Songs of War: The 5th Song... Is A Person?!

Agreement/Journey

"Did you know... before they called me the Tidesinger... I was a fisher from Nestoria? I had never used a song in my life until the war."

"You mean the Great War?" asked Senn.

"'The Great War'... is that what they called it?"

The Great War wasn't all that great.

"I as well lost my closest brother to the Deathsinger. Since then I have traveled to many strange places and seen unimaginable things... yet everywhere I go there is a presence of evil. Before you can fight for what you believe is right, you must first learn and understand what is wrong. Otherwise, you may be destroyed by, or even become, the very evil you sought to fight."

The Deathsinger shook hands with Pythus, son of King Chronos of the Nether, while his brother listened in to their conversation.

"You know, Abbigail... there's never been a female Enderknight before. Perhaps there was a reason for that."

I'm running out of time, thought Riza as she drifted off to sleep again. I need to return to the End soon to gather my strength.

Like humans and Ardoni thrived in the overworld and the Netherans in the Nether, Riza thrived in the End. And thus the End thrived in her.

She woke up feeling sandstone beneath her. They were at the End... how long had she been sleeping? She glanced at the mirror next to her, seeing that she was in her Ardoni markings. Hopefully nobody had noticed the change or the color of them, or what they meant. Her dominant hand, the left, felt numb. She tried to change her skin to that of the familiar purple-haired human the Knights had seen her in, but her skin felt like it was burning. She was still recovering. She sat up, feeling a bit dizzy, and walked around what she recognized to be her house in the End. Although castle was the more proper term. Although it wasn't as tall as the castles in the overworld, it was bigger than a mansion and had multiple floors. The obsidian was glowing purple, which meant her illusions had been dispelled. She flew out, phasing through the wall and landing somewhat shakily on the sandstone outside the barracks. Allister was leaving the building with a set of obsidian armor when he saw her, practically dropping his helmet as he approached her.

"Woah - you can fly - by yourself? And you live in the End? You're not a mob, so -" he faltered. "Are you a royal?"

"Not like I deserve it," she snapped, irritated by his inability to keep it together. "What do you want?"

"Uh - could you help me put this on please?" He held out his chestplate. "I... always had people to do this for me back home."

As he held up his arms, she buckled the straps tightly.

"Where's Abbigail?"

"She should in there," he pointed back towards the barracks. "Somewhere."

"Thanks." She walked there as if she owned the place, which technically she did.

"Wait, I... didn't get your name," he called after her.

"Riza," she replied, not looking back.

As he stood there thinking where he heard her name before, she intercepted Abbigail leaving the barracks.

"Queen Abbigail of the End," she addressed her formally, kneeling. "Permission to state my case?"

"Um... yes? At ease?" Abbigail felt weird being treated this way.

Riza rose, stating, "It is my duty to guide the next ruler of the End. Allow me to lead you to your throne."

Abbigail and her Knights followed Riza back to the castle, who used her magic to open the doors, only to find Allister waiting for them.