The Broken Flame

Herobrine watched as the rain fell onto the grasses outside the window, the sound of thunder crackling in the distance. He could see the glowstone lights outside glowing in the dark of the rainy night, showing through the droplets. He stayed in his place, leaning against a crafting table with his elbows on it. 

How long has it been since he had been here? Herobrine recounted the days in his head. It had been about… a month and two weeks. A month and a half now. He didn’t even realize that much time had passed already. He had been so busy with the human girl and miner that he didn’t think about how long he had been here.

Herobrine could say that his time here hadn’t actually been that bad. He found that he wasn’t as discontented as he thought he would be. It was remarkable, these two humans treated him with nothing but kindness, nothing but good things were told to him.

Why, he still didn’t know.

“Herobrine?”

The being was snapped from his thoughts as Celina called his name. She was wearing her pink cloak and had the hood pulled over her head. “Yes, Celina?”

“I’m going outside to get some wheat for tonight’s dinner. Can you watch Steve and make sure to get him anything if he wakes up?”

Herobrine took a few seconds to respond. “...Alright.”

She nodded in response. “Okay, I’ll be back in about ten minutes.” She moved to the doors, pushed them open, and closed them behind her.

Herobrine turned to look at Steve as soon as Celina’s footsteps were gone. He moved to where the miner lay, fast asleep on his side. He looked very peaceful, with less bandages than before. He didn’t have some of the ones that had been on his hands and left cheek, though some still covered wounds. He knew there were still bandages that wrapped around his chest and back from the deep sword wound.

Herobrine could feel something rising up in him as the miner slept. He felt like making some trouble now that he was alone and without Celina to say anything to him. He knew the less human part of him was coming forward now that it was just him and the miner.

“Look at you,” he said in a soft voice. “You look so peaceful.” He only stood there, watching over the miner. Part of him was saying he should do something. And honestly?

He didn’t fight it.

“Well… how about we have a little fun, Steven,” he whispered. He let his eyes glow brightly as he entered the man’s dreams, his frown turning into a devilish grin.

Steve’s peaceful expression fell, his eyes tightening as he gripped onto the pillows.

*****

Celina listened to another crack of thunder as she plucked some more wheat from the ground. She could see the rain beginning to come through the tree leaves above her. Hmm, seems like it’s going to rain for a while more,” she mused to herself. “I might have to call Irona back in, I don’t want her to get rusty.” She tied another string around the bundle she held, smiling as she stepped out of her garden.

“EEERRAAAAAHHHHHHH!”

Celina’s heart leapt into her throat. She knew who that was.

Steve.

And he was alone with Herobrine.

She heard another wail of fright and pain and she dropped the wheat to the ground. “STEVE!” she shouted as she took off.

*****

The doors to the throne room slammed open as Celina made her way inside. “Steve, what’s wrong?! What happened?! What--” She gasped as loud as she could, hands flying to her mouth.

Steve let out another shout as he sat up in his bed, his eyes shut tightly and hands over his temples. Herobrine stood by his side, his eyes glowing brightly and a dark grin plastered on his face. His eyes faded out in their intensity, before growing bright again. Steve shouted once more but never opened his eyes. It was like he was fighting something in his sleep, fighting something she couldn’t see.

Celina shouted, “Herobrine, what are you doing?!” She then ran to the being, grabbing his shoulders while he still stood facing the miner’s bed. “Herobrine, stop! You’re hurting Steve! Knock it off!” She pulled as hard as she could on his shoulders but he didn’t budge from his place. “HEROBRINE, STOOOOOP!”

It still wasn’t working and Steve was still screaming, crying out as tears ran from the creases of his tightly shut eyes. Celina’s mind went into a frenzy as she looked for some way to stop the being that was somehow hurting her friend. She thought and thought and something struck her. 

Celina quickly moved to the front of Herobrine, in between him and Steve’s bed. She quickly balled a hand up, reeled it back, and landed it right in the center of Herobrine’s chest.

A loud pained gasp filled the air, followed by a strong wail. “EEEERRRRAAAAAAHHAAAAAHHHH!” Herobrine’s cry sounded almost like an Enderman in pain and he stumbled back with hands clutching his chest. He let out several pained breaths as the glow in his eyes died down, the orbs soon shining with only the faintest glow.

The being’s vision came into focus as he trembled from pain, feeling warmth coming to the surface of his skin as he held onto his chest. He had been in the middle of Steven’s dreams, watching him as he struggled and screamed to get away from the terrors he created. But it all came to a halt when something slammed into his chest and caused unbearable agony to surge through his chest. He seemed to feel this pain in his very core.

Herobrine looked up at Celina and let out a dark growl. He knew now what happened. 

Celina ignored the snarl he let out and shouted at him, “What were you doing?!”

Herobrine snorted in rage and shouted back, “Why did you punch me?!”

“Because you were hurting Steve! I saw your eyes shining while he was sitting here screaming! What in the name of the Overworld were you doing?!”

Herobrine’ dark frown changed to a devious grin. “I was just making sure he was having sweet dreams.”

Celina raised a brow, before his words set in. “...You were giving him nightmares, weren’t you?”

Herobrine only let out a dark chuckle.

Celina ground her teeth so hard she was sure they would break. “You… You no good dragon scum.” She snarled out. “I turn my back for one second, and you have the nerve--”

“...Celina?”

Celina’s angered expression fell and she turned on her heels to see the miner, sitting up in his bed, horror and sorrow on his features. The queen clasped her hands. “Steve?”

Steve looked at her for several long moments, before his eyes moved to Herobrine.  He… he trusted Herobrine. The being had kept his word this whole time not to hurt Steve, and now… he goes and gives him a horrible nightmare? Not only that, but he was hurting terribly from his movements in his sleep. He had no words for the despair he felt. So he wept. 

Celina watched the man break down on his place on the bed, throwing his hands over his face and sobbing--no, wailing--in sorrow and pain. He curled up into a tight ball and tears streamed from his eyes and down his face. He shook and coughed from his emotions taking hold, unable to stop himself.

Celina turned and sat down next to the miner, carefully taking on his hands in hers. He looked at her as she did, before practically falling onto her and embracing the girl. She held tightly to her friend, keeping him close as she gently rocked him back and forth.

Herobrine rolled his eyes. He turned away to walk away.

“Herobrine!”

The Nether Prince turned back around to see the queen with her head turned towards him.

“You stay right there!”

The being knew he didn’t have to listen to her, but he found himself doing as she said, staying in his place with his arms still over his chest.

*****

Steve blinked very slowly as he took shaking breaths. A droplet would fall down his cheek every so often, and he wouldn’t even bother to wipe them away. The collar and sleeve ends of his shirt were already soaked from his tears, and he couldn’t bring himself to care about that. He was just so tired and his heart felt overstressed and struggled to beat in his chest. He sniffled a bit, letting out a small hiccup.

Steve felt so… betrayed. He thought he could trust Herobrine, thought he would be safe alone with this man, and what happened? He lost his self-control and entered his dreams to mess with his head. Just like the nightmare in the forest only weeks ago, he had felt like he was really dying and this would be the end. He didn’t know why Herobrine would do this, but he truly felt… horrible. 

Celina could see how bad the miner felt as she sat on his bed next to him. She had put away her cloak long ago and now could only watch her friend. “Oh, Steve, you look so tired, dear,” she told him. “You should try to sleep. You need rest.”

Steve shook his head, a hand clutching his shirt. “I--I don’t… I don’t want to.”

“Why not,” she asked gently.

“I… I don’t… I don’t--want him to… to give--me--more… nightmares. I’m… I’m scared. I just…” Steve wanted to continue, but Herobrine was still standing right there, only blocks away from him.

Celina put a hand on his shoulder. “Steve, he’s not going to give you anymore bad dreams. I can promise you that. I’m going to talk with him, okay?”

There was silence. “...Okay,” Steve finally answered. 

Celina stood from her spot and helped the man lie down and pull the blankets up to his chin. She then kissed his forehead again. “Please rest, okay, Stevie?”

The man nodded. Steve was asleep within a few minutes, the emotional toll on his body lulling him to sleep.

Celina watched the miner to make sure he was still breathing, then she turned on her heels with anger on her features. Her gray eyes moved to Herobrine, who stood only blocks away while looking unamused. She quietly spoke, trying not to shout. “Herobrine?”

The Nether Prince hissed out, “What do you want?”

Celina shook her head. “I want an explanation, Herobrine! Why did you give Steve nightmares?! We had a deal! That deal included not hurting him mentally!”

Herobrine sighed. “And that included not giving him nightmares?”

“Yes! That too!” She couldn’t believe this guy! “You made a promise, you made a deal, and you just went against everything you agreed to! I had trust in you, Herobrine! I trusted you! And Steve did too!”

Herobrine found himself narrowing his eyes at her. “What are you talking about?”

“He confided in me. He talked to me about everything, and you know what he said? He said that he considered you… a friend.”

Herobrine snorted. “Why would he do that? I’ve only tried to hurt him his whole life, and I nearly beat him to death. Why would he consider his worst enemy his friend?”

Celina made an angry sputtering noise. “Because you were nice to him, Herobrine! You didn’t hurt him, you changed his bandages, you talked with him, you had actual human conversations with him! You gave him a reason to trust you, Herobrine. He actually told me that, when he was all healed and this deal was done, he thought that maybe he could be your friend still.”

Herobrine scoffed. “And just why should I care?”

“Because you lost my trust too!” Celina saw him take a step back, his brows almost raising in surprise. “I trusted you to keep your word, Herobrine. You had my trust!” She felt tears beginning to stream from her face, her chest ached now that she was saying these words. “I thought you and I could be friends! I thought that you would listen to me and confide in me. Don’t think I can’t see that something is going on in your head. I know you’re conflicted about something. And I wanted to help you!”

Celina kept her voice strong despite her tears. “But now, I see that I was wrong. You’re selfish, Herobrine. You’re an egotistical, homicidal white-eyed freak! You’re a no-good, low-down glitch! You’re… you’re…”

Herobrine felt rage boiling inside him. “I’m what?! SPIT IT OUT, GIRL!”

“YOU’RE A MONSTER, AND NO ONE COULD EVER LOVE YOU!”

As soon as those words left her mouth, Herobrine felt his eyes go wide.

He had heard those words before.

*****

“Demon! How dare you! She should have never loved you!”

“How dare you, you monster! She should have never given you a chance!”

“YOU’RE A MONSTER, AND NO ONE COULD EVER LOVE YOU!”

*****

Herobrine’s heart dropped. His defensive stance fell and he suddenly felt like his strength was crumbling. His chest began to hurt, but not in a way that was physical. It was a deeper seeded feeling, like something inside of him had just been torn in half. Herobrine began to shake, his features shifting from sadness to something more like… sorrow?

Celina’s face turned to surprise. Herobrine was trembling and had a hand over his heart. His face was… filled with despair. He suddenly seemed to break down, because tears began to fall from his face. “...Herobrine?”

“I… I…” Herobrine suddenly shook his head and roared, “You may know my name, but you don’t know my story!” His hair seemed to move away, as pointed ears were now showing from the sides of his head. His face seemed to turn more and more to anger and sadness as he continued to shout. “You don’t know who I’ve lost! You don’t know what I’ve seen or who I knew! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH!”

Celina held up her hands and looked at him with shock. He was now a hysterical mess, cyan colored tears running down his face. He was sobbing now and trying not to fall to the ground. Did she just… hurt his feelings and make him cry? She was literally seeing Herobrine, the Nether Prince, the Lord of the Mobs, and the brother of the former queen of the Gods… feeling the most human emotion there was. Sadness.

Celina didn’t know why, but seeing him break down… it hurt. This was someone she had trusted, someone she considered an ally, even a friend. And now, she had just hurt him in a way she knew would do more damage than the punch she landed.

Celina had just broken Herobrine’s heart.

She suddenly said in a soft voice, “Herobrine… I’m… I’m sorry.” And that was when she tried to step forward with a hand outstretched.

Herobrine let out a betrayed howl as he tried to step back from her hand. “No! Stay away from me! Get away!”

Celina took another step, and that was when Herobrine wailed out, “JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!”

Celina recoiled, watching the man as he took a step back and fell to the floor. He seemed to break down more, pushing himself up with shaking arms and watching her. All Celina could do… was watch Herobrine as he sobbed and cried.

What had she done?