Doreos was nervous. He always was when speaking to people of importance. His position as the commander of the Circle of Ascension gave him access to lessons for exactly this purpose, but it still always made him question his capabilities.

 

It had been a week since their run in with the strange woman that called herself ‘Lucifer Mornigstar’ and they had arrived at the capital city of the orcs. As if they had been expected, Doreos was immediately invited for a talk with the head shaman. 

 

Orc culture was strange. In the human lands they would have let him wait at least a day before inviting him for any talks, giving both parties time to prepare. 

 

The strange messenger that had invited him, told them that they could set up camp wherever there was space and not worry about proper placement. So Doreos had saddled that responsibility on one of the strategists, while he gathered his lieutenants for the meeting.

 

They followed the intimidating messenger through the city for a good hour. An intimidating ambience spread throughout the entire city. Nothing directly jumped to Doreos’ attention, but small glimpses painted a bigger picture.

 

Orcs were always a severe people. They loved to fight, that much was known, but it was always friendly. The ambience of the city was not friendly.

 

Wherever they passed, orcs were busy, their full attention on their tasks. Their gazes were hard and to Doreos, it looked like they were ready for violence. Every last one.

 

One of his lieutenants leaned over to speak to him.

 

“Is it just me, or are we unwelcome here?”

 

Before Doreos could respond, the messenger that was leading them, turned backwards and explained.

 

“After the failed attack of the angels, on the last day of the Ancestors, we witnessed the ascension of a new war chief. Our people are preparing.”

 

The monotone voice of the messenger was eerie, causing a shudder to run down Doreos’ back. The strange skull mask of the messenger gave him a strangely impersonal air. It did not feel like an actual person was speaking to them.

 

To his left, Lieutenant Kara muttered: “Weird.”

 

Doreos poked her side, causing the woman to flinch. He would have loved to hit the back of her head, but she was too tall for him to properly reach.

 

“Don’t say that. We held a talk just two days ago about our interaction with foreign cultures. Did you not listen?” Doreos admonished her.

 

“Sorry boss.” She replied, still guarding her side from more pokes.

 

“We are here.” The monotone voice of the messenger brought them back to the present.

 

They had left the almost cramped tent city full of people and were now standing in what could only be described as a clearing. Instead of the family sized tents that dotted the surroundings, there were only three structures. Two massive tents constructed from some sort of hide and one structure in the middle.

 

Even at this distance, Doreos could feel the magical effects layered on the tents. But even that feeling was overshadowed by the massive tent that occupied the very center of the city. 

 

The structure felt strangely solid for a construct of wood and fabric.

 

The messenger came to a stop next to a flap in the tent, gesturing for them to go inside.

 

Almost on reflex, Doreos and his lieutenants began to remove their weapons, before being stopped.

 

“Please remove them inside. You may keep them at your side if you so wish.”

 

After exchanging a look with his subordinates. Doreos entered the tent.

 

The moment he crossed the threshold, he was blasted with a wave of mana, causing him to freeze.

 

It did not feel like an attack, or anything else he had felt before, but it still raised the hairs on the back of his neck.

 

Cautiously, Doreos looked around the tent, his eyes widening slightly.

 

The inside of the tent was completely covered in meditation mats, likely of sect origin. But instead of being used as intended, they were strung along the walls and ceiling like common carpets. Doreos looked to the ground and saw even the floor was covered in the priceless mats.

 

That explained the strange feeling the tent gave off. This many meditation mats would raise the density of mana and make the laws of the world easier to notice. Now that he was fully inside, he could feel his cultivation advancing without conscious input. It was as if reality was thinner inside this tent.

 

Doreos knelt down to remove his boots, sweeping his gaze through the tent. 

 

The wooden supports were decorated with small baubles of steel, some enchanted or clearly magical, but most were utterly mundane. Skulls and pelts of different beasts were displayed on connecting wooden beams, likely some hunters' trophies.

 

In the middle of the tent burned a strange flame that shed a gentle light. On the other side of the flame, sat 4 orcs, already kneeling on meditation mats. 

 

Once Doreos had removed his shoes, he turned to his lieutenants and nodded once.

 

With sure steps he approached the central flame and kneeled on one of the mats. Immediately he could feel their fabled effect, as mana surrounded him, washing through his body without conscious input.

 

Once he was properly seated, he removed his sword from his hip and laid it to his left side, his non-dominant hand. His subordinates followed suit, laying their weapons out of reach.

 

“Welcome Doreos the Hyena, Commander of the Circle of Ascension!”

 

The figure sitting directly opposite from him spoke, but paused as Doreos grimaced. The old orc suddenly looked worried at his reaction.

 

“I apologize for any offense, but is that not who i am addressing?”

 

Doreos sighed.

 

“No, that is me. It's just that the nickname ‘Hyena’ is not something I identify with. Rival mercenary companies gave me that moniker because I was always faster than them when it came to the good contracts. I have no other titles, so please, just Doreos is fine.”

 

“Then I will address you by your name. My name is Daranturn, I am the head shaman of the orc tribes. To my left are Hogarth Steel Fist and Sharkan Open Sky. To my right is the new War Chief, Asha Stoneskin.”

 

“I am honored that you would meet us with such haste. Behind me are my Lieutenants, Robert leads our infantry and Chalman is one of our strategists.”

 

Gesturing to a tall woman with gray hair and eyes, he continued.

 

“This is Lieutenant Kara, one of our youngest talents. I was asked to bring her along by a woman calling herself ‘Lucifer Morningstar’.”

 

Doreos pitch rose at the end of his sentence, as he was unsure if he should have listened to the woman after all. His worries were dispersed when a knowing smile spread across the old orcs face.

 

“Ahh another one! Seems like you will have company soon Asha.”

 

At the old orcs' antics, the woman to his side only rolled her eyes, before fixing an intense stare on Lieutenant Kara.

 

“We’ll see if she can keep up.”

 

Doreos eyes widened slightly as the old shaman slapped the back of the woman's head.

 

“Young Asha, these are our guests! I know your brother isn't here, but at least show basic respect.”

 

“Yeah yeah….”

 

The old shaman turns back toward Doreos and lowers his head slightly. 

 

“I apologize. She is still young and hot-headed.”

 

Doreos raised his hands in a placating gesture, before responding.

 

“None taken.”

 

“Asha, why don't you take this young woman and go look for Lady Lucifer, I bet she's expecting you.”

 

Wordlessly the heavily tattooed young woman stands up and walks out of the tent, leaving the rest of its occupants behind.

 

The old shaman rubs his eyes and releases a tired sigh.

 

Moments later, her head pokes through the entrance of the tent again, her gaze locked on the lieutenant.

 

“You coming or not?”

 

—---------------------------------------------------------------

 

Lieutenant Kara moves with hurried steps, following the tattooed orc. Her heavy armor clanks and rustles as she moves.

 

Her gaze follows the young woman.  She couldn't be much younger than her, but she moved with such sure steps and such a predatory posture, that Kara could only guess at her strength.

 

Falling into step behind her, Kara momentarily closes her eyes. While her sensitivity to mana wasn't the greatest, she had still worked on her perception. She took a deep breath and concentrated. Slowly her perception expanded, yet before she could get a feeling for the orc woman, she collided with her, her eyes snapping open.

 

“Watch where you are going!” the orc snapped.

 

Kara could only roll her eyes at the hostility. She didn't even know why she was here.

 

Before she could respond, the tattooed orc entered one of the large tents that flanked the central one and Kara was forced to swallow her words.

 

Kara takes a deep calming breath, before following.

 

The moment she crossed the threshold into the tent, Kara was hit with a strange feeling. A chill washed down her spine as her skin broke out in goosebumps.

 

A moment later her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the tent and she noticed its occupants.

 

In the centermost spot of the tent, sat the black haired woman Kara had met a week ago. She was sitting cross-legged on a meditation mat, her eyes closed.

 

Despite the darkness of the tent's interior, Kara had no trouble making out the woman's form.

 

For a moment, Kara felt like she had entered a dungeon. Mana was thick in the air, and the physical world felt strange. 

 

She observed the black haired woman taking slow and deep breaths, taking in more air than should be physically possible. The air thrummed with unclaimed potential energy and it felt like Kara could burn up on the spot. 

 

The moment that thought crossed her mind, she felt the heat. Somehow it had evaded her notice earlier, but now it was undeniable. It felt like standing under the beating sun in the height of summer. 

 

Kara began to sweat as she felt the metal plates of her armor heat up.

 

She tore her gaze away from the meditating woman to observe the rest of the tent. Apart from the meditation mats worth several hundred gold, it looked like an ordinary tent. Piles of clothes strewn about, blankets and pillows in several large piles and a perfect shiny black sphere.

 

Kara’s mind slipped past the black sphere and were it not for the training she had undergone with the Circle of Ascension, she would have never noticed the effect.

 

Her eyes threatened to slip away multiple times, while her mind strained to focus on the sphere. After a few moments, Kara finally managed to keep her gaze on the shiny object.

 

Still the battle wasn’t over, as she had to consciously fight to keep her attention on the sphere.

 

Sweat began to build up on her forehead, both due to the heat and the considerable mental effort she was expending.

 

Slowly but surely, Kara managed to lock her attention on the sphere, only for her concentration to almost shatter completely.

 

Beneath the shiny and translucent surface of the sphere, an eye blinked open. It was almost completely black, barely contrasting the sphere's natural color.

 

Kara's mind almost shut down as a second eye opened inside the sphere. The eyes slowly blinked and looked around lazily, as if they had just woken up.

 

Once they scanned the tent, they landed on Kara’s face and widened in shock. Immediately the mental effect that fought against Kara’s attention intensified. She clenched her teeth and kept eye contact, the two black eyes growing somewhat frantic.

 

Sweat began to drip down Kara’s face as the mental battle continued. Just as her mental resources began to exhaust themselves, the mental effect vanished.

 

Instantly Kara’s concentration shattered and she grunted heavily.

 

“That's not very nice of you Marble.”

 

From directly behind her, a deep voice spoke. 

 

Kara had heard many kinds of voices during her youth, as most people did. Growing up in one of the human capital cities, there had been thousands of voices she had been exposed to. Desperate street rats, vendors, innkeepers, guards, military personnel and even the preachers. 

 

But none had managed to evoke such a feeling in Kara. 

 

Commander Doreos had a powerful voice for a man of his stature, which only grew more powerful when he assumed command.

 

But the voice that came from behind her was different. Maybe it was the fact that it was surprisingly deep despite its undeniable femininity. Maybe it was the barely audible sound of agonized screaming that Kara heard when the woman spoke. Who could really tell.

 

Kara had spent the last week in mental agony, wondering what the strange woman had wanted from her. Her short appearance before the circle had caused quite a bit of chaos. Even back then, Kara had had a bad feeling about this woman.

 

Slowly she turned around, the weird sphere of glass completely forgotten.

 

Kara's eyes traveled up the woman's barely clothed body, while the agonizing screams in her ears grew louder.

 

Finally her gaze arrived at the woman's face and without conscious decision, Kara looked into her eyes. 

 

Images exploded into her mind. Eternal suffering. Flesh bubbling and blackening in flames. Skin flaked off as it froze. Hooked chains biting into flesh. And so many Demons.

 

Kara began to scream as her eyes turned to salt.