The Wither King

by Mark Cheverton

  Books by Mark Cheverton

  The Gameknight999 Series

  Invasion of the Overworld

  Battle for the Nether

  Confronting the Dragon

  The Mystery of Herobrine Series: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  Trouble in Zombie-town

  The Jungle Temple Oracle

  Last Stand on the Ocean Shore

  Herobrine Reborn Series: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  Saving Crafter

  The Destruction of the Overworld

  Gameknight999 vs. Herobrine

  Herobrine’s Revenge Series: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  The Phantom Virus

  Overworld in Flames

  System Overload

  The Birth of Herobrine: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  The Great Zombie Invasion

  Attack of the Shadow-Crafters

  Herobrine’s War

  The Mystery of Entity303: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  Terrors of the Forest

  Monsters in the Mist

  Mission to the Moon

  The Gameknight999 Box Set

  The Gameknight999 vs. Herobrine Box Set

  The Gameknight999 Adventures Through Time Box Set

  The Rise of the Warlords: A Far Lands Adventure

  Zombies Attack!

  The Bones of Doom

  Into the Spiders’ Lair

  Wither War: A Far Lands Adventure

  The Wither King

  The Withers Awaken (Coming Soon!)

  The Wither Invasion (Coming Soon!)

  This book is not authorized or sponsored by Microsoft Corp., Mojang AB, Notch Development AB or Scholastic Inc., or any other person or entity owning or controlling rights in the Minecraft name, trademark, or copyrights.

  Copyright © 2018 by Mark Cheverton

  Minecraft® is a registered trademark of Notch Development AB

  The Minecraft game is copyright © Mojang AB

  This book is not authorized or sponsored by Microsoft Corp., Mojang AB, Notch Development AB, or Scholastic Inc., or any other person or entity owning or controlling rights in the Minecraft name, trademark, or copyrights.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Sky Pony Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

  Sky Pony Press books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Sky Pony Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or info@skyhorsepublishing.com.

  Sky Pony® is a registered trademark of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®, a Delaware corporation.

  Visit our website at www.skyponypress.com.

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  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

  Cover design by Brian Peterson

  Cover artwork by Vilandas Sukutis (www.veloscraft.com)

  Technical consultant: Gameknight999

  Print Paperback ISBN: 978-1-51073-488-3

  Ebook ISBN: 978-1-51073-491-3

  Printed in the United States of America

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  As always, I want to thank my family for their support and encouragement; they keep me motivated and challenge me to come up with new and better ideas. I’d like to thank the great people at Skyhorse Publishing. Their continued faith in my stories is heartwarming. Lastly, I’d like to thank Mrs. Holl and her fourth- and fifth-grade writers. Her dedication to her students is incredible. She’s taught students the joy of writing and crafting stories and made writing cool in her elementary school. The excitement these young writers now have for the stories and characters they’re creating is fantastic and invigorating. It is the highlight of my day to see the spark of creativity burning bright in their eyes. So, to all of Mrs. Holl’s young writers, I say “Thank You!”

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  I’m so thrilled that so many readers have embraced Watcher and his companions. I’ve wanted to write about these characters and the Far Lands for a long time, and I’m really enjoying creating these stories for you. But the warm acceptance all of you have shown to these characters has been just incredible.

  I’ve seen fan fiction written about Watcher and the wither king on numerous fan fiction sites. I’ve seen stories about Blaster and his joy of blowing things up, and of course, there are stories about Er-Lan, the zombie everyone loves, but fears just a little. I read and love all the stories that are sent to me; it’s been fantastic to see what all of you can create with these characters.

  If you’ve written your own story and you want to send it to me, send it through my website, www.markcheverton.com, but be sure to spell your email address correctly so that I can send you a link to your story. Please keep sending me your emails, through my website, letting me know what you think about my stories. I answer every email personally, so if you have questions or ideas for new stories, or you want to know about my background, or you want to see a hologram of me on youtube (https://youtu.be/vtf_-i9CXEo), or you want to know how fat my cat really is … then send me an email and ask; I answer every email!

  Keep creating your stories, keep reading, and watch out for creepers.

  Mark

  What’s inside you is always more important than what’s on the outside. It’s great to have the best clothing, newest smartphones, shiniest jewelry … but when that stuff is necessary for you to be accepted, then you’re with the wrong people. Stuff and ego can become a mask, hiding the real you that’s inside.

  We’re all afraid of rejection. We’re all afraid of not being good enough. We’re all the same. The trick is to realize this truth and just accept who you are. Be grateful for your strengths, work on your weaknesses, and be the real you who hides behind your mask.

  The Eternal Prison stood alone on the cold and lonely mountaintop.

  Like the rest of the structure, the gleaming, razor-sharp iron spikes lining the obsidian wall were untouched by the ravages of time. Krael, king of the withers, smiled as he moved toward the fortified wall. The metal gates that had once barred his entrance now laid shattered and in pieces on the ground; he’d destroyed them after he found the first Crown of Skulls, the magic artifact that had given him the extra power necessary to breach the entrance.

  The wither king’s three heads smiled, the left and right skulls glancing at the one in the center with pride.

  “Finally, we have returned,” Center said, grinning. “It has been far too long.”

  “Now that we have the second Crown of Skulls, things will be different.” Left glared at their surroundings, a look of malice in his dark eyes.

  “Yes,” Center agreed. The dark skull glanced at Left and smiled at the sight of the golden crown atop the ashen head; it was the same as the one Center wore. “With two Crowns of Skulls, each enchanted with magical power, our flaming skulls will be strong enough to release them.”

  “Why do we need the Broken Eight again?” Right always needed to see the logic in things.

  Center scowled. He’d explained this to the other skulls many times already. “The magic infused into the Broken Eight will allow them to enter the Cave of Slumber. They will be the key to releasing our wither army.”

  “And Kora,” Right added.

  “Yes … Kora,” Center murmured as he thought about their wife. It had been centuries since she had been captured with the other withers at the end of the Great War. “The Broken Eight will be instrumental in freeing Kora and the other withe
rs.”

  “I knew that.” Left sounded proud.

  Center knew Left was not as smart as Right; all he wanted to do was fight. With a scowl levied at Left, Center continued. “It has been a long time. I miss her.” The other two heads nodded. “Now, with the power of two Crowns, we may be strong enough to release the Eight … and Kora.” A long-endured sadness filled his voice. All three skulls missed Kora, but Center longed for her the most.

  “Then let’s get going.” Left’s abrupt voice was jarring; he was never very sensitive to others’ feelings.

  Right thought Center would yell at Left, but instead, he just nodded, and the wither king floated through the hole in the barricade.

  The fortress was, of course, empty. It had stood upon this mountaintop for centuries. After the Great War between the NPC wizards and monster warlocks, it was used to hold the most violent prisoners, all of whom, except for the Broken Eight, perished during their captivity. The magical enchantments used to create those ancient warriors had somehow given them extended lives.

  Soon, the Eight will be free again, Krael thought. They’ll be able to do what they were created to do: destroy.

  Gliding across a courtyard of snow-covered stone, the wither king glanced up at the many watchtowers looming high over the structure. These archer towers pointed inward, toward the courtyard and passage entrances, rather than outward to repel an attacking army. No army had ever assaulted this structure, for no one ever came to the Eternal Prison voluntarily. This was a place where hope came to die, and everyone feared it … except for Krael, the king of the withers.

  The monster entered a shadowy passage he knew led to the cells in the deepest and darkest part of the prison. The magical enchantments embedded in the two golden crowns sitting upon two of his three heads cast an iridescent purple glow, giving him just enough light to see where he was going. Floating just off the ground, he followed the passage as it descended through the catacombs of the prison until it finally ended in a large, dungeon-like room. Cold stone bricks covered the walls and floors. At places on the walls, moss covered the bricks, but the enchantments woven into this place had gnawed at the velvety growth, slowly leaching its life away until it turned a sickly brown. Only the newest moss still held any green color, though it was already fading.

  Krael floated into the terrible chamber and smiled. “I bet you didn’t expect me to return,” the wither king said to the ancient structure. “Now that I have two Crowns of Skulls. The enchantments of this ancient prison may not be strong enough to keep me from freeing my new friends.”

  Left laughed, making an awful hissing sound, as he glanced up at Center. Right gave the skull an angry glare, but Left ignored her.

  “I’m sure the ancient wizards never expected any of the Broken Eight ever to be released,” Right said, her voice soft and smooth, almost like a song.

  “Why didn’t the NPC (non-playable character) wizards just destroy these zombies?” Left asked, curious.

  “When the monster warlocks created these ancient warriors, the enchantments used on them were so powerful, their foes, the wizards, lacked the power to destroy them with just magic alone. They tried, but were unsuccessful. Only the sharpest blade wielded by the greatest warrior had any hope of even scratching one of the Broken Eight.” Center glanced at Left and Right, making sure they were listening. “But near the end of the Great War, even the warlocks found their creations had become difficult to control. That is why they are called the Broken Eight: the spells used to create them broke, releasing them from the control of their masters.”

  “Then how do you know we can control them?” Right asked, sounding suddenly worried.

  “Because of the Crown of Skulls.” Center gestured to his crown and the one on Left’s head, grinning coldly. “These ancient relics will give us the power to control and destroy them.”

  “Their prison cells are down the next corridor,” Left said.

  The creature moved into the passage. Torches, burned out long ago, sat on the walls, their sooty ends blackened with ash. As Krael floated forward, his broad shoulders knocked many of the cold torches to the ground, where the wood instantly crumbled to splinters; the centuries had not been kind. With his way still lit by the magical power leaking from the Crown of Skulls, Krael floated through the corridor, a circle of iridescent light bathing the walls and floor. The tunnel finally ended at a large chamber lined with stone bricks, the floor covered by a thin layer of snow, undisturbed for hundreds of years.

  “I am back, my friends.” Krael’s voice boomed, echoing off the ageless walls.

  “We told you we would return,” Right added. “And here we are.”

  Left just snarled.

  The dark creature floated through the massive structure, looking around. A series of jail cells, barred with iron, lined the walls. A reflecting pool occupied the center of the chamber, with a column of netherrack standing three blocks high jutting out of the water. Flames licked the top of the column from the rusty, speckled cube of netherrack, forever burning and throwing bits of ash and smoke into the air. The flames kept the water from freezing in the frigid jail, but could not keep the moist spray from covering the ground with a thin, icy sheen.

  As he passed the pool, Krael glanced down at his reflection. His skeletal body was black as soot, and bony ribs extended from his exposed spine, their dark texture making it look as if he’d just come out of a blast furnace. Three skulls sat atop his broad shoulders, the center and left heads each wearing a Crown of Skulls, the golden artifacts adorned with tiny black skulls spaced around their tops.

  Within the prison cells were eight zombies, each accompanied by a huge wolf. The monsters wore golden armor that sparkled with magical enchantments, and each of their helms resembled a different ferocious creature. Their arms and chests bulged with muscles, as if their metallic armor was barely able to contain all their strength. Many of the creatures drew their swords as the wither entered the room, and the wolves began growling, their eyes turning bright red.

  “Is the wither here to release us?” The tallest of the zombies asked, staring through the iron bars at his visitor. His helmet was in the shape of a dragon’s head, and his eyes peered out of the golden, sharp-toothed mouth. “Or perhaps just here to gloat and mock?”

  “Be patient, zombie,” Krael’s left skull snapped.

  “This ‘zombie’ is named Ya-Sik, captain of the Broken Eight,” the monster replied. “The Eight have been imprisoned in these cells since the Great Wars. For hundreds of years, patience has been the only thing available … patience and a thirst for revenge.”

  “Well, perhaps it is time for that revenge,” Center said.

  The other seven zombies immediately sprang to their feet. Each wore identical, golden armor, with rare gems studding the chest plates and shoulders, their helmets resembling a different kind of monster. The golden metal of their gem-studded armor glowed, like the Crown of Skulls, as magical enchantments pulsed through the metallic coatings, causing them to sparkle with mysterious power.

  Ya-Sik removed his golden helmet and stared up questioningly at the king of the withers. “The last time Krael was here, it wasn’t possible to open these cells.” The zombie leader pointed at the left head with a razor-sharp claw. “That one mocked the Eight. Is that the wither king’s purpose again?”

  “No, my zombie. Things are very different from the last time we were here.” Krael moved closer. “Notice, we now have two Crowns of Skulls. That gives us much greater power. Now, we can do things that were not possible last time we were here.”

  “Like what?” Ya-Sik was suspicious.

  “Like, possibly releasing you and the rest of the Eight.” Right’s voice was soft and non-threatening.

  “If we feel like it,” Left screeched with a cruel smile.

  “Left, be quiet.” Center scowled at Left, then brought its lifeless gaze back to the Broken Eight in their cells.

  “Is this true?” A zombie with a helmet shaped like a
ghast moved to the bars.

  “We will soon see, but you must understand something first.” Krael slowly turned in a circle, focusing his cold stare on each of the Eight. “If I can release the Broken Eight, then you will be mine to command.”

  The king of the withers glared at Ya-Sik. “Is that clear?”

  The zombie glanced at his imprisoned comrades; they all nodded in return. “The Broken Eight agree, as long as revenge against the wizards and villagers is possible.” The zombie captain stared up at the wither king, their eyes locked in a test of wills. Krael smiled evilly.

  “Revenge against the NPCs is exactly what I have in mind. And as far as I know, there’s only one wizard alive. He may be just a boy, but I plan on destroying him with you and your comrades’ help. We will not let the boy-wizard ever become a man.”

  The zombie gave Krael a crooked, toothy grin. “These zombies will happily destroy this wizard and any others brave enough to stand against the Broken Eight.” The captain glanced at his zombie companions. They nodded their agreement.

  The wolves sensed the zombies’ excitement and howled ferociously.

  “Our direwolves agree as well.” Ya-Sik patted the furry-white animal at his side. “They, too, thirst for revenge.”

  Krael gave the zombie leader a nod, then floated to a nearby wall, where a switch sat on a pedestal of stone, a purple field of energy surrounding it. The wither king floated high in the air, staring at the glowing object. Last time they were here, he’d tried to move the lever, but the magical enchantment protecting the device had been too strong for Krael to surpass. But now, things were different … he hoped.

  The Crown of Skulls atop the left head began to shine, giving off a purple radiance. The center Crown glowed as well, both of the magical artifacts becoming brighter and brighter. The harsh glare soon forced the zombies to look away as the light’s intensity became too great.

  Suddenly, Krael fired a stream of flaming skulls at the switch. Each skull, wreathed in a coating of blue-black flames, sparkled with magic as it slammed into the enchanted lever. The skulls exploded on impact, filling the chamber with thunderous crashes. The wither king kept firing, blasting the lever with skull projectiles, using every last drop of his power and strength. The glowing field around the switch grew smaller and smaller as the flaming skulls battered the protective enchantment, until finally … it flickered and disappeared.