Path to Redemption (BoD Book Two); Camp Minecraft AU

Chapter Three; Cherri

She stood on the edge of the crash and felt her heart race.

Henwy was alive. He shouldn't be alive. He doesn't deserve it.

Garry was alongside Crainer and Ian, trying to pull Henwy from the wreckage.

Cherri, meanwhile, was tending to Sigils' wounds. She had a few spare healing potions that she gave him.

While she fixed him up, she couldn't help but think about what Henwy had done to her. And Garry.

And Chang.

Garry and Chang found her at her home in the early morning. It was such a beautiful day, and the two wanted to go explore the town and escape the chaos entirely.

There was a large mountain near the ocean they had climbed up. From the top, they could see the entire camp.

A twinge of sadness ran through the trio. They had only recently joined, but they had seen the worst of the people they thought were friends.

"What's over here?" Chang asked, starting to the other side of the mountain. Cherri turned and watched as Chang fell through the ground and disappeared, a shriek was the only thing he left behind.

"Chang?!" Garry yelled, but not daring to go any closer. Cherri scanned the ground, as if it would tell her anything.

Suddenly a figure shot out of the ground, clutching Chang.

The figure had metallic wings and a golden crown.

He slammed Chang into the ground, hissing in an almost inhuman-like way. Cherri shoved Garry into a tangle of greenery and brush.

Henwy. The mayor. No, dictator.

"How did you find me?" Henwy had his right foot planted firmly on Chang's chest and his left pressed lightly, yet dangerously, to his throat.

"I-I was j-j-just exploring," Chang stumbled over his words, "I didn't mean to-."

Henwy cut Chang off by leaning forward and resting both hands and his chin on his left knee, gazing down at Chang with a small smile that did not at all match the psychotic glint in his eyes.

"Mmh," Henwy sighed, "They won't care that you're gone, other than Garry and maybe Cherri," Henwy murmured. His mouth twisted as he examined Chang.

"There is no one else here, correct?" Henwy raised an eyebrow.

Cherri coiled, but stayed back.

"N-n-n no," Chang coughed, his fingers clawing uselessly at the netherite armor covering Henwy.

The mayor's fluffy brown hair, streaked with blonde highlights, drifted over his left eye as he leaned closer.

"Good. No one else will have to watch you die."

Cherri snapped back into reality when Ian shouted.

Henwy had stumbled out of the crater and was standing, brushing himself off. Sigils also quickly recovered. Healing potions really help.

"We are heading back to the compound, Cherri! Get moving!" Ian whirled and started to the dirt path.

Cherri heard a low rumble in the distance and the ground trembled slightly.

The beast was coming back.

"Be sure to follow us closely. The dragon destroyed the respawn anchor not long after you took off without us," Crainer called from up the path beside Ian.

Garry was standing close to Cherri. The two shot a short glance to each other. Neither cared if Sigils or Henwy died.

"Wait, where are we going?" Henwy inquired.

"Home!" Cherri called, lightly jogging.

The four quickly fell into a similar rhythm, a light yet powerful jog to the jungle. Henwy and Sigils somehow did well to keep up with the group.

It wasn't long until they were in the jungle, hardly five minutes.

Cherri grabbed a hanging vine and leaped onto a thick branch jutting from the bottom of a tree. She used the vine to steady herself as she leaned forward. She wasn't far off of the ground, but enough to make Henwy and Sigils look at her with surprise.

Cherri scanned the forest, the streak of red in her darker hair dipped and swayed across her vision, "Not far out, maybe five minute head start, north." Cherri called to the others.

Henwy and Sigils glanced at each other in confusion.

"Let's ride," Garry called, joy and adrenaline kicking into his voice.

"Those two slugs might not be able to keep up," Crainer observed, clambering onto a high rock.

"This is your bit of initiation," Ian raised a humorous eyebrow to the two former mayors, "You fall, you die."