The Enderdragon's Baker (A Minecraft Story)

Ten Years Ago

Smoke poured into the sky from the ruins in the distance, glowing a dirty orange from the sunrise it was blocking. The field around it was slowly going out and there wasn't a single intact building left. Above, a dragon was flying away.

"Looks like your boyfriend did what was asked of him." A tall man snickered. Tiara scowled at him before glaring back at the city. They were on a mountain far away so that the leader could see his deal playing out.

"He isn't my boyfriend." She mumbled in annoyance.

"Not anymore, maybe. You couldn't even do that simple job right. And now here he is having to save your sorry-"

He got cut off by the heavy wind coming from dragon wings. Ed slammed on the ground in front of them, injured and very clearly still enraged. Tiara and the leader of the mercenary group fell to the ground completely.

Ed slowly shifted back to his hybrid form. It was painful but he wanted to make it seem like he was fine. Even though he clearly wasn't fine. He stormed over to them with a limp and was still injured bad. He wasn't made for hours of combat against that many people, especially all night.

"There's our hero!" The leader cheered, mockingly. He gave the dragon king a once over and capturing him while he's weak seemed like a good idea. For all of about five seconds. All it really took was one enraged, icy glare later and the thought was quickly put to rest. "A deals a deal. You can have your girlfriend back. If you still want her anyway."

"If he didn't, he wouldn't have destroyed an entire city in one night!" Tiara snapped, impatiently. "Now untie me, damn it."

"Eh, never said I'd do that. Besides, Dragon king here still looks pissed. I'mma consider you a wrapped up present." The group leader snickered and some of the members behind him joined in. Ed looked unamused and they quickly made a getaway before his exhaustion wore off.

Tiara struggled but Ed didn't even move to help her. Honestly, he was debating on wether he even should or not. She'd get out on her own eventually, right? Tia eventually gave up and dared to glance up at him, looking slightly scared for once. Normally she was pretty sure he'd never hurt her, but the look he gave her wasn't good.

"E-Ed, I know I f-ed up b-but-"

"Just stop." He sighed, tiredly. She shut up and watched as he walked over and began untying her. "I couldn't hurt you if I wanted to. One of us was actually being honest." Ed growled, quietly.

Halfway through, his patience was shot and he ended up cutting all of them off instead. After everything that has happened in the last few weeks, she wasn't comfortable with him holding a sword near her but she knew he wasn't lying. Eventually she was free and he backed off so she could stand up, rubbing the sore areas on her arm where the ropes had sat. He hesitated before getting out a healing potion and tossing it to her. She caught it silently and began to sip it. You couldn't cut the air with a knife.

"I didn't mean for it to go this far." She grumbled. It pissed him off more.

"Your not an idiot, Tiara. You knew they'd betray you." Ed snapped. "Don't get angry at me because you got caught. I shouldn't even have paid your debt, let alone saved you at all."

"I know." Tiara sighed. The silence set in again and was somehow worse. "So. What now? If you aren't going to kill me, then what?"

"We never see each other again and you get to go con someone else." He answered. She looked back at him curiously only to shiver from the glare he gave her. "And I wouldn't suggest you set even a foot into the End again, or I won't need to kill you. I still can't bring myself to kill you, but that doesn't mean the Enderman won't either. Do I make myself clear?"

"Cr-Crystal."
"Good."

They both looked up at the graying sky. There was no rain but the rolling clouds rumbled in anger, thunder echoing through at least half the map. They knew what that meant. Ed's threat was taken to heart and she wasted no time to see what Notch would do to her instead. Tia raced into the opposite direction of her kidnappers and disappeared from view. Ed watched until she was completely gone, before looking up at the sky and just waiting. He knew what comes next. Or at least he thought he did. The sky lit up and everything went white.

That was the last he saw of the Overworld.