Blade of Fire

Part 11

A bright light seeped into Techno's half closed eyes, he opened them to see a purple mist hanging in the air.

Ranboo groaned next to him, his eyes closed. Half of his face and hair had gone white, his crown askew on his head. Seeing Techno he smiled a toothy grin, at least they were both alive.

Techno crawled onto his knees and retched. It felt like his insides had been scooped out and his whole body ached.

A weird sensation filled his body, his hands and knees especially, from the floor, and as the mist parted he saw small white flakes dancing in the air.

"I'm cold" Ranboo shivered

Cold. So that was what Techno was feeling. He picked up a handful of snow and cupped it in his hands, until a small trickle of water ran down his palm.

"Thank you Ranboo, thank you! We're here we're here!"

Techno could feel a drop of water slide down his cheek. Bringing up his hand he brushed away his first tears of joy.

Ranboo looked over to see Techno marveling at the nature around him, his rugged clothes soot stained and dirty, but he was happy. Truly happy. Ranboo could still feel a warm glow from his crown.

Techno laughed, truly laughed, snorting into a fit of giggles. He was free!

That's when he felt it. A beating in his heart. The same beating that every living being in the Nether felt. The rhythm of the miners, the warriors, the citizens of the Bastion. He still felt the lust for blood, how easily it would be to rebel, to bring down a nation, to make the rivers turn red. It was engrained into his very soul, the survival of the Nether.

However, now he was in the Overworld he didn't feel it as strongly. It was as if someone had lifted a mantle off his shoulders. He could still feel the Nether, that was part of him, and would always be part of him, no matter what quests he went on or death-defying tasks he took part in, but it was quieter.

"I don't even know if the Blood God really does exist, but if He does and He wants to send be back to that hell-like Nether, I want him to hesitate!" he called out to the world, to anyone who was listening.

The feeling of the Overworld hadn't yet sunk in, the open sky, green trees, trees! He threw some snow at Ranboo and smiled.

"Those who have treated me with kindness, I shall repay that kindness tenfold." He called out to him. Ranboo grinned back

And those that treat me with injustice, he thought to himself, I shall repay that injustice a thousand times over.