CHAPTER 21
THE TREASURE ROOM
A distant explosion rumbled through the stone and dirt, making the ground shake and dust fall from the ceiling.
Gameknight gave the sisters a questioning glance.
“Redstone timer circuit tied to some TNT,” Stitcher said, a look of pride on her face.
The User-that-is-not-a-user smiled and nodded his head.
“Nice,” he said.
“Get away from the doorway,” Hunter said, then turned to face Herder. “Keep those animals quiet, especially the cats. Any sound and we’ll be discovered. If you can’t—”
Hunter paused as the shuffling of feet sounded outside the small room. Pressing her back to the wall, she stood next to the doorway, an arrow notched and ready. Gameknight moved beside her, holding a non-magical sword in his hand and wearing dull iron armor. He leaned forward so that he could see just the smallest sliver of the hallway, his body masked by the darkness of the stone chamber.
Creepers streamed out of the large gathering area, scurrying through the passage and heading toward the explosion. Just then, another detonation sounded, in a different location from the last one. Then another explosion rocked the hive … and another.
“It must be the User-that-is-not-a-user,” said a voice from the hallway. “Find him and bring him before me … NOW!”
More creepers streaked past the opening, heading toward the explosions that continued to shake the hive, until everything eventually became completely quiet.
“You think it’s safe now?” Gameknight asked.
“Wait,” Herder said.
He knelt next to one of the cats and whispered in the tiger-striped animal’s fuzzy ear. It glanced up at the skinny NPC, meowed softly, and then moved to the doorway. The creature disappeared for ten seconds, then returned and stared up at Herder. The cat seemed calm and relaxed.
“It’s safe,” Herder reported with a nod. “The creepers are gone.”
Gameknight moved cautiously out into the passage and peeked down the tunnel; it was indeed empty. Walking quickly through the corridor, he entered the massive gathering chamber and found it also free of creepers. At the center of the room was that massive pile of gunpowder—in truth, made up of a whole bunch of smaller piles of the gray powder.
“Come on,” Gameknight said.
He moved along the walls of the chamber, watching for any stray creepers in the shadows. Hunter and Stitcher did the same on the opposite walls. On one side, as they’d seen earlier, there was the lava flow spilling dangerously close to the pile of explosive dust. Gameknight pulled out a block of stone and used it to plug the flow of molten rock. The orange river of boiling stone slowly lowered to the ground, then disappeared, the pool of lava evaporating.
Suddenly, the cats started to hiss and growl. Gameknight spun around, his shimmering diamond sword suddenly in his hand.
“So, Gameknight999 returns,” a hissing voice said from the other side of the chamber. “The User-that-is-not-a-user and Oxus, the king of the creepers, meet again. I warned you long ago that you would regret it if you ever showed your face in my kingdom. Now you must pay the penalty for your foolishness. You will never live to see the sky again.”
Hunter and Stitcher pulled out their enchanted bows. The wooden bows creaked with strain as they both drew back an arrow and aimed toward the sound.
A purple flickering light shone out of a hidden alcove as a creeper moved into the open. It was the charged creeper Gameknight had seen earlier that sparkled with both a blue and red glow, as if it were somehow filled with redstone dust.
“You are not welcome here,” the creeper king growled. “I told you before that if I saw you again, it would lead to your doom.”
The monster glowed bright for just an instant, then dimmed as he regained control of his temper.
“What are you talking about?” Gameknight said, frowning. “I’ve never seen you before.”
“You told me you would say that,” the creeper king said. “Fine, we will play your game.” He paused for a minute to let his glow subside. “I am Oxus, king of the creepers, and you are invading my kingdom.”
“We are not here for a fight,” Gameknight explained. “We just need some of your gunpowder so that we can save the Overworld from being destroyed.”
“This gunpowder is our most sacred treasure,” Oxus said. “Do you know how we get it?”
Gameknight shook his head.
“When a creeper is old and near death,” Oxus explained, “they find the end of a tunnel. They then detonate themselves, expanding the hive with the last bit of their life. The gunpowder they drop after they explode is then brought here, so that we can remember their sacrifice. Each small pile represents the life of a single creeper. You may not touch it!”
“You don’t have much to say about it,” Hunter said as she drew her arrow back a little farther. “Here’s the deal: if you stay where you are, we will let you live. But if you try to come closer, we will destroy you.”
“You are all fools. I don’t need to come closer. I am Oxus, king of the creepers. If I were to detonate right now, I would destroy all of you, regardless if you were near me or not. I could take out this entire room with the strength of my blast.” Oxus glared at each of them. “This is my domain, and you are my prisoners. Lay down your arms and accept your punishment.”
The creeper began to hiss and glow slightly. Hunter and Stitcher pointed their enchanted bows at him.
The king of the creepers laughed.
“You know nothing,” Oxus said. “My ignition process will not stop just because you shoot me or hit me with your sword. The king of the creepers is different from normal creepers. I was made by Herobrine himself, and have capabilities you do not understand. My explosion will tear at your HP without hurting our precious treasure. Now put down your weapons or I will destroy you.”
“Hunter, Stitcher … lower your bows,” Gameknight said.
“What are you talking about?!” Hunter exclaimed.
“Just do it,” he insisted.
They lowered their bows, causing Oxus to smile.
In one quick motion, Gameknight999 sprang into action, putting away his sword and immediately pulling out a torch. He then took three quick steps forward, holding the torch over the pile of gunpowder.
“I will destroy all of this gunpowder if you don’t do what we say,” Gameknight said.
“You wouldn’t dare!” hissed Oxus.
“If we don’t take some gunpowder with us, then all our friends will likely be destroyed,” Gameknight said. “So we have nothing to lose.”
The creeper king grew bright with anger, his rage causing him to begin the ignition process. Gameknight gasped when he saw how bright the monster had become—the creature’s inner glow was like a mini sun. He breathed a sign of relief when the hissing finally diminished and the creeper king’s body dimmed.
“Herder, bring your animals forward,” the User-that-is-not-a-user said. “I want a ring of cats around the creeper king, and then a ring of wolves around them.”
The lanky boy nodded his head, then knelt and spoke to the animals. Moving with lightning speed, the cats bolted across the floor and formed a circle around the glowing monster. Oxus tried to step back away from the felines but was quickly surrounded. He hissed at the animals, and they hissed back. The wolves then stood behind the cats, fur bristling and eyes glowing bright red; they were ready for battle.
“Stitcher, come fill your inventory,” Gameknight said. “Hunter, keep an eye on the creeper king.”
Hunter aimed her bow at the monster while Stitcher put away her bow and moved up to the massive gray pile. Quickly, she began scooping the individual piles of gunpowder into her inventory, forming stacks and stacks of the material.
“You can’t take that!” Oxus roared. “You don’t know what you are doing!”
“We have to take this so we can stop the blazes from destroying everything,” Gameknight said. “If we don’t
stop them, they could ruin all of Minecraft.”
“You don’t understand!” Oxus shouted, his skin glowing bright. He then calmed himself and took a step forward. “Each small pile of gunpowder represents the life of a creeper—a friend and a family member. We come to the treasure room to remember our loved ones and honor those that died for the Hive. And now you are taking the last measure of their existence and using it in some foolish war.”
Oxus started to become angry, glowing brighter and brighter. The cats began to hiss and move closer as the wolves growled. The creeper king glared down at the animals and calmed down.
“You gave me a message a long time ago,” Oxus said as he glared at the User-that-is-not-a-user.
This caught Gameknight off-guard. What is all this nonsense about us meeting, he thought. A trick?
“What?” he asked.
“You gave me a message during the Great Zombie Invasion and told me to deliver it to you,” the creeper king said. “You made me say it over and over until I had memorized it.”
“What do you mean?” Gameknight asked. “How could I have talked to you during that war …? It happened a hundred years ago.”
“I don’t know and I don’t care,” the king of the creepers replied. “I thought you were crazy at the time, but now I understand.”
“What was the message?” Gameknight999 asked, confused.
“You said, ‘Have faith in yourself, and don’t worry what other people think. You must do what is right for those you care about, even if it means stepping aside for another to lead. Friends and family are more important, and sometimes the sword is not the answer.’ A lot of that still makes no sense to me, but some I now understand.”
Gameknight thought about the words. How could Oxus know what he was going through, that he was feeling unimportant and unappreciated? How could the king of the creepers know that he felt like an insignificant bug in Butch’s shadow and that nobody listened to him? Was this message really from himself, from the past? That’s impossible, he thought.
But then he thought hard about the words. The message focused on what was really important … friends and family. That’s all he really cared about, making sure his friends and family were safe. It didn’t matter if they really listened to Gameknight999 or not, or if he were viewed as their leader. As long as they were safe, nothing else mattered.
Gameknight glanced at the pile of gunpowder. This was of the creeper king’s family, he realized, as it all sunk in. This was the last thing they ever saw of their loved ones, a reminder of their lives and how they gave the last of their lives to help expand the hive. It was truly a great treasure, and they couldn’t misuse it.
“Stitcher, only take what we need,” Gameknight said to the young girl.
“We should take it all,” Hunter objected. “This much gunpowder can make a lot of TNT. We’d be set for a long time.”
“No,” the User-that-is-not-a-user said. “This is sacred to the creepers and we need to respect that. Three stacks should be sufficient … no more.”
“But …”
“Hunter, all creatures deserve respect … even creepers,” Gameknight said. “Sometimes the sword is not the answer.” He turned and faced Oxus. “I’m sorry. I understand why you prize this gunpowder so much, and I respect that. But we need some, not only to save the lives of our friends, but also to save the Overworld. The blazes are trying to destroy everything and convert it to the Nether. Undoubtedly, they will want to cover most of the surface with lava after they destroy all the biomes. This will affect the creeper kingdom just as much as it will impact the NPCs. In this struggle, the NPCs and the creepers have a common enemy.”
“The blazes, you say?” the creeper king said. “We have no love for blazes … not since the great war.”
The glowing monster glanced down at Stitcher, who was taking gunpowder out of her inventory and putting back what they didn’t need. He then glared at Hunter and sneered. Hunter sneered right back at him.
“Very well, you may have your three stacks,” Oxus said. “But let me be clear about something.” He took a step closer to Gameknight999. The cats hissed and the wolves growled, but the creeper king ignored the animals and stared at the User-that-is-not-a-user. “You are not welcome in the creeper Hive. If you return again, you will be destroyed. If we find you on the surface, we will try to destroy you. What the creepers of my kingdom want most is to be left alone, and your intrusions are not appreciated.”
Gameknight nodded his head with understanding.
“Just as I told you a hundred years ago, we will part ways without violence … for now, but do not cross my path again. Do you understand?”
Gameknight nodded again, even though he still didn’t get the part about meeting the creeper king one hundred years ago.
“I cannot guarantee your safety when you leave here,” the king of the creepers said. “But there is a hidden passage behind me. It will take you through my personal chambers and to the surface. If you are fast, and lucky, you may live to see the sky again. Now go, before I lose my patience and change my mind about letting you live.”
“Thank you, Oxus,” Gameknight said. “We will not return to your kingdom. Its location will remain a secret and will not be disclosed to anyone. On this, you have my word.”
“Just go,” Oxus snapped. “Your presence here offends me.”
“I understand,” Gameknight said. He withdrew the torch and put it back into his inventory, then turned to the sisters. “Hunter, put down your bow. It’s time to go. Herder, gather your animals. I’m sure Oxus would appreciate it if you had the cats back off some.”
Herder nodded and whistled once. The cats and wolves came flocking to him and formed a protective ring around the NPC. Stitcher then stood and moved next to the clowder of cats. Gameknight stepped to Hunter’s side and put a hand on the arrow she had notched and aimed, pushing it downward and away from the creeper. Oxus looked at him, gave a wry smile, and then moved to the side. Behind the creeper king was a dark passage that sloped upward before disappearing into the darkness.
Gameknight grabbed Hunter by the sleeve and pulled her into the entranceway, then gave her a gentle shove up the ascending tunnel. Stitcher followed, along with Herder and his animals, leaving Gameknight999 alone with the king of the creepers.
“One more thing, Gameknight999,” Oxus said when they were alone.
“What?”
“I know who you are, and your secret remains safe with me,” the creeper king said. “But if you ever return to my kingdom, I will tell all the NPCs, and it will shatter their faith in their history as well as their faith in you. The NPCs will never trust you again.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Gameknight replied, confused.
“I won’t play your game, User-that-is-not-a-user,” Oxus said with a hiss, his body glowing bright. “Consider this a final warning. Now get out of my kingdom.”
Gameknight stared at the creeper king, confused and about to ask another question, when he heard the sound of shuffling feet growing louder. The creepers were returning. Turning, the User-that-is-not-a-user charged into the darkness of the tunnel after his friends, leaving the angry king of the creepers alone with hatred in his malevolent eyes.
CHAPTER 22
RISING FROM LAVA
The two NPCs finished piling Nether quartz blocks into the shape of a tall rectangle near the Great Lava Ocean. The interior of the rectangle was open, with nothing to support the top blocks other than the two vertical sides. The opening was two blocks wide by three blocks tall, easily large enough to allow creatures to pass through. Peering up at the blaze king, the two prisoners backed away from the ring and lowered their heads to the ground.
Charybdis laughed, his internal flame flickering with each chuckle.
“You NPCs are so pathetic,” he wheezed. “Like obedient little pets, you accept the leash and welcome your cage as if you were meant to be oppressed.”
The NPCs said nothing
, knowing resistance was futile. A shovel, pickaxe, food, and torches floated off the ground near the newly-constructed rectangle: the remains of the last villager to object to the blaze king’s commands.
Floating to the lava ocean, Charybdis sunk down so that his blaze rods were just barely brushing the surface of the molten stone. A strange, sickly yellow glow flowed up from the lava and stained the king’s internal flame, changing it from bright orange to something that appeared sallow and diseased. With an intense burst of power, the blaze launched a fireball at the Nether quartz ring. The white-hot fireball hit the open rectangle and exploded into an orange sheet that sparkled and undulated within the stone rectangle as if it were alive.
“Scouts, see where this leads,” the blaze king commanded.
Two blazes moved quickly forward and passed through the orange sheet of fire. Instantly, they disappeared, vanishing from the Nether. In seconds, they returned back through the portal and stared up at their king.
“A snow-covered forest,” one of the monsters said.
“Perfect,” Charybdis said. “Something about the burning of trees and melting of snow into steam just makes me happy.” He glanced down at his warriors, their dark eyes staring up at him expectantly. “Burn it … a dozen of you should be able to level that forest to the ground. Then scorch the soil into glass.”
The blazes grew bright with excitement, then floated through the portal. In minutes, dark smoke trickled out of the orange sheet, carrying with it the faint scent of burning pine.
Charybdis laughed.
Just then, the blaze general floated up out of the lava ocean, the molten stone oozing off his circulating blaze rods like thick honey. Behind him, hundreds of smaller blazes emerged, each with a flame half as bright as the generals, their glowing blaze rods spinning with intense effort.
“Ahh … my new blazes have hatched I see,” Charybdis said. “Well done, General—you make an excellent egg-tender.”
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