*Woo, we got some action in this one, and changes with Enderbrina! That's all I got to say for now. Read on!*
Red's Pov
I was in Steve's room, continuing to take care of him. The nurses said he needed bed rest and plenty of warmth, along with the usual "balanced" meals. So, I had moved his bed closer to the fire, and was sitting at a table, reading a book. Everything was peaceful since the new goddess came, so I was at least happy for that, but the fact that she was an enderwoman was interesting to say the least. I was beginning to think of a potion, besides one of healing, to make Steve get better faster. He was my brother, after all.
Thud.
Hm? What was that?
Thud.
That one was a little louder… better go check it out.
THUD
I rushed outside, the explosion-like sounds not getting any softer. I looked around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, until I looked away from the city.
THUD
Holy. Shit. Herobrine needed to know about this, fast. So, I used telepathy.
Herobrine! You need to get over here, now! There's… something big!
Herobrine's Pov
Null had used his reaper form again on his nightly patrol of the city. I held him close, he was upset about something.
"Deaths… so many deaths…"
"What? When?"
"Right now…"
"It'll be alright, Null."
"No…"
I sighed, and went to our room, about to lay in bed with him, but I felt a mind link to my own for telepathy.
Herobrine! You need to get over here, now! There's… something big!
I realized what Null meant, and took him with me, giving him some of my energy. Hopefully, it was enough to wake him up, as I knew, he was the most powerful of us deep down. His Grim Reaper form wasn't his most powerful, and it had been a long time since he had ever needed his most powerful form… and the one time he had used it had not been a pretty sight. As soon as I got to the Overworld, I saw the big thing in the distance. I teleported to Red, and he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw me, with Null close behind. Null had woken up as soon as we were in the Overworld, thankfully.
"You brought Null?"
"Do you not remember that form?"
"Oh, right…"
"Herobrine?"
I turned to Null. "If I cannot stop the beast, you will need to."
"But how can I stop it?"
"Your most powerful form."
Null's eyes went wide at my statement. I sighed, and nodded. I placed a hand on his shoulder, then flew off, contacting my sister as I flew towards the deadly beast.
Enderbrina's Pov
I had finally learned to control my telepathy with Entity 303's help. He had been visiting me often, so even Simon and Warp had grown used to seeing him, and he often had lunch with us. I knew he ruled over Death Den now, so it wasn't strange whenever he left quickly. Lia also lived in my castle now, along with a few other of the cities' residents. Luckily, they weren't the unsavory type and were actually quite helpful. We were eating lunch, talking and laughing, when I felt an arm around my shoulders. I tensed up, seeing a slightly-longer black arm covered in white around me. I looked at Entity 303.
"Entity… I'm not interested in dating anyone," I said quietly enough so nobody would hear. "Please remove your arm from around me."
He looked hurt, but sighed, nodding as he continued to eat. I finished my lunch before anyone else, and continued to talk with Warp, Lia, Simon, and the other castle residents. Entity 303 finished his lunch and was about to get up when I felt my brother trying to connect to my mind. I asked him to wait, looking down at the table as I concentrated.
"My brother is trying to contact me through telepathy."
Sister… I need you in the Overworld. There is one thing I haven't taught you yet, and you may need to do so with Entity so Null doesn't have to… use his most powerful form.
I'll be there, and I'll make sure Entity comes with me. Anyone else?
No, make sure none of your friends come along. I mean it, they will be hurt badly if they do. If they come along they will likely die.
Alright.
I came out of the telekinetic conversation, and looked around the table.
"Okay, first, everyone except Entity, stay here. I mean it. Second, Entity, you need to come with me. There's something in the Overworld that my brother is worried about. He was saying you and I might need to do something he hasn't taught me yet — to kill whatever it is — and so Null doesn't have to use his most powerful form or something."
"Enderbrina, are you going to be okay? You've never acted like this before."
I looked back at Warp, Entity 303 leaving and waiting by the portal for me. I sighed. "This is part of my duty as your goddess… if that thing can destroy the Overworld, it can destroy the other worlds too. I'm going to do my best and protect this world at all costs. My life is no longer on the line when I go into battle now that I'm immortal. Only my existence is on the line, and that can only be taken away if it's another immortal as powerful as my brother."
I left without another word, willing away my tail and wings as Entity 303 and I went through the portal. I drew my swords as soon as I saw the thing stomping around. It large, green, reptilian eyes were focused on something flying around it. My brother, most likely. It had black scales, and large white back spikes along its spine, a small cluster of five or six on the end of its tail. It had to be at least eighty meters tall, likely more, and was headed straight for the humans' city.
"As much as I do not care for the humans," I growled, "We must face this thing… and save them."
Entity 303 nodded. "Teleport us to Red and Null's presence, if you will."
"Of course."
Entity 303 held onto my shoulder and we were there instantly. I could see the beast better from this angle, its huge maw that snapped at my brother, its large arms and legs, the arms swinging about as if trying to bat my brother out of the air. Its yellow teeth were at least twice the size of me, and a few stuck out at odd angles like another reptile I knew of. It was large at the bottom, its head smaller than the rest of its main body. The yellowish claws, though reminding me of endstone, terrified me as they swung for my brother. Its roar of frustration shook the ground, and finally, Herobrine was knocked away, flying toward us. I grew my wings and tail and caught him, throwing my wings out like a parachute. I stood there, stunned, and let him down. When he looked at me, a tiny bit of fear sparked in his eyes, but I assumed it was from fighting the beast.
"What's the thing you needed to tea—"
"Go. Kill that thing, sister."
"But you said—"
"I know what I said. Go kill that thing, you don't need to learn the technique quite yet."
His hand on my shoulder and his air of confidence reassured me, and I lifted off the ground, breathing deeply as I poked at the beast's eyes with telekinesis, trying to get its attention on me. I held my swords bravely, though deep down I was scared. More than scared, I was downright terrified. It blinked in annoyance and turned its head around, looking for something, and spotted me. A huge paw came up to swipe at me, but I was smaller, faster, quicker than it. I used my wings and tail to make tight turns that my brother had not thought of using, and really couldn't even with his ability of flight. I went in for my first attack.
Herobrine's Pov
Her power had become so much higher. I watched her zip around, actually going in for an attack much earlier than I had. Being such a fast learner, she was sure to overcome me someday. Either that, or she had managed to sap all the power out of that star already. I had yet to drain mine, I wanted to save it. I wanted to wait until I had at least one more, as I always had three on hand, just to be sure I would have extras. One in my dematerialized storage that I never used, since they kept their power forever, one hidden in the deepest recesses of my castle, and one I kept on myself at all times, to boast about, of course. I peered at her fighting skill, she was definitely talented, and had managed to make a large cut on the beast's belly, not enough to kill it, but enough to make some blood leak.
"Herobrine?"
"Yes, Null?"
"Should I… be ready?"
"Be ready, but do not turn yet… she may be able to take this on her own. Right now, she is the most powerful after me; she is close in power to me."
"How close?"
"She is on the cusp of using soul manipulation."
I felt tension flare up between us, it was almost tangible. I was the only god, besides Notch, who was able to use soul manipulation. With Notch dead, it had become only me. Null, who had a form of soul manipulation, was only able to look at memories. A few moments of silence passed before I turned my attention back to the fight, and just in time. She was losing badly, then, the beast's maw closed around her. Fury flared up inside me, and I felt a hand on my shoulder pulling it in.
"Entity…"
Instead of Entity 303 standing there, I saw Sunfire for the first time in a long time. In essentiality, Sunfire was an alter ego of Entity 303, his purest form fueled by emotion. His cloak had turned black, red and orange flame patterns flaring into the darkness of his new cloak from the hem. His red eyes held fire, and his build became stronger than my own. His hand removed itself from my shoulder and Sunfire turned to regard us.
"Stay here. I will rescue her. Null, be ready to change as soon as I land."
We all nodded, and Sunfire began to lift off the ground before the beast stopped, its pupils turning to slits as it froze up. White light broke through its scales, almost like a boss monster being defeated in a game. The beast imploded, but simply had turned into a rain of glittering black scales. Immediately, Sunfire was next to us again, staying until what we saw shocked him back into being Entity 303.
My sister's body had turned to the negative spectrum. Everything that was black, except her sword, had turned white. Her barely mottled skin was white with pale, pale gray mottling now, and her purple gradient hoodie now went from the darkest green-black at the shoulders to the brightest white at the bottom hem, and her normally black jeans had also turned into that bright, snow-white color. She seemed to nearly glow with how bright she had turned. Her teeth, bared in a grimace, had turned a strange cactus-green color, and her eyes were the deepest black, seemingly soulless. But none of that scared me, nor did her swords which were the normal glinting, metallic black. It was something else.
Her power.
Even the others seemed terrified of her, her power was more than thrice the amount of my own, but only at the normal level. I could push my own power higher by using my transformations. She was not as strong as my most powerful transformation, of course — which one, was not really a transformation, and two, something I only used in emergencies — but was nearly tied with my second most-powerful, which was mostly used for intimidation if one of the others stepped out of line. It was not a separate being by any means, but I tended to become drunk with power while I was in that second most-powerful transformation, and had to concentrate on the real purpose of using that form while in it.
"You picked a good one, Herobrine… but…"
"She won't surpass me," I vowed both to myself and them. "I still have not drained… a certain item of its power. I can keep her in line."
Red looked at me knowingly, and Null and Entity 303 also seemed to know what I was talking about. I could see her breathing heavily, she had turned into her alter ego out of pure rage, but I could see it was subsiding now, her negative-spectrum coloring began to waver. I teleported close to her, and she sheathed her swords, seemingly still in control of herself.
"Sister," I asserted. Her black eyes snapped onto me, and I kept up a neutral facade. Her face contorted slightly, and I knew she was tired. "Come lay in my arms. I will bring you back to your castle, where you will be safe. The prize of defeating this beast is yours, the scales will be brought to your castle as well."
She nodded, and came over to me, laying sideways in the air as her second form wavered again, this time going away completely. I caught her form in my arms as she moved her own arm to a more comfortable position. She was exhausted, having so much anger usually made someone tired after the adrenaline rush wore off. I noticed her shadow-arm was gone, her arm nearly a third of the way healed. It returned shortly, assuming her darkness pool had left for only a moment to show me, as I was sure she had two to battle with. Yes, she was a good pick for an immortal, but her natural ability to gain power easily made me nervous, and jealous. A dangerous combination for a hybrid, but not for me; I could handle it.
My thoughts had made the time pass and I was soon entering her castle, floating down the hallways with her in my arms. I could hear footsteps following me and recognized the presence of her three friends, and a few of the castle residents. I brought her into her room, laid her in her bed, and left, quietly closing the door afterwards.
"Is she okay," Warp asked.
"She is now. Only moments ago she had broken into her second form out of pure rage. Rage is quite taxing on the body, so she needs rest. Let her rest, and I am sure she will come out of her room before the week is over."
"That's in two days."
"Like I said, do not disturb her while she recovers through rest."
With that, I left them all to wonder, as I was myself, just how her second form had come from pure rage. No, not from pure rage… I had sensed sadness from her as well. And glee? Surely, but a dry form of it where it was more melancholy. Likely, she had been thinking about the dead beast digesting her and had laughed. However, the most prominent emotion had been anger.
I saw the beast's scales being brought in through almost five boxes brimming with the treasures. I took a full stack of sixty-four of the beauties, thinking about what I might use them for. I knew that half-breed, Simon, would find them invaluable in his tinkering. I knew she would happily share the treasure, which was why I openly took a full stack, dematerializing it for later.
Warp's Pov
I was worried. My best-friend-slash-goddess was hurt. At least, that's what I perceived. I looked at Simon and Lia, who also seemed anxious. I wanted to go in the room and at least see her.
"Well, I'm not gonna just stand here, we will just have to be quiet," Lia said.
"Good idea. Let's go."
Simon walked forward and opened the door first, obviously much braver than Lia or myself. He did try to soften his steps, but was my her bedside in moments. Lia and I went in with more caution. She looked so peaceful laying in her bed, but her wings laid limply underneath her, her tail hanging off the side of the bed. It was strange to see her like this. I had never seen her like this. I glanced at Lia, finding she was looking at me as well, worry etched in her features. I whispered to her.
"She looks strange like this…"
Lia only nodded and looked back at Enderbrina, whose face stayed still throughout our stay. I felt like mourning, she looked dead, save for the fact that her chest slowly rose and fell. I had been her first friend, and her best friend. I felt guilty, but I knew I could not have stopped this.
"Not… n-not… t-to… today…"
I looked up at my friend's face, she was dreaming, her face twisted but her eyes still closed. She continued to mumble until she feel silent again, leaving us wondering what she had been dreaming about.
Simon's Pov
She had just run off with the other god, and returned in Herobrine's arms, and now we were watching her sleep.
Okay, maybe not watching… waiting and observing?
She said something more, neither Lia or Warp heard it.
"Simon… no… Null… bring back…"
She had dreamt I had died. This chilled me to the bone. Could gods and goddesses have visions of future events? Yes, I knew Null was the Grim Reaper, it had come up during lunch before she had left, only to return like this. My gaze traveled to her arm. It was re-growing much quicker, but was still slow. An idea hit me; why didn't she use her healing ability on herself? Heal her arm?
I remembered she had done so, but… it seemed to only regrow small amounts of flesh, just enough to heal. Not to regrow limbs. Was that what "balanced" it? Warp had talked about something being over-powered, but that was in his game. This… was not a game.
She stirred in her sleep again, her wings and tail disappearing. She was having a nightmare now, and I could clearly hear every word.
"No, stop… why are you chasing them!? Brother! Stop! Warp is good! Lia too! No! Don't kill them! NO!"
She screamed. Her eyes flew open and she was awake, albeit afraid. Her gaze looked around the room, and her gaze moved behind us, we realized the other castle residents had come in to be near her, something good for any who had fallen asleep from something bad happening. Her heavy breathing slowed, albeit forcefully. She heaved a few more breaths in and out, and finally sat up, blinking a few times slowly.
Enderbrina's Pov
What had made me so afraid? Oh, right, the nightmare… I didn't want to think about it, I knew it wasn't real. I tried my best smile, looking at their unconvinced faces.
"Okay… what was it about?"
"It's fine, I know he wouldn't… he wouldn't hurt my friends."
"You talk in your sleep."
"What did I say?"
Simon told me everything I had said while unconscious, and I nodded.
"Sounds about right… nightmares are not common for me. Mainly because I'm not afraid of much, not anymore… strange that it happened after my first real fight with lives on the line."
"Do you think you were having one of those apparitions? Where you see the future in your dreams?"
I frowned. "Unlikely."
"I can sense a 'but' there. It's unlikely, but?"
"If I did just have an apparition, it will happen again and more frequently the next time I sleep, or I may begin to inadvertently daydream about it and end up catching myself doing so." I took a breath to calm myself before continuing. "If that happens… you'll be the first to know."
"Thanks."
I nodded, closing my eyes and taking some deep breaths. "My emotions are riled up from the dreams… anger and fear… it's not a good thing for me to be excited in this way."
Simon spoke up. "Come on, let's give her some space."
He got up and left, followed by many footsteps of my friends. I breathed a bit easier as they closed the door quietly, Warp and Lia going me a respectful nod through the glass of my door. I breathed in, and then out, repeating this process until my emotions got the idea.
It was only a dream…
Have to stay calm when it's only a dream…
No reason to go emotion-frenzied when it's only a dream…
Just a dream…
Just a dream.
Just.
A.
Dream.
I breathed out the last breath I had taken, and felt infinitely better, enough to leave my room. I stood from my bed and teleported to my throne, standing for a minute in deep thought, then sitting as I continued to think. What was that, back in my room, when I first woke up? I was not usually one to give single-worded answers, only when it was a yes-or-no question. I sighed. Was I actually becoming distant from my friends, just because I was a goddess? I scooted backward, sitting cross-legged, and meditated, and kept thinking. I couldn't become distant from them, I was normally a very smart and thoughtful person… I wondered what Melina would be doing right now if I hadn't killed her…
Probably groveling at my feet for forgiveness… or being my torture pet.
My thoughts scared me. I calmed down quickly, that was just my evil talking. If it was my good side…
I'd probably forgive her and either bring her home or invite her to live in the castle.
We never really were friends… but I can tolerate her. I'm stronger than she would ever be now.
That's better. Another sigh, why was being a goddess so… boring but also difficult? I watched my end mites playing together, chasing each other as they chittered playfully with each other. It brought a smile to my face. Seeing their carefree attitude and their bright gray souls for a split second as they played…
Wait.
Did killing that beast give me power? Along with my meditation earning me some power!? No, surely not, but I could see souls now… I couldn't before. I just learned telepathy! Maybe it was just seeing the souls I could do. That would make more sense. I was getting anxious again.
I need to keep my emotions under control… bottle up most of them and use it in battle… breathe in, breathe out.
My emotions were getting out of hand lately… why, I didn't know. It's what caused me to turn while in that beast's belly… first, anger, that it had dared to swallow me. Then, sadness that I had failed everyone. And of course, glee that I wouldn't have to worry about much. The glee was more… melancholy, though. It wasn't much for actual mirth.
"Enderbrina?"
I looked up, Warp was standing there.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay? You've been acting… different."
"I'm sorry, Warp… being a hybrid goddess… means my emotions aren't always under my control. It's helpful, at times… like when I had to kill that thing…"
I looked down at my left arm, and noticed there were no shadows that were trying to heal me. I called for Void silently, and darkness rose up below my arm and attached. It must have gone away for a moment as I stopped my meditating after contemplating about the beast dilemma.
"What thing?"
"There was this beast in the Overworld… that's why I left so suddenly… I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing so much? You shouldn't be, you know. There's nothing to be sorry for."
"I… I need to go. I'll be back in an hour or two."
I stood up, growing my wings and tail after realizing they weren't there, and walked to the Overworld portal. I teleported out far, not knowing where I was going. I found myself in an extreme hills biome once more, but it seemed… more extreme than usual? The ground was steeply dipping and strange rock formations that shouldn't have been possible stood all around me. I saw a particularly strange one, and remembered the extremely rare metal that could be found only in these biomes, as it was found close to the clouds, thought to be made from ancient rainwater, if that was even possible. I looked at my good hand, knowing I had healing was useful. I floated around, looking for a good formation that might hold the metal. I looked at the closest one to myself, and saw a glimmer of something silvery-white, and went over to it, trying to extract just a little bit to taste it. It was indeed the metal. I went to the side of the formation, looking for a load-bearing point. Right there, a four-by-four meter spot in the rocks. I went down to it, balled up my right fist, and gathered up my strength. Then, my fist shot forward into the rock. I managed to make a dent with some spiderwebbing cracks, and sighed, backing away.
Not strong enough, yet, then.
I went to go home, but then I heard…
crackle…
Crackle…
CRACKLE…
rumble rumble…
Rumble…
RRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUMBLE
I looked over my shoulder, looking at the small spiderweb crack spreading, causing an avalanche. I saw the twinkling metal pour out of the rocks, sparkling in the sunlight. I flew down to it, giddy as I used telekinesis to pull every piece out, and ran to Kentu's shop afterward, bouncing lightly as I called out to him.
"Kentu! Look what I found!"
He chuckled as he came out if the back room, wiping his hands off. I couldn't hide the joy in my voice, but as he came in, he looked at the metal in my arms.
"Platinum? Why are you so excited about—"
"It's not platinum! It's the extremely rare metal called Ontaunam!"
His purple eyes went wide at this, and he helped me put it in his forge to melt it into bars. I was excited, but then, tried to calm down, realizing if I got any happier I'd be letting my crazed personality take control. Taking a deep breath, I calmed myself.
"My lady?"
"My emotions have been escaping my control ever since I woke up after fighting the beast in the Overworld. Being a hybrid, my emotions are used to push my power higher than normal. I don't want to hurt anyone, so I need to control them better…but I think I'll be fine."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Unfortunately, no. My heartbreak personality is well under control… it's the first one I experienced."
"What's the second?"
"I believe it was my crazed, which is slowly coming under control. My vengeful personality, when I feel angry, is still wildly out of control if I feel only a small amount of anger. It can be frustrating, but I'm getting better at keeping my emotions from getting out of hand."
I saw the ingots slowly forming, and used telekinesis to pull out the first one even while it was still glowing orange. I inspected the chunk of Ontaunam, shaping it into odd shapes until I finally settled on turning it into a small Enderdragon. I returned it to the forge to become an ingot again.
"Thank you for all you've done for me, Kentu. I really don't deserve this."
"Of course you do, you're our goddess. We should help you any way possible."
"Kentu, I know this is off-topic, but… are you thinking of taking an apprentice?"
"Once I get a little older, yes. I'm only one-hundred-seventy-two. I'll take in an apprentice when I reach two hundred years, alright?"
"That will be good."
"I believe the ingots are ready."
"Keep them here… I know I can trust you not to lose them."
As he went about storing them away, I scanned Kentu's presence, finding it had heightened a bit. I looked at him suspiciously.
"Kentu, why is your presence stronger than when I last saw you?"
He tensed visibly at that. "I have no idea what you are speaking of, my lady."
I crossed my arms. "I'm not mad, just tell me why."
"I… was recently… hurt, very badly… nothing was healing me. I ate some Endermetal to heal myself…"
"I can heal now, Kentu. Next time, come to me."
He nodded. "Sorry… but I would have died before I made it to you. I was cut on my leg, slicing the major artery. It was an accident."
"I have already said I'm not upset. Once I'm able to manipulate souls, you don't have to fear an early death."
He looked at me quizzically. "What do you mean?"
"Souls are what animate our bodies and keep us alive. When our bodies can no longer function, the soul naturally detaches from our body and leaves. To where, I'm not sure. However, I can bring you back to life if I am able to catch your soul and keep it from escaping. It works for anyone, as long as I have their respective soul."
"When did you learn so much?"
"Nature told me when I passed out from exhaustion… then I began dreaming… well, they weren't dreams, they were nightmares, but it was only in my mind."
"I'm glad you are alright, my lady."
"For now, I am." I paused. If he had gained power… "Kentu."
"Yes?"
"Can you sense my presence?"
"I'm not sure I understand…"
"Think of it this way. I can go into another room, and even if you didn't see me go into the room, you'd be able to know, or sense, I'm in the room."
Understanding crossed his face. "No, I don't think I am able to, although I do feel power radiating from you… it's a bit terrifying if I'm being honest."
"So only when I am nearby?"
"Er…"
Before he could reply I teleported into the dark hallway so my eyes would look like two stars to him.
How about now? I'm using telepathy, by the way.
Why did you move all the way over there?
So it is true… you can sense presences.
I teleported back to his shop. "Consider yourself lucky, Kentu… you've received an ability only immortals are supposed to have. I suppose I'll leave you alone, now… practice using your ability, alright?"
He nodded, terrified, most likely from his new, unfamiliar ability. It couldn't do any harm to him, so I wasn't worried as I walked down the hallway back to the throne room. I saw Hyath, Zayek, and Vido in a pile, sleeping. The sight was adorable, and I picked them up with telekinesis, putting them in my lap after I sat down.
You three are so cute…
They woke up, I guessed I had accidentally projected that in short-range. I gently patted each of their heads in turn, sending them back to sleep. I sighed, scooting back so they had enough room to roll off to the sides if they did so in their sleep. Nothing seemed quite as calming as my three mite pets. I felt even better as I saw five boxes almost overflowing with the scales from the beast I had killed.
It was a good day, for sure.
*(Sharply breathes out) Just writing this got me excited for the next chapter! So, Follow, Favorite, Review, and have a great day!*
