Dan went to the computer and informed the others in what was going on and what happened to Alex.
Which wasn't much, since she kept losing consciousness.
[I hope she gets better soon...] Stampy said.
[yeah. Keep us updated on her, alright?] Sqaishey asked.
Alex shifted slightly and started to slightly toss and turn until she fell off the couch again, her legs tangled in the blanket.
She snapped awake with a startled and slightly pained gasp. She started glancing around, fearfully.
[We will keep you guys-] Dan stopped typing and looked towards the floor. "Alex." He said in surprise.
Alex didn't really respond to his voice or him at all. She just kept glancing around fearfully.
She tried to move around but the blanket hindered her movement. She felt the cord from her helmet tangle around her wrist as well.
She gave a small whimper of fear as she pressed her back up against the couch.
[We will keep you guys posted. Got to go, Alex's up.] Dan told the team before getting up to go untangle Alex.
Alex noticed him when he moved towards her and tried to get away. "Stay away!" She demanded, her voice fearful and weak.
She couldn't go far with the blanket however.
Dan stepped back. "Hey. It's ok. we are not going to put the helmet on." He told her, showing his empty hands.
She watched him cautiously, trying to keep some distance between them which was hard with the blanket and having her back against the couch.
She didn't reply to him either.
Dan raised an eyebrow at Alex's behavior. He then slowly reached out and took ahold of the cord that was wrapped her wrist to remove it.
Alex tensed and tried to pull away but winced when she moved her arm, trying to pull it away.
She watched him, tense and frightened but also slightly confused.
Her eyes looked like they were glossed over and had a slightly distant look to them hidden behind the fear, suspicion and confusion.
Dan took the cord away from Alex and moved back to give her some space.
Seeing the way the blanket was restraining her, he decided it was safe to call Jemma and let her know what's going on.
Alex furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as he took the cord.
Which her mind told her was a chain.
There was still the chains around her legs but he removed the one on her wrist...
Her mind told her that it wasn't Dan in front of her but an empty-handed skeleton.
And the room around her was a stone cell which she was chained to.
She was confused why he was helping her.
Wouldn't Herobrine be furious?
Her assumed skeleton walked over to the door and opened it.
"Jemma, Alex is awake!" Dan shouted from the office door.
Jemma finished cooking and went upstairs.
Alex watched him confused and tensed when she saw Jemma. She scooted further against the couch.
Jemma noticed this. "Is she alright?" she asked.
"I don't think so." Dan whispered. "She started acting like this ever since she woke up."
"She looks so scared of us..." she replied concerned.
Alex watched them.
She couldn't hear them or understand what they were saying.
"And why is she tangled in the blanket?" she asked.
She started to carefully move towards her to help but Alex squeaked and turned slightly, scooting away from them both.
Jemma stopped and stepped back. "Something is definitely wrong..."
Dan nodded. "Yeah...her eyes are rather glossy looking."
"We can't just leave her on the floor tangled up..."
Alex watched them fearfully, now with her back to the sink counter.
He looked at Jemma. "Well, we both can't try to untangle her. That would probably scare her more."
She nodded in agreement. "She seemed to be a little calmer before I came in from the glimpse I saw."
"Yes, she did." Dan agreed. "Maybe if you go outside, I might be able to untangle her."
She nodded. "Alright. Call for me if you need help." she told him.
She stepped outside the room.
Alex watched her leave, now more confused.
Dan carefully approached Alex. "Alright. I'm only going to get you free from that blanket. No need to panic." He told her, calmly.
She watched him cautiously.
She didn't move.
She just watched him.
She hesitated to let him near but let him approach.
He looked down at the tangled mess she was in and sighed. "Ok...now don't move." He said, kneeling to grab the end of the blanket.
She watched him grabbed the chain and glanced up at him then back at the chain confused.
Dan, or what Alex's mind perceived, was starting to loosen the "chains" that were holding her.
"...you are really tangled up in this." He said, trying to free her.
She watched him loosen them. She was quiet the whole time until she finally spoke up.
"...why are you helping me?" Her voice was weak and no louder than a whisper.
She didn't meet his eyes but just stared at the blanket chains.
Dan looked at her, confused. "Umm, what do you mean?" He asked, pulling the blanket chains away.
She didn't answer him.
Well...
Not directly.
"Won't he be mad that you're helping me?" She asked, watching him pull the blanket chains away. "I doubt that he asked you to come free me... So why help me when he could find out that you did?"
Dan stared at her for a moment. "What? Alex, what are you talking about?" He asked, now sounding confused as her.
Seeing the confusion, Alex tilted her head. "Aren't you worried Herobrine could find you helping me?" she asked confused why what her mind told her was a skeleton didn't seem concerned.
"Um...no?" Dan replied, sounding uncertain in his answer. "But, I am worried about you." He added, before noticing it still didn't seem clear to her. "...Seriously. Alex...can you hear me?" He questioned, waving his hand.
She watched him wave his hand in front of her. "What were you doing?" She asked confused.
He stopped, and suddenly facepalm. "I'm going to take that as a yes."
Alex watched him confused.
Jemma poked her head in. "How is it going?" she asked.
Dan looked back at her. "Not so great. She's free but I think that spider bite did something else to her beside give her a fever."
"Like what?" she asked.
Alex followed his gaze and tensed when she saw to her another skeleton.
"I'm not sure. She just doesn't seem to be...all there." He replied, glancing back at Alex. "She doesn't seem to hear me. But she did talk me...asking why I'm helping her when Herobrine will find out."
"But we aren't in minecraft..." Jemma replied confused.
Alex watched the two, uncertainly. She tried to stand up but cried in pain and fell back down, holding her leg. Her mind told her she heard footsteps approaching from outside and her eyes widened. "I think he's coming..."
Jemma glanced at Dan.
He stood up and looked down at Alex. "Who, Herobrine?"
She still didn't seem to hear him and tried to get up again but fell once more, gasping in pain. "He's going to be mad if he finds you here with me being free..." she muttered as she continued to try to get up, despite it hurting her.
Dan glanced at Jemma and reached out to stopped Alex from hurting herself any further.
Alex looked up at him. Her eyes were scared and worried. "Wh-What are you doing? He'll find me..." her voice shook from strain and fear.
Jemma wasn't sure what to do.
Dan then help Alex up, but tried to keep her off the injured leg. "Should we try the helmet again?" He asked Jemma. Unsure if it would work.
She shrugged. "If you feel it would help..."
Alex leaned on him, listening to the nearing footsteps.
He looked back at Alex and sighed. "It feels kind of risky. But it might help."
Jemma nodded. She went over to pick it up.
Alex watched them confused.
Dan started to lead her over to the couch.
She followed him, leaning on him for support.
Jemma brought the helmet over. She got the helmet set up and ready.
"There we go." Dan said while letting her set back onto the couch.
Which to Alex's mind was a stone like cot. She looked even more confused. "But we can't stay here, he's coming down the hall." She told them.
Jemma glanced at Dan and offered the helmet to him.
Dan took the helmet, looking slightly hesitant in putting it on Alex.
But after a second or more, he began to move towards her with the device raised up in the air.
Alex watched him, trying to figure out what it was that he was holding and attempting to put on her. She scooted away slightly, uncertain. She could hear Herobrine getting closer.
Dan tried to put the helmet on her, again. This time, trying to put it on her like a hat.
She still tried to keep away, uncertain of what he was trying to do. She stopped however, hearing Herobrine outside the door which to her was currently shut. "Oh no..." she muttered.
Jemma looked at Dan.
He gave Alex a questionable look before placing the helmet on her head.
Alex felt the familiar weight being placed upon her head and something in her mind clicked.
If I didn't have the helmet on, then how am I here?
She heard Herobrine unlocking the door. She couldn't see through the visor of the helmet which also triggered something in her mind.
The stone cot doesn't feel like stone. Nor did the room feel abnormally warm for being in what she had assumed was the Nether.
She gingerly felt the couch that she was sitting on.
Her senses told her the cold stone floor, that she had been chained to and her bare feet were touching, was fluffy.
None of this matched up...
She heard Herobrine getting frustrated with the door and felt the air to her mind grow tense from a force gathering outside the door before she heard the door in her mind blast open.
She tensed.
She was in between delusion and reality.
Jemma watched her uncertain.
A part of her wanted to quickly remove the helmet so she could face Herobrine while the other told her not to.
She couldn't make out what he was saying anymore but could feel the surge of power radiating off him from anger.
She put her hands on the helmet, hesitating whether to pull it off.
Dan watched, not wanting to force Alex to keep the helmet on, since she looked aware of its presence.
She slightly lifted it up and the more she did the clearer she could hear herobrine who she was surprised to find standing before her in front of the two skeletons.
He took a hold of the helmet which Alex gripped as tight as she could but he pulled it from her fingertips and threw into the spare room which had become Alex's.
To Dan and Jemma, it looked like Alex threw it in there, catching Jemma by surprise.
Alex turned to see where it went but couldn't find it.
Her mind told her the cot was stone again and the floor as well. She saw Herobrine's anger radiating in his white eyes.
He glanced at the "skeletons" which he knew weren't actually skeletons but in fact, two of the chosen elemental wielders.
He growled, knowing he couldn't touch them.
Not like this.
And that angered him.
Two standing right in front of him yet out of his grasp.
He turned back to Alex who quickly tried to distance herself from him.
Dan looked at Jemma, slightly startled by the helmet that was thrown across the room.
Jemma glanced back at him just as startled.
Alex gave a cry of pain when Herobrine grabbed her braid when she turned trying to crawl away. She was pulled back towards him. She struggled against him but cried in pain as he tugged harder. "Get the helmet!" She cried.
Jemma's eyes widened as she saw Alex seemingly fight with herself. "Uh, I don't think she's just hallucinating. I think he's really there... or something is. Cause hair doesn't defy gravity like that... right?"
"Uh, no. Definitely not..." His voice seemed to trail off as he hurried over to the helmet.
Dan quickly picked up and brought it over to the couch.
Alex struggled with Herobrine.
He saw Dan bringing the helmet back and grabbed Alex's throats and pulled her close with her back to his chest.
Alex gasped in pain and clutched at her throat.
"Alex!" Dan exclaimed, while approaching her with the helmet ready.
Jemma wasn't sure what to do.
Alex struggled trying to get Herobrine to let her go.
She saw the helmet and reached out for it.
Herobrine tried to pull her away from it but she broke free and stumbled forward, wincing as she landed on her leg and took the helmet into her hands and put it on.
She heard him scream at her but it faded once it was on. She panted heavily once it was on and she felt the soft carpet on her feet.
She stood there just from the adrenaline for a moment, catching her breath before she gasped and collapsed. Jemma quickly caught her.
Alex tensed at the touch at first but slowly relaxed into it as Jemma sat her down on the couch.
Alex focused on the texture of everything she touched and slowly her mind processed the stone room as the office.
At first it was temperature and textures, then slowly sounds started filtering through.
Though her ears were ringing and the sounds were muffled she could faintly hear the calming noises of the office.
The computer humming, the pugs panting and whining, and she could barely make out Dan and Jemma talking.
"Do you think it's over?" Jemma asked him.
Dan glanced at her and shrugged. "I don't know. But I hope it is..."
It took Alex a moment but she recognized their voices. "D-Dan? J-Jemma?" She asked/called. Her voice was weak and shaky.
Jemma gave a sigh of relief. "We're here Alex." She told her, sitting beside her on one side and placing a hand on her shoulder.
Dan sat down on Alex's other side, keeping her in the middle of the couch between them.
"Are you alright?" He asked her.
Although it was obvious that she wasn't.
Alex slowly shook her head. "Better now, but... no." she replied weakly. "Herobrine was really angry... I was so scared... I don't know what happened..."
"You were sort of...hallucinating...but then we weren't sure what was going on." Dan explained, looking past the helmet Alex was wearing to make eye contact with Jemma.
Alex processed this. "...to me I was in a stone cell like room in what I assumed was the Nether. I was chained to the ground when I noticed a skeleton, which I assume was one of you, approach me and try to help unchain me. Both of you were skeletons for some reason and I couldn't hear you or really anything around me..." she explained.
Jemma glanced at Dan.
Dan frown as he thought about what she saw. "We were skeletons...that is weird."
"I... I don't think it was just a hallucination..." Alex said softly.
Jemma frowned slightly. "Do you think you want to try to take the helmet off?"
She shook her head. "Not yet."
"I think your right about not hallucinating the whole thing." Dan said, looking at her. "We did see your hair being pulled..."
"That was Herobrine." Alex explained, pulling her braid over her shoulder slightly protectively. "I'm not really sure what happened there but it wasn't a fun experience..."
Dan glanced at the braid, now looking disturbed by the whole fact that Herobrine was here...
Kind of.
"Yeah, that's for sure. I just hope that doesn't happen again."
She nodded and hesitated but slowly removed the helmet.
To her great relief, she saw the office.
She sat it down in her lap. "I don't know how he did it but I hope that will be the last time at least for a while..."
Jemma agreed. "I do too. I hated not really being able to help you..."
Dan nodded his head, agreeing with Jemma. "You're not in pain any more, are you Alex?"
"My leg and arm still hurt. But not quite as bad." she replied.
"Hmm. Well, maybe now you can get some rest." Dan suggested.
Alex slightly shrugged. "I don't know if I want too..." She replied.
Jemma looked at her. "You need to Alex..."
Alex just stared down at her helmet. "... I know..."
"...if you want, you can rest somewhere else beside the office." Dan said, while checking the time.
With everything that happened, he was surprised to see it was still lunch time.
"Or you can come eat some lunch downstairs." Jemma offered.
Alex nodded. "I think I'll come eat and see where I'm at afterward." She replied.
Dan nodded. "Alright." He then stood up and looked at Alex. "Want me to help you down the stairs?"
She nodded. She set the helmet to the side and carefully stood up, leaning mostly on her good leg.
Dan stepped up beside Alex, providing some support off her injured leg, and slowly headed out of the office.
Alex leaned on him for support and followed him downstairs.
Jemma followed behind them.
They soon walked into the dining room.
Dan lead her over to a chair.
She thanked him as she sat down.
Jemma joined them in the kitchen and dished Alex some lunch.
She placed it in front of her then dished out Dan and her own.
She handed Dan his plate and sat down with hers.
Dan thanked Jemma for the food and started to eat.
Meanwhile inside the digital world of Minecraft. Under the overworld, in the depths of the Nether.
An angry roar erupted throughout the Nether fortress, making a wither skeleton guard take cover as Herobrine emerged from the dungeon stairs.
His eyes glowed white with unquenchable rage in how close he was to the real world that he longed to conquer.
But.
Notch had assembled the elemental wielders that lived in the world he could not yet touch...
This angered him.
He was close!
Although, he did manage to gain the upper hand...
An evil smirk formed on his face as he looked down at the hand that once held Alex's hair. Notch's precious chosen one.
"So close..."
But.
The smirk soon faded as his hand started to tremble with anger and hatred.
"AUGH! Notch!"
He yelled, spitting his brother's name out like venom.
"Your pathetic. You cannot hold me back any longer. Not without the other girl which I have. Your chosen wielders will suffer, slowly, for your choice of being a coward!"
Herobrine sighed as he finally steadied himself from his fit of rage.
"And your choice of a leader."
A sickening smile spread across his face. His voice dropping lower than the place the Nether creatures call home.
"What a mistake you had made. Such a weak link...can be easily… broken..."
He then stared up at the skyless land.
"Watch your back, Alex. The nightmare has just begun. One which you will never wake from. Mark my words. It. Has. Begun..."
His last three words sent out a shockwave, which echoed out into the overworld and seemly beyond the Minecraft world.
As Alex ate and relaxed, she felt a chill go down her spine making her whole-body tense.
Jemma looked at her. "You alright Alex?"
Alex seemed to snap out a small trance and turned to them. "Y-yeah. I'm fine..." She replied.
Dan glanced at Jemma, not looking entirely convinced.
Although, he decided not to continue pestering Alex with more questions.
Especially after what she had just gone through.
"Hmm...are the pugs fed?" He asked.
Jemma nodded. "Yeah. I think their napping in the living room." She replied.
Alex was trying to figure out what had happened but shrugged it off and finished eating.
"Well, thanks Jemma for the meal." Dan said, getting up to put away his empty plate. "Oh man, I almost forgot I had to make some videos." He gave a nervous chuckle. "After what we saw today, I'm not sure if I really want to play a horror game..."
Alex smiled a little at that. "After today I am still never playing a horror game."
Jemma smiled and nodded. "You're welcome. And I would stay away from horror games for a while." she added as she put her plate away.
"Good advice. Maybe I can play another game that the fans really wanted to see." Dan said, walking around the table. "Are you going to be ok, Alex?"
Alex looked at him.
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I'll stay down here with Jemma and the pugs." She told him.
Dan nodded. "Alright. I'll see you guys later." He then headed up the stairs.
Alex watched him leave and with Jemma's help went to the living room.