Minecraft (Dark Horse Comics)/MainPlot

=== Volume 1 ===
A student named Tyler gets off a school bus and enters his house, which his family had just moved into. His mom asks as to how school goes, but he says that he can’t talk as he is running late to join some of his friends on a Minecraft server. Once Tyler makes it to his room, he turns on his computer and texts his friends in a group chat (named Evan, Candace, Grace, and Tobi) that he is logging into Minecraft. He then joins a multiplayer server known as "The EverRealm" and uses an ender pearl to teleport to his friends’ house, known as the "Hibiscus House". Unbeknownst to Tyler, his friends throw a "welcome back" party. They ask Tyler as to how life is going over at his new place, and he says that not only is his house bigger, but that he has to wear a uniform to school. Tyler does say, however, that he still needs to adjust to it. His friends then show off everything that they had done for Hibiscus House while he was away, including updates to the strip mine and an arena under construction for when they fight the wither, complete with soul sand in a T-shape in the middle and a wither skeleton skull on each end. Tyler then logs off as it is getting late and heads off to bed, promising to his friends that he’ll be on by next weekend.
Several days later, the arena is still being worked on by Tobi and Evan, with the latter mentioning that Tyler plans to be on after soccer practice. Just then, Candace and Grace return from the Nether with the third wither skeleton skull, and everyone is excited that they’ll be able to fight the wither. Just then, with Evan holding the skull, the soul sand comes to life and wraps around his arms, forcing him to place the skull on the T-shaped soul sand, inadvertently creating the wither. The wither focuses on attacking the four, but fortunately, Tyler soon appears and kills it, but begins to think that his friends wanted to fight the wither without him. His friends try to explain that it was an accident, but Tyler leaves in frustration, saying that his friends can make the beacon without him. As he lies down in bed, he gets text messages from Evan about what is going on in the Minecraft server, asking him if he can come on for something important. After some hesitation, Tyler decides to rejoin the server to find out what is going on.
Upon entering the Hibiscus House, Tyler notices a sign telling him to head up to the balcony. He does, noticing a beacon pyramid set up. Evan then offers Tyler the nether star that was dropped by the wither to finish the beacon, who happily takes it and places it in the beacon, activating its beam of light. Evan then apologizes for what happened earlier with the wither, but Tyler also apologizes for being upset due to his situation with moving out because of a time zone change. Evan hopes to make it up to him and the two head inside to meet up with everyone else, who suggest that they travel to the End to kill the ender dragon, knowing that nobody else on the server had done it yet. After some pep talk from his friends, Tyler decides to come along, and everyone prepares for next weekend. By then, everyone is back in Minecraft as they head off toward a stronghold. After traveling thousands of blocks and through several biomes, they decide to rest in a clearing in a roofed forest. Their break is cut short, however, as a creeper explodes right by them, destroying their beds and some of their supplies.
Despite the setback, the group (Tyler, Evan, Candace, Grace, and Tobi) continue toward the stronghold, eventually finding one underneath a desert biome. The group then find the end portal room and place down the five eyes of ender into the empty portal frames, making an end portal. As the group make a plan for how to kill the ender dragon, they are soon attacked by silverfish, leaving them no choice but to jump into the portal. Upon arriving in the End, the ender dragon roars at the group. Candace and Grace decide to distract the ender dragon while Tyler, Evan, and Tobi destroy the end crystals surrounding it. Eventually, after a lengthy battle, the end crystals are destroyed. Candace and Grace then fire two arrows into the ender dragon’s mouth, killing it. The group then take the dragon egg from the exit portal and take it back to the Overworld, in which the exit portal places them back at the original spawn point of the server. The others greet the group as they talk about their adventure, while Grace thanks Candace in private for saving her from an enderman. She then suggests to her that they go out on a date in real life, and Candace happily accepts.
Tyler then says to the group that he found a few people on the server that go to his new school, which also has a gaming club that meets on Wednesdays. He then asks Evan if they would be free to check out the Hibiscus House, and Evan says that they are all welcome. As Tyler, Evan, and the others discuss about going to an ocean monument, the server celebrates the killing of the ender dragon with a fireworks display. Later, back in the Hibiscus House, Tyler gives a tour of the place to the others, but they soon leave, with Tyler promising to meet up with them during gaming club. Evan and Tobi then place the dragon egg on a shelf, with the latter happy that he and his friends are able to overcome any obstacle they face. Evan then asks as to what adventure they’ll go on next.
=== Volume 2 ===
One day, Evan is walking home from school, texting to his group of friends (Tobi, Tyler, Candace, and Grace) about getting back onto "The EverRealm", a multiplayer Minecraft realm. Everyone is eager to do so except for Candace, who is busy with soccer practice. The group wish her luck. Just then, a person with a muscular physique approaches behind Evan, asking as to who he is texting. Evan says to the person that it is none of their business, but the person ends up accusing Evan of making Tyler move out because of how Evan appeared to be "annoying" to him. Evan quickly shouts down the accusation and the person soon leaves, much to Evan’s own relief. On the way home, he texts Tyler, mentioning how much he misses him and that it isn’t the same without him being here. Tyler concurs and also says that he’ll be on the realm once he gets home, hoping to talk about learning trombone in marching band. Evan then greets his mother as he enters his house. Meanwhile, Tyler is in free period in his school’s library, talking with his group of friends from gaming club, named Stef, Rus, and Ethan, about heading out to the ocean monument on the realm.
Ethan says that the ocean monument was left basically untouched, allowing Tyler and his group to head out to it. Stef also suggests that Tyler meet at their base to stack up on maps and potions of water breathing, while Rus mentions about ocean-related biomes and mobs. Tyler feels content about the offer and accepts, happy to know that his gaming club friends are here to help. The next day, at school, Evan notices a piece of paper taped to his locker with the word "LOSER" written on it, shocking him. Things don’t get better throughout the week as Evan gets picked on by the person with the muscular physique every day, going as far as to dangle Evan’s phone in the air. Fortunately, Evan is able to get the phone back without incident and soon receives a text from Tyler about meeting up on the realm that night, leaving a subtle hint as to what he has planned, and Evan replies that he is looking forward to it. Later, Evan joins everyone else on the realm as they start walking toward Skeleton Cove, home to Tyler’s gaming club friends. Tyler mentions to the group that his gaming club friends had found the ocean monument, but are allowing them to take their maps so they can find it themselves. The group begin to wonder about what they’ll be able to find inside the monument, but they soon come across Skeleton Cove.
As the group head inside, they immediately notice that Skeleton Cove had been ransacked, with holes in the walls, tools laid out everywhere, empty chests, and the beds nowhere to be found. The group begin to wonder as to who or what could’ve done such a thing, but Tobi notices a path in the sand just outside which leads to the ocean, soon noticing the items from Skeleton Cove floating out in the ocean. The group begin to wonder as to what happened with Tyler’s friends from gaming club, so they decide to use boats to row toward the items floating out in the ocean. Evan begins to wonder that this may have been the result of a bully, but Tyler reiterates that no such person would be found in The EverRealm, while also hoping that it would be a big misunderstanding. Grace soon comes across a map which leads to a stone island, so the group decide to head over to it, admiring the ocean life along the way. As they come across the stone island, Evan begins to suggest that they take shelter in a shipwreck as it is getting late, but the group is then attacked by several drowned.
The group barely escape and soon find a huge pirate ship on a corner of the stone island. As they walk up to the deck, they notice two people who wonder as to where "the good loot" is on the server, with the one in the black shirt mentioning that they (referring to Tyler’s friends from gaming club) will not be able to get away thanks to their gear being stolen, as well as using mining fatigue on them, which makes Tobi realize that the two have are holding them captive. Tyler considers confronting the two directly, but Grace instead considers on making a plan. Unfortunately, the two people, named Cleo and Aiden, along with their parrot, Pips, overhear everything, but allow them onboard the ship to discuss the situation. Tyler once again tries to confront, but Candace calmly says that they are looking for some of Tyler’s friends. Cleo says that she had seen them, walking toward a plank which is connected to a platform, which has Tyler’s friends from gaming club tied together by rope. Tyler attempts to cross the plank, but is stopped when an elder guardian jumps out of the water to sway it around.
Cleo says that she and Aiden lured the elder guardian out of an ocean monument, and also says that she’ll keep Tyler’s friends from gaming club hostage until they tell here as to where "the good loot and rare drops" are on the realm, as well as take stuff away from Evan, Candace, Grace, and Tobi. Evan considers killing Cleo and Aiden, but Tobi mentions that it's against the rules of the realm to do so. Evan then asks Cleo as to how she would feel if anything of hers got destroyed or taken away, and she says that she could just rebuild and make new stuff. Candace objects to that reasoning, saying that everyone works hard to be able to get what they need, but Cleo shrugs it off and says that nobody will be able to stop her and Aiden. She and Aiden then decide to make Tyler and his friends their prisoners, but Tyler instead throws a splash potion of harming at them. Evan then pulls a lever, which, unbeknownst to him at first, fires off TNT cannons on the side of the ship, freeing the elder guardian from its enclosure.
Stef, Rus, and Ethan are safe, however, but the elder guardian starts tracking Evan with its laser beam. Tyler ducks him out of view in the nick of time as the elder guardian starts circling the ship. Aiden considers firing the TNT cannons again, but the elder guardian’s laser beam tracks and wounds him. Grace then considers calling a truce in order to take out the elder guardian, and everyone eventually agrees. Cleo decides to have Tyler and Evan distract the elder guardian, much to their objections, while the others rescue Tyler’s friends from gaming club. Meanwhile, Cleo and Aiden will use tridents in an effort to kill the elder guardian. The plan is a success, and the elder guardian is killed, dropping prismarine shards everywhere. Tyler’s friends from gaming club thank everyone for saving them, and Cleo suggests that she and Aiden actually work together with them. Stef agrees and requests that the two come help rebuild Skeleton Cove, which they happily accept. Stef then also gives Tyler the map to the ocean monument as she, Rus, Ethan, Cleo, and Aiden head back to shore. Tyler and his friends then follow the map to the monument and explore it to their own delight.
The next day, at school, Evan and his friends sans Tyler confront the person with the muscular physique, saying to it that they should consider making friends and to stop picking on Evan. Happy that the threat is now behind him, Evan and his friends consider as to what adventure to go on next.
=== Volume 3 ===
Tyler and his group of friends (Candace, Grace, Tobi, and Evan) work together to take down several phantoms. Afterward, the group come across a clearing and decide to set up camp. Candace then asks if anyone has plans for summer vacation; Grace says that she’ll be heading off to soccer camp in a few weeks, Tobi says that he’ll get in touch with his tabletop RPG group, and Evan and Tyler say that they’ll hang out in real life next week when the former flies out to visit. Tobi then informs the group that he saw something, so everyone decides to follow him, soon coming across a ruined portal. Evan and Tobi wonder if someone else was already here, but Tyler says that the portal had spawned naturally. The group decide to ask Grace for help, but hold off until the next time they play as Evan prepares to watch the latest episode of "Skeleton Duels", which is based off a comic series of the same name. After everyone leaves the server, Evan texts Tyler about visiting him, with the two seemingly excited. A few days later, Evan meets Tyler at his local airport, and the two, along with Tyler’s mom (later named Ms. Collins), soon head back to Tyler’s house.
Despite objections from Evan and Tyler, Ms. Collins suggests that the two rest up and play Minecraft tomorrow. After eating dinner and brushing their teeth, Evan and Tyler are soon in the latter’s bedroom. After saying goodnight to Ms. Collins, they decide to log on and play Minecraft anyway, soon joining the others. Grace helps repair the ruined portal and goes through it, followed by everyone else. The portal spawns them in the Nether, in this case, a soul sand valley. However, the group is soon attacked by skeletons and ghasts, and they decide to take shelter in a crimson forest nearby. The group sans Grace begin to ask about the soul sand valley and and the trees in the crimson forest, with Grace becoming visibly more frustrated every time someone says that she is a "Nether expert". Tyler and Evan soon disconnect for the night, and Grace gives out a big sigh of relief. The next morning, she mentions to her mom about what happened before deciding to practice some soccer in her backyard. The next day, the group are back on Minecraft, this time attacking a hoglin and soon come across a bastion remnant.
Just then, a piglin appears, and Candace dies after supposedly touching its nose. The rest of the group sans Grace all soon die after being attacked by piglins, with Tyler asking Grace to do something, seeing as she as a "Nether expert". Frustrated, Grace leaves the game, making everyone else visibly worried about her. Candace decides to check on her, while Tyler and Evan decide to head out to a local comic book shop, hoping that Grace will be OK. The next morning, Evan wakes up to texts from the group chat, with Grace saying that she doesn’t want to play Minecraft anymore. Tyler mentions about the stuff in the Nether, but Grace says that she had "a really lousy time" playing with everyone yesterday and soon leaves the group chat. Tyler feels upset, thinking that he was a jerk for making Grace upset, but cooler heads prevail as Tyler and Evan soon have pancakes for breakfast, with the former hoping to talk to Ms. Collins for advice. Elsewhere, Grace is at her home kicking a soccer ball in her backyard when she is greeted by Candace and Tobi, who brought slushees and snacks to eat.
Grace apologizes for her actions in the group chat, but also says that everyone was relying on her too much regarding the Nether, and decides to take a break from playing Minecraft for a bit. Some time later, the group sans Grace are back in Minecraft, building a base in the Nether. Although Tyler hopes that Grace will be back on before summer is over, Tobi says that they can’t really rush on that possibility. Evan says that perhaps maybe they could be able to raid the bastion remnant themselves now that they are getting used to the Nether. Just then, Candace notices some striders, but ghasts soon appear nearby. Over the next few days, the group explore the Nether while finishing up their base, succumbing to piglins every time. Just then, Grace shows up at Candace’s house, and the two decide to hang out. Candace then shows Grace the Nether base that she (Candace) and the group have been working on in Minecraft. Tyler also shows off a pair of boots enchanted with Soul Speed. Evan and Tobi then mention that they still weren’t able to check out the bastion remnant because of the piglins, thinking that it’s another mystery that’ll never be solved.
It soon gets late in the day, and Grace gets ready to leave to head back home. Tyler then apologizes to her for his actions from before, and she accepts. After Grace heads home, she decides to head into her bedroom and log into Minecraft, soon entering the Nether base. Realizing that she has no armor, she finds a chest nearby, only for it to have gold armor and some potions. Grace decides to use the armor anyway and soon starts exploring the Nether, coming across creatures such as a strider, and biomes such as a warped forest. Not long after, Grace bumps into some piglins, but they don’t attack her. Realizing that the gold armor is preventing them from being hostile, she soon leaves the game, excited to tell the others. Later, Tyler and Evan are woken up by their phones, with a text from Grace saying that she is ready to play Minecraft again. Everyone else joins the game and puts on a piece of gold armor, with Grace mentioning to everyone that piglins won’t attack them if they are wearing gold. The group then explore the bastion remnant, bartering with piglins and avoiding piglin brutes along the way. Soon reaching the center of the remnant, they destroy a magma cube and soon find a chest with the "pigstep" music disc. The piglins then start attacking the group as they hear the chest opening, but the group quickly escape on their striders, with Grace feeling excited about what else could be in the Nether.