Bacca and the Skeleton King Page 2

“I was just thinking that myself,” Bacca told her. “This afternoon, maybe one of us should show him how to … how to …”

  Bacca trailed off. He seemed to have lost his train of thought. He was looking past LadyBacc and squinting into the distance.

  LadyBacc was confused. She turned around and followed Bacca’s gaze.

  On the horizon, a distant crowd of people, maybe twenty or thirty of them, was approaching the castle. They were crafters, she realized—some of whom Bacca and LadyBacc had met before—and they looked very unhappy.

  “Uh oh,” LadyBacc said. “Do you think they’re here about Dug? Should we move the children inside?”

  “No, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt,” Bacca said cautiously. “They’re mad about something, but it’s not like they’re holding torches and pitchforks. Besides, I know some of these crafters personally. They’re not people who get angry over something like a zombie student. Can you watch the students for a bit? I’m going to go hear what they have to say.”

  Bacca walked across his front lawn to meet the approaching mob. As they drew closer, Bacca began to think they looked less hostile, and more like they might just need help. More than one of the crafters had dusty clothes and faces covered in dirt. A few of them were missing shoes, making Bacca think they’d been running away from something.

  “Hi everybody!” Bacca said as the mob drew close. “Why the long faces? What’s going on?”

  “Oh Bacca,” said a spokesman from the group. “We’re here to seek your assistance!”

  The spokesman was a talented smelter named Brian. Bacca had met him a time or two before, and admired his fine ingots. Bacca knew that Brian was very shy, and liked to live a quiet life away from crowds. If Brian had joined up with a big group like this, then Bacca guessed it was for a very important reason.

  “Tell me the details,” Bacca said. “Why do you need my help?”

  “It’s the zombies and the skeletons!” Brian said. The rest of the crowd behind him nodded seriously in agreement.

  “What about them?” Bacca said, thinking maybe he’d been wrong and bracing himself for something about how his zombie student was taking a spot at the school away from other crafters.

  Instead, Brian said: “They’re acting all wrong. They’re violent. It’s like they’ve gone crazy.”

  Bacca wrinkled his nose to show he didn’t understand.

  “But being violent is what mobs do,” he said. “And skeletons and zombies are mobs, so … ?”

  “Hang on,” Brian said. “There’s more to it. They’re not just being violent … they’re being violent with each other.”

  “You mean to say that zombies and skeletons are … fighting?” Bacca asked.

  The entire crowd of crafters nodded yes.

  “And it’s not just a few of ’em … it’s all of ’em!” someone shouted from the back.

  “Yeah,” shouted someone else. “They’re joining up into great big armies, and then charging right into each other!”

  Armies of zombies and skeletons? Bacca had never heard of such a thing. It was true that members of different mobs sometimes fought with each other—a zombie fighting a skeleton was not unheard of, for example—but it was usually an isolated incident. It typically happened by sheer accident. (Bacca usually thought it was fun when it did. You could take bets on which mob member you thought was going to win.) Certainly, zombies had never been known to go in search of skeletons, or vice versa. But these crafters seemed to be saying that that had changed.

  “How long has this been going on?” Bacca asked.

  “Just for a few days,” Brian answered. “But it’s already a big problem! When they fight each other, they mess up all the stuff we built.”

  “It’s true!” shouted another crafter. “Yesterday a zombie army marched across my farm. They trampled all my crops, and knocked down all of my buildings. On top of that, my animals ran away!”

  “The skeletons are just as bad,” said another crafter. “A bunch of them walked through my fountains and pools that had taken me months to build. They pushed over the statues, and displaced all the water. Worst of all, they stepped on my fish!”

  “Poor fish,” someone said from the back of the group. “They hadn’t done anything to anyone … they were just swimming around.”

  Bacca frowned sympathetically. The unnecessary wasting of delicious fish was something that struck a chord with him.

  “And I used to live next to a beautiful valley,” Brian said. “That was the whole reason I built my house there. Location, location, location. Well, now my location is ruined! The other night an army of zombies and an army of skeletons showed up at the same time. They charged into the valley and fought each other for hours. I don’t know who won, but now my valley is a giant pit of mud filled with armor and arrows and dead skeletons and zombies.”

  “Erm …” someone said from the back of the group. “But I thought skeletons and zombies were technically already dead, so—”

  “You know what I mean!” snapped Brian. He was clearly in a lousy mood.

  “This does sound like a serious problem,” Bacca said.

  “You’re the most famous crafter and the bravest warrior in the entire Overworld,” Brian said to Bacca. “So we’re coming to you in hopes that you can fix things. Somehow, we need to make the skeletons and the zombies stop fighting. It’s making everything awful for everybody.”

  Bacca rubbed his hairy chin and considered carefully. He wanted to help the crafters if he could, but this request was so unusual. He had never heard anything like it. Bacca was certainly skilled at combat himself. If the request had been to take on a zombie army or a skeleton army—or both!—Bacca would have been up for it … and then some! (It might have been fun to make a game of it, and see which army he could defeat more quickly. For a moment, Bacca mentally explored the fun possibilities.) But to make two mobs stop fighting with each other? This was a completely different kettle of fish!

  “Do any of you know why the zombies and the skeletons are fighting?” Bacca asked. “Has there been an argument? Did one group insult the other?”

  “We don’t know,” Brian said. “Nobody does. Maybe they’ve always hated each other … and only now gotten around to fighting about it.”

  Bacca rubbed his chin again. That sure didn’t sound right. Wars didn’t start for no reason. If these two mobs were at each other’s throats (or neckbones, in the skeletons’ case), something new had probably happened. Something bad.

  “Okay,” said Bacca. “I’ll investigate. But I can’t make any promises.”

  “Thank you,” several crafters said at once.

  “Yes, thank you,” Brian added. “That’s all we ask.”

  Pleased to know that Bacca was on the case, the group of crafters in front of his castle gradually began to disperse. Bacca strode back to where his crafting class was still in session. Many of the young crafters had seen the commotion and wondered what was going on. LadyBacc was also curious about what the visitors had wanted.

  “Have you heard anything about zombies and skeletons fighting?” Bacca asked his girlfriend.

  “Not more than usual,” she said. “Usually, I’m more concerned with how I can fight them.”

  “Apparently big groups of zombies and skeletons are going to war,” Bacca said. “It’s causing a lot of problems. The crafters are really upset. They want me to help.”

  “Help how?” asked LadyBacc.

  “I’m not quite sure yet,” Bacca answered.

  “Well, if anyone can get to the bottom of this, it’s you,” LadyBacc said, giving her boyfriend a vote of confidence.

  “I guess so,” Bacca said. “I expect this will take a while to investigate. Do you mind teaching the class until I get back? You’re every bit the crafter I am. Plus, all the students love you.”

  “Sure thing,” said LadyBacc. She then smiled slyly. “On one condition.”

  “What’s that?” asked Bacca.

 
“Take Dug with you.”

  Of all the possible conditions, Bacca was not expecting that one.

  “What?” he replied. “Why in the Overworld should I do that?”

  “I’ll give you three reasons,” LadyBacc said confidently. “For one, there’s almost nothing we can teach him. You know that. He’s the best young crafter we’ve ever seen. He already knows almost everything, and anything that is new he picks up instantly. Taking him with you for a few days might give the others in the class a chance to catch up!

  “For another, he’s a zombie. That might be useful. If something is going on with the zombies and the skeletons, it might help to have a zombie on your team.

  “And finally, I’m sure it would mean a lot to him. I know he doesn’t say much, but Dug tends to moan in a special, more enthusiastic way when he gets some praise from you. Helping you with a quest would be the highlight of his summer!”

  “Hmm, you make some good points,” Bacca said, looking over to the workbench where Dug was lovingly polishing his gold breastplate. “As you know, eventually all crafters have to learn that crafting is about more than just making items or building blocks in a workshop. It’s about interacting with the environment of the Overworld around you. It’s about building structures that complement their surroundings, and using the natural landscape as an asset instead of a hindrance. I guess taking Dug out into the larger world might introduce him to some of these ideas.”

  “See?” said LadyBacc. “I knew you’d come around.”

  “But I’ll only take him if he wants to go,” Bacca quickly added. “Nothing would be worse than dragging a complaining zombie with me the whole way.”

  Bacca stepped over to where Dug was polishing the breastplate. With a tip of his head, Bacca silently indicated that the zombie should follow him. Bacca strode a few paces away, to where the other students would not be able to hear. Dug put down his breastplate and enthusiastically loped after him.

  “So, Dug …” he began when the zombie caught up. “Something important is happening, and it looks like I have to go away for a while on a mission of special importance.”

  Dug looked sad. His face fell. Literally. The skin on Dug’s face was not attached very tightly. (Being a zombie will do that to you. Dug’s nose and mouth dropped perhaps a full inch lower on Bacca’s bad news.)

  “It’s going to involve a lot of travel and it might be dangerous,” Bacca continued. “All the same … I thought you might like to come with me.”

  “Mmmm!” Dug said. He nodded enthusiastically, and his face snapped back into place.

  “We would need to leave right away, and I’m not sure when we’ll be back,” Bacca cautioned. “You’re sure about this? You really want to come?”

  “mmmmYes,” Dug managed, giving another nod.

  “Okay then,” Bacca said. “Get your things packed into your inventory, and I’ll go do the same. We’ll depart in a few minutes.”

  Bacca returned to LadyBacc.

  “Looks like he’s in,” Bacca said. “Just promise me this is a good idea.”

  “I promise you,” LadyBacc said. “It’s a very good idea. Great, in fact. It might be the best we’ve ever had.”

  “OK,” said Bacca. “I’m holding you to that.”

  Bacca went inside his castle and filled his inventory full of supplies for the journey ahead. Of course, the most important thing in Bacca’s inventory was his diamond axe Betty. He never went anywhere without it. In addition to Betty, Bacca packed armor, crafting materials, and valuable blocks he could use as money if the need arose. He also packed exotic crafting blocks that might be hard to find out in the wild. Instead of food, Bacca grabbed his favorite fishing rod which featured a very effective Lure enchantment—he would catch his dinner whenever he got hungry. (For a moment, Bacca wondered about what Dug would eat. Then Bacca remembered exactly what zombies ate, and decided it might be better not to think about it.)

  By the time Bacca stepped back outside, Dug was ready to go. The other students craned their necks to see what was happening. They could tell that something was afoot.

  “Where are you going to start?” LadyBacc asked Bacca. She gave him a kiss goodbye on his hairy cheek.

  “I want to see what these crafters are talking about,” Bacca replied. “That guy Brian, who was leading the group, said there was a big zombies-versus-skeletons battle right beside his house. I’d like to see that battlefield with my own eyes. I might find some clues that Brian and the other crafters missed.”

  “Do you think the crafters could be exaggerating the size of the mobs?” LadyBacc asked. “People like to exaggerate sometimes. Could there really be entire zombie and skeleton armies?”

  “I won’t know for sure until I see for myself,” Bacca said. “Dug, are you ready to go?”

  The zombie nodded enthusiastically and managed another: “mmmmYes.”

  Bacca turned to the other crafting students.

  “Okay, listen up,” Bacca said. “Dug and I have to go away for a while. Something’s happening and our help is needed.”

  There were groans of disappointment.

  “But don’t worry,” Bacca said. “While I’m away, LadyBacc will be taking over all the classes. She’s an Overworld-class crafter. At least as good as I am.”

  Bacca gave his girlfriend a wink.

  All of the students had to nod in agreement. There wasn’t a single one who didn’t know this to be absolutely true.

  “Okay then,” Bacca said. “We should get started. It’s a long walk to Brian’s place.”

  “Be sure to be careful,” LadyBacc said, waving goodbye.

  “I always am,” Bacca replied.

  As Bacca and Dug turned to go, one of the students called after them.

  “But Mister Bacca, sir,” the student said. “What exactly is happening?”

  “That,” said Bacca, “is precisely what I’m going to find out.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Bacca and Dug journeyed across the beautiful Overworld together. Like most zombies, Dug tended toward the quieter side, but was not entirely silent. Sometimes when they passed an interesting feature in the landscape, Dug would point it out. Other times, he would note the crafting materials that could be derived from a particular material growing around them. A sandy beach got Dug very excited about all the glass that could be crafted. A mountain in the distance with exposed chunks of cobblestone prompted him to expound on all the fine stone blocks it could make. (In Dug’s case, “expound” meant using more than ten words.) Bacca marveled time and again at his student’s knowledge and enthusiasm. Zombie or not, he was clearly far ahead of all of his peers—and most adult crafters too! Bacca knew the future would hold big things for the little crafter.

  When it seemed like they had been walking forever, with no end in sight, the hilly region where Brian lived finally came into view. As they grew closer, Bacca noticed a strange scent on the wind. It smelled a lot like bodies that had been underground for a long time. And then reanimated.

  Dug sniffed at the air.

  “You smell that too?” Bacca asked.

  Dug nodded.

  “mmmmZombies,” he said. “mmmmNot just me. Lots and lots of them.”

  Crossing over the lip of a hillside, they suddenly stood before a great swath of destruction that had been cut through the green floor of the valley. Hundreds or thousands of zombies had walked through here, Bacca realized. They had trampled down the grass, and knocked over anything that stood in their way. They had also left behind telltale zombie signs, like bits of torn clothing, pieces of rusty iron armor, and sometimes even rotted-off fingers and toes. (Zombies were always falling apart.)

  Bacca looked down at Dug, who nodded seriously. They were on the right path.

  “I’ve never seen anything like this,” Bacca said. “I didn’t think there were enough zombies on this entire server plane to do this much damage!”

  “mmmmMore of us than you think,” replied Dug.

  �
�Yeah, I guess so,” quipped Bacca.

  Bacca and Dug followed the path of destruction. Just as Bacca had suspected it would, the path led right to the house of Brian the smelter. There was smoke coming from his chimney, indicating that he was already back home and hard at work. It was impossible for Bacca to smell the smoke that came from the chimney, however—even with his fantastic, nearly-canine sense of smell—because the odor of zombies and skeletons overpowered everything else.

  “I have a feeling you can guess what’s on the other side of that hill,” Bacca said. “If you don’t think you can handle it, you don’t have to come with me.”

  Dug did not slow his gait.

  “mmmmImportant,” Dug said. “My people. I need to see.”

  “Okay,” said Bacca. “But I think it’s going to be pretty gross.”

  It was.

  As they reached the top of the hill and looked down into the valley, they saw a landscape filled with the bodies of skeletons and zombies. They had quite evidently been fighting each other. The zombies were full of arrows from skeleton bows, and the skeletons’ bones were covered in zombie bites. The valley floor was covered in rotten flesh dropped by dead zombies, and bones and arrows dropped by the skeletons. It wasn’t clear if there had even been a winner. Both armies seemed to have lost an equal number of soldiers. If there had been any survivors, they had long since wandered away.

  “Caught one of them, have you?”

  Bacca and Dug turned around to see that Brian had emerged from his house. He was pointing at Dug.

  “No, no, no,” Bacca said. “Dug is not one of ‘them.’ He’s my student. He’s helping me.”

  “A zombie student?” Brian said skeptically.

  “That’s right,” Bacca said. “I’m teaching him to craft.”

  “A zombie crafter?” Brian said even more skeptically.

  “A zombie crafter who’s better than most crafters on this server plane,” Bacca said. “And not just for his age. This morning I saw him make a gold breastplate that could stop an arrow shot by a giant. And he did it in about ten minutes. How many gold breastplates have you crafted recently?”

  Bacca didn’t like bragging about Dug—especially in front of Dug—but Brian needed to be set straight.