The Broken Flame

Herobrine stood before his Nether Portal, watching the swirling mists of purple and black within its obsidian frame. He really didn’t need this portal, he could teleport between the Overworld, End, and Nether at will. However, he felt it made for a more proper entrance for one of his power. He grinned widely as he readied to step into the portal. The being had waited for this night for many years, and now, the time was perfect to take the life he had been waiting to take for years now.

He placed a foot on the obsidian…

“I think… Herobrine is afraid.”

Those words reached his ears in an instant and that was when a fireball formed in the being’s hand. He swiftly vanished from his place in a cloud of purple dust.

Aaron clasped his hands together and looked around in a panic, seeing all the mobs who were now staring at his fellow Enderman. “Eric, don’t say that. You know exactly what kind of punishment that way of thinking will--”

“I don’t care, Aaron!” shouted the shorter Endeman. “He’s a coward, and I won’t stand for having to follow his orders any longer! One day, he will be dethroned, and when that days comes, someone who truly rules will--”

A hand suddenly clasped onto the Enderman’s neck, causing him to choke as his air was being cut off. He was pulled back and felt heat nipping at his back as it happened. 

“Will do what, Eric?”

Eric managed to look over his shoulder to see Herobrine floating at his level, a fireball seeming to engulf one of his hands though the flames did not burn him. He knew the being had fire powers, making him invulnerable to all flames. And he now knew, he was in deep trouble.

“Oh, he--hello, my--my lord! I was just--just--”

Herobrine growled and let the mob go for only a second, then turned him by the shoulder and grabbed onto his neck once again. The Nether Prince held tightly and floated just a few inches higher, effortlessly lifting the mob with him and making Eric kick his legs out in an attempt to get free. He scoffed and held that fireball just a little bit closer to the mob, making him stop his flailing. 

Herobrine’s face fell into one of deep contempt as the mob looked into his white eyes, the green ones of the monster full of fear. “So,” the King of the Mobs began. “Tell me, Eric. What do you think fear is?”

“Oh,” Eric strained out with the hand still on his jugular. “Fear is when… when you… when…” His thought process went blank. Perhaps he didn’t know what fear really was? Or at least, he wouldn’t be able to give an answer to satisfy the literal embodiment of fear in Minecraftia.

Herobrine was growing impatient as he watched the Enderman quiver in fear. “You don’t have an answer, do you?”

The Ender only took deep breaths, as much as he could with a hand clenching tightly onto his windpipe.

Herobrine growled darkly again. “You think you know what fear is, don’t you, Ender? You believe that fear is some strange feeling that only happens when something dangerous approaches you. But that? That is not the true meaning of terror.” He raised his fireball higher as he left the mob drop to the ground, the Enderman stumbling and falling onto his back. He tried to sit up, only to have a sword pointed at his neck. No one had even seen Herobrine pull out one of his crimson colored blades, but there it was, ready to slice the Enderman open. Herobrine kept his sword tip there as he kept the fireball close to himself. “You do not know what true fear is, Ender. You do not know the true feeling of horror that I bring to this world. You do not know the kind of terror that pierces your heart and keeps you awake through the night. You don’t know fear that makes you cower for the rest of your life and live in terror that you aren’t safe anywhere.”

He pushed the tip of his sword into the chest of the monster, drawing a small drop of green blood from a vein. He saw Eric wince, but he pays it no mind. “You’re a fool, Ender. You do not know fear. I am fear! And you will feel my wrath for doubting my powers!”

Before another word could be uttered, the Demi-God sliced open the Enderman’s chest, letting green blood spray across the floor as he did it. He watched the Enderman squirm and lightly writhe on the ground. It was only a few moments before the mob’s eyes rolled back and he fell lifeless to the ground. What was once Eric lay in a puddle of dark green fluid at Herobrine’s feet as he dropped to the ground. He held up his hand and his sword turned into tiny particles that faded as they floated away. 

Herobrine turned to look at a few of the mobs who had watched the commotion. “Clean up this mess. I have business to attend to. I want this gone when I return.”

The mobs nodded and the Demi-God made his way back to the portal room. He stepped into the frame and vanished, being taken into the Overworld.

*****

The skies were painted in bright shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple. The sun was beginning to set under the horizon in the Creatoria kingdom, and many of the guards had already begun their nightly patrol of the streets in case of mobs. The citizens of the small kingdom were already in their homes, either enjoying dinner or working on a few last things before night time. There wasn’t a curfew in the kingdom, mind you, but everyone knew that night was a bad time to be out unless you knew how to fight off a hoard of zombies.

Loud laughter came from the mines as the doors to the underground tunnels burst open. Steve and Celina stepped out, covered from head to toe in gravel and dirt from their trip. Celina lightly poked Steve in the chest with a gloved finger, saying to him, “C’mon, Steve, there’s no way you found ten diamonds legit!”

Steve chuckled and responded with, “Yes way! I found all of those diamonds with nothing but pure skill!”

“Yeah right! I call hacks!” Celina put hands on her hips and smirked in his direction.

Steve held up his hands as if to show he had nothing in them. “Ain’t any hacks, kiddo. Just pure skills and know-how gained from years of mining.”

Celina giggled and walked next to the miner as they made their way through the streets. The glowstone was beginning to light their path as the sun’s light began to fade from the skies. The queen felt herself let out a little sigh as she and the miner walked. “Man, Steve,” she spoke, not realizing she was thinking out loud. “You’re great at mining. I wish I was as good as you… my family was all warriors, so I wouldn’t know a diorite from an andesite block. I’d be lost in my mining without you or Cenlar.”

Steve could hear the dejection in her voice and saw how she looked down, hands in her pockets. He knew Celina wasn’t the best at mining, he had seen the simple mistakes she had made, ones that were rookie moves. However, the man also knew she was just trying her best, like she always did.

“Celina,” Steve started, a hand moving to the queen’s shoulder. She looked up at him, those violet eyes of his seeming to sparkle with happiness. “Just because you’re from a warrior family doesn’t mean you aren’t good at mining. I’ve seen how you try, I’ve seen all the things you’ve found. You’re doing your best and that’s what matters. Besides, I think that, some day, you’ll be up in the books as one of the best queens who knows how to fight in Minecraftia!”

Celina blinked in surprise, before blushing and smiling widely. Steve was such a sweetheart and always knew what to say to make her feel better. She truly was grateful for someone like him to be in her life. What did she ever do to deserve such a wonderful figurative brother.

Steve suddenly grinned mischievously and put a hand to his chin. “Maybe your chapter will be next to my chapter.”

Celina burst into laughter and playfully pushed a hand into his chest. “Steve, you’re such a butt!” 

The two continued their walk towards the castle, happy laughter coming from their lips, unaware of the figure hidden in the shadows of the trees.

*****

Herobrine slowly peeked from behind the trees as the two walked. He silently moved as they did, quickly following their movements until he stood behind a tree just nearby to the castle of the queen. He stayed behind the oak until he heard their laughter again. The Nether Prince watched the two as the young girl reached up to Steven’s face with a cloth. She smiled widely, while the miner grinned and laughed, saying the girl was trying to clean him up and treat him as if she were his mother.

Herobrine moved back behind the tree. “Hmm… Steven is with the mortal girl. Getting to her may take more time than I thought it would.”

Herobrine thought about the miner for a moment. Steven Alfonce Mindrall. He was a man no more than 30 years old and had a girl he was engaged to and had lived with for some time. Stephanie was her name. 

Herobrine knew pretty much everything there was to know about this man that he needed to. He knew of his waking habits, where he would mine, where he liked to go and explore and take walks in. He had haunted the miner for years now, ever since he had been a child had the Demi-God haunted him. 

Herobrine would often chase him during the night, give him nightmares, and just terrify him in general. He still remembered the first time he had made Steven awake from crying and shouting so much in his sleep. The miner was in tears and had sought comfort in his at the time girlfriend. The miner had nearly cried himself to sleep in her arms, and how the Nether Prince had relished that feeling of his terror.

As the man got older, he would have face-to-face confrontations with the man and had left him with more than a few wounds. He knew the miner was deathly afraid of him and everything he did.

Maybe he could use that to his advantage?

An idea struck Herobrine. “Hmm… maybe I can take care of Steven first. He’s always been so weak to my attacks. Taking him out won’t be hard. And then… maybe I can lure the girl into a trap with him… Yes, that will do nicely.”

Herobrine peeked around the tree again, a hand on the bark. He saw that the queen had cleaned herself and Steven up and was now trading ores with him. He let a dark chuckle escape his lips. He teleported from his spot behind the tree to the top of a tall birch on a nearby hill. He crouched on the top of the tree, watching the mortals with great intent. “Well,” he spoke to no one but himself. “Looks like I can hit two chickens with one arrow. This is going to be too easy… Look out, Steven. I’m coming for you tonight.”

*****

“And here’s some extra gold and Lapis for you, kiddo,” Steve said as he handed said ores to Celina.

“Thank you, Stevie!” She put them into her inventory and looked up to her figurative brother as he smiled at her. “Well, it’s getting dark. I should probably head inside. Thanks for the nice day today, Steve. I had lots of fun.”

He chuckled. “Anytime, kiddo! Just let me know and I’ll come mine with you.” Before Celina could walk away, he held up a hand. “Oh, I almost forgot!” He reached into his inventory and made Celina quirk a brow. He pulled out a red heart shaped gem with many facets, holding it out to the queen. “I made this for you whenever I stayed up at our little post to smelt the ores and you went to mine. It’s a Redstone crystal gem! I learned how to make them from someone in our village who’s really good with Redstone.”

Celina took the gem into her hands, being cautious in case it could break. She looked at it, starstruck by its beauty and her friend’s thoughtfulness. She gazed down at it and she turned it in her hands. “Oh, Steve… this is… it’s beautiful!” She smiled and a small tear formed in one of her eyes. “Thank you so much, I’ll cherish this forever!”

Steve smiled and nodded. “It’s no problem.” He looked over in the direction of the setting sun. “Well, I’d better get going. If I head through the forest, I should make it to my house before night falls completely.” He waved to Celina. “See ya later, Celina!”

As he began to walk away, Celina waved and bounced up and down. “Bye, Steve! Thanks again!” She then ran into her castle with excitement in her step.

Steve, on the other hand, was making his way into the southern forests, completely unaware of the white eyes watching him from a distance, a devilish grin under them to match their intense glow.

Steve would never know what hit him.