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

Resurgence

Death, surprisingly, did not hurt. It was life that was painful. Steve gasped as the inconceivable pain struck him in every nerve of his body. He began to throw his arms up in surprise when the pain worsened tenfold. Defeated, he stayed stock still, save for his chest, which expanded which each rattling breath.

There were several figures crowded around him. At first, he could only make out silhouettes in the spots that plagued his vision. Slowly, though, he made out Po and a few other zombie pigmen. Steve blinked again, clearing his sight even more.

"Easy, easy," one of them was saying. Po clearly had concern written across his face. Steve tried to move more, but the medics held him down. The warrior screwed his face up as the pain became even more unbearable. If he moved, it hurt, but it got no better if he stayed still.

The next few hours passed in and out for Steve. Later, he could not recall most of the events that occurred. He was given a warm broth to drink several times, and medics frequently checked on him. Po rarely left his side. Steve drifted in and out of sleep, dreams blurring with reality. At times, he woke up not even knowing who he was.

And then Steve sat up suddenly in bed. He was in a large room, with sunlight streaming through the soft yellow curtain. Steve slowly sat up, stretching. He was dressed in tan silk night clothes. He felt a smile spread across his face. It had all been a dream!

Steve rushed out the door to see a glorious scene from Minecraft spread out in front of him. He breathed in the fresh air, enjoying being back.

He was back! Finally, the horrible nightmare had faded, and he was back where he belonged.

Steve's eyes eagerly searched around for signs of his friends. They had to be around here somewhere. He must have been knocked into a coma following his battle with General Four. However, all he saw was the ancient wreckage of some camp long gone. Somehow, though, the ashes in the fire pits still smoldered.

A cloaked figure sat hunched on the distance. He seemed to be shivering, and Steve did feel the temperature drop. The scene was rapidly getting darker. The hidden specter appeared to be injured. His face was cast downward.

"What happened here?" Steve asked. The man didn't look up to acknowledge him.

"This is one of the settlements of the pigmen," the figure said. "This is where hundreds were wiped out."

"Then why am I here?" asked Steve.

"Because," the figure replied, "it was the two of us who killed them." Steve suddenly looked down at his hands and realized in shock that they were wet with crimson blood.

The figure looked up at Steve, and it wasn't an old man, but Herobrine himself! The Dark Lord laughed wickedly. Steve stumbled back, disbelieving, but all around him, he could hear the screams of the innocents he had killed, and he was guilty, guilty, guilty and dead.

But then he wasn't. The warrior awoke abruptly again. This time, he was certain he wasn't dreaming, for he was back in one of the Nether's caverns.

Steve steadily got to his feet. He in a small sublet of a rather large cavern. He could hear voices echoing from somewhere close. The warrior wandered into a large chamber, where he could see several pigmen conferring. He walked over to them. Many looked slightly alarmed, but Po looked at Steve warmly.

"Feeling better, Master Steve?" he inquired.

Steve nodded curtly. "Somewhat. I'm back to my normal self, so that's a start." He looked around at the other faces. "I am ashamed and sorry for what I did. And I want to make it right."

"The blazes manipulated you into doing what you did," Po assured.

"I share some blame. I believe that much. But I agree. The blazes are the real culprits. They deserve some justice."