Mystical Fantasy : The Analogi

The sky above the Ifrit village looked bleak. The hot clouds gradually faded, leaving behind a gray ash that fell slowly—like death rain descending from the heavens.

The explosive echoes of magma stones hurled from the volcano slopes were no longer heard. Only a heavy silence remained.

The Ifrit village was now reduced to rubble. Charred buildings. Cracked earth. The once-glowing magma channels now only dead, cooling stone.

The sealed creature was gone. The volcano had lost its fire—and its purpose.

Once a blazing source of power for the Ifrit race, the mountain now stood dormant, lifeless, and devoid of energy to absorb.

Atop a high plateau, Zeo stood observing it all. His breath was still heavy. In his hand, he clutched a gleaming black artifact—The Cornerstone, a mysterious item he had yet to understand.

But clearly... this stone was no ordinary object.

Jakovi and most of his troops had been blown far away. Only a few remained—unconscious. They were easily executed by the Ifrit warriors.

Velzhara stepped forward toward Zeo, followed by Zelalehm and a few surviving elders. Their bodies were wounded, but their heads bowed low—a shocking gesture of reverence toward a human.

"Oh human…" Velzhara's voice was heavy but filled with respect.

"That stone has chosen you… and so, our fate submits to its true bearer."

Zeo looked at them without words.

The stone felt warm in his grip. He didn't fully understand it… but clearly, it influenced them.

"What do you mean?"

"That stone," one of the elders added,

"...is a symbol of a pact we made long ago with a chosen figure. He placed the stone atop this mountain to fulfill a prophecy—of a chosen one who would carry out a great mission.

He asked us to follow that human, as part of our repentance. And today… the stone has chosen you as its bearer."

"From now on," Velzhara continued, "we submit ourselves to you."

"Not all of us accept this," interrupted an older elder, his gaze sharp. "We do not enjoy bowing to a human. But… the pact is unavoidable."

Velzhara shot him a firm look—silencing him instantly.

"Forgive me, Queen Velzhara," the elder muttered.

Zeo frowned.

"I don't need you as followers. I didn't come to be anyone's leader. So relax. You may go on with your lives without concerning yourselves with me."

Velzhara lifted her chin. "You may not want it. But we will still devote ourselves to you. This is our act of atonement. So I beg you, accept us… as your followers, Master."

Zeo turned his gaze to the sky, still cloaked in dust.

This wasn't his original mission. He had only wanted to find new party members—not once considering recruiting from the djinn race.

Zeo simply wanted to complete his divine mission… and return to someone very important to him.

But now… he held a symbol capable of reshaping the world's power structure.

Hundreds of Ifrit… if I accept them, I'm not just recruiting party members anymore. I'm forming an army. What should I do… he thought, confused.

He stared at the ruins of the shattered village and the mountain now silent.

No more fire. No more energy. Just a hollow mountain.

"Very well… you may come with me for now. This place is no longer livable. I'll take you to my land, and from there… we'll see what comes next." Zeo finally said.

"Master… do you wish for us to abandon this place?" asked Velzhara.

"'Master,' huh… You said you live here because of the great fire energy. But now the volcano is dead. Will you stay here and start draining humans and demi-humans of their energy instead?"

Velzhara lowered her head at that.

She realized—the village they had built over centuries was no longer viable for them.

Some of the elders exchanged glances.

"You are right, sir—err, I mean… Master," Zelalehm replied. "The mountain… no longer holds any energy for us.

Its magma is gone. The power we need… has vanished."

"I'll take you somewhere safer, and I'll give you access to enough energy—without having to absorb negative energy from humans or demi-humans," Zeo said.

Velzhara paused in thought, then nodded.

"This place is no longer home. We will follow you, Master."

Zelalehm and the elders nodded in agreement.

One by one, the Ifrit began organizing themselves. Leaving behind the ruins of their once-proud village.

A place they had guarded with their lives now meant nothing.

Some of them glanced back. No one spoke.

But their eyes carried sorrow—as if they were letting go of a history that would never return.

---

Meanwhile…

Ravyn was dashing past the Ifrit territory's border. Her breath ragged.

Every step grew heavier—not from exhaustion, but from anxiety.

Master Zeo… please be safe, she whispered in her heart.

She rushed forward, barely paying attention to the terrain.

Huge rocks were scattered everywhere—left behind by the earlier eruption and tremors. The ground still quivered faintly, remnants of the volcano's explosion caused by that mysterious winged creature.

Suddenly, from behind the trees—two red-eyed beasts leapt at her.

Ravyn slipped—but immediately slashed one down with her dagger.

One beast collapsed, but the other kept coming. She backpedaled, throwing a dagger, but it missed.

As she prepared to jump back, her foot slipped. She fell.

The beast leapt—

BRUAAAKK!!!

A shadow kicked the beast midair—sending it crashing into a tree.

Ravyn sprang up, eyes alert, trying to process what had just happened.

She turned to look—and saw someone.

Zeo.

"Masteeerr…!" Ravyn gasped, hugging him without thinking. Tears welled up. "Master Zeo… you're alive…"

Zeo gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I told you… wait for me outside this territory. I promised I'd return."

Ravyn lowered her head. Smiling through her tears.

"You have to return, Master. You can't die. Who else will make me soup if you're gone? Huaaaa—"

"Am I only here to make soup!?" Zeo snapped, annoyed.

Ravyn only cried harder in his embrace.

But as she pulled away—and her eyes opened—she gasped.

Behind Zeo…

A massive line of Ifrit—wounded, scorched, but marching in order—followed him from afar.

Ravyn instantly jumped back, entering combat stance.

"Master—behind you… They… they…"

Zeo looked at her.

"Relax. They're not a threat. In fact… they're our new party members."

"H-huh?"

Ravyn stared at Zeo… then at the line of Ifrits—who now bowed in respect toward her.

Some even looked at her with such reverence, it made her uncomfortable.

"Master, are you sure they're not enemies?" she whispered.

Zeo nodded calmly.

"They're not just allies… they'll live with us.

Because perhaps… they're our new family."

And for the first time… the fog-bound territory would be full of life.

---