"That's enough!!!" Herobrine shouted, swinging towards his brother's chest instantly. His grey sword had dull effects when it cut through nothing but the man's diamond chest-plate, but that just let people know how dangerous his swings would be with the pure diamond being so easily sliced. One more identical cut along the chest and the blade would easily dip right into Steve!
"Hero!!" (Y/n) called for her fiance, but he didn't make any attempts to stop. He knew how reluctant his brother was. And, like a shark, at the sight of any form of weakness gave him an undying determination to press on. Steve only grimaced slightly when he saw his brother draw his sword. If anything, that only made him feel better about fighting in the first place.
"Steve!! You need to stop!" Lyla shouted to her friend, growing slightly angered with him. She so wanted to enter the fight, this time to knock Steve out of it or something, but now with both blades drawn and the two swinging at one another too quickly to calculate at times, she had to play it safe and simply watch. But that didn't stop her from at least trying to convince her friend of why he should stop. "What if he really has changed?!" "How do you really know he is still bad?!" "He'll kill you, Steve! You know he can!" "Just stop already! Fighting won't help! Just talk to each other!!" Slowly, as she spoke, Lyla moved closer to her little sister until they were finally standing side by side. "I'm so sorry, (Y/n). I.. I thought you were lying earlier when you said he was good." Lyla apologized, quickly turning to her sister and hugging her tightly.
"Aw.. Lyla. It isn't your fault.. Wait, so that forest thing wasn't a weird day-dream?" (Y/n) asked.
"Nope. How did you even get there?.. and how did you get back?" Lyla.
"I don't know! I just was there suddenly, talked to you, then suddenly went back. I thought maybe you knew!" (Y/n).
"That is strange." Both girls just shrugged it off as more silence continued, well, besides the sounds of sword-play and grunts going on nearby as the two brothers still fought. After a moment, (Y/n) was the one to pull Lyla into a hug.
"Thankyou.. for coming for me. Even if I wasn't in any trouble... I am so blessed to have a sister like you." She thanked, still hugging. Lyla's eyes watered slightly, staring straight, at nothing so the tears wouldn't slip out of her eyes so easily. Slowly, it sunk in just right, and Lyla let a couple tears fall, hugging her sister back even tighter.
"I am so blessed to have a sister like you, too." She said, covering up her quivering voice. Both girls were so happy the other cared.
The wonderful moment was interrupted, however, by an agonizing shout from one of the guys. Both quickly looked at the two just in time to see Steve pull a portion of his stuck sword out from between Herobrine's ribs, his face looking somewhat shaken by the blood that followed.
"Herobrine!!!" Both ladies screamed, running up. The immortal/man flopped helplessly backwards onto the floor, just barely catching himself with the arm not bracing his bleeding side. Blood oozed from the cut so it almost looked like a waterfall. Steve stood there before his brother, more awestruck than anything. As the two young women rushed to try to help him, Herobrine glanced over, and stuck out his blood coated hand, freezing the two girls' feet in place. It was like they were suddenly stuck in drying cement. All they could do was watch helplessly.
Breaking from his trance, Steve glared between (Y/n) and Herobrine as he looked for the right words to say. Finally, those words came out.
"Why!?.. Why won't you let (Y/n) go!?" He shouted, taking his bloodied blade to point at his brother's head. "WHY!?!"
There was silence from the slightly younger brother as he tried to think in the midst of great pain. But then, he did speak, "I.. I don't know what I would do- without her... (Y/n). I- I- I can't even imagine my own future without her in it.. I would be a lost man if I let her go.. and I know that sounds selfish, but it's true... I would give anything to keep her with me." He said in a pained voice, breathing through his tightly clenched teeth. "Don't you know that feeling.. brother?..." He asked. Steve's eyes squeezed tightly as he flinched at his brother's words. Many thoughts filled his head, all pleading to be organized and understood. There was a hint of mental pain as Steve had to think things through, even if he didn't want to.
Silently, Steve raised his sword over his brother, preparing for a gut stabber. Herobrine flinched in fear, raising a bloody arm to try to defend himself as the sword was brought down with a loud shout. "AAGHH!!!"
Shing!
His sword pierced Nether brick, sending a loud clang throughout the deathly silence. All eyes squeezed shut, not wanting to see death. But, slowly, Lyla and (Y/n) opened their terrifying eyes, astonished when they saw the two brothers again. Herobrine still lay on the floor, continuing to prop himself up on one elbow, holding his breath and preparing his soul for departure.. He finally opened them cautiously after he heard a great loud noise, but no added pain. His eyes opened to land directly on his brother's sword, which was deeply driven into the ground right beside him. Steve panted heavily, his head fogged, but also so clear. Tears stung his blue eyes when he saw his brother look up at him with an open expression: showing all his emotions at once, plus the ghostly look he kept from believing he was just about to die.
"...Steve?-" Herobrine asked in awe-filled relief.. very softly.
"DON'T-.. speak..." Steve stopped him right there, physically shaking as his hands still firmly grasped onto the handle of his sword. "..You're my brother.. My brother! I.. I- I always wanted you to be good again.. That was my goal- for years!" He squeezed his eyes shut, obviously having a hart time expressing how he was truly feeling. "I.- I'm sorry. Y- you scared me- a few years back.. you made me think you would never care again. I.. I just let it bubble up- I- couldn't believe you when you said you had changed- until now... I'm so sorry.. Hero... I- I love you..." Tears began to stream down Steve's face when it really hit him, seeing his younger brother broken and bloodied on the floor, all because of his ignorance. "..Please forgive me.." He whispered amongst his tears, no longer capable of speaking. Lyla's mouth dropped open a little. He was so sad, so torn right then.. likely thinking of much more than the fight.
Keeping the same face as before, Herobrine stood weakly, keeping more weight on one foot than another, slouched and wincing at pain, mostly the giant gaping gash in his side, which was already clotting up and healing itself, thankfully. Once he had stood, Steve straightened, letting go of the handle of his sword, looking him directly in the eyes. A little sigh escaped Herobrine's lips as they curved up in a smile. Then, he opened his arms wide, making Steve look at him curiously.
"What? Have you never seen anyone hug before?" Herobrine smirked. A smile slipped onto Steve's face behind his tears, and at once they both embraced the other in a comforting hug, both somewhat broken, trying their best to support the other. "I know this may sound a little strange, but you said it first so I better man-up.. I love you too, Steve." Herobrine said with a hint of awkwardness in his face and voice together. Lyla and (Y/n) chuckled while watching the two, side hugging one another.
"...Ah. I see your true intentions." Steve chuckled, tensing a little out of instinct. "You just wanted my shirt to get all bloody, didn't you?"
"Maybe." Herobrine smiled back, and like that, the hug ended, Steve having gained several new large red spots on his otherwise fine teal shirt. "Ah! No one would notice if you used one of mine anyways." Herobrine pat his brother hard on the shoulder, making Steve stumble with the uncontrolled force. The two laughed a little at that, and Steve slipped his arm under one of Herobrine's shoulders and over another, to help him out with balancing as both him and Lyla were welcomed into the castle. Everyone began chattering like old friends about their separate adventures over the past few days with little remaining tension between them, walking slowly into one of the large, open entrances to the castle.
Lyla felt she had accomplished her goal. She had reached her sister safely, but, she would definitely have to talk with them about the whole engagement thing! Even Steve felt that his mission was successful. Sure, he didn't end up killing his brother.. his reward was much greater. He got to see his brother's kind smile again, and hear him laugh, which was a wish come true. And, even though the two hadn't quite realized it yet, there was yet another great outcome from all of this: they met, traveled, talked, laughed, cried, and played. In the end, there was no real gain, object wise. Heck, even Lyla's amulet was no longer with her! But, what they all got, in the end, was a thousand times better. The broken few.. were finally one whole. And there was no way these few.. would ever be separated again...
...Eh. At least until someone else gets kidnapped! :>