Legacy of Herobrine ✓

Chapter 12

Faolan turned to see the source of the voice. He saw another villager behind him, with short-cropped orange hair and a striped shirt. He was smiling at Faolan like he'd just seen him to something he shouldn't have.

The villager held out a hand and said, "Hey, I'm JP. Are you Faolan?"

They shook and he replied, "Yeah. Um, so you said something about training?"

Sapphire laid a hand on his shoulder. "JP is the village's most avid trainer for combat and harnessing your powers. He's practically Gale's unofficial general."

JP rolled his eyes. "Don't talk to me about generals," he said flatly. "On a better note, it looks like Onix made you a good weapon. Rather generous of her. She never enchanted my first sword."

Faloan smiled. He could get used to this guy. "So... you said that you help people with their abilities?"

"'Course. Did any of your siblings have powers?"

"No. Celeste died in a bombing."

JP put a comforting hand on his shoulder and said, "That sucks, man. My dad was killed by the government." He cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "Anyway, I'm taking that as a no. You'll have an ability, I'm sure of it. Sapphire, do you mind if we go to the arena?"

"No problem with that. Bridget will tag along." JP shrugged.

"Whatever. Follow me," he replied and started walking off the opposite way. Faolan trotted after him, with Bridget at his side. He glanced over to make sure that she was alright, but she kept staring at the ground until she realized that he was staring. She flashed her gaze up for half a second before looking away, smiling.

JP led them down a case of cobblestone stairs to a large circle two blocks down in the ground. It was maybe 20x20 blocks, with multiple armor stands scattered around the place and a few chests. He said something to Bridget and she went back up the stairs, only to sit down on a bench overlooking the arena.

"I just want to start off with a quick review for swordfighting. Just so I can get the hang of you." JP told him.

Faolan thought he would be good. But he didn't realize how good. JP was like an arrow, darting past him left and right (and sometimes under or above him) and landing small hits with a wooden sword. By the time that Faolan had landed his third hit, his health was almost halfway down. JP helped him up from where he lay in the dirt and gave him a piece of steak to eat to regain his lost health.

"Sorry 'bout that. But, um, anyway, see that armor stand?" He pointed at a lone stand on the other side of the arena.

"Yeah."

"Try and focus your energy on it," he explained. "Like, start to dig up something unnatural inside of you and try to focus it on that stand. Think you can try that?"

Faolan nodded and brushed off his pants. He stared at the armor stand and tried to pull up his rage, or something inside him, but felt absolutely nothing. He sighed and glanced at JP helplessly.

"That's alright. Maybe your power isn't energy. It could have to do with mobs, since Herobrine's in control of them. Do you think that could be the case?" JP asked.

Faolan shook his head. His restaurant had been blown up by creepers twice, flooded with zombies once, and once became the home of a family of spiders. He didn't have any way with mobs.

JP stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... it could have to do with nature. That's the other most common one."

Frustration started to build inside of Faolan. First, he had been terribly beaten by JP, then his powers wouldn't show. This is all so stupid. I just wish that I could show them that I'm not weak and that I can fight and that I have powers.

Then, everything moved in slow motion. Faolan turned toward the armor stand and raised his fists. He clenched them so hard that his knuckles hurt and thrust one arm forward. In the numbness he felt, he could make out something bright. Something warm. The stand exploded on contact, and fell as a small item, bobbing on unseeable currents.

Faolan's sudden rush of adrenaline faded, and he looked over at his friends. Bridget's face expressed shock and disbelief. JP looked like he was in between relieved and surprised, like he'd just found something that he'd been looking for for a long time.

"What?" He asked.

Then he looked down and realized that his hands were on fire.