So many bodies. They were all hanging from the trees, mocking me. Most of them were Motir, as if resembling the display I witnessed from the jungle trees a few weeks ago. But a few were other people I knew.

  I walked through the forest, each tree with at least one person hanging from the branches. I saw the face of my father, mother, brothers, and sisters. My dog was even resting peacefully on his own tree.

  Motir's sisters were there too, reminding me of the hours we all spent playing in our town, Virtiv. It took me a few seconds to remember the name.

  Dangling from one tree was a man I didn't recognize at first. Upside down, it was hard to analyze his features, but eventually I found him to be a well known man in my old town. When Herobrine'd first taken over Minecraft he'd had fun going on rampages through the towns, and when he did, this man always had a cellar open for anyone who wanted to take cover there. Motir, his sisters, and I spent hours hidden down in the stone room, waiting for the horror to pass.

  But then I found the body of someone I did not want to be dead. It was someone I desperately wanted to be alive.

  Maria was hanging from the tree, her long, light brown hair flowing close to the ground.

  I screamed as the scene changed.

  I was back at the Resistance HQ, laying in the bed that belonged to the leader only. Unlike everyone else, I had private quarters, although I'd only spent two nights there. I heaved myself up.

  The room was multicolor around me, as if I just had one of Rax's drinks. Confused, I drew a sword that suddenly appeared in my hot bar. It was glowing blue and read The Magnificent Blade of Herobrine. I waved it around, remembering the lightning and fire Ben summoned with it.

  I left my cabin and found something monstrous outside. The people of the Resistance were running and screaming, all of them weilding weapons.

  "Excuse me!" I yelled, but no one stopped to pay me any attention. I tried again. "I am your leader!"

  I simply stood in the midst of the hallway of screaming people until someone came to my side. It was Joseph, the boy who I'd befriended for a few days.

  "Joseph!" I exclaimed. Finally someone sane.

  His face void of any smile, Joseph grabbed my arm. "There you are. We've been looking for you everywhere."

  I didn't ask where he was taking me as I was dragged through the underground tunnels. 

  But I didn't need to ask, because I soon found out. I was lead into a room full of cheering Resistance members. They were all crowded around a large bonfire. It took me a second, but I soon saw that people were inside the fire. 

  I gasped. They were Jane, Gregor, and Ben.

  "Guys! I got him! We can commence!" Called Joseph. For a second I wondered what he was talking about, until I understood. They meant to burn me too.

  Roughly, I was pushed to the bonfire and tied to the stake in the middle. To my astonishment, I didn't feel pain.

  "Why am I okay?" I asked Ben, who was tethered to my side.

  My eyes focused on the warriors as they roared. They jeered and raised weapons and brews. I noticed Rax in the corner at his brewing stand, tied to some kind of machine that made him mix drinks together.

  "Because," said Ben, "this is all a dream."

  I glanced to him.

  "You're going to be just fine," he said, his voice as warm as the fire we stood in.

  I shot up with a vengance. It took me a second to find out where I was. Glancing around, I saw a mundane looking Minecraft cabin. A crafting bench and furnace sat in the corner next to a window with a cake.

  A face stared down at me. It was Habuin.

  "You!" I exclaimed, reaching my hands up to sock him in the face. Less than a second later four more hands were holding me down. I watched as Braden and Bradley layed me down again.

  "What's happening?" I asked, getting frustrated.

  "It's not Herobrine. That's Habuin," said Bradley. "Remember? We like him."

  "Is the night over?" I didn't need someone to give me an answer. One glance out the window and I knew as clearly as the sun shining through the windows.

  "Did I pass out?" I asked. Rax nodded from the side.

  "We found you on the ground with your bow. We don't know what happened. The second you started talking to Herobrine, it was like time stopped," explained Bradley as his eyes darted around the room nervously. "We all got caught up with trying to hurt him we forget that if we did we'd be killing Habuin in the process."

  Our new friend nodded. "Thanks for that, by the way."

  Bradley dismissed it with a wave. "No problem, bro." Then he looked to me. "I'm not sure what happened between you and Herobrine. Did you guys talk?"

  Racking my brain for an answer, I tried to remember what we'd spoken about when it all hit me. All the words about me not being loved by anyone, my being useless, and other things I'd rather repress. 

  And to repress them, there was only one thing I could do. And that was to lie. "No we didn't talk. I don't remember what he said after he turned to me."

  Bradley stared at me, as if trying to dig out my lie, when his eyes widened. "What's that in your inventory?" He yelped.

  I began to search my inventory and found that there was indeed something that hadn't been there when I passed out.

  Tentatively, I pulled out The Magnificent Blade of Herobrine. For a second a strange feeling of glee filled me and I felt like squealing. Power. I tried to shake off the sensation. What was that?

  Habuin gasped. "Why do you have that?"

  My brow furrowed. "I've seen it before. It belonged to Herobrine, then Gregor, and Ben when he died. I also dreamt about it last night."

  Habuin's face grew even more worried, as if everything I told him was a death wish. "Oh no, this is not good."

  "What do you mean?" Asked Braden. I sat up in the bed. I'd like to know what was happening also.

  "The day I was first possesed my Herobrine, I woke up with that sword in my inventory. I'd just had the strangest dream of bodies and fire. I kept having these weird thoughts all through the day."

  Rax nodded. "And Herobrine was there that night."

  A flash of fear. Terrified, I clutched the sword. The mooes of the cows outside suddenly seemed remorseful, as if they were sorry for me. "What are you saying?"

  My friends stared at me, as if I was about to spontaneously combust. 

  "I'm saying," said Habuin, "that you might be possessed by Herobrine."

...

  Gregor was an idiot. He knew it too. As they travelled the next morning, he felt like it. Why had he said those things to Jane? She was only 13, she couldn't take it. What motivated him to say those things? A chill ran through him as he realized he knew the answer. He knew why he had said those things.

  They were out of the alleyways by morning, facing out to the country. Gregor was grateful they were finally able to leave and never see Stevia again. Jane sent him a glance. He wasn't sure what she was trying to say with it, but it looked angry.

  "Thank you so much, Stevia," said Ben, giving Gregor a look of embarresment, as if he'd done anything.

  "Oh you can thank me later," she murmered, her voice suddenly silky smooth. Gregor's hand was on his sword in and instant, ready to pull it out. Where did her accent go? He thought.

  "Stevia?" Ben asked, his voice wavering.

  "Oh, Herobrine's Haters, we aren't nearly done," she said, drawing a blunt looking stone sword. They all mirrored her, ready to fight, although they weren't sure why.

  "I don't understand," said Ben. "You helped us. Why are you trying to kill you?"

  Stevia nodded, as if he had a point. "You're right. I did help you. But I hope you don't think it was for your benefit I lead you away from Herobrine's guards. No, I don't hope that at all."

  Gregor rushed forward, forgetting all reason. He stuck his sword under the girl's chin. "Who are you and what do want with us?" He asked fiercely.

  Stevia simply chuckled and glanced up to the buildings. Following her gaze, Gregor witness a dozen gold clad warriors each with an arrow pointed to his heart. He gulped and heard Jane yell something at Stevia.

  "If you're not with Herobrine than who's side are you on?" Ben asked, not looking comfortable with his friend being threatened by so many warriors.

  Laughing as if it was obvious, Stevia jeered at him. "Can't you tell?" She roughly pushed Gregor away from her, leaving him wondering how she was so strong, and gestured up to her friends.

  "You want to know why I'm so strong? Well I'm not a liar. I did grow up in these alleyways... 50 years ago."

  Jane, Grace, and Lora gasped. "My Notch!" Exclaimed one of them.

  "My Notch is right," chuckled Stevia. "You see, I am the dual of someone like you. I am someone's improved clone."

  It hit Gregor like a thousand creepers exploding at once. He knew where she was from.

  "You're from the Warriors of Notch," he muttered.

  And the nod Stevia gave him back was so small, he wondered if it was there in the first place.

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