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

and go all the time.”
    Another pair of skeletons climbed the steps up the platform and walked through the portal. They were quickly swallowed by the purple light.
    “Is that where Herobrine is?” Whiner asked.
    “Perhaps,” Slashax said. “One must pass through the Nether to find Herobrine, but you need not worry about such things.”
    The painting on the wall near the skeleton king pulsed to life. Slashax moved to stand in front of the painting.
    Hamid couldn’t see the painting clearly from where he was, but he could hear it buzz like it was charged with redstone. And he heard the voice that came from the painting.
    “What is your progress, Slashax?”
    Slashax bowed deeply to the painting.
    “Greetings, Master,” he said.
    Ant’s eyes went wide at the sound from the painting.
    “Is that …?” His words trailed off.
    Jaina nodded quickly and shot him a look telling him to stay quiet. Hamid didn’t need such a warning. He also didn’t need to be told whom Slashax was talking to. Only one entity could command such respect from Slashax.
    Herobrine.
    Slashax bowed to the screen again.
    “We have secured the artifact you seek,” he said.
    “Then why is it not with me? How dare you delay in completing your task!” said Herobrine.
    A collective shudder ran through the skeletons in the Portal Chamber. Even Whiner, who didn’t know Herobrine from a hero sandwich, flinched.
    “There is no delay, master,” Slashax said quickly. “We are merely preparing the Seed Generator for travel to your location.”
    Slashax waved a bony hand to where a group of skeletons had dismantled the strangest mob-spawner Hamid had ever seen. One of the skeletons removed the brown Seed from inside the cage and held it up for Herobrine to see.
    Hamid struggled against the firm grip of skeletons holding him in place. The object of their quest was within reach, but it might as well have been on the other side of the Overworld. Hamid was trapped. He couldn’t even scratch his nose.
    In the hands of the skeleton, the seed had stopped spinning. Long strings of numbers continued to float out from the seed and up into the air. Each number was a blueprint for a new Minecraft world. Soon, all those Minecraft world seeds would be corrupted by Herobrine and his minions.
    The skeletons handed the seed to Slashax. He held out the seed in front of the screen.
    “You see, Master. Here is the key to your freedom. We will bring it to you right away.”
    “Do not delay,” Herobrine said.
    “I would not dream of it.” Slashax bowed deeply, cradling the seed like a newborn baby.
    The screen sizzled and blazed with a fiery glow. The light faded and the screen was once again a painting. Herobrine was gone.
    Slashax handed the still-glowing seed to a skeleton and stepped down from the platform. His red eyes burned into the three friends, still stuck in their seats.
    “Alone at last,” he said. “Now we can get on with the real show. That’s the one where my loyal subjects give the power of their True Diamond swords to the almighty Slashax.”
    “You’ll never get away with this!” Hamid said.
    “Oh, but I already have,” Slashax said. “That fool Herobrine doesn’t suspect a thing. And even your friend, the ghost creeper, cannot help you now.”
    “Yurei!” Ant said. “How do you know about Yurei?”
    “I am the Skeleton King! I know all,” Slashax said. “Yurei has tried to defeat me in the past and failed. When I have the power of the four True Diamonds, I will finish him once and for all.”
    Slashax moved to the center of the condenser wheel. At his signal, three skeletons stepped forward on either side of the kids. They each held a diamond sword. The skeletons slid the swords into the tubes.
    “That’s what they’re for!” Ant said. “Here I was thinking they were for holding an umbrella.”
    “Don’t do this, Slashax!” Jaina said. “Herobrine will destroy you!”
    “It is I who will destroy Herobrine!” Slashax