57 Under

Chapter 1: Buried Beneath

A/N: Hey guys, I've decided to try out another fic, but Hero's Bane will still remain as my primary project. I wanted to start this little fic to kind of give myself a break from the other story and get this idea out of my head. I also wanted to say that this story will also be in chapter-form but it will not be that many chapters like Hero's Bane. It's a small fic, probably around several chapter or so, depending on how long I want to pull it out. Anyways, it's kind of dark but I still hope you enjoy.

…

My name is Steve, or so it was. Or that is at least until that time comes, and trust me- in my situation- it is bound to come soon enough. It was better to just accept my now darkened fate and live off the remainder of my fading life in wonderful memories. Steve the miner would be gone within a few hours or so. Maybe longer if I was 'fortunate' enough to with my bad luck?

Well, here I am. Buried beneath the world I once knew and cherished so much, about 57 blocks to be more precise. Under tons and tons of dirt and stone I now lie in this spot dying; with no hope of escape, no hope of ever seeing my friends again, and absolutely no hope of ever seeing that beautiful light of day anymore. I am officially alone in a menacing world of hostility, alone in the deep darkness that my eyes could never adjust enough to.

I missed that warm glowing orb up high in the sky, I wanted it so badly, more than anything at the moment. I needed it's warm light and the glorious protection that would embrace me in all of this cold darkness that consumed me. I needed it to pull me out of this deep pit of despair and hopelessness and bring me back to the surface of the courageous and buoyant man I used to be. I now reached my empty wobbling hand up to the stone ceiling just about ten blocks over my head. My sweaty palm had scrapes from my thumb all the way down past my wrists and forearm, a few nicks and cuts also laid across the weak limb. My right ankle was completely shattered and pinned and I also believe that my hip was fractured or broken along with a few ribs, how I got into this condition was mostly my fault but I didn't let the thought stick in my head.

I fully ignored the internal and external injuries for I had that light in my mind, even the pain seemed to have numbed out as I stared at the dark empty space above and tried to envision the golden radiance leaking between the cracks of the rock. I struggled to keep my weak hand held high, the blood rushed out of it but I didn't want to stop grasping for that imaginary glow. I was blindly reaching for the one thing I yearned for, the one thing that always gave me reassurance of safety and burned away the monsters, the guiding light that shone through the cave exits and granted me the lighted natural stone stairs to freedom, it was now the one thing that was completely obscured by the world I used to walk upon.

The sun.

I could almost feel it's warm rays shining down from above right down onto my icy skin, slightly pricking my flesh with the heat. I felt myself lightly smile, right now my body was as cold and chilled as the stone I laid upon but just imagining that tepid glow made my chest swell and my heartbeat picked up from it's slow pounding. I found myself breathing a little better but that feeling did not last, a painful stinging sensation came from the wound from between my collar and shoulder as I rolled my stiff neck. I had a large cut there and blood continued to slowly seep out of it in small drops that trickled down the side of my throat and leaving an irritating itch. I shuddered as I took another large gasp of stale dusty air then held my breath and waited for the sharp pain to subside, the throbbing then receded slowly and the tenderness only remained. Just about anything I did; even breathing, hurt so much. Movement? Much more. My arm goes limp and it falls to my side.

My eyelids start to drop and close on their own, threatening to let me rest as the sunlight faded in my mind. In my present condition; resting would be considered a bad thing. If I were to fall asleep then I might not wake back up but sleep was so tempting for it would be the only way; a cowardly one, to escape this very real- pain and nightmare leisurely tormenting me. So I had to keep thinking, I had to stay awake. The mobs were still down there in the cave tunnel ahead of me and I could hear the very faint sounds of them moving about in the dark. I think it was the low moans of those flesh-eaters that made my skin crawl, I would be an easy meal in this trapped condition. Fear plagued my mind but I had to think on other things, good memories perhaps? Anything but that of a painful death of being ripped to shreds and eaten alive, so I removed my focus from the low sounds and focused on the reason I was stuck down here in the first place and my current position. Yeah, that is a better thought. Not such a good one but it was the first thing to come into my head and the only other thing in my head that wasn't of me being consumed by mobs. Everything else was just buried beneath my fading hopes.

…

I had been a miner just doing my job, it was the one thing I did best. I started out as a inexperienced man just trying to make a living off of the land, as a couple years pass however; I have had plenty of experience with studying cave formations, knowing where to locate essential ores, how to mine out the most precious and most desired ores, how to build from the ever lasting piles of stone I dug out as well as develop fighting skills to protect myself and the riches I worked so hard in finding. I took these experiences and materials and created something great and it only grew with each little project I worked on. I had accomplished so much within one single year, two years ago. … …

I began to build the foundation of a small house in a large woodland area, it wasn't anything special but it was a nice place to call home in that little clearing of trees by the creek. I later invited a few friends to check my place out and they decided to build their own homes nearby, I didn't mind the extra company but things started to change within a year's time. Within a year; their friends did the same as their friends and so on, I was a great builder too so I got hired into helping some of the people out well- until a village formed. This new village later branched out and grew over time then turned into bustling settlements all over the place. People from all across the land loved what I had created and they began to bring materials, leaders, and culture of their own territories and improved upon the town to turn it into a capital of this land.

It's now a large thriving settlement or "clusters of massive villages" where people mosey on there own paths with their own business to tend to, especially at the marketplace. I like how my first project of building a simple place to live turned into something so great; but now it was so different, too crowded and loud. I never minded the company of people, but I missed the genuine quietness of the now buried countryside and all of that green foliage that used to be in it's place. So to escape the new busy life- I chose to build a new house a mile or so away from the villages, in the comforts of the woods next to a small lake where I could wake to the gentle sounds of the fresh breezes flowing freely through the wall-less forest. I continued to mine near my home though I had often been elected to be the village chief and if I took that position then I'd get paid to do practically nothing but make sure that the settlements maintained peace and synergy.

I never wanted that though, my heart always belonged to this wonderful land Notch had created, not the people. I still support and go to the villages everyday. I work on houses, repair damages to the walls and sell my findings almost every morning, but I don't stay for too long. Digging was in my blood and I loved spending countless hours in anticipation until I struck gold or diamond deep within the stone quarries, finding those ores always made me smile. It gave me a sense of an accomplishment and confidence, though mobs I could always do better without. So instead of living the prosperous easy safe life; I chose the low treacherous one with loads of tiring work that had me isolated in a dark and cold place for hours on end, it's a job that many today still frown upon. They don't like it. No one likes to be a miner for they are too tamed and cozy on the surface above with the safe comforts of each other and the high cobblestone walls protecting them from the creatures in the woodlands, they didn't want to face the dangers of falls, cave-ins, lava, and of course… the creatures of the dark. … It makes me wonder though. If I had chose the life as a village leader then maybe I wouldn't be in this predicament right now? This face to face with pain and mortality?

No. … I still wouldn't trade my life as a miner for anything else. Sure I was lonely most of the time except the occasional company of hostile creatures, but I was okay with that. It would have been nice to have a friend to talk to at times and one that could watch your back. Safety in numbers they always say. I remember a time when one of my friends went into the tunnels with me for the first time, she really helped me out, but she was an arachnophobic and later refused to ever venture into caves ever again after getting attacked by an eight-legged creature. She wasn't harmed by the creature with me there but just the experience of having a fairly large monster jump up at her was enough to leave me. Now the only human-ish company I ever have is either Endermen, that in which I imagine, or Him.

Which now brings up the curse I got along with creating and expanding the villages, the curse that still haunts me and some of the people in the villages to this very day. The one with eyes of white that seem to constantly watch me, he looked like an ordinary man but he seemed to do the impossible and always struck terror into those who spotted him and his hostile actions against them and their homes. Actually, he looked a lot like me but with more define facial features along with a more toned muscular structure. He is such a mystery, Herobrine.

One day as I was mining; I left from the main branch of my created mineshaft and headed for the exit with all of my day's work on hand, but as I made my way out I found a hole in the wall not too far from my last excavation site. I didn't remember digging such a narrow and perfectly carved out tunnel before so I had to find out what or who created it. I walked through the dark passageway and eventually spotted a dim light ahead so I rushed up to this source only to find a wooden sign stuck to the wall, it had two Redstone torches lit on each side of it which was unquestionably strange. It said: "I am watching you" then it was signed with a simple -H at the bottom. I didn't know what that was all about but I didn't pay no mind, I thought a few griefers went into my mine to try and spook me out for my ores or just start on their own excavation site and preserve it but after finding more signs and after seeing that man one time in the dark placing down a wooden plank- I knew it was him leaving the notes. He had all of those natural features of a human except for those blank white eyes that seemed to have an unnatural glow in the dark.

I mostly ignored this guy and continued with my work for he seemed timid and ran away every time I tried to approach or ask a question but as days progressed he grew more active and eventually violent for some odd reason, I don't know why he began to personally attack me and others upon the surface but it was like the more I dug- the more traps I fell into and the more personal scuffles I had with him. I tried to be nice and offered up a couple of new emeralds I found, even some lapis, redstone, and even diamond but he only ran away after landing a good punch on the side of my cheek. He actually asserted himself to me more often after the first few times and that eventually led to threats me as well as deadly attacks that left me with some good scars and bruises. Shortly after these confrontations picked up and I was getting tired of them, I was scared of being attacked from behind while I was mining so I later asked him to stop and leave but he never did, he only kept leaving signs saying: "You don't know what you did" or telling me- "You are going to die." What I did- I had no idea? Why kill me- I've done nothing wrong that I know of so I just didn't know?

Some time after, I confronted this man and asked him his name and why he was making these threats and attacks on me but he only narrowed his eyes and dispersed into a cloud of dust leaving one single sign behind in his place. It said "-Herobrine".

I then called him that and eventually people in the village did too when they found some of his distinctive signs for they were also experiencing his unknown presence as I was. This 'Herobrine' created a lot of chaos and destroyed houses while also leaving strange structures with redstone torches covering them and glass frames placed everywhere. I fought off Herobrine time after time again when I encountered him, trying to convince him to stop the attacks and vandalisms. He didn't stop, never did. He still leaves strange glowstone letters in random places in the woods on the trail that I take to the town, trying to scare off me I guess.

Sometimes he would stalk me down in the caves and usually beat me to near death before leaving my to lick my wounds, but as for some of the villagers? They weren't so lucky. Herobrine had killed a few of them and made his presence well known and for all to fear him. Some people even moved far away from the settlements, this actually made the strange man's appearances become less frequent. It was like he didn't like people.

I never could find out his motive or why he never killed me when he had those many opportunities, but over time his appearances became intermittent just as the battles. Thankfully, no one died by his hand since that day. Though I haven't been attacked in almost half a year I still find those white eyes watching me carefully, sometimes he would stand behind me and whisper dark words of contempt or glare with a coldness in those bright orbs but disappear just as I turn completely around. He had seemed to of hated me though I have never done any wrong to him. After giving me a freight he would then leave, but that feeling of being watched never did.

Actually, now that I do think about it- mining in the days before the village grew and prospered I didn't have that problem, Herobrine never made his presence known to me. I don't know what I did to anger him exactly, but I had a feeling that it was the creation of the villages. I couldn't simply test this theory by destroying the great thing that I worked so hard to create to see if he would be happier? So I put up with the man and his deadly crossings and did my best to get by. Who he is and his reason of being is still in question, some say he's an evil demon, others a god, some- a ghost, and a very few say that he is the phantom guardian of the land itself; the spirit of Minecraft- out to reek vengeance on those who scar the land's natural beauty.

I don't believe he's evil like many think he is, I mean he could of completely killed all of us off in one night if he wanted to? I have seen him cutting down trees and replanting them, hiking through the woods, fishing, mining in my mineshaft, peacefully sleeping under a tree. I've also seen him near the lake I live by; just scooping up water in a pail and washing his face like a normal human. He acted a lot like a normal person would but every time he spotted me he just- changed, grew angry and left out of my sight. Herobrine is a real mystery.

A cold drop of water pelted my forehead and I blinked as the surprise coldness splashed a little into my eye, I was so ensnared on my thinking that I had almost forgot that I was the victim of a cave-in. Thinking actually made time pass fairly quickly or so I at least thought. I didn't have a watch and no visual of the sun's whereabouts so time wasn't really time itself to me. I am currently trapped in a dark cave system and I had been down here for hours, I hadn't been able to find any way out of my trap nor been able to contact anyone on the surface.

It really didn't matter now. No one is going to look for me anyways and no one is going down into the mines anytime soon. "Wow, when did I ever become so pessimistic?" I muttered softly. Such dark thoughts wasn't me, I normally wasn't a quitter so I was going to have to do something… eventually. I was still too tired and my freshly injured foot didn't encourage me any more to move.

Why? Why did I choose to go into the mines today? I was actually contemplating a day off for once but I came down here anyways. So now I am stuck here in an unexplored cavern below the mineshaft that I had created and used for years. I don't have any tools or weapons for I had lost them during the collapse and I have no food to eat. I had mostly mined out the majority of the ores in my mine so I dug deeper than I ever have before and found a new place with more lava beds, precious ores and iron veins, and unfortunately; more monsters. I counted every single block I went down, excited of how low I was going and how soon I would strike exposed diamond.

Then I just had to see it, had to want it.

A huge vein of diamond ore was just glued into the small cave wall I had walked along, it was just ready to be taken. I had placed my torch above the vein and pulled out my iron pickaxe then chipped away, working the stone loose around the durable gem to collect the precious rocks. I had been an idiot, I should of checked the sturdiness of the walls but that thought didn't cross my mind like it should have. I just continued to collect a few chunks of diamonds and safely put them away into my pockets but as I broke more stone loose the surrounding blocks began to crack into large pieces as did a few of the other blocks overhead and that was when I felt the walls shifting and the ground rumbling. Stone blocks suddenly crumbled above my head and I dove away as the ceiling gave in and crashed inside the cave tunnel. In the process I had been struck a few times by bouncing stone hunks, one large one flung right into my side and smacked me into the wall before momentarily crushing up against it and then falling onto the ground. Another chunk had toppled me over from behind and fortunately rolled off of my grounded form unlike the larger piece that shortly fell right onto my right foot as I rolled onto my back. I had screamed in pain as my foot was crushed. I couldn't see what had happened for my torch was buried under rubble but at least it was intact. Unfortunately, I felt something snap down there and I knew it was bad when I tried to pull it out from under the stone only to utterly fail with pain added in the process.

I lay flat on my back now, trapped all because I just had to get those diamonds. I had already tried to kick away at the cluster of stone lying on my foot, failed there. I had already sat up and pushed against it as much as I could, yet I failed there too. It was too dark to see if I had anything around to help me out, I've already patted the damp ground; damp from my blood I guess but I haven't found anything to help me escape. I can't see and I can't move from this spot. I am going to die if I don't get out soon.

"Why me?!" I cried out loud, now listening to the sound of the echo as it moved down through the narrow cave. "Somebody help?!" I plead. But it went on deaf ears, nothing but silence followed after my shouts. This is why my hopes were gone, no one heard me or will and now I am at the mercy of whatever was at the other end of this cave or cave system.

I finally wiped away at the oozing liquid from the wound, being ever so careful to elicit pain from touching the tender spot. It was completely silent, I could hear my breaths and even the sound of my own heart beating. I missed the sounds of people talking and mostly the sound of my pick striking against stone, I could almost hear it… wait a minute? What is that sound? Was I imagining it? I held my breath as the distinct sounds of slow footsteps started up into my direction.

I blinked a few times to get the darkness to clear up but I still couldn't see a thing ahead of me. "Hell-o? Is- some-body th-there?" I asked cautiously, my words were obviously frayed from the my quivering lips and chattering teeth. People have never been down here before, or at least no one I ever knew so the only other human-like company down here were those of living corpses. The sounds of shifting feet made my heart race, I wasn't alone in this dark cave that was for sure.

I quickly patted the ground for anything around me to protect myself but my palms only landed on chunks of broken rocks and most of them were too small to be used as a weapon. Out of fear; I grabbed a few shards and tossed them towards the footsteps. They didn't stop.

My mind went into panic mode and tried again to shove the large stone pinning my foot down and I pressed against it the best I could but it didn't even budge the slightest. I took deep breaths and laid back down, tired from my fruitless efforts. I was going to die.

…

A/N: I am currently at a lake in a small cabin for vacation so I wanted to type but I needed a break from Hero's Bane. Hope you guys like this so far. Who or what is coming for Steve? You'll find out in the next chapter, review please if you'd like me to continue this (updates though will not be as often as Hero's Bane unless I just feel like typing on it). ;D