Evening shrouded the Pinkolson farm. The Undead rose from the surrounding woods and began their slow but sure march towards the humans. John Pinkolson, the elder brother, rushed out with the rest of his workers to thrash the monsters. They were easy kill alone, but that night, they were overwhelming the staff. It was like they were fed vengeance by some unknown entity.
"Denny!" John hollered to his brother, who was defending the barn animals with a garden hoe. "Go fetch Rusty! Hurry!" He chopped off the head of a nearby zombie and kicked it into the field as fertilizer.
Danny swerved around the building. "Rusty!" He called to the roof. He punched a nearby zombie and ducked a skeleton's arrow as he came upon the back door. "Rusty, we need'yor help!"
"Wham!" An iron golem the size of a small house descended from the sky and knocked the nearby Undead clean into the woods with arms like trees. Rusty stomped around the farm and cleared out all the monsters in his way, but then emerged the creepers.
The green creatures, though cute in appearance, were literally explosives. They snuck up on the golem and set themselves off. "Boom!" Rusty was launched back into the barn. Feeling the crack in his arm, he retreated to dealing with the spiders who have now replaced the zombies and skeletons as the main force. Although it was the human flesh those monsters were after and not the crops, the farm couldn't sustain until morning if this wave kept on much longer.
"Whaooom!" A roar sounded from the sky and Luna crushed a swarm of spiders and skeletons as she landed. "If you try anything close to a fire, you will stay in the sky for a week!" Abbigail hollered as she charged in, "And mind the fields, you big clumsy!"
She rolled on the ground and cut a zombie in half through the waist. Turning her sword, she dismantled a skeleton with a clean under hand. Leaping into the air, she pierced the head of a spider and kicked a lighted creeper into a ditch, where it sizzled to a still.
Together, she and Luna pushed the Undead back into the forest. The farmers sat down in the hall to rest and count their losses. All in all, not that bad. A couple of workers had a few bruises here and there, and John had a nasty scratch on his arm. But they could have lost it all if it weren't for Rusty, Abbigail, and Luna.
"Thank you." Said John, as he and Denny brought some bread and soup to Abbigail. The brothers both had ginger hair and freckled faces. Under the moon light, Abbigail thought she could just make out John's steady build, while Denny stood tall and lean. The brothers laid down the food on the garden table.
Luna poked her nose hopefully for some meat, and Abbigail shoved a melon into her mouth. Luna chewed with a face that said "Yuck!" a thousand times.
"What? You should keep a healthy diet." Abbigail lectured.
"Never in all my years did I dream I'd live to see a dragon." John was intrigued by Luna. "We're grateful for you coming ma'am," He bowed slightly. "but I must ask: what brings you to our humble farm?"
"I'm searching for the next Enderknight." Abbigail explained, "my first one, actually, and it seems I've found him." She looked at John. "Your fight back there against the Undead was impressive."
"Thank you." John seemed flushed. "But, I can't be an Enderknight. I have my life here on this farm. I'm just a farmer."
Abbigale smiled. "It's ok. Half a year ago I was also a farmer. I grew up on a small farm just north of Etherea."
"But, wh…what makes you so sure I'm the one?" John stammered.
"Because of this." Abbigail took out the Ender Eye from her pack. "It brought me to… wait… hang on…"
The Eye drifted towards the brothers, but not towards John. Instead, it hovered just above Denny's head.
"Wha?..." Denny whimpered.
"I guess you're the Enderknight." Abbigail exclaimed.
"What? How?" The brothers said in unison.
"I'm still new to this finding Enderknights thing, but I think the Eye has shown us." Abbigail said. "It brought me to Pinkolson farm, to you."
"But…" stammered Denny, "I though' the Enderknigh' vanished a hunderd years ago!"
"They are returning, and I'm seeking them out." Abbigail replied, holding out her hand. "My name is Abbigail."
"I'm Denny," he said, shaking her hand. "Denny Pinkolson. Is there…uh…" He looked around, "some kind of knighting ritual I have to go through?"
Abbigail smiled. "Not that I know of. Welcome to the party, Denny."
"Well, before you two go off to save the world," John waved them towards the main house, "you should really stay the night to rest, and we need to discuss this over with our parents."
"I'll stay here in the barn with Luna, thanks." Said Abbigail, She'd rather stay away from all that parent business for now.
"Oh, please come in." Beckoned Denny. "I thin' a late-night dessert is in order!"
"Well, I could hardly say no to some nice cooking." Abbigail replied, "Been choking on dried bread for too long. Come on Luna. Just try not to mess up too much."
The next morning found the farmers up and about in the crisp, dry air. Spring is in town and the wheat, potatoes, carrots are all doing their best to reach the sunlight high above. The green grass before the doorstep found Denny with a small pack of his clothes. John walked out with a gigantic chest.
"This is, umph, a surprise, hoof, a pleasant surprise." He heaved the chest down the stairs. "My little brother, an Enderknight!"
"But, how?" wondered Denny, "How did tha' glowy eye know I'm'n Enderknight? It's all too…sudden."
"I understand how you feel." Abbigail said. "I still remember the day I found Luna as an egg in the woods. It just…came. And I felt that need to protect it. And now here I am."
Luna snorted.
"Yeah," retorted Abbigail. "The wolves in Underwood would make a quick snack of a little dragon like you when you hatched."
"I prepared some food in here," John said, patting the chest. "And all the things I thought Denny might need." He pulled out his sword. "I think you should have this now." He held out the hilt to Denny. "You'll be needing it more than myself. It's not the prettiest," John wiped the body clean of dirt, his hands sliding over the slightly dented and blunt edge, "but it's been in our family for generations."
Denny took it, and it felt surprisingly heavy, like lifting a big rock on a stick. "Aww," he said, admiring the weapon. "John, arr yer sur?"
"Absolutely." Nodded his brother, "Now go on, and be safe out there." He patted Denny on the shoulder.
"Thanks, John, but I don't think I can carry thi' chest over 'ere." Said Denny. He tried to find some place to pack the sword and ended thrusting it between his back and pack.
"Then at least take this pot, in case you need to cook on the way." John pulled out a small, black pot on a long handle. "And in case you ever needed another weapon, it'll serve as a good banger."
"Thanks. Oh, Rusty." Denny turned to the iron golem as he approached. "Did you think I'd forget you?"
Rusty leaned forward and gave Denny a rose. Carefully, Denny placed the rose at the top of the sack, leaving the petals sticking out.
"You take care of the family, alright Rusty?" Rusty nodded and fist bumped with Denny.
As they were leaving, they took one last look at the house. Rusty was holding one of his giant arms high in the air and waving to them. "Safe travels!" John shouted over the distance.
"So wher' arr we goin'?" Denny said to Abbigail when they turned down the road and out of sight of the farm. Luna had taken to the sky and was following them above the trees.
"To find more Enderknights I suppose, wherever they may be." Said Abbigail, pulling out the Eye and letting it float before them.
"Mmm, Denny, this stew is really good!" cried Abbigail. The sun has set over the hills and they were camping in a clearing. Abbigail put together a fire, Luna lit it with some effort, and Denny insisted on cooking them a small pot of stew out of the blackberries he found nearby.
Denny blushed. "Yer should come ter the farm and taste the real stew." He said. "Tha' one usually take hours to brew. This just a quick roadside mash-up." He finished his bowl in one long gulp.
"So," said Denny, wiping his mouth. He filled their bowls with a fresh scoop and sat down opposite to Abbigail. "Can yer tell me mor' about the Enderknights?"
"Well," began Abbigail. "I only know so much. I think we were supposed to have a dragon each, but I haven't seen anyone other than Luna. " She looked over to her, and saw Luna snoring with little flames from her nostrils, puffing in and out as she breathed.
"Other than that, I think," Abbigail continued, "we are supposed to have some purple black rock armor. Obsidian, they call it."
"Oh, I know a bi' about obsidian." Said Denny. "We use it on the farm. Super expensive tools, but yer just can' beat the toughness and strength. Would last years longer than them normal stone ones." He sipped his stew.
"I see." Abbigail continued, drawing in a large gulp of the blackberry sweetness. "The Knights before us had a couple sets, but they are all located in the End, another dimension, whatever that means."
"Ooh, so we arr going outter this world then. Exciting!" Denny exclaimed. He finished the last of the stew and started cleaning up. "Anyway, it's getting late. We should get some rest. I'll pack up."
"Alright, I'll set up our tents." Abbigail felt better fed than even when she was back at her farm and eager for a night's sleep.