CHRONICLE

BOOK ONE: LYDIA

PART TWO: THE FALL

Chapter Nine: Final Parting

Laskig fell to his knees with a cry, clutching his pounding head with both hands.

I want HIM! the Thing roared, the telepathic voice ripping through Laskig's thoughts even in the Overworld. Laskig jerked hard enough to nearly bite his tongue when the voice hit him again.

"I'm working as fast as I can!" Laskig cried out against the pain. Another growl roiled through his thoughts.

Deliver Him to me. I want His soul.

"You will have it." Laskig felt the pain deepening, and he bit down on the inside of his cheek to hold in a whimper of pain. "I will give Him over to you. But first I must bring Him down!" The pressure began to ease.

Do you require more power?

That was a weighted question. It could be interpreted two ways: An honest question, of whether Laskig was strong enough to take down his quarry, and whether Laskig was growing greedy for power and trying to trick the Thing that he served. Laskig took a gamble, telling the truth.

"I do not know if I am strong enough now," he answered, "But I will try. When I need more power, I will ask."

That seemed to satisfy the Thing.

You have until midwinter in your world to complete your task. I will give you what you need to complete it.

"Thank you," Laskig breathed, struggling to his feet. "I will not fail you." The presence of the Thing began to retreat, moving back through the End portal.

You had better not.

The presence vanished. With a sigh, Laskig straightened and went over his preparations. A small part of him felt a tinge of bitter regret for making the deal with the Thing, but he quickly shook his head and pushed the thought away. In the end, he could best the beast. Right now, he needed it as a tool to reach his own goals.

And if Herobrine's soul was the price for his power, he would gladly pay it.

The two brothers of Creation were closer than root and tree. They were born twins out of the nothingness of the Void, and they had never been fully separated in all of eternity.

That is, until one fateful day.

The last riot in Luminara was Herobrine's breaking point. He shut down the city, closing its gates and locking down all nighttime activity. No one could get in or out without a pass. He dissolved the ineffective Council, and after all the time he had spent trying to allow his creation to rule itself, he claimed the throne for himself to save his creation from destroying itself.

Notch knew the pain in his brother's eyes when he saw it as he entered into the throne room at Kingshall.

Herobrine sensed the powerful presence approaching, and looked up with a start. To his shock, there stood his brother in his usual form, brown-shirted and bearded.

"Notch," he said, sitting up and getting to his feet. Notch smiled, but said nothing.

Herobrine stepped forward, coming down off the dais and striding to his brother. The two clasped hands in greeting.

"I didn't think you would ever come here," said Herobrine. Notch's smile faded for an instant.

"Is that so?" he said softly. "I needed to speak with you." Herobrine saw the change in his brother's expression and realized how serious this was.

"I understand."

Notch sighed, looking into his little brother's eyes. "What have you done, Herobrine?" Herobrine felt his brother's hand tighten around his own, holding him in place. "And do not make any excuses. You do not know what sort of trouble you're in now, among the other gods." Notch's smile was gone. Herobrine swallowed.

"You saw what happened," said Herobrine. "You saw the deaths. I know you did."

"I'm not asking about the storm alone, Herobrine."

"I had no choice!" Herobrine insisted. "Whatever it is out there, it's declared war!"

"But these people are not our pawns," Notch replied. His voice was still soft, but Herobrine could sense the anger building. "You have wronged them, now."

Herobrine jerked his arm away, stumbling back a few paces.

"I am working my hardest to protect them!" Herobrine snapped. Notch closed the distance between them with a few quick strides, grabbing handfuls of his brother's shirt and pulling him in close.

"You have them penned here like slaves!" Notch growled. "You vanish again and again to places even I cannot see. The Endermen have returned to the world, and you have been seen fraternizing with them even after they have attacked humans. What are you up to?"

"What?" Herobrine gasped as he tried to keep his balance as Notch shook him. "What do you mean, they've killed humans?" Notch shoved him backwards roughly.

"Don't tell me you didn't know!" he roared, but then he looked into Herobrine's eyes, and the new fear that blossomed there. "You really didn't know, did you?" His voice softened.

Herobrine stared at his brother in shock. Slowly, he shook his head. "How could I have been blind to this?" he whispered.

Notch took a deep breath and dropped his arms to his sides. "Let me in."

Herobrine narrowed his eyes. "What did you say?"

"Let me in! Open your mind," Notch ordered. Herobrine took another step back.

"No."

Notch was taken aback by Herobrine's answer. Never had Herobrine refused him and kept his mind closed. As often as not, the brothers communicated strictly with their thoughts, allowing their minds to pool just as they had done in the Beginning, in the moments of creation.

It made Notch immediately suspicious.

"What do you have to hide, Herobrine?" Notch's voice was venomous. Herobrine stood his ground.

"Remember the time Before, brother?" Herobrine asked, his voice low. Notch's brow furrowed. That's right, he thought. He would refuse me then, too, to protect the both of us from being taken down at once.

"Why now, Herobrine?" Notch asked in return. "What is driving you to this point?" Herobrine sighed, relaxing slightly.

"I do not yet know."

"I can help."

Herobrine shook his head. "Whatever this is, it is moving directly against me. Something out there is trying to destroy me, from the inside out. It began with my reputation- I fear it will move more deeply soon. I had a plan, but it seems it is more capable than I thought."

"A Void being?"

"With the power it has demonstrated," Herobrine replied, "I think so. We have to locate the traitor."

Notch thought carefully about what he was going to say next. He had two options- he could believe his brother, or he could believe the rest of the Aether. Herobrine said there was a traitor among the lesser gods. The other gods, they believed Herobrine was a traitor. He had believed so in the time Before, but he had been proven wrong. Yet Herobrine knew better than to use the same tactics twice to defeat the same enemy.

What could he be up to?

"You must let me in," said Notch. "I ask only of this."

Herobrine turned away, closing his eyes. So much had gone wrong already. If the Void was after them again like he suspected, they had to separate. It was the only reason they survived the last time. Slowly, he opened his eyes again and turned to face Notch once more. Slowly, he nodded.

The barriers of his mind reluctantly fell.

Immediately, the blinding presence of his brother's mind rushed in, briefly filling his thoughts with light. Herobrine quickly clamped down on his own streams of thought, keeping them separate and his own.

Why do you pull back? That was Notch speaking to him.

There are some things you must not see.

Why?

You remember why.

A ripple of frustration passed across Herobrine's mind from Notch. He knew his brother was able to tell he was blocking some things off, but he had to nonetheless. In the meantime, he noticed other white blanks in Notch's mind.

Notch looked to the parts of the plans that Herobrine did reveal, and he was shocked.

You cannot be seriously thinking of going down there! Notch cried.

I do not know what to do now, Herobrine replied. He was going to visit the End, but now his brother had shown him the truth about the Endermen. It would no longer be an option to go there now. If the Endermen were enslaved, then the End may very well be the lion's den.

Then what are you doing?

Rethinking. I have to see what has come over the Endermen first.

And then what?

You'll see.

Don't block me out now! Notch felt Herobrine's mind slipping away from his, retracting back to itself.

"You must trust me, brother," Herobrine replied aloud. Their minds were no longer linked. Flicking his hair out of his eyes, Herobrine began to walk out of the throne room. Notch watched him with building frustration.

"Herobrine, don't turn your back on me now."

Herobrine kept walking.

"Herobrine!"

The doors boomed shut, leaving Notch alone in an empty hall.

Herobrine ran through the silent forest, using his supernatural strength to push him to impossible speeds. He wove between the trees, his gaze sweeping back and forth in search of any sign of the Endermen.

He had to find out where their loyalties were.

A flash of purple appeared before him. Slowing to a halt, he stopped just before a group of three Endermen, looking down at him with their icy lavender eyes.

"I wish to have a word with you," said Herobrine. One of the Endermen bowed and approached him. Reaching out with his mind, Herobrine linked himself telepathically with the mute beast.

What is it you wish to speak of?

"Your kind have taken human lives." It was not a question. It was a blunt fact, aimed as a sharp accusation. The Enderman bowed once more.

We have.

Herobrine blinked at the abrupt honesty of the creature. "Why?" he demanded. "Why have you been killing my creation?"

Did you not know? We thought you were thinking the same as we- Humans have become a disease to this world. They must be eliminated.

"Absolutely not!" Herobrine cried. "What made you think this? How dare you kill my people!" The Enderman took a respectful pace backwards and inclined its head.

But it is true! You have seen them yourself as they wage wars and destroy all that is dear. They will destroy their own realm.

"You are wrong." Herobrine hissed. "And you have overstepped your boundaries. You have interfered where you have no right!"

But we do. We are the protectors of the realms still in their growing pains. We ensure their survival- and it may come at a cost.

"I say you do not!" Herobrine snarled. "I am a creator! You are to go back to your realm and never return."

We cannot, for you are not he that can give us orders.

Suddenly, Herobrine heard another voice in his thoughts, one that sounded distant and strained.

Beware, Herobrine! Do not trust them, for they twist their words! They serve the shadowy one!

Then the voice was cut off. The other Endermen looked up, as if they had heard it too.

Who was that? the Enderman asked. Herobrine scowled at it.

"None of your concern. Who do you serve?"

The Enderman was silent.

"Answer me!"

Slowly, the Enderman smiled. It was a strange, bestial smile with black teeth that shone in the starlight. It remained silent, but Herobrine saw the muscles bunch up as it prepared to attack. The Enderman slashed at him, and he slapped the clawed hand aside and kicked it to the ground. The Enderman cried out in surprise and did not get up.

So you do defy. But this realm must be saved from mankind.

"No!" Herobrine roared. "Go back to the End!"

We will NOT.

The others slowly approached him, claws splayed and ready. Herobrine looked up, and drew his pick from his inventory.

The situation had changed, indeed.

Herobrine did not run back to Luminara.

He flew.

Dropping from the skies, he landed hard on the cobblestone street and ran into Kingshall, throwing open the doors to the throne room. If there was ever a time he needed Notch, it was now.

But Notch was gone.

"Notch!" Herobrine shouted, reaching out in all directions with his mind. His brother was nowhere to be found. He thrust his power upwards, hard enough so that he could be heard in the Aether.

"Notch!"

There was no reply. He shouted his brother's name again and again, but there was nothing but silence. He had to get his brother to listen to him, just this once. He had seen something, just a glimpse, in the minds of the Endermen that he could not ignore.

"NOTCH!"

Silence.

Herobrine fell to the floor, gasping. The effort had strained his abilities to the maximum, and yet his brother did not return his calls. He knew he could hear him. Why did he not answer?

With this troubling thought in mind, Herobrine struggled to his feet. His thoughts were racing. He knew where the Void enemy was, but now more than ever, he needed to locate the traitor. He couldn't maneuver with a rogue power at his back, shadowing his every move. He needed to plan. Most of all, he needed his brother's help.

But it seemed he was on his own, now.

From above Kingshall, Laskig chuckled to himself. The power of the Thing was glorious! Herobrine had put every ounce of power into his cry for help, but he had been able to turn back all of it! Notch would never hear him, now! Not while he had the upper hand.

It was time to test Herobrine's power. Properly.

Then he would be ripe for the taking.

Hello again, my loyal readers!

DUN DUN DUUUN! Don't you love it now? Something's going down! Something big! But what? What is Laskig planning? He's stronger than ever, you know, and Herobrine still doesn't know he's the one. And what did Herobrine see? Let's hope it's enough- he's got to catch up with an enemy ten steps ahead of him if he hopes to get out of this alive.

Ahh, the perks of being an author. This is fun.

Now that I have given you my promised update and all its inescapable tension-filled cliffhangers, why don't you follow the usual drill of... well, you know. (REVIEW if you enjoyed and all that...) See you next update!

Huntress out.