The Sendaris champion ravaged our village of Northwind. He stabbed one of my brothers in the back, another in the head. He slit the throat of my uncle. I watched him rend each and every Voltaris he could see. He moved towards me, several clan brothers of his by his side. Slowly but surely, he was approaching me.

The charred lump of wood that was once my family's home burned as flaming arrows pierced the night sky. The Sendaris champion led a group of soldiers through my village, killing dozens. While we were able to make a dent in their numbers, we were no match for their superior armor and weapons. Our out-of-the-way village simply couldn't receive the support from The Nether and the main armies that others could.

We were only trying to seek justice; we had been exiled for trying to access the true power of the songs. We wanted vengeance for that centuries-old crime, and if many of us had to die for that cause, then so be it.

His allies were slain one by one by my brothers, but he remained. Persistent. Annoyingly persistent. Then, he saw me. We made eye contact. I saw an archer on his side raise his bow to me, glancing at the Sendaris murderer. The champion lowered his companion's bow.

"The boy is of no danger. We will not waste our arrows on children, Osivian."

"As you wish, Thalleous."

Child, am I? I thought to myself. I was approaching manhood quickly. Did the crossbow I held in my red hands not show that? Was I not fighting for my clan and for our vengeance, same as my father and my grandfather? The champion's arrogance, his cockiness, his confidence, it filled me with rage. Boiling, righteous rage.

I saw our Master, Dominus, fall to Thalleous' blade. I was the only one who witnessed this except for his young son, Ingressus.

"My son," Dominus whispered. "You must bring us to victory."

With his dying breath, the dying man passed Voltar to his son, making him the new master. A tear ran down Ingressus' cheek as his brothers were slaughtered. I yelled in anger, loading my crossbow with another shot. I took aim, and fired at a Nestoris head. I watched the arrow sail through the air, until the bolt rang true and the Nestoris' yellow-orange markings faded. I smirked with grim satisfaction, preparing to fire once more. I used my Aggrosphere song to destroy two Kaltaris who were using their bows, and fired my crossbow at a third warrior.

A flaming arrow struck the soldier next to me. He fell, and the flames of the shaft lit the wooden wall aflame. More arrows struck the soldiers around me, further broiling the defense wall. Several arrows pierced the supports to the wall.

"Tygren!" My father shouted. "Flee to the peak!"

"But you'll die!" I screamed, tears streaming down my cheeks.

My father embraced me. "Nothing can save me from that fate, my son." A rogue sword flew through the orange-black air. "I am to die for our vengeance. You are not. Go!"

He pushed me away, and I slid down the ladder of the wall, knowing that I had to run to the peak of Mount Taithus. There, perhaps, I could find brothers who could stop the advance of the Sendaris warriors. Thalleous was advancing quickly, and I knew I would have to face him. I grabbed a stray axe lying on the ground, and ran at the Champion's back. Taking advantage of his distracted state, I attempted to chop his head off. However, he used his Mobilium prime to dodge my attack, causing me to hit one of his companions. His friend, Osivian, attempted to hit me, but I parried his blow.

Then, TNT exploded, knocking us all back many blocks. I took advantage of this, and began to run to Mount Taithus, where a fortress with reinforcements lay. Arrows sailed through the night sky, catching fire in the flames the other clans had started.

Just as the wall began to collapse, the name of the Sendaris Champion flashed through my mind. The ardoni who had caused every bit of my pain, suffering, and anguish. The damnable crimes he committed against the Voltaris, against me–they poured fuel into my step. His name gave my every stride purpose.

Thalleous.

Thalleous Sendaris.