“In conflicts between nations, neither side is ever certain of the outcome,” his father said. “But both feel so strongly about their cause that they are willing to go to war and do whatever they can to be successful. Do you believe in your cause?”
“Of course,” Gameknight snapped. “Herobrine has terrorized the NPCs for too long. I’m sure he still wants to get out of the Minecraft servers and into the Internet so that he can seek vengeance on everyone in the physical world. He’s insane and must be stopped.”
“So it sounds to me like you believe in your cause and are willing to do your best to stop him.”
“Of course. I won’t let him hurt my friends,” Gameknight said, his voice filled with conviction.
“Then just do what you gotta do to take care of this monster and don’t give failure any thought. Worrying that you might fail is the first step to defeat. Do you understand?”
“I think so,” Gameknight replied. “But what if I’m not—”
Before he could finish his statement, a shout came from outside the walls. Looking out from the watchtower, Gameknight could see a rider approaching. He was screaming as loud as he could, but was still too far away to be understood.
“What do you think he’s saying?” Monkeypants asked.
“I don’t know, but I bet it’s not good news,” Gameknight replied. “Come on, let’s get to the gates.”
Father and son slid down the ladder next to them and sprinted to the wooden gates, which stood open at the village entrance. Gameknight could see Crafter and Digger there with a handful of warriors at their sides. Most of the other NPCs had already taken up defensive positions on the walls and towers. As Gameknight reached Crafter’s side, the rider approached, leaping off his gray mount when he was near.
“I saw them, a huge collection of endermen coming this way.” The NPC had to stop to catch his breath for a moment. “There are maybe fifty or sixty of them in total, and there’s a dragon flying high overhead.”
“Only endermen. That’s great. And fifty or sixty, that’s not as bad as I thought,” Digger said.
“Uh, did you hear the part about the dragon?” Hunter said as she approached.
Digger rolled his eyes. “We’ve killed a dragon before. This one is no different.”
“Oh yeah?” Hunter replied, then turned to the horseman. “What color were the dragon’s eyes?”
“Ahh, I think they were white,” he replied. “That’s kinda strange. You’d think they would be purple.”
“That’s because this is no ordinary dragon; it’s Herobrine,” Hunter said.
The horseman gasped, his rectangular eyes suddenly filled with fear.
“Hunter, we know who it is,” Crafter said calmly. “But it doesn’t matter. If he is threatening this village, then we are going to do everything we can to stop him. Now go up into your archer tower. We’ll need your bow soon enough.”
Giving them an exasperated grunt, she went back to the recently constructed tower on the edge of the wall.
“The dragon may be trouble,” Crafter said, “but it sounds like Herobrine only has endermen with him. As long as we don’t enrage them, they won’t bother us.” Crafter turned to some of the warriors nearby. “Send out the word: Do not attack the endermen, no matter what. You got it?”
They nodded their square heads.
“Then go!”
The warriors sprinted off in all directions, spreading the instructions throughout the village.
“How long do you think we have?” Gameknight asked.
“They’ll wait until dark,” Digger said. “So that means that we have—”
“ENDERMEN!” one of the archers shouted from the tall stone towers.
Looking out on the grassy plain, Gameknight could see a dark red creature materialize in a fog of purple haze that seemed to reach up and kiss the sky. Raising a long dark arm, the monster pointed straight at Gameknight999, then let loose a spine tingling cackle that made everyone cringe.
Gameknight reached up and closed the wooden doors, blocking out the monster, but his evil laughs passed through the walls as if they were made of air.
“It has begun,” the User-that-is-not-a-user said as he drew his sword and waited for the monster of all monsters: Herobrine.
CHAPTER 12
VILLAGE IN PERIL
“I see my old friend is here,” screeched Feyd from the top of the hill outside the village. “Why don’t you come out and play?”
Gameknight said nothing.
“Oh, are you afraid of me?” the king of the endermen shouted. “I always knew you were a coward. Now everyone around you knows it as well.”
Reaching into his inventory, Gamkenight drew his diamond sword and adjusted his diamond armor with his free hand. The enchanted sword bathed his skin with iridescent light, adding to the magical waves that pulsed across the chest plate as if both were alive. Before he could move toward the gates, a voice spoke in his ear.
“He is trying to goad you into going out there,” Monkeypants said. “Don’t play his game; play your game and be patient.”
“Archers, hold your fire!” Digger yelled as he climbed the steps that led to the top of the fortified wall.
Nodding to his father, the User-that-is-not-a-user followed the stocky NPC. When he reached the top of the wall, he found Feyd still standing on the grassy plain, a faint mist of purple teleportation particles dancing about his dark red body.
“Ahh, there you are, coward,” Feyd said. “I still need to discipline you for invading my home, The End. Why don’t you just come down here and accept your punishment?”
“Just go away, enderman,” Gameknight spat. “There is nothing here for you.”
“Why, there is everything here for me: there is you.” The king of the endermen cackled again, then took a step closer. “But before I can destroy you, I’ve been instructed to first destroy all of your friends while you watch. And when you are overwhelmed with guilt and despair at your failure to protect them, maybe then I will grant your pleas and destroy you once and for all.”
“I heard the same thing from your foolish predecessor, Erebus,” Gameknight shouted. “He was twice as smart as you, twice as strong, and twice as violent. He was more of an enderman than you could ever hope to be and look where all that got him. Your path of violence can only lead to your own demise, as Erebus learned in the end. Now be gone from here . . . you bore me.”
“You know I won’t do that,” the monster said with a sneer. “My friends and I have come to erase this village from the surface of Minecraft.”
“Your ‘friends’ . . . what friends?” Hunter yelled from one of the archer towers. She laughed and many of the other warriors joined her.
Gameknight could see the enderman’s eyes begin to glow bright, his whole body starting to shake—he was becoming enraged. Quickly, the User-that-is-not-a-user held his hands up high over his head, silencing the laughter.
With the silence, Feyd calmed down and glared up at Gameknight999.
“You want to meet my friends? So be it!” the monster shouted.
Drawing in a huge breath, the king of the endermen screeched with all his might, creating an ear-splitting sound that forced Gameknight to cup his hands over his ears and grit his teeth. Instantly, the grassy plain was filled with a purple fog that obscured the landscape. He knew that it was more endermen, but the question was: how many? With his nerves drawn tight like the string of a bow, the User-that-is-not-a-user waited for the lavender haze to clear. But before it dissipated, a familiar moaning filled the air, followed by a loud animal-like growl.
“What is that sound?” Crafter asked. “I’ve never heard an enderman make that sound before.”
“Maybe it’s a new kind of enderman,” Digger suggested.
“Maybe it’s . . .”
“Could it be a . . .”
Confused questions echoed all across the fortified wall as the warriors tried to understand what they were hearing, but Gameknight recogn
ized the sound instantly. Stepping up to the edge of the cobblestone wall, Gameknight peered into the mist, dreading what he would find, but already knew what would be there.
“Xa-Tul,” Gameknight growled.
“What?” Crafter asked.
The purple haze faded away, revealing a sea of endermen, each holding a zombie in their long clammy arms. Stepping away from his endermen, the king of the zombies glared up at Gameknight999, his eyes glowing like two blood-red suns.
“Xa-Tul sees the Fool is still here and has not run away like a coward,” the zombie bellowed. “Perfect.”
“Archers—” Digger yelled but did not get the chance to finish the command.
A roar erupted from high overhead as Herobrine dove straight for a section of the wall. Turning at the last instant, the dragon lashed out with his tail. Blocks of cobblestone crumbled away as the dragon smashed into the barricade, then turned and attacked again.
“ARCHERS, OPEN FIRE!” Gameknight yelled.
The air grew dark with pointed shafts, but the dragon was too fast. Herobrine dove at the wall with incredible speed and smashed through it headfirst. Flapping his wings with all his might, the monster climbed high into the air. As it ascended, it turned its massive head and glared down at Gameknight999, eyes glowing white with hatred.
With the wall destroyed, the zombies and endermen surged forward. But before they could reach the gap in the wall, a wave of furry white creatures darted out onto the plain and attacked—Herder’s wolves.
“Wolfman!” someone shouted.
“Wolfman,” said another.
“Wolfman . . . !”
The wolves tore into the ranks of zombies, their sharp teeth biting at decaying legs. Zombies flashed red as they reached out with their clawed hands at the furry attackers, but the wolves were just too fast. They streaked through the monster horde, intent on protecting this village.
Archers fired down upon the green monsters. They tried to pick off the zombies amidst the forest of tall black monsters, but eventually one of the arrows found an enderman. A painful screech sounded across the battlefield that caused all the other endermen to shout out in anger with their brother, all of their eyes now glowing bright white.
“Oh no, someone hit an enderman,” Gameknight said.
“We need to fall back to the secondary defenses,” Digger said, but the User-that-is-not-a-user did not reply.
Gameknight sprinted down the steps that led to the ground, both swords drawn, a look of grim determination on his square face. Moving without thinking, Gameknight999 reached the crumbled wall and stood in the breach. His swords hummed as he tore into zombies and endermen. Spinning, he attacked one monster, then before it could turn and attack, he’d roll to the side and attack another creature. Hitting one after another, he wasn’t destroying them, only whittling away at their HP. The archers above took advantage of this and fired down upon the weakened monsters, consuming the rest of their health points. Creatures began to disappear around him with a pop as he surged forward.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the stocky form of Digger, his iron pickaxe carving great paths of destruction through the monster horde.
Then something hammered him in the back, sending him sprawling. Turning over, Gameknight found himself staring up into the dark face of an enderman. He swung his sword at the nightmare, but the creature disappeared in a puff of purple smoke, then reappeared at his side. Rolling across the ground, Gameknight attacked the creature’s long skinny legs, slashing at them before the monster could understand where he was. The enderman flashed red as it disappeared only to reappear next to Digger. Gameknight could see the NPC was surrounded, but with three zombies charging at him, he could not help his friend right away.
Suddenly, a monkey in a superman outfit smashed into the monsters, his iron sword swinging wildly. Right behind his father came a string of warriors, all of them ready for battle. They crashed into the oncoming tide of fists and claws, ready to hold back the monsters while the other villagers moved to the secondary defenses.
“Come on!” Gameknight shouted. “We have to give the others time to get ready. FOR MINECRAFT!”
With his battle cry still resonating in his throat, Gameknight charged forward with such ferocity that it made the monsters take a step back. He smashed into an enderman, driving his shoulder into the dark creature’s chest, then turned and struck a tall zombie with both swords. It disappeared with a pop.
“Gameknight, fall back!” someone shouted.
“Everyone, fall back to the watchtower!” the User-that-is-not-a-user echoed to his comrades fighting around him.
The warriors turned and ran, leaving Gameknight, Digger, and Monkeypants to slow the massive collection of monsters.
“Digger, Monkeypants, go!”
“Son, you can’t stay here and—”
Digger didn’t give him a chance to complain. Grabbing Monkeypants around the waist, he hefted him over his shoulder and ran for the tall cobblestone tower. As they fled, Gameknight backed up, placing blocks of TNT on the ground. The zombies saw the red and white striped cubes and paused for a moment. They knew exactly what they were, and none of the creatures wanted to get blown up.
“Move forward,” bellowed Xa-Tul defiantly.
Gameknight could see the massive zombie king stepping through the hole in the cobblestone wall. Many of the zombies looked back at their leader in hesitation.
“Don’t look at Xa-Tul, fools, ATTACK!” the zombie king roared. “Our enemy is right there.” He pointed at Gameknight999 with his massive golden broadsword. “Do not let him escape!”
The zombies let out growling moans and reluctantly charged forward. Running with all his might, the User-that-is-not-a-user chanced one more glance over his shoulder. He saw a flaming arrow streak down from overhead and hit a block of TNT. The cube instantly started to blink, then erupted into flame as it tore into the zombies, throwing their bodies high into the air, leaving behind a crater filled with glowing balls of XP.
More explosions rocked the plain as Gameknight streaked for the watchtower. Endermen materialized around him, their long dark arms reaching out for him, but arrows from the rooftops drove back the creatures, leaving just enough room for escape.
When he reached the watchtower, Gameknight blocked off the door with cobblestone. Running to the nearby ladder, he climbed to the top of the tower and looked down on the village. From this vantage point, he could see the sea of monsters flowing into the village like a deadly green and black stain. They moved between the wooden structures, smashing in doors in search of any villagers hiding within their homes; there were none this time. Everyone was down in the crafting chamber, escaping through the minecart network, save for the last few defenders.
Archers on the rooftops opened fire on the monsters, both zombies and endermen. Some of the dark monsters teleported to the rooftop archer stands, but the nightmares were easily pushed off, causing them to plummet to the ground and take damage. They fired a relentless steel-tipped rain down upon the monsters, making them flash red over and over again. Flaming arrows streaked down to the ground, striking hidden blocks of explosives that blossomed into terrifying balls of flame. The archers were doing significant damage, and for a moment, Gameknight thought these last few defenders would turn back the tide . . . but then, a terrible roar echoed across the village.
Looking up, Gameknight saw the dragon swoop down again with its outstretched razor-sharp talons. Its massive tail swung and smashed into one of the archer emplacements, then the dragon struck at the warriors with its claws, knocking them to the ground below. They flashed red when they landed, and survived the fall, but a horde of twenty monsters fell on the handful of exposed defenders immediately, rending their remaining HP from them in seconds.
The dragon roared and dove toward another cluster of defenders.
“Everyone, to the crafting chamber!” Gameknight screamed, but it was too late.
Herobrine smashed into the defenders
, knocking them to the ground. Gameknight lost sight when they fell, but could tell from the sounds of battle that they did not last long.
He glared up at the dragon as it circled around and headed directly for him. Not waiting, Gameknight slid down the ladder and ran for the underground tunnels. When he reached the bottom of the ladder, he found the other NPCs there, Hunter and Stitcher included. They had built tunnels from the other archer towers, making escape easier, but it hadn’t worked for everyone.
“Come on, we need to get out of here!” Gameknight said.
“You think?” Hunter said sarcastically.
Stitcher punched her sister in the arm, then sprinted through the tunnel and headed for the crafting chamber. When they passed through the circular chamber and ran down the steps to the cavern floor, they found nearly all of the villagers gone; only Digger, Monkeypants, and Herder remained.
“Come on, everyone needs to escape!” Gameknight shouted.
“But my wolves!” Herder said, a look of worry on his face.
“Your wolves bought us time so that we can flee,” Gameknight said. “They will escape to the woods and be alright.”
Herder sighed, then nodded his head. He climbed into a minecart and disappeared into the tunnel followed by Digger and Stitcher. Hunter leaped into a minecart, then turned to Gameknight999.
“You planning on sticking around, or are you coming?” she asked.
“All those villagers . . . killed,” he said in a defeated tone.
“We did what we could,” Monkeypants said.
A moaning growl echoed through the tunnels overhead.
“Maybe you two could discuss this somewhere safer?” Hunter said, a mischievous smile on her square face.
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” Gameknight replied.
“‘Probably’?!” she exclaimed, then gave him a smile and shot off into the tunnel.
“Get in, Dad, you have to go first,” Gameknight said.
“OK, but you’re following, right?”
“I promise,” he replied.
The monkey climbed into the cart and shot off into the tunnel. As Gameknight climbed into his minecart, the iron doors overhead shattered, a golden broadsword carving through the metallic barrier as if it were foil. Xa-Tul strode through the opening, his eyes burning with hatred.
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