4 surviving alone A chicken tottered into view through the high plains grass and Frida pulled out her iron sword and dispatched the bird eating it imme diately She waited a moment to see whether the raw flesh would make her sick but it didn’t Risks never bothered her when the chance of success was greater than or equal to that of harm This larger risk though would be worth it she had already decided She repeated aloud the sentiment that Corporal Kim had once voiced The only acceptable Overworld is a free Overworld Frida would have to leave that notion at the plains boundary though which she could make out across the dusky fields in the distance There Lady Craven’s underlings would be waiting I’m Drift she said again as though to convince herself Soon she approached the border where open grass lands met rocky foothills At least she knew the odds of skeletons spawning there 100 percent She pulled out her bow and stuck an arrow in the back waistband of her pants It wouldn’t do to appear aggressive but then again a girl had to be ready to defend herself The suspense did not last long Th-oop Thoo-thoo-thoo-ppp An arrow landed at her feet and then three more in a circle around her They had flown from a dark thicket of spruce trees Nancy Osa
5 up ahead Do I have to be right all the time she muttered Identify yourself traveler came a nasal voice that Frida knew well Its owner knew her too but had not identified her so perhaps the ploy was working already Frida certainly didn’t look like herself anymore They call me Drift she said to the unseen crea ture in the trees just as she’d rehearsed I have busi ness with the griefer boss Lady Craven A taunting laugh sailed her way But does she have business with you I doubt it Already Frida tired of talking with the cowardly griefer Legs who always hid behind any handy body guard Then come out where we can see each other and I’ll prove it to you Prove it to this the stuffy voice demanded The next thing Frida knew a cross looking creeper broke out of the brush and ate up the distance between them Frida didn’t want to waste three arrows on this mobster right off the bat so she stood her ground The creeper’s patchy green skin and hollow black eye sockets did not scare her off Before it could get within detonation range Frida exchanged her bow for flint and steel from her inven tory Ch-oom The next best thing to avoiding a creep er’s explosion was to make one ignite Battalion Banished
6 Is that the best you’ve got Frida called Out of the spruce tree shade stepped a squat griefer with a large nose and three skinny legs You know of our secret handshake said Legs You may cross the boundary Luck Blowing up creepers was how this bunch said hello Simply by choosing the right weapon Frida had gained valuable information She moved forward past the burned spot on the ground left by the exploding mobster It was all she could do not to draw her sword on Legs the scum who had threatened her friends and innocent villagers so many times in the past But a lit tle restraint now would give her access to many more of Lady Craven’s minions Suddenly baby zombies surrounded her grabbing at her clothing and all but holding her hostage with their stench Among the zombies only the babies wouldn’t burn up in the day’s fading sunlight Frida balled up her fists as the tiny monsters reached out and immobilized her Not the kind of restraint I had in mind she thought Capture was a necessary part of Frida’s plan so she played along with Legs Please let me go I’m a griefer just like you The last tsunami destroyed our island base and scattered our numbers That may be Legs said Why should we accept you Nancy Osa
7 Frida struggled with the stinking baby zombies but let them hang on to her I’ve heard of your cause I hate all those villagers running around loose like they own the world I want to join up with your operation and finish them off once and for all Legs sized her up then waved a hand at the zom bies who let her go This way he said and led her into the gloom beneath the spruce trees Before Frida’s eyes could focus she heard the char acteristic jittering and twanging of skeletons fiddling with their bowstrings She tried not to flinch Any weakness on her part might cause them to fall on her like a pack of undead dogs Okay said Legs We’ll hear you out stranger Then decide whether you live or die He tossed some spider string to another human his face as craggy as the foothills and motioned for him to tie Frida up Make it tight Dingo That way she can’t reach her inventory The sharp featured underling lashed Frida’s wrists together and then panted as he went to work on her ankles Drool fell from his slack lips onto Frida’s bare skin and she cringed Somewhere behind her the skeletons shifted their bones waiting for a command Frida took a deep breath and launched into her made up story MI 6 made a perfect retreat for our griefer ring after attacking villages We’d get plenty of Battalion Banished
