The Eyes of the Dragon

Chapter Eight: The Hooded Figure

Sev and Penira fell. They kept falling.

"We will soon die from the Void," Sev said.

"Shouldn't it have happened by now?" Penira asked.

The world came into view. They were right over an ocean. The water broke their fall.

"What the heck?" Sev asked. "Why aren't we dead?"

"Maybe the Void never really existed," Penira said, considering the possibility. "Maybe Gilvin's parents died from falling."

"Interesting," Sev said.

The duo swam to the shore. They realized the Stronghold was nearby, but they were smart enough to not immediately bother me again. They instead went into it and returned home via the underground trail. They went back through the trapdoor in my room.

"I have an idea," Penira said. "What if we snoop around for clues about what would get him to trust us."

"He needs to prove that we can trust him," Sev said.

"It's your fault he tried to kill us."

"How?"

"He got the first bit of what you said. You know, about not being able to trust him and insulting him."

"You know what? Let's do that snooping thing you were talking about."

In one chest, there were many things. There was a safe that needed a five-digit pin to unlock. There were newspapers about Bob101, my parents, and one about a missing person who fell through some portal created by some hacker. The outlets are the blame for many things. Nobody seems to return through them except for the hackers.

"Those portals have all been closed except for one in the Nether," Penira said. "And that would be the one in the paper. It's heavily guarded so no one else disappears."

"Who is that guy there?" Sev said, pointing to a hooded figure.

"Could it be that guy from the Ancient City? The one who hit Gilvin?"

"I think so!"

"We have to find out why Gilvin has this paper."

"It must have some connection to the others."

They opened the second chest and found a journal. My parents' journal. They read the latest entry.

"It's from the day the paper was made," Penira noticed.

I can't believe this. When we were ready to take on the world, my brother went into the Nether to find a bit more netherite. I followed him. A portal opened and consumed him. The last person I could trust disappeared. It must have been Bob101.

I must get him. I can't let him get me. I will train for when he strikes again. I will kill him.

"So, what now?" Sev asked.

"We go through the portal," Penira said. "We go after the guy."

"No, no, no, no," a voice whispered.

"Who's there?" Sev said, drawing a bow.

"We don't have time to find out," Penira said.

"I'm gonna go now," the voice said.

A hole was broken through the wall and was quickly repaired. The figure was invisible.

"Must have used an invisibility potion," Sev said.

"Let's just go to the Nether," Penira said. "We'll deal with that person later. Plus, I think they disapprove of us going there, so they'll try to stop us."

They went over to the town, where there was a portal of obsidian in the shape of a rectangle. It was filled with a thin, purple spiral pattern.

"Here we go," Penira said."

The duo narrowly dodged fire in the hellish realm. There was no time to spare. When they made it to the portal, however, it suddenly closed. There was no trace left of it.

"What the" Sev started, before avoiding swearing.

"Looks like he's never coming back," said a voice. They turned around and saw the hooded figure from the Ancient City.

"Look," Sev said, "I don't know what you did last time, but it's not gonna work this time."

"Really?" the hooded figure said. "Because gravel is falling on you as we speak."

Penira and Sev quickly placed torches on their feet. For some reason, the gravel was destroyed (as it always is when it falls on an object that is not an entire block). They both ran at the hooded figure before they disappeared into a portal, which Sev and Penira also fell into.