Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The muffled sound of footsteps echoed off the white walls. The Quartz absorbed sound well, leaving no doubt as to how many people were in the room. Two. Just two. Aldo and the guard. They walked briskly toward a place he already knew well. The silver handcuffs clinked softly with every step, refusing to be forgotten.

Good.

He didn’t want to forget how he’d lunged at Cucurucho. He knew he didn’t stand a chance against him. He knew the invisible field wouldn’t let him hurt that damn bear. But he also knew he wouldn’t let him laugh and clap with impunity while his friend was being tortured just a few meters away

“It's a good view, don't you think?”

Son of a bitch. Aldo clenched his jaw. He could feel eyes on him. Cucurucho was waiting for a reaction. The Mexican just looked down. At his friend. Fighting for his life against an army of armed skeletons. Artificially modified, carrying out every order from the federation.

Juan wasn’t a fighter. He had neither the height nor the weight. He had no heightened senses or combat skills. He was an ordinary man who preferred to settle conflicts with words.

“Every action has its consequences.” he said, in a soulless voice.

Aldo knew that. All too well. For weeks, he had been arming himself against his enemies, knowing that the consequences could come at any moment.

“That wasn’t the deal.” His voice sounded harsh, sharp.

He looked at his friend. The man he had sworn to defend with his life.

“You were supposed to let him go.” his voice was cold. Dripping with venom.

“Consequences don’t care about agreements.”

Aldo clenched his fists. Juan was pinned against the wall. A bony hand, strong, formal, stubborn. Unwilling to budge despite his protests. He closed his eyes, trying to escape the sight, the feeling of helplessness, the fact that he could only stand and watch…

Something cracked. And then a scream.

He opened his eyes.

Juan was lying on the cold, quartz floor. He was clutching his left forearm, no longer able to defend himself. Broken. Aldo clenched his teeth, fury in his eyes. He spun around toward Cucurucho. The bear stood there, silently watching the torture

“Pathetic, don’t you think?” His robotic voice was practically dripping with amusement.

“You son of a bitch!” Aldo shouted before his fists flew toward the federation leader of their own accord. He shoved him with all his might toward the wall. He aimed a punch. Nothing. His fist slumped as if against an invisible barrier. Impenetrable. He tried again. Same result. And then he felt a prick on his back. Immediately after, a paralyzing current ran through his entire body. He groaned in pain, helpless, unable to fight. He slumped to the floor.

Before the paralysis wore off, he felt cold hands on him. His arms were bent backward. Immediately after, he felt the cold metal on his wrists.

“Haha.”

“You’ll pay for this!” he growled, struggling beneath the Federation officer.

The officer paid no attention to his movements. He lifted him off the floor and headed toward the exit.

“Haha. Don’t try that again.” was the last thing he heard before he was dragged out of the room.

The trip to his cell wasn’t long. A few narrow corridors and they were there. The officer unceremoniously removed his handcuffs and shoved him inside.

“Don’t try that again.” The same soulless, mechanical voice. “Your lack of cooperation will be punished.”

Seconds later, all that remained of the passageway was a wall of quartz. Aldo growled in frustration. His tail bristles and wags furiously. If only he could hurt them this whole damn building would go down in smoke.

He didn’t know what to do with himself. Out of helplessness, he kicked the corner of his bed. He wanted to scream, shout. He felt useless. He felt cheated, he felt like a liar. After all, he had promised them that Juan would return safe and sound!

Out of frustration, he punched the wall. Once, then twice, three times, four times, until he stopped counting. He didn’t care that every blow hurt. He screamed every curse he knew, every insult directed at the Federation. Until finally, the screams stuck in his throat, replaced by quiet sobs. He slumped to the floor, his knuckles bleeding profusely. He leaned against the wall, smeared with his own blood. He curled up, burying his face in his arms. The only thing on his mind now was that he had failed.

____________

Aldo was laying on the bed. The white light hurt his eyes, even though he should have gotten used to it long ago. After all, it never went out. Which, unfortunately, made it hard for him to tell time. He didn’t know what day of the week it was, he didn’t know what time it was, or whether it was day or night. For the first three days, he was still able to tell, now? There was no chance. It could have been two days or a week since his last visit. He didn’t know.

Meals never came at the same time. Sometimes he felt as if he hadn’t been fed for days, and other times, as if a meal was waiting at the door after just a few hours. Nothing special. Some bread, some cheese, and water. Enough to satisfy his hunger just a bit, but not enough to restore his full strength.

This time, he felt as if he hadn’t eaten in days. He tried to remember the last time he’d had anything in his mouth. It wasn’t easy. The last time was before they took him to watch Juan’s torture. At the very thought of it, he clenched his fists. Maybe they’re starving him for attacking Cucurucho? He wouldn’t be surprised.

An unexpected sound suddenly reached his ears. A quiet murmur. Distant. But accustomed to the constant silence in this quartz cell, he knew something was wrong. For now, he ignored it. He couldn’t do anything anyway, locked inside these four walls. Whatever the Federation was doing, it wasn’t his concern. Or so he thought. Until the sound became more obvious. Teleportation.

“Aldo?”

The North’s general eyes widened.

What?

He looked around, confused. His eyes fell on a person he didn’t want to see. A person he never expected to see in a place like this. In the corner of the room stood none other than the Regime’s Supreme Leader.

“Ash?”

Ashswag stood in a defensive stance. In one hand he held a sword, in the other a purple fruit. Chorus. He stared at him as if he couldn’t believe his own eyes.

“What are you doing here?” Aldo was the first to snap out of his shock. He jumped out of bed in a flash, ignoring the dark spots before his eyes. His tail wrapped around his thigh. He stood on the other side of the small room, wanting to keep as much distance as possible. He had nothing on him to defend himself with, unlike Ash, who stood fully geared up, ready for battle.

“I’m exploring caves miles away from any civilization. You know, just for fun. ” he said sarcastically, then changed his tone. “I’m looking for you! That should be obvious!”

Aldo didn’t understand. It had to be a dream. A nightmare to be specific. It was impossible that his greatest enemy on the entire island was looking for him.

“No, this must be some kind of joke.” The General laughed. “I’m hallucinating, they must have slipped something into my water.”

“Even if they did, it doesn’t matter. Come on, we don’t have time.”

Ash approached his rival.

“We? I’m not going anywhere with you! Don’t come any closer!” Aldo raised his voice. He raised his fists in a defensive gesture. They weren’t fully healed yet.

Ash stopped in his tracks. Roughly in the middle of the room. He looked at his opponent. Of course. He could have expected that reaction.

He remained silent for a few seconds, listening for anyone approaching.

“So would you rather remain at the mercy of the Federation?” His voice was low. Dangerous.

“No.”

“Then put your pride aside and listen to me.” His glitches flashed restlessly.

“I don’t trust you.”

“And I trust you even less.”

“Then why were you looking for me?”

“Because I made a promise.”

Aldo didn’t know what to say. He looked at his enemy. The person who had defeated him twice. Who had humiliated him in front of the entire North. He knew that in any other situation, this interaction would have ended in a fight.

“I don’t believe you. This is some kind of trap. The Regime is collaborating with the Federation, after all.”

“What?” Ash burst out laughing, unable to believe what he was hearing. His glitches reacted intensely, covering most of his head.

“I saw the signs in the Pantheon. You’re selling them information.”

“I can't. For saying that alone, I should leave you here to rot in this cell. ” the Leader snarled.

“I’m not going anywhere with you anyway.”

“You know what? I don’t care.” Ash closed the distance between them in two steps. Before Aldo could react in any way, Ash pinned him against the quartz wall with deadly speed. The smaller man struggled under his weight, but Ash seemed unmoved. A few days without food had severely weakened him. He clenched his hand around Aldo’s wrists, just above his head. “I don’t have time for this.”

With his other hand, he pulled out his teleportation stone. The gem glowed in his palm, ready for teleportation.

Panic began to set in for Aldo. This had to be a trap. Ash was teleporting him to another cell for his own purposes. Maybe he’d demand a ransom in exchange for his life? Blackmail the North, as if they didn’t have enough problems already. Take revenge for the fact that he had to hurt members of the Regime.

Without thinking much further, Aldo kicked his enemy in the stomach. Ash naturally bent over, his hand dropping, giving Aldo an opening to bite. He took it. But it was already too late. All that remained of them in the cell were a few purple particles, which evaporated shortly after.

Aldo felt the world spinning around him. The pressure in his stomach that usually accompanied teleportation was now much stronger. Maybe he was just too weak. He landed hard on the ground, digging his hands into the grass. The world stopped spinning.

“I can't believe it.” he heard to his right. Still the same voice he hated so much.

Aldo was the first one to get on his feet. His eyes quickly scanned the area. Ash was lying on his back in the tall grass, a few meters away. The General didn’t wait. He closed the distance and snatched the sword from the Regime leader’s hand. A second later, the tip of the blade was at his throat.

Ash smiled, amused, but raised his hands in surrender.

“You’ve got me.” he said. “What now, Generalissimo?”

“Your Warp Stone.” he said coldly.

Ash raised an eyebrow. So that was his plan. Steal his Warp Stone and teleport to safety, leaving him who knows where. Ash carefully checked his pockets, taking his time, but there was no sign of the stone.

“I don’t have it.”

“You must have it.”

“I would have it if a certain genius hadn’t decided to bite me in the middle of the teleportation. ” he snarled. “Check around, maybe it’s lying somewhere.”

Aldo wasn’t sure. Ash could very well be bluffing, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

“Check again.”

His enemy’s face was seething with irritation. His glitches were unstable.

“I literally have a blade on my throat. Do you really think I would lie right now?”

Aldo didn’t know. Any normal person wouldn’t dare lie in such a situation. But Ash wasn’t normal. Neither in appearance nor in character. He was a walking, living enigma. Which made him a strategist difficult to read.

He looked around, taking a risk. His hand still on a sword. The area where they had landed was covered in tall grass. He realized pretty quickly that the gem’s intense color will not help him much. Even if it was somewhere here, it would be hard to spot.

Suddenly, he felt a tug on his shoulder.
With a lightning-fast movement, Ash pulled the blade away from his neck and thrust it into the ground. The sword sank cleanly into the soil. Aldo could have expected this. In fact he should have. Ash never played fair. The general tried to keep his balance on his feet, only for Ash to pull him down with surprising force a moment later. Aldo landed on the grass again. Less than half a second later, Ash pressed him forcefully into the ground. His arm was bent backward, his wrist pointing toward his shoulder blade, paralyzing his movements.

“Get off me!” he growled.

“Not until we clear up a some things.”

“There is no way I'm going to talking to you!”

“Then at least listen.”

Aldo struggled, trying to throw Ash off his back. With no success. He wrapped his tail around Ash's thigh, squeezing as hard as he could, but his enemy didn't budge. He groaned in pain as the taller man increased the pressure on his wrist.

“Stop struggling. You’re only hurting yourself more.”

“Fuck off.”

“Listen. I’m not going to deal with your mood swings. You have two options: cooperate with me and go home, or be a problem and go back to the Federation cell, since you’re so upset that I found you. They’ll welcome you there with open arms. Take a pick.”

A few seconds of silence passed. Aldo didn’t answer. He panted loudly, still feeling the throbbing pain in his shoulder.

“Have you come to your senses? Good.”

The general clenched his jaw. He wanted to punch him so badly.

“First of all. I’m not here for you. I don’t like you. I’d gladly leave you in that cell.”

“Then why were you looking for me? Do you want a ransom for me? What a brilliant plan. Get rich off your enemies while they can’t defend themselves.”

“No. I don’t need any money from the North, or from you.”

“So?”

Ash was silent for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

“I hate the Federation more than I hate you, Aldo. If freeing you is a blow to them, so be it.” he said, loosening his grip slightly. “Besides, I’ve heard you don’t like them either.”

“That’s true.”

Ash sighed.

“Have you calmed down?” asked the Regime Leader, looking down at the man beneath him. There was no reaction. “I’ll let you go, but if you try to attack me again, you are done.”

Ashswag didn’t wait for his answer. He got down from his back and released his wrist. He grabbed his sword, still ready to defend himself. Aldo slowly got up from the ground. He stretched his arm and moved it a few times, checking to see if everything was okay. He didn’t look at Ash, but he knew Ash was watching him. The smaller man brushed dirt and dust from his clothes.

Ash hissed, looking at his hand. Aldo’s sharp teeth had managed to pierce through his glove and skin. Glitches began oozing out of the tiny holes. “Idiot.”

Aldo smiled, feeling satisfied. Although he regretted a little that he hadn’t managed to hurt him more.

“Where are we?” he asked.

Ash looked around. They were in a vast field, full of flowers and tall grass. No matter which way he looked, it was the same. He didn’t recognize the area. He sighed.

“In the middle of nowhere, thanks to you. ” he replied.

“How was I supposed to know you wouldn’t kidnap me?”

Ash had no intention of telling him that he was just supposed to trust him. They were enemies. There was no room for trust in their relationship. On the day he killed that dog, fate had decided their future. Besides, if he were in his shoes, he would probably have reacted the same way. So he ignored his question.

“ Look for the Warp Stone. It should be lying somewhere around here.”

“So you really don’t have it?”

“If I had it, I wouldn’t be here anymore. ” he said, walking away. He began looking around, searching for the purple gem. His eyes scanned the ground, among the grass and colorful flowers. But there was no sign of the gem anywhere.

He lifted his head, looking around. The sun was slowly beginning to set, painting the sky in warm shades of orange and red. With the sunset, it would be three days since he left the Regime in search of Aldo. He wondered if the factory was still operating. Were the machines still running? Ever since Tubbo had disappeared, they had a tendency to stop for no reason. As if they were alive and knew their owner wasn’t there.

“Did you find it?” he heard his enemy’s voice.

Ash snapped back to reality. He blinked a few times. What had he found? Oh, right, a Warp Stone.

“No, keep looking.”

Aldo sighed in irritation.

“This is pointless.”

“You should’ve thought twice before you bit me.”

“Fuck you.”

Ash went back to looking around. But his thoughts were far away. He wondered if anyone had noticed he was gone. He didn’t expect anyone to worry about him. Or miss him. No. Tubbo's gone. Katie has her own world. Maybe at least Ewron noticed his absence? They usually kept in pretty close contact.

“How far are we from the North?”

“Far.”

“In numbers?”

“Hard to say. We should be halfway there.”

“How long will it take us to get there on foot?” Aldo asked.

Ash laughed.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. You have no idea how far they teleported you, do you?”

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t have time to look around. Maybe because I was stuck inside four white walls!” he shouted.

They locked eyes. Neither said a word. Ash knew how short-tempered Aldo was. He didn’t blame him for it.

“Days. It would take us days.” he replied briefly, after a moment of silence.

“Wonderful. Just wonderful. I can’t believe my fucking luck. Stuck in the middle of nowhere with the worst possible person. As if Spider or Tina couldn’t find me. No, it had to be you of all people!”

“Cry me a river.”

The sun was getting closer and closer to the horizon. Ash sighed.

“We should get out of here. It’ll be dark soon, and we’ll be sitting ducks for all the monsters in the area. We need to find some kind of hideout.”

“And then what?”

“We’ll wait out the night. In the morning, we’ll hit the road. If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll stumble upon a village with a waystone.”

Aldo wasn’t thrilled about working with Ash. But his plan wasn’t the worst. It was, in fact, the most logical one given their situation. Aldo had nothing with him. All his belongings were back at his castle. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have worried about monsters. His armor and weapons handled them effectively. But here, he was defenseless. He had nothing to defend himself with in case of an attack.

“All right. Lead the way.”

So they set off. Ash walked ahead, clearing the path. He used his sword to cut down the taller grasses and plants. Aldo followed a few meters behind him. He scanned the rear and flanks, watching for any threats. Monsters were one thing, but he had, after all, escaped from a Federation prison. It would be strange if they weren’t looking for him. So his senses remained on high alert.

Throughout the entire journey, the Regime Leader didn’t turn to look at him even once. His eyes were fixed on scanning the area for a hiding place, but Aldo knew he was ready to fight at any moment. His posture gave him away. They didn’t speak to each other, letting the natural sounds take the spotlight. The rustling of the wind through the grass. Crickets and frogs singing their songs. Birds returning to their nests, getting ready for sleep.

Dusk was falling faster and faster. Navigating this terrain was now much harder. Aldo had to squint to be able to see anything. He had no idea if Ash could see anything at all. Especially since he only had one eye.

“Can you even see anything? Or are you leading us blindly?”

“I have good eyesight.”

“With one eye, sure.”

Ash snorted.

“I have two eyes. It’s just that no one can see the other one.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s just how it is.”

Aldo wouldn’t let it go.

“A secret?”

“Drop it. ” he replied irritably.

“Can’t you control your little thingies?” Aldo was curious.

Ash stopped. He turned toward his enemy. His glitches glowed faintly in the darkness. Now they covered his entire face.

“Got any more stupid questions?” His voice was low and irritated. Dangerous.

Touchy.

Aldo had many questions. For example, what species is he? Ash stands out sharply from the other inhabitants of the island. He isn’t human, he isn’t an animal, an elf, or a hybrid. He isn’t even a robot. He had never encountered a creature of this type before in his life. The closest thing to his appearance was Maximus, half of whose body had been taken over by a virus.

But seeing that Ash wasn’t in the mood for any of that, he kept his thoughts to himself. He’d rather not have a sword between his ribs. They walked on for several minutes, it was hard for him to say exactly how long, but he knew visibility was dropping to zero. Because of that, he didn’t notice that Ash had stopped, he bumped into his back.

“Watch it,” he scolded him.

“It’s not my fault I can’t see a damn thing! Why did you stop?” he asked, irritated.

“I think I see a cave.”

Aldo looked around. From this distance, he had no idea what Ash was looking at. The tall grass effectively blocked his view. So he had to trust him on this.

“Then don’t just stand there, keep moving. Night has fallen.”

The cave wasn’t large. The few-meter-wide hollow in the rock was enough to shield them from the wind and the prying eyes of the monsters. They went inside, quickly checking to see if the cave was safe. They found nothing dangerous. So they decided to stay. They kept a certain distance between them. Neither Ash intended to get close to Aldo, nor Aldo to him. They sat across from each other.

The cave was mostly covered in roots tangled on the walls. An earthy, musty smell hung in the air. No one would have stayed here for long of their own free will. But the two of them didn’t have much of a choice. The sun had already set, and they didn’t have time to find anything better.

Ash pulled a few things out of his backpack. Sticks, some hay, a flint&steel. Aldo raised an eyebrow.

“Are you going to start a fire?” the General asked.

“As you can see.”

He didn’t like that answer. Always passive-aggressive.

“Fire will attract monsters,” he muttered briefly.

“I’m not going to sit here in the dark. Besides, I can handle it.”

“You, but what about me?”

Ash arranged the firewood and placed some hay underneath as kindling. A moment later, he held the flint&steel close to it, watching as the flame began to grow. The glitches returned to only half of his face. He looked up at Aldo.

“Don’t tell me you can’t handle a zombie.”

“I have nothing to defend myself with!” he growled.

“You’ve got hands, can’t you fight hand-to-hand?” Ash looked at Aldo’s bloodied knuckles.

“I can.”

“So problem solved.”

Aldo snorted, growing increasingly irritated. Ash glanced at him quickly. He raised an eyebrow.

“If you thought I was going to give you any kind of weapon, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“I wouldn’t attack you,” Aldo replied.

Ash had no intention of taking his opinion into account. They were enemies. Aldo had harmed members of the Regime without a second thought. If it weren’t for the fact that he’d been forced by the Federation, he’d have been dead long ago.

“Listen, Aldo. The only reason you’re still in one piece is my hatred for the Federation.” His voice was low and serious. “If I killed you now, I’d lose a potential ally in the fight against them. But that doesn’t mean I trust you.”

The General of the North lowered his gaze to the flames of the campfire. Ash had every right to be angry. When he decided to attack the Regime, he knew what the consequences might be.

“I had no choice.”

“You did.”

Aldo looked at Ash. He clenched his jaw.

“Tell me, what would you have done in my situation?”

“I wouldn’t be in your situation.”

Aldo laughed.

“Oh, right, I forgot. The Regime’s Supreme Leader isn’t afraid of anything. He’s so brave, he doesn’t care about anyone and anything.” Aldo snorted. “We’ll see what you do when they come for you.”

“They won’t come.” he said plainly. He looked away, watching the cave entrance.

“Why?” he asked.

“They’re not interested in me.”

Aldo didn’t understand.

“What do you mean?”

Ash didn’t answer right away. He moved a bit the sticks in the fire with his sword, scattering the embers. Aldo watched him. His posture wasn’t exactly relaxed, but it wasn’t tense either.

“How many times did the Federation make contact with you before they forced you to attack the Regime?” he asked.

“ What does that have to do with anything?”

“Answer me.”

Aldo didn’t have to think long about his answer.

“Almost every day.”

“I thought so. You see, in my case, the answer is never.”

“What?”

“Never. They never tried to contact me. They never attacked me, never got close. They avoid me as if I were infected with something. Every attempt I make to contact them is ignored.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing, as if I didn’t exist.”

“That’s strange.”

“Even when I killed their cameraman. They didn’t do anything.”

“They did.”

“ They sent you after the Regime. That doesn’t count. You screwed up with the court. They used your mistake to their advantage.”

“ How do you know that?” Aldo looked at him, slightly surprised.

“Foolish and Juan told me.”

“ Juan?!” Aldo jumped up, his eyes flashing “Is he free? Did they let him go?”

“Jezz, chill out. Yeah, he’s free.”

All Aldo could see was his face contorted in pain. His screams as he was tortured. His terrified face. His pleas for them to stop.

“How is he?! ”

“He’s injured, his arm is broken, but he’s alive. I treated his wounds right away, and Senpai is guarding him day and night.”

Aldo was grateful. He had no idea what had happened to Juan since he last saw him being tortured. He didn’t know if they’d released him, didn’t know if he was even alive.

“Thank God.” he said quietly.

Ash raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

For a while, they didn’t speak to each other, letting the crackling of the fire be the only sound in the cave. They both settled in a bit more comfortably, allowing their bodies to rest. Which didn’t mean they were relaxed. At any moment, each of them was still ready to fight.

Outside, it was mostly quiet. The growling of zombies could be heard in the distance. But they weren’t close enough to pose a direct threat. The only thing that might worry them was the Enderman. Their vwoops could be heard quite close to their hideout. As if it was standing just a few meters from the entrance.

Aldo wasn’t afraid of them. He’d killed many of them in his life. But this time, he had nothing that could help him in a fight. The Endermans were incredibly strong, and their long limbs were extremely effective in combat. Many people avoided them even when armed. So he hoped he wouldn’t provoke it.

“Did they feed you?” he heard suddenly. He looked at Ash.

“What?”

“Did they give you food in prison?”

“Every few days.”

“Classic.” Ash pulled a few golden carrots out of his backpack. He looked at Aldo, then held out his hand, offering him some food.

Aldo looked at him in surprise. He hadn’t expected Ash to ever share anything with him. Especially food. All the alarms went off in his head.

Ash didn’t move his hand. But he must have sensed Aldo’s confusion.

“They’re not poisoned.” he said, as if reading his enemy’s mind.

“I don’t trust you.”

“I know. Listen, if I wanted to kill you, I would’ve done it a long time ago. I wouldn’t bother poisoning food that I might accidentally eat myself. But it’s your decision.”

Aldo was hungry. Very hungry.

He fought against his instincts. Ash wasn’t a good person. He expected him to be experienced in poisoning. But logic prevailed. He could kill him at any moment.

“I’ll eat.”

Ash didn’t make a scene. He didn’t have a look of triumph on his face, he simply handed him the food. He took one himself and took a bite, as if to confirm that it wasn’t poisoned.

Aldo would never admit it, but he was slightly grateful. The Federation officers had kept him on a strict diet, controlling his calorie intake. Enough so he wouldn’t starve, but not enough to regain his full strength. He ate his golden carrot fairly quickly. He was surprised when Ash offered him another one. But he accepted it without a word.

He wasn’t going to thank him.

“You can rest if you want. ” Ash said when they were done eating.

“I’m resting.” Aldo replied.

“Don’t you want to sleep?”

“I won’t be able to fall asleep with you here.”

“True.”

At least three hours had passed since they’d arrived at the cave. Neither of them had gone to sleep. Neither of them had brought up any topic of conversation either. They remained in silence most of the time. Ash would occasionally toss a few sticks onto the campfire to keep the flames going. The only thing that caught their attention was the sudden sound of rain. Ash stood up and walked over to the cave entrance. It was raining.

That couldn’t mean anything good.

If he’d been even slightly relaxed before, there was no chance of that now. Rain on this island never means anything good. He returned to the campfire and sat down. His hand rested on his sword, as if he expected something to pounce on him at any moment.

“Just rain, no storm. ” he said.

“I can hear.”

“Something must be happening on the island.”

Aldo knew this all too well. Rain was never a good sign. He could only hope that his people were safe.

An Enderman suddenly teleported into their cave. They both jumped at the sound of the teleportation. They both looked at the monster. The Enderman must have been seeking shelter from the rain, given that the water was deadly to them. Aldo quickly looked away, not wanting to provoke it. He wasn’t ready to fight it.

“Are you crazy? Don’t stare at it!” he snapped, seeing that Ash hadn’t looked away.

Ash smiled.

“Chill out. It won’t do anything.”

“Don’t look it in the eyes.” Aldo couldn’t believe he had to explain the basics of dealing with this monster to him. This had to be some kind of joke.

“You think so?”

The Supreme Leader looked the monster in the eyes. Aldo felt like punching him. There was no way he could be that stupid.

“You’re crazy! I hope it eats you.”

But to the General’s surprise, the Enderman stayed put. It completely ignored Ash’s gaze. It even let out some peaceful vwoops.

“What? How do you do that?”

“Mutual respect.”

“Bullshit.”

“Yeah.” Ash chuckled softly, lowering his gaze to his hands. “Don’t try to understand it.”

Aldo had no idea why the Enderman hadn’t attacked him. But he wasn’t going to ask a second time. It might make him look desperate for an answer. He chose to remain silent. The rain outside was strangely soothing, perhaps because, when he was young, he used to like falling asleep during downpours. Ever since he’d arrived on the island, rain had meant trouble, and he preferred not to forget that. He turned his head toward the cave entrance and settled in a bit more comfortably. He wrapped his tail around himself. He had a long night ahead of him.

____________

When morning came, they left the cave within a few minutes. Neither of them had slept through the night. The field smelled of fresh grass. The dew and remnants of the night’s rain left wet marks on their clothes. Aldo wasn’t a morning person. He was never the first to get up. He usually woke up just before breakfast, leaving all the work to the rest of the household.

Being outside at sunrise was quite a change. An interesting one. Though he would probably have enjoyed it more if it weren’t for the fact that he’d just spent a sleepless night and had who knows how many kilometers to walk ahead of him.

Ash led the way until they left the fields behind. Once they entered the woods, they matched their pace. Not too fast, not too slow. The perfect pace. Leaves mixed with twigs and forest litter crunched under their boots. The scent of the forest carried by a light breeze was soothing. It calmed Aldo’s nervous disposition.

Every now and then, he glanced at his traveling companion. Ash was quiet. He didn’t know if it was because of him or if that was just Ash’s nature. In truth, he had no idea what Ash was like on a day-to-day basis. Their past interactions had made one thing clear. Ash was proud, arrogant, and self-absorbed. He was cold and firm. He still remembered how shaken Juan had been when the Regime Leader walked into his room uninvited and began threatening him.

The man walking beside him showed none of those traits. He was quiet and calm. Focused on his goal.

Aldo was used to the noise. The chaos reigning in the Casa. The fact that all you had to do was shout for someone three rooms away to hear you. It had its charm.

Locked up in a Federation cell, he had practically no one to talk to. The guards didn’t speak to him when they brought him food. He hadn’t met anyone there either. He was doomed to talk to himself. Though even that grew tiresome after a while. So even though Ash wasn’t someone he’d want by his side right now, he was the only one he could open up to.

“Are you always this quiet?” the Mexican asked.

Ashswag glanced at him briefly, then his gaze returned to the forest in front of him.

“Sometimes.”

“Is it because of me?”

“Not exactly. Don’t take it personally.”

“Then what?”

“We don’t have anything in common to talk about, that’s all.”

Aldo blinked a few times. He didn’t think that was entirely true.

“We can find something to talk about.”

“We could also just stay quiet and appreciate the peace of the forest around us.”

“That’s boring,” Aldo grumbled.

“Not my problem,” he said with a slight smile.

For the next few minutes, silence reigned between them, allowing nature to take center stage. The buzzing of insects and the singing of birds. The General played with some resin that hadn’t quite hardened yet, which he’d scraped off a tree they’d passed earlier. Ash remained silent, observing the surroundings.

“How did you find me?” Aldo broke the silence again. He looked up at the taller man.

“By accident.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

He himself had no idea how far they’d teleported him. He didn’t know if he was on the surface, underground, or in the air. The entire facility was tightly secured so that no one would be able to determine where it was located.

“Well, at first I was supposed to look for Juan, but he came back to the North on his own. He was really scared, and he kept talking about you once he found out you’d traded places with him. So I went looking for you. A few days went by, and I ended up at a strange-looking cave. There, I used Chorus. And that’s how I found you.”

“ What were you doing in the cave in the first place, and what do you mean by “strange-looking”?”

“My flint&steel broke, and I didn’t have any iron on me. ” he replied simply.

“So you found me because your flint&steel broke?”

“Kind of.”

Aldo laughed, surprised or perhaps even impressed.

“And the cave, what was wrong with it?”

Ash shrugged.

“It seemed different right from the start, so I went further in. And then I saw the quartz.”

Aldo nodded. That made more sense.

They marched on for the next few hours. The sun had passed its zenith. The Mexican was grateful that, at least this time, he was able to estimate the time more or less accurately. Aldo would be lying if he said he wasn’t tired. He felt as though his eyes were staying open only out of sheer stubbornness. His weakened body wasn’t helping him at all. But he had a goal, and he had to achieve it. He had to get home.

At his side, the Regime leader didn’t look all that bad. Either he wasn’t as tired, or he was good at hiding it. His stride hadn’t slowed, he was still plodding along as if he’d set out for a walk five minutes ago. Aldo felt the urge to punch him again. To wipe that stoicism off his face.

Ash must have noticed how tired he was. After a dozen or so minutes, he suggested they take a break. The Mexican agreed without making a scene. They sat down on the moss, leaning their backs against the trees. Ash pulled some golden carrots and water out of his backpack and offered them to his rival. This time, Aldo had no doubts. He accepted the food without complaint. He was too tired for that. When they had finished eating, Aldo rested his head against a tree trunk, closing his eyes. His senses were still working quite well. He had no intention of sleeping, not with Ash around.

They rested for at least half an hour, exchanging a word every now and then. They didn’t have very long conversations, though.

“Smoke.” Ash said suddenly after several minutes of silence.

“Where?” Aldo asked, snapping back to reality. He opened his eyes.

“To the left.”

The General looked in that direction. A thin wisp of smoke was rising on the horizon. Very easy to miss. Easy to mistake for a cloud. He had no idea how Ashswag had managed to spot it amid all those trees.

“A village?”

“Possibly. But it could also be a Pillager Outpost. And I’ve never seen a waystone there.”

“ Or that stupid bird cult."

They didn’t need to communicate, they simply got up, and their legs carried them in that direction on their own. Despite the many possible sources of the smoke, Aldo felt a glimmer of hope. A small light at the end of a dark tunnel. Finally, they were heading toward a real destination, not just wandering aimlessly.

Whatever civilization lay ahead of them was worth checking out. Especially in their current state.
They followed the small river, keeping their course. The smoke they had spotted was quite a distance away. Based on a cool-headed calculation, they estimated that their journey could take up to several hours. Civilization - or at least that’s what they hoped - was closer to the mountain range. At their current pace, they should arrive there by evening.

__________

The closer they got, the more their theory about the village seemed to hold true. In the distance, they could see several buildings. Some taller, some shorter. A tower resembling a religious structure was clearly visible on the horizon, a common sight in most villages or small settlements. If they were right, returning to their homes was only a matter of time.

When they arrived, their theory was confirmed. The village wasn’t the largest they’d ever seen, but it wasn’t the smallest either. It was medium-sized. They stopped at a distance from the buildings, hiding behind a line of trees. They watched.

“Do you see anything strange?” Aldo asked.

They both agreed they shouldn’t draw too much attention to themselves. They weren’t on their own turf. These people didn’t know them
they didn’t know who they were or where they came from. And given the way they looked, their presence could set off an alarm. After all, they didn’t know if these people were collaborating with the Federation.

The Regime’s supreme leader was a few trees away. Still within earshot and sight.

“Not really. They have at least two golems. We’ll keep our distance, and we should be fine.” he replied.

None of them had found the waystone yet. They expected it to be in the center. If there even was one among those buildings.

“Do you have any invisibility potions?” asked the General.

They’d be very helpful.

“No.”

When packing for the expedition, Ash had tended to choose items he knew would be useful. Those potions weren’t on his list. He wasn’t really one to hide.

“Shit.”

Ash looked at the sun. It was nearing sunset, casting long shadows. They could use those to their advantage. The fewer people who saw them, the better.

“We can wait here a little longer until the sun starts to set. ” he suggested. “Most of the residents will head home.”

Aldo thought about it for a moment. He looked up at the sky. He estimated they’d have to stay hidden for at least another half hour before the sun began to set. But Aldo wasn’t a patient person. After such a long time out in the field, all he could think about was getting back to the casa, a warm bath, and sleep.

“No, the sooner the better.”

Ash looked at him. He narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

They emerged from their hiding spots, returning to their original positions, and set off together toward the village. They stayed close together, choosing shadier spots. It didn’t help much, considering that Aldo was still wearing the white uniform he’d been forced to put on in prison. But at least they were trying.

The villagers they encountered along the way looked at them strangely, surprised and frightened. They tended to avoid interacting with them, scrambling out of their way in a panic. Aldo almost laughed when one kid started crying at the sight of them. He wasn’t surprised. They didn’t look very friendly.

They were both looking around for a waystone. But none caught their eye. Which was starting to become a problem. If they didn’t find one in this village, they’d have to find another one. And that could take them another whole day.
So they kept searching.

People began to retreat into their homes. The village was starting to feel empty and quiet. Too quiet. Ash suddenly stopped in his tracks. Aldo raised an eyebrow as he looked at him. He stopped too.

“Are you tired?”

The leader raised his hand. He was listening. His glitches flickered restlessly.

“Oh shit.”

“What?” Aldo asked, not understanding what was going on. The village was silent. There was no reason to panic. Until he heard it.

Sniffing and a distant heartbeat.

The Warden.

No.

What the hell is the Warden doing on the surface? He’s supposed to be deep underground! They looked at each other, understanding in their eyes. They had to find that waystone as soon as possible.

The Wardens were blind. They relied entirely on their hearing and sense of smell. If they remained silent and kept their distance, they should make it out alive.

That’s when they saw it.

It wasn’t an ordinary Warden.

It was completely white.

The Federation.

The beast stomped heavily along the paths, sniffing and listening intently every few moments. Its movements were unnatural. Its head was tilted, its snout twisted into an unnatural grin, revealing sharp teeth.

It began to approach them.

Ash and Aldo began to back away. They had to get out of there. They didn’t stand a chance against this monster. At least, that’s what Ash thought.

Aldo had a different opinion. They had to find a waystone. He wasn’t going to look for another village.

“What are you doing?!” Ash whispered aggressively when Aldo stopped in his tracks. “We have to run!”

“We have to find a waystone.”

“Are you out of your mind?! The Warden is on our tails!”

“I’m not going to look for another village. There has to be a waystone here.”

“Aldo! If the Warden eats us, we won’t need a waystone anymore.”

“All right. Go. Look for the next village. I’ll find the waystone and go home. And you can just keep wandering around.

Ash clenched his fists. He couldn’t believe anyone could be that stupid.

“You’re such an idiot. If you stay here, you’ll die.” said the taller one.

Aldo waved his hand dismissively. He couldn’t care less about his opinion right now.

“Whatever.”

The Regime leader shook his head in disbelief. Aldo walked away from him, ducking between two buildings where the alleys were much narrower. Ashswag turned and walked away without looking back even once.

They went their separate ways.

Ash went one way. Aldo went to the other.

That was exactly how they differed. Aldo had no intention of giving up, no matter what. Since Ash was backing out, he’d manage on his own. He squeezed his way between the buildings, trying to stay as quiet as possible.

He already understood why the villagers had hidden so quickly and suddenly. Maybe this wasn’t the first time the Federation had sent its monsters? Maybe it happened regularly. Or maybe they knew it was coming the moment they entered the village.

There’s one more possibility.

They were the ones who contacted the Federation and sold them their location.

Whatever it was, it was strange. The lights in the houses were out. No sounds, no crying, no snoring, no talking. Nothing. As if everyone had died or vanished.

A heartbeat grew louder and closer. He knew it belonged to the Warden, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if it had just as easily been his own heart. As he focused on that sound, another alarming noise barely reached his ears. Bones scraping against each other. At the last moment, he instinctively jumped back, dodging an attack from behind. A heavy stone sword sliced through the air exactly where his neck had been a moment ago.

Wither skeletons.

More experiments made by the Federation.

The skeletons were strong. Seasoned in battle. But Aldo wasn’t just a General in name. He knew how to fight and win. He deftly dodged the monster’s attacks until he exploited a gap in its defense. He counterattacked with a powerful kick, knocking the weapon out of the monster’s hand. He quickly seized the sword and struck.

Focused on the fight, however, he didn’t notice that the monster wasn’t alone. He realized it too late. A second skeleton came up behind him and sliced through his leg with a sword. Aldo groaned in pain. His leg buckled beneath him. He pushed the first skeleton away, focusing on the armed one. After a few seconds, the monster was decapitated. The second one joined it a moment later.

Aldo leaned against the wall. His entire leg throbbed with pain. He looked at the wound. The gash was long, and blood was staining the fabric red. He cursed under his breath. The worst part, however, was the poison. Withers were notorious for the effects they left behind if they managed to wound you. Pain, extreme fatigue, trouble concentrating. He shook his head.

He had to find a waystone.

He set out from his hiding place, between the buildings. He felt both hot and cold at the same time. Sneaking wasn’t an option anymore. So he leaned on his sword. He was much slower now, but the important thing was that he was moving. He slowly scanned the area, trying to remain unnoticed.

Although in this case, it was more a matter of not being sniffed out.

Which, unfortunately, quickly proved ineffective. His vision began to darken. And it wasn’t because of blood loss, though that probably played a part as well. The Warden had caught his scent.

It was close. Too close.

Aldo froze in place, not daring to move. Then the beast appeared. It stepped onto one of the trails and was approaching him at a brisk pace.
The three-meter-tall beast, even though it had no eyes, was staring at him from a few meters away. It sniffed the air. It knew it had found him.

He closed his eyes. Though his vision was black anyway. Maybe he was seeking comfort in that? There was no point in running. He wouldn’t make it. Not in this condition. And then…

Crack.

Warden froze in its tracks. It turned, letting out a quiet growl, and followed the sound. Aldo opened his eyes. What was going on?

Crack.

Again.

A little further away.

His vision had improved enough that he could make out figures. The General was searching for the source of the sound. Until, finally, he saw him. Purple glitches. Ash was sitting on the roof of one of the houses, smashing flowerpots against the walls to distract the monster.

His heart beat a little faster.

He came back.

Once the Warden was far enough away, Ash jumped down from the roof. He ran over to Aldo and helped him to his feet. Aldo hissed in pain at the sudden movement.

“I told you so.” said the Regime Leader smugly.

“Spare me that.” the smaller one gasped.

Ash shook his head. If only he’d listened to him. He slung Aldo’s arm around his neck to help him walk. Aldo wrapped his tail around Ash’s thigh for added stability.

“I found a waystone.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” the Mexican said, squinting in disbelief.

“It was at the very end of the village.”

“Of course it was.”

His fucking luck.

“Come on, we have a chance to get back home.” Ash said.

Together, they slowly began to head in the direction Ash had chosen. Painful step by step. Until finally, after a few long minutes, the magic stone came into view.

It was real. Their way home.

Then their vision began to darken. And the sound of a heartbeat filled their ears. Ash pressed forward nonetheless. They were so close now. Just a few more meters.

Then, out of nowhere, the Warden appeared. He’d heard their footsteps. With a roar, he charged toward them. Their vision, shrouded in darkness, saw only the charging monster. At the last moment, Ash pushed Aldo aside, taking the blow himself.

Aldo landed hard on the ground. He only had time to see Ash get violently thrown away. A loud thud against the stone wall and a groan of pain reached his ears. The Warden went after him.

The Mexican got to his feet, scanning the area for his enemy. He had to help him. But the darkness wouldn’t lift. His leg protested.

“Go!” he heard. Ash. Still alive.

What?

“Teleport!”

No. He couldn’t. Not without him.

“I’m not going anywhere without you!” he shouted. He didn’t care if Warden heard him.

“This is no time to be stubborn.” Ash replied. Immediately afterward, he heard a short whimper from the monster, followed by a roar of rage. A blue beam cut through the darkness.

Is he fighting Warden?! Has he lost his mind?

“Teleport right now. That’s an order!” Ash shouted. He was still alive, and judging by Warden’s next whimper, he was still fighting. “I won’t last much longer, so for fuck’s sake go!”

Aldo didn’t follow orders. He gave them. The only one who could tell him what to do was Vegetta. Certainly not Ashswag.

But he knew that in his current condition, he wouldn’t be any use in battle. He was a liability, someone who needed to be taken care of. He wasn’t fit for the battlefield.

It was his decision.

Slowly, despite the pain, he approached the waystone. The sounds of battle still echoed in the background. It was hard to tell who was winning. He placed his hand on the stone, feeling the power flow through him. The waystone emitted its characteristic sound.

Suddenly, there was silence. Aldo turned his head toward where the battle had been taking place. His vision still wasn’t working properly. Despite that, he looked around. He couldn’t see Ash or the monster anywhere. But he waited.

And then a green pearl appeared in the air. It crashed to the ground, and purple particles scattered around it. Ash teleported toward the waystone. He ran toward it, and the Warden emerged right behind him.

Aldo reached out his hand toward him.

The moment Ash's hand brushed against his fingers, the air brightened. A blue light followed the deadly laser aimed directly at them. Aldo closed his eyes. His thoughts were focused on only one thing.

Escaping to safety.