Hero's Bane

Chapter 16: You Will See

Steve sped down the hill as fast as he could nearly tripping a couple times, he didn't look back for a second with the sound of those cursed fowls following close behind. He watched as Nigel limped out onto an opening and came to rest upon a large stone mound, he looked far too tired and in pain to continue. Steve jumped down a small dirt heap and spun around and backed away slowly with his sword ready as the flock slowed and stopped at the end of the dirt ledge, they plainly gazed in silence at the miner but made no effort to move any further.

"They've stopped?" Nigel breathed a sigh of relief, leaning forward to see Steve stand there in a defensive pose waiting for an attack.

"Why are they just standing there? ... ... Why?!" Steve yelled when he didn't receive an answer.

"I can't say?" Nigel raised a brow.

"Creatures of Herobrine right?" He panted with his brows narrowing. Steve didn't remove an eye from those white-eyed birds, they could continue their chase at any moment.

"I believe so. I've seen them before, had my fair share of run ins, and not just with chickens. The birds are not so nice usually, but why they have stopped is beyond me. Perhaps Herobrine has called them off?"

"Just why would he do that?" Steve slowly backed up until he was next to the old explorer. "Why stop the attack? I just don't get it."

The flock of chickens suddenly turned away and then scrambled back up the snowy hill, getting lost in the mix of pine trees.

"What?!" Steve watched in confusion with wide eyes and gaped as they fled out of sight. "What is all of this about?"

Nigel had a strange feeling and then turned to look behind him, he had found that they were at the base of the foothills, near an old graveyard that wasn't too far from the fortress. "I think I may have a clue now." Nigel slid off of the rock and held onto it's edge as he turned completely around.

Steve reluctantly swayed his attention from the hills to see the old man stumble ever closer to what looked like a bunch of gravestones and a large crypt that looked as if it had collapsed in on itself. "What, did Herobrine just push us to our graves?"

"No, I should hope not."

"Well it certainly looks like it."

"I do think he pushed us down that hill out of impatience, but there could be another reason why he pushed us in this direction. See, I had originally planned for us to take the marked path not too far from here, in fact we were only a couple yards away from it up there. However, it would take longer to get to the fortress, since the route goes around some of the other hillsides. The only reason why I never went down that hill from my past travels was because the snow always seemed a bit sunken in and powdery in some areas, easy to get trapped in pits of soft snow; so I'd normally pass the opportunity to visit the cemetery for it's potential risks with my old age and brittle bones. I've gotten a sprang ankle from going down it so that was reason enough, but he's making us take the quicker route it seems." Nigel used the edge of the stone to move himself forward towards the tombstones. "At least now I have the opportunity to examine some of these graves, and I may just find something extraordinary."

"Then why is he pushing us there and in a hurry? Why would he do that? And if this is a graveyard then why are there only a few tombstones? Herobrine killed a lot of people and that fortress and the buildings around it looks like it housed many people for years. So where are the rest?"

The elder shrugged. "I'm not sure why he wants us to scuttle on, I'm not even sure of why he's pushing us there. We were going there in the first place, so he might be up to something for all we know. The reasons for this small cemetery is bizarre I admit, it's unusual for sure. I imagine a bigger one would probably be more closer to the stronghold, especially for dignitaries, noblemen, royals and such, but perhaps this is the resting place of special people. I wonder why these are all the way out here and so secluded though? I must take a gander at them."