Heir to a Bloody Throne

Chapter Seventeen

Steve chewed on the end of a blade of grass, staring grimly at the city that lay over the hill. It had been over a week, now, since he had last seen Valor.

A sinking feeling had settled in the pit of his stomach the night that the meeting was supposed to take place, but he had done his best to attribute it to nerves. Now, two days later, he was starting to believe that wasn't the case. Even his old friend's pickaxe seemed off, the soft glow of the enchanted blade dwindling to almost nothing.

He turned to look over his shoulder, gaze skimming over a rumpled bedroll. And now Lithian was gone, too, slipped away while he'd slept. He could only hope the man had chosen to return to Hadleigh, rather than going to expose Valor. If he had not been exposed already...

Steve turned back to the mining town, busy in the midmorning light. Would it be wise for him to go and investigate? Lithian had voiced concerns that he might be recognized, but it seemed too late for that. Even if he was, wouldn't that make them less suspicious of him, rather than more? A familiar face from a nearby town?

Slowly, the man made his way upright, taking a cloth and wrapping the blade of Herobrine's pickaxe to hide the unearthly glow. He had trusted Valor thus far, but it was time to take matters into his own hands.

*

The slam of his cell door had Valor startling awake.

His wrists were unbound as he blinked in the dim light, disoriented, then he was hauled upright, hands tied again behind his back, Two men, on either side of him, dragged him out of the cell, and he reached instinctively for the ability to teleport. Nothing. His limbs still felt like lead, was the sorcerer's spell still active? That's what it had been, right?

Valor was dragged down the hallway, trying his best to walk rather than dragging his feet, until they reached a larger room. The sorcerer, Null, was waiting there, arms met behind his back as he watched him. The guards tossed him to the ground, none too gently, and Valor barely avoided cracking his chin against the stone floor. He rolled onto his side, fixing the sorcerer with a glare.

"What."

"Clearly your father never taught you to respect your betters." Null scoffed.

"Of course he didn't. Did you want something, or did you just wish to disturb my sleep?"

"Information." Null came closer, slowly circling his prone form. Valor took the opportunity to look around the room, and spied Notch in the far corner. The door was guarded by two men - not the men who took him here. Surely they were nearby. It meant little when he couldn't teleport and could barely stand, but it made him feel a bit better to know his environment.

"Valor was your name, wasn't it?" Null was speaking. "I'm surprised you infiltrated my mines with your real name."

"It mattered little, no one knew of my existence."

"Is that so?"

"You didn't know Herobrine had a son, did you?"

"I did not. Then again, Herobrine and I have not been on speaking terms." Val raised a brow.

"...were you ever on speaking terms?"

"No." Null stopped behind him, out of view, and Valor shifted a bit to keep him in his peripheral. "You truly do not know who I am."

"Are you important somehow?"

"Given I hold your life in my hands, yes, I would say I am important." Null crossed around in front of him again. "Your beloved father is the one who turned me into this... monster." He backed up, allowing Valor to see him a bit better. The boy stared at him for a moment.

"Continue?"

"I was a humble magician, and I sought to summon a... familiar for myself. Your father interrupted my ritual, and I was turned into this." He gestured to himself. "He ruined me. I cannot live amongst others of my race any longer. I had no other choice than to seek revenge." Valor was silent for a few, long moments.

"A familiar?"

"You're rather stupid, aren't you? It's little wonder your father has never sent you out before."

"What makes you think he hasn't?" Valor focused on being as misleading as possible.

"It matters not. All I want to know is where your father is." Null's fingers inched towards the golden amulet. "And I will get my answers, if I have to tear them out of you piece by piece."

"Then do so, because I'm not telling you anything." Across the room, Notch looked up, then swiftly left the room.

"You feel the effects of my sorcery still, do you not?" Null clenched his fist, and Valor felt the weakness in his limbs sink to a new low. "This is only a fraction of my power. Do you truly wish to test me?"

"If it means keeping my father safe, I will." And if Null realized that Herobrine was dead, Valor would be the full recipient of his burning wrath. He needed to stall until he got the chance to get out.

"Whether or not you tell me where he is, he will surely come for you eventually, and he will fall into my trap as quickly and easily as you did." The blood-red stone on the necklace began to glow, and Valor felt a tightness grow in his chest. The feeling increased, seeming to crush his lungs, and he found himself struggling to draw breath.

"My lord!" A shout from the doorway, and the pressure ceased, Null looking over in annoyance. As Valor watched, an armored man came through the opening. "Someone was skulking around, we found him heading for the dungeon." Behind him, Notch appeared in the hallway, dragging a blond-haired, lightning-scarred figure. Valor gritted his teeth. He wasn't supposed to come back here!

"Val!" Lithian shouted, and Null flicked a wrist at him, causing his mouth to snap shut.

"He was with the boy when he arrived, undoubtedly under Herobrine's employ." Notch tightened his grip on Lithian as he made another attempt to struggle away.

"My father works alone." Valor snapped, trying to redirect him. "I tricked him into working with me, that's all."

"Your defense leads me to believe otherwise. Bind him." Null turned his gaze back to his prisoner as Lithian's hands were tied behind his back. "He knew we were here. We will have to move elsewhere."

"I agree." Notch passed off Lithian to a pair of his men, who took him swiftly away. "To your base of operations, my lord?"

"Indeed. Make ready." Null waved him away, and Notch bowed before retreating. "You are lucky we were interrupted, boy. Keep this in mind- I do not enjoy being lied to." Valor said nothing. Now he had to get himself out, and Lithian. What about Steven? Was he coming for him as well? It mattered little, as Null seemed intent on bringing them far from here.

Unless Steven had already found them, Val doubted that he ever would.