Magic Meets Might

Puzzles

I huffed as the log fell from my arms yet again. I picked it up and looked at the setting sun behind myself among the hills. Gritting my teeth, I finally arrived at my small house and put the logs at the side wall as firewood for later.

A year.

A year had passed since the crowning and the attack. Since the castle was destroyed. Since I saw them all last. I still had the tiara, kept in a box in my attic. Some things people just try their best to forget.

An entire year, it felt like eternity. Waking up in a cold sweat every day having dreamt of the cold netherbrick walls- more of my past was coming back.

I'd now remembered enough to know that Herobrine kept me locked away in his Nether castle as his prisoner. Every night, he'd come and devour my magic, making me weaker and weaker. How I'd escaped I was still baffled. Perhaps I didn't. Perhaps he was done with me for the time being and let me go.

At night, those empty white eyes haunted me. I don't think I'll ever be rid of those monsters. Every night the zombies growl and I huddle in a corner crying, praying they'll leave me alone. I'd gotten into fights, back in town. They called me a witch girl and chased me away with iron and diamond weapons. I had fought back, told them I was just a girl.

I made the mistake of showing my powers, and my wings. They taunted me, calling me a White-eye Child. I know what they meant by that. I don't know what happened after that, but I woke up with them dead around me and two white eyes burned into the house behind them. Was it Herobrine or me? I'm scared of my powers, the magic runs wild when I never want it to and forsakes me when needed. 

He chases me, I never stay in one place too long. I know Herobrine wants to find me, I can only cry at what he may have done to Seto and the rest of the Team. It's only too easy to picture them all locked away in a dungeon with their bodies torn and bloodied. Seto gasping for breath as his own magic is wrenched from him. Mitch holding the hand of Jerome and whispering about comfort that will never come. Why doesn't Notch help us?!

I found myself in bed, Rory, my faithful dog was sat on top of the blanket. He knew something was wrong. Dogs have a sixth sense for emotions. This can be annoying but right now I'm grateful. I sat next to him, sinking into the mattress, and buried my face in his fur. Rory whined and nuzzled me softly.

"I-I'm ok boy, everything is going to be ok." I cooed. This seemed to reassure Rory that I was fine, he jumped off the bed and scampered upstairs. Get a hold of yourself...If he does catch up with you, how will you defeat him in this state? My eyes drifted to the diamond sword leaning on the wall, tucked away in its sheathe. I clenched my teeth and got up from my bed to go rest my elbows on the window sill. Above, the stars glittered like diamonds in torchlight. 

I said a quick prayer to Notch and settled into bed. The god must've not been listening because I still had nightmares.

"I have to run! I have to get out of this place, please please let me out!"

I pounded on the diamond bars and shook them- all in vain. Herobrine stood on the other side, chuckling. I envied his freedom. He wasn't confined to these three walls and barred entrance. He wasn't being tortured or drained of magic. I forsook hope and rested my head against the bars.

"Given up already? Its only been 6 months! My, my," Herobrine shook his head, "How the mighty have fallen, I thought you'd last longer!"

I let out a weak sigh and closed my eyes. "I don't even have the energy to make my own fire." My gaze shifted to a pile of charred twigs in the corner. "Do you seriously think I can survive another draining? Herobrine, I took you for evil, not stupid. Please, I'm no use to you anymore, just let me go..."

At this, Herobrine let out a chilling laugh, one that rattled my weak bones. I didn't bother to fight him, or struggle as I felt the familiar coldness of the draining spell. A blue/purple mist floated away from me, turning red to black as it was absorbed by Herobrine.

Sunlight glowed on the walls of my small house. I looked over at my calendar and groaned. Rory sat on the blankets next to me with a sad glimmer in his eyes. We both knew what today's mission was- Find a new place to stay. Every week we packed up and moved, to keep Herobrine from finding us.

It wasn't too bad to pack up, I could just use my magic, but that would alert Him to our location, so I packed up the "normal" way- on my hands and knees breaking the house apart, putting it on the horse and dogsled, and shoving off for a new home. Every week, I do this. We've lived in 52 different places. We never go back, we just zig zag across Minecraftia and pray we aren't found. During this time, I've been making a full map of Minecraftia, something I'm surprised no one had done yet. Regional maps are fine but I guess no one has the time or energy to travel our vast blocky world. Maybe when I'm done, I'll donate it to the people of Minecraftia.

Once the house was no more and the saddlebags were clasped to the leathers crisscrossing Ari's back, I took a last look at the land we'd lived on. Trees, a creek, and a dirt path leading through the woods. I opened the book and with a dot of green from some crushed leaves, I dotted the location and flipped it closed. With the bag shut and sled packed, I cast a small energy spell on Rory, making him less easily tired- he already had strength, he was a husky- and gave him a treat.

"Ari, Rory, time to go find a new place to live."

-Moo