( ???'s P.O.V )
I gently floated out of the room, the two friends following. The others were keeping that bastard at bay. As much as I cared, they may not be able to do much.

I know I didn't.

I grew concerned for both their allies and mine, as I floated on faster.
"What's your name?" Drake asked. I turned around.

"My name is not important. We must release you two from here." I answered.
The other boy raised his eyebrow, but kept his mouth shut. I turned around and led them through corridors.
"The diamond." I began, looking over my shoulder as we turned towards another series of pathways. They both looked at me.
"The Sacred Diamonds. They will not hold out much longer." I wasn't worried about about what I said. I was dead, after all.
"How do you know about them...?" Armen asked.
"Those reasons are best remained unknown. Now, back to what I was discussing."
They both turned from eachother and at me. I smiled. I used to have a friendship as strong as their's.

"As I said, they will not last. Their power is beginning to drain out. On purpose, at that." I led them down stairs.
"Well what do you mean?" The half Enderman asked.
"Wait, wait, before you answer that, I want to know." The other boy interrupted.
"What were those shadows back at that room?"
I turned from them.
"Allies."

We passed by a large room. Everything here was netherrack, something I and the others got accustomed too. Such a bland color to me now.
"Once the diamonds are destroyed, and you haven't escaped, you both will become one of us. That scoundrel did such cruelty to get rid of you both. You both need to escape before they become red or get demolished."
I paused.
"We've been gathering information for years."
"How do you know all of this?" Drake asked, picking up the pace. Armen did aswell.
I looked over at them seeing Drake holding his chin and looking down. His eyes widen, his expression looking as if he figured something out.
"What happens when they all turn red?"

"I could only think of two things. One, you both become like us. The other one, you both die. Armen, since well, you have unfortunately already passed, you will be sent back to the afterlife. Which either way, you both could become his new puppets."
Their eyes widen.
"Well, what happens if we were to escape, and then the diamonds were to turn red? What's happening? Where are we? Who are you? Who's-"
"Calm. I will explain everything. Right now, as we speak, our allies are fighting with Him. Stalling. So we could get both of you released."

Seeing that they weren't pestering me with questions, I continued.
"During these moments, your allies, the ones you know personally, are well, in trouble. No, not up to the extent where they will die." I quickly added when the raven-haired boy opened his mouth.
"Let's hope." I cautiously said.
"Where we are, well, we'd all think Herobrine's mind."
They both stopped dead in their tracks. The blue eyed boy stopped too fast, as he stumbled to the ground.
"I'm sorry, what?" Armen asked looking up at me.
"You heard what I said. Now come, we must hurry."
"Why are you so calm?" Drake asked, helping up his friend.
I turned around.

"I'm not. Do not get me wrong, I have confidence in both of you. You've survived longer then any of us have. Impressive, to say the least. But, it's spreading quickly. We are dealing with quite a lot, if you haven't noticed."
They looked at eachother, then back at me.
"As for who I am-" I paused.
"Just call me a friend."
They blinked.
One of them gasped.
"Watch out!!-" They were cut off when something hit me in the back of my head, knocking me to the floor.
I heard two more thumps.

Before I completely passed out, He grabbed me by my neck.
"Heh. Trying to give them answers eh? I can't have that. And you had the others try and take care of me? How idiotic." He hissed, throwing me forcefully in the wall. My whole world went black.

( Drake's P.O.V )
I groaned as I woke up. I nearly screamed out in pain. Cuts were spread throughout my body, the sticky red showing through my shirt. Gashes were spread along my cheeks, so if I even talked, it would surely hurt. The fact that it added to my previous wounds made it worse.

I choked back a cry of pain as much as I could. Everything was blurry, but soon enough, they eventually became vivid. I was in the same room from where I first woke up. I was forced onto my knees, heavy metal chains with short links holding my legs down. My arms were spread apart, chains connecting them. They were all supported by iron plates in the walls.

"Hmm, awake I see?" I turned my head slowly around to where the sickening voice came from. He was leaned back against the wall causally, closing his eyes, but now beginning to open them. He held an obsidian dagger dripping with blood.

Which was probably mine.

My gaze darkened.
"Where are they?!" I yelled at Him, holding back my cries of overwhelming discomfort. He swayed His hand around.
"Eh don't worry, they're fine! Not for long anyway." He muttered that last part, sounding more ominous purposely.
"But you should be worried about, you. I mean, look at yourself, you're a mess!" He exclaimed, fake worry shone clearly in his voice.
I narrowed my eyes even more.
"Why are you here?" I asked, looking away.

I couldn't believe it.

I was having the most casual conversation with Him.

I felt like puking.

All over Him, mind you.

He scoffed.
"I'm always here."
"I mean why you're here with me, retard." I restated myself.
"Well maybe you should be more specific. If you must know, I thought you'd like company."
"From a demon? I'd like someone more suitable."
"You get what you get and you don't get upset." I twitched. Not only was he a complete murderer, but he was annoying too.

How delightful.

( ???'s P.O.V )
I coughed up blood, as it stained the netherrack flooring. I was in the position the two friends were in, except I was alone. What shocked me the most was that I looked as I was when I was alive. I blinked. Memories flooded back to me from the past events.

Angry creep up on me, and worry filled my mind.
I thrashed around, tugging and pulling on the chains continuously, blinded by rage.
I needed to get those two out of here. Once the diamonds completely turned red, they would all be goners, and Herobrine would continue his reign of terror.

I've dealt with this far too long, with far too many of us failing. Magic didn't work here.
This was His mind after all. As long as we were here, we were held down by His restrictions.
-----
I eventually stopped in defeat, letting my arms fall, being picked up by my chains. For all I know, those two could be dead. That concerned me to a great extent.
My eyes widen.
'The others!" I blindly began to trash around again.
'If He hurt a single one of them, I swear...' I sighed.
'What am I even saying? Of course I won't be able to do anything. Jeez, they could already be goners too!' I thought to myself, my eyes beginning to get watery.
It was amazing how I still held onto my sanity, after all these years.
Tears left my eyelids. It's been forever since I last cried. It's such a relief, letting out all my emotions. I shook my head.
'No, now is not the time to be selfish. I have to hurry.'

( Grayson's P.O.V )
I went over to Armen picking him up in my arms. Mia went into the room I went in with Armen.
"Armen! Come on, you need to wake up!" I urged, shaking him. Mia came back with the diamond.
"Something's up with the diamonds and them." She started, coming over to me.
"What do you mean, them?" Luke inquired.
"With Drake and Armen. Who else?!" Luke sagged his shoulders in defeat.
"What do you mean? Explain." I pressed on.
The baby dragon growled. We turned to face it, as his eyes were locked on with the diamond. The dragon looked over at Drake, then at us. He stopped, trudging over to us.
We all raised our eyebrows.

"AHHH!" Armen shrieked, as he shot up, his head colliding with my chin. I stopped holding him and covered my face.
"Ow!"
"Sorry, sorry!" He said frantically as he apologized.
"Armen, what happened?!" Mia called out to him, her voice cracking a little. The dragon tackled him to the floor as he stood up.
After a couple of moments, the soon to be named dragon got off of him, giving him his space.
"Wh-where's-" Armen stopped and ran over to Drake's side.
"Drake?!" He yelled as he shook him.

"Both you and him passed out at the same time. You should also know, you got possessed." Luke said bluntly. Armen stopped, dropping Drake's head, as Drake landed on his knees, remaining unresponsive.
"WHAT?!?!?!" He called.
"Armen." He whipped his head around to me.
"What happened?" I asked him calmly.
He looked around frantically. He stood up, gently placing Drake on the floor. Armen's eyes landed on the Scared Diamond. He was over at Mia's side in less than a split second, and I could have sworn wind just blew by as he passed me. He took it out of her hands, his gaze growing worried.
He looked in thought, as if trying to recall things.
"We cannot destroy this." He suddenly said.
"Why not?" I asked.

"They'll die." Mia chimed in.
"How do you know that?!" Luke outburst.
"That's just what I think anyway. When the other diamond was tossed to the wall, it broke off a bit. I don't think you guys noticed, but Armen and Drake's breathing staggered. That could have affected their health." She explained.
Armen held his head, but did not look as if in pain.
"Th-there was this figure...this shadow...and he, or she? They? I don't know. It told us..a lot. It's a bit fuzzy in all honestly."
"What do you remember?" Luke questioned.

"It kept saying we had to hurry. To escape. All kinds of confusing things, that Drake and I weren't sure of."
He held his right hand up to his head. He hisses, looking down at his palm. I grow shocked as I see a gash throughout it, dripping with blood, as it slightly stained his hair. He looked at it confusingly. At that moment, more cuts and gashes spread and opened throughout his body, as his dropped to his knees.

We were all at his side. I grew bewildered as he was actually harmed. To a great extent, at that. They looked fresh. Mia went into her bag, pulling out a healing potion. She gave it to Armen, and he gladly took it and drank it. She took out bandages to wrap his wounds. I looked over at Drake, as all I could think about was how he was holding up.

( Armen's P.O.V )
I woke up gasping, breathing in harshly as I coughed. Stinging pain burned my body, as I felt coldness wrap around my wrists and ankles. I groaned, looking around, the past events, unable to be recalled. It was a room similar to where Drake and I woke up in. I blinked as I remembered the shadowy figure. The events came back to me once more.

I heard the door slam open, startling me. Two snaps were heard, and I fell again. I looked up, trying to ignore the pain as best I could. Another figure stood in the doorway, as it entered the room floating a couple centimeters off the ground.
"We need to leave. NOW." It demanded. It was at my side, as it assisted me with standing.
Once I was on two feet, it turned and headed for the door. I limped right behind it, using the wall for extra support.
"Who are you?"
"An ally. I know the situation you're in. But now's not the time for idle chit-chat. We need to get you and your friend out of here." It answered, it's yellow eyes looking into my soul.
"Friend...Drake! Where is he?!"
It groaned, averting it's eyes and turning away. This one definitely gave more answers than the last one, but they seemed vague.
"He's with that scumbag. But Mr. White Eyes is distracted again, giving us time to get you out. But don't worry. Once you're out, we'll go straight to Drake's aid." He explained reassuringly.
"Can you at least give me some answers? Like who, or what, you are?"
It sighed.

"That other idiot likes to be mysterious as hell. Especially in times like this. I would have come gotten you both myself, but I was outnumbered with votes. Dammit. Might aswell." It then began with its explanation.
"Right now, as he might have told you, let's hope, you and your friends are in trouble. If we don't get you out before times runs out, you both would either die, or become one of us. Doesn't change the fact that you'd both be as good as dead. Of course, you've already passed."

I nodded taking all the information in.
We reached stairs and it stopped. It turned towards me, and picked me up by arms, as it floated down.
"We, what we are as shadows to you, are first of all your allies. Our purposes aren't malicious, like what we'd seem to be. We are previous victims of that frickin' waste." I looked towards it.
"There's more victims?!" I exclaimed, as it set me down in the ground, and I continued to limp by him.
It scoffed.

"Me and that other idiot aren't the only ones. There's thousands more of us." It explained.
"The dumbo that you met? His name's Bard. Idiot till the end. Too optimistic. Thought he was like some wizard and whatnot when he was alive. Caring though."
It looked from me.
"As for me, my name's Sage. He was with me when I was alive, being haunted by Flashlight Eyes."
We passed by corridors.
Another set of stairs came up, and he picked me up and carried me down.
"Do you know what's happening outside of here?"
He shook his head.
"Unfortunately not. All I know, is that if the diamonds are involved in this, we're as good as doomed. "
Sage then shut his mouth, as he was finished with explaining. I was lost in my thoughts, working with the new information he had given me.
-----
A big iron door stood in front of us, stretching throughout the room. Sage went over, and opened the door.
A light.
"The second you go through there, you'll escape. Don't worry. I'll get your friend. And wherever Bard is."
I raised an eyebrow.
"If you found this place, and you know it's the way out, why can't you just go?" I asked.
His look saddened.
"We can't. The reasons for that are unknown to us." He went behind, putting his hands on my shoulders.
"Go! We're tired of dealing with that douchbag! And I don't like newcomers! Not exactly a people person." At that, he shoved me in the light.
__________
I shot up, screaming, my head hitting against something.
"Ow!" I blinked realizing it was Grayson.