"Sending the majority of your forces into the Nether?" Pythus stopped a few meters in front of them. "Not a smart move. Now you're all that's left."
"And I take it you are not alone." Ria said, readying her spear.
"Clever girl." Pythus raised his axe, and from all around them, wither skeletons stepped forth. They formed a tightly-knit circle around them. As they decided what to do, the skeletons started closing in.
"The End realm took way longer than I expected," said Pythus, "But after I eliminate you, the people inside would not stand a chance." He stepped closer. The circle became smaller and smaller, the wither skeletons clumped together, and the wall became thicker and thicker.
"Senn, I guess this is it." Ria reached for Senn's hand. "It has been a great life by your side."
"No, not unless we stop Pythus." Senn drew his sword and charged.
Pythus raised his axe and knocked the blade out of his hand. He readied his axe to kill. "Foolish boy." He mocked. "What were you think…"
"KABOOM!" Thunder roared and a lightning bolt descended from the sky. It branched out over their heads, striking every skeleton in a blinding dome. He flew down, sword in hand.
"Does He always have to cut it this close?" Val complained.
"No." He answered. "But where's the fun in that?"
Pythus stood up, a bit dizzy from the shock. He shouted angrily as he thrust his axe towards the sky. "Kill Him!"
The Ghasts started shooting fireballs at Him. He flew away, drawing the Ghasts with Him.
"I'll go help!" Val said. She summoned her wings and took off.
Senn stood up with his sword. "It's just us now, Pythus. We will end you and this war."
Pythus laughed. "Not if I end you furst!" Quick as a flash, he took his axe and swung it in a huge circle. They both ducked. Ria summoned her Song and glided into the air. Bombarding Pythus with fireballs and comets, she dived. Pythus swung his axe to catch her mid air, but she froze into a blue statue as his axe hit and transformed back, landing a solid blow on his head.
Pythus staggered backwards, and Senn stood to catch him with his sword. However, whirling around, Pythus raised his axe and cut at Senn's legs. He had to block. On his other side, Ria had landed and jabbed her spear at the Netheran. As if he had eyes on the back of his head, Pythus grabbed the spear and pulled. Ria toppled forward uncontrollably and Pythus kicked her in the head, leaving her unconscious.
"Ria!" Senn shouted. He broke away from the Netheran and ran to her side.
"Foolish girl." Pythus stopped to enjoy the torment. "The Ardoni have been given the greatest power in ths world: to use the Songs of War. But tell me, what benefit are these powers when still you die the same? Power does not reside in a weapon. Ingressus believed the Prime Songs would give him strength. She believed the Prime Songs would win this war, but look at how they have served you both." He walked towards them. "Let me tell you what real power is: power is an illusion, constructed in the minds of those who fear it. And I, the only one with the courage to seek control of it, am the most powerful of all." Raising his axe high above his head, he poised to kill.
"No," Senn raised his sword. The blue diamond broadsword caught the axe on the missing triangle. "That is your twisted imagination of power. Power is responsibility, to protect your people, to protect the ones you love." He lifted the axe off him, rolled to the side, and stood up.
"Your journey ends here, Pythus." Senn fired his Aggressium fireball. Pythus spun his axe before him and it exploded on the hilt. Staggering backwards, Pythus looked around for the white Ardoni, but he had vanished with a flurry of golden circles. In a heartbeat, he appeared above his head and drove his sword downward like a falling stalactite. Pythus stepped to the side, waited for his fall, and swung his axe like a club, slicing through the air.
At the last split second, a blue bubble materialized around Senn and he was knocked away. His head hit a tree trunk as the bubble broke and he fell to the ground, where he kneeled, unable to stand.
"Foolish boy." Pythus held his axe at his side. "Do you really think your puny tricks can defeat me? I, Nether king Pythus, am the most powerful…"
An Ardoni, with golden wings on his back, swooped in and knocked Pythus away with his staff. "Pythus!" Roared the Deathsinger, "You and I have a debt to settle!"
"That's right." Pythus slowly stood back up. "How much do you owe me?"
"You owe me your life!" The Deathsinger roared. With a huge green hand, he tore out a tree branch and smashed Pythus. The Netheran cut through with his axe.
"Is that so?" He taunted, "Then come and get it!" He ran towards the city.
The Deathsinger summoned Ria's platform and chased after him. Using a green bubble, he ripped a rock from the wall and threw it at Pythus. He dodged with ease and continued sprinting. Finally, the Deathsinger gave a huge boost of speed and intercepted Pythus just as they reached the city plaza.
Pythus sunk his axe into the beacon, smashing it into bits. "No one will come to your rescue." He said. "The city is empty, the beacon is down. It's just me and you."
"No." The Deathsinger replied. "It will be only me." He teleported before Pythus with a spin of golden circles and jabbed his sword forward. Pythus blocked with his axe. Now on the offensive, he swung his axe from the right, and the Deathsinger leapt into the air with golden puffs. Summoning the green hand again, he tried to snatch at the axe, but to no avail.
"Come on, use your Songs, or is the Deathsinger now mute?" Pythus taunted.
"Ria?" Senn leaned over her. She slowly opened her eyes. "Is it over?"
"No. The Deathsinger is battling Pythus. They are in the city." Senn said.
"Then, he needs our help." Ria wheezed. She tried to stand, but couldn't. "Can you?" She took out the Prime Songs, "Bring these to him?"
"Ria, I…" Senn did not take the Songs. "I thought the whole point of this battle is for the Deathsinger not to have all four Primes?"
"It is the only way he can beat Pythus." Ria said.
Senn held the Songs in his hands. He felt the familiar pull of their corruption. No, he cannot. Think of Ria, Thalleous, Galleous, Grek, Grim.
"Are you sure?" He asked, his eyes moving away from the pulsating cubes.
"Yes, now go." Ria fainted, the light blue markings on her body flickering slightly.
Another Ardoni landed. Val knelt down beside them. Seeing the cubes in Senn's hand, she became entranced. "Are those?" She reached forward.
"Yes." Senn replied, pulling the Songs closer in. "Ria asked me to deliver these to the Deathsinger. He's battling Pythus."
Val shook her head and looked down at Ria. "Then you must make haste. I will watch over her."
"Ingressus!" Senn panted. He could feel his back muscles ache. He might have cracked something. "I brought you the Prime Songs!"
The Deathsinger looked, and Pythus left a deep gash in his stomach.
"Umph! Quickly! Give them to me!" Senn ran forward and gave him the Songs. The Deathsinger fused with the Protesium Prime instantly. Pythus charged forward at the moment of distraction, raising his axe high. Senn did the first thing that came to his hands. He summoned the blue bubble and was knocked backwards, hitting a bench.
Ingressus took a while to learn the Aggressium Prime, but eventually, the red cube disappeared into his body. He rose to his feet, using a green, half-transparent sheet to cover his wound.
"Now, you will taste the true power of the Ardoni!" He roared. Leaping into the air and sprouting golden wings on his back. He launched a flaming fireball. Pythus blocked by spinning his axe, and was knocked backwards. Ingressus fired a crimson comet, then scarlet darts, then a red beam of light. Pythus retreated. Into the Palace, up the stairs, and into the throne room. Ingressus turned off the wings, and hopped on golden spurts. With a green bubble, he ripped out a huge piece of granite from the ground and hurled it at Pythus. The Nether king barely doged it. Ingressus jumped onto a flying golden platform, and summoned Senn's blue ball.
"Huah!" The red Ardoni shot forward and knocked Pythus over the edge of the dragon's platform. Ingressus collapsed, just like he did, one hundred and fifty years ago.
But no, this time he will make sure there are no surprises. Leaping down, he ran his sword through Pythus. Watching his orange markings fade, he returned to the plaza.
"Senn?" He patted him on the cheek.
The white Ardoni coughed and opened his eyes. "Oh, I'm so glad you are alive." Ingressus gasped.
"Deathsinger, Ingressus," Senn said slowly. "Is this the end?" He reached towards the Deathsinger's wound.
"Yes, I am afraid it is." Ingressus took Senn's hand. "Listen. When I die, you will be the last surviving Voltaris. Even though you are only half."
"What happened?" Senn asked, "Where's the rest…"
Ingressus held out the Voltar, surrounded by a light green aura. "Take this. You will see my memories. You will now be the Master of the Voltaris clan."
Senn reached out, and when his hand closed around the handle, a dreamy world suddenly erupted inside his head.