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

Casualties

There was no escaping the heat. Steve had learned that his first day in the Nether. The entire world was unbearably hot. It radiated off of every surface, a reminder that this world was the antithesis of paradise.

But now, Steve felt the heat more than ever. It coursed through him, red hot rage that stoked the fires of hatred. He stared at Maximus, hating him and his army, but also hating himself. He hated himself for breaking, for assisting the blazes in this horrendous crime. He knew it hadn't just been here. All over the Nether, the order had been given to wipe out the zombie pigmen.

He had done that. Steve knew that his turning had been the reason for this. With Armstridge confident that Steve would back then, he had felt the boldness to play the final card against their enemy.

Steve felt disgusted with himself, thinking about how lavishly he had been treated, while the survivors of this massacre would either suffer in slavery or struggle to survive in the hills. What he had done was evil. He really was no better than Herobrine.

Well, he would have to change that.

Steve walked carefully up to Maximus, who was conferring with some other blazes and a Wither Skeleton. Maximus was visibly proud. To him, this was like a birthday present. Steve had picked up on his intolerance of the pigmen.

"Well, master Steve," the general rumbled, "have we left no survivors?"

"Not quite," Steve muttered with anger. Maximus looked puzzled until Steve's red sword was up against his neck. "I'm going back to the castle, and no one's going to have to get hurt."

"I knew it," hissed the blaze. "I knew you couldn't have been swayed by Armstridge that easily. It may have worked for a while, but your kind is much too benign. To a fault, even."

"Empathy for others is not a fault," Steve argued.

"Not if you want to live your life at a disadvantage," Maximus snarled. "Not if you want to accept weakness. And that is what you are. Weak." The other blaze soldiers moved closer, but Steve pressed his sword harder against their general. They faltered. "No, no, let him go," ordered Maximus. "Let the coward go."

"Funny that you interpret me not killing you as cowardice. I'm just as empathetic toward your life as others."

"You'll find we're not that similar," Maximus growled. He punched Steve with one of his lower arms, catching the warrior off guard. Another burning fist caught Steve in the face, and Maximus broke free.

The blaze spun around and twirled his four swords, but he didn't attack, instead staring reluctantly at Steve's own dangerous weapon.

"Easy," the latter cautioned.

"Kill him," the first persisted. Five armed men charged him at once, but Steve was ready. He sent a bolt of red energy at one of his assailants, flinging him into the air. The other four looked hesitant, but their fear of their masters won. They continued to attack, and Steve switched to dueling, taking on all of their blades with his.

One by one, they began to fall. They were far from skilled, and so Steve dispatched them easily. Only their numbers were on their side, but even that failed eventually.

Steve parried their fire rods and golden swords, disarming them and knocking them unconscious. He pointed his sword at Maximus, challenging the general. He accepted the challenge and charged with a battle cry.

The two warriors fought each other with all of their strength. Their blades flashed with unearthly sparks. Both grunted with frustration, their concentration never wavering. Maximus joined his four swords together into a defensive shield, which he then used to push Steve up against the side of a smoldering house. Steve struggled to push him back, but his four golden needles were pushing closer, starting to poke holes in his shirt...

Steve squeezed his own sword, which caused the blades of his attacker's swords to explode into shards of light. Quickly, Steve whipped around and sliced off two of Maximus's hands. The blaze went from shocked to kneeling in pain in seconds.

The triumphant warrior turned to the crowd of enemies who had gathered. He raised his sword, ready for anything. Suddenly, he felt like he was years in the past, making the same last stand as he had at his house. He knew his chances of survival were slim, but he was doing the world some good. His cause was worth it.

The blazes and skeletons attacked him, but their reluctance was obvious. He had scared them. That was good. He added to it as he bitterly fought them, taking them out and adding to that fear.

The sound of metal on metal became white noise as Steve continued to fight against a staggering number of opponents. His sword was giving him power like never before, though Steve knew that it's power had shadowy origins. Even now, as he used it for good, he could feel the hatred and anger it radiated surging through him.

Finally, it was too much. Steve let out a shout and drove his sword into the ground. It let out an explosion of picking up anyone close by and flinging them like trash being discarded. Several were killed, and the rest ran off, defeated. Steve stood there, panting. Now that the battle was over, he began to realize how much of his strength his own weapon sapped out of him.

Which was why he didn't hear Maximus crawling along on the ground.

The blaze general gripped the sharp hilt of a broken sword in one of his remaining hands, and he pulled himself along with the other. The shockwave had jolted him, and now he was so close. He bared his teeth and lunged.

Steve cried out as he felt a searing pain in his back. He twisted and turned, causing Maximus to stumble and carve a gash in Steve's back. He wrapped his hands around the latter's face. Steve yelled again at the burning pain on his face.

Maximus retrieved his shard hilt and went for the kill. His makeshift weapon plunged straight for Steve's heart. Steve felt frozen, as if all he could do was watch himself be killed. And then, Maximus let out a surprised sound. His hand trembled, and though he tried to force his weapon farther, he seemed unable to.

Steve snapped out of his trance and realized his red sword had been driven through his opponent's abdomen. Maximus looked into Steve's eyes, defeat and surprise written across his face. The cruel light that had burned in his eyes disappeared, as well as the flames that engulfed him. No longer alight, Maximus slipped away. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Steve stared at the body of his adversity. He had killed him. Not that he had liked Maximus. But he still hadn't meant for him to die. Slowly, Steve realized the irony. He had freed Maximus from his curse. No longer did he have to live life eternally aflame in this fiery pit of despair.

Steve almost laughed, but it died in his throat. He blinked, confused, and then collapsed. After all, he had been seriously wounded by Maximus. After being weakened by his own blade, he couldn't fight off the effects of his wounds. Helpless, Steve lay on the sand, feeling his own life drain out of him. His thoughts drifted to his life. It had been good, hadn't it? He had done a decent job. Even in the end, he had redeemed himself after losing his way.

Maybe, hopefully, the guys back home would find out what happened. Maybe they would get rid of the last monsters. Maybe they already had. He saw Jack, going down in legends, Lucas leading a village. And there was Amos, finally settling down, comfortably, thanks to the money he made as a blacksmith. His other friends were there too- William and Ben and Artie and Mitch and Patrick and Zeke and everyone else. Selena- he saw her too- finally got good at the whole royalty thing.

They were all there, and they were all waving goodbye. Steve didn't understand why. Where was he going? But they were still waving, and getting farther and farther from him. Steve felt a lone tear trail down his cheek, cold compared to his harsh surroundings. He strained his eyes, just as his friends were almost gone, and he thought maybe, just maybe, he could see his parents, waving too.

And then, Steve, perhaps Minecraft's greatest hero, friend to many, died.