Gameknight999 held up his sword to block the blaze king’s attack, but the fireball burned right through his sword and through the armor. Screaming in pain, the User-that-is-not-a-user charged towards Charybdis. “FOR MINE-“ he started to say, but he quickly stopped when three blazes all attacked at once, white-hot pain flowing through his body.

Crafter nearly screamed and started to run to assist Gameknight, but Digger held the young boy back. “NOOOOO!” he cried as Charybdis launched fireball after fireball at the doomed Gameknight999.

This is a losing battle, Gameknight realized as the blaze king smiled an eerie, toothy grin. There’s no way I can fight him…he’ll kill me.

“Surrender,” commanded Charybdis in a wheezy, mechanical voice, “or all the NPC’s die.”

“I won’t surrender,” Gameknight said, trying to make his voice sound confident. “I’ll save my friends, I’ll fight, I’ll battle with Herder even if it means my very destruction!” He looked at the lanky boy, who was directing troops, the obsidian box tucked under his arm. “FOR MINECRAFT!” the User-that-is-not-a-user suddenly shouted. He charged at Charybdis.

“SON!” Monkeypants cried. But it was too late.

Charybdis started launching fire at the speed of sound, other blazes joining in. Gameknight felt the burning pain blast through his body, taking away his HP…and soon, his legs failed him as his swords and armor burned away.

The blaze king rode his flaming horse over to the dying User-that-is-not-a-user. Both rider and horse smiled evilly. “You see your friends?” Charybdis asked. He pointed one of his blaze rods towards the army of NPC’s, tears in their eyes. For Crafter, it was a waterfall of sadness – Gameknight999 had been like a brother to him. “They all wish to mourn the User-that-is-not-a-user. Gameknight999 has failed them.”

The NPC’s dropped their weapons and prepared to give the Salute for the Dead. Herder dropped the obsidian box in his sadness. A zombie-pigman picked it up without anyone seeing, preparing to release the Maker.

“Any last words to your beloved NPC’s?”

Gameknight looked at all of them and sighed.

Charybdis is right, he thought. I’ve failed all my friends…and my dad…

“I’m so sorry,” he said to the crowd of sobbing NPC’s. “I’ve failed everybody today. But you all still have a chance. You have to save Minecraft…for everyone…”

And with that, Gameknight could only anticipate his death as Charybdis fired at him the biggest fireball he had ever seen. As the burning ball got closer and closer, the User-that-is-not-a-user knew it was truly the end.