Hero's Bane

Chapter 40: Fall

(Art by Splinter-Star DA)

Herobrine quickly sidestepped the rushing mortal, he had planed to kill the man as he got close enough; but he decided he'd just wait until the miner lost his steam. As to why? He didn't even know.

...

Steve staggered as he missed and swung the sword back only to slice through air, he now saw Herobrine ducked low with one hand on the ground. The hero sprang up and moved his sword onto the other and made the miner's arm reel away painfully, he then spun on one of his heels before bringing the bottom of his boot right up into the man's jaw; sending the miner flying upwards from a strong roundhouse kick.

Steve winced and held his cheek as his world now painfully spun, the kick gave him an instant strong headache. He flew upright for a few good seconds, he went up so high and stared in horror as he now fell back towards the ground with terror. The hero suddenly leapt up and grabbed onto the miner's shoulder before forcing the look-alike downwards and landing on the man's back with his feet as they collided onto the ground.

"Aaaggggkkk!" Steve coughed aloud when he impacted the dirt and he thought he heard something crack under the weight, he was getting beat; badly. He was feeling pain though the blade's enchanting power was suppose to limit it, this meant that his physical condition was deteriorating too rapidly and at too great of a degree.

The pressure on his back lightened up and Steve made an effort to crawl onto his hands and knees as he gasped for breath, but a kick at his ribcage had him tumbling away until his roll stopped a few yards out. He was hoping during his charge that Herobrine would thrust his blade forward and that was when the miner would make a dive with his blade at the being's heels in a surprise attack; but he didn't expect Herobrine to just dodge and miss out on the opportunity to strike. Now Steve was in a bad condition and without anymore tricks planned. "I can't- ...do this." Steve growled at himself as he pushed upwards and staggered a little as he stood. His head hurt, his back and chest ached greatly, his limbs were tingling, his knees felt weak and wobbly. He was only the verge of crumbling and here comes Herobrine again now walking towards him with the sword held out and ready to kill. "I can't!" Steve screamed as he regained his footing, the ancient hero wasn't stopping. His situation was looking to be a grim one, fast.

He could suddenly see an image of Nigel sitting in a wooden chair in front of him and staring back intently with a serious expression. He saw the old man's mouth move but he couldn't hear anything but a low droning sound. Was he imagining it? The low muttering cleared up as the man continued to speak, his voice became comprehensible.

...

"You must drop all doubt in your mind if you are to achieve this unfeasible feat. You must Give it all. Give your heart and soul into the swings of your blade, give everything you got! You must never forget what you are fighting for!"

...

Steve nodded to himself as Nigel faded. "You're right. This pain is nothing. I will die if I must, but I have to win. I've made promises and I must fulfill them." He quietly said to himself as he looked down at the sword. There in his hand was the last hope he had, he remembered what Nigel had said to him and what he had to fight for. The sacrifices he had to make. Everybody depended on him; Nigel, Warren, Luna, the village, his mother and sister, the plagued people, Lionel, Notch, and even Herobrine. No he couldn't fail now, so much weighed on him, everyone's happiness weighed on him. Steve's hand gripped onto the hilt tighter and he coiled his other empty fist, his head hung low as the steps neared.

"I can't lose." He muttered softly and the steps ahead stopped.

...

Herobrine stopped in his advance and stared at the mortal as a strange wave of energy filled the air, a light red aura surrounded the area as more seconds passed. It was all too familiar to the hero, this energy was the kind he used to have when slaying mobs long ago but it wasn't as strong or visibly noticeable. Of course he never needed that much effort in his battles, but with a mere human creating this aura it was hard to grasp the concept; only he himself should be able to do so not this miner.