Estinien gazed at Zoraal Ja across the campfire. He had agreed to support Zoraal Ja in his bid for the throne. By no means did that mean he supported all facets of Zoraal Ja’s motivations. The pay was just too good to turn down.

Well. That and the fact that Zoraal Ja had a deep desire to achieve a height beyond his predecessor. A feeling that Estinien understood well. So far, the mamool ja seemed overly battle-hungry, but Estinien himself once shared that similarity.

“It is good to have you here,” Zoraal Ja grinned at Estinien. “For years I have felt as if I was missing a brother of sorts. Even in my dreams’ battlefields, I always fought beside one. You are a true warrior.”

They had cooperated to bring down the very meat simmering over the campfire. The rest had been distributed to the cheering landsguard.

“Do your soldiers not already see and love you as a brother?” Estinien wondered as he skewered a piece of meat with his lance.

“We fought and overcame those malformed beasts together during that dark month, that much is true,” Zoraal Ja beamed with pride. “They are my brothers, but…” The mamool ja sighed. “In their eyes, I am also the First Promise.”

“As for my siblings… I love my stepbrother and stepsister, but they don’t appreciate battle like I do. Like father does. In a way, me and my siblings are of different worlds.”

The flickering of the campfire and the occasional cackle of wood filled the silence as the two consumed their meal.

“So these conflicts and wars between the nations of Eorzea,” Zoraal Ja said once he finished his deliciously dripping drumstick. “You tell me of them in an attempt to shift my position?”

Estinien had spoken of the Dragonsong War to Zoraal Ja. That was not all. Though he normally spoke little, he had forced himself to provide Zoraal Ja with guidance.

That included the tribes that summoned false gods in desperation. Bahamut. The allagans. And of course, Meracydia, the land of the dragons. Others in the ‘disbanded’ Scions of the Seventh Dawn would be far better historians of such events. Regardless, Estinien did his best, attempting to imitate Alphinaud during his telling of history.

“Hardly,” Estinen monotonously replied in his deep voice. “You are one of a firm mind. Any change must come from within yourself.”

Zoraal Ja returned to a state of silence again. Indeed, Estinien’s words had made him reconsider his position. He had always thought of extending the nation built by his father, Gulool Ja Ja. To achieve more than his father ever did. To prove that he, the resilient one, a one-headed mamool ja, was of equal status and capability to a two-headed mamool ja.

That was something he remained keenly aware of. Whenever he mingled with the mamool ja, especially when visiting mamook… they looked down upon him. ‘The lucky one’, they would call him.

Thus, he intended to conquer the world. A foolish idea, he now understood. Meracydia, a land infested with dragons. The freezing lands of Garlemald. The Eorzean Alliance. The existence of primal summoning. Then, the loporrits, gifted with a sliver of creation magic, cooperating with the technologically-advanced Sharlayans.

At first he had mocked the fallen Garlemald. That was until Estinien divulged the existence of ‘Black Rose’. If forced into a corner, the Garleans may still have the knowledge to employ such destructive methods.

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Only a fool would continue to think himself capable of conquering such nations across a vast and tumultuous sea.

Estinien had also mentioned places called Hingan and Azim Steppes, but didn’t seem to have detailed knowledge of those areas.

Zoraal Ja has a sharp enough mind to lead the landsguard and gain the soldiers’ respect. He was no fool.

Though his worldview had been opened, Zoraal Ja had yet to realign his own goals. Still, his desire to surpass his father remained.

The form of Sareel Ja stumbled towards their campfire and sat down an arm’s length from Zoraal Ja.

Estinien had long been introduced to Sareel Ja. A thaumaturge with the unique talent of perceiving souls! Supposedly, Sareel Ja was assigned by Gulool Ja Ja to watch over Zoraal Ja since birth. His task was to observe the stability of the First Promise’s soul. Reasonable, given that Zoraal Ja was the first child of a two-headed mamool ja to survive.

“How are the soldiers, old ja?” Zoraal Ja asked.

Sareel Ja laughed. “They’re speaking of that cloaked and axed feline again. You remember? When those malformed creatures came at us… that cloaked figure of feline grace that fought with an axe as black as the abyss? Rows upon rows of malformed creatures fell like rain. They’ve now taken to calling that cloaked figure, ‘The Black Knight’.”

“I still wonder why that cloaked figure chose to remain anonymous.” Zoraal Ja had always sought glory. He needed to be seen of comparable status to his father, if not higher. Superior to two-headed mamool ja. He struggled to understand that cloaked figure’s motives.

The tale of this mysterious cloaked figure reminded Estinien of the Warrior of Light’s early days. That thought ignited a curiosity in the dragoon’s mind.

“I may be a battle-hardened dragoon,” Estinien broached the subject as the space between his eyebrows grew closer. “But why did you not recruit the Warrior of Light? Surely, you have heard of the tales? You sought a warrior…”

“The tales sounded too farfetched initially,” Zoraal Ja replied simply. “Though, I am inclined to trust your word on the Warrior of Light now that we have shared a proper meal.”

“There is a possibility,” Sareel Ja interjected with a smile. “For many years, I have observed the two-headed mamool ja, obviously of two souls, dominating the lands. Perhaps this Warrior of Light has many souls.”

Zoraal Ja’s hands gripped onto the handles of his twinblades at Sareel Ja’s words.

“We have also just received news that the Warrior of Light has joined your stepsister.” Sareel Ja informed the prince. “Your father pulled a few strings.”

Estinien could feel a battle frenzy rising in Zorral Ja’s fiery eyes.

“So…” Zoraal Ja clenched his teeth. “Father must be testing me. He knows that Lamaty’i cares not for the throne. I know my stepsister would rather travel the lands and lose herself in the festivities of the many peoples.”

“It is simple. If I can defeat the Warrior of Light, Lamaty’i will step aside and not contend for the throne. And if the Warrior of Light is of two souls like my father… my victory will also prove my capability over two-headed mamool jas!”

“Indeed!” Sareel Ja patted the First Promise’s shoulders then cocked his head. “Perhaps this warrior you have found may have something special as well.”

Sareel Ja turned his eyes onto Estinien. Using magics to peer into souls can be quite dangerous and for some cultures, taboo. Sareel Ja himself had been somewhat ostracized for this unique talent of his.

The soul-seer activated a spell, and when he gazed into Estinien’s form, he instantly crumbled onto the ground, his limbs trembling. For when he peered into Estinien’s soul, he saw a sliver of another within-- an all-hateful crimson eye of a scaled creature unknown to him!

“There is a sliver of another soul within him… one of an all-encompassing hateful feral nature!” Sareel Ja rasped.

Zoraal Ja’s eyes widened and he looked questionably at Estinien.

“I was once possessed by a firstborn dragon,” Estinien shrugged as if it was nothing. “You know of the Dragonsong War. A war intentionally extended to inflict suffering to my people.”

“Nidhogg…” Zoraal Ja muttered as his mind reeled in shock.

“The very same.”