×+×+×+×+×+×+×+×+Epic Portal Noises+×+×+×+×+×+×+×+×
Lyla and Steve stepped out of the portal at the same time as well, into the Nether's firey heat. After a few moments, Lyla's hands cringed at the smell of rotten flesh, and it was brought to both of their attention that the tow were still holding hands. Cheeks turning pink, both quickly snatched their hands away, and walked further along the Nether's warm soil.
Steve lead the way through the seemingly untreked terrain. The two walked along a thin plate of netherrack, attached to a large wall of the same substance, all right above a giant sea of lava. Before Lyla could comment on the heat, or her own BO smell it pulled out, Steve turned a corner, holding out his hand momentarily. Lyla was silent as she water for Steve to likely look around for any threats. His hand eventually signaled her around the corner, and Lyla was caught off guard, seeing a massive Nether fortress right before her; not even a hundred blocks away. The thing rested on an island surrounded by the lava sea, linked to the other clumps of warped land by dark bridges which stood like some indestructible monster. The bulk of the tower was tall, and looked over all the rest of the structure, which was decorated with rich gems such as gold, redstone, iron, and even diamond. No wonder most of the stories were from thieves and bandits looking to plunder the place. It was an absolute mass of power.. and terror. Lyla shivered at the sight of it. Had her sister really been brought to such a horrible place? She did not like the idea of it; not one bit.
"Come on. We can sneak through one of the covered bridges, so they don't see us coming." Steve whispered, already in sneak mode.
"They?" Lyla whispered back, eyes widening.
"Yeah. He has the place insanely fortified with blazes, wither skeletons, pigmen, and more. A covered bridge would at least keep us out of the ghasts' eyes."
"Wait, blazes are real?! I thought that was just people imagining fire weirdly." Lyla.
"Yup. They're real. Just.. use that shield I gave you if you see any." Oh heah, since Steve had the chest-plate, he made sure Lyla had something else that would help her, so he had crafted an extra shield for her. Lyla nodded, taking the shield off her back, and followed quickly behind as Steve dashed along the lava sea's side towards the closest covered bridge. They both ran in at the same time, glad none of the mourning monsters known as ghasts spotted them. Gasping heavily, the two were immediately cooled down once the Nether bricks were all around them. They could practically see the bricks soaking in all the heat desperately as if needing it for their own lasting existance. It helped though, because there was a constant warm flow of air like a nice little air shaft sweeping in and out of the tunnel.. as if the castle itself were breathing. Merely taking note of the strange atmosphere, Lyla walked cautiously alongside Steve, picking up his stiff, somewhat crouched posture as he walked through the halls, looking out every window of fencing they passed as if expecting to spot something.
After some time, the two exited the bridge, finding themselves in a small, open yard area that was about the size of a basketball court. Around it on one side were several other bridges branching off of it, and on the other side were several openings into the beast of a castle itself. Wind flowed around gently, giving Lyla a continuous feeling of fear mixed with dread. She slowly pulled out her dad's old iron sword in her right hand, her left still holding the shield. It tightened in her grip as Steve's own posture tensed further. The place was deathly silent, as if their appearance was to be expected.
"Hello.. brother." A dark voice rumbled up from the shadows within the castle. Following it, a very familiar character stepped foot into the red light of the realm. Lyla didn't even need to see those glowing eyes of his to know Herobrine was approaching.
"Herobrine... Release, the girl." Steve growled back, his left foot sliding back to easier distribute his weight as he lifted his larger than average.
"Oh, don't even try to come at me with your finest blade. You know already you wouldn't stand a chance against me... But.. I am not here looking for a fight. I am comforting you now, brother, because I want to tell you.. that I have changed." Herobrine then slid his hands from behind his back, revealing both of them to be empty and innocent looking while open in such a calm way. Steve only furrowed his eyebrows, eyes darting around for any sign of a trap.
"Hmf!.. Like anyone would believe that!" Steve spat in a lot tone, bringing his sword only further up as he prepared to strike.
"I know.. I know.. I have made no hints towards changing in the past, but, I have had some help. Actually, a lot of help." Herobrine spoke, breaking into an awkward chuckle.
"Just give (Y/n) back you freak!! Or we'll take her by force!" Lyla shouted, her terrifyingly nasty volume verberating down the halls of the castle.
"Oh, so it is a family thing." Herobrine smiled jokingly. "Listen, I refuse to fight you guys.. but I am not letting (Y/n) go." Herobrine said, raising his hands up as if surrendering; his voice was somewhat smooth, and confused Lyla so much in that moment. But, she would save the confusion for later. She had a sister to save!
"RRRRAAH!" Lyla shouted, raising her sword and charging Herobrine, who was standing in the center of the open space by then. The Lord of darkness easily dodged with a shift of his weight, and looked back at Lyla with a taunting smirk on his face as she saw she had missed. "AHH!" She shouted again, that time swinging faster and with more accuracy. Herobrine only flew up slightly to dodge it, then landed again as soon as he saw the stumped look on the young woman's face. He was caught off guard however when the flat side of Steve's large sword hit him square on the back of the head, sending him rolling on the floor. He only used that momentum to stand back up, so the only loss was a little bruise on the back of his head. Herobrine turned around, his eyes meeting two faces, both angry for slightly different reasons.
"Heh, why the hard face?" Herobrine shrugged, but was kicked back by Steve before he could even comprehend it.
"This isn't the time for your useless attempts at jokes, Herobrine! Either you give us (Y/n), or die!" Steve shouted, knocking him further with the flat side of his sword again as he shouted.
"..You don't get it, do you? I said I have changed!-"
"LIAR!!" Steve swung at him properly that time, but just barely missed. "Lyla, tag team!" Steve shouted to his partner. She nodded, getting the general idea, and ran around to try to reach Herobrine's blind-spot in time. Steve swung a few more times at his brother, each one missing, but that didn't mapatter too much with Lyla doing the same from behind. Herobrine expertly dodged blows from both sides over and over again, but all three of them knew he would eventually tire himself out. He was still half human, afterall.
Beginning to pant over time, Herobrine flew up to escape their blows. He was not safe, however, as Lyla pulled out her mom's old bow and began firing arrows he also needed to dodge.
"Listen to me! What will it take to make you guys believe me?!" He asked the two, trying to look and sound innocent, but having a hard time as anger began to bubble up again. Both saw through his bluff, and Lyla only shot at him with deadlier accuracy.
"Lyla!?. You're back from the forest.. already?" (Y/n)'s voice rung out from the castle, quickly turning the young woman in her sister's direction. There, she saw her little sister wearing the same velvet red dress as before, hair beautifully done as well. Her face though was very concerned for some reason, looking with desperate eyes between her sister and Herobrine.
"(Y/n)!! Get out of here! Run for the nearest portal! We will catch up with you!" Lyla shouted.
"No! Lyla! You run with her! I'll take care of Herobrine!" Steve stopped Lyla right there.
"Na-ah! Not without me!" Lyla argued back. Eyeing (Y/n) stepping out into the open, Herobrine's eyes widened, and he quickly landed, standing protectively between her and her rescuers.
"Herobrine! You know they aren't going to hurt me." (Y/n) spoke up.
"I- I just can't.. let you leave." He spoke over his shoulder with a fearful face.
"Well, you don't have to worry about that, because I'm not LEAVING!" Lyla's little shouted, mostly to those there to rescue her. There was a forced silence as everyone tried to think thoroughly through what she had just said.
"..-You're right, Lyla. (Y/n) must have been brainwashed or something." Steve spoke.
"Again, I wasn't brainwashed!" (Y/n) stomped her foot in disagreement. Lyla just rolled her eyes.
"I'm telling you! I wasn't! Herobrine and I-.." She paused, running up to the man in front of her and hugging one of his arms. "We're engaged!"
"ENGAGED!?!" Lyla nearly screamed. "He- he.. he was the one who kidnapped you! He's killed dozens of people, carelessly!!"
"But he's changed! Didn't you hear him?!"
"Oh I heard him alright, but do I believe him?! Noo! Not one bit!" Lyla lowered her stance as she readjusted her sword, thinking of the best way to pry those two apart with it. Herobrine very carefully did that job for her, gently scooting (Y/n) away while speaking softly.
"It is okay, (Y/n), I need to face them, and I don't want you getting hurt." He spoke more LIES, Lyla just knew it! Though (Y/n) was reluctant, she nodded slowly after a bit and stepped away, likely knowing a lot more about him than her older sister.
"..You might want to step back too, Lyla. Fights can get pretty crazy between us." Steve stuck out his arm a little, hinting for her to stay put. She too pretended to go along with it, and let her new/old friend charge first, getting in a few good but dodged swings on the immortal.
"Heh, he can't shoo me off that easily." Lyla grinned, a new flash of excitement in her eyes as she raised her dad's old sword and charged forwards as well. She ran past Steve right as he was falling back onto the floor, because Herobrine finally decided to push back a little, and he caught a quick glance at his friend as Lyla passed him.
"Wait! Lyla!" Steve.
"Lyla!" (Y/n). But she didn't stop for anything. She was determined to save somebody at least! With a quick slice towards Herobrine's side her sword went. He dodged easily, only to see she had only sued that as bait, her real weapon were her feet, which she used to kick him in the stomach, catching him off guard and stumbling back a little. After that it was a kick to the knee that brought him down further.
"Duck." Steve whispered hoarsely from behind the young woman, and Lyla dropped down just in time for Steve to jump right over her, large sword in hand, and get in a good swing at the evil man's chest. His blade only scraped through a few layers of his skin, but it got the point across that these two were not messing around. Steve, realizing that Lyla just might actually be really helpful in battle, began whispering little bits and pieces of simple plans they would impliment together, and after Lyla caught on, she began whispering ideas back. The two began speeding up and swerving around, one running into his blind-spot while another aimed for his head, then the one behind would swing at their foe's legs, making him fall over when out of ballance. The two worked together like this until Herobrine was nearing his limits. He was having a hard time being nice. His eyes flashed brighter, and at random a weapon would spawn in his hands, only to be used to block swings, but they could tell he wanted to do more with it.
"Lyla! Stop fighting! Herobrine doesn't want to hurt you guys, so don't push him!" (Y/n) pleaded. In that moment, Lyla caught a glimpse of sincerity; in her sister's face; in her sister's eyes. No.. she was not brainwashed. But if she wasn't.. then..-
"Steve! I think we need to stop! I think (Y/n) may be right!" Lyla warned him, but Steve was already too far into it. His face didn't even show one of remorse. Snapping out of it and having a look at her own partner's face, she saw an expression that should only be on Herobrine. It was a hate fueled one, driven by long lost hopes and dreams.
By now, Herobrine was at one of his weakest points. The no fighting back had only earned him even deeper and more painful gashes than the first. His blood alone sticking together parts of his shirt. He even feared that the knee Lyla kicked may have popped a little, troubling his balance further. But the worst and most disorienting part of it was the pain. As someone who commonly fought and was even injured frequently, it puzzled him as to why he was taking so much damage in this fight. But, then he remembered that this was Steve's strongest sword. One good swing with would even bring an iron golem to their knees, so the injuries made at least a little more sense the more he thought about it. But he couldn't think for long. Because soon enough Steve was pretty much pelting the immortal with his sword whenever he would stopp dodging for just a moment long break. With Lyla out of the fight, and more cuts than he could handle collecting on his skin, Herobrine finally drew a dark grey sword, this time, to go on offense.