WTP storm: it was around 750 years :) maaaybe I'm gonna heal his eye. maybe not. herobrine can just say he had an accident in the kitchen or something he'll be fine
Heather was dropped into freezing water, and a shriek escaped her at the sudden cold that soaked her clothes.
"Heather?" An alarmed voice called out in the darkness. Grimacing, she looked up, squinting around for any sign of the voice's owner. It didn't take her to spot him - Steve, inside a cage built of iron bars. His wrists were tied behind him, to one of the bars, leaving him very helpless. "Oh Notch, oh no…"
"I-I'm o-okay." Heather managed through chattering teeth. The next instant, an image flashed over her vision, drawing another shriek from her throat.
"Heather!"
"I'm okay!" She repeated herself, blinking and rubbing at her eyes. She was, she realized, also in a cage, the bottom of which was filled with water. The entire room seemed to be somewhat waterlogged, a long, thin room that reminded her somewhat of a sewer. It was built entirely out of obsidian, undoubtedly to prevent escape, and at one end… was a giant, unblinking eye.
Heather's breath left her body in an instant as Steve spoke up, answering her unspoken question.
"It's an Elder Guardian." Looking back at him, Heather realized that Alex was caged right next to him. There was no sign of Manfred or Notch, yet, however. "So we can't dig out."
"Wh-what's it doing here?!"
"It's trapped." Steve's voice was mournful. Indeed, as her eyes continued to adjust to the dimness, Heather could see long, thin chains wrapped around the creature's body. The lowest part of it was resting in the water, but most of it was dry. Heather winced a bit. Guardians didn't suffocate out of water, but that couldn't be comfortable…
"I-is it…" 'alive' was going to be the end of that question, but the guardian answered it itself, letting out a combination between a rumble and a squeal. "Oh."
"I don't know how he got it here." Steve confessed. "Unless he built this prison around a monument. Either way, we're well and truly trapped here."
"…oh."
"Where's Herobrine?" Alex spoke up. Her voice was raspy, as if she had been yelling. That wouldn't be a shock.
"N-Null got him too." Heather's words made her heart sink as she realized the gravity of the situation. She could only count on Null's obsession with vengeance to keep her fiancé alive.
A moment later, the Enderman appeared again, dropping Herobrine's motionless body into the water.
"Hero!" Heather shouted, clutching at the bars as he pushed himself up with a series of heavy coughs. He didn't look any worse for wear when he looked up at her- at least, not any worse than the explosion. He definitely had at least a couple burns.
"Where are we?" He rasped.
"Null's prison." Steve answered. "I'd give you more specifics if I had any."
"Oh." Herobrine staggered upright, looking around, and Heather realized he was the only one not in a cage. Once he'd registered that there was no way out, he turned and stumbled towards Heather. Falling to his knees in the water, he grasped her hand through the bars, murmuring, "are you alright?"
"F-fine." She squeezed his back. "Y-you?"
"I've been better." He admitted. "And I can't… teleport." Cold fear shot through her. That wasn't good.
"Wh-why aren't you in a cage?" She managed.
"I don't know. I doubt it's for a good reason." His gaze flickered back over to the captive guardian. "One moment." Releasing her hand, Herobrine began to wade towards the creature as Heather watched with her heart in her throat.
She half-expected it to attack him once he got in range, but, instead, it only let out a low rumble as Herobrine pressed a hand to the skin beside the giant eye. Of course, that made sense, he ruled the mobs. This one probably hated Null either way.
Herobrine shifted around to where some of the chains were secured around a huge fin, but though he tugged and searched he could find no way to release it. Finally, he backed away, looking up at the eye again as the guardian made a mournful sound.
"Making friends already, I see." Null's voice caused him to whirl around, and Heather spun to find white eyes watching from the opposite end of the tunnel.
"Only you," Herobrine snapped, "Would imprison such a majestic creature for your own gain."
"And only you would feel a kinship with such a beast." Null snipped back. "I suppose I can see why."
"Why are we here." Herobrine demanded instead of responding to the barb. Null glanced at his Enderman, standing on the dry ledge that rimmed the room, who vanished.
"Take a guess."
"Oh no, we're not playing the stalling game." Herobrine started to wade through the water back towards him, but Null lifted his sword threateningly and he stopped.
"How's the eye?" Null goaded. "Perhaps you should think twice before you threaten me."
"Fine." Herobrine edged towards Heather's cage again.
"You," Null began to walk down the corridor; letting his sword clang against each bar of Steve and Alex's cages as he passed them. "Are here to play a game."
"I'm not playing."
"You have little choice. You either play, or your wife does." Heather scowled.
"What game?" Steve spoke up.
"Funny that you should ask, for you are the other player." Null's eyes flashed. "It regards Notch."
On the end of the tunnel opposite the Elder Guardian, the wall suddenly opened up, revealing a narrower tunnel. The movements were jerky and automated- had Null made a piston door? Null made a sweeping gesture towards the opening.
"Hidden in this maze is your beloved creator. The two of you may enter at the same time, and the first to find him wins. The winner may do whatever they wish with him." Null's gaze slid back to Herobrine. "Perhaps settle an old grudge."
"You're a fool." Steve snapped. "Herobrine and Notch may not be friends, but they are allies. And I don't believe for a second that you've managed to imprison Notch."
"Oh, it's true. Are you willing to take that risk?" Steve glared, but had no response. "Good. As for being allies…" Null looked at Herobrine again. "No… they've never truly trusted one another, and they're not about to start now."
"Shows how much you know." Heather muttered. She was pretty sure he was right, but she wasn't about to let him know that.
"Are you two ready to play?" Null continued, ignoring her. Steve scowled, but nodded. Beside Heather's cage, Herobrine nodded grimly as well. "Good." Null produced a bottle of milk, drank it, then removed two blocks of Steve's cage so the miner could escape - with, Heather noticed, Herobrine's pickaxe. Steve promptly joined Herobrine beside her cage, muttering,
"If he truly does have Notch, we need to work togeth-"
"To encourage some friendly competition," Null interrupted. "If Herobrine loses, his wife must fight me. If Steve loses, Alex must."
"What?" Heather blurted. She had no doubt that she could beat him in a fight, but, seriously?
"I'm not playing." Herobrine snapped. Null tuts.
"Then she will. If she loses, she fights me." Herobrine bared his teeth at him as Heather ran this over through her head. If Herobrine simply refused, Null would attack him and probably beat him, given that Herobrine couldn't teleport and… Null kind of could. His Enderman couldn't step in the water, though.
"Just go." Heather whispered through the bars. "I can probably beat him, 'cause, he won't be willing to kill me. He'll need me to keep threatening you."
"It doesn't matter, because I'm going to win." Herobrine muttered darkly. He shot a glare at Steve, who frowned back at him.
"Ready?" Null examined his fingertips.
"We're ready." Herobrine released the bars of his wife's cage, stepping past Null and stopping at the exit of the tunnel. Steve came up beside him, giving him a look before turning his eyes back to the maze.
"I'll be watching. Don't even think about cheating." Null gestured towards the pair. "Go."