Fantasy ORIGINS - A Minecraft Story

[MoonMidnight]

​

You feel a breeze on your cheek, soft and gentle. You can feel the sun on your face, too. The combination of the two pulls you into a small paradise and you take a slow, deep breath of fresh air. You can feel the joy tingle down your arms, hands, legs, and feet. It was almost as if they had suddenly formed out of thin air, as if you hadn’t noticed they were there before.

The wind slows to a stop and you finally flutter your eyes open. You use one hand to block the now blinding sunlight and see greenery just beyond your blocky hand. You slowly push yourself to a sitting position and look around.


Chaos The Destroyer and Kassandra

 

[Chaos The Destroyer]

Taking to my feet shakily I look around, the lumbering oaks around me filtering sunlight onto the forest floor save for the small clearing I've found myself in. Instincts take over and lead me to the nearest tree, punching the base block, the cracks the form give me hope leading me to punch the same block until finally it snaps giving way to my first step to survival. Flexing my hand i look up at the tree, a thin layer of sweat already coating my forehead and upper arms getting to work I take the tree down spending the next hour doing so. By the time I've finished the sun has raised farther into ththe sky, now resting in the center above.

Sitting down in the shade I let out a heavy sigh, beginningthe rather quick process of breaking each ofthe logs into quarters giving myself a stack of planks. Prioritizing I take four planks and make a crafting bench, using another four to make sticks. From there I make a sword and a pickaxe, standing from my place in the shade I head east in search of civilization.

 

[Chaos The Destroyer]

Kassandra

 

[Kassandra]

From my upward position, I cross my legs and survey the landscape before me. Mighty trees for as far as the eye can see, so densely packed they create little patches of darkness where their leaves meet. I hear flowing water somewhere, but from where I'm sitting, I can't see its source. Content to simply observe for a moment, I run my hands through some of the nearby patch of grass, wondering if there's something I should be doing. Nothing calls to me in particular, but the shadows cast by the canopy above begin to prey on my ignorance, and I decide I should find a place less obstructed from the sun. The dark doesn't feel safe.

Watching the sun as it seems to slug across the sky, as I walk in the opposite direction, I come to a steep edge. I realize I've been on a mountainous hill the entire time and begin walking along the edge of the decline. After a moment, I find a tree almost entirely encased in dirt, making it seem like a much less intimidating figure than it's proudly-standing cousins in the denser part of the woods. The natural ramp of earth allows me to climb onto the tree's leaves. Even though they're slightly transparent, they support my weight, even when I decide to lay on my back. In the direct warmth of the sun's visage, I feel truly at peace. Exploring this strange place will come later, I decide, as my eyes close again.

Though not my intention, I sleep for an hour before rising again and finding that the sun has abandoned me further. I turn in the direction in the edge and begin to see the faintest of purple edges on the horizon. It's too late to turn back and follow the sun. Perhaps it would've been a futile effort, anyway. As I rationalize with myself that the dark has shown me no ill will, something joins me atop the canopy. It hisses at me, like I've infringed on it's space somehow, and before I can turn around fully to face it, I'm painfully thrown from the height and fall long enough that my ears whistle. I expect my body to hit the ground at fatal speeds, and for the sun to fully leave me as I cling to life, but the impact doesn't come. My world instead becomes dark and wet. I gasp and choke on stagnant water as I crawl out of the pit. Far above is the hole I fell through, and directly below it is the underground pool that spared my life. I've accidentally found a cave, smelling dank and rancid at the same time. From where the dark only seemed more infinite, I hear a garbled noise. I see a pair of eyes stalking me. We watch each other for a moment, until suddenly it blinks out of existence. Frozen, I watch as the eyes reappear in the middle of the pool for a fraction of a second, slightly illuminated by the funnel of sunlight above. The creature is much taller than I am, with a distended jaw opened in my direction. It lets out a pained scream so loud it hurts my ears and blinks away. Turning in the opposite direction, I see a sliver of daylight and start running for my life.

Crawling between cramped stone and clawing away at the dirt blocking my way, I finally emerge, muddy and breathing like the air had been ripped from my lungs. The sun has only crept away even more. Before me is another forest, but between the trees, I spy something golden, catching the sun's rays. Blocks of bundled grain, piled up on the edge of a pond-adjacent village. The pain setting in from my experiences, I lurch towards what I hope will be a safe place.

Chaos The Destroyer

 

[Chaos The Destroyer]

Stumbling through the forest the first inklings of hunger set in, The edge is near but not near enough. Sounds come from the darkness around me in the dark of the forest. The trees having turned large and thick growing darker as I've made my trek. That's when the fist come out, not a thousand feet before the break in the trees dark green, mottled skin, a torn blue shirt with a darker pair of pants to match. Fear consumes me, whatever it is id coming after me, it's intentions clear. Holding up the sword something whispers at the edge of my consciousness just small enough I can't get a solid hold on it. Shaking my head I hold up the sword, backing away slowly yet it still followed, stepping close to it I go to strike with the crude wooden word being to slow I miss and the monster gets me slashing across my forearm with it's rotten hand, leaving a gash on my own. Grunting through the pain I slash once more managing a hit, just barely getting him but it's enough to throw it back giving me a free shot to run past which I take. Suffering nothing more than another cut across the back of my shoulder I grimace and run forward with everything I am. The hunger of the previous minutes all but forgotten as I barrel past the tree line a settlement of some sort.

Two buildings sat closest to the forest line, a tall and narrow spired building with colored glass in it's top window and a smaller less intimidating wooden shack, the back having a small dock setting over a mini pond. Limping towards the hut My eyes wander everywhere, paranoia clearly written on my face as I look into every shadow coming up to the house i look through the windowed door. "No one inside" I mutter without thinking, my own voice surprising my after the many hours in silence, trying the handle I find it unlocked, allowing me to slip inside with the quickly lowering sun.

 

[Kassandra]

As I reach the trail of tampened earth acting as a street between the buildings, I find the source of the once-radiant hay bales. Rudimentary farms, packed tightly into borders of logs above the ground, with water feeding their growth. It occurs to me that it probably would've been easier to simply dig into the ground than make these lifted plots, but also that the waste of building materials could be considered a sign of prosperity. Whoever lived or lives here is content with their simple way of life, so surely, they wouldn't mind if I helped myself to some of their crops? Wasting no more time in convincing myself and letting my stomach and bruises do the thinking, I crawl into the patch of dirt and yank out the closest sprouts with my hands. They're carrots, two small clusters, as they no doubt reproduced from singular carrots. I give them a quick dip in the water supporting their life to clean them off a little, then start ravenously eating everything I've gathered in my hands. They don't sate me much, but it hardly matters with the vastness of the bounty I've found.

By the time I get to the potatoes, my strength has largely returned. Still, it doesn't stop me from greedily ripping out more and more of the crops. The sound of their roots escaping the dirt has me so entranced, I fail to notice that I've been spotted. A pair of footsteps join me in the garden, belonging to a strange looking... Person, with a rather large nose. The straw hat seems to be their only distinguishing feature. I, still resting on my full stomach, meet their glassy eyes from the ground. "These are mine," I manage, coming out more quietly than I had intended, and gathering my collection up to run. But the stranger doesn't engage. Instead, they just start replanting what I took. I watch in bewilderment, but my shock only grows when they present me with two brilliant green jewels. With as much speed as I can muster, I try to snatch away what I assumed was a peaceful offering and make a dash for the opposite direction, realizing my pockets have been emptied. I realize I've underestimated this person, as they've tricked me into some sort of transaction. Instead of gloating, the trader only returned to their dutues. When they aren't looking, I steal some of their wooden logs and run deeper into the village. Around every corner, another of their kind holds out food and things like paper. Afraid of being swindled again, I rush into one of their homes, clutching my emeralds in my fists, and push my weight against the door behind me in hopes of preventing anyone from following.

In all the excitement, I fail to notice that it's already occupied. And not by one of the large-nosed people. Quickly, I shove my valuables into the pockets of my overalls and lift up my gaze to face yet another stranger.

 

[Chaos The Destroyer]

Rummaging through the two chests the thought that this isnt right crosses my mind, these arent my things I have no right to take them. 'But you need them more than whoever lives here does. Sighing i pull out several loaves of bread, a few emeralds and a few more apples to add to my collection. Looking to the bed I walk over to take a seat on it, muscles aching from the many trees I felled today.

Sitting back I off for some amount of time, it could have been moment, it could have been days for all i know. The creaking ifthe door jolts me awake, my sword readied in an instant as I look at the girl now standing inside, looking her up and down curiously. "W...who are you? What are you doing here?" I ask, my voice still low and raspy from misuse.

 

[Kassandra]

The stranger's sword gives me pause. Up until now, I've failed to acknowledge the base ability I have to create, something he's already employed. Looking at his makeshift defenses, I see both the weapon itself and the recipe to make one of my own. Two parts blade, one part handle. Simple enough to recreate... If he's gracious enough to let me leave. "I... I don't know. I was attacked by a monster in a cave, after being blown off a mountain by some strange explosion. I was feeling weak, and I saw this place in the distance." I choose not to expunge the fact that I was caught eating crops straight out of the ground, before realizing I don't have an answer ready to his first question. From a search of my mind, only one name is yielded. "I'm Huxley."

Exercising extreme caution, I approach him and place my hand on the broad side of his weapon, not that the wooden blade would do anything more than give me a splinter. I gently push it aside in hopes that he'll put it away. "I wouldn't feel bad about taking stuff from these people. They don't seem to mind... Or notice. But, you know, if you still feel bad, I'll take it." with one of the logs I stole, I back myself into my own corner of the house and place a crafting table. "Listen, I'll be out of your hair soon... Just wanna try something." On the crafting grid, I form some sticks and attempt to make a sword of my own out of emeralds. Placing all the ingredients, I watch as they fail to form anything with a disappointed face. Maybe I don't know as much about crafting as I thought.

 

[Chaos The Destroyer]

Nodding at her responses he puts the sword away, leaning against the wall with a heavy sigh. "Do you remember anything? Before you woke up I mean" He says, looking out one of the thin glass window.

"Jack is my name, figure I should tell you." Pulling out a loaf if bread he eats it, already feeling his strength returning to him as if he could chop down the rest of the forest with ease. "How about we stick together? I dont think I'm one for crowds but some if the monsters out there" He shook his head slowly, frowning into the fading light. "They could take us easily I think"

 

[MoonMidnight]

My legs burned as I came over the small familiar hill. My feet knowingly walked between a certain pair of trees to avoid a giant ravine that was well hidden under a small dip in the ground.

My heart was still racing and I was criticizing myself rather harshly for getting side tracked by a very promising-looking cave. It ended up being a dead end with only a few pockets of iron. Now I was facing the consequences as the moon rose in the sky. A couple zombies had already appeared but they were easy to evade. They were slow.

My issue was the upcoming plane. The monsters appeared in hordes in open land.
The trees broke into the large field with no trees in sight. A familiar village stood just out of view over a small lift in the field. I stayed along the tree line rather than taking my chances through the monster-infested field. I could easily make out groups of skeletons and creepers.

Closer to the village, there were no sounds of the inaudible language. All the villagers were huddled in their houses to escape the horrors of the night.

Except for one.

One of the villagers with the green robes ran into me and I tripped on my own feet. I swallowed the urge to shove him as an Iron Golem stood only a few feet away from me, and the cry of the villager would send him straight to me. Having him angry at me was the worst possible thing that could happen. Worse than the horde in the field.

I ran to the blacksmith and looked through the chest tucked in the corner. My hands closed around something leathery and I pulled out a saddle.

“Yes!” I cheered. “You’re exactly what I need.” With a saddle I could tame a horse and getting places would be twice as fast.

I hurried into one of the outer houses of the village. If I could just fall asleep as quickly as possible then dawn would come faster and the mobs would burn in the field. Getting home wouldn’t be much of a challenge, especially with a saddle now.

A growl came right behind me and I wheeled my iron sword from my hip. The zombie dissolved into white debris after another few hits. I turned to the closest house and threw my whole weight into the door.

I tripped on my feet and slammed the door shut with one foot. I stood up just in time to see another zombie in the corner of the house. I scrambled back with my sword pointed at its face.

But then I froze. Standing in front of me, right in front of my own eyes, was something I’d never thought possible.

Another person, no, two people stared back at me.

 

[Kassandra]

"What's to remember, really... As far as I can tell, we're something unique. Something between the people that live in these homes and the monsters that come out of the dark. Equally capable of peace and violence." Giving up on my hopes for a green sword, I put the emeralds away and begin work on a different project. Seeing the sword reveals similar recipes I can create with the materials I have available. After some kinesthetic experimenting, I come away with a pickaxe capable of putting a dent in only the softest of earths. The next logical progression must be stone.

I turn to watch as the amount of natural light seeping into the hovel decreases with every passing minute. "We can stay together, but I'm not planning on going out once the sun fully sets. We'll be overwhelmed before we even decide to run back inside." The night successfully overtakes the sky, and I prepare myself to sit patiently while the terrors pass. As I withdraw from the crafting table, the sound of the door being intentionally swung open gives me a moment of pause, and I ready my newly made tool the way Jack met me with his sword. Another person, not just another careless villager, brandishing a dashing white blade in my direction. Fear leaves me, as I have something the stranger doesn't. An alliance. "Put it down. You're outnumbered, and I bet there's plenty of monsters out there that would love it if we kicked you out." I make my demands with my pickaxe in my hands, hoping Jack backs me up with his weapon.

 

[Chaos The Destroyer]

Jack stared at the woman who appeared through the door in disbelief, the sword in her hand looked like it could easily break either of their weapons but he wouldnt say that out loud. Instead he stood from where he leaned against the back corner and nodded to the newcomer, motioning for Huxely to put her weapon down I take a step closer to the pair. "Hi. You can put your sword down, I dont think any of us want to hurt eachother. Do we?" He asked, looking between the two women for a moment before he nodded once.

"Good, I'm Jack, this is Huxely. Who might you be?" He said his voice low and even as the three took eachother in, the mutual shock of a third person settling over them separately.

 

[MoonMidnight]

For a few moments I didn't say anything. I stared dumbfounded at the pair across the room, my brain running down a steep hill of endless, confusing thoughts. There were more people? Where did they come from? Had they always been here? Were there more of them? Had me and Franklin been living millions of blocks away from civilizations?

I looked at their swords. Wood. If they had been alive for some time then they would at least have stone swords. Wood swords were as useful as killing a monster as using your bare hand. So did that mean they were new? Did they wake up like Franklin and I did? It made the most sense. Or I could just be stupid. I needed Franklin for thinking of all the different possibilities - that was his thing, not mine.

The boy said something again, this time his tone leaking irritation, and I tore my eyes away from the girl. She gave me a bad feeling and I pressed further into my corner. I said to the boy, struggling to keep my voice level, "Who are you? Where did you come from?" I lowered my sword too, but I didn't sheath it, either. I wasn't taking chances.

 

[Kassandra]

I looked at Jack over my shoulder, feeling somewhat betrayed by his attempt at making peace with the stranger. It was one thing for the two of us to team up, as we were, optimistically, equally matched. I doubted that sword of his could do much more damage than my hands, but this new woman was a real threat. A few swings of that sword would've done them in before they even had the chance to fight back. And yet, he seemed to think it was a good idea to let her keep it. I kept my pickaxe ready, just as she did with her sword, and looked between the two of them as they made an attempt at connecting their experiences.

"We don't know anything other than our names. We've only been here a day, this is our first night. We each learned the hard way that we needed to find shelter before it gets dark..." I thought back to the mysterious figure in the cave, and looked out the sliver of village I could see through the window of the door, wondering if it might be following me now that it had the cover of darkness to its advantage. "Jack and I are going to start travelling together tomorrow, and I might mine some of the decorative stone out of the village's buildings. You can go your own, separate way once the sun comes up."

 

[MoonMidnight]

She talks a lot. I thought to myself.

“So...you just woke up?” It was more of a statement than a question. “What...where...you...but you don’t....you cant...” I gave up at the end and pressed a hand to my forehead. My head was starting to hurt.

Letting the pair go on their own would be the worst for them. The boy seemed like he had the natural instincts that I had had when I first woke up, but the girl didn’t. She wouldn’t last the next few nights, if tomorrow at all. The boy had a strong chance but even he might not make it.

It was a miracle in itself that I had made it those years back.

What if I brought them back to Franklin? He’d know what to do. It’s not like I can just let these two walk away. They’re our first ever contact with a being other than the villagers and monsters. I might never see them again.

I was desperate for another person. Franklin was great but I needed other people. Of course I couldn’t let my only chance of socializing go down the ravine. Even if they seemed they might irritate me in the future.

Would it be safe to bring them back to the base? Why wouldn’t it? They’re aren’t dangerous. The boy could eventually (and probably rather quickly) but for now he was as helpless as baby wolf.

“I have a base,” I finally blurted out. There was a moment of silence before I added, “It’s only a day from here. We could get there before nightfall tomorrow.” My voice sounded like such a nervous child but I was afraid of provoking the girl any further and making them both want to leave me.

 

[Chaos The Destroyer]

Jack listened to the girl speak, looking to his companion before he nodded. "You're right. We dint know the land like you do, to go out on our own is most definitely suicide."

Looking back to Huxely he nodded once more, his expression stern as he tried to convey the logic in his reasoning there was always a need for man to find another man. Humans were social creatures and as much as Jack hated it he would need other people to survive for now.

"Theres only one bed, unless we plan on sharing we'r3 either gonna need to more or we're waiting it out." Looking to the new comer expectantly he spoke again. "What's our safest bet here?"

 

[MoonMidnight]

I took a step out of my little corner, sword still in hand. My nerves refused to die but I blamed it on the excitement of new, unfamiliar people.

“These houses are filled with beds. Find one and block the door with cobblestone or dirt. The monsters will be gone in the morning.”

I slowly moved to the door and looked through the small holes. A single zombie passed me but I could hear the clanking of an Iron Golem just down the gravel path. He would take care of them all.

“You’ll be fine to run to one of the small houses. The golem is taking care of the mobs.” When I turned to look back at the pair they had blank expressions on their face. “Oh, I meant the tall iron thing with long arms. Y-you’ll see him. Just don’t hit him or a villager. Ever.”

 

[Kassandra]

My gaze travelled back and forth between Jack's and the stranger as they decided all on their own that walking outside to find individual beds was a sound idea, occasionally making a visual tangent toward her sword. It was a senseless risk. Between the two of us, we had more than enough food to wait out the night. Getting skewered by a stray arrow wasn't worth the promise of maybe having a bed to herself. And yet, it didn't seem like either of them were open to the idea of waiting. Jack, who so readily began to listen to instructions she was giving out, lost whatever favor he had with me.

Fine. May as well reach this journey's natural conclusion now.

With the broad side of my pickaxe, I pushed the woman aside so I could peer through the door holes myself. In the distance, I saw a familiar pair brilliant purple eyes, but they disappeared as soon as I blinked. If that thing had followed me, or if it had actually been there at all, was a matter for private reflection later. "This is a really bad idea... But if it'll put an end to this night sooner, I guess I have no choice. I'll go first."

In two swift moves, I was on the porch of the village house, frozen with shock. The night's cries were so much more chilling than they were within those four walls, but that only fueled my desire to restore my position within shelter. My first few steps were the hardest, but as soon as an arrow landed by my feet, I needed no more intervention. The most spacious houses called to me, but during my initial dash through the village, I only saw beds through the open doorways of the cubic houses. Better to be safe than dead. I made my way to the closest of the bunch, only to be stopped in my tracks once again by the sudden appearance of that same slender silhouette by the single flight of stairs. I didn't dare look in its direction. My ears started to ring, my blood running cold. Numbly, I forced myself to walk forward, and through murky vision, I managed to close the door behind me.

After taking a moment to recover, I moved the single torch in the room to the window, as a sign of success for the other two. Right after, I collapsed into bed.

 

[MoonMidnight]

This girl rubbed me the wrong way. Both mentally and physically when she pushed me aside. She didn’t even use her hands she used a tool! Franklin did that to me once and I had utterly lost it with him.

This time I managed to keep my cool. I nearly lost it again, however, when she flew out of the house. I jumped after her and watched her run right into an Enderman. My stomach dropped and I failed to even utter the warning. By whatever power was in the universe, she didn’t look it in the eyes.

I let out a sigh of relief when she managed to get inside one of the houses. That relief was replaced by anger and then quickly with pain when an arrow landed on my almost-broken iron boot. I felt the tip dig into my foot through the metal and fell back into the hut.

I cursed at the situation and pulled the arrow out. I put most of my weight on my good foot and looked to Jack.

“You can stay here. When you wake up meet by the well,” I instructed. I hoped my anger wasn’t leaking through my voice. “Oh and if you ever see a tall black thing with purple eyes, don’t look it in the eyes. You’ll be dead within seconds. It won’t attack until you look at it. Okay?”

Once I got a response I made a dash, well I tripped a few times, for the closest small house. I blocked up the door with some cobblestone and collapsed on the bed.

I hope Franklin isn’t worried. I thought before sleep came over me.

*****

By morning the monsters were burning. I frantically broke the stone away to make sure the other two didn’t get surprised by a creeper or a spider that didn’t burn in the sunlight.

My anxiety wouldn’t go away until we made it safely back to the base. I hoped they were fast walkers.

 

[Chaos The Destroyer]

Jack watched the interaction between the two women in disbelief. They would all need each other if they wanted to survive. Maybe the mysterious stranger could but Huxley and himself, their chances of survival were slim on their own. He wished Huxley would come to realize that in time.

Nodding to the stranger he took a look out of the window, a sigh escaping his lips as he watched her disappear through the village in a hurry. Laying onto the bed He let out an annoyed and overall tired breath. His first day in this new and strange world was ending and while he may have had more to show for it then Huxley there was an aggravated itch in the back of his head that said he should have done more. Drifting off to the clutches of Hypnos he awakes with the rising sun.

Jolting awake in the rather uncomfortable bed he hops up, running to the window to look out over the empty expanse of field that had been filled with mobs only hours before he turned and gathered his things quickly before he ran out of the house, door of the once inhabited dwelling left swinging on it's hinges as he too the straight shot to the well in the middle of the village.

 

[Kassandra]

Huxley rose to the sound of soft earth being displaced, and sat up in bed to the sight of the woman from last night moving around through the holes of her shelter's door. After succumbing to her day's efforts, she apparently took it upon herself to barricade her in. And after their initial interactions, Huxley wasn't sure how to take it. It felt eerily close to being locked up somewhere without knowing, and being released on a whim. Whatever the stranger's intention, she didn't want it to happen again. Really, the entire prospect of travelling with her seemed unwise, but what would she do instead? As much as the idea of staying in the village and taking advantage of their flawed system of commerce enticed her, eventually, Huxley knew she'd grow to miss the company of people. Even ones that expected trust without even offering their name.

Unaware that she and Jack had made plans to meet, Huxley got to work using her new tool. Freshly rested, it occurred to her that the floor of the house she'd taken over was made of harvestable stone. It made leaving a little awkward once she'd mined it all up, what with having to jump to reach the doorway, but at least she was leaving a little more prepared than she was before. In the process, she also ended up taking the green-colored bed, after realizing it could be made more compact when it wasn't laid out. With the two emeralds she had to her name, Huxley began walking around the part of the village in which its people had bombarded her with offers the day before. Now, however, she was prepared. What they lacked in comprehensible language, the villagers made up for with a nonverbal shrewdness when it came to their trading. She respected that, but it still didn't stop her from trying to haggle.

By the end of her short-lived shopping spree, Huxley was emeraldless, but had come away with a few goodies to show for it. First, a bundle of pumpkin pies from the farmer she'd been caught rummaging through the gardens. At least they didn't hold grudges about their food. With her second and last emerald, Huxley purchased what she assumed to be a rarity. Armor, like the helmet the stranger wore, but made of a much-less solid material. Chainmail, it was called, and with her single jewel, she only had two options. Boots, or a helmet. In the end, she chose boots, partly because she thought they looked nice, and partly because she didn't want to seem like she was copying the stranger.

Wearing her new piece of armor, Huxley eventually found the stranger standing by the well in the center of the village, probably waiting around for Jack. With slightly louder-than-normal footsteps, she joined her by the structure, saying nothing for a moment, but only for a moment. "You still haven't told us your name yet, you know. Would go a much longer way, trust wise, than asking us to walk out into the night."

 

[MoonMidnight]

I reached the well before either of the pair did. I rubbed the rough sleep from my eyes as the morning sun temporarily blinded me. The iron golem stomped after the last burning mobs behind me.

Jack joined me first. We exchanged a quick good morning then fell silent as we waited for the girl, Huxley, to show up. When she didn’t I had a panic attack.

Immediately I sprinted for her house only to discover the flooring was gone. I feared she had somehow been blown up by one of the creepers but the cleanliness of the stone removal made me think twice.

That didn’t lessen my panic, though. Had she decided to go on her own? Where was she? I turned to Jack and told him to make a quick run through one side of the village and I went through the other.

There was no sight of her, only the wandering villagers and their great protector. I felt my heart drop a little as I came back to the well without a sight of Huxley. As irritating as she might be I still didn’t want her on her own all alone.

Then she appeared. Before my irritation could rise again I noticed her feet. She was wearing chain mail boots. Had she found them in one of the chests? They were a rare item. She hardly could have figured out the trading system let alone have many valuables to sell to any of the villagers.

Before I could ask she turned a question on me. I had to take a moment to collect myself so I wouldn’t bite back an angry remark at her.

“Call me Rose,” was all I could manage. Anything else and I probably would just start an argument with her. So I changed the subject and asked about her boots.

It was the wrong thing to ask because she told me how she traded with a couple of the villagers yesterday and this morning. I was jealous that she found that out so quickly but I wasn’t going to say that aloud.

Fortunately Jack returned. He seemed relieved to see Huxley too and I saw him notice her footwear.

“Here,” I said to the pair as I placed a crafting table down. I quickly crafted two stone swords and handed it to them. “Just in case.”

I broke the table and let it fly into my inventory as I turned to face the direction of home. “We’ll make it home before dark if we walk fast enough.”

I couldn’t wait to get back to Franklin. I wanted him to meet them both and hear what he thought. I also just wanted to get somewhere safe where I didn’t have to worry about so many people’s safety.

“You’ll be safe there,” I added, remembering Huxley’s comment from earlier.

Hopefully this walk back would build some bridges.

 

[MoonMidnight]

GAME MASTER POST

The sun rose and the monsters fell. The villagers roamed around their small village, confident that their iron protector would keep them safe from any danger. And it did for the most part; but it was never prepared for what was about to happen.

Everything was quiet around the trio near the well. They were exchanging a few words when they grew silent. They turned their heads in the direction of the forest at the edge of the village. The trees and leaves were still, not a single thing stirred. It seemed as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

A gray skinned creature jumped out from behind a tree, an axe in hand and ready to strike down on the closest living thing. Several others just like it followed, axes or hands raised as they cried out. A few of the trees behind them abruptly collapsed to reveal a giant animal with long horns. On its back was another gray creature that used rope to control the beast. Nothing stopped it as it tore through the wooden buildings and trampled the iron protector.

“Run!” the woman screamed. She shoved the others ahead and they made a run for the field. The gray creatures mercilessly brought their axes down on the villagers’ heads. Even the babies were not spared as a single blow sent them flying and disappearing in a cloud of dust.

The trio realized too late that the large group of gray creatures had surrounded the entire village, trapping them with it.

 

[Kassandra]

Rose. There was some clear malice left in her voice, and Huxley was certain the way she phrased it meant Rose was short for something else, but progress was progress nonetheless. Upon receiving her first sword, having completely bypassed the wooden variant, Huxley whacked it against the fence posts that made up the well's supports a few times to examine the weight of it in her hand. As long as they were smart about travelling during the day and finding shelter before nightfall, she didn't think she'd get much use out of it. Regardless, it was going to be kept handy.

It took a moment to fully appreciate the stillness of the air. If it was true that one could feel it when they were being watched, then Huxley had grown intimate with this feeling, after two encounters with what might've been the same mysterious monster. However, this time was different. It was as if there were eyes looking in from every angle, invading before whoever was watching even took a first step. She would've wanted to ignore it, to just leave the village and let their pet giant take care of the rest, but as luck would have it, the problem was a lot bigger than some stray zombies using the shade of the surrounding canopy. All at once, the stalkers presented themselves, brandishing their axes and charging the vulnerable people of the village. At first, Huxley was excited to see their guardian in action. She assumed that its efforts redoubled with its threats, or that there was some other contingency in place, but upon briefly meeting the gaze of the small army's figurehead, Huxley knew in her heart that this village had seen its final daybreak.

The weight of her pies and the slight jingle of her chainmail armor demanded she stay and defend this place with what little she had, but logic and Rose said to do otherwise. They were simply outmatched. With a pit in her stomach, Huxley thought back to the farmer who'd caught her pigging out in their crops. She'd laughed at them then, at their unwillingness to defend what was theirs, but had since come to understand that their peaceful ways were not weaknesses. They were solemn strengths, worthy of emulating. But not worthy of a fight.

As they moved in the opposite direction of the beast that took down the village's guardian, Huxley examined the way in with the invaders moved. She wouldn't be caught unprepared again. Like a closing claw, the grey-skinned people pushed into the village, corralling villagers in toward the pit of the attack, where their beast marched forward. It left only a small opening for escape. The three of them would have a small fight on their hands on their way out.

Good.

Huxley took the lead with her sword drawn, scanning the treeline for those shiny white hatchets. It wouldn't be a victory, but she refused to leave without a trophy. One of several that began pursuing their party approached her to make contact, and Huxley met the challenge eagerly. Her first swing sent them against the tree from which they emerged, just as they tried to meet their axe to her neck. She then stabbed into the chest of their dark coat, reducing them to a dissipating cloud and an axe on the ground. Huxkey snatched it up and went back to running.

 

[Chaos The Destroyer]

Jack could feel the tension between his two companions and it made him itch, his hand twitching around the hilt of the sword he was given the energy he had built up from the night begging to be released in some way.

It was the silence yhayhat pulled him from his reverie. Since he had awoken in the forest across from the village only a day earlier there had always been a sound, whether it be the cry of invisible birds or the rush of a river. This silence was unnatural in this magic world and it did little to comfort him as it did Huxley.

"Rose~" He didnt get the chance to finish his sentence, the roar of a beast breaking through the forest he had awoken in sending a chill down his spine, his instincts to fight or run kicking in as his eyes snapped to the grey monsters. They looked like twisted versions of the people that surrounded them as if they had been corrupted by the magic the ones in black trimmed with gold wielded.

He had begun running for the small opening before Rose had spoke, it was likely they wouldnt survive should they get into a prolonged fight.

Holding his sword up he grunted as it caught the razor edge of a metal axe, pushing it away to lash out against its attacker, catching it twice against its grey chest dissolving it into nothing more than a small metal pickaxe that flew into his inventory before he could grab it. Pushing on he slashed at the few that came into his way, one falling dead with nothing, the other dropping but a single green gem.