The Great Zombie Invasion

by Mark Cheverton

  “I know what these are,” the User-that-is-not-a-user finally said when the villagers had quieted down enough to let him speak.

  “Of course you do,” Fencer said suspiciously.

  “What is it?” Smithy asked. “Are they setting fire to our forest?”

  “No, they’re monsters, and they’re approaching the village.”

  “Monsters? What kind of monsters can survive fire?” Fencer exclaimed.

  “Blazes,” Gameknight replied.

  “What’s a blaze?” Fencer cried. “I’ve never heard of those before. He’s making this stuff up.”

  “I wish I were,” he replied. “They’re from the Nether and they can throw balls of fire.”

  The forest was now brightening as the sun climbed higher into the sky. He’d disappear any second now as the Digitizer turned on, the User-that-is-not-a-user figured.

  “What’s the Nether?” Smithy asked as he moved to Gameknight’s side.

  “A terrible place of smoke and fire and lava and nothing good,” he replied. “We need to be ready. Everyone keep moving around. If a blaze sees you standing still, they will shoot three fireballs at you. They always shoot a trio of fireballs, and they always flare bright before firing. When you see them do that … move!”

  “First a user, then a Nether. They all sound like made up words to me. And in any case, you conveniently seem to know a lot about blazes and Nether as well,” Fencer said. “Why is that?”

  “I’ve fought these monsters many times. I know what I’m talking about. Now please, everyone get to your battle stations.”

  No one moved. They just stood there, staring up at Gameknight999 with scowls on their faces.

  “You heard him!” Smithy cried. “Get to your stations and listen for instructions.”

  Archers climbed the ladders to the archer towers while other NPCs moved to the top of the walls. Everyone had a bow in his or her hands, arrows notched and ready. A silence spread across the village. Gameknight could feel the tension in the air; it was like a thread that was stretched to its limit just waiting to snap.

  Any minute I’ll disappear.

  And then the monsters came out of the forest and crossed the grassy plain that surrounded the village. They were all shocked when they saw at least thirty creepers scurrying toward the village and at least two dozen blazes floating behind them. Each blaze burned bright with yellow and orange flames that made up the creature’s bodies, casting a harsh glow on the grass below. The blaze rods spun furiously around them, reminding Gameknight of some kind of terrible helicopter.

  “Remember, don’t stand still. If you see a fireball coming toward you, duck behind a block of stone!” Gameknight shouted. “The blazes will try to distract us, while the creepers get up close and try to destroy the walls. We cannot let them do that.”

  The User-that-is-not-a-user turned and peered down into the courtyard. He saw Weaver and the other kids milling about, each of them wanting to get into the fight.

  “Weaver, come here,” Gameknight said, knowing he had to be quick … at any time now, he could disappear, and these villagers would be completely on their own.

  “You kids stay out of the way,” one of the NPCs said. “This fight is for the adults. You little boys can’t do anything helpful here.”

  “Weaver, don’t listen to him. Come here,” Gameknight replied. “I have something that I need you to do.”

  The elder glared at Gameknight999, but he didn’t care. They had to act fast or a lot of NPCs were going to lose their lives in this battle.

  Weaver dashed up the steps and stood at Gameknight’s side. The other warriors cast angry glances toward the User-that-is-not-a-user, but he ignored them as well and bent over to whisper into the young boy’s ear.

  “You think all of you can do this?” Gameknight asked when he was done.

  Weaver glanced down at his friends clustered around the village’s well, then looked back up to Gameknight999.

  “No problem,” the young boy replied, then took off running, his bright yellow smock a blur as he dashed down the steps.

  He sprinted straight to the other kids and gave them directions. The other adolescents listened intently, then nodded up to Gameknight999. They raced off through the village, collecting what was needed.

  “You know they can’t help in this battle,” Smithy said in Gameknight’s ear. “They’re too small and will only get in the way.”

  “I’ve learned not to judge people by their size but by their courage,” the User-that-is-not-a-user replied. “A smart villager once told me ‘Deeds do not make the hero; the fears they—’”

  Before he could finish the statement, one of the villagers yelled.

  “Here they come!”

  The monsters stopped short, just out of bow range, all except for the first wave of creepers. They crossed the grassy field quickly, their downturned mouths snarling as they approached the wall.

  “Open fire!” Smithy bellowed.

  But before any of the archers could shoot, the blazes launched fireballs at the creepers. When the flaming balls of death struck mottled green monsters, they began their detonation process, glowing brighter and brighter as they hissed.

  “Shoot them!” Gameknight shouted.

  He released an arrow, then fired again and again, but his shots were not stopping the ignition process. The creepers continued to glow brighter and brighter until…

  BOOM! … BOOM! … BOOM!

  The first wave of creepers exploded, one after the other. Fortunately, the blazes had lit them too soon and they hadn’t reached the village walls yet. Gameknight knew they would not miscalculate a second time.

  “Next time, the creepers will destroy the walls,” Gameknight said to Smithy. “The arrows should have stopped them from igniting, but it didn’t for some reason.”

  “What? The all-knowing First-User doesn’t know what happened or what to do?” Fencer mocked.

  “Fencer, not now!” Smithy snapped, then turned back to Gameknight. “What do you think they will do next?”

  “They’ll probably send the rest of the creepers in the next wave, but they’ll wait before igniting them,” Gameknight said. “This time, the creepers will make it to the walls. And once those are destroyed, you can be sure more monsters will come storming out of the forest and walk right into the village.”

  “We have to do something!” Fencer yelled.

  Just then, the young NPCs, lead by Weaver, came running back into the courtyard. They were each carrying multiple buckets, dipping them into the well and filling each with cool water.

  Gameknight smiled.

  “What?” Smithy asked. “You have an idea?”

  “Yep,” he replied. “When it’s time, have everyone focus their arrows on the blazes. We’ll take care of the creepers.”

  “We … who’s we?” Smithy asked.

  But Gameknight didn’t reply. Running down to the steps, he moved to the cluster of youths and spoke quietly to them. Each of them nodded their heads, though the User-that-is-not-a-user could see fear in their eyes. This was dangerous, but the element of surprise would give them the advantage.

  “OK, let’s do it,” Gameknight said as he reached out to grab buckets of water from one of the boys.

  He put the pails into his inventory and moved to the doors, the kids fast on his heels.

  “All of you ready?” Gameknight asked.

  They nodded their blocky heads.

  “OK … let’s go.”

  Quickly, he opened the door that barred the monsters’ entrance to the village and let all the kids slip outside the walls. Gameknight then stepped out and closed the door behind him.

  “What are you doing?” Fencer asked.

  “Get back in here!” Cobbler cried. “You’re just a bunch of kids.”

  “Spread out and hold the line,” Gameknight hollered to the young NPCs. “Nobody runs and everyone waits until I give the word … understood?”

  The kids turned and pe
ered nervously at the User-that-is-not-a-user and nodded.

  “OK, here they come.”

  All the remaining creepers moved forward, but this time, the blazes held their fire until the green monsters had moved past the newly formed crater gouged into the ground by the first wave. The blazes then opened fire, launching their flaming balls onto the creepers igniting them all. Gameknight could hear them hissing as they began to glow bright and come near. The creatures snarled, then shuffled their feet faster, charging toward the line of young defenders.

  But none of the young NPCs or Gameknight drew a sword. They held their ground and waited.

  CHAPTER 15

  GIVING CHASE

  The creepers were getting closer. Gameknight could hear their hissing; it sounded like a basket full of angry snakes.

  “Ready …” he shouted.

  The creepers were about five blocks away.

  Gameknight glanced down the line of young NPCs. He could see scared expressions on all their faces, even though they were all trying desperately to be brave.

  “Don’t worry … stand your ground!” Gameknight yelled. “This will work, just get ready.”

  The creepers were now four blocks away.

  It was completely silent in the village. He could feel all of the NPCs’ eyes staring down at them, waiting to see what they were going to do.

  The hissing creepers were glowing brighter, getting ready to detonate. They were only three blocks away and the smell of sulfur filled the air.

  “NOW!”

  As one, Gameknight and the kids each pulled out a bucket of water and poured it on the ground. They then stepped sideways, pouring another bucket, creating a solid line of water. The liquid flowed across the ground and hit the creepers, pushing them backward and slowing their progress.

  “Quick, back to the wall!” Gameknight yelled.

  All of them turned and struggled through the water that was now also flowing toward the village. Once they reached the wooden doors, Gameknight opened them and they streaked for the top of the walls. When they were all safely within the village, Gameknight stepped inside and closed the doors. He then ran up the stairs and took his place on the wall. The kids each had a bucket of water in their hands. Gameknight reached into his inventory and pulled out another bucket.

  Down below, he could see the creepers were still struggling through the water and had not detonated yet, but they were getting closer.

  “Ready … NOW!”

  The kids all poured more water over the edge of the wall. The blue liquid fell to the ground, then formed another watery barrier that pushed the creepers back another four blocks. Suddenly, the first creeper exploded, followed by a series of blasts from the other creepers. They tore into the pristine grass, gouging a deep line of craters into the landscape. The water poured over the edge and began to partially fill the hole.

  “Fire at the blazes!” Gameknight roared.

  The fiery monsters had been watching the progress of the creepers and had completely forgotten about the NPCs. Suddenly, the air was alive with arrows as the villagers fired on the burning creatures. A clanking sound echoed across the grassy landscape as countless shafts struck the flaming monsters. They flared bright with every hit, until their internal flames flickered and expired. Blaze rods fell to the ground like golden rain as the archers continued to fire on their enemy.

  “Retreat!” wheezed one of the remaining blazes. “We must return to Herobrine!”

  Their blaze rods began to spin faster as the surviving monsters moved higher into the air and drifted farther away, back toward the forest.

  “We did it!” Fencer yelled.

  The villagers cheered, many of them patting the kids on the back, causing the young NPCs to beam with pride. Smithy moved down the line and put a hand on each boy’s shoulder, congratulating them, then moved to Gameknight’s side.

  “That was a nice trick with the water,” he said.

  “Well, I’ve used that before,” the User-that-is-not-a-user replied. “Flowing water can be a powerful force when executed correctly.”

  “You seem to still be here,” Smithy noticed. “I thought you’d have left by now.

  Gameknight checked the sun. It was well after sunrise. The timer on the Digitizer should have gone off by now and triggered his return back to the physical world.

  Oh no! The lightning must have damaged something … maybe it caused a software glitch of some kind. How am I going to get home again?

  “I’m glad you didn’t leave,” Smithy added. “You are a welcome addition to the village, even though many still don’t trust you.” He leaned in closer. “But I do, rest assured.” He moved back and spoke in a louder voice. “So what do you think Herobrine is going to do next?”

  Gameknight sighed. It seemed as if he might be stuck here for a while. Maybe the timer would reset, or his parents would come home early, or … He shuddered. The lightning storm might have stranded him within Minecraft without any way to get out. It would be hours and hours before anyone was home again, and then they’d need to come down into the basement and see him passed out on the desk.

  What if the Digitizer is fried and I’m stuck here, forever!

  The thought made his head spin as what-ifs started shooting through his head. But then he saw Smithy before him, and he looked down at Weaver nearby. He knew he had to focus now on what he could do, and that was to help these NPCs.

  Bringing his attention back to the villagers, he looked up at Smithy again.

  “Herobrine obviously knows how to make the creepers explode, so he’ll be back with more,” Gameknight said. “I think that was just a test. We didn’t see any other monsters. But I suspect he will be back, with a massive army. He’ll build up his forces, especially creepers and blazes, then come back and crush our walls. After that, he’ll send in wave after wave of zombies and skeletons until everyone is wiped out.”

  “That’s a really great story you’re weaving,” a voice said from behind.

  Gameknight turned and found Fencer glaring at him.

  “I know Herobrine, and that’s what he will try next if we just stay here and wait.”

  “If you know so much, First-User, then what do you suggest?” Fencer asked.

  “We go out and meet him in a place of our choosing, not his,” Gameknight said. By now, more of the villagers were listening. “People who stand around and wait to be attacked usually end up defeated. We have to catch Herobrine when he is not ready for us and use the element of surprise.”

  “What are you suggesting?” Smithy asked.

  “We follow the blazes back to Herobrine, then attack him before he collects any more monsters,” the User-that-is-not-a-user replied. “Everyone goes with us, even the new NPCs that have come from the other villages. While we’re chasing him, we can collect more warriors from the villages on the way. Our forces will grow stronger as we pursue him, until we outnumber his monster horde.” He turned and stared into Smithy’s steel-blue eyes. “What do you think?”

  Smithy moved to the edge of the wall and gazed up into the sky, lost in thought.

  “Ha! What a terrible idea,” Fencer exclaimed. “Going out and chasing the monsters … that’s ridiculous.”

  “‘Those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.’ That is a quote from the great tactician, Sun Tzu,” Gameknight said. “If we wait here, everyone will eventually be destroyed.”

  Smithy kept his back turned, looking off into the distance. Soft glowing orbs of light could be seen moving through the forest to the north, the last remnants of the retreating blazes.

  Fencer began another tirade about the foolishness of Gameknight’s idea, but Smithy stopped him before he could get started.

  “Our friend is right,” Smithy said suddenly. “We cannot just sit here and wait, while Herobrine gets stronger and stronger. It is time to act. Gameknight’s idea has merit, and we will follow his advice. Everyone gather your things. We’re foll
owing those blazes back to their camp. And with luck, we can destroy Herobrine then. Runners, go to the north and contact the villages in that direction. Tell them where we are going and what we are doing. We call all of them to come to our aid. We must stop Herobrine’s wave of violence now before he gets stronger. Everyone … GO!”

  The village burst into activity as the villagers ran for their homes to collect tools and supplies. The archers came down from their perches as a handful of NPCs stepped outside the gates to place blocks of dirt on the flowing water, stopping the flood. In minutes, the entire village was ready to move. Gameknight marveled at the speed of their preparations.

  “OK, Gameknight999, this was your idea … so you lead,” Smithy said.

  The User-that-is-not-a-user stepped out of the gates and waited to make sure everyone was ready. Weaver suddenly appeared on his left side, Wilbur on his right.

  “Great, we have the First-User, a kid, and a pig leading us,” Fencer growled.

  “Fencer!” Smithy snapped.

  The discontent NPC grew quiet but flashed a glare at Gameknight999.

  “OK, let’s find us some monsters,” the User-that-is-not-a-user said as he took off running toward the north, pursuing a mob army led by the most dangerous creature ever to appear in Minecraft.

  CHAPTER 16

  THE FOX CHASES THE HOUND

  “The villagers are following the other blazes back to this clearing,” the lone blaze reported. He took a long, wheezing breath that sounded like something mechanical … and terrible. “My brothers of flame are leading them the long way, as you instructed.”

  “Excellent,” Herobrine reported. “How did the creepers perform?”

  “All exploded, as you predicted,” the monster replied.

  “So the wall around the village is destroyed?”

  “No,” the flaming creature said tentatively. “One of the villagers and a group of children used water to keep the creepers away from the village.”

  “The blacksmith?”

  “No, Maker. It was the one with the small nose.”