The Herobrine Quest

Chapter 12. No Compassion

"DON'T KILL ME!" Ranger screamed. Everybody sat straight up in their beds, ready for any terror that might await them. They relaxed as they realized there was no evil creature there to destroy them.

Coco ran to Ranger and said "Calm down, nothing's going to kill you!" Ranger's breathing eased a little, and she laid back down on the bed. "I hurt everywhere." She muttered. Toxic grinned a little and said "Yeah, that tends to happen when you smash into a tree."

Ranger smiled back, then grimaced. "Did you get Blaze?" She asked. Coco and Toxic shook their heads. Ranger's eyes dilated and she asked frantically "Where's Lizzy? Is she okay?" Nobody spoke. Then Dave said "She's dead." Ranger looked at him, horrified. She drew her knees up to her head and she repeated "No...no...no..."

Toxic placed a reassuring hand in her shoulder and said "It's not your fault." Ranger shook Toxic's hand off and said "It is! If I had seen that stupid creeper, I might have been able to save her!" Coco said "She died almost instantly. You wouldn't have been able to help."

Ranger nodded slowly, then said "Was anybody else hurt?" Mineral replied "No. Everybody's fine but you." Ranger seemed to remember her aching muscles and laid back down on the bed. "I hate trees." Everybody burst out laughing at that. Steph said "Well, I'm glad to see you're okay, Ranger. We're having Lizzy's funeral in an hour or so. Do you think you're well enough to come?"

Ranger nodded sullenly. "If I miss it I'll never forgive myself." She said. Pro asked "Steph, Blaze said that she had work to do. Any idea what that might be?" Steph shook her head and said "No. It could be anything. But we have to find the Wither before we can get to Herobrine."

Ranger added in "Remember the second line of the riddle? Maybe you could try talking to Herobrine." Steph replied "It's worth a try, but it hasn't worked for a few months now." She closed her eyes, concentrating on Herobrine's face. She said in her mind "Herobrine. Can you hear me?"

A few seconds passed, then a voice replied "Yes."

Steph's eyes flew open and she said "I CAN TALK TO HIM AGAIN!" Ranger grinned and said "Keep going!" Steph closed her eyes again and asked telepathically "Why are you doing this?" Herobrine replied "Notch banned me from the Overworld. I am taking refuge in the End. This is how I'm making him pay for it."

Steph shook her head and said "Innocent people are dying because of you. We're doing this because of Notch. If anything, you should be showing compassion to us." Herobrine replied, anger in his telepathic voice "The world showed no compassion to me! Can they expect me to show them something they never deigned to give?"

Steph stayed silent. This wasn't the Herobrine she had known months before.This was angry, vengeful, power-mad Herobrine. She said "If that is so, then maybe you should be the one to extend the first hand." Then she opened her eyes. She said "He's not going to change his mind. Far from it. We're still going to have to find the Wither."

Suddenly, she fell to the ground, clutching her head. Ranger, despite her injuries, was the first by her side. "What's wrong?" She asked, panicking. Steph groaned. The headache was unbelievable. It felt like creepers were going off inside her head. She said "Stop...you can't help it. It'll go away on it's own."

She tried standing up and succeeded after a few tries. She explained "This happened the first time I talked to Herobrine telepathically. It's been a while so I guess I wasn't used to it." Mineral asked "So...what now?" Toxic suggested "I propose we rest for a while longer, then head out to find the Wither."

Steph agreed. She didn't feel like traveling with the headache she was having. So they made a few changes to the hut to make it stronger and more durable. They set up a watch during the day and night. It seemed, to coin a phrase, that this was the calm before the storm. And they were by all means correct.