The Edge of MINECRAFT (Being the Second Volume of the Minecraft Trilogy)

High Noon

Something was wrong. Alex's eyes sprung open, her senses suddenly alert. The door to her room was opening very slowly. You only opened a door slowly when you didn't want to wake someone up. The warrior closed her eyes slightly, but kept them cracked so she could still see somewhat.

A man entered the room. Alex could hear his weapons and armor clanking. From her view, she could see he had a knife strapped to his ankle. He came forward and patted her down. Alex tried to stay as still as she could, knowing he was checking for weapons. Satisfied, the guard got up and went back outside. Alex heard the door lock.

The guard reported to someone else out there, "She's clean. This is going to be easier than I thought. We've already got them all rounded up. Mistress said they were skilled warriors- but they went to sleep without a single suspicion. Hilarious."

Alex pretended to be waking up, stirring slowly. The guard turned his attention back to the room.

"Who's out there?" inquired Alex sleepily. The guard walked back into the room.

"I was just passing by," he explained.

"You look too cute to just be passing by," Alex said playfully, inching closer. "Are you in the mood for a drink?"

"Maybe," the guard granted, a smile spreading across his face.

"I'm not," Alex growled, her tone suddenly becoming aggressive. She gripped the dagger she had pickpocketed from the guard and drove it into his chest. Shock registered across his face before he collapsed.

Alex pulled the dagger out and twirled it in her hand. Idiot, she thought, glancing at the guard. She took the key he had clutched in his hand and approached the door. She unlocked the door casually and swept for guards. Fortunately, the corridor was empty. Though Alex want sure what it was that had happened, she knew for sure that her friends had been duped. If the rest had been captured, then it was up to her to get them out of this situation.

She crept down the hallway. Alex had thought that the guest building had looked like a prison when she had been brought in, and now she didn't doubt it was. She had known something was off about that woman, Tori, the moment she met her. Her friends had all fallen for it- all except Lucas, it seemed.

At the thought of Lucas, Alex heard his voice in her head. Then, she paused. It really was Lucas! Still holding the dagger close to her, she peeked around the hallway. Lucas was being dragged by two guards through the hallway. Though he struggled, the guards held him tight.

"Easy there," grunted one. "Save your excitement for when we actually get to the sacrificial ceremony."

Alex now had her suspicions confirmed. While regular villagers did take prisoners, they did not sacrifice said prisoners. She stepped out from behind the corner.

"Hey there," she said. She noticed one go for his weapon before noticing her casual tone. Lucas looked up at her, hope in his pleading expression. Hope that she wasn't under the spell. Alex glanced at Lucas and looked back up at his escorts. "Too much to drink?" she inquired nonchalantly. Lucas's face fell. The guards nodded. "Well, then, good night," Alex remarked, moving to pass them.

They were going the opposite way, and they were coming closer, closer...

Alex swung out her leg and tripped the first guard. He fell hard, the second turning to help him up. Alex used the distraction to push the guard still standing against the wall. Before he could recover, she twisted him around and threw him down.

The first began to rise, but Lucas used his bindings to pull the guard back. He made a gurgle as Alex pressed her blade against his sternum.

"Don't move, okay?" she whispered with a grin of satisfaction. The guard nodded eagerly. Alex took that as a he's and knocked him across the head with the butt of her dagger. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. Alex looked back up at Lucas. "How are you?"