Abolish Herobrine

A Means to an End

WARNING: angst

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Herobrine swayed where he sprung to his feet. A staggered step forward brought him to the wall. He supported himself against it, feeling his heart struggling in an uneven rhythm, his breaths turned to shallow gasps as waves of sharp pain faded. Lowering his head, Herobrine waited for it to reduce to a more bearable level, while anxiety and anger coursed through him.

They took Steve.

What was he thinking, staying here? What madness led him to assume that this would end well?

A scowl appeared on Herobrine's face.

Did he already not learn his lesson? That absent-minded professor and his quest to find the truth of his frightening legend? A painful respawn, that's what Herobrine got for his effort. That blind matron who invited him in after she found him hiding in her barn and mistook him for an unemployed young worker? The only reason those Players didn't burn her house down with her in it was because Herobrine had burnt it down himself, laughing madly as he did so. That's finally when they believed that he used her only as an ignorant tool for his evil means. She probably hated him now, but she and her children were safe. The Players only added them to their growing list of Herobrine's 'victims'.

He had no idea if Notch would even believe him now if he told him that it wasn't his fault. What if he didn't?

If he didn't take the blame and played his usual role, they might have slaughtered her on the spot. He could do nothing else! They held swords to her neck, their voices getting louder as they demanded to know where she hid him. So he led them away. And another painful respawn had been his reward.

He certainly made a spectacular event of that, playing his role to the last – the perfect villain not affected by pain. Half of those Players had died, despite him being on the edge of his strength. He had not been weak! And he made sure to carry out his revenge, against their guild, after he recovered.

Your servers will burn!

He fulfilled his promise, which he sneered at them before his death, just like a villain should.

He wouldn't last even two seconds against these Players. Those weapons? If his shoulder was any example, he might not respawn at all if he faced off with them. And pride had nothing to do with it. He simply didn't have the strength.

He... couldn't help Steve. The only thing he could do now was flee and hope that they didn't damage that mortal too badly. Although at his settings... Herobrine grimaced with guilt. Wearily leaning his forehead against the wall, he reached out his shaking hand to rub his aching eyes.

At least that foolish Miner was still alive. The last thing Herobrine saw before he lost his link, had been those two Players, dragging Steve's unconscious body into the caves. That hit on the back of his head had been delivered with intent to stun, not kill. That much Herobrine could tell from the force of the act.

An Enderman appeared nearby and promptly bonked his head on a low-lying roof beam of Steve's cabin when he tried to step closer. Staggering back a little, he collided with four more, who appeared behind him. Ignoring Herobrine, who snapped up his head to look at them, the beings began to make grumbling noises at each other. His lips twisted with displeasure.

"You are late!" Herobrine growled. Scowling, he glared at the beings, who ceased bickering and turned to look at him with guilty looks.

His control was slipping again. Gritting his teeth, Herobrine sent them his next command.

The Endermen hesitated, their lilac eyes doubtful. One even made a soft, questioning noise. Herobrine's eyebrows crept up.

"Obey me! This is not a request!" He snarled. The Endermen exchanged glances. With obvious reluctance in their movements, they grasped on to Herobrine, with one inadvertently grabbing his injured shoulder. Herobrine couldn't help a gasp at another bolt of white-hot pain that shot through him, then grinded his teeth, desperately fighting to hold on to his awareness as black began to creep into his vision. Still, his knees gave, and he hung in their arms like a helpless rag, just as their entire group vanished from Steve's cabin.