You Did The Best You Could [Ch. 8]

Notch was frantically flying towards the Woodlands Forest as fast as he could. Nightmare was right on his tail, closing in on him fast. He was pushing himself to fly faster, but he couldn't. Nightmare was too fast. The hope was that if he flew into the forest, that he could possibly lose her.

He continued to occasionally glance over his left shoulder and back at Nightmare. She had both of her arms straight out in front of her. As the both of them flew into the Woodlands Forest, Notch began flying around trees that were in his way. Every time he flew around one, a swooshing sound was heard.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

As for Nightmare, she didn't have to fly around the trees. She could phase right through them.

"Stop trying to fly away!" Nightmare shouted, "show me your true potential! I know you want to!"

Notch faintly smiled as an idea popped into his head. He stopped flying forward. He turned around to face Nightmare. She closed in on him fast. But right before she could even lay a hand on him, he blasted off. Now he was quickly flying straight up into the air. As he continued to fly up, he looked back down.

He lifted his right hand up into the air. After he did that, he threw his arm in a swinging motion. Four massive fireballs spawned out of nowhere. A trail of smoke was left behind as the four fireballs flew down towards Nightmare.

When Nightmare saw the four fireballs flying towards her, she stopped flying. Notch clapped his hands together once, and when he did that the four balls of fire exploded into more chunks of rocks. Nightmare was trying desperately to avoid being hit by one. But they were falling from the sky too fast for her to avoid all of them. As Nightmare was occupied, Notch raised his hand once more. This time, after throwing his arm forward in a swinging motion, another massive boulder was summoned.

Nightmare didn't see that coming. As she flew around the fragments of what used to be the fireballs, the massive boulder plowed right into her from above. The boulder hit her on the head. Notch didn't see her fly out from underneath it, muchless reappear somewhere nearby. Maybe he had finally defeated her?

"Looks like you could use a little assistance there friend," a female blockheads voice said.

Notch turned around. Floating in midair right behind him was Leona and Merlin. Notch smiled. Leona's hands were glowing a bright red, as were her eyes. Merlin's hands were glowing a bright blue, while his eyes remained their normal color.

"It's about time some backup showed up," Notch said, "nice to see you two reunited once more."

Down below, HeroBrine was still fighting the Golem Monster. HeroBrine finally got a moment to look behind him. He could see the open portal. That made HeroBrine feel a sense of relief. Knowing that everyone was finally safe made him happy. But right as he turned his head back to look at the Golem Monster, its left arm hit him right in the stomach. He went flying down towards the ground, slamming down onto the gravel pathways. He went sliding on the ground before slamming right into Petra's statue.

Once he opened his eyes after being knocked unconscious, the Golem Monster's left foot slammed into him and Petra's statue. He went flying backwards, landing on the ground just in front of the open portal. He groaned as he pushed himself to get back up onto his feet once more. The pain he was enduring was severe. But he wasn't going to let that stop him from continuing to fight the Golem Monster.

When he got back up onto his feet, he quickly looked over at the portal. On the other side, he could see Daniel and EnderBrine standing in place. Behind them was everyone else who managed to escape. Daniel's mouth was moving, but HeroBrine couldn't hear what he was trying to say.

"I can't hear you," HeroBrine mentioned, "speak loud--," HeroBrine continued to say as a small fireball struck him right in the stomach. His light blue shirt now had a burnt area on it. The fireball had come from somewhere to his left. HeroBrine glanced over to his left. Standing nearby him was someone HeroBrine knew all too well...NetherBrine.

NetherBrine's head was on fire, his eyes glowing a bright red. Floating in the palm of his hand was another fireball. HeroBrine looked down at the burn wound he had acquired from NetherBrine. He covered it with his right hand, continuing to groan in pain.

"You're a traitor to EnderBrine and I you know!" NetherBrine mentioned in an angry, unforgiving tone. "You betrayed us to transition over to the good side. How's that working out for you?"

"Quite well actually," HeroBrine answered, "you should try it sometime."

NetherBrine growled as he screamed in anger. He threw another fireball at HeroBrine. This time, the fireball hit him in the left shoulder. HeroBrine screamed out loudly in pain. Looking over at the portal once more, he saw Daniel panicking uncontrollably. Watching HeroBrine get hurt was not something Daniel was enjoying.

HeroBrine looked back at NetherBrine. He was breathing heavily as if he were out of breath or something. Should he try and fight back? Or should he escape while he still could? If he were to escape through the portal, he'd be leaving Notch to fight all alone. No way was he going to go with that idea. Staying to fight was the only plausible way to go. He was a hero now after all. No longer was he the villain.

As NetherBrine summoned another fireball to appear in his hand, HeroBrine vanished into thin air suddenly. NetherBrine quickly began looking all around him to try and find where HeroBrine reappeared at. Nothing. He couldn't locate HeroBrine.

But then, HeroBrine appeared right behind NetherBrine. Raising his right hand up into the air, a powerful white lightning bolt struck NetherBrine, head first. NetherBrine yelped as he turned around to look directly into HeroBrine's eyes.

"Your tricks don't fool me anymore, remember?" NetherBrine questioned.

"No," heroBrine responded, "I don't remember."

After he had said that, HeroBrine summoned a wooden spear. The tip of the spear was very pointy. Before NetherBrine could even react, HeroBrine drove the spear right through NetherBrine's heart. NetherBrine gasped, grabbing ahold of the spear with both of his hands. Before he collapsed to the ground, he gave HeroBrine one last look. He collapsed to the ground after that.

The fire on his head suddenly seized burning. His red eyes stopped glowing a bright red. He collapsed onto the ground and fell backwards onto his back.

"Try coming back to life this time, why don't you," HeroBrine said as he looked back over at the portal. The portal was beginning to grow unstable. The portal was beginning to bend and warp, indicating that it was going to close any minute now.

Once HeroBrine realized that time was now quickly running out for him and Notch, he looked back over at the Golem Monster. He was still smashing the castle and everything else into smithereens. HeroBrine knew that once the Golem Monster had finished destroying the Kingdom, there would be nothing left to return to once all of this was over.

HeroBrine had made the tough choice of leaving Notch behind. HeroBrine could either stay and fight and possibly die, or he could leave and spare himself to live another day. As he limped over to the portal slowly, Daniel and EnderBrine watched him.

Right before the portal closed, HeroBrine jumped through at the last minute. He landed on the other side of the portal on the ground. Daniel and EnderBrine ran over to him. Daniel got down onto his knees. EnderBrine did the same. Together, they turned HeroBrine upright. He was now laying on his back. Thankfully though, he wasn't dead, but he was severely injured.

HeroBrine's eyes were completely closed. The burn marks on his blue shirt worried Daniel and EnderBrine. Daniel especially. After he had coughed a couple of times, he slowly opened his eyes. EnderBrine knew that HeroBrine was barely conscious. Daniel was holding HeroBrine's right hand tightly.

"It hurts so bad," HeroBrine mumbled just loud enough for Daniel and EnderBrine to hear him talk.

"What does?" Daniel asked as he looked down into HeroBrine's eyes.

"Everything," HeroBrine answered as he began coughing again.

Once he was done coughing, he looked back up and into Daniel's eyes. He faintly smiled at him.

"I hear you mother," HeroBrine mumbled, "I'm coming."

Right as he had said that, Daniel realized what was to HeroBrine. Everyone else who escaped the Kingdom all huddled around Daniel, HeroBrine, and EnderBrine. They all grabbed ahold of each other's hands. Some blockheads were starting to get emotional.

"Try and stay with me HeroBrine," Daniel said, "please!"

HeroBrine turned his head to his left to look at EnderBrine. He faintly smiled at EnderBrine. HeroBrine lifted his hand up so that he could hold hands with him. In return, EnderBrine gently grabbed his hand, holding it gently.

"I always knew you had a good side," HeroBrine said, "You really do have a heart."

EnderBrine was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to say back to HeroBrine. So, all he did was continue to hold hand. HeroBrine then turned his head over to his right and looked up at Daniel.

"A true hero you are," he said, "I could have not asked for a better friend than you Daniel. Be strong. Don't grieve and mourn. Show strength and fight. Save the OverWorld!"

Daniel nodded his head slowly as he looked away because he couldn't bear to look at HeroBrine. The painful memories suddenly returned inside his head once more. The memory of losing Petra also resurfaced inside his head.

"You did the best you could," Daniel responded, "You're the hero too you know," Daniel continued on to say.

HeroBrine scoffed as he looked away from Daniel, looking straight up into the night sky. "I'm coming home, mother. I'm coming home."

After that, HeroBrine's eyes slowly closed. His entire body then vanished. Small, white particles rose into the air after his body disappeared. HeroBrine's entire inventory spilled out onto the ground. He had so much stuff. There were four white pieces of paper with writing on them, a glass of potion of invisibility. The liquid inside of the glass bottle was a light blue color.

Daniel collected the items that were inside of HeroBrine's inventory. Once all of the items were safely in Daniel's inventory, he got back up onto his feet. EnderBrine got back up too. Everyone around them let go of each other's hands.

Notch, Merlin, and Leona suddenly spawned nearby. Everyone looked over at them, including Daniel and EnderBrine. At least they were alive. Daniel began approaching them, noticing that the real Merlin was present too, alongside Leona.

"What happened?" Daniel asked.

"Nightmare and her pet left," Notch said, "the three of us combined were too much for her to fight us alone. So she fled. We don't know where she went just yet, but we'll find out in time. I promise you that."

Daniel nodded his head. "Not right now," he said, "we need to find somewhere safe. Being out in the open at this time of night is dangerous. I don't want anyone else getting hurt. Once we do find somewhere safe, we can discuss the plan."

Romeo was looking down at the map that he was holding in his hands. He was trying to find a location on the map. Hayley was also looking down at the map.

"There's a village not too far from us," Romeo mentioned, "we should head there."

Daniel nodded his head. "Then that is where we'll go. C'mon everyone. Follow behind Romeo and Hayley. They'll lead the way."

Romeo and Hayley turned around and began walking straight, referencing the map here and there. Everyone else began following them. As they were walking, loud swooshing sounds were heard coming from the air above. Then, out of nowhere, a shadow appeared on the ground. Daniel looked up into the air to only find out that Elderon had caught up to them. Daniel was also happy to see him as well.

"Is everyone okay?" Elderon asked as he gently landed down onto the ground. He retracted his wings as he stood on his hien two legs.

Everyone nodded back to Elderon.

"Get on my back," Elderon said, "We'll get to safety much quicker if we fly there."

He had a point there. Walking does take forever, but flying doesn't. Elderon layed down on his stomach so that everyone could get onto his back. One by one, every villager managed to climb up onto his back. Once everyone was on, Elderon turned his head around to make sure everyone was on. They were.

"Hold on tight!" Elderon said as he stretched his massive wings out and started flapping them.

As for Daniel, he was sitting right next to Leona and Merlin. EnderBrine was sitting directly behind them, remaining silent. EnderBrine was now feeling guilty. Keeping the page from the unfinished story for himself made him feel selfish. Should he keep the page and not give it to Daniel? Or should he give it to him?

"So you must be the real Merlin then, huh?" Daniel asked as he looked over at Merlin. Merlin was sitting to his right, while Leona was sitting to his left. Merlin glanced over at Daniel and nodded his head.

"The real Merlin I am," he said, "a phony fake I am not."

"That's good to hear," Daniel said, "I know what happened to you. Why you weren't able to help them. Nightmare banished you, didn't she?"

Merlin looked down and sighed heavily. He hesitantly and slowly nodded his head. "That's right."

"Do you happen to know what happened to Steve and Alex?" Daniel asked, "were they able to defeat Nightmare during the final battle?"

Merlin shrugged his shoulders back at Daniel. He didn't have the slightest clue as to what happened to Steve and Alex. He couldn't answer that question because he was banished well before that final battle took place.

"I'm afraid I don't unfortunately," Merlin said, "She banished me beforehand."

Daniel nodded his head. "Got it," he said as he then looked over to his left at Leona.

"How about you?" Daniel asked.

Leona looked over at Daniel and shook her head. "I'm afraid my memory of that battle is fuzzy. That battle took place 235 years ago. That was a long time ago."

As they continued to chit-chat, Elderon began to descend from the air. As he got lower and lower to the ground, bright lights could be seen shining below. It was the village that Romeo had spotted while looking at the map a few moments ago.

Elderon flapped his wings aggressively as he then gently touched down on the sandy ground. He retracted his wings and then laid down on his stomach once more. As everyone was getting off of his back, an elder blockhead riding a horse approached Elderon and everyone else. He jumped off of his horse and began walking towards everyone.

He squinted his eyes as he recognized one of the blockheads standing around. "Daniel?" he said, "is that you?"

Daniel heard him and turned his head to his right. Standing only a couple of blocks away from him was an old friend of his. It was Robert. Another horse ran up to everyone. There was a female blockhead riding this horse. She got off of her horse's back.

"Daniel?" she questioned, "You're back?"

Daniel nodded and faintly smiled. So much has happened since he had last seen Robert and Elena. Too much time has passed since they last saw one another. It felt as if it was an eternity since they last met.

Elena approached Daniel and held her arms out. Once she was close enough, she gave him a much needed hug. That made Daniel feel a little bit better. But what happened earlier was still fresh on his mind and everyone else's too.

Elena stopped hugging him and took one step back. She noticed that Daniel wasn't like his normal self. He looked defeated, tired, and sad. Elena was curious to know why.

"Are you okay Daniel?" Elena asked.

Daniel shook his head. "It's...all...gone. Everything was destroyed, even Petra's memorial statue."

"What's all gone? What happened?" Elena asked.

"Nightmare and the Golem Monster attacked his Kingdom earlier this evening," Notch mentioned.

Elena quickly looked over at Notch and slightly tilted her head at him. She wasn't understanding what anyone was saying. Why was everyone acting strange? Where's HeroBrine? Elena had so many questions to ask them.

"It destroyed everything. The castle, Petra's statue. Nothing's left. Everything is gone," Daniel mentioned.

Elena looked back at Daniel. She grabbed both of his arms gently. "Is that what happened?"

Daniel nodded. Elena then looked over at Robert. Robert shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't understanding anything either.

"Well you're safe here," Elena said as she looked at everyone, including Elderon, "I promise."

"No one's safe anymore," Daniel mentioned, "there's nowhere we can go where we won't be in danger. They'll stop at nothing to destroy this world."