Hero's Bane:

Chapter 37: And Fight

Editing 4/21/2022

Steve swallowed more fear as he placed a shaking hand on Herobrine's arm, it wasn't the smartest thing to do but after that memory; he had to snap the guy out of his uncontrollable state. As he touched Herobrine, pressure in the air suddenly shifted and made him feel heavy and the oxygen was thinning out to make the situation even more perilous.

The large oak that the being clung to was crumbling into burning debris and several large branches cracked from the heat and fell all around, all except for one large beam of wood that was crackling rather loudly above Herobrine; threatening to snap right off and land on top of him. The miner held tightly as he yanked the powerful man away from the tree, making them both stumble off to the side before the branch snapped and collapsed to the ground in a blazing heap.

The mad being quickly tensed in his grasp, the movement had him abruptly tilt his head towards the clinging miner. It was too fast for Steve to even process what had just happened next, he didn't even get to react. The immortal jerked his elbow out and then drove the angled appendage into the man's torso and heaved away, making the miner fly off of his feet and up into the air. Steve went flying out and onto the ground several yards away, painfully smacking onto the dirt and tumbling in smaller bounces as he now rolled. He felt himself finally stop on his aching stomach, the wind was literally knocked out of him and he was having a tough time trying to inhale the smoke filled air.

He coughed a couple times to breathe a little better than spat more blood out, there was no telling what internal injuries he had now. Even worse; he started to feel drained and tired though he was to begin with when he first stumbled into the hero, the heat and smoke from the fire around also made him feel weak. It was then when he realized he was missing something.

He moved his arms under his torso then pushed against the ground with a pained grunt and one eye closed, he lifted himself until he was on his hands and knees and that was when he froze. Heavy footsteps from his right made him turn his head to see Herobrine steadily approaching him with raging blinding eyes, a deep frown on his face.

"Herobrine? Stop!" Steve shouted, hoping that he could persuade the nearing dangerous man to cease, unfortunately that only made the ancient hero move faster.

The Hero held out his hand, summoning his blade. The enchanted sword that Steve had been using began to slowly dissolved on the ground several yards away, it then reformed in Herobrine's palm as he grew closer to the miner. Steve fell backwards onto his rear-end when Herobrine got too close with that weapon, he tried to crawl backwards to escape the imminent attack as Herobrine lifted the blade upright. "Herobrine wait!"

He didn't see anything after Herobrine suddenly bolted forwards with the blade pointed at him, but he heard a loud scream and it was his own; and yet of someone else's as the diamond blade pierced his unprotected flesh. Like a searing hot knife through butter; it cut through his skin with ease and left an intense gnawing pain, it almost felt more like a severe burn than a stabbing but the pain was all the same.

He felt the burning sensation recede from his shoulder and that was when he leaned back on the grass and wrapped his hand over the new wound, it stung greatly as he placed his fingers over it to slow the bleeding. Warm fluid seeped from between his fingers and trailed down his arm, he was almost too scared to look but he pried his eyes to see Herobrine taking a step back. The being's widened surprised eyes lost a lot of it's bright glow, he reached a hand out before immediately retracting it and making a low snarl before backing away again.

Herobrine took his empty hand and rubbed his temples, agitation and confusion now lined his expression. It lasted for a minute or so but Steve watched as the old hero finally shook his head and blinked, making those glowing eyes dim out even more. The powerful being then gazed down at him before moving his attention to the sword in hand, he seemed not as angry but rather confused and tired. Herobrine seeming tired at all was bizarre enough for the miner, but then again they just went through some pretty intense memories. Herobrine had more to relive, so he must have been mentally drained.

"Herobrine?" He coughed as he attempted to sit up and apply more pressure to the wound.

…

He couldn't believe he had lost control again. It may have been centuries since his last blinding rage, but thanks to returning memories he had lost it; those memories of Brutus stopping him from saving the young child. Herobrine clenched his empty fist, he started to flare up on the inside again but small whimpers just in front of him snagged his immediate attention. He couldn't remember how he got the sword from the miner, but his other was missing.

He tilted his head back to see it a few yards back near a burning tree, he must of dropped it as he lost control but at least now he knows he has his other back. He stared at the blade noticing the crimson coating, he had stabbed the mortal as he had done to Lionel many years ago. It was something he still felt guilty about eve to this day, he harmed his brother and if it wasn't for his brother's interference than he may of leveled the entire fortress and all of the settlements surrounding in one night. Likely Lionel as well for all he knew.

He let the weapon fall to his side as he now walked closer to the injured miner.

…

Steve started to crawl back with the approaching danger but this time he moved even slower, having only one good arm to move away with. He was too afraid and too exhausted to stand up or run, the sword's negative effect was kicking in and getting worse with each passing second. He took deep breaths and his heart pounded loudly, this was it. He finally stopped as he felt heat at his back, he was close to a burning tree with nowhere else to go. It was the end of the line.

He pulled out his iron sword from it's sheath, he knew that if he listened to Lionel in his dream and fought till the last breath then maybe Herobrine would still allow Nigel to live. Even the hero reassured him of that, but fighting with such an injury may not appease the being, but there wasn't any choice now. He just had to hope and fight. Trying to talk Herobrine out of it was no longer an option since it only seemed to anger and throw the hero into old memories, the memories he seen thus far weren't good so there wasn't any point in retriggering them and setting the powerful man up to obliterate everything.

Steve leaned forward and hissed as he used both his good arm and injured arm to stand up with, his legs ached terribly and he swayed a little as he stood. He was pretty much powerless but he couldn't coward out now and let Nigel die too. His knees wobbled a bit and his feet shook, with enough willpower he staid up. The miner raised the iron sword up in a defense stance and held it as firm as he could.

"Alright Herobrine, I'm… r-ready." He winced from the position of his stance, slightly shaking from the lack of energy and fear. He blinked a few times and narrowed his eyes, he wasn't going down without a fight. He knew he was going to go down in great defeat but not without keeping his end of Herobrine's deal, he could only pray that the hero would keep his in return.

…

It almost astonished Herobrine how quickly the human gave up his pitiful attempt in trying to persuade him, he thought the man was going to die without even lifting a blade. In fact he thought the man would be more talkative with seeing his memories and all, but instead he looked more willing to fight than ever and even in his weakened condition. Either getting stabbed or learning of the hero's impatience must have finally got into that thick skull. It was about time.

Herobrine took one step back before he lunged forwards without mercy. He slammed the diamond blade onto the iron one with one large swing and the lesser blade instantly shattered upon impact, tiny fragments of the broken sword flew outwards in all directions then silently bounced on the grass below.

…

The miner yelped loudly as the blade broke and shifted his stance, the force of the opposing sword made him stumble backwards and he quickly grabbed at his wounded shoulder. The power of the swing made his entire body shudder and the wound painfully stretched in the process of his staggering. Of course the iron blade wasn't going to hold up to an attack like that, not to mention that it was already greatly damaged from the start. Steve took a few steps back and noticed the remnants of his weapon, all that he clung to now was the hilt of his sword with a small chunk of blade at the end. Shards of iron laid on the ground before him and reflected back some of the flickering flames in the dark, now he had nothing left to fight with but a broken sword.

Steve looked up and watched as Herobrine suddenly flashed away, that was when a fist out of nowhere flew into his face and made him fly backwards and into some burning wood. At the same instant, Herobrine flashed back up to the miner as he collided with the tree and pinned him up against it with his forearm over the man's throat. The miner grasped at the strong limb, trying to pull it back to breathe. Smoke inhalation and the heat at his back and above his head made him squirm to get free and away from the danger, he instinctively dug in his nails with his empty arm and then lifted the remains of his iron weapon. At first he hesitated, but Herobrine wasn't phased by the threat.

He didn't want to do it, but the longer he went without air and the more the tree burned around him made the choice more easier. Steve moved it up then down forcefully into the hero's shoulder, making the being hiss with a little shock.

…

He didn't expect the human to actually attack him, it infuriated him, yet he slightly admired the human's efforts to fight to the bitter end. The miner was getting desperate. Herobrine growled loudly while the miner only stared at with those sympathetic eyes, like he regretted his choice to stab. He loathed those eyes, they always reminded him of 'his' eyes. Small globules started to cloud those blue orbs and the man started to struggle about in the hold to breathe, yet refusing the use the remains of the iron sword anymore. Herobrine used his free arm to yank out the sword hilt out of his shoulder before carelessly tossing it aside, a white light formed in the place of the wound and quickly sealed shut.

Seeing those tears streaming down the side of the miner's face made the Hero's hold loosen, the sudden image of blue crying eyes staring up at a pale sky in his mind made him drop the human entirely.

Those dying eyes.

No! Not another memory! Not THAT one! Herobrine refused.

…

The mortal choked as he writhed on the ground and rolled onto his side gasping for breath. A strong kick to his spine sent him rolling away from the tree as a loud crashing sound followed after, he daringly opened his eyes to find himself now lying closer to the cave; the place he came up from and the place that lead him to the comforts of the small house. If only running away was still an option. He knew he couldn't, he couldn't even if he wanted to. He laid on his stomach until a softer kick made him roll onto his back. A heavy boot then pressed down on his stomach while a gleaming enchanted blade tip now rested on the skin of his neck.

He stared in silence and in horror for a long second before narrowing his eyes, the miner bravely reached up and gripped the sharp pressing force with his hands and pulled at it to remove it from his throat. 'Not like this.' He thought with one eye now closing from the crimson seeping in, he felt so faint. Steve painfully twisted his shoulders in the process of moving the blade, he also cut his palms and fingers up; anything to stay alive no matter how much pain he felt. He was still fighting for his life, though he already knew the approaching outcome.

The pain was great, especially for his left shoulder but he didn't let the growing tenderness stop him. Death was already at his door, but it's always been since he stepped into this land from the start. He grunted while trying to remove the uncomfortable sharpness biting at his fragile flesh, he continued to no matter how much he failed to budge the blade in any direction as Herobrine held it firmly in place. Even in failure he won't stop trying, just as long as it was his best effort for his friend's sake. The blade tip pressed in a little further and he immediately stopped, he felt the sword sink a little deeper into his throat.

This was it.

He started to visibly shake in place, his heart started to beat even faster as he stared up into the white eyes glaring down at him. He never imagined it would end this way, he knew he'd die but this manner was just terrorizing. He actually hoped the hero would just stab him through the heart or slice his head off in one swift motion and end it quickly, but it seemed as though he was going to drive the blade through his throat and make him gag to death or drown on his own blood.

He was afraid, terribly afraid.

It wasn't Herobrine as much as his fear of death. He had experienced near death situations before, several times during his life as a miner; including the experiences in the cursed valley. But now that he was expecting it, imagining it, and waiting for it; it was just all too real. More real than it has ever been considering most experiences weren't expected or seen coming.

He could feel a slight pain on his jugular but he could also envision the true pain that was going to come down on him soon. Oxygen would be the first thing to go and then blood from the painful deep cut would fill his gasping lungs, he couldn't tell if he'd drown to death or suffocate first. For all he knew; Herobrine could just stab or slash at him to death, so many painful ways to go crossed his mind and it made his chest hurt. A trail of crimson seeped from the inside of his busted jaw and he was forced to swallow a bit of it, as he gulped he could feel the pressure of the enchanted sword lightly loosen and dig back in on his throat as the vile liquid went down.

His stomach twisted in knots from the thought and the taste of blood, he wanted to puke, waiting for the end was making him nauseous.

It was taking too long, why was the hero just standing there and gazing at him? Was he trying to make him suffer the anticipation of pain before driving the nail of death through him? A fear like no other plagued him, he never wanted to see the inevitable coming and now he was being mentally tortured by it.

"Herobrine?" He asked with a meek but rigid tone of voice since pressure was still applied. He kept his gaze on the hero and had completely lost his fear of the being for a minute there, only dying was all he feared now since he would not escape it. "If … If you take my life- then at least keep your end of the deal and spare Nigel's. Please? That is all I ask of you." He tensed up under the heaviness of both physical and mental pressures and squeezed his eyes shut. "Do whatever you will to me, but please just let Nigel go!" He tried his best to force back the wetness now rolling down the side of his cheeks, he still awaited for the impending plunge of sharp diamond and let the sword go and allowed his arms to fall back onto the grass.

…

The powerful man felt himself hesitating once again, the more he stared at the human the more annoyed he got at himself for not silencing him already. However, doing so wouldn't be right. It took some thought but he realized that the little 'fight' they had wasn't to his satisfaction nor to the satisfactory of the debt, that had to be the reason he thought.

He had already beat the mortal down and stabbed him and that was without even being in control to see it done himself. The human was handicapped at the beginning of the fight and wielded the pathetic iron blade that shattered in one go, the enchanted one had been taken from him; so the miner had to use a useless weapon on waning strength. At the end; he stood up and fought though it was pitiful, but he did finally try and he even gave a little damage to the hero in the process which was surprising enough alone.

That was something that no human had done to him in ages.

It was pathetic that the mortal practically begged for the elder's safe release, however; it did remind him of a similar situation in the past regarding Lionel and his last day alive. He willed himself enough to hold back that memory, it was too painful to recall. It hurt too much... those dying eyes. The miner was willing to die so that the older human who was already far up in age would live, one that he barely even knew. He was sacrificing himself for a nobody, a weak man.

… Perhaps the mortal only wanted to help him after all?

No.

Herobrine shook the thought off. That unexpected thought quickly hit him and just as quickly flew out of his mind. He was so much like his probable predecessor that it made him mad. He knew what he heard from the mortal's mouth a few days ago when he said that he needed to call upon Notch and 'remove' him, recalling that just made him even more furious. Then the miner goes and says that he was going to call Notch to help him calm his soul? It didn't make sense! Why?

Why was he doing any of this? Why did he spare the hero of the lava pit? Why was he trying to persuade the hero that he only wanted to help? Was he even trying to escape? The mortal went through the cave and passed under a large hill that lead down into a forest that would then lead him to the fortress and he didn't heed the warning sign, that was unless he didn't know the redstone torch was the warning sign to begin with. But even if he had the answers, the mortal was still going to die in the end. He was just lucky that he had been injured before the real fight, the chaotic mess of memories had the debt all screwed up. Herobrine had a plan to somewhat fix it, or at least make it more even since the miner would be weak, it should be enough to mend some of the debt.

…

Steve took deep breaths and shook as the sharp point of the sword finally left his neck, the hero must be ready to stab him. He kept his eyes sealed tight and waited. The pressure on his stomach finally disappeared and a loud metallic sound filled his ears as something jabbed the grass right next to his head, he could feel the energy of the blade pulsing nearby. He was wondering if Herobrine was toying with him but he wasn't about to find out to see the guy jab the other blade into his throat. He waited for a few more seconds, the blade next to him never moved and no other sounds were made. The air was becoming more clearer and fresh, all sound that could now be heard was that of the wind.

He finally opened his eyes and stared up at the starry clear sky, the moon was still hanging overhead making the dark violet-dotted veil brighten it was magnificent and calming. Herobrine was gone.

Steve quickly looked around to his left and then ahead to see nothing through his one eye, but all he could make out was smoldering ashes and remaining wisps of smoke rising and fading from the burnt trees surrounding. He shifted his attention to his right to see the diamond blade sticking out of the ground next to his head; giving off it's light aura of red, it was really close to his head but thankfully it wasn't in his neck. Seeing that he was now alone he slowly sat up from the ground and searched his surroundings once more to be safe. It was night, there wasn't any visible mobs, the fire was almost completely out except for dying embers, and the cave nearby now had a redstone torch above it.

"Why?" He lightly whispered in slight disbelief. He could of died just then but here he is. He didn't know why Herobrine spared him yet again but he had a feeling that the next encounter would be his last, he just had the gut feeling. He pulled the diamond blade out of the ground and held tightly as it's waves of power followed through his limbs and made his muscles come back to life. The pain in his shoulder and back lessened considerably and he was able to stand with little to no problem, he mentally thanked the blade and Herobrine for that though it was weird to.

Why Herobrine left the enchanted sword confused him though, but that reasoning could wait until later. Right now he had to get back to the shack and rest up before the white-eyed man comes back for one final time, he was sore all over and now he was getting very tired.

…

A set of white eyes from the top of a tree far from the brunt circle watched as the human walked back into the cave, then the man they were attached to soon vanished from his place.

…

Steve limped back through the cave with caution on sore feet though he never ran into anymore mobs nor did he see Pork Chop while passing through. He wondered where the pig went, he was actually hoping to find the swine despite being shadowed by Herobrine, it acted pretty normal though it had white eyes. He was just so shocked at seeing it with those blazing orbs that he really didn't want to be near it, but it had become a friend of his, the glowing eyes could of just been a trick of the hero's to intimidate the miner but he didn't really know. He only knew that he now missed that pig and the company it gave him.

He ambled on for about an hour at a slow pace until he walked back through the cave's exit to see the still dotted night sky gracing him. A cold gale of air hit his face as he walked up the stone incline, he wrapped his arms around his chest as he made his way up; teeth gnashed from the sting of his stretching shoulder wound. As he exited the mouth of the cave he began his slow ascent up the hillside to the shack, now partially visible with a nice warm glow coming from the broken windows. Steve could imagine the warmth and comfort of his bed, sleep was all he wanted to think about though the last close encounter with the being and those memories kept on replaying in his mind.

Steve finally made it to the top of the slope and walked by the house, he curiously peered through the window next to the bed to find the shelter completely empty. Some of the Netherrack's fiery warmth escaped from the broken window and passed across the miner's face, the feeling was rather nice and inviting. He then paced around the corner of the house to get in quickly and get out of the cold, but before he could even make it to the door he stopped and so did his heart. He wasn't ready to fight again, he wasn't ready to die.

Was this some cruel joke? Letting him live for a short time and then up and kill him just as he reached a place of comfort to rest?

Herobrine stood at the other end of the shack just inside the cedar woods, he only stood there staring back with a frown, he tilted his head downwards a bit then flashed away with a few puffs of smoke.

What the miner saw that had been left behind startled him even more than Herobrine. He ran as fast as his aching legs could towards the motionless heap on the snowy ground, he almost couldn't believe his own eyes. 'Is this really happening?!' He thought as he neared the figure, gaping and eyes wide. He slowed his steps and glanced around to make sure it wasn't a trap then he grabbed at the man's shoulder and shook.

"Please be real, please be real!" He shouted as he continued to shake the lying form.

"Uooooowwwwwhhhh." The form finally moved a little then lifted out of the snow and shook his head before moving a hand up slowly to wipe the flakes out of his short trimmed-frosted gray hair, he grunted as he sat up blinked with drowsy eyes. "Where- am I?"

"Nigel?"