The Grim Reaper || Technoblade (Old)

15: Nether Traveling

As I stepped through the portal, the air grew thick with smoke, the intense heat gnawed at my bones. The sound of burning lava echoed below, a constant reminder of the danger that lurked within this realm. The Nether's rocky netherack roof stretched endlessly overhead, its fiery terrain an unforgiving path to traverse.

The heat that rose up made me immediately start sweating, the layers of clothes I was wearing didn't help.

Navigating the Nether was a test of both physical endurance and mental fortitude. The jagged terrain of twisted netherack jutted from the ground like spikes, causing anyone without shoes to get horribly injured. It was easy to twist an ankle in this dimension. Everything was a constant reminder of the inhospitable environment. Molten rivers snaked their way through the landscape, emitting a sinister glow that seemed to mock any notion of safety.

I pressed forward, my movements cautious yet purposeful. Every step carried the weight of my mission, urging me onward. The air itself seemed to conspire against me, covering me with a suffocating heat that threatened to sap my strength.

The initial portal was above a lava lake, tens of paths emerging from the floating structure, if it weren't for my compass and Phil's instructions, I would have surely gotten lost.

I had to be careful of my footing on the thin bridges, a single misstep could lead me tumbling to my death, and I really didn't want  the feeling of molten rock to be my first death.

Once off of the bridge, I immediately heard ghastly cries of one of the Nether's numerous creatures echoed through the air, the ghasts haunting wails a chilling symphony that served as a constant reminder of the dangers that flew in the open air. A loud air piercing scream and a quick jump led me from traveling at an amicable pace, to full on running in the direction that the compass pointed.

Fireballs continued to litter the floor behind me until I made it into a small cave. No wonder Technoblade didn't want me coming through here, I should've asked Phil for a bow or something.

I let myself catch my breath and once I heard the cries of the ghast start to dim, I peeked my head out of the cave. Magma cubes hopped around, their fiery bodies pulsating with an unsettling intensity. I looked around for the path that I was taking, trying my best to evade the hopping cubes. Yet I wasn't perfect, and each encounter with them required swift evasive maneuvers, dodging their burning bodies with a speed that I didn't know I had.

Through it all, I kept my mind fixed on the urgency of my purpose. The journey through the Nether was not just a physical trek but a mental battle as well. Doubts and worries tried to creep into my thoughts, threatening to overshadow my resolve. What would happen if I failed? Would I succeed in warning Techno? It would take Tubbo and whoever else time to prepare. There was no way that they could beat me, right? The nether travel was faster than the overworld, and yet, I couldn't help but have my doubts.

The compass led me close to a bastion, already looted telling from the dirt paths that bridges over to it. Poor piglins, all that they worked for taken from some random intruders. If there were surviving piglins, then they'd surely be trying to regain the treasures that they once had, and would be hostile to any newcomer. I'd try to avoid it the best I could, a fight breaking out would be the worst case scenario.

I really needed a weapon.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the portal leading back to the Overworld shimmered in the distance. It was actually pretty close to the bastion. A surge of relief washed over me as I stepped through, leaving the oppressive atmosphere of the Nether behind. The transition from the fiery inferno to the serene landscape of the snowy tundra felt like a breath of fresh air, a break from the chaos of the Nether.

I looked back down at my compass, leading me away from the portal and towards the cabin. How long had I been gone? A week, a day? More? Hopefully Techno would be home so I could warn him. I started walking in the direction of home, the snow crunching under my feet, I looked around at the freshly fallen snow, it was nice, a nice view from home.

Home, such a strong word. I'd never had a place to call home before.