//Daryll's POV//
I arrived at the big cave. "Guys!" I opened my arms and offered a hug. The stick gang ran over, soon getting involved in a nice group hug. "What's up?"
"Fine, I guess? We're working on something. A plan." I could see that they've been camping here all this week. "A plan?" I asked back. They nodded. In the cave, the only thing they had was a water bucket to keep out the fire, and a scarce supply of logs. Also, I noticed some new people.
"Oh, Hello. We haven't met before. My name is Daryll." I said, shaking their hands.
"Call us by our colors."
As we were introducing ourselves, I hear a friendly voice. No- actually 2, I mean 3. "Daryll!" They all waved and elbow-bumped my shoulder.
"Herobrine! Zeganirn! H-Hilda!" I said, blushing a bit at the end.
"Are you okay? Any scratches or anything? What- What about your friends, the other bandits?" Herobrine asked in a fatherly way.
"I mean.. I basically just got kicked out of the role of leader of the bandits.." I sighed, "I should've known.."
Zeg screeched. "SCCCREEEE-" like, he wanted me to pay attention. "What's wrong?" I said, patting his shoulder. He no longer had his greatsword with him anymore. His face was filthy of dust and ashes the endless fire left. "Scre- Screeee.. Screeeeeeee..."
I scratched the behind of my neck. "Sorry.. I don't speak Enderman.." Zeg tilted his head. "Screee.."
"He says, 'My best friends Ceris and Lance are in danger... They're in urgent need of help.'" Yellow took off his glasses and closed the ancient book he was reading.
"Ok, most librarians were literally exterminated and fire swallowed the entire Frostbourne library, but you still managed to bring the translator? Brilliant, really." Hilda said.
"I mean... Thanks.."
***
Hilda started, "Any opinions?"
"Simple." Herobrine unrolled a map on the floor and placed a pebble to hold it in place.
"What's this?" Blue asked.
"A wrinkly map I used to carry it along with me to keep track of you in my olden days as an undead lord. See here?" he pointed to the place marked 'Restriction'. "Heh. I used to sneak in here with my friend, Blackbone. We got caught a lot, though. Hehe." He continued, not noticing the frown on my face. "Oh whop.. I.. shouldn't have said that.." he said, finally looking up.
"Go on." I said, narrowing my eyebrows.
"... Thank you. Anyway, the bandits live here. I assume Daryll, you too, have been born and raised in this area." I nodded.
"Why is the land marked as 'restriction'?" Green raised his eyebrows.
"This map is from a normal villager's. The time this map was created was before Patrick united these two separate factions to one. They all probably had a heart of wariness then, because the bandits are hostile beings. Now.. listen carefully, the bandits have a secret dungeon in their territory. Nobody knows what it looks like, not even me or Daryll. However, I have a hunch about where it's located in. They might be keeping our friends as prisoners."
"Wait. If what you said is true, then.. they might be getting tortured by Brots, now." Hilda gasped, concerned.
"Which is why we need to rescue them, pronto."
"Ah, I see where you're going, Hero. We split into separate teams, and we search for our friends." Second flicked his fingers as if he realized something.
Hero nodded, "My thoughts exactly. Hilda and Daryll will go find Patrick and Azura, Zeg and I will find the Enderwatchers, and you sticks be on the lookout for Stella, Rain, and Abigail. Got it?" Zeganirn screeched in satisfaction, Hilda gave a nod, Red readied his sword, and I loaded my pistol.
"Come on, they're waiting for us."
***
"Is this the right place? Sure looks dilapidated.. It must have been built a hundred million years ago." I snatched the map from Herobrine and studied it again.
"Positive." Herobrine took it back and shoved it into his pocket.
We all discreetly tiptoed across and finished off the guards, all stabbing them in the head. They didn't even peep. We all shared nods and separated.
//Stella's POV//
I forced my wobbly legs to stand up and run over to him. Thankfully, my hands and feet weren't tied up.
I cuddled up in Rain's arms which had no signs of movement. His stomach was still severely bleeding. There was nothing but silence.
"Rain..." I opened my mouth, "Can you- Can you hear m-me..?" I hug him tighter and wrap my arms around his red- bloodied stomach. Silence again. "I-I'm sorry.... So sorry... It's all my fault.. All mine... Please, please.. Rain, my love... Please... Don't leave me.." I start crying. I cry quietly.. so no one could hear me.
'Oh please God, please, PLEASE don't let him die...'
I wiped my nose with the back my blood-dried hand. "I love you.." I whispered and gave him a kiss on the cheek. I cry again.. But this time, I felt his hand weakly hold mine. "R-Rain..?" No response.. I sigh to my stupid self. I am such an idiot... However, I'm glad he's alive. "Thank you.. Thank you.. For holding on to dear life... For not leaving me alone to rot inside..." I said between sobs, although I was 99 percent sure he couldn't hear me.
***
After a while of ripping my heart to death, I heard yelling, grunting, guns shooting, and fightinng. Dead bandits' bodies were strewn everywhere.
"Stella!"
"S-Second?!"
"Go grab them, Sec! We'll stall them!" Blue shouted while disarming a bandit.
He nodded and turned back to us. He saw Rain shot, helplessly bleeding out on my lap. "W-What happened... No time for questions. Stella," he said, carrying Rain, "follow our lead." I stopped sobbing and followed him.
//Herobrine's POV//
I pried the stupid door open with the assistance of Zeganirn.
"C-Ceris!"
She was passed out, no, sleeping on unconscious Lance. I shook her awake. She rubbed her eyes and blinked.
"A-Are you okay..?"
She shook her head rapidly and held back from crying. She planted her face in her hands and burst into tears, even though her eyes and nose were already red.
"Herobrine... Help me... Help me.."
Lance's face was pale from the cold, his ender eye glitching. I put down my sword and checked for a pulse. I observed his palm, and leaned my ear against his chest.
"He- He's passed out because he suddenly used a lot of his powers. His body wasn't able to adapt to the sudden shock..", I say, putting my hand on her shoulder, "He's going to be alright, Ceris, but he'll be in a coma for at least a week.."
Her face lit up a little, took off her mask, then gave a kiss on his forehead. She thanked me, "Thanks, Hero.. You really are a hero..." and hugged her husband. I smiled, happy to see her cheerful old self again.
Zeganirn came over after killing the last remaining. "Scree..."
"Zeggy!" she gave him a high and a low five. "Thank you for coming..."
I pushed the lever on the outside marked, 'Teleportation disability booster'.
"Ok, gather here." I called them and held both Lance's and Zeganirn's hand. Zeg grabbed Ceris's, Ceris jiggled Lance's in her hand. "Everyone ready?" They nodded, "Well then, beginning teleport in 3, 2, 1,"
Whoosh.
//Abigail's POV//
"Wh- Where am I..?" I closed my eyes tightly, then opened them to get rid of the heavy dizziness that restrained me from seeing things properly.
"Ah, yes.. You're awake..." My whole body froze. There he was with another woman, standing next to me. I could only see their legs. I didn't dare lift my head to look at his face. I already knew how infuriated he was.
"Abi.." he chuckled, "Oh, my, Abigail.. Tell me, sweetie.. Why did you run away? Away from me, your dad, all the way to the Overworld?"
"I don't want to answer your idiotic questions. You yourself, already know the reason why."
"You don't have to. Of course, I already know.. Your uncles Hogsy and Krally risked their lives for you.."
Tears welled up in my eyes. They got big and heavy enough, then fell on the brick floor of the Nether fortress. "At least they treated me with respect and admiration.. At least they didn't have to die because of your ugly deeds.."
"Oh, but you will, unlike them." he mercilessly laughed.
"W-What?"
"The first rule of the Nether kingdom.."
How could I forget that.. Every Netherians, every soldier, everyone.. had to obey. If anyone tries to commit actions of betrayal to the royals, they need to take a dip in the steaming, deadly lava not far from here, which nobody survived to tell the tale.
"Don't tell me you forgot that, princess."
"I didn't. I'd rather die than work for you, anyway. You good for nothing, disgraceful numbskull." I gritted my teeth.
"You disrespectful, stubborn girl.. Die, then please, die! I'd be definitely delighted to get rid of such disloyal beings forever. Those like you will never understand, you stupid little fool. Besides, I got myself a new Nether Queen. Narcissa, my darling, right?"
The woman beside him blushed. "Quite a pleasure to be one, love.."
My blood boiled up, my breathing intensified. My eyes were still pinned to the floor. I bit my lower lip so hard that it bled.
"However.. You're allowed to choose the date and time of your death.. Within 15 days."
"If you want me dead, then do so at your own will! You are such an idiot, Naeus!! NOTHING but a mere idiot!!"
"Guards, take her down below." Narcissa ordered.
"IDIOT!!"