Calm Before the Storm

Along the withering grasses, a lonesome rabbit pranced beside its burrow, scratching its whiskers with huddled arms and burying its nose in the dirt. Then, in that pivotal moment of weakness, there was a sound in the air that lasted for only an instant, and an iron-tipped arrow pierced its neck and pegged its body to the ground. Not once had it been aware of its hunter, nor canny to its fate, but ever-so-suddenly, its life had ended.

"Not bad at all." Barion complimented.

"I could strike a bird from the sky at a thousand paces. One rabbit isn't going to give me much trouble." Pale replied, lowering her bow, "Still, we should be thankful. It's the first I've seen in over a week."

"Are these plains usually so barren?"

"Until recently, they were some of the most bountiful the land had to offer. During the mating season, thousands of Feris deer would migrate along this way. In the summer, its rivers would be flooded with salmon moving down from the frozen north. Nowadays, even flies are reluctant to visit."

"Is it the same everywhere else?"

"We're hoping that the summit will reveal such answers." Pale began walking towards the rabbit's corpse, and Barion followed, "Foxkin tribes from the west are moving here in greater numbers, claiming that their forests are rotting away and that a terrible storm plagues the region. I fear that we aren't experiencing the worst of it--whatever 'it' is."

Kneeling down beside the rabbit and retrieving her arrow, which had thankfully not splintered on impact, she gestured to its body, "See how thin this one is. It's as if something is drawing from the very essence that invigorates the Steppe, cursing the land around it."

"We should head back." Barion recommended, "I don't think we'll be finding much else today."

"Please, go on ahead. Allow me to hunt for a while longer."

"I'll tell the elder to expect you back in a few, then." He affirmed, "Don't get yourself lost."

"I would suggest that you take your own advice, human."

When they separated, Barion retrieved his compass from the Bag of Holding and estimated the direction he'd be heading in. At the same time, Fusala separated from his shadow and took form at his side.

"I believe this region's problems are being caused by a Demon." She reported.

"Funny. I was just thinking the same thing." He answered, "She's right about how barren everything is. The Steppe was always full of life back when…"

"...When you were a child?"

"Mm." He nodded, "It's a little shameful seeing it in this sorry state."

"If I may ask-" She began, "Why is it that you are not a Beastkin? I was not aware that humans once dwelled in the Steppe. Tor is an environment much better-suited to their tolerances."

"You think race is decided by where you were born?"

"No, but you claimed that both of your parental figures were Beastkin."

"They were." He confirmed, "I don't know who my real parents were, or what the hell they were doing raising a kid in the steppe, but they either died or handed me over to a tribe at some point."

"Is there a reason you have not told Pale this information?"

"I just didn't think it was important."

"She seems to see you as an inferior being. Does this not bother you?"

"Not really. What would being a Steppe child change about that, anyway?"

"It bothers me." Fusala stated honestly, "I dislike superiority that stems from irrational belief."

"It's just her way of joking around. Pale's on our side, so don't worry about it."

"I see." She lowered her head, "Moving on to more important matters, is there a type of Demon known to cause these kinds of ecological changes?"

"Not one in particular, no." Barion answered, "And, that bothers me, because the only thing I know of that could pull it off is a Crucible."

"Crucible." Fusala paused for a moment, "Historical records dating back to the Demon Age attribute such a name to anomalous magical items known for their capability to create Demons in large quantities. Such devices were crucial in the Demon King's strategy of overwhelming nations with incredible numbers."

"I'm sure you can figure out why finding one of them here would spell trouble."

"This is an understatement. It could be said that Crucibles were responsible for perpetuating the suffering caused by the Demon King's reign. Is it possible that you were unsuccessful in destroying each and every one 500 years ago?"

"No. We definitely tore all of them down." He muttered, "That's why I'm hoping this is just an unrelated problem. A mutated Demon, or something like that."

"I believe the Beastkin summit will provide crucial information regarding this threat."

"Let's be on our way, then."

With the lack of dangerous creatures to impede their progress, the two of them were able to make it back to the tribe without any hassle at all. At that point, Barion and Fusala had been travelling with the Rabbitkin tribe for 8 days, and the plains of Ip resided just beyond the crest they had drawn camp upon. Numbering just under 100, their gift of meat had barely lasted the tribe a few days even with rationing, and so the agreement was made between Barion and the elder to continue providing the tribe with meals to compensate for poor hunting days.

"It would seem the Powers themselves have sent you two before us." The elder spoke, "Were it not for your arrival, we would be facing a great crisis. Remaining in attendance of the summit year after year allows us to renew our long-standing alliances with the Wolfkin and Foxkin tribes. Failure to attend would be seen as a lack of initiative on our part."

"How many tribes attend this summit, anyway?" Barion asked.

"Enough that the plains of Ip are filled with encampments. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that most of the Steppe are collected in that one place for the few days it lasts."

"I'm sure it'll make for quite the sight.

A few hours later, Pale returned from her extended hunting trip, unfortunately with no more than a single rabbit tied gruesomely to her belt. By the time the sun had begun to set, more barrels were being offloaded from Barion's wagon to account for the loss in stockpiled food that day. Having prepared itself to feed only two people, there weren't enough supplies remaining to ensure another day of everyone receiving their share.

"We must pray that other tribes have a surplus they are willing to share." Resting in a spare tent while most of the tribe had settled down for a night's rest, Pale had a frustrated look about her, "This has been our way for millenia, so why are we being punished now? Have the Powers abandoned us, or is this the fault of some sinister force?"

"If it helps, I think the latter is more likely." Barion, who had humbly decided to feed himself with bread and water, replied, "No doubt it'll be a point of discussion at the summit."

"I feel as though you know more than you're letting on." She frowned, "I understand that you wish for your motives to remain shrouded, but I must ask what you're searching for once again."

"Persistent, aren't you?"

"If it's something that my assistance would make simpler, then I would do anything-"

"It isn't." Barion interrupted, "It's something only we can deal with."

"I cannot help but insist. What threats exist that only a chosen few can vanquish?"

"You would be surprised." He sighed, "You can't help. That's the bottom line."

"Hm." Scoffing, she pushed aside a flap of the tent and sauntered out, "How typical of a human to think of himself as the single solution to the problems of another."

Disappearing, only Barion and Fusala were left inside the tent.

"Barion, If I may-" Fusala began.

"I know. I shouldn't have said that to her."

"This is true. However-" She continued, "Without the Sword of Light, we lack the ability to destroy Demons outright. The problem is therefore not something only you can solve. It has been proven by the events at Anjima that a Demon may be incapacitated for long periods of time if enough damage is sustained."

"Do you think a bunch of Beastkin tribes would be able to defeat a Demon?"

"If the elder's words are true, most of the land's inhabitants will be attending the summit." She argued, "With such an exceptional concentration of fighters, I believe it may be possible-"

"It isn't." He cut in, "Not for them."

Fusala's hidden expression stiffened, "Do not interrupt me."

"You don't get it." Barion said, "None of you do."

"Excuse me?"

"None of you can possibly understand what it's like-" He began, "-to fight a creature that doesn't need to eat, or sleep, or breathe. Something so depraved that it would use its own severed limb to crush you, or wear the skin of its victims, or rape a headless corpse just because it could. No happiness, no satisfaction--just an urge to destroy and kill. I can't count the number of times when I thought it was really over; when a Demon got the upper hand on us, or we fell into a trap. And to think, we were the only ones with a chance to actually fight back. Imagine how it must have been for the people huddled together like rats in the ruins of Gria, or Shukora."

Placing his hands together, a grave expression ran over his face, "Sometimes I think about how many more people we could have saved, if we were just a little faster. Everywhere, we were needed, but instead of protecting hamlets, we went on some useless quest for relics and crystals. Tiamat, Leviathan, Atroma, Lilith, Mara… I can't recall what it was like to fight any of them. The touch of a fire that could melt adamantine, the feeling of magic strengthening my body--running, screaming, falling and dying. A haze of violence that always ended with blood raining from the sky and one of those foul pillars of light disappearing from the Demon King's castle. No satisfaction. No victory. Always on our way, searching for the next fight."

Sighing, he looked towards the night sky visible through the flaps of the tent, "I had to stay strong, but I just wanted it all to end. And now…"

There was a sensation at his side.

Fusala's strangely warm body was pressed up against his, her arms wrapping around his waist.

"I understand." She said, "So please, do not force yourself to remember."

Blinking, Barion hung his arm over her shoulder, "Sorry."

"Do these thoughts trouble you often?"

"Not at all. But my body-" He paused, "...Yeah. My body remembers every second of it."

"I understand that you do not wish for anyone to be hurt." Fusala replied, "However, with what we have learned in mind, it would be foolish to consider a perfect outcome. Do not allow yourself to receive the blame for a tragedy you could not possibly hope to prevent."

"I get that. Sometimes it just makes me a little frustrated."

"We will reach the summit tomorrow." She stated, "In the best-case scenario, nothing will occur and we will be able to hunt the Demon using information gathered from neighbouring tribes."

"If there really is a Crucible…" Barion muttered, "It might be safer if you went back to Tor."

"I will not." She refused him, "This is also my duty."

Smirking ever-so-slightly, he closed his eyes in a moment of peace.

"We'll just have to see." He replied, "I'll be ready. I always have been."