Hollow {STARTLED -- BOOK 2}

Prologue

Fires raged around a figure as he dragged something, or someone, behind him. One had been struggling so much that Skybrine had been tempted to throw him into one of the thousands of lava pits here in the Nether. He knew he couldn't, they were to important, but nevertheless he was tempted.

The one who he dragged with him now was named Jason. The poor boy was still unconscious from when the battle first began and Skybrine had thrown him into a tree.

"He better wake up soon..." He mumbled, getting tired of dragging him. His powers were weakened, and he was having trouble forcing even a pebble into floating, much less a person. Opening the Nether portal had drained Skybrine, leaving him practically powerless. Most mobs avoided him, seeing his glowing eyes and walking in the other direction. A few restless blazemen and a curious ghast had forced him into using the last of his power at the moment.

He hoped that Ty wouldn't wake up before he could get back to him. These two boys were to important for anything to go wrong. He heard the familiar sound of a ghast behind him and sighed, half in annoyance and half in anger. A weak fireball appeared on his right palm and he turned, eyes blazing, to burn the shit out of the ghast that seemed to be following them. He narrowed his eyes a little when he noticed no ghasts nearby. He heard a small shuffle behind him and a muffled scream, and whipped around to see someone holding Jason up by his feet.

Jason's eyes were wide open now, and the cloth muffle I had wrapped around his mouth kept him from screaming. The man holding him wore a blue shirt and had glowing white eyes.

"Herobrine." Skybrine muttered, lacking any of his normal enthusiasm. Herobrine frowned slightly at Skybrine's lack of excitement.

"Oh come on son, that's not how you treat your father." He pouted and Skybrine raised an eyebrow.

"You are not my father." He growled. "Now give me back the boy."

"Call me daddy." Herobrine grinned, a wild, insane look in his eyes. Skybrine looked taken aback.

"W-What?! No! Why would I call you that?!" He stumbled back a little in surprise and Herobrine laughed.

"If you want the boy call me daddy!" He insisted.

Skybrine seemed to consider it for a moment. He looked back at Herobrine. "Yeah how about no. I'll just get another one of those boys... Ian looked promising..." Skybrine pondered on that for a moment as he turned around, before he heard a defeated sigh, a thump, and groan as Jason hit the floor. He glanced back.

"Fine... but you're no fun!" Herobrine complained. Skybrine stared at him for a moment.

'Wow this is the almighty Herobrine?' Skybrine grabbed Jason by the chains around his arms and heaved him to his feet. The boy let out a startled yelp, but other than that didn't make a noise. Herobrine grabbed Skybrine's arm and he turned around to look at him.

"What?" He snapped, annoyed with the other Brine. Herobrine looked him in the eyes, a now serious expression on his face.

"I have something I need you to do." He started and Skybrine shook his head.

"I'm not calling you da-"

"That's not it." Herobrine cut him off. "I need you to take care of someone for me." The way he said "take care", told Skybrine that he didn't mean in a friendly way... well, there was also the fact that he was an evil deity... that could also be a red flag...

"What's in it for me?" Skybrine asked, slightly interested. Herobrine grinned.

"How does revenge sound?" Skybrine's eyes flashed and his lips twisted into a small smile.

"Who am I taking care of?" Herobrine pulled something out of his pockets and handed it to Skybrine. He quickly pocketed it and watched Herobrine.

"Just your old friend Seto."