Hero's Bane

Chapter 70: Safety You Shall Yield

Edited 5/18/2022

"A shield? You are truly a coward James." Nigel spat.

"I said that I would protect and defend my people at all costs right? If I have to go this far or further, then so be it. The miner here is nothing to me; nothing but a traitor amongst men. Not just to the people here; but to all human beings across the world." He noticed that what he said had made the miner angry, but he didn't care; not with other pressing matters to worry about. The crowd seemed even more confused and angry with his decision though, especially after labeling the man a traitor. Morrison lifted his head and let his gaze rest weakly on the miner. "So what is your choice Steven Stonewall?"

"You have the audacity to use his last name?" Nigel cut the miner's response before he could muster a single word.

The village chief cocked his head to his right to see the old adventurer glaring daggers at him, he didn't care though. "I've heard the stories you told people, some seem believable to me and others; I cannot. Like I do not believe that Herobrine was ever a hero, I know from our legends that he was first considered one but ended up being nothing but a murderous lunatic who wanted to change a mundane living style amongst our peaceful ancestors. He was a show of power and an inconsiderate being who believed he could do what ever he wanted without consequence, from there; killing became his fancy when he was punished. He had become a vengeful being shortly after being sealed, now he but a demon tormenting us."

"That is only partially true. I am mentioning the vengeful part."

"Yes." The man rolled his eyes. "Apparently killing the boy was an 'accident' and not from an arrow by an assassin; though he was apparently shot by one. Not an arrow that Herobrine used himself; but through the loss of self control did he end the child. I've heard that already, that he lost control of himself and tore a huge gap through the fortress with his summoned power and killed everyone that was close to the fissure. I know. The royal child could have died that way, I've heard that story but I simply do not believe it. I do however; believe in the great traitor. His name was lost in our history but that Lionel Stonewall is sounding about right; considering his descendant here-" Morrison paused for a second and coldly gazed at the man before him, earning a sneer. "-Is a traitor just like him. Sometimes these things run blood deep, it seems true in this case."

"Lionel wasn't a traitor!" Steve barked. "He was an honest and hardworking castle guard who wanted nothing but to do his best for his ruler and his brother, he didn't defend a criminal… but a real hero! Believe me, I have been shown the truth."

"'You' have been shown the truth, not I. I cannot trust you so I do not believe you. The traitor I heard of had been caught in the act of freeing the killer and was punished with death for doing so. Good riddance too."

"That's all wrong! He was not a traitor!" The miner shouted.

Morrison walked a few steps away, keeping his back to the miner. "Perhaps to you maybe, but to me?" He turned around, a hand now over his chest. "It's fact. The stories of my peaceful people have been passed down generation through generation; how can one lie about such an awful and… memorable point in history?"

"The story must have changed over time, it must have twisted and melded into something more gruesome to instill fear and hatred to Herobrine. Fear does things to people." Nigel started. "And believe me or not James; but not all of your ancestors were peaceful people, maybe you should look more into the history books or get the correct ones at least. Herobrine didn't kill the Sovereign's child out of boredom, he was framed because of his status. Conner was targeted by an assassin and shot, Herobrine was trying to reach him peacefully to save him; but was prevented from saving the child with his transcendent blood by a treacherous man. He went mad and lost there on the spot after he was denied the right to help.

If you and your predecessors were feeding the actual truth from the first generation then you'd know that there was rebels during the ancient times; people that thirsted for the seat of the great fortress to rule it how they saw fit. They were elitists! This whole chain of events regarding Herobrine is all because of one man's desire to rule, the demi-god was just an unfortunate victim; it seemed fitting for him to take the blame seeing his power, but no one delved deep enough to find the truth because of their horror and grief from the accident. Of course, he did actually kill Conner." The old man frowned with a dismal expression on his face. "He regretted terribly though and accepted punishment. However; the punishment was just too much and it drove him mad. Your 'peaceful' people had persecuted him and tortured him, then they took Lionel's life and set themselves up for pain, death, and this form of living you have here now."

The village chief didn't look amused. "Yes, and apparently Herobrine was a 'hero' who made an unfortunate mistake by unleashing his anger. I do not believe that. You cannot convince me to change my history for it has been the way it is for centuries, there is no actual written proof that states anything that has happened back then. We live off the history that has been passed down to us."

The adventurer's brows slanted downward and exhaled loudly to command attention. "That's because the real history is covered, covered mostly out of hate and fear. I have found only but a few books in the fortress that tells of truth. I can personally decipher the ancient language, I can read any scriptures in that fortress."

Morrison approached the old man, now with his hands behind his back. "Well I don't have them nor do I understand the old language, so forget even trying to explain your case because there will never be proof delivered to my hand before we are slaughtered here tonight."

Nigel huffed and shook his head. "You are a imprudent man, should be ashamed of yourself James."

The elder glared at the other. "Say what you will, I am done talking with you and about this subject. No matter what happened then, it cannot change today." Morrison redirected his attention to the growling man next to him. "Well now that our little needless chit-chat is over, it's time to get back down to business; for enough time has been wasted already. What choice will it be miner?"

"This talk is meaningless and so is the choices. It doesn't matter what I pick, Herobrine will still unleash his wrath. When will you get that through you head?"

The village chief sighed heavily and furrowed his brows. "So, you are saying that you refuse my proposal? The chance to actually live and preserve us all and you reject it?" He sharply narrowed his eyes when Steve shook his head.

"Like you said earlier; there is no guarantee that the plan will work, he might not even remember me for he let his memories go so that even I couldn't stop him. I can try to talk but it will be unlikely that I can reach out to him, he'll be too far gone. Just let me out of these binds and I will try to talk some sense into him alone if I can, this way if I do manage to get some reaction from him; the people here can try and find someplace to hide away from this village. It has a slim chance of working but it could just work. I don't see the need to obey your commands though, they'd be pointl-" Steve flinched as he head was knocked to his left side from a strong and swift fist, he dared to turn his head back and face the man who struck him.

"You will do exactly as I say miner, every individual in this village counts on me and my decisions to keep them alive. It's my very duty. If letting you walk on your own without your head resting on a blade then we all might as well stand in line for our deaths. I am not taking that unnecessary risk, I cannot trust you and definitely not that monster. You will get to speak… but it will be on my terms and my terms alone. I will make the plea and you will follow as I command, that demon will then have but no choice to back off."

"That's not going to work, Herobrine hates you and everyone here! He probably hates me too, but at least he trusts me. If anyone is to speak with him then it must be me and me alone!" Steve then glowered as a hand grabs onto the side of his head and tightly squeezes a fistful of his hair, the hand then forces him to look down at his chained feet.

"I will not settle for your little games miner, you either die through execution or go by the alternative; not some choice that you make on your own."

"It's just as I told you earlier, he might not even recognize me. What makes you think he'll listen anyway?"

"If he won't then so be it, we all die!" The gathering of people was filled with gasps and quiet whispers. This sudden quiet-down had the old chief turning to look at his frightened civilians, he then scowled and moved from the miner, roughly jerking his hand away and slinging the miner's head back painfully. "You are taking us for fools Steve… trying to grasp your freedom while we fall? I am not letting that happen. All you have done was nothing but stir up fear and bring us trouble, intentions to help or not; our fall is on your hands." He bitterly spat and moved the end of the platform with his people staring at him. Just looking at the terrified people down below gave him an horrible ache in the chest, the legacy of his sacred people was on the balance of life and death.

"We are a people touched by Notch are we not?" Morrison asked the mass before him, nothing but mutters and whispers filled his ears. He expected some kind of response and agreement but was met with an uncomfortable silence. James moved away from the border and back to the miner, he glanced at the archers as he passed them; they should have said something but remained quiet, Luna looked like she was barely holding herself together but quietly. Morrison stopped within four feet of the miner and folded his arms, the light of the burning torches reflected in his eyes and made the auburn color deepen. "So are you with us or against us?" He asked with slanted eyes filled with rage. "One final call. You can amend this argument now by following us and resting your head on a blade or die by arrows and poison."

"I- I can't. If I am going to be able to convince him than I can not do it with your presence, it'll only spark negativity and that's the last thing we need from him right now." Steve looked back over at the man, this time with pleading eyes.

"Again you disagree? I already told you that I don't trust you. And talk about negativity then? How about your selfish act that I stopped you from committing? I found out of the plans you had miner, you think it would be fair to let three of our people walk free while the rest of the village is mercilessly slaughtered? I will not let that happen." He said with warning, ignoring the crowd and the mutters from them.

"I am sorry!" He shouted out loud, guilt written on his face. "I was blinded at first, I didn't grasp the full picture when Herobrine gave me the choice of only saving my friends. I was too worried about saving them and my own skin that… that I had forgot about all of the innocents. He said that I could only take a select few and to hightail it before dark." Steve's voice toned down a bit and he looked at his feet with a apologetic gaze, the mixed voices of the people below the platform grew and he felt bad for almost abandoning them and making them feel that way if they did at all.

He was starting to think that being incarcerated was for the best, he surely learned a few things in the prison cell that he wouldn't soon forget. "No one here deserves to suffer his punishment of torment and death, but I was afraid for my life and my friends… I regret that that I didn't realize my fault sooner." The miner heard a slight shifting coming from the side of the stage; he assumed it was Luna with the low short gasp but he didn't look. Steve slowly lifted his head and looked into those cold brown eyes. "I guess I have you to thank for showing me that running away from this problem was going to put so many in harm's and death's way and that being a coward was wrong. I have to face Herobrine, no matter what warning he has given me. So-. Thank you. At least now I can either die with a clear conscious by being here or do something about this."

Morrison readjusted his standing position and folded his arms more tightly over his chest. "Apologies won't do us any good I'm afraid, only one of your two choices will. Once last chance miner, reconsider or die where you stand right now."

Steve sharply narrowed his eyes, this man just would not listen to him no matter what or how he said anything. "Why do you keep denying the words that I say? Your options will bring nothing but death. Just let me do this, I will try my best."

Morrison shook his head and quietly chuckled hysterically to himself. "And you keep choosing neither option? Notch help us all." His little laughter was quick to die out and he paced aimlessly on the platform in a back in forth motion in front of both Steve and Nigel.

"You have lost it Mr. Morrison."

The village leader stopped and tilted his head towards Nigel. "Is that so? I think the both of you have lost it, neither of you can see the importance of our people and Steve here; he can't even make a little sacrifice."

"Because you-"

"Bah!" Morrison cut the miner off and began his sluggish pace back and forth again. "I've heard enough. So many lies and nonsense cloud your minds, you have not lived like we have for generations; therefore you don't know anything about us and what we are. If you-" He pointed to Steve. "Were actually a part of the ancient land and lived here then you'd know. You can get that experience but you deny it."

"I have a damn good reason to."

James ignored the comment. "You 'should' know that we are a great people, I've already went over it with you but the concept just doesn't seem to 'perfectly' click into your head. We are Notch's first blessed, we are the holders of his knowledge and give right to greatness than other humans. We have been gifted his power and protection… until that demon came along, now we are struggling to keep this 'Notch raised' populace from disappearing from this world.

WE ARE A GREAT COLONY OF HIS CHOSEN!" He shouted with rage, eyeing the two prisoners with hate. He stopped in front of the miner and held out his wrist for the man to see. "Great blood flows through our veins Steve, OUR VEINS!" He roughly patted his arm with a sense of pride. "And them?" Morrison moved his empty hand back behind him to gesture the quiet small crowd. "We are the descendants of Notch's first hand of knowledge and unity, we have thrived and lived like no other. I'd say that this is as close to the Aether as any human being can get in this living world, we were prospering even better than the first Minecraftians. It was their descendants; our ancestors, who was visited by the creator of this world and was marked with greatness. We deserve to live and live in greatness!"

"Enough of this egotistical and elitist talk! You are no different from someone like me. We're all equal as men." Nigel interrupted. "Just get to your point already."

The village chief lightly gaped before reconfiguring his posture to a more calm one, though great anger still showed on his expression. "Fine, since some of us want to rush things, how about I have you shot first? Herobrine doesn't care about you."

"No!" Steve tried to pull at his bindings as the archers moved behind the village chief. The archers hoods hid their faces except for Jimmy who didn't wear his over his head; he looked ready to draw and fire at the signal.

"You're mad." Nigel growled.

"I won't let you!" Steve jerked as hard as he could to break out of the iron chains but he only struggled and exhausted himself.

"Settle Steve, what I say and do to this man has no say in your own choice." He warned. Morrison then looked at Nigel with a glare. "And you, talk out of line again and the archers will have you first. Clear?"

Nigel pouted with a snort but lightly nodded.

"Before I was interrupted, I said that our people are of Notch's first blessed. I don't know as to why He's allowed us to live under Herobrine's reign for so long but perhaps it is to make us stronger? Sometimes the only way to build one up is to knock them down over and over again. Or maybe this is punishment for abandoning the once sacred land? Either way, or which ever reason; we have to stay alive. I know you may have trouble seeing this, but I see it clearly, we need to survive at all costs; for the future of our great ancestors."

Steve couldn't believe what he was hearing, this man standing in front of him was fully reckless and self-absorbed. He might of cared for his people but it didn't seem like he really cared for each individual in a way that was like a friend, just more like a trophy collection that he wanted to expand for some kind of honor. If there was one thing he remembered in his teachings of Notch; that it was all mankind were equal, he would not favor one group of people over another. So what if his ancestors were given knowledge directly by the creator himself? That didn't make them special, just lucky to have such an encounter.

"We're not special Morrison, we are lucky. Spoiled even. But in all truth, we are all the same. All of us live and die in that fashion. All of our blood runs red. Me and you are no different from Nigel here, sure our history is completely different but we are still the same. We are also the same in Herobrine's eyes. He hates all humans alike, but he hates our people more." Steve paused after he finished his sentence, he surprised himself by saying 'our people', recognizing himself as Lionel's descendant without any actual proof; though he didn't look surprised on the outside. He didn't care, he was the same as him in many ways so why not? "Herobrine will kill us and more people beyond this land. He's not just targeting us for being what you call 'special', but any human. I would explain as to why but I know you won't listen."

"And you are exactly right." He finished.

The miner huffed in his own anger, he was completely put off and so abruptly too; without a second thought by the man. It was like he was talking to a wall, his words wouldn't get through the thick stone even if he tried.

"No more talk, make your decision now."

Steve ground his teeth as Jimmy and the other archers placed the ends of their arrows on their bowstrings and positioned them down at the wooden platform; looking ready to point up and shoot and at pointblank range too. Luna however; was surprisingly the last to ready her bow; lightly hesitating as if she was having trouble with her decision of being one of the execution archers. That was somewhat relieving but he couldn't help but feel bad for her.

He mentally gulped as he stared at the executioners in their dark robes. Getting shot would be excruciatingly painful, Steve knew the feeling after years of taking shots from skeleton archers when he was digging down in the mines. He also had been bitten a few times before by cave spiders and nearly died from the poison. He was lucky one time that another miner had been in the same cave system as him and had found him collapsed on the stone floor after taking multiple bites when finding a nest of the dark teal arachnids, without help to the surface and treatment; he would have died that day. Though those memories were not so great; he definitely wasn't looking forward to taking multiple arrows, but he couldn't just go along with Morrison and look like he was siding with the guy or the enraged being would presume that he was on their side. It was hard to determine what the half-god would think in his blank state; he wondered if Herobrine had even dumped all of his memories yet. There was a high possibility, especially after seeing those glowing orbs only minutes ago. If it was the case that he was blank then there was no way for any of them to live. He could only hope to Notch that the white-eyed being retained some kind of memory of him so that he wouldn't kill him.

"I said your last chance Steve. Which choice will it be?"

The options were undoable, he couldn't take either choice because they would result in death, but he clearly wasn't going to go along with accepting death. "Please, let me do this own my own." He said pleadingly.

Morrison placed a hand on the side of his head and ran his fingers through his thin slate tinted hair. "You really disappoint me Steve. I cannot believe that you are forcing my hand, but that doesn't matter; we are all as good as dead now anyway."

"No!" Steve jerked at his chains and only stumbled back with grimace from trying to move forward and only moving back into place. "I can't die, you don't know what he'll do! Herobrine might listen!"

"He might not." The village elder scoffed.

"Well I can't accept this!" Steve pulled on his bindings and tried to wrench himself free of the iron and leather cuffs. "I don't want anyone to die!"

"Then you should have obeyed me!" The man suddenly snapped and made the miner come to a halt in his pulls. "We deserved to live and because of you, like the great traitor lost in the history; we will all die as a result of your doing. You should have killed the demon when you had the chance! It would have also been better if he had killed you and you alone in that valley! Not becoming some friend and going through a bunch of unbelievable events just to put us under his foot!" This had the small crowd of villagers ranting and panicking in a frenzy, however; Morrison ignored it. "Lionel died defending the demon and so will you it seems! Since it is death you chose then you'll have the honors of going first, Archers!"

"LUNA STOP!" Came a single booming male voice from the crowd, it was Warren's.

Steve blinked despite watching the archers only seven to eight blocks in front of him draw their bows back and wait impatiently for the final signal. Luan though, was struggling to pull the bow upright, he could hear undistinguishable words through her light sobs. The village chief and the other archers were waiting on her and she was struggling to lift her weapon. Her cries made his heart wrench, she was strong but putting her up to something like an execution was too much for her to handle. What really hurt him was seeing streams trickling down her cheeks; the only part of her face that he could see other than her nose and mouth, her eyes were completely hidden by the black hood.

"Luna, please don't do this! You know that Steve is a friend, your friend! He saved you!" Mark shouted, patting at the wood from the outside of the rails, trying to get her attention.

Warren daringly took one step onto the stage. "You know that you don't want to do this, killing mobs is your thing, but not people. Steve is innocent, he-"

"He's friends with that monster!" She cried aloud and drooped her head in indecisiveness to follow the chief's command or not. "He- he protected and befriended him; Mom and Dad's murderer!" She cried aloud and tried to pull her hood completely over her head to hide it. "Steve's-… he's an enemy right? But why- why can't I do this?!" She shouted, holding the black arrow in her hand with a tight grasp on it.

Steve wanted to say something but he chose not to, she was a wreck from the looks of it and he'd only worsen the mood if he was to speak. He kept quiet and observant, wondering what she would do.

"Poor child." Nigel said quietly.

Warren was at a loss for words but he took steps until he was on the platform, he wanted so much to console his adopted child.

"Stand back bartender, this is not a matter of yours." Morrison cautioned.

"Actually, it is. This is 'my' daughter after all, maybe not biologically but I took her in when no one else would. You cannot understand her like I can, she has been through so much remember? We all have. Allow me to deal with this." The bartender bravely spoke, he then moved over to the girl after the chief remained silent and commanded no action against him. The older man placed his hands on her shoulders and the young woman instantly slumped down onto her knees, dropping the arrow and holding her oversized black robe sleeves to hide her face. Warren kneeled down next to her and pulled her into a light hug. "It's okay. Everything will be alright, you'll see?"

"We're going to die!" She said, her voice mostly muffled by the thick fabric.

Jimmy sighed and rolled his eyes before turning to Morrison. "Hey, can we get this show on the road or what?"

"Luna, stand and withdraw your bow and arrow, it's time to end this. Personal matters can be set aside, there won't be any time for crying when Herobrine comes." The village chief commanded lightly.

"I CAN'T!" She swiftly took the black arrow and chucked it over the end of the stand, it disappeared in the shadows of the tree line just blocks from the platform.

Warren watched as the young woman only gasped through her fast intakes of air and cried to herself, he then glared up at the chief after hugging her tightly. "I am sorry Morrison, but she will not go through with this. Watching the bloodshed of her parents was enough in her lifetime, she doesn't need to see more or be a part of it ever."

The man waved a hand. "Fine. She'll be part of it when 'He' comes then. All of us will and you have this miner to thank." He said with now a blank expression.

"You're a bastard." Steve ground his teeth and scowled darkly.

"You choose those to be your last words?" He asked with his brows lightly raised. "Very well. Two archers for each prisoner it be then. Goodbye Nigel, and goodbye Steve." He said unsympathetically and raised his arm and waited for the few seconds for the archers to fix their positions. "Now-!" He swung his arm down as the signal to shoot.

A rumbling from the ground lightly shook the platform and rocked the people on it, ensnaring everyone's immediate attention. The archers removed their aim from the miner and loosened their tension on the arrows to look around for the source of the growing of the thundering sounds. The crowed was the first to react, panic had already started amongst the people and they all looked at the woods in shock; frightened from what they could see.

Steve moved his gaze from the archers in front of him to his left to see two bright beaming orbs staring straight at him from the shadows of the trees. "H-… Herobrine?" He cautiously asked with a face of shock. He blinked as the white gaze was suddenly gone in a flash. "Oh no." Steve gaped as the loud thundering noise grew so very loud, it sounded like hundreds of hooves treading through a pasture.

"Run!" One man screamed as the woods alighted in many dots of stark white eyes coming their way. People then fled in all directions throughout the village.

"What in the name of Notch?!" Warren shouted as deep- loud grunts and nasty snorts erupted from the horde of the white eyes coming from the woods. Everyone kept their wide eyes on the glowing orbs and screams soon meshed with the animalistic grunts.

Pink knee-high mobs broke out of the shadows of the trees and charged directly for the civilians that stood before the village platform, they snaked through the oak and birch and ran right across the gravel road in a swift stampede. Loud screams and mortified wails filled the air as the wave of swine lunged at the few guards that were protecting the crowd, they unfortunately disappeared through the rampaging pigs who had trampled over them with their massive numbers.

Morrison stood quietly behind the rail and gaped at the scene below him, stunned by the ravaging of not Herobrine; but simple farm animals that have been missing from the village for many many years. These creatures were vicious and had white eyes, tools of the demon himself.

Steve couldn't believe his eyes as the Herobrine possessed- 'once peaceful' mobs started to attack the villagers. One would normally think that they could do nothing in being a seemingly harmless kind of creature; but swine were loaded in muscle and fat, having weight and power to mow through the crowd with ease. That is exactly what they did, but there was more to them then knocking over innocents and trampling over the downed humans. They raised their small front hooves and scraped them against the fleeing villagers in chase; who scrambled like fleeing silverfish in search of protection in the crevices of stone, soon being easily toppled over from behind and trampled on. Some of the pigs even resorted to biting, making strong clamps with blunted teeth to a few unfortunate men who screamed in agony; or so it sounded. The pink creatures were ruthless and reared their hind legs up and out to strike people who were just trying to get by them. He had never seen creatures so peaceful do a thing like this before.

The archers on the platform had replaced their black arrow with normal arrows and started to fire at the pigs, the sounds of pained grunts could soon be heard with the loud angered snorts.

"Kill them! Quickly!" The village chief commanded with alarm written on his face. "Don't let them get up here!" He shouted as Warren suddenly whipped out a cracked stone sword and slashed a swine that tried to get up the steps.

"Luna! Get to safety this instance! Get to the closest tree and climb up it!" The bartender shouted as he looked away from the slumped mess and back in front of him as a pig charged into his leg. The man nearly lost balance but was able to recover as he slashed the sword on the animals back leaving a deep crimson gash. The pig shrieked loudly and retreated but another was quick to take it's place. "Damn it!" He growled and kicked away one that tried to bite at his knee.

"Steven! We need to get free! Steven?!" That voice beside him seemed to melt with the screams.

Nigel looked at the miner puzzled, Steve seemed frozen in shock, the guy couldn't even hear him it seemed. "Steven Stonewall!" He shouted as loud as he could, but it was ignored. The miner's eyes seemed fixed on the chaos before him. "Oh come on lad?!" The old adventurer turned his attention to the young woman archer on the floor as something quickly caught his right eye beside of her. He turned his head to see a towering black figure kneel down and scoop up the girl in it's long arms. "An Endermen?" Nigel said to himself and watched in amazement as the surprisingly one-eyed mob strongly picked up the weeping girl before it teleported away in an instant with particles of purple dust drifting to the floor in it's absence. "Did you see that?!"

He looked around but noticed that no one else but him had saw the thing. It was almost unbelievable. He hadn't ever seen a mob as such ever do a thing like that. If Endermen did hold human souls then maybe they could care like humans? He didn't know what kind of information to add to his collection that Steve had given him regarding Ender; but he was sure to if he survived the mess. "It was a one eyed Endermen that saved him wasn't it?" He asked himself. "… Oh I don't have time to wonder on this, we need to get out of this mess." The old man complained and turned his gaze to see his bartender friend who was moving closer to him while hacking the miner's luck charm away at some white-eyed pigs. "Warren, help please!?"

A few of the guards on the ground swung their sharp swords at the creatures, taking out some in a few good swings. Sadly, a lot of those men were far outnumbered and couldn't handle attacks from all sides. The miner blinked again after noticing that it was Carson who yelled aloud as he was plowed to the ground. Steve tried to say something but his mouth wouldn't move and his eyes wouldn't leave the scene. Pigs stormed through the streets and ruthlessly attacked everyone in sight, every man woman and ...

Then a little girl screamed. Steve snapped out of his trance and looked for the source to see the child that was talking to her mother earlier; was struggling to climb up onto a large fence post that was connected to a shop. She was by herself, her mother was gone. The miner watched in horror as a swine rammed it's head into the main fence post a few times, shaking the child's grasp loose. The girl desperately cried for help. "Stop!" He shouted at the animal, but it didn't hear. The pig slammed it's head into the post again and knocked the girl off this time, she was quick to disappear amongst the multitude of pink and dust.

"No!" Steve shouted and moved forward abruptly, feeling as though he had to go and save her; but his cuffs had him stumbling back into the railing. He quickly searched through the mass of swine for her but she nowhere to be seen. Far cries came from down the streets, cries that were bone chilling. No one was going to survive at this rate, children were the easiest of targets as well as the most innocent. "No. No! NO!" Steve snorted as he tried again and again to get free of his bindings. The kids shouldn't have been targeted but it was Herobrine who had devised the attack, his tide of revenge had no age limit. His friend was going to kill everybody.

"HEEEEEEERRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOBBBBBBBRRRRRRIIIIIIIINNNNNNE!" Steve shouted aloud from the top of his lungs and again tried to jerk himself free of his chains. He squeezed his eyes shut and yanked forward again. "STOP! STOP! PLEASE?!" Steve plead and pulled himself with all of his might towards the front of the platform. He pulled again and then suddenly felt his hands fly free and he stumbled forward, he took a second to look back at his hands. The cuffs were still on them as well as a small portion of chain links. He looked up to see Warren with his lucky sword and standing next to Nigel who was watching two archers now equipped with small blades; trying to defend the stand from pigs rushing up the steps.

"Here!" Warren tossed the blade and the miner was quick to catch it by the handle. "It's- it's yours, I had to sneak it out of Morrison's office. Wasn't- easy, but- I got- got it." He said in between breaths, obviously looking like he was tired as many droplets of sweat rolled down his head while he panted. I- I have to take a break… yeah a break. There's too many." He inhaled and exhaled loudly before planting himself in the corner of the platform and resting his arms on the wooden rails. His head dipped as he tried to catch his breath.

"Just rest Warren." Steve somberly said and turned towards the front of the stand, he was about to take a step forward.

"Hey traitor?"

Steve spun on his heels to that cold voice and immediately froze in his place, seeing Jimmy now standing in front of him with his bow drawn back and ready to fire a pure black poison-coated arrow. A smile of malice was shown on his lips. "Jimmy? What's the meaning if this? There's innocent people who need help like right now!" He pointed to the streets. "What about that little girl?! And Carson?!" He daringly looked to the post she was once on and then to the spot where the carefree guard disappeared at.

"I don't care."

Despite the loud ruckus before them, Steve heard the man's words. He looked back and took a step back. "Really?! There's people down there dying and you'd rather shoot 'me'?!" He exclaimed with dread in his eyes.

"This is all your fault miner." He suddenly sneered and took a step forward. "Have you forgotten?"

"No. … I tried to warn him."

"Get away from him!" Nigel charged at Jimmy in efforts to stop the arrow, but the younger man was quick to react and sharply rammed his elbow right into the man's neck and lower jaw; causing the old adventurer to make a loud hoarse coughing sound and fall back flat to the floor from the forceful limb. His glasses had flown from his face and skidded across the oak planks and through the rails; right over the edge. The man lightly moved on the floor with ragged breaths before he became still.

Steve's eyes were filled with horror, Nigel wasn't moving. He wanted to move forward and check on him so badly, but the shifting sounds of heavy boots to his side prevented that.

"Now where were we… traitor?"

The sound of the bowstring stretching had him looking to see the black arrow being released from the bow. It was too fast to process when that black object flew through the air, it was even harder to process the form now standing in front of him and blocking his view of the archer. "He-Herobrine?" Steve carefully asked, noticing that the arrow never reached him.

Herobrine scowled darkly, grinding his teeth as he ripped the black arrow out of his the middle of his forearm and snapped the thin thing in two in between his fingers. He let out a loud and definite roar to the sky in rage that was quick to catch everybody's attention on the platform, a few bolts of lightening struck far back in the woods. The shout even had the controlled creatures now standing perfectly still as if on command. The archers looked in amazement as the swine stopped attacking and turned around to see the deadly being just blocks away. Their eyes shot open wide and they gasped in shock from the being's terrifying presence. Even Morrison was speechless and frozen in fear. Warren was out cold in the corner and Nigel wasn't responsive at all.

Steve was afraid, he didn't know if Herobrine was registering everything he saw or was just blindly running rampant and ended up in front of him to take the shot. He was thankful for not taking the hit, but now came the concern that Herobrine might be a murdering machine. Jimmy looked the most frightened with an expression the miner hadn't seen on the man before, he was actually starting to fear what Herobrine was about to do to the guy.

Jimmy took slow steps backwards with a strong feeling of apprehension and trepidation.

Herobrine then began to take steps forward in a slow predatory pursuit of cornered prey, eyes glowing a furious white.