Miles was ashamed to admit, he regretted sending Owen away. Owen was right, it was easier to battle mobs when you had a friend by your side. Miles took another sip from a vial of potion, and realized it was empty. He had to annihilate The Destroyer quickly or he would be destroyed.
Three circular red probes detached from The Destroyer and circled around him. Miles jumped back. Two lasers flew toward him, striking both of his arms as the circular probes cornered him. Miles had to surrender. Could you even surrender to a mob?
It was at that moment that Miles remembered the magic mirror he had hidden away in his inventory. If he used this mirror, he would be able to transport home and escape from The Destroyer. Miles tossed his ego aside, and grabbed the magic mirror from his inventory, ready to go back home and be free from this enormous monstrous worm. Miles held the magic mirror, instantly transporting himself home.
It was nighttime and all of his friends were sound asleep. Miles paced the length of his small house, still energized from the aborted battle, but also extremely weakened. He needed help. At that moment, Miles heard a voice in the distance, and went out to investigate.
A woman wearing a nurse’s uniform stood by a tree and Miles called out to her, “Who are you?”
“I’m Katie,” she replied.
“Are you a nurse?”
“Yes, did my uniform give it away?” she asked.
“I’m very injured,” explained Miles. “I was in the middle of a battle with The Destroyer and I was almost killed.”
Katie inspected Miles’s injured arms. “Quit complaining. I’ve seen a lot worse.”
“But I’m in a lot of pain and I don’t have much energy left.” Miles was shocked at how easily Katie dismissed his injuries.
“What’s your name?”
“Miles.”
“Walk if off, Miles. You’ll be fine.”
“Okay, but do you have anything to help me?”
Katie searched through her medical supplies. “I can heal you. Do you have any coins?”
“Yes.” Miles pulled out a bunch of silver coins and held them in his hand. “How many do you need?”
“Looks like you have enough.” Katie helped herself to the coins and grabbed Miles’s arm.
“Ouch!” he screamed.
“Does that hurt?” she asked.
“Obviously.”
“Just what I thought,” Katie replied.
Katie held her hand near his arm and his pain instantly disappeared. Miles was shocked and relieved to be pain free. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me, just build me a house,” she said as she walked toward the village. “I want one of these nice ones, like all of these other people have. You built those, right?”
“Yes,” Miles proclaimed proudly.
“Great, get started on it now,” she demanded.
“But it’s the middle of the night. We could be attacked by zombies,” Miles rationalized.
“If we’re attacked, I’ll cure you. You’ve got more coins?”
“Yes,” Miles replied.
“Then what’s the problem?” Katie asked as she stood on an empty patch of land across from Miles’s home. “Build it here.”
“I thought nurses and people who work in the health care profession are supposed to be compassionate and understanding,” Miles remarked as he grabbed supplies from his inventory and began to lay the foundation for the house.
“Where did you hear that?” Katie laughed.
“Everyone knows that,” Miles replied as he carefully placed the blocks down, constructing the side of Katie’s new home.
“Don’t believe everything you hear,” Katie said as she inspected the blocks. “Can you work any faster? I’m tired and I want to rest. It’s the middle of the night, you know.”
“I know.” Miles finished one side of Katie’s house as he kept a close watch for zombies.
“You can work faster, I know it,” Katie berated Miles.
Miles didn’t respond. He just completed one side of the house. He wanted to finish as fast as he could, because Katie was insufferable. He wondered what his friends would think of her. He hoped she’d be nicer to them, but he was doubtful.
As Miles worked on the house, a familiar clicking sound rang in Miles’s ears. “What’s that?” he shouted as his heart rate escalated.
“Oh no! It’s The Destroyer,” Katie spotted the red worm in the sky above the village. “And I’m stuck with the worst fighter in Terraria.”
“That’s not nice.” Miles was upset by Katie’s comment.
“Well, were you able to defeat it before?”
“Um, no,” Miles confessed.
“Guess you have to do it now,” said Katie.
“I wonder who summoned it,” Miles said as he grabbed his Palladium Repeater and sprinted with his boots.
A red-lit probe flew at Miles. As he aimed his Palladium Repeater, he could hear the terrified screams from his friends when they saw what was happening and raced from their homes.
He had to defeat The Destroyer. He couldn’t let this mob ruin his town. Miles struck the long belly of the wormy beast, as he heard a familiar voice call out, “Do you still want to do this on your own?”
Chapter 4:
TRY AGAIN
“I need all the help I can get,” replied Miles.
“He certainly does,” Katie screamed.
“Who’s that?” Owen asked as he grabbed a pair of wings from his inventory.
“Don’t ask. She’s a nurse,” replied Miles.
“Good, she can help us,” said Owen.
“I wouldn’t count on it,” Miles remarked as he shot his Palladium Repeater at The Destroyer, shooting flaming arrows at the mob.
“Catch!” Owen screamed, and he threw a pair of wings toward Miles.
“Seriously? For me?”
“I have an extra pair. These are really awesome.” Owen smiled as he lifted from the ground and, clutching his bow, flew toward The Destroyer.
Miles put the wings on. He wanted to enjoy flying with wings, which was the coolest thing he’d ever done, but he knew this wasn’t about enjoyment, it was about saving his friends and village from an incredibly lethal mob. Miles could hear Katie screaming, “Fly faster. Destroy this beast, Miles.”
Miles flapped his wings and dodged the lasers shooting toward him. Using his Palladium Repeater, he unleashed several flaming arrows at The Destroyer. The beast was losing energy, andMiles used his wings to reach the top of the enormous worm.
Although Miles was slowly making progress in the battle against The Destroyer, Owen was skillfully defeating this lethal mob. Owen flew around The Destroyer, almost taunting it as he tore into the mob with multiple arrows.
The Destroyer was infuriated and flew in the direction of the village homes. Its head banged into Katie’s half-built home, knocking it to the ground. The beast aimed its rays at John the Merchant, who sprinted away.
“Stop!” Miles shouted at The Destroyer.
His friends called to Miles for help, but Owen was the one who fearlessly flew at The Destroyer and defeated the mob. The crowd cheered, and Miles joined Owen.
“Good job, Owen.” Miles lowered himself to the ground and handed the wings back to Owen.
“Keep them.” Owen made his way toward the ground. “They’re yours now.”
“First you give me a lead bar and now you’re giving me wings. You’re awesome, dude,” Miles said, smiling.
Katie stepped between Owen and Miles, and yelled at Miles, “Quit talking, you have a house to build.”
The sun came up as Miles’s friends introduced themselves to Owen, thanking him for saving the day.
“It was nothing. I couldn’t have done it alone,” Owen said as he stared at Miles.
“I know nobody asked,” Katie said, “but I’m Katie the nurse. Miles is building me a house.”
“Okay, I’ll work on it,” Miles walked over to the rubble by Katie’s house.
As he rebuilt the hom
e, Sarah the stylist stood by his side, “I’m so glad you’re back.”
“I was only gone a day,” Miles replied. “But I’ll be honest, it seems like forever.”
Owen walked over and asked if he needed help building the house.“I built one for my old teacher and guide, Kyle. He was really happy with it. I really miss him.”
“Of course you can help.” Miles handed blocks as he whispered to Owen, “The faster we finish this the quicker Katie will stop complaining.”
“I heard that!” Katie called out.
John the merchant sprinted toward Owen, “You saved my life. I was going to be destroyed.”
“I assume you’re the merchant,” Owen said. “I need to replenish a lot of my supplies.”
“What do you need?” asked John.
“Almost everything. I’m going to get the Buckets of Bolts achievement with my friend Miles. I’ll need supplies to beat both The Twins and Skeletron Prime,” said Owen.
Miles stopped building the house. “I never said I would do that.”
Owen stuttered, “I-I thought th-that we defeated The Destroyer, that meant we were going to be partners. I’m sorry if I misunderstood.”
Cedric the wizard watched this awkward interaction. “Maxwell?”
“Miles!” Miles corrected him.
Cedric looked down at his hand, “I’m sorry. I wrote your name on my hand and it was washed off. You know I’m bad with names. But that isn’t important. I came over to tell you that there isn’t any reason you shouldn’t work with Owen. He’s a fantastic fighter, and in the short time you’ve know him, he’s also proved to be a good friend.”
Miles knew Cedric was right.
“But I’m not sure I’m cut out to be a warrior,” confessed Miles. “I was homesick the minute I left our town.”
“I know what that feels like,” Owen explained. “I can never go home. I’ll never see Kyle again. Yet, I still want to become a warrior. I want to achieve the Buckets of Bolts. We only have to defeat The Twins and Skeletron Prime, and then we can come back as heroes. This was your original plan. Maybe you would have never done it on your own, but now that we’ve found each other, we can achieve this together.”
Miles absorbed everyone’s comments. “I can’t do anything until I finish Katie’s house.”
“That’s for sure,” Katie added.
Miles walked back to the house silently. He constructed a wall of blocks as Owen joined him. “I don’t want to force you to do anything you wouldn’t want to do, but I think we make a great team.”
“I know you’re right,” Miles said as he placed a door on Katie’s house. “But I’m not certain I’m cut out for the life of a warrior.”
“I think you are,” said Owen.
Miles completed Katie’s house. “It’s ready, Katie. I hope you like it.” Miles regretted saying those last words. He knew Katie was critical and she appeared to not like anything at all.
Katie walked inside the house, inspecting every area. “You know, I thought it would be bigger.”
“Well, this is it,” Miles replied.
Owen stood outside the house. “Will you promise me that you’ll think about it?”
Miles nodded.
Chapter 5:
WE CAN BE HEROES
It was still nighttime, and as everyone walked back into their homes, John screamed. “A zombie!”
“Where?” Owen asked.
John’s shaky finger pointed to a shadowy figure shaded by leaves. “Over there,” his voice cracked.
Miles grabbed his sword and raced in the direction of the bald-headed zombie. Owen followed closely behind him, striking the zombie at the same time as Miles did.
“We destroyed it!” Owen announced, and looked over at Miles. “We make a good team, right?”
“I guess so.” Miles avoided making eye contact. He was still conflicted about Owen’s offer to partner up. He just wanted to go home and sleep. This day felt as long as a year.
Miles started to walk back to his home, ready for bed, when Owen said, “I don’t have a house. I don’t have a place to sleep.”
“I’ll help you build one,” Miles said, yawning.
“Don’t worry, you’re tired. I can build one.” Owen stood on an empty patch of land that was the perfect size to build the house.
“I want to build it,” Miles said. He wanted Owen to know that he still wanted to be his friend, even if he decided not to become his partner in battle.
Owen picked up blocks from his inventory and handed them to Miles. “Here, use these.”
Miles shook his head. “I have enough supplies. You gave me the lead bar and wings. This is the least I could do for you.”
Miles constructed the house, and when it was finished Katie walked over. “Hey,” she said with a raised voice, “this house is much bigger than mine.” Katie looked at Owen, asking him, “Can we trade?”
Miles replied, “No way. This is Owen’s house.”
Once everyone was safe in bed and the village was quiet, Miles fell asleep, but then woke up in the middle of the night. This had never happened before; usually he was a solid sleeper. He wondered if a sound had awoken him, but he as he sat up in his bed, he couldn’t hear anything. It was absolutely silent. Miles wondered if his anxiety about giving Owen an answer was the culprit behind his sleepless night. Miles climbed out of bed and looked out the window. He spotted two zombies in the distance. He wanted to wake Owen and ask him to help him destroy these beasts, but instead, he sprinted from his house, ready to battle the zombies on his own.
The two zombies lumbered toward Miles, and he surprised himself when he struck them both and almost instantly destroyed them.
A voice came up behind them. “Good job.”
“Owen,” Miles said, surprised. “I didn’t know you were here.”
“I couldn’t sleep and I saw you battling the zombies,” said Owen.
“I wasn’t sleeping either. I don’t know what to do,” confessed Miles.
“I have an idea. Why don’t we summon The Twins tomorrow? If you don’t enjoy that battle, you can come back to the village. If you do enjoy the victory of defeating the pair of creepy eyes, we can go spawn Skeletron Prime,” suggested Owen.
Miles thought about Owen’s suggestion. “Okay,” Miles responded. “That sounds like a good plan.” It would be the first time they would be working together from the outset.
“Perfect.” Owen was excited. “In the morning, we must prepare ourselves for the battle.”
Miles went back to his house, and was completely shocked when he instantly fell back to sleep. He didn’t wake until morning when he heard Owen knocking on his door. “Are you up?”
Miles groggily crawled out of bed and called out, “Almost. Come in.”
Owen smiled and handed Miles a strip of bacon. “You have to eat. We need our strength to battle The Twins tonight.”
Miles sat on the edge of his bed, taking small bites of the crisp and tasty bacon. “Wow, this is really good. How did you know bacon was one of my favorite foods?”
“Everyone loves bacon, right?” Owen laughed.
“Do you have a strategy for the attack on The Twins?” asked Miles.
Owen’s arm waved as he spoke rapidly. “Well, I figure The Twins are just a trickier version of The Eye of Cthulhu, which I destroyed quite easily. I don’t think this is going to be a hard battle at all. It’s not like when we annihilate The Golem.”
“Slow down. I just promised to battle The Twins, remember? I didn’t sign up to battle The Golem. That would mean we’d first have to destroy Skeletron Prime and Plantera. Can we take it one step at a time?”
Owen sighed. “I know, but I have so many ideas and plans. I can’t wait to battle The Twins. I wish it was nighttime already.”
Jack the Demolitionist walked into Miles’s house. “Need any explosives?” he asked.
Miles was annoyed. “Haven’t you ever heard of knocking?”
“Sorry,” Jack rep
lied, “but I’m having a going out of business sale and I had a bunch of stuff I wanted to unload.”
“You’re not going out of business,” Miles retorted.
“Okay, I’m not,” confessed Jack, “but I do have a lot of useful items for you.”
“Funny,” Owen said. “You must have read my mind. We need to get some parts. We are going to craft a megashark.”
“Wow,” exclaimed Jack. “That’s an intense piece of weaponry.”
“My old guide Kyle once handed me a shark fin and told me that one day I’d need to craft the megashark when I attack The Twins,” explained Owen.
Miles was constantly impressed by the knowledge Kyle had imparted onto Owen. “You really think the megashark is powerful enough for us to defeat The Twins?”
“Yes, and I have some strategies too,” Owen paused. “For instance, we have to focus on defeating the Retinazer first.”
“You really sound like you know what you’re talking about. I’ll just follow your lead,” Miles said as he took his last bite of the bacon. John knocked on the door and Miles told him to come in. “See?”Miles said and eyed Jack. “John has manners.”
John asked, “How’s everything going? I heard you guys are summoning The Twins. Are you nervous?”
“More excited than nervous. I love the idea that we could be heroes. I mean, in just a matter of days, we might have the Buckets of Bolts achievement. It’s like a dream,” Owen said, smiling.
John pulled out an iron anvil and an assortment of healing potions. “Do you need any of these?”
Miles said, “We need it all. Especially the healing potions. I’d rather use those than have Katie help me.”
“Um, hello,” Katie said, coughing, and letting herself in. “You don’t have to be so rude. When you’re in bad shape, you’ll wish I was by your side.”
“I didn’t mean to be rude,” Miles apologized. “But I also have to ask everyone to leave. Owen and I have to start crafting the megashark now. We don’t have that much time to get ready for battle.”
Sarah stood by the open door. “Before you start building anything, I think Owen needs a haircut.”
“Really? I do?” Owen was surprised.
Miles looked at Owen’s long red hair. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but she might be right.”
Wicked Warrior Page 2