In a dark expanse, filled with nothingness and blankness, Iode could see himself floating in it.
"Where am i". He asked himself, he frantically looked around his surroundings, all he could see was... nothing, nothing but darkness.
"Hello, is anyone here!!!". He shouted but all that replied him was echoes, echoes of his own voice. Suddenly, he could hear steps of someone wandering in the dark void.
The person was moving around the void in a zigzag motion, laughing maniacally and evilly as he moves around.
Fear gripped Iode's heart as the person moves around in an outwardly manner and complementing it with guffawing and evil laughter. He took a deep breath to regain his composure.
"Who are you, show yourself!". Iode asked as he confronted the phantom laugher, but the laugher ignored him and continued his endeavors.
Soon, an humongous glow of red appeared behind Iode, this glow was a symbol, a symbol of a jagged dagger inside a compass star of numerous arms. Iode turned around to see the glow behind him, he recognized the symbol, it was the same symbol in his left wrist, it was the Emblem of Valier.
The symbol was glowing, and was glowing brighter every seconds. Suddenly, a powerful beam of light shot out from it, hitting Iode and the nothingness. Iode covered his face with his arms and voiced out a little grunt.
Iode was unaffected by the powerful outburst of energy but he could hear wailing and shrieking behind him, he turned around immediately to see what was making the sounds.
It was a demon with long fangs, almost 6 inches in length. It has multiple sets of teeth like a shark. It has curved horns coming off the sides of it's head. The demon's skull has multiple spiky bone tumors that push up through the skin on its face.
This demon has 4 abnormally long arms. Its entire body was covered in small, jagged spikes. It seems to be in a state of constant pain. It was convulsing, wincing, wailing, and growling in discomfort.
It convulsed aggressively and kept shrieking in pain, soon after it gave up the ghost, it died. Iode was momentarily stunned with the recent stunt, he looked at the ugly looking demon intently, then he looked back at the Emblem of Valier, which was already dimming.
Still stunned, he walked up to the dead demon and inspected it. Just at the side of its neck, a symbol was branded in it. It was a symbol of an unusual bat whose wings, body and limbs are merged with the head. It has large evil looking eyes and wide mouth filled with long fangs and shark like teeth. It also has two horns sticking out of the sides of the head.
The symbol branded on the demon was more menacing compared to Valier's, as to be expected of a demon lord. Soon after, the demon dissipated into dust. Iode stood, dismayed with these happenings.
From the expanse, a bright blinding light shone, brightening up the dark void. Suddenly, Iode gasped and opened his eyes. Iode has woken up from his unconsciousness, but he couldn't take off the event that happened in the dark void.
'Did Valier just protect me from another devil's corruption?'. He asked himself.
"Huh? Where am i?". Iode asked out loud as it just occurred to him that he opened his eyes in an unfamiliar environment.
"You've woken up, you sure took your time sleeping". Dettomolian the goblin shaman said.
"Huh?". Iode stood up to sit but he became inflicted with a sudden headache, which made him to wince and held his head.
"How is your body". Dettomolian asked.
"It pretty fine, i guess". Iode answered.
"!!"
"... You! You are a goblin!!!". Iode said out of shock, noticing who spoke to him.
"Yes and you are a wizard, nice to meet you". Dettomolian said sarcastically.
"?"
"How, how did i get all the way to the goblin's territory". Iode said all tensed up.
"That's a very good question only you can answer, a group of goblins found you passed out at the sea shore five days ago". Dettomolian said.
"Five days ago? You are saying I've been unconscious for five days?". Iode said not believing what he heard.
"What I remembered last was being swallowed by a Luwesuchus, so it brought me all the way here?". Iode said still not believing himself.
"Whoa, so you were in the belly of a beast and survived, you are one tough person". Dettomolian said.
"By the way, I'm Dettomolian but call me detto, i am this village's goblin shaman ". Detto said.
"I'm Iode, thanks for tending to me in my unconscious state ". Iode said.
"Good, you are welcome, am sure you would have been starving, not eating for quite some time, I'll be back in a sec to bring you food ". Detto said.
"I don't think I'm...*growls*. Iode's stomach roared, signaling that he is hungry. Iode's face became flushed, he was just about to say that he wasn't hungry, but his stomach objects.
Detto smiled and went out to bring food. Iode sat alone in the room looking around. Few minutes later, Dettomolian came in with a plate filled with smoked fish and meat dipped in oil and a bowl of soup was placed beside them.
He placed them on Iode's lap so he could eat on the bed.
"Thanks ". Iode said as he began digging into the food. He took a bite off one of the smoked fish, its tantalizing flavor reminded him of home. Living in an harbor city, Iode was lucky enough to encounter numerous sea foods.
He paused eating a bit, he wondered the kind of state the wizard tribe would be, his family and everyone close to him. Iode was deep in thought but was brought back when detto spoke.
"If you don't mind young fellow, i would like to ask you a question".
"A question? No problem, go on". Iode said.
"Good, as a shaman, i can feel and see a lot of things not seen by normal people, when you were brought to me, i felt some energies from you and they are not good...".
"Young Man, why do you possess the energy of a devil?". Detto asked dead serious.