"After UOPETA and Syeonyx pass through, we will allow them a minute to survey the area and return through, with a concise but accurate summation of the area. If it is too dangerous, we may need to spend longer locating another portal. Alternatively, it they do not return within five minutes of passing through the portal, we will bury the portal using explosives. It seems harsh, but it would mean that whatever fate has befallen you could just as easily pass through into Minecraftia, and we need to keep casualties to a minimum. If they return with news that the passage is safe, we will continue in pairs until everyone is across. We will then establish a small base, and attempt to work out exploitative expeditions from there. Once through, anyone not carrying equipment will either be equipped with a sword or blowpipe, but do not attack on sight! We need to ensure that we do not provoke whatever is in the Nether as it may prove fatal. After we have established a base of operations, we will concentrate on locating the stone and finding a way to get to it. From the reports, it is likely to be located in high cliff areas. So keep your eyes open and pan around for anything! We can't determine the light level there either, so we are taking a large supply of torches with us."
He went on to explain about the teams, pairing himself with OROTHO, Amie with THEXIS, and THEROS with AMPHIS. We had also decided that it would be best to bring Hermes and Chiron with me and UOPETA to as guards. We will need to ensure they do not become too excited and run off, but they usually acted quite sensibly when together. AMPHIS wasn't initially happy with the idea of Hermes coming with us, but when presented with the alternative of being left behind to starve, he changed his mind! A few moments later, we were making our way up the ladder through the hatch and onto the surface. From where we were, we were going to have to head South West to the last location we had found where there was still an active portal.
In single file, we followed the line of still burning torches down towards the chamber where the last portal we encountered still stood. Me and UOPETA were up ahead to defend the others in case we were set upon by a Creeper or HoN Co. guards, but it was unusually quiet considering. After many twists and turns, we came to the chamber that now possessed a portal-shaped hole in the wall and a single, active secondary portal.
"Right then. Syeonyx and UOPETA will proceed ahead to scout out the area. Remember: five minutes to establish the location and return, otherwise we seal the portal behind you! Be careful, and try not to draw any attention to yourself. If we can, we should be able to be as discreet as possible... Now, in your own time..."
Me and UOPETA looked at each other nervously, and then around at the six other faces watching us intently, knowing that this may be the last time we see any of the others alive. We could be dead in a few moments time, after stepping through that portal. Who knows what horrors await us through the shimmering purple...
We approached the portal, and I took the bow from over my shoulder in readiness. We looked back at each other, and shook hands.
"See you on the side, brother."
Indeed. UOPETA stepped through the portal, closely followed by Hermes and Chiron, past the shimmering purple rift, and disappeared. Taking in a large breath, I stepped up onto the ledge, and pushed through, expecting a little resistance. Instead, there was no transition at all, and I fell forwards slightly, compensating quickly. Immediately I called out to UOPETA and he replied:
"Syeonyx? Good... You made it too..."
Passing fully through the rift, the iridescent purple light that had flooded my vision ebbed away, and instead I was left with the sight of UOPETA looking at me, surrounded by fire and horrid walls of flesh!
"It's alright. We've emerged in a small tunnel. It seems to go on for some time, but I managed to get to the end before you arrived. I was getting worried that you weren't coming through! I waited nearly the whole five minutes COLUS gave me, before coming back. Although it gave me enough time to survey the area."
Five minutes...? I was only about ten seconds behind him! How could he have searched the area in ten seconds? Maybe it was the shock of passing through the portal that had thrown his time frames out of whack. He pointed up, what could only be described as a set of stairs which led upwards.
UOPETA led me up the stairs, with Chiron and Hermes still in tow. They were being surprisingly reserved considering the new environment.
"I went up this way, followed it round and found quite a few nice places to set up a base of operations close to the portal. There's only this direction to head out to from the portal, so it reduces the chance of us getting lost."
For a few minutes, we followed the winding walls of the tunnel. It was odd... I had seen that stone before... I just couldn't put my finger on where... After a while of walking around, we eventually emerged into a cavernous area that spanned a huge distance. As we passed out from the mouth of the tunnel, I was hit with a wave of heat, and the stench of ammonia!
"This is what I found... Look at it! It's an entirely new, alien world out there!"
From where I was, I could see channels of lava flowing through small islands of the same stone as the walls. Random fires were scattered throughout the entire area, and for as far as the eye could see, there was a large flat roof covering the entire place. Were we underground? There was so much to take in; from my position, I could see small pockets of yellow stone high above embedded into the ceiling, and small groups of those pig-men the file referred to. They hadn't seen us, and I hoped it stayed that way!
"Come on... We need to call the others through. They need to see this!"
We began the short walk back to the portal, the two dogs following close behind.
Syeonyx signing off
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