CHRONICLE

BOOK TWO: CORREN

PART FOUR: REBIRTH

Chapter Twenty-Eight:

Under the Deep

Corren dodged to the side at just the right instant- his master's sword whistled right past his head into empty air. He spun to the side, dancing out of the way of another swipe, and then lunged. The old healer parried, but he was ready for that. Shifting his weight, he reversed his sword's direction, coming down from above this time. His master blocked, but the impact drove the man to his knees.

No longer were they playing with wooden staves or practice swords. When they practiced, it was with steel on steel. The healer trusted Corren now, trusted the skills he had worked on for the long years of his boyhood until now. Not an ounce of spare childhood fat was left on Corren's frame. It was all lean muscle, well fleshed out by hard training. He no longer looked the awkward, gangly teen.

He ducked under a quick blow and made one of his own, catching his master in the ribs. Then, without hesitation, he straightened, spinning to give power to his kick. His foot struck out at his master's hands, and the sword within them went spinning into the air, landing point-down into the soil.

The healer took a moment to catch his breath. His breathing was labored, and took time to slow. Corren was sweating, but he was far from fatigued.

Straightening, the healer smiled at Corren.

"Well done," he said, slapping his student on the shoulder. "I think, my son, you are ready."

Laskig felt his lips drawing back in a sneer as he watched the mortal prince. He could sense using the stolen power he carried that this boy was important. The last survivor of an extinct race, the last prince of a fallen kingdom. Notch wanted to do something with this boy, that much he knew. He could see the shining aura of power the senior creator had placed on him. Surely the Thing could see it too, if it was watching.

Well, he would have to do something about that, wouldn't he?

"Chaos," he muttered under his breath. "Time to introduce some chaos." Then he turned to the captain standing in the corner behind him.

Laskig was immune to the intolerable heat of the Nether, but he quickly found few living things could say the same. These pigmen- pig/zombie hybrids, were one of the exceptions. Once fiercely tribal yet peaceful, he had twisted them into his footmen. They were ugly, stupid, and easy to control. Perfect for his purpose. Closing the portal, he spun on his heels.

"Prepare a squadron," he barked. "I will set a portal for you. Once you are through, kill anything that moves. Soak the sands with blood, and do not return until you have done so."

The captain grunted in reply, bowing in its awkward way, before marching out of the room.

Laskig went to the table, gripping the back of his chair. His hands nearly went clear through the stone.

It had been a long time- too long. Too long spent turning the wasteland into his domain, building his fortress and enslaving the creatures about. He had to make his move before it was too late. Notch and the Thing had to be pitted against each other, to destroy one another. It was time to reclaim his original vision.

He was going to end this world and rebuild it from the ashes by his own design.

And it would all begin with this boy. This half-grown man, what was so important about him? Why was he so special?

Laskig's scowl deepened. He would find out soon enough. Either way, it would force his enemies out into the open.

Let the light and darkness annihilate one another.

Striding from the room, he set off for the right hilltop, near the edge of his realm. He would have to time this perfectly. At the stroke of midnight, just as the little princeling was returning from his long journey. He would come home to see his home torn apart, and his instincts would drive him to fight to save those he loved. He would leap willingly into his doom.

Notch sat in his empty throne room, his fingers steepled before his face.

The time was coming. This was the crux.

Waving his hands, three orbs appeared before him. One showed the Overworld, one the Nether, and one the End. Three realms he himself had created. The Overworld to give his fellow gods a place to work, to create and thrive. The End to push back the edges of the void, farther and farther. The Nether... well, the purpose of that place was about to be realized.

With a sigh, Notch ran his hands down his face and sat back in his seat. He wondered then if it had been worth it, expanding his ambitions so. He wondered if he had been foolish in those ancient days when the world began, trying to shrink the void as he had. But even as he had enlarged the rim of the worlds he created, so to expanded the borders of darkness, of nothing. Had he brought this on himself and his brother?

Yet they knew something like this would happen. They foresaw it in that first day, before the other gods were born. And they made their pact. When the darkness came for them again, they would be ready.

Thus, he had built everything with purpose. Every plane of existence, orchestrated for the purpose of ending the consciousness known as the Thing, the Shadow, the greatest of the evil spirits that remained. Once that was done, the worlds would be safe from total destruction forevermore.

His brother knew what to do. That was what they had done all along. Weaken the Thing. Limiting it to their specifications, little by little. Herobrine had not suffered in vain. Even at his weakest, Herobrine had been able to hold the Shadow down and bind it. Notch had added to those bindings, trapping it. Soon he would let it out again. This time, to be destroyed.

Then, he and Herobrine would have to make a choice.

Notch rose from his seat, waving his hand. The views of the realms vanished. It was time to go. He had to ensure things went as needed.

Even then, he would not be able to stop the inevitable. Corren, the prince who had everything taken from him, was about to find he had even more yet to lose.

Huntress here.

Hey, yo, what do you know, a new chapter when we all thought all was lost. Hi. Yes, another one is coming soon on the heels of this one. As you are reading this one, you early birds, know that I am furiously typing away in my room.

Also, those of you that know what is coming, hush.

See ya then. Remember to review, and follow if you'd like first dibs on the next installment.