Living in Me (Sequel to Not Gonna Die)

|Chapter 17| Star Blessing

          "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

          "I'm sorry, who's the one who versed you in single combat and won?"

          Herobrine gave a rueful grin, his gaze dropping for a moment before flicking back up to the steady eyes of Anne. "To be fair, I wasn't trying my hardest."

          "Uh huh, and that's why that fight ended the way it did," Anne said sarcastically, a grin on her face. "You were terrified to duel me again for years."

          "Okay, that aside," Herobrine said quickly, bringing the conversation back on topic, "war isn't like a duel, Anne. It's chaos and if you go out there, I can't protect you. You're certain to get hurt but-"

          "Hero, I'm not going to die," Anne said gently, understanding what had made this normally unfazeable man fret. "I won't be on the front lines anyway, and you know how Captain Andreas is."

          Herobrine glanced over to the first platoon of Snow Strikers who were saddled up and ready to head out to the first of Entity's outposts to the north. He knew that Captain Andreas was loyal to Anne and would go to any length to ensure her safety, just as a good second in command should.

          "And either way, I should be the one worrying about you," Anne continued. "I know you and no matter how much you try to deny it, I know that you're going to be fighting on the front lines and if Entity or Dreadlord or Acid show up, you're going to be the one who fights them. And I'm scared for you but we both knew that when we decided to protect this world, we would be risking the other's death. That's just our lot now."

          "Yeah I know," Herobrine said quietly. "Doesn't mean that I can't hate it though."

          Anne gave a small, knowing smile. "Yeah I know." She gently kissed the top of his head. "I'll see you soon. Be careful."

          "I will if you are," Herobrine said instantly. The two hugged, tight and brief, before Anne mounted on her horse and the Snow Strikers rode away, Herobrine running beside them all the way up to the gate and then standing there watching until they were past the horizon and were gone.

          But there was no time to contemplate because over the next few days, the base was a flurry of activity and movement. Everyone was training harder than ever, with a section of the training grounds becoming completely devoted to Seto and Aramis' sorcerer apprentices and Herobrine and Adam's spars. Adam was becoming quite good at controlling and using his magic now, nearly becoming as good as Seto under Herobrine's tutelage.

          Due to the sheer mass and size of the war parties, nearly a week passed before Quentin and Jason watched the last portion of the gathered armies leave and turn to face the west, riding towards the setting sun.

          "How long until you reckon we'll see them again?" Quentin asked, shading his eyes to watch.

          "I don't know but I hope it's under happy circumstances," Jason muttered. Quentin hummed in agreement and the two stood there for a few more minutes before silently turning away and heading back to their quarters. Neither spoke, but neither needed to. There was a sort of strange comfort in walking silently with a friend, and it was a comfort that was deeply needed in this time of war.

          But their silence wasn't to last for long as the doors of the castle opened ahead of them and Notch came walking out, Herobrine hot on his heels, the two in the middle of some discussion that, if their body language was anything to go off, had been happening for quite some time.

          "Notch you don't get it!" Herobrine said, an angry tone in his voice as he quickly followed his brother. "People aren't thinking rationally right now, your proposal would only make everything worse-"