The Wither Invasion

by Mark Cheverton

  With a nod, Watcher turned back to the rest of the NPCs. “I’m not gonna be afraid of Krael and his mob anymore. The Far Lands is a peaceful world, and the wither king and his army need to go. I think it’s time they were evicted.”

  The NPCs cheered, some of them banging their weapons against their armor.

  Suddenly, a group of metal wolves moved to surround the pack mule, each with a mechite rider on their backs, Fixit at the front.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Watcher glanced at Mirthrandos.

  “They’re gonna cause a little commotion to help you get out of the cave.” The ancient wizard nodded her head. “They know what’s at stake, and they’re gonna help. My wolves can be quiet when they want to, but they can also be pretty loud, too.” She laughed. “Don’t worry about them, you just worry about you.” Mira moved closer and put a hand on the boy’s back. “You make sure you get back to the Tower safely; there are a lot of people worried about you.”

  Watcher looked down at the wizard, an expression of determination on his face. “Don’t worry, you haven’t seen the last of me.”

  “Good,” Blaster said, “because I’d miss being part of your crazy plans. They always seem to involve mass numbers of monsters trying to eat our faces, and I always love that.”

  He gave Watcher an infectious smile, which made Watcher giggle, the laughter quickly spread throughout the cave as the group’s fear and dread morphed into determination.

  Once the laughter stopped, Watcher stood up in his stirrups and stared down at the NPCs, mechites, wolves and golems. “This isn’t over,” he said. “The only thing Krael accomplished here was to make me mad, and it’s a mistake to make a wizard mad.” He turned to Planter and nodded. “Let’s do it.”

  Gathering his magic, Watcher poured every bit of his power into Tharus’s cape. A tingling sensation spread across his body, slowly leaking into the mount beneath him. Planter gave him one last glance over her shoulder, though she wasn’t sure where to look; he and the mule were now invisible. She sighed, then lowered her shield.

  As the magical barrier faded, Watcher dug his heels into the mule, forcing it to sprint toward the cave entrance, the wolves right behind. The metal creatures quickly sprinted through the valley away from the villages, with Watcher following as quickly as he could.

  “The wizard is moving!” Krael shouted. “Everyone, look for that cowardly boy; he’s trying to get away.”

  “But what about the other NPCs?” another wither asked.

  “I don’t care about them.” The wither king’s voice grew louder, magically enchanted by the Crowns of Skulls. “Destroy Watcher first, we’ll deal with the puny villagers later.”

  Watcher smiled. The valley was dark, the magical cape hiding the iridescent glow coming from his body. Nearby, a howl cut through the air, followed by another one off to the right. Some of the monsters on the ground snarled at the sound, their clawed feet pounding the ground, anxious to find their prey.

  A flaming skull smashed to the ground behind Watcher, tearing into the hard stone ground … but it missed. It made Watcher laugh.

  “I hear you, boy-wizard.” Krael’s screechy voice filled the air.

  Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted the monster in the dark sky; the glow from the Crowns made him easy to see. Flying next to him was another wither, who had a feminine look, her shoulders brushing against Krael’s.

  That’s probably his wife, Watcher thought. He urged the mule to go faster; moving slow would mean death. He pushed the animal to its limit, the old mule’s breathing strained. After ten minutes of dodging flaming skulls, the valley opened up to a forest … perfect. Wolves howled in the distance, baiting the monsters to pursue them; some of the distorted creatures did just that.

  Watcher wove between gigantic spruce trees, trampling clusters of ferns under the mule’s hooves. Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted Krael and his wife in the air behind him. Far to the left, another wither moved into the dimming moonlight, but this one was much smaller than any of the others in the air. I remember someone saying something about a small wither … I just don’t remember what.

  Focusing on the task at hand, Watcher guided the mule around a cluster of mossy cobblestones, the speckled podzol soil around it dotted with brown mushrooms.

  Another barrage of flaming skulls smashed into the forest far to his left; the withers were now just firing randomly, hoping to hit him with a lucky shot.

  “I think we’ve gone far enough, my friend.” Watcher patted the animal on the neck. Then, releasing the reins, Watcher guided the animal with his knees as he reached into his inventory. Pulling out a long piece of rope and the Fossil Bow of Destruction, he tied the cord to the enchanted weapon. As he did, an explosion shattered a tree to his left, blocks of leaves falling in all directions.

  “I know you’re there, fool,” Krael screeched. “I can sense your presence! When the sun finishes rising, I’ll be able to see you, and then your cowardly retreat will be over.”

  Watcher glanced to the east. The horizon was glowing a warm orange, the glittering stars having been driven from the sky. Soon, the sun would be up.

  Do you think the cape will protect me in the full sunlight? Watcher’s thoughts shook with fear.

  The ancient wizards trapped within his weapons remained silent, which meant they weren’t sure … Great.

  Holding one end of the rope in his hand, the young wizard tossed the Bow behind him, letting the enchanted weapon clatter onto the ground, the rope spooling out until it dragged behind them by a dozen blocks. Reaching up, he removed his enchanted diamond helmet and held it in his hand.

  “Now we slow down and hope Krael’s aim is good,” he whispered to his mount. Relaxing his knees, Watcher let the animal slow from a gallop to a trot. He glanced at the eastern sky again; the sun was now peeking over the horizon, half of its yellow face shining down upon the land.

  “Here we go, boy.” The young wizard patted the mule on the neck reassuringly, then yelled as loud as he could, “Wither, your aim is as pathetic as your flying! I’m out here walking through the forest and you can’t even hit me with your skulls. The other withers must be laughing at your incompetence.”

  A scream of rage pierced the brightening sky. Watcher glanced over his shoulder and saw Krael glowing brighter than he’d ever seen before, using every drop of magic from the Crowns of Skulls.

  The young wizard swallowed nervously. Fear surged through Watcher’s body, pulsing through his veins like liquid fire. His heart pounded heavily in his chest, getting faster and faster.

  He glanced over his shoulder just as Krael fired, sending three skulls, each wreathed in bright blue flames, streaking down toward him. They looked as if they were heading straight for him.

  “Go, mule … go!” Watcher urged the terrified animal to a gallop.

  And then, close behind him, the explosion from the fireballs echoed through the land. The ground shook as if it had been hit by a giant meteor, sending a wave of heat washing over the mule and rider. Trees shattered, then instantly turned to ash. Blocks of podzol and stone and dirt flew into the air, then came hurtling down, pelting Watcher.

  Quickly, Watcher let go of the rope and threw his helmet backward over his shoulder as hard as he could. It clattered to the ground far behind, tumbling into the deep crater now carved into the ground. Grabbing the reins, Watcher slowed the mule, then brought it to a stop behind a thick spruce. Patting the animal on the neck, he moved his mouth near its upright ears and whispered. “We need to be quiet now, my friend.”

  Watcher held the reins firmly in his hands, keeping the mule hidden behind the dark tree trunk. Leaning forward, he peered around the spruce. Krael cautiously descended down to the treetops, his three skulls looking in all directions. He peered at the crater, its depths clogged with smoke and ash.

  “Someone go into this crater and see what’s at the bottom.” Krael glanced around, then gestured to another wither, the small one Watcher had
seen earlier. “You, Kobael, go down there and tell me what you see.”

  The tiny wither moved down to ground level, a frightened expression on each of its skulls as it flew over the crater, then disappeared into the hazy smoke.

  “Well … what do you see?” The wither king’s voice sounded anxious. “Tell me, fool, what’s down there?”

  The little monster floated back up into the air and stared up at his king. “There’s an enchanted diamond helmet, all covered with soot.”

  “Is that all? Speak! Your king commands it!”

  “There’s also something I’ve never seen before. It looks like a bow, but it’s made of what looks like ancient bone.”

  “That’s the Fossil Bow of Destruction.” Krael smiled. “I gave it to the skeleton warlord a long time ago, but that pathetic boy-wizard took it from him.”

  “So, if it’s here, in this crater,” the tiny wither floated up into the air, moving away from his king, “then that wizard must be—”

  “He’s dead!” Krael’s voice boomed across the landscape. “I killed the wizard.”

  The other withers cheered, shouting out their king’s name. Watcher watched, still hidden, as Krael glanced proudly at another monster, probably his wife. She smiled, then floated next to him, brushing her shoulder against his affectionately. On the ground, the distorted monsters arrived at the scene, their warped bodies easy to see in the morning light.

  I hope they can’t see us, Watcher thought.

  Remain still, Baltheron said quietly in his mind. They shouldn’t be able to see you, but they might smell you, so don’t move.

  The monsters gathered around the crater, many of them growling and snarling, their voices filled with a thirst for violence. Their numbers shocked Watcher—there were still far too many for Watcher’s army to fight. Either Blaster’s TNT hadn’t done as much damage as he’d hoped, or Krael had far more warriors than anyone suspected.

  One of the monsters, a giant spider with the head of a zombie and two skeleton arms, stepped away from the crater and took a step toward Watcher. The creature sniffed the air for a moment, then took a step closer.

  Oh, no, I think it can smell us.

  Don’t move. Baltheron’s thoughts were like thunder in Watcher’s mind.

  But it’s coming closer. I think I’m gonna make a run for it.

  NO!

  The monster took another step closer.

  It’s moving right toward me. It knows I’m here. We should run. Watcher was terrified.

  NO! If you run, they’ll hear and catch you.

  Watcher’s fear morphed into panic. I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna—

  Suddenly, from off to the north, a majestic howl pierced the forest, and the monsters grew silent, all of them turning toward the sound. The spider-zombie-skeleton-thing stopped and stood motionless. Another howl filled the air, but this time a second wolf added its voice to the song, then another and another and another, until there was a choir of wolves all howling as loud as possible.

  “The villagers must have escaped the cave.” Krael floated higher into the air, then turned toward the sound. “Don’t just stand there, you idiots, go get them!”

  The warped monster instantly moved to the north, chasing the sounds echoing through the forest. The terrible spider-thing glared in Watcher’s direction once more, then slowly turned and scuttled off toward the wolves, the animals still howling with pride.

  Watcher’s heart finally slowed, the fear igniting every nerve fading away. He’d done it … Krael thought he was dead.

  “Now we have an advantage,” Watcher whispered to himself. “I’m looking forward to seeing the wither king again, but this time on my terms and in a place of my choosing.”

  A quiet squeak caused him to turn to the right. Moving out from behind a bushy fern, Fixit sat atop an iron wolf. The mechite smiled at Watcher, holding a fist high in the air, and soon another wolf emerged from behind a bush, the mechite on its back also holding his fist over his head. Six more of the animals darted quickly through the forest and stopped next to Watcher and his mule, all of the mechites sitting proud and strong on the back of their wolves. Watcher knew these wolves had saved his life, and he would be forever grateful. Sitting up in his saddle, the young wizard held his fist over his head in response to the mechites.

  “Friends, it’s time we taught these monsters what happens when they mess with a wizard and his friends.”

  The mechites looked up at him and smiled, the wolves wagging their tails.

  “Follow me to the Wizard’s Tower, everyone. We have a battlefield to prepare.” Watcher smiled. “And I have a little surprise in mind for my friend Krael.”

  Yanking on the reins, Watcher pulled the mule around and headed for home, a circle of metallic protectors at his side.

  The tiny wither floated within the branches of a tall spruce tree, out of sight from the other withers and the king. Kobael knew Krael was insane, the wither king’s thirst to continue a war that ended many centuries ago had driven him mad. Yes, Kobael saw the insanity, yet he still followed Krael, for what else was a tiny wither to do? The only person who had ever cared about him had disappeared into the forest with the other villagers after being trapped in that cave; he’d never find Mira again.

  Krael floated high over the forest as his monsters searched for the escaped NPCs.

  “Why haven’t any of those monsters returned?” Krael turned to his wife. “They should have found those NPCs by now. Their wolves foolishly give away their position by howling.”

  “Perhaps the wolves were a ruse, husband.” Kora looked up at Krael with adoring eyes. “I think we may have been tricked.”

  “Are you telling me you think that foolish wizard rode out of that cave just to distract us, so the others could escape? I don’t believe it.” Krael’s eyes grew brighter as his frustration built. “A wizard would never sacrifice himself for a bunch of ordinary villagers.”

  “How do you know, husband, that the wizard was actually killed?” Kora asked.

  “We found his bow and his enchanted helmet.”

  “We? Who found them?”

  Krael glanced around at the withers floating in the air, then screamed, “Kobael, come to me, NOW!” Kobael took a deep breath and moved out from between the branches. With his heads hung low, he flew toward his king, fear enveloping his ashen bones.

  Why does he want me … does he think I know something about the wizards? Kobael’s thoughts were a maelstrom in his mind, all the terrible possibilities slamming into his soul at once. What if he thinks I was helping Mirthrandos, the ancient wizard who saved me so many centuries ago? The wither shivered with fright, then floated below his king, looking up at his terrifying skulls.

  “I am here, my king.” Kobael bowed.

  “My wife, Kora, is not convinced that pathetic wizard Watcher is dead.” Krael moved closer to the little wither. “Tell her what you saw.”

  Kobael glanced at Kora, the peaceful expressions on her three skulls easing his fear a bit. “When I made it through the smoke, I reached the bottom of the crater. Floating off the ground was the skeleton warlord’s bow, and—”

  “You mean the wither king’s bow.” Krael scowled at the tiny monster.

  “Yes, of course, I apologize, my king. I saw the wither king’s enchanted bow, as well as an enchanted diamond helmet. I could tell the helmet had powerful spells woven into it.”

  “And because of those two items, you proclaimed that Watcher was dead?” Kora now moved closer, the peaceful looks on her faces getting angrier.

  “All I did was report what I found.” Kobael swallowed nervously. “We know that wizard carried the bow and had enchanted armor; we all saw it.”

  “But what about the rest of his armor, or that magical sword he carried, or even his XP?” Kora now scowled at Kobael. “What about all that?”

  The diminutive monster lowered his heads. “I assumed they were destroyed by Krael’s overwhelming power. I only saw the helmet and
bow.” He slowly backed away from the king and his wife.

  “I’m not certain the boy-wizard is gone, my husband,” Kora said.

  “Of course, he’s gone … I destroyed him, my wife. I can sense it.” Krael’s bony chest puffed out with pride. “Withers, come closer. Your king has commands for you all.”

  The army of shadowy monsters moved closer, but Kobael drifted farther away, ducking amongst the tree branches and hiding in their shadows.

  “Brothers and Sisters, that fool of a wizard, Watcher, is finally dead, and now it’s time to punish the rest of the villagers.”

  The withers nodded, some smiling with evil glee.

  “We will exterminate every NPC and all their villages. And while we’re at it, we’ll flatten their forests and farms and grassy hills until the land is barren. The NPCs of the Far Lands will learn the penalty for disobedience to their king … me.”

  The withers screeched with excitement, some firing flaming skulls into the air.

  “And once we have destroyed the Far Lands, we’ll move inward, toward the Overworld, annihilating everything, until this world is a barren, lifeless wasteland. Then, once everything is dead on this plane of existence, we’ll go back to the Hall of Planes and move from world to world, destroying everything … everywhere. Soon, my friends, the Pyramid of Servers and all the worlds within it will belong to the withers, with each of you ruling your own world.”

  The flying monsters cheered louder.

  “But we need not try to do this with just this army.” Krael closed his eyes, and the Crowns of Skulls grew brighter and brighter until finally a blast of magical energy spread out in all directions. Like a glittering purple wave, the spell flew outward, washing over all the monsters, then continued to spread. Within the wave was a message from Krael: “Monsters, meet your king at the ancient church. That is where the last battle of the Great War will begin. Any monster who refuses this command will be destroyed.”

  Kobael was shocked by the message; the wither king was forming a massive army. It would be larger than any ever seen in Minecraft. The NPCs wouldn’t stand a chance.