Hero's Bane

Chapter 3: The Cursed Hero

Edited 4/4/2022

"Killed Herobrine? This village's terror, the reason why people are dying is all because your people killed some guy?" Steve's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe it, but he reminded himself that he would try for his friend so he readjusted his standing position and focused more on Warren's expression. He mentally wanted to slap the hell out of himself, he must of looked like an idiot after saying he was going to try and believe this story and then seem so skeptic.

"Yes. My great grandfather's- grandfather's great grandfather was one of the descendants from the people who had killed and destroyed Herobrine's body. But lets push this thought aside for a second while I fill you in on the history of Herobrine, a story my predecessors have passed on from generation to generation. It would surely make the reason why we stay in this place a little more easier to understand."

"Oh please, do tell. Apparently this story goes way back?" Steve intently listened, 'seeming' very interested in the history behind the man of nightmares.

This was the break Warren was finally trying to get out of the miner, maybe he could sway the adventure's intentions and possibly save a life today from the cursed look-alike-Steve. He'd save a 'friends' life at that. "Alright." He nodded and then moved his gaze to the clear blue sky. "Herobrine was a mystery since the beginning of time itself, no one knows where he had come from but for a while he used to live in that valley for many many years where one of the first ever settlements of humans was created. They say that he was a gift from the creator Notch himself, a creation sent to keep the peace between his creatures and to help guide humanity through troubling times to come. He helped protect the humans while they built upon that land, he helped them grow and flourish and so they basked in a safe Eden for generations. After this settlement had fully developed into a lively province- the land it was built upon and the land that surrounded it had been named: Antecedent Element. In other words; Ancient Building-block. Notch's first foundation of knowledge and unity."

"You mean 'that' valley?" Steve looked at the large mountainous cliffs that taunted him in their sheer size, he could glare at them all day but it'd do no good. So the land was already touched by Minecraftian-kind? Great. He thought. Maybe it wasn't the best mining spot anymore, but the fact that the land apparently held some kind of mythical being and a starting history of humans was quite captivating and too alluring to ignore. So perhaps it could hold ancient treasures and that would make it a good place to mine after all. He quickly returned his gaze to Warren's after he noticed he was staring at the soaring ridges for too long.

"When Herobrine first traversed the lands in pursuit of his purpose; he had stumbled upon a broken colony of people, greatly struggling to cultivate the land and fight off some strange monsters that invaded their home. He took interest in these fraught beings and had decided to aid them in the name of good will. His acts of valor in slaying the beasts of the night had made him quite the warrior-, a great hero and help for he was a human that adorned a heroic look look with eyes as bright as the sun. He had powers that could smite away the dangerous monsters of the land, powers that could rip apart mountains with ease, he even had the ability to heal the wounded. Herobrine had taken a failing land and made it into a thriving fortress, he was everyone's hero. This is how he became know as the 'gift' from Notch, to shield them and direct them to a growing success.

At that time he didn't have a name or title, he was just a mysterious being that had great power. When the people couldn't address or express their gratitude towards him they decided that he needed an identity and because he seemed entitled to a name far greater then a simple human one; they just decided just to call him Hero. Not a very creative name if you ask me, but he was everything a hero was supposed and thought to be and so he was indeed the embodiment of the very word itself. And a great hero he was, he fought courageously to keep the humans safe and in doing so the people later added Brine to his title.

Though many historians today thought it was because of the peoples' belief in Notch's great gift; Herobrine's demi-god-like presence, the ancient civilians had felt as if they were 'drenched' in his purity. Salt is one of our world's most naturally pure substances and the humans felt wholesome around him, but that clearly wasn't so. Herobrine himself said that he had remembered his full name some time during his heroic days, apparently having forgotten it from before the rise of humans. It was Hero-Brine, and everyone accepted it as something great and symbolic when it wasn't. But even then I doubt that this has any truth behind it either, there's no official records so it's all made up as far as I can tell. Still, that is how the legend of Herobrine's identity came to be. Thus, the people there praised a name that would one day become a dreaded one to this very day."

The bartender's mystical hype died when it came time to the thrown in the tragedy to a magnificent story. After all, there wasn't any need to continue to wondrous highlights of a now wicked curse. "However, something tragic had happened to permanently stain his reputation and forever plunge him into the shadows of evil." Warren stopped, but he continued to search his memory.

"So, he 'was' a hero? This powerful and great being had 'helped' your ancestors and then just unexpectedly turned on them?"

"That's right. Herobrine was a powerful half deity of a man that had come to our world for the grater good, to protect and serve our creator Notch but he had strayed afar from the path of good morality, he had gone and done the unthinkable."

"That would be?"

"He killed an innocent child Steve." Warren turned his attention to miner with a deadpan expression. "A young boy, the son of the sovereign of the fortress. He was just a mere-innocent child that did nothing more but bring joy to his family and the people around him." He said quietly with a remorseful tone.

Steve's eyes widened at the thought. How could anyone go as far as to taking the life of a child. "But why?"

"No one knows for sure, and his motive is still completely unclear. Though, many think that it was because humans had began to bore him over time, that they had began to annoy him when they needed help and asked for it frequently for petty problems. But that wasn't only thing that was said to push him into doing such an act. Some say that Herobrine wanted some new entertainment from his growing mundane life among the peaceful civilians, so he stirred up a little turmoil by killing the kid to change things up a bit. To see how the humans would react to such an unforgivable deed. Well that's what many philosophers had interpreted since there was several old eyewitness accounts recorded of the hero killing the child on the streets in plain view."

"That Bastard!" Steve shouted.

"That's not all. When he had heard that the people were going to turn on him and punish him for his crime he retaliated by using his power that split the center of the fort in two; creating a large fissure in which he then cast several innocent people into the nether realm, eternally condemning their body and soul to pain and misery. This had really upset the remaining civilians and their mourning leader so they called upon a greater power, begging Notch to give them the force to forever silence and bound the cursed fiend from ever reeking havoc in their world again. And it had worked, for the most part that is. A few of the town's shamans had called forth a strong binding spell from Notch and had captured Herobrine with it, paralyzing his body and silencing his tongue once and for all so that he- in any form- shall not ever use the language of the gods for such vile spells ever again."

"How is he still here then?" Steve felt his fingers coil tightly against his palm, anger bubbled up from the sick images that filled his mind.

Warren lightly shrugged. "Most of the power summoned was put forth to remove his ability to form words or any type of language, what was left was used to hold him down long enough for the people to destroy his body. They effortlessly tried to slay him but every time they made a cut or stab it would only heal within seconds with his transcendent lifeblood, so they decided to throw him into a pit of lava where he could not heal quick enough to sustain his body. When the liquid fire completely consumed him; his body perished but the soul did not. That is where my ancient ancestors messed up. They had forgotten about the soul, but back then they might of thought that he didn't have one considering he wasn't human to begin with.

"But if he's a ghost then how is he doing all of this? The nightmares and the killings? How?!"

"He's not human, therefore he probably still has some power even without a vessel to contain it. It's a mystery to all of us, but not quite surprising since he is a greater being. All I know is that he waited for everyone to return to a peaceful state before coming back. His vengeful spirit had awaited until the people rebuilt and recovered, he waited for years after that incident to abruptly strike back and take many of the lives who destroyed him. He had succeeded too, nearly killing all of the people except those who lived on the outskirts of the stronghold and a few in-fortress civilians who had managed to escape.

All of the survivors had left the tainted land, leaving everything behind, mostly the knowledge of our world and Notch. They moved far away from it, but it seemed that no matter where they went; no matter what the distance, that the malevolent ghost followed and tormented them. So most of the settlers that were plagued had moved back and stayed near this cursed place so that they would not disturb the peace of those unaffected, it also lowered the death rate of our aberrant people. This is why we stay in this dark place, so that people like you won't have to see or face what horrors we see on a daily basis."

"He's a monster." Steve's fists clench tightly, he was more determined now then ever to stop Herobrine from ever repeating that evil act ever again. He didn't want anyone else to experience losing their family members like that, especially after he lost two of his and grew up without them. Life was really hard without their father's support and now his sister and mother were paying for it daily, working hard in their community's fields to get enough payment to eat and live in the safety of their village's walls.

"Indeed. If killing a youngster to upset so many people would bring some form amusement then he is no hero, he's the exact opposite. Notch would of never wanted that, but that's how Herobrine lead it."

"He should pay!" Steve shouted, turning his aggravated attention back to the mountains. Growling lowly under his breath.

"Might as well calm yourself boy, there is nothing you can do. He will kill you before you even get the chance to withdraw your sword, you'd be lucky enough to even get a glimpse and that is if you're lucky. That is why I am asking you as a friend with the most concern that I have for you- to stop here and head back home, that place will give you nothing but pain, misery, and eventually… death."

"Can't you guys just ask Notch for power to stop him, like the people did in the past?"

Warren inattentively kicked away a small chuck of gravel at his foot, keeping his gaze locked on the small rock. "I'm afraid not, when the people left the land they also left the secrets and connections with the world's creator. We are no longer linked to our lord Notch. We barely even get a miracle through prayer these days, but we cannot call forth magic like that anymore."

The miner shook his head in disbelief. He had came to believe the old folklore and it's deranged ghost, which was more the reason to continue. Those observant white eyes flashed in his mind, they had to of been Herobrine's from Warren's description. Steve had to see the one and only Herobrine for himself, for answers. He still had family to support and protect too. Someone had to do something or find some way, somehow before tragedy strikes again. "I'm still going."

Warren looked back up at the miner, lightly gaping. "No, please don't. I implore you to stay away from such a fiend that cannot be conquered."

"Continue Warren, lead me there. I will find a way to stop him, there has to be a way."

"What? You can't!" The old man gestured. "Didn't that historic legend I just told you discourage you at all?"

"I'm sorry, but it makes me want to go there even more. Especially since he's hurting and destroying people; innocent people that didn't have anything to do with his current presence or ghost. Ancestor or not. And that boy, a life that was never had. He can't continue this terror, especially not to the kids of your village."

Warren sighed in distress and his shoulders sagged, he almost felt like sitting down and continuing no further. Apparently he was only prompting the guy to his death instead of discouraging him to go and now it was he who was going to send that miner to his death. What kind of friend was he? "I see that my efforts to stop you had only pushed you into going more." … He paused as he looked into the miner's determined face and as Steve began to reply he quickly resumed and began walking down the road. "This way my friend, I see the resolve in your eyes. There's no point in arguing or trying to stop you, I've failed in saving you."

"Hold on!" Steve jogged back to Warren's side as they continued. "This has nothing to do with you saving me, I'm going on my own terms. You didn't push me because I was going to go anyway. I first wanted to go to mine but now I have more reasons to."

"Still, it is I who is showing you they way, so the literal concept of me leading you to death even now falls on me."

"Don't say that, even if you think so." Steve said in his defense. "I was the one who pushed you into taking me so don't put this burden on your shoulders alone. And don't worry, I will come back to this village later, just you wait. I will find a way to stop Herobrine and free the people who live in fear of his presence. Or I will at least try if the opportunity arises. I'm not even sure of how to even fight a ghost."

The bartender felt a bit relieved with Steve's sudden burst of confidence but some of that burden still weighed on him regardless. He really couldn't put faith down for the miner but then again; what if he did somehow forever dispelled that monster? That is what he wished would happen but he just couldn't see Steve's triumph in his mind. Not against a powerful ghost. His friends and his village would continue to hide in the dark and they would receive constant nightmares until their lives fade or are forcibly stripped away.

Just like it has for centuries, no one has ever stopped Herobrine and Steve was just another fool that would walk right in that valley and be struck down at the first step. "That opportunity will come, trust me. I have seen Herobrine many times before. If you still plan to mine then I recommend that you stay close to the surface and keep your sword ready, Herobrine has given strength and protection to the mobs and they will be just as merciless as the curse himself. And about living there? Out of question."

"Yeah, but what about-" Steve began just a loud voice called from the road ahead, a tall lanky man with green eyes and straight blonde hair came screaming down the road with panic across his face.

"Warren! Warren!" The young adult nearly tripped after seeing the miner. He suddenly stopped and pointed at the Herobrine double. He shook, visibly shaking his entire body out of fear.

"It's okay Mark!" Warren stepped in front of Steve. "I know he looks like him, but trust me. He's a friend. He's not Herobrine."

"Oh thank Notch." He deeply breathed, clasping a hand over his grey shirt. "Is he trying to give out heart attacks?"

"No, I was just as surprised when he entered my pub yesterday but he's now my friend and he's a good fighter. He has no intention of scaring anyone."

"Yeah. I always dress like this." Steve held out his hands to view his attire.

"Dude, you look JUST like him. For real. You even have the same facial features and outfit minus the menacing mustache and goatee, that's just freaky." He pointed out.

Warren raised a brow from the curiosity. "Why are you all the way out here, is there something wrong?"

"Oh yeah!" Mark shot a glance behind him and then back to the guys. "It's Luna, she's gone down there again!"

"What!" Warren shouted in shock, mouth slightly agape. "No wonder I couldn't find her this morning, and to think she was going to work out in the fields today! Now she's at it again?!"

"Wait, what's going on here?" Steve looked at the guys like they were crazy, he didn't have the slightest clue as to what was going on.

"Come on Steve, we need to get down to the ravine now!"

Warren quickly sprinted down the road with a clear expression of concern and worry on his face, holding his axe firmly in his hands. Mark also ran after him. Steve then proceeded to follow, running just quick enough to make up some ground and catch up. It seems that things were only going to get worse from here on out and Steve knew it. He was just hoping there wouldn't be any tragedy along his journey to the cursed land.

As they ran further; the road came to an end and the two villagers ran straight down the hill into some woods. Steve quickly followed behind, taking a second to glance to the side after seeing what he thought was a figure of a man but he put it off as a figure of his imagination and continued on anyways.

…

White eyes focused on the Steve's back as he sprinted out into the distance. Herobrine's eyes glowed brightly as he stepped back into the shade of the trees and quietly vanished within it's shadows.