Azad and Ellie stirred with the first light, the sky a pale wash of pink and orange over the horizon. Choco was already up, sniffing around their camp, his nose low to the ground as if he too sensed the importance of this new day. Azad stretched, rubbing sleep from his eyes as he looked out over the landscape bathed in dawn's light.
Ellie gathered her pack, nodding northward. "Grandfather's friend lives out that way," she said, her tone determined but touched with a hint of nostalgia. "My grandfather would have wanted us to see this through. He always said his friend was one of the wisest people he knew."
Azad nodded, slinging his own pack over his shoulder. "Then north it is. Let's hope the wise friend has some answers waiting." He scratched Choco behind the ears, grinning as the dog let out a soft bark of excitement. "Come on, boy. You've got your work cut out for you too."
The journey was beautiful but demanding. They walked through dense forests, fields of wildflowers, and across cool streams. By the time the sun had started to set, they'd made their way up a steep mountain path, the colors in the sky shifting from gold to fiery red.
"Alright, this view's worth it," Azad muttered, gazing out over the mountainside. "But… nowhere to set up a tent."
Ellie looked around, frowning as the sky darkened. "Guess there's only one thing for it." She tapped her pickaxe against a patch of dirt. "We'll dig in for the night."
After a bit of work, they'd created a small, crude shelter in the side of the mountain, barely large enough for the two of them to lie down in. Choco curled up at their feet, settling down with a little huff.
"Not quite five-star, but at least it's dry," Azad muttered, leaning back against the dirt wall. He closed his eyes, murmuring to himself, "Just one night. In the morning, we'll be back on track."
But sometime after midnight, a distant rumble filled the air, followed by the pattering of rain.
Azad blinked his eyes open, feeling a trickle of water start to snake its way down his back. "Uh, Ellie… we've got a problem."
Water pooled around them, and soon their little hole turned into a muddy, half-flooded mess. Azad groaned. "Alright, change of plan—looks like we're heading back outside!"
They scrambled up and out of the muddy shelter, and immediately, Choco let out a low growl. All around them, glowing eyes blinked to life in the darkness.
"Great, just great," Azad muttered, eyeing the zombie horde emerging from the shadows. The skeletons loomed further back, their bows drawn and arrows glinting. And to his horror, two Endermen stood tall in the distance, their dark forms barely visible in the rain.
"Okay," Ellie whispered urgently, clutching her weapon, "whatever you do… don't look at them."
"Right," Azad said, keeping his gaze firmly down. "Easy. Don't look, don't look, don't—"
Choco barked, startling him, and he bit back a yelp. "Choco, buddy, now is really not the time!" he hissed.
They moved carefully, sidestepping the Endermen while keeping low and trying not to draw attention. The rain poured down in sheets, drenching them and making their footing slippery and treacherous. Azad felt his heart pounding with each step. He murmured under his breath, "Of all nights, why tonight? This is just perfect… just perfect."
Suddenly, a skeleton loosed an arrow, which whizzed by his shoulder and struck the ground just inches away.
"Ah!" he gasped, picking up the pace. "Nope, nope, we're not doing this tonight!" He swung at a zombie lunging toward him, then narrowly avoided another arrow.
"Keep moving!" Ellie called, her voice barely audible over the rain. "The Endermen don't like the water—they'll keep away if we just keep running!"
Azad tried not to think about the soaked mountain path under his feet, his tired limbs, or the fear gripping his heart. "Right," he panted, "just a bit more… running for our lives, and we're good."
They moved downhill, barely keeping their balance on the slippery stones and loose dirt. Choco barked sharply, snapping at a zombie that came too close, and Azad grinned through his exhaustion. "Good boy, Choco! You tell 'em!"
By the time they'd made it to the bottom, Azad looked up, gasping with relief as the sky lightened, streaked with hints of early morning. The rain slowed, and as the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, the mobs around them started to falter. The zombies and skeletons hissed, their forms withering in the light, until they finally vanished into nothingness.
Ellie exhaled, catching her breath and wiping mud off her face. "Sunrise. We made it." She turned to Azad, her face tired but relieved. "This might be harder than I thought."
Azad nodded, leaning on his knees, his face breaking into a grin despite everything. "I think I need about a thousand breakfasts after that."
Ellie laughed, and even Choco let out a tired bark. As the morning sun continued to rise, Azad looked back at the mountain they'd survived, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment.