MCSM: Shattered Souls [COMPLETED]

11- In Which I Somehow Don't Die

I'm gonna die I'm gonna die I'm gonna die I'm gonna DIE HOLY SHIT I AM ACTUALLY ABOUT TO DIE.

I didn't have far to fall. In about two seconds, my body would've hit the lava, and that would've been the end of me.

But thank Notch I wasn't alone.

Right as one foot touched the scorching magma, a rope flew down out of nowhere and looped itself around my waist. It pulled taut immediately, yanking me upwards again. I don't even remember moving, but I must've grabbed the rope and started hauling myself up, using the base of the spire to push myself upwards. The lava wasn't rising anymore, but my left foot was in a kind of agony I had never felt before. I'd been through a lot of pain in my time as a hero, but I hadn't managed to come in such close contact with lava before.

The other four Shards had the other end of the rope, and pulled me up onto the spire in a matter of moments. The rope that had somehow gotten around my waist now unwound itself, slinking into a dormant coil next to me. Justin leaned down and picked it up, then offered his hand to me. I shakily stood up, and almost fell over again as I tried to put weight on my burnt foot.

"Jesse, I know you're hurt, but we need to get out of here. We're way too vulnerable, just sitting up here waiting for something to happen." Jaq said, gesturing to the portal on the ground. I nodded stiffly, my vision blurring as I moved my head. The adrenaline that had gotten me across the trap was fading, leaving me weak and in pain.

We went through the portal one-by-one. The swirling, falling sensation turned my senses inside out, and I stumbled and fell on my hands and knees when I landed in our new destination. Jenni tried to steady me, but there wasn't much she could do.

"Guys, I'm-"

I passed out before I could finish my sentence, my body collapsing onto the soft grass below.

-----------

When I came to, Jandro was sitting next to my fallen form. "Good, you're not dead. Jenni was a little concerned."

I sat up halfway, rubbing my head. "Ugh. Everything hurts."

"That's because you did something really stupid. That was possibly even dumber than me going back for Joss's sword." He replied cheerfully. I shot him with a halfhearted glare. "The other option was to sit there and die."

"Well yeah, the running was necessary. But you didn't need to jump like that. We barely caught you in time." Jandro admonished.

"What the hell even happened? Where did that rope come from?" I asked. He laughed quietly. "Oh yeah. Justin apparently has a magic rope."

"...Um. He has a what?"

"A magic rope." Jandro repeated, drawing out the syllables. "No idea where he got it or why he didn't tell us sooner, but thank Notch he had it, right? You'd be an inventory pile if he hadn't brought it."

"Not even." I corrected. "So, how long was I out? I don't think I've ever fainted before. Been knocked out, sure, but not just gone unconscious like that."

"Mmh...not long. Ten minutes? Maybe a bit more. Jenni practically had a heart attack. She thought you were gonna die. And- surprise surprise- we have no idea where we are or what's going on."

I sat up straighter, looking around. We were now on a small island, in the most completely unremarkable marsh biome you could ever imagine. The dark green grass and dull water looked the same as any swamp I've ever been in. This immediately put my senses on alert- if everything looked this calm, there was no doubt something terrible lying in wait.