This story is almost to a close, dear traveler....
Chapter 9: Pt. 2: Moving Target[]
Toby fired an energy beam that destroyed the front castle doors of Cataclysm Peak. He walked inside, with his sword unsheathed. Tamma and James walked ahead, ready for a fight, but no creepers were around to fight. Toby put away his sword, confused. "Where the heck are they?", he asked. Sierra and Tony inspected the foyer of the castle, while Toby, James and Tamma looked around the lobby. "Who just leaves a whole castle unguarded?", Tamma said. She looked around a bit more, axe in hand. After a few more minutes, Sierra called over to everyone else suddenly. Everyone was shocked to see a cave entrance, leading deep down into the world. James kneeled, then looked down to the gravel floors. Footprints. MOB footprints. "They went this way...", James said with a serious face. Toby cracked his knuckles. "Well, then! Let's g-", he began. He was interrupted by an unexpected exploson, which knocked everybody off their feet. James stood, then drew his bow. But, he fearfully lowered it, and gaped in horror. Hundreds of creepers gathered around the team with a harmonized 'HISSSSSS'. The others stood to their feet, and backed up to the entranced. They pulled out their weapons, and readied themselves. But, James gave a nod to Toby. "We need to save Carlotta. This is just a distraction.", he whispered. The Creepers slowly stalked their way towards the teens. Toby gave a slight nod. "Guys. Can you hold these goons off? This should only take a sec." Tamma gave a nod, then ran into the crowd, jumping up on a ledge. Sierra and Tony then made their way through, while Tamma kicked multiple creepers watching from the upper levels of the castle. James signaled Toby to follow him, then disappeared down the entrance. Toby quickly followed.
Minutes later, Toby and James sprinted down the halls of the abandoned mineshaft, carefully following the creeper prints. They finally came to the dirt room, where Carlotta was being held captive. Toby and James hid behind two wood pillars on both sides of the entrance. Toby took out his sword, while James took out 3 arrows. "What's the plan?", Toby whispered across the hallway. James looked through the entrance. Carlotta was tied up to the highest pillar of TNT, with 12 creeper guards roaming the room. The Creeper King sat on a throne of cobblestone, holding the flint and steel. James sat back down. "Distract, then attack....", James said with a sneer. Toby nodded. He then burst from the hiding spot, smacking a guard away into a pillar. The other guards were enraged, charging at Toby, who gladly obliged, blocking headbutts with his sword. Carlotta was stunned, then relieved. As Toby battled the guards, James leaped, and climbed up the pillars of TNT to Carlotta, who smiled with glee. James smiled back, then proceeded to cut the ropes. But the king rose, and headbutted the pillar, knocking James off his feet and down below. James landed hard on his back, which caused it to bleed. Toby became backed up against the wall by two guards. "James! Hurry up!", Toby yelled. He kicked a guard into another, then continue to fight. James stood to his feet, then took a stance. "Ah, ah. One step, and this whole place is up in flames....", the Creeper King said. The flint and steel was in his leg, dangling precariously over a TNT block. But James immediatley reacted, tackling the king, forcing him to drop the TNT. James reached for his bow, and prepared to shoot an arrow, but was interuppted by a headbutt from the king, sending his arrow into the TNT next to Carlotta. Carlotta smirked, then tried to reach for the arrow. She finally grasped it's feather, then yanked. The arrow was released, but gunpowder began to spill out...
James drop kicked the Creeper King, who kept scrambling for his flint and steel. James then grabbed his bow, and put it around the king's neck. James let out a grunt, but was suddenly flipped off, and kicked to the other side of the room. The Creeper King quickly dashed for the flint and steel, but was smashed by an unconcious guard. Toby gave a thumbs up to James, who nodded back, and dashed for the tool.
Meanwhile, Carlotta finally cut herself loose, and began to sneak down the TNT pillar. But, the creeper king tossed off the unconcious guard, into the pillar, knocking Carlotta off. James turned, then sprang into action, catching Carlotta at the last second. Carlotta buried her face in James's shirt, then looked up with a smile. She immediatley kissed him, leaving James dumbstruck. Toby sighed. "Ain't that cute....", he said sarcastically. He ran over to the two, and bonked them with the flat end of his sword. "GET A ROOM THAT'S NOT ABOUT TO BE BLOWN UP!!!!", Toby yelled. The two then seperated, then blushed.
The creeper king, now enraged, crawled over to the flint and steel, then tossed it maniacally at the three. But, it slightly curved, flying past them. "FAIL!", Toby yelled. He threw up his hands, then laughed. But Carlotta and James immediatley heard a 'CLICK'. With fear in their eyes, they turned to witnessed that the gunpowder from earlier has burst into flames, and was traveling towards the TNT! Toby then turned around, and gaped in horror. "Cubes....", he whispered.
The three sprinted for the exit, but Carlotta stopped to see her bruised father on the floor. She sighed, facepalmed, then draped her father over her shoulders, then continued to run. The two finally made it to the cave entrance when....KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOMM! The TNT exploded, demolishing the whole mineshaft, and most of the cave. The multiple explosions slowly made their way up to the teens. Back on the surface, Tony finshed off one last creeper, throwing it into a heap of unconcious creepers. Tamma and Sierra high-fived, and Tony dusted off his shirt. Suddenly, the lobby floor began to vibrate. "What the heck?", Tamma whispered. James, Carlotta, and Toby burst from the cave, covered with dust. "FREAKIN' RUN!!!", Toby yelled. Without thinking, everyone sprinted for the door. "WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT IN TIME! THAT CAVE RUNS THROUGH THE WHOLE CASTLE FLOOR!", Carlotta yelled through the noise. The cave entrance exploded behind them. Tamma and Toby grabbed eachother's hands, then formed an aura around the group. Without warning, the group instantly teleported...
Moments later, the group crumpled to the ground. Tamma rubbed her head. "Where....are we?", she said confused. She looked over to Toby, who gasped in awe. The rest of the group looked up, and joined him. After weeks of searching. They had finally found it..
The ruins of Silver City.....