“How am I going to do that? It’s not like a villager priest shows up every day, and I seriously doubt that he would be caught dead out here.” That was exactly what Lotus wanted to hear, because it now gave her information that she could use for leverage. He really didn’t have any idea what kind of power lay in the axe.
“It’s not like we can go back, so we may as well continue forward, Michael. Besides, you probably don’t even know where the portal is to get into the end world.” That was one thing that Michael did have on his side, because he had found in the old book that he had read from cover to cover too many times to count, a map that pinpointed the exact location of where to enter the end world. It was lucky that the ghosting happened to him, because he really didn’t know how to proceed all these years, without that voice telling him to finally go north.
“I’ll have you know that I know exactly where I need to go, and according to the map that I have in my possession, we have less than a day’s travel to reach it. Maybe I did attempt this with a little bit more than just a prayer, but I knew it was finally time to pick up arms against the dragon.” He pulled out the old book with the leather backing, opening it up to the very last two pages, so that she could finally see the map that he had just mentioned.
“That can’t be…and it’s just not possible.” The look in Lotus’ eyes showed Michael that the map had affected her on some kind of level. “It would appear that we are going to the exact same place.” She pulled out her map, which was almost identical to that of which Michael was now holding in his hands. He looked to see where the x marked the spot of where the diamond ore was supposedly located. Glancing back towards his own map, he verified the fact that they were indeed in the same place. To have both maps indicate that the diamond ore and the portal to the end world were in the same place. This only confirmed to Michael that they were destined to find each other.
Lotus had other ideas about why destiny had thrown them together, and she could now see that she wasn’t going to have to convince Michael to go with her to where the diamond ore was, because he was already on the same path. That sacrifice that she wanted him to make would now be easier to accomplish, especially since they were walking in the same footsteps.
Instead of speaking anymore, they continued on their way, knowing that with each step they were getting ever closer to their final destination. Nothing was going to stop either one of them from getting there, and now they both had a purpose and a new determination.
Chapter 8
As they came over the horizon, they immediately came to a standstill, looking down upon what could only be described as a huge patch of ice. “I have some information that you are going to need, but I am not going to give it to you, until you promise to do one thing. I know exactly how you can get into the end world, but that information is far from cheap.” Michael should’ve known that she was holding something back, as she had the tendency to keep things close to her chest.
“It looks like you have me where you want me, so what exactly do I have to do to get this information?”
“When we get down there, the creeper will try to stop me from taking what he thinks is his. I was going to trick you into taking him on yourself, but now I don’t have to, because you are going to do it willingly.”
“So, you expect me to sacrifice myself, just so that you can get your hands on the diamond ore. I don’t see how my dying is going to get me what I want.”
“If we work together, Michael, I think we can get the upper hand on him. It is written that the person that seeks the diamond ore cannot be the one to face off against the creeper. I have an enchanted knife and armor, which will give you a better chance than without it. I have proven that I can sense it, and along with the enchanted knife and armor, this should be enough for you to conquer it.” Lotus was kind of disappointed that she wasn’t going to be able to throw Michael to the wolves, but with him still holding onto that axe, she was just going to have to improvise for the sake of getting her hands on her family’s legacy.
“If I agree to this, you have to promise that you will help me find my way into the end world.” They made their way down the hill, stumbling and falling with the snow following them along, until they came to a stop, lying prone with their faces plastered in the snow
Suddenly, once again he felt like somebody was walking over his grave, looking to Lotus, only to see that she was now standing strong and looking into nothing at all.
“Take this and get ready.” Michael struggled to his feet, reaching out his hand and snatching the knife and armor out of the air. He put the armor over his body, while holding the knife in one hand and the axe in the other. It only made him feel powerful, almost as if he could handle anything that came against him. It was like a wave of energy coursing through his veins, and he stood tall waiting for the inevitable strike to come.
“Behind you!” Her scream made Michael turn instinctively, lashing out with both the knife and axe. For a brief moment, he could see what the creeper looked like, and it literally made his blood run cold. When he pulled back the two weapons, he could see that the knife had made its mark, with red droplets of blood dripping from the blade.
“Michael, to your right, duck!” He bent down at the waist, feeling something swipe across the air above him, while at the same time stabbing out with the hand holding the knife. He tried to pull back the knife, but it slipped from his grip, and now he could see it floating aimlessly in the air. The creeper was now slipping in and out of its invisibility mode, and it gave Michael a target to strike at.
Following the knife suspended in the air, he gripped the axe with both hands, coming towards the thing, slashing at the air, exactly where the knife hilt was still easily seen. Momentarily going insane, Michael screamed and continued to battle back, while feeling its claws making contact with the armor, leaving behind black scratch marks in its wake.
“Don’t let it get a hold of you, because if it does, it will explode.” Michael didn’t like the sound of that, but it wasn’t stopping him from using the axe to cause as much damage as possible. It made no sound, and the only response to his attack was a heavy breath coming out of the air. “It’s right in front of you.” He didn’t need to be told that, and it was starting to look like that it was an effort in futility.
A voice crashed into his skull, and it was giving him the blueprints to success. Dropping the knife and the axe, he spread his arms out wide, and lifted his head to the sky with his eyes closed. Lotus was shocked, but knew that his death would be what was needed to lay her hands on the diamond ore. She didn’t have the words to convey what she was feeling, and there was a small part that wished that it could end differently.
Chapter 9
Michael was taking long deep breaths, his eyes closed and his entire body ready to react to what he knew was coming. Even though he couldn’t sense it like Lotus could, he did have a feeling when it was getting closer, and waited, until that sensation was so overpowering that he could almost smell a disturbance in the air.
Letting his body fall backwards, he suddenly saw the claws of the creeper, as it lunged forward and was now hovering above him, before turning a very bright red color. Shielding his eyes, the creeper exploded, sending waves of intense heat down upon his body. The ghosting had vaguely given him what he needed to survive, even though he was practically in the blast zone.
“What the hell was that?” At that precise time, Lotus was seeing an act of bravery that went beyond any kind of words that could describe it. Michael had done the impossible, getting rid of the one obstacle that stood in the way of her dreams. She was now seeing Michael differently, although her feelings for him were no more than just a passing friendship.
She ran over to where he was, watching as he continued to cover his eyes, until finally the intense heat had subsided. Reaching for him, she grabbed onto his hand, pulled him to his feet, and wrapping her arms around his body and hugging him tightly. Getting a little carried away, she finally pushed him
away, turning her head like nothing ever happened.
“I lived up to my part of the bargain, and now it’s time for you to live up to yours.” The enchanted armor had protected his chest and organs, but he could still feel what felt like a very bad sunburn on his arms and legs. He could only take solace in the fact that it could’ve been a whole lot worse, and he could have imploded with the creeper.
“I’m not going to ask how you did that, and only tell you that you have had the power to open up the portal all along. The axe is not your everyday variety axe, and I noticed the first time we met that it had been visited by the villager priest and has already been given the silk touch. The blade is a diamond head, and is the most powerful weapon I have ever seen. All you need to do is break through the ice in the exact spot on the map, and then you’ll find your way into the end world.” He couldn’t believe that she was purposely keeping this away from him, but what was done was done.
Pulling the map from his jacket, he walked in a straight line to exactly where the portal was located, and had his hand raised with the axe over his head, when a thought occurred to him. “Lotus, you might want to check around to make sure that there are no lava deposits, because I have heard that most diamond mines are on the same level of hot lava.” He shouldn’t even have bothered to warn her, but he really did feel like they had a connection.
“Thanks for that, and I wish you luck on fighting the Ender dragon.” With that he struck with the axe, with the blade hitting the ice and causing a crack to form on the surface. That crack began to spider web around him, and a momentary sense of dread caused him to look over to Lotus, who had her hand up waving goodbye.
Chapter 10
The ice underneath his feet gave way, sending him spiraling down a never-ending hole. The scream that came from his throat was lost in the descent, as he looked up to see only blackness and knowing that he had found the portal to the end world.
The darkness opened up to light, and he found himself falling towards a lush green field. When he landed, he could feel his ankle give way, twisting it sideways and making him fall to his knees in pain. Using the axe, he struggled to his feet, when he heard something behind him.
“You are not welcome here, and I suggest that you go back to where you came from. The Ender dragon has not requested your presence, so you are an unwanted guest in a world that you are unprepared for.” What he saw was a skeleton holding onto a sword and a shield connected to his right bony arm. He wasn’t alone, and there was a contingent of the skeletons standing behind him, and it didn’t look like fighting was an option.
“I’ve come a long way to find the Ender dragon, and I have no intention of leaving, until I do.” The skeleton that was doing the talking walked forward with the metal of the sword clanging against his bones.
“I don’t think you heard me, and maybe I didn’t make myself clear. Nobody is allowed to see the Ender dragon, unless of course you have a death wish. You might think that getting here was a battle, but I can assure you that you haven’t even begun to feel his wrath.” It raised its sword, and Michael grabbed for the axe, holding it in his hands with the sun gleaming off the surface of the blade.
The skeleton raised its hand, until it collapsed in a dust of bones, as Michael sliced through the air, and bringing the blade around in a circular motion. He attacked with no mercy, going after each and every one of the skeletons with practice precision, as if he was chopping wood for the fire at his old homestead. It wasn’t long before the others met the same fate, falling at his feet in a pile of useless bones.
“You are almost there, and you will finally have the revenge that you are looking for.” The voice inside of his head was giving him the courage to soldier on, looking towards a large cavern in the distance that could only be the home of the Ender dragon. The voice had been instrumental in getting him this far, and without him whispering into his ear, he really wasn’t sure if he was going to be able to finish what he started. It had already shown him the way to where the portal was, as well as told him how to defeat the creeper. It had told him that the creeper couldn’t be destroyed by conventional means, and the only way to kill it was through an immense explosion. This gave him the idea of using its own nature against it, allowing it to think that it was going to wrap its hands around him, when in actuality he was going to find nothing but air.
This was a far cry from the ice and snow where he came from, and what he was seeing with his own eyes, was close to a familiar setting that he had come to know and love.
“Who dares come forward at the time of my feeding?” He thought for a moment that it was the voice again inside his head, but the echo was in the air, as well as a heated breeze that slapped him across the face. “You have no right to stand on my feeding ground.” The fact that his voice could be heard so far away was almost enough for Michael to turn around and go back home. Instead, he steeled his nerves, worked his courage into his heart, and began to walk with his feet planted one step after the other in front of him.
“That’s it…don’t let him intimidate you. You can defeat him. You have the power in your hands, and you have the conviction to bring the Ender dragon down once and for all. Don’t back down, don’t surrender, and continue to fight, until there is no breath left in your body. You can do it, and all you have to do is believe in yourself and the rest will follow.” Michael appreciated the sentiment, although the ghosting voice was laying it on a bit thick for his taste. For whatever reason, the voice inside of his head was helping him, and he was starting to see that maybe it wasn’t exactly working in his best interest.
It didn’t matter, he had come too far and traveled vast distances, not to leave here without some kind of answers to the question that have been plaguing him since his childhood.
As he came in contact with the cavern, he could actually see tendrils of steam coming from within, and he walked with a purpose into the belly of the beast. The heat was overpowering, and he could feel his clothes sticking to his body, as droplets of moisture fell from the stones all around him. “I’ve come here to kill you.” The echoing laughter was all encompassing, making the entire cavern shake and shudder underneath his feet. “Don’t laugh at me.” Mocking him only made him angrier, feeling this intense hatred that could only be satiated with the blood of the dragon.
Taking the axe and knife in his hand, he walked into this with a fighting spirit of a lion, until he saw the figure of the Ender dragon. It was at least 20 feet tall, blood red with these ugly looking scales covering its entire body. “Please, you have come on a fool’s errand, and it will only end with you dead at my feet.” His voice wasn’t coming from his mouth, and it almost appeared to be part of the air that Michael breathed. “Don’t insult me by saying that this has something to do with what I did. I have been alive for 150 years, and you think that you have what it takes to kill me, even after so many have tried.”
“I…I…I…will not be denied vengeance for the life of my brother. You were responsible for taking him from me when I was very young, crashing through the window and flying away with him in the dead of night. What you did defined me, and made me the man that I am today. I can never rest anymore without images of you taking him always there in my dreams. This has to end, and it will with one of us taking our last breath. Believe me, I have every intention of walking away from this, but even if you do manage to strike me down, I will not go easily into that good night.”
“You say that I did this at night, when that can’t be true. I live in this realm for a reason, and the only way that I can leave it is by a magical spell. Why do you suppose that I stay down here all the time?” Michael was having a hard time grasping onto what he was being told, and he could feel his resolve weakening with the two weapons slowly falling to his side.
“What are you waiting for…kill him…kill him…kill him...KILL Him…YOU COWARD.” In that moment of clarity, Michael saw the truth, and couldn’t believe how naïve and stupid he could be. This had nothing to do with his b
rother, and the Ender dragon wasn’t at fault for what had happened to his older brother. This was all a ruse to get him to do the dirty work, killing the dragon and laying to waste a creature that had been around for 150 years. He now knew that he was being played like a puppet, and that the voice in his head was only using him for his own nefarious purposes.
Chapter 11
All this time, and it was wasted on something that the dragon didn’t even do. Coming all this way, and now he was no closer to finding out what happened to his brother, than he was working on the farm. He had come all this way, and even though he had the means to kill this creature, he would only be doing so, because of what the voice told him.
“KILL HIM…KILL HIM…KILL HIM.” He wasn’t even paying attention to the voice anymore, which was probably the reason why he didn’t see the dragon spewing fire from his lungs. He barely had time to jump with his swollen ankle to the side, watching as that very spot that he was standing smoldered with black ash.
The Ender dragon had no idea what had stopped the young man from attacking; only seeing that his distraction was his gain. He was surprised to see that he barely stepped out of the way of the fire, but he could see that he had him defeated and had no intention of backing down.
“WAIT...” Michael saw that the dragon was taking another breath of air, sending another stream of fiery death in his direction. It wasn’t listening to anything he said, and was only concerned with eliminating the threat. He couldn’t really blame him for his reaction, because in his shoes, he probably would’ve done the same thing. That didn’t negate the fact that he was now in over his head, and running away would only make his demise quicker.
The Quest of Finding the End Page 3