Notes :
The beginning of the end
chapter names from the sea shanty Mary Ellen Carter
term Ven comes from LeopardMask's fics go check them out on AO3.
With the finishing touches attached to her antlers Vex rises. The overall has returned to her propper glory. She thinks she's ready to return to a populated world. Maker knows how long she's been asleep.
Dark skin brushed with a coppery highlight. Perfect skin. Her antlers are done up with copper and brass bands. Her hair brushed back into a long braid falling to her knees. The end of the braid is adorned with a pink Void Lotus flower. A gift from the End itself. Green vines grow amongst her hair. Moss creeps up her antlers.
Delicate chains made by the nether himself make barefoot sandals. Gems and crystals adorning the chains add a spark.
Light yellow and pink fabric makes up a loose Stola dress. A simple cloak made of thick wool in a dusty purple color drapes across her shoulders as an elaborate pin holds it in place.
Taking a deep breath Vex looks over the world one last time. Then raising her hand she summons a swirling green portal. This will take her to the place the players went after she fell. If they aren't there she will follow the trail until she finds them.
Stepping through the portal she looks at the garden around her. It's old. Very old. It's a memorial. To her and her siblings. A book laying open on a stand draws her attention.
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝒸𝑒 𝓌𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒾𝓋𝑒𝒹. 𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝒻𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓂𝓅𝒾𝑜𝓃. 𝐹𝑒𝒶𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒲𝒶𝓉𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓅𝓅𝑒𝒹 𝓊𝓅 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹. 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝒽𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒸𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝑒𝒹.
So they had learned the ways of transferring worlds.
𝒰𝓃𝒻𝑜𝓇𝓉𝓊𝓃𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓁𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝑔𝓊𝒾𝒹𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓃𝓈𝑒𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃𝑒𝒹 𝑜𝓃 𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽 𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐸𝓃𝒹 𝒻𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝒶𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒪𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒹𝒾𝒹.
Standing from where she nelt to read, Vex sweeps out of the memorial and into a central atrium. A button on the wall says to the Hub. Pressing it Vex feels a strange magic take hold and bring her to a new place.
Towering buildings made of glass and concrete. Players everywhere.
"suse me mam." Someone calls stepping around her.
"Miss, you can't stop on the transport pads."
"My apologies," She bows her head and moves off the raised platform. She moves to stand by some bushes.
"Kevin No!" a man calls over as he chases after a brown and tan dog, "I'm so sorry about him-" He snatchs the leash of the ground. Pulling the dog back, "He's normally not like this with strangers."
Vex laughs, "Animals tend to like me."
He shrugs, "Names Skizz what's yours?"
"You can call me Ovie." Vex hums, she likes this one.
"Nice to meet you." He grins, extending a hand for a hand shake.
Then she notices his eye. Withered. Wither magic hangs around him like a fog. Shaking his hand she runs a slight charge of magic though his body. To start purifying the corruption. Hopefully it will be able to find the source and purify it. No one wants another Avar.
Skizz shudders, "Woah that was a jolt."
"My apologies."
"Eh it happens." Skizz shrugs, "Well it was nice meeting you, maybe i'll see you around."
"Perhaps."
Vex stays in the teleporting terminal for a while. Mostly people watching. She has been gone for far longer than her initial estimate. Has it been so long that they have forgotten her. There is no respect. They do not even notice her. Just another face in the crowd.
This will not stand.
But that will be a problem for another day.
For now she will watch. Observe, try and find where the watchers are hiding. They have always been secretive so it will take some digging.
"Aww common Impy." A blond man draws her attention as he pulls on his friend's arm, his wings flaring out dramatically. A phoenix. One of her brother's creations, "Look it's super easy. And PvP's off here. See-" He punches his friends arm, "No damage."
His friend frowns, "Do you want to risk them finding you out?"
"... not really." His wings flop down, "I just miss doing this stuff, you know."
"Yeah. Tango." His friend stops, "Look, I can't stop you but do you want the attention?"
"If I can convince X to turn off PvP will you do it with me at home?"
"Sure." He rolls his eyes. He locks eyes with Vex momentarily. Black tears fill his eyes and he stumbles into his friend.
Tango flaps his wings out and around Impulse, "Hey what's up."
"Void." Impulse gags, "It want's something... I can feel it." He coughs. Black void dripping from his lips.
"Uh let's get you home." Tango pulls him away from the main hubs to a quiet hallway with a door blocking it off. There's another person inside, with large feathered wings and horns. A ghostly tail forms as he helps lift 'Impy' up to a light blue portal with HermitCraft plastered across the top.
After the other two are through the portal he walks over in the direction of Vex. Passing her by he suddenly freezes and ruffles his wings. Head snaps around to look at her.
Vex gives a slight smile and slow wave.
He waves back, before running a few feet and taking off into the sky.
How strange. These people do make her smile. It seems they're still accepting the mystical and strange side of things.
Someone new runs out from the quiet hallway. A panda in a suit. With purple sunglasses.
The moment she locks eyes with him he vanishes, teleporting somewhere.
Strange, this does not feel like a good sort of attention.
A flutter from behind draws her attention over.
"Excuse me, Miss?"
"Hello," Vex dips her head.
"I'm with the watchers." He holds out a small Pin, "I need you to come with me."
"Oh wonderful, I was wondering how I was supposed to find you."
"Umhm, You can call me Lime, what's your name?" Lime asks as he flicks his spectral tail curling it around himself as he flutters his wings.
"I am,... Ovie." She settles on this name. She can feel that something is not quite right here.
Lime nods, "This way. We'll head in the employee entrance. You won't have to deal with other players"
Vex nods. Players is a strange term for people... but she missed a lot, it must fit with the modern world... worlds. "I see ive missed quite a lot since i was last on a new world."
"We have been working hard on updates." Lime ruffles his wings, "There's one that's just around the corner."
Vex smiles, nodding slowly. Having no idea what that was meant to mean she settles for a generally accepted response.
The conversation mostly ends here. Trailing off into silence as they enter a building and head for a meeting room.
"I need to call some others over, uh, you wait here as i contact them." With that Lime steps out of the room, leaving Vex to herself in the large meeting room.
It's a nice room with a wooden ceiling and thick carpeted flooring.
"My apologies for keeping you..." He turns to face her, "Oh you can sit down, you dont need to stand."
She sits.
"Alright, I need to ask some questions."
"Ask away."
"Have you ever visited the hermitcraft craft server?"
"I have not?"
Lime puffs out a breath. "Ever come in contact with a member?"
"I'm afraid I don't know who your talking about."
"Oh dear. UH have you ever angered any powerful... rocks, magic users, anything."
"Oh who haven't i angered," She laughs slightly, "Rock giants do fall into my realm's control but they have never liked me. Something about my moss."
"I don't think that one's quite applicable..." Lime sighs, "Anyone named... oh what was it Aster, avros..."
"Avar?"
"Yes."
"He killed me." She lays her hand over her heart, "Drained me of my magic and made me crumble to dust."
"Vex." Lime whispers, "You're the overworld. Lady Vex."
"I prefer the Overall, but yes, The Lady Of Lies, The world itself. Mother nature. Lady of Lies. Trickster, Ovie if you ask my siblings , Lady Vex."
"Ovie... Overall..." Lime sighs. "Why did you give me that name?"
Shrugging slightly Vex grins, "I have been gone. I don't know where my enemies may be hiding."
Tucking his wings into a respectful pose Lime frowns, "It's been close to a thousand years, Avar has been destroying a world."
Vex blinks, "What?"
"He found a world with Vex mages." Lime sighs, "He still holds a grudge. So he used magic to crash onto their world and start striping the players of their human forms."
Vex sits in stunned silence as the watcher tells the story.
"I had no idea..." She trails off looking out the window.
A soft knock comes from the door, "Mr. Lime, the players you requested have arrived."
"Oh, send them up for me?"
"Yes sir, will do."
It takes a moment for the visiting Players to arrive at the meeting room.
"Hello Xiuma."
"Hey Lime, so what's going on?"
Lime sucks In a breath, "I think it would be better to show you..."
He pushes the door open and walks over to Vex. "Why don't you introduce yourself."
"I am Lady Vex, the Overall."
"Ohh man," Doc laughs, "Are you positive this is the real deal?"
Lime nods, "I am."
"Oh my goodness me..."
Vex grins as she watches the hermit's brains catch up to what's going on.
"We thought he affected someone else," Lime explains as they settle into seats. "It's the old magic."
Xisuma nods, "yeah."
Lime runs a hand through his hair, "I'm not sure what you returning will mean. We have stories and legends." He shrugs, "That will be a problem for later. For now we should focus on dealing with the meteor."
"Any ideas on how to do that?" Doc asks leaning towards the table, "the meteors been in the void and just got his power drained."
"It's... well it was withering corruption at one point." Vex hums, "It's a mix of the withering magic and mine at this point, Avar has regained his mind, but still harbors the anger and despair. With help from my siblings I believe we can solve this."
A look of relief crosses Xisuma's face. "The sooner we can end this, the better."
Doc nods, "For real man. We could be rid of the Meteor..."
Rapid knocking comes from the door, then it's pushed open, "Uh there's a man down stairs asking to see you?" The assistant shrugs, tugging at her red hair, "His name is Joe Hills."
"He's a hermit," Xisuma grins, "If Lime's ok with it, send him up."
The assistant nods, "Of course."
As they wait for Joe to arrive Vex suddenly grins, "Joe Hills?"
The door is gently swung open and Joe steps in. For once he is speechless. Reaching up to cover his mouth he falls to his knees, "My Lady."
"Rise Underhill. Or has it changed."
"It's just Hills now." Joe shrugs, "Can't stay with the same last name forever."
Vex shakes her head, "I suppose not, still it must have been good not to be immediately recognized by Avar, I know how much he and his friends loved your tavern."
Joe nods, "I'm glad he didnt recognize me. That, uh probably would have ended really badly."
"Any idea of what he would have done?" Lime asks, he's lacking most of the background knowledge necessary to know that Joe was, well is, Vex's right hand. A being who aids in the protection of realms.
Joe shrugs, "He can do full transformations, he might have turned me into some kind of nether mob, or a shulker..." He shudders, "I'm a being of the Overworld, being turned to End or Nether wouldn't be good."
"Have you seen my Ven?" Vex asks turning to Joe fully, "Do you know what happened to my children? They are safe but-"
"They're with me." Joe nods, "At my base on the server."
"The pinball?"
"Starter base..." Joe sighs, "they're ok. If you come back with us, I know they'll be overjoyed to see you."
Vex nods.
"Is there anything else we need to talk about?" Xisuma asks.
Lime sucks in a breath, "We might need to quarantine the server."
"What?"
"More people than ever are watching you, paying attention to the reports, and they're scared the meteor will leave Hermitcraft." He lets the silence speak for itself.
Doc hisses, "I guess I can see where they're coming from, but really?"
"Hang on," Xisuma murmurs, balancing on his hind legs so he can be eye level with the now standing conversation, "Can we hold off on quarantining until we can see what the dimensions can do. If it doesn't work we talk more, but if it works we don't need to worry anymore."
Lime nods, "Sounds fair. We'll do that."
With that the meeting is adjourned. Vex follows the hermits back to the quiet hallway. The wave to the guard as they pass and they get through with little difficulty. Having to pause once to mark Vex as a guest. And once more when vex turns her head at another portal looking at the black tendrils floating in the mist.
"OK, step through this portal." Xisuma says. "It will take you to the spawn village. I'm not sure if anyone will be their instantly but we'll get there soon."
Vex nods, "Of course."
As soon as she steps though the portal she gasps. The land is full of magic. Hints of withering magic, but it's all old magic.
"Uh, who are you?" Someone asks. A sheep satyr, in a brown cardigan and denim shorts.
"My name is Lady Vex, I am the Overall. Who are you."
"I'm Zedaph."
"Pleased to meet you, now do you know where my Ven are?"
"Ven?" Oh the Vex, yeah, um, follow me." Zedaph leads her towards a somewhat spooky looking house.
The moment Vex steps foot on the steps, three little vex rush though the wall and into their mothers's arms.
"Hello my babys," She murmurswraping them in her cloak, "Have you been well?" They chitter back to her. "I am so sorry I've been gone. Everything will be alright now. Mama's here, I've got you."
Joe teleports nearby, drawing a bleat and bout of intangibility from Zed. "Sorry." He helps pull him from the ground. "My Lady, Your siblings miss you, when you are ready, please accompany me, i shall take you to them."
Vex rises to her full hight the Ven settled among her antlers, bowing her head she smiles, "Let us go then. I have missed them both greatly."