Chapter Twelve: Instructions

Dan woke up with a start and glanced around the couch.

Something felt different, although he wasn't sure what it was.

Jemma looked at him. "Are you alright?" she asked him, concerned when he awoke with a start.

"Yeah, I think so," He replied, laying back on the couch. "I do feel a little strange. Like my mind was downloaded back into my brain..."

Jemma gave him a small smile as the pugs hopped up to them. "That has to be a weird feeling."

Ellie laid on Dan's lap while Darcie laid in Jemma's.

Jemma noticed the screen was in logged out mode again.

"It is," He agreed.

He then looked towards the computer while petting Ellie.

"I just hope everything is back where it belongs."

Jemma looked confused by that. "What do you mean?"

Dan looked at her. "I'm not sure. You saw what happened earlier, with the book?" He asked.

"Kind of..." she replied.

He held Ellie close. "What do you mean?"

"I saw you and Alex go into this weird temple like place and her getting the book but that was it. I didn't see or hear what was in it." She explained.

"Oh," He said, sounding a little more at ease. "Yeah. She left that book in the chest for me to read..."

"Then why did you leave?" She asked confused.

"Well. Alex told me that the book recommended that I log out before she wakes up." He tried to explain to Jemma.

"Wait, she wakes up too?" She asked confused.

"That's what the book said," He replied. "She said that the book will explains everything but...you heard how she got into Minecraft, right?" He asked.

Jemma nodded. "Yeah. You told me." She replied.

She thought of something. "But if she is awake, can you still get into Minecraft?"

Dan glanced at the screen. "I don't know," He replied. "I'm going to try and see." He told her and carefully placed the pug to the side.

She nodded as she held Ellie back on the couch.

He then sat at the desk and signed back into Minecraft.

He looked at the screen as it started to load.

He could tell something was off as the light-headedness didn't come.

It was quickly done loading and it came up normally as if Alex had never been there and nothing had ever happened.

Dan stared at the screen, a little confused. "Nothing happened..."

Jemma got up and came over. "That's weird..." she replied.

On the screen, he saw Trayaurus turn and look at him.

A message popped up in the chat box as he "spoke" with a grunt.

[Dan?]

Jemma looked at Dan, confused. "He couldn't do that before... right?"

He shook his head no and quickly typed something in the chat box. [Yes.] He replied.

[What happened? Where's Alex? Why aren't you here anymore?] He questioned confused.

Jemma pulled up a chair beside Dan and watched.

He started to type. [I don't know. Not even sure how I'm even talking to you! But what's this about Alex?]

[She isn't here. I've looked everywhere in the lab. Lupus is here but she isn't.] Trayaurus explained.

Jemma glanced at Dan.

"Oh my-" Dan glanced at Jemma and back at the screen.

[Trayaurus, do you know that means?]

[No. I don't. If I did I wouldn't have asked about it.] he replied.

Despite not hearing him talk, Dan could pick up on the sarcasm lacing the words.

Dan slightly hung his head at this. [Yes. But what if she had the same way of getting into Minecraft like me?] He typed back and then remembered something. [Trayaurus is the book still there?]

Trayaurus considered this. [If she does, then how come she didn't leave like you did every time she went to sleep? As for the book, I think it's still there.] he replied.

Jemma looked at Dan.

Dan looked a little puzzled by this. [I don't know. If the book is there, maybe it can explain everything. Which now sounds kind of weird...] He said while typing in the chat box.

He moved his avatar around the lab and over to the chest.

Trayaurus turned and watched him, curiously. [So, the book can explain this?] he asked.

Dan stopped to type a reply. [That's what Alex said.] His avatar then took the book out and hold in his hands.

Trayaurus watched him.

Jemma glanced at him. "Are you going to open it?"

"Yep." Dan replied, and opened the book.

It was blank at first.

Then words started to type out on it.

"Hello Daniel, Jemma, Trayaurus. You have questions, I'm sure."

Dan looked surprised that it used his full name and a little creeped out. "Wait, how I'm supposed to talk to it?" He questioned out loud.

"You don't need to. You want to know what happened to Alex. She is alright. Recovering. Though I do suggest trying to find her. She needs you more here than she did in here. I will not go into all the details for it is not my place. Alex is the key to defeat the darkness and your key into this world." it told him.

Jemma glanced at Dan.

"It may be hard to locate her for she is in the states."

Dan sat back in his seat and glanced back at her. "Okay. You know who I am, but I don't know who you are?"

"Very well. I shall give you my name. I am Notch." it replied.

Dan stared at the screen. "Notch? You mean like the creator?" He asked.

"You could say that. He designed the game. I am simply his avatar of fabled legend. I maintain the game and protect this realm. Speaking of which, I now fear it is in danger, but I shall not go into details of that until everyone is here." he replied.

Jemma glanced at Dan, confused.

Trayaurus waited patiently.

Dan wasn't sure what to say at first. So much had happened today, and now he was talking to Notch!

Well the avatar but still.

"That's incredible and kind of confusing..."

"I'd explain more but the more I communicate, the high chance of being found out I am. So. I trust you will go find Alex and gather the group with her help?"

He nodded. "Yes. Just where in the States is she?" He asked.

"New York. Which is good because some of the other team members are there as well."

"Oh good. One last question..." Dan said, staring at the screen. "What team members?"

"I apologize but if I linger here any longer I'll be found. I shall contact them and let them know to contact you while you are there. You do know them. Thinknoodles, I believe is his gamer tag. But I must go. Once everyone is together I will come back. Find Alex. Find the others. And then I will have more information. Farewell." the book stopped writing.

The words stayed for long enough that Jemma wrote it all down.

Then the book became blank and unenchanted.

"Whoa..." Dan said in amazement.

He then started writing in the chat box. [Trayaurus, Jemma has written down everything the book told us. I'll tell you all about it and then I need to go find Alex.]

[Alright.] he replied.

Jemma handed him the paper.

Dan quickly wrote it all into the chat box and lifted his hand away from the keyboard as he sent the last part.

Trayaurus wrote it down in a separate book. [Got it. Now. He said you need to find Alex, correct?]

[Yes. Which might be hard to do but at least we know she's in New York.] He replied. "We have to buy tickets." He told Jemma.

Jemma nodded. "I'll have to stay here with the pugs since it's such short notice." she told him.

"Ah right," He said, sounding a little disappointed. "I'm going miss you guys."

"We will miss you too, but you'll be back soon," She replied with a small smile. "If we had known I might have been able to find someone to watch the pugs and come with you."

"Yeah," Dan agreed. "I'll post some status updates before I go." He then started to type in the chat box. [I got to go Trayaurus. I'll talk to you later.]

Jemma nodded.

[I'll talk to you when you return. Be safe.] he replied.