Guilt
With a deep sigh, Herobrine closed the door behind him and stared grimly at the throne that rose before him, reminding him of his latest mishap.
Herobrine grimaced as he remembered how a few days ago, after his escape, he had teleported here and collapsed in front of it before, cursing loudly, he had begun to remove all the arrows that had drilled into his body after Nuka's crash so that his body could heal.
Herobrine closed his eyes and he could feel shame and anger welling up inside him again as he thought about the day of the attack.
It had all been so perfect!
He had been able to destroy the castle in peace and without having to worry about any arrows, and he would have been done with it too if Nuka hadn't fallen off the roof!
Herobrine growled angrily at this thought, but his anger immediately vanished when he remembered the boy's face when he had found him lying on the ground in the alleys.
Herobrine had not noticed his disappearance at first, until he was suddenly hit by several arrows, whereupon he turned angrily to Nuka to ask him why he was not doing his job, only to find that he was no longer there.
Something had grabbed him and he had teleported around in a panic, looking for the boy, until he finally found him in one of the alleys.
Herobrine remembered well how relieved he had been that the boy hadn't gotten cold feet, teleported away and left him behind, but he had also immediately recognized the enchanted arrow and knew that the boy had no chance of getting away on his own.
Herobrine growled again when he thought of the arrows.
They could only be made by wizards, and even if they didn't paralyze Herobrine's body, they could weaken him greatly and even disorient him if only enough of them hit him, which is why he preferred to avoid them.
I'm surprised they had such a thing in Skylor at all! he added grimly. Normally wizards keep to themselves and never give out their gadgets to others lightly, especially not when it comes to minecrafters, especially not when they are so hard to make.
He sighed again as he slowly walked down the long corridors of his castle and Nuka's face came to his mind again.
The boy had looked so scared, just before he left.
Maybe I should have saved him after all? He asked himself, and again doubts and guilt rose in him, but Herobrine tried to ignore them.
But how should I have done that? he tried to justify himself I was already weakened and could hardly walk and the chance that they would also hit me with such arrows and also capture me was just too big.
Besides, he added grimly, Nuka knew about the danger and that I wouldn't save him, and what's more, he let himself be hit by the arrow, so I'm not to blame either!
Suddenly a quiet voice in Herobrine's head asked Aren't you the main reason why Nuka attacked this town in the first place? And what if you could have saved him and only hesitated too long?
But Herobrine shook his head angrily to get rid of these thoughts.
It's better that way, he thought, hoping that his feelings of guilt would disappear. At least I won't be in the unpleasant situation of having to think about what to do with Nuka now that this problem has taken care of itself and I'm finally alone again.
But strangely enough, Herobrine did not feel joy and satisfaction at this thought as he had earlier.
On the contrary, the silence around him was more than oppressive and for the first time Herobrine noticed how big and empty the castle really was.
Stop it! Stop it! These kind of thoughts only depress you! Herobrine thought irritably. Besides, I like being alone!
Oh, really? Asked the quiet voice again When you were locked up alone down here for 300 long years, you claimed something else.
Herobrine shook his head vigorously to silence the voice!
He didn't want to think about the fact that he had gotten much closer to the boy than he wanted to lately, and he had to admit to himself that he was not only angry that
Nuka had let him get caught, but also worried about what would happen to him now.
Despite the pleasant warmth in here, Herobrine shivered at the thought and suddenly realized why the castle didn't feel like home anymore, because every block reminded him of Nuka.
Abruptly Herobrine started to move again!
That's enough! He thought irritably, I have to do something urgently to get my mind off things! I can't help him anymore anyway!
While he was still walking along the corridors, thinking about what he could do to distract himself, he suddenly passed the training hall.
Herobrine couldn't help but feel a stab in his heart as he walked past it, thinking of how many countless times he had trained here with Nuka.
But all in vain, he thought dejectedly, and the boy really had talent and was a good fighter too. I would have liked to teach him more.
But that's no longer possible, said the this time reproachful sounding voice again in his head, Because you left him behind and thus betrayed him!
Annoyed, Herobrine pushed the thought aside, I didn't betray him! He thought angrily. I would have had to promise him something first!
But isn't that what you did? the voice asked in response only When Nuka was sitting so sadly on the balcony and you wanted to cheer him up, didn't you promise him that as long as he was by your side, nothing could happen to him?
Maybe I did, but Herobrine agreed but this promise was only for the Nether and not for the Overworld! So I didn't betray him, understand?!
The voice, however, was silent and suddenly Herobrine realized that he had arrived at the door to the library.
He sighed deeply as he stopped in front of the huge door.
He remembered well how Nuka had loved to read here and had often spent hours here.
If he found his way here, Herobrine added with a smile, briefly considered going in, but decided against it.
No, he thought as he turned away and once again he could feel a pang of sadness rising in him, I won't find Nuka there either.
Why did he feel so bad at this thought?
Herobrine sighed again, turned away from the door and slowly continued his way through his castle, not knowing where he was going.
Then he suddenly noticed how he had made his way to the balcony.
He often went there when he had to think or make a difficult decision, but he didn't want to go there now.
He remembered only too well how he had found Nuka crying there and again pity rose in him when he remembered how frightened and lost the boy had looked at that time.
He also remembered how Nuka had told him his tragic story and how Herobrine had wanted to tell him that he deserved a much better life than the one he was living now.
I wish I had told him then, he thought ruefully, but now I can't anymore...
He turned away from the path that led to the balcony and let his feet take him where they wanted to go while he continued to think.
This boy had actually made him question his whole life.
He himself had been betrayed and deceived all his life, even banished and left alone, and so Herobrine thought that the world was just cruel and that one had to be just as cruel if one wanted to have any chance at all.
And then came Nuka, who had a similar tragic story to him but instead of being angry, bitter and suspicious of everyone like Herobrine was, he had been kind to him, listened to him and even confided in him in the end.
Did I really drop the only person who didn't hate or fear me, just to be free again? Herobrine asked himself, and suddenly his freedom didn't seem so important anymore.
Suddenly he noticed how his feet had led him to another door, of which Herobrine, after a quick glance, immediately knew what was behind it.
However, this time he did not turn away, as he had done with the other doors, but opened them quietly and entered the room.
Nothing had changed in here, and when Herobrine went to the railing, he could still see the Black Wing standing below.
Nuka had only played it once, but Herobrine could not remember ever hearing anything more beautiful.
With a sigh, he detached himself from the railing and descended the stairs until he was standing in front of the piano again, examining it.
He had completely forgotten that the thing existed until Nuka had found it and started playing on it.
He remembered well how he had found Nuka here afterwards, who had been so absorbed in his playing that he forgot everything around him and did not even notice how Herobrine had entered the room.
Embarrassed, he remembered with a smile how Nuka had then tried to teach him some of it.
Of course, nothing had come of it, but Herobrine had still enjoyed hearing him play again.
He had looked so happy and content then, and he had also made the castle much more lively with his music.
Lost in thought, Herobrine took a few more steps towards the grand piano and tried to play some of the melody that Nuka had taught him.
He even managed to play the melody flawlessly, until he came to the point where he always didn't remember what would come next.
Sadness rose in him as he looked at the keys and suddenly he realized that he had made a terrible mistake.
He should never have left the boy behind...
Herobrine froze as he thought about it and he could feel a feeling coming up in him that he hadn't felt for so long, that he had almost forgotten.
But now he remembered the name again.
Herobrine gritted his teeth and he could feel his hands clenching into fists as he tried to suppress the strong feeling of remorse, but it was futile.
He turned around with a jerk and almost fell over the stool in shock when he saw a young woman with a blue dress, black eyes and sea-green eyes that looked very much like Nukas's, suddenly standing there and staring at him with a fearful look.
Her figure was translucent and Herobrine realized that it was a ghost, but this only increased Herobrine's resentment towards her.
"What are you doing here?!" he growled grimly, as he drew his sword and pointed it towards the ghost, "Ghosts like you don't belong here! And if you were sent by Notch, you might as well...!"
''I'm not here because Notch sent me," the figure interrupted, backing away and looking at him with a nervous expression, "I'm...I'm here because of Nuka..."
Herobrine was quite surprised when he heard that.
He didn't expect to hear that name again from anyone but his conscience, but instead of lowering his sword, he just narrowed his eyes and continued to look at her suspiciously.
''So you're his mother," he concluded thoughtfully before his gaze darkened again, "Well, if you're going to cry about me capturing him, you can save yourself the trouble! He's in Steve's dungeons now!"
With these words, he put his sword away and turned away, thinking he had finished the conversation, but Nuka's mother didn't seem to see it.
"I-I know..." he heard her say hastily a moment later, and even though her voice sounded firm, the worry and fear in it was unmistakable, "that's...that's why I came here."
"Why?!" Herobrine answered grimly, without turning to her.
"Because...because you are the only one who can save him..."
Herobrine froze in his tracks when he heard that.
"Oh, and why should I do that?" he asked snidely while turning around and looking at the young woman who was still standing there, looking at him with an uncertain but also desperate expression.
"Because...because you are the only one who is able to do it," she finally replied quietly, while continuing to look at him with a fearful expression, "believe me, I wouldn't have come here if I had any other choice and besides, you owe it to him and..."
"Don't you dare accuse me of such a thing!" Herobrine interrupted her angrily,
before he wheeled around and sparkled at her with an annoyed look, "I don't owe anyone anything out of myself!"
"But you won't help him, no one will!" Nuka's mother replied in exasperation and now Herobrine could clearly see the tears in her eyes, "He will be tortured further and then executed...and all because he helped you..."
She sobbed before sinking to her knees and burying her face in her hands, "I knew it wasn't good when he first met you, I had a feeling he would but...but Nuka hasn't looked this happy in a long time so I started to think it wasn't so bad after all but...but now...
She sobbed again before shaking her head, taking a few deep breaths, wiping her eyes and finally looking at Herobrine again.
"I really can't understand what he sees in you," she continued with an accusing look at Herobrine before shaking her head again, "If only you knew what he was going through. If only you had seen what I saw when I visited him in the dungeon, how...how much he has to suffer because of you and yet he's not even angry with you, but instead even calls you his friend…"
Herobrine, who had only listened to her grimly until now, froze when he heard that!
He did what?! he thought in shock, but before he could question her further, the woman's face turned pale before she looked behind her and seemed to be searching for something or someone.
"They're coming!" she continued a moment later as she turned back to him, clearly more afraid now, "Oh, Notch, they're going to lock me up for breaking their rules."
"Please, think of it!" she added with a desperate look at Herobrine, while her figure suddenly became more and more transparent and she started to dissolve, "His execution will take place soon! You have to save him before that! You are his last hope! "
But before Herobrine could answer, she disappeared completely, leaving him alone in the room with the piano.
Herobrine stared in confusion at the place where she had been, before his face hardened, he turned and quickly walked out of the room.