Stephan

Chapter Fifteen - Clash

Herobrine all but shoved Stephan through the door into his cabin, causing the miner to stumble slightly when he was released. Immediately, his dogs were up, winding around his legs and nosing at him, but his attention was on Herobrine as the elder came through the door and shut it behind him. Herobrine didn't meet his gaze.

"How long has this been going on." He asked quietly, crossing the room to stand by the far wall. He could feel that old, familiar rage burning just below the surface, and he needed to have time to stop himself if it threatened to overflow.

"Since you started bringing me to the Nether." Stephan responded timidly. "Let me explain, please."

"Then speak." Herobrine's words came out with slightly more malice than he intended, but he didn't take them back. Stephan swallowed, reaching down to pet a dog's head.

"You remember how I took Apples with me on the first day?" He asked. Herobrine gave a curt nod. "I told you she bolted after a wither skeleton. That... part was true. She chased it through a portal." Herobrine clenched his jaw.

"And you went after her."

"Y-yes, I was afraid if I waited for you that she would be lost." Stephan nodded, looking down.

"Why did you not come get me."

"I didn't want to bother you." He shifted uncomfortably. "I thought it was a foolish thing to disturb you for."

"Your safety is not foolish!" Herobrine snapped, whirling around to face him. "So you thought it better to cross into an unknown, inhabited dimension, alone and unarmed, rather than disturb me for five minutes??" Stephan winced, not looking at him.

"...yes. I didn't go far, and the server was practically empty, so I found her and came home."

"And then you went back."

"...and then I went back."

"Why."

"I... I've been telling you that I wanted to visit other servers." Stephan didn't meet his gaze. "I was... I suppose, trying to... get you used to the idea, so you wouldn't be as angry when I did tell you what I was doing."

"And when did you intend to tell me."

"I don't know." Stephan looked up at him, his face guilty. "I never meant to keep going, especially after I realized there were players on the server, but I was so curious." He jerked his head to the side, averting his gaze again. "A-and I... enjoy their company."

Stephan's words hit him like a punch to the gut, jealousy and bitterness washing over him. He enjoyed their company - more than Herobrine's? Enough to go behind his back and lie to him in order to continue. Herobrine's jaw worked subtly, processing this, before he spoke.

"You've been in contact with players."

"Yes." Stephan nodded, looking down. "A-and they're friendly, they've never bothered me."

"Is that so?" Herobrine snapped. "Do you know how I found out where you were going?" Stephan gaped, taken aback by his shout.

"N-no."

"A piglin told me. He told me you go straight there, every day, as soon as I leave you to work with Notch. Do you know what else he told me?" Stephan shook his head, numb. "He told me that the piglins never harmed you. Then how, pray tell, did you end up with THREE ARROWS in you?" Stephan's hand fitted over his bicep, where one of the scars from the wounds resided.

"...I forgot about that. I-"

"How long have you been lying to me?!" Herobrine barked. "I trusted you! I trusted you to tell me the truth about where you had been! I wanted to satisfy your cravings, I asked Notch to give you places to explore, when all you were doing was trying to make yourself feel better about going behind my back! All I wanted to do was to keep you SAFE!!"