Hardcore Survival (A Minecraft Story)

Gathering

[Aria's POV]

Within an hour, after many Minecraft days have passed, Anthony had found an abandoned mineshaft below us. We all were ecstatic and slightly frightened at the find. Mineshafts usually meant easy resources, which is always nice...

But it also meant cave spiders.

Which were anything but nice.

I shudder at the thought of how poison would affect us, especially after receiving the full impact of an arrow. At the reminder, I rub my shoulder, which earns a gentle pat from Alexa. She was standing next to me while Anthony and Mobius were gazing down the first bridge that led into the shaft.

Anthony rubs the back of his neck. "Well.... what'd you think? Should we go in or....?" He turns to Mobius, who gazes around the opening which mild apprehension. "Normally, I would already be halfway through this thing...." he mutters. None of us will admit to the fear we hold, but I shake my head. "Let's get more gear first. Mobius, how much ore do you have so far?"

Mobius opens his inventory. "I have 35 iron ore, and 15 gold. A bit of Redstone and lapis as well, and way too much coal." I turn to Anthony, who nods as Mobius closes his inventory. "I have about the same, but 20 gold ore." Alexa and I nod. Each of us got 32 iron ore and just over 10 gold ore, along with a bit of Redstone and lapis. We had been lucky that our mine down didn't drop us into any caverns. Normally, we would want that the most...

Now it was the last thing we wanted right now.

"Alright. Let's head back up and smelt it all, then gather more food. Alexa and I need to check the wheat anyways, see if it's grown enough to harvest to make-"

"Cake?!"

"Bread."

Anthony visibly slumps and I can't help but laugh. "The cake is a lie, remember?" Is all I say before turning around to head back to our massive tunnel. I gaze up, still in awe at the size of it. When we started after our meal, it was simply a ten by ten area we made separate from the 'living area with the furnaces. However, we had steadily dug down and occasionally split off into smaller tunnels after a vein of ore. Stairs went up the walls all the way back to the top, courtesy of Anthony remembering...

I would not want to climb ladders up that high right now.

Carefully, we all head back up, one at a time. Anthony leads us, then Mobius, then Alexa, and I follow at the rear. I wanted to make sure nothing was following us, and that everyone would make it up safely...

Because I couldn't fight away the feeling of something bad about to happen.

Slowly, Anthony nears the top, and a striking sensation of fear hits me. "Anthony, wait!" I shout, but he already had stepped from the stairs to the solid ground above...

And a click echoes.

He looks down and I can see his body go rigid. I yell to snap him out of his shock. "Move! MOVE!" I run up and grab Alexa's arm, yanking her back down the stairs as a hissing noise grows louder. Mobius scrambles behind us and I hear Anthony follow...

Then the explosions ring in my ears.

The entire world shakes, and I shout as I feel the stair below me give way through the shaking. Thankfully, a blocky hand grabs my own and I feel the tug on my arm. I turn my gaze up to spot Alexa bent over the hole, one hand pushing her up in an attempt to drag me back up. "Mobi! Help!" She grunts, and just as Mobius nears her, a sinister laugh makes us all freeze.

Herobrine.

His glowing eyes illuminate the area around us, and I feel my body turning until I am gazing at him, floating near the top of the remainder of the spiral staircase. We were halfway down, but still not close enough to the ground to not cause fall damage...

I feel pulling again and I gaze up to see Alexa struggling to keep her grip on me. However, a yell turns my head back towards the top, and I spot Anthony, wielding a shield and sword, dive towards Herobrine from the rubble above. Said game character gazes up and barely moves out of the way in time. Anthony rolls across the stairs as he lands, using the shield to cushion the impact. He quickly stands and faces Herobrine, shield up. The man slightly laughs. "Fool." He summons a blade, but it is different than a normal sword...

And eerily similar to the one on my back.

Before I can think about it more, I hear Mobius shout my name. I gaze up to see him with an outstretched arm towards me. "The stairs are about to collapse! Grab my hand!" I grunt and throw my hand up, huffing as I meet his and he grabs hold. Once he knows he has me, he nods to Alexa. "Pull!" Grunts echo around over the sounds of clashing blades until I am safe on the stairs.

I gasp and nod my head in thanks to my friends before a painful shout makes me turn.

And my blood boils at the sight above us.

Alexa gasps in horror while Mobius slightly growls. I try to keep my face steady, but seeing Anthony being held by the throat, nearly 20 blocks off the ground, and blood dripping from many cuts. "Anthony!" I shout, and all I get in return is a pained grunt.

Suddenly, the whole area shakes, and the stairs slightly shift, making us all throw our arms out to catch our balance. Herobrine just gazes down at us, a sly smirk on his face.....

And a single slash on his cheek.

I growl and step forward to the edge of the stairs. "Let him go!" The man's grin widens, and he replies, "As you wish."

Then he drops him...

From where he was.

I shout and try to jump forward, but Mobius and Alexa pull me back. "ANTHONY!" I feel cold-blooded rage fill my chest, but when I gaze up again, only the silhouette of Herobrine remains, a ghostly white glow where his eyes were. Before I can react, Alexa and Mobius begin to shove me down the stairs, and it takes me a moment to realize the stairs above us were now collapsing...

But the stairs below us are as well, and soon we all fall as the floor gives way. Dust clouds my vision for a moment until my head strikes something hard, then all I see is darkness after a sharp pain radiates through me.