MCSM: The Forest Temple

Chapter 1 (Jesse's POV)

   "It looks like we are almost there." I said lowering a map from my face while wiping sweat from my forehead. We have been traveling aimlessly for about thirty minutes in a forest on a hot day. It felt as if the sun was going to burn right through them. I noticed that the others began to turn pink from sunburns. I was mayor of Beacontown with Lukas and Radar as my assistants. Olivia came from Redstonia and Axel came from Boomtown to come on an adventure when Jess, Petra, Nerm, and Jack returned from an adventure, insisting that we go with them on one.

   "Thank Notch!" Olivia sighed while fanning herself. Petra, however, didn't seem bothered by the heat, "This is going to be awesome! We're going on an adventure just like the good old times before you all got boring."

"Yeah," Jesse agreed, "This will be great, we'll get more treasure and memories!" He took a sip of water.

"I'll get to add this into my next book!" Lukas beamed as his bright blue eyes surveyed the trees surrounding them. Axel rolled his eyes and muttered, "Great, another book that we get to listen to you narrate." He sounded overly sarcastic. The last time Lukas read them one of his books, Axel got extremely bored. 

I rolled my eyes at Axel's comment, then turned to Lukas, "Don't listen to him. I'm excited to read it, the first one was really good!"

Lukas smiled, looking proud of himself, "Thanks!" He looked around the forest once again, "So... where is this 'great forest temple' Jack told you about?" 

I glanced at the map and stopped walking, What? According to this map we are literally right in front of it! "It should be right here!" Jess-my twin brother-said, "Please tell me you've gotten us lost in the middle of a forest on a hot day." 

Petra examined the map, "She's right: it says that it is right here." 

"Maybe it's underground," Lukas suggested. The others nodded in agreement and Olivia said, "Okay, let's spread out, and look for a lever or something that will help us get inside." Everyone spread out in search of anything peculiar. Lukas is clever, I smiled to myself, He always seems to know what to do in situations like this.

"Guys!" Axel called out to the rest of us, "I think I found something!" We all surrounded him to see him up leaves of a bush to reveal a lever on the ground. Jess said, "Before he pulls the lever, I want to remind everybody of the warning that Jack gave us. There are some risks of separation. We need to follow the path and reunite at the end if that ends up happening. Let's stick together and hope that it doesn't." Everyone nodded and Axel pulled the lever. 

The grass and dirt parted to reveal mossy stone stairs that went deep into the ground that looked endless going into the dark pit. "Awesome!" Axel exclaimed.

Jess knelt on one knee, examining the rotting steps, "It looks really old, watch your step. Also, watch for spider webs."

Everyone began to head down the steps slowly. Olivia and Petra passed out torches to the others. They passed bugs and bats all over. Once they finally got to the bottom, the stairway sealed shut. It left no light aside from their torches, "Well, looks like we have to find our way out for sure now. No backing down." Olivia sighed.

"Umm, guys..." Lukas said, "You might want to grab your weapons." He pulled out his bow-and-arrow and shot a cave spider creeping towards them. Petra grinned and pulled out Miss Butter (her golden sword) and let out a battle cry, charging them. I pulled out my diamond sword and slashed the nearest cave spider before it could pounce. It jumped back and it's red eyes glared at me and charged once again. I dodged out of the way and it smashed into the wall. While it was still dizzy I finished it off. 

"Jesse!" I turned to see Olivia glancing at me desperately, she was surrounded by cave spiders, but her bow-and-arrow could only shoot one at a time. They began to close in on her and I charged, "Back off, you overgrown spiders!" I began to help her fight them off.

 Finally, after a few minutes, we had fought off all of the spiders. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Petra kiss her sword and put it away. Jess laughed, "Sometimes I think your'e in love with your sword!" Petra glared at him, "She is like a sister to me. That would be weird." She said matter- of- factly. Axel elbowed Jess, "Are you jealous of  Miss Butter?" 

Jess grumbled, "Shut up." and turned a light shade of pink. Luckily, Petra didn't hear. Axel began to laugh at his own tease to Jess. I giggled to myself, We love torturing my brother about liking Petra. I'm surprised she hasn't noticed yet.

Olivia spoke, bringing my attention to her, "Thanks for helping me. I don't know what their problem was, but they were seriously out for me for some reason." We heard a squeal and turned to see a cave spider against the wall with an arrow through it and Lukas standing there. Olivia laughed, "Thanks to you too!" She turned back to me, "See what I mean?"