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“They call him the Deathsinger…” Thalleous repeats himself to the younger Ardoni for the fifth time that day. He didn’t want to be the voice of doom, but the new recruits had to be aware that the Great War was not a joke and that Ingressus Voltaris was indeed threatening the entire land of Ardonia, all for the sake of the four Prime Songs. Thalleous usually wasn’t in charge of talking to the newer Ardoni warriors, but the Sendaris warrior who was supposed to be, was missing in action and Thalleous happened to be in the right place at the right time – at least, for the Ardoni.
For him, he was supposed to be in the main battle further North, but he was held up waiting for the supposed ‘Tidesinger’ that everyone raved about.
He had heard tale of the new champion, but thought it was the Nestoris Clan spinning stories of advancement, when it was apparent that they were losing. Even the Enderknights had been arriving in smaller waves than normal.
Thalleous wasn’t one to believe in fairy tales, nor was he the sort to discard it immediately. He rarely looked to the negative, but something about this ‘Tidesinger’ made him wary that the Ardoni were spreading false hope as a method of motivation.
“Thalleous,” one young Ardoni poked him in the leg. “Is it true that the Tidesinger will save us all?”
What timing…
Thalleous knelt to him. “The Ardoni will do whatever it takes,” he said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He smiled.
Thalleous was interrupted by someone tapping him on the back. He turned to see an Ardoni of the Nestoris Clan, young and healthy. He held a double-ended spear in his hand and leant slightly onto it, a confused look on his face.
“Hi, I’m looking for Ky’Thalleous? Thalleous Sendaris? Do you know where he is?” he asked, his voice mild and timid.
Thalleous cocked his head. “I’m Thalleous Sendaris. Who asks?” He looked the Nestoris Ardoni up and down. He appeared strong and able, yet unready and shy.
“I’m Achillean. Achillean Nestoris? I was expected to rendezvous with you a couple of days ago, but I got caught up in a Voltaris ambush just off the border of Conchord. I hope I haven’t been keeping you…”
Thalleous shook his head, astounded that this was the Ardoni that was labelled the ‘Tidesinger.’ “No, no, my time waiting has not been wasted. Come along, then. We have much distance to make up for.” He watched as Achillean walked past him.
What a strange fellow…
Mounting their horses, Achillean and Thalleous began their long journey to the North battlefield, Ender dragons flying overhead. The first few hours were silent as Thalleous tried to comprehend the contradiction that this Ardoni was – he was the quoted ‘Tidesinger,’ the one to take down the Deathsinger, yet he was kind, polite, well-mannered… He appeared healthy, fit and very powerful. An odd, unfamiliar feeling overwhelmed him into speaking.
“They call you the Tidesinger?” he asked, trying not to sound judgemental.
“I guess they do,” Achillean was modest, yet fair. “I have heard this, but I wouldn’t call myself that – it wouldn’t seem right.”
“Hm,” Thalleous smiled. “I’m glad we get to fight alongside each other. I look forward to seeing what you can do!”
Achillean laughed. “And I, you! I have heard great things about you.”
Thalleous was surprised by this. He had only been doing his part for the Great War – he didn’t realise what he had been doing had made such an impact.
He looked to the staff on Achillean’s back and thought how odd it was. “Your staff…” He couldn’t think of where to take his question. Luckily for him, Achillean could piece it together, himself.
“Ah, you think it to be an odd choice? I must admit, I was sceptical at first, but it has quickly become my favourite in battle.” Achillean was pleased by his choice of weapon in the end.
Thalleous smiled. The more he spoke to Achillean, the more intrigued he became of the Tidesinger.
During battle, Thalleous watched as Achillean rallied all the Ardonian forces together with strength and ire, willpower, and determination – truly admirable. He was glad that he got a front row seat to see it all before him. How he hoped that he would meet Achillean again.
As it happens, Thalleous would get his wish, for he met Achillean again, this time closer to Mount Velgrin’s base. The Voltaris had opened a portal to the Nether for yet another wave of invasion into Ardonia as a distraction for Ingressus to continue searching, again, for the Prime Songs.
He got to watch the Tidesinger fight again with the same strength and ire as the other day. He blushed at the sight of this Nestoris Ardoni fighting with such tenacity. His use of the Songs was much stronger than Thalleous and he admired him for that – especially since Achillean looked up to Thalleous as a strong Sendaris.
It was a few days following that Thalleous heard only the tales that ensued Achillean’s sheer strength as he rallied the Ardoni forces and pushed back against the Voltaris. He knew that Achillean would have to face Ingressus himself sooner or later, but each day that passed between meetings with the Tidesinger, he prayed that they would still meet again before the time came.
He had some advice for Achillean before he went face-to-face with the Deathsinger. He didn’t know what it was, but he believed he would when the time was right.
“Thalleous! It’s good to see you!” Achillean shouted as he dismounted his horse.
Before turning around, Thalleous let his excitement escape unnoticed, to remain composed before the Tidesinger. “Achillean!” Something appeared different about the Nestoris Ardoni. He seemed…more confident…
“I come with great news, Thalleous! We have broken the Nether defences in the North, below Mount Velgrin and we are rallying what Ardoni we can to push the Voltaris back, once and for all!”
Achillean smiled brighter than his Clan’s colours, yet Thalleous did not see this as great news. He knew what it meant for Ardonia, but it also meant that the war was coming to an end and it wouldn’t be long before Achillean would return to Nestoria and he would go back to Sendaria… Maybe. They would have no reason to stumble upon one another again.
“Come, Thalleous! Ride North with me! Fight in this war alongside me one last time as we put an end to this madness. I will seek out the Deathsinger, myself, and then, Thalleous, we shall celebrate!”
Thalleous couldn’t fault the Tidesinger’s optimism, but something was nagging at his insides. Something didn’t feel right.
He still had time to say his piece before Achillean took on the Deathsinger. He just had to find the words.
The ride North was quiet, at first, but with each stop, a dozen Ardoni joined behind them and Thalleous would look to Achillean longingly, hoping he would start the conversation. But as they hit the mountain range, time was running out and Thalleous had to do something.
He stumbled over his words for a few seconds. “Achillean, there’s something you need to know…”
As Achillean dismounted his horse, he looked up to Thalleous, his eyes bright with the challenge and took his staff off his back, stomping it on the ground. He looked proud – admirable. “Yes, Thalleous?”
Trying not to stutter, Thalleous cleared his throat, buying himself a few precious seconds to look at the Tidesinger and admire how much he’d grown since they first met. “Achillean Nestoris…”
“Thalleous Sendaris…”
He cleared his throat again, watching as the multicoloured groups of Ardoni passed by him.
“Thalleous?”
“Ingressus… If you must fight him…” Thalleous trailed off, thinking about the risk that Achillean was taking for Ardonia.
Achillean looked to the Sendaris champion and cocked his head, confused by his inability to speak.
“You know I must, Thalleous… For the sake of our entire land…”
“Yes…” And still, Thalleous couldn’t find the words he wanted to say.
Achillean’s posture had dropped and he held out his free hand towards Thalleous as an offer to help him off his horse. “We must not delay, champion! Come. Perhaps the words you want will find their way to you after taking down the Voltaris and the Nether.”
Champion…
Those words touched Thalleous as he jumped from Timber, coming face to face with the Tidesinger. He looked at the yellow glow of the Nestoris warrior and it made him think of how he had previously mocked the name ‘Tidesinger’ and that the war had done more in destruction than it had in advances. Now, he was looking at a living legend who had once admired the Sendaris warrior and chose him as a role model. Thalleous would never show it, but he welled with pride and…another emotion that he still couldn’t explain.
“Achillean, if you must fight Ingressus, you must keep him away from the main battlefield. His strength is, as yet, unmatched, and the Voltaris will only fuel him. For your sake as well as the rest of the Ardoni, you must stay away…” he had hoped that his words of wisdom would come of with more motivation, but he ended up trailing off and looking away from the Tidesinger. He wanted to protect him at all costs and he thought that not seeing the battle between him and the Deathsinger would make him feel better, but now he’d said it, he wasn’t so sure.
Achillean smiled and patted Thalleous’ shoulder fondly.
“You are a wise Sendaris, Thalleous. I thank you for your help in making all this possible. You’ll see – this will all be over before you know it.”
Achillean took a moment before gripping his staff tighter, looking at Thalleous. He smiled one last time and turned to walk through the pass onto the battlefield were Enderknights were abundant amongst the Voltaris, the human armies, the Felina and the other Ardoni. Even some Magnorites could be seen amongst the chaos.
Thalleous looked out to the destruction, seeing the different species fall to the other. It was nothing that he hadn’t already experienced, but everything seemed worse – as if the Deathsinger’s presence was enough to end an era.
Achillean took a deep breath and turned to Thalleous again. “See you on the other side, my friend!” He saluted the Sendaris and skipped forward into the chaos.
Looking around, Thalleous identified all of the Ardoni markings, but there was one cursed set of markings running away from the blasts and attacks, red and angry, bolting for the passage up the side of Mount Velgrin. He knew exactly what Ingressus was going to do and saw that Achillean had not noticed and darted for the Nestoris, wading through the rushes of people.
“Achillean!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. He was still too far away.
He fired his offensive Song at every opportunity to aid people as he ran for Achillean.
“ACHILLEAN!”
Still Achillean could not hear him.
“ACHILLEAN!” This time, Thalleous got Achillean’s attention as he turned to look at the Sendaris warrior running towards him, distracting him from an attack a Voltaris warrior was enforcing.
Using what energy he had left, Thalleous channelled his Mobillium Song and found himself teleported into Achillean, knocking the pair of them to the ground, avoiding the Aggressium Song that almost took them out.
Both Ardoni coughed in the dust as the Voltaris attacking them had been taken out by a Kaltaris Ardoni. Thalleous propped himself up on his elbows and looked over Achillean.
“Thalleous?”
“I found Ingressus – he’s headed up the mountain!”
At first, Achillean didn’t react and lay staring at Thalleous for a moment as he got himself up. He looked over his shoulder to the mountains beyond the field and then back down at Achillean and sighed. He outstretched his hand to help the Tidesinger to his feet, brushing him down and handing him his staff.
“You were chosen for this for a reason. Now go get them,” he said, patting Achillean fondly. They both smiled and Achillean charged for the foot of the mountains.
Thalleous watched the mountainside for signs as the battle continued for days. He’d hoped that wouldn’t be the last time he saw Achillean Nestoris.
But it was not meant to be, and that boy did more in his few years of being the Tidesinger than Thalleous had hoped to do in his 200 years of life.
He would never forget the Tidesinger.
He would never forget Achillean Nestoris.