The Edge of MINECRAFT (Being the Second Volume of the Minecraft Trilogy)

Wretched Hive of Scum and Villainy

You will find few places more filthy and disgusting than Harrod's Stool. It is a poor-lit, foul smelling bar that rests in a very rough part of a very big city. Criminals of all kinds gather there. Bounty hunters, smugglers, thieves, murderers, swindlers. It was a den of evil, a slum of villainy.

It was the perfect place for secrets to spread.

This was the thought of the man. He sat in the back corner, his whitish tan cloak obscuring all of his face save for a slight grey beard that protruded from its hood. His hands rested on the table, and though his eyes were hidden, he was very obviously watching. For what, though, was unknown.

He sat in solitary as most patrons passed without a second glance in his direction. The horrible music was loud enough just to make it to his ears. He took another sip of the dark liquid they tried to pass off as a beverage. He could make something better using swamp water.

A rough looking pale man sat down at the booth. He was clad in worn leather. A dagger was strapped to his hip.

"Do you have the information I need?" the first figure asked, not bothering to make eye contact. He appeared to be watching the door.

"Of course," the pale one asserted. "I've got everything you wanna know." The cloaked one nodded.

"This is good," he said.

"Now, we got the issue of money," the pale one pointed out.

"Information first," the one in cloak said. "Then we talk money."

The pale mercenary nodded. "Of course," he said. "I've got several sources that say a big monster group is on the move."

"I know that," the first interjected. "I'm only going to pay you if you give me some worthwhile information."

"Yeah, yeah," the pale man stammered. "You see, there are some very important monsters with them. They say that creeper boss, Israphel, is with 'em. There's some boys from the South Arm, the White Eyes, the Dark Suns, the Lapis Gang, and the Mohj-hang Brothers. That's just the start. Plus, Herobrine's got some of his own leaders. I hear tell his two of his last big guns are with them."

"And who would that be?" the cloaked figure asked, somewhat more interested.

"Commander Deadbones, of the Thirteenth Graveyard Division, and Zombie General Number Five." This visibly took the cloaked figure aback. That or he had gas.

"Deadbones and Five," he mused. "If sources can be trusted, Five is his last general save for Two, who already may be dead. That's a risky gamble. His army won't be much if he's just got one missing general. Plus, Deadbones is valuable, too. Losing both of them would be a huge blow. What is he doing sending both of them on a mission?"

"I also heard from some wanderers that the White Eyes have been scattered. Apparently, some group overpowered them. From the damage, they said it looked like a small army had attacked."

"Steve," the figure whispered.

"Now, I'm pretty sure that Steve feller's dead," the informant replied. "I've got multiple confirmations on that."

"But he had people with him," the cloaked figure explained. "They're the ones chasing these monsters."

The merc nodded.

"Anything else?" the former inquired.

"Well, I just did get a big bit of information, but it's gonna cost you extra."

"This isn't about another abuse trial concerning a spleef player, is it?" the cloaked one groaned. The informant shook his head. He was definitely excited about something. "Go on," the former encouraged, waving his hand.