Chapter 4

Gameknight walked at the lead of the group. The sun had reached its peak. Not too long ago, they had encounter a small horde, which was easy to dispel. He doubted it would be the last of them due to past experiences. Morgana, the village witch, was leading them toward the direction they needed to go. He had suggested that if they needed to get to the Nether, he could make one, but she insisted that there was one where it made them appear straight in front of the ingredients they needed for the antidote. He finally agreed. He had followed her out of the village only to have the senior warriors want to come. Obviously he said no, but they begged. He could have not said no to that.

Now they had traveled for days from Crafter's village. He lost count after 5 days. He knew they were traveling much more than that. With every step they took, he worried that a villager was dying right at this very moment. "How much further," Gameknight growled. He was only stressed because there were dying NPCs that needed this cure. He did not want to be responsible for their deaths.

"Not long now," Morgana called back. She was an old witch. His small group had found her back in the swamp when Craft, his best friend, was sick. He was being attacked by a Shadow of Evil that Herobrine had used to try and kill Crafter. She had the temporary cure.

In the end, she ended up joining the village as part of the owing his group had for her. At first, the villagers did not like the idea, but soon agreed when Crafter agreed to let her stay. Even till today, they tease her a bit, thinking she would abandon them in time of need. So far she stuck with her word in being part of the community, not faltering in her work. She currently resides in Gameknight's castle, which stood strong despite mob attacks and Herobrine's efforts to destroy it.

Now, they were on their way to cure a sickness that is plaguing the villages. The cause was still unknown, but Morgana seemed to know it well.

Gameknight was not pleased that they had to track longer through the roofed biome, but did not argue. He hated how they had to leave their village for this. He continuously looked around wearily, expecting to find mobs all around.

Not too long later, he could see the end of the roofed biome straight into a birch forest. Bright sunlight hit his eyes and he winced, but glad to be out. Glancing over, he noticed he was not the only one relieved. They trekked through the roofed biome till the sun had risen at its highest point.

"Maybe you should have accepted the girl to join," Crafter said. "She is also a user-that-is-a-user, and I suspect she wants to go home."

"She does not look like a fighter, more a miner," Gameknight pointed out. "I would have not thought she could be any help." He almost winced at the thought of saying that. He used to always see Herder, another one of his friends, as a helpless herder, who was only good at his job. Everyone picked on him, calling pig-boy. He never thought he was more useful than anyone thought. He looked over his shoulder to see Herder helping a herd of cows with a ring of furry fanged wolves protecting them. Now he was nicknamed Wolf-Man. He was the best with animals, and demanded he should go.

Crafter noticed that Gameknight was recalling when he always thought of Herder as nothing but just able to herd the animals. "Maybe, she is a lot like him," he calmly said, also looking at Herder, "give her a chance."

Gameknight looked back at Crafter then nodded. "Maybe I should have not been too harsh," he admitted. "I am just so afraid that if she dies, she might not get home."

"But if she does not join, then she will never get home," Crafter pointed out. "Though she should have gone to our village instead of come out here, but she is..." he looks back to see Hunter and Smithy talking to a user with no server thread. He smiled gently at the sight.

Seeing the warm smiled on his friend's face, Gameknight looked behind to see Hunter and Smithy. "Seriously?!" He hissed under his breath, but Crafter overheard and looked sharply at him. "Why does Hunter always goes and disobey me?"

"Because she probably sees something in the user that you do not," Crafter said, though Gameknight was not fully sure about it himself. He saw nothing special about the user. She was not his friend, nor did he know about her. Why was she even part of the game in the first place? These were questions he must gain from her eventually.

He looked to crafter unsure of what to say at first. "Very well, we may as well let her join, but I will have to make sure there are warriors to protect her."

Crafter did not seem pleased with his decision, but he knew Gameknight well so he did not argue "Very well," he finally spoke after a moment, "but I can see that she will end up proving you wrong."

Gameknight sighed. He knew his friend was right, but he could not push away the feeling that there was more than meets the eye with this user. She just randomly shows up and asks to join out of nowhere. Where did she even come from, and how did she find them?

The group had traveled all day again. The sun was slowly reaching the horizon. "We set up camp here!" Gameknight ordered. He will have a talk with Hunter about the user tomorrow, and tell the user she was allowed to join. As for now, they all needed rest, and he did not want to stir up trouble. He watched as the guards set up for the night. They had reached the plains biome not too long ago, seeing the Birch forest in the distance.

Gameknight did helped a bit with the set up. He noticed that the user too was helping. She looked nervous, but smiled. She did not seem like a bad person, but who knows. A good warrior knows their opponent well by observing. He watched her for a bit before noticing Crafter approaching.

"You still do not seem to trust her," Crafter spoke gently, standing in front of Gameknight.

"Not really," Gameknight answers truthfully. "I mean she just shows up like she did asking to join." He noticed Crafter thinking about. "You know, I need some sleep," He decided. Maybe sleep could clear his mind a bit.

Crafter nodded and walked away. "Maybe she might surprise us all." With that, he was gone to help the others. Gameknight watched him till he disappeared from view then went to one of the beds to sleep.

Not too long later, he woke to a world filled of mist. Looking around, he could see the others still working in the haze, setting up for the night that was already upon them. He walked around not sure why he was even there. This world was known as the Dream World. It was where NPCs were on the verge of sleep.

He looked around expecting to see mobs jump out of the mist and attack. So far nothing happened. All he saw were the trees that surrounded the camp. In the haze, they look like black silhouettes. That was until he noticed a shadowy figure moving near the trees. This figure gave him the chills. Gameknight, knowing who it was, instantly got on guard. The figure obviously sensed him nearby for it turned and two white eyes glowed in the darkeness.

Herobrine smiled earily at him. "So you finally sleep," he coos. "How delightful."

"I thought we defeated you," Gameknight growled. Herobrine chuckles moving from tree to tree like a shadow. "What do you want?"

Herobrine's smile faded into a scowl and his eyes brightened. "You know exactly what I want!" A deep growl emitted from him.

Gameknight knew exactly. "I am not going to go through the Gateway of Light," he growls at the being. "No matter what."

Herobrine seemed even more furious about this. "Then you, and your pathetic NPCs shall suffer, and when I am about to kill the last one, maybe then you will rethink your words." He drew out a diamond sword that glowed with enchantment. He dashed forward, blade raised.

Gameknight, too, pulled out his own diamond sword, readying for the fight. Herobrine inched closer and closer till he was nearly on top of him. Preparing for the attach, he swiped his blade, but swiped the air instead. Confused, he looked around. Herobrine had vanished just as he struck out. Wildly, he looked all around wearily. With Herobrine's teleporting powers means he can be anywhere.

"Relax, user-that-is-not-user," spoke a calm aged voice. "You are safe."

Gameknight had no clue who this was. The voice sounded so familiar, but he could not recall who. Then it smacked him in the face. Literally. A tree had reached over, smacked him in the face then stood upright again. "Oracle?" he asked rubbing his cheek.

"Thought that would get sssome sssenssse into him," spoke another familiar voice.

Gameknight looked over to see a tall knarled NPC in a crafter's robe. He looked just like a tree. "Treebrin?" he asked, the NPC spoke sounding like trees russling in the wind, creeking ominously. Right next to him was a normal sized NPC with green grass-like hair and green skin, also wearing the Crafters garment. "Grassbrin?" He looked confused.

Grassbrin chuckled. "Who elssse could it be?"

Gameknight's fear faded into a smile in relief to see them. "Glad to see you again."

"The feeling isss mutual," Grassbrin said, his smile soon faded.

"What brings you here?" Gameknight asked curiously. "I know it is not to say hi, how are you."

"Listen, Gameknight999, Herobrine has risen again, and this time even stronger than before," Oracle said, in a more serious tone.

"How do we stop him this time?" Gameknight growled, but it was more his fear that got to him. Herobrine had caused so much trouble in the past, and now he has become stronger.

"I am afraid there is only one way to stop him for good," Oracle spoke. "You must find the purist of heart, and only then will they be able to stop him for good."

"Who is this purist of heart?" Gameknight asked. "All my warriors are purist of heart."

"No," Oracle repsonded slowly. "This one is not who they seem. They are loyal to the bone, even till now to risk their life to save their village."

"This makes no sense!" Gameknight growled. "Everyone is the purist of heart, and wants to save their village. That is why they are following me to get the ingredients to cure the sickness." Could she not be more vague about who it was?

"I cannot give you all the answers," she responded a little harshly. "You will need to find it out yourself. Find the purist of heart and only then will they know how to stop him."

With that, his dream faded only to wake on the floor of camp. He groaned. Slowly getting up, he looked over to see Hunter giving him a huge grin. "Morning," she cooed.

"You were mumbling in your sleep," Crafter said.

"Yeah, something about the purist of heart," Hunter smiled.

Gameknight was baffled how he spoke in his sleep, but there was no point keeping this from his friends. Looking around camp to make sure no one was looking, he gestured for Hunter and Crafter to come closer. "I was visited by Oracle. Shesaid I had to find the purist of heart, and only they can stop Herobrine."

"He is back?!" Both Hunter and Crafter said in unision.

"Shhh..." Gramknight hushed. "I do not want a panic starting.

Hunter scoffed, crossing her arms. "That explains why there is a sickness going around, killing all NPCs."

Gameknight nodded. "So in order to stop him from continuing, we need the purist of heart."

"That should be you, right?" Hunter asked, smiling. "Problem solved."

"No, she did not say it was me. She said they."

"That could be anyone," Crafter said, sounding like all hope was lost. "How will we know who it is?"

"Oracle wants me to figure it out," Gameknight said, not looking too pleased.

Hunter did nit look pleased. "How are you going to find out who they are?" She looked around. "There is no way you will figure it out."

Gameknight slowly stood up, brushing dust from his pants. Even if it was not needed. "Then we must start. Keep an eye out for that one individual. We will need them." He looks around the camp seeing the user helping out with packing. The sun was rising from the horizon. "And tell me why you disobeyed me. I told you she could not join, and you allowed her to follow."

Hunter scowled, crossing her arms. "Well someone has to trust her. She is a user, just like you."

"She is nothing like me."

"Just let her join, and you will see she can do more than what she looks." She gestured her head toward the user. She had moved on to help the others.

Gameknight scowled. "Whatever, I need to talk with her anyways." He walked passed Hunter and Crafter toward the user. Why does hunter always have to disobey him. Usually she was right, but not always.