Book 1: Chapter Four

**This page is part of the storyline.**Do not edit it in any way.

Doge of the Green Hollow pounded away at some random person’s sword. *This stinks. I am a warrior! I don’t just work at my stupid shop so that I can make two emeralds. We live in a beautiful town, full of knowledge and wonder. And I am pounding at a sword. With a hammer.* Doge thought it was ironic that he was fixing a weapon with another weapon. Even though a hammer was classified under ‘tools’, most considered it as a decent melee weapon, kind of like an axe. He cast the sword back into the fire, pounded some more, and then sharpened it. He placed it on the counter and yelled:

“Steel Longsword, number 52!” His job was annoying, but he was now done for the day. He left the shop, and decided to go take a stroll along the edge of the town near the gates. He walked around the edge of the small town. He found life here simply *boring.* He disliked his job, but the profit it made was decent. He had never fought real mobs, although he trained on the training golems the town had constructed whenever he wasn't working. His combat skills were worth boasting about, as he had exactly 131 points of combat.

It was odd that he craved battle, while no one else in the town did. They always claimed that because they had taken no part in the war, then they couldn’t be attacked. He disagreed. He knew the mobs. They were ruthless. They would do anything to destroy even the slightest enemy. He wished he could run away, but he couldn’t. He needed a guide. Most considered him under-leveled. He could prove them wrong, but it would just be risky.

Doge was serious about all the choices he made, and he had been pondering leaving for a while. He tried to run off just for a day when he was younger, but that didn’t work out amazingly. He had heard a moan and a hiss and had simply ran back, But now, now he wasn’t the coward he was back then. He was braver and stronger. He simply was better. He would be ready soon. Suddenly, he heard a shout coming from the gate.

“GET OUT OF THE TOWN IMMEDIATELY!” Doge sprinted towards the voice. It was a man in full omnigold armor, with a glowing red amulet and two emerald swords. Out of habit, Doge used ‘analyze monster’ on the person. It said his name was Soundtravel1000. “LEAVE! YOU ARE INCAPABLE OF DEFENDING YOURSELVES! ALMOST 75 MOBS ARE COMING FOR THIS TOWN!”

“Oh, I see.” said an elder of the town, who had been passing by right as Sound appeared “First of all, why should I believe *you*? This town has never once been involved in war! The monsters have absolutely no reason to attack us.”

“Because the mobs are ruthless and see you as a threat!” said Sound.

“Pshaw! You are a troll, I tell you! A troll!” he said. “Ignore him, I do say!” and the man simply walked away. Doge knew that Sound was right. He had expected this. It was his moment. He moved back towards his house so quickly that it was almost as if he had used the ‘dash’ ability, even though he did not own it. He grabbed all his items from the chest beside his bed and immediately equipped them. A full set of iron armor, mostly enchanted, as well as an iron sword and shield. He prized his shield over all other possessions of his; as it was enchanted with Surefooted II and Reflection I. He rushed back out, clanking around in his armor, and met Sound in the center. “What on Aetheria are you doing?” asked Sound

“I’m helping you!”

“Absolutely not. Not even ten of us could beat the wave of mobs coming for this town!”

“No. I’m staying whether you like it or not.”

“Fine.” The person muttered, and he drew his swords. Only then did Doge see the absolute stampede of mobs rushing towards him. He saw the most powerful of mobs he’d ever read about, that he didn’t think even actually exist! There was even a Skull Lord! He had been expecting a few zombies and spiders, maybe even a creeper, but no. These were the Eyeless One’s most elite. Ready to sweep through the town without a second thought. He too, drew his sword. It was time for war. *This is what I wanted, right? Pure violence. No, I know what I want. Peace.*

Right then, the mobs bursted through the treeline and into the clearing. Doge immediately had to begin combating a half ghost, half zombie. It was wielding a scythe, and it showed no mercy. All of his training memories came flooding back to him. This mob was no match for him. He activated ‘defensive stance’ which increased his armor by 15% for the next three seconds. The ghostlike creature swung it’s scythe down at him, and then he activated ‘parry’ to negate most of the blow. He then proceeded to slip under the weight of his opponent’s weapon, and stabbed his blade into the creature’s legs after activating ‘smite’, which did increased damage to undead. The creature fell immediately to this expert blow. He gained the XP, and proceeded to the next mob. This one was a sort of creepy spider almost the same height as him. He slid under the beast, while scraping his sword into its underbelly.

He continued this way, mowing down mobs. He tended to take down the easy ones while Sound took care of things like the irontusks and skull lord. It took them almost half an hour to take down all of them, but they eventually met their goal. Once the job was done, Sound looked at him and just raised an eyebrow

“Wow. You’re not-” suddenly, he was knocked back and into the wall. Doge immediately looked at the source of the blow. There, standing on a tree, was a wizard in light blue clothes, he had slick black hair, and a prickly beard.

“FOOL!” He yelled, and then shot a jet of purple light directly at Doge. He then promptly disappeared. When the bolt got close, he realized that all of his abilities were on cooldown except for one: ‘block’. He used it as quickly as he could, and he just barely managed to take the blow.

He had taken some amount of damage, but not a worrying amount. Then, he glanced around the clearing for Sound. He was laying there, propped up against a tree, and with the green of his health bar barely visible. Doge sprinted over, and reached into his inventory to retrieve a healing potion. When he gave it to Sound, he chugged it like someone would have eaten the last cinnamuffin on the planet. Gratefully, he stood up and told Doge:

“As I was saying, you’re not half bad, kid”

“Thanks, and how did you know they would come?”

“I saw them coming and figured they were coming here. I took out as many as I could, and then ran ahead to warn you.”

“And who was that wizard guy?”

“Iluz. He is a high-ranking member of Herobrine’s servants.”

But this was the thing that was on Doge’s mind:

“Um… Are you leaving again?”

“Yes. Why do you ask?”

“I was wondering if I could come with you?”

“Sure”

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