Re:Zero Prequel: Bond of Ice - chapter 0

―There exist beings known as spirits.

Mana fills the world. The Od Laguna is the source of this mana, and is considered to be the foundation of eternity. Spirit is the term used to refer to supernatural beings who are given life by the Od Laguna, manifest in this world through the power of mana, and meddle with it as they please.

They are born as lesser spirits, become quasi-spirits, and finally reach the status of spirit. Particularly powerful spirits are known as great spirits, but even among them there are four who possess exceptional power, the ones known as the Four Great Spirits, and these four spread dread, reverence, blessings, and menace across all the land.

Dread―The self-appointed ‘Arbiter’ Melakuera, who acts in order to preserve the balance of the world.

Menace― The most beautiful slayer, the ‘Slasher’ Zarestia who indulges in eternal peace in her bed.

Reverence― The ‘Stone’ Muspel, a sanctuary that merely exists, possessing neither will nor words nor ideology,.

Blessings― The ‘Sacred Beast’ Odglass, who watches over humanity with affection and benevolence from atop the Sacred Mountain.

Four great spirits all of whom possess equal might, the Four Great Spirits.

Their existence and names are known far and wide, and the matter of how to deal with them is considered to be of grave importance in all the world’s countries.

In truth, history even tells of an entire city that was burned down by their wrath. Setting aside Odglass, the Four Greats cannot be said to be friendly to mankind, and their actions for the most part are entirely self-serving.

This especially applies to the reason for the previously mentioned destruction of a city― It is said that it was caused by a clash between the Arbiter and a Great Spirit that possessed power rivaling the Four Greats.

Neither the name nor the appearance of this Great Spirit on par with the Four Greats are known.

But a name took on a life of its own, and the Great Spirit that escaped the Arbiter’s judgement and lived on was called this by the people who feared it:

―A terrible beast as powerful as the Four Greats, ‘The Beast of The End’

Its actual circumstances and location remain unknown to anyone―