review replies:
LPK9: Im sure steve will be fine.
Arrowchristian: I had very specific image for what I wanted steve to act like and I think I succeeded lol. Redeeming villains IS kind of my thing…. :)
"You know what this reminds me of?" Heather gestured over the hill, dotted with allium and cornflowers. "Sweden." Herobrine's brows went up.
"You've been to Sweden?"
"No, but I've seen pictures. Wouldn't that be a lovely place for our honeymoon? Besides, it's like, your homeland."
"You don't want to have our honeymoon here anymore?" Herobrine asked with a straight face. Heather held his gaze for several seconds.
"Not really, no."
"Fair enough." Herobrine nodded. "Also, I think this is my homeland." Heather just snickered, tilting her head back to look at the square clouds.
It had been four days since Steve attacked them. Heather's arm and chest were, as far as she could tell, completely healed, leaving her with only a couple of cool scars. Herobrine's arrow wound had healed as well, and there had been no sign of danger since the mountain. If not for the subtle feeling of impending doom, she could almost imagine that they were just out on an extended hike.
Traveling with Notch was almost enjoyable now. He had become an asset to the team, rather than a hindrance, and Heather wondered how long he had been capable of this and decided to be a brat out of spite. Either way, she wasn't going to complain. Better late than never.
Alex seemed to have cheered slightly, despite Steve's continued absence. She was still grumpy, but not as upset as she had been. Heather had been able to get a smile out of her once or twice.
"You know," Heather remarked to her husband. "I think Null's screwing up the mob spawning rules. They seem to be spawning… I don't know. A lot less."
"Are you surprised?" Herobrine shrugged, hands in his pockets. "He's broken everything else."
"I guess."
"Perhaps since he has the mobs out hunting for us, they've reached the spawn cap." Notch suggested. "Or he's simply broken the spawning mechanics entirely."
"Mhm."
They crested the top of the hill, and Heather immediately spied a figure standing at the bottom.
"Steve." Alex exclaimed as Heather stopped in her tracks. Indeed, the miner was standing at the bottom of the hill, watching them with a small smile on his face. Heather immediately turned, looking behind her.
"Null, too." It was strange to see their pursuer in broad daylight, instead of sticking to the shadows like he usually did. He was about 30 blocks away, holding a sword, not moving yet.
"This way," Herobrine grabbed Heather's hand, glancing to the left - a cliff face - then directed the group to the right. "We need to keep Alex away from him." He hissed, glancing at the redhead. "If he corrupts you too-"
"No." Alex cut him off. "We can't run from him. If we do, we're letting him control the fight." She looked at Null, then back to Steve. "Let's kill him."
"We don't know what Null has up his sleeve." Herobrine protested.
"We never do! And if we catch him off guard, we're more likely to be able to throw off his plans." Alex drew her axe. "Come on." Herobrine glanced at Notch, then at Heather, who nodded.
"Worth a try."
"Then let's go." Herobrine cast one final look at Null, then drew his pickaxe and took off down the hill.
Steve's smile vanished as they charged towards him, and he took a fighting stance as they approached. Herobrine was the first one to reach him. He dropped into a crouch as he got into range, ducking under Steve's first swing and slamming his boot into his legs. Steve staggered, but didn't fall, swinging at him again. Alex reached him a moment later and struck Steve in the head with the handle of her axe, causing him to shout and stumble back.
Notch and Heather arrived a moment later, and the latter lunged in to parry one of Steve's swings, striking his axe downwards to stick in the dirt. Steve yanked at the handle, then flinched back as Herobrine swung at his chest - only for the blade to shudder violently upon contact and force Herobrine back. Why wouldn't he take damage?
An ender pearl landed beside her, and Heather dropped flat on her back to avoid Null's attempt to behead her.
"Notch, with me! Alex, Heather, handle Steve!" Herobrine barked. Notch hesitated only a moment before obeying, attacking Null and driving him away from Alex. Heather scrambled upright again and swung at Steve, whose smug grin was back on his face at the appearance of his master. Alex smacked him in the head, and Heather took a stab at him, shrieking when his axe came down an inch away from her hand.
"The little Nether Queen." Null growled, blocking a swing at his head. "I'm quite surprised to see you here. Alive, that is."
"Yeah, well, I'm full of surprises." Heather grunted as she blocked an axe swing with her sword. Though she was fairly sure at this point that she was, in fact, immortal, Steve seemed determined to put her back in that almost-death state as quickly as possible. It was difficult to see him as an enemy, but Steve's once-friendly face was twisted with malice as he rammed his axe against her sword again.
"Cut it out!" Alex slammed the flat side of her axe into his head again, jerking back when the axe flashed in her hands. Steve growled low, focusing his attention on her, and Heather took the opportunity to try and stab him. The moment her sword made contact with his flesh, a burst of white-hot pain shot up from her arm. Heather dropped her sword with a cry.
"Heather!" Herobrine shouted in concern. She shook her head until it stopped ringing, then grabbed her sword again.
"Killing him isn't working!" She yelled.
"Neither is him killing us." Alex snapped, tripping her opponent and sending him down on his back. Heather lunged forward to help, but before she got there Steve had struggled upright again. Alex swung at him, and he ducked under it, popping up beside Heather and grabbing both her wrists. Before she could twist free, he kicked her in the stomach, forcing the air out of her lungs as she doubled over. She had never had his full strength used against her before. Rough arms wrapped around her, and Heather was yanked back against his chest as Steve placed her between himself and Alex.
The redhead faltered, scowling. "I guess it was foolish of me to assume you had any honor left."
"It was." He was grinning.
"Steve!" Null shouted, and he was halfway turned around when Herobrine slammed his fist into his jaw. Heather was released to crumple into the grass, and Alex offered her a hand up as Steve reeled, Herobrine immediately punching him again. Notch was holding his own against Null, who looked weirdly amused at the sight of his minion getting beaten up.
"You okay?" Alex asked.
Heather prodded at her tender stomach. "Gonna have a bruise, but yeah."
"Okay." Alex looked from Steve to Null. As Heather followed her gaze, Null threw an Ender pearl, blocking a final strike from Notch before he appeared next to Steve. Abruptly outnumbered, Herobrine ducked back, rejoining his wife.
"Stand up straight." Null said irritably. Steve gave him a withering look, rubbing a bruise on his cheek.
"Leave." Herobrine shouted, glancing up at Notch as he came up next to him. "You're not winning this fight. Let us be."
"And why exactly should I do that?" Null called back. "As you can see, my p- my partner cannot die."
"He cannot die to our weapons, apparently." Herobrine twirled his pickaxe. "I doubt he has that same resilience to fall damage, or drowning."
"And you're willing to take that chance? You don't think he'll kill you first?"
"He can't kill Notch, he can't kill Heather, if he kills Alex she will simply respawn, and no." Herobrine smirked. "I don't think he can kill me."
"You underestimate me." Steve sneered. "I've grown in strength since last we fought."
"Not enough, apparently."
"Very well." Null shrugged. "If you don't consider him a threat, then I have no further use for him." Grabbing Steve by the shoulder, Null shoved him to his knees.
"Hey! What-" Steve moved to stand, but Null slammed a hand down on the top of his head, and Steve let out a scream as his body flashed white.
"Steve!" Alex lurched forward.
"HOLD STILL!" Null roared, voice raised to be heard above Steve's cries. "Or I'll remove him from the game." Alex stopped in her tracks, and Null lifted his hand, allowing his prisoner to slump bonelessly to the ground. "You." Null lifted a hand to point at her. "Come here." Alex froze, and Heather spun to look at her in alarm. There was only one thing that Null could want with her.
Before anyone could move, Heather lunged at Alex and ran her through, killing her instantly.
"Heather!" Herobrine exclaimed, shocked. Null looked absolutely bewildered for a split second before his eyes narrowed. She would respawn, out of his reach.
"Heroic." He hissed. "But in saving one from me, you forfeit the life of another."
"Don't you DARE!" Notch charged forward, and Null barely had time to react before he was tackled to the ground. He roared, aiming his sword towards Notch's heart, but the creator grabbed the blade before it could move. Red immediately coated the blade.
"Notch!" Herobrine ran up to assist him, lifting a foot and stamping down on Null's wrist. Null shouted in pain as his sword clattered to the ground, and then Herobrine's pickaxe slammed into his head and he evaporated into smoke.
Notch groaned as he sat up, looking at his bloody hand. Herobrine wordlessly offered him a health potion.
"Steve." Heather hurried to where Steve was laying, though she didn't drop her guard just yet. Her stomach still ached.
"Hey!" A voice caught her attention, and Heather looked up to see Theo and Alex hurrying down the hill.
A relieved smile spread across her face. "Hey."
"Good thinking." Alex patted her head as soon as she was within range. "Don't do that again."
"Yes ma'am."
"He okay?" Theo knelt down next to Steve, poking his motionless form.
"I don't know." Heather reached down to touch his wrist, searching for a pulse. Of course, he had one.
"Here." Herobrine joined her, kneeling down on Steve's other side and rolling him over. Gently, he pried one eye open, revealing white. He pursed his lips. "Hard to say."
"Can you tell?" Heather looked up at Theo. "If he's still… whatever? Evil?" Theo sat down cross-legged.
"I mean… I can take a look." He pulled up his console, glancing around at the group as he did so. "Everyone okay?"
"Yeah." Heather leaned back on her palms, trying to calm her breathing. "How are you?"
"Good, good." Theo nodded absently, then caught her gaze. "I'm close."
"Close?" Alex asked, sitting down next to him. Theo nodded.
"Close to being able to get rid of him. Null. I'm almost there."