Hero's Bane

Chapter 62: Build Your Resolve

Edited 5/6/2022

The miner finally drew breath as his eyes moved onto the object in Herobrine's hands, the dark sphere had a nasty looking eye staring at him. He could tell from the look on Herobrine's face that he was not expecting the beast's order, but he appeared to be troubled by the thought. It still worried Steve though, Herobrine was unpredictable at times. Which meant that the being may just contemplate on doing what the monster wants out of fear from more waves of pain.

Herobrine moved his brightening gaze onto the round object in his regenerating hands and sneered darkly. "That is not part of our agreement Ender!"

"You are defending this mortal then?" Ender returned his gaze to his holder and stared right into the being's eyes, he got the answer from the initial expression he received. This made the out-worldly creature suspicious of something human and suspicious of …mercy. These notions shouldn't exist to a being like Herobrine. "I am surprised considering we hate all of them, especially ones that are far inferior to us like this frail and yet similar looking man. He's the one that brought you down? This pale, thin, and feeble looking mortal, defeated you? No human should have ever defeated you, even with your own powerful blade. I know that you aren't weak Herobrine; you have never shown any kind of weakness to me until now. The only way you could have ever lost was to hesitate, allowing an opening from being inattentive and distracted somehow. I could care less about how you fell in your battle as interesting as it seems; but I do want to know why you seem to reject my demand? … That is unless of course… he is your friend?"

The White-Eyed man ground his teeth and clenched onto the Eye with more force with his hands as the white light was slowly being replaced with tanned flesh. "I am not your slave!" He barked.

"Indirect answer, that only means one thing. You're trying to protect him aren't you? ... Hmmmm? No answers again? Bah, I knew it." The beast said with a low dull and disappointed tone. "I don't know why you would be open to such a sickening and pathetic thing as friendship after what humans did to you, but you seem so protective of this weakness in the form of a mortal." The eye's pupil moved back towards the miner and made the man take a step backwards in fright. "This one in particular that oddly looks a lot like you Herobrine, how strange indeed. You, human." It growled.

Steve put on a brave face and clenched his fists tightly, even though terrified, this thing is tormenting Herobrine. He wanted to speak but at the moment couldn't muster any words.

"Oh, you do look and sound so familiar. Heh heh heh. Ah, now I remember. It's been a long time, Steve. Though we've never got to properly meet until now. You were so naïve back then."

"H-how do you know my name?" The miner asked confusedly.

The voice then laughed aloud, making the ground lightly tremble as the miner looked on in fear and confusion. "Hmmm... It matters not, you couldn't do anything then, nor can you now. You are no different. Your return through favoritism will not help you, though I cannot help but wonder why 'He' brought you back after all this time." The creature hissed with a guttural sound.

Steve had absolutely no idea what the creature was saying, he's never seen or heard the monster until now. And what did it mean by 'favoritism'? The miner instinctively turned his attention to the old hero, wondering if he knew what the End lord meant. 'Herobrine, what is he talking about?' He asked through his mind.

Herobrine wanted to reply back for he had no clue either, but for the miner's sake he remained silent mentally; knowing that Ender could read him as he read the miner's mind.

"What's this? Herobrine, you've even mentally connected yourself to this human to enable communication? Why connect with your greatest enemy?"

"Notch is my greatest enemy, not this mortal." Herobrine defended with eyes narrowing thinly. "I wasn't open to any kind of conformity before he entered my domain, I've killed nearly all of my victims and claimed their souls in your name and I cursed 'His'! I wanted to kill Steve after toying around with him for a while, but things didn't go as planned!"

The echoing words of the old hero made the miner lose his shocked expression and have it replaced with that of upset, Herobrine noticed this and softened his tone a bit. "I could still be struggling in that pit of lava if it weren't for him, my own faltering got me into a mess and that human got me out of it. But even afterwards, I still had the intent on claiming his life, then again he surprised me with bringing up memories that I thought were forever gone. These memories didn't just come back from his appearance, but because of his actions in those interactive dreams. What that miner did had mirrored Lionel's."

"When we met for the second time you told me that your only human friend looked a lot like you, this one seems share the same look. That is where those distracting memories came from correct?"

The ex-hero nodded. "I had set up a final battle with this man and I allowed him to wield my sword since he had freed me of the lava. The sword had an adverse effect on him nearly the entire time he held it and it nearly killed him, he kept it and overcame the effects, then he somehow accessed it's power and adjusted to it's effect. I fell from a deep wound that could not heal from, Steve did everything he could to help me survive it." Herobrine snorted after swallowing more of his pride. "I was at his mercy and yet instead of killing me like mortals would have taken the chance; he did the exact opposite and spared my life. I wanted answers and so I brought him here to the Nether where he later gained my trust. He's not Lionel, but he's... similar."

"Still, he is your friend isn't he? … That makes you weak, more than you know considering who he really is. This thin fleshed creature is a human and it's worse that he's somehow prohibiting you from your task to me. You have become so feeble Herobrine, you've greatly disappointed me."

"Weak or not, leave him out of this. I will make up for my failures. I made a promise to, but don't expect me to be a slave because I am not."

"Actually, you kind of are." The thin pupil glanced at the shaking miner then back towards Herobrine with a deeper glare. "You've not only failed me once, but 'twice' in getting me souls. You will do whatever I say that will make up for these failures."

Herobrine wanted to crush the item in his hands so badly. He used to share the mutual feelings of the beast but now he couldn't stand the idea, especially after it said that he was practically a slave. He would never agree to that. There was no binding contract nor exchange of words for his freedom that said that he was to follow every demand, only to kill mortals and offer their souls in exchange for his extensive debt. He was fine with pact when it came to killing and reaping revenge on mankind in turn for Notch's anger and sorrow; whether he ever had it after abandoning all of Minecraftia, but he didn't ever make a deal to do anything outside of that on the beast's whim. However; refusing would be dangerous. The fortress tower had already sustained enough damage and the Eye could possibly cause it to crumble if he crushed it, just like the first time he smashed one in frustration. He couldn't get both him and the mortal out of the tower while he healed so there was little room for argument now.

…

Steve couldn't stand the arrogant tone of the beast it made him so mad that he was shaking more out of rage than fear now, he wanted to do something about that eye. That thing couldn't control Herobrine, even Herobrine himself seemed enraged so there was no way that was going to happen. Just because he couldn't take souls and give them to the beast didn't mean that it was his fault. It also didn't mean that he would follow any command for failure for he had already paid it.

"I didn't agree to anything like this."

"You can't make him!" Steve suddenly spoke up before Ender could reply. "He's already made up for his failure through the pain you caused him! I don't know what you did to him but he's paid enough if you ask me, so you can't tell him to do anything!"

"You have guts to speak up mortal, I'll give you that. But this is not your affair so stay out. Punishment is one thing, while making up for the loses is another. I still need many human souls right now and you have one that's just 'ripe' for the taking." Ender said with what sounded like a pleased tone that was filled with hunger and wicked elation.

The miner could only imagine the creature behind the Eye grinning widely with sharp teeth. Those words shook the man to the core and made the fear rise again.

"So quick to quiver, just like all the other humans. Pathetic. We'll get to your fate in a minute Steve. Now where were we Herobrine? Ah yes, punishment wasn't it? Or was it refusal? Both? That is what it sounds like to me. Your punishment from failure seems filled, but this defiance? I will not tolerate." The Eye glowed and made Herobrine wail and twitch from foreign shockwaves of power flowing through his body again.

"What are you doing to-to Herobrine? Stop it!" Steve asked shakily after seeing what the beast had already done to Herobrine's arms, trying hard not to let the fear he had for his own wellbeing drive him to run away. He didn't want his soul taken away and given to that monster. He closed his eyes and shook his head for a moment. 'No, I can't run. I won't. I have to do something.'

"You- you shouldn't- have ever come… here." The ancient hero lifted his head while inhaling big gulps of air after the deep violet wisps of flames radiated from his healing arms and faded as they rose, trying to keep his mind off of the pain. "Don't you even dare t-to move."

"Just let go of it Herobrine! You don't have to stand for this!"

"Shut up, you …don't know any-anything! …I have to!"

"No you don't! You- …" Steve went silent as glowing bright eyes glared at him angrily. There was some reason that Herobrine was taking the punishment but he just couldn't understand why, he couldn't understand the being's reasons. All he could do was just stand there and watch the ex-hero writhe in pain, he had a feeling that the beast wanted him to watch and that just infuriated him. The miner shook his head in disagreement. He just couldn't stand there and watch the orb torture the guy, stopping the punishment was the whole reason why he went to the tower in the first place.

Steve felt himself growing restless as seconds passed by slowly standing in his place and listening to the old hero wail, he was already in for some trouble with the monster so he was starting to get some pretty reckless ideas to put an end to the beast and his waves of torment regardless of Herobrine's demand. That little object was the source, if he could possibly destroy it then maybe it would solve their problem. He thought. Steve quietly reached to his side and pulled out his stone sword, trying not to get the eye's attention since it was directed towards Herobrine. It wasn't a second more before he charged at the object and the being holding onto it.

Just as his steps echoed, the pupil in Ender's Eye swerved in his direction. Dark chuckles came from the object and continued as the miner grew close. "Foolish human."

Steve mustered up as much energy as he could and lifted the blade over his head. "Herobrine drop it! Now!"

"No, stop this instant! Stop!" Herobrine only intensified his glared once the pain stopped and he swiftly rose onto his feet before landing a quick kick at the side of the miner's ankles, doing this caused the man to immediately lose his footing and fall forward in surprise and crash to the floor.

"Hahahahahaahahahha. See what I mean impudent fool? You are so thickheaded. I was just waiting for you to move, the old you would have never dared to move an inch. You'll have to thank Herobrine though, if he didn't hit you off your heels then you would have gotten a taste of the pain I was giving him."

Steve crawled onto his knees and spun his head to the side to see Herobrine with a nasty sneer on his face. He looked in shock from the powerful man's action, he was spared of pain but Herobrine was not happy with him trying to destroy the orb. It didn't help that the super being was holding onto the orb in a way that seemed protective. "I don't understand Herobrine, why are you protecting that- that thing?!"

"I don't expect you to understand mortal."

There he was calling him mortal again, it wasn't a good sign.

The beast's chuckle died down as the miner lightly narrowed his eyes and reached out to pick up his severely damaged stone sword, it wasn't the pathetic weapon that the man brandished that annoyed him; but the very fact that the human appeared to 'defend' Herobrine. The same being was very much defending the miner in return. It disgusted Ender. He also seemed to be a bothersome little mortal with his determination, nothing like the last Steve. It was bound to break soon enough though. "You might as well forget about coming after my Eye, you can't reach me."

"Your eye? Who are you?" Steve quickly spoke. "How do you know me? Are you the End beast?"

A low growl shook the tower, indicating that Ender was angered by the title of 'beast'. "Beast? You dare title me with that? You are very unwise to insult me, if only you knew who you were truly speaking to. I am the End lord, Ender now thanks to Herobrine. Notch's greatest and most powerful creation but also his worst enemy." He finished with a dark hiss.

"Then you were his greatest living cre-" Steve trailed off for a moment after recalling that the beast was made and abandoned by Notch like the old hero had said a while ago. He needed to know if it was really true though, it just couldn't be. It couldn't be the same god that he grew up believing in as the sole creator and justifiable deity that was fair with his creations, not the one that seemed so kind and forgiving, "Then it was Notch to abandon you?" He asked carefully.

"Hmmmmm… just how did you know about that exactly?" The pupil swerved to the side a little to see a grimacing and a more edgy Herobrine, he knew now. "No matter. Yes mortal, I was given such great power and endless life, then that traitorous god had sent me to a dark and cold world to suffer alone until the end of time itself. For absolutely no reason at all. I didn't even get a name until today."

Steve lowered his sword a little and gave an expression of utter disbelief. "No he wouldn't." He said with a hint of doubt in his tone. "He's- there's no way."

A small shine came from the orb along with a low chuckle. Ender knew that he was starting to put a little doubt into the human's head and watching the human make such a debate to himself was mildly entertaining. What would be better than killing one of the Notch's obedient creations without first filling their head with doubt and uncertainty? Where was his god anyways? He most certainly wasn't there in the Nether to protect one of his 'beloved' creations. He wasn't there for any of the other mortals either when Herobrine had slain them and offered up their essences. "That's right. He abandoned not only me and Herobrine, but it seems as though he has also abandoned you as well and even all of Minecraftia itself."

"No."

"Where is he then? How come he has yet to save you now?"

"I don't- I-" He shook his head back and forth."

"So much doubt, but it's all true. Deny all you want."

"No, he just wouldn't! Maybe he's-"

"Forget it human, you are beginning to bore me."

"I can't believe you. I just can't."

The miner had doubt but he was continuing to fight it, this was annoying Ender a lot. Trying to mentally effect the mortal was proving to be a little difficult. "I am done with this talk human, you served as a 'decent' form of amusement I suppose; but now I have grown uninterested in you and your kind. You mortals are just as naïve as I first remembered, nothing's changed between your ambitious and foolhardy nature, nor your foolhardy and cowardly ways. I wished I had the opportunity to kill more of them when I had the chance, it was so much fun back then."

Those words snapped Steve out of his train of doubt and made him narrow his eyes sharply, he hated the idea in being 'used for entertainment' for the beast and the 'killing of people for fun' only made him more upset. He gritted his teeth and clinched his empty fist before raising his lucky blade, with Herobrine being in the way or not. "Is that what I am to you? What all people are to you? We're entertainment? You're a monster." Steve growled darkly.

"Am I? Notch is the real monster here. He's abandoned everything he once 'cherished'. Left everyone of his creations to die and rot, including you. Some of us aren't lucky enough to escape the desolate realms and have to live in it alone forever."

"He has not abandoned me! I refuse that idea!" The miner defended with a lightly raised fist.

A deep laughter reverberated up through the hollow tower and lightly made the walls shake and the miner drop his tough stance as the floor rumbled. The beast then grew quiet as the mortal took a fighting position and pointed his sword at the Eye. "I almost pity your kind, truly. Notch seemed to 'love' the idea of thin fleshed beings so much that he made all of you so frail, so corruptible, so… impetuous. It's no wonder he grew bored of you, I was surprised of how long it took."

"Lies." The miner said in pure denial.

The more angered human seemed much more interesting now, better than the confused and weak willed one. Ender decided to give his little mind game another try. "Lies? Must I repeat myself? Look around you, he's not here. He's not protecting you and nor does he acknowledge your existence."

"You are wrong!"

"Where's your creator at then hmmm? Why are you slowly dying in the extreme heat of this world and suffering so much from it then? You don't have any special powers, no real adaptability, just flesh and bones that can easily snap from something as pathetic as a small fall or burn away into ash. Human bodies are weak, a waste, every functioning part is so useless. Well maybe not your own two hands, but even they are wasted on insignificant trials; such as crafting useless junk, and digging in the dirt, to wielding weapons and fighting each other over nothing of real value. Humans are just low replications of higher beings that struggle to survive in such a simple world. There is even no reason for your kind to exist other than to struggle and die."

"That's where you're wrong! Everything you have said is a lie." Steve lowered his stone sword and daringly took a step forward, feeling a bit of bravery sprout up from his anger. "I guess you could say we are born to die. I mean yeah; so we age and have life's struggles, especially against mobs; but it's those struggles that don't kill us that makes us stronger. There has to be more meaning to life then just existing and surviving." Steve took a second to look away in thought. "Though, I am not quite sure what that is just yet. … But I do know that I learn something almost everyday through trials and 'human' errors, I gain knowledge and willpower through that. I might be weak in this body but I have something that you probably don't."

"And just what is that?" Ender hissed in delight.

"Determination, willpower, the drive to go up and beyond what I can do, even if I can't succeed I still have fight to give it my all. I wanted to get to this tower to stop your attacks on Herobrine and I had to fight the whole way and get over my fears, that took a lot of gut considering I almost died like four times trying to make it up here, but I kept going and my resolve got me here."

The beast laughed again and made the miner more enraged. "Oh really? Was this a gift by Notch too? How cute." The dark voice sang with sarcasm. "Talking about resolve? I've done everything in my power to get back at Notch for centuries and I still am. I'm having a bit of delay now but that problem is going to be fixed real soon. Besides, I had more drive then you ever had in your entire short human life. Hate runs determination more than just some simple idea of accomplishing a goal. You wouldn't know true resolve until you have faced my suffering, my strife, and my endurance of solitary imprisonment for many seemingly countless years. If only I could show you."

"I sort of seen it already." He glanced at Herobrine and the being frowned deeply because the pupil in the eye briefly looked at him. "Maybe not to your extent but Herobrine had shown me a bit of what it was like for him. Seeing injustice and learning about his punishment through lies and accusations, that is what gave me the drive to stop try and stop him from killing innocent people. The ones that tormented him are long gone, he doesn't have to kill anymore."

"That is unless I say he can since our agreement can not be breached by some human's words. Only I say when he is free of his debt to me, not you mortal. He wanted to oust them out of existence just as much as I did and he still does, he has no problem in slaying them. With that being said; there is nothing you can do change anything."

'That's what you think.'

"That is what I think."

Steve gawked for a second after the monster read his thoughts.

"Don't be surprised Steve. How do you think Herobrine was able to communicate to you? It was one of the powers I gave him. He lost the ability to speak so I made a way to reach out to him. As long as he retains focus on talking or listening to you through your mind then I will have that same access."

Steve huffed, just when his predicament couldn't be any worse. He moved his eyes to the demi-god, he definitely wasn't happy either from the looks of things. Ender… the beast had more control and power over Herobrine than he thought, which was anything but good. Even with the Eye staring intently at him from the being's hands; the miner couldn't control the thoughts that ran through his head. He sneered from the freakishly foolish ideas swimming around in his head, none of them seemed smart but he had to do something. He wanted to try and talk the beast into freeing Herobrine of his debt and let go of his hate towards Notch and Minecraftians but that was pretty much impossible now. He couldn't even get a chance to talk the monstrous being about forgetting the past and moving on without having said being interrupting or playing him off with malicious statements.

"You might as well forget about trying to destroy the Eye, not even your born gift of unrelenting determination will get you past Herobrine. That is unless you want to try and take him on? Feel free to, I would love to watch you and your pitiful resolve be crushed into the bricks."

"I wasn't born with it!" Steve shouted. "I gained it through my struggles, especially entering the fortress back in the Overworld. There was plenty of times when I stared death in the eyes but that only made me stronger."

"But just how strong does it really make you? Trying your hardest to fight with your weak body can only get you so far, with your limitations you wouldn't even stand the slightest chance of facing Herobrine. Let alone me. No human can. You and so many others already struggle against my servants."

"Servants?" The miner raised a brow.

"The tall dark and formidable creatures that kills those of what they once were after being looked in the eyes."

The miner's expression fell into one of shock and he lightly gaped. "Endermen? They're-"

Herobrine looked straight at Steve and slightly lowered his head. "Yes, the souls of the mortals are given to Ender and he uses them for mobs to kill humans, that is my debt to him."

"You knew about this Herobrine?"

The powerful being nodded. "Do not forget my own hatred of your kind, I would care less of what Ender does with them."

"Then what happens if we kill the Endermen? What happens to those souls?!"

Herobrine looked away. "I do not know and nor do I have any concern. As long as they serve their usefulness to me and not that damn traitor of a god; then they could fade from existence for all I care."

Steve ground his teeth and balled his fists tightly through his building rage, his arms lightly shook.

"You look like you want to fight? I would be more than happy to show you my capabilities from my prison, but Herobrine would just have to settle in my place instead. Of course you will fall, humans are just too weak. Place the Eye back on the stool Herobrine." Ender softly commanded and the White-Eyed being silently obeyed before taking a few steps back once the orb was sitting perfectly still in the center. "Now, kill him. You'll thank me later, I guarantee it."

Herobrine clenched his fists tightly but he didn't move.

"Kill him before I do, or stand there and be crushed by this tower with him."

Steve could see Herobrine tensing up, he wasn't going to kill his friend. The powerful being wouldn't even move from his place. Steve couldn't let the Ender bring down the tower, he had to smash the round object quick. "Not if I can do something about it!" Steve growled and prepared to charge at the small orb but he instantly felt a wind at his side and then a limb slammed strongly into his gut, making him stop in the blink of an eye and gasp in silence from the low blow that kept him suspended in the air for a few long seconds.

His stone sword flew out of his hands and clanged on the Nertherbrick floor. A cyan blur soon came into his sights and he tilted his head a bit to see that Herobrine had been the one to attack him, he also had his diamond blade of wrath in his free hand. Steve could barely even take in air as he stumbled back on his wobbling knees, he took four steps back and gaped quietly. Once his eyes land on the old hero he then crumbled to his knees and wrapped his arms around his aching stomach, seeing those brightly glowing white eyes was a real bad sign. Herobrine was obviously mad with his visible sneer and Steve just couldn't believe why he was hit so mercilessly by his friend. Was he actually going to obey Ender's command and kill him?

The miner lurched forward and inhaled sharply once he could feel the quake in his body lighten up, the powerful slam was so strong that he just couldn't draw breath. It's like he was paralyzed for a minute as his body tried to regain function after such great pain.

"Have you failed to realize it yet human? Herobrine will do whatever I say no matter what it is, he'll also listen to my every word. He is in my debt, trying to destroy my Eye will get you nowhere. Even if you did manage to smash it then I'd just make another one and send it back here, so it would be pointless if you think you could silence me. Though you were mildly amusing Steve; I am now growing weary of your presence."

Steve then lowered his head and forced himself to suck in the tainted air. He couldn't win, he couldn't stop the End beast and it frustrated him, it was worse that his friend still obeyed the monster. Heavy footsteps immediately had him looking back up to see Herobrine approaching him with those blinding orbs. Not a second sooner; the old hero disappeared from his spot in a blink of an eye and Steve felt something clasping around his neck before he could even blink again. The powerful being now had him by the throat and hauled him across the floor over to the other end of the tower wall, lightly dragging his blade which made a grim-like-scraping sound as if in preparation of an execution. Steve blinked in horror when he saw the glowing enchanted blade on the other side of Herobrine's legs, he could almost feel a pull from it like it was beckoning for his soul to go to it.

"Let this be your final lesson. You cannot fight me, you cannot fight your own born weakness. You will never have the power nor be strong enough, and you will eventually perish forever like the rest of your pathetic kind. Unfortunately for you, you will perish a little sooner. But to put your mind at ease and just think of it this way; you are going to be put out of your misery. See what a favor I am doing? You won't live long enough to see your family or friends die because I will bring the end to all of them eventually, even if it is through Herobrine. Or at least until I find a way out of this prison. … Oh and if there is even a slight of a chance that you see Notch after being killed in your new form, then tell him that he's going to lose everything… If- he's there waiting for you in the afterlife, if you even get one as a mob. I doubt that though, he's abandoned his own throne and probably left so many souls roaming the world endlessly. I wonder what will happen to my human soul-transformed mobs?"

"Shut- up." Steve choked as he was hauled past the Eye.

"He's left you to die, how sad? Oh well. At least your soul will be put to good use, for a little while. … Goodbye."

Steve was feeling way to tired to fight back this time, that last blow had his body still shaking from the impact and he felt like the energy was knocked out of him too. Ender's words demolished the last of his confidence and the rest of his resolve. He wasn't going to make it out of this one alive, he was only… human. As for Notch's presence or intervention? There was nothing. No light, no hope, no miracle to pull him out of the depths of his sinking fate. Ender was right, he had been abandoned.

The immortal stopped once they reached the wall and the being swung his leg into it which caused bricks to fly outwards from the swift impact. Steve closed his eyes as tiny fragments flew into his face. A very loud crack then a following crashing sound filled his ears but he couldn't tell what made the sound or vibration that rocked the ground and walls, it sounded way too massive to be just the wall alone. He couldn't shake off the pieces that were near his eyes, the grip on his neck was way too strong and made it impossible to move without injuring himself. He could feel the sharp particles slip off when Herobrine continued to drag him onto a more rougher surface that was sort of sloped downwards.

The miner daringly opened his blue eyes to see that Herobrine was dragging him across a large pillar, one of the massive ones that just recently clung to the side of the tower. He was using it as a bridge and was hauling the miner over a large portion of the Nether fortress over to the edge of the structure's wall that the main end of the pillar had landed on. From there, Steve could see nowhere else to go and this made him hold his breath. Herobrine was going to take his soul then throw him into the ocean of fire. He was actually going to do it too.

"Herobrine, no please- please don't …. do this?" Steve choked out. The being gazed down silently with a deep frown but never stopped his stride, he then looked back towards his destination that was not too far away. Steve thought that those eyes would be filled with rage like they were only minutes ago, but they weren't. Though they were still glowing fiercely; there was a sadness in them that the miner could read. The rest of Herobrine's facial features also read the same, but they also read loyalty.

The miner winced as his back was pulled over cracked bricks that jutted out of the Nertherbrick column, the new scratches he got from the jagged things only added to his misery. He could soon feel the heat rising even more and the ancient hero had slowed his pace which made the sword scraping sounds over the brick more nerve-racking to bear.

"We can fight… him." The miner continued to look up at Herobrine but the being ignored him and refused to look at him as second time. "Damn it! Why aren't you listening to me?! Say something!" He managed to scream out but only gasped as the grip grew stronger around his jugular. He could tell that the powerful man was mad again. Steve winced and opened up his eyes. 'Come on Brine, just let me go. Ender's Eye cannot see you from here, you don't have to-' He stopped and gasped for breath as the grip tightened again. 'Why aren't you saying anything?!' He thought loudly.

Again, he got no answer.

Within a few minutes of more silence; Steve noticed that Herobrine was coming to a stop, he also noticed the strong heat chewing at the back of his neck and exposed limbs. He tilted his head back in the grasp and could see molten rock far below the fortress walls, some of it sluggishly sloshed around from more crumbling Nertherbrick chunks cracking off the sides of the stronghold and falling down into the endless lava sea.

The strong clamp tightened again, but this time he felt himself being lifted off of the ground until he was eye to eye with the White-Eyed man. Herobrine took a few more steps then stopped once he reached the main edge that hovered above the lava. Steve resisted the urge to look down below him for he could already feel the heat gnawing at him, there was no reason to add to the dread. He saw the hero's blade being lifted and it was soon positioned back like he was about to be pierced by it.

"I'm sor-sorry Herobrine." He apologized, feeling that everything that happened was his fault because it sort of was. "I'm sorry for going to the tower and I'm sorry for not stopping the punishment, your fortress is crumbling because of me too so sorry for that. I didn't even keep my promise. Everything that has happened is because of my interference in the valley and here, I am sorry for everything. Forgive me?" He asked with a blank and pained tone, trying not to seem so scared though he was terrified more than he had ever been in his entire life. He made it so far but this is where he was going to finally die, it was even worse that he was going to lose his soul too.

Steve immediately went stiff with wide eyes as the blade moved towards him with great speed, but before it even reached him it scattered into diamond dust and drifted around his form before completely fading out into the Nether's atmosphere. He looked back up at Herobrine now shaking greatly, only two glowing white eyes stared at him. He was about to thank the being for not using his blade of wrath, but before he could speak he then felt himself being pulled back towards the guy; only to be instantly shoved outward in a strong forceful push.

Time seemed to move so slow as he flew away from the pillar and the man standing on the main edge just watching him in silence. Steve couldn't even blink because he was stunned, he was just speechless that he was tossed so carelessly from the edge and now was falling. Herobrine actually did it, he finally killed him. In his fall Steve gaped as Herobrine turned around and walked away from the edge so unceremoniously, so much for a goodbye.

Steve closed his eyes as he fell further and further. He couldn't take the idea of watching himself burn alive in the lava, so he just let his back fall first so he didn't accidentally see the hot liquid, it would be better that way. At least that is what he thought. The heat intensified quickly and it was getting to the point that he could imagine flames eating at the back of his shirt, it was getting way too hot. The miner closed his eyes and held his breath from the fumes rising from the lava, the air was becoming thin and the intoxicating vapors was too strong to take, the plunge into death was now. Heat swirled around his features to the point that it was cool? The miner didn't know why the heat was suddenly replaced by the cool feeling, probably because it was too hot for his body to register. He had no real time to think.

Then it happened in an instant.

His back collided with a hard surface and the impact stole the tainted air out of his lungs and he took in pristine air to replace it in his heaving breath. The intense heat fled from him and was replaced with fresh air that gave him some relief to his aching form. His eyes snapped open from the unexpected landing but at the same time his head had struck the hard surface too which made his new surroundings spin and blur in an out. His blue eyes tried to focus on his new environment; spotting tons of greens, blues, and browns. What really caught his attention was the soft shade of blue that he was now looking at that had an orb of yellow shining from his right, it made him feel comfortable at home. His head hurt so much that he didn't get to look around for too long nor even think about what just happened, his world was soon losing color and turning black. Steve let his head fall to the side onto a patch of soft grass and then he fell out of consciousness.

…

Herobrine took a deep breath on his walk back towards the tower. He was surprised he mustered enough power in his weakened state to teleport the miner out through the use of his own self made frameless portal of Nether mists that he used to use on his prey or for himself. He glanced down at his empty coiled fist, if he didn't clench it sooner than the miner probably wouldn't had made it in time. That human was very lucky, but really unfortunate at the same time. He let his blade of wrath form back into his hand.

Herobrine finally walked back through the large hole in the wall and was greeted with a dark thin pupil gazing at him from the tall pedestal. "There, I've taken care of your problem. Steve is no more."

"Good. You don't even know how much of a favor you just did for yourself, but I'll explain more of that later. I take it that you have collected his soul then?"

The being said nothing as he raised the blade and looked carefully at it as it shined. "What do you think?" He said emotionlessly.

"Well done, but one will not be enough. With your weakness out of the way it's time to get back to work. And you will not fail me again."

"Of course."