The Complete Elementia Chronicles: Quest for Justice; The New Order; The Dusk of Hope; Herobrine’s Message

“Archie, G, stop attacking! It’s us!” he hollered.

There was a moment of silence as the two figures, both of whom had gained the upper hand in their respective fights, looked at Stan, contemplating him. The Skeleton pulled off his helmet to reveal a mop of wild red hair, while the other pulled off his to expose a golden figure identical to Stan.

“Stan?” asked Archie, not daring to believe it. “Is that … is that really you?”

“Yeah, or at least I think I’m Stan. That blow to the head shook me pretty good,” Stan muttered, his head still shrouded in fog.

“Oh my God! I’m so sorry!” cried Archie as he rushed over to Stan and handed him a blood-red Potion of Healing, which Stan gratefully downed in a single swallow. Instantly his head cleared up, and he took Archie’s outstretched hand to pull himself up.

Kat and Charlie were both on the ground. Stan hadn’t realized up to that point just how skilled Archie and G were in player-to-player combat. Charlie was being treated for the arrow wedged in a chink in his armour by a figure in a scarlet jumpsuit whose blond hair distinguished him as Bob, the archer of the Nether Boys.

G was on his knees, cradling Kat’s head in his arms. He poured half his potion on the pickaxe wound on her forehead, and the other half went into her mouth. Kat’s eyes fluttered, and when they fully opened and she saw who was holding her, she gave an exclamation of joy and embraced G. They stayed in each other’s arms for half a minute until they realized everybody else was staring at them, which left them feeling slightly awkward.

The feeling didn’t last, though. As soon as everyone was back on their feet, the greetings started.

“Hey, Stan! How’re ya doin’, buddy?” asked G as he high-fived Stan.

“Not bad, not bad. Killed a Griefer, slayed a dragon, found some diamonds … good times, good times,” Stan responded with a grin.

“Sounds like it,” said Archie. “The Apothecary told us all about what you guys did. Sounds like one crazy vacation.”

“Well, we did go all over the place, if that’s what you mean,” said Charlie with a chuckle. “So, how many people do you guys have organized?”

“Well,” said G, scratching his head, “the Apothecary came to us soon after you guys left. He said that you were organizing a rebellion against the King and that he wanted to help. Well, seeing as the King had just burned down our village, killed our leader, and slaughtered half the people here, we didn’t have to think too hard about believing him.”

“We headed straight back here after you helped us out of the Nether, Stan,” said Bob, who had just helped Oob out of the chimney he had hidden in during the ambush. “Bill, Ben and I joined up with the militia. Then, a whole gaggle of miners, led by this guy who they all called “Mayor,” showed up, like, a day and a half after we did.”

“Those guys were from Blackstone,” Kat explained.

“You mean the coal-mining town out in the desert?” Archie asked.

“That’s the one,” Stan replied. “I ran into them pretty soon after you guys left, Bob, and they all agreed to come and join us. Well, most of them did, anyway,” said Stan bitterly, his thoughts flashing over the Mechanist. “But those who didn’t aren’t going to join either side anytime soon.”

“Speaking of which,” said Bob, a slight edge to his voice that caught all their attentions, “who is this fine gentleman over here?” He jerked his head in the direction of DZ, who had been staying out of the conversation and practicing complicated attacks with two swords on a nearby lamp post.

“Oh, this is DZ,” said Kat, and DZ, hearing his name, rushed over and hastily added, “But you may know me by my full name, DieZombie97.” And with that, he gave a white, toothy smile.

Archie, G and Bob’s eyes all widened. “Wait, you’re DieZombie97?” asked Bob in disbelief.

“The DieZombie97?” asked G incredulously.

“See?” said DZ pompously, grinning at Stan, Kat and Charlie, all of whom were amazed that their friends had heard of DZ. “I told you I got around in the Spleef Arena a few updates back.”

“Man, you’re awesome!” exclaimed Bob, running up and wringing DZ’s hand up and down.

“I thought that King Kev had killed you!” said Archie, a wild happiness on his face.

“Nah, that was just a rumour. Didn’t bother staying around to contradict it though ’cause, you know, then it probably wouldn’t have been so much a rumour as a fact,” said DZ with a laugh.

“So where’ve you been all this time? After that last Spleef championship you just kind of disappeared!”

“I’ve been living out in the desert,” said DZ. “I realized that a world run by government generally ends up pretty corrupt, so I decided I was better off by myself out in the Ender Desert. That is, until I ran into these three.” He jerked his thumb at Stan, Kat and Charlie.

Archie continued to talk to DZ. G and Bob asked the other three about Oob, who was now cowering behind Charlie.

“So, how did you guys come across this NPC? And, more important, why is he still with you?” asked Bob. The three players explained briefly about all they had seen and done after Stan had left Blackstone.

“So, what’s your name? Oob?” asked Bob, speaking gently to the NPC, who still looked terrified. “I hear that you’re pretty brave. I’ve never heard of an NPC taking out anything living before, and they just told me that you took out a Griefer that had attacked them three other times!”

Oob looked around Charlie’s shoulder and replied timidly, “Yes. He hurt Charlie, Kat and DZ, and he was trying to hurt Stan. They are my friends, and I do not want them to be hurt.”

“That’s awesome of you, my man,” replied Bob with a kind smile, which Oob hesitantly returned. “We need more guys like you. In fact, a bunch of us guys that don’t want to see good people hurt, like you, are gonna try to take down the king of all the players, so he won’t be mean to them any more. You want to help us with that, buddy?”

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