Herobrine stood before his three leaders and smiled. He had created all of these with his artificially intelligent viral powers, altering the lines of Minecraft code to suit his own needs. They were each unique and magnificent. Erebus, the king of the Endermen, had been given a thirst for destruction and the desire to make all NPCs suffer. Shaikulud has been created to control all the other spiders and force them to do Herobrine’s will. Her obedience to his commands was a powerful tool. And lastly, Oxus, the king of the creepers, was given part of Herobrine’s intelligence, so that he could make the rest of the creepers a little smarter and more vicious. Each had a different aspect of the virus’s personality, and together, the three of them were surely invincible.
“It is time for me to divulge my battle plans, as each of you have a critical part to play,” Herobrine explained.
“How is it that this gigantic cavern happens to be under the four mountains you call Dragon’s Teeth?” Oxus asked, his body glowing bright as he spoke.
“There are caverns all across Minecraft,” Herobrine explained. “A creeper that spends most of his time underground should know this.”
“But these caverns have a sulfurous smell to them,” Oxus continued.
“It’s from the lava,” Herobrine replied.
“The lava?” Oxus asked suspiciously. The creeper king glanced at Erebus and Shaikulud, then back to Herobrine. “And where are the rest of the creepers I left with you?”
“Sadly, they perished in a battle with that blacksmith,” Herobrine lied.
He didn’t want the creeper king to know how many of his subjects he’d used to create all the zombie-towns.
“The vile NPC figured out a way to cause the creepers to detonate. He ignited them by the hundreds, and then just stood there and watched them explode. We collected their gunpowder, but it was a tragic atrocity that will be avenged.”
Oxus moved to the corner of the chamber and found a large pile of gunpowder. He allowed all of the gray powder to fall into his inventory. Herobrine smiled as the creeper king returned; the foolish king didn’t realize that was the gunpowder that had been left behind after the creepers had carved this massive zombie-town out of the flesh of Minecraft. Even with Herobrine’s added intelligence, creepers were still pretty dumb.
“Our battle with the blacksmith and his NPCs draws near,” Herobrine explained. “Each of you will have a critical part to play in this battle.”
Herobrine moved to stand in front of the king of the Endermen.
“Erebus, you will command the main force against the NPCs. You will have all the zombies and skeletons and most of the spiders.” He moved to Shaikulud. “Spider queen, you will take your best fighters around the edge of the battle. You are to find that old hag and destroy her. I fear that her presence threatens what we wish to accomplish for the monsters of Minecraft. She must be destroyed!”
His eyes glowed bright with anger as he thought about the ancient woman.
“And what of the creepers?” Oxus asked.
Herobrine’s anger slowly receded, his eyes dimming.
“Ah, yes, the creepers,” the Maker said. “Your part is the most important. While we distract them by battling with the villagers from the north, you are to lead your creepers south, across that obsidian bridge, and sneak up behind the villagers. You will have your creepers charge forward until your monsters are standing shoulder to shoulder with the villagers, then they are to all detonate at once.” Herobrine’s eyes began glowing again. “With your hundreds of creepers, none of the villagers will survive. It guarantees our success.”
“But … not for my creepers,” Oxus objected.
“Did I not create you from nothing?” Herobrine roared.
“Yes, Maker.”
“And did you not pledge yourself to me, to do as I commanded?” Herobrine added.
“Yes, Maker,” Oxus hissed, his body keeping its bright glow.
“Then you will do as I command,” Herobrine said. “I could always replace you with another creeper king. Is that necessary?”
“No, Maker,” Oxus replied meekly, his head lowered. “I will do as you command.”
“I knew you would,” Herobrine replied with a wry smile.
Closing his eyes for a moment, Herobrine teleported to the entrance of the small room.
“I will send an Enderman to you when it is time for your monsters to move out,” he said as he glared at the three leaders. “Do you all understand your responsibilities?”
The monster kings and queen nodded their heads.
“Good, see that your troops are ready. Victory is at hand!” Herobrine laughed a malicious laugh as he disappeared, then materialized atop one of the Dragon’s Teeth. “Soon, blacksmith, all of your pitiful villagers will be destroyed, and there will be nothing to stop me from spreading across the Overworld, destroying everything as I go until there is nothing left.” He laughed again, this time his cackles making the very fabric of Minecraft cringe.
CHAPTER 27
OXUS
Gameknight stepped carefully out of the birch forest and across the stone clearing that led to Dragon’s Teeth. He had to hide in a tree for an hour as a squad of zombies moved through the forest on a routine patrol. But rather than do a good job at searching for intruders, the monsters just found a shady spot to rest and complain about the cramped conditions in the zombie-town. Eventually, the monsters left, allowing Gameknight to descend from the leafy canopy and proceed toward his destination.
He could easily spot the mountain with the lava running down the side. The fiery light from the molten stone shaded everything in a warm orange glow, even in the sunlight. Opposite this peak, Gameknight saw another rocky spire whose side was covered with water. That must be the one.
Stepping out of the forest, he moved carefully into the open, the golden zombie armor he now wore, complete with shining gold helmet, reflecting the afternoon sun, throwing spots of light down around him on the stone ground. He had the urge to sprint from cover to cover, but the User-that-is-not-a-user knew that would instantly give him away. Instead, he tried to copy the motion of the other zombies.
Holding his arms out in front of him, he shuffled forward, stiff-legged, and moved clumsily across the open terrain, toward the water-drenched mountain. At one point, a group of zombies looked at him. He turned his chest just the smallest amount to reflect the sun off his metallic chest plate and into the faces of the decaying monsters. They turned away, rather than continue to stare into the bright reflection, their curiosity defeated by the inconvenient glare of the sun.
When he reached the back of the mountain, Gameknight lowered his arms and crouched. He was certain that none of the monsters could see him. With the gold sword still in his hand, the User-that-is-not-a-user sprinted around the perimeter of the Tooth, looking for the cave. As he rounded the back, an orange light could be seen spilling out onto the rocky ground. Instantly, he knew it was lava and that he had to move carefully; it would be a bad time to try swimming in the molten stone.
Approaching the glowing spot, Gameknight saw the light was coming from a cave that had been carved into the side of the mountain. In a crouch, the User-that-is-not-a-user approached slowly, trying to step as quietly as possible. In the clunky gold armor, it was difficult; the metallic plating clanked against each other, no matter how carefully he moved.
Cautiously, he crept to the edge of the cave and peered inside. It seemed empty. A stream of lava fell from the ceiling, forming a small pool in the far corner of the chamber. The walls and floor were uneven, as if formed by detonated TNT, and there were pockets and alcoves masked in shadows.
Putting aside his golden sword, Gameknight drew his iron and diamond blades, then stepped into the cave. There was no creeper king anywhere in sight. He moved to the back of the chamber and checked the shadowy corners. As he searched, Gameknight noticed the walls had become illuminated with flickering blue and red light.
“Creepers have an incredible sense of smell,” a h
issing voice said from behind.
Gameknight turned and found the creeper king, Oxus, standing in the entrance to the cave.
“I was able to smell you before you entered this cave,” the sparkling creeper said. “Well, not really smell, but I noticed the absence of stink around you. These decaying zombies have such a terribly foul odor about them, but you lack that stench. So, I knew you weren’t a zombie, even though you wore that useless armor.”
The creeper took a step closer and began to glow, as if getting ready to explode.
“I did not come here to fight with you, Oxus,” Gameknight said.
“So, you know my name,” the creeper king replied. “By the look of your two swords, I can only assume I have the honor of facing Smithy, the blacksmith I’ve heard so much about.”
Gameknight nodded.
“So you say you are not here to kill me,” Oxus said.
“No, I’ve come to talk with you,” Gameknight replied. “You know a huge battle looms on the horizon and will be upon us soon.”
“Of course,” the creeper hissed. “So what?”
“I don’t think you want to participate in this foolishness, Oxus,” Gameknight said. “You know Herobrine treats your creepers as if they were disposable.”
“As do your villagers,” the creeper king snapped.
“Only when we are threatened,” Gameknight replied. “Herobrine has already destroyed hundreds and hundreds of your creepers.” He tapped the tip of his iron sword on the cavern wall. “How do you think he made this cave? Look at the shape. He ignited one of your creepers to carve this out of the mountain.”
“What of it?” the creeper asked, his glowing body slowly dimming.
“He did the same with the zombie-town that I’m sure is under Dragon’s Teeth. But he did not stop there. Herobrine created many zombie-towns all across the Overworld, and he forced your creepers to detonate to make these caverns. He did it without any consideration of the lives he was extinguishing.” Gameknight took a step closer, lowering his swords. “Your Maker is destroying your subjects just to satisfy his violent appetite, and you know it! He will likely sacrifice your creepers to destroy the villagers, and yet you still follow him. That makes you as bad as Herobrine.”
The creeper glared at Gameknight999, the accusation making the monster glow bright with rage. Gradually, Oxus calmed down and allowed his ignition process to slowly reverse.
“I could easily call for the zombies to capture you,” the creeper king said. “If I were to give you over to Herobrine, I would be a hero.”
“But do you think that would stop the war?” Gameknight asked. “You know just as well as I do that Herobrine would continue with his plan, which would lead to the pointless destruction of your creepers.” Now he had to gamble. “I bet his plan is to send your creepers across the bridge, to sneak up behind the NPCs army … am I right?”
The creeper king looked at Gameknight in shock and amazement.
“I thought so,” the User-that-is-not-a-user added. “He will destroy all your followers just to satisfy his lust for violence. Is that what you want? Are you really like him? Do you care so little for your own kind?”
“Hmm …” Oxus mused. He gazed at the ground and considered Gameknight’s words.
“I know you question the logic behind this war,” Gameknight stated.
“Really … and what else do you think you know?” Oxus asked.
“That you have found a series of tunnels under a massive volcano,” Gameknight guessed; he hoped he was right. “The lava that flows down the side of this mountain spills into the ocean. You are planning on building your creeper hive under this mountain. In a huge cavern deep underground, you store the gunpowder from the older creepers that give the last bit of their lives to enlarge the hive.”
“How could you know this, blacksmith?” the creeper king snapped.
Gameknight smiled.
“I know much,” he said as he put away his swords.
Oxus looked surprised as Gameknight put away his weapons, then took off the stinking gold armor and tossed it to the ground, while still keeping the golden helmet on his head.
“You are not like Herobrine,” the User-that-is-not-a-user said. “Violence and suffering is not what you crave. Peace and solitude is all that you want; a place where the young creepers can gnaw at the coal ore in the walls until their white spots fill in with black; a place where you can honor your ancestors and live a quiet life without violence and suffering.” He took a step closer to the creeper. “Yes, Oxus, king of the creepers, I know much about you.”
“How can you know these things?” the monster replied in shock.
“If I were to explain, you would not understand,” Gameknight said. “But you must believe me when I say you must leave this place with your creepers, and go hide under that hill in your creeper hive.”
“Why should I trust you?” Oxus asked. “Maybe you are trying to lure my creepers into a trap.”
“I will show you why you should trust me.” Gameknight reached up and removed his helmet, then tossed it aside.
“You … you’re not a villager … you’re something else,” Oxus said in shock.
“I’m a user, the first user in Minecraft, and I share this secret with you so that you’ll believe my words,” Gameknight said. “None of the villagers know that I’m not the blacksmith, Smithy. He was killed in the battle with the zombie king. I’ve been posing as him to keep them together and keep them fighting against Herobrine and his war of insanity. If they knew I was a fraud, the NPC army would fall apart and Herobrine would win. That evil virus could sweep across Minecraft, destroying everything, and the villagers could do nothing to stop him.”
Oxus began to pace back and forth across the entrance to the cave, his body glowing bright, then becoming dim again as he contemplated this revelation.
“You now have the power to destroy thousands of lives and be just like Herobrine,” Gameknight said. “Or you can be a creature that values life. It’s your choice to make.”
Oxus took a step toward Gameknight999, but the User-that-is-not-a-user held his ground and did not retreat. The creeper came closer and closer until he brushed past him and moved to the back of the chamber.
“You have given me much to consider,” Oxus said. “I have decided that I will not call the guards. You are free to go while I consider your words.”
“Will you take your creepers away from this battle?” Gameknight asked.
“I have not decided,” the creeper king replied. “You will know when the battle starts.”
“Fair enough,” he replied.
“It is time for you to leave,” the creeper said.
“There is one more thing,” Gameknight said. “In the future, we will meet again. I won’t know we have met before and will be confused, but you should believe me when I tell you that I have never see you before.”
The creeper king looked confused, but allowed him to continue.
“You must give me a message,” Gameknight said, remembering what Oxus had said to him in the treasure room of the creeper hive. “You must tell me these words, exactly as I say them.”
“Fine, I’ll play your game, user.” Oxus said. “Tell me.”
“You must say, ‘Have faith in yourself, and don’t worry what other people think. You must do what is right for those you care about, even if it means stepping aside for another to lead. Friends and family are more important, and sometimes the sword is not the answer.’ Now repeat it to me.”
The monster repeated the words multiple times until Gameknight was satisfied.
“We need not be enemies, Oxus. We can choose the path we wish to follow,” Gameknight said. “Sometimes, the sword is not the answer.”
“Perhaps,” the monster replied.
Bending down, Gameknight retrieved the golden armor and put it on again. The zombie stench on it almost made him gag, but he forced himself to don the stinking disguise.
“When we see each
other again,” Gameknight repeated, “we need not be enemies.”
The creeper did not answer; he just stared at him, waiting for him to leave. Gameknight nodded farewell, then turned and moved to the cave opening.
“Wait, if you are not Smithy of the Two-Swords, then what is your name?” the king of the creepers asked.
“I’m Gameknight999, the User-that-is-not-a-user,” he replied, then turned and headed for the Midnight Bridge.
CHAPTER 28
ROLLING THE DICE
Gameknight moved quickly and quietly through the birch forest. He could see the sun getting lower and lower in the sky, and he really didn’t want to be out here in the darkness with all these monsters nearby. After all, nighttime was monster time in Minecraft.
He wove around the white-barked trees, sprinting as fast as he could with the cumbersome armor restricting his motion. The gold zombie disguise creaked and clanked as he moved, making enough noise to wake the dead, but fortunately for him, the moans of the zombies and clattering of the skeletons was easily drowning out the sound.
Glancing over his shoulder, he could no longer see Dragon’s Teeth, as the trees and hills were now blocking his view. It allowed him to relax just a bit.
“I’m probably far enough away to get rid of this,” he muttered to himself.
Gratefully, he took off the putrid armor and cast it into a bush, then put on his dark brown leather armor … well, it wasn’t really his, it was Smithy’s. It was big armor to wear, and earlier, he hadn’t really been sure if he could fill it … or even if he should. Gameknight hated living this lie, posing as Smithy and deceiving the people that had now become his friends. But at that moment, in that desert battle in the narrow mountain pass, the User-that-is-not-a-user hadn’t had time to think; all he’d had time to do was react and help those that needed it. And at that moment, in the heat of battle, the villagers had needed Smithy more than they needed Gameknight999. They still did.
Attack of the Shadow-Crafters Page 14
