The Prince Who Was Reborn as a Monster

The Scavenger’s Bargain

The forest swallowed them.

Kael stumbled between the trees, one forelimb pressed against his wounded shoulder. The crossbow bolt had pierced deep, and every movement sent pain through his body. Behind him, the camp's horns continued to sound.

The hunters were searching.

The pale creature who had escaped with him moved quickly despite its thin frame. Its silver eyes repeatedly scanned the darkness, as though expecting something to emerge from every tree.

“Keep moving,” it whispered.

Kael glared at it.

“You keep giving orders.”

“Would you prefer to remain here until they find us?”

“I would prefer to know who you are.”

The creature ignored him.

They crossed a shallow stream and climbed a rocky slope. At the top, the creature stopped beside a hollow beneath an enormous tree.

“Inside.”

Kael hesitated.

The opening was narrow, barely large enough for his body. It could easily become a trap.

“You first,” he said.

The creature gave him an irritated look.

“Of course. The wounded monster is suspicious of the stranger who just helped him escape.”

“Correct.”

It slipped into the hollow.

Kael followed, keeping his claws ready.

The passage opened into a small underground chamber. Old roots formed a ceiling overhead, while dry leaves covered the ground. A narrow crack in the wall allowed a faint stream of moonlight to enter.

The creature collapsed beside the roots.

Kael examined his shoulder. The bolt had broken off, leaving part of its shaft embedded in the wound.

He tried pulling it out.

Pain flashed through his body.

He stopped.

“Don't,” the creature said. “You'll make it worse.”

“Do you have a better suggestion?”

“Yes. Stop behaving as if you cannot die.”

Kael looked at it.

“You speak as though you know me.”

“I know wounded creatures. They make foolish decisions.”

Before Kael could respond, a familiar voice came from the entrance.

“Wonderful. Two troublesome strangers in one hiding place.”

Murk squeezed through the opening, dragging a bundle of stolen supplies behind him.

His yellow eyes moved from Kael to the pale creature.

Then he looked at the blood covering Kael's shoulder.

“You went into the camp.”

Kael said nothing.

Murk stared at him for another moment.

“You actually went into the camp.”

“I retrieved something.”

“You retrieved a prisoner?”

The pale creature raised its head.

“I am not something.”

Murk blinked.

“Oh. It speaks.”

The creature's ears flattened.

“Unfortunately, so do you.”

Murk looked almost offended.

“I see. It has teeth and an unpleasant personality. We shall get along beautifully.”

Kael lowered himself onto the dry leaves.

“Enough. Murk, what are you doing here?”

“Surviving. A habit I recommend.”

“You created the distraction at the camp.”

“An unfortunate accident involving cooking oil, dry wood, and a badly positioned cooking tent.”

“You set the kitchen on fire.”

“I prefer the term strategic confusion.”

Murk dropped his bundle and began examining its contents. There were dried roots, strips of meat, a small leather pouch, and several metal objects.

He removed a narrow bone tool and approached Kael.

“Hold still.”

Kael's claws lifted.

“Don't touch me.”

“Then keep the bolt in your shoulder. It may improve your appearance.”

The scavenger clicked his tongue and sat down.

“You can either trust me for a moment or continue bleeding. I have no preference.”

Kael watched him carefully before lowering his forelimb.

Murk used the bone tool to widen the wound slightly, then gripped the remaining shaft.

“On three.”

“Just remove it.”

“One.”

He pulled.

Kael's entire body tightened. A low growl escaped his throat, and his claws tore through the dry leaves.

The bolt came free.

Blood followed.

Murk quickly pressed a handful of crushed leaves against the wound and wrapped it with a strip of cloth.

“Not a permanent solution,” he warned. “But it should keep you alive until you find something better.”

Kael examined the dressing.

“Where did you learn that?”

“From creatures that complained less.”

The pale stranger watched the exchange.

“You two know each other?”

“Regrettably,” Murk replied.

“Not well enough,” Kael added.

Murk gave him a sideways glance.

“Still alive, aren't you?”

Kael ignored him.

He turned toward the pale creature.

“You said something when the crystal shattered.”

The creature's expression changed.

“What?”

“You said Aurelion.”

Silence filled the chamber.

Murk stopped sorting his supplies.

Even his tail became still.

The pale creature slowly sat upright.

“Where did you hear that name?”

“I heard you say it.”

“That kingdom no longer exists.”

“I know.”

The creature studied Kael's face, then his claws, as if searching for something familiar.

“Then why do you care?”

Kael leaned forward.

“Because I intend to know what happened to it.”

Murk let out a quiet whistle.

“That sounds expensive.”

Kael turned to him.

“What do you know about Aurelion?”

“Not much. Ruined kingdom. Old wars. Dangerous places. Stories about treasures beneath the earth.”

“Nothing else?”

“Nothing useful.”

Kael studied him.

Murk was lying.

He could not prove it, but the scavenger's reaction had been too immediate. The mention of Aurelion had caught his attention.

The pale creature looked between them.

“You're both hiding something.”

Murk smiled.

“Now that is a very intelligent observation.”

After the wound had been dressed, Murk spread his supplies across the ground.

He placed the metal objects into separate piles, keeping the most valuable pieces close to himself.

Kael watched him.

“You steal from the hunters?”

“I recover what they carelessly leave behind.”

“You stole those supplies from their camp.”

“Then they should have guarded them better.”

“You risked your life to create that distraction.”

Murk shrugged.

“I had my reasons.”

“What reasons?”

The scavenger's yellow eyes narrowed.

“Perhaps I dislike hunters. Perhaps I wanted their food. Perhaps I enjoy watching armed humans panic.”

“Or perhaps you wanted me to enter that building.”

Murk stopped moving.

The silence that followed was enough.

Kael's gaze hardened.

“You knew what was inside.”

“I suspected.”

“And you used me.”

“I didn't force you to enter.”

“You knew I would.”

Murk gave a small, humorless laugh.

“Then perhaps you're not as clever as you think.”

Kael moved forward.

Murk immediately raised both hands.

“Easy. If I wanted you dead, I could have left you in that camp.”

“You could also have warned me.”

“And risked losing the opportunity to see what you would do?”

Kael stared at him.

The scavenger slowly lowered his hands.

“Listen, Gloomfang. I have survived in this forest for years. I've learned that powerful creatures are dangerous, but unusual creatures are profitable. You are both.”

“So you want to sell me?”

“Not today.”

Murk leaned against the roots.

“But I have another proposition.”

Kael said nothing.

“I know where the hunters patrol, where they store their captured cores, which ruins are safe to approach, and which monsters will tear your throat out before you finish blinking.”

“And what do you want?”

“Protection.”

Kael almost laughed.

“You want protection from a wounded Lesser Monster?”

“I want protection from the creatures that will come looking for me.”

Murk glanced toward the entrance.

“I have something they want. Something I took from a place I should never have entered. Since then, I've had trouble sleeping.”

“What did you take?”

“That's not part of the bargain.”

“Then there is no bargain.”

Murk sighed.

“You really are difficult.”

“I have been called worse.”

“I believe that.”

The scavenger looked at the pale creature.

“And you? Are you joining this little conversation?”

The stranger folded its arms.

“I owe him nothing.”

“Excellent. Another difficult creature.”

Kael looked at Murk.

“Explain your offer.”

Murk straightened.

“I give you information about this forest, the hunters, the monster territories, and the places where useful cores can be found. I help you avoid unnecessary fights. In return, you protect me when danger comes.”

“From every creature?”

“Within reason.”

“Define reason.”

Murk considered it.

“You don't abandon me when something stronger appears. You don't deliberately lead enemies to me. And if I am cornered, you help me escape.”

“And what happens when I need help?”

“I provide information and assistance when possible. I'm not promising to die for you.”

Kael nodded slowly.

“Acceptable.”

Murk blinked.

“That was easier than expected.”

“Don't mistake agreement for trust.”

“Believe me, I don't.”

Kael raised one claw.

“I have conditions.”

Murk's ears drooped.

“Of course you do.”

“First, you do not conceal information that directly threatens my survival.”

“Reasonable.”

“Second, you do not steal from me or interfere with anything I am investigating.”

“What if you find something valuable?”

“Then we negotiate.”

Murk looked displeased but nodded.

“Third,” Kael continued, “you do not sell information about me to the hunters.”

The scavenger's expression became serious.

“I would never be foolish enough to sell information about a creature capable of tearing my head off.”

“That is not an answer.”

Murk held his gaze.

“Fine. I will not sell information about you to the hunters.”

Kael lowered his claw.

“One more condition. I decide when we fight. You advise me, but you do not control my decisions.”

Murk gave a slow nod.

“Then I have one condition of my own.”

“Speak.”

“Never ask me to enter a fight I cannot survive.”

Kael studied him.

“Agreed.”

Murk extended one thin hand.

Kael looked at it with suspicion.

“What is that?”

“A gesture of agreement.”

“I know what it is.”

“Then why are you staring?”

“Because I have no intention of shaking hands with a scavenger.”

Murk withdrew his hand.

“Fine. We shall remain uncivilized.”

The pale creature suddenly stood.

“Before you make this arrangement permanent, you should know something.”

Kael turned.

“What?”

“The hunters weren't collecting ordinary cores.”

Murk's expression tightened.

“Careful.”

The creature ignored him.

“The crystal they carried came from an old ruin. I saw them remove it from a chamber beneath the watchtower. When they brought it near me, I felt something awaken.”

Kael's attention sharpened.

“What awakened?”

“I don't know. But the crystal reacted to your presence. It reacted again when you were wounded.”

Kael looked down at his shoulder.

The wound throbbed faintly beneath the bandage.

“Why were you in their cage?”

The creature hesitated.

“Because I can sense relics.”

Murk swore quietly.

Kael looked at him.

“You knew?”

“I suspected.”

“Explain.”

Murk rubbed his forehead.

“Some creatures can sense things ordinary monsters cannot. Ancient energy, sealed chambers, old magical objects. Hunters pay well for them.”

The pale creature nodded.

“They were taking me to another camp. They wanted me to locate something beneath the ruins.”

“What?”

“A door.”

Kael's breathing slowed.

“What kind of door?”

“I don't know. But the hunters believe something is sealed behind it.”

For a moment, the underground chamber seemed to grow colder.

Kael remembered the crowned wolf carved into the stone. The silver lines that had appeared when he touched the crystal. The voice that had identified his royal bloodline.

Something lay beneath the ruins.

Something connected to Aurelion.

And the hunters were searching for it.

He turned toward Murk.

“Can you take me to the watchtower?”

The scavenger stared at him.

“You have been wounded, hunted, and nearly captured. Your first thought is to return to the place that started all this?”

“Yes.”

Murk shook his head.

“I knew this bargain would be troublesome.”

“Can you take me there?”

“Yes,” Murk answered reluctantly. “But not tonight. The hunters will be watching the ruins, and you are in no condition to fight.”

Kael considered arguing.

Then he looked at the bandage around his shoulder.

Murk was right.

For now.

“Tomorrow,” Kael said.

“Tomorrow,” Murk agreed.

The scavenger gathered his supplies and settled near the entrance.

Kael remained awake, watching the faint moonlight through the cracks in the roots.

He had gained an ally.

Perhaps a dishonest one. Perhaps a cowardly one. But Murk possessed knowledge Kael desperately needed.

And for the first time since awakening, he was no longer entirely alone.

Then a faint silver glow appeared beneath his wounded shoulder.

Kael looked down.

A thin line of light travelled from the wound toward the center of his chest.

The familiar voice stirred inside his mind.

Resonance Ledger: Fragmentary connection established.

Royal signature detected.

Sealed inheritance remains inaccessible.

Kael's claws tightened.

A second message appeared.

Warning: External resonance detected.