The Demon Sighting.

The moon's light cast beautiful rays of silver on the hilltop on which Odark sat. The desert was beautiful at night, peaceful too, compared to the hot fumes of the morning sun.

This night should have been one of many such peaceful nights. But unfortunately, it was not to be. Odark gazed down with varying emotions at the sight below. Horror, uncertainty, fright, and panic. There was bravery and courage too, but the man was not stupid.

Whatever had crashed down on their battlefield had done something horrendous. Something sickening. Truly atrocious. Odark had not seen the process or known the clauses in whatever happened down there. What he saw, could still see right now was the results.

It scared him more than it sickened him.

For the first time, Odark found himself praying to whatever being was out there to aid them with this. The Jorgens that constantly troubled his people and the Carapace spawns that hunted in the caves had never frightened him as such.

Sure, a carapace knight and maybe a Yitori had frightened him before but this was something else.

Below at the foot of the hill were what were once Argatans. Now they were different. The beautiful mane that was their pride was a sickening silver. How silver could be sickening Odark had no idea. Their muscular forms doubled and their sizes increased. Their eyes now burning with an infernal purple flame. Parts of their bodies were covered with pulsating purple veins and short horns attempting to jut out from their jaws.

The truly horrifying part was the dead now walking once more. Hale and hearty, with nothing but silver eyes and veins wrecking their bodies.

"A resurrection" Odark whispered to himself.

The Lomrie didn't realize how wrong he was. None could resurrect a dead being unless a god with a connection to the star river. Even then such a god, exempting the mother would find it harder to perform such a feat if certain circumstances were not aligned.

No, what had happened down there was something the general would soon realize and name the Demonification and Sullying.

For now, Odark was stiff with the apprehension of what to do. Warn his king to evacuate or request reinforcements to band with his leftover forces and wipe off such sacrilege.

Odark hesitated.

*

The Dargats, demonized Argatans could feel the weird pulsing throb of information and pain in their minds. Their sense of self was still intact yet their minds screamed at them to spread.

Energies in the distance and up the hill called to them, beckoning like water to the parched. Unknown to their weak minds the new brand of the Black Sun was working to exert its influence on their minds. Feeding them with only one way past the madness wrought in their minds.

Life energy. To satiate the drought of madness in themselves they had to kill. Knowing or not each Argat was already marching for the hill.

Behind them an army of Sullied. Beings whose souls had departed only to be replaced by the will of the Black sun and the black sun Kaizer. History would write it as the first act of the dead rising in Vaustaris.

*

Deep in the caverns of the stunningly large hill sprawled the city of Demilas. A Lomrie stronghold with little to no association with the top but for their frequent trading with tbe people of the east past the Yertu Rift.

There a village of Evershus lived past the desert line and flourished on tbe plains of the land called Norseld. If not for the lack of a good mountain or hill and the presence of an already established mixed kingdom past the little village slowly spreading its reaches then the Lomries of Demilas would have left the insufferable desert for the greener pastures.

This village was where the Lomries made most of their trades greatly enriching the village and helping to increase their standing.

It was this same village that Odark feared for as he awaited the news from the king. The order to be given after all was simple. Attack or retreat and defend if attacked. Yet he knew politics would come into play again. What about the looming threat that could serve anyone's political agendas be had no idea.

The moon had risen to the center of the dark sky as had the army below gotten closer. Odark could just take what he had and attack but he wasn't a general for nothing. When facing an unknown for ignorance was death.

Their strengths and abilities were something he lacked knowledge of. The only reason he hadn't said damn it to the royal order and taken things into his hands.

A flash of bright light brightened the sky. Odark was the only one to look up to the heavens. All his men watched as a flame of fire descended from the sky. But it was not coming anywhere close to their location. The fire shot through the night sky, a comet descending as it flew into the horizon.

'May the gods be with whoever has to receive that.' his eyes returned to those below and he added. 'And us too'.

*

The Dargats were already halfway up the hill when a change spread across them. A sort of energy seeped into their bodies as the night sky brimmed with energy a comet passing above. An instinctual part of them knew what it was.

Another of what had evolved and brought this madness. Yet it borough something extra.

A strange sensation like that of a thread liking through itched at their scattered minds. It gave them a bit of receive from the madness as a foreign mind registered in them.

Relieved at the let-up and the aid from whatever was infiltrating their heads, all the Dargats let the entity have access to their heads. Like clockwork, each one halted.

*

Odark sensed the change below. It brought cold sweat to his forehead and back.

'What happened?' he could only ask and watch as the approaching army halted from their scattered formation and arranged into a semblance of order. Then he noted the silver-haired Argats move back letting the former head and sickening risen corpses surge forward.

Odark knew at that moment. He couldn't wait for the king's order. If these things were intelligent and had some sort of central figure then he had to end them before it got messier.

'How would this even get messier?' it was a question that he wished he had not asked.

*

A burning ball of flame descended on a poor village far to the south of Oritais. This was east of the first point where the madness was already about to happen.

The people of Oritais all stood in their streets as they watched the second ball of fire descend. To the commoners, it was a heavenly sight. To the nobles who had been alerted to the events warned off by the mother it was the ominous sign of trouble that heralded a crisis none could understand.

Daena and Trisev stood with their parents on the royal balcony. Her Undule friends and her guard beside them with the royal guards around as well. Below in the courtyard, the nobles stood. All eyes affixed on the descending ball of fire.

Being on the other side of the planet on a separate continent with no way to know just how far the ball had dropped all thoughts of the investigation were slowly being thrown out of the way.

"Is there a way to know anything?" the Queen was the first to ask once the comet was long gone. All eyes were on Daena as they waited. As Fearghal it was only right to assume that she would know what was coming. Or a hint.

A shake of her head was enough to destroy that thought.

"All the lady says is we should be prepared to act as Guardians of this world."

An exhausted nod was all she got in answer. It was something they already knew. From the moment Hilde had told Daena each one of her family had gotten the Guardian of Vaustaris perk.

[DIVINE TITLE] - [Guardian of Vaustaris]

[BASIC]

World guardians. Blessed by the mother and now closely watched by Vaustaris. + 50% to all stats against otherworldly invaders. 30% Str, Dex, and End buff to all subordinates.

There was nothing to do but prepare. Rauf turned to the Undules standing behind.

"I have to disturb you with carrying a message to your people. " All five of the Undules cast glances at each other three eyes blinking in uncertainty.

One stepped up, a male. His long white hair was tied into a bun, and a long sword hung from his back.

"We saw, and we understand the importance of what needs to be done. We shall carry this message to our people. Perhaps it is indeed time for a closer bond amongst our people." The male nodded with respect.

"It gladdens me to hear your thoughts are in line with mine Prince Veadick. Though I would like to think having your kingdom let you wander about in a foreign place does mean your people already see us as friends." the shock on all five's faces was obvious as was that on Daena's.

"P..pr..ince." She stuttered.

"Surely you didn't think yourself the only royalty in your party?" her mother chided with a chuckle.

Veadick cleared his throat before looking to the Undules behind him.

"I would not be as crass to ask how you deduced. It would be unsightly to look down on a king's capabilities but I would like to know why you would say nothing if aware".

" That is a subject for your mother and me to have. Do well to pass on the message. " Rauf turned to look out the balcony once more bus eyes cold and a grim frown on his lips.

"The times have changed. The Mother has shown us care by warning us and granting my fear Daena such a boon for this occasion. Something I am rather confused about appreciating or disliking."

"Father.." Rauf cut Daena off with a raised limb.

"Let your father worry Daena. It's his right". The queen chided with a slight smile.

" This title also helps to. Atleast with it, we can give our people and the world hope in surviving this crisis." the king muttered.

"You believe our situation so dire?". Prince Veadick asked. The King glanced at him.

" A decade ago our world lived in relative ignorance of the presence of the gods. Then that night happened. " he didn't need to illustrate as even the Undules knew about the Day of the Light. It was the single most popular tale in Oritais.

"Mortals have prayed before young prince. I have heard of several towns or villages that went through the same ordeal as ours. Yet suddenly we receive the attention of not just any god. But the mother of all gods".

" You believe she didn't actually come to save your people?". Another of the Undule, Rueswill by name asked.

"Oh, I believe she did. But not for the reason we think. You see... no offense to you dear or the mother but I doubt that the gods are benevolent." The Undules narrowed their eyes at this.