Hero's Bane

Chapter 12: He Watches From Afar

Steve brandished the diamond blade as a couple of spiders lunged at him, he swung the sword with all his might and it slid through the mobs with ease. Both of the spiders had been brought down at once and Steve examined the stainless blade with curious eyes, that was until the moaning from behind tore his attention away. He spun around and slashed the zombie from the waist up, making sure to not have the same mistake repeated back in the cave. He then jabbed it into the monster before pulling it out and ducking from a green limb swinging his way. He rolled away from the danger before charging straight forward and bring the diamond weapon right between the neck and shoulder.

A loud screech filled his ears as another arachnid tackled him from behind, he went face forward onto the stone ground and felt a piercing pain at the back of his neck. He struggled to remove those sharp fangs that had seemed to be draining him of energy. He kept trying to reach a hand back but a soft textured limb reached out and pinned his arm down every time he pulled it free. "Get ...off!" He squirmed around to hopefully loosen the hold and he managed to turn just enough to jab the sword at the mob's head. The spider jumped off as a sharp object punctured one of it's eyes.

Steve rolled a few feet before standing up. He lightly traced where he had been bitten and it stung as he tried to wipe away the trickling sensation that flowed down the crease of his neck. He had little time to react as a silent groan came from his left, he jumped away but the monster began to stumble towards him at a faster pace than normal. A rotting hand lashed out and struck him on his shoulder before another clung to his arm with a strong grip. The mob opened it's deformed mouth and aimed at Steve's neck, but the miner wouldn't settle for it and it's nauseating breath. He took the diamond blade and plunged it into the undead mob's throat then shoved the monster away and it fell backwards limp.

He checked his surrounds for the next close mob but all of the remaining ones began to retreat silently as the distinct sounds of effortless clapping came from above. Steve looked up to see Herobrine leisurely clapping his hands at the human's decent performance of instinct and skill with that evil smirk.

Steve narrowed his eyes and tensed up his posture. "I don't know what this was about, but if it's over then let me go!" He growled as the legendary hero only stood there lowly chuckling. "Leave me be!"

Herobrine's smile never faded as he took a step forward, he then leaped off of the high stone wall and landed down on one knee. He rose up before continuing his slow walk towards the miner with his head slightly crooked downwards, giving his eyes a more intensifying glow. Keeping his intimidation up would make the approach much more satisfying and watching the human begin to back away meant it was well working and that he was going to enjoy every second of that fear-induced expression. White eyes focused on the mortal and he could hear the miner's heart beating more loudly with each small advance, the erratic pumping was music to the hero's ears.

Steve felt himself taking steps backwards despite having a diamond sword in his hand, he had this powerful weapon that could cut through anything with ease but he still felt powerless to the monster now approaching him.

The old hero held out his hand once again and out of thin air- formed the hilt of a sword in the middle of his palm. The blade formed from the base all the way to the tip when the demon griped onto the handle and it began to shine brightly with a lustrous bluish glow, unlike the one the human wielded. Herobrine's sword was also made of diamond, but there was something about that alluring blade that made Steve feel almost hypnotized to it; he could barely look away from the sword. It's like he could feel the power of the blade and the power it's wielder had by light invisible pulses that radiated from the gleaming weapon. Herobrine continued his pace at the human and raised the blade up, ready to fight.

Steve had feared it would come down to this, he just knew that Herobrine wasn't going to just let him leave, not alive anyways. Steve felt himself bump up against a wall and he looked up to see the gloomy sky lighten it's downpour, the rain was falling more lightly which would make the fight easier for him but it's Herobrine he was now up against. There wasn't anything going to help or save him now, only himself and whatever fighting skills he had.