Minecraft Hardcore

Chapter 1: A New World

        The ebony dragon loomed ferociously over our heroes, swaying a taunting tail and cocking its head at them with a maniacal look in its eye. The dragon seemed to smirk just before blowing a terrifyingly hot wreath of flames around the five who were left, trapping them. It had been a thrilling adventure, with touches of romance and epic fights that had made blood pound in his veins. This had to be Jack's favourite new novel series.

In fact, a new one just hit the stores today - and it was the last one! - with stacks lining every library window, the sweet smell of all those new books wafting over the heads of townsfolk. He couldn't wait to get his spindly little fingers on it! But he knew that he couldn't, now. Not today nor any other day of the year. Instead, he had found himself in a dark, ivory vortex. Not a thing was clear to him on why he was in there, or how he managed to get there in the first place, but as he felt himself getting lurched into the heart of the storm, Jack knew something was afoot. Aside from the entire being trapped in a vortex thing, anyway.

In the center of the vortex was a light, a brilliantly white light that shone closer and closer; it was blinding. Jack shielded his eyes, a warmth passing over him, and after a moment past he felt something brush against his cheek. Now wasn't exactly the time for any butterfly kisses, but he was open to new ideas. Oh, he was falling. Wait. Jack gasped, wrapping his arms around himself, unable to find the air in his lungs to scream as he descended. He didn't fall far, mind, but it was enough to make his knees buckle and send him to the ground with a nasty thud. He exhaled, taking in great amounts of air and was amazed that he was alive. Jack blinked and stared at the grass in front of him. Grass? He had been inside his room, last time he checked. Afterwards? His mind grew fuzzy. With a grunt he got back to his feet and dusted the grass off his...hands?

Instead of hands that he looked down at, he saw two rather large cubes in a skin-like colour. Stubs. He had to make sure he wasn't entirely crazy. Jack lifted his head and gazed around at the scene before him. He was literally in the middle of the woods, without any other soul around him. Well, unless you counted the rectangular cow grazing a little ways away from him. Wait, rectangular? He stared open-mouthed at the cow, his mind still processing the teensy fact that his entire world was just a glorified square. He wasn't quite sure he would be able to fully get used to these hands. How could he possibly give the finger to someone?

Jack shook his head and started walking. He was probably better off trying to find someone else, or at least some food. He wished he had had breakfast after all that day. Jack furrowed his brow, the same fuzziness blurring his thoughts. He wandered through some trees, a few curves and turns and hills, and was thrilled when he found a pond. Jack ran to it and drank gratefully. He didn't bother to ask whether or not the water was necessarily clean, but it didn't have any swamp monsters lurking inside it, so that had to be a good sign. Jack gasped for air, again realizing that he was unfortunately not a mermaid, or merman. He always thought that the term 'merman' sounded stupid.

Jack looked at his reflection. He guessed that the rest of his body had to be a cube, too. But that still didn't mask any of his prominent features at all. Black, fluffy hair that curled at the tips seated itself on top of a tanned, baby-like face. Below that there was a scrawny nose that had been broken a couple too many times, complimentary dark eyes; Jack's pale face reflected back at himself through the clear water. He had been wearing the same clothes that he had that day - worn jeans and a navy sweatshirt with the hoodie strings tied in a loose bow. At least that hadn't changed about him. Jack blinked, squinted, and jumped back as another face appeared in the water.

"You really shouldn't doze off like that. You'll end up dead - bam! - just like that." a pale girl with long red hair tied in a loose ponytail with big, blue eyes gave him a questioning look. She wore a simple green and navy blue plaid shirt and black yoga pants that fitted around her waist comfortably.