i_was_there: A Minecraft Story

chapter_nine: Purpose

I learned three things about Steve that day.

First, he's a knowledge freak, just like Alex. . . Maybe just a little bit more in comparison. The questions never stop, specially the 'why's, which I do not have the answer to. He asked about the End, the Dragon itself, its weaknesses and strengths, its flying pattern (how the hell am I supposed to know that?!), how to get to the end, the materials needed, the amount of time needed to be allotted to finish the task, and so on.

Second, when he focuses on one thing, he has the ability to remain focused to the end. Like, I don't even know how. Whenever I speak, he just writes, and he writes super fast, too. I checked his notes afterwards and he didn't leave out anything I told him. He only asked questions when he's sure that I was finished speaking, too, and he likes to cover every tiny detail I was able to give him.

Third, he's practically impossible to beat. . . At anything. He's also somehow cocky. We may have gone too far, way beyond just sitting there giving information, taking information, and writing. After telling him everything I knew, I challenged him once again, to which he laughed at hysterically, saying that he'll win no matter what.

For this challenge we asked Alex to judge. Since he wrote down everything I told him about, and since he's all high and mighty (or as he sees himself as), I asked Alex if she could ask us questions based on what the book says. The number of towers, the dragon's weaknesses, and the End's structure for example. Whoever gives the  correct answer the quickest gets a point.

Long story short, he won. . . By everything. I couldn't help but be a sore loser, but he was surprisingly humble in the end. We shook hands and declared peace (Alex's orders). I have mad respect for this man, and I think this made us closer, too, which is exciting. I'm finally starting to break some of his walls.

Right now, he's back to being the normal, poker-faced Steve I first met. I'm just chilling here in the room with him, since he doesn't seem to mind having my presence here at all. He's scribbling some more stuff down while I'm just staring at the huge map on the wall. Some parts are still white, undiscovered.

"Why haven't you explored everything yet?" I asked him. He's used to me blurting our questions by now.

"It takes too long," he said. "It may take months on horseback. Maybe even days with potions, but Alex," the slightest bit of pause, "We didn't have the courage to go full on like that."

I tilted my head. "Why?"

"We were afraid." The fact that his expression didn't change by telling me this is remarkable. No one would be so open to reveal their true feelings out in the open like this, especially him. "We don't know what could be out there. Once one of us dies, it's over."

I nodded in understanding. They're just afraid of losing each other, which I can totally relate to. I'd be scared of losing them too, I don't want to be stuck here alone to fight the Ender Dragon.

But. . . He said it himself, I'm better at this, Minecraft, in general, right? If my memory is correct, there should be Nothign out there that's different. It's the same island, the same temperature, the same biome, and Alex and Steve have gone as far as slaying guardians already— I'd be really surprised if they haven't triggered a raid yet. With all of that said, I'm sure they're going to be just fine.

"You know. . . I think there's absolutely nothing to be afraid of."

He paused from writing and raised his eyes. A subtle thing he does whenever something spikes his interest. "How so?"

"I mean. . ." I stood up, walking around the rectangular table to point at the general island on the map. "I think you've explored more than I ever had in my previous Minecraft worlds. You know how normal maps look, right? It's like. . ." I pinched my fingers so that there's a tiny space in between and placed it against the map. "This tiny."