Chapter 4

Jonansions POV:

I got a tip from a Wandering trader that there was a village to the north I could rest at, I could have gotten there faster by now if I was riding Buddy but I don't want to risk bringing him on a mission like this. In the forest that I was wandering through I end up coming upon a broken Nether portal, someone must have built it and I would assume they left it behind to rot but it still looks fairly new. It must have been built more recently and it just hasn't been completed yet, I notice a chest by the half completed portal frame that I take a look at. I find... heh heh heh, I find the motherload of good finds.

For one I had recently collected some Diamonds that I used to upgrade just a few of my tools but this! This puts them to shame; I find a golden apple and totem of undying in the chest, these things are extremely useful and can save anyone from near death or even the most fatal injuries. (Especially the totem, in video game terms an extra life if you will), I find some obsidian blocks which I guess I could use to complete the portal if I wish but the best thing by far, I find a Netherite Sword. Netherite is a VERY precious metal that like the name suggests is only found in the Nether and it's because of that fact that its rarity is increased since no one in their right mind wants to go mining in the nether to look for any. I gladly take the sword which is now the strongest weapon I have and then find some enchanted golden boots along with one last thing in the chest, it appears to be a Log book.

I open the book and read the following: "Log book 1, we've pillaged plenty of villages but the boss says it's not enough." "Log book 2, we found this shiny star thing, it's with the boss now because he says it's too valuable to let anyone else have it." looks like I was right about this boss having the Nether Star, "Log book 3, we got word that one of our bases to the south was destroyed by an Interloper, boss says if they cause any more trouble that he'll personally take care of it." ...shoot looks like they are on to me now, going to have to play this more carefully, "Log book 4, Boss says it's not a smart idea to be writing down our secrets and to get rid of my notebook, I'll hide it by the strange ruins we've been working on."

Well, that confirms some stuff for me, mainly it appears from what I can guess that the Illigers might have been restoring this Nether Portal in hopes to try and find some valuables from the nether that people would kill to have. However, if I'm going to kill the Ender Dragon then no question about it, I'm going to need to craft myself a full Netherite armor and all that good stuff. I decide to use the obsidian blocks to finish the portal frame but I'm not going to light it yet until I'm ready to travel there.

I continue on my way and after a few more miles I finally come across the village I heard about. The Villigers were all pretty nice to me and pretty chill about answering any questions I had as well as directing me to the best places in the village to help me find anything I would need, food, water whatever it be. I found a small hotel and using some gold I collected during my mines I pay for a room for the night, it's not dark quite yet though so I go sightseeing for a bit while daylight is still out.

I head back to my room to get a drink before I hear something hit the side of the wall, I go outside and take a look before I get rammed a few feet away into a tree by a Ravager! "Ravager!" I gasp out "if these things are around then that means only one thing...this village is under a Raid!" I block a charge from the Ravager using my shield before I jump onto it's back and thrust my new Netherite sword into its neck taking it out instantly. I look around and sure enough Pillagers begin swarming into the village as the raid begins.

I block some arrows fired at me from some illigers before I return fire using my own crossbow and then take out some of the closer ones the old fasion way. I dodge another Ravager that tried to bash me and take a slash at its side while I misdirect it into ramming its own masters. Some Illigers try and take a cheap shot from the back but then I hear a crunching sound and look over to see Iron Golems crushing and even tossing the Illigers around as well as giving the Ravagers a taste of their own medicine. I almost forgot, most Villages have Iron Golems that they made themselves patrolling around the village just for such an occasion, a special security system if you will. More Illigers and Ravagers show up as I hear the horns sounding a second wave incoming but now that I got some Iron Golems backing me up these guys stand 0% chance, one Golem stops a charging Ravager as a second grabs an illiger and tosses them my way which I respond to with a "batter up" before knocking him with my shield over a nearby cliff while another, who was trying to sneak up on me, I take a quick chop out of with my sword. Ravagers get thrown over the cliff by some Iron Golems as I use my crossbow to snipe some of the guys who think their being sneaky, I quickly take my shield out to block some incoming fire as I get an idea.

I gesture to one of the Golems to throw me in the direction of the Illigers and they comply as one picks me up and tosses me Fastball special style at the incoming Illigers, I take out my sword with my right hand and in my other hand get out my diamond axe as I do a spin while heading towards them and end up taking all of them but one out in my spinning strike. That last one gets punted into a tree by a Golem which after I recover from my dizziness, I laugh a bit at. The last horn sounds indicating the last wave of the Illigers arriving, Illigers normally raid a place 3 times and if the third time fails, they have enough sense to give up and either try again later or not come back cause the place is too well defended for them.

I get out my crossbow and start taking out as many as I can from a distance with some Golems giving me cover before I switch back to Sword and Axe and charge the group with the Golems charging them with me. The Golems start tackling and clotheslining them like football players as I jump, duck and weave through some while slicing them up as I move past. I think I saw one Golem just outright stomp one Illiger out like a Cigarette, dang these guys are as metal as their bodies. I have to say I find Golems pretty cool, their like robots and in a sense "programmed" like robots are such as these ones protecting this village, but unlike robots they're made and powered by mostly magic and in a sense maybe even have more sentience or free will than normal robots cause magic is funny like that, but Golems and Robots are both metal things made by humans that in these cases serve to protect.

It takes a few minutes but we finally clear out the last wave of illigers as I strike the flag bearing one down with a loud war cry. After I take him out, I rip off his flag and hold it in the air as I let out a victory scream! The Few surviving Illigers flee in fear as the Villigers come out and start cheering me for helping defend their village from the raid.

I end up finally passing out from how much I've been exerting myself as I next wake up in my hotel room I rented, I notice all my bruises are healed as a nurse comes in and informs me that I was out for a few hours. While I was being healed up the village wanted to give me something as thanks for helping them with the crisis, after the nurse gives me the ok the leave my bed, I head outside to see what all the fuss is about. It is then that I find...fireworks, it's dark outside now but the sky is Illuminated by fireworks. Some Villigers call me over to a table and I see...wow that's a big and delicious looking feast. My stomach rumbles reminding me that I haven't had a full meal in while so I sit down with them and begin feasting.

The night goes on and while eating I talk with some of the Villigers and trade some small stories with them as well, I'm asked about myself and I tell my story so far and some thank me for standing up to those no good Illigers. They also put on a concert with some musicians playing some nice music that I get to listen to while talking, some kids even asked me to play pretend with them and I oblige and they play the roles of the Knights in shining armor while I pretend to be their evil dragon they must vanquish, I swear one of them was watching me fight and was pretending to be me for the game, it was...honestly a really fun night. I think I really needed this, I've been spending so much time moving on from one task to the next that I've never taken some time for myself yet, I haven't done anything relaxing or fun in a while now. I still have my end goal that I need to complete but...I almost forgot that you don't always need to rush through a game, I'll need to remember that once I leave and take some breaks for myself on occasion instead of just working or planning.

Eventually I decide to head back to my hotel room and once I arrive, I'm greeted by a box on my night stand, I open it and I see a card that says "We all heard your story and wanted to tell you that as long as you stay determined you'll be able to get home, you got that spark in you to do great things we can tell, good luck. - the town." I... I swear I did not almost tear up, that was sweet of them, I've been to a lot of worlds and have learned to appreciate this kind of kindness when I do get it cause not everyone is this kind. I put the letter in my inventory before I finally collapse on my bed. Next morning, I should finally arrive at the hideout if the map is still correct, something tells me what's to come next is going to be very difficult even compared to what I already faced, but as I start to fall asleep for once I'm not worried about the possible challenges or things that could happen. Heh...Dad would be proud of me if he could see me now.

I know that something is going to stand in my way once I arrive at the hideout but whatever it is, Monster, Demon or The Illiger's Boss it doesn't matter. I've come this far and I'm not stopping now, so get ready cause this is going to be fun.

End of Chapter 4

Jonansions Lonely Journey Playlist Track 4: World's Greatest Battle Music Ever: The Hero Within