Free Descent Into Overworld: An Unofficial Minecraft Adventure by Liam O'Donnell Page A

out.”
    “What would I ever do without you?” Hamid smacked a splash of water at his friend.
    He floated while his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the surface. Dark granite walls swept up and over them from either side of the water. They were in an underground lake in the middle of a wide cavern.
    “At least we’re alive,” Hamid said.
    “But still lost,” Ant said. His wet face broke into a wide grin. “And I’m still hungry.”
    Hamid hit him with another splash and started swimming to the shore.
    Dripping wet but not complaining, Hamid and Ant pulled themselves out of the water and fell onto the rocky shore. Hamid struggled to keep his eyes open, but it was no use. His whole body was one big ache. His legs were numb from kicking from the bottom of the lake. His lungs burned from holding his breath. And his brain was just plain fried. Ant must have felt the same. They lay there without speaking for many minutes.
    Stones crunched beside Hamid. His exhaustion vanished in an instant. He snapped open his eyes to see another pair staring back at him.
    Hamid didn’t dare move.
    “Get up, Ant!” he hissed.
    Ant sat up sleepily.
    “What is it? I was having such a nice dream.”
    Ant’s jaw slammed shut at the sight of the stranger towering over them.
    It had no arms, a sad face and a long body. A creeper, but unlike any he had seen before. Its long body was white, not green. And it hadn’t killed them. Yet.
    “Why hasn’t it exploded?” Ant whispered.
    “I don’t know,” Hamid said.
    “Because blowing you up would be such a waste,” the creeper said. “Besides, if I blow up you won’t be able to save your friend.”
     
     
     
     

Chapter 12
     
     
    Slashax knew how to build.
    Jaina had never seen Minecraft creations on such a large scale. Slashax’s guards led her into the massive cavern, through the minefield of creepers and past the skeleton archers. Towers of obsidian loomed over sturdy battlements lined with deadly TNT cannons. A maze of lava traps and soul sand pits waited below the walls to catch invaders in its twisting paths. The skeleton had a talent for placing blocks. Well, his minions did at least. In the distance an army of block-carrying endermen were busy adding a new wing to Slashax’s already colossal fortress. Ant would have been impressed.
    Jaina’s step faltered at the thought of her friend. Ant was always the creative builder in their group. Normally he was more annoying than a creeper attack, but right now, she’d give anything to hear one of his lame jokes.
    The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced Ant and Hamid had to be in this world too. If her demented principal had managed to crash the party, then her two best friends must be here. Jaina hoped they were doing better than she was.
    A pair of spider-riding skeletons stepped aside to let them through the doors to the fortress.
    “Bring her to the Portal Chamber,” Slashax commanded. He marched down the long corridor toward another set of double doors.
    The skeleton guards pulled her along behind him. Whiner hurried past to catch up with Slashax.
    “Watch out for her,” Whiner said. “She is full of surprises. Besides, you said the swords were all you need to activate the diamond condenser.”
    “Never mind what I said.” Slashax’s words cut into the principal like a knife. “And I advise you to do less thinking, Mr. Principal. Unless you want to dance with my green friends in the field of creepers outside these walls.”
    The blood drained from her principal’s face. Whiner might be a Minecraft noob, but even he knew getting too close to a creeper is bad news.
    The Portal Chamber reminded Jaina of her school library. Tall bookshelves wrapped around the walls behind the tables. Swirling enchantment tables ran along one side of the room. In the middle of the room, steps led up to a circular platform. A rectangle of midnight black blocks stood in the center of the platform. A sheet of purple