"Where'd he go?" Petra asks, scanning the area for a creepy guy with a beard.
"More like, where WOULD he go?" Liam looks around. Jessie caught on almost instantly, and pointed to a door over by the side. It was slightly ajar.
"There!" she exclaims. Everyone rushed over.
"Of course, the creepy door that seems to lead into darkness." Liam said, next to Lukas. Lukas couldn't help but to smile a little. His expression changed to seriousness when they approached the door.
"Wait, what are we going to do when we catch him? There could be a million ways for this to go." Lukas pointed out. Jessie and Petra looked at each other before Jessie said,
"Whatever we have to. I wouldn't mind a little payback, though."
"He deserves it for crossing Petra." Lukas agreed, "But this isn't my fight, so I'll follow your lead."
"Ready?" Jessie asks, looking at everyone.
"Ready." Petra replies, and the two girls led their group down the dark stone staircase. Of course, there was light ahead, and they followed it there. At the end, there was a whole library! Shelves of books. Lukas, being the slight historic geek he was, found it a little fascinating. Liam wasn't much into history like his brother was. "See anything?"
"Probably left another way." Liam replies.
"What is all this?" Olivia asks.
"Looks like it used to be the basement. Weird place to have a hideout…" Axel answers Olivia.
"I agree. And I think Lukas would like to live down here someday." Liam grins.
"What? Why?" Lukas asks, turning to Liam.
"You're a history nerd, aren't you?" Liam crossed his arms.
"Er… is that really relevant right now?" Lukas becomes a bit red, rubbing the back of his head.
"How do you even KNOW that? You said you lived far away." Olivia remembered, from when she and Liam met at the gates of the Endercon.
"I'll explain later." Liam sighs, looking away. Petra looks to him with a concerned look. To her, and to the whole group, of course, Liam was still a mystery.
"Let's get looking for that skull." Liam started going through a chest. The rest got back on task.
"Hey Jessie, we can maybe steal some stuff, right?" he heard from Axel.
"Just look for the skull, Axel." Olivia replied for Jessie.
"She's right. Stealing isn't what we wanted to do." Petra walked up to the chest next to Liam. SHe kneels down and opens it, "Hey, Liam, is everything alright?"
"Everything's fine. But, you in for that dance when we're done here?" Liam asks, closing the chest he was in and moving over to help her.
"If we're alive after this." Petra digs through the chest.
"Hey, no one's gonna die. Not on my watch." Liam looks from the contents to her. Holy Herobrine, she looked so… beautiful when she was concentrating and in focus. Petra mocks him from earlier, playfully flexing a muscle.
"Oh, seriously, Peets? I thought we were over that." Liam chuckles.
"Oops, sorry." Petra grins, flicking his shoulder as she stood to keep looking. Liam watches after her before going off into a different direction.
As he goes through a line of potions, Liam noticed Ivor had a whole bunch from a lot of varieties. He hears the click of a lever, and the shifting of books going down. Liam followed the sound to where the others had gathered, drawn by the sound as well. There was a chest, and behind that chest, there was a recipe. The recipe for the Wither, Liam remembered Jack saying. There was Soul Sand, and a new type of block in the middle. Liam himself didn't recognize it.
"What the hell is all this?" Petra asks, looking at the contraption.
"Soul Sand. It's everywhere in the Nether." Liam pointed out the brown blocks with what seemed like ghosts etched onto them.
"This is so fascinating… Do you feel that? It's - almost pulsing.." Olivia reached out to touch it.
"Wait!" Liam jumped forward pulling her hand away, as if he already knew what it could do.
"Don't touch it. I have a bad feeling about all this." Liam looks at the contraption. "What's in the chest?" he asks. Jessie opens it and a long creak sounded. 'He need to get up-to-date on the trends.' Liam thought.
"Two Wither skulls?" Axel asks. "Why would he need another one if he already has TWO?"
"Why the hell did I risk my neck for a Wither skull if he already has two?" Petra's fire of anger began to blaze.
"That's it!" Liam mentally face-palms. "It's a recipe. He's trying to create a Wither." He faked it, not knowing about it. As if he were just figuring it out now.
"I see it now." Lukas stepped up by Liam. "Soul Sand, plus three Wither Skulls… that IS the recipe for a Wither." he motioned to the contraption in front of him.
"But a WITHER?" Petra asks, "That's-" she trailed off.
"One of the worst monsters there is." Lukas finished for her.
"Right after the Ender Dragon, if that were alive." Liam came in.
"Look, we came down here to find the skull. We found it. Now can we get out of here?" Olivia asks, feeling a presence nearby.
Liam's guard came up as he heard the door open.
"Hide!" he hisses. The group followed his lead, quickly finding hiding spots.
"'Don't you recognize me?' Or… wait.. 'Surprised to see me?' No, that's not good.. 'Thought you were rid of me, didn't you?' That's better." Liam heard Ivor coming closer to his spot. He was hiding behind the bookcase with the Wither recipe. Liam knew it was a bad hiding spot, but it was the best he got. Lukas always easily found him back when they played Hide-N-Seek. But he would never be able to find Lukas. He hears the sound of a potion hitting the floor with a *klonk* and Ivor's steps retreated. Through the bookcase, he could hear clamoring, but it sounded muffled.
He hears the others screaming, and begins to look for a way out frantically. He then hears the bookcase lowering, and turns, ready to punch Ivor for hurting his brother and friends. Ivor flew across the room and hit the bookshelf with a black eye. Seriously. You don't want to mess with Liam.
"Hey, you big doof!" Liam shouted, distracting the large iron golem. "Pick on someone your own size!" he pointed at Axel.
"What!" Axel exclaimed, and the golem started towards him. As it was distracted, Liam took a leap, jumping off the wall and kicking the golem. As if it were blown back by an explosion, the golem rammed into the wall.
"Let's go!" Liam rushed Axel out of there.
The group wiggled in through the crowd, as the hosts were just introducing Gabriel The Warrior. "Are. You. With Me?!" Gabriel exclaims, and the crowd cheers. Over the commotion..
"Is everyone okay?" Jessie asks.
"Uh, guys? Where's Lukas and Liam?" Olivia noticed.
"Liam was right behind me!" Axel tells them.
"And Lukas behind me." Jessie asks.
"If they aren't with us, then the only place they can be is -" Axel began,
"-still down there!' Jessie's eyes widened.
"Ivor's got an iron golem and all the ingredients to build a Wither down there. If he were to unleash it on this crowd of people… We have to act fast." Petra realized, looking around at the group.
"It just so happens that the greatest warriors of all time is in the building. We can ask him for help. That's the smartest way to help Lukas." Olivia suggested. Jessie looks at her friends,
"I think we know Liam enough that he will help Lukas get out. Come on, we better get Gabriel."
Meanwhile, Ivor caught Liam and had him tied up.
"I've decided to make you my first test subject, boy." he sneers.
"You won't get away with this! Gabriel is in the building, and I'm sure he'll take you down just like I did!" Liam glared. Ivor turned and put the two skulls on their perch.
"Just one more and that'll do the trick." Ivor told himself, and Liam looked around for an escape. The lid of a chest lifted, and he saw Lukas looking back at him. Liam's eyes widened. He couldn't be down here; he would die! The chest closed with a silent *click* as Ivor turned back around.
"Y'know what, you caught me. Sure, I'll be your test subject." Liam gave in, looking up at the maniac. Ivor faced him.
"Oh really? In front of a crowd." Obviously, Ivor was thinking he would fight back.
"Sure thang. Do I get to whistle?"
"Do whatever you want, I guess. But don't even try to break free. The Golem's still alive, you know." Ivor motioned behind him, and Liam's eyes widened as the golem stood back up. It walked over, and stood guard by Liam. Liam kept on his knees, held by his bounds. He didn't want to die. Dying like this is… stupid!
"Now, moment of triumph." Ivor took a deep breath, and put Liam next to the recipe so he could be lifted up to where the real show was.
This was going to be chaos.