Runaway

Chapter 8- The Wither

      It had been just three days since they left home. And only one night spent at Tubbo's house. His mom was kind and gave the best hospitality. Often telling off Tubbo to not bombarded Phil with questions. Not that he minded, it gave him an excuse to talk about his old life. Which he enjoyed doing.

       "So your telling me, you built that? What kinda super-monster..." Tubbo trailed off. Phil chuckled,
       "Well, when your all alone in a world, you have lots of free time to build random crap." Him and the deer have been talking about his old world. Phil talking about the stuff he built with passion, and slight homesickness. He would like to go back, just for a bit. Just to look one last time.

       "Guys!" Techno burst down the door, out of breath. Tommy, Wilbur and Techno had gone out to gather some food for dinner. Not at their own free will, since Tubbo's mom requested it quite harshly. Saying if they were gonna stay here, they had to do chores.

      But what concerned him were the condition of the three. Techno looked like he ran a marathon, Tommy had bruises and cuts on him while Wilbur just looked surprised.
       "We just had a run in with some weird ass monster." Techno stated, slamming the door behind him. Phil got up, going to examine the three closer.
       "What did it look like?" Phil asked, voice even as he asked Tubbo for an icepack.
        "Three heads, completely black with bright white eyes, and it was throwing heads. Or skulls more like it. Thing was chasing me and Tommy before we grabbed Will and ran with him." Phil froze, icepack now pressed against Tommy. He softly handed it to him and looked Techno dead in the eyes.
       "Good thing you ran. Thats a wither you ran into." Tubbo choked,
       "A what?"
       "Wither. Though they can only be summoned, it doesn't spawn naturally." Phil frowned, but why would someone spawn one? Especially if Tubbo's theory on human extinction is true, this could mean trouble for the world.
       "So you're telling me that someone purposely made a wither?" Wilbur said in disbelief. Phil nodded, he couldn't believe it either. Sure, he spawned and killed those things for nether stars to make a beacon. But this world is heavily populated, withers literally destroy everything it sees. Including the fact that it curses things, appearently.

       "Well, what do we do?" Tommy exclaimed.
       "What do WE do? Nothing! Let's just leave, not our problem." Wilbur scoffed, walking down towards the bedroom. Phil held his arm out and stopped him.
       "I'm afraid were gonna have to kill it. Sorry mate." He blinked, before sighing. "That thing will cause utter chaos and kill anything and everything that breaths. So, here's what we do."

       'we lead it into an underground cave, to at least stop it from causing too much damage to houses and terrain. We will also need milk buckets to counter the wither effect, though it could also counter the curse effect. I'm not sure. I'll lead it into the cave, you guys will shoot from afar. Some healing potions would be great so I don't die.'

       Phil finished.
       "Are you sure?" Wilbur asked, he smiled.
       "Of course! I've killed these things before-
       "I'll do it." Phil stopped.
       "What?" He looked at Tommy, who had spoken up.
        "I said I'll do it. Im the smallest and most nimble, excluding Tubbo. I also know where a good cave is, and it's near the wither. Plus, being a demon makes it so I can't be cursed." Tommy said proudly. They all fell silent. While he made good points, Phil wasn't too sure on that.
       "No way, you are way too young." Will spoke, "Phil has the experience." He scoffed,
       "I'm 16! Phil's already been through enough, he doesn't deserve to die."
       "Neither do you! Don't devalue your life like that." Wilbur slammed his hand down onto the table. "You're not going!" The table fell silent once more.
       "Will..." Phil started, choosing his words carefully. "Tommy's right, if he can't get cursed, it may be best for him to go." He looked at him, as if Phil had killed his mother.
       "Phil... But, you don't get cursed ethier." He shook his head,
        "I don't, but I do get withered. If he takes no effect, then he may be the safest to go." Wilbur looked at Techno for help, but the pig just shook his head.
       "Wha... Tubbo? Surely..." He adverted his gaze,
       "I'm sorry Wilbur." Tubbo said softly. The fish man blinked, glancing at Tommy. His face filled with determination,
       "Come on Wilbur, I'll be fine." Tommy reassured.
        "Fine. But you better not die." He grinned,
        "You got it big man!"

         "Ok, maybe I can't do this...." Tommy said nervously, his voice trembling slightly. The wither was just above them, out of its sight. It floating above while attacking the animals that lay in the forest. Booms echoed about as black skulls slammed into the ground. It made sounds that reminded Tommy of screams of people dying, which he knew well of.

        "Don't worry Tommy, these things are dangerous, but incredibly stupid." Phil reassured, giving the demon a swift pat on the back. He clutched the milk bucket in his hands as he slowly creeped forward, trying not to gain it's attention yet. He cringed as the health potions that hung from his side clanged together. Hopefully it won't notice.

      The trees thinned out, once a large area of pine trees now destroyed. Giant craters filling the area, it looked like a war zone. The wither's back was turned to him, it currently trying to hit a rat that was cowering under a tree.

      Tommy glancing behind him, they were still there hidden in the trees, bows ready. He puffed his chest and walked out.

       "Hey wither!" Tommy shouted. It stopped, turning around midair. "Follow me you stank ass bitch!" He ran to the left, heart pounding in his chest. He took a quick look behind him to see it hot on his tail.

       A skull bomb was headed straight towards him. He quickly swerved to the right, barely missing it. "Holy shit!" He hissed, willing his feet to run even faster.

       Looking ahead, the large cave entrance could be seen. The dark cavern seeming like a safe haven. Tommy almost laughed as he jumped in, hearing the wither smash inside to follow.

       It grunted in pain, good, they must be hitting it. Tommy continued to run down the dark cave, his footsteps echoing. He turned a sharp cornor and sprinted. The wither still following him. Wow, this thing is determined to kill him. He grinned, this thing is so dead-

       He skidded to a stop. The cave came to a complete dead end, with no exits.
       "Fuck." He muttered, turning around. The wither's bright, white eyes lit up the cave, it slowly closing onto him. He peeked behind it, to see no one there. We're they not just behind him? Was this really it for Tommy Innt?

      He slowly pulled out his bow and began to shoot at it. As each arrow pieced the wither, it let out a pained groan. "DIE!" Tommy screamed. It hurled a skull at him, the bright white eyes nearing him. Almost like the white light you see before you die. "Dammit." Tommy muttered, tears pricking his eyes as it slammed into him.