Chapter 3: I Accidentally Beat Up a Bedtime Story
Surprise! I'm still alive! I almost got you this time, didn't I? Yeeeeep, still alive. What a year, and it's only March. 2020 is like the Monday of the decade, huh?
On a different note, I'd like to take a moment and thank you all for the amazing support and incredibly kind reviews you've all left me! Each one means so much, and some days, they really give me the encouragement I need. I hope to see this story through, though it may be slow going, and I hope you'll all bear with me. So thank you all, and I hope you enjoy the chapter! (Yes, this one is noticeably different from the original version.)
-Hero-
Crunch!
I jumped, startled eyes looking around as the snapping of a twig rang out in the clearing. It was dusk, and the setting summer sun lit everything up with a brilliant, fiery orange, turning the forest into a fantastical landscape that should only exist in a dream. It was hard to enjoy the view, though, as I was more worried about hostile mobs coming to tear my throat out. With a rustle, some bushes at the edge of the clearing trembled slightly, leaves quivering as something inside went into motion.
Quietly, I slunk towards the bushes, sword raised defensively.
After a moment of silence, a rabbit burst out, and I shrieked, nearly slicing the little creature in half before I realized what it was. "Stupid bunny," I muttered, embarrassed that it had frightened me. Once I had calmed my pounding heart, I resumed searching for my missing book. I had lost it when exploring this region of the woods yesterday, and I needed to find it before someone— or something— made off with it. It could be equally disastrous if the weather turned sour, especially if I had left it out in the open like I suspected.
Sword in hand, I tramped through the undergrowth, peering down at the ground in hopes of spotting the book's leather cover. A clicking noise sounded to my left, and I glanced up, squinting at the the source. It appeared to have come from an entrance to a cave. A pulsating, gentle blue light seemed to be emanating from it, and I crept closer. "What the Nether...?"
I looked around the area one last time before stepping into the cave. A wave of cool, dry air washed over me, contrasting the humid air that usually came with summer. The blue light grew steadily brighter as I wandered deeper into the cave, and I ran over a list of things that could be causing it, which wasn't very long. Charged creepers glowed like that, and possibly an underground lake, if there happened to be a light source reflecting on the water.
Turning the corner, I brandished my blade, bracing for an electrified creeper to attack— only to find myself blocked by a mound of boulders. An earthquake must have created a rockslide here. Thwarted, I pressed my body against the stones, peeking between cracks in the rock. The glowing appeared to be coming from just on the other side, and I began pulling at the mound, tossing boulders behind me as I strained to glimpse what was inside. The rocks proved to be too heavy, and I quickly gave up, instead pacing back and forth as I thought about what to do. Maybe a creeper would blast enough of this rock away to let me in, I mused, backing out of the cave.
Mobs were just beginning to emerge from their hiding places, popping out from under trees, caves, pools of water, and even underground as the dangerous sun finally receded into nighttime. No creeper was to be seen yet, however, and I frowned, searching for the green creatures in annoyance.
"Of course it's my luck for none of them to be around."
Then, behind some nearby bushes, I spotted a green figure waddling through the trees at lazy pace, and I eagerly dashed forward, shield ready in case it exploded prematurely. By the time I reached where I had seen the creeper, it was gone, and I skidded to a halt, wondering how it had slipped away.
Squeak!
"Hm?" A sudden peep came from the bushes, and I crouched, furrowing my brows. If it was that rabbit again, I'd cook it for dinner, I decided, poking my sword into the undergrowth.
Squeak!
Abruptly, a tiny creeper emerged, and I stared at it for a moment, eyebrows lifting in surprise. "A baby?!" I cried in dismay. Babies were next to useless when it came to exploding things! The creeper squeaked again, shuffling forward on stubby legs. Sighing, I stroked its head, which was still covered in baby fuzz.
Gently, I lifted the little creature in the air, its legs kicking in delight as it leaned forward and licked my nose. I laughed despite my disappointment, and pulled the baby to my chest, pinning its wriggling body against mine as I looked for an adult creeper.
Distantly, I could hear a Crafter calling out in the distance, and I shook my head. Sounded like some zombies were going to eat well tonight.
Stalking through the woods, I made certain to stay far from the detection of other mobs, as I was in no mood to deal with the beasts.
I had no luck finding a creeper, but the Crafter seemed to be getting closer. I could make out words now.
"Sizzle! Sizzle, please, where did you go?! It's getting dark!"
They must've lost their pet, I concluded, smirking to myself. The creeper seemed to be getting antsy, squirming around at the sound of the Crafter's voice. "Shhh, buddy, it's ok, I won't let them hurt you," I assured quietly.
"Sizzle?!" The Crafter yelled again.
"Ssssssss!"
The Creeper hissed loudly, and I blinked. Most creepers, even babies, would know to stay quiet when a human approached. "What are you doing?" I murmured. Now that it had my attention, I realized the creeper was straining towards the sound, not away.
My curiosity roused, I made my way towards the human, who was tramping noisily through the underbrush just beyond a nearby clump of trees. It was a girl, no older than twenty, desperately hacking branches and debris out of her way. Idiot. She was being so loud, mobs could pick her off in their sleep.
At the sight of her, the creeper went wild, thrashing and hissing like an angry snake. "Shhh!" I hissed, covering its mouth. It sank its little fangs into my palm, and I jerked away, startled.
"Sizzle! I hear you! Come here, buddy!"
"Sssssss!"
Surely she wasn't serious? "...Sizzle?" I whispered in the creeper's ear. The creature paused in its thrashing, looking me in the eyes for a moment. So this girl had found a young creeper and kept it? I grit my teeth. Creepers belonged in the wild, not cooped up and pampered like a household pet!
Suddenly, the girl paused in her search, looking down at her feet. Bending down, she snatched up an object off the ground. It was a book, bound in leather and engraved in redstone and lapis. Mybook. Carelessly, she flipped it open, thumbing through its pages in silence. My expression darkened, and I tucked the creeper away into a tree hollow where he couldn't get hurt. Then I turned to go teach that girl a lesson she would never forget.
~Ellie~
"No way!" I exclaimed, brushing some dirt off the book I had just found. I had discovered a priceless relic of the Ancients! The thought sang in my head over and over as I eagerly flipped through its worn pages. Its pages were filled with sketches, strange runes, and words scrawled in strong, spiky handwriting that appeared to tell stories of strange creatures and mysterious things I had never heard of. "This is amazing," I whispered, my eyes shining with anticipation.
A gust of cold air chilled my back, and I shivered as the hairs on my neck stood straight up. The woods suddenly fell silent, and I froze, startled eyes looking up from the book. Something wasn't right. The cold was growing, the worst of it coming in short, rasping puffs of air. Almost as if...
Slowly, I turned around.
Two blank white eyes met my gaze, slitted and glowing with power. The rest of the.. thing's face was hidden in shadow, and it stared at me, silent; unmoving. "Oh my Void," I whispered, my feet frozen to the earth. Slowly, its head tilted downward to gaze at the book in my hand. The air was bitingly cold now, and my hands shook. "I-is this yours?" My voice came out as a squeak, and I lifted it in offering to the creature. "I'm sorry, I d-didn't realize, I didn't mean to—"
Not giving any indication of wanting the book, the creature's eyes narrowed, and I gulped, moving to take a step back as I let the book drop back into the dirt.
I almost didn't see it move, it was so fast.
A hand snatched at where my throat was but an instant ago, but my feet were already moving without my telling them to. Adrenaline filled my body as I took off like a bullet, screaming for help at the top of my lungs while twisting to look behind me. Glancing back was a mistake. Fast and silent, the demon sped after me, undeterred by the debris I tried to throw in its path.
I stumbled over a root, allowing it to gain more ground. The lack of sound the creature made as it gave chase unnerved me more than if it had screamed at me or something, and I panicked, feeling like a fat, noisy pigeon trying to outfly a cat. Worse, the cat could fly, too.
Thinking to throw the demon off, I darted behind the edge of a huge rock, and suddenly, I was cornered. I'd run all the way to a cliff that was but a couple miles from the village, and now I had no way to escape. It had corralled me into a place with nowhere to go but backwards. Once the creature saw the cliff, it slowed its pace, taking its time as it made its way towards me. Then, to my horror, the shadow drew a diamond sword from a scabbard at its hip, the bloodstained blade glinting sinisterly in the moonlight.
I'm going to die, I realized. I began furiously digging around in my bag, feeling for something, anything, that could save me. A scuffle interrupted my frantic search, and I looked up to see it standing only a block in front of me, not even bothering to block an escape. Its sword did that for it, the threatening edge angled dangerously towards me. The demon stepped forward, and I bumped against the cliff wall, its rough surface prodding into my back.
"Wait!" I cried. To my surprise, the demon paused, one eye widening as an invisible eyebrow lifted. Well, shoot, now I had to actually say something to it. "A-are you Herobrine?"
With some hesitation, the creature inclined its head in a 'yes' motion.
"So you're real, then?" It gave me a deadpan stare, and I blinked, a little chagrined at the obvious question. After a moment, it gave a small shake of its head, beginning to move. "I wasn't done yet!" I said quickly. Herobrine ignored me, and I flew out of the way as a sword smashed into the rock where my head had been. "Wait wait wait are you the one who—" I shrieked as it lunged for the head again, its expression— or what little I could see of it— becoming irritated. Still groping inside my bag, my hand met something hard and cool, and I pulled it out, hope filling me as I dodged another swing. The demon grunted, pausing for a moment to look down at the object in my hands.
While I had its attention, I winged a bottle of liquid right into its face, screwing my eyes shut as the chemicals inside reacted to create a violent, albeit small, explosion, causing the demon to howl in pain as it staggered around, hands clutching its face. Glass shards had impaled my forearms with which I had covered my face, but Herobrine had gotten the worst of it, smoldering liquid dripping down it and glass shards covering its face. Blinded, it clawed for me, and I scrambled away, pulling a small knife out of my satchel.
The instant it came too near, I lashed out, digging the blade into whatever skin was nearest to me as it roared in fury, silvery smoke drifting up from the wounds. "S-stay back!" I commanded, my hands still shaking.
"You dare attack me?!" A dark, silky voice exploded from the creature, the words filled with fury. Its voice was clearly masculine, and I startled at the sound. I'd started to wonder if it could speak at all.
"You attacked me first!" I pointed the knife at it, scrabbling for another potion. A stream of profanities burst out into the air as Herobrine crashed right into the cliff. There was a crunching noise, and a burst of smoke drifted into the air from where its nose would be. I winced. "Maybe you should try holding still?" I suggested.
The swearing increased in volume, some of it in a strange, unfamiliar language as it moved towards my voice. "I- I wouldn't come closer if I were you," I stammered, backing away. Blinded or not, it was still incredibly dangerous, and I held my knife at the ready, fending off grasping fingers as it shrieked again, calling me things that are best left unsaid. "I told you to stop! I'm o-only hurting you when you try to hurt me!"
The demon paused for a moment, hunching over as it picked glass slivers out from around its eyes, still muttering under its breath. Flicking the shards down onto the ground, it peered at me, its head turning back and forth uncertainly as it tried to make out my form. It seemed confused by the lack of movement, and it soon returned to yanking glass out of its face, its eyes closing to turn Herobrine into nothing more than a cussing silhouette.
I held still, hoping it was still blind enough that it couldn't see me if I didn't move. Glancing around the clearing, I tentatively stepped back, taking care not to make any noise. Sizzle, where are you?! I thought desperately, looking around for the baby creeper. Herobrine suddenly lunged at me, and I screamed, slinging the bag around to smash it into his face as hard as I could.
Glass shattered as every potion I had burst against its face, and this scream was much higher, an explosion throwing me back as I was blinded temporarily. Once I could see, I scrambled to my feet, backing away as a million little bubbles flew from its body from the many potions' effects. Its face glittered with glass, and it clawed at its eyes, the scream echoing hauntingly through the air. Without waiting to see what happened next, I turned and sped back into the forest, my breathing labored and uneven. "Sizzle! Sizzle, come here!" I gasped, a stitch in my ribs forcing me to slow my pace.
A glitter of red a few blocks away caught my attention. The book! The demon had left it behind in its haste to catch me, I realized. Snatching it up, I yelled for Sizzle again, wary of the hungry monsters drawing closer. As if on cue, there was a thump as something hit the ground, and the little guy popped out of the bushes, shaking his head. "Sizzle! Thank Aether, I thought you were—" I paused as the distant screaming trailed off into a sort of strangled gurgle, and I shuddered. "We need to get out of here."
"Squeak!" He chirped happily. I tucked him under the arm that wasn't covered in glass before racing away, not stopping for breath until I was far out of the woods.
Once I reached my home, I slammed the door shut, lungs heaving for air as I began locking the many, manylocks on my door.
Hunter came trotting up to me, giving a concerned whine as he sniffed my boots, inspecting me for injuries as I finished locking the door. Once he was satisfied that I appeared mostly unharmed, he lay down in front of the door protectively, resting his chin on his paws as he looked up at me with big brown eyes. Giving him a shaky pat, I pulled off my boots, dropping them in the corner. For the next few minutes, I cleaned up my ragged forearm, wrapping it tenderly in bandages.
Once I was finished, I clambered onto the couch, and Sizzle came scampering up, squeaking excitedly. "Don't you run off like that again!" I scolded him, still trembling from head to toe as I scooped him into my arms. The creeper purred contentedly as I stroked his back, and I fell silent, thinking about the book now in my bag.
Why had that been so important to the demon? What could possibly be so special about a dinky little booklet lying in the woods? For what felt like eternity, I stared out my window, eyes searching anxiously as if looking for a nightmarish form to come hurtling towards my house. A full hour passed before I moved from my spot, but eventually, Sizzle nudged my arm, and I flinched, glancing at the clock hanging on my wall. It was almost midnight, and I deflated slightly, my shoulders slouching as I gave Sizzle a pat.
Stifling a yawn, I lay back against the cushions, closing my eyes for a long moment. The adrenaline was slowly wearing off, and Sizzle's purrs were gradually lulling me to sleep. I would check the book tomorrow, in broad daylight, I decided. When I was safe and far, farfrom the forest. But for now, I wanted to rest. Hopefully, nothing would come kill me in my sleep.. hopefully, it could be painless. I shivered at the thought, hugging Sizzle close to my chest. "Keep watch, alright, buddy?" I whispered jokingly. The creeper let out a chirrup, and I chuckled softly, my eyelids fluttering shut.
"'Night, bud."
§ § § Ꮘ§ § §
"You're lying."
"I am NOT!"
"You're telling me you saw Herobrine him-frickin-self, smashed potions into his face, andlived to tell the tale?! I think you're pulling my leg."
I pulled at the ends of my hair in exasperation, letting out an angry groan as I threw my head back. Peter, who sat at the counter in my apothecary, remained unimpressed, a single blonde eyebrow quirked at my outburst. It was just me and him in the apothecary that day, aside from the few customers who dropped by to pick up creams or potions. Trixie was currently on what she termed an 'adventure'— most likely just investigating some promising ruins.
"Listen, Ellie," my friend sighed, "it's not like I'm saying you're being ridiculous but... to be honest? You kind of are. I mean, did you really expect anyone to believe you?! That guy's not even real!"
"If you would just listen to— wait!" My expression brightened, and I yanked my inventory bag off my back, letting it thump on the counter as I began rummaging through it.
The bag was a mess; glass shards jutting out of it like an angry porcupine, and stains mottling its once sleek leather sides. Part of the back was singed, and a hole made it impossible to store anything smaller than a loaf of bread inside without risking it falling out.
Triumphantly, I whipped the red book from the bag, brandishing it for Peter to see. The teen, who had been eyeing my bag suspiciously, stared at the book as if he had been slapped. "...Wh- no way," he gasped, his eyes wide. "No waaaay... let me see that!"
He snatched it from my hands, and I frowned, crossing my arms as he hurriedly thumbed through its wrinkled pages. "Be careful with that; I almost died for it!" I huffed, resisting the temptation to yank it back. I could almost see the gears turning in Pete's head, and after a long, longmoment of staring at the book's pages, he glanced up at me, brows furrowed. "...So let's just say I believe you," he finally said, uncertainty creeping into his voice. "What do you want to do about it? I mean... if it really happened, which I'm not saying it did, wouldn't he be hunting you down?"
He offered the book back to me, and I gingerly accepted it, tucking it back into the bag before brushing a few glass shards from the opening. "That's what I'm worried about," I confessed, slinging the bag onto my back as I began to pace back and forth anxiously. Glass tinkled to the floor behind me with each step, and I brushed some stray hair from my face. "I've been a mess this morning, Pete. I'm figuring he's gonna come for revenge, and I've got no idea what to expect. What if he's watching me?! Right now?!"
"Don't be silly," Peter sniffed. "We would notice if he—"
"But he was so silent! And creepy! That thingdidn't even look was like a living shadow! Didn't even speak til he had me cornered. I've never been so scared in my life!"
Peter frowned. "...I gotta admit, chances of you being murdered just went way up."
"Peter!"
"What?! You want me to sugarcoat things and say he's gonna forgive you and give you a hug? Maybe bring you some cookies to make you feel better?"
I moaned, dragging a hand down my face as I sprawled across the counter, nearly knocking over a bowl of herb paste I had made earlier that day. "Careful!" Peter exclaimed, snatching the bowl away from my floppy limbs. I exhaled heavily, and he frowned, giving me an anxious little pat on the shoulder.
"Hey, speaking of crazy stuff happening, remember how Seacrest was all blocked off and stuff?"
"...Yeah? What's that got to do with anything?" I said skeptically, grateful for the blunt change of subject.
"Well, a few days ago, a group of guards forced entry, and guess what?!" Without waiting for me to respond, he pressed on. "The whole city was abandoned!"
I stared at him blankly, not quite comprehending what he meant. "Abandoned? As in... empty?"
"Yeah! Not a soul to be found in the whole village! Not even a dead body or something!"
"...That's really... weird," I murmured, wondering what possibly could have happened. "..You think Herobrine might have something to do with this? Didn't he always, like, cause disappearances and big stuff like that in the stories?"
Peter shrugged. "I have no idea, but Seacrest isn't the only one. There are a bunch of smaller villages that've gone empty, and the thing is, they all cut off communications first, too. Whatever's going on, no one really knows what to do about it. It must be bad."
"...Pete, I think it's gotta be Herobrine," I repeated slowly. "What else could be dangerous enough to do something like that, especially when there are defenses to get through and all that?!"
"Ellie, come on! You're hooked on this now?"
"No, think about it! Every story we've heard about him revolves around him killing people and griefing towns! It makes sense, especially since we know he exists!"
"But why would he want to do that?"
"..No idea."
"If he doesn't have a reason, why would he go out of his way to do all that?! Seems like a lot of hassle to me."
"Whatever the reason, someone has to stop him."
"..I don't like that glint in your eye. Oh, no, Ellie, don't you dare," Peter groaned. "You'll get yourself killed!"
"What? I thought you didn't believe in Herobrine!" I said smugly. Then my expression sobered. "Peter, if something's really going on, and I think I know who could be responsible, I can't just sit by and let it happen!"
Peter put his head in his hands, muttering under his breath. "You've gotta be kidding me.. if you're really doing this, I'm coming with you." He determined. I hesitated. "I don't want you in danger for something I'm doing. You're staying h—"
"No, I'm coming. Whether you like it or not." Pete flashed a wide grin. "So when do we go?"
"Phantoms, you're impossible. Fine. A few days from now," I snapped, ignoring his victorious chuckle. Shooing him away with one hand, I vigorously stirred the already finished bowl of cream with a wooden pestle. "Now let me finish making this cream, or else I'll have too much work to be going anywhere. And watch out for the basil!"
He let out a cackle, narrowly avoiding knocking over a large clay pot in which a bushy basil plant nestled. I snarled, cursing his quickly retreating backside for his stubbornness. Though, in a way, it was endearing that he cared so much for my well-being. If Herobrine was out to kill him, no way would I let him go by himself to confront the guy, I conceded, so I can't really blame him.
But I couldn't risk endangering him either, not when he didn't even want to get into this mess in the first place. No. I would delve deeper into this mess once I was sure he wasn't around. Plus, I had the book, not Peter. Maybe I could find some clues as to what all this was about. I patted the bag wearily, my stomach clenching as I realized it was unusually empty. "Wait, what?! Oh, no... no, no, no, no! Where's the book?!" I panicked, scanning the floor to see if I had dropped it. Then I twisted to look up at the open doorway just in time to see a familiar form, clutching a colorful book, vanish into the woods.
"PETER!"