Withering World [MCSM Fanfiction]

WEAKENING: Chapter 2

Petra

We had been sitting in the Order Hall for what seemed like hours, Lukas and I leaving Jesse and Radar in between each one to fetch even more relevant books about the beacon from the library. Lukas urged that he'd do it himself, however, I knew I'd be of little help doing the research bit. We didn't raid the library, we just... kind of wedged out a whole section, which flipped out the librarian (I feel bad enough, thinking it was quite funny to watch).

Shutting another book, I toss it into the pile of the finished ones sprawled across the table.

Jesse's picked up on my action. "You okay, Petra?" she asks.

"This is exhausting."

"You've read two books, and they're the smallest ones we could find," Lukas chuckles, bringing his nose out of a fat encyclopedia.

I roll my eyes, picking another book from the new stack, groaning at how large it is. "Yeah, well, I guess you'd be surprised that my attention span hasn't changed since I left town. I'm hungry."

Actually, I was hungry for a while but now my gurgling stomach makes that clear.

"Go make yourself a sandwich in the Order Hall's kitchen," says Jesse dismissively, and I take off at her words.

Provisions for everyone else come to my mind, so I turn back. "Does anyone want anything?"

"I could use a good snack right now if you don't mind." Radar lifts his chin so that it compliments his animate smile before reverting to the book he's reading.

"I'll make four sandwiches for all of us, then."

"Sounds good," Lukas complies.

----

Four empty but crumb-coated plates are stacked and pushed to the table's corner.

The diamond sky is now bleeding into royal and navy blues. Radar yawns and this becomes contagious.

"We still okay to keep going?" Jesse breaks the silence.

"No," I answer.

"Yes," Lukas and Radar say in unison.

Upon being outvoted, I grumble, staring blankly at the page of my open picture book. It's more like a manual guide on beacons. There are two diagrams: one shows a regular powered beacon, and another, a beacon powered with a variant power source - specifically a withered nether star.

Instinctively, my hand lowers, palm spread wide laying on the page. "Guys, I think I found a lead."

Lukas' mouth twitches and he doesn't look up from his book. "Me too."

"That's great!" cries Radar, gazing at the two of us thrillingly.

"Okay, let's see what you guys got." This is Jesse, abandoning her seat to stand between me and Lukas while Radar copies.

My three friends look at my findings first, in their heads, reading the perks of both beacons.

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Normal Beacons:
- Registers or recognizes entities from a 20-50 block radius depending on its levels.
- Are powered by one nether star
- Certain underground minerals like gold activate them
- Can bring only enchanted effects

Varied Beacons:
- Registers or recognizes mass entities near it from a 200-500 block radius depending on its levels
- Are powered by at least nine nether stars
- Unstable power sources activate them
- Can bring both intense enchanted and cursed effects
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