Free the End

55 [Sticky Situation]

Bad poked the fishing rod away from him and the strider jerked into motion. "Go little buddy! Run! Oh my goodness!"

He went towards George and the ghast, to try and help him away from it as the huge white blob lifted out of the lava. The trailing tentacles wiggled like a jellyfish as it screamed and opened its eyes and mouth into gaping holes and a giant fireball shot out and flew over Bad's head at Sapnap.

George screeched again and swam as fast as he could. Bad rode forward. "GEORGE!" George was kicking like crazy to get to him. Bad heard Sapnap yell "FUCK!" behind him, but he was almost to George.
"GEORGE GRAB ON!" Bad stretched a hand down as far as he could, intending to pull him up into the saddle, but George lunged for the strider's foot and clung to it as the poor animal kept running to chase the mushroom Bad held in front.

"Oh- OKAY!" Bad looked over the side of the running strider at George as he was plunged into the lava and pulled out of it over and over again, still freaking out.

Bad looked around for Sapnap and saw the ghast floating over him. He was dodging very well on the swift strider, but he couldn't hit it with his sword or stop to load an arrow. The ghast launched another fireball at him with an ear-piercing wail and it sank into the lava next to Sapnap. He was trying hard to avoid its trailing tentacles that followed his strider's every step.

Bad stopped and took the opportunity to load up his crossbow. He was the only one who could shoot while riding, since he could aim one-handed while leading the strider.
George sputtered under him and tried to get a better grip on the strider's leg. He seemed disoriented after being knocked around so much.

Bad loaded up his bow and shot at the ghast; he aimed a little high, like a6d taught him. It was still hard because it was moving, but it was chasing Sapnap, and Sapnap was moving predictably back and forth, so Bad shot in front of it and the ghast turned pink for a second as the arrow found its mark. It was lucky ghasts have such a big hitbox.

Bad was about to shoot again when Sapnap saw him and screamed for help. He loosed the arrow and missed. "Oh muffins." Bad pulled out the fishing rod again and charged the strider towards the angry ghast.

"WAIT DRQAJHDA- DROP ME OFUEDHSAE- OFF BAD PLEQUDJFEA DROP M- ME OFF BY- BY THE STRID- STRIDER!! BAD STO- STOP BY- MINE!!! BAAAAAD!!!" George shouted at him while being repeatedly dunked under lava. It would have been funny if it wasn't so life-threatening.

"OKAY YOU MUFFINHEAD I GET IT!" Bad huffed and turned before reaching the ghast to aim for George's strider, which was standing calmly with swiftness particles drifting off it. Bad fired the crossbow as he turned and hit it again, but this time the ghast turned on him.

This was not ideal for George, and he screamed even louder than the ghast and pulled himself up higher on the strider to keep his head over lava.
Bad glanced over his shoulder at Sapnap; he had halted to shoot arrows at the ghast. Bad heard it scream and glanced back again. The ghast was floating right behind him and emitting a screech so loud it felt like it would make his ears bleed. Its beanbag-sized eyes were open above the silvery tear trails running down its face. The bottomless mouth was like a cold, dark tunnel until a huge fireball glowed up and rocketed where he was going.

Bad's eyes widened and he turned the strider to the side and abruptly dodged the fireball. George was nearly thrown off, but Bad changed direction again as the fireball sank into lava. He got to George's strider and went in a circle around it. "GEORGE LET GO AND GET ON YOUR THINGY!"

Bad circled back towards Sapnap and glanced down. George was gone. He was catching his breath or something on his own strider's leg, too weak to climb back on it. He looked like he just rode the world's wildest rollercoaster ten times in a row and now he was beyond dizzy.