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

Plan of Attack

Steve walked slowly up the bridge to the intimidating gate of the fortress. Not even a week ago, he had been tortured here. He had gone from being a prisoner to a guest of honor to being left for dead. And now he was back.

Fearlessly, defiantly, Steve raised on fist and knocked against the gate's iron bars. "Hello!" he shouted. "Is anyone home?"

Slowly, the gate opened. A couple blazes, accompanied by several wither skeletons, marched out. "What-" he gasped, flabbergasted. "What is this?"

"Couldn't you tell?" Steve laughed, much to their confusion. "It's a distraction, you big gravelus bloom!" Steve punched the place squarely in the face and unscathed his sword. The guards stepped forward, but then Po's strike force rushed forward, roaring like one great beast. The gate keepers were easily dispatched.

Steve looked down in surprise at his hands. Po had given him gloves that he claimed resisted the blazes' fire, and sure enough, that was the truth. Po strolled up to him.

"So, Master Steve, it appears we're in," he claimed.

"Halt!" cried a shrill voice. The squad of pigmen looked up to see ranks upon ranks of soldiers lining the ramparts. A blaze captain, flanked with another battalion, arrived at the gate.

"Surrender at once!" the captain ordered. Steve smiled and raised his hands above his head. Po and the others followed suit. The captain began to move forward, but the low sound of a horn reverberated across the hills. A second one joined in, and then a third, and then the whole hillside was thundering with the cries of war horns.

Steve winked at the blazes. An entire army erupted from the landscape. A massive wave of pigmen rushed down the bluff. Their cries seemed to shake the castle itself. Though the blazes raised their weapons, the element of surprise had done its job. The fight had begun.

Two walls of soldiers met at the castle gates. Steve felt the booming explosion of the collision. Thousands of swords sang as gold clashed on gold. Wither skeletons and blazes poured without end from the mouth of the fortress. In the other side, the pigmen kept coming from every direction.

Steve used his own gold sword to fight several challengers without much difficulty at all. He struck at a large skeleton, bringing him down easily. The warrior's strength had returned, along with a fervor to make things right. He had started this whole mess. It was up to him to finish it.

He looked to Po, who nodded back. He had given the signal. Steve pushed forward. Ducking swords and dodging blows, he successfully evaded most attention.

No worse for wear, Steve slipped into the fortress. Silently, he crept along the abandoned corridors. Only once did he have to duck out of sight as a battalion ran by. Aside from that, he didn't run into a single soul.

Readying himself, Steve approached the throne room. He drew his sword and balanced it in his hands. It was showtime.

He pushed open the large doors, drawing surprised glances from Armstridge and his royal entourage. Also in attendance were Teedo and Admin Vance. The wither guards drew their swords. Steve rushed them, and the duel began.

These special guards had talent, but with only the occasional rebellious pigman to practice on, they were unprepared for Steve's skill. He dispatched them with ease. Brandishing his sword, he stepped closer to the blazes and their remaining guards, most of whom backed up in fear.

"Welcome back, Steve," the regent said calmly. "I had been told that you had perished. I'd like to presume that you have nothing to do with the disappearance of General Maximus or this rebellion, but I'm probably wrong, aren't I?"