#tiny order

[comic-the-adventurer]

The Origin Of The Order [C1]

“Hurry up, Ivor!”

A ginger boy with the name of “Soren” energetically sprang away from the schoolhouse, of the step of the establishment’s staircase, his boots scraping the dirt beneath his soles as he turned around while one foot hit the ground, graceful as could be. In a movement of enthusiasm, his scarf’s loose end waved behind him slightly, cutting through the summer’s air in motion, the same for the drawstrings of his hoodie. It was summer at last! After numerous months of academy, he was remarkably thrilled to have time to sit back, relax and enjoy the stress-free glow! Hell, he was so excited the schoolbell didn’t even ring yet, he ran out a second before the chime went off which would be the signal for the conclusion of class for the ensuing several weeks! He couldn’t wait to play with his good, probably best, friend, “Ivor”--The irony--all throughout the holiday. The two had been good allies since around the beginning of the school-year and ever since then, the pair have always hanged out whenever possible. Because of that, Soren was eager to call out for him in exhilaration and he did just that, soon before the schoolbell rang;

“It’s finally summer vacation!”                                                    

- - -

The schoolhouse immediately filled to the brim with children’s cheers and exclamations as the bell fell out. The doors of the school were swinging open. Not a second went by without a younger running out of the building, shouting in glee. Students eagerly rushed down the few stairs onto the ground, some jumping, others running. The delight of the concept of this wonder-filled holiday commenced to the calls of names, footfalls and everything in-between to be let into the atmosphere of this play of an environment twice more than it usually would on any ordinary schoolday, same for the mirth and laughter of the children. In the background, Ivor wasn’t a fan of Soren just running out ahead of him. It was something that happened every day though, so he was used to it. Besides, he knew Soren for a while and if he knew anything about him it was that he was a very energized and enthusiastic person and that nothing he could think of would be able to stop him from his passionate personality and nothing besides isolation ever did, did it, Sorie?

“Soren!” Ivor called out, running up to him, his longer, sable hair in the wind. “It’s not polite to make a friend run!” 

“Yes well, the more time we spend in that school, the more time summer is gonna pass by us, Ivor and I for one, am not letting a second of this spectacular vacation pass by!”            

“We’re going to be asleep for the majority of it, Soren.”                                       

Ivor reminded his green-eyed friend of that in an eye roll, shortly before he turned to the dirt trail the both of them had always walked aside home, prompting Soren to follow him to the dusty path that led to their home village which they shared. The two accompanied each other on their saunter which wasn’t a short distance from their school but not a long one either. It was good, however, for it gave them more than enough time for the pair to talk, mainly discussing their plans of the ventures and activities they would be doing throughout the season break, exclusively involving only the two of them, alike to how they always did. They weren’t sad about that either. They never needed nor did they have anyone else to be getting in the way of their hang-outs with one another. Ain’t that ironic?   

“We could always go to the beach, Ivor.” 

“I’ve told you about a million times, Soren! I can’t swim! What I would be doing would be making a laughing stock out of myself!” 

“Very well, forgetting the beach...we could...go and explore a cave...!” 

“With kitchen knives? I prefer to live, thank you.”

“Ivor, where’s your sense of adventure? I recognize that you like to explore!”

“Well, yes…” Ivor sighed, “Listen Soren, I just...don’t want to get in trouble just as summer is starting, alright?”

“I understand...all that I wish is that you’d lighten up a bit. It’s best we take chances and do things...! Without taking chances...well...life is point–” 

Arg!  Soren’s vision took a blur briefly in distress as his eyes took a cross in startlement. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear his perception from blear. His hands felt a dirt trail, small pieces of dust clouded his arms throughout. Once his mind was freed from confused he gazed up and saw a boy and a girl before him, standing on the field ahead where the clay route had yet another fork of right and left, the greenery with an overhead carven, numerous feet behind the quad that truthfully looked like something that should be of a world-wonder. Ivor was knelt on one knee next to his gingered friend, though his robe didn’t seem to help his action. The boy who Soren had fumbled into had a shaved head whist the lass had some shorter light brown hair, the bloke’s expression could be said to be unimpressed but a bit mad. The lass was more neutral than anything but clearly expecting someone to say something. You didn’t change one bit, did you, Ellie?

“Do you mind looking where you’re going?” The boy asked with a slightly rude tone but not that he was screaming, the boy brings his hands open-palmed above his head in a sarcastic movement, "Here I am, innocently trying to talk with my friend and you have the nerve to bump into me...!” 

The unnamed lass did nothing more than a facepalm at her friend’s play but she didn’t say anything. Soren got to his feet and quickly dusted off any possible dirt that could have came onto his clothes when he fell onto the dusted track and quickly settled the loose end of his scarf back into the place around his neck, how it was beforehand. Ivor stood back up almost in sync of Soren who took a glance at him. Ivor didn’t really seem to be offended or remarkably concerned about Soren’s moderate injury. It was nothing more than a small fall, after all. 

“I should have been looking where I was going and I’m sorry I crashed into you,” Soren takes his arms down a bit which were previously at the same height as his head, a surrender-like stance, fingers loosely fixed and opens his eyes, slight sarcasm removed, “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Yeah, I don’t think a small bump would break my neck, if you didn’t know.” 

“Magnus, hear yourself,” The girl stepped up, reaching an arm out, almost cutting off her bandana-wearing friend, “He clearly didn’t mean to.” The lass unpressed shrugs her arms, palms open, “Do you really think that they’re out to get you or something?” 

The boy sighed a breath of sass because of his friend’s remark. Nevertheless, he turned gazed back at the ginger and black-haired, looking at a slight angle. The damsel in a dress, for the first time, in the thirty seconds that Soren and Ivor knew the lass, was the one to speak up instead of the bloke she had for an associate. She first did a sigh of the air regarding her dismissal of the event;

“I’m sorry about him.” The girl slightly waves her hands apart, around the same height as her chest, “He can be friendlier but when he remembers that the world doesn’t revolve around him, it starts to make him intolerable.” 

“Ellie!” Magnus shouted forcefully to “Ellie,” hands clenched and drawn to his heart. The scene causes Ivor and Soren to have a small laugh as “Ellie” rolled her eyes with a smile of backhand before loosely bringing a hand to just below her throat;

“The name’s Ellegaard, by the way. I habitually go by ‘Ellie,’ though. This is Magnus. AKA, the world’s best rogue.” Ellegaard hastily nods her head down, clenched hand in sync.

“I’m taking that as a compliment!” Magnus announced proudly, both wrists on his hips.

This is yet another case of the kids having a cursory case of laughter while Ellegaard and Ivor shook their heads both donning unimpressed smiles. Honestly, none of them understood if they were laughing at Magnus or with him, though Magnus was wearing a proud beam, therefore, it was likely the ladder if anything. They did seem to have a sense of humour. Perhaps these two aren’t so bad, after all. Given the fact that these two unfamiliar kids gave their names to the duo, Soren took it upon himself to provide him and Ivor their customary introductions, bringing a hand to his chest, talking a bit slowly at first;

“My name is Soren and this is my friend Ivor. Do you two live around here? I have never seen either of you before.” 

“Don’t answer, Ellie!” Magnus interrupted, hands hovered above his chest, “They may be creeps...!” 

“Stop being so paranoid.” 

“The worry can be understandable,” Ivor added quietly, close to interrupting Ellegaard, turning his head slightly aside, an out-of-character thing to say. Nowadays, at least.

Although Ivor spoke this one-liner nearly alike to inaudibly, a wave of hush befell upon each and every one of the kids in result, leaving the sound of a slight breeze and distant, unimportant voices all to the ears of the four. Ivor had single-handedly brought them all to an awkward silence, uncomfortable for all of the children for a few, thin seconds, though it felt like longer before Soren discontinued the inconvenient deadlock on any kind of known social cue with an apprehensive shrug, more to the right and a proposal which he said slowly;

“Perrrrrrhaps we could be friends? Ivor and I were planning some plans for the summer! If you want, you can join us.” 

“All I was going to do this summer was study redstone techniques,” Ellegaard raised an arm swiftly as she said that, closing her eyes and raising her shoulders with slight sass, “So, I wouldn’t mind.” 

“Yeahhhhhhh, I got nothing better to do either,” Magnus said glinting away with a shrug before turning back to Ellegaard addressing her, “Ellie, we should include Gabe.” 

“Gabe?” Ivor asked slowly, tilted head, “Who’s that?” 

“Gabriel,” Ellegaard answered, “He’s our friend. He’s likeable.” 

“This will be excellent!” Soren exclaimed, clapping his hands together, “Ivor and I were discussing how we were going to go and explore a cave later! You both could come too!” 

“I never agreed to that!” Ivor retaliated in a gasp, his hands bitterly closed and brought to his chest. You know something? It’s kind of funny how some people never change even throughout the span of several years.

“Well, if purple-eyed is up to it, so are we,” Magnus asked casually, one hand on his hip, “Where you two wanna meet?” 

- - -

The four children processed to discuss their plans to go on an adventure through a cave that same night which wasn’t quite a ways from Ellegaard’s, Magnus’s and “Gabriel’s” village, though their village wasn’t a very far venture from Soren’s and Ivor’s town either, which was good. It might be a dangerous risk, lives might be put in jeopardy but that would mean nothing more than it also being an adventure. After talking it over with one another, Magnus promised to bring wooden swords for the group, Soren promised to bring torches for the four, Ellegaard promised to inform their unseen friend, Gabriel to come along and, most importantly, each kid promised not to tell their parents that evening and go with the other few at nightfall without their parent’s knowledge or consent. Who knew that an adventure could be sparked by a clumsy action? What would happen if Soren wasn’t distracted? Maybe The Order Of The Stone would’ve never existed...! If only, huh?

This is the story of how The Order Of The Stone first began. Their Origin. This Is The Origin Of The Order.

[comic-is-trying-to-write]

The Origin Of The Order [C2]

A dirt, dust, make-do kind of trail within what was suggested to be a near close-roofed forest, only to be guessed by the lighting, though. But in defence, that only made this scene all the most elegant yet calming. This home-like track was gently splattered and softy fluttered with a few, crisp, delicate leaves cross. The actual colours of this frame to be unknown at the first glance for a consequence of the gloaming and ghostly shading, signified it to be the nighttime of the current day, although only the pathway and lower portion of the stocks assuming to be rising, climbable trees appeared as visible. The elegant, content, natural scene with a soft yet very eerie chirp of birds throughout these seconds alongside a slight, home-like breeze was sufficient to cause one to feel nearly equivalent to a peace-filled standing. Of course, nothing can last forever. This calming and tranquillizing twinkling merely took place for nothing more than a few, valuable, fragile trices though. The reason that this pretty hum had been destroyed is that an unforeseen individual, weathering rust-coloured footwear casually scrolled through the soil trail in an imperceptible swifter velocity, producing clicks of a clean, stepping tick. The sound nor the kid beginning to enter into this frame, first into chapter, wasn’t really any kind of intimidation worthy but enough to be accustomed to transfer your attention to the youth’s feet as a result of the minor moving about, a contrast from the still scene. Besides, the child came practically forthwith into this scene, the amicable atmosphere only taking place for about a moment, nothing more than a few seconds…but the enigma is…who is the kid?   Ivor? You’re still byside me, correct?                                                                           A confirmed child with now exposed, closefitting and beige leggings hurriedly yet carefully, shifted his feet about in a revolution, alike to turning around, gazing behind themself, exposing the outline of their brightly toned hair, orange around the brim and a blazing-bright torch in grasped in hand. The kid assumed to be Soren underwent a near motionless position, turned around as if he was either calmly anticipating or looking for something. Soren’s statue-like stance occurred for a something of a second before a more pale-skinned boy who was assigned the appellation of “Ivor,” emerged into outlook, his eyes especially standing out from the close to complete tenebrosity, though Ivor’s more clutz-like entrance didn’t cooperate with his pride. The purple-eyed boy cautiously advanced to his rather ambitious associate in a more expeditious and guarded behaviour before the both of them walked onwards within the star-filled night, shadowing darker shades through the numerous trees, far overhead of any and all passersby in the beautiful purple-wooded and red-petaled forest that stretched out all the way to…well, no one actually knew. Not the children anyways. The twilight lighting maintained a delicate and elegant shading. What you think would be a premade path within the woods was actually a normal, grassy area, pushed aside commonly enough by children, adventurous enough to wander into the danger-filled forest to accumulate a sort of dirt passageway that was polished upon by the moon which was reaching its zenith in the sky, it being rather close to that day’s midnight…and within that midnight, Ivor and Soren came to yet another fork in the pathway of the forest, one on the left to seem to be leading upwards and presumably out of this woodlands, the opposing appearing to be directing even farther into that labyrinth that was the wilderness. Ivor for one, simply yearned to get at a gap from the forest, meaning that when Soren guided him to the route farther into the hinterland, that set off some solicitudes as Ivor looked a slight to the sky;

“Soren, I think that we’re astray…”

“Not to worry, Ivor!” Soren encouraged, enthusiastically turning around and walking backwards, eyes still on Ivor, “Trust me when I say that I’m aware of where we’re going!”

“We don’t even have anything to fend ourselves with…”

“I told you not to worry, Ivor!” Soren reminded, now walking byside of his purple-eyed friend, “Ellegaard and Magnus said that they’d bring wooden weaponry for us and that this other, given the name of ‘Gabriel’ is astonishing when it comes to wielding a sword…!”

“See, I’m all for safety in numbers, however…” Ivor desisted in an angry sigh, not sure of what he wanted to say, “Listen Soren, I’m just…not all that keen on going on a venture with two kids we’re just met and one that we haven’t…!” Ivor’s tone took more power with the last few words.

“No need to be paranoid, Ivor,” Soren reassured in a more subtly calming tone, “These children are experienced.”

“Experienced?” Ivor questioned in a sharp, almost angry tone, “They’re not even as much as a year older than us!” Ivor hissed aloud, hastily shifting his head a bit more towards his ginger companion.

“They said that they’ve gone exploring many times before, Ivor,” Soren mentioned, the tone of his voice rising with more enthusiasm, bringing his free arm up in a shrug swiftly, palm open, “Of course, they’re experienced!

“You cannot believe everything alleged, Soren…”

The moon and stars shimmed and glistened above with a shimmer throughout that night. The phosphorescence befell upon each and every citizen with a polished, gleaming sparkle and a more chilled breeze, releasing a blanket of mysteriosity in an eerie, creep yet swift as could be–the covers would drop upon both one’s who’re awaken and one’s who’re resting in a soft, soothing glitter and gleam of reassurance; still in help of the gaze far, far aloft. All of the luna glittered within its beautiful, twilight atmosphere as its pure white hue illuminates the range surrounding the exquisite spheroid, unreachable even from the inexperienced. The bells from the moon scream and scream the names of victims that left their families and dearest friends that day, deliberately or other. A subtle memorial each and every night howled and hummed a tone of admiration and reassurance as you look upwards and towards the sphere up above. You notice a scintillate in the luna as you gaze to the sky’s twilight. What’s that? Did you spot a sparkle? Well, what that signifies is an alteration of perspective. Although you’re concentrated upon the moon, you can hear Ivor calling out a question quietly that’s nothing more than one, single additional line from his viewpoint;

“Soren…? Do you also have this strange feeling that something bad will happen?”

- - -

“Magnus, quit it…!”

“Aw c’mon, Ellie!” A bird donning the shades of orangish-red and grey-like white hurriedly flies elsewhere in startlement and survival-instinct, as an outcome of something unclear being briskly tossed at the lifeform, “I’m just having fun…!”

Magnus’s tone was that of one that said to be an intentional pitch, trying to get under Ellegaard’s skin. The green jacket-wearing boy flipped a leftover wooden stick which turned out to be the object to cause the bird to panic, flying into the air, grabbing the branches before they proceeded to befall to the darkened, forest terrain in his left hand, a wooden sword in the other, turning to Ellegaard with a deliberately more ironic voice and an expression that was plainly intended to irritate the lass. It worked. Ellegaard couldn’t help but pointlessly retaliate with him, futilely attempting to make him cease to be such a nuisance. Then again, Magnus wouldn’t be Magnus without his astonishingly vexatious tendency. She brushed that thought off, grasping the wooden sword in her hand imperceptibly tighter, another two boarded blades secured through the belt around her waist, jacket beneath as she and Magnus sauntered through the forest, a nighttime atmosphere glowing, fainting onto the children and environment throughout.

“Your ‘fun’ is harmful to wildlife!”

“And your fun is looking at fancy lights as they burn up.”

“Hey, speak for yourself, bastard…! It’s actually very interesting, thank you!”

“Oh, I get it,” Magnus laughs that in a witty idea, “You’re just scared of the dark,” Magnus teased, slightly elongating the last word.

“What?” Ellegaard sibilated, confused.

“Doesn’t redstone give off a natural light?” Magnus jeers, somewhat lengthening the final term yet again, “I guess you just like it ‘cause you hate the dark…!” He hissing “dark” with an extra taunting and edge-like tone.

“Hey! A phobia of the dark is actually a sign of high survival-instinct…!”

“So…” Magnus replied, still in a gibing pitch but now in a wise-guy tone, “You are?”

“M-” A sharp snap of a twig cuts Ellegaard off, having her to reflexively, violently shove an arm to Magnus’s chest, a halting gesture. Her head snapped back to watch in front of herself, opposed to glaring at Magnus, “Did you hear that?” She asked in a firm and guarded pitch.

“Oh, yeah,” Magnus barbed, “It’s just the sound of a nerd changing the topic…!”

“No, you idiot,” Ellegaard stared fiercely at her ally, “It sounded like-!” A creeper carefully emerged from the brambles ahead of the duo, making a racket blatant enough for a warning to be said. The monster wasn’t looking at them but it was looking and the right-bottom as if the abnormality was attempting to watch its step, afraid of tripping to the ground. Ellegaard and Magnus both noticed the menace at near the same time, however, the damsel was the one to take action, abruptly tackling Magnus to the bushes, the right of the kids in a hiding and panicked movement, a hand loosely over his mouth so he couldn’t yelp out in startlement. As the pair duck into the hedges, glimpsing their heads out, anticipating to look at a single creeper, nothing else, they notice that somehow, a cluster of monsters surrounded the proximity. From skeletons, spiders, zombies, creepers, even an enderman or two…the monstrosities completely encircled the area. Completely. Not a foot was covered without a monster occupancy in the crepuscular shadows, a mysterious dim befell. Look at the monsters, eye-contact unnecessary, and the monstrosities would shoot in a gaze their frigid glare that perpetually intensified throughout nightfalls although it might’ve been a natural survival instinct, even if both of the human presence were children. Speaking of which…the kids…the poor, poor kids…they didn’t even have to tell one another to comprehend the fact that if a monster saw them, meaning every one of them…although they both had weaponry and understood how to use them…they’d unquestionably be dead where they stand. Unnecessary and obvious to be said, the kids instantaneously ducked out of sight in a reflex and survival-instinct. In fear, they pressed their backs up against the shrubs, desperately striving to remain out of view, paralyzed in apprehension for a few, heavy seconds, hallucinating a spine-chilling tune banging hard in their ears alike to how I’m positive that you would if your life was on the line, all so suddenly. The kids were scrambling through their minds for an plan to get out of the monster-infested area. Ellegaard tried the best she could to remain calm and keep her pride up but really the most logical plan she could think of underneath the panic that she was experiencing was to endure a sneaking escape as cunningly as they could be, tapping Magnus’s shoulder and motioning for him to follow her as they began to crawl to safety, Ellegaard with the lead. That was Ellegaard’s plan. Magnus’s? As the pair slithered past a slightly more vulnerable state, cause of the less poofy hedge, Magnus took out a small bundle of TNT, a mildly maniacal smile wore, him being presumably ready to inflame and toss it towards the monster-infested territory and he would’ve had if Ellegaard didn’t interfere and forcefully pull him by his sleeve, firmly directing him to follow her. Wordlessly, that is. Magnus though bitter, the kids proceed to creep their way past the monsters discreet as possible. As you move your eyes to the moon, far out of the forest, a close silhouette of another quickly fills the frame with a grey as they strive off.

- - -

“There it is!”

Magnus and Ellegaard proclaimed that phrase in sync of each other upon locating the cave’s entrance, Ellegaard pointing an arm and finger, Magnus louder than the lass. Despite what has the possibility of sounding like, given their tones, even after maybe half-an-hour, the duo still wasn’t at the opening of the hollow. The only reason the pair saw the cavern was because of the result of climbing higher, onto a more steeper kind of hill, the rise being more narrow and almost perpendicular than any kind of thick. Trees were to the left and right of the kids, so close that they had to clasp the plants to keep their balance; to look out at their destination. This moderate mountain was slightly off-trail and harder to escalate upon, however, both of the children were appreciative of a signal made of reassurance, confirming that they weren’t astray from the correct direction. Nonetheless, despite the fact that eerie fog encompassed the cavern and the night’s atmosphere generally, they had the ability to see two, clouded figures with blur. All that was visible was one form donning a light orange colour, more still than the other, the other with purple tints, nearly gleaming its violet hue, moving in circles. It has to be Soren and Ivor, yeah?

“Magnus, come on,” Ellegaard started, slipping down the hill, swiftly moving back to the trail before the moon sparks and shimmers, “Don’t you think that it’s best that we hurry? They’ve been waiting there for how long now?” Wonder what they’re thinking. After all, we are late.

- - -

“Soren, I feel that we should just go home.”

“It’s barely midnight, Ivor. They’ll come along.”

“You’re getting tired, so am I. I really am starting to doubt that they’re going to show up.”

“Ivor, please. Have faith in them.”

“We’ve been here for a while, Soren.”

“Have some patience, Ivor.”

“Think about it, Soren: they have no reason to come.”

“Ivor…”

“Way to have confidence in us!”

An enigmatic, loud, male-associated voice echoed and cut throughout this one, particular, already eerie, nighttime’s atmosphere, the sunless environment not encouraging to relieve or lessen the very brief, few flashes of panic, tension and dismay, cause of the abrupt sound. The duo was already guarded because of the fact that the nightfall caused monsters to generate, posing danger to; an obvious fact. The few footsteps, both before and after, disregarded, Ivor flitched in startlement of the sudden voice and took a step retrograde, a reasonable instinct, small portion of meadow beneath his near-black boots crushed to crippled. Soren instantaneously jumped up, onto his feet, his heart violently shifted alike to Ivor’s, startled of the call which pounded in and out of their ears, unforeseen and unexpected as could be. Though at a second thought, slightly familiar. Not that the pair had the ability to properly think about though because of the fact that at once, out of the twilight darkness, Ellegaard and Magnus emerged, both donning a confident still stance once they knew for a fact that they were visible to Ivor and Soren, judging by their expressions.

Ellegaard remarked, “The levels of distrust you must’ve had in us to think that we weren’t going to show up…!”

Ivor shifted the topic, “Yes well, what did take so long?”

“Oh, you should’ve seen it, Ivor!” Magnus over-exaggerated, “The biggest cluster of mobs you’ve ever seen jumped out at us, so we blew them up with a giant pile of TNT!”

Soren asked in a concerned tone while Ivor went silent, “W-what?”

“He’s exaggerating in a plain lie,” Ellegaard reassured, “He wanted to explode the monsters but I didn’t let him.”

“Well,” Soren laughed in concern, closed-eyes, “I’m glad.”

Ivor slowly added, “Blow them up…?”

“Yeah, check this out!” Magnus revealed a small bundle of TNT, he was carrying around with him, a smile wore, “I stole it from my old man.”

“I keep telling him not to play around with that stuff anymore…!” Ellegaard continued, childishly trying to get the explosive in hand and away from Magnus with both arms, the boy insisting her away with only one elbow, ultimately giving her arms a gentle yet firm push, Ellegaard finally ceasing her snatches;

“Yeah, but you never know when we might need it!” Magnus replied, tucking the item away and into his inventory yet again. That, of course, took place before Soren added a phrase ecstatically, a contrast to Ivor casting his opinion in, pessimistically.

“I feel that’s going to be useful!”

“I feel that we’re going to die.”

- - -

Whist the meagre kind of crowd commenced setting foot into the cavern which they had formulated and planned to explore throughout, completely prepared, equipped and enthusiastic…well, most of the children anyway. Ivor never failed to love the adventure aspect of things but never the whole: “we-could-so-easily-die” part. Despite that, he wasn’t really a coward. At least not visibly. He was just more cautious. Regardless, as I said, most of the children were excited to undergo and experience this thrilling adventure. They were prepared because of the fact that they planned in a more prolonged discussion several hours, beforehand. Beforehand in the sense that it was that day’s evening and only two of the children ever went into a cave beyond dusk. Or well, at all. Ivor and Soren would sometimes wander into a hollow now and then, but would never go far enough into a dugout that monsters had a risk of jeopardizing them, performing as a menace or hazard to the pair. In fact, nor Ivor, nor Soren could remember exterminating a single monster. Directly, at least. Regardless of the eerie hums of breeze, the cavern echoing throughout the seconds and soft clicks of decaying spiderwebs, Soren glanced behind the group and out of the cave, noticing something wrong;

“I thought you said that your friend of ‘Gabriel’ was coming? Did…he cancel?”

“Here we go again with the again with the enthusiasm…” Ellegaard sighed, “He’ll be a bit late. He needs to wait until his parents fall asleep and then he’d come running.”

“Oh, alright,” Soren apologized his pride still up, “Sorry…”

“Eh,” Magnus added, “I like your enthusiasm.”

“Oh…” Soren asked, genuinely a bit surprised, “Really?”

“Yeah,” Magnus teased, “Makes me seem better by comparison.”

“Magnus…!” Ellegaard objected whilst Ivor had a small and subtle case of laughter.

“Regardless…” Soren rolled his eyes, “Should…we not wait for him?”

“No,” Ellegaard answered, “He knows his way around this cave. He’ll find us.”

“Wait, you’ve come here before?” Ivor asked, bitterly, “It’s not really an adventure if it’s explored, after all…!”

Although Ivor was comforted and relieved that his unfamiliar, new friends recognized and knew their way throughout this cavern which, even though they’d merely presently penetrated, both Soren and Ivor already understood the fact that this particular dugout remained of rather great measurements and very open-ended as well. Regardless, the mental-map Magnus and Ellegaard possessed on the eerie location made Ivor consider him and Soren merely a little more protected. However, it also demolished and drained the enchanting adventure aspect of this unquestionably. After all, if it was thoroughly investigated and explored, they’d be accomplishing nothing but watching cobwebs snap, at that point. What would be the purpose of sneaking out, endangering the fact of getting in trouble with their parents, only to take a few-hour walk? That’s…not even anything that would be fun. Sure, playing around with friends is, but…this? They had a discussion about going into this cavern, why wasn’t the fact this place was already travelled throughout brought up? Ivor agreed to go on an adventure, not take a tour through a cave whilst it was nightfall. Ellegaard, Soren and Magnus all understood how Ivor only craved to come along to go on an adventure…! Surely this could be considered a trick, no?

“Nope!” Ellegaard explained with a bit of sass, “That’s where you’re wrong…! There are numerous spiralling paths farther through. We discovered a trail last time and didn’t take it,” The lass spoke before turning her back and directing the few in a walking action, “We can go down that way.”

The other three children followed their female friend towards a pathway in the particular cave, them naturally sauntering in something of a near cluster, obviously not the only sounds being of the to-be-expected clicks and cracks of the cave, though. That would clearly keep all of the kids both on-edge and creeped-out. Alternatively, the kids continuously conversated amongst one another regarding unimportant, frivolous topics in discussion. And while some of them wouldn’t admit it…it was nice. Soren and Ivor barely knew the other two, same for Magnus and Ellegaard, so getting to know the opposite duo had all of the four kids feel pleasant. They got to know things regarding each other’s interests, aspirations, general behaviour and personality, even learning some things about this unseen “Gabriel” kid--all such to-be-expected small-talk. Even if they weren’t technically on the enterprise just yet, they remained to have a lot of fun regardless. After all, these children are what? In between the age ranges of ten and twelve? Were you anticipating a different activity throughout the span of twenty minutes? Although at that point, the children were all very much content doing nothing but prattling with each other, even if they were in a cave…well, I say cave and, yes–there was some ore, here and there, but it was closer to bland than exceptional, for sure. The hollow was repeating and reappearing the likewise minerals, over and over again: Iron, coal, the very sporadic redstone or lapis, but as I said, far from anything truly outstanding…Not that the kids took notice on that over something else unquestionably questionable: they hadn’t been attacked or encountered anything aggressive since the children went down into the cavern. However, that didn’t mean that the children couldn’t overhear the noises of monsters crying out, occasionally interrupting the children’s conversations. It kept them all on-edge but the fact that the monsters were never visible, nearly made the children feel alike to the belief that they were going insane. In fact, the single actual indication of any kind of life that they saw was a bat purposelessly fluttering about. Other than each other, that is. I mean, not that they were complaining that they weren’t being attacked, of course. They liked it, obviously. Well…nothing can last forever.

- - -

“Just think, Ivor…! Soren addressed, “Someday, perhaps we’ll find diamonds or something else terribly exciting! You could finally make that enchanting table that you’ve always dreamed of…!”

“Yes, that’s true….” Ivor said as he glanced away, slightly hushing his voice, “But what I actually want is a brewing stand…It’s just that I never got a blaze rod, therefore…”

Magnus perked up, offering his assistance, “Dude, if a blaze rod is all that you need, I’ll just take one from my old man…!”

“Well, don’t steal from your father, Magnus…” Ivor responded, “If it’s stolen then I don’t want it…”

“Don’t mind him,” Ellegaard shook her head, “He’s a griefer at heart.”

“And I’m proud of it!”

Magnus’s response prompted assorted reactions to the ragtag, three other children, amongst the byside of him. Despite their distinguished personalities, feedback towards his phrase matching, what they had in alike with one another concerning their responses was the laughs. Verbal-filler or unhidden audible, Magnus was simply…Magnus and everybody knew that nobody in existence maintained the capability to prevent him. Him or his self-confidence, that is. In hindsight, it’s most beneficial that you perpetually acknowledge and appreciate any and all content and peaceful moments, displaying gratitude and being kind to your allies, even if it requires your pride to drain. You never know if that occurrence is going to be the final one you’ll have for a while. That, or ever. I guess that the only way for some people to learn is the hard way, hm? Once the four got sauntering throughout again, torch in Soren’s hand, a few flares provided to Magnus and Ellegaard, it didn’t require a prolonged measure of time for the more diminutive type of party to arrive at a more open-ending portion of the cavern, two pathways, one on the left opposing to the right, developing as a fork in the hollow, all members of the assortment gazing curiously down both passageways. Most of the members, anyways. Magnus-being-Magnus, he swiftly steered himself into the center of the range, looking at his companions, hands on his hips;

“Alright, guys! Time to split-up!”

Everyone, even Soren, of all people, simultaneously chanted back with a; “What!?”  

“You can’t seriously think that we’re going to scatter, can you?” Ellegaard asserted with a threating edge, Ivor joining the argument as he took a step forwards;

“Are you aware of the increased chances of disaster striking if we are separated?”

“It’s not like we’re completely scattering, Ivor…!” Magnus notified, “You’ll have Soren with you and Ellie’ll be with me…!”

“Magnus,” Ellegaard quarrelled, “Of all of your dumb ideas…death is on the horizon, you know!”

Magnus informed, “Hey, if you guys wanna experience the *real* thrill of adventure then this is the only way!”

Ellegaard gibed, “Yeah, the real thrill of death!”

“You told me to stop exaggerating?”

“That was genuine,” Ivor defended, “This is just going to get us all killed.”

“Oh, come on!” Magnus retaliated, “All, you, Ellie and Soren, are completely incapable of defending yourselves! You’re lucky that there are not four paths!”

“Not helping, Magnus.”

“Don’t worry!” Soren said very quickly, nearly interrupting Ellegaard’s and Ivor’s simultaneous phrase, the three hauled the argument and looked at the ginger, “We can do this!”

“Can we though?” Ellegaard mocked, turned back and glaring at Magnus.

“Ellegaard,” Soren assured, “We will all be fine. Really…!”

Both Ellegaard and Ivor sighed a heavy exhalation of contemplation. Soren was respectable. Everyone respected him. Even if they were scarcely associated with him. Including Magnus and Ellegaard. Couldn’t act against him. Nobody actually knew why. Perhaps it was how enthusiastic yet slightly native he could behave…perhaps it was a simplicity that it was his general personality that was something that you could acknowledge and appreciate…perhaps it was the fact that it was evident that he was eternally trying the best that he could, even though, at several times, his best was never enough…you truthfully couldn’t place your finger upon it. Couldn’t. Genuinely, nobody recognized and understood why precisely Soren could easily be a favorite of someone. All that people understood was that Soren’s personality was having himself to appear as a rather respectable character. Towards ones around Soren’s age and within his friendship-group, that is. Actually…you know something? Many years, hindsight thought, having an image of Soren that was donning the characteristic of ”respectable” is actually rather funny.  Very funny.

“If your path forks off, head back here,” Ellegaard explained, “We’ll meet hither in approximately an hour and then head back up, alright?”

Soren smiled, clapping his hands together whilst Ivor wordlessly nods, “Understood!”

“Good luck, guys!” Magnus encouraged, newly inflamed torch in grip as he vanished down the right-sided path, Ellegaard pausing for a few trices, giving her new friend’s bothered and worried expressions before she disappeared down the course with Magnus.

Ivor’s sighed yet again, “This is a terrible idea…”

“Not to worry, Ivor,” Soren reassured, shortly before he commenced his way to the shaft on the left-hand side of the area, Ivor following. “I’m positive that we’ll be fine!”

Ivor merely grumbled as he and his befriended companion progressed and ventured into the tunnel, the extremely plausible threats, menaces and dangers that of monstrosities that were more than certain to be prowling and lurking all throughout the unarguable darkness up ahead and onwards, oh-so-patiently anticipating to unforgivingly attack the incapable, anxious. Sneak. Scare. Slay. Straight ahead. Straight ahead to where he and Soren were directing themselves towards. The vibrations and faint but noticeable sounds, cracks and snaps of the unknown echoed all throughout, bouncing off the wall of both the tunnel and Ivor’s mind. Soren overlooked it. Soren overlooked a lot, didn’t he? The abnormalities creeping in within the eerie cavern kept Ivor to safeguard himself but still as incompetent as he always was. Well, guess you’ve changed in some ways, huh Ivor? Drastically. That’s apparent. That strange, tingling feeling and atmosphere compressed up against Ivor’s fingertips, polished off with his abhorrence of the fact that he knew that he was more than vulnerable and that he couldn’t fight even if he needed to battle to shield his life. Foreshadowing. Chapter hindsight. The fear-filling authenticity of the situation was negatively sparking and overfilling Ivor’s mind. Overfilling his mind. Overfilling his mind.

“And I’m positive that we’re going to die.”

- - -

Magnus alongside his companion “Ellegaard” proceeded to progress throughout the ominous, unexplored passage, their chosen footwear clicking and clacking in contact upon the decrepit stone damaging aloud underneath their adventure-driven heels, the atmosphere donning the sensation of eerie-ness and creep, most advisable is to endure as safeguarded and on-edge as possibly achievable, the mysterious environment to act of the cause of the children to advance onwards whilst they function themselves as the personality traits of both skepticism and prudence of the darkened section, though a smaller vicinity was illuminated, result of an inflamed torch that Magnus had a grasp upon. The inflamed a blazing, bright shade; almost appearing as a perfect golden chroma. The controlled flame radiated a warm, home-like heat under the circumstance that a particular vicinity was entered, though proceeding to an exceedingly nearby proximity would perform alike to a lingering, consistent, unmerciful injury and pain, however, I’m sure that you already knew that. Not all about the beacon had acted of dangerous, however, for the flame would let the children take glances throughout the scratched walls as they sauntered into the darkness ahead.

“Hey, Magnus…?” Ellegaard suddenly asked, ”Are you thinking about Ivor and Soren?”

“Ellie,” Magnus replied, Magnus-being-Magnus, “I wasn’t thinking about them four-and-a-half minutes ago and I was standing right next to them.”

“Oh haha,” Ellegaard sarcastically remarked, taking a brief pause, “…Do you reckon that they’re safe?”

“Why are you so conce-” Magnus got cut off by Ellegaard who sprang to speak a bit fastly;

“Did you see how anxious Ivor seemed?” She resumed her regular dialogue pace, “And how desperate Soren acted?”

“Uh…” Magnus didn’t really notice anything off about the two, meaning that he wasn’t really sure what to say, so he decided the good-old-phrasing of ‘honesty is the best policy,’ “No. Nope. Not one bit.”

“Hm, “Ellegaarrd took a very brief moment to think with her verbal-filler, “Okay. Well, regardless of what-”

“Was that a pun?” Magnus joked, a laughing tone.

“What?”

“Re-Elle-gaard-less?”

“…No,” Ellegaard directly and quickly dismissed, her eyes sending off a slight sparkle, “Anyways, regardless of what you think, don’t you wonder if they’re okay…?”

- - -

Soren and Ivor seized a leap upwards, onto a ledge naturally constructed of smooth, clean stone, estimated by the sound that it made once the duo, exclusively consisting of males–in the future–pounced and onto the edge meaning of which they now possessed an exceptional perspective of what they had discovered, Soren and Ivor a few feet, opposing sides of one another, although the likewise balcony that they had jumped onto, Ivor for one, very imperceptibly, unnoticeably struggling to recapture his equilibrium, instantaneously positioning himself with a single palm clasped against the left-hand-side of the hollow. Assumed, I mean. Their near-to-complete-sable silhouettes performing of visible from this, aforementioned viewpoint, it being so darkened to the point of where both of their afar characters thoroughly blended and merged within this specific, crazy-inducing, one-of-a-kind, open-ended location, the darkness portraying itself alike to the two children, waring the physical status of being unquestionably surrounded in blackness from each and every perspective. Encompassed in blackness from each and every perspective. Choked in darkness from each and every perspective. Both of the boys felt a cold breeze of wind pass by them. They overlooked it. After all, discovering a colossal ravine could distract you like that.

Ivor’s laughed with excitement, subsequent of them sliding their way down the ledge, “This is amazing!”

“And I bet Magnus and Ellegaard are merely on some winding path getting nowhere!” Soren called out cheerfully as they walked towards the edge of the ravine, Ivor kneeling down and looking down the valley, numerous minerals radiating against the dim, stone background, Soren still standing, ”This is wonderful!”

Ivor smiled, “Evidently!”

“Should we go back and tell the other two?”

“Ssssssssss…”

It wasn’t even necessary for the children to grasp as much as a glimpse behind them in order to know specifically what had soundlessly slithered and undesirably crept up behind them, sending shivers down both of their spines once they had been notified in the cause of the quiet yet very noticeable hissing, breaking the mere clicks of the cave, not cutting through the air though, the sound remaining so quiet. Although both of the children shared the characteristic of not possessing many occurrences with creepers, a cluster of several or other, adults had informed and would perpetually warn the children of monsters lurking throughout the world of terror, school educating kids concerning the distinctive varieties of abnormalities, signifying that both Ivor and Soren were both all-too-familiar with the hiss. Even if they weren’t taught on the subject of monsters–a monstrosity that would explode, close to instantaneously upon entering its proximity, a painful detonation, especially towards characters with lower health points and protection, the after-effects of the eruption causing people to end up flying, would plausibly register the unique and formidable creature as notorious, would it not? Soren called Ivor’s name out shortly after he instantaneously shifted aside, out of view, though he didn’t fully revolve his feet about to look aback at the creeper, respectively crept behind them. He didn’t look behind himself. He merely turned and swifted himself to a distance wordlessly;

“Ivor!”

An explosion sound echoed throughout the cave. A smokey output implied that the creeper had shattered. Presumably being the cause of Ivor being sent flying. Ivor had been aware of the abnormality at the back of him but flight-fight-or-freeze overwhelmed Ivor to cease himself and halt in a frightened status. Soren did endeavour himself to give a warning to Ivor but he informed him just as the monstrosity fragmented into oblivion, Ivor forcefully plunging over the ledge as result; The cold stone that he only barely and much more than fortunately grasped his fingers upon made his heart sense the sensation of chilled in a consequence of him being overpowered to hang overhead of the void that was the gapping ravine, Ivor respectively being incompetent to aid himself. The bottomless abyss separating the unvisible ground from Ivor’s being, stretched as faraway downhill as the eye had the ability to be seen. The aforementioned reality made Ivor feel as scared to death as could be, which is nothing short of entirely fair. After all, if he lost his clutch upon the chilled cliff, which was already into an unbound, unfixed status, he would unquestionably perish and there’d be no alternative possibility to survive. That’s something that’s set in stone;

“S-Soren…!” Ivor cried out, “H-Help…!”

The situation even panicked Soren and he was as much several feet away from Ivor who was at the edge of the ravine. The fact that Soren was the only one who was nearby and witnesses to Ivor’s downfall–Ivor directly addressing him, made Soren feel like he had an obligation to rescue him. Which he did. However..he was so, so scared, indicating that he slowly made his way to Ivor but he was only able to start to creep over to Ivor for maybe a second or two because suddenly, something slim and fast darted in front of him, forcing Soren to let out a gasp and jump away, hurting himself somehow. He couldn’t even process where he was before something else hastily shot the stone beside him, sounding a distinctive noise. The unexpected movement had Soren to look to the right of him, now being able to realize that he tripped onto the floor, near to a wall of the cavern after losing his balance…and that what had blasted to the side of him was an arrow. An arrow from a skeleton. He got a sick feeling. He looked up. And almost screamed. Several skeletons were standing feet away from him, one of which was preparing to discharge another missile at him, another being rather close to the ginger boy, other few shooting their weaponry at Ivor’s fingertips, luckily missing–Ivor letting out light yelps of panic every shot. Soren quickly slid away from the monsters while he was stooped down onto his feet, swiftly skimming his hands along the ground with him, making sure he didn’t stumble, an arrow nearly hit him shortly before hastily getting into a standing position once he was apart from the corner and closer to the ledge they had initially come down from to the ravine from, though Soren still shook and slowly retreated aside in fear.

“S-Soren!”

Soren’s heart collapsed into his stomach in a guilty sentiment of Ivor addressing his scarf-wearing friend to assist him. If Soren would help Ivor, that would be the single, possible way Ivor could chance-ly survive. Soren was shaking in a debate with himself about what to do. After all, a several-hundred-feet, lethal fall isn’t exactly too much of a laughing matter. Soren couldn’t really concentrate on his emotions though because before an oh-so-familiar hissing sound emanated from behind him, Soren’s appearance visibly showing a panicked response upon noticing both the sibilance and sense of presence at the back of him. His nervous trembling solely intensified, though his expression changed quickly as another loud explosion thundered throughout the dust. All that Soren was capable to see in between the black and the reality swapping in and out was a loose figure of his hands. That was the good news. Bad one? Soren could see in his peripheral vision the feet of monsters immediately and quickly approaching him. It sent shivered down Soren’s spine instantly, having him to second-naturally slide and dart to the north-right, far enough for the ginger to be at a position where he was at some sort of dirt tunnel that seemed to be explored, judging by dim torches among the walls via around the corner. Literally. Soren glanced into the hollow in…self-preservation. That’s what he'd like to say, anyway. Monsters were approaching both him and Ivor; Ivor being to left swinging overhead a fatal fall…Ellegaard, Magnus and “Gabriel” were nowhere to be seen…Ivor’s death was on the horizon…Soren did want to help Ivor but everything was going so, so terribly and his own life was in danger to such, such an extent…   Probably the first time that the group learned about Soren’s coward tendencies. Yet another case of “really-haven’t-changed-one-bit-have-you?” I suppose that some people never learn, huh?

“S-SOREN!” Ivor yelled out, “Y-You…!”

Ivor’s scrambling, motivation to reacquire his foothold did nothing more than solely intensifying. Now he was his single, only, exclusive hope. Not Soren. The ginger wasn’t courageous enough to assist him. To help him. To prevent him from dying. Soren didn’t reckon that he was competent to fleetingly and cautiously dash through-past the hollow and to the cliff-like ravine, purpose to aid Ivor without unwantedly getting himself lacerated, one way or another. He unquestionably understood the fact that Ivor was going to die if he was overpowered to take the deep plunge to the ground but…he couldn’t help him. Anymore, that is. Ivor was violently clambering his hands about, desperately attempting to hook himself back onto the platform, however, it was hopeless and he was eventually interrupted with chipping sound and vibration, somewhat complicating the more pale-skinned boy. Why on earth was there a chipping noise? He discovered the reason sooner than he’d prefer. Ivor collapsed into a soundless atmosphere, a slow-motioned climate crumbled into, in the terror of the much more than the horrific reality that he already knew would happen:

He was falling to his death.

Over. Gone. Dead.

A hard, dusty surface is all that Ivor could feel.

“Quick, go back through that tunnel!”

Ivor flitched in as a result of a loud, unexpected voice. Even in his death-frightened status, the specific person’s vocals impressed him. It verbalized as so confident and assurable, but assertive and commanding. An individual that already merited Ivor’s admiration obligated him into springing up onto his feet and thoughtlessly hastening over to a familiar dirt-and-stone-made tunnel, not even thinking about taking as much as a fleeting glimpse behind himself. It felt like a never-ending goose-chase to the cavern even though it took as much as a few seconds to dart over to the shaft, but he made it eventually. That’s when then and only then Ivor settled together what had happened. How he survived. He did feel a very brief pressure on his wrists before he must’ve been swiftly projected onto the stone platform; Last mystery being...who exactly saved him? The voice sounded nothing alike to Soren’s. For that matter, not Ellegaard’s or Magnus’s; although the lass could already be ruled out as a result of the voice being of male-associated. Ivor was completely out-of-breathe. He kneeled down on one knee, attempting to take a halt on his hyperventilation. Before he even knew it, the boy who had presumably rescued him, came rushing into the dusty drift, barricading the route back up with dirt, him taking a breath of relief.

“Thank you…” Ivor quietly responded, “You saved my life…”

“It’s no problem...” The other replied, “...Though…I do have to ask why you weren’t with Magnus and Ellegaard in the first place. You’re either Ivor or Soren, and I take it that the other kid that went running is the latter…” His voice lost interest as he said the final few words, him starting like he was talking to himself, thinking.

“How…do you know us?”

“I was supposed to come here and meet you all here but my folks took a long time to get to sleep, making it harder for me to sneak out of my house...”

“So…” Ivor had a small smile break across his face, “You’re Gabriel then…!”

He nodded, “That’s me. But the question still remains, how come you scattered with Magnus and Ellegaard?”

“It was Magnus’s idea.” Ivor paused, talking even lower, “…None of us really wanted to…”

“Magnus…” Gabriel glances away, sighing angrily, talking under his breath and to himself, barely being audible, “Where does that boy get these ideas…”

“You…said that you saw Soren?”

“He went running past me and when I tried to stop and talk to him, he kept running…Not sure if he even noticed me,” Gabriel sighed, “Some friend that he is…Didn’t even try to help you.”

“Yes, well…that doesn’t matter now.”

The darker-skinned boy disapprovingly sighed and shook his head left and right before beckoning his hand a gesture and walking off, indicating for Ivor to accompany–to follow behind him. Notably, they didn’t actually have anything of a conversation with one another. They did nothing more than simply advancing alongside each other in silence. Gabriel seemed to be thinking, so Ivor didn’t want to try and start a conversation. It may or may not’ve taken a while but eventually, Gabriel and Ivor perambulated into the original location of were Soren, Ivor, Ellegaard and Magnus, scattered cross two different routes. As soon as they got to the aforementioned area, Magnus and Ellegaard had already been anticipating and waiting for them, Ivor and Gabriel catching them to be sitting on the chilly, grey-stone ground. Unrelatedly, an interesting fact is that Gabriel and Ivor appeared to have entered from the pathway that Ellegaard and Magnus had been searching thoroughly, an adventurous atmosphere in tow. That detail was a bit more of a nitpick, though. After all, it could easily be resolved by simply saying that there was an alternation entrance to that path. Regardless, upon the boy and girl duo noticing their previously not-to-be-seen friend’s arrival, they both perked up, around the same time and smiled, providing themselves with their customary, friendly welcomings;

“Gabe!” Ellegaard greeted, jokingly and playfully smiling, “Took long enough.”

“Pff,” Magnus scoffed at his female comrade, “Least they’re here.”

Ellegaard laughed before her snicker fizzled out and turned a more earnest tone, “Uh...speaking of people being here….where is Soren?”

Gabriel’s expression turned from an unnoticed stern one to a genuinely surprised and confused one, “He didn’t come through here?”

Magnus went silent, looking somewhat troubled. Ellegaard took it upon herself to ask, “He’s not with you?”

Ivor suggested, “I guess that means that he went back up to the surface…?”

That was a reasonable conclusion. After all, that was the single alternative direction he could’ve proceeded through without travelling into an unfamiliar territory. Back at the entrance of the cave was their only indication and trance of where Soren could’ve advanced–disappearing into. Although every one of the four children aspired to get back to the opening of the cavern and back to their individual addresses as quickly as they possibly could’ve–possessing a half of a motivation to avoid getting in trouble with their guardians once they arrived at their home. It took them approximately twenty minutes or so of ascertaining their trail back to the sunlight. Or lack of it. The fact was because of the reality that by the time that the kids had reached a proximity of the surface, nearby enough to glimpse at the sky–it portraying a beautiful amalgam of colours with the varieties from a flushed, pink hue to pretty violet shade–a chroma of a sunrise, the moon of inscrutability beginning to set among and past the distant horizon. As the children approached the threshold of the open-ended hollow, they took a notice upon a kid who looked rather sad; him being huddled near the entrance. A trice or two after attending a glace at the boy and looking at him, about to speak something to him, the ginger perked up upon quickly shifting to an aware state of their audience. Yup, it’s Soren.

The boy with a scarf stood up, swiftly rushing over to his pale-skinned friend and the rest of the group by default, “Ivor!” Soren sort of cut Ivor off–his purple-eyed comrade was about to speak before Soren confusedly asked a valid question, “Ivor, how did you…”

“I saved him,” Gabriel spoke up, “I saw you running away and tried to ask you what happened but you didn’t stop.”

Soren underwent a heavy wave of guilt collapsing onto him. Drowning him. If Gabriel didn’t happen to be in proximity, Ivor would’ve…he would’ve...he would’ve been gone. Be dead. Can’t see him. Can’t have interactions with him. Out of his life. Permanently. Because of him, “Ivor, I am so sorry…”  

“S-Soren…?!” Ivor noticed Soren’s tremble in his voice, “That…” Ivor didn’t know what he wanted to say, “Soren, that doesn’t matter anymore,” He quickly reassured.

Soren let out a weak laugh, acting as a coping mechanism, “I just froze up…I was so scared,” Soren’s voice hushed, “I wanted to help you, Ivor…I really did…”

“It’s alright, Soren. I’m fine. That’s all that matters now,” Ivor returned, trying to shift the topic to something a bit more light-hearted, “Besides…It’s thanks to Gabriel that I’m even still here,” Soren recognized that Ivor was desperately trying to exchange the subject–he appreciated how his purple-eyed friend allowed him to move on from his more notorious moment. Soren briefly sighed, and turned to Gabriel, happily greeting;

“So…I take it that you’re Gabriel then! Thank you for rescuing my friend!”

“It’s no problem,” Gabriel replied with a shaking his head with a satisfied smile. It was comforting. Although that didn’t last for too long because he suddenly turned to his other two friends with a more serious glare;

“And Magnus, tell me, why in the world did you think it’d be a good idea to send these two off alone!?”

“I tried to tell him, Gabe!” Ellegaard informed, a tone, “I really did!”

“Hmph…” Magnus turned away, a bit angry though he tried to sound genuine, “Sorry that I almost got you killed, Ivor.”

“Um…” Ivor replied, also trying to sound sincere in his response, “That’s alright.”

Ellegaard looked up to the sky’s shade because she unnoticedly wandered to the surface, a hand pressed against a wall of the cave entrance, “It’s almost morning. We should head back or else we’re going be in trouble.”

“We all should hang out sometime again,” Soren suggested, “We don’t have to explore or do anything all that exciting. Summer is merely for being inactive, so let’s just have a lethargic day…!”

Magnus agreed, “I’m down with that.”

“Yeah,” Ellegaard accepted,” No reason not to.”

Gabriel positively replied, “Mm-hm!”

Ivor added, “I, for one, am a bit adventured out for one day, so relaxing would be nice…I guess.”

“So it’s settled!” Soren loudly exclaimed, “We’ll all get together sometime and simply play!”

- - -

The four other children vocalized various remarks, not necessarily walking away immediately after; they were still having too much fun. As the sun proceeds to an apparent position, it lets out a flame-bright incandesce, a more dramatic sign-off. The gleaming star equalled the–quite literally–breathtaking day with an attention-grabbing spark. After all, lives had been endangered that day. Soren and Ivor were essentially peer-pressured into coming along with their new friends into the open-end hollow. In fact, the actual adventure itself was terrifying. Horrifying. Petrifying. Though Soren and Ivor both had a disastrous time, it was a matter of “then again.” After all, at least Soren and Ivor wouldn’t easily forget their first, genuine cave-adventure experience…or “caving” as some termed them as. Well. I mean…It would be remembered via a notorious memory. That doesn’t matter now. In a reasonable desire, they plainly yearned to relax and take a bit of a break from any sort of life-risking adventure. Besides, death-frightening occurrence or not, Ivor and Soren’s new friend of “Gabriel” did seem to be rather likeable. I mean, anybody who saves someone’s life can seem to be rather likeable. Furthermore, the elements of the current day were actually rather peaceful at that particular, specific moment and whether some of the children would admit the fact which was shared between each and every member of their small group of misfits or not:

They were friends 

For now, at least.

[minish-mae]

Some Tiny Order babs! I was drawing at a weird angle so it came out a little bleh, but I hope you like it~ I also changed Ellie's design a bit!

[comic-is-trying-to-write]

The Origin Of The Order [C3]

The beaming, gleaming sun blazes down onto the moderately vivid grass of a village, sleekly grating through the mellow atmosphere and translucently shallow, white clouds far overhead which were doing nothing to dwindle the gradually pounding temperature of the ambience, the weather somewhat scorching the proximities. In fact, it was even brewing enough for the heat to be audible, the sun beyond the skies a shimmering glitter outwards, gitting through the clouds. Sure, the skies were as calm as could be but I suppose that the oranging daytime star had other intentions for the misfit children. As suggested and promised, the kids organized themselves together a bit of a while after the cave incident, when none of them were occupied with anything else, unrelated to the aforementioned five. And as suggested and promised, they’d have nothing more than a day of well-reasoned and well-deserved relaxation with one another that pretty sun. It was all that some of them were looking forward to. Regardless, although the children had rather assorted personalities, they were such good friends with each other!

Soren enthusiastically proposed, jumping onto his feet, “I have an idea! Let’s play The-One-Word-Story game!”

Everyone looked at him confused, Ellegaard asking, “The what?”

“Where you take turns to finish each other’s sentences, forming a story,” Ivor answered.

Gabriel and Magnus perked up upon eavesdropping the idea. After all, they were both in a foot or few proximities, I’d be unmanageable not to overhear. Ellegaard shuffled herself closer–her body tighter. A word game. If performed correctly, it may have the capabilities to be entertaining to the physically warm children, their only identified motive to try to beat the heat, a result of the sun’s blaze. Regardless, although it was Soren’s suggestion, he didn’t say anything; He merely rathered to make sure that his companions were having at least a bit of satisfaction and pleasure to be in the hangout. Ivor was the first to converse, prior to Ellegaard, before Gabriel, Magnus concluding the sentence.

“I,”

“Want,”

“To,”

“Die.”

Soren swiftly sat back onto the grass, a circle, visible annoyance with the slightly rude response he got from his friends, “Oh, come on now…”

Despite the shared enthusiasm, the circumstances turned out to be quite tedious that rather warm summer date. Seeing as none of them were all that willing to further onto any kind of adventure anew, caving or otherwise, a good fraction of the day was plagued by doing nothing other than aimlessly resting on the grass, nearby to Ellegaard’s address, the corner of her village, close to the entrance. Sure, an easygoing day of relaxation was all that the children had wanted previously, it’s just that, purposeless sitting around, plucking out the grass in boredom wasn’t particularly entertaining or enjoyable either–I’m sure that you can understand. None of them had any kind of thought or idea of what to do with their gleaming day. The blade collection of five simply paused there for nothing, lazing on the grass, desperately endeavouring to determine what to do with their boredom-filled day. That is, other than plainly playing frivolous games amidst the waves of the gentle hum of the daylights.

“Ugh,” Magnus began, “This heat is hell.com.”

“It’s-” Gabriel’s heart moderately pounded in his chest as he coughed out the summer’s atmosphere, “Sorry-”

“That’s it!”

The boys all whirled their heads back and gawked at Ellegaard, for she exclaimed that phrase rather loudly, discontinuing their darker-skinned companion. Notably, she didn’t verbalize the exclamation close to similar to how she would’ve if she was exasperated or angry–she articulated that more likewise to her suddenly getting an idea to share amongst the four others present, within her friend group, her expression that she was donning confirmed that, her finger and thumb piercingly pointed after instinctively snapping her claws sharply. The boys didn’t really know what precisely to think. I mean, what was she on about? After all, Gabriel didn’t actually even state anything hitherto. Notwithstanding, once Ellegaard realized that her friends were all staring at her, her expression momentarily broke before going back to a more humble and calmly enthusiastic tone.

“I’ve just remembered! My parents said that there was going to be a comet storm tonight! We could all sneak out and watch the meteors!”

That was a wonderful idea! The star rainfalls were eternally so beautiful and yet they were so unfortunately rare as well–you would necessitate to rush to witness them, not to mention that you could only be informed with such a short notice. It was rather fortunate that Ellegaard was recollected of that! Sure, the concept of that would’ve required that the children would’ve had to slither out of their homes and into the outdoors yet again, but at least this time the suggestion wouldn’t be nearly as intimidating or threatening for the kids…right? Of course, everyone approved and liked Ellegaard’s idea but as always, Magnus was there to rain on their parades.

“Okay, but where would we watch the meteor shower? In case you haven’t realized, Ellie, there’re lots of dangerous mobs at night! Even more so than in caves!”

“One: that’s an exaggeration,” Ellegaard replied, “Two:” The brunette shifted onto her feet and speedily hasted off, prompting the boys to follow her to wherever she was going. Interestingly, the blokes observed their female friend to swiftly stir out of the community through the open, iron-barred gateway. Where exactly was she going? What, was she leading them to another adventure? She could be going literally anywhere. The boys didn’t know what to expect beforehand of when they found Ellegaard still nearby to the passage of the entryway, pointing to a completely grass-covered cliff with a single dark-wooded tree, the leaves of so matching the shade of the grass, something unclear hung on the tree, a natural pathway directing to the height of the hill, although they didn’t seem to be a single barrier or anything to keep anyone from falling to their death, it looked like. “There!” Ellegaard verified, lowering her arm, turning to her friends, “That’s where people go for picnics and stuff–it’s always well-lit with the lantern and fireflies…! We could go there tonight and watch the comets!”

Magnus encouraged, slowly nodding, “Not a bad idea actually…”

Soren claps his hands together, “Yes, that should be fun…!”

Ivor threw his opinion, “I’ve never seen a real, live meteor before…I believe that there was one when I was younger but I really don’t remember it…”

“Yeah, I know what you’re talking about, Ivor,” Gabriel rejoined, “I was, I think, seven when I first saw it with Ellie…” He slightly lowered his head, shaking it left to right, “It was beautiful.”

“It was,” Ellegaard confirmed.

“So it’s agreed then?” Soren asked in a rather enthusiastic voice,

“Tonight, we meet on the hilltop!”

- - -

The friends accepted and departed to their separate directions for the evening. The plan was that they’d each inconspicuously perform their ordinary nighttime routines and await until they were confident that their parents were asleep for themselves anxiously creep out of their home–which, may I remind you, was much easier said than done. You endeavour to continuously investigate if your guardians are resting without composing a single sound while desperately attempting to make sure that they think you’re resting, your caregivers possessing the authorities to restrict you of whatever they feel like, all in a restrained amount of time. Some of the children were even required to precariously climb out of their bedroom windows in a danger-filled action in order to evade captivating any noticeable attention to themselves, for their parents displayed no symptoms to go to bed anytime soon.

That said, Soren made it to the predetermined of where he and Ivor had organized to gather with each other, prior to the nighttime’s shade. Soren remained at the meet spot for a bit, merely being able to trust that Ivor was on his way. Yes, it would make more sense for all of the children to simply go to the hill they all had purposed to assemble on, however, it was unquestionably dangerous to experiment to venture into the unrestricted without anyone byside of them. It didn’t help that the natural, eerie sounds of the nighttime were whispering past the edges of the visible proximity. Was that a footstep? A twig snap? Ivor couldn’t have gotten to the side of Soren sooner. They both accompanied each other to the hill which was actually quite a ways from Ellegaard’s and Magnus’ community in continuous fear of a monster assaulting them or sneaking up on them or really just the sight of an abnormality, at all.

Fortunately, the duo was capable of making their way up the more moderate mountain-than-hill without any interruptions from monsters. Or otherwise. Neither Soren nor Ivor noticed this before but Ellegaard’s and Magnus’ settlement had some sort of guard towers among walls of their village and occasional lights of presumable flashlights beaming out, irregularly witnessing the silhouette of someone watching them from a distance…? Not sure. Regardless, Soren and Ivor conclusively approached the height of the hill, the ultimate creep of the realization that their newer companions could’ve thoroughly flaked on them gradually bubbling to the front of both of their thoughts. Ellegaard, Magnus and Gabriel faded into view. Their friends presented them both with unimportant, verbal and physical acknowledgments of their sudden presence as the duo perched down and anticipated for the opening glittering comet to trace across the sky,  splintering the radio-silence. That is, besides the sound of twinkling stars in the nightsky. The air just appeared to be so much more vast that twenty-four than any other moon. It all just seemed so pretty even though there wasn’t a single, glimmering shooting-star cross just yet. Or perhaps, it was simply the fact that they just hadn’t gazed at the nightsky all that much. After all, it was dangerous for children to be sauntering around at night; guardians never permitting kids simply to come and go as they wished, so they truly never got to see the superb nighttime prospect, especially from such a view.

Time passed.

And more time passed.

And even more time passed.

Everything faded into black.

More black.

…

- - -

“LOOK, THERE’S ONE!”

After a familiar voice enthusiastically shouted that, within a second, the universe itself seemed as if it was continuously whirling in large circles as the children awestruck-ly gazed into the gorgeous nightsky overhead. The children never observed anything like it. None of them were confident about what they were anticipating but what had blazed just then significantly outperformed any expectations that the youngers biasedly possessed. Ellegaard and Ivor had already been slipped to a sleeping standing whilst the other children were waiting. Not to mention that Gabriel and Magnus were significantly drowsing off. Soren was the only one who was able to endure consciousness throughout all of the uninteresting waiting. Once Soren had shouted that, everyone was remarkably appreciative that he had informed them–it was absolutely beautiful.

The galaxies were piercingly harmonized with blindingly bright, blue, white, and pink blasting bolides that fragmented the ghostly atmosphere with the jingle statics of encouraging twinkles that consistently sounded as the meteorites darted past the visible proximity to the children. The discharging asteroids frantically plummeting throughout the skies at that instance was so surreal that it seemed as if you could gently press your fingers against them and feel the blasting comet upon your eerie-ly chilled fingertips although you would obviously feel nothing but the cool airs. The beautiful blare shattered the ordinary nighttime hues with its flushed, milky, and sapphire coloured, lingering trails as it shadowed the bolides athwart the skies. The children could swear that the meteorites were what was causing the wind to rhythmically sway their outfits and hair into the breeze slightly as they gawked that shooting stars.

As Magnus swiftly jumped up the tree, hopping onto the same branch that the aforementioned lantern had, still standing upon the branch, clinging a single hand onto the tree itself to evade falling, he whispered very quietly alike to the rest of the group, “Woah…”

“This is so beautiful…” Ellegaard murmured, the lights from the meteors shining in her eyes.

Ivor attached, “Astonishing…”

“Even better than the one I saw all those years ago…” Gabriel softly added, awestruck at the scene, “Simply breathtaking…”

There was a brief pause before Soren sighed happily, “Wouldn’t it be wondrous if we could spend every day together like this…? No worries…no arguments…plainly a few friends hanging out and enjoying their time together…”

“Why not though…?” Ivor hushedly remarked, not really thinking about his answer. There was a more prolonged silent gap with Soren’s troubled expression. He seemed to be in intense thought.

“You’re right!” Soren broke the shush custom by exclaiming that loudly, jumping out of his sitting position and onto his feet, behind the group. His friends immediately shot their heads to gawk at him, prompting Soren to say something. After all, this the ginger presently crashed the dazzling comet storm that the children were all dying to observe following the day’s noontimes. Even Soren was visibly fascinated by the shower. What was more significant than the blasting meteorites? “We should do it! Let’s continuously be together! Every single one of us! We could develop like…a kind of club! Of heroes! Keeping people safe! We could spend every day with each other! We could formulate our own group and go on unbelievable adventures and expeditions! And when we’re older, we could assist people implementing our eventual professions…!”

Oh. That is. The children all welcomed that Soren’s scheme was an amazing idea and his initiative impulses were something admirable…! Very admirable. Admittedly, all of the children wanted this, it’s just that none of them were confident enough to directly purpose the idea. What if their idea was completely shunned by their friends who gave them an “it’s-kinda-common-sense…” reply? As yes, sure it was slightly idealistic but they all understood that they had all the time that could ever require to accomplish their lifetime goals…! Doing it with their dearest friends would be even better! Could you even envision how fun that would be? Soren’s enthusiasm in those sentences accompanied everybody into a humbly smiling status. Magnus swiftly bounded off of the tree; he was just all too distracted and fascinated by Soren’s passionate suggestion precisely alike to everyone else. Soren could obviously recognize all the encouraging and supportive expressions from his companions and eagerly anticipated for a spoken acknowledgment and approval from them, a smile donned;

“Well?”

Gabriel nodded, standing up, “That sounds like a good idea to me, Soren…! Helping people is all that I want to do when I’m older!”

Magnus exclaimed, turning to the ginger excitedly, “I’m in!”

Ellegaard announced, rising to her feet, “Me too!”

Ivor confirmed, lifting himself up onto his boots, “As well!”

Soren brought his hands together, not clapping them hard enough to make a loud sound as he grinned, “We’d need a name for our group! A clever name! Something that’s never been thought of before. Something significant!” He very briefly paused, “Like, The…” Soren had no idea what to label the club. He just apprehensively pushed the word “the” for a moment. That is, until his friends proceeded to arrive at his aid. Just like an earlier in the day, they exercised turns alternating words, but this time, a bit more seriously. Gabriel began, Ivor subsequent, Magnus second to last, and Ellegaard concluding.

“Order!”

“Of!”

“The…!”

“Stone!”

Soren’s laughs softly echoed into the night, for he had such amazing friends! They were all so supportive of him and his impulsive schemes! The name that they had come up with that moment sounded remarkably unique and unique was all the better! I mean, sure everybody had been put on-the-spot, meaning that the title was simply composed of the first words that the children had thought of, however, the design still performed to be so wondrous! The denomination, of course, was only a label. They necessitated some sort of binding or promise to make with each other. Promises break. They had completely overlooked the comet storm behind them, even more so when Soren’s hand was enthusiastically placed in front of him, his proximity, his encouraging glare struck to his friends. That’s what prompted everyone else to thoroughly develop an ecstatic circle of children to sincerely arrange their hand atop Soren’s. Magnus. Ellegaard. Ivor. Gabriel.

“From this day forward, we’re no longer just a group of friends! We are The Order Of The Stone!”

As everyone’s arms prepared to accompany the detailed atmospheres momentarily, their throats becoming ready to simultaneously chant a loud confirmation synchronically, their broad smiles about to transform into loud grins and laughs amongst their mirths, they all reflected about how much this was so overwhelmingly exciting! They were merely children and they were already organizing and promising something grant for the lingering remnants of their lives! Whether some would admit it or not, they could only hope that their promise would persist. Evermore is a long time, after all. Evermore switches people’s motivations and morals…but not these friends. No possibility would there be to any of them ever leave each other’s sides…! They promised! They were committed to always be the best heroes that they could possibly be! To always stay byside of each other!

The white streaks overhead of the children from the comet storm glittered and glimmered within the darkened blue, purple and white skies as Soren felt proud. He’d accompany and lead his bestest friends to victories and ultimately convert into the greatest assortment of heroes ever to exist! But for now, they were only in the preparation and planning stage. First, they had to get acknowledged. They had to get recognized. Just something to make people understand that they’re not just some unnecessary lifeforms doing nothing positive to contribute to the sin-filled earth. Conclusively, he knew that they would have to do something signific…! Something that characters would remember for generations to come…! Something that no one else would ever be courageous enough to do…! Then again, that could undoubtedly be accomplished in rather long ways off. After all, they had all of the time in the world and barely had the smallest idea of what tomorrow had in store for them!

Just like that, the concept of Order Of The Stone was convinced. Ellegaard The Redstone Engineer, Gabriel The Warrior, Magnus The Rogue, Ivor The Alchemist and, of course, Soren The Architect. The five ambitious children present enthusiastically prepared themselves to provide the remainder of the world with their assorted personalities, the children gradually developing into something astonishingly extraordinary. They intended to significantly increase any diminished atmosphere. To eliminate any solicitudes. To be heroes. They all had enthusiastic and optimistic ideas for their faraway destinies, individually or otherwise. They all dedicated to enduring a successful, happy, prolonged life together. They would continuously be appreciated and inspire other aspiring champions with their never-ending determination to benefit the normal residents of the world, donning pure integrity unconditionally!

That was the plan anyways.

For, what the children didn’t know at that moment was that all that their destinies endured for them was tragedies, disappointments and sorrows. They had believed that their adolescence’s climax would be the most critical that their lives would ever become for them but in actuality, much, much worse maintained in the far futures of these, aforementioned children. All that they had desired beforehand was to adult and become the official Order Of The Stone. Learn from this group of few to never take a singular moment of slight pleasure for granted. Everything in the prospect warranted the “legends” to have nothing to exist for, subsequent to the lengthened event about communities realizing that the way that The Order actually…In summarizations, disastrous catastrophes strike. Desperate outcries of pleading go neglected. Depressions, heartaches, and abandonments become undesired actualities.

“YEAH!”

[comic-is-trying-to-write]

The Origin Of The Order [Masterpost]

The Tiny Order/Order of the Kids/Origin of the Order on this blog is a rewrite of @minish-mae‘s original fanfic about what the Order of the Stone from Minecraft Story Mode might’ve been like when they were children and their adventurers.

@minish-mae is the original producer of the Order of the Kids, however, if this is the first time you’re hearing about the Tiny Order, I honestly encourage you not to read ahead in her fanfic before you read mine if you’re interested in the story, hence you not getting spoiled. 

Don’t get me wrong, @minish-mae absolutely deserves all of the credit, from the children’s designs to the general idea, it’s all her; I’m only rewriting the chapters and penning the resolution of the series of which she never finished, though some details may be altered.

Chapters:

00 - 01 - 02 - 03 - 04 

Questions:

01 - 02 - 03 - 04

Behind-the-Scenes:

01 - 02 - 03 - 04 - 05 - 06 - 07

[comic-is-trying-to-write]

The Origin Of The Order [Bonus]

A schoolbell rings out.

The chime of dismissal immediately became overlapped with children’s shouts and exclamations as the signal vociferously clanged out, into the pretty-blue atmosphere. The polished entrances of the schoolhouse were rapidly swinging open, very rarely switching back into its resting, closed state because the students were more than eager to leave the schoolhouse and return back to their homes or carelessly engage in a more enjoyable activity, even if they knew that essentially, the exact alike day would be repeated the next sunrise. Despite that, the seconds were still thoroughly supplied with deafening calls and shouts of the students who were hastening down the several stairs onto the ground, the majority of children paying no mind to the concept of safety by disregarding the railing of the steps, however, that’s more of a nitpick. The slight zephyr enclosed its pretty winds, constantly whirling around the children, a gentle blanket of breeze. Every child was acting visibly rough and eager...well, almost all of them.

Whist all of this roughhousing and enthusiasm was happening, in the background, a more meek boy waited for a bit. He waited until the majority of people left. He waited until they were barely in-view. He waited until they forgot that he existed. He wasn’t really much of a people-person. He didn’t like to talk much. Once the rough crowd cleared up, only then did he begin to take as much as a step out of the schoolhouse, timid as could be. Keeping his eyes to his feet, hands grasped to the humerus portion of his arms, his schoolbooks loosely hugged to his chest, he carefully hopped from one step of the stairs to another, a careful action. He wasn’t really thinking as he made his way to the ground, nothing besides just getting to his home really mattered. He didn’t pay much attention to the environment around him. Fair enough. Everybody already went home. There was nothing to pay much attention to, in the first place. Besides, he was used to it. After all, this was the same routine that he followed every day. Granted, it was only the beginning of the school year. He was about to leave the school proximity. Everything was normal. That is, until an irregular and abrupt shout shifted the still atmosphere.

“HEY!”

Startled, the boy instinctively twisted his head around, a surprised action, only to find a kid, approximately the likewise age as him, blond hair, a longer purple scarf, swiftly strolling up to him, a calm and casual smile plastered onto his face, matching his tone in his voice. The fact that someone seemed to want to voluntarily talk to him, an unusual event, made him spin himself around, startled action. He recognized the kid. Sort of. Although he was more than accepting as to talk to somebody, the blonde was the first one to start a conversation. Well...”conversation...”

“You’re ‘Ivor,’ right?”

“Um...yes!” Ivor wasn’t really used to talking to people, so he was a bit nervous about what to say, his voice evident, “And you’re...” Ivor really had to think before being able to remember what his name was, “Kyle! Right?”

“That’s me,” Kyle confirmed, swifting to the front of Ivor--Ivor, not expecting that, he jerked a step backwards, “Where are your friends?” The blonde asked, stirring a bit closer to Ivor.

Ivor didn’t want to explain that he didn’t really have any, therefore he played a lie, “Oh...they’re somewhere else...”

“Oh, they’re somewhere else...” Kyle mocked before saying something as blunt as could be. This question fell onto Ivor like a million bricks. Like a tsunami just fell directly onto his head. Like someone just smacked him with a heavy book. Like something from a million feet in the air just collapsed onto him. Like an entire building just plummeted onto his head. Like he discovered that the entire school knew all of his secrets. Like he was just abandoned in a near-death situation, “Or do you just not have any?”

“W-what...?”

“Don’t be silly, Ivor...! Why wouldn’t anyone wanna be friends with someone as socially-awkward as you...? Why wouldn’t anyone like your little gay hairstyle...? Why would anyone hate how much of a leech you can be...? So tell me, Ivor...why do people hate someone as likeable as you...?”

The questions really surprised Ivor. C’mon, you try to think of a clever response to that, “I...I...I don’t know...”

“Oh? A bit of a liar?” Kyle laughed, “Well...lemme tell you something...” Ivor’s head momentarily felt like it was violently fractured against a stone barrier before it stung as if alcohol was thrown onto an open wound. It felt like it was smashed with a hammer and then infected. It felt like he was maimed and ultimately died a-week-and-a-half later from starvation. It felt like he was stabbed and left to bleed to his eventual death. It felt like he was hit by a truck and was knocked over a cliff. Ivor hadn’t been through much physical pain in his life. It was an overstatement. All of a sudden, Ivor realized a pressure at the lower part of his neck. Kyle’s hand was gripped against Ivor’s collar, other fist clenched as if he was about to punch him. What was Ivor pressed against though? The wall of the schoolhouse. Without even realizing, Ivor had been backing away in intimidation, ultimately backing to the wall of the school. Kyle raised his fist, 

“Lying people piss me off.”

- - -

“Hey!”

The unwanted pressure upon Ivor’s neck reduced slightly as the blonde quickly turned his head, a troubled expression and freehand flinched away in startlement. Busted. The voice that shouted out wasn’t recognizable to Ivor in the slightest. However, despite that, he knew that it sounded to have resembled the type of pitch belonging to another kid, around their ages...? Ivor didn't actually have a prolonged amount of time to think about that, however, for he somehow briskly slipped into a kneeling position, audibly coughing the unforeseen situation out of his lungs. He barely was able to understand that the clutch on his collar was fully released before the same voice that had saved him, reprimanded the blonde, that’s all Ivor distinguished because he didn’t even glance up to get a glimpse at who had saved him from what was presumably going to be, a fight;

“Leave him alone!”

“He did nothing wrong!”

“Get out of here before I report you!”

Kyle was evidently endeavouring to keep up the entire “tough-guy” impersonation, however, that didn’t exactly work because, oh god, the stranger had an aggressive, rather excessively hostile tone of voice. The kid who had recused Ivor didn’t even allow the brown-eyed to obtain as much as a word in the one-sided argument dialogue edge-wise. A few seconds after Ivor continued to finish hacking his lungs out, he looked up and saw the boy who had saved him. His appearance wasn’t familiar either. The blatant rebuking endured for a while, it almost felt as if the things that were said were repeated over and over again, echoing throughout. That or Ivor just couldn’t handle the general idea of shouted at. The argument lasted for a while. That is, until whoever bailed Ivor out ultimately screamed for Kyle to “just go home,” the blonde falling into a hushed state and tongue-tied in the surprise of being abruptly yelled at. After all, why the hell was he even in the area?

“Freak!”

Kyle stomped off after adamantly declaring that but not before aggressively shoving the boy--the boy catching himself an exasperated and exhausted sigh as soon as the blonde was out of the audible proximity. As previously mentioned, Ivor was remaining on the ground though he glanced upwards--Ivor himself didn’t really know why he, himself was remaining to be crouched on earth and dusty terrain. Maybe it was because he was simply endeavouring to catch his breath...maybe he was simply still in shock of the events that just occurred...maybe...maybe...A welcoming hand materialized in front of Ivor. Guess he was supposed to grab it. As Ivor shifts to his feet with the assistant of the stranger, both of their expressions soften from their previous scared and assertive personas.

The unfamiliar asked, “You okay?”

“Yes...” Ivor replies, “Thank you...”

“No problem...I plausibly was a bit extra, wasn’t I?” He asked in a laugh but that soon vanished, “I’ve just...” He swiftly brings a small few of papers out of his inventory, putting them to a position in front of his eyes, holding the documents with both hands, reading them, his expression troubling yet again, “Had some bad news.”

“O-Oh...” Ivor didn’t really know what to say...I mean, what if someone in his family had passed away? Ivor hushed his voice, “What is it?”

“Ah,” The nameless boy smiled in an indescribable way. They appeared like they were sad yet trying to make sure that Ivor wasn’t worried about him--polite. He casually tossed his writings back into his inventory, “Nothing really. My club at this school was just shut down, due to not having enough members.” 

“Oh, that’s terrible...”

“It’s alright,”  They closed their eyes, the same smile as they reassured that, gradually beginning to walk in a way that prompted Ivor to follow alongside him, “Uh...my name is ‘Soren,’ by the way,” He said with a more genuine smile.

“Oh!” The purple-eyed introduced slightly meekly, “I’m Ivor.”

“Ivor...?” Soren confirmed, “That’s...a nice name...”

- - -

And like that, the boys processed to saunter to distance from the schoolhouse without any interruptions, making it all the way back to their hometown neighbourhood of which they had turned out to share with one another, not knowing that fact beforehand of the aforementioned experience. I mean, they didn’t even acknowledge nor knew that each other had existed, previously. Quite a surprise. As they got to know each other, they turned out to be a bit comparable to, talking, smiling and laughing enough to be qualified to classify them as friends. It was fun. They actually hung-out with one another for the remaining duration of the day; they didn’t reckon that they could have any more of a fun experience. Of course, that was merely their initial, meeting performance. As the clock ticked on, in the long run, they became closer allies. They played more often. They became to have more of a casual relationship. They had a friendship. They rathered to stay nearby to one another whenever possible...because...well, neither of them had anything else to do. Fortunately, they had each other, at least. They always wanted to stay byside, physically or other. Of course, not all childhood friendships last to adulthood.

[ask-the-tiny-order]

Ivor 

Age: 9 

Ivor has been friends with Soren for as long as he can remember. They’re two of a kind, two peas in a pod-- wherever Soren goes, Ivor is sure to follow. These two began their summer vacation by meeting Magnus, Ellegaard, and Gabriel, and ever since then, those two have been on a crazy adventures. 

Ivor is known to be the timid one in the group. He’s always afraid to do something dangerous. While he loves the adventuring aspect of things, he’s not too keen on doing things recklessly or dangerously. He’s even been in some near death situations himself. 

Ivor tends to stick to Soren like glue, not really liking any of their new friends. Ellegaard and Gabriel are nice, and Gabriel has even saved him once. However, their ringleader, Magnus, can be a handful. Magnus isn’t afraid to voice his opinion, even if it hurts others, and Ivor hates that more than anything. 

Over the course of the summer, Ivor begins to slowly develop a crush for Soren, and he truly hates it. You can’t have a crush on your best friend-- let alone if your friend is the same gender. However, Magnus finds this out, and he and Ellie and Gabriel play matchmaker to get him and Soren together. It doesn’t work out. 

Ivor dreams of becoming a great alchemist and enchanter. He practices his brewing whenever he gets the chance. It may be mediocre now, but that’s why he practices! He needs to get ready for when Soren actually makes the Order of the Stone!