Is it just me, or does Minecraftia's map feel a bit… small? Maybe I'll add some new stuff, like caves, villages, or abandoned areas. Honestly, I wish I had Cobb's eidetic memory so I wouldn't have to keep rereading every chapter of My Craft to catch all the details.

Also, the whole time thing in Minecraftia is more confusing than I thought. Do they only use "ticks" to measure time, or is there something else going on?

Anyway, It's good to be back.

I don't own Minecraft. If I did, there would be more capes.

[Fildde]

My stomach felt like it was trying to escape through my throat as I hurtled through the darkness. I didn't even have time to think, let alone scream. All I could do was hope for the best—or brace for the worst.

The air roared past me as I plummeted downward, my heart hammering in my chest. Then, with a gut-wrenching thud, I hit the tumbled around me, clattering against the stone floor as I landed with a thud. Pain shot through my body, the impact jarring my already injured shoulder.

For a moment, I lay there, stunned. As the dust settled, my mind finally registered what just happened.

What the actual fuck? TNT. Someone had dropped TNT down the hole and blown Curtain to kingdom come.

The thought barely formed before my eyes landed on something in the darkness.

I spotted a torch nearby and crawled toward it, trying to ignore the sweat running down my back. The pain in my shoulder flared up as I pushed myself up, but I gritted my teeth and kept going. There is no way I am willing to die here alone.

Cautiously, I picked up the light source and placed it down. I held a shaky breath as I took stock of my surroundings. This was just a cave. Just a bunch of rocks and rails? I looked around and saw a railway system connected to each other. There were signs but it was too dark for me to see them, was this some sort of an abandoned mine?

Looking up, the explosion had caused a massive hole above, and cobblestones littered the ground around me. There were other things; Curtain's items.

My eyes then landed on something else there.

Curtain_Call's head.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat. The severed head lay just a few feet away, staring back at me with lifeless eyes. It wasn't just the head—it was the realization that this was the same guy who had almost killed me. And now, here he was, reduced to a pile of items.

His dismembered head in the distance looked back at me, lifeless. Along with other Crafter's heads, Curtain's victims. I stared back and glared at it.

I recoiled, scrambling back a few inches before I could stop myself. I felt my heart race, and for a second, I thought I might be sick.

Curtain was dead. Really dead. And it wasn't even me who had done it.

My hands shook as I tried to pull myself together. The longer I stared at that head, the more the reality of it all hit me—how close I had come to being in his place. It was like looking at my own death, just inches away.

Nope. Nope, nope, nope.

I forced myself to breathe, to think. Focus. But it felt like the walls were closing in. Every shadow, every flicker of movement made my heart jump into my throat.

I needed to move. I needed to do something. Anything to get out of here.

…

But Curtain's head was still there, and for some reason, I couldn't tear my eyes away from it.

I looked back at the head.

"Don't mind if I do." I said, more to distract myself than anything else.

I hurriedly gathered up the loot, stuffing them into my bag. His iron axe, pickaxe, foods, miscellaneous books, and a few spare blocks—anything to keep my mind off the horror staring back at me.

Everything was fair game now.

I wasted no time in devouring the food, chewing hungrily on the [Cooked Rabbit] and savoring every bite. As I swallowed, I felt my energy coming back, and the pain in my shoulder dulled to a faint ache.

"Hahahahaha… ha."

…

I looked back at the head one last time, the fear turning into something else. Anger. I stomped on it, the impact sending a jolt through my foot.

I stomp on the head as hard as I could repeatedly.

"THIS"—*STOMP*—"IS"—*STOMP*—"WHAT"—*STOMP*—"YOU"—*STOMP*—"GET!"

His head ragdoll and roll around the floor before flying into my backpack along with the other heads.

Petty? Absolutely. Satisfying? Weirdly, yeah. Because if I didn't do something, if I didn't take some kind of control over this situation, I might just lose it.

Now feeling slightly better, I looked around and noticed something else; Green orbs, just like when I killed that spider in the pit. Glowing and shimmering in the darkness, it slowly levitates towards me.

The orbs flew into me and merged with my body. I looked down at my arms and saw that the little half filled black and green bar below my hunger and health filled up, from 1 to 7.

Dismissing that, I picked myself up and tried to focus. I was in a cave, that much was clear. And somewhere up there, someone had just blown up Curtain.

My thought drifted back to the TNT that took out Curtain.

If I didn't get out of here, I was going to end up just like him.

One threat out of the picture, the other comes in. How am I going to get out of here alive now?

*SPLASH*

I snapped my head back to the source of the sound; it came from above. Water slowly dripped down. Oh hell, not again. No more trusting random sounds. I've learned the hard way - don't trust strange noises. I wasn't about to let whatever was up there finish the job.

Sorry, Vag. I don't think I can give you the cobblestones if I'm dead.

I quickly strapped on the iron boots and helmet for protection. Switching to the better iron pickaxe I looted from Curtain, I gritted my teeth and started running straight.

I will get you the cobblestones, just wait for me a little bit longer.

My breath was still ragged as I forced myself to keep moving, each step echoing louder than it should in the cold, dark cave. The taste of [Cooked Rabbit] lingered in my mouth, but it was soured by the sight of Curtain's head still bouncing around in my inventory like a demented basketball. I had to focus. Focus on anything but that head, and what it meant.

But well, at least Curtain wasn't going to be a problem anymore. Small victories, eh?

This place had the distinct vibe of "Abandoned Mine," complete with creaky wooden supports and the occasional cobweb to remind you that you're absolutely, definitely not alone down here.

I dared not utter a word since it could attract the unknown Crafter.

I ran straight into the darkness, snatching up the torch as I bolted. Apparently, torches only light up when you put them down. And I'm sprinting into the darkness with nothing but a glowing stick that refuses to do its job. Its flame doesn't even burn. Because why should anything in this world make sense.

Creepy abandoned mine, check. Creepy disembodied head, check. Creepy echoing footsteps—oh wait, those are mine.

I had a few options. I could dig back up, but the mysterious Crafter was too close for comfort, and I learned my lesson with Curtain: don't corner yourself unless you have a death wish.

Right now I'm just blindly following the rails, relying on the feel of metal beneath my feet to keep me moving forward.

I hear a faint sound behind me, he or she must be getting closer.

Placing a torch to light my path wasn't an option. I wasn't about to hang a neon sign over my head that said, "Come kill me, I'm right here!"

*SQUEAK*

AHHHHH. I yelped in my head as something zipped past my face, the unexpected flutter scaring the absolute shit out of me. My heart jumped into my throat, and I skidded to a stop.

What the hell was that?

But before I could catch my breath, more noises followed.

*CLANG* *UHNN*

Oh… mobs too? I thought they only appeared at night.

…

Wait. They spawn in the darkness rather than in the night. Realizing that now I had more to worry about than just a crazy Crafter chasing me. I clung to the nearest wall, trying to keep my panic at bay as I scrambled forward, feeling my way along the rough stone.

Desperation gnawed at me. I had to get out, and fast. Equipping Curtain's pickaxe, I started digging into the wall, praying for some kind of escape route.

*POP*

The stone crumbled, and for a split second, I saw a glow—warm, inviting. My heart lifted. Light! Finally! But then, orange liquid came pouring out.

My Normal Sense flared up as I recognized this orange liquid.

Lava.

It only took a second for the pain to hit, but when it did, it was like nothing I'd ever felt before. My chest felt like it was being roasted alive, seared from the inside out.

IT HURTS IT HURTS IT BURNS IT BURNS!

"AAAAHHHHHHH!"

I screamed, stumbling back, trying to escape the inferno. My chest burned and I'm on fucking fire, it hurts so bad. My clothes are still intact despite the burning.

Frantic, I slapped a [Cobblestone] block over the hole, sealing the lava away before it could consume me entirely. But the damage was done. I collapsed to the ground, gasping, my chest still ablaze with fiery agony. Tears streamed down my face, unbidden, as I lay there, writhing in pain.

Tears pouring from my eyes. As I gritted my teeth. My whole body was set on fire.

I don't want this. I DONT WANT THIS, WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS.

"A-ah." I choked out, my voice breaking, I cried.

Curling up on the cold stone floor of the mine, the unbearable heat still simmering under my skin. Alone, hurting, and terrified out of my mind, all I could do was cry. I want the pain to stop.

*Taptaptaptaptap*

I struggled to sit up, my body still trembling from the pain, but I had to know—who was coming for me now?

I looked up, squinting through the tears and the dim light. Two silhouettes emerged from the darkness, and as one of them placed a torch down, the cave was bathed in an eerie glow.

Two Crafters.

The first one had a twisted grin plastered across her face, her outfit a clashing nightmare of colors that made my head hurt just looking at it. The name floating above her read 'RuthlessLee.' And from the look in her eyes, she was definitely living up to that name.

But the second Crafter… my heart skipped a beat.

…

"Vag?"

What the hell was he doing here? And why was he with a murderer cultist?

I tried to push myself up, but my limbs felt like lead. Vagferes stood there, staring at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. Was it pity? Disappointment? Guilt? I couldn't tell, and in my state, I didn't really care.

My mind was a whirlwind of questions, none of which I could grasp as I stared at Vagferes, hoping he would say something—anything—that would make this make sense.

[Vagferes]

This is very bad, that was an understatement.

He didn't know it yet, but I was about to pull the biggest gamble of my life.

As I approached, RuthlessLee walked ahead of me, her torch on the wall lighting the area. She was grinning like a maniac, her wild eyes fixed on the figure crumpled on the ground. Fildde. He was hurt, bad.

I looked at Fildde. His eyes, when they locked onto mine, were full of confusion—and a bit of hope. Damn it, Fildde, I wish I could tell you everything right now, but I couldn't blow my cover. Not yet.

I had been playing along with Lee's since I accidentally ran into her.

This whole cultist thing was a load of bullshit, but it was the only way to stay alive long enough to figure out a plan. And right now, the new plan was to keep Lee from slicing Fildde into tiny pieces.

I hung back, keeping my face as neutral as possible while Lee started her sick little taunt. "Look! He made our job easier. That was pretty funny of him to dig into lava." Her voice was dripping with malice, and I could feel the tension in the air thickening. Fildde was trying to stand, but I could see he was on the verge of collapse.

If I didn't act now, he was as good as dead. But I had to be smart about this. One wrong move and we'd both be done for.

I watched as Fildde tried to summon some sort of courage, clutching his pickaxe like it was a lifeline. "Stay back," he said, but even I could hear the desperation in his voice.

RuthlessLee wasn't impressed, of course. She drew her sword, the blade catching the torchlight and reflecting it in a way that sent a chill down my spine. "Let's not make this harder than it needs to be," she sneered.

"We can do this the easy way or the fun way." She dismissed his threat. "And trust me, you don't want to know what the fun way looks like." Her words were meant to taunt, to provoke, but I kept my face neutral, only offering a slight nod.

I hope he'd catch the look I was giving him. Please, for the love of all things cubic, understand that I'm not actually trying to kill you here.

Fildde's eyes narrowed, and I saw it—a flicker of realization. He didn't know exactly what I was planning, but he knew I wasn't really on her side. I watched as he took a shaky breath, shifting his stance just slightly, subtly moving toward the nearest wall. Smart move, Fildde. He was positioning himself, waiting for an opening.

"Tell me if there are any Crafters that you know of and I won't have to torture you for it. I can kill you quick."

My mind raced as I considered my options. I could take her out, but I had to be quick—and Lee couldn't see it coming. If she did, we might die. So, I had to keep her distracted, keep the facade until the moment was right.

"Lee… don't kill it yet." I forced the words out, keeping my voice low and as convincing as I could manage. Every fiber of my being wanted to grab Fildde and run, but I had to play the part. Just a little longer.

Lee spun on me, suspicion flashing in her eyes. "What? Why? He's right here, Vag. We can end this now."

I had to think fast. "Because…" I hesitated deliberately, knowing it would make me look like I was searching for a reason. "Because he's already beaten. There's no fun in finishing off someone who's got nothing left to fight with."

Lee made an understanding expression. "Ohhhhhh, you're one of those. Sporty I see, alright I did promised that I'll let you have this kill."

I couldn't tell if she was buying it or not, but it gave her pause. She was toying with the idea of dragging this out longer, and that was exactly what I needed.

I stared at Fildde, we both knew we needed more than just a position. We needed a plan.

RuthlessLee was still too close, and I knew she wouldn't hesitate to finish Fildde off if she sensed any funny business. I needed to buy us some time and get her where we wanted her.

As she turned away, I glanced at Fildde and gave him the slightest of nods. He didn't move right away, just stayed slumped against the wall like he was too exhausted to do anything else. But I knew better. He was playing along, biding his time.

And I knew exactly how we were going to end this.

As RuthlessLee sauntered further down the cave, I silently urged Fildde to act quickly. We didn't have much time before she realized something was up. He was already working on it, inching toward the spot where he'd hastily patched up the hole he'd accidentally dug into lava.

My eyes flicked back to Lee, who was still walking away, oblivious. I needed to keep her distracted just a little longer. "You know, Lee, maybe we should secure the area first. Make sure he didn't leave any traps behind."

She laughed. "Traps? You think this pathetic little Crafter could manage something like that?"

I shrugged, keeping my voice as casual as I could. "You never know. Desperate crafters do desperate things."

She waved me off, already bored with the conversation. "Fine. Knock yourself out. I'll be waiting up ahead."

Perfect.

As soon as she turned the corner, I caught Fildde's eye again. He was ready. I slowly moved closer to him, making it look like I was just checking the area, but in reality, I was covering his back while he carefully break the hole.

I could see the pain and exhaustion in his eyes, but there was also determination. This was going to work. If this didn't work, we were both toast. Literally.

"Now!" I whispered, just loud enough for Fildde to hear.

Fildde use his pickaxe to break away the cobblestone patch, and the lava poured out like a dam had burst. At the same time, I darted forward and shoved RuthlessLee from behind, sending her stumbling right into the path of the molten flow.

She barely had time to scream before the lava engulfed her, her form flickering and burning as it consumed her. She tried to get away but I use my sword to push her back to the lava.

The look on her face was priceless—complete and utter disbelief, mixed with just a hint of betrayal. "You—"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off as the lava swallowed her whole. It wasn't the cleanest kill, but it got the job done. I watched as she flailed for a second, the last thing I saw before she was completely submerged was her shocked expression, twisted into a snarl of rage and disbelief before disappearing under the molten surface with a sizzle.

Victory smelled like cooked chicken.

Fildde and I both backed up, watching as the lava bubbled and hissed, the last remnants of RuthlessLee disappearing into the molten depths. The air filled with the acrid smell of burning, but the cave was otherwise silent.

She burst into a shower of items and dropped a head, well multiple heads.

The lava quickly burn through all of them leave only some of her items.

For a moment, neither of us moved. Then, finally, I let out a long breath and looked at Fildde, a weary smile spreading across my face. "Well, that was a close one."

He just stared at the lava, still breathing heavily, his face a mix of relief, exhaustion, and something else I couldn't quite place. Maybe it was the realization that we'd just killed someone—or the fact that it was either her or us.

We stood there in silence, the lava slowly reaching our feet, the light from our torches flickering softly in the now eerily quiet cave. We'd survived, but the weight of what had just happened hung heavy between us.

The air thick with the smell of burnt flesh and the sting of molten rock. My heart beat fast, but now it wasn't from the fear of dying. It was from something else—something heavier that settled in my chest like a boulder. But It feels good.

Fildde, who had been shaking and on the edge of collapse, finally slumped down against the wall. His breath came in ragged gasps, his eyes wide and unfocused. I didn't need to be a mind reader to know what he was thinking—or more likely, trying not to think about. We'd just killed someone. Sure, she was a psycho who probably deserved it, but that didn't make it any easier to swallow.

For him at least.

Fildde then broke the silence.

His hands were trembling as he hugged his knees to his chest, his face a mess of sweat, dirt, and something else—something raw. The torchlight flickered over him, casting shadows that made him look even more haunted. He was trying to hold it together, but I could see the cracks forming, the dam about to burst.

"Hey…" I started, but my voice trailed off. What the hell was I supposed to say? 'Good job not dying?' 'Sorry we just turned someone into lava soup?' None of it felt right, so I just stood there, awkward and useless.

Fildde's breath hitched, and before I knew it, he was crying. Not the loud, ugly sobbing kind, but the quiet, gut-wrenching kind that just tears at you. He buried his face in his arms, trying to muffle the sound, but it was no use. It was like everything he'd been holding in was finally pouring out.

I stood there, frozen, my mind searching for words. I'd never seen him like this—so vulnerable, so completely shattered. And for a moment, I hated myself for what we'd just done.

How can I feel good about this? I'm just like her…

What the hell had I just done? I'd killed someone. Sure, she was dangerous, probably deserved it, but still—I killed her. And not in some abstract, video-gamey way… maybe it was. I just pushed her into lava, and now she was gone. Poof. Just like that.

The satisfaction and the rush that I was feeling is now gone. Instead, it felt like I'd been hollowed out, like something vital had been scooped out of me and tossed into the fire along with her.

I stared at my hands, the same hands that had shoved her into the lava. They looked the same as they always did, but now they felt foreign, like they belonged to someone else. Someone capable of killing. It didn't matter that it was self-defense or that she was a threat. The fact remained that I enjoyed it.

What could I possibly say that would make this any better? That it was going to be okay? That we were still alive? None of that felt true, not after what we'd just done.

Instead, I did the only thing I could think of—I sat down next to him, close enough that he'd know I was there, but not so close that I'd crowd him. I didn't try to stop him from crying or tell him to pull himself together. I just sat there, letting him have his moment, because it was the least he deserved.

The silence stretched between us, thick and heavy, but somehow, it felt like the right kind of silence. The kind that said, 'Yeah, this sucks, but we're in it together.'

"That was… something," he muttered, leaning against the wall like it was the only thing holding him up.

"Yeah," I said, trying not to sound too relieved.

We stood there for another moment, letting the silence wash over us. Then, because apparently, I'm a glutton for punishment, I added, "So, uh… want to do this again sometime?"

Curse my Freudian slip.

Fildde just looked at me, eyes wide with disbelief, before shaking his head. "I almost died you ass!"

I leaned my head back against the cool stone wall and let out a long, shaky breath. "Yeah but I've saved you. Now let's get the hell out of here before someone else decides to drop by."

I don't got a way with words nor emotions.

Fildde nodded slightly, still not looking up. "Yeah," he whispered, his voice hoarse from crying. "Just… give me a minute."

Yeah, that's fair. We just killed someone.

"Take all the time you need," I said, surprising myself with how gentle my voice sounded. Who knew I had it in me?

So we sat there, in the dim light of the torch, trying to figure out what the hell we were supposed to do next.

Inventory (Fildde): 1 Wooden pickaxe, 1 Stone sword, 5 Oak woods, 2 Buttons, 1 Trap door, 6 Oak slabs, 1 Crafting table, 47 Cobblestones, 1 Spider eye, 1 Iron ingot, 22 Emeralds, 15 Cooked Rabbits, 21 Torches, 1 Iron pickaxe, 1 Iron axe, 1 Book {Dover Plains Entry Pass}, 1 Mysterious stew, 1 Book {Curtain_Call's Citizenship Information}, 1 Iron helmet, 1 Iron Boots, Odd_B's head, Curtain_Call's head, PompomBob's head, Charist_Care's head, Irked_Me_Void's head, FanLastic's head.

[EXP:7]

Inventory (Vagferes): 1 Stone Sword, 1 Wooden axe, 3 Coals, 9 Oak planks, 10 Oak woods, 1 Stick, 4 Seeds, 3 Cooked rabbits, 4 Bones, 6 Arrows, 3 Rotten flesh, 4 Dirt, 2 Spider eyes, 17 Emeralds, 40 Torches, 1 Bow, 21 Arrows, RuthlessLee's head, 1 Book {Daymonte Entry Pass}, 1 Book {RuthlessLee's Citizenship Information}

[EXP:8]