Last Stand on the Ocean Shore Read online

  Standing on the hill, Gameknight looked out across the mushroom island and toward the vast desert. Closing his eyes, he listened to the music of Minecraft. It was not as strained and dissonant as it had been when the monsters, led by Erebus, had gone to the Source. No, this time it was different. It still flowed as a beautiful background melody, coloring the wonderful scenery of Minecraft with its harmonious hues, but something was wrong. The music lacked its calming presence, and instead left him with a feeling of desperate unease, as if something dangerous was coming their way.

  CHAPTER 3

  SURPRISE IN THE DESERT

  As Gameknight999 waded across the shallow strip of water, crossing from the mushroom island into the desert biome, he glanced up at the sun. It was at its zenith, staring straight down on them with its square yellow face, bright and pure. But as Gameknight crossed the watery barrier that separated the two habitats, he was surprised to feel the temperature jump up suddenly as his feet met the sandy ground. Looking around, Gameknight could tell that all the NPCs felt it, the oppressive heat of the desert. It was almost overwhelming, but they all knew that Herobrine and his army of monsters were nipping at their heels, relentlessly hunting them, so they dared not slow their pace. With heads tilted down away from the blazing overhead furnace, Gameknight and the NPCs continued eastward.

  “I’ve never been in a desert before,” said a high-pitched voice next to him.

  Gameknight looked down and found Topper staring up at him, the young boy’s warm brown eyes sparkling with subtle flecks of gold in the bright sunlight. It was Digger’s son, brother to a twin sister, Filler.

  “There was one about a day’s walk to the south of my village,” Topper explained, “but I wasn’t allowed to go there. Dad said … you know … Digger …”

  “Yes, I know who your dad is,” Gameknight said, smiling.

  “Anyway, he said it was too far away for someone as young as me.”

  “Your father is a wise NPC,” Gameknight added.

  The young boy’s smile turned to a frown.

  “But when will I be old enough?” Topper growled. “We can do things, you know … me and Filler … but no one believes us. Everyone thinks that because we’re small, we’re also weak and afraid … and that’s not right! I want to be treated like a big kid, but everyone treats me like a child. It’s not fair.”

  “Digger is just looking out for your safety, Topper,” the User-that-is-not-a-user said. “Besides, when you are older, I’m sure he’ll have lots of things for you to do that only big kids can do. You just have to wait a while.”

  “I don’t want to wait!” the young NPC snapped.

  “Sometimes our choices and actions define us, Topper,” said a voice from behind. Gameknight turned and found Crafter walking behind him, with Stonecutter and Filler at his side. “I’ve seen young kids make very mature and responsible decisions, and do things that no one ever thought possible.”

  “Like Fisher?” Gameknight asked.

  Crafter nodded his head.

  “Our decisions in life show people the kind of individuals we are, Topper,” Crafter continued. “Children who make grown-up decisions get treated like big kids, even though they could be among the smallest of NPCs. Age is not the metric by which people are measured; it’s what they do and how they do it that matters.

  Topper turned and looked at Crafter over his shoulder, then glanced up at Gameknight999, his unibrow furled in concentration.

  “Deeds do not make the hero …” Gameknight mumbled almost inaudibly to himself.

  Glancing over his shoulder, Gameknight could see Crafter smile.

  “Well, one day you’ll see … everyone will see. Topper and Filler are no longer little kids,” Topper said proudly.

  “That’s right,” Filler added in a high-pitched voice.

  “Well, for now at least you’re still small enough for this,” Gameknight said.

  Reaching out with lightning speed, Gameknight999 grabbed Topper by the waist, then hoisted him up over his head so that the young child sat on his square shoulders. Following his lead, Stonecutter did the same with Filler, the young girl’s sandy blond hair flying through the air like a wave of gold. The twins giggled as they sat atop their mounts. Gameknight smiled at Stonecutter and patted the muscular villager on the shoulder.

  Looking at the stocky NPC, Gameknight could see that Stonecutter was easily as strong as Digger, if not more so. His arms were like thick tree trunks, the gigantic biceps formed from the countless hours of putting pickaxe to stone. His skin was covered with tiny scars from the many chips of stone that had sliced him over the years. Stonecutter saw those scratches as a badge of honor, a symbol of his hard work and skill. A tangled mop of brown hair, almost the color of the bark on a dark oak tree, covered his blocky head, a sprinkling of gray here and there signaling the coming of middle age. But his eyes were the most notable thing about Stonecutter. They were the color of stone … gray, but not sparkling with hope as Digger’s or Crafter’s eyes did. These gray eyes hid some terrible sadness that sat deep within his soul. Something had happened to the stocky NPC in the past … something terrible. Gameknight could see Stonecutter frequently withdraw into himself when he was quiet and contemplative, the painful memories being relived in his mind. At times he seemed incredibly sad, but when around Gameknight999 he seemed to come out of his melancholy and stand up straight and tall. In fact, Gameknight started to notice that Stonecutter was never very far from his side. It was as if he were trying to always protect him … curious.

  Looking up at the child on his own shoulders, Gameknight could see Topper smile, his short, sandy-blond hair glowing in the sunlight. Next to him, Filler smiled at her brother, then looked down at her mount, Stonecutter. The stocky NPC grinned up at the girl, his stony eyes momentarily filled with happiness.

  The two children rode on the men’s shoulders as they trudged through the afternoon, walking for what seemed like hours and hours. The oppressive heat of the sun blasted into the NPCs, burning away their strength and in some cases their HP. Gameknight could see many of the villagers pulling out bottles of water to drink, trying to replenish the HP that was slowly being baked out of their already exhausted bodies. As they continued to trudge across the dry wasteland, an uneasy pall seemed to fill the air as the sun approached the horizon; nighttime was coming. Out on the open desert, surrounded only by huge rolling dunes of sand, there was little to use for camouflage or defense. They were totally exposed, and Gameknight knew that if a large mob caught them out there, it would be difficult to defend themselves.

  Climbing a large sand dune, Gameknight looked around, trying to formulate some kind of plan in case they ran into any hostile mobs. He wished they had horses, for in battle speed meant life, but they had left their steeds at the jungle temple because they couldn’t bring them in the boats. The cows that Herder had sheared and collected would be of no use in battle, though after a confrontation, the NPCs would need the meat to restore their health.

  Gameknight shuddered as he imagined a battle out here on these dunes. It brought back memories of a book he’d once read. He imagined Arrakis and sandworms gliding across the dunes, Fremen standing on the mighty beasts, hanging onto their maker hooks. It brought a smile to his face as he thought about the first time he’d read the legendary book, curled up on his bed, reading into the wee hours of the night, completely absorbed by the story.

  Suddenly, a joyous cry pierced the air. Snapping out of the memory, Gameknight looked ahead at the top of the next dune. He could see Digger standing atop the crest, waving his iron pickaxe. Gameknight ran, weaving around other NPCs as he tried to reach the top without jostling Topper too much. When he arrived at the peak, he was shocked at what he saw … a desert temple.

  The structure was placed in a large flat basin, a ring of sand dunes surrounding the plain. Farther away near the horizon, Gameknight could barely make out the outline of another structure. It looked like a tall stone tower … a watchtower.
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  It was a village … still very far away, but now in sight.

  Cheers erupted from the NPCs as they reached the top of the hill. A village meant water, a village meant crops … a village meant life. But as soon as it seemed like luck was finally on their side, a cry of terror cut through the air like a razor. Topper was screaming, as if terrified. Gameknight pulled the child off his shoulders and stood him on the ground.

  “Topper, what’s wrong?” Gameknight asked.

  The child’s face was white with fear, his brown eyes wide with shock. He slowly pointed off to the north, his stubby rectangular finger shaking with fear.

  “Zombies are coming,” the young boy said, his voice cracking with fear.

  Without realizing it, Gameknight drew his sword as he turned. A chill ran down his spine as he peered across the desert. In the dim light of sunset, he could see the lumbering green forms staggering across the sandy landscape, their rotting arms outstretched. Orange light from the setting sun reflected off their razor-sharp claws, making their pointed fingers sparkle and flash in the distance, as if they were aflame.

  “How many are there?” one of the NPCs asked.

  “Too many,” said another.

  Gameknight tried to count, but the fading light coupled with the distance made it difficult. One thing he knew for sure … there were a lot of them.

  “I think they’re heading for the village,” Gameknight said.

  “We have to do something,” his sister replied.

  Turning, he could see Monet113 standing next to him, her bow in her hand.

  “We can’t just let them go down to that village and destroy everything,” she said. “They have to be stopped.”

  Gameknight looked toward the monsters, then glanced back at the village. The angry creatures were clearly heading straight for the desert village, and there was no way the NPCs could get there before the zombies reached their target. But the temple was right along their path. He could see the fear on the faces of the NPCs, fatigue and exhaustion hanging heavily on their tired bodies. If they just ran forward and attacked the mob out in the open desert, many of his friends … his family … would be destroyed. They couldn’t fight that many, not as tired as they all were.

  “Gameknight, what do you want to do?” Digger asked.

  The sorrowful wails of the zombies wafted on the warm desert breeze and reached their ears. It was a haunting, angry sound that made many of the NPCs start to shake in fear.

  “Why are we standing here?” Hunter shouted as she drew her bow and notched an arrow. “Let’s go get ’em!”

  “No, I don’t think that would be wise,” Crafter said as he drew his own sword. “User-that-is-not-a-user, what is your plan?”

  Gameknight could see concern in Crafter’s bright blue eyes. But when he glanced at Hunter, all he saw was someone who wanted to fight. She still sought revenge for the loss of her parents and her village at the hands of monsters.

  What do we do?

  Indecision raged through him, paralyzing his mind. There were NPCs in that village … and they were in danger. But these NPCs with him were his friends; he couldn’t just send them into another battle … not right now.

  If I take care of one, I sacrifice the other, he thought. I hate this responsibility … it makes me want to explode!

  Then the solution started to surface in his head.

  Explode … yes, that would do it, but what about the zombies? How can we fight that many if we … the temple … of course.

  As everyone around Gameknight asked him question after question, the plan took shape in his mind. It was a good plan, but it was risky.

  Life always contains risk, a voice said within his head, a voice definitely not his own.

  Gameknight looked around to see if anyone else had heard that voice, but all he saw was confusion and fear. Everyone was talking all at once, each person emphatically shouting out what the group should do. What they needed right now was a direction, a leader … the User-that-is-not-a-user.

  “QUIET DOWN!” Gameknight yelled, then glared at the faces around him, daring anyone to challenge him. Hunter was about to speak up, but Gameknight’s scowl instantly silenced her. “OK, here’s what we’re going to do.”

  And Gameknight999 explained his plan as the army of monsters moved closer and closer.

  CHAPTER 4

  THE DESERT TEMPLE

  The NPCs sprinted for the temple, their lives depending on it. As they ran, Gameknight could see Crafter ahead of him launching rockets in the air. High overhead, the missiles exploded in a shower of color: a green creeper face, a sparkling orange sphere, a glistening yellow star. In the light of dusk, those in the village would easily see the colorful display.

  “I hope the villagers are getting ready for this army,” Gameknight said to his sister, Monet, who was running at his side.

  “I could run ahead and warn them,” she said. “I’m sure I can run faster than the zombies and get there before them.”

  “NO!” Gameknight snapped. “It’s too risky.”

  “But I could—”

  “Absolutely not. I have to keep you safe … it’s my job. And having you running in front of a zombie army, hoping there will be some place for you to hide until they go away, doesn’t sound like a very safe plan.”

  “But I can do it … I know it!” she said, almost yelled.

  “Forget about it,” Gameknight replied. “We’re all heading for the desert temple, and that’s the end of it.”

  Monet113 looked up at her brother. Her unibrow was furled with frustration as she glared at him, her normally soft gray-green eyes burning with anger. He was about to say something when she turned and moved to run at Stitcher’s side, an irritated scowl on her face.

  As the group ran, Gameknight moved to the edge of the pack and drew his sword. He could start to hear the angry moans and growls from the decaying creatures, their hatred for the living resonating across the desert wasteland.

  We have to hurry! he yelled within his mind.

  The desert temple was still far away, and the zombies were getting louder.

  “Everyone, HURRY!” Gameknight yelled, but he could tell that everyone was already sprinting.

  They weren’t going to make it to the temple in time; that meant fighting all these zombies out in the open. Many would die in that battle, and the User-that-is-not-a-user wasn’t going to let that happen.

  “Woodcutter, Stonecutter, Trimmer, Cobbler, all of you get some TNT and come with me,” Gameknight shouted. “Hunter, I’ll need you, too.”

  The four NPCs collected the red and white striped blocks from their friends, taking as many as they could hold, then ran toward Gameknight. Peeling off from the main group, the User-that-is-not-a-user ran at a diagonal, not directly toward the temple and not directly toward the zombies, but somewhere in between. Suddenly, he was surrounded by the NPCs, Hunter at his side, her shimmering bow casting a cerulean glow around the warriors. Running up a tall sand dune, Gameknight could see the approaching mob as they crested their own hill. The monsters saw them and growled, their eyes glowing red with hatred.

  “They don’t seem very happy. Maybe if we give them a little surprise, it will help with their mood,” Hunter said, causing the other warriors to laugh nervously.

  Gameknight999 was not laughing, however. He could see that there were more than fifty of them, a sizable number, and now they were shuffling faster. It was no joking matter. Altering his path, he headed straight for that rabble, the other NPCs following. They stopped after cresting the next hill. Gameknight could see the monsters clearly now. They were normal zombies, each with decaying green skin, tattered dark blue pants, and a torn light blue shirt. A sigh of relief came from Gameknight when he could see that there was no zombie king with them. He’d battled Xa-Tul to save his sister, but hadn’t killed him. Herobrine had interceded in the conflict and teleported the zombie king away in the last second, saving the creature’s life. That always worried Gameknight.<
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  I’m sure you’re out there somewhere, Xa-Tul, Gameknight thought.

  The idea of facing off against that massive zombie made him shake with fear. He’d barely been able to stop him the last time, but if Herobrine made that monster even stronger, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

  “Gameknight, what’s the plan?” Hunter asked, snapping him back to the here and now.

  At the bottom of the sand dune, Gameknight could see the collection of monsters staring up at them, waiting.

  “What are they waiting for?” Stonecutter asked.

  “Maybe they didn’t expect to find NPCs out here in the open desert,” Trimmer said.

  “We need them to follow us so that the others will have time to get into the temple,” Gameknight said. “Hunter, you think you can do something that will make them mad?”

  Hunter looked at his friend and smiled, then turned toward the mob, her curly red hair flying in a crimson wave. Drawing a handful of arrows, she stuck them into the sand directly in front of her. Notching one, she fired it at the largest zombie, then quickly grabbed an arrow before her and fired again and again and again. The arrows streaked through the air with a ball of magical blue flame wrapped around their tips. They hit the monster in the chest one after another in quick succession. The creature instantly burst into flames, but then disappeared with a pop when the third arrow struck home, causing his comrades to growl and moan, then charge forward.

  “Mission accomplished,” Hunter said with a smile as she turned and ran, the other NPCs doing the same.

  “Place a block of TNT right below the peak of the sand dune,” Gameknight999 ordered.

  Stonecutter stopped and placed the block behind a sandy cube, then turned and continued to run, heading back toward the desert temple.

  “No, this way,” Gameknight yelled as he took off at an angle. “We’re going to make the zombies take a zigzag path to the temple. That will slow them down.”

  The zombie growls grew louder as they crested the peak. Spotting the escaping NPCs, the mob turned and pursued them. But they were not doing the normal zombie shuffle, walking slowly with arms outstretched.