“Quickly, get on the minecarts!” Crafter yelled. “If you’re the last one, break the track behind you . . . GO!”
The surviving villagers headed for the minecarts, Gameknight and his companions doing the same. Suddenly, a noise came from the cavern entrance. It was a terrible sound, like the yowl of a wounded, moaning cat. It was a sound made by a creature that was filled with unspeakable despair mixed with a thirst for vengeance on those who were happy and alive. Few ever heard this sound and lived, for it came from the most terrible of Nether creatures, a ghast.
Gameknight turned and saw a large white creature slowly float down from the cavern entrance. Nine long tentacles hung beneath the large, bone-white cube, each one writhing and bending, itching to grab hold of its next victim. This was not a normal monster. It was the biggest creature Gameknight had ever seen in Minecraft, much larger than the standard ghast. No . . . this was something different . . . something terrible. This horrific ghast was the King of the Nether—this was Malacoda.
Gameknight was petrified with fear. This was the most terrifying creature he’d ever seen, and easily made Erebus seem like a child’s toy. This monster was the incarnation of hopelessness and despair tied together with the rusty wires of anger and hatred. This was the face that nightmares feared; this was the face of terror.
The moans from Malacoda brought an eerie silence to the room. The villagers turned toward the sound, and their mouths fell open in shock. They had never seen such a terrifying thing in their lives, and it instantly caused all of them to panic. NPCs collided with NPCs as they all bolted for the minecarts, almost climbing on each other in an effort to escape.
The King of the Nether struck out at one of the remaining villagers, throwing a gigantic fireball at the hapless victim and engulfing the doomed soul in a firestorm that mercifully consumed his HP in mere seconds.
Malacoda laughed. “Ha ha ha ha,” the ghast boomed. “Now that one went up quick.”
Scanning the chamber for his next victim, Malacoda launched a fireball at another NPC, then another, and another, until his burning red eyes fell on Crafter, Gameknight, and Hunter, and stopped his attack. The villagers took advantage, those remaining jumping into minecarts and escaping, leaving the three comrades to face the King of the Nether.
“Now what do we have here?” his glowing red eyes scanned Crafter with meticulous care. “A child who is more than a child . . . this is interesting.” His malicious voice filled the chamber as he pointed at Crafter with one of his serpentine tentacles. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“You won’t get a crafter from this village, demon!” Crafter yelled back at the monster.
“Is that so?” Malacoda said.
He flicked his tentacles toward a group of blazes. The burning creatures slowly floated toward the trio, sparks and ash flying from their glowing bodies.
“Quickly, to the minecarts,” Crafter said. “I’ll go last. They won’t shoot any fireballs and risk hitting me.”
Taking three quick steps, Hunter leaped into a minecart and shot down the tunnel. Then Gameknight and Crafter jumped into the last minecart, just as Malacoda fired a huge fireball at the tunnel, hoping to cut off their escape. Their minecart sped down the tracks just ahead of the incendiary ball, the back of the tunnel erupting in explosive flame. The tunnel collapsed just behind their minecart, thankfully sealing it off.
They’d escaped, but just barely.
As they sped down the tracks, Gameknight could hear the ear-splitting screams of frustration from Malacoda, the ghast king yelling at the top of his lungs.
“I’LL GET YOU YET . . .”
Invasion of the Overworld Page 16
