The Player

Chapter 1

    I awaken from my daze in the end where the Lord just finished his story. I can't imagine actually being in those situations. Players are too dangerous to exist, and too smart. They feel the need to kill everything and everyone in sight, no matter the species. Of course everyone decided to put me and Enderman in the story, which made it even worse. I can actually mildly feel a tingling sensation in my chest. I simply don't think about it. "Not paying attention again, Zombie number 56?" the Lord asks. I sigh, "No, I wasn't. Sorry Lord Enderdragon."

The Lord sighs and directs our attention to the pillars. All of them have portraits of every single skeleton, zombie pigman in the neighbouring Nether realm, Ghast, Zombie and Enderman who have lost their lives fighting players from all over the world. "This is the pillar of lost souls." The Lord says. "Every person on the wall has lost their lives to players, enemies, humans."

Everyone nods in understanding except me. Maybe the players need someone to talk to, or to be shown that everyone can live in harmony. But that won't happen, since the Lord always rules. We bow to his mighty flap of his wings and his piercing roar. When he wants something done, we have no choice but to do it. Nobody dares to interrupt or challenge the Lord.

"Hundreds of years ago players ruled this earth we walk upon. The soil we live on once was accompanied by houses and feet running, torches..." He stops flapping his wings and lands gently. His purple eyes make all Endermen lose their minds to his. Like I said, he rules everything. "Monsters alike," he continues. "We cannot afford another catastrophe. We cannot afford to bow to the weak, but to become the strong."

Darn it, he's good with inspirational speeches too. I can't hear about this anymore, so I decide to interrupt.

"Lord Enderdragon, may I ask a question?" I stutter. The Lord stops talking and glares at me. "Yes, Zombie number 56?"

"Why do we have to kill them, per say?" I ask. "Maybe we can, you know, befriend them?"

A couple seconds of silence follow, then the Lord begins laughing, placing his claws against the pillar to keep his balance. Everyone else begins laughing too, since they have to. I just stay quiet and wait until they stop. My cheeks are flustered rose coloured. "What planet do you come from, Zombie number 56?" A skeleton calls. "The human world?"

I rise from my seating spot on the cold cream coloured stone and breath in so that I have enough breath to say what I'm about to say. "Hear me today, Lord Enderdragon! You may not believe me now, but when the players come back and monsters are out there telling stories of your existence, then you will exist no longer!" I shout at the top of my lungs.

Everyone stops laughing and stares at me in disbelief. Lord Enderdragon leans in very close so that I can feel the heat from his purple fire on my face. I gulp.

"Well then..." He says softly. "That's what you are supposed to be protecting, is it not?"

I look him in the eyes and clench what I have left of my teeth. "Monsters that you know today won't be around after the players come. They will be dead before you can even lay a finger on them." I growl. "Those pillars will be full."

The Lord roars so loud it echoes for a whole five seconds. I back up a little and watch as purple fire it held to my face.

"Talk back to me again, Zombie number 56, and your face will be on that pillar." He snarls.

I huff. "I'm not afraid of you."

With that sentence, everything turns red for a couple seconds as Lord Enderdragon breathes fire to sever my arm. I stumble backwards and fall over, my arm lying in another area. The world spins as the Lord stares me down in the eyes. It stings; it stings so badly I can't breathe. Lord Enderdragon puts a claw on my chest and I squint to try and get a good view at his face.

"Let this be a lesson to you, Zombie number 56." He snaps in an ominous voice. "Do not, and I mean do not talk back to the monster that knows best."

I cough and see white dust scatter everywhere where my arm was lost. I try to sit up, but his grip on my chest is too powerful to overcome. The monsters sitting around stare, jaws open and eyes wide.

I don't care. I don't care I don't care I don't care.

Making a fool of myself doesn't matter. I'm proving a point that might save all of our lives and if Lord Enderdragon doesn't believe me, I know someone who will. A player, an enemy...

A human.

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By the time I recover and my vision clears the blackness of the void sky, the ringing in my ears in unmistakable. It's not exactly where I want to be, but it still is home. Lord Enderdragon has left, but I hear him talking with someone below me. We have built an underground base underneath the pillars that is only accessible from the levers on the right of the pillar. His office, per say, had a huge black thing in the centre of the room so that we always know how to get to him. It looks like a portal base. Even so, I don't think I want to speak to him right now. The task of finding a human, a player rather, will be difficult, but it can be done with a little convincing to the Lord. But after I lashed out, what is the chance he'll finally put me on lookout duty? Even if I did find one, what is the chance I'll survive? I look at the pillars. Over 360 monsters have fallen at the hands of two humans, so what is the chance a zombie like me will survive by myself?

It's very high, indeed.

When I stand up, I realize my missing arm has been returned. Even more hope. A claw on my chest and a little fire to the arm never pushed me down. Well, it did, but...you know what? Just forget it. With determination to set things right beside me, I begin to walk to the office with pride.

Until Jerry the Creeper stops me.

"Yooo dude! How's it going?" He asks. I sigh, because whenever Jerry comes around, he makes that person his new best friend. I've been his since, like, when the Lord first created me. He says I'm the only one who knows him, whatever that means considering everyone knows Jerry.

"I'm fine." I say casually and shrug. He smiles. "I love how you stood up to the Lord. That was awesome!" I shrug again. "It was nothing."

"I wish I could do nothing as much as you can." His tone of voice proved to be sarcastic.

"I just literally looked into his eyes and told him to back off and I get this?"

"No, Zombie number 56. You inspired."

I push him away from my face. "Okayyy that was awkward." He comes back to me almost as soon as I finish pushing him away. "The Enderman were saying something about you being inspirational for change. They even fought against the Lord!"

"Cripes." I put my cube hand to my cube forehead.

"They actually said you were too inspirational to be here! They might move you to lookout duty!"

My heart stops.