This is the chapter that meant I had to wait 2 years to write this book

:)

Tango: Hey, Impulse, I need a bit of help over at my base... are you free?

Impulse looked down at his communicator, dropping the shulker of supplies for his storage system. It had been a surprisingly long time since Gem had died, or it just felt like it was... with Gem and Zed gone to Ren's side, Pearl under almost as many traps as Cub and Tango working in Decked Out, he'd resolved to just working alone on his own base.

impulseSV: Yeah! Coming over now!

He dropped the shulker, taking off, over towards the Deep Frost Citadel Tango called home. It didn't take long to reach, landing just in the entrance, where Tango ran over.

'Hey!'

'Hey Tango... what's up?'

'Not much... you?'

'I mean... not much... Been a bit lonely with Gem gone...' 

'I can imagine... What actually happened to her?'

'Cub gave her a broken elytra.' Explained Impulse with a sigh. 

'Yeah... that's a point. How is Cubby still alive?'

'And Scar.'

'Wait...' Tango blinked. 'Scar's not dead yet?!'

'No! He's still alive somehow!' Impulse paused, letting out a sigh 'What did you want me to help you with?' 

'Yeah...' Tango perked up 'So... I needed someone to run level 1. Just to see if all the redstone works.'

'Level 1...'

'Of Decked Out.' Tango admitted. Impulse stopped. 'But there are no mobs in there yet. Don't worry. I just... want someone to go in and see if the redstone works, and if not, realise why.'

For a moment, Impulse didn't move.

'So... there's no chance I'll die?'

'Very very low chance. Right now, I'd bet that Decked out is even safer than outside with all the trappification... It's alright if not.'

'Why not Zedaph?'

'You're telling me you don't want advance knowledge of the dungeon?'

'Ok! Ok! I'll do it. Only if you swear this isn't a trick.'

'Impulse, why would I trick you?! You're my best friend! And I know how dangerous you'd be if against me.'

Impulse swallowed, letting out a sigh.

'Let's go.'

He followed Tango down into the entrance area, dropping off his inventory into the chest provided, entering the rudimentary deck of cards Tango had given him... and then down into Decked Out.

'Are you in position?' Tango's voice crackled through the communicator. 

'I'm on the minecart... Oh my goodness I think I just had a heart attack... the ground just completely dropped out under me... Ok... ok I'm in.'

Still recovering from the sudden fall, Impulse looked around the entrance, the stone doors rumbling open... A compass appeared in front of him.

'Great... Just find your artifact and... get out. Just like Decked Out 1.'

'Alright...' Impulse stepped into the dungeon, the dim corridors weaving out of sight... a glance down at his compass, and he set off left.

He hid a shiver from the snow underfoot... the spiked icicles hanging down from the ceiling... even with Tango's insistence it was safe, the atmosphere alone sent a shiver down Impulse's back. 

A voice, loud, cold, echoing through the dungeon. Impulse stifled a scream as he realized it was just telling him a card had been drawn, breathing heavier as he continued, the caves falling into an underground forest cut in half by a flowing icy river... He jumped across. 

'Can you hear a heartbeat at all?'

'Uhh... yes. I think a card was played... Ember something.'

'Ember seeker? Ok, that's good... have you seen any treasure anywhere? Or any Frost Embers?' 

'No... nothing yet... wait! There's some coins over here!'

'Great!'

Impulse ran over, scooping up the bunch of coins before returning to his compass... he couldn't be far from the artifact...'

A growl.

His breath stopped short. Every hair on the back of his neck rose. For a moment his heart stopped, and then beat twice as fast to make up for it.

Impulse turned, eyes widening, to face the ravager.

'T... Tango?' He backed away, stumbling on his feet. 'Tango there's a ravager...'

'What?! That's- I didn't put that there!' 

'TANGO THERE'S A RAVAGER RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME!' 

'THEN RUN!'

He did. 

Compass be damned, whatever Tango wanted to test be damned, everything in Impulse's mind pinpointed on one mission: get out the dungeon alive. His own heartbeat drummed in his ears louder than the heartbeat Tango had put in.

The grunts and snarls of the ravager faded, but Impulse refused to give it chance to find him again... left, right, right... Why was it a dead end, he definitely came in that way... Another growl, another ravager... Blocking his way out.

Impulse ran at it, shoving past, hitting the ground as it bit at his arm. A scream rose from him as he clutched it, pulling himself to his feet and continuing, ignoring the pain... another right... another left... the exit was over here- THERE.

Impulse hit the exit. 

It didn't open.

IT DIDN'T OPEN.

WHY DIDN'T IT OPEN.

'TANGO SOMEONE... SOMEONE BROKE THE EXIT DOOR!' Impulse sobbed into his communicator. Tears blurred his vision. 'TANGO SOMEONE BROKE IT I CAN'T GET OUT!'

'I'm coming.'

The growl of the ravager around the corner... Impulse hammered at the door, knowing deep in his bones it wouldn't open... it wouldn't work... he was going to die here.

Fireworks outside. Tango. He'd come to help.

'TANGO HELP! THERE'S A RAVAGER COMING!' He yelled, knocking even more. 

Silence.

'Tango this isn't funny... it's right around the corner... I can hear it growling at me...' Impulse's pitch rose as he spoke.

'I'm sorry Impulse.'

'NO!' He kicked the door. 'TANGO NO. DON'T DO THIS. DON'T JOKE ABOUT THIS.'

'But I had to do it.' 

The words didn't make sense. Impulse continued to knock, terror filling every action, every bone, every muscle...

'You- you just open the door... good prank, Tango. Nice work... we can laugh about it when you get me out of here.'

'Oh Impulse.' More than the ice around, more than the terror, more than the ravager lumbering into view, Tango's tone froze Impulse's blood. 'You're too trusting for your own good.'

'Y... you...'

'He gave me immunity... But I told myself... I'd only take it if you were enough of a moron to go into Decked Out in the first place. If you actually believed it was safe.

'You did this.' Impulse fought the emotion as it rose up inside, voice no more than a murmur.

'I did this.'

'You... you tricked me.'

'I tricked you.'

The ravager fixed eyes on Impulse.

'You're... you're going to kill me...' He backed away, tears blurring his vision.

'Yeah. I am. I'm sorry.' 

'No... no... Tango... why...'

'I've told you why.'

'WHY WOULD YOU KILL ME?!' Impulse screamed. 'WHY WOULD YOU EVEN CONSIDER DOING THIS?!' 

'Goodbye, Impulse.' Was the only reply.

The ravager attacked.

'YOU'RE DEAD TO ME TANGO!' Impulse vowed with his last breath. 'YOU'RE-'

impulseSV was slain by ravager

:)))))

I've had to wait 2 years for Decked Out to have ravagers in it, JUST FOR THIS CHAPTER

I regret nothing.