Chapter Text
Oak leaves rustled against the top of Kier’s head as he scrambled toward the nearest pond. He skidded to a stop and leaned over at the edge, moonlight glittering on its surface as he scooped up a hasty bucketful. Icy water splashed over his arms, soaking his sleeves, as he dashed back to the lava pool.
He placed a block of dirt and dumped the water beside it, watching it sizzle as it turned the fluid orange around it to purple-black. Molten heat pulsated through the air from beneath him, but the iron bucket still remained cold in his shivering fingertips as he stared at the glowing, bubbling liquid.
Kier closed his eyes, trying to picture how Boosfer would’ve done it. He couldn’t afford to mess up and waste time.
He looked at the ground and exhaled, reeling in his shaky breaths. He scooped up the dirt and placed it again next to the newly-formed obsidian, stacking it up in the weird shape that reminded him of a hockey stick. Careful not to slip into the pool, he put the water near his dirt pillar and poured the lava around it; hands shaking. He quietly prayed that the water didn’t turn into cobblestone like it always did.
An audible sigh of relief escaped his lips as he completed the obsidian frame.
Upon a few seconds of fumbling with his flint and steel, Kier finally lit the portal. Bright purple swirls shifted against his eyes as he stepped in.
Kierrrr has made the advancement [We Need to Go Deeper]
A high-pitched shriek greeted him moments later, and he had to duck to avoid the fireball aimed at him. He heard the portal shatter behind him and cursed beneath his breath.
He stared out at the vast expanse of bloody-red netherrack, dotted with bright orange lava streams and the occasional glint of something golden. Piglins snorted somewhere nearby, and he heard the faint warping of endermen.
As the ghast fired another shot at him, Kier wondered just how differently he’d be spending his Tuesday afternoon if he hadn’t agreed to be Boosfer’s hunter.
They had been cuddled on the couch beneath a blanket on Saturday night, Kier's legs resting on Dev's lap; sipping steaming hot cocoa, miniature marshmallows floating at the top, the low-volume TV dimly lighting up the room as they discussed plans for the next week.
Dev was gesturing with his hands, in the middle of explaining a new twist he had planned, when his phone started ringing. Kier nearly dropped his favorite red mug at the sudden noise.
“Hello?” Dev said, picking up.
He didn’t need to turn on speaker for Boosfer’s words to echo throughout the room. “Dev! Kier! Hey! How's it going? I missed you guys!”
Kier watched a soft smile spread across Dev's lips at the sound of Boosfer’s voice, and found himself following suit. They hadn't talked in a good couple of weeks.
Despite that, Dev let out a loud sigh. “What do you want, Boosfer?”
“Damn. Not even an ‘I missed you too’?” Boosfer scoffed on the other end of the line.
Dev shrugged—as if Boosfer could see him—then said, grinning wider, “Do you want me to lie?”
Boosfer went silent.
“Alright, bro.” he said after his dramatic pause, smile audible, and both Kier and Dev giggled. ”You're a little shit.”
“So, what do you want?” Dev asked after a beat.
“Well,” Boosfer started, "It's been quite a while since we've hung out together, y’know? Me, you and Kier?”
“Bro? This could've been a text.”
“Shut up!” Boosfer dismissed. “So, as I was saying, I'm free this Tuesday and I was wondering if you boys would be up for a good old-fashioned manhunt?”
“A manhunt?” Dev repeated.
“Yep! No twists or anything. Just us three, just for fun. You guys can hunt!”
“No twists, huh?” Kier said, raising an eyebrow as he stared at Dev's blue phone case. “You sure, Boosfer? You don't have some weird trick up your sleeve?”
“Me?” Boosfer’s offended voice rang out. “Trick? I would never!”
Kier remained unable to suppress his grin as he and Dev had exchanged looks, and Dev sighed again. “Alright. When?”
They heard Boosfer clapping his hands through the phone. “2 pm, Tuesday. Don't be late!”
Before any other words could be said, Boosfer hung up.
“I think he's up to something,” Kier said into the silence that followed, even though his heart picked up and his giddy hands kept rubbing his warm cocoa between his palms.
“Oh, he's definitely up to something.” Dev agreed as he took a sip from his mug, smile mirroring Kier's own.
“I can’t wait,” Kier had said.
Kier pulled out his sword just in time to strike the fireball, sending it soaring in a backwards trajectory; only for it to completely miss its sender. He saw it harmlessly strike a cluster of glowstone on the roof.
“Stupid,” he mumbled.
The ghast screeched and charged again, and this time Kier held his weapon at the ready. He eyed the flaming projectile as it zoomed toward him, legs trembling against the ground, anticipating where it would land.
10 meters away. 8 meters, 5 meters, 1 meter, and—
Too late.
Scalding heat scorched at his skin, melting his armor and burning his sweatshirt as he stashed away his sword and made desperate attempts to pat out the fire. His limbs shook in pain as the flames spread over his body, filling the air with the acrid stench of burnt hair and fabric and flesh.
The white blur of the ghast swam in his vision, and Kier collapsed backward onto the ground. His head ached and spun in the unbearable warmth as his breath hitched and his arms twitched and the entire world faded to black.
“‘Don’t be late,’ he told us,” Dev had murmured, tapping his foot as he glanced at his communicator. “It’s 2:21.”
“Oh, he’s such a damn hypocrite!” Kier whined. “He probably forgot! Or— or he’d never even planned to show up in the first place! Yeah— that’s it! That’s the twist!” He turned to look into Dev’s bright blue eyes, watching them widen. “He just wanted to waste our time! We fell for it!”
Dev blinked at him, then groaned. “Of course!” He threw his hands over his face. “He’s so annoying! He went through all the trouble of calling us and setting up a server and everything, just to fool us! That’s so typical of him, bro. What an ass.”
Kier nodded, kicking a stray rock on the floor of their oak plank base. They’d built it as shelter from mobs when the sun had started to set, and he could see through the small window on their door that it had already come up again; zombies burning and crumbling in its wake.
They’d technically had a head start, which was technically unfair to Boosfer. Which technically didn’t matter anymore.
Dev tossed his stone sword at the ground. “This is so stupid!” He growled. Banging his head against the wall, he yelled, “Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I hate him, bro!”
Just at that moment, Kier’s communicator buzzed. He saw Dev’s one light up as well.
Boosfer joined the game.
Dev’s curse—something about pufferfish in Boosfer’s swimming pool—died mid-sentence.
Kier had already opened the door, had already rushed outside onto the grass, swiveling his head, eyes searching for the over-familiar shade of bright green, when he heard him call out, “Hello?”
“Boosfer!” Kier exclaimed, grinning despite himself as he dashed to the source of the sound.
However, upon spotting him, Kier paused. Dev slowed down to a halt next to him, bumping lightly into his shoulder.
Boosfer blinked twice at the two of them, grin widening a little too much as he let out a breathy chuckle. “Sorry for the wait, guys!” His voice sounded rough and sore, cracking at the last syllable. He ran a hand through his tousled hair. “I slept in.”
He laughed once more, but it sounded more like a cough. He cleared his throat a couple times after.
“You okay, man?” Dev asked, eyebrows furrowing like he hadn’t been cussing him out a minute ago. “You sound— uhm… off.”
Boosfer made that strange attempt at a laugh again, into his fist. He nodded too many times as he said, “Don’t worry, dude! It’s nothing serious, don’t worry.” He blinked at them again, sniffling softly. “So, when do we start?”
Upon making eye-contact with Dev, Kier simply shrugged.
“I mean,” he offered, “If— if you’re alright with it, we could start right now. I guess.”
“Bet!” Boosfer clapped his hands together, rubbing his palms. “Let’s go!”
With that, he ran off into the forest, his too-loud footsteps crunching against the grass.
Moments later, before they could follow him, Kier watched him lean against a tree—fingers splayed against the bark. Boosfer then straightened and began punching the wood.
Dev started moving first, shuffling through his inventory and pulling out his sword. He sprinted toward Boosfer; the latter snapping his head in Dev’s direction then disappearing into the greenery with the two logs he’d managed to collect.
Kier shook his head and followed suit, shouting, “You can run but you can’t hide, Boosfer!”
He heard Boosfer giggle from somewhere distant, to his left. Kier turned, shoes snagging on an overgrown root. He fell face-first to the ground.
Dev snicked behind him, “You’re such a loser!”
Spitting out the small blades of dewy cold grass that had gotten in his mouth, Kier muttered, “Shut up, Dev.”
Despite still giggling, Dev offered Kier his hand. Kier slapped it away, pushing off the dirt with his own soiled palms, and Dev only laughed harder.
Kier then stood up and kicked Dev in the shins, sending him toppling to the floor.
“What the hell, man!” Dev cried, rolling over to face Kier, eyes narrowed. “What was that for?!”
“You deserved it,” Kier said, chin high and arms crossed.
“Asshole,” Dev mumbled.
Dev then grabbed Kier’s leg and yanked it toward himself, and Kier let out a high-pitched yelp as he collapsed hard onto his bottom.
He blinked, glaring into Dev’s evil azure irises. He then slapped the smirk off Dev’s face. Dev stared at him, bewildered, before retaliating with a smack to the top of Kier’s head.
Kier then grabbed a fistful of Dev’s hair, tugging strong as Dev shrieked and attempted to pry his hand away.
“I hate you, Dev!” he growled.
“I hate you more!” Dev roared and elbowed Kier in the stomach.
Gasping in the pain that fired through his gut, Kier let go of Dev. Free from his grasp, Dev lifted off the ground and bit down on Kier’s arm. His resulting scream rang so loud he heard nearby woodland creatures trotting away after.
Kier shoved his sleeve up to his elbow, scanning his still-tingling skin for any scar. Dev glanced at his arm as well, eyes wide and brows knitted, lips tucked into a small frown. Kier took the opportunity to punch Dev in the nose. A sickening crack sounded through the air, followed by an immensely loud howl.
Blinking, Kier stared at him for a moment. “Hey, I’m sor—”
“Shut it, you good for nothing piece of shit!”
Dev then clutched the front of Kier’s shirt, teeth gritted, blood dripping down his face, his fist shaking as he raised it into the air. Kier squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for impact, when something on his wrist buzzed.
Boosfer has made the advancement [Acquire Hardware]
He saw Dev’s eyes widen alongside his own.
“Boosfer!” Kier yelped. “The manhunt!”
Dev let go of Kier, and he fell to the ground with an ‘oof’.
“We got distracted!” Dev stated, scrambling off the floor and dusting himself off; but his clothes remained thoroughly covered in dirt. He held out his hand, saying, “This is all your fault, Kier.”
“My fault?!” Kier cried, fingers clasping onto Dev’s palm. “You’re the one who—”
Boosfer has made the advancement [Isn't It Iron Pick?]
“We’re wasting time, bro! Come on!” Dev yelled, wiping his nose and grimacing at his crimson-stained sleeve.
Kier then pulled out his compass, watching the arrow turn before it settled somewhere East. When looked up, Dev had already run 20 blocks ahead through the oak forest.
He scrambled to catch up, face hitting against the stray branches that Dev had left swinging in his wake. Kier screeched as a lock of his bright red hair tangled on a particularly stubborn twig, and resorted to breaking it off the tree for freedom. The stick smacked against his head every time he slowed down during his sprint.
Eventually, he reached a clearing, the sunlight reflecting from the compass glass into his eyes. He blinked, momentarily blinded, but continued running regardless.
“Oh, Boosfer!” he heard Dev's jubilant voice call out, “I found y— OW!”
Kier crashed right into Dev's back, the two of them tumbling to the ground with respective screams.
He heard Boosfer gasp, his voice accompanied by the splashing of water and loud sizzling.
Kier fell with his face to the bright midday sun. He threw an arm over his face as he struggled to squint open his eyelids. Beneath him, Dev grumbled as he squirmed.
“Get off of me!” he demanded, poking at Kier's ribs.
“Ow! Ow! Ow! Quit it!” Kier whined, rolling off.
“You guys are so cute!” Boosfer’s slowly fading voice chimed.
“He's getting away!”
Kier pushed himself off the ground to see a pool of obsidian, a pillar of leaves next to it, and a Boosfer scurrying ahead in soggy shoes; empty bucket in hand.
“Did you really fail the portal?” he heard Dev chuckle.
“The lava was really hot, so I got nervous and wet myself!” Boosfer proudly exclaimed.
“You're awful.”
Kier heard Boosfer laugh, but it sounded wrong again, breaking into hacking coughs midway.
He then paused his run to hunch over and fall to his knees, shaking fingers dropping the iron bucket and gripping onto the plains grass. His breaths sounded broken and raspy.
“Boosfer!” Kier cried, dashing to his side as Boosfer vomited.
He then tossed the bucket into his inventory and placed a hand on Boosfer's back, rubbing gentle circles onto it, and Dev held his green bangs away from his face until he finished.
Dev then pulled him closer, resting Boosfer's head on his lap, and Kier massaged his fingers through his hair.
Still coughing, voice sore, Boosfer mumbled, “Fuck, bro...” He blinked up at them, eyes glassy and half-lidded. “Does this mean I lose?”
“Hello?!” Dev barked, smacking lightly on the back of Boosfer’s head. “You just threw up!”
“Which is really gross, by the way.” Kier added.
Dev scrunched up his now-slightly-mishapen nose and nodded, before continuing, “We're not doing the manhunt now, man. You're literally sick.”
Boosfer shook his head, sniffling loud. “We've— we’ve done manhunts while sick before.”
“Well, yeah, but—” Dev placed the back of his hand over Boosfer’s forehead, then flinched. “—you're genuinely burning hot!”
Boosfer grinned like a fool, and Kier could already hear it coming. “Aww! Thanks, Dev! You're not too bad yourself.”
“Boosfer!”
He giggled, eyes closed, “Too easy, bro.”
“Shut up.”
Dev settled his palm against Boosfer’s cheek, only for it to be smacked away. Boosfer then seemed to attempt to push off of him, one hand planted on Dev's chest and the other on the grass.
Kier pressed his head back down and said, “Oh, no you don't.”
“Guys,” Boosfer whined, “it's really not that bad! I just— got like— motion sickness from running around or something. That's why I threw up.”
“Motion sickness? You're kidding, right?”
“No, I'm—” he let out another set of broken coughs, “—I'm not! Let's just continue playing, guys. Please.”
Kier loosened his grip. “Why are you so—”
Boosfer then rammed his head into Dev’s stomach—inciting a low yowl—and shoved himself upward. He lifted off the ground, crouching. When Kier tried to place a hand on his shoulder to drag him back down, Boosfer shrugged it off.
Standing up, the tremble in his legs prominent, he brushed off his clothes with his palms.
He turned back at them. “C’mon, guys. Loosen up! Just have some fun!” He said, smiling, spinning round as he gestured through the air. He then stumbled backwards, blinking hard and spreading his arms out for balance. “It’s— it’s gonna be fun.”
“Boosfer—”
He grinned again, moving away from them as he said, “I’m gonna go find another lava pool. There’s no way in hell— haha! Hell! Get it? Because, like— I’m tryna get to the Nether?”
He laughed, and Kier let out a weak chuckle in response. Dev frowned deeper.
“Bro—” He started.
Boosfer cleared his throat, still retreating and still giggling. “Yeah, as I was saying! There’s no way I’m gonna be able to mine all that.” He pointed at the obsidian. “And— Oh, shit! Kier! You’ve got my bucket! I— I guess I’ll need some…” His eyelids fluttered, but he shook his head. “I’ll need to get some iron too! Maybe— Maybe I’ll find another village? Or I’ll go mining!”
He then clapped a hand over his mouth as he said, “Oh! I can’t spoil all my plans already! Silly me!”
Laughing again, he finally faced the other way and picked up his pace against the grass. He’d almost reached a thick patch of birch trees by the time Kier rose to his feet.
“Dude! Boosfer!” Kier called. “Cut it out! We can do this some other time!”
At his words, Boosfer stopped; abruptly. He didn’t turn around, but Kier saw how his shoulders shook. His fingers slowly curled into fists.
Moments passed, but he stood in place.
Then, walking up to him, Dev at his side, Kier rested his hand on Boosfer’s shoulder.
As if the touch were made of magma, Boosfer jumped. He took a couple backward steps and looked at them, eyes wide, like they'd snapped him awake from a deep slumber.
Dev started treading closer to him, arms out in a placating manner. “Alright, Boosfer,” he said, “Come here.”
Boosfer then blinked and smiled.
“You won't get me that easily!” he claimed, singing the words.
Boosfer then swung out an iron axe, and Dev screeched as it hard struck his shin. He fell to the grass with a muffled ‘thud’, and Boosfer giggled before sprinting off.
Kier dropped Dev an apple, but instead of eating it he called out, “He’s getting away, dumbass! You gotta stop him! Go!”
Nodding quick, Kier turned. He offered a small glance back at Dev, before he ran along the path he’d seen Boosfer take.
The sun turned the sky above him a vibrant orange, and he’d had no sign of Boosfer throughout his trail, when he finally peeked at his compass and saw the small red arrow point somewhere behind him.
Kier pivoted on his heel and followed the device in his hand.
His footsteps trodded against the plains grass, crushing the small flowers he’d been too late to spot into the dirt. He squinted at his surroundings in the dim under-tree light.
A flash of movement caught the corner of his eye and he snapped his head to the left. Between the trunks of a pair of birch trees, a small brown rabbit hopped by.
Sighing, Kier kept going.
After another few moments, Kier caught the compass turning—ever so slightly to the right. He took a couple steps forward, and the arrow rotated a couple more degrees. He followed the direction, watching how it didn’t move at all.
Kier’s eyes remained so fixated on the miniature red triangle that he almost stepped on Boosfer.
The green figure laid curled up on the grass, arms wrapped around his tucked knees. He shivered and tremored, eyelids squeezed tight as he heaved in rapid ragged breaths.
Kier dropped to his knees next to him.
“Boosfer?” he cried, wincing at how his voice cracked halfway through the name.
His eyes shot open. “K-Kier?” he whispered, still gasping.
Kier then took Boosfer in his arms and, instead of prying himself away, Boosfer clutched the fabric of Kier’s sweater, burying his face into his shoulder. His breath pressed too warm against Kier’s neck and his fingers trembled in their tight grip against his back.
The sky started shifting into a darker shade of blue, small stars twinkling weak lights through the leaves overhead. A dull heat started seeping into Kier’s skin from where it made contact with Boosfer. He heard muffled, dragging footsteps from somewhere nearby.
“We— We need to get you somewhere safe, Boosfer.”
“Mm mhm,” he hummed, then he let out a rattling cough onto Kier.
“Ew!” Kier cried, “That’s disgusting, bro!”
“Mm mhm.”
“Bro— Boosfer?”
Kier pulled him slightly away, and he watched Boosfer’s eyes close. His hands went slack, and Kier caught his tilting head before it hit the ground.
“Boosfer?” he whispered, shaking him slightly by his shoulder.
A gravelling groan sounded from the trees. The staggering footfalls grew louder.
Heart hammering in his ribs, Kier screamed, “Dev! Can you hear me? Help, Dev! Please!”
“Kier?” called out a distant voice.
Right at that moment, arms hanging out in front of it, a zombie appeared in Kier’s vision; hobbling straight at him and Boosfer.
Kier scrambled through his inventory, finding nothing but two sticks and a loaf of bread. He’d given all the tools to Dev; back when they’d been building their house.
The zombie approached closer. Kier shut his eyes, grasping onto Boosfer with all the might he could muster—as if it could save either of them.
A twig snapped somewhere, then something sliced through flesh and cracked through bone. Kier lifted his eyelids just in time to watch the zombie vanish, Dev wielding a stained and dripping iron sword behind it.
He pulled out a torch, and Kier saw the flickering flames light up his wide eyes and creased brows.
“Did— Did you do this to him?” Dev spluttered, pointing at the limp Boosfer.
Kier blinked.
“What— No! I found him and he—” He paused. “I— I honestly don’t know what happened.” He stared down at the pile of shivering green in his arms. “I think he— passed out. I don’t know what to do, Dev.”
Dev crouched down beside them and placed the back of his hand on Boosfer’s forehead, then on his cheek and his neck. Kier watched his frown deepen.
“This is bad,” Dev said, then he and Kier both flinched at the sound of bones rattling nearby. “We need to take shelter.”
Kier nodded, sliding an arm beneath Boosfer’s knees. “I’ll carry—”
“No.”
“Huh?”
Dev took off his chestplate and boots. He handed them to Kier.
“He’s only gonna get worse from here,” he said, dropping his sword and his shield as well. “We can’t waste any time. You need to go to the nether and get materials for regen.”
“Me?!”
“Yes, bro. Did you go deaf?”
“No— but I— why me?” Kier spluttered. He’d almost managed to withhold his next words, if they didn’t pry themselves from the tips of his shaking fingers and his battering heart through his throat. “You’re better than me at, like, everything.”
Passing Kier a handful of carrots, Dev hummed. “Yeah, I know.” He stated, and simmering heat rushed into Kier’s face. Before he could retort, however, Dev continued, “But I’ll have to stay with Boosfer because you don’t know how to look after people.”
“Not true!”
Dev squinted at him. “Then explain again why my goldfish died when I left to visit my grandma?”
“That wasn’t my fault! It was the weather! I told you!”
“I was gone for a day.”
“Okay, but that’s not even a person! I can take care of people!”
“Well—”
An arrow sailed over Dev’s hair, landing in the bark of a tree behind him. Kier turned to find himself face-to-face with a skeleton’s drawn bow.
Kierrrr has made the advancement [Not Today, Thank You]
He used the shield Dev had provided him to block the arrow; alongside the many others that continued to fire.
A weight raised off Kier’s lap. Dev lifted Boosfer into his arms, tucking his head into his shoulder, fingers threaded through green hair.
Dev ducked his head and met Kier’s eyes. “We need to go. Good luck, man.”
With that, Dev had run off—blue sweater disappearing through the birch trunks into the darkness—leaving Kier behind on his trembling knees, shield raised as he’d fended the skeleton on his own.
Kier crouched behind the obsidian portal frame when the ghast fired yet again, chomping down on a loaf of bread in one hand and using the other to pat out the flames.
He pulled out his pickaxe and dug three blocks into the netherrack floor, then placed one above his head. He leaned against the wall, gasping as he chugged down more food; nearly choking.
His stomach ached in satiety by the time the fire on his clothes diminished. His vision blackened again as he struggled to breathe in the thick, char-filled air.
A snort, followed by footsteps sounded aboveground. The ghast let out another wail, growing distant.
Placing his stinging hands over his face, Kier closed his eyes and sighed.
Boosfer’s limp body materialized behind his eyelids, alongside Dev’s creased brows and glittering blue eyes.
Kier shook his head and stared at his battered shoes. His fists dropped to his sides.
“I hate you, Dev,” he muttered beneath his breath.
He then broke the netherrack above his head and climbed out, sword in hand, breathing still a bit ragged. Swiveling his head, he spotted the ghast.
As if it were awaiting his arrival, it spat another fireball at him. Kier lifted his sword above his chestplate, arm shaking with the intensity of his grip on the hilt.
This time, the projectile hit the sword and deflected onto the ghast. A sickening cry rang through the air, and a solid pale-blue crystal dropped onto the ground below.
Kierrrr has completed the challenge [Return to Sender]
Kier walked to the edge of the cliff and blinked. The ghast tear glinted on the netherrack. He sucked in a breath and dropped down next to it, shutting his eyes at the waves of pain that shot through his bent knees.
He planted his hands in front of himself and crawled forward. Picking up the small tear, he slotted it into his inventory with a small ‘plop’.
Blinking up at his surroundings, squinting, he spotted what looked to be a wall of nether bricks in the distance. He lifted off the floor and trudged his way toward it.
Kierrrr has made the advancement [A Terrible Fortress]
“Dev better be reading these and cheering me on,” he mumbled as he climbed onto the structure.
He scanned his surroundings and took off to his left, peeking into each room as he ran through the hallways. A pair wither skeletons rattled toward him with their swords, and Kier scrambled to block them off with his spare dirt.
His instincts almost led him to skip past the patch of nether wart when he saw the blaze spawner. Pausing and shaking his head, he turned back. He then crouched down and dug the blood-red fungi from the soul sand.
Storing away the nether wart, his shoulders relaxed a little. He strode out of the room with his arms swinging freely at his sides.
A blaze met him while he skipped through the hallway, and Kier hummed as he ducked out of its fireball’s path.
He turned toward his old pathway, ready to leave the hellish landscape, and then he paused.
Another flaming projectile fired toward him, landing against the nether bricks when he shifted to his left. He blinked.
“Brewing stand!” he groaned, slapping his palm against his forehead.
Kier then equipped his sword and sliced it through the fiery monster.