It was about midday when Nikita noticed the landscape start to change from flat to hilly and rough. She started to see more stone than grass and the trees became a rare sight. There were also very few small lakes, and those that they came across were more puddles than actual lakes.
They made sure to stop at any water source they had, however, to water the horses and fill their water bottles. The weather was also changing, the sky becoming more dark and grey with storm clouds. The wind had picked up considerably and was a constant howling companion of the adventurers.
"I hate this." Said Elijah after two hours of riding through the bad weather and rocky terrain. Grey Wind neighed almost as if in agreement.
"Me to." Said Nikita.
They fact that they hadn't come upon any monsters yet also surprised her.
She looked down at the map and said "We're almost there according to this. It's only another hour's ride." She said.
Elijah groaned.
"Oh come on, it's not that bad. At least it isn't cold and snowing." She said.
"You have a point." Said Elijah, spurring Grey Wind forward.
Nikita urged Blaze to a canter and then to a gallop, racing across the uneven terrain. Nikita wanted to get to the mountains before night came if it was at all possible. After a fifteen minutes at a full gallop they slowed to a walk and let the gorses drink from one of their water bottles. They then fed them a couple apples and let them rest for another fifteen minutes.
Once they were feeling better the eased them back into a trot. About ten minutes later they came upon a forest where the trees grew extremely close together. Nikita got off of Blaze and drew her sword.
Elijah took out his weapon as well as they led their horses by the reins into the forest. It was already dark, but when they entered the forest Nikita had to pull out a torch to see well.
"Creepy." Commented Elijah, holding up his own torch for light.
"I don't feel particularly good about going into the forest." He said.
I don't either. Thought Nikita as they rode past the tall trees.
She didn't know what exactly made her feel uneasy about this place, it was like the jungles where the canopies sometimes grew together and blocked out most of the sunlight. This forest just seemed... darker almost, not referring to the light.
Something had happened here, Nikita just didn't know what it was.
And I really don't want to know. She thought to herself.
Nikita then felt a tingling sensation spread from the nape of her neck to the base of her spine. She shivered as it passed and wondered what had brought that on.
"The trees are thinning." Said Elijah, looking around them.
He was right, they were. The dismal grey light from the sky was starting to filter through the canopy. Nikita got out the map that she had put in her inventory and whispered "caverna", for the map's contents had disappeared again when she had put it back into her inventory.
"The Shadowfang mountains are what lie beyond this forest." She whispered.
"We're almost there." Nikita said, forging on.
Almost there. She repeated in her head, reassuring herself.
The trees got thinner and thinner until they made it out into a clearing. In front of the travelers lay the Shadowfang mountains, its jagged peaks reaching up towards the sky. A valley ran through two of the fang-like peaks, and she could see small bodies of water.
As Nikita looked closer she realized the mountains weren't made of stone, granite and grass... they were made of obsidian. Nikita found that to be weird. She had never seen mountains made of obsidian. In fact, she had never seen this much obsidian ever.
She gave Blaze's reins to Elijah and went to look at a patch of obsidian where the grass abruptly turned inti obsidian. She knelt down and looked at it.
It was indeed obsidian with the dark purple flecks and all.
"Weird." Said Nikita.
"They call them the Shadowfang mountains for a reason." Said a Servant from behind them.
"It's a rare kind of biome. They call it an Obsidian Biome, though the Servants here call it a Shadow Biome. The only things that spawn here are monsters and bats the only blocks obsidian, soulsand around the small pools and the very rare parch of dead grass. Lava lakes are found in obsidian ravines and caves." It said.
"The adventurers that have come here have died do to the mobs or the very mountains themselves. There is also the fact of starvation, though I would fear the zombie horses more than that."
The Servant then looked at Nikita with its unnerving white eyes.
"You, however, are a Servant, so the monsters will not attack you. I can so guid you along the only safe path through these mountains." It said.
The being then turned to Elijah.
"You, however, have not been excepted as a Servant yet. The monsters will attack you if you go beyond this point." Said the Servant.
"I'm coming with." Said Elijah stubbornly.
"Elijah." Said Nikita quietly.
When he started to day something she said his name again, louder and firmer. He stopped and looked at her.
"Wait here. I'll be back, though under different circumstances." She said.
Elijah nodded, understanding.
"I will wait for you. I won't leave without you." He said.
"Stay safe." She said.
"You to." Said Elijah.
Nikita then turned back to the Servant and said "Lead me."
The Servant nodded and walked down over the edge of the mountain to begin to descend it. Nikita followed, Blaze not far behind. It took them a full day to get to The Cave. They had to traverse shear cliffs, drop offs and slippery patches of stone. The wind had also picked up as they were scaling the side of one of the cliffs, threatening to tear them off the side of the smooth obsidian.
When they finally got to The Cave Nikita was exhausted.
"Do you have your Ender Eye?" The Servant asked.
Nikita got out, the weird purple glow lighting up the space around it.
"Go into The Cave." The Servant said.
"You will enter a Stronghold. Keep going past the enchanting room and then go left. You will find the portal in a room enclosed with obsidian and lighted with purple torches." Said the Servant.
"Place the Eye in the empty space. It will activate. Jump through it. You will find yourself in The Obsidian Temple. Go through the doors, find one if the Guardians. They will lead to Herobrine." It said.
"He is expecting you."
Nikita gave Blaze reins to the Servant and said "Take care of him."
"I will take him to the stables on the other side of this peak. There he we will fed and watered." Said the Servant.
Nikita gave Blaze one last reassuring pat on the muzzle before walking towards The Cave.
As Nikita stepped up to the mouth of The Cave the felt... apprehensive.
Here we go. She thought as she walked down into its depths, not knowing exactly what she would find.