Disclaimer: I do NOT own the game 'Minecraft'. I only own this AU series.
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Leeches could be forcibly removed though, but the Shifter did not know that.

-

Sky opened his eyes, feeling dizzy all of a sudden.

"Good, you're awake. Hurry, stand up," a familiar stern voice commanded.

Sky groaned before sitting up and rubbing his forehead. He grunted as someone grabbed him by his amulet and pulled him onto his feet. He turned to see Herobrine. He narrowed his eyes.

"There you are! Where have you been-"

"Hush. Now, we have no time. You have to get back there. Ignore those behind me."

Sky caught sight of Seto, who kept a straight face, and the commander noticed the sorcerer's chocolate brown eyes had glimmering stars in them. Before he could say anything, Herobrine pulled his amulet towards him, letting their noses connect. Herobrine sneered and whispered, "Ignore them. This will hurt a little bit. You'll forget everything you see here."

"But, Hero-"

A fist collided to his face and Sky slowly sank, Herobrine holding him up with his amulet. Herobrine shook his fist and smirked. Dahlberg's got a good skull. He leaned down and put both gloved hands on Sky's chest, over his heart. He shut his eyes to focus of gathering his power to revive him. His soul in the Aether would fade away and go back to their bodies along, thus reviving him.

Seto told him that only Hero had enough power to do such a thing.

Sky slowly faded before disappearing. Herobrine cleared away the clouds and he saw Sky wince back in his body.

-

Sky sat up quickly and wheezed as he started to get his breath to even out. He stood, grabbing his sword beside him. He yelped as Jason grabbed him by the amulet. Somehow the sensation felt eerily familiar.

Jason exclaimed in a panic, "We are losing, Adam. Herobrine is nowhere to be seen. Ty's gone. Seto's gone too! Jerome is absolutely pissed over Mitch's death."

He choked back a sob and yelled. Sky had never seen the sweet soldier break like this, and it broke his heart as well. He was the most patient, the most merciful, the most friendly. War changes people.

"Control this, Adam! Win this battle! You're the fucking commandant. Act like one!"

Jesus Christ, Jason swearing was terrifying.

Sky narrowed his eyes and he ordered calmly, "Get off me and fight. I got this."

Jason smiled shakily in relief before letting go of him and running off. The soldier knew that once his friend went serious, things got rather nasty. After all, he was chosen as commandant for a reason.

Sky turned, he spotted a few medics carry injured soldiers to the safe area, mobs dying and soldiers yelling.

This was madness.

A sudden wave of determination came as he heard a voice.

They're blind. So were you.

Show them what you can do. Show them what you've learnt.
Show them your inner lion.

Make sure they see it.

And make sure they understand you.

Make them cower in fear just by hearing your name.

You're part of something a whole lot bigger, Dahlberg. This is just the beginning.

You need to take flight.

And soar.

Sky then heard nothing. The yells have faded into nothing. He closed his eyes and focused on himself. He felt someone or something stand by him but he knew very well that no one was there. He could sense it. He could sense everything.

He smirked as he dropped his sword and walked forward. He stopped as he reached the middle of the battle field. He then opened his eyes and spoke.

"Stop."

He felt the world stiffen around him. Well, mostly because everyone had actually stopped. Even though he was quiet, everyone heard it. The single command resonated within their heads, like Adam was inside them. They stopped clashing their swords and stood still, facing the commandant.

The Shifter pushed through his mobs and soldiers. He walked to Sky. Their chests were just an inch apart and the Shifter tilted his head, a crooked smile on his face.

He drawled, "Yes, sir?"

The commandant in question responded with enough snark to rival his mentor, "This battle was supposed to be between you and Herobrine. I'm terribly sorry to inform you that your dear 'friend' is not present at the moment. On his behalf, I challenge you."

The Shifter cocked his head and said, "Oh? Details, please."

Sky explained, "Just you and me. The first to get hit, by sword or whatever, will lose. If I lose, you can go ahead and kill Herobrine, I'll gladly show you his whereabouts."

Shocked faces of his soldiers stared at him. Sky was putting his mentor's life on the line. He continued, "If you lose, I have permission to politely kill you."

He put stretched out a hand, "Well?"

The Shifter snickered, "Oh, the resemblances are absolutely magnificent... Deal."

He grabbed the hand. Jason snapped at everyone else to move away to provide space for the two. Soldiers and mobs circled the two, watching closely. Sky stood still, still refusing to retrieve his sword. The Shifter still had the spear stained with Sky's bloods in his hands. He smirked.

In a flurry of movement, the Shifter disappeared. Sky instantly moved away since he sensed his opponent falling from above him.

He turned, "Fair move. My turn."

Sky immediately lashed out, his fists trying to at least brush the... Creature. The Shifter dodged quickly and retaliated immediately. Sky predicted his move and dodged the spear, leaping out at the Shifter's chest. He forcibly pushed him to the ground. He quickly teleported back to his feet as the Shifter picked up his spear and jabbed towards his chest. Sky narrowed his eyes and did not even wait for an attack. He lunged, the Shifter not noticing.

He missed.

His fist was just a inch away from the Shifter's neck. The Shifter stood still. Sky took this opportunity to yell the word Herobrine had taught him to use if he had difficulty summoning objects.

"Retrieve!"

His sword flew from the crowd and into his hand in a matter of seconds. Sky quickly moved his arm, slicing the side of the Shifter's neck. He watched as he made a nice and straight cut right through his enemy's neck, not caring about the blood. The Shifter did not say anything, his jaws wide as he slumped to his knees. He fell down on his stomach and his head was tilted way to the side, only half of his neck cut off. Turquoise blood spurted out of his mangled neck and mouth, creating a puddle on the sand.

"I win."

The mobs stood there in silence. Slowly, they started to head for the jungle, fleeing and only leaving the dead and the soldiers. The army then cheered, raising their fists in the air in triumph. They put an arm around their buddies and yelled in victory, their voices connected as one. Sky then silenced them by clearing his throat.

The euphoric feeling had left his chest. He no longer felt like he had people watching over him.

They could celebrate later, after they clean up the mess.

He barked, "Soldier Petrov, fetch the medical team. Bring a few with you. Sergeant Probst, lead the rest by collecting the dead soldiers on stretchers. We have enough soldiers to carry them back to the base."

"Wait!"

The crowd made a narrow passage to let the commandant look at someone ascend from the nearby sea. The man-no, a soldier dragged himself on the shore and gasped for breath.

Jordan.

Sky rushed to his side and helped him up. Sky helped him limp back to the battlefield and settle down on a patch of grass. Jordan reported, "I killed the enderdragon, sir. She drowned and I held her down."

Sky did not say anything and glared at his soldiers. Immediately, the soldiers carried out their tasks. He then called one medic to tend to Jordan, who was shivering and drenched from the cold water. Once Jordan was pulled away by a medic, Sky looked over the blood stained field. There was still blood and remnants of the bloodthirsty battle.

It would be difficult to clean up this one.

His hand hovered above the hole in his uniform, over a scar that was open and bleeding out just moments ago.