Flames of War

## Prologue

Ajax looked around the head village of his clan. It was situated in a dark forest that had been cleared out in the center. The area was mostly hills, with the Voltaris houses being set inside it, sort of like holes. The buildings were supported by dark oak ceilings and floors, with fence posts keeping the two supported and in position. Taking in a deep breath, the scent of lush grass invaded his senses as he took in the fresh spring air. Overhead, the sky was completely sunny , with not a cloud in sight. On the hilltops, children played with each other. Ajax smiled at the innocence of youth. *They don’t know the danger they live in, the distrust aimed at because of our colors.* He continued his leisurely stroll down the grass path of brown. Today, he was supposed to be joining Senn for a meeting about how to deal with the nearby Illagers.

As Ajax walked, one of the most important people in his life came up to join him. He gave a tight smile as he continued his stroll. It was his best friend, Ash. Ash was tall, with ash gray skin and runes that looked like x’s all over his chest. Ash grinned at him from underneath his dark robes. “Heading to the meeting?” Ajax nodded, his slow pace becoming a brisk stride. Ash laughed. “Well, don’t hurry,” he winked at his agitated Ardoni friend, “You wouldn’t want to get there early!” Ajax shook his head at his friend's banter, but he couldn’t suppress his grin. After a while, Ajax made it to Senn’s home, which was a repurposed Pillager Outpost.

Once he was inside, Ajax nodded to Senn. The Voltaris clan master was leaning over a map at the outpost’s base, frowning with concentration. Senn’s eyes flicked upward for a millisecond, registering the new presence, then fell back to the map. Ajax walked to the other side of the table and looked down at the map as well. The map Senn was scrutinizing held the different locations for the Illagers. When the new Voltaris needed a home after the Second Great War, they had chosen Ancient Voltaria, the original home of the Ardoni. However, the land had since been overrun by the Illagers. Because of this, the Voltaris had been forced to battle the Illagers in an attempt to shove them out. Unfortunately, the Voltaris were too small to completely get rid of the intruders, so the Illagers still remained, lurking in the shadowed corners of the land, only coming out to attack an Ardoni Village. In an attempt to keep the clan safe, Voltaris scouts had found what mansions and outposts they could and documented the strength as well as the behavior of each group of Illagers. *But the Illagers are unpredictable. No one can judge what they will or won’t do next.* Recently, the Illager attacks had been increasing with alarming frequency. Now, it was up to the clan master to figure out what to do to keep the clan safe.

Senn sighed. “The only thing we can do is keep defending. We have so few warriors…” He rubbed his forehead in exhaustion. “If we send them all out, the villages are no longer safe. Plus, if each group doesn’t have enough numbers, they would be wiped out. Plus, we can’t attack every Illager stronghold at once. By the time enough warriors came back to defend us, the other Illagers will have retaliated!” Senn slammed his hand against the map on the mossy cobblestone wall. “Blast the message systems of those infernal raiders!”

Ajax put his hand on Senn’s shoulder. “I understand. I’m sure the warriors will understand as well. We’ve always known we couldn’t beat all the Illagers.” Ajax shrugged. “It won’t be different than what they expect.” Senn nodded hesitantly and was about to say more, when screaming interrupted him. Both Ardoni looked at each other in confusion as shouts of terror broke the silent air. *What’s happening?* Alarm on their faces, they both ran out to a scene so horrible, Ajax thought he was dreaming for a minute.

Below them, the village was on fire. All around, kids and their guardians were cowering inside their homes. Outside the houses, the village warriors were fighting a combined force of Undead and…*the rogue Voltaris!* Fury overcame Ajax as he watched the devastation occurring. A long time ago, Ajax had been there to watch the rebellion. Victor, once Ajax’s best friend, had declared mutiny against Senn, calling him unworthy. *The Primes are rightfully ours! Because of their biases, we ended up paying the fall! And now we are expected to simply bow down to the wishes of the other clans?!* The shouts from that day still rang in Ajax’s ears. Then, Senn had simply let Victor and his supporters leave. *We don’t need to weaken the clan more by fighting each other. He knows we are too numerous to defeat,* the clan master had said. Ajax fumed as Voltaris clashed against one another. *Or it just lets them grow stronger and get allies!* With a fiery expression, Senn turned to Ajax. “Get the civilians out of here!” Ajax gave a sharp nod and ran to the nearest house.

Senn walked up to the area where the fighting was taking place, the village center. Instantly, all fighting ceased as Victor and Senn studied each other. It was Senn who spoke first as he surveyed the rebel forces. “I see you’ve gained momentum. I’m impressed. This is a lot more than you started with.” Victor sneered at his opponent. “Oh, really? You’re impressed? I’ve been building up my forces for this moment!” Victor gestured to the burning ground. “You are a weak coward. We fought for what was ours, and then you threw it away! Living in the shadows, bowing to foreign powers, this is not what Ingressus would want!” Ajax listened to them as he discreetly signed to the Ardoni in the homes. *Follow me!* Silently, they came out of their houses and followed him.

Quick as a flash, he turned to them once they were all outside the village.”Elders,” he barked, “grab what little ones you can and use the songs to get them to the bunker!” The older Voltaris looked at each other. Then, nodding grimly to their savior, they each grabbed the younger ones. Activating various Mobilium songs, they traveled away. Once they were out of sight, Ajax slipped his garnet broadsword, Soul Slasher, from his back. Then, activating Mobilibounce, he used it to platform jump his way back to the battle.

The battle wasn’t going well for the loyal Voltaris. Already, much of their numbers were either too injured or dead. *Those Undead give them an advantage!* As he watched, things went from bad to worse. Senn, who had been holding his own against Victor, was now in trouble. He had Voltar out, and was about to strike Victor’s vulnerable back, when Victor used Protethorn. As soon as the staff struck the shield, Senn doubled over in pain. In that moment, an amber eyed Felina used shadow power on Senn, clouding his eyes with shadows, blinding him. Senn stumbled back, black eyed and surprised. With a smirk on his face, Victor surged forward. Kicking the staff away, he plunged his ax into the blinded clan master.

As Ajax watched this, his life flashed before his eyes. *My home, the last hope for my father, it’s all gone!* When he had come into the world, Ajax had decided to learn about what had happened on his own. His father told him that the death of the Voltaris was the fault of the other clans. But seeing what had happened, and having the story being told by his mom, he had refused to believe. He had run away from home, only to have his eyes opened. Even though he wasn’t connected to Ingressus or the other Voltaris, he was still hated, with many even going as far as trying to kill him. It was then that he understood what his father had told him. *The other clans had forced him to fight for any hope of life. They had continued the exile even after the offenders had gone, punishing the innocent generations. And then, even when we should have earned our way they refused us because of our ancestors. Then we were forced to take the power, because it would only be a matter of time before we were hunted again.* Ingressus had trained him to fight, and soon Ajax had eclipsed his father, the Deathsinger, in combat and song-wielding. But the Great War had ended in defeat. At least, it had until the Second Great War had happened. Ajax had supported Tygren until then, and was his father’s greatest supporter when the Second Great War began. He stood by his clan till the end, until his father had died to Pythus. But then, as Ingressus passed his torch to Senn, Ajax saw a new light, a new way. A way to reunite the Voltaris with the other clans. *A way to finish my father’s mission and honor my mother’s memory.* Zinia would have been proud of him for such honor. She had always told him to put honor above all else, for it was a sturdy moral compass.

So Ajax stayed with Senn, becoming his ally. Senn had welcomed him in, even though he knew the lineage that this Voltaris came from. Senn had helped him train. Ajax had made friends with the other Ardoni who had chosen to become Voltaris. Eventually, he met the one who would be his best friend, Nitrus. Together with Herobrine, he and Nitrus would practice when they had time. Ajax had been hopeful about the future. *I can actually do it! I can free my clan from the past!* But then Victor had rebelled, created a rebel group. Ajax had always been uneasy about it, but Senn had brushed it off. Now Victor had ended the closest thing Ajax had to a father, a true mentor. Fury roared in Ajax’s ears as he watched Victor pick up Voltar. Victor turned to the Felina. “Make sure that you find the others from this village. I shall go to the other villages and force their cooperation now that I am clan master. Finish this.” Activating Supporoconstruct, Victor created a portal. Walking briskly, Victor strode to the portal and went through, but not before he locked eyes with Ajax.

The other loyal Voltaris dropped their weapons in surrender, causing the Felina to purr. At least, until she noticed that Ajax had not surrendered. With a sigh, she pointed at him, signaling her soldiers to attack. Roaring with rage, Ajax sprinted to Senn’s corpse. Victor had taken only Voltar, leaving behind the legendary broadsword of Thalleous Sendaris. Now, in a bid to save innocents from Voltaris, Ajax wielded it. As he began to fight, his mind slipped to an old, comforting memory.

*It was a stormy afternoon in the village. Most of the other Voltaris had already gone into their new houses in Ancient Voltaria. However, Nitrus and Ajax had decided to use this time to practice since the possibility of rain had canceled their chores. Grabbing wooden practice swords, they both went out to the top of the hill. Both were surprised to see Herobrine there. He smiled at the two young Ardoni and nodded. With that signal given, the practice began.*

One Voltaris with a club charged first. Ajax shook his head at the fool. With a quick side step, he dodged the side swipe before he stepped in and cut his opponent’s arm off. Then, with Soul Slasher, he stabbed the enemy through the back.

*Both Herobrine and Nitrus charged him. Settling into a fighting stance, Ajax waited patiently for them to attack. Soon, they caught up and began their combined assault. But Ajax was more than ready for it. With flawless speed, Ajax defended himself. An upward block to counter Nitrus, to a low sweep to parry Herobrine. Leaning past a sword thrust from Nitrus, to blocking a chest slash from Herobrine.*

A pack of Undead, white eyed and directed by darkness, charged him. Ajax stood his ground, shifting deeper into his stance. With narrowed eyes, he calculated his attacks. Then, the fight was on. The first zombie struck upwards, so Ajax simply ducked before he came up with a stab in the chest. A skeleton, who was hiding behind the zombies, attempted to shoot him. However, Ajax merely used his diamond broadsword to deflect the arrow into the next zombie. Before the third one could attack, Ajax hurled Soul Slasher with its smiting blade towards his opponent. The zombie slammed into the ground as the sword impacted against its rotten skull. The skeleton began to aim again, but Ajax wasn’t going to give it the time. Activating Supporokesis, he used it to swing the sword in a wide arc through the air and back to his hand, cutting the skeleton in half on the way there. The Felina, who had been staring in shock, now snarled with anger and launched herself at him.

*Try as hard as they might, Nitrus and Herobrine couldn’t break his guard. Both may have been masters of fighting, but even Nitrus couldn’t match Ingressus, while Herobrine barely could, and Ajax was even greater than his father before him. Surrounded on both sides by his opponents, Ajax waited for the right moment, calculating his chances. His opportunity came when Nitrus attempted to strike his head. Using his blade and brute strength, Ajax side swiped his opponent’s blade, forcing it to the ground. Spinning with agility, Ajax pulled his blade up and struck out, dodging the low attack Nitrus attempted. Ajax ending his spin with a slam to the head using the flat of his blade, slamming Nitrus into the dirt. Herobrine tried to use this distraction as a way to sneak attack, but Ajax noticed it with relish. Herobrine stabbed outwards, but Ajax was more than ready. Planting his sword into the ground, Ajax pushed off it, going airborne. Then, with a savage sidekick, he stunned the Titan while Herobrine’s blade passed underneath him. Then, once he had landed, Ajax summoned Aggrotricity and blasted Herobrine backwards. Before he could end his downed opponent, Ajax heard the sound of whistling air. Without so much as a glance backwards, he caught Nitrus’ sword by its tip. Then, as Nitrus surged towards him, he threw the blade. Nitrus let out a grunt of pain as the blade impacted, then crumpled to the ground from the force of the blow. Herobrine used this to try to sneak attack. Ajax growled as Herobrine stuck at his head. Quick as lightning, he caught Herobrine’s sword by its blade, then, turning his back towards his opponent, he summoned all his strength. Without hesitation, he used his position to throw Herobrine over his back and back first into the ground in front.*

The Felina took the offensive, using a shadowed steel sword to lash out at her opponent. *Your skill is nothing compared to mine.* With a casual flick of his sword, Ajax disarmed his opponent before slamming her to the ground with a front kick. With his blade poised over her neck, he studied his opponent. Her amber eyes shone with fear behind her black hair. She whimpered with tears in her eyes. “Please,” She begged, “Don’t kill me.” Ajax’s face softened at her pleading. He stepped off her. There would be no honor in killing her, not when she was unarmed and outmatched. He scowled at her once she was up, causing her to retreat backwards a few feet. “Tell you leader that he’d better leave the Voltaris alone.” In an attempt to be brave, the Felina spat at him. “And who do you think you are, pipsqueak?” Ajax drew himself to his full height, towering over his enemy. The Felina shrank backwards as he growled out his declaration. “I am his worst nightmare, the son of the Deathsinger and Zinia, and I will not let Victor destroy this clan! Ingressus chose Senn to lead because it was the only way to reunite us with the other clans, and it was working. Now, he comes, having destroyed others no doubt, in his war for the Primes, bringing danger to us all and breaking the fragile trust we had with the clans!” Ajax pointed his blade at his opponent. “I will not let him destroy what my father started, my mother gave her life for, and what my clan master created!” Ajax waved his hand at her. “Go, tell your master that he won’t reign for long. I will not allow it. As the rightful clan master, this is my decree” When she didn’t move, he barked at her. “GO!” She unfroze. With a frantic gesture to her remaining soldiers, she had one Voltaris construct a portal. Then, without a glance backwards, the defeated force raced through the portal, closing it once they were all through.

The other loyal Voltaris stared at Ajax in shock. At first, they seemed uncertain at his declaration of leadership. Then, in jubilation, they shouted in victory, pumping their fists and pounding each other’s back. One of them, an elder of over five centuries, came forward. He waved a letter in the air. “We need a new clan master, so I went to see if Senn had chosen anyone. He had no children left that I knew off, so I looked in his letter. I found this. It was marked as his will.” Clearing his throat, the elder began to read it. “In case of my death, I choose Ajax Arcturus Voltaris, son of Zinia and Ingressus, to take my place as clan master. For no Ardoni is greater than him in fighting or song-wielding, and I trust no one more to keep the clan safe, for he fought for this clan from the beginning of the First Great War.”

At the end of the letter, all of the Voltaris cheered. The elder smiled. “Well, clan master, what should be our first priority?” Ajax thought for a second before he decided. “We must find the residents whom I lead to safety. Then we must find what warriors we can and prepare to battle these rebels.” Nodding his approval, the elder shouted the orders to everyone standing nearby. Immediately, all of the Voltaris ran around, grabbing supplies, weapons, or finding the missing residents. As they passed, they nodded or even bowed to Ajax. Ajax marveled at this development. *They never noticed me before, even though I was Senn’s right hand man. But now that I’m clan master and I just saved them, I’ve gained their respect as both a leader and a warrior.* Ajax smiled grimly to himself. *Time is changing.* As he looked out across the village, Ajax slipped both Soul Slasher and the diamond broadsword over his back. He was ready for whatever came next. *Don’t worry mother. I won’t let the vision be ended by some nostalgic fool.*

## Chapter One: Embers of Hope

### Part I

Stygia yawned as she stood up and stretched her stiff muscles. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she grabbed by sword from where it hung on her bedroom wall. Made of glass derived from melted soulsand, it was indestructible and acted as the perfect tool for channeling soul power. She smiled as she ran her hand over the warped wood handle. It had been a gift from her brother, Taurus, for her sixteenth birthday.

Stygia stepped out from her room and surveyed the Nether Kingdom from above her balcony. The Capital Fortress stood in the Nether Ruins, overlooking other biomes in the distance. Below, the black ramparts and rooms of the massive Nether Fortress bustled with life. Wither skeletons stood in positions around the halls, standing guard over the structure. Overhead, pale Ghasts floated above, crying their woes as they flew. Blazes, crackling with flames, lit their paths as they glided along the floors. Below the fortress, Zombified Piglins and Hoglins ran around aimlessly, their rotten corpses shuffling as they stumbled along. In the lava moat surrounding the ashen brick stronghold Magma cubes jumped about, their molten forms stretching as they leaped, then condensing as they landed once more. With each leap, ashes swirled around them.

Far down in the center, Stygia could see the massive throne room. Open to the air above, the massive throne stood proudly as it flaunted the power of the Nether Kingdom. Stygia couldn’t help but be in awe each time she looked at it. Especially considering her position in society. *As the Princess, I’m royalty!* With the drowsiness finally gone, she walked out of the balcony and to the walkway connecting her royal suite to the rest of the city. As she strode through the hall, Wither skeletons snapped to attention. Each one rattled their bones in respect and nodded. Stygia straightened from her slouch, her eyes blazing with pride. *Well, they arn’t bowing for me.* In truth, they were bowing because of her father. King Hyperion was a legend to the people, the hero who saved the kingdom from destruction at the hands of the Piglins. Because she was his daughter, that commanded respect like no other. Everyone just assumed she was as good as her father, especially since she was destined to become the next general of the Nether forces. Still, it made her feel great pride to see how much her family was loved.

Suddenly, General Rygirian appeared behind her, having come through the exit of a different hallway and into hers. He was mostly gray, with his sooty raised areas on his shoulders, hands, and feet. On his chest, arms, and legs glowing markings like flames made it seem as though he wore a suit of molten armor. And his face*…his face!* Everytime she looked at his face, Stygia couldn’t help but giggle. Once, she had gone into the royal library and read about a strange creature named a creeper. Unfortunately for Rygirian, his face looked like a lava version of a creeper’s. Because of that, she had started calling him Creeper Face whenever she could. Now, the elder Netherean sighed at such young insolence. With a tight voice, he turned to her and laid out the day’s plans. “As you requested yesterday, we will do an extra training session.” Stygia giggled when he finished speaking. She couldn’t stop herself. *His voice is so high pitched, almost like a little kid’s!* Sure, he was the top general, second to none but the king himself. *But still!* Though you wouldn’t be laughing if you had to fight him. Rygirian was one of the greatest warriors the Nether had ever seen, with only Hyperion being stronger. The general shook his head at her, his face a scowling mask of disappointment.

Together, the two traveled down to a massive courtyard within the fortress. It was designed like an obstacle course, a true battlefield. The warped nylium acted as a carpet for the ground. All around, wither roses acted as decoration. Bits of what was meant to be a ruined fortress stood here and there, acting as the obstacles, or possible advantages depending on how you looked at it. To provide light, soul torches hung in random places. Her brother, Tarrus, stood in the corner of the training room. With his rectangular eyes, he smiled at her. Since they were little, he would always act as her support during these training sessions. Rygirian walked ten paces away, then turned to face her. With a nod, he pulled out his weapon. Stygia nodded back and pulled her broadsword out. As she waited for her opponent to make the first move, she looked over the workmanship of Rygirion’s blade. His weapon was a shining iron halberd. Its spear tip glistened in the low light of the scattered soul lanterns. Its skinny, curved back side blade shined ominously, and its rounded front blade looked like two giant teeth due to the gap in the middle.

Faster than a blaze’s fireball, Rygirian stabbed outwards with the tip of his weapon. *That’s too easy!* With a smirk she deflected his blade to the side and stepped forward to strike. But as soon as she did, he stepped forward and slammed the end of his weapon into her stomach, causing her to double over in pain. Without giving her time to recover, Rygirian thrust the blunt end upwards in a savage swing, slamming it into her face and sending her sprawling to the ground. Coughing and gasping, she could do nothing as her opponent put the tip of his halberd to her throat. Rygirian shook his head at her. “Don’t get cocky. That’s when you miss the cues.” Ashamed, Stygia got up on shaky legs when he let her up. Rygirian walked back to his starting position, then gave the nod.

This time, Stygia took the offensive. With a furious speed, she lashed out again and again. But each time, her opponent was ready. Slowly, fury and anger got the best of her and she became reckless in her attempts to break Rygirian’s guard. Rygirian gave her a disappointed look as he dodged her clumsy attempt for a stab. With ease, he spun away, slamming her skull with the flat of his blade when he finished his spin. He looked down at her. “You can’t let your anger take over in a fight. It clouds your judgment.”

Stygia got up and brushed herself off, grumbling about know-it-alls. *Just because he’s older and closer to my dad doesn’t mean he gets to treat me like some little kid! I can fight too, even if it isn't as good as him!* They were about to continue the sparring practice, when Rygirian snapped to attention. Stygia turned to see what was happening and spotted her father coming towards them from behind.

Once her father reached them, Rygirian immediately bowed. Hyperion nodded to him. “Up, soldier.” Her father’s voice was deep and strong, almost as though an earthquake was speaking. Even without trying, his voice filled up the room. “I’ve said it many times before. There is no need to bow so formally.” As an amused king watched on, Rygirian scrambled to his feet and nodded. “Of course, your highness, my mistake.” King Hyperion waved away his apology. “There is nothing to apologize for. You showed respect, something I am grateful for.” Her father’s face darkened. “Especially now, in these dark times.”

Her father was an unusual looking Netherean, due to the fact that he was a hybrid. Son of Vulcannus and Abigail, he was part human and part Netherean. HIs skin was mostly smooth like a humans, with his shoulders and feet being the exception. However, his skin was the same color as a Nethereans, and he had the same glowing markings like lava on his body. On either side of his face, a staircase of flaming markings helped mark his identity. However, the feature that set him apart the most was his L shaped eyes. Instead of orange, they were purple like an Enderknight’s. Another thing that made him stand out were his powers. He had skills that other Nethereans did not have, things that were unique to him. Perched on his head, the Nether Crown glowed along with the NetherBlade which was slung over his back.

Stygia looked at her father with concern. “What do you mean, ‘especially in these dark times’?” Hyperion looked at his daughter with shame on his face. He sighed. “Ever since your mother’s death, I have focused only on the Piglins. Like a fool, I let my sight become narrow and short.” He slammed his hand against a nearby nether brick chunk. “I was blind to the Overworld and the End, even though their mistrust and history made them our greatest adversaries!” His expression became like that of broken glass, his voice cracking as he spoke. “I just wanted to ensure that nothing like what happened to my father or your mother would happen again. Now, because of that, even my mother has died! I could have saved them all if I had just paid attention and caught the signs.” Both siblings exchanged a look, then walked over to their father and hugged him. The topic of their mother was always a risky one, a source of grief for their stricken parent. Tarrus spoke up first. “What happened to mother wasn’t your fault. He couldn’t have stopped what happened.”

Fury overcame Hyperion as he roared. “I should have been stronger, I should have insisted that she didn’t fight! I failed her, just like I failed my father. I let the power of royalty get to my head! I didn’t act responsibly or take my duties seriously! If I had I would have known what my brother was planning!” His rage vented, the king slumped, his eyes shattered by guilt. “Now, thanks to me, both of them died. Iapitus killed father to help the Piglins, and I wasn’t fast enough to prevent it. Then I let your mother fight with me, and the Piglin Emperor ended her as well.”

Surprisingly, it was Rygirian who spoke first. In a low and gentle voice, he calmed his king down. “You couldn’t have stopped Styx from fighting. Even if you told her not to go, she would have followed you anywhere. She believed in you, and you succeeded. And none of us could have suspected your brother as a traitor. Your father trusted you, and look what you’ve accomplished!” Hyperion looked up, his face bitter with regret as tears fell from his eyes to the ground. “They shouldn’t have. I got them all killed and let the kingdom fall. Some accomplishment.” Stygia was about to speak up, but her father interrupted. His face steeled to keep away emotions, he continued his reasons for being there. “Recently, however, intelligence found out that crimson vine powder was shipped out of the Nether by Piglins.” Stygia tilted her head in confusion. “But that would be bad. The other species would get infected by the Nether virus if they breathed it in. And there is no other use for the stuff, right?”

Hyperion nodded. “My suspicion became aroused, and I knew only disaster could come from that. So I sent the Blood Angel to investigate. He managed to find where the Virus came from.” Stygia waited for her father to continue as he closed his eyes in dread. “It went to the End. Because of that, the End is now infected. Even worse, it has allowed an ambitious Enderknight to take power. Now, he blames the virus on us and the End is demanding Vengeance. It is only a matter of time before they attack.” Hyperion scowled in distaste. “Not only that, but a certain Ardoni is back in power and on the march. Victor Octavion Voltaris.” With the way that her father spat out the name, her curiosity spiked. She looked at her father slyly. “Sounds like you know this individual well, father.” Hyperion laughed darkly. “Indeed I do. After the war with the Piglins, I realized that it was his fault it happened.” The king swept his gaze across his audience. “Victor was trying to perform an ancient ritual to bring the primes into one fused song for himself. He had the Unyielding Legion supporting him, so his enemy, Tysor Kylus Voltaris, couldn’t stop him. Not alone. So he planned to come to the Nether to get our help since his kin wouldn’t listen to him and the Humans were busy with the Illagers. But Victor couldn’t allow it.” Hyperion growled and slammed his fist against the nether brick chunk again. “He convinced my brother to betray us and secured for him an alliance with the Piglins.” Hyperion sighed as he slumped against the brick. “It seemed like our kingdom was over. However, I escaped and, with the help of Tysoar, created an army. When we took back the Nether, I repaid him for the help by giving him the soldiers needed to accomplish his mission. So yes, I am more than acquainted with that villian.” Rygirian nodded thoughtfully, stroking his chin as he took in the information. “So we have two separate enemies coming.” Rygirian shook his head in confusion. “But the End alone cannot defeat us, and neither can such a small legion of mercenaries.”

Hyperion shook his head. “It is worse. Victor has allied with the Enderknights. Plus, the Enderknights have secured several alliances with different human kingdoms. Combined, they are powerful. Plus, I am not all that sure that the Piglins won’t join them. The Blood Angel has noticed some suspicious activity in the Nether edges…” Hyperion looked out across the training field, lost in thought. They all waited for him to finish his thought, but he merely continued to stare out into blank space.

The king snapped out of it as the sound of wingbeats echoed over the still courtyard. From above, a winged figure dropped from the sky and onto the ground in front of them. *The Blood Angel.* The Blood Angel was a Zombified Piglin with pink, blood splattered, bony wings. Disgusting snorts issued from his mouth as he addressed the king. Hyperion nodded, surprise briefly flickering across his face. Stygia glared at the Blood Angel. Apparently, the Blood Angel was one of the only Piglins who actually supported Vulcannus. To show this loyalty, they had killed themselves so that they would come back to life Zombified and under the control of the Nether Crown. Among them, the Blood Angel was the only one with wings, gotten due to his hybrid blood. While her father may have trusted the Blood Angel and his kind, she never would. *Not after what happened to my mother at the hands of their kin.* She could never forgive them. They could have warned my father, but they didn’t. *They kept their mouths shut about the rebellion until it came to pass, then decided to side with my father because of his growing power. They probably just didn’t want to get punished for the crimes of their kind!*

Hyperion nodded to the Blood Angel. “Detain our guests at the entrance for a little longer so that we can return to the throne room.” The Blood Angel nodded. Then, with a mighty heave, he pushed himself into the sky and flapped off. Once he was gone, Hyperion motioned for the others to follow him. “Apparently we have guests who wish to speak with me.” All except Rygirian had to sprint in order to keep up with the king’s long stride. As they walked out, the Royal Guard joined them. The guard consisted of wither skeletons, all equipped with a full suit of Netherite armor, shields, and Netherite blades. Quickly, Stygia put on her gilded Netherite armor. While she couldn’t be the top general since Rygirian already had that position, she was preparing in different ways. In order to teach her how to be a leader, Hyperion had made his daughter Captain of the Royal Guard, with the gilded armor symbolizing that.

In no time, they had reached the throne room. It was massive, open to the sky, and at the top of the center of the fortress. As she entered, Stygia stopped for a second to look back at the breathtaking view that the throne room gave over the kingdom. Her father had once told her that the view had led to a portal to the Overworld instead. Now, that portal was long gone. As she went past the walkway, lava bubbled and hissed in the pits on either side. The Throne itself had been rebuilt after it was destroyed in the Crimson Crusade, the war against the Piglins. Where it had once been Nether brick, it was now solid Netherite except for the bottom of the seating part, which was solid gold. Two inward curved quartz pillars stood on either side of the throne. The floor, unlike the rest of the city, was made of blackstone bricks, with the path part being gilded.

On either side of the throne room, the Royal Guards each made a line, then snapped to attention when they had reached their positions. As the Captain of the Royal Guard, Stygia went into her position at the center of the room. Attentively, the guards discreetly watched, ready to jump into combat at the first sign of hostility or when Stygia gave the signal to defend the throne. On either side of the throne, Tarrus and Rygirian stood tall. Rygirian put on a fierce expression and leaned on his halberd. King Hyperion climbed onto the Nether Throne and sat in a regal position of grace and steadfast strength.

A few minutes later, the Blood Angel appeared and bowed to Sygia. She nodded to him and studied the arrivals. It was a group of six Ardonia. Their runes were a mix of green, purple, blue, and yellow. Two of them seemed to be the leaders. The first was a female with yellow markings and blond hair. She kept glancing around. *She’s nervous and scared.* *This place is different to her.* The second one was green with a rune like a scar over his right eye. His eyes blazed with determination, eyes that were on a mission. By the way his weapons were situated over his back, she assumed he must be left-handed. Both of them had small horns, indicating that they were young. Nonetheless, the other Ardoni seemed to show a difference to them, the green one in particular. With a glance over, she let them in.

The green one stepped forward first and spoke boldly. “I am the one known as the Dawnsinger in the world above. I am here…” Hyperion cut him off with a wave of a hand, much to the shock of the stunned speaker. Hyperion narrowed his eyes at the newcomer, though his voice remained casual. “Oh, I know who you are, son of Tysoar, member of the house of Kylus. Just as I know why you are here.” With that statement, the entire room froze with shock. The stunned expression on the Dawnsinger’s face told it all. *He doesn’t know my father…but my father knows him?!*

### Part II

Kylor stared at the Netherean before him in complete shock, much to the king’s amusement. Hyperion chuckled. “I see you are surprised by my knowledge.” Still stunned, Kylor merely nodded. Hyperion nodded sagely. “My friend here,” he nodded to the flying zombie pig, “has been keeping a close eye on the Overworld. He stated that your performance at the tournament was most impressive.” Not sure what to do, Kylor bowed his head. “Thank you, your majesty.” Hyperion stared at him, hard. With a nervous swallow, Kylor shifted under the intense gaze. Hyperion then shook his head, not satisfied with the young Ardoni. “You speak to me as though you are lower than me. If you want to command respect, do not give your authority to someone else.” *How does he know so much about me?* Kylor was about to speak up and ask, but Hyperion suddenly stood. All around the room, everyone froze, tensions running high. The king strode to stand in front of Venus. Her eyes cut to Kylor with fear. Kylor took her hand to reassure her and glared at Hyperion. “Can’t you see that she’s afraid,” he demanded, “What are you trying to do, intimidate us?! That doesn’t seem very noble.”

Everyone in the room stared at him in shock. Hyperion sized Kylor up, and Kylor realized his mistake. The cold look in the king’s eyes made it clear. *He’s not afraid. His casualness in this, he’s confident he would win!* And by his stance, Kylor had no doubt he would. Sensing the storm brewing, the Ardoni behind the Dawnsinger drew their weapons. Bones rattled as the Wither skeleton guards fell into ready positions. The creeper faced Netherean crouched, pulling his halberd into a fighting pose. Behind them, the gilded hybrid drew her weapon. Kylor was most curious about her. *I’ve never met a hybrid quite like this.* Her skin was bumpy like a Nethereans, built it was white like a human’s. Her hair was green like moss, and her eyes were mesmerizing. The left one was the color of warped nylium, while the other was yellow like a tongue of flame. She was average height, almost six foot, and was probably around twenty or so years old.

The tension was so thick, you could cut it with an Aggrobeam. Then, to Kylor’s surprise, King Hyperion chuckled, nodding his head with approval as he appraised the youngster in front of him. The Wither skeleton guards and other Nethereans looked confused, but they relaxed. The Ardoni, however, didn’t until Kylor waved for them to stand down. Hyperion’s purple eyes shined with praise. “That’s the spirit! Don’t be afraid to stand up for your people. Otherwise, they won’t respect you and neither will your opponents. And where there is no respect, there is no leadership. Then you wouldn’t have an army!” Kylor straightened. *Well, this is going well, at least.* Kylor locked eyes with the king, refusing to back down. “If you know so much about me, then you know why I’m here.”

Hyperion nodded thoughtfully. “I do indeed.” He tilted his head as he considered the party in his throne room. “You want to secure an alliance with me.” Kylor’s hopes soared, only to be crushed by the next statement. “And you have failed to give me a reason to support you.” Kylor was about to complain that that wasn’t fair. *I just got in here!* But he could tell that this wasn’t a good idea. Looking into those piercing purple eyes, he knew it would just be taken as a sign of weakness, unworthiness. *He’s the type that only respects strength. I’ve got to show him I’m strong enough to stand against his taunts.* So rather than complain, Kylor brought his eyes to the the king’s, staring his fellow leader down. Hyperion nodded his approval, but then turned his attention back to Venus.

Spreading his hands as a gesture of peace, he studied her. “I am sorry that you felt afraid. I didn't mean to intimidate. However, I noticed that you were part Shadow.” Hyperion raised an eyebrow at her. “You hide your true form well, but not well enough.” Venus stood gaping at the king. For a second, she seemed to flicker. Her runes turned red and her hair became a lush brown. Above her horns, Felina ears appeared. Then she became her normal self again. Kylor stumbled backwards in shock. *That’s what she really looks like, or am I dreaming?!* Venus seemed to realize her slip. Casting her eyes down, she nodded. “I am part Shadow. I used my blood to hide my form and made illusions around myself. It’s the only way I can be accepted.” Hyperion’s face softened. “I know it's hard, but look at me. I am a hybrid, and I have fought my way through the baises. I was always scorned for my blood when I was little, and my mother did nothing about it.” His voice was bitter, then changed to proud as he continued. “But I pushed above it. The thing is, no one will accept you if you don’t prove to them why they should.” Venus nodded and bowed, her voice a whisper and her eyes still downcast. “Thank you, I’ll remember that.” Hyperion fixed her with a stern look. “You had better. Otherwise, you won’t get anywhere in this life.”

*We’re getting off track here!* Kylor cleared his throat. “If you have been monitoring the Overworld, then you no doubt know the danger the Nether is in because of the trouble brewing there!” Hyperion, however, wouldn’t be so easily persuaded. “That still does not give me any reason to help you,” he challenged, “I have not been told why I need your help.” Kylor opened his mouth to reply, but Hyperion plunged on. “The danger is imminent. Victor will try to take the Prime Songs and grow strong enough to win, especially with the End and their Human allies helping him. With so much power, you could not stop him. And another thing to consider.” Hyperion, now sitting back on his throne, leaned forward. “The Overworld has the advantage. Combined, they have the strength to challenge my armies and they could actually win. And in their world, they know the terrain better and would have more supplies than us. If we fought there, there is a decent chance we would lose. But if we stay in the Nether, you can weaken them for us. Then, we can use our supplies and the terrain here to our advantage. For the beings of other dimensions, the Nether is a death trap. That’s why outsiders have never beaten us on our own turf. Plus, if we lose out there it’s over.” Hyperion shrugged, then gave the Dawnsinger an inviting look. *He’s giving me the chance to jump in.*

Kylor took it gratefully, launching into his speech with passionate gusto. So much so that even the Creeper faced Netherean gave him a look of admiration. “Because the danger is coming, you owe it to your people to prepare for it! If you won’t defend them, who will? True, the Humans are powerful, but not all of them side with the Enderknights. Instead, they fight against the End, and would gladly ally with such a great power such as the Nether. With their help, you would be able to crush the Enderknights. And you talk of Victor? If he gets the Primes, it is all over. But the best way to win is to stop him from getting them, which will require your help. After all, you’ll be doomed if he gets them, so it would be in your best interest to stop him. And sure, you would have the advantage of terrain here, but with the Enderknights and all of the Humans against you, you wouldn’t win. Isn’t that why the Nether had to retreat during the First Great War? The Nether was lucky then that the Humans didn’t give chase. If you want to protect the people of this kingdom, if you are a true leader, you will do all in your power to help them. You are honor bound to help them, or are you not the leader that I thought you were? Prove to me you deserve your praise, walk what you preach, or do you shy away from challenges due to your privileged status? Don’t be a fool. Whether you like it or not, you need our help. So stand with me.” Kylor extended his hand. “You knew my father, otherwise you wouldn’t recognize me as Kylus, for both my father and I share that same scarred rune. Drakius said that you helped him, so help me. Just like you did then, make the right decision. Together, we can end this night and save everything we care about. Haven’t the people of our worlds suffered enough?”

The entire room held its breath as Hyperion stared at Kylor’s hand. *Come on,* Kylor pleaded silently, *take it!* After what seemed like an eternity, Hyperion looked up, having bowed his head in thought during the speech. Kylor was surprised by the look in those purple eyes. Hyperion was looking at him in*…awe.* Hyperion spoke, his face sad and his voice a faint whisper. “Tysoar told me that his child would be the greatest, a leader capable of ending this nightmare. An avenger of all people.” Hyperion’s eyes became hard and his voice reinforced as he continued. “And he was right. You are a true leader, and our people have suffered enough.” With that, the king got up and took Kylor’s hand, his eyes blazing with grim determination. “Very well, blood of Kylus. You have convinced me. It is true, the best way to end this is to stop Victor before he becomes too powerful. The Nether Kingdom will be your ally, and we will stand with you in battle, fighting to our dying breaths by your side.”

Hyperion turned to the Creeper faced Netherean. “Rygirian, prepare the armies. Call forth from all cities any citizens willing to fight for our kingdom. Blood Angel, find more of your kind. Tarrus, we need the Piglins to remain neutral. No doubt they have realized what they have caused and know it will only bring them trouble that they cannot afford in their shattered state. See what you can do.” Immediately, they began to move. The Blood Angel flapped his wings and set off to find more Zombified Piglins. Rygirian set out from the throne room and prepared to gather the Nether armies. Tarrus, as that was his name, hugged the gilded warrior. Then, after whispering something Kylor couldn’t hear, Tarrus broke away from the hug and set out.

Kylor waved his warriors out from the room, and Hyperion did the same. Alone except for themselves and Venus, the two great leaders studied each other. Venus, however, spoke first. Timidly, she approached the Netherean royalty. “How did you know I was part Shadow? No one else has been able to see it.” *Yet another thing she’s hidden from me.* Hyperion tilted his head at her question. “I was born with the combined power of an Ender Queen and a Nether King. I was given the eyes of the end as a result, those eyes beyond time that can see much that others can’t. I can see through such illusions.” Kylor was about to grill Venus about this newest secret, but he was cut off by Hyperion. Gazing at the young Ardoni couple, Hyperion mused about the future. “With our combined strength, the embers of hope may yet become a flame of strength. Let us pray that this infernal alliance pays off.”

## Chapter Two: The New Master

Kora watched Theseus fan the crackling campfire flames. Over the past few days, she had come to see him in a different light. When she had first met him, he seemed like an egotistical guy. In fact, she had probably been the most furious when he blurted the beans about her brother and his girlfriend. *He was just jealous!* As she stared in the darkness, she wished she was anywhere but a dark oak forest. The tall dense trees made visibility poor and made it a perfect place for threats to hide.

They had started the journey off well enough. After the tournament, they had started to travel towards Voltaria. Along the way, they had gotten along well. *Well, we didn’t really hit it off.* In truth, the two didn’t seem to know what to do with each other. Theseus seemed the most awkward, looking at her strange, then looking away with a confused expression. *Boys. They’re so weird!* Whenever she had attempted to chat with him, he had turned away. The entire way, he had been tense and stiff.

It had taken them days, but they had eventually reached Old Voltaria. As Drakius had advised, they sought out a relative of the Kylus family. When they had reached him, they had been disappointed. The relative had lived in a small cottage in a mangrove swamp. Kora hadn’t liked walking through that biome. It was icky with dirty water, vines, shrooms, and mud. She hated being muddy. The cottage itself was made of a combination of mangrove wood and mud bricks. Theseus had cracked a joke about the hut. “I thought that we got past the wooden age a long time ago!” When she didn’t laugh, Theseus nudged Kora. She rolled her eyes, then cocked her head as Theseus looked disappointed. Noticing that, he quickly cleared his throat and looked away. Kora shook her head, then strode into the house.

Inside, they had found an ancient Nestoris. Runes adorned his light gray body as squiggles. His horns were long, suggesting that this Ardoni had been alive for centuries at this point. The Nestoris was bent over a brick fireplace. When he noticed the new arrivals, River turned around. He smiled fondly at the two before him. “It isn’t often that new adventurers come my way,” he sighed, “I miss company.” His smile soon returned. “A messenger bird from Drakius came yesterday. I take it you are the ones he was talking about, the ones looking for Senn?” Both of them nodded. Motioning for them to follow him, he led them into a small bedroom. In the center, a map sat on a table. River studied it as he spoke. “If you want to find the Voltaris clan, you’ll have to travel here.” Pointing to the north east area of the ocean, he continued. “This is where you’ll find the village that acts as their capital.”

Theseus bent over the map, scratching his head in confusion. “But there’s nothing there. It’s just ocean!” River smiled, a glint in his eye. “That’s what they all think. Actually, after the plague rendered New Voltaria desolate, the Voltaris had nowhere else to go. In order to survive, they had to go to their roots, Ancient Voltaria.” Kora looked at the elder with curiosity. “What is Ancient Voltaria? And what did you mean by roots?” River smiled, delighted to enlighten the youngster. “Well, if you believe the legends of the Ardoni, the Ardoni all came from a string of small islands. The other clans left the island first, hoping to find signs of a larger land that could better support their populations. The Voltaris, however, stayed. Eventually, they too left. But not for centuries. As such, it is called Ancient Voltaria, and the roots of the Ardoni species.”

Theseus shrugged. “So basically, we have to go to the docks in the north in order to find a ship.” River shook his head. “Actually, there is a much faster way than a ship.” River’s eyes darted around in nervousness as his voice became low. “The islands themselves are shielded by mysterious energies that prevent the use of songs to get there. However, it is believed that the Heart of Ardonia has a secret passage outside time that could allow instant travel there.” Theseus grinned at the prospect of adventure. He nodded. “So, we need to travel to the Heart of Ardonia.” Confusion overcame Theseus as he thought about it. “But that would still take weeks. How is that going to be fast enough? We need to get there quickly, and we’ve already wasted enough days as it is getting here.”

River chuckled to their surprise. “I have a way to get there instantly.” Summoning Supporoportal, a shimmering gateway appeared in the center of the room.” Kora gasped in shock. “I thought you had to use Supporoconstruct to do that!” River shook his head. “You could use that, but it is very limited. The portal lasts only minutes and your endurance determines how long the distance you can travel through the portal is. Supporoportal, however, lasts until I choose to close the portal. And the distance is better. It still relies on your endurance, but since you don’t expend as much energy to create the portal, the radius of travel is naturally longer. Now, to find the gateway, look for what isn’t real.” Kora wanted to ask more questions, but Theseus pulled her into the portal. With one last nod to River, Theseus dragged them both through and into the unknown.

Instantly, Kora saw the difference. Behind them, the portal had closed. *No going back now.* As she looked at the new surroundings, her breath caught. The sun was setting in the distance, painting hues of pink and orange on the crystal blue sky. The area was massive, sloping downwards. In the center, a beacon of light shone like a star. Above them, lush islands floated, their lively surfaces swaying in the slight breeze. The air was crystal clear, better than any other that Kora had inhaled. Kora smiled at the natural beauty all around here, basking in the wondrous place they had found themselves in.

Theseus scanned the surroundings, spotting a patch of soul sand at the bottom. Without a word, he motioned for Kora to follow. Together, they headed towards the bottom. It was a difficult climb down, but after a while, the two of them made it. To test his theory, Theseus put his hand on the sand. When his hand passed through, he whooped in joy and pumped a fist into the air. Kora stretched a hand towards him. “Wait! It might not be…” With a grin, he saluted to Kora before jumping into the sand. Kora’s eyes widened as she watched. Anger took its place and she shook her head. “You imbecile! It could be dangerous!” Worried, she jumped after him.

When she landed, she was shocked by the sight that confronted her. They were in the middle of a dark forest, surrounded by a thick canopy. In front of her, four Voltaris were facing Theseus with anger. The biggest of them shouted at him. “You are the one that killed my cousin!” With a roar, the Voltaris struck out. Theseus pulled his blade out in response. Not risking a look over his shoulder, Theseus barked to Kora. “Get out of here! Now!” Kora stood frozen in shock and horror as she watched the battle unfold. The first Voltaris tried to stab Theseus with a spear. Theseus side-stepped, then swung at his opponent. The Voltaris sprang back and tried an overhead hit. Theseus growled. “Not today.” Theseus blocked it, then turned and side-kicked his enemy. Before the enemy could respond, Theseus stabbed the stunned Ardoni through the skull.

The second Voltaris started for Theseus, but Theseus wasn’t going to lose. Activating Mobilishift, he teleported behind the Voltaris, cutting his opponent down before the enemy could respond. The third one was on top of him before he was ready, and he was knocked to the ground. The Voltaris grinned, raising his ax to end the Kaltaris. No you don’t! Rage pounding through her veins, Kora activated Aggrocone, blasting the red Ardoni, instantly killing them.

Kora whirled around as the last Voltaris closed in. Kora stumbled back, falling as she did. She covered her face with a hand. So this is how I die? Before the Voltaris could finish her off, though, a sword tip sprouted from the Voltaris’ chest. As the enemy hit the ground, Kora looked to see Theseus standing weaponless, fury written on his face. He came over to her. With concern, he offered her a hand. “Are you okay?” Kora nodded, still shaken at how close she had come to death. Gratefully, she took his hand. Once he had helped her up, Theseus looked around. “Well, this is about the best we’ll get. We don’t know where to find Senn, and it's about to be night. Why don’t we set up camp here?” Eager for some rest, Kora nodded.

Theseus nodded back. Without a word, he began to get to work. Pulling supplies from his inventory, Theseus constructed a tent for sleeping. By the time the sun had set, the tent was up and the campfire down in front of the tent. Pulling out rations, Theseus began to cook some meat. Kora studied him. Since they had left, he hadn’t really been open to her. She kinda wished that would change. In order to break the awkward silence, she spoke up. “So, you seem like an egotistical guy. I mean, you told everyone about my brother and Venus, and you demanded this mission.” Theseus smiled weakly. “Yeah, that’s what most people think.” He sighed, his expression becoming sad. In the firelight, he seemed to age a decade. “I didn’t tell about your brother and Venus because of my ego. Used too, I would have. But now…I’ve given up on that. I want Venus to be happy. When they started, she was terrified of showing it because she thought everyone would judge them. But that made it harder for them to be together, and I wanted to help. I knew you guys would be supportive, so I told you. I hoped that, if everyone was supporting them, they wouldn’t have to hide their love. And maybe they could grow better with each other. I wanted to relieve the pressure they were feeling.”

Kora cocked her head, seeing a new side to this Kaltaris. He’s opening up. Now, she could see the true him. The one he hid underneath his ego and humor. No one had ever been so open to her before, not even Victor, her adoptive father. *Though, really, all he told me was lies.* “So then, what about the mission?” Theseus nodded. “I want to be helpful. I mean, Ardonia is my home too, and I don’t want to watch it burn before my eyes. I feel like, if I don’t do something important, I’m not really helping out. I need to do all I can to help, and if I don’t, I feel like I’m failing. Plus, I don’t want the people closest to me hurt when I could take on the mission’s challenges myself.” Kora, moved at such compassion, leaned over and hugged Theseus. “You’re not failing. You never are. We all just have to take risks, that’s all.” Theseus nods. “Yeah, I guess. Doesn’t mean I like it, though.” Kora laughed. “You don’t have to.”

Suddenly, leaves from the underbrush shifted, and both Ardoni sprang up. When they looked around, they saw that they were now surrounded by Voltaris. In the lead was Victor, now with Voltar in his hand. She shook her head in horror while Theseus just looked stunned. Victor laughed. “Look who we have here! The murderer and the traitor, both in one place, this is too good to be true!” Theseus pushed Kora behind him. Glaring, he asked the question that had led to the journey. “What have you done here, Nightsinger?” Victor smiled. “As you can see, I have Voltar. I went to the head village and killed Senn. Now I am the clan master!” Kora shook her head, her hands covering her mouth. Terror coursed through her veins as disbelief took over. Victor smirked. “If you don’t believe me, I could take you to the village. There’s not much left, I’m afraid. It was burned down and all its inhabitants killed.”

Theseus shook his head in disgust. “Why would you do this? They were innocent!” Victor snarled at the Kaltaris. “You can’t lecture me, not after what you did to my brother, or my cousin for that matter!” Thesesus threw his hands up. “Graduk was planning to destroy my people!” Victor laughed darkly. “And did you perhaps wait to see if he would actually do it? He may have supported Ingressus, but he did not believe in the slaughter of innocent, unarmed Ardoni. His plan was to get that sort of info, then pass it on to the villages, so that the children and others could get out before the battle. He didn’t show it when he was with Tygren because then the ruse would be up! He was going to save them, and yet you killed him.” Theseus fell back, clutching his stomach in shock. Sensing this was going back, both Theseus and Kora drew their weapons. Tension filled the air as the two opposing sides starred each other down. Kora fidgeted with her grip, sweat rolling down her body. *This isn’t good! This isn’t good at all! We’re outnumbered and outmatched here!*

At that moment, a Felina showed up. She was panting and shaking in fear. As soon as he spotted Victor, she ran to him and threw herself into his arms. Victor looked stunned. “Scarlet? What’s wrong?” The Felina just shook her head as she buried her face in his shoulder. He held her back, quietly comforting her. When she had calmed down, she turned to look at the woods. However, her eyes went wide as she did, and she began to shake. Victor frowned. “What is it? What do you see?” Scarlet shook her head, unable to speak as she pointed. Victor gasped when he finally saw what she did, and all the Voltaris shifted nervously. Out from the bushes, more Voltaris came out, led by one with a skeleton rune on his ashen gray skin. The skeleton Voltaris drew an enchanted diamond broadsword from his back and pointed it at the Nightsinger. With an unnatural calm, he stated his presence. “You leave such a predictable trail. I know you are looking for the Nether, and the only active portal here is nearby this place. Luckily for us, you ran into some distractions. Now, I believe you have something of mine.”

The Nightsinger snarled at the new arrivals. “Ajax, you have no place here. I am now the clan master! You should be with me, not them! Ingressus would have wanted us to get what is rightfully ours to save this clan!” Ajax shook his head sadly. “Victor Voltaris, I was there when Ingressus gave his torch to Senn. He wanted our clan to be accepted, not powerful. He knew that only peace would accomplish that, and it worked. Now you destroy it and expect me to idly stand by while you ruin our clan? What would this accomplish, other than make the other clans kill us off?” Victor curled his lip with disgust. “So be it. You want to fight? Then I shall oblige and end you and your pathetic group right now! I shall prove who the clan master is!” Ajax sighed. “Then you give me no choice.” With that, Ajax and his group charged. The enemy Voltaris, distracted by the new threat, stopped pointing their weapons at Theseus. He pushed her into the tent and charged into battle.

Kora cowered in the tent, unable to bear the sounds of her former friends and her new friend killing each other. Songs could be heard, as could blasts, and Kora worried. *Is Theseus alright? Who’s going to win?* Unable to take the suspense any longer, she crawled out and looked out. Now, only Scarlet and Victor remained. Scarlet and Theseus were locked in mortal combat. Neither seemed able to beat the other, until Scarlet blasted Theseus with lightning. Theseus fell, weakly raising his blade to stop Scarlet, who was now pounding on the fallen warrior. Victor, meanwhile, didn’t have as much success. He tried to stab with Voltar, but Ajax was too quick. Ajax knocked the blade away and pushed Victor to the ground using his feet. Voltar went up into the air, and Ajax caught it. He pointed Voltar at Victor’s throat, and was about to end him, when Scarlet interfered. Using some special ability, both she and Victor teleported outside the grounds. Victor spat at his opponents. “This is not over! I will go to the Nether and get an Army none of you can beat. You are all still too weak to win this war.” With that, Victor used Supporocontstruct to make a portal to the Nether portal. Once he and Scarlet were through it, it disappeared behind them.

One of the remaining Voltaris began to activate a song, But Ajax shook his head. “Let him go. We would never catch in time anyway, and I doubt the Nether will help him.” The Voltaris nodded. Ajax studied Voltar as he continued to give orders. “Find where the portal is, exactly, but do not engage. I want to know, just in case the Nether does decide to help him. The rest of you, fan out to find the other villages and see if we can secure more allies there, or if they have already been burned and turned.” Ajax continued to stare at the blade, and began to murmur to himself. “So beautiful! The staff of my clan, the symbol of our power! Back in the rightful hands. The weapon of both my fathers before me! Now, the responsibility to carry one their legacy is mine.” He frowned at his scarlet blade, which was now broken after shattering in the fight. With a sigh, he dropped it to the ground, replacing it with Voltar. Timidly, Kora crept to him, careful to keep her head bowed. Ajax noticed and smiled at her faintly. “You are probably wondering who I am.” She nodded. “I am Ajax Arcturus Voltaris, son of the Deathsinger and Zinia Arcturs Kaltaris. Victor burned down my village and killed Senn, so now, as his heir, I am the clan master of the Voltaris.” Ajax’s face darkened. “He plans to take the Primes, but I cannot allow it. What he plans will turn everyone against our clan and tear this clan apart. However, I do need help. My clan is split in two and he gains allies quickly.” His expression became kind as he looked at the younger Ardoni. “And who might you be, enemies of my enemy?”

## Chapter Three: ???

Valiant sighed and skulked in the shadows of the massive, looming End Capitol.