The Herobrine Quest

Chapter 24. Don't Die

Dodging one of the Wither's fireballs, Toxic leapt from a rock overhang into a shallow cave. There, she made improvements to everybody's weapons. Running back out, she handed the weapons back and the fight continued. And now, with their weapons upgraded, they were on even terms. Toxic shouted "Mineral! Dave! Ranger!" The three turned to her. "Cover me! I have an idea!" The three moved to fill in her area, but Steph interrupted.

"Wait! I know what to do!" All heads turned to Steph. She pulled out the four ores the riddle told of: iron, diamond, coal, and gold. She said "I need to place one in each of the Wither's heads, then one in the tail." Toxic realized there were small indents where she described. Mineral said "Go, we've got your back!" Steph raised and eyebrow and said "He'll be in front of me. I don't need to worry about my back."

Mineral rolled her eyes and said "Just go!" Steph leapt onto a hill, jumped over a lava pool, dodged a lava fall, and avoided two fireballs, all while running full tilt at the Wither. At last, she reached a position above it, where she could drop down. Mineral appeared behind her and said "I'll hold it down, you put the ores in the slots!" Steph replied "Sounds like a plan." Mineral stepped back, about to jump, but Steph put a hand on her shoulder. "Mineral? Don't die."

Mineral smiled and said "I'll try my best." Then she leapt over the side. Steph waited a few moments, then jumped after her. Watching Mineral's progress, she saw the Wither nearly flattened by Mineral's landing. Mineral had a firm grip on the two side heads, and was holding the middle down with one foot. "I could use a little help!" She shouted. Then, disaster struck.

The Wither broke it's middle head free. It swiveled around to Mineral. She saw the flames ignite in its mouth and knew what was coming. The fireball. She closed her eyes and waited, heart beating thunderously, for the fireball to consume her. It never came. Looking up, she saw Toxic staring down at her. The Wither's middle head was smashed into the ground, and she was standing on top of it. "Falling saves lives." Toxic said with a small grin.

Looking up, Mineral saw Steph streaking down. She said to Toxic "On three, we flip it over. Ready?" Toxic nodded, grabbing hold of the Wither's heads. "One..." She judged Steph's position. "Two..." Time seemed to slow, and then froze entirely. She could see every detail on the Wither's dark grey body. Then it turned back on again and she yelled "Three!" Steph was almost on top of the Wither when they flipped it.

Steph placed the diamond in the central head, the iron in the right head, and the gold in the left. Finally, the coal was left. Steph turned in midair to insert the coal in the slot when suddenly, it burst into a scorched pile of ash. Of course. "Watch out for all the cards that fold." She growled to herself. This was the Nether; a world of fire. And what is the purpose of coal? To be lit on fire. Genius idea to fight the Wither in the Nether.

Toxic saw the coal turn to ash and said "What now? That's the only way to defeat the Wither!" Mineral's eyes lit up and she reached deep into her inventory. Toxic looked at her questioningly, then Mineral pulled out the coal. "Forgot I had this. Must have kept it in here from my mining trip." She said. Steph said "Give it here!" Mineral hurriedly placed the coal in her hand. With a mighty shove, Steph inserted the coal in the tail slot. The Wither began to glow dangerous black. Ranger's eyes widened and she shouted "Come on! We have to get out of here!" Toxic looked around for suitable shelter, then spotted the cave. "Into the cave! Go!" She yelled.

No sooner were they inside the cave when an enormous explosion rocked the Nether, sending huge amounts of Netherrack cascading down around them.