Consequences

Prologue

/A/N/ I have no idea how to draw fire...

When Ingressus was announced the victor of the tournament, Achillean couldn't help but tense up. Although he had a lot of faith in his brother, he had still been worried since Ingressus was, after all, going up against four warriors as capable as him, including Thalleous Sendaris, who had won countless tournaments before, but Ingressus had done it. He had won.

But winning was just the first part. The next part was the one Achillean had been even more anxious about. Now that the moment came, the Nestoris wasn't so sure it would work. The other clans have been wary of the Voltaris for centuries. What's to say they won't kill him on the spot before he even had a chance to explain? The more he thought about it, the more agitated he was. The only thing that comforted him was that Aegus was there. Surely if the Nestoris master said something, at least some of them would listen.

The four masters stepped forward, holding out the Prime Songs to Ingressus. Ingressus glanced at the crowd, meeting Achillean's eyes. Achillean could see that his brother was just as nervous and probably having second thoughts. Not wanting to worry him any further, the Nestoris hid his own feelings, forcing a smile and nodding to Ingressus, encouraging him to go for it.

Ingressus took a deep breath, then held up his staff. Achillean noticed Thalleous' eyes widen in recognition. Voltar was activated, and Ingressus' yellow markings faded into the red of a Voltaris, some hints of his Nestoris colours still remaining.

The crowd gasped. The masters all had shocked expressions on their faces, even Aegus. It was then Achillean realised they shouldn't have kept the Nestoris master in the dark and told him beforehand. It was just that the two young Ardoni knew Aegus wouldn't allow it and wanted to save themselves from being scolded for even thinking of such a thing.

Before Ingressus could say a word, a few armed Ardoni rushed forward into the arena. No, no, no... What Achillean had been dreading was coming true. Ingressus was surrounded, weapons pointed at him as the Voltaris glanced around in fear. Ingressus' gaze fell onto Aegus, hoping the Nestoris master would help, but Aegus stood there, silent and merely looked at him, conflicted.

Aegus was not going to help him.

Achillean was the only one who could.

Yet Achillean was frozen in place, afraid of what would happen if he spoke up. As much as he wanted to help Ingressus, a part of him stopped him, held him back, not wanting to know what would happen if he couldn't convince everyone else, which he was not confident in successfully doing.

All the moments he shared with Ingressus flashed by in his mind. When he found Ingressus washed ashore, when he first taught Ingressus how to fish, who in turn taught him how to fight. They had always been there for each other, and now, Ingressus needed him more than ever.

' Take him away!' he heard the Kaltaris master command the other Ardoni. Ingressus' eyes flew desperately in his direction, silently pleading for his brother to help him. Achillean was running out of time, if he didn't say anything, he didn't want to imagine what the other clans would do to Ingressus. The Nestoris finally found it in himself to push aside his doubts, rushing into the middle of the arena.

' Wait!' Immediately, everyone stopped, turning their attention to him. Achillean felt his dread crawl back in, but he wouldn't let it get the better of him. Not now when his brother was at stake, ' I have something to say!'

The audience started murmuring to each other, especially his Nestoris friends, who cast him weird glances. The Kaltaris master narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him, then eventually gave in, ' Speak.'

Achillean gulped. He had to choose his next words wisely. Ingressus' fate was in his hands now, ' I...' he struggled to find the right thing to say, ' I'm aware of the stories of the Voltaris, but... we shouldn't judge him just because of the colour of his markings... I believe... we should give him a chance.'

' For centuries the Voltaris have been a threat to us, what's to say he is any different?' the Kaltaris master queried. Achillean winced, knowing that it wasn't true, that it was them, the other clans, who had banished the Voltaris, then hunted them down with their own creation, believing in the twisted tales of how "evil" they were. Achillean once did too, but he learnt how wrong he was after meeting Ingressus.

' My clan has done nothing wrong!' Ingressus protested, his anger rising at the false accusation, ' We merely seek peace with the other clans!'

' Then why are you here?' the Sendaris master questioned the Voltaris, ' Perhaps to get your hands on the Prime Songs so you can have revenge?'

' Ingressus would never do that!' Achillean defends him, ' He only wanted to help in this war!'

' How do you know that?' Aegus' eyes widened when the Kaltaris master asked the young Nestoris. He raised a hand, signaling for Achillean to stop, ' Achillean...'

However, Achillean ignored the clan master, and blurted out, ' I have known Ingressus for more than half my life! He would never dream of-'

' Are you saying you have known a Voltaris for years and haven't told anyone?' the Mendoris master interrupted him, making Achillean pause, ' You could've endangered other Ardoni, even your friends and family. You're lucky he only decided to act until now.'

' All Ingressus wanted when he joined this tournament was to prove that the Voltaris meant no harm! And he didn't plan anything, I was the one who suggested it!' With every word, Achillean didn't realise he was only digging a deeper hole for himself instead of saving Ingressus. When the masters only glared at him, Achillean looked hastily towards Aegus, ' Master Aegus, please... tell them!'

All eyes landed on the Nestoris master, curious to see what Aegus had to say. Aegus looked between the rest of the masters and the two Ardoni he had seen as his own sons. He had to choose a side.

After a few seconds that stretched out like hours, Aegus finally muttered, ' No...' Neither Ingressus nor Achillean could believe what they just heard. Aegus, the one who was a father figure to the two of them... was leaving them to die.

The Kaltaris master turned back to face Achillean, ' Take them both to the dungeons!'

Achillean couldn't even do anything, frozen in betrayal as a Sendaris behind him grabbed his arms, pinning him to the ground before he could struggle free. At the sight, Ingressus yelled, ' I'm the one you want dead! Leave Achillean out of this!'

' After everything he has done, he deserves to rot together with you,' the Kaltaris master hissed, chilling Achillean to the bone at how heartless he was. It took him a moment to realise it wasn't just the Kaltaris master. Everyone, except for Aegus and Ingressus, was staring him down like some sort of traitor.

/A/N/ Chapter 1 coming sometime tomorrow.