The Balloon Escape [Ch. 6]

Ocean Village

Dawn

Morning had arrived. The sun had risen into the sky. Night had turned into day. The entire Village is awake. Farmers were tending to their crops, the blacksmiths were forging tools and weapons in their shop, and the children were playing. Running around, chasing after one another, giggling away and just having a good time. It was a beautiful day, so why not enjoy it right?

As for Daniel, he and Ceres were sitting down at the end of the pier, their feet dangling off of it. The two of them were eating. Daniel was eating a watermelon slice, while Ceres was eating a piece of bread. Everything seemed fine for the most part, but it wasn't really. Carl and a few other blockheads had embarked on a search and rescue mission. Finding Elena and Robert was their main goal.

Daniel was stressing out over the fact that Robert and Elena were missing. He couldn't bare the fact that this was all of his fault. If he would've just listened to what Merlin and Leona's concerns about sailing through the fog last night, none of this would've happened. They'd still be sailing on the DreamChaser today. But because of his reckless decision, he put everyone's life in danger. That's why he was stressing out so much. Never before had he ever done something like what he pulled last night.

Ceres snook a quick peek over at Daniel. When he looked over at him, he saw that Daniel was very uneasy. Ceres sighed.

"They're going to find them Daniel," Ceres said, "stop working yourself up about it. They'll find them."

Daniel looked over at Ceres. He frowned as he did so. "But what if they can't or don't find them? Then what?"

"There's always a plan B," Ceres said as he looked down at his feet. When he did, he noticed something was off about the water. From the looks of it, it had seemed as though the water was getting lower and lower, like it was being drained. Ceres put the bread he was eating back into his inventory. After he did that, he put his hand on Daniel's left shoulder.

"Daniel," Ceres said as Daniel looked over at him, "look at the water. Doesn't it look like it's getting further away from our feet? Almost like it's being drained or something?"

When Daniel looked down at the water, he stared at it to make sure that Ceres' claims were true if they were at all. And what do you know, they were. They both quickly got back up onto their feet, looking out at the horizon in front of them. That's when they saw the real threat coming their way.

"Tsunami!" Ceres mumbled as he and Daniel began backing away from the end of the pier. They both turned around and began running back towards the Village.

"It's a Tsunami!" Daniel shouted.

Everyone who wasn't aware of what was coming their way all froze in place as they heard that term being shouted at them. Without hesitating or asking any questions or hesitating to react, everyone began running around like headless chickens. A female blockhead came running down the pier, staring right at Daniel and Ceres. Her mouth dropped as she saw the huge Tsunami growing bigger and bigger behind them.

When she saw that she froze. Not knowing what to think of the situation everyone was now in worried her. She approached Daniel and Ceres, panting like a tired out dog. She was catching her breath after running.

"We need to go," she told Ceres and Daniel.

"Ya think? It's not safe. How are we going to get away? We can't stay here," Daniel asked the female blockhead as he began looking around at all of the possible ways as to getting everyone to safety. As he looked over to his right, he saw two massive hot air balloon's floating behind a small hut. He pointed.

"There!" Daniel shouted, "everyone! Head for the balloons."

The female blockhead looked at Daniel and stared at him. She wasn't used to taking orders from other blockheads. In fact, she was used to giving the orders. Not the other way around. He looked back at her. Ceres looked back over his right shoulder. The Tsunami was getting closer, closing in on the Village fast. There wasn't much time left. They had to utilise the time they did have to get everyone to safety.

And to think that just last night, Daniel and Ceres had thought that their troubles were over. How wrong they were about that. Daniel was also beginning to realize that being at sea was more dangerous than he thought it'd be when they first set sail. Thinking that this voyage would be easy-going was a huge understatement on Daniel's part. Everything was going against his plan it seemed.

The farmers abandoned their gardens, the blacksmiths abandoned their shop. The Librarians left the library, and the children ran back to their parents' sides. As everyone was making their way for the hot air balloons, Daniel and Ceres followed after them. The female blockhead was running behind Daniel and Ceres.

As they made their way over to the balloons, a blockhead ran over to one of the balloon's and opened the door to the baskets. One by one, everyone ran into the baskets, quickly filling them up. The first balloon filled up with blockhead quickly. The last blockhead to board the hot air balloon closed the basket's door behind him. Once the door was closed to the basket, a male blockhead shouted.

"Release the balloon," he shouted down to another male blockhead down below. The blockhead quickly untied the rope from the anchor that was keeping the balloon from flying away. Once the rope was untied, the balloon was now free. It quickly began ascending up into the sky.

As for the other balloon, Daniel and Ceres had managed to snag a spot on this balloon. This one, as well as the first one, filled up quickly. But this balloon filled up with the last remaining blockheads who lived in this Village. Thank goodness that they had hot air balloons. If they didn't there'd be no chance at outrunning the deadly Tsunami. They'd be swallowed alive if they couldn't escape.

Once everyone was assumed to be onboard the balloon, the male blockhead untied the rope from the anchor once more. After he did that, he darted over as fast as he could. The balloon was beginning to rise up into the air. The blockhead jumped as high as he could into the air. Just before the balloon was too high enough for him to get on it, he somehow managed to just grab onto the bottom of the basket. As the balloon continued to rise, he hung on for dear life. Two female blockheads walked over to the side of the basket and grabbed his arms. The two of them, together, pulled him up into the basket. And now, he was safely onboard the hot air balloon.

Once he was on, another blockhead closed the door to the basket, while another was controlling the amount of hot air going into the balloon. As for Daniel, he looked down at the visually abandoned Village and gasped. It was getting smaller and smaller as the balloon rose. He backed away from the side of the basket, beginning to breath heavily as he rested his hand on his stomach. Everyone looked at him. Ceres looked at him and began instructing him on what he should do to combat his fear.

"Daniel, listen to me," Ceres said, "breathe. Just breathe Daniel. You'll be okay."

Daniel took a seat on the floor. Ceres walked over to him, setting his hand down on Daniel's left shoulder. He was trying his best to help calm Daniel down.

"I--I forgot I was afraid--of heights," Daniel said.

"That's okay," Ceres said, "Just breathe. In and out. In and out."

As Ceres continued to help Daniel calm down, a female blockhead shouted out in utter panic and distress. She was looking and pointing down at the Village Daniel and Ceres had thought to be entirely abandoned. But because they assumed that it was, they somehow left a little girl behind.

"AHH!" The female blockhead screamed, "it's my baby! She's still down there!"

Daniel suddenly snapped out of panicking. Ceres rushed over to the side of the basket leaning over it to look back down at the Village. Ceres turned around to look at Daniel.

"We need to go back!" Ceres shouted, "there's a little girl down there. We can't leave her behind."

Daniel got back up onto his feet and began walking over to the side of the basket. He leaned over to look back down at the Village as well. He wanted to see what Ceres and the female blockhead were seeing. He could see a little girl waving her arms around in the air, crying and screaming.

"Daniel," Ceres said, "we can't leave her behind."

Daniel looked over at him and nodded his head once slightly. As far as Daniel knew, he had a tough decision to make. SHould he risk the lives of everyone on this balloon to go rescue the girl? Or should he go and save her himself? It was up to him. Ceres leaned in closer to Daniel so that he could whisper something into his ear.

"If I were you, I'd rescue the girl," Ceres said, "become the hero you once were. Show everybody that you're not afraid. Show everyone that you're capable of being a leader."

Daniel looked into Ceres' eyes, nodding his head repeatedly as Ceres whispered into his ear. Daniel understood what Ceres was trying to tell him. If Daniel did chose to save the girl without risking the lives of everyone else, it would indeed show that he wasn't afraid. It would also show that he was capable of leading everyone into the future. That's when he made up his mind. He had made a decision no one else would ever make in their lifetime. But because the balloon was so high up in the air, there was a slight mishap at play. How was he going to get down to the Village in time before the Tsunami struck? How was he going to rescue the girl and get back up onto the balloon? Those were all good things he considered before making up his mind. And that's when an idea struck him.

"Does anyone here have Elytra wings?" Daniel asked, "if any of you do, may I barrow them please?"

No one responded to his question, muchless react to what he had asked them. It was apparent that no one here had Elytra wings. But that didn't mean his plan was entirely a fluke though. Notch had boarded the same balloon as Daniel and Ceres. And who was magical besides Ceres? That's right, Notch was. Daniel looked over at him.

"Think you can help me out a little bit here?" Daniel asked, "think you could spawn Elytra wings for me?"

Notch faintly smiled at him. He also slightly nodded his head.

"I thought you'd never ask," Notch responded as he waved his right hand over his left hand. When he did that, his right hand began to glow a bright yellow. Everyone watched in amazement as they saw Notch work his magic. After waving his hand over his left hand a few times, a pair of Elytra wings appeared out of thin air.

"That's so cool!" a young boy said, "can you spawn me a chicken?"

Notch lowered his right hand, using his left hand to give the wings on over to Daniel. After he did that, he turned around to look at the young boy. The boy stared at Notch in complete amazement and awe. "I'll do you better than a chicken. How about a puppy? Or a kiten maybe?"

Daniel handed the wings over to Ceres. He turned around to where his back was facing Ceres. Ceres took one step closer towards. He held both of his hands out so that he could attach the wings to Daniel's back. The wings had straps on them to where they could be strapped onto the blockhead who possessed them, making it easier for them to take the wings on and off. Daniel slid one arm through one strap, and his other arm through the other strap. Once they were on, Daniel tightened them tighter to his back. After he did that, he turned around to look at Ceres and everyone else.

Everyone stared at him quietly. They were all smiling faintly at him, including Notch and Ceres.

"Now go be the hero you once were," Ceres said with a smile on his face, "like the good ol' days."

The female blockhead that had made everyone aware of the little girl still stranded down at the Village stared at Daniel. She was getting emotional. She was so emotional, that it looked as though she was about to cry. But she was trying not to do that. She remained as calm as possible.

"What's her name?" Daniel asked.

"Ava," the blockhead responded, "she's just a little girl. I don't know how I lost her, but I did. I'm such a terrible mother!"

Daniel walked over to the female blockhead. He held his arms out so that he could give her a hug. She didn't hesitate to accept his kind gesture. She leaped into his arms, giving him a hug. She was hugging him tightly. When she finished and backed away from Daniel, she thanked him once more.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," she said as she rubbed her eyes a few times. "I can't thank you enough. You're my hero. How will I ever repay this debt?"

"You don't need to," Daniel said, "I'll bring your baby girl back to you safe and sound. I promise."

Daniel smiled at him as he began walking backwards towards the door. Another blockhead who was standing near the door, opened the door as Daniel approached it. Before turning around he exchanged one last look with Notch and Ceres. He smiled at them. They smiled back.

"Now that's the hero I once knew," Ceres said with a bright smile. Daniel couldn't help but be proud of the decision he had made. How would he feel if he hadn't made the decision to rescue Ava? How would he live with the fact that he left her behind while the others escaped? How would the others see him?

He didn't worry about that though. He was doing the right thing. If Petra, HeroBrine, and EnderBrine were here they'd want him to do this. They'd want him to be a hero, just like the good ol' days.

Daniel took one last look around at everyone, including Ceres and Notch. Ceres faintly smiled as he walked over to Daniel. He set his hand down on Daniel's right shoulder. Him and Daniel looked into each other's eyes.

"What if I don't get to her in time?" Daniel said, "what if it's too late?"

Ceres slowly shook his head and sighed. He looked down at the floor, raising his head back up to look at Daniel agin.

"Don't let your fears get the best of you," Ceres said, "you're going to do just fine, okay? Don't overthink this. There's plenty of time for you to rescue Ava. Just move quickly. Get in and out."

"Sounds easier said than done," Daniel responded.

"You're right," Ceres said as a male blockhead approached Ceres and Daniel.

"Darron is the name. I'll come along too. It'll be quicker if you have an extra set of hands."

Darron then looked over at Notch. Notch looked back at him. Without verbally saying anything, he summoned another pair of elytra wings. He then handed them over to Darron.

As Darron put his set of wings on, Daniel stared over at him. He tilted his head slightly at Darron. "You don't have to do this. I can manage by myself. Stay here."

Darron shook his head from side to side a couple of times. "No. I insist on coming along. It's too risky and dangerous to do on your own. I'm coming."