Rage bubbled up from within me. This criminal act wasn't just about burning down a few trees; it was about the complete destruction of the land, just like in the last burned forest we'd found. Questions tumbled around in my head as I tried to figure out how it was done---and why.
The two destroyed forests were far apart...too far apart for an army to move from one to the other without being seen.
I knelt and scratched at the ground with the tip of my sword. It crumbled to dust. Scooping up the dust into a pile, I held it to my eyes. There was a familiar look to it that I still couldn't place. Reds and dark-brown and lighter-brown and different shades of pink...the colors almost triggered a memory in the back of my mind, but I just couldn't quite put it all together.
Frustrated, I kicked aside the pile of dust and turned to walk away, but as I did, something gold shone through the debris and caught my attention. Was it gold ore, or maybe a zombie's golden sword? My imagination swirled with possibilities as I stooped over for a closer look.
"What is this doing here?" I gasped as I reached out and picked up the golden object.
"What did you say, Silvershadow?" Crafter said.
I did not reply. I held up the slightly warm golden rod and stared at it.
"What is that?" Herder asked as he approached, his dutiful wolves right on his heels.
"A blaze rod," I replied.
"But how could a blaze rod get here?" Stitcher asked.
"There is only one explaination," I said. "It must have been---"
"Blazes did this!" Butch interrupted. "And one of them was killed. Someone must have been here and fought back."
"There's no way one person could have fought off all the blazes that did this to the forest and survived," Digger said. "But then, where are their items? If the HP of this mysterious defender was destroyed, he or she would have dropped all their inventory, and I don't see anything on the ground other than ash and fallen trees."
"More blaze rods!" Hunter hollered. "Over here."
We all moved to the spot where she stood. At her feet were three more of the golden rods. I bent down and picked them up. They felt warm as always; just the smallest trace of the monster's internal flame still resided within the shining rods.
We all moved to the spot where she stood. At her feet were three more of the golden rods. I bent down and picked them up. They felt warm as always; just the smallest trace of the monster's internal flame still resided within the shining rods.
"At least now we know who our enemy is," Butch said. "And we know where they are: in the Nether. It's time for a little payback."
"Hold on," Crafter said, putting up his hand to calm everyone. "We need to think this through. How did the blazes even get into the----" he was interrupted as I let out a cry of pain. I knew what that meant. Herobrine had a part of him inside us, and he said if he ever died, that it would hurt like hell. Well, my heart was hurting like freaking hell. I cried out. "Herobrine! He..He's gone!" I said, my voice thick with emotion.
"As I was saying...." Crafter said. "How did the blazes even get into the Overworld? They..." He looked at me, and I nodded, knowing the monsters would feel this loss, too. "They don't have Herobrine with them this time to make portals."
"Who cares about the 'how'?" Butch said. "We have a target! It's time to attack. We need to go to the Nether before they turn their fireballs on the villages and NPCs."
"Just wait a minute, Butch," I said. "We need to move carefully, so that we are prepared. The Nether can be a dangerous place."
"I know it's a dangerous place. I'm not stupid," Butch complained.
"No one is saying your stupid," Crafter said.
Hunter smiled and was about to say something, but Stitcher punched her in the arm before she could speak.
"No one is saying your stupid," Crafter said.
Hunter smiled and was about to say something, but Stitcher punched her in the arm before she could speak.