When he finally disappeared completely, and the echoes of his terrible laugh faded, the book landed on the ground with a thud. The hobgoblins growled and moved out of the library to spread across the landscape, waiting for those who followed, their razor-sharp claws gleaming in the light of the blood-red sun.

  CHAPTER 3

  TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION

  The companions materialized in a cloud of purple-and-silver smoke. As always, a square of cobblestone that was five blocks by five blocks in size sat under their feet. It butted up against a field of gray grass, the ashen blades waving in the constant breeze that always flowed east-to-west.

  Around them stood the strangest trees Gameknight had ever seen. They were bleached white with no leaves at all, the branches and trunks completely bare. Knobby joints connected the branches to the trunks, forming what looked like a boney knuckle. The branches stretched out from the tree not just at the top, like on an oak or junglewood tree, but all along its height, almost forming what looked like ribs in a skeleton, though they stuck out on all sides. The pale limbs reminded Gameknight999 of rungs on a ladder, every branch evenly spaced from those above and below.

  “Bone trees,” Empech said in a quiet and sad voice.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen something as sad as these trees,” Stitcher said in a quiet voice. “They look like the physical representation of death.”

  “The trees are not the only sad things, yes, yes,” the tiny gray-skinned gnome said. He moved across the dull grass and stepped up to a stream that gurgled nearby. “Look at the water in this wounded land. It flows as black as a shadow at midnight.”

  The group walked to the narrow brook and looked down. The dark liquid flowed slowly past, moving like thick honey, occasional bubbles of noxious gas rising to the surface. Gameknight reached down to touch it, but Empech’s three-fingered hand suddenly settled upon his outstretched arm and stopped him.

  “It is likely poison, yes, yes,” the pech said. “Best not to touch.”

  “Only Gameknight999 would reach out and touch a river of black goo,” Hunter said with a smile.

  Gameknight gave her a mocking frown, then smiled.

  One of the wolves howled, its voice filled with pride and strength.

  “Something’s coming,” Herder said.

  “Everyone, put away your weapons,” Gameknight said. “Herder, bring the wolves in close; we don’t want to frighten those who approach.”

  Herder put his stubby rectangular fingers to the corners of his mouth and whistled. The high-pitched sound was piercing and cut through the air like a knife. Instantly, the wolves came running, gathering around the lanky boy. He knelt and patted the animals on their sides, his long, stringy black hair swaying back and forth.

  Suddenly, a pair of creatures ran across a gray, grass-covered hill nearby, their pointed ears and bright red eyes giving them an almost demonic look, but the deep, forest-green color of their skin was a welcome contrast to the black water, dirty brown sky, skeletal trees, and strange dark crystalline structures that stretched up out of the ground. Another small group of creatures could be seen following the first.

  “Hobgoblins,” Empech said, a smile on his oversized head.

  “Are they dangerous?” Digger asked.

  “Only if provoked,” the tiny gnome replied.

  The two hobgoblins approached the party as the small cluster that followed was just cresting the hill. A hissing sound could be heard from the approaching monsters.

  “That doesn’t seem like a good sound,” Hunter said with concern.

  “They are angry, yes, yes,” Empech said, surprised.

  Everyone tensed. Hunter and Stitcher pulled out their bows and notched arrows to their strings. The wolves growled as their fur bristled, their tails sticking straight out. Gameknight stepped forward and walked slowly and calmly toward the two creatures, his arms outstretched to show that he wasn’t armed. His diamond armor seemed to glow in the strange light of the blood-red sun. As the monsters closed, they drew back their lips, showing row upon row of pointed teeth.

  “We don’t want to fight you,” Gameknight said calmly. “We’re just visitors here, following someone who passed through your land.”

  “Your commander told us you would arrive,” the taller of the two hobgoblins growled. “You will not be allowed to take over our land.”

  “We don’t want your land,” Gameknight began to say, but the hobgoblins ignored him and attacked.

  The shorter of the two leapt forward and slashed, its sharp claws scratching across the User-that-is-not-a-user’s diamond chest plate. The taller monster then dove toward Gameknight, trying to wrap its stubby arms around his head. The user rolled to the side, then stood with his iron and diamond swords drawn.

  “Please … we don’t want to fight!” Gameknight pleaded.

  The monsters charged, trying to bite and scratch at his flesh. Their razor-sharp claws and teeth screeched as they slid across his diamond armor. Suddenly, a wave of white fur appeared in front of Gameknight999. The wolves drove the creatures back with small nips to their arms and legs, but when they would not relent, the battle became serious. The two creatures slashed at the wolves with their claws, tearing out tufts of fur.

  “Wolves … attack!” Herder commanded, no sympathy for the little hobgoblins in his voice.

  Just then, the trailing group of monsters approached, their hissing making it sound as if they each held a poisonous viper. The wolves formed a wall of fur and fangs, pressing their bodies close together to deny any monster the chance to slip past. Instantly, the hobgoblins dove at the wolves, tearing handfuls of white fur from the animals’ lean bodies. The wolves yelped in pain, then turned vicious and attacked. Hunter and Stitcher added their arrows to the attack, hoping to only wound the little creatures, but the green monsters would not relent. The fired as fast as they could, but there were too many hobgoblins for the wolves and archers to hold them back.

  “We’re too exposed here,” Woodcutter said as he stepped forward, his shining axe flashing through the air like metallic lightning. “We need to find some place that’s defendable until we can figure out what to do.”

  “What about that place over there?” Herder asked. The lanky boy had climbed up into the bone trees and was pointing off to the west.

  “What do you see?” Gameknight asked. He slashed at a hobgoblin that had managed to get past the wolves. The monster’s claws left another set of scratches across his diamond armor, cutting deep grooves into the crystalline coating. His iron sword clashed with the sharp nails, then his diamond sword landed a solid hit, causing the creature to flash red with damage. Gameknight kicked the monster hard in the chest, sending it flying backward. It stood for a moment and eyed the two swords, then let out a loud screech and ran away.

  “It seems to be a building like from the last world, with tall columns standing before a wide door,” Herder said, his long black hair falling across his face as he climbed to the top of the bone tree.

  “That’s it, the library,” Gameknight said. “We need to go there.”

  A huge group of hobgoblins flowed across the distant hill like an angry green tide, their claws shining bright in the light of the red sun high overhead. Dark brown clouds slowly moved in from the east. Something about those clouds seemed wrong to Gameknight, as if they were somehow a threat.

  “We’ll never be able to cross the land with that bigger army approaching,” Digger said, his voice cracking with fear.

  The stocky NPC was holding Tux, Gameknight’s pet penguin, under one arm. Next to him stood Empech, the magical gnome’s crystalline blue eyes darting about nervously. A group of green monsters charged at Weaver, but Woodcutter was there to push them back, his shining axe cleaving through the attackers as Weaver’s iron sword danced past sharp claws to find soft green flesh. The monsters flashed red and fell, disappearing with a pop.

  “Climb up here into the bone trees,” Herder yelled.

  “That’s a great idea, Herder,” Gameknight said. “Everyone into the trees. We’ll go from bone tree to bone tree until we reach the library. The hobgoblins are too short to get up here. Good thinking, Herder.”

  Gameknight climbed up into the pale white bone limbs, then turned and reached down to help the person behind him. Below, he saw Weaver glaring at Herder, a look of rabid jealousy on his square face.

  “Weaver, come on, give me your hand.”

  The young boy glanced at Gameknight999, then moved to the next tree and climbed up just as a group of hobgoblins closed in on him. He scurried into the bare treetops, barely avoiding the sharp claws and pointed teeth.

  “Herder, have your wolves go to the library and secure it for us,” Gameknight said.

  “No problem,” the boy said.

  Herder gave two short whistles, then pointed to the abandoned library. The wolves seemed to know exactly what he meant and sprinted off toward the cobblestone building, their white fur visible as they weaved between the bright green bodies of the hobgoblins. Some of the monsters tried to strike at the animals, but the wolves’ loping gait was so fast, the tiny creatures couldn’t lay a single claw on them.

  “Nice,” Gameknight said softly.

  Herder smiled with pride.

  Weaver scowled at Herder, trying to hide his jealousy from Gameknight but doing a poor job.

  “The world falls apart. We must hurry, yes, yes,” Empech said.

  They ran along the narrow, bone-white branches, leaping from one tree to the next. The skeletal limbs gave their jumps a little springy boost, allowing them to easily reach the next tree. As they moved across the barren forest, Gameknight noticed the hobgoblins were now wandering about in all directions, only a small number staying directly underneath the party.

  “Everyone stop for a minute and be quiet,” Gameknight whispered.

  They all stood motionless atop the forest of bones. The lack of sound seemed to confuse the hobgoblins, and those beneath moved off in search of their enemy.

  “I don’t think they have very good eyesight,” Herder said in a low voice.

  “I think Herder is correct,” Gameknight whispered.

  “Of course you do,” Weaver said under his breath.

  Weaver glared at Herder, the young boy’s bright blue eyes filled with jealousy at Gameknight’s praise. He still hadn’t forgiven Gameknight for lying to him in the past about posing as the great Smithy of the Two-swords. Weaver had trusted Gameknight and felt betrayed for the deception, having made his feelings known just after his rescue from the clutches of Entity303.

  The User-that-is-not-a-user saw the worrisome look aimed at Herder and sighed.

  There’s too much anger and distrust in Weaver, Gameknight thought. I must do something to get him to forgive me.

  But he didn’t know what. Weaver was filled with such anger that it worried him. And the young boy suspected Gameknight was keeping more information from him. Weaver was critical to Minecraft’s history, teaching many, including Crafter, how to use TNT in battle. But the User-that-is-not-a-user couldn’t tell the boy why he was so important; that knowledge might change how he’d act. If Gameknight told Weaver too much, he might change history and damage Minecraft, just like Entity303 had.

  “Here’s what we’re gonna do,” Gameknight said softly. “I’ll drink a potion of Swiftness, then run off and draw the hobgoblins away. I want all of you to get to the library and set up some defenses. I can’t imagine this world was what Entity303 was running to, but I’m sure he went to the library like in the last Age.”

  “This plan seems unusually risky to me,” Crafter said with concern.

  “That seems kinda normal to me,” Hunter said, “as it is one of Gameknight’s plans.”

  “Look, we need to get those hobgoblins to move away from the library so all of you can get to it,” Gameknight explained. “If someone else wants to be the bait, then speak up.”

  “Oh, suddenly, this seems like a great plan,” Hunter said.

  Stitcher punched her in the arm.

  “What’d I say?” the older sister complained.

  Stitcher just rolled her eyes.

  “This is the way it’s gonna be,” Gameknight said, his tone telling all of them the discussion was over. “All of you ready?”

  His friends nodded their blocky heads.

  Before Gameknight could reach into his inventory, Empech had already pulled a glass bottle from his pack, a light blue liquid sloshing about within. The tiny, gray-skinned gnome leapt to the adjacent bone-tree limb and handed him the bottle, his large, oversized face gazing up at the User-that-is-not-a-user with a smile. Gameknight took the bottle and drank the liquid. Instantly, colorful spirals appeared around his head.

  “As soon as the monsters are gone, move to the library.”

  Sprinting with enhanced speed, Gameknight zipped to the end of the bone-branch, then jumped off. He landed on the ground without slowing. As he ran, the User-that-is-not-a-user drew his swords and banged them together, making a CLANGING sound.

  “COME ON, FOLLOW ME, HOBGOBLINS!” Gameknight shouted.

  The monsters turned toward the sound and ran like mice after a piece of cheese. In minutes, a green wave of claws and pointed teeth had passed out of the bone-tree forest and into a clearing of gray grass and small black bushes. Gameknight sprinted in a wide circle, drawing all the creatures to him while he watched his friends quickly scurry to the library. Zigzagging across the field, he led the monsters on a circuitous chase while the others built stone walls near the cobblestone building’s entrance. When they were completed, Gameknight put away his swords and bolted for the structure.

  When he approached the building, two heads with bright red hair appeared above the top of the hastily constructed wall, enchanted bows in their hands.

  “Can you run any slower?!” Hunter shouted down at him.

  “The swiftness potion just wore off,” Gameknight replied.

  “Well, you better hurry, or you’re gonna become a hobgoblin snack,” the redhead replied with alarm.

  Behind him, the User-that-is-not-a-user could hear the hissing of the monsters hot on his heels. A pair of flaming arrows streaked past him. They were followed by two high-pitched screams that came from disturbingly close behind him. Gameknight poured on the speed and ran across the narrow bridge that led to the library, dashing through an opening in the barricade. Digger quickly filled the hole with blocks of dirt.

  Squawk! Tux said, the little penguin obviously glad to have Gameknight back.

  “I’m glad you thought to put the bridge there,” Gameknight said to Crafter.

  “It was already there,” the young NPC replied.

  Suddenly, the sky boomed as lightning flashed across the sky and hit the ground. Gameknight saw the land begin to crumble and fall away under the stabbing blades of glowing electricity.

  “This world will not last long,” Empech said. “Haste would be good.”

  Gameknight nodded, then stepped into the library. As with all abandoned libraries in Mystcraft, this one had walls lined with bookshelves, the dusty tomes in every color and size. On the slanted desk were three pieces of paper, like in the last one, each untouched. A book lay on the ground with its pages open. The wolf pack leader sniffed the book, then growled.

  “He was here,” Herder snarled. “The wolves can sense it … and so can I.”

  “I think you’re becoming part wolf now, Wolf-man,” Hunter said with a smile.

  Herder glanced at the girl and scowled.

  “I don’t joke about my wolves,” he snarled and moved to the corner.

  “Wow, he’s serious about those dogs,” Weaver said quietly.

  “Shhh,” Woodcutter said. “Don’t ever call them dogs. Herder will get really angry, and then the wolves will get really angry, and then who knows what will happen.”

  “They’re just dogs,” Weaver said under his breath.

  The ground shook as shafts of lightning stabbed down at the surface of Minecraft, thunder echoing across the land. The ground shuddered as if in pain.

  “Why do you think Entity303 led us straight back to another library?” Crafter asked. “This is the same thing as the last world.”

  “I think he must be looking for something,” Gameknight said. “Remember, Weaver said Entity303 had mentioned losing something in one of the Ages.”

  “Yeah,” Weaver chimed in. “He told me that while I was his prisoner in the Twilight Forest.”

  “I think he’s looking for that thing, but he doesn’t know where it is,” Gameknight said.

  “So he’s randomly going from world to world to find it?” Hunter asked. “Wouldn’t that take, like, forever?”

  “Maybe,” Gameknight replied. “But we have no choice. We must follow him until we can catch him.”

  “Well, we can’t just stand around here chatting about it,” Digger said as he bent down and picked up Tux, then turned to Gameknight999. “We need to get out of here, fast. Do your book thing.”

  Another lightning strike hit the ground nearby, causing the land to shake as if mortally wounded. Dust fell from the shelves, creating a gray haze in the air. Gameknight coughed.

  “Let’s get going,” Hunter said. “Come on, quick.”

  The User-that-is-not-a-user nodded, then waited for everyone to move where they could touch him. The wolves moved in tight, then Gameknight touched the book and the party disappeared from the land of the hobgoblins. None of them noticed the huge, red creature floating in lazy circles high in the air, its dark bat-wings riding gracefully on the breeze, its eyes fixed on the library and its occupants.

  CHAPTER 4

  KAHN

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21