Yeah, I ended up making an alternate ending. XD Parts 1-3 are the exact same so just look at the first chapter for them. Also, though "the being" is based off of Herobrine, he doesn't look anything like him (I don't think Herobrine's scary looking *shrugs*). The being looks more like the grim reaper.

Chapter 4:
The Room

Everything hurt, though at the same time he felt excruciatingly numb. He groaned from both conflicting sensations, and urged his eyes to open.

Glowing eyes were all he saw.

With a scream Steve slammed his eyes shut, and cowered under the demon. He heard the being laugh, and the laugh grew quieter telling him that the being was moving away from him, much to his relief.

"Fear not, I do not wish to consume your soul," he told him. "You may gaze upon me, or you may not. It is your choice."

The teen didn't want to look, but his curiosity, as well as the promise of keeping his soul, won him over and he peeked an eye open. The demon sure looked like a phantom to him. The skin on his face was an ashen tone and his mouth was but a small line to mar his smooth skin. He was covered head to toe by a tattered, black, hooded cloak that swayed in a breeze Steve couldn't feel. Every so often the cloak shifted enough to reveal his gray hands. They were tipped with the dark stains of very old blood and his long pointed nails shared the same hue. Steve still didn't dare look upon his eyes but he still knew that they glowed an eerie, empty white.

Steve's eyebrows furrowed when he noticed the metal bars behind the seemingly floating demon. He looked around and saw that the bars surrounded them both on two sides while a misshapened wall took up the other two sides. He laid upon a firm nest of torn filthy cloth, pelts, and old hay that smelled as bad as it looked. Then again the smell could be attributed to the chamber pot in the cell. He suppressed a shudder when he noticed a pile of bones with two skulls in a shadowed corner of the cell, bits of flesh and sinew still clinging to the cracked bones.

"Wh-Where am I?" he could barely bring his voice above a hoarse whisper.

The line that was his mouth stretched into a long smile, and it looked like endless nothing was in his mouth as he spoke. "In the bowels of my cave home," he told him. "This was once the dungeon of a massive castle, but you humans abandoned it and nature reclaimed it. Then I came along and took it for myself."

Castle? Weren't there ruins of a castle a two day's journey from his home village? How long had he been out? Or rather what magic did this being possess to get them there in a short amount of time? He wanted to ask, but a more pressing question arose in his mind. "Why did you bring me here? Do you wish for me to be your slave?" He swallowed the bile that he suddenly felt in his throat. "Or are you saving my soul for a later meal?"

"Neither." He lifted his hands and two figures, one a man and the other a woman, appeared outside the bars. The made deep unholy groans and shambled towards the bars. With their eyes unfocused and glassy, they stuck their arms through the bars and reached for Steve; gnashing their hungry teeth at him. They were zombies, though not as decrepit and rotting as he'd heard from the stories. These zombies were fresh; they were the friends of the haggard man.

"I have creatures such as these to serve me, though I do not truly need them." In a feat of cruelty, he flicked his wrist and the zombies burst into flames. They didn't even notice, continuing to claw at Steve as their clothes burned away, and they filled the air with the wretched stench of burning flesh. Soon they fell to the floor, leaving only a black stain on the floor. "I can always make more."

Steve's eyes burned, both from the stench clinging in the air and the threat of tears. His voice broke as he asked his next question. "Then why am I here?"

The demon cocked his head, his focus seeming to be at the stone ceiling. "I do not know actually. You were fun to torment so I wanted to keep you for my amusement." His focus returned to his prisoner. "I guess that makes you my pet. Perhaps I should get you a collar?" The edges of his eyes wrinkled as his smile grew and he turned; phazing right through the bars. "I'll feed you later, for now I will retire." With that he disappeared with a whoosh leaving only purple sparkles behind.

Well that answered the question of how they'd gotten there so fast.

Chapter 5:
The Creatures

It'd taken a few hours, but Steve managed to get the door of his cell open. It was an old door of iron bars and heavily rusted hinges. He banged at least five heavy stones against the three rusty hinges until they shattered and the door fell with a clang. He heaved a sigh and dropped the heavy stone he still carried and stepped out of the cell.

He was then faced with another door, this one solid and made of a dark rotting wood. He tried the handle and found it locked, no surprise there. With a few kicks I'm sure I could break it! he thought hopefully. He stepped back and took the proper stance. Just as he reared up to deliver the first kick, invisible arms wrapped around him and pulled him off his feet and into the nearest corner. Suddenly, the demon was in his face, his mouth opened impossibly wide, showing off the darkness within him as he emitted a ghoulish wail. Steve's screams were muffled by a hand over his mouth.

The being closed his mouth and stared at the human angrily. "Stupid lamb. So very foolish you are to kindle my ire for a second time."

Steve cringed and braced himself for another beating but it never came. Instead the arms let him go, and the being floated out of his way.

"Go into your cage," he growled, and the teen quickly did so. The door was lifted from the floor as he entered and was quickly fixed into place by dark tendrils that grew from the ceiling and floor, sealing Steve back inside. He stared at him from the outside of the cage, and Steve did not meet his gaze. "Where would you have gone should you have escaped, little lamb? Home? Do you really think you would make it so far? Do you think I'd let you get so far?"

Steve bit his lip. He'd known that the plan was risky and stupid from the start, but he still wanted to try in hopes that he'd get lucky. His blood went cold at the being's next declaration.

"You will be punished..."

He waved his hand and the pile of bones in the corner began to shake. Steve's mouth went dry as they began to stack up together. Phalanges to ankle bone. Ankle bone to tibula and fibula. That to the femur, and then that to the pelvis. All the way up until two full skeletons stood in place of the piles. They clacked their teeth together as if speaking making a chilling clattering sound.

"Punish him," was the demon's order and they closed in on Steve.

With strength it shouldn't have possessed, one skeleton grabbed Steve's torn shirt and threw him to the ground. The teen quickly curled up, protecting his head and neck with his hands as they proceeded to hit him. One skeleton ripped the arm off the other and bludgeoned him with it while the now one-armed one kicked him.

"Ugh! Ow! Stop it!" Steve begged. "Please! I'm sorry. I won't do it again! Urgh! Please, make them stop!"

"Your promises mean nothing to me. Now be quiet and take your beating, stupid lamb."

The beating continued until he was black and blue with bruises, and the skeletons were ordered to stop. They froze in place, mid-swing or mid-kick, and shuddered before falling apart. Steve's breathing was labored and he'd gotten a black eye from a well placed kick. He shakily lifted his head and with a whimper backed away into a corner as the demon floated towards him. He kept his eyes focused at the ground as a pair of boots, black as soot and shiny like a beetle's shell came into his view.

"Place your head before my feet."

With very slight hesitation he did as he was told. The demon planted his foot on Steve's head and applied the slightest of pressure.

"Will you be attempting such a foolish thing again?"

"N-No, sir." He groaned as the pressure increased.

"Will you be a good little pet, and do as I say from now on?"

The pressure increased to an excruciating degree before the teen could give his answer. "Augh! Y-Yes, sir!" The pressure increased until he was writhing and clawing at the heavy shoe, sure his skull would cave in any moment. He was gasping when the foot finally relented.

"As part of your punishment, I will not feed you today," he told him. "Have fun by yourself, my pet." He disappeared in a dusting of purple sparkles once more.

Steve groaned weakly as he moved to rest his head on the bed of cloth. He breathed in the rank scent as he drifted off.

x~x

When he awakened, he was plagued by hunger pangs from lack of food, and nausea, also from needing food, but inhaling the bed's smell may have helped it along as well. He was stiff as he tried stretching and groaned as the pain from his wounds flared. The torches placed around the room seemed to barely penetrate the darkness, leading him to believe that the darkness was the being's doing.

A weird sound drew his attention and he looked a the creature outside his cage. It was black as pitch and was tall enough that it's head brushed the ceiling with purple sparkles around him akin to the demon's teleportation magic. It's body was small with its thin legs making up the majority of his height. It looked at him, revealing its purple eyes. As Steve stared, a loud noise pierced the air making him cover his ears. The creature's mouth opened like the demon's had and he walked towards the bars. Frightened, Steve was about to thank the Gods for the bars that were holding it back, however with a whoosh it was in the cell with him.

Steve's scream was cut short as it reached for him and wrapped its dark fingers around his throat. With a gag, Steve was lifted from his seat and slammed against the wall. He kicked at it, but its long arms kept its body well out of his range. No! Soon, his legs dangled limply and his vision began to tunnel.

"Release him minion..."

Steve gasped as he was suddenly released and he fell to the floor with a loud thud. He coughed and sputtered as the inky black creature left and the demon took its place before him. He cowered away from those shiny boots and didn't even attempt to speak or look at him.

"Are you hungry, little lamb?"

Chapter 6:
The Fun

Moment passed before Steve finally lifted his fearful eyes and looked upon the demon making him grin cruelly. "I... I thought you weren't feeding me today..." he murmured and dropped his eyes back to the floor.

"You have slept today away, and now it is tomorrow. I never said I wouldn't feed you tomorrow."

Steve's stomach grumbled loudly at the prospect of food. He felt a wave of dizziness and suddenly he was sitting at a table in a new room. He whipped his head around in confusion.

The room was oddly shaped and windowless, with crack stone bricks as its walls. Adorning the walls were shelves full of jars- he blanched at one jar in particular that appeared to contain an eye- , books and lit candles whose wax oozed towards the floor. He saw movement and followed it to the being who floated towards a cushion of furs with a torn red tapestry on the wall behind it. He settled in it with his eyes trained on the teen across the room.

"I-I'm guessing that this is your room?" Steve uttered.

"Indeed." He waved his hand and the previous creature appeared. It approached Steve and set a wooden bowl of soup and a small loaf of bread on the table before disappearing again. "Eat."

Steve didn't have to be told twice. He dipped the wooden spoon in the hearty broth and brought it to his lips. It was a stew of fleshy mushrooms and delicious spices. He ripped a hunk off of the roll and dipped it in the stew. It soaked up the broth readily and he popped the morsel in his mouth. He felt the demon's eyes watching him as he dined on the simple meal, but didn't care in the slightest; he was too hungry to care.

The bowl was emptied and the dark creature returned to take the dish away. He chanced a look at the reposing demon and his eyebrow's lifted. The being appeared to be asleep, his eyes closed and gruesome hands folded over his middle. Steve thought he looked less scary sitting there like that. That thought shattered when the demon opened his eyes, and he grinned that creepy grin again. The teen diverted his eyes.

"Is your hunger satisfied?" The teen nodded. "Then I will return you to your cage."

His eyes rolled back and the dizziness returned when he was subjected to the teleportation magic, and when it passed he was back in his room. He sat there in silence, awaiting what would come next.

x~x

Days passed and barely anything happened. Steve remained in his room, diverting his gaze whenever the dark creatures came to feed him or take the chamber pot. He was rarely teleported to the demon's room anymore, not that he'd complain about it.

"Steve..."

The ragged teen looked up to see the demon in question standing outside the cell.

"I am very bored. Entertain me like a good pet should."

Steve was confused by the sudden request. What did the demon want him to do exactly? Sing? Do a little dance? Do a trick? He looked around frantically before picking up a few stones and juggling with them. "Ah!" An invisible hand smacked the rocks from his hands.

"Boring..."

Steve looked around again, but couldn't find anything of use. "Then... w-want should I do?" he asked frightfully; not wanting to know in the least.

"I know..." Suddenly two zombies appeared and surged at him only to be stopped by a chain connected to the bars. Steve flattened himself against the wall, just out of their reach. "You will battle with some of my slaves. Don't worry, if they kill you I'll bring you back to life... if I don't eat your soul first of course. I'll give you 10 seconds to prepare, little lamb."

Steve's heart raced as he tried to inch away only to have his movements halted in fear when a zombie's swipe came too close to his face. A rotting hand managed to grasp his ankle and tug him close, but he screamed and kicked the monster. It's grip loosened as it's jaw came off cleanly from the kick. It's green tongue lolled out of its throat but that didn't stop it's pursuit of the young man.

Steve managed to get away and climbed up the bars of his cell just as the chains snapped, signalling that his 10 seconds were up, and the zombies were upon him. He screams did nothing for him as he kicked away their hungry hands, and gripped the rusty bars for dear life. He dragged away and pinned to the ground as teeth tore at his clothes and then his flesh. One set found purchase on his throat, and before he could scream they gripped and pulled upward, taking the boy's throat with them.

x~x

A cross between a cough and a scream ripped from his throat as consciousness found him. The images of dying plagued him as well as the horrible emptiness that followed. Pain racked his small body as he opened his eyes and tears streamed from them. He barely managed a whimper when he saw the phantom demon floating high over him looking pleased and as scary as ever.

"There you are lamb..." he murmured, his lips barely moving with each word. "For a moment I thought I had let your soul slip through my fingers. That would've been a shame."

"I'm... alive..." it wasn't question, but more of a bewildered statement.

"Yesss," the being hissed. "I knitted together your torn flesh and repositioned your precious precious organs. Everything's been put back where it should be... then again I'm not all that familiar with the human anatomy; something could've been misplaced or put in upside down..." The being sighed happily as he floated from the cell. "I look forward to playing with you again in the future," he said as he disappeared.

A-Again..!? He emitted a fearful sob that shook his entire being. Not again. He couldn't go through that again; he wasn't strong enough. He curled into himself, his shredded clothes providing no warmth to his chilled body, as he shook out more sobs and whimpers. Cold darkness met him as he slipped into a deep slumber.

Chapter 7:
The Time

With no window to tell the sun's position or clock to tell the time, he wasn't sure how much time had passed. The demon had returned many times however, forcing him to "play" with his many monstrous slaves. Steve had fallen to nearly a dozen deaths, and each time he was brought back to continue amusing the demon. It... broke him... He longed for death that was not granted to him.

He tried to his wrists with the sharp stones in his cell, but they shattered before he could draw blood...

He attempted to hang himself, but the ruined cloth ripped under his weight, leaving him with just a sore neck and less to keep him warm when he slept...

He began to stop eating, and the demon made the black creatures hold him down and force-feed him...

He allowed the zombies and skeletons to defeat him without resistance, the demon put him back together and shoved his soul back into its shell...

He stared down the black creatures and let them strangle him, the demon would appear and intervene, and after Steve had attempted a few too many times a magic blind-fold was tied around his eyes that the human could not remove...

His suicide attempts grew annoying to the demon, and he was stripped of the remainder of his clothes and forced to sit on a bottomless chair affixed over the chamber pot. His wrists were shackled above his head to a chain connected to the ceiling and his ankles were tied to the legs. He remained in that position for hours at a time, only being released when it was time for his feeding or when the demon wanted entertainment.

Steve blinked frantically as the blindfold disappeared suddenly and he looked up to see the demon. Fresh tears flowed from his eye, and would soon resemble the white streaks on his face when they dried. "P-Please," he choked out. "Eat me... Take my soul, I don't care how painful you make it... just kill me... please!"

The demon stared at him as he sobbed pitifully. "No." That single word hit him with a booming finality.

"Wh..." Steve gasped in a breath so that the word could come out. "Why? Why?! WHY?!" He jerked in his binds but could ultimately go nowhere. "Why do you keep me here?! Do I amuse you that much? Are you just that cruel and twisted? Stop playing with your food, dammit! EAT ME!" The teens words ended as mournful wails took over. He struggled with his binds no more and merely sat there, limp as the cries poured out of him. Why did I have to be stubborn before? Why hadn't I just let him have my soul that night in the forest? When he said my death would be swift and painless. I should've taken the gift for what it was, then I would've been saved from this wretched existence of torture and insanity.

The demons deep rumbling chuckle made his sob catch in his throat, and he lifted his eyes to look upon him. "Poor poor little lamb... you still do not understand. You are my pet. My toy. I will keep you until I deem you unworthy of my time and then I will devour you soul. Slowly. Teasingly. Painfully. Though do not draw hope from this, for that will not be happening anytime soon. Your fear and pain are as delectable to me as any soul, and I find the effects of them to be thrilling to say the least. Do not hope for one of your human ailments to take you. Cancer, heart failure, old age. All of those are out of reach to you since I have ended the aging of your body. You'll be staying a healthy and young as you are now until I decide outerwise."

Steve shuddered. "So... you're never letting me go..?"

The demon drew near and almost gently swept the teens brown hair from his forehead. "My lamb. I'm keeping you," he gripped his hair possessively.

"For all of eternity..."

Now that I think about it, the demon's face kinda reminds me of Asura's from Soul Eater...

Anywho, thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed, and please leave a review! Have a wonderful day!