User blog:Eureka Enderborn/The Enderborn Canon: Chapter 3

 The Enderborn Canon chapter 3: The Search for Skyhold

 I studied the ocean carefully. Before me was arrayed the enemy force, their warships billowing steam from giant smoke stacks. Their vessels hovered just above the water, and I could just barely make out the blue orb of their shield generators. Their guns were arrayed towards my fleet. Fortunately, my vessels had the advantage of being partially or completely submerged. We had the advantage of surprise.

 I sent the order, and my warships fully emerged from the sea. The orb-shaped energy turrets turned toward the enemy steadily approaching, and unleashed bright green fury at my foe. In seconds, the green lines had sliced through several vessels, a feat that would have been impossible at such range for anyone else.

 But we defy logic, we defy might. The Covenant defies science, though we are born from it.

 “ NO WAY YOU GET THAT MANY DICE FROM THAT RANGE. ”

 “Oh please, Troy. Remember, I’m the Covenant of Antarctica. Range is our specialty.”

 “ FINE. LET’S CONTINUE. ”

 A short while later, I defeated Troy in a narrow victory, and we left the holo-table. Out in the main fort, I saw Rick waiting for me with a big grin on his face.

 “Hey there blackn’white. I got something you might be interested in.”

 “If it’s any sort of beverage, I don’t want it.”

 “No no, not a beverage. Have you ever heard of Skyhold?”

 Now that got me interested. But how had he ever heard of Skyhold? “Where did you hear that name?”

 He chuckled a little. “Please, Eureka, I’m a merchant! I’ve been to both continents, and met people from both of them. I’ve been across the Great Wall Mountains! I’ve been everywhere, and met people from the places I haven’t been. A guy like me hears stories.”

 “Well, whatever. Skyhold doesn’t exist anymore if it ever did, which I highly doubt.”

 “Oh really? Why’s that? I only know the basics. Enlighten me.”

 “It’s a rumour, a myth. Supposedly, during the age of beasts, there lived Testificates. Not Steves, just Testificates. Anyway, these early Testificates were very tribal. But there were civilized ones. And those civilized ones lived in the legendary city of Skyhold. Supposedly, Notch blessed a portion of land, and that land rose from the ground, creating a floating island in the shape of… what are those pastries you get from that village down south?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> “Donuts?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> “Yeah. It was a floating island in the shape of a donut, but with a flat top. And on that flat top there grew grass and trees and many wondrous things. And in the middle of the hole left by the rising of the island was a set of pillars. You stand in those pillars to be transported to Skyhold. Only if your intentions are pure and you have no desire to cause the city harm will you be transported. If your intentions aren’t pure, you are incinerated on the spot. Furthermore, if anything gets into the city that desires harm to it, or if anybody within the city develops the desire, they are also incinerated on the spot. That’s why there’s absolutely no political intrigue or bad people in Skyhold. Anyway, even if there was such a city, ever, it would have been destroyed either by Herobrine and his armies or the ravages of time.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rick was silent for a moment, before saying “Well, if that’s true, the price on this map just went up.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> This most definitely got my attention. “Map?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rick produced a scroll. “This is a map that leads to the legendary Great Library of the Dwarves. that is part of the Skyhold legend, no?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> “Yeah, it is. Supposedly, a heroic Dwarven adventurer managed to locate Skyhold and made a map of it. He sent his map back to the rest of the Dwarves and attempted to enter the city, but because of his greed he was incinerated. But the map itself was tucked away in their Great Library. So, where is the library?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Tsk-tsk. Eureka, you ought to know that's not how this works. You pay up, then you get the scroll."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "At least let me look at it to know it's genuine!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "And let you memorize it in one second? I don't think so. 100 emeralds, then you get the scroll."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Oh, why that swindling little... "Alright! Fine! Let me go get the emeralds. Don't go anywhere!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> A short while later I got the necessary materials to pay the little swine Rick, and he was on his way. But the map was mine. I slowly rolled open the very old paper, being sure not to cause any damage to it.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> It certainly seemed authentic. I could tell that the map was in the Butcherblock Mountains, nowhere else in the world has that kind of geography. The Butcherblock Mountains are less mountains than they are a single enormous cliff-faced plateau with a bunch of smaller cliff-faced plateaus atop it. And nowhere else had so many Dwarven structures.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I could see the location of the Library. Apparently, there is an entrance in the ravine dubbed "Last Stand", the final resting place of the last Dwarven King. That would be easy enough for me to find. The issue was Butcherblock itself. Obviously, I could teleport right into the ravine, but I'd have to actually find the entrance to get in. And I would have to walk through the library to find the scroll I'm searching for. That would make me accessible to the current denizens. And by that of course I mean the Herobrine cultists and reanimated corpses and spirits of the Dwarves forced to obey Herobrine's will. Clearly, I will need some backup. Troy is an obvious choice, but who else to pick? Terrence and Phillip, of course. And maybe...

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Sir, I noticed your dealings earlier. I got the emeralds back from Rick. The little sneak never even noticed me. He's got so much money, he's not liable to. Not anytime soon, at least."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> If I could smile, I would have done it. "Rhea, how would you like to accompany me on a secret mission?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Absolutely, sir. It's what I do best."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Excellent! I'll go get Troy, you round up Terrence and Phillip."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Yes sir."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I ran off to go locate Troy, but I didn't have to. He found me first.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> " WELL WELL. WHAT KIND OF SECRET MISSION ARE YOU GUYS GOING ON? BOW-CHICKA-BOW-WOW! "

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Remind me why I gave you a sense of humour, again?" I said between gales of Troy's laughter. "Or why I built you at all?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We were ready for the trip within two minutes. Endermen get everything very quickly, and always have the ability to go back to get anything we forgot.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Sir! Where are we going?" Terrence asked.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "We're searching for the Great Dwarven Library. Well, more trying to get into then trying to find. I have a map. And once in there, I hope to find another map. One that will lead us to Skyhold."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Wow! Skyhold! We'll be legendary!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "We already are legendary, moron." Phillip replied. "Come on, sir. Skyhold doesn't exist. Not anymore, at least."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rhea, as usual was being her Stoic self. "Even if Skyhold turns out to be bogus, there's still a wealth of information in that library. And knowledge is king."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Thank you, Rhea." I said. "Alright, everyone grab hold of Troy, we're teleporting to the entrance of Butcherblock."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We all put a hand upon Troy and our group vanished in a purple flash. We reappeared (in another purple flash) at the gates to the fortress that contained the entrance to the Mountains. This fortress was Dwarven built, but unlike the others it was in excellent repair, and this one was crewed by the good guys. The banners of the Red City flapped proudly in the wind, and all over the walls men in shining armour kept vigilant watch, searching with eagle eyes for the enemy. I even spotted a Sylvan Elf.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We were, of course, allowed to travel through the fort to the ramp that led to the top of the plateau. Most people avoided looking at us entirely. Some even shied away. Probably for the best, though.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rhea stopped us just as we were about to round the bend in the ramp. She peered around the bend.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Just as I thought. The cultists have a fortified camp right at the entrance, built from an old Dwarven outpost. Those miniature catapults aimed right here make me think they're not welcoming visitors."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I nodded. "I think we should make things easier on the Red Knights. Troy, go knock. Rhea, Terrence and Phillip, follow me."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Troy turned and zipped out to the gates of the walls around the camp. I managed to hear one of the cultists say "What is that thing?" before Troy's voice overpowered the cultist's.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> " RAY SET TO MAXIMUM DEMOLITION! EXTERMINATE! "

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> The blue ray lanced out and the gates (and the wall around it) were blasted to bits.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Go!" I shouted, and myself and the four Endermen teleported into the encampment. Given that they were focussed on Troy, it was very easy to take out the cultists quietly, especially beings born of darkness.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> It wasn't much of a fight to be honest. The cultists never even saw Rhea, and very few actually saw us. Only the leader of the camp actually put up a fight. The issue is, when I was about to engage him in single combat, like the hero of the story should, Rhea shanked him in the gut from behind.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Hey! Rhea, that was my kill!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Oh? I didn't see your name on it."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "What? Why you little--"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Guys!" Phillip interjected. "We can settle this later. All this commotion is sure to attract attention. The wrong kind of attention. The kind that is already dead and therefore difficult to kill. Shall we get on with it now?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> As we left the camp I said to Phillip "Y'know, for such a boring guy, you have a way of cutting through the crap."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "It helps to have no imagination, sir."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We teleported through the shadows, keeping away from plain sight. But the shadows in this place contain something even worse. We had to be careful, and even Ender care wasn't quite careful enough.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> It was just as we caught sight of the Ravine that it happened. We appeared within the shadow of a plateau, and were met face-to face with a ghostly Dwarven apparition. The pale blue figure, its face twisted in endless pain, swung an equally ghostly axe at us. We avoided the swing, and all took a few steps back.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Rhea, we'll keep it busy. Go!" I shouted as the spirit charged us again. Troy hovered well back, and Terrence Phillip and I dodged around its blows.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Come on, Rhea!" Phillip yelled. As he shouted this, a purple crystalline dagger pierced the head of the spirit, which faded away.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Remind me why we only brought one soul dagger?" Rhea asked. "I hate babying you idiots."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "We only had one soul dagger, Rhea!" Terrence said. "Although I would like more, they're pretty cool."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Terrence, you think everything is cool." Phillip interjected.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Ok, enough!" I said. "Rhea, I will file an acquisition form to get another the moment I get back. Now can we keep moving, please?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Thank you, sir."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I noticed a ledge upon the wall of the ravine, which I teleported myself and Troy onto. The floor of the ravine was nearly completely covered in ancient skeletons. Most of the skeletal hands grasped golden blades. Some of the skeletons, most at the end of the ravine, wore tarnished and pitted grey armour, carrying battle axes or hammers. I teleported down and, after determining whether or not there were any foes in there, called the rest to me.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Ok, everyone. Let's split up. We can all see and hear each other no matter where we are, so there's nothing to worry about. We need to search the walls of this ravine very thoroughly for anything that seems odd. It may be our entrance."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We each spread out and searched very thoroughly. Each crack and crevasse was thoroughly explored, to no avail.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Eventually, I came to the final resting place of the Dwarven king. It was a sad sight indeed. The once great lord had his belly to the rock face. Based on his position, his last act had been clawing at the wall. He had died with his back to the fight, that much was obvious based on the golden blade wedged into the back of his skull.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I was about to turn away from the skeleton when I noticed something very strange. It was a mark in the wall. It looked natural to a point, but there was something strange about it. Then I realized what was going on. It was the position of the king at his death. He was reaching up the wall, as though clawing at it, trying to climb, or perhaps reaching for something. And the mark in the wall was just above the hand of the King's skeleton. The vaguely hand-shaped mark.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I reached out, snapped off the King's arm, and stuck it into the indent in the wall. Sure enough, the wall opened into a dark, webby corridor.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Guys! I'm a genius!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Troy, Rhea, Terrence and Phillip showed up near me, staring at the corridor.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Wow, sir!" Terrence said. "How'd you find it?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Well..." I broke into an elaborate story involving an unsolvable puzzle and molecular composition of the wall and a bunch of impressive and science-related things.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Terrence was gaping by the end. "Wow sir, that's amazing!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rhea nodded. "I have to admit, even I'm a little bit impressed. A little bit. Now let's go!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> As Terrence and Rhea walked into the corridor, Phillip pulled me aside. "So how did it really happen?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "The Dwarven King was reaching for a hand shaped hole in the wall at his point of death. I stuck his bony hand in the indent, the door opened.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Now that's more like it."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Troy laughed as we walked into the dark corridor. Naturally, we could all see perfectly well. There were skeletons in here, but only Dwarven skeletons. None of those belonging to nether beasts.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "I think these Dwarves didn't die in battle. I think they locked themselves in and died of old age. Look, there isn't a mark on them. We kept walking, until eventually we came to a fork. Actually, a group of forks. We each took a quick look.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> " IT'S A MAZE! "

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Indeed, Troy. If anyone finds the right path, contact me. I'll teleport to you and the rest can teleport to me."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We each split up and took a different path. I had my pickaxe at the ready, waiting for the chance to bash the head of anyone that impeded me.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> But the first person I met wasn't someone to impede me, it was Rhea.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Sir. It looks like our paths connect. I suppose I should accompany you."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I smiled at her. "How serendipitous. Shall we?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We walked side by side through the maze. For the Dwarves this would have been a high ceiling. But being people of double the height, it was barely big enough for us. Especially Rhea, who was taller than me by maybe a foot. I'm only 65% Enderman, and thus only 8 feet tall rather than the standard 9.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We walked in total silence, as is the norm with Rhea. I found myself reminiscing about previous adventures with her and Troy and Terrence and Phillip. That turned out to be an issue.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Suddenly, Rhea's hand whipped out and stopped me from setting foot in the room I was just about to enter.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Careful, sir!" I could see why she said that. At the end of our tunnel was a room that contained a large metal statue of a knight. It was fashioned in the same design as the Stormguard soldiers outside. A mourning statue. For those unfamiliar with the legend, I will explain here. The Mourning Statues are metal statues that look like a Dwarf with all skin and biological parts hidden behind stormguard armour. It was their general stance that gave them their name, with their axe blades against the ground and their heads down. And they come alive when any living thing comes near them, mostly to kill or chase them off. No one knows why they're there. They seem to have forgotten themselves. I personally think they're guards, but anyway....

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "There's something... off about that room. I think we may have to defeat that Statue to continue on. You ready?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rhea nodded and took a pair of Endsteel Katar style daggers from her belt. "Let's do this."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> The moment we stepped into the room, the statue lifted his head and lifted his axe into combat position. Rhea teleported out of sight immediately, so it went right for me. Of course.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> He brought his axe swinging down, and I brought my pickaxe swinging up. He pushed down hard against my pick, we were caught in a blade-lock. Two artificial constructs of immense strength. The only difference is that I can teleport.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I teleported right behind the metal giant, his axe swinging through the air where once I was and lodging in the floor. As he attempted to pull it out of the floor, I lodged my pick into the giant's back. Rhea appeared on his outstretched arm and stabbed him through his eye slits in his helmet.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Yes! Hah!" I yelled. The giant whipped around and knocked me into a wall with his massive arms.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I got up slowly, making sure he wasn't above me. It appears that a magic pick to the spine and a stab through the face isn't enough to kill one of those things. Rhea was leaping around the metal monster, jumping and avoiding its blows, striking out whenever she could. But no matter how many holes she made in the metal creature, it just wouldn't die. I watched it carefully, looking for something we could use to bring it down. Then, as it turned to swing at Rhea again, I got an idea.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Rhea! Make horizontal stabs all around it's waist, meeting up at where my pick is stuck in!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> She nodded, and began the task. It took a while, given the difficulty added by the giant trying to kill her, but eventually she had made a row of horizontal dagger holes in the creature.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Nice! Now, get ready! When I make my move, I need you to be behind it. You'll know what to do." I extended the blade from my right arm, and allowed energy to course through it. Once I had put enough heat in it, I ran headfirst toward the metal giant. It swung its axe down at me. I teleported to its hand, and chopped the axe's shaft. The axe head and 3/4 of the shaft fell to the floor, leaving the metal giant holding the remaining 1/4. I grabbed the immense axe and hurled it to Rhea, who caught it and swung the flat edge straight into my pickaxe.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> The power of the blow, the magic power of my pickaxe, and the perforations Rhea had made all combined to deal the final blow, splitting the giant in two.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rhea and I looked at each other over the fallen pile of metal, and she cracked a grin. "I'm actually impressed. That was a good plan."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "I'm the one who should be impressed." I responded. "Your agility and stamina never ceases to amaze me."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> " KISS! KISS! KISS! "

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I turned to see Troy standing in the doorway. Terrence and Phillip were right behind him. "How long have you three been standing here?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Since Rhea started making the perforations." Phillip said. "We tried to come help, but Troy wouldn't let us."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "And why didn't you help us?" I asked Troy. I was now thoroughly exasperated. "A single blast from your demolition ray and we would have been on our way!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> " BECAUSE I HAD HOPED YOU TWO WOULD REALIZE HOW WELL YOU WORK TOGETHER. "

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Naturally I already knew how well Rhea and I work together. "We're wasting time. Now, this statue was obviously here for a reason. There has to be some kind of hidden door."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Uh, sir?" I heard Rhea say. I turned to see her standing by a wall with the axe in her hands. She stuck the axe into a hole in the wall and rotated it like a key. The wall next to it swung open. "Come on."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We all walked through the room, Rhea closing the door behind us. We stood in what was quite obviously a library, covered in shelves full of scrolls. For a person like me, it was heaven. I quickly got out a few ingredients from my storage compartment and cast a beacon spell. This would allow other Endermen to safely teleport to this location despite never having come here.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Terrence, Phillip, I want you two to go to the End and bring back lots of others to transport all these scrolls to the End. Immediately." They both nodded, and were gone in a flash of purple. "The three of us should split up and comb this place for the map to Skyhold. Let's go!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> We each separated and scoured the place. I was quite shocked at the speed with which Troy shouted " I FOUND IT! "

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rhea and I teleported to him, where we found the map sitting upon a stone pedestal. I motioned for everyone to stay back, and gingerly picked up and unrolled the scroll. It indeed showed a floating donut-shaped island. It sat within a valley in a horseshoe shaped mountain range. A small strip to the west showed a forest, and some grasslands. But the land within the horseshoe shaped islands was completely black. That's when it hit me.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Oh Notch." I said quietly. "I know where Skyhold is. Think about it. What's the one place that no one in their right minds would ever search for a paradise? Somewhere no life dares live. Skyhold is in the Valley of Blight!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Oh Notch!" Rhea echoed. "It's so obvious! How did we not think of it before?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Because we all hate the Valley of Blight and have very good reason for believing nothing could live there. Come on, we're so close!" Rhea and I grabbed hold of Troy and teleported.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> When we next looked around, we were standing on a seemingly endless plain of smooth black rock. Overhead, the sun beat down heavy. Fortunately, Endermen aren't bothered by heat. And Troy has coolant in his system, so he's fine. We looked around' and there was nothing but black rock as far as the eye can see. It's like standing out in the ocean if the ocean were made of black rock and obscenely hot.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Come on." I said. "Skyhold's to the East." We marched for two hours before Troy called out " LOOK! THERE IT IS! "

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Out in the distance, barely even visible with all the heat distortion, was a speck of land floating above the rest.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rhea and I grabbed hold of Troy and teleported to the ground right near the island. It was huge! The land was indeed donut shaped, and floating high above the ground. But from underneath it was just bare grey rock, no sign of civilization at all. But there was a crater beneath the island, and in the center of the crater was a circle of stone pillars. They were once elaborately carved and standing tall, but have been knocked down and worn away by the ravages of time. But in the center there was a blue circle.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "I think that's the teleporter." I said to the two of them. "I'm going to go try to step on the teleporter. I think I'm the best option. You two stay here and wait for me."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "No way, sir." Rhea said. "I'm supposed to ensure your safety as well as kill stuff. I may not like it, but it is my job. I'm not letting you go up there without me."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> " NOR ME. YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND, I'M STAYING WITH YOU. EVEN IF ONLY TO BUG YOU. "

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "I am your commanding officer. I order you both to stay here."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Sir, I--"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "That is a direct order, agent Rhea!"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> Rhea stopped talking immediately, but her glare was more penetrating than her daggers. "Very well, sir."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I walked over to the circle, but I hesitated. If my heart isn't pure, I would be incinerated instantly. But what happens if you don't have a heart?"

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I tentatively stepped onto the blue circle and vanished.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> "Good luck, Eureka."

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> I looked around. I was surrounded by pale, sky blue. Totally featureless. I looked around, tried walking around, but there was nothing.

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> “Was I incinerated?” I called out to no one in particular. “Have I gone to join the Great Build?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> “No.” A voice said, seemingly coming from all around me. “You are not dead. You are being judged.”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> “Oh… so, what’s the verdict?”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> “I’m not sure yet. Your heart, yes you have one, is most certainly impure. I can see much in there. Hatred, anger, sadness, even fear. But there is much joy in there too. And a burning zeal to protect those close to you… but above all there is curiosity. And you certainly mean no harm to Skyhold. I suppose I will let you pass. Oh, that’s interesting, that’s very interesting!”

<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"> “What’s interesting?” The world around me started growing white. “Wait, what’s interesting?”

But to no avail. I was on Skyhold. And what I saw left me speechless.