Party in Farasi!
On the Outskirts of the territory of Farasi, bordering between the untamed jungle and the vast savanna, in the midst of a quaint Okapi village, a celebration was being held.
"Asclepius! I didn't know you were the Chieftess of this place!" Pollux of the Argonauts yelled as she draped her arms over the mute Okapi's shoulder, the smell of alcohol wafting out of her mouth as they all sat around a large bonfire, enjoying the music and food as they danced to celebrate Pasim the Okapi's return to her hometown.
Miss Pasim, known commonly to her new friends as Asclepius, Smiled in return as she surrounded herself with the joy of her family and friends all in one place.
"Come on Castor! Dance with us!" Pollux turned to the second Cat of the group, the Male cat waving his paw as if to tell his sister to try bothering him later, his back leaning against one of the many mud and straw huts that made up the village, his eyes closed as if trying to fall asleep, his ears flickering at every little sound around him.
Pasim smiled at the duo of cats before a boisterous laugh caught her attention, The old crocodile of the crew, Nestor, was slapping his tail on the ground with the beat of the drums, an empty mug sitting beside him as he drunkenly tried to sing.
"Asclepius..." The joy and merriment that surrounded the mute Okapi froze as a hand rested on her shoulder, "It is time to make your decision." her leader and friend for the past few months told her.
It seems the time has come.
Ever since she joined The Storm King, she knew it was temporary. Those were the terms of her agreement. The Storm King will house her, give her a job, and drop her off at her home once they pass through. And in return, she will have to convince her village to join his cause.
She had to choose, does she return to her old life, before The Hyena kidnapped her to hold hostage, before Jason and his men freed her, before the Argonauts were formed before she helped save Nestor's niece with her medical knowledge, before she learned all those different makeup styles from Pollux, before Castor showed her the best way to tie knots, before she met all her friends.
Before she became Asclepius.
Would she be able to go back to that time? Betray her home nation and help sell it out to a conqueror king? Officially join this conquest of land under the flag of The Storm Empire? Would she be able to do so?
The answer to that couldn't come quicker.
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Sitting on the floor of a dark room inside his royal airship, The Storm King took a deep breath, his legs crossed, as he glared at the golden crown before him.
"You will not dissociate me again." He quietly ordered the crown, another deep breath leaving his lungs before he lifted the crown and placed it on his head.
His vision exploded outwards like an explosion of silent invisible energy. To the outside observer, it would look as if the King was in meditation.
But in reality, he was staring at a place far away from his current location.
Steadily, he moved his right arm and grasped the amber amulet around his neck, a red glow escaping the gemstone as The Storm King used the power of the Orisa's Eye.
In response to the magic, the blue crystal blade on his back started glowing with a dim light.
He concentrated on both the crown and amulet, his plan needed them both to work for it to succeed.
And as the magical glow of the sword shone brighter, a smirk spread on the King's face.
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Far to the north, Outside a town of sandstone and palm wood, the sand shifted.
It was a warm spring evening, Zebras, Kelpies, and Abada were playing in a nearby Oasis, the Kelpies bodies switching from water to ice as they splashed and laughed, Spraying cold water on the Zebra and Abada children, joyful smiles on all their young faces.
"Come on! Stop splashing me! I just got my mane cut!" A young Zebra girl giggled as she pulled herself out of the pool of water, moving to a warmer spot to dry out.
"Abila!" She heard her mother call for her, "It's time to say goodnight to your friends!"
"But Mom!" Abila complained, only to receive a stern look from her mother, "Fiiiiine~" She turned her head to say goodbye to her friends, only to freeze as she spotted something move in the distance.
"Hey guys?" She called out to them, "Did you see that?"
"See what?" A young Abada boy asked, his head poking out of the water, his two horns shining an Ivory light as the water rippled around him.
"I- I don't know! I think I saw a snake!" She told him, her eyes turning back to look at the desert, "It looked weird though... I think we should get out of the Oasis..."
"Awww~" A Kelpie girl complained, her liquid mane turning from a flowing waterfall to a frozen glacier as she pulled herself out of the Oasis, "Little Abila doesn't want to have fun anymore?" She asked in a smug voice.
"It's nothing like that!" Abila defended herself, "I promise I saw a snake! We should get out before we irritate it."
"Pssh~ You're no fun." The Kelpie complained, her mane turning from ice into a cloud of steam that followed after her like a walking sauna.
With the fun over, Abila returned to her home, her mom frowning at how long it took her to come back.
The rest of her evening remained as it usually was. She ate dinner with her family, drew in her notebook as she lay on her bed, and scowled at the need to brush her teeth, before finally tuckering into bed.
"Dad..." Before her father could leave to turn off the lights, she said, "Can you check for a monster under my bed?"
"Oh? What brought this up?" Asked her Father. The adult Zebra gave his glasses a slight push up his face to focus better on his daughter.
"I saw a snake outside earlier... I don't want to have snakes under my bed." Abila whispered, embarrassed at needing to ask for something like that at her age.
"Don't you worry sweetie~" Her father gave her a reassuring smile before he leaned down and took a look beneath her bed, "There's nothing here, no monsters tonight~" He told her before kissing her on the forehead and walking out of her room, "Sweet dreams~"
Abila swallowed the saliva that pulled in her mouth, a loud and scared gulping sound following before she hid her head under the blanket and closed her eyes.
No snake was going to bite her tonight.
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Far away, isolated in his dark room, The Storm King smiled as he felt the Orisa's Eye glow brighter beneath his grasp.
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Outside of the town of Sandstone and Palm wood, on the other side of an Oasis, the sand shifted and moved, giving form to a serpentine body, a pair of thin arms extending from the sand-made torso, ending with a spiny-looking snake head, resembling a Viper of some kind.
Soon more and more snake-like figures formed from the sand, their breath non-existent, their vision merely a falsity, their senses a figment of imagination.
They were nothing more than sand-given form.
One of the snake-men slithered forward, his jaw opening, releasing a rough and dry coughing sound as it attempted to speak.
"Very well..." Its voice was coarse and rough as if its throat was shaved with sandpaper, "This shall do for the great villain's first appearance..." The snake's mouth twitched upward, in a rough attempt of a smile.
"Do not worry yourselves, people of Farasi, a Hero from the clouds will save you, ushering in a new era of Unity and Storms~" The snake chuckled to himself as if he just said the funniest joke, "But before that, The villain needs to build up his character~ Ahem! I am Apophis! The Great Devourer! And after I devour your rulers, I shall devour your Sun! And you will be trapped under my sands for a thousand years! Does that sound cartoonishly evil enough? Eh~ I'll workshop it later." The snake shrugged, his body shifting slightly as the crown of a King Cobra extended from the back of his head, "There, this is much more royal~" He smirked.
"Now then... Let the feast begin~"
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That night, that city of sandstone and palm wood was sunk beneath the sands of the desert, trapping thousands of civilians beneath the scorching dunes.
By the time rescue would arrive from the nearest Fort, many of the people would have already suffocated, having lost their supply of oxygen in the panic of the night.
But those that survived spoke in hushed whispers of a serpent in the sand, who moved the sand as if it was a part of his body, his army of serpents swimming through the dunes as if they were eels in the water, bursting into their houses to take their food and valuables, leaving them hungry and scared beneath the piles of sand.
The Nation of Farasi was under threat, but who could this mysterious serpent be? Who was this villain that was terrorizing their border?
And will there ever be a hero who could stop him?
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Inside his dark room, The Storm King finally let go of the Orisa's Eye, the glow of the Amber Amulet dimming as its powers stopped working.
He took the crown off his head, stretched his neck, stood up, and gave his arms and legs a good stretch as well.
"Heh-" He chuckled to himself, little more than a breath of air leaving his mouth, "Heheha-" his laughter grew in intensity, a smile spreading on his face, "HahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"YES! IT WORKED! IT REALLY WORKED!!! AHAHAHAHA!!!"
The Plan to take over the Zebra nation of Farasi was officially underway.
"Is everything alright my liege?" Strife asked as he opened the door to check on his King, "Should I reschedule your meeting with Princess Lavender?"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"Very well my liege, Enjoy your session of diabolical laughter~" Strife said and closed the door.
It was business as usual.