Word Count: 1500

Recomended Song: Dauntless by AudioMachine and See What I've Become by Zach Hemsey

"Guys look at this." I said pointing at the phone that was owned by BDubs. Doc spoke grumpily beside me, annoyed at being in such a small boat.

"We aren't exactly in a position to look, Mumbo."

Xisuma, rowing the boat at the moment grunted as he continued to paddle west. "Is it possible for you to tell us your discovery?"

Iskall was scrunched in the very front, trying to keep lookout with Scar. "Yes please tell us. I don't fancy climbing over people to get there."

I leaned over the text message I had discovered. "BDubs was about to send a message before he disappeared."

"That's not good mate." Xisuma paddled a tiny but faster.

"It gets even worse," I continued. "The message breaks out before the end. It says Alert Ha-. That's when it breaks out."

Scar sucked in a breath. "The hacker is here."

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Empty blackness surrounded an unconscious figure. The persons hair draped across his face covering a mortal wound. Blood was frozen on his face, as if stuck in time. He stirred from his resting place.

"Where am I?" He mummered rubbing his head, coming up with a hand covered in his own blood. "Oh my." The man didn't seem too concerned with his wounds.

"Don't we all want to know where we are?" A voice, yet not a voice, broke the empty silence. It was like the voice was a thought in his head.

"Who are you?" He called into the darkness.

"Hmm, last time I shared that information you tried to kill me."

"Breaker." The red shirted man jumped up, as if to defend himself from an invisible force. "What do you want of me?"

"You? Nothing." The voice called Breaker cackled. "Your friends, Grian, are an entirely different matter. See as you are stuck here, they are trying to delete my hard work."

"Don't you dare hurt my friends." Grian gritted his teeth.

"You cannot do anything." The hacker mocked Grian. "I have tampered with your respawn feature. You are now stuck in between code. To this world, you are nothing."

"If I'm just forgotten code, how are you here?"

Silence ensued that reply. Grian groped around. The hacker was hiding something.

"You aren't really here! You just pretended that I was stuck in between code!" Grian shouted to emptiness. "You aren't as powerful as you make us believe!"

Grian stretched his mind out, remembering his old days of training. There. A tear in the fabric of space. He pushed invisible arms out pulling at the ripped fabric. It resisted the pull, trying to hold itself together. Grian pulled harder, pushing his mind to its limit.

"Noooooo!" Breaker cried out. That was all the affirmation Grian needed. He gave one last burst of energy. The fabric tore open landing Grian squat in the middle of where he died. Grian glanced at his body and felt his head. He had the color back and the wound was non-existent. 

Grian got up and ran. He needed to warn the others before it was too late.

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Shadows stretched from the tall oak trees lacing with the shadows of four exhausted sitting figures. Mumbo trailed his fingers absent-mindedly through the trickling stream. Xisuma was splayed out on the floor, arms like Jello.

"I tell you." He mummered tilting his head over to Iskall. "You're rowing the boat next time."

Iskall lifted his head from its resting place. "I don't think there will be a next time. The readings on the codeomiter say that it's only a few kilometers away.

"Let me guess." Xisuma sighed. "We only have land for the next thousand kilos."

Iskall nodded, a grin spreading across his face. Mumbo would have laughed on any other occasion. Grian's death has shaken him from the core. His best friend was gone all because of Breaker.

"Mumbo you okay?" Hands shook him. Mumbo glanced at his hand, seeing a rock clenched in it. Tiny streams of blood flowed from where the rock had punctured the skin. 

"I'm fine." He half growled. "I'm going to collect some firewood." Mumbo stalked into a nearby thicket. Doc followed, getting up from his work on his sword.

"Mumbo..." Doc put a tentative hand on Mumbo's shoulder. He shrugged it away, not answering. "Mumbo, I know it's hard-"

Mumbo whirled around. "You don't know! You weren't Grian's friend! You were his enemy!"

Doc shrank back a tiny bit. "I never meant any harm to your friend. Please just listen to me."

"Why should I listen to you?" Mumbo slumped on a log, burying a tear stained face into his hands. "All you care about are weapons."

Doc sat down beside Mumbo, a bit awkwardly. "I've never told anyone this before, but I carry the weapons to protect you, and everyone else." Mumbo peeked out of his hands as Doc stared into the distance. "I lost my family at the age of five all because I tried to prove I was strong enough. I was avoided because of who I am. Kids tossed things at me and called me names. When an army took over our town, they slaughtered everyone." Doc's voice cracked a little. "I tried to defend my family. It was because of me they died. Ever since then I have vowed to always protect my friends, no matter the cost."

Mumbo's anger died down. Instead he felt sorrow for the Doctor and shame for himself acting the way he did. He opened his mouth to apologize when Doc shoved his head down. "Get down!" He hissed.

They both drew their swords looking frantically at the close trees, searching for movement. Another rustle. Mumbo and Doc went back to back to defend from both sides, failing to look up.

A demon crashed through the trees landing in front of them. His black wings spread, red eyes glowing paired with a sneer through pointed teeth.

"Tango." Unanimously Doc and Mumbo turned to face the beast who snarled in reply. 

"I am not Tango anymore, mortals. I am DarkWings!" The beast drew an obsidian blade, the stone glinting evilly. "I am feeling merciful today. Only one of you will die."

"Mercy? From a demon?" Mumbo forced a laugh. "That sound reassuring." 

DarkWings' claws ran across the blade. "It's as much reassurance as you will get."

Mumbo frantically looked at Doc. "Didn't Xisuma say there was a way to cure the undead?"

Doc gritted his teeth, trying to block an attack of the sword. "Yes- he did. He also said it was very difficult and he almost died."

Tango pulled out a second sword and dual attacked both Mumbo and Doc. All conversation stopped as the alive were focused on not dying and Tango was trying to breach their defenses.

Up in the trees, unbeknownst to the alive, Impulse crouched ready to spring. He had daggers in his hands. Inside his head, his conscious screamed at himself to stop. Breaker spoke to Impulse.

"Drop in five seconds."

The battle ensued while the assassin waited to drop. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Drop. Impulse jumped nimbly picking a target at random. Stab.

DarkWings withdrew his blades and backed up. "I told you only one of you would die." He scooped up Impulse and flew into the night sky.

Doc rushed over to Mumbo's body. "No, not you!"

Mumbo's eyes rolled back into his head. Doc wept over Mumbo as he went limp, life gone from the fragile frame. Mumbo faded from Doc's arms, leaving a small bit of redstone dust behind.

Xisuma and the others rushed up to where Doc was crumpled. "Oh no...." Xisuma covered his eyes. How could they complete their mission? Only two remained to complete the task. Breaker was going to win.

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BDubs watched painfully through the eyes that were no longer his, a scene to behold. Tango and Impulse had returned from their mission. Breaker stepped forwards.

"How did it go?"

DarkWings bared his teeth and pushed Impulse forwards. "Very well, Master."

Impulse held up a bloody knife and a nametag. Mumbo. The hacker laughed, a terrible laugh that would give you nightmares.

"I guess I shall retrieve his undead soul to join my ranks."

BDubs fought against the grip of the controller. He managed to get one word out. "Monster."

Breaker turned a evil smile crossed his lips. "Indeed I am."

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It seems like all hope is lost for our heroes. So few of them left and the hacker is on their tail. How soon before they all fail and Breaker wins? What happens when the world crumbles apart for the planted virus? Is Grian going to deliver his news in time and what is it? Will BDubs break free and fight against the Breaker? Will the Coders be able to break the barrier between worlds?

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Questions that you all are probably asking. They are pounding on your mind. You need to know. We may never know. I might not even know. Doc, Iskall, Scar, and Xisuma have their own plan. I am merely writing down what they are doing. 

-Buurn