Chapter 25: Mal[]
Switching to Mal’s POV, she feels just as enraged as Chug is about the realization that Krog, which was one of their own, had aligned with the illagers. Both Chug and Lenna prepare to attack him, but Mal insists that they don’t, as she doesn’t think its right to attack people. Chug wonders as to what to do, and Mal realizes that they can use the minecart tracks to head back to Cornucopia before they do. Chug and company quickly run through the cave, with Mal deciding to have Lenna lead the way. Lenna, in turn, decides to have Poppy lead them to the minecarts. Eventually, after coming across some dead ends and several staircases, they find the minecarts. The illagers follow close behind, but Tok decides to hand a potion of slowness to Chug, who throws it at the illagers, greatly slowing them down. Lenna sends Tok and Candor down one cart, followed by Chug and Clarity in another, and then Mal in another. Lenna decides to stay behind.
Chapter 26: Lenna[]
Switching to Lenna’s POV, she decides to take the wheels off of the other minecarts, except for one, which she takes off in with Poppy. Eventually, everyone makes it to the end of the tunnel, and Chug realizes that he forgot Thingy back at the woodland mansion. He begins to cry, but everyone hugs him and acknowledges that they can go back after they save Cornucopia to bring the pig back. Lenna and company then go up a stairwell which leads to a trapdoor. Opening it reveals that they are inside a house in the Hub of Cornucopia, described as being in the style of the group’s grandparents. Lenna finds some clay figurines on a mantel and looks at the writing, realizing that they are in Krog’s house. Lenna and company then put a bed and a dresser on top of the trapdoor to prevent Krog and his illager friends from entering. Lenna and company then decide to enter the Hub, hiding their weapons from view, and notice that everyone is running around and loading carts. Mal heads directly to Stu’s shop and explains to him that Krog has a group of illagers coming over to attack. Stu quickly dismisses the explanation as a conspiracy theory and orders them to leave. Feeling defeated, Lenna and company have no choice but to do so.
Chapter 27: Chug[]
Switching to Chug’s POV, he and company feel stunned about how Elder Stu reacted. Mal mumbles that everyone believes Elder Stu. Chug then goes on a long rant about everything that Elder Stu hasn’t done, such as facing a zombie or making a shelter, and for the fact that he and company had all done that within the past week that they had been together. Chug also explains that the Founders were different (left a different place before settling in another) which was what made them special. Chug then says that there is one person in Cornucopia that would believe them, and Mal whispers that its none other than Nan. Mal then runs off toward Nan’s cottage, with everyone following close behind. Along the way, Letti, Lenna’s older sister, notices her and orders her to stop, in which she does so, followed by the rest of the group. Letti explains to Lenna that her parents were worried for the past week about where she was and that she needs to head home. Lenna refuses, and soon Letti notices Poppy, feeling frightened. Lenna then starts walking away. Letti exclaims that she’ll be punished, but Lenna replies that she has something important to do whilst asking Letti to "go home and snitch". Lenna then shouts over her shoulder for Letti to gather the pickaxes from the family mine, and soon Lenna and company resume heading toward Nan’s cottage. Nan greets everyone just as Mal informs her that illagers are coming. Nan wonders as to why, and Mal explains that Krog is planning to drive everyone out of Cornucopia while dressed like an illager, leading the illagers to the Hub, and plans to build a portal to the Nether. Nan then has everyone come inside, stocking them all with food, weapons, and armor as Chug and company explain to Nan as to what happened over the past week. As they finish, Nan shows Chug a painting of the Founders of Cornucopia, which include:
- Chuk, Chug’s great-great-great-grandfather
- Lev and Lil, Lenna’s great-great-great grandparents
- Nan’s mother
- Bria
- Wil
Nan then explains to Chug and company about how the Founders built Cornucopia, coming from different backgrounds and each experiencing something terrible that had happened. The Founders felt that building the wall would keep Cornucopia safe. After taking another sip of her cocoa, she exclaims for everyone to go after Krog.
Chapter 28: Tok[]
Switching to Tok’s POV, he wishes that his grandparents were more like Nan, but says that his grandparents sit in a house in the Hub which nobody seems to visit. Tok and company then head back over to Stu’s store, with Chug carrying Nan along. Nan gives Stu a big pep talk about stuff being "preposterous" before dragging him over to Krog’s house. Chug opens the trapdoor, but Stu still feels skeptical. Nan decides to give Stu another long pep talk, this time about how he decided to "give them a wall and deny them a world", referring to everyone else that lived in Cornucopia. Nan also mentions that Tok and company are the future of Cornucopia for doing what they did. Just then, everyone hears the sound of a witch. Nan then gives Stu a sword to make sure he is prepared.
Chapter 29: Mal[]
Switching to Mal’s POV, she feels excited about Nan’s pep talk, but also quickly closes the trapdoor to avoid the illagers from heading up through it. Just then, a vex shows up, with Nan taking down one, but two more show up. Tok realizes that the trapdoor needs to be opened so they can be able to kill the evokers. As the group remove the bed and dresser from the trapdoor, Mal asks for Elder Stu to inform the town of the situation. He reluctantly does so, followed by Tok with several iron swords. The trapdoor then opens, revealing three vindicators, which are easily killed. Just then, more vindicators and vexes appear from below, leaving the group no choice but to head outside. Stu tries to inform everyone that they need to fight off the illagers, but two other Elders, Tiber and Zach, feel like its all hearsay. Jarro’s mom, Dawna, once again thinks its the work of the "Bad Apples", but her mindset quickly changes once she sees a vex fly out of Krog’s house. Just then, a vindicator shows up, followed by an evoker and its swarm of vexes. It is only then that everyone decides to pick up an iron sword and help bring them down. Just then, Mal notices her mother peeking around a corner, pleading for her to head home, but Nan insists that that she (now named Mara) either pick up a weapon or go home herself. Mal then tosses Mara an iron helmet, and she too decides to join in. Mal then notices Krog hiding behind a dais, tossing splash potions. She nudges Chug’s shoulder, points to the fake nose peeping out from the wood, and insists on going after him.
Chapter 30: Lenna[]
Switching to Lenna’s POV, she hides behind a barrel, but soon realizes that she doesn’t have any arrows left, so she darts out to pick up every arrow she can find. Then, out of nowhere, someone grabs and drags her through a door. Lenna retaliates by flailing her arms, ultimately landing her elbow on the nose of the person and making it bleed. Lenna is shocked to find out that it was Letti, and explains to her about what she did the past week before heading back out to fend off the illagers. Letti insists that she head back home, but Lenna refuses. Letti then blocks the door leading out to the Hub, so Lenna whistles, allowing Poppy to get a hold of Letti’s tunic with its teeth. Horrified, Letti runs home while Lenna prepares her bow and arrow for her next target.