After the battle and carnage, Murk kept close tabs on Uin, following the Yellow Demon King from a safe, shadowed distance. Uin headed down below, descending into a familiar network of caverns—a location Murk himself had visited before, in dealings he'd rather forget.
Deeper and deeper they went, through winding passageways that grew increasingly damp and humid. Murk had a sinking feeling he knew exactly where Uin was heading. The Demon King, for his part, seemed utterly at ease; whistling a cheerful, tuneless melody, a noticeable pep in his step as if returning from a pleasant stroll rather than a battle to the death.
Finally, Uin came to a stop in a wide mossy chamber. He dropped Lucktan's body unceremoniously against a large, moss-draped stone. The air here was thick with moisture, water trickling down the walls in thin, gleaming sheets.
Still completely nonchalant, Uin removed the clay pot from his back, the same vessel Murk had noticed earlier. He knew, vaguely, that it possessed the ability to store whatever Uin desired in a black, timeless space.
Uin glanced around the chamber, then called out. "Anytime now!... Or maybe you're even more dramatic than me?"
As the words left his mouth, cracks echoed; sharp, splintering sounds that grew louder and closer.
Behind Uin, Lucktan cleared his throat and stood to his feet, very much alive.
Watching Lucktan come back to life left Murk utterly astonished. His ancient mind raced, piecing together the fragments, the staged death, the shadow clone, the casual banter. It became clear that this had been carefully planned by the pair from the very beginning. A performance.
That was the moment Murk decided he had seen enough. He turned and left the area swiftly, carrying the weight of what he'd witnessed back into the shadows.The office fell into heavy, stunned silence.
Bringing Murk's retelling to an end.
Imuru, Yosho, and Kigaru sat—or stood completely gobsmacked by the overlord of information. The scale of it. The implications that the entire battle had been planned between the Kings themselves. Their minds were left mixed with a rush of complex tangled thoughts.
Imuru had held his confidence throughout the meeting, calm, measured, even mostly internally. But now, after hearing this from Murk, any confidence he once possessed crumbled and was out into a void, never to be reached again.
He sat very still, his face unreadable, but inside, a quiet, foundational shift was taking place.
From this point forward, he swore to himself that he'll remain humble. No matter to who, no matter what.
"So, if I'm getting this straight. I just don't have A Demon King down there, but two? Doesn't that make me happy," Imuru shook his head, rethinking every decision he had made so far.
"Imuru?"
King Murk softly called his name, sensing a depressing shift in his attitude.
"Uh. Yes. I-I… I'm just taking this all in. All in."
This reply came swiftly, from Imuru.
"I appreciate this. I know what needs to be done now for proper security."
"No, there's no proper security…" Imuru remarked sharply in his thoughts, "who's gonna secure the Demon Kings? I can't, Forcent can't…."
"You're welcome. Even as strong allies we still need to show signs of our trust."
Murk said, his casual tone having returned, rubbing his hands subtly.
Kigaru got close to his father, pointing a finger. He went to open his mouth, but got his yap shut as Murk grabbed onto his mouth, his father not once taking his eyes off Imuru.
"This meeting, you'd agree, was very eye opening." Murk stood up from his seat, Imuru doing so as well. "I hope this made our bond stronger. Until next time."
Murk and Imuru bowed to each other.
Giving his final words, Murk took his leave, dragging his son behind him on his way out.
"Dear, that was grave news."
Yosho spoke, her voice laced with subtle worry.
"Great Imuru!" Yosho switched her enthusiastic attention to the worried young lord, a firm fist held up. "They wouldn't be an issue to you? You had Ukuter's respect, he didn't dare to speak ill of you, so what are a pair of unskilled, war-mongrels that solely have such a title to be ostentatious?"
"HUH?! Yosho! What in the name… Happened to you?"
Imuru didn't believe what he just heard from the very lips of his own, 'professional' and 'intellectual' secretary.
"Those days ago, even Roll started to be defensive… It's getting worse, Yosho might be truly gone. It's kind, but I would appreciate them not trying to defend my honour."
Yosho's eyes slowly drift around the room; scanning it carefully. "Hmm. Great Imuru, the structural integrity of your office—prehaps, your entire home… might be unstable."
"Uh~... R-Right."
Imuru traced around the cracks in the wooden interior of the room, having forgotten it initially due to the tense conversation with Murk. "Could you get Roll to handle it?"
"There was no need to ask Great Imuru," Yosho was swift to respond, giving a graceful smile along with her reply.
"Ugh…"
Imuru rose from his seat, some rumble in his mind. "I might as well. Now that I have the details it perfectly explains the reinforced earth around that area and why Belzora couldn't get through that barrier."
Imuru turned to Yosho. "Could you come along with Yosho? We're gonna take another look at that barrier."
Together, Imuru and Yosho headed over to the now fully operational mining area. An easy access point had been built, a sturdy set of stairs carved into the earth, flanked by two imposing Orc guards who stood at attention. Imuru offered them a kind, and the Orcs responded with respectful nods of acknowledgement.
They descended into the well-lit expanse below. Lanterns and glowing crystals lined the walls, casting warm, steady light over the workings. Small structures had been erected—storage sheds for ore and mined materials, and a rest area with benches and tables between shifts. The whole operation hummed with quiet, industrious life.
Walking through the main section of the area, they turned off from Section 1 Part B, to Part A, where they skipped the ladder when they came across the cliff, leaping down instead for some convenience.
Standing at both sides of the passageway, were two Dark Deviders; an attentive guard and the other sitting down with his face in the palm of his hand, as he held on to his spear with the other. The attentive Devider's eyes lit up the moment he saw the approaching Imuru and Yosho, bolting across to the other side to wake his partner; shaking him awake.
"...Argh… What?" The tired Dark Devider spat out, only to his partner rushing back to his side. He turned his head and caught a glimpse of Imuru, springing right up to his feet, from the mere sight of him.
Imuru bit his lower lip, flicking looks back and forth to the two Dark Devider. "Hiya-Hiya~... Not much security," Imuru mused, with a sense of dry sarcasm. "Even with this information, what use is it if I can't take specific action to defend my people; besides the obvious packing and leaving…"
"...Ohw! The Celestial Lake… I did prevent a seemingly ancient being from killing me and taking its wrath out on the world… Yes, and now with understanding of Perivállon, maybe, just maybe, I could form some offensive use of it? Even defensive use would be nice. As long as it doesn't affect the people of Fernum."
Imuru and Yosho came to a stop at the passageway, the darkness of the entrance looking back at them. Imuru reached out a hand, pressing it against the barrier; glowing at his touch.
"Great Imuru, what are your orders in regards to the protection of the area?" Yosho asked for orders.
"Yosho, about our current population, do you have an estimate of the numbers?"
Imuru asked, his expression carefully controlled.
"Dear, no need to worry, I have precise information in fact," Yosho chirped. "There are 808 Gray Persudos, 200 Orcs, our core 30 Dark Deviders along with the newly instituted 55. Then there's you, Great Imuru, me, Forcent, and also Pone the Bee. We also have to take in the fact of the others from the Shadow Of The Moon who have yet to arrive."
Imuru's lips pressed to a thin line, impressed, but more so the realization of the scale of growth truly hitting him. "Ah… Sounds like… progress. I'm not a good leader, that's way I let Roll handle these issues, I'm better suited be like a~guardian… to a laser degree."
"Where do I go from here?" Imuru found himself stuck in uncertainty, curious where he should go from here. "Um… Right, one thing at a time. I need to head to Fernum, and what use I can make of the Celestial Lake. Ugh… This is just great, should've called it quits while I had the chance, now I'm running around scared… I'm gonna die some day, very soon."
"Let's go Yosho, we're heading to Fernum," Imuru said to Yosho.
They left the underground system and headed into town, making their way toward the Transportation Platform. What had once been an open structure was now encased within a proper building—brought to life by Titani's vision, ordered by Roll, and executed by the Dark Deviders with surprising craftsmanship.
At the entrance stood Titani, trying her absolute hardest to maintain a fierce, deadpan expression. But beneath that forced stoicism, a smile continuously fought to break through, twitching at the corners of her mouth, threatening to undo her carefully constructed image of intimidation.
"Alright, here he comes," Titani thought excitedly, upon his approach. "Lord Imuru, it's a pleasure to see again, looking fabulous as always. Will you be using the platform today?"
"In fact, I will be," Imuru warmly replied. "I have some important stuff that needs to be taken care of. If anything serious comes up, make your way over to my house and get Forcent's assistance."
"Uh… Yeah, before I forget. Something went down back at my place, so the structural integrity of my house is… not credible."
"It will be our priority, Lord Imuru," Titani eagerly replied, burying Imuru's anxiety with her brimming joy to assist. "I'll ensure we have it done before your return, Lord Imuru, that I assure you."
"Sometimes I wonder if I've done rough to deserve this sort of loyalty," Imuru thought, a tentative playing on his lips.
He cleared his throat firstly, and steadied his gaze to Titani's. "Thank you. I appreciate that, Titani. We're off."
With this delicate small exchange clear and over, Imuru and Yosho went in, a small smirk making its way to Imuru's lips at the sight of the platform, giving off a glow of radiance. "Heh-Heh… There she is, beautiful as she should be," Imuru thought, feeling ever so prideful.
The pair climbed up the steps, placing themselves in the center. Turning to receive the final assurance from Yosho that she was ready, Imuru set the platform active, the intricate markings gradually coming to life; to be filled, and in a burst and a flash of light that were gone in an instant.