Glass: A Collection of Rainimator Backstories

Hogsworth

It had been a couple weeks since King Naeus approached me in the dungeon. Yes, King Naeus. I have grown to accept him as the king after seeing what he had already accomplished in the little time he ruled. He managed to end the civil war and struck deals with King Porkshire of the Piglins for resources to aid in this multi-realm war. I trained alongside Kralos, and the skeleton's methods of training weren't nearly as excruciating as the pigman tradition. If you failed (which I did several times), instead of being deteriorated mentally by scolds, Kralos simply chuckled and reminded me that mistakes lead to progress. This different method of thinking, "mistakes lead to progress" was working, as I saw myself flourish against the spars against Kralos.
"There you go pupil!" Kralos exclaimed, "Again!"
I had to admit, this training felt good. It felt right. We continued to spar before King Naeus approached us, which then we bowed in his presence. "Hogsworth, rise," Naeus ordered, thus, I stood up.

"What do you wish my Lord," I requested.

"Your test comes forth," Naeus replied, then continued, "While you do show promise in the training grounds, its time to see how you favour against enemies in the battlefield."

I gulped. I was fearful for this examination. The test that determines my position in the mighty Nether Horde. "Alright, my lord, whatever I need to do, I'm ready for it," I answered. I followed King Naeus to a rather familiar battleground. The one where the Nether Princess had proven her worth to King Glutton. The arena was empty, which seemed peculiar. "Pardon me for asking, but no one's here," I said, "When you said I had a test, I was expecting more than an empty battlefield... unless-"

"No young Hogsworth," Naeus interjected, "You will not be sparring me."

"Oh phew," I said, relieved, "But who would it be that I spar with?"

"Not spar," Naeus said, "Kill. You will fight to the death against formidable opponents as they come forth."

Kill? I thought to myself. "Best of luck to you," Naeus added as he marched up to the throne that sat above, "Send in the captives!"

I heard a gate open nearby and turned to meet the familiar faces of my opponents. They were the captains and tribunes of the pigman crèches. I couldn't believe it, yet something inside me anticipated this one day. "My lord, I'm not sure about-" "Silence!" Naeus boomed, "You will kill these failure tribunes, or you will die in this arena!"

"Give it up runt," a tribune muttered, "We got the same offer. If we manage to kill you, we roam free." The tribune got smacked across his snout with the skeleton's halberd and spat out blood.

"Let the bloodbath begin!" Naeus commanded. The transporting officers released the restraints on every one of the captives, and they came forth, teeth bared and bloodthirsty. I readied my shield and unsheathed my sword.

One tribune leapt from all fours and grabbed a hold of my shield, clawing over it with his daggers. I shifted my body into a rotation and swung him loose as two others came for my legs. I closed my eyes as this was surreal. Even though you have caused me so much agony. This will not be easy. I'm sorry. I lifted my sword and swung down into one's skull, sending shards of bone and flesh above, before smacking the other captain with my shield.

As one charged before me, I darted towards them, with my shield blocking my front. I smacked him with my shield, jabbed into his chest with the sword, before flinging him into a tribune with daggers. I leapt into the air and smashed the shield's edge into their necks. Stinging frenzied across my back, as a few tribunes took this opportunity to lacerate it. Instinctively, I swung my elbow hard into one's stomach and spun quickly with my sword outstretched. I missed the tribune, and they leapt into me, making me fall over.

I kicked them off me and bashed with my shield and sliced the other tribune that followed on my way up. I stomped onto the tribune's throat and lunged at another with my blade into their stomach. As more approached, I withdrew my shield and ripped a sword out of a corpse's arms. No mercy. I swept my sword across a tribune's stomach and swung down on my right into the shoulder of another.

It was a long, gruelling fight, but one I came out victorious in. "Young Hogsworth, you have proven yourself today! May this day mark the start of the valiant story you will tell your peers!" I stood there breathing heavily and eyeing all the bodies that laid at my feet. I was in shock as the numbers I decimated came into perspective. Things are changing, aren't they? The congratulations and cheers ended suddenly when a soldier ran into the arena.

"My Lord," the soldier spoke hastily as he bowed, "There have been reports of a pyromancer wreaking havoc in the city of Sangrozit! Civilians are being evacuated as we speak, but we aren't sure how many we will be able to save."

"A pyromancer you say?" Naeus said, intrigued, "I shall deal with this one face-to-face... Well Young Hogsworth?"

"M-me?" I said startled.

"You shall accompany me on this excursion. As for you soldier, report to General Kralos. Tell him to prepare the army. We will wage war on the Ender Watchers shortly."

The Ender Watchers? I thought to myself, you're telling me those mythical beings of raw power exist?

"Well, Hogsworth? What do you say?" I looked up at King Naeus as he approached and nodded. "As you wish my Lord."