The wind howled through the Barrier Mountains. A Sendaris raised his broad diamond blade high.
"With me, my brothers!" He hollered. "We will rid Ardonia of the trecherous Voltaris today!"
"Quickly, Ingressus, follow me." Dominus Voltaris ushered him out.
"Where are we going, daddy?" Ingressus, a tiny kid, asked with round and curious eyes.
Dominus led him onto the edge of a river and handed him the Voltar and his sword. "From today onwards, you are the Master of the Voltaris clan. This river will bring you to safety. Now GO…"
"There they are!" The Sendaris caught up. Using his golden rings, he teleported ahead and slammed down on the ground. The red shockwave raged down the snowy mountain top, bring up white powder as it passed.
"Ingressus, LOOK OUT!" Dominus blocked the impact with his body. The light went out of his markings as Ingressus tumbled into the icy river.
Achillean Nestoris went to his favorite fishing spot as usual. Kicking loose his sandals on the riverbank and whistling his favorite tune, he put the fresh bait of worms on the hook and threw it into the river. Before long, he had caught a bucketful of fresh fish. Just as he was about to reload with bait again, he spotted a speck of red flowing down the river. It looked like a person, no, an Ardoni. But shouldn't everyone's markings be yellow? He threw his hook and brought the Ardoni ashore.
"Oh, my gosh," He gasped, reaching down to feel his nose. "He's still breathing."
They stood in Master Aegus Nestoris's healing room. Achillean laid the staff and sword before them on the table. "These were his, Master Aegus. Who is he?"
Master Aegus slowly moved the Nestor back and forth over Ingressus. "The staff which you brought is called the Voltar, Achillean. This is the young master of the Voltaris clan."
"But he's about my age…" Achillean said.
"The Voltaris are a troubled clan." Master Aegus said slowly. "We, the four clans, have been hunting them for centuries. If they find him here, they will surely kill him.
"Maybe we should just kill him." Achillean suggested. "He's Voltaris after all."
Master Aegus turned to look at the young Ardoni. "No. That is not what I taught you, Achillean, and that is not what I'll do." He turned back to the unconscious Ingressus. "I will not murder an injured Ardoni under my care, Voltaris or not." He raised the Nestor as Ingressus gave a small umph. "Many of the Voltaris fight to stay alive. I will do what is in my power to shield him from harm. Perhaps it will even start to heal the wounds between our clans." He concentrated, and a moment later, Ingressus's markings faded from red to a dim yellow. "He will be safe, here, with us."
Ingressus found Achillean on the riverbank in his usual fishing spot. He sat down beside him with a roughly made fishing pole of his own.
"I wish to thank you for rescuing me." He said. "I thought if the currents didn't swallow me up, someone would surely kill me after."
"Yeah, I wonder why." Achillean mumbled, his hand slowly reaching for his fishing knife.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Ingressus asked, taking out his pole. Achillean was stunned. "I don't know how to catch fish, but I'd be happy to learn."
"I…I'm sure fishing is not very exciting compared to what you grew up with." Achillean said slowly. What is he saying? Shouldn't he be ready to kill me right now?
Ingressus chuckled. "I would welcome the change of pace. Also," His antlers pulsated slightly, "I don't exactly have anyone else to talk with."
"Okay." Achillean took his hand away from the knife. "The first thing about fishing is…"
Today, Ingressus did not come fishing with him. With the setting sun before him, Achillean returned to the village with a bucketful of fish. However, he found Ingressus standing, a wooden sword in each hand, in his way. Dropping the bucket, he quickly took out his fishing knife. The fish dropped at Achillean's feet and bit on his ankle.
"Ouch!" He jumped. "Why are you here, Ingressus?"
"There's no need for that." Ingressus said. "You have taught me how to fish. It is only fair that I teach you one of my skills in return, a skill that may one day save your life." He turned a wooden sword over, extending its hilt to Achillean.
"I've never even held a sword before." Achillean put away the knife hesitantly.
Ingressus chuckled. "As I had never caught a fish until meeting you." Achillean took the sword. "Everything can be learned with time and effort. Shall we?" They began sparring on the road.
"Your steps seem to be a bit odd." Ingressus remarked.
"The fish bite is annoying." Achillean said. "Is this better?" Achillean changed the positions of his feet.
"Much better."
Ingressus entered the room. "Why have you summoned me, Master Aegus?"
The old Ardoni opened a chest and took out the Voltar and the sword. "Years have I kept these items secret, but I think the time is right for them to be returned to their owner." He handed them to Ingressus.
"Thank you, Master Aegus." Ingressus ran his hand along the staff. "I thought I lost these in the river."
"We were," Master Aegus hesitated, "unsure and worried of your intentions at first, but you have proven yourself an honorable and virtuous Ardoni. They belong to you."
"I wish that all the clans may one day share your compassion." Ingressus bowed.
Ingressus and Achillean were young adults now, gossiping over the latest news in town.
"I heard the Nether is invading locations around Ardonia." Achillean said, "and that there is going to be a tournament in a few days. A champion will be selected to wield the Prime Songs once again."
"All four of them?" Achillean nodded.
"Why do the clans insist upon using them?!" Ingressus burst out, his face reddening. "When will they learn to put those dangers to rest?"
"Ingressus?" Achillean looked worried. "What's wrong?"
"Do you not know?" Ingressus sat down on a nearby rock. "I guess you don't."
"I do, Ingressus." Achillean sat down next to him. "When I rescued you from the river, Master Aegus told me you are Voltaris."
Ingressus sighed. "The Prime Songs have been used against my people for generations. I watched them kill my master and hundreds more!"
"Perhaps you should enter the tournament Ingressus. You are the best swordsman I have ever known, and you claim to be equally skilled with Songs."
"For what purpose?"
"To prove that the Voltaris are worthy of the Prime Songs."
They hugged. "Thank you Achillean, my brother."
"You are welcome, brother."
Ingressus stood before the Masters of the four clans, triumphant in the Tournament. Behind him, Thalleous Sendaris stood with his sword beside him, defeated.
"Well done, Ingressus Nestoris." The Kaltaris Master said. "You have beaten all competition and have earned the right to wield the Prime Songs." He held out the Supporium Prime.
"Ingressus, I am proud of you." Master Aegus said. He held out the Aggresium Prime.
"Thank you, Masters." Ingressus replied. "The honor's all mine." He held the Voltar high and re-initiated himself into red.
"What the!" Exclaimed the Sendaris Master. "The Voltaris was only disguised as a Nestoris! Contestants!" All the other competitors in the tournament ran up and surrounded Ingressus, blocking him from the Masters.
"No Voltaris should ever wield the Primes!" Dictated the Mendoris Master. They withdrew the Songs and left.
Ingressus barged in on Master Aegus in the middle of the flaming village. "The others are all dead, Aegus." His sword was ablaze, the enchants roaring like wildfire. "Give me the final Prime Song, or you will suffer the same fate."
Master Aegus cluctched his stomach, where a wide gash bled slowly. "What evil has corrupted you, Ingressus?" He tried to sit up. "I taught you better. I raised you better."
"What you taught me was that the Ardoni were forgiving, and that I might have a chance to redeem my clan!" Ingressus advanced, pointing his sword in front. He stopped right before Master Aegus.
"But you were wrong!" He declared. "and I was wrong to think so!" Ingressus jabbed his sword forward. "The other clans are stubborn and resentful. They looked upon me with hate and disgust!"
"Ingressus!" Master Aegus finally sat upright against the crumbling wall. "Look around you. Look at what you have done. You grew up with these people. This was your clan."
He did, and sadness came over his face. "Only now, do I understand why."
A red beam of light hit him on the arm, scorching through the skin. Achillean leapt out of the flames and stood between him and Master Aegus. He held a staff Ingressus had never seen before, and positioned himself to strike.
Ingressus, still breathing heavily, turned and ran.
The rest of his life flew by. He found a group of Voltaris hiding deep in the Barrier Mountains, moved to Mount Velgrin, and built an obsidian archway. He fought the Tidesinger at high noon at the mountain's peak, went through the portal, destroyed the Vault, knocked on Sulliman's door, and killed Achillean. He lit his best friend's grave on the cold plains of Northwind, regretting his actions. And now, he stood with a Netheran, in conversation.
"What you are proposing puts yourself and your entire clan in great danger, Ingressus." The Netheran cautioned.
"On the contrary, Volcannus." The Deathsinger replied. "My clan should be safe. I will join you in this attempt to overthrow Pythus. Should we succeed, the Voltaris will see a brighter future, and if we fail, then I alone will fall. Meanwhile, my clan, the Voltaris will live. We will survive. We have always survived."
But then, the memory became painful. As he flew over Hailstone, Ingressus witnessed the blackened Ardoni bodies strewn in the streets and in the buildings. Senn recognized his brother, Almrak, with his wooden leg, among them. There was only one name left resonating: Pythus.
The memory faded back to reality. Senn stood, panting, the Voltar in his hand. It was no longer surrounded by the green aura, and Ingressus now knelt before him, a hand over his wound.
"Do you see now, Senn?" He asked gently.
"Yes," Senn breathed hard. "They're all gone."
"And soon I will join them." His red markings began to flicker and the green sheet on his stomach disappeared. "I tried, all my life I tried to save my people from exile and slaughter. But I was wrong so many times: wrong to think the people will forgive, wrong to ally with the Nether, wrong to kill my closest brother. I allowed the Prime Songs to destroy my very existence. There were times I even forgot my own name." He coughed, blood spewing out of his mouth. "And now it is too late. Too late to make amends. I have lost everyone. The Voltaris are no more."
"You haven't lost everyone." Senn said, supporting him and patting him on the back. "I will restore the Voltaris clan, and everyone will know who fought to save them."
The Deathsinger, for the first time in his life, broke into tears. "Thank you, Senn. Thank you." His gaze turned towards the setting sun, painting the sky with crimson and scarlett.
"Many times have I watched the sun set." His markings were getting dimmer and his voice growing weaker. "Watched as the sky turned bright with colors, the colors of my clan." He choked. "I am glad to see the sun set one… last… time."
The Deathsinger seemed to let go, and he collapsed on the ground. His body turned black and the Prime Songs materialized beside him.