//------------------------------// // Chapter 8 - A Cold Day In The Nether (Part 3 Final) // Story: Minecraft Beginnings // by The EnderPony Master //------------------------------// Shadow's Prov I can't believe it! There's another fellow Mob right in front of me! He's also a skeleton! Is this what the inside of a pony looks like? Man, I guess I learn new things everyday. My train of thoughts were cut to a halt. "Hello? Craftia to Enderman... Are you still there?!" The unknown skeleton said poking me. "What? Oh, yeah. It's just that I have a lot a questions to ask you." I asked a bit excited. "Before we go into that, can you tell me who you are and where are we?" He said as he sat. I did the same. "My name is Shadow the Enderman, or in this case, Enderpony. We are in the land of Equestria ruled by two princesses. We are currently located in the Crystal Empire." "Well it's finally nice to find another Mob that won't kill me on sight. Also, my name is Long Shot the apparently turned Skeleton Pony." "It's good to meet you too Long Shot. Wait... what do you mean, kill you on sight?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "More importantly, how did you came here in the first place?" "Alright, I'll tell you, but get yourself comfy, cause this will take a while" ==================================================== 3 Days Earlier Craftia Long Shot's Prov These days were becoming boring like always. I'm just wandering through the Forest Biome at night, with the stars and blocky moon shining over me. There hasn't been any Minecrafters around here lately. Which was good for some of us, but I like to get into the action with my trusty bow-and-arrow I always carry around. Now-a-days, things became calm and really boring. "Ahh...*thud" I was cut from I my train of thought when I tripped over and landed face first onto the ground. A bit annoyed, I got up and brushed myself up. I suddenly froze as started to hear, music? I picked up my Bow and started to follow the music. Unlike those annoying Minecrafters, us Mobs can see in the dark and avoid upcoming trees. I finally reached to the source of the music, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. What I see is a bunch of Mobs throwing some sort of party. There were Zombies and other Skeletons dancing on some dance floor made of colored glass with Glow Stones lighting up underneath. I also see a creeper wearing headphones, bopping its head up and down from behind two speakers and a Juke Box playing the song I heard earlier. Guess he's some sort of DJ, wait... how is he doing it without arms? I wasn't looking where I was going and bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry about that." "Oy! You made me spill punch on my dress!" A Witch scolded me. "I said I was sorry ma'm." I tried apologizing again. "Sorry my a**! Who taught you manners?!" She shouted in my face as her big nose touched me. "Alright, geez!" I said as I started walking away. "Witch... more like a b****." Apparently, she must of heard me because felt pain on the back of my neck bone and the sound off broken glass. I turned around to see that damn Witch looking enraged. "This is the last time someone insults me and gets away with it!" She shouted out of anger. "Well, lets see how you like this!" The Witch pulls out a glowing white bottle out of her sleeves and throws it at me. At first, I didn't feel anything, but then I started become dizzy. Pretty soon, everything turned dark. ================================================= Present Equestria, Crystal Empire 3rd Person "...and that's how I ended up in this place. I spent two days in a cave out in that Snow Biome getting used to this new body. Apperently, I can use magic to hold my bow-and-arrow." Long Shot continued on. "On the third night, I decided to explore the new land. As I was scouting out, I found this empire from a distance. I decided to head towards it when 4 Enderponies showed up out of nowhere. I thought I could get help from them, but then they started to attack me." "Those were Sombra's shadowy minions." Shadow included. "Who's Sombra?" Long Shot asked. "He's the evil tyrant that is trying to take this place." Shadow explained. "Right... anyway, I was able to escape them when I went though some sort of shield that surrounded this place before they got to me. Feeling safe, I started to explore this place when the sun started to come up. I quickly hid in a shady alleyway like this one, and I found this old cloak. It's not much, but I am not going to turn into ashes." "This is awesome! Now, I'm not the only Mob in this world. You got to meet my friends." Shadow said excited. Long Shot shifted his bony hoof in the ground. "I don't know, I not sure if they will like my... look." "No way, we became friends after a while. So, I'm sure they will do the same to you. Plus, I could vouch for you if they see you as a threat." "Well... alright." Long Shot said convinced. "So, where are you friends?" "The last I saw them, they were inside the castle where they were planning a way to stop King Sombra and save the entire Crystal Empire." "Well, that's useful information." Long Shot said sarcastically. "Hey, I left them to check out something." Shadow countered. "Which was?" "...I, I don't know. I heard a voice in my head saying something about a heart." Shadow says as the duo started trotting out of the alleyway. "Do you think it means anything?" "I don't know, but maybe my friends might know wha-... was there a festival before we met each other in the alley?" Shadow and Long Shot (Who put the cloak back on.) looked on as they see numerous rows of stands filled with games and activities. It looks like when the Spleef Tournament comes to Craftia. Shadow did remember some group of misfits entering it. Especially, an Enderman who was smaller than a normal Enderman. He wished he could of said hi to them that day. "So, what does your friends look like?" Long Shot asked. "I have a couple of them, but one of them has a lavender coat, with purple mane and tail with a pink line streak, and she's a mare unicorn." Shadow edplained. "You mean like her over there?" He pointed. Far off from a distance, there was Twilight walking down the fair grounds, but she was looking a bit troubled. "Hey, that's her. Well, let's go meet her." Shadow declared. Long Shot nodded as Shadow teleported both of them over to Twilight and a familiar purple dragon. Shadow's Prov As I teleported with Long Shot to our destination, our lavender friend seemed to took off somewhere with the purple dragon. I looked around and I spotted them running down the fair ground and into the castle. Becoming curious, I grabbed hold of Long Shot again and teleported us into the castle. "Dude, where are we?" Long Shot asked a bit dizzy from the multiple trips. "I saw my friends, Twilight and Spike, come in here. I think they might be onto something on stopping Sombra. Although, I still don't know where she exactly; this place is huge." "Well then, I guess we'll have to search." Long Shot said as he trots away. "Meet me in the throne room if you find anything." I nodded as I started to searching. Sadly, after a few minutes of teleporting around the castle, I couldn't find anything or anypony. So, I decided to head back to the throne room, only to see Long Shot standing near a huge hole in the ground. "Hey, Long Shot?" I said trotting up to him. "What's with the hole? It wasn't there when we teleported in." "I saw that pony and dragon opened it and went down these stairs." "And you didn't call out for me a while ago because..." I raised my eyebrows. "Hey, she was using some sort of dark magic to open. I think it wouldn't be wise to scare off a unicorn with that much fire power." "Well I guess you have a point. Come on, we got to catch up to them." I say as I looked down." Sheesh... this place is bigger than I thought. Alright, Long Shot, hang on." I grabbed Long Shot and I teleported to the bottom of the staircase. Only, to see an open door that seems to lead outside. How can it go outside even though we just went deeper underground? Not only that, but there is more stairs that goes up to the top of the empire. "Do you think they went up?" Long Shot asked me. I looked to see both Twilight and Spike somehow sliding upside-down to the top. "Yep, I guess they found something at the top. Alright, one more try." I once more grabbed Long Shot and teleported us to the top of the staircase. Once we got our footing, the purple due finally came on sight. "What the?!" Twilight said loudly. "Shadow, how did you get here?! And who is that?" "I teleported both of us here." I explained. "As you can see, we are all on the top of the Crystal Empire. Also, this is my new friend, Long Shot." "Sup." He said. "Dude, what's up with the old cloak?" Spike pointed out. "It's for protection and to keep my identity a secret for now. Well... for my figure, you already know my name." "Okay? But-" "I don't want to be mean and break this conversation, but right know, we need that Cyrstal Heart." Twilight interrupted. "Crystal Heart?" I asked. "What is it? Is it something that'll stop King Sombra?" "Yes, the Crystal Ponies powers the Heart so it can keep the empire safe. Sombra hidden it somewhere nopony can find it. Let alone too scared to try to find it." She explains. "Well then, what are we waiting for? Grab it and let's do this!" Long Shot declared. Twilight trots to the Crystal Heart. As she was near it, the ground turned black and black crystal spikes roses from the ground and trapped Twilight in. "Twilight!" I yelled. "Are you alright?!" "Yes, I'm fine," She says as she teleports out of trap, only for her to get sucked back in. "But I can't get out. Sombra must of enchanted it so nopony can leave." I tried teleporting in myself, but my efforts is futile as it only shocks me each try. I looked around and noticed the sky has changed and the empire is starting to turn black with growing jagged spikes. Just then, a group of those Shadow minions appear out of nowhere and tried to get to Twilight, and ignoring us. Me and Long Shot went into action and defended off the Enderpony-want-a-be's I started thrashing and kicking while Long Shot starts shooting at them with flaming arrows. Did he learn to enchant something? "Where's the Crystal Heart?!" Twilight yelled from the other side. "It's right here!" Spike said with his arms crossed for some reason. "What do we do?!" 3rd Person Prov Shadow couldn't believe what was happening. They were finally able to get Crystal Heart, but there had to be a trap! Shadow looked out and sees that Sombra has finally broken though. This can't be happening, so many lives will be lost. That's when something within him snapped With a look of determination, he turned to the others. "I know what we're going to do." Shadow says as he trots over to the group. "Long Shot, can you protect Twilight from Sombra's minions if they come back?" "You don't have to tell me twice." Long Shot says as he prepared his bow with ice arrows this time. "Spike, you're going to be the one to take the Crystal Heart to the others." Shadow continues. "What?!" Both Spike and Twilight yelled. "Twilight, ponies' lives are at stake here. This is our only way to stop Sombra!" Twilight and Spike looked at each other, then with determination on there faces, they nobbed. "But wait," Twilight said. "What are you going to do?" Shadow turns and walks over to edge and looks down at the approaching shadowy tyrant. "I'm going to hold off Sombra and buy you guys some time." "WHAT?!" Everypony even Long Shot yells. "Dude, even I know this is crazy for me to dare." Long Shot said. "I know... Twilight, what ever happens, thank you and the girls for being my first friends." Shadow smiles softly. "Shadow, WAIT!!" Twilight yells, but Shadow has already jumped off edge and straight towards the upcoming storm. Sombra has finally broken through and was going to reclaim his Empire. All those years in the Artic North; trapped by those damn Royal Sisters, but all that was going to change. Just then, a black dot was coming down at a alarming speed. Sombra was confused, but soon got a face covered in crystal shard s as the unidentified object come into view. It was that Enderpony from his last encounter standing in a small crater. This angered Sombra, now he has to deal with this again. "You again?!" Sombra shouted. "Yes, it's me." Shadow took a defensive stance. "And you are not going to harm any ponies or my friends!" Sombra chuckled. "You don't stand against me mortal, but if you want to throw your life away, THEN SO BE!!" "Bring it!" Sombra turned solid again and charged at Shadow, but Shadow telelported out of sight. Sombra stopped and turned around, only to get punched in the face and sent flying. Sombra turned to shadow form and charged at Shadow again, only this time, he brought along a thundery storm along with him. Shadow tried to escape, but Sombra made his shot and black electricity formed around Shadow. Shadow couldn't move a muscle. "This is where this fights end. Have a happy after-life." Sombra says as he shoots a purple and green beam at Shadow. Shadow couldn't move, so he stayed and took the beam head-on. When it hit, he felt a lot of pain as his eyes turned from cloudy light purple into dark green and smoking purple. What Shadow saw next was memories of Minecrafters hunting him down and rejecting him, but what got him was an image of him in a cage made of iron bars and the girls just walking away with disgust in their faces. Shadow couldn't move as he was being pelted with rocks and stones by ponies. Shadow's eye started to twitch wildly as he shot straight up and faced at a surprised Sombra. DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!! I'LL KILL YOU!!! SCCCRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCHH!!! Quicker than lightning, Shadow teleported right up to Sombra and started punching him in the face with speed that rivals Rainbow Dashe's. Sombra then summoned a dark force that made a shock wave enough to push Shadow away. Sombra shot another beam, this time at the ground. Black cyrstals started to rapidly rise and headed straight towards at his opponent. Shadow than quickly teleported away and charged at Sombra. Before the dark king can make a move, Shadow shot his open jaw into Sombra's neck. Sombra screamed in pain as he turn into his shadow self, and escape his opponent's death grip. He slithered his away into a opening, but he started to flicker from his shadowy form and solid form as he turned his head towards Shadow. What... are you?" Sombra asked with his voice filled with pain. "My name is Shadow," Shadow says as his eyes glowed dark red. "And... I'm The Enderpony Master. Goodbye Sombra, I'll see you in the Nether." Shadow then teleported to Sombra and lifted him. He then threw the shadowy king into the air, and with all of his energy left, he shot a bright purple beam at Sombra. It kept the tyrant in mid-air, only for the beam to completely go straight through from his chest and out from his back. The formal king then exploded with his armor and parts of him scattered around and faded from existence. Shadow turned to the sky and made aloud victory screech that destroyed every window in the empire. Shadow feeling exhausted, turned around only to see a white light coming straight towards him. Soon, Shadow's vision turned white as he finally collapsed.