Chapter Text
He was running for his life outside spawn.
Invisible players hunting him, stalking him, in every way they could.
Sabotaging him, burning his crops, his house, all the loot in his chests.
They weren't going to rest until they killed him.
Saparata wasn't going to rest until they brought back his corpse as a trophy.
He first tried tricking them.
Abandoning his house in the middle of the night so that his hunters thought he had left, when in reality, he had just buried himself underground.
They quickly found him and shot him with glowing arrows to spot him whenever he tried running away.
Another way then.
He created a decoy house.
Sleeping away in it at night, while gathering food at day.
He had his loot and spawn stashed away somewhere underground.
But one day, at the corner of his eye, he spotted an invis particle.
He had to leave, yet it was too late.
His underground bunker was burnt in flames, and his loot gone.
Only a small wooden sign remained.
Written on it, were only two words.
"Try harder."
Parrot broke the sign with his axe in frustration.
"Maybe I will." He whispered to himself bitterly.
He found himself within high, six block thick obsidian walls that reached the sky, with the inside having biome slices to natural, too good to be true.
He dug right down.
The dug down the place he never thought he would find himself ever again, and placed a purple colored bed.
"Let us see if you know me too well, Saparata."
The next morning, he was awaken by the sounds of spears lunging at him, almost piercing his throat.
"King Saparata sends his regards." The one with the netherite spear smirked.
Surrounded underneath his friend?'s deathbed, Parrot's words caught in his throat. The only thing he did is pull out a fishing rod.
And swing it.
Within seconds, before the spear could slice his throat, he was outside of the obsidian walls, panicking.
"They're gonna leave me when I'm finally dead. They're- they-"
I have to run.
I have to live.
For Theo.
For Reina.
He ran towards nothing. Something. He didn't know.
They're alive.
I know it.
I have to survive.
I have to escape.
A hill appeared in front his eyes.
I have to keep on living.
He climbed up the hill with the rest of his strength he had left.
He looked behind him.
The army was approaching, and he had to act fast.
A broken nether portal.
Oh.
He didn't have time to think.
He placed the rest on the obsidian where they belonged,
and lit the portal.
The soft mana rose from the portal, trying to lure Parrot in.
They were coming closer.
Parrot threw himself into the portal, reappearing in nether.
He looked around him, armor stands adorning netherite and a certain trim, brewing stands still active.
He was in an outpost, he concluded.
Looking around him to check for any guards, he mined down the fortress, and placed back the bricks.
Silent.
The portal opened again, with heavy steps echoing against the nether brick flooring.
Parrot tried his best to crouch, and still be able to hear the guards, yet he heard nothing.
But he did hear another pair of footsteps.
The only thing he could hear was the sign of wood being placed down, and rapid steps in the opposite direction, into the nether portal.
His hunters were gone.
A wave of relief crashed over him, and finally, after minutes of not being able to breathe, he sighed, and started mining once again.
"Hey bro, did you hear something?"
Parrot froze. Reflexively he placed back the block, which made a noise he scolded himself for.
"Yeah I.... I hear it. Is it coming from ....underneath?"
Oh no not again.
Parrot inhaled and mined underground far quickly now, the breaking and placing of blocks behind him faster than ever.
Dude dude Clown said if i came back he's gonna kill me oh no oh no bro.
His arms grew tired from mining and his pickaxe got weaker and weaker every time he mined. His breath quickened and it sure didn't help that the heat rose from the lava, drenching him with sweat and slowing him down.
Yet he still continued.
"Finally, found you."
Yet.
Parrot instinctively stopped, and looked up, fear in his eyes.
Two guards stood on top of the netherrack before him, donning netherite armor which sparkled due to the lava.
One had their eyebrows raised and the other had a haughty smirk.
"Dude," the guard with the smirk began, "Isn't this the guy Clown said to never let in?"
The guard opposite to her gaped, "Dude are we cooked?"
The former put up a thinking pose, "No like. I think we're gonna get promoted."
"what."
"Like," the guard swished around her arms, as if piecing together a puzzle, "he didn't say anything about NOT not letting him in. He just said that HE" she pointed at Parrot, "is gonna die if he comes here, right? He didn't say anything to US specifically if we BRING him to CLOWN."
"Dude," the other guy made a questioning face, "Did he?"
The former guard went into a deep meditation.
"i dont really remember lol i don't really pay attention during the meetings."
The other guard formed a mischievious grin "bro so are we gonna get promoted?"
Their colleague copied them, "Yeah dude..".
They looked down to catch him, to see their golden bird already gone.
"DUDE!" They called out to each other in a panic, "OUR PROMOTION!"
They chased after him and caught him, unsheathing their swords.
"Don't move." One of guards said slowly, their sword gently pressed against Parrot's neck. He looked around for an escape.
The other guard grinned, pulling out a rope and tied it around Parrot's hands, carefully, "Come with us."
Parrot wings ruffled with discomfort.
Act dumb.
"Dude," his voice cracked, "I don't know who even you all are.. I dont.. know where I am.. Where am I?"
Not that dumb!
Parrot internally winced.
The guard with the sword chuckled, "We know who you are, Parrot. No need to act dumb with us."
"Bro.." He forced a nervous smile, "I'm just a fan."
Either its the heat or the panic that's making me dumb.
"Dude," The guard with the sword laughed, "I thought this guy was smart."
Parrot's cheeks dusted pink with embarrassment.
"I- he is, bro." His wings ruffled.
"Ballright. Hey, you guard from the back," the guard with the rope instructed to her colleague, "and I'll lead him from the front. If he tries escaping, kill him." She made a gesture with her thumb and neck, "Clown will probably be satisfied enough with his head too."
"Yeah, like the previous ones who crossed him." Her colleague smiled tauntingly at Parrot.
They traversed through the nether, until a tall castle appeared before the three.
Lava flowed down the netherrack ceiling, into pools of hot liquid.
Dark, artificial trees planted on top of the burning hot land.
And in the middle of the all, a tall dark nether castle, similar to the one that was built in the overworld.
Countless banners decorated the structure, Clown's faces painted on every single one of them.
Two soldiers guarded the entrance, and halted the outpost guards.
Glancing at Parrot, they broke into a smile amd let them in, with the other soldier escorting them to the throne room.
They walked through the carpeted hallway, advisors and warriors surrounding them. They looked disinterested at first, but when they finally got to see the little avian, they started cackling and whispering to themselves, smiling mockingly.
Perhaps at him, or the condition he was in.
"King Clown!" The guard holding the ropes exclaimed, her voice quivering with both fear and excitement, "We have.. we have someone we'd like you to meet!"
The assassin sitting at the throne maybe shifted. And a calming voice emerged from the throne,
"Hmm?"
The guard behind them piped up, "Him, sir." Their voice shook with fear, "We... found him at outpost 13."
They untied Parrot to push him towards the throne. The Jester broke into a laugh as he saw the avian.
"Oh my." He sighed, "It appears.. we have a visitor here, hmm? No trades to make this time, I take it?"
Parrot tried not to choke as he looked at the floor.
"..Not so chatty today, are we?"
Parrot maintained his silence.
"Now," the terrifying calmness of his voice remained, "didn't I tell you to never come back? Unless you want to get your wings clipped and soak in lava." His voice filled with malice, "Speaking of that--"
"I came to work for you." Parrot spluttered out.
Clown paused, bending down to observe Parrot closely.
"Pardon?"
"My friends.. I don't know where they are. I-I have nothing, Clown, nothing. I've been nothing but hunted these past few weeks." Parrot breathed in, "Every house I've built has been burnt down. Every item I've collected has been looted. The only reason I came here.. The sole reason is.... because of you."
Clown remained quiet, listening.
Parrot sighed. His plan was working. A plan he just made up.
"They fear you Clown... CinderCrest fears you. They won't step foot in here. They.. they never will. And even ...." He paused, pressing his lips together.
"Continue." Clown beckoned, clearly interested.
"I want to live. Even if I work under you. I just want my friends safe." He looked up, pleadingly.
"I know now what you meant back when we first met. I just want my friends safe. I'll ask for nothing else."
He finished, silence filling the room afterwards. The only noise that could be heard were Clown's heels clicking against the wooden floor, pacing around his throne. Then, he crouched to Parrot's level, and put his lips to his ear.
"Now look," he whispered, softly, "who came crawling back."
A chill ran down Parrot's spine. He swallowed hard.
"Parrot." He stood up once again, "You're smart. I've accepted it. But I.." He paused, chuckling to himself, "I clearly wasn't aware of the capabilities you could reach."
He crouched again,
"Now listen to me very carefully."
"You will give your eyes, your ears, and your voice to me, and only me. In return I will grant you tenfold. I will grant you my weapons, my army, and you safety, alongside your friends'." He placed his gloved hand on Parrot's shoulder, making him shiver from fear.
"You will give me your absolute loyalty. And if you so much so as think about betraying me...."
He walked back on his throne and sat, his legs on top of each other, "Everything you care for.... will perish."
"Now," his voice deepened, "tell me this, my winged friend, do you understand?"
Parrot felt his gaze piercing through his mask. He bowed his head, swallowing, his vision blurring out.
"I understand, my King."