Chapter 11 - Monster Manual : Opening

Chapter 11 – Monster Manual : Opening

“

     This note goes to GHOU FE LING, one of the Deluxe empire’s wall guardian. You are informed that you will have to temporarily go into a forest hunt after seven dawn, and then proceed the capture the four main predator of the empire’s border.

       Your presence is required in the Palace tomorrow. This information is very urgent and must not be ignored.

                     EMPRESS. KIARA MIHOU LING

„

     Ghou growled at the note instantly flinging it to an unknown direction “Stressing us around all in the name of royalty, as if she remembers when last she got Mana exhausted.”

      Ghou laid back on the sofa, already tired of how stressful the day had been. Since sleeping was the only thing he could do, he curled himself to the size of the chair before petting himself to sleep.

****

     The next day arrived early with Ghou already dressed up in his uniform and ready to head into the Palace.

The previous day was a whole headache for Ghou but he had already began to miss the activities as he spent half of his life sleeping or guarding the empire’s wall. But the previous day was entirely different and more fun. So he actually had the interest to embark into journeys to avoid the boredom of the day.

“Ahh. Such a new day.” Ghou muttered, standing in front of his bedroom mirror while swinging his large sword effortlessly beside his waist. After some minutes, he immediately walked out of the bedroom into the parlor that look so unpleasant due to the damaged chair and feather clothes

“Right about time to change these furniture.” He muttered with a simple stare at the room before running out of the house, vastly making his way to the Palace.

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“Ahh, welcome Ghou, always earlier than the other.” Ghou was pleased to hearing the warm welcoming from Kiara who sat majestically on a throne which was completely adorned with the touch of raw gold and diamonds

“Thank you.” Ghou answered with a bow before standing upright “This is actually my first time in the Palace’s throne room.”

      Ghou stared around in agape to the ceiling which pointed high into the roof with hanging chandeliers and adornment. Moreover, there were various armor stand that embodied fine complete set of body armor and purple chairs that were arranged vertical in a single section to both edges of the room, probably the visitors seat

“Well, it’s actually nothing to admire. Oh, and most of all, I’ll want you to have this.” Kiara vastly stood up from her seat pointing an old looking book towards him

“Oh.” Ghou stammered in sight of the book which seemed very old and fragile “What… what’s this.”

“A book, I found it in the Palace treasury and it has your name on it.”

      Hearing the last words of Kiara, Ghou ran to her, snatching the book from her grasp

“Wow, I know this sign.” Ghou pointed to a small logo which was drawn underneath his engraved name. It was a dragon head symbol which was a representation of the only ability his father, Fe Chan Ji, possessed which was the flame dragon

“Well, so go ahead and open…” A sudden interruption was bestowed into the room with the entrance Cheng and Silas

“Morning, her royal empress.” Cheng greeted with a bow, alongside with Silas who kept his mouth shut.

        Meanwhile Ghou boiled from underneath why the two had arrived at this given time. Succumbing to his current situation, he dropped all curiosity about the book and dropped it on one of the empty seat.

“So, you’re all welcome.” Kiara greeted the three men who directed themselves to a seat “So, I guess we’ll just have to wait for Ying.”

Kiara’s low heel shoes tapped on the tiled floor as she vividly looked impatient

“Or you know, lets start anyways.” Kiara heaved a sigh as she threw glances at Ghou and the others

“As, you’d seen in the letter I sent, seven days time is going to be a big day.” Saying her words, Ying instantly bumped into the hall with a blank face

“Good morning, your majesty.” She greeted with a brief bow before moving to an empty seat

“As I was saying, uhm, the four of you will be going for a forest hunt in a a mission to capture four main villain of the empire’s border.” Kiara kept on explain a whole lots of words for some couples of minutes before she finally came to a conclusion

“..Our main worry is the Aboleth, Pirate, The trogen, and animated mage.” Kiara explained pulling a lever from the wall that went ahead to pull down three neat banners which had the perfect illustrations of the beasts, all except the pirate

“Where is the Pirate’s illustration.” Cheng asked sarcastically with his gaze still fixated on the banners

“Uhm, well the Pirate had been known for not having a true form and would just walking in the skin of other creatures. But I’d like you all to know that the Pirate do not only change it skin but also copy the skills and ability of the copied creature. But thankfully, you guys could easily recognize it in response to it unusual bright colored skin.”

“Do you mean that our only means of identifying this creature is by its bright colored skin.”

“I’d just said that.” Kiara shuttered with a nervous smile “But either ways, I discovered that some of the Palace workers are illusionist, so I hired them to set up an imaginary forest where there will be different illusions of these four beasts.”

“And you expect us to fight those illusions.” Ying baldly interrupted with a forced smile

“Yea… Yeah, to at least master how challenging the hunt could be.”

“Then why are we capturing these monsters instead of just killing them.” Cheng scoffed as he paid close attention to the words of Kiara “You know, they could be really hard to capture especially when we’ll have three large cages and one medium sized one with us.”

     Cheng added referring to the size of the beasts, especially the Aboleth whose length was over eighteen meters. He sat back to his chair, waiting for the reply of Kiara whose expression was vividly nervous

“The stage of capturing the creature could be very complicated as you just mentioned due to their monstrous sizes. So, I made a plan for the four of you to be given a sword called ‘The Quinn’. It’s actually a soul stealer type of sword which is currently under construction by my Royal Mage….”

“Wait, do you mean mages still exists.” Ghou’s voice was coated with shock as he tried composing his unorganized self.

      A mage had been a rear category of humans to find for over forty years since they had the capability to control all the different forms of ability and even more which was popularly referred to as ‘Magic’.

“Yeah, he is the mastermind of the forest illusion, especially the Quinn sword.” Kiara smiled as she continued to shower praises at the man

“Okay, bravo to the royal mage, but when are we starting the routine.” Ying rudely interrupted Kiara who heaved a sigh of relief while roaming round the throne

“You could start now.”