"MAKE NO MISTAKE, THE BLEAKNESSES WERE NOT NATURAL. HUMANITY HAS AN ENEMY SO POWERFUL AND ANCIENT FEW CAN COMPREHEND IT."

* THE HELLFIRE CHRONICLES, HOLY BOOK OF TRAGSXT

4th of Jirath.

4th of Jirath.

Azia was the queen of Yjraith. After so much scheming, plotting, and making former queens disappear under "mysterious circumstances," she married King Heith.

Of course, after he'd been a disappointment, she poisoned him, but that part wasn't important.

She was the sole ruling body of the strongest nation in all of Kraetez, and she was miserable.

She was sitting at a meeting, bored out of her mind. Perhaps she should have taken into consideration the amount of talking that was required of being a monarch.

Though, for some reason, dark whispers ran through her mind.

"This one is of special importance, Queen Azia." Erdir, a mousy man, one of her advisers stated. "A settlement known as New Learu city has freed a slave. We should retaliate, but how?"

A spike of thrill filled Azia. She could go. She could finally burn down another city. No, that was silly; she was queen.

Azia sighed, "Gather the Elevated ones and kill them all."

"Yes, queen."

Just like that, the most interesting opportunity of her four years as queen slipped away. The meeting continued on course until Azia could leave and reach her quarters.

Her lounge had lavish furs and disgustingly comfortable desks, couches, and beds.

She hated it.

Every look reminded her that she was no longer a soldier. She wanted to fight, to kill. The glory called her, but she could no longer reach for it.

"Mistress, perhaps no longer being soldiers is for the best." Vision offered.

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"For you!" Azia snapped, "You were always weak, could never stomach it. How did you even know what I was thinking of, Anyway; I haven't summoned you as a blade in days!

"Your bloodlust is so strong, I can feel it, mistress." Vision explained.

Azia rolled her eyes. She rose from her overly stuffed bed and to the mirror.

She could barely recognize herself. Instead of a soldier's armor, she was in a lavish, at least practical, dress.

She was about to start complaining when she blinked.

There was a man in the mirror.

He was wearing a long hood that covered all of him. But even underneath, she couldn't make anything out. This man was not real. He was made of shadow. Even his cloak was ephemeral.

Azia spun around, but nothing was there, except the figure was still in the mirror.

A voice vibrated from the hooded figure, raspy and shaky like the man hadn't spoken in years.

"Hello, queen." The shadow said. "I have big plans for you."

Vision started screaming a primal scream, both anger, and fear.

"DO NOT TRUST HIM!

DO NOT TRUST HIM!

DO NOT TRUST HIM!

DO NOT TRUST HIM!" Her pledgeborn screamed.

A frown of pure white crept on the shadow monster's face. He lifted a bony hand of pure darkness from his sleeve and snapped.

Vision quieted, only coming out as muffled as if he had a muzzle on.

"Who are you?" Azia managed to sputter out.

"Who am I? What an odd question. You should be asking what am I? But for your sake, let's say... I'm one of your Arcanums. Yes, that's exactly who I am." The thing's frown changed to a shaky jagged smile. "I am Jirath."

Azia felt a jolt of anger that overpowered her fear, "How dare you mock my faith!"

The monster started cackling.

"I can give you power...All I'll need is a sacrifice." The monster formed eyes of beady white and glared at the side of the room where Vision appeared as a ball of twigs wrapped in chains.

A dark mist started filling her room.

"Yes or no?" The monster asked.

Azia started breathing faster, as the room filled with more mist.

"NO!" She screamed.

Suddenly, the shadow monster was gone, and the mist had evaporated in the sun.

"V..Vison, what was that!" Azia demanded of her pledgeborn.

"I do not know, mistress. It was something so primal that it made me lose my senses." Vision explained, "I fear we are not done with him."