System Overload Read online

  Books by Mark Cheverton

  The Gameknight999 Series

  Invasion of the Overworld

  Battle for the Nether

  Confronting the Dragon

  The Mystery of Herobrine Series: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  Trouble in Zombie-town

  The Jungle Temple Oracle

  Last Stand on the Ocean Shore

  Herobrine Reborn Series: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  Saving Crafter

  The Destruction of the Overworld

  Gameknight999 vs. Herobrine

  Herobrine’s Revenge Series: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  The Phantom Virus

  Overworld in Flames

  System Overload

  The Birth of Herobrine: A Gameknight999 Adventure

  The Great Zombie Invasion (Coming Soon!)

  Attack of the Shadow-Crafters (Coming Soon!)

  Herobrine’s War (Coming Soon!)

  The Gameknight999 Box Set

  The Gameknight999 vs. Herobrine Box Set (Coming Soon!)

  The Algae Voices of Azule Series

  Algae Voices of Azule

  Finding Home

  Finding the Lost

  This book is not authorized or sponsored by Microsoft Corp., Mojang AB, Notch Development AB or Scholastic Inc., or any other person or entity owning or controlling rights in the Minecraft name, trademark, or copyrights.

  Copyright © 2016 by Mark Cheverton

  Minecraft® is a registered trademark of Notch Development AB

  The Minecraft game is copyright © Mojang AB

  This book is not authorized or sponsored by Microsoft Corp., Mojang AB, Notch Development AB or Scholastic Inc., or any other person or entity owning or controlling rights in the Minecraft name, trademark or copyrights.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Sky Pony Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

  Sky Pony Press books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Sky Pony Press, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or [email protected].

  Sky Pony® is a registered trademark of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®, a Delaware corporation.

  Visit our website at www.skyponypress.com.

  10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

  Cover design by Owen Corrigan

  Cover artwork by Thomas Frick

  Technical consultant: Gameknight999

  Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-0682-8

  Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-0685-9

  Printed in Canada

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  As always, I want to thank my family for putting up with my obsessive-compulsive need to write. Their understanding and support when I’m stuck on a chapter, or have writer’s block, or am just exhausted from typing too much, makes it possible for me to write these books. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  I’d also like to thank some special people: Christine Jones, Inge Jacobs, and Carol Piotrowski. Without your help, I would never have been able to focus on writing this book, and likely it would never have been completed. Your hard work and dedication is evident in the people you help. They don’t always say “thank you,” so I’m doing it for them; THANK YOU. We are forever in your debt.

  Also, thank you to the great people at Skyhorse Publishing. Their excitement about these Minecraft novels keeps me motivated and working hard. Without their help, I’m sure this novel would never have happened. A special thank you goes out to my editor, Cory Allyn, whose razor-sharp focus and experience are able to stave off all the sloppy metaphors and confusing sentences and make my stories really sparkle and shine.

  When you focus on bad things, sometimes that’s all you see. If you look for the good, you will find it. The trick is to part the dark curtains of despair, so that the great things around you—like family and friends—can shine through and light your world with joy.

  CHAPTER 1

  TAKING PRISONERS

  The zombie army crouched low behind the sand dunes, waiting to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting village in the distance. The zombies were hungry for battle, and their desire to destroy the NPCs (non-playable characters) that toiled behind the sandstone walls on the other side of the dunes was nearly overwhelming.

  “Remember, the goal is to bring back prisoners,” the zombie king said. “Do not destroy them unless there is no other option.” Xa-Tul walked behind the monsters that huddled in a deep, sandy recession, the iron rings of his chain mail jingling like deadly wind chimes. “Xa-Tul will be disappointed if any zombie gets too excited and destroys when wounding is possible.” He drew his huge golden broadsword. The keen edge gleamed in the light of the half-moon. “Xa-Tul will be very disappointed.”

  The monsters knew exactly what the threat implied, and many shook with fear.

  “These zombies, under the command of Ta-Vir, will be careful,” said a zombie general in gold armor.

  “Excellent, General Ta-Vir,” the zombie king said. “Be sure all zombies follow the plan. Xa-Tul would hate to see a general punished for any of their failures.”

  “Yes, sire,” the general replied. “Zombies, get ready!”

  The golden-clad monster glanced up at the moon overhead. Its half-filled boxy face lit up the desert, making the cactus, dried shrubs, and everything else on the sandy plain, including the zombies, shine with a surreal, almost magical, illumination. But as the boxy clouds flowed across the shining, cratered face, the lunar glow disappeared, plunging the desert into a gloomy darkness.

  “Now!” growled Ta-Vir.

  Twenty zombies surged out from behind the dunes and ran—as fast as a zombie could run—toward the walled community. They didn’t moan or growl or make any noise at all. The zombies just moved as quickly as their shuffling feet would carry them to the sandstone walls and the wooden doors that barred their entrance. Sharp claws tore into the wood, and their clenched fists pounded on the brown timbers.

  “Zombies!” a villager shouted from behind the wall in a voice filled with fear.

  Xa-Tul smiled, but his toothy grin changed to a frown as archers began firing down upon his warriors from atop the wall.

  “Hurry, fools,” the zombie king growled.

  Zombies flashed red with damage as the pointed shafts fell down upon them. One of the decaying creatures disappeared with a pop as its HP (health points) finally fell to zero, leaving behind three glowing balls of XP (experience points) and a piece of zombie flesh. Another monster moved forward to take its place, pounding its clawed fist against the door.

  More archers appeared on the wall, firing their lethal rain down upon Xa-Tul’s warriors. If they didn’t get into the village soon, they would all be destroyed. He had two choices: retreat, or get personally involved. He chose the latter.

  Xa-Tul stormed toward his green, decaying zombie horse and leapt up into the saddle. Urging the steed forward, they galloped across the desert, crossing the open territory at a blazing speed. Archers from the wall saw the zombie king approach and opened fire. Their arrows streaked toward him, but bounced harmlessly off his chain mail. Xa-Tul laughed an evil, joyous laugh, then drew his massive golden broadsword as he approached the door. Not waiting for the monsters to get out of the way, he charged forward, trampling a few with his warhorse. When he reached the door, he swung his mighty blade down upon the wooden barrier. It instantly s
hattered the door into a million splinters.

  The zombies moaned with excitement, then charged into the village and stormed up the stairs that led to the top of the wall. Arrows fell upon them like lethal hail, but the growling monsters did not stop. When one creature fell, two more took its place as they attacked the archers with their razor-sharp claws.

  “Oh no!” one of the villagers screamed. “More zombies!”

  Another fifty decaying monsters surged out of the desert. They passed through the shattered doorway and spread out through the village, seeking NPCs to capture or destroy. Xa-Tul rode through the village on his massive zombie horse. His size and fierce appearance terrified the villagers, causing many to simply drop their weapons and cower in fear. But some chose, foolishly, to stand and fight.

  Xa-Tul dismounted and approached an NPC warrior. This villager was clad in iron armor and held a diamond sword—not a trivial weapon. But the zombie king could tell by the way the villager held it that this was no warrior. The NPC was just a pretender who was more afraid of surrender than death. What a pity for him, the monster thought.

  “Put down the weapon and survive,” Xa-Tul growled.

  “I’m not afraid of you, zombie,” the NPC spat.

  “Ha ha ha,” the zombie king bellowed, his laughter filling the desert like thunder. “This villager is not afraid of Xa-Tul. He might be right; I actually think he is terrified! Ha ha ha …”

  The iron-clad NPC charged forward, swinging his diamond sword at the zombie’s chest. Xa-Tul easily deflected the attack, then kicked the warrior hard in the stomach. The villager doubled over in pain, but stayed on his feet.

  Another NPC came running to his friend’s aid. This one wore dyed-red leather armor and held an iron sword. He moved in front of his friend while that NPC recovered from the devastating kick. Xa-Tul could see that the newcomer’s armor was not as strong, nor was his blade as dangerous, as the first villager’s, but the new NPC maneuvered with a deadly grace. He kept his weight on the balls of his stubby feet, always moving rather than just standing his ground. It was just like the way that obnoxious Gameknight999 fought—always in motion.

  When the first villager had recovered, the two NPCs split apart, hoping that one of them might get behind the zombie king, where he was more vulnerable. Xa-Tul ignored the iron warrior and focused instead on the leather-clad one.

  That NPC lunged forward, his iron sword flashing toward the zombie’s ribs. Xa-Tul knocked away the attack, then spun and slashed at the second attacker, whom he could hear charging toward him from behind. His golden broadsword found the villager’s shoulder, making him flash red with damage. Not waiting, the king of the zombies spun to the right and lunged at the leather NPC, tearing a deep gash in the villager’s tunic. The two villagers now understood their peril, but they kept fighting nonetheless.

  An iron sword slashed at Xa-Tul. He stepped aside, easily avoiding the stroke, then smashed his weapon down upon the iron-clad warrior. The NPC flashed over and over again until he finally disappeared, a look of shock and terror on his square face.

  “NO!” cried the remaining warrior, who then charged.

  The villager slashed at the zombie king with hatred in his eyes. He swung at Xa-Tul’s stomach, then poked his iron sword at his shoulder, then spun low and sliced into the zombie’s leg. Xa-Tul moaned in pain but brought his own broadsword down upon the NPC. His leather armor disintegrated under the assault. Not waiting for the villager to recover, Xa-Tul attacked again and again, driving the villager back against the wall. Then, with one final swing, he swung his blade into the warrior, tearing away the last of his HP. The NPC disappeared with a pop as his inventory littered the sandy ground.

  “Are there any more who wish to challenge the king of the zombies?!” Xa-Tul bellowed.

  A few warriors were still holding their swords, but at the sound of the monster’s voice, they quickly dropped them in surrender. Their defeated eyes lowered to the ground as the zombies moved forward and removed the blades and bows.

  With all resistance now eliminated, the surviving villagers were ushered into the courtyard, prodded along with sharp claws. They were herded like cattle around the village well and surrounded by angry monsters.

  “The villagers standing before Xa-Tul are now subjects of the zombie empire,” the zombie king growled as he paced before them, his gold sword shining in the moonlight. “Xa-Tul now rules all aspects of life. If a villager does not work, then the villager will be eliminated without discussion. Only work will make you free.” He turned to one of his generals. “General Ta-Vir, take these volunteers to our zombie-town. Work must be started on the new tunnels before too many zombies arrive.”

  “Understood, Sire,” the general snapped.

  With a growl, Ta-Vir motioned for the prisoners to be escorted out of the village and into the desert. The villagers shuffled forward, their defeated faces cast downward. Children sobbed while others moaned in despair, but the cries for mercy fell on deaf ears.

  “Faster!” Ta-Vir growled, then swiped at one of the NPCs with sharp claws.

  The villager yelled out in pain as he flashed red, taking damage. This instantly motivated the other NPCs to walk faster, for fear that they might become the next example.

  They moved through the desert quickly, the only sound being the cries of despair from the villagers. After walking for an hour, the zombies led the prisoners to a hole in the side of a tall, sandy hill. It was a tunnel that extended deep underground.

  “Move the NPCs through the tunnels and get them to the zombie-town as quickly as possible,” Xa-Tul commanded. “More prisoners are being gathered. These pathetic villagers must be put to work. If they refuse, then they are to be destroyed. Understood?”

  The zombies all nodded their decaying heads, then urged the prisoners forward with sharp claws and vicious growls.

  “General Ta-Vir, come here.”

  The golden-clad monster approached and stared up at his king.

  “Go back to the village and verify nothing was left behind,” Xa-Tul commanded. “Make sure there is no trace that zombies were ever there. Pick up any zombie flesh or XP. Destroy all the animals and take all the XP and food. The village must be completely empty. Take all evidence that NPCs were ever there as well. It is important that the village appears as if it were deserted long ago. We cannot let anyone know what we are doing, especially that awful User-that-is-not-a-user.”

  “Yes, Sire,” the general replied, then turned and began shuffling back to the village.

  Xa-Tul watched his commander disappear into the darkness, then looked up at the waning moon.

  “I have a little surprise for you, Gameknight999!” the zombie king yelled into the darkness. “A belated gift from your nemesis, Herobrine … his final revenge. I only hope the User-that-is-not-a-user is still around to see it. It would bring joy to Xa-Tul to know that Gameknight999 was destroyed at the same time as all of Minecraft.”

  He laughed a vile, malicious laugh, then turned and followed his zombies into the dark tunnel.

  CHAPTER 2

  GLITCHES

  The ground looked like dirty, shattered brown glass. Hints of red and pink were mixed in with browns. It might have been beautiful in the right setting, but here, in the destroyed forest, it was just sad.

  Gameknight999 pulled out his newly-enchanted diamond shovel. Crafter had put the Efficiency V enchantment on it, allowing him to dig faster. Placing the tip of the tool on the jagged ground, he was surprised to find that the shovel had dug through five blocks with a single push.

  “Wow!” the User-that-is-not-a-user said.

  “What?” asked Hunter, to his left.

  Her long, flowing crimson curls spilled down her head and across her shoulders. They bounced like a million tiny red springs as she worked. Her deep, chocolate-brown eyes stared at Gameknight999 as if confused for a moment, but when she saw the waves of iridescent light running up the length of the shovel, she understood.

  “Ah
h, that’s the enchanted one, right?” she asked.

  Gameknight nodded his square head.

  “Lucky you,” she growled, then pushed her ordinary shovel into the glassy ground.

  The User-that-is-not-a-user flashed her a satisfied grin, then dug up another line of blocks with a single stroke.

  They were removing the damaged soil that had been melted and crystalized by the fireballs of the savage blazes. The monsters from the Nether had tried to destroy the Overworld, to eliminate all life here, and then take power. But Gameknight999 and his friends had been able to stop the fiery monsters. Their victory, however, was not without serious casualties: the flaming monsters had done considerable damage to many of the forests, and now it was time to repair what they could and hope Minecraft would recover from its terrible wounds.

  As he dug up the shattered soil, Hunter’s younger sister, Stitcher, followed behind Gameknight. She placed new blocks of soil in place of the cracked, glassy ones. Behind her came one of the light-crafters, Treebrin. He was a creature that had been created long ago to combat Herobrine’s own shadow-crafters. Each light-crafter had an item for which they were responsible. Their task was to improve that item and make it more realistic for the users in Minecraft. In Treebrin’s case, he worked on the trees.

  Gameknight turned and smiled at the tall Treebrin. He had rough, brown skin that seemed almost like tree bark, and long, stringy brown hair. The light-crafter was easily a head taller than all the NPCs, if not more, with powerful arms and legs that were likely stronger than wood. He was an imposing figure to behold, but his ever-present smile was instantly disarming.

  “Grablach korig,” Treebin mumbled.

  “What?” Gameknight replied.

  “He said to hurry up,” Herder translated. “This forest isn’t going to be replanted by itself.”

  Behind the light-crafter stood Herder with his usual collection of wolves. For some reason, the lanky NPC was the only person that seemed to understand the mysterious light-crafter.

  Gameknight flashed him a smile, then turned and continued digging. He cleared out great swaths of ground with the enchanted tool. Stitcher had difficulty keeping up with the User-that-is-not-a-user, whose magical shovel carved into the shattered soil with ease.