The Minecraft Story: The Beginning: Chapter 30
General Ausmin and the other commanders were in the middle of lunch in the Citadel's dining room. He was enjoying a perfectly cooked pork chop along with a baked potato fresh from the fort's garden. Lunch was wrapping up when they heard the warning call. Fort Deepslate was being attacked.
General Ausmin stood up, "Commanders," He said with a booming voice, "Rally your troops, it must be the pigmen. We will move out for the first wall." The other commanders rose from their lunch and began to exit the dining room. On their way out, some nobles came running down the stairs.
A lavishly dressed old man called out to the commanders from the stairs, "Excuse me sirs, what is happening?" General Ausmin had forgotten that some nobles had traveled to the fort in the past three days to pray and take shelter.
Then, a bishop came running down the stairs, "Holy knights, you must take us to the basement and protect us." The bishop was gowned in a white robe with gold lining. His large pointy hat was slipping off his head from how hard he'd run down the stairs. "You have been ordered by Notch to protect us and his most divine followers." He said while gesturing to the nobles.
"You're right," General Ausmin answered, "I will escort you to the shelter where you will be safe until the attack has been thwarted." He began to guide the nobles to the shelter. The shelter was one level below the main hall of the Citadel. It was a large room stocked with bedrooms, a kitchen, a lounge room, and necessities like food and water. However, General Ausmin knew this room wasn't much protection. The fort was built as a giant shelter of its own, not much thought was put into an emergency shelter in the center of the fort. Many believed the fort was simply impenetrable and a shelter would be a waste of resources. General Ausmin believed them to be correct.
He didn't believe the pigmen would get anywhere near the Citadel. He doubted they would even make it past the first wall. However, he knew these nobles and religious leaders who'd never seen combat in their lives would be freaking out, so it was better to oblige and take them to the shelter. General Ausmin sent for the other commanders to organize their troops and get ready to defend the fort. He escorted the nobles to the door to the shelter. It was a large iron door that needed a key to be unlocked. He had forgotten that it needed a key, and he didn't have it. A groan escaped the General's lips as now, he would have to find the key.
…
Thomas and the other carrier slaves stood outside in the blazing afternoon sun. They had been fitted back into their heavy equipment and the knights were going to their carrier slaves and taking what they needed to defend the fort. The atmosphere was confused and chaotic. Nobody really knew what was happening. Fort Deepslate had only been attacked once in the thirty years since it was built excluding the nighttime mobs. That attack was a heretic attack when it was first built. The heretics suffered a horrible loss of life. Ever since then, it has been left alone.
Thomas was sure it had to be the pigmen. From how they were described by the knights, they were mindless killing machines. Of course they'd be stupid enough to attack the fort. He thought. Who else would it be? This gave Thomas hope that the fighting between the pigmen and the Holy Notch Empire could end right here.
The legion commanders were running to their troops, trying to bring back order. The knights began to line up and the carrier slaves were ordered into position as well. Thomas had to go into the fighting, even though Marcus wasn't there. The legions were finally in a proper position when they heard it. Rapid explosions erupted from the gate.
They must be close now. Thomas thought. If the knights don't leave now, they won't be able to make it out there without risking them breaching the gate. A few seconds after the explosions died down, a loud crashing sound could be heard vividly. It was followed by what sounded like rocks falling down into the grass. This confused Thomas. Do the pigmen have projectiles? He wondered. It could be possible. We don't know much about these things beyond what was seen at Zamafar. They could be able to fly for all we know. Suddenly, a loud crashing and cracking of wood could be heard. They could hear pieces of debris hitting the deepslate huts of the Garrison Knights. It sounded almost like the gate had been knocked down.
Thomas began to shake. Did they really make it inside? Did they bust the gate down? How? He knew the pigmen were savages, but he never imagined they would be able to siege Fort Deepslate. If they can take down Fort Deepslate, then we're screwed. He wanted to run away; to have a chance at life. However, he knew running would only guarantee his death at the sword of a knight. Without Marcus, he was truly on his own. Stick to the group. He thought. There's safety in numbers.
…
General Ausmin had finally managed to find the keys to the shelter. He was escorting the nobles inside the shelter, when a Garrison Knight came bursting into the Citadel.
"The first wall has been breached!" His trembling voice yelled.
General Ausmin just stared at the knight. No, that can't be possible. He thought. The pigmen could never breach this fort. This has to be something else, something worse.
He cleared his throat and ordered, "Retreat all Garrison Knights into the second wall! Make a defensive line with the other legions! Whatever is out there, kill it!" The knight gave a nod of acknowledgment and ran out. The nobles were finally all inside the shelter. He closed the door and began to walk outside, but he stopped himself.
Whatever is out there, it has to be an unstoppable force to breach Fort Deepslate. He thought. I can't go out there. General Ausmin began to hyperventilate. He didn't want to leave. He turned around and took out another key. The key for the Pope's secret bunker. It was a bunker designed to be used only by the Pope. It was well protected by layers upon layers of deepslate. It was also built deep underground. Only a few high-ranking figures, including himself knew about it. The workers who built it were even executed after its construction to ensure nobody else knew about it. He pulled a hidden lever and arrived at the iron door. He pulled out the key and looked at it, happy he thought about grabbing it. If the General of the Holy Notch Army dies, we're doomed. I have to survive to lead our troops to victory.