Last Stand on the Ocean Shore

by Mark Cheverton

  The sisters continued to launch their arrows, competing to see who could shoot the farthest. As they fired, Gameknight followed Hunter’s glowing trail, while Stonecutter followed Stitcher’s. With their burning projectiles stuck into the sand, the two sisters slowly painted great flaming arcs around the entire village, the landscape lit with magical flickering light … but still only empty desert showed within the burning glow.

  Gradually, the two blazing arcs started to come together as Hunter and Stitcher almost completed the circle of flame. Gameknight peered at the dark gap that still lay hidden in gloom as the shadowy section grew smaller and smaller. In the distance, Gameknight could just barely make out the outline of the desert temple, the spot where they’d fought the zombies.

  Maybe there’s a zombie-town out there somewhere?

  The dark gap became narrower and narrower as Hunter and Stitcher filled in the darkness with their fiery arrows.

  Did I see something move out there? Was that a flicker of gold? I must be going crazy.

  Another pair of arrows streaked into the air and landed into a sand dune, casting more light into the surroundings; the circle of fire was almost complete.

  Still nothing … I must be going crazy … wait … what was that?

  He thought for sure that he saw something out there, a dark form moving slowly through the shadows, but it looked too big to be a monster … it had to be his imagination.

  The sisters fired the last two arrows into the air. Gameknight watched them carve a gentle arc through the air then land. One of them hit a tall cactus, causing it to burst into flames.

  But no one noticed the burning cactus.

  “Out there!” Monet screamed. “I see something!”

  One of the villagers screamed, then ran from the wall to find her children.

  Gameknight was shocked and numb with fear.

  “It can’t be,” Gameknight said. “No …”

  “Ah … I see the Fool stands before me once again,” a deep voice grumbled from the desert. “Why don’t you come down here and face me, Fool? This time, the outcome will be different, that can be assured.”

  Gameknight stared at the monster and was overcome with panic.

  “How can he be here … how did he find us?” Gameknight asked, but the village was in a panic and no one heard him except for Stonecutter, who stood at his side.

  “The User-that-is-not-a-user looks afraid … this is not a surprise,” growled the monster.

  Now everyone could see a massive army of zombies approaching the burning circle of light, their dark claws sparkling in the fiery glow.

  The monster then moved forward so that he was completely lit by the glow of the burning arrows: Xa-Tul on his massive zombie horse. The steed’s eyes glowed blood red, as did the rider’s, the zombie’s shining chainmail sparkling in the moonlight, giving him an almost magical appearance.

  Urging his mount forward another step, the zombie king glared up at Gameknight999, then pointed at him with his massive golden broadsword.

  “ZOMBIES … ATTACK!” bellowed Xa-Tul, his voice making the desert itself shake with fear.

  Stepping off his mount, he moved forward another step and looked straight up at Gameknight999.

  “The last time, the User-that-is-not-a-user won, but this time will be different.” Xa-Tul took another step forward and brought his sword down on a sandstone block, crushing it into dust. He smiled and spoke in a loud, gravelly voice for all to hear: “Come on, user … let’s dance.”

  CHAPTER 13

  CHANGING THE GAME

  The zombies ran forward, flowing around Xa-Tul as if he were a large stone in the middle of a raging river. Archers opened fire on the approaching horde, and nearly all hit their mark; there were so many zombies that it was difficult to miss. Flaming arrows streaked down from the watchtower and ignited the TNT that was buried in the sand. The red and white blocks started to blink, then detonated, tearing deep gashes in the desert landscape. Zombies flew through the air in all directions as the flashing cubes exploded, but the creatures continued to charge forward out of the darkness, ignoring the fiery blasts.

  Gameknight stared at the massive flood of zombies—there must have been hundreds of them. The sound of their moans stretched out into the darkness and beyond, causing little square goosebumps to form down Gameknight’s spine.

  “There are too many,” the User-that-is-not-a-user mumbled as he stared at the attacking army in disbelief. “How did he get so many zombies? Where did they all come from?”

  Gameknight stood there and stared down at the mob, a look of despair on his square face.

  “How can we fight this many?” he mumbled to no one.

  Looking around, he could see that all the villagers had their bows out, firing down on the monsters, but their arrows were not slowing the tidal wave of destruction that was crashing down upon them. Gameknight could hear the claws of the zombies scratching at the stone walls that protected the defenders. Their angry growls filled the air with such hatred that Gameknight had the urge to cover his ears. Dismissing the thought, he peered over the edge of the wall to look down on his attackers. In their fury, the zombies were starting to climb on top of one another in an attempt to gain purchase on the ramparts and attack the defenders.

  Suddenly, a zombie head poked up in front of Gameknight. Before he could react, Stonecutter was there with his pickaxe, crashing down on the monster and obliterating it quickly. Moving along the wall, the stocky NPC smashed at the zombies that neared the wall’s edge, rending their HP from them with vicious strokes of his pick. More swordsmen were coming to the wall, following Stonecutter’s example … but, still, the defenders were too few. Eventually, the zombie wave would flow over the wall and gain access to the village.

  Water, said a familiar voice in Gameknight’s head. It was Shawny.

  What? he asked.

  Use water to slow down the zombies, Shawny said through the chat, the words forming in Gameknight’s mind.

  “Of course!” he said.

  Sheathing his sword, Gameknight999 pulled out a bucket and ran toward the crops.

  “Gameknight, what are you doing?” Crafter yelled from the defensive wall.

  The young NPC had his iron sword in his hand, the normally dull blade now shimmered with magical power. He was trimming back the zombies that were popping up over the edge of the wall, sending them back into the void, their XP lying on the ground.

  “Grab a bucket and follow me!” Gameknight yelled back, then streaked to the garden.

  He dipped his bucket into the water and ran back to the wall, passing Crafter on the way. Rushing up the steps, the User-that-is-not-a-user carefully poured the water on the outer face of the wall, forming a flowing stream of liquid that gushed down on the attacking zombies. The instant waterfall made it impossible for the zombies to attack that part of the wall, forcing them to separate and move to a new section.

  Smiling, Gameknight999 looked up at the star-filled sky and mouthed “thank you” to his friend.

  NPCs, seeing what the User-that-is-not-a-user had done, grabbed their own pails and ran for the water that fed the crops. Scooping up bucketful after bucketful, the watery source was quickly consumed as the precious liquid was taken to the wall in the defense of Minecraft.

  “Ha, ha, ha!” bellowed Xa-Tul. “Does the User-that-is-not-a-user think that Xa-Tul’s army can be stopped with a few buckets of water? HA! Come out here, Fool, and face the king of the zombies. The outcome will be different this time!”

  Gameknight looked at the monster and shook with fear.

  I barely survived the last time I faced him, he thought. I don’t know if I can defeat him again.

  Closing his eyes, he tried to imagine himself battling the zombie king, but all he could see in his mind was that massive golden sword smashing down onto him.

  “Zombies, move away from the water and attack a new section,” Xa-Tul commanded.

  The decaying creatures heard their king�
��s command and shifted, picking a new section of wall that was dry. Many of the NPCs ran back to the fields with their empty buckets, but found the stream completely dry. They had no more water … their only choice was to fight.

  “Gameknight, what do we do?” an anxious voice said to his right.

  Turning, he found Crafter looking up at him, his bright blue eyes filled with fear.

  “How do we stop all these monsters?” Crafter continued. “We need you to think up one of your famous tricks, and hurry!”

  “User-that-is-not-a-user, what are your orders?” This time it was Digger.

  Gameknight looked up at the big NPC and could see that his shiny iron pickaxe was dented and cracked … it had seen a lot of use in the last ten minutes.

  “Gameknight, how about some fancy strategy to help us before we’re all dead?” Hunter yelled from atop the watchtower.

  He looked up at her. She was firing down on the monsters as fast as she could, Stitcher and Monet at her side. Gameknight then looked at the walls and could see NPCs flashing red as zombie claws reached up and swiped at exposed legs. One of the zombies extended an arm and grabbed the leg of a defender, then pulled him off the wall. The doomed soul fell among the zombie horde and disappeared almost instantly.

  “What’s wrong, User-that-is-not-a-user—have nothing to say this time?” Xa-Tul yelled. “Maybe this will help.”

  The king of the zombies then yelled a piercing, bone-rattling howl that was echoed by more monsters in the darkness. Another massive wave of zombies charged forward, intent on destroying this village and all its inhabitants. Now the monsters had doubled their numbers, and they were attacking all sides of the village.

  “Think of this as a little gift from Herobrine,” Xa-Tul yelled to his enemy. “But don’t worry—there are more where this came from … many more. Ha, ha, ha.”

  The zombie king’s maniacal laughter made the decaying monsters around the wall moan in anticipation of their impending victory. The sound made Gameknight999 drop his sword and cup his hands to his ears.

  “User-that-is-not-a-user … what do we do …”

  “What are your commands …”

  “How should we fight this …”

  “Where do we go …”

  All the questions smashed into Gameknight’s courage like a giant’s hammer.

  I don’t know what to do. I hate this responsibility … I HATE IT!

  He bent down and picked up his sword, then looked at the faces that were staring at him, expecting some kind of miracle to come out of him and save them all.

  I don’t want to fail all these people and lead them to their deaths, but I’m afraid to do anything or make any decision … what should I do?

  And then a voice came to him from very far away. It floated on a gentle wave of music that slowly washed over him, driving back his panic and buoying his spirits.

  You can accomplish only what you can image, the Oracle said.

  But I can’t imagine anything … only failure! he shouted back at her.

  Failure comes only when one refuses to try. You cannot fight these monsters; there are too many. If you try to stand up against this flood, you and all your friends will be washed away.

  Thanks for pointing that out, Gameknight snapped. It was really helpful.

  If you cannot fight, don’t … choose another path, the Oracle said. If you always do what Herobrine wants you to do, he will be victorious. He sends his servant here to goad you into battle, but you must not dance to his tune. Instead, you must make your own choices and stay true to your friends, for they are all counting on you, both in Minecraft and in the physical world. All hope rests on the User-that-is-not-user … may you find the wisdom to know when to fight and when not to fight.

  And then the music of Minecraft flowed away, carrying with it some of his fear and uncertainty.

  I have to figure out what to do … but we can’t fight.

  But then he remembered something a friend, Impafra, had taught him; if you don’t have room to retreat, you attack. Maybe the opposite was true as well.

  If you can’t attack, you should retreat … that’s what we should do.

  Looking up, Gameknight glanced at all the faces that were looking expectantly at him.

  “Everyone, to the crafting chamber!” he yelled. “We’ll all take the same tunnel to the next village. RUN!”

  The NPCs didn’t wait for a second invitation. They all sprinted for the watchtower and the secret tunnel that sat under its foundation. Gameknight walked slowly, allowing all the villagers to go first.

  “Gameknight, you must get into the crafting chamber,” Stonecutter said, pushing him gently in the back.

  “No, I’ll go last,” the User-that-is-not-a-user said. “Someone has to trigger the TNT so that the monsters cannot follow, and that’s my job.”

  He could hear the moans of the zombies getting louder as they neared the top of the wall.

  “Stonecutter, I need you to look after my sister,” Gameknight said, pointing to Monet, who still stood at the top of the watchtower with Hunter and Stitcher. “Please … go get her and take her to a minecart. Carry her if you must, but make her safe.”

  The stocky NPC nodded his head, his stone-gray eyes staring back at Gameknight999 with confidence and strength. Turning, he sprinted into the watchtower and shot up the ladder. At the top, he could hear Monet arguing with Stonecutter; she then grew quiet as she followed him down the ladder and into the crafting chamber.

  Growls echoed off a building wall … the zombies were in the village.

  “Gameknight, come on,” Hunter yelled from the watchtower door. “Everyone’s in the—”

  She stopped talking as she pulled back an arrow and fired it at a zombie that was charging toward them. Another arrow streaked from the window of the structure, striking the monster in the chest and consuming its HP. It disappeared with a pop. Stitcher leaned out of the window and smiled at Gameknight, then disappeared, taking the tunnel down to the underground chamber.

  “Come on,” Hunter shouted. “Everyone is down in the chamber.”

  “OK, we’ll—”

  Suddenly, the ground shook as a crashing sound filled the air. Another crash sounded, then another and another, until part of the wall fell away, a golden sword smashing it to pieces. As the dust cleared, Gameknight could see Xa-Tul standing over the collapsed wall, his mighty golden sword in his hand. Zombies surged through the opening and flowed throughout the village, looking for victims.

  The zombie king pointed his sword at Gameknight and bared an eerie, toothy smile.

  “Where is Herobrine’s plaything going?” Xa-Tul bellowed, then laughed maniacally.

  Fear coursed through every nerve as Gameknight watched the monster approach. But then someone grabbed him by the back of his chest plate and yanked him backward. Landing in a heap, he found Hunter standing over him, her brown eyes filled with rage.

  “Let’s go, you idiot!” she shouted, then dropped down the tunnel.

  Gameknight scrambled to his feet and followed her down the ladder. When he reached the bottom, he sprinted through the tunnel system and into the crafting chamber. The last of the villagers were loading into minecarts and disappearing down the rails, leaving only Stonecutter and Hunter.

  “Go!” Gameknight yelled as he ran down the steps that led to the chamber floor.

  Not waiting to discuss the issue, Hunter jumped into a minecart and shot down into the darkened tunnel.

  “Stonecutter … go!”

  “I will follow the User-that-is-not-a-user,” the stocky NPC said, his big pickaxe in his muscular hands.

  “Stonecutter … this is something I must do. I have to face the zombie king before I go, or I will continue to be afraid of him. He must see me standing here, unafraid, so that I can plant a seed of doubt in his peanut-sized mind. Do you understand?”

  “I understand most of what you say, but I have one question.”

  “What is it?” Gameknight asked.


  “What is a peanut?”

  Gameknight laughed, then shoved Stonecutter into a minecart and pushed him down the track. As he disappeared, the doors at the cavern entrance boomed with a massive blow. Looking up to the entrance, Gameknight could see Xa-Tul’s blade tear the iron doors to shreds. The zombie king stepped into the crafting chamber and looked down on his prey.

  “Xa-Tul has found the User-that-is-not-a-user at last. It is time to meet in battle. Come … face the destiny that was meant for Gameknight999.”

  “I know that Herobrine won’t let you kill me, so stop with your pathetic threats.”

  “Xa-Tul didn’t say that the Fool would be killed, only made to suffer,” the zombie king said as he waved his sword in front of him.

  Gameknight looked at that blade and could remember it smashing into him in their last battle. Waves of fear started to bubble up from within his soul, forcing feelings of doubt and uncertainty into his mind.

  NO! I won’t be afraid … that’s the tune Herobrine wants me to dance to. I REFUSE to be afraid!

  Closing his eyes, Gameknight imagined the rage on Xa-Tul’s face when he disappeared down the minecart tunnel, and he started to laugh.

  “What is the Fool laughing at?”

  “I’m laughing at you … now who’s the fool?”

  “What?” Xa-Tul asked.

  Gameknight climbed into a minecart and stood, glaring at the monster.

  “I’m won’t be afraid of you this time, Xa-Tul,” Gameknight shouted. “I am Gameknight999, the User-that-is-not-a-user and I won’t let you hurt my friends.”

  Courage cleared the fog of fear that shrouded his mind—courage that he could stand up against Herobrine and his monsters. He drew his diamond sword and pointed it at the zombie king.

  “Next time we meet, I’ll finish what I started in front of Crafter’s village … and it will end with your destruction, and the destruction of Herobrine,” Gameknight shouted.