Hero's Bane
Chapter 54: The Risk
Added a good chunk of content
Edited 5/1/2022
Steve shook his head in disbelief. Surely whatever or whoever created Herobrine didn't purposely intend on making the being as an object of destruction, definitely not a monster. "You're not a monster Herobrine."
"Why do you think that?" Herobrine spun on his heels until he faced the miner directly. "The last I remember in our conversation was 'that sentinel' telling me that Notch-" Herobrine hissed. "Was looking out for my brother as he did for everyone who honored him and praised him. After that; I don't remember anything but white and great hate because of that lie. Only after hearing your plea did I come to and realized what I had done, and what I was still doing. I was choking you and slamming you into the Nertherbrick pillar."
That explained Steve's back and neck pain. The miner softly ran has hand down the side of his throat, it was really sore. How Herobrine had gone mad seemed reasonable, though going completely out of his mind was from something he still wasn't sure about. Herobrine had been deeply torn and betrayed by one man who had apparently plotted out the takeover of the fortress and had gotten both the Sovereign and his people to believe him, all so that they too would persecute and torture Herobrine and make a way to receive the throne.
"So after trying to kill you why do you think that? Go ahead and consider all of the other times I've tried. Tell me." The being lightly demanded. "Or allow me to show you what Brutus thought, he had made good points when torturing me and the truth was very clear."
Steve bit his lip and shook his head. "That's not necess-"
...
"Necessary-." Steve paused after he blinked and once again found himself in a place that wasn't where he was currently at, Herobrine was showing him a memory again. "Isn't this risky?" The miner spoke out after finding himself in a dark and cold dungeon cell with Herobrine lying quietly on the floor; just like when Lionel had first found him detained. He moved over to Herobrine and kneeled down next to him. "You almost killed me over a memory with that guy, you don't have to do this." He exclaimed to the old motionless hero but got no response, the being didn't even look in his direction. "Herobrine!" He shouted, again no response nor attention.
The doors to the dungeon then swung open, Steve couldn't see anyone from behind the cell's iron bars but he could hear one set of steps from a single individual; he felt his stomach drop at the sounds of chinking armor echoing down the hallway. He had a sickening feeling of where this memory was going and he honestly didn't want to partake in it since Herobrine mentioned torture. The miner swallowed his nervousness and stood back up and backed away from the paralyzed form. "Please, stop. Don't do this again Brine, you don't have to prove anything." He plead, but again he was met with silence.
Steve huffed and watched as the tall golden sentinel walked on by, passing up the cell in a casual stride. The miner felt himself sigh in relief that the man had moved on and that maybe Herobrine was honoring his wish, but even so he wasn't snapping out of the vision. Steve was still trapped in the cell with Herobrine. "Uh, Herobrine?" The footsteps came to a stop a few seconds later.
"I'm here to relieve you of your duties officer. Please, go and get some rest. You've earned it." Came a deep and stoic voice.
"Thank you sir." Another male voice responded, though it sounded a little younger and more softer. "Oh and don't forget to take it a little easier on him this time, he has a trial tomorrow and you know the Sovereign hates when prisoners are covered in blood. It's very unsightly and it's inappropriate for an open trial and it's attendees."
"But of course, I won't mess him up too much, I'm aware of the abomination's proceedings. I just want to have a little chat is all, mostly anyways before his final sentencing."
"Do you think they'll find a way to kill him?"
"I- I do not know, not as of yet. He's practically immortal, so even after the trial it may take some time to find a way of fully disposing him. Because you know he's guilty and can't defend himself in court. Can't talk nor move, thankfully." He snorted heatedly. "I have a feeling that our traitor sentinel will try and defend him, but he can't do anything even if he wants to. He was gone throughout the whole assault and murders; only returning in time to see the villages outside going up in flames."
"The Sovereign loves Lionel, the most he'll do is strip him of his title and have him moved to a lower tier guardsmen position, even if he does something as foolish as to defend Herobrine."
"It matters not. He won't stop the demon from receiving the maximum punishment, he 'did' kill his son after all."
"No." Steve whispered then moved up to the bars as now two sets of steps started back in his direction, he squeezed the metal rods in anger; the way Brutus said that last bit sounded so suspicious.
The younger guard laughed. "You know, I'm not sure how you had that pulled off and didn't get caught by Herobrine that night."
"Simple, he was taken by surprise. Herobrine had let his guard down, being on the 'safe' streets of the towns and so trusting that the night watch would do their job so well." Brutus said as him and the guard now stop before the cell holding the old hero and Steve. "All it took was getting him into a comfort zone, Conner made a good distraction as well; looking for something he could never find. Such a naïve but kind child, if only he wasn't an heir to the throne; he would have gotten to live."
"You monster." Steve growled with narrowed eyes that were on the verge of spilling tears, glaring daggers at the muscular brunette that seemed to always have a perfect, upright, and militaristic posture. "You killed Conner and you're so open with it? Sick bastard!" He shouted with a toothy sneer forming on his face.
"Just have to bribe with a bag of diamonds and emeralds to one of the revolutionaries, one of the more professional ones that I've been trying to keep out of jail, it's not easy covering their tracks but they are good at what they do."
The guard nodded. "Yeah, the more unskilled ones always get caught and the Sovereign is too light on their sentencing." He then turned to the golden plated sentinel. "You are still going to grant me that promotion you promised right?" He asked with furrowed brows.
Brutus nodded and folded his arms. "Of course, only a handful know of our takeover plans. Once we poison the next meal of our lord and he passes and is no longer in our way; then I'll hold my end of the deal and make you the next gold sentinel as promised. I trust you with our every conversation and you shall be rewarded. The other sentinels might not like the sudden change but by then they'll have no right to question me once I assume the throne. I am next in line after all."
"Alright, thanks Brutus. I'll see you tomorrow night."
The man in gold armor tipped his helmet. "Of course, and goodnight." Both him and Steve watched as the prison guard exited the dungeon and the Brutus pulled up a set of keys. He unlocked the door and smiled down at the incapacitated hero. "Now where were we?" He stroked his beard and chuckled lowly.
The miner looked down at Herobrine to see him angrily sneering in silence with narrowed eyes, unable to say or do anything. "Brutus, don't you dare touch him!" Steve ran at him to bust his jaw but phased right through the man, he then stumbled forward and used the wall to catch himself. He turned back around and his eyes widened.
The golden sentinel had already pulled Herobrine off the ground by the collar of his shirt and smashed his fist into the immortal's face, busting up his nose and making crimson flood from his nostrils. "I can't get too rough with you tonight you demon, be grateful for that. It's nothing personal, that is what I would say if I was being honest." He then ran another fist into the side of the hero's face. "But you know me, you always did. I was the leader. I was the one to command everyone in the squad. ... I was the favorite, I was the one destined for the throne next should something ever happen to the inheritor; but no." The man shook his head and narrowed his eyes. "You took his favor from me, that being 'all powerful' and loved by his son would put you in such a high position. The Sovereign even tried to give you my place as the golden sentinel, to someone who never had to even work for it!" He said with his voice raising. Brutus then kneed Herobrine in the stomach multiple times with much force, making the white-eyed man sputter with pain.
"Stop!" Steve shouted and moved closer to the two but he could only stand there and watch in silent resentment, he could do nothing in the memory.
"You." The guard hissed. "You are the monster that should have never came, all that power you have is unnatural and only suitable for a demon. Notch would never send someone so cursed and with such abilities to aid us. Don't think I hadn't notice how you sometimes when get 'too into' fights with mobs or rebels, that disgusting bloodcurdling grin you sometimes wear. Not to mention the fear you instill within everyone, even me. I hate it!" He then slammed Herobrine into the back wall of the cell and started punching him across the face. "Lionel said we overcome it, and yet I still sometimes shudder at the very thought that someone as powerful as you could have so easily destroyed our fortress, killed all of the civilians, and taken the throne without so much as a few motions of your own two hands or a simple cursed spell from those vile lips." Brutus then roughly threw Herobrine to the ground and proceeded to stamp on the man's chest.
"Stop Herobrine!" The miner shouted with his hands coiled into fists, tired of watching the torture and listening to the the corrupt guardsmen. "Please!"
The golden guard slowed his stomps but continued to do so, ignoring the hero's gasps. "So easily how you could take over and command authority over all of us. You could have an iron fist and and bend anyone to your will if you so pleased, none of us could outmatch your strength. You've made my long awaited plans to take the throne be halted years ago, making even someone like me too afraid to even try with your powers and abilities, always around the castle and on such good terms with our Sovereign. It was likely only a matter of time before you grew bored enough and forcibly take the throne for yourself, you did always wonder what it was like to sit on the throne." The man stopped his assault then smiled widely with a crazed look in his eyes as he caught his breath. He then chuckled loudly.
"But I got you before that could happen, now I can finally have the takeover without major risks; or shall I say the greatest risk. The fortress's eyes and ears, the guard dog."
"Shut up Brutus, Herobrine would have never taken the throne!" Steve defended on deaf ears. He could see the old hero looking almost shocked from Brutus's claims.
"Whether if you would have taken the throne or not, I couldn't allow you to stick around. You're not human, you're not even remotely normal. I would never succeed in my plans to take the Sovereign's position, his kid was in the way as well. You want to know why Conner wanted to play around the town that night and not in some stupid cave or on a hill like always? It's because over that week with Lionel off on his little honeymoon; I was tasked with taking care of him in your brother's place for the most part. 'I' had made him take interest in staying out late, promising things that he would see that he's never seen before while also bribing him with sweets. That's why he didn't ask you to take him out somewhere that night and was acting a bit off than his usual bouncy self, just so that I could have an assassin shoot him and frame you and to get you out of my way after all these years.
With Lionel out of the way as well, there would be no witnesses to the assassination. Don't think I don't know how you two like to hang out on night shifts." His grin fell some and he tilted his head a bit. "But even with the failed attempt to quickly kill the kid, you finished the job and did that... all ... on ... your ...own." He said with a mocking tone. "You might not believe me when I or anyone calls you a monster, well you sure proved to everyone that night that you truly were." He placed his hands back behind his back and gave one final kick to Herobrine, nailing him right in the chest as the hero gave him a guilty look. Herobrine grimaced.
"I might be a monster myself with my ambitions to rise to power, but at least my intentions are for the greater good of our future. Our Sovereign is weak, weak-minded, old, naïve, foolish, too soft and lenient. He's the reason why we have a rebellion slowly coming on the horizon that threatens our very lives and legacies, why we have people disrupting the peace for a better change. I will correct all of the things he refuses to touch and lead our people to a grand future.
But you, you are a monster greater than I." The golden guard shook his head and frowned. "You nearly killed me that night as well, thankfully I survived by landing on a ledge in that fissure you opened up. Sadly, I lost a few good men that day. You went rampant and caused great destruction to the towns, setting buildings ablaze, summoning mobs into the streets, literally tearing through people and homes like a revenger. I've never seen such a force of destruction and chaos, surely nothing that Notch himself would create. ... Not to mention that you finished off that boy."
Steve gaped, his anger subsiding as he looked upon Herobrine's hurt and guilty expression, he fell onto his knees and closed his eyes. "He's wrong." He whispered.
"You should have never listened to Lionel and come here, you don't belong and you never will. Our human affairs are of no concern to inhuman beings such as yourself. I will try to spare Lionel of his nearing fate, but something tells me that he will have to be eliminated; it's a shame really. He holds so much promise and is a good at his job, but he's also very stubborn and persistent like his father and holds too much honor for his friends. He's a fighter alright." The man then proceeded to the exit of the cell and slammed the door shut behind him, he then made a side glance at the grounded man. "Now be a good 'man' as Lionel claims you are and accept your punishments, though I doubt you will. If you go rampant again then there's no telling if the cursed bindings could even hold you down, let's hope the shamans find a way to get rid of you before that happens. It'd be a terrible shame if you accidently killed your human brother too. Until the trial demon." The man finished and made his way down the hall.
...
"He's wrong!" Steve shouted.
"Even after listening to Brutus, seeing my destruction of the town itself in my rampancy from 'my' own perspective, and the accidental murder of the boy; you still don't believe that I was made a monster?"
The miner's eyes opened and he looked up to see Herobrine just a block away, silently staring down at him with a blank expression.
Steve shook his head. "Of course not."
The old hero sighed and turned his back to the human. "You know of my capabilities Steve, you know what I did. You know my hate. You know that I have enjoyed killing humans for centuries, laying waste and ruin in my wake. When will you open your eyes and see the truth? I show you it and yet you refuse to accept. Foolish human." He narrowed his eyes.
"Well-" Steve paused to reword some of his thoughts. All of the times he could have been killed by Herobrine were sort of dismissive since the powerful being was just doing what he thought was right by killing people out of vengeance, though it's completely wrong even when Steve himself saved him only to stay on the man's kill list. Herobrine still has another reason as to why he had to kill the miner, but he won't share his other motive. But still, the old hero had said something only moments ago that made Steve think and forget about being on the kill list.
"Are you going to answer anytime soon? I'm not a patient man." Herobrine tapped his foot in impatience. "Or, am I going to have to waste more energy reading your thoughts? I would rather go ahead and do so but going out of mind and sharing memories has greatly drained me. I need rest."
"Okay then." Steve said nervously, hoping not so say anything to set the being off again. "Whoever created you probably didn't create you to… kill people and go berserk, I mean- that just sounds ridiculous. Anyone with that kind of ability wouldn't want to waste-"
"Waste time and power for something destructive and terrorizing? A damned sick and twisted one would, people like that exist, so could higher beings." Herobrine muttered into the miner's head. "What if I was created for the soul purpose of being a monster?" Herobrine looked back down at his palm and then balled it into a fist.
Steve let his shoulders sag in defeat, there would be no point to put down his statement without viable evidence which was pretty much impossible since gods didn't descend from the Aether and create people right in front of existing ones. However, created to destroy or just to exist as some different being, the old hero didn't have the desire to kill when he first appeared so why would he believe in being a monster when he didn't act like one now and the time before he hated humans? "Okay. You can see it like that if you want but, I still say you are not a monster. You might lose control and go mad from some kind of glitch in the making of you, or maybe just out of madness, but even if you had been made to destroy, you don't have that desire. Or at least you didn't in the memory."
This made the being slowly turn on his heels with his eyes trained on the miner, his mouth was slightly agape from the man's words.
"Tell me Herobrine, did you want to kill people back in that first memory you had earlier of meeting Lionel? Cause if I remember it from your point of view… your eyes, then I say you didn't. You searched for humans to observe them though you said you'd be forever alone because everyone feared you, but when an opportunity arises to meet one you took it because you wanted it, you took the chance mostly out of curiosity but I know that you wanted to show humans that you were not a monster. You sought out Lionel when he needed help to show that you were a living being with a conscious and that you cared if he lived or not, regardless if you scared humans.
Then you sought his friendship because that is what you wanted more than anything after living for so long in isolation, there's not much to go from the rest of that memory since it ended before I could see more; but these human emotions, wants, and reactions are the exact opposite of a monster's. Monsters only seek to destruction and care only for themselves. You on the other hand; apparently didn't have the desire to destroy but to create a bond with mankind. Or… At least that is what you first intended right?"
Herobrine gaped quietly before his surprised expression fell into a frown. "I can't believe it, but what you speak is truth. Unfortunately, I no longer want any ties or bonds to humans, I now seek to kill them and make them pay. This is what makes me a monster now."
"But were you created as one is still the question you need to ask yourself. Some human's actions against you might have made you into somewhat of a monster, but if you were a real one then you wouldn't have left those open chances for me to escape you. You would have killed me from the get-go just because you could. You wouldn't have even wasted your blood in saving me when I was dying on your blade, and you wouldn't have put me through trials of trust and pull my hide away from those desperate souls." Steve looked to the floor at his feet with a solemn expression. "You wouldn't have done any of that. You would have just killed me back at the fortress, or even in the dark side ravine and moved on by now if you were one."
"I only wanted answers, that is why I brought you to the Nether in the first place and why you are not dead yet." He gestured with a hand. "I spared you a couple times because I was indebted to you, the escape chances were there for the same reason. Like for helping me get out of the lava pit and for boldly dragging me back to the small house and sparing me from possible death; while risking your own death in the process. As I had sworn with Lionel; I pay all debts in full, though yours has been the first that I have ever fully paid one to a human. Aside of those reasons; I am still a screw up, a destructive being who loses control through various memories and fits of anger. Obviously I was never intended for good."
Steve looked up. "But you were made one by mankind through our actions, not necessarily and physically made one by a deity. And not every human wanted to inflict you with pain and suffering, Lionel didn't. I don't. I don't think Conner or Nigel would either. I am not quite sure when it comes to Notch though."
Herobrine narrowed his eyes for a few seconds before turning away. He wanted so much to blame his creator, even Notch for his fearful being whether he created him or not. Someone needed the blame so why not the one that hated him enough to dump him into the Nether for all eternity? Herobrine couldn't admit that Steve was possibly spouting the truth since Herobrine didn't want to harm humans a long time ago, but his creator still takes the blame of making him unstable and cursed, as for humans; they now only get what they deserve for their actions and lies.
Steve saw Herobrine cross his arms, the being apparently didn't like what he had to say. "Okay, one made 'mostly' by man."
"It matters not, my opinion over this topic stands as it has for centuries. Just as it has since I realized my mistake of wasting my days and time on protecting those traitors and for venerating that bastard. I cannot wait until my next hunt. Once I kill enough I will scream out to Aether and then silently curse that damned god. I'll make him hear me one way or another!"
Hearing that last part made Steve go pale. Herobrine seemed like he hated being a monster but he still wanted to act like one by killing? That's not the kind of attitude he had when told him that he almost killed him a minutes ago, his voice sounded like it was drenched in regret but now it was filled with venom once again. "You said you almost killed me, the way you sounded… it just seemed like you really didn't want to."
Herobrine dropped his angered expression and raised a brow. It was true that he didn't want to kill the miner, he lost that desire when the man saved his life. So why was he saying this?
"You say you are a monster." The human began again. "I know you don't want to be one so why do you want to continue acting like one by killing dozens of innocent people and taking their souls? Why do you act like the one thing you despise being?"
"That is none of your concern." The white-eyed man sneered. "I said not to ask that again. The reasons are not important to you. I AM a monster so doing what I do is acceptable. No, I never wanted to be one but that cannot change what I am now, not after feeling this hate for humankind and bringing my wrath down upon them. I've claimed many lives and souls over hundreds of years so there is no return to normalcy or the undoing my work, what has been done cannot simply be undone. The open rift I have from your kind cannot mend and seal, the gap that keeps peace between me and your kind is severed completely."
"Then where do I stand before you?" Steve asked with his eyes locked onto the floor.
Herobrine growled lowly to himself. He hated to think about things like this and feel things he wasn't certain of. He wasn't even sure where the miner was when it came to the rift. Maybe he was somewhere above it or to the side, possibly inside of it? That pretty much placed Lionel in the same spot too. As much as he didn't want to admit to himself; he didn't want to kill Steve. Like Lionel; he had become fond of human company once more, though this time it's limited and strict company, but this one went out of his way to understand him and took torment and pain without running away when he could have. That miner gave up everything to prove a point.
This one even threw himself towards death's embrace for trust which was similar to Lionel defending him with his life, so there was some kind of companionship with the miner. But at the same time; this human was making him weak, wasting time for trust that shouldn't even exist anymore for his kind. It was bad enough to waste time and not supply souls to his liberator but even more that he was changing. He still wasn't even sure what was changing but it was distracting him from his debt paying.
"Herobr-?"
"Enough with this conversation, it annoys me!" Herobrine turned around and began to walk back towards the miner.
Steve quickly nodded in agreement, he really didn't want to press Herobrine back into his uncontrollable fit again. The risk wasn't worth it. Just a few minutes ago he would have been dead and all because of little question and one name that sparked a hate so strong. "Wha-what now?" Steve asked with nervousness.
Herobrine held out both of his hands as he walked and something began to materialize out of thin air as he got even closer.
Steve was almost afraid that Herobrine was going to summon his swords to finish the job but he had doubt in his mind, the powerful man still had questions and he promised more time. There was doubt but a tiny piece of uncertainty always remained with him when it came to Herobrine. The miner's eyes widened as a sudden delicious aroma filled his nostrils, it smelt like cooked meat and the fresh smell made his stomach flop in and groan delight. His dry mouth suddenly became moist once again and he didn't even think it was possible after being in the burning world for so long without enough water or food. He blinked and blinked again as Herobrine reached him with two fully cooked chunks of meat in both of his hands, they were large steaks that looked well done at that. He eyed them carefully as Herobrine held them out to him, not sure if he should just quickly grab them and devour them with haste like his body was practically demanding him to, or if he should show some respect and not show offence by greedily taking the food out of the hero's hands. He fought his internal instinct to fill his starved stomach and waited patiently.
The white-eyed man noticed how hungry the miner looked but Steve had showed self-control and kept his hands on his lap. "You have proven your trust, so here." He held them closer and the human reluctantly took one and only one which was unusual for a staving creature. Herobrine looked at his other hand to see the other steak still there. "I know you are hungry Steve, just take both. You have earned them. You'll live longer."
Steve really couldn't help but smile, he resisted the urge to chow down like a desperate hungry animal and took the other from the being. Once Herobrine fully stood back up did Steve finally take one of the steaks and bit down into it, as soon as the reminiscent flavor touched his tongue he leaned his head back with an audible hum. The meat was delicious just as he remembered, sort of like the ones he had a few weeks back before even making it to the village outside of the valley. His body shuddered as he quickly swallowed the bit, now having the feeling of something solid for his body to digest instead of eating through his muscles and the lining of his stomach.
He took bigger and more quicker bites as the savory juices made his taste buds dance, he was starving and it was hard to slow down with the feeling of food filling his bottomless pit of a stomach. He made quick work of the first steak and wiped away some of the meat juices from the corner of his with the back of his hand, not fully realizing that low fizzling sound that was made when Herobrine materialized objects. He never really paid attention to the sound until now, Herobrine was at standing right in front of him so the small hissing noise soon had him looking up from the other steak that he has yet to eat to see Herobrine holding a bucket handle. This confused the miner but he waited quietly for the object to fully appear, now to notice that it was full.
"Drink it up quickly, it will not last long exposed to the heat." Herobrine placed the bucket down between the miner's outstretched legs and began to walk away.
Steve couldn't help himself. As soon as the pail of water touched the floor he grabbed both ends and brought it up to his mouth and held it firmly in his hands, letting surprisingly cold water flood his dried and itchy throat. He finally pulled it away to get a deep breath before moving it back up and tilting it forward to satisfy his endless thirst. He just couldn't stop taking big gulps, this was a craving he didn't think he could possibly satisfy; not after getting only a small amount from earlier. Small streams ran down the sides of his mouth, he didn't mind the trickling beads collecting on his shirt. He was even too thirsty to care that his other steak laid on the floor.
He finally pulled the bucket away again as footsteps echoed down the Nether fortress hallway. He strained his eyes to see Herobrine standing at the end of the corridor before a set of stairs that led down onto the next floor.
The being stopped and took a glance at Steve. "I must rest now, I have not yet recovered enough strength from the soul transfer. You are to stay on this floor, do not descend this staircase and do not go up the ones that head to the towers. Definitely do not go up there or I will be forced to silence you immediately, do I make myself clear?" He asked darkly.
Steve quickly nodded and resisted the urge to ask why, that would just upset the being so he kept his lips sealed.
"Good. It is also advised as I have said earlier to stay on this floor and away from the balcony. Going outside will likely result in death so do not go out there either." Herobrine kept a firm gaze on the miner and watched him nod again. "You just earned trust from me, don't go and break it or I will break you." He said quietly before turning his head and descending the steps.
…
Herobrine moved down a few more flights of stairs and down the long hallways with heavy footsteps, still raging war with his thoughts. He liked having someone to talk to after centuries of utter silence, but he still had a job that needed to be done. He was going to need to mass more souls again and very soon, and though he still harbored hatred for Notch's 'precious' beings; he was beginning to think he was going to find complications on his next hunt. The last one he did. It started out fun in his chase but after he got the young miner down things just… changed. The smell of blood wasn't as invigorating as it used to be and now killing most humans made his mind hazy, his hunts were no longer enjoyable. But bothersome almost. That couldn't be.
Herobrine shook his head in his own disagreement. He was going to enjoy his next hunt and he decided not to let complications arise. He was going to kill plenty and make up for his losses. If complications do arise then… Steve would have to go sooner than planned. The amount of souls remaining in the Nether was down past the minimum he had set a long time ago, there would be no telling what his great liberator would do to him if he failed to supply enough. If such a godly creature could free him from paralysis put on him by Notch and then give him powers; including that of being able to teleport out of the Nether; then the same creature could possibly take back his powers and leave the being paralyzed forever in the fiery wasteland.
Maybe the beast could even destroy him? This made Herobrine tense up in his walk. He was afraid; not of possible death since that was more of a reprieve from his solitary life, but of being powerless again and sealed in the Nether to be tormented by the fire mobs until the end of time. He couldn't risk failure. -So yes.- Herobrine agreed to himself. -If I don't get enough then Steve will die soon, regardless of the questions that I have yet to get answers to. I need every soul I can get to keep my debt steadily being paid, and if I have to take his to up the amount then so be it.- He coiled his hand and squeezed tightly.
He finally turned down a long hallway with a large door-less frame at the main end, he turned to his right at the other end and gazed upon a few fiery creatures with blazing rods swirling around them. They floated on a long and narrow Nertherbrick bridge sticking out of the fortress and exposed to the outside. The long platform abruptly ended forty blocks or so with a splintered end, looking as if it had taken damage from explosions. The bridge had been damaged a long time ago but Herobrine never cared enough to repair it. The break in the bridge happened several years ago when he brought a few of his prey to the blistering world and turned them loose for the Nether of it.
Most were either killed by him, or the mobs, and the hazardous environment. One had managed to get into the fortress somehow and so Herobrine chased him throughout the stronghold to put an end to the fleeting prey, the mortal got pretty far until he made a turn towards the bridge. Unfortunately for that poor guy; several giant floating creatures massed near the overpass that the human was crossing and had bombarded the frail being with explosive fireballs, abruptly ending the chase as they incinerated the man on the spot. There was barely anything left of the human, hardly no remains. Just two splintered ends of the bridge remained with a small burning heap of flesh and bones. Herobrine shook off the little recollection and headed towards his chamber, the memory wasn't as pleasant as he last remembered.
As the being entered through the large doorway he walked up a few Nertherbrick slabs and through a long corridor towards a red glow at the main end. Once he made it to the end; he walked into a large square of redstone torches that were neatly placed on the floor and he turned back around until he was facing the lengthy room and the empty doorway. His chamber looked like that of the throne room but it was smaller with shorter and thinner pillars with only a few single blocks of burning Netherrack lit towards the doorframe; keeping the main end of the chamber nice and dark for the being to relax and focus in.
Herobrine took a deep breath and closed his white eyes and stood quietly in the center of the dimly lit spot. He let his head fall forward a bit and his expression soften, he rose both of his arms up and held them out. After a few seconds; he lifted a couple inches off of the ground and let his body loosen up, he hovered in the air as he went into a deep meditative state.
…
Steve never took his eyes off of the spot where the powerful man descended, he wasn't sure where Herobrine went to but he knew that wherever he had walked off to that he was going to rest. This meant time for exploring. The idea of exploring a fortress in the Nether didn't seem like a smart one but Steve needed to find anything that could give him more information on Herobrine, anything. His time was limited but that didn't mean he still couldn't get on the being's good side and try to convince him to stop killing. If he couldn't do that then he'd at least try to persuade the godly man to stop tormenting the village and his friends. If he couldn't manage to get first then hopefully he could get the second, it would be perfect if he could have both options but that was highly unlikely and maybe impossible. Steve just couldn't let his life be wasted.
The miner first had to finish his food and water, he needed all the energy he could get if he was going to walk around in the heated fortress. He bit down into the other chunk of meat and made quick work of it. He then lifted the bucket up and noticed it was much lighter than before. The water was now warm and a lot of it had been evaporated as he chewed his steak, he took a sip and immediately stopped. The taste had changed, particles of the Nertherbrick in the air had made the pristine water more tainted and gave it a nasty flavor. It wasn't as good as it was minutes ago but there's not much of a choice now, he needed all of the water he could get. Ignoring the spoiled taste he tilted the bucket up once more and swallowed down the last of it, hoping to make every last drop count. He wiped the side of his mouth and placed the bucket at his side before leaning forward.
The miner instantly snapped back into his upright position with a yelp, hurting from a strong pain forming from the bending of his spine. Herobrine must have really hit him hard but he didn't recall being slammed that much, he was too immersed in memories to realize the pain being made. Actually, he didn't remember feeling any kind of pain in the memories, at least not physical ones. With a pained grunt he leaned forward again and winced as he moved onto his hands and knees, still not used to the new back ache. He grimaced as he moved a hand forward and pushed himself off of the ground. He stumbled forward a bit but managed to catch himself and stand still long enough to regain balance. He felt sore all over but he was determined not to let it stop him from moving about.
After fully standing up, he stretched his aching limbs and rolled his head, popping some bones in his neck back into their right place. He cracked a smile as he carefully bent his spine back and heard a small pop, he lurched forward a bit with the relieve of some pain. Now on his feet; Steve turned on his heels and scanned the huge throne room, looking through long narrow corridors that branched off the sides. He noticed immediately two large hallways on each side of the throne, one on the right and the other on the left. Then there was the one directly in front of the chair that had the staircase that went down. The interior of the fortress was almost the same design of the one back in the Overworld, but it lacked a few features and didn't have the multiple hallways and flight of stairs underneath it.
Steve walked up to the throne and then looked to his left and then his right, not sure of which way he should go through first, any hallway could lead him to multiple rooms or more halls. But he wasn't looking for a way to waste time but to see if he could find out anything that could help him learn more about the being. Ultimately, he walked away from the high chair and down the center to what should have been the main entrance but was only a large barred window. At the end of the corridor was the staircase that Herobrine used, but there were rooms that he could see branching off the of the walls at the main end passed the staircase. As he walked around the set of stairs his eyes immediately move to the barred window as a huge white creature floated by.
He carefully approached it and looked out to see the mob move up and away with it's tentacles propelling it through the air. The same mob looked like the one that was spitting explosive balls of fire at Brutus in the memory, and if he remembered correctly; then those things were destructive and deadly. Steve swallowed as the creature whined loudly as it moved away from the structure, the mob looked depressed but he was not going to let it's sorrowful expression fool him into believing that it was passive. He definitely had non plans of going outside of the stronghold, that would be suicidal.
He moved away from the bars and turned left, seeing the hallway he first saw when he walked down towards the window. It was small; only three blocks wide and three blocks tall, just like the other small corridors that he walked down when he went to his final trust trial deep beneath the fortress. He wasn't sure where it lead but he began to walk down it, wondering where it would lead him.
…
…
Steve sighed and wiped the sweat off of his forehead before it could evaporate. He had been walking for a while now, exploring rooms that were mostly empty or just filled with Nertherbrick creations that looked like furniture. He couldn't find anything useful, nothing that even related to Herobrine that could give any kind of information on the man. Steve stepped out of the small empty room and leaned his back against the outside wall, sighing in frustration. He was getting overheated and tired despite the food and water he was given, all he had done for over an hour and a half was practically nothing but walk around. He was half tempted to explore what was inside of the towers above but Herobrine ensured death immediately after telling where he could and could not go, going up was strongly warned against and was a trust breaker. Trust was placed in him to stay on the main floor so Steve had to obey, he worked hard for that trust and was lucky to get it.
He pulled himself off of the wall and began down the lengthy corridor, he still had a few other corridors he could search through but his hopes of finding anything was practically gone. He proceeded down the hall and made a left turn, just another lengthy hall awaited him but something was slightly different about this one. At the main end there appeared to be a connected hallway with a glow of light coming from it. Curious, Steve paced down to the main end and slowed as he got closer to the turn.
Strange huffing and sizzling sounds filled the miner's ears, he did not recognize these sounds but whatever it was didn't sound pleasant. Carefully approaching the branching hall; he stuck his back to the Nertherbrick and scooted closer to the three by three block doorway, being extra careful for the uncertainty of the noise maker. As he neared the edge he lightly peeked over the edge and swiftly moved his face out of sight. He then backed away silently and held his breath, keeping his eyes on the doorway. He saw a head sized ball of fire floating only feet away with blazing bars of fire spinning around it and somehow keeping the blazing ball hovering. The ball of fire had eyes but that wasn't even the freighting part, what scared him the most was flames all over the ground. It was like the mob caught everything ablaze as it moved around.
Steve continued to step back but as he could almost predict; the fire fiend came from around the bend and spotted him. It made a loud metallic sound and a deep gruff, the burning rods that spun around it began to circle the mob faster and an orb of fire suddenly flew from one of the spinning fire bars and flew directly at Steve.
He quickly dove to the side and took a quick glance to see the ball of flames slap the ground several blocks away and burn brightly. 'At least these don't explode.' He felt only a tiny bit of relief knowing that but as he turned around fear flooded his system and he was prompted to run. The problem he had with that though was that he couldn't. More fireballs flew at him and he moved back and forth to dodge them, he barely got hit by one and felt a sting of heat underneath his arm as he moved it up to avoid the flying flames. The small hallway made it difficult to dodge the fire and so he needed to get out of it and fast. He spun on his heels to find that his way back had been flooded with licking flames, there was no going back now.
A ball of fire flew by his head and almost hit him, Steve grabbed the side of his face from the intense heat that lightly licked his skin. The fire was very hot and he knew he had a burn now, his skin burned as he rubbed it. He quickly turned around and hastily ducked as another flaming sphere flew in the place of his head. The only way he had out was the hall behind the mob and he had to get to the other side if he was going to escape. He definitely couldn't fight the fire monster so he was going to have to risk getting passed it, likely getting burned in the process.
The miner took a deep breath and quickly dodged another fireball coming at him, he then took the opportunity to run whilst the mob prepared to attack again. He bravely ran towards the flaming creature and threw his arms up in front of his face as he brushed passed it. He instantly cried out as the heat ate as his skin when he shoved by, it stung and he rubbed his right arm as he ran. Nasty burning fumes made him halt in his cry to cough, the smoke burned his lungs and nearly made him gag for fresh air.
Coughing violently; the miner finally got out the fumes to examine that damage, he kept a quick pace as he did so. He couldn't see much damage but large welts crawled all over the side and underside of his hand and forearm, he patted away at the pained limb and glanced back as another flaming ball flew from his right side, the mob was flying towards him more fire coming right at him. He jolted to the side of the fire ahead of him and took the turn where the mob came from. His eyes widened to see a dead end up ahead. "No." Steve sharply inhaled and held his breath. He blinked again and saw a part of the wall missing, as he neared it he saw that the hole was big enough to fit through. He dodged a few more fire balls and slowed as he made to the damaged wall, he immediately stopped on his tiptoes when he realized that the hole lead to the outside world with lava and merciless monsters.
He gawked as he peered through it, finding nowhere to go but three to four stories down on a broken overpass that looked like it stretched far across the sea of lava to a small Nether bunker looking thing on the other end. He looked up towards the towers but there was no place to climb up on from his position. He finally exhaled and hastily looked for any other method to escape, he even turned back to the nearing mob and evaded more fireballs to see if he could get by it but the creature had lit up the entire hallway with fire as it moved through it. There was too much fire to jump across and the mob was floating down the center of the corridor to prevent any escape.
"Come on. Do something." He told himself as he looked away from the nearing mob and down to see the long jump he had to make. It was either jump or face the blazing mob. Why chance either way? Why the risk? He had no weapons so fighting it wasn't an option, not with his bare hands against fire. Running by it again and barely coming out unscathed would be impossible, not without burning alive from the fire all on the ground all down the hallway. The bridge however; wasn't directly underneath him so he had to get a running start and make a good leap or he was going to plunge into the molten rock below. He was likely going to die one way or another, but the chances of making it was slim either way More fire flew past him and Steve had made his decision. He only hoped that he wouldn't regret it.
Steve backed away from the hole, and ducked as another fireball that flew overhead and then he sprinted through the opening and leapt outwards with his arms stretched out. His eyes grew wide as the Nertherbrick came at him fast, he couldn't do anything now but fall.
He collided with the Nertherbrick railing and silently screamed as his chest and stomach slapped the flat surface hard, the air abruptly left him and he gasped quietly as he rolled away from the dangerous edge and down onto the overpass. He wrapped his arms around his stomach and wailed at what felt like pulses of lightning and fire shoot through his torso and limbs. Almost every nerve in his body pulsated and made every single movement; even the slightest ones hurt with intensity, his body continued to convulse from the impact.
Steve coughed to get air into his lungs and slowly rolled onto his side, trying to lessen the pain and stop his quaking. He couldn't stop shaking though, every place on his body but his left leg hurt. He was lucky to land mostly on the rail, his left leg was lucky to not impact the hard brick in his landing but his left knee did and it ached as bad as the other. A metallic sound with a deep gruff sounded in his ear and he quickly leaned up to see the blazing creature hovering down towards him with more spheres of fire flying off it's rods. Steve swiftly rolled away from a flying flame ball that hit his resting spot and he forced himself onto his feet despite his aching body. He knees felt weak and he wobbled a bit until he fixed his swaying stance by grabbing onto the Nertherbrick block rail and steadying himself.
"What have I gotten myself into?"