Sadie's heart was pounding, but she looked better then Briar and Scarlet did. Both girls were very pale, and Briar was trembling as she held her shield. The sun was setting as they walked through the clearing, which they had been training in for three months. Jordan led them and was silent, head held high and iron sword strapped to his back. Sadie glanced at her own sword and swallowed.

The blade, blue from the diamonds it had been crafted from, gleamed up at her. They had all agreed to use the two diamonds they found in the mine to make a new sword for her. She wasn't sure how to feel about it. It was lighter than an iron sword and she had spent the day getting used to it. Scarlet was gripping her new crossbow, which Jordan had crafted just for her. On the curve of the trigger, the word Scarlet was carved into it. Briar had her trusty shield strapped to her back, and it bounced against the back of her legs with every step she took but she barely felt it. All she could feel was her pounding heart.

Jordan paused and looked at the sky, then looked around. They were in the same clearing as the one the pond they used to bathe in was in. The pond was in the far right corner, nestled between two trees. Jordan nodded, satisfied before he turned towards them and smiled. "Alright!" He said happily. "This is a good place. Its not too far from home, and its in a nice open area so the mobs can't sneak up on us." He looked up at the setting sun. "We have about a minute before stuff starts spawning. Now, does everyone remember the plan?" They nodded. "Tell me what it is, then."

"I pick a tree and watch out for everyone," Scarlet said, already scanning the nearby trees.

"I fight beside you and keep mobs away from the tree," Sadie gulped, adjusting her grip on her sword. She was holding it too tight. She had to remember what Jordan said. Jordan nodded, smiling before he looked at Briar. His eyes softened as he saw how white her face was.

"Briar." She took a deep breath and tried to keep her voice steady.

"I stand under the tree Scarlet picks and makes sure she isn't missing anything, and use my shield to protect myself from the mobs." Jordan nodded.

"Yep!" He turned towards Sadie. "So, Briar and Scarlet protect our blind spots, and we protect their tree." He glanced up and watched the sun dip over the horizon. "I wouldn't have you guys out here if I didn't think you could do it." He looked at them and smiled. "You've got this." He looked at Briar. "All of you." He smiled. "I promise."

Night had fallen. Scarlet build a tower up to a tree and they broke it down so spiders couldn't climb it. Their hearts were pounding but the girls kept their heads and weapons, shield in Briar's case, up as the monsters began to spawn. Jordan stood in front of them, and he grinned widely as he heard the first zombie groan.

[A/N: This is when you should listen to the song]

_*_*_

Their hearts were still pounding, but it was from adrenaline instead of fear. Sadie couldn't remember why she had been so worried as she swung her sword around and cut off a zombie's head, kicking the body away. A spider crawled over the body, hissing, before an arrow embedded into its skull. It went limp, and both it and the zombie disappeared in a flurry of white particles. Sadie looked up and grinned widely at Scarlet, nodding thanks. Scarlet gave her a two finger salute before she looked over, loading another arrow and firing. The skeleton that had been firing at Briar stumbled back from the arrow in its shoulder, then collapsed to a pile of bones as Jordan's iron sword swiped across its ribcage.

Jordan and Briar looked at each other and shared a bright smile before Jordan turned and cut down a zombie trying to creep up on him, kicking it in it's knee. It collapsed, then lost its head before Jordan kicked it back. Sadie and Jordan backed up so they were closer to each other, watching each other's back. Sadie swiped past Jordan and cut down a spider leaping at him, and a bolt from Scarlet finished the job. "You're doing great, girls!" Jordan called, looking up at the moon. "We've just got a little while longer! How you guys holding up?"

"I'm feeling great!" Sadie laughed.

"The wind feels nice up here!" Scarlet called as she shot down a skeleton before it could get close enough to fire. Jordan glanced behind his shoulder and his eyes softened as he looked at Briar. She wasn't as pale as before, but her hands were still trembling as she held up the shield. Her eyes met his and she tried to push on a smile, before her eyes widened.

"Jordan, watch out!"

They were bound to make a mistake with all the mobs coming their way, but Jordan sure was kicking himself for letting his guard down enough that a creeper was coming up to him. He turned, eyes widening as he saw the creeper expanding and flashing, ready to explode. He wouldn't have time to move away, and Sadie was too far away at that point to help him. That was both a good and bad thing. Bad because she couldn't help him. Good because sue wasn't in the line of fire.

"Jordan!"

A pink blur ran in front of him. It was Briar, and she raised her shield up in front of them just as the creeper exploded. The two of them went stumbling back, but the shield absorbed the explosion. Jordan's arm wrapped around Briar by instinct as they fell back, and they landed on Jordan's back with a loud grunt.

"You two okay?!" Sadie called as she battled off a zombie, eyes still wide from what she'd seen. Jordan caught as Briar quickly scrambled off of him.

"Yeah, we're fine!" He stood up and grinned at Briar, who was watching him with wide eyes. "Good job, kid!" She grinned as he raised his hand for a high five, and she gave him what he wanted before they separated. "Just a couple more minutes girls! The sun's starting to rise!"

They had never been so happy to see the golden rays fluttering across the dark sky.

_*_*_

"That was AWESOME!" Scarlet crowed as they walked across the grass. She and Sadie and Briar shared some high fives and hugs. Jordan was walking behind them, smiling widely as he watched with pride.

"I've never felt so alive!" Sadie laughed. "We make a pretty good team!"

"We already knew that!" Briar laughed and Sadie threw an arm around her.

"Not in life or death situations we didn't!" Jordan suddenly noticed something and his smile faltered. Scarlet wasn't too far behind, but she voiced it.

"Guys, is that... Smoke?"

They looked at each other before Jordan suddenly sprinted past them. "Its coming from the house!" Briar gasped. She, Sadie, and Scarlet looked at each other with wide eyes before they sprinted after Jordan. The sun had almost completely risen now, and the morning rays burned in their eyes and made it hard to see what was in front of them.

Briar collided into Jordan's stiff back, stumbling back into Sadie and Scarlet who had stop to catch her. The girls looked up, then froze. Jordan stood in front of them, his sword gleaming on his back, as he stared at the house he had called his home for nine months.

It was on fire. The flames held no mercy as the wind fed their source, licking across the frame and eating away at the wood. They were frozen as they stared in horror. It was too late for water buckets now. The house was done for.

Suddenly Jordan sprinted down the hill, right towards the house. Their eyes widened.

"Jordan!" Scarlet screamed before they sprinted down after him, following him to the flaming house.