Far, far away from Leo's position, past the plains towards the East, towering above little vicious village, and below the clouds obscuring the heavens.
The mountains reigned supreme.
A large man. Muscles beneath satin and silk. A kingdom on a mountain. A city with an artificial sun. A proud people. A weary nation. A fast pace. Bustling streets; and the destruction of nature.
"Harumi."
A voice had called.
A figure descended through the window, and the large man stood from his desk.
The desk was of a fine wood, the cedars of the seven mountains: gold accented the desk and everything else in the study—the bookshelves, the war table, and the door.
The figure didn't enter through the door, but descended through the window and proceeded to kneel before the figure clad in satin and silk garments.
"Lift up thy head," the large man said.
"Yes, your majesty," a raspy voice said.
The head of the figure proceeded to lift up its head and reveal the countenance of a demon.
But it wasn't quite a demon. The figure had scales running down its face. It seemed human-like, except for the chaos swirling inside of the figures eyes.
The figure was a female figure.
The first thing the large man looked at was her bosom, and he looked away once he realized that her humanity had left her.
He said, "Initiate."
The chaos within her eyes contracted, then poured out in a black smoke from her nostrils, mouth and eyes. The smoke formed a vortex, and the vortex shifted and rippled like a puddle until another figure appeared inside of the vortex.
The figure inside of the vortex said, "Oh glorious majesty." while kneeling on the ground.
"Speak, Harumi," said the large man, "time is precious."
"Of course," said Harumi, "The surrounding nations are still as backward as ever, but I have terrible news to report regarding Ahab's City."
"Solomon's bastard... did he break our covenant?"
"No sir, Solomon, who we had been tracking was reported to have last been seen entering the city. I tried using the Fang to follow him, but complications arose..."
"And then," the large man said.
"One of our spies left clues for the Fang. I suspect she was from the Lionsmane Dukedom."
'These Lionsmanes have become unruly and bold since I enslaved the former heir. Especially his mother. I must teach her, no, all of them a lesson,' the large man thought in his heart, 'and soon.'
"So you failed to prevent Solomon from entering the city."
"Yes, your majesty."
"What do you have to show for the three years I gave you? Nothing! I see nothing!"
"But your majesty-"
"Not another word Harumi. Unless you have an achievement to show for these three years, you are useless to me. And if you are useless, I find no value for your precious village."
"King Brimstone! I have an accomplishment!" Harumi said with haste.
"What?"
"Why she stands before you sire. I have perfected the perfect communication device. She can transmit any conversation, and any image in the blink of an eye."
"Can we mass produce more like her?"
"Yes," Harumi said, "The only caveat is that they need to be young and female."
"Hm," King Brimstone said, "you've done well Harumi. This device will make war efficient and espionage less dangerous for our men."
"But," King Brimstone said, "I have a mission that you must complete if you wish to return to a safe village."
"Yes, your majesty?"
"Find, and kill Leo Lionsmane."
"Is he not already dead? I saw him die with my own eyes the year the Fang drove him off of the cliff. Wounded too!"
"The soothsayers prophesy that he will destroy my plans unless killed within the next three years," King Brimstone said, "I value you Harumi, but you bring in too few results. Kill Leo Lionsmane, and I will free you're village."
"Your majesty..."
"You will still serves me, but your village will never be used as my pawn again. You have my word."
Harumi slammed his head into the ground and said, "This servant of yours will do as you command! All hail King Brimstone!"
The vortex returned to the body of the woman. She knelt in place while she breathed raggedly.
"Return from whence you came, wench."
She fled the study of King Brimstone.
The king looked out the window she escaped through and surveyed the seven mountains.
He lived in the tallest mountain, while the six Dukes occupied the lower mountains. 'These Lionsmanes dare take me for a fool?' the King thought, 'Unacceptable!'
The clouds rolled over the seven mountains, while thunder boomed above the artificial sun that warmed the entire seven mountains via magic, and the nature it destroyed to fuel itself.
King Brimstone drained life force from nature below. He destroyed on instinct. He destroyed for fun: He overlooked the world with a half grin on his face from the window of his castle study, at the top of a tower, that pointed at the heavens, that looked above the world.