The Great War

The Challengers Rise

Varek paced back and forth in Aegus' new home, Achillean and Thalleous sat on a couch while Zulius stared out a window. They were contemplating their next course of action. Zulius was still pissed at the death of his brother, and his master, he laid the Kaltaris Master staff on the wall.

"Well, this is pointless." Thalleous said, bored. Zulius clicked his tongue.

"Sorry jackass, would you like to just leave and kill the Deathsinger or do you already have a plan?" Zulius said, Achillean sighed, knowing that Zulius was about to start something.

"Since when do you use language like that? It's unlike you." Varek said as he stopped pacing, Zulius turned from the window.

"I'm pissed off, Varek... Ingressus killed my brother and three of the masters, including yours! So not another word from you." Zulius said, when Thalleous told him to shut it he knew it was out of reason, but this wasn't reason, it was anger. This provoked Varek, he quickly walked up to Zulius and grabbed him by his shoulders, lifting him up. This caught everyone off guard because Varek has never proven to be so strong to lift Zulius in the air with such ease. Varek slammed Zulius against the wall, still suspending his body 1 foot in the air.

"Speak ill of me again and I'll throw you out the fucking window, I don't take orders from you, do you understand?" Varek snarled as Zulius nodded, he winced at the pain of Varek putting pressure on his burn. Varek let him go, his body dropped, he didn't even land on his feet. Zulius held his hand out for Varek to help him up, but Varek turned around and went back to pacing in the center of the room.

"So is your next move to go to the End?" Achillean asked, Varek nodded while he put his hand on his chin. Zulius got up from the ground and wiped the dust off of his body.

"Thanks for the help guys." Zulius said as he looked at Achillean and Thalleous, they looked back at him.

"Pfft, I'm not touching him when he's angry." Thalleous said as Achillean chuckled, Thalleous looked at Achillean, who nodded in agreement. Despite his chuckling they all new Varek meant business when he was infuriated.

"I think rallying the Ender Knights for another attempt at the Nether is our best bet... even though we lost Uron... we still have Hadion, Rendor, Calian and I..." Varek tried to reason but it sounded like a horrible idea. Losing another Ender Knight would put a major dent in their forces.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Thalleous said as Achillean nodded in agreement.

"What other plan do you have?" Varek asked as they all shrugged. When Varek knew they had no other ideas, he continued his statement.

"I will head to the End and think of something, I will return when the plan is formed." Varek said as he left the building, after a few more minutes of brainstorming between the Sendaris, Kaltaris, and Nestoris Ardoni, Aegus walked into the room.

"I've been thinking." Aegus said as the 3 Ardoni looked at him.

"We're all ears." Achillean said, crossing his hands, Thalleous unwrapping his bandages.

"Based on the tournament, the finalists are, by definition, the 5 strongest Ardoni... so if you four team up and fight Ingressus alone..." Aegus said as Zulius face palmed.

"In the name of the entity, we're stupid." Zulius said as Achillean laughed, Thalleous chuckled.

"Why didn't we think of this sooner?!" Achillean laughed as everyone's face went straight. They were joking, they thought this was also dumb.

"It's a nice thought, but it won't work, we don't work well together." Achillean said, Zulius stepped forward.

"Varek nearly threw me out your window." He said as Thalleous nodded to confirm.