End of Minecraft

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟗: 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕳𝖎𝖉𝖉𝖊𝖓 𝕶𝖎𝖓𝖌𝖉𝖔𝖒

That's how it'll appear:
surrounded by trees,
forests, and caves.

Make it a little smaller,
with villages and
people all around it.

𝐀 𝐒𝐔𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐉𝐎𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐕𝐄, as the distant sound of alarmed voices filled the air. Startled, he rushed to open the door and his gaze fell upon a sight that ignited a sense of urgency within him. Flames danced menacingly amidst the nearby forest, their fiery tendrils devouring the lush greenery. Panic spread through the villagers like wildfire, their frantic cries piercing the tranquility of the day. Without hesitation, Steve knew it was time to spring into action, to lend his strength and help douse the flames before they consumed everything in their path.

Steve quickly grabbed a bucket of water and dashed towards the blazing trees. He threw the water with all his might, feeling the cool splashes collide with the searing heat. In the midst of the chaos, he spotted Alex joining in, pouring water like there was no tomorrow. With the help of other villagers, they battled against the fierce flames, determined to save their beloved forest from the clutches of destruction.

After a few minutes of relentless effort, the flames were finally extinguished, leaving behind a charred aftermath of 8-10 burnt trees. Steve took a deep breath, sweat dripping down his forehead, and turned to Alex with a puzzled expression. "What happened?" he asked, his voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and concern. Alex's face reflected sheer horror as she met his gaze, unable to find the words to explain the cause of the unexpected forest fire.

Steve's POV

I frantically spoke to Alex about the unexpected forest fire, our voices filled with worry and confusion. We quickly retreated into my workplace, and as Alex gently shut the door behind us, she turned her back to it, facing me with a serious expression.

"We're not safe here," Alex said, her voice filled with urgency. I looked at her, confusion etched on my face, as she continued, her voice growing clear and louder, "We're not safe anywhere!" Her words struck me like a lightning bolt, causing my expression to shift into one of shock and realization.

"I had gone out, leaving you to sleep for a few hours when I heard a commotion outside," Alex explained, her voice filled with concern. "Our people said that there was a sudden fire out of nowhere, and it continued to spread." She took a step forward, her gaze locked with mine, as she continued to recount the events. "I went out and helped them make buckets to throw water, but the fire seemed relentless. It wasn't until you got out and joined us that the fire started to die down. It's as if it wanted you to see it for yourself," Alex said, her words hanging in the air as she stood before me.

I reached out to gently hold Alex's trembling shoulders, my heart sinking as her words pierced through me. "Alex, we did everything we could to help, and we managed to save many trees," I tried to reassure her, my voice filled with empathy. But it seemed like my words had little effect as her distress intensified. "You can't protect them, can you?" she asked, her voice choked with emotion, her eyes searching mine for answers. A sharp pang shot through my chest, as if her words were a knife. "We... we can't protect them all," I admitted, my voice heavy with defeat. Alex clutched her head, tears streaming down her face, overwhelmed by the weight of the situation.

I looked into Alex's tear-filled eyes, understanding the weight of her decision. "I'll stay with the villagers," she said with determination, her voice wavering. I nodded, a mix of sadness and acceptance washing over me. She was right; keeping them in the dark about the danger was not an option. There was no guarantee of safety, no matter how hard we tried. I slumped against the wall, feeling defeated, as a wave of helplessness washed over me. All I could do now was hope that the letter had reached Techno and that he would have a solution, a way to protect those we cared about.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

In the morning light, as Philza's crow soared across vast lands, carrying the letter with unwavering determination, an anonymous hand reached out from the shadows. With a swift motion, it snatched the letter away, severing the connection between Steve and his hope. The crow let out a final caw, a haunting cry that echoed for miles, before it was consumed by flames. Its feathers turned to ash, vanishing into the air, leaving no trace of its existence.

As the smoke dispersed, revealing the figure lurking in the shadows, it became clear that it was none other than Herobrine himself. With an eerie glow in his eyes, he unfolded the letter and read its contents, a wicked grin forming on his face. With a sense of purpose, he turned his gaze toward the direction from which the crow had come, ready to set his plans into motion.

𝐀𝐒 𝐓𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐍𝐎 𝐀𝐍𝐗𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐙𝐀'𝐒 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐎 𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐄, the sun reaching its zenith, he let out a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of anticipation. Just as his worry was about to consume him, a comforting hand gently patted his back, and he turned to see Philza standing beside him. Philza's reassuring voice broke the silence, "Let's just hope that it's running late, my friend. There's still hope."

2 hours later

After two hours of waiting, a loud thud against the living room window startled Philza. Rushing to investigate, he discovered a different crow, not carrying a letter. The distressed crow seemed to communicate its troubles to Philza, who offered it some seeds before it swiftly departed.

As Techno approached Philza, his face filled with concern, he asked, "Is the crow back?" Unaware of what Philza had to share, both with him and the others, a sense of unease grew within Techno.

Techno swiftly called everyone into the living room, gathering them to hear what Philza had to share. Within minutes, the room fell silent as Philza's voice carried the weight of his words. "The crow is dead, burned to ashes," he revealed, sending a shiver down everyone's spines. "We don't know what's to come, but we must be prepared."

With the weight of the situation hanging heavily in the air, Techno made the resolute decision that they would depart that very night. As evening approached and the sun began its descent, there was no time to waste. They had to leave tonight. The others nodded in agreement, their sense of urgency propelling them to swiftly gather their belongings. Techno, too, prepared himself, while Philza retreated to his room, opening the map to Steve's hidden kingdom. Whispers escaped his lips, "I hope we're not too late." As if in response, a caw resonated near his window, a testament to the crow's shared concern.

When the skies fall, darkness engulfs all.