Venland: A Dominion Beyond Worlds

Chapter 1: The Blue Moonfall Festival - Magic Appraisal

"So the Demonlord has finally started to wreak havoc?"

Lady Aztera, The Great Witch of the Black Forest, rang a question to break the silence in the Magic Appraisal chamber. Guildmaster Paris and the witch were preparing a round, smooth glass, like a snow globe, above a weirdly purple-green cloth, as if it were something important for Magic Appraisal. It was akin to the ball used for fortune-telling, yet a little different. There was no reflection, it was but a see-through crystal similar to a diamond, was it actually a diamond?

On our way here after our awkward encounter in the Guildmaster's Office, I was briefed with what story was brewing in the capital city of the Kingdom of Argus after knowing I was not normal, that something in me was wrong and not even the Great Witch could comprehend.

"The Demonlord began to strike," the Guildmaster replied.

Although the foreboding name Demonlord consists of the word demon, a Demonlord is not necessarily a demon. Lady Aztera, as what she wanted be called as, claimed that in the recorded history of Venland, the name of this world analogous to how we refer our world as Earth, hidden in the depths of the Holy Church which only high officials have access to, Demonlord was called Demonlord only because the first one to bear the title was a demon, hence was called Demonlord. However, from that history onward, where many moons had passed and evil dispersed, new Demonlords had risen from different timelines and had their eras, yet none was a demon—and strangely, most were humans. Due to past history, people mistakenly referred to them as Demonlord when another evil incarnate was born anew, and the mistake carried on up to this date.

Monsters had different strengths and intelligence, thus separated by The Monster Classification. In the witch's words, The Monster Classification is a ranking system that defines the level of power for all monsters. Monsters include Direwolf, Goblins, Orc, Dragons, Ogres, Wyverns, Demons, and all forms of life that know nothing but evil—even humans can be a monster. Certain attributes including physical strength, level of demonic energy, and other latent talents contribute to a monster's rank, though no criteria has defined the level of power for each category, the sacred eyes of the Holy Church can identify them.

There are different monster classes: the Subservient, which is the lowest, can be easily slain even by a frail human; the Barbarian, pure physical strength; the Magi, magic-born weak monster; the Sinister, both physically strong and magic-born; the Jack, when such a monster comes to your land, it can control the weather and strike lightnings to your home; the Queen, similar to an imperial mage with high magical attributes, can wipe out your land only with its breath; the King, similar to high priest, wields a magic that can suck a whole kingdom with its power; the Ace, magicians of minds and illusion, you will lose touch of reality; and finally a Demonlord, the magic wielder that is above all, immeasurable and dark.

Legends had it that there was one more, yet was not really part of Monster Classification due its credibility to be proven correct, the Dark God. When humans ascend, they become Gods. When they fall and are banished from heaven, they become Dark Gods—the Joker.

"What did the church say in the matter? I was busy protecting my forest from the invasion of monsters, I was unable to attend the Moonfall Meeting," Lady Aztera then again asked, tidying the cloth around the round crystal ball.

Dust began to conquer her nostrils and was paused by a cough. I was sitting on the wooden chair, stuck on the very side of the wall where the painting of the Guildmaster in his prime was hung.

It was a little room, on the side was a mini table only enough to hold a porcelain vase of flowers and nothing more. After all, it was only a Magic Appraisal chamber, the room used for testing your mana, magic affinity, and magical power. Lady Aztera added, Magic Affinity is affinity for specific kinds of magic spells. It is like a colour spectrum, only one or two colours are the limit a human could have—like red and blue, or only red and only blue, or yellow, distinct from person to person—although it is also different from other races, which the majority bears none, and few bear three or more. Bearing the affinity for elements, there are six elements in the spectrum: Water, Earth, Fire, Air, Light, and Dark. Completely out of science handiwork!