Sunshine

Sunshine is the fifth book in Minecraftia Arc 3. It will be published in July 2018.
==Synopsis==
With a cult now chasing the group, the dream of running a town is slowly fading out of existence.
==Plot==
===Chapter 1: Brewing===
How did we end up in a tunnel, you ask? Probably not, as I haven't mentioned it yet. We had an expedition to do. Gerald was looking for diorite. Why? To build us our own Town Hall.
I was surprised that he didn't care that a cult was after us. Then again, I'm surprised at how calm he is in every situation we're in.
"So, we're gonna pretend that a cult doesn't wanna kill us?" asked Louis.
"Yep," replied Gerald.
"Why, exactly?" asked Nathan.
"Because I can take them on. Me and Kenney," replied Gerald.
"Could you take on the volcano?" asked Ryland.
"Why the hell are you bringing that up?" asked Gerald.
"You wasted your power. Don't you get it?" asked Ryland.
"You okay Ryland? Because you've been a huge pain since Swarfiga lost Leo," replied Gerald.
"I just wanna find him," Ryland told Gerald.
The warden lay on the ground, still knocked out.
"What do we do with him?" asked Nathan.
"Give him a fate worse than death," replied Gerald.
"What was that?" asked Esther.
Gerald gave a confused look, but I knew what she was talking about. I could hear footsteps that weren't ours.
"They're coming!" whispered Annie.
"We gotta go!" Louis whispered back.
"Gerald?" asked a man.
Gerald turned around.
"Ray?" asked Gerald.
"Huh?" asked Nathan.
"Who is that?" I asked.
"Guys! This is Ray!" exclaimed Gerald.
"Oh, hey, Ray!" exclaimed Kenney. 
"Gerald. Kenney," replied Ray.
"How'd you find us?" I asked.
"We could see you from the Citadel. Me, Warren, and a few others came to the town. The others told us where you were, and I followed you," explained Ray.
"Who exactly came?" asked Gerald.
"Me, Warren, Jude, and Witherstorm," replied Ray.
"We should go back then," suggested Kenney.
"We still have to avoid that cult," I replied.
"Hey, Kenney, can we talk?" asked Gerald.
Gerald and Kenney walked further into the tunnel.
"Amber, you should eavesdrop," Louis told me.
"Why?" I asked.
"I just wanna know what they're talking about," replied Louis.
I walked behind them, but so I was out of view.
"Should we tell the others?" asked Gerald.
"Tell them what?" asked Kenney.
"Should we tell them about your injury?" asked Gerald.
"No. You guys need me as backup," replied Kenney.
"Try not to make the tear worse," Gerald told Kenney.
"What tear?" I asked.
"Oh. Hello, Amber," replied Kenney.
"You said something about a tear and an injury," I said.
"Yeah, it's nothing," replied Gerald.
I stayed silent.
"We should go back to the others," suggested Kenney. 
We walked back to the others. 
"What did he want?" asked Ryland.
"Nothing," I replied.
"The others will be back soon," Ray told us.
"How do they know we're here?" asked Gerald.
"RAY-dar," replied Ray.
"Please never say that again," Gerald told him.
===Chapter 2: The Creature===
We made our way to Elliottown. Why? Not sure. Gerald said he needed to make a quick stop there.
"We need some supplies from Elliottown," said Gerald.
"Why?" asked Louis.
Gerald built a portal.
"I need some stuff from there," replied Gerald.
"I think you mean The Citadel," corrected Kenney.
Gerald nodded his head.
"Are we all going through or splitting up again?" asked Ryland.
"You, Esther, and Annie make your way to town, with that warden still knocked out. If he wakes up, knock him out again. We'll be a while," explained Gerald.
Me, Nathan, Louis, Ray, Kenney, and Gerald entered the portal. We were on the pathway separating Elliottown and the Citadel.
"We need to go under the freeway," said Gerald.
"Why?" I asked.
"We hide supplies under there," replied Kenney.
"Like what?" asked Nathan.
"Food, weapons, potions," replied Ray.
We entered a hole leading to the bottom of the freeway. It was all lit up.
"Our supplies are buried around here," Gerald told me, Nathan, and Louis.
Gerald, Kenney, and Ray led the way while we followed. Gerald dug up a spot in the ground and opened a chest.
"Nice," exclaimed Louis.
"Hey, Gerald, we have a weirdo," Kenney pointed at a man on the opposite side of the freeway.
"What the hell?" I asked.
Gerald and Kenney started to walk towards it. Yes, it. It wasn't human.
"Be careful!" Louis called out.
The creature pointed at us. Gerald and Kenney turned around, and looked in shock. We turned around to see what it was, and about 20 members of the Sunshine Citadel were there.
Gerald and Kenney ran back to us, but Kenney got grabbed by his left leg, and he screamed in agony. Kenney tried to run, but he couldn't. The creature had almost ripped his leg off. Gerald carried Kenney back to us while we looked on in shock.
A member tried to jump us, but Nathan stabbed them. We started to run.
"Where do we go?" I asked.
"The Portal. I know the way," replied Gerald.
"We all do," replied Louis.
"No. This is a different one," replied Gerald.
"How so?" I asked.
"Yeah, what portal?" asked Ray.
"Even you don't know?" asked Nathan.
"Just let me think!" exclaimed Gerald.
Kenney was still limping. He eventually fell over and grabbed his leg. Gerald turned him over.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"His leg's been torn open. He won't be able to escape!" exclaimed Gerald.
"We both knew when we formed the Citadel Heroes that this might happen. Please, go on without me..." sighed Kenney.
"Dammit, Ken! We gotta go!" exclaimed Ray.
"Louis, you're the chemistry potion guy right?" asked Gerald.
Louis emptied his inventory.
"1 regeneration potion and 2 health potions," replied Louis.
Louis handed him the health potion and Gerald gave it to Kenney.
"Or do that," said Kenney.
He got up and we carried on running. 
===Chapter 3: The Citadel===
We arrived in the Citadel.
"They're back!" yelled Randy.
"Where's you been?" asked Kyle.
Kenney was still limping. The health potion didn't fix his leg.
"What's wrong with him?" asked Von.
"Where's Sirius?" asked Gerald.
"He's in the Hospital," replied Von.
"Take me there," commanded Gerald.
"Evan!" exclaimed Von.
Evan came running over. He and Von carried Kenney to the hospital.
"Dammit!" yelled Gerald.
"Is he gonna be alright?" I asked.
"It's hard to say. The Citadel do have the best apothecaries, though," replied Ray.
"The best apothecaries?" asked Louis.
"Why, are you an appthecary?" asked Ray.
"Yeah," replied Louis.
"So, will Kenney be alright or not? A definitive answer?" asked Nathan.
"Probably," replied Ray.
"I'll be back soon. I have to make some visits," Gerald told us.
He walked off.
"Our group's destroyed, Amber," sighed Louis.
"How so?" I asked.
"In several places. Leo missing, Ryland, Annie, and Esther lost in the main world, Taylor, Brooke, and Swarfiga at the town, Kenney injured. Now it's just me, you, Nathan, and Ray," explained Louis.
"Taylor is safe. I'm sure Ryland remembers the way," I replied.
"I'm not so sure anymore. The Sunshine Citadel know where the town is. What if they go back?" asked Louis.
"What if you stopped panicking?" asked Nathan.
"The group will be fine. We have the best of the best bodyguarding them," replied Ray.
"He said he has Jude and Witherstorm there. JUDE. AND. WITHERSTORM," exclaimed Nathan.
"They'll be fine, Louis," I assured him.
"I hope you're right, Amber," replied Louis.
Gerald came back.
"How is he?" asked Ray.
"He'll be fine. Sirius, Evan, and Von have him on a bed in the hospital," replied Gerald.
"Can we see him?" asked Louis.
"Sure," replied Gerald.
We all followed him.
"We've tried our hardest to make a replica of the real world. Simpler times. Hospitals, boats, the closest thing we can get to planes," explained Gerald.
"You reinvented PLANES?" asked Nathan.
"Kinda. We built these blimp things and used redstone to let them take off," replied Gerald.
"The Citadel technology is incredible," added Ray.
"With all the cool redstone inventions we've produced we could create an exact replica of society," explained Gerald.
"Yeah, exactly!" replied Ray.
"I hope we can," I replied.
"I read the book about the final battle with Cedryth. The only way to return to the real world is to kill yourself?" asked Louis.
"Yeah," replied Gerald.
"How come you never found a way to kill yourself?" asked Nathan.
"Guess I just made so many real friends that I didn't want to leave them behind," replied Gerald.
"I think that's why we all choose to stay here," replied Louis.
"Our luck'll run out eventually. We'll be sent back to the real world and nothing we've done will matter," explained Gerald.
"Did you ever find out why we were teleported into a game?" I asked.
"The Citadel decided it was some kind of quantum glitch in the system," replied Gerald.
"A glitch that sends people into a game?" asked Louis.
"Yeah. It's the best we could come up with. We just marked it down as truth," replied Gerald.
We arrived at the hospital. Gerald took us to Floor 5 Ward C, where injured patients were held. Kenney was gone.
"Sirius is just doing some questioning. He'll be back soon," explained Von.
"Questioning?" asked Nathan.
"He wants to know what happened. They'll be back soon," replied Von.
"The Citadel has so much equipment. It's amazing," gasped Louis.
===Chapter 4: Falling Soldier===
We sat next to the bed for a while. Waiting.
"I'm gonna see if any of the patients need anything," Gerald told us.
He walked over to a woman. I followed him.
"Gerald! Do you know when the doctor's coming with the health potions?" asked the woman.
"Nah. What even happened to you?" asked Gerald.
"The Sunshine Citadel," replied the woman.
"Damn those people. They almost ripped Kenney's leg off," Gerald told her.
"No! Not Kenney! Is he alright?" she asked.
"Not until his leg is fixed. The Citadel is doomed if he dies or becomes unable to walk," replied Gerald.
Gerald looked at me.
"You alright?" he asked.
"Yeah," I replied.
"Who's that?" asked the woman.
"Right. This is Amber. Amber, this is Dana," Gerald told me.
"Hello," I said.
I noticed Louis leaving the room.
"Where's he going?" asked Gerald.
"I don't know," I replied.
Louis came back in.
 "He's here," he said.
"I have to see Kenney. Holler if you need anything," Gerald told us.
He walked over to the bed. I followed. Sirius and Evan carried Kenney onto the bed.
"Dude, I still can't believe what happened back there," Gerald told Kenney.
"I can. The Sunshine Citadel just wants everyone dead. I'll be glad to put a stop to them," explained Kenney.
"Not with your leg," replied Gerald.
"You have to stay here," I told Kenney.
"We can put off killing the entire group until your leg heals, though," added Nathan.
"He needs to rest. Gerald, Warren's here," Sirius told Gerald.
Warren walked into the room.
"Warren!" exclaimed Ray.
"I thought you at the town?" asked Gerald.
"I was. Me, Jude, and Witherstorm were at the town. We saw Swarfiga and Brooke there. We asked where you guys were and they told us you off fighting that cult. So we went to the cult's main base in the lost tunnels but you weren't there so I assumed you were dead. But Jude and Witherstorm said not with Kenney on your side. We ended up running into that Ryland guy and he told us you went back to the Citadel. So I went back to the town to tell the the others about the new location, but I saw the Sunshine Citadel in the distance. I had to think of a distraction... I brought them here," explained Warren.
"You brought... the Sunshine Citadel... here? Here as in the Citadel?" asked Gerald.
"Oh, yeah, totally. So, the Sunshine Citadel come here, and I assume that you and Kenney can take them on?" asked Warren.
"Yes, except Kenney's injured," replied Louis.
"...oh. Whoops," replied Warren.
Gerald gave an angry look at Warren, but he also still had his mouth hung open.
"What do we do now?" asked Warren.
"Get everyone to the storm shelters!" yelled Gerald.
Warren nodded his head and ran off. We all watched in shock. 
"What do we do?" asked Nathan.
"Go," replied Kenney.
"What about you?" asked Gerald.
"The hospital has storm shelters. I'll be fine. Just go," replied Kenney.
Gerald sighed and left. We all followed behind him.
===Chapter 5: Lockdown===
"So, we're pretty screwed," said Ray.
"Don't say that!" I replied.
"He brought the Sunshine Citadel here? Is he dumb?" asked Nathan.
We all ran out the hospital. Gerald took us to the treasure room.
"The password is here somewhere," Gerald told us.
He got a book out of his inventory and built a pillar of diorite 5 blocks high. He then built a 4 block high pillar of diorite next to it, then a 2 block high one. The ground opened up, and Gerald quickly deconstructed the pillars. We went down the stairs. It was a storm shelter. A private one.
"This is the treasure hall storm shelter," Gerald told us.
Warren entered behind us and the ground closed up again.
"I told everyone to enter the chambers. The whole city's on lockdown," explained Warren.
"You're the one who brought them here!" exclaimed Louis.
"Calm down, Louie. Everyone's safe," replied Warren.
"It's Louis," he corrected him.
"We gotta find a way back to the town," Ray told us.
"Not without Kenney," replied Gerald.
"Well we can't just stay here," replied Warren.
"You're the one who brought them here!" exclaimed Gerald.
"What do they even want?" I asked.
"They come after people who can't let go. Who can't release. They make their victim learn a lesson," replied Gerald.
"What?" asked Louis.
"They want us because one of us can't let go of something," replied Gerald.
"No offense, but you can't let go of the fact you destroyed Elliottown. Do you think they're after you?" asked Nathan.
"I think they're after Ryland," replied Gerald.
===Chapter 6: Gerald's Theory===
We looked at him in shock.
"Why Ryland?" asked Louis.
"Leo is missing. He wants to believe he's alive, but deep down he knows he won't get him back," replied Gerald.
"So, you think they want to kill Ryland?" I asked.
"Yes," replied Gerald.
"So, why are they still coming after us?" asked Ray.
"Yeah. Ryland is in the town now," added Louis.
"Because we were with him last. They'll look for him. If they can't find him, they'll go back to the town," replied Gerald.
We gave another look of shock.
"We gotta get to the town!" exclaimed Louis.
"They're gonna kill Ryland!" added Nathan.
"The bunker's locked," replied Warren.
"There is one way we can get out," Gerald told us.
He built another portal.
"Another one?" asked Louis.
"Yes," replied Gerald.
Gerald pointed at me.
"Amber, go in," commanded Gerald.
I entered the portal. It was so disorientating, and everything felt weird. Almost as if reality was breaking apart. I landed in a building completely made of quartz. Gerald was there.
"Hello, Amber," greeted Gerald.
Louis and Nathan appeared.
"What is this place?" asked Louis.
Gerald pointed behind us. It was a wall. On the wall was a tapestry. The first image was Gerald creating everything. The second was Ludwig, Witherstorm, and someone else. The third was Cedryth. I soon knew what the tapestry was about.
The fourth was Cedryth being defeated the first time, then the fifth was Ludwig reuniting the Gods, then the sixth was Ludwig's death, then the seventh being Cedryth's destruction, then the eighth was Elliottown, the ninth was Elliottown's destruction, and the tenth: Me, Louis, Ryland, Nathan, and Taylor.
"The current timeline," Gerald told us.
"Why did you bring us here?" asked Nathan.
"I wish I'd killed Cedryth instead of just stripping him of his powers," sighed Gerald. "But I still can."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
===Chapter 7: Gerald's Request===
"Remember when I told you about modcrafting?" asked Gerald.
I nodded.
"There's an amulet. An amulet that allows you to bend time," continued Gerald.
Gerald handed me a clock, a compass, three diamonds, two pieces of gold, two pieces of iron, and three potatoes. He then handed me a crafting recipe.
"Use the clock, compass, diamonds, gold, and iron to create the amulet. You may now eat the potatoes," explained Gerald.
I put the items on a crafting table. The clock in the middle, two gold from left to right, two iron from top to bottom, the compass in the top left corner, and the diamonds in the other corners.
The amulet appeared before me, and Nathan and Louis looked in shock.
"I need you to enter "/time cedrythlostpowers" into the amulet," Gerald told me.
I did as he asked. An enter button appeared.
"Before you go, I just want to say: I have no clue what this could affect. I could die, you could die. I just know that Ludwig will still be alive. That all those people will still be alive," explained Gerald.
I shook Louis's hand, then Nathan's.
"This could be the end," said Louis.
"It won't. I doubt Cedryth's premature destruction would affect you guys. It depends when you met," replied Gerald.
"Amber's new to Elliottown, but me, Nathan, Taylor, and Ryland aren't," replied Louis.
Gerald nodded his head. I press enter, and a huge explosion engulfed the building. Everything became white.
===Chapter 8: Unbelievable===
I was stuck there, alone, until Gerald appeared. 
"What is this place?" I asked.
"The timestream," replied Gerald.
"This is, like, real time travel stuff," I gasped.
A screen appeared. It was Louis killing the Mayor. It faded to Elliottown's reconstruction, then to Elliottown's original destruction, then Gerald escaping the prison, then Ludwig's death, then reuniting the Gods, then Cedryth's first defeat, then three people.
"Ludwig, Thibo, Witherstorm," Gerald told me.
The next was Witherstorm and Thibo meeting a villager, then Ludwig, then Cedryth getting his powers removed. Everything appeared to be normal.
"Okay, Amber, wait here," commanded Gerald.
Gerald started to fade, and was merged with his past self.
"Can't kill your equal," snarled Cedryth.
"Cedryth, it's over!" yelled Gerald.
Gerald used a command block to strip Cedryth of his powers. He fell to the ground, knocked out, and Gerald killed him. I started to feel weird.
"What's happening?" I asked.
"We're adjusting to the new timeline," replied Gerald.
We re-entered the timestream. Witherstorm and Thibo meeting the villager was replaced with them meeting Ludwig. The screen of the three of them together stayed the same. Cedryth's first defeat was replaced with The Order of the Cat (Gerald told me about them) joining Ludwig's group. Ludwig reuniting the Gods was replaced with him meeting Gerald and Hellcraftia, and Gerald, Kenney, Randy, Kyle, and Von joining the group. An additional screen appeared, a reunion with the Gods appeared to happen anyway, just without Ludwig. Ludwig's death was replaced with him building Elliottown. Gerald escaping the prison was replaced with him and many others forming the Paragon Party, then Elliottown's destruction was replaced with Elliottown getting expanded. Finally, Louis killing the Mayor was replaced with everyone talking. Everything came back to normal.
===Chapter 9: New Turn of Events===
I adjusted to the new reality. Ludwig was still alive. Thibo was still alive. Everyone was fine.
"I'm glad to welcome Amber as our new head of resources and mining!" exclaimed Ludwig.
Thibo shook my hand.
"Welcome to the team," smiled Thibo.
I looked around. Louis was okay, Ryland was okay, Nathan was okay. I didn't see Taylor or Leo.
"Hey Amber, you okay?" asked Stella.
"This must be a pretty exciting moment for her," replied Binta.
"Wait, where's Gerald?" I asked.
Binta gave a sad look, and turned to Ludwig.
"Uhh... Gerald's been dead for two years," explained Ludwig.
I gave a look of shock.
"He sacrificed himself to save all of us," Jude told me.
"Yeah. Without him that volcano would of incinerated us," added Axel.
I ran away from the group, and they all watched me.
"Is she okay?" I heard Witherstorm ask.
It was true. I saw a huge memorial for Gerald, and Kenney was sat at it.
"Oh. Hey, Amber," greeted Kenney.
===Chapter 10: I messed up===
This timeline was horrible. I ran to my house. What happened to Gerald? Could I get back to the original timeline? I reached into my inventory, but the amulet was nowhere to be found. What had I done?
I had to find the amulet. I knew deep down it was in my house somewhere. I looked everywhere. Louis entered my house.
"Amber, Ludwig needs to speak to you," Louis told me.
"Louis, don't you remember?" I asked.
He gave me a confused look.
"Elliottown was destroyed. You killed the Mayor. The Sunshine Citadel? The New Elliottown? The tapestry? The amulet?" I asked.
"What are you talking about? You have some weird dreams Amber. You put the amulet thingy in your office," explained Louis.
"Where is my office?" I asked.
Louis gave another confused look.
"The far right end of Elliottown," he told me.
I ran out of my house and towards the far right of Elliottown. It was so much bigger than the main timeline.
I arrived at my office, and SuperLaserGuy1 was waiting for me.
"Yo, Amber," greeted SLG1.
"Not right now. I need to get into my office," I told him.
He shrugged, and let me past. I have to find that amulet.
==Characters==
===New Characters===
*Amber
*Ryland
*Nathan
*Louis
*Annie
*Esther
*Ray
*Dana
===Returning Characters===
*Gerald
*Kenney
*Warren
*Evan (minor role)
*Sirius (minor role)
*Randy (minor role)
*Kyle (minor role)
*Von (minor role)
*Cedryth (minor role, flashback)
*Ludwig (minor role, alternate reality)
*Witherstorm (minor role, alternate reality)
*Jude (minor role, alternate reality)
*Thibo (minor role, alternate reality)
*SLG1 (minor role, alternate reality)
*Axel (minor role, alternate reality)
*Stella (minor role, alternate reality)
*Binta (minor role, alternate reality)
*Jayden (minor role, flashback)
==Deaths==
*Gerald (alternate reality)
==Trivia==
*This is the first book of Arc 3 to not feature Taylor.
*It was also hinted that more returning characters will show up.
Category:Gerald-XR-Donovan
Category:Minecraftia Arc 3