Loyalty [Dianite]

C H A P T E R • E I G H T

Riley slept like a log when she finally returned to her bed in the small hours of the morning, and did not stir again until the sound of an almighty explosion jolted her back into the land of the living. A quick glance outside the window told her how late it was - the sun was already high in the sky, and it was no wonder Tom had continued blasting out his tunnel without her. Quickly pulling her clothes on, she slipped out of her room, and made her way down the steps and into the crater that was the entryway of the tunnel. Her eyes were inevitably drawn towards the nether portal that stood innocently (or perhaps not so innocently) to the side, but she ignored it for now, heading further down the tunnel. A tuft of blue hair could be seen poking out from behind a crag of rock, and she picked her way over there, gingerly stepping over the excess redstone still on the ground from where Tom had ignited previous explosives.

"Oh," said Tom, as he caught sight of her, "I didn't mean to wake you, sorry! You must have been exhausted to sleep that long."

"You didn't think blowing things up directly below my bedroom would wake me up?" She chuckled, with a shake of her head.

"That's a good point," he scratched the back of his head, before running a hand through his blue hair, leaving traces of redstone dust in it. "What on earth were you up to yesterday for you to be so tired?"

Riley paused, and considered telling him the truth. After all, he was a Dianitee, and she believed she could trust him. But Dianite hadn't wanted her to share the information with anyone, and she decided to take him literally.

"I guess it was all the travelling," she said. "I went to the Nether and the End with Jordan, remember?"

"Yes, I remember," Tom laughed. "I still can't believe that Jordan took you to the Nether, since he's been so careful to only take you places you'll be absolutely safe."

As if to emphasise his point, there was another explosion barely ten feet from the two of them, and they were both thrown backwards, crashing painfully onto the rocky floor. Riley felt the dust enter her nose, and began to sneeze violently.

"Case in point," Tom muttered, sitting up, and dusting his hands off. "Riley you have no armour on, how are you not dead?!"

"Let's not tell Jordan this happened," she grumbled, after she'd finally stopped sneezing.

"Tell me what?"

Both of them whipped their heads around to see Jordan standing at the top of the stairs, frowning in confusion.

"Are you two okay? What happened here?"

"Nothing," Riley shook her head, standing up, and reaching over to Tom, wiping the dirt off her hands and onto his clothes.

"Hey!" He complained.

"This is your fault," she giggled. "You bear the consequences. What's up, Jordan?"

"Nothing much, just wondered if you're doing anything today?"

"I do have something pretty important planned, actually," Riley said, climbing the steps to where the Ianitee was standing. "Why's that?"

Jordan raised an eyebrow inquisitively at her.

"I had something pretty cool to show you, but... what's this big important thing you need to do?"

Riley looked at him for a moment. He wasn't going to like what she was about to say, but it had to be done.

"I've picked a side. I need to swear my allegiance."

"What?!" Exclaimed Tom, in surprise. "You've chosen?"

"I can tell from the way you're looking at me that I'm not gonna like your decision," said Jordan, shaking his head.