Champion: A Songs Of War Fanfiction

Chapter Thirty-Five

"It's the Nether!" Thalleous shout-whispered. The soldiers jostled and hurried back to the portal to their home, keeping a watchful eye out for any Netheran soldiers. As they trudged through the wastes of the Nether, their portal's ebbing, violet light grew ever stronger in the distance, its black frame getting closer.
"They must be on a political mission," Thalleous said. "It explains the King."

"Chronos has ruled the Nether for many years," Herobrine hissed. "Never once has he ridden on one of his beasts for political reasons. Those are mounts of war."

Thalleous sighed. "Let's get to Ardonia and report this."

Herobrine nodded slowly.

"There were ghast-riders," Herobrine said. "Many of them. Chronos was in attendance. It's likely a siege."

Sarrettus stood at attention, Melkor sitting in front of the Lightbringer, pondering this report. Thallous stayed a respectful distance away. The table between Melkor and Herobrine was the only piece of furniture in their small tent, and it was covered in books and maps.

"Or they might be a patrol, looking for spies," the Sendaris master said.

"Their king wouldn't lead them on a patrol, only a battle," Herobrine said, white eyes flashing in the shadows. "You know this."

"Lieutenant Thalleous," Melkor said, ignoring Herobrine's point. "You haven't spoken yet. Why?"

"He realizes there are more important things than his own words," the Lightning God said. "Like the incoming assault."

"I know only that their king rode a ghast, and even that is suspect coming from someone like you," Melkor said spitefully. Herobrine's gaze hardened, his eyes flashing.

"You stiff-necked fool," he said. "I am a God, and you impune my honor?"

Melkor shifted slightly in his seat.

"Answer me," Herobrine said, gritting his teeth. "Unless you're too proud to acknowledge my authority!"

"What authority?" Melkor said. "The Mendaris were the only clan to ask for your presence. A rogue Nestoris joined them. My clan has no obligation to you!"

"I have come to help in your war, and without lifting a single sword, I have! Your plans are more exact with my information, your strategists more prepared-"

"To lose because of an old man's ramblings!"

Herobrine screamed in rage and flipped the table over.

"Don't speak like that to me, Ardoni!" Sarrettus and Thalleous stepped forward worriedly as Melkor stood up to meet Herobrine. Even with the Ardoni's tall stature, the Lightbringer still had several inches on him. "You challenge a Primordial! How dare-"

Boom.

Herobrine was silenced by the thundering noise from the distance.

"Cannon malfunction," Sarrettus cursed. "It's happened again. We can't get the blasted things to work-"

"No," Herobrine said. "No, this is...something else." Abandoning his former anger, Herobrine stormed out of the tent.

"You can't just-" Melkor began, but Thalleous put a hand on his shoulder.

"Perhaps it's best if we let him cool down." Melkor stood for a moment, then nodded. Herobrine was muttering to himself, tiny bolts of lightning ebbing between his fingers.

"It came from that hill!" Herobrine yelled, gesturing to a smaller peak in their large forest clearing. "Artillery fire!"

The Ardoni officers ran towards Herobrine. Melkor, however, stayed behind.

"We have troops from all four clans here," Thalleous said. "Acchilean is presiding over that area. If there's something, he'll take care of it."

Herobrine grunted vaguely. "Cannon fire won't be dealt with by only a hundred or so men. This is what I feared..."

Thalleous, realizing what the Lightblade was saying, immediately ran to the source of the loud noise. Sarrettus was close behind. They dashed in between small hills until they reached the Nestoris soldiers, who were preparing for the worst at the sound of the noise.

"What was that?" Thalleous asked Acchilean, who was currently bustling through some racks of swords.

"We don't know. Today was your clan's day for cannon drills, but that noise came from right around here."

"Is anything damaged?" Sarrettus asked.

Acchilean pointed to a small collection of tents.

"Three men dead," he whispered grimly.

Thallous steeled himself and gripped his sword, turning around to see a red light amongst the yellow, standing on top of a hill.

"Hail, Nestoris!" Ingressus said, a look of steady determination on his face.

Chronos hurriedly constructed the obsidian frame, their ghasts tied up to bundles of rocks. He threw a stone at a ghast, who promptly shot a fireball back at him. Dodging the attack, the ball instead lit their portal.

"Everyone through! Now!" Pythus pushed through the soldiers, wishing to be the first through. Chronos, however, lingered a moment, watching Vulcannus unsheath his sword.

The Voltaris had better be where they were supposed to.

Acchilean's breath caught in his throat. Ingressus had ceased attacking smaller locations: he was now back to the main fight, he had come back to haunt him once more.

"Surrender your prime now! This little outpost isn't important to us!"

Ingressus' eyes lingered upon Thalleous. He seemed like he was about to say something, but then Sarrettus spoke up.

"I am Champion now. Your quarrel is with me."

Ingressus stared at Sarrettus. "You have a chance to save your people, Champion. Will you take it?"

Sarrettus breathed heavily for a moment, the Voltaris master looking at him in anticipation.

"At the cost of our honor?" Sarrettus yelled. "On my corpse!"

Ingressus' eyes went down. "Then your time is over." He turned around as Voltaris warriors streamed past him into the fray, a second shot of cannon fire going for another tent.

Author's note:

Hello, all. Chapter 36 should be out around this weekend.

The numbers on this story are going down, so I'm going to do some promotion. If anyone knows a good place to do that, please let me know.

Godspeed,

-KOS