— Chapter 1: Death Game —

It's a video game gone wrong,
An endless pressure pushing on.
It's sanity stretched to its limit!
The end of the world as we knew it!

~Deathcraft Theme, SkylarWindsong

Rule Book: Update Page

Player Count: 0

Date: April 23, 2014

Time: 4:57 PM

God: Soon. Very, very soon. Only three minutes.

Only three minutes.

I smiled, the excitement running through my veins. Usually I wasn't this excited for something like an update for a game, but I felt like this was something big. There was a piece of me that made my gut turn, not liking the idea of this server, but I brushed it off as nerves.

4:58.

My hand wavered above my mouse. The anticipation was killing me, something that rarely happened. I was emotional, especially for a teenage boy, but I just never showed it. To feel the anticipation and urge to squirm and dosomething while I waited was just killing me.

4:59.

Soon.

…

…

… Dammit clock, hurry up!

5:00.

That second, I opened up servers and logged into the file. I mentally prayed as the scene loaded that I would make it in. The load didn't take long before the message appeared in front of me, allowing me to breath a sigh of relief.

Welcome to afuheofinld! (-error-)

Sequeter has joined the ga–

KoGWolfBlood has joi–

Sarahalli32 has–

princear–

Deadman530 has joined–

The named kept popping up, but I was just so relieved at the fact the my character had been one of the 10,000 to spawn into the new world. I turned my Minecraft person around in a circle, watching as people just spawned in the general areas around me. Their characters began to run around and jump, and soon I was moving my own around, exploring the spawn area.

It was a giant dome-like area made out of a various collection of random blocks. There was a portal to The Nether, but it wasn't activated, but I wasn't really interested in that. I was too busy looking around at the area and the collection of people… It was so damn awesome.

Server Full! Everyone ready? a message appeared, causing me to grin.

Very, I typed and entered. I wasn't the only one; a bunch of other players entered in 'ready!' messages.

Very well then, miners. Welcome to Deathcraft. Prepare for a major shock!

I cocked my head curiously. Major shock…? Deathcraft? Perhaps a special update or a mod for the server…?

My thoughts were off. Way off. The next second, something painful shot up through my arm. It hurt like hell, causing me to cry out and bring my arm to my chest and away from the mouse. The tingling sensation began to creep up past my elbow.

"What the heck?" I cried out as another wave of sudden pain shot through my body. The painful tingling reached my shoulder, and from there, it spiked, causing a burning pain to overcome my neck. If I were ever to be electrocuted, I expected it to feel like this. The shock reached my head, and I screamed loudly.

I was out before I heard the dark chuckling come from my computer.

My head hurt like crap, to put it simply. My entire upper body ached like I had just competed in a push-up marathon (which I throughly sucked at, by the way), and add that to the fact it was incredibly cold, I was seriously agitated and wondering what had happened.

I stirred, moving my head slightly and groaned, slowly rising up to a sitting position. I held my aching head in one of my hands as I opened my eyes. Light blasted in annoyingly, causing my head to pound, but I tried to ignore it as I kept them open.

And then, everything came back.

The painful shock that had been sent up my arm, the new server data, the unsettling feeling in my gut–which was always right–and my stupid decision to ignore it, and the message of Deathcraft.

Fearfully, I looked around at my surroundings. The ground was in random colors, all jumbled together, but at the same time set in defined squares. I looked up. The giant dome roof was above me. This time, though, it wasn't in random blocks. The blocks looked to be fading out and being replaced by dark red blocks, with lighter red blocks forming the word "Deathcraft" clearly. Other players were unconscious on the ground with only a few stirring, all making the same assumption as me while they looked around.

They weren't blocks, though. They looked like actual people, in actual clothing, with actual hair. I glanced down at my hands. They were normal, compared to the blocked ground. Clench, unclench, clench, unclench. I repeated the motion. The feeling was real, of the skin-on-skin, and I knew I wasn't dreaming. How? I did the old trick of pinching myself. Pain.

The gut wrenched and I felt slightly sick. I couldn't be… How…

But it was just a video game!

I gulped. Steadily, as to make sure I didn't puke, I rose onto my feet and double-checked the area around me. More players were stirring, but none besides me were standing, but a few were about to. I turned in a circle, careful not to move fast, and let my eyes cloud over with true realization.

I was in Minecraft.

I was in a video game.

And it wasn't a dream. The pain was really, the sick feeling in my stomach was real, the clenching for my fists, and the sight and sounds of the other players moaning as they woke.

I bit the inside of my cheek and closed my eyes tightly. The sick feeling was slowly fading away, but the headache was still pounding and my body screamed with simple movements. I opened my eyes again, this time watching as the main majority of the other players began to stand and look around in fear.

I opened my mouth to ask a question to the overall crowd, but I stopped for two reasons. First off, I didn't like other people. They never shut up and their trust was something that could never be guaranteed. Also, people tended to be idiots and not examine things. They didn't think, didn't use the brain power they had, and it just got on me nerves. I didn't want to ask them a pointless question and receive a stupid answer.

The second reason? Just breathing was making my throat burn, I didn't want to have another wave of searing pain just for asking something no one probably knew the answer to.

I held my head in my hands, feeling the horrible pounding there again, but then pushed it out as I decided to search for someone who could actually know what was going on.

If anyone did.

I never got the chance to go "make nice" with other people, as my sister would've called it, because someone suddenly appeared in the middle of the room out of black specks.

A human Herobrine.

I wasn't sure whether to feel amused that the person was so predictable to land the blame on or feel utterly terrified that Herobine was floating in front of me.

Still, I did react with a blink and step back in shock. A few players screamed. Herobrine's dark laugh rang out again, echoing off the walls in the dome.

"Miners," Herobrine began, his eyes gleaming with some kind of sick glee, "I don't think I've given you all a proper introduction to this world here." He threw his arms out and spun in a small circle, stopping inconveniently when he was facing me. "Welcome to my server, Deathcraft."

I locked eyes with him for a second. That was all, because he shot high into the air after that and into the view of every player. "Yes, that intro is nice." He laughed manically.

"What's going on?" a sudden player shouted out from the crowd. Herobrine look-a-like spun towards the direction of the voice and flew towards the source. The boy who had spoken looked to be in his late teens, with his long black hair pulled back into a ponytail and his British accent shinning through.

"You, dear DarkFantom, have been pulled into the world of Deathcraft! The same goes for every single person in this room." He bowed deeply, a sick grin on his face. "I brought you all here."

"Why?" the guy asked again, his voice filled with fury. I wasn't sure if he was courageous or an idiot. The person would obviously be explaining that soon, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered to even show up.

Herobrine's white eyes glowed brighter. "Because I could."

Before anything else could be said, he continued. "I used a specially-created biological computer virus to transfer you souls here." He shrugged. "Wasn't all that hard, really. However, that does mean your bodies in the human realm are now in a comatose state. Hope none of you are on someone's hit list, 'cause if you are, you're good as dead." Herobrine's twisted grin suddenly flattened and became serious. "Speaking of death, if you die here, you die in real life, too. Just thought I should mention that."

Some people screamed. Most gasped. I just stood there, rooted in shock. Other's had faces of pure terror and fear, just like those weak actors in horror films. Other's had faces that were so completely clouded with hatred they made a mad Hulk look like a chew toy. Then there were a few people–and by few, I mean few–who looked relieved.

Me? I was somewhere in between. I was pissed I had been stripped from my life as soon as it started looking up. I was enraged that I had been forced into this without a choice. But at the same time, I felt broken and slapped because I didn't want this. I didn't want to know I could die here. I wanted to go back.

I couldn't be sure what my facial expression was, and I really didn't want to know.

"Miners, this world is Minecraft," he continued, flying around the dome aimlessly. "However, think of this as a kind of mod, if you will. One life is all you get. No respawns." He laughed lowly, sinking down to the ground a few blocks away from me and landing. Players hurried out of his way. "Your hearts regenerate on full hunger, or when you enter a safe zone, and you can mine all the blocks you want! Usually. Oh, and you're all under four hearts, just so you know. Getting you here took more of your lives than I thought it would. Oh well. Doesn't effect me. However, if you check your inventories, you'll see I left a nice little gift for all of you. Just wave your hand a bit to open up the inventory. And, don't worry, other players can't see your inventory…usually." His creepy laugh escaped his lips.

I didn't want to wave my hand and open up the inventory. I wanted to walk up to him and punch him in the face. I wanted to do something that would make him realize my life wasn't something he could play with.

But then again, I wanted to be able to survive. Who knows… maybe he'd actually let us leave.

…Yeah, right. Maniacs like him only care about other's misery.

He was right; the gray screen appeared right in front of me when I waved my hand. Instead of there being the typical three-by-nine box of item collection, though, there were only five slots, an armor option on the side, and a picture of me. I was a bit surprised to see I looked nothing like my Minecraft skin. I was still humanoid, not blocky, and I actually looked like my true self. My username was showing over the inventory, along with an XP bar. Unlike the original inventory, though, there were five boxes in a row above the mini crafting area. They all had question marks in them.

It wasn't long until I heard players whispering about them.

Inside the inventory, though, in the normal slots there was a health potion, a loaf of bread, some kind of bag, and a book that read "Rules".

I felt my fists begin to shake, but I reached for the bag and watched in slight disturbing shock as the inventory screen vanished and the bag–a purse, actually–appeared visible in my hand. I almost screamed at the fact he was potentially mocking me by giving me a purse and that he was apparently watching me as I carefully (not) placed the damn thing back into the inventory.

I snapped at him, shocking myself even with, "What the hell makes you think we'll go along with whatever game you're trying to play?"

Herobrine's classic dark smirk returned to his face. "Unless you want to die, you will. Oh, and that reminds me! There is a way for you all to return to your world." He placed his hand on his chin, looking upward. "I just doubt it'll be possible for you lot."

The spark of hope that had formed in my deflated, but I kept in mind he had said 'doubt'.

He turned around and looked around all of us. "Players, if you guys somehow manage to kill me, I'll return you all home. And, before you say anything, it's not a promise. It's a guarantee. Upon my defeat, the game will shut down, and all of your souls will be expelled back into the real world." He smiled, snapping his fingers playfully. "But I doubt any of you will ever find me, let alone find out a way how to kill me."

The area below him began to have white blocks form off of it, approaching him. "Anyway players, before I leave, here's a couple more tips: Towns and cities are the only safe zones. No damage can be dealt to a player there. Factions and teams can be created. Player versus player is allowed, which is why murdering others is capable. Enjoy my game of death!"

He vanished.

The area was silent for a while, people just looking around at others for a few seconds. Finally, the blonde girl next to me let loose an insane scream and fainted flat onto the ground. The next second, it seemed like all of hell broke loose; some people began to freak out, others followed the blonde and fainted, and some bolted from the dome.

"What are we going to do now?" a fearful voice from besides me spoke. The speaker was an bright red-haired girl (literally, her hair was red, not orange). Her expression made her look like a frightful glass doll that would shatter into a million pieces if dropped.

I felt my fist clench in response to that question. I could still tell that I was shaking, but now, I wasn't sure if it was utter rage, fear, or a mixture of both. I hated that we were forced into some kind of death game only seen on TV shows and movies. I was furious that I had been stripped from my life, my sister, in the moment things were just starting to look better. At the same time, though, I was afraid.

I didn't want to die.

I couldn't die.

I had so much more stuff to do. I wanted to travel the world, meet other people who didn't ask stupid questions and it was possible to hold a conversation with, and eat foods that most people wouldn't get the chance to. I wanted to explore and experience things people never had before.

And that was going to be taken away from me.

For some dude's game.

Oh, so not happening.

"We find him, and we kill him," I found myself answering. It was weird and unlike me, but at this rate I just wasn't caring anymore.

The girl looked towards me. I expected to see fear in her eyes, possibly even hope, but instead, they were glossed over with tears, defeat, and hopelessness. "And how do you suppose we do that? Didn't you hear him? He said it wasn't possible!"

I had to resist the urge to cry out in frustration. Didn't these people listen to a single word that guy had said? "He didn't say it was impossible," I bit out through my teeth. "He said he doubted the possibility. Two completely different things." I looked at her in the eyes. It was a surprise to see her eyes instantly lack all signs of hopelessness and become determined, hard, but hold some kind of warmth.

"Right," she agreed, smiling a bit. "So, wanna work together? What's your name?"

I blinked in surprise. She wanted to work together? With me? It felt a bit…nice to be asked that, but I didn't like working with others. Things couldn't go my way when there were other people that had a say in things.

I put my hand on hers and pushed it down so it fell by her side. "I work alone." It came out colder than I had expected it to, but that was okay. It would deter anyone else who wanted to work with me.

The girl glared. "Fine, then."

I turned around to leave, taking that as her sign that she was done talking to me. However, I felt her grab my arm and swing me around. "What?" I snapped, trying to get my arm from her grip. Her grip was surprisingly strong and held my arm in place.

"What's your name?"

"…Sequeter."

Her grip tightened painfully. "I meant your real one, dumbass. Not some fake name you make up off the top of your head."

I tried again to yank my arm from her grip, but she dug her nail into my arm. I sighed, looking at her with a dead serious look on my face. "It's my minecraft username. Like hell I'd tell some random girl I just met my real name. What's your minecraft user?" I wasn't sure what propelled me to ask that question, but I did, and the girl's grip on my arm vanished.

"I'm RedMage4Life. But…I guess you can just call me Red," she answered.

"Well, Red," I muttered and rubbed my sore arm. "I'm going to go start trying to find a way out of this video game. Later." This time, when I start to walk away, she doesn't stop me. Neither did other people, and by the time I get this message that pops up in front of my face: You have left the safe zone! Watch out for mobs!, the sounds of the other players chatting in there just seems to echo through my head rather annoyingly.

I didn't care about them. Why should I? Chances were, they were people who just made the human race look like idiots.

Despite me telling myself that they didn't matter, there was this nagging feeling in my gut that I hated more than anything. Guilt. I made sure to push that emotion down and keep heading out, not looking back.

Hello all my lovelies! I greatly appreciate the feedback so far. :) I know this chapter doesn't have that sense of "action" to it yet, but… it gets better. Next chapter, the OCs will be introduced (or, the majority of them). I did leave a few references to other OCs in here, though… You may be able to catch them, may not. *shrugs*

Oh, and Red is an OC my friend made, soooo…yeah. Like her? Hate her?

Still accepting OCs y'all. Send them in, by PM if possible, please.

Sorry if there were any (which I know there were probably a lot of) grammar and spelling errors. Point them out to me and I'll do my best to fix them!

Question of this chapter (a new feature of mine): What do you guys think of Seq? He's different from other characters I have made in the sense he's a complete and total jerk. *laughs evilly* Lots of plot ideas involving that, so yeah!

Hey, I just posted this,

And this is CRAY-CRAY,

But here's my story,

So review, maybe?

~Jet