The Mishap in the Village of Lekter Book 1: It takes a whole town to survive in the Nether

By Cube Hunter

Villagers and Illagers never got along, but they weren't really bothered by each other either. Unfortunately, everything changed when a group of Illagers found an ancient library that contained forbidden knowledge from a time long gone. By using their newfound power, the illagers decided to take over the world. However, they needed a test subjec

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cube Hunter
• Release date: Nov 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798869027948

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Town of Lekter

The sound of lava flowing all around fills the air as burning fire cackles here and there. Piglins gather up for a hunt while ghasts fly around eerily. Voices of beings long gone whisper from the ground below. It was just another day in the Nether. Suddenly, somewhere nearby, the air starts to distort. Obsidian layers begin to form, followed up by a purple vortex. Nearby mobs flee from the scene as they have never experienced something like this before.

As the purple vortex calms down, weird structures begin to rise from it—houses built from wood and stone, the ground made out of dirt and soil. For the first time, the Nether meets the Overworld. Along with the structures, however, living creatures arrived as well. Tanned skin, large nose, and colorful robes; the villagers were successfully teleported through the portal.

However, they were lying on the ground in confusion. It seems like even they have no idea about what is going on with themselves at the moment. Suddenly, a pillager pulls out an iron pickaxe and starts breaking the portal’s vortex. The villagers were still recovering from their nauseating headache, so all they could do was simply watch. Like the sound of a glass breaking, the vortex disappeared without a trace in an instant; followed by a cheerful cry from the pillager.

The puzzled villagers could only mutter, What is going on? as the curious piglins begin surrounding the town.

Two days ago…

A young female villager sits in front of a mirror, humming to herself as she brushes her hair. Around her lie blacksmith tools and a very dirty robe on top of an anvil. Her name is Derky, a young and aspiring blacksmith. She is currently preparing for the town meeting. A door opens, and Derky’s friends – Pyen and Irty – come in. Pyen is a male villager who works as a farmer with his father, and Irty is a female villager who currently has no profession in mind.

Hey, are you ready yet? asks Pyen.

I only need to change my clothes. After that, we can get going, replies Derky.

You’ll leave your house like this? It’s so dirty, nitpicks Irty.

Derky looks around her house and shrugs, It’s fine. I can clean it when I get back home.

Your mom’s going to be really mad, then.

It’ll be fine.

After a while, Pyen and Irty decided to clean her house while Derky changed. These three have been friends since they could barely walk. They were there for each other during their happiest moments as well as saddest. It wouldn’t be wrong to say they consider one another family.

Okay, I’m done. notes Derky.

The sun is soon going to set, Pyen remarks, We’re going to be late at this rate. Let’s hurry!

Oh, got it!

Right when the trio exited the house, a flock of chickens bombarded them. What the?! jolts Derky. Hiding behind a corner, a few child villagers try to take a peek.

Ah, these kids, sighs Irty, They were probably playing with the chickens.

One child villager jumps out and warns, H-hah! T-that’s what you get when you owe too many emeralds! You’re still yet to pay for all the potatoes you bought from my mom, Pyen!

Huh?! I already paid two days ago! Didn’t your mom tell you? asks Pyen.

The children were hiding all gasp.

T-that doesn’t mean it’s over, stutters the child villager, It took you too much time to finally pay back, so we will make sure you’ll learn to pay faster.

Hmm, really? ‘You’ will teach ‘me’ a lesson? Take this!

Pyen pulls out several wheat seeds from his pocket and throws them at the kids. After noticing the seeds, the flock of children quickly turns to the kids, chasing them away. Pyen laughed at them but got scolded by Irty shortly after.

The town of Lekter is as lively as ever. Chickens and pigs run around the town freely. Iron Golems are roaming around the town, playing with the children. Some villagers are busy harvesting crops while others are busy crafting helpful items for yet another peaceful day.

What do you think today’s meeting will be about? questions Derky, I think we’ll talk about winter preparation.

Pyen follows, That’s my guess as well. Winter will eventually arrive, after all.

It’s not even autumn yet. What are you two talking about? counters Irty, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be something important if they’re holding a town meeting during such a peaceful time.

Such as?

Umm… I have no idea.

A nearby Iron Golem approaches the three friends and hands them a poppy.

Hello, Mr. Boop, greets Pyen, Are you doing well on this fine day?

Mr. Boop, the Iron Golem, attempts to nod by mimicking villagers. Nobody knows where they got such names from. Since most Iron Golems are centuries old, it’s common for villagers to grow up playing with them. Perhaps children gave their names a very long time ago, and everyone decided to follow them.

Pyen continues, How are you and Ms. Toop getting along? I haven’t seen you two together lately. Did something happen?

Hey, knock it off! scolds Irty yet again, Don’t try to apply romance to our childhood heroes. Leave that to yourself.

How do you know they can’t have romance?

I uhh… no idea….

Derky gently caresses Mr. Boop while Pyen and Irty bicker. A wandering trader appears out of nowhere and remarks, Fascinating, aren’t they?

Huh? Derky answered, dumbfounded.

They don’t have blood like ours, nor flesh – only iron. Yet, they behave like living, breathing creatures.

I guess so.

No one knows where they came from or how they were created. They were just always there.

Mhm…

Do you think anyone will ever figure out how to give life to an iron structure?

I can’t reall-- wait! Speaking of iron structures….

Suddenly, Derky remembers that she has to get advice from her blacksmithing mentor, so she informed her friends and left, I need to go talk to my mentor. You two go ahead, alright?

Pyen gives her a thumbs up and urges Irty to hurry. When they entered the town hall, most villagers were already there. Pyen takes Irty and hastily weaves through the crowd of villagers to sit near his father. Next to Pyen’s father was Derky’s mom.

Where’s Derky? asks Pyen’s father, Rayn, as he examines the crowd.

Pyen pulls out a potato from his pocket and starts eating it. She’s at her mentor’s place for guidance. It won’t take her too much time, he explains.

Derky’s mother, Hopsy, leans forward and adds, At this hour? Why didn’t she handle that earlier? I swear these children are-

Suddenly, the town mayor Kad gathers everyone’s attention.

It seems that almost everyone is here, so let’s start! he shouts, I apologize for gathering you all around this time of the year, but I assure you it was needed. Every single villager who lives in this town is in serious danger, and the ones who pose such threat to us are our mortal enemies: the Illagers.

All the villagers inside the town hall gasp in unison.

Kad resumes, Trusted sources say that the Illagers have discovered dangerous artifacts that contain forbidden knowledge. For the time being, however, we don’t know what they are about, but all town mayors held a meeting about that issue, and they concluded that all the towns would recruit young villagers to train them for combat starting tomorrow. The remaining villagers will be tasked with building walls as fast as possible. This is all I have to tell you. Let’s conclude our meeting unless some of you want to ask a question.

The villagers talk to each other for a bit and decide that they have nothing to ask. Pyen takes his father and heads home while Irty leaves alone. Derky and her mom, on the other hand, plan to go for a walk. By now, the sun had started setting, and villagers began placing torches around the street. Children get in their beds to sleep, and Iron Golems continue to patrol the town.

After a bit of walking, Hopsy asks, I never told you about your ancestors, right?

Derky nods, Yes. Why are you bringing it up now?

I just feel like it’s about time.

Oh, okay.

There is a reason why I’m not against you becoming a blacksmith, and that is because our ancestors were illagers. All I know about them is that my mom was a witch. When I was very little, she used to live in a Pillager’s Outpost. One day, villagers raided the outpost and slayed every illager that resided there. However, I was spared and got adopted by them. They trusted me, trusted that I would follow the way of a villager. So, I did. Now, so are you. That’s why I will always support you as long as you stay a villager. Never practice magic, got it?

Got it.

"Let’s go back to our house and sleep now. It seems