Hero's Bane

Chapter 31: Don't Give In

Edited 4/18/2022

"Nigel!" Steve screamed aloud in apprehension as he sprinted down deeper into the cavern, he stumbled a few times in his hasty dash; even at one point falling to the ground and scurrying back up in a rush. There was barely a trail of blood to follow this time around, but he knew that the old man wasn't too far away now. He could sense himself getting closer, like his sixth sense guiding him to the location of his missing and possibly dead friend. Even with the heavy sense of dread on his mind over the old man's fate, he just couldn't stop until he knew for sure; he had a sliver of hope he still clung onto.

The miner dashed through the long winding cave and then into a small chamber, he carefully hopped over a small stone terrace and leaped over a short gap to see a faint light around the bend of a stone heap. He ran around it and into a more narrow passage. It was dark, everything was, but for some reason he could make out the hidden shapes and make the tunnel path ahead of him.

He entered an open cavern and on the other side of a small fissure laid the old man with a dying torch.

"Nigel?" Steve called out, breathing heavily from exhaustion. He stared with wide eyes as he approached the ledge. "I-it's him." He sounded with only a hint of relief and a deepening frown, still not knowing the elder's condition. As he stopped at the gap's end he took one quick glance at the deep dark obstacle in front of him, it was so deep that he couldn't even see the bottom of the ravine.

The old adventurer was completely unresponsive and this worried the miner to no end, the longer he stood there staring at the old man's body the more worried he became; a mob could easily come around the corner and attack the defenseless guy. He wanted to get to the other side so badly, it was a large gap but not impossible to jump if he get's a good running start. "I'm coming Nigel, just hold on." Steve backed up and then prepared to make a dash and leap.

"Halt!"

Right before he could bolt forward; Steve immediately stopped and spun on his heels after hearing the familiar voice, he blinked in surprise as a man in silver armor approached him. "Lionel?"

"Don't take another step forward, don't even dare making a jump to the other side. It's pointless." He said blankly, now getting closer to the miner.

"Why not?!" Steve gawked in confusion while swaying his head from side to side lightly, making a quick glance over to his friend and then back to the sentinel.

The look alike man thought on it then moved his head back and forth before ending his stride a few feet away from the miner. "I have forgotten, you are not aware. This is a dream Steve, you may not be able to tell, but I can. You are dreaming all of this up, that man over there-" He nodded towards. "He's not even real."

Steve's eyes widened then lightly narrowed. He was wondering how someone so honorable and kind would say such a thing. "What?! He is real!" He defended, clinching his fists and looking away from the man. "He's hurt, I need to to- help him!"

Lionel cocked his head to the side with an expression of utter doubt, he then rested his hands on his hips. "I am afraid that you are mistaken with that false illusion, it's only what you 'want' to see."

The miner blinked and then scoffed in disbelief. "No! He's no illusion!" Steve moved his gaze back towards the old royal guard but he was now gone. "Huh?"

"Why do you feel so much guilt? It wasn't even your fault that he was attacked."

The miner spun around again to now see Lionel now kneeling at Nigel's side from the other end of the ravine. The man reached down to touch the explorer but stopped as he got too close. "How did you-?"

"You also seem to have forgotten about my abilities within your dreams. But enough about that and this- this delusion." Lionel held his hand out and the crumpled heap of an old man slowly broke into tiny particles that faded into dust that scattered across the floor.

"Nigel!" Steve screamed with a tear in his eye, now reaching out towards a pile of dirt.

"See?" The guard fully stood and looked back at the miner with a careless expression. "This is but a dream. Otherwise, your friend wouldn't of collapsed into a pile of fine dust."

Steve dropped his arm and stared at the slate colored stone at his feet before falling onto his knees. "Then... then Nigel truly is gone." He whispered in defeat, squeezing his eyes shut and taking a deep breath while fighting the pain welling up in his chest.

Lionel didn't reply, he only stood back up and closed his eyes as he thought deeply.

"He's gone." The man repeated, still trying to come to terms with the reality of the situation.

"You never answered my question. I don't know why you feel so connected to the elder, all he ever did was hinder your travel and cause you all of this pain." Deep lapis colored eyes opened up to the cave ceiling and then moved over towards the miner. "Why do you feel this needless pain?"

"You're saying that I want this?" Steve huffed angrily in a quieted tone. "What would make you think that I wanted to feel this dread? The guilt? I don't want this pain and this guilt, but it falls now on me for my mistakes. He was my friend and he helped me get so far."

"You can't honestly say that the old man was a friend, not a true one. Not a life worth dying for."

"You're wrong!" The miner's head snapped upright, a deep scowl crossed his face. "He was to me! He gave me helpful items, sacrificed his time, even sacrificed his life to keep an eye on my back and I go and fail him? I may of not of known him for long, but I know that deep inside I felt a strong sense of trust in him, he also reminded me of my late grandfather; a kind and courageous man. Nigel didn't have the strength or boldness to fight like me, but he did forfeit his life for mine even when the odds were greatly stacked against us." Steve's tone lightened and he frowned. "Besides, any life is worth dying for, at least that is how I see it."

"Even the lives of your enemies?" Lionel raised a brow and crossed his arms, now staring intently at the miner with piqued interest.

"No one deserves to die, even if they have done wrong to others. There is always room for punishment, but death and suffering is a step too far to me. It's wrong."

"Is that so? … How about Herobrine then?" He asked bluntly, seeming quite irate from the response. "You are on this quest to destroy him because you believe he deserves punishment, why say that no one deserved death when you are trying to eliminate him."

"What?!" He blinked. "I never wanted to destroy him." Steve's mouth slightly parted after hearing this come from Lionel. "I never intended for Notch to 'kill' him, only for the god of Minecraftia to stop him from this madness! To calm-"

"And just how do you think that damned god plans to handle him huh?!" Lionel's voice rose. "You think he's just going to give him a slap on the wrist and let him go freely for all of the lives he's claimed?" The sentinel sneered. "The old hero has killed many, made many more suffer before being struck down by his power. Notch is no loving god of such a thing if that is what you believe. He had allowed great power to humans to use and punish the hero for an accident, then to make it worse; that blasted god of yours left Herobrine isolated and incapacitated for an eternity! To suffer and burn in the depths of the Netherworld forever!"

"How could-, that can't be." Steve looked away from the fuming sentinel. He knew that it was Notch's power to seal away Herobrine but he never considered how bad it seemed until he heard the other man say it like that. If Herobrine was truly innocent then Notch would have know wouldn't he? So he purposely let the white-eyed man suffer? But that couldn't be right! Notch was the all knowing creator, the one who loved his creations so much that he made the world flourish with life and made the sun the enemy of the monsters.

"If you are thinking that one little accident with the child was his fault- then it was." The armored man siad more softly with an expression of hurt. "But he didn't intentionally kill the kid, Notch would know that. Herobrine didn't mean for his powers to run rampant from his uncontrollable rage and cause the situation to escalate to … … Errrrr…" He quietly growled under his breath. "Notch is unfair and judgmental, he harshly punished the one who was also at one point; filled with guilt from his errors. Notch sided with the mortals though he knew what truly happened. Some god you humans have.

Now with all of the suffering and those kills made, he will not let Herobrine go without being severely punished, he will not forgive. He will permanently smite the hero from this world, erasing the being from existence. How he hasn't done it yet is surprising, but that's probably because he no longer cares for the likes of his once precious creations anymore."

"He wouldn't." Steve spoke softly, hint of doubt was in his tone.

The sentinel gave a rather bored and yet serious look to the miner. "Well Notch will not let Herobrine escape great suffering or death should his attention fall upon him, which ever he chooses. Likely both."

"But maybe Notch can forgive Herobrine if he would ask forgiveness?"

"Heh, you think that asking for mercy will sway Notch's tightly secured decisions? Impossible. He cannot forgive the hero for he has already rejected him, abandoned him! Herobrine cannot be forgiven!" He finished more loudly with narrowed eyes.

…

Steve felt his chest sink. He couldn't imagine what Notch had against Herobrine, in fact he thought that the god created the hero too, so why abuse and abandon him? He just couldn't believe that the creator would be so cruel. But mistaken perhaps? The miner couldn't understand the conflict between the two since a god and powerful being was way out of his league, but that didn't mean that the old hero couldn't be forgiven by anyone else. Herobrine did own up to his mistake, or so he remembered from Nigel's lesson, but wouldn't Lionel at least; despite the wrongs of his friend?

Even after all of the murders Herobrine had committed now, Lionel would, wouldn't he? Steve boldly took a deep breath, now fixating his eyes one the identical man. "You say that no one can forgive him, but tell me Lionel, do you forgive Herobrine?"

The guard was completely taken by surprise by the question, he turned away and lightly clinched a fist before opening it back up and staring at his palm.

…

Herobrine didn't even know how to even answer the question. Would his brother forgive him? ... No, it was a pointless inquiry. He meant to kill all of the humans he once encountered, there was no need for an answer as they all deserved a great penalty of death for being such weaker- similar damned beings of the supreme being. However, for the miner's perspective he needed to make one.

The hero's fake blue eyes traced the lines on his palm, lost in thought. He didn't have a clue as to his now deceased friend would feel if he knew of the hero's dark and malicious intentions that were made real for so many centuries now. The man he once knew was largely against execution and public stonings, he even tried to preserve all human life from monsters to public cases. He defended all humans including that of those who had ridiculed him, knocked him down during the growth of his guard status, and those who attempted to harm and or kill him when he was considered a traitor.

The hero could almost see the real Lionel feeling hurt, saddened, maybe even a little enraged if he were still alive. Such feelings now reflected off of the miner behind him, the human did look very similar and the expression seemed believable as Lionel's. But would Lionel himself forfeit his endless debt and turn on his best friend from all of the centuries worth of murderous bloodshed and torment?

Herobrine never thought of how the old sentinel would feel from these actions, the idea almost made him furious since he now knows that he'll never have the answer; but it seemed like a rather bleak outlook on the sentinel's standpoint. But Lionel was gone, he'd never know of such actions. How he would see the hero was a not a concern, yet the simple idea of imagining his friend's reaction plagued his now troubled mind. Herobrine shook his head, feeling conflicted with the analysis.

"So?"

He moved his gaze back to the shorter man and turned back to face Steve directly, eyes narrowed from the derailing of his train of thought. "I- I don't know." He said deeply, teeth clinched. "I-"

Steve sighed in disappointment as he looked away, he expected the guard to outright defend Herobrine forever over anything considering the close bond they once shared. Then again, Herobrine has done much wrong. "I can understand where you come from, even I would have a hard time trying to figure that out had I not known what I know."

"Why?! He is not your friend, not your brother!" The disguised hero suddenly blurted out and flashed away.

Steve jumped back a step in surprise when he looked back to find Lionel now standing just a foot away from him, appearing to seethe. The miner put on his brave face. "You're right, I don't know him like you and he has taken my friend from me. however; I can't hate him for being conditioned to kill after what I've learned what he's went through. I can't even find hate for all of the pain and misery he's given me up to this point."

Steve frowned deeply and stared at the ground. "I find even myself having the same trouble figuring out if I should forgive him or not, but deep down I think I really do. Sometimes I just insert myself in other's perspectives, so I can't hate someone who has had it so bad for so long and is so misunderstood. I don't even want to imagine what it was like to go through such hardships, though I have seen some pretty bad stuff already in some dreams and visions. Forgiveness after viewing someone else's position is just the next step. Maybe Notch won't forgive him, but that doesn't mean that I won't. That maybe you won't either."

The pity on the miner's face as he lifted his gaze made him furious, there was no reason to go on the same level of his enemy and try to 'understand' them. It was a pathetic aspect of feeble humans that he hated, so easy to let such actions go. What is wrong is wrong, compassion despite it is for the weak. "Why would you find yourself in such confliction? You should hate your enemies for they are the ones trying to make your life a living nightmare, they intend to take from you and ultimately destroy you!" Lionel raised a fist, his posture was tense.

Steve shrugged. "Your enemies make you stronger right? Herobrine made me stronger. Well, quite a bit actually. I found the will to survive and had even pushed my body further than I ever had before, I have felt pain that I couldn't ever imagined and faced my darkest fears. At least they have that going."

Such absurdity! "Physical and mental aspects only apply if you survive you fool. Enemies crush your hopes as well as your body, they also take everything you hold dear and make you weak."

Steve blinked, he didn't really think on how much losing his friend had dropped his confidence, it just came to him. Failing to make it to the shrine or even escape the stronghold also waned on his hopes and dwindled them down to nothing, this dream he was in now only obscured the reality that would soon hit him. This realization made him feel like he was a fool to believe in his own words. "I guess you are sort of right." He said dismally. "Now knowing that Herobrine had taken Nigel's life..." Steve's tone lowered and he exhaled quietly with a heavy heart. "I just don't have the strength to fight anymore, I am as good as dead there in the dark fortress as I am in the outside sunlight. Time is all I have left now, there's no more drive."

Lionel raised a brow and calmed, folding his arms. "Is that why you have given up? Why you have become so weak?"

The miner only nodded wordlessly.

"What ever happened to 'Give everything you got and fight a good fight till the very end'? The honorable saying?" He asked with a more darker tone, clearly irritated.

"There's nothing left to fight for." He shook his head. "I couldn't save Nigel, I couldn't reach the shrine, I'm down to practically no food, and I can't even find peaceful rest without you. I'm going to painfully die in that awful cold fortress, I don't even have the piece of mind to enjoy my final moments. … I can't give what I don't have."

Herobrine almost couldn't believe his ears. Here is this human who bravely entered his land, 'his' domain and fought his way through monsters, treacherous landscapes, and even near death experiences to reach the shrine, and find his friend; only to go and give up because his so called 'friend' was now gone? Steve's loss of motivation has put the debt in standstill, the miner would likely not even lift a sword now. If he wasn't going to fight anymore then how could the debt be paid right? This annoyed the immortal, a lot.

He had one idea in mind, but he never wanted to use it; but if the human wasn't willing to fight then he would fail Lionel's personal request and miss out this once in an endless lifetime opportunity.

"And what if I said that Nigel wasn't dead?"

Steve instantly faced the sentinel, mouth agape. "He's...?" His surprised expression fell to a deep frown in no time flat. "No, I saw Herobrine drag him away. He was lifeless and greatly wounded."

"You are giving in too easy, even for hope. All this time fighting and you suddenly stop? I thought you 'trusted' me?"

Steve took the last question to heart, he knew since the first time he met Lionel that he could trust the old sentinel. Whether it be the connection by blood or just believing in his dreams, he knew that the guard was a friend. A friend that though seemed stern, objecting, and tense; he was also supportive and encouraging in a tough way, but encouraging nonetheless. Not to mention that he helped Steve find good rest in nightmares and even save him in his bad dream. To top it off; what he says was usually right or what really happened. So maybe Nigel was still alive? Somewhere. Steve felt a prickling sensation of anticipation building in the center his chest.

"I assure you that he alive, even as we speak. … He's in a critical condition, but if you sit down and wait to die then he will shortly after you."

"How could you be certain?" He raised a brow, needing an answer to douse the last flame of doubt burning through his mind.

"I just know. Trust me."

The miner finally cracked a small smile and lightly nodded, the guard hasn't let him down yet. "I do, I always did. But now I need to know how to save him."

"You cannot." Lionel said abruptly and the miner's smile faded. "Herobrine plans to claim your life once he is ready, only afterwards we he release the old man."

"So what do I do then? Just wait?" The miner gawked in confusion.

"No, waiting for death like a stuck pig is disgraceful and it will only further enrage him. What he wants is a good fight from you for you have proved your mettle and vigor in his presence, he wants to fight you and bring you down in battle in your most utmost condition."

"Okay. How can I do that?"

"Better yourself, train, rest and prepare. Make the fight a good one and give it your all. Only then will the elder live."

"It might be tough where I am currently at, but I will try." Steve nodded. "His life weighs heavily on me now, I definitely can't fail him a second time." Steve didn't like the idea of knowing he was going to be slain by Herobrine but at least now he had the reason to continue on, for one last time he could put forward his effort and give it his all till his untimely end. His life wouldn't go to waste and something good could come out of this living nightmare.

"You are hindered?"

"I have low food rations, that place is dark and cold, not to mention it's infested with mobs."

"Hmmmm… I see. I suppose that you will just have to deal with it."

"I will! I don't need comfort when it comes to my friend's life, I can survive until he comes!" Steve replied with a more upbeat attitude this time, getting more confidence with the notion of Nigel safely making an escape to live another adventure.

"Then good. Don't disappoint him, otherwise he may not spare the elder."

"I won't fail Nigel anymore, I will fight to the very last breath I take."

"Then I will leave you to rest now." Lionel began to turn away and walk into the darkness ahead of him.

Steve felt his feet begin to sink through the blackening floor, he knew that this was the end of his dream and he had not yet thanked his distant relative for his growing assurance. "Wait!"

The sentinel stopped and looked back to see the man fighting against the thick pool dragging him down. Steve finally wiggled his legs free and stepped back onto stone before approaching the guard. "What is it now?"

Steve quietly walked up to the sentinel and suddenly wrapped his arms around the armored man's arms and chest frame, squeezing tightly. "Thank you Lionel. Thank you for everything." He said with a contented smile, gazing at the dark cavern that the guardsmen was going to walk through.

…

Herobrine suddenly blinked, his false sapphire blue eyes faded to bright white from the unexpected touch by the human, he even felt his form nearly phase out from the unexpected contact but he retained just enough control over it to prevent exposure of his identity. A slight warmth formed at his chest and he could feel the human's heart beating against it from the embrace; something so foreign and yet so familiar over the stretch of time.

The immediate strange feeling made him want to push away even if it was slightly consoling to his surprise. He had felt this kind of contact once before, but even though it was so long ago he could definitely remember the embrace his brother at one time gave him. This man however; wasn't his brother, he may of looked like him but Steve was his enemy. Herobrine tightly squeezed his eyes shut to open them back, revealing deep blue-violet orbs. He shifted his arms from the hold to shove the mortal away, but didn't get to after Steve let go and backed away with a faint grin before he could.

"Thank you very much. I needed a confidence booster for once, I needed hope at such a bad time and you gave it to me." The miner faintly grinned. "I didn't know that Nigel was still alive and I would of never found out if it weren't for you. Dream or not, I believe. Also, this may be the only opportunity to ever hug my distant grandfather, my friend."

Herobrine made a low soundless snarl and effortlessly moved a hand up and shoved the miner into the void. "I said you needed rest."

"Ooof!" Steve stumbled backwards, flailing his arms about before falling into the black and slowly descending into the heavy atmosphere. He let his eyes close, but the smile remained there on his face.

Herobrine watched as the miner sunk into the black then backed away. Just when he thought the human couldn't get anymore surprising; he always found a way to break the boundaries.