Sky's POV

It had been 4 months since we'd last seen Ty. Steve and Herobrine were closer than I'd ever seen them in the Time-Stream. I guess they needed to rely on each other even more now that so many things had happened. Yet, though Herobrine SEEMED happier than before...he also seemed...different. I wasn't the only one who had noticed. Blaze and I had talked about it before. He seemed more distant, distracted. One day, I realised he was gone. We searched the whole village for him, but found nothing. Then, I found him down by the lake. He was staring into the water, his eyes wide in fright and fear. He stood up and faced me. I was a bit freaked out. He didn't seem to focus on me, as though he was in a dream. "Herobrine?" He didn't reply, just stared at me. I took a slow step backwards. My heart was pounding in my chest, what had happened to my friend? His hand went to his sword; my eyes widened as he slowly pulled it out of it's scabbard. "H-H-Herobrine..." He kept coming towards me, his white eyes glazed over, tinged with red. Out of desperation I yelled Blaze's name. Nothing happened. Then I felt my back hit the tree behind me. He raised his sword, claws sliding out of his empty hand. Suddenly, a bolt of red magic hit the ground in front of me. It made Herobrine jump and his eyes cleared. He stared at me, then the sword in his hand, then his unsheathed claws. Blaze landed beside me, eyes glowing with power. "That was you?!" I said. She nodded, rolling her eyes. "Duh, I am a sorceress." Herobrine looked at me in horror, then ran off. I nearly went after him, but Blaze held me back. "Don't worry, he just needs time to think." I nodded slowly, shaken. What had happened to Herobrine that was so bad he had nearly killed me without even realising?...

Now he seemed to be getting worse. Disappearing more and more often. Even Steve began to worry. And now, 4 months since we'd seen Ty, it happened. He went AWOL. We heard screams coming from the village. Running down the slope Steve shifted into a wolf, while Blaze gathered her magic. I drew my BUDDER sword and Emily her iron one. We came to the village. It was burning. Villagers ran around screaming. I could smell smoke and blood in the air. Suddenly, I heard Emily scream. I whipped around. The others had disappeared into the burning village. I froze. Herobrine stood before us. It had been months since I'd been afraid of him, but now, standing before us with villager blood on his clothes and dripping from his sword and claws, his eyes glazed and burning with bloodlust and insanity, I felt the fear rising up inside of me, ready to swamp and drown me. Emily ran forward before I could stop her and Herobrine turned his head slowly to look at her. Contempt and spite was on his face as slashed his claws across her face. She cried out and I felt anger consume me. "YOU MAY LOOK LIKE HEROBRINE! BUT YOU SURE AREN'T!" I ran forward, sword at the ready. Herobrine's eyes smouldered with an emotion I'd never seen before. Hate. Our swords clashed together, sending a shockwave rippling out in a circle around us. I held my ground, pushing against him with all my might. Despite the fact he was trying to kill me, I felt tears trickling down my face. I wished it hadn't come to this...

Herobrine's POV

(Earlier) I felt the madness consume me, I fought against it, but something stirred within me, an animalistic desire so strong it overrode my futile attempts at escape. I clutched my head in pain as it changed me, my eyes glowed with power and my claws grew longer and sharper. I realised the monster in the time stream...was now me...then I lost my last dregs of sanity and my vision went red.

I felt powerful. Nobody would stand in my way. My sword shone in the dim light of the fading evening. My eyes glowed as I smiled. A cruel, twisted smile. I was thirsty for blood, and tonight, flesh would feed me...

Emily's POV

(Now) Blood gushed out of my face as I watched Sky fighting a losing battle. I closed my eyes. Perhaps I was ready to die. My limbs grew weak and my heart beat grew slower and slower. Suddenly, I felt something thump beside me. I looked over and saw Sky's sword lying next to me. Sky was on his knees, chin held high in defiance as Herobrine prepared to kill him. "No." I croaked. He turned to me, his face wreathed in shadows. Raising his sword high above me I closed my eyes. "Do it then." Nothing happened. Then, I heard someone shouting and yelling at Herobrine. I opened my eyes. "TY?!" I heard Sky yell. Deadlox had come back for me, he swung his axe round at Herobrine, his eyes narrowed in contempt. Herobrine intercepted the strike at the last minute, stepping backward as Ty came at him, his axe a whirlwind as he spun it round and tried to land a blow. Sky fumbled for his sword and I held it up to him. He stared at me, tears running down his face. Then he squared his shoulders and picked up the sword. He had a gash down his leg but he still ran forward to help his friend. I heard panting as a wolf ran up to me. I smiled as I looked into Steve's piercing blue eyes. It was a sad smile though. "He's gone Steve..." The wolf whined as it nosed my shoulder, trying to get me up. "Go help them..." The wolf nodded and threw its head back, howling. Then he jumped over me, shifting as he did. I felt a gaze on me as I looked up into Blaze's concerned face. "Hold still. I'm gonna heal you." She lay her hands on my face as my vision faded.

Herobrine's POV

I could feel the bloodlust fading as I struggled to free myself. Eventually I found myself back in control as I stumbled backwards, hitting a tree. I slid to the ground, staring up at the glaring faces of Steve, Sky and Deadlox. I took one look at Emily's body lying on the ground as blood pooled around her head and felt misery and horror clawing at my insides. I shut my eyes, trying to block out the screams of dying villagers and the crackling flames. Then I looked back up at Steve. His blue eyes were troubled, as though unsure if what to think of me. Deadlox was glaring at me and Sky was avoiding my gaze completely. I used the last ounce of magic in my system to shift into a spider and I scuttled away. I wasn't coming back.

Steve's POV

Why...why did he do it?...I turned to Deadlox. "Thankyou, without you, we wouldn't of stood a chance." He bowed his head in respect for me as I turned away, towards Emily. "C'mon, let's go home." "But Hero-" "He's gone." I cut in. Blaze looked back down, her red eyes brimming with tears. We headed back to the cave as the first streaks of dawn appeared over the horizon, colouring the land in pink and orange. I couldn't help but think the crimson rays looked like blood as they shone over the biomes. I hoped Herobrine was ok. After all...he is my brother...