Withered

Chapter 2

"Ivor." 

I glare at him. It's because of him me and my friends are trapped here. It's because of him I don't know if Petra's alive. It's because of him Gabriel's gone and there's a monster out there taking more and more lives. It's because of him the only home I've ever had only withers in flames.

"You ruined everything." He partly growls and partly whisper, but all I hear is nonsense. Axel crossing his arms next to me and Olivia glaring daggers at him, even Reuben snorting angrily at him. The bitter fool can't even realize his momentous mistake.

"Don't pretend you don't know, thief. You took my most valuable potion-"

"Oh yeah, maybe that wouldn't have happened if you didn't steal from us." I sneer at him, my fists curling up. "But then again, Petra would've never taken a deal with someone so insane to release and try to control a monster like that!"

Ivor snorts, digging through his robes. "Yes, the girl. Even though there's nothing left up there except that Wither Storm, she was running past me as I was heading to the portal. Such bravery." He huffs, pulling out a bottle. "Of course, there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity. And your friend has crossed it."

"Hey!" Axel storms up to Ivor, rage brewing from him. "Don't you dare talk about Petra that way-"

"Or what big guy?" Ivor rolls his eyes, walking away from us and popping off the cork to his bottle. "I would wish you good luck with the minecarts, but luck can't carry you through the Nether."

He gulps down the bottle, flinging the glass to the side. I gasp as he simply vanishes, not one trace of him. Although I can't exactly be sad about that, the urge to punch him was growing with every word that passed through his filthy old lips.

A whine pierces the air, and I look down to Rueben. When it doesn't seem to be him though, I squint through the haze of the Nether with the others, trying to find the source.

"Okay..." Lukas shuffles, stepping closer to the rest of us. "Am I the only one who heard that or..."

The soft cry whines again, and we all glance behind us. My shoulders dropping at the unmistakable white head and tentacles of a ghast. It's blood eyes opening at the sight of us.

"Okay everyone! Run!" I pivot and sprint, my heart instantly moaning at the heat it's working in. I ignore it, quickly snapping my head around to make sure everyone has gotten the message. Good, they did.

A wave of blistering heat seems to just hit me, and I stumble forward in pure confusion. I blink, gasping as oxygen suddenly seems to have left the air. The edges of my sight blurring the reds and oranges of the Nether, my head swimming in a nauseating cool liquid. How the heck did it get even hotter?

Shoot, I better not be running a fever right now. So NOT the time and literally the worst place ever to get one.

"Look!" I shake my head, staring down at the minecarts Olivia's pointing at. "Ivor mentioned minecarts, maybe they're our way out?"

The ghast cries behind us, and I push Axel down to them. "I'd say so. In! In! In!"

It screeches and shoots out a fireball, and I scramble out of the way as I try to get to the minecarts. The heat really starting to get in my head, messing me up even as we all desperately clamber inside the carts.

Reuben jumps in the first one, not quite making it and leaning out the edge. I push him in, jumping into the one behind him. Gasping at the super hot metal, and despite my urge to hang on, I'm trying not to let any skin touch any metal.

The carts zoom off, unfortunately pushing my back against the burning metal. I wince, leaning forward so I don't have to bear that. Couldn't these things be lined with something that doesn't hold heat so well?