(This is my initiation piece into @An Unnecessary Bayleaf 's competition)

(Let's just say I took a lot of creative liberties with this one)

This is it, huh?

I look over the completed portal, each slot filled with an eye of ender. Gazing into the portal, I see a drop extending forever into the void. Despite everything, I do not fear it. Crows begin to flock around me, much aware of events soon to occur. They begin to caw concerns at me, checking that all my equipment is in place, my weapons properly enchanted, and golden apples in good supply.

Amused at their paranoia, a slight smirk crosses my face. “This is what the Goddess had prepared me for,” I explained to them. She led me to the diamonds that make up my armor, guided me to the fortress that housed the constrained fire, and conjured the endermen for me to slay. I completed all of them to perfection, for it would be my demise if I failed to.

I turned away from it, doubt briefly crossing my mind. Shoving it away, I take a deep breath and, spreading my arms, I let myself fall into the void beyond.

I find myself on an island suspended in darkness. The crows fly into the strange world after me, squawking in shock at my impulsive move. The cream-colored stone solid against my feet, I raise my gaze to see the obsidian towers above, purple crystalline structures atop each of them. Each of them producing a clear strand that connects to the guardian patrolling the island: The Ender Dragon.

I have been here many times, in all my lives, but I am still in awe of her majesty. Black scales span across her body, steel spikes trail down her back, and two great wings sprout from each side. She is my greatest foe, but she is worthy of respect. Suddenly, purple eyes flashed in the darkness and she spots the armored intruder. But I knew attacking her was futile, the crystals will heal any wounds I bring upon her. “Let’s go bois,” I mutter to the flock and, easily dodging her charging attack, I immediately run for the crystals.

One by one, whether by arrow or sword, they blow up, the crows growing more excited with every strand disappearing. With all of the crystals gone, I turn towards the dragon, now circling the island for another round of attacks. Now the real battle begins.

I sprint towards the middle of the island where a bedrock basin awaits. Standing next to it, I wait for the dragon to arrive at her impenetrable perch, taking shots at her flying form as I do. She was as intimidating as she was predictable and she flies to it, hovering over. Diamond sword in hand, I begin to rain blow after blow upon her hide. With no crystals to heal her, her health begins to dwindle. When one more strike would have finished her, she flees.

I grit my teeth with frustration and fear, one attack from her may end my journey once and for all. May the Goddess bless me in this strike. The dragon rushes towards me. I raise my bow with the string pulled taut. She opens her mouth to breathe her lethal poison. I fire into her smoldering maw.

Amidst the screaming crows, I step back from my slain foe as light begins to burst out from her dying body and she ascends. As more and more beams crack out, she disintegrates.

I give thanks to the Goddess, the hardest part is over. I nonchalantly smile at my crows, “See? I told you I could do it.” Picking up the massive amounts of exp from the dead dragon, I look over to the basin, now filled with the same void portal and an obsidian egg suspended above it. Immediately, a feeling of homesickness and nostalgia overwhelms me. Your journey is over, you can go home now, the portal seems to beckon. I resist it, there is still more this realm has to offer. In the distance, I spot a small pill-shaped structure, another small portal but surrounded by bedrock.

I nervously swallow, from then on I am going in blind and without the Goddess’s guidance. The crows are no help either, their caws indistinguishable from their sheer numbers. Launching an ender pearl into it, I teleport to more islands made of the same cheese rocks. This time though, growing from the cheese is stalks of a dark violet substance. Eugh, I can see why the Goddess failed to inform me of this. Soon, the crows erupt into a chant that even I can’t ignore, FIND THE END CITY!!! “Well, yeah,” I answer with a shrug, “But even is an ‘End City’?” As the flock becomes a little quieter in trying to describe it, I wander through the blank lands, avoiding staring at its ender denizens. When I begin to bridge across to the next island, they all agree that it’s a ‘you’ll know once you see it’ kind of structure.

I started to doubt their astute observation when I spot it. Piercing the black skies were towers composed of the same substances (but more brick-like of course) as the ground beneath me. Topping these buildings are these purple blocks, a refined version of the veiny bamboo. Tethered to it is a ship, floating in the air like any other block. I guess they were right. Now the crows are really riling up, rapidly flapping their wings and doing some sort of tribal dance.

I clap at the flock, “You guys shut up! We’re not done yet.” They quiet down, muttering speculations amongst themselves. Setting my gaze upon it, I drew my sword and began to storm the city. What happens next is what I can only describe as a slaughter. With the crows cheering me on, I scale each floor with ease, stabbing anything that dares fire at me and looting anything of value. Arriving at the top floor, I finish off the last monster and turn to see a bridge leading to the ship. After a moment to calm down, I notice a feeling of something tugging at me, something familiar, like it was meant to be a part of me. For every step I took, that connection grew stronger. I ran along that bridge, unaware of the long drop if I were to fall.

The next thing I remember I was in front of a frame, two black, wings encased delicately within. With the link becoming so compelling, I broke the frame before I could think. Taking off my chest plate, I slot them between my shoulder blades. Nothing really special happened, no sparkles, no triumphant music, but I feel… complete. I unfurl them, long dark wings that felt like they could encase the entire room. Already, the crows began to inspect them, skittering under and hovering over them. A few of them even began to peck at some of the feathers but I shoo them away before they did. ONE OF US, ONE OF US! They begin to chant and I didn’t even bother to quiet them down.

I walk to the bow of that ship, my wings trailing behind me. I couldn’t properly fly yet, that’ll take some time, but even I can fall gracefully. Taking a deep breath, I spread my wings and step off. With the wind brushing against my face and the crows diligently following me, I had my first flight. It was short, but that flight… That flight was the most exhilarating experience I ever had in my short life, even the Goddess herself couldn’t prepare me for this. “I am never losing these wings for anything,” I vow to my crows, “Even if the Goddess demands I take them off.”

<Several years and an entire world later>

I hug my son’s prone body against me, debris falling around me. Why would he do this? I thought to myself, He was fine in his last letter!

I feel a dull pain against my back and I already knew that they were broken beyond use. But I don’t care. All I care about is that he is safe.

(Critiques are still welcome, even if my writing is beyond fixing)