The Horror Saga - I̵̦̓S̸̙͊ ̷̟̇T̵̰́H̵̅͜Í̶̖S̷̢͛ ̶̩̃T̷͔̽H̴̙͗É̸͖ ̴̰̕E̵̹͐Ṋ̶̒D̸̺̀?̴̨͑

Chapter 7

As Sabre and Nightmare return to the house, Ryan comes running out.

"Nightmare? How'd you get a command block?"

"I'm sorry, a what block?" Nightmare asks, glancing over at Sabre before back at Ryan.

"A command block. Y'know, that yellow flashy thing in the end room?" A fearful look strikes Nightmare's face and suddenly he's running into the house.

"I told the Steves to stay away from that thing!" Sabre and Ryan follow him, entering a room where everyone else is, Lucas near the block. "Lucas! Stand back, please!"

Startled, Lucas obeys, staring at the Steve.

"What? What did I do?" He questions.

"Just, please! Stay away from that thing!" Behind the king's back, Ryan approaches the command block.

"Nightmare, it can't hurt you," he states.

"Actually, yes it very well can, and it has. Hit me with lightning and poison, okay?"

Ryan gives Nightmare a look, before kneeling down next to the block. He taps it a few times, mumbling words to himself, before requesting a button.

"Well he needs something to power it," Sabre states upon seeing the Steve's confusion. A button is handed to Ryan and he attaches it to the block, before pressing it. The Steves all gasp and step away, preparing for something negative to happen. Ryan laughs.

"Cookie, anyone?" He questions, revealing the treat now in his grasp.

"Yes, please," Faceless, turning into a Green Steve, mumbles, as he grabs the cookie. He takes a bite, before informing the others that "it tastes exactly like a cookie should."

"You know how to use that thing?" Nightmare questions, turning from Faceless to Ryan. "You're able to control it?"

"Well, I guess so," Ryan answers, "I mean I'm not exactly a command expert but I'm pretty good with them."

Nightmare hesitates, as if running over thoughts in his mind. Suddenly, Yellow Steve gasps, drawing everyone's attention.

"Stop," Nightmare states, not facing the Steve "I know what you're thinking... I'm not sure it's a safe idea."

"But Nightmare, he said he can control it!" Yellow tries to persuade, however the king denies him.

"He can control it in its block form. If we go through with that idea... who knows what could happen."

"And who knows what could happen if we don't do it? Sire, you said it yourself, we cannot stay in the Nightmare Dimension forever, so what else are we going to do? None of us Steves have any idea of what that thing even is, and we're the ones who've asked for their help!"

"It could be life threatening."

"Going against Alex without that thing is life threatening."

"Can we please be in on whatever it is you two are discussing?" Sabre interrupts, gaining the Steve's attention. "Like, I get that it's with the command block, but... what?"

Nightmare turns his attention to Ryan once more, and from the serious expression he receives Ryan stands.

"Ryan," Nightmare says, looking him in the eyes. "You're a clever man, but are you strong?"

"In muscles or mind?" Ryan responds. "Because in muscles, I'm kinda strong; but in mind... eh I guess I'm kinda strong there too. Why?"

Again, Nightmare hesitates. His eyes turn back to Yellow, biting his bottom lip gently.

"We wanna fuse you with the block." Yellow blurts out, confusing the room.

"I'm sorry?" Lucas questions. "Fuse him with the block?"

"Yeah, I mean it's possible for a Steve to give another Steve, or even a player like you guys, our powers, so maybe with the same process we can... do the same with the command block?"

As Ryan gives Yellow Steve a contemplative look, Time Steve shakes his head.

"That is a horrendous idea," he states, stepping closer to both Yellow and Nightmare. "We don't know the full capabilities of that thing, and besides, you said that we can convert the power of a Steve, not a block. If that thing can do things like summon food or lightning, and we incorrectly infuse those powers into a player, or anyone for that matter, who knows the repercussions!"

"Let's do it," Ryan states, gaining the eyes of everyone in the room.

"Did you not hear what I just said?"

"Yeah I heard you Time, just chose to ignore ya." Ryan's smirk is met with a look of almost disgust, as Time begins to try and argue.

"You're putting your life at risk here! You're dancing with the Dreadlord at this point, are you sure you don't just want to, I don't know, think?!"

"And risk my friend being corrupted again?" Ryan responds, matching Time's level of volume and force. "Yeah, I get it Time, it was scary having all that happen to people that are like you; but do you know how scary it is learning that your best friend's been trapped in a video game with no way out? Learning that he's become some kind of animal for no damn reason and hurting people, and then having to help someone else and act like you knew what was going on, even though you didn't, and you were scared out of your skin because you didn't know if he was okay or not, and then seeing his literal rotting corpse, just- just right there in front of you! And there's nothing you can do!"

Ryan's face grows more red with each second, his jaw hitched open and his eyes boring holes in Time's face.

"Do you know how scary that is?! I don't ever want to go through that again, and I'm going to do everything that I can to make sure that I don't have to relive that- that Sabre! doesn't have to relive that! And if my life is on the line then so be it, I will risk my life, I don't care!" Still, Ryan stares at Time, who looks back at him in both fear and worry, however he manages to calm his breaths, and steady his voice. "You didn't see him, Time. You haven't seen what Alex has done to him. I just want to save him. And if I can save Sabre, then we can save all the Steves."

For a moment, Time doesn't answer, he only looks away from Ryan as if processing his words. As he does, Sabre walks up to Ryan and wraps him in a hug.

"I'm sorry," Time states, gaining Ryan's attention. "If you believe you're strong enough to control the command block, and you think it's what needs to be done, then I won't stand in your way."