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

The Last Stand

Rushing down the dark hallway, Steve gripped his sword and stayed on the lookout for guards. He had to hurry to find Armstridge. If the pigmen had indeed breached the inner keep, the fight was now in the inside. In the midst of the chaos, the blaze king could escape.

Steve liked his chances, though. The pigmen had practically pulled it off already. He knew they could. And now, sure enough, they had unified! They were actually fighting back for their world. They hadn't chosen it, but it was their home, and no way in Minecraft were they going to let it go that easily.

Steve dodged a fireball as it flew by. In front of him stood a small force of a few blazes and some Wither skeletons. Steve raised his sword and charged. He met three skeletons in combat instantly. They fought well, but they were no match for Steve. However, the warrior was not at his best, and when he turned to the rest, they all attacked him at once. Steve struggled to hold them at bay.

From around a corner, a door was blown off of its hinges. A troop of pigmen rushed in. Spotting Steve, they quickly dispatched his assailants. Steve rejoined the fray and knocked the lead blaze unconscious.

"Thanks," he offered to one of the pigmen. This one cocked his head at Steve. A second one nearby saw the confusion and jumped in to translate. Upon hearing the warrior's thanks, the first grinned and nodded.

"We've managed to breach the fortress," the second pigman said in a thick accent.

"So I've noticed," Steve nodded approvingly.

Looking at the fallen enemies, the pigman inquired, "Where were you going? Did you manage to capture the regent?"

"I did," Steve answered. "I left a spy squad that had infiltrated the keep already to guard him and the other officials. I, uh, got sidetracked, though. I was on my was back to make sure he was still under control."

"Well, we should hurry, then," the pigman urged. He shouted an order to his group and they took off down the hallway. Steve led the way, taking them deeper within the castle. The group rounded a corner and found several pigmen in an all out battle with a large force of blazes. One pigman helping a wounded soldier to safety noticed Steve and his own team.

"What's going on?" Steve inquired.

"Reinforcements just showed up from a secret corridor!" the medic hastily explained. "We think they came from Sloan Tower."

"Armstridge?" demanded the first.

"Our men should still have him, sir," the medic reported. "Your team had him secured when we found him. When we heard these guys show up, we pushed 'em back. If they get past us, though, they'll easily take the people we've got holding Armstridge."

Steve looked to his captain. "Send two men back to our central attack force. Get some help. Take the rest and help these people."

"Excuse my asking, sir, but what are you planning to do?" inquired the medic.

"I'm going to lead them away," Steve confidently said, brandishing his golden sword. With that, he ran off.

The medic looked over to the captain questioningly. "Does he have backup?"

"Nah," replied the captain. "Crazy son of a noob doesn't need any."

Steve, meanwhile, was booking it down the hallway. Rounding a corner, he spotted the main battle. The pigmen were strong enough to hold off these unexpected reinforcements, but they lacked number. The medic was right. As soon as the blaze forces broke the pigmen's ranks, they would storm the throne room, kill the men guarding Armstridge, and free the blaze king, along with other members of his court. If any of them escaped, their mission could be in vain. Armstridge (and a few of his most powerful underlings) had the power to authorize some sort of treaty, or, conversely, continue this war if they escaped. It was paramount he stayed captured.