Minecraft Kingdoms AU:

Chapter Five:

Saving Private Bacca

-...-

      The annual event, The Survival Games, was and had always been from the very start a huge part of the Bacca Forest Kingdom. In fact, the citizens often would start planning for it before the kings would officially announce it. For years upon years, the date had never ever been extended or pushed back. However, for those few past years that the Sky War has taken place, a fear had been born that one year, there would be no Survival Games.

    The Sky War was driving towards it's climax, and this year, by far, was becoming one of the most dangerous years of the war. With Prince Bashur gone, the Melon Kingdom in panic, the Pumpkin Kingdom without it's prince at hand, and a number of other small problems here and there, chaos was everywhere. Certain citizens and officials of the Bacca Kingdom had become overwhelmed by the word that there just might be spys in their kingdom, and confronted the kings, Jerome and Mitch, about it. The kings denied it when asked, but they knew better.

    So what was to become of the annual Survival Games? To the citizens, they remained hopeful and optimistic. The officials below royalty were worried, and to the kings, well, there was a debate.

    Jerome walked down the halls of the Bacca Forest castle. His pace was quick and his eyes were only glued to the floor. The windows weren't bright, and showed a clear sky with healthy, tall trees. The walls and floor, made from woods of all kinds, and decorated like a tree house, seemed to be no beauty at the moment. None of the handmade flags or commissioned paintings could catch the worried bacca's eyes. He reached a doorway with detailed railings telling something of a story about two young boys, painted in green and red. He walked inside of a large room. Something of a throne room.

   Jerome stopped when the only other person in the room turned to face him. Their eyes met, but Jerome looked away, not having the ability to return the smile that Mitch gave him. Mitch noticed this, and frowned. What was wrong? He put down whatever he was working on at the moment and began to walk over to his partner in crime.

“We can't do this, Mitch.” Jerome began, and Mitch's pace slowed. He stopped and stood in front of Mitch.

“Do what?” Mitch asked.

“We can't hold the Survival Games this year. It's far too dangerous.” Jerome replied.

Mitch sighed. “Look, I know there are a few bugs here and there, but there's no reason to just stop it.”

Jerome knew Mitch would say that. Mitch loved the Survival Games more then any other living thing in any realm. He looked forward to it like a child looking forward to finally being able to buy a game with their allowance money. Forced to wait an extended period of time, but when it happened, it was more then amazing. No two survival games were ever identical. Each had a element or quality of it's own.

“We can't risk anything, though.” Jerome replied. “The war is getting out of hand. Didn't you listen when Jason said spys were found? Some fear spys might be in other kingdoms. This kingdom is no exception.” 

“Our security measures are the highest they have ever been. No other kingdom could even compete with us.” Mitch reminded.

“And?” Jerome asked. “It won't stop the squids. And if they are here, chances are they know about the Survival Games. Everyone does! It's the perfect trap. They could use it to their advantage. Or to our distraction! If we pay one eye to the event and another to the war, something is guaranteed to slip by!”

Mitch  took a deep breath. Jerome wasn't lying.

“And the next thing you know, one of us, if not both of us, are dead.” Jerome took one more step. One he had had to make to get the message through.

  The room was silent for a few seconds. The squids have before, more then once, tried assassination attempts on the two of them. That's why their security levels were so high. If one of the kings only paid attention to the Survival Games, and the other to the Sky War, then it would be easier for something to get between them, and out of nowhere, cut off their connections. It was scary to think about. Mitch had once before had a nightmare of walking into a room to find his one and only best friend lying in blood,  the killer rushing to either escape, or to take down it's next target.

Mitch shook his head to the memory of the nightmare.

“I....I don't know.” Mitch looked down.

“It's me or your precious survival games, Biggums.” The bacca tried to lighten the mood a bit, his tone changing. Neither of them liked serious moments like these.

Mitch simply looked up at Jerome. “Don't say that.”

“Sorry.” Jerome nodded. He understood that was wrong.

Jerome wanted to convince Mitch completely. He thought about other things to bring up that would do it. His eyes glanced around the room, hoping that an idea would jump at him, but nothing happened, and Mitch waited for the conversation to continue. Mitch started to turn back to what he was doing before, but the idea did eventually jump out at Jerome, and Jerome continued.

“We have to protect the respawn stones.” Jerome said.

Mitch stopped, and looked back at Jerome.

“But they don't-”

“If they sneak pass us, they would easily find the only location in all of Minecraftia that such a stone could be found. They could take what's left of it, and use it to live almost immortally. That precious stone that allows you to even hold the Survival Games could be taken away from you! Would you wan that?” Jerome asked.

Mitch shook his head.

“No, No I would not.” Mitch sighed, and stepped forward. “I would never let that stone slip by me. I'd never let you slip by me. This kingdom we have right here, it's everything to me. If I were to allow anything you just said to happen, it would be my death.”

Jerome nodded. “So you understand what we must do?”

Mitch gulped, and then nodded his head too.

“I do.”

Jerome knew that was the most he could ever get in reply, and so let out a sigh of relief.

“I want to get the opinions from the other kings. I won't ask Sky, for he's holding the meeting that I plan to attend, and I can't ask Rotten or Bashur. I want to travel to Atlantica to speak to Cody and Joe.” Jerome said.

“I'll set up a ride for you then. Assign the guards.” Mitch agreed, and started walking towards the exit of the room. “You get ready, then.”

“You're going to stay here?” Jerome asked, following. The two walked into the hallway, and Mitch turned to face Jerome.

“We can't leave the kingdom by itself.” Mitch said. “Unless you need me.”

Jerome shook his head. “As much as it pains me, Biggums, you're right.”

“Alright!” Mitch said, walking down the opposite side of the hallway. “I'll meet you down in front of the castle in an hour!”

“Got'cha!” Jerome replied with, and walked down the hallway, towards his room.

-...-

   Jerome sat inside of a horse-drawn carriage, his head leaned back against the soft back of the chair. There was one guard inside the carriage with him, two leading the horses, and two sitting on the back of the carriage. It was quiet, and Jerome stared into space, closing his eyes every now and then and to day dream. Outside, they were in an open field of grass, that at night would be crawling with mobs. There was a slight wind, and the sun was covered by the clouds.

  Jerome remembered when he first met Mitch. He remembered what it was like to be a child. Jerome grew up with his mother and father, the Bacca Forest's old Queen and King. He was a prince, one who loved to play with the children from around the village. Mitch was the son of one of the townsmen, and quickly became the young bacca's best friend.

  However, within the period of half a year, both the Queen and King had died. Jerome, being a young teen at the time, was forced to take the throne. However, the kingdom quickly learned that, without proper training, and with the sudden loss of his parents, Jerome couldn't handle the power himself. He was allowed to seek out help. Jerome did everything he could to allow Mitch to become his help, and with a bit of pulling strings, Jerome was able to not only keep his position of King, but share his position along side Mitch. This action saved the kingdom.

Jerome came back to his senses when he realized the carriage had stopped. He shook his head, and turned to the guard sitting with him.

“What's wrong?”  Jerome asked.

“I'll go check.” The guard said, and turned to leave the carriage.

  The guard stepped out, but almost immediately following that, Jerome heard a loud crash. The clang of swords. Jerome's eyes widen and he stepped out quickly. He stepped out onto the grass of an open pasture to find his guards in a battle with squids. The sun was bright, and the clouds in no way helping. The blue sky was no longer calming. Jerome's eyes narrowed. The squid people, the spys in Sky Army territory!

   Jerome had his own sword, and pulled it out to block the attack of one of the squids coming from behind. The squid was fast, and Jerome was nearly knocked to his behind. He gasped, blocking attack after attack. He glanced around quickly to try to determine the number of squids. At the least, 5. At the most, he was unsure.

  Jerome ducked one attacked and continued to back up, out into the grass. His ears flinched with the sound of a bacca crying out in pain was heard. One of his guards had been killed. That was bad. Horribly terrible. Jerome shook his attention from his fallen guard to the squids turning to kill him as well. He had to overpower them. He was strong! He was a strong king!

  But that was short-lived as well. One squid snuck up from behind and whacked Jerome in the back of the head. Jerome felt a spike in pain, and fell face forward into the ground. He, weakly, was still conscious, and could hear the steps in the grass all around him. He tried to open his eyes, but when he did, all he saw was grass and dirt. His body shook. What was going to happen to him? As the seconds rolled by, and the squids were yet to touch him, he wondered if he really was dead. But the a bit of strength returned to him, and he gasped for more oxygen.

 Jerome got up, almost falling over once again, only to find that the squids were no longer a problem of his own. Three newcomers had joined the battle, and were keeping the squids at bay. Jerome could count the squids, to find that there were seven of them. He shook his dizzy head, and rushed to help the newcomers and the guards.

  The battle didn't last much longer. One squid was killed, and the other six were tripped and tied up. Everybody tired from the fight, Jerome placed back his sword, and looked at the scene. One of his guards was lost, and one of the squids were killed, but everyone else survived with minor injuries. His guards kept an eye on the squids while Jerome turned his attention to the three newcomers.

   One was of the pumpkin race, and had green hair tied in a bun. She wore assassin like clothing, and Jerome realized that a cloak had been abandoned a few yards away. The other two were humans, both with clothing that made it clear they worked for King Sky. The two were breathing hard, probabbly about to pass out.

“May I ask for your names?” Jerome asked, approaching them.

“Well!” The woman said after taking a deep breath. She held out her hand. “Lady Greenhair, royal assassin of the pumpkin kingdom, at your service!”

Jerome's eyes widen. He'd heard of Prince Rotten's royal assassin, but had never met her. She was shorter then him, but taller then the two humans, and seemed to be stronger then most of her kind in battle. Jerome tured to the other two, and they introduced themselves.

“I am Jin! Jinbop, a loyal friend to King Sky!” One nodded his head to Jerome.

“You can call me Okward!” said the second. “Same here, my king!”

Jerome nodded his head with a smile. He then addressed all three of them.

“How did you know to be here? You saved my life, as well as the lives of my remaining guards.” Jerome questioned.

“We forgive for not being here in time to save everyone, however we were only checking the area, and had no idea we'd come across an attempt at an assassination.” Greenhair explained.

“Yeah. Me and Jin were sent by Sky to go survey the Pumpkin Cavern's current concerns. We ended up meeting Greenhair, and were sent to scavenge the grass lands for signs of spys.” Okward added.

“You three are one hell of a miracle.” Jerome replied.

“It's our jobs to keep royals such as you safe.” Greenhair grinned and bowed her head.

“Allow us to help you head back home.” Jin offered.

“And aid with...with whatever ye want to do with the squids imprisoned!” Okward added.

Jerome nodded his head.

“I planned on visiting North Atlantica, but it seems I should return home.” Jerome replied.

The three were confused as to why only one King would go alone on a trip to Atlantica, the closest kingdom to the border, but it would feel rude if they asked. With that the three helped Jerome get home and work out what to do with the captured squids. Their journey to the Bacca Forest was long, and much of the time was spent keeping the squids from rioting. Jerome spoke a little with the trio that saved him, as well as planning what to do with his fallen guard in his head for when they got home.

  Greenhair, Jin, and Okward stayed as long as they were needed, and once things were worked out, the three parted ways with King Jerome. Jin and Okward were sent to go back home to the kingdom of Minecraftia, while Greenhair decided to go and continue the trip to Atlantica for Jerome. The news that another assassination attempt had taken place and failed would quickly spread out the kingdoms. More and more fear found it's way into the minds of citizens and royals. Something had to be done.