Board Thread:Character Discussion board./@comment-26084195-20150809045924

Hello, everyone! This is a story written by Eureka Enderborn.

 Prologue





 Hi there. My name’s Eureka Enderborn, though if you’re reading this, you probably already know that. I was persuaded by some friends of mine to create this little book to detail my adventures. But, as all the best stories go, you’ve got to have a little exposition first. So, here goes.





 The world I come from and spend the most time in is Minecraftia, a wondrous world composed entirely of cubes. It’s a great place. Well, most of the time. It certainly didn’t start out great. You see, The world was created a long, long time ago, by the great being known only as Notch. Notch also had a brother, who is now known as Herobrine. Notch created the worlds, and the galaxy at large, while Herobrine worked with Notch to create the little details, like animals and grass and whatnot. When the world was finally created, however Herobrine steadily grew more and more jealous of Notch’s power and reign over all the lands. Herobrine desired to be a ruler himself, not his brother’s underling. Herobrine began to forge his own world, in secret. It was a world that reflected his increasingly evil spirit. It was a world of fire and death, and Herobrine placed a spell over it, a spell that would cause all evil souls that died in the universe to be trapped there, and under Herobrine’s command. Notch, however, was also working separate from Herobrine, and secretly. He created a realm known as the Farlands, and there he created a species of dimension-jumping, knowledge-seeking people known as the Endermen. These people were very wise, and very powerful. They far exceeded Herobrine’s power, but not his number. When Herobrine discovered the existence of the Endermen, he flew into a jealous rage, for he knew that he, as a creature of lower power and imagination, could never create something as wise and good as the Endermen. In his jealous rage, he revealed his corruption to his brother and declared war on both him and his people, the Endermen. His legions of damned souls marched out of his burning pits in the deep, and burned all wildlife in their path. Notch was horrified. He ordered his Endermen to assemble for war, and he marched out at the head of his army. He met Herobrine in a valley now known as the Valley of Blight. The two armies clashed in an epic duel. At the very center of the enormous battle, a storm raged. Inside this storm the two gods dueled. The battle raged for three years, until finally, Notch cast Herobrine down, and the remains of his army fled back to the Nether. Notch raised his fist preparing to strike down his evil brother. However, Notch was a good soul, a kind soul, and he couldn’t bear to kill his brother. So instead, he threw Herobrine down into the Nether, and sealed it. There Herobrine sat, imprisoned, for over a thousand years. However, in one last desperate act of anger and jealousy, Herobrine cast a spell, a spell that destroyed the Farlands, and bringing down all the cities of the Endermen. However, he was unable to destroy the race, and the Endermen took refuge in a pocket dimension that was named The End. It was an island of black and pale stone floating in endless dark. The Endermen lived there for an eternity afterwards, and it altered them. They became black-skinned, purple-eyed, and massive-jawed. They had purple sparks floating around their tall bodies, and water began to hurt them. They also took on the mysterious trait wherein if anyone looked at them, they would become angry, and even aggressive. However, they maintained their good nature, and their ability to teleport and dimension shift. Endermen can be found literally everywhere.

 In the main world that Notch and Herobrine created, now known as Minecraftia, life was left alone to develop as it would. I have classified the history of Minecraftia by ages. Each age last 1000 years, and each is marked by the fall of a civilization, except for the first one. The first age I have called the beast age, as there was no sentient life at that time. The only place life didn’t last, or spread to, was the Valley of Blight, as the area had become desecrated by the huge war fought there. The second age is the age of the Orcs. I know not how the Orcs came to be, but all of a sudden there they were. They were not a people of great number, but they were powerfully magical indeed. They constructed villages of beautiful blue stone and bricks called Confluxes. Each house contained much magical equipment. The Orcs themselves were tall and well-built, blue-skinned, and they all had small tusks. They were accomplished hunters, but more than anything else they were practitioners of magic. Never before, nor never again, has a more inherently magically accomplished race walked the face of Minecraftia. The most magically accomplished Ender Mage might be more powerful than the most magically accomplished Orc, but the least magically accomplished Orc was more powerful than the least magically accomplished Enderman. The Orcs were a tribal species, and while brutal at times, they understood the importance of keeping the world in balance, and thus they destroyed very little, and killed only as much as they needed. However, Herobrine was to intervene again. In his mansion in the Nether, Herobrine perfected a spell he had been practicing for two thousand years. This spell would allow him to temporarily make a breach in Notch’s seal. Herobrine himself couldn’t pass through the breach, he could only project a semi-tangible image of himself, far less powerful, and that could only be maintained for ten minutes. Regardless of these drawbacks, Herobrine was determined to burn the world above. His armies marched out of the Nether and destroyed the Orcish civilization. However, one can occasionally find the remnants of one of their temples, or one of their Confluxes. Notch noticed what was going on, and the Endermen appeared to stop the Nether beasts from causing anymore destruction. Herobrine’s army was weakened by the Orcs, and the Endermen defeated the remnants with relative ease. Notch then cast another spell, severely weakening Herobrine’s seal-breaching spell. Notch’s spell made it so the breach would only open every 1000 years. Herobrine however, found a loophole at the last moment, and made it so that he could project the weak imprint of himself into the world above, for ten minutes once every five days. He spent those days haunting wanderers and adventurers for laughs. After the Orcish civilization fell, the Dwarven civilization rose up in the third age. These people were far more plentiful than the Orcs, though they had no magic. These people were accomplished warriors and miners, and they lived underground. The ruins of the Dwarven Capital, Kaladim, can be found in the Butcherblock Mountains to this day. Furthermore, their Mineshafts and underground fortresses can also be found, albeit in a similarly ruined state. They were far more wasteful than the Orcs, killing creatures without giving birth to new ones, and cutting down trees without planting new ones. Despite the size of the Dwarven empire, when the next 1,000 year landmark came around this species was wiped out even faster. Kaladim came under siege for several days, until Herobrine blew open the gates with a flick of his hand. Kaladim was overrun swiftly after that. Herobrine then caused the bodies and spirits of the slain Dwarves to rise up as zombies and ghosts, so that none would ever again colonize the old Dwarven capital. However, before he did so, the army that had entered Kaladim was in turn attacked by the armies of the Endermen, and Herobrine’s plan to utterly annihilate the world was thwarted once again. This marked the rise of the Elven civilization in the fourth age. The Elves were tall, graceful, and intelligent. There were four different breeds of Elves: the first was the High Elves, who lived on the island nation of Luminaria, and they were the most civilized of all the Elves. The next was the Night Elves, who lived in the cavernous city of Umbris. The third was the Silvan, or Wood Elves, who primarily lived in Silver Oak forest. There were also the Half-Elves, who were the byproduct of two different species of Elves mating. These Elves, given that they were not of any specific species, were not allowed in any of the capitals. The Elves were powerful warriors and magicians, and very very civilized. Far more civilized than the tribal Orcs, as well as the hole-digging Dwarves. They were, besides the Endermen of course, the paramount species to wander the Overworld. Their civilization was truly beautiful, with spectacular architecture, and the High Elves were the most beautiful of them all. Their island of Luminaria was a truly beautiful place, with wondrous flora and fauna, and a beautiful city. This is why, when Herobrine’s 1,000 years came around again, he destroyed this place by himself. The island of Luminaria can actually be found, totally submerged, and the ruins of those buildings that the High Elves built still sitting there. While Herobrine destroyed Luminaria, his vast armies worked on destroying Umbris, and all the villages and towns of the Elves. Umbris itself was totally caved in, not even ruins can be found. Then Herobrine and his armies converged on Silver Oak forest. However, something that Herobrine didn’t expect was the presence of the Endermen in Silver Oak forest. The combination of the Silvan Elves and the Enderman armies proved too much for Herobrine’s forces, and Herobrine was unable to fully destroy the Wood Elves. However, Silver Oak forest was ravaged. It was easily four times smaller than it had been, and all Silvan Elf buildings on the forest floor were destroyed, leaving only the treehouses in the treetops. The forest floor was, regrettably, corrupted by large spiders, and many of the other creatures that, due to the corruption of Herobrine, were now festering the Earth, such as zombies and skeletons and the nefarious Creeper. The Silvan Elves lived isolation there for many many years. However, while the Elves remained isolated, the world around them advanced into the fifth age. This age has three names: the age of survival, the age of civilization, and the age of the Testificate. This age was dominated by two species: the Testificates, who constructed many villages and simply attempted to survive, and the far less plentiful Humans, or Steves as they were commonly known. These Steves could do many things that the Testificates couldn’t, but the Testificates were generally smarter. The Testificates and the Steves worked together against the harsh night, which now festered with evils of all sorts. Zombies, Skeletons, massive spiders, Creepers, and the occasional Enderman scouts. The Testificates and Steves, while working together, had no real government. Each village was very isolated, and had little to know contact with other villages. The villagers worked together, and never did a problem spring up in terms of authority. However, the Testificates did have a ruler, of sorts. On a massive peninsula somewhere on the Overworld lies the Red City, which is the capital of the whole Testificate and Steve race. Strictly speaking, the Red City maintained a rather small kingdom, consisting of itself and a few other towns, but it held sway over all other villages in the entire world, and the King of the Red City was generally considered the King of the entire world. The Testificates worked with the Steves here to create clockwork beasts known as Iron Golems, which served as the perfect guards. Nigh invincible and immensely strong, these gentle giants loyally defended their villagers. However, one Testificate wasn’t quite satisfied, and worked for 80 years to use redstone and advanced clockworks to create the perfect Iron Golem. Nearing the end of his life, he gathered the most accomplished Redstone Wizards and started working on what he called the E.U.R.E.K.A. model intelligent defense and labor construct. He used the only bit of Titanium they had ever found on the world, and used a combination of redstone circuitry and clockworks to make the robot work. However, they lacked a power source to make the robot work. On his death bed, the Testificate inventor showed them the plans for his power source. It used a whole lot of scientific terms the rest had never heard of, but they installed this “miniaturized nuclear reactor core” into the robot.

 And that’s where I come in! See, they originally intended to build a whole bunch of E.U.R.E.K.A.s, but due to the immense difficulty and ridiculous cost of building one, I was the only one ever made. But one was really enough. I was worth twenty Iron Golems in battle, and I had the intelligence to beat a team of theoretical physicists at chess. I was an obedient robot, and I worked everywhere and did everything. At day I could be seen unloading ships at the docks, working on building or demolishing houses, working down in the mines, or patrolling outside the city for vagrants and barbarians. At night I stood vigilant before the gates of the Red City, working with the Red Knights against the zombie hordes. But one day, everything changed. I was visited by a being that my data banks classified as an “Enderman”. I knew that this being was no match for myself, but I also knew how dangerous he was. I resolved only to attack if he either tried to enter the city or made a hostile move. I prepared my extending wrist-blades for battle.

 The Enderman did approach, but didn’t attack. Instead, it whispered something in my ear.

 “Come and meet me in the laboratory where you were created. A great secret shall be revealed to you there. If you do not, the fate of this world will be put into jeopardy.”

 I debated long and hard about whether or not to believe him. But when morning came, curiosity came over me, and I entered the laboratory before anyone could give me a job. The Enderman was there, but he was now adorned in ornate purple armor, and was guarded by two very heavily armed and armored Endermen.

 “Well? What is it you want to tell me? And who are you?” I asked.

 “I am the Emperor of the Ender Imperium. And I need your help.”

 “Help with what?”

 “Long, long ago, we Endermen found something very interesting indeed. A Dragon egg.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> “What? I thought that Dragons were a myth!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> “As did we. We took it back to the End and hatched it, knowing that such a powerful and wise beast would be useful. And it was. It was kind, obedient, and very very helpful. When it grew to full size, it said that it would be even more useful in a position of leadership. We agreed to this, and the Dragon became our king. But that was when it revealed it’s true colors. It turned out that the Dragon, though wise and powerful indeed, was also a tyrant and power hungry. It had no respect for the sanctity of the build, the value of blocks, or even for life. It ordered the construction of immense towers, atop which were placed crystals that would make him invincible. He then ordered that many Endermen be displaced from the End to go invade the Overworld (which we now know as Minecraftia). However, when he did so, many Endermen who were quite unhappy with the way the Dragon was treating them decided to escape. We headed far far north, where there would be no liquid water to harm us, and we constructed an immense wall to protect our new domain.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> “The Great Northern Wall? The thing which separates the north from the far north? Your people built that?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> “Yes. Behind that wall you will find many fortresses and keeps. The largest of which is our capital, the fortress-city known as Voidkeep. From behind this great wall, and within these fortresses, we have been forging weapons and armour, taming beasts of war, practicing and developing new magics, and preparing for the final charge when we can take back our lands from that Dragon.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> “Hang on. Why are you telling me about this? What do you want my help for? It sounds like you have things under control!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> “Under normal circumstances, I would have thought the same thing.But there is a prophecy about the Dragon. It’s very obscure, but the gist of it is that during the final battle for freedom, when the blood of Endermen stain the Endstone, and brother clashes with brother, a man who was not born but made shall strike down the tyrant lizard and free the people of the End for all eternity.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> “And I was…”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> “Born, not made. Eureka, I implore your help in freeing my people.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> At this point my intelligence strained against my programing. “I would very much like to help you, but I cannot leave from this city! It is a part of my primary programming that I must remain here and help the Testificates! I cannot override my base programming, much less my reason for existence.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> The Emperor considered this for a moment. “What if I were to override your programming, make you totally free and independant? Would you help us then?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> “Of course, but you can’t! Believe me, the--”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.7999999999999998;"> The Emperor placed his hand on my head, and suddenly, I could feel all my limitations being removed, all my programs being deleted. I was entirely independent. I looked up at the Enderman with steel in my voice. “Let’s go slay a Dragon.”

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<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;text-align:center;"> Chapter 1: Where it all started

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<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> I was taken immediately to a massive and quite snowy fortress in the far north. It was an immense fortress-city, the likes of which I had never before seen. To this day it is the most well-defended place I had ever seen. I cannot begin to describe the immensity of this place. I was led straight to the inner keep, where many war preparations were made. I was given a suit of armor made of a curious black leather that I was told would protect me from the Dragon’s flame.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> The next few hours went very fast. The immense armies of the Imperium mobilized, and after the blur of preparation was over, I stood at the head of the biggest horde I had ever seen.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> “Are you ready?” The Emperor asked me.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> “Ready as I’ll ever be.” I charged through the portal into the End.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> What I saw there nearly blew my mind. An island of immense size, floating in a sea of purplish-black. Through the shadow, I could see the silhouette of an army nearly as large as ours, and a huge winged beast flying toward us. His eyes glowed purple through the shadowy mist, burning with hatred.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> He and  met on the battlefield. As the Endermen clashed around us, he hovered just a few meters above me.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> “So.” He said in a voice that sounded very similar to a usual one. Not as deep, roaring, or malevolent as expected. “This is the champion the rebels have sent to destroy me. A little metal man. How amusing. You cannot kill me, you are a fly compared to me.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> I said nothing. I simply activated the solid fuel rockets in my feet and extended my fire aspect wrist swords, puncturing the dragon in the stomach.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> The beast roared, and flew away. The moment he got near one of the crystals, a ray of light struck the Dragon and his wound was sealed. I figured it out rather quickly that the crystals were healing him. As such, I made a beeline for the nearest one.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> I struck it with my weapon. I destroyed it, but it had quite a kick. It threw me back in the resulting explosion, right into the Dragon’s waiting claws.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> He hurled me into one of the black towers with quite the crunch. Fortunately, I was a bit more resilient than that. I plunged my blade into the tower and climbed up, being a bit more prudent in destroying the next crystal.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> From there it was a game of chase. Each time I reached a tower and destroyed a crystal, I would launch off, barely avoiding the razor teeth or burning purple breath of my pursuer.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Eventually, however, he caught up to me. As I blasted off once again, having destroyed the final tower, he made another attempt to eat me. I avoided his teeth, but not his snout.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> The impact caused both of my thrusters to malfunction, as well as damaging my feet. I went spiraling off through the air, eventually careening with ridiculous force into the ground.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> It took a moment for my systems to recover from the impact. I stood up, staggering, with every system in my body throwing warnings to my HUD. One of my blades had been mangled beyond use, my fireball launchers were sealed shut, my thrusters were non-functional, and my motor systems were out of alignment in a big way. On top of all that, the great black lizard was flying right for me.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> I climbed out of the crater I had made, and extended my remaining sword. I held it out before me, hoping to impale the Dragon. As it soared at me, it opened it’s jaws, and purple fire gushed out at me.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> The fire-proof armor melted away around me. Fortunately, my natural titanium plating was alloyed with tungsten, and I stood my ground.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> The Dragon got too close, and he saw what I was doing. He pulled up, but a little too late.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> He avoided my sword with his head, but not his body. My sword stuck on his shoulder blades, not enough to kill him.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> The Dragon plowed forward, carrying me toward the edge of the island. I dug my feet into the ground, but the beast’s momentum was too much. I crouched lower, and with difficulty, pushed my sword into the vertical position.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> This was where the battle was finally won. Without the pushing force against my arm, my sword sliced neatly through the dragon’s belly and tail. The Dragon finally fell, sliding along the ground, until he came to a stop, his head hanging off the edge of the islands.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> With difficulty, I stood, my right arm and sword still dripping with the red blood of the Dragon. Seeing their ruler slain, and the enemy champion standing triumphant, most of the Dragon’s remaining forces lowered their weapons and surrendered. Very few continued to fight.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Celebrations began right after the battle, starting with the dismantling of the towers. The blocks were put in storage, and later used to build the Imperial palace.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> I, however, didn’t partake in the celebrations. Instead, I lied down, and let the Endermen help repair my broken and shattered form.

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<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Once my body was repaired, I worked with the Endermen to construct a huge city in the End. Then we expanded the End and built more. For hundreds of End years we expanded, built, expanded, built, and expanded, until we constructed a city that surpassed the size of Coruscant and Mechatol Rex.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Once construction was complete (for the time being), I was given command of the Enderman military forces. However, I began to feel lonely. There was no one like me. There were other Endermen, but no one like me. So I decided to build someone like me.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> I took inspiration from another dimension, designing my new friend off of a creature there called a Dalek. When my creation was complete, I named it Troy. Troy the Dalek.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Troy became my best friend. He was, like me, curious, intelligent, accidentally funny, and generally well liked. Unlike me, he had a bit of an aggressive side, preferring to shoot first and ask questions later.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Skip ahead another few hundred End-years. Me and Troy and the rest of the Endermen explored the various dimensions. A lot of them were really fun. I remember that the one I enjoyed the most was in a dimension where humans were at war with an alien species, and through a big misunderstanding I was put in a suit of high-tech armor and called “Master Chief”. Remember that, Troy?

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> YES I REMEMBER. HOW COULD I FORGET?

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Yeah. That was the first time you wanted to try a female form, and called yourself Cortana. I always wondered what you were thinking.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Anyway, as we went on these adventures, something very weird happened to me. I fell ill. Really, really ill. I was running an immense temperature, there was coolant leaking out of my pores, I was muttering non sensibly, tossing about, it was like I had come down with the flu!

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> The Enderman doctors were stumped. I was a robot, what was going on shouldn’t be possible. They looked for any kind of clue, but found none.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Eventually, the flu began to die down, but along with it came a slew of new symptoms. I began to grow taller, and my entire left side became like that of an Enderman.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Troy and the Ender doctors figured out what was going on. Being exposed for so long to the power of the void, I had, much like the Endermen so long ago, been corrupted by it’s power. And if they didn’t get me out soon, I would become full Enderman.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> As such, Troy and the other Endermen pulled me out of the End, and constructed a fortress near the Red Kingdom for him and his soldiers. There, me and my Endermen spent our time, and still spend our time, researching native life and manipulating the fabric of reality through the use of things I have dubbed “mods”.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> As you can guess, it was because of my condition that I came to be named Enderborn. I forged plenty of meaningful bonds with my Ender companions, three in particular, by the name of Terrence, Phillip and Rhea. Terrence and Phillip are my gate watchmen, and they bicker constantly. One of them’s happy and excitable and positive (Terrence) and the other’s pessimistic and constantly bored (Phillip). Rhea is one of the few female Endermen who ever entered the military. She’s a field agent, the best I have. Stealthy, silent and reliable.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> YOU FORGOT SOMETHING.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> Let it go, Troy.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> We also have a Testificate trader friend called Rick. He’s quite the practical joker, but he’s also one of the best at bartering. He’s caused merchants all over the world to go bankrupt. He can get me anything, at a price.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;"> The Enderborn Canon: Chapter Two

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I clutched onto the ledge, trying desperately to keep from falling into the abyss below. Above me, the black armored figure slowly approached, walking along the small path to where I was clinging for dear life.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Join me,” he said in his obscured, robotic sounding voice, “and together we shall rule the galaxy!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> The fool. He really thought that would work? “I will NEVER join you! You killed my father!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “No, Luke, I am your father.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> He was lying. He had to be lying! And yet…

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “No. NO!!!” I wouldn’t listen to this anymore. With no other place to go, I let go of the ledge, and plummeted into the abyss.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I hit the floor about ten feet below, and I couldn’t help but start laughing. Above, Vader started laughing too.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Hologram off!” I said between fits of laughter. The illusion around us dissipated to reveal Troy and I chuckling merrily.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Nice one, Troy. ‘I am your father.’ That’s what I call mad genius.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “ YOU’RE QUITE THE METHOD ACTOR YOURSELF. ”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Alright, alright, enough with the games, we’ve got some work to be done.” I teleported up to the doorway and walked out with Troy.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “ NEXT TIME I GET TO BE THE GOOD GUY. ”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Alright deal. Black looks better on me anyway.” We laughed again and headed out into the camp.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> Rhea was walking by right then, unfortunately, and rolled her eyes at the two of us. “Ugh. You two are like a couple of school children. How you ever managed to become general of an army is utterly beyond me.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> Troy and I watched her walk away. “ ME-OW. ”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> Then it was my turn to roll my eyes. “Cut it out.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “ OH, COME ON. YOU COULD USE A NICE GIRL TO SETTLE DOWN WITH. ”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “OK, first of all, Rhea has a tongue sharper than a stabbing thorn bush. How is that ‘nice’? Second of all, Rhea is never going to settle down. Now stop trying to hook me up! I’m half robot.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “ THAT ONLY INCREASES YOUR APPEAL. I’M TELLING YOU, FLAUNT THE CHROME! CHICKS DIG THE CHROME! ”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Stop talking. Now.” Troy was my best friend, but he was a pain in the butt sometimes. “So, what’s on the agenda for today?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “ NOTHING. WE HAVE A FREE DAY. WHAT DIMENSION SHOULD WE GO VISIT? ”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “I think I’m going to head on an adventure alone today. Maybe try a new dimension, chart it out. That is my job, after all. Hey Terrence, hey Phillip.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Hi, boss! Look, Phillip, it would be very easy to stop a moon from colliding with a planet! All you’d need to do is change the gravitational constant of the universe.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Morning, sir. Terrence, you’re a moron. No one can change the gravitational constant of the universe.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “You have no imagination, Phillip.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “And you have too much of it.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I chuckled as I walked away. The only entertainment one needed in this base was to stop and listen to the two of them for a while. Of course, if you prefer crying to laughing, you could always try bartering with Rick. Speak of the devil…

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Hey Rick. Anything interesting for sale?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> The Testificate took a look in his cart. “I have a lovely bottle of aged red wine from Tir Tairngire. Interested?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Rick, if I wanted such a thing, I could teleport over to Tir Tairngire and get it without paying for your ridiculous import prices. Also, I can’t ingest fluids, remember?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Oh well. Your loss. This is the good stuff, my friend.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “That must be why you have another bottle hidden under that seat cushion. You should know better than to drink your own merchandise.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> Rick chuckled. “This stuff is worth it.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I continued on. He always tried to sell me a liquid of some sort.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> Suddenly, an image flashed up on my HUD. It was a call.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Hello, this is Eureka.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Eureka! Nice to hear your voice.” A female’s voice said through my dimensional commlink.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Who is this?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Aww, Eureka, I’m hurt. Can’t you tell?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> By that tone, it could only be one person. “Ms. Serendipitous-name?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “You do remember!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “How could I forget you? So why are you calling me? Going to try to lock me in a time cube again? Or have you come up with some other deliciously evil backstab?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Hey, it’s not a backstab when you do it to the person’s face!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Quite frankly, I can see why you’re a member of the Siren corps. I was shocked at what you tried to trick me into that cube.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “All in a day’s work.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Why are you calling?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Maybe I just wanted to hear the sound of your voice.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “OK, bye.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “No, no, wait, I’m just messing with you.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Why don’t you actually get to the point?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Because this is more fun. Anyway, the technicians that owe me a favor have been working on something for a few years now. They’ve been building a sort of… apology gift from me to you.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “What sort of apology gift? The sort that will have me trapped in a test tube for study?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “The sort that will give you the advantage over that old foe of yours. What was his name again? Herobrine?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Yeah… alright. I’ll come to see you. Heavily armed.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “As though that will make a difference against me. See you soon.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “ SO, WHO WAS THAT? ”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Sirena.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “ YOU MEAN THAT ONE CYBORG GIRL FROM THAT DIMENSION WHO WAS WORKING FOR THE SIREN CORPS. AND TRIED EVERY METHOD POSSIBLE TO GET YOU INTO A TIME CUBE FOR STUDY? ”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Yep. That’s the one.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “ ...GOING ON A SECOND DATE? ”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “TROY!!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I walked down into my basement workshop, just a floor above Troy’s experiment room (which was actually a torture room, that he uses on pigs. But he is technically experimenting, so I never argued). I turned on the lights, and there was plenty of machinery down there. But the thing I was interested in was the multiple enclosed chambers around the room. I opened the closest (which happened to be the largest and the only empty one) and stepped inside. The door shut, and I pulled a cable out from the side of my head. Plugging it into the wall, I transferred my person into the systems of the base. My physical body reduced in size and turned normal as my ender essence went with me.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I went through my various forms, trying to decide which shell would be the best option for this particular mission. I decided to go with my heavy form. It was my physically strongest form, with the best armor and the most weapons. But it was slow.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I passed along the cable and into the heavy shell. The moment I did, it rose in height and got skinnier, and half it’s skin went black. The Ender essence was with me, not just my body. So it followed me into whichever body I so choose.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I opened the doors to the heavy’s storage unit. I ran a quick diagnostic on my systems, ensuring there were no bugs or problems in the system, before setting off. I walked to the top of the central tower, where my dimensional nodes are, and focused my mind on the dimension I wanted to go. I then poured my power into the nodes around me, and I could feel myself coming apart, becoming pure cosmic energy. I swirled about with the ebb and flow of the cosmic tides, which carried me towards the shores of the dimension I wanted to go. As the wave which carried my particles crashed upon this dimensional beach, I coalesced into my solid form in this new dimension.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I looked about. I was standing in a beautiful, grassy field on the planet locally known as Utopia. The White City was somewhere nearby, and it was there I would want to head.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> It was a very long walk. Eventually I made it to the outside of the huge, one-way-mirror like bubble that surrounded the immense White City. Sirena was waiting for me by the gates. I transformed my right hand into a plasma gun, readied my rocket launchers, and allowed my left hand to drift nearer my hunting knife.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> She was unarmed, that’s the first thing I noticed. That made me even more nervous.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> She chuckled. “Come on in. I think you’re going to like this.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “That’s what you said last time we met. I nearly got trapped and experimented on.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Wow. You androids can certainly hold a grudge. Come on.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> She led him through the magnificent wonders of the White City, but didn’t stop at any of them. We made a line toward one of the robotics laboratories there. As she walked, I noticed the occasional flash of silver beneath her exposed skin, the only thing that showed off exactly how much of her beneath that silky skin was metal. And a lot of it was. But then, everyone in this society had cybernetics.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> She led him through the laboratory, eventually coming to a room that contained a lot of robot building equipment, but no robot. The scientist there ran up to shake my hand excitedly.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “You must be the fully independent A.I. that I’ve heard about. Very, very excited to meet you! I only wish I had the chance to study your programming.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” Sirena said from behind him. “He’s pathologically afraid of people innocently trying to learn more about him.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> Now that was taking it too far. “OK, lady, you listen to me. There is a difference between trying to learn more and capturing to try and experiment on!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Oh, don’t be a baby. Anyway, doctor, could you show paranoid here the surprise I had made for him?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Ah, of course.” He rushed over, quite excited, to a portion of the wall, which then proceeded to open, to reveal… an android.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> It was plain steel, with no distinguishing features. Very flat. But it was obviously an android nonetheless.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Erm… what is this?” Eureka asked.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Show him, doc.” Sirena said with a smile.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> The doctor pressed a button, and suddenly, a big cloud of teeny tiny silver nanites came flowing from tiny pores in it’s form. They coalesced into one big silvery cloud above the android.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “A nanite controller! Here, watch this!” He pressed another button, and a small amount of nanites flowed down and surrounded the android. Then, it looked exactly like me. Then it changed to look like Sirena. Then the doctor. Then a hawk. Then a lizard. Then a tiger. Then an eviscerator beast. Then a razorworm.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “As you can see, the nanites allow it to take any form it wishes! But it never actually changes size, the nanites just make it look like it does.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> That was pretty cool, I had to admit. “What else can it do?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Anything you want it to do! You can turn invisible with these, fly with these, repair things with these, hack things with these, kill things with these, destroy things with these! You can even link up with them to see what they see! And it is Sirena’s gift to you.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I looked at her in surprise. “Really? What are the strings?”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> She smiled. “No strings, just an apology gift. And a possible favor in the future.”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> The favor part made me feel a little apprehensive, but this was too good to pass up. I made to pick it up.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Ah, wait! You can’t take it yet!” The doctor said. “It has to be set with a default appearance first!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> Sirena got an evil smile on her face. “I’ll do it!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “NO, WAIT!” I ran to try and stop her, but she’s a member of the Siren corps., there was no way I could outrun her in my heavy form. She made it to the terminal long before me and plugged a finger jack into the terminal.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I watched in dismay as the body turned into a tall woman with long, bright pink hair.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> Sirena smiled the most awful smile. “You’re going to look so pretty! Who knows, they might even let you into the Siren Corps. with this form!”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> If I could feel rage, I would be seething with it. “You… you little…”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> “Well, enjoy your new gift. Bye!” She skipped off. The doctor, desperately trying to hold off giggles, left with her.

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:16px;line-height:1.38;text-align:center;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> I looked apprehensively at the new form. “Well… this’ll be new and fun…”

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;">

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.38;"> Chapter 3 coming soon...

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:11pt;margin-bottom:11pt;font-size:14px;line-height:1.8;"> <ac_metadata title="The Eureka Enderborn Canon"> </ac_metadata>