Hero's Bane

Chapter 25: All That Remains

Steve could feel the power of the blade surging through his veins within a matter of seconds of grasping onto the hilt, from his palm all the way up to his chest and right down to the bottom of his feet. His heart began to pick up the pace and beat loudly, he felt a sudden rush of energy pooling and was actually feeling the anticipation for battle.

"Steve, are wielding that blade again?" Nigel asked, noticing the faint glow from behind him reflecting off the floor.

"What choice do we have?" He defended while turning his head to each and every copy within range, waiting for any of them to lunge at him. "We can't fight them with our own swords, they're powerless to-to him. ... Ugh." He then groaned and dropped his torch before peeling his chest pack and bag off and letting them slip to the ground. The sudden rush of energy after feeling nearly dead tired almost made him sick from the abrupt transition, he squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment and shook his head; hoping for the feeling to go away. He knew he was going to pay the price again and it'll be greater at this rate, maybe too great. There wasn't any other options however.

"Hmmmm... It would seem that our chances would be better, but not by much. I just hope that you know what you are getting yourself into and how it'll effect you in the end." Nigel warned. "Just never let that sword leave your hands."

"That is if we even get an end, and I'm not planning on dropping this thing anytime soon; not until we've either won or escaped." Steve said more boldly as the weary feeling faded.

One of the clones in front of him held out his hand and every other double did the same, following the first. Diamond blades slowly materialized out of nowhere, filling each and every left hand of the horde and they shone brightly with their enchanting power. The only Herobrine that didn't wield a sword was the one in the main back, still sitting on the throne and keeping his eyes locked on the two men. Thinking.

He wanted to puke. Steve was already traumatized enough, but this over-powering mass of nightmares just pushed the fear to it's utmost limit. He's never felt to hopeless and terrified. This really was it. How was he even expected to take on one, let alone a dozen Herobrine copies? Not even the immense power that flowed through him gave him any confidence like it did with the mobs, Herobrine was in another league outside of the other monsters and now they were many wielding inhuman enchanted blades. He glanced to his left and right, not one of the copies had their gaze shifted elsewhere, they were all focused on him and they waited patiently for a long and agonizing time with eyes still glowering in bright white.

The miner lightly quivered as he waited and waited with each excruciatingly long second passing, yet he didn't know what they were waiting on. He remembered when Lionel had told him about leaving with the last warning and he figured that maybe he still had a chance to go. Steve took one step backwards and that was when one of the copies suddenly tilted his head upright and lunged at him with the blade raised over his head, sneering from the miner's cowardly action.

Steve's eyes went wide and he felt himself cower and stare as the diamond blade and Herobrine came flying down at him, he was too struck in terror to do anything and now he was about to pay for it. A sudden thrust at the side of his shoulder made him stumbled over and away from the flying fiend. A powerful strike landed in the stone brick floor and it cracked from the heavy force, the clone remained still and focused on the ground. Steve spun to see that the being had missed and Nigel was on the other side keeping a watchful eye on him and the attacker.

"Nigel?"

"Focus Steve! Don't let the fear get to you!" The man said sternly. "You have more of a chance of survival then I do, so don't waste your life now! Remember your promises! Trepidation should be reserved for later."