Dreams Come True

Fire & Fury

I knew everything about the Nether, but that didn't quell any of my anxieties. Clearly, as the mere mention of that place made my legs lock up. Jenny was attempting to pull me along, but despite being 'With the strength of a million and 70 men', she was failing to make me move an inch. I was rooted on the spot.

"C'mon, Caleb", Jenny grunted as she pulled with all her strength, "We've got your back. Plus, we have Steve. He knows what he's doing." Ralph and Vanellope stood off to the side, faces plastered with amused smirks at Jenny's predicament. She glared at them. "A little help here?!"

"Here, let me", Gladius said. He was hovering above the two arcade citizens, but at his call, he hovered down behind me, then poked the tip of his blade into my but. I yelped in pain, but with Jenny still pulling me, the two of us launched forward and crash landed right at Steve's feet. We both looked up and were greeted with eyes saying he was really struggling to not laugh. We both scowled at him.

"I'm sorry", he said, trying not to burst. "I just didn't expect Caleb to be that stubborn."

I bolted to my feet and glared dangerously at the block man. "Maybe it's because I know where we're going, Steve!" Steve leaned back a bit at my outburst, and the others were caught a bit off guard. I took a deep breath. "Sorry, it's just when you want to bring us to a place filled with a sea of lava and endless fire, I get defensive!" That made the others freeze with looks of pure horror.

"Wait, what's on the other side of that?!" Ralph bellowed, Vanellope defensively hiding behind her friend. Jenny glared at the block man, and Gladius forced himself in front of me. Steve sighed.

"Look, Caleb is right. The Nether is filled with fire, fire and more fire. But I've been there already, so I was able to get a base setup, bridges were built, and so much more. We aren't going in blind, don't worry." I looked back at the others, and they all still seemed apprehensive. I turned back to Steve.

"Fine, well go", I said, "But if things start to get too crazy, we're going."

Steve nodded. "Trust me, I was thinking the exact thing. Well, let's go!" He hopped into the portal, and we watched as he awkwardly just stood there for a few seconds. Then he just blinked out of existence.

"Are you sure about this, Caleb?" Vanellope asked when she hopped onto my shoulder. I shrugged.

"Don't know. But I guess we'll just have to put on brave faces and follow the master." The others looked between each other, then all sighed and nodded. We all walked into the portal and stoon within it. The noises it made drowned out everything else, and then in the blink of an eye, we were sent to the Nether. We all tumbled out of the portal in a heap. We all heard quiet laughing, and we all looked up to see Steve standing over us. We all scowled up at him, then we all rose from our heap with his help. I dusted myself off (with Gladius' help, of course) and looked around. The exit of the portal was at a simple Cobblestone building. Rather than windows, there was Iron Bars in place. An Iron Door kept us safe inside as the noise of some odd pig cries came from outside. Steve, after he and Jenny helped Ralph to his feet, walked to the door.

"So, because of how dangerous this place is, it's best we stick close together. " He looked between all of us. "Are you guys ready to go?"

We all nodded. Steve nodded back and pressed a button that was next to the door and it snapped open. We followed Steve out of the cobblestone hut and into the molten red landscape, and immediately we were greeted by what looked to be a bipedal, zombie pig with a golden sword. I recognized it as a Zombie Piglin. I smiled as it harmlessly gazed at us, but immediately felt my blood run cold when I saw Jenny, Ralph and Vanellope approach it in a threatening manner.

"Guys don't!" Steve shouted. Just before they could strike they stopped and faced us with looks of confusion. The Piglin just aimlessly wandered away.

"What?" Vanellope asked, shooting me and Steve a distasteful look.