Wither

Chapter 29-Death and Murder

*Dusty's POV*

I understand she hadn't meant to do it. I understand she felt remorseful, wretched, for killing her sister. They were twins. But I couldn't forgive her. The memory of Ember burning Lauren's flesh was embedded in my mind, her screams still echoed in my ears. But I had a job to do.

I took off on a massive wave of earth, looking desperately for Notch. A flicker of rage still burned in me, the passion for Lauren as fuel and vengeful thoughts keeping the depression at bay. Finally I spotted him. He was in the midst of at least twenty highly trained soldiers from his army. I gritted my teeth and pushed the wave of earth faster.

I reached the battalion and jumped off of the earth-wave. I drew two long, curved daggers and a cynical smile spread across my face, an expression I wasn't used to. But I didn't stop it. The soldiers marched towards me. "State your business!" One snapped in a clipped tone. I looked up, the grin still on my face. It felt...different to be like this. But I was fine with it at this point.

Without answering the commander's question, I launched into a series of rapid-fire thrusts. Within mere moments three soldiers had fallen, puncture marks decorating their necks like ruby red necklaces. With a sweep kick and a pin to the throat with my foot, I had another soldier down. Ruthlessly I cut and hacked through the small army, getting gashes and minor cuts along the way. The pain, however, only fed my bloodlust. For Lauren, was the recurring thought in my head. I would do it for her, anything for her.

Finally it was just me and Notch. Notch, the king of Pixellaria, with immense skills with a sword. And me, a wounded earth sorcerer with magical powers and an inferno of hatred burning inside. Immediately I spun around with my two daggers, cutting Notch's arms. He drew back, grabbed his sword, and plunged it into my arm - or tried to. I ducked with unnatural grace and, all in one fluid movement uncommon for me sheathed one of my daggers and unclasped a throwing knife.

My brief moment stationary allowed Notch to deliver a devastating blow to my back with his shield. I landed on the hard Netherrack with a grunt and got to my feet. Notch was cackling maniacally in front of me and, with uncanny aim, I fired at his lung. It caught him straight in the chest just as he realized what I was doing. As the life drained out of Notch's body, he threw the broadsword at me. It hit the bullseye, my heart. What little left of it after Lauren's death screamed in agony, and all of the fire in me disappeared with a puff of smoke. All I could think of was that I would finally see my beloved Lauren in the afterlife. The agony began to subside and finally all was black.

*Kai's POV*

I was, indeed, a coward. I kept low to the ground, desperate, and ran in the direction of Herobrine's castle. Fingering the pickaxe slung across my back, I kicked open the double doors. They made a terrible screeching noise, but I doubted anyone was there. My breath caught in my throat as I stepped into the foyer. The tiles were a whitish-red, but in some places it was stained crimson. I shuddered and hurried on.

In no time, surprisingly, I had found the Nether portal. I didn't know where in the world this led to, of course, so I needed to go through the broken one. With a trembling hand, I grabbed my pick and painstakingly cut out a block of obsidian. I slung the pick over my shoulder and nestled the obsidian block in the crook of my elbow. Then I took off.

Past the Netherrack plains, past the battlefield where fighting was still raging, past the fortress where Liz was probably helping out. I finally saw the Nether portal, not nearly as far away as I had thought. I reached it and, quivering, placed the block. I grabbed my flint and steel and tried to light a flame. The spasms of nervousness were not helping my skills at lighting fires, which were limited already.

A spark was generated, then another, and another, until finally the fire was burning healthily. I quickly lit the Nether portal, then hastily stepped back. It glowed purple after a second and I whooped in joy. Guiltily I gazed back towards the fortress, and was surprised to see the face of a skeleton. "Look, I-I don't want any trouble," I stuttered fearfully. The skeleton didn't listen and shot an arrow at me. Terrified, I felt it pierce through the space between my eyes. I shouted out in pain and toppled over. Blood seeped into my eyes but I didn't care. I let out an involuntary sob. I'd let down my father, my friends, Eliza, all for my own selfish desires. An inky black tear seeped from my eye and the world faded to an inky black.

*Toboe's POV*

I had seen Lauren get shot down by Ember - and I knew it was accidental by the way she reacted. But I couldn't focus on Lauren right now. I needed to get rid of a menace that has plagued me for so long: Herobrine. I launched myself at him, as he was on a different cluster a little ways off, and tackled him in a hug. "Herobrine," I gasped, and plunged my mouth into his. "I'm so sorry," I spoke around the hasty kiss. "They...they made me do it, I'm sorry."

Herobrine didn't really seem to mind; he held me tighter. I inwardly grimaced and grabbed a knife from my coat. I wrapped my arms around him and lifted my hand. My heart was beating wildly, whether from pressure or the kiss, I didn't know. I abruptly plunged the knife deep into his back. His white eyes went wide with shock as I pulled away. "I'm sorry," I repeated, feeling a speck of remorse for this pitiful creature.

"Toboe," he croaked. "I thought you had finally come to your senses. You can still join me; I'm not dead yet." He was strangely calm for one who was near death.

"I thought I made my choice clear when I stabbed you in the back earlier. The answer is still no." I scowled.

"I need you to know that I love you...I always have," Herobrine pleaded. His white eyes shone desperately.

"Well," I stepped forward gently. His white eyes glowed hopefully. "It's not mutual." With that I threw my knife, with all of the hatred, sorrow, and forced-upon love into his throat. His eyes grew wide and, instead of puffing into code, the powerful being exploded. The glowstone cluster burst apart and I felt myself falling.

I hit the ground with a thump and groaned. Immediately Jayden picked me up. "You just killed Herobrine," he said numbly. I winced and nodded.

"But there's still the Wither. And that's all that's keeping us from victory."