Entity 0

Chapter 26: In which Hera gets the news

I peered across the room in anticpation of attack. But when the new comer came closer they were revealed to be Penelope. What was Ender's assistant doing here?

"Hera!" she said excitedly, "I finally found you!"

Yep, just as bubbly as ever.

"What's going on Penny?" I asked, skipping through niceties. 

But she was looking past me at the other bed. She looked quite frankly alarmed. "Who is that?!" she shouted.

"Thats EvelynEnder," I said, "would you keep it down, you'll wake her."

"Sorry," Penny whispered, "she looks like an enderman though."

I sighed. "She isn't." Something occurred to me, "Where is Ender?"

Penny's face froze, something resembling pain crossed it, she said quietly. "He's grieving," Penny started tear up, "there has been a terrible accident," tears ran down her cheeks, "his children are- are"

"What about his children?" I cut across.

 Penny hiccuped, "Dead." Then she put her face in her hands.

I felt a swirl of sadness for him. But the questions came back to soon. "Why did you come here Penny."

"Ender asked me to," she sniffed. I watched as her face began to relax, the sadness had melted off and she was joyful again. Odd, I guessed Notch had designed them to mostly be happy and cheerful. She began to titter again. "By the way, I totally forgive you for punching me. The break was heavenly."

Feeling confused I muttered, "any time." The emotion switch was a bit unnerving.

"We were wondering where you'd gone! then the map just lit up. Like a lot. The maps been crazy lately but this was huge. We knew it had to be you!"

It wasn't me. "But why did he send you?"

"The disturbances were everywhere before, but now there just in one area mostly, Ender thought you might know something. With all your experience out there. Your the best glitch hunter you know. We think there searching for some item or something." She showed me the map. I peered at it, as far as I knew nothing was there, except-

"Steve, not something, someone! There after Steve," I cried, "they were looking for him, he lives there. I went to his house once."

"I thought he was way over here," she beckoned to another area. I rolled my eyes.

"He moved, I guess you guys didn't track that," I said slowly. "They are searching for him."

He didn't stand a chance. He wasn't a very good fighter, and Entity 0 was more powerful then anything he'd ever seen. His wife Alex was in danger too.

"You've got to tell Notch," I urged. "Get him to send guards to Steve. They have to protect him and Alex. This threat is something stronger then I've seen before."

Penny shifted from foot to foot. "Notch's guards are really busy protecting possible sites of attack."

I clenched my fists, "that's ridiculous, Entity 0 isn't after those, their after Steve. Notch can't abandon him."

"I'll try Hera," she said holding up her hands. "I'll relay this all to Ender." she lowered her voice, "but Ender rarely gets up these days. Notch gave him some time off, but he acts like a zombie."

"I'll meet you there Penny," I said, my voice was starting to crack with emotion.

"Right," said Penny, "I'll meet you at Steve's house with whatever back up I can get."

Then she was gone. 

In the dark alone my tears started flowing. I couldn't help Hero, and now I was going to lose my other brother Steve. He was so happy and full of life, and yet I brought my messes on him. Perhaps Notch had been right to keep us away from each other. I only made trouble.

"Hera?" Evelyn whispered. She saw my tears when I looked at her.

"There after Steve, Entity is." I choked out.

She stood up and broke her bed. Then she came to me and put it down beside mine. She coaxed me into my bed and got in hers beside me.

"It'll all be okay Hera, we'll go find him and protect him." She said.

Tears still seeped from my eyes uncontrollably. 

"It'll be okay Hera," she whispered to me softly. Then she put her arm around me, "we won't let him get hurt. Not him or Alex."

She held me till I stopped crying, she was so warm I feel asleep against her.

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Sometime later I woke up. I was sticky from the tears, the bed was cold beside me. I sat up and looked around. But Evelyn was gone.