Blade of Fire

Part 1

"T3CHN0 come up and grab your equipment and uniform" The guard called out to the crowd. 

Many Piglins shuffled their feet and grumbled before T3CHN0 walked up to the stage and collected his kit. 

He was young and tall, with head held high and a confident posture. Long legs and strong shoulders lead to him becoming good at fighting, having a height advantage over other people. Slender hands could easily grip a weapon, but fast and hard enough to swing a deadly punch.

His eyes were a clear gold, and between them sat a wide nose bordered by pointed ivory tusks. 

Hanging down his back was a long pink plait of hair, and either side of his head sat velvety down-turned ears.

"To the left, at the back, the others will be waiting" the guard called out "Take your gold arm-guard and axe and you will officially become a Soldier of the Bastion, a Piglin Brute".

The uniform was heavy; a thick dark brown jerkin sat squarely on his shoulders, and his trousers of the same material were held together by a belt with a large gold buckle. The gold axe, arm guard and buckle shone with an intensity that was only found in the Nether, the reddish glow from the fire and lava reflecting and refracting in the shiny metal to give an eerie luminesense. 

Gold was very highly prized in the Nether, it was considered a holy object. Flecks of gold were peppered throughout the rocks, overhangs and cliffs. They were carefully mined and melted in the lava, which was seen as the blood of the world.

It was so holy that it was even etched into the walls of the Bastion as a tribute to the God of the Nether, a stone guilded with riches and patriotism.

Walking over to the rest of the other Brutes, T3CHN0 saw his few friends, M1LN4R and Y4ML3K. As every piglin was given a series of numbers and letters for their names, close friends would often give eachother their own nicknames to be part of a close-nit group

"Milnar, Yamlek!" Techno cried out, and they greeted eachother with smiles and grunts, "It's good to be part of the team!"

They exchanged stories and plans, and food; Milnar had saved some potato broth especially for Techno, as he knew potatoes were his favourite.

A few minutes later the guard called, and filed all of the brutes into a small room for a meeting.

"I have gathered you all here today" he roared for the hubub to settle down.

"For a very important meeting. It is urgent and involves our God"

The room went silent.

"He has become restless. He is moving in his sleep, we have had heard shifting and creaking in the Basalt region. He is unhappy so we will vanquish his anger. You have all been hired to fight and kill for our all-powerful God. He is baying for blood" he said, before finishing with the mantra that was spoken at the end of every public event.

"Blood for the Blood God!"

"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD" the rest of the room hollered, waving their new axes in the air.