I stalk through doorways and passage ways, killing off creepers and endermen and gathering their drops as I go. I find the chest in the hallway that has six more ender pearls, two diamonds and some gold.

I place down my crafting table, upgrading my iron sword to a diamond and turning the remaining blaze rods into ender eyes, before continuing onward.

It isn't long at all until I find the portal, and my luck, I only need five more eyes to fill it in! I throw them all in to the portal frames, and the menacing black portal ignites. The familiar sounds of the End echo around the room, and I glance around.

The hunters haven't found it yet. I have a chance of beating the Dragon before they show up. So, no time to hesitate. I jump into the glowing darkness, and my vision is consumed. In what feels like only seconds, I land on a hard surface, and I hear the Dragon roar.

I pick myself up from the obsidian pad, before mining through the endstone up to the surface. I cover up my tracks behind me all the way, in hopes of slowing the boys down when they inevitably arrive here.

I'm surrounded by endermen as soon as I surface, and I make the wise decision to look down and run forward. I pull out my bow and an arrow, aiming and instantly firing.

Hitting the side of the pillar.

"Oh," I mumble, lowering the weapon. "Guess I have to be more forceful? There's no crosshairs telling me where to shoot anymore."

With the discovery, I again notch an arrow, this time aiming higher and pulling the string of the bow back as far as I can pull it. As I hold the position, I take in a deep breath.

Focus.

You've got this.

You're in line.

Shoot.

The arrow soars through the air, high and out of sight through the darkness of the End. After a moment, I see and hear an explosion from the tip of the pillar.

One Crystal down. Nine left.