Nearly 800 years ago, the inhabitants of Bacu were not as they are now. They were once a people that despised each other. And it’s said that this self-hatred is what drew the attention of the Demon of Flame to their island nation. They called him Kyoufu: the Red Terror. A fierce drah’acon of immeasurable size and uncontestable power. Kyoufu loathed all living things, and set ablaze every tree, every creature, and every Bacuan that he saw.
The islanders called out to the sea for aid, vowing to change their ways. Their pleas were heard. From the northern ocean depths came forth a mighty Titan of Stone. They called him Mamoru: Defender of Bacu. Mamoru and Kyoufu fought. From east to west, the entire island trembled as they battled. Mountains shook and tsunamis battered the shores. In the end, Kyoufu was defeated, his body broken upon the slopes of Mount Akai: the Red Mountain. Mamoru, with his task complete, returned to the sea.
And the inhabitants of Bacu kept their word. They turned from their hatred and developed a code of respect and honor. This code has remained the cornerstone of their culture and way of life ever since. Once a year, Bacu celebrates and remembers the tale of the Demon of Flame and Defender of Bacu, though seen now more as an allegory of each Bacuan’s personal struggle between self-hate and self-respect.
Today, no one treads upon the Mount Akai. It’s a ghostly peak with deadly creatures said to reside there, keeping even the most adventurous at bay. Though Kyoufu was defeated, legend says that a part of the drah’acon endured. Whenever a tremor is felt near the Red Mountain, it’s said to be Kyoufu. Growing. Anxious to reawaken and become the Red Terror once more.