The yurt reserved for Deborah’s lodging is located at the far side of the village. Close, but the distance between them is notable. Deborah knows its purpose is to keep the silence for their guest to rest, but she can’t help but feel like she’s staying away from the tribesmen for their own safety. The yurt is comfortable enough and can withstand the wind and the cold outside, but it’s rather bland with no noticeable decorations. There also isn’t any bed, but rather a cloth mattress and a simple pillow, enough to comfortably spend night in the steppe. A rather fitting place for her, since Deborah herself doesn’t expect to be treated like a King, or rather Queen in her case.

Still, her foremost worry isn’t about a place to sleep. But rather…

Of all the people, it was her grandson that I killed…

Sitting alone in the corner, Deborah stares at her bare arms, washed clean with herbal soap, yet somehow the scent of blood still lingers on them. Deborah thinks it’s just her imagination since the sweet aroma of soap is still there, but she can’t keep her head away from the bloodshed she caused with these very two hands.

It was because of duty, it was because she has to, it was because they gave her no choices. That’s what Deborah keeps telling herself to make her move forward, but when the combat high fades away, all that’s left is simply guilt. When there’s no enemy threatening her home, when there’s no wild animals blocking her path, when there’s no horsemen chasing after her for being what she is, when there is nothing to keep her body and mind busy, that’s when it emerges itself from the depth of her consciousness, to torment her, to torture her in ways weapons and magic cannot.

If all I can do is destroy, then why gives me the conscience to feel guilt?

Deborah lies her head onto her arms as she sits there and cries in silent. But her brooding time is quickly cut short as there is the sound of footsteps from outside approaching her yurt.

-Are you still awake, Miss? Can I come in?

Deborah quickly wipes the tears off her eyes as she replies.

-Yes, please do.

The person outside passes through the piece of cloth covering the entrance to the guest’s yurt. She is the same maid who helped Deborah with her clothing earlier today. From a quick glimpse of the outside, seems like it’s already nightfall. The maid girl is carrying along with her a wooden bowl on top of a wooden tray. There’s a bit of steam radiating from the wooden bowl, and of course, the fragrance of food is present as well.

-A bit dark in here, isn’t it?

Says the maid as she touches the light crystal hanging down on the top of the yurt, thus brightening its interior.

-You didn’t show up for dinner, so the chief ordered me to bring this to you.

Deborah’s gaze turns to the wooden bowl the maid brought along with her. It looks like some sort of stew, with several vegetables mixed within it.

-It’s steppe goat stew. We don’t know much about cuisine in the Eostre continent, so please forgive us if this doesn’t fit your taste.

Deborah lacks the will to reply. Her eyes are now fixated on the bowl of stew. After all that brooding, maybe a bit of food will make her feel better.

-Thanks for the food.

Deborah picks up the bowl along with a wooden spoon. The bowl is still hot, Deborah can feel the heat through the bowl, but she is still a fire dragon, the last one, this kind of heat doesn’t pose a problem to her throat, thus there’s no need for her to cool it down with her breath. Deborah uses the spoon and have a quick taste of the stew.

And her eyes brighten like something just awakes within her.

-It’s very delicious!

Says Deborah as she quickly chows down the bowl of goat stew like it’s the best thing she ever ate in her life, which probably is, considering the kind of food served to the students at Melas. In a flash, the bowl of goat stew is emptied, even before the maid can have a chance to tell Deborah to slow down since the stew is still hot.

-Can I have a second serving please!?

The maid is stunned from Deborah’s…enthusiasm. Only now does Deborah realizes how much of a scene she caused.

-Oh…I’m sorry…Where are my manners?

-It’s…okay. I’m glad you enjoyed our food. I’ll get a second serving right away.

The maid takes away the bowl and spoon before she leaves. Deborah remains inside the yurt, still embarrassed about her rude table manner. Even so, the little charade earlier makes her feel a bit better than before. Good food sure does wonders to the mind. Still, Deborah is confused nonetheless, with how her emotion keeps going up and down in the span of a day, she doesn’t know if she can keep holding her emotion in check. Enough traumatic things have happened in her life, maybe a good night rest after a second serving of delicious goat stew will help Deborah somewhat.

But it seems like tonight is also going to be another long night.

-Who’s there? Show yourself.

Deborah shouts as she senses the presence of someone outside of her yurt. If they are the maid earlier, they won’t spend their time waiting outside. Are they spies, or someone being sent by the chief to keep her in check? Deborah makes many assumptions, but when the person in question, or rather people, reveal themselves by walking through the entrance, Deborah finds out all of her assumptions are incorrect.

They are kids, three of them, two girls and one boy. When their presence is noticed by Deborah, they make no further attempt to hide and walk inside like bad children waiting to be scolded. All three of them look very young, barely ten years old.

-You are…kids…

The children don’t reply to Deborah’s obvious statement.

-Why are you three eavesdropping in front of my lodging?

The kids look at each other as if asking for one of them to take charge and answer their guest’s question. Seeing as all three of them lack the courage to step up, the girl with braided hair among the kids speaks up her mind for the sake of all three.

-Big sis…is it true you are a demon that hail from Eostre…like what the adults said about you?

Now it’s Deborah’s turn to be confused. She certainly does not expect something like that from the mouth of an innocent young girl of the steppe. Deborah can only guess that’s the curiosity of youth. Answering their question is…tough for her. Technically, Deborah is a demon, as the term was created to describe any race affiliated with the Demon Realm. But then again, what would the kids react if Deborah straight out tell them she’s a demon? Would they scream in terror when being confronted by the monster who eat bad children like them for dinner? As amusing as it would turn out, Deborah doesn’t want to worsen her already bad reputation among the tribesmen.

-Yes…

-Really!?

The kids suddenly rush by Deborah’s side with glittering eyes, with no hint of fear hidden within them. Certainly this isn’t the reaction Deborah expects. Doesn’t seem like revealing herself as a demon would scare the kids, on the contrary, it only deepens their curiosity in her and her origin.

-What does it feel like living in the demon’s continent!?

The other girl with a short haircut asks.

-It’s…cold, and it’s snowing most of the time. Even when it’s not snowing, the land is mostly barren and withered, though I rarely leave the castle to know what it actually is in the rest of the continent.

-You live in a castle!? AWESOME!

The boy yells in excitement. He yells too loud, enough for the approaching maid outside to notice the kids’ presence in the guest’s yurt.

-What are you kids doing here? Isn’t it supposed to be your bedtime!?

The moment the maid comes inside with another bowl of stew on her tray, all the kids rush at her side and start…nagging the poor girl like children throwing tantrum. Well, they are children…

-Big sis, please let us stay to hear more stories about the demons!

-Please please please please!?

-No you can’t! You’ll disturb our guest! If this keeps up, I’ll tell your parents about this!

The maid replies, which destroys the kids’ enthusiasm and turns their cheerful smiles into frowned faces. Seems like they can’t go against the words of a grown-up, as expected.

-It’s fine, I don’t mind.

Suddenly, Deborah speaks her decision, something the maid doesn’t expect the tribe’s guest to say.

-Are you sure? These kids are also demons in a sense.

Deborah simply nods to reply the maid. The explanation for her decision is very simple: she doesn’t want to be alone right now. If left alone in the dark, Deborah is afraid all the guilt and pressure in her mind will crush her completely. For once, she wants to keep herself busy in the night, instead of returning to her nightmares in her sleep.

-If you wish so.

The maid nods in response, then she turns to the kids for some warning, along with a glare cold as ice.

-Please behave yourselves in front of our guest.

-Y-Yes!

Say all three in unison. Later on, the maid gives Deborah the second serving she asked for and quietly leaves the yurt. Now, there’s only her, the kids and the bowl of goat stew inside the yurt.

-So, what do you want to ask about?

The three kids look at each other, waiting for the other one to take their turn to ask. This time, the short haired girl is the one who takes the initiative.

-What are the demons? The adults said demons have black horns, their skins are red and they also have tails, they also have wings and can breathe fire! My dad also said they eat bad children who stay up late at night!

-Hey…what if she told us to stay here just so she can eat us in secret…?

The boy whispers to the ears of the girls sitting next to him. Sweat starts to drop down from their cheeks as they subtly try to sit far away from Deborah as possible, which only prompts an awkward smile on the dragon girl’s face.

-Haha…even I don’t eat children...

Though adults however might be a different matter…considering the experience she had during her rampage at Melas. Just thinking about what she did makes her feel nauseous already.

-Why would you ask something like that?

Deborah asks the short-haired girl in an attempt to divert her mind away from those unpleasant memories.

-Because big sis don’t look like a demon to me. You look human, like us. You don’t have horns, your skin isn’t red, and you don’t breath fire. You simply look like an ordinary human, albeit taller than normal. So…I’m just curious about why they told us you are a demon to be feared.

Deborah simply smiles before answering.

-Demons aren’t about appearance. Even mages originated from Uestos and sided with us were also called demons. Being a demon…is about being cruel, selfish, bloodthirsty, ignorant, always strive to prove themselves to be superior than others, always blindly do what they feel like without care of consequences…but, when their home is threatened, they are willing to do everything, even giving away their lives, if it means to protect their home, their land, their nation. In a sense…demons aren’t that much different from humans.

-Then do why they fight each other?

Asks the girl with the twin braids.

-I keep asking myself that question as well, but no one knows the answer.

The fight has been going on for several millennia, whatever reason for all the bloodsheds have probably been forgotten by both sides. Now, they just fight, because both sides don’t know anything better. It’s probably in their nature to hate each other, like cats and dogs. Deborah thinks there’s no longer hope for peace between the two of them, the only thing left to do is to decide which side will remain, and which side will perish.

-Who cares why they fight? They are fighting, that’s the only thing that matter!

The only boy in the yurt suddenly yells out loud. He stands up and continues this charade with a fist aiming at the sky.

-When I become a grown up, I’ll leave the Steppe on the back of my trusty horse, and with my sword I’ll defeat the demons and be hailed as a great hero!

Deborah can only put on an ironic smile as the bratty young boy declares his intent to defeat the demons…in front of one in flesh and blood.

Kids…

-But the chief said that the Steppe is our home, why would you want to leave our home?

-Who cares what the old hag said? A man’s passion spreads far beyond his home! Or that’s what big bro Gust used to say…

As the young boy replies the short-hair girl, the moment the name Gust appears, his enthusiasm seems to die out, replacing it with a faint hint of sadness as the kid sits back down on the carpet without saying anything else.

-Right, big bro Gust used to say that, before he left the Steppe and died fighting the demons…The more reason why the chief told us to never dream of leaving the Steppe…

The girl with twin braid replies. All three kids fall silent, combining with Deborah’s own silence from the guilt inside her mind making the atmosphere a bit awkward.

-…Tell me about your people, the Beastmasters. I know little about the Steppe and the people residing in it. Seeing as I’m current this tribe’s guest, it wouldn’t hurt to know more about your people.

Deborah diverts the sour mood with a question of her own. At least for tonight, she doesn’t want to be reminded of Gust’s murder by her hands. A brief night to escape reality is all she asks.

-Let me! I happen to be an expert on this subject!

The girl with the twin braids volunteers. Though before she has the chance to start, the short-haired girl interjects into the conversation.

-Before that, your stew is getting cold, big sis.

-Oh right, I forgot.

Deborah touches the bowl of stew, while most of the heat has already left, it still has some warmth remains. Deborah agrees with the twin braids girl to dine on her second bowl of stew while the girl herself answers her question.

-It was a very long time ago, back when the voices of Gods were still being heard. The fighting between humans, elves and dwarves against the demons were getting fiercer and fiercer by days. Tired of neverending bloodshed, a group of humans departed from their home continent of Uestos for a journey to Suntos. They set up their home in the wild and vast Great Steppe, filled with animals created by the Light God Lielos at the dawn of creation. The fleeing humans made friends with the animals inhabiting the steppe, they learned how to coexist with the animals, and the animals accepted the humans’ presence, this bond eventually became the foundation of the tribes of the Beastmasters.

For a brief moment, Deborah remembers her friend Iola as she listens to the tale told by the little girl. She can’t help but look at the girl as her friend’s distant little sister. This simple thought helps put on a faint smile on Deborah’s lips as she continues to eat the stew while listening to the tale.

-Although there were numerous tribes of Beastmasters, all of them were categorized into four main tribes: Felidae, tribes of the cats; Canidae, tribes of the dogs; Aves, tribes of the birds and Equidae, tribes of the horses. Technically speaking, our tribe, Aherin, is part of the Equidae as well!

-I see.

Part of, but not actually is the Equidae tribe. Deborah thinks while their doctrine is similar, most tribes just do their own thing rather than being vassals for a lord or something, like how the Aherin tribe persists to stay in the North instead of heading southward to escape the Winter.

-Still, the sad part came fifty years after the creation of the tribes. At this point, the fighting between the forces of human and the demons were at its fiercest, with the rise of the Beastmasters in Suntos, both sides feared for the birth of another faction to prolong the war even further, so both the humans and demons gave the tribes a dilemma: Join them, or be destroyed.

-Typical of them…

Deborah makes a snide comments before she lets the little girl continues.

-The tribes were split into three factions, one returned to their homeland of Uestos, one decided it’s better to fight against the humans than to fight for them and joined the demons, the others remained in the Great Steppe and split themselves into smaller tribes, embracing the nomadic life to escape the wrath of humans and demons. The parting tribes had another desire rather than simply join the fighting for nothing, though.

-Desire?

Deborah asks.

-They brought their animals companions with them, and asked the god of each side to help deepen their bond with their companions. That was their condition to help take part in the war. And thus, Light God Lielos fused men and beasts together, creating the first progenitors of the 「Beastmen」, while the Dark God Anul granted the humans siding with demons the ability to turn into beasts, so they can live together with the beasts they love, thus creating the 「Werebeasts」.　And so, the war continued, but no victor was decided even with the help from the Beastmen and Werebeasts, and the Beastmasters remained isolated from the affair of the world.

-I see.

The little girl takes a moment to regain her breath before she continues speaking.

-The chief told this story to me from time to time, and I love it a lot!

-The hag keeps telling that story over and over again, it’s starting to get boring!

-Don’t speak about the chief like that!

For one reason or another, the kids start to fight among each other, verbally, of course. Deborah can’t help but laugh at the charade of the innocent kids.

Still…men once sought the miracle of Gods, but the Gods are no longer here. If the Gods can’t help me, then who can…?

The chat continues through the night, with varying topics coming from both side. Deborah doesn’t feel tired that easy, but she’s surprised the kids can keep up with the talk all night.

Before she knows it, dawn has already arrived. The three kids never leave her yurt, they simply fall asleep by the time their stamina gives out, and Deborah just let them be, lending them her blanket and simply waiting for the dawn in the corner of her yurt.

By the time the first glimpse of sunlight reaches the Great Steppe, Deborah can hear the clopping sound of a horse by the entrance to her yurt, and the person who comes after that is none other than the chief Nephele herself, who promised to take Deborah away by dawn.

-Damn brats…

And of course, the elder woman’s first reaction is about the three soundly sleeping kids inside the lodging of her guest, along with how her guest seemingly went through the night without a moment of sleep.

-You sure you can do this without a rest?

-I’m fine, I have already rested enough.

Deborah stands up and quietly passes through the sleeping kids to the yurt’s entrance. Nephele returns to mount her old horse while waiting for Deborah, who’s looking at the sleeping kids as a silent farewell.

-This is the first time that I saw and spoke to children.

While technically the youths attending Melas Academy can be called children, they are a few years away from adulthood. Deborah herself spent most of her known life within the castle walls, rarely has a chance to venture further than her home. Kids are something she can only know from books. What’s normal for others is exotic for her, and vice versa in other situations.

-They are simply brats.

-…I won’t deny that, but they are cute nonetheless.

Deborah replies the cynical old chief.

-Only until they enter their rebellious age, decide to take up sword and become mercenaries then end up being killed.

Deborah falls silent before Nephele’s remark, knowing too well who she’s referencing to.

-Let’s not waste time. Are you sure you want to simply walk?

-Horses don’t like me as you know from yesterday’s experience. I’m fine, I can make it on my legs alone.

-As you like.

The woman departs on the back of her horse, with Deborah quickly following behind. Nobody says anything, with no one even bothers to make up something to say.

It doesn’t take long for them to reach the foot of the mountain range, at another entrance leading to a cave. The path is guarded by two tribesmen. They say nothing and simply bow to the chief as she rides through the guardpost together with Deborah walking behind. The light of dawn barely reaches the inside of the dark cave, but the chief takes out a small crystal from her pocket. With an input from her, the crystal shines like a portable light, making her travel easier.

If I remember this right, behind the mountain range is…

The travel through the cave is uneventful, with no random monsters encounter, nor any banter from the two person traveling through it. Nephele simply leads, while Deborah follows, there’s no need for words from any of them, and that’s what scaring Deborah.

Eventually, the two of them find light at the end of the cave, and when they exit the cave, their destination is revealed to them thanks to the light of the sun.

-The Arahas desert.

Says Deborah as she lays her eyes on the vast and hot desert stretching as far as the horizon. She feels the same amazement like the one she had the first time the sight of the Great Steppe appeared in her eyes. As if this mountain range is a barrier separating two different wonderful, but dangerous, worlds.

-Indeed, your training will take place in here.

Says Nephele as she watches for any strange movement in the empty desert.

-Before we start…I…have something to tell you, chief Nephele…

-What is it?

Nephele bluntly replies. Deborah clenches her fists and bites her lips as she gathers the courage for her confession.

-The one who killed your grandson Gust…was me…

-I know.

Nephele’s reply isn’t something Deborah expected to hear.

-You…knew?

-Before you arrived, I received a letter from his mercenary company, which told me how my grandson died heroically fighting a flame dragon of legend. A day later, I received a letter from Nilrem, asking me to help train a rampaging flame dragon on how to control her powers. You can guess how surprised I was when I have to take in my grandson’s killer into my tribe as a guest.

Deborah feels a chill down her spine as Nephele delivers her line in an emotionless tone, like a doll practicing to speak as a human. If she was in the chief’s shoes, she doubt she can tolerate her own presence like Nephele did…

-I thought you would remain silent to hide your guilt forever. You might be a murderous monster, but at the very least, I commend you for being an honest murderous monster.

Deborah is at loss of words from Nephele’s “praise” of her.

-Our tribe’s debt with Nilrem is the only thing keeping me from throwing my life away just for a chance to take yours. It doesn’t matter how you are a dragon even the chosen hero of destiny failed to kill, it’s painful to continue living as someone who faced her grandson’s killer and did nothing. But I gave Nilrem my words…along with my honor on the line, even if it means guiding my grandson’s killer, then so be it.

Nephele suddenly glares at Deborah before she continues.

-Your training had already been planned by Nilrem, it came as an additional part in the letter you gave me, I am simply the one instructed to guide you here, for your own training.

-Nilrem…had already planned it?

Even in this place, she can’t escape Nilrem’s manipulation, but Deborah also owns her a thank you, as without her influence, she would have to commit further bloodshed against the tribe who took her in as their guest in their search of vengeance…

-Nilrem gave me many details about why you went on a rampage despite of how powerful you are. You went mad because you were overwhelmed with your power as you unlocked the limits holding your power in check, not helping to that was the exhaustion from fighting the chosen hero. The tragedy you caused was because of your weakness, because you failed to control yourself and your rage. You wanted quick and easy power to use at your disposal, and in the end that power controlled you, causing the tragedies you dread.

Nephele points her finger toward the desert before continues.

-That’s why your training will start here, in the Arahas desert. This place is vast enough and filled with dangerous monsters nobody would bat an eye if they disappear from the world. A perfect place for a dragon to rampage. Your task is to return yourself to your berserk state from the siege of Melas, and to escape from it with your own power and resolve.

Deborah is stunned from the method devised by Nilrem. She came here to avoid becoming a bloodthirsty monster, only to channel that monster once again in an attempt to control it.

-That’s absurd…!

And something Nilrem would totally come up with, Deborah adds.

-You don’t have a choice. Better here than your home. Better the monsters in the desert than the people you care about.

Deborah looks at her right hand, the same hand that took the life of the familiar she summoned here. She gave him her heart to save him from death, but Deborah only has one heart. If another tragedy like that happens again, Deborah won’t be able to save herself, let alone anyone.

This is what needed to be done!

-Before we start, I have something to say to you.

Says the chief.

-In the belief of the Beastmasters, we believe there’s a beast that dwells within everyone. That beast can be anything, but it is part of everyone’s inner consciousness. It’s a hungry beast, always seeks to devour and consume. One feeds that beast, it will eventually consume its owner. One starves that beast, they would only delay the inevitable from the starving beast.

Deborah thinks that beast is a metaphor for something, but she thinks less about it and continues to hear the chief’s story.

-Our people tried to control and tame the beast. Some sought the God of Light, who gave humanity to their beasts. Others sought the God of Darkness, and contented with becoming beasts themselves. The rest of us tried to live with them in harmony, with varying results. Even so, it’s hard to tell which solution is the “best” solution, nobody is wise enough to decide it.

-So what do you mean about this story of man and beast?

Deborah asks.

-It means…the answer you seek in that desert may not be the one you desire. To follow through with Nilrem’s plan, you will have to face your own inner beast. But as I said, nobody knows the “best” solution, even Nilrem’s plan is not perfect. If you face your own beast in that desert, you may not return as the same person you were before.

-But I no longer have a choice. I will face my beast eventually. It’s too late for me to back down.

Strength returns to her eyes, there’s no longer guilt, only resolution to finish what she came here for.

-Chief Nephele, I am ready.

-I see, then my warning ends here. If you prevail from your trial, consider my debt to Nilrem done. If you perish in the desert, then I hope at least it’ll make my grandson smile in the afterworld of Ardahat.

Nephele takes out a whistle and blows it. The sound echoes across the desert and…nothing happens. But soon after, the ground rumbles, which makes the sand falls like waves of the sea. And from the deeper layers of the ground, a bunch of giant monsters emerge. Sand worms, with skin tougher than steel, and teeth that can shred anything to tiny bits. The terror of the desert, the hunter of the lost, the worst end one can endure. And now, all of the sand worms are fixated on the source of the sound: the two people standing at the entrance to the other side of the mountain range.

Deborah knows this is her cue, and thus, she runs toward the desert while her mouth chants the spell to unlock her Seven Layers Seal, with her trying to lift the Third Layer holding her tremendous power in check.

「O miǫʜƚy Ꭾobƨ oʇ olb.

Hɘɘb ƚʜɘ woɿbƨ oʇ ƚʜiƨ ƨinʇul dɘinǫ.

Ɔʜɒinɘb ɒwɒy ʇɿom ƚʜɘ woɿlb.

⅃oɔʞɘb uq ƚo ƚʜɘ bɘɘqɘƨƚ ɒdyƨƨ. 」

Deborah’s body is wrapped in fire as she sets foot onto the sand of the Arahas desert. Her eyes warp into that of a dragon’s, along with her teeth replacing themselves with dragon fangs. Even so, the sandworms do not hold back their charge as they ignorantly rush to their impending death.

「ᙠuƚ I dɘǫ oʇ ƚʜɘɘ, liƨƚɘn ƚo my qlɘɒ.

Яɘlɘɒƨɘ mɘ ʇɿom my quɿǫɒƚoɿy. 」

One bursts out of the ground, just meters away from Deborah. It bares its mouth full of thousands of teeth toward Deborah and lunges down to her, swallowing her whole at the very moment the final verse of her spell is finished.

「ᖷoɿ ƚʜɘɿɘ ɒɿɘ woɿlbƨ ƚo duɿn ɒnb ʇlɘƨʜ ƚo ʇɘɒƨƚ.」

SPHHHLT!

The back of the sandworm whom consumed Deborah suddenly bursts into blood as “something” comes out of it, with the force rivaling a cannon. The great worm falls down to the sand as that “something” claws its way out of the worm’s entangling intestines, revealing a figure soaked in blood, as red as her hair as well as her bloodshot eyes filled with rage and bloodlust.

“ARGHHHHHHHHGHHHHHHHH!!!”

And the roar of dragon is finally heard in the continent of Suntos as Nephele makes her way back to her tribe, away from the ensuring massacre in the desert.