Songs of War - The Unsung Heroes: Volume 1

Chapter 4

Everyone was tired. Firenis and Airiox set Tempest down. He was awake, but too weak to run.

Aurora caught up with them in the thick and dense pine forests. Tempest sat up on a log, and Airiox helped Firenis set up a little fire.

"A small one, Airiox," said Firenis. "Minimal smoke. The Voltaris will find us otherwise."

Airiox nodded earnestly and began scraping a flint and steel together, eventually producing a spark. He set some sticks on fire, creating a small bit of warmth. Tempest rubbed his hands near it, and Airiox grabbed his sword to go catch something to eat.

"No, Airiox," said Firenis. "The Voltaris aren't going to be in that house for long. They'll try and find us. Going hunting is too dangerous. Even a training champion such as yourself can't take on three Voltaris at once, especially not one with a diamond enchanted weapon. Stay here."

"Ummm... okay," said Airiox, nervous.

"What troubles you, Airiox?"

"I... I kinda just want to go home. The Voltaris are..." Airiox gulped and looked down. "Really- scary."

Firenis smiled. "Yes, they are," he said. "Tempest may not show his fear of them, but he is truly scared. Airiox."

He looked up.

"There is no hero without fear. Heroes have bravery, for sure, but you can't have bravery without conquering fear."

Airiox nodded.

"Consider that your first lesson."

Aurora went to the log where Tempest was sitting on. She sat on the opposite end, but watched him through the corner of her eye.

They waited for about two minutes for the other to say something, but no one did. While Firenis showed Airiox some simple sword fencing tactics, Tempest decided to break the tension, which had gotten so thick that it would take an enchanted diamond axe to cut it.

"So..." Tempest cleared his throat. "Uh, thanks for... saving me... back, um, there."

"Yeah, no problem," said Aurora, feeling relieved of the tension. "So. Where are you from?"

"Uh, Sendaria," said Tempest.

"Oh! Of course," said Aurora, feeling idiotic. "Of course. Yeah. I knew that," she laughed nervously.

She moved a bit closer to him on the log. Tempest noticed, but tried not to show it.

"How long have you been champion?" asked Aurora, trying to make conversation. She felt very odd talking to Tempest but she rather liked it.

"Just a few months. It's... a new experience. And you? Why were you chasing Voltaris?"

"You're probably going to laugh, but... I time traveled here. Through a big purple portal."

Tempest didn't laugh. "You followed Ingressus? From the Great War? Wait, are you... no wait, you can't be. Are you Lieutenant Aurora Nestoris? Tidesinger's lead general?"

"Oh, you know of me! I... wasn't expecting that."

"Did you find any information about where Ingressus went? And did Achillean also come through?"

"Er, well, I drank something... and I think I forgot..." Aurora racked her brain. Tempest turned away disappointedly. "No, no!" she said, frantically. "I can remember. I just need... B... B-something. Star? No, that's not it..."

Tempest watched her with amusement as she tried to recover her reputation as the Lieutenant, but he switched his attention to Airiox's training. He remembered training with Firenis in the exact same manner - the old Ardoni seemed to have a way with teaching. Tempest smiled as he reminisced, and Airiox spun around and sliced the stick in half.