Hero's Bane

Chapter 52: What It's Worth

Herobrine didn't know what to do, not even what to think now. He kept a long soft gaze on the miner from his raised throne made of dark Nertherbrick and gold, he rested the right side of cheek in his palm with his elbow resting on the chair's support. He quietly tapped the end of the other armrest with his left hand, letting his fingers drum in rhythm at the end of the brick as he contemplated on what to do with the miner. The human laid splayed out and belly flat on the floor before the throne steps, only his back slightly lifted from his silent breaths. Steve seemed to be resting quite well after being accidentally knocked out, even the man's expressions were soft despite the pain he felt before being forced out of consciousness.

"So I have to trust you now?" Herobrine asked the miner though he knew the human couldn't hear or respond to him. "It has been centuries since the last time I had ever placed trust in your kind, I am not sure I even know how to anymore." His white eyes now moved to ceiling as he tilted his head up in thought.

It was true, he hadn't had any kind of social connections to humans for a very long time, the only human he had any kind of true trust in was Lionel; his figurative brother. As for other humans in that time; it was all betrayal, he could never believe in them or even care for them. So he killed most of them to get revenge on the ones he 'once' trusted, his and Lionel's persecutors and tormentors. He let others survive mostly because they had either no connection through the trials or were part of the sentinel's family. Trust had long been lost after that and he had wasn't sure if he could ever place it in humans again, he really didn't want to make the same mistake twice.

-That miner though.- Herobrine massaged his temples and looked back down at the unconscious man. Steve had proved himself worthy of trust by refusing to escape and nearly dying just for something as simple as words despite the dangers around him, he remained in his spot and even refused to leave as the being had commanded. It was obvious from his words and actions that he was determined to fulfill his promise and so he did, almost at the cost of his own life. One willing to lay their life down for something as small as a promise was almost unbelievable, that mortal risked everything for trust. That and giving in to his soon to be sealed fate, allowing the souls to drag him into the sands without even so much as a fight.

For what it's worth to him; Steve had his determination and it was impressive that he carried it out all the way through, Herobrine had to admit that. That miner battled the heat, the last chance to escape, dehydration, starvation, and even ravenous souls just to prove a point, as ridiculous as it was now; the being had to honor his word as he had since the beginning of his time. He had to trust Steve and allow the man to live a while longer with some limited freedom until his purpose is completely served, after the hero got enough answers; only then he could finally claim the man's life.

With that thought in mind he closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he steadied his focus, letting his clouding thoughts clear up and make way for his memories. He hated his memories; for many of them he retained were painful and completely unforgettable, at least the ones he had at the end of his trust in humans and his days of being powerless and thrown into the Nether. Some of them were strong enough to put him into a blinding rage so he tried his best not to venture towards the days of his accusation and torment. He searched deep in his mind to the days before the fortress, ignoring everything that had anything to do with becoming a full-fledged sentinel and Lionel's eventual demise. Going back further; he let his mind finally settle on his first true encounter with a human being, an encounter that didn't involve the mortals that fled from the sight of him. This was when he first learned of what trust was, or so he recalled.

Herobrine leaned the back of his head against the tall chair and let the memory replay.

... ...

From the top of the mountainside; the silent and stoic man gazed down around grassy slopes below, keeping an eye out for anything of interest. He was looking for something but he wasn't quite sure of what he was exactly trying to find. He knew that he existed in flesh and blood, but how he came to be puzzled him. He knew of no family or relatives of his own; unlike those two-legged creatures he had seen in small settlements, they were similar looking beings such as himself but they were nothing like him when it came to power. These creatures were called humans and they mostly lived together as families and in communities. However; these humans weren't as strong as him and did not possess any kind of power that he did.