Frist talk
With a gasp Nuka shot up from sleep!
He threw fearful glances around the room until he realized that the whole thing had only been a dream. With a deep sigh, Nuka closed his eyes and tried to calm his racing heart.
Even though this was not the first time Nuka had this nightmare, he could not regain his composure. This dream had haunted him for the past five years, pulling him out of sleep at least once every week. It was a sort of gruesome reminder of the day his whole life had changed - the day he lost his mother…
Nuka swallowed hard and he felt tears coming again. In the past, he had often woken up crying and screaming from this nightmare and even though it wasn't quite as bad now, it was still a terrible experience that left him on the verge of a panic attack. Nuka didn't complain.
No, he deserved this.
He deserved this, for what he had done…
He deserved tis, for abandoning his mother…
Nuka sniffled as he thought about it, before hastily wiping away his tears.
He had to do something. Normally, he would read a book or just roam around until he found something to distract him.
With this thought, he stood up, got dressed and went out of his room, hoping that he would find something similar here in the castle.
As he walked around looking for anything interesting, he noticed again how terribly quiet it was here.
In the Overworld, the stirring of the wind or the noises of the mobs, animals, and birds would break the silence of the night. Here, there was nothing but his footsteps. Nuke felt goosebumps.
How could Herobrine bear this, living here? Nuka asked himself this just as he opened another door.
A blast of Nether heat hit him in his face!
With a gasp, Nuka immediately backed away and stared with fear at the now half-open door. Did he accidentally find a way out?
But that's impossible! This was the second floor. So it had to be something else!
Encouraged by this thought, Nuka took a hesitant step towards the door, opened it and peeked out.
The hallway in front of him opened to one side and several small columns supported the ceiling, leaving enough room to walk between them to a large balcony, which afforded a view of the Nether.
Curious and also a bit excited about what he would see, Nuka stepped fully outside, closed the door behind him, and then took a few steps out to the balcony.
He immediately regretted his decision.
Herobrine stood by the railing of the balcony, his back turned toward him, so he didn't notice Nuka, yet.
What was he doing here? Nuka eyed him in dismay. Before he could quietly back away and disappear, Herobrine span to face him. Nuka glimpsed something held in Herobrine's hand, at which he had been looking the entire time. The only thing he managed to notice is that it was blue in color. Herobrine quickly stuck it in his pocket.
I wonder what it was? A diamond? Nuka pondered as he stood frozen, looking at Herobrine with an uncertain gaze. But why would Herobrine want to hide something like that from me? It's not like I could steal it, to buy something in the Overworld… And I certainly wouldn't eat it.
He half-expected Herobrine to react to him with anger, or at least display annoyance of some kind. But Herobrine, who a moment ago looked alarmed and tense, relaxed after recognizing Nuka.
"Oh, it's just you." He simply turned away.
Stunned, Nuka stood there, staring at him.
That was all?
Not a sharp word, not an annoyed sigh, nothing?
Nuka waited a moment, afraid that he had rejoiced too soon, but finally, he too relaxed, before averting his gaze again and looking at the view for the first time.
Wow!" he exclaimed. Stepping up to the railing a few steps away from Herobrine, he enthusiastically looked at the surroundings, "The view is incredible! I wonder how far it goes?"
"354 blocks."
Surprised, Nuka looked at Herobrine, who gazed at the view with a thoughtful expression.
"Really?" he asked curiously, "How do you know that?"
Herobrine shrugged his shoulders.
"I counted," he replied simply, whereupon Nuka raised his eyebrows and looked at him in disbelief and confusion.
"What… do you mean?" he asked, to which Herobrine just sighed.
"Exactly what I said!" he replied in a slightly annoyed tone, "I built a path of blocks until I couldn't see my castle anymore, and then I counted them."
Nuka looked at him in dismay when he heard this.
"But...but why… Why did you do that?" he asked, completely confused, to which Herobrine shrugged again.
"I don't know," he replied gloomily, "I guess you start trying out strange ideas when you get really bored."
At these words, his face darkened, making Nuka suspect that there was more to this statement, but he didn't dare to ask. Instead, he turned away from Herobrine and continued to look around.
From here he could see far into the Nether and admire all its beauty.
He could still feel the full heat of the Nether, but for some reason it didn't feel as stifling as it did at first. Maybe he got used to it. And, although many would probably disagree with him, Nuka found something soothing about the Nether.
With the steady bubbling of lava bathing the entire Nether in dim light and the comfortable silence only occasionally interrupted by one of the mobs, Nuka couldn't help but relax.
He sighed deeply, closed his eyes and decided to enjoy the moment of safety and peace.
He was well aware that Herobrine stood next to him the entire time but surprisingly he didn't care.
Sure, Herobrine was a killer and many rightly feared him, but he had not harmed Nuka so far, except in training. Something that bounty hunters wouldn't have done.
With this thought, Nuka opened his eyes again and glanced at Herobrine, catching the other studying him. Herobrine quickly turned away, pretending to not be in the least bit interested in Nuka. Nuka took the opportunity to take a good look at his host. Herobrine seemed tired, as if he had slept too little or poorly.
Neither of them spoke a word for a long moment, until the silence between them became uncomfortable.
"What was that in your hand?" Nuka dared to ask.
"What?" Herobrine turned to give him a confused look. Nuka had apparently pulled him out of his thoughts. Now he regarded Nuka with full attention.
"I-I mean... not that I care," Nuka replied shyly, "But was it a diamond? I've never seen one in real life, you know."
"Maybe," Herobrine murmured and turned away from Nuka again without saying anything else.
Nuka realized that he wouldn't get far with this topic, so he decided to try a new one.
At that moment, his gaze turned and lingered on Herobrine's strange, white eyes. They still shone softly with white light and Nuka wondered if they ever stopped shining and if they did, what effect that might have on Herobrine.
Which led Nuka to the next question - did Herobrine always have such eyes? And if he didn't, what color had they been?
"Why are your eyes white?" he finally blurted, whereupon Herobrine flinched and looked at Nuka with another confused look.
"What?" This time, Herobrine's voice sounded suspicious and... uncertain?
"I...I mean," Nuka stuttered nervously, afraid that maybe he had gone too far, "If you've always had those eyes and..." he didn't finish the sentence.
Herobrine had turned to him now and stared at Nuka with a look he couldn't interpret, which made him even more nervous. Ducking his head, he prepared for an angry outburst or a scolding.
"Why do you think I'm known as the god of the moon?!"
"Oh," Nuka said softly, and straightened up, relieved that he hadn't been yelled at after all.
That made sense! He thought as he continued to look at Herobrine. His eyes really did shine as white as the moon.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know," he muttered in shame, and dropped his gaze to the ground in dejected.
"How could you not know?"
At Herobrine's question, Nuka looked up and saw him looking at him with even more confusion than before.
"Well," Nuka said, his words getting quieter and quieter, "I only knew that you were a god. But not why or of what kind."
Herobrine grinned. It was not a malicious grin, but rather an amused one.
"Didn't you learn this in school?" He asked and turned away again.
Nuka looked down, "I...I don't think I was in school long enough for that," he mumbled.
"Why?"
Nuka raised his head and looked at Herobrine, who continued to look away into the distance, no longer smiling. Nuka suddenly felt sad. With that smile, Herobrine had looked younger and carefree. Frowning, Nuka turned away.
"Well, why do you think?" he finally answered, "When I was 12 years old, they found out that I had these powers and decided to lock me up. So I ran away."
He avoided telling more, not willing to relieve his nightmares all over again.
Besides, he had never told anyone about this and he wasn't sure if he could share this with Herobrine, either. Herobrine simply nodded.
Nuka waited for him to say something, but when he didn't, he took a deep breath, gathered all his courage and asked, "And you?"
"Mhm?", Herobrine acted as if Nuka had just pulled him out of his thoughts again and turned to give him a questioning look.
"You didn't answer my question," Nuka replied, but immediately regretted pushing since Herobrine scowled at him.
"Must I?" he asked very quietly, and Nuka clearly heard the threat in his voice.
"No," Nuka said quickly, trying to keep his voice firm, "But it would help me a lot."
Herobrine glared at him, "Help with what?" he asked slowly and now Nuka could clearly hear his suspicion.
"It would help me to get to know you," Nuka said, and was surprised to see Herobrine's features fall and he stared at Nuka in disbelief.
"Why would you wish to do that?" Herobrine asked him, completely confused, whereupon Nuka regained his courage.
"Well," he sheepishly smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "Just curious, I guess. I would just like to know more about you… I know almost nothing about you," he continued, glancing at Herobrine with a mild look, "Only that you're a god, have very powerful abilities, and go out at night destroying villages and towns."
He dropped his gaze.
"And I know that you hate the other two gods," he added quietly, "but I don't know why..."
"You are not afraid of me?"
Nuka raised his head and looked at Herobrine, who seemed to be in shock, looking at Nuka as if he had suddenly sprouted wings. Nuka tried to think about how to answer this question.
"No." he finally said after a short silence, "I have immense respect for you and admire you because you can control your powers so well and also because you are an excellent fighter… And also you took me in and gave me food and drink," he faltered, searching for the right words, "I...I think that's why I'm not as afraid of you as I was in the beginning."
He finished his sentence and looked at Herobrine, who had already regained his composure and looked at Nuka thoughtfully.
"You have courage, I'll give you that," Herobrine finally said, "and you are not lying… But regarding your question," he continued and his face hardened, "Maybe I will answer it someday. But not today!"
With these words, he turned away and strode away from the balcony.
Nuka still stood in his place, a little disappointed. He understood why Herobrine might not want to tell him anything personal, yet.
"Will I see you tomorrow?" he asked, but by then Herobrine had already disappeared.