The Wither emerged,and I made some sort of strangled sound (I was later told I sounded like a dying squirrel,thanks Rory) as everyone scrambled back.

But I wasn't going to leave.

But anyway,the things I noticed as the Wither started to destroy stuff:

1.Those strange whispers got louder,I swore they were saying secrets secrets secrets

2.Rory seemed to react with bravery

3.I WAS FREAKING TERRIFIED

I unsheathed my sword.

"Creature,attack!"Ivor commanded.

WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!No...stay cool.

Jesse dodged the flaming things (I never figured out if they were just flames or wither skulls) that were thrown at her.

Gabriel lunged at the Command Block,but it sucked up his sword.

"Look at the mighty Gabriel now,without his sword!"Ivor taunted.

Rory looked like a volcano about to erupt.He was so full of rage.

Damn,the feels are stronger when you are actually in the game.

"Now it's my turn.Creature,retreat!"

I resisted the temptation to cower behind Rory.

The Wither had one Witherstorm head now.I had never been more terrified.

"Creature,retreat!"Ivor repeated.

"It's not working!"Jesse pointed out.

"It's uncontrollable!"Lukas  gasped.

"No need to worry,my friends."Ivor attempted to keep us calm.

But if you close your eyes,does it almost feel like noooothing's changed at all
And if you close your eyes,does it almost feel like you've beeeen here befoooooore

"I have an elixer that will destroy the creature!"He pulled out a potion.

The wrong one,of course.I grabbed Rory's arm and whimpered.It wouldn't work.It would never work.

"Is that-"Jesse started.

Ivor threw the potion,but it didn't do anything.

"Axel,the potion,give it to me!"Jesse urged.

My heart was going to fast I thought it would jump out of my chest.The potion,it never worked.It never hit,no matter how fast you were to press the button.Even if you pressed it as soon as the window came up.

Jesse threw the potion,but the Wither (almost a Witherstorm now) covered the Command Block with the dark purple...clouds?Whatever you want to call it.

"You fools!"Ivor shouted."You've ruined everything!"

He did call everyone fools a lot.A habit,maybe?

I was too scared to care.

He turned and ran.

You coward.

You big jerky coward.

Rory put his arm in front of me and sort of pushed me behind him.

"Ivor,you coward!"Gabriel roared.

Yes.I totally agreed.

Gabriel looked back and scanned all of our faces.I probably looked pretty scared.No,I did look scared.

Terrified,even.

"I cannot do this alone.We need the others."Gabriel announced.

"Others?"Jesse echoed.

Part of the roof exploded as the almost-Witherstorm hit it with a projectile.In my world,the real world,or...just the normal world,debris would have sprayed all over us like popcorn after the popcorn maker exploded.But,you know,this wasn't the normal world.

"We need to get to my temple.We need shelter."Gabriel got a new diamond sword (did he have a stash or something?I always wondered where the second one came from).

"Go!Go!"Gabriel urged.

And we ran.

Just as the roof exploded.

The Witherstorm had been created.

Rory pushed me in front of him,but I slowed down so I was at his side.

We followed Jesse's crew.

Well,all but Jesse.

A cry for help came from behind us,and I skidded to a halt.

"Aza,no,you know she'll make it."Rory tried to grab my arm.

"But what if she doesn't?You can get a game over at that part."I pointed out.

Rory muttered something like 'fine',then we both turned.

Jesse was caught is a purple beam,clutching to the remains of the stone ground.She was slowly making her way out of the beam.

She saw us,and hope flickered in her eyes.

I had no idea how I saw that hope.

We ran over to her,but to reach her one of us would have to go in the beam.

"Aza,you go in,I'll hold your foot."Rory planned.

If he could make a plan that quickly,Serious Rory was in full play.

I nodded,not thinking much about the beam,and crawled onto the part of ground Jesse was clinging to.

I could almost make out those strange whispers.

Devour...grow...destroy...

"Thanks."Jesse gasped as I grabbed her arm.

"Don't mention it,now we need to get to your friends."I said as Rory pulled us back.

Devour...grow...destroy...

Shut up.Shut up,you stupid whispers.

We followed Jesse to find the rest of her crew under one of those structures with a carpet roof.

"Jesse,you okay?"Petra asked.

"I'm fine,I just-"

The carpet above our heads was sucked up by a purple beam.

Great.Just great. I groaned inwardly.

Everyone started running,but Petra got caught by a beam.Just like in the game.

I paused,sighed,turned around and went back in their direction.

"Jesse,help me!"Petra called.

Jesse grabbed her hand and held on to a fence.But the fence would not last.

I grabbed onto Jesse's foot (nearly missing) and we all fell.

"C'mon,Jesse."Petra pulled Jesse to her feet and they began to run.

I ran behind them.

Rory.

For a moment,I panicked,but then saw him running up ahead.My best friend was safe,and now we needed to get to safety.

"Incoming!"Petra yelled.

She knocked Jesse to the side and I stopped running,heart skipping a beat when the ground just in front of me exploded.

It shouldn't have scared me,I knew that would happen.I knew it.I had played it.

But I was scared.

Devour...grow...destroy...

SHUT UP!

The whispers stopped for about two seconds.

I kept running,and the gate started closing.

Why does the gate close when people are trying to get out?

I desperately tried to pick up the pace until I was side by side with Jesse.Petra was up ahead.Funny,really.I mean,someone saves you and then leaves you behind?

We rolled under the gate.My brain made me do it automatically.Thanks,brain.

But the forest was in flames.

Seeing so much fire,so much destruction,it made me more scared.I had always been scared of a powerpoint malfunctioning and sparking a fire while I was asleep.It was really unlikely to happen,but I was scared of most things.

"Everybody split up!We'll meet at the temple!"Gabriel called from ahead.

I was still with Jesse,so I looked at her for anything.Guidence,maybe.I just wanted to follow her,the heroine,the one who would (hopefully) take that sword and destroy the Command Block.

"You go left,your friend Rory is one that side.I have to help my friends."Jesse insisted.

I blinked at her,having a dumb moment (I hate those) and then ran left.The left path.

Don't get caught by the beams.

Flaming trees seperated me from Jesse and most of her crew.If you counted Petra as part of her little crew at that point.

There was a flash of purple through the trees,and a beam headed for the middle of the group in front of me.

"Rory!"I yelped.

Rory looked back at me,noticed the beam,and pulled back.That wasn't in the game.When something happened that wasn't in the game,we were powerless.Wrong word,not powerless,vulnerable.

He slowed down so he was next to me.

"Gosh,Aza!I thought you were closer!"He was gasping.In terror?

"I helped Jesse again.You know,when Petra gets caught in a beam?"I explained.

Rory groaned."Please don't leave me again."

There was a line of fire up ahead.Tentacles came from the side,slapping people who had jumped over.

I whimpered,knowing I would have to jump over.

I didn't want to.

But I had to.

"I'll tell you when to jump,okay?"Rory said.

I nodded.I trusted him.

"Three...two...one...JUMP NOW!"

We both jumped,and I nearly stumbled as we landed on the other side.I did it.We did it.

But there was still those tentacles.

Rory got out is bow,but seemed unsure of himself.

"You know how to use that,don't you?"I asked.

"I guess in here,you learn how to use weapons as soon as you aquire them."Rory answered cryptically.

He shot an arrow at one of the tentacles,but it missed.

Anyway,the tentacles were too busy going after Jesse.

Devour...grow...destroy...

Rory made me go up the stairs to the temple first,and I scrambled up them.Rory came up next.

We caught up to Jesse's crew,and I caught my breath.

"The inner chamber is made entirely of obsidian.We should be untouchable in there."Gabriel informed everyone.

You wish.

Devour...grow...destroy...

JUST SHUT UP OKAY?!I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE,BUT I THINK YOU ARE THE WITHERSTORM,SO JUST BE QUIET!

Gabriel flicked a lever,and gravelly laughter echoed around in my head.

You are different.Why?

No matter.DEVOUR.

Purple beams began to come in,and some people screamed.We all ran into the inner chamber.

We were surrounded by a dark purple stone.Obsidian.I could see the unlit Nether Portal up ahead.

"Go through the Nether Portal!You should be protected there!"Gabriel grunted as he fought off a tentacle.

Axel walked through.

I went up the stairs to the portal,Rory at my side.

"Uh,something isn't right here!"Axel pointed out.

"It's not lit!"Olivia gasped."Jesse!"

Jesse got out her flint and steel,and lit the portal,but there was a yell behind us.

I thought Gabriel was supposed to get grabbed before Jesse lit the portal...

No matter.

Jesse and Olivia ran over to help him,so did Rory,but I wasn't going to.We needed to fend off the tentacles...

Hey!We could save both Petra and Gabriel when they got caught in the beams!But not now.

I unsheathed my iron sword.It felt like I had wielded it for ages,but I only had it for today.

The upsides of being in this world,eh?

DIE PUNY ONES!

Jesse,Olivia and Rory got Gabriel out.I moved towards them,ready to defend them.

It was a strange time for Jesse Blackwood to pop up in my mind.

Didn't that girl always quote books?

Would she call me a Dauntless?Or was it Abnegation?

I had never known her well,but wherever she was when she dissapeared,she was probably still quoting books.

Unless she was dead.

Olivia,Axel and Reuben went through the portal.Rory stood by the portal.He was waiting for me.

"You two,get to the portal!"I heard Petra say.She was ordering Lukas and Jesse to leave.

"Not without you!"Jesse protested.

Gabriel yelled for help.

How much did that guy need help?

Jesse got to him before I did.I saw them talk.I saw the Amulet.

A tentacle swiped at me,but I batted it away.Shame my sword wasn't enchanted.

Petra crossed over to Jesse.She probably overheard Jesse's conversation somehow.I don't know,she was closer to Jesse than I was.

"Jesse,please go through the portal.I'll meet you at the Temple."Petra pleaded.

Foolish humans.You can't escape me.

So you are the Witherstorm,then?

You are different.Very different.You will be delicous.

That sounded like a weird compliment.

Gabriel yelped as he got caught in the beams.

Petra ran over to him,but got caught in the beams herself.

Oh,I could still remember when I played the game for the first time.My suprise when this happened.

"I'll get Petra!You get Gabriel!"I called to Jesse.

I just needed Petra to trust me.That would be nice.Any Minecraft:Story Mode fan would want to be friends with Petra.

Jesse must have trusted me,becuase she nodded and went to help Gabriel.

But before I could even get to Petra...

"Aza!"

I turned around.My stomach dropped.

Rory.RORY!

He was caught in a purple beam.

"Rory!"I shrieked.

I looked from Petra to Rory.

I faced the choice Jesse had in the game.

Choose someone you've known but they haven't known you,someone you've admired,or someone you've been friends with forever.

I never got to choose.

There was the pain,the spinning through the air.

The purple of the obsidian changed.

The air got hotter.

Red.Red everywhere.

My back slammed into something hard.It wasn't the ground.

I slid onto the netherrack floor.I had hit a small wall of the blocks from hell.The Nether.

But Rory.

His goofy grin.Lost in the purple now.

I tried to see through the mind-blocking fog of terror,and for a moment...

I

COULDN'T

BREATHE

--------------

Dun dun Duuuuuuunnnn!

*yawns*

Sorry if this chapter was a drag.