended rope bridge, where the connected cliffs represent connected realms - Minecraftia and the Nether. If one end is severed, like back at the Eastern HQ, the bridge collapses, and any attempts to re-enter will make the bridge reconnect to a new random spot, either potentially within the Border, or disastrously outside the Border."
Baltic pointed to the portal. "Even though this side's portal was untouched, it's become a whole new bridge, connecting us to the Lacquerlands."
"Say we break this portal," Baltic hypothesized, "then reset it, like you suggested. The active portal in the Lacquerlands will still exist, but it will no longer connect with this portal. We'd be taking a gamble entering a reset portal. There's no telling where it will take us."
"But there's still a chance it could take us closer!" Cobb insisted. "If there's a chance a new portal can bring us closer to Oak Docks - hell, even closer to the Eastern Ocean would be fine - I can get back to the Eastern HQ!"
"You could just as easily appear outside the Border and die on the spot."
"So what! I'll take that risk myself!"
Baltic frowned. "You'd be forfeiting your life."
"I don't care! If there's a chance, I'm taking it!"
"You're more likely to die than get anywhere. We're not gonna have you throw your life away."
"That's not your choice to make." Cobb growled.
"I've got a supply of splash potions that says otherwise." Baltic challenged before attempting another angle. "How am I going to face your friends if I let you do something this risky?" Cobb visibly deflated, losing a lot of his anger thinking about his other friends. "I'm telling you, it won't work."
"Rgh... Fine! Then send a message to Trenay! Have her put together a search party-"
"We can't send map messages in the Nether. Our blips won't show. You know this." Baltic pointed out. "This is what I mean. You're not in a fit state to make choices. You're all turned around."
"How am I supposed to feel?" Cobb snapped. "Lenz is in trouble, and I'm wasting my time talking to you when I could be doing something!"
"There's nothing any of us can do to help Lenz." Baltic decided to go by facts and not mention Lenz's likely death. It was true that, while they were cut off like this, there was nothing they could do to affect what went on in Oak Docks. "Right now, we need to focus on getting out of this hellscape." Baltic spared a wary glance to their surroundings. The Nether had changed quite a bit since he last remembered. There was a nether brick raised highway connected to the platform the portal frame stood upon but surrounding them was an alien forest with blue-green grass and trees. Since when could trees be in the Nether? "We have two options."
"Option One: We wait here. We know for certain this portal will take us to the Northern Lacquerlands." He tapped it meaningfully. "The Stigma will eventually wander off, and it'll be safe to return. No telling how long it'll take, since we appeared to be in a valley-"
"I'm not gonna wait around." Cobb refused, despite that being precisely what he was doing while paralyzed. "We need to keep moving."
Baltic sighed. "Option Two..." He gazed at the nether brick highway. "We see where this leads."
The nether brick highway was likely built by the cultists to make it easier to move around the Nether. All highways connected to portals. Even if the central hubs were gone, following a highway would lead back to an active portal. One that would exit into an Endward Cult base or outpost or hideout somewhere in Minecraftia. There was a risk, since the highways were used by cultists, but it would keep the trio moving. It was also their only lead in finding another safe, functional portal.
"I vote Option One." Dwight raised his hand. "The Nether has changed and I'm underequipped since my imprisonment. It's too risky going out into uncharted territory. If we just wait a day or two, that Stigma will wander off on its own."
"I'm not waiting. Option Two." Cobb voted next, leaving Baltic as the tiebreaker. The alchemist didn't need to think long. He already knew his choice.
"Option One. We wait." Baltic sat against the portal frame despite Cobb's protests. "Navigating this hellscape is too dangerous. There are new biomes and Mobs out here that we don't fully understand. Staying in a known, secure location is better than going out begging for trouble."
He also wanted the three of them out of the Nether as soon as possible for personal reasons.
"And while we're sitting around, who's helping Lenz!?" Cobb snarled.
Baltic paused to consider his words. "I don't mean to be cruel, Cobb, but-"
"Not another word! I don't wanna hear it."
"Well, you're gonna have to hear it." Baltic soldiered on despite the danger. "I'm sorry for your loss, Cobb, but we have to face the possibility-"
"Stop! Shut up!"
"-that Lenz is dead."
"AUGH!" Cobb tried to scream over the words as he was unable to drown them out any other way. "This wasn't supposed to happen! He was supposed to be safe! He was supposed to get out alive! He still is alive!" He hastily amended, trying to convince himself. "Until I otherwise see a Head, he's not dead! He's the best archer I know! If anyone can survive, he can!"
"...You make it sound like Perry, Aurand, Doyle, and Shroud were weak." Dwight murmured traitorously. "They can die, but not Lenz. Even when they're fighting the same enemies. We couldn't even give Perry a warrior's funeral..."
"I traveled with those men, same as you. I kept them alive and knew them." Cobb countered. Lenz was the exclamation mark on the sentence that was all the lives lost. People Cobb knew personally. Aurand. Doyle. Shroud. Perry. Their deaths were a dull ache, and Lenz's unconfirmed status was a heart-wrenching punch to the balls. "I fought beside them and trusted them. I'm affected by their passing. It tears me up inside. I feel a loss, but Lenz is a loss I can't come to grips with. Of course I'd prioritize a friend I spent more time with. Doesn't change the fact I'd rush to rescue any of you if you were in trouble! Why do I have to care for everyone equally!?"
"No one's saying you should. But you should at least care for your own well-being rather than risk it with irrational plans." Baltic chastised. "You can't let loss destroy you."
"Lenz isn't lost! He's alive! Just because you're not affected-!"
"How dare you." Baltic's tone was low and dangerous, making Cobb go quiet. "I've lost people too, Cobb. Not just over the past couple days, but over the decades I've spent as the leader of Team Beta in the Paragons. Did you think I sabotaged my own Stasis Chamber and followed you into that HQ because I didn't care whether Lenz lived or died? I even tried to secure MarkAble as a hostage to trade for your friend."
Dwight looked between the two with surprise. "You guys had Stasis Chambers...? And you sabotaged them!?"
"Cobb was unwilling to leave without Lenz, and I was unwilling to leave without either of them." Baltic explained before turning his sagacious glare upon the paralyzed fisherman. "So where do you get off saying I'm not affected? If it's a result of grief, I can forgive it, but you claim there is no grief since there's no loss. So which is it?"
Cobb's face twisted into a grimace as he broke eye contact with Baltic. His eyes misted over again.
"...He's not dead." Cobb's voice was small. Fragile.
Baltic closed his eyes and chewed the inside of his cheek as he looked away. "...We can't confirm or deny anything. I won't lead you on saying 'I'm sure he's alive,' because I just don't know. Maybe he's alive, maybe he's dead. But right now, that information won't change what we need to do here: Escape the Nether and re-establish contact. Do you understand that? All three of us need to keep our heads straight and not make irrational decisions."
Cobb grimaced as he conceded the alchemist's point. If he wanted to help Lenz, he needed to get out of the Nether first. In an ideal world, he'd want a direct portal back to whatever ruins were left of the Eastern Division HQ, but he couldn't have that.
All he could do was wait, and it ate him up inside.
[Lazuli Tundra: Earlier That Day...]
Earlier that day, as the sun dawned on the icy Lazuli Tundra on December 13th, prior to the assault on the Eastern Division HQ...
A duel was set to commence. A duel to decide the new Executive and Lieutenants for a division that hadn't existed for twenty-five years. The combatants would be the cold-hearted Lieutenant from the Northern Division, 4Blite, and the traitorous upstart grunt with an impressive list of achievements under his belt, Spring_Fever. Only one could claim the title of Southern Executive. The other would be sent to the Next Life.
Spring_Fever, the up-and-coming star, was the one least favored to win. Not only was he the underdog, but he was also considered a traitor thanks to the widely circulated news that he helped a Hybrid by robbing Heads from the Northern Depository. As ruthless and unliked as 4Blite was, the cultists had zero tolerance for traitors. The only reason they weren't ripping Spring limb from limb was because of this duel he was being forced into. Executive Abyssmal himself had to escort the underdog to ensure he wouldn't make a break for it. The odds of him besting 4Blite were low.
Others had even less room for leeway concerning the traitor. At the erected arena in the frozen tundra, Executive Ember was trying to calm down pro-4Blite supporters in the packed stands. They consisted mostly of the prisoners and Plagues 4Blite set free from Ringwood's prison.
"This duel is a farce! Lord 4Blite deserves the Southern Executive position! More than that traitor, Spring!"
"He's got real strength! More than that, he has ambition! How can Spring compete with that?"
"Yeah! Spring is a sissy season anyway!"
"Sick burn, Keen..."
"If there's one thing I'm good at, it's sick burns!"
As the pro-4Blite supporters continued to roar their disapproval, Ember felt her temper rise. She repeatedly called for quiet but was repeatedly ignored. The cold and wind were also biting through her layer of leather, and she wanted to return to her specially heated seat in the stands. Finally, at her wits' end, she pulled out a shovel, dug up some snow, and fired snowballs at the vocal cultists. The icy slush hit many open mouths and shut them up long enough for her to get a word in.
"That's quite enough! If 4Blite is as much a clear victor as you claim, he should have no trouble proving it, and you should have no qualms getting front row seats to it." With the way she phrased it, the pro-4Blite supporters had to admit it sounded entertaining. "The Southern Division seats will be decided in the arena. Only the strongest will prevail. If you have any problems with the way we're running things," she rested her hand on the diamond Rapier at her hip, "we'll have words."
4Blite's supporters grumbled to themselves but didn't vocalize their grievances.
Or most of them did. There was always that one asshole.
"Eh, do you worst, Executive! Erma isn't intimidated by you!" Keen exclaimed, much to the timid Erma's dismay.
"She doesn't speak f-for me! Pay her no mind, sorry!" She hastily explained away while dragging Keen down. Ember was lenient towards them as she turned away to check up on the other cultists in the stands.
The stands in question were made of stone brick stairs, and the battleground was built out of smooth stone slabs. It allowed for a flat, wide open area to fight in. No terrain or obstacles to make use of. Just a simple duel between two cultists. The whole arena had to be built by her unlucky division, and it had to be constructed someplace far flung from Lazuli's capital or villages, or their new Northern HQ. There were also the six Withers Ember had released to worry about, but she heard that Captain Wynn - now Queen Wynn - was skillfully dispatching them at the Border. She was certainly redeeming herself from her last stunning failure.
They still had to be careful, though. One roaming Wither - or one curious Crafter - could spoil the whole duel. That was why Ember had cultists in the Asmodeus overhead, serving as lookouts. From the airship, they could see for miles in any direction on the arctic tundra. There were also a few mountains in the way to conceal the arena from sight.
There was certainly a good turnout for the duel. Ten-thousand cultists from the East, ten-thousand from the West, eighteen-thousand from her own North, and seven-thousand as startup for the South (with the duel deciding who'd lead them in Zeppil). Building an arena to house forty-five-thousand cultists was a serious project for her division, but it was completed in a week, nonetheless.
While Ember scanned the stands to see everyone was seated, her fellow Executive, Abyssmal, pulled up beside her.
"I did my job. Escorted the kid here safely. He isn't running." Abyssmal rubbed his hands together to warm them up. "I left him to his last minute prep. Where's King Squinty? Or is he watching invisible?"
"He's not coming. Neither are XoX or Leadstripe." Ember explained. "As soon as Sdraw heard the Angel of Death was nearing Exter's capital, he canceled. My guess is he's cooking up some big brain Domino plan to take her out, even when I told him I'd be the one to do it." She simmered. "Anyway, he doesn't want to be away when she gets there. Neither do his Lieutenants. They remember the South."
Sdraw also advised her to keep an eye on the Plagues if 4Blite started losing. After all, their loyalty was to 4Blite first.
"Agh. Maybe I should've canceled too." Abyssmal rubbed his head. "Instead I left my Lieutenants behind."
"I'd rather be in Oak Docks too. I have questions for Lenzington, and it's looking like I'll get some alone time with King_Cobb out of it." Her light-blue eyes sparkled at the thought of meeting him face to face. She had a lot of questions for him regarding Jade, Herobrine, and the elusive End Portal they had yet to find. She longed to delve into the wellspring of secrets contained in his skull. She only needed a couple dozen minutes between him and her Soul-Gaze to learn it all. "After the duel's concluded, I'm going back with you. We put our focus on Cobb in the East, then wrap up Carys in the West."
"I get to fight one of them, right?"
"Fight 303 if you want to lose so badly."
"I want to lose when I'm pushed to my limits. I want to be surpassed at my best. There's no point unless there's some back-and-forth. Kinda defeats the purpose when 303 is Invulnerable and can Nuker a city with the flick of a finger. It'd be like throwing myself at a black hole." Abyssmal frowned. "Besides, those Hackers can't be the successor for anyone. They're inimical to honing themselves or their base techniques. They're all a bunch of hacks." Abyssmal turned his eye to Ember and grinned roguishly. "I need someone like you, Ember."
"You trying to start an exhibition match before the main event?" Ember drawled. "The score's already tied."
"Does my eye deceive me, or has your EXP meter gone up." Abyssmal spied the green number tattooed on her arm. The last time he saw it at their meeting at the Eastern HQ, it was 105. Now it was 152.
"You noticed." Ember held up her arm and gazed at the number. "Now that I don't have to be cautious with my identity, I've been more active liberating villagers up here. Guess the EXP just piled up."
That was one way to put murdering thousands.
Abyssmal mulled over a projected fight between himself and the current Ember. He knew her movements enough to have Foresight active immediately, but her EXP strength dwarfed his. He'd be limited to dodging. Forget about diverting.
He sighed. Why oh why did she have to be an ally? She was the ideal opponent. Also hot with tig bidd-
"I know that look." Ember grimaced as she covered her chest with one arm. "Satisfy your libido elsewhere. Perhaps with your hand."
"For your information," Abyssmal declared proudly, "I just got back from banging Cyan like a drum."
Ember quirked an eyebrow, using Soul-Gaze just to verify he was telling the truth. "As in Cyan_Gift, 4Blite's minion? That Cyan?"
"The very same."
"And just how did you wrangle that."
"She was just cool with it, y'know? Completely casual. I just did my usual flirting and she shrugged and went for it. Didn't even try to poison me once like a black widow. I couldn't believe it."
"You sure she wasn't just trying to earn a favor for 4Blite?"
"Wow. Thanks for the vote of confidence." Abyssmal countered. "Anyway, no. There were no strings attached. I get the feeling Cyan isn't one for drama. It's just a casual situationship. Noncommittal and with no judgement. Just the kind I'm looking for." Abyssmal adopted a fond smile as he spied Cyan returning to the stands with a satisfied air. "She also had this cute little smirk while we were doing it."
"Pretty sure she was thinking, 'Hurry up and get it over with.'"
Abyssmal adopted a dispirited expression. The kind you get when you just got roasted and have no comeback. Ember really knew how to hit him.
"Gotta get a Fire Resistance potion for that one." Abyssmal rubbed the back of his neck as he wandered off.
[4Blite's Waiting Room]
In his private underground waiting room set aside for last-minute prep, 4Blite accepted the gear from his Plagues, Sam and Maira.
"Well, it wasn't easy, and we should totally get a one-day rush bonus for services rendered, but we got the Nether alloy." Sam stated proudly... and tiredly. There was a clear indication of sleeplessness and fatigue for both of them. They also stank of sweat. Too much time in the Nether.
4Blite grunted in reply. Not one word of thanks came from his mouth, but his Plagues expected as much. 4Blite's thoughts were of one thing, and one thing only: Victory.
"You're gonna literally knock him dead." Sam assured. "With the knockback on your axe, and the superior defense of your armor, Spring will be hard-pressed to get you in a close-combat battle. Just fight like usual and nothing can go wrong."
4Blite paused as he considered Sam's words. He was being supportive and kind while Maira was silently observing the exchange. They didn't appear upset over a lack of acknowledgement for their hard work, but 4Blite felt he had to say something to address it.
"Let me say one thing." 4Blite began with a stern tone. "One thing I want made abundantly clear, for you to take back to the other Plagues." He regarded Sam and Maira with his dark purple eyes. "I'm not one to show gratitude, nor am I one to crave kindness. I'm not one to dispense with pleasantries, kind gestures, and needless posturing. I rule by fear and respect, not kindness. I think of you Plagues not as valued comrades, but as tools. Useful tools, yes, but disposable all the same. If you want charisma, look elsewhere. All that I am is the burning ambition to rule this world. I am destined for greatness. Today is my moment. No one else's."
"However, I look after my tools. I strengthen them. Reinforce them. Fortify them. Not out of gratitude or a repayment of a favor, but because it serves my interests having stronger minions to carry out my bidding. Sharing one vision, with me at the top. After today, I will begin strengthening you all. I will see it done so that nothing will stand in my way." He paused as he glanced down at the Netherite armor in his hands. "Those are the only words I can speak to convey anything resembling gratitude." There was no warmth in his voice. His tone and expression were cold as ice. "You'll get nothing else, because I am not a leader as chosen by peers, pleasantries, and popularity, but a cold-hearted tyrant who seizes power with his own two fists. Do you understand?"
Sam scoffed. "You've just told me what I already know, so yes, I understand." The blond-haired Sam tilted his head back. "I'm not looking for posturing or accolades. I've had enough of those to make me sick. I'm here to lend my power and let someone else have the spotlight. You'll hear no arguments from me."
The tall, orange-haired Maira took a little longer to answer, her eyes closing. "There's no love lost between me and elected rulers. A man rising up to seize power is something I can respect. And as for the power you're promising..." Her light-blue eyes flashed as she opened them. "As long as it's enough power to dethrone the archaic ruling classes of the old world - particularly Dover Plains' - I will obey without question, sir."
4Blite took their answers into account before nodding and dismissing them with a wave. "Leave. Take my words to the other Plagues. I don't want them misunderstanding what we are to each other."
Sam and Maira quickly left 4Blite to his final preparations. He raised his diamond battleaxe to eye level and carefully ran his hand along the sharp edge, musing to himself how he'd use it to decapitate the pebble in his path, Spring_Fever.
[Spring_Fever's Waiting Room]
"Multishot, Quick Charge III sidearm?"
"Check."
"Orange firework rockets?"
"Check."
"Sub-KillGore EXP levels."
"Che-" Spring paused. "Wait a minute. Don't you mean above-average?"
"That's what KillGore said." KillGore looked up from the checklist with a look of superiority. "Above-average you may be, that's still sub-KillGore." As proof he held out his arm to compare EXP levels. KillGore was at 113. Spring was at 60. It took a lot of EXP supplements to get him to that level, and it was really all the EXP the diminutive man could get him. "The KillGore leagues are for EXP hoarders like Ember, Teal, or KillGore. It should overpower 4Blite, though."
"Alright, then that's checked too." Spring checked his Protection IV enchanted armor and Sharpness V enchanted diamond sword. They couldn't get enough diamonds for anything more than the chestplate and sword, but KillGore's EXP supplements were enough to imbue it with Protection and Sharpness.
"No olvides tu comida!" A cheery vibrato warbled from four different directions. Carmen and her clones came over with bowls of stew. Suspicious stew. They were made to have potion effects.
Spring eyed the stews warily, unable to tell which had what effects. Carmen, seemingly reading his mind, held them up separately to point them out to him.
"These stews were made with Dandelions. It'll give you a short bit of Saturation, making the meals more filling. No pasarás hambre con estos." She held up the other stews. "These ones were made with Oxeye Daisies. They'll give you eight seconds of Regeneration, so eat them when you're low on Hearts."
Carmen gave him four each of the Saturation and Regeneration stews. Spring smiled as he made space in his Inventory for them. He wasn't sure if eight seconds would mean much when a splash potion could heal him for more and for longer, but he appreciated the thought. Ensuring he had good food to fight with was the Hybrid's small way of helping him.
Other than supersizing herself and tossing 4Blite out of the arena.
"Thanks for this, you guys. Really. I mean it." Spring felt immense gratitude for his two amigos. His Lieutenants. Gosh, was that still strange to him. "I don't deserve such first-rate support."
"Nonsense. KillGore does not waste EXP on lost causes." KillGore spoke in his alto tenor voice with folded arms. "Just don't get destroyed in the first few minutes. Everyone knows KillGore backed you, and KillGore has his reputation to consider."
"I'll do you proud, KillGore." Spring smiled fondly.
"Humph." KillGore turned to Carmen and her clones. "KillGore didn't see his recent progress with the Southern Executive's techniques. Is he up to snuff?"
"He's trained with my clones all week." Carmen explained. "He's gotten the hang of Combo Locking a few times, but Crit Chaining is still a little rough. He only pulled it off once ayer por la noche." The clones turned to Spring and flashed four thumbs up. "You can do this, though. Creo en ti. You reduced my clones to paste when you did it right."
"Yeah. And I got destroyed when I messed the timing up." Spring pointed out. "It's a risky technique. One misstep, and I'll be wide open. I'll keep it in my holster as a last resort."
"Just be careful you have a chance to pull out your last resort." KillGore advised before finishing off the checklist. "I guess we have nothing more to go over. You're ready."
"And we'll be right there, cheering you on." Carmen added.
"Estaremos allí contigo." Another clone repeated.
Spring chuckled. "You planning to make a four-clone cheer team?"
"Algo así." Carmen replied playfully. "No sense staying hidden. Híbridos are becoming more prevalent, and I'm muerta if you lose, so..." She hastily amended herself. "But no pressure! You got this! Vamos, Spring!"
"Yeah, I do got this." Spring looked down. "I got something to fight for."
There was a lingering silence as Spring mulled something over in his head. He wondered if he should say it.
"...Only the strongest will rule." Spring finally uttered.
"Qué?" Carmen and her clones tilted their heads cutely.
"I've been thinking about that Cobb guy - the Darker Billionth. Him and his impressive track record." Spring continued. "He killed Hackers, he defended Nitebane. He only spawned this year. I'm older than him. I met him, back when he was a fleeing fresh spawn in Miner's Warren. I could've killed him, then! But not now! He's done more in half a year than most of the Endward Cult. Why is that?" Spring looked up. "Why is he so strong, despite being so young?"
Carmen and KillGore shrugged, no answer at the ready. Spring stood a little taller.
"I've been thinking this whole week that if I could figure out the secret to King_Cobb's exponential growth, then 4Blite couldn't hold a candle to me. I kept thinking about it and thinking about it. But now, I think I finally understand how he does it. I think I cracked the secret."
KillGore leaned forward eagerly. "What is it?"
Spring chuckled. "He throws himself into meat grinders!"
KillGore blinked. "You mean... like the kind KillGore devises?"
"No, I mean - I use the phrase 'meat grinder' as a dangerous obstacle. Whether it's a challenging foe, or an impossible situation. The Darker Billionth got to where he is by consrantly exposing himself to danger. Constant peril that he has to quickly evolve to overcome. All without regard for his own life because..." Spring turned his gaze onto Carmen and KillGore. "...Because he's got people he's willing to die to protect."
Carmen and KillGore's eyes widened at the touching words.
"Nobody would willingly jeopardize their own life, but King_Cobb does it to protect the ones he cares for. He throws himself into increasingly desperate bouts for survival. In doing so, he gets himself into tight spots, and he's only as big a threat as he is today because he overcame those tough spots. He survived. No, more than that, he got stronger after those tough spots. He learned and grew and became something unstoppable. More than I've done the past half a year. In fact, the only time I started getting anywhere, was... when I started fighting for you guys." Spring looked to Carmen more than KillGore as he said that. The glow from the Hybrid's eyes dampened as hot lava tears flowed from them. All the clones were crying lava. "You also dragged me into some rough spots. Kidnapping me and all."
The clones pouted. """"Don't ruin the moment, gilipollas!"""" Spring laughed.
"But surviving those tough spots is what makes you stronger. That's the point I'm making." Spring continued. "You either survive and get stronger, or you die. And that's this fight too. No matter who wins, someone's getting stronger." Spring clenched his fist and pounded his chest confidently. "I want that to be ME!"
"As you should!" KillGore cried out supportively. "Winning this will make you a force to be reckoned! You'll gain legitimacy with the cult, again! You'll be an Executive! And if anyone challenges your leadership, as your Lieutenant, KillGore will eviscerate their bowels!"
""""And I'll hold them down while you do it!"""" Carmen and her clones supplied.
"Yeah, screw those naysayers!" Spring hyped himself up. "They're all planning on booing me in that arena, but I'm gonna come out on top! RIGHT!?
"""""RIGHT!"""""
"I SAID RIGHT!?"
"""""RIIIIIIGHT!"""""
At that moment, the note block chime signaling the start of the duel sounded. The three amigos turned their heads up to acknowledge the sound before their eyes met and they nodded.
"This is it. The duel of my life."
Spring and KillGore left the waiting room first, with KillGore serving as an escort to ensure 4Blite's Plagues didn't try to jump him before the duel. Abyssmal had warned them off it, but there was no telling what could happen. Carmen and her clones lingered a little longer, their gazes on Spring's back as he went to a duel that would decide both of their fates. If he died, she would be next as per the caveat Ember placed on the duel.
One Carmen clutched her hand to her chest while the other three Carmen's comforted her with head and shoulder pats. Am I worried because my life is on the line, or his?
"Quite the stirring speech." A mocking female voice rang out, making Carmen and her clones raise their hackles. "Touched my heart."
Carmen recognized the voice instantly. "Mox! Dónde te escondes!?"
From the rafters of the hallway, Mox_Faith swung into view, suspended by an Iron Mattock in her firm grip, and with her other hand resting at her hip. She hung there leisurely with an insufferably knowing smirk. She heard everything the trio had talked about. Not like it would change anything. She had no time to warn 4Blite before the duel.
""In the habit of spying on allies, traficante de escándalos? Oh, but then we're not allies, are we?"" Two of Carmen's clones accused aggressively.
Mox idly examined her nails. "Not right now, no."
"Jamás! Not EVER!"
"I suppose you're right." Mox swung with her mattock, did a somersault, and landed on the floor before the Hybrid. "After 4Blite wins, we'll never have the chance to be allies because you backed a lame horse."
"Even a lame horse can beat 4Blite. That zoquete will be sent to the glue factory once Spring is done with him."
"Confident, aren't we?" Mox's stormy gray eyes regarded the Hybrid closely. "Because of Combo Locking and Crit Chaining? Pray tell, what are those words meant to mean?"
The Carmen clones puffed their chests out proudly. "Ya verás. Watch the duel and find out. Spring is on a whole other level. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a victor to cheer for."
Carmen and her clones walked by Mox without even looking at her. The Hybrid was not about to start a fight and cause trouble for Spring right before the duel. She figured that was why Mox was there; to stir her up. Mox wouldn't dare attack alone, especially when she was outnumbered.
But then, Mox uttered two words that made Carmen and her clones freeze in place.
"Who's Alton?"
You'd think the Magma Cube Hybrid's clones just froze to the floor with how abruptly they stopped moving. One clone's face was absolutely terrified before she wiped away all expression and slowly turned to face Mox.
"Who's Alton to you?" Mox asked again, one finger twirling through her midnight blue hair.
"...Is that name supposed to mean anything?" Carmen feigned ignorance while inside her heads, she was screaming, wondering how Mox knew about her remarried ex-husband.
"Well, Spring seemed to imply he meant something. He mentioned him to me in passing when we were talking about you."
"Qué!? NO!" Carmen denied, blurting it out on impulse and missing Mox's smirk widen. "Spring knows how important Alton is! He'd never reveal his existence to-!"
Carmen slapped a hand over her mouth. All the clones slapped hands over the speaker's mouth. She realized that Mox was lying. Spring never told the spymaster anything on who Alton was. She only heard the name once on the day Spring met with the three Executives. However, the spymaster was able to put together that it was someone important to the Hybrid.
And Carmen just confirmed it.
"You know, I'm glad you have four times the faces." Mox taunted victoriously. "Makes you easier to read." The clones burned with anger. "So, does Alton have a last name? Is he a friend? An old flame?"
To hell with it. Carmen was ticked off.
Carmen's clones merged together and grew to their mega size, crouched on hands and knees to fit in the hallway. She dwarfed Mox as she reached a hand down to squash her like a spider.
"Oh, I've said too much!" Mox fled just before the jiggling, molten hand slapped on the space she'd previously been. The hallway shook from the impact. Carmen hurled obscenities after Mox in her own language but gave up the chase as it was difficult to pursue on hands and knees.
Carmen separated back into her clones, and they all scowled at the way Mox had fled. "Perra cobarde." She also felt a twinge of fear over that name drop. She didn't feel comfortable knowing that Mox knew about Alton. Carmen vowed never to mention her amor's full name again in case Mox was listening. There were probably dozens of Altons in the world; good luck narrowing the name down.
Still, she felt a twinge of fear.
[Duel Arena]
Abyssmal launched black fireworks from his crossbow into the air above the arena to silence the gathered cultists and get their attention. Once the din had settled, the archer leaned back in his seat, kicked his feet up, and let Ember do the talking.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Disciples of Herobrine!" Ember addressed. "Today is a momentous occasion. For twenty-five years, there's been a gaping hole in our cult, brought on by the detestable Angel of Death!" The crowd booed and hollered at the mention of that accursed moniker. Ember waited for them to quiet down before continuing. "The Southern Division and its higher-ups have been an open wound we've since had no way to treat. But that all changes today."
She leaned forward to address the audience more personally. "In the wake of our successful Wither attack on Ringwood, recruitment has gone up. More and more Crafters recognize our faith and have seen fit to swell our ranks. Enough so that we may finally rebuild the Southern Division. However," she paused for dramatic effect, "we still lack an Executive."
Half of the audience grumbled to themselves, knowing the candidates and feeling unhappy about it.
"Now, this choice was not made lightly." Ember continued. "As your Executives, we had a serious responsibility to elect the right man or woman for the job. We went through dozens of promising candidates that possessed noteworthy achievements and Lieutenant-caliber followers. In the end, we narrowed it down to two - both from my own division. 4Blite and Spring_Fever."
At the mention of Spring's name, half the crowd openly booed.
"We don't want a traitor!" Someone shouted.
An ender pearl was thrown before Ember warped near the shouter and got in his face with her diamond rapier. She offered the terrified cultist a chilling smile while nearby cultists shied away.
"Care to repeat that?"
"...No, ma'am."
She retracted her rapier and enderpearled back to her seat. "I won't tolerate any talks of Spring's treachery. I myself almost liberated him, so I understand your misgivings towards him. However, his achievements in securing a Wither skull grinder for us cannot be ignored. We Executives conferred, and the decision to elect him for the position was unanimous."
"At the same time, my own Lieutenant, 4Blite, secured the identity of the Angel of Death, and helped blind the Angel's infernal radar in the days leading up to the Hacker's attack on Nitebane." The pro-4Blite supporters and Plagues cheered from his corner. "As such, we have two promising candidates for the Southern Executive position. This duel shall be the decider."
At last, reaching the crux of the matter filled the arena with a tense excitement.
"The winner gets everything. The loser becomes liberated and can't complain. Is there anyone here who disagrees with such terms?"
There was a resounding 'NO!' from the gathered cultists.
"Then we are in agreement!" Ember belted out. "You shall bear witness to a duel of ideologies and skill! Grit and determination! In this duel, you shall see for yourself what kind of Executive each candidate shall be, and which one is more deserving! Crimes and history no longer matter! It'll all be decided in the ring!"
"Now, to introduce them!" Ember pointed to another cultist sitting up high on an announcer podium. The announcer cleared his throat and spoke in a deep, rich voice heard by the entire arena.
"In this corner," the announcer pointed towards the arena corridor just as Spring emerged to the boos and hollers of the crowd, "defending his right to stay in the Endward Cult, the dark horse upstart with a soft spot for gelatinous slime girls, Spring_Fever!"
Spring flipped off both the announcer and the booing crowd, sticking his tongue out to taunt them as he mounted the smooth stone slab arena. He looked off to the side and saw KillGore and Carmen watching him. The Hybrid was in full view of the crowd, all of whom pointed at her like she was a freak. She ignored them as she and her clones cheered for Spring, pumping their fists enthusiastically.
"The Lieutenant candidates in his corner are the diminutive KillRoy-!"
"That's KillGORE, you Vince McMahon wannabe! AND WHO ARE YOU CALLING DIMINUTIVE-!?"
"-and the Magma Cube Hybrid... uh..."
"Her name is Carmen_Delacruz!" Spring shouted back.
"Ah, thank you. Carmen_Delacruz!"
"What is that thing!?"
"She's a freak!"
"A monster!"
"She's kinda sexy!" Someone (Abyssmal) catcalled, to the concession of others.
Carmen and her clones showed varying grimaces, not knowing which comments were worse.
"Just tune them out. Estás aquí por Spring." Carmen told herself. Literally. She then redoubled her efforts to cheer him on, the clones getting together and hoisting one of them up in a cheerleader pyramid, much to the surprise of the crowd. "Vamos, Spring_Fever!" They cried out in unison before tossing the topmost clone into the air. She did a somersault, then was caught by the three clones below before they morphed into their supersized form to complete the routine in a victorious pose, with her fist and head held high. "GANAR! Derrota a ese señor albino!"
Despite the audience's previous comments, they tentatively applauded the spectacle, genuinely impressed with the Hybrid, even as she split back into her four clones. The Hybrid grew in confidence over their reaction. The more she cheered, the less afraid of her they were. She opted to keep it up.
"And in the opposite corner," the announcer continued, pointing to the other half of the arena, "his heart of ice is tempered only by his burning ambition, he's in desperate need of a shirt sleeve, it's Lieutenant 4Blite - Herobrine above, what is he wearing!?"
As 4Blite marched out, his hobnailed boots crunched against the snow and scraped against the smooth stone slab. Cultists in the stands gasped and pointed while his Plagues and supporters cheered louder. The Lieutenant walked out with his head high. He was decked from head to toe in enchanted armor, but the armor was of a material no one had ever seen outside a Bounty Day vision. Even the Executives leaned forward in their seats to get a better look.
It was gray-purple armor. It looked sturdy and streamlined and built of some foreign alloy. The sleeves had divots resembling the ramparts of a castle, and the front of the helmet extended past the cheeks unlike other helmets. The armor was also enchanted based on its glow. 4Blite lugged his diamond battleaxe on one shoulder as he took position across from Spring.
"What the hell is that!?" Spring exclaimed. He recognized the material from his own Bounty Day vision, but he assumed there'd be no time to capitalize on the new items. How had 4Blite gotten it so fast? "How'd you find time to get that!?"
"I used the tools at my disposal." 4Blite countered coolly, his gaze straying to Carmen and KillGore. "If you didn't do the same, that's your folly."
Spring followed the Lieutenant's gaze and scowled. The announcer continued with his introduction.
"The Lieutenant candidates in 4Blite's corner are Mox_Faith, Erma_Gourd, and Sam_Vatar - he's got three."
Of the listed Lieutenant candidates, Mox was the only one absent from the stands. Executive Ember noticed this and glanced around the arena, looking for her midnight blue hair. Sdraw had advised her to keep an eye on 4Blite's Plagues, and no Plague was more guileful than Mox. If anyone was willing to try something while everyone was distracted by the duel, it was her. With considerable effort, Ember got up from her specially heated seat into the chilly, Lazuli morning air and began to walk around the stands in search of Mox. She'd be watching the duel on her feet while she sought out the missing spymaster.
"Duelists! Take your positions."
4Blite rolled his neck and windmilled the arm holding his battleaxe. "Your loyalty to Ember backfired. All your admiration for her, and she sent you to your death."
"Yeah, I'm really in a meat grinder now." Spring lamented.
"I learned long ago the Executive's fickle nature. She only cares for one thing: Herobrine. Once I woke up to that, I learned the importance of self-respect. Something you lack." 4Blite continued while Spring readied his own diamond sword and checked his crossbow. "How terrible is faith, when it brings no profit to the faithful. A truly regrettable end."
"You're right about one thing - I didn't respect myself." Spring countered. "I cared only what Ember thought of me. How I could win her attention."
"Then you can die happy." 4Blite spoke coldly. "You have what you've always wanted. And your death will grant me that which I've always wanted."
"Not quite." Spring countered. "I'm not fighting for her attention anymore. There's something more important." He pointed his sword at the Lieutenant. "And I'm not dying today."
"Battle... BEGIN!"
The two duelists lunged for each other, their diamond weapons meeting in a powerful clash, signaling the start of their fated duel. The crowd cheered, shouting their support and screaming for blood.
As the two clashed, Spring pushed more power into his muscles and found himself pushing the older Lieutenant back. KillGore was right. His EXP strength was superior. 4Blite saw this and narrowed his eyes before disengaging and taking a hit to his armor.
The Sharpness V diamond sword scraped off without doing much damage. Spring's eyes widened as 4Blite readjusted and swung, nailing Spring in the torso and sending him hurtling back by the effects of the battleaxe's knockback effect. The crowd winced at the clean hit while Spring rolled to his feet and nursed his side.
His armor's tough. Tougher than diamond. Spring mentally deduced while 4Blite advanced. Then let's try this!
Spring pulled out his Multishot, Quick Charge III sidearm and fired orange rockets in a wide, three-burst blast. 4Blite got caught up in it, and Spring quickly loaded another rocket before firing again. Then again.
The orange sparks surrounded 4Blite and made it hard to see him until he lunged out of the explosions and rushed forward with his axe reared back, seemingly unharmed.
"Oooh! It looks like 4Blite anticipated rockets!" The announcer exclaimed. "His snazzy new armor seems to be enchanted with Blast Protection! Explosions and rockets will have minimal effect!"
"Oh, great..." Spring cursed as he realized his crossbow and rockets were useless. Right as 4Blite got in his face. Spring ducked under the first swing only to get kicked in the shoulder by 4Blite's follow-up. Spring skidded backwards, his light-blue eyes glaring defiantly up at 4Blite's looming figure. The Lieutenant had his battleaxe in a two-handed overhead swing.
Training don't fail me now!
As the axe descended, Spring hopped forward, fully extending his blade to stab at 4Blite's center. The blow scraped off his armor again, doing minimal damage, and the Lieutenant continued his overhead swing uninterrupted. However, as the axe blade crashed down, it missed its target as Spring did a quick backstep out of reach.
Then he hopped forward a second later with the same leg and struck again.
Ember, who was scouring the stands and only caught a glimpse of this, did a double take as she thought the technique looked familiar.
The blow did minimal damage again, but 4Blite's counterattack once again missed as Spring repeated his little backstep to keep out of reach. Plus, the slight knockback caused by the impact sent 4Blite back a bit, increasing the distance between them further. It was like the strategy for dealing with Creepers, hitting fast then backing off out of range before the Creeper exploded.
However, you weren't supposed to come back for a follow-up strike like Spring was doing. He was stringing jabs and backsteps together in a combo!
Combo Lock! Spring mentally shouted the technique of the previous Southern Executive.
AN: No Inventory list, thank goodness.
Spring's been studying up on some Minecraft PVP techniques.
FYI, this is all happening on the same day, but slightly prior to the attack on the Eastern Division HQ, in case there was some confusion.