Hero's Bane

Chapter 26: Is Fear and Anguish

Steve couldn't bare to remove his gaze from the spot that Nigel was once in, not with the heavy notion that he's probably dead and the fact that he himself was next. Oddly enough, the enchanted sword was back in his hands and it relieved some of the throbbing in his chest, he could slowly feel strength returning to his arms and legs again; though it wasn't much. He bravely moved his eyes back to the spot where the gleaming blade came from and the clone continued to stare down at him with his sword hanging loosely by his side. Steve assumed that the doppelganger had wedged the sword back into his hand by using his foot, but for what purpose? And why he continued to just stand there and stare and not end him all already.

"Why?" He asked quietly. "Why?!" He repeated, louder this time even knowing that Herobrine couldn't speak. "Why are you doing this? Why did you give me the sword back? Did you want me to stay alive long enough to watch you drag my friend away and make me feel pain because of it? ... If you did then it worked!" Steve lightly pounded a fist on the floor while taking in quick deep breaths to refill his aching lungs and wipe his watery eyes on the sleeves of his t-shirt.

The Herobrine at the throne started to make his way towards the downed miner, making all of the doubles disperse into puffs of dust as he passed by them. So much confusion still weighed on the being's mind and now he needed to confirm if this man was the descendant of a particular man. The way Steve looked, the way the he fought when his friend's life was at stake, the way he would defend him using himself as a shield like in the dream. Then there's the phrase he used at such a desperate time, there's just too much evidence for sheer coincidence of the man mirroring his brother. It was all coming down to one question and Herobrine just had to know, he wanted to know before he could kill the human.

Steve gaped as the clones around him burst into dust clouds and sprinkle onto the floor, the sounds of footsteps coming from his right made him whip his head around to see the rest of the clones disappear; all except for the one that slowly walked right at him without a weapon in hand. Steve assumed that this was the original that controlled the rest. He moved his hands forward and feebly made an effort to lift himself up, but he slipped back onto the smooth surface after his left arm gave out. The steps were getting closer and closer and so Steve continued his attempts to rise with nothing but failure.

The sword gave him a little more power to move and stable his condition, but his body still ached and still felt rather weak. He knew he was about to be at the mercy seat of Herobrine and he knew well that there would be none given to him. He should of turned and left when he received the warning then maybe then Nigel would still be well alive and the two could of left this place with their lives. Die trying wasn't something he wanted to commit to anymore, calming the hero's soul wasn't worth it anymore, not at the cost of loosing his friend and now his life in the process without anything to gain. He couldn't even keep the family honor, you can't give it you're all when there's nothing left to give but pitiable flailing.

He felt a slight kick at the side of his stomach and he rolled onto his back writhing lightly with a pained groan, he now stared up in terror of white eyes. A hand reached down at him and Steve quickly swung the weapon at the hero's arm in defense, however; the swing was poorly made and flew right out of hand and missing the hero by a long shot. A painful bubbling and burning sensation started to build in his chest frame again and his eyes watered when he couldn't draw breath. His final gambit failed miserably.

Herobrine watched as the sword flung upwards and then clanged onto the ground next to him. Even in such a condition the mortal still had some fight left in him... just like him. Hero leaned forward, reaching down his hand over to the miner's neck.

Even with his body attacking itself with strong heart palpitations and shuddering limbs, the human still made a soundless expression of dread with Herobrine taking a surprisingly soft grip around his jugular. Pain intensified with each second and Steve could barely keep himself together, mentally that was. He didn't want to imagine what the ex-hero was going to do to him, only that whatever it was that he did it quick to end the pain he hoped.