Mythical Shadows

Chapter 8: Ruminations

For the next couple of days, I'd tried my best to arrange times for all of us to play games, and it seemed like everyone else was trying their best to join. We'd played a variety of games, from Skywars to Build Battle. It had been fun, and it seemed to relax everyone.

That is, everyone except for me.

There were too many people—too much socialization. I had time to unwind, but it still felt like a lot of continual effort, and it didn't help that I still felt uncomfortable around them. But, despite all of that, I kept making plans and making efforts . . . because I had to.

But eventually it became time to discuss some things. I liked to think that I had done a good job of engaging; it didn't make me blameless, and I still had to keep working on it, but I had hope that it would be enough to sway my friends. So it was time to test that, and figure out who was coming with me to the mansion, once and for all.

So I invited everyone to my home.

I stood opposite my living room window, against a bookshelf, while everyone else sat on one of the three couches. "Alright," I said, "so . . . it's been fun lately. I hope it hasn't been totally useless. But we don't have forever—there's stuff to do, and . . . well, I'd like to actually know who's going to help."

Typo sighed. "We have an abundance of time. You're rushing it."

So this is how this conversation's gonna go, I thought. "We have a week and a half," I said, "till Herobrine does . . . who knows what. I'd rather not risk it."

"Herobrine—or Sercher, if he's alive—couldn't do anything reckless," said Typo. "Hypixel has held control over this server for years. Herobrine can't do anything—he's powerless."

"Whatever!" said Mine, laughing. "I already know my response: I already said I was going, and I still stand by it."

Typo shook his head.

"Again, I'm sorry for everything," I said, feeling rather self-conscious.

"Don't be sorry," said Ferbooper dismissively. "You took the time to fix things, right? I respect you for that."

All I thought to do was close my eyes and shrug. It was an awkward response, but by the time I decided I should thank him, the time had already passed.

"But yeah, obviously I'm going to help," said Ferbooper.

"I'm going too," said Melon, frowning.

"I will as well," said Kiqy.

Having the majority of the team on my side was . . . relieving. It made all the effort seem a little worthwhile. The more people that helped, the better odds we had of defeating Herobrine, protecting the server, and getting that black orb.

"It's risky business; it's a lot for you to ask of me," said Typo, with one of his eyebrows arched.

"It'd be less risky with you by our side," I said. "Come on—please."

Typo sighed and stood up. He circled around to the back of the couch, which he leaned against, and stared at me hard. "I won't make any promises," he said, "but for the time being . . . I'll help."

Six people against one—or two.

Would it be enough?

Could we possibly win?

"Oh—I guess I didn't show you all what Codename brought me," I said, already moving toward the staircase. After pressing the hidden panel, I led my teammates into the basement—where, once upon a time, we had practiced combat with each other—and into the side room. There, on the floor, was the armor that Codename brought, along with the Mythical Artifacts.