Hero's Bane

Chapter 74: Left Unforgiven

Edited 6/25/2022

"I don't know to be honest guys." Steve said quietly while looking away from the men who were eager for his reply, he knew that his uncertainty of Herobrine's return would put them in distress. It's not like he could force Herobrine to do anything anyway, so why put all the pressure on him to tell them it will all be alright?

"You don't know?" Nigel raised a brow and slowly leaned forward a bit. "Are you sure? Did he mention anything about attacking the people again or amassing spirits?" Nigel asked as he peeled off his heavy long brown coat and fixed the messy white collar of his long sleeved shirt, he then placed his coat on the table to the side and leaned forward with interest.

"You did talk to him didn't you?" Warren questioned with anxiousness.

The miner shook his head, he had to be truthful no matter what the guys wanted to hear. "I talked to him but it wasn't much of a 'friendly' conversation as you'd think." Steve finally looked towards the eyes of the men, they didn't at all seem to be satisfied by his answer. "I was actually arguing with him I guess you could say? I tried my best to persuade him not to kill Mr. Morrison and to stop attacking the people, and I did just that. But- he knocked me out before I could reason with him, I guess he's still furious with all of us; me included? Actually; he might be angry at more than anyone else, I did lie to him after all."

"You what?" Nigel raised his white brows and lightly gaped.

"It was unintentional." Steve quickly replied and darted his gaze elsewhere as he rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't mean to, I was just trying to keep the village chief alive like I was trying for everybody else." Steve's eyes trailed to the bartender who only sighed in exasperation and walked towards the window closer to the door at the other end of the room, he obviously didn't seem to care to hear about the miner pleading for the old man's life.

"Oh dear, I hope that Herobrine doesn't hold any hard feelings for that?" Nigel inquired.

"I hope so too, we kind of left off on a bad note last night." Steve said in slight anxiety, he didn't know what the demi-god was going to do now. He didn't even know if the white-eyed man even wanted to talk to him, or if he'd just attack again when he leaves the village for home. But that was a problem, he couldn't leave the place until he was assured that no one would be harmed or killed once he left. A problem with that is Herobrine having to go elsewhere to claim souls, what Herobrine really needed to do was just stay strong and fight off Endermen; he is pretty powerful. The End beast practically had a ridiculously endless debt he wanted paid by Herobrine, now that was unfair. But everything would be alright once he explains that Ender can't reach him, he was actually banished by Notch himself and probably fpr a very good reason.

"So now what?" Warren folded his arms after spinning around to face the miner.

"I'm going out there."

"Steven, right now would be a bit risky wouldn't you think?" Nigel asked with concern.

The miner sighed and petted Pork Chop when the swine nuzzled him for attention again. "I know." He said quietly. "But I really don't have a choice right now."

"You can get yourself killed, I mean look at you?" Warren walked back over and gestured the battered miner. "Your pale, I don't see as much muscle mass on you like when we first met, I believe that you may even be starving with how thin you have become. And those bruises all over you flesh? I can just imagine that you'd have fractures or even broken bones boy. You are not in any condition to go out there and tick that mons-MAN off."

Steve shook his head and made a faint smile. "I already know that, but as I've said; there's not much of a choice' not anymore. Herobrine may be leaving this village alone for now but who's to say when he'll attack again? Maybe soon? We haven't talked much remember? Not to mention he's been struggling to retain control over himself in his fits of rage." He paused when he saw the old adventurer nod in agreement. "See?" Steve pointed. "Even Nigel agrees with me, right?"

"You do speak of great possibilities of another assault, Herobrine would have been completely ruthless if it wasn't for your interference in this village Steven, it's up to you to convince him that the people here are not his enemies nor any other humans out there. Me and my old friend here will do nothing but spark trouble and very possible death if we tried."

"Nether! We wouldn't even get close to the guy!" Warren threw his arms up. "We'd be dead as soon as we catch even a glimpse of him."

"That's exactly the lad's point, he has to go alone; though I wish so much to speak to the old Hero myself. I have so much to ask him bout himself and the sentinel Lionel. It's an adventurer's and historian's dream." The elderly explorer smiled and then lightly frowned in disappointment. "That is perhaps you can pull some strings for me?"

The miner rolled his eyes but kept his smile. "I can always try but it might take some time before he'd do that."

"Great!" Nigel rose up from his seat in excitement and grabbed his suspenders. "Then I shall accompany you on your trip to locate Herobrine, how about that?"

"Are you mad!" Warren grabbed the old man by the shoulder and shook him lightly. "He'll kill you!"

"Please do not apply pressure there friend, I am still in very much pain from the whole 'socking me in the neck' ordeal." Said Nigel. The adventure lightly brushed the hand away and wiped his shoulder of the dust and dirt the bartender had from picking pieces of the village up. "You'll never know until he tries. I don't plan to stick around to socialize with the being unless Steve can settle their quarrel regarding the End beast and this town. It would be unwise to just up and do so if I say so myself. I've been around the legend long enough to know what and what not to do when regarding Herobrine, so please; don't think I'd start acting rash and daring. Definitely not at this age."

"Well I think I should go now, I don't want him to walk around out there and lose control of himself." Steve spoke up.

"Yes the village is under repairs so it would be best to talk to him at the most convenient time, in favor of our lives that is." Nigel agreed.

"Fine, but count me out." The bartender huffed. "You won't catch me leaving village grounds for at least a couple months. Not even making or sharpening weapons are worth it up to the point."

"Ah, then it's settled. Me and you my dear miner companion will trek off through the woods until we find him. I will walk with you until the encounter, from there I'll wait until you deem that it is safe with confirmation of the legend first; then I will get to meet with him. I'd say that he's probably in the woods, he always seems to retreat there after wrecking the village in the days of his tormenting."

"The woods it is then. But no promises Nigel, I can't guarantee anything. Not even your safety." Steve said as he stood up from the bed and brushed the pig away.

"I don't expect you to be walking out there and knowing how everything that will be going down Steven, just try your best is all I ask of you."

The miner nodded and smiled with confidence. "I will try, if I can get Herobrine to stop his attacks then I know that I can leave for home with assurance that everybody here would be safe."

"Then why stand here any longer?" Nigel grinned in anticipation as he limped towards the door. "I am excited to get out there and find him because I believe in you boy, I have more faith in you than I do in myself." He laughed to himself and Warren rolled his eyes in the foolish motivation.

"I'm glad that I am not as old as you." The bartender muttered as he moved to the door to open it, when he did a form came stumbling in; they were cloaked in black. Warren quickly grabbed the grumbling form and kept them from falling over, he spun the person around and his eyes widened and a smiled formed on his face. "Luna? Why were you at the door? Were you eavesdropping? And why are you still wearing that hood? You don't need it to mask yourself anymore, last night's ordeal is over."

"Just wait, don't." She muttered annoyingly and tried to brush off his hand but he wouldn't let her stop him.

"Nope." The man grabbed the end of her hood and pushed it over her head and over her ponytail, his smile faded to a faint one but he brushed her cheek in show of concern; wiping a stray tear from the side of her face. "It'll be alright child, I think I know why you are here now. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Please? Just let me do it alone." She spoke softly. "i's not a child anymore."

Steve couldn't see her face since she was facing the bartender but her voice wasn't filled with contempt like it was the last time he actually talked to her, the whole black arrow thing was just her ignoring him. "Luna?" Steve carefully called and slowly approached with a light frown on his face, expecting the girl to just turn around and give him a face of disgust or shove him out of anger.

The young woman turned around and looked at him with watery eyes; at first she didn't say anything, she only stared and took steep breaths.

"I'm sor-" Steve didn't even get to finish before she abruptly moved forward and pulled him into a tight hug, he really didn't expect that. Her arms squeezed tightly around his neck and pinched his tender skin but he ignored it, the hug was worth it. he folded his arms around her and gently patted.

"No!" She spoke into the curve of his neck with a quiet sob. "I am sorry." She apologized with an earnest tone. "When I found out that you saved 'Him' and were friends, I- I just couldn't believe it. I felt as though you betrayed us." She pulled away and tried her best to stop the tear flow by wiping them away with her long black sleeve.

The miner noticed that she had a rough night, her hatred for Herobrine was great and it must of been difficult to accept the truth of his connection to the white-eyed man. She had a few scrapes on her face, her hair was a little messy, and she had slight discoloration underneath her eyes; so she probably didn't sleep well either. "Are you alright?" He asked, not looking into her eyes because he didn't want to see so much pain in them. She only replied with a nod and wiped at her eyes again. She took a few steps back and smiled lightly with the threat of more tears coming.

"I am the one who is sorry Steve and I am fine, just tired and a little distressed but fine." She brushed her bangs back behind her ears and hesitated to look at him. "I know that it's hard to forgive you for befriending him after what's he done to me and my people for so long but-." She paused and took a deep breath to cool her heated face, the waterworks were burning her up. She finally moved her eyes back to his. "I am glad that you are okay, I thought that you were going to be killed one way or another last night, by the black arrows or by Him. It's great that you are alive and it's nice to see that you are still standing and as confident as ever. You risked a lot to save us and you did save us all, well not Jimmy; but he's never been well in the head." She chuckled halfheartedly when Warren laughed and muttered something along the lines of 'I told you so' to Nigel'. "I am just trying to say that I am happy you are alive, though I am not quite sure if I can forgive you yet."

The miner smiled and nodded. "Glad to be alive." He softly chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know how I can get you to forgive me but it's great to see that you are alive and doing well." He moved his arm back down to his side. "Just promise me that you will never listen to the knuckleheaded leader of yours if he asks you to do something like that again. I saw that his command to have you and the others kill me affected you deeply, and maybe I deserved to die. Morrison still shouldn't have picked you to partake in the execution, that was wrong of him; especially after all the bloodshed you've seen growing up." Steve said more somberly.

"You don't deserve to die, don't ever say that!" Lunaris crossed her arms and pouted like she sued to before the whole Herobrine situation got out of hand. Then she blinked like she realized something. Her scowl turned into a more friendly one and she shook her head and laughed quietly to herself. "Wow, I must be a wreck for being so dramatic for so long? That is totally not me."

"No it's not." The old bartender placed an arm around her neck and pulled her into a light embrace. "It's good to have the 'old you' back." He laughed and then Nigel and Steve followed in the laughter when the tough girl nailed her elbow into Warren.

"I'm not old 'pops'." She gave a smug smile and hugged him after he was hunched over from the playful but rough hit.

"I didn't mean it like that?" He complained.

"I know." She said teasingly. "Well, I am going to go check up on Mark now, the idiot keeps trying to leave the infirmary when he's been ordered not too."

"Oh really?" The miner asked with a raised brow? "Was it-… bad?" He asked in wanting to know but at the same time not in fear that his condition was amongst those who were severely hurt.

"Yep the dummy keeps trying but I'm going to make sure he's recovered enough. Right now he's got a sprang ankle and a few large bruises on his chest which could be fractured or broken ribs, so he's to stay in intensive care until he gets an okay to go."

"What about Carson?"

"Oh he's doing fine too, he's actually out of care and probably out trying to help piece this place back together, he's doing better than most as far as I'm aware of."

The miner made a sigh in relief. "Well that's good to hear, thanks."

"You're welcome." The young woman nodded and headed towards the door. "I will see you guys later okay? Got to go keep blonde-y from getting up." She waved as she exited the door.

Steve let his waving hand fall when she closed the door behind her and was out of sight.

"Well that's good; she's much more happier than she has been lately, I guess she just needed a little closure and confirmation that you were well boy." Warren patted Steve on the back as he headed for the door. "Thanks for making her feel better by the way."

"You're welcome I guess? It's just good to know that things are doing better than I expected around here, I was honestly expecting the worst. Death, destruction, torment. Definitely turned out better than expected."

"And we have that to thank you." Nigel grinned and they walked out of the house to see people carrying wood, gathering scattered materials, and fixing on damaged buildings.

"This is where I stop." Warren muttered and forced the door shut as it tried to open on him, something large and pink could be seen trying to nudge it open. "I think it'll be best if the pig doesn't follow to go out and find Herobrine, if you know what I am saying? He can be possessed and all… or-… just…in the… way!" The bartender finally managed to get the door shut, knocks at the bottom of the door only made the man laugh. "You guys be careful out there alright?

"Of course dear friend, we're the only ones who have encountered Herobrine and survived. Well the ones outside of the village; you know, the whole ordeal that went on last night?"

"Get out there." Warren waved them off playfully and walked down the porch steps before heading in the opposite direction.

"Just as boisterous as ever, at least we are friends once more."

"Once more?" Steve asked with a raised brow. "Did you guys really end your friendship?"

"This way Steven." Nigel pointed towards the furthest end of town.

The miner then realized that roadway he was walking towards was the one Herobrine used to lead him to the town after releasing him from the Nether fortress. They began with a slow pace since the older man was still limping.

"Yes." The older man said with a blank tone of voice. "We ended it when I came back to the village, or he ended it actually when I insisted that the history of Herobrine was wrong. We go into a sort of heated spat, a petty quarrel and he turned me in for 'ludicrous words'; then he ended it when I was taken into custody. We're friends again, but we did have our fallout. It's in the past though, no need to dwell there right?"

"Right. The past doesn't matter, we have to keep our eyes on the future."

"Then we'll both do just that."

The miner looked all around as they walked through the town, it was mostly in shambles. Blocks of wood and cobblestone was scattered about as well as fencings and shattered glass near the sides of structures that once had windows. Several buildings had huge holes through them, likely where Herobrine burst through them in search of the village chief. A few houses were burnt along the rooftops and the sides but they were still in one piece; all except for one house that was burned completely to the ground and had nothing but the blackened cobble flooring as proof of it's existence. Steve noticed that the street was familiar, the charred remains of the building and the damaged blacksmithing station to his right was the giveaway. He walked by the spot where Herobrine once stood with the man in his grasp, Morrison was lucky to survive the assault last night. There were also no bodies on the ground like he had seen during the attack so it was clear that everyone survived, the horrid images of the motionless forms was but a thought that the miner could now dish out for good in relief of Herobrine's mercy.

The two men walked through the rest of the village without many words exchanged, they both had their focus on the forest that was ahead.

…

"Here we go." The elderly man said with a rather positive tone as he passed by the first tree in the massive cluster of oak and birch, he stopped and poked his head around a tree when he noticed that Steve had stopped at the ridgeline. "What's wrong? We'd have a better chance finding him in here then we would on the road. So what's troubling you lad?"

Steve blinked and shook his head. "Nothing, I was just thinking. Let's go." He moved into the woods past the older man and walked with his eyes darting in every direction, he wanted to find Herobrine but he was still nervous with meeting up with him; seeing as he might still be in a bad mood.

The two walked for a few minutes and the miner came to a stop, he was hoping to find Herobrine already but it was starting to seem as though the being didn't want to see him. "Where is he? Is he too mad to talk?"

"I am not certain. It could be a possibility but I wouldn't-" Nigel paused and blinked and slightly slanted his brown eyes as he peered through the woods, something had moved in the shadows and he was almost positive that it was in the shape of a human. He adjusted his glasses and tried to see through the cracked lenses. "My Notch, I do believe that it is him."

"Where?" Steve spun around on his heels to see a glowing eyed dark figure move back and disperse into fine dust. "Herobrine." He said calmly.

"E-HEM." The old adventurer cleared his throat and pulled up on his suspenders, trying to look comfortable but he also appeared to be on edge to the miner. "Well, it seems that this is as far as I can go for now Steven. I helped you in locating him but what happens from here and on out is entirely up to you." He turned to the miner and placed a hand on the man's shoulder and gave a light smile. "Good luck out there friend, I can't say how things are going to go but I doubt that any harm will come to you boy." He lightly chuckled to himself. "I mean- who else can befriend the legend of all worldly legends? No one else can talk to him, only you. Are you ready?"

Steve scratched the back of his head in nervousness but the old man did have a point, he even seemed completely confident in him like he always had throughout their journey. The anxiety wasn't so pressuring now, the miner himself was starting to feel more self-assured in the confrontation. He imagined that the talk would be a long and harsh one; maybe even turn into an argument, but he was the only one who could literally talk to Herobrine and understand his every word since only he can hear the man's voice in his head. "I'm ready." He nodded and took a step forward. "I promise to at least try to convince him-"

"You don't have to promise my friend." Nigel interjected. "Do try to get some sense through his noggin. I would love nothing more than to get to truly know him and learn more about the ancient history of Antecedent Element and Lionel. Although; it could take awhile to get him to open up to humans. So go out there and give him a good talk. Tell him that he doesn't have to hide from a monster that can't reach him; that he's one of the strongest beings in all of Minecraftia; there's not much for him to fear. Besides, we can always come up with some plan to stop the lord of the End. I mean look at the brilliant mind in front of you." The old gizzer pointed to himself with a big smile beaming on his face.

"Brilliant mind?" The miner raised a brow with a smug grin. "Okay Nigel, now that I have some good points for him; I think I can manage. I'll mention you if I remember to."

"Thanks dear boy. Now get out there and chat away friend, this encounter will not only change your life and mine; but it will change the course of history and bring back the Hero that once valiantly defended these lands. Go!" The elderly man tapped the miner's shoulder and the miner started off with a quick sprint through the dense forest.

Steve felt the pain at the bottom of his feet and his legs ached in his run; he hadn't had much recovery time and he hadn't even ate a thing in over a day, yet his determination to stop the white-eyed man's attacks and bring him back to a true sense of normalcy empowered him enough to fight through the tenderness. He saw the man in those visions, the one who talked like he cared about everyone's wellbeing and acted so human. He was so human back then.

"Bring back our hero!"

The old adventurer's voice sounded through the woods and pressed the miner to find Herobrine faster, there was so much to say and he wasn't going to leave the being until he had said every word that was needed to be said.

Steve sprinted throughout the woods as fast as his weak and sore legs could carry him, there was no denying the form he had seen only minutes ago and he was determined to talk to the being. Herobrine was waiting for him and he apparently wants to talk, but away from the village and Nigel it seemed since he hated humans. Steve weaved through several trees and slowed down to a slow jog when he saw the man up ahead with his back to him; standing in a clearing of trees and being silent and still. The miner came to a slow amble and inhaled and exhaled rapidly to catch his breath. "Al- Alright Herobrine, I know you want to- to talk. I think we're far enough though." He said wiping the sweat off of his face and breathing rapidly, he looked to his right for a brief moment when he heard the thud of an apple fall from a tree several blocks away.

"Actually, I'd rather not." Herobrine said rather coldly.

It was clearly evident that the powerful man was still enraged, his fists balled up and coiling at his sides was the dead giveaway. Steve stopped his pace and took a deep breath, he was going to have get questions answered before he could return back to the village and he was going to have to find some way of helping the distressed being. He couldn't just head for home, not yet. "Herobrine." Steve started carefully and quietly. "I know you wanted to talk, that's why you lead me all the way out here; I imagine for answers or reasons for my dispute on Morrison's behalf last night? Well I have something to say mysel-"

"You are wrong." He said more calmly with a deflated and heated tone, interrupting the miner. "There is another reason; but it can wait for the moment. I understand now that you care for all of those mortals, even that pathetic and cowardly village leader." He bitterly spat; still refusing the face the man. "I hate that you have sided with them."

The man shook his head in disagreement. "I am not only on their side Herobrine, but I am on yours too." Steve interrupted and balled up his empty hands, he was getting a little heated himself with Herobrine clustering him in with the people and not with his friend too. "I know that they have done wrong to me and their descendants have done wrong to you and Lionel; but the past is behind us, even last night is but a moment lost forever in time. What matters now is the future."

"But those past events are unforgotten and unforgiven." Herobrine finally titled his head back enough to see the miner out of the corner of his eye, he narrowed his eyes inward more. "You know what they did to torment me and even Lionel to his last breath, I showed you and even gave you a taste of my own suffering by dragging you to the Nether. The amount of affliction I went through is nothing compared to what I hand out to mortals in this world, they took everything from me and left me to burn forever in that wasteland." Herobrine turned on his heels to face Steve directly. "Minutes felt like hours, hours felt like years, and years- felt like …forever. It took to decades after my escape to tolerate the heat and flames of that desolate world in my returning trips. Humans wouldn't ever stand a chance to live that long there, I watched you deteriorate and fall to your hands and knees from the heat alone. You even fell flat from a simple walk." Herobrine folded his arms when Steve looked away in silence, like he was denying it or was wishing to.

"You know that that was only the beginning of my suffering, when they tortured me and took Lionel's life- that is where I broke the most and that's where my hatred for your kind mostly developed. They turned on him, nearly all of the people who lived in that land." The being snorted and shook his head. "There is really no point in going back over this, you know well enough already. I must still dwell in the past."

The miner heard the being sigh, the tension in the air around him became lighter which was definitely a good sign that he may be more reasonable now. He was about to speak before the echoing voice started again.

"Suppose the future is only what matters now?… If this is the case then my reason for leading you out here actually serves a better purpose then continuing to take my frustrations on you in arguments; to forcibly drive my end of the dispute through your head." The White-Eyed man paused and sighed again. "Forget it, words won't no longer be enough to get you away from me." Herobrine said somberly, though his soft dual tones seemed irrelevant when the man lightly narrowed his eyes. "Only actions can do anything for me now." Herobrine began a slow amble towards the miner who looked confused.

"Wh-what do you mean Herobrine?" The miner started to feel anxious; his sudden steadfast stance, the sweat now beading on his head, and the light tremble showed it.

"I didn't come out here to talk, but to get rid of you." The being said darkly, his demeanor had changed so quickly that the mortal looked as though he didn't know how to adjust.

"What are you talking about Herobrine? I- don't understand." Steve said with utter disbelief of those malicious words, it was a threat coming from his friend; though some gut feeling told him that it wasn't a threat but a course of action steadily approaching. One that would end him. A part of Steve knew that something bad was up and he didn't want to admit it aloud, he didn't want to be afraid but he was.

"I did something a long time ago that you never knew of, something that pertained to you and your family." The miner before him only blinked and lightly gaped in puzzlement. "I did something unforgivable."

Steve froze in place and his heart was hammering against the walls of his ribcage, he shook his head in confusion. "What- What are you talking about Brine?" He stammered. Something felt very wrong and the white-eyed man seemed to be the reason of something that happened so long ago and it had affected him deeply. One thought instantly to come to mind but he couldn't find himself believing it, there was just no way.

Herobrine walked towards Steve with more speed in his growing stride, his eyes were narrowed and his expression was that of anger though something else was hiding behind those bright eyes that the miner was uncertain of. "We've talked long enough, now it's time that I show you the real reason why I wanted you here. The reason that you will hate me and have every desire to kill me!" He held out his hand and particles of diamond formed out of the air surrounding his open palm and the pieces all compacted together to form a long diamond blade, a faint blue aura soon formed around the sword and faded out quickly.

The miner started to take steps backwards when that sword formed, Herobrine looked as though he was about to attack him and kill him with the blade. "You-you're going to kill me?" Steve said with wide eyes and a racing heart, he had became friends with the guy not so long ago so where was the trust, the friendship, a brotherhood kind of thing? After so many attempts the being had tried; he ultimately let him live, but now? It was questionable. "Why would you want to- I'm just trying to convince-"

"I don't need any excuses nor reasons for what I am about to do, it's all the better to benefit me and even your own wellbeing." Herobrine darkly muttered in the man's mind, getting ever closer.

"By killing me?!" Steve shouted and was tempted to turn and run since he had no weapon on him, though the idea of running felt like a bad one; he couldn't fight his survival instincts pushing him to do so. The powerful man wasn't about to change his demeanor and put the sword down, his flaring white eyes was the proof of that. This made the man wonder if Herobrine was losing control, if he did then it was over. The miner ran as fast as he could once he spun around; there was no way he could outrun the immortal but he had to try, he almost wondered if this was all just a nightmare. A strong gust of wind blew from behind him and that was when he expected a blade to slide through his upper torso and come out of the front of his chest for his eyes to see like it did in a nightmare once before, but it never came. Steve gaped and immediately halted on his heels when Herobrine suddenly appeared before him several yards ahead and ran straight at him with the blade at his side like he was ready to swing it.

Forget taking a piercing to the back, he was going to be jabbed from the front or sliced in half.

The mortal couldn't stop and turn fast enough with Herobrine going at him in inhuman speed. "Since I know that telling you will not be enough, then I'll just show you!" Herobrine shouted into the miner's head and made the man halt and hold the sides of his cranium from the excruciatingly painful sensation he always got when the being shouted loud enough in his head. Herobrine grimaced as he reached his empty hand forward and grabbed the miner's forehead as soon as he moved up to him, going fast enough to send both men several blocks back with the immortal holding the man up off his heels in their short glide. The white-eyed being immediately dug his feet into the ground to stop their low flight and kept a firm hand on Steve's head, squeezing tight enough to hold him but not enough to do any real damage. The miner pried his eyes open after taking a long breath, but as soon as the opened they went wide when Herobrine's eyes flashed brightly. The human became limp in his grip and fell to his knees though Herobrine had refused to let go of him. His eyes focused in on the man and his line of sight turned blank.

Steve felt the hand peel from his forehead and he clutched the pained spot, it felt as though he had a migraine from the impact of Herobrine flying at him and the intense pain he received when those vibrant orbs shined into his more sensitive blue ones. His head was spinning and he didn't want to open his eyes, he felt so sick to his stomach too.

...

"Get away from him!"

A young voice cried out in Steve's ears and it sounded eerily familiar to the miner, it was definitely a voice he once knew so long ago. His memory raced to fit the voice and he knew within a few seconds of pondering. His blue orbs snap open from the voice and his mouth fell agape; his eyes went wide and he couldn't blink from the sight before him, it was-. "Anthony?" Steve softly called out and weakly raised his arm and hand out when he looked at the boy running towards him with a wooden axe in one of his hands. Anthony looked just as he did all those years ago; on that one faithful night that he never returned to the house. He looked just as Steve remembered with the red shirt, black pants, chocolate brown hair, the wooden axe he carried, and stunning deep blue eyes that would put his own to shame. The determination written on his face strong in his facial features, more than he had ever seen from his brother before. It was then when he had just realized something; there were glimmering streams running down his cheeks, the moonlight almost made the tears glow. It was nighttime; the moon illuminated everything within it's sight with a pale radiance, it was on a night like this when he had lost him.

Something clicked in the miner's mind.

The boy stopped in his sprint right before he made it to the miner and sniveled while repositioning the wooden axe to fit more sturdily in his grasp. Seeing the child in such distress had Steve reaching to touch his brother's shoulder for comfort; just like he always did when his sibling had a hard time dealing with stress. However; his hand didn't land on the clothed flesh of the boy, it went right through the child's form undistorted. "Anthony!" Steve gasped and tried multiple times to touch what seemed like a figment of his past memory but each time he failed to feel his brother being there; he swung his arms through the child to grab a hold of him, but all efforts ended in failure. His older brother just stood there; looking as though he was trying to collect courageousness and a strong sense of himself that was too cowardly to come out.

"What are … you doing Anthony?"

A pained tone of voice had Steve swiftly swinging his head right behind him, towards the grunting voice he remembered so well after years of departure with his world. "Dad?" Steve blinked and his breath hitched at the sight of the grounded man looking towards him, the man was battered and bruised all over. He had large cuts covering most of his upper torso and his arms. It looked like he was slashed multiple times by a sword and left there to bleed out, a crimson puddle surrounding him only had the miner shake violently with chills and shock. He remembered seeing his dad like that so long ago, but it was morning when they found him and he was dead.

Steve's father slowly lifted his head with and winced. "Leave… now. You can't win. He's t-too powerful." He grunted painfully and took a light breath of cool air, he looked to be in so much pain, even small tears were staining his sunken in eyes. "I'm not- not going to make it." His head dropped back onto the ground and he quietly groaned, he was too weak and injured to move anymore than that. The whole scene almost reminded him of Lionel's slow and agonizing death, Steve's eyes widen and tears began to form. He wanted to speak but no words would come out, he felt too sick; like he wanted to just puke. So much blood and all of the visible damages were too much to take, he had felt the stinging sensation of death trying to take him once before; this was a sickening reminder. It was hard enough to endure in the scene, he was already on the verge of breaking and losing it. He wanted to just run away but he couldn't find the guts to do it, he couldn't leave them.

"I'm not leaving you dad!"

"Anthony?" Steve looked away from the gruesome sight and back to his older brother who was forever lost in time, just a mere memory of him as a child but in a perspective he hadn't seen before strangely. This made him wonder if he was dead, Herobrine did charge at him and he did go through a wave of excruciating pain.

"You said you were coming back!" The young boy whimpered and rose a hand up to wipe away at his tears, he then took a deep breath and held the weapon at his side like he was ready to attack. "You're coming back home, just like you said you would!"

Anthony clenched his teeth and turned around and seethed at a human figure hidden mostly in shadow by the trees, white piercing eyes glowed and the humanoid walked out into the moonlight with a nasty smile; one Steve knew too well in his first encounters. This stunning realization made the miner gasp and blink multiple times in disbelief when he finally noticed Herobrine was there and not a skeleton warrior or some guy with hate for his father like he first believed as a child. The boy charged straight for the white-eyed man, Steve only gaped from his sibling running at the man with the intent to fight. He'd never win, there wasn't even a fathomable chance for a young weak boy like him.

"I WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN!" He screamed aloud and continued to run at Herobrine.

"No don't!"

Steve looked back at his father once more and watched as he found the strength to lift his head again. But as soon as he did; Steve felt the wind at his side and he was forcefully backhanded away by a tall form with glowing white orbs. The miner slammed into the ground and gasped for breath in his tumbling until he came to a stop on his stomach several blocks away. The miner winced and gnashed his teeth as he raised up onto his hands and knees, stunned as to why Herobrine was there and not a sword wielding mob. He almost couldn't believe it until he looked up and gawked from Herobrine now standing in his place with a shining diamond sword in his hand, Steve held his breath and blinked in complete shock. There was Herobrine standing there with a wicked bloodlust grin on his face, he stood before the charging child; ignoring the miner he punted away and keeping focus only on the innocent kid. The powerful being winged the blade back in preparation for an attack.

"ST-STOP!" The wounded man shouted as loud as he could, his cry was ignored.

That was when Steve forced himself up onto his feet and bolted for his brother and Herobrine. "HEROBRINE DON'T!" Steve screamed as loud as he could but his cry went on deaf ears, he wasn't fast enough to reach the two in time. The white-eyed being had then thrust his blade forward and the sword's tip pierced the boy's body and slid all the way through with ease, Steve felt his heart wrench painfully. Time just seemed to stop and he held his breath from the action that Herobrine had committed. This is what Herobrine must have meant when he said that he did something that the miner never knew about. Something that was unforgivable.

The sound of his brother trying to take in air with a raspy gasp tore him from the inside out. Steve collapsed down onto his knees with his shocked and horrified expression unchanged, he didn't know what to do or how to react now that his brother's lifeline had been severed.

It was silent for far too long, it didn't seem like time existed anymore. Tears slid down his cheeks from the deathly painful look on his brother's face. 'This… this was how he die-died?' Steve thought to himself, still having trouble processing anything but sheer emotional torment and distress. 'You- you did this?'

The blue aura suddenly became visible once again and Steve felt himself springing back onto his feet as it faded to a foggy white. He knew what was happening now and it was worse than watching the demon stabbing his dear sibling. He was going to take his soul, an innocent soul.

Memories of being dragged into the freezing sand of the Nether by those trapped souls had him quivering, he shook even more from the feeling of them desperately trying to press past his sealed lips to escape the freezing darkness. He almost suffocated. So many of them swam around in that painful dark sand with nowhere to go but to a wicked beast when the time was right. Just imagining the young soul of that little girl he wanted to save made him think of his brother in her place; seeing him and being unable to pull him from the grasp of the dark void that sucked them all in. The last remains of his brother's very existence forever lost to Notch knows where, his soul might not even exist anymore.

"No!" Steve ran at Herobrine and his dying brother; he couldn't bare to let that happen, he just couldn't let his brother's fate end up like the many lost tortured souls. "PLEASE DON'T!" He begged to Herobrine in his sprint, his sore limbs and lack of energy wouldn't stop him from using what ever energy reserves he had left in his body.

Anthony dropped the wooden axe and looked down at his torso, he cried out silently when a strange pull came from within him. He then abruptly wailed in pain and shook as the blade pulsed with power, Herobrine's menacing grin was unchanged and as cold and cruel as ever.

"STOP! STOP! STOP!" Steve shouted as he reached them, but his hand the he held out in reaching for the soul sucking blade went through the weapon as did his body when he failed to grab onto anything. He stumbled forward and spun on his heels to try again but he stopped and stared with dread, Anthony halfway closed his eyes with a lifeless gaze. "Anthony?" Steve trembled and held his fists balled tightly at his sides, he couldn't do anything to stop the attack. Rage bubbled up when he heard Herobrine grunt in delight and grin wider when he yanked the sword out remorselessly. The fighting child fell back onto the ground with a quiet thud on the tall grass, his head rolled to his side and his lifeless stare was now facing his brother. So much anguish and anger filled the miner, he couldn't believe what he had just happened. Steve shot a dark glare and barred his teeth when he looked over at the powerful man. "Then… this-this is what happened t-to them then?" He asked with a shaky quiet tone and narrowed watery eyes. "You killed them, not some mob? And you knew about this for how long?" He seethed quietly.

The Herobrine the miner saw didn't even look at him or even acknowledge him there, he just basked in the power that followed through his arm.

"Why? Why did you do it bastard?! You took his soul!" He barked and shook from anger. "You gave his soul to Ender!"

Herobrine continued to ignore the human and let the fog fade. He flexed his wielding arm and then let his eyes rest on the wounded man, his animalistic grin now showed teeth like a hungry predator to helpless prey. The man cried silently to himself from the look of his dead son, he muttered indistinguishable words in his grief.

The miner ground his teeth and tried to steady his breathing when he thought he heard his dad mourning in great sorrow, saying something like it was his fault for failing to protect the family. The stammering was too much for the miner to take, he just couldn't watch Herobrine kill another one of his family members. He held his fists at his side and huffed quietly between his own sniveling, he was powerless though. There was no weapon to defend his father; nothing, nothing but words if the ancient being would just listen. Steve's abhorrent-filled sneer fell to a deep frown and his eyes lightened up from their tense narrowing. "I am begging you Herobrine, please. Please don't do this, I can't take anymore."

Herobrine started his pace towards the helpless man, he then ruthlessly kicked Anthony's body aside and continued to the crying man on the ground.

Steve blinked when Herobrine suddenly looked away from his next victim and looked back out towards the house up the hill, his grin broadened with his lightly pointed canines showing like some twisted monster who hasn't had enough souls.

"No." Steve quivered and gaped from the man looking at the house, he almost couldn't believe it. Was him, his mother, and younger sister really the next in line for the blade?

"No, not them. Please?" The man quietly begged with his faints breaths. "Please, are me and my son not enough?" He whispered again.

The miner looked back at his fallen father and then to Herobrine who didn't look as though he was paying attention to the pleas, Steve didn't know if he should be neck high in anger or drowning in anguish. What he was certain of was wanting this nightmare to end, his heart pounding in his chest was throbbing from grief. "No more Herobrine, I know you can hear me." Steve warned as he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Don't make me go through this, please?" He asked softly, but Herobrine faced back towards the mortal with a devious smile. "No." The mortal quickly moved in front of his father and held out his arms. "I don't know why you wanted to show me something so painful but I don't want to see or hear anymore of this."

The powerful being walked right up to him and carelessly passed through his form, as if the miner was an unseen ghost.

Steve spun on his heels with widened eyes. "No please don't!" His heart strained to pump when he looked at his dying parent on the ground, the man was barely staying conscious and it hurt so much more to see him on the brink of death. "Herobrine?!"

The white-eyed one ignored the miner once more and carelessly placed a heavy boot on the base of the man's throat while holding the sharp end of the blade down over his chest.

There was no way he could watch it; he couldn't bare the thought of Herobrine killing his dad, especially not like the way Lionel was killed. Although, this would be worse because his soul would be taken as well, the essences of his family feeding the End beast. It's already happened so there was nothing he could do to change the past; he didn't want to witness the greatest lost in his life. "Herobrine stop! I said I've had enough of this!" The human moved behind the being and attempted to hit him with his clenched fist to the side of the powerful man's face; again he failed to touch the guy, he only passed through the illusion. "NO STOP!" The miner screamed and backed away when the fell Hero prepared to force the weapon downward, he still had the power to do nothing. But to his surprise; the man on the ground gasped loudly then swung the stone sword he had up and over at Herobrine, the powerful god-like man swiftly moved his blade upward and across the striking blade. Both swords chinked from the clash, they both struck together at such a force that the stone one cracked near the hilt while the diamond remained in perfect condition. The stone sword flung out of the man's weak grasp and landed on the surface of the ground a few blocks away.

"The crack?" Now he understood where it came from. He stared at the now familiar sword and the details of the damage until his double cruelly stomped his foot down on the wounded man's throat, eliciting a pained but choke-like gasp. Strangulated whimpers escaped the man's lips and his eyes rolled back. "HEROBRINE PLEASE STOP THIS! I'M BEGGING YOU! STOP!" Herobrine repositioned the sword once more and then mercilessly drove the sharp weapon down into the messy human form with barely any effort. Steve stared in shock from a pained coughing like wail that struggled to escape the man's throat, it sounded like an inhuman gag if anything with the boot keeping the man's jugular compressed. Aside from the choking cries of pain; Steve could hear the immortal chuckle darkly, he might not have been able to say words but he could laugh and that made Steve coil his hands tightly into fists. More lines of salty tears flowed down his face and he fell to his knees in an agonizing failure to stop the nightmare from continuing, Herobrine his own friend; killed his brother and father. He made him watch them die at his cruel hands.

The miner's world started to spin and he felt like vomiting; if only he had a full enough stomach to? Instead he only spat up what contents he had in his stomach which was some spittle he swallowed and a little stomach acid, nothing more. His throat burned from the expelling of acidic bodily fluid and his tear drops from his eyes fell into the slimy puddle between his hands. A trail of saliva seeped from the corner of his mouth and streamed off his chin to join the mess he made.

A white fog rose again around him and a gagging scream had his eyes shooting right for his stabbed father, the man was still alive. Just barely. Blue eyes widened as Herobrine used the sword to extract the soul out of the dying mortal. The man grunted and his limbs jerked around as if they had energy again. "NOOOOO!" Steve lunged forward to grab onto the blade again but he passed through both the body and sword and was powerless for the final time to save his father and stop Herobrine, it didn't take but a few seconds for the mortal to go completely limp and the being to pull out his sword in triumph.

The miner shook in his place and slowly lifted out of the form of his motionless father, he then tilted his head towards Herobrine who now had his attention on the family house in the distance. The man looked to be contemplating his hunt for more prey, three more lives and souls he could have easily obtained if he wanted. Thankfully the being looked back down at his sword and let it dissolve in his hand, he looked away from the wooden structure and walked into a purple mist that formed a few blocks in front of him.

…

Steve's eyes shot open and he found Herobrine's hand still clasped onto his forehead, the white-eyed man himself was looking at him with a deep frown and lightened eyes that looked so riddled with guilt. The miner instantly slapped the hand off of him and backed away a few blocks, his heart racing and aching from the realistic nightmare he just went through. "You- you kept this from me the entire time? W-why?" The mortal asked while heaving for air, tears were still pouring down his face but his eyes were narrowed tightly. "Why- Why did you kill them?" He sneered in his sorrowful sniveling. Steve ran a hand across his nose to wipe away the drainage of his nostrils.

"You already know why mortal, I-"

"No!" The man shook his head and blinked when he finally realized that he was holding something; it was a diamond blade, the one he used back at the fortress. A faint red aura was around it and it pulsed waves of energy up through his arm; no wonder he felt a little more stronger, it wasn't from willpower alone. He wondered where it came from, though he had a general idea but no explanation. At least not yet. He tore his attention away from it when he heard a heavy sigh. "That's not what I meant." Steve muttered darkly with a hateful glare. "What I asked is why you killed them before me when I begged you not to." His breath hitched as he thought of his brother and father lying in that field after Herobrine executed them and ripped their essences away. "Why did you do it bastard!?" Steve shouted out loud and the yell resounded through the woods, then the two men stood in silence for a few moments. The miner ground his teeth and kept his free hand balled up, he was visibly shaking.

Herobrine hung his head a bit in fault; he knew what he had to do and he knew what the outcome would be like, or most of it. He couldn't tell the truth for it would prompt the human into an understanding and he didn't need that, it was the only was to make the miner go. Hopefully for good unless the man chooses the option to end him. He looked at the sword Steve held and strengthened his posture; he never thought that he'd be one to take death like a coward and in such a submissive manner like a tormented human begging for death, though he had been delivering it slowly and cruelly for ages it seemed.

"Tell me." Steve demanded quietly.

Actually, he didn't think he'd be so open to the option at all. Yet, for some reason; he felt as though he had begged for death before, though he couldn't quite remember when. It wasn't in the Nether but before then, before he even made a kinship with mortals. So he thought. He let the notion fly however; handing out fate was no longer placed upon him, it belonged to Steve now. Allowing this was but an exchange in his code he had so long ago, he took the precious lives of the mortal's; one of his only friends and offered them to the End beast. He had taken so much from him and so he had to clear up the debt he owed, Ender's debt wasn't fulfilled but at least he had paid off a decent portion of it. If the mortal didn't deliver a killing strike and left then he'd have to return to his killings and stay as far away as possible from the miner, he would not let himself fall prey to the End beast but continue in his never-ending debt that he solemnly sworn to pay off for his freedom. Not to mention that he would not bow to the beast anymore in punishment because he will not fail him again, just like he wouldn't bow to Notch… ever. "You don't need to know."

"I said answer me damn it! You took them from me!" The miner charged at him with the sword in his grasp, held by both hands and ready to hit it's target. "You monster!"

Herobrine closed his eyes and held his arms out; he heard the human charging with a cry of anger and then a hot sensation dug right into his right between his shoulder and his neck, the blade sunk deep into his flesh. Normally, weapons wouldn't cause as much pain seeing as he is a demi-god and would began healing immediately. However; it was his own bane cutting through him, his own enchanted-blood-infused blade confusing his own body that it was not bleeding or injured. Herobrine found himself crying out and hissing; taking a hold of his large gash when the sword was removed, he hadn't felt pain like that since the human had drove the blade's end across his torso in self-defense.

Steve's hands shook, his eyes were wide in shock and he soon dropped the sword when seeing it coated in red. He had just attacked Herobrine in his rage and he was expecting the white-eyed being to dodge or counter the strike, but he didn't. Those white eyes look up at him and the face the immortal had was a pained one like he remembered back in the Nether fortress when Ender dissolved his hands. Those eye also looked to be filled with regret.

"Go ahead Steve, if you wish to get your retribution then pick up the sword and strike me down now." Herobrine said falling to a knee when his sliced muscle tissue pulsed in agony, he still wasn't used to this kind of pain. His face twisted and he grimaced as he fought the urge wail since his suffering cries seemed to stun the mortal into to halt his intentions and back away.

"I-" The miner stopped and looked down at his trembling hands. "Why did you give me the sword in the first place?"

"I am the one who showed you the truth of what happened to your brother and father that night, it was me who killed them and severed their souls without mercy. You have every right to hand out revenge which is why I gave you the blade, the punishment seemed 'fitting' enough. I do not wish to talk about anything else and I have my reasons, they do not concern you however." He looked back up and lightly narrowed his eyes at the miner. "Either finish it here and now, or go and never return; those are your only options mortal. I know well enough that my actions to you and your family will be left unforgiven."