AN: Bit of a perspective change for this one, and their are new side characters who will disappear in a few chapters.

As per usual, folks, thank you for reading thus far. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please let me know down below.

__________________________

"Is everything ready?" Asked a male human with a rugged face full of scars and a milky-white left eye. This male human was of the common sort, with a square shaped head with auburn coloured hair, cleft chin, blue eyes, and a beak-like nose. He wore a dark blue coat over a pair of red trousers and black boots, whilst at his side was a pair of iron sabers.

"Yes general, we are ready to summon the new heroes," came the reply from one of the priests, who wore a simple, plain white robe. That which was visible of the priest was covered in a shower of snow white hair that cascaded over his shoulders. The face of such a person was half covered by a long beard that stretched almost to the floor. This indicated the man's age was nearing his end, and perhaps this would be his final act.

"Then proceed. We've reports of a monstrous army heading this way, and it is not from the demons' lair. The faster we have the new batch of heroes, the faster we can end this war and return home."

Home, by which he means the city of New Wair, was now being occupied by some sort of bizarre creature that could take the form of anyone and anything. This creature had enslaved the castle's inhabitants, and even had the new queen under its thumb. What is more, the general's men who tried to infiltrate the city were all caught within the first night of their arrival, and were either enslaved in some way, or simply vanished.

This new army that was approaching, however, did not seem to know, or even care, it was being watched. Those that watched its progress, reported its voracious appetites, and its enjoyment of the destruction of those who lived along the path to the warfront. A few nights ago, however, the general was appalled by what the newest reports told of this army. Of how it attacked the demons who had been raiding an elven village, captured them, then attacked the elves. It then went on to tell of what transpired later on that evening, of the rape and torture of the village's inhabitants.

However, there was something odd within that army. A large skeletal creature had seemingly transformed into a dogman, whose fur was of the starry night's sky, and took from the torturer an elven child. What is more, this creature went on to torturing the small child with its own magicks, who then became enamoured by the dogman and called it "Papa".

It was truly a strange occurrence, but perhaps one the humans would try to exploit to their advantage. His orders for the group of watchers was simple, "Try to capture the girl-child, and bring her here." However, after the general had sent this message, the reports stopped coming in, and berated himself for such a stupid mistake.

"General," the human's mind snapped back to the present, his eyes glancing down upon a young acolyte in a mouse-grey robe. "It is beginning now. If you would, please?" He was led to a small outcropping of stone with a large pentagram in its centre. Etched into the ground around this pentagram were the ancient words used to summon heroes to this world. Normally, such a ceremony would take place within a temple, where they would take their time. However, time was of the essence, and the cost for such a rushed summoning would be terrible. Those of whom would perform this would lose their essences, and were willing to do so in order to destroy the demons that plagued their land.

Fourteen old priests, and twenty young acolytes stood around the pentagram, and raised their heads to the skies above. From their throats came not words, but a single note raised in song. The acolytes then lowered their heads towards the centre of the pentagram, and unleashed their powerful magicks composed of a brilliant white light. This light shot out from their mouths and eyes, essentially blinding them, but only if they stopped. However, they did not, and the light from their magicks had transformed their bodies to dust that was then sucked into the newly formed vortex of the pentagram.

Once all of their dust-bodies had been absorbed, a pale red portal appeared between the singing priests, whose own magicks began to shine out of their eyes and mouths. However, the colour of which their lights did shine was violet, and these lights soon became a pillar that engulfed their bodies. These pillars then began to spin around the newly formed portal until one could not see it.

It was here a light from the heavens themselves did fall onto the portal, engulfing all with its brilliance, as eight red lights fell from the sky, within this light. Once they landed upon the ground, the lights vanished, revealing a female human in tight skinned, red leather armour, six tall, male humans in various clothing and armours, and a small boy-child who wore a simple tunic, trousers, and boots.

However, what was truly strange about this child was the fact that it had a large, iron sword strapped to its back. This sword was easily twice the boy-child's size, which probably weighed twice his weight, and yet the child easily bore it up. What is more, this child's face was contorted in such an evil manner, many who looked upon it would shiver and wonder why.

"Great heroes of another world," called out one of the few remaining priests, "Will you help us in our time of need, and defend our peoples from the threats that befell us?"

"Hmm," hummed the female, who tapped a forefinger upon the child's head, of whom swatted the offending appendage away in irritation. This elicited a chuckle from the males wearing armour. "Sure, why not," shrugged the female, who looked upon the nodding heads of those around her, "It's why we're here, isn't it?"

The General began to push himself forward to greet and direct the new heroes, as a messenger ran towards his person, and tripped over his own feet. He then sprang up with, "General! The demons are attacking us again!"

Shortly thereafter, the soft clashing of iron on iron drifted over their heads, signaling where a distant battle was taking place. The female human laughed, as she removed a pair of daggers from her person, and gripped their hilts in such a way, the blades were pointing down. "Come along everyone. There's a party going on, and I would like to crash it."

*****

Deep within the earth, and nearest the human encampment, stooped an old dragon-man who watched the world within a pool of clear water. Within this water it spied the human armies preparing itself for another summoning of heroes, even though its last attempts had failed. "Insufferable humans," it muttered, waving a greyed clawed hand over the pool to direct its sight elsewhere.

To the northwest of the humans was a cloud of dust, as a horde of monstrous creatures, led by a much greater skeletal creature, journeyed onwards towards the humans. They were about a full turn of the sun away from the humans' encampment, where they would begin their slaughter. The drake that appeared before it, and the All Mother, sang praises of the new god that walked the land. It was here it reported saying that this god, the skeletal creature, would come to the aid of the Demon Lord who was their Mother, and remove the human scourge from the land.

Of course, such an idea was preposterous, as all upon this world had a deeply seeded hatred for the dragon-men, desiring to see their end for all time. What benefit would this skeleton have for coming to their aid, their Mother's aid? Why would they risk joining the side that will eventually lose? If the humans do not destroy them, then there will be others, until, at long last, they were removed from the world called Terra.

And yet... "And yet, they spoke the truth," rumbled a deeply feminine voice, startling the old dragon-man from its thoughts.

"Forgive me, Mother," the dragon-man's voice was higher pitched, as it calmed the fast paced beat of its heart. The voice became a chuckle, then disappeared as though its attention was driven elsewhere.

"It is alright, Seshiij. You would not be here, staring into the Eye of Sho, if you did not truly believe the creature's words," the feminine voice was calm, filled with the love of a mother towards her child.

"Is it alright to trust such a thing? Even going so far as to gift it with a platoon of your finest warriors?" Within the pool of water came an image of the skeletal being whose head was turned towards an emerald coloured dragon-woman perched atop its left shoulder. A male of the same coloured scales was clutching the left shoulder bones of the creature in a comical manner, as it tried to perch itself atop the shoulder. There were others flying, riding, and running with the monsters of the 'horde', each a variety of coloured scales, and with their own expressions about their faces.

"Oh? I do believe it was a fair trade, as he did gift one of his daughters to us," the voice was laughing gently at this point, as its attention was pulled elsewhere. "She is quite the handful, you know."

"But, he did threaten destruction if she was harmed."

"Did he now? However," a great eye of fire and blood appeared in the pool of water, staring up at the old dragon-man with a slitted pupil, "make no mistake; this being is dangerous. Within a short time it conquered a human capital, and has its royalty under its thumb. Such a being would make a powerful ally, and a dangerous enemy. We should be grateful it chose to ally with us, as we would not last under its onslaught."

"But..."

"But me no buts, child. The decision has already been made, and it's about time to start the next phase of our joint plan. While you do that, I have a little 'demon' to take care of."

"As you wish, Mother," the old dragon-man whispered, as the eye of his Mother faded from the pool. It then moved towards a small, black box embedded into a nearby wall, and after pressing a square tab on the bottom of the box, spoke into it, "The All Mother commands us: Kill the humans."