I woke up to the sound of rain on my window. I sat up quickly. The nightmares were back. I rubbed my neck and looked around. My room was messy, but that was how I liked it. My sword was on the desk, along with my bow and arrows. My battered armor was lying on the floor, the false daylight from the lightning made it glow slightly. The closet was an explosion of books. I sighed. This was going to be a long night. I might as well get up. I pulled myself out of bed and got dressed. I was just putting my helmet on when I heard the front door creak open. I jumped up and grabbed my diamond sword, a gift from my late father. It was my pride and joy, a last memory of my parents before they had died in a Wither attack. I crept out of my room and into the hallway when I heard voices.
"-not the time to ask, it's the middle of the night!" A fierce voice said.
"I can't wait; this is life and death, Deadlox! She's is the one. We have to explain. She at least deserves that." Another voice said defiantly.
Then a different voice spoke; it was slower, calmer, "Sky is right, Deadlox. Avalene needs to know."
I didn't need to hear any more. I jumped out of the hallway, my armor on, sword in my hand. The three teens looked surprised. They took a couple of steps back. "Alright, three questions:" I said, brandishing my sword, "Why are you here? What do I need to know so late at night? And how do you even know who I am?"
The one in the middle spoke. He was tall, with dark hair and dark sunglasses. He wore dark armor and had a strange amulet. "Avalene, we need to talk. Sit down." He gestured at the dining table.
I sat down slowly. My need for answers overpowered my instincts to kill them. The three teens sat down with me. The middle boy spoke again, "Alright, I'll answer your questions, but first, I'm Sky. This," He looked to his left, "is Deadlox, and this is Jason," looking to his other side. Deadlox was wearing his same headset, just around his neck, and Jason in his suit without the helmet. He spoke again, looking slightly anxious. "You're Avalene Mica, right?" I nodded, "Okay then," he said, looking more confident. "Listen carefully. You've been requested to attend a number of armies, including Sky Army, the Dead Army, and multiple others. We have been sent to tell you this. These armies have been tracking you, watching you. They need you. They need people. There is a force, a…person…trying to rise from the End and take the other dimensions for his own army. We can't let that happen. You're parents were involved with this too, I heard, so I'm sure you knew what they actually did. Did I answer everything?"
I just looked at him. The fact that this was Skydoesminecraft and Deadlox and MinecraftUniverse was still sinking in. I was wanted in all these armies? I was being tracked? I spoke suddenly, barely thinking about what I was saying, the shock overcoming me, "Are you sure? I mean, I'm flattered, but is this actually true? I'm only fifteen. My parents died in a Wither attack, they were warriors, but I don't think they were in any army, they didn't say anything at all about it to me…" I faltered, deep in thought. Jason looked at me and then at Sky, "Wait, they didn't tell her anything? That makes things more complicated…" Sky and Deadlox looked surprised. The silence stretched out for what seemed like hours.
Deadlox spoke this time, quietly and kindly. "Well, I'll explain. Your parents were in an army. But that army was different. It was a group of Minecraftian Youtubers that worked together with gifted Minecrafters to stop bigger threats than just the Squids." He smirked at Sky. Sky scowled made a strange noise in his throat. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but closed it. I was in shock. Sky looked at me. "It can be hard, especially when you didn't know before. Deadlox was the same." Deadlox ducked his head. "Anyway, you've also been accepted into the same army your parents were in, SOPA." I looked up at him. Tears threatened to spill over my eyes. After living alone with myself for five years, after wishing I could help people like my parents did, after moving far away to run from my past, my parents, and…him, I was finally going to get to help, and be helped. I broke down. Deadlox was there first. He held me in his arms, telling me it was going to be okay. Sky and Jason looked at me kindly. I was embarrassed beyond measure, but I couldn't stop crying. All the stress from these last five years came rushing out. After a while, I calmed down and Sky handed me a tissue. I wondered where he got it. Deadlox sat back at his chair.
I cleaned myself up and looked at the three teens, tears still in my eyes. "I'm sorry. You don't know how hard it's been living alone for so long. I'm used to being alone, being invisible. The solitude was comforting at first, but I feel like I'm drowning now. The nightmares…" I faltered again. Sky looked at me and said inquiringly, "What nightmares?" I looked at him and spoke slowly, "After my parents were killed, and now lately, I've been having nightmares. Visions, almost. They felt so real. A block of obsidian was sitting in a dark room. My parents stood around it along with-" I caught myself. I would not talk about him. Too late. Jason spoke first, "Along with whom? This may be important." I couldn't refuse to tell now that they asked. I took a deep breath. "Herobrine. He was with them." Sky looked shocked, but quickly composed himself. He frowned. "Why would that bother you? Did something happen? He's only legend." I was panicking slightly. I didn't want to start crying again. But I was already in over my head.
"He and I…were together. We dated for about two years, right after my parents died. I met him in the forest after hearing a noise. He was injured. Something hurt him, I don't know how, he would never say. I nursed him back to health and we became friends. It wasn't long before we started dating, we worked together so well. He loved me, and I loved him. One day, he made a trip to the Nether. He never returned. I looked for him for weeks. Nothing. I got a letter a year after and it was from him." Tears started to fall, but I carried on. "He said that he was captured and lost, h-his powers weak. He had just enough to s-send this. It said how much he loved me and how we would see each other again someday. I cried for w-weeks. Eventually I moved, I couldn't take the memories at m-my h-home. I've been living in the jungle ever since."
I broke down once again, though it was more bitter than sad. The guys just looked, even Deadlox. They sensed that this was a personal battle. Jason gave me a tissue and after a couple of minutes I sighed and looked up at them. "Sorry." I half-laughed, trying to maintain my dignity. Then I realized that the boys were crying, tears dripping. Sky looked at me. "I always thought he was a legend, and even if I did believe he was real, I would never think he would be in any kind of relationship. You're story was so touching, you've been through so much. I'm surprised you're still sane after all that." He smiled, wiping his eyes from beneath his sunglasses. Deadlox looked off in the distance, his face a mix of sadness, bitterness, and understanding. Jason wiped his eyes quickly, looking away. I looked at my boots. I didn't realize how sad my tale was. Deadlox spoke, and I looked up quickly. "Well, if you accept and enlist into SOPA, you can live at HQ, or you can stay here. We have everything. It's pretty cool." He smiled sadly, "I've been there for six years. But we'll give you the night to think about it."
I looked at him for a second, and then I said determinedly, "Can I go now?" The guys looked shocked; apparently they didn't get this a lot. Welcome to my life. Sky looked around and said, "Sure. You can get your stuff packed and we can go." I grinned. I stood up and walked into my room. I looked around at the mess. I almost laughed. I grabbed some essentials and grabbed my backpack. I stuffed my things into the old canvas bag and stood up. I looked in my mirror. My dark brown hair was swept to one side, my bright green eyes were red but they still pierced the night, scanning my reflection. My pale skin glowed in the lightning. The storm still raged.
I heard someone speak. I turned around quickly. It was Deadlox. "Nice room," he grinned, "Mine is much messier though. I'm not organized at all. You've been brave, to go through all that. Believe me, I understand." I looked at him, scanning his face. He seemed so sad, but he wasn't that sad. He missed his old life, I could tell, but he was happy that he could do something, like I wanted to do. "You do understand, I can tell." I said, smiling. "I can see it in your eyes." He looked at me curiously. "You have a thing for scanning people, huh?" I nodded.
"It's an important skill when you're a sniper."
"You're a sniper? You'll have to show me your skills sometime."
"Of course. I'm guessing you do strategic planning, with a good amount of sword skills."
"How can you tell?"
"Again, observation is my forte."
We laughed, and he looked at me seriously. I looked at him. "You know, Elijah, our head teacher, said he knew your parents." I looked at him, surprised. "Really?" He smiled. "Yep." We walked out of the house, the jungle surrounding us, my house glowing with light. Sky and Jason were already outside, waiting for us. Four horses were tied up on my fence. Sky looked at us and grinned, the first time in this encounter. "Now that I got all the serious stuff out of the way, I can relax." We climbed on the horses, and I looked at my house. A new beginning. A fresh start. This was going to be interesting. We started riding just as the sun rose, the storm quieting. I grinned. Finally. A second chance.