AN: Long chapter with a lot of jumping around. I think it's a winner though.
I went to another Texas Holdem Tournament a few days ago and lost pretty early. I keep forgetting to play defensive to play the most hands. I'm sensible enough not to buy back in after I lose, though. I can walk away, at least, while the other players keep buying back in.
Might take a break from gambling in favor of playing Baldur's Gate III, which I'm really beginning to enjoy. It helps that it doesn't cost me a dime... except for electricity, the game, the PS5, the headset, the TV, the controller, and oh my God, video games are just gambling with surer odds...
Disclaimer: I don't own Minecraft. If I did, I'd add Cards.
Chapter 253
Domino Effect
[Anibal]
"Afternoon, little lady. Here for the daily newsbook?"
"That, and I'd also like the newsbooks for the last three weeks." I replied without missing a beat. The newsbook vendor was thrown off for a second, but he quickly complied when I showed I had the emeralds.
"Okay, uh, y-yes ma'am. Um..." He was flustered as he turned in his cramped stand and rummaged in some chests. "I know I have a record of them somewhere... Ah! There we are." He came back with his arms overflowing with twenty-one written books, which Spaatz and I helped set aside on the counter. "That's a newsbook a day, plus the one from this morning..." He threw another book onto the pile. "That'll be twenty-two emeralds. You, uh, have a Pocket Box for all these?"
"I'll just read them here if it's alright with you." I handed over the emeralds, then me and Spaatz got busy reading. Skimming, really, but we zeroed in on certain headlines that showed up consistently.
Dover Plains Obstinately Refuses to Lower Crop Prices!
Famine Threatens Exter! Food Prices SOAR!
Dover Plains Couple Found Dead in Their Home! Flatlanders Being Forced Out!
Growing Unrest Between Exterians and 'Outsiders' From Dover Plains!
Dover Plains Draws Their Line In The Sand! Fishing Outlawed In Dover Plains' Waters!
Exterian MURDERED On Dover Plains' Soil!
"Geez..." I hissed to myself as the picture became clearer.
"Hey, newsie." Spaatz addressed the newsbook vendor. "When did this whole Exter/Dover Plains hate start?"
The newsbook vendor scowled with a hardened expression. "You're out-of-towners, hm? Not from Dover Plains, I hope." We showed him our Citizenship Information as proof, and he softened immediately. No wonder the toll operator verified our kingdom of origin. The people here hated Dover Plainers, or, as they derogatorily called them, Flatlanders.
"We just want to understand where this all started." I explained.
"Well, I remember the day it happened, since it was a Halloween Headliner. Further back than three weeks." The newsbook vendor fished out the October 31st, Year 500 edition newsbook from his chest. We spied the headline as the pages flipped open.
Dover Plains' 22-Family Council Denounce 'Knuckling Under' To The Hackers! Exorbitant Tariffs Placed On All Food Items Exported To Exter Until 'Cowardly Deal' Is Dissolved!
[Soul]
I slipped through a long line of Crafters with Ciro before making my way to one of the many empty food stalls in the marketplace. The Beginners needed food after our long trek through the Lacquerlands. There was only one or two food stalls everyone was lined up for, leaving the rest barren.
What gives? Why are these stalls not crowded, but those are? I thought.
"Hey," I greeted the food stall owner. "I need a few stacks of food. Meat, fruits, and baked potatoes. Enough to feed four Crafters for a month."
*Meow!*
"And some raw salmon."
"Raaawk! Bitchboy!"
"And some pumpkin seeds! God, you're a whiny bird." I scowled at Squawken sat on my shoulder.
The food stall owner made no move to fetch the food I ordered. Instead, he raised a brow. "Can you even afford it?"
"Does this answer your question?" I dropped eleven blocks of emeralds on the counter and folded my arms smugly, proud of my display of wealth. I was certain this would get the food stall owner moving.
"It does answer my question." The food stall owner answered back dully. "You can't afford it."
My face showed blank shock. What? Was the owner confused by the block form of the emeralds when he was used to being handed the gem form. "Uh... just so we're clear, this is ninety-nine emeralds worth-"
"I know how much it is." The owner sighed wearily. "It isn't enough."
I blinked. "Oh. Uhh..." I looked back at Ciro's impossible to read face before turning back to the owner. Then I fished in my belt for the eight spare emeralds of mine and added them to the pile. "How about now?"
"Alright, now you're just being silly." The owner turned crabby. "You need two-hundred-and-ninety-six emeralds for the food you ordered."
"WHAT!?"
"You only got one-hundred-and-seven. Less than half. If you want better-"
"Hang on! No way all that is worth nearly three-hundred!" I argued, my hands slapping against the counter.
"It can, and it is, out-of-towner. You don't know-"
"Walk me through the bill." I interrupted, making the food stall owner grow increasingly short with me. He exhaled through his nose before listing the costs.
"Thirty-nine raw salmon for your poorly-named cat is twelve emeralds. Thirty-six pumpkin seeds for your hilariously-named parrot is another twelve emeralds. One-hundred-and-thirty cooked porkchops is one-hundred-and-four emeralds. One-hundred-and-thirty baked potatoes is forty emeralds. And one-hundred-and-twenty-eight apples is one-hundred-and-twenty-eight emeralds." He listed. "That's enough food to feed your pets and four Crafters for a month, and it totals to two-hundred-and-ninety-six emeralds. Do you dispute the quantity?"
"Not the quantity of food, but the quantity of emeralds!" I snapped. "What's with those price tags!?"
"He's right." Ciro chimed in, albeit in a calmer voice. "An emerald for an apple? Eight emeralds for ten cooked porkchops? Those rates are quadruple the standard price."
"Well, if you weren't out-of-towners, you'd know that the price of living in Exter has gone up drastically." The food stall owner said before pointing to the lines of Crafters heading towards the handful of packed food stalls in an otherwise empty grocery marketplace. "Y'see those long lines? The ones everyone is flocking to for food? They're run by Testificates who have prices closer to market value for their food. Butchers, Farmers, Fishermen, even Wandering Traders. They're all unaffected by the rise of crop and livestock prices, so, naturally, everyone flocks to them to save on emeralds. The rest of us food stall owners can't compete. But there's still the problem of the Testificates' stock running dry from overtrading, so not everyone can get the food they need. Either they wait on line for the cheaper stuff (and buy other stock to reset the dry stuff), or pay four times the market price for our stuff."
"But what drove the prices up so high to begin with?" I asked.
"This wouldn't happen to have something to do with the unrest between Exterians and Dover Plainers, now would it?" Ciro asked shrewdly. He got a glare from the food stall owner.
"Why? You guys flatlanders?"
"Our kingdom of origin is Ringwood." Ciro showed his Citizenship Information just to prove it, calming the food stall owner immediately. "But back to my question. The Dover Plainers - the flatlanders - they're the ones inflating the cost of food?"
The food stall owner actually spat on the ground. "Those greedy, mulish, flatlander, bumpkin farmers. They caused this, alright. They drove food prices up, and now the capital is starving - slowly wasting away."
"When did this start?" Ciro asked. He reached into his pocket and procured eight emeralds to pay quadruple the price for ten cooked porkchops. He did it to keep the food stall owner complaisant. "Like you said, we're out-of-towners, and we'd like to be brought up to speed. For your time, Soul here would be happy to meet your price for a portion of the food."
"I would? I mean, yeah! Totally." I amended. "Just for a portion, though." An affordable portion. Me and the other Beginners were starving, after all. It would only feed us for a few days, but it was better than nothing. "So tell us when this tiff with Dover Plains began." Soul said before turning over twenty-four emeralds for the pricey pet food.
"It's more than a tiff, son." The food stall owner sighed before handing over the pumpkin seeds and raw salmon, much to my pets' delight. "I suppose it all began... the day King Sdraw announced Exter's intent to supply the Hack Clan with food."
[Anibal]
"King Sdraw made the announcement to supply the Hackers with food on October 24th." The newsbook vendor explained. "This was done in response to the destruction of Akasha's capital, and, really, the fall of the Mess Kingdom itself. I can't imagine how they could recover like Nitebane did. But anyway, Akasha was the Hackers' food source. With it gone, they needed a new one, so they went to the very next kingdom: ours."
"King Sdraw made the deal. Not just to supply them with food, but to locate missing Hackers lost in the world and bring them to the Obelisk. It wasn't a brave choice," the news vendor admitted, "and it wasn't a favorable choice, but then when is it ever favorable where Hackers are concerned. Our king was doing everything in his power to keep us alive. Otherwise we would've been vaporized like Akasha."
"It wasn't until our first 'tribute' was handed over, on October 31st, that things took an unpleasant turn. See, Exter relies on imports just as much as we do our own grown and raised food. Dover Plains knew this, and they knew they had us over a barrel, so that twenty-two family council of theirs placed high tariffs on any crops or meats they shipped over. The official reason was to decry what they called 'knuckling under' to the Hackers who've laid ruin to so many kingdoms. They didn't want any of their food to feed those godless superbeings. They called our king a coward." The newsbook vendor growled, showing his teeth. "Bastards! I'd like to see them so high and mighty when they've got the leader of the Hack Clan staring them down! Those flatlanders just wanted to milk us for money like they do their own cows. They knew we had to either pay the tariffs, or fail to feed the Hackers and risk destruction. They just wanted an excuse to jack up their prices and make a profit."
[Soul]
"Exter wasn't about to take that sitting down. No, sir." The food stall owner ranted to himself. Ciro and I stood captivated as we listened to his story and chewed on cooked porkchops as one might popcorn at the movie theater. "Two can play at that game. When Dover Plains jacked up the price of food, the Miner's Guild ran it back on them and bumped up the price of ores and gems going to Dover Plains. Coal, iron, gold, lapis, redstone, diamond. All of it was raised, with the innocuous excuse that we needed to inflate our exports to afford to pay all those tariffs the flatlanders oh so generously forced upon us. Wish I could've seen the look on their faces. See how they farm without iron tools, or cook without coal."
"I imagine Dover Plains weren't too happy about that, were they?" Ciro asked past his facemask. His mismatched eyes were serious as he took in what the food stall owner told us.
"Good guess." The owner snorted. "The flatlanders raised prices throughout the month of November, hoping to starve us out. They demanded we lower the prices on our ores, but, of course, we refused. Lot of people went bankrupt trying to afford a decent meal. We didn't have enough farms or livestock to feed everybody and the Hackers. Jobs weren't paying enough, there were food shortages. Our king used Exter's treasury to fund a terraforming project, both to jumpstart our dying economy and to make more farms for crops. It helped, but not by much. And at the end of November, when we barely scraped enough to make the Hackers' tribute, the flatlanders found a new way to starve us."
"They forbade us from fishing in Dover Plains' waters." The food stall owner clicked his tongue. "The northern border of the Lacquerlands touches the Western Ocean. We have fishing villages up there, and that food gets sent to us here in the capital. Salmon, cod, even the new dried kelp. And all that was suddenly cut off because the flatlanders said so." He groused.
"They never did so before, but Dover Plains started patrolling the waters up there to stop our fishing. If we wanted their permission to fish, we needed to pay for permits from those flatlanders, and at exorbitant, monthly costs. It was untenable for the fishing villages up there - Norilsk, Tiumen, Seversk - and, of course, our upstanding fellow Exterians wouldn't stand for it."
Suddenly, the food stall owner's face darkened as he recounted something truly awful.
"That's when those flatlanders crossed a line."
[Anibal]
"What'd they do?" Spaatz asked.
In response, the newsbook vendor picked up the December 6th, Year 500 edition book from the pile. Almost a week ago. It was one we already read.
Exterian MURDERED On Dover Plains' Soil!
"A group of Exterian fishermen avoided the patrols and fished in the Western Ocean without a damn permit. Maybe they were hungry, or poor, or they just didn't give a rat's ass anymore. They fished. A patrol of flatlander guards found them. There was a fight. The fishermen were beaten nearly to death. One Exterian was singled out as the leader, and he was brought to a tiny island that was technically Dover Plains soil, just a few dozen meters away from the coast, and well within eyesight. There, he was made an example of, as the Dover Plains patrol beheaded him and cast his fallen gear and lifeless Head into the water."
The words were all recounted grimly. I could see the resentment in his eyes and how his fists shook.
"That fisherman's name... was Nikolai_Murmansk." The newsbook vendor's voice shook. "And he became a martyr that day. He was taken from his home, put on foreign soil, and consigned to death without a trial or jury or anything! He was murdered! What those flatlanders did was no better than cold-blooded murder. And for what? To prove a point?"
"It sparked an uproar. Exterians everywhere were outraged. And that twenty-two bastard council had the gall to claim we were making shit up. That no Dover Plains patrol was in the area at the time and place of Nikolai's murder. The injustice of it all!" The newsbook vendor shook his head furiously. Just recounting the story was getting him all worked up. "That's when unrest really took off. There were riots in the streets. Dover Plainers were beaten and forced from their homes. Some were killed too."
"So that's why the Captain and guards are trying to get the Dover Plainers to leave." I realized. "Things are too volatile for them right now. She's saving their lives."
"Good riddance, I say." The newsbook vendor spat. "We have fewer mouths to feed now, and they're mouths that could've belonged to flatlander spies. Forget raising prices on our ores, we cut Dover Plains off entirely. They're not getting even a single lump of coal from us."
"Won't they just ban sending food here entirely in response?" Spaatz asked.
"It's not like we could afford what they sent anyway." The newsbook vendor shrugged. "We have our pride, and, more importantly, we have our renowned King Sdrawkcab leading us. If anyone can change our fortunes, it's him."
Well, we got our answers on the capital's current events. A conflict was brewing between Exter and Dover Plains. If people were getting beaten to death in the streets, it was already at a dangerous stage. The Exterians were angry and starving, which would only make them more angry. This kind of political/economic turmoil was more Jillian's wheelhouse, but I knew enough to tell that the capital was like a powder keg ready to go off.
Cultists thrived in such chaos. I knew that all too well, from when the cultists burned down my village and heaped blame onto an unattended campfire. What rubbish.
On the positive side, the cultists weren't the only ones who benefitted from chaos. It would be easier for us to sneak around while everyone was so worked up about Dover Plains.
On the negative side, I knew Noman enough to know he'd throw himself into the middle of a war if it meant saving lives. I hoped he wouldn't be that insane...
But this was the guy who beat up Null.
Carys needed to know. But Spaatz and I needed to check the Hall of Records first for Terenti_Murst. With that in mind, we thanked the newsbook vendor and departed his stand right as the sun started to dip below the horizon.
[Carys]
The Brimstone Bastion was a thick stronghold built from sturdy stone brick. Supposedly, the legendary King Zipshin built it to defend against Mobs in the event they ever joined together into a Mob army. It would certainly hold up against Raids nowadays. The rest of the capital was built with the bastion at its heart.
There was only one entrance past the bastion walls, and it was heavily guarded. Kal and I had no intention of going in at the moment. Instead, we circled the walls, traipsing through a grassy garden tract, invisible, until we found what we were looking for.
There, at the base of the wall, was a stone brick slab instead of a stone brick. We almost missed it as it was hidden behind a bush. It was the loose piece of wall Tinker told us about. The one where he slid his weapons through as dead drops. One could easily slide items through it, and the location was in a blind spot between two of the bastion's towers.
"Looks like the blacksmith was telling the truth after all." I commented before tilting my gaze up the wall. "Someone in there organized the dead drops. Someone in there has ties to the Endward Cult."
"Someone who's been there three-hundred-and-ten years." Kal added before his tone grew serious. "What's the play, Carys? You're not thinking of laying siege to this thing, are you?"
"Hadn't crossed my mind." I lied, earning an amused snort from Kal. "Give me a little credit. Killing everyone inside won't guarantee anything, and will make me a whole lot of enemies. We could narrow down our kill targets to anyone who's been here longer than three-hundred-and-ten years, but we'd have to do some careful research into all the councilmembers, Captains, guards, heirs, servants, and the king himself."
"You really think the king is involved? Sdraw's a saint."
"We can't rule anyone out. We need to be thorough."
"And you don't like him."
"And I don't like him." I agreed. "He's been the loudest voice for disarmament all these years, dismantling the impressive stratocracy Zipshin built for this kingdom. It used to be that every citizen here was a trained soldier. Now look at it. Sdraw made them go soft, the way he's making deals with the Hack Clan. He dismantled Zipshin's legacy for 'peace'. He's as naively idealistic as Noman."
"Hm." Kal nodded, his voice turning hard. "Noman's a disgrace."
"Hey, only I get to call him a disgrace." Kal paused for a beat, astonished by my apparent defense of the well-dressed loser. "He might be naïve, but at least he's not whining anymore. He's standing up for himself, even to me. Defended his actions to me. Took his punishment with grace. That takes guts."
"...So you're proud of him?"
"I didn't say that."
"It sounds like you're saying that."
"I'm not." I denied flatly. "To impress me, he'd have to throw away Aikido entirely and go Rambo on the cultists' asses. That I would love to see. He came close against Null. Almost crossed his line."
"Almost isn't good enough. He should have finished him off for good." Kal's voice darkened, and bits of smoke wafted off of thin air in the shape of a person. "If I was handed an opportunity like that, I would've taken it. Serafina was one thing, but there's no reasoning with Hackers that ancient. 303 and Null. They're too stuck in their ways. Too far gone."
"Well, it happened, Kal. You took your shot and it missed." I told him. "Only thing to do is wait for your next shot. It'll come. But you," I jabbed a finger in what I assumed was his direction, "need to choke back whatever shit is stirring up inside you and remind yourself that the prissy little boy scout is on our side right now." I made extra sure to impress my authority on him. "Once the cult is out of the picture, you can rage at him all you like, but now you guys need to cooperate - and I can't believe I'm the one who has to say it. I don't want any squabbles between you two. You don't have to like it, but you have to accept it. Understand?"
He let out a long sigh, his dark smoke receding as he forced his will upon it. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good." I accepted. "It's getting late. We should meet back up with the others. See what Anibal managed to dig up."
I reapplied our invisibility before we set off from the Brimstone Bastion. One way or another, we'd get in there and expose whoever facilitated those Tinker weapon deals.
[Noman]
"Nomaaaaan!" MarbleFinder greeted before grinning slyly. "How the hell are you?"
"Language."
"Ahaah, you're still doing that. You haven't changed a bit." Marble snickered as he set aside his shelf-stocking. "I feel like I haven't seen you in 200 Chapters."
"What?"
"What?"
"Uh..." I blinked at his still-smiling face. He was hitting me with the head tilt angle and general eyeball energy that says reason has no place here. "...Yeah, it's been a while." I looked him up and down. "You haven't changed much either."
Marble had partially slicked-back blond hair which was kept unkempt at the front. He had wide light-blue eyes and an innocent expression. He had willed off his lavender and white two-toned snow coat in favor of a white t-shirt that must've been his underclothes. He also had on a pair of black shorts, brown and white sneakers, and white socks with a red stripe pulled up his legs too high. His belt and backpack were a light blue like his eyes, and he had his golden longsword hanging from his belt.
He was also a Scout, which I sensed was not the most liked of people within Exter, or anywhere for that matter, so I refrained from speaking it aloud.
"So how've you been? What've you been up to? OH!" He made a noise of understanding before glancing left and right around the SutsCo store for eavesdroppers before leaning close and whispering. "How's the artifact scavenger hunt going? You still doing that?"
I also glanced left and right before nodding and showing him three fingers.
"Three out of nine? Nice."
"Technically seven if we're counting allies." I revealed, earning an impressed gasp. "But the three I have, I can call my own."
"Good for you. But, uh..." He looked serious as he leaned in again. "You haven't had to sacrifice anyone for them, right?"
I scoffed humorously. "After that stirring speech you gave me about the journey being more important than the destination? After you impressed upon me the importance of people and cherished memories? How could I?" A grin broke out onto Marble's face over hearing that. "Oh! Speaking of people, how's Legoless, Righty, and Bethany doing?"
Legoless, Righty, and Bethany were the slime trio, a kind of Slime hybrid we freed from Lord Maplefrost's Mansion. They had all the powers of a slime, but they were also three parts of a whole that could only speak and move about when separated. Otherwise they were one, big, unmoving blob. Of course, their split selves had incomplete memories and a few missing limbs. It didn't detract from their charm, nor their unique personalities. They were an odd case, but they had helped us, and were friendly enough. Though they unintentionally hurt others through prolonged contact with their acidic slime bodies.
"Oh, those three goobers are doing swell." Marble chuckled. "They're building up an impressive selection of badges already. Just the other day, I got word that Legoless got the Sticky Situation Badge. Quite the accomplishment."
"Whoa, hey." I stopped him. "Is it okay to talk about the Scouts and badges here?" I gestured to the SutsCo store. "I got the impression that Exter doesn't tolerate Scouts."
"Oh, pish posh." Marble dismissed breezily. "You don't have to worry. Unlike His Royal Squintiness, SutsCo is quite tolerant when it comes to the Scouts." Marble smiled knowingly. "It's part of the reason I got a job here so easily. The slime trio work for SutsCo too, though in different locations. Bethany is at the Zeppil branch, and Righty is in the Lazuli branch."
"And which branch is Legoless in?"
Marble blinked for a beat. "Ah, she goes around." He spoke vaguely.
"Okay." I accepted. "I assume it pays well?"
"Oh, like you wouldn't believe." Marble's voice shook with giddiness. "I got emeralds coming out of my ears. Gonna get my Scrooge McDuck Badge by year end, definitely." His smile fell a bit as he looked around the store. "Although, come to think of it, I just noticed how empty it is. Normally this place is packed. Did something happen outside?"
I averted my gaze and whistled innocently, not wanting to tell him that Floyd had temporarily cleared out his store's customers. Would that affect his pay?
"Well, whatever." Marble shrugged, kneeling down to return to stocking the shelves. "So did you wait on line just to catch up with me?" The Scout asked wryly. "Or were you looking to purchase some SutsCo exclusives? I can make some recommendations if you're not sure what to buy."
"That's very generous of you, Marble," I politely told him, "but I'm afraid I don't have the emeralds to afford most of this stuff. I mean, I do have store credit, and I'm getting a refund, but neither the credit nor the refund are mine. I'm here on behalf of someone else."
"Oh, really?" Marble tilted his head curiously. "What are you refunding?"
"A pair of Wonder Wings that never arrived." I said. "The person I'm fetching them for paid in full, in advance, but they were stolen from this store, and the wait list is too long for her to have the emeralds tied up. It's a lot of money, after all."
"Riiight, riiight. I get you." Marble nodded in understanding. "Better to have the emeralds to swim in to get the Scrooge McDuck Badge than to leave them with someone else for wings you haven't even gotten yet."
"Er... Exactly." I chose to roll with the badge comment. With Marble, you always had to roll with the badge comments.
"Well, that's a real shame, man. Flying with those wings is something else. I'm sorry you - or the person you're fetching them for - won't be able to experience them."
"I appreciate that." I gave a sad smile, still feeling bummed about the wings. Going back to Carys empty-handed - despite the ten-thousand emerald refund and five-hundred emeralds worth of store credit - meant being kept in the dark on how Cobb and Lenz were faring in Oak Docks. All because I went off on my own to rescue Scouts who didn't need rescuing.
"Hey, don't look so glum, chum." Marble tried to comfort me before the SutsCo clerk from earlier returned. Marble hastily went back to stocking the shelves, but it looked like the clerk saw him slacking off.
"Your excellent employee was just telling me about the merchandise you have available." I quickly covered for Marble so as not to get him in trouble. "He was very helpful with his detailed listing of your inventory."
"Is that so? Good work, Marble." The clerk nodded.
"Thank you, sir."
"Though," the clerk added, "I do hope you're not going too in detail with this young man."
"No, sir."
"After all, revealing SutsCo secrets would be a violation of our non-disclosure policy." The clerk added, his tone bordering threatening.
"I'm aware, sir." Marble spoke back calmly. "I am keeping things quite confidential, and in line with our policies."
"Very good." The clerk's threatening tone evaporated in an instant as he smiled my way and handed me some books. I assumed them to be the refund paperwork. "It'll take an hour or so to look these over and fill them out. I suggest you read them carefully. Return them to me when you're finished, and I'll bring over the next set of documents. If there's anything you need clarified, feel free to ask."
"Thank you. I probably will." I thanked the clerk before he promptly returned to his stall. I waited until he was out of earshot before resuming my conversation with Marble. "That was awfully intense. For being so tolerant, they're quite strict when it comes to your store policies."
"Don't read into it too much." Marble shrugged as he finished stocking the shelves. "SutsCo has a lot of exclusive gear that other competitors are dying to uncover. We need to stay on our toes to keep a lid on things. We already dealt with a corporate espionage attempt by some Ten Eyes spies a few months back." He stretched. "Yep. Everyone wants a piece of us." His light-blue eyes perked up as a thought crossed his mind. "Say, why don't you and I get some dinner after I finish my shift. It'll give us a chance to properly catch up."
"Oh, no. I couldn't-"
"Oh come on. I'm buying." Marble sweetened the deal. "Besides, you'll be here a few hours going through all that refund paperwork, right up until when my shift ends. Why not take advantage?" My stomach rumbled pointedly, earning a laugh from the Scout. "Even your stomach is on my side! Besides, food is pretty pricey lately."
I paused to consider it. "...Is this associated with a badge of some sort?"
"...Maaaybe the Dinner With Friends Badge." Marble conceded sheepishly. "But I really would like to talk more. Without being accused of slacking off, I mean." He nodded to where the clerk had gone. "So what do you say?"
I weighed the idea in my head. Having dinner with a Scout like Marble could potentially lead to some problems, seeing as how they were on the outs with the guards.
There was a chance that the guards, while looking at Marble, would look more closely at me, and identify me as an obstructor of justice.
Floyd had bought me this time to do my SutsCo business. I should've been getting back to him.
...But I did consider Marble a friend. And I was hungry. And catching up more sounded nice. And I was hungry. And I had some questions about the Scouts and how they could spawn giant Zombies. And I was hungry.
"Well... dinner does sound kind of nice." I admitted, making the blond Scout beam happily.
A couple hours of tedious paperwork later, Marble and I had left SutsCo to grab dinner at a restaurant called the Matryoshka. It was average enough for the common people, which made it all the more questionable to see it empty. Since we were the only customers, the staff bent over backwards to accommodate us. Marble was able to ask for a private room so we could talk freely without being scrutinized.
I carried with me a lime Pocket Box full of Carys' refunded emeralds and SutsCo store credit. It was like I was handed a fortune, and I was constantly paranoid that someone would take it. Carys would dig my grave if I lost her ten-thousand emeralds. I didn't dare use it to pay for the food, either. It wasn't my money.
It was a good thing Marble offered to buy dinner. I was originally going to chip in before I saw the insane prices on the menus provided. I couldn't afford what was being asked. It was no wonder the place was empty. The food cost quadruple the price.
"Y'know, I bet this could count towards my Sugar Daddy Badge."
"Red flag!"
"No, no, not like the sex kind!" He laughed. "Some people pay for friendship. Loners, mostly. It counts either way." He shrugged as he poured out the emeralds. "Forget I said anything. Order whatever you like."
"...Right." I tried to put the awkwardness behind, but I needn't have worried. The great thing about Marble was that there never had to be any awkwardness. He rolled with anything because he was a Scout. He was always switching tracks to hunt down the latest merit badge, so there was never any judgement from him. In a way, I could be myself, say or do anything I liked, and he wouldn't judge me at all.
Looking at it like that, it was no wonder so many Crafters found a home with the Scouts. That kind of unconditional acceptance was tough to come by.
I allowed myself to relax while I perused the menu. "Your workplace really does pay well if you can afford these prices."
"Prices are only sky high because of the disputes between Exter and Dover Plains. This place isn't usually so expensive." Marble revealed. "But you're right. SutsCo pays very well. We control the supply and demand on exceptionally rare merchandise. People can't stop shopping. I even own some SutsCo stocks that only ever go up, up, up."
"Wow. Maybe I should consider investing in SutsCo stocks-"
Palms slammed on the table in a tremendous crash as Marble lunged forward so that his face took up my whole vision. I recoiled in a start, blue eyes wide. "You don't want to do that." He cautioned me in a low tone.
"Wh-What?"
"Don't invest in SutsCo. Trust me." Marble warned seriously before leaning back in his chair and regaining his usual devil-may-care attitude. "I think I'll get the steak today. How about you?"
"...Steak is good."
"Wonderful!"
Brushing past that random incident, we gave our orders to the waiter and he took our menus. The two of us proceeded to talk about our travels in the time since we left Dover Plains. He had gone to the Dover Plains' Scout Den with the slime trio before getting them started on some easy badges. They'd gone to Lazuli for a while, then fell back to Exter to work for SutsCo. They split up to different store locations to amass some spending money, all while on the hunt for badges.
"The trio is great for transporting items, since all three of them share an ender chest." Marble explained cheerfully. "SutsCo doesn't mind that they're different. All that matters is what they can do."
"It's like you said. They're tolerant and inclusive." I sipped my water. "I've had my fair share of drama during my travels. In Akasha, I learned a non-aggressive fighting style with my shield, called Aikido. I made some good friends in Zeppil, where I found the Bottes Zephyr artifact." I held the boots up, much to Marble's awe. I trusted him enough with the information since he helped me search for artifacts at Maplefrost's auction. "Remember that guy Ciro_Che?"
"That - excuse my language - bastard who tried to kill us for the Voda Shlem? I'll never forget that - excuse my language - douchebag."
"Yes, well, we're cool now."
"...Oh. Really?"
"Yeah, we reached an understanding. We're traveling together."
"Oh. Okay. I'm cool with him, then." Marble shrugged contentedly.
This was what I meant. Marble could just roll with anything. Being chaotic neutral meant he held no particular grudges against anyone.
"I also, ah, invaded the Obelisk two weeks ago."
"WHAT!? NOOooo!" Marble let out a pitiful whine. "My one chance to get the Hackstreet's Back Alright! Badge... gone, like smoke to the wind."
"...Do I dare ask what that badge entails?"
"It's just going to the Obelisk and doing a dance routine with some accommodating Hackers. Nothing major."
"Nothing feasible, more like."
"Hey, if Landon can do it-"
"Landon. He's your Scout Master?"
"Not anymore. He lost his spot. But Landon pulled off the Hackstreet's Back Alright! Badge. True, the Hackers only did it - and very reluctantly at that - after being unable to be rid of him any other way, but it still counts."
We paused our conversation as our food finally arrived. A piping hot plate of steaks, baked potatoes, carrots, and bread. I tore into it ravenously, forgetting my manners. I hadn't eaten all day, after all.
The two of us ate in silence, only picking up where our previous conversation left off when we were contentedly full.
"How was Landon able to get the Hackers to accommodate him?" I asked. "Knowing them, they would have attacked him on sight."
"He was unkillable thanks to Command Block powers."
My eyes widened. "He... has Command Block powers? Like... Herobrine?"
"Yep yep." Marble didn't even flinch at the tabooed name. "And while I can't go into the details on how he got them, I can tell you he can do some impressive stuff."
"...Like summoning giant Zombies?" I asked carefully, earning an easy nod from Marble. "How? How is that possible? Giants don't exist."
"Landon was able to envision some special commands." Marble explained airily. "It's how he was able to spawn unique Mobs, or spawn more Command Blocks for us Scouts, or spawn equipment with special attributes, similar to the nine artifacts."
I stared slack-jawed as Marble fished out a compass from his backpack. "These Lead Compasses are awarded to Scouts who earn enough badges. They're imbued with the /sethome and /home commands, allowing us to set a spot we wish to return to, and then return to it from anywhere in this realm. Excellent for rushing home during rush hour." He chuckled.
"Landon is... making these?" I asked, feeling small. "He can just make artifacts...?"
"Well, he never goes crazy with what he makes, but I assume he can, yeah. Why not?" Marble shrugged. "He made them in part for the Compass-ionate Badge. They're just a neat little tchotchke for hardworking Scouts."
I felt a bit unsettled by that information. The nine artifacts were held in such high esteem because they had such awesome capabilities. That was why the kings of the past treasured them so dearly.
But to hear that someone could just as easily make them whenever they liked...
It detracted from their legendary grandeur. Made them base. Common.
If what Marble said was true, then Landon was as powerful as Herobrine. The world could be at his mercy... if he wasn't so fixated on trivial badges.
It's a little funny how absolute power falls into the hands of someone so childlike.
"What? You don't approve?" Marble asked, having read my facial expression.
"I guess I'm just worried about the dangers." I admitted. "Command Blocks can be scary."
"Landon doesn't abuse it." Marble said. "He's a bonafide Scout, dedicated to the pursuit of badges."
"And the other Scouts?" I questioned. "What of them? As soon as I reached the capital, I saw your Scouts spawn a giant, gold-clad Zombie!"
"David and Goliath Badge." Marble nodded in understanding. "Remember doing that one. But they know what they're doing, Noman. They all do. Some more than others, granted, but they-" Marble suddenly cut off, his mouth closing as his light-blue eyes slowly roved over me. He tapped his finger on the table as he seemed to consider something.
"Hey." He suddenly spoke up, smiling kindly. "How would you like to help me and some fellow Scouts earn an ultra-extra-special-rare badge?"
I raised an eyebrow at the sudden shift in topic. "...Where is this coming from?"
"Our talk just got me thinking that someone such as yourself, with all your artifacts, could help us settle a highly sought-after badge that me and some friends of mine, er, bungled... a couple days ago."
"Bungled?" I narrowed my eyes. "I thought you said Scouts know what they're doing."
"We do. Generally." He tacked on. "This was just a freak foul up, I swear." He leaned forward in his seat, beaming with a broad smile. "I have a feeling your artifacts will be a huge help in finishing what we started towards the coveted Troxler Mirror Badge."
The name of the badge didn't mean much to me, but then they sometimes had silly names that made it harder to tell what they entailed.
"If your badge requires killing people, I'll have to refuse. As a practitioner of Aikido, I am against taking a life."
"That won't be a problem, since we're hunting a Mob." Marble revealed. "It's a special Mob. One created from a Command Block, not unlike the roaming Stigmata." He leaned back in his seat. "We meant to kill it right after spawning it to get the badge, but it slipped away and ended up in the mines underground, deep beneath the Miner's Guild. It's been interfering in the guild's expeditions into the new underground, so they've put in a request to hunt it down. There's a sizable reward in it too." He smiled. "Would you want to help me out?"
I considered what he was asking of me. It didn't violate Aikido if I was hunting a Mob. And Marble was a friend who'd bought me dinner out of the kindness of - oh, who am I kidding, he did it for a badge. I still owed him for feeding me.
I didn't even have to think about it, though, after I asked my next question.
"Is this Mob dangerous?"
"Dangerous and crafty."
"Has it killed anyone?"
"A few miners, yeah."
"Then it needs to be stopped." I made a snap decision without considering Carys or the others. If people were in danger, I had to rescue them to uphold both my Aikido and my destiny as the Lighter Billionth. Even though I was just cleaning up Marble's mess, I was the one with the power, and I was being handed this quest. I would take it seriously, even when Marble and his Scouts wouldn't.
Oh, Notch, I'm agreeing to join a party of Scouts. I better bring a friend or else risk my sanity.
"So you'll do it?" Marble asked eagerly, to which I nodded. "Great! That's great! And here I thought you'd have to hear my juicy enticement before you agreed to be involved."
"And what enticement would that be?" I asked, barely listening since I already agreed.
The blond Scout grinned happily. "I was gonna - and I still plan to - pull some strings at SutsCo to get you those wings you wanted."
I perked up immediately. "...You can do that?"
I should've been reassuring him that he needn't trouble himself to get Wonder Wings on my behalf, but the wings were a key for me. I lost map privileges for the Beginners through my impulsive actions. I had to make it right by getting Carys her wings, by whatever means. Otherwise, we'd receive no news of Cobb and Lenz.
"Let's just say I can make some calls." Marble replied vaguely. "It's like the old saying goes: It's not what you know, but who you know. I have connections." He smirked knowingly. "Both inside SutsCo and with the Scouts. There's a good chance I can get you some Wonder Wings, but it won't be free. Those ten-thousand emeralds will be going to me for my trouble, helping me with the Scrooge McDuck Badge. I can snag the Young Entrepreneur Badge by setting up the trade. And all this will be AFTER we get the Troxler Mirror Badge. Sound good?"
"It sounds too good to be true." I admitted somewhat nervously. "I'm not trying to sound ungrateful, but can you really get those wings? The clerk said there was a long wait, and that all their other wings were tied up. Will doing this get you fired? I don't want that."
"I won't be fired. Trust me. The Scouts and SutsCo are indistinguishable - I mean inseparable!" He hastily corrected. "I think I can scrape together a deal. You let me worry about the details."
"...You're not going to steal them, are you?"
He gasped dramatically. "No! What sort of scoundrel do you take me for?"
"The kind out for the Rob My Workplace Badge?"
"I already have that badge, smarty pants."
"Of course you do." I sighed. "Well, okay. If you say you can get me those wings, for a badge, then I'll trust you." I nodded. "And I'll help you and your fellow Scouts get your Troxler Mirror Badge."
"Great. It's a deal." The blond smiled. "I think we're done here, then." Marble waited until the waiter returned before making eye contact and raising his hand. "Cheque, please?"
[Soul]
With the price of food being so high, it stood to reason that other prices would be driven up. That extended to buying pets.
"Can't go wrong with a wolf." The pet store owner said his rehearsed spiel that he must've done over a hundred times. "They're loyal, lovable, and will kill whatever you tell them to. Forty emeralds, and I'll throw in a name tag and dye."
I winced at the price, but the wolf's puppy eyes were making me come around. Ciro and I had gone to the Volk Pet Kennel after purchasing some expensive food so that I could get a new pet for my growing army. They had helped me beat Giovanni, after all.
Plus, I knew how dangerous wolves could be. Yeah, Hunderprest had about a hundred of them under his command, but they were vicious. I could only buy one, obviously, with them being so pricey, but it could still come in handy as a hinting companion. And if I got more wolves later, I could just imagine how cool it would be to watch them rip cultists apart. More so if that snake, Jade, was on the receiving end of it.
There was just one deal breaker for me.
*Hiss*
I sighed as Cat-Face made the executive decision for me. The feline couldn't stand the wolf, batting its paw at it while safely cradled in my arms. I turned away from the disappointed wolf and the even more disappointed pet store owner.
"What else you got?"
The pet store owner, not to be discouraged, recovered fast as he showed me his other animals. Ciro shadowed us with a bored look in his mismatched eyes. I had told him he could go do something else, but he said he'd rather stick around in case a cultist attacked out in the open.
There were foxes, llamas, parrots, cats. I was tempted by the llama until it spit in my eye and made me reel in disgust and burning, blurry vision. It looked like I wouldn't find a suitable pet. However, when my eyes cleared of llama spit, I spotted something on a back shelf.
Something pink. Or maybe my vision was just slightly pink from llama spit.
"Hm?" The pet store owner followed my gaze to the bucket of water with the pink animal peeking its beady gaze over the rim. "You interested in that? I'm not even sure it's an animal." He and I approached the shelf; I was unable to tear my gaze away. It was the exact animal from my Bounty Day vision yesterday. "My friend in the Miner's Guild found it in some lush cave in the new underground. Brought it back in a bucket. It's aquatic, but also leucistic. Hardly any pigment cells in its skin."
The pet store owner put his hands on his hips as he regarded the aquatic animal with the feathery, external gills, four legs, and long tail. "The bucket item is called a Bucket of Axolotl, so I guess it's called an axolotl, but I got no clue what it does or what it eats. All I know is it can't live outside of water for long." He shook his head. "You don't want something like that. It's a Bounty Day Mob. Hardly an animal companion you want to invest emeralds in."
Meanwhile, in my head...
🎵 Suddenlyyyyyyyy... 🎵
🎵 LIIIIFE has new meaning to meeeeeeee! 🎵
🎵 There's beauty up abooooove... 🎵
🎵 ...and things we never take notice of... 🎵
🎵 You wake up, and suddenly... 🎵
🎵 You're in lohooooo-! 🎵
"SOLD!" I grinned exuberantly and hastily shoved thirty emeralds into the flustered pet store owner's hands before lunging for the bucket containing my new best friend.
Move over, Floyd! This thing has 'Ax' in its name!
"Er..." The pet store owner made to protest, thought about it for a moment, and then straightened up with a sly expression before saying, "For such a rare, leucistic animal, thirty emeralds won't be enough to cover it. I'm thinking I'll need a nice round figure. Say... fifty emeralds?"
"That better come with a name tag." I negotiated before frivolously handing the guy another twenty emeralds.
He smiled happily before guiding me to an anvil behind the counter. "I think if you rename the bucket with the thing in it, it'll be the same as using a name tag. If not, I'll do the naming myself and save you the EXP cost."
"Thanks. It's called an Axolotl? I know just the name for you, little guy."
The aquatic animal blinked its beady eyes as it gazed upon me in curious wonder. The thing was giving me diabetes it was so cute. Even Cat-Face clambered down my arm to give the bucket an exploratory sniff before giving an indifferent meow. Indifference from a cat was practically acceptance!
"Raaawk! Axolotl! Axolotl!" Christopher Squawken accepted the newest addition to my ever-expanding army of animals.
"Why buy an aquatic animal?" Ciro asked like a stupid person.
"Because look at it!" I held the bucket under Ciro's mismatched eyes. "It's adorable!"
"Granted you're right," he conceded, "but look at the biome we're in. The Lacquerlands are a volcanic wasteland and you've got an aquatic Mob confined to a bucket. Where are you going to find the time to let that thing stretch its... gills?"
"Aren't you just the cutest predator? Yes you are. Yes you are." I ignored Ciro and his deadpan stare before placing the bucket on the anvil and selecting the pink creature's name. It would cost me a level of my carefully accrued EXP Meter, but it was a tradition for me to name my pets.
The name I chose would perfectly preserve the axolotl's 'Ax' heritage, while also encapsulating the animal's adorable appearance.
"I hereby dub thee," I grinned at the name before picking the bucket off the anvil and pouring the contents on the floor to check, "Axolittle!"
Axolittle gave a watery squeak as it swam in the flowing puddle of water. The pet store owner complained over the mess, so I quickly bucketed the water, then the axolotl, back up. I smiled down at the pink bundle of cuteness as it tilted its head adorably up at me .
"You and I are going to kick some serious ass, Axolittle." I promised.
Ciro cradled his bowed face in his palm and murmured, "Maybe I shoulda stuck with the Berserkers..."
[Anibal]
Before breaking into Exter's Hall of Records properly, Spaatz and I scoped the place out, both the interior and the exterior. It was a grand hall with ornate pillars and high ceilings reminiscent of an austere bank. There were ten different Crafters working the counter, and they bustled to and fro between the counter and the iron doored back rooms as they helped Crafters locate other Crafters in the capital. The back rooms were clearly where they stored all the documents, and it was there where we'd find the location of our person of interest, Terenti_Murst.
The outside showed no vulnerabilities. The building was in the middle of a crowded square, with entrances on three sides. Invisibility Potions would allow us to work undetected, but breaking through the walls would be noticed immediately, even with how dark it was. Using Invisibility Potions on the inside wouldn't be much better, as an iron door opening on itself would look too suspicious. The doors were also button operated, likely to prevent invisible thieves from slipping in every time a record keeper went back there.
Sneaking in was out, then.
The other option was to simply go up and ask about Terenti_Murst, but the record keepers were nosey. They had to be to do their job with integrity. They'd ask what our relationship to Terenti was and why we were asking. Whoever the higher up was pulling the strings of these deals would most definitely hear about it. The mastermind could even take steps to throw us off the trail.
So asking politely was out too.
Ugh. There's just too many witnesses to do this clean. I cursed as Spaatz and I surveyed the building from the square. If only we could clear them all out...
Spaatz and I suddenly felt an arm touch our shoulders.
We reacted in an instant, spinning around and grabbing the offending hands before pointing our weapons at the invisible figure they were attached too.
"It's me! Don't shoot!" A familiar voice hissed frantically. It was Floyd.
"What the hell are you thinking sneaking up on us like that!?" Spaatz demanded in a harsh whisper. "We could've killed you!"
"Sorry! I saw you guys and didn't know any other way to make myself known."
"Are you by yourself?" I asked. "Where's Noman?"
"He went to have dinner with an old friend or something, but forget that! I need another Potion of Invisibility! Please! Mine is nearly run out!"
In response to his urgency, I surreptitiously slipped the invisible Floyd the potion. The brew floated as he raised it to his invisible lips and drank deeply. "Okay, phew. Thanks. I was starting to sweat there for a second."
"Anyway, like I was saying, Noman ditched me to go have dinner with someone." Floyd added bitterly. "Oh, and it didn't look like he got Carys her wings."
"Shame. No map messages for you guys, then." Spaatz shrugged.
"Oh, come on. He tried." He defended. "And Carys can't be serious about forbidding map messages, can she?"
"Sorry. She's dead serious. Your boy Noman pissed her off." I tried to sound sympathetic about it. "He defied her orders and went off on his own. Paragons who've done that have usually died. The orders she gives are meant to keep her people alive and in line."
"But our friends could be in trouble tomorrow! We need to know the aftermath of their siege. We need to know that Lenz is back safe."
"Then I suggest you put your all into getting Carys her wings." Spaatz advised. "Also, if Noman is so concerned, how come he's off getting dinner with friends?"
"He could be hungry." I could hear a grimace in Floyd's voice before his stomach growled. "I'm the same way. Please. You guys got any food? I don't think I can wait for Soul, and I'm considering fishing in that fountain..."
"Did you come over here just to ask us for things?" Spaatz complained before handing the invisible Floyd some cooked rabbit. It floated for a moment before it was hastily wolfed down into nothing.
"Aaah, much better. Thanks, guys." Floyd sighed contentedly before spying the building. "That the Hall of Records? How goes it?"
"Not too good. It's packed with people. We can't do our thing without being spotted."
"So you need to clear them out? Say no more." Floyd assured. "I'll clear them out for you."
"...How?" I asked dubiously.
"Rest assured, Anibal. I understand what's going on." Floyd spoke with a hint of humor in his tone. "This is a very delicate situation, and must be treated with great care and sensitivity."
"Ooga Booga Booga! Hacker power go BRRRR Redux!"
I sighed as I watched the Crafters and record keepers vacate the building, screaming in abject terror as Floyd 'terrorized' them by shooting MultiAura spines into anything that wasn't a person. He followed them out with his Creeper mask on, ensuring that not a single Crafter was left inside the Hall of Records. Thus, Spaatz and I were able to enter to do our thing while concealed by invisibility.
If it works it works, I guess...
We knew we had to move fast. Floyd's diversion wouldn't last forever. I vaulted the counter and punched the button beside the iron door to open it up and allow me into the back room. I assumed Spaatz followed. The rows and rows of shelved, alphabetized double chests was expected. Contained here was the full record of every Crafter who had ever visited Exter or its villages, as well as their current residence.
"T... T... T..." I powerwalked down the rows, my eyes scanning sign after sign before they fell across the letter. "Terenti... Terenti..." I looked deeper with Spaatz's help, narrowing down the signs that grew closer and closer to our person of interest's name.
"Terenti_Murst... Terenti_Murst..." I murmured to myself.
"Found it! Anibal, it's over here!" Spaatz called out, an invisible figure opening and closing a chest before pulling out a book and making it look like it was floating. Spaatz opened up the book and started reading while I hurried to what I assumed was his side.
"What does it say? Where can we find the guy?"
After a few page flips, the book hung in the air without moving before being lowered slightly.
Disappointedly.
"Spaatz...?"
"...He's dead."
My spirits plummeted. "...What? No..."
The book was handed to me so I could see for myself. There on the page, in big capital letters, was the word 'DECEASED.' I felt frustrated and sick.
"...'Found dead while on duty in the mines'," I continued to read. "'Signs of craters point to Creeper as cause of death...'"
This was awful. Our best lead was already dead. We couldn't interrogate a disembodied Head!
"'Terenti_Murst's death was... four months ago'?" I questioned, my suspicion growing. "Four months. That was-"
"-The same time the trade for the battleaxe went down." Spaatz had already cottoned on to that. "His Head was burned in a funeral service, so we can't prove he really died, but I think we can safely say his death was no coincidence."
"You're right. His death and the battleaxe trade are tied together. Might've even happened within a day of each other. Either Terenti faked his death to make the trade and disappear," I held up the book, "or the high-up mastermind is exceedingly good at covering his or her tracks. Had Terenti killed in what looks like an accident. That way there's no risk of the battleaxe deal being exposed. No loose end for us to interrogate."
It made sense. After Terenti delivered the messages, there was no longer a use for him. Having a third party around to do all the legwork just to kill them at the end was ruthless, yet efficient. This way nobody could track down anything or anyone, and the mastermind could remain secure.
I wouldn't be surprised if the mastermind did the same with other people. I thought to myself. Terenti_Murst was literally a dead end.
"So what now?" Spaatz asked.
I didn't answer right away since I didn't have an answer at the ready. We weren't exactly drowning in leads. If Carys didn't find anything, all we had left was finding an old person inside the Brimstone Bastion. Our investigations were off to a lousy start.
I was broken out of my musings by the sound of voices growing louder from outside the back rooms. Floyd's terrorizing was over. The record keepers were returning.
"Let's get outta here." I decided. "We'll tell Carys this is a dead end and hope she has something better."
We quickly opened up the iron doors, ignored the gasps of surprise from the record keepers who had just witnessed the doors open by themselves, and fled the Hall of Records while still concealed by invisibility. We left a commotion behind us, but we didn't care now that we got all we could from the place.
It was getting late, too. As fruitless as the day was, we got plenty of information about the capital's current events. We also learned a bit of the high-up mastermind's character; he or she knew to tie up loose ends.
[Brimstone Bastion]
Deep at the base of the Brimstone Bastion, there was a fortified room - a panic room. The room was a remnant of the bastion's defensive design, from back when Zipshin built it to withstand the anticipated Mob sieges that never came. It was built to be the final point of retreat. The place to go to in the event of a crisis. It saw use in the Stigmata Wars, protecting the inhabitants of the bastion and even having a secret underground tunnel that came out elsewhere in the capital as a kind of escape route.
Nowadays, the tunnel had been plugged up and remodeled. The same with the panic room. It was now an office. A cozy, windowless, soundproof, private study with a large desk, bookshelves, paintings... and a few nasty surprises.
It was much like Sdrawkcab, the person who remodeled it.
The King of Exter - and secretly the Western Executive of the Endward Cult - sat at his desk while his Lieutenant, Leadstripe, informed him of the intel gathered from the Eastern Division. It was late, then. No chance of anyone bothering the king in his study and discovering an infamous cultist. Leadstripe had made sure to enter with an invisibility potion so as not to trouble his master.
"I see." Sdraw commented after Leadstripe was done. His ever-closed eyes and ever-present apologetic smile were on his face. It was impossible to tell if he was pleased, sorry, angry, or just plain bored. "Nowhere_Man and Carys_Angel are in the Exter region, alongside Notch's former right-hand Captain, a pair of unruly Hackers, and a few other nameless dregs."
Meanwhile, Leadstripe was panicking. Carys and the Beginners were working together, and Lone_Gunnah had obviously failed his mission and died in the process - maybe even at the Angel of Death's hands. He'd heard no word from the assassin. Plus, Leadstripe hated the enclosed confines of his master's study. It made his claustrophobia flare up. The Lieutenant huddled in on himself, and he hoped his master had a solution in that brilliant brain of his.
"I hate to say it," Sdraw began, "but I'll have to cancel my attending tomorrow's duel. As will you and XoX." Leadstripe nodded immediately, accepting his master's course of action. "Ember will be displeased, but we need to be here at the ready for the Paragons-Beginners alliance." Sdraw quickly jotted something down in a book before handing it to Leadstripe without signing it. "Pass that on to one of our cultists attending the duel and tell him or her to give it to Ember. It's an apology, as well as a warning to keep an eye on 4Blite's Plagues should he start losing. I do not trust that Mox character."
"I'll see it done." Leadstripe nodded. He didn't question his master's suspicions.
"Things are proceeding smoothly with the cold war between Exter and Dover Plains." Sdraw drummed his fingers on the table as he contemplated. "I don't need the Paragons or Beginners waltzing about in the works. Something simply must be done. Something sensible."
Sdraw stood from his desk and paced his office, his hands folded behind his back as he deliberated. "They're already in the capital, I bet. Hunting for me. Searching for me. Trying to sniff me out."
Why else would they come to the capital? They were seeking out the Endward Cult's Western Division. Maybe they were just chasing rumors, but they were drawing dangerously close.
Sdraw hummed as his mind worked dutifully. He went over all the information he gleaned about the Paragons and Beginners from Jade's vaunted intel. He saw a series of dominoes lining up as a devious plan formed in his mind.
"Tell me, Leadstripe," he began softly, "would you use the word 'pacifist' to describe Carys_Angel."
"...Excuse me, master?" Leadstripe couldn't hide his derisive scoff. "...No. Pardon my manners, but is that a serious question? Carys is about as far from a pacifist as one could get."
"Exactly right." Sdraw acknowledged like a teacher with a student who had just given a correct answer. He flashed his Lieutenant an apologetic smile. "Carys is as far from a pacifist as one could get, yet she keeps one so close." Sdraw held his arms out. "How, then, can a practitioner of Aikido coexist with a bloodthirsty avenger like Carys?"
Leadstripe blinked at the unexpected question.
"I mean... They're compromising because they have a common enemy: us." Leadstripe pointed out. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that."
"And yet, from 303's report, the Hackers who fought with Nowhere_Man are all alive and well... albeit traumatized." He conceded. "So to me, it sounds like Nowhere_Man and Carys have warring ideologies. Their ways cannot coexist." Sdraw's smile widened. "With the proper push," he envisioned himself nudging the first domino, "the two might find themselves at cross-purposes."
Leadstripe realized what his master was saying. "...You think you can turn them against each other?"
"If all goes to plan, their alliance will become nothing but a hindrance to Carys." Sdraw relaxed as he expounded on the details in his devious brain. "And it'll reduce the number of troublesome enemies. After all, why kill them when they can kill each other?"
Leadstripe nodded along, liking the idea. "Okay. Where do we start, master?"
Sdraw's smile turned sly. "We start by forcing an audience with them."
Inventory (Floyd): 1 Mob Head {Creeper}, 1 Diamond Pickaxe, 1 Iron Sword, 1 Diamond Helmet [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Leggings [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Diamond Boots [Projectile Protection IV], 1 Shears, 2 Iron Ingots, 24 Coal, 20 Torches, 1 Fishing Rod, 1 Furnace, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Minecart, 1 Bed, 1 Boat, 16 Gunpowder, 9 Ender Pearls, 1 Splash Potion of Slowness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}, 1 Bucket, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}
[EXP: 48]
Inventory (Soul): 1 Diamond Axe [Sharpness V], 1 Iron Cleaver, 1 Diamond Pickaxe, 60 Iron Ingots, 19 Flint, 1 Flint and Steel, 5 Ender Pearls, 8 Gold Ingots, 11 Blocks of Diamond, 9 Emeralds, 12 Raw Salmon, 11 Pumpkin Seeds, 22 Cooked Porkchops, 64 Baked Potatoes, 14 Baked Potatoes, 1 Shears, 1 Bucket of Axolotl {Axolittle}, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Iron Chestplate, 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection IV, Feather Falling IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Crafting Table, 1 Jukebox, 1 Music Disc {chirp}, 1 Bed, 1 Furnace, 24 Torches, 22 White Wool, 61 Cobblestone, 14 Jungle Planks, 2 Bowls, 1 Armor Stand, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Ringwood Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Exter Entry Pass}, 1 Splash Potion of Slowness {4:00}, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}
[EXP: 41]
Cat-Face the Cat
Christopher Squawken the Parrot
Axolittle the Axolotl
Inventory (Noman): 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness I], 1 Shield, 1 Diamond Chestplate {Severe Shield}, 1 Golden Boots {Stivali Magma}, 1 Leather Boots {Bottes Zephyr} [Dyed White], 1 Iron Helmet, 1 Diamond Chestplate, 1 Iron Leggings, 1 Iron Boots, 1 Diamond Pickaxe, 1 Flint and Steel, 10 Cobwebs, 2 Ender Chests, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Water Bucket, 5 Buckets, 1 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Zeppil Entry Pass}, 1 Paper {Exter Entry Pass}, 1 Map {Minecraftia}, 1 Lime Shulker Box {Pocket Box}, 1 Paper {MarbleFinder; 1909 Oleg Street}, 1 Written Book {The Art of Peace}, 1 Written Book {Artifact List}, 1 Enchanted Golden Apple, 1 Splash Potion of Weakness {4:00}, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}
Lime Shulker Box {Pocket Box}: 1 Paper {SutsCo Store Credit Voucher: 500 Emeralds}, 1 Written Book {Note of Intent}, 1 Written Book {Wonder Wings Purchase Order}, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 64 Blocks of Emerald, 23 Blocks of Emerald, 1 Emerald
[EXP: 35]
Inventory (Kalmarin): 1 Diamond Helmet [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Chestplate [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Leggings [Protection IV, Unbreaking III], 1 Diamond Boots [Protection III, Unbreaking III], 1 Mob Head {Skeleton}, 1 Diamond Sword [Sharpness III, Unbreaking I], 1 Map {Paragon Minecraftia}, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Gold Citizenship Pass}, 1 Bow [Power I], 36 Arrows, 6 Ender Pearls, 1 Bed, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 40 Torches, 31 Sand, 12 Cobblestone, 21 Oak Planks, 1 Bucket, 1 Lava Bucket, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Potion of Invisibility {8:00}, 43 Coal, 1 Clock, 1 Compass, 1 Iron Pickaxe [Unbreaking I], 1 Wooden Pickaxe {Old Reliable} [Unbreaking III, Efficiency V], 1 Written Book {Meetup}
[EXP: 43]
Inventory (Anibal): 1 Crossbow {Buckner}, 1 Crossbow {Devers}, 64 Arrows, 38 Arrows, 16 Firework Rockets {Flight Duration: 1, Large Ball x 7, White x 7}, 13 Firework Rockets {Flight Duration: 1, Large Ball x 7, White x 7}, 6 Ender Pearls, 6 Cooked Mutton, 14 Apples, 18 Oak Planks, 1 Crafting Table, 1 Furnace, 1 Bed, 39 Torches, 21 Coal, 1 Map {Paragon Minecraftia}, 1 Written Book {Citizenship Information}, 1 Paper {Gold Citizenship Pass}, 1 Milk Bucket, 1 Iron Pickaxe, 3 Ender Chests, 41 Emeralds, 29 Cobblestone, 1 Bow [Flame I], 1 Bow [Power V], 1 Diamond Sword [Sweeping Edge III], 1 Diamond Sword [Smite V], 1 Diamond Sword [Fire Aspect II], 1 Diamond Sword [Bane of Arthropods V]
[EXP: 53]
AN: Lot of notes to go through.
First, the scenes between Anibal and Soul's separate conversations with separate Exterians about the same topic was just me experimenting with a different style of getting exposition across. They're both being told the same thing, so I decided to string their conversations together, cutting back to each one. It helps that you get to see the Dover Plains/Exter conflict from the perspective of the food industry as well as the news industry.
Domino Effect. The Chapter title. It's meant to subtly hint that all of the troubling events going on are from one initial force, and the rest are mainly cause and effect. I read a lot of history textbooks going into cause and effect, so I had a bit of experience/fun writing out the chain of events.
More ridiculous Scout Badges, and all that that implies. CHALLENGE: I challenge anyone to guess what the Troxler Mirror Badge is for in the reviews. Closest answer gets a kudos and a mention next chapter.
Soul's singing. Soul's freaking singing. Anyone who's watched DBZ Abridged should know what this is from, but the lyrics themselves, and the song, are much older, from Billy Ocean - Suddenly 1985. I'm crediting both down here, even though I can't do either Billy Ocean nor Curtis "Takahata101" Arnott's Perfect Cell voice justice with my writing. Look up the latter if you haven't already if you want some laughs. Hope you get the musical emoji's I had to copy and paste in separately. I've used them before in the SutsCo Jingle, or with Teal's Hearts.
Axolittle the Axolotl. Nuff said.
Floyd's distraction tactic gets a nice callback.
The Inventory List nearly killed me having to condense 10,000 Emeralds into block form, and also figuring out how much food Soul had to pay for. Ugh. What a nightmare.
You get a glimpse of Sdraw and Leadstripe. You're going to see the Western Division as a serious threat before this Arc is done. That is what I am working towards, and what I have a decent plan for.
And that's about it. Look forward to next chapter.
FAV. FOLLOW. REVIEW. FORUM. DISCORD. GIRL SCOUT COOKIES.