Saving Crafter, page 15
“Looks like you aren’t so powerful anymore, are you?” the User-that-is-not-a-user said, a mocking smile on his face.
A growl sounded from overhead—zombies.
“We need to get going,” Digger said, hefting his big pickaxe onto his shoulder.
“Right. Dad, you stay close to me. Those zombies up above are going to be hot on our trail. Let’s go.”
Before he could take a step, Grassbrin ran in the opposite direction and placed some blocks of dirt on the ground just at the edge of the flickering torchlight. Plunging his hands into the brown cubes, he brought some grass to life—the long green strands growing thick and healthy as they blocked off the passage. Satisfied with the growth, he pulled his hands out and returned.
“Theyyyy will think weeee went that wayyy,” Grassbrin said in his lyrical sing-song voice.
“Perfect!” Gameknight exclaimed.
“Are you coming or are you planning on having a little vacation here?” Hunter’s sarcastic voice said from the darkness.
“We’re coming!” Gameknight shouted, then drew his two swords.
They plunged into the shadowy passages of the stronghold, running from torch to torch, always keeping the light on their right. Gameknight could hear Hunter far ahead of them, the sound of her armored boots echoing off the cold stone walls. Occasionally, he’d hear her stop, then the twang of her bowstring would resonate through the stronghold. Stitcher’s bow often added to the chorus.
Suddenly, a creeper shot out of a side passage and moved straight for Herder and Herobrine. The young boy screamed as the mottled green monster started to hiss. Before it had a chance to detonate, Gameknight was there with his two swords. Slashing at the monster, he made the creeper stop its ignition process as it stepped back from the flurry of blows. Moving forward, it tried to ignite again, but Gameknight struck at it over and over. With a pop, it disappeared, leaving behind a small pile of gunpowder.
“You OK?” Gameknight asked Herder.
He nodded.
“Remember, we can’t let the creepers explode or they will release the silverfish,” Gameknight explained. “You have to hit them hard and fast.”
“I got it,” Herder answered. “I was just a little … surprised.”
“It’s OK to be afraid,” Gameknight said, “but you can’t let your fear control you. Acknowledge your fear, then work around it.”
He reached out and tussled the boy’s long dark hair, then gave him a reassuring smile.
“Thanks,” Herder said.
“Are you idiots coming?” Hunter yelled from the edge of a flicking circle of torchlight.
Gameknight turned and ran, Herder fast on his heels.
As they sprinted through the passages, a bellowing, angry growl suddenly shook the ancient structure.
Grassbrin smiled.
“I think they founnnd the falssse trail,” the light-crafter said.
Treebrin patted him on the shoulder and gave his friend smile, grumbling something that none of them could understand. Grassbrin smiled and nodded at his fellow light-crafter.
“We have to hurry,” Crafter said in a weak voice. “They know where we are now.”
“Come on,” Digger added. “We all need to run.”
Reaching for Crafter, Digger scooped up his young friend and started running, the rest of them following close behind. They passed dark shadowy doorways that led off into the confusing depths of the stronghold. Some of these doorways held the occasional spider or zombie, but Gameknight and Hunter took care of these quickly.
The growls grew louder as the pursuing horde closed in.
“Faster!” Gameknight exclaimed.
They shifted from running to sprinting as they followed the glowing torches to the fountain room, but many of them quickly grew tired.
“We have to stop and rest for a moment,” Monkeypants said.
“I agree,” Digger replied.
“Fine, but just for a minute,” Gameknight said.
“I’m going to see what’s ahead,” Stitcher said as she disappeared into the shadows.
“Going alone isn’t a good idea,” Monkeypants said.
Standing, the monkey dressed in the Superman outfit drew his iron sword and followed the young NPC around the corner. They were gone for no longer than a minute when Stitcher’s voice suddenly could be heard echoing through the hall.
“Oh, no, we’re trapped.”
“What?” Gameknight asked.
Drawing his diamond sword, Gameknight followed them around the corner, the rest of the party on his heels. As he rounded the curving passage, he stopped in his tracks next to his father and Stitcher, shocked at what he saw.
Ahead of him the passage was … missing.
It was as if some kind of giant had just scooped up this section of the stronghold and left behind a deep hole. It was maybe twenty blocks deep, the walls on their side steep and sheer. On the far side of the hole, Gameknight could see the edge sloping upward; it was climbable. But this side of the hole was nearly vertical. If anyone jumped, they were dead.
All around, Gameknight could see small piles of gunpowder. Likely this was the result of a lot of creepers exploding sometime in the last few days. Moving to the edge of the hole, Gameknight peered down at the bottom. He could see small spiny things scurrying about, their segmented tails dragging across the ground: silverfish, hundreds of them.
Stepping away from the hole, the User-that-is-not-a-user turned and faced his friends. He knew his face gave away his fear and uncertainty.
“Can we climb down?” Digger asked.
Gameknight shook his head.
“The bottom is covered with silverfish. We wouldn’t stand a chance,” he replied.
“What are silverfish?” Monkeypants asked.
“They’re tiny little monsters that swarm over anyone idiotic enough to get close to them,” Hunter said. “Fighting them is impossible, especially with as many as I hear down there.”
She sighed.
“We’re trapped,” Hunter said, dejected.
Moving to a wall, Hunter placed a block on the ground, then pulled out arrows and placed them on the ground so that she could get to them easily.
“What are you doing?” Monkeypants asked.
“Preparing,” Hunter replied. “I think we’ll be playing out something Gameknight once explained to me a long time ago.”
“What was that?” Monkeypants asked.
“I think he called it Custer’s Last Stand,” she said.
Stitcher moved next to her sister and placed a block of dirt on the ground from which she would shoot. Digger put Crafter down, then moved out into the passage and started digging deep holes that would slow the zombies in their attack.
“You all act like this is over, and it’s not!” Monkeypants exclaimed.
They ignored him.
Monkeypants looked toward his son. Gameknight stared back at his father, a look of sadness and defeat on his face.
“Dad, we have to get ready to fight,” Gameknight said.
“You two should go back to the physical world,” Crafter said in a weak voice. “No sense in you dying here if you don’t have to.”
“NO!” Gameknight snapped. “I won’t leave you.”
“You have no choice,” his friend said. “You can always just bounce back into Minecraft when this is all over and help the villagers after Herobrine has escaped.”
“Blue paint,” Monkeypants said as he peered into the chasm.
“What?” Gameknight asked.
“What we really need is some blue paint from that other game you play—Portal 2. Yeah, that’s it,” Monkeypants said.
“What did you say?” Gameknight asked, his voice filled with excitement.
“I said Portal 2,” his father answered. “You know, that game with the portal guns and Glados and—”
“Blue paint! Of course! You’re a genius!” Gameknight exclaimed as he put away his swords.
The moans and growls of the approaching zombie horde grew louder, their sorrowful wails echoing off the walls.
“Ha ha,” Gameknight laughed as he pulled out a crafting table and placed it on the ground. Instantly, his hands were a blur as he crafted something green.
“What are you doing?” Hunter asked.
“Making blue paint, of course,” Gameknight replied with a knowing smile.
“What?” Hunter replied, an angry scowl on her square face. “Are you going insane?”
“Son, what are you doing?” Monkeypants asked. “You can’t use something from another game in Minecraft, right?”
His father looked confused as he glanced from his son to the other NPCs.
Gameknight ignored them and crafted as fast as his stubby square fingers would allow. When he was done, he looked at his friends triumphantly. Moving to the edge of the sheer cliff, he peered down in to the hole.
Walking back to the crafting bench, Gameknight took about eight steps from the sheer edge and then turned and faced the cliff. Bending his knees, he got ready to sprint.
“Gameknight, what are you going to do?” Hunter asked.
“Something incredibly dangerous and stupid,” he replied with a smile.
“I LIKE IT!” she shouted with a smile.
“I don’t. What’s going on?” Monkeypants asked, his monkey-face looking scared.
Gameknight looked at his father and gave him a wink, then sprinted toward the cliff and jumped out into the open air, the squeaks and squeals of the approaching silverfish filling his ears.
CHAPTER 25
CLAWS WITHIN REACH
Xa-Tul rounded the corner and peered from the darkness at his prey. Stepping back, he whispered to his generals.
“The NPCs are trapped,” Xa-Tul grumbled in a low voice. “There is a deep hole behind them and they cannot escape.”
The zombies growled in excitement.
“Generals, bring your warriors forward,” the zombie-king commanded. “Get ready to attack.”
The zombies shuffled forward, their claws shining in the torchlight.
Xa-Tul looked again at the NPCs, but was shocked when he saw Gameknight999 run toward the edge of the chasm. After his enemy jumped into the air, the zombie-king saw the User-that-is-not-a-user pull out a green slime block, then disappear over the edge. Seconds later, Gameknight bounced high up into the air, his hands empty. When he reached his apex, the User-that-is-not-a-user pulled out another slime block, then disappeared again into the massive hole.
“What’s he doing?” Xa-Tul grumbled as Gameknight bounced up again and again, slowly traversing across the silverfish-filled hole.
Finally, the User-that-is-not-a-user landed on the far side of the obstacle. Climbing up the jagged hill, he stood on the opposite side, then waved to the other NPCs.
“They’re escaping!” Xa-Tul bellowed. “Get them before they’re gone. CHARGE!”
Drawing his massive golden broadsword, the zombie-king charged forward, a growling wave of angry zombies on his heels.
CHAPTER 26
FOLLOW THE LEADER
Gameknight looked toward his friends and waved them forward.
“Come on! The zombies are coming,” he yelled.
Digger looked over his shoulder, then scooped up Crafter in his thick arms and ran for the edge of the cliff. Leaping with all his strength, he soared out into the open air and plunged toward the chasm floor.
The User-that-is-not-a-user watched, holding his breath, as his friends plummeted toward the awaiting swarm of silverfish. As they fell, Gameknight could see Digger correct his fall so that he landed square on the slime block. Bouncing high up into the air, Digger flew to the next block that Gameknight999 had placed. He sprang high up into the air as if propelled by a trampoline, bounding across from slime block to slime block until he landed on the far wall.
Reaching down, Gameknight held out a hand for Crafter, helping the still weak NPC to safety. Digger followed right behind. When the big NPC stood next to Gameknight, he drew his bow and started firing at the approaching zombie horde. The User-that-is-not-a-user did the same.
“Come on, everyone!” Digger yelled.
Stitcher streaked toward the cliff and flew through the air, repeating Digger’s path. When she landed on the far side, she added to the flurry of arrows arching high overhead.
The witch turned and threw a couple of splash potions at the approaching monsters, then ran for the cliff and slime blocks. The potions flew through the long tunnel and smashed against the lead zombies, causing them to slow down instantly. Those behind smashed into them, making some of them fall to the ground, creating a green decaying zombie pile-up.
“Just step over them,” Xa-Tul bellowed. “GET THEM!”
“Everyone, hurry!” Gameknight yelled, but he could tell that there wasn’t enough time for all of them to cross.
The witch landed safely on their side of the chasm and moved to the side to give others more room.
“HURRY!” Digger yelled.
Grassbrin turned and looked at Gameknight999. He gave him a quick smile, then ran straight for the zombies, placing blocks of dirt as he ran.
“What’s he doing?” Crafter asked in a weak voice.
“I don’t know,” Gameknight answered truthfully.
The light-crafter placed a few more blocks, then knelt and placed his hands in the dirt. As his hands began to glow a deep forest green, blades of thick grass slithered out of the blocks. Growing longer and longer, the grass began to look like thin, flat snakes as they spread across the stone passageway. But as the grass grew, the blocks of dirt behind Grassbrin blossomed with thick blades, as well. In seconds, a tangled green barrier spread across the tunnel, completely obscuring the zombies as well as Grassbrin.
“Where did he go?” Gameknight asked. “I have to go back and help him.”
Putting away his bow, Gameknight ran toward the cliff, but Digger grabbed him by the arm and held him tight.
“Your place is here, Gameknight999,” Digger said as he pulled him back.
Gameknight sighed as he stood back from the chasm and pulled out his bow again. They couldn’t shoot at the zombies and risk hitting Grassbrin, so they waited.
Treebrin, seeing the opportunity, grabbed Herder, who was now holding the pig in both arms, and ran toward the cliff. They soared through the air and bounced across the deadly hole, the squeaking of the excited silverfish filling the air.
When they landed, Gameknight reached down and grabbed Herder by the collar, helping the youth up the rough wall as the pig struggled to get free. Looking up at his idol, Herder gave Gameknight999 a huge smile as he finally stepped onto the ground.
Looking back at the writhing overgrowth of thick grass, Gameknight could see sickly green arms trying to push through the plants. Dark claws sparkled in the torchlight as their growls filled the air.
They must have gotten Grassbrin, Gameknight thought.
Just as he was about to raise his hand and give the salute for the dead, Grassbrin burst out of the thick growth, a huge smile on his face. Not waiting to be told, he shot straight for the cliff and soared through the air, bouncing across the lethal ravine.
This left Hunter and Monkeypants.
“Dad, come on!” Gameknight screamed.
Monkeypants looked at his son, then glanced over the edge of the sheer cliff below him. Looking back up, Gameknight could see his face was white with fear.
“Oh no, my dad is afraid of heights,” Gameknight said softly. “He can’t do it.”
“You better get moving, or I’m leaving you here,” Hunter said as she drew an arrow and fired it at a pair of arms struggling to get through the tangled strands of grass.
“I can’t. You don’t understand,” Monkeypants mumbled. “I have a fear of … I mean this is too high … umm …”
“I’ve heard enough,” Hunter said.
She put away her bow and turned to face Gameknight’s father. Reaching out with one arm, she started to push him toward the edge.
“What are you doing?” the User-that-is-not-a-user shouted, but she ignored him and focused on Monkeypants.
“What’s wrong? You afraid of heights?” she asked.
Monkeypants didn’t answer; he just stared at the nearby cliff.
“Well, I’m going to help you find the courage you need,” Hunter said. “You see, we don’t give into our fears in Minecraft. We stare them straight in the eye and say, ‘I refuse to be afraid!’”
She gave him another push.
“You either run and jump, or you fall and get attacked by all those silverfish,” Hunter stated. “Decide, fast! I’m sure the spiny silverfish love the taste of monkey.”
Monkeypants looked down into the deep chasm, then glance at his son. Gritting his teeth, he sprinted for the edge. As he fell through the air, he yelled a string of words that Gameknight999 could not understand. Landing on the first slime block, he shot up into the air, then landed on the next and the next until he crashed to the ground safely on the other side.
Suddenly, the zombies were through the barrier of grass and charged straight at Hunter. She streaked for the edge of the cliff. Gameknight watched her soar gracefully through the air and land on the first slime block, but when she bounced up, she left behind a striped block on top of the gelatinous green one. Soaring high into the air, she gracefully landed on the next, leaving another striped block behind. Continuing on, she landed on each slime block, depositing a present on each until she made it to the far side of the chasm.
Looking down at the slime blocks, Gameknight could see that she’d placed blocks of TNT on top of them. Before he could ask, she fired her enchanted bow at the red and white cubes. They exploded in a shower of stone and dirt, destroying the bouncy path and stopping the zombies from following.
A choking cloud of smoke and dust filled the tunnels as the explosion echoed through the stronghold. When the air cleared, Hunter stepped to Gameknight’s side and looked across the ravine. They could see Xa-Tul standing at the cliff’s edge, growling in frustration.
“You aren’t safe yet, Fool,” Xa-Tul bellowed.
In frustration, he turned and shoved his way through the zombie horde that was right behind him.
