Legacy of Herobrine ✓

Chapter 39

Faolan hated to ask, "Why wasn't it? What happened after that night?"

Sapphire continued, "Bridget came to us. She told Jason that she was leaving, as she had received an omen foretelling death in the small village. A few of the villagers followed her, but Jason dismissed it as paranoia, as did I. She turned to me and said, 'Oh, but you do not understand, Sapphire. I have seen who is coming to right the village's wrong. He will leave a scar on you that will never fade.'

"'Get lost,' Jason snapped. 'Go and take your little friends with you. The village will fare fine enough without you.'

"Bridget looked and me and growled, 'You have been warned.' Then, she left. Actually, I recognized Sky from the village. She was one of her followers. They must have been the Descendants of Notch in the village. I had no idea that there were so many."

Sapphire broke Faolan's gaze.

"A day later, Gale, Jason, and I were out at sundown. We were fighting monsters by ourselves far away from the village. Gale was cutting down a zombie while Jason and I watched. Just before the zombie died, it looked straight at Jason and growled, 'He approaches. Cherish your minutes.' Then, it fell over and died.

"'What does that mean?' I asked him. I was scared. Jason was too. But not really terrified, as I was, clueless about its meaning. He obviously knew what it meant; and it was bad. The color practically drained out of his face and he said, 'We have to get back to the village.'

"The three of us... we started to run as fast as we could back to the village. But there was a flash and we were knocked backwards. In my daze, I recognized Herobrine standing before us.

"Jason stood up and looked at me. 'Sapphire, Gale, run back to the village. I can handle this.' He said as he drew his sword. 'What? No. I'm not leaving you to him. Why is he even here?' I asked him.

"Herobrine laughed like he was watching a comedy instead of reality. 'Yes, go home,' he sneered. 'This is a private matter between me and your, ah, boyfriend, here. I don't imagine you'd like to be caught in the crossfire, would you?'

"'I'm not going to let you kill him!' I exclaimed and drew my own sword, but Herobrine was too fast. He teleported and hit me once, again. He almost finished me off with a burst of crackling blue energy, like lightning, and I lay on the ground, leg bleeding and not willing to let me stand I was almost dead. 'Jason, run!' I yelled.

"'I already told you not to interfere!' Herobrine exclaimed and aimed another strike of energy at me. Just before it hit me, I closed my eyes. I expected pain. What I got was worse.

"Someone was blocking it. I thought it was Gale, but he was unconscious. Jason stood over me, blocking the blast with his sword. His skin was already cut and bleeding. Finally, Herobrine stopped his attack and teleported at Jason, diamond sword slashing. He was too tired to fight back. In moments, he fell down beside me.

"Before he died, Jason said, 'I love you.' Then he was gone." Sapphire looked up, and Faolan saw tears in her lapis gaze. "Herobrine said, 'That's finished,' and left. I stayed by Gale's side and put a small grave-marker where Jason died. I put the only flower I had on me--a blue orchid--in front of the stone. Some from the village came about a day later to fetch us. Gale and I left the village. I'm not sure if it was out of shame, or what, but we just didn't feel comfortable there after what Herobrine did."

Sapphire fell silent. "It hurts whenever I think about it."

Faolan waited a moment before asking, "Is Jason the ghost you saw?"

Sapphire nodded. Faolan nodded.

"Well, don't try to forget it. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Find something to learn from this." He reached forward and gently laid one hand on her gloved one. "Jason's in a better place. You don't have to worry about Herobrine's unnamed wrath. You're safe here. We both are. We'll protect you. I'll protect you."

Sapphire gave a small smile. "Thanks," she whispered.