Hero's Bane

Chapter 59: Retain Your Position

"You considered me... a friend?" Steve blinked in disbelief, after gazing at Herobrine's current expression for a few more seconds he could tell that the man wasn't lying.

Herobrine's eyelids slanted inward even more from his growing rage. "It was a terrible mistake, just like letting you live for so long. I've allowed myself to cave in to the notion of mercy from your pathetic desire of friendship and accord, I've even gotten to the point that I don't care for the unanswered questions anymore. But the worst part of keeping you alive was allowing my own wish for company to weaken me more. I've never had a problem hunting mortals until you came along. You've changed me somehow. ... I should have killed you from the beginning."

"Wish?" So Herobrine wanted a friend? Well maybe not a friend exactly, but just someone to talk to? And did he just say changed? Steve couldn't find the strength to smile from his position but he felt as though he had done something right and actually succeeded at it for once, he was making the immortal more human again; though Herobrine would obviously disagree.

He continued to wonder what was eating at Herobrine's nerves, the being looked tense and maybe even a little anxious; which was bizarre enough. It didn't help that he threw the word 'suffer' out there, that confused him. Taking the blame for making no killings also puzzled him. Steve didn't remember telling Herobrine to not go out there and kill, he surely didn't follow the being to make sure he did not take a life. So he didn't know as to why his powerful duplicate didn't claim a life of a single person or why it was 'his' fault, and not even why the powerful entity was going to be severely punished for not collecting the souls. There was something strange going on with Herobrine and Steve was completely clueless, he needed an explanation.

"I will never collect enough souls in time now and for failure; I am going to suffer great punishment. But before that happens I am going to make sure that you pay as well." He muttered darkly in the miner's mind, making the man tremble from the threat and movement as the being drawled his captive back and rammed the miner into the wall again.

Steve instantly coughed from the impact and then hacked out the hot stale air in his lungs to get the particles of Nertherbrick out. He then twisted his neck around enough to look at Herobrine with his left eye despite the strong clamp and the painful pulling of skin, he was too focused on Herobrine's rage and possible fear to worry about himself eating brick. "Wait!" He cried out reached a hand up and back behind him, he weakly clasped his fingers over Herobrine's wrist to get his attention and stop him from repeating his action and causing more damage.

He dared not to pull out his lucky blade from it's scabbard though it was tempting, it was his only weapon of defense. Herobrine was still fuming madly so raising a weapon would only escalate his dire situation, it would probably get him killed quicker so there was no need to settle the matter with violence considering he'd be on the losing end and that would be guaranteed. Besides, he was apparently Herobrine's friend so he needed to reason with him, or at least give it a shot and help him like a friend should.

"What's forcing you to collect souls? I know that you aren't gathering them for yourself, otherwise you wouldn't be so mad or forced to face punishment." He said through his gritted teeth, letting his own fear fade in hopes of getting through Herobrine's thick skull that he was serious and demanding answers. He didn't want to be the submissive one anymore, if Herobrine was his friend then he needed to help him and face the risks. Even if it meant dying at the hands of his said friend, he did promise to save Herobrine from himself so he still had to keep that.

"I don't have to answer to you mortal." Herobrine hissed.

"You don't have to, but maybe you should." The human irately suggested. "Something is disturbing you, I can see it in your eyes."