Chapter 19: Blood runs Thicker than Water
The heavy clamor of clashing sword against sword and waging battle cries sounded like a crackles of rolling thunder outside the Nether fortress's gates. A few of Steve's men were killed but there were still plenty of other Rebels in the turbulence that were successfully taking down Herobrine's throng of hellish creatures. Steve and Blue ran side by side as they finally reached the nether bridge that led to the entrance of the fortress. "Okay Blue! Stay close! We have to get pass this bridge and through the gate! Keep your sword ready!" Steve exclaimed and then began carefully swooping by and dodging Rebel and Hero's minions alike. Blue gulped nervously and tried her best to follow through, occasionally she would accidentally gasp when a sword would come too close for comfort near her face.
Steve while running was almost assaulted by a leather armored zombie. With his sword out in front of him, he thrust through the zombie with his diamond sword and threw it off to the side. Blue panicking as she ran, she accidentally ran right into Steve's back. Steve stumbled forwards a bit and gasped. Glancing behind his shoulder, his mouth opened but he didn't say anything when he saw Blue there looking at him apologetically.
"Sorry, Steve! There are so many people here!" Blue tried yelling to Steve over the deafening sound of the attacking Rebels and monsters. Steve simply nodded and smiled at her reassuringly and then continued bolting to the gates once more. Sapphire pursued after him until they finally reached the front. The Rebels were doing a fantastic job in keeping them veiled through the crowds. Hero's troops hardly even noticed them rush pass as they were too busy brawling with the Rebel attackers. Steve killed off two more armored zombies that were both standing guard at the front. Blue could only watch in awe at Steve's current disposition, from how seemingly innocent and sweet he usually was, but now he was a sight to be seen as he was violently proficient with a sword in hand.
Steve used his free hand to wave her over once he took out the zombies that were now lying dead in a pool of their own blood. Blue grimaced at the lifeless corpses of the zombies and then got back to Steve's side as they began heading towards the first unlocked door they could find.
"Alright, stay quiet and be very careful. There are bound to still be enemies inside." Steve whispered loud enough for Blue to hear once they had stepped inside and we're standing in a plain dimly lit nether brick room that had a staircase going up to the next floor. Blue nodded to him with a serious expression and then started their ways up the stairwell to find Little Red and hopefully not Herobrine first.
Pressing her ear to the wooden door, Red could have swore she was hearing the distance sounds of people yelling and other loud noises from far away. They were very distant but still just barely distinguishable. "What the hell is going on out there?" Red mumbled to herself in confusion. Glancing down at the handle, she was tempted to open the door momentarily to take a peek out into the hallway. Thinking that it wouldn't hurt to take a peek, she unlocked the door and very apprehensively turned the knob and began to push the creaky door open. Putting her head just outside the door, she peeked and examined the hallway cautiously. It was empty but something still felt off.
"No, I can't leave… Herobrine will plaster my ass on the wall if I don't listen to him again. He seemed really serious about it this time. I wonder what is going on, I don't understand why he has to leave me in the dark all the time. Its frustrating as hell." Red talked to herself in reasoning. Finally rationalizing that disobeying Herobrine would be a terrible decision for past attempts, she sighed in annoyance and closed the door and relocked it. "What am I going to do in here all by myself?" Red groaned and began pacing back and forth through the room like a child who was just put in time out.
"Ugh, I wish I could play video games here… At least that would pass the time. I just want Hero to come back…" Randomly sitting down with her legs crossed on the ground. She stared in boredom at the mirror that reflected back her image. She stared for a long period of time, practically having a blinking contest with herself, which ineptly she always lost. It felt like hours went by until she started hearing noises that sounded like footsteps on the hard Nether brick flooring. Pulling herself up, she stood back to her full height and went back over towards the door. Pressing her ear back to it, she listened closely to see if she could catch onto anything unusual.
"Not in here either…" A hushed male voice that didn't quite sound like Herobrine's said. Red's brown eyes widen as she forced herself up against the door even closer when she realized there was someone unfamiliar in the castle with her.
'Oh my gosh, who is that? That defiantly isn't Herobrine…" Red thought to herself in a panic. The nearing footsteps sounded like they were coming closer as they got a bit louder sounding.
"Try this room." An intelligent soft-spoken and extremely familiar female voice said. Suddenly, there was a slight rattling of the door knob to the very same door Scarlett was pressed against. Red would have thought more intensely on the familiar voice but her mind was on full panic mode. What if those people out there got in? They would probably kill her!
'SHIT!' Red cursed in her mind and threw herself away from the door. Now scanning her eyes strenuously across the bedroom. She looked for a place to hide in case they got in. Thinking that hiding under the bed was to cliche, she went for another cliche and rushed inside Herobrine's closet. Squeezing herself inside and past his clothes, she stood there in the darkness of the closet and tried to level her breathing to sound more quiet. Hiding amongst the clothes, she heard the door knob outside rattling again and then the voices spoke up once more.
"Its locked…" The male voice said quietly but was loud enough to be heard, even if it was slightly muffled from being on the other side of the door.
"We need to get in. We don't know if this room could be it."
"I know… I don't have anything to lock pick the door though. I'm gonna' have to barge through."
"… Alright, just be quick about it. We don't want to bring attention to ourselves."
"Right… Hold on a second…"
The voices dimmed and silence was heard for a few prolonged seconds. Red's heart was beginning to beat at an incredibly fast rate, she couldn't help but begin trembling in fear of these intruders. It wasn't until she heard a giant crash into the door, when the door slammed into the wall and the sound of footsteps were just outside her hiding place. They were inside the room…
Red silently gasped and held her hands up to her mouth, she was even trying to take deep breathes so she could stifle her breathing for a while. "We're in…" The male voice spoke to the other woman and then started searching the room. She could hear them walking around and now rummaging through things. It sounded like the door to the bathroom was also opened.
'Don't find me, don't find me, don't find me…' Red repeated in her head like a mantra and tightly closed her eyes. She kept holding her hands up to her chest tensely and was dying of fright that the strangers would open the closet door.
"A bedroom of sorts. Looks like it is fancy enough to be my brother's."
"Not surprised he would like to indulge himself in pretty things." The familiar female voice scoffed. Listening to her voice, Red was now defining it to sound awfully like her older sister, it was highly bizarre. That sounded JUST like Big Blue… but it couldn't be her, right? There was no way Blue could be here in Minecraftia, she didn't have Herobrine to steal her away through a portal. She was probably in her world at home all by herself, worrying or working, maybe both.
The shower curtain was heard being pulled roughly and then a heavy sigh, "Nothing here."
"Damn… I just checked under the bed, though I don't think she would be hiding."
"I'm not sure… My brother might have wanted her to stay hidden."
"You might be right." The female voice agreed. Red bit her lip and glanced down at her hand, maybe she should summon her sword out. Then again, she REALLY didn't want to stimulate that dark energy again, Red really didn't want the chance of going wacko again from a mad rush of power. So she remained still and hoped in her mind they would just leave.
"Wait a second, I forgot to check here."
Red's eyes widen and she began panicking again, especially when she heard the footsteps going right up to the closet's doors. Red tighten her fists and couldn't help but breath heavily as the doors were suddenly pulled open with a slight tug. Eyes met and then the sound of screaming followed from each. Red stumbled inside the closest as did the woman but instead she stumbled away from the closet.
"What is it!?" The male questioned in alarm.
…
"R-R-Red? I-is that you!?"
Red muddled out of the closet clumsily and then stared straight at the woman who happened to be her big sister. "B-Blue!?" The sisters stared at each other with wide eyes until they immediately both went running towards each other. Clinging in the tightest hug they could give each other, they held onto each other in a large sisterly embrace. Red's head laid her head on Blue's shoulder as she began sobbing loudly, "Oh my God, Sapphire! I can't believe its really you!"
"Oh, Scarlett! I'm so happy to see you again and safe! I missed you so much!" Blue also cried fervidly into her shoulder. Each of the girls wouldn't let go of there long much-needed hug that had been long overdue.
"I missed you too! My God, I thought I would never see you again!" Red was the first one to back off from the hug and focus on her sister, her being completely inattentive to Steve who was still in the room with them and standing awkwardly off to the side. Steve simply smiled softly and was more than glad that he was able to reunite the two primary colored sisters back together at last.
"I thought the same thing! I'm just so thankful that's not the case. I was so worried about you! You have no idea!" Blue confided to her sister with sparkly icy blue eyes that were still brimming with fresh warm tears. She felt sick to her stomach from nerves even though she was truly so overjoyed to finally find her little sister.
Red smiled softly and nodded agreeably, "I'm perfectly fine! I was worried about you worrying about me. Do you know how complex that is? Being in a different world and unable to see my sister sucks."
"I know it sucks… that's why Steve here and I, had come here with a lot of well thought out effort to safe you from that monster that kidnapped you. But you're safe now so there's nothing to worry about, Red! Steve and I will take you back home, back to our world!"
Red stared at her sister blankly and suddenly felt her heart become heavy and drop in her chest. Leave? … That for some reason didn't quite comprehend in her mind correctly. This was her home… or at least now it was. She never really thought of being 'saved', what was she being saved from? She loved it here, not at first, but things had changed. She fell in love with the very 'monster' that kidnapped her. She didn't have the slightest desire to leave and go back to her boring dull life outside Minecraftia. This was her life now… Minecraft was her life.
"Save me? …" Red murmured unsurely and rubbed the back of her head awkwardly as she looked from Blue and glanced once over at Steve.
Blue stared at her with wide eyes and smiled very brightly, "Yes! Save you from Herobrine! We're here now! You don't have to be locked up and afraid anymore. That bastard has no control over you as of now. Notch's rebellion will keep you safe once we leave. Then we'll go back home and they'll destroy that awful portal for good. Everything will go back to normal!"
…..
"Normal…?" Red continued to mumble and look highly troubled, her eyes began darting away and staring at anything but her sister. This wasn't quite the reaction Blue was expecting from her. She thought she would be charging towards her and screaming out silly lame jokes and profanities about her kidnapper, while being simply thrilled to reunite with her. Yet, for some reason Red wasn't the way she pictured her, instead she seemed very anxious and not as excited to leave as she expected. Blue couldn't help but shutter at the thought that maybe she was even hesitating about leaving.
"Yes, normal! Aren't you happy!?"
Red didn't speak as the room fell into deafening silence. Red stared down at her feet and was now frowning sadly. "I'm… happy."
Blue narrowed her eyes and shook her head, "You don't sound too happy. What's wrong?" she questioned with a confused look appearing on her face.
"I'm happy to see you but… I don't need saving." Red brought up as she finally had the nerve to look into her sister's eyes. Sapphire froze and titled her head ever so slightly with her eyes still narrowed in confusion.
"You… what? Of course you do! Why would you not? Don't you even know what is happening right now? We're saving you from this evil tyrant that I'm sure has been abusing you terribly in some way! Are you in shock or something?"
"NO!" Red almost shouted. Everyone was left in surprise by the raising of her voice, even Steve rose his eyebrows at the small outburst. Red caught on that she had been too loud with them and she simmered down her tone, "No… I'm not in shock. I know this is going to sound crazy… but I kinda like it here." Red said and shrugged her shoulders sheepishly. Blue looked absolutely horrified at what she had just heard come from Red's mouth and go through her very own ears.
"You… like it here? Scarlett Chandler… This is hardly a time to joke around! We really need to get you out of here as soon as possible! We are running on a limited amount of time here. The Rebels are fighting Herobrine's minions as we speak and I don't want to keep them fighting any longer than we have too. We planned all of this for you, for your right to be saved. Steve is also going to stop Herobrine for good. Minecraftia deserves to have peace in it's lands without that asshole mucking it up. Isn't that great? Come on, Red. Enough teasing. I want my sister back."
"Blue! I'm not teasing! I really do like it here!" Red exclaimed in aggravation and once again was raising her voice at her sister. Blue stood there in bewilderment and began shaking her head in disgust.
"Well, like it or not. We are taking you back with us."
"No! I want to stay here!" Red shouted and began backing away from Sapphire as she took small steps towards her.
"Don't be stupid, Red. Why in the hell would you want to be here!? With that monster no less!"
"He's not a monster!" Red shouted angrily and kept stepping away from Sapphire as she prowled closer and closer with each gradual step. Steve and Blue both looked repulsed at what came out of her mouth. Blue kept walking forwards as she shook her head again.
"HE IS A MONSTER! He kidnapped you for God's sake! Then he took your freedom from you! Now you are letting him take your dignity!? Don't listen to that insane man! You belong back home with me in our world, where you are free and safe. Come on, Scarlett!"
Red shook her head vigorously and finally backed up into a wall behind her. She kept shaking her head contumaciously as Blue cornered her against the nether brick wall. "He's not a monster! Stop saying that! You don't know him like I do! I don't care what he did! He did it all for me! He did it because he cares about me!"
Blue snorted at that and rolled her eyes, "Cares about you!? Red have you gone completely insane!? That man doesn't give one shit about you! You're just some plaything for him to use! I don't know what he has said to you but I can personally say all of it is bullshit lies!" Blue argued back viciously with narrowed eyes.
"HE DOES CARE ABOUT ME! I KNOW HE DOES! I haven't been more sure of something in my entire life!"
"Stop lying to yourself, Red… When have I ever been dishonest with you? This must be some kind of form of stockholm syndrome or something because that man is pure evil. Have you seen the things he has done to innocence? You grew up with morals, Red! I know we never had parents around to teach us that, but you still have them! You know perfectly well this man is no good and also no good for you. Now stop this nonsense and let's please go home?" Blue pleaded but Red wasn't letting off, instead she grew more tense and frustrated with her older sister. She just didn't get it! How could she!?
"Stop telling me what to do! You always tell me what to do! You're not my parent, Blue! Herobrine was right when he said I should think for myself more often! I'm so tired of following everything you say without even the slightest protest! I'm not some dumb little kid, anymore! You'll never understand… but I love him. I love him with all my heart."
Blue began to tremble as her eyes shot open. "NO, YOU DON'T! DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT!"
"I LOVE HIM! I DO! I'LL SAY IT AGAIN IF I HAVE TOO!" Red screamed back at Blue furiously. The two colored sister began dangerously glaring each other venomously. Blue took another step closer towards her and spoke up again in a low tone of voice.
"Red…. He doesn't love you-"
"I don't believe it is quite fair of you to say how I feel." A sharp hateful voice spoke and cut Blue off her resentful tangent. Everyone in the room turned to gaze at the new maleficent presence in the room. Herobrine had teleported in the center of the bedroom. His white eyes were wildly throwing off those white flaming wisps in outrage. "I should have known you would come and heckle with what belongs to me. You always think what belongs to me is your own, right little brother?" Herobrine spoke threateningly and glanced over at Steve, who had whipped out his sword the moment he caught eye of Herobrine in the room with them.
"It's him…Herobrine…" Blue sharply breathed a shaky fearful breath of air as she stared at the infamously proclaimed White-eyed Devil of Minecraftia.
"Indeed, it is me. Quite perceptive aren't you?" Hero retorted with mock sarcasm and then glanced over at Red. Red stared back at Hero with pleading eyes, she hated being pinned to wall like she was. She wished none of this was happening… and to think today was supposed to be a good one.
"Let my sister go! You've already screwed up enough!" Blue tried yelling back at him back with boldness. Herobrine only smirked cruelly and took one large stride near Blue. Steve's glaring eyes never moved one inch away from his older brother, the second he saw him move towards Blue, he immediately reacted.
"STAY AWAY FROM THEM!" Steve furiously demanded, which only made Herobrine chuckle lowly with the shake of his head. Glancing over his shoulder at Steve, who still had his diamond sword at ready. Herobrine continued to smirk in amusement.
"Or what? You're going to try using that pitiful thing in your hand to stop me? I'd like to see you try."
"I will and you won't be all so self-assured then! I'm ready for you brother! You need to be brought down to size! You've lead on enough destruction and death upon the innocent citizens of Minecraftia!-"
"You mean the 'innocent' citizens of the mighty King Notch? Or more accurately, the insolent brain-washed slaves of the dictating tyrant Notch. You just can't see the truth because you choose to be blind to it. When I am ready, I will take all of Minecraftia under my rein as King and Scarlett will be my Queen. It is as simple as that. Though, I'm sure someone as simple-minded as you wouldn't understand." Herobrine shook his head at Steve and sighed in exasperation.
"My sister doesn't belong to you! She belongs back home in her own world with me." Blue shot back at Hero, who only rolled his eyes.
"How am I not surprised you found a way to worm yourself into my world? Why don't you go back home and rethink your terrible decision to come here to my world and try to 'stop' me? You fancy yourself as some kind of heroine of this world, don't you Sapphire? How truly pathetic."
"Sapphire… Just let me go. I'm fine staying here. Go back home before it's too late… I don't want him to hurt you." Red pleaded to her sister from behind, as Sapphire had turned to look back at Hero with eyes full of pure hatred when he had appeared.
"No, Red. I didn't come all this way just to leave you behind. You're going to come home and everything will go back to normal. Just like before…" Blue trailed off as she glanced behind her shoulder at her little sister.
"Aren't you oblivious to her intent? She wants to stay here with me. She loves me… didn't you know?" Herobrine boasted cruelly as he tilted his head in a mocking way at Sapphire.
"You fucking monster… how dare you feed these disgusting lies to my sister. She's confused, she doesn't love you!"
"For fuck sakes, Blue! I told you I want to stay! Stop telling me what to do! Just go home!" Red shouted and couldn't help the flood of acidic like tears that were pouring down her heated cheeks. Why couldn't her sister just listen to her for once!?
"I CAN'T AND I WON'T!" Blue yelled furiously and tightened her fists into tight balls. She couldn't believe her sister had actually given into this man! How she wanted to go over to him and tear off each of his limbs one by one. How dare he think he could call ownership over her precious little sister! He would pay dearly for what he has done!
"You should listen to your sister for once, Sapphire. She has a good head on her shoulders, she knows what she wants. So you can stop playing mother hen now. Scarlett isn't a little girl who needs to be told what she wants."
"He's right, Sapphire. Take your little friend and leave. I'm sorry, but I can't help the way I feel. You're going to grow up to the point where you will want to have your own life too, I'm picking mine now. So please… Just leave. You're making him angry. Please go before you make it worse…"
Clenching her teeth, Blue sobbed and violently shook her head, blinded by her tears as she yelled, "NO! We're family! WE PROMISED TO STAY TOGETHER, NO MATTER WHAT! Where has that promise gone, Red!? Are you seriously going to pick this evil bastard that you've known for only a short time, over your own sister who has been with you ever since you were a baby!? I know I'm not perfect by any means but I know with all my heart this devil of a man doesn't deserve you! PLEASE! I'm begging you! If you could just listen to me! There has never been a time I wanted you to listen more than this time right now! Please… Hear me out… Just please…" Blue's voice fell as it started to crackle and her heavy sobs became more fervid.
"I know we're family but if you truly loved me you would let me go! I know, I made a promise but I know now that promise was improbable! One day we had to know that we would have to part ways! That's just a part of life… I'm sorry Sapphire, this is what I choose." Red looked down feeling shameful in front of her big sister's intense pained stare. The room went silent for a short time as Blue had looked down at the ground, her pastel blue dyed hair covering her face ominously.
"Fine be that way… but I've made my choice and I'm also sticking with it." Bringing up her newly acquired sword, she pointed the sharp tip of it's blade threateningly at Herobrine.
"The only blood I want on this virgin blade is the blood of Herobrine!" Sapphire exclaimed and then with all her power, she charged forwards and lunged at Herobrine with her sword at hand.
Steve's blue eyes widen fully as he screamed out to Blue, "NO! DON'T! HE'LL KILL YOU, SAPPHIRE!"
"I DON'T CARE! HE'LL NEVER HAVE MY SISTER! I'LL DIE TRYING!"
"SAPPHIRE!" Red screamed her name in horror but it was too late.
Herobrine's sword clashed with Sapphire's blade. "Do you have a death-wish? So be it then, let me fulfill that wish of yours. You'll have your all so noble hero's death that you have come for." Herobrine said and smirked evilly as he pushed her sword off of his own roughly, before raising it up in the air. He was about ready to plunge downwards in one single lethal blow that would put Sapphire out of her misery for good.
Sapphire's eyes widen fully as Red screamed at the top of her lungs in the background. Blue watched the enchanted diamond blade looming near her. It just couldn't end like this… It just couldn't! Blue instinctually closed her eyes and waited for the blow to come.