~ Fifteen Years Later ~

“Demon portals have opened in the Empire’s borders!” A man clad in snow-white robes bellowed from the pedestal that depicted a marble sun. His voice was clear to all within the large market of the Bay District, despite it being the busiest time of noon. Around the man, people walked up and down the grand-styled staircase that sided the statue on both sides. Clematis climbing flowers grew along with the ten-foot fountain of the large church behind him. “The Devil Hades himself has taken the field against our great all-mighty god, Helios! The Northern Passage will never fall with your help, so take up arms brothers and sisters and fight alongside so it shall stand for all of its entirety!”

And forsake the entirety of the eastern lands… Mai thought as she watched the preacher from across the market. She had taken a booth in one of the three restaurants across from the Church of Baysong.

While the church was called Baysong, co-opting the ‘Bay’ in ‘Bay district’, they were no less an arm of the Helios Religion - the governing religion and body of the Sun Kingdom to the west. Their faith put them at odds with all other nations that did not make Helios, their ‘god’, the ruling entity over their lives and government. Of which, meant they were at odds with the nation they were in right now, the Dragon Empire.

But for all thinly made veils of peace, they had not yet been cut down by the Emperor’s warriors, and would not should they cast the real words they meant to say. Which was to abandon their homeland and sail for the western lands of Sun. The implication hung in the air, and even Mai’s companion, Desmond, who was a dense human man, could grasp the meaning.

“It surprises me each time that I see those preachers that the Emperor has not burned that church to the ground,” Desmond said, as he pushed up his thin wire frame glasses. He was a pale man no older than twenty years of age at the height of six-two. His light brown hair and black eyes had a bookish charm to them. “He’s burned ordered many other churches burned down, yet this one still stands. They even built their tower taller than the district’s ordinances. It’s already past the Cloud District’s rampart’s and the other nobles are complaining.

It was true. The flagrant violations the Baysong church was occurring was as long as the tower itself if one was to write it down upon a never-ending parchment paper. That was only to include the provable offenses. Mai left out that she was more than aware of their underground activities as well. But that would have to admit more than she was willing to let the man know about.

Mai was a beastwoman with snow-white hair, topped with white wolf ears that’d been flecked with purple and blue. A really odd combination no doctor had yet found an explanation for. She had sky-grey eyes and was slightly tanned. She was slender with sharp features that gave her a predatory figure if one was quick to miss the human bodies and looked into her slightly narrowed iris. She had already scared many children with just her eyes.

“Come, brothers!” The preacher imploded. “Come, sisters! It is time for humanity to reign over this world, as our creator has deemed it so!”

Desmond quickly looked over to Mai with obvious concern. “We can eat somewhere else. I know a good Northern-styled restaurant in the Cloud District and we--”

Mai just smirked at him as he tried to distract her from the preacher’s words. She just found it cut how, knowing she was raised in the mountain ranges of Haven with her tribe - fighting monsters and mortals alike in the name of survival and in her own god’s honor - he thought this mere preacher would spur her to her feet with a lust for blood.

Though, it may be because she hadn’t told him the extent of her experience. While she would have loved to boast to this man about it all, she found it… Endearing how this bookish and slender man would care about her emotional well-being. It was… Nice… And something she didn’t wish to change, so she never spoke too much on the details that might change the dynamic she’d grown to love.

“It’s fine,” Mai cooed with up-turned crescent eyes. “He can flap his lips all he wants, someday, someone will leave in him an alley and it’d be of his own design.”

“Are you sure?” He looked out the open window of their booth, since the glass was too expensive for the commons to use, it was just a neatly squared hole to the outside world with two wooden shutters thrown to the side. “I don’t know where he gets off on saying those things. He clearly never met a beast-folk, or dwarves, or gnomes, or --”

“Desmond,” Mai chuckled. “It's to be sure he’s met a dwarf in the least if he hasn’t been locked within Bastion all his life. Even the Sun Kingdom can’t purge all non-humans from its lands. Otherwise, they’d be reliant on outsiders just to function.”

Desmond looked like he was ready to give that preacher a stern talking-to before he let out a sigh of defeat. “I’m still not okay with the rhetoric. But if you’re going to overlook it, I will too. Though, I’m still curious as to why you wanted to eat within the Bay District.”

“I heard the sausages at this establishment were made with the Heliosian-beastfolk style,” Mai said as she pushed her empty plate toward the edge of the table. Desmond followed suit just as the barmaid came around their booth and picked up the plates. He handed over a silver coin, nearly triple the price of the meal with the words of ‘keep the rest as a tip’.

The lady, no older than fifteen, bowed profusely to his ‘generosity’. He blushed slightly as the pretty girl, dressed in an undyed cotton dress, quickly cleaned their table and left.

“Womanizer,” Mai joked.

“I- I, I wasn’t --” Desmond stumbled over his words.

Mai let out a soft laugh before shaking her head. “It wasn’t that way, I know.” of the beast-race, Mai had good senses attuned to physical cues and senses. So, she knew he was not thinking with his lower half, just that he really loved being praised. “You’re a good boy that way.”

He blushed and looked out the window in a way that made her want to tease him more. She wanted to see him blush harder. She wanted him to --

But she reigned herself in. Beastfolk did not get a bad reputation without just cause. They were passionate people. Joy, sorrow, and even hate. They felt it much more than humans. The human extreme of emotions was more common for them. Mai herself had to be trained to control herself. At least things get out of hand.

“... Thank you for taking me here…” Desmond muttered after clearing his throat, his complexion still pink.

“Why are you thanking me?” Mai laughed. “Is it not customary that friends do things with each other?”

“Yeah… Yeah that’s right…” Desmond smiled. “So, what are your plans for the rest of the day?”

“I plan to head to the Haven Embassy,” Mai said. “Alone, though, before you ask.”

Desmond’s smile faltered slightly, spurring Mai to further explain herself. “I have to speak with the Ambassador there and I doubt your dearest Father Emperor would be keen on seeing you, of all people, enter an embassy.”

“Yeah… You’re right. He’s already given me a stern talking to about being friends with you…” Desmond said as he got up from his seat. Mai’s head cocked to the left, her hair shifting slightly as curiosity showed in her eyes. “He’s… Not a lover of non-humans, as you well know. He ‘reminded’ me that I was not in line for the throne and I was not to be seeking support through the non-humans. He is still trying to place my eldest brother on the throne.”

“Didn’t Christopher say he wasn’t interested?” Mai turned out the open window, noting that the preacher from earlier had gone quiet.

At the foot of the statue, the preacher was absent. In his place, several pretty nuns had taken his place at the ground level. They handed out freshly baked loaves of bread to all who came, no doubt knowing their good looks would draw many to the church’s message, if not just to see them again. Now the preacher was walking behind a procession of polished full-plated knights, each donning a tabard embroidered with the rising sun. Six in total that surrounded a single fat elderly man.

The old man himself donned a miter hat embedded with only sun-shaped rubies and long snow white robes. He also walked with a gold-ball topped walking stick that had to be worth several gold coins, if not tens of coins.

“Christopher already has his Hunter Knight Divisions,” Desmond said, oblivious to the shift in his partner’s attention. He whipped away the crumbs off his nice commoners-styled clothes that clearly showed he was of some wealth. It was clean. The color was still pronounced and it held no signs of distress. “Since he’s gained considerable renown dealing with the monster issues around the nation, father wants him to become emperor in the next five years.”

Mai only noted the tone in Desmond’s voice as she threw a neutral response. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Desmond turned and looked around. They were on the second floor balcony of the establishment, granting them a view over the bar and the tables below. It was relatively empty, with a few guests sprinkled here and there, each of them dressed in roughly treated clothing and different styles of armor that suggested they all were adventurers. “And my other brother is not happy about it. Word around the palace is that he killed several of his concubines in anger.”

The ‘killed’ part caught Mai’s attention just as the group entered the church across the market. “Killed?” She didn’t catch anything he said.

“Yeah, he really did kill them,” Desmond sighed and turned back to Mai. “One of the maids told me. And the maids are not ones to miss the drama, as we all well know. He had his guards carry them out in stretchers, and now he’s on the prowl for more pretty girls at the social functions.”

“Speaking of social functions,” Mai interjected. “When are you going to take me to one?”

“You know I can’t take you,” Desmond said. “Father does not want me at those functions, and I don’t want to go either. I rather stay in the library, or go with Christopher on his monster subjugations,or another archeological expedition. I’ve had enough of these social and political affairs.”

Mai chuckled and spared one last glance at the church. Three of the knights stood guard outside. She noted that and turned back to Desmond as she got up. “You’re beginning to sound like an elderly man.”

“They say scholars are old souls.” Desmond let out a small chuckle.

Mai got up and nudged him with her shoulder as she walked towards the stairs. She too was dressed in a tunic, but wore fitted leather pants with two hunting knives sheathed and strapped on the outside of both legs. She also had a cowl that’d been bunched up under her long hair. “I’ve been in this country for less than two years, and I have never heard that saying.”

“I came up with it right now,” Desmond said proudly. “If I am to leave my family to become a scholar at the Academy, it’s only fitting that I act the part. As they say, dress for the job you want, not the one you have.”

“That’s a good one,” Mai said over her shoulder. “Did you come up with that one yourself too?”

“Not in the least,” Desmond said.

Before they left the establishment, they stood beside the entrance and looked out the open door. The throng of people had begun to subside as workers scurried off to their jobs and the children, bored of the slow atmosphere, returned to playing within the many side streets. It was but a murmur outside. The preacher from before had gone to entertain their guest within the towering church and Desmond seemed hesitant to part with her. She had to leave, though, she did love teasing the poor man as she glanced at him briefly with some pouting eyes.

He lapped it up as he reached over and …. Helped Mai’s hood back over her head. Like a gentleman.

“I know you hate to be late,” Desmond said quickly. “I’ll see you at dinner at the Academy?”

The hood was off center and she straightened it out as her expression darkened out of his sight. A small growl of annoyance bubbled at the bottom of her throat. She pushed it back down to keep up appearances. “No, don’t wait for me. A few relatives arrived in the capital today and I will be visiting them and showing them around.”

“Oh?” Desmond’s voice perked with interest. “I can help you with that - I mean, if it’s okay with you.”

Mai shook her head as she stepped off. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Dessy~”

The beastwoman stepped out onto the worn cobble road and left Desmond there. She was annoyed with him at the current moment. It would pass within a few moments or an hour, but business had to continue. Business that Desmond would be better off in the dark about.

With the sun high in the sky, Mai headed down to the port .

Almost all the embassies were located within the Cloud district, lined up across from the Royal Palace as if to bow at its feet. Haven’s embassy was different in this regard as it was actually located in the Bay District of the capital. It sat comfortably next to a large merchant company and a fishery. It was often the target of many insults at social function. Mai saw it was a very funny move by her patron dragon though.

While the dragon that helped raise her and her tribe rarely left the comfort of her domain, Morrigan would never enter the house of mortal ruler, let alone mere pathetic artistocatics. Kings, emperors, and peasants alike had to personally appeal to the embassy should they desire anything from Haven or its ruling immortal dragon. Which was what made it a very humbling, or funny process to which said Emperor had to walk past the fishery or merchant shop to enter the Harbor. Usually spewing profanity.

And that was for the possibility to appeal to the dragon’s people, not actually meeting her. They’d weigh the appeal and decide on their own if it was worth the hassle.

The harbor itself comprised the entire eastern face of the city, with tendrils of thick wooden docks. These docks stretched into the bay that was shaped roughly in a circle. Artificially reinforced sand bars stretched out created a rough sea barrier topped with two artistically made spiral ballista towers that watched the only two mile wide entrance into the bay.

An interesting tidbit of the Capital that had always fascinated Mai was the two-sided culture that existed. On one hand, was the three-caste system that governed the majority of the city. It was not exactly official, though it was apparent for all to see. In which there were three distinct districts. Cloud, Bay, and Pebbles District.

Cloud was where the aristocracy and rich commons lived alongside the Royal Family. It had the nicest mansions and immaculate streets that existed atop the southern mountain top, surrounding the Royal palace. Said palace being an ancient abandoned abode of what was most likely a long-dead dragon.

The next district was the Bay district. It was the largest district of the three and comprised the common citizens and their residential areas, alongside their businesses and the warehouses for the port. The pebbles were none other than the slums for the poor and the serfs.

What made the harbor a different entity from the rest of the capital was that it stretched from the Bay district to the Pebbles. It was also the only area of which serfs and nobles could be seen among each other. It didn’t mean that neither enjoyed the company of each other, nor did it mean they remotely got along, but it was as it was as the port was the source of trade and manual labor alike.

Amongst the chaos that was this melting pot, was the Haven Embassy that was nestled bay side.

As Mai approached the building, she examined the three story building that was built and styled after Haven’s buildings. White plastered walls with a clay tile roofing over gutting extensions of the second floor with a single balcony facing the water on the third floor. That was the master of Haven’s office. Almost always empty.

Normal docks within the bay jutted outward so ships could file in to use as much space as possible efficiently. That was not the case in front of the embassy. It boasted the only side loading dock in the city, and today, was docked with the Amber Tear. The Amber Tear was a Galleon ship painted in a vivid amber, adorned with carved wooden orange roses that decorated the bow before swirling back towards the rear; thinning until it stopped mid-ship, showing off the clean and expert craftsmanship due to the lightness of the paint that allowed all who past it to see every nook on the hull. It also attested to the small nation’s power and wealth that they sailed such a large ship without an escort into a different nation’s port.

And of course, the Amber Tear did sail by itself unless it was sailed into battle. Not a single haven vessel aside from the Tear was within the bay and that was a statement Morrigan loved to make from Mai’s personal experience with the dragon.

A quick glance to the ship showed only the minimum needed to keep the ship secure and maintained. So, that meant that her meeting would happen within the embassy. It was a shame. Mai had found memories on the ship, and loved to be onboard when given the chance. And chances were far and few inbetween.

She turned to the embassy and entered it. The lobby was far different from the norm within the Capital in regards to wealthy establishments. Whereas many would decorate their space to show off their wealth, the embassy’s lobby was affixed with magical lighting from enchanted crystals that hung in a white cotton nets. A variety of rose bushes grew in pots around, and several berry bushes stood sentry on either side of the entrance. The whole ensemble gave a greenhouse feel with the comfort of a conditioned space for humanoids.

The air was noticeably cooler than outside as well as fresher. It was not close to the freshness of an untouched forest but more closer to that of the countryside.

There were tens of chairs lined against the walls in sets of three where they could fit, with a few of them occupied by bored looking servants. The middle of the room was fixed with a large rug that’d been embroidered with the Haven flag - an orange rose backed by an amber background. Then bordered with the usual ornery that came to artisans who had unused space and felt they needed to fill it in. Directly across from the entrance was a single large desk, manned by a beautiful middle-aged beastwoman with blessed assets that guarded a hallway led deeper into the building.

“Welcome back, Ms. Autumn,” The receptionist called out with a soft singsong voice that bordered on the edge of a purr. Like Mai, the woman was of the Wolven Autumn Tribe but donned lush fertile earth brown hair and eyes. Her right wolf ear was adorned with three silver earrings at its base. One of the moon, one of the sun, and one of the dragon. On her other ear was a large golden ring that was placed around the ear. This meant that the woman was mated with another, as was the tradition in their tribe.

“Lavender,” Mai gave a respectful nod. “May the sun and moon guide you.”

“And may they guide you,” Lavender nodded with a smile. “You are expected on the third floor.”

Mai paused for a moment, tilted her head slightly and raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner. Lavender gave only the slightest affirmation of a nod. Mai then blinked as her mind stalled for a moment then looked down at her outfit, then looked back to the receptionist in panic. Lavender gave a slight shrug, her professional and unhinting expression never changed.

“Oh, Goddess…” Mai sighed. “To my dishonor I go then…”

Mai walked around the desk and walked the length of the hall. She passed several conference rooms separated by pure glass doors. Each was filled with some manner of meeting, either attended by a representative of the Dragon, or a representative of Haven’s Council. Despite Haven being the smallest nation on the continent, it was far stronger than both the Sun Kingdom and the Empire. Mostly due to being governed by the only known living dragon today. With this, it allowed almost unfretted protection to those who belonged to the nation.

A protection that even stopped pirates cold.

Most definitely a protection that any smart merchant would like to have. Sadly, most of them would never commit to the strict tenants needed to be accepted as a citizen in Haven. Which was the sole way to get the protection of the dragon. No manner of bribery or flattery would get around this clause. And why so many people could only look on evisionly to those who’d cast away all their ties to gain that protection.

“Thank you!” A woman said as one of the last doors on the left opened up. “I swear I will pledge my loyalty to the Great Dragon herself if I could!”

A man’s voice followed, deep, paced and well mannered. “We are delighted that we could arrange a deal. Though, I would still like to allow you the five day cool down period. Taking up one’s roots and moving to a different country is no small feat.”

“No, no!” The woman shook her head in such a way that Mai thought it’d pop off and hit the floor. “I need no cooling down! I have been trying to work myself up as an artisan seamstress, but for the last ten years, those larger shops have slandered my good name! You promised I would have a fair shot right? Then I need not wait any longer! Ten years was enough! I’m sick of this place, it’s time to have an adventure!”

“Ah, let me introduce you to this fine young woman right here -”The man, no older than forty but looked as young as his late twenties, gestured to Mai just as she passed. Normally, Mai would not bother with staff here, but this man was none other than Morrigan’s secretary. “Allow me to introduce you to Mai Autumn, of the Wolven Autumn tribe. She is the daughter of the Chieftain, and her tribe serves my master as their foresters, hunters, and naturalists.”

“... Naturalist…?” The woman, still glowing from her excitement, smiled with a hint of confusion.

“Erm… I am not privy to the nuances around the term, but my master calls them naturalists,” The man cleared his throat. “Her tribe tends to nature within our borders. I believe… Foresters would be a more accurate term.”

“Good day,” Mai nodded, more reserved and clearly unwilling to be a part of whatever was going on here. “And whom is this woman?”

It was hard to keep the point of her words, and the woman clearly was put off by it. The man introduced her nonetheless. “This is Miss Everline, of Ever-Sitch Textiles, our master had scouted her talent herself.”

“W-W-Wait, I was --” The woman flipped on the man but was ignored.

“Ah,” Mai nodded. She knew about this one. She made pretty things full of love. The devil was in the details. Details that her master loved to busy herself with for fun. “The silk blue dress with our sacred flower on it, yes?”

“Of course, you’d remember that detail,” He nodded. “Miss Everline, the Wolven Autumn tribe will be the ones who will tend to the health of the herbs to dye your materials. Since Miss Autumn was passing, I figured an informal introduction would be beneficial.”

“I…. I…” The woman looked a little overwhelmed.

“Now on your way,” The man said. “Come when you are ready to leave, though please be here in three days at the latest. We will be departing on the morning of the fourth day. We will need time to load and secure your equipment. Lavender, please see our new resident out. You have a nice day Miss Everline.”

Without giving the poor woman a chance to respond, she was hauled politely away by the receptionist.

“That was unneeded, Sabas,” Mai clicked her tongue before she continued on her way to the third floor.

“Of course,” Sabas chuckled. “Everything with you is unneeded.”

“Do we need to fight again?” Mai growled. She let her annoyance show. “I’m expected by our master. If you want to fight, wait until I’m done.”

“As violent as ever,” Sabas shook his head in an exaggerated manner as Mai led them both up to the second floor which housed the staff quarters, staff offices, and armory. “Should I go and retrieve the Third Prince? I noticed you are never violent with him.”

“You leave Desmond out of this,” Mai stopped in her tracks and glared at him.

Sabas only grinned in response, but kept his mouth shut.

The two crossed the length of the second floor before reaching the front. There, three armed warriors clad in full enchanted plate armor stood guard. With both Sabas and Mai, all three stepped aside as they gave out respectful salutes. Afterward, they went up another flight of stairs that landed them on the third story. The smell of nature became weaker, pushed against by two new smells. Ash and fire. It imposed on the atmosphere unapologetically and stood its ground at the top of the steps.

The door to the office was open.

“Mai~” A sultry feminine voice called through the door. “It’s been such a long time~!”

A sweet and seductive feminine voice called out with a purr. The ambient mana rose once through the doorway and Mai was within the modest office space. Morrigan, in human form, was a pale beauty with hair that looked as if she’d soaked it in blood. Her eyes were a blend of pure silver strains that were suspended in blood red serpent iris eyes. With her office decorated in many potted flowers and plants on shelves, it made her look even more out of place.

“Master,” Mai gave a deep respectful bow. “As per your letter, I have scouted the Baysong church. As you had predicted, someone of power has arrived…. Why?” Mai stood in a more relaxed stance as Sebas stayed at the top of the stays in the hall.

“Mm,” Morrigan’s lips curled with delight. “He is the Archbishop of the Sun Kingdom. The Sunny Rocks tribe had sent a message. Apparently, they finally recovered the last fragment of the Supreme Artifact. Since all the pieces have been gathered, it’s time to strike.”

“Master… If I may…?” Mai looked as if she wanted to ask a question.

Morrigan studied the woman for several seconds then waved her hand. The dragoness knew that the girl had questions, and she was not one to let go of those questions lightly. “Ask away…”

“For the last five years, we’ve been hunting down these ‘fragments’. What exactly are they?” Mai asked.

Morrgian turned and looked out the window, her eyes looking down into the bay as the people busied themselves with their lives. Then she spoke after a minute. “How much did I tell you about the fall of the Age of Gods?”

“When this world began, it was not really a world but a sort of small dimension that many powerful figures used as their playground for fun. They were immortal and all-mighty. The All-Mother, Avery, ruled and watched over these people. She saw to it that they had fun and were punished when they interfered with others' fun.” Mai answered, paraphrasing as much as possible.

Morrigan nodded her head and turned back to the beastwoman. “And those immortal people left once our great goddess… Died… However, with her death, the world and her soul went through a metamorphosis on a grand scale. Through the power of the memories, feelings, and experiences those immortals had in her dimension made it morph into its own world. No longer bound by the limits of the previous form. In that, her soul was reborn into a true god.”

“I still have an issue with calling it the Ages of Gods if they weren’t real gods,” Mai quipped. “If they were just immortal, it should be called the Age of Immortals.”

“My sweet little puppy,” The dragoness sighed. The air chilled slightly. “It matters not what it is called, so long that it is remembered. Our Goddess is now remembered as many different gods. It is easy for the small minded to miss that it is in fact one entity. It is also the least concerning aspect to come out of this event.”

“What would be the most concerning aspect…?” Mai asked. Her master, despite being a benevolent immortal entity to those under her, also did not talk of the past often and in detail. It could be said that their history of the world was such a mess as the longest lived dragon would not speak on it. This was one of the reasons Morrigan had a bad reputation, along with a few other things.

Morrigan walked around the desk to Mai’s right where she brushed away a few vining plants. Behind their thick wide leaves, was a stone tablet. It was ancient by how worn it looked. A small skill Mai had picked up in spending her time with the Third Prince of this empire. She could give an estimate on how old stonework was. But it also helped that it was etched onto Elven Stone. A whitemarble-like stone that was common among the Old Elves, the ones who’d shattered the world’s races.

She brought it over to Mai and showed it to her. It was a near master-artisan depiction of a tree, wrapped with roses that all converged to a large sphere at the base of the tree. On one side of it, was a man in a suit who’s face had been chipped away. The other side was a beautiful woman with elven features. While the etching didn’t have a lot of detail, as it was simple in nature but beautiful, it did capture the way the woman looked lovingly to the man with the missing face.

“Have you ever seen this?” Morrigan asked.

Mai looked at it momentarily, then realized that the tree and orb looked familiar. With the two figures in the picture, it made it seem… Off. Like something was wrong. “I’ve seen a few murals of the tree, some with the orb, some with a missing orb. Though, always with the flowers.”

“This is the World Tree.” Morrigan added. “The flowers are on our flag, and the orb… The orb was the manifestation of Lady Avery’s power. It was not her power, but it functioned like a pseudo enchanted control object, like the ones the Empire or the Kingdom use for controlling their water infrastructure. Only, this orb is a lesser control-point for the world.”

Mai looked up to her master with astonishment. She was about to ask more questions when Morrigan continued. “The woman there is the mother of Avery. In many myths and legends, it is often said that deities just exist, or that some are created. From what I understand, deities are the mortals who’ve crossed the threshold into divinity, as proven by Helios who rules the Sun Kingdom. It was the same with Avery, though her ascension spawned our universe rather than a nation.”

“And the man?” Mai asked, excited about this history lession. Maybe she had spent too much time with Desmond, but her desire to learn about their history had certainly grown during her time in this city. “Is he --”

“He is Hades,” Morrigan said.

“W-Wait…” Mai stalled for a moment then took a step back. “Hades is… Our-”

Morrigan sighed and mumbled to herself. “This is why I had no desire to share this part of history… Yes, Hades is Avery’s father.”

“But he is the God of Demons!” Mai hissed as she restrained her voice. Even when shocked, the respect her body had learned many years ago for a dragon kept her in check. “He nearly wiped out the entire mortal realm!”

“Mm,” Morrigan nodded. “And Maddin, Avery’s mother, pushed him back - giving her life to protect all that Avery cherished.”

“That’s a… That’s a lot to take in…” Mai inhaled a deep breath, clearly phased by this information. “So…”

“To simplify a long complex and sad story - Avery’s death changed the two forever. They eventually turned on each other, with Hades attempting to steal the Control Orb, what I refer to as the Supreme Artifact to avoid another Elven War, Maddin managed to create a barrier to protect Avery’s grave, and the world tree. That place exists in what the humans now refer to as ‘No-Man’s Land’. The many horrors that spawned in the wake of it often get confused with demons.” Morrigan said

She looked at Mai, studied her then continued. “Which is why not even the demons had attempted to take over that stretch of land until the incident fifteen years ago. That was when I discovered Hades' plan to steal Avery’s soul and absorb it to become even stronger.”

“Was that when the demons attempted that ritual?” Mai asked.

Morrigan nodded. “They failed. To be more exact, Hades had failed to notice that Avery was very much still alive and in my care. I whisked her away and hid her. The magical backlash of attempting such a taboo spell killed all the practitioners. It also harmed Hades.”

“And what does this have to do with the… Control Orb?” Mai asked.

“In the wake of Maddin’s fight with Hades, she shattered the orb and scattered it all over the land beyond the demon’s reach. It saved the world from becoming Hades’, but it also set back Avery’s recovery by many, many years.” Morrigan said, turned and placed the tablet on top of the desk.

She continued. “I don’t know who told Helios, or how he found out, but he’s been collecting the fragments of the orb to piece it back together. The man is quite a pious man. I have no doubts that he aims to rid the world of Hades if he manages to piece it back together. Only, it is not his to take, nor will I let him have anything that belongs to my Lady.”

Mai thought for a moment, then gasped. “Does that mean you think the man who entered the Baysong is connected to a fragment?”

“Correct for the most part,” Morrigan gave a devious smile. “He is here to collect a fragment that had been dug up during an expedition led by the Adventurer Guild to the South. Which is why you will hear of the demon invasion there. An aspect almost most of the mortal leaders failed to take warning of, if that Hades can teleport demons into places of thick miasma. They will be weak and will eventually die as miasma is also bad for them, but it can be done.”

“So Hades knew about the fragment as well?” Mai asked.

Morrigan shook her head. “Hades knows little about anything. He only detected the fragment once it left the ruins it had been hidden in by some long-dead people. Even I have a hard time hunting these fragments down, as they were moved from their original sites where they fell. But that does not matter. Hades was late and failed to take the fragment. The demons will die soon if they don’t terraform the area.”

“I was under the impression that demons thrived in Miasma,” Mai said.

Morrigan shook her head. “Miasma is friend to none, as it is the decay of the very fabric of our reality. Gravitational anomalies, miasma zones, and the increased monster sightings are the signs that the slow burn of entropy is beginning to finally tip the scales.”

“So…” Mai looked nervous. The information was not the sort any person who cared about their future wanted to hear. More so one that cared about the people in this world. “How much longer do you think we have left?”

Morrigan’s eyes turned full silver as she seemed to stare up to the ceiling for nearly a minute, then looked back to Mai. “Worst case, we have a year. Best case is about ten. The miasma is birthing monsters faster than anyone can kill them. I cannot step away from Haven for too long to hunt for fragments, nor can I hunt down the worst of the monsters. The nations prefer to keep their calamities under wraps, and do not want me within their borders longer than they need me there to strike any deals.”

“Well, that’s all… Bad, but I think we should revisit the original reason I came here…” Mai had begun to feel sick. It’d been nearly a year, maybe two, since she’d come here. The veil of peace had been some sort of shield against the woes of their world. The horrid information she was hearing now was just one sucker punch after another. It showed her that she’d gotten soft. Gotten complacent.

“Ah, yes.” Morrigan nodded and returned to her desk. It was an empty desk, one used to make the room feel more… Normal. In all honesty, Mai knew Morrigan would’ve preferred to just show up at her room within the Academy and give her the details there. But, given that the Emperor does not look kindly on such things, and that she couldn’t move openly should Helios or Hades try something, such methods were a must.

She explained. “Tonight, you’re to infiltrate the Baysong. Complete massacre of all its clergy and secure the fragment. Given it’s divine nature, it shouldn’t be dirty, and will be like a cracked piece of an ember orb. I have already brought the rest of your tribe’s fighting numbers here. Once night has fallen, you will carry this out. Make it look as if some cult carried it out. Bring the fragment back here.”

“Is there no way we can let them live?” Mai asked. “I don’t want to have to kill so many people if I don’t have to.”

Morrigan stared at the beastwoman with a hint of annoyance. “No. Once you’re within the church, you will understand. Your chieftain is here, on the hidden level. Go down there and meet with him. He has already been briefed on what you need to do.”

Without another word, she was dismissed. Outside the window, the sun was already going down. Mai’s mouth felt dry, and her stomach turned.