Author Note:

Whooo, chapter two. First, big thanks to the reviewers (Especially Vicchavez and VoidWalker.) and those who set the story as a favourite. You guys are the best. Although admittedly, one of you called me out.

Yes, I may or may not have taken an inkling (More like a gigantic chunk.) of inspiration from a certain anime series. Why? Because I thought it might be fun to spin the idea off in a new light. Don't worry, I'm not going to make it too similar, in fact most of my time goes into thinking about how to make the story more original. One of the ways I had planned to do this was through the use of nations, which a few of you seemed a little apprehensive about. I'm not going to ditch the idea just yet, but I'll try and make it something you can be proud of.

On with the story!

All bark and no bite.

It was amazing how quickly everything turned to shit.

After the tranquillity of silent horror passed, voices began rising. It was unclear who started the uproar, but before long there was an argument springing up between every person in sight. The unrecognisable ocean of noise raged onwards for what seemed an eternity. By this point, there were shoves and insults being thrown in every direction. The situation teetered dangerously on the edge of full-fledged violence.

"Listen up!" A powerful voice yelled out, not too far away.

I looked over to find the blond haired boy who had helped me up. He stood surely atop the carcass of a fallen tree. Briefly, I wondered at the origin of the object. It was the only one of its kind within the clearing, placed almost exactly in its centre…

The crowd quietened a bit, but not nearly enough for him to begin speaking.

"I said listen up!" He boomed above the noise, his voice carrying across the wind. This time, the cascade of noise died down to only the occasional whisper. The one who had introduced himself as Jake took a breath before continuing. "This is not the time to start getting at each other's throats! We can do that later!" His tone dropped a little. "I get it, alright. You're scared. Hell, I'm scared. But take a look around you! This is fucking Minecraft! The game we know better than anything." The boy paused to let his words sink in. He had managed to say a lot in only a few sentences, it would seem he was quite the dramatic speaker. "Now, what's the first thing we always do in Minecraft?"

A moment passed before someone yelled out in response. "Getting wood!"

Jake smirked a little at the reference. "Damn straight. Pull off some branches, make yourself a simple hatchet, and let's see if we can't make this clearing a little bigger."

The crowd seemed unsure, something was holding them back… "Who put you in charge?" A burly looking teen asked.

The question was instantly taken in by the others. Why were they listening to a high school student? Although he would have been one of the oldest people present, that didn't give him the right to start ordering us around.

Jake nodded calmly. "Let's have a vote then. We can't get much done without a leader, so if you think you've got what it takes to protect the lives of ten thousand people, raise your hand."

A deadly silence passed over the massive group, which had huddled closer to listen in on Jake's announcement. After a couple of seconds, five people had nominated themselves, including the blond haired boy and the one who had questioned him.

The acting speaker pointed to the nominee furthest away. "If you are comfortable putting your life in that man's hands, speak now."

This was an interesting way of doing it… But it was smart. Clearly, everybody here was a stranger to one another, he was taking advantage of that simple fact. Not a single person spoke as the man's time ticked down. Before long, he lowered his hand. Jake continued through the remaining candidates one by one, all producing the same result. Finally, there was only one option… But if he concluded with that, it wouldn't be fair… What was his plan?

"And that leaves me. Somebody needs to make a decision. If you think that I have what it takes, speak."

I stared at him, wondering what would happen when he yielded the same result as the others. His gaze fell from the expanses of people to just one. His proud brown eyes looking at me expectantly. I couldn't help but smirk. So this was his scheme? With one vote, he could become the leader of the entire nation, and he looked to me for it?

I considered the options. Without a leader we would plunge back into the senseless fear fuelled arguments and soon disperse across the world, leaving us susceptible to extermination. That was, of course, if the other nations decided to take part in this crude game of death. But was this guy really the right one to lead us? I had barely met him and he was already relying on me. Then again, he seemed confident and capable…

I sighed. He had planned this out well. I only had one option. "I vote for him."

The people around me turned and stared, trying to see through my motives. It wasn't long before another voice called out in agreement, and another, and another. Soon there was a chorus of votes confirming his position. I shook my head in disbelief as he grinned at me, triumph filling his eyes.

I hope I had made the right decision.

With ten thousand people, it was no wonder we had varying types of skills available. A design tech major already had orders piling up for his wooden hatchets. I was one of the first to have received one and I couldn't help but admire his handiwork. It was simple and imperfect but it still retained a broad axe head and a thick handle to grip onto. Considering the only tool at his disposal was a single sharpened stone, it was quite impressive.

I pulled the axe over my shoulder, slamming it down at the base of the tree. Subconsciously, I had selected an oak that stood a little further removed from the other makeshift lumberjacks. It would seem that the habits of a loner refused to dissipate despite a change in dimensions. My back ached, still covered in bruises. The beating I had taken during practice seemed so far away now, like it had all occurred years ago… It couldn't have been far past eight o' clock back in the real world, but here the sun still radiated the brightness of midday.

We would have to work quickly if we hoped to have shelter before nightfall. From here I could see Jake laying out plans on the grass, trailed by a small entourage of followers. Well, at least he had a plan. I pulled my axe back again and brought it down against the rough bark, chipping it a little further. My shoulder complained vigorously, I rubbed at it, trying to rearrange the muscle.

My fingers brushed over something. Something that didn't belong… I pulled my sleeve up and gazed at the black mark on my skin. The jet black ink of a tattoo coiled across my shoulder to form three simple digits.

015

I was confused, to say the least. How long had the brand been there? I certainly didn't have it when I was on Earth. But what purpose would the number fifteen serve when it was embedded in my skin?

"It's our nation number." Somebody answered, a slight French accent tinging their voice.

I looked up to find a guy, near my age, landing the first blow on a tree a few yards away. Short cropped black hair covered his head, seeming a little out of place on the lanky form.

"Nation number?" I asked.

He nodded, turning to me. "That's what we figure, everyone has the same mark."

I returned my gaze to the tattoo like brand. Fifteen, huh? If there were two million people pulled into this world… "What's two million divided by ten thousand?"

The Frenchman thought for a minute. "Two hundred?"

I let go a sigh of realisation. Two hundred other nations… If even one of them decided to become vicious, it would plunge the remainder into war.

"Don't sound so depressed." He took a few steps towards me, extending his hand. "I'm Émile."

I shook it. "Eli. Where are you from?"

"America, surprisingly enough. But my father owns a vineyard in France, hence the accent." He replied, returning to his tree and taking another swing at it.

A time passed as we both continued with our work. The gentle breeze that rolled from the plain behind us sent shivers across my skin. It was relaxing. All I wanted to do was lay down and enjoy the promising wind as it made its way across the earth and through my hair, continuing off into the forest before us. But this wasn't the time for relaxing. If we didn't make significant progress, lives would be at stake.

"Do you have any idea what he's planning?"

I looked back to Émile, who was staring over at Jake as he paced around the clearing. "Not the faintest. But at least he's getting things done." I replied, watching as several more logs were rolled towards the growing stockpile.

That was how a leader worked after all. We didn't need to know the plan, we just needed to follow his instructions. That way there would be no argument over what we should do. Interestingly enough, I saw him notice me as he turned around. He waved, beckoning me over from my job. I raised an eyebrow, but didn't hesitate to start towards him.

"Nice meeting you." I called over my shoulder.

"Likewise." The Frenchman replied.

The fresh grass crumpled underfoot, springing back up as soon as I stepped away. It was breathtaking, how beautiful the area really was. Endless blue skies, a bright green plain surrounded by thick forest. It was difficult not to become distracted as I covered the distance between Jake and myself.

"Eli, was it?" He asked, as soon as I arrived.

A little uncomfortable that he had already forgotten my name, I couldn't help feel overlooked. "Y- Yeah."

He instantly recognised my discomfort. "Sorry, I've had names being thrown at me for the past few hours." Pausing, he continued. "We've run into a small problem."

"A problem?"

He nodded gravely. "I had aimed to have a wall up before nightfall, large enough for everyone to fit inside comfortably. But at this rate…" His sentence trailed off, implying the rest.

"How many will you be able to get in?" I asked, worried.

"Maybe four thousand?"

A feeling of dread pummelled into the pit of my stomach. "That's not even half…"

"And therein lies the problem." He concluded. "Now, it's possible that there might not even be mobs in this world, as nobody has seen one yet. But I don't want to take any chances." He pointed off into the woods. "I've been told there's a cave entrance not too far away. I don't have a weapon to give you, so if you see a mob, come straight back and we'll figure something else out. But if it looks safe, we'll move the remaining people over there for the night."

"Right…" I replied sceptically, looking off into the overgrowth.

He clasped my shoulder, making me wince and snap my gaze back to him. "You're injured?" He asked, removing his hand quickly.

"I'll live."

He nodded, looking at me a little differently. Respect maybe? "Be careful."

Sensing my dismissal, I started towards the edge of the woods. Where the trees appeared peaceful and relaxed before, they now seemed dark and foreboding. I knew it was just my imagination, exaggerating the dangers that could be lurking behind every branch, but knowing so did nothing to put me at ease.

I paused at the line between the two biomes, starring in at the darkness. I could feel myself becoming lost within its vastness, my mind frozen before the void. Fear was a strangely hypnotic reflex. I had enough experience with it to recall that much. But it also had its virtues. Without fear there would be no bravery. Without fear our lives would be easily dispensable. Without fear humans couldn't function.

I swallowed. That didn't make it any less terrifying.

Taking the first step was the most difficult, but once I had accomplished the small feat, I found it easier to continue. Apart from the occasional flower, there was a surprising lack of shrubbery. Normally I would have expected thick grass and tangled vines, reaching out to trip me like something from a low budget horror movie. Instead the wild grass was short, as though had been recently mown.

By now my eyes had adjusted to the dim surroundings, allowing me to easily notice the subtle streams of sunlight that found their way through the gently swaying leaves. Somebody had put a lot of effort into these graphics…

My thoughts still ran rampant around the scenario. How was this possible? To be sucked into a game… It sounded like something from a third rate fan fiction. But it couldn't be helped. There was only one person who could answer my questions, and I had a feeling he was busy with other things.

In my lapse of thought, I almost fell right into the cave which I had been searching for. The wide opening in the ground seemed a little out of place, almost as if it was a sinkhole created by a freak of nature. Still, it was what I had come looking for. The shadow cast within its depths was not something that my eyes would easily adjust to. Entering like this would leave me blind and vulnerable. I needed a light source.

I scanned the area around me. Coal would be the easiest option. But to get coal I needed a pickaxe… I heard something snap behind me. Panicking, I spun around just in time to see a wooden staff flying towards my head. With reflexes I didn't know I had, I caught onto the incoming weapon, holding it above me.

I followed the length of the polished stick, my eyes falling onto its owner. A girl, she was shorter than me, but her curves indicated a similar age to myself. Short and wild blonde hair, golden streaks flowing through towards the ends. Her face, soft and well defined. Deep blue eyes, coloured with what could only be the ocean itself. She wore baggy black cargo pants and a white tank top. A jumper hung around her neck and a small leather satchel by her waist. But written on her shoulder, printed in a familiar black ink, was the reason she had attacked me.

016

She slammed a fist into my stomach, taking me a little by surprise but not really having much affect. Glancing up at me with a provoked fear, she tried again, packing a little more punch this time. But compared to the torture I endured through my club practice, it was nothing.

Letting the staff fall to the ground, I placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her down. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect, causing her to twist and struggle in my grip. "Let go of me pervert!" She yelled.

"I'm not going to hurt you." I retorted.

"Bullshit!"

I took her other shoulder and held her firmly, waiting. It was a time, but eventually her movements started to slow, before stopping all together. She looked down at the grass underfoot, resigned that she could do nothing to escape. I watched her carefully. Apparently all bark and no bite. Slowly, I removed my hands from her warm skin, letting her stand on her own.

Her gaze flickered up to me, a small speck of hope renewed in her eyes. I smiled back. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She seemed to consider my words, still a little sceptical. "Why not?"

I shrugged. "I don't want to hurt anyone."

Her head tilted to the side a bit. "I don't either… I just thought…"

I nodded. "I know." For her, it was impossible to win a fair fight. She obviously didn't have the strength to match her resolve. If she didn't surprise the enemy, she wouldn't stand a chance. Which was why she had been trying to sneak up on me. I could have been hostile or friendly, but when an ambush is your only option, it's better to strike first and ask questions later. Or at least, that was the conclusion I had reached. "What are you doing here?"

She took a step away from me, still wary. "Looking for a place for my nation to spend the night."

"Same. Is your spawn point very far from here?" Her eyes portrayed warning signals, I instantly realised my mistake. "Sorry, don't tell me that."

She returned her gaze to the ground, a strand of gold falling across her face. She was beautiful, really. A little awkward and a bit violent, but still beautiful. "S- Since we're both here for the same reason… Let's check out this cave, and we can go back to being enemies afterwards."

I looked down into the dark pit. "Yeah, it might help to have someone watching our backs. But I don't have a torc-" The girl removed something from her satchel and threw it to me. Only just managing to catch it, I turned it over, examining the object. "Where'd you get this?"

"There's ruins littering the landscape, I found most of what I have in them."

"Ruins…" I echoed to myself, trailing off into thought. Ruins of what? A past civilization? Or maybe we weren't the first to play this game… Regardless, I would have to go searching for them soon, before they were raided by the other nations. Having any tools or materials this early would help us set up the defences we needed to survive.

Pushing the thought aside, I took a step into the cavern, my shoes landing on stone. I struck the torch I had been given against the wall, hoping for the best. A spark erupted from the coal, consuming it in flame within seconds. Notch had said this worlds physics were the same as Earths, but after the short spectacle I doubted they were exactly the same. I looked over my shoulder to the mysterious girl. She seemed hesitant, but soon filed in behind me, picking up the staff as she went.

"Ready?" I asked.

She nodded in response.

Turning back to the task ahead, I calmed myself. This would either lead to a short and painful death, or be the beginning to a new life. I took a step forwards.

We plunged into the darkness.

Author Note:

How ominous. So how did I go? Did I make the nations seem more interesting? What about this mysterious girl?

If you've read any of my other works you'll notice that I always value your input to the highest. If you suggest something, I'm going to seriously consider it, even if its absolutely ridiculous. And any advice is almost just as good. After all, I write these stories for you guys. Which is why I'd like to give a quick shout out to Darkrider220, who gave me two really solid suggestions. I may have done the opposite of them, but I took his views into consideration and tried to improve the sections he pointed out. Thank you, for your advice. :)

To all of the Endergirl fans who ventured over here. If you're wondering why my author notes are more toned down than usual, its so that we can rope in new readers, getting them hooked on the story before they realise how bat shit crazy I am.

Till next time.

- Sylent