Seventeen

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"So, where are we going?" You asked, clinging to Eret's arm as they traversed through the Nether. "'Cause, I've never been in the Nether before we'd come here with Zalkhain and Rosemary. I'm kinda scared, you know?"

Eret laughed softly before checking a small hand-held device, then turned slightly to the north. "I've never been here before, but everyone in the Falconier castle knows where Technoblade's home is located. He told everyone the coordinates, then gave us this!" She held up the small device. It glowed slightly—like an enchanted weapon—and had a few rows of numbers. He stepped away slightly, and one of the digits changed.

"Woah, what?" You gasped, stepping closer to them and staring at the small device. "How does it do that?"

"I don't know, but it certainly is cool," Eret laughed and then continued walking. "We're approximately three hundred—blocks? Yeah, he said they were 'blocks'—blocks away from his house. We're on the right y-level for it, though!"

"That— wait a minute, who's 'Technoblade'?" You asked, air-quoting the odd name. "His name seems vaguely familiar, but I don't know why."

"He's the one who ended up saving George and your kingdom's sovereign from being married," she explained, nodding slightly. "His name was in the news fairly often during that time. It wasn't all too long ago, either. Two (2) months, if I'm remembering correctly."

"Oh," you exhaled, smiling softly. "I don't really read the newspaper, so I don't know why I would've known that... Maybe I heard it from Marlow!"

You paused after the mention of your friend. You hadn't heard from him since you'd left your home. Last you'd seen even related to the piglin man was the ruins of his paint stand. Was his home still intact? Was he and Matthew still alive? You certainly hoped they were; they were very sweet to you, and you weren't entirely certain what would've happened to you, had they not been there.

"Uh, I think that's it?" Eret's voice came from your left now, and he grabbed your hand, dragging you near a large house. It was made nearly entirely of blackstone and warped wood, giving it a weirdly medieval feel. "Yeah, this has to be it!"

They stopped in front of the door and let go of you, knocking rapidly on the doors. After a short wait, the door slowly swung open, and a tall halfling child stood in the doorway. "Hel..lo?" They asked, tilting their head at you.

"Ranboo, hi!" Eret exclaimed, smiling up at them. They paused and looked her up and down, taking in his appearance.

"...Eret? Yes— yes, Eret. That is your na..me!" They whispered, smiling wider. Their speech pattern was slightly broken, but you found it oddly adorable. "And... they are?" They looked at you, blinking their beautiful heterochromatic eyes down at you. Mentally, you traced the somewhat smudged line that ran down their face, separating the white from the black.

"I'm Y/N," you state, obviously entranced. Ranboo leaned forwards, smiling wider still and saying something in the Enderian language. You blinked, confused, but still did not stop staring at them.

"Hey, Ranboo, is Techno around?" Eret asked, waving their hand in front of your face. "Something really important is happening, and we kinda-sorta need his help.

"Oh, no, no. He is not around right now," they respond in English, looking back to Eret. You shook your head and blinked, looking at your friend, too.

"That isn't good.." She muttered, rubbing his temples. "Where did he go?"

"He said something about Ensidione, but Punz told him not to go. Figured that Wilbur's fine right now and all that." They answered. "I still don't know though."

"Ranboo! I saw people an—" You heard from behind you and saw a man with blonde hair in a white hoodie coming towards you. He had a netherite sword in his hand. "Eret! What are you doing here, who is this?"

"Ensidione is destroyed, this is Y/N, do you know about Aztalkia, where is Techno?" She rambled at him. You waved slightly hoping that you were mentioned as little as possible.

"What? English!" He responded, throwing his arms in the air.

"Y/N, Ensidione is no more at this point. Techno's location?" He repeated, listing a more simplified version of their previous questions.

"How?! Even when I was there the castle looked anciently indestructible." He explained. You looked at the hybrid as they motioned for you to sit in a chair next to them.

"It might take a while to explain," they whispered. You chuckled and sat down. You spaced out slightly, staring at Ranboo. They looked back at you, practically spaced, as well.

"Sapnap? Sapnap?" Punz's voice broke through your muffled mind, but you didn't stop staring at Ranboo. Yet again, they had you in their trance. "They have Sapnap? And you didn't try to save him?"

"No, I'm sorry, Punz. I know you two (2) were close.." Eret sighed. In the corner of your eye, you saw her slouch slightly and shake his head. You heard someone outside of the small shack, and saw a pigman approaching with a sword in his hand.

"Punz, what I—" He started, then looked at Eret, "What are you doing here? I thought Wilbur's coronation was happening."

"Things have happened, to say the least; no time to explain though." They explained, or what she could. "Nice to see you as well."

"Where are you guys even staying then?! What happened?" He continued, putting his sword back in his sheath.

"Aztalkia; again, hard for me to explain." Eret recited, rubbing his hand on their neck. "We do need your help with something however."

"Wha— Where now? Also, who is sitting with Ranboo?" The pigman insisted, looking back at you. He pronounced their name oddly, but you didn't mention it. Instead, you waved and smiled at the tall man.

"This is... Y/N!" Ranboo called excitedly, smile wide on their duo-colored face. He looked you up and down, pressing his lips together and nodding at you. "Y/N... That is Technoblade!" They giggled, pointing towards him and whispering his name in an enchanted sort of way.

"Woah!" You responded, mimicking their enthusiasm. Technoblade looked you up and down yet again and nodding, smiling slightly for a short moment.

"So," he looked back over at Eret, who was on the edge of her seat. "What help are ya' needin', Falconier royal blood?"

"Well," Eret grinned widely and shot from his seat. "Mr. 'Blood God', you'll know that well enough when I explain the Ensidione situation."

"Why do you look so thrilled to explain again how your friend's kingdom got taken over and then basically destroyed?" Punz groaned angrily, sitting next to you on the nearest couch. "Like jeez man, can't you feel a little sympathy?"

"I'm sorry, rewind for a sec—" Techno attempted to speak, but Eret cut him off to respond to Punz.

"For your information, Punz, I do feel bad. I feel worse for the loss of innocent lives; much more so than I do that of Sapnap's abduction." Eret replied, crossing their arms across her chest.

"Don't you dare—"

"LADIES," Techno sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Stop arguing. Just explain what happened." Ranboo snickered, you followed suit. Despite knowing everything that has happened recently, you couldn't help but be influenced by their sweetness. Maybe this Sapnap-saving-mission wouldn't be too bad.

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CRYPTOMNESIA // Eret x ReaderWhere stories live. Discover now