Portals (A Minecraft Storymode Story) {{REWRITE}}

Torches in the Dark - Pt.1

Deep underground, a massive ravine cut through the rock and stone like a jagged scar. Shadowy ledges hid scores of reanimated skeletons and zombies, their groans and rattles quiet over the sounds of bubbling lava, which poured out of small caves in the sides and provided the only source of light and heat.

A bat's chirp echoed through the ravine as it flapped down towards the bottom, where a gaping hole opened up, as black as obsidian. Without hesitation, the bat flew straight into it, disappearing into the dark depths.

The soft sound of trickling water lured the bat out of the shadows and across a long underwater lake. A little rivulet of water flowed down the side, keeping the pool filled. Across the the pool, the soft light of a redstone torch threw a dim glow over a motionless figure slumped at the edge.

The hero's head and arms were resting on the first block, keeping their head above water, and the other half of their body was submerged in the shallow pool. Their eyes were closed.

A couple of tiny, strange creatures with four little legs and fin-like tails were nosing about this curious new life-form in the water, trying to figure out what it was. One of them took the hero's sleeve in it's delicate, pink mouth and tugged it gently.

The bat chirped again as it flapped past, it's shrill voice echoing through the chamber.

The hero's eyelids fluttered. Then, with a groan, they lifted their head and blinked slowly, trying to clear their vision. The creatures squeaked with alarm and took off through the water, their little tails propelling them back into the safety of the shadows.

The hero blinked and squinted with pain. Their head pounded, and their arms felt sodden heavy, like they'd gone to sleep. The hero gritted their teeth and managed to drag themself out of the water, standing up unsteadily.

They took in their surroundings; the pool, the torch, the shadows. The hero rubbed their arms, trying to get some sense of feeling back, then glanced up sharply as the sound of footsteps echoed faintly from a small tunnel to their left. Desperately, the hero looked around for something they could use to defend themself with.

They seized the torch and stood brandishing it like a sword as the footsteps grew louder and three people emerged from the tunnel. They froze and the hero figured that they were probably just as surprised to see the hero as the hero was to see them.

Then one of them, the blond with a torch, gave a cry of delight and rushed forward. "Jesse!" he cried, "You're alive! Oh man, I can't believe we found you-"

The hero jumped back as the blond went to embrace them and he stopped, looking confused. "Jesse...?" He sounded concerned now. "Is... something wrong?"

Jesse blinked. "Jesse?" they asked suspiciously, "Who's Jesse?"

===

Earlier...

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A head poked around the stone corner, peering into the dark depths beyond. 

Jesse held up a torch, throwing an uneven, flickering light into the walls around them. They hesitated, squinting into the darkness. Somewhere, water dripped in a constant, never-ending tone.

Drip... 

Drip...

Drip...

Their eyes darted about, cautiously scanning the shadows that danced along the walls. Hanging upside down on the wall behind them, a bat watched curiously, it's leathery wings curled around it's body.

Drip... 

Drip...

Drip...