"Far, far beyond the island

We dwelt in shades of twilight.

Through dread and weary days

Through grief and endless pain

It lies unknown

The land of mine

A hidden gate

To save us from the shadow fall

The lord of water spoke

In the silence

Words of wisdom

I've seen the end of all

Be aware the storm gets closer" – Mirror, Mirror by Blind Guardian from their CD "Nightfall in Middle-Earth"

After delivering his reports, Gashura strolled through the seemingly decayed hallways of Talpa's castle. He wanted a little battle practice before he decided whether or not to visit Arden. The mildew and cobwebs appeared to be a part of the walls and ceilings rather than something else growing over those. The color of the castle, when actual color instead of the pervading darkness could be seen, was a dull unpolished gold - a pretty gem lacking in true beauty.
With his peripheral vision, Gashura saw Kokuyoen approach from a conjoining hall. Kokuyoen was an elder youja who had obeyed Talpa since the beginning of his empire. He prided himself constantly over being his master's favorite warrior. Disliking the other youja, Gashura chose to ignore the elder's presence. Unlike Kokuyoen, Gashura focused more on gaining recognition for his abilities instead of straining himself for a position as Talpa's favorite.
However, Kokuyoen followed him and spoke nervously, "Did our master inform you?"
Startled at the sudden change in the elder, Gashura paused in his step and turned around. "Inform me of what?" Then, he noticed Kokuyoen's scale-covered legs were limping. Someone had beaten the most powerful warrior in Talpa's Dynasty.
Kokuyoen's bulging eyes seemed ready to pounce out with rage. "You are walking towards the training hall. I thought our master informed you."
Gashura wanted to growl in frustration. What did Emperor Talpa say? The youja who he detested was suffering both mentally and physically. He rejoiced and said, "I suppose speaking is too painful for you. It is quite amusing to watch you act worthless and weak."
Kokuyoen merely laughed wickedly. "And you think you can take the place I once had as Talpa's most prized warrior?!" He continued chuckling and giggling. "Go to the training hall and see them for yourself! They are fun to tease and toy with, but beware our master's wrath!"
Alarmed, Gashura hurried down the corridor. The candles along the walls rushed to light to guide him on his way. Never hesitating or stopping to calm himself, he thrust open the doors and saw . . . younglings. Young youja (were those really what had Kokuyoen so upset?) were practicing together with their weapons and playing clumsily in their new armor. Bewildered, Gashura gazed at them in confusion and wondered what significance their presence could mean. "They are very young," he stated to Kokuyoen as the elder youja walked next to him. "I suppose our master sent the Twin Sand Strikers to find them. I did not see them at the Order."
The two dreadlocks swung sadly as Kokuyoen shook his head. "They are not younglings."
"Then, how could someone so unskilled survive centuries in the netherworld?" Gashura hissed, confused.
"They are mortals, humans. They are our master's most prized Dark Warlords."
Gashura jerked back. His head immediately swung back to view the four supposed younglings. How could Talpa pick humans as his warlords? That was dishonorable, horrible, despicable . . . "Humans have no right as warriors in the netherworld!" he snarled out. "They exist only as food for our wickedness!"
That shout alerted the four humans of the youja's presence. "Another jealous one!" announced an armored mortal with two giant spikes curving up from the top of its bulky brown breastplate, which was of the same piece as its shoulder pads. The armor on the arms and legs were deep red with brown gloves and shin-covering. The face-covering for the tree-brown helmet was also the bloody red color. Two giant black spikes grew out of the helmet and the tips stood far apart from each other, forming a perfect V.
"Does he wish to challenge us?" jested another mortal, wearing a long gold and black piece of armor that looked more like a vest. A narrow triangular piece connected the two sides. The covering on the arms and legs were a medium blue. Sharp spikes erupted out of the joint-ends for the black arm and shin pads. The helmet was long and wide like the armor- vest with two white bull-like conjoining horns on front and a protruding horn in the shape of a scorpion's tail on the very top.
Gashura prepared to leap down and beat the insipid humans for their foolish talk. Then, he saw a third mortal in bulky deep green armor with four crooked spikes coming out of the helmet. That mortal huddled close to the torch fires and practiced with katanas, the swords' acid flying around and landing in the flames, thus causing an even bigger conflagration. The third mortal then shivered and focused on spilling its chemicals into the fire. Neither of the other warlords was as cold.
Then, Gashura realized that Kokuyoen had tormented that poisonous mortal with his black ice, but Talpa had punished him harshly so the elder youja now limped. Enraged, Gashura spun around and stormed out of the training hall. He desired to destroy those pathetic humans, but he feared his master's wrath more. He knew he would feel better if he were working. He decided to visit Arden. Perhaps his friend could give him information of the Order's plans.

Arden fortunately befriended Soretsu. On their way to lord Kazuhide's castle, he discovered several admirable traits in the fellow youngling. Soretsu was very intelligent and respectful of Arden's ignorance. The swordsman's attitude remained neutral towards the Ancient One. "We all have lives that we must follow and accept," he said once after Arden spoke about the monk. Soretsu was composed among his new surroundings. Unlike Arden, Soretsu was rarely troubled.
Near the end of their journey to their new lord's castle, they began talking about their former families. Soretsu had focused too much on expanding his cousin's lands when he was a mortal. He never once considered starting a family of his own, but he firmly believed that the members of a family should respect each other.
Arden was once happily married and had three children. He was once a lord over a small amount of land. "My enemies always wanted what I owned. They envied my wealth and hated me for it. They hated my family as well because my children would inherit what I had. When my eldest son was patrolling my lands, my enemies captured him and cut him open. Then, they tied him to his horse and set the animal at a gallop so that his blood stained the grass for miles." He recalled vividly the memories of finding his son's lifeless and empty body. His internal suffering at the sight became almost unbearable. "I wish those fiends were the ones to scream as their blood poured out," Arden snarled angrily. He hated those memories! "I wish I was still able to walk through the mortal world to torture them." Then, he wanted to laugh bitterly. It was sad that he now had the power to destroy his enemies, but now he could never return to claim his revenge.
"Your tear," Soretsu observed curiously, sounding composed even though startled. "Your blood tear underneath your eye is glowing red."

Ishino sighed proudly as he and Garyuda explored more of their lord Kapei's castle. Finally, he was recognized and acknowledged by some of the highest people in the lands. Quite a few lords had clamored for his skills after the contests. Kapei seemed to be the most respectful and therefore the most appreciative. Their lord spoke approvingly to them and complimented himself for choosing such younglings. After arriving at the castle, they sensed in each other a hollowness that continued to grow; they were hungry.
They then began searching for an energy pool and encountered one of the elder youja already feeding. The elder youja had curled into an animal- like ball, his oval sickly yellow helmet with sharp horizontal horns resting on his deep black limbs tucked close to his dusty brown body armor. Ishino and Garyuda marveled at how tiny he was as they circled the pool and sat down to feed. The energy pools were an indirect connection between the nether and human worlds; negative emotions from the mortal world traveled to the nether world through the energy pools and provided food for the youja. The younglings were becoming accustomed to this peculiarity. They learned that they could not affect the mortal world in any actual manner, but they could select certain humans from which to feed. Ishino searched for the drunkard who stabbed him to death at the tavern; that fool's miserable life never changed one bit, but at least his life was miserable. Garyuda found mortal lords to envy and to rejoice at their sorrows.
When they finished eating, they realized the elder youja had awakened and was circling them swiftly. Startled, they looked up at his almost glowing eyes. The elder moved his long sharp claws in a wave to signify his power.
"My lord informed me that he acquired some new lands during the bets and needed new youja to help him maintain those," growled the tiny elder. "Remember that I am Tosura, lord Kapei's most prized warrior. He chose his younglings wisely. I have not the slightest interest in battling you."
Intimidated, Ishino felt grateful that Garyuda was with him. He tried to assure the elder that they meant no harm towards him, but Tosura growled a little more. "I only want a comfortable position as a warrior, nothing more," Ishino insisted. "I would not want to take your place as the prized warrior."
"Hmph," Tosura muttered and ceased circling to face them.
Still sensing the tension in the room, Ishino made a comment that he hoped would attract unanimous approval. "It's horrible that the Ancient One lied to us about the nature of the nether world. He said that only the evil become youja, but the just are also trapped." He thought insulting the monk would bring approval.
"Don't fool yourself!" Tosura barked out reproachfully. "It is because of the Ancient One that I accept and enjoy my existence as a youja." Storming off, he threw his claws in the air and began muttering about silly ignorant younglings.

Arden and Soretsu felt awkward in their lord Kazuhide's castle. The four arrogant elders avoided them distastefully. Only one, Tenashu, considered giving them a tour.
"Our lord Kazuhide has the fourth largest land in the entire netherworld," Tenashu spoke didactically. He had three black horns on his helmet, the middle one being the largest. His round red faceplate jutted out. "There are over 100 youja kingdoms, each with an average of eleven main warriors. Then, there are also the numerous wanderers. Out of every thousand humans who die, one hundred become youja; nine hundred go elsewhere. Oh, here are your mansions," he said off-handedly.
Arden and Soretsu eagerly walked inside, relieved to be away from the talkative youja. Their mansions were little more than spacious and decorative barracks with vacant shantytowns surrounding them and rooms for the nether soldiers surrounding them.
"I am very unimpressed," Sorestu muttered.
"Agreed," Arden said quickly as they looked around their mansions unpleasantly. Then, they sighed and stared out the door. They would have to return to Tenashu and continue the tour. Arden commented, "Tenashu certainly enjoys talking, correct?"
"I think he enjoys words more than battles," Soretsu replied with slight disgust.
"He is very pedantic. At least, he is willing to teach us something."
With determination, they marched out of the mansion and resumed the tour with the elder youja. Arden tried to use the elder's talkativeness to their advantage. "What are those empty houses over there? What are they used for?" he inquired, genuinely curious.
Happy to begin speaking, Tenashu answered, "Those were for the human slaves. They all died out a few decades ago. When Talpa invaded the mortal world five hundred years earlier, he brought several slaves with him. Those eventually fell into the hands of other lords."
But we are of the Only World Order. We should not want to enslave humans or hurt them in any way . . . we are from two different worlds. A little bit of virtue dropped out of Arden's perception.
"Our lord Kazuhide must be very proud of his status and his lands," Soretsu commented stiffly to the elder.
"Yes," Tenashu responded, "The size and status of a lord's land changes frequently. He has the fourth largest land in the netherworld and requires more youja to conquer other lords and maintain his current status." After a thorough lecture on Kazuhide's history as a youja lord and a smaller lecture on waging battles, he added, "The only land to neither increase nor decrease in the past thousand years is the 23rd largest."
Arden asked, "And which lord is that?"
"Lord Saberstryke," Tenashu muttered sourly. He disliked talking of a lord superior in strength to his.
"Ah, the leader of the Only World Order," he said absent-mindedly.
Tenashu seemed confused and bewildered. Arden then discovered that all youja made a clear distinction between Saberstryke and their "leader." According to their mentality, viewing them as the same was impossible. After all, previous "leaders" while on normal youja lord business had conquered and killed their followers. Making a clear distinction between a lord and the leader prevented any feelings of betrayal among the Order. Only true betrayal could occur in a battle inside the Order's castle.

"I am here to speak with the youngling Arden!" Gashura announced at lord Kazuhide's castle. The assassin had to shout out to reach all the youja inside. "He is an old friend of mine from before reaching the netherworld! My name is Gashura!"
"How will we know you are speaking the truth?!" belligerently demanded one of the elders.
"Tell him that we fought in the army together! I was his war comrade who died twenty years ago!"
"Many people die in wars."
Gashura stifled a growl. How dare this weak follower of the Order speak so cryptically! Fortunately, Arden then stepped out of the castle; they stared at each other, not believing what they saw. As youja, they could not recognize the other. They inquired and told each other bits of the other's past, asking questions that only the other would know.
Then, Arden exclaimed in astonishment, "My old comrade! I cannot believe you are here in the netherworld of all places."
"Are you truly so surprised?" Gashura wondered. "After all, during the war, I was the only one who openly cursed the Ancient One."
"Yes, you did . . ." Arden remembered that little incident. After several nasty battles, the Ancient One appeared and tended to the wounds of both sides. The monk provided the opposing armies with food, medicine, and warm blankets. Hundreds of people from both sides praised him and cheered him, but Gashura accused the monk of being a traitor and of neglecting virtue.
"You defended him and said that both sides were virtuous at heart. I asked, 'how could virtue fight and try to kill virtue?' Well, now, I understand."
"Oh?"
"I heard that the Order is going to invade Talpa's lands soon," Gashura commented.
Since they were old friends, Arden spoke without reservation, "Yes, but first we are going to attack the lesser lords who are within his empire. Talpa is not likely to defend them, but they would fight for Talpa. Talpa will eventually have no one left to defend his castle."
Gashura nodded, "That is just as I thought and a wise decision!" Some of the lesser lords annoyed Talpa. "Well, going back to our first discussion - since evil can fight evil, virtue can also fight virtue."
"Not all youja are evil," Arden objected. The Only World Order, after all, wanted to kill Talpa.
"Then how do people become youja and live in this hell?" Gashura countered rhetorically. A moment passed and then he asked his old friend, "Which one of Talpa's lords are you going to kill? I just might want to accompany you on your battles."