Eldaria Entry #4

I stepped into the cave. Almost instantly it opened up into a a room with a handful of smaller passages to follow.

Only one path was already lit, so I took that as a sign and started to follow it. After a while I saw the light was coming from a pool of lava. I turned around and followed another path. That one turned out to be a dead end but I found some iron. With the amount of ores in my pack I decided the stop here and stark a small camp.



I grabbed some stone from my pack and built a wall. Using some of the wood I brought I made a work table and a furnace. I also made a door for the room and put some torches up as well.



I shovels some coal and ores into the furnace and sat on the chest and snacked on some more bread while I waited. Once they were done I stuffed the ingots into my pack and set back out. I found a large circular passage. Is seemed really strange and darker that the others. I looked down it and saw glowing purple eyes staring right at me.



The eyes began to glow brightly as I heard that ever familiar unearthly howl. I looked away, keeping those eyes only in my peripheral vision. I blinked and the figure was gone. I notice a trail of dim purple lights going further down the cave. That could only mean two things. Either that direction was the portal I was looking for, or there was a way out. Cautiously I walked through the circular cave, torch in hand. The darkness seemed strangely resilient here. The torch light was barely able to pierce it. I couldn't see more than a few feet in front of me. I threw a torch ahead of myself as I lit and held a second. The thrown torch landed on the stone and I could see brilliant yellow and red sparkling.



I mined out the gold and redstone. I'm sure they'll be useful for something. As I continued down the path the darkness became so intense that I couldn't see even with the aid of a torch.



I stumbled blindly in the dark and after a moment the darkness began to thin out again. On the other side I found a very welcome sight.



Now with some diamonds I could make some stronger sharper tools. That is, if I could ever get home. I continued down the cave. I walked for hours through the winding cave and eventually found a large opening.



I could see tree and the star lit sky. I put out my torch and sheathed my sword. I pulled my pack tighter to my back and took in a deep breath. I could taste the cold night air coming in from above. Slowly, I climbed up and out of the hole. When I reached the surface I scanned the area quickly. It was familiar. I could see the hole I fell in before and the lake that was just behind my house. I drew my sword once more and lit another torch, and after another quick scan of the nearby trees and bushes, I made a run for my home. As I reached the edge of the lake, I saw a creeper headed straight for me, rather than fight I sheathed my sword once more. I turned to the creeper and threw the torch into his face and dived into the lake. I swam to the bottom quickly and continued swimming until I reach the other side. I climbed up on shore and looked behind me to see the torch laying on the floor, and the creeper curiously looking for me. My distraction worked perfectly. I walked towards my house and jumped the fence. Once I got inside I dropped my pack on the floor and dove into my bed.

That night I had what could only be described as a dream, but it was something more. I heard strange sounds almost like a gurgling noise. And I saw a land full of endermen. But it wasn't a land. It was a island. Floating in a starless black sky. The island had tall pillars of black stone and the ground was made of discolored white material. One of the enderman turned and looked at me. His eyes glowed brighter than I've seen ever before. The purple light was enchanting in a way. I felt compelled to step towards him. As I walked to him, he met my steps. As he got closer his eyes  got brighter and everything else began to fade from sight. I began to hear whispers. I couldn't make any of them out. Some sounded like they were in my tongue, and others sounded like the language of the endermen. He moved closer and the whispers grew louder. But it seemed as if they were focusing. As he took each step the eyes got brighter and the whispers slowly dwindled down to just two voices. One speaking in my tongue and the other in ender. I began to panic. My subconscious was struggling to wake me. The enderman grabbed my shoulder and a voice spoke to me.

"Do not worry" it gently said. I could still hear the gurgling language of the endermen overlapping this calmer voice. "This one wishes you no harm. Close your eyes."

I listened. After a moment my nostrils filled with a familiar scent of grass and I could feel wind blowing on me and grass beneath me feet. I opened my eyes. A single enderman stood before me.



"This one has come to enlighten you. We have seen you take notice of us."

I stood trembling as the enderman stepped closer. I could see between his two long black arms a rose gently floating.



"This one wishes to tell you why we are in your land. Will you hear this one?"

"Y-y-yes." I stammered. The enderman stepped closer to me as he began to speak once more.

"We have come to understand your world. You have seen ours. In our world we have no such thing as colors. We do not have what you call grass or wind or trees. We have come to understand what you call beauty. But we do not wish to have your world." I stood there and after a moment mustered the courage to speak up to him.

"Then why have your kind attacked me? Multiple times! You knocked me unconscious a few times!"

"Yes," He stated abruptly, "But, we have never killed you. Your kind does not understand who or what we are. The closest word in your tongue would be explorers or scientists. We do not wish you to know of our presence, we simply wish to understand." I stood speechless as he went on "This one knows why you're here as well. You wish the kill the enderdragon."

"Yes. That is why I was sent here."

"This one knows. And this one, and others wish to help you. The enderdragon was the one who banished color and life from our land. Which is why we come to yours. Over eons we have forgotten these things, but because we have forgotten these things we have gained other knowledges."

"Like what?"

"We have learned how to travel through through space and time. We have learned how to connect our thoughts. We have learned everything and forgotten everything. We are the beginning and the end." I stared puzzled as the enderman stepped closer once more. "Let this one teach you something before you go."

"Before I go?" I questioned "I didn't really have much choice in coming here, what makes you think I've got a choice in leaving?"

The enderman stepped closer "You are asleep. This one has come to you, for this one seeks to pass on knowledge from the end. Some of us have been able to take bits from your world and craft them into orbs. Pearls. Pearls full of life, of death, of beginnings, and of ends. Those of use who wish to help you, will leave them behind for you. But we cannot give them to you, or the enderdragon may learn of our quest to help you."

"Okay, that's great, but what exactly do you hope for me to do with these pearls?"

"This one will tell you. You must first focus while holding the pearl. Focus on being nowhere and everywhere. Focus on being nothing and everything. Then throw the pearl and close your eyes. When you open them you will find yourself closer to your destination."

"That's... Wow, that's actually really cool. Can you give me one now?"

"This one already has." The enderman nodded to my hand and I saw a odd green colored orb in my hand "But be careful with them. This knowledge was not meant for your kind. Use them sparingly, or you may forget all things you know, and become part of the end." The enderman took one final step towards me opened his eyes wider filling the night sky with purple stars as the flower gently floated to the ground in front of me.



I suddenly woke in my bed. I looked around and ran outside. The sun was coming up.

 

I shook my head and tried to explain to myself the entire thing was a dream. When I stepped back inside my house though, sitting on the chest, was a rose, and that strange green orb.