Minecraft: Castle Redstone/1CHP

=== Chapter 1 ===
Pal, Sir Rajah’s servant, is seen taking arrows out of Sir Rajah’s back. After doing so, Pal says that they are running low on food as he rummages through his backpack, and says that they should head into town to buy some more. Just then, Faith, Sir Rajah’s squire, questions this, saying that they haven’t found treasure in weeks and all they do is run away. Sir Rajah immediately interjects, saying that they don’t "run away", but carry out a "tactical retreat", and belittles Faith for not understanding military terms. Faith then says that they should’ve hid in the trees so they wouldn’t have been surrounded, and Sir Rajah scoffs at this, saying that they don’t act "like cowards", and that "true heroes face their enemies". Pal then gives Sir Rajah back his diamond sword, named "Heartbreaker", and Sir Rajah says that the skeletons wouldn’t stand a chance against him. Just then, footsteps are heard in the distance, with Sir Rajah holding his sword, Pal holding his axe, and Faith draws out a bow and arrow. Faith then fires an arrow into the darkness, and a hissing sound of a creeper is heard. Sir Rajah sounds for everyone to run away, but Faith is still firing arrows at the creeper. Pal then grabs a hold of Faith’s arm as the three run away from the camp they had set up. The creeper then explodes in the center of the camp, causing everyone to be lifted off their feet as the explosion sent out a shockwave that "tore trees from their roots" and "threw up a wave of dirt and debris".
=== Chapter 2 ===
The three (Sir Rajah, Pal, and Faith) somehow make it back to the inn in town. Pal finishes up working on twelve arrows for Faith to put in her quiver as the two eat some cooked chicken. Pal then asks as to where Sir Rajah is, and Faith says that he is at the market to meet someone. She then says that she feels like their luck is about to change for the better, knowing that Sir Rajah has the sword that Lord Maharajah had used to defeat the ender dragon, but Pal notices that the sword needs to be repaired, even though they don’t have any diamonds. Just then, Sir Rajah and a merchant known as the Mapmaker appear, with Sir Rajah explaining that they found their next quest. The Mapmaker then carefully shows the three a map that he seems as authentic, and Sir Rajah points out a town drawn in red ink, known as Castle Redstone.
=== Chapter 3 ===
Pal immediately questions the map as fake, but Sir Rajah explains to Pal that it is Sir Rajah himself that makes the decisions, not Pal. The Mapmaker then explains the legend of Castle Redstone and wonders about how many groups have ventured off to find it. Sir Rajah then says that his father, Lord Maharajah, had spent half of his life looking for it, and exclaims that he wants to buy the map. The Mapmaker then says that he can only be paid in netherite, and Pal excuses himself, Sir Rajah, and Faith to discuss about going to the Nether. As the Mapmaker leaves and goes back into the crowd of people, Pal explains to Sir Rajah that going to the Nether would be too dangerous, saying that either blazes or piglins would kill them, and that the entire area is filled with lava. Sir Rajah immediately questions this, asking Pal as to when they will be ready, and reiterates that the map is authentic. Pal then says to Sir Rajah that perhaps his talents lie elsewhere besides going on an adventure, and somebody else says for Sir Rajah to listen to his squire as he is "talking sense". Pal turns around and notices that it was Sir Tyrus, leader of The Bravos, who had said that. Sir Tyrus then jokes about running away from sheep, which makes Sir Rajah snap and exclaim that he is allergic to wool. Just then, The Bravos burst out in laughter, with one of them even mimicking a sheep. Pal then says to Sir Rajah that they have to leave and go to sleep in a barn, saying that it is all they can afford despite Sir Rajah’s objections, but after The Bravos continue mimicking sheep, Sir Rajah eventually gives in and turns to leave. He asks for Faith to leave with them, but she refuses at first, saying that she should teach The Bravos a lesson as they are "nothing but bullies". She soon gives in, however, and turns to leave, noting that Sir Rajah isn’t at full health. Just then, Sir Rajah snaps after members of The Bravos continue to mimic a sheep, and challenges Sir Tyrus to a duel; this was after he said to Sir Rajah that he only inherited his cowardice from his father.
=== Chapter 4 ===
The marketplace is cleared quickly as Sir Rajah and Sir Tyrus prepare to duel. The latter is gathered in one corner with the rest of The Bravos, while Sir Rajah, Faith, and Pal are in the other corner. Faith then says that they need to use Sir Tyrus' strengths against him, noting that his knees might be fragile. Pal disagrees, saying that his knees are like tree trunks. Lady Payne, Sir Tyrus' right-hand woman, then confronts them, sheepishly complaining that his dinner is getting cold. Pal then gives Sir Rajah his shield, and just like that, Sir Tyrus and Sir Rajah are ready to fight.
=== Chapter 5 ===
Almost immediately, in one swing, Sir Rajah’s diamond sword, the Heartbreaker, breaks and turns into dust. The Bravos and the entire crowd burst into laughter at how short the duel lasted, with Sir Rajah easily dumbfounded. It isn’t long before the three (Sir Rajah, Pal, and Faith) are away from the crowd, gathered in an alleyway. Pal and Faith try to calm Sir Rajah, but he goes off and blames both of them for what happened, despite Pal saying that he didn’t have enough materials to repair the sword. Pal considers heading back to the manor, but decides to go for a walk instead, feeling like that he was free from gloom, even if for a brief moment. He eventually finds the Mapmaker by a food stall and asks about the map. The Mapmaker immediately thinks that he is here to lower the price, and stands his ground that it can only be bought with netherite. Pal realizes that they would need gear to be able to survive being in the Nether to get what he needs, but the Mapmaker says that he’ll be the one to gather the netherite and necessary gear. This makes Pal suspicious that the map might be a fraud, but he eventually accepts the deal. He soon heads back to Sir Rajah and Faith, with the latter mentioning that Sir Rajah cried himself to sleep, and asks Pal as to what took him so long. Pal then says to forget about sleeping in the barn, and talks with Faith about the deal with the Mapmaker. He then says that they are "going to make Rajah a hero", even if he is killed in the process.
=== Chapter 6 ===
Early the next morning, the three (Sir Rajah, Pal, and Faith) meet up with the Mapmaker just outside of town, on a hilltop with a nether portal. Sir Rajah feels like backing out, but the Mapmaker insists that they will be safe. Faith wonders as to how the portal works, and the Mapmaker says that nobody really knows as to how it works. The Mapmaker then gives the three an assortment of tools and armor, along with some ladders. Pal takes a helmet that had already had its front melted, as well as a bent iron sword, while Sir Rajah takes a stone axe. The Mapmaker then says that the bastion remnant that they are headed toward has some competition, and also says that The Bravos already made a portal to the Nether. When Sir Rajah asks as to why the Mapmaker didn’t just send The Bravos, Faith interjects and says that they declined to do so after being asked. As the three prepare to go through the portal, the Mapmaker says that there are riches in a treasure room, which is locked by an iron door which was set up by "an old rival" of his. He then says for them to not do a certain thing, but is cut short as the three go through the portal.
=== Chapter 7 ===
The three (Sir Rajah, Pal, and Faith) scream as they go through the portal, but soon appear in a warped forest in the Nether. Faith then has a flashback to when she first used a bow to kill a creeper, but it soon fades away as the three run away from a ghast fireball. Sir Rajah and Pal consider heading back through the portal, but Faith is able to lure the ghast away from them, and soon kills it after she deflects a fireball with Sir Rajah’s stone axe back at it. Pal picks up the gunpowder that it dropped, and Sir Rajah uses some mushrooms that he had collected to make some mushroom stew. After eating, the three continue through the Nether, soon coming across a bastion remnant. They notice some piglins attacking members of The Bravos, so they decide to sneak in and grab the loot from the remnant without being noticed.