Chapter 14: Black Magic

"Seems like we've been walking around forever!" Red complained and looked over at her pig that she had so kindly named Porkchop. "It's much easier to navigate Minecraftia when you are playing the game but not so much when it's actually like real life. My feet are so sore from these damn heels. You know what! Screw the heels!" Pausing she leaned up against an oak tree and began lifting up each of her legs and releasing her feet from their heeled prisons. Taking both red heels in her hands, she pulled them back and chucked them into the distance. They didn't go very far and only ended up flying into a pond nearby. "Yeah, I hope you drown and suffer!" Red smirked evilly and walked over bare foot to the side of the pond to watch them sink to the bottom and into the wet murky sand.

The pig went up to her side and also looked down into the water, where in it's depth the heels now resided. "I'd rather walk around barefoot like fucking Pocahontas than wear those things a second more." Turning from the pond, she peered out into the distance of the forest. Sighing, she brushed her hand through her hair, "I have no clue where I'm going. We could be walking in circles for all I know. Do you know where we are Porkchop?" Red questioned down at the pig that looked up at her and only snorted.

"Yeah, I didn't think so." Sighing, she began walking again but bare foot. Now she faced the issue of random sharp stickers or thorns that might be hiding in the grass that the two were walking through. She and the pig kept traveling with each other, occasionally Red would grouch about stepping on something sharp, until the two finally came to a sandy location.

"Ah finally a sand biome. It's really weird how the scenery just makes such a drastic change." Red said as she glanced back at the forest she was in and then over to the dessert. "I hope the sand isn't too hot." Taking one step forwards, she tested the sand that mushed up between her toes. It was very soft and thankfully wasn't too hot.. for now. Red looked to the horizon and saw a tumbleweed roll by. "This is going to take awhile…" Red glanced back down at the pig she was apparently talking too. Porkchop snorted and then suddenly nudged her with it's snout.

"What is it? I don't have any food if that's what you want." Red inquired and took some more steps into the sand. It was becoming hotter the further she traveled. "Shit… Well the heels would have never faired in this anyways… Either I break my heel or burn my feet to a crisp. Wonderful options. I wish I wasn't so stupid to go through that damn portal. I actually want Herobrine to just randomly appear and throw his little PMS party and bring me back to his castle. At least, then I wouldn't be trudging around Minecraftia having no fucking clue where I'm going."

The pig snorted loudly and pushed it's snout into her roughly. She scoffed and glared down at the pig, "WHAT?"

It snorted and almost looked like it was glaring back up at her. She tried to ignore the pig and quicken her step, only to walk into even warmer sand that did begin to burn her feet. "OUCH, OUCH, OUCH, OUCH!" Red started to run forwards to see if that would help and it didn't… The aggravated pig finally ran forward and rammed right into her backside. Red squealed from the sudden impact and stumbled forwards and fell face forwards right into the sizzling hot sand. In her nice clothes too! "OW, IT BURNS!" Red furiously began trying to pull herself up. The pig snorted irritably and nudged her as she pulled herself up.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT!? You rude pig! You just made me get sand all over this beautiful dress Herobrine got for me! Now look at it! This is your fault, Porkchop! I'm really not in the mood for this!" Red scolded the pig that she swore she saw roll it's eyes. It kneeled down in front of her as she stood up and began brushing up sand from herself, even occasionally coughing up some that she got into her mouth by accident. Red stared at the pig while uncomfortably shuffling on her feet from the heat radiating off of the sand. "Now what are you? …" Red paused and tried to finally think about what this pig was obviously trying to get her to do. She pondered it for a moment and then made a 'duh' expression.

"OHHH… You want me to ride you!? But I don't even have a carrot or saddle or anything."

The pig snorted and looked back at her in anticipation. It didn't take long for Red to comply as the sand we becoming unbearable. "Fine, if you're so sure! This is kinda awkward though." Red said and began pulling her leg over the pig, to mount it. "I'm not going to break your back right? I think I'm a bit heavier than you. Not saying I'm fat or anything…" Red didn't get an answer as expected. Instead, the pig suddenly charged forward at a shockingly incredible speed for such a short pink stubby fat animal. "WHOA!" Red yelped and grabbed onto the animals's ears, which made the poor pig squeal in anger.

"SORRY! I don't have a saddle to hold onto!" Letting go of his ears, she tried her best to hold on to the sides of the animal as it continued to charge through the dessert. Getting more comfortable, Red was amazed at it's speed and couldn't help but enjoy the rush of wind that was rushing wildly through her short hair. "I could get used to this." Red grinned and set her hands on the frontal sides of Porkchop, "Ride on, mi amigo! We'll find a village or something in no time flat now! I can't wait to tell Hero that I rode a pig all by myself!" Red giggled and then finally paled at the thought of Herobrine finding out she was missing.

"Damn, he's going to be furious when he finds out. I just hope he doesn't actually punish me this time. It's not like I was purposely trying to escape him this time!" Red talked to herself thoughtfully as Porkchop kept galloping forward with horse like stamina.

The very different pair, traveled together for about an hour or two until the sun was beginning to set on the horizon. "Oh no, it's getting dark." Red stated the obvious as she watched the sun begin to set in the distance. The pig snorted again and slowed down as it began looking in a certain direction. Red looked ahead to see a village that reminded her of the one she found with all the dead villagers not de-spawning away. Now that she thinks back on it, that must had been Herobrine's doings and not her sister's. It made much more sense… But why would he do that? Was he trying to scare her?

Her thoughts were taken from her when she saw an older balding man with a giant nose, wearing a brown shaggy tunic, approach her with a enormous Iron Golem at his side. Red gasped and stared up at the hulking creature that was purely made from iron and had some plant life growing from within it's cracks. It was sort of terrifying to see in person, especially when you didn't know if it was on your side or not. "Who are you!" The big nosed man shouted, standing close to the Iron Golem for protection just in case.

"Um, I-I mean no harm! My name is Scarlett Chandler! But you can just call me Little Red!" Scarlett told the man that appeared to be the leader of the village. He crossed his arms and examined her from head to toe. "That name sounds familiar. What do you want here? Are you of royal dissent? You are crowned."

Feeling up at her tiara with her hands, she smiled sheepishly and shrugged, "I guess you could say that. Is it possible I could stay here for a while? At least, until the morning. I'm kinda lost and I'm trying to find my uh… 'friend'. He's going to be really, really, mad at me if I'm gone too long but I don't know my way back." Red said and decided to consider Hero 'just' her friend. She really didn't need them to even think for a moment she was Herobrine's Queen and potential girlfriend. She shuttered at that thought, unfortunately it felt more like one of pleasure for some odd reason. She kinda liked the sound of being his girlfriend…

Red snapped herself from her intrusive thoughts as the Iron Golem moved closer towards Red. It reached out it's large hand, which made Red back away unsurely. It didn't seem like it wanted to hurt her, as all it did was gently graze it's iron fingers over the shiny diamond tiara in her hair. "You uh- like it?" Red asked it with a nervous laugh. It didn't answer but only pulled back and looked back to it's master. The leader of the village made a 'humming' noise before sighing and glancing off into the distance of the dessert.

"Fine then. You shall stay here. We certainly don't need you to wander off in the middle of the night and get yourself killed by the monsters that live around here. It's very dangerous to wander at night. Especially, one of royal dissent would need a proper place to stay. You may stay but you better go by our rules here. We're peaceful people and don't go looking for trouble. So don't start any, girl. Got it?"

Red nodded vigorously and began getting off of Porkchop. "Oh, of course, sir. I would never! I'm as peaceful as they come!" Red replied and threw up a 'peace- sign' goofily with her fingers. The big nosed leader made a strange expression and glanced up at his Iron Golem that looked back at him blankly.

"I see.. well stay that way. If not you'll be answering to him and two others!" He told her and then prodded his thumb back at the Iron Golem that stared at Red with a curious tilted head.

Red smiled nervously and nodded her head, "I'll be cool! Promise, Leader-dude!"

"… My name is Hendrik not 'leader-dude'."

"Right! Sorry!" Red laughed nervously again and kept her eyes focused on the Iron Golem that seemed far from wanting to kill her. Rather it seemed very transfixed on her tiara in her hair, it was very childlike for something of its massive size.

"Well, come on then. I'll show you where you will be staying. I will let you stay with the priest as he has a spare bedroom that I'm sure he would not mind lending to you in his tower." Hendrik said as Red, Porkchop, and the giant Iron Golem followed behind. Red could hear the massive heavy steps of the Iron Golem once they reached the sandstone walkways that had some other random villagers walking about and doing their own business. It was a pleasant surprise to see that not all the villagers had giant noses but they all looked different, with males and females, adults and children. They appeared to be just normal people. It made Red suddenly feel a pit of guilt when she was back laughing evilly at the villagers for dying when she was just playing the game. Usually, she saw these villagers as nothing but convenient people to rob from and nothing more. She felt sort of sick with herself when she pictured them as just regular ordinary innocent people just trying to get by.

Arriving in the front of the largest building, that was in the center of the dessert village. It appeared to be some kind of cobblestone cathedral that had a tower going up where one could stand at the top and look out into the distance. "So this is where the priest lives?"

"Yes, his name is Midas. He tends to be too friendly with others, so you shouldn't have a problem with him. Now as much as I would 'love' to stick around and chat. I need to carry on with my duties before curfew. Goodnight, Little Red." He says before beginning to turn and walk off in a certain direction, leaving Red there by herself with Porkchop and the Iron Golem that was still sticking around. "Okay then, we'll at least I have somewhere to stay the night. Good job, Porkchop for finding this place!" Red complimented and set a pat on the pig's head. It made some more snorting noises that sounded happier than before while he leaned his head into the praising pet of his head.

Red eyed some of the villagers that were skeptically staring over at her and decided to ignore it, she did stand out like a sour thumb. Glancing up at the Iron Golem, she smiled and waved at it. "Goodnight, big guy!"

The Iron Golem said nothing in reply but it seemed content by her as it went over and plucked a yellow flower from a random flower bed and gently tucked it into her hair next to her tiara. Red giggled and thought it was adorable! "Why thank you! You're a rather gentle giant aren't you?" It said nothing but only continued to watch her as she turned and looked at Porkchop. "I don't think you should come inside…" The pig snorted in annoyance and turned away in a pout. Red rolled her eyes and then knocked on the wooden door and waited for a reply. 'Who knew pigs were sassy creatures?' She thought to herself as she waited.

Upon hearing the knock, she heard the sound of clattering and commotion from inside. An older gentleman wearing a long violet priest robe and also had wispy white hair that desperately needed combing as it split off in weird angles. He looked at Red and smiled with his aging teeth showing, his two front teeth were absent, which made him appear slightly goofy looking to Red. "WHY hello there, my dear! Just what calls for such a splendid surprise! Please, come in! You must be new to the village, I've never seen you before!" Opening the door wide for Red, he continued to smile openly. His voice had a very kind tone to it, almost one that made you wonder if he was faking it from how pleasant it sounded.

"Uh hello there. Um thank you. My name is Scarlett Chandler but you can call me Little Red or just Red." Scarlett said as she entered within the large room that appeared to be some kind of chapel. There were many extravagant portraits of Notch, and even more so of some other beautiful and divine looking blonde goddess, whom probably is who they worshipped here.

"Welcome to my little ol' chapel of Adonia! She is our most splendid and benevolent goddess that looks over us and blesses us with good harvest and the iron guardians that protect our village from the evil of the white-eyed devil of the Nether. What brings you here, my dear?"

"Uh-huh, that's cool…" Red muttered and tried to ignore the fact he was talking about Herobrine when he spoke of a 'white-eyed devil'. "Uh, your leader, I think his name was Hen something, said that I could stay here for the night. If that is possible?" Red questioned and was feeling awkward with the old geezer that stared at her with bulging wide green eyes, that seemed too fascinated in what she was saying. Seriously, he looked like he was about to lean in even closer towards her face to hear whatever she had to say… it was creepy.

"OH! Of course, you can stay here! Why, you can stay here as long as you like! Now I have to ask! Are you a follower of our sweet and loving goddess Adonia?"

"Err, actually I've never heard of her, but uh she sounds great, I guess."

His eyes widen if possible, "You've never heard of her! Oh dear, you must hear about her greatness and how she can change one's life! Like she has mine and many others of this village! If it wasn't for her, the 'evil one' would have destroyed this village by now!"

"Really!? … You should tell me another time!"

"But if you don't, you will never have her divine help when the 'evil one' comes a prowling'!"

"He's really not as evil as everyone makes him out to be honestly!" Red finally scoffed and felt like slapping herself for just taking the side of the very person they considered their 'devil'.

The man backed up and looked appalled, "Oh no! You are not a follower of- … him? Are you?" He questioned with fear stricken eyes and his mouth falling slightly agape.

"Er, who is 'him'? Be a little more specific!" Red knew who he was talking about, but she just wanted to make sure they were on the same page. This guy was a little bit on the stereotypical 'crazy zealot' side of the coin, and it was somewhat aggravating her, especially when he kept referring to Herobrine as a devil or the 'evil one'. Herobrine wasn't evil! … Okay, 'that' evil… Just a little bit…!

He gulped and seemed to get really nervous to even speak his name, "H-Herobrine!" Immediately after he said that, he began lowly praying to himself for forgiveness for even uttering his name to his goddess. Red looked unimpressed and sighed, "Oh, 'him' well he's not THAT bad. I've actually been around him. If you get to know him, he isn't as terrible as everyone makes him out to be."

"My dear, your mind has been corrupted, tainted in lies!" Taking her hands into his own, he gasped in horror and pushed her away instantly. Red's eyes widen in shock as he stumbled away from her, almost dramatically falling down the second he touched her. He now was backed into the cobblestone wall and staring at her as if she was a zombie about to eat his face off.

"EVIL!" He shouted at her. She cocked an eyebrow at him and looked down at her own hands and then back at him.

"What's evil?"

"YOU! EVIL! GET OUT!"

"W-what!?" Red sputtered as he kept chanting the same word over and over again like a lunatic.

"EVIL! PURE EVIL!

"I'm not evil, you crazy old bag! What's wrong with you!?" Red shouted at him with a glare. Midas flinched as she took a step near him. "What's wrong!?"

"Evil!" He only said again for the trillionth time and pointed at her hands. She scowled and then worked up a smirk as she patronizingly placed her hands onto him, just to rile him up even more. Red mentally sniggered as he wailed out and screamed bloody murder. Except, she wasn't actually expecting him to fall over and lay on the ground, rocking back and forth, chanting a prayer to himself in a low hoarse voice. Looking down at her hands, she was shocked to see her veins in her arms and hands had turned completely black and her hands were faintly glowing. Red gasped in horror and began backing away from Midas on the ground, until she came cornered against the opposite wall. She couldn't stop staring at her arms and hands.

"W-what is happening to me!?" The veins remained black and a black glowing aura began to faintly glow from her hands. She panicked and began rubbing away at her arms to make it go away but it wasn't doing anything to help. It wasn't until she felt the sudden impact of something being thrown at her and then it's contents spilling all over her. It felt like water but burned like fire!

"AAAARRGHHHH!" Red screamed and was completely aghast at seeing her whole body actually begin to send off a slight smoke from the water drenching her; like a witch. Her arms and hands felt like they were sizzling. Midas stared fearfully as he had been the one to throw a large glass bottle of their own version of holy water at her. The bottle had broke at the impact and scattered around Red, cutting her in some spots that actually were bleeding black! Red began crying as she fell to her knees, the burning sensation was too much to handle. It wasn't like any pain like she felt before, it felt like it was literally burning her insides.

Fierce knocking was heard at the door before a loud slam. Hendrik came running inside and gasped as he saw both Red and Midas on the ground. Midas was still frozen on the ground with budging eyes and still reciting the same prayer over and over again. Red was on her knees and doubled over in pain and bleeding out black blood from her random cuts on her body. Henrik's eyes widen as he stood there and was having a hard time processing the whole situation in front of him. "H-HELP ME! IT HURTS SO BAD!" Red cried and wished more than anything Herobrine would just randomly appear and come to her aide.

"What in the name of Adonia is going on in here!?" Hendrik yelled out and rushed over to Midas's side. "Midas speak to me!"

His eyes were wide and blood-shot, he suddenly started to convulse on the ground and foam from the mouth. Hendrik gasped again and backed away, he saw Midas's eyes begin to roll back as he kept convulsing wildly on the ground. Turning to Red, he stared at the fresh black blood on the ground.

"What are you!" He yelled, Red could barely look up at him as she kept crying her eyes out.

"IT HURTS! OH MY GOD, M-MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE! HEROBRINE! P-PLEASE! I NEED YOU! H-HERO!" Red screamed out, succumbing to doing nothing but screaming out for the only one she knew that could possibly help her. Midas fell limp and suddenly stopped convulsing as he slowly and agonizingly went lifeless on the ground. Hedrick backed away from Red and cowardly ran out of the chapel to go warn the others. He didn't know what was going on but he had a feeling this woman had some kind of affiliation with Herobrine, seeing as she was screaming out his name desperately.

Porkchop ran into the chapel and went over to Red's side. Looking at her worriedly, the pig nuzzled it's snout into her side and tried to get her attention. Red very shakily turned to look at Porkchop with agonizingly pained brown eyes. "H-help me… I-it hurts so b-badly…" She sniffled and finally fell to her side in her own blood. Porkchop panicked and began butting his head into her side to wake her up but she wasn't budging. The poor pig felt helpless to help his friend and could only sit down at her side and look down at her with worry that she might be dying or worse… already dead.

Herobrine took ahold of his diamond sword and wrenched it out of his latest victim that was left nothing but in a puddle of blood. His white eyes were flickering intensely and his blood lust didn't feel even close to sated, even after massacring an entire village full of pitiful fools that thought they could protect themselves with nothing but Iron Golemns. Throwing a fireball into the building he was inside, he walked out and stared around himself at the chaos he had brought upon this village in a swamp. Still he felt an empty void inside himself, usually he would be relishing in his power and control over these imbeciles that followed under Notch's rule without the faintest of thought. He breathed in the scent of the ash and brimstone that the Nether itself usually was fragranced with in the town. Closing his eyes he tried to concentrate on his power and his new accomplishment. Yet a nagging feeling inside him was making him feel much differently than he usually does after punishing a village. He was restless and was feeling concerned over Red. What was she doing right now? He has been away from her for a long time now.

Reopening his eyes, he began parading through the slaughtered town, a red cape like a King he now had on, whipped behind him in the wind. He didn't spare any of the dead a glance as he stepped over them and then peered out into the horizon to see the sun resting on the horizon. Night time was soon approaching and he was sure Red would be going out of her mind with boredom by now. He knew when she was bored, she tend to act on negative attention seeking coping methods. Glancing down at his bloodied sword, he looked at the last villager that was at the town hall and cowering in a ball on the ground. Herobrine took a step in front of this villager and looked down at him with an unimpressed expression.

"I'll spare you. Tell others of the lesson I taught here and don't give me a reason to change my mind." Herobrine said and smirked cruelly at the villager that looked up at him with frightened brown eyes. He brought out his diamond sword and put the point to his chin, "Understand?"

The villager nodded vigorously and continued to ball like a baby under his intense hard gaze. "Good." With a slight nick, he left the villager with a small cut on the side of his face and then turned away and began walking, before disappearing before the villager's very eyes.

Appearing back in his castle, he sighed to himself and was looking forward to seeing Red again, more than he was willing to admit. Looking towards one of his wither skeleton minions, he began speaking to it in a language only the mobs and himself knew. "Where is Scarlett?" He asked it and it bowed to Herobrine instantly in respect for him.

"I had last guided her to the kitchen much earlier today. I don't know where she is now." The wither skeleton replied back in the ancient foreign language.

"I see. So she could be anywhere." Herobrine muttered more to himself and then turned away from the Wither Skeleton that bowed again as he went off on his way. Herobrine concentrated on his power to see if he could track Red like he usually has to end up doing, since his minions could be so incompetent at times. Focusing, he was bothered by the fact he didn't immediately pick up on her, she wasn't close, not at all. The wisps of Herobrine's eyes flickered wildly as his anger began to boil in his blood. Had she run away again on him again!? Does she really detest him so much!?

It didn't matter where she ran off too, because he would ALWAYS find her in the end. Herobrine finally focused on an exact location that was in the Overworld. How she ended up there was beyond him, he could just imagine she used one of the Nether portals that sometimes randomly activate around his castle. It unfortunately was just a trait of the Nether, that bothered him to no end.

"Oh my Little Red… you can only run from me so many times, until I lose my patience. But this time... You will be punished." With that he grimaced darkly to himself and once again teleported away from his castle and back to the Overworld where Red was located.