Minecraft (Masters of Minecraft Box Set Book 1)

by Terry Mayer

  "Nate, Jack, run over to the tree line and place some torches, Jethro and Natasha same thing behind the village. I'll do the wall, now go."

  As the torches are placed, the area is lit up like a supermarket car park, allowing a clear line of sight even as the sun starts to set.

  Gathered behind the low wall the friends stare out over the field, wondering if they will make it through the night.

  "Uh Jay, this fortification is great and all but I think we need a plan in case the creepers arrive," stammers Jethro.

  "I've been thinking about it for the last hour Jethro. In theory the creepers won't be able to get across the trench to blow up the wall but not all of the usual minecraft rules seem to apply here."

  "Like what?" asks Nate.

  "Well Nate, mobs can't come out in sunlight or they burn but those creepers attacked us during daylight when they should have been non-hostile. In addition, that flood should not be possible, but it happened. It's almost like we are playing in somebody's hacked game, modified to suit their own purposes."

  "And what purpose would that be?" asks Jethro.

  "Your guess is as good as mine Jethro but it looks like this whole world has been designed for one reason, the tournament."

  "Yeah, but designed by who?"

  "Herobrine."

  All heads turn in the direction of Hailey.

  "Herobrine brought me here so I assume he brought you too."

  "But Herobrine is just a myth, or at the most a hacked mod pack."

  "Maybe that is how he started but I'm telling you, it was Herobrine who brought me and every other human here. I haven't seen him since the first Steve turned up but I'm sure he's responsible."

  "Who is Herobrine?" asks Nathan.

  "Herobrine started as a hoax. Players started saying they had met a mysterious character in the game that sometimes attacked them, and then some gamer built a mod pack including Herobrine. I know Notch wasn't too impressed when the rumor went around that Herobrine was his dead brother, because he removed the Herobrine 'bug', his words, from later releases of Minecraft."

  "Ok, so he's this invented character, so how could he have brought you here Hailey?" asks Nathan.

  "Hey, don't look at me like I'm mad."

  "Well it is a little hard to believe that an invented character brought you here."

  "What, and you think this is normal?" she replies pointing to the village and then each of them in turn.

  "Touché my dear, you are of course quite right. This is all very strange, quite unbelievable, so if you say Herobrine brought you here then who are we to doubt you."

  "Thank you Jethro. It's nice to know that at least one of you has some common sense," she replies, glaring at Nathan.

  "Ok, ok. Calm down people. We can discuss this later, right now we have company."

  Pointing out across the field a dozen or more zombies shuffle from the woods towards the village. Reaching the trench, the first zombie simply keeps walking and falls straight in, followed by the rest.

  "Uh, pretty dumb or what!"

  "Yeah, but a least they have tested the trench for us and it seems to be working. Right I guess there's no sleep tonight, luckily we don't seem to need it so...."

  "Talk for yourself, I'm still human and have human needs," chirps in Hailey.

  "Sorry, forgot. Right, all us Steve's," smiling he looks at Hailey, "will be up all night. We need to police the trenches. If the mobs get past them we need to fall back to the village, if all else fails we use the escape tunnel and make a run for it, just like before. Any questions?"

  Everyone shakes his or her heads.

  "Right, let's spread out, shout out if you make contact so we know what's happening but try to stay in your own area. We can't afford everyone fighting in one place then getting overrun from behind."

  "Uh Jay, I think I've got a better idea."

  "Really Hailey, well I guess you better tell us then," Jay replies sarcastically.

  "Why don't I go up in the tower, I'll have a clear view of the whole village from there and I can direct you all to the trouble spots. That way if someone needs help I can send some but can still keep an eye on their zone so we don't get blindsided. So, what do you think Jay?" she asks with a little smile playing on the corner of her lips.

  "Got to hand it to you Hailey, it works. Ok everyone, Hailey is now in charge. She will direct you where you are needed so listen out for her, ok?"

  Everyone nods his or her agreement.

  "Right, let's go. Good luck guys, hopefully this has all been for nothing but I've got a feeling that we are in for a long night."

  *****

  4 - The Invasion

  Creeping through the shadows the group moves stealthily towards the village. A loud snap of a breaking branch assaults PowerGlide's ears and he spins around and glares at the group. "Quiet you fools, if they hear us we are done for," he snaps.

  "Sorry boss," replies Warlord999.

  "Just keep it down, we're right at the edge of the village. This is where it gets a little dicey. You all know the plan, when it all kicks off we make our move. We all ok with that?"

  "Sure boss, whatever you say," replies Warlord999.

  "Good, then let's get in position, before the fun begins."

  Moving forward once more, they spread out behind the trees that surround the small village and prepare themselves for what could be their last stand.

  *****

  As darkness draws in, more and more zombies stumble towards the village, only to fall into the trench.

  "There must be a couple of hundred of them down there now. Are they thick or what?"

  "Yes Jack, they are stupid creatures but I for one don't want to get too close to them. Once being a zombie was quite enough," replies Jethro.

  "Oh sorry Jethro, I forgot you were a walker only this morning. So, how did it feel to be brain dead?"

  "I guess it probably felt like being you Jack, the only difference is I was cured, what's your excuse?"

  "Ouch Jethro, that really goes deep," replies Jack, grabbing his chest and staggering around.

  Laughing, Jethro replies. "Yes, I quite like that, but seriously, it's not something I would wish on my worst enemy."

  "Yeah, well I'm just glad we were able to cure everyone."

  "Yes indeed, and may I say thank you once again for your sterling efforts."

  "We're cool Jethro; you would have done the same."

  "Yes of course, but maybe..." looking around Jethro pauses in mid sentence. What is that noise?"

  Listening, Jack strains to hear but whatever Jethro can hear is too far away for him. "Man Jethro, you either have killer hearing or you're imagining things."

  "Shush, it's getting louder. I think you better go get Jay."

  "Really? What is it Jethro?"

  "Go Jack, quickly."

  Returning shortly both Jack and Jay run over to Jethro.

  "What do you hear Jethro?"

  "Listen Jay, it's getting louder all the time."

  Cocking his head to the side Jay listens to a low rumble. "Sounds like thunder in the distance. You think we are due a storm."

  "Oh yes Jay, I think a storm is approaching but it's not rain that I'm worried about. I think that's the sound of hundreds of creepers."

  As the sound grows louder and louder Jay turns to Jethro. "I sure hope you're wrong because there must be thousands of creepers to make that much noise."

  As the noise increases to nearly deafening levels they stand on the wall watching a dust cloud descend on the field, then suddenly, silence.

  "What the heck?"

  "Just wait Jay, I think this is it."

  As the dust starts to settle, the scene in front of them comes into view.

  Staring out over a field of moving bodies, thousands upon thousands of creepers just stand looking at the village in absolute silence. Then with an unheard command, they rush forward in one huge wave of destruction.

  "Get back," shouts Jay, jumping from the wa
ll. "Get away from the walls, the creepers are attacking."

  Explosion after explosion rips through the night, throwing a dust cloud into the air, but amazingly, the wall stays intact.

  "What's happening, why are they exploding?"

  "Look!" exclaims Jay, pointing at the tower where Hailey is firing flaming arrow after arrow into the creeper hoards. As each flaming arrow hits, the creeper starts buzzing and explodes, setting off a chain reaction and starting the next creeper to buzz then explode.

  "My god, she's going to wipe them out single handed."

  "No such luck, look, they are retreating."

  As they watch, the creepers withdraw out of arrow range and mill around the edge of the village.

  "What are they doing? I didn't think creepers worked in any sort of organized way."

  "They don't usually, but nothing is normal here. What's that on the hill Jay, your eyesight is better than mine."

  "Ah man!"

  "What is it?"

  "I don't know, but whatever it is, its bad news. I saw it yesterday when we were under attack at the castle but I hoped it was just some creature that happened along but I think it's commanding the creepers."

  As the dust once again settles, the creature on the hill comes into view. A huge dark shape, blacker than the night stands ten blocks high. Although silent, it waves its arms in the air and appears to be communicating with the creepers who immediately start to shuffle towards the village again. They stop just out of arrow range and start running on the spot, all four feet raising dust into the air.

  *****

  "Ok boys, this is our chance, just as discussed, get in and get out quietly, now move."

  Creeping from their hiding place at the edge of the woods, they run, crouched over, towards the rear of the village. At the trench, they reach into their inventories and remove cobblestone, placing it quickly over the opening. As soon as the first section is bridged, Warlord runs across with his pickaxe in hand and starts knocking down the small wall. The other three continue to place cobblestone blocks over the trench until a wide section has been covered.

  "Hey Munster, tell Warlord to move onto the village wall, knock an opening then get the heck out of there. Keep your eyes open, we don't have time for a skirmish. PowerMad, jump down in the trench and make some steps up into the village. We'll get the zombies to do our dirty work."

  Jumping into the trench PowerMad quickly starts a cobblestone staircase leading directly to the village. At the same time Warlord and Munster, pickaxes in hand, quickly knock two large openings in the village wall, keeping a keen eye out for the other players.

  As Munster reaches ground level, he calls out to PowerGlide. "Boss, the stairs are done but the zombies are right behind me, better make a move unless you want to join the fight."

  "Quiet you fool, don't you ...." he is stopped in mid sentence as an arrow slams into his shoulder and sends him tumbling backwards.

  "Invaders, everyone, invaders at the rear of the village, the wall is breached," shouts Hailey from the tower, notching and firing another arrow, this one hitting Warlord in the leg as he tries to escape over the bridge.

  "Run, our cover is blown. Head for the rendezvous point, move out," screams PowerGlide, wrenching the arrow out of his shoulder. "Munster, give Warlord a hand with that arrow."

  "Yes boss," he replies, grabbing the arrow in his leg and snapping it off, eliciting screams from Warlord. "You're welcome, now move or you're on your own."

  Running from the battle, with arrows raining down behind them they look back and see the first zombies coming up from the trench and heading into the village.

  "That should keep them busy," laughs PowerGlide, darting into the forest, heading for the rendezvous. "Nothing like a little mob help to win this game, suckers don't stand a chance now, attacked from both sides at once this should all be over before morning."

  *****

  Hearing the commotion, Natasha runs towards the rear of the village and arrives at the wall just as the first zombies attack. Pulling her steel sword from her inventory, she cuts down the first two but is quickly overwhelmed by the sheer numbers advancing on her. With two holes in the wall, zombies are pouring in and threaten to cut off her escape if she waits much longer. Turning to flee, a hand grabs the back of her head and holds tight. "No, not a chance I'm going out to a zombie," she screams, swinging wildly with her sword, cutting down two more zombies advancing on her, but she is still held fast. Zombies fall to Hailey's arrows as they climb through the holes in the wall, causing a temporary obstruction, slowing the flow into the village, but Hailey cannot get a bead on the zombie attacking Natasha, the angle of the tower being all wrong. Jumping around to stop the zombie from sinking its teeth into her neck Natasha continues a slice away at the advancing hoard, but realizes that her time is running out as she feels the sharp pain of zombie teeth slice into her neck. "Noooooo," she screams, grabbing the zombie by the head and throwing it off her, running from the advancing hoard as arrows continue to rain down she heads towards Jay at the front of the village.

  *****

  Pulling out his sword Jay turns from the wall overlooking the creeper army as he hears Hailey shout her warning, but just as he prepares to leave the creepers surge forward in several places, with dozens throwing themselves into the trench. As they detonate, huge areas of the trench explodes leaving craters. Still running on the spot, raising dust, the creepers appear to regard the damage before another dozen or so launch themselves into the trench, causing more explosions.

  "OMG, creepers aren't supposed to be clever!" exclaims Jethro.

  "Why, what's so clever about blowing yourself up?"

  "Look Jay. They are not simply killing themselves, look at the holes they are making."

  Looking through the rising dust clouds Jay peers into the murky depths of the trench, suddenly realizing that the trench is no longer very deep. The explosions have brought down the sides of the trench wherever they met sand, and formed a slope up to the low wall.

  "Clever devils, I've never heard of anything like this before."

  "The only time I've ever heard of anything like this was years ago, on a server I used to play, when someone added 'The Invasion' mod pack. That made all the mobs attack and destroy your dwellings, but I never heard an announcement this time, like when 'The Infection' mod pack started. "

  "Well maybe the first announcement is the only announcement. Maybe it was just informing us that mod packs are now in play."

  "Sounds reasonable, so we had better be alert for any eventuality. If any mod pack can come into play at any time, without warning, this game has just got a whole lot harder."

  "Jay, Jay."

  Turning they both see Natasha running straight towards them holding her neck.

  "Jay, quick, I need the... ugh."

  "What? Natasha, what's wrong."

  Moving quickly Jack tackles Natasha to the ground and wraps his arms around her. "Quick Jay, she's been bitten, give her a zombie cure."

  "What, how was she bitten?"

  "Jay quick. I can't hold her forever."

  Reaching into his inventory, Jay removes a syringe and plunges it into Natasha's leg. Almost immediately, she stops fighting and her eye's start to clear.

  "Thanks Jay, uh, you can get off me now Jack."

  "Right, sorry," says Jack, releasing Natasha from his bear hug.

  "Don't be sorry, you just saved me and I'm forever in your debt."

  "Yeah, yeah, well done Jack, but Natasha, how were you bitten by zombies, did they spawn inside the village?"

  Suddenly remembering what happened to her, she jumps up. "Some players breached the defenses at the rear of the village and let in a whole heap of zombies, come on, quick."

  Just as she turns more explosions rip through the night.

  "You and Jack go; me and Jethro are staying here. Take this with you, it's the last one." Throwing the last syringe of zombie cure to Natasha, she catches it and dashes off.

 
"Thanks Jay, come on Jack, we've got zombies to kill."

  "Great, here we go again."

  *****

  Running back in the direction she had just come from they find Nathan standing in a two block wide opening between the houses fighting an increasingly large hoard of zombies.

  "Natasha, I can't hold them. Build a wall quick, we have to close off this part of the village."

  Seeing that Nathan is right, she reaches into her inventory and retrieves some cobblestone, then places it in the gap between the houses, 2 blocks high. "Jack, close off those other houses, Nate, on the count of three, jump back and I'll block the opening, ok, one, two, three." As Nathan jumps out of the way, she quickly places 2 blocks of cobblestone, completely blocking the opening. "Good word Nate, quickly now, let's help Jack close off any other buildings, looks like we're making our last stand right here."

  *****

  Turning back to the wall Jay looks out at the creeper army and shivers. "What are we going to do Jethro? It's not going to be long before they manage to climb up out of the trench then it's just this tiny wall, which won't stop them more than a couple of minutes."

  "Cobblestone! This wall is made of cobblestone, if all things remain the same, and I'm not saying that they will, but it might just work."

  "What will work?"

  "Cobblestone Jay!"

  "What the heck are you talking about Jethro; you're not making any sense."

  "Sorry Jay, I do that when I'm excited. In the normal minecraft game, creepers can only blow up one cobblestone block at a time. So if that remains true, then all we need to do is thicken this part of the wall and it will take dozens of creepers to get through."

  "Yeah, but just in case you haven't noticed, there are thousands of them out there," he says pointing out at the creeper fields.

  "Yes, of course, but we have the advantage. Only one creeper can attack each section of the wall at a time or they just blow each other up. If we are quick, we should be able to repair some sections before the next creeper arrives. Now quickly, start building another cobblestone wall inside of this one."