The True Hero: A Minecraft Story

Chapter 6: Close Encounter

"Why are you away from the water?"
Firea led Alex on a small cliff in the side of the mountain, it looked like a cave missing it's right wall. Where the right wall would be, instead was part of the massive waterfall leading down to the large pond below.
Alex was walking straight with a gentle mist cooling his body while Firea on the other hand was walking right up against the left cave wall, completely avoiding any mist.
"The cool water, it hurts me."
Alex stretched his arms out taking a deep breath while his jacket flapped in the wind,
"So how do you drink?"
"I drink either really, really hot water that would normally burn someone badly, or, lava."
Alex walked back more towards Firea and smiled, "I really appreciate you helping me, thanks again"
Firea let out a tiny smile as they came to the end of this smooth cliff-cave.
* * *
After a while more of climbing and occasional small-talk, Alex and Firea came about 20 blocks from the top.
"Hey what's that light up there?"
Alex pointed at the very top of the mountain where an odd glow was coming from.
Firea took a couple deep breaths,
"An old man lives up there but I'm not sure why there would be lights on during the day... Let's check it out"
After slowly climbing further up, the two came to the flat stone top on the mountain, and then they saw why there was a bright light.
At the end of the flat stone top was a dark-wooden shack, and it was on fire.
Firea ran ahead to the bright fire.
Alex ran after her and they both sprinted towards the flames.
"What's with this fire..."
The entrance to the shack was a wooden door but it had fire blocking it.
They stopped at the edge of the fire and they could hear screams of pain.
Firea knelt down and started absorbing the fire and just as it was low enough to enter the doorway, Alex leaped and hurried in.
"Help..."
Alex could see a lot of thick smoke and a wooden room illuminated by the fire on the walls and ceiling.
He turned his head and saw an old, sweaty man lying on the ground with dark wood on his lap, obviously too much for him to lift.
Alex looked up and realized based on the hole in the ceiling, the wood must've come from the roof.
He rushed over and grabbed one side of the wood. He lifted as hard as he could and the wood didn't budge.
A loud creaking sound shook the house as pieces of wood started to fall from the ceiling.
"Erm!"
Alex tried again and could feel beads of sweat on his head, from the weight of the wood, and from the heat.
"...Boy..."
He continued to try and lift as part of the wall caved in right around him.
"Boy!..."
Alex looked down at the old man,
"Leave me lad... you can't lift this.."
Alex shook his head,
"I won't leave you!"
The old man leaned back, "You'll die trying to save a stranger."
Alex heaved with bigger breaths as smoke started to fill the room and said,
"So be it."
The old man groaned,
"Please leave me, you are young, and very brave... I can feel more amount of Aura in you than anyone I have ever met, use your power wisely my young lad."
Alex felt puzzled and kept trying to lift the wood as a piece of flaming wood fell and hit his leg.
"Boy, as my dying words, leave. Please"
Alex brushed off the piece of wood and took a step to the side.
He looked at the old man for a second and then nodded,
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you..."
The house started collapsing as he ran out the flame-engulfed doorway.
He jumped a little and ran away from the shack as the whole house collapsed on itself.
"Alex!!"
He twisted around until he saw a tall iron-armored man with his arm around Firea, and his other arm had a bucket of water in it.
He doused the water onto Firea, and Alex could see that she was in pain as the water quickly turned to steam and her fire shrunk to tiny blue flames, "Aaah!!"