Ocean Village Ruins
Dusk
"You know you don't have to come with us, Daniel," Calvin said as he glanced over at Daniel. Daniel looked back at him and shook his head.
"I want to," Daniel responded as he glanced down at the letter that was in his hand. He then reached back into his inventory to put the letter back. As he did that, he looked back up at Calvin. "It's what she would've wanted me to do. I'm coming!"
Calvin put his hands up in the air and shrugged his shoulders. He took a step back from Daniel. "Okay. If you insist."
After Calvin had read the letter, Daniel had suddenly felt something he hadn't felt in a long time. Confidence. That's what he felt. He also remembered what his responsibility was too. Protecting his friends and fellow blockheads was one of many responsibilities he had. There was also a sense of guilt that he was feeling as well.
"I let them down, didn't I?" Daniel mumbled just loudly enough to where Calvin, Borris, and Darron could hear him. They all looked over at Daniel. Borris walked up to Calvin to give him his trident back. He held his arm out so that Calvin could take the trident out of his hand.
"Thanks," Calvin said as he grabbed his trident from Borris. After he did that, he looked back over at Daniel once more.
"Who'd you let down?" Calvin asked.
Daniel was staring down at the wooden planks that made up the pier. When Calvin said that, Daniel quickly raised his head and looked directly at him. He didn't think anyone heard what he had said, but they did.
"It doesn't matter. It's not important," Daniel said, "we have more important matters to tend to right now."
"He's right," Darron said after being silent for a while. He was agreeing to what Daniel had said. The matter at hand was stopping the Sirens. Whatever it is that's bugging Daniel, it'll have to wait.
Daniel hasn't been acting like a leader or a hero ever since the Golem Monster and Nightmare were defeated. His judgement and overall attitude has been clouded by the loss of some of his friends. Petra, EnderBrine, and HeroBrine. This adventure hasn't been the safest one either. Who knew the ocean could be such a dangerous, cruel place.
From here on out though, Daniel is going to be better. Try harder to be a leader. Try harder to become a better hero. All things he's slacked on doing in the past. Now that he finally read the letter, and knowing what Petra was wanting him to do this entire time, made Daniel feel somewhat at peace with her death now. He'll see her again one day. Not only will he see her again, but he'll be reunited with his parents as well as EnderBrine and HeroBrine and Elderon; who's real name was Jack.
Borris walked over to the end of the pier. He whistled as loudly as he could. Calvin and Daniel both turned their heads to look at him.
"What's he doing?" Daniel asked.
Calvin looked back at him. He scoffed and smiled. "MineLantians can't swim everywhere," Calvin said, "we have help from some of our friends."
"Friends?" Daniel asked.
As Borris whistled once more, two Dolphins suddenly jumped up out of the water nearby. Daniel quickly turned his head to look out at the vast and seemingly empty ocean. They splashed back down into the water and continued swimming towards everyone.
The only visible part of the dolphin was its dorsal fin. Their dorsal fins cut through the water like a ship's bow cut through the water. Nice and clean. They then dove back under the water. Daniel lost sight of them. Because it was getting dark, the water became less clear.
Daniel walked over to the edge of the pier. He leaned over slightly and looked down at the restless and disturbed water. When he did, the two Dolphins poked their heads up out of the water. Daniel jumped and screamed like a little girl.
Borris, Calvin, and Darron all laughed at him as he took a few steps back from the end of the pier. He looked over at everyone else and began mocking their laughter.
"Haha!" He said, "very funny. Laugh all you want."
"Daniel. Darron," Calvin said as he walked over to the end of the pier and looked down at the two Dolphins. He smiled down at them. He reached into his inventory to grab two freshly-caught salmon out. He tossed the fish up into the air. The Dolphins leaped up out of the water, catching the fish in midair in their mouths. They splashed back down into the water. Water went flying everywhere.
The only one to get wet was Daniel. Everyone else somehow remained dry. What the heck is going on? Were the Dolphins picking on him? When Daniel wiped the water off of his face, he looked over at everyone else. He saw that they were all dry and that he was the only one that had gotten wet.
"What? How? Huh!" Daniel said as he tried to figure out why he was the only blockhead to get wet.
"Meet Samson and Lola," Calvin said as he walked over to the end of the pier again. "Two of our many friends who help us travel across the ocean."
Darron walked over to the end of the pier and got down onto his knees. He leaned over and held his hand out. Samson and Lola both sniffed his hand. After they did that, they squealed and whistled.
"I think they like me," Darron said as he looked back over his left shoulder at Daniel. "You try Daniel."
"Can I dry off first?" Daniel asked.
"No need," Borris said as Daniel looked over at him.
"You'll just get wet again," Borris said, "no point in drying off."
Calvin again reached into his inventory to grab two turtle shells out. He walked over to Daniel and then over to Darron, giving them both a turtle shell. What were they supposed to do with these?
"Put them on your head, like a helmet," Calvin said, "they'll help you breathe underwater."
Daniel and Darron examined their turtle shells, wondering how they would help them breathe underwater. What's the secret? What's the catch?
"How are they going to help us breathe?" Daniel asked.
"They're coated with a potion we call potion of water-breathing," Calvin answered. "Now put them on so we can go."
Daniel and Darron then put the turtle shells on their heads. Darron stood back up as Daniel hesitantly walked over to the end of the pier. Borris walked up behind Daniel, looking back over his right shoulder at Darron and Calvin.
"Shh," Borris shushed.
Daniel heard Borris shush Calvin and Darron. But when he turned around to look at Borris, Borris pushed Daniel off of the pier. He fell back first into the water. When he resurfaced, Samson swam over to him to help him stay above water. Daniel gently grabbed onto Samson's dorsal fin and held it as he kicked his feet underwater.
"What was that for?" Daniel asked as he started laughing.
"Just trying to cheer you up. That's all," Borris responded as he too laughed.
"Well it worked," Daniel said as he scoffed and then looked down into the water. Samson was floating right next to him, squealing and whistling. He was communicating with Lola, who was his sister.
"Alright you guys," Calvin said, "let's get a move on."
As they prepared to embark on their journey back to MineLantis, the others who were on the hot air balloons were descending beneath the clouds. Everyone was tired and hungry. As for Notch and Ceres, they worried about how much longer the balloons could stay in the air. Soon the fire that was feeding the balloon the hot air would cease and go out. Then what would happen?
Ceres and Notch were leaning up against the side of the basket, keeping a close eye out for signs of land. There must be land somewhere right? Hopefully it wouldn't be too much longer until they found somewhere to land.
"Who knew it was so peaceful all the way up here," Notch said, "being able to fly doesn't come close to this. Not by a long shot."
Ceres glanced over at Notch. He smiled and giggled softly. Everyone else but one blockhead was sleeping. Notch and Ceres were the only two blockheads who were up besides the one who was controlling the fire. The fire in return was the thing supplying the balloon with hot air.
"I agree," Ceres said, "in fact, this is my first time on a hot air balloon. This is also the first time I've flown this high up in the air."
There was a full moon tonight. The moon was closer to the OverWorld than it usually is, making it seem monstrous in comparison to the OverWorld. The gentle breeze as the balloon continued to descend was refreshing. After a long, hot day, the cool night breeze felt good.
But just as everything seemed to be going okay, quaking sounds could faintly be heard. Ceres and Notch heard the quaking sounds and began looking in all directions. North. South. East. West.
"Are those ducks? Or Geese?" Ceres asked.
Notch shrugged his shoulders as he continued looking all around. "Not sure. My guess? Probably Northern Ducks."
"Where are they?" Ceres said as he suddenly leaned over the side of the basket and looked up. There he saw them, a small group of flying ducks. Their heads were green, and their bodies were brown. Their wings were a mixture of light brown and white colored feathers.
They were flying right towards the balloon. Ceres leaned back in and looked over at Notch. "How would someone go about turning this balloon?" Ceres asked.
"You can't," Notch responded, "you can't turn a balloon!"
"Which way is the wind blowing from?" Ceres said as he raised his hand up above his head to feel where the wind was blowing.
Notch leaned out over the basket and looked up in the direction where Ceres had looked up a moment ago. Then he saw what Ceres had seen.
DUCKS!
"Hey, I never caught your name," Ceres said as he approached the blockhead who was manning the flame keeping the balloon supplied with hot air.
The blockhead looked at Ceres, directly into his eyes. "Mason."
"Right, Mason," Ceres said, "we need to somehow turn left. The wind shifted directions and is now blowing east."
"Why?" Mason asked.
Ceres sighed heavily. There was no time for questions. "Give me the controls," Ceres said, "I'll do it myself."
But just as Ceres was about to grab onto the controls, a loud popping sound was heard. Ceres slowly turned his head to his right, looking directly over at Notch. Notch stared back at him.
"Get down," Ceres said to Mason, "this is gonna be one bumpy ride."
Notch knew what he had to do. He wouldn't do any good just standing around and making Ceres do all of the hard work. He looked over at Ceres once more. After he did that, he turned around and hopped over and out of the basket.
"NOTCH!" Ceres shouted as Notch suddenly reappeared, flying just a few feet away from the basket of the hot air balloon. Ceres stared at Notch as he flew away, disappearing out of view of Ceres.
Emerging from the clouds came Merlin and Leona. Flying behind them was Luna. They were alive! Ceres and Notch had thought they died when the t.n.t detonated to blow the golem monster up.
Merlin and Leona flew as fast as they could over to the bottom of the basket. Notch had flown under the basket and began attempting to keep the balloon from falling any faster than it already was.
"Merlin? Leona?" Ceres questioned as he watched them fly under the balloon. He looked back and saw Luna flying a ways back behind the hot air balloon. "Luna?"
All of this commotion had awoken everyone who was sleeping. As everybody was waking up, they all began realizing what was going on. Panic quickly erupted.
As Ceres desperately tried to control the balloon, and no matter how hard he tried, nothing could save the balloon. Except, there was someone who could save everyone. Luna, that's who!
Ceres had given up on trying to control the balloon's direction. It was rapidly losing hot air, the balloon itself deflating very fast. Down below, Merlin and Leona both came to Notch's assistance. He was surprised to see them.
"You guys are alive?" Notch asked in shock and awe. "How?"
Merlin and Leona both didn't respond. There was simply no time to. Time was of the essence. Notch understood that and didn't ask any follow up questions.
Luna roared as loudly as she could, scaring the children who were huddled up by their parents, including Ava. Notch, still under the basket, was struggling to keep the balloon airborne. Even with Merlin and Leona's help, the balloon was still falling out of the sky fast.
Where are the others? Are they okay?, he thought mentally to himself.
"Notch!" Merlin shouted, "look! There's an island up ahead!"
Notch looked up and ahead of him. There indeed was an island. It was breathtaking. A massive, tall mountain that was so tall that it overlooked the clouds. As Notch got a closer look though, he realized that it wasn't a mountain. It was hollow on the inside. There was a bright reddish-orangish glow coming from the inside of this deceiving mountain.
"Anyway Luna could give us a push in that direction?" Notch asked as he looked back at Merlin and Leona.
Leona turned her head to her right to look at Merlin. She nodded her head at him. He nodded his back at her.
"Leona's going to let go, okay?" Merlin shouted, "this thing is about to get a little heavier when she does. Don't panic."
"This thing is already heavy as is!" Notch shouted back at Merlin.
Leona then suddenly let go. She flew backwards and further back from the balloon. She then looked up. Luna was flying over her. She could feel the downdraft Luna was creating every time she flapped her wings.
"Luna!" Leona shouted.
Luna looked down at Leona. Without saying anything more, Leona simply pointed at the falling hot air balloon. Luna roared in response as she began diving down towards the balloon.
"Atta girl!" Leona shouted as she began cheering for Luna.
Luna to the rescue!
As Luna got closer to the balloon, she started flapping her wings less. She was gliding right next to the balloon. Everyone onboard looked over at her, confused on what she was doing. Was she going to help? Or was she going to just fly next to them?
"Luna," Merlin shouted from underneath the basket, "hurry up girl. We're going to slam into the water any moment now!"
Merlin was indeed right on his claims. The balloon was getting ever so closer to the ocean surface. That was somewhere where nobody wanted to end up. Everyone onboard was clinging onto the sides of the basket so that they wouldn't fall out of it.
"I think she wants us to jump onto her back," Ceres said, "everyone make your way over to the basket hatch-door!"
"Are you crazy?" Natasha shouted, "I'm not letting Ava go anywhere near the edge of this basket! You're out of your mind!"
Ceres sighed as he ran over to the hatch door. He opened it. When he did, it swung open, breaking the hinges that were keeping it attached to the basket. "Ope. That's not good!" Ceres mumbled to himself.
Just as everyone had thought their lives were going to end, a glimmer of hope came to the rescue. It was Victoria and Frederick. They hoovered next to the basket, looking inside the basket at everyone. They didn't say anything to anyone.
"Anytime now girl!" Merlin shouted.
Frederick flew upwards, flying over to the spot where the hole had burst through the leather that made up the balloon. He flew over to the hole and examined it briefly before concluding what he should do.
As he began repairing the tare in the balloon, Victoria flew into the basket. She landed on her feet. Her hair was blowing all over the place because of the wind.
"Long time, no see," Victoria said as she glanced over at Ceres.
"Right back at you," Ceres said.
"Everyone remain calm," Victoria said as a bright yellow haze began glowing all around her body. Her eyes turned all white. "Don't panic. Frederick and I will get you all to safety."
She then closed her eyes and raised both of her arms up above her head. When she did that, a bright yellow force field began forming all around the hot air balloon. She was putting a protective shield up to protect everyone from acquiring injuries.
"What are you doing girl?" Merlin shouted as he looked over to his right. When he did that, he saw the bright yellow shield forming. "What the heck?" He questioned as he stared at the shield.
Once the shield was fully around the balloon, the extreme eight of the balloon mysteriously got lighter and lighter. Were Notch and Merlin finally lifting the balloon back up into the air? Both Notch and Merlin looked down at the incoming water.
"On the count of three," Merlin shouted to Notch as they both continued to stare down at the water. "Take a deep breath in, okay?"
"Got it," Notch responded as he closed his eyes.
"One, two, three," Merlin shouted, "now! Take a deep breath in!"
Merlin followed what Notch was doing. He too closed his eyes. Justas they thought they were going to hit the water, nothing happened. No splashing was heard or felt. When Merlin and Notch opened their eyes, they finally found out why they weren't in the water.
They both looked up at the bright night sky. The balloon was no longer above them or beneath them. In fact the balloon was far ahead of them. It was still descending, but at a much slower rate. Victoria was seen standing in the basket. Her entire body was still glowing a bright yellow.
"What the heck?" Notch questioned as he stared at the hot air balloon. "How did they get that far away from us already?"
"I don't know," Merlin said as he shrugged his shoulders, "but we should catch up to them. It looks like, from what I can tell, the balloon will safely land on that island."
As they both began flying towards the balloon, everyone who was in the basket began pleading for their lives. Their only hope is that they'll land safely without getting hurt. As the hot air balloon got closer to the island, a female blockhead pointed at what she was seeing.
"It's them!" She shouted, "they made it to the island safe and sound!"
There was a sudden jolt as the balloon landed somewhat roughly onto the sandy beach. Victoria lowered her arms. Her body stopped glowing, and her eyes turned back to normal. She was no longer protecting the balloon or the blockheads on it. Once the balloon touched down, everyone who was in the basket scurried as quickly as they could out of the basket.
One blockhead jumped out of the basket and onto the sandy ground. He got down onto his knees and began feeling the tan-colored sand. "Oh how I miss being on land. Just glad everyone's alright. Frederick came descending down from the sky, landing on his feet next to Victoria. The two of them stood next to each other.
The blockheads who were on the other balloon came running over to everyone to greet them. The others were all worried about them, including Toby as well. Toby ran over to Ceres and Notch.
"Are you guys alright?" Toby asked, "you all made us worried about you."
Ceres scoffed. "We're all fine thanks to Luna, Merlin and Leona," he stated.
"Don't forget about us too Ceres," Victoria said loudly as Ceres looked back over his right shoulder at Victoria and Frederick, "we did most of the work."
Ceres looked away from them and refocused his attention back on Toby. As they continued to converse with each other, the downdraft from Luna's constant flapping wings. Toby looked up at Luna and became very excited suddenly. He was anxiously waiting for Luna to land safely down on the beach. When she did, Toby sprinted over to her and smiled.
"How's it going girl?" Toby asked as he looked up into Luna's big purple eyes. She looked down at Toby and groaned. No she didn't groan because she was hurt or anything. That was her way of responding to Toby.
Luna meant the world to Toby. Before Sam, Toby's father, passed away, he gave Luna to him. His father told him to take good care of Luna. That's exactly what he's been doing ever since.
"Hey, you!" A female blockhead shouted as she looked over at the tree line of a dense, small forest. She had heard the bushes being rustled, meaning they were either being watched or an animal was moving around behind them.
The blockhead captured the attention of everyone else. They all looked in the same direction as her. "Come on out. We don't bite," she joked.
Then, after the bushes rustled once more, a little girl came walking out. She was wearing a pink shirt, blue capri's and black sandals. She had long and curly brown hair and brown eyes.
Natasha and her husband looked over at the child, wondering where her parents were. Why was she all alone? Was she lost? Natasha bent over, resting her hands on her legs. "What's your name sweetheart?" She asked.
The little girl was very shy. "Annabelle," she mumbled.
"It's nice to meet you—," Natasha said as she was suddenly interrupted by a shouting male blockhead voice.
"Annabelle!" The voice shouted. The bushes rustled as he sliced through them with his machete. "There you are. You had your mother and I worried sick."
"Sorry papa," Annabelle responded as she turned around to look at her father.
As her father approached her, Ceres turned around to look at them. When he did, he recognized the little girl's father. He frowned and got very mad all of a sudden.
"Henry!" Ceres shouted loudly, "if it isn't the traitor himself!"
Henry looked up away from Annabelle and over at the group of blockheads. He stared right at Ceres who said his name. He had a surprised look on his face when he saw Ceres.
"Well, well, well," Henry said, "if it isn't the Wizard himself."
"You and I need to talk!" Ceres said as he began walking over to Henry and Annabelle. Annabelle ran behind Henry's back to hide from Ceres. He had scared her because of how mad he was.
"Okay, okay," Henry said as he put his arm out in front of him. Ceres stopped walking. "Let's talk somewhere private. I'm not the blockhead I used to be. I've changed."
"Right!" Ceres said as he scoffed, "and you expect me to believe that?"
"I do," Henry responded, "I'm not the power hungry blockhead I used to be, I swear!"
"Uh huh," Ceres responded.
As Ceres continued to bicker with Henry, and while the others were still settling down after what had happened, Daniel and Darron, and Borris and Calvin were arriving at MineLantis.
Daniel was riding on Samson's back with Calvin, while Darron was riding on Lola's back with Borris. As they swam closer to MineLantis, the immensely beautiful underwater Kingdom began to reveal itself.
A tall wall, made of smooth quartz, circled all the way around the entire Kingdom. The buildings were also made of quartz as well, along with some chiseled sandstone. But the buildings weren't in perfect condition though. Every building that Daniel and Darron could see had damage. Noticeable damage.
But then, in the center of the entire kingdom was the crown jewel itself—the Castle itself. The castle also had noticeable damage. The four towers at each corner of the castle were all destroyed. But most of the tower still remained standing.
Hundreds of tropical fish, other dolphins, and small friendly sea lions were swimming all over MineLantis. Two large and massive whales could be seen swimming around, flapping their tail up and down slowly, while swinging their side fins to keep them balanced out.
"Daniel," Calvin said, "Darron. Welcome to—MineLantis."