Hero's Bane

Chapter 25: All That Remains

Edited 4/16/2022

Steve could feel the power of the blade surging through his veins within a matter of seconds of grasping onto the hilt, from his palm all the way up to his chest and right down to the bottom of his feet. His heart began to pick up the pace and beat loudly, he felt a sudden rush of energy pooling and was actually feeling the anticipation for battle.

"Steve, are wielding that blade again?" Nigel asked, noticing the faint glow from behind him reflecting off the floor.

"What choice do we have?" He defended while turning his head to each and every copy within range, waiting for any of them to lunge at him. "We can't fight them with our own swords, they're powerless to-to him. ... Ugh." He then groaned and dropped his torch before peeling his chest pack and bag off and letting them slip to the ground. The sudden rush of energy after feeling nearly dead tired almost made him sick from the abrupt transition, he squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment and shook his head; hoping for the feeling to go away. He knew he was going to pay the price again and it'll be greater at this rate, maybe too great. There wasn't any other options however.

"Hmmmm… It would seem that our chances would be better, but not by much. I just hope that you know what you are getting yourself into and how it'll effect you in the end." Nigel warned. "Just never let that sword leave your hands."

"That is if we even get an end, and I'm not planning on dropping this thing anytime soon; not until we've either won or escaped." Steve said more boldly as the weary feeling faded.

One of the clones in front of him held out his hand and every other double did the same, following the first. Diamond blades slowly materialized out of nowhere, filling each and every left hand of the horde and they shone brightly with their enchanting power. The only Herobrine that didn't wield a sword was the one in the main back, still sitting on the throne and keeping his eyes locked on the two men. Thinking.

He wanted to puke. Steve was already traumatized enough, but this over-powering mass of nightmares just pushed the fear to it's utmost limit. He's never felt to hopeless and terrified. This really was it. How was he even expected to take on one, let alone a dozen Herobrine copies? Not even the immense power that flowed through him gave him any confidence like it did with the mobs, Herobrine was in another league outside of the other monsters and now they were many wielding inhuman enchanted blades. He glanced to his left and right, not one of the copies had their gaze shifted elsewhere, they were all focused on him and they waited patiently for a long and agonizing time with eyes still glowering in bright white.

The miner lightly quivered as he waited and waited with each excruciatingly long second passing, yet he didn't know what they were waiting on. He remembered when Lionel had told him about leaving with the last warning and he figured that maybe he still had a chance to go. Steve took one step backwards and that was when one of the copies suddenly tilted his head upright and lunged at him with the blade raised over his head, sneering from the miner's cowardly action.

Steve's eyes went wide and he felt himself cower and stare as the diamond blade and Herobrine came flying down at him, he was too struck in terror to do anything and now he was about to pay for it. A sudden thrust at the side of his shoulder made him stumbled over and away from the flying fiend. A powerful strike landed in the stone brick floor and it cracked from the heavy force, the clone remained still and focused on the ground. Steve spun to see that the being had missed and Nigel was on the other side keeping a watchful eye on him and the attacker.

"Nigel?"

"Focus Steve! Don't let the fear get to you!" The man said sternly. "You have more of a chance of survival then I do, so don't waste your life now! Remember your promises! Trepidation should be reserved for later."

He reluctantly bobbed his head in agreement. He let the fear overcome him and it should be Nigel with all of the terror instead of him, the old man is using a stone sword for Notch's sake. He clinched the sword tighter and took a deep breath, preparing to get bold for the sake of his life, Nigel's life, and of course; the mission to end the suffering. "You're right." He swallowed some fear and blinked a few times to clear his vision. "I mu-must fight!" He raised his sword to chest height and prepared for the worst.

The original Herobrine's eyes narrowed and he the end of the armrest in anger and impatience. So now the human chose to foolishly fight? Pathetic! Hero wasn't going to let him have that chance.

The clone's head instantly snapped towards the miner and it swiftly ran at the man, Steve stood steadfast and kept the sword tight in hand. A loud clang echoed throughout the structure as the Hero's sword struck the other when it rose to meet his. After failing to cut though the human target; Herobrine took the blade and drew it back at an angle and then brought it forwards, giving more force and power to his swing. The strike landed again on the opposing blade and Steve barely managed to block it this time, the sheer force of the swing made him stumble backwards; that was when he felt a boot push against his back and sent him plummeting to the cold and hard floor.

He tried to pull himself off of the ground until a kick at his ribcage sent him rolling forward to the old man.

"Steven!" Nigel dropped the torch and ran towards the miner but a hero double moved in front of the elderly gentleman with the weapon positioned to jab the guy in the chest. Nigel stopped his movement and glared back at the immortal. "What will killing us accomplish?" He firmly asked the hero with narrowed eyes. "We never meant any harm to you!"

Herobrine's bright gaze never phased and the expression on the double went from mad to fuming, the old man was pretty bold for a coward and it enraged him. Herobrine attempted to thrust the sword forward and impale the old human, but then a hand clinched to his ankle and captured his immediate attention. The hero stopped and looked down to see Steve with one of his eyes glued shut and the other staring intently at the being, grimacing. He kept the sword still in hand surprisingly from the scuffle.

"Leave him alone." The miner growled and winced as the dust moved painfully around in his blinking eye. "He's not a threat, so leave him alone!"

Herobrine ripped his leg from the human's grasp and forcefully brought a foot down onto his hand, lightly grinding his heel into the flesh.

Steve cried out in pain and yanked at the aching appendage, only to fail with Herobrine keeping it pinned down to the solid stone floor. Steve whipped his free arm forward with the sword to get the crushing force off of his hand and the clone swiftly jumped back to avoid the hit. The human then brought his hand close to his chest and painfully flexed his throbbing fingers, fearing that the stamp might of broken or fractured a few bones. He recoiled from the strong twinge and moved onto his knees but never once let the weapon leave his other hand. He shook his fingers to alleviate the pain then attempted to stand up completely, but out of nowere another clone joined into the fray and two gleaming swords now came flying at him at once.

He leaped to the side and avoided a double blow but one of the duplicates nearby forcibly shoved him away and towards another hero, that one then sent the man to another. The Herobrine copies started to shove him and kick him around back and forth between several others, jostling the man about in one large circle. Each took a turn to lash out and clout the man with their empty fists, holding back their full strength and swords to prevent killing him too quickly. One hero spun around as the human staggered towards him and landed a powerful roundhouse-kick on the side of the human's head; making the miner careen to the floor only to be then grabbed by the neck from another clone and raised up to meet bright eyes.

The last being took the hilt of his blade and slammed it right onto Steve's cranium and this made the miner nearly black out from the single hit, He then dropped the man and waited for the next move.

Steve only rolled on the floor as his body ached and throbbed unbearably, everything in his line of vision was swaying and somewhat spiraling. The powerful sword didn't do anything to block pain, even now the man felt as though he was wasting the energy given to him. Unless it had a limit for mortals? But even so, losing the blade would mean certain death by Herobrine or himself, one way or another.

Herobrine on the throne was growing bored of this pathetic fight fast, he didn't intend on killing the younger mortal yet so maybe he should just end his first objective now and get over onto the next one.

"Ahha!" Nigel started to look around in panic and quietly stepped backwards as several of the beings lost their interest in Steve and turned on him. He knew things wouldn't end well and that he couldn't fight. He never wanted to fight. "Please, I don't want to duel." He plead with a saddened; almost cracking tone of fear.

Steve laid on the ground and watched in horror as the clones enclosed the man with swords positioned to strike and Nigel looking absolutely terrified and defenseless. Just seeing the man so scared made the miner mad and he found a new strength surging through him. "Stop." He growled lowly. He crawled up onto his knees before making a quick bolt upright and charging at the unsuspecting duplicates with his weapon ready to defend his friend. Unfortunately, even with the speed granted to him by the weapon's enchantment; his feet just couldn't move fast enough as he saw a sword reared back and sent impaling into the old man.

He felt his wielding arm grow weak as one Herobrine plunged his blade into the lower side of the old adventurer and Steve hadn't moved fast enough to stop it, his world felt as if everything had slowed down. The old man let out a pained cry and stumbled back a few steps when Herobrine kicked the man off of his sword. Steve halted his advance as a loud cry echoed throughout the main hall and stared in horror as the elderly man clutched to his wound and struggled to stay on his feet. Nigel stumbled back a few more steps before crumbling down onto his knees and holding the wound to keep the blood from flowing freely. He wailed as he applied pressure and his eyes were filled with pained tears, he no longer seemed to care about the other clones around him probably thinking it was all over now.

Gritting his teeth to hold back the scream he wanted to make; Steve was now running faster than ever, keeping quiet to have the advantage. He made a high jump upwards and made the diamond blade land on one of the copies as it turned it's head to the sound of the mortal's abrupt shout. The sword sliced through the Hero's back and his expression was filled with shock. As soon as the blade rested in the being's back the immortal copy just burst into tiny specks of grey dust, completely vanishing into the thin air.

Steve's eyes widened. He had actually managed to get rid of one of the copies, he hit one.

The original Herobrine suddenly leaned forward in his seat, almost taken aback himself. How could one cowardly mortal that could barely make a move suddenly cut through one of his clones? Was it the old man being in danger and getting wounded? Was it some pathetic bond the man shared with the elder that gave the miner such strength and courage? Herobrine couldn't tell, but there was something about that attack that Steve made that just seemed so familiar to the being. He leaned back into the chair once more and kept his eyes on the fight, now with his gaze particularly fixed on Steve.

Steve broke out into a no holds barrage in the mass of duplicates, swinging the sword around with more concentration and precision than usual. He swung it to his left and then his right but all of his efforts proved useless as the copies vanished when the razor end reached them and appeared at other locations nearby to avoid the veering blade. Steve whipped the sword around a few more times until all of the clones were out of range and kept a defensive stance as he backed away and inched closer to Nigel to check on him.

"Nigel?" Steve called out with apprehension, almost too afraid to look away and get attacked, but also too afraid to see what damage had been done to the old man. "Please tell me you're all right?" As soon as he asked he could see a dark splotch on the floor from the bottom of his vision and that smear was bigger than he wanted it to be. He continued to slowly move back.

"Do-don't worry about me." The man hissed as he switched one hand over to the wound to rest the other. "Just go and leave me, it already too late for me boy. Go!"

"No!" The miner removed his attention from the immediate threat and turned to see the man lurch forward and struggle to hold himself upright from the ground. "I can't, I won't!" He moved his head back in forth in disagreement with the other, a mix of worry and dejection on his face.

"Remember our talk earlier… I said…" He deeply inhaled and sat back. "I- I said that no matter what happened that I… was satisfied if I died here and you should know… that."

"I won't leave you!" Steve felt a wetness in the corner of his eyes, he wasn't prepared to lose his friend. "I know what you said but I never intended on ever leaving your side here, I'll fight down to the last tooth and nail if I have to."

"Don't waste your chance!" The old man countered.

"It wouldn't make any difference! If I even attempted to run again then I'd be picked off from behind if I left you here!"

"Like staying here and getting slain isn't any different?"

"But neither is running!" Steve took a deep breath and cherished the gulp of air with his deflated lungs. "There was an old saying that my dad would always say to me should I ever find myself in a tough situation that I can't escape. That if I had ever found myself in great troubles, to- 'Give everything you've got, and fight a good fight. … To the very end.'" He whispered on the last part of the saying, noticing how bleak their situation had truly become and it very well could be the end swiftly approaching.

…

"Give everything you've got, and fight a good fight. That's my motto Herobrine, it's what I live for." The silver sentinel smiled and patted his shoulder.

...

Lionel...

Herobrine suddenly tilted forward in his chair and then stood up after hearing the miner's voice and choice of words. Those words? That was Lionel's old saying and that made him rise from the throne, but he remained standing in place. He almost instantly recognized what the man had said and it has been a very long time since he heard that line, considering that his only friend had used the same saying time and time again in the days of old when he was still alive and defending the fortress. But that was centuries ago, so how did that mortal and supposedly his father know it? That was unless… and then that would mean…

…

"Just remain still and tend to your wound, I'm not going down until I'm at my dying breath." Steve said, now feeling more determined than ever to protect the old man and fight off Herobrine; his fears now gone.

"But the mission?" Nigel asked.

The miner sealed his eyes shut for a few short seconds and blinked in relief to see the copies strangely remaining idle. "I know that what I'm doing now is crazy, and the outcome looks pretty bad. However, I just can't leave you to die. I wouldn't be able to live with the idea of abandoning you here to fall; after everything you've done for me. You're my friend, so please just respect my decision."

Nigel gave a small nod and painfully moved to stand up before removing his hand from the wound and making a grab for the stone sword that laid at his side. "Thank you. It means a lot to me, I know that none of my other colleagues and acquaintances would ever do that; given this situation of course. And don't count me out- … yet." He fully stood as a hand reached down to scoop him up by the shoulder and pull him up carefully. "To the very end then, friend. I wish… I only wish that we could of done it."

"Me too. But that's all I am is a failure, but I made it this far and I'm okay with that. I think I'm starting to understand the 'being at peace thing'." Steve sadly smiled though he couldn't see the adventurer's expression.

"It always … Gehhhhh. Makes- things easier-." Nigel struggled to stay standing, wrapping one arm over his wound. "There's no time to patch up I'm afraid, so I'll just have to fight until I go down too."

Steve tilted his head to see the man holding his lucky sword and ready to defend himself. "You don't have to run in and fight, just try and protect yourself and keep an eye on my back alright?"

"I will try. … At least until I'm out." Nigel said with a nod.

Steve sighed with a heavy heart after hearing that, he wasn't prepared to die or wait for the old man to, but now it just seemed that this is what the scene was narrowing down towards. Defeat. He saw one Herobrine finally move and take a step forward with his sword ready, a few others also began to move about a little and move closer. He spun around with his hand tightly coiled on the blade's handle, holding it close and waiting for any of the Herobrine clones to lunge out and strike at him again.

He was so terrified of Herobrine and his duplicates, and dead tired from the cursed sword and it's draining effect now; he didn't have the energy to even attempt to run away anymore and it was way too risky to try. Ditching his friend to save his own skin definitely wasn't an option. He certainly didn't enough strength to fend for himself and Nigel anymore either, so whatever happens next would probably be his last final moments. At least in his mind he felt a small sense of pride knowing that he wasn't throwing his life away for nothing, it was to accomplish his promises and protect his friend. He was going to defend Nigel until he couldn't no more and he just knew that it would make his dad proud.

"Steve, how are holding up?" Nigel asked with utmost concern for his frightened companion, keeping his eyes on all of the Heroes in his line of sight. He couldn't see the miner while having his back now to him but he knew that the younger man had a great fear of the Hero and he wondered if the guy could fight or even remain calm in such a hopeless situation. "You hear me?"

"Ye-yeah. …" He whispered. "But I'm fairing better than you right now so don't worry about me."

Nigel could tell that the sword was already taking a toll on Steve, especially since he could hear the man take deep rapid breaths and exhale rather loudly. He could almost imagine the man's chest heaving out of fear and exhaustion and he hasn't even set the sword down yet. If he keeps wielding the sword for longer periods of time then it would only be a matter of time before he would fall to it's inhuman force, the sword would likely kill Steve first if the old hero didn't. "If that sword is supposed to give you power then why are you having trouble breathing right now?"

"I don't know. But like it matters now?" Putting the blade away or losing it in battle could probably cause him to collapse or die out with the drainage of energy and that was a death sentence either way, but it was too late to stop now. "I'm going to fight until my dying breath."

"That'll make two of us then. I'm just wondering if Ol Briney is taking his precious time to savor the moment."

"Same. What is he waiting on?" Steve wondered aloud. His body just ached and heart pounded so frantically, he was tired of feeling the sense of dread looming over him. He wanted to just crouch down and throw his hands over his head, to cower and wait for the nightmare to end; but he knew he had to protect his friend from the multiple fiends for as long as he could anyways. It was a time like this that he wished it was all a nightmare and he'd wake from it, but he had a deep feeling that he wasn't having any bad dream. "Here we go." Steve whispered as one Herobrine clones finally charged towards him, blade held to his side and ready to slash against it's target.

He brought the red gleaming diamond sword up to block the attack and did just that, the diamonds striking together made a unique clinging sound that echoed throughout the large room. The double then started to repeatedly strike the blade in a rush and made it harder for Steve to keep deflecting the sword's heavier swings, loud clanging sounds resonated from the weapons clashing in battle. Another Herobrine suddenly appeared to his left and rammed his elbow into the miner's side causing the man to recoil and nearly get slashed. Steve staggered to his side but moved the sword up over his head when another diamond blade came lashing out at him. The old hero drew his weapon back and placed both hands on the handle and drove one powerful blow at the human, this time with the intent on making the mortal drop the sword.

One heavy and forceful swing downwards onto Steve's weapon made it too hard to hold onto the blade, even with the power it gave him. Steve gaped in terror as the sword was knocked out of his hand from the attack and chinked against the floor with another sword positioned over it. The blade in front of him then moved up and dangerously came close to grazing the man's chest. Herobrine let his sword hang low and moved forward with a boot aimed at him instead.

Steve gasped and felt the air leave him and it wasn't even from the kick. He toppled to the floor and had one foot trapping him down onto his stomach as his body began to convulse from the loss of the blade. White dots danced in his eyes and every muscle felt as though it had exploded from overuse, he felt like he was thrown in lava and yet freezing on blocks of ice at the same time. He couldn't even think straight with the pain being too great and too much to handle. He went limp under the hero's foot and listened as his heart pounded louder and louder as if it was about to blow up in his ribcage. He couldn't even scream as the pain persisted and welled up in his torso, everything hurt to a degree he couldn't imagine. He was going to die from a massive painful heart burst. Pained tears flowed from the creases of his tightly glued eyes and he gasped in shock for the inevitable nearing.

A low sounding metallic noise filled his ears and skidded closer to the man, he felt a solid item scoot close and then against his motionless hand. It moved again and this time pressed passed his fingers and moved right under his palm. Steve lightly clutched onto the warm object and squeezed tighter as it made his heart slow it's overtaxing speed and cool his burning and aching muscles. Steve weakly moved his head up from the floor to see the diamond sword now back at his hand, but how? He moved his gaze straight ahead and that's when he saw Herobrine just a foot away looking down at him.

Some movement to his right caught his attention and he gaped in silence and reached an empty hand towards the motionless body of Nigel being dragged across the stone floor. A long streak of red coated the brick foundation as one Herobrine drug the body out and away towards darkness. Nigel looked… dead.

Steve couldn't speak, he couldn't move, all he could do was watch with wide eyes and gape as the hero hauled the old man away; his friend was dragged by the foot until he faded into blackness of the unlit half of the interior.

All that remained now was Steve, Steve alone with many Herobrine duplicates surrounding him and staring down upon his unmoving form.