Steve stood in the doorway of his kitchen and blinked with disbelief. His twin cast him a glance over his shoulder and hid a smirk at the human's astonished reaction before returning to his current task.

Steve, too hesitant to interrupt, sat down at the table and just watched the other's back. He had almost never seen Herobrine this close. At least not in full daylight. And the man looked... surprisingly ordinary? At least from his back.

Herobrine was still not well. Steve noticed that in his movements, the strained effort of slightly shaking muscle and the way he stood, favoring one side. Plus his missing arm. It was still missing.

Herobrine did not seem deterred by his injuries and continued to prepare the meal with efficiency of someone who had obviously done this before. It struck Steve as strange to think his powerful twin might have done such ordinary things as getting up from his bed and cooking himself breakfast. If anything, didn't his servant mobs cook it for him?

"Are you joking? Trusting them to cook?... Unnecessary. I have excellent skills in making a proper meal." Steve blinked, wondering once again if his twin could read minds. Or, did he blurt his last thought out loud?

A plate of perfectly seasoned steak slid over to him, cutting off his further embarrassed thoughts, as his twin limped to the other side of the table and sat down with a noticeable wince.

"You did." Herobrine confirmed with unexpected amiability and smirked at the expression that appeared in the miner's face.

The human searched his guest's face but Herobrine continues to smirk, hiding the discomfort he felt that anyone other than his voiceless dumb mobs should see him in such a setting. It was doubtlessly decimating the powerful, untouchable image that dwelled in Steve's mind and which Herobrine always took care to maintain out of caution for self-preservation. Given his past, that was the role he had to play, unless he wanted even more "heroes" and even locals seeking to challenge him everywhere he went.

This human had already seen him at his most defenseless and didn't take advantage of it. Steve was not like the other humans. Although still not certain, Herobrine felt fairly confident that Steve would not betray him unless he were given a reason. That meant that he could trust him a little and meant that he could drop playing a role. Though the last was proving strangely hard, probably because it had become a habit.

"... It's really good." Steve admired, agreeing with his twin's self-assessment. Herobrine really could cook and he did it well, maybe even better than Steve could. Herobrine smirked again, his usual superior expression briefly lighting his face, only to give way to weary contentment as he took another bite, appearing relaxed and at ease. Steve had never seen him like that.

Unwillingly, Steve's eyes held on his twin, following the piece of steak as it disappeared in the other's mouth. Somehow, the idea that Herobrine even needed to eat had never occurred to him. And he certainly never imagined that they would be sitting at the same table together, eating a meal that the legend of many terrifying tales had prepared.

Herobrine seemed to be enjoying the result of his own effort and Steve quickly dropped his eyes to his own plate before the other noticed him staring. It still all felt... unreal somehow.

With no scalding remarks or threats following, Steve dared to look up again, stealing a peek at his twin's face while he wasn't watching. Herobrine's face did resemble his own, only older and with an unshaven stubble of a beard instead of mostly fuzz that Steve had attempted to grow to imitate him. He now also looked thinner and sported shadows under his white eyes, their glow not nearly as scary as it seemed in the dark. In the bright sunlight streaming through the windows and falling across the table, Herobrine's eyes appeared a very light gray and covered by a white film, which obscured his pupils. Sometimes, Steve even wondered if he was blind, but so far Herobrine's reactions belied that thought. Still, in daylight, he seemed almost... normal.

He no longer wore bandages, except for a few beneath the collar of his shirt and along the stump of his injured shoulder. Numerous faint lines, barely noticeable, crossed Herobrine's skin, some thicker than the others. Steve's eyes held on those scars with regret. Herobrine's past confrontations had left their mark, despite his extraordinary healing ability as Steve just witnessed. It made Steve wonder what hardships this man had encountered in his past and if any of them had been similar to this one. Did anyone help him in those times or did he struggle through the pain of previous defeats alone? Herobrine never spoke of it, only boasted of his victories.

Herobrine's clothes were similar to Steve's, too. Steve's eyes fell on the clean, cyan shirt.

"Is that... my stuff?" Steve blurted out before he realized and he gulped, unconsciously shrinking away before his twin's unnerving glare. Normally, he would not have dared to say a word of complaint. It was probably this strange, homely atmosphere that made him feel it was all right to speak up like this to his dangerous guest. Hoping that his words had not evoked Herobrine's ire, Steve sheepishly smiled.

However, it did seem that Herobrine was wearing his clothes, as unlikely as the image was of the man roving in Steve's chests without permission. Steve's eyes drew against his volition to the shirt and then to the new trousers that his twin wore to replace the ones shredded in the fight.

Herobrine's face regained his usual flat look. "It's not yours. It's mine. I had my servants bring me a few of my things last night." Annoyance carried in his voice, but not anger.

Encouraged, Steve shot a look at Herobrine's face and found a frown. Following his twin's slight nod to the wall, Steve only now noticed two carefully lined chests, placed next to his own. A blush grew on his face. Glancing back at frowning Herobrine, Steve crooked a sheepish smile and shrugged.

"I mean, it would have been fine." He tried to reassure, but only earned himself a sharp look.

"I would not take your things without asking you about it, first. Did I ever take anything from you before?... Well, I did. But it was a joke. And I restored it all back to you afterward, did I not?"

Steve uncomfortably stirred in his chair, preferring not to answer that particular claim. Noticing the human dropping his eyes and avoiding to meet his eyes directly, Herobrine studied him.

"You disagree." He concluded with flat tone.

Steve nervously chuckled. "It's all right."

"No. Explain."

Steve shifted, then dared to look up, finding Herobrine's displeased eyes held on his in impatient demand. "It's really not that important."

"Did you not find the diamonds I left you? Or... Was it not enough?" Herobrine pressed, determined to find out what displeased the human. He had been certain that his past interactions with the human, while somewhat rough and possibly annoying, had not crossed the line. Steve at least never complained, except that one time when his fence caught on fire. That's why Herobrine covered the expenses by tossing a few diamonds to Steve's feet. The human had still not been pleased, but Herobrine ignored his huffing look, counting the incident as closed. But it was not? Before, Herobrine would not have considered this human's wishes. Now, he owed him a debt that he still had to figure out how to repay.

"Explain!" Herobrine ordered, frustrated. Appearing discomforted, judging by how he shifted in his chair and his slumping chest as he tried to look smaller than he was, Steve once again looked away, his expression turning defensive. "I found them."

"And? You should have been able to trade them easily in town to compensate for what you had lost. That burnt down field and the fence? Your tools? All easily replaceable."

Steve shifted again. "... I couldn't take them to town. I... I didn't want them to think that..."

"You didn't want to raise suspicions that you knew me." Herobrine guessed and watched the miner's face fill with a mix of apprehension and guilt. "What did you do with it all then?" He tried to soften his tone.

Encouraged, Steve lifted his eyes. "I... put them in a chest and buried them, in my backyard." Steve nervously chuckled, throwing a look to his yard, probably to the exact spot where he buried a chest of what the locals would consider a considerable treasure.

He really was a plain book to read, Herobrine scoffed by habit, only to mentally sigh.

"So... I still owe you even more than I thought." He concluded. Steve looked at him with surprise.

"It's all right. I already replaced all those things." He tried to lighten things up with his usual cheerful smile. Herobrine's face remained darkened. It was unpleasant to learn that he had made a mistake, where he had thought he was not in the wrong at all. He really was not good at interactions with other sentients, was he?

"That's not the point. I..." Herobrine fell silent, not in the mood to make another pointless apology. He will just have to compensate the miner in some other way for the previous slight, in addition for his help now. It had to be something that Steve truly valued and would accept. What could Herobrine give him? It was not as easy to determine as Herobrine expected, since Steve was different from what Herobrine came to expect of humans.

Seeing the other man lapse in thought, Steve waited a bit, then got up. He had to get ready to go and meet up with those hunters. Today would be the first day of his ruse to keep them away from Herobrine.

"You are to meet them in town?" Herobrine's voice asked behind him. Steve turned and nodded. "I still do not think that you should have taken their offer. They... I don't think they will try to hurt you, but..." Herobrine said with uncharacteristic lack of confidence.

Herobrine... worried about him? Steve couldn't help a big grin that appeared on his face.

"It's all right. I will only keep them away a little longer. And then you'll lead them away from here. Right?"

Herobrine nodded, still frowning. That was the plan that he and Steve discussed yesterday and he had been against Steve's idea. Only, he had to agree that backing out from that agreement now would look even more suspicious on Steve's part than if he had refused them outright. Even if Herobrine left, they might take offense. And Herobrine knew very well how angry players acted even against their own.

"It will be fine. They are heroes. And heroes only hunt monsters, not humans." Steve smiled with faint guilt. Herobrine nodded in agreement. That was true. However, even the best made plans often went wrong, as Herobrine had experienced himself on many occasions.

Old memories flared again in his mind against his volition. Himself, standing on top of a hill with an arrogant grin on his face, as he gestured his undefeatable as he believed at the time army to go forth against the humans in their town below. Their startled faces as they stopped and turned to look up at him sent pleasure through his heart. He could do whatever he wished! He was the most feared, the most powerful being in existence! Deluded fool.

Herobrine scowled at the memory of himself brashly waiting as yet another being appeared, wearing strangely unimpressive simple garments much like his own, a brown short-sleeved shirt and gray trousers rather than the shining armor of champions that tried to challenge him before.

A bearded man had a hairless head, the skin shining in the light of fires devouring the human city. The man frowned at him, his black, small eyes narrowing on Herobrine, his expression entirely devoid of fear, instead appearing annoyed, as if coming here to face him seemed a mere inconvenience.

He should have known then that something was very wrong. This was not the behavior of a normal human that Herobrine knew. Yet, in his over-confidence he had ignored this perception. Even when the man irritably gestured and the fires around them began to go out, the destroyed blocks of buildings starting to fly up and return to the places where they fell from, Herobrine remained in place, only mildly confused, still looking forward to the fun confrontation.

A worthy opponent at last! That had been his younger self's thoughts and expectation of an exciting battle, especially when the strange human summoned a glowing hammer to his hand.

Herobrine forcefully cast away his memories and returned to watching Steve, as he picked up his pack and checked his mining tools.

Steve should not have had to do this.

Herobrine should have been strong enough to easily handle his pursuers on his own, without resorting to this hapless human's help. Yet, for some reason, his body recovered at a much slower speed and he still could not grasp the power, which usually let him teleport. Or, rather, he felt it close, but it continue to glitch, leaving him very reluctant to risk using it. He wouldn't. Not unless he absolutely had to.

Herobrine suspected that the unfamiliar weapons his opponents wielded had something to do with it. They should not have even had them. Not here. It was against the rules that Herobrine took great care to learn to assure his own safety. Ever his earlier experience with the so-called Admin, who really were the most powerful beings in these worlds, he knew what he could and could not do, what he could get away with, and he tried not to cross the line that Notch warned him of.

But Notch had been gone for a while now and Herobrine no longer knew what went through the minds of those powerful humans. And while he didn't think that these human challengers had anything to do with the higher level of beings, he could not help noticing that their skills and abilities significantly exceeded those he usually expected of players and seemed akin to those wielded by the Admin.

Just who were they and what was their intent concerning Herobrine? Did they really come just to challenge him as so many humans had done before, even on occasion succeeding? Or did they mean to do something more?

Could they have been doing the will of the Admin, who finally decided to finish him off for good? Did they find a way to do so?

He didn't know. He also didn't dare to bother Notch about this. He hoped yet that this situation would resolve without involving that powerful being. In some ways, despite the mercy he granted to defeated Herobrine, Notch scared him even more than the Admin who tortured him.

Admin or players were humans. Notch... was something else and far more powerful. Herobrine would have said that the being who defeated him was almost like him. Yet the humans counted Notch on their side and Notch irritably confirmed that it was true and he would simply destroy Herobrine if he ever seriously attempted to return to his previous path of destruction.

Humans... Herobrine scowled at the thought. All humans, regardless of their power, were unreasonable, fickle creatures that he failed to understand, except that they were in far majority driven by selfish desires and goals of personal gain. Often, they attacked and killed just for mere slights that should have at best evoked an annoyed word of warning even from him...

If they decided to turn against Steve, there was nothing that Herobrine could do at the moment. Not unless he wished to risk death and the following state, from which he might or might not come back. The thought of being left in such a condition forever left a chill going through Herobrine's heart. He wouldn't do it, even for this friendly human's sake. Or... would he? Allow his enemies to destroy him, just to make sure they would leave Steve alone?

No, Steve had better chances of handling that encounter than he could. He was a player, whatever he claimed. That meant that he had the same ability to defy death that all players had. Herobrine no longer had such luxury, thanks to his brief stay with the developers.

Even if they killed Steve, he should be fine... Right?

'I don't know. I just woke up one day. I woke up in the woods and then just... wandered. Until good travelers found me and took me to town. This happened, about... eight years ago?'

Steve's cheerful voice sounded again in Herobrine's mind. Eight years ago - about the same time when Herobrine awakened himself.

And Steve also didn't remember anything that happened before. He really didn't. He wasn't playing an act as Herobrine believed at first. And he has not yet died, so Herobrine had no idea what would happen.

What if... Steve didn't respawn like the other players?

And if he could respawn, where would it be? Players could usually set their respawn location, unless it was within the area already claimed by hostile mobs. Sometimes, they got thrown back to their starting point, to the First City in ethereal heights of the Aether. Steve didn't appear to know what Herobrine talked about.

What if this clueless human would respawn in a completely random location, as often happened to Herobrine himself? The world was a vast, multi-layered place. Herobrine might simply not find him again.

He... really didn't want to lose sight of this human.

Herobrine frowned, watching the miner head to the door.

He didn't want to Steve to do this. Yet, doing so would allow him to know where those strange players went. Steve should be all right. They had no reason to harm him. And Herobrine only needed a little more time to get back in norm. Then, they would regret ever coming here to challenge him. Herobrine scowled.

"Steve..." Already reaching for the door, Steve curiously glanced back, his mild blue eyes holding on Herobrine's in a silent question.

"Be careful." Herobrine advised unnecessarily, yet the human grinned in response.

The concern he saw in his twin's expression once again sent warmth through Steve's heart. Brightly smiling, Steve stepped out the door from Herobrine's sight.

White eyes held on the door that swung closed.

"... Watch him." Herobrine's voice spoke with authority. A soft rurp followed, an Enderman stepping out of a flurry of purple particles into the room. White eyes heavily rested on the servant.

"Stay out of sight. I do not wish for those hunters to see any of you." Herobrine commanded with a cold tone.

"Rurp rurp." The Enderman's voice shifted, pleased. Their master's lack of expression could not mask his heart from them, not when they could feel his intent as if his will was part of their own. The connection their master established with them made sure of that. He cared about them, too.

At Herobrine's small nod the black creature vanished, leaving the still injured and far-weaker than he wished "lord of the mobs" alone in the small cabin, hating his own helplessness.