Chapter Text
"Statement of Dr. Fan135 of the Historical Department. Today marks day three of being in the Essempi Lands and we have yet to see any people or hybrids. Mobs have also oddly disappeared from this area and nothing spawns at night. According to the map that was given to us on loan by C. Zombie, see im giving you credit too."
"Cub." Pearl scolds fondly.
Cub grins but continues on.
"We are currently in the ruins of what was once L'Manberg. We have made a shelter in Church Prime due to the fact it is the only building unclaimed by nature nor the vines. Without further testing, we can not confirm if the vines are demonic in nature. Due to visible indicators, Bdouble O'Hundred and Pearl Moon of the Botanical Department believe it is very likely."
Cub switches off the microphone and turns to his teammates. Pearl and Bdubs were standing at the entrance of the church, watching for any signs of life. Doc was finishing packing up his travel science kit.
"Remind me where we’re going again?" Bdubs asked as Cub led the way through the town.
Most of the vines were easy to sidestep and the small group had learned early on that they were constantly shifting and moving around. They had also discovered that the Crimson Vines also didn't like Sculk, alien foliage and whatever Bdubs had protecting him. Doc was, well, Doc. He probably fell under the same category as Bdubs.
"We are going to King Eret's Castle. Eret was the last King of House Brine before House Crimson took over. King Eret was believed to have died during the battle and laid to rest somewhere close by. Before the Essempi fell, many people had reported sight of a tall willowy figure with stark white eyes roaming the castle, which was believed to be Eret. A few people had also reported Eret asking about a knight but Eret would disappear before they could continue trying to communicate with them."
"I didn't sign up for ghost hunting." Pearl told him and Bdubs nodded his head in agreement.
"I am aware. However the rules state that we need at least four people to go exploring and Doc and I have always wanted to come here," Cub said with a shrug.
Here, was Essempi Lands and here was also the castle, to be more specific. Two crumbling towers greeted them, and there seemed to be a remnant of a statue, as some of the bricks remained on top of what was left of the crumbling bridge. The vines were barely holding it together, swaying in the heavy breeze.
The small group didn't have much choice but to walk underneath it. The castle still seemed mostly together, although some of the windows appeared to be broken or missing altogether.
Abandoned tools and trinkets were scattered across the ground. Some of the walls around the entrance had faded red stains.
"What’re you guys looking for anyways?"
"King Eret's Knight. It has a very high chance of being the one and only Knight Class NPC made by the Prison Warden before he went mad."
Bdubs stepped over a withered flag, the once black and red colors had faded into grey and pink. The outlines of a symbol had also faded, leaving behind a slightly discolored circle shaped symbol.
"Seems like everyone went mad,” he mused.
"You two would definitely know all about that," Cub mumbles.
"Excuse me, Mr. Sculk!"
"Hey now, hey now. I never said I didn't."
"Alright alright boys. That's enough now. Bdubs lets set up in here while the other mad folk go play with a ghost."
Doc laughs and guides Cub to one of the two doors on the right side of the throne room.
"Alright, Cub. I know you said that there was no map of the castle but wasn't King Eret buried here?"
"Nothing but speculation. Most people seemed to think he was buried here, since his ghost is said to have been seen here. However I do recall reading a letter between two individuals that possibly implies Eret was buried in Las Nevadas, or even further out in the desert lands."
"Do the individuals have names?"
"The writer was FG and the receiver was BBH. If my suspicions are correct, then FG is FoolishGamers, a god of the sea and a totem of undying. BBH is probably Badboyhalo of House Crimson."
"Does this god still live?"
A sudden clap of thunder startles both men. They look outside to take notice of the storm that is quickly rolling in and Cub types a message to Pearl.
Cub Fan135 to Pearl Moon: A storm has rolled in. I think we will probably have to stay the night here. Anything on the vines yet?
Pearl Moon to Cub Fan135: I was just about to ask you that. Vines are officially demonic in nature and seem to be trying to communicate. Anything on that Knight of yours?
Cub Fan135 to Pearl Moon: Be careful, immunity or not. Nothing yet but this storm is giving me weird vibes.
"I don't know, Doc. You've dealt with reviving dead gods before, how long can they live without worship?"
Doc opens his mouth to answer but Cub lightly tugs on Doc's coat, pointing further down the hall. Doc looks where Cub is pointing and stands there as near slack-jawed as Cub.
The figure is tall, with brownish hair and a red dress highlighted by the flash of lightning as the storm outside begins to take full effect. The figure also seems to be wearing a golden crown, sunglasses and is rather pale. Ghostly pale.
"Doc? Are you seeing this?" Cub whispers.
"Seeing is believing." Doc responds.
While both men were skeptical on the subject of ghosts, it was more so about how they came to be, rather than if they were real or not. Cub believed it was a strong emotional attachment that kept people in the living world long after their bodies had faded. Doc believed it was similar to how people became gods which required worship.
The figure takes a step towards the window before turning to face them. They look startled before they- run? glide? float?- towards them and stop within an arms length.
The figure matches King Eret's description perfectly. Wavy brown hair with solid white eyes and freckled skin.
Their red dress has a brownish purple chestplate over it, most likely netherite.
"Hello alchemists! Are you here to help me heal my knight?"
"Your knight?" Doc asks.
"Yes my knight. My knight has fallen and the Prison Warden won't release Sam to fix him."
"Yes we are here to help you and your knight. Where is he?" Cub lied, hoping it would be enough to finally get some information on the knight.
Eret shone with joy.
"This way, this way. Come, come. Quickly! We don't have much time!"
Eret turned around, took one step and vanished.
"Huh. So that was Eret."
"Do you know anyone else with brown hair, white eyes and looking for a knight?"
Both Doc and Cub locked eyes, seemingly having the same thought of one of their other friends: Joe Hills.
Lightning strikes just outside the window.
"Shall we explore, until Eret comes back or Pearl and Bdubs call us?" Doc questions, looking around once more for their friendly ghost.
Cub grabs a torch to guide them down the hall in the direction Eret came from.
This part of the castle, when compared to the outside, seemed to be the most intact. In fact, it was almost like it had never been touched at all. Torches, although unlit, lined the walls and the carpet was rather dusty but not faded.
It was almost like someone had kept this hallway clean for a reason.
The lightning flashes, bouncing off of the stone wall. Some shiny catches the corner of Cub's eye and he pauses in front of a draped curtain with the corner of what he assumed to be a picture frame.
"Doc, come look at this."
The black haired man pulls the curtain down in time with a lightning strike, causing a shiver to run down his spine.
The picture was of King Eret, a knight in silver armor and a creeper similar to Doc in gold armor. There was also a man with gold skin and shark fins, and a demon with black skin and red clothes. He also sported a bright blue diamond choker. All of them were smiling to some degree.
"That's King Eret, Welsknight, the Warden, FoolishGamers and Badboyhalo."
"So that's our knight."
"Your knight, huh? Eret has been dead for far too long and neither of you are related to her."
Both men jump back and hiss like cats, hackles raised and ready to run if needed.
The voice comes from a tall man that nearly blends in with the shadows in the hallway. His eyes glow red and something behind him moves, a tail?
The man raises an eyebrow at the reactions of the other two.
"Who are you and why are you looking for Welsknight?"
"Im Dr. Fan135 and this is my associate,
Dr. 77. We are researchers of Crystal Cliffs Academy."
"I read in a book that someone, who we now know as the Warden-,” the shadowed man growled lowly-" made him. But there were no notes on the creation and very little on the Warden." Doc added.
"Oh there should be plenty on that bastard. But if you're looking for notes on the Knight, you would need to search up Sam Awedude."
"Why not the Warden?"
Eret's words from earlier come back to Cub.
"Eret said that the Warden wouldn't release Sam."
"Even in death they hoped those two were not the same. Outside of death he wasn't the only one..." The man scoffs, then trails off.
"Are Sam and the Warden, the same person?" Doc asked.
Red eyes look down in what is possibly sadness.
"Unfortunately. But that's not important anymore. What's happened has happened and nothing can change the past. Not even I can."
Cub metaphorically steps out onto a very precarious branch.
"Are you FoolishGamers?"
"Why does it matter?"
And yet, the god steps in front of the window. Both Doc and Cub's eyes widened.
Foolish is completely grey, with claws and fins that are inky black. His outfit was a simple, yet elegant black shendyt that belonged to an ancient kingdom from so long ago only Cub had known it existed because he had grown up on it alongside Scar.
Foolish was one of them. He seems to acknowledge the fact that Cub knows something about him but with a subtle shake of his head, Foolish says nothing of the matter.
A khopesh sat neatly at the shark hybrid's side.
Foolish grins, open and sharp toothed.
"Say, Doctors, what do I get out of this? I know where Welsknight is, but what do I get if I take you to him?"
Cub moves to pull Doc further down the hallway, away from Foolish, but pauses as he takes notice of Eret's ghost. She is silent but waves to him. Cub spares Doc a glance before running towards the king. Eret takes off running, continuing in the direction they were already heading in.
Eret walks through a door at the end of the hall, and Cub throws it open, finding a dark spiraling staircase. His vex magic tingles and he lets it take over, using his night vision. He stumbles down the steps, eager to stay in sight of Eret's ghost.
Eret walks through the door at the end of the staircase, leaving Cub behind. Before he can open the door, thundering footsteps turn into two tall and heavy bodies crashing into him.
"Oof."
"Shit!"
"The fuck was that for, Eret!"
"You can communicate with them?" Doc asks, helping Cub up and finding his glasses for him.
"Not really, just makes me feel like I'm not alone," the god whispers.
The door is inconspicuous, nothing important to note. It's locked, however, and neither Cub nor Doc have the key.
Both scientists look to Foolish, whose eyes match Doc's redstone in color.
"What do you want from us?"
"I want what you can not give me."
"But you asked-"
"Just take the key, and take what you want. Eret obviously wants both of you to take care of Welsknight and I don't know the first thing about whatever the heck he is."
Doc takes the key and turns his back enough to open the door. The god's quick change in demeanor was questionable. Although Cub supposed that some of the rumors could have been true, that King Eret and FoolishGamers were possibly lovers once.
He had seen few gods truly love their mortals, had seen few fight tooth and nail and grant them immortality to keep them by their side. Or maybe they had a friendship that went deeper than any love could.
Cub wasn't really the mushy type, that was more Scar's thing, but he loved to hear his brother talk about the possibilities of soulmates and reincarnation.
"Cub, look!"
Doc's voice broke Cub from his thoughts and he gasped when he saw what Doc was pointing to.
In the center of the dark room, stood a man in knight armor. It was likely once silver, but now it was dark with age and dust and covered in cobwebs.
The man held a sword in front of him inscribed with words from an ancient language. His helmet visor covered his eyes but it was very clear who he was.
"Let's clean this place up a bit. I'm going to text Pearl."
Cub Fan135 to Pearl Moon: We have found our knight
Cub Fan136 to Pearl Moon: how are things with you and Bdubs?
It takes a moment for her to respond, nearly too long and Cub is about to send another message when both of his friends and Foolish, come running into the room, slamming the door shut just as quickly behind them.
Bdubs is clearly short next to Doc but he looks even more ridiculous next to the god.
"What's wrong?"
"The freakin' vines are what's wrong! It's living and freakin’ whisperin' and- and a whole can of nope! Thorns and thyme I don't miss those things." Bdubs waved his arms around while pacing and Cub wanted to laugh even more.
"I second that. Who's this?"
"This is FoolishGamers, totem and god. Foolish, this is Bdouble O'Hundred and Pearl Moon. Fellow botanists who were try-"
"Yeah, I know who they are, and what they were doing," Foolish snarled. "You're lucky all it did was whisper and that both of you have slight immunity to that 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨! Honestly I'm surprised you do Bdubs."
“I don't know why. Ponk had a way with plants. If y’all had listened to him-”
"What are the Crimson Vines exactly?" Pearl interrupts, walking around the knight statue in thought.
She makes a couple rounds before pausing next to Doc.
"I genuinely don't know. Bad, he- look lets just say he messed with something he shouldn't have and now everyone is gone except for me."
“Woah! I didn't know you guys were talking about this knight!" Bdubs shouted.
"What do you mean? Actually, let's leave that for later. Foolish, do you know how to wake him up?" Doc asks, reaching out to touch the knight slowly before steadily brushing off the dust.
"No. I told you I don't even know what he is. He just showed up one day with Sam and became Eret’s knight."
"Pearl, you're lost in thought. Do you know anything about this Knight that you haven't already told us?"
"I didn't think it was relevant at the time but-"
The door bursts open, causing all five to jump.
"Sam Bucket!"
Foolish turned around and cursed.
"Oh fuck me and the mcrib."
In the doorway, stood an entity that appeared to be a creeper hybrid in a farmers outfit with a bucket on his head.
"Sam Bucket!"
"Shit shit shit shit. Dr Fan-whatever, you and your friends need to take Wels and run back to Church Prime. Now."
"But-"
"No buts just get out of here. And do not let that thing touch you!"
"But the books-"
"Things change! GET OUT NOW!" He thundered.
"SAM BUCKET!"
Sam Bucket threw a bucket at the group and they scattered like mice.
Doc scooped up the knight, ignoring how Welsknight instantly went limp as if he were just sleeping.
The small group runs back up the stairs, through the castle and back out into the town. They don't stop running until they make it back to Church Prime.
"WHAT...the moss...was that!?" Bdubs pants, before collapsing onto the cool stone floor.
"I second that. Wait, our items are back there! We need to go back!"
"Foolish said not to stop running until we got here. We can ask him when he comes back, Pearl." Cub huffs, not used to running for his life.
He usually flew or fought whatever was attacking him head on, but he saw the look in Foolishs' eyes, the way the 𝘨𝘰𝘥 -cleary still a powerful god despite the lack of followers- 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥. If gods were afraid, well, it was pretty much one of the biggest fuck you in particular the universe could give.
If Admins and Devs, who were usually just slightly less stronger than gods themselves, ever showed fear then you best hope your death is swift.
Cub had seen Xisuma show fear one time, and he prayed to whatever existed and would listen, to protect them so that that look would never cross his admins’ face again.
Doc lays Welsknight down on one of the crumbling benches closest to them but remains standing, however shaking the entire time.
Pearl walked over to Welsknight and dismantled his chest plate and helmet. The man had curly yellow blonde hair and rounded human ears. A bright red scar- paint? birthmark?- spiderwebbed across his face, from his left eye and dragged itself down his face and underneath his tunic.
"Pearl what are you doing?"
“There is an old legend amongst the people of the Northern Seas, of a man in silver that protected those who can not protect themselves. If my suspicions are correct, then that legend was real and this is that man.”
"What are you doing, Moon? What are you truly?" Doc asked again.
Pearl just looked up at Doc and although Cub couldn't see her face, he knew she was smiling. Ancient magic swirled around them, breaking the dark storm overhead and warming the earth with sunlight. Pearl captured a sunbeam from the nearby window and turned it into a ball, placing it on the knights' chest.
She whispered something, or maybe it was Cub's vex instincts reacting to the godly magic that filled the room. He felt his hunger rise up and quickly left the room to stand outside in the light.
He didn't want a repeat of the last time he ate god magic.
Bdubs followed him, the glare not saying anything at first.
Then a heavy sigh followed by, "Why are you here Cub?"
Cub gestured back inside.
"Doc and I were looking for Welsknight. I didn't know Pearl knew him, nor how. But I suspected it when she agreed to join us so quickly. Did you know she could do that?"
"Do you need to eat?"
Bdubs pointedly avoids the question.
"No. Bdubs, answer me."
"Cub-"
"Hello Welsie! Been a while, yeah?"
The pair instantly rush inside to find Pearl sitting casually on the floor, Doc sitting next to the knight trying to get him to stay put so he could check Welsknight over and the Knight in question, scrambling backwards and clutching his chest.
"W-what? Who are you? Where am I?”
He keeps crawling backwards away from Doc, who has finally let him go.
"Crimson Widow? N-no no. You wouldn't smile if- and Sam- n-no no no Sam was blonde and-"
He breaks off, coughing. Everyone grimaces as a particularly wet cough rattles the man.
“Welsknight?”
It wasn't a question, but rather a statement. It seemed to do the trick and Welsknight’s eyes met Pearl's.
“I am not Crimson Widow, dad. I have not been her in years. You are safe. The creeper is Doc, and he knows first aid for code. Can he check your vitals?”
Wels eyes Doc wearily before shaking his head.
“Oh, Pearlie. I-im sorry. Im sorry that i wasn't there for you-" "It's okay." "And no, t-the the last time i-i let someone, let someone do that, it did not end well for me.”
“You're coughing up blood. We need to check you out,” Pearl tries to coax but Wels adamantly shakes his head, insisting he is fine. That this is normal for him.
"Hol' up! We're just going to ignore the fact that Pearl called Welsknight, dad?"
"Yes Bdubs. Because Welsknight isn't my dad but Wesley, a past life of his, is. Technically speaking. I understand you can't trust us yet but can you please tell us what you remember?”
“I- A lot. I remember a lot of things.”
Bdubs comes forth and squats about an arms length away.
If Wels pressed himself against the wall any further, he would be outside.
“Let's focus on the present times, okay? Do you recognize me at all? Maybe my cloak?”
Bdubs never took off his cloak but he did this time, holding it out for Wels to gently brush his hand over it. Recognition flashed in his eyes.
“You were one of Ponk's lemon saplings, weren't you? But I thought all of their trees burned down.”
“Ponk grew more elsewhere. Sam helped, so did you and Eret.”
It was true. He remembers long days of doing nothing but planting trees. He remembers the mud fight during a particular rainy season. The rest of Bdubs' siblings and himself playing together like little kids. "How's ja end up in that room anyways?"
Welsknight nodded. “I-I remember that. But I knew I was no where near the library when..." He takes a breath and continues: "I remember Eret and I going to a feast, the Red Banquet, it was called. Bad had invited us under good intentions but something told me it didn't feel right. That something bad was going to happen. I should have,” Tears welled up in the younger man's eyes and he wrapped his arms around his legs.
“I should have tried harder to stop my king from going,” he sobbed. Bdubs lunged forward to wrap his cloak around him and hug him tightly.
The lemon-glare turned back to look at his three friends.
“Any sign of Foolish?”
“Nothing yet. The sculk doesn't even want to expand here.” Cub told him, walking back to the church entrance. “Those Crimson Vines aren't natural.”
“I-i don't know what Bad did, but he,” Wels sobs. “He wasn't the same after his husband died. B-bad claimed Skeppy was just sleeping and never died. That portrait, the one, the one in the hallway? His collar was diamond. That's all he had left of Skeppy.”
“Is there any way to control the Vines?”
Wels shakes his head. “Everyone succumbs to them in the end. Either y-you, you die, or you go insane.”
Chills ran down Cub's spine.
“Foolish said we were slightly immune to it. Any idea why?”
If Wels was more willing to talk, Cub was going to get whatever answers he could out of him. Bdubs had now moved to sit next to Wels, who he had tucked under his arm. Wels had given part of the cloak back, although most of the moss and leaves had slowly started to crawl and attach itself to Wels' tunic.
Pearl had taken a seat on his other side and the knight leaned closer to her.
He looked rough, although that was to be expected, considering the guy had been technically sleeping for years. He had helmet hair and dust on his face. His cheeks were sunken in and his eyes held very little glow.
“Wels, what year was this?” Doc questions, gesturing around them.
“There's no way I've been sleeping however long you're implying with that question.”
Doc gestures outside and around the church.
Welsknight's eyes glance around the room and he slowly comes to his feet. Bdubs and Pearl help him up and they walk slowly to the entrance of Church Prime.
“No. This is just a nightmare and I'm going to wake up in just a few seconds.”
“I’m sorry Wels, but this is the truth.”
Welsknight shook his head shaking all over.
“N-no, it's not real. IT'S NOT REAL!”
He bolted.
“WELSKNIGHT!”
“GET BACK HERE STOOPID!”
Pearl is silent yet she slips past them all with much more speed than expected. She doesn't run ahead of Wels to stop him, she just keeps pace with him.
“GUYS LOOK OUT!”
Crimson Vines start shooting up from the ground and aiming for the fresh and alive bodies as they run back to the castle.
Cub lets the sculk deflect the vines, although he can hear more than just the sculk screaming. There are voices in the vines, screaming and pleading for help. For vengeance.
Bdubs doesn't seem to be faring any better, lemon leaves turning rotten where the red attaches itself to him. His hair is growing darker, almost black now with rot.
“Bdubs, we need to get you back to Church Prime! You're dying again!”
Cub grabs the glare by the shoulder and forces him to look at him.
“Bdubs-”
“But Wels-”
“Doc and Pearl are with him.”
“I know him. He won't listen to them!”
Bdubs breaks free from Cubs’ hold and stumbles backwards, tripping over roots. He falls and yelps. Cub helps him back up and follows the shorter man.
The Crimson Vines are screaming.
It just sounds like garbled nonsense but Cub knows that's not true. It feels like the sculk but the sculk almost seems nicer.
Perhaps that was just the warden speaking.
They make it into the castle, tracking mud and water inside. The scientists wince at the mess but mentally apologize to Erets' ghost.
He hoped the ghost would show up and help them, but if earlier was any indication, then Eret was stuck in a time before everything happened.
Cub could hear the shouts of Wels' name above them and he pushed himself to go faster. Bdubs split off to the right, jumping into the tree in the center of the castle and disappearing.
Cub ran into the room where they first found Wels, but no one was in here. He ran back upstairs, turning the corner and stopping, trying to listen for any sound.
It was silent.
Not even the wind from earlier could be heard. It was like everything just…froze.
Goosebumps spread through his arms but that was the only warning he got before Cub was thrown into the nearest bookshelf. It had a domino effect, causing the surrounding shelves to fall, and sending who-knows-how-many-years-of-history to the ground.
“SAM BUCKET!”
“What does that even mean?” Cub groaned seeing stars, and not the pretty ones high in the sky that shone like diamonds.
“SAM BUCKET!”
Cub dodged this time and ran back upstairs, taping into his vex magic. He ignored the sweet, mischievous laughter that echoed through the bond, since focusing on other things like running away from this "Sam Bucket” was more important.
Although it wasn't unusual for a creeper hybrid to be born without the ability to ignite themselves, Cub did find it odd that the only creeper around this area, in general, couldn't. Creepers were also typically pack animals, although again, it wasn't unusual to see one or two roaming around by themselves. If Cub had met Sam Bucket before today, he might have even said that Foolish and Sam Bucket were packmates.
For now though, it was just one more unanswered question.
The tower opened back up into the main part of the castle, and Cub immediately found Pearl running towards him with her scythe. Cub instinctively rolled out of her way and a sharp metal clang and two gasps rang out.
“Welsknight!”
“SAM BUCKET!”
“Sam Bucket, stand down!”
Cub turned around to find Wels with his back to Cub, blocking Pearls’ scythe with a gauntlet-covered arm and holding Sam Bucket back with his other.
“Sam Bucket?”
Well at least he wasn't screaming now but how the hell could Welsknight understand him?
“Please, friend. Stand. Down.”
Cub and Pearl watched as the creeper did just that.
Wels sighed.
“He protects us from the vines. If he had caught you, Cub, he would've picked you up and taken you back to Church Prime. “
“Then why did Foolish insist we run away from him?”
Wels shrugged.
“No clue. Sam Bucket has always been friendly to me.”
“Sam Bucket.”
Wels snorts in humor, Cub hopes.
“How can you understand what he’s saying?”
Wels shrugs. “I always have been able to. What does he sound like to you?”
“He just says Sam Bucket a lot,” Cub says, eyeing the odd pair.
“Huh. Well, okay then. He said, "Your friends are with Foolish.”
“Where are they?”
“Sam Bucket!”
Sam Bucket runs off in the direction of the courtyard. The trio followed him, stopping just outside the entrance to the courtyard. Cub could tell it had been well-cared for in its youth.
Now, vines and flora crawled up along the stone walls and the old fountain in the center was crumbling, no longer holding water and letting it trickle into the grass around it. Moss covered the fountain's centerpiece, which looked like it might have been a flower once.
To the right of them, a large lemon blossom tree shadowed the courtyard. Foolish and Doc were standing by it, and Doc held Bdubs' moss cloak in his hands.
“Is Bdubs okay?”
“He's connecting with his roots. He- WHY IS THAT THING HERE!!? WELSKNIGHT?”
“SAM BUCKET!”
“SHUT THE HELS UP BOTH OF YOU!” The knight shouted
Everyone took one step back.
The knight walked straight up to Foolish and jabbed him in the chest.
“Alright, i need you to explain something to me bucko. Where is everyone?”
First, at the word bucko, which even caused Doc to snort, Foolish's eye twitched. Then a clear debate crosses the gods’ face before he makes up his mind. Although Cub winced, despite the fact that there was no real way to soften the blow of the truth.
“Dead. You, me and Bdubs are the last of the folks who lived here.”
“Where are Sam, Boomer and Hannah then?”
Foolish's face grew dark.
“Don’t know and don't care. Lady Death can have her fun with Sam. As for the other two, probably with him.”
No one expected Wels to punch Foolish, least of all the god himself.
“And if Sam could bring Eret back-”
“Eret wouldn't have wanted that and you know it! You shouldn't even be aware of-” Foolish stops and looks around at the new faces.
His gaze stops on Pearl.
“What. Did. You. Do.”
“I woke him up.”
“Wait- I shouldn't know about Sam making bodies? Because that just opens up a new can of worms, and there are no crows to feast on them. No, there should be because-”
His rambling is drowned out by the sudden storm shaking the castle.
Doc and Sam Bucket push Cub, Wels and Bdubs, who has now stumbled out of the tree, back underneath the archway and into the castle.
“What's going on? Bdubs? Do you know?”
“I don't know anything about Sam making bodies but I do remember he sneaking off quite a lot. Boomer and Hannah too. Like teenagers sneaking out on a school night.”
The two gods are still arguing outside, shadows and wind swirling around the pair.
“YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO WAKE HIM UP!”
“YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO KEEP HIM ASLEEP!”
“WELSKNIGHT REQUESTED IT HIMSELF.”
“Sam bucket?”
“I'm fine.”
Wels stood in the archway, Bdubs’ mossy cloak around his armor. Bdubs had taken guard at his left while Sam Bucket had taken his other side. Doc and Cub stood and watched the two argue.
“Kinda wish I had some popcorn. I haven't seen Foolish fight with another god in years.”
“Remember DreamXD?”
“I remember how petty they were. They shaped the desert and the mountain and seas.”
Bdubs turned to look at Wels.
“When did that happen?”
“Years before the Red King I think. Like, I want to say before the north was claimed, maybe? Well okay, that was shaped by Exor and Aoer. But Foolish and DreamXD definitely had a hand in shaping these lands. Why else would we have named it-,” Welsknight breaks off with a hiss, clutching his head.
“I think Foolish was right. Pearl had to have done something, because now I know more than I should for someone who has only lived once. Unless these memories aren't mine?”
“Who would they belong to then? Pearl?”
Wels shakes his head, shrugs his shoulders, then removes the cloak once more.
“Keep it, Bdubs. I would hate to see you lose something so precious again.”
Then the knight does the stupidest thing a human could do.
He gets in between the fighting gods and with strength no mortal should have, he holds both weapons- a scythe and a khopesh- back.
The fight stops instantly.
Bdubs leans over and whispers his earlier question.
“Why are you really here Cub?”
Cub’s throat is tight, his lips are glued shut. He can't breathe. His body shakes.
Breathe.
He can't-
Cub faints.
‘Ello Cub. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever sleep.’
Cub looked around and found himself swimming in a sea of silver and gray and blue.
‘Where are you?’
Cub's voice echoed.
‘Where haven't I been? I don't have much time, but please remember: the sculk sings a song. Listen to it.’
Cub wakes up to two bright icy blue eyes staring straight at him.
“‘Ello Dr. Fan135. I was beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up.”
“I’m, I'm awake. What happened?”
“Well the moon and tides aren't talking to each other, at least not on the matters involving myself. Never thought I would ever be glad to have people ignore me. Anyways Bdubs and Doc are cooking some food and Sam Bucket is around here somewhere. He has his own agenda.”
Cub pushes against the tree roots surrounding him and finds little issue. Bdubs must've formed the tree around him so the warden wouldn't hurt himself in his sleep and knew he was awake.
“And you trust him?”
“Certainly more than I trust you.”
Cub winces and Welsknight continues speaking.
“Now Crimson Widow-” Pearl glares at him, which probably doesn't help Welsknight at all. “-Lady Pearl said she gave me my memories back. So tell me why I have two sets of memories. Neither of which you exist in. Yet Bdubs and Lady Pearl, who I do know, say you know me? Did you alter my memories?”
Bdubs grumbles something, and the tree reflects his emotions enough to squeeze the warden hybrid but before he can even try to speak, Sam Bucket rushes in.
“SAM BUCKET!”
Wels' gaze turns surprised and he stands up, reaching out for Bdubs' hand.
“We will continue this conversation later. Bdubs, Boomer is here.”
“Oh man did I miss them.”
“Wait- Boomer?!”
Bdubs' grip on the tree releases, allowing Cub to physically relax. The pair are followed by Foolish who seems to be excited, judging by the way his steps shake the earth. Cub notices flakes of gold amongst the grey, but Foolish is gone before the man can get a better look.
Doc walks forward to help Cub to his feet and they move in silence back to the front gate of the castle. There is a man, Boomer, Cub assumes, with white clothes and a frog hat. He is laughing at something Bdubs or Foolish must've said, judging by the fond looks on the other men's faces.
Boomer has two books in his hand. One goes to Foolish and Cub feels electricity raise the hair on his arms. The other goes to Welsknight, who eagerly accepts it and frowns almost immediately.
“I don't know this language.”
“You wrote it dude. Don't ask me.”
Welsknight sighs and he offers the book to Cub once Cub stands next to him.
“Can you read this?”
Wzd : Kᴙↄ zmw ↄY zTivvw gꙅzg ᴙ Hꙅlꟻow qvvk z plꟻimzo Uli ᴎd wivzᴎH. Hl Uzi, ᴙ wivzᴎ ᴙm UozHꙅvH lU xloli Yꟻg gꙅviv wlvH Hvvᴎ gl Yv lmv xlmHgzmg. Z ᴎzm ᴙm z bꙅᴙgv ozY xlzg bᴙgꙅ Yozxq ꙅzᴙi zmw gvzo vdvH.
“No. But there is another man, well, he's technically a ghost, that writes in this language. Unfortunately, much like ourselves here, he's out in the middle of nowhere. If given enough time, I could probably try translating it, or I can contact his scribe and have her translate it. But she is also most likely with him too.”
“Talk about dead languages,” Boomer muttered under his breath. Wels laughs then sobers up quickly.
“So my options are finding some dead guy out in the desert or looking for someone who is actually supposed to be dead and- Sam is supposed to be dead right?”
Boomer shrugs and for some reason, it doesn't comfort Cub at all. Cub will admit he is insane, and some of the things he's done would probably land him in deep shit with the gods. But even he didn't dare mess with Death.
Her power alone was enough to override whatever another god wrote into the universe.
“So you're going to go find this Sam guy then? Do you know where he's at?”
“My hat does and it's never steered me wrong before.”
Pearl hums.
“Anyone think it's odd we haven't been attacked by the vines yet?” She questioned.
“Pearl! Don't bring stuff like that into existence!” Doc scolds her.
“It's fine. As long as I'm around, they won't hurt any of you.”
“What did Hannah do?” Foolish asked, looking down at his friend.
Boomer gets a lopsided grin on his face and shrugs. Something is wrong with his hand but Cub's been dealing with a fuzzy head since he woke up.
“No clue but the vines don't attack me. I can't even be stained by them. Anyways, Knight, Hat knows the way and your friends can come along too.”
“As much as I like that offer, our exploration trip is ending tomorrow. You only need four for a trip anyways,” Doc says, moving back into the castle throne room and packing up his things.
“Says who? I'm not bound by your rules. Let's go, Boomer.”
Foolish grabs both men by their collars before they can leave the room.
“Boomer, you and I need to have a chat. Welsknight, you were asleep for almost two hundred years. You need to rest.”
“I think I rested enough. I'm not going to break.”
“Wels-”
Welsknight breaks free of Foolish’s grasp and faces the man.
“I won't break, Foolish. I'm not made from glass. Come with us, if you're so worried about me.”
Foolish says nothing and Cub looks away. He feels like he's intruding on something private and he clearly isn't the only one. Boomer guides the group away from them.
“So you guys are immune to this stuff?”
“How are you touching it? It thought you said it wouldn't attack us?” Doc asked, taking another step back.
Boomer is playing with a single vine that seems to be crawling around his hands like a snake. Cub feels the sculk shriek inside his head and he makes eye contact with Boomer. That's when he notices the slightly green tint to his skin. The fact that Boomers's hands are webbed and shaped differently than humans should be. His green eyes are also weird. It's almost like he's using glamor but it keeps flickering on and off like a bad light bulb.
“Oh it won't attack you as long as my sister or I are around. Doesn't mean I don't like to play with it every now and then.”
“What are you?”
Boomer shrugs. “Just a frog hybrid, if that's what you're asking. But what I am doesn't really matter. We've never had scientists visit before. What's so special about us now?”
‘Huh, been awhile since I've seen a frog hybrid. They usually stick to their swamps and pixie friends,’ Cub thinks to himself, now slightly more at peace.
Frog hybrids were practically walking plague sponges. They soaked up a lot of airborne illnesses and oftentimes whatever poison was in the ground too. Cub had heard stories about frog hybrids and their friends going missing in the middle of the night, or being taken from their swamps in broad daylight. To say he was surprised to see one walking around the continent would be an understatement.
The logical side of him said it wasn't that strange, considering the state of the place they were in.
“Cub and I heard about a single NPC created for the sole purpose of protection. We wanted to bring him back to our home to study him and create more knights like him. Bdubs and Pearl also wanted to investigate the Crimson Vines.”
Boomer nods. “Doc, you mentioned something about an exploration trip. Y'all wouldn't happen to be teachers at Crystal Cliffs Academy, would you?”
“And if we are?” Pearl says, crossing her arms. Her tail flicks side-to-side behind her.
“Well, big dogs, I wanted to say that I appreciate your work. Thank you for teaching kids history and science and coding so they don't end up like us. We've had three admins over the years and each one either went mad or disappeared. And if I added the devs, well, that number goes up by a few.”
“You're welcome!”
Foolish and Welsknight rejoin the group. Neither look particularly happy but no one is willing to call them out on it.
“Boomer, you said your hat knows the way?”
“Yep!”
“Then we'll go in the morning. It's getting dark and the lack of mobs scares me.”
“Why don't we go back to the academy then for the night?”
“Eh, that's up to you guys but I'm staying here.”
“Me too. I don't think I'm ready to go interact with people just yet.” Welsknight half-joked
“You'll never be ready, mate,” Pearl laughs.
Night has fallen completely by the time the group has resettled inside Church Prime for the night. Pearl and Doc are back on their server while Cub and Bdubs have elected to stay and leave in the morning to go looking for Sam. Boomer and Foolish left just before sunset because they needed to talk and Cub is still waiting for the storm to start.
The church is quiet except for Bdubs's snoring but Cub knows anything less of a ravager stampede won’t wake the dryad. The warden hybrid is sitting in the doorway of the church, watching Wesknight try to decipher his book by candle light. Foolish's words from earlier come back.
“You should probably rest, Welsknight. Boomer made it sound like we had a long trip ahead of us.”
“Why aren't you sleeping then?”
Cub turns back to face the stars.
“I don't need to. The sculk gives me enough energy that I don't have to sleep unless I want to.”
“Dont trust me?”
“I believe we are on mutual grounds of distrust with one another, Welsknight.”
Welsknight chuckles, then sets his book down. He remains standing, but takes up post on the other side of the doorframe. He taps a foot against the hard tiles of the church.
“You were passed out when I snapped earlier. I punched Foolish who just stood there and took it. I yelled at him and Bdubs and Boomer and even Pearl, for cursing me with the knowledge I have now. I want answers Cub and I think you do too. What are you looking for?”
Cub brought up his knees to wrap his arms around himself.
“Two reasons: One, these people are not mine but they helped me when I was like you. Freshly woken up with a blank in my memories; stumbling around in a new world I knew nothing about. When they were attacked, I stood with them to repay their kindness, and I promised I would help them. My second reason is that you remind me of my friend. He was a knight too, and although I didn't expect Pearl to unlock memories that none of us expected you to have, I hoped you might have seen him once or twice before."
Cub feels Welsknight watching him. He stands up to head back inside, but the blonde-haired man blocks his way.
“How do you know I'm not him? I could have more memories locked.”
“Simple,” Cub huffs. “What does the sculk do?”
“Dude I don't even know what sculk is- oh.”
Cub laughs, loud and freeing. Bdubs's snores stop for a moment but he doesn't wake up. Cub doesn't even notice.
“When you learn about sculk, I want you to come back and tell me what exactly sculk does. He also had strawberry blonde hair. Good night, Welsknight.”
“Good night, Cub.”