Time's running out

"So you're telling us that we're going to die whether we manage to hide from Null or not?"

Herobrine sat looking grimly at Steve, who had now also stepped up to the table and was looking at Ethan with a dismayed expression.

He had spent the last few minutes recovering from the pain he had received from his action with his brothers as well as worrying about Nuka, whose face had suddenly become cadaverously pale, before suddenly ran away without turning around again.

I wonder why he ran away? Herobrine thought as he turned his head slightly and squinted for the hundredth time at the door through which Nuka had disappeared.

He was definitely afraid of something. But of what?

Hopefully, he won't meet Notch while he's outside, he added bitterly, looking at Ethan, who was now propped up with his hands on the table and suddenly looked very tired.

"That's right," he replied while sighing deeply, "I already had this idea when you started sounding like you were having trouble sleeping, sweating, headaches and dizziness, even though you had already recovered from the deprivation of power."

,,At first I didn't think it was important," he continued in a serious voice, "but then Notch started having similar symptoms and I started to get worried. I'm pretty sure Herobrine has them too."

With these words he briefly turned his gaze to Herobrine, who just glared at him coldly, even though he was right.

He also had these symptoms, but until now he had always assumed that they were related to his wound and would soon disappear with it.

That they now had something to do with the loss of his powers did not please him at all and he could feel an unpleasant feeling spreading within him as he thought about it

,,That's why I started to investigate," Ethan continued in a serious voice, "and unfortunately it confirmed my suspicions.

,,But I don't understand," the boy next to Steve bursted out and although his voice was firm, Herobrine could clearly hear the underlying tension in it, "why should they still have to die?

"It has to do with their power," Ethan replied sadly, "Without it, their bodies are no longer able to function."

,,But we used to live without these powers and had no problems" Steve protested, whereupon Ethan only sighed again.

,,Yes, but now your body has become accustomed to this power," he answered him simply, "It is like a drug. Only with the difference that it doesn't harm the body, but helps it and makes it live much longer than it actually could. Like a hinge that always remains flexible through good oiling."

,,But if you leave out the oil," he continued in a serious voice, "it begins to rust and finally breaks."

,,In other words, our bodies have acquired a taste for this power and now cannot function without it," Herobrine interrupted him, annoyed, to which Ethan nodded in agreement.

,,Exactly. But that's not all. Another reason is probably that your bodies are long past their expiration date, even tho they have been frozen in time by your power."

,,Are you saying Steve would be okay if this had happened within his normal life expectancy?" the boy next to Steve asked again in shock, to which Herobrine just rolled his eyes.

This guy was really starting to get on his nerves!

Why was he even here?

"Possibly," Ethan replied in the meantime ,,But I can't prove it and I'm afraid it is not important anymore. What is important is that you need your powers back. And that as soon as possible."

There followed an oppressive silence and even Herobrine could feel himself tense up and a feeling of uneasiness rise in him.

"How much time?" asked Steve finally and Herobrine was surprised how serious and worried he suddenly sounded, "How much time until we..."

"Die?" ", Ethan finished with a serious look, "Well that's hard to say. The fact is, it won't be over in one night. It will probably be a slow painful death and the fact that you are all already showing these symptoms means that this dediaction has already started and will...progress..."

"I see," Steve replied in a somber voice, "and I assume the symptoms will continue to get worse?"

"I strongly suspect so," Ethan answered him with a deep sigh, "I know that there are some potions that can probably slow it down, but I'm quite sure they won't stop it."

Herobrine faltered when he heard that.

He never thought that his actual death could ever be possible and now being confronted with it actually scared him.

Especially since it was something that was already happening and that he would not be able to stop unless he got his power back.

Wich was almost impossible.

Herobrine gritted his teeth and felt the anger rise up in him again, while the face of a smiling Null came into his mind, who was responsible for all of this and who would probably be very joyful if he knew about thier misery.

"But we can't let that happen!"

The sudden loud voice made Herobrine cringe before he angrily turned his gaze to the black haired boy who was still standing next to Steve and now had his hands clenched into fists and was staring with his dark blue eyes at Ethan as if he was to blame for all of this, "We have to do something!"

,,That's why I brought you here," Ethan continued in a normal voice, "so that we can come up with a plan to get your power back from Null. Not only for your survival, but also to restore the balance of the world."

He sighed.

"Because the signs that it is suffering from the wrong distribution of power are already clear," he added in a serious voice, "and I fear that the decay of this world will also continue until it finally collapses."

,,So," he continued with an effortful smile as he leaned on the table again and looked around asking, "any ideas?"

But before any of them could answer, a loud explosion could be heard in the distance, causing the house to shake and everyone to scramble. Even Herobrine looked around startled!

What was that! he thought in alarm; however, before he could think about it further, a series of other explosions sounded, followed by distant screams and sounds of battle, and a shrill alarm coming from the barrier, leaving no doubt that something had invaded the city.

Something that was clearly more powerful than all the mages combined.

,,Greetings Gods"

Herobrine froze and he could also see the others around him tense up and look around in panic as the disembodied voice of Null suddenly echoed through the room, "Or should I say ex-Gods?"

A dark laugh filled the room.

,,I have to admit I underestimated you guys. I didn't expect you to actually escape from the End, and it was a real pain to find out where the Enderman took you, not to mention all the days I wasted searching through the desert to find that wretched city, but that's over now!"

"I know you're in here!" he continued in a sharp voice, "So there's no point in hiding! Either you come out voluntarily or I will destroy every house in this city and everyone who gets in my way until I find you!"

Herobrine skipped a beat when he heard that!

What were they supposed to do now?

He didn't care about the survival of the people and this town, but where would they run to?

There was no escape he knew of, no way Null would find him while he was trying to escape…

At that moment, one of the doors to the hall flew open and everyone scrambled around on shock!

But to Herobrine's relief,it was just Nuka, accompanied by Notch, who was strangely holding a cloth in front of his nose, before they came rushing into the room.

Herobrine's blood began to boil as soon as he saw him!

Why was he with Nuka! Had they spoken to each other?

No! Nuka would never listen to a liar like him! Herobrine thought grimly but before he could think about it, Nuka began to speak.

,,What do we do now?!" he asked and the fear in his voice was unmistakable, "We...we can't just give up, can we? He...Null he will kill them if we do!"

,,Go."

Herobrine raised his head in surprise and looked over at Ethan, who was still standing at the table with his eyes lowered.

,,What?" asked Steve, confused, who, like everyone, was obviously very surprised by this reaction but Ethan remained surprisingly calm.

,,Go," he repeated, before raising his head and looking very seriously around the room, smiling sadly, "It's okay. I will fight Null with the other mages as long as I can. But we can't hold him off for long. So you'll have to hurry."

,,But how are we going to escape?" Steve asked, and Ethan's look became serious again.

,,Quite simply," he replied, "under this house is a tunnel that belongs to a vast system of other tunnels that are running under the entire city, built for just such a purpose and whose few entrances are known only to mages. They will lead you out safely."

,,Roxana will show you the way," he added, whereupon she gasped in surprise and looked at Ethan in dismay.

"But sir," she tried to protest, but Ethan simply cut her off.

,,No, Roxana," he interrupted her briefly, "I will not discuss this with you! The survival of these people is more important than the survival of this city and that is why you will go with them!"

"But..."

,,No buts!" retorted Ethan sharply, whereupon Roxana looked at him indignantly, as if she wanted to say something else, but finally gave in and although she nodded, still seemed visibly upset.

Ethan seemed to have noticed this as well, because shortly afterwards his face softened and he gently put a hand on her shoulder.

,,Hey, I know it's hard," he continued in a clearly soft voice, "but you're the only one who can take care of Notch and the others and who I trust with this task."

,,Don't worry," he added with a smile, "I and the others will be ok and everything else we can rebuild later yeah?"

Roxana, still a bit upset, raised her head and nodded, this time much more determined, whereupon Ethan summoned his staff, knowing that he was plunging himself and his mages into a battle he could not win.

"Thank you," Herobrine heard Steve say at that moment, and Notch behind him nodded in agreement, "Thank you so much. We owe you one."

,,Well, you're welcome to settle it by saving the world," Ethan replied with a smile, before his expression turned serious again, "Now go! You don't have much time left!"

As if Null had been waiting for that statement, another explosion shook the city, followed by distant screams and sounds of battle, a clear sign that he was on the hunt for them now.

,,Time's up!" his dark voice could be heard echoing through the hall, and everyone tensed up, but instead of panicking, remained surprisingly calm and began to get ready to leave.

Ethan, meanwhile, turned and disappeared out the door, not without first loosening the chains that had bound Herobrine to the chair until just now, for which he was very grateful.

He was afraid that he had forgotten him under all that stress.

,,Shall I help you?" a familiar voice suddenly sounded behind me, and Herobrine turned and saw Nuka, who was now standing behind him and seemed visibly nervous, even though he was trying to sound composed.

,,Yes, please," he replied softly, whereupon Nuka quickly stepped next to him and put his arm around him before gently pulling him to his feet. Herobrine clung to him, trying not to grimace in pain.

He would have liked to go alone but wasn't sure if his strength would really be enough for that and more than anything he didn't want to get left behind.

Hopefully Nuka can hold me up as long as he needs too, he added with a glance at the boy, and once again he realized how lucky he was that he was still by his side.

But before he could think about it further he heard Roxana shouting "This way!" and before he knew what was happening Nuka was dragging them through the hall and outside, where they followed Roxana, who was walking resolutely while explosions and screams were going on around them!

But Roxana, unfazed, led them below, down into the dungeon, toward a wall that seemed completely normal.

But before Herobrine could wonder why they are here, Roxana raised her staff and muttered a spell, whereupon it lit up brightly and shortly thereafter dissolved, revealing an old stone staircase behind it that led even further into the depths.

"Quick in there!"

Without hesitation, the group followed her words and went down the corridor behind as fast as they could, while Roxana closed the door behind them again with a spell.

Herobrine looked at her in surprise and admiration.

He had never thought that a kind and gentle person like her could be so bold and brave.

But before he could think about it further, he was grabbed by Nuka and pulled further into the depths of the tunnel through which Roxana now led them.

The only light they had now came from a few torches on the walls and from Roxana's wand, which she used to light their way, turning corners and passing several forks in the road, so that Herobrine soon lost his orientation.

Luckily we have Roxana or we would have been hopelessly lost, he thought with relief as he clenched his teeth and tried to keep up with the fast pace as best he could, despite the fact that the pain in his wound grew stronger with each step.

Even down here the earth shook again and again from the explosions, which made dust trickled from the ceiling every now and then, causing Herobrine to worry about the stability of the tunnels.

,,Don't worry, it's not far anymore," he heard Roxana's soft voice say from the front, "We just have to go through this tunnel and we'll be safe."

Thank heavens Herobrine thought, and he was about to relax a bit when he heard a scream behind him!

Immediately his eyes shot up and everyone turned in alarm to the young female soldier, with the dark brown hair who was now suddenly standing behind them, looking back with a pale face.

,,Guys, I think we lost someone," she finally whispered in a hoarse voice and when Herobrine looked around he realized that someone was indeed missing.

And that someone was no one other than

Notch.