The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
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7/24/2012
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Now that you mention it, it is possible. I am actually writing another story as well, based off the MMORPG MapleStory. It's huge game, so I had to write a story about it. I began making the MapleStory story over two years ago and it's still not finished. I want to get that one published as well. Perhaps when this story is done, the Minecraft developers just might be interested in it.
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Join Date:
7/24/2012
Posts:
69
Member Details
All right. I stayed up all night until I reached my limit. Here's the next part.
Part 14:
Even though my bed hasn’t changed, I seem to have better sleep in my new bedroom. I suppose it’s because, well, I have a bedroom now, and not just some big mole-hole. That’s pretty much what my home was until I started making more rooms.
I think a living room, furnace room, storage room and a bedroom would suffice for quite a while. As a matter of fact, I’m still proud that I made it entirely from scratch. But enough about that.
Once Rhino and I had finished breakfast, I collected a bucketful of water to refill the cauldron. Then I used another bucketful to refill Rhino’s bowl as well as mine. I walked to the swamp to take down another couple of trees. With their wood, I made a few simple things I had been missing for a while; a chair and a dining table for when I’m eating. I reinforced the parts together with steel screws, using a new screwdriver that I tried my hand at making. Since the bed is no longer in the living room, there was more space for more furniture.
Once that was done, I sat in my new chair, and it was quite comfortable. It wasn’t a fancy chair, as I had no paint for it and I didn’t install armrests. The closest thing I had to a chair before was the bed, so I wasn’t complaining.
Now it was time to go to the village and have Zane try out the potion of dullness. Since it was about 10 AM, I figured it was safe to go without my armor. But I thought this just as I was putting on my armor. While trying to take it off, I suddenly had trouble doing so. As if the armor didn’t fit as much as it used to. Once I had it off, I looked at my arm. That’s when I saw it; I was gaining a large chunk of muscle on my arms. I smiled. This place can really whip you into shape. Now I won’t be so weak with exhaustion every day like I used to.
I decided to walk to the village with a near-empty backpack, holding the potion in the side pocket. I brought my backpack just in case I needed to take anything back home with me.
When I was about halfway to the village, I saw a spider crawling lazily across the sands by the Butte. I was almost startled, but since it was daytime, its eyes weren’t glowing. It looked at us, and for some reason it just looked away and kept crawling. Since it was beside my path, I looked at it again as we passed it. Again it turned its head to us, but for some reason, its hissing didn’t seem aggressive. For a second time, it ignored us and kept going. So, I suppose that spiders only hunt at night.
Since I didn’t want to cause any trouble with the spider, I let it be. At the village, I was greeted by whoever I passed by. I entered the library, and said hello to the librarian. “Do you know where the Zombie Pigman is?” I asked him.
“Most certainly,” he answered as he put down a book. “He’s in the once-vacant house at the other end of the village.”
“Thank you,” I told him as I left the building. I followed the directions and went behind the church, where there was a building made of stone walls and a wooden roof. I saw the Pigman through the window, so I knocked on the door. He opened it, and Rhino began wagging his tail.
“Hello, Zane,” I said formally.
“Good to see you again, human,” Zane replied. “Please come in.”
I stepped in. His house looked fairly decent. He had a furnace, a table, a bed and a chest. I asked him what was in the chest, and he said I could take a look. There was a chunk of cactus, some wood, stone, and a stone shovel that looked weakened.
“Zane, I came here to tell you about this potion I made,” I said, closing the chest. I put the potion on the table, which looked like a swirl of dull brown and gray. “This is called a potion of dullness. I think you might know, since brewing stands can only be made with an item from the Nether.”
“I do know what brewing stands are,” said Zane. “But I didn’t know about the potion.”
“Apparently, this potion is designed to make the consumer dull in the head, and cloud one’s thinking,” I told him. “But a number of potions have opposite effects on the undead, like you. I think that if you drank this potion, your mind will sharpen, and you just might recover old memories from past lives.”
“Sounds cool,” Zane said.
“Now, I don’t completely know what effects it will have on you. So, do you mind drinking it and see what it does?”
Zane grinned. “Of course I will. I’d like to see what my last life was like.”
Without waiting, Zane opened up the bottle and sipped through it. He said “Ah” as if it was a refreshing soda.
“I don’t think you’ll get everything right away,” I said. “Maybe we should wait a bit.”
“Yeah, I reckon we should… probably… give it… some… time…” Zane yawned deeply and suddenly crashed on his bed, completely asleep. The potion must have made him extremely drowsy.
Well that didn’t work out.
I slowly exited the house, not sure if he was going to wake up or not, and walked beside a farm with Rhino. Rhino was sniffing the thick reeds that were growing beside a stream of water. This gave me an idea. With those reeds, I could probably make a large doggy bed for Rhino. But I didn’t know how exactly doggy beds were made.
I walked up to the nearby farmer, and asked him “Hey, do you mind if I ask you a favor?”
“Not at all, sir,” he answered. “What’s your request?”
“Do you think you can make a bed that’s fit for a wolf, made out of those reeds?” I asked, pointing to Rhino and then the reeds.
“Huh,” said the farmer in agreement. “Yes, he definitely needs his own place to rest. Do you want me to tell you when it’s finished?”
“Actually, no,” I said. “I’m going to leave for a trip soon, and I would like Rhino to stay here with you guys while I’m gone.”
“I see.”
“I will announce this later in the day. I’m just giving you a heads-up. Carry on,” I said.
The farmer said “okay” as I went back to go check on Zane. Through his window, I saw that he was still sleeping. I knew he was still alive though, since he turned over on his side.
I went into the small market area beside the farm and ate a few apples. For some reason, the apples in this place were extremely succulent. And apparently nothing in this village is of any currency. So everything is free and they live off of helping each other out. I liked this.
While I was busy relaxing for a moment, Zane suddenly burst in with a bewildered look on his face.
“I had a dream while I was asleep!” he yelled.
The tone of his voice almost made me jump out of the seat. “What happened?”
“I saw everything! And I remember now! You and I were teammates to find new land for humanity! But we didn’t make it through the two weeks because we were attacked by Endermen! But that wasn’t all of it.”
I sat still, listening to his story.
“And then… who was it? Marshall Islands girl… Amnesha! She’s the only one who was okay after you blacked out. I was the last one left, and I reached my arm out so she could help me up… but she just stood there! And just watched as an Enderman kicked me in the head, and I was a goner. But then I woke up… and I didn’t feel right. I just lost all thought… and my reasoning was gone. I was hungry. And somehow I found your door. I wanted to see you, and I was punching the door. But for some reason, I felt like I wanted to kill you… That’s all I can remember.”
I was shocked. So Zane was the last to be knocked out.
I took a deep breath and said to him everything that has happened. I explained why Amnesha didn’t help him up, and why he suddenly became bloodthirsty. I also mentioned how the skeleton was the one that shot him with an arrow, killing him for good. Finally, I told him about how I managed to survive, throwing in all the tales of how I defended the village the first time and exploring the Butte, finding the abandoned ruins, and going to the Nether, meeting Herobrine.
After nearly an hour and a half of storytelling, Zane said “Darn, you did a lot. All I did was get stuck in this new Pigman appearance.”
“Well, you did help save the village the second time,” I said. “I commend you for that.”
“Good to know,” said Zane. “So you mean to tell me that Amnesha is behind all this? And she’s the leader of the Endermen, and the reason why you’re going to the Stronghold?”
“That’s right. I’m going to see if we can all find a way out of this, and get back to civilization.”
“But how would that work?” Zane asked. “I mean, not only the fact that she might kill you for entering her domain. She doesn’t like humans, and if you haven’t noticed, no other humans survived living here. Not only that, but look at me! I’m a bipedal pig!”
“I know, but Zane, we have to take a chance. Pigman or not, wouldn’t you like to be back home with your friends?” I questioned.
“I really would, believe me. But even if I didn’t come back in this form, the government would find out we had finally come back. Then, we’ll have to show them the places we’d been to and tell them everything that happened,” Zane explained.
“Oh… I didn’t really think about it that way,” I said.
“Do you understand this now? Could you imagine a swarm of crowded humans, flooding into this place? I know it sounds like a good idea, but think about it. Amnesha has had this place protected for so long. No human has ever left this place alive. She doesn’t want any ‘vile creatures’ in her land. If we even dared to leave, or if the government finds us here… it would be a disaster. The humans would have discovered deities, magic, and even new dimensions. Could you imagine how people would abuse this power? I’m sorry, but many people are just power-hungry animals. I don’t want any more wars. There’s already enough back home.”
Baffled at Zane’s speech, I could only get out “…So what are you trying to say?”
“We’re gonna have to live here. Whether we like it or not. We are never going to leave this place.”
“…What?”
“Let’s face the facts,” Zane said. “If Amnesha doesn’t want us out, we’re not getting out. She controls everything in this place. What makes you think going to the Stronghold is going to get you anywhere?”
“Zane,” I said, “We have to try. Many years ago, I read this quote. It said ‘you will always miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.’ Going to the Stronghold is my best option.”
And for the first time in two hours, Zane had nothing to say to that. I had a stern face, but I let it go a little as I walked passed him. I said “Just don’t worry. One way or another, we’re getting out of this mess.”
He just stood there, staring at the floor as I left the market. I felt bad for leaving suddenly, but I have a trip to plan. The farmer had just finished with the thatched doggy bed, which was almost a big enough size to hold me. There was even a wool pillow in it. Rhino definitely liked it, since he was sniffing it and wagging his tail. I thanked the farmer for his work.
It would be sunset soon and the sun was blazing hot today. Before I had to head back home and prepare, I called all the villagers to a meeting near the well in the center of the village.
“Please hear me out,” I began. “Tomorrow morning, I will set out on my quest for the Stronghold. This time for sure, I cannot guarantee my return. I have a very important matter that I must settle over there, and it is very dangerous.”
“Why must you risk your life by the day? Can’t you ever treat yourself to a relaxing break?” asked a villager.
“I understand what you mean,” I said, “But nobody said being an explorer was easy. And when duty calls, I’m the first one to act. Now, I cannot really tell you why I am going; it is very complex and a personal mission of mine anyway. Is that okay with you guys?”
The villagers nodded slowly. Some looked very sad. Others looked scared.
“Look, I feel terrible that I’m leaving again. But in case I don’t come back, you have Zane and Rhino to help you guys. I’m truly sorry if I have not fulfilled my duties as a chief.”
“You have,” said the librarian. “You’ve done everything that Chief would do. You have guided us with your knowledge, and kept us safe with both your strength and willpower. Without a leader, we would have trouble simply continuing everyday life. Please try to make it back.”
“I promise that I’ll try,” I said. “But I’m going to be blunt with you. I cannot promise that I will return alive.”
There was an aura of worry coming from the villagers, but it was silent. If I really did die on my way to the Stronghold or in the End, Rhino and Zane couldn’t simply lead the village. Sure, they can protect it, but I wasn’t sure about them leading it.
“Okay, listen. I have an idea,” I said. “If I didn’t come back, there would probably be a lot of disorder. So, here’s the official plan. I will come here tomorrow early in the morning, to drop off all of my wolf’s food. And just in case, I will give a large amount of my spare materials for you guys to keep the village growing. At this time, I would like for some of you to make me some more arrows, as this will not be a short trip. Finally, once I’m gone, wait. If you do not hear from me in about a week or so, then I officially appoint the librarian as the new leader. He is the wisest of all of us. Am I clear?”
“Are you certain of this?” asked the librarian.
“I’m positive. I see much potential in you, and you’re the best fit for the title of leader,” I told him. “Now, I think I’ve made myself clear. Let’s get started on the arrows, and I will come here tomorrow morning before I embark.”
Without much of a commotion, the villagers spread out for their duties. One asked me “How many arrows do you need?”
“Another full batch like last time,” I said. “It’s getting late, so I will pick them up tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir,” said the villager as he went into a workshop.
Zane walked up to me a moment later. “So, if you’re really going for the Stronghold, am I going to keep the village safe?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Rhino, my wolf, is going to stay here for the night and while I’m gone. I have a lot of preparations for tomorrow, and I would like him to get used to staying here. He’s very attached to me, so I hope he handles this well. If I don’t survive, he will have to stay here. I hope you can take good care of him.”
“I will. Have a safe journey. I hope for your return.”
I knelt down next to Rhino and pet him on the head. “Listen, buddy… You have to stay here for now. I’ll come back as soon as I can. Okay?” Rhino licked half my face and pushed himself into my chest as some sort of dog hug. I hugged him back, trying not to shed a tear. I lost count of how many times he saved my life in the past.
When I had the courage to stand up, I left the village before the sun was completely down, and went back home. The house seemed quiet without Rhino’s footsteps, but I know without a doubt that he can’t be left here alone if I never came back from the Stronghold. Sure, he’s a wolf, he knows how to survive. But still… he’s more than just a pet now. He’s my best friend.
I pushed the thoughts from my head, and I got to work on getting everything ready. First, I put three water-filled glass bottles on all three holders on the brewing stand. I inserted a Nether wart into each of them. I brewed a potion of healing, strength, and swiftness. I could definitely use the swiftness potion in case I ever ran into trouble and needed to get out fast. I closed up all the bottles and slid them into the side pockets of the backpack.
I organized one of the chests and loaded it with many of my older building materials. I stored in some wood, stone, iron, and my old tools, including my pickaxes, and my stone and wooden swords. If this was really it, at least I could help the villagers one last time by giving them these.
I filled my backpack with all my remaining torches, my diamond pickaxe, food from the cooler, and a fourth glass bottle filled with water. I set the bag by the door, along with the holster for the Soul Bond and my quiver of arrows. There was enough space in it to fit much more arrows than this.
I also set the Homing Bow down by the door. “Lord Herobrine,” I said, picking up the Soul Bond. Herobrine’s reflection appeared in the blade.
“State your concern, human.”
“Could you modify the lightning arrows? It’ll be a hassle having to carry them with me, since I already have so much stuff with me.”
“I can do that,” Herobrine answered. “Here is an idea. Whatever arrows you want to be lightning powered, just say the word and I will upgrade it. But still, there is a limit of ten.”
“That’s a good concept. I’ll go with that,” I said. “Anyway, try to wake me up before sunrise. I’m going to rest the Soul Bond by the wall of my bedroom.”
“I will try, but I am not an alarm clock.”
“Thanks for trying,” I said.
I ate a portion of cooked meat for dinner, since I was giving the rest to Rhino. Then, I set the Soul Bond beside the wall as I said, and crawled into bed without further ado. I really wanted to enjoy a good night’s rest again.
It could be my last.
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Join Date:
7/24/2012
Posts:
69
Member Details
Hey guys, I'm back, with the longest chapter yet! And we're almost done, this is the second last chapter!
Part 15:
“Human, awaken.”
The greatest part about waking up is going back to sleep. I subconsciously thought this as I heard a blurry Herobrine trying to speak to me.
“It is morning. You have a long day ahead.”
It was one of those moments where I heard him, but my brain didn’t register the command. Still, I kept sleeping.
Just when I was going into deep sleep again, my ears were stabbed by a horribly loud screech. I sprang out of bed in fear, eyes wide, and my heart skipping a beat. I spun around to see Herobrine looking at me through the Soul Bond like I was some coward. “Do not fear,” he said. “I just told a Ghast to wake you up, as you did not comply the first two times.”
“Okay… I’m up,” I said lazily. I went downstairs and ate breakfast to fuel my energy. I drank the last of the water from my bowl as well. I put on my diamond armor. Then I put the rest of Rhino’s food at the top of the material chest. I opened the door and carried the chest outside. It was just light enough that I didn’t have to strain myself to lift it, so bringing it to the village would be easy.
It was dark outside, with the faintest shade of dark blue on the east horizon. It was about 6:10 AM. Taking a breath of morning fresh air, I picked up the chest again and began carrying it across the dunes. I could see the torch-lit paths along the village from a short distance away.
I could see a villager inside a house, looking out through the window. When he saw me, he walked out of his house quietly and I silently handed him the chest. I was given a bundle of arrows, tied in a string of reed. We both nodded at each other, and he watched as I made the walk back to my house.
I feel like my last visit to the village should have been more important than a simple trade of items. But many villagers were asleep at that time, and Zane’s house was behind the church, which I couldn’t see very well.
When I was at home again, I picked up the Homing Bow and managed to push it into the backpack. I put the Soul Bond in the holster, the arrows in the quiver, and strapped both to my back. Finally, I put the backpack over them.
At the door, I stopped, and turned around. I looked at everything I could see. My eyes passed slowly across the brewing corner, the furnace room, the storage room, and my new wooden furniture. Finally I looked at the table that I made on my first day here; my Crafting Table. It aided me on so many projects, and I was almost going to miss it.
I suddenly felt stupid as I had almost forgotten the Eyes of Ender. I opened the chest that contained them and inspected them. They wouldn’t be able to fit in my backpack, since they’re about the size of my hand.
When I kept looking at them, they randomly disappeared. Before I had a chance to look around, Herobrine said “I will keep them with me until you ask for one.”
With that problem out of the way, I didn’t have another thought as I opened the front door, stepped outside, and closed it for good.
At last, the quest for the Stronghold begins.
I marched across the field of sand and into the swamp. I passed by many old stumps that I cut down in the past. After the point where I ran across the cave opening, there was a wide stream of water, and the wetlands were starting to break into small islands in shallow water. It didn’t matter whether or not my feet got soaked, since nobody was around.
The sun was crawling its way above the horizon. I saw more trees since I hadn’t cut these down before. Much of the terrain was looking the same; a bunch of trees on a clump of land, followed by shallow water.
Soon, the trees became even thicker, almost as if the swamp had transformed into a jungle. The jungle here was nowhere near the massive Isla Sorna behind my house where I first came from. By the time I passed around a pond, I was reminded that I need to keep myself hydrated. So I took out my water bottle and drank a third of it.
Now the sun was shining. I had remembered to take my compass with me, the one that was found beside a zombie some time back. I was heading north. And when I kept walking, I was out of the small jungle, but something very, very strange was on the other side. I was in a desert, and to the left of me was a slope of snow. It was as if these biomes were closely packed together. Never in my life had I seen snow so close to sand.
“Lord Herobrine, summon me an Eye of Ender, please,” I said.
“As you wish.”
An Eye of Ender appeared in my hand, and I let it float into the air. Once it was at a high altitude, the Eye turned and looked at the snowy side of the land. Then, its orange beam fired straight forward over the tundra. When it stopped, it dropped down, and shattered into a million pieces, surrounded by purple snowflakes. “Darn,” I said, wishing I was more careful.
Knowing where I had to go, I stepped into the snow, and instantly my feet were cold from walking in shallow water. I tried not to let it bother me, and I continued across the tundra. There were very few pine trees or bushes. But when I did see one, there was often a herd of sheep, most of which were varying colors of white, gray, brown and black.
I eventually stepped carefully over a frozen lake. I was starting to get cold finally, but it wasn’t a very chilling temperature. Something about the biomes here seemed very different.
It finally occurred to me that I could get lost if I did happen to make it out of the End alive. Well, if that did happen, it would mean that Amnesha didn’t try to kill me, and likely she would just take me back home.
I turned around after a while and saw my long trail of footprints in the snow. I couldn’t see the entrance to the tundra anymore, so I knew that I had walked a far distance. Now that I was deeper into the tundra, the sky began to turn gray and snowflakes began to drift down from it. Finally, I thought, real snowflakes.
Just before I began to turn numb, I could barely catch a glimpse of a huge dark gray figure in the foggy distance. Excited at the possibility of the Stronghold, I kept walking at a faster pace. The snow began falling at a slower rate, and the snow began giving way to hills and some grass. I was almost out of the frozen wasteland.
When there was much more grass than snow, the fog was clearing and so was the gray sky. The magnificent structure before me was not a Stronghold, but a beautiful, colossal mountain. This impossibly huge mountain made the Butte look like a little hill of sand. This spike in the earth’s crust was covered in very sharp rocks around the sides and topped with grass and trees.
Despite how tall it was, it wasn’t very long. There were two huge openings in the side of the mountain that were short tunnels to the other side. I began talking towards the mountain, and I heard tapping below me as I noticed that the ground below me was becoming rocky. I could even see some iron ore sticking out of the surface, and coal near the side of the mountain.
The inside of the mountain was almost completely dark with the exception of the light coming from the other side. I decided to take the left tunnel since it was more easygoing than the latter. I hesitated though, because there were two skeleton archers standing inside it. I pulled out the Homing Bow and fired an arrow at one of them. It hit, but not strongly enough to completely eliminate the skeleton. They both turned in my direction and started walking to me, the other one at a faster pace.
Before I could shoot again, though, the skeletons walked into the sunlight, and suddenly they burst into flames. I could hear their bones rattling as they tried to put out the fire, but in no time flat, they both burned down. Similar to an Enderman’s weakness to water, I suppose skeletons don’t like the sun too much either. But that just proved how gullible they are, walking into the sunlight like that.
I entered the tunnel, quite amazed by how amazing it looked, and it was completely natural too. The ceiling was nearly fifty feet high or more, and I could almost hear the boiling of lava inside the walls. The walk from one end to the other was not long at all, so I continued my journey.
Now that the sun was just past noon from as far as I could tell, I was able to see much more easily now. Beyond the mountain was a rugged terrain of extreme hills, but obviously not nearly as sharp or tall as the mountain at the entrance. I ascended a hill and trekked along it as far as I could, trying not to walk through steep ground. When the hill came to an end, I slowly hiked down and up another slope. There was a herd of cows and pigs grazing in this area. They were a noisy bunch, but I managed to push the sounds from my head and continue.
Eventually, there was another mountain, but almost the opposite of the last one I came across. This one was not as tall, but extremely wide and stretching in several directions. Luckily for me, the mountain was off to the side and not directly in my path. But it was quite close to me, giving me a chance to admire its beauty.
I began to have a flashback of my trip to the Grand Canyon last year. This mountainous region was like a grass-covered version of it. As a matter of fact, I was just admiring the great distance from the top of a huge butte in the Grand Canyon, when I got a phone call.
I picked up my phone, and said “Hello?”
I remember the voice on the other line, strong and stern, and he asked for my name.
“Speaking,” I told him.
“Listen,” said the man. “This is the President.”
I was not buying it. “Really, am I supposed to believe that?” I asked humorously.
At that moment, I heard the buzzing of an engine as a huge black helicopter flew in from the sky, and landed beside me a few meters away. I was almost swept away by the strong wind.
Then, the helicopter opened as I saw the President’s face. “Do you believe me now?” he retorted.
I remember being taken to a government building for the important meeting about the expedition for new land. I was apparently the last person they picked up. The President was extremely concerned on the population, and how much resources we were consuming. “That’s why,” he said, “I have chosen each of you, for your skills to help on this important operation.”
That’s pretty much how it all started. And that meeting was where I met Zane, since he was sitting beside me during the conference.
I snapped back into the present, and continued beside the mountain. Near the end of the mountain was a bright orange pumpkin patch. There was nothing of interest there, so I walked down the hill and continued on a fairly flat ground. I saw a river system nearby, and wondered if it led anywhere. I ascended another hill, following the river with my eyes and suddenly noticed another mountain in the short distance. The river stopped somewhere around the side, making the mountain almost like a peninsula of sorts.
Oddly enough, there was a very peaceful area on the other side of the river, a nice small patch of land between the river and a hill of sand. There were even some flowers blooming here too. I requested another Eye of Ender, and I felt one appear in my hand. I let it float up. Then, it turned and looked at the area behind me, and fired its beam. I turned around, and noticed that on the side of the hill was an opening to a deep cave system. And the Eye’s beam was going right into it, lighting up the cave for as far as I could see. One thing’s for sure; this was not a small cave by any means.
The beam stopped and the Eye fell down, but I caught it just before it hit the ground. The Eye of Ender disappeared from my hand. I turned back, facing the cave, and wielded the Soul Bond.
Stronghold, here I come.
Like most caves, this one started out as a natural stairway of stone. I saw a lot of glittering objects in the walls, but it didn’t matter now. My mind was focused on finding the Stronghold. I struck a torch and lit up the cavern as it opened up into a wide area, similar to the cave at the swamp. At Home.
When I ventured deeper, I realized that it was so dark that I needed to light torches every few meters. Past a corridor was a wall of gravel to the side. I lit another torch, and found myself at the beginning of another ravine. Of course, this ravine was shorter compared to the Butte’s, but there was something different about this one. There were wooden structures inside the ravine, but they looked more preserved than the ruined village. The structures were long, almost like roads, but they were elevated above the bottom of the ravine as I saw some pools of lava down there.
I carefully shimmied across the thin ledges on the side of the ravine. When I reached the wooden structures, I saw that there were tracks in the center of them. This must have been some abandoned mineshaft made many years ago. I knew it wasn’t a Stronghold, since this mineshaft didn’t look strong at all, and more of a transport system of sorts.
Cautiously, I walked along the boardwalks, seeing that the road split into several sections. I looked to the right, into an opening inside the ravine where a road was leading to. It didn’t seem to go far, since it ended at the other side of that little area. However, beside a rail, I saw a treasure chest lying on the floor.
I walked into the smaller cave and opened the chest, curious as to what’s inside. Within the chest, I saw a rotten apple, a pile of what appeared to be cocoa beans, a diamond and a saddle. I was almost excited at the diamond, but what would I use it for?
There weren’t useful, but fairly neat stuff, with the exception being the apple. I continued down the main boardwalk and began hearing the hiss of a spider. I examined my surroundings, and saw another branch going into the other side of the ravine some distance away. I knew instantly that that path was infested with spiders, because there was a massive amount of cobwebs in there, obscuring my vision from looking any deeper.
A spider crawled out and noticed me. It was one of those cave spiders that can poison my body with its fangs. It sped across the shaft and sprang towards me. I only did so much as hold up the Soul Bond, and the spider split right in half. I hurried down the corridor, noticing for the first time that the Soul Bond was never stained with blood. Its material always seemed to be blood-proof.
I reached the end of the mineshaft soon after, and at the end I became weary. I crouched down and began eating a large piece of my loaf of bread. Then I consumed the rest of my water. That meant that time was of the essence. If I got lost and didn’t find the Stronghold, I would have to find a way out of this cave to survive. It was a risk I had to take, though.
After navigating the twists and turns of the cave system, I suddenly got a huge break. Lighting yet another torch, I observed as I stood in front of a massive wall; made completely of refined stone bricks. This was it. I had found the Stronghold.
It was a tremendous discovery. Finally, the End was just within my grasp. I walked into the entrance without a second thought. There was a very heavy, yet deep aura in this place. I felt as if I was walking through history, through time, into a bustling place once visited by people all throughout the land. A place that was highly populated at one point, during the peak of its era.
And yet, somehow, it all fell down. Everybody had gone.
I entered a crossway inside the Stronghold, and was surprised that there was a lit torch and a running water fountain still working. The sound of calm, flowing water helped to ease my nerves. Other than the way I had come, there were three doorways on different sides of the room. I was about to open the one to the right, when I hear a sudden gurgle. It sounded like a distorted, dead breathing.
Oh no. Of all things it was a zombie, looking at me through the other side of an iron door. It tried to pound its way through, but the door was far too strong. I knew I would have to face him anyway, so I walked up to the door. There was a button to the side, and I figured it would open the door. I pressed it, and, needless to say, the door swung open, allowing the zombie to try to attack me. I killed it too quickly with the Soul Bond, in just one blow. I was remembering when I fought a zombie with a wooden sword. How many hits did it take to bring him down? Three, four?
I knew this zombie wasn’t a crewmember, though. Its skin was a more rotten, diseased shade of green than the crew’s. And its clothes were far more tattered.
Taking my mind off the zombie, I walked into the hallway behind the door, and the door shut behind me. There was another stone hall, lit up by a short lava fall, running down the wall and accumulating at the floor. Near it was a stone pedestal that held another chest. Curious again, I walked around the lava fall and opened the chest.
The contents of the chest were a few gold ingots, a collection of redstone, and an iron sword.
“Wait a minute,” I heard Herobrine say. “Do you remember when I said I could not go into the Overworld?”
“Yes, why?” I asked.
“I did not say anything about the End. I can go in there without fear of instant death, but it was blocked off so I could not enter it with my powers alone. If you manage to get into the End, I could exit the Nether through your sword and into the End directly. I will be taking that iron blade to use as a weapon when we get there.”
“You’re going to fight in there? I was planning on only using these weapons for self-defense,” I proclaimed.
“I am following that idea,” said Herobrine, “But there will likely be the possibility of three enemies against us for invading their world. The Endermen, the Ender Dragon, and Amnesha.”
“How did you know who Amnesha is?” I asked.
“Let us just say that we ran into a conflict many years ago. I need to convince her of my truthfulness since I am no longer burning down villages. I would like the opportunity to live in the Overworld again, which is basically the reason why I am trying to assist you in entering the End. We both have a common goal there,” Herobrine explained.
“Well that’s good-”
Suddenly I start to hear a faint squeaking sound, interrupting me. I turn around, ready for battle. In the following moment, a ball of dust bursts out of the wall through a crack beside me, aiming to hit my head. I dodged it in a split-second, and the thing landed on the floor and scurried around my feet at a high speed. It was almost too small to hit with the Soul Bond, but I swiped at it anyway. The thing stopped abruptly as a sprinkle of blood streaked across the floor. When I inspected this organism, it was a gray worm covered in dust. I thought back to the monster encyclopedia I read, and remembered seeing this little creature. I believe they were called silverfish.
I looked back in the treasure chest and the iron sword was gone, along with the gold ingots. I tried exiting the room when I was ambushed by two more silverfish. Again they tried to confuse me by running in different directions, but eventually they ran into the wall, squeezed through the cracks, and disappeared. These silverfish were becoming more annoying than dangerous quickly.
I hit the button beside the door, and it opened. It closed after I walked through it, and I proceeded to the next doorway. When I opened it, there was a stairway going up a little bit, lit by a torch. I walked up the path and found myself in a long, labyrinth-like library. There were bookshelves lining the walls and creating a maze in the middle of the room. A bright, shining chandelier was hanging sturdily from the ceiling. There were two treasure chests nearby, but they only contained blank paper. There were far too many books to read, and most were covered in dusty webs, so I simply turned back and went into the fountain room again. Perhaps the librarian would like to see the library.
I saw a moving object lurking in the entrance hallway. As I squinted my eyes, I saw that it was a creeper. I couldn’t even hear it, and I didn’t want it to sneak up on me later, so I shot it down with a couple of arrows.
When I opened the third and final door, there was a corridor that turned to the right, filled with iron bars on one side of it. This must have been some kind of jail cell, as I saw zombies and skeletons inside them, staring at me with blood thirst.
As I kept walking, I began to see more clearly. From across the long hall, there was light, apparently stronger light than that of a torch. When I finally approached it, I walked up the few stairs that led to the room. There was an artificial pool of lava in this room, and a colony of silverfish squirming around the floor. I slashed the ones in my way, and walked up to the stairs that faced the lava.
There was a strange, yellow-white material surrounding the top of the lava. The material was not familiar at all, and there was an opening at the top of the material made out of green glass. And two of these glass openings were different from the others. Something was inside these two openings. They were Eyes of Ender.
It struck me with the greatest, strongest mix of relief, happiness, fear and sadness. This was the frame for the End Portal.
I called upon all of the Eyes of Ender, and all of them appeared out of nowhere, floating in the air. They began their circular spinning like they did last time, and then each of them flew into the according opening in the frame. There was only one spare Eye left, which Herobrine made disappear when the others were inserted into the frame.
Each of the Eyes shot a small black beam from their point in the frame, and all of the beams met in the center of the frame. It began to glow as a huge, black space opened up, covering the pool of lava. I could see tiny white stars twinkling inside it, as if I were looking into outer space.
My heart began to race. This was it. This was the End.
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
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I wanted to make this chapter special and longer, because I don't think I'll be writing the last one for a few days. I have some other things that I need to get done. What a cliffhanger!
after this last chapter, it CAN'T be the end. theres gota be another story leading on from it. it cant just end then and there maby a series of books? i woild love to see that, but good job at the cliffhanger and herobrine using the Ghast to wake him up XD nice.
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
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Maybe I will make a second book, if this one is published. I Emailed my story to Notch yesterday, but I don't expect him to see it any time soon since he's probably busy. Maybe, in the next book, it could be something about the Aether?
The Meaning of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Join Date:
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I'll start working on it later. Lol, it's so funny how this is the only chapter I won't write for a few days, right before the last one. I am so trolling my readers right now. xD
I'm inactive, hoping to make a return one day.
Part 14:
Even though my bed hasn’t changed, I seem to have better sleep in my new bedroom. I suppose it’s because, well, I have a bedroom now, and not just some big mole-hole. That’s pretty much what my home was until I started making more rooms.
I think a living room, furnace room, storage room and a bedroom would suffice for quite a while. As a matter of fact, I’m still proud that I made it entirely from scratch. But enough about that.
Once Rhino and I had finished breakfast, I collected a bucketful of water to refill the cauldron. Then I used another bucketful to refill Rhino’s bowl as well as mine. I walked to the swamp to take down another couple of trees. With their wood, I made a few simple things I had been missing for a while; a chair and a dining table for when I’m eating. I reinforced the parts together with steel screws, using a new screwdriver that I tried my hand at making. Since the bed is no longer in the living room, there was more space for more furniture.
Once that was done, I sat in my new chair, and it was quite comfortable. It wasn’t a fancy chair, as I had no paint for it and I didn’t install armrests. The closest thing I had to a chair before was the bed, so I wasn’t complaining.
Now it was time to go to the village and have Zane try out the potion of dullness. Since it was about 10 AM, I figured it was safe to go without my armor. But I thought this just as I was putting on my armor. While trying to take it off, I suddenly had trouble doing so. As if the armor didn’t fit as much as it used to. Once I had it off, I looked at my arm. That’s when I saw it; I was gaining a large chunk of muscle on my arms. I smiled. This place can really whip you into shape. Now I won’t be so weak with exhaustion every day like I used to.
I decided to walk to the village with a near-empty backpack, holding the potion in the side pocket. I brought my backpack just in case I needed to take anything back home with me.
When I was about halfway to the village, I saw a spider crawling lazily across the sands by the Butte. I was almost startled, but since it was daytime, its eyes weren’t glowing. It looked at us, and for some reason it just looked away and kept crawling. Since it was beside my path, I looked at it again as we passed it. Again it turned its head to us, but for some reason, its hissing didn’t seem aggressive. For a second time, it ignored us and kept going. So, I suppose that spiders only hunt at night.
Since I didn’t want to cause any trouble with the spider, I let it be. At the village, I was greeted by whoever I passed by. I entered the library, and said hello to the librarian. “Do you know where the Zombie Pigman is?” I asked him.
“Most certainly,” he answered as he put down a book. “He’s in the once-vacant house at the other end of the village.”
“Thank you,” I told him as I left the building. I followed the directions and went behind the church, where there was a building made of stone walls and a wooden roof. I saw the Pigman through the window, so I knocked on the door. He opened it, and Rhino began wagging his tail.
“Hello, Zane,” I said formally.
“Good to see you again, human,” Zane replied. “Please come in.”
I stepped in. His house looked fairly decent. He had a furnace, a table, a bed and a chest. I asked him what was in the chest, and he said I could take a look. There was a chunk of cactus, some wood, stone, and a stone shovel that looked weakened.
“Zane, I came here to tell you about this potion I made,” I said, closing the chest. I put the potion on the table, which looked like a swirl of dull brown and gray. “This is called a potion of dullness. I think you might know, since brewing stands can only be made with an item from the Nether.”
“I do know what brewing stands are,” said Zane. “But I didn’t know about the potion.”
“Apparently, this potion is designed to make the consumer dull in the head, and cloud one’s thinking,” I told him. “But a number of potions have opposite effects on the undead, like you. I think that if you drank this potion, your mind will sharpen, and you just might recover old memories from past lives.”
“Sounds cool,” Zane said.
“Now, I don’t completely know what effects it will have on you. So, do you mind drinking it and see what it does?”
Zane grinned. “Of course I will. I’d like to see what my last life was like.”
Without waiting, Zane opened up the bottle and sipped through it. He said “Ah” as if it was a refreshing soda.
“I don’t think you’ll get everything right away,” I said. “Maybe we should wait a bit.”
“Yeah, I reckon we should… probably… give it… some… time…” Zane yawned deeply and suddenly crashed on his bed, completely asleep. The potion must have made him extremely drowsy.
Well that didn’t work out.
I slowly exited the house, not sure if he was going to wake up or not, and walked beside a farm with Rhino. Rhino was sniffing the thick reeds that were growing beside a stream of water. This gave me an idea. With those reeds, I could probably make a large doggy bed for Rhino. But I didn’t know how exactly doggy beds were made.
I walked up to the nearby farmer, and asked him “Hey, do you mind if I ask you a favor?”
“Not at all, sir,” he answered. “What’s your request?”
“Do you think you can make a bed that’s fit for a wolf, made out of those reeds?” I asked, pointing to Rhino and then the reeds.
“Huh,” said the farmer in agreement. “Yes, he definitely needs his own place to rest. Do you want me to tell you when it’s finished?”
“Actually, no,” I said. “I’m going to leave for a trip soon, and I would like Rhino to stay here with you guys while I’m gone.”
“I see.”
“I will announce this later in the day. I’m just giving you a heads-up. Carry on,” I said.
The farmer said “okay” as I went back to go check on Zane. Through his window, I saw that he was still sleeping. I knew he was still alive though, since he turned over on his side.
I went into the small market area beside the farm and ate a few apples. For some reason, the apples in this place were extremely succulent. And apparently nothing in this village is of any currency. So everything is free and they live off of helping each other out. I liked this.
While I was busy relaxing for a moment, Zane suddenly burst in with a bewildered look on his face.
“I had a dream while I was asleep!” he yelled.
The tone of his voice almost made me jump out of the seat. “What happened?”
“I saw everything! And I remember now! You and I were teammates to find new land for humanity! But we didn’t make it through the two weeks because we were attacked by Endermen! But that wasn’t all of it.”
I sat still, listening to his story.
“And then… who was it? Marshall Islands girl… Amnesha! She’s the only one who was okay after you blacked out. I was the last one left, and I reached my arm out so she could help me up… but she just stood there! And just watched as an Enderman kicked me in the head, and I was a goner. But then I woke up… and I didn’t feel right. I just lost all thought… and my reasoning was gone. I was hungry. And somehow I found your door. I wanted to see you, and I was punching the door. But for some reason, I felt like I wanted to kill you… That’s all I can remember.”
I was shocked. So Zane was the last to be knocked out.
I took a deep breath and said to him everything that has happened. I explained why Amnesha didn’t help him up, and why he suddenly became bloodthirsty. I also mentioned how the skeleton was the one that shot him with an arrow, killing him for good. Finally, I told him about how I managed to survive, throwing in all the tales of how I defended the village the first time and exploring the Butte, finding the abandoned ruins, and going to the Nether, meeting Herobrine.
After nearly an hour and a half of storytelling, Zane said “Darn, you did a lot. All I did was get stuck in this new Pigman appearance.”
“Well, you did help save the village the second time,” I said. “I commend you for that.”
“Good to know,” said Zane. “So you mean to tell me that Amnesha is behind all this? And she’s the leader of the Endermen, and the reason why you’re going to the Stronghold?”
“That’s right. I’m going to see if we can all find a way out of this, and get back to civilization.”
“But how would that work?” Zane asked. “I mean, not only the fact that she might kill you for entering her domain. She doesn’t like humans, and if you haven’t noticed, no other humans survived living here. Not only that, but look at me! I’m a bipedal pig!”
“I know, but Zane, we have to take a chance. Pigman or not, wouldn’t you like to be back home with your friends?” I questioned.
“I really would, believe me. But even if I didn’t come back in this form, the government would find out we had finally come back. Then, we’ll have to show them the places we’d been to and tell them everything that happened,” Zane explained.
“Oh… I didn’t really think about it that way,” I said.
“Do you understand this now? Could you imagine a swarm of crowded humans, flooding into this place? I know it sounds like a good idea, but think about it. Amnesha has had this place protected for so long. No human has ever left this place alive. She doesn’t want any ‘vile creatures’ in her land. If we even dared to leave, or if the government finds us here… it would be a disaster. The humans would have discovered deities, magic, and even new dimensions. Could you imagine how people would abuse this power? I’m sorry, but many people are just power-hungry animals. I don’t want any more wars. There’s already enough back home.”
Baffled at Zane’s speech, I could only get out “…So what are you trying to say?”
“We’re gonna have to live here. Whether we like it or not. We are never going to leave this place.”
“…What?”
“Let’s face the facts,” Zane said. “If Amnesha doesn’t want us out, we’re not getting out. She controls everything in this place. What makes you think going to the Stronghold is going to get you anywhere?”
“Zane,” I said, “We have to try. Many years ago, I read this quote. It said ‘you will always miss a hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.’ Going to the Stronghold is my best option.”
And for the first time in two hours, Zane had nothing to say to that. I had a stern face, but I let it go a little as I walked passed him. I said “Just don’t worry. One way or another, we’re getting out of this mess.”
He just stood there, staring at the floor as I left the market. I felt bad for leaving suddenly, but I have a trip to plan. The farmer had just finished with the thatched doggy bed, which was almost a big enough size to hold me. There was even a wool pillow in it. Rhino definitely liked it, since he was sniffing it and wagging his tail. I thanked the farmer for his work.
It would be sunset soon and the sun was blazing hot today. Before I had to head back home and prepare, I called all the villagers to a meeting near the well in the center of the village.
“Please hear me out,” I began. “Tomorrow morning, I will set out on my quest for the Stronghold. This time for sure, I cannot guarantee my return. I have a very important matter that I must settle over there, and it is very dangerous.”
“Why must you risk your life by the day? Can’t you ever treat yourself to a relaxing break?” asked a villager.
“I understand what you mean,” I said, “But nobody said being an explorer was easy. And when duty calls, I’m the first one to act. Now, I cannot really tell you why I am going; it is very complex and a personal mission of mine anyway. Is that okay with you guys?”
The villagers nodded slowly. Some looked very sad. Others looked scared.
“Look, I feel terrible that I’m leaving again. But in case I don’t come back, you have Zane and Rhino to help you guys. I’m truly sorry if I have not fulfilled my duties as a chief.”
“You have,” said the librarian. “You’ve done everything that Chief would do. You have guided us with your knowledge, and kept us safe with both your strength and willpower. Without a leader, we would have trouble simply continuing everyday life. Please try to make it back.”
“I promise that I’ll try,” I said. “But I’m going to be blunt with you. I cannot promise that I will return alive.”
There was an aura of worry coming from the villagers, but it was silent. If I really did die on my way to the Stronghold or in the End, Rhino and Zane couldn’t simply lead the village. Sure, they can protect it, but I wasn’t sure about them leading it.
“Okay, listen. I have an idea,” I said. “If I didn’t come back, there would probably be a lot of disorder. So, here’s the official plan. I will come here tomorrow early in the morning, to drop off all of my wolf’s food. And just in case, I will give a large amount of my spare materials for you guys to keep the village growing. At this time, I would like for some of you to make me some more arrows, as this will not be a short trip. Finally, once I’m gone, wait. If you do not hear from me in about a week or so, then I officially appoint the librarian as the new leader. He is the wisest of all of us. Am I clear?”
“Are you certain of this?” asked the librarian.
“I’m positive. I see much potential in you, and you’re the best fit for the title of leader,” I told him. “Now, I think I’ve made myself clear. Let’s get started on the arrows, and I will come here tomorrow morning before I embark.”
Without much of a commotion, the villagers spread out for their duties. One asked me “How many arrows do you need?”
“Another full batch like last time,” I said. “It’s getting late, so I will pick them up tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir,” said the villager as he went into a workshop.
Zane walked up to me a moment later. “So, if you’re really going for the Stronghold, am I going to keep the village safe?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Rhino, my wolf, is going to stay here for the night and while I’m gone. I have a lot of preparations for tomorrow, and I would like him to get used to staying here. He’s very attached to me, so I hope he handles this well. If I don’t survive, he will have to stay here. I hope you can take good care of him.”
“I will. Have a safe journey. I hope for your return.”
I knelt down next to Rhino and pet him on the head. “Listen, buddy… You have to stay here for now. I’ll come back as soon as I can. Okay?” Rhino licked half my face and pushed himself into my chest as some sort of dog hug. I hugged him back, trying not to shed a tear. I lost count of how many times he saved my life in the past.
When I had the courage to stand up, I left the village before the sun was completely down, and went back home. The house seemed quiet without Rhino’s footsteps, but I know without a doubt that he can’t be left here alone if I never came back from the Stronghold. Sure, he’s a wolf, he knows how to survive. But still… he’s more than just a pet now. He’s my best friend.
I pushed the thoughts from my head, and I got to work on getting everything ready. First, I put three water-filled glass bottles on all three holders on the brewing stand. I inserted a Nether wart into each of them. I brewed a potion of healing, strength, and swiftness. I could definitely use the swiftness potion in case I ever ran into trouble and needed to get out fast. I closed up all the bottles and slid them into the side pockets of the backpack.
I organized one of the chests and loaded it with many of my older building materials. I stored in some wood, stone, iron, and my old tools, including my pickaxes, and my stone and wooden swords. If this was really it, at least I could help the villagers one last time by giving them these.
I filled my backpack with all my remaining torches, my diamond pickaxe, food from the cooler, and a fourth glass bottle filled with water. I set the bag by the door, along with the holster for the Soul Bond and my quiver of arrows. There was enough space in it to fit much more arrows than this.
I also set the Homing Bow down by the door. “Lord Herobrine,” I said, picking up the Soul Bond. Herobrine’s reflection appeared in the blade.
“State your concern, human.”
“Could you modify the lightning arrows? It’ll be a hassle having to carry them with me, since I already have so much stuff with me.”
“I can do that,” Herobrine answered. “Here is an idea. Whatever arrows you want to be lightning powered, just say the word and I will upgrade it. But still, there is a limit of ten.”
“That’s a good concept. I’ll go with that,” I said. “Anyway, try to wake me up before sunrise. I’m going to rest the Soul Bond by the wall of my bedroom.”
“I will try, but I am not an alarm clock.”
“Thanks for trying,” I said.
I ate a portion of cooked meat for dinner, since I was giving the rest to Rhino. Then, I set the Soul Bond beside the wall as I said, and crawled into bed without further ado. I really wanted to enjoy a good night’s rest again.
It could be my last.
I'm inactive, hoping to make a return one day.
This is getting really exciting and, as usual, I look forward to the next chapter!
I'm inactive, hoping to make a return one day.
Part 15:
“Human, awaken.”
The greatest part about waking up is going back to sleep. I subconsciously thought this as I heard a blurry Herobrine trying to speak to me.
“It is morning. You have a long day ahead.”
It was one of those moments where I heard him, but my brain didn’t register the command. Still, I kept sleeping.
Just when I was going into deep sleep again, my ears were stabbed by a horribly loud screech. I sprang out of bed in fear, eyes wide, and my heart skipping a beat. I spun around to see Herobrine looking at me through the Soul Bond like I was some coward. “Do not fear,” he said. “I just told a Ghast to wake you up, as you did not comply the first two times.”
“Okay… I’m up,” I said lazily. I went downstairs and ate breakfast to fuel my energy. I drank the last of the water from my bowl as well. I put on my diamond armor. Then I put the rest of Rhino’s food at the top of the material chest. I opened the door and carried the chest outside. It was just light enough that I didn’t have to strain myself to lift it, so bringing it to the village would be easy.
It was dark outside, with the faintest shade of dark blue on the east horizon. It was about 6:10 AM. Taking a breath of morning fresh air, I picked up the chest again and began carrying it across the dunes. I could see the torch-lit paths along the village from a short distance away.
I could see a villager inside a house, looking out through the window. When he saw me, he walked out of his house quietly and I silently handed him the chest. I was given a bundle of arrows, tied in a string of reed. We both nodded at each other, and he watched as I made the walk back to my house.
I feel like my last visit to the village should have been more important than a simple trade of items. But many villagers were asleep at that time, and Zane’s house was behind the church, which I couldn’t see very well.
When I was at home again, I picked up the Homing Bow and managed to push it into the backpack. I put the Soul Bond in the holster, the arrows in the quiver, and strapped both to my back. Finally, I put the backpack over them.
At the door, I stopped, and turned around. I looked at everything I could see. My eyes passed slowly across the brewing corner, the furnace room, the storage room, and my new wooden furniture. Finally I looked at the table that I made on my first day here; my Crafting Table. It aided me on so many projects, and I was almost going to miss it.
I suddenly felt stupid as I had almost forgotten the Eyes of Ender. I opened the chest that contained them and inspected them. They wouldn’t be able to fit in my backpack, since they’re about the size of my hand.
When I kept looking at them, they randomly disappeared. Before I had a chance to look around, Herobrine said “I will keep them with me until you ask for one.”
With that problem out of the way, I didn’t have another thought as I opened the front door, stepped outside, and closed it for good.
At last, the quest for the Stronghold begins.
I marched across the field of sand and into the swamp. I passed by many old stumps that I cut down in the past. After the point where I ran across the cave opening, there was a wide stream of water, and the wetlands were starting to break into small islands in shallow water. It didn’t matter whether or not my feet got soaked, since nobody was around.
The sun was crawling its way above the horizon. I saw more trees since I hadn’t cut these down before. Much of the terrain was looking the same; a bunch of trees on a clump of land, followed by shallow water.
Soon, the trees became even thicker, almost as if the swamp had transformed into a jungle. The jungle here was nowhere near the massive Isla Sorna behind my house where I first came from. By the time I passed around a pond, I was reminded that I need to keep myself hydrated. So I took out my water bottle and drank a third of it.
Now the sun was shining. I had remembered to take my compass with me, the one that was found beside a zombie some time back. I was heading north. And when I kept walking, I was out of the small jungle, but something very, very strange was on the other side. I was in a desert, and to the left of me was a slope of snow. It was as if these biomes were closely packed together. Never in my life had I seen snow so close to sand.
“Lord Herobrine, summon me an Eye of Ender, please,” I said.
“As you wish.”
An Eye of Ender appeared in my hand, and I let it float into the air. Once it was at a high altitude, the Eye turned and looked at the snowy side of the land. Then, its orange beam fired straight forward over the tundra. When it stopped, it dropped down, and shattered into a million pieces, surrounded by purple snowflakes. “Darn,” I said, wishing I was more careful.
Knowing where I had to go, I stepped into the snow, and instantly my feet were cold from walking in shallow water. I tried not to let it bother me, and I continued across the tundra. There were very few pine trees or bushes. But when I did see one, there was often a herd of sheep, most of which were varying colors of white, gray, brown and black.
I eventually stepped carefully over a frozen lake. I was starting to get cold finally, but it wasn’t a very chilling temperature. Something about the biomes here seemed very different.
It finally occurred to me that I could get lost if I did happen to make it out of the End alive. Well, if that did happen, it would mean that Amnesha didn’t try to kill me, and likely she would just take me back home.
I turned around after a while and saw my long trail of footprints in the snow. I couldn’t see the entrance to the tundra anymore, so I knew that I had walked a far distance. Now that I was deeper into the tundra, the sky began to turn gray and snowflakes began to drift down from it. Finally, I thought, real snowflakes.
Just before I began to turn numb, I could barely catch a glimpse of a huge dark gray figure in the foggy distance. Excited at the possibility of the Stronghold, I kept walking at a faster pace. The snow began falling at a slower rate, and the snow began giving way to hills and some grass. I was almost out of the frozen wasteland.
When there was much more grass than snow, the fog was clearing and so was the gray sky. The magnificent structure before me was not a Stronghold, but a beautiful, colossal mountain. This impossibly huge mountain made the Butte look like a little hill of sand. This spike in the earth’s crust was covered in very sharp rocks around the sides and topped with grass and trees.
Despite how tall it was, it wasn’t very long. There were two huge openings in the side of the mountain that were short tunnels to the other side. I began talking towards the mountain, and I heard tapping below me as I noticed that the ground below me was becoming rocky. I could even see some iron ore sticking out of the surface, and coal near the side of the mountain.
The inside of the mountain was almost completely dark with the exception of the light coming from the other side. I decided to take the left tunnel since it was more easygoing than the latter. I hesitated though, because there were two skeleton archers standing inside it. I pulled out the Homing Bow and fired an arrow at one of them. It hit, but not strongly enough to completely eliminate the skeleton. They both turned in my direction and started walking to me, the other one at a faster pace.
Before I could shoot again, though, the skeletons walked into the sunlight, and suddenly they burst into flames. I could hear their bones rattling as they tried to put out the fire, but in no time flat, they both burned down. Similar to an Enderman’s weakness to water, I suppose skeletons don’t like the sun too much either. But that just proved how gullible they are, walking into the sunlight like that.
I entered the tunnel, quite amazed by how amazing it looked, and it was completely natural too. The ceiling was nearly fifty feet high or more, and I could almost hear the boiling of lava inside the walls. The walk from one end to the other was not long at all, so I continued my journey.
Now that the sun was just past noon from as far as I could tell, I was able to see much more easily now. Beyond the mountain was a rugged terrain of extreme hills, but obviously not nearly as sharp or tall as the mountain at the entrance. I ascended a hill and trekked along it as far as I could, trying not to walk through steep ground. When the hill came to an end, I slowly hiked down and up another slope. There was a herd of cows and pigs grazing in this area. They were a noisy bunch, but I managed to push the sounds from my head and continue.
Eventually, there was another mountain, but almost the opposite of the last one I came across. This one was not as tall, but extremely wide and stretching in several directions. Luckily for me, the mountain was off to the side and not directly in my path. But it was quite close to me, giving me a chance to admire its beauty.
I began to have a flashback of my trip to the Grand Canyon last year. This mountainous region was like a grass-covered version of it. As a matter of fact, I was just admiring the great distance from the top of a huge butte in the Grand Canyon, when I got a phone call.
I picked up my phone, and said “Hello?”
I remember the voice on the other line, strong and stern, and he asked for my name.
“Speaking,” I told him.
“Listen,” said the man. “This is the President.”
I was not buying it. “Really, am I supposed to believe that?” I asked humorously.
At that moment, I heard the buzzing of an engine as a huge black helicopter flew in from the sky, and landed beside me a few meters away. I was almost swept away by the strong wind.
Then, the helicopter opened as I saw the President’s face. “Do you believe me now?” he retorted.
I remember being taken to a government building for the important meeting about the expedition for new land. I was apparently the last person they picked up. The President was extremely concerned on the population, and how much resources we were consuming. “That’s why,” he said, “I have chosen each of you, for your skills to help on this important operation.”
That’s pretty much how it all started. And that meeting was where I met Zane, since he was sitting beside me during the conference.
I snapped back into the present, and continued beside the mountain. Near the end of the mountain was a bright orange pumpkin patch. There was nothing of interest there, so I walked down the hill and continued on a fairly flat ground. I saw a river system nearby, and wondered if it led anywhere. I ascended another hill, following the river with my eyes and suddenly noticed another mountain in the short distance. The river stopped somewhere around the side, making the mountain almost like a peninsula of sorts.
Oddly enough, there was a very peaceful area on the other side of the river, a nice small patch of land between the river and a hill of sand. There were even some flowers blooming here too. I requested another Eye of Ender, and I felt one appear in my hand. I let it float up. Then, it turned and looked at the area behind me, and fired its beam. I turned around, and noticed that on the side of the hill was an opening to a deep cave system. And the Eye’s beam was going right into it, lighting up the cave for as far as I could see. One thing’s for sure; this was not a small cave by any means.
The beam stopped and the Eye fell down, but I caught it just before it hit the ground. The Eye of Ender disappeared from my hand. I turned back, facing the cave, and wielded the Soul Bond.
Stronghold, here I come.
Like most caves, this one started out as a natural stairway of stone. I saw a lot of glittering objects in the walls, but it didn’t matter now. My mind was focused on finding the Stronghold. I struck a torch and lit up the cavern as it opened up into a wide area, similar to the cave at the swamp. At Home.
When I ventured deeper, I realized that it was so dark that I needed to light torches every few meters. Past a corridor was a wall of gravel to the side. I lit another torch, and found myself at the beginning of another ravine. Of course, this ravine was shorter compared to the Butte’s, but there was something different about this one. There were wooden structures inside the ravine, but they looked more preserved than the ruined village. The structures were long, almost like roads, but they were elevated above the bottom of the ravine as I saw some pools of lava down there.
I carefully shimmied across the thin ledges on the side of the ravine. When I reached the wooden structures, I saw that there were tracks in the center of them. This must have been some abandoned mineshaft made many years ago. I knew it wasn’t a Stronghold, since this mineshaft didn’t look strong at all, and more of a transport system of sorts.
Cautiously, I walked along the boardwalks, seeing that the road split into several sections. I looked to the right, into an opening inside the ravine where a road was leading to. It didn’t seem to go far, since it ended at the other side of that little area. However, beside a rail, I saw a treasure chest lying on the floor.
I walked into the smaller cave and opened the chest, curious as to what’s inside. Within the chest, I saw a rotten apple, a pile of what appeared to be cocoa beans, a diamond and a saddle. I was almost excited at the diamond, but what would I use it for?
There weren’t useful, but fairly neat stuff, with the exception being the apple. I continued down the main boardwalk and began hearing the hiss of a spider. I examined my surroundings, and saw another branch going into the other side of the ravine some distance away. I knew instantly that that path was infested with spiders, because there was a massive amount of cobwebs in there, obscuring my vision from looking any deeper.
A spider crawled out and noticed me. It was one of those cave spiders that can poison my body with its fangs. It sped across the shaft and sprang towards me. I only did so much as hold up the Soul Bond, and the spider split right in half. I hurried down the corridor, noticing for the first time that the Soul Bond was never stained with blood. Its material always seemed to be blood-proof.
I reached the end of the mineshaft soon after, and at the end I became weary. I crouched down and began eating a large piece of my loaf of bread. Then I consumed the rest of my water. That meant that time was of the essence. If I got lost and didn’t find the Stronghold, I would have to find a way out of this cave to survive. It was a risk I had to take, though.
After navigating the twists and turns of the cave system, I suddenly got a huge break. Lighting yet another torch, I observed as I stood in front of a massive wall; made completely of refined stone bricks. This was it. I had found the Stronghold.
It was a tremendous discovery. Finally, the End was just within my grasp. I walked into the entrance without a second thought. There was a very heavy, yet deep aura in this place. I felt as if I was walking through history, through time, into a bustling place once visited by people all throughout the land. A place that was highly populated at one point, during the peak of its era.
And yet, somehow, it all fell down. Everybody had gone.
I entered a crossway inside the Stronghold, and was surprised that there was a lit torch and a running water fountain still working. The sound of calm, flowing water helped to ease my nerves. Other than the way I had come, there were three doorways on different sides of the room. I was about to open the one to the right, when I hear a sudden gurgle. It sounded like a distorted, dead breathing.
Oh no. Of all things it was a zombie, looking at me through the other side of an iron door. It tried to pound its way through, but the door was far too strong. I knew I would have to face him anyway, so I walked up to the door. There was a button to the side, and I figured it would open the door. I pressed it, and, needless to say, the door swung open, allowing the zombie to try to attack me. I killed it too quickly with the Soul Bond, in just one blow. I was remembering when I fought a zombie with a wooden sword. How many hits did it take to bring him down? Three, four?
I knew this zombie wasn’t a crewmember, though. Its skin was a more rotten, diseased shade of green than the crew’s. And its clothes were far more tattered.
Taking my mind off the zombie, I walked into the hallway behind the door, and the door shut behind me. There was another stone hall, lit up by a short lava fall, running down the wall and accumulating at the floor. Near it was a stone pedestal that held another chest. Curious again, I walked around the lava fall and opened the chest.
The contents of the chest were a few gold ingots, a collection of redstone, and an iron sword.
“Wait a minute,” I heard Herobrine say. “Do you remember when I said I could not go into the Overworld?”
“Yes, why?” I asked.
“I did not say anything about the End. I can go in there without fear of instant death, but it was blocked off so I could not enter it with my powers alone. If you manage to get into the End, I could exit the Nether through your sword and into the End directly. I will be taking that iron blade to use as a weapon when we get there.”
“You’re going to fight in there? I was planning on only using these weapons for self-defense,” I proclaimed.
“I am following that idea,” said Herobrine, “But there will likely be the possibility of three enemies against us for invading their world. The Endermen, the Ender Dragon, and Amnesha.”
“How did you know who Amnesha is?” I asked.
“Let us just say that we ran into a conflict many years ago. I need to convince her of my truthfulness since I am no longer burning down villages. I would like the opportunity to live in the Overworld again, which is basically the reason why I am trying to assist you in entering the End. We both have a common goal there,” Herobrine explained.
“Well that’s good-”
Suddenly I start to hear a faint squeaking sound, interrupting me. I turn around, ready for battle. In the following moment, a ball of dust bursts out of the wall through a crack beside me, aiming to hit my head. I dodged it in a split-second, and the thing landed on the floor and scurried around my feet at a high speed. It was almost too small to hit with the Soul Bond, but I swiped at it anyway. The thing stopped abruptly as a sprinkle of blood streaked across the floor. When I inspected this organism, it was a gray worm covered in dust. I thought back to the monster encyclopedia I read, and remembered seeing this little creature. I believe they were called silverfish.
I looked back in the treasure chest and the iron sword was gone, along with the gold ingots. I tried exiting the room when I was ambushed by two more silverfish. Again they tried to confuse me by running in different directions, but eventually they ran into the wall, squeezed through the cracks, and disappeared. These silverfish were becoming more annoying than dangerous quickly.
I hit the button beside the door, and it opened. It closed after I walked through it, and I proceeded to the next doorway. When I opened it, there was a stairway going up a little bit, lit by a torch. I walked up the path and found myself in a long, labyrinth-like library. There were bookshelves lining the walls and creating a maze in the middle of the room. A bright, shining chandelier was hanging sturdily from the ceiling. There were two treasure chests nearby, but they only contained blank paper. There were far too many books to read, and most were covered in dusty webs, so I simply turned back and went into the fountain room again. Perhaps the librarian would like to see the library.
I saw a moving object lurking in the entrance hallway. As I squinted my eyes, I saw that it was a creeper. I couldn’t even hear it, and I didn’t want it to sneak up on me later, so I shot it down with a couple of arrows.
When I opened the third and final door, there was a corridor that turned to the right, filled with iron bars on one side of it. This must have been some kind of jail cell, as I saw zombies and skeletons inside them, staring at me with blood thirst.
As I kept walking, I began to see more clearly. From across the long hall, there was light, apparently stronger light than that of a torch. When I finally approached it, I walked up the few stairs that led to the room. There was an artificial pool of lava in this room, and a colony of silverfish squirming around the floor. I slashed the ones in my way, and walked up to the stairs that faced the lava.
There was a strange, yellow-white material surrounding the top of the lava. The material was not familiar at all, and there was an opening at the top of the material made out of green glass. And two of these glass openings were different from the others. Something was inside these two openings. They were Eyes of Ender.
It struck me with the greatest, strongest mix of relief, happiness, fear and sadness. This was the frame for the End Portal.
I called upon all of the Eyes of Ender, and all of them appeared out of nowhere, floating in the air. They began their circular spinning like they did last time, and then each of them flew into the according opening in the frame. There was only one spare Eye left, which Herobrine made disappear when the others were inserted into the frame.
Each of the Eyes shot a small black beam from their point in the frame, and all of the beams met in the center of the frame. It began to glow as a huge, black space opened up, covering the pool of lava. I could see tiny white stars twinkling inside it, as if I were looking into outer space.
My heart began to race. This was it. This was the End.
I'm inactive, hoping to make a return one day.
I'm overexcited right now. That was an awesome chapter right there, the next can only get better!
*explodes again*
I'm inactive, hoping to make a return one day.
I'm inactive, hoping to make a return one day.
Please get the next chapter
complete? (NOW)
P.S Don't let it end here in the end!
P.S.S I like the idea about the Aether
I'm inactive, hoping to make a return one day.
Or...something.