Ender Kingdom (On Hold for Shadows of Mianite)

Chapter Four: Shade

*A/N*: This chapter is short, and I'm sorry about that. But I wanted to introduce a foe of DiamondBlade, so here's the chapter with it. Like I said, it's short, but the next chapter will be longer. I promise!

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The wind blew DiamondBlade’s chestnut-colored hair away from his face. DiamondBlade was glad for it — he didn’t want to crash dawn because his sight was interrupted with his long wisps of hair. “Come on, Dawn,” DiamondBlade urged, “faster!”

Dawn let out a huff and tried to gallop faster, but DiamondBlade didn’t think it would really make a difference. The sun had reached its peak already and was starting to go down, and DiamondBlade started to think that he had already driven Dawn to her limits. Now he was trying to get her to go even farther, and he felt bad about it. He knew the sand was slowing her down. He didn’t want to be the reason for the death of a horse. DiamondBlade sighed and pulled on the reins, slowing Dawn down. He said soothingly, “It’s alright, Dawn. You can take a break.”

Dawn huffed again and eagerly slowed down. As soon as she was at a complete stop, she fell to her knees and put her chin on the sand, neighing softly. Her rider stepped off of her and sat down on the sand. DiamondBlade twisted his jaw and apologized, “I’m sorry. I don’t have any water. If we can get to the village soon, I’m sure they’ll let you take a drink there.”

DiamondBlade didn’t really know if Dawn understood him, but it seemed like his words had given her a goal to work towards. Dawn’s sky-blue eyes narrowed and she jumped back up, shaking herself and snorting. She swung her head to look at DiamondBlade and motioned to her saddle, neighing.

“Are you sure?” DiamondBlade asked, worried. “I don’t want to work you too hard or anything — ”

Dawn shook her head again and gestured to her saddle urgently. “Alright,” sighed DiamondBlade. “If you think you’re ready.” He ran over to Dawn and jumped back into her saddle, ordering, “To the village, then.”

Dawn dipped her head and reared, and thankfully this time DiamondBlade was ready. Dawn landed on her front hooves nimbly and immediately fell into a steady galloping rhythm. The beat of her hooves pounding the ground started to sound like a drumbeat, and if DiamondBlade hadn’t been riding her, he would have fallen asleep. But he kept himself awake and looked at the sun again. It was still slowly going down. DiamondBlade shook his head and focused on the land ahead of him. He was doing his best to remember where he went in his dream. Right now he was looking for the obsidian outcrop.

Suddenly Dawn halted abruptly, nearly throwing DiamondBlade off. DiamondBlade shouted, “What — ” before slamming into Dawn’s neck and rocking backwards. He furrowed his brow in frustration and protested, “Dawn…”

Dawn looked at him, worry lacing her blue eyes. “What’s wrong?” DiamondBlade asked her quietly.

Dawn let out a frightened bray. DiamondBlade grimaced and patted her. “I wish you could tell me — ” DiamondBlade froze. A sound that DiamondBlade easily recognized filled his ears. He moaned, “Oh, no…”

It was the song that the enderman hummed, and this time, it wasn’t the soft, peaceful tune that it had started out as. This time it started as the real music — the frightful melody full of haunting nightmares and evil. And DiamondBlade was certain that Dawn could hear it too. “Come on, Dawn,” DiamondBlade breathed. “Ignore it. We have to keep going.” At least I know where we are, now.

Dawn looked at DiamondBlade nervously. She neighed quietly and shook her head. DiamondBlade begged, “Please, Dawn. Don’t do this. The village…I know where we are.”