Hardcore Survival (A Minecraft Story)

The Challenge

[Aria's POV]

It takes a few more minutes before we near a large staircase down deep into a large mountain of netherrack. It was deep within the Basalt Deltas. The change was rather nice, actually, as the temperature seemed to drop just a bit. It was enough to make Mobius slightly relax and Alexa took a deep breath of relief. I let out a slight sigh as well but suck it back in at the sight. 

We were walking up to what once had been Bastion Remnants, but they were completely repaired and restored. The entrance stood before us, many blocks high and glowing with lanterns and glowstone. Piglin lined walkway, armed with golden enchanted swords or netherite pickaxes. Their armor was something I have never seen. It was dark like netherite, but gold flecks were scattered on the armor and lined the edges. It glowed slightly like an enchantment, but the glow was orange instead of purple. 'Fire resistance.' I muse. That was something I would need to think about before our match.

Lava pits.

I shake my head as we enter. I needed to focus on our surroundings now. As we entered, lava was pooling from the sides in intervals, and I barely catch a hidden lever poking from behind the last set of pillars that separated each flow. I narrow my eyes and keep moving. 'Need to remember that.' Once we leave the entrance hall, we walk down a large staircase that is slightly spiraled. Lanterns lined the walls, letting off an eerie orange glow. At the end of the stairs is a massive hall with a high ceiling and hanging chandeliers made from netherrack bricks and glowstone shards. Doors led to other places in the castle, and mobs were walking in and out until our little caravan enters. They all stop to look towards us, and I withhold a growl.

A nudge on my side makes me turn to Alexa. She gestures ahead of us, and I feel my eyes widen at the sight. The Wither King's throne was massive, made with pure netherite and inlaid with gold. A massive statue of the wither was directly behind the throne, with the middle head above it. The other two were on either side of the chair, and the eyes glowed brightly with glowstone. As we approach, the Wither King rises to the throne and the guards make us stop. "Take them to their quarters. We will.... commence the arrangement  when you are ready." I slightly lower my head, and he does the same. The guards move towards the right of the throne and lead us down a hall and to a set of doors. As we near the end, the guard leading us turns, and my eyes narrow at the cracked ribs. "You will be staying here. Rest well..."  As we enter, Anthony locks eyes with the skeleton and he glares. The skeleton shows no emotion until Alexa walks up. She nods to it, and it returns the nod.

Just as I enter, the skeleton mutters, "You'll need it." I slightly stop, feeling my ender-half growl. Instead, I turn to look at it with narrow eyes. I say nothing and continue inside the room. He closes the door behind me and I sigh. When I lift my gaze, I see all three of my friends staring me down, and I know there is no getting out of this one. "Alright... This is what's going on..."

~~~~~~~~~~

Within an hour, I have told them everything and we are now all sitting down. Somehow the Wither King was able to retrieve packed ice and offered some to Alexa and Mobius. However, that was all he offered us besides a safe place to rest. I only had my sword still, and a few items in my inventory.

"What's your plan, Aria?" Anthony asks, and I look away. I really never had a real plan...

I just wanted to save my friends.

"I... I don't...." I look up and gaze at all my friends. 'Oh God, I don't have a plan... What was I thinking?!'

'I had no choice-'

'He would've kill us-'

'We were going to die-'

'We are going to die-'