Hero's Bane

Chapter 65: Will Bear Bad News

The miner gaped in utter shock, he really didn't know why Warren was asking these things or where he got them from. He really didn't want to answer them; at least not right away. Steve sighed and rubbed the back of his aching neck, trying to keep his eyes away from the angry staring bartender. That man looked furious but held his expression in a more calm and composed way, he was probably wanting answers and very soon; judging by the sounds of his fingers tapping the wooden table out of impatience. "Uh, ... ummm." Steve contorted his face as he thought of the right words to say and how to say them, he then sighed and let his suspended hand fall to the tabletop. The elder was relentless with his fixed gaze. "Yeah. I failed." He said quietly.

"Just as I thought." The bartender shook his head with a heavy sigh in disappointment. "I also take it that my other question is true as well then?"

Steve was reluctant to answer so he remained silent for a few seconds, pondering. He wanted to wait and tell the others all at the same time so that he wouldn't have to go and explain everything over and over again. He was also nervous from their reactions and feared the worst when it came to the news of him having Herobrine's trust and what the demi-god was planning to do to the village towards dusk. It would certainly make himself out to be an enemy. The worst would be them not believing in him and remaining behind to face Herobrine's wrath for the final time.

"Well?" Warren asked impatiently.

Even with nothing going his way and this conversation being as difficult as possible; Steve began with hesitance in his words. "I have gained ... rather earned... his trust." He said flatly, looking directly at the older man.

Warren looked surprised though he shouldn't have been, he knew what was up but he held onto the hope that he was wrong; that the information he was given was a lie. It wasn't. "Then Nigel was right, you are his friend. A friend of Minecraftia and it's people's worst nightmare and greatest threat. Your enemy. My enemy. ... Notch's enemy." He said with narrowed eyes. "You have turned your back on us for that monster."

"He's not a monster." Steve said defensively with a low tone, but Warren only shook his head in a silent disagreement. "So it was Nigel who told you that Herobrine was my friend?"

The elder nodded with a deep frown. "Yes, he finally paid me a visit after all of those years and he told many things. That in which you just said; being one of them, one of the most preposterous things to come out of his mouth!" The man said, smacking the tabletop with his hand in outrage.

"But that can't be. I was still Herobrine's enemy at the time, and he almost killed me like right after Nigel left for this village."

"He told me many things regarding the two of you and that vile fiend. Everything from finding you outside of one of his shelters in a blizzard; to you saving 'Him' from a pit of lava, to fighting Him at the fortress and getting incarcerated. Even to the dreams you shared with Nigel, he basically told me everything he knew. My old friend said a lot of things, so many that I myself can not and will not believe. One of those things was going off to fight the demon and bring him down to his knees, others would be being spared, set free, and winning the battle. Then there is befriending him mentioned in there."

"I was Herobrine's enemy at the time!" Steve lightly slammed a fist on the table and the plate and glass rumbled lightly. "Nigel wasn't aware that we were friends or even going to become friends."

"No, he told me that you went off to face a certain fate. It was one of life and death, both hanging in the balance in the demon's hands. I know for sure that you would die but Nigel, he- he had so much faith in you, so much so that I believed he was completely blinded by the deranged delusion. He told me that you were going to win, that only you could. That only you would have the chance to convince him to change his ways and get him to listen, to tame this beast of a man!" Warren shook his head at the sheer insanity of Nigel that he recalled.