A Tale of Minecraft- Book 1: Autumnal Equinox (A VT MC Fanfic)

Chapter 8

Bethany sat the flower upright against a tree, and pulled out various potions. She then vigorously examined the flower, but being very gentle with it, so not to hurt it, and possibly Jordan. Injuries showed up on both sides of a soul-bond, so Bethany could see what part of Jordan was injured, through the flower. Unfortunately, she was too early to see immediate damage. Injuries started showing up on the flower, around the base of its roots. Burns. Jordan was being tortured with extreme heat. Not a surprise, considering the element of the Tree Pigs was fire. Bethany had some bottles of plain water on her, so she splashed some on the flower's roots. She then dug around in her bag of potions again. Where was it?

Cierra, Isaac, and Ventar watched with intent as Bethany worked her magic. She was very skilled in magic, and was very self-confident. Bethany pulled out a potion, and smiled. It was a Potion of Fire Resistance. She handed it to her red flower, who tilted it up to the head of Jordan's injured flower for it to drink. The effects of the potion would eventually transfer over to Jordan through the soul-bond, and hopefully prevent him from getting too badly injured. Bethany pulled out a Splash Potion of Instant Healing, and poured it over the injuries. There were a few others, some wouldn't be repairable through potions alone, but for the most part, Jordan's flower seemed to be recovering rather quickly, thanks to the splash potion.

The four were able to keep going, and find their way into the base camp of the Tree Pigs. Every pig in the camp watched their every move, as they were most likely expecting an attack.

"All I wish is to speak with Porteran!" Ventar told them. "The only reason for us to attack, is if we are met with hostility!"

A Tree Pig shaman trotted up to them.

"Porteran is busy dealing with a... 'special guest'," the shaman told them.

"What are you doing to him?!" Isaac growled, and gripped his axe.

"Isaac!" Ventar shouted at him. "As I said, we will only attack if we are met with hostility!"

Isaac lowered his weapon.

"I know why you are here," the shaman continued. "You are here to bargain for the life of Venturian."

"I'd rather use the word 'discuss'," Ventar responded.

The shaman smiled. "I will let Porteran know you wish to speak with him."

As the shaman disappeared into a stone tunnel, Cierra let out a quiet groan. Isaac put his axe away, realizing he was still holding it, and turned red in embarrassment. He looked around and saw Tree Pig mothers holding their scared children, and shooting them dirty looks. Isaac softened his facial expression, but didn't smile. He wanted to retain a blank expression, so he didn't give the residents any ideas.

After a while of waiting, the shaman returned with Porteran. The girls started breathing heavily, but Isaac and Ventar kept blank stares as well as they could.

"Ventar," Porteran boomed. "I know what you are here for. You are here for the oldest of your adopted human children, yes?"

"I am," Ventar responded politely.

"I just finished up talking to him," Porteran remarked. "He didn't seem to like how the conversation ended, but he definitely had some interesting things to say, when he spoke at all. He is definitely not the person I thought he was."

"He's not exactly legend-worthy, yet," Ventar stated. "I know he'll get there though. Just give him  some time to shape up. And receive a gift I have yet to give him."

"What?!" Porteran burst out. "Shape up? Receive a gift? What are you talking about?"

"Yeah, Ventar," Cierra asked. "What are you talking about?"

"If he is still alive, I'll tell you three," Ventar told Cierra, then turned to Porteran. "But not you. You'll find out when you're in battle against him."

Worried conversation erupted from the crowd. None of the siblings questioned Ventar, but exchanged confused glances.

"I will go get him," Porteran told them. "Concider this time a warning, that we will not hold back next time." Porteran left with the shaman to fulfill the task.

"Ventar," Bethany asked. "Do you really think they'll let him go so easily?"

"No," Ventar replied, solemnly. "I don't."

Sure enough, Porteran hadn't come up yet when something happened. But it was worse than they had thought. Jordan's flower started screaming again.

"They lied!" Isaac shouted in disbelief. "They're trying to kill him!"

"We need to go down there, now!" Bethany yelled.

The four of them ran to the the tunnel, but were blocked by various guards. They had no choice, but to fight.

Bethany whacked one over the head with her crowbar, while Isaac slammed one down with the axe. Cierra pulled out a short sword, and broke through with that, as Ventar used his sword. They eventually broke through, and made into the tunnel. They ran as fast as they could, and soon the screams of the flower started to blend with the screaming of someone else. Jordan.

Cierra ran ahead, and bust open the door to room the sound came from, and pulled out her bow.

"You lied, Porteran!" She shouted furiously at Porteran. "We were willing to make a deal, and you backstabbed us!"

"There was no deal," Porteran stated. I didn't mention the second part of my declaration. It was a word. Dead."

"You filthy pig!" Cierra screamed, as the others came up behind her, angry as she was.

"Don't you know never to trust them?" said a weak voice. "Ventar, you taught me that. You disobeyed yourself."

Cierra pushed past Porteran and the guards. There, strapped to a table, with pale skin, bloodshot eyes, and weak with injury, was Jordan. Isaac threw his axe across Porteran to keep him from approaching the table again, as Cierra undid the straps. After the last was undone, Jordan painfully sat up, and Cierra hugged him.

"I'm alright," Jordan smiled.

"Alright," Porteran sighed. "I will take off the second part of the statement. It won't be the same next time."

The, now, five of them were allowed to leave. Ventar morphed back into cow form, and carried Jordan's weakened body back to Betgoimven.

"Ventar," Jordan exasperated. "Thank you. I couldn't have gotten out of that on my own. Thanks for leading my siblings to where I was. They wouldn't have found me on their own, I knew."

"How did you know this?" Ventar smiled.

"I passed out at one point," Jordan informed him. "I envisioned them getting lost, and killed. I got really scared that this was the true immediate future."

"Well, I'm glad that wasn't the case!" Isaac laughed. Isaac, Bethany, Cierra, and Ventar were the only others who knew that Jordan was able to see the future and past in his dreams. Sometimes, at random nights, the distant, far distant future, but always saw them as different people from then.

Hopefully, peace could finally ensue, but they knew it was unlikely.