I made an adventure map called Invasion And Quarantine for Minecraft, and it has gotten over 650 downloads. The thing that people love the most about the map is the storyline, so I decided to write a book based on the map. I just finished it, so here it is to read! Please give me feedback on what you thought of it! Enjoy! :biggrin.gif:
Prologue
Solanum has been at war with them for months. Troops were being shipped to Solanum within days of the war starting, and they really wanted the land. G-d only knows why. Many people have died already as a result of the war, and I’m sure many more will die. As the motto of Solanum’s militia goes, “Do not lose hope to the enemy, but instead, take revenge.”
Solanum has a militia of citizens ready to fight at any time, and I am part of this militia. The government supplies its citizens with a couple of wooden swords and some leather armor in order to fight, but I have a feeling this is just a psychological trick so the militia will feel like they have a purpose. I haven’t had to fight in this war yet, which is a surprise because they have killed thousands of our troops. We must be running low on men, and the war’s outcome doesn’t seem too good right now.
Chapter 1
As I was preparing for bed a few weeks after the start of the war, I heard a sound outside. It sounded like a groan, and I was a little spooked out by it. I went downstairs and grabbed my sword, armor, some cooked chicken, some bullets I had lying around from hunting, and some torches. I went outside, only to find that no one was there. My mailbox was open, and there was a handprint made of blood on the side. I checked inside the mailbox, and there was a note inside.
“We have lost the war, and they are taking over. You are our last hope for survival, so you must begin your journey to fight for Solanum! Please hurry for time is of the essence! Good Luck on Your Journey! Follow the Road to The Outpost!”
When I finished reading the note, I put it back in my mailbox. I couldn’t believe that Solanum had lost the war, and I hadn’t even had to fight! I was shocked and saddened by this, but I pulled myself together. I didn’t know who had sent me the note, and I was still feeling alert after hearing that groaning, but something inside told me that I should follow the road.
I started to follow the road, and I could hear something moving ahead of me. I have heard some strange things in these areas before, especially from the green creatures that hiss right before blowing up, but the noises I heard actually didn’t sound threatening in anyway. I peeked around a tree at the turn of the road, only to see a black sheep in the middle of the road. It made the “Bah!” noise that sheep are famous for before getting off the gravel path. I was distracted by it, so I didn’t notice the skeleton lurking in the dark behind a tree. It shot at me, and that wake-up call sent me into a phase of shock for a moment. After I regained calmness (being a relative term), I took my sword and beat the sorry s*** out of that undead demon. I don’t even know why I did, but I guess it’s just because I’m not used to combat, so I was overly worried about losing. After the skeleton was deceased (again), I got back on the gravel path. I continued along until I came up to a mountain. I gazed up at the top, and there seemed to be a building of cobblestone. I started climbing up, but I reached the end of the gravel path about halfway up. Although the path ended there, I knew the journey had just begun, so I continued climbing. Once I reached the top, I stared in shock at the military base that had been occupied by soldiers defending Solanum from the invasion. There was blood everywhere, even outside, and a stench was lurking that smelled like death and pure evil. I did not know at the time what it was, but I wanted to turn back and just hide at home.
I thought of the men who sacrificed their lives for Solanum, so I manned up and went into the base. Just like outside, there were blood stains on the floor, walls, and even the ceiling. The floor I was on was fairly small, with a staircase leading upstairs. There was a chest in the corner, so I looted it. I got some chicken, some pork, arrows, torches, a set of golden armor, and a journal that must have belonged to one of the soldiers. I quickly traded out my damaged leather armor, and I opened the journal. It had entries of the first few weeks of the war, and once I started reading, I just couldn’t stop for some reason. It felt like those horror movies you watch as a kid, and no matter how scared you are, you just can’t stop watching. The journal said:
“Day 1- They kept on coming, but we fought them back until they retreated. We are preparing for their next invasion.
Day 3- They sent a man on recon, and we captured him. After some interrogation, he was brutally executed. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor sap.
Day 10- We haven't been attacked for a week. It's too quiet.
Day 11- We managed to build a tunnel that connects to one of our bases. The men at the other base haven't been attacked for a while either.
Day 14- They invaded and conquered the base connected to ours. Things are getting really crazy
Day 16- They are using the tunnel and the path at once to attack us, and we can't hold on much...”
Chapter 2
They say that sometimes the way a person pictures an event can be worse than the real thing, and I feel like my idea of the bloodbath battles must have been horrible. I couldn’t imagine having to have been the person who had been executed, and it must have been really hard to watch him die too. However, the soldiers had to do it.
After putting the journal back and quickly saying a prayer for the fallen soldiers, I went upstairs, only to find a couple of zombies waiting for me. They must have not heard me before, and I can’t believe I hadn’t heard them. The journal had just caused me to zone out, so they may have actually been making a lot of noise, and I just didn’t realize it. I quickly dispatched them, but I got hit in the process. Luckily, the gold armor had been able to prevent me from taking any major bite wounds. After disposing of the rotten flesh, I noticed the electric chair against the wall. There was a bit of blood near it, which may have been from the “brutal interrogation.”
The thought of having the electricity surging through my body made me cringe, so I went back downstairs. There was a hatch in the floor, and I figured that it must lead to the base in the valley. I went in, and climbed down a ladder that leads into the tunnel. The tunnel was surprisingly well lit, which was even weirder because there were cobwebs everywhere. I followed the tunnel, and it made me feel very claustrophobic. The low ceiling was very hard to deal with for me, and it must have been even harder for the soldiers. As I went through the tunnel, a groaning sound got louder and louder, as if I were getting nearer to it. I came around a corner, and…
Chapter 3
There were zombies everywhere! I quickly took my sword out of my scabbard, and I just slashed away at them. One was stuck in a cobweb, so I saved it for last. They kept coming, and my sword was about to break, so I put a torch down to stop them from appearing. That worked, and I killed them all without them biting me. I went into the room they had been in, and there was a huge opening covered in vines. I walked through the vines, and I was in an area surrounded on three sides by small mountains.
In the center of the valley was a small building, with iron bars instead of windows, and stone bricks for a base. It was draped with vines, as if it had been there for decades. I quickly ran inside, as night was here, and monsters come out in the dark. Inside, there was a chest, a crafting table, and a furnace. Just like the other base, blood was everywhere, both inside and out.
I quickly ran to the chest and opened it up. Inside, there was an apple, a sword made of stone, an iron helmet, a note, rotten flesh, and some bones. After taking the apple, weapon, armor, and note, I quickly closed the chest to keep the smell of death from spreading into the building. I replaced my golden helmet with the iron one, and I threw the golden one on the ground. I also placed my wooden sword on the chest before reading the note. The note said:
“They came from another country far away, and we never expected it. I got drafted because the body count skyrocketed within a few days. We found a cave, and a corpse inside seems to have a virus lurking. We quarantined the cave, but a Pvt. on our squad got infected, and we had to kill him. The poor kid.”
I put the note on the chest with my wooden sword and just sat down to digest what I had read so far. Apparently, I was the last hope for Solanum. Not only that, the soldiers were all dead because of the war. Also, an infection had caused a person to become a zombie, so they had to kill him.
I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this, so I questioned whether or not I should just go home. I realized then that if I chickened out, there was a chance that all of Solanum would perish, so I continued on. I went outside, and just walked around the base. There was a zombie, but he was no match for my new stone sword and fighting spirit. I laid torches down everywhere so the monsters would stay away, and that seemed to work. I wasn’t sure what to do next, but then I remembered another gravel path I had passed by leading out of the valley.
Chapter 4
I went towards the gravel path, and I could see a skeleton riding a spider in the distance. I shook at the thought of fighting the so-called “Spider Jockey,” so I considered trying to just run past it. It was then that I realized how hungry I was, so I ate a few pieces of chicken. I sprinted along the path, and right as I came up to the “spider jockey,” the path made a turn to the left, so I turned and narrowly avoided an arrow the skeleton had shot. The spider tried to chase me, but I outran it, and it gave up. I followed the path up a small mountain, and when I reached the top, I could feel my jaw drop.
There was a huge, rectangular building made of cobblestone with a bit of blood on the floor outside. It seemed to be a fortress from when Solanum was still in the war, so I had a feeling there was something useful inside. I went inside, and I had to pull out my sword really quickly, as there were a few zombies that seemed to have been waiting for me. One bit me, but it only damaged my golden armor. I dispatched of the enemies before taking a look around. There was a staircase right in front of the door with a sign telling that the next floor up was the armory. There was also an empty refrigerator and a huge table with benches. There were some bookshelves that had been burned but still survived a fire. A fireplace on the wall farthest from the door was still lit, and a journal lay on the ground beside the fireplace. I went over and picked up the journal, and read it quietly to myself, just in case more zombies were lurking.
“The first couple of weeks of the war were calm. They were probably preparing to invade our fort by first picking off every fort and outpost that could aid us in battle. They finally attacked us on the third week. I had imagined they would look like us, but the only similarity was that we both had a humanoid form. Their skin was burnt, ripped, and damaged. Some of them were missing eyes, ears, noses, limbs, and even jaws, but they were incredibly strong. We managed to kill them all, but we are expecting another attack very soon.”
After finishing, I put the journal onto the table and slowly went up the staircase. I heard a quiet moan upstairs, so I knew there were some zombies nearby. I got my sword ready for combat, hoping that it wouldn’t break while I was in the middle of fighting the undead. When I got to the next floor, I was surprised that there was only one zombie. It came after me, but it didn’t get too far before I slashed it up with the sharpened stone. The armory was rectangular, and it had another staircase leading to the next floor, and there was some blood on the ground and walls. There were chests everywhere, and it took what felt like hours to check all of the chests for useful items. I ended up switching my food for cooked beef. I also disposed of my golden armor for an iron chest plate, iron leggings, and iron boots. I also found a helmet and sword made of diamond, which I swapped with my gold helmet and stone sword. I found a bow, some arrows, and a quiver, so I snatched them quickly after finding them. I also grabbed a few torches from one of the chests before going upstairs. When I reached a point where my head was above the ground of the top floor, I peeked around for zombies. The room was clear, so I went around looking for anything I may need. The room was huge, with beds and chests everywhere. I checked in the chests, but all I found were two journals. The first one talked about the surprise a soldier had felt when he found out the enemies had caught some kind of infection.
“When I first heard some of their troops had caught the infection, I did not believe it. I didn't believe it until I saw it for myself. I tried to warn the others of a way we could stop them, but no one listened to me until it was too late. I just wish we had a supply of gunpowder and sand to use.”
The second journal, however, was about the capitol of Solanum, which was trashed after the infection and invasion had occurred.
“I wish I could go to Solanum's capitol. I heard the secret to stop the infection is there. I also heard the place got trashed when we got invaded. I hope it's alright. If only I was allowed to take the train there instead of having to stay here and fight.”
Chapter 5
Reading about the nation’s capitol made me want to go, so I ran downstairs and went outside. I went around the building and found some tracks leading into the distance and one of those carts that is powered by pushing and pulling the seesaw lever up and down. I got onto the platform and started pushing. I was moving along the track in no time, but I wasn’t sure how long it would take to get to the capitol. I had to rest a few times while gliding on the tracks because my arms kept getting tired, so I ate some steak. After what seemed like an hour on the track, I was able to see an enormous building in the distance. I may have described the fortress as being huge, but this was like twice as large. However, this building, which was definitely the capitol of Solanum, was far more destroyed than any other building I had seen that night.
When I got close enough to the capitol to walk the rest of the way, I hopped off the cart and headed towards the capitol. I could see a zombie at the entrance, so I got my new diamond sword ready to fight. When I was within sight of the zombie, it moaned and headed towards me. A few more zombies emerged from the capitol, and I could feel my grip on the sword tightening as the undead got closer.
I started to smell their rotting flesh, and I felt adrenaline flowing through my veins. I charged and slashed at the air, and they were cut to shreds when I reached them. The blood went everywhere, but I didn’t care. I was already covered in it from my adventure, so I had nothing to lose.
The capitol was a huge building made of stone bricks, but a lot was cracked from the explosions that had occurred. The door to the capitol was missing, and there were holes everywhere in the walls. Inside, there were fires raging at anything that had decorated the capitol. There was some napalm still burning from when the capitol had been bombed initially. There was a huge hole in the center of the ground, and there was another hole in the ceiling directly above the hole in the ground of the same shape. Some zombies had caught on fire as a result of the flames and napalm, but they appeared unaffected. They limped towards me, and the bloodcurdling groans did not affect me anymore. I had been hardened by the adventure, and I was ready for anything the zombies had to throw at me.
There were two notes that had been left on the ground by the last survivors, but I focused on dispatching the zombies. I took my bow out and fired some of the arrows at the zombies, and I was able to kill a few before I had to pull out my sword. A zombie bit right through my armor, but it didn’t get through the skin before it took a diamond blade to the head. It had pinched my arm, and it hurt, but I was able to ignore the pain. I ran at the other zombies, but there were too many for me to leave unscathed. I focused all of my energy at one zombie at a time, but my armor took a lot of damage from the other zombies. I finally killed all of the zombies, but one had been able to penetrate my skin a small amount. It hadn’t drawn any blood, so I did not have to worry about blood loss or infection.
I went back to the entrance and picked up the two notes. I went into a corner with the notes before reading one.
“If you are reading this note, then you are Solanum's last hope. Underneath this building is a room rigged with TNT. If the lever in the corner of the room is pulled, the TNT will detonate. This will kill you, but it will also take the infected to the grave. This will save the rest of the people in Solanum from being infected.”
I realized then that the hole in the ground must lead to the room rigged with TNT, so I went to get a closer look. There was a ladder than could be used to get closer to the floor of the room, but it didn’t go down all the way. Something told me there were lots of zombies in there, so I stayed upstairs where there was light from the fire and napalm to read the other note.
“If you are reading this note, then you must be a survivor of the war and the infection. You must take the train located in the room underneath this building. It will take you to another country, where you will be safe from the infected. Hurry! They are coming!”
That next note made me really think of what I should do. I could either leave Solanum and let everyone become infected and die, or I could sacrifice my own life to save the rest of Solanum. I thought for a moment, and I decided there was only one thing I could do. I knew I had to sacrifice my life. Solanum had been good to me, so it was my time to be good back.
I went over to the ladder, and I climbed down until I reached the bottom of it. I jumped the rest of the way, which hurt my legs a bit. I was attacked by zombies immediately, and I started to run. It was too dark to see anything, so I laid torches down to light up the place a bit. I could see some light in the corner, and I could also see some light across the room. I could faintly see a minecart and some tracks at the other side of the room, and I questioned my decision for a moment. I quickly snapped out of it, but the zoning out gave the zombies enough time to catch up to me. I ran into the corner, and I nearly tripped on the lever on the ground. I pulled out my bow, and I started firing arrows rapidly at the incoming zombies. Some fell, but others got too close for me. I pulled out the sword and hacked away at them, but I couldn’t hold on much longer. I managed to kill most of the zombies that had been really close, and the arrows I had shot bought me some time. I bent down and pulled the lever while shouting, “For Solanum!” and counting the seconds I had left to live. 5…4…3…2…1…
Chapters are too short. Like if this was in Microsoft word and at the basic font (11) it would be LESS than a page. A novel is quite long, while yours is just ... too short. Also, isn't this like the wrong section?When I use to write novels I would always get short chapters. Now when I was done with the novels I always came back to the chapters that were short and added more detail or action or events. Stuff like that.
Chapters are too short. Like if this was in Microsoft word and at the basic font (11) it would be LESS than a page. A novel is quite long, while yours is just ... too short. Also, isn't this like the wrong section?When I use to write novels I would always get short chapters. Now when I was done with the novels I always came back to the chapters that were short and added more detail or action or events. Stuff like that.
well the map is like 20 minutes long and the story is actually 6 pages in microsoft word. I initially wrote it in there and just copied it over. also though, this is my first story, and it is based on my first custom map, so its only natural to be second best. I tried to find a better section to post this into, but i couldnt find a better section :biggrin.gif:
well the map is like 20 minutes long and the story is actually 6 pages in microsoft word. I initially wrote it in there and just copied it over. also though, this is my first story, and it is based on my first custom map, so its only natural to be second best. I tried to find a better section to post this into, but i couldnt find a better section :biggrin.gif:
I mean every chapter would be one page short at font 11. Try to do what I said. Also, I think there is a fan art section that has a 'short story' section.
I mean every chapter would be one page short at font 11. Try to do what I said. Also, I think there is a fan art section that has a 'short story' section.
well it is pretty short, but the map is really short too. but the story is mostly about war, and it is only based on a map in minecraft, so wouldnt this be more off topic? :biggrin.gif:
well it is pretty short, but the map is really short too. but the story is mostly about war, and it is only based on a map in minecraft, so wouldnt this be more off topic? :biggrin.gif:
You don't understand. The Off topic section is only about off topic things that has NOTHING to do with Minecraft. This is a story based on a map that is in Minecraft. So technicly where the story takes place is in the world of Minecraft. So this shouldn't be in the off topic section. Ask a mod to either A. Remove this thread or B. Move this thread.
You don't understand. The Off topic section is only about off topic things that has NOTHING to do with Minecraft. This is a story based on a map that is in Minecraft. So technicly where the story takes place is in the world of Minecraft. So this shouldn't be in the off topic section. Ask a mod to either A. Remove this thread or B. Move this thread.
i do understand, but there is a gray area, because i started the story before i actually built the map. the map just so happens to be portrayed in minecraft, but this story is actually not about minecraft. it only references minecraft at a few points
i do understand, but there is a gray area, because i started the story before i actually built the map. the map just so happens to be portrayed in minecraft, but this story is actually not about minecraft. it only references minecraft at a few points
Again, everything in Off Topic section must not have or do with everything Minecraft related. Even references. Why don't you just include this short story into the RAR file that your map is probably in? ....
Again, everything in Off Topic section must not have or do with everything Minecraft related. Even references. Why don't you just include this short story into the RAR file that your map is probably in? ....
well if i were to make the map in another video game too, then wouldnt that make it considered off topic? besides, does it really matter? Its a single post on a single forum. this really is starting to seem like trolling on your part, and if thats your intention, you are doing a good job at it. it doesnt matter, and i didnt put the story into the map download because of a few things. one, people download the map to play the map, not read the story. Also, it would make the file a lot bigger. the biggest reason is that not everyone has microsoft office word, let alone a windows pc
well if i were to make the map in another video game too, then wouldnt that make it considered off topic? besides, does it really matter? Its a single post on a single forum. this really is starting to seem like flaming on your part, and if thats your intention, you are doing a good job at it. it doesnt matter, and i didnt put the story into the map download because of a few things. one, people download the map to play the map, not read the story. Also, it would make the file a lot bigger. the biggest reason is that not everyone has microsoft office word, let alone a windows pc
Oh if Iwas flaming I wouldn't reccomend to put your story into your .rar map. Besides, yes, it does matter. Because you can get a warning for this type of stuff. Also, really? "It would make a file a lot bigger" ... Dude ... 27 pages in Microsoft word = 35.Kgs. Just put your story into notepad, get a online converted to convert your story into something that mac people can read. Done. See how hard that was?
Oh if Iwas flaming I wouldn't reccomend to put your story into your .rar map. Besides, yes, it does matter. Because you can get a warning for this type of stuff. Also, really? "It would make a file a lot bigger" ... Dude ... 27 pages in Microsoft word = 35.Kgs. Just put your story into notepad, get a online converted to convert your story into something that mac people can read. Done. See how hard that was?
well im not as tech savvy as you. im only 14, and the story is just portrayed in minecraft, but if i hadnt released it on minecraft first, that would have made all of the difference for the off topic or on topic part. also, i do not know much about that stuff, and the file is already big, so the download time and upload time would be longer. also i changed flame to troll because you are criticizing without even reading the actual story. If you read it, you will see how subtle the references are. also, the whole story is, again, about war and zombies, and it is meant to show how patriotism will affect people. Does that mean this belongs in politics instead? This fits into too many different topics at once, so i picked this one because it was the one that seemed to fit it best. If the story were entirely focused on minecraft, i would understand it being off topic, but it isnt. Also, if i have an arrow to the knee joke in the story, that doesnt make it automatically about skyrim
well im not as tech savvy as you. im only 14, and the story is just portrayed in minecraft, but if i hadnt released it on minecraft first, that would have made all of the difference for the off topic or on topic part. also, i do not know much about that stuff, and the file is already big, so the download time and upload time would be longer. also i changed flame to troll because you are criticizing without even reading the actual story. If you read it, you will see how subtle the references are. also, the whole story is, again, about war and zombies, and it is meant to show how patriotism will affect people. Does that mean this belongs in politics instead? This fits into too many different topics at once, so i picked this one because it was the one that seemed to fit it best. If the story were entirely focused on minecraft, i would understand it being off topic, but it isnt. Also, if i have an arrow to the knee joke in the story, that doesnt make it automatically about skyrim
... Well ... actually ....
Moving on, the average minecraft map size is 9 MB and +, that's not alot considering most laptops and computers today have over 100+ Gigabytes. 1000 MB = 1 GB meaning that it would take 9991 Mbs oto make 1 gb. That really isn't alot. Also "It is meant to how how patriotism will affect people. Does that mean this belongs in politics instead?" ... What the hell does patriotism has to do with politics? Once again, I say this, this belongs in fan art and short story section. I rest my case ...
Moving on, the average minecraft map size is 9 MB and +, that's not alot considering most laptops and computers today have over 100+ Gigabytes. 1000 MB = 1 GB meaning that it would take 9991 Mbs oto make 1 gb. That really isn't alot. Also "It is meant to how how patriotism will affect people. Does that mean this belongs in politics instead?" ... What the hell does patriotism has to do with politics? Once again, I say this, this belongs in fan art and short story section. I rest my case ...
by politics, its because of government, and i mean the attitude for the government and country because of that. when i said that the section it is in doesnt matter, i knew i could get a warning, but only if it were something completely outlandish. besides, war is a huge part of politics, just like how it is a huge part of this story. that does not mean it belongs with all of the other political topics on the minecraft forum today. if its on the wrong section, a mod will move it. if it is a small matter, then it will not be moved. There is nothing we can do about it, and arguing our thoughts will not accomplish anything or hinder anything towards it. Besides, did you even read the whole thing, or did you just skim it?
by politics, its because of government, and i mean the attitude for the government and country because of that. when i said that the section it is in doesnt matter, i knew i could get a warning, but only if it were something completely outlandish. besides, war is a huge part of politics, just like how it is a huge part of this story. that does not mean it belongs with all of the other political topics on the minecraft forum today. if its on the wrong section, a mod will move it. if it is a small matter, then it will not be moved. There is nothing we can do about it, and arguing our thoughts will not accomplish anything or hinder anything towards it. Besides, did you even read the whole thing, or did you just skim it?
Skimming? Please, that's only what I do when I have to go to sleep and I want to finish a chapter in a book.
Skimming? Please, that's only what I do when I have to go to sleep and I want to finish a chapter in a book.
so you saw the small amount of minecraft references? if i had published it as a regular book in stores like barnes and noble, people probably would only suspect minecraft from the creeper reference, or if they played the map themselves. other than that, it wouldn't seem to be minecraft related at all, and thats why i put it into the off topic section. so more importantly than this whole arguement, what did you think of it?
Well for a book it is really small. But for a short story great really. Now if you are aiming to become an author do what I said. If you think any chapters of your future book is short finish the book and go back to the chapters that are short and add details or fights. Chapters should be around 10+ Pages.
Well for a book it is really small. But for a short story great really. Now if you are aiming to become an author do what I said. If you think any chapters of your future book is short finish the book and go back to the chapters that are short and add details or fights. Chapters should be around 10+ Pages.
thanks for the good feedback! Sorry about the fighting, though. I was just frustrated about it because i had spent like ten minutes just trying to decide on a section. Also, for the amount of chapters thing, the author can choose the amount of chapters. james patterson only has like 2-5 pages in each chapter. also, i made it short because i was trying to keep with the storyline of the map as much as possible :biggrin.gif:
Prologue
Solanum has a militia of citizens ready to fight at any time, and I am part of this militia. The government supplies its citizens with a couple of wooden swords and some leather armor in order to fight, but I have a feeling this is just a psychological trick so the militia will feel like they have a purpose. I haven’t had to fight in this war yet, which is a surprise because they have killed thousands of our troops. We must be running low on men, and the war’s outcome doesn’t seem too good right now.
Chapter 1
“We have lost the war, and they are taking over. You are our last hope for survival, so you must begin your journey to fight for Solanum! Please hurry for time is of the essence! Good Luck on Your Journey! Follow the Road to The Outpost!”
When I finished reading the note, I put it back in my mailbox. I couldn’t believe that Solanum had lost the war, and I hadn’t even had to fight! I was shocked and saddened by this, but I pulled myself together. I didn’t know who had sent me the note, and I was still feeling alert after hearing that groaning, but something inside told me that I should follow the road.
I started to follow the road, and I could hear something moving ahead of me. I have heard some strange things in these areas before, especially from the green creatures that hiss right before blowing up, but the noises I heard actually didn’t sound threatening in anyway. I peeked around a tree at the turn of the road, only to see a black sheep in the middle of the road. It made the “Bah!” noise that sheep are famous for before getting off the gravel path. I was distracted by it, so I didn’t notice the skeleton lurking in the dark behind a tree. It shot at me, and that wake-up call sent me into a phase of shock for a moment. After I regained calmness (being a relative term), I took my sword and beat the sorry s*** out of that undead demon. I don’t even know why I did, but I guess it’s just because I’m not used to combat, so I was overly worried about losing. After the skeleton was deceased (again), I got back on the gravel path. I continued along until I came up to a mountain. I gazed up at the top, and there seemed to be a building of cobblestone. I started climbing up, but I reached the end of the gravel path about halfway up. Although the path ended there, I knew the journey had just begun, so I continued climbing. Once I reached the top, I stared in shock at the military base that had been occupied by soldiers defending Solanum from the invasion. There was blood everywhere, even outside, and a stench was lurking that smelled like death and pure evil. I did not know at the time what it was, but I wanted to turn back and just hide at home.
I thought of the men who sacrificed their lives for Solanum, so I manned up and went into the base. Just like outside, there were blood stains on the floor, walls, and even the ceiling. The floor I was on was fairly small, with a staircase leading upstairs. There was a chest in the corner, so I looted it. I got some chicken, some pork, arrows, torches, a set of golden armor, and a journal that must have belonged to one of the soldiers. I quickly traded out my damaged leather armor, and I opened the journal. It had entries of the first few weeks of the war, and once I started reading, I just couldn’t stop for some reason. It felt like those horror movies you watch as a kid, and no matter how scared you are, you just can’t stop watching. The journal said:
“Day 1- They kept on coming, but we fought them back until they retreated. We are preparing for their next invasion.
Day 3- They sent a man on recon, and we captured him. After some interrogation, he was brutally executed. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor sap.
Day 10- We haven't been attacked for a week. It's too quiet.
Day 11- We managed to build a tunnel that connects to one of our bases. The men at the other base haven't been attacked for a while either.
Day 14- They invaded and conquered the base connected to ours. Things are getting really crazy
Day 16- They are using the tunnel and the path at once to attack us, and we can't hold on much...”
Chapter 2
After putting the journal back and quickly saying a prayer for the fallen soldiers, I went upstairs, only to find a couple of zombies waiting for me. They must have not heard me before, and I can’t believe I hadn’t heard them. The journal had just caused me to zone out, so they may have actually been making a lot of noise, and I just didn’t realize it. I quickly dispatched them, but I got hit in the process. Luckily, the gold armor had been able to prevent me from taking any major bite wounds. After disposing of the rotten flesh, I noticed the electric chair against the wall. There was a bit of blood near it, which may have been from the “brutal interrogation.”
The thought of having the electricity surging through my body made me cringe, so I went back downstairs. There was a hatch in the floor, and I figured that it must lead to the base in the valley. I went in, and climbed down a ladder that leads into the tunnel. The tunnel was surprisingly well lit, which was even weirder because there were cobwebs everywhere. I followed the tunnel, and it made me feel very claustrophobic. The low ceiling was very hard to deal with for me, and it must have been even harder for the soldiers. As I went through the tunnel, a groaning sound got louder and louder, as if I were getting nearer to it. I came around a corner, and…
Chapter 3
In the center of the valley was a small building, with iron bars instead of windows, and stone bricks for a base. It was draped with vines, as if it had been there for decades. I quickly ran inside, as night was here, and monsters come out in the dark. Inside, there was a chest, a crafting table, and a furnace. Just like the other base, blood was everywhere, both inside and out.
I quickly ran to the chest and opened it up. Inside, there was an apple, a sword made of stone, an iron helmet, a note, rotten flesh, and some bones. After taking the apple, weapon, armor, and note, I quickly closed the chest to keep the smell of death from spreading into the building. I replaced my golden helmet with the iron one, and I threw the golden one on the ground. I also placed my wooden sword on the chest before reading the note. The note said:
“They came from another country far away, and we never expected it. I got drafted because the body count skyrocketed within a few days. We found a cave, and a corpse inside seems to have a virus lurking. We quarantined the cave, but a Pvt. on our squad got infected, and we had to kill him. The poor kid.”
I put the note on the chest with my wooden sword and just sat down to digest what I had read so far. Apparently, I was the last hope for Solanum. Not only that, the soldiers were all dead because of the war. Also, an infection had caused a person to become a zombie, so they had to kill him.
I wasn’t sure if I was ready for this, so I questioned whether or not I should just go home. I realized then that if I chickened out, there was a chance that all of Solanum would perish, so I continued on. I went outside, and just walked around the base. There was a zombie, but he was no match for my new stone sword and fighting spirit. I laid torches down everywhere so the monsters would stay away, and that seemed to work. I wasn’t sure what to do next, but then I remembered another gravel path I had passed by leading out of the valley.
Chapter 4
There was a huge, rectangular building made of cobblestone with a bit of blood on the floor outside. It seemed to be a fortress from when Solanum was still in the war, so I had a feeling there was something useful inside. I went inside, and I had to pull out my sword really quickly, as there were a few zombies that seemed to have been waiting for me. One bit me, but it only damaged my golden armor. I dispatched of the enemies before taking a look around. There was a staircase right in front of the door with a sign telling that the next floor up was the armory. There was also an empty refrigerator and a huge table with benches. There were some bookshelves that had been burned but still survived a fire. A fireplace on the wall farthest from the door was still lit, and a journal lay on the ground beside the fireplace. I went over and picked up the journal, and read it quietly to myself, just in case more zombies were lurking.
“The first couple of weeks of the war were calm. They were probably preparing to invade our fort by first picking off every fort and outpost that could aid us in battle. They finally attacked us on the third week. I had imagined they would look like us, but the only similarity was that we both had a humanoid form. Their skin was burnt, ripped, and damaged. Some of them were missing eyes, ears, noses, limbs, and even jaws, but they were incredibly strong. We managed to kill them all, but we are expecting another attack very soon.”
After finishing, I put the journal onto the table and slowly went up the staircase. I heard a quiet moan upstairs, so I knew there were some zombies nearby. I got my sword ready for combat, hoping that it wouldn’t break while I was in the middle of fighting the undead. When I got to the next floor, I was surprised that there was only one zombie. It came after me, but it didn’t get too far before I slashed it up with the sharpened stone. The armory was rectangular, and it had another staircase leading to the next floor, and there was some blood on the ground and walls. There were chests everywhere, and it took what felt like hours to check all of the chests for useful items. I ended up switching my food for cooked beef. I also disposed of my golden armor for an iron chest plate, iron leggings, and iron boots. I also found a helmet and sword made of diamond, which I swapped with my gold helmet and stone sword. I found a bow, some arrows, and a quiver, so I snatched them quickly after finding them. I also grabbed a few torches from one of the chests before going upstairs. When I reached a point where my head was above the ground of the top floor, I peeked around for zombies. The room was clear, so I went around looking for anything I may need. The room was huge, with beds and chests everywhere. I checked in the chests, but all I found were two journals. The first one talked about the surprise a soldier had felt when he found out the enemies had caught some kind of infection.
“When I first heard some of their troops had caught the infection, I did not believe it. I didn't believe it until I saw it for myself. I tried to warn the others of a way we could stop them, but no one listened to me until it was too late. I just wish we had a supply of gunpowder and sand to use.”
The second journal, however, was about the capitol of Solanum, which was trashed after the infection and invasion had occurred.
“I wish I could go to Solanum's capitol. I heard the secret to stop the infection is there. I also heard the place got trashed when we got invaded. I hope it's alright. If only I was allowed to take the train there instead of having to stay here and fight.”
Chapter 5
When I got close enough to the capitol to walk the rest of the way, I hopped off the cart and headed towards the capitol. I could see a zombie at the entrance, so I got my new diamond sword ready to fight. When I was within sight of the zombie, it moaned and headed towards me. A few more zombies emerged from the capitol, and I could feel my grip on the sword tightening as the undead got closer.
I started to smell their rotting flesh, and I felt adrenaline flowing through my veins. I charged and slashed at the air, and they were cut to shreds when I reached them. The blood went everywhere, but I didn’t care. I was already covered in it from my adventure, so I had nothing to lose.
The capitol was a huge building made of stone bricks, but a lot was cracked from the explosions that had occurred. The door to the capitol was missing, and there were holes everywhere in the walls. Inside, there were fires raging at anything that had decorated the capitol. There was some napalm still burning from when the capitol had been bombed initially. There was a huge hole in the center of the ground, and there was another hole in the ceiling directly above the hole in the ground of the same shape. Some zombies had caught on fire as a result of the flames and napalm, but they appeared unaffected. They limped towards me, and the bloodcurdling groans did not affect me anymore. I had been hardened by the adventure, and I was ready for anything the zombies had to throw at me.
There were two notes that had been left on the ground by the last survivors, but I focused on dispatching the zombies. I took my bow out and fired some of the arrows at the zombies, and I was able to kill a few before I had to pull out my sword. A zombie bit right through my armor, but it didn’t get through the skin before it took a diamond blade to the head. It had pinched my arm, and it hurt, but I was able to ignore the pain. I ran at the other zombies, but there were too many for me to leave unscathed. I focused all of my energy at one zombie at a time, but my armor took a lot of damage from the other zombies. I finally killed all of the zombies, but one had been able to penetrate my skin a small amount. It hadn’t drawn any blood, so I did not have to worry about blood loss or infection.
I went back to the entrance and picked up the two notes. I went into a corner with the notes before reading one.
“If you are reading this note, then you are Solanum's last hope. Underneath this building is a room rigged with TNT. If the lever in the corner of the room is pulled, the TNT will detonate. This will kill you, but it will also take the infected to the grave. This will save the rest of the people in Solanum from being infected.”
I realized then that the hole in the ground must lead to the room rigged with TNT, so I went to get a closer look. There was a ladder than could be used to get closer to the floor of the room, but it didn’t go down all the way. Something told me there were lots of zombies in there, so I stayed upstairs where there was light from the fire and napalm to read the other note.
“If you are reading this note, then you must be a survivor of the war and the infection. You must take the train located in the room underneath this building. It will take you to another country, where you will be safe from the infected. Hurry! They are coming!”
That next note made me really think of what I should do. I could either leave Solanum and let everyone become infected and die, or I could sacrifice my own life to save the rest of Solanum. I thought for a moment, and I decided there was only one thing I could do. I knew I had to sacrifice my life. Solanum had been good to me, so it was my time to be good back.
I went over to the ladder, and I climbed down until I reached the bottom of it. I jumped the rest of the way, which hurt my legs a bit. I was attacked by zombies immediately, and I started to run. It was too dark to see anything, so I laid torches down to light up the place a bit. I could see some light in the corner, and I could also see some light across the room. I could faintly see a minecart and some tracks at the other side of the room, and I questioned my decision for a moment. I quickly snapped out of it, but the zoning out gave the zombies enough time to catch up to me. I ran into the corner, and I nearly tripped on the lever on the ground. I pulled out my bow, and I started firing arrows rapidly at the incoming zombies. Some fell, but others got too close for me. I pulled out the sword and hacked away at them, but I couldn’t hold on much longer. I managed to kill most of the zombies that had been really close, and the arrows I had shot bought me some time. I bent down and pulled the lever while shouting, “For Solanum!” and counting the seconds I had left to live. 5…4…3…2…1…
well the map is like 20 minutes long and the story is actually 6 pages in microsoft word. I initially wrote it in there and just copied it over. also though, this is my first story, and it is based on my first custom map, so its only natural to be second best. I tried to find a better section to post this into, but i couldnt find a better section :biggrin.gif:
I mean every chapter would be one page short at font 11. Try to do what I said. Also, I think there is a fan art section that has a 'short story' section.
well it is pretty short, but the map is really short too. but the story is mostly about war, and it is only based on a map in minecraft, so wouldnt this be more off topic? :biggrin.gif:
You don't understand. The Off topic section is only about off topic things that has NOTHING to do with Minecraft. This is a story based on a map that is in Minecraft. So technicly where the story takes place is in the world of Minecraft. So this shouldn't be in the off topic section. Ask a mod to either A. Remove this thread or B. Move this thread.
i do understand, but there is a gray area, because i started the story before i actually built the map. the map just so happens to be portrayed in minecraft, but this story is actually not about minecraft. it only references minecraft at a few points
Again, everything in Off Topic section must not have or do with everything Minecraft related. Even references. Why don't you just include this short story into the RAR file that your map is probably in? ....
well if i were to make the map in another video game too, then wouldnt that make it considered off topic? besides, does it really matter? Its a single post on a single forum. this really is starting to seem like trolling on your part, and if thats your intention, you are doing a good job at it. it doesnt matter, and i didnt put the story into the map download because of a few things. one, people download the map to play the map, not read the story. Also, it would make the file a lot bigger. the biggest reason is that not everyone has microsoft office word, let alone a windows pc
Oh if Iwas flaming I wouldn't reccomend to put your story into your .rar map. Besides, yes, it does matter. Because you can get a warning for this type of stuff. Also, really? "It would make a file a lot bigger" ... Dude ... 27 pages in Microsoft word = 35.Kgs. Just put your story into notepad, get a online converted to convert your story into something that mac people can read. Done. See how hard that was?
well im not as tech savvy as you. im only 14, and the story is just portrayed in minecraft, but if i hadnt released it on minecraft first, that would have made all of the difference for the off topic or on topic part. also, i do not know much about that stuff, and the file is already big, so the download time and upload time would be longer. also i changed flame to troll because you are criticizing without even reading the actual story. If you read it, you will see how subtle the references are. also, the whole story is, again, about war and zombies, and it is meant to show how patriotism will affect people. Does that mean this belongs in politics instead? This fits into too many different topics at once, so i picked this one because it was the one that seemed to fit it best. If the story were entirely focused on minecraft, i would understand it being off topic, but it isnt. Also, if i have an arrow to the knee joke in the story, that doesnt make it automatically about skyrim
... Well ... actually ....
Moving on, the average minecraft map size is 9 MB and +, that's not alot considering most laptops and computers today have over 100+ Gigabytes. 1000 MB = 1 GB meaning that it would take 9991 Mbs oto make 1 gb. That really isn't alot. Also "It is meant to how how patriotism will affect people. Does that mean this belongs in politics instead?" ... What the hell does patriotism has to do with politics? Once again, I say this, this belongs in fan art and short story section. I rest my case ...
by politics, its because of government, and i mean the attitude for the government and country because of that. when i said that the section it is in doesnt matter, i knew i could get a warning, but only if it were something completely outlandish. besides, war is a huge part of politics, just like how it is a huge part of this story. that does not mean it belongs with all of the other political topics on the minecraft forum today. if its on the wrong section, a mod will move it. if it is a small matter, then it will not be moved. There is nothing we can do about it, and arguing our thoughts will not accomplish anything or hinder anything towards it. Besides, did you even read the whole thing, or did you just skim it?
Skimming? Please, that's only what I do when I have to go to sleep and I want to finish a chapter in a book.
so you saw the small amount of minecraft references? if i had published it as a regular book in stores like barnes and noble, people probably would only suspect minecraft from the creeper reference, or if they played the map themselves. other than that, it wouldn't seem to be minecraft related at all, and thats why i put it into the off topic section. so more importantly than this whole arguement, what did you think of it?
thanks for the good feedback! Sorry about the fighting, though. I was just frustrated about it because i had spent like ten minutes just trying to decide on a section. Also, for the amount of chapters thing, the author can choose the amount of chapters. james patterson only has like 2-5 pages in each chapter. also, i made it short because i was trying to keep with the storyline of the map as much as possible :biggrin.gif: