Chapter 154: The capital
Excerpt from the book “Exploration of the End” By Picard
After the initial expedition, we were allowed a short break before being thrust back through that portal.
The rush is understandable; putting myself in the shoes of the Dagger family put everything into perspective. They have the only known functional End portal. They may as well be holding a once in a thousand years treasure. The sheer value of it sends a shiver down my spine.
So, here I am. Standing in front of the eerie portal as the only experienced captain with the only cleared team to enter.
We entered without fear, but there is no doubt in my mind that we all miss the company of Aeternum. He is off gallivanting to some new location.
This chapter is dedicated to the second expedition into the primary end. The goal, set up a base of operations; as you can imagine, that would require some specialized help. We are bringing with us a carefully selected builder. We are the guards while he completes the mission.
The importance of this mission was drilled into me several times, so I was on guard at all times.
Yet, it was for nothing. The enderman seemed unnaturally passive, and we didn’t meet any unknown entities. More on this later in the chapter.
Slowly, the line crawls forward; the sheer volume of traffic requiring 3 gates. Watching as guards in perfect form, check the carts, carriages, and people. A couple of them carry strange devices with odd metal anteni, scanning over carriages and carts.
“I wonder what they are looking for? I ponder out loud.
Jengal takes the chance to answer, sitting beside me and watching the line move. “People smuggling illegal products, criminals, illegal merchants, and any other strange activites.”
“Why not just tunnel under the town?”
“It has been attempted and worked a few times. They have found a way to detect people digging in now. It sounds strange, but the easiest way to smuggle things in and out is through the guard.
Of course, teleportation works too. But, given the rarity of teleportation, you won’t find one smuggling. It is an easy way to a lifetime of luxury through souley legal routes.”
“Teleporting isn’t that hard,” I say with a chuckle. “If you throw an ender pearl, it teleports you.”
“Yeah, right into a wall.” He laughs.
“Can’t deny that.”
“I was reffering to reliable teleportation, like telepads and that item you pull out to teleport.”
“Speaking of telepads, I assume you will place on here?”
“Absolutely not, in the woods nearby? Yeah, but not in the city. Who knows if it is detectable.”
“Excellent foresight.” Commending him on something I didn’t think of.
“Dude, it’s common sense. Something you seem to lack.”
“Hey, my common sense is fine.” Recoilling in fake pain.
“You walk around in shiny armor. How is that common sense? That is asking for trouble!”
“But, it looks cool.”
Causing him to use the universal sign of ‘seriously!’ By banging his head on the table. “Hey, at least you are strong enough to ignore trouble.”
“No, I can just recover from anything. The only thing that would concern me is a soul-devouring creature.” Thinking about if I know any. “Do any even exist?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, if any do, they will be extinct by the time I am finished with them.”
“Casual conversation about making a species extinct.” He says sarcasticly.
“If it can eat souls, it can go to hell.”
“Nether!” He replies.
“Whatever.”
Looking out the window, “we are starting to make some good progress. We will be in the city in half an hour or less.”
Jengal jumps up to the window, “finally!” Looking out, he smiles.
“Now, what to do while we wait. Any ideas, Jengal?”
“You haven’t uploaded a youtube video in a while,” he points out.
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“Brilliant idea, Jengal!”
Pulling out my phone, “Hanna, want to record us?”
“Sure,” she says, grabbing the phone.
Pulling Jengal closer with one arm, we start.
“Hello, welcome to a crafting video. More spacficly, the crafting recipe for a crafting table. If you have access to a crafting table, just place 4 planks in a 2x2 grid. Now, if you don’t, watch this.”
Placing planks in the array on the ground before activating them. “You need to mentally trigger the crafting recipe, creating a crafting table. Your turn, Jengal, give it a try.”
Tossing some wood to Jengal, he gives it a try. It takes him a short while, but he figures it out. Marveling at his own crafting table.
“Now, a little warning. For those of you who don’t know, crafting has two risks. The first is monetary; if you fail a crafting recipe, the items are destroyed. The second is physical. If you craft a lot, you will suffer crafting fatigue. This is a form of mental exaustion; if you keep crafting, you will pass out. It is like a muscle; the more you craft, the easier it is the craft. Ingredient costs + complexity of the item results in how much fatigue you suffer. So, don’t craft anything iron until you work through iron and stone.” Winking at the viewers.
“I hope that was helpful, Aeternum out.”
Taking the phone from Hanna, I hastily upload it.
“That was interesting,” Jengal says.
“It was fun.”
“Want help with future videos?” Jengal volunteers.
“Sure, any crafting video would benefit from your help.”
“Sweet!” He shouts.
While I am on youtube, I check my most recent videos. Happy to see that they each have several thousand views. Checking the comments brings a smile to my face. Several people have commented, “thank you.”
Placing my phone back within my pocket as we are quickly reaching the gate. Mentally preparing for the guards to search the carriage. Once we roll up, I hear the familiar conversation the driver has had a dozen times. Moments later, I hear a loud ringing noise. Seeing the device in the guard’s hand is beeping and flashing red. “This is gonna be annoying.”
The guards quickly surround the carriage, “undisclosed magical device! No sudden movements!”
The diamond-clad guards slowly open the carriage door, pointing silver spears at us, the occupents. “Step out! Slowly!” They shout.
We slowly leave, hands up. They visibly recoil at the sight of my armor. “Slower!”
Once we are standing outside with our hands up, they approach. “May I speak?” I enquire the guard.
“You may speak.”
“I think I know what the magical device is.”
“Show it! Slowly!”
I gently pull out the only magical device I have on me, my bag of holding. Displaying the bag to the guards.
“Remove it and hand it to us for inspection.” Stepping forward to receive it.
“Sorry, that won’t work. It is bonded to me. It cannot be removed.”
Not listening to me, they speak again, “remove it!”
Taking it off my neck, I hold it out for them to try and take. The guard closest snatches it away, surprised when he is grasping empty air. I slowly remove it from my neck again. “See, told you.”
The small group of guards look at each other in surprise. “Look, you want me, right? Let my companions carry on their way.”
“Okay, step aside.” Complying, I step to the side. Allowing them to complete an inspection without incident.
“Pass, move along.”
Before the carriage moves off, I approach Jengal. Alarming the guards slightly in the process. Handing him a phone, “gift this to john in my stead. I will message you when I deal with this.”
He nods in acceptance.
Returning to the guards, I am guided through a doorway within the gate. Lead up a staircase and through into a solitary black obsidian room. A floor of stone brick and lit with Glowstone; “well this is comfy,” I joke.
The guards ignore my comment, “stay here; we will get a superior and a magic specialist.”
“Fine by me.”
They leave quickly, closing the reinforced door shut. The click sound tells me it is deadbolted. While I have the chance, I slip out of my armor. Placing it within my golden bag. I now only have some simple clothes on.
Repeatadly checking my phone told me I was in there for over an hour before someone came. Placing my phone in my bag as a man and woman enter.
They both sit opposite the small wooden table I am behind. “Hello, we were informed you have a bonded magical item.” The man says.
I now notice the swords hanging from the woman’s hips. Gulping slightly, “yeah, I do.”
“Please show us.”
Taking out the golden bag, I display it.
“What type of bond?” The man asks.
“Soulbond.”
He winces slightly, “that’s some serious magic.” He pulls out a strange crystal, “this will allow us to separate it from you for 5 minutes. We will inspect it for dangerous stuff before returning It to you.”
Internally panicking, I have several mountains of dangerous stuff in there. “Is there any way I can put my stuff away at home before showing you?” I say with a nervous chuckle.
The woman stands up, “No!”
Fine, if I am doing this, it’s not naked. “Fine, let me wear something decent.” Using my time in the bottle to speed myself up, I hastily put my armor on. It must have been less than a second for them, but for me, I had a dozen minutes. Once the time dilation deactivates, they visibly step back, startled. Holding my hands up in surrender, “hey, I am not risk getting killed here.“
Tossing them the bag, I realize I could have used the time dilation to put my stuff in my base. Cursing my stupidity.
The man catches it, the greenish gem pulsed slowly, before I felt a light snap in my chest. He quickly opens it, eyes going wide. Pulling out 10 different golden bags. The womans neutral face quickly turned into disbelief. My time in bottle is in my hand, ready to grab my stuff and teleport away at a moment’s notice.
They begin opening each bag, faces long since fallen into a mess of different emotions. Thinking, screw this. I use my time in the bottle, grabbing my items, teleporting home, depositing everything, including my armor, and returning.
I kept two items, my time in a bottle and my dislocator. I found great pleasure watching slow-motion horror and surprise on their faces.
Once my time returned to normal, I watched the woman unsheathe her blade and hold it to my neck. “Where is it? Where did the items go?”
Slightly nervously, I speak. “I… I… I… Stored it away; since It cannot be brought into the city.”
“Give us the bag around your neck!”
Tossing them the bag, they quickly search it. Frowning at finding nothing within. The man quickly turns to the woman, “what do we do? We can’t detain him without evidence!”
“Don’t tell him that!” She shouts in reply, hitting him around the ear.
“Well, since your friend here has said you can’t detain me. I will be off. Using my time in a bottle, I run away. Disappearing into the massive city with lightning speed.
Having rushed away with every ounce of speed, I neglected to have a look around. Crumpling to the floor in fatigue, looking around while my stamina restores. Seeing the sheer size of this place made me feel small. Each building is at a minimum, 5 floors high. Stone brick, marble, black marble, and obsidian being the most common materials.
9 maps couldn’t cover this massive city; the streets alone can fit 5 carts. Finding a crossroad, instead of seeing a sign, I see a wall of signs. Detailing the exact sector you are within and the route to the next 4 cardinal sectors. Along with directions to important buildings like hospitals, guard stations, inns, pubs, banks, the general; “I am so… Gonna get lost.”