Chapter 139: T

Having enjoyed the meal; Paul, orders us some drinks; “get us some star wine.” He shouts towards the bar. The waiter nods, disappearing into the kitchen.

He returns with a large black jug, handing it to Paul. Paul coos at the wine, “ow how I have missed you.” Turning to me, “you are in for a treat. This wine is damn near illegal here. The owner owes me a favor, so enjoy.”

He pours me a small glass, a thick molasses-like liquid spills out. Glimmering crystals float through the viscous liquid.

“Are you sure it is safe?” Asking Paul with a frown. Swirling it in my glass, watching as it laps at the edges of the crystal container.

He just chuckles, “mostly.”

Sighing deeply, “well, you only live once.” I joke.”

“I like that saying, you only live once. Cheers, Aeternum.” He says as we clink the glasses together. He is careful not to spill a drop. We both take a drink of the beverage, Paul a big swig, while I take a light sip.

I was happy I did so, as I am quickly overwhelmed with sensory overload. Like alcohol, it slowed me down immediately, that buzz in the back of my head. My eyesight became patchy and irregular as joy and confidence filled me. Standing up, I cheer once more with a heavily intoxicated Paul. Spilling far more before drinking a large gulp.

“Aeternum, how's it?”

“Sparkly.”

“No, da drink, not ya vision.”

“Intense.”

“Damn right.”

“What was that?” I ask, feeling woozy from just looking at him.

“Star wine? They take starry apples, Kingbries, liquid condensed dimensional energy, sugar, crystal water, and a few secret ingredients to make it.”

“Why is it illegal… Almost illegal?”

“Well, ya know, some people can’t handle it. Getting angry and crap, or just jump into ta void. Also, rarely…”

Leaning closer, “yes…”

“It can make ya explode if ya unlucky.”

Falling back, “explode!” I shout. “Why did you not warn me.”

“Eh, only 1 in 100, ya fine.” He says, waving his hand.

I just lightly tap my head on the table. “Well, at least I didn’t explode. I can see why it is borderline illegal.”

“That’s da spirit, he says while patting my shoulder. An easy feat given his height and arm length.

“Gotta ask, why don’t you guys wear clothes.”

“Don’t need em, symbol of status more than anything.”

“So, like nobles and stuff.”

“Nah, anyone with a pocket full a charge, top 5% ya know.”

“I spotted an Enderwoman in a purple dress in the forest.”

He looks at me funny, “wat da chances.” Shaking his head.”

“What, who was it.”

“Don’t matta, don’t worry bout it.” He says with a shrug.

Sitting up, “you gotta tell me.”

“Don’t wanna cause ya trouble, so Nah.”

Sitting back down, I sulk at the lack of response.

Eventually, Paul makes the bottle disappear into purple particles. “Dat's enough gotta save it for a good day,”

“Thank you for the drink. It tasted and felt expensive.” I was never one to take drugs in my past life, but given my semi-immortality, you care less.

“No problem, it’s ya first time in da end, gotta make it special.”

“How did you know it is my first time?”

“Ya don’t know left from right. Don’t know bout money, charges, directions, locations, or even our species name. Ya purple as the great grass plains.”

“I see; thank you.”

He gives me a quick hug, a little awkward given the height difference. “Ya wanna explore da town with meh?” he asks me.

“Absolutely.” Chasing after my new buddy.

We exit the extremely well-hidden bar, entering onto a purple paved street. It is at this moment I realize they don’t use carts or any transport. They are naturally able to teleport; it is unneeded. Enjoying the clean air unpolluted by horse manure and dirty streets.

We walk down the road onto another road, heading further into the town. The passerby increase in quantity and the stalls and stores seem to triple in amount. We enter into a central square intersected by 4 roads. At the center lies a giant ruin, a once-proud stature destroyed and crumbling. Wing pieces and other easy to identify rock tell me what this was a statue of.

Paul turns to me, “meet our newest attraction. The ruins of the queen left to represent the crumbling of her rule.”

“Interesting.”

“It was a real sight watching so many people break it into rubble.”

“Who is ruling now?” I ask.

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“The royal Rozmer mostly, a few small tribes have created separate ruled cities.”

“Are they doing a good job?”

“Anything is better than that.” He spits towards the rubble of stone.

“I see.”

I follow him towards what appears to be a park near the square. “This my napping place.”

In front of me lies an expansive forest of many different saplings, even a few green. Glowstone lights illuminate the more familiar plants, whereas many darker plants are present too. I even spot a tree with budding fruit and a few bushes with questionable berries.

“It is definitely a beautiful area,” I say to Paul.

Chic makes it know that they want to explore. Taking them out on my palm and stroking them with my finger, stay close.

Paul looks over, “what’s dat?”

“My familiar.”

“A spidda?”

“Yeah.” Lowering Chic to the ground, they quickly return to her original size. “Don’t wander too far, foreign land and all that.”

Chic gives me a soldier salute before poking a big-leaved bush.

Paul is staring at me. “You okay?”

“It got bigga.”

“And you can teleport; what’s there to be surprised about?” I say sarcastically.

He looks at Chic, then Me, then Chic, and finally focuses on me. “Ya got meh there,” he shrugs, “cool spider.”

Chic being able to hear what he says, replies for me. “Thanks.”

Translating, “Chic says thanks.”

“It can talk too?”

“She can talk.”

“I see, sorry.” Lowering his head a little.

“It is okay; it is hard to tell.”

He walks us through the forest, Chic carefully keeping us within sight as we walk through the tame jungle.

He brings us to a clearing on top of a slight hill. “Dis my favorite spot.”

“I can see why; you can see the stars surrounded by trees.”

“Me homes a little cheap, only use it to sleep and store. Dis my chill spot, eating some sweet fruits and watching the stars.”

“Sounds like a dream,” I reply, enjoying the mental imagery.

He sits down on the hill, a small space with flattened grass. “Your usual spot, I suspect,” I say to him with a smirk.

“Yep.”

Sitting down next to him, I take out a small meal of food. His eyes go wide, “human food.”

“Yes, human food.”

He quickly digs in, enjoying the arrays of meats, slices of bread, fruits, and nuts. Not a specific meal, just a meal-sized array of different foods; he looks happy.

“Human food that rare?” I ask Paul, who is smiling ear to ear like a Cheshire cat.

“Nah, just a pain. Going ta overworld is expensive, and den stealing from humans? Massive pain, best ta stick with normal food.”

“I have never seen an Endermen eat, or even drink for that matter until today.”

“Cause we don’t need to.”

“Why eat then?”

“Food tastes good.”

Stunned for a moment, “you know what, I can’t argue.” Thinking for a moment, “what do you guys live off instead of food?”

“Dimensional energy.” He says between bites of cheese.

“I see. Something I have always wondered, what are Ender Pearls?”

He just rolls his eyes. “It is where our dimensional energy is stored.”

I am loving this Q and A; how often can you fish for answers from an Enderman?

“I am going to have to leave soon; people will be wondering where I wandered off to.”

“That is fine, come visit whenever you like. I can always find you.”

Walking away from Paul, I head into the forest. Scooping Chic up while I am at it, I teleport back to the End portal. Stepping through, I see a handful of guards. “Upgrades to more guards, I see,” I say jokingly.

The guard at the front speaks, “The Daggers would like to speak with you.”

“I guess that is fine; are they mad?”

“That is neither my nor your concern.” Shrugging, I walk towards the minecarts. Being pleasantly surprised to find velvet seats installed within. I and the lead guard leave together, quickly disappearing down the tunnel.

“I am surprised they added seats.”

“After the matriarch visited the portal, they were immediately installed.”

Chuckling, “I see.”

The rest of the journey was relatively silent, the guard not much of a talker. I spent my time enjoying a book and ignoring Chic, who keeps asking, “There, yet?”

I would either reply with a “Nope” or a “use full sentences.” Both got an annoyed response.

When we finally reached the station, we were welcomed by a small group of butlers and maids. “Aeternum, please come with us.”

To which, I follow the small group. I am quickly brought to the familiar office of Tilda. Entering, I see her alone behind her desk. Her husband absent for one reason or another.

I am escorted to a chair before the service staff disappears.

“Hello, Aeternum.” Tilda says.

“Hello, Tilda,” I reply in turn, bowing my head slightly.

“You know, if you had waited another few days, we would have had another expedition to invite you on.”

“And where is the fun in that? I also have plans soon, so I was low on time.”

“You have full right to enter, but please don’t startle the guard. Just tell one of the staff to inform me at a minimum.”

“Got it.”

“Did you find anything interesting in the End?” She asks, removing a notepad from her draw.

“Found out Endermen have a whole civilization out there. They sell, buy, own land, the whole nine yards.”

She pauses, writing while her eyes lose focus. “That is both terrifying and interesting; thank you, Aeternum.”

“I, by chance, met a lovely enderman called Paul. He took the liberty to show me around and let me enjoy my time there.”

Her laser focus immediately picked up a fact of that comment. “How were you able to speak with him? We have failed to talk to enderman up until this point.”

“Can I just say, trade secret.”

“No, you cannot. This may involve the contact between two civilized races. We need to be able to speak to them; otherwise, war is a risk.”

Weighing my options, I concede. “I used a Polynesia charm. You can get them made by witches.”

“Thank you. I am surprised you didn’t try and sell that information.”

While internally cursing at not having sold the information, “no problem; I wish not for any wars.”

“How very noble.”

“How has it been here since the End expedition?”

“Aside from wild rumors about you spreading?” She says with a laugh. “Everyone and their uncle are trying to get access to the End. We have far too many letters and people trying to suck up to us.”

“I feel your pain,” I say with a weak smile.

“Thanks. When are you next planning to enter the End?”

“After my trip to the capital, most likely.”

“You are visiting the capitol?”

“Yeah.”

“Do stay out of trouble.”

I clutch my chest in fake pain. “What do you take me for?”

She shamelessly says, “a trouble maker.”

“Any advice?”

“Avoid the royals. It is their playground, after all.

“Why?”

“We struggle to deal with them, much less you. Save yourself the headache.”

“I will keep it in mind, thank you.”

“No problem, now disappear. I have got some paperwork to finish.”

Without missing a beat, I teleport home. Finding it to be nighttime and everything to be quiet. Chic immediately launches off my armor, returning to normal. She is grumbling about being stuck in an office.

Stripping off my armor, I jump into bed. Eyes struggling to stay open as the last vestiges of alcohol leave my system. “What a day.”