A Minecraft Tale - The White Eyes

Chapter 18: Get that key!

"We were all geared up for the fight!

The creepers and skeletons spawn tonight!"

Midnight hit me over the head with her bow.

"Ow..." I complained.

"No singing," Midnight replied, grinning.

I scowled and pulled on my diamond helmet. 

When she turned her back, I opened my mouth to start singing again.

"No singing," said Cally from behind me, whacking my arm with her helmet.

I growled under my breath and pulled on my boots. One of them wouldn't go on. I pulled and pulled, hoping to somehow get it on.

"Ugh," I complained angrily. "Herobrine gave me the wrong sized boots!"

"There are no boot sizes in Minecraft," Midnight said as Cally stooped down to help me. "You've got it on the wrong foot, that's why," She pointed out, rolling her eyes at me.

I looked closer. "Oh yeah. That's not good."

"No, no it's not." Cally agreed.

Finally, I stood up, both boots on the right feet (Except the left one, which was on the left foot), and drew my enchanted diamond sword. My friends drew theirs. 

Midnight flicked the lever on the wall - and a lot happened.

"This is my third task," Herobrine called form wherever he was. The fences fell down, the dispensers shot out three wither skeletons and Herobrine laughed evilly. "You must battle my MINIONS!"

The skeletons charged. I squeaked.

"Oh god!" Cally cried, ducking to the side as one of the skeletons swung it's sword at her. One of the others was in a sword lock with Midnight and the other one - wait a minute, where was the other one?

Clank!

Oh. There.

I spun around and wildly swung my sword. I missed the skeleton and it struck back. I ducked down as the old sword whizzed over my head and jumped back up, ready to fight. Fun fact about wither skeletons - they're only slightly taller than a player. Not much, but when you face one, they look about a thousand blocks taller.

I thrust my weapon at the skeleton, but it blocked my blow with it's own sword before aiming to hit me again. I jumped out the way and swung my sword at it's side. I hit the target and the creature went flying over Cally's head.

It landed on the ground. "Ha!" I cried in triumph. 

But it lifted it's head and rose to it's feet again, ready to continue.

"Oh no..." I muttered.

We charged at eachother again, locking swords.

"Uh, this is hopeless!" Cally shouted over the harsh clash of swords.

"We need to get to that chest!" I cried, rotating to prevent the skeleton from knocking me off balence. 

"Chest? What chest?" Midnight asked, breaking away from her skeleton. 

"The one near the end of the arena," I gasped. "It must have a key or something that could help us!"

"I'm on it!" Cally swiped at the legs of her skeleton, causing it to fall over. Taking the chance, she tore across to the small chest and flung it open. "There's a redstone torch in here called 'key'!" She shouted.

I broke away from my skeleton in time to see Cally's wither skeleton charge at her exposed back.

"Midnight!" I called.

The skeleton was getting closer and closer and-

Midnight suddenly threw herself between Cally and the skeleton and thrust her sword at it. It disappeared in a puff of red-tinted smoke.

"Thanks," Cally gasped, staring at the place the skeleton had just been. 

"Don't mention it," Midnight replied, sheathing her sword.

Midnight raised her hand and Cally hi-fived her enthusiastically.

"Um, hey, sorry for breaking up your little party but I'm kinda getting attacked right now and MIDNIGHT'S SKELETON IS RIGHT ON YOUR TAIL! Literally!" I shouted to them, my sword locked with my own skeleton again.

Cally suddenly yelped as the hard, hot foot of the wither skeleton stamped down on her wolf-tail. She yanked it out from beneath it and it crashed to the ground. 

"Ugh, we're never gonna get rid of these guys!" Midnight growled, taking out her sword again.

"Well, let's give them all we've got!" I cried, breaking apart from my skeleton and then charging at it with my sword above my head.

Zing!

I skidded along the ground, stopping at Midnight and Cally's feet. Their upside-down faces appeared above me. "That's really all you've got?" Cally asked mockingly. 

Rattle, rattle, bonk, bonk!

The sounds of the two skeletons regrouping forced me to my feet.

I took one look at the two of them and decided we were doomed if we stayed here. "Okay, scratch that last plan," I said, stepping backwards as the monsters charged again. 

"Run."

We took off to the back of the arena where a flight of stairs took us down to the top of the fortress below. The skeletons chased after us. 

At the end of the roof was a two-block high, on-block wide pocket. Inside on one wall was an item frame.

I could hear the skeleton's clanking bones behind us. "Head for cover!" I shouted, pointing to the pocket. "What d'you think we're gonna do!? Stand around and get eaten by two wither skeletons?!" Cally cried back, aspirated. 

We dove into the cover of the pocket. Now, remember that fun fact I told you earlier? No, not the fact that wither skeletons look a thousand blocks taller when you face them head-on. The fact that they're slightly taller than players. Than meant the skeletons couldn't get into the pocket and kill us. They stood there, the tiny extra head length stopping them pursuing their prey. 

Midnight and I flattened ourselves against the wall as Cally put the 'key' in the item frame. Nothing happened.

"Maybe you need to move it?" Midnight suggested, keeping her eyes firmly locked on the skeletons in front of her face. Cally swiveled the torch around a few times until we heard a click and Midnight tumbled out of sight. 

"Midnight!" Cally and I cried.