Chapter 13: The crystal cavern hides diamonds

During my time restoring, resting, and procrastinating, I think upon my fight with the slimes. Simple, easy; all things you want. Maybe a little unfulfilling giving it was too easy but that’s not what I am stuck on. It’s the realization, I didn’t even test out my magic missile! “I have ranged options, I should at least recall having it within my bag of tricks,” I say almost out of breath in frustration.

It was just simple foolishness, I have the tools, I should have shot the slime with a magic missile, further testing it, making sure it's not too dangerous. I rushed the fight with overconfidence; it is not the time for confidence – not yet.

I guess the heart of the issue is impatience, not an easy fix; hindsight is 2020 after all. But nothing to be done but to strive for better.

With the end to that depressing thought, let us play with some magic, I think in a Russian accent “chuckles”. Something which needs to be done, so I may as well use it as a stress reliever; don’t you agree?

I have spent a lot of time delving into the fundamentals, today's target is “ignite” simply a flint and steel in the wand. Easy on paper hard in practice. My first attempt at attuning mana for a spell. Harder then might first appear, but with practice, it doesn’t take too long for me to at least get the correct shape to produce fire mana. I know that in a very easy way, the mana inside the wand afterward feels stronger, aggressive, erratic.

I, of course, didn’t complete it on the first attempt but when I finally stumbled upon the correct curves and lines it was simple refinement after that. Finally, I combine it with a modified idea of a magic missile, making it shorter and with the intent to produce a flame at the target location. Simple right? – wrong. This mana is another stage harder to use, even after I got the spell correct; hours passed just getting it usable. Fire mana likes to go and random directions. You need an iron will to tame it.

I finally finished the spell but this was supposed to be fun, yet I feel my conciseness fade with fatigue; exhaustion. “sigh” I best get some rest then it is getting late after all.

And with that, I fall upon peaceful slumber once more. Nightmares rarely plague me now with an iron golem protecting my home, yet I can't help but have my thoughts wander; “how is my family?” “I hope they are safe”. I try not to think about them too often the reason is simple: saves my mental health. I cannot affect them, look upon them, or anything of the sort. So thinking about them is not constructive it just hurts me.

Falling into the bosom of sleep, I dream of my mother's blackberry pie in autumn during blackberry season, it was to die for; I want pie now.

“Yawns” That was pleasant, well-rested I get up and start my day. My immediate goals have been completed somewhat, so I need a new goal to prioritize; what should I aim for?

“I think it's time I go and find diamonds”, I really do need them. So with that in mind, I create a chunk analyzer. A cool item that tells me everything that is within the chunk I am standing upon. Testing it out, as expected. I am on top of standard Minecraft materials, excluding a small quantity of copper that is apparently inside this chunk – interesting, I will consider looking for that.

For now, with this useful tool in hand, I go to the mountain! With a press of the button “Yes!” emerald ore is located within the mountain, I am assuredly mining you out before I go.

Distraction, successfully completed. Back to mining. With a new pickaxe in hand, I head into my mine; surprising right! Checking the chunk I verify diamond is here, but my only hope of finding some easily is cave diving.

An escape rope; would be very useful in this situation, alas I do not have ender pearls. So on we go, me donning my new Heatproof vest; lava being commonplace underground. With an axe in hand, I walk at the nearest unexplored decline.

After walking; exhaustingly longer than I would hope, I happen upon an underground ravine.

Excellent! This will make mining a breeze when looking for new materials; and what might I see? “copper”, I will be back for you another day. For now, I continue my search.

Mining a staircase down, further into the dark depths, lit by only intermittent lava pools. I start moving through the cavernous ravine. I don’t think I am deep enough for diamonds yet.

With that realization, I find a cave leading down and following it. Acclimating to the darkness, only illuminated by a torch grasped in my other hand; my idea, since light follows you. The walls almost glimmer in the torchlight; rocks ever so slippy from condensation. I see moss grow through particularly damn parts of this cave.

“Brown mushrooms”; right next to the blue shiny mushrooms. Collecting 2 for further propagation outside of this cave network!

“At least I won't leave empty-handed”, a smile now clearly visible on my face. I am starting to hear noises in the darkness, I whisper to my self “it's just your mind; you can do it!”. Knowing full well I could be ambushed at any moment by anything from spiders to wraiths.

My only comfort, knowing this is only until I can make a diamond hunting divining rod. How splendid that would be, not the sweetener but sweet, sweet victory!

Finally exiting a rather cramped part of the cave, I walk upon a cavernous room of true beauty, my torchlight glimmers off the wall reflecting crystals of every colour, a blinding array of rainbow lights. “truly beautiful” is all I can mutter as I am stupefied by this display, stalagmites, and stalactites rise and fall across the ceiling and floor.

Almost too distracted to notice, a diamond ore deposit just across from the thickest crystals – bingo. Collecting a whopping 5 diamonds, jackpot. I quickly work my way through the winding tunnels. Almost getting lost several times; my only saving grace? A slow and steady pace grasping at every corner.

Ascending through winding rocks I ascend unmolested by creatures aplenty hidden among the shadows. Or are those demons, figments of my imagination; as if I care as I bask in sunlight after the suffocating journey through the cave system.

Not sure I will ever be used to that; perhaps when I have far more powerful tools. Well, that path starts here, with the collection of 5 diamonds I gathered, it felt far too easy. I even grabbed some mushrooms. Quickly making a small dark dirt room, placing the mushroom, with time it will spread over the earth – easy farming.

Taking my diamonds within my home, I with haste prepare my divining rod. Cradling it like my child I breathe a deep breath. “This is a significant step forward for me” within Minecraft, one of the greatest milestones is gathering diamonds; impossible to celebrate in the cave system. But now that I am home, I can truly appreciate this huge achievement, not only will this push me forward, it will also allow me to find more. Emerald; the final item to complete my basic Minecraft set of minerals! Once that is complete, little will be outside my reach.

It is crazy to think I am this close to actually making progress: Coal, iron, Redstone, lapis, gold, and now a diamond. These are the building blocks for success in vanilla and the foundation for progress in modded.

With the remaining 3 diamonds, I make a diamond pickaxe; a taxing procedure. It does appear different factors affect the exhaustion from crafting: Complexity and now rarity of the material.

Resting on my bed, appreciating the fulfilling feeling of success, and recuperating from the high rarity craft, completed earlier.

Before I know it I’m ready to continue what little remains of the day, time is no object when all your doing is cave diving I suppose; I must be a moleman. Utilizing my new and improved tools I manage to dig a tunnel deep into the earth.

I use the rod, like the others to search and find more diamonds. Clearly a far rarer material with slight glimmers uncommon at best. None the less I soldier on digging a lot of stone and other materials such as marble and granite; all to gather diamonds.

Very desirable here; yet not for beauty but utility. Gathering a humble half stack, I know that this will never be a concern for me again, only a tedious job; yet I feel like my nightmare-inducing cave dives are not over yet!

Hauling my precious collection to the surface is a tedious but rewarding job.

While I still wear my old equipment, I choose one final job, something relatively easy – easy now anyway. Gathering a bucket of water I head down to the lava pool I once burned myself on to make my portal, hardly bothered: I am wearing my heatproof vest. Pouring the water on the lava, it quickly becomes obsidian. The lava pool is middling at best in size yet the water cannot turn it all to obsidian, which is okay as it may very well be useful having access to lava that does not involve a portal to another dimension.

Collecting a sizable portion of obsidian; which might I add took a very long period, excluding the constant fear I would fall in the lava, it was more tedious than anything. “sigh” nothing to be done really, at least I know have a reasonable quantity of obsidian, a surprisingly versatile material.

On my way home, I ponder how much experience I have earned, I think I spotted a couple essence berry bushes in the ravine; hardly in the mood for further cave diving, I choose to grab them another day.

For now upon cresting the annoyingly long staircase; immediately heading to my crafting table I produce an enchanting table, with its requirements for bookshelves, I head into the garden to wiled the “devil can” which involves me sitting here and harvesting when it's ready.

“Heya how you doing” a familiar voice speaks out of the air

With no lack of fear I duck and cover, fight over my freshly grown cotton plants “damn it; don’t do that!”

“What, I am so hurt. Anyway, how are you settling in” Clearly the voice belongs the Felix, I can hear his smile through the voice.

A little mad and a little frustrated “Okay if my first few days weren’t continuous near-death experiences!” I say with a sharp tone and a slight snarl

“Yes, yes very funny to watch, truly: all though you are at the boring stage now, so I thought why not see what you have to say” “Good idea right?” In an unnaturally chipper tone like he's humoring a child.

“So my life is a joke, just a big game, are you going to throw me away when you get bored? Like some toy!” I am positively fuming by this point, yet I have no way of directing the anger towards an intangible voice so I kick a sugar cane plant down.

“Of course not, as I said your life is your own, I simply get to enjoy a new tv show, I call ‘let us see how well he does’ good name right?” “don’t you worry I have very many plans for you” I hate his smug attitude, but thankfully my anger is cooling off now.

“Do you not care, for other people's lives?” I say in questioning and almost accusatory tone.

“I once did,” Felix said in an oddly somber tone, I don’t think I should press that subject.

“Fine, I will play ball, not like I am talking to the God of this world ‘chuckling’ so what do you want, should I go collect the sun for you” Very sarcastically but still slightly genuine of me to say.

“Don’t worry, for now, you are in the growth face, I haven’t got any tasks lined up just yet; however I will give you tasks in the future. Do not concern yourself with it until I give you them.” “You truly don’t have to worry, immortality gets boring, you will undoubtedly earn it quickly so my quests will give you something fun to do”

“I can see your point” He is right, immortality would probably get “old” rather quickly.

“Anyway, any tasks I give you right now you would probably die slipping on the doormat” I hear him cackling in the background.

Drawing my face into a thin line, he continues “But, that is beyond the point how have you been, it really is just a check-up; believe me” I have no reason not to believe him, he is definitely a joker but as far as I can tell not a lier.

I reply in a more relaxed, calm tone “I have been okay, you have probably seen but I achieved one the most important milestones, I got diamonds!” I couldn’t help but let a little energy flow into the last few words, I am happy, cry me a river.

“Yes I spotted, I was very happy for you, I could tell you were elated,” He says in a bright and cheery voice

“Can I ask? How did you become a God anyway” I ask in a hopeful tone

“Sigh, it is a long story, to not take your whole day I will give you the brief version today, and a proper one another.” “I was born on a large planet, it had interesting rules in place, one could cultivate internal power, similar but not the same of that cultivation genre your earth seems to enjoy as well; I won't get into the fine details but power comes with age, and I got very old. One day I said screw it, this place is boring and found a wonderful empty spot in the great abyss.” “And then I spent a few millennia building worlds, and rebuilding them until I was generally happy about it”

“Everything is energy, in one form or another. The universe is limitless!” He says in a wise tone, but I can tell he struggles to keep a wise appearance.

“That is interesting, thank you,” I say with Genuity, no hard facts but as he said we will have a long time, enough for me to find more out.

“No problem, now have fun otherwise il be sat upstairs bored to death”

“will do, nice speaking with you”

Ending with a rather pleasant good-bye, I ponder on what he said. I guess I could attain Godhood one day, who knows. I continue to think about it as I finish my gardening, I should go to bed; Clear mind and all.