Hero's Bane

Chapter 49: Must You Be So Foolish

Edited 4/27/2022

Steve was so cold he was shivering badly, it was as if ice was resting on his skin and remained there without melting; leaving a chilling and yet burning feeling. The frosty sensation was prickling like tiny sharp shards of ice icicles grating against him and made him feel numb all over, he tried to rub his arms together to create a little warmth but it didn't help at all. He could barely even feel them or any part of his body for that matter. It actually hurt to move even in the slightest, feeling as though he was being cut with each shift. Steve tried again to get the warmth to spark from the friction but he didn't feel anything but pain, he just couldn't shake the freezing feeling gnawing on him.

A low moan soon filled his ear and it sounded absolutely awful, like an young man who was in terrible pain. That voice then cried out in agony, it was like someone was torturing the poor guy. The cold particle shards could be one reason but Steve had a feeling it was something else, something worse. Another voice soon sounded in his ear and it was that of an old woman who seemed to be weeping and begging for relief, his heart wrenched from the though of an elderly lady crying while on her knees and pleading for mercy. Steve definitely didn't like what was going on. More groans and cries soon surrounded him and it was starting to scare the miner, these wails and shouts for help was really becoming familiar and he didn't like it one bit. He was too afraid to open his eyes but he just had to, he knew it was going to be hard since the biting ice made him feel like he was buried under a ton of sand but he needed to see his surroundings and so he forced them open.

He froze. He was freely flowing in a world of see-through murky brown sand and everything he saw made time just come to a halt, he couldn't even draw breath because he was so shocked. Wait, he couldn't even feel himself breathing, why did he not realize this sooner?! Many forms of wailing faces swam around him with their cries, they too flowed freely and their expressions and faces were awkwardly shaped and warped into inhuman figures. There was so many of them, so many souls in agony. They all moved about and passed by him without care, only weeping and wailing in misery.

Steve shook his head back and forth, he really couldn't believe his eyes. His worst fear had just been realized, he was now a trapped soul amongst the dreadful sand of the Nether. He looked all around and then forced himself through the heavy freezing particles in any direction to escape the sounds of torment, he moved to his left and an even colder draft went through him, he looked back as he saw something passing by and it was a soul. Frightened he moved to the right but there was a big cluster of the spirits and just being close to them made him freeze more. He glanced all around to find any kind of freedom from the sea of despair and found a deep red ceiling that had little to no souls near it, Steve moved upwards to get away from the other spirits. As he went up he could feel the clear icy sand become more warmer and less thick but the grains still irritated him, but it was actual relief compared to being trapped in the deep cold. So then why did all of the souls stay near the bottom? Wasn't it better at the top?

Steve squinted as he got closer to the ceiling, that red cap was starting to look more like Netherrack and the sand was now less dense and he moved about more easier. He could see the shapes of Nether landscape as he ascended, that was when he realized he was reaching the surface of the sand. Maybe he could free himself somehow? Steve made a weak smile as he finally made it to a barrier and he stopped where the sand ended, his smile faded as his hand moved up to the barrier but he couldn't push his hand past it. He really was trapped.

Steve let himself sink back a little, completely disheartened in realizing he couldn't get past the invisible obstruction. He then moved up and tried to push against in with the eagerness to escape, he just couldn't give in yet. He failed to get through the blockade and so he backed up and slammed into it, fighting the grainy thick sand to force himself through the invisible wall in his attempts but he couldn't break the surface of the thick matter. He continuously rammed himself at the barrier, determined to force himself free, he reeled back to try again until a giant cyan and blue form stepped on the surface nearby and stopped. Steve instantly recognized the outfit of the large form standing just ahead of him and above the surface of the soulsand.

"Herobrine!" He shouted as loud as he could as he placed his hands on the barrier before moving them back, he then banged on it to try and get his double's attention. Fortunately, striking the barrier made a ripple effect and a strange echoing hollow sound that was quite loud. Maybe he could get Herobrine's attention? "Herobrine!"

The man above then looked down with a bright white gaze and blankly stared as the mortal persisted to get his attention, but the powerful man only narrowed his eyes and lifted his boot.

Steve's own eyes went wide from shock. "Herobrine?" He asked fearfully as the bottom of the being's heel completely blocked out his line of view and came down at him fast.

The being had forced his foot down upon the barrier above Steve and this powerful stomp caused the miner's tiny form to be forcibly plunged down into the depths of the soulsand, he felt as if his soul had been shattered into tiny pieces but remained together like a broken windowpane still sitting in it's frame and just barely holding together. He felt himself sink through the sharp grainy fragments of the sand, staring up at the Hero looking down until he faded into black. Steve couldn't see anything but nearby souls as he returned to the world of the freezing darkness.

…

Then everything stopped as his back softly collided with an invisible floor. The wails, the pain, the buried feeling, and the fear. All of it ceased as he felt warmth from the familiar blackness that now surrounded him.

… …

Herobrine's white eyes dimmed down as he stared at the flailing miner. He had entered the man's dream after coming back to ask more questions and finding the man tossing and turning on the ground still asleep, appearing to be having a nightmare. He didn't create this one but the miner's own fear did, now Herobrine knew what was bothering the man.

The human's involuntary flinching stopped and softly murmured indistinguishable words as he gained consciousness, his head swayed side to side before his eyelids lifted; revealing deep blue. He slowly sat up from the textured floor and rubbed the back of his neck, still feeling the bristles from the craggy ground. He groaned as he bent his back into place, it was sore from the unleveled flooring. He then rolled his neck and stretched out his arms outwards before focusing on the barred wall ahead of him and he suddenly jolted backwards with shock on his face.

"He-Herobrine?" He stuttered but his fearful reaction faded to a more relaxed on after realizing he wasn't dreaming.

"Yes mortal, it's about time you awaken. And that nightmare you had wasn't created by me, I can already see your thoughts heading in that direction. I did not create the nightmare, I merely observed what happened."

"So it wasn't you, the real you?" He asked, he quietly sighed after seeing the demi-god nod in reply. "But why would you watch instead of intervening or something? It was horrible."

"I knew you were bothered by some of the first things we talked about earlier, so after finding you in the middle of the nightmare I decided to see what it truly was about through your eyes."

Steve rubbed his dry eyes. "You know, if you didn't kill innocent people and take their souls then I probably wouldn't be having any nightmares." He indirectly protested.

Herobrine lowly growled and sharply narrowed his eyes. "I see. But I do not care for your dreams, you might as well get used to them. Killing is something I will continue to do now and forever, even when your time here is up. Taking their souls is another matter. It is my job." He sneered.

"Job?" Steve asked with a raised brow and sudden surprise. "How can it be your job? You kill people because you hate them, that's revenge. You do that for revenge."

"It's more than just revenge! I kill humans and take their souls because I can!" He rose his voice in the miner's head and made the man yelp a little from the sharpened tone. "Don't dare infuriate me mortal, or I will silence you here and now." He huffed, becoming more heated by the second. He was really hoping to just get down to the questions so that he could get answers but the miner just sidetracks him so easily.

Steve shook. He didn't know if it was fear or anger but Herobrine said that he was killing people and trapping their souls in a Notch-forbid world for practically no reason and that was sickening. His mouth was now moving faster than his mind. "Then do it!" He shouted, now pushing himself off of the ground to stand up.

"Maybe I will?" Herobrine stepped closer to the bars with a dark glare. "Don't test me."

The miner looked at the floor with a deep frown, dejected that the being was acting this way after their trust talk and appearing to be on decent terms. "If… if you really want to then go ahead. I'm as good as dead anyways. Why delay the inevitable right?" It hurt Steve to say it but his death was bound to come sooner or later in this horrid place and that was only half of the nightmare until his soul is taken.

Herobrine won the argument and it was everything but satisfying, in fact he was disappointed in his little victory and he didn't know why. "I do what I do because I have to, those souls are taken for a reason, but it's not only for revenge." He said more calmly. The miner looked back at him with a puzzled look, his mind was literally screaming for answers. "But it is none of your concern. Don't even ask, it is too much for one such as yourself to comprehend. You wouldn't fully understand without strong hate, which I know you don't possess."

"You said you 'have' to. It's more than revenge?" He shook his head and held out his arms. "Is something actually forcing you? Is that even possible?"

"I said not to ask." Herobrine lightly narrowed his eyes and gave a toothy sneer. "And no, I am not going to answer that. You don't need to know. So drop the matter and let's move on to the questions that I have to ask you."

The miner hung his head down in defeat. He couldn't help but wonder why. First he thought it was only revenge but now there's a reason beyond it? Maybe someone or something was making the hero and he followed orders on his revenge to humans? He was just going to have to wait and try to get on better terms with the being first if he was ever going to find out. "Fine, but if you'd answer a few of mine afterwards then I'd be more than willing to give you all answers in truth to the fullest. I'll even do whatever you want, without fight or protest. If that is okay with you?" Steve asked as he gestured with his open hand, he really should have thought about what he just said, he mentally slapped himself. He could just be walking onto the soulsand island and willingly let Herobrine cut him down at any time and that was a terrible thought.

The immortal folded his arms and contemplated. He didn't have to answer any questions by the human and if the man did decide to ignore him and try any stunts then he could just force him or kill him, but full cooperation would make things less annoying and he'd get all the answers he needed. "Only a few. Remember, you're only alive right now to answer to me. Afterwards, you know what is going to happen?"

Steve held his breath and only nodded. He really needed to get on Herobrine's good side and soon, if he is lucky enough then maybe… just maybe Herobrine would spare him or at least stop taking lives of the innocent. "Question then?"

"Don't you seem eager? I know you are trying to cover your thoughts with meaningless ones, so that is my first question. Why are you covering up the things you think up with old memories?"

He really didn't expect that to be the first. "Well, a little privacy never killed anybody. This whole question and answer thing would be pointless if you ask and then read what I am trying to put into words?"

"Good point. However, reading your answers through your mind is more difficult then you think. It takes a bit of energy too. When you remember things; it's harder to decipher because some of your memories overlap the others, so I won't be wasting my time or energy reading your thoughts unless I deem necessary. Besides, I have a little trust in you. Still, just a little. Now first off, why did you spare me and then try to 'save' me after our fight? You alone mortal had possibly the only opportunity to ever kill me and you waste it trying to wrap my wounds and drag me to safety."

"Actually, that is kind of the question I had for you, sort of." Steve said as he massaged the back of his neck and looked at the floor. "You didn't answer it before you left earlier." The miner sounded disappointed but shifted his tone to a more positive one as he spoke again. "I never wanted to kill you, well… at least until I knew the truth about you. I had Nigel and you I guess to thank for that. But remember what I said back there in our battle? I wanted to free you from yourself, free you from the curse of isolation and hate. I also promised Lionel to save you, though I was speaking to a portrait; I was really meaning to him in spirit."

"It's pointless to promise someone who is dead, you do realize that? I was going to kill you back there. Did you think that I would spare you, especially in my uncontrollable state?"

"I don't know? I wasn't thinking about what you would do since there was only one thing I knew you were trying to accomplish. I really got lucky in stopping you is all, otherwise I wouldn't be speaking to you right now. But you did spare me and even saved my life; of course after attempting to take it, but you did make up for it." He moved his lapis blue eyes back up to Herobrine. "You could have left me hanging from that wall or bleed to death on the floor, but you didn't. You even cut yourself to heal me, which I admit was strange and an excruciatingly painful method in healing, but I am alive now. Though, I am still here, wondering why?" He opened his hand and held it out before him while now staring at his palm, the cuts from the blade on his hands were gone now. "You didn't have to save the one who you thought was trying to kill you." He said blankly.

Herobrine exhaled. "I prevented your death at that moment in time because I owed you a debt for preventing my own death, though it would have been you to inadvertently cause it by cutting me with my own blade. Still, it would have been mine to take yours in an inadvertent manner as well. I lost control of myself when you cleaned my wounds, I was regaining consciousness and I thought you were torturing me like 'he' did back in the days of my punishment."

"You mean Brutus right?"

Herobrine silently nodded.

"So you became indebted to me after I saved you?"

"Correct. I was going to die because of you, but then you risked your life to save mine. You saved my life and I almost killed you for your- your help." Herobrine quickly turned away after he said that word. He didn't like it and he definitely didn't want to see the miner's expression. "But I owed you for risking your life and almost taking it immediately afterwards, so therefore I healed you and offered you the opportunity to escape alive, it was also a request from Lionel to fulfill one debt like he asked me to so long ago."

"So you made a promise to someone who was already dead?"

"No!" Herobrine tilted his head to the side with narrowed eyes. "I didn't necessarily make an official 'promise', but I did say to Lionel when he was still alive; that I would try to. So I did what he wanted me to, I paid a debt for the first time."

Steve's eyes widened and he softly gaped. "Wow, and to me of all people? Lionel's possible great grandchild?" He mused as he gently coiled his sore hand.

Herobrine relaxed his posture and looked back at the miner. "Yeah, you are like him in many ways." He admitted quietly.

"We almost killed each other, but ended up saving one another, crazy right? I mean, what kind of enemies are we?"

-Yes, what kind of adversary saves the life of the one they are trying to take? I must be going mad.- The being shook his head. "It matters not."

"I wanted to try and make you understand that not all humans are bad you know? Back at that fight? That is why I continued on into the valley from the start and risked death at every stop, it's why after you took me to Lionel's cabin did I become so much more determined to get through to you." The human said with an expression of determination. "When I saw what happened to Connor and Lionel in those memories that I know you never wanted to relive, I just couldn't give up anymore. I actually started to hate my own kind 'people' for a second there. Nigel told me that a lot of the civilians of the fortress put the blame on you; though it wasn't really your fault. I personally think that Brutus-"

"It was my fault." Herobrine interrupted. "I killed the child because I let my emotions gain control of me, I let rage and hate build up and I was negligent to remember that Connor was right there in the group of guards." His voice softened and his white gaze lowered. "I never meant to kill him, I didn't want to kill any of those humans at the time, I just wanted them to get out of my way. It was as simple as that, but they would not listen nor trust me. Though Brutus-" His tone darkened. "I wanted to make him suffer for the accusations and blocking the boy, but I didn't want to kill him at the time. Only after he tortured me every single night that I was hanging from the public stonings did I want him dead. But before that, I didn't want to take lives. I only wanted to save Conner!"

"Herobrine." Steve carefully moved closer to the bars with a deep frown and sad eyes, the powerful being's facial features were shaped into that of mixed sadness and rage. That look and what Herobrine had said was quite unexpected, it was genuine.

"After killing those men and many others from my uncontrolled rampage, along with that child; I was deemed a demon and forced into painful executions that failed to deliver me to the embrace of death. I suffered so much for so long. Brutus visited me every night at the stone pillar and drove a blade that he considered was a 'form of justice' into my body and he dragged it around and cut me over and over again. He stabbed and hacked away while quietly reminding me of my murders, he even whispered his intentions and it was then when I never felt a hate so strong. He said that he was glad that I killed the heir, the Sovereign has no more children to inherit the leadership of the fortress and his wife had died from an illness only a few years after having Conner. The rest of his family were either dead or missing, they either died or disappeared before I showed up.

The Sovereign favored Brutus out of all of the sentinels long before my arrival, but then I took that attention away as some divine figure I was speculated to be; powerful and with many abilities and powers. I became the favorite and most trusted of them all, or at least until I killed Conner."

"So you're saying that Brutus would be chosen for the throne if something happened to the Sovereign and his son?"

"Exactly. Brutus killed Lionel the day after they tried to burn me alive. My brother burnt himself pretty badly after fishing me out of the lava pit. The reason you couldn't tell in the memory was because he was wearing his silver gauntlets, his burns also debilitated him in his fight with Brutus and that was a leading cause in his death." Herobrine balled his shaking hands into fists and ground his teeth, it was very evident that he was getting mad quick. "He couldn't defend me or himself. The other sentinels didn't even defend him, they only stood there and watched as Lionel was overpowered and left there to die once that bastard pinned him down with his blade. Well, perhaps one of them at least tried for Lionel. One of the sentinel twins named Kaith tried to stop the leader but Brutus killed him at the spot with the twin's own sword and marked the man's attack as an act of betrayal. Then the twin's sister Kalen then tried to kill Brutus for the murder of her brother, but he had slain her as well with her brother's sword. That's why there was two unmarked graves near Lionel's, they too had their names shamed and were given improper burials. They were also considered traitors but they didn't care for me, thankfully they had the honor for Lionel at least. They were spared of my wrath upon my return."

"Herobrine, I'm sorry." Steve said with an apologetic tone, now wrapping his hands over the bars by the cell's door. He couldn't imagine how awful it must have been to watch the entire situation play out, though he himself only saw the end results of the fight. But to spectate as Lionel struggles to wield his blade with burned and injured hands; to fight with such a debilitating pain. Herobrine being absolutely hopeless to aid someone so important to him must have been the most toughest situations to ever face, especially since he is probably the most strongest humanoid alive on the Overworld. From being the strongest to the most useless, can't even speak. Lionel was ruthlessly murdered in front of his best friend and Herobrine couldn't even say goodbye or reach back to his brother.

"Don't apologize, you have no reason to."

"I- it's just- it must have been bad to watch all of that. I saw Lionel and you, but I never knew that Brutus was a ruthless murderer under all that heroic talk."

"He was, more than anyone ever knew. The people of the fortress supported that damned bastard and supported Lionel's execution after they found out that he pulled me from the flames. They never cared about him, they hated him enough for trying to prove my innocence and interrupting the stonings. He plead with honesty and tried to tell them that I had lost control and wasn't acting myself; but no one believed him. They sure as Nether didn't believe me before I was silenced, they wouldn't even allow me to speak with Lionel before my silencing. I told the Sovereign my case that Brutus was preventing me from reaching the boy after he apparently got shot by an assassin, but he didn't believe me; especially not after wrecking a large portion of the settlements and killing people left and right from my blinding rage.

I deserved to be silenced and paralyzed for that and even for Conner's death, but NOT being openly tortured for months as they tried to punish me further and destroy me! Definitely not being cast into the Nether for all eternity! This damned place!" The being hammered one fist against the prison door to release built up rage, the door snapped open in the blink of an eye and barely clung to the hinges, it had a large dent in it.

Steve lightly jumped from the abrupt strike against metal. He hoped that Herobrine wasn't going to loose his cool and go into his uncontrollable state.

"All of the humans partook in my suffering and so I made a solemn oath to myself to get revenge somehow and so I did. I still do." He darkly snarled.

Steve quivered in his spot. "How? How did you escape this place?"

"You don't need to know! I'm done with this question!" He tramped from side to side on the other end of the bars. "Just talking about it makes me relive those memories."

"I don't mean for you to relive some of those bad times, I just don't know enough."

"You don't need to know more, that is unless you want to live them yourself do you?" Herobrine said as he moved his face close to the bars, making the miner take a step back with much unease. "If you did then you'd be right there to see every bit of pain they gave me, every little cut to the times they drove torches into my healing wounds. I'd make sure you get every last detail." Herobrine glared with bright white eyes.

Steve backed away from the bars and shook his head back and forth, obviously not wanting to see what they did to Lionel again. It was too much to bare. He was almost afraid that Herobrine was going to take more of his anger out on him. "No, no no no. No I-I'm good." 'Please calm down. Please calm down.' He mentally plead. "I already got to feel some of your pain in one of those memories of the stonings, I know your pain. I don't need more. I just-"

"If you want, I can put you in place and allow you to feel all of my pain? How about that?" He whispered angrily in the miner's mind. "Then you'll get all of the answers you need, but then you'd be sitting in an ocean of lava for what will seem like years; though it only be a few hours in real life. Do you want to burn? I could just take you outside and throw you into the lava and let you feel that."

"No, forget it!" He shouted. "You're right, I don't need to know and experience everything, some questions are meant to be left unanswered."

"I wouldn't have to even remember them if you hadn't come along."

"Sorry about that, truly. I was just trying to do whatever I could to save my friends and eventually try and help you."

"I don't need your help mortal, some memories were meant to be forgotten. What I do is my business and mine alone." Herobrine said without facing the miner. He looked at the cell door then slowly moved over to it. He grabbed the bent-out-of-shape doorknob then ripped the door from it's hinges in one strong pull.

This sudden and unexplained action had Steve backing into a corner with a frightful expression. "Herobrine, what are yo-"

"Come mortal, I have another test for you." Herobrine moved out of the doorway and crossed his arms in annoyance as the human refused to move.

"What kind of test?"

The being growled. "To see if I can trust you more, what else?" He said irately.

"I thought you said you were only going to trust me a little?"

"I didn't say that you couldn't earn more. If you do pass this test then I might just spare you a little longer. All of this is just a waste of my time, but I made a gamble and I lost. So unlike you mortals turning on your word; I will see mine through. You will try to gain my full trust and in return you live longer. You do want to live longer don't you?"

The miner quickly nodded and then approached the door with caution and without a word. The old hero didn't seem like he was in a good mood and Steve sort of blamed himself for putting that man into the bad temper. Steve stepped out of his cell and silently waited for Herobrine to lead him to wherever it was that he was going to next.

Herobrine messaged his temples, a headache was painfully stirring and it was making him mad. He took deep breaths as he watched the human step out of his cage and stand there like a frightened animal. Suppressing memories was hard and just even thinking about the golden sentinel made him furious, so he removed that disgusting image of a human out of his mind and focused on getting to the next area. He turned around and began walking with the miner in tow, he didn't have to worry about the man making a break for it because he wouldn't know any way out and even if he did the Nether's mobs would get him. "We'll answer more questions on the way to the your next cell, just don't ask nor answer any that has anything to do with Brutus or I will kill you, got it?" He tilted his head back and Steve nodded again in fear. "Good."

"I w-won't try to." Steve started with a stutter. "I really didn't mean to upset you and bring back those memories. So just show me the way and I'll answer the next question you have. Though I really don't see the point in moving my cell, I was doing fine… at least when I got something to eat and drink anyways. So- what kind of test do I have now?"

"I can only trust you a little so I am going to put you to another test, if you pass this one then I'll know for sure that escape will never cross your mind. I'll definitely know that everything you say is out of pure truth. That is if you don't want to earn more trust?"

"I do want to earn more trust." The miner hastily answered with coiled hands. "I want to prove to you that you can trust humans again! We're not all bad!" He said a s he placed a hand over his heart like making an oath. "I mean some have higher opinions of others and many more that rely on rumors and old tales, so there is some that will resent you of that but I will prove to you that I don't!"

"Very well, this next one will put your fears to the test and will prove to me that you are indeed trust worthy That is unless you fail."

"I won't! I promise!"

Herobrine deeply frowned. "More promises? How do you know that you'll even keep them? Especially for the next hardship I have in store? It is one of your worst fears."

Steve blinked and ran his hands down the sides of his arms with anxiousness. "Because I will… I will fight it. Or so I will try." He had a bad feeling about his next trial and it had him shivering even in the extreme heat.

"Why did you protect me in that stoning memory anyways? The second one." Came the being's voice in his head, it sounded a lot calmer than the last thing spoken.

He was nervous, trying to keep himself from mentioning anything about a particular sentinel. He wondered why Herobrine was even asking such a question that was closely related to his apparent tormentor. "You were ...being hurt, you looked to be in so much pain and so it just wasn't right to leave you like that. I couldn't stand by and watch anymore."

"But you hardly even believed the old man."

"Yes, but then I saw that picture hanging up on the wall. If was all the proof I needed. Then I was trapped in the memory by you and you were getting pelted by stones and some of the people were stabbing you like they had done in that painting, I just couldn't stand there and do nothing, it wouldn't have been right." He said more quietly. "And now that I think about it, a lot of wrong has been done to you Herobrine but you never deserved it. We're blind, blind by our lack of judgment."

"And the lava pit?"

"Oh that? That was honestly just me feeling horrible about your position."

"I tried to kill you." Herobrine stopped in his tracks and stared at the miner. "Once I got a hold of you I was going to make you suffer greatly before death. I had planned to stab you a few times and break your body then leave you to be devoured by zombies alive. Can you honestly say that you would still save me back there if you knew that?"

Steve deeply frowned and looked away briefly. "I don't know? I really tried to save you then because of the pain you were in. The smell of burning flesh is just sickening. Your cries were… too much to take. I wanted to escape you and I knew that helping you out of the lava could be 'the' worst mistake in my entire life, but I couldn't leave you there to suffer. You had suffered enough as it is. Nigel told me your history though some of it was a bit off but I got the gist, so yes. I would have still helped you. I would probably run for my life afterwards like I did once I actually helped you out. But yeah." The miner's thoughts trailed.

"You have no reason to help your enemy."

Steve sighed in exasperation. "Well what can I say? I have a big heart and you're just misunderstood. I think that if other people out there knew about your reasons for the things you've done or what you went through; then they'd feel the same. There's people out there who want to help others Herobrine, I might be a busy miner with only a handful of friends and an awkward social life; but I'm not heartless."

Herobrine didn't want to believe it. There was no mortal this… this kind. Maybe foolish but not this sympathetic. He could see himself still struggling to stay above the molten surface and then there was Steve, lying belly flat and reaching a stone block down near the lava. The man almost slipped but he continued to move his hand downward until he stuck the block just above the pit which allowed the immortal himself to climb on to escape the blistering burns to his flesh. Steve was a foolish one to give his enemy reprieve and escape.

"Saving me either of the times may just be your greatest mistake. Must you be so foolish mortal?"