<Jesse's POV>

"Olivia?" Lukas and I ask simultaneously, stunned.

She steps back, joy and surprise clear on her face. Then she slaps me, then Lukas. "How could you go missing for so long?!" She cries, hugging us again. "Twenty four years, and no sign of you anywhere! And you look like you've only been gone a week!"

I rub the spot she hit me. Yep, definitely Olivia. "Twenty four years?" I ask. "It's been that long?" I look at Lukas. He seems shocked, too.

"Yes! Come inside, quickly! We need to talk!" She pulls us through the door, and shuts it just as the sun dips below the horizon.

Several redstone lamps covered with stained glass activate as we enter, giving the house a dimmed light, bright enough to see by, but dark enough that the black-stained-glass windows don't reveal much from the outside. If they're trying to hide their being here, they're doing all right, I say to myself.

A set of stairs lead up to a second floor in a back corner of the room. Against one wall sit several burning furnaces and crafting tables. On the opposite wall are several chests, each organized by a sign and an item frame. A white banner hangs next to the chests, with a picture of the Amulet encircled by several words I can't make out. Thankfully, Olivia leads us over, and I can see more.

The bars of the Amulet, as well as the center square, are detailed with the images of the New Order; Axel in the green, Olivia in the red, Petra in the blue, Lukas in the grayish white, and me in the center. And it's our names along the outside, along with the words, "The New Order of the Stone".

"After you disappeared, everyone thought you died," she says as we settle down. "No one knew where you went. The last anyone saw, you two, Petra, and Ivor were leaving the city. It's gone now, taken over by crazy people and the Hunters."

That name again. "What are the Hunters?" I ask. "Everyone keeps talking about them, but no one will tell us anything."

Olivia glances around and lowers her voice, leaning toward us. "The Hunters are a group of people who are trying to 'make the world great again' and unite everyone under their banner. They look like normal people, until you see their eyes. They're pure glowing white."

Lukas jolts in his seat, and I look over at him. He seems terrified, and I wonder why.

"You okay?" I ask.

"Don't you remember? The dream?" He answers, and I remember. The dream he had, about the giant coiling beast. It had glowing white eyes, too.

"You think-?"

"It makes sense, doesn't it?"

"What makes sense?" Olivia interrupts, just as footsteps come down the stairs.

I turn and watch as Axel sees us and hurries over as quietly as he can and envelopes me and Lukas in a giant hug. "You guys are alive!" He whisper-shouts. "I can't believe it!"

"Ribs," Lukas grunts, and he lets us go.

"Wait, so who exactly are these people?" The girl from before asks, following Axel down. "They're not much older than Magnus and Elle."

I share a look with Lukas, then turn to Olivia. "Magnus and Ellegaard?"

"J, this is Lukas and your namesake, Jesse." Olivia says. "They were friends of ours." She gestures to the banner, and the girl - Jesse - her eyes widen.

"You're part of the New Order?" She asks incredulously. "Then why aren't you as old as Mom and Dad?"

"Mom and- you guys?" I ask, looking back at Olivia. "You actually-? Never mind. I should have guessed."

"Yeah, you should have," Axel agrees. "So, where's Petra? And where've you been all this time?"

~Lukas's POV~

I'm not going to die from being attacked or of old age. I'm going to die of an overload of what-just-happened weirdness. At least, that's what it seems like so far.

We've skipped over twenty years of our friends' lives. Bam. We get weird superpowers no one but a group of kids no older than us understands. Bam. Everyone lives in tree houses. Bam. Weird people called Hunters scare everyone and have glowing white eyes like a creature in my dreams. Bam. Two of my closest friends have had at least three children. Bam.

Nothing can be considered normal in my life anymore.

Jesse says, "Petra's looking for you guys, too. She doesn't know we've found you yet. We're all meeting back up in...what, a week, now?"

"Yeah. We've used three days by now. Four, at midnight," I answer. "So we should get going, soon. We don't have much time to waste."

"You still haven't answered my question," J complains. "Why aren't you as old as Mom and Dad?"

Jesse sighs. "Because we've been jumping through portals to try to find home."

"Whoa, hold up. Jumping through portals?" Axel asks. "Without us?"

"If we didn't follow the Blaze Rods, we'd completely lose them and the flint & steel," she answers.

"Okay, now I'm interested. J, can you go get your siblings?" Olivia asks.

"Sure," J says, speeding up the stairs.

"You're going to need to stay the night, if you don't want to be attacked by the Hunters. And the kids are going to ask you a billion questions all night if you don't tell them your story," Olivia explains. "And, before she comes back, can you explain something to me?"

"What?" I ask.

"You saw the circles around her eyes, right?" Olivia seems nervous.

"Yeah."

"Everyone in at least the family has markings like that, starting about 5 days ago. Do you know what they are? What they mean?" She's clearly panicking.

"Actually, I have one of my own," I answer, pulling off my gauntlet. The teardrop shimmers in the light. "They give us all special abilities, unique to the person." I don't mention that I haven't figured mine out yet.

Olivia visibly relaxes. "Good. It's not a disease or anything. So, if we all have one, where's yours?" She asks, looking at Jesse.

"I haven't found one yet, but...I'm looking," she answers, just as the children come down the stairs. Five of them, all shouting, "Storytime!"

"Yeah, storytime!" Axel agrees. "But you're all going to have to hush if you want to hear it."

"Who're the new kids?" One of them, a boy with black hair and a green-to-yellow oval on his forehead asks. "They're not much older than me and Elle."

"They're part of the New Order, Magnus!" Jesse Junior says excitedly.

He raises an eyebrow doubtfully. "Oh, really," he says.

"Yes, really," Jesse says, mirroring his tone. He falls back and nods, wide-eyed.

"Then why aren't you as old as Mom and Dad?" A girl, practically twins with Magnus, except her hair is longer and her mark is different, a dark red-to-purple spiral on her left hand.

"That's the story we're here to tell," Jesse replies. "And it's a long one."

"Wait, so if you're really part of the Order, then what are your names and what was the name of the pig?" Spiral girl asks.

"Elle, we don't need to-" the other boy, a bit older than J, and with a bright yellow-to-gold splattering on his right cheek, protests.

"Yes we do. Otherwise, how will we know, Lukas?" Elle shoots back.

Lukas mumbles something and shakes his head.

"My name is Jesse, and this is Lukas," Jesse says, gesturing to herself, then me.

"No, I'm Lukas," Lukas Junior says. "And that's Jesse." He points to J.

Olivia hushes them. "You were named after them," she says. "That's why you have the same names."

"Where did our names come from, then? Me and Magnus's and Petra's?" Elle asks.

"You and Magnus were named after two of the members of the Old Order," she answers. "And Petra is also one of the members of the New Order."

"Then why isn't she here?" Petra Junior asks.

"She's out looking for Axel and Olivia," Jesse explains. "She doesn't know we've found you yet."

"So, what was the name of your pig, Jesse? The one who died?"

I can see the pain in Jesse's eyes as she answers, "Reuben was his name." I take her hand, and she gives me a quick smile of gratitude.

"Ooooh," one of the girls - Elle - says in a singsongy tone. Magnus elbows her, and she falls silent.

"Can we hear the story now?" J asks, and the other children nod.

Jesse takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. "The five of us - Olivia, Axel, Petra, Lukas, and I - had beaten the Witherstorm a few weeks before. Lukas was out helping the people rebuild, as the Witherstorm had eaten the blocks down to bedrock in many places. The rest of us were out treasure hunting.

"We had gotten a tip from Ivor, the person who made the Witherstorm, about a temple in the jungle that should have some amazing loot. So we went over, and-"

"Wait," Lukas says. "Why didn't you go with him?" He points to me.

"We went in different directions after the Witherstorm. I, uh... I'll admit I'm not great with crowds of fans, like the others," I answer.

"Hey, I'm not, either," Jesse says. "I just hide it better than you do."

I roll my eyes, and she continues telling her story.

"So, we went over to the temple, and there were these channels of lava. We had to figure out how to make them flow into the center of the room, which opened a hidden passage. We went down, and there were these four chests right near where the lava emptied.

"Each of us took one. I found nothing that interesting, until the final item. It was... this." She releases my hand and pulls out the enchanted flint and steel that had lead to all our adventures in the portals.

"Can you light something on fire?" Petra Junior asks. "Like, in the fireplace?"

Jesse opens her eyes, and looks over at Axel and Olivia. They nod, and she walks over to the empty fireplace.

<Jesse's POV>

As I head to the fireplace, I think about the troubles this flint and steel has brought us. Sure, it opens portals, but it's created giant distances between the members of the Order. It's destroyed an entire city, killed at least three people, and got two of my best friends possessed by a giant computer, however indirectly.

I reach the fireplace. No Netherrack, which is good, but the wood's only going to burn for a few seconds. I strike the flint and steel, setting the blue, three block tall flame. Everyone gasps, except for the Order, who have already seen its effects.

The wood burns out, and I return to the others.

"Wow," whispers Lukas Junior, weakly.

I close my eyes and immerse myself in the memories again. "We lit a block of wood, just like that, and it burned for just a few seconds. But a horde of zombies had seen it, and were all coming toward us. So we raced back up the stairs, but the lava leaked, and we had to climb the vines. We barely got out.

"When we got outside, we tested the flint and steel again. But some old enemies of ours had found us. Their names were Aiden, Maya, and Gill. They used to be the Ocelots, along with Lukas."

"Why wasn't Lukas with them? And why were they your enemies?" J asks.

"I wasn't with them because of the Witherstorm," Lukas explains. "It separated me from the other Ocelots, and I had to go with Jesse's gang to survive."

"But why were you enemies?"

"Because they were rude and cruel, and made fun of everyone," I reply. "Lukas tried to keep them in check, but it didn't always work.

"Aiden was standing outside. He had an enchanted diamond sword, and so did the other Ocelots. But they had... 'rebranded' to the Blaze Rods. He wanted the flint and steel. I told him to go get his own, and stop bothering us. He wouldn't back down, and we had a bit of a standoff. But then they backed off, and we left, to get back home and ask Ivor about the flint and steel. He would know more than anyone else."

"When we came back to the city, we had to settle a bit of an argument over Ivor's house, and Axel and Olivia left to find some glass. Me and Petra went into the temple we were keeping our treasures at, and Lukas was there. We hadn't seen him since a week after the Witherstorm died and the Command Block was broken.

"We caught each other up to speed, and I showed him the flint and steel. Then Ivor showed up, and scared us half out of our minds. He told us about some 'old builders' and an 'Eversource' that was supposed to be hidden in the temple. So the four of us headed back to see what we could find.

"Turns out there was a second floor, and a portal. I lit the portal, and the blast knocked us all back, and the flint and steel out of my hands. They came to rest at Aiden's feet."

"Where did he come from?" Petra Junior asks.

I shrug, and continue telling the story.

As I finish, everyone is in awe, it appears. Even Lukas is slightly stunned.

"So, you saved Lukas over Petra from the computer...?" Elle says, smirking.

Magnus elbows her again.

"Yeah, she did, and I'm glad for it," Lukas says. "PAMA was awful to have inside my brain. Choosing every word I say, every place I look, every step I take... I'm glad it's dead."

"And before that, you tried to help Lukas instead of saving the Founder..."

"What exactly are you saying, Elle?" Lukas asks. I have a suspicion I know.

"I have the same question," Olivia agrees.

"So do I," Axel adds.

"What I'm saying is-" Someone knocks on the door.

"We know you're in here!" A strange voice says. "Open up, you tools! Open up for the Hunters!"

"Everyone, go," Olivia whispers. The kids scatter immediately, and me and Lukas look at each other, then the chests. We race toward them, and I climb up to the top. Lukas hides in one of the bottom chests.

I shove the wood and dirt against one side and curl up in the other, trying to listen for voices.

~Lukas's POV~

An oozing, slimy voice says, "You. Darkie lady. What's your name and your friend's?"

"My name's Olivia. This is Axel."

"You married?"

"Yeah."

Ask them some questions back! Don't just answer! I think furiously, but don't say a word. The potions around me bubble slightly, making it hard to hear.

"You have any children?"

"One. She's upstairs sleeping."

"Why aren't you two asleep?"

"I woke up an hour ago and couldn't fall back asleep. Axel woke up not that long after."

"Show me your daughter."

The sound of receding footsteps up the stairs calms me. I chance a lift of the chest's lid. No one nearby.

I hope Jesse's okay, I think.

I'm fine. You? A voice in my head answers.

What? Who are you?

Jesse, says the voice. It's Jesse. It pauses. You are Lukas, right?

Whoa. Yeah. Is this one of your powers? Or is it mine?

No idea. I don't know anything about the powers.

A pause, and I ask, Which chest are you in?

Bunch of dirt and wood. You?

Potions. I just hope they don't break.

Good. You're just a few chests under me. Can you see anyone?

I check again. No, I answer, and then - footsteps! They're coming back!

Grr... The voice fades.

"All right. Just one more thing for me to check." Footsteps grow louder. Just one pair of feet. The sound of a chest opening, and then someone searching the contents. It closes, and another one opens. The searcher rifles through, and then stops. I can hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Did he find Jesse?

He hasn't found me. But he's searching in the chest right above you. And he's pulled out...an iron sword?

"No ownership of weapons without express permission from the Chief," the oozing voice says.

I think it's my power, Jesse says. I can hear him thinking about the Chief. Something about a... a bear? What's a bear? And a snake?

No clue.

<Jesse's POV>

This power is freaking me out. I can hear the Hunter's thoughts, and speak to Lukas. I don't want to try talking to anyone else, in case it somehow gives us away.

"You can take the sword. Just don't hurt us, please! We just want to survive!"

I could use this darkie... the Hunter thinks, and I get an image of a bunch of chained-up women. His thought-voice says, Maybe I could give her to the Chief. But that big man would be a problem. He seems tough.

Just don't let them get hurt, I pray silently. Or their kids.

"You sure you're not hiding anything else here against the rule of the Chief?"

"No, sir," Olivia responds. "We aren't. Hiding anything, that is."

A long silence. I track the Hunter's thoughts. He's assessing the truth of her statement, and then another thought slips in. She and her daughter would be good slaves for Tom. I'll ask the Chief for an extraction team when I get back.

I shudder, then still myself. Jesse? Lukas asks. His thought voice is just like his speaking one.

He's thinking about making Olivia a slave, I answer. I wish I could show him directly.

Whoa, he thinks.

What?

I can see his thoughts now! How-?

Listen now. Talk later.

"I believe you," the Hunter says. "I'll go. And try to get some sleep." You'll need it, darkie, he continues mentally.

I disconnect from his thoughts as he opens the door and leaves. Several minutes pass, until Olivia says, "Okay, everyone, come out. He's gone."

I climb out of the chest and drop down, nearly landing on Lukas. "We need to leave as soon as possible," I say. "He'll come back."

"No individual Hunters have visited twice before," Axel says, frowning. "Why should they start now?"

"They want to take you as slaves," Lukas says. "Trust us on this."

"How would you know? Are you with them or something?" Magnus asks.

In response, I reach out mentally and tell him, Because I could read his thoughts, Magnus.

He yelps. "What was that?"

I raise my hand. "Now, we need to start packing. Everyone, grab everything you might need. The journey's going to take a while on foot."