Minecraft Oneshots

Nothing Lasts Forever - A Hero's Bane Fanfic

"Come back!" The child's voice yelled, echoing through the dark cavern, and was immediately followed by the splashing of leather boots in the puddles littering the ground.

"Stupid thing!" Careening into the cave, lit dimly by a pit of lava on the opposite side, the blond boy threw himself at the cave toad hopping desperately for shelter. It slipped out of his grasp, and he groaned, pushing himself up on one arm to glare after it.

"I'm gonna cook you into a soup." He threatened, scrambling to his feet and hurrying after the slimy creature once more. The boy paid no heed to the lava pit that he was approaching, nor did he notice when the frog hopped onto the loose gravel on the edge. Blissfully ignorant of the danger, the child stepped onto the loose ground, only to let out a cry as the edge crumbled underneath him and sent him plummeting towards a fiery death.

"CONNOR!!" A grip as strong as diamond wrapped around the boy's wrist, and the fear drained from his face as the child in question looked up to face his rescuer.

"Oreh!" Herobrine let out a low growl as he dragged the child back up to safety, scooping him up the moment he was in range and backing away from the lava with him.

"Notch's beard, you're fearless." He scolded, retreating to the mouth of the cavern as Connor squirmed in his grasp. "Can you imagine if I had to tell your father that his heir threw himself into lava? He'd kill me himself."

"That wouldn't happen!" The prince chirped, giving up on escaping. Instead, he threw his arms around Herobrine's neck, peering around at his surroundings as he was physically escorted from the cave. "Not when I have you to look after me, Oreh!"

"You gave me quite the scare there." Herobrine told him sternly. "Much more of this, and all my hair will turn white." The warning had no effect on the child, who burst into laughter at the concept. Sighing, the warrior cradled his charge to his chest, carrying the boy towards the exit of the cave ahead.

Connor continued to giggle as the pair stepped back out into the sunlight, only stopping when a shout called his attention elsewhere.

"Brine!" The clanking of silver armor announced the sentinel's presence, and Herobrine turned to see Lionel coming up from his right. "Oh, thank Notch you found him. I was about to call out the guard."

"He was chasing a frog." Herobrine turned disapproving eyes on the child in his arms, who ignored them. "By a pit of lava."

"Pete's sake, kid, really?" Lionel reached over, tousling the boy's blond hair. "Obviously we have to set up some ground rules before letting you loose again." Connor just grinned.

"It's getting late." Herobrine stated, casting a glance at the shades of pink forming in the western sky. "We should head homewards. Connor, would you rather walk?"

"Yeah." The prince squirmed again, and Herobrine let him slide from his arms onto his feet. Grabbing his guardian's hand, Connor turned and headed up the dirt path, leading his two elders behind him.

It was about a fifteen minute walk back to the city, maybe twenty with Connor walking. Herobrine lost himself in thought quickly, gauging the path for possible ambush locations and keeping an eye out for assassins or monsters. Lionel, always his other half, took Connor's other hand, shielding him from possible assailants as they walked in near-silence.

"Oreh?" Connor's voice broke the silence almost ten minutes down the path, and Herobrine blinked, looking down to catch the boy's eyes.

"Yes?"

"Why are you sad?" The question caught him off guard.

"Sad?" He echoed, glancing up to meet Lionel's gaze. "What makes you think I'm upset?"