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"Distance sometimes let you know who's worth keeping and who to let go."
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Ian knocked on the door before opening it. "Adam, you here?" he asked opening the door to Sky's office. He looked in, not seeing him. 'Geez, where is he?' he thought before he closed the door. But he sighed. 'Wait, he said he wanted to check in with Jason first. So their house.'

Ian left the building, going towards Sky's and Jason's house. He frowned a bit. 'One day we will move my stuff over, one day...' he thought before looked at the house. But Ian slowed to a stop seeing the door wide open. "Weird..." he mumbled. 'Did Sky or Jason leave the door open?' he thought before he walked up the porch.

He pushed the door open. "Sky, are you--ADAM!" he shouted seeing Sky laying on the floor. He rushed over to him, grabbing his arm, shaking him. "Adam! Can you hear me?!" Ian did a quick look over, not seeing any places where he is bleeding...or at least bleeding anymore. 'He was attacked, but by who or what?!' his thoughts raced before he pulled out his com-link, hooking it on his ear and pressing all the buttons but Sky's and Seto's, since Sky was right here and Seto is out of range anyway. Ian flinched hearing Sky's ringing but he looked up the stairs hearing another.

"Jason!" Ian rushes up the stairs as the others start picking up.

"What Ian--"

"Sky's been attacked! Jerome, Mitch, you two need to search the base for the intruder and raise the alarm! Quentin, come to Sky's and Jason's house, now! Sky is hurt really badly and I think Jason might be too. Ty and Rosani, you two can come over if you want, but if you do, help search the base! The attacker could still be here!" Ian shouted before hanging up, not giving them time to respond. "Jason!"

Ian looked in each room but stopped seeing that Jason's bedroom no longer had a door on it. Ian went to it, looking in. "Jason! You here?!" Ian called but didn't see him. But Ian noticed Jason's com-link laying on the dresser. Ian bit on his bottom lip, turning and going back to Sky, falling on his knees.

"Adam, talk to me," he begged as he heard the alarm being raised outside signaling to the entire base that there is an intruder. He didn't want to move Adam, not when he has a head injury. Being childhood friends with Quentin has taught Ian some things about the medical field, but Quentin is still the expert. And while he is worried about Jason, he is more worried about Sky right now.

He was relieved to see the commander is still breathing, but his breathing is struggled and uneven. Quentin came running in, with two recruits behind him and Jordan as well. Ian moved over to Sky, letting Quentin be in front of the commander.

"Commander!" One of the recruits gasped upon seeing Sky's state.

"W-What happened?!" Jordan asked.

Ian shakes his head before looking at the two recruits. "I don't know, but Jason might be here and just as badly hurt. I want you two to search the entire house for Jason or any clues as to what happened," Ian ordered. The two recruits nodded and left, searching the house. Ian looked back at Sky, Quentin moved around.

"Ian," Quentin said as he cradled Sky's head and neck. Ian nods, knowing the drill. Ian gently moved Sky from laying on his side to on his back. "Jordan, go get a stretcher from the infirmary and extra hands. And tell the infirmary to prepare for burns and an extensive head injury too!" Jordan nods and runs out of the house. Quentin opens his satchel, looking inside as Ian bit on his bottom lip.

"Y-You can fix him right?" Ian asked Quentin.

"I don't know, Ian. I'm not worried a whole lot about the burns. But from how he was laying, he must have been pushed down the stairs and whacked his head during that. I'm worried about his head injury and how he is breathing," he said honestly.

Ian nods. "H-He couldn't have been laying here for long. I just talked to him two hours ago--"

"Ian, that is a long time. Sky could have bled out and died during those two hours," Quentin said. He glanced at Ian, sighing. "He's strong, Ian. Hopefully, he will push through this."

After five minutes, Jordan and two recruits came in with the stretcher. Quentin had pressed a cloth on Sky's head wound, wrapping a piece of gauze once to keep it in place. Ian stood up, helping to lay the stretcher beside Sky.

"W-Wait, wait!" Quentin exclaimed pushing their arms away from Sky. "We need to be careful, okay? Head injuries are dangerous. Jordan, there is a blanket on the couch, go grab it."

Jordan nods and leaves, going over to the living room and grabbing two blankets, and coming back. "I have two," he said.

"Great, fold one up," he said. They were trying to work as fast as possible, they wanted to get Sky to the infirmary quickly but they had to be careful because of the nature of his wounds. The two recruits that were searching the house came back.

Ian looked at them. "Well?"

"General Probst isn't here but there is damage upstairs," they said.

"We'll worry about Jason later, Sky needs us now," Quentin said to them. Quentin cradled Sky's head as they transferred Sky from the floor to the stretcher. Quentin covers Sky with the other blanket, making sure his head is rested against the makeshift pillow.

Ian flinched at the sight of the pool of blood staining the wooden flooring where Sky once laid motionless. "Jordan, Ian, you two carry the stretcher. Recruits, protection. This attacker could still be on base, we aren't taking any chances."

Once they were able to get Sky out on the stretcher, they rushed towards the infirmary. Quentin kept his hand on Sky's neck, making sure he is still breathing and trying to keep his head as still as he can.

"Stay with me, Sky. You're gonna be fine," Quentin said but what more saying to himself. Sure, he's seen Sky pull through with worse injuries. But no one knows how long Sky was laying there and he looked like he lost a significant amount of blood. Not only that, since he fell down the hardwood stairs, he could have broken or fractured bones. Also, he is worried about Jason and what became of him.

Quentin bit on his bottom lip as they entered the infirmary. Once they got to the beds, Quentin shouted. "Critical! Extensive head injury, burns, and possibly broken or fractured bones. Has been unresponsive and unconscious for an unknown amount of time," he announced.

As soon as they moved Sky from the stretcher to the bed, he started to stir. He groaned, turning his head slightly.

Quentin cupped his cheek, keeping his head still. "Adam? Can you hear me?" he asked. Sky groaned again, his arm moving slightly but he didn't open his eyes. Quentin nods a bit, understanding. "Okay, try not to move so much. I'll get you something for the pain."

"Ja..." Sky weakly spoke.

"Jason?" Ian asked him. But Sky didn't respond.

Quentin glanced at Ian, looking at Sky. "Don't overwork yourself, you have a head injury. Just try to relax," he said. Quentin was set somewhat at ease by Sky's conscious state, but he wasn't completely calm yet. Just because Sky is awake now doesn't mean he is okay. Quentin cut off Sky's shirt, pushing it aside only to instantly flinch his hand away once he saw a black rash on Sky's skin.

Ian's eyes widen a bit once he saw it. "I-Is that--"

Quentin nods. "The Wither Curse," he said before looking at Ian. "Get Ty to fly over to Fyre Academy and get Master Waglington." Ian nods and leaves. Quentin looked at the curse, inspecting it but he saw the hesitation in the nurse and another doctor. Quentin sighed. "As long as you do not touch his infected skin, you won't get the curse. I'll deal with the wound on his chest with the rash." As they got to work, Quentin was almost sure about what had happened. But he was stunned that Jason would attack Sky. After all, Quentin has noticed Sky and Jason growing closer, and he was happy to see that since Sky has said that Jason has been opening up to him.

So to see evidence that points to Jason attacking Sky and leaving him bleeding on the floor...it doesn't make any sense to him.

Quentin bit on his bottom lip. 'Jason, where did you go? Why?' he thought to himself as he cleaned Sky's wound the best he could, trying his hardest to avoid touching Sky's cursed skin.

"Commander? Commander Skylen?" The nurse questioned. Quentin picked his head up, looking at the nurse and seeing Sky's eyes closed.

"No," he mumbled before he touched Sky's neck. He was relieved when he felt a pulse. Quentin forced open Sky's left eye. "Adam...Adam!"

"Is he—"

Quentin saw the curse grow making Sky's body tense up in response. He shakes his head. "No, no. It's not a coma, he's still responding to pain. It is once he stops responding to pain that we need to be worried," he said before he moved beside the top of the bed. Quentin moved the makeshift bandage over Sky's head wound, carefully pushing Sky's blood-soaked hair to look. He looked at it, inspecting it.

"Well? How bad it is?" The nurse asked.

Quentin smiled a bit. "It looks worse than it is, thank notch," he said before he told the nurse what he needed to treat Sky's wound.

"Quentin!" He heard someone shout making him look to his right seeing Ty.

"Ty, what are you—"

"Captain Derek is getting Master Wag," Ty said rushing over beside the bed. He looked over him, his hands balled into fists once he saw the wither curse. "Jason did this?"

Quentin shakes his head. "Ty, let's not jump to conclusions. We don't what happened, Jason could have accidentally hit Sky with a spell while being attack. You know how poorly Jason can control his powers sometimes," he said.

Ty paused before he remembered what his sister gave him. He pulled open a container. "Here, Rosani gave me this. It is magic healing cream, hopefully, this will—"

Quentin quickly swiped it out of Ty's hand. "Give me that!" He exclaimed as the nurse came back with the supplies. She sets it on the table beside Quentin. "Come over here and hold pressure on his wound." The nurse nods, coming around the table and pressing the blood-soaked cloth against the wound. Quentin opened the container.

"Is it that good?" Ty asked making Quentin nod.

"Um yeah, this stuff is amazing for healing external wounds. It works almost as good as Seto's healing and regeneration potions, which we ran out of a month ago." He said.

Ty stepped out of the way, watching. "Seto would be really helpful right now," he said making Quentin nod, agreeing.

"No kidding," he mumbled as he took over, cleaning Sky's wound with water and a cloth. "Do you know where Seto is?"

Ty shakes his head. "No, I don't. I don't think any of us do. He left just saying he was gonna explore the seas and other lands. He could be anywhere right now," he said. Ty watched Quentin work, but as he did, he was trying to rack his brain for answers. Sky had asked him to look at thee Dragonmere's library for answers about the Wither, thankfully some were found. Ty looked away, realizing something. "Oh no..."

"What?" Quentin asked not looking away from his work.

Ty stepped back. "Whether or not Jason did this, there are only one of few reasons why taking Jason would be so important," he said making Quentin look at him, slowly coming to the same conclusion.

Quentin's eyes widen. "Herobrine's Tomb, Jason is the only one that has the power to awaken Herobrine..." he said.

"But they wouldn't awaken him, r-right?" The nurse asked fearfully.

And for good reason. Back when Herobrine was active before Sky and they were able to finally stop the god, he was a terrifying force to reckon with. They were barely able to defeat Herobrine the first time, and with Seto currently out on adventures of his own, the thought of the Nether God being revived during Seto's absence is bone-chilling.

Granted, Seto didn't do all the work for sealing Herobrine away. It was a team effort and the Sky Army was only in its infancy during Herobrine's reign. So there are a lot more capable wizards now that could put up a fight, but Sky and they feel more comfortable fighting alongside Seto.

Quentin glanced at the nurse. "We need to find Seto, if Lord Herobrine is raised, we won't stand a chance without him. Especially with Sky unavailable right now," he said.

Ty nods a bit but looks at Quentin. "I'm gonna go to the Nether Portal, to check on it," he said.

Quentin looked at Ty. "Be careful, okay? Don't do anything stupid," he said making Ty chuckle.

"I'll try my best. Take care of Sky," he said making Quentin nod before Ty left in a rush. Ty takes off once he got outside, flying towards the Ethereal Mountains as fast as he could. Which given how fast he normally is, he made it there in about twenty minutes. He circled around, looking for the cave where the portal is.

Ty knows that Sky set up a sort of fortification for the portal so outsiders don't go in and to keep an eye on it. He's been there a few times himself, so he knows his way around it. The fort is overseen by one of Sky Army's most trusted Captains and a dear friend as well to all of them, Captain Gizzy Gazza. Ty landed, quickly running inside the cave. He was glad that there are torches set up already to light the path.

But once he got to the point where there should be a Sky Army structure built inside the cave, Ty was instead meant with destruction and either injured or dead recruits. Ty went in, looking around till he saw one alive.

He ran to them. "Hey," he said making the recruit look at the king.

"K-King Ty—"

Ty moved the recruit's hands, looking at the stab wound in their gut and seeing a black ash rash on them as well. "No..."

"I-It's General Jason...S-Something's wrong with him..." The recruit coughed.

Ty looked at them and nodded. "Yeah, he attacked Sky..." he said surprising the recruits.

"T-The commander is—"

"Not dead, Adam is going to be fine," he said making the recruit smile a bit. Ty pulled his hands away, knowing there isn't anything he can do to save them since they have the wither curse.

"Go, h-he shouldn't have m-made it to the portal yet," the recruit said making Ty's hands ball into fists.

"I'm sorry,"

"I-It's okay...go..." the recruit said. Ty hesitantly stood up, rushing towards the portal as he felt ashamed. He wished he could do something to help the injured, but since they have the curse, there isn't anything he can do.

The closer he got, the more checking he did for Gizzy or for any injured recruits who aren't cursed. So far he only found three recruits who aren't mortally injured and don't have the curse. He promised to come back for them after he finds Gizzy and Jason.

He knows that he shouldn't try this without backup, but seeing how Jason could be trying to revive Lord Herobrine, Ty doesn't care.

Ty turned a corner, making it to the massive opening that is home to the Nether Portal. But he saw Jason and Gizzy. Gizzy was slumped against the cave wall, motionless but still breathing.

"NO!" Ty screamed seeing Jason turn towards the portal that was only a few feet away. Ty flew over the lava ocean and straight at Jason. Ty grabbed Jason, crashing with him into a wall. Jason kicked Ty in the gut, making him fall back off him. Ty scrambled to his feet, trying to grab Jason again but Jason swiped his bloodied sword at him, making the king fall back to dodge the blade. Ty looked at Jason as he stood up.

Jason didn't look well...like Jason. The Wither Curse covered half of his face and body. His once blue eyes were a dark grey color with ill-intent laced in them. The star charm necklace that once contained the wither side of the general was broken. And not only that, Jason would radiate this aura of calm and safety...that aura was gone and replaced with one that emitted darkness and ill-intent.

"Jason..." Ty mumbled. Jason stepped on Ty's chest, pushing the king to lay on his back. Ty grabbed Jason's boot. "Jason! Stop!"

"Why?" Jason asked him with a voice as cold and chilling as his new aura and presence fits well with.

Ty flinched at Jason's voice, not used to hearing such emotionless from the usual determined and calm general. "This isn't you, you can't do this. You revive Herobrine and unimaginable chaos and death will ensue!" Ty exclaimed trying to reason with his friend.

Jason clicked his tongue before an unsettling smirk curved the corner of his lips. "Sounds like fun, it will put things to the test. But don't worry, we'll wait until Sky has recovered, after all, he is the only line of defense this world has," he said.

'His voice...it sounds like there is someone else whispering it,' Ty thought to himself. Jason's voice sounded strange, and not just the tone. It at first sounded just like Jason, but there was another one, a voice different from Jason that spoke the same words he did in a whisper...echoing them. 'Is he possessed or something? That has to be it, Jason would never act or do things like this!'

Ty gritted his teeth, his claws appearing before digging into Jason's boot. Jason loses his smirk before Ty threw Jason into a wall. As Ty stood up, Jason attacked him. Now Ty knows Jason's fighting style, and Jason knows his.

Jason and Ty are both mainly dagger users, but use swords on occasion. Ty is more of a dagger thrower while Jason uses his speed to his advantage, overcoming tough opponents. In fact, it is Jason's speed and skill that is the reason why was able to beat Sky in sparring matches on more than one occasion. But thanks to his dragonmere ties, Ty has a bit of magic to help him. The only problem is that Jason has magic now to, he has death magic...

Ty blocked Jason's arm, pulling out a dagger and swiping it towards the general but Jason stepped back, dodging it. The king jumped back, using his wings to lift himself off the ground. 'I can't beat Jason if he infects me with the curse, I'm a goner,' Ty thought. But Jason kicked off the wall, grabbing Ty's ankle and yanking the king down, making him crash on his back. His wings sending a painful shock through him making Ty cry out. But he couldn't recover in time since Jason climbed on Ty, putting his knee in the king's stomach and stepping on Ty's right wrist while pinning his other wrist to the ground. Ty couldn't use his wings to get himself up since they are pinned down under him.

Jason chuckled. "I expected more from the King of Enders," he said honestly.

"King of what?" Ty questioned making Jason roll his eyes.

"Ty, the dragonmeres are directly connected to the Enderdragon and Endermen. You can control them and even turn into a form of the enderdragon. Hence why you are technically the King of Enders," Jason said before he took his free hand, putting it near Ty's chest. Ty struggled a bit as Jason's dagger hooked the collar of Ty's shirt. Jason yanked down, cutting the cloth, revealing Ty's skin.

Ty's eyes widen as he saw Jason put his dagger away before the skin of his hand tainted black with the wither curse. Jason hovered a finger over Ty's exposed skin. Ty shakes his head. "No, no, Jason, don't! Please!" Ty exclaimed as he struggled. The king felt Jason touch his chest making him flinch and prepare for a whole lot of pain. But he felt nothing, he opened his eyes as he heard Jason chuckle lightly.

"Well, I'll be damned. So it is true, anyone or anything with the blood of enders or brines in their veins are immune to the effects of the Wither Servants. How disappointing..." Jason said. Ty felt relieved to know that, but his relief was short-lived when Jason pulled back out his dagger. He held the dagger up, pointing downwards. "Just have to do this the old fashion way!"

"No!" Ty shouted struggling. As Jason brought down the knife, an arrow suddenly pierced into Jason's shoulder, making the general fall backward off Ty. Ty smiled for a moment, he gets up seeing Jason sat up with an arrow in his shoulder. The king looks over his shoulder seeing Gizzy leaning against the wall with a bow in his hand. 'Thank god, I thought he was dead,' Ty thought before he looked at Jason. "Jason, please, stand down. Let's talk about this and--"

"Talking..." Jason muttered before the arrow's shaft in his shoulder cracked making Ty flinch, watching the arrow turn black and disintegrate into ashes. Jason looked at Ty. "What's the point of talking when no one listens?" Jason gets up to his feet, looking at Ty. "I have nothing to say to someone like you, Ty! The only time you ever spoke to me was when you had too, we've never been friends!"

"Jason!" Ty exclaimed appalled by his words.

"Velkas tri kranioj!" Jason chanted making Ty's eyes widen. Three black skulls suddenly appeared in front of Jason. 'Wait! I thought Sky said that he was having trouble with spells! What language is that and how does Jason know it?!'  Ty thought to himself. Ty might not be very up to date on things that go on in the Sky Army nowadays, but he knows for sure that Jason never learned any type of new language. And Seto wasn't teaching him one either before he left.

Jason grits his teeth. "I expected more from you, Ty, but yet again you have always been a weakling! You always hide behind Sky, fully depending on him to do everything for you! You did it before you became a king and you are still doing it! It's pathetic! A Dragon King shouldn't hide like a coward behind a human! You're a disgrace to your people!" Jason shouted before he flicked his wrist towards Ty. "Ataki!"

Ty gasped, stepping back as the skulls flew at him and struck in the chest, making him go flying back and into a wall. Gizzy flinched, weakly turning his head to look at Ty who fell to the ground and didn't get back up.

"N-No...ARgh!" Gizzy winced clutching his injured left side. The bow slipped out of his hand, falling to his knees against the wall. Jason lowered his arm, staring at Ty for a moment before his eyes shifted to Gizzy.

"I'm impressed you can still move after I practically beat you within an inch of your life, Gizzy," Jason said. Gizzy gripped his bloodied side, staring at the ground. He wanted to try to talk sense into Jason...but he could tell that Jason was beyond reason. He understood that after Ty tried to talk to him. 'This...This can't be Jason. I refuse to believe it is him!' he thought to himself. Gizzy doesn't know Jason very well, but he does consider the general to be a friend. And if there is one thing that Gizzy knows for sure about him, it is that Jason despises violence and uses it as a last resort. But this person uses it as a first resort.

Jason walked past Gizzy, not giving the injured captain so much a glance. Gizzy turned his head, watching Jason go towards the Nether Portal. His eyes looked at Ty, hoping the king could stop him but Ty hasn't so much as moved once since he was struck down by Jason's spell.

"N-No..." Gizzy muttered as he tried to forced himself up to his feet to stop Jason. But his strength failed, his knees buckling underneath him making him fall to the ground.

He watched Jason walk through the portal, and once he entered and disappeared, the obsidian frame started forming cracks that glowed a purplish red color through the rock. Gizzy watched as the portal deactivated, the obsidian frame exploding into sharpening shards that sprayed everywhere.

Gizzy's vision darkened for a moment as he rested his head down against the cold stone flooring.

"N-No...J-Jason..."