Shift

Chapter 25

~5 years later~

I woke up on cold ground in my cave. A normal day like everyday. Wake up. Hunt for monster food. Feed monsters. Hunt for food. Eat. Think up plans of revenge. Go mining. Sleep. Wake up. It was the same.

I stretched my arms and yawned. I usually go hunting near the mouth of the cave so no one could see me, even though they stopped sending search parties, searching for me, three years ago. I sheathed my sword -the one I got from the King- in a leather belt with a leather sheath I made a few days after I arrived at my new home.

I had an army of about fifty monsters living in another branch of the cave. I hunted for food to feed them every day, part of my boring routine. My life wasn't as good as it was before. No smiles, no laughter, no jokes, no nothing. It was always stern looks and plans.

My footsteps sounded across the cave as I shifted into an enderman and teleported to the mouth of the cave. I went back to my form. The wind struck me in the face. It was a normal day, normal breeze, with a hint of cold in it. The green valley stretched for miles, animals grazing across it. Beyond that, were the tall, sharp spires of the Queen's palace.

I jumped onto the grass, my leather pants and woolen shirt ruffling like a flag in the breeze. I unsheathed my sword and licked my dry, chapped lips. It was time for food. I never cared about being vegan anymore. I swung my sword at the nearest cow. It jumped out of the way with whimpers of fear.

I showed no emotion. I grabbed it in place, then slowly and painlessly, I touched the tip of my sword to its leather skin, and it caught on fire. All that was remaining was ready steak and black leather, darkened by the ashes of the fire.

I did the same with all the others, and went back into my cave. The group of monsters looked at me with hunger. I tossed large pieces of steak onto their ground. The monsters ate heartily like a pack of wolves. I walked back to my branch of the cave, gnawing on a piece of steak. I had tons of leather from my daily killings. I made leather jackets and pants, and leather armor too. Not that it protected much.

I had already thought up a plan of revenge all these years, and didn't spend much time thinking of it. It was my monsters and I. And when we attack, the kingdom would never expect I have an army.

I readied my pickaxe and sprinted into the deeper sector of the cave. As I sprinted, more lava pits appeared the farther I ran in. Most of the ores were useless. I already had nine stacks of coal and seven stacks of iron ingots. Near a lava pit, was a stone block with glowing red parts that emitted some powder. Redstone.

I swung my iron pickaxe at the ore. It exploded into a shower of powder. I collected it in my 'mining resources' container. I went on, the temperature comfortable, though slightly warm. It became warmer and warmer as I went further, until it was no longer called 'warm', but scorching hot. Beats of sweat dotted my forehead, and all I found was a bunch of redstone.

I continued walking, though. I passed stone, iron, and coal ores. I stopped at a glint. Shiny and reflective, I stared into solid chunks of gold. They weren't even ores, they were blocks. I staggered backwards. Someone was here. "Who's there?" I called out.

"Show yourself!" I yelled. There was a movement in the shadows, but nobody showed up. I plunged into the dark part of the cave that was too far from a lava pit to be illuminated. I grabbed a stick from my stack and rubbed coal onto it. It lit up, emitting sparks.

I moved my hand around, exposing a shadow moving quickly along the right side of the cave walls. I lit up the other side, the same shadow moving across it. I grunted in frustration. I picked up the pace and took out another stick. I let it scrape the left wall as I ran, sparks flying around it. It rubbed against a coal ore, lighting up.

I threw the one in my left hand, as far forward as I can. There was a soft thump, and a gasp. I looked in front of me. The torch revealed a girl with soft green eyes and short, light brown hair.

I glared at her. "What are you doing here?" I growled and took a step forward.

The girl eyed me sternly. She looked very familiar, but I couldn't point out who she was. Next to her were more gold blocks. She leaned against a pillar of gold.

"You know, mining." She said calmly. She looked like she recognizes me, but isn't doing anything about it.

"In my cave?" I hissed. "Out. Now. Or you will regret ever coming here."

"I don't usually regret my actions." She said, ignoring my dirty looks. Her eyes seemed to glow for a moment, then it was gone. "Cause gold. Plus, who said this was your cave? I don't see Cecilia written anywhere."

"MY NAME IS NOW EMMA! AND HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?"

"Well, it's easy, since I recognize you after all these years. But it appears you don't. I saved your life, you idiot. Can't one remember that?"

I paused. "Who in Minecraft are you?"

"Well, it's me, Amy. And guess what! I'm a shapeshifter!"

My mouth dropped open.