The Player breathed heavily as he felt the coldness of the diamond sword pressed up against his throat.
"Why… did it have to happen?" he breathed.
"Why?" Herobrine replied. "You know very well why," Herobrine pressed the sword harder against the Player's throat."
"I still remember… that fateful day…"
"It was 17 years ago… I remember… we were still young. My name was still unchosen (where I lived, we had to earn our titles). And then I found you." The Player said. "I felt sorry for you, so I took you in. Your only possession was a single packet of – well, salt. You used to put some of it water and then drink it. Never knew why you did that, really. And then, a few years later, both our names were still unchosen."
"Then it happened – you saved my life. And discovered that you had powers. It happened thus –"
"I know how it happened," Herobrine interrupted rudely. "We snuck out at night and got ambushed. Then you were targeted by a bunch of creepers. I jumped in front of you without thinking and sorta used lightnin' on 'em. You than said that I was your hero. And because I drank brine, you called me Herobrine."
"Yes," The Player replied, "So I made it official. I got the ceremony ready."
"Many months passed after the ceremony," The Player continued. "I still had no name. The only thing I was good at was getting girls. So you named me 'The Player'. I liked it, so I kept it. Then years passed. We did strange stuff. Got arrested –"
"I remember that," Herobrine interrupted. "We spent 3 days in a cold, dark jail cell. And I could have sworn there was a creeper sitting there the whole time."
"Let me continue. And, by the way, there was no creeper," The Player said. Well, anyways, I should be getting to the point. How we ended up being mortal enemies. It all started like this –"
"I know more about this than you, so kindly shut your trap and listen. I was walking alone when a man approached me. He had glowing white eyes. He old me that he could 'unlock my full potential'. So I went with him to a quiet mountain. Before I could do anything, I was tied up. Then he knocked me unconscious. I don't know what happened in that time, but when I woke up, my eyes glowed like his. He had an evil grin on his face, so I took out my sword and plunged it into his chest. I then rummaged in his pockets. Turns out that he was a wanted criminal. After that, I started heading back home. On the way back, I ran into you, but you thought that I was the criminal. You saw that I was wearing the same clothes that I always wore and you said, 'What… have you done to Herobrine?' Before letting me reply, you drew your sword and started fighting. Then I – I – don't remember. I blacked out."
"Don't worry," said The Player. "I'll fill you in. I drew my sword on you and you seemed to react to some kind of instinct. You attacked without thinking. You nearly killed me. But just before you did, you returned to your senses and murmured, 'I did this…' And then you ran away. After that, I returned home. I tried to tell everybody what happened, but nobody listened. All they did was decided to launch attacks on you."
"From the assault parties, few returned. Why they disappeared is unknown. I think it was around this point that you decided to forget the friendship that you once had with me. It was only after you attacked my again that I decided to fight back. And that covers it, I suppose."
Herobrine hadn't lifted his sword once from The Player's neck during the entire conversation.
"Let's settle this…" he said.
And slowly, he lifted the sword from The Player's neck.
"But not like this. A duel, one-on-one," he finished.
Steel clashed. Herobrine whirled around professionally, which knocked The Player off balance. The Player retaliated by aiming a swipe at Herobrine's face. He barely missed, hitting Herobrine's shoulder instead. While he was doing so, Herobrine aimed a stab at The Player's chest. The Player looked up just in time to see the sword coming at him. He quickly jumped high to avoid it, dislodging his sword in doing so. In mid-air, he reached into his pocket and threw it at Herobrine, but he batted it with his sword back at the Player.
The fight soon turned into a ping-pong match. But then, in an attempt to butt it away, The Player's sword sliced through the fragile glass, spilling the liquid on himself.
"Aaaaaaargh! The pain!"
"Haha! We may be equal swordsmen, but you are no match for my amazing topspin backhand!" Herobrine shouted.
The Player breathed heavily. "I… will… not… lose… to… you," he replied, frustrated.
"Yaaaaaaaah!" he screamed while he lunged forward, sword in hand. He struck Herobrine's sword hard, knocking it out of his hand. It flew sideways, sticking into a nearby tree.
The Player held his hand out to Herobrine. "It's settled. Handshake? Two old friends, friends once again?"
Herobrine looked at him, tears in his eyes. "Yes." He rushed forward, and hugged The Player.
"Um… not exactly what I expected, but it works," The Player said.
They separated and went home. But when saw that some mobs had come through the local baker's nether portal (don't ask), The Player drew his sword and asked Herobrine, "Are you ready to fight?"
"Always."