The Other Survivor 2

Back in the Nether

I took a deep breath, made sure my quiver and sword are secured, then went in the portal with my bow in hand.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I feel myself being transported to the other dimension.

Two pigmen squealed in alarm. They both got an arrow stuck in their throats. I took in my surroundings.

Lava waterfalls, scorching netherracks, a quartz ore here and there. Where can they possibly be?

My eyes fell on a piece of paper on the floor. I picked it up with shaking hands.

Come on and let me get you both. Quite a shock it will be to ol' Patrick that I got two of his best warriors.

That was the last straw. Anger burned inside of me. Naeus taunts me like I'm no threat. He taunts all that I ever cared about. He thinks I'm not a threat, just somebody fearful of his realm and power.

Underestimating me is a mistake so many of my enemies made. They think I am nobody, shielded by the spotlight of my peers. Preferring a solitary lifestyle. Running from danger.

They always end up dead.

And Naeus is no exception.

I looked at my armor. It is useful, durable and great in general. It saved me in many situations and is a token and memory.

But I'm also certain that I have to do this alone. And by alone, I mean really just me. No magic armor to give me a way to run. No friends or an army behind me to aid me.

I took it off and placed it in my shulker box, which I stored in my inventory. It felt like an eternity since I last took it off.

I took a shaky breath. Is what I'm about do logical? No. Am I mental? I think so. What drives me at this point is the rage and anger that is penned up inside of me since the undead attacked, maybe even before that. It's like they're all kept in a bottle, and right now, it seemed like the bottle broke.

It seemed like we're in an outpost. I'm confident it won't be too far from where Naeus is going, he wants me to find him, he won't make it difficult.

I think it was hours before I found the fortress. Naeus always go to the same fortress. Can't he be more creative?

I saw Naeus eyeing me from a window. I nocked an arrow and aimed it up at him. He grinned before stepping out of firing range.

I walked up towards a bridging. Naeus was expecting me. Good, it would be a challenge.

It felt like a blur, but I somehow managed to keep up with what happened. I remembered shooting arrow after arrow until my stock was exhausted. Then I took out my sword, its purple blade glinting in the ghastly orange glow (See what I did there? Nether? Ghastly? I can't help it don't kill me) of the Nether.

I managed to deflect the fireballs the Ghasts shoot at me, as well as the fire the Blazes fire. Pigmen and Wither Skeletons are no threat, I went through them easily enough.

(It's basically Rain's attack in Just So You Know. That's the level Iris was in, aka. decimating the horde)

I walked along the walkway. I vaguely remembered this place as where I had to go to where I found Rain, severely injured. It felt like a lifetime ago.

I walked into there. I was bloodied, but adrenaline still boosted me. I saw Naeus, smiling in his own eerie, evil way. Rage bubbled inside of me.

"So you're here huh? Ready to die?" He asked, "Just like your friends back home and what everybody else you cared for is about to suffer, under my hands?"

That's it. He's asking to die himself.

With a cry, I launched myself at him. He was surprised at my rage and eagerness to fight. He quickly recovered and blocked my attack. (Okay...... Begin Again just played in my playlist, what on earth???)

He aimed a strike at me, which I sidestepped. I kicked him in the back, but he got up quicker than I can manage to land a blow.

I charged at him again, anger burning and giving me the strength I never knew I possessed. He managed to block with his spear, but he was surprised. He seemed to realize he underestimated me.

I charged at him again. I feinted to the left, and he fell for it. I pressed my bow against his neck, pushing him back against a wall. He struggled, but somehow the adrenaline gave me more strength than what I should have.

The spear he used is heavy and is too long for such close quarter combat. It was rendered useless.

I hissed in his ear, "You have made a terrible mistake, Naeus. You don't simply make me your enemy and get away safely."

Naeus looked at me with those blank sockets. They flashed red before he teleported away. I growled as I kick the ground. My eyes lay on Rain, chained to the wall, staring at me.

I almost cried with relief as my adrenaline drain away. I ran over and collapsed to one knee. I immediately worked to picking the lock. Once I succeeded, I saw ranks upon ranks of Nether Monsters gathering near us. Once my adrenaline faded away, I'm exhausted and won't do much good in an all-out battle like this.

Suddenly, a horn blared.

A Pillager's horn.

"Can't they have chosen a better timing?" I moaned.

"WHICH ONE OF YOU IDIOTS KILLED A PILLAGER CAPTAIN?!?!" A very angry wither skeleton commander yelled.

"The one with the banner?" I asked Rain. He nodded, strangely, he's grinning.

"I forgot about that. The next village you walk into after killing a Pillager Captain would be raided by Pillagers," he said, smiling, "I guess a Nether Fortress counts too? This is our chance."

(The Bad Omen effect is added in last-minute while writing Village Raid lol. I had a sudden thought: What if Iris accidentally triggered a raid in Naeus's fortress? That doesn't happen in the official update, unfortunately.)

"I thought it was just superstition. Oh well, as long as the Pillagers don't kill us, I'm all for them raiding Naeus," I said, smiling.

"They will attack anybody but their own. So yeah. Let's just hope that none of them see us," Rain said, "I think I saw a Nether Portal around here."

I managed a small smile, "That's great. Lead the way." I was falling behind due to fatigue, and Rain had to drag me to have me keep up the pace.

I welcomed the sound of the Nether Portal. I let out a bitter laugh of relief before I threw myself after Rain through the portal.

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What on earth I literally just wrote the whole chapter with one hour from scratch just now due to an inspiration burst.

Oh well then. See you in the next chapter :)

~Iris (I guess I'm really tired...... I nearly typed my real name......)

Post A/N:

Oh goodness, I remember that night. I was really tired but I really wanted to write because I'm scared of losing my inspiration and ideas that burst at that moment.