“A vindicator,” replied Billy as he picked up emeralds the vindicator dropped on the ground.
“Wow, that mob drops valuable loot,” said Edison.
“I don’t want to leave here with a couple of emeralds and some diamonds,” explained Billy. “We could get that from selling potions and mining. I wanted us to come here and find real treasure.”
“I agree. I think we spent about as much on the map as we earned on our trip here,” said Edison.
“Now that we’ve battled all of the mobs that live here, we’ll have a better chance of survival.” Anna tried to see the silver lining.
“Guess so,” said Billy as he held onto his diamond sword and walked down the hall in search of treasure.
“Look at this place,” Anna called out. She stood in the center of a room with dark wooden archways. “It’s really fancy, right?”
“A chest!” Billy sprang to a chest in the corner. He didn’t pay attention to the detailed wooden archways and the craftsmanship. He was too busy opening the chest. “You’ll be happy, Edison. Lots of gunpowder.”
Edison joined Billy and gathered his allotted gunpowder. When they looked for Anna, they saw her jumping back from an axe that a vindicator swung at her.
“Help!” she cried.
Billy and Edison sped toward her but stopped when arrows cut into their arms.
“Ow!” Billy cried.
Edison tried to ignore the pain. He was focused on finding out who had shot the arrows.
15
DETECTIVE EDISON
Edison brushed the arrow off his body, racing toward the vindicator. He splashed a potion on the beast, hoping it would weaken him. The drops of potion startled the beast, and the gang sped down the hall, trying to escape the lethal vindicator. But the grey vindicator followed after them. Anna stopped and turned around, leaping at the beast with her diamond sword. It dropped emeralds as it was annihilated.
Billy refocused his energy on finding treasure. “There’s got to be more treasure here.”
Anna peeked into a room with two chests. They all walked inside the room and she opened one. “Awesome!” She pointed at the diamond chestplates that glistened inside it; the other chest was filled with redstone.
They emptied the chests and hurried to the next room, where they found chests filled with diamond hoes and gold ingots. Billy placed his last gold ingot into his inventory and remarked, “This is better than Christmas!”
“I know,” remarked Anna. “We are finding treasure in each room. This is too good to be true.”
Edison focused on the words too good to be true. He wondered if this was true. As he walked into the next room—which housed two chests, one filled with coal and the other with enchanted books—he remembered what the old man had told him. The old man said the only way he’d succeed was through friendship. He was with his friends, and he had an inventory filled with treasure. It didn’t get much better than this. Edison smiled as they reached the next room. He wondered what treasure they’d uncover. What he didn’t expect was to be struck by a barrage of arrows and to awaken in his bed in Farmer’s Bay as the words too good to be true floated through his mind.
Edison looked out the window. The sun was setting, but he risked being attacked by a hostile mob as he raced to Billy’s house.
“Billy.” Edison opened the door, but it was empty. He wondered if he was the only one who was destroyed.
He decided to TP back to the woodland mansion when he heard Billy’s voice.
“Edison,” Billy called out.
“I’m here,” said Edison. He raced to Billy’s room.
Billy sat up in his bed. “I still have all the treasure in my inventory. Do you?”
Edison hadn’t even checked, and he paused to see what was left in his inventory. “Yes, I have all of the treasure.”
“We have to find Anna,” he said.
“But it’s getting very dark.” Edison stared out Billy’s picture window, which looked out at the peaceful sea.
“I don’t care. We have to find her,” said Billy. “We can TP to her.”
Edison agreed to TP to Anna’s house, and they emerged in the center of her living room. Anna was pacing the length of the small room.
“Who attacked us?” Anna asked as she walked in circles around her living room.
“I didn’t see anyone,” said Billy.
“Me neither,” added Edison.
“We have to find them,” Anna said, as she banged into a chest on her floor.
“What’s that?” asked Billy as looked in the chest.
“Oh my!” She paused and looked inside the chest. “This is all the stuff that was stolen from me. They must have returned it. I was so distracted trying to remember what I saw in the woodland mansion, I didn’t even notice it.”
Edison leaned down and saw the chest was brimming with all of the items Anna had told them were missing. He wondered who was stealing treasure and then returning it. It didn’t make sense at all. He knew he had to crack this case.
“I think we should go back to the stronghold in the morning. It’s the only way we can get answers,” Edison said.
“I agree,” Billy told him.
Edison was shocked. He thought Billy was going to suggest returning to the woodland mansion.
“I bet the person who attacked us in the woodland mansion is involved in all of these robberies,” Anna theorized.
“But why are they returning all of the stuff they stole from us?” asked Edison. He had too many questions circulating in his head. He needed more answers, and he knew this was going to be another sleepless night as he listed potential suspects and their motives.
“Let’s meet back here tomorrow morning and head to the stronghold,” said Anna.
Edison was surprised that when he finally crawled into his comfy bed and tried to make a list of potential suspects, he had no suspects in mind. He focused on the person who attacked them in the woodland mansion. He replayed his last moments in the woodland mansion in his head, but he didn’t see anybody when he reached the last room. He recalled the arrows that were shot at them as they explored the Roofed Forest Biome. Edison wondered if the person or people who shot the arrows had sprayed a potion of Invisibility on themselves, or if perhaps their clothing had camouflaged them in the greenery of the lush, leafy biome.
16
INVISIBLE
“Are you coming to the meeting?” Erin asked as Edison walked out of his house.
He was heading to Billy’s house and wanted to get back to the stronghold. “I would love to, but I have to do something today. Let me know how I can help out.”
“Did you hear the wheat was returned?”
Edison wasn’t shocked. It seemed like all of the stolen goods were returned. “That’s great.”
“There haven’t been any other robberies. I’m glad everything is back to normal,” said Erin.
Even though there weren’t any robberies, Edison thought things were far from normal. He wanted to solve the crime. “Yes, but they did take stuff from us. So I want to find out who was behind it. What happens if they try to do it again?”
“I hope you find them,” Erin said and then asked, “Is that what you’re doing today? Trying to solve the case?”
Edison smiled. “Hopefully.”
“Edison,” Billy called out his name as he hurried toward him. “Are you ready to go?” Billy was already dressed in his diamond armor and held his enchanted diamond sword.
“Wow, you’re really going to battle,” said Erin.
“Yes,” Billy said. Then he excused himself to bolt toward Anna’s house. Edison followed closely behind him.
“I’m ready,” Anna said while placing her helmet on her head. “I’m also bringing a pickaxe. In case we have time to mine.”
“This isn’t a mining expedition,” Billy reminded her.
Anna looked down at the chest in her living room. “If you guys want to take anything to replace what I borrowed, feel
free.” She looked through the chest, trying to find everything they needed for the trip to the stronghold.
“I think I’m fine, we have enough,” Edison replied. Billy nodded his head in agreement.
The trio rushed toward the stronghold, passing two llamas in the Hills Biome. Anna asked, “Should we tame them?”
“Not now,” Edison shouted. Even though the thief had returned all of the stolen goods, Edison felt a sense of urgency. He wanted to solve the crime quickly because he didn’t trust the thief and feared they’d strike again, and the next time they wouldn’t give back what they stole.
The three clutched their torches as they entered the dark cave. Two red eyes glared at them. Billy raced toward the cave spider and slammed his sword down, wiping it out with one strike.
“Impressive,” Anna commended him.
Edison stared at the space where they had seen the chests. He was looking at the ground, searching for footprints, when Billy called out, “Look at the hole.”
Anna and Edison shined their torches at the hole in the cave. Edison was shocked at how deep the hole was and said, “Someone must have done a serious mining job here.”
“I bet they got lots of diamonds,” said Anna.
“I wonder if there are any clues in the hole.” Billy looked down, inspecting the blocky ground, but there was nothing.
Edison knew the only place they would find answers would be in the stronghold. As much as he hated being in a stronghold because it was dark and had many places where he could be trapped or imprisoned, he had to toss his fear of the stronghold aside and do a thorough search.
“We have to search the stronghold if we want any real answers,” Edison announced, and his friends agreed with him.
Anna opened the door to the stronghold, and before they walked down the stairs, they heard voices again.
Edison whispered, “We have to be very quiet so we can follow the sounds of the voices. I also think it’s a good idea to sprinkle the potion of Invisibility on us.”
“But how we will see each other?” asked Anna.
“Let’s splash ourselves when we get closer to the sound of the voices,” suggested Edison.
As they walked through the dark and musty stronghold, Edison held his breath—the air smelled like mold and old gym socks. Every so often, he’d take a breath and the smell would overwhelm him. He wanted to puke.
“The voices are getting louder,” said Billy. “Should we splash the potion on us?”
“Yes.” Edison handed out the bottles, and the gang doused themselves.
“Okay.” Anna’s voice cracked. “We have to try to stay close together.” She was worried they’d get separated in the stronghold.
At first Edison was nervous because they were all invisible and he feared he’d lose his friends in the dimly lit stronghold, but the nervousness turned to relief seconds later when the thief walked by them. Billy and Edison tried to silence their collective gasp as they saw a familiar face walking next to a woman wearing a green robe.
17
TOWN MEETING
The biggest problem with the potion of Invisibility is that it wears off. In this case, it wore off at exactly the wrong time. Edison, Billy, and Anna were visible to the potential thieves as the pair walked past them in the stronghold. They didn’t have time to drink another sip. Edison put the blame on himself for brewing a weak batch. They were caught, but so was the suspected criminal.
“Edison and Billy. What are you doing here?” Peyton’s voice had a casual tone, as if she had just run into them picking wheat at the Farmer’s Bay farm.
“We could ask you the same question,” Edison said.
“I was here mining, and my friend Allie and I found the stronghold,” Peyton explained. “We were gathering items for the town meeting.”
“I’m Allie,” the woman in the green robe said with a smile.
“You were following us in the Nether.” Edison took out his diamond sword and held it against Allie’s chest.
“What are you talking about?” asked Allie.
“Leave her alone,” Peyton hollered.
“I saw you. You must have followed us back and stolen the treasure.” Edison inched the sword closer to her unarmored body.
Billy looked at Peyton, “You said you didn’t know the woman in the green robe. You told us she was a stranger and a potential suspect.”
Anna stood silently. She was confused. She didn’t know Peyton, and she had heard about Allie, the woman in the green robe, but she wasn’t sure why the woman was stealing from them.
Allie was annoyed. “You told them about me? You tried to frame me?”
“N-no,” Peyton stuttered.
“Peyton, we know you’re behind these crimes,” declared Edison.
“How? Prove it,” Peyton said. “I’m always the one putting together every celebration. I love Farmer’s Bay. Why would I rob my friends? Why would I rob myself?”
Edison thought about the words the old man had said: The only way you can succeed is through friendship.The old man with the cane had said he’d figure everything out underground, and here they were underground. He also realized that the friends he was talking about must have been Peyton and Allie. The two weren’t working together anymore. He wondered if Peyton telling them about the woman in the green robe was some way to ask them for help.
Edison said, “I don’t think you’re behind these robberies. I bet you’re the one who convinced Allie to give everything back.”
Peyton wiped tears from her eyes. “I was,” she said softly. She looked over at Allie. “Tell them what happened. Please be honest. These are my friends.”
“I thought I was your best friend,” said Allie.
“If you were truly my best friend, you’d explain everything to Edison. He was working hard on this case, and he wants answers.”
Allie confessed, “I am a treasure hunter, and I emptied my inventory on my last trip and I needed treasure badly. I was hoping to replenish my supply at the Nether fortress, but you guys beat me to it. I did see you in the Nether and I wanted your treasure. When I realized you lived in Farmer’s Bay, I went to visit my old friend Peyton. When everyone was asleep I took your treasure, and I needed potions, so I took Erin’s. I took whatever I could because I had nothing.”
“That’s no reason to steal,” said Anna, and she added, “And then you came to Verdant Valley and stole from us too.”
Allie stared at the floor. She sniffled. “I ran away to the next town and I noticed that people left their doors open and I just took stuff.”
“I didn’t leave my door open.” Anna was annoyed.
“I saw you talking to the treasure hunters, so I assumed you had loot in your house. I went into your house and took whatever you had in the chest. But you have to remember, I gave everything back.”
Peyton interrupted, “That’s when I found out and told you to give it back.”
“I listened, didn’t I? Don’t I get credit for that?”
Anna raised her voice. “You followed us to the woodland mansion and destroyed us!”
Peyton said, “I came to the stronghold to get Allie to come to the town meeting and confess. Ever since the robberies have occurred, nobody feels safe anymore.”
“I’ll go to the meeting,” said Allie.
The gang TPed to the town meeting, and they emerged as Omar was addressing the group.
Omar spit questions at them. “What happened? Is this the woman who robbed us?”
Edison said, “We will explain what happened and then the town can vote on what we should do.”
Allie bit her nails. She was worried what the town would do to her. Edison explained what had happened, and Omar was shocked. He questioned Peyton: “You knew about this?”
“Yes, and I tried to handle it on my own, which I now know wasn’t the right way. I wanted everyone to get their stuff back and I wanted my old friend to go back home.”
“Your friend stole from us,” said Erin.
18
FIREWORKS
Peyton was stunned when Edison said, “It’s okay. It was a hard choice. We’re all friends here, and there are times when we each have to make tough decisions for our friendships.”
“How can I make it up to you?” questioned Peyton.
“You’re going to put together the best fireworks show Farmer’s Bay has ever seen,” said Omar.
The residents of Farmer’s Bay cheered.
“Really? You guys aren’t upset with me?” said Peyton.
Allie stood silently. Edison asked her if she had anything to say, and she responded, “My best friend betrayed me. What can I say?”
“How about telling us you’re sorry?” Erin was annoyed.
Peyton was angry. “I feel like you don’t even care about what you’ve done.”
“I gave it all back. I have no idea why you guys are making such a big deal about it.” Allie rolled her eyes.
Omar asked if he could speak for the group when he said to Allie, “I think the best thing is for you to leave Farmer’s Bay and to never return. You don’t have any friends here, and if you did, you certainly don’t know how to treat them.”
Allie looked at Peyton. “I didn’t think this would cause this much trouble.”
“And?” Peyton asked. She felt she deserved an apology.
Allie only said, “Goodbye,” as she left Town Hall.
Peyton stared at the box of fireworks on the table. Days before she couldn’t wait to have a Founder’s Day celebration, but now she didn’t want to celebrate at all. Edison watched as Peyton stood next to the box crying. He didn’t know what to say.
Anna walked over. “Did you know that Verdant Valley was discovered the same time as Farmer’s Bay?”
“No,” Peyton replied quietly.
“It was,” Anna said, “but we’ve never had anyone in our town plan a celebration for it.”
Stolen Treasure Page 6