Virus (A Minecraft Story)

Chapter 20

Lyta's POV

We stood in a semicircle, eyeing up the zombie pigman that claimed to be a Realmer. He certainly seemed human, but he could just as easily be an enemy. The latter was most likely. Tash was clutching the sword so tightly her knuckles were white, but her face remained expressionless. "So, you're a Realmer, huh? Prove it. Show us something that proves your innocence." The pigman inclined his head. "I'd be happy to." He clicked his fingers, and his hand began to glow. For a moment I thought he was really a mob, a zombie pigman with a blazes's ability. But then he flicked his hands like he had lava on them, and light poured forth from his hands, a gentle waterfall that trickled down onto the ground and spread like water. I stared in amazement; unlike Tash's fire, which only seemed to be used for war, this light seemed so peaceful and beautiful - harmless. The light curled around Ana's body, gently entwining itself with her hair, wrapping around her arms, weaving itself into her dress. Loca would've leapt to her aid if he thought she was in trouble, but he stood in place, hypnotised by the beautiful white light. Ana murmured sleepily, her expression of pain melting into one of relaxation and peace. The pigman looked at Tash, who looked like she'd been eaten a pufferfish again, while Dax laughed at her behind her back. "This will keep her safe, and not only make her Morph painless, but will heal her of her injuries." Loca looked like he was going to cry. "Thank you. Thank you so much." The zombie pigman smiled. "I want to help you. It is far too late to save myself, but I want to help any other Realmers." Tash stepped forward, her sword slightly lowered. "How is this possible? A Realmer in control of a mob? Are you still in the Nether, controlling it?" The pigman shook his head. "I wish. I could be saved if I was. But my human body is dead; my soul is trapped in this body, because it had no soul to begin with." He lifted his pink-green hands and studied them sadly. "This body has its uses, but I miss being human." "That's great, but when did you get your powers?" Amber asked. He looked at her. "Time is different in the Nether. I do not know how long it has been here, but I have had my powers for a year. I learned to use them for good, but I also learnt it could hurt, even kill a person. I tamed it, used it to heal. Despite my appearance, I am not as hostile as one would think. I try to help wherever I can." Tash nodded, but didn't put her sword down. I hurried over to the unconscious man. "We don't know what to do with this guy, because we're pretty sure he won't tell us why he's here. Also, do you know this sword?" I snatched the sword from Tash's hands and handed it to the pigman. His eyes widened. "Yes. This sword was a sword used against the undead, and to slow down Nether mobs while I slew them. I... I know this man." He walked over to the crumpled heap like he was in a dream, and carefully pulled back the hood. A guy, in his early twenties was hidden under the cloak, his black hair flattened. His light purple eyes were staring up at the sky, and his fingertips were stained black. Loca almost fell backwards. "Oh crap. Is he..." The pigman nodded. "Andre is like me, but he still has his human body. We were good friends since we were young, and both got taken to the Nether. Andre developed his powers the moment we stepped into the Nether, and I was quick to follow. He got the powers of darkness, but it did not affect his mind. He used it to defend and attack if attacked first, while I healed and soothed. We were a great team, complete opposites, but were always inseperable. Then one day they took him away. I saw them about to throw him through a Portal to the Overworld. He looked at me, and told me that he would return to save me. Then he passed through. I never saw him again, until now." He looked sadly at his friend. "Now I know where he went." He reached out to his friend, then snatched his hand away. "There is a great evil in his mind. He's been posessed, and then morphed with an enderman." "Well, can you fix him?" Tash asked. The pigman frowned at me. "He will permanently have enderman powers. There is nothing I can do." She snorted impatiently. "I meant about the evil in his mind. If he wakes up, he's going to finish killing us, no matter how much his real self won't want to." The pigman nodded. "I think I can, but it will take all my concentration. I will be as defenceless as a newborn calf, and while my appearance might deterr them for a second, the whole light thing won't help." I cracked a smile. "Well, we can protect you. C'mon, let's get you set up in the castle..." I pulled a face. "Sorry, I've forgotten to ask you your name." He winked at me. "Don't worry about it. Being a zombie pigman kind of takes away formalities." He held out his hand to me. "I'm Hercules." "Nice to meet you." I said shaking his hand. Tash stepped forwards. "Sorry I kind of wanted to chop your head off. I used to love zombie pigmen, but now they're not so friendly." Hercules shrugged good-naturedly. "It's o.k, most people see a mob and attack it. No big deal." Tash still looked guilty. "I'm Tash, or IMIZ Bacon. These are my friends and partners in crime. There's Lyta, the mostly normal one," She waved at me and I inclined my head, "Ana, or le Bubbel as she likes to be known," Ana stayed passed out, "Dax, who I've decided to call Sparky-" Dax looked offended. "Hey!" "There's Amber, who we call a HORsE," Amber reached for her axes, "And there's Loca the Chicken Man." Loca waved. "Sup." Hercules smiled at us all. "Nice to meet you all. Now, should we leave, or are we going to stand around in this field?" Amber glowered at the field. "There's no way I'm fighting my way through that again." Tash put her hands to her face. "By Notaru! You've been fighting grass? How did you manage to survive?! Meanwhile, we had a casual time of falling to our deaths, barbecueing each other and kicking the crap out of endermen. Our struggles just pale in comparison to your hardships!" Amber facepalmed. "Nice to see you too, Festia." Tash bowed mockingly. "The pleasure's all yours." Then Amber floated up into the air, which earned a torrent of swear words. I stared at Loca, who was whistling innocently. "Loca. Put. The Amber. Down." He shrugged, and dropped her on Tash. Amber sat there happily as Tash spluttered and gagged. Then I noticed the sword moving across the ground, the lava glowing brightly. "Tash." I said warningly. "What?" She gasped, attempting to throw Amber off. "Stop moving the sword. We all made an agreement not to kill each other, remember?" Tash made a confused face. "How could I - move the sword? I'm too busy - trying to - breathe here!" I sighed and put my foot on it. "Dax. No." He pulled a face. "But-" "But nothing." I told him sternly, and tucked the sword into a spare sheath on my belt. We set off through the grassland, Loca using his air powers to clear the path and create a bridge over the occasional pond. Amber carried Ana over her shoulder, Hercules's magic swirling down her arms. Tash was arguing Dax, bowling into each other repeatedly. And I walked with Hercules, who was carrying his friend over his shoulder like a sack. We walked together in silence, the only sound between us two the rustling of grass. But my thoughts weren't so quiet. Were there others like me in Hell's Prison? I thought, stomach clenching, repeating the sentence over and over in my head. Then, to my surprise, I got an answer. Only one. I looked at Hercules, waiting. She didn't survive. I closed my eyes. "I see. We are still hunted like mobs." Hercules shook his head. "This a new era, where change is now a part of life. I can tell. Your friend Amber has no powers, but she does not seem to care or be jealous of the others. Your friends accept you. The one that my magic heals, her secrets will destroy her if she does not reveal herself. She thinks she is saving her friends, but it will only get her killed." I slowly let out my breath. "I guess you're right." We reached the village, just in time for Dax to knock Tash into a puddle. I grinned as Dax started running, with bursts of fire shooting after him. We walked into the village, only to find Roran waiting for us, a broad smile on his face. Amber marched straight up to him, lifted her free hand and smacked him in the back of the head. "Nice of you to throw me out of the window!" She yelled at him. He smiled dryly. "Most welcome. Would you like to come in?" Amber stormed past him and into the castle. For Users, they could only find plain basic villages. But this castle was huge, the ground floor a large dining room with a fire place, stairs heading up to a bedroom with eight beds, and the top floor a sort of watchtower, with a chest full of bows, arrows and swords. We took our seats around the dining table, and Roran leant towards Hercules. "Your eyes seem familiar... you wouldn't happen to be Hercules?" He looked startled. "How do you know me?" Roran looked incredibly sad. "I was trying to save the villages from the Slaughter, but the Dark Force had already been there and gone." Dax frowned. "Wait. The villages weren't just randomly destroyed?" Roran sighed. "No, they were purposely raided for... certain reasons." The secrets and sadness swirled in his eyes, but we didn't ask. He would reveal it in time, if he saw the need to. Dax opened his mouth to ask, but Tash elbowed him in the ribs. Hercules stared at Roran. "Do I know you?" Roran smiled. "You might know me as the Iron Mage." Hercules flinched. "Ah. My apologies, Great One." Roran laughed. "Please, call me Roran. I may be famous, but here I'm just Roran the Hermit." Amber smiled. "Got that right." Hercules looked down at his plate, at his steak, bread and pumpkin pie. "I barely remember my life as a kid. It just seems so surreal, like I was always a monster and not a Realmer. He closed his eyes, a tear rolled down his mutilated cheek. Dax reached over and put his hand on Hercule's shoulder. "It's tough. I can barely remember my life. Just a few hazy dreams and details..." As he spoke, his eyes drifted to Tash, then flickered back to Hercules. "But you'll get past it. You can build a new life here, a new way, a second chance. It doesn't matter what you look like, as long as you are willing to fight against Virus." Hercules frowned. "Virus?" "A thing that used to be called Sura." Hercules looked taken aback. Then he stood up. "That scoundrel took everything from me," He growled, fists clenched. "He went after my ancestors, and now he's back? No matter what happens, I will fight for you. I will fight Virus until my last breath. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a friend to save." He picked up his unconscious companion, slung him over his shoulders and walked up the stairs. When they were gone, I leaned towards Roran. "Look, I know you'll want to hear our adventures, and I'm sure you have some news for us, but I need to tell you something first." I looked around at everyone here, hesitating at Dax. He nodded to me. "I've seen you do your thing before, remember?" I sighed, lacing my fingers together. "O.k then. I'm a Prophetess, probably the last one left because people were scared of us. They thought that they could control their destiny if no one was around to tell you what it was. But we were simply messengers, telling Realmers their destiny to prepare them for it. But that's not my point. The thing is, when I got my water powers, I had another vision. And I think you need to see it." I reached out my hands to them. Dax took Tash's hand, and then reached out to Amber. She took it, and Dax wriggled his eyebrows. "Da ladies love me!" Tash pinched him, and he relented. Amber took Loca's hand, while Tash took Roran's, and they both reached out to me. I looked at them seriously. "Be prepared for what you're about to see. And, whatever you do, don't touch anything. Here we go." I grabbed their hands, a ripple passed through the air, and the world was plunged into darkness.

This one goes out to my friends again. You guys keep me sane, despite the fact that you're all completely insane. Thanks for the crazy first year at college.

Tash