Minecraft One-Shot - The End is the End - Prologue
This is part of a larger story in my head - caused by my playing MC, reading a few good fanfics and even a few MC stories from Amazon/Watt Pad.
I have decided to expand on this, so consider this a "prologue" to the story - something to wet your whistle. For now, this will stay the beginning until I reach the point where it would fit in correctly or maybe I'll work it into the flow somehow.
Comments more than welcome.
The End is the End - Prologue
The sky above was black. Not just the normal blackness of night, that canvas wasn't a pure blank stretch of empty nothingness that spanned above her. The night sky held pin points of lights, stars burning brightly up in the heavens above the world. They were often joined by that pale circle of the moon whose silent face stared down across the world, watching in silence as the drama of life played out below.
No, this sky was black, light-less and lifeless. No clouds drifted by, no stars kissed the sky, no moon tracked the hours as they slipped by.
It was empty, devoid of light and life. The sky of the End, the Void.
"At... least the Eye isn't here." Her voice cuts through the silence, echoing softly across the expanse of pale stone surrounding her. Slowly, shakily, she lifts her hand before her face. The pale skin was coated in bright crimson, still wet. With a weak sigh, she lets her arm fall back down, her hand landing against her torso. The slight pressure against the injured flesh set off a twinge of pain. Groaning, she pulls the offending limb away, but it was too late to stop the ripple effect. Gritting her teeth, she closes her eyes, trying to calm herself as the pain built, leaving her gasping for breath. What little energy she had left was quickly fading, spilling out of the wound in her stomach to stain the whitish stone her body was laying on.
"Vluurp?" The sound came from her side, causing her to open her eyes and tilt her head toward the source. Slowly a dark figure came into view. It was small, at least smaller than the normal versions of its kind. Her kind, she thought to herself with a faint smile. She didn't know why she gave the small figure a female gender, it just felt right. Her eyes travel up the plain black body, the thin limbs and a small head to land on the two purple eyes. She never did find out this is Ender...child was a child or just a smaller version of the towering black mobs.
"So you are ok, right?" Her throat hurt, her mouth was dry. The small Enderchild comes closer and places one black hand on her shoulder. They always said to never look at these mobs, that they were peaceful until you caught their gaze. This one was different, she could look straight at her with no issue, she was a friend.
"Vurr lurp, vurp!" It moves closer to her and she fells its hand touch her stomach, causing a new flare of pain to wash over her and forcing a weak scream from her. At her obvious distress, the Enderchild pulls back and kneels down next to her face.
"VUR! Vlurrp, vur, vur!" She can't understand her, never could, but it was clear the child was upset, maybe even worried. It didn't matter to her, she only wanted to keep the Enderchild safe. Jagen wanted it, he had already hurt it once... Wait, Jagen? How do I know him? Her memories were shattered, broken like a mirror struck with a stick. Parts of it would float by, offering glimpses into her past that made her feel as if she was a visitor to her own life.
She was running, holding the Enderchild to her chest. The poor thing was wailing in pain. It was injured, its dark purple blood leaking down her side and across her arm. She had pulled the arrow from her wound, but hadn't had the time to bandage it. Slowing, she starts to think about what she might be able to do but is ripped from her musings. Pain explodes through her as several arrows slam into her back and arm. Screaming, she stumbles to the ground, landing hard on her knees, but just managing to catching herself on her free hand. The Enderchild, still held tight to her chest, wails, clinging to her. She was out of time and out of options.
Pushing up, she climbs to her feet. Looking at her left arm, she can see the feathers of the arrow sticking from the meat of her limb. It hurt to move it, but her other arm was occupied with holding the small Enderchild. Moving forward, she reaches up and pulls a necklace over her head. It was a plain thing, but it was the large gem like object that hung from it that was important. It was a horrible risk, but there wasn't many other options left. All she had to do was reach the portal, which if her memory served her right, wasn't far. As she ran, fear ate at her insides like a wolf. The thought of going back to that dammable place made her sick, but then again, it could be the shock from her injuries. Whatever, she couldn't let fear sway her, she couldn't let him have the Enderchild. Staggering, she forces herself on, ignoring the pain .
Behind her came the tell-tale sound of arrows taking flight. Pushing herself, she manages to clear the corner as the arrows whistle past, clattering against the stone walls. Turning that last corning, brought her to the final room of the stronghold. There, laid in a distinct pattern over the floor, were the strange Ender Portals. Drawing closer, she could see that they all had pearls sitting on the crowns, well all except for one. Taking the few steps up to the platform, she slams down the Eye of Ender on the last empty slot. Slowly, black mists leak out of the portals, merging together to form the magical gateway to the End.
"STOP! Don't do this, just give her to me!" Turning around, stood in the archway, a man that she knew. Jagen, her close friend, her second in command stood there with his bow notched back, the arrow quivering. Shock froze her, she couldn't believe her eyes, her friend was the one hunting the Enderchild, the one who shot her as she fled with the mob.
"Jagen...why? Why are you doing this?" The Enderchild in her grasp screams, quaking in fear against her chest. Looking down at the little mob, she could see the fear and pain it was feeling. Looking back at her friend, she catches his eyes. There was no kindness in those blue orbs. All that reflected back at her was malice, anger, perhaps even rage. This was not the man she knew, trusted and cared for. In his place stood a snarling monster, hell bent on stopping her.
"Give her to me and you can walk out of here, SammnIam... otherwise..." He sighted down the arrow at her. Why did he want this Enderchild? Why was he willing to kill her to get the mob. It made no sense to her, what had this small mob done to him to cause such anger. Slowly, with pain in her heart at his betrayal, she shakes her head.
"No." Tears blur her vision as she kept her eyes locked to his, only to widen as twang of his bowstring reverberated throughout the space. Pain floods her chest as his arrow slams into her, knocking her backwards directly into the End Portal. She watches him leap forward, roaring in rage as darkness closed around her.
Blinking, she realizes that she was holding her breath. Letting the held breath hiss between clenched teeth, she struggles to make sense of the memory. This really wasn't the first time she had been to the End. Somehow the memory had burst through whatever block had sealed her life away. This is why he looked so familiar, seemed so shocked that she was alive. Why he was surprised she didn't try to take retribution for his betrayal. Curse my damaged mind, the memories are there, locked tight inside her thick skull. They were real, right? I have been before, been injured and dying... but when?
A termor wracks her weakened form as tears trail down her face. It was all too much to deal with, even if she wasn't mortally wounded. She was in the End, and from whatever place held the secretes of her hidden memories, she knew that she was doomed. Those who perish in the End go to the Void, although she had no clue as to what that meant. It instilled a terror inside her that made her heart flutter in her chest like a caged bird.
In the distance, a ear shattering scream rips through the emptiness. Part of her knew she should be terrorified, knew what would cause such a sound in this bleak landscape, but she stopped caring. It didn't matter if that beast found her first, her death was a promise that she couldn't escape. She had no strength to move, let alone find the portal that would return her to the Overworld.
Blinking she forces herself to stare at the small black figure next to her. The pain of that memory tore at her heart. That man was the same. She knew him, and at one time, even trusted him. Twice now, although she held no recollection until now, he had attacked her. Twice now, he sought the Enderchild and twice she had suffered to protect her from him. But why?
"VUR!" Her eyes snap to the Enderchild's who was now standing, her arms over her head, shaking. If she didn't know better, it looked like she was going to attack. In her weakened state, it would be enough to finish her off. Instead the Enderchild screams, disappearing in a cloud of purple dust.
"Be safe.. little one..." A shutter goes through her, stirring up the pain. Staring blankly ahead, she can see distant dark shapes moving across the bleak and barren landscape. She knew she should turn away, even at the distance they were, if one of those Endermen caught her looking at them, they would attack. It wasn't that she feared death, far from it. In her current state, it might be more of a blessing, ending her suffering as her body slowly bled its lifeblood into cold End stone. Rather, she feared what would come next.
Another shiver moves through her, making her whine softly. Gritting her teeth, she squeezes her eyes shut, feeling more tears leak forth. A half chocked sob escapes her as the fear from before returns, sinking its dagger-like claws into what was left of her mind. The Void made this place seem like a vibrant world of life in comparison. There was nothing there. Nothing. Just darkness all around, above and below. Nothing stirred in that place, well, nothing but the Eye. The memory pushes out from inside, making her scream out in frustration. If was bad enough the place was bone chillingly cold, thin of air and slowly drained your will to live, but if you stayed in one place too long, the great Eye came down from the Sky. If it got you, you were gone. Forever.
"VUR!" The sound broke her from fear's grip. Painfully, her eyes open to gaze once more on the Enderchild. She stood near her face, but instead of staring at her, she was leaning up, looking at something above her. "Vluurp, ver, lurp. VUR!" She lifted one small black hand to point at her, still looking up. It was then that she realized they weren't alone. Behind the small Enderchild's frame, stood two considerably larger legs. They were massive, not just in comparison to the smaller figure. They were easily twice the size of a normal Enderman's limbs. Unbidden, she starts to look up at the other creature, but stops as the smaller one places a hand on her cheek. Shifting her view from the other to the Enderchild, she could see the worry in the small mob's face. Why was a mob worried about her?
"So, this is the same one..." Blinking, the voice startles her. It was a strange voice, deep and resonant, but also sounds as if there were two slightly different toned voices speaking together in sync.
"Ver, vlurp, ver...lurp!" The Enderchild nods, still keeping her hand against her face.
"So human," The figure behind the Enderchild moves, kneeling down toward her injured form. The voice should instill fear in her, she knows that this was no simple Enderman standing over her. Never before had she heard a single word spoken in her language from one of the strange mobs. It takes effort, but she keeps her eyes aimed at the Enderchild, refusing to trigger a violent response from the unknown mob.
"You have now twice given your life to protect my daughter." Before she can speak a word, she feels something touch her chest, light as a feather, but cold as ice. Another shutter runs through her, making her gasp and squeeze her eyes shut. The touch halts, near her wound, putting the slightest of pressure against the lethal injury. The cold leaches quickly into her skin, her very bones, making her body start to shiver uncontrollably and sending waves of stabbing pain rolling through her.
"Please...sstop...pl...ease...no..." Her chest feels as if it was on fire, her lungs can barely draw breath. Death was one thing, torture as another. Fear floods her dying mind making her eyes snap open and before she can stop herself, she stares at the figure looming over her
"Ver, vell, vlep...ver, ver...vlurp." She could hear the Enderchild's voice, pleading with the other mob, but she can't force herself to turn away from the thing filling her vision. Her mind feels numb; blood loss, pain and the cold must be giving her delusions. Above her towers the largest Enderman she has ever seen. Nearly twice the height of a normal one. Even crouched down, it was massive. Then there was the extra arms. Unable to tear her gaze away she locks eyes with the massive mob, his twin purple orbs returning the stare. Seconds pass, fear driving her heart to hammer in her chest.
"I will not hurt you human. I will help, if I can." Fear tells her to move, to get away from the massive being, but can't force her battered body to obey. Slowly, the giant Enderman collects her limp body, cradling her against its chest like a child. The movement sends new waves of pain through her and finally it has had enough, her eyes slide shut as she hopes death claims her.
Ok, enough of the Prologue... more to come. Thanks for the comment & follows. Danke :}