The Shadow WIthin (Book 2)

Chapter 2: The Challenges

Fawn's POV

The Nether looked like it normally did, but with a slight twist to it. The entrance to the fortress was ravaged, with chunks of the bridge taken out. Pigmen worked hurriedly as they started replacing the blocks, and some looked toward us as if expecting something.

I looked toward Herobrine, and he shook his head. Another time... He seemed to say. I walked up to a baby pigman who was huddling near his mother. He snorted nervously as I approached him. I nodded and tossed him a couple of carrots I had pillaged. He nodded his head, and rushed up to hug me. I greeted it with a reaction that I couldn't place.  Sadness? Anger? A spot of annoyance?

I waited until he let me go, and then I returned to my group.

"Was that really necessary?" Herobrine asked.

"Yes." I growled. "Was that really necessary."

"You know, its not time for a dogfight, is it?" Kai reminded.

"You're right." Herobrine mumbled. "Come on."

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I stood up on the ground, and soon realized that a lava parkour was in front of me. Stone blocks climbed up high, and ladders were scattered all across. Lava bubbled in front of me and I backed away and gripped my sword tightly.

"Now, without your powers, you should be able to complete this parkour. With your powers, you should be able to kill the skeletons while on the parkour." Herobrine shouted through the parkour.

"Wait, what?" I replied, genuinely confused. "That's not going to happen."

Herobrine smirked. "If you can defeat the skeletons, I mean. Now go, stand on the pressure plate please."

I groaned and walked over to where the pressure plate was, and could hear the steady click of it under my feet. I looked at the parkour threateningly, and I felt like it trembled, just so ever slightly. All of a sudden, a terrible screeching came on the speaker intercom, and I clamped my hands over my ears so hopefully, my ear drums wouldn't bleed.

"Sorry 'bout that." Herobrine replied, poking his ear. "That was quite loud. Anyway, here's what I came to talk about. The skeletons will be spawning approximately 10 seconds after the beep. " Like said, a blaring beep came over the intercom. "The challenge will start shortly after."

I grasped my sword Serphentis tightly, and waited patiently until the beep blared again and I stared at the place where the skeletons would spawn. Hopefully, I wouldn't end up being burnt to a crisp and have arrows sticking out everywhere.

"Ready, set, go!" the voice on the speaker yelled, and the first skeleton spawned. It was a baby skeleton with a diamond helmet on its head and I slowly walked over to it. It charged at me, but I waited as he came closer. 

"You're a good skeleton aren't you?" I responded, and the skeleton stopped in its tracks. All around, skeletons that had spawned were staring at the two of us, wondering what would happen. I pulled a miniature bow that I had crafted when I was little, and handed it to the skeleton. "For you, in case you're in a jam."

"Who are you?" the skeleton replied, its voice sounding like a whisper.

"Why, couldn't you tell?" I asked, gesturing to the sword and the hoodie. The skeleton looked at everything carefully, and his eyes slowly widened until they were the size of a small slimeball.

"Are you, the Creeper Queen?" he asked, holding his bow carefully.

"Yes, I am." I replied. I looked toward a tall skeleton, climbing a couple inches taller than I was. "Could I borrow that bow real quick?" I asked. It nodded.