Back to basics

     I set to work digging out more of the tunnel per SERVERE's instructions, in search of this supposed abandoned building left behind by Endermen, and found a few years ago by HoN Co.. UOPETA decided to head back up to the wooden shack with THEROS and AMPHIS, to keep up appearances so AMPHIS didn't suspect anything, but he said he would return every now and then with torches to light the tunnel. He's hoping to convince AMPHIS that it's a good idea to remain down here in the wooden shack for the night so that we can all continue our work without being disturbed. Despite being with THEROS and UOPETA quite a lot recently, being cooped up digging a tunnel alone didn't phase me one bit. In fact, I quite enjoyed it! It reminded me of the fun I used to have all those months ago back before HoN Co.'s treachery, the Lone 7 or the portals. Life was a challenge, and it was fun living it from day to day, not knowing what the next would bring. I can't lie about it, but back in the early days when I had barely known the Lone 7 more than a week, I had been attempted to start afresh, on my own, completely cut off from everyone else. I had often thought about how my life would be different if I had gone off by myself and made a fresh start; I wouldn't have to worry about anyone else but myself, there would be no need to hide from HoN Co. as they wouldn't know where I would be, the list was endless! But then I think about all of the bad things that might have happened to me instead... I could be dead! I could have been gravely wounded by a Creeper or worse... I couldn't leave now anyway. I was in too deep. And besides, despite the danger that I encountered regularly, I was thankful as to how much my eyes had been opened, and the friends I had made along the way...

----

     Thanks to my wonderfully strong and durable diamond pickaxe, I'm making mincemeat of the stone wall before me! UOPETA had come down a couple of times, impressed at the amount of progress I was making. On the second return, he brought a drink and something to eat for me, offering to take over for a while and let me have a rest. I kindly declined the offer, but asked if he wanted to stay down with me for awhile. From the look on his face, he was more than happy to!

"AMPHIS is beginning to ask some very awkward questions, and THEROS thinks we should involve him in the current situation. I have to admit, I agree. It's becoming rather odd fobbing him off with fake answers as to why we're really down here... On the upside, it seems SERVERE has already collected the coordinates THEROS left out for him."

That was good news at least. I finished off the last of the drink, and continued with the tunnel, whilst maintaining a conversion with UOPETA. I think we would have to tell him as well. I was surprised that we had come this far without either letting something slip, or AMPHIS actually asking what was really going on. He was a smart man, which suggested either he had his suspicions or he didn't care...

"I think he knows... He would have asked otherwise. He at least knows about us seeing SERVERE again. I mean we hardly acted normally when we got back yesterday. Insisting to head down into the cliff mine... Not something we usually do, so I'm not surprised if we've caused some suspicion. Probably a bit of confusion too... Is it just me or is it getting hotter?"

I hadn't noticed it, but now that UOPETA mentioned it, it didn't seem warmer the further we advanced forwards with the tunnel. I shrugged it off as though it was nothing, and UOPETA decided to head back to the shack. Just before he left though, the chamber flooded with light and heat as I broke through a soft portion of rock, revealing a lava pool beyond! Breaking away more of the wall, UOPETA came back and stood behind me, letting out a long, slow whistle.

"Now that's an obstruction..."

"SERVERE didn't really give us a direction to head in, but I would assume he meant straight ahead, otherwise he would have specified. Either way, you're not going to go straight over that..."

I was going to have to go around. Bending down close to the edge, I scoped out the pool of lava, trying to determine the extent to which it spread, allowing me to know how far around to go. Once I had a good idea, I began to mine the wall to my left. UOPETA had left by that point, allowing me to work on my own again, and as I dug further and further out from the lava pool, it became cooler and cooler. Once I got as far as I thought was necessary, I began to mine the wall to my right, heading back in the direction I had started. It was lucky as well, as I may have caused a small cave-in with the amount of gravel that faced me. A few metres into the wall and the heat began to rise again, and before I knew it, I had created another hole in the wall, facing the lava pool to my right this time! Luckily there was enough space to walk along the left-hand side, but it was becoming more and more dangerous. After crossing over the small little puddle of lava, I continued the wall along for a while before cutting back into the left wall. Once again, a few metres in I was faced with the same lava pool to my right, and looking across, I could see the tunnel I had dug all the way back to the wooden shack! I had made quite some progress in the few short hours we had been down here. I began to mine through the wall, in the direction I should have stayed with until the lava pool decided to make matters awkward.

     Another hour of mining and I was beat! I began to head back through the slight diversion I had had to make to get back to the other side. I had made great progress and I had found something that could prove rather useful, although I had left it back within the tunnel. As I got back to where the diversion began, I met UOPETA. He was squinting into the distance, past the heat haze of the lava, looking rather surprised at what he could apparently see.

"Is that... diamond?"

It definitely was! I had struck a small deposit of diamond about twenty minutes ago, leaving it there for the time being. No sense in digging it up if we didn't know what to do with it. It was hardly likely to be going anywhere...

"Come on up to the shack. We're turning in for the day, and I reckon you're definitely in need of some rest."

Music to my ears. Sweet, sweet music...

Syeonyx signing off