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Chapter Text

The sky could never be bluer. Luscious green grass and tree branches sway in the wind. Birds in a bustle as they hunt for seeds. You love hanging out in the forest line, watching cows and chickens as they wander around with no real purpose. While you in contrast came for wood. Having nothing to your name you needed to get things done before the first night rolls around. 

Cutting down trees with no tools did prove difficult, but it is nothing you can't handle. After all, you were pretty strong. So a tree should be nothing for you. But you did get almost six trees' worth of stuff. Looking over what you got as you walked through the woods came to three apples, almost a full stack of sticks, a good 33 stacks of oak logs, and six spruce wood. You also had a small stack of oat saplings and a single spruce sapling.
Needless to say, it was looking good for you so far! You were feeling good about it too as you quickly made a crafting bench and put together some wooden tools. Taking your wooden axe, you pick up the table and head off. 

Further into the woods.

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The oak forest slowly shifts in temperature, as the snow starts to drift down from the spruce trees. Pines lick your sides as you look around at the snowy plane. You rub your arms from the cold as it pricks your exposed skin. You had found a few cows, you had made yourself some leather boots and a leather chest plate. You weren't cold, but you weren't warm either.

But you had just set your eyes on a cave. A good start as the sun is getting ready to set. Thinking about it, it would be better to mine as you waited for the night to pass. Seeing as you had no bed yet. Even though it was just you, you did end up going for that plan. As no one could tell you it was a bad or good plan. 
You didn't even think about it as you cut down one more spruce tree, bringing your spruce log count to 27. But your wooden axe is not doing too well. It almost looks like it's at half of its life. However, you simply think nothing of it as you walk right into the mouth of the cave. 

As the darkness swallows you whole.

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Coal was quick to come across. Iron was a close second, but still a bit more of a newsince. However, you did find about three raw ingots within the first few minutes in the cave. Along with a good stack of 32 torches, exploring the cave was quick. 
Exming the stone walls for the precious ores in hopes of a vine, you place a torch within range of another as it gets darker. If there was one thing you were scared of, it was the darkness. Heights was a close second, but darkness. That was the worst offender when it came to different fears.
You place yet another torch as you look down into a vast cavern. A ravine! Lava flowed from a never-ending source and coiled with water. Two bats screech at one another as their flapping wings echo off the cave walls. Drip stones hang from the ceiling, and a few more cling to the floor near the small patch of water. It was a large ravine with a good amount of ores. Coal and iron shinned from the lava's glow, but also, lapis. A good find this early, but your shabby stone pick would do nothing but break the ore down as you grind it out of the wall. You would have to get that iron first.

Slowly, you crouch over the ledge and start putting down some cobble. Building out a stairway and bridge downward to the closest vein of iron. As you even out with the cluster of iron, a sudden pain hits you in your shoulder. You yelp at the sudden and intense pain. Your hand flew into your shoulder. And applying pressure on the throbbing area. Your eyes scour the darkness. The lava does nothing to light up the area. The ravine is large, with only a small pool of lava lit up the base of the cavern.

You climb back up the stairs. A small frantic scurry as you continue to look around. You reach the lip of the wall, at the top of your staircase, looking back near the other leadge to see if you could find the mob that pulled the arrow on you. You pull your sword as you calm yourself down. 

Then the faint sound of bones rattling fills the cave. Bouncing off of the stone walls. You squint, as you pull a torch in your off-hand. Eying the wall on the adjective side. Another cave, with a white thing looking up at you and then glancing away. It wanders back into the black inky abyss of the small cave. You sigh as you place a torch on the staircase.
You grunt. The arrow still making your arm throb in pain. To the best of your ability, you try to feel your way around the spot. Blood was pouring out, that much was understood. The good news was that the shot was not too deep. But pulling it out will leave a scar.

The leather tunic was a good investment it would seem, as it took most of the arrow's speed. Grasping and ungrasping the arrow in your shoulder, as you start to debate with yourself on pulling out the arrow or not. You did have some cooked beef that would help with the healing. But it was going to hurt. You decide to bite the bullet. Griting your teeth you pull out the arrow. However, it does get snagged on your tunic. Resulting in a bit of a gash. 

You do let out a small groan of discomfort and pain. You shove the cooked beef in your mouth as you inspect the arrow. It looked worn and had some damage of age, or maybe water damage. From what you could tell from the wood in between it. But it was old.
Fitting for a skeleton. Seeing as they were bone, and well, old.

You chew the last of your beef, your shoulder is already feeling better. You finger around your shoulder as you get up and look back over the edge. A strange unknown cave noise danced in your ears as you looked back into the darkness where the skeleton had shot you.
Just another reason to be afraid of the dark.

The wound seemed to have scabed over. Meaning it was slowly healing. Which was good. However you needed to get that iron, if there were five more pieces, that meant you could make an iron chest plate. Giving more arrow protection than the tunic that was on half a health. Gingerly, you stepped down the makeshift stairs, one inch at a time. As you got closer to the iron, you looked over to see if the skeleton was still there. To your current luck, it was not.
You were not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, as you pulled out your pick and started digging away at the iron. There were only four pieces, not quite as much as you were hoping. But you did have more iron all over the walls of the ravine.

You just had to bridge to them.
Most of the ores were on the other side. The side for where that skeleton was. But, you needed to get that iron. Even if it killed you.

When you bridged over to say it was like daylight was an understatement. You lit that cavern up. The main ravine at least. You had not gone into that cave yet. After all, you still need that iron and to smelt it. And so there you were watching the furnace as the iron smelt. You were still plucking ores, but you wanted a break. Once more crewing mindlessly on some beef as you checked on and off on your iron. You didn't get much, but you also weren't poor now. 14 iron ingots was a good number to be sitting at currently.

A smile graced your lips, as you made iron pants and an iron pickaxe. A chest plate was next on your list. You turn to relocate the lapis, but suddenly another arrow lodges itself into the wall beside you. You jump. Turning to see the skeleton was back, and already loading an arrow. 

You didn't think, already pulling out your sword, and sprinting around your furace and crafting table. Your eyes locked on its bow as it pulled into a full draw and a fast release. You just barely dodge the arrow, as it flies past your arm. Ripping your brown leather tunic again. However, the mod was in range.
You jump and swing. The sword landed strong on the skull of the skeleton, cracking it at the left socket, but the skeleton still had some fight in it. As it had knocked another arrow and was pulling. You hit the ground and jumped again, letting down another swing of your stone sword. This time it was the skeleton's drawing arm.

The arrow released and, with not much power in it, flew past you and onto the ground. It took you a second to tell that its drawing arm was fractured but not broken. And the skeleton took no time in pulling a new arrow. However, neither did you, as you had already had your sword in swing and pulled it down on its skull once more. This time shattering its head into bits and dust. 

The bow fell from its phalanges, as the body tipped back from the shock of the attack. Scattering the skull dust a bit as it hit the cave floor. You huffed, as you stared at the remains of the skeleton. Almost in a daze as your adrenaline slowly came down.

Shaking your head, you look back over the defeated mob. Grabbing its half-dead bow, and singular arrow. You would have taken its bones too for bonemeal, however, they did not look to be in the best condition. So you choose to leave the body as it was.

You turn to your furnace. Ready to grab the other 16 you had so you could make that iron chest plate, and get that lapis. Only to get jumped again. This time by a cave spider descending onto you from what looked like a jump. Your reflexes kick back into hyperdrive as you dodge it. The spider hisses as it turns around, looking you down. As it starts to lunge toward you. You ready your stone sword again, ready for a round two, till you hear more hisses behind you.

You dodge the small cave spider again and manage to see a mine shaft bridge above you. Opting to not ask how you didn't see that before, you choose to leave. As much as you would love to have could 16 iron ingots, your life, and current items were more important. 

You quickly locate the cobblestone stairs, and you make a break for it. Pushing yourself up the makeshift steps. The spider's hiss, hot on your heels. Crawling up the cave walls as well as the stairs. You start to sweat, as some of the cave spiders block off the top of the stairs. Your way out was blocked. As much as you would like to fight off that spider to get back to safety, it was too much of a risk.

In your quick thinking, you remembered the dark tunnel that the skeleton came out of. It was looking like your only safe route. Even if it was unlit still. You make a break for it anyway. You jump from the stairs and toward the open cave. Just barely making the jump you race off down the tunnel. Making sure a torch was active in your offhand as you ran. You didn't even bother to look back to see if the spiders were following you. You could hear their hisses.

You ran. Ran with no thoughts, no plan of how to get out or where to go. You could hear the hisses, were slowing down, but not by too much. So you keep running. You cannot feel the sweat pouring from your head, or the squeezing pain of your lungs as you run. You can only see the gray and black smear of the cave. Blending into one big mess. Tunnel vision fills your side vision being forced to ignore the ores you were first looking for flashing by you. 

You come to a crosshair, a tunnel up and path down. You know going down would be easier, but going up means the surface. You check to see what blocks you had. Wood is too valuable, so it would have to be Cobble. You threw the Cobble in your hands as you placed one and then up on it. And just as quick place two more, one on top of each other and jump on that one till you make the jump up. You take a second to look back, you can still hear them. However, the cave walls keep bouncing the noises back and forth like a tennis ball. What you can make out for sure, is the sounds of their legs. Tapping quickly on the ceiling, or maybe it was the floor. Hell, they could even be on the wall.

But you don't wait to find out, as you place as much cobblestone as you can to block the opening. And you had just enough for the four-by-five cave tunnel. You let yourself rest for a moment. Placing down one of your 11 torches. You gasp for air. A hand on one of the cave's walls to help steady yourself from falling over from the tunnel vision now turning into black and soon white dots in your eyes. An odd static-like effect that calms as you squeeze your eyes shut. You can hear the cave spider hisses from the other side of the cobblestone wall. You can still hear their feet scratching at the walls and floor as they seem to linger near the wall. And slowly disappear. 

"Okay. Hardcore is much..." You pause as you shutter in a breath.

"harder than I expected it to be." You sigh to yourself quietly. A small smile grows on you, as you think it is funny. But you knew if anyone else had heard it, they would be groaning. 

You take a second to get back up and take in the new part of the cave you were in. The tunnel was still a void. A small line of goosebumps runs down your spine as you think of just what else is in that ghastly void. More cave spiders, or skeletons. As much as you hated the idea of walking around in the void with your limited amount of torches, being in the cave and coming back out at night was an even worse thought. 

You walked deeper into the cave. The path was steadily going up.

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You walk through the cave, not too sure just how much time has gone by since you blocked off that entrance. You were also unsure if you were going in a circle, as you swore you had seen some of the carved-out spots from where you took out ores. Last you had counted, you had about seven Iron, and maybe three gold. Coal was proving to be harder to find this deep in. But you were still going up.

At least you think you were.

This cave was like a maze. Back and forth, most of the time up, and a few down points. But it was mostly going up. And your usual tactic of placing torches was proving a bit harder. As you only had seven left, you had placed a few down to prove you were not going in circles. And seeing as you had not come across them, meant this was just more cave. And the momentary cave noises did not help you with staying calm in this endless dark space.

But the darkness did start to fade a bit as you came to a large room that funneled up. A large mouth of the cave opens to a small sliver of light. Some stars fading and the colors of pruples to more aquas and blueish pink hues.

You gasped, "SUNLIGHT!" 

Practically crawling out of the cave's lip as you threw down some cobblestone and pillared up. Your feet made crunching sounds as you made contact with the grass. You breathed in. Taking in the fresh surface air. Crisp and clean, and not stale and dusty. 

You also had come out of the caves during the day! What fantastic timing you have so far. 

You sigh in relief and take a look around. Behind you was a massive mountain that was a mix of oak wood and spruce forest again. The mountain seemed to lead into a river on the right and a plane biome that stretched far in front of you. The mountain also seemed to make a small bowl with how it was cupping the planes. You did see something else. A more house-like structure. 

You squint your eyes a bit, "Is that a..."

You start walking toward the structure, letting you look around some more. You can see some pigs and sheep mindlessly eating grass, or making their mod sounds. As various wildflowers sway in the wind with the grass. Hiding some of the animals from sight, like the chickens. Clouds slowly drift off in the sky, almost lazily so. It was very calming.

Daytime was truly the best time. No doubt about it. 

As the structure came more into view you could tell it was wood. Oak wood logs and oak wood planks, some cobblestone on the base of the house. Along with glass planes that rest in the building snuggly. But soon, more builds came into view.

There was no doubt that you had just found a village. 

Chapter Text

You are so happy right now.

Village on day two is something that speedrunners usually only get to see so early. You had never seemed to have that much luck before. But now, you have just found a village two days in. To not be ecstatic would be a crime by any Minecrafter's standards. 

You walk in and start looking around in chests, as well as a head count of villagers. There were roughly seven houses and twelve villagers. There was even one iron golem. Which was pretty good! You didn't want to decommission him for iron, you were hoping you could find some in the chests as you looked. The iron golem was a good sign for you as you wouldn't have to deal with every mob. Just creepers, once you made more arrows for your bow.

On the chests, however, you had been finding a lot of sticks, apples, and leather scraps. Some iron nuggets as well as bones, along with some coal. All in all. This village was a dud.
However, there was a blacksmith in the center of the town. Although you were not expecting much, as so far the villagers that you can trade with, look as though they may need to be refreshed. You kept some hope as you walked into the blacksmith, but you still were ready to see more coal and iron nuggets. Maybe even some gold if you were lucky. You could take some gold so you could make a clock or something.

Nonetheless, you walk in. Opening the chest. Ready to see more sticks and saplings, the bread was nice, but there was something else you were not expecting. Three whole diamonds looking back at you. 
You had to manually blink for a moment. Was this real after all the dud chests, or just your mind playing with you? You even closed the chest and reopened it.

Yeah, they were diamonds. Just sitting there.

You took them out and held them. The achievement rang in your head. You had never found diamonds in a village before. You had known people could find some, but you had never seen it happen before. You could barely contain yourself as you leaped for joy, "Diamonds! I got some diamonds!" 

You outside and twirled around a villager singing something about diamonds. After exhausting yourself in your momentary happiness, you placed down a new crafting table. You nibbled on some chicken as you arranged the pieces for a diamond pickaxe. But you stopped yourself. You already had an iron pickaxe, was a diamond good to have as well? Or would it be a waste while you still have your iron pick? 

You started to stare at the table. Wondering if a sword would have been better for the diamond or if the pick was really worth it. It was a little more tough. You even started to reason that the sword would be better, as you could also make yourself a diamond shovel. But a diamond was much more efficient than an iron one was. However, iron can still mine every block besides obsidian. And you had no plans for the nether this early in. 

It was a full-on reason debate in your head. You have had these talks with yourself before, sure. But it was really hard to pinpoint just what you should do with only three diamonds. So, in your moment of reason, you would wait for a bit before making anything with them. 

You slid them into the far corner of your pockets for now. A good place for them. You looked up at the sky, which was almost in the middle of the sky. You needed a house. And you needed one soon before the second night.

You did another walk of the village. Wandering around the open space around the village. See where the best place would be to build your home to watch over the village. There was a pretty good-sized chunk of the mountainside that lay behind the village. Just high enough to put a home, or look-out tower with. It also did not help that you loved building bunker-like homes on the sides of mountains. 

So, like that it was settled, you were going to build your home, overlooking the village on the mountain. There were even a few dark oak trees amongst the spruce and oak. You had quite a range of colors to work with, sure most of it was darker in tone. But you couldn't have asked for better. As birch was too light for your palette at the moment, and would not match the village too well. Without too much delay, you started collecting the dark oak and replanting it. 

Planting one more tree, you shift your way from the lip of the forest line. Wandering back down to clear a space for your watch tower home. It was a bit more dull than you had hoped for. So you mindlessly focused in on the animals around you. Hearing the pigs scutter across the ground, with momentary oinking. Some sheep graze lazily as they shantered slowly around the trees and flowers. There were some bird sounds, but you never really saw the birds themselves. But, you didn't seem to mind it. Although there was a more strange sound. One you weren't sure about. Almost like footsteps, or far-off ones. But looking towards it, all you saw were chickens.

Two from the looks of it. One of them was moazying along, while the other, was staring right at you. A sudden shutter lined your back. Leading with goosebumps. A strange sound echoed in your head. You quickly turned your head and quickly ran off, back to your little village. 

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When you got back, you started clearing the space on the ridge line to build the house. However, the chicken was hard to remove from your mind. It came back in momentary flashes. Its betty black eyes and white feathers, stare you down from the edge of your render distance. The strange moment had felt as though it was longer in your mind than what it was. The mindless placing of stone bricks and dark oak logs had helped you keep yourself focused, but you were also still replaying the moment in your head. Analyzing it, over and over.

"Surly it's just a coincidence right?" The words slipped from your mouth as you thought. Placing spruce planks and dark oak logs, building up to your second and soon third layer.

After all, it had to be a coincidence. There was no other way to explain it. After all, you had no mods added in. 

It was just you, and this little village.

You placed the last planks quickly. Oak planks sat where you planned to put the glass. But your small perch's foundation and walls were built! Dark oak pillars helped to pull the base over the ledge a small bit, and cobblestone stairs let you climb up and down to the village. There was even a set you had planned to build in the back to make it quicker for you to go into the woodline. The build was a two-story building, with some more barn-like features. Large thin windows with two spruce double doors. A part of the back of it was built into the mountain, but that was more or less on purpose.
Either way, it was a very nice build. One of your better ones if you could say so. Now you just needed to put down cobblestone slabs for your flooring and a stone brick roof with some dark oak accenting you would be set! But it was getting dark.

You looked up to gauge your remaining time. The sky was bathed in pinks and purples. Starts slowly dot the sky And it was going to be night soon. And you still have no bed. Thinking about it, you could just take a bed from one of the houses. Which, is a better idea than just staying up again. You needed your spawn point reset to the house, so you wouldn't need to run back. Including at night. 

You did want to finish your roof first. Then you would go and get the bed. After all, you could get the roof done super quick, get a bed, and the next day make the house look better on the inside, and then cave for the night.

Yep! You had a plan.

The roof was proving to be more difficult. This led to the night coming in for full effect, but your roof was done! If not for a few changes.
How you had it planned at first was to have dark oak logs for the outer edges and then there would be stone brick stairs for three blocks till you reached the middle. With dark oak as each in-between. But then you stripped one of them by accident and started to like the stripped version as the inbetweeners more than just the log. Leading to some more time on the roof than you had expected to do.
Which was fine. You guessed. Either way, you needed to go down to the village, grab a bed, and then come back. Simple and quick.

Looking down from the roof to make the best plan of action before just jumping down. The porch was lit with torches and your doors were solidly in place. However, there were two zombies below you. Moans and gurgling rise from their throats as they look up at you. Hand clawing through the open air. Swiping and slashing making a tangible threat at you. 
But you could get past them. You just needed to land on your stone brick wall and jump down to the ground. And you should be good to run. However, there were a few more zombies on their way, but you were more worried about the skeletons and creepers.

But, with your escape plan in place, you let yourself fall onto the stone brick wall that was connected to the dark oak log support beam. And then you leaped off one more, a short free fall down. And you roll onto the ground, taking a little bit of damage. You reached for your scared shoulder, as it took most of the impact from your roll. 

You quickly shook it off and got back up on your feet. Sprinting with your sword in hand, fast crunching sounds follow suit with the rattling of bones tangled with the sour hissing of creepers and scratchy whistle of spiders. All conforming towards you.
Racing past a zombie you come to the first house. One of the four-by-four homes. You quickly open the door to a small space. No bed. You close the door and go to the next one. Another four-by-four house. You once more, open the door. No bed but there was a fletching table in that one. 

You groan in annoyance. You knew there were beds here. If you had to guess, there were no beds in the smaller houses. You close the door and turn. Just in time to miss an arrow whizzing past your head. Your underlain is still high, you ignore it and press on to the next house. It was a bigger one. There had to be a bed in it.
You practically punch the door open and quickly close it. Looking around, it was a grindstone house. With a smooth stone countertop, and you groan again. You look behind you through the doors four blockly holes. The zombies were forming outside the door. You sucked in a breath and leaned on the door, thinking of a plan for what to do. Till a zombie hand shot through it and made a league gash in your leather tunic. And in a swift motion at your neck as the attack seemed to have caught you off guard.

You leap away from the door. You stare in a mild panic shock. Your body holds you in place as you watch the zombie's hand tear its way through the door. In a few seconds that door will become Swiss cheese if you don't think of a way out. And soon!
You machanily move your head around the space, looking for anything that could help, or maybe another way out. Besides the one-by-two window, there was another way out. A back door. You gasp and run toward it and open it without thinking.

The back door leads to a gated spot. Roughly three by five? You weren't sure, but you were in a small panic as you hear the front door break. You turn back around and close the back door. Blocking the zombies once more. Turning around again, you place a block of cobblestone and jump on it. You can faintly hear the rattling of bones and a bow being drawn back.
As if in slow motion you turn and see the door break with zombies flooding out and toward you; On the other side of the fence, a skeleton drawing its bow at you. All of this was right as you jumped from the cobblestone and over the fence. You watch as the skeleton brings the bow into a full draw and lets go as you touch the ground. You try your best to get into a roll, but it was half harted, for you need more speed than what you have. So you end up going more into a long roll rather than the crouching one you were hoping for. 

The arrow plants itself hard into the ground right in front of your face. You just narrowly missed it. You sit up quickly and watch as the zombies are stuck in the gated area, however growling from behind you warns you of the next batch of zombies. And that skeleton has set up another arrow. 

Taking the hint you lift yourself up and off the ground. To the next house, which was another four-by-four. You opted to just look through the window and move on. Not ready to be stuck in a four-by-four space with no way out.

A bed! A red bed lay there with a villager all cozy and tucked into it as well. You cringed at the thought of taking their bed. But you had no other choice at the moment. You needed a bed. 

You jumped on the door and rolled out your stone axe. You made quick work with the bed and took it. But the villager that was sleeping on it fell to the floor and looked at you with confusion and maybe some sleep still weighing in their eyes. 

"I am sorry! I will make you a new one once I get sheers." You yell out.

Scrambling out the door with the bed in tow. You take a step down the stairs until you feel a sudden and faint pain in your leg and the sound of a small stone on metal. You look down to see an arrow has made a dent in your leggings but did not break through. The arrow was on the ground with the tip shattered. 

Your second was up, as a zombie had been creeping up on you. But once more, your adrenaline was quick to react before your brain was. Bringing the stone axe down on his head. It was too blunt to kill the zombie in one hit, but it did send it a bit. Giving you some room to run past it.

Now in yet another full sprint, you feel your exhaustion was kicking in. You were getting hungry with all the running and healing your body had been doing. It was taking a toll. The sweat now felt like a small spring. Nonetheless, you kept running. Stopping and eating now with a skeleton and zombies on your heels was too much.

You just need to get to the corner and you will be at your stairs again. It was not far but it felt like it was miles away. Your pained legs that are not yet used to the cardio, burned like hell. Your lungs felt dry as you panted in dry air. With the sounds of the mobs, it only made it worse. Making you almost disoriented at the mess around you.

All of it caving in on you. 

But you did make it to the corner! You turned and grabbed the side of the house as you did. Trying your damnest to keep your speed but not lose your balance at the same time. Which seemed to be good timing as two arrows few behind you. Turning your head around you saw them planted in a pathway where you just were like strange flowers poping out of the ground. 

But there was a strange hissing noise from in front of you. Your head snaps back into place as your body comes to a stop. Just in time to see a spider jump. It felt like it was slowed when a pair of silver arms rolled up from the ground and into the light on your left, obscured by the house's shadow that you were hidden in. Launching the spider away and smacking into the corner of another house. 

You swivel your head from the spider to the mob that helped you. The iron golem, in a gentle motion, walked over to you and held up a flower. A red poppy. You were panting, and sweating like a pig, but you could not refuse the golem's sudden show of courtesy to you. You lift your heavy arms from their protective stance and take the flower. Looking at you in a short daze as you start to come out of your panic.

However, that is quickly forgotten by the golem's sudden arm motion. You duck a bit and hear three sharp scrapes and rebound-like noises. The golem moved quickly and efficiently away from you. Your small moment was quickly overshadowed by what you need to do. Which was sleep. Sleeping would set most of the mobs on fire. And you a spawn point. You turned to see the golem fight off three skeletons and a few other mobs.

Just the chance you needed to get to your home and sleep. Booking it towards your stairs and to your door, you ran past your open gate. With a swift motion, you closed it. Making sure the zombies and skeletons couldn't get onto your balcony. You were in a small safe zone, as you seemed to be spider-free for now. Pulling out some more of your cooked beef and eating it. You made your way to your door; quickly letting yourself in. With another quick motion, you slammed your door. 

Sinking to the ground of your home, you pant and wheeze. Gasping for air. You were really not ready for how hard this hardcore mode truly was. The zombies breaking down doors and the instantaneous threat of skeletons is crazy. You seemed to have gotten way too accustomed to normal mode. As your body was not prepared for the amount of running you had just undergone. 
Either way, you have got your bed. And that would make nights much easier to get through. Only cave mobs to worry about from now on!

A small smile and soon giggle followed as you sat on your grassy floor. The grassy floor you had not gotten to as your walls and roof had come first. And you were glad you prioritized that first. Your breathing season came to an end as you munched on some more beef. Making you feel strong and healthy again. 

Climbing the stairs up to your second floor, you put down the bed in what you thought would be a good section of the floor. Even to the walls and room for decoration. But for now, this floor will be bare as you plop down the bed, and pass out for the night.

Your vision ging darker, as your head leans more and more into the pillow. You think you heard a faint knock on your window. However, your mind was already slipping into sleep.

And you with it.

Chapter Text

You woke up quickly. You didn't get enough sleep, but it was close enough. You were up till midnight looking for a bed last night. So you weren't that surprised that you were still tired. But, that could be solved when tonight rolled around. 

You let your eyes mosey around the blank room. stale oak planks and a few columns of spruce make up the walls, with some spots that still need to be filled with glass. You could remember, when you came out of that cave there was a river nearby—planting some idea that there might be sand nearby it. And it most surely could not hurt.

Wipping out your stone axe you carefully removed the places that needed the glass. Keep track of the number as you remove the planks. The second floor had less than the first floor. Your main floor was bigger as it was meant to handle all the furnishes, crafting, organization, and maybe enchantment when you got to that point. You were also silently hoping to make the ground floor look like a living space, and your second floor your bedroom. But you weren't hoping for much as you didn't want to focus on decorating your house this early in. Just some simple stuff for now, and some more things in the later game. 

With the remaining logs and stone you had on hand, you made some chests, three barrels, signs, and furnaces. Looking around the layout of your home a bit, and some accidental placement here and there. The blocks were set. Coal was put in the furnaces and some chests on the first and second floors. And outside were three barrels meant for quick drop off. Your pre-planned chest monsters to be sure. 

The two stories loomed over you, with the sunbathing it in soft warm rays. The spruce wood holding the oak in a hug of sorts, and the sturdy spruce door. All were guarded by cobblestone walls and more spruce logs as a supporting wall was a pleasant sight. Some flowers or maybe some bushes would truly bring this building together. Hell, maybe even some deep slate or trapdoors would help with the design as well. Your designer was coming out so soon, and you were still in the early stages.

It was fine, however. Having some post concepts for what you could make for this world is a good start. But, you knew that getting ahead of yourself was a bad idea. You look from your home, for the small dip across the plains. When you do, you start walking over. There were a few creepers here and there, but it wasn't something you couldn't get around.

The sand was right along the riverside, along with some clay. You started to collect the sand and clay, however your shovel broke halfway through digging up the clay. But now you could make some flower pots. A nice addition to the humble abode. Heading back you stopped to look through what you had, almost a half stack of sand and some moderate amount of clay. Your last helping of steak was making it more apparent that you need to make a farm. And fast.

You sighed as you got back on track. Occasionally flashing your sword when I creeper got close. And you did need up with three gunpowder. So that was a bonus. Stepping back into the village, a random thought crossed your mind. What if you had built a village farmers market place? And it was all of the villagers that had jobs. Stopping your original trek, you started to move around the village. Looking at the buildings up and down. The space and number of villagers are still there. The iron golem is doing its own thing. Peering down into the fountain where a villager had gotten stuck. Watching the villagers jump up and down in the water.

You hummed and walked over. Swinging out your stone pickaxe you removed the cobblestone blocks, one by one. Unfontly the villager didn't get out the first few times when you were mining away at the cobblestone. However, on the 13th try when it was all well cleared out, the soppy villager managed to crawl out. The golem just watched the villagers as they saddled off to a house. And you feel good with the idea of setting up a villager trade center. Along with rebuilding the village. It would be a good project to keep on the 'to-do' list when you get overwhelmed or bored. 

You wrapped up your stroll through the small town if you could even call it that, and back to your home. Climbing up the stairs and to the oak gate, opening it quickly and closing it with a turn. You open one of the barrels and offload some seeds and gunpowder that you had gotten from fighting the creepers.

Turning back and swinging open the spruce door, you throw the sand as well as the clay into the furnace. Turning once more you open one of the chests. Rummaging around the items to find something productive to do while the stuff was cooking. Some extra oak planks, cobblestone, and sticks gave you an idea for a table and chairs. Which was a good start.

Dragging yourself over to the crafting bench,  you dragged out the cobble to make slabs. You originally wanted to make stone pressure plates for the table's top. But it seems as though you needed stone and not cobblestone. But you carried on to make some fences and stairs. You also had enough for trapdoors, which would go well if you planned it out right. 

Well, let's just say the table and chairs were a bit harder than you thought. The slab and fence post was too high for the table. Just doing the slab floating looked strange. You were going to have to smelt the cobblestone down to stone and make the pressure plate. And the trapdoors, they would do whatever they wanted. Going sideways and then would be floating rather than on the stairs. It took a second to figure out just how to get the trapdoor to do what you wanted it to. And once it did, you were pretty 'eh' about it. It was what you were expecting, but the vibe did not feel right. 

Either way, you left the chairs as they were. You had put enough effort into that it was fine as it was for now. Looking back at your three furnaces, one of the two was done. And it was the one with the clay. So you could make that pot you were thinking about earlier. And maybe some bricks once you plan on where you are going to put a chimney. Removing the clay and throwing it onto the crafting table. You put together just enough for 2 pots. One for downstairs and one for upstairs. You also made a note that you could make more once you got more clay. But for now, the rest of the clay bricks were turned into brick blocks. There wasn't a lot. 

Shoving the bricks into a chest you turn to hold the pots. Your main floor was a little bare on where you could put things. And then you remembered the cobblestone slabs. Placing some down next to your crafting bench, chests, and furnaces made some extra room for decoration as well as brought out some more life to your home. You placed down the pots. One next to your crafting table and the other next to your bed. You had also remembered that flower the golem gave you that night. Grabbing it from the chest downstairs, and running back up. You put it in the pot next to your bed. Bookshelves may be a good investment as well.

Although. Placing down the slabs did remind you that you needed to choose a floor type that wasn't grass or random planks of wood for leveling. Smooth stone was too industrial-like for the stone block you wanted to use. Being used for city sidewalk builds did not help to cement that idea into your head. But the next best stone block besides more cobblestone would have to be-

"Maybe stone bricks." The thought tumbled out of your mouth, but it was the best one for the job.

Including the block pallet, you have for the home. Spruce log, oak planks, and now cobblestone table tops around your crafting places. Stone bricks would work best for what you had. As it may be used in strongholds, it had a nice brick layout that was as close to floor tile. So it could bring in more of a cozy feeling. 

It was decided. Stone bricks were going to be the floor type. You quickly gathered up the remaining cobblestone you had and threw it all into the open furnace you had. Checking back in on you they had just finished up. And with some extra coal to spare. You split the cobblestone up in other furnaces and turned around. With freshly smelted glass in, you started to place in all of the glass blocks. Which did not take long to do.

You did need to get iron, however. If you were going to make it through the next night and keep the golem buddy you had working, iron was going to be essential. However, you were debating on what to do for that. You could go back into that cave you came out of and get the iron you left, or dig out the side of your house that was built into the mountainside. 

You paced back and forth. Opening up your chest to stare into it and not take anything out when you close it. Paced over to your window to see the sun. Almost ready to touch the lip of the ground. 

And after much careful decision-making, you opted it was too dangerous to go outside to the cave you came from. So you would build that mining room in your home after all. So without wasting too much time. You start to dig out the side of the wall that was made of stone and dirt.

Breaking into the stone and digging out a small rectangle.

And then, digging a spiral staircase.

Down. 

----------

You struck a deep slate before you hit a cave. For being in a mountain plane's biome, you either had poor luck on caves, or just picked the one place to dig down where it was nothing but stone, coal, and some one-off iron cluster. So you would have to dig out tunnels to make your ore search much easier.

You sighed and placed another torch on the stone column of the staircase. You kept digging down, trying to get some more cobbled deepslate. Since you would like to build with it. Maybe as some stone pillars or even some extra wall design with deepslate walls that a friend showed you. It would be a good way to experiment with the block. 

As you mined way your ears picked up footsteps from behind you.

It almost sounded like they were running. You snapped to look behind you. Your pick was raised in defense. Expecting to see a mob behind you on the top of the staircase above you. 

But there was nothing.

No mob.

No noise. 

Not.

A.

Sound.

Just stone turning into deepslate.

Your heart beats unevenly in your chest. The sudden rush of adrenaline was in high gear as your brain was whirling.

You could have sworn you had heard footsteps. The footsteps almost sounded like a player's footsteps as well. 

That was impossible though. You were in single-player. There was no way there was another player, not to mention, you were in vanilla. No mods were added to your game.

As your heartbeat kept thumping hard in your chest, you threw open your screen. Checking would show you that you were right.

There are no mods added to your world.

You were starting to get dizzy from all the thinking. You had to get out of the mine. You needed to think in a place that was not so enclosed and suffocating. But the climb up proved to be long, which gave you time to analyze the sound as you ran up it. And your adrenaline was starting to calm down a bit more. 

You couldn't help but think of different possibilities or maybe a sound that was added in the update. Perhaps there was a cave near your mine shaft, and you just missed it. You stopped and looked behind you. You weren't so sure. But, if there was a cave down there for where you were at. There could have been a walking noise. However, the noise didn't sound like walking. But running toward you.

Right behind you even. 

You shook your head. It must be the lack of sleep. Did only got a half of sleep. Your mind feeling more at ease started to descend again, back down the staircase.
When you got back down the level, you started to dig straight out a bit. Making a small walking space around the original group of stairs. Digging more around the stairs and branching out the stairs from the deepslate, there was a break three blocks away from your stairs. It was even a lush cave! Pretty rare in the biome you were in. It was dark from the little one-by-one block that you were allowed to look out of. 

However much you were looking for a cave you didn't want to do it now. Not after the sound. So you turned and traveled back upstairs. To plan for some sleep and to build for a bit. Acending up the stairs you thought of what you wanted to do first. As a way to get your paranoid mind off of what had just happened not too long ago.

The barn. Or some kind of farm where you could grow crops, and have a few animals. It was at the top of the to-do list, and now you had quite a bit of stone and deepslate. So you could make the barn out of spruce planks and have deepslate as the columns or have the floor as deepslate. It would be some fun light-hearted build you could do to forget the sound. 

You made it to the main floor. And from the looks of the colors outside the windows, it was becoming night again. You didn't realize how much time you had spent on the staircase. You sighed and threw open the furnaces. Adding in some more coal and cobblestone to get some more stone. You had also thrown in some cobbled deepslate into one to get some normal deepslate to build with. In your last furnace, you put in your iron to smelt. You noted to installation of some blast furnaces in the mining room. So you could have two places for smelting.  

Opening your crafting table you make stone bricks and start to dig out your grassy floor. Choosing to leave the wooden floorboards as they were, since they showed a divide on where the mountainside was, and where it was turning into the deck. As you dug out the grass, you also mined out the stone of the mining room. Putting stone bricks down across both rooms. But you didn't like how the mine room looked in your current home.

With a sudden idea running across your mind, you take some of your deepslate and make deepslate walls. Opening one of the chests showed you still had two more oak gates left. Grabbing one and walking over, your place down the wall. Make sure it is aligned with the stone block walls of the mountainside and then place a gate. 

The look was a little strange, but you did like it in a way. So you went with it. You were wondering just what kind of block pallet you could do for that room. As you weren't going to leave it as stone and andesite forever. Thinking about it, andesite might be the block to go with.

You turn and climb up the wooden staircase to your second floor. Looking over to see the vast darkness that is the plains. The river that you know is out there, merged into the inky abyss of the night. You can finally see Spider Eyes and the other mobs. You also make sure not to look an endermen in the eyes.

There was a strange set of eyes for a zombie. Or at least you think it's a zombie. It had a blue shirt and pants like a zombie, but it looked like the arms were down like a player. You do remember some older updates that did have the zombies have their arms down. But it was too dark to see the mob properly from where you were. 

But you were tired. So much more tired than before. Falling face first onto the bed you let yourself get pulled into your own inky darkness. One of pleasant dreams and you not feeling like crud in the morning. But there was this feeling again. One that kept your sleep at bay just a bit. Like something was watching you. Your mind jolts you awake to remember the noise from before.

You moaned in discomfort. You grab the blanket on the bed and roll over your head. Huffing as you do. After all, you knew this game, and you were not a child from 2010 who still believed in some spooky stories or some foggy old screenshot of a white-eyed...  Steve....-

You shot up.

The mob outside in the plains looked almost like...

You got out of bed and walked over to the window. Hoping that you were wrong. Zombies, skeletons, creepers, spiders, the fucking endermen. There was no other mob out there in the vast darkness. Your eyes scan over every mob, but the endermen to find that strange mob. 

Nothing.

Your legs become lead as you move over to the front of the second floor. Peering through the windows. Eyes running wild as you look for the mob even in the light-up area like the village. All the same mobs, the iron golem was fighting a few of them. But once again.

Nothing.

You feel this limbo-like effect take in your mind. As you start to pull in on yourself. Are you just paranoid, or are the stories right? There is no way he would just choose to show up in your world right? And even if he did, he isn't real. That photo from the Times is a little hard to dispute but it is fake. 

It was fake. Right?

Your stomach tossed and turned as you approached the glass. Before you looked through the window, you quickly turned your head and closed your eyes tightly. You told yourself, that if there was no other sight of the strange-looking mob, you would go to sleep, and you would be fine. Peeking open an eye, at first glance. It was the same mobs again.

There was nothing.

You never thought that you would be so relieved to see normal mobs. Your small plea for some comfort was granted, but your mind was not letting this go. Still incredibly paranoid at the idea of all of that. As you sat in the bed, you had to shoot back at yourself that this was not modded. The only way to have that mob in your game now, was if you added in the mod. And ever since Mojang bought the thing from Notch, nowadays the company doesn't even play into the twenty-year-old cryptid creepypasta into the bugs anymore. So there is no need to be this paranoid. 

Your pep talk seemed to work. The feeling was not shaken, but much less potent than before. And finally, you could lie down. The darkness taking over you once more. And you had finally slept.

----------

In the morning you shifted your body. Some mild satisfying cracks and snaps that brought your bones into place. Even some on your hands. You let yourself look out the window again. Almost weary as you peered out. The gentle plains swayed at you in a pleasant greeting as the remaining zombies and skeletons burned away. The endermen zipping away, and the spiders found trees to climb. Leaving creepers in the fields. On looking over sheep and pigs. The river was now visible as the sun pushed back the purplish night sky. Stars fade away as they cling to the fading darkness.

A sigh of relief passes over you as you walk down the stairs. Checking back in on your smelting blocks. It seemed that it was almost halfway on most of the blocks. But you did not want to be picky. After all, you just needed to find the right location for the farm, and then start the foundation. Quick and simple. 

Taking a few of the smelted blocks that were done from the furnace. And then you turn and take a few from your chest. And then you realize that you're low on spruce logs. The few saplings you have would be good to plant. Since all the spruce was on the far side of the mountain. 

Taking the saplings and the last of the wood. You pace over to the front door. 

And you are treated with an oak sign with words written on it. 

'hello'

Chapter Text

Now granted-

You had been scared by many things. Sometimes on purpose or by accident when you weren't paying much attention.

But right now. At this moment. Your fear was caused by something different. This pit in your stomach was caused not by something on purpose, or an accident. But it was genuine fear. As your fight, flight, or freeze was taking over your body.

An achievement sound rang out. You opened the tab to see what the 'achievement' even was. The feeling of your veins becoming lead. Your thoughts were completely stopped as you stared at the sign and the achievement. The achievement was labeled ''hello'' with no other information. 

Your brain forces you to read over the word, over and over again. You stood there for so long that the sun might have been halfway by now. If it was any conquest, moving from your spot now, felt as though you would be killed on the spot. As your instincts and adrenaline were in overdrive.

Your pray-like brain took over as you whipped up. Your eyes now felt foreign to you as you unwillingly took in the view around you, as if it was the first time you had ever been there. The grass swayed gently as the tree leaves joined them in small dance-like forms. Mobs were doing mindless tasks, unaware of the now-present threat to your world. 

You snapped to your stone axe and broke the sign. This daze-like feeling took over you as your brain went into autopilot. The numb feeling of panic raced through your head as you opened the gate and walked into the open plains. The vulnerable feeling of being watched is way too real, no, palpable even for any video game. The feelsensebeing watched as you placed the spruce saplings was digging into your mind.

You desperately wanted to delude yourself. More than ever, you wanted something to get whatever that just was off your mind. You had to. No, you needed something to bring you back into reality. Your body came to a jolting stop as you dragged open the menu to make sure, once again that there were no mods. And, for some reason, you found that there were still no mods added to your single-player world. Made the pit in your stomach sink even more.

At this point you were scrambling, running around the plains for something to do. You could build that farm or, or-or anything to do to get the idea of your game now being glitched out, or even... haunted...

"No, no, no no no- NO!" You yelled at yourself for even thinking about the idea, your thoughts leaking out of your head from the fear. As it took over your mouth.

"Your single-player, block world is not being haunted by a decade-old creepypasta! It's just not!" Maybe it was a way to soothe yourself by hearing yourself talk. To almost confirm that this was your cruel reality. Or if it was a dream. Maybe slapping yourself like movies did. Maybe that was the best way. But did it work like that? You remember being told to not believe everything you see in that stuff. 

Your hand slowly raised as if stones were holding it down. You could feel the eyes back on you, hell you thought you could see some come in your side view as you raised your hand to your head level. Your skin feels so foreign as the hot and cold pricks run up and down your arms. I almost felt like the world had locked you into place.

Fighting with yourself, as your irrational thoughts start to take over your instincts. Your gripping fear versus your cursed curiosity. You knew that you weren't any good at 50/50 chances. After all, your luck always seemed to be more 20/80 than a 50/50. But, you needed to know. For sure. You need proof that this was just your mind. Just you playing tricks on yourself. 

The sudden strike was palpable. 

This was real.

This was really real.

You almost wanted to cry, the choking feeling of true terror and horror was so tangible now. You needed to go back to a safe space. You could not be in the open like this. You just could not be!

Home! You needed to go back to the house.

You turned, your eyes snapping behind you, as your body lagged to follow. You start to sprint, but your vision is filled with a player character facing your back. Watching you that whole time. Your eyes locked on the strange player.

A Steve skin, with white eyes.

You scream yourself wake with a jolt. Falling to the floorboards with a smack you could almost hear the beta sound when you get harmed. The dream-like state was still fresh and lingering in your mind, as the face of the player character stared at you with mute emotion. The uneasy feeling of being watched was but a memory as was most of the dream at this point. 

You pant as your eyes, now back in control, raced around the space. It was your second floor. Your second floor had fresh windows but an uncomfortable amount of open space. Your heart was racing down as a small and thankful smile twitched onto your face. Some nervous giggles add themselves to the conversation of your body language.

Your disheveled state that had just fallen out of bed. Your brain was frazzled, but at least whatever you had dreamed about was fading. 

And you felt like you needed that. 

There was this lingering thought that you should check the front door, or even behind you.

Snapping your head around as you got up, proved to be nothing more than just a vague and fake threat. As there was nothing around you, but the sounds of torches crackling.

You sighed in this absent feeling of relief. Spilling over you like a small waterfall, as the icy and hot feeling from the dream was eroded. You let yourself hear around you as you walk downstairs. Listening in on your footsteps that creaked on the wooden oak floor of the second floor and so on down the stairs to the ground floor. Your head peeked around the somewhat large space on the ground floor.

With the added room of the mine shaft space, it was pretty much how it was left. Chests, crafting table, three furnaces, and your, somewhat, table and chairs. The new floor looked pretty good as well if you could say so yourself. You let out a breath you didn't realize you were holding in. Your movements became more normal again and more relaxed. 

The things in the furnaces were done. The iron and deepslate that is. Your stone was still cooking. You took your time moving things in and out of your high-powered ovens. Removing the iron and deepslate and replacing it with more stone instead. It was also a good thing that you had gone mining and had found almost a half stack of coal. Though, you could tell you would be drained out soon.

You signed.
More coal would be necessary. However, that would not matter, as right now, you needed a break from the vague horror-like experience you were getting right. You just needed some kind of Minecraft experience. Thinking of which, how much wood did you have in your chest? It couldn't have been a lot. 

Opening the chest, only to be proven right was somehow saddening. But there was a forest nearby, that would just mean cutting down some trees to get to building your farm. 

"Joy." Was all you had as you swiped your hand over your face. 

Take a look over your things, your stone axe was in pretty good health. Your stone sword not so much. Making a new sword would be a good idea, along with that you now had iron. So a sorta, win win.

A quick assorting over the crafting table and you headed toward the door. Hand coming to a hover as you remembered the dream. However, your confidence seemed to be at a high, resuming your action and peeling open the door, only to find no sign and nothing there. A wave of relief to say the least.

Your senses come back in full swing as you push yourself out the door and over the forest line behind your home. You mindlessly let yourself mine out spruce and oak trees, as you also replant some. There would also be an apple or two, but there were also so many sticks. But you had gone till you broke your second axe, which meant a fair bit of wood. Which was good as you could start your farm now. 

You turned around and realized how far back you mined the tree line. But your tail of saplings was a very helpful guide. Like breadcrumbs from that one story.

As you came to the mountainside you got a good look over the plains. It was a good place to be to help plan where the farm should be built. After some careful consideration, the place of interest was the flat area in front of your home but more or less dead center in the plains beside the forest, but in front of the river. It would be just far enough behind the village but just enough that the villagers couldn't get themselves stuck there at night.

With a plan set and in place, you mozy down the face of the mountain to begin work. A building idea already set in your mind.

----------

It took a bit of time to clear out space for the farm and to put some sheep and cows into a hole while you cleared space out. Overall the open plain between the river and the village would make the best place for your farm. As such has helped just a bit with getting your mind off of things. Building the barn should do well for that. As for wood for the barn. Oak is the best choice. As much as Spruce was a good option when it came to a lot of builds, oak was just a classic choice that didn't clash with your home on the ridge side of the hill. 

You would have to clear some more oak trees out, however, as you wanted to build a dock as well at some point. With a cute little roadway to and from the barn, to the dock, and then back to your home as well as the village. OH! You would also have to make a stables next to your home for when you get a horse. Maybe a half-black and half-white horse. That would be a good goal to set. 

But barn first, with that in mind the building for your foundation started with cobbled deepslate. The pillars were some rare striped dark oak with the base wall being oak. The windows were just some fencing rather than some actual glass. The authenticity of a barn was what you were looking for. Not homey, or would be a home base but looks more funky barn home.

Now for the roof. The next hard decision was what to make it out of. Stone brick or deepslate, which were both solid options. You paced back and forth as you thought about it. But you ended up running into a forest line to cut down some more trees. You need some fencing so you can drag the cows and sheep out of the ground. And even start up a farm as you had a few seeds after looking through the village chests. 

Mindless as you removed tree after tree you started to get this feeling again. As though you were being watched.

"No. I am just paranoid. I am fine." As you sighed. Calling your cutting of the local woodlands done for now, planned a few saplings and walked back. To finish the roof of the barn and maybe start the docks if you had the time for it. The winner for the roof was stone brick, as it was just nicer to look at than deepslate.
On the inside was more ticky. Left was to be sheep and pigs and right cows and chickens. But what made it tricky was the amount of space. There was a second floor but the barn was not too big. It was maybe 12 by 9. So you had to play it smart. After some block arrangement, pillaring up here, and removing a pillar there, you soon found an inner design you liked. Some oak fencing and cobbled wall later and you had the pins in place with some room to the outside so you could keep track of them all.

It was a pretty good build. Now you had to get a wheat farming so you could lure the animals into place. Good thing you had some seeds all ready for you in a chest near the barn door. Thinking about it, an outhouse for seeds and farming stuff would be good. You could even build it out of spruce or dark oak. Both options were attractive. But for now, panning that build location would have to come after figuring out where to put a big field like that.
Maybe closer to the house.

Sizing up the space and how picturesque could look in the morning could be pretty cool. You had convinced yourself. A wheat farm in between the barn and your house. You had the cobble wall for it. In fact, you would go and make some more before nightfall. which looked to be a few minutes away already. A quick run to your home and run back down to scale up the amount of space this field would be taking up. 43 wide by 17 long should be a good enough space. Also, when you would have too much wheat you could just add in others like pumpkin, melon, or even beets when you got to it. But for now, with the sun setting and your farm built. You called in it for the night. 

And another erie night of sleep as you fell into the bed. It pushed you up as you bounced back up slightly. The day had given you too much anxiety to work with. Your head hurt, and your heart was still pumping loudly.

Wait, was it always that loud?

Whatever. You were tired. So you pulled the sheet up to your shoulders; drifting into the void of what you would hope would be dreamless.