Born A Soldier (Reader X Herobrine)

Chapter Twenty-Two

     He was your enemy, right?... Then why did you have such the strong urge to help him?

     At last, when the obstacle before him had been defeated, Herobrine turned your way with sweat running down his brow. He froze when his shining eyes at last noticed you. You froze as well. The man's trembling and swollen wrist dropped to his side as normal. You saw purple gathering around it already. Undoubtedly, he had broken it.

   "...You weren't supposed to see that..." The man's growling voice rumbled across the room, shaking you to blink once again.

     "I- I- I-- sorry!" You quickly half bowed your apology, worried now there might be some verbal punishment coming your way.

     "No...." Herobrine's head turned away, gazing again at the pieces of cinder block which were now decorated with little splotches of his blood. "I...am glad you came to the sound of my distress... Means I can rely on you at least to stay alert..." He huffed something. Meekly, fiddling with your hands together in front of you, you stepped a foot into the mat covered area.

     "What's wrong..?"

     "Nothing-... Hhhhh.... I...am just not feeling...powerful..right now."

     "...Ah." That's a good sign.

     "Which is why I need you by my side more often. You remember everything I've taught you these last couple months?"

     "Y-yes!" ...Hopefully you had muscle memory of it at least.

     "Good.. Then you should be able to handle just about anything should trouble come... I know this is stupid to ask someone forced to my will, but.. can I trust that you will do everything in your power to protect me..? A promise?"

     You froze slightly. He was asking you to promise something? You hated breaking promises! It took you a moment to prepare yourself well enough to lie inconspicuously.

     "I... Yes. I won't let you down." Your brows tightened, straightening your back as you stiffly saluted.

     Herobrine chuckled a little. "Heheh... At ease, soldier.." You smiled faintly, briefly reminded of all your good deeds back on the battlefield. "Now...um... Is anyone else behind the door too? You shuffled back and checked...then shook your head. "Good! Because, um...I can't feel my hands... Can you...help?" It was a struggle for him to ask. You jumped up quickly. Not being able to feel them wasn't a good sign..

     "Do you know where any medical supplies is?" You hurriedly asked.

     "They have some in this cabinet over here.." Herobrine said, stepping toward a small white enclosed shelf just behind the door in the corner. You stepped to it quicker than he and started digging through for the right supplies. By the time arrived, you had pulled out some cleaning ointment, cotton balls, and medical tape. His hands were dripping with blood when he extended them your way, torn far past just skin!

     "Oh my gosh.." You gasped faintly. "Why did you do that..?" Looking up at him.

     Turning his face away from you out of embarrassment, "I..again...was feeling a little weak, and so challenged myself to destroy the block. If I couldn't..then..I in my own eyes would be deemed...pathetic." Heh, funny how he thought not being able to destroy a five foot thick block of stone would make him weak..

     "Hm.." You had no other comment. Nothing encouraging came to mind, so you just kept your mouth shut. You doused a cotton ball in cleaning alcohol and with the empty hand grabbed the man's left hand.

     "Aa-!... Sorry, other one first, please." His left one shrank away back to his side. Trying to hide your annoyance, a weak huff vented from your nose as you instead grabbed the man's right hand. It was still trembling slightly, every muscle too tense and swollen to even move properly! You tried to hide your astonishment. If Herobrine was this prone to pain, then perhaps there was a chance at beating him in hand to hand combat. It would take a very powerful foe, but perhaps maybe it could be done... Hmm, maybe you shouldn't have sent Notch away the other day... Maybe Herobrine was just as weak...but was simply better at hiding it?.. The thought made you scowl at yourself. You started dabbing at Herobrine's bloody knuckles, cringing more and more when little bits of bone were revealed!