BTW: Who's ready for a much longer chapter? ^u^ Yay! Anyway, please keep an open mind with this story. There are things that will be introduced that might not be "canon" so to speak, (I mean, look what I've done with Steve and Alex aha) like the concept of Spawns and Children (capitalized for a reason), which will be explained later. I know, I said that last chapter…"More on that later." I promise, things are going to start connecting soon! This is going to be a long story, and a bumpy ride, so buckle up! Also, when in the story someone says "years" they mean Minecraft years, which pass much quicker than real-life human ones.
Herobrine?
Yes. Be exceedingly cautious. He's gone mad with power, and knows no limits.
But what does he want with Alex?
That I cannot say even I know. I fear there's much more to the story than I am aware of.
Do you know where the Enderman took her?
I fear she's been taken to The End.
Oh, geezus.
I have faith in you, Steve. But you must go. Wake up.
Wait! One last question - How did I get here? Why haven't I changed for the last ten years? And why me? Why can't -
There is much for you to learn. When you awake, there will be a map on the table. Follow it and speak with Rek-tan. He will tell you what you want to know. Now, he said, and I felt a strong pulling sensation in my gut, rise, my child. Good luck.
I woke up sweating. Sure enough, there was a map on the table, and it lead to a village a good distance from my house. I took a deep breath, I need to save Alex, but I also need to know. I tucked the map in my inventory and pulled on a grim, determined face. Perhaps I can kill two birds with one stone…?
A few minutes later, I was getting up on my saddle, and riding off to the east at a steady pace. I wanted to get to the village before sundown, but as time went on I realized that might not be possible. As day quickly turned to night, I near panicked when I saw I was still quite the distance from the village. I'll be damned if I don't try, I thought as I spurred my horse along. But, just then, an arrow whizzed past my face, and Sugar, my snow-white horse, reared, and threw me off. I shot the Skeleton and one-hit killed it, but zombies, creepers, and spiders were on our trail. I swung back up onto Sugar and screamed, "Go!" and the horse channeled its fear to its hooves and took off. I was scared for my own life, and the life of my horse. I had loved Sugar for the past two years, and if an arrow struck any of the ligaments and tendons in her legs, she could get crippled for life.
It was close. Too close. I nearly cried with relief when I saw the village, sitting peacefully in the middle of the grassy plains. Sugar was limping badly, an arrow sticking out from her side, and I had multiple ones coming out of my shoulder and one in my thigh. I pushed my faithful horse for one last jump over a fence and quickly descended, crying out in pain as I hit the ground, then ran for cover.
I knocked, or, banged on a villager's door, "Hello? Please! My horse is badly injured, and I don't have any wheat!" I heard Sugar whinny in pain, and tears started pouring down my face. A Farmer Villager opened up the door, looking stunned as all get out.
"Oh, goodness! A human!"
I was mildly confused, "Have you never seen one before?"
She shook her head, but said, "Not for years, at least. Now, what's that you said about your horse?"
"I'm afraid I had to leave her in your backyard," I said, wiping some tears off of my face. "She's been shot, and we've been riding all day, so she's tired and injured which is the worst combination please help m-"
She cut me off my taking my shoulders and bringing me inside, "Hush, hush. Le-le!" A kid villager, looking to be around fourteen, came running around the corner.
"Yes, moth-" She stopped when she saw me, her eyes getting wide.
"Get this poor man some of the freshly baked bread," the woman instructed. "While I go tend to his horse."
"But, ma!" she said, not whining, but more in fear.
"I'm taking my chances, now do as you are told!" she said firmly.
"Thank you," I squeaked, and the woman smiled in a motherly way.
"Absolutely," she said as she ran and grabbed some wheat from a chest and went outside. I followed her, my bow and arrows out in case anything tried to attack. But a little tug on my sleeve stopped me as I got to the doorway. I looked down to see a very young villager, probably no older than six or seven.
"Mister, you aren't going to kill us like the last one, are you?"
I was stunned. Who last came though this village? "Absolutely not, little guy,"I said I knelt down next to the frightened child. I glanced up, seeing a small movement, and two more little villagers scurried to hide behind a door. Most of these villagers are very young, I thought, frowning. Whoever it was must've done a number to the village's population. My hand tightened around my bow as I stood, knocked an arrow, and fired at the creeper approaching the woman who was getting my horse her feet. The little villager didn't run, even with another arrow knocked, which mildly surprised me. But an approaching zombie demanded my attention, and I shot two arrows at it, one after another in rapid succession.
"She's just about healed," I heard the villager say, and a few moments and two dead zombie later, she was closing the door behind me.
"Thank you so much, ma'am," I breathed, putting away my weapons. She smiled warmly, and an elderly villager, a cleric, came out of a room.
"Who is it, Tek-shay?" the old villager asked, and the woman replied.
"I do not have his name. His horse was badly injured, and," she stopped, looking around, then said, "Le-le, where is this man's bread?"
Le-le came running back around, looking frightened, and cautiously handed me three loaves of bread. "I'm sorry, mister," she said, forcing the address. I felt my brow pull together.
"What in the Nether happened to this village? Who came through that's made everyone afraid of humans?"
"Oh, my boy. We've alway been wary of humans. However," he said, his eyes glittering angrily in the torchlight, "A certain individual came through and desecrated the village only three weeks ago. One in three were killed and many houses were set ablaze that night." I could tell his fists were clenched inside his robe sleeves. "Since then, we've been dreading the idea that the same man would come back and finish us off. But he hasn't shown. As for you," he said, looking me dead in the eyes, his own as green as emeralds while mine were purple. But his gaze faltered as he sighed, and looked down.
"I'm so sorry, sir," I said. "If there's anything I can do, I'll be willing to oblige. But, may I ask if there's a villager by the name of Rek-tan in this village?"
I could barely tell that the mention of his name pained the old villager. "That is me. What business do you have, my son?" For some reason, I felt like he wasn't just calling me son out of acceptance.
"I've been sent by Notch," I replied awkwardly. The youngest ones all gasped, and the little one by my side's hands flew to cover his mouth in shock. "My friend's been kidnapped, and he thinks Herobrine is behind it." The gasps and expressions turned from amazed surprise to horror.
"Notch's dead brother?" Rek-tan asked, his head snapping up. He paced back and forth for a moment. "That's quite the news…"
"Yeah, but," I said, and the villager stopped, and looked at me expectantly. "He really sent me here to find you so that you could explain a few things to me."
Rek-tan paused for a moment, looking away then back at me, then nodded. "Of course. Sit and eat. Tek-shay, Le-le, Ren, you are all excused, get the others to bed. It's late," he said, and the others did as they were told, and soon it was just the faint cracking of the ever-burning torches.
"Sit," the older villager said, motioning to some chairs. I chose one and sat down, him doing the same, and took a ravenous bite of bread; I had been starving but I didn't want to be rude. But now, I was eating like a man deprived of food for days on end. Once I finished eating, I sighed, leaning back a little.
"Thank you for the bread," I said. The old man chuckled, and shook his head.
"You shouldn't thank me. It is Le-le that does the baking around here. Now, Steve," he stopped, his eyes widening and his mouth clamping down. I was so confused.
"You call me son like you mean it...You know my name even though I haven't told you…" I trailed off, trying my hardest to remember the face in front of me, but I couldn't. I got so frustrated. "What is going on? I'm even more confused now!" I leaned forward, balling my fists in my hair.
Rek-tan reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder, and I turned my head and looked at him, a few tears of resentment lining my eyes. "Steve, I am afraid telling you what you want to know would be disasterous."
"I don't care!" I shouted. It'd been at least fifteen years since I first woke up, alone and dazed, and I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't know what would happen, but I meant what I said. I honestly couldn't have cared less.
Rek-tan considered my outburst with pursed, worried lips, and sad eyes. "If you insist. Perhaps it would be for the better you knew?"