Disclaimer:

Im only gonna say this once: I obviously do not own Minecraft

"Diamonds!" A voice rung through the dark cave.

Steve looked up and brushed his dark hair out of his eyes. If James had found diamonds then their mission was complete. Since they were children they had both dreamed of discovering what lay beyond the bedrock, some said it was a fiery, hellish place, others told of another world similar to the ours, and some claimed it was an empty void, filled with stars. Legend says that the only thing strong enough to mine through bedrock was a diamond pickaxe, so if what James said was true then maybe they would find out.

Steve was James' adopted brother. He had been found outside in the snow, wrapped in a torn bit of fabric on the very same night James was born. James's father, a wood cutter had taken him in and raised him as his own son. As Steve grew up he showed talent at swordplay, defending his village from the nightly mobs. He was also good at gathering resources, mining, hunting, and even farming. Together the two boys could keep their small family in bread for weeks. They were inseparable and shared each other's hopes, dreams and even fears.

For some reason this all came rushing back to him as two bright lights appeared in front of his eyes. He shook his head and they were gone but he could have sworn that he saw a shadow slide away down the mineshaft. Telling himself it was just his imagination on edge due to being in the dank cave. He pulled a torch that was burning low off the wall and began to make his way towards the source of the James's voice.

He had just come to the narrow wooden bridge when a creeper materialised out of the ground behind him. It hissed menacingly as it came closer, baring its yellow fangs and bracing for the explosion. Thinking fast Steve raced across the bridge, white water raging in the ravine beneath him. He hit the wood with his sword, loosening the flimsy planks until they fell away. The creeper that had been slowly advancing on the other side howled in frustration before detonating, the rest of the bridge fell with it into oblivion.

Catching his breath Steve sat down and took a bite of bread, he hadn't had anything to eat since that morning. Or night. You couldn't tell when you were underground, not that it mattered anyway.

Then he heard it. A scream, long and loud. His heart hammered when he realised that he had heard it before, on a dark night back at the village as a zombie sank its teeth into James's arm, snapping bone and bursting arteries. James had barely survived that injury and it had taken him months to recover.

He dropped his torch and raced through the labyrinth of tunnels, some glowed with orange light while growling came from the darkness of others. He ignored them and sprinted round corners until he reached the south mineshaft. It was the deepest passage they had dug and he knew that James would be mining there. The black mouth yawned widely as he peered down, it was clouded with a mysterious blanket of mist but deep below he could still see the flickering of a torch, like a faint heartbeat. He swallowed his fear and grasped the ladder, slowly lowering himself into the abyss.

...

Below it was cool and quiet. Too quiet. Water dripped off the rocks and gathered in pools on the ground. Steve splashed through them trying to be as silent as possible.

"James!" he whispered "James are you there?!"

He lit another torch and began to wander through the darkness, his footsteps echoed eerily off the stone walls. Soon he reached the latest tunnel, fresh earth was piled up by the entrance and rubble was scattered around. It was so dark inside and the strange mist was even thicker now, its white fingers snatched at him sending cold chills up his spine.

Steve walked into the shadows; his sword was drawn, its golden blade catching the small amount of light that was down here. The end of the tunnel was in sight he lifted his torch up to penetrate the fog. What he saw made his heart stop.

The body of his friend lay slouched against the stone, blood spilling from wounds on his neck, staining the ground red, around him lay several diamonds and a broken pickaxe. Leaning over his lifeless body was a shady figure. Steve's shock turned to anger. He leapt from his hiding place behind a pile of cobblestone and threw his sword at it. But before Steve's blade could sever its soul from its body, it dispersed into shadows and then reappeared in front of Steve.

He stared into the strangers eyes. They were empty and glowed with a bright light, there was no emotion in them except for a glint of hatred. The man looked exactly like him. He had the same tanned skin and brown hair even the same green and cyan coloured clothes. Only his teeth and eyes were different. It's mouth twisted into a cruel smile, dozens of small sharp white teeth dripped with blood. James's blood.

He stared into its eyes, trying to hold its gaze and as he did he felt himself overcome with despair and his will to live began to ebb away.

"No, you must keep going, do not give up!" Steve had no idea who said it but the words rung out and gave him courage, some of the mist began to recede.

Herobrine...

The stranger said that single word in a voice that sounded like grinding metal and though its mouth didn't move he could hear it clearly inside his head, then it burst into black fire and shadows, rushing upwards with enormous force, splintering stone on its way to the surface, leaving Steve alone in the dark.

He rushed over to James. His skin was pale and his lips were purple, his blond hair was matted with blood and his ice blue eyes were cloudy and vacant. Steve shook him gently

"Come on buddy, I'm here pl...please wake up!" he choked

There was no response

"Wake up!" he said a little louder

Nothing behind the glassy eyes stirred

"WAKE UP!" Steve screamed

The tears began to flow as the reality of what had happened hit him. There would be no more midnight creeper chases, or squid hunts on sunny beaches, or watching the sun rise, painting the sky with the colours of dawn from the village watchtower. James was gone.

He slumped next to his still friend and cried, his tears mixing with blood, moonlight spilled through the gap in the rock catching on the abandoned diamonds as he sat through the night mourning his loss and cursing the name Herobrine.

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