Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As the setting sun dipped below the horizon for Beacontown, The Order of the Stone was wide awake. Jesse awkwardly stood in front of the world's exit portal, waiting for everyone else to catch up. Petra climbed up the old temple walls, her muscles straining as she lifted herself over the edge. Ivor, as curious as ever, was observing everything about the temple, though nothing was new.

“This temple still amazes me.” He commented, his hand grazing over some of the imagery that was carved into the wall. “Well, off to another adventure!”

Lukas climbed the vines, letting out a sigh of relief as he observed the temple from high above. Nobody else was around but them.

“Too bad Olivia and Axel are busy,” Lukas commented, “But I'm sure this trip won't be too interesting. We just need resources, right?”

Standing tall, Jesse gave a subtle nod. “Yep, and I've got the atlas, so we can't possibly get lost.”

“But we've basically explored everywhere— and everything! Where would we even start looking for new resources?” Petra muttered, rolling her eyes as she came to Jesse's side. 

“Well, the portal hall… it definitely winds on for quite a while.” Ivor added, taking a step closer to the exit portal. The red glow shimmered across his features, and Petra was almost tempted to just shove him in. Resisting the urge, Petra couldn't help but smirk at the thought. 

“He's right, Petra. I'm sure we'll find something new.” Jesse replied, letting out a small chuckle. “Is everyone ready?”

The group responded with a combined mumble, and Ivor stepped into the portal with delight, his joy radiating off of him for miles. Petra couldn't help but scoff, though it wasn't serious by any means. Lukas gave a subtle shrug, and Jesse took one last glance back at Beacontown. 

Going back to the familiar portal hallway, Jesse held out the atlas, and everyone awkwardly shuffled to his sides to peer over his shoulder. Inhaling slowly, Jesse felt the air enter his lungs. It's time for something new. Something exciting…

“Take us somewhere new.” Jesse prompted, and the atlas fluttered open, the pages flying past as Jesse gripped the book harder, afraid it would fly out of his hands. Being left with the enchanted path, the squad exchanged looks of curiosity. 

“Wanna race?” Petra grinned, nudging Jesse.

“Oh God, no! Spare my poor legs!” Ivor whined, dramatically gesturing to himself. Petra ignored Ivor’s complaints, and she dashed off anyway. “I’ll beat you there!”

Lukas quickly chased after, holding his new book and quill close to his chest. Lukas was starting to write more and more about the group’s adventures, leading to an entire documented series of experiences. All accurate to what had happened, of course, but Lukas always tried to give himself a bit more bravado. It was fun to get lost in the pages, after all.

Jesse was doing his best to hold himself up, and it had gotten better after the whole ordeal with the Old Builders. Nonetheless, sometimes he'd wake up at night, turning to his side to wonder how everything could've gone differently. He missed Rueben. That pig was one of his best friends, and now he's gone. Just like that. Even though the Wither Storm is deceased, Jesse still shudders at the sight of a Wither skull. He wished he could freeze time, just for a moment.

If he could do that, then Rueben would still be alive. His heart clenched at the thought of the heroes that were lost along the way, but Jesse stayed determined to continue for them. That's what they would've wanted.

Beating Petra to the portal, Jesse flashed a smug smirk at her as they playfully fought. Lukas soon caught up, and Ivor took his sweet time running over. He wasn't exactly the most fit, to say the least. Panting harshly, Ivor grunted as he stood next to Lukas, and they all examined the portal.

“There's nothing specific indicating what it is.” Lukas pointed out, flipping to other pages of defined portals and their reflected world. “I'd be cautious, alright?”

“Right,” Petra agreed, shuddering at the memory of past experiences. She didn't exactly want to be chipped again by a crazy tyrannical AI. 

The leader, Jesse, stepped forward to observe the portal closer. It had a bright purple hue and heavy dark blocks. Jesse ran his hand across the material, noticing how sleek it was. It seemed polished. Refined, even.

“Perhaps this world is normal? Like our own?” Ivor murmured, but Petra shook her head.

“No world is ever ‘normal.’ Even ours isn't normal.” Petra said, glancing over at the portal. “But hey, what do I know?”

Jesse let out a content hum, phasing through the portal of the unknown. Following behind was Lukas, who fell in messing around with Petra. Ivor, who was probably too happy to be dipping his toes in a potential death trap, jumped in after.

Letting out a shrill scream, Lukas hit his ass on the floor, and he got up, noticing the instead chill that hit his body. Jesse fell onto Lukas, making them both groan in pain. Practically used to this, Lukas basically had ribs of diamonds at this point from all of the times Axel had fallen on him. Jesse flopped onto the ground and slowly sunk into it, realizing it was snow.

“I hate snow…” Petra groaned, emerging from a snow pile. The cold, chilling flakes falling from her crown. 

Ivor also emerged from nearby, shuddering as he stumbled over. The four all came together at the point of the hill they were on, seeing the scenic view below. Wolves and animals pranced in the white snow piles, enjoying the cold weather. Everything was blanketed in white, and the branches of the bare trees caught delicate snow drifting down.

At the bottom of the steep hill was a singular portal, and Ivor perked up, pointing it out.

“It's a portal! But not exactly an exit, from the looks of it.” He observed, slowly inching down the hill. The loose snow flared upon every movement, succumbing to the slope of the hill. “Seems more like a one-way ticket to the Nether.”

Struck with a sense of wonder, Jesse stepped forward, nearly falling face first into the snowbank. Ivor caught the brunette by his armor, and he scoffed. “Jesse, this is no time for games!”

“Relax, relax. I'm just curious.” Jesse prodded, straightening his back to regain his balance. Slowly inching down the hill, the squad decided to check the area out. “If there's a nether portal here, it must mean somebody has lived here before.”

“Right,” Lukas added, placing a firm hand on Jesse's back so he wouldn't slip. “Who would want to live up here, though? I think I'd get tired of the cold.”

Crunching the snow under her boots, Petra watched in satisfaction as it cracked out in all directions. “People are weird like that.” She sighed, “I mean, look at Ivor.”

Whipping his head around, Ivor quickly packed a ball of snow up and threatened to throw it. The mercenary let out a genuine laugh, her vocals echoing off the mountain. Lukas couldn't help but stay cautious, though he felt like leaning into this game they had going on. Jesse was trying his hardest not to burst out laughing, his hands sliding down the wall of ice that they had hit.

“Hey, we're almost to the bottom, by the way. Don't go shooting yourselves off with snowballs.” Jesse chuckled, using his pickaxe to slide down further, the tip of the pickaxe digging into the solid material. It let out an ear-bleeding screech, but Jesse felt his boots finally hit solid ground. 

Digging a hand through the snow, Petra threw another snowball right at Ivor's back, and Lukas hurried down to get to Jesse. Ivor and Petra continued this war of snow as Ivor sniped Petra directly in the head, making her dramatically fall to the ground.

“Thanks a lot, jackass.” She scowled, and Lukas pulled her up. Ivor landed with a thud, a spark of pain running up his spine from jumping so high. He forgot to tuck.

As all four of them surrounded the portal, Jesse put his hands on his hips. “Well, look at that. A nether portal.”

“It's labeled too,” Lukas pointed out, squinting his eyes. “To Thieves?”

“It must be a quicker way to get somewhere.” Petra shrugged, taking a step back as she noticed the dark swirls twisting.

“Is someone coming out?!” Ivor gasped, taking two more steps back. 

Suddenly, somebody leaped out from the mist of the portal, particles and pixels fading behind them. In the midst of shock and silence, they pulled out their sword. It was an unfamiliar material, being forged of a thick and heavy metal. Enchantments glowed on the weaponry, matching that same predatory glare in their eyes. It was clear The Order of the Stone had trespassed, and they weren't happy.

Chapter Text

“I wasn't aware that we were getting visitors.”

“Oh, sorry?” Petra awkwardly mumbled, shuffling behind Jesse and Lukas. 

The tall figure gripped his sword tighter, the handle creaking ever so slightly. He scanned everyone, trying to decide if he should slaughter them all or let them all go. Sheathing his sword, the man slowly stepped back. 

“State your names. All of you.” He groaned, trying to seem intimidating. To Ivor, he was trying his hardest not to laugh. 

As if this were some simple icebreaker, everybody introduced themselves. The man, however, sat in silence. He almost seemed sheepish, shifting on his feet. His armor creaked, which seemed to have that same thick metal as his sword. Ivor squinted his eyes, trying to identify what it was.

At the very least, it was a new material, but how strong was it? This new material— it could've been strong enough to shatter diamonds and smite them all into the floor.

“And you are?” Jesse asked, gesturing with his hands. Lukas tapped his foot on the snow, growing a bit impatient. The whole ‘intimidating and scary’ act from this guy was quickly wearing off, and everyone could see it, clear as day.

“Oh, I'm Pugman— though people just call me like— Pug… for short, you know…” Pugman introduced himself, a hand running through his blonde hair. “So, you're all travelers or something? I wasn't paying attention.

The group collectively sighed, and Petra slumped over. Ivor was busy, lost in thought, staring at the portal behind Pugman. 

“Yes, in our world, we're heroes and whatnot. We're called The Order of the Stone.” Jesse confidently grinned, that cocky and smug smirk breaking through on his face. Lukas replied in rolling his eyes, his lips curled in a barely noticeable smile.

Adjusting his goggles, Lukas seemed to also look past Pugman, noticing the portal behind him. Eventually, Pugman caught on, his arms swaying at his side as he turned to face it himself.

“Oh.” Pugman mumbled under his breath, glaring over his shoulder. “This is our Nether hub. We use it to get around easier. You guys should come with me. You're not supposed to be here. I'm sure Soul would take you guys.”

With that, the man jumped right back into the portal, expecting everyone to follow. Ivor got closer, and Jesse went behind him, following him in. Lukas took the lead after Jesse, and Petra hesitantly dropped in. 

Entering literal hell, Ivor started to complain about the heat, and Lukas seemed to be writing everything down. Comparisons, differences… It was like he was in a wonderland. Jesse was hesitant to follow this person that they didn't even know. Especially since he was seemingly covered in this odd material.

Petra couldn't help but laugh over the man's name. Pugman, oh, it reminded her of Stampy Cat. It made her snicker under her breath, and she caught a glare from Lukas.

“What are you laughing about?” Lukas asked, lagging behind Jesse to talk to Petra. Petra's eyes darted over, and she couldn't help but smirk.

“Seriously, who is this guy? Are we seriously trusting someone named Pugman?” Petra chuckled, her hands shoved in her pockets. “I feel like something’s wrong.” 

Pugman quietly guided, shooting a piglin out of the way. Oddly enough, the others hadn't seen a piglin. Ever. There were a lot of new things in this world, which is what they wanted, right?

Right?

Simply twiddling saved wooden blocks into sticks, and Petra cautiously checked the surrounding area. The cobblestone path they were walking on dangled over lava, and there were no guardrails. One wrong step would lead to sudden death. Ivor pranced over, making Petra pause her crafting.

“Are you nervous?” Ivor smirked, seeming almost proud that he had caught her in such vulnerability. 

“No,” She quickly lied, her dark eyes darting to the edge. Petra wanted to get off of this ledge as soon as possible. Her heart raced in her chest, and she clutched the sticks close to her, as if it was a lifeline. Lukas’ eyebrows furrowed, and he crossed his arms.

“I won't let you fall, Petra.” He said, his voice half teasing-half genuine.

“Thanks.” Petra grunted, matching Lukas’ tone.

Suddenly, Pugman started to speak out to the others. “How'd you guys get to Snowchester anyways? I blocked out all the paths so nobody would come.”

“Introverted, much?” Petra commented,

“Introverted? It's more like insanity.” Ivor whispered, making Jesse narrow his gaze.

“This guy is really fishy.” Jesse muttered, reaching for his sword out of instinct.

“Put it away.” Pugman demanded, reaching for his own sword. “I don't want problems already.”

Jesse recoiled in shock, unsure of how Pugman could've heard the way he silently pulled the blade out. He quickly put the blade back, a glint shining off of the tip of the sword. Petra continued dwindling the blocks of wood out of habit into thin sticks. 

At last, the five of them surrounded a portal, and Pugman, once again, led the way. Emerging into the new area, Jesse was struck in awe at the low hanging trees and the frogs hopping across the pavement. This was a swamp biome, from the looks of it.

Nearby was a sign indicating the place of civilization. “Thieves”. Thin and tall cobblestone buildings lined the area, with banners plastered everywhere. Standing in the middle of the town, the bridge connecting everything made it look beautiful. It was clear an architect had worked on this town, their calloused hands making this city from the ground up.

Seeing someone flash past, Pugman cracked a seemingly rare smile. Then, emerging from the shadows came a new figure, someone nobody else had seen. Emerging from deep within the city alleyways came somebody new, making the stressful situation more tense. Seriously? Another one? Jesse stood guarded, and Lukas searched the area. Petra pulled out her weapon, the enchantments illuminating the darkness from the night sky. Ivor simply swept his feet, not looking for any conflict in particular. He didn't exactly have a grudge with anyone. Yet.

Fully basking in the moonlight came another man, his cape flowing behind him. Similar to Pugman, he was bulked up in this strange armor, even glowing with the ancient scripts and enchantments. This new figure had a white mask that covered his entire face, a lighter red scar painted over his left eye. He stood with confidence, circling the group like a hunter.

It was notorious that both of them— Pugman and this newcomer - seemed to stalk their victims to intimidate them in this twisted song and dance. Such exquisite turns of the swords being pointed as Jesse and his friends made him gasp, unsure of how or who to target. They moved too quickly, too fast. It was like the world was spinning faster, and Jesse was just a mere hamster stuck in a wheel.

“You didn't tell me you were bringing guests!” The other chuckled, his voice seemingly distorted by the mask. Beneath his armor, the man wore elegant clothing, parts of it peeking out. Pugman stopped his movements, and he glanced over. 

“Yeah, sorry.” He apologized, though it was half-hearted. The men laughed in harmony, making the rest raise an eyebrow or two.

“Why are they so in sync?” Petra mumbled, gesturing at the two with the tip of her golden sword.

“They're like birds,” Lukas whispered, but Ivor cut him off.

“Birds? More like wolves.” Ivor scoffed, crossing his arms.

“Not so loud, you two.” Jesse muttered, trying to plan his next move.

As silence flowed in between everyone, Jesse uncomfortably shifted in his armor, his ears ringing. It was as if everything being silent was too loud.

“Who are these trespassers?” The man asked with his whole chest put into it. It was clear he was demanding answers and wouldn't take silence.

“They call themselves: “The Order of the Stone.” Pugman recited, pausing from word to word as if he was stuck on remembering what they had said. Pugman couldn't stop pacing, as if something was stuck in his head. “Soul, I don't think we can… trust them.”

Petra had to hold her breath to stop herself from laughing at these names. They were incredibly absurd. Jesse rolled his eyes, his gaze raking over Soul. The revealed man adjusted his cape ever so slightly, trying to seem as perfect as possible. 

As Jesse's stance widened, the wind started to pick up around them, as if nature had a way of noticing the tension present in the air. Slowly inching closer to Jesse, Lukas’ eyes darted around, his frown becoming more present as he realized the situation they were in. They weren't welcome here, and the situation has seemed to have dire outcomes.

Ever the wiser, Ivor sifted through his inventory, though no potions showed of use. If only he could get his hands on something. Feeling the rush of adrenaline in her chest, Petra's grin slowly widened as she realized she could be thrown into the throes of combat. But even as excitement flowed through her veins, a bit of doubt and fear started to seep in. Nonetheless, the mercenary of the group stepped back, turning around to whisper to Lukas.

“I have an idea,” She quietly mumbled and waited for Lukas to respond. Lukas snapped out of his own throes of thoughts, his eyes narrowing as he shrugged. He pursed his lips, caution written all over his expression.

“Better be good,” Lukas grunted, nodding his head over to the approaching duo, shuddering as the air got stale. 

Before Petra could express her thoughts out, her voice was overpowered by the two men closing in from the distance, exclaiming to each other. 

“I don't know,” Soul said, his voice rising under his mask. His voice had a strange trajectory, being loud enough to shake the very cobblestone floor that everybody was standing on. “You said they were in Snowchester, right?”

“Snowchester, indeed.” Pugman chimed in, his sword scraping the stones on the ground, making the nearby animals turn their heads. “They've already been caught trespassing, you know.”

“I know, I know!” Soul shouted, though his tone was full of playful banter, as if the tension in the air was dead.

“I thought this guy wanted to help us.” Ivor scowled, tapping his hip with his finger. 

“Not anymore, at least.” Petra retorted, her knuckles aching from how hard she was holstering the sword.

“Jesse, what do we do?!” Lukas asked, reaching for his own blade. “I know we outnumber them, but we don't know how strong they are!”

With his shoulders rolled down, Jesse weighed out his options, his head trying to drown out Lukas’ own words.

“Jesse…” Lukas huffed, unsure of who to attack first. “We don't have all day…’

“BAIL!” Jesse commanded, and everybody turned to face him. In a flash, Jesse, Lukas, Ivor, and Petra ran down the long winding Stone pathways, the uncomfortable formatting of rocks hitting contact with their boots. 

Petra swayed to the side as she noticed how fast the others were gaining on them. “Jesse, they're gaining!”

Running forward, Jesse could see there wasn't much pathway left. Acting out of desperation, he rotated to go for the nearest building. Switching his item over to a pickaxe, Jesse started to gain speed. Lunging at the door, the wood broke way to Jesse's weight, and everybody collectively screamed as they all barged in.

The building in question seemed to be a small center for purely creating potions. Ivor's eyes lit up in awe, but Jesse grabbed the back of his robe and dragged him along to the nearest escape of the place. But as Ivor accidentally swatted his arms, potions fell off the nearby shelf, one of which was not being a potion at all but rather a flammable material. It seemed to be a substance similar to gunpowder, and it was already reacting as soon as it reached a flame.

Watching as the entire lab behind him went up into flames and destructive fire, Ivor let out a long, depressed sigh of dissatisfaction. The flames started to breach containment and spread further, reaching a nearby block of TNT.

Shoving open the exit out, Lukas gestured for everybody to get moving. His eyes widened as he saw the TNT nearby glow, and he braced himself for impact even as he was the last one out.

The entire lab in question exploded behind Lukas, and he launched forward due to impact with the group. Jesse threw Ivor into Petra's hands, and she just pushed him upward to stand.

“I've got you, Lukas!” Jesse called out, getting into position to catch Lukas. Even though his timing was correct, Jesse wasn't exactly prepared to catch Lukas’ entire weight. They both toppled over, and Jesse groaned. Knowing neither of them had time to waste, Jesse scrambled to his feet, aiding Lukas to get back up. The two of them caught up with Petra and Ivor, and they continued running.

“That was sick, Jesse!” Petra smirked, her awe a stark contrast to Ivor's depressed scowling. 

But even though the group had a flawless escape, they still came head-on to another issue. They were all lost, and Lukas shut his eyes as if noticing something was off. In a moment's notice, The Order of the Stone had halted.

“Hey, Lukas, you alright?” Jesse asked, coming over to feel Lukas’ pulse. Lukas simply shrugged and nodded.

“Does anybody smell that?” Lukas implored, his hand clenching into a fist at his side.

“Now that you mention it…” Petra took a subtle glance around. 

“It's fireworks.” Ivor finished, pointing to the sky. There was a trail of nothing but ash slowly trickling down upon them.

“Fireworks?” Jesse questioned, the confusion hitting him like a brick wall. It wasn't until he felt a harsh weight push on him that he realized.

That duo— they had already caught up using elytras. Jesse scraped his face against the ground, blood threatening to ooze from the new cuts. 

“Aaand now destruction of property.” Soul added from above, but Jesse couldn't focus. His head was pounding, like his brain was going to explode. Everything ached in pure agony, and he wondered if this was what pure loss tasted like.

“You've got a nice lovely record going for you all!” Pugman smiled but quickly faded into a frown. His once timid, almost shy personality had revealed itself as a power-hungry, deceiving liar. His own cape rolled out behind him, matching Soul's. “You'll fit right in with her.”

“You let him go, now.” Lukas hissed, even as sweat ran down his forehead. Petra backed him up, pointing her blade back at the both of them. 

“Sure, whatever.” Soul responded, lifting Jesse up by the collar of his armor. Jesse gasped for air, the cold wind making his new wound sting. Tears welted in his eyes from it all, but he refrained from crying. Not now. “You'll all fit in with her.”

Once again, everyone's faces seemed to flash with pure curiosity or confusion. For a moment, it seemed even Pugman was bewildered before coming to a realization. His shoulders popped up, and he fixed his posture. He slowly ran a hand through his blonde hair again, and he grit his teeth.

“I mean, murder is also an option, no?” Pugman brought up, placing a firm hand on Soul's shoulder.

“Why are you so hesitant all of a sudden?” Soul whipped around to face Pugman, flailing his hands in a gesture. “I thought you wanted them to suffer nice and slow.”

“I mean, yeah, but…” Pugman rambled,

“Yeah what? You're scared to face her? C'mon. She's dead. You said so, right?” Soul quipped, forcefully pulling Pugman's hand away.

“She's dead, I know!” Pugman shouted, and the argument derailed further.

It took a moment for the initial shock to wear off, but The Order of the Stone realized this was the perfect opportunity for a getaway. Moving with a newfound sense of hope, Jesse and the others took off.

“Hey, HEY! GET BACK HERE!” Soul screamed, fumbling to find more fireworks. 

“Why do we always run into dysfunctional groups?” Petra mocked, rolling her eyes.

“Not sure. It's like they can't keep themselves together.” Lukas supposed, “I can't help but wonder who they were talking about.”

“We'll find out sooner or later, I'm sure.” Jesse replied, hearing the cacophony of shouts and yells behind him to grow louder.

“Hey, Jesse, I think they're catching up.” Petra asserted, getting impatient. “I really want to fight these guys. You can all go ahead and find an exit portal while I keep them busy.”

“What?! Are you out of your mind?!” Lukas panted, “You're going to get slaughtered by them! I'm staying with you, then.”

Jesse nearly tripped over his own feet as he struggled to keep a clear mind. “Why can't we just do this together?”

“We can find a faster escape route, that's why!” Petra exhaled, running out of breath. “Go Jesse, GO!”

“It'll be fine, Jesse! Take my word for it!” Lukas shouted, but Jesse couldn't help but slow down. “You have Ivor!”

“But I want all of us!” Jesse sputtered, trying to stop running. His legs wouldn't stop or obey his head, as if they were their own being. “We work better together!”

Jesse finally halted, but not for long. Ivor reached out, catching Jesse's wrist in a firm hold. Forcefully getting Jesse back on his feet, Jesse had no other option but to keep going.

“You better stay safe!” Jesse screamed, his voice echoing through the trees.

It was odd. Usually, Jesse was the one to lead everyone. Jesse was the leader. He made the shots… so why was it the other way around? Usually, Jesse scolded Ivor and whatnot. Now, it was Ivor scolding Jesse, Petra, and Lukas departing… This wasn't usually. This was different.

And all Jesse could do was accept it.

On the contrary, Petra and Lukas stood their ground as Pugman and Soul approached them. Still as furious as ever, the two didn't immediately attack. However, one swipe from Soul's sword left Petra tumbling and quite literally on fire. She screamed in pure agony, her flesh burning from the enchantments searing Soul's sword. It wasn't fair. This wasn't fair. In a fit of pure rage, Lukas surged forward, but his hits weren't impacting like they were supposed to. Hell, they weren't even making dents to the armor. Petra eased her agony into a tingling sensation of pain as she found access to water.

Cocky, Soul stepped up to bunch them both in his grasp.

“Well, your defiance got you nowhere.” Soul commented, tatting as he shook his head. “I'll take these two to the cellar. You go get the other two rats.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever.” Pugman groaned, taking his sweet ass time to sweep by. 

Being dragged back to town, Lukas and Petra stared off into space. Petra was still recovering from the near fatal experience she had, and Lukas was lost in a daze of confusion. The two could've come up with an escape plan by now, but they knew they were evading the inevitable. It was no use anyways, as both of them had grown weak from running and fighting. It would've been humiliating if either of them were actually in the right state of mind to think straight.

The cellar in question was your typical, dark, and gloomy chamber. Petra and Luaks were thrown in separate cells, and Soul remained completely silent the entire time, as if he himself was abandoned in his head. Everyone was out of it. Lukas remained stunned on the cold floor of his cell, looking out the bars. Petra, however, waited intently for Soul's exit. She watched with barely contained rage as he patched up the entrance and seemingly left the two to rot, just like that.

On the walls outside of the cells were carvings and paintings of Pugman and Soul, but there were others as well, seemingly crossed out. Upon inspecting the pattern of banners that also hung from the wall, Petra realized how one was ripped off completely. Odd. Turning to face her cell, Petra realizes this wasn't an ordinary cell at all.

It was a study room.

Bookshelves lined the wooden walls, and dim torches lit the room as it revealed a smaller section of the area. It was a dainty bed, clearly untouched for a while. The covers were tucked in perfectly, every crease and crevice demanding absolute perfection. Petra held her head in her hands, unable to process everything. She saw small figurines on top of the shelves, staring into her eyes. Her dark, terrified eyes. In the corner, the shadows grew, and Petra felt her hair raise on the back of her neck as she heard chains drag against the wooden floor.

Peeking out from behind the bookshelves was a shorter woman, wearing a dark black top and loose sweatpants. She narrowed her eyes, looking past Petra. Petra caught on, turning around to see the armor stand nearby, covered in that same armor that everyone else was wearing. The only difference was the carvings and brands, and the way it shimmered with this magnificent energy. 

“Sorry, did I scare you?” 

Chapter Text

The sound of a record player scratching against a disc's smooth grooves filled the room, and Petra was starting to look ill. 

“Oh my lord,” Lukas muttered under his breath from the cell over, getting up. He narrowed his eyes, noticing the new person.

“Yeah, okay… This is weird.” Petra groaned, trying not to pass out. The other woman plopped down on her makeshift bed, stretching her limbs. Her face twisted in momentary pain before she seemed at ease. 

“Well, first things first.” Lukas called out, his voice echoing. “Who are you?"

“I'm Agent—” She paused, “But you can call me Laila.”

“Finally!” Petra softly smirked, sitting on the edge of the bed. “A normal name, huh?”

“The man who brought you in is named Jacob.” Laila groaned, a noticeable hitch in her breathing. She sniffled, and Petra raised an eyebrow.

“Are you seriously crying?” Petra asked, baffled.

“I haven't seen anyone in SO long!” Laila sobbed, wiping her eyes in her sheets. Petra tensed up slightly, shifting away further. “I'm just overwhelmed.”

Quickly wiping her initial tears, Laila glanced over at the thick bars that kept them contained. The broken chain on her right leg dragged against the floor as she started to pace, her breathing more erratic. 

“Now that that's over, I have so many questions!” Laila sputtered, turning back to face Petra. “Please, explain to me how you survived.”

“Well,” Petra started, “I was running from those friends of yours. I'm a part of a group— The Order of the Stone. Lukas and I are only half of our group. So now half of our group is being chased by a maniac. Lukas is the blonde, over there, by the way.”

Giving a subtle wave to each other, Laila seemed to be lost in thought. “So your friends are being chased by Connor, huh?”

“That's his name?” Petra inquired, genuinely surprised. 

“We all have weird names,” Laila remarked, pacing over to the giant bookshelf. She ran her fingertips against the books, and Petra hesitantly moved forward.

“What's this about?” Petra asked, gesturing to the collection of books crowding her shelves.

Upon the two of them was an entire library, a lot of books regarding mobs or fairy tales. In the midst of it all was a special collection, and Laila seemed to ponder over it. 

“This is my collection,” Laila simply stated, putting her hands on her hips. “Ever since Connor and Jacob got power-hungry, I've been stuck down here. Though, I guess that's not the full story. I used to live in the mountains, in a specific place called Snowchester. We all lived peacefully up there, though Connor was always the rebellious type. He was the one summoning withers just to slaughter them. I wanted to be fierce like that, and I just happened to break a few rules.”

Lukas seemed intrigued, pulling out his book & quill at the mention of a heartfelt story full of regret. 

“Go on,” Petra muttered, her voice more soft than usual. 

The other woman kept pacing, but she always ended up in the same spot, staring at the same collection. She shoved her hands in her pockets, but she couldn't stay still. Laila was incredibly pale, as if she hadn't seen the sun in years. 

“Well, I killed a few animals, and so I was moved to Thieves. Apparently, my punishment wasn't enough, so they moved me here.” Laila finished, scratching the back of her head. “A bit overkill if you ask me. It's not like they're vegans or anything.”

“There has to be more to it.” Lukas ranted, gripping the bars of his cell. “If you're telling the truth, maybe they had other reasons. It likely used your dainty rule-breaking as a cover-up.”

“They've always been power hungry.” Laila collapsed, dramatically falling to her knees. “I just can't stop them on my own.”

Listening intently, Petra turned away, staring back at the armor. The armor had a glint of purple running through it, branding the armor as unique and Laila's own craftsmanship.

“You wouldn't happen to know the Old Builders, would you?” Petra questioned, her head tilted down to the floor.

“Honey, I am an Old Builder.” Laila responded, and the room went silent. “I've just been isolated for so long. I broke our exit portal.”

Lukas tilted his head to the side in confusion before realization flickered across his features. Lukas found the bed of his cell and sat down, processing the fact that the Old Builders were bigger than he had originally thought. Laila reached deep in her pockets, holding out the all too familiar sight of bright enchanted flint & steel. The enchantments made the metal a vibrant shade of violet, reflecting the light into her eyes.

“That explains some things, I guess.” Petra mumbled, breaking the silence. “But you never answered my question about these books.”

“These books were my escape. When you're stuck down here, you go a little crazy. This was the only thing I had in my inventory…” Laila rambled, “Besides reading and writing, I made tunnels. But these books connect to the portal hall. From there, they connect to various worlds and update them with their stories. In fact…”

Pressing her finger against the top of one of the books, Laila swiftly pulled it out, placing it in Petra's hands. “Is this where you're from? I swear I've read your name here.”

Petra delicately opened the cover, noticing how in-depth the literature went. Petra widened her eyes, the pages practically folding and whirring past on their own. From the other cell, Lukas impatiently walked in circles, endlessly pacing.

“So, you made tunnels? Why didn't you just escape? Leave this place behind?” Lukas asked, lunging forward to reach the chest in his cell, just to notice it was empty.

“It's just that everyone thinks I'm dead. They haven't sent rations down in a while, so I assume that they assume that I'm dead.” Laila babbled, tapping her foot erratically against the floor. “If they saw me out there, I'd be slaughtered. I can't do this alone. Have you seen how Connor swings that sword? He's the King of Cats, I tell you!”

The mercenary closed the book, refusing to let go of it. Her eyes were slightly widened, her ginger hair flowing out from her hood. Brushing her hair back with her hand, Petra met Laila's gaze. “Big fan, huh?”

Laila sheepishly glanced back, her eyes slightly narrowed. She had a sly grin, a bead of sweat noticeably running down her neck. “Yeah, suppose you could say that.”

“Quit getting distracted!” Lukas reminded, “I'm still stuck in here, after all. I don't like being left in the dark.”

“Right, about you!” Laila focused, analyzing Lukas’ cell. “Try finding a button there. I was never too handy with redstone, but there should be an entrance that leads to my tunnels.”

Turning around to face the interior of his plain cell, Lukas started to wander around. Cobwebs littered the place, and it was most likely that Lukas was the first person to occupy this place. Lukas observed the intricate design and architecture that held up the walls, and he let out a small gasp of exclamation.

“Find it?” Petra asked, leaning against the wall. In the meantime, Laila was talking about her armory, offering Petra this new material that was called “Netherite.” She held the hefty swords and armor with precaution, trying to keep it in the utmost care. Even as Laila reminded her how sturdy the material truly was, Petra gently slid the sword into a sheath.

Meanwhile, Lukas pressed his palm against a hidden stone button, taking a major step back as he watched the secret pistons recede the stone wall, revealing an entire system of underground tunnels. Hearing the sounds of her redstone being functional, Laila had a small jump of whimsy and joy, flicking a nearby lever. More pistons got to work, moving Laila's bookshelf into another entrance.

“This system is huge!” Lukas exclaimed, disappearing into it. Laila faded into the tunnels as well, expecting Petra to follow.

“By the way, I have some armor for you, Lukas.” Laila grinned, pulling out leftover netherite armor. 

As Laila navigated the large system, she came to a stop upon a minecart track. Opening up the nearby chest, she swiftly placed down two other minecarts. Tossing over a stack of redstone torches to Lukas, Lukas’ eyes glinted with a long lost sense of joy and longing. 

“So cool…” He muttered under his breath, hopping into the cart. 

The three of them started rolling along the track, and Laila found herself leaning back. Lukas, however, leaned forward, curious at all there was to see. Petra seemed more aware, her hand near her sheath. 

“So you're an Old Builder?” Petra asked, watching as spiderwebs and whatnot sped past them.

“Yeah,” Laila said, “You asked about it earlier, right? Was there more you wanted to ask me?”

Gaze averted, Petra fumbled as she leaned back forward, fixing her posture. “You just remind me of Harper, that's all.”

“Harper and I were on good terms,” Laila paused, “I just wish I could've helped. I was stuck down here for… a while.”

Seeing the regret in her eyes, Lukas thought back to Harper and the Crown Mesa, being chipped— the whole memory made Lukas shudder, and he placed a redstone torch down. The minecarts violently shook and vibrated, and Laila let out a small woop of excitement. Lukas sunk back into his minecart, dropping another torch. 

“See, the Old Builders were wonderful architects, but their stuff wasn't very accessible.” Laila complained, kicking her legs up. The two behind the woman paused, noticing how lanky she really was. “I wish they had an elevator, sometimes. They could've built it.”

Another torch. Lukas couldn't help but notice the way Laila held herself, as if her limbs were in a constant state of agony. The thoughts and questions of Laila’s stories left him unsatisfied. At the very least, Lukas would see Jesse soon, and they'd all get out of here and fix it. Right? That's how it always went, right?

Maybe Harper thought like that too when PAMA took over the citizens. Lukas glowered, trying to execute the memories of it all, the constant pounding in his head! It made him want to puke, and the rapid speed of the minecarts didn't help. Clutching his stomach tightly, Lukas let out a weak moan of agony. 

Fix it, and get it done. Lukas always felt like this repetitive cycle wouldn't end. That's how it was supposed to be, right? That's essentially life, after all. But even as he tried to comfort himself, Lukas felt anything but grounded. Petra, however, was observing Laila, her back twisted and her face in the crook of Laila’s neck.

Seeing the upcoming signs to indicate a stop, Lukas braced for impact. As per usual, Petra let out a loud cheer, as if she was simply on a roller coaster. Laila eased the minecarts to a stop, trying to lift her leg out. It was a struggle that seemed to gnaw its way inside out, and Lukas could tell. By the way she stumbled afterward to the subtle and vague comments, Lukas realized that maybe Laila was hindered in a way, and perhaps that affected the lingering days upon days she spent down here.

It probably didn't help that no matter where she went, it was an endless hellscape. 

In front of the minecarts was a heartbreaking sight— a wall labeled “Days” and on it? Hundreds of marks etched into the wood, painfully carved in. Lukas silently recoiled, his eyes wide as he hopped out of the cart.

Placing a hand to the wall, Petra felt along the carved lines. “How long have you been down here for?”

“It's gotta be over 1000,” Lukas commented, his mouth slightly parted in shock. Laila kept her gaze averted, quickly walking past the wall.

“About 4 years,” Laila admitted, going through her inventory to put on the armor. She sliced through the chains on her leg with her sword, watching as the heated blade glowed with such power. It reflected in her eyes again, her hazel pupils darting over. It was almost as if she couldn't handle the sword, the blade, the freedom.

Petra helped her up, cracking her neck afterward. They both seemed less tense in all meanings of the word. Laila felt her stomach flutter, like the way she imagined protagonists did in raunchy romantic novels. Letting out a small chuckle, Laila pranced away.

Walking past a Nether portal, Petra and Lukas watched in solemn. Lukas and Petra both noticed how Laila pranced around like a man gone wild. She was constantly aware, every nerve on end. 

The Old Builder clutched her sword tight by her side, every waking moment devoted to making sure she wasn't going to get stuck in a trap. Perhaps she was afraid of the tyrants trapping up her secret tunnel, or maybe she had forgotten where she placed her own traps. Nonetheless, Petra and Lukas were watchful for her. Laila would smite any mobs that came in the way, the enchantments on her sword similar to the ones Jacob had. 

The ruined group seemed originally so tight judging by the pictures depicting them. Laila's face was the one drawn out, the one hidden underneath harsh strokes of black ink. The same ink Laila used to lose herself in. This whole debacle reminded Lukas of his own group, and suddenly— right then and there, Lukas decided that he'd make sure that'd never happen. Him and Jesse and everyone else would make sure of it.

“We're almost there,” Laila clarified, pointing to the sign above. 

There were stray cuts and carvings in the wood walls, implying that Laila had been here more than she originally had let on. It was clear that being alone for long left her vulnerable, afraid, and definitely off.

Laila's netherite armor was clanking against its joints, and that was the only sound heard for miles. At last, a small stairway awaited them. Laila easily ran up, and she opened the trapdoors. The sunlight met the tunnels deprived of light, illuminating everything. Laila shuddered, meeting cold for the first time in years. Managing to pull herself out, Laila glanced down, placing ladders for Lukas and Petra. 

Climbing up and adjusting to the brightness, Petra let in a long inhale of the fresh air, her gloved hands pressed against the frozen blades of grass. Lukas squirmed up, and Petra holstered him onto land. At first, Laila seemed lost in space, but she soon was snapped into reality as a gush of wind blew over her body.

“My god, it's cold!” She gasped, instinctively covering her chest. Getting past the freezing air, Laila found herself slumped on a tree, meeting Lukas’ and Petra's concerned gazes. Laila shook her head, forcing a bleak smile. “We can't make it on foot.” She declared,

“Do you have a saddle?” Lukas asked.

“Nobody carries around saddles!” Petra grunted, pinching her forehead in frustration. “What about leather?” 

Guilty and all, Laila slowly pulled out three pieces of leather— The same amount to make a few books. Lukas was punching the wood of the tree behind Laila, creating a crafting table. Petra scraped through her inventory, coming together to find an iron ingot. The saddle pulled itself together, and Lukas searched for a horse. There luckily was one nearby, trying to find food in the scarce winters.

The horse had the beautiful cream color, and Petra forced the saddle on the said horse. Throwing Laila on the saddle, she nervously shuddered in fear of messing up. Petra pressed against her back, and Lukas squeezed himself behind Petra. Compressing their bodies together, Laila hesitantly pulled the reins. The horse rebelled, letting out a loud neigh of defiance.

“You really suck with horses, Laila.” Petra sighed, reaching past Laila's waist to aid her grip. “C'mon, Betsy!”

“Betsy? Let's not get too attached,” Lukas commented, soothing the horse down. “But, Betsy is a good name for this horse.”

Riding along the plain, Lukas watched as snow started to drift from the sky. Petra clasped Laila's hands, directing her to pull the reins correctly. Running her fingers over Laila's knuckles, Laila couldn't help but grip the leather straps harder, her knuckles turning from a tense red into a pale white. 

Snowflakes started to melt into Laila and Lukas’ hair, the cold precipitation running down. Betsy let out a loud exhale, extremely tired of the weight pressed down on her. Lukas lifted himself slightly, reaching forward to get a better hold. Laila gritted her teeth as the combined weight of Petra and Lukas pulled her back, and she pushed forward. 

“Cooperate with me, won't you?” Laila angrily muttered, starting to sound as annoyed as Betsy. 

Catching some wheat in range, Lukas started silently forming some bread, shoving it into Petra's hands to feed to Betsy. 

“Betsy, open up!” Petra demanded, and Betsy gave her a hesitant side-eye. Finally being fed, Betsy seemed to have more energy to keep pulling the humans that weighed her down. Ever so the philosophical one, Lukas was lost in thought as per usual about it. 

Betsy's hooves sunk into the hard snow, and Betsy held herself high. Out of everyone, Laila's cheeks were getting flushed from the cold— her once tan skin turned into a paler counterpart. Her hazelnut hair curtained over her face as she was positioned with her back arched outward, her rapid exhales showing in the threateningly cold air.

Arms aching, Petra only braced harder as she directed the reins to fit comfortably in Laila's grasp. Finally, Laila was starting to get the hang of it. A small, appreciative smile broke onto Petra's face, turning into a full-on grin. Catching the blowing snow in his gloved palm, Lukas observed each snowflake carefully, wiping his hands off on Petra's back. Shooting Lukas a sharp glare, Petra held back from pushing Lukas off. Drooping his shoulders, Lukas nervously smiled as if to say: “I'm just joking!”

Now, Laila was eased into riding on a saddle, her legs feeling limp yet her spirits running high. The sun was behind them now, and it wouldn't be long until another nightfall. With eyes full of newfound confidence, Laila let out her first war cry. 

“Are we practicing war cries?” Lukas asked, lifting himself to peer over Petra's shoulder. 

So, they compared. Even Betsy dipped her head upon Petra's scream of power, making every mob around tremble. Lukas tilted his head back, rolling his eyes. Laila could tell Petra and Lukas had good chemistry platonically, and she only wished for the best with their group. She was sure they would stick together like that forever. Forever.

That's what Laila thought about her own group, but look where that got her. She yearned for a group like The Order of the Stone. The winds were blowing like a soft melody against Laila's ears, and her armor shimmered in response. A guide light! 

“When I was lost at night, the stars would guide me home.” Laila smiled, “Hell, I'd be lost without it.” 

“Are you lost right now?” Petra asked, hoping the answer was a confident no. Laila sheepishly grinned with a shrug.

In the distance, a loud bell rang above, signaling the inevitable nightfall was soon. Laila clutched the reins tighter (if that was possible), seeing the clock come into sight. They were near Thieves now. Betsy seemed to struggle a bit, as if hesitant to get closer. Lukas bribed her with more food, but even then, she was hesitant. With enough bribery and willpower to get everyone off of her back, Betsy scampered closer.

Laila's armor seemed to react as if beckoning this arrival. As buildings started to come into view, Laila saw the destruction that had happened firsthand. The laboratory was destroyed, and tracks and ash layered the cobblestone pathways. Lukas nervously chuckled upon assessing the damage, remembering the way he had fallen right into Jesse afterward. He hoped Jesse was alright, and of course Ivor too. What would Harper and Soren do without him?

“We have to be quick,” Laila reminded, “The mobs'll be out soon.”

Betsy was slow on her hooves, every step weighing her down. They paused in the middle of the town, noticing the stray villagers and whatnot. Laila simply frowned as if she was lost in a nostalgic episode. Cats roamed freely amongst the three of them, their collars jingling. Those were Connor's cats. They seemed lost with the shift of the atmosphere, desperate to leave. Lukas couldn't help but bend down and scoop up one of the orange cats. His bright green eyes were full of worry, reflecting Lukas’ own. His name was Dewey.

Dropping the cat back down, Lukas watched as he scurried off, leading Betsy to follow. Even the farm animals kept in containment followed Betsy with their eyes, wishing for the same freedom. Even though the horses were covered in beautiful diamond armor, they seemed so exhausted. With only a small bit of hay left for them, they were starving.

Connor's cat seemed to rule the place for now, their paws skittering amongst the stone. They'd hiss at the hostile mobs that managed to survive the day, clearing a path for the heroes. Exchanging purrs and simple flicks of the tail, they paused by the end of the pathway, leading to a thick forest that dipped into the foggy ponds. They sat at the ledge, refusing to leave. Petra furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, her face slowly turning into one of realization.

“They're leading us to them.” Petra noticed, her hands trailing over Laila's armor. “And your armor— why's it glowing like that?”

“Perhaps it's connected to the others.” Lukas added, twisting his body to see Laila's back. “You know how it was, and all that.”

Tilting her head down, Laila repositioned the reins. “We all had matching armor. Not only that, but it was so we could find each other on the maps. I'm sure they discarded it by now.”

A pause, “But it's all silly anyways. I couldn't fix it.”

“But that's what we're here for, Laila.” Petra clarified, her lips straightened into a straight line. “You're not alone.”

“Right,” Lukas smiled, though it was short lived.

Hearing a loud meow from behind, Lukas turned over to see Connor's cat crying in dismay. It was a warning. Laila was hunched over Betsy, the environment making her feel sick. 

Moving on further, an arrow nearly shot Betsy's foot, and she panicked. Petra grabbed hold of the reins, forcing Betsy to speed up.

“We gotta get the hell outta here!” Lukas shouted,

“No really?!” Petra sarcastically remarked, hearing another arrow whizz past. “Laila, hold those REINS!”

“OH MY LORD!” She screamed, lifting herself as arrows were rapidly fired. “It's poison…”

Another arrow, another miss— It was only a matter of time. As time seemed to slow down, the pelting rain of arrows continued, and Betsy was hit directly in the rear, halting forward. Everybody was launched off, and Laila fell face first into the dirt. Petra landed on top of her, and Lukas fell right into their pile.

“Ow! My head…” Laila groaned, rubbing her helmet. 

Petra pulled them both up, her eyes wide at the sight ahead of her.

“Jesse!” Lukas shouted,

“Petra! Lukas!” Jesse paused, running over. Ivor quickly came to his side. “Thank God you're here!”

“Laila?”

Slowly getting up, Laila came face to face with Jacob and Connor, her eyes widening. She backed away, but Jesse pulled her forward. Petra came to her side, and Lukas hesitantly watched.

“I thought she was dead.”