Ｆａｌｌｉｎｇ [MCSM: Season One, Ep. 1-4]

7. Conflict

What lay on the other side was not, indeed, a raging Wither storm, but a small pool of water and a starry sky, as you soon discovered, as you were the third person to travel via the portal network. Your shoes rapidly soaked up the moisture like a sponge as you waded over to the dry land where your friends were standing, nose crinkling in distaste at the unpleasant sensation. The volume of the humming behind you swelled, along with the swishing of water, leading you to believe someone else stepped through. One quick glimpse over your shoulder revealed Olivia, followed by Reuben and then Lukas.

When you climbed the cobblestone staircase, your eyes swept over the unfamiliar surroundings and found you were cushioned between a mountainside and a patch of forest. It could've been worse—at least you were no longer at the mercy of lava and ghasts. The air smelled of oak wood and nature, which was a step up from smoke and ash and burnt remains of mobs that you had been subjected to in the Nether.

"Where are we?" Olivia asked, voicing everyone's thoughts. Your soles squished against the grass as you walked, prompting you to internally cringe.

Jesse, happy to respond with the obvious, said, "In the dark...middle of nowhere."

"Maybe we should bed down for the night," Lukas suggested meekly, crossing behind you as you stared at the view below. "It's dangerous to be out when it's this dark."

"I agree," you said, turning back to the group. "I don't wanna have another encounter with anything else that's out to kill us."

"I thought we were heading toward a temple."

"We're looking for a giant building." Olivia rested a hand on her hip. "It should be pretty obvious."

"Ivor said—"

"Oh, 'Ivor said'," Axel piped up, tempered hostility aimed at the blond to your right. "Well, then maybe this is the temple."

"Be nice," you hissed, elbowing him in the arm and shooting Lukas an apologetic look. Axel grunted, clearly not enthused about being scolded, and lightly shoved you away.

"The Order wouldn't build all that track for nothing," said Jesse, ignoring the previous comments. "It's gotta be here somewhere."

"Yeah. That's what I was thinking."

"I was agreeing with you, so...I don't know what you're talking about."

"We have to build, uh..."

"Uhh..."

"Shelter."

"Shelter! I was going to say 'shelter'."

You rolled your eyes. "What about a dirt hut? It's quick and efficient."

"Exactly." Axel reached over and patted your head. "See, I knew I became friends with you for a reason."

Olivia didn't share your line of logic. "Well, I say we build a treehouse."

"That'll take forever!" Axel defended; you nodded frantically. "And we'll be exposed while we do it."

"Look, whatever it is? We gotta do it fast." Lukas was trying to stay neutral, which was something neither of your friends appreciated, judging by the glares targeted straight at him. "...What?"

"In a hut, we won't know what's coming until it's knocking on our door."

"A treehouse is going to be spider down," Axel argued. "I hate spiders."

"Besides, what if one of us loses our footing and falls off? We're all tired, after all... It's possible." You blew a bubble into your cheek sheepishly and decided to shift your somewhat ridiculous point before you received backlash. "Or...it could start raining."