The Sins of the Father

Prologue

Herobrine's home was burning.

Ashes floated down all around him, dying embers stinging where they touched his bare skin, but he paid them no heed. He could feel nothing.

His wife, his beloved Avalon, lay dead at his feet. It granted him little comfort that she had not perished from the fire, but from the great, white-tipped arrows that protruded from her chest. The handle of her bloody sword laid mere inches from her charred hand, she had not gone down without a fight.

Her other hand clutched a piece of their son's blanket.

Herobrine lowered himself to his knees, tugging the bit of blue fabric out of her lifeless hand. It was singed, not burning, but the softness still felt like a hot iron against his calloused hand. He closed his fist around the scrap, eyes burning, throat tight.

A thump from behind him caught his attention, and he turned to find his wife's murderers standing on the other side of the courtyard.

Cold and regal they stood, seven of them in all, their white feathers glowing in an otherworldly fashion in the light of the dying fires. Four of them held bows, the other three swords. One had a bleeding gash on his shoulder.

Herobrine grasped the handle of Avalon's sword, then stood, turning to face the valkyries.

"Why?!" He demanded of them, tucking the scrap of his son's blanket into his pocket. "We've done nothing to you!!"

"Notch has deemed you a liability." The one in front spoke, his voice devoid of emotion. "We are simply following orders."

"Is his confidence so fragile?! We have been allies for years!!" A deep and burning hatred blossomed in his heart, overshadowing the grief that threatened to overwhelm him. Betrayed by the one he should have been able to trust the most.

"Please do not make this difficult for us." The first valkyrie said, and the others drew their bows, aiming the glimmering arrows for his heart. He was unarmored, defenseless, except for a sword too small for him. "We will make it quick." Herobrine's lip drew back in a sneer, revealing pointed canines.

"Oh, it will be quick."

The arrows were released, and Herobrine teleported.

Seven more lives were lost that night, as an eighth coasted miles away on cold winds, carrying a bundle wrapped in a ripped, blue blanket.

~~

"My lord!"

The voice of his aide drew Notch's attention away from the book he was studying, and he turned, dark eyes ringed with gold soon finding the speaker standing in the doorway. "Yes, Micah?"

"I have news from the Overworld." The young valkyrie ducked into a hasty bow. "There was an attack, sire. On Herobrine's mansion." Something flashed over Notch's face, though it was gone in an instant, covered over with a practiced, neutral expression.

"What happened?"

"The mansion was burned." Micah's gaze lowered to the floor, sorrowful to be the bearer of such bad news. "He and his family were killed."

"Oh." Notch turned away, his face cast into shadow as he returned his attention to his book. "What a tragedy." Micah stood there in the doorway for several moments, waiting for him to acknowledge it further, but Notch never did, and he eventually crept away.

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"p0tat0 g0ddess why are you starting a new fic you have so many WIPs" well JOKE'S on YOU- this fic is already finished! literally! I finished writing it at like midnight this morning, which is coincidentally the 1-year anniversary of me writing the text you just read. writing fic takes a while. 

Anyway, this means that you guys will actually be getting regular updates on this! I haven't quite decided whether I want to update once or twice weekly, but I'll update the description with the day/s I post once I've figured it out. enjoy!

(Also, the song linked above is the one that inspired the fic :) )