Wynncraft
The Fields
Episode 1
Location: The Roots of Corruption
At the roots of Corruption, there once stood a hundred soldiers, waiting to face the great threat of Wynn.
Rallying cries a thousandfold, they bashed their shields and raised their swords.
But in the midst of the absolute bloodshed, nearly all was lost, as the three found themselves cornered.
Their eyes faced violence like they never imagined. Clearly not ready for what was to come.
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
No, no no no...!
Kiya
Soldier of Wynn
Hrk...
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
You're not dying here. Get up. Get up!
Heathcliff
Soldier
Ugh...Come on, I can't...hold 'em much longer...
Kiya
Soldier of Wynn
Ishmael...Heathcliff...
Three friends, who have stuck together for so long, nearly faced their deaths once again.
As Ishmael dragged Kiya's body through the muddy soil, Heathcliff kept fighting off the horde with a weary look.
Kiya
Soldier of Wynn
Leave me...
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
Are you insane?! I'm NOT leaving you behind!
Kiya
Soldier of Wynn
I'm at my limit.
Heathcliff
Soldier
We ALL are. Shite...I can't take it. Come on! None of us are dying today!
Kiya
Soldier of Wynn
This is the worst...I never even got to...
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
Heathcliff, hurry up!
Heathcliff
Soldier
I'm on it! Let's get the hell out of here!
Kiya
Soldier of Wynn
....
Kiya closed his eyes.
And for a moment, he wondered if the afterlife was full of fields.
Episode 2
With various major towns being full of wounded soldiers, the three of them were forced to seek refuge elsewhere.
Whatever the threat was, it took out a portion of Detlas, but ultimately retreated.
But the damage left was devastating.
Kiya
Soldier
...Mnn...
Kiya expected to open his eyes to the Realm of Light. Instead, he found himself inside some sort of cabin.
His entire body burned.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Hey, you're up. Don't move too much, alright?
He blinked. Of course, Heathcliff was worried enough that he sat next to his body the whole time.
Unsure of where to begin, he opened his mouth to ask a question.
Kiya
Soldier
...Where the hell are we.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Oo, yeah. 'bout that. Every other place was full.
Kiya
Soldier
That doesn't answer my question.
Heathcliff
Soldier
...Why don't I help you up real quick?
Kiya huffed. He still didn't answer. Heathcliff helped him up, practically carrying his body.
The outside of the cabin was bright enough that Kiya shielded his eyes for a few seconds.
With the sky being clear, it was almost overwhelming.
Kiya
Soldier
Oh, huh.
Heathcliff
Soldier
We figured they'd take us in, so...
Decorated with different stalks of wheat, he looked around, neck still aching.
They took him to the Durum Isles.
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
...What did I just say?
Sure enough, Ishmael stepped away from a conversation to start a new one, rushing over towards Kiya, who clung to Heathcliff's arms.
She shook her head.
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
I told you to give it at least a day or two.
Heathcliff
Soldier
What can I say? He woke up, he asked, and I took him out.
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
You're not supposed to listen to him...
Kiya
Soldier
Yes he is.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Yes I am.
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
You're both assholes.
Kiya
Soldier
Says the one who probably took us all the way here.
Kiya
Soldier
How did I even survive? Durum doesn't even have a medic.
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
I did first aid while Heathcliff went out for help.
Kiya
Soldier
What. Weren't you both hurt, too?
Heathcliff
Soldier
Yep. Seaskipper took me around. Saw that I was all battered up and called in a Mage.
Kiya couldn't help but examine them both. He never did like being imposing, but with how they focused on him before themselves he couldn't help but feel bad.
All this time, they were making sure he didn't die.
This feeling in him felt warm and weird all the same. He couldn't express that.
Kiya
Soldier
...So what's the catch. There's always a catch to this, right?
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
Of course there is. We have to do some farming in exchange for using the farmer's spaces.
Ishmael
Seafaring Soldier
I mean, it's not a bad deal. Just a lot of working.
Kiya
Soldier
Farming's always nice.
Kiya
Soldier
Is that really it, though.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Look at him, always going the extra mile. No, yeah. That's really it.
Heathcliff
Soldier
The farmers told us to take our time, y'know. We explained the whole situation.
Kiya couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows. That couldn't have been all he had to do.
But he'll gladly work as thank you. It was the bare minimum.
He felt so strange, being cared for like this.
Kiya
Soldier
Right. Where do we start?
Episode 3
A week has passed since the terrors of the Corruption, and Kiya was off to work.
Waking up in the early morning was often a chore for Heathcliff, but the assassin was used to it at this point.
Ishmael would call the Seaskipper and sail for reports, sometimes coming back with resources.
Overall, he felt he could live like this forever.
Heathcliff
Soldier
I dunno how you managed to heal up so quickly. My shoulders are burning like hell.
Kiya
Soldier
That's because you were focusing on me.
Heathcliff
Soldier
And not myself? Yeah. Happens a bunch, no?
Kiya
Soldier
Whatever.
The two of them grabbed their scythes and got to work, tilling the fields of malt to the best of their ability.
The farmers of the Isles had deep appreciation for what Kiya had done for them. This was only one visit among a dozen other times, he was used to farmwork at this point.
Still, in a situation like this, the feeling of guilt still got to him at times.
It seemed Heathcliff could tell.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Oi. What's with that look?
Kiya
Soldier
Whuh.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Your expression. Thinking again?
Kiya
Soldier
It's nothing.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Nah, nah. You don't get to say that after what happened.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Talk to me.
He wasn't sure where to even begin with his racing thoughts. All this time, he's been trying to live up to somebody's name.
Sometimes it felt like a wild grook chase, trying to fight off the Corruption like this.
He lived for a cause, and it seemed his friends knew that too.
Kiya
Soldier
Alright, fine.
Kiya
Soldier
I was thinking...
Kiya
Soldier
...Why?
Kiya
Soldier
You were both dying back there and you still made the effort to make sure I could live.
Kiya
Soldier
I don't get it.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Seriously?
Heathcliff
Soldier
Mate, I don't know why I gotta nail this down your noggin, but I thought it was bloody obvious.
Heathcliff
Soldier
We love you? It's that simple?
Heathcliff
Soldier
If you think that just cause we've had a few bumps 'ere and there our whole lives means we ain't friends...
Kiya
Soldier
Guess it's just hard to process.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Look. I get it. We've been unloved as kids.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Ishmael's gone through some massive shit and she still wanted to look out for me.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Cause we can't change what's around us, but we can change ourselves. Weird how that works, huh?
Heathcliff
Soldier
Uhh...What I'm sayin' is, don't worry about it. This is a friendship that'll last forever.
Kiya
Soldier
Forever until that thing actually kills me.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Lad.
Kiya
Soldier
Sorry. Bad joke.
Kiya
Soldier
....
All the things they've seen, and the world around them...
Kiya wouldn't want it any other way, despite how painful everything could be.
He really did have hope that he'll face his fears in the near future.
Kiya
Soldier
We aren't heroes, but...
Kiya
Soldier
Not like we gotta be anyway.
For himself, and for all that fell before him.
And the darkness that was already seeping in his arms will be held back until then.
Picking up his scythe, Kiya nudged the other to get back to work.
Kiya
Soldier
If we do this faster, I can cook us lunch.
Heathcliff
Soldier
Oh, gods! Finally! I've been craving your cooking for ages.
Kiya
Soldier
Hurry up then.
He really could live like this forever.
Kiya was loved after all.