A Minecraft Tale - The White Eyes

Chapter 17: Into the Nether

I stumbled out of the Nether Portal and fell flat on my face. Midnight and Cally looked down at me, unamused.

"Really, Sophie," said Midnight.

"That's pathetic, alright, just putting it out there." Cally chimed in.

"I know," I muttered, my face still in the ground. The ground which I noticed was now course Nether rack.

"What?" Midnight asked, leaning closer. I lifted my head so that I was resting on my chin.

"I said, 'I know.'" I repeated. Midnight and Cally turned around to look at the landscape while I scrambled to my feet. 

Looking over Cally's shoulder I let out a gasp.

We were on a small, nether rack platform, which had a curtain of lava pouring behind it. Right behind us was the portal we had just come out of, and leading away from the platform to a large Nether Fortress below us was - more parkour.

"Ugh," groaned Midnight. "Another parkour course? Really?"

I crept over to the edge and peered over. Beneath us was a sea of the hottest lava I had ever seen, smoking every now and then. The Nether Fortress was a dark shape built into a large, Nether rack island, and I could see a few other islands around too.

"BA!"

"EEEEK!"

I jumped back, slamming into Midnight and almost knocking her over the edge. 

"Hey, watch it!" She cried angrily, flapping her arms as she teetered on the edge of the small island.

"You shouldn't have scared me then!" I replied as she leaned forward, out of danger's way.

She looked up grinning. "It was so worth it though. You face was so funny!"

"Uh, yoohoo? Animals captured by an evil guy, remember? Let's get going!" Cally called. She was already a few blocks ahead in the long parkour course. It was definitely longer than the one in the ravine.

Midnight started before me and we slowly made our way to the looming fortress in the distance. The heat was almost unbearable, and I was sure I'd heard a ghast or two somewhere.

Jump, stop, breath, jump, stop, breath, jump, stop, breath.

How long did this go for? The fortress seemed to always stay far away, and I felt like I wasn't moving at all, just jumping from block to block endlessly. 

But suddenly, I was at the broken end of the Nether Fortress, jumping onto it as my friends stood waiting. As soon as my feet touched the ground, a booming voice roared around us.

"You have made it through the second task. I am impressed," thundered Herobrine's voice. "Go to the chest. Gear yourselves up and then flick the lever for your third task."

We exchanged unsure glances but proceeded cautiously. The part of the fortress we were on went straight ahead to a tiny under covered hallway and the turned left to open up into an arena-looking thing. The chest was in the corner.

I walked out to look at the arena. There were two dispensers on either side. The way was blocked by a row of Nether brick fences that ran along the doorway. A lever was mounted on the door.

I heard creak behind me as Midnight opened the chest.

"Uh, guys?" She said. I turned around. She was holding a diamond helmet. Cally stepped forward and pulled out a diamond sword. We looked at eachother.

"I think he wants us to fight." Midnight finished grimly.