(CHAPTER 8: FIGHT FOR HER)

2 minutes have past.

Hero tries to stay awake. His head is beating as if a rock and roll concert is playing within it. His ears are ringing, being underwater for so long makes his lung sending a frantic plea for air. His throat throbs as it tries to breathe. Hi shirt were torn apart with bite marks and scars all over it. His sights were blurry, being underwater for 2 minute straight without any air must've been deadly to some. But not for him, he must survive, he must return, this isn't about his life, it's about hers.

With that thought in mind, he grasp his shield even tighter as he tries to scan the murky water for the sea serpent. He could felt the monster circling around him, like a prey towards to predator, but where is it, it is as if it has turn invisible completely.

He felt something was coming, but he couldn't make sure where. His eyes scouted as he slowly kicks up, he needed air, he wanted air, he MUST have air! His lungs tighten every second ticks by, the idea of breathing was like a tumor, growing, inching in his mind. At least a gulp, he thought as he proceed to resurface. Just as his head is meter away from fresh air, a force drags him down, back to where he begin.

Now he is impatient, frustrated and in rage. Hero threw slashes randomly, trying to hit the serpent but all blows were a miss. Just when he was tires and worn off, the serpent strikes once more, leaving a huge bite mark on his shoulder. He let out a painful roar, losing his precious air before turn his head on, but right now the serpent is gone, nowhere to be seen.

This continues as the serpent land blows and blows on Hero, within a minute, he was completely hung dry. His body were covered in scars and bite marks, as his head hung low. His feet kick desperately while his body swayed with the current. He could barely see right now, or even barely think, the feeling of blood rushing to his mind was driving him nuts. He started to fill light, high as his mind is hung dry on hypoxia.

This is it.

His eye lid started to feel heavy as his hand reaches towards the light. The world felt so silent, so quiet, so peaceful. Just as he was about to close his eyes for good. He suddenly fell into an air pocket. He gasp for air as he stood up, a door. A door has created an air pocket on the riverbed. As his finger ran up and down on the oak wood door, he smiled and that smiled turned into laughter.

"What the hell Mike."

"We've come so long Notch, I can't lose all our data."

"…"

"You wanted him to live too, do you, Notch."

"Shut up."

Hero quickly grab out his crafting table and uses every single of his wood to craft loads of wooden door. His head is still numb and his lungs felt sore, but the feeling of adrenaline gushing is such a sweet feeling. As soon as he finish crafting, the sea serpent break through the door with its mouth open wide, but all he took away was the crafting table. He scouted and it was not long that he have found Hero, swimming away to the opposite direction. He let out a roar and continue to pursue him. What follows was an endless wild goose chase. Everytime the serpent was about to strike, he would place down a wooden door, creating an air pocket that slows him down.

Hero swam around the perimeter as he places down door randomly, as the clock ticks to the fourth minute. The entire river bed were covered, giving him a pit stop to breathe, exposing the sea serpent and making Hero able to gain total control of the area, the table has turned. Finally Hero stopped swimming away, he turn around, took out his axe as he tilted his head and smile:

"Let's end this, shall we."

With that Hero dashes towards the serpent with his axe, his first strike misses but trough utilizing the buoyancy force of the water, he is able to change direction and land his axe on the serpent. The serpent turn around but he was nowhere to be found. Hero smiled as he crouch behind one of the wooden door. It's time to let him have a taste of his own medicine.

Hero strikes randomly with amazing speed and accuracy, even though his hit doesn't deal a ton of damage, but it was enough to annoy the sea serpent, which is all that matters in his plan. He wanted the serpent to loose temper and destroy those wooden door. And that's what the serpent has done after his fifth blow. It goes on a total rampage as he swerve towards the sea bed and started to destroy the door, Hero let out a chuckle, things were going the way he intended to.

"Thirty second sir."

He hid behind one of the door as he closes his eyes. He could felt the serpent is approaching fast. His grasp on his hand get tighter as he let out a deep breath.

"Twenty second!"

The serpent dashes towards the door as it let out a menacing roar, no more hiding or running.

I've found you.

"Ten second!!"

Just as the serpent was about to ram its way through, Hero opened the door revealing the stone wall behind it. The sea serpent couldn't stop, as if ram its head right into the wall, stunning him while Hero took his axe and slice it down with every single ounce of his muscle.

The head, came out clean off.

Hero kicked his legs as quick as possible as he drags the corpse of the sea serpent back to the cave. He mind were filled with joy, he has scored a big one! As he mine towards the entrance of the cave, he suddenly realizes about the wooden door that saved his life.

Why is a wooden door randomly lying around?

Why he haven't notice it before?

Who placed it?

He look towards the sea bed as he nodded his head. To whoever who saved his and Brine's life, he felt grateful for its help. But right now, he got a friend to care. After staring for a while, he entered back to the cave and seal off the entrance.