The Asarith Sultinate.

This nation was located directly in the center of the Western half of the world- the bulblike formation which made up the human realm.

This nation had a long history, and at one point was an extremely powerful country.

However, this was not the case today.

In the modern day, the Sultinate had been reduced to a fraction of it's former glory.

The Sultinate currently only held control over the desert lands in the center of the human realm, which held little fertile land. Even the fertile land within the borders of the Sultinate was right on the border's edge.

Furthermore, the people of the Sultinate were currently experiencing a drought worse than anything in recorded history.

Food was excessively scarce.

Families would go without for weeks in order to allow their children to eat. Even then, the children were not being spoiled with excess. These children too were struggling, being given a single meal every 2 or 3 days.

Water was also an issue. With the drought having spread across the desert, the clean water springs were drying up at alarming rates. The way things were going, the entire nation would be wiped out if nothing was done.

Much of the livestock had been killed off for two reasons. The first was the shortage in food and water, which the livestock would run clean if they were kept alive. The second was that killing the livestock would provide the people with a temporary surge in overall food.

While pasturing was the usual method to feed these animals, even the light pastures were beginning to wither.

However, as a result of the decision to kill off the livestock, many cities within the Sultinate now didn't even have any source of food, and were forced to rely on the farmers in the outer reaches of the nation.

To put it simply, after the meat from the livestock had been consumed, the situation went from bad to worse.

With such a predicament and the threat of total annihilation, the Sultan, Lakeed II, was at a complete loss.

This dark skinned and bearded man sat in his tent, a white turban covering his head.

He wore extravagant red robes, embroidered in gold, yet his expression did not match his luxurious appearance.

"Ah..... what is to be done?"

Looking over a series of reports from all over the nation, he realized well the state of emergency he was in.

"What do you two think?"

The two guards who were standing outside the tent walked in, kneeling and bowing their heads before their leader.

They were dressed in chainmail and wore baggy cloth covering large amounts of their bodies, along with the turbans they wore on their heads. On their back's were scimitars, and these men carried expressions which were filled with just as much concern as the one they knelt to.

"My Sultan.... I am a mere warrior, and so my own words should be taken with a grain of salt. However, looking at the expressions of the people..... witnessing the death around us, even here in the Capital city..... I cannot say that the situation is good."

"I agree. Without a doubt, this is a situation which even the grandest of rulers would be troubled with. However, please do not take the situation to heart. I understand well that you are quick to blame yourself, however you must understand that this was caused by a force of nature. This was an unpredictable and inevitable misfortune."

The two men spoke their opinions freely as Lakeed listened with wrinkled brows.

"You may say that.... but I am the Sultan. If this nation is to fall under my rule, then..... who else can be blamed but myself? I must find a solution. The people are depending upon me. They have put their trust in me as the Sultan, and yet I have given them nothing but death and despair. I....."

Closing his eyes with remorse, Lakeed bit his lip.

"I am at a complete loss. Should the person who steers the ship not know where he is going? I must find a solution."

"Sultan, we are at your side."

"Do you wish to call a meeting among the Pashas?"

The Sultan closed his eyes in deep thought.

"I do not wish to busy them further in these trying times, but I believe it is necessary. We must find a solution. And quickly."

With this, the two men bowed their heads and one made his way off, while the other one took his post at the tent, staying behind to guard the Sultan.

This was a few days ago, and right now inside a grand marble building which resembled the Taj Mahal, six men were gathered around a table, all with grave expressions and similar outfits.

The Sultan was at the head of the table, and he looked around to see many of the Pasha's- those who held control over a particular region within the Sultinate- as they twiddled their thumbs in nervousness.

"I'm sure you all well understand why I have called you here today.", Lakeed stated with grave tone.

Surrounding these men were a large number of warriors, lining the walls of the building which acted as a political center.

Silence filled the room as the Sultan spoke, looking around at each of the men before him.

"This drought continues even today, and for how much longer it will persist is unknown. But there is one thing for certain."

The Sultan looked up with resolve, speaking boldly into the hearts of the men around him.

"As long as it persists, we cannot sit by and do nothing. Our people are dying day by day. The power which our nation holds is on the decline. What would happen if in our infirmity, another nation were to attack us?"

The Sultan spoke with serious tone, laying down the facts before his council.

"We would be annihilated without fight. Against the massive Legions of the Empire or the skilled squadrons of the Kingdom, we would stand no chance. This is to say nothing of the magical platoons of the elves, or the warrior bastions of the dwarves."

"Then, what should we do?", one man asked.

"Without a doubt, we need a plan. It is likely that the information of our plight has already been leaked to the surrounding countries, therefore we are already at a disadvantage if one of these nations were to mount an attack. Fortunately, the likelyhood of the Alliance making a move is almost zero, therefore we will not even need to consider them as enemies. However, on the other hand, there will be no turning to them for aid, given their isolationist policies."

The men all nodded in agreement.

"Then, what of the Empire and the Kingdom?", another questioned.

Lakeed nodded, a scowl drawing itself across his face.

"The fact of the matter is..... we have next to no information on their current states. No spies have been given the luxury of returning to the Capital in recent times, and I am not quite sure why. It is possible that there are a number of grand movements occurring in both countries, and perhaps they have been found out and killed."

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"Grand movements...."

"Do you mean that they are preparing to attack us!?"

"That would be disastrous!!"

The men looked around to one another in anxiety, however the Sultan spoke to calm them.

"That we cannot determine, however it is likely not the case. Why would they attack so frivolously? They would at least need some sort of official reason to attack, in order to deter the other countries from seeing them as warmongers. If they had such reason, then we would already know of it, for this information would be broadcasted across the world."

The men breathed sighs of relief and nodded in agreement.

"But if the spies were found out, would that not be enough?"

"Every country plants a few spies here and there. That is nothing to start a war over. As a matter of fact, there are almost certainly spies within this nation, broadcasting information on our plight to the surrounding nations."

The men tensed up at this blatant statement, and suspicion was brooded among the room.

"Do you mean that there could be a traitor within our very ranks?", one Pasha asked.

"I am saying that is a mere possibility. However, it does not have to be among us. The fact that there are spies from other nations within our country is almost a certainty. They could be among the warriors, among the common people, among any one of our citizens. Even so, we should not be wasting our efforts rooting out a spy when we hold nothing more than speculation on their existence. Right now, we must focus on our own issues."

"Then, should we send envoys to both the Kingdom and the Empire asking for aid?"

This statement was one which the man who made it would not normally have made, but he understood well just as all the others did, the gravity of the situation.

Without the aid of another nation, the Sultinate may very well fall on it's own.

Even if it meant showing their bellies and ending up owing a favor to another nation, it was better than the alternative.

"We will have to do so.", the Sultinate said while choking up, clearly frustrated with the desperate situation which forced him into such a bad move.

"Prepare two envoys. We will ask both nations for aid. While this will force us to incur debts to both nations should they both accept, we cannot allow for the possibility of being rejected. If we sent an envoy to only one nation, that would only decrease our chances of receiving the much needed assistance."

The Sultan made these orders with the wave of his hand, holding his other hand to his forehead in agony. He clearly had no desire to give such an order, but had absolutely no choice.

It was at that moment that a man opened the doors of the hall.

It was a warrior, dressed similarly to the guards around the room. He quickly knelt to the ground and closed his eyes as he shouted out a message.

"Sultan!!! Pashas!!! I understand how terribly rude this is of me to interrupt your council in this manner, but I bear great news!!!"

The men turned to the warrior with displeasure. Their already foul moods were disturbed further at this interruption.

"What is it?", Lakeed asked.

"The Indeterminant has arrived in our country, and he is here to assist us!!! My Sultan, the very hero of humanity has shown up on our doorsteps in this time of plight!!!!"

The man spoke with overjoyed expression, tears coming to his eyes.

At these words, the Sultan and the Pashas were filled with shock, however soon after the man said this, a man entered.

This man's blonde hair swayed as he walked elegantly through the palace with a calm smile. Not a step he took could be heard, and it was as if he was gliding through the room.

He wore an elegant outfit, showing that he was obviously a member of the upper class, from wherever he came. This man took the very breath from each and every one of the members who had gathered as he knelt before them with excessive movements, closing his eyes and bowing his head.

"Forgive me for my rudeness, Sultan. I appear to have interrupted an important meeting. If you wish, I will leave immediately and come back later, however I bear an offer which may solve at least a few of the problems within your nation- therefore perhaps it would be better for me to speak in the presence of these esteemed gentlemen?"

"Are you truly..... the Indeterminant?"

"The savior of humanity?"

"He..... he has come to our nation?"

The men were astounded at Oscar's grand appearance, invoking a grand smile on witnessing the pretty boy.

"I am. At your service. I've come to assist wherever I can, and to search out for the hero of this country..... however, I have already found them. Even so, I decided that I should report to you before taking any action. Furthermore, I've arrived with a message from the Empire. The current Emperor has given a proposition, and I am here also as a messenger to relay this proposition to you."

"The Emperor? You mean that Percius has recognized our position? And.... you have found the hero!? That is..... that is wonderful news....."

Lakeed was filled with a slight amount of hope at seeing the face of the Indeterminant.

He was a bright young man who spoke with fervor and passion, and by his demeanor he clearly meant to assist the people of the Sultinate.

Furthermore, he was a man known as the savior of humanity, and the leader of the heroes.

'Even if he has come here in search of the hero, surely..... surely, the Indeterminant will assist us. I can sense it..... his demeanor is not an arrogant one. He has truly come to help my people.'

"Indeed, Percius has taken note of your plight. Ah, however there is also some grave news which I should inform you of before giving you this proposition. The Percius which I speak of is not the one you all must be thinking of."

Oscar's tone became low and the delighted expressions of the Sultan and the Pasha's stiffened.

"There have been a number of events around the world recently.... but the most recent would be a shame of my own. I spent my days searching for the hero of the Ruthobold Kingdom, and after finding him I attempted to raise him into a proper hero. Unfortunately.... somewhere, something went wrong."

Oscar spoke with pain in his words, as if making a confession before all.

"The hero went mad with power. He slaughtered the Emperor who was visiting the Kingdom in his own madness, and I immediately left for the Empire to inform the son of the Emperor of this, and to search for the hero of the Empire. After doing so.... the young Emperor stated that this was not something which could be forgiven with an apology. He will be heading to war with the Kingdom, taking a stand against the hero who has lost his mind."

The jaws of the men before Oscar dropped as he informed him of such a ridiculous story.

Not a word of such events had reached the Sultinate.

"Indeterminant..... this is..... my goodness....."

The Sultan held his head in anguish, coming to an understanding that not only his nation, but the entire world was delving into chaos.

"This is my own fault. However, I tell you this. Men of the Sultinate, listen to me, and listen carefully. I will right the wrongs of this hero. I will protect the people of this country, of the Empire, and of the Kingdom. I will stop the evils of this world from spreading further, and I will not rest until every last person has been put at ease."

Oscar spoke bold words, lightening the hearts of the men before him.

"Indeterminant...."

"Can you truly do all that?"

The men looked to him with concerned expressions, but Oscar looked up with a smile.

"It is my duty as a hero. It doesn't matter whether I can or can't. It is what I must do. Therefore, I will do it."

The men choked up at hearing these words.

The amount of suffering which their people had gone through was no mere trifle.

Even as political leaders who should stay out of the realm of emotions, their hearts had been distraught at the current situation.

One could say that they were truly in need of a hero to step up and take the stage.

And before them was exactly that.

A hero.

A man of courage, will, and dedication who would hold by his words and do exactly what he said he would.

This was the overwhelming emotion which overcame the men before Oscar.

"Please...."

"Help us....."

"Save our people!!!"

The men held back their tears as their voices were caught in their throats.

With this reception, Oscar looked up with a bright smile.

"I will do exactly that. However, I have a message from the Emperor. May I give it?"

The Sultan nodded, waving his hand while desperately trying to keep a straight face.

"The Emperor, as I stated, will be sending his legions to war against the Kingdom. I myself intend to take part, in order to make up for my own failures. The hero of the Empire as well will be present, and the Emperor has told me that if you were to offer the services of your hero in this war, that they would provide you with the necessary supplies to hold your country over until the end of the drought."

At hearing this statement, the Sultan was filled with a mix of emotions, but the one that overcame him more than anything was delight.

The hero of a country was not something that should be so easily loaned out, however there were two factors which encouraged the Sultan.

The first was that currently, the Sultinate had no hero. Essentially, they would be lending the Empire the use of a hero which they did not currently have- so there would be no change in their current situation in that manner.

Furthermore, this would mean an alliance among the two countries, preventing the Empire from striking at them. The Kingdom was not likely to attack the Sultinate, given that they would be under attack by the Empire primarily, and therefore the weak nation of the Sultinate would not be considered a great threat. Only the hero which was sent off to war would be a priority for the Kingdom to attack.

And lastly, the food crisis would be solved.

At little cost to the nation, they would survive this drought. They would pay back their debt to the Empire with the extension of their hero, and receive the necessary supplies.

It was a win win, with the only loser being the corrupt hero who now rampaged throughout the Kingdom.

"Indeterminant..... I will accept that offer without hesitation. Please tell the..... the new Emperor, I suppose..... that I extend him my greatest thanks, and that I offer him the services of our hero. However..... there is one thing that concerns me."

"What is that, Sultan?", Oscar asked as he moved his hand to his chest in a refined gesture.

"Our own hero.... what is their opinion on the matter? As much as I would like to send them off without a word, I am not so heartless as to sacrifice someone without so much as consulting them. Did you not say that you have already found the hero? If you will, would you bring them to me so that I may listen to their own opinion on the matter?"

Oscar grinned.

"Of course, my Sultan. Would tomorrow be acceptable?", Oscar asked.

"That would be fine. Please, feel free to ask me for anything during your stay here. Is there anything you desire, Indeterminant?"

"Ah..... anything I desire? Haha.... how courteous you are. There is nothing in particular which I wish for right now. I will take care of myself."

With that, Oscar stood up and walked off, leaving the six men breathless.

"What a man....."

"He will without a doubt save our people."

Nodding among themselves, the Pashas were filled with newfound hope.

On the verge of despair, the hero had swooped in to save the nation.

This was how they truly felt.

However, despite his title of hero, they did not realize that a demon lurked within the man known as the Indeterminant.