I named all the chapters lol

review replies:

Okuri-chan: I'm sure she'll be fine. Herobrine seems like a responsible medical professional.

DukeDaniel: Man. That would sure be parallels to Eve fighting Meryl in the first book alright. hmmmm...

"Another regiment lost." Notch murmured sorrowfully, studying the report in front of him. "So much needless death…"

"What happened to them?" Steven asked from where he sat on his creator's left.

"I sent them to investigate unrest in the outer wilds of the Nether," Notch explained, glancing from Steven to his brother. "It was a massacre. Only three made it back to explain what happened."

"Why?" Herobrine sank into a chair on Notch's right, leaning in to get a look at the report. "Did they threaten the locals? Our men, I mean?"

"No, the village that they came to check on was being terrorized by a small army of bandits and mercenaries." Notch told them. "The valkyries came to defend them, but their opponents were far greater in number than our information had suggested. By the survivors' accounts, the town is gone." Herobrine shook his head, aghast.

"It seems that you are constantly dealing with this," Steven pointed out. "Every other week, some faction or other is getting into fights."

"That's because the Nether has no one society, no… government." Notch shook his head. "It is, as you said, dozens of warring factions, all clawing for whatever power that they can get their hands on. I am trying to manage it as well as I can with the valkyries, but I cannot force the factions to make peace with one another."

"What if you set up a ruler of your own?" Steven suggested. "And gave the piglins a good incentive to follow him?"

"It is… a possibility." Notch acknowledged. "But, even discounting the threat of assassination, the Nether is a very hostile and inhospitable place. I cannot think of anyone whom I would be willing to subject to such a role."

Herobrine, who had been silent for a few moments, suddenly spoke up. "I could do it."

"What?" Notch's gaze flashed up to meet his. "Hero, are you sure?"

"I would make a good fit, would I not?" Herobrine rose from his chair, gesturing grandly to make his point. "I'm immune to burning, which negates any danger from fire or lava. I can teleport, which can help me get out of unfavorable situations, and I can't be assassinated because I can't die." He shrugged. "It seems like a straightforward decision to me."

"Perhaps you would make a good fit physically," Steven spoke up. "But, Brine, are you sure you're prepared to be a king? Of a war-torn dimension, no less?"

"No," Herobrine admitted. "But I will have your guidance, would I not?" He looked to Notch, his blank eyes sparkling with excitement. "I am but an extension of your will." Notch observed him quietly for a few moments, considering this.

"I will think on it." He said at last. "Perhaps this is the answer we have been looking for." Herobrine nodded, looking down again to the stack of paper that rested on the table.

"If you should choose me, Notch," He said, "I swear I won't let you down."

"Evangeline." The voice, accompanied by hands on her shoulders, slowly drew Evangeline back from the depths of unconsciousness. A quiet groan escaped her - her body hurt - but it was quickly silenced by something cool that pressed against her lips. "Drink," The voice ordered. Obediently, Evangeline opened her mouth and let a thin, salty liquid run down her throat.

The effect was almost immediate. The throbbing in her midsection began to fade, and her dazed mind started to clear. Scrunching up her face, she peeled one eye open, blinking a couple of times in the light before she was able to focus on Herobrine's face above her. As she watched, he broke into a small, relieved smile.

"There you are."

"Is she awake?" Alex's voice appeared beside his, and Evangeline blinked at her.

"Y-" She coughed. "Y-yes, I… agh." The events from before she had passed out rushed back to her, and she shuddered. "What'd… how long was I…?"

"Unconscious?" Herobrine finished. "A few hours. Just long enough for Alex to brew her potions."

"Oh." Evangeline said faintly. She lifted her head, trying to get a look at her wound. Her outer robes were missing, and her dark gray jumpsuit had been cut away from her middle, which was now wrapped securely in strips of dark fabric. Herobrine's cloak, she realized a moment later, was nowhere to be found.

Herobrine's hand slid under her head to steady her. "How do you feel?"

"Well as I can," She rasped, trying to get an arm underneath herself to push herself up. "I… I don't feel much, actually." Herobrine helped her sit, and she felt a small twinge of pain, but that was it. "I'm alright."

"Are you sure?" Alex was kneeling beside her, green eyes wide where they were trained on her makeshift bandages. "I have two more potions…"

"Save them," Evangeline told her. "Just in case."

Herobrine nodded. "It would be best if we could avoid a repeat of this situation."

"Agreed…" Evangeline rested a hand over her bandages, making a face at the sight of dried blood all around her. "That was some quick thinking," she murmured. "Cauterizing the wound." Herobrine gave a quiet nod.

"You would have bled out otherwise."

"I know." Evangeline hesitated, then asked, "Have you ever done that before?"

"No." He shook his head. "It wouldn't work on me, and any time I've been around someone gravely injured we have had other options."

"Oh."

"Can you walk?" Alex asked anxiously. Evangeline had a hunch that their guide wanted to be away from this place as quickly as possible, and Evangeline couldn't blame her.

"I think-"

"I don't think that's wise," Herobrine interrupted, his hand still pressed against her back between her wings. "Your wound may be healed, but you've still lost a lot of blood."

"They only cure for that is time, and time is something we do not have in abundance." Evangeline argued. "I feel a little weak, yes, but we should try to at least make some ground-"

"I'll carry you." He cut in. Evangeline's protests died on her lips.

"You… can you?"

"I've done it before, haven't I?" He raised a brow, and Evangeline was reminded abruptly of the night they first met - of a dark silhouette in the rain that plucked her out of the mud and brought her to shelter. "You're right, of course." He went on. "Making ground is important. But it's just as important that you recover quickly, in case of another attack. Or worse, if we should run into Sirben. So, with your permission…" He trailed off, shifting his grip to her shoulder. Evangeline swallowed, suddenly far too aware of their proximity to each other.

"Alright." She managed. "If I will not slow you down too much."

"It will be faster than staying here," He pointed out. "Here- drink." He leaned back, scooping up his canteen from the ground and offering it to her. "Then let's get you dressed."

Evangeline was, she realized as she struggled back into her discarded robes, a little weaker than she had first realized. Her hands shook where she tried to line up the fabric, and Alex scooted close to help her fasten the ties while Herobrine gathered their equipment. There was a large bloodstain and a tear where the tusk had pierced through her - a chilling reminder of what could have been her end.

Only once she was fully dressed did Herobrine kneel beside her again. "Wrap your arms around my neck," He murmured, and when she obeyed he slid his arms underneath her and lifted her up against his chest. It took him a moment to find his balance, as her wings were rather heavy, but he soon found a comfortable position. "Alex, lead the way."

"Okay." Alex began to make her way along the edge of the ravine, and Herobrine fell into step behind her.

Evangeline shifted in his arms, leaning forward to adjust her wings, but she soon gave up and just rested her cheek against his collarbone. She could hear his heartbeat, strong and steady just under her ear, and deep breaths that kept in time with his steady gait. His clothes smelled like smoke, which came as no surprise given their location, but underneath that there was an almost… earthy smell. Like grass after rain.

Evangeline blushed, glad that he couldn't see her face from this angle. 24 hours ago he had refused to give her more than a second glance, and now he was cradling her in his arms to keep her from having to walk. Had her injury caused such a change of heart? Did he feel guilty? When he'd kissed her before, chained to a wall in Sirben's prison, it seemed to have been more out of pity than anything else.

She turned her face into his neck and shut her eyes. Regardless of his intentions, she was tired and injured. Surely he couldn't fault her for taking a little bit of indulgence in his presence.

Tekno sighed, folding his arms as he looked about at the buildings around them. "Well," He said, "looks to me like we're not getting directions."

"No," The queen murmured in agreement. The streets around them were strewn with bodies.

As it turned out, the buildings that they'd spotted had belonged to a mid-sized piglin town, one that had been completely wiped out. The settlement was cold and lifeless, any torches and cook fires having long gone out, and any survivors had fled the site of the bloodshed. Many of the piglins seemed to have been fleeing when they fell, dressed in hastily-collected traveling clothes and carrying prized possessions.

"Bad news," Came a call from above, and Trixtin looked up as Meryl dropped down beside them. "There's no road, or path of any sort to point us in the right direction. Good news-" She held up a finger. "I found a storeroom with plenty of food and water."

"Excellent," Trixtin said brightly. "That at least takes care of one of our worries." Phillip, on the other hand, was frowning.

"If the people were not robbed, then what was the purpose of such an attack?" He gestured to the bodies. "Who would have done such a thing?"

"It couldn't be a hoglin attack, could it?" Meryl asked, undoubtedly thinking back to their encounter in the warped forest.

"No, even hoglins couldn't wipe out a town of this size. Though…" Tekno knelt down, drawing his axe and using it to nudge at one of the bodies. "There's… something strange about these corpses."

"I can tell." Trixtin lowered herself down next to him. "They're not rotting. It…" She made a face. "…seems as if they're crumbling into dust."

"Exactly." Tekno poked the body a final time, frowning when a fine, black dust came off of it. "Not something you see every day."

"Could it be related to that creature we saw?" Meryl mused.

"It's possible." Tekno tilted his head, deep in thought. "I guess if that thing could cause this much damage, then I'm really glad it didn't see us."

"Agreed. Meryl?" Phillip caught the young lady's eye. "Show us to that storeroom. Let's get as much as we can carry and get out of here before who- or whatever did this comes back."

sorry for the violence last chapter. here's some stupid fluff (they are stupid)

it's Easter now! He is risen!

~FFF