[Aria's POV]

Something... wasn't right.

I squirm where I was at, and feel nothing around me. It seems like the pain was slowly leaving, and my body was feeling more and more normal...ish. 

It all seems so... familiar.

Almost like when everything first happened. When we were first pulled into the game.

We...

I feel my heart tremble at the thought.

I feel tears threaten to spill.

Everyone was dead...

They weren't respawning anytime soon...

I failed my friends...

A sudden sense of falling hits me like a ton of bricks, and I snap my eyes wide.

And sit up...

In my bed?

I shake my head and gaze around. This wasn't real, right? I was dead! I had died! This was impossible! I turn my head to spot my computer still booted up on the desk...

And Minecraft was open.

The end credits were playing through, and I shakily remove the blankets from my body. Slowly, I make it to the computer and read through the text. They weren't the normal end credits, and I feel my heart hurt even more as I can almost hear them speaking.

'Do you think she's safe?'

'Of course. She is strong. You don't need to worry about her, Reginald.'

'I know she's strong, but will she be okay?'

'We both know she will be.'

'Why are you so confident, Andrew?'

'Because she's resilient like myself. She survived this, so I know she made it back safely.'

'What about the others?'

My heart drops. I had hoped they would say something more encouraging, to prove that they hadn't died. I shake my head, flinging the tears away, and keep reading. Maybe something will show up? Maybe they were still alive?

'Only time will tell. Maybe one day, we will meet again.'

'I hope so, under better circumstances.'

'You really care for her, don't you?'

'......'

His silence makes me feel uneasy now, but I feel the tears return at what I read.

'I do, Andrew. I truly do.'

However, his next words remind me of everything that happened, and I feel my heart tear in two.

'I just hope the effects of this world do not linger on her too much. I would hate to see her beat herself up over what happened.'

I knew it. They were gone. I was the only one who made it out. Rage bubbles up, but it quickly turns into agony and sorrow. I drop my head into my hands and let it all out. Tears soak the desk beneath me, and I can't hold back anything anymore. My body racks with sobs and pain starts to set in at the convulsions in my chest. By the time I am hiccuping, I barely have the strength to lift my head and spot the last few lines disappear.

'I... still feel her, Andrew! I feel her hurt, but she's alive!'

'That is good to hear. I just hope she can still feel you.'

'I agree. Aria? Be safe. Be strong. A lot of people care about you.'

I feel sudden reassurance and care flow into me, and I can barely enjoy it before breaking down again. Although his words were supposed to be comforting, they were not. It was only a reminder of what I had done. What I had failed to do.

I left my friends behind...

My head drops down to the desk, and I can only let out a cry of regret.

I was alone now.

No one else could help me through this.

They were gone forever...

*ding*

I ignore it. Whatever it was could wait until later. I couldn't care less what that was.

*ding*

Irritation slightly wells inside of me. Could they not tell that I was in no mood to speak right now? They could message me later. I would reply later.

*ding*

Wait... I know that notification noise.

Carefully, I lift my head. I wipe the tears from my eyes and slowly reach out to minimize the Minecraft screen, not noticing the last words on it. When the screen vanishes, the chatting app I used with my friends is up, and in the group chat is a message from Alexa, time-stamped 5:27 pm. I quickly look to my clock just in time to see it change to 5:28 pm.

Oh my gosh...

I read it quickly, feeling my heart swell with hope and mild fear that maybe this was a joke. Her message quickly clears that up and I can barely contain myself.

'Guys? Did that really just happen?'

'Hello? Anthony? Aria? Mobius? Please, someone reply!'

I quickly begin typing, trying my best not to break my keyboard. 

'Alexa! Oh my God, you're alive!'

'Aria! You're okay! You did it! You got us out!'

I start to reply that I think no one else made it when I am yet again proven wrong.

'So I'm not crazy to say that we totally didn't just come out of Minecraft?'

'Anthony! I can't believe you guys are alive! I saw everyone's bodies, I thought you were all dead!' 

I send that message, and for a moment, no one replies. I suddenly regret my choice of words, but Alexa pops in first.

'Actually, we were. I was barely awake enough to see Herobrine push me over the edge. Something with green caught me, an enderman I think? He teleported and then I don't remember what happened next.'

I shake my head. I remembered the green particles, and that seemed to make sense. An idea comes to mind and I quickly type it up.

'I think I know what happened. I heard something said just before Reginald dropped me into the End Portal.'

'Wait, Reginald's ALIVE?!'

I shake my head and continue.

'Yeah. Anyway, I think one of the things I heard was 'I hope this works' before I was teleporting back here. Maybe they needed our bodies, dead or alive, in order to send us home?'

Silence follows.

'You might have a point.'

'Then... where's Mobi?'

My heart stops. I had remembered seeing the poor avali laying against one of the towers. He looked the worst, with all his cybernetics busted and broken. It had looked like the dragon made him a chew toy. I feel my hands slightly shake.

'What happened to him?'

Alexa is slow to respond, but she quickly tells me what happened. 

'You don't think...?'

She doesn't have to finish it for me to know what she was saying. Was he gone for too long? Was he truly stuck in the game now, or gone forever? I feel my body shake. I felt the need to ping him, but I knew that would do me no good. He receives notifications anytime someone uses this chat, so he would have joined us by now. Despite the joy I had felt knowing Alexa and Anthony were alive, I suddenly feel grief return. We still lost one. I still failed one.

'Uh... guys? What just happened?'

I literally launch up out of my chair when Mobius' avali profile picture appears on the screen with that text. Anthony and Alexa are spamming chat in apologizes, but I can barely contain myself. I was crying once more, but these were tears of joy.

I had done it.

I saved them.

I didn't fail them.

They were alive!

Extra joy hits me, and I smile even wider.

Herobrine was gone, our world was safe, and truly everyone who cared for me was alive.

Another *ding* brings me back to my computer, and I slide my chair closer to sit comfortably despite the soreness that I was starting to feel, especially in my side. Alexa had asked a question, and I slightly shake my head.

'So, Aria, what exactly happened after I shot you with the Healing bow?'

I quickly type in my reply.

'You're about to get the story of your life.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

[A/N]

There you have it guys! Hardcore Survival is finished and complete...

At least, the written version is.

I am now taking the time I had set aside for the story to finish up the first chapter of the comic that this story is actually based on. It was all originally for a comic contest, but I never got the chance to finish it.

Now, I have time and an outline!

I really appreciate every like and comment and read that has been given to this story. Big shout out to Redfox500 for being one of the few (besides the people who are actually in the story *glares at Mr_Mobius_ *) to read and comment on this. You were such a big supporter that I promise you'll get some super-secret super awesome insider stuffs soon.

Anyways, that's all for now! Stay tuned for a possible Patreon page as I begin my life as a comic artist.

As always,

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