Troubled thoughts and a pinch of familiarity
It was already dark and the moon was high in the sky.
Steve lay awake in his bed, grimly staring at the ceiling above him.
He had spent the past few days doing nothing but sleeping and trying to regain his strength, which was taking much longer than usual.
He was used to quickly recovering after a fight or an injury and needing to wait so long was getting on his nerves!
It wasn't like this back when he was still human, was it? Surely not, right?
With this thought, Steve sighed deeply, closed his eyes, and enjoyed the cool breeze coming in through a small window at the head side of the bed for a moment.
The wizards had carried him and Notch to this room after he collapsed, and although Steve didn't initially like the idea of working with them, he had realized that they needed their help if they wanted to regain their powers.
"You're right, I don't think highly of you," he heard Ethan's voice in his head at that moment from back when he asked him why he was helping him, knowing that most wizards hated him. "But I'm not stupid. I know that you and your brothers are necessary to maintain the balance of this world, and that's why I will help you get your powers back. But first, you need to rest and regain your strength. We can deal with the rest later."
Steve snorted softly as he thought about it.
He didn't like to admit it, but the words of the young leader had impressed him and had convinced him to cooperate with him.
That's why he had also tried to answer as many of his questions as possible about Null and the loss of their powers even though there wasn't much he could say.
I'm sure Herobrine can tell him much more, Steve thought grimly. But as far as I know, he hasn't woken up yet.
After clearing his mind from stressing too much about past events, he turned his head to the side and sadly stared at Notch, who lay in a bed opposite him and had not yet regained consciousness.
His face was still pale, and Steve felt his heart tighten.
He hadn't seen his brother often lately and to say that he mostly frustrated and disappointed him with his actions would be an understatement. But despite all the trouble he had with him, Steve loved him, and he definitely didn't want him to die!
No! He couldn't bear that! He had already lost one…
Relax, Steve thought as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. Ethan said he'll make it through. He just needs a little more time. After all, he had much more power than you did.
Steve sighed in response.
That was true.
His body still ached from the loss of his powers, despite the help of the wizards, and he never possessed much power to begin with.
So, what must Notch and Herobrine endure, whose powers were significantly greater than his?
At least the bed they had put him in was wonderfully warm and soft, which helped alleviate the pain—a true blessing after three weeks of torture.
However, it didn't ease his worries about what was happening to the Minecrafters in his city. Even if he were there, he couldn't do anything to help them at the moment.
Even if he still had his power...
I hope Jason is doing well, he thought wearily before closing his eyes, feeling his heart tighten.
The question of what had happened to him since Null announced his invasion and conquest of their city kept him from sleeping. And when he did sleep, he often had nightmares of the boy being injured or killed by Null.
Something that was worse for Steve than anything he had experienced since Null's abduction.
He could never forgive himself if that happens...
No! He had sworn to protect him... He had promised him...
Now, make a point! He heard a soft voice in his head protest. Jason is tough! He'll find a way to survive somehow. He always has. Maybe he's already escaped Null's clutches and is organizing a rebellion against him from the underground or..- he's searching for you..
Yes, that sounds like him, Steve added with a smile, but the doubts in his mind remained.
After all, Jason was just an ordinary Minecrafter at the end of the day. Without power. Without magic. Without anything except a talent for sword fighting and a fondness for cookies. But would that be enough against someone like Null?
Steve released another deep sigh as he thought about it.
Well, there's no point in agonizing over it, he thought sadly. I can't do anything to help him, and Jason isn't here either, so I have no choice but to wait and trust in his abilities.
Striving away from his misery, he closed his eyes, intending to fall asleep and maybe have a slightly nicer dream this time, when he suddenly heard footsteps from outside.
Several footsteps that were getting closer to the door of their room.
Confused about who would want something from him at such a late hour, he opened his eyes and stared at the door. The increasing volume of the footsteps was soon followed by a loud knock on the door before it was opened and Ethan walked in.
He looked exactly the same as in all the other encounters Steve had seen him, and he didn't seem very tired either, even tho it was very late. Steve, however, wasn't surprised.
After all, he was a leader.
"Good evening, Steve," he continued shortly after with a serious tone. "I'm sorry to disturb you so late, but there's someone here who wants to see you."
Steve raised his eyebrows in surprise at hearing that.
Someone wants to see me? he repeated, confused, before he, despite the painful protest of his body, sat up a little. Ethan turned away from him and waved someone in.
A short moment later Steve could hear footsteps again, followed shortly by a face peering cautiously into the room from the door frame.
A very familiar face!
"Jason?" Steve whispered in disbelief as he now sat up completely and looked surprised at the blue eyes he had missed so much.
"Steve!" Jason shouted a second later, rushing past Ethan and embracing him tightly!
Steve also raised his arms and buried his face in Jason's shoulder, grateful and happy that he was okay.
"What are you doing here?!" he eventually asked, worried, as he let go of him and anxiously searched for any injuries. "And how...how did you find me?"
"Well, I told you I would always find you, remember?" Jason replied with a smile that faded before he hugged Steve tightly again.
"I'm so glad you're still alive," he whispered softly a moment later, and Steve could hear that he was close to tears.
"Yeah...same," he replied before closing his eyes, trying to hold on to Jason a little longer to calm him down, when suddenly Ethan's loud clearing of his throat filled the room.
Startled, Steve flinched and quickly pushed Jason away from him before turning his gaze to Ethan, who was observing them both thoughtfully.
"So, I assume you two know each other," he finally stated in a serious voice, and Steve could feel the blood rushing to his head.
"Yes, um...he is my student," he quickly replied, causing Ethan to raise an eyebrow.
"Your student...of course," he responded, but Steve could hear that he didn't believe him in the slightest.
But fortunately, he didn't ask further questions.
"I suppose that means you're from Skylor as well," he added, turning to Jason, who quickly nodded before his expression turned grim.
"Yes, that's why I've been looking for you," he continued, addressing Steve with a serious tone. "Something terrible has happened."
With those words, he sighed and began to tell the story.
Steve listened carefully and he could feel his heart sink as he heard about all the atrocities Null had inflicted upon his city and his people.
But at the same time, an overwhelming anger and helplessness welled up within him as Jason described their gruesome fate.
How could he have allowed something like this to happen?!
"We need to go to Skylor as soon as possible!" he replied sternly after Jason finished his story, before throwing off the blanket and starting to get up, determined not to let his weakness hold him back!
"Steve, what are you doing?" he heard Ethan ask a moment later. "You're not in a condition to..."
But Steve just shook his head.
"I have to go!" he continued without hesitation, addressing Ethan directly. "I know you don't care about the well-being of Minecrafters, but I can't sit here and do nothing while my people suffer! I'm their leader, damn it! I have to..."
With those words, he stood up and was about to go to his belongings, which hung on a chair a little further away. As soon as he stood, a sharp pain shot through his head, followed by a dizziness so strong that Steve would have collapsed if Jason hadn't caught him.
"I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that," he heard Ethan's voice say shortly after, while Jason gently placed him back on the bed, looking at him worried "Even if you could go out without assistance, you are far too important for the survival of this world, and I refuse to let it perish because you died trying to save a few Minecrafters."
"They are my people!" Steve protested sharply, still holding a hand to his head, trying to mitigate the pain, while Jason looked confused, glancing between him and Ethan.
"Died?" he repeated uncertainly. "But Steve is a god. He can't..."
"Well, not anymore..." Steve interrupted him solemnly, causing Jason to stare at him in disbelief with wide eyes.
"I'll explain it to you later," he told him before turning back to Ethan and giving him a challenging look. "So, what do you think I should do?! Watch as my people are slaughtered?!"
"I'm afraid you have no other choice," Ethan replied coldly. "Because I will not send you or anyone else to Skylor, it will only lead to more death. We will devise a plan against Null when you and Notch are well again, but until then, we will take no action."
With those words, he turned away and headed towards the door, but then he stopped and turned back to them.
"Take care of him, alright?" he said, casting a brief glance at Jason. "He will need it."
And with that, he was gone.
"I can't believe it!" Steve erupted a moment later, full of anger. "How dare he forbid me from leaving the city but refuse to help himself! Who does he think he is?!"
"I'm sorry I couldn't bring you any good news," Jason said with a guilty tone after Steve had buried his head in his hands, but Steve just shook his head.
"Don't apologize," he replied grimly, avoiding looking at Jason. "I'm sorry that you went through all this trouble, hoping to find help, all in vain..."
With those words, he buried his head in his hands again and closed his eyes, his thoughts racing in a desperate attempt to find a solution.
"Well, it wasn't entirely in vain, after all, I did find you," Jason said with a soft voice a moment later, gently placing a hand on Steve's shoulder, probably hoping to cheer him up, but Steve didn't respond.
Although he appreciated Jason's attempt to help, he was too agitated and angry at the moment to be calmed down by a few words.
Jason seemed to have noticed that as well, as he sighed sorrowfully a brief moment later and let go of him, which caused Steve's Heart to clench ever so slightly.
But he didn't say anything about it.
"What did you mean when you said you're no longer a god?" he asked after a while, and Steve just sighed before turning his gaze back to Jason and telling him the whole story.
"I understand," Jason murmured after silently listening to Steve's story with wide eyes. "So, that's how you ended up here."
With those words, he glanced briefly out of the window, and Steve nodded grimly.
"It was more luck than anything else," he continued a moment later. "Although whether it was fortunate, I'm not so sure anymore."
"Well...at least you're here now. That's a small improvement," he added with a smile directed at Jason, who playfully looked at him with mock offense.
"Just a small one?" he asked amusedly, while nudging Steve's side playfully. "I went through, like, 18 biomes to get here!"
Steve couldn't help but smile as he heard that, while he lovingly observed Jason and suddenly noticed how tired and exhausted the boy looked.
"You should rest," he said directly to Jason, while he concernedly examined his pale face and deep dark circles under his eyes. "You look terrible."
"Well, I would like to," Jason replied sheepishly. "But there doesn't seem to be another bed in this room."
"That's alright. You can take mine," Steve quickly responded, causing Jason to look at him in surprise.
"Are you sure?" he asked, and the uncertainty in his voice was evident. "Don't you think Ethan will have a problem with it?"
"Who cares what Ethan thinks?" Steve snarled contemptuously. "And besides, I've slept more than enough, so I don't need it anyway."
"And even if," he added with a smile, "I can always join you." This made Jason smile as well.
"Alright then," he replied before getting up and starting to change his clothes.
"Just don't expect too much," he added while watching Jason take off his heavy coat and most of his clothes. "The bed is not even half as comfortable as the one in my castle."
"Oh, no bed in the world is that," Jason countered with a grin before he fell onto the bed and snuggled under the covers with a resigned sigh, which made Steve smile again.
"Sleep well," he murmured softly as he leaned forward and lovingly stroked his hair before turning away and staring outside with a pensive gaze.
He sat like that deep in thought until the early hours of the morning, trying to solve all his worries and problems that had been weighing on him since he was captured by Null, and now had become even more burdensome thanks to Jason. But he couldn't...of course he couldn't...
At some point, Steve didn't know how long it had been since Jason had fallen asleep, he heard a soft moan, followed by a voice whispering his name, and even though it was quiet and distorted by pain, Steve recognized it immediately.
Instantly, his head spun up and he felt joy and relief surge within him as he looked into brown eyes that stared at him in confusion from the opposite bed, and belonged to none other than his brother, Notch!
Finally...finally, he had awakened!
Hello folks,
I just wanted to apologize for the lack of updates last Sunday.
The reason is that I was away and couldn't complete the upload, but now the updates should be coming back regularly.
At least until I go on vacation.
But until then, I'll carry on as usual.
So I hope you enjoy this chapter.
See you.
Your Palle ^^