"Thanks for coming back for me." My lungs shudder with huge breaths, and the adrenaline starts to fade from my system. "I didn't know if anybody was going to."
"No man left behind, that's my motto." Rueben oinks, rubbing up against me as Lukas and I slow in front of the door out, finally getting out of this blasted room.
Lukas smiles, face flushed and a wee bit breathless too. "Guess I owe you one."
The iron golem grunts, the groaning metal getting us to rush out the door in no time. Lukas hurriedly shuts it behind us, both of us heaving a sigh of relief to be out of that place. I swear, if I see an iron golem again before I die it'll be too soon.
"So... where are the others?"
I open my mouth, first taking a big deep breath in before-
"Dude, I dunno how I can be any clearer." Axel's exasperation drips in the air, and we head that way. "Weird guy! Doing weird stuff! Freaky with a side of strange! Why won't you listen to me?"
I grumble a bit as we go over to join the group, Axel probably wasn't the best person to tell Gabriel. "What do you want me to do? Tell you charades style?"
"I promise you, that's the last thing I want you to do."
"Four words, six syllables, sounds like 'schmonster in the schmasement'." Gabriel pinches the bridge of his nose, and while Axel certainly has an ability to make people do that, Gabriel really needs to listen.
"Next."
"Wait, just-"
"I have a question for you." Chills go down my spine... I know that voice.
"Excuse me sir, you'll have to wait your turn." We all glance around at each other, blood draining from each of our faces.
"Just tell me first, do you really believe anyone can be great?"
My heart thumps loudly in my chest, dread pooling in my stomach. The image of that wither sitting in the basement flashing through my mind. Ivor's getting closer... Gabriel has stop him before he does something. He must.
"With enough hard work, yes." I breathe out a light sigh of relief, Gabriel seems suspicious of Ivor. Surely a warrior such as him will be able to stop that slimeball, I don't need worry about anything anymore. It's all good, all good.
Ivor, even more furious than when he caught us in the basement, pushes through the crowd, getting closer and closer. "Was that where I went wrong? I simply didn't WORK hard enough!"
"I-Ivor?" Horror, a rock of pure horror, slams into my stomach. Did the great warrior just stutter? "Is that really you?" The brief moment of surprise dies, Gabriel scowling at him. "How dare you interrupt like this!"
Okay... Gabriel isn't really stopping him, maybe he needs a push? "That's the guy who attacked us in the basement!"
"I wish I could say I am surprised." Gabriel, to my astonishment, simply crosses his arms and glares at Ivor. I basically just told him he's a criminal! What's stopping him from kicking this guy out?
"If it's surprises you want, you're in for a treat." Ivor finally pushes out of the crowd, stomping towards the stairs. "Why don't you tell them the REAL story Gabriel!"
With a level glare, instead of kicking him out, Gabriel's fists curl. "I see time has made you bitter."
Ivor holds the glare, stomping up the stairs. "And it's made you an even bigger fool."
Gabriel flinches, flinches, and my heart drops when Gabriel actually, sincerely, seems nervous. The mighty warrior avoiding Ivor's gaze, rubbing his arm. Am I missing something here?
"Now, these people were promised greatness!" Ivor throws his arm over his shoulder, stepping into Gabriel's spotlight, Ivor's burning fury radiating from him. "And I'm ready to deliver."
Ivor huffs, shaking mad as he retreats to the backstage. "I'm sorry this is how they had to learn the truth."
He's going to set off the monster.
Stop him.
"Gabriel!" I throw my arms up madly, he can't waste anymore time! "You have to stop him!"
Ivor flicks the switch, and Gabriel still doesn't move! Not even when the almost complete wither rises from the shadows. What unseen force is playing with him so much that he can't even move a muscle to protect everyone here?
"Nothing built can last forever Gabriel." Ivor pulls Petra's wither skull from his robe, strolling over without hesitance to the monster. Which finally pulls some reaction from Gabriel.
"Ivor no!"
Gabriel reacted way too late and Ivor places the skull. An explosion pushes my head down, unholy cries already piercing my ears. Fear clenching my heart. Total and utter fear, and I know with every ounce with my being, chaos has been unleashed.
Shit, why didn't Gabriel stop Ivor!?
Adrenaline wastes no time to fly through me again, my head snapping around wildly. First to check my friends, and then to spot Ivor picking himself off the ground. Hate still woven into his soul.
"Creature, attack!"
The thing lets out a monstrous cry, flying freely as everyone else's adrenaline forces them to beeline to the door. I glance at my friends, seeing the same terror on their faces, and figure it's a really good idea for all of us to run away too.
The monstrosity screeches, and I whip my head back to it only to jump wildly to the side when a freakin' skull is launched at me!
Rueben squeals too, and I glance back at the carter that could have been my body should I have reacted a second too late. With shuddering breaths I back away, Rueben shivering and pressed up against me in fear.
Suddenly that iron golem doesn't seem so scary.
BUT HOLY CRAP HERE COMES ANOTHER ONE!
I scramble out of the way, the flaming skulls leaving carters in the ground. Ohmygosh... ohmygosh... what the heck was Ivor thinking? How could anything so disastrous do any good?
And then, just because this thing was scary enough, the walls shake. I whip my head side to side, the walls literally crumbling apart and being sucked into that thing. All the colors draining from them as they get closer, the monstrosity using it to build a shield around itself.
All the life from my friends' faces also drain away, their eyes wide and jaws slack as they stare at a black storm beings to brew. I gotta get them away, we all need to get out of here now! I'm not letting any of them get killed because they forgot how to run away!
"Everyone stay calm! This foul beast is no match for me." Gabriel draws his sword, and I gulp. Doubt strikes me, this thing... it doesn't seem like a mere sword will be able to kill it.
"Creature!" I take a brief second to glare absolute rage at Ivor. "Attack!"
Gabriel jumps up, swinging his sword powerfully at the strange machine block... only for a sharp clang to ring and throw the mighty warrior helpless to the ground. Panic rushing through me, Gabriel didn't even scratch the monstrosity. We're so screwed. We need to run. This is a Wither monster, if the stories about these things are true, we have a monster that only the freaking Ender Dragon itself is stronger than it.
"What have you done?" Gabriel coughs and struggles to stand, my friends glaring viciously at the chuckling Ivor.
"Gabriel!" I rush towards the warrior still on the ground, deciding that if Gabriel dies, then there's nothing left to stop this beast.
"No! Stay away!" Gabriel flies to his feet, warding me off. My terror going berserk when it sees Gabriel's face break apart in terror. "It's after me, not you!"
My breath hitches and I fall flat on the ground when the thing dives through the air to us. A monster that not even Gabriel can hurt. Is it even worth running away at this point? We can't kill it. We can't kill this thing!
The building trembles violently, and with stunned eyes I watch everything on the ground float up. As I stand, the walls crack apart. Anything not bolted or wielded into the walls or ground gets absorbed by the chaos creature.
"Look at him!" I cower as more skulls launch into the walls and ceiling, cursing Ivor under my breath while the debris shoots towards the thing. "The mighty Gabriel cowering! Looks like true greatness is out of his reach."
I gulp in dread, my gut clenched inside me as it just seems to know this will end the worst way possible, making me extremely nauseous. "He may not be able to defeat this creature, but I can!"
The creature now rips up the ground, growing bigger and bigger with every second. I take a shaky step back, even I know a normal Wither can't do that. Ivor somehow remaining absolutely calm even when an utterly terrifying head full of razor sharp teeth and a glowing eye that claws its way out of the mass of black. What is this monstrosity?
"Creature, retreat!"
The purple eye glances down at Ivor, then looking back up and completely ignoring him. The wither growing its black body even faster. Why haven't I ran away yet? Get friends and run away.
"Ahem.... Creature! Retreat!" My lungs heave as the thing only gets bigger, if anything floating closer to Ivor. "Retreat, I said! RETREAT!"
Fear bursts from my heart, escaping through my mouth as I back up. "He's lost control of it!"
"No need to be alarmed my friends." Ivor lets out a shaky breath, and one glance at Petra shows she's just as clueless and worried as I am. "I have an elixir that will destroy this creature."
"That potion..." My shoulders drop, feet freezing and eyes bugging out when I see Ivor's 'elixir'. "Is that-!"
I whip around to glare at Axel, reality crashing on his face. "Uh-oh..."
Ivor throws the bottle, glass shattering against the strange machine. And just as I fear, nothing happens. The thing still remains unkillable. An impossible monster has just been unleashed and nothing can even hurt the stupid thing!
"What?" Clearly, Ivor really only got to Plan B and decided that was good enough when creating a beast like this. "Impossible! It should have worked, I- I took such care!"
"The potion, the potion Axel!" I jolt at Olivia's shout, just now noticing how my arms shake and tremble. "You've got to throw the real potion!"
"But-"
I whip around and glare at him. "No buts! Throw it!"
"You thieves!" Axel pulls out the potion and I snatch it from his grasp, ignoring Ivor. "You're ruining everything!"
I take only a moment to aim at the strange machine, the black crawling over it, and chuck it. The glowing potion tumbling through the air. Shattering not on the device, but on the black cover that just appeared over it.
I huff, mainly terrified when even that didn't work. If this potion really could destroy that all powerful machine thing, how come it didn't even weaken the skin stuff at all? Ivor really needs better backup plans when dealing with something so disastrous. For the sake of my throbbing heart. For the sake of this city.
"It's protecting itself! Without the command block exposed... the potion is useless!" Ivor cowers, before bolting out the door. "It wasn't suppose to happen like this!"
"Ivor!" Gabriel whips at him, throwing his fist furiously in the air. "You coward! Come back here!"
The thing screeches and Gabriel screams out. A purple beam dragging him up in the air, his limbs flailing around helpless as the black blob of chaos stares at him. This is bad- so so bad.
"Jesse!" Olivia's frantic shout rips me out of my shock. "Help me!"
I jump and grab the other leg, my muscles practically relieved to finally be doing something instead of just stand around in terror. Olivia and I pull desperately on his legs, and I can feel the tractor beam getting stronger as the thing gets more and more powerful.
We rip him out, the warrior falling to the ground. I quickly help him up, my legs freely shaking. That thing is only getting more powerful! We all have to leave right now! Now! Now! Now! No more waiting! There's no fighting this thing right now!
"Thank you. Ivor was right about one thing, I can't defeat that thing. Not on my own." Even though I knew that, my heart still caves. I peer back at the thing, now waving a tentacle in the air, wishing Gabriel could kill it before it grows bigger.
"Everyone's running away..." Yeah, the exact thing my blood burns to do. "Except for you. Will you help me?"
My eyes get unbelievably bigger at Gabriel's request, my panic crazed mind screaming not to get myself into more danger. "I must get to the temple, but what needs to happen next, I can't do alone."
I glance at my friends and then the growing monstrosity, fear screaming at me to get out of there. "Of course!"
He nods- and what did I just say? "Follow me!"
I stumble out to follow him, and despite realizing the serious commitment I just created, I can't regret it. This thing needs to die, if I need to help out with that then so be it. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure my friends won't die by this thing.
Adrenaline basically hums with relief, buzzing throughout me with purpose again. I'm right on Gabriel's heels until I hear Olivia cry out, instantly stopping and whipping back to her. Heart clenching when I spot her on the ground.
I dash to her, the others far ahead by now, hoisting her to her feet and pushing her forward. "No time for stopping, we gotta go!"
She tumbles forward and I snatch her arm, dragging her until whatever shock she's in dies under terror or adrenaline, either will do. When it finally seems to hit her, she darts in front of me and I give her a final push forward when I release her arm.
We get out onto the bridge, screams buzzing in my ears. She gets across just fine, but I trip and slide right onto the concrete. Whipping back and glaring at the chicken that decided to just walk right in front of me.
"Stupid chickens..." I begin push myself up, only for everything to shake violently. I collapse back down, my head turning with seemingly its own will to the unholy roars shaking the very night sky.
Only for my heart to burst, heart attack level of bursting, and frozen cold dread clamps down on every organ, every inch of skin, just basically every cell of mine when that monstrosity breaks the dome.
One measly moment ago it was a blob of blackness not too terribly huge. But now? Now it has shattered the glass dome, massive tentacles erupting from its shadowy skin. Two more heads with life sucking beams shooting out. Blocks turning black and swirling around it as if some tornado.
I get with the crowd and scramble forward, my worry slightly lessening when I see my friends safely get over the bridge. Only for fear to surge when a beam passes over the fleeing crowd, a handful of them scooped up the monster as if they were nothing! That could have easily been Olivia or Axel!
Adrenaline fires off again, screaming at me to get a move on and to run away from the black thing of death! I sprint, full fledged flat out sprint to get to the other side-
My momentum screeches to a halt, limbs flailing with their mad energy and my stomach gurgling as gravity shuts off. Blood pooling in my head, blacking out my vision and pushing on my thoughts.
Get out of the beam!
That one thought, my saving grace, jolts me to reality. The purple death trap all around me, dragging me to the monstrosity. Oh no no no no no no...
The bridge cracks, the stone lurching upward to me. With desperation and fear coursing through me I reach out, my joints straining to stretch out and grab it. My legs even trying to kick me to it.
My fingers brush up against the jagged stone, and a jolt of utter fright slams through me, giving me that extra push to clasp onto the stone. My heart slamming in my chest as I get higher and higher.
Cold energy pulses around me, getting stronger with every second. The bridge groans and snaps some more as if some mere twig, while I dangle inside of it helplessly.
I shake my head, none of that! Live first, contemplate the strength of this monster later. I have to get out of this beam, and away from this dreadful energy squeezing into me with every second I stay in.
Grunting and groaning, I dig my fingers into the rough stone. Dragging myself across and going faster when the bridge continues to lurch upward when the tractor beam gets stronger. The cold energy, rapidly intensifying, focusing on my left arm in particular.
Completely ignoring that, especially when I'm so close to the edge now, the stone bridge snaps apart. Flinging me higher towards that thing, a wave of fatigue crashing down as the energy throbs over me. A sharp sting faintly emitting from my arm.
Keep going! You're almost out!
Grunting furiously, I grip the floating stone with both hands, shoving myself right out of the beam. Gravity switching right back on and yanking me to the concrete. My body a rag doll as I flail down the steps, crushing every limb I have until I finally roll to a stop.
Groaning, I blink my eyes open. The hard fall and whatever that energy did to me lingering within my system, strong enough that it doesn't go away immediately despite the chaos around me.
Chaos indeed, for when my vision finally straightens itself, people run in all directions, screaming at the top of their lungs. The purple beams seemingly everywhere all at the same time, grabbing people and pulling them to itself.
If that beam caught me even seconds later, it would've been too strong for me to have the time to grab onto something. Just a wee bit later, and I would be dead.
I huff at myself, forcing myself forward. I'm not dead and I have to keep on making sure my friends get through this. Until either I die or that thing, I'm keeping my friends safe at all costs. I can worry about personal injuries later.
This time, I manage to jump over a cluster chickens. I scowl bitterly at them, it was because of one of them that I even slowed down enough for the beam to catch me. Stupid bird.
"Lukas!" Okay, one person spotted in this mess, that leaves five others. Oh gosh, I really hope none of my friends got trapped in a tractor beam.
"Holy crap!" Lukas rushes up to me, face pale in fear, eyes wide with adrenaline, and eyebrows scrunched together in mass confusion. "Oh man, if I was still in that basement. I- I-" His terrified eyes snap back to me, shoulders tight. "Thanks for coming back for me Jesse, I wouldn't be here without you."
"Jesse!"
I snap my head over to Petra, a sigh of relief managing to break free when I run to her. That's her, Axel, Olivia, and Rueben now accounted for too. We just need to get back Gabriel again then we can all rush off to wherever we need to go to kill that thing.
The purple beam floods in, the stand around us trembling and shattering. Everyone scattering apart again, all of us splitting up.
"No, wait! We have to stay-"
Petra screams, and I stop dead, whipping around to her. Her body flailing in the purple light, helpless as the beam pulls her towards the wither of chaos. The first time I've ever seen terror break across her face, a great reason for my legs to rush to her.
"Jesse, help!"
The moment I spot the fence post, I leap up and snatch her arm. Wrapping my left arm around the fence, hanging on tight to both and praying that the beam moves.
The world scrambles for a moment, and I furiously blink to get it back in order. A throb coming from my left arm and the cold energy that took so long to come last time eagerly squeezing back into me.
I throw that all out though when the fence post begins to tremble. "Petra! I can't hold on!"
With a final crack, the wood splinters apart. Both of us screaming as we lurch up to the wither. That cruel energy digging into my left arm with a vengeance, my right still desperately gripped onto Petra.
Which turns out to be her saving grace when someone grabs my ankle, forcing us still. I glance down, my sight going in and out of focus, but I manage to make out Gabriel. Who's straining with effort to keep us from getting any closer to that death trap.
We all collapse once the beam moves on, the throb in my left arm refusing to just die away quickly like last time. I hoist myself up, distantly feeling my body groan, but adrenaline soon takes care of that. It's just taking a few moments longer to numb out my arm and fix my sight.
I hear screams, blurry figures that I can't quite make out running up to me. "So, uh, is everyone here?"
"We must set out for my fortress." I stagger to follow Gabriel, really hoping that everyone indeed is here. "We'll be better protected there."
My vision remains blurry, just good enough to where I can keep balance and run forward, but I'm mostly relying on my ears for other details. Which is really dang hard with the loudest things around me is just screaming and the blood curling roars of that death trap.
"Hey, thanks for that just now." I don't turn my head to Petra, knowing I'll lose balance if I'm not completely focused on the meager vision I do have.
"Yeah, well, uh, we're even now I guess." The words randomly fly from my mouth, my mind on much bigger things. At least my eyesight is getting better again, I suppose all the falling, sudden stops and starts, and cold energy from the worst monster ever to exist is not every good for the eyes.
"Incoming!" Petra rams into me, just as another skull almost dealt me death today. We scramble back to our feet, and I force my eyes to work again. Not caring about the strain I'm putting on them when there are multiple things in the streets that can kill me. Especially ones raining down on me.
My heart flinches when the skulls explode on the streets, stomach clenching as the purple beams chase people. Death death death, all coming from that roaring beast ripping apart buildings as if they were mere paper. It hasn't been very long since its creation, how it is already so powerful?
I blink, noticing how far Petra and Rueben have pulled ahead of me. Huffing, I push my legs faster to catch up with them. C'mon adrenaline! Chop chop! I can't afford to be slow now! Any other time, maybe, but now is the time to sprint.
Another burst of energy flies to my legs with the gates begin to slide shut, rapidly gaining speed as gravity eagerly yanks at them. Desperately, I roll forward. Sighing in relief when I just barely manage to squeeze through. This, this is why I can't be slow.
It's a run from death, that stupid monster raining down its fiery skulls at us all the time. The forest, the forest I've lived in for years now, on fire. Bright orange flames eagerly licking up the trees, drowned out by the monstrous roars of the wither thing. That stupid monster forcing us to run through the flaming forest.
The forest splits apart, the mobs of fleeing people dividing. I spot my friends to the right, and don't even bother looking to the left. If they trip or fall or really anything happens, I'll be right her to push them forward again. We have to keep going. We have to.
The thing, all three heads, roar. My ears about ready to bleed and an extra oomph sparks in my legs. I so desperately want to look, see how close it is, but the fires around me snap and crackle. If I look away, even for a second, it could be the death of me.
But just because my eyes were forward, doesn't mean my mind was seeing what was in front of me.
The trees, either mighty oaks or springy new ones teaming with life, withering black in the fire. Trees that I've chased Rueben through countless times, trees that I've climbed looking for apples so Olivia could make an apple pie, trees that hid me when an egg covered Axel was out to get me.
The forest, which as been my home for so long now, withering away.
A skull explodes in front of me, jerking my mind to the very real danger as I scramble to dodge the carter. I shake my head, what's with me? Maybe I just hit my head too hard, but the past isn't so important when I have to make sure I live now.
My heart lurches when I spot the fire blocking my path, another blast of adrenaline rushing my system. Without thinking about it too much, I jump over it. Feeling the heat wrap my legs, but thankfully not catching fire to my pants.
"The temple is just up ahead. Follow me!" Skulls explode around us, fire snapping and roars shaking the earth, Gabriel's voice puny in comparison.
The ground shakes and I stumble forward, my head snapping to the left. A tentacle has just slammed into the ground, how close is that thing to us?
Purple floods next to me, forcing me to stagger to the side. The tentacles ramming into the ground, my legs shaking trying to push me forward and stay balanced. The throbbing tips snapping back and forth at me, and I barely dodge them as I jump back and forth.
I somehow sprint up next to Gabriel, my lungs burning for more air as the need to run grows and grows. Skidding around the purple beams that seem eager to follow us and only us.
"Hurry, inside the temple!" I'm too breathless to shout anything back, and I'm right behind him when we fly through the door. "The inner chamber is built entirely of obsidian. We should be untouchable in there."
I glance at Rueben, eyes bulged out and simply shaking in pure terror as the door slides open. Revealing the dark room of obsidian, and I'm almost glad to see a Nether portal in there. Surely that place can't be as bad as-
A tractor beam floods down, and we all scramble inside. All of us making a mad break for the portal, and I just can't resist to glance behind me. Seeing a tentacle snake its way into the temple and Gabriel lashing out at it.
"Hurry! If you can get through the portal, you'll be safe!"
"Uhh..." I whip my head forward, speeding up again as Axel staggers through the frame. "Something's not right here."
"It's not lit!"
My hands immediately fly to my pockets, frantically digging out the flint and steel. Why I even grabbed it this morning, I don't know, but I'm really grateful for it now. Before I get a good grip I strike them together, the black frame flashing purple.
"Everyone! Get in NOW!"
Axel scoops up Rueben, scrambling in right behind Olivia. A scream stopping the rest of us, and to my horror, Gabriel's caught in one of the tentacles. Desperately clawing at the ground as the thing wiggles to get a better grip on him.
"Gabriel!" I rush down to him, the monstrosity can't get him! We're dead meat if he dies! It's not like I have any clue on how to kill this thing. Nothing even hurts the stupid thing!
A tentacle bursts through the ceiling, but I leap over it and grab onto Gabriel, throwing all my weight and muscles into a game of tug of war over him. The monster is going to have to try a lot harder than that for me to give up and let my friends die!
With one final tug, I am the victor. Both me and Gabriel crashing back as the tentacle releases, various people screaming as the throbbing thing retracts.
"Thank you." Gabriel glances over to the people running and screaming, as I glance back to Petra, Lukas, and the portal. Shouldn't be too hard to sprint back there.
"I can't do this..." A surprised snort bursts out because of his whisper, and I whip my eyes back to him. "I can't save everyone."
"You'll save so many more when you kill it." I grab his arm, trying to hoist him to his feet. If he doesn't get a move on soon I'll have to drag him through that portal.
"No, I have to save them." Gabriel stands up, something burning within his eyes as he thrusts something in my hands. "Take this and head to the Order's temple, it'll lead you to the others. Where you can find Magnus and Ellegaard-"
The ceiling bursts open, a tentacle falling through. I stagger back but snap my head to the side at Petra's scream, losing balance and falling back. Blinking rapidly as the ceiling bursts again, more tentacles bursting in.
"Petra!" I scramble to her she rolls to her feet, the tentacle chasing her giving her no relief.
My arm snaps back, pulling out the stone sword. It feels weird, much heavier than the wooden one, but I still swing back and slice the tentacle. The thing withering up and reacting back up.
"Jesse, get you and Lukas into the Nether." Petra pushes me to the portal, stepping the other way herself. "I'm gonna try and do whatever I can here."
"Wait!" I whip around, gesturing for her to come with us. "You have to come too!"
"Don't worry-"
"AHH!" My eyes widen as a tractor beam catches Gabriel, dragging the warrior higher into the air. Both me and Petra rushing to him without a second to lose. Since again, I can't let Gabriel die or we are all done for!
Purple floods in front of us, my heels slamming into the ground. My heart staggering as Petra floats upward. Without even thinking about it, not caring as the roof continues to crumble down, I snap my arms in. Ignoring the sting from my left arm as I snatch her leg and pull her out.
The beam has definitely gotten stronger, it does not want to give her up. Fierce and bitter determination wells up, and I yank harder. I'm not letting this black thing of Ivor's hate take one of my friends!
Grunting, I rip her out of it. Both of us falling back, and I quickly get on my feet with the intent on grabbing Petra and hauling her through that portal. Only instead to stand up and instantly get whack by some tentacle.
I slam into something before tumbling through the portal. Feeling like my head got dunked in water and then forced out and plunged back in again. Before my body collides into the rough hot stone of netherack.
Groaning, I roll and hoist myself up. My head swimming at the harsh switch of dimensions. If I wasn't sweating before, I sure am now. Sweltering heat latching onto me and making it way harder to breathe even though I desperately need the oxygen.
"Where's Petra?"
My head snaps upright, shooting straight at the portal. My muscles tighten, my heart lurches at me to go in there. To fight through that thing and drag her into here if I must.
You'll get yourself killed.
"We did everything we could." I blink, glancing at Lukas before longingly looking at the portal again.
Rueben oinks softly, rubbing his head against me. Petra, I can't just leave Petra in there. But I also can't just leave my friends by themselves weaponless in the Nether. What to do? What to do?
"What are you saying?" My eyebrows shoot up, Axel's low tone grabbing me attention and causing Lukas to gasp.
"Jesse, what's he talking about?" Olivia, confused and panicked, whips her head between me and Lukas. "Because it doesn't sound..."
I sigh, glancing at the portal again. "The... thing, wither monster thing, it broke in. It-"
It got Gabriel.
My heart lurches, my legs wobbling beneath me. Air rushing in and out, no longer can I care about the burning gas fostering in my lungs.
Gabriel, he was still caught in the beam! I never got to him! If he hasn't gotten out, then he's gone, done for! The greatest warrior... a member of the Order of the Stone... this can't happening- can't be happen-
"I-I got scared." The words burst from Lukas's lips, as he quickly bites on down on his lower lip in guilt. "It was only for a second."
"You got scared?" Axel growls, marching to the blonde.
Lukas hurriedly backs up. "It wasn't my fault."
"You got scared and it's not your fault?"
"Back off Axel." Olivia's voice crackles, and I give her a quick look over. Despite the sweat dripping down her face, she doesn't look too bad. Clothes dusted with dirt and ash, but the worst thing about her is the fear plastered on her face.
Axel glares at Lukas, huffing before he stomps up to the portal. "We gotta go back, we gotta get her."
"No!"
Olivia and I say it at the same time, the words pouring out of my mouth first. "Axel, the reason we're in here is because we can't fight that thing. If we go out there we'll die, plain and simple. We're just hurting her chances if we throw ourselves back in there."
Olivia nods, gently reaching out to Axel. "We'll just have to wait. Petra's tough, she'll get through."
"Hey!" Lukas points the portal, the purple liquid-like substance wavering. "There she is!"
I eagerly stare at the portal, all of us inching back in case she's coming in flying. But only Ivor flops in, and the breath I was holding huffs out. My face curling up into a scowl at the green robed man who started this all.
He stands, glaring at us with a quivering bread. "You again."
Scowling, I open my mouth- only to gasp when a tentacles breaks in. Leaping out of the way as the thing whips and snaps, before curling around the frame. Squeezing and squeezing until the obsidian shatters. The boneless limb vanishing from sight.
The frame... the portal, it's gone. We've escaped the monster, but now we're trapped in the Nether.