Guardia Castle, 589 Kingdom Calendar
A man in a checkered black and purple tunic walked into the knight's quarters to find several soldiers waiting for him.
"Gentlemen..." he began, "Thank you for your patience. Let us begin:
As you are no doubt aware, there has been a significant increase in fiend hostility within the past five years. While I do not doubt our own efforts, I fear things have come to a head as of one year ago today, when our previous knight captain was killed by the frog king, who had then taken the Hero's Badge. Some sources are saying that the fiends plan to declare war soon..."
...There was murmurs and laughter among the soldiers.
"Whether they are effective or not, we are expected to defend our kingdom against them. Frankly, this has gone beyond the realm of acceptable. People are now getting hurt. Besides, as long as the Frog King has that medal, I fear to think what else he may obtain..."
"The Masamune..." one soldier muttered.
"If they get their hands on that, they may have an actual shot at victory. Therefore, it is paramount that the fiends do not obtain that sword. I want patrols in San Dorino and Porre to begin looking for signs of fiend dissent. Do not hesitate to use force if necessary."
"And you, Sir Cyrus?" One knight responded.
Cyrus stood. "I will recover the badge, and the sword. I may be gone for awhile, but I will return. If that is all then... ...meeting adjourned."
Soldiers got up and started talking, as Cyrus headed for the stairwell. His squire was waiting for him outside.
"They don't seem confident in you..." he spoke.
"They take me seriously enough... ...its the idea of fiends representing a serious threat that they can't comprehend. I have a very bad feeling Glenn, and I think something big is on the horizon. We need that badge... and the sword."
"I can have your armor and gear ready by tomorrow night"
"Excellent", Cyrus replied. "We'll leave the morning after."
The time passed rapidly, before Cyrus was before the majesties.
"Cyrus," Queen Leene asked, "Are you leaving so soon?"
"Yes, your majesty. It's time we took back that medal from the Frog King. Besides... ...I'd like to see that fancy sword for myself."
"Cyrus..." the king added, "You will return, yes? We need you here."
Cyrus smiled, reassuringly. "...as long as there is life within these bones, sire. By your leave..."
Solemnly, the king nodded, and Cyrus was on his way.
Two weeks had passed, and Cyrus's fears were beginning to come true: Soldiers in San Dorino found themselves overwhelmed by fiend hostility, and were actively fighting every day. The enemy was unskilled, but relentless. This was combat most soldiers were not adequately prepared for.
Porre arguably had it worse, as fiends had begun committing arson throughout the town, especially aimed towards the soldiers. One particular green fiend was floating around and reanimating his fallen brothers, sending the shambling corpses after undead vengeance.
"I'm tellin' you Flea... I don't know why we didn't do this sooner," Ozzie laughed. "These guys aren't much trouble! Ha!"
"I would remind you..." spoke a young man with long, pink hair, "We are still heavily outmatched. By now, they will be sending soldiers this way from the North, and we are still basically as trolls to them, not dragons."
"Damn..." Ozzie thought. "The eunich's right. We can't stick around like this. If we don't skedaddle back up to the cave soon, Guardia's soldiers are gonna cut us off."
Ozzie growled. "Alright, Flea. Let's you and I re... ...treat... back to..."
Flea sighed. "Did you lose your train of thought again, Ozzie?"
Ozzie silently pointed to the other side of town, which was completely ablaze. This was no small arson: the sky was red with the glow of it. Before they knew what came over them, it then turned pitch black, in the middle of the day, and lightning raged all throughout. Mass screaming could be heard, and as the two approached, they saw two figures slaughtering everyone in sight.
Flea and Ozzie wisely decided to hide.
When the chaos finally subsided, Ozzie poked his head out cautiously, while Flea casually walked towards the two figures...
"It's about time we left a calling card for the fiends..." Magus uttered. "I will command their attention, every last cur."
Slash shrugged. "Fine by me, man. But uh... what does this have to do with your "Lavos"?
Magus continued. "I will need to construct a facility to bring Lavos forth, as was done in ancient times. I have determined the capitol of fiends, Medina, to be sitting directly above the point it last broke the earth's surface. Now I just need peons intelligent or, perhaps, gullible, enough to see it through."
"Hey, buddy!" Ozzie waved. You uh... really got some issues to work out, you know that?"
Magus looked around. Here everything was burnt to the ground, bodies and blood everywhere... and this green fiend just walks out like its no big deal. Actually, he recognized this fiend...
Magus tilted his head. "...Ozzie, is that you?"
"Eh?" Ozzie replied. "Do we... know each other?"
"Heh..." Magus replied. "Does the phrase 'Eat shit and die' ring any bells?"
Ozzie's eyes widened. "...waiiit a minute.. ...what!? No way! You can't be... He should've... but..."
Magus had a look about him like a shark that smelled blood, and went into a frenzy, grabbing Ozzie by the throat and holding him up over his head.
"Try to feed me turds, will you?"
"*gag*...*gulg*...niicee... to see you... too..."
"And that turd himself? Flea?"
Flea called out as he approached, very mellow. "Uh... I'm over here. Hey, Janus."
A smile crossed Magus's face. "To think we should all reunite here, in the wreckage of a dead town."
"Yeah..." Flea awkwardly smiled. "Hey, listen... I'm sorry about before, alright? I was being kind of a douche, and... well... I guess after you, erm... "castrated" me, I just sorta... mellowed out."
Magus glared. "Is that so..."
"Yeah... look, I feel like shit about it, and I'd love to try being your friend again. I mean if you don't..."
"No," Magus shook his head with an unsettling smile. "Don't be foolish. I'd be mad not to. Wouldn't I, Ozzie?"
Ozzie just smiled and shook his head. "pllesass... putmedowwwnnnnn"
Magus dropped Ozzie onto his ass. "Alright, both of you listen, and listen well. If you want your fiend revolution, then from now on, you both do as I say, when I say it. I will not tolerate insolence, and I most certainly will not tell you twice. In less than fifteen years, humanity will be totally extinct, and fiends will inherit the Earth."
"Uh..." Ozzie smiled. "S-sure thing Ja-er Magus, just... one thing..."
Magus growled. "Yeess?"
"Y-ya know... I'm not... so sure how much authority you can command... you know, looking the way you do."
"Do you disapprove of my appearance?" Magus asked.
"No, not at all! I'm digging the ears a lot, just... you still look as human as, well... Flea."
"He's right," Flea replied. "You do look pretty human. I could help with that, though."
Magus found a piece of a mirror and studied his face. Aside from his elven features, he still looked quite human. He even still had his tan from his time in the desert.
"Hmmm... perhaps you are not as dumb as you look, Ozzie. Very well. Flea, I will allow you to assist me with this change in appearance, but after this, I must know your transformative techniques for myself. I will determine when I do and do not want to appear inhuman."
"Fair enough," Flea shrugged. "I guess I owe ya for the way I treated you before. Ok, hold still..."
Flea planted his hands on Magus's face. The color seemed to drain away from it, and Magus's irises went from bright bold green to a fiery blood red. He groaned a little in discomfort as his eyeteeth grew sharp, like a vampire's... but knowing what was happening, he welcomed it. It satisfied him. When he opened his eyes, he looked in the mirror shard again...
"Well done, Flea..." he smiled. "Well done, indeed..."