Boy howdy

It's nice to see you all again! Or if you're new, hi!
This is another idea I've been cooking up for a year or so that I decided I might as well get onto paper while I'm on the MC:SM writing grind. It's taking a shorter but more chapters style, and I'm hoping this means I can work on my pacing and try and post a little more. If you follow my other fic, don't worry because I'll try update both whenever I have the time. I don't really work with a schedule so that'll just be as and when.

Well, this is all fanmade by me, and may not follow your own personal ideas of what happens. There's no Old Builder Soren or Admin Soren I'm afraid, bc I literally only just found those theories the other day, so yeah.
This chapter's a bit lacklustre in terms of story, but either way, I hope you enjoy this little interpretation :D

Soren was in the crowd just like everyone else when Blayne and his crew came home.

People formed huge lines to see them parade through Gildcross, waving their swords and tools, but most importantly the bright, shining nether star that they had won in the air above them. Soren watched, shivering as its cold glow reached him as they passed, the light somehow almost freezing him from afar. He didn't quite feel the same elation that the rest of the crowd did, only a nagging sense of disappointment and jealousy. That should be him up there. He could have done that.

Still, he could only politely clap for the group as they came by. They were skilled people after all. Heroes, now. Good for them. Good for them…

The crowd began to move to follow them as they proceeded further up Gildcross' main street, and Soren nearly tripped as he was jostled along with them. He'd lived in this city nearly his whole life, and yet he still found himself stumbling in the hustle and bustle and day to day traffic. And parades were even worse, because then everyone was concentrated in one place and it was loud and somehow everyone apart from him were part of some hive-mind that meant they would all move randomly at once and Soren had to quickly join in lest he be trampled, which happened often. And he would quite like to keep his pride intact today, thank you very much.

So on they went, swarming around the main dais of the city like bees around a hive, clapping and chanting and cheering. Many people were talking excitedly to each other. Others were stamping their feet in some kind of alliance dance. Someone was setting off fireworks. It was all a rather nice display of affinity, but Soren's ears hurt. He was really praying that their speech wouldn't take too long.

Finally people settled into place. Soren shifted from one foot to the other as he watched Blayne and his group climb the dais. They were grinning from ear to ear, any injuries they might have sustained in battle already healed or otherwise ignored in the elation of the victory parade. He knew each of the members fairly well, having interacted with all of them in his attempts to join at some point. There was Harley, a slender, tan woman with her brown hair lashed into a wild ponytail, the ace with a bow. Rumours said she could hit four mobs at once with a single arrow. Next was Sten, a tall, muscular man with short-cut black hair, master of defence. Those who faced him in battle found it impossible to break through his mighty shield and iron muscle. After that was Erna, with her white hair in tight braids, the whirlwind swordmistress. There was no way for anyone to match her speed or dodge her flying dual swords in battle. And finally, of course, there was Blayne himself. If you blindfolded Soren and asked him to describe the man from memory, he could probably do so perfectly and to likely a downright creepy degree. He had jet-black hair that shone in the sunlight and was always gelled to perfection. His slanted eyes were a deep, cold blue and his features narrow and pointed. He was one of very few people around that had managed to not only get his hands on, but master the skill of using a trident. Oh yes, he'd even enchanted it so that it would return to his hand when thrown. He was both a ranged and short-distance fighter. He was practically unstoppable.

It was easy to see what Soren had followed him for so long, desperate to be a part of anything that he was. Unfortunately, Blayne had decided it wasn't to be.

So despite the muted resentment Soren now felt for the group, he still had a lingering admiration and respect for the group. It was only fair. They were still talented people. He just wished that someday he could be considered in the same regard.

After a couple of minutes of cheering and waving, Blayne, handing the nether star off to Harley, motioned with his hands for the crowd to calm down. Slowly, gradually, they did so, though Soren's ears were left ringing. He flashed the crowd his signature, charming grin and began to speak.

"People of Gildcross," he addressed, his clear voice carrying easily across the crowd, "thank you all for your support here today. Because the rumours are indeed true: we have slain the mighty rogue wither that was terrorising villages on the coast of our fair realm!"

Another shrill cheer rose from the crowd as Harley hefted the nether star above her head with a cackle of pride. Blayne made some kind of flexing gesture as Sten and Erna clapped and pumped their fists respectively. Soren winced as the noise level shot quickly back up, but of course he continued to clap with the rest of the crowd.

"Yes, that's right," he continued, entertaining the crowd with his emotive gestures, "for many weeks, an-out-of-control wither has been tormenting villages on the west coast of the land, slaying many and leaving devastation in its wake. Many have tried to kill it, but alas many have failed. That is, until we stepped in."

There was an 'ooh' sound that travelled through the crowd as the team drew their weapons, Blayne repositioning himself on the stage as he dramatically recounted the tale.

"When we first laid our eyes upon this thing, we were struck by how powerful it had become. Never before has a wither lived for more than two days, and these two days it is usually under constant fire and attack from those who seek to destroy it. Now, since this beast had been rampaging for over three weeks now, mostly unhindered by human intervention, it had grown incredibly strong from withering away the land and destroying any living thing in its path, sucking up their life force to use as its own. This had given it a shield impenetrable by sword, but fortunately for it, Harley noticed she could shoot an arrow in between the gaps of it."

The crowd gasped and lurched back as she pocketed the nether star and knocked an arrow to her bow, crouching low and pointing it around. Blayne began to pace up and down the stage as she shifted into the centre position.

"With one careful shot, she sent an arrow flying, straight through the gaps of the wither's swirling shield and straight into its heart!"

In one swift gesture, Harley aimed overhead and shot the arrow into the sky. Heads turned to watch as it headed towards the main attraction of Gildcross, the Gilded Tower, and struck true on the brass bell hanging in its spire. A single, eerie chime rang out across the city and the people cheered and clapped once more. Soren couldn't help but nod approvingly. He'd been training in the bow for his whole life and he was sure as the Nether he couldn't do that.

"The wither was stunned," Blayne continued, moving back to centre-stage as Harley paced back, "and as its shield dropped, we rushed forwards to attack, but then it began launching its destructive skulls. Kaboom! The ground around us began to blow up, dirt was spraying up, blinding us, but quickly Sten appeared with his great shield raised."

The great defender mimicked the movement on stage, standing in front of his friends with his famous shield braced. Soren couldn't help but awe at the craftsmanship involved.

I wonder how I could make something like that even stronger…

"No explosion was able to move him as he pushed forwards, bravely shielding his team from the onslaught, until finally we were close enough that I was able to leap forth and make my first trident strike."

There it was, his famous weapon. The crowd gasped in awe as Blayne brought it out, jabbing it forth with a strong motion.

"The wither trembled and screeched and launched a second onslaught. Skulls flew everywhere, and we had to reach for cover. But not even this attack could slow down Erna as she leapt through the destruction!"

Hopping deftly onto his back, Erna used Blayne as a platform to summersault off of. Her two iron swords flashed in the sunlight as she twirled them around. She landed easily and demonstrated her skill, twisting and leaping into different attacks around the stage.

"She slashed the wither to shreds until its bones looked like it would crumble," he continued to describe as she slit the air to ribbons, "and finally it began to stop attacking. That's when I lined up perfectly for the final shot, and bam!"

He launched his trident with a strong arm. It shot far and fast over the crowd, creating a gust of wind behind it, and heads turned as it lodged into the wall behind them. The stone cracked and people gasped. Then, with a glow of enchanted energy, it unlodged itself from the wall and spun its way back, straight into Blayne's outstretched hand. He caught it with a flourish and the crowd went wild. Cheers of joy and praise erupted, and once again Soren could only wince and politely clap along. Blayne certainly knew how to put on a show.

He was laughing along now, pushing his hands up as though to encourage them to cheer louder. The rest of the group sheathed their weapons and the nether star was brought back out, which only hyped the crowd up even more. It was all Soren could do not to cover his ears.

"Yes, yes, thank you, thank you," finally Blayne got the crowd to quieten down, "now, as you all know, though we have slain various beasts before, this was a challenge like no other. Due to it, we will be taking a short break from adventuring, and won't be up for hire for a month or so. I do hope you can all understand. In the meantime, we thank you kindly for your support, and afterwards I assure you we shall be returning with an even bigger and better goal in mind!"

Once again the crowd clapped and cheered and finally began to disband as Blayne's group stepped down from the dais. Soren wiped his forehead, glad it was over, and began to try and worm his way through the gaggle of happily-chatting folk in an attempt to get back to his shop sooner. Blayne would inevitably be searching him down anyway, so it was best to try and prolong it for as long as possible. Besides, if he came to the shop, he had Estelle there to keep him sane. And Estelle couldn't stand Blayne, which she made extremely well-known, so he would clear out quicker. There, a positive.

As much as he loved Blayne, he just didn't want to be seeing him at the moment. They'd been friends for years, and he claimed to love all of Soren's inventions and builds, yet when he'd formed his group he hadn't let Soren join for reasons he still wasn't clear on. Even on their most dangerous mission yet, he hadn't even accepted him for backup or medical support. Why? Soren had been perfectly kind and friendly to him his whole life, and still he wouldn't let him just tag along.

With a sigh, he turned briefly back to the dais to catch a wistful glimpse of that perfectly-styled black hair. He still cared, of course. Nothing would stop him from caring, even if the man came up to his face and punched him. Friendships were complicated like that, weren't they?

But still, he couldn't help but think that he was supposed to be up there. That he was supposed to be the one bragging about his victory and rolling in the praise. That Blayne was supposed to be describing his builds that had kept them safe or the wither trapped as they rained fire. That he deserved to be with them, laughing and joking and enduring hardships as they travelled together.

So why wasn't he?

Shaking his head, Soren turned and began to trudge back before Blayne could see him and give him another talk on how great they were while completing more and more quests and gaining more and more recognition. He heard it enough. Felt it enough.

Maybe someday he'd be out there, with a group of people that liked him and his inventions, doing great deeds and relishing in each other's company.

But…who was there out there who would really like him for him?

He snarls, drenched in sweat, muscles aching, at the opponent ahead of him, then twists his sword in his grip and lunges.

His fireworks burst into the air in a cacophony of sound and sparks and he cackles as the people he faces down turn and bolt.

She connects the redstone wiring together with a repeater and hisses as bright sparks fly, burning her hand.

He watches Soren pass from the shadows of the building's overhang, drumming his fingers against the wall.

He knows things that would make his heart leap with joy.