by Terry Mayer
Standing in the clearing are thousands of Creepers, and every eye is turned towards him. He expected devastation, with the bodies of the other competitors blown to pieces, not this quiet army just waiting for him.
Immediately the Creepers start to run on the spot, raising clouds of dust into the air.
Munster screams, blocking the opening with cobblestone, he jumps from his perch and runs towards the tunnel that PowerGlide had gone to explore. Before he can reach the entrance the cobblestone in the doorway explodes in 6 separate detonations as the Creepers attack the temple, and he is thrown to the floor.
Picking himself up, he sees a large hole in the wall, and through the hole the army of Creepers start their advance on his position.
Screaming for PowerGlide to come and help, he quickly blocks the entrance to the tunnel with cobblestone and runs 20 blocks before turning and blocking the tunnel again. Just as he places his last block in the second barrier the Creepers attack the first, blowing a hole in the wall and more Creepers push through the opening.
Turning once more Munster dashes another 20 blocks and builds a quick cobblestone wall, blocking the tunnel, but already he can hear the last barrier exploding. Looking about franticly, he spots a large wooden entrance at the end of the corridor with PowerGlide standing in the opening. Running half way down the corridor, he stops to build another barrier and shouts over his shoulder for PowerGlide to find a way out. As he finishes, he turns and finds that PowerGlide has gone and where he was stood in the doorway there is now a cobblestone wall.
"NOOOO!!!" screams Munster as he dashes the last few blocks to where the doorway once stood. Removing his pickaxe he starts to break cobblestone as the last barrier explodes behind him in a storm of dust and stone. Glancing over his shoulder he pauses momentary as dozens of Creepers push their way through the opening and start the short run towards him.
Franticly digging now, he breaks cobblestone, only to find another wall behind this one.
"PowerGlide. Boss, help, the Creepers are almost here," he screams as he continues to break blocks, only to find more blocking his way. "Boss, boss, help."
As he raises his pickaxe over his head it hits something behind him and as he turns the last thing that he see's is a Creeper lunging at him.
*****
Looking out the doorway PowerGlide immediately assesses the situation. Creepers must have broken through the front entrance. Munster must have bought it in that explosion, poor fool. Backing out of the doorway he is surprised to hear Munster's voice, shouting down the corridor and getting closer. Stepping back through the doorway he watches as Munster dashes down the corridor stopping to build a cobblestone wall across the tunnel. As Munster places the last block, PowerGlide can't help but notice that the tunnel beyond is full of Creepers moving in his direction. You idiot Munster, you're bringing them straight towards me.
Stepping back into the room he removes cobblestone from his inventory and starts to block the entrance. Once complete, he builds the wall another 4 blocks deep across the opening. Should just about give me enough time, he thinks as he dashes back across the room to the wall with the black mark.
Looking up at the mark on the wall he gulps and wonders where exactly this glitch will take him. Maybe just the other side of the wall or maybe somewhere else, anything is possible in the game.
He is just about to make his move when the canon sounds.
BOOM. The canon sound explodes in the air and then the thunderous voice announces...
The sixth competitor has been eliminated. Munster has not proven worthy. Six competitors remain. Continue the tournament.
Sorry Munster, but it's everyman for himself, he thinks, steeping up to the glitch and then walking straight through.
The blocked opening to the room explodes in a storm of dust and stone as dozens of Creepers rush into the room, expecting to find their next victim, but only finding an empty space. After a few minutes of pushing and shoving they slowly wander off, once again leaving the room empty.
*****
3 - Into The Dark
"So where now Jethro?"
"I have no idea Nathan. How about you Natasha, do you have a plan?"
Looking back at the other two, Natasha stops and turns to face them. "No idea guys. To be honest I'm surprised we are even still alive."
"Yes, I quite understand my dear. That was a little too close for comfort. If not for Hailey and her Ocelots we would have been 'toast.' I do believe that is the correct term for this situation?"
Laughing despite himself, Nate slaps Jethro on the back and replies, "Yeah J-Dog. You rock man."
"Well thank you for your vote of confidence Nathan," he replies smiling at Nate, "but we really need to decide what to do next. I rather fear that wandering through this jungle, even with these wonderful Ocelots is simply too dangerous an occupation to contemplate."
"Oh Jethro," moans Nate, slapping his forehead.
"What? What have I done?"
"Nothing J-Dog, you're just being the normal awesome you," laughs Nate, giving Jethro a hug.
"Well Nathan, who else would I be? Now, any ideas, anyone? No. Ok then. Well I suggest we place as much distance between ourselves and those Creepers as possible, moving Easterly whenever possible then we should be able to meet the others at the jungle temple before nightfall."
"Way to go J-Dog. That's what I'm talking about."
"But you're not talking about anything Nathan?"
"Jethro, just lead on," laughs Natasha.
"Ok, then off we go."
BOOM. The canon sound explodes in the air and then the thunderous voice announces...
The sixth competitor has been eliminated. Munster has not proven worthy. Six competitors remain. Continue the tournament.
"Well I guess we know how that ended for them, I wonder how PowerGlide's getting on," laughs Nate.
"Nathan! They are still people, just like us. You should not be happy when you hear that someone has died," admonishes Jethro.
"Take a chill pill J-Dog. They may be human, but just a few minutes ago they were trying to kill us, and this is just a game, so I'm going to celebrate if I want to."
"Nate, honey, what Jethro is saying is that they are still players, just like us. Sucked into this game against their will. They may be trying to kill us but they're still human, just like us, in this inhuman creation."
"Quite so Natasha. Now Nathan, I won't dispute that we will kill anyone who tries to kill us, but we should not gloat about their misfortune. A time will come when we will have to face the very same reality, yes?"
"I guess so Jethro. It's just so hard to run and fight and then feel sorry for the people that we are running from."
"True, very true Nathan but we are human and we need to rise above those emotions if we hope to not only survive but get home with our sanity intact."
"Sanity Jethro? Really, in this insane world you can still speak of sanity?"
"Yes of course Natasha. Whatever happens here will carry on with us in the real world, if we ever make it back there, and I for one would like to go home knowing that I played but was never coerced into being someone or something that I am not."
"Yeah, I guess your right. If I go home, and I really hope we all do, and have to remember killing someone for fun I don't think I will be able to live with myself."
"Exactly my point Natasha. So Nathan, do you understand now?"
"Yeah I guess so. If we have to kill to survive this game then fine but let's not become animals while we are doing it."
"Exactly Nathan, exactly."
*****
Falling through the air, Warlord has no time to consider his options before he plunges into a river and is swept away into darkness. Moving in the rapidly moving stream Warlord suddenly realizes his incredible fortune, landing in water after being chased by overwhelming numbers of Zombies and Endermen. Yes, happy days, he briefly thinks before slamming into a wall and nearly knocking himself unconscious.
Reaching into his inventory he pulls a torch and places it above the level of water and immediately his surroundings come into focus. He is in a vast chamber, with the river flowing through the middle. What he originally mistook for a wall is in fact a huge iron grate, stopping anything larger than a rat from flowing under it and onto who knows where.
Pulling himself against the current he moves along the grate to the edge of the river, and pulls himself from the flow. Looking around he realizes for the first time the immense size of the room he is now standing in. The torch light does not even reach the ceiling, it is so high and no walls can be seen from where he stands. The river flows through the iron grate, built into a small mound of stone about 10 blocks high and 3 blocks wide, in the centre of the room.
Hearing noises behind him he turns and is shocked to see dozens of Zombies flowing along the river, coming straight towards his present location. Franticly looking around for an escape route his eyes light on the iron grate. Removing a length of string from his inventory he quick ties it to the top of the grate nearest dry land then grabbing his pickaxe jumps back into the river. He is immediately dragged up against the grate where he immediately starts hammering at it with the pickaxe, looking over his shoulder at the fast approaching Zombies.
Just as the first Zombie arrives with the current the iron grate breaks and he flows into the opening, closely followed by a hoard of moaning Zombies. As he flows deeper into the opening the string goes taught and he is pulled to the side of the tunnel, out of the flow of the water, and the first Zombie sails past him with arms outstretched.
A little close there Warlord, he thinks, as another dozen Zombies flow past, all reaching out, desperate to grab hold and devour him, but unable to break free from the current.
Time passes in a blur of bodies, all reaching out and all wailing their displeasure as they are swept past Warlord into the darkness. After what seems like hours Warlord suddenly notices a difference in the tunnel. Looking around he realizes that he is alone, all the Zombies have been washed down river. With a resigned shrug, he pulls himself along the string, back out of the tunnel into the vast chamber. Shivering slightly, not from the cold but from the constant attack on his sanity, he pulls himself from the river and freezes.
Standing before him, spaced in a semi circle are seven Endermen. All stare malevolently at him. Quickly averting his eyes, Warlord edges towards the stone mound, trying to find a last place to make his stand. The Endermen glitter, puffing small amounts of purple dust, but do not move from their positions.
Gaining the mound without any confrontation Warlord removes his pickaxe and digs away 4 blocks making a small opening with a overhang above his head. Just as he is about to step inside an Enderman disappears in a cloud of sparkling purple dust and appears just inches away and peers into Warlords face.
Squeezing his eyes closed Warlord inches backwards, praying that the Enderman will not attack. Bumping into a solid object Warlord screams and whirls around, opening his eyes, expecting to be attacked, but instead he finds himself facing a stone wall. Realizing that he had successfully inched his way into his defensive nook without coming under attack emboldens him, and as he removes his sword from his inventory he risks a quick peek into the cavern.
The Endermen are still surrounding his position with three of them pressed up against the opening to his nook blocking any possible escape. Hey, wait a minute, they can't bend down to get me, and if I don't look them in the eyes they can't attack either, he thinks. Smiling wickedly, he swings his sword in a wide arc, cutting through the legs of all three Endermen blocking his defensive nook. The first two disappear in a cloud of purple smoke but the third has been caught off guard and as Warlord reverses his swing he sends a deadly blow slicing through the remaining Enderman. In a purple cloud the Enderman disappears leaving a Enderpearl floating in its place.
Quickly grabbing the Enderpearl, Warlord settles in against the wall of his nook and contemplates on what to do next.
BOOM. The canon sound explodes in the air and then the thunderous voice announces...
The sixth competitor has been eliminated. Munster has not proven worthy. Six competitors remain. Continue the tournament.
"Ha, Munster couldn't hack it. Good riddance," he shouts into the vast cavern. The Endermen stir but do not approach him. "Yeah, and you lot can shove off too!" he yells in their direction but receives no response. "Whatever," he mumbles and he settles back, wondering how he is going to get out of this situation.
*****
"So what now Jay?"
"What do you mean Hailey?"
"Well there's this huge Ender Dragon standing in front of us, maybe that could give you a hint?"
"Oh right, yeah, the dragon."
"You think? Come on Jay, we've hatched and grown the dragon, just like you said, although I would like to point out that you forgot to mention that it would try to eat us before we tamed it. So, now what?"
"Yeah, sorry about the eating you part Hailey, guess I never really thought it through. Anyway, what's important is we are both ok and we have our own, fully grown ENDER DRAGON. I mean look at it, it's huge."
"She is kind of beautiful in a deadly sort of way."
"She?"
"Yeah, she. Look at her, nothing that beautiful and powerful could be a boy."
"Really? I would have thought you would have compared it to Zac Efron or Taylor Lautner. I read somewhere that they are considered beautiful and powerful."
"Oh, Zac Efron's pretty cute but she isn't cute," says Hailey, turning to look at the Ender Dragon, "she's magnificent. If she was a cute boy she would be all shinny and vain and just different."
Looking at the dragon contemplatively, Jay replies. "You know what, you're right. She has a terrifying beauty that can only be female. So, what are you going to call her?"
BOOM. The canon sound explodes in the air and then the thunderous voice announces...
The sixth competitor has been eliminated. Munster has not proven worthy. Six competitors remain. Continue the tournament.
"Man, this tournament is starting to wind down. Just six people left."
"I know Jay, what are you going to do?"
"Try to stay alive, I suppose. After that I don't really know."
"Well, we can worry about that later, right now we have a dragon to name. So, who are you, hmm, how about Hydra?"
"Hydra, what's that mean?"
"It's the name of the water dragon that Hercules killed."
"Nah, she's not a water dragon. Oh I know, how about Draco, it's Latin for dragon." With an ear splitting roar the dragon bends forward and stares menacingly at Jay. "Uh Hailey. Help."
Laughing, Hailey replies. "It's totally your own fault Jay."
"Why, what did I do?"
"You suggested the name Draco, it's a masculine name. See, I told you she was female."
"Cool, I'll let you do the naming but could you please call her off."
"Come on Medousa, leave the poor boy alone."
Raising it's head away from Jay the dragon moves to Hailey's side and blows a little puff of smoke from it's nostrils before returning to the floor at the far side of the room.
"Cool, I guess her name is Medousa. Way to go Hailey. What's it mean?"
"It's Greek for guardian and I think that's what she will be for us. Our Guardian Dragon. So we've named her, what next Jay?"
"Now the real fun begins, we get to fly."
"Wow, for real. Totally cool."
"Yeah I know. We need a saddle and a carrot on a stick to steer with."
"Are you serious? We steer a magnificent beast like Medousa here with a carrot on a stick. Seriously Jay, she's not a donkey."
"I know Hailey, but this is Minecraft and that was obviously someone's idea of a joke. It was a while ago when I played it so let's hope it's been upgraded because we don't have time to start a garden and grow carrots."
"Yeah, so we need a saddle, you know how to make one?"
"Nope, but I'm gues
sing whoever left these eggs also left a saddle, take a look in the secret room and see what's in there Hailey."
Moving to the entrance of the secret room, Hailey gives Medousa a shove and she moves away from the opening. Looking inside she gives a squeal of delight. "Jay, there's three saddles, another egg and a chest. Give me a hand to open it."
Running over to the chest Jay opens it and they both stare inside with a look of wonder on their faces. At the bottom of the chest lie's an open bag with what can only be diamonds spilling out. "Diamonds are a girls best friend," squeals Hailey grabbing the bag from the chest. "What's in the other one Jay?"
Reaching into the chest Jay removes the bag and looks inside and with a grown he looks at Hailey and says, "you're not going to like it Hailey but it's what we need."
"What is it Jay?"
"Carrots!"
"Oh no, my noble beast is being treated no better than a donkey."
Laughing, Jay replies, "yeah maybe, but at least we can now fly."
"Cool. Grab that other egg and the saddles Jay, no point in leaving them here for someone else to find. Now, lets go see what it's like to fly a Dragon."
*****
4 - Herobrine vs Notch
In abject horror, Notch stares at himself in the mirror. A blocky avatar with glowing white eyes, familiar to all Minecraft fans, stares back at him.
"What do you mean, let the games begin?"
