Emergence

All was silent within the castle's entrance hall. A small crowd was gathered around the wooden table that had been repurposed as a command centre for the war effort, covered from one end to another in regional maps and hastily-scrawled reports. Breaking the silence, Lady Yula pointed her finger towards a map which illustrated the border between Tor and Anjima.

"An incredible number of scouts have reported indiscriminate wildfires cropping up in the eastern forests, close to the mountain ranges bordering Anjima." She explained, "There haven't been any heat waves or thunderstorms recently--and even if it was the season for such phenomena, the amount of independent fires is staggering."

"Do you mean to imply that this is the work of Demonkind?" King Granda questioned.

"I won't mince my words. My leading theory is that the fourth Heavenly King--Atroma, may have reappeared."

Atroma. A creature known as the 'Fiend of Fire' for its mastery over flames and unnaturally destructive temperament--even for a Demon. More prominently, ancient legends repeatedly hailed Atroma as the most powerful of the Four Heavenly Kings, and claimed that the monster was capable of destroying entire kingdoms before its rage could finally be quelled by the Hero.

"Do we have any leads as to its whereabouts?" The King asked.

"If we use the proliferations of wildfires as a guide, we can assume that Atroma is headed in the direction of Anjima." Yula reported, "As always, we've had trouble conducting diplomacy with them. The country seems to be undergoing a major political upheaval in the wake of Demonkind's emergence."

"I see…" Granda closed his eyes in thought, "Substantiated or not, we cannot run the risk of allowing a Heavenly King to approach a major settlement. We must enter talks with Anjima as soon as possible."

"Should I send a messenger?"

"No. We cannot afford to waste time." He resolved, "Rather, this may be our opportunity to solve two problems at once. I would like for Lord Barion and Manyu to depart for Anjima via Gate as soon as possible."

The two men raised their heads as their names were called.

"...Why me, Your Majesty?" Manyu asked politely.

"I was told by Lady Dorma that Anjima is your homeland." He answered, "Surely your knowledge of its cultural and political climate will provide some much-needed support when attempting to petition its people for aid."

"You want us to speak to the Emperor?"

"First and foremost, I would like for the two of you to validate these rumours about the supposed resurrection of Atroma. If the creature has truly reappeared, then I place its destruction in your capable hands. Secondly, assess Anjima's political situation and propose a joint effort against Demonkind. The country is already a member of the Holy Alliance, and therefore is in no position to refuse such a request."

"Well, I certainly won't complain about a change of scenery." He remarked, "Any objections, Barion?"

"Hm…" The man in question placed a hand to his chin, "What if Gria comes under attack when we aren't here?"

"Come now, Barion." Shilahi spoke up, grinning at his insinuation, "With myself and Dorma here, the city has nothing to worry about. And there is no man more suited to confronting Atroma than yourself. Once the Four Heavenly Kings are defeated, our efforts can shift completely onto attacking Demonkind at the source."

"It would be disastrous if Anjima was attacked during a period of civil unrest…" Barion muttered, "Well, so long as we make it quick, I suppose it couldn't hurt."

"Lady Yula-" Granda began, "Prepare a Gate to transport Lord Barion and Manyu to Shukora at once."

"Of course." The court sorceress gave a short bow, "For ease of access, I will make preparations for the spell in the council chambers. Lady Dorma, would you be so kind as to aid me?"

"Naturally." The woman answered, turning her attention to Barion and Manyu, "Once the two of you are ready to depart, meet with us as soon as possible."

"There are no pressing matters in need of my attention." Manyu replied, "If Barion is willing, then we may as well be on our way immediately."

"I agree." He concurred, "If Atroma is wandering the countryside, it would be for the better if we dealt with it immediately."

"Indeed. However…" Manyu paused, "Must we really eliminate Atroma?"

"...What are you getting at?

"Well, we're all very well aware of the fact that Demonkind are completely artificial creatures, correct? Despite their seemingly uncontrollable temperaments, they must operate on some kind of base intelligence, otherwise how could Black Luna ever hope to control them?"

"Manyu…" King Granda muttered, "Exactly what are you implying with this tirade?"

"It's quite possible that Atroma--or even simple, mundane Demons, could be turned to our side." He summarised, "-Supposing we can capture any such creatures alive, of course. I'm sure Fusala would relish the opportunity to poke around inside of their heads."

"Absolutely out of the question!" The ageing King denied, "The very idea of lording over Demons is antithetical to our cause! They are an affront to nature--to this very world! You would deny the souls sacrificed to create their vile forms the rest they so dearly deserve!?"

"Something must make them obedient." Manyu argued, "And whether they obey humanity or Black Luna, their true nature isn't going to change. A troop of Demons could very well reclaim us the entire mainland, or act as guards to prevent any villages from being destroyed without even having to sacrifice our own troops."

"I am willing to tolerate the moral ramifications of Sir Lotte's research if it benefits our kingdom in the long-term…" Granda began, "-But I will not allow this. No matter how desperate our situation becomes, we cannot lower ourselves to using Demonkind to further our goals."

"As you wish." He capitulated, "But a nation which clings to its pride is rarely remembered."

"Manyu." Dorma interjected, "Try to recall that you're speaking to the King of Tor."

"Ah, where are my manners…" The former Demon King lowered his head, "It was merely a suggestion, Your Majesty. I'll be out of your hair shortly."

"I am forced to respect your considerable strength, Manyu. But you must understand that bending Demonkind to our whims would make us no better than the man who would strive to see this world destroyed." Granda explained, "We must rely on our own strength in order to persevere. Many more trials await beyond this measly conflict. Lord Barion, see to it that Atroma is dealt with properly."

"It would be my pleasure." The Hero replied.

…

..

.

Barion never thought that he would once more be gracing the mountain ranges of western Tor so soon after his last visit. But then again, just about everything that had transpired since his trip to the Henklomeon Steppe was unbelievable. The forested valleys and snowcapped mountain peaks would normally make for a beautiful sight, but knowing that Demons were more than likely lurking within their reaches allowed neither Barion nor Manyu any chance to enjoy the scenery.

"Gria's sorcerers make use of Gates like they're going out of style." Manyu commented upon emerging from the vortex of magic, "Are they aware that translocation magic has a tendency to make its users vanish from the face of the planet?"

"Do you really expect Dorma to fumble an incantation like that?" Barion replied.

"I just think it's a little hypocritical to claim that controlling Demonkind is completely out of the question whereas utilising magical particles--which we now know originate directly from Black Luna, is perfectly fine."

"It may be simple for you to say, but I refuse to believe that you thought your idea would have received any support whatsoever." He argued, "Atroma's corpse will provide us all the advantages we need. Lotte's research will be even more impactful with the power of fire in the hands of Gria's citizens."

"Better hope there aren't any budding arsons in the city, then." Manyu remarked, "...Where do we even begin? I certainly don't see a Heavenly King nearby."

"No doubt we'll find evidence of its passing further along the way to Anjima--provided these wildfires aren't just pure coincidence."

While Atroma's existence had never been proven by Yula's hypothesis, Barion was more than certain of its resurrection. From the moment he stepped beyond the reaches of the Gate, a terrible tightness wound in his chest. It was more pronounced than the foreboding tell of a Demon's presence. Something darker and primeval.

"We've got a ways to go." Barion retrieved a compass from his pack and spun himself towards the direction of Anjima, "Come on."

He felt naked, travelling without his wagon for once, but the Gate was only large enough for the two of them. At the very least, they'd emerged onto a familiar path. Barion recalled his discussion with Fusala about Anjima's Dragons while crossing a very similar thoroughfare.

"Do you think Shukora might already be overrun?" He asked.

"It's difficult to say. I imagine they'd have found a way to send a scout to us if that was the case." Manyu replied, "More importantly, it certainly isn't fit to stop a horde of Demons. The earth spirit we faced during our reunion was a testament to just how incapable the city is at defending itself."

"Killing Atroma won't fix that."

"No." Manyu paused, "And Anjima will more than likely refuse a helping hand. Pride runs deep within the nobility of this nation. They would rather see their people slaughtered and their homes destroyed before accepting aid from a foreign country."

"Do you really believe that?" Barion asked, "There's never been a more opportune moment to unite the world. We can't be bickering with one-another about national pride when Demonkind threatens to push us to the edge of total annihilation."

"You would think so." He replied, "-But the truth is that those who are stuck in their ways only sink deeper into arrogance when threatened with destruction. You make it sound as if the spirits of the people can be united easily under threats of death, but I can assure you it's almost the complete opposite."

"We can never see eye-to-eye on anything, can we?"

"The two of us were destined from birth to oppose one-another. I think a slight disagreement is quite tame in comparison."

"Is that all you believe we are? Just means to an end?"

"I'm sure Lilith keeps it to herself, but it wouldn't surprise me to hear that, like herself, the two of us are creations of Black Luna." He admitted, "To think either of us truly believed that we'd been visited by twin Goddesses. The tendrils of Luna's deceit run deep."

"We can ask Witilla once we return. For now, let's focus on Atroma."

Their journey across the hilltop crests of western Tor was an uneventful one. The two of them had been expecting to encounter hordes of Demons on their way through the uncontrolled countryside, but the absence of any such beasts only served to heighten their cautionary steps. After a half-hour of walking, they bore witness to thin plumes of smoke rising from the centre of a nearby forest, and quickly set about delving into the treeline to discover their source.

As it was in the Steppe, Demonkind's corrupting influence had spread to the land itself--robbing the air of birdsong and the soil of critters. Their jaunt through the woods was accompanied only by the tentative sound of their footsteps against the complex of roots and soil. After a while, it almost appeared as if a clearing emerged ahead of them, but as they drew closer, the truth became apparent.

As if a firestorm had scoured the length of the forest, the thick barks of oak trees transformed into blackened husks of their former selves, and the ground was thick with soot that kicked into clouds of obscuring dust as the two men encroached upon the desecrated site.

"No thunderstorm could have done this." Barion remarked, "We're a few months out from the dry season yet, and Anjima has never been known for its arid climate."

"Barion." Manyu called, "Come and take a look at this."

The former Demon King hailed him from some distance away, beckoning to approach. As Barion wandered over to him, he noticed great, sunken tracks carved into the soil. Three-toed and large enough to sleep in, they smouldered with embers that seemed to appear from thin air. A strong stench of something foul--like the sulphurous excretions of the Steppe mountaintops, reminded Barion of simpler times.

"Atroma's footfalls…" He remarked, "At least he won't prove difficult to track…"