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Chapter 5 - Underworld of the South

Suvar's Outer Court of the 26 Tribes[1]

Location: The Blazing Hollow[2], throne chamber

The throne room, glowing with golden flames. On the throne, seated the Suvar, around him knelt the chieftains of the 26 demon tribes, each marked by ancient sigils.

"What is the reason for requesting the urgent audience before the winter assembly?"

"The boy has met the Fallen", says one of the chieftains

Murmurs rise. Some chiefs pound their weapons, others hiss.

"And the blood pact binds the fallen demon south and the heavenly veins."

Murmurs rise from the king's assembly members.

"He is not of our kind!" growls the Yaksa[3] chief.

"He carries divine blood, a half-breed hybrid and poison to the abyss"

Suvar's lips twist. "Then bleed him, if you can. Why are you wasting my time, half-sibling I never care about?"

"It is said, blood transfers all power from the fallen to the boy," another tribe chief

"The fallen has lost all his powers and withered in the shadows of the underground. He is no challenge to me. We are done here"

Suvar channelled his divine power into the throne, and Puspak Viman[4] started flying from the palace.

__________

The Great Debate of the 32[5]

Location: Fallen One's Demon Cave[6]

The 32 tribal leaders gather with their banners, their words sharper than their bones.

The six loyal to Rav Angon Egor, the Loyal Six, are mocked and surrounded.

"You hide in forests and pray to a boy," sneers Yaksa's chief.

"We stand with Suvar, not with myths."

A leader from the Loyal Six replies:

"You stand with fear, not strength. The Fallen's heir has returned. You fear his rise, and so you serve his rival."

The ground shakes. The meeting dissolves without a conclusion, and unity remains shattered.

The Fallen One's Underworld is shattered and divided in fear.

__________

The 8 Demon Pillars' Meeting[7]

Location: The Abyssal Sanctum[8]

It is said that all Demon Pillars are already at the Demi-God level of spiritual power.

Only three Pillars attend in flesh: Nerok (Pillar of Wrath), Velthra (Pillar of Silence), and Myrkhal (Pillar of Blood).

The other five appear as astral echoes, their forms hazy and immense.

"We are unbalanced," Velthra murmurs. "The Fallen One have chosen the hybrid."

"Even the Gods have recognised the hybrid"

"Then let gods keep him," spits Nerok. "The South bows to none."

Myrkhal's laughter ripples through the chamber. "And yet, all prophecy begins with defiance."

The other five speak no words.

_________

The Egor Seven Commanders' Secret Conclave[9]

Location: Chained Caverns[10]

It is known that the `Chained Seven` can't leave the Chained Caverns without one of the Suvar's Chained Five[11].

Once generals of Rav's bloodline, the Egor Seven Commanders now labour underground, maintaining Suvar's dominion.

In whispers they meet:

"The heir bears our sigil," says one. "Do we rise?"

Their leader, General Ugar An Egor, replies, "Not yet. The abyss eats the impatient. Let the boy prove the strength of his blood."

__________

The Demon Patel Swords' Oath[12]

Location: The Iron Garden[13]

Demon Patel looks at their leader, who is known to have reached a Demi God[14] level.

Their leader, Avesh An Ishi[15], stands up and says, "We only recognise Suvar. If the boy crosses into our dominion, my blade shall taste him first."

Suvar smirks. "Then may your blade never rest."

__________

The Left & Right Hands of Sumal

Location: The Skyless Ruin[16]

A shadow figure enters a ruined tavern in forbidden lands

"You are late. Is old age getting to you?" says Malya An Lee[17]

Two figures attack Maiel An Lee[18] from both sides. Maiel holds an alcohol pot in one hand and blocks both attacks with his unsheathed sword.

"Even in old age blocks our attacks with a single hand," says Sahura An Iniho[19]

"You are right, sister", says Sakura An Iniho Lee[20]

"Hello, to you, twin demons" says Maiel An Lee

"Our King is gone," says Maiel. "And yet the blood pact makes him live again."

"I didn't expect that fool to live this long" says Malya

"A boy in his image," adds Sahura. "May he not carry the same curse."

Their eyes burn with loss, not loyalty to Suvar, but mourning for Sumal, their fallen emperor.

Maiel An Lee, Malya An Lee, Sahura An Iniho, and Sakura An Iniho Lee raise a silent toast for their fallen emperor.

__________

The Human Tribes' Silence

The Thenga, Arrum, and Goltt tribes, once favoured by Sumil, live quietly under Suvar's rule.

They are not invited to the councils.

In the deep forests, their seers whisper,

"The blood of the fallen stirs again… and the South trembles."

__________

The Gathering of the Fallen South

Location: Fallen One's Shadow Cave[21]

The vast obsidian table rises from the heart of the Cave. Every attending faction: demons, pillars, swords, and commanders take their spectral seats.

Multiple shadow figures sat around a table.

"I would bind the Fallen One's prophecy and never dare to endanger the prophecy heir," says one."

"Do you want us, the Eight Demon Pillars, to accept a hybrid as an emperor?" says another.

"We, the Egor Seven Commanders, do not recognise the boy as their leader until he proves himself," a voice answers.

"As per the Thirty-Two Tribes under the Fallen," reports one, "six support Rav Angon Egor, thirteen are idle, and thirteen under Suvar Na Angon oppose."

Then laughter and metallic, echoing.

"The Demon Patel Swords," says Avesh An Ishi, "do not follow leaders who can be eaten by their own blades."

The hall falls silent. Only the ancient fire hums.

Somewhere, far above, a boy with divine blood dreams of his destiny.

__________

Awakening

The boy plunges from the waterfall.

The world goes silent for a moment. And the boy stops breathing

a whisper, deep and ancient, echoes in his mind.

"Blood Pact — awakened."

"Spirit Sage — awakened."

"Motor Spirit — acquired."

"Taking control of motor functions."

Unconscious, yet something moves him, a will not his own. He drifts toward the shore, arms pulling through the water in eerie precision.

Inside his mind, the voice speaks again, colder this time, calculating.

"No healing awakenings found."

"Converting life force to repair structural damage."

[1] Suvar: Reshaped Dawnfire after winning back with the help of Thundral. He divided the whole island into 9 sections. The Central nation (where the golden citadel exists), only for gods and their support and helper gods, will stay. The Outer Plains are divided into four sections, and entry to the central nation is permitted from one of these sections; only the god's army and warrior families reside there. The Nip Out Plains, which span from southeast to north to southwest. It encompasses all humans, animal tribes and demon tribes, and other entities. Entry to the South Sea is forbidden for everyone, except for people from the Central nation.

[2] The King's palace in Nip Out Plains, Region 1, South Section. This place one of the king's meeting areas in the whole country. All meetings with demon tribe leaders only happen here.

[3] One of the chiefs, the most powerful tribe for now, contains more natural energy than any demon tribe and is a close ally to Suvar.

[4] A flying vehicle - same as aeroplane gifted by gods.

[5] Demon population contains of all 32 tribes

[6] Fallen One's Demon Cave -> Only demon tribes are allowed inside, that too, the one who holds the tribe sigil.

[7] The Fallen One's strong unit - The 8 Demon Pillars

[8] A temple carved from black mirrors. It is said that one of the powers, named `Kal`, was born here from The Dot. A shadow that can travel only through the mirrors painted ash.

[9] The Egor Seven Commanders -> The seven commanders chosen by the Fallen One before his fall. Now called ``Chained Seven.``

[10] Beneath the city of embers -> All the demons, humans, or demigods that oppose the gods or `Suvar` are chained here. This is now guarded by the `Egor Seven Commands`, now called `Chained Commands.` This is located directly below `The Four Outer Plains`.

[11] Chained Five -> Five commanders who rule over the Chained Caverns.

[12] The Demon Patel Swords’ ==> A Special unit created by the Fallen One, from the Other demon clans he defeated. Their leader is reached demi-god power, and others below demo-god.

[13] `The Iron Garden` -> A Central Garden is available between `The Four Outer Plains`. Only Suvar loyalists are allowed here.

[14] Human → Awakened → Essence Wielder (Earthly Sage) → Ascendant (Mortal Sage) → Sovereign (Divine Sage) → Demi-God (Celestial Sage) → God (Eternal Sage) → Transcendent (Timeless Sage) → Pointer (Point Sage). It is known that Transcendent can perceive the multiverse, and Pointer can communicate with the multiverse.

[15] The Demon Patel Swords leader

[16] Ruins of an old citadel -> forbidden lands of the south

[17] Malya An Lee -> Right hand of the Sumal

[18] Maiel An Lee - Left hand of the Sumal

[19] Special support unit commander of Sumal

[20] Special support unit commander of Sumal

[21] Fallen One's Shadow Cave -> Only people with a special sigil, shared by the Sumal, can enter the Cave. Only 13 Sigils were made for entering this cave.

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