Sky's POV

I flop down upon a patch of soft grass, yawning and stretching out on it, and staring up at the sky above. Clouds drift lazily over our heads in it, the sun hiding behind their fluffy exteriors, as if shy to reveal itself. I hear a faint oink and gentle footfalls as Jason approaches with Jeffrey trotting by his side. I peer up at him over my sunglasses; he is one of the few friends I made that I trusted deeply enough to reveal my eyes to. He stands over me, reaching up with gloved hands to tap either side of his helmet. The locks on it hiss as they release, and he slowly eases it off. I snort, then laugh, pointing up at his helmet hair as it is revealed in all its disheveled glory. Jason raises an eyebrow, smirking at me. "Is it that bad, huh?" I laugh harder, nodding and grinning. "Yep." He snorts and rolls his eyes, looking away to the horizon in the distance. I yawn again; I hear him sigh wearily. "Hey um...why are you even warning villages anyway? What is this 'Darkness', Sky? Why is it coming for us?" I frown and sit up as he folds himself down neatly opposite me, crossing his legs and petting an anxious Jeffrey who is hovering by his side.

I rub my eyes and draw my legs to my chest, putting my shades back on and blowing a strand of nutty-brown hair out of my face. "Look Jace...I know this is gonna be hard for you to believe but... Minecraftia is up against one of the greatest fighters it has...had, ever seen. I don't know exactly why he did it, but, Ty pledged his allegiance to it. Our greatest enemy was once one of our greatest allies. That's why it's so important that people are prepared. Ty and this Darkness together are simply formidable, I've seen it." Jason looks at me in shock, aqua eyes stretched open wide. "What?! ...no! No! He, he wouldn't-! ...Why-? Would he...I-?! What?! I don't understand..." I reach out to take his hand as Jason pales. "It's a long story, brother." His eyes harden as he looks up at me, becoming a sharpened flint. "I don't care Sky. Tell me! Why would he team up with something that awful?! You know how he used to go on about protecting the land and nurturing it and all that. He was one of the first to pledge his allegiance to Sparklez in the beginning. That just doesn't make sense. Why the Nether would he want to undo all of that?!" I purse my lips and feel my shoulders droop, recalling the harsh fury I saw boiling in Ty's eyes as he came face-to-face with Herobrine. I haven't always agreed with what Hero and Emily did, but having spoken to Em about it in the past, I've learnt that it was her decision.

Ty wasn't always as nice to her behind closed doors as we thought it seemed. The war changed him more than we realised. Hero made her see what she could have over what she was putting up with for the sake of otherwise being alone. Jason coughs. "Sky, I'm waiting for answers." I look up at the heavens, seeing them beginning to darken with blackened rain clouds. "Yeah, I know, and I'll give them. But let's find a decent place to spend the night first, okay?" Jason holds my gaze for a few moments, then tenses as a roll of thunder snarls throughout the heavy sky above us. "Alright..." We get to our feet and slowly trek in silence over to a small collection of trees. There, we find a little clearing and make it our home for the night. I'm not sure why, but having seen Jason again for the first time in years is overwhelming me with forgotten memories. Battles against the vicious squid-men, looking after our friends in Skybase's makeshift infirmary, meeting SSundee for the first time; remembering the adrenaline laced terror that thumped through my veins the first time I saw Derp released during battle. I meet Jason's eyes and see his are clouded with similar notions. No wonder he's so angered about my Ty-revelation, I remember now how closely knit we all were, once upon a time. Now I have to rip that all apart for him, as it was for me.
***
Jason cuddles up to Jeffrey, stroking his soft ears back as he curls up in his lap. The campfire flames twist and crackle into the cool evening air, the trees around us drooping with the weight of raindrops and afternoon dew. I slowly ease my shades off and squint from the sudden brightness of the flames, rubbing my temples a little to try and concentrate. Jason sighs and sits back against the fallen log behind him, his expression grim and eyes sad in the firelight. "Look, Adam..." I tense a little; it's been a very long time since someone last used my real name. "I really want to help you. This stuff seems mega important and you know I'd love to get involved in some real action again... But I can't really help until I know what's going on, mate. I need to know who's side I'm on, and what the Nether is up with Ty." I sigh wearily, wracking my brains and memory for all I needed to say. "Yeah Jace, I know..." Thunder rolls and lightning crackles overhead, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. I take a deep breath, ready to begin.

"Well...as you know, we all went our separate ways after SkyArmy and then Team Crafted disbanded. Ty found a girl and settled down with her. Her name is Emily. I thought they were really happy together, and I suppose they were in a way, but it turns out Ty was suffering from degrees of PTSD from our previous battles against the squids and stuff. Maybe there was stuff he did I'm not aware of, but either way, one day Herobrine-" Jason scrambles away from me suddenly, disturbing Jeffrey who in turn squeals and jumps over the log. I frown. "Jace-" "Did you say Herobrine?!" I open my mouth to state 'yes, obviously' before clocking the fear in his eyes. I change my tone, softening it a little. "Jason, the 'Herobrine' we fought with SkyArmy, he was fake. Remember? We called him 'Squidbrine' in the end, and SSundee killed him in the final battle."

The fear in Jason's face lessens slightly, but not by much. I rub the back of my neck. "Look... I know you're familiar with all the Minecraftia legends, as am I, we were brought up on them. The first time I met Hero face to face, I was terrified. The pure force of, the magic that surrounds him, it's, pretty overwhelming the first time you meet him. But since we've hit these dark times, it's now one of the most reassuring things you can feel in a crisis. Something very powerful flows through his veins, something you know will protect you when you stand beside him." Jason finally relaxes enough to retake his place against the log and whistle softly for Jeffrey to return from the woodland. "Okay...?" I purse my lips. "Look, just hear me out, okay? I know it's gonna be a lot to take in but, it's all pretty important." A few moments pass before I feel like peace has been restored.

"Alright. So, Herobrine came to the village they inhabited in a fake form for a break from being constantly feared all the time, and fell head over heels for Emily, pretty much the second he did. Now, I'm going on stuff that Hero and Emily have told me here, but basically Ty and Em were fighting some monsters by a lake and Herobrine decided to give them a bit of a scare. However, it didn't work out so well and there was a bit of a scuffle. He felt bad so he healed them and sent them back to the village." Jason frowns. "I thought Herobrine was the kind of guy who would eat their intestines or something." I blink, staring at him, and trying to keep in mind that he's as oblivious as I was once, before I saw the real Hero. "Yeaaah...no Jason. Not really. But anyways, I found a cave in a hillside and claimed it as my own, not realising that it actually belonged to Herobrine. He was bullying me out of it when Emily turned up and a small fight took place. He got pretty angry at me and disappeared off somewhere; Emily found him down by the lake. She believed that a better person was inside of him and wanted to bring him out, whereas I was sceptical." Jason nods a little so I can tell that he's still listening. I take another deep breath before continuing.

"Ty and I found her down there and they argued briefly about Hero, Ty disagreed with her too; we both still believed him to be a monster. Looking back on it now, that was when Ty started to seem jealous and angry about the whole ordeal, he didn't like the fact that Emily was rebelling against him in that way. A little while passed and I was starting to notice subtle differences in his behaviour. Emily kept disappearing off by herself quite often, unbeknownst to Ty, she was actually going to see Hero. Ty noticed her comings-and-goings and started to become paranoid and suspicious about them. She said to me that she regrets not telling Ty she was seeing someone else sooner, but at the time she just couldn't find the right words to break up with him; maybe she was scared of him too." Jason is listening intensely now, Jeffrey dozing in his lap. "So, one day, I was just minding my own business in my cave; Hero let me have it in the end since I'd already made myself quite at home."

Jason chuckles a little. "Yeah, I'll bet." I smile faintly. "Ty walked in and made me make us two sets of budder armour and took me to the village. I met a friend of mine called Blaze there and Ty told me to follow her with him. We followed her to Em's house where she was waiting for her to answer the door. I saw Herobrine through her window with her and them moving in for a kiss. I was debating whether to tell Ty or not but before I could he suddenly smashed the door down. It was like he'd gone insane! He must've seen them kissing before he came to me, and seeing it again right in front of him made him lost the plot. Before I could even intervene he'd...bludgeoned Herobrine in the back with his axe. Hero disintegrated into Aether dust and I thought the impossible had happened, that he'd actually murdered him. Emily was screaming, Blaze ran away in terror. Ty looked about ready to turn on me as well so I went after her. I didn't know how to help Emily."

Jason looks as if he can't believe his ears, and I must admit, if I were him hearing this, I wouldn't be able to either. I repress a sad sigh and force myself to continue. "Now, this is all based on what Hero told me, but at least the Minecraftia legends got one thing right; Notch and Herobrine are siblings, Herobrine is the younger though by a fair few years. He awoke in Notch's home, having been healed by him. After that, he set out for revenge upon Ty. Having an axe embedded in your back is enough to piss anyone off I should imagine. He busted into the recently rebuilt house and attacked him, only rendering him unconscious though, nothing too bad...well...he did, chuck him through two walls but...yeah." Jason rolls his eyes. "Whatever Sky, just continue." "Well, then we were all reunited at my cave. By this time, we'd all become firm friends through seeing eachother so often. It was Emily, Herobrine, Blaze and I. It was happy days, for a while at least... I, uh...I got together with Blaze-" Jason claps a little whilst smirking. "Congrats." I chuckle bashfully. "Yeah... She's in the Nether at the moment, warning her family and kin of The Darkness' approach. She's so brave...and awesome...and part-Blaze." "Yeah I kinda guessed that." "Shush." "Hehe."

I clear my throat a little. "So, anyways. Then Steve turned up, also Hero's brother, the youngest of the three. They had a fight 'cus they had bad blood between them. I went after him after he struck Steve down and ran off in a panic. He took me back in time with his powers to witness his memories, to explain why he reacted as he did to seeing Steve again. A lot of sad stuff happened to him, and them as brothers, but I persuaded him to return to the present and forgive Steve. He healed him, bringing him back from the brink of death. I know he still feels guilty about that, about...a lot of things. Uh... So, that was pretty freaky, the whole, healing thing. I ran off 'cus I got overwhelmed by it and, well...bumped into Ty, in the mountains. He pissed me off, I didn't understand why he hated Hero so much when Emily had made her feelings towards him clear enough as it was. He messed up, somewhere along the line, and that was what inevitably drove her away in the end. Maybe he started drinking, or hit her... I don't know. She doesn't like to talk about it, or his PTSD. But I won the fight, with some help. But then...something weird happened, that none of us can explain still." Jason tilts his head to one side. "Oh?..."

"Yeah... When Hero and I were in the time stream, we saw a murderous version of him, and something told us that would be his fate, to become that, to lose himself. A few months later I think, he'd been acting weirdly, and one day went freaking AWOL. He destroyed the village and nearly killed us all. He came to himself eventually and fled in shame. We thought we'd lost him for nearly a year. We gave up searching. We still don't know what happened." Jason frowns. "Wow, that's...weird." I nod. "Yeah, I know... But we came back one day, with none other than SSundee by his side." Jason's eyes widened. "SSundee?! I haven't seen him since Team Crafted?! How is he? Is he doing alright after...Derp?" I suppress a smile. If only he knew... "He's, he's doing fine. I'll get to him in a bit. Turns out they met eachother in a snow biome. SSundee had been wandering ever since we last disbanded." Jason frowns, sighing. "Wow...poor guy... I still can't believe Derp had to go that way." Despite the fact I know Notch restored Derp from the Aether to protect SSundee as his other transmoganarian half, I can't help but wince when I remember how Derp died before.

He took a sword straight through his chest to safe SSundee's life. It was brutal to say the least, and tore SSundee up inside in ways he's still affected by today. I shake my head, trying to remember what I was going to say next. "Yeah I know, but... Moving on. Blaze was showing me her magic one day after that, when my amulet started messing about, turns out it has magical powers I didn't know about. It blinded us all briefly and then teleported us to Notch. He wanted to speak with his brothers and tell them about The Darkness - he was the first to sense it coming. It was mainly chance the others all got brought along with them, and me." I smile at a worried looking Jason. "Don't worry, this isn't all doom and gloom. Turns out we gained a recruit that day. Notch brought Derp back from the Aether to train him as a warrior like he did with Steve, in order to be reunited with SSundee and to protect him someday." Jason's jaw drops. "Really?! He's alive?! That's amazing, and awesome!" I grin. "Yeah, it isn't it? You should see 'em Jace, inseparable now, even more so than before."

He smiles wide. "I can imagine." I scratch the back of my hand absently before continuing. "So, Notch made Steve a Commanding General in his armies, and gave Herobrine, the Essence of Minecraftia. It's up to him to protect it from The Darkness with his powers." Jason gasps a little. "Is that like, the world's life source?" I nod, gravely. "Yes. If The Darkness gets ahold of it, it's game over for us. However, it turns out that Ty was teleported with us. He must've been spying on us nearby or something when it happened. He cornered Steve after he left Notch's study and overheard about the Essence. He then insulted and goaded Hero into attacking him, and I lost whatever was left of what I could see of my friend in him. It was sad - Notch had to tear Hero away from killing Ty and occupy him until he calmed down. I did what I had to do and disowned Ty as my friend. I want nothing else to do with him after he behaved as he did. Eventually he must've found The Darkness in The End and pledged his allegiance to it, to gain enough power to get his own back on Herobrine."

Jason has gone pale and very quiet. "So...in the end...Ty became power-crazy, insanely jealous and...and is no longer who we used to know?..." I nod sadly. "Yeah...I'm so sorry Jace. I still don't know where it all went wrong...maybe one day we'll find out. But until then, we have to protect Minecraftia, and do what's best." Jason sighs and hugs Jeffrey close for comfort. "Is that...is that all?" I sigh. "There's a little bit left." "Go on then..." I readjust my seating position before doing so. "Well, after that, it was all quiet for a year or so. We built on our friendships and strengthened relationships. Then Hero found an End Portal in our lake. We journeyed through it and found more than we bargained for. The Darkness is more powerful than we could ever have imagined. It had possessed the Enderdragon and extended its evil influences over Ty. All he could see was red, and we battled against him. He attacked SSundee and nearly killed him - I fought with him and discovered he can't die. That...thing, is in his body. It's a part of him now, and it keeps him alive. I knocked his lights out instead and SSundee was healed. We made it home before further attack in order to recover. After that, we realised, as the only people who know about The Darkness and its impending attack on Minecraftia, it's our duty to warn it. We all split up in order to cover more ground and have been journeying through it, warning all we come across and helping to prepare villages for the worst."

Jason moistens his lips. "And that's where I found you yesterday...on your way to the nearest village." I sit back, exhausted from telling my tale. "Yes...it is." All is silent but for the fire crackling and soothing pitter-patter of rain upon leaves nearby. Jason sighs. "Wow... I can't believe that I... I..." I get to my feet as he falters weakly and move to sit beside him, slinging an arm round him and holding him close. "I know it's more than a lot to take in...and you're beyond shocked. But, it's okay. We're gonna get through this. We're gonna kick The Darkness' butt, I swear down on it." Jason looks up at me in fear. "How, how can you know that Adam? I'm so scared..." I tighten my grip on him. "Hey, don't be. I know we're gonna manage it 'cus we have something The Darkness and Ty don't have." Jason huddles closer to me, Jeffrey snuffling softly and licking his face reassuringly. "What's that?" I smile a little. "We have friendships, love, and Herobrine. We have his light to guide us, and the light within us to keep us safe and grounded, always." Jason nods and takes a shaky breath, burying his face in my shoulder. "Okay... I believe you Sky..." I stroke his hair soothingly, nodding a little. "I'm glad." He slowly straightens up and looks me dead in the eyes, his aqua ones turning steely and determined in the firelight. "And I want to help. I want to help save Minecraftia, and go down in history, with my friends by my side, as it should be. Like how it was before." I feel myself beginning to grin. "Thank Notch, I knew you'd come around eventually." He starts grinning back and before we know it, we're laughing, just like it's the good ol' times again...

***
Somewhere far, far away, deep within the murky depths of The End, Tyler Lox felt a part of him slowly start to split into cracks and then splinter apart, slowly dying away inside of him. He knew what that part was, and tried to ignore it, allowing The Darkness to fill the heart-achingly empty space with its malicious power. He knew that he'd just lost another friend.
***

Herobrine's POV

"Notch! Brother?!" I turn round in Notch's great entry hall at the sound of approaching footsteps upon hard marble and relax when I see the owner of them to be the individual I seek. "Hero." We embrace heartily and upon pulling away, I see his eyes glowing briefly. "You still carry the Essence. Very good. That is indeed a relief to me, I can assure you." I smile. "Yes, I thought I would come and check up on you. And of course brother, I would never dream of letting you down." Notch smiles kindly at me, a twinkle in his eye. "I know, brother o' mine." The atmosphere changes from relief to a sudden grave silence. I frown, glancing at him. "Is, something the matter?" Notch turns away from me and goes to a nearby window. "Do you know where your comrade Blaze is?" I frown deeper. "In the Nether, warning her family, I think. Why?" Notch sighs. "You think, Hero?" I shrug." She may have returned, I am not sure. Why?" Notch taps on the windowsill nervously with his knuckles. "I fear that she is in grave danger. Blaze's are shallow creatures, and I suspect The Darkness has persuaded them to succumb to it already." I feel my stomach ice over. Oh no. "Wh-what about Blaze then?" Notch goes still for a moment, and the air around me crackles with magic.

"...It is, as I feared. With the Essence and its magic here the veil has cleared enough for me. Tyler has captured her. She is in The Nether as you thought, but is unable to escape." I curse, kicking at a nearby pillar in frustration. I hear it crack a little under the pressure and back away slightly. Notch turns to stare at me. "That quartz is priceless Hero." I growl. "Not as priceless as my friends. How do we get her back?" My brother sighs and leans against the window. "Well, we certainly cannot rush in for sure. We don't even know where she is exactly. The Nether is very large, and compasses do not work in it." I sit down down on the cold marble floor and let me shoulders slump in dejection. "Argh! This is all my fault! I should've kept an eye on them all." Notch sits beside me and squeezes my shoulder reassuringly. "Please do not blame yourself for this, dear sibling. Your powers of sight only reach the furthest extents of Minecraftia; only I can see into the other realms, and even then I couldn't see past The Darkness." I gulp. "That's reassuring..." Notch sighs.

"Just keep the Essence safe Hero, continue warning other villages. I shall focus on keeping your friend safe and try to find a way to get her out of the Nether.  Alright?" I sigh heavily, rubbing my tired eyes with my knuckles wearily. There is not much else I can do but put my trust in Notch. "Alright... But we'll get her back, right?" Notch smiles at me gently. "Yes, we shall. We have strength in numbers. Blaze will not be alone for much longer, once we locate her." I stare up at the ceiling in frustration, eyebrows lifting a little as I realise something. "Aw crap..." Notch glances at me as I groan loudly. "What is it, Hero?" I shake my head a little. "Sky is gonna kill me for this..."

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(A/N: Dear lord, that took freaking AGES to write. I hope that you all enjoyed though, I've got some nice action planned for the next chapter, now that I've hopefully cleared up some Deadlox related plot-holes for you in this one ;3 Thanks for sticking around <3 Squeaks, out! *tomska-style salute*)