Chapter 7: Steve
It's 11:59pm IRL. Tess usually logs off at 9pm, and I often log off not long after. Tonight though, I've got a job to do, and I don't want Tess to watch me.
I sneak away from my shelter and into the virtual dusk. The moon is climbing higher into the sky, and the monsters are starting to spawn. I creep across the plain outside the jungle, and over the hill towards the cave. A skeleton aims its bow at me, but doesn't shoot.
The cave is lit up from the torches we placed earlier. I equip my sword, and head inside the entrance.
I keep going until I reach the back of the cave, where Tess and I found our first message on a wooden sign. It's still there, and it's still just as mysterious.
"Du är inte ensam," I repeat to myself.
I place a cluster of wooden signs all around it, each one with the same message, "/herobrine."
I've been stalking the forums for a while, reading up on people's experiences with Herobrine, and different codes and numbers they've used to try and summon him into their world. It became clear to me that you don't need a long string of binary code, or a cluster of letters and numbers, to draw out Herobrine. You need something much simpler.
I believe that Herobrine is in this world. I just know it. I feel like I've forgotten my overall goal for this world - finding Herobrine - and it's about time I get back on track.
Once I've finished, I sprint back to my shelter, placing signs as I go, and I log off for the night.
The next morning, Tess adds the last touches to her fortress.
"I've labeled all the chests, so if you plan on using them, please store your items in the right one," Tess says, giving me a guided tour of the interior. The inside of the fortress is almost as impressive as the outside.
"Got it, thanks," I say, looking around the storage room, appreciatively. Chests line every inch of the wall. This whole structure would've taken me weeks to build, but for Tess, it had only taken a matter of days.
Tess leads me up some stairs, to the dining room. There's a long table in the center of the room, with a chair at either end. There are two cakes in the middle.
"Here's the dining and debating room," Tess runs over to one of the chairs and sits down in it.
"This is pretty cool," I say, taking the other chair. I glance at the stained glass windows. "Not bad at all."
"Thanks. Hey, Ben, you know, I've been doing research into those strange signs," Tess says. "I've been looking all over the forums. There's something pretty worrying going around."
"Yeah? Like what?"
"Like, stories of players, who find strange signs, and then a few days later find their world burning from fire and TNT. Customer support seems to ignore their cries for help. What if it's a griefer?"
"That sounds a bit exaggerated to me," I reply. "Sure, griefers exist, but not of that level."
"Hmm." Tess nods, then turns to me. "Hey, Ben. I have an idea."
"Cool, let’s hear it."
"Okay." She pauses a moment. "Would you like to create a kingdom? With me," she adds. "I mean, it's really fun, and this world would be perfect for one."
"I don't see why not," I answer. She jumps in her chair, excitedly. "Only on one condition!" I add. "My original wish for this world, was that I could find Herobrine. That was the goal that I set myself. I don't want to abandon it."
"Of course you can still look for Herobrine! Let there be signs on every street corner. I'll help you," Tess replies. She jumps up onto the table and walks towards me. She hands me a glass bottle, filled with water. "Drink up, you look dehydrated."
"Why thanks." I drink it down, then jump up from my chair. "We're burning daylight! Let’s go out and start scouting!"
We stand at the edge of the plains, with the jungle behind us, and the plains in front of us.
"Hey, what will we call the kingdom?" Tess asks. She picks up a peony in front of her.
"I've no idea," I answer. I reach into my inventory, and pull out my map.
"Ooh, a map," Tess looks over my shoulder. My map is mostly empty and plain - with only a few hints of color where our base is.
I look up from my map to the plains before me. "You know what I feel like doing?"
"No idea."
"I want to run. Without stopping. Sprint, even. I want to see where these plains end - if they do end."
Tess looks at me and tilts her head. "Okay then. I guess we'll just respawn in the shelter if we end up injuring ourselves."
"Exactly," I say. I look up at the sky. The sun is at its highest peak, and the sky is a beautiful blue.
I put my map back into my inventory and crouch down, ready. "Ready? On your marks, get set... GO!"
We hurtle across the plains in a flat sprint. We zoom past sunflowers and lava pits. I glance down at my map, and watch as a thin strip of color appears on the creamy paper.
We're approaching a completely flat stretch of ground, fast. It's covered in tall grass and flowers of all different colors. I notice some movement ahead, and a flash of green and blue. I equip my sword, ready to run down the random zombie that dares to get in my way.
Tess is keeping up my pace beside me. It suddenly occurs to me how epic it would be to ride horses across these plains.
All of a sudden, Tess stops. I assume she's come across a block or two that she can't jump over, so I keep going, knowing that she'll catch up to me soon.
As I close in on the zombie, a strange feeling creeps over me. The zombie isn't moving towards me. In fact, it's stopped, and is looking straight at me. As I break through a patch of tall grass, I realize it isn't a zombie at all.
I swerve to the left to completely avoid the mob, and stumble to a stop. Gripping my sword, I turn to the mob before me - and the breath leaves my lungs.
"H... Hero... brine..." I whisper.
Herobrine tilts his head to one side. "Du kraschade nästan in i mig," he says.
Tess sneaks up beside me.
"Y... yes! Yes!" I answer, even though I'm not sure what he's said exactly.
Herobrine stares at me. Seconds pass. Then, he equips his diamond sword.
"Whoa!" Tess jumps in front of me. "Ben! Can't you see? This isn't Herobrine!"
"SLUTA SÄGA DET!" Herobrine swipes his sword in front of Tess. The sword glows with a purple aura - it's obviously enchanted. "ÄR DU EN IDIOT? GÅ BORT!"
"Whoa, calm down mate," Tess tells the figure.
"How is it not Herobrine?" I ask, from behind Tess. "His name isn't appearing in the message box!"
The figure is slightly tanned, with a well-kept beard, and wears a dirty turquoise shirt and dark blue jeans. The figure is also missing a name tag above their head.
"Look at his eyes. It's Steve."
"Steve?" I look at the figure more closely. Sure enough, his eyes are a normal brown - and not the glowing blank stare of Herobrine.
The figure seems to react to his name being spoken. "Ursäkta. English," he says. He puts his sword back into his inventory. "Steve. My name."
"Wow..." Tess steps forward. "Steve, it is an honor to meet you."
I can't believe my eyes - I can see this is really Steve. Steve of Minecraft fame. There is simply no Minecraft without Steve.
Steve steps back, warily. He looks us up and down, and then walks around us, checking us out. When he's finished, he takes a step back again, before speaking.
"I... have not seen another player in years. Jag känner mig konstig. You," he faces me, sharply. "How dare you call me by that name."
His eyes seem to stare straight through me. I swallow, nervously. I still can't believe that I'm actually looking at Steve, face to face.
"You know, he's kind of right. Confusing Steve for Herobrine is such a noob mistake," Tess pipes up, unhelpfully.
Steve turns to Tess and equips his sword. "Do not mention that name here."
Tess falls silent, and Steve withdraws his sword. "I have been expecting you," he says. "Come with me. It is getting dark outside. Rana will lead you back
to our shelter."
"Rana? Who's Rana?" I ask, just as a cloud of gray pixels engulfs my vision.