Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"The ocean is a remnant of past dreams. Old friends and ideals have sunk beneath the endless waves, only to resurface in new legends."

The Universe loved its inhabitants. She specifically loved the curious complexities of humans compared to the animals. Each one had its individual wants and needs, from one commanding a kingdom to one hiding on a mushroom island, far away from others. Each person was so uniquely different. She also loved the interactions between humans, watching them work together to ensure their survival against the creatures of the night or fighting against each other to keep their lives. 

Sometimes, when the Universe wanted something new, she would choose her favourite humans to relive their lives. It was always minor changes to them, just enough for a change in their destiny. The humans never remembered their lives from times before—except for one: the Goddess of Death's favourite soul, Philza. He was a special case– marked as the Angel of Death by many, acting as a beacon and messenger of Death herself.

The gods and goddesses– the only thing the Universe favoured more than its inhabitants. In a way, her favouritism was a reflected image of her envy. Death and the Keepers got to interact and, at times, touch the inhabitants. The Goddess of Death, even with the hardest task of all, always made it easier on the mortals. She would embrace and comfort the souls as they were slain, praising their abilities of survival before releasing them back into the world or leading them into the afterlife.

Sneeg felt small– far too small for his liking. He looked around the large, open tavern-like building. This wasn't Tubbo's tavern? Near the front doors was a large tank of water. Why was everything so large?

Suddenly, a large thud rattled the floor. Turning around, Sneeg noticed a winged man who resembled Phil.

“There you are, mate. Ready to go?” The man sounded just like Phil.

“Phil?” Sneeg questioned.

“What's up? You all right, mate?” Phil furrowed his large black wings behind him.

Sneeg furrowed his brows as he looked around again. Everything was larger than normal.

“Where are we? Where's Crinkle?” Sneeg rushed towards Phil. Skidding to a sudden stop, he released the building, which was floating. 

“The Pub,” Phil stated, reminding him, “Are you all right? Who's Crinkle?”

“My snail!” Sneeg remarked, “You've met him!”

“Snail? We don't have any snails, Sneeg. We never have? Did you eat too much sugar or something?” Now, it was Phil's turn to be confused. Sneeg ignored the comment about investing too much sugar– he barely ever touched the crystalline powder, only giving it to Crinkle as a special treat.

“This isn't real,” Sneeg realised, “This is a nightmare. It has to be! That's why you look different, Phil!”

Sneegsnag lay in his bed, tossing and turning. He awoke drenched in a cold sweat, his head throbbing from the nightmare. How did Phil have wings, and why did he feel so small? Why had Phil claimed not to know or remember Crinkle? Sneeg released a shaky breath as he dropped his feet to the floor. He must've been In the mines and caves too long or overworked himself. Yes! That nightmare was nothing more than that– a nightmare induced by overworking himself in the solitude of the vast cave systems.

The forge was quiet, void of metallic clanging or magic becoming entwined with weapons and armour. His gaze shifted to the glow berries that hung from the top of the forge. Sneeg frowned, remembering when he and Phil decided on this being their home. He looked around the cave, reminiscing how it had changed from a small shelter into the overgrown, majestic forge today.

The repetitive clang of metal hitting metal echoed upwards, fading as it reached the top of the forge. Sneeg raised his forearm and wiped away the sweat beaded at his brow. Dropping the hammer to the smithing table, Sneeg retracted the shimmering trident. It was as good as new!

He paused, hearing distant voices deep within the castle. It sounded like Ros, but not Clown, Tango, or Foolish. Sliding the trident into the leather band for an easier carry, he traded its place with his battle axe. Sneeg carefully closed the mangrove door behind him, entering the castle kitchens through the small connecting corridor.

“What do you mean our king is dead?” Ros inquired.

Sneeg paused. Foolish was dead? But he had just seen him two days ago when Sneeg told him he was going to the mines. How could the king be dead? His racing thoughts drowned out the person's answer.

“Sneeg!” Ros called, her voice laced with worry as the blacksmith stepped into the great hall. The Red Faction member adjusted his grip on his diamond weapon.

“Yes, Ros?” Sneeg hummed, glaring at Pili. 

Pili stepped back slightly, intimidated by the blacksmith. That's when Sneeg noticed Aimsey near one of the pillars, a sword already tightly encapsulated in their grip. Beky was also there, lingering near the door in case blood were to spill. A small, leather-bound journal was in her grasp, kept at her side.

“Pili says Foolish is dead–” Ros looked at Sneeg, unsure about trusting anything coming from a Red Faction member’s mouth.

“He was just fine a few days ago before I went caving,” Sneeg remarked.

“It was yesterday,” Aimsey stated, glancing at Tos with concern.

“Bad killed him! Ask Callum, he was there!” Pili exclaimed. Ros and Aimsey furrowed their brows with matching frowns.

“Weird because I was told it was you,” Ros remarked.

“Yeah,” Aimsey agreed, “I heard it was you as well. That you even boasted about it?”

“I—No!” The cat shook his head, “It was Bad! He's done that before!”

While he didn't trust most of Pili's words, he hated to admit the cat was correct. Bad had taken two of the king's lives before, but they had been mostly accidents, mere experimentations of weapons. But now, two people were claiming the opposite of Pili's words, that he had done it himself– willingly to murder someone on their last life for their own benefit. 

Sneeg adjusted his grip on the battle axe again, his gloved fingers dancing on the handle. Ros stood behind him, horrified. Aimsey and Beky watched, frozen in place. Beky dropped her quill against the pages of her book. Nothing Pili, Aimsey, or Ros said was adding up.

Beky began scribbling down notes in her book near the doorway. Aimsey, Ros and Pili began countering each other's words at once. Sneeg blinked, trying to reel in his focus after the outburst of arguments. Pili needed to leave. The Hostile Faction didn't deserve or need to see the grief they may or may not have caused for the Kingdom of Fools.

“Get out, Pili.”

The hall went silent. Beky, Pili, and Aimsey shifted their attention to the blacksmith.

“I-” Pili stammered, taken aback by Sneeg's sudden order.

“Now,” Sneeg snapped.

He wasn't as intimidating as Clownpierce, but Sneeg knew how to strike a match of fear in others. The purple glimmer on his netherite armour and weapons was enough to demonstrate the power he held.

As the cat reluctantly left the castle, the tension felt thicker. Ros let out a shaky breath as she collapsed onto the stairs. Sneeg dropped the heavy end of the axe to his feet, carefully avoiding hitting it into the ground or his feet. Aimsey and Beky glanced at each other, before hesitantly moving to try and comfort the Royal Architect and the Royal Blacksmith. Sneeg's breathing was still heavy as he glared at the door. 

If the Hostiles had killed Foolish, how long until they tried going after Ros, Clown, or him? The King was dead, and the kingdom was left in angry shambles. Every attack on the kingdom felt personal as it got more violent and lethal. 

Sneeg hadn't taken the news of the destruction of the royal beehive lightly. He had hunted Pangi down and would have succeeded in killing him had he not fallen into limbo after getting trapped with too many monsters. That had only been about the murder of a beehive the kingdom needed for their weekly quest from the Keepers. This was the murder of their king. Sneeg knew Clown wouldn't take this news lightly.

The ocean lapped at Sneeg's ankles, the cold failing to break through the enchanted boots. Birds chirped in the forest behind him– Phil hadn't destroyed this section of forest yet. However, knowing Phil, he was lurking on his mushroom island, working on his orchard. The familiar sound of his ender-arrow whistling past his ear did little to comfort him as he waited for the cool ocean water to encapsulate him. 

Guilt clung like an annoying parasite, a silent oder that seemed to follow him. Sneeg had arrived too late again. He was too late to protect his king and almost too late to protect Ros had Aimsey and Bek not been there. Being late to the people who needed him the most felt like a curse. The first time he was too late had been with Phil. The lumberjack had disappeared, taking his belongings, while Sneeg was searching for resources for them. 

As soon as he finished his thought, water surrounded him. It did what he needed. Shock. His mind seemed to awaken from its restricted thoughts, now focused on keeping him alive. He kicked to the surface, taking a few gasps of air as he manoeuvred to hold his trident instead.

Jerking the glimmering pitchfork forward a few times, Sneeg pushed rapidly through the cold ocean.

A mushroom island was barely visible in the distance. Sneeg propelled once more, trying to determine his position to the island. He was closer now, seeing the large dark oak trees clustered near the island's centre. The cold water didn't register as much as it first did.

With a final swing of his trident, Sneeg suddenly heard the whistling of wind as he flew into the air. He let out a content bark of laughter. Was this how joyous flying felt to Phil, at least when he apparently had wings? The familiar purple-hued moss rapidly approached as Sneeg prepared to land, holding his bucket of water. He could see the familiar striped hat move through a small gap in the canopy of leaves.

“Phil,” Sneeg greeted, landing in the water he spilled from his bucket.

“Hi, mate!” Phil greeted as he emerged from the trees with his axe thrown over his shoulder, “What's up?”

Sneeg quickly scooped most of the water back up and set it on the ground. Releasing a shaky breath, he met Phil's curious gaze. The same gaze he admired the moment he saw him at the community pond. Phil furrowed his brows, observing Sneeg's body language. In every world the Universe put them together on, Sneeg's body language never changed.

“What's wrong, Sneeg? What happened?”

“Foolish was killed. His last life, gone,” Sneeg answered in disbelief. 

It had been a hard pill that he refused to swallow back at the castle, but now with saying those words, the pill seemed even harder to swallow.

“Foolish is dead?” A million thoughts raced through his head, “Who did it?”

“We don't know. Aimee told Ros it was Pili, then Pili turned it to Bad,” Sneeg looked away from Phil, unable to look the blond lumberjack in the eyes.

Phil walked forward and pulled Sneeg into a tight embrace. It was the least he could do for the troubled blacksmith. Their armour clashed quietly as Sneeg raised his arms, the sound falling into the solitude of the mushroom island. Sneeg dug his calloused fingers into the back collar of Phil's chestplate, gripping the warm armour like his life depended on it.

And that's where the two men stood for a while, under the rustling shade of the trees ready to be cut down. Even the crows that loved to surround and follow Phil kept their distance, giving a few moments of comfort for the upset blacksmith. 

Phil frowned as he looked around the small sanctuary he managed to create on this island. His and his crows’ sanctuary. Sometimes, he regretted running away from what he and Sneeg could have had. They had spent so long gaining power, focusing on different, but equally important, skills the first few days to ensure their survival against the monsters that lurked in the shadows. But he knew this would be for the best. Staying would have meant joining more people than just Sneeg and Fit. It would have meant becoming a target for the Hostile Faction that wanted to spill blood for fun.

But that was the way of the Realm, it was a constant struggle for power, survival, and eventually death.

Chapter Text

“Noble metal lies hidden within the rock, waiting for the furnace to blaze and roar, coaxing it to reveal its true glory.”

Sneeg stayed close to the castle for a couple days after he left Phil's island, silently fearful of being too late to save Ros or the rest of the kingdom. He mostly hid in his mossy forge, working on leveling his smithing or enchanting. 

Red and green factions were continuously trying to take over the castle. It started off with either Faction managing to write above the castle about the king's death for all to see. Sneeg immediately climbed up and burned the message while Tango and Ros were trying to come up with a plan to halt the raids on the castle. The moths fluttered around, intrigued by the flames Sneeg was setting whilst trying to stay away from getting caught in them.

The day after the raids stopped, Clown walked into the forge through the doors connected to the kitchen. The sound of the doors closing getting drowned out by the metal connecting with the resources. Clown paused, noting how tense Sneeg looked.

“Hello, Sneeg,” The Archmage greeted. Sneeg turned and faced the faceless man.

“Hey, Clown.”

Beneath the mask, Clown frowned. The sadness that coated Sneeg's words was similar to the one that lingered around Ros like a cloud of death as she spoke of the king's final death and the raids against the castle.

“Who did it?” Clown questioned, moving closer to the blacksmith as he leaned against the crafting table.

“We don't know, Clown. Aimsey told Ros that it was Pili then Pili blamed it on Bad. And Bad's been known to accidentally take a heart or two from the king, but-” Sneeg began to ramble, the same way he had done when Phil questioned him.

Sneeg tugged his helmet off, the armour falling to the mossy floor with a thud. Running his hands through his tangled and wild hair, Sneeg tried to contain himself. Clown stood closer to Sneeg, placing two firm, but comforting hands on his shoulders.

“We're the strongest Faction in the world, Sneeg. It is understandable for someone to go after us in hopes of gaining power. We'll make Ros the temporary Queen until we can figure out what happened to our liege. All right?” Clown's statement grounded Sneeg from his racing worries.

The blacksmith released a shaky breath and nodded, tugging his calloused fingers from his hair. Clown gave one singular nod and picked up Sneeg's helmet.

“We may be called the Kingdom of Fools, but I think everyone just doubts how smart we are,” Clown remarked, only adding to the seriousness that floated around the forge like invisible smoke, carefully placing the helmet back on Sneeg.

 The blacksmith gave a grateful smile to his friend, trying to think of something to reply with. Sneeg turned around, trying to focus back on what he had been doing when Clown entered. He admired the Archmage, in a similar way he admired Phil.

“Oh,” Sneeg frowned, “I'm growing low on some resources.”

“Do you want me to join you? What do you need to get?” Clown asked, curious.

“I just need diamonds and other ores, I was fairly close to getting to level ninety-five,” Sneeg answered, making sure to glance in every chest.

“Do you want me to join you?” Clown repeated.

“I- No. I should be alright on my own,” Sneeg shook his head, “I'm just worried whoever it was might attack us again. And I know Ros is more than capable in handling deals herself, but I think the fear of multiple people trying to attack her or the rest of the kingdom when we have our guard down is what worries me.”

“I get it, no worries. That's an understandable worry– especially since we don't know for sure who it was,” Clown nodded, “You stay safe, alright?”

Sneeg was careful as he entered the cave system, keeping his pickaxe on his belt until he needed it. Instead, he carried his battle axe and shield. Sneeg squinted as the rays of sunshine disappeared the further in he went. The cool air nipped at his face as he jumped down a little. His netherite boots scraped against the stone floor, caught on a few loose pebbles.

The monsters of the night lingered in the caves, waiting for him to turn the wrong corner at any second. Sneeg knew they were– he had gone caving more than enough to know that danger lurked in every shadow and turn. Small blue moths fluttered around him, as if they sensed the danger as well.

“Hold on,” Sneeg mumbled as he raised his shield to protect himself from the arrow flying for him. 

The skeleton that fired it moved towards him. The relative silence of the cave now felt distant, as Sneeg focused on the rattling skeleton before him. It took three hits before the skeleton fell into a pile of bones.

Sneeg nodded, satisfied with the fallen monster before looking around. Nearby, a few light blue gems poked out of rock. Diamonds!

“Our lucky day, right guys?” Sneeg murmured to the moths as he traded his battle axe for his pickaxe. The moths responded by fluttering up and down, as if they were nodding in agreement. 

He walked over, the swarm of moths trailing him. One of the larger moths landed on his shoulder before fluttering in front of a smaller one. Sneeg shook his head, a small smile gracing his face at the moths’ shenanigans. Raising his pickaxe over hid head, the moths moved away to avoid getting struck.

Clang! 

Clang! 

Clang!

A cluster of diamonds fell to the ground. The moths swarmed it, waiting for Sneeg to collect the gems. 

“Thanks guys,” Sneeg grabbed the freshly mined diamonds and pocketed them.

Darkness and a sweet floral scent filled the king's vision and nose. Where was he? The last thing he knew was looking up right as Pili sent the stalactite down, then it turned to darkness.

“I was told that your kingdom misses you, Foolish,” The Goddess of Death remarked as she walked closer to the king. It felt ironic, him looking like a totem of undying but falling into limbo.

“Do they know how or why I died?” Foolish questioned, remembering his will staying in the chest he placed on his throne.

“Unfortunately, no. However, Foolish, I'm willing to send you back. The only catch is everything you've worked for, all of your skills, will be set to where they had been the first day you arrived in the Realm– everything at zero.”

Sneeg froze as he watched the tuff he had just mined fall into a dark opening barely illuminated by small speckles of teal. Sculk. The moths fluttered around before backing away. 

“Why?” Sneeg peered down, holding onto the tuff as he noticed a lava pool, “Why?”

The moths fluttered towards the opposite direction, following the new cave system that Sneeg stumbled across. With his only other options being to go to the lava or retrace his steps, Sneeg followed his eclipse of dagger moths. Glow lichen offered a small, barely brighter light for him as he began climbing up.

“Why?” He repeated as he pulled his sword up to attack the zombie coming at him, “I swear to God, if I find another Ancient City, I'm going to be fucking mad.”

As the zombie crumbled to the ground, Sneeg peered down at a hole near his feet. He couldn't see much and continued through the cave system. Sculk and sculk veins encircled a part where the cave grew slightly wider. A sensor clicked as he rushed at another zombie.

Sneeg laughed at the moths as they fluttered around him, some accidentally and narrowly colliding into the sculk-infested walls of the cave. He then crouched, squinting as he struggled to see much in the two ways the cave split. Checking his left first, he was met with a dead end, forcing him to go right or back to the main cave system. A sculk sensor clicked once more as he decided to continue in the main cave.

Coming into two more dead ends, Sneeg went to a small, short branch of the cave to begin mining. The distant sensors kept clicking. His pickaxe barely struck the first two deepslate rocks before a haunting shriek echoed through the caves. The blacksmith froze, turning to look in the general direction of the sculk and sensors. Neeg glanced at the moths like they had caused the sound.

“Okay!?” He furrowed his brows, forced to go back to the main system.

Waves of blinding darkness spread across the moths’ and Sneeg's vision. The moths began fluttering around in a panic, trying to stay close to the blacksmith and each other. Crouching once again, Sneeg went to the dead end furthest from the sculk.

“Fucking rude,” Sneeg grumbled as the darkness let up some. He could at least see a little further around him now.

Going to a random chunk of the cave ceiling, he mined away three pieces of deepslate. Diamonds sparkled in front of him. Sneeg lowered his pickaxe to his feet, stunned as he gaped at the moths. There was no way he had found even more after barely mining a few rocks away. He dragged a gloved hand down his face, covering his mouth as he stared back at the rest of the cave system.

“Guys, I swear to God. I swear to God, guys, I'm not doing anything. I'm just mining!” Sneeg started laughing, still in shock at everything that happened within minutes of each other, “What the fuck.”

He began mining up some before making a straight line.

“That's absurd, bro. Every time I talk about this, it just gets worse,” Sneeg held his breath as he began quickly mining in front of himself, hoping another cluster of diamonds wouldn't appear before him. The moths barely believed him as it was, another cluster would only make it worse.

Thankfully only a small cave made itself known instead. Glow lichen offered more soft light as Sneeg began creating another strip mine. He stopped, backed up and began breaking the tuff around, expanding the narrow mine into a larger opening. Nothing on either side. He went back to striking away the deepslate, finding his speed again.

A chill danced against his spine as another sensor clicked. He frowned as he froze. Why did it have to be him constantly finding areas of sculk or Ancient Cities? Why did it have to be him who found these incredibly dangerous places on his mining expeditions? 

“Where?” Sneeg questioned as he quickly shoveled away the gravel before him. He was tired of the sensors clicking.

Mining down, he dropped some rock on the sculk. He bent his knees as he dropped on the rock before releasing a shaky breath. Sneeg tore away at the two sensors beside him.

“Why?” Sneeg questioned for a third time.

The dagger moths and Sneeg stayed quiet as he quickly mined up a few diamonds before searching for more sensors. If he was going to keep this mining expedition going he would do it without the constant clicking of the sensors.

“What is it with all this sculk? I don't want this in my life at all. Can it go? Leave me alone. Leave me alone, scat. Scoot. Go on, get outta here,” Sneeg frowned, creeping through a short, sculk-infested cave. Lava popped in the pool to his right.

Sneeg started another strip mine, only pausing to collect some diamonds, check another dead end cave, and dig up gravel. That was until he came across another cave with more sculk.

“My fucking God,” Sneeg hung his head and sighed, “This stuff will not leave me alone.”

Sneeg crouched as he started exploring, heading a direction that looked like the sculk had stopped. His eyes widened as he peered into another area of sculk, catching the small movements of the sensors. There were so many sensors.

“That's so many,” Sneeg quietly wheezed, glancing at the eclipse of moths to confirm what he was seeing, “That's an absurd amount of sensors.”

Sneeg kept crouching on the sculk, it softly crunching under him. In every branch of cave he took, the sculk was still there.

“Bro, who let this Warden shit everywhere?” Sneeg questioned as he bridged over to collect a few more diamonds.

After another strip mine, he had a few more diamonds and some more gold. Eventually, that strip mine opened into a large cave full of monsters and ores. Beside some pouring lava, was more sculk.

“Oh my god. Okay. Okay, dude,” Sneeg looked the other way, rushing away from the collection of mobs coming towards him only to see more sculk, “Why is it everywhere, man?”

The moths fluttered like a storm cloud behind him as he fought off the hoard of zombies, a spider, and a creeper before gathering more diamonds for his growing stash. Sneeg stood where the sculk veins stopped, squinting to look for more diamonds.

Moving around, Sneeg and the dagger moths noticed a shrieker and the blacksmith immediately crouched down. Sneaking towards it, he looked for any nearby sensors or other shriekers. Once he was satisfied that there weren't any close by, Sneeg began quickly tearing at the shrieker. A sensor clicked a few times and Sneeg quietly rushed away.

Sneeg went to trident to another section of the large cave he had entered only to not go very far. Before him, surrounded in the dark sculk, was an Ancient City. 

“You're fucking kidding me. I found another one?” Sneeg furrowed his brows as he glanced at the moths. He sighed and moved far away from the opening that led down to it.

Quickly after making a furnace, Sneeg cut down another zombie. The furnace was much brighter than the occasional glow lichen or redstone was. He squinted as he looked away from the small inferno as it melted down a few pieces of raw iron. An odd sound echoed through the cave– it was nothing like anything belonging to a mob or the Ancient City.

“Okay dude,” Sneeg gave a tight-lipped frown as the noise stopped.

That noise couldn't have been a good sign and only made him want to stay further away from the dangers that lurked under and in Ancient Cities. He knew the dangers and he knew himself. A Warden would be too powerful to try and fight. Even when the kingdom was tasked with retrieving echo shards from there, it had been a struggle with everyone. 

Some of the moths looked between him and each other as if trying to question what the noise had been. A bat chirped as Sneeg crafted a pair of sheers with his freshly made iron. Now he would be ready to attempt sneaking around the Ancient City in peace.

And hopefully, there would be enough diamonds here to make the danger worth it.

“I cant believe I found another one of these stupid fucks,” Sneeg hummed, “This is preposterous.”

As soon as he stepped closer to the cliff the city was under, Sneeg crouched. It felt too quiet down here, in the deepest part of the cave system. 

“This looks untouched though,” Sneeg mused as he did another, albeit poor, scan of the area.

He quickly readied his ender-arrow before noticing a waterfall. Jumping down, Sneeg began creeping around the abandoned, dark city. His eyes flickered towards the sculkers and shriekers all around the ruins and the ground. Safety was the first priority, diamonds were second, and anything else would be third.

He clicked his tongue quietly as he stepped on the sculk. It sounded similar to moss, but something about it was unnerving. Sneeg knew he didn't have to risk anything by lurking down in the Ancient City, but a small part of him enjoyed the thrill of risking everything. He carefully moved between the ruins, looking for wool.

“Let's see here,” He squinted as he tried searching the darkness for the familiar textured pattern of wool.

Sneaking beside some sensors, Sneeg noticed wool in the abandoned ruin. The new sheers easily cut through the wool, allowing him to safely gather it. It wasn't like it was being used currently anyway. Sneaking up the mostly intact stairs of another ruin, he froze. Multiple sensors and shriekers waited for him beside some candles and a chest. The moths fluttered nervously in a cloud behind him.

The blacksmith's gaze flickered between the shriekers and the chest. Oh, what glorious treasures could be discovered with a bit of risk. Managing to cover three of the four shriekers, Sneeg stopped. He wouldn't be able to safely cover the fourth one surrounded by candles and gaps. 

“I cant do that. Theres too many shriekers next to items I cant touch or break,” Sneeg murmured as he snuck down to the floor of the old– once possibly grand, city streets. 

Another chest in a ruin! Without shriekers or sensors either! He grinned, moving towards it. Climbing up the ruin of an old house, Sneeg peered around, checking the darkness for the familiar teal swirls of a shrieker or the barely visible movement of a sensor. Nothing. Suddenly, he fell back into the house, narrowly landing on his feet and hands. He winced, waiting for the inevitable screams or clicks. Once he was satisfied that he hadn't triggered anything, Sneeg crawled to the chest and opened it. Echo shards offered dim light in the dark corners of the chest, which Snreg quickly took along with some diamond horse armour and a bottle of enchanting.

Moving up and down a narrow corridor of some ruin, Sneeg collected more wool, growing low on the bunch he had collected before. Steering one piece revealed a pool of lava lurking below the city. A sensor clicked, echoing in the silent cavern.

“Okay. Better not have fucking been my fault,” He whispered, moving away from the opening. Tiptoeing down the stairs, he passed the sensor he had set off moments before.

“Either way, I have an arrow charged and ready to get the fuck outta here if I have to,” Sneeg murmured to the dagger moths.

He crept over to another chest with multiple sensors and shriekers around it. These ones, however, were easier to cover up with wool. There were no gaps and only two shriekers. Taking the risk, Sneegsnag opened the chest. Three bottles of enchanting, a ‘Silence’ armour trim template, and a fragment of a disk were the only belongings of serious value in it.

“What is that template?” Sneeg held it closer, trying to get a better look at the design, “What is that? How do I get it?”

The moths fluttered around him, circling excitedly. Sneeg began sneaking around more, continuing his search for diamonds and new treasures.

Finally looking away from the ruins, Sneeg could see a few more diamonds in the cave wall. Building up with some of the wool, Sneeg got as close to the ore as needed before he began swinging his pickaxe at them.

“Just a few more after these, depending on how much I get,” Sneeg murmured to the moths, shoving a hand in his backpack full of treasures they collected today.

The eclipse of moths fluttered nervously, their usual whimsy still drowned in fear for the blacksmith. Sneeg quickly and quietly tore down some of the wool, silently noting some ingrained in the nearby cave ceiling.

“Look at this little bath, bro. You think the Warden saunas in this bitch? Between sniffs,” Sneeg dramatically sniffed, facing the eclipse of moths.

He grinned and continued looking around for chests and shriekers.

Jumping down from a spot, Sneeg winced as he took damage. The sensors around him clicked. A distance shrieker howled and waves of darkness clouded over Sneeg and the moths.

“You guys lied to me. You lied,” Sneeg whispered at the dagger moths, listening closely for the Warden.

The moths fluttered nervously, silently conveying their fear and desire to leave the Ancient City. Sneeg gave a tight-lipped frown.

“It was ‘approaches,’ the one before he shows up is ‘draws near.’ You don't think I know that? Think I don't know my shit? Think I don't know my shit, moths?” Sneeg arched a questioning brow.

The blacksmith collected another shrieker. Looking back at the moths, Sneeg felt the familiar, subtle vibrations between him and the insects. One of the smaller moths in particular seemed the loudest with its vibrations.

“‘All I know is fart and smith,’” Sneeg frowned and shrugged a few times, "I mean, I'm not gonna say no.”

Climbing up a ruin, the blacksmith froze. Three shriekers were below him, the soft teal glow being his only warning. 

“What the shit? Why are they stanced up together like this?” Sneeg crept across the top, peering down, “What kind of fucking chest menouver are they doing? Huh?”

The moths fluttered and behind him, staying close the the blacksmith. As he crept over to a lower portion of the walls, an eerie noise echoed through the darkness of the caves. Thankfully, Sneeg knew it wasn't a Warden, just an odd cave noise to try and scare people out.

“Dude,” Sneeg looked towards the nearby cave wall, never once considering the idea of a god messing with him, “Fuck off.”

He collected the shriekers one by one, narrowly managing to avoid setting any off. The chest beside them had nothing of value to the blacksmith, so he quietly began heading towards the city center. Having taken some precautions, he went to break a sensor on the top floor of the main ruin. However, he wasn't cautious enough, as another sensor alerted another shrieker. Sneeg was getting dangerously close to summoning the Warden now.

His jaw dropped as the waves of unnecessary darkness flooded the city. Pulling his prepared bow, Sneeg gripped the ender-arrow tightly against the enchanted wood of the bow.

“See that? ‘Warden advances,’” Sneeg quietly read what his small pager displayed for the warning sounds. He stowed it away and tried peering around in the dark for any familiar teal swirls.

“Was this the one that activated?” Sneeg gestured to the shrieker covered in wool.

Holding his breath, the royal blacksmith mined away at the shrieker without waiting for the moths. Thankfully, he managed to collect it without setting anything else off. He laughed quietly, satisfied with his small success. Looking at the moths, the vibrations he felt were all different. Some were rightfully worried, some were praying for a warden to get summoned, and others were messing with him. Nothing out of the ordinary for the moths.

“‘Check your ass, he might be up there,’” Sneeg spoke the words he felt the moth communicate, before quickly looking towards his butt. 

Sneeg carefully began to build a small bridge over to some more diamonds. He aggressively began to sniff.

“Just sniffing,” Sneeg laughed.

Sneeg towered up with some wool after checking another chest and collecting a shrieker. He had accidentally set it off once more, in a way neither he or the moths could figure out a reason for.

“Oh shit, this is were I didn't wanna risk it earlier,” Sneeg pointed towards the faint glow of the candles and the teal glow of a shrieker. He crouched as he tried looking around in the darkness, trying to catch any signs of anything he might have missed.

The familiar jumpscare sound of a Totem of Undying popped. Sneeg abruptly stood up, almost immediately looking around for Crinkle. That damned immortal snail of his was hungry again. Sneeg squinted as he noticed him near the waterfall.

“Jesus Christ! Crinkle!” Sneeg yelled, clutching a hand over his heart, “Oh you jerk!”

The way the moths fluttered around him, made Sneeg feel that if they could somehow speak, they would be laughing. The blacksmith sighed and hung his head, closing his eyes for a moment. Sneeg looked back at Crinkle, only to see the white flash of a small explosion as the snail disappeared.

“Uh! Dude! Really?” Sneeg looked at the eclipse of dagger moths in shock.

The moths fluttered happily, excited that their partner-in-crime arrived. Sneeg looked around, squinting into the darkness as he tried to locate him. Crinkle was gone.

“Okay. What the hell, man? He just showed up just to scare me then left?” Sneeg frowned as he looked at the moths, letting a moment of silence linger.

“That's fucked up. That's kinda fucked up. Literally, I saw him over here and he fucking scared me the moment I turned. That's crazy,” Sneeg laughed, crouching as he moved toward the waterfall, “He's so evil.”

Sneeg's smile dropped as another eerie cave noise echoed through the system. This one he hadn't really heard often– not like the other one earlier. He gave a scared chuckle as he moved behind the waterfall and near the ruins by the lava.

“‘Can he trigger the shriekers?’ You know, that I don't actually really know. Uhm, I assume it's possible considering his unwillingness to stay here.”