PBG MineCraft Hardcore Season V

[21] The Ender-Dragon

[Jeff POV]

There was nothing! Absolutely nothing but pitch black darkness with no sound. Did I accidentally fall into the lava and die without noticing? That would suck.
Somehow I managed to pull out my torches, lit one up and placed it on the floor. Glad I'm not dead! Now where am I...?

I was in a box that was encased in end blocks, pitch black - it was also getting harder and harder to breathe. Problem is I don't know whether I'm below the dragon or above, and if I make one mistake it'll lead me straight to my demise.
Well my question was prematurely answered as a eerie voice entered my head:
Somebody... somebody trespassed thy domain. Kill!
The wall in front of me burst into a violet frenzy of dancing flames, shocking me so much I fell onto my back.

It looked as if I was below the Ender dragon spawn camp, and the first to greet me was the Ender dragon's Breath of poison and flame. I rushed out of the hole after the flames settled.

The whole setup was the same as I saw it last - several pillars stood tall each guarding a star that healed the dragon, the land was inhabited by thousands of not millions of Enderman wandering aimlessly around and the dragon flew around in a spiralling motion.

Thoust shall not steal thy treasure!

The treasure? He did not mention anything about treasure the last time I saw him. Probably pointing me towards the Elytra.

As usual I knew exactly what to do, shooting my enchanted bow at the regeneration stars and watching them explode into shards of glass and flame.
The dragon edged ever so close, shooting even more fireballs at me.
Suddenly I heard a whining sound behind me and I was crushed to find two more wolves disappearing in a cloud of smoke. I couldn't mourn for them though as the dragon seemed even more angered by his brutality.

I shot two more nether stars with precise aims, taking them out and watching the fear grow on the dragon's angered face.
Kill!
An Enderman snuck up right behind me and started attack me with its long slender hands. The first hit was unwarranted for and I was basically exposed for the attack - another wolf jumped to my rescue, taking the hit for me and I watched as he disintegrated into dust and smoke. The savage anger in me momentarily returned and I was blindly slashing the Enderman with my sword, not paying attention to the dragon at all.

Another fireball came at me with full force, hitting me in the back and genuinely shocking me greatly. It took basically half my health away and I was glad that it knocked me away from the flames that soon flourished. The last wolf however, wasn't so lucky as I heard a whimper and more white smoke rising from the flames.

Tears burned my eyes.

Only Joe was left, helping me up with its snout and whimpering at the sight of the ever nearing dragon.
I sneered.

"Okay! Just a three left! Two are caged!" I shouted.

Easily picking the open one off with a well placed arrow, now came the hard part. Without any ladders or enderpearls my only option was to utilize MineCraft's odd physics and build a tall enough mound with the dirt in my inventory.
I told Joe to stay and I started piling up dirt as fast as I could, my arm starting to cramp and my head starting to ache.
It worked like a charm!

"This is for my friends!" I shouted, smashing the gate open with McJones' pick and shooting the star with a bow.

Even with my shield up the blast sent me flying backwards off the platform, stunning me not only with pain, but with shock.
I landed in the hard ground with a massive Clang and all the breath left my chest. My health read two hearts but it felt like I already died, pain spreading rapidly throughout my body like waves.

Joe was nudging my arm,
"You're right buddy... I'm almost there. One more to go..."
I forced myself on one knee, screaming through the pain.

It is hopeless, the cold voice muttered.

The Ender dragon formed a visible sneer and shot another fireball at my crippled self. I closed my eyes and awaited the explosion, but it never came.

Joe stood strongly on all fours, jaws tightly clenching the fireball and visibly hurt by the flames.
"JOE!" I screamed.
He then ran off the edge before I heard a loud thud indicating the explosion.
"JOE! NOOOOOOO!"

That's it.
I need to get to the top of the other one, for Joe! For everyone!

I speedily pile the dirt like the previous one, this time powered by limitless motivation and the will to live.
Reaching the top in record time, I took no time to smash the gate open, draw my sword and raise it high--
Out of nowhere a fireball flew straight at me, knocking me all the way back to half my health and still slowly burning my health.

It's fine- I just gotta go outside!

"NOOOOOOOOO!" I shouted loudly.

I trapped myself in the cage and the exit is too far away from me!
Good thing I have a steak in my inventory! Just gotta-

As if on cue the steak burns out of my hands right before it touches my mouth. I was left hopeless as I watched my health decline and my body slowly get consumed by pain.

Whelp... we tried.

In a strange sense I'm here with all my friends, and we are parting this world together. I have Austin's sword that displayed an endless sense of adventure, McJones' Pickaxe that showed the intelligence in mining, Ray's shield that displayed his caution, Dean's vigorous spirit that burned within my chest and Barry's coolness in combat orientated situations. We are all parting this world as one.

It's so beautiful I can cry... But I won't. *sniff* I won't...

Then the flames blind my vision and all I could see is complete darkness...

~~~~~~~
[Todd POV]

In a hill far far away, next to a small wooden cottage that was empty - there lay six graves that marked each Brave adventurer's passing. As the sun sets and the wind howls, a new gravestone fades into place. It stood high with golden encasing and banners that marked his glory. As it fully settles in a wolf in the distance silently walks up to the grave and sat there silently...

Goodbye,
Jeff Fabre
The last standing