mindcracklove | I May Fall-Chapter 6

Sorry it's been two weeks since I've posted things, but as you can see this is a pretty long chapter. The next one is even longer. Thanks to Aleks for being a great beta and coming up with a wonderful subtitle, as usual. So here it is: I May Fall 6-In Which Etho Ignores Panic

Etho didn’t get much sleep that night before the battle. After calming down the child so she was no longer sobbing uncontrollably and only had a few tears dripping down her face, he brought her back to his quarters. They stayed up for a while, chatting and such. Etho even had one of the soldiers bring them cookies. They talked about nothing for most of the night, at least, nothing that mattered. But as the night dragged on and the weight of the day sank on their shoulders, they both began to open up a bit more.

The girl, who just went by ‘T’, told Etho she was 12. Apparently she and a friend had known about the Mindcrackers and when they heard there was going to be a war they decided it would be fun to enlist, that it would be like a game.

Her friend had insisted they enlist in opposing armies. “‘That way it will be like a contest!’” T mocked her friend with an overdramatic seriousness and greatly exaggerated gestures. “‘One of us will be a winner and one of us will be a loser!’”

The child had agreed readily but realized almost immediately that this was nothing like a game. The training was grueling, and even though she was already a pretty good shot, she and the other younger soldiers had to work twice as hard to keep pace.

It had crossed her mind once or twice to run away, to go AWOL and find her friend, but in the end, she thought better of it and decided to stay. She knew she would never be able to work up the courage to actually leave, so she stayed.

Etho didn’t need to share his story with T. Everyone either knew the story, thought they knew the story, or were too nervous or embarrassed to ask.

Instead, he recounted fun stories, interesting adventures, and a few romantic endeavors with Nebris that had never been made public.

T just sat and stared, dreamy eyed imagining the fluff of it all, as Etho smiled and laughed. He was in a better mood than he had been in weeks, reminiscing about his partner.

“Do you think you’ll see him again when this is all over?” T asked hopefully, smiling at the romantic thoughts she was conjuring.

Etho smiled weakly, remembering a conversation he had with the girl a few days earlier.

“Do you think he still cares about me?” Etho asked, sitting with his legs dangling over the edge of the mountain when he heard footsteps behind him. He knew it was the girl. Who else would approach him?

“Of course he still cares about you. He’s just mad right now. Give it another few days and he’ll be fine.” She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

At the time, Etho had thought it was just the girl trying to make him feel better. But now that there was a possibility she had been working with the enemy, Etho couldn’t help but wonder if she had actually spoken to Nebris about him, or if she had received some information about how he felt.

“If this is ever over, I’m sure I’ll see him. One way or another we’ll meet again.”

At the end of the night, or the very beginning of the morning depending on how one looked at it, Etho sent T to bed with new orders. Instead of reporting to her old post as a sniper on the mountain, she was to report to the medical bay and help the doctor by brewing potions and tending to the lesser wounds. The child put on a good show, pretending to be outraged at her change in assignment, saying that she was ‘brave and could fight’. In the end Etho had, of course, won the argument and T pretended to pout. But they both knew she was relieved not to be participating in the actual fighting of the war. With a quick hug T was off to bed and Etho was left alone to study his maps and strategies.

When Etho had finally gone to bed, it had been so late that he only got an hour or so curled up in his sheets before a noteblock rendition of reveille woke him. He woke slowly, groggily slinking out of bed and into a fresh change of clothes. Before he stepped out of his quarters, he grabbed one of his best enchanted swords and tied it, sheathed, around his waist.

His head was still a bit foggy from having just woken up from a deep, dream-filled slumber. Etho made his way down the two-wide hallway that connected his quarters and other smaller rooms to the main room of the base. He was slightly distracted as he tried desperately to hang on to the dreams from his short rest.

“Etho! Etho!” Etho heard the cry from where he was working on his redstone door. The call came from outside, in the front of the house, and the voice was most definitely Nebris’.

“Nebris? Nebris, what is it?” he called, slightly annoyed at being distracted from his work.

“Etho! Come quickly! I need help!” Etho could tell from the tone in Nebris’ voice that he was serious, something was wrong. He quickly untangled himself from the redstone and ran outside to see what was going on.

As he stood up and ran outside, Nebris’ voice got more distant when it should have been getting closer. Etho felt as if he was in a suffocating hallway, one that kept getting smaller and smaller, as he quickly searched for Nebris. The sky was a too-blue color, the grass was far too green. This is a dream, he told himself. But it didn’t matter when it came to Nebris. Dreamscape or reality, if he needed his help Etho would be there.

“Nebris? Nebris! Where are you?!” he shouted breathlessly at the sky.

“I’m here, Etho! I’m in your work room! I found your new invention and I’m stuck!”

It took a moment for Nebris’ words to sink in. His work room. His new invention. He didn’t quite understand.

And then he realized and he ran. He headed towards the hidden stairs that would lead to his underground work room that stored all his most precious redstone designs.

Right when he made it to the staircase, he heard a very familiar sound and then it was too late.

Nebris hit the ground too hard.

He died the same way as…

Etho hadn’t allowed himself to finish the thought, and he didn’t have a chance anyway because as soon as the death message appeared, he woke up.

The dream stuck with Etho as he walked through the halls. He kept imagining Nebris dying during the war, Nebris being struck down during battle. What if Nebris had been his intended prank victim and not…

He didn’t have a chance to complete the thought as he had arrived in the main room. He had expected the room to be a bit chaotic as the army prepared for the battle that was to commence at midday. But he was not prepared for how crazy it actually was. Soldiers were running back and forth throughout the room carrying potions, food, and weapons from one of the dozens of make-shift shacks that filed the room to the next. The place was complete mayhem!

It was obvious to Etho that something was wrong, and he stuck out his hand to hook onto the arm of a soldier who was running by with an armload of freshly sharpened swords. Etho pulled the soldier in close and spoke directly into his ear so he could be heard over the noise. Not only was the room very chaotic, it was also extremely loud, with every small sound reverberating off the high ceilings and creating deafening echoes.

“What’s going on?” Etho asked, shouted, over the dull roar of the vast room.

The soldier pulled back, looking incredulous, so surprised that Etho didn’t know what was going on. Before the soldier could answer him, Etho felt a small tap on his arm. He turned and smiled upon seeing T standing next to him in her grey-blue army fatigues. Etho’s smile lessened when he noticed the serious, slightly nervous, expression that clouded T’s usually dreamy-eyed gaze. Seeing he was distracted, the soldier in Etho’s grasp took the opportunity to slip away and get back to his preparations.

“What’s going on?” Etho reiterated the question to T.

“The doctor wants to see you,” was her simple reply.

“I’m pretty sure that’s not the reason everyone’s working double time.” A small, simple smile tugged at his lips as he teased the child.

“Ugh…no!” The child’s face scrunched up in frustration, and Etho couldn’t help but think it was very adorable. “The doctor wants to see you!” she repeated, grabbing Etho’s arm and attempting to drag him to the medical bay.

Etho decided to play along and started walking with T. Her grip on his arm never let up. He could feel her tiny hand through the thin fabric of his shirt, her finger barely wrapping all the way around. “You know, this is my army. I’m usually the one giving orders. Not little girls and doctors.” He teased with a smile. She giggled in response but didn’t speak.

Etho continued to observe the chaos as they pushed through the crowd. It seemed everyone was running around, not one person was idle. When they arrived at the medical bay, they found the doctor pacing back and forth, wringing his hands nervously and staring at the ground.

“You wanted to see me, doc?” All three of them froze at the mention of one of their enemies’ names. “-tor. You wanted to see me, doctor?” Etho quickly recovered, and they chose to pretend it never happened.

“Yes, yes. I did.” The doctor’s eyes were tired, as if he hadn’t slept in days. This seemed impossible considering how well he looked just the day before.

He must be nervous about the battle. But there’s still hours to prepare…

“We have a problem,” the doctor said, pulling Etho from his absentminded observations. “A big problem.”

All of the bad news Etho had received in the last few weeks played through his head.

“He’s dead, Etho. He’s dead and everyone knows you were involved.” Guude’s tone was emotionless.

“Of course I found out!” Nebris shouted at him just minutes before he walked out of his life.

“…we have chosen to declare war…” The book had informed him.

“They’re building a wall,” Just another way to seek revenge on Etho by sacrificing other’s lives.

“One of the snipers fired, sir.” He knew deep down, right then, that is was the girl. He just couldn’t admit it to himself.

Etho hesitated for a moment before asking. He needed to prepare himself for whatever news the doctor had. And when he did finally ask, his voice was quiet, that of a scared child’s, a child who was waiting to be scolded by a furious parent.

“...what is it?”

Realizing how nervous, how completely terrified Etho was, the doctor decided to get straight to the point.

“A messenger arrived this morning with a letter from the Mindcrack army.” The doctor held out a book to Etho, who took it with shaky hands.

Great, Etho thought darkly. Another book. I’m sure this one contains just as good news as the last.

With that thought in mind, he looked at the cover of the untitled book, took a deep breath, and opened it. He stared down at the black paper and deep violet ink for a minute before the words began to register.

To Etho and his army:

Etho’s hands were still shaking.

Due to recent developments

The girl’s death? The wall being built and then destroyed? Etho wasn’t sure.

The Collective Mindcrack Armies

Etho heard footsteps run up to the medical bay, but he ignored them and continued to read.

Have decided against starting the battle at the set time, midday.

Etho was numb, and he barely registered the sound of Joe Hills’ voice, which sounded panicked.

Instead we will attempt to avoid any casualties on our side

Now the doctor was speaking. He, too, was panicked. The doctor had never been panicked like this before.

By attacking your base directly.

Etho felt T’s small hands pulling on his arm, trying to get his attention.

We’re sorry it has to end this way.

T’s voice was also panicked now.

Sincerely, Nebris and the Collective Mindcrack Armies (CMA)

Etho’s breath was stolen as he read the name. His head began to feel dizzy, and he could feel himself totter, barely able to stand. He heard the doctor, T, and Joe Hills’ voices as a single desperate sound. He didn’t know what to do.

“Etho!” It was T crying for him. He heard the doctor and Joe Hills talking in the background.

“I - I’m fine.” Etho said as firmly as he could. “I just wasn’t expecting that. I wasn’t expecting it to be from him…”

T nodded in understanding, and he smiled.

“Joe, doctor, what’s wrong?” Etho turned to face the men.

“Well, besides the obvious,” Joe gestured to the book Etho was gripping firmly in his hand, “the scouts watching the Mindcrack base have spotted movement.”

Etho didn’t say anything, and Joe continued.

“It appears that they are sending out a little more then 20 3-4 person squads headed directly for our base.”

“Detonation squads,” Etho concluded.

Joe nodded. “We’re not sure how to stop them. All our snipers have flame bows, one little mistake and they hit the TnT and….” T made an explosion sound and reenacted a mushroom cloud with her hands.

Etho didn’t say anything so the doctor prompted him. “What do we do, sir?”

Etho nodded slowly and walked out of the medical bay. T trailed closely behind, but it took the doctor and Joe a minute before they caught up and followed him. Etho made his way to the stage

“Excuse me.” Etho had spoken with a normal volume, in a rather stupid attempt to be heard over the sounds of the room. “Excuse me!” he repeated louder. A few people noticed him this time. “Excuse me!” he practically yelled. Everyone heard him and they all stopped and looked up at him.

“Sorry about that, just trying to get your attention.” No one nodded or murmured in understanding; they all just stood there and stared. He looked over at the edge of the stage, where his friends stood. He didn’t even realize he considered them as such until that moment.

They motioned for him to go on so he did. “In case you were unaware there are about 20, most likely 24, teams of detonation squads heading straight for this base. The enemy has chosen to attempt to end the war before the battle can even begin by collapsing in the base, crushing us all.”

Still, no one moved.

“There are only a few things we can do to prevent this from completely destroying our forces, but we’ll have to work fast.” Etho began firing off orders.

“I need non-flame bows delivered to the snipers right away.

“Anyone who is good with a bow needs to grab one and get on that mountain and start taking out teams.

“Builders: start grabbing stacks of obsidian and reinforce the ceiling first and then the walls.

“The medical team needs to gather as much supplies as it can and set up a new location on the far side of the mountain, away from the battlefield, in case this place does actually cave in.

“The rest of you grab swords and armor if we have it, and get ready to move. If the snipers can’t take out the detonation squads, we need to be prepared to abandon the base.”

No one moved for a moment, so Etho capped it off with: “And that’s an order!” That got everyone moving. They were moving twice as fast as before, if that was even possible.

Etho stood there and watched them for a moment before he felt a firm hand on his back

“That’s good work, sir,” the doctor reassured him. “I have to go help oversee some of the medical supplies transfers. If I were you, I would find something to do.” He walked off the stage.

T walked up next to him. “I should go grab a bow.”

Etho turned suddenly and look directly into the child’s eyes. “No. No you should not. And you are not going to. That’s an order.”

She nodded her head slowly.

“You should be helping the doctor over in the medical bay. Go, now. And stay out of trouble.” His tone softened, and she began running the way the doctor had gone.

And don’t pick up a bow!” he called after her with a smile.

“Etho, you do know that - ” Joe began, but Etho cut him off.

“Yes, I know. The detonation squads are probably already too close for any of this to matter. Even if we all ran for the exit right now, it would probably do us no good.”

“Then why - ”

“Hope. Hope is why, Joe Hills. Hope is strength, strength will make them brave. That’s all I can ask from these children right now, to be brave.”

Joe nodded but was clearly confused. “Shouldn’t we at least try for the exit?”

Etho closed his eyes and tilted his head upwards. “It’s too late now.”

Joe looked up as well but didn’t see anything. Then he heard it. A faint sizzling. His eyes grew wide.

“Everyone get down!” Joe shouted to the mob of working soldiers. They heard him, but it didn’t seem to register because very few of them took cover. Having warned them the only way he could, his focus turned to Etho, who Joe practically tackled and covered with his own body. Protecting his leader, protecting his friend.

Etho didn’t have time to react, to insist that Joe go find cover instead of using his body to shield him.

He listened as the first explosion went off, somewhere on the other side of the base. He heard terrified screams that quickly turned pained. He heard the sounds of the base collapsing in on itself. As the explosions got closer, it felt as if it were his final moments, that he would never leave the base ever again, that he would die with his friend protecting him.

All his dreams of making it through this war with his life intact, with his relationships intact, were gone. He could no longer see a future where he would rejoin his friends and live with Nebris once more. He could no longer imagine them accepting him back into their community.

But he could imagine creating a new community with his new friends. He could imagine living near the doctor and Joe Hills, maybe living with T and taking care of the child. He could imagine a new life, very different from his old one, but equally as great.

That’s what Etho was thinking about, losing his old life with Nebris and the guys, and creating a new one with T and the soldiers, when he heard an explosion closer than the others. One that seemed to go off directly above him and Joe Hills. He heard the sizzling and an explosion and then…

Everything came crashing down.

Post-notes: So yay for my cliches and what not, but who cares because cliches are cute. To those of who that listen to and know the lyrics to the song, silly Joe deciding to be a human shield. We all know what happens to those...;)

Links:
Song that inspired this story
Chapter one
Chapter two
Chapter three
Chapter four
Chapter five