Chapter 6

Human vs Divine vs Beastkin

“Young mistress,” Coco called out towards Berry with a graceful tone of voice. She bowed towards her with a full-on smile. “Here you go.” She handed her a plate of cookies and drinks for her to eat.

Berry turned her head towards Coco, who was hunched overlooking the map with Phil, Don, and Elcro. She gratefully took the food in hand and set it next to her. “Thanks, Coco.”

“It is my pleasure.” Coco couldn’t help but look pleased with herself. “If you need me please, call out my name. I will come to you as quickly as possible.” She bowed again, leaving the room for the four of them to talk.

Coco walked out the door and closed it gently behind her. She straightened her clothes, fixed her cuffs, and stepped forward with her head, held up high. Serving the young mistress was a great joy, and even being her personal maid made her proud of working for her.

She went towards the kitchen, where Tart was busily working on the next meal for tonight.

Whenever she saw Tart, her eyebrows furrowed, and her lips became a thin line. The thought of this pup, running around trying to get a kiss out of a young mistress, infuriated her. She couldn’t allow the young mistress to lose her kisses from this wretched pup, and she steeled her mind and soul that she would keep Tart and anyone who wasn’t worthy of young mistress away.

The thought of someone stealing or harming a young mistress made her angry, she was her light, the one who has given her a purpose in life and a new form. When she saw a young mistress hurt from the fight against the Black Gryphon turned her deathly pale that her mind blanked out temporarily. If it wasn’t for Don’s suggestion to take her back to his world and save the young mistress' life, she would’ve been devastated. Memories of the past were still vivid in her mind, causing her heart the thump and constrict in pain.

What was worse was the torture of the wait for so long until she was able to cross worlds to find a young mistress in a foreign land. She couldn’t stay cooped up in the castle any longer and went out to search for a young mistress herself. Luckily, she was able to find her quickly through her scent trekking through the Forgotten Forest.

The forgotten Forest had many strange anomalies that she didn’t understand, and she felt and smelled a young mistress in one of the caves that she entered. When she came out on the other side, she was in a whole different world with towering buildings that she had never seen before and busy streets. Noises that gave her headaches smell that wrinkled her nose, and even the tightly packed streets with humans everywhere made her nervous. Even still, she pushed on, following the scent to her master.

What she found next put her on edge, the building that she found young mistress in had a very dark feel around it that alarmed her that her young mistress could be in trouble. The thought of the Black Gryphon flashed through her mind. Without a second thought, she changed into her monster horse form and bulldozed her way into the building, causing havoc.

People jumped out of the way, not to get stampeded on by her blood-red hooves.

“The demon horse is coming!” A young male elf shouted, diving into the side.

Thunderous crash of people butting into walls, broken doors, and even a part of the building collapsed onto the ground.

Anyone who tried to stop her, she stomped them into the ground, beating them up with no regret. Nobody was going to stop her from her master, even if it meant throwing her life away. Every human, elves, or monster that stood in her past, she destroyed without looking back until she finally came bursting through the door, ready to kill whoever spirited the young mistress away.

What stood before her was the oppressive energy that she had felt towering over the young mistress, mixed in with a frightened young mistress's expression. Fury built up in her heart, she bucked upwards, throwing her feet in front of her as she neighed. With anger in her eyes, she charged.

“What in the world is this?” Adriel growled. He jumped out of the way just in time before he got trampled by Coco's hooves. “How did a horse get in?”

Adriel shot dark energy towards Coco. Coco sent out a massive outage of electricity that zapped towards Adriel. Both powers clashed with one another, and they both fought.

A shot of energy missed Coco and instead came streaming straight towards the young mistress. No! Coco silently screamed in her mind. She jumped in front of the power and sent out a powerful electricity that completely whipped out the energy ball. With a sigh of relief, Coco felt relieved that the energy didn’t harm the young mistress.

“Coco?”

Coco turned towards me when she heard her name, delighted that the young mistress remembered her.

“S-Stop!”She shouted, bewildered towards Adriel. She ran in front of Coco to stop the attack.

“She’s my friend!”

Coco felt her heart tingle, elated at young mistress words.

Adriel was powering up a powerful energy ball, and in seconds he reels in his power. “Friend? The horse?”

“Yes, please stop! She probably thinks that you are the enemy!”

“But this wretched horse destroyed my house. It is my privilege to destroy intruders.” Sparks of dark energy erupted out of Adriel’s hand.

“Brother!” Sophia yelled. She gave him a stare that told him to stop. “Stop trying to hurt my friend’s friend!”

“B-but, Sophia.”

“Brother.” Sophia crossed her arm and scolded him.

Adriel gave up and grunted.

Coco huffed out a smoke of fire out of her nose. She was annoyed at the audacity of this being that stood in front of her. To harm the young mistress made her furious, and her blood boiled in rage. She quickly shifted into her human form and gracefully called out and bowed to the young mistress. “Young mistress.”.

“Coco? How did you find me?”.

“I felt your distress, young mistress. I used my nose, and I followed your scent in the Forgotten Forest. I somehow ended up in this horrible city.” To be more precise, the young mistress has an addictive scent that reminds her of honey and lavender. It was something that she wouldn’t dare ever forget.

“I’m glad that you are here, but I’m alright. Really.”

“Are you sure, young mistress? I smell a foul air coming from this wretched man in front of us.”

“Hey!” Adriel grunted in disdain.

“I mean what I said. You have a large amount of unholy energy around you that stinks of death.”

“You can smell that?” Berry was awed at Coco. Coco gently smiled.

“Yes, now young mistress. Let’s go home. We've been waiting for you for so long.”

“Okay.”

“Wait a moment. Your servant destroyed my home. You need to pay for compensation.”

Pay? Pay?! Young mistresses don’t need to pay for this wretched kidnapper! Coco’s mind was blowing up in a fury. Her hands clenched, ready to punch the daylights out of this miserable elf. It is he who needs to pay! But before Coco could do anything, Berry spoke.

“Fine.” Berry rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a level B Magic Stone. “Use the word Activate and right after say Explosion together. It’ll go off.” She threw it towards him, and he caught it effortlessly.

Coco’s heart bled. How could a young mistress have such a big heart to give this foul creature such as precious stones? She had to stop herself from acting out, punching the daylight out of Adriel, and keeping her calm and collected appearance in front of the young mistress. She didn’t want to embarrass young mistress in front of Adriel and kept herself perfect like a professional. This was why she respected the young mistress dearly; even in front of her enemy, she still had a big heart to give away such precious stones without a bat of an eye. She made sure that this wretched elf wouldn’t take advantage of a young mistress anymore.

“This will do.” Adriel pocketed the Magic Stone.

“Berry,” Sophia called out towards me. I turned towards her wondering what she had to say.

“Thank you.” She blushed, she cast her gaze down, embarrassed.

“You’re welcome. I’m glad that I can help you.”

“Berry, Would you be my friend?”

“Friend?”

Coco’s gaze turned soft towards Berry, she knew Berry’s personality well. She would attempt to make friends with anyone, and the girl sitting on the bed was no exception. From her guess, the girl name Sophia was someone even she wouldn’t mind attempting a conversation with, but this wretched elf that stood haughtily over those two made her blood boil. Seeing that disgusting eyes gazing towards a young mistress with a different agenda made her want to poke out his eyes, throw it into the Demonic Gator’s nest and rip his whole body to shreds.

“I-If you don’t want to, you don’t have to either.”

“Sure!” Berry walked over and grabbed her hands tightly. “I would be honored.”

“Thank you!” Sophia was elated, and she hugged her tightly.

“I’ll be going now.”

Sophia nodded. “I hope to see you soon. Oh, and here is my number.” She reached over and ripped a piece of paper. Quickly scribbling her number, she handed it to her. “Please call me!”

The journey with Adriel was a blood-boiling experience. Every little comment that Adriel spat out towards the young mistress made her temper skyrocket. How dare he talk to a young mistress in such a way. Coco's thoughts roared with anger, it took a lot of her patience in bursting out and smacking him silly, until he pushed her buttons the wrong way.

She gave him a headbutt filled with hate, leaving behind an ugly mark on his face. A blissful feeling erupted in her heart as she saw his handsome face scrunched up and in pain, but even still, it didn’t deter Adriel’s provocation and words. Instead, it piqued his interest in Coco, making her want to not punch him again.

The thought of a sick blooming relationship between Adriel and Coco made her feel uncomfortable. Adriel made her nervous in the wrong way, and the next time, she knew that she had to put all her force into her next punch or come at her in the wrong way. To take care of the bug until it utterly got squashed.

Luckily that trip was quickly over and done with; she never wanted to see that wretched elf again. He was worse than Phil, who she actually didn’t mind much of. She would pick Phil any day over Adriel hands down.

Still, Phil was someone she still felt a bit weary around. Even though the dark energy around Phil was subtle and strong, she couldn’t help that he was hiding his true strength from the world and young mistress. He wasn’t a bad candidate for a young mistress. Actually, she thought he was a great match that could protect the young mistress from harm.

He had saved the young mistress many times, making her opinion about him in a favorable light. Even though his family was a fallen noble, it didn’t matter to Coco. Her top recruitment was someone strong enough to protect the young mistress when she wasn’t there. Every time, Phil had done a splendid job of protecting her in her stead.

She did have a few candidates that she had gone out to search for, but after what Phil had done, she didn’t need to look for anyone else. Instead, she secretly made sure to make Phil and Berry meet as many times as possible throughout the day. Sometimes even going as far as asking Phil to protect Berry.

Phil had agreed without a second thought, making her relieved that the young mistress was protected. Though after what had happened today, her value on Phil had increased tremendously.

She couldn’t help but dislike the Divine name Elcro Ragnnessia. There was a different air around him that smelled like a competitor than a so-called ‘father’ he speaks of. He was rude and obnoxious, just like that wretched Adriel. Just the thought of him made her blood boil, and she steeled her heart to promise to herself that if she meets him again, she will punch him in the face upon greeting.

“Coco, is something wrong?” Moca's deep voice caught her off guard. He stared down at her with concern as he examined her.

“No. Nothing at all.” Coco quickly replied.

“Are you sure? I get the feeling that something is bothering you, especially after seeing the man named Velcro.”

The tainted word of that man’s name made her eyes turn into thin slits. She breathed in a deep breath, calming her nerves. “I don’t like him.” She replied bluntly.

“You don’t? Why would that be?”

“Because he smells like a male in heat.” Tart invaded in on their conversation. “I don’t like him, too, and I’m going to spike his food.”

Coco’s arm raised up and smacked Tart hard in the head.

“Ouch! What the heck, Coco?! What was that for? I thought you didn't like him!” Tart rubbed his head back and forth, trying to lessen the pain.

“I don’t, but that doesn’t mean to embarrass a young mistress in front of the guest. If we kill him, the Divine race will be onto us in seconds.”

“Then what do you want us to do? Let’s this slide by?”

“No.” Coco sighed, killing him through food wasn’t the best plan right this moment. There were other ways to make unwanted people disappear, especially those that butted in the way between Berry and Phil.

Moca’s thick eyebrow furrowed, not liking where this conversation was going. “I believe it would be wiser that we stay low for a while and keep an eye on him.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Coco spoke with a nod. “We’ll definitely keep an eye on him.”

“Good to know you won’t resort to violence so quickly, Coco. I was worried that you might do something a bit unreasonable.”

“Unreasonable? Compared to you who likes to play with their prey, I think my actions are more straightforward and to the point.”

Moca chuckled. “You know me too well. How could I not have a little fun?”

His words made Coco shudder. One thing that she liked and hated about Moca was his calm, calculative demeanor. Something about this old monster was deadly in his own little way, even if she didn’t see him in action, she had heard stories of the Hundred Face Spider. They were the worst of their kind, making them a formidable enemy.

Still, she was glad that he was on their side in protecting the young mistress from possible harm. She was going to make sure that Elcro didn’t do anything that would upset or harm the young mistress. Even if it means to show her deadly side to her enemies.

#####

(P.O.V General Gravion, one of the three Major Generals, of Kingdom of Dragons)

A man in his later forties with brown hair stood fixated towards the distance of the Forgotten Forest. His silver and green military uniform with three stars on his shoulders gleamed with gold. His name was Gravion Helio.

They have traveled for three days nonstop with the army. There has been disturbing news that the Black Gryphon had been spotted at the edge of the Forgotten Forest. The King had ordered all three major generals to take the armies and kill the Black Gryphon.

This was a suicide mission if they were to go against the Black Gryphon. But, General Gravion had a nagging suspicion there was something else. One can’t help but think that the King has more of a reason to want to make war with the supposed Black Gryphon in the Forgotten Forest.

Though this is a fabrication in itself. There have been rumors that there is a high wizard who can create God’s Blood and God’s Magic living here. Others stated that it's the deal with the devil that produces these strange inventions and magic, but honestly, he didn’t think so.

Spies had been placed outside the Forest to monitor these groups of people, or should he say the Beast kin. But so far they haven’t found any High Wizard anywhere.

They weren’t able to follow them inside the Forgotten Forest. Something strange is living in that woods, making it impossible to find the way out. There have been weird noises, monsters that have never been seen before, and even mist that could dull one’s senses. He didn’t know how they were able to bypass all that and come out unscathed.

The famous Wonder Shop creates unusual inventions and even creates the priceless God’s Magic and God’s Blood sold for quite a reasonable price. It doesn’t compare to the Bishop’s high-quality God’s Blood, but it’s enough to rival the quantity sold. He heard that their God’s Magic and God’s Blood are actually called Red Potion and Blue Potion.

What was even more groundbreaking was the new Red, and Blue Potion that has come out is five times more effective than their regular sold Potions. If he remembers them correctly, it's called High Red and Blue Potion. In which case, these High Red and Blue Potion rivals or even exceeds the Bishop's God’s Blood and Magic by three folds. Such a thing should have been impossible, but Wonder Shop has miraculously made it. They even had quite a bit of powerful backing from other kingdoms because of their quality products, in which case they are all super A-plus grade times.

No shop in the human kingdom can rival such a product. This had created the Bishop to move against the buying of the Potion on a national level. How is it possible for the Wonder Shop to develop such high-quality Potions. It’s truly unheard of.

Not only that, their inventions are revolutionary. It all started with the lamp lights, then not even three months past this so-called refrigerator, bathtubs, toilets, and many unusual devices that he had never heard of. Even saying these words was challenging in itself. But every nobles were scampering around trying to buy up these products that come by month from the Forgotten Forest.

Personally, he believes the Magic Stones that are brought out to sell to the ordinary folks are truly more priceless than any items that they have sold so far. These so-called Magic Stones have the power equivalent to a low-level mage, and anyone can use magic with a single word to activate. Even if it can only be used once or a couple of times, it’s enough to bring a completely different strategy to war and the daily lives of the people.

Everything that the Wonder shop has given out is groundbreaking to the point where one wonders who is the genius behind all these products. Honestly, it‘s frightening, what else could this person make, what else could this person do with all this power in their hand. It makes him shiver thinking about such things, but it’s reality. Whoever this person is, it will be best if he dies or keeps in check.

He knew that the King wanted the secret ingredients to create these products very badly for himself. The King had sent many spies and even people to negotiate, but they had failed or disappeared.

There is something sinister living in this Forest, he bet his life on this fact. The King has lost his mind to greed, but he was surprised that the other Kingdoms haven’t moved yet to deal with them. Words have been sent to the other generals to meet up together to take down this so-called wizard that sleeps in the Forgotten Forest.

General Burn will arrive in less than a week, while General Slovan will be here in two. When everyone is present, they will march in and take custody of the Wonder Shop. The plan is simple, surround, and conqueror on all sides.

The three Generals were the famous army of the King. The undefeatable, three kingdom general, where other kingdoms fear for our might. It is just one high wizard and a group of slave Beast-kin, so it shouldn’t be much of a problem. He believed that all three generals being here is a bit too much for one wizard. Either way, the King wants it done this way, and so it shall be done.

A week has passed, and General Burn arrived with his group of fifty thousand archers. While he has brought over One hundred thousand foot soldiers. Their green flag with a burst of a lady with wings for an arm was present on their flags. Even the soldiers were all wearing silver armor with green cloth intricate entwined with their clothes.

Mix not too far away from them was the eastern General Burn archers with their blue colors. Each and every one of them were elites that have been hand-picked by General Burn himself.

“General Gravion.” An elderly man with brown hair and a strong jawline approached me. He was clad in complete silver and blue military clothes with three stars on his shoulder.

“You're finally here, General Burn.”

The two men faced each other and grasped each other's hands.

“I’m glad that you made it.”

“Same. How is the situation here? Anything unusual happened?” asked General Burn, who was looking toward the Forgotten Forest.

“None whatsoever.”

“That is a relief. I don’t want to deal with any strange occurrence with the Forgotten Forest any time soon. Honestly, I rather not bother the Forgotten Forest at all.”

“Really? I don’t think there is much to it.”

“I think you're not taking this seriously.”

“I actually am.” General Burn half-heartedly chuckled. “We can’t be too serious all the time, can we?”

“True, but this is a problem. So far, we haven’t been able to even map out a fourth of the Forgotten Forest. I keep losing my men in the Forest. At this rate, it might be better not to send them in at all.”

“That wouldn’t be a good idea. I’ll send in my scouts. They're better at this type of mission. Salvazar!” General Burn called a timid small archer that looks more like a young teenage boy than a soldier stepped forth and saluted.

“Yes, sir!” Salvazar stood up straight. He had a falcon on his shoulder with beautiful white colors winged. “How might I assist you?”

“Send Lily up into the sky and scout out the forest with your magic.”

“Yes, sir.” Salvazar tossed his falcon up into the air and whistled. He suddenly sat down on the ground and closed his eyes.

“What magic would that be?” General Gravion asked, curious about what he was doing.

“He’s able to see through the eye of his bird. It’s quite a useful ability for scouting. If only we had a couple more of him, it would make information gathering a lot easier.”

“So this is your famous spy. I’m impressed.”

“That’s not all he could do. He’s even able to transform his bird into a powerful falcon beast that could devastate a small platoon.”

“I see.” Scratching his chin, General Gravion watched with interest in what Salvazar would do next. He sat still, doing nothing but zoning out. It took awhile for Salvazar to finally awaken in his trance. The bird came flying back and landed on his arm.

“What did you find out, kid?”

Salvazar stood up with an anxious expression. “I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but there is something strange inside the Forgotten Forest. A weird magical power that’s covering up at the multiple locations inside the Forgotten Forest. Almost like barriers. If I didn’t have my powers, no one would’ve been able to find the place, it’s definitely something one can’t find with the naked eyes. Reading the energy signature of magical energy was the only way, and that was difficult.”

“How many were you able to find?”

“So far, I only have found three.” Salvazar picked up a wooden stick as he started to draw out the three locations for them. “Two of them are small, while there is one giant in the middle of the Forgotten Forest. I’m positive there are more pockets of these strange barriers around the Forest. I'm also positive that the high wizard might live in one of these pockets of condensed high-level areas of magic…”

“Which one do you think he’s in?”

“That….” Salvazar went silent and was engrossed in his thoughts.

“Is something wrong?”

“Here.” He pointed at the biggest circle out of three. I feel a very strong condensation of high-level energy that I have never felt before.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“We can look at it in two ways. We found the high wizard, which is a good thing, or we found us a high wizard with formidable power. One could say that he’s monstrous.”

“That….is a problem.”

“Don’t worry. Don’t worry.” General Burn saying with a grin. “We found what we are looking for, that is the most important thing. We’ll wait for General Slovan to bring in the magicians. With our formidable lineup, do you really think that it won’t be enough?”

General Gravion wasn’t sure what to say and thought genuinely of what Salvazar stated. Something was in the Forest, and it was definitely something they needed to be wary of.

Suddenly voices of the people resounded outwards around the field, catching everyone’s attention. He turned around to see what was going on, large groups of people started to move towards the injured soldiers that came tumbling out of the Forest. They were bloodied and tattered from horrible cuts and wounds. They were quickly brought over towards the infirmary as the other soldiers gathered together, wondering what was happening.

General Gravion quickly went over towards the infirmary to see what was going on. Opening the curtain backward, he stepped in. There weren’t many injured soldiers in the room, but they were a couple that came back alive.

The injured soldiers were covered in puss and bruises. One of the two was delirious and was screaming out loud in agony. Healers came running in, healing the injured as quickly as possible.

“What’s going on?”

“Sir!” The majority of the healers got up in salute.

“Stand down. You can get back to work.”

“Yes, sir!”

“So how did they become like this?”

“We’re not sure, but we’re positive that these acids come from a plant.”

“A plant?”

“Yes, this corrosive acid that leaves behind a blue color hint is only found in plants. In total, there are seven different types of plants that could spit out this nasty stuff. All of them are carnivorous plants.”

“Carnivorous plants, you say…” He didn’t like those words at all. This meant that this Forgotten Forest was filled with them. How was it possible for the Beast-kin to be able to get out of this Forest alive? It’s truly a wonder. The only viable solution is that they must have a specific route that they follow, but so far, we were not able to find a particular trace of such things.

“General…” A weakly voice called out towards me. The injured soldier that was on the bed reached out towards me. He came over and held onto his hands.

“They are….monster that shouldn’t….exist in the Forgotten Forest….” He coughed badly.

“What do you mean? What kind?”

“A Blood Mare War Horse….Black Fire Wolf…and even a One hundred face Spider…” He coughed out blood.

“A Blood Mare War Horse, Black Fire Wolf, and even a One hundred face Spider?! What are they doing here of all places? None of those rare creatures should be living here of all places.” He was completely shocked.

“O-Our scouts h-h-have been slain b-by the One Hundred Face Spider…. I c-c-ouldn’t do anything, General.” The man shuddered as he coughed up more blood.

A Blood Mare War Horse is considered number one in horses that any kings or famous generals want as their steed. Finding one stallion is difficult enough, but to find a Mare that leads the herd is so rare that only one of them is born in each lifetime. They run freely from plain to plain all over the world, so to find one here was unexpected.

While A Black Fire Wolf lives in the volcanic regions with their packs. Even A Black Fire Wolf only appears once every hundred years. They usually appear in front of people, and if one does, they are killed before their prey could tell anyone. Only a handful had a glimpse of a Black Fire Wolf and lived to tell the tale.

Not only that, a one hundred face spider was an evil omen indeed. They are only found in the deepest part of the Forest of Delusion in the Kingdom of Titan. One could say that they have a voracious appetite for meat and even known to torture their prey for hours before eating them.

These three S class monsters are considered a deadly threat to mankind. The thought of running into one of these three made him shiver. He wants to stay clear away from them, but the possibility of that happening is close to ten percent.

There were more things we need to consider when entering into the Forgotten Forest. Hopefully, we would have enough to do what we need to do. But he feared that there was something more sinister living in this Forest.

#####

P.O.V Velcro Ragnessia of the Divine

Elcro quickly slinks around inside the city on a mission to find the Black Gryphon’s children. How long has it been for him to track them down? Two days? Possibly four? He was not sure.

One thing that he did not forgive those diabolical children harming Berry and even attempting to kill her. He was never going to allow those rats, scampering around the city as if the town was their own. Instead, he was going to kill them here and now before they caused more unrest.

From his information, humans have already brought over one hundred thousand soldiers of their kind. Two of the three great generals were also present, making him slightly worried. The number of people was ridiculous, but it was expected.

The false rumor that the humans spread about their being the actual Black Gryphon made him peeved. Yes, his children were here, but that didn’t mean for a definite that the actual Black Gryphon was.

He knew that this was more of a cover-up to come and invade the city for their own greed. In the past twenty-seven years, Wonder Shop has become the number one leading shop in selling Red and Blue Potions. Their innovative technology, magic stones, and even farming techniques that improved the daily lives of the commoner were truly inspiring.

The mind of a dragon was truly astounding, he didn’t expect Berry to show a fast mental growth period so early in the stage. Usually, such revolutionary type technologies didn’t blossom until more middle of a dragon’s lifespan. One could state that she is a genius. Others of the Divine saw her as something to fear.

Even still, the way she had progressed this small city even further in less than six months was spectacular. In the past twenty-seven years that this city has undergone, it doesn’t compare at all. Don was a spectacular Architecture that created the basis of the city structure itself. His underground sewage system was unheard of until it was made, even his supposed skyscrapers keep getting taller and taller.

Right now, the tallest building that is being constructed is over seventy-five levels high. One would think this is impossible, and the limit was around thirty-three levels. We all thought that was it, but we were proven wrong.

From a simple, but complex irrigation system that brought water with the magic stones, to the fantastic cathedral that encompassed a part of the city, the number of changes was extraordinary. There were no slums inside the city walls, it seems that Berry made sure to even help house the lower class people in a decent house that they all took part in building.

The city was divided into four parts: the north was where the grand castle stood on the edge of a cliff. The majority of the castle is embedded into the mountain wall, while the other part jutted out with lush gardens and trees covering the bottom. Walking around and conversing with people, they speculated that the city lord is living there, who is the supposed Great Magician Berry, and Duke Jeremy is just running the city for her. Everyone respected and thought highly of the Great Magician Berry, and even Elcro couldn’t help but felt a glowing pride at what she had accomplished.

The south part of the city was where the majority of the merchants and businesses took place. Wonder Shop and the Adventurer Guild took the majority of the space of the merchant district. They were rival shops sprouting out from the woodworks, but they didn’t compare to the Wonder Shop.

The eastern district of the city was filled with high-class luxury houses that even nobles from the other countries would be jealous of. Even he was surprised at unique things inside the house. Things that he never seen before that were considered ‘modern’ by Don’s words.

What was more, mind-boggling was the western district part of the city. They were those skyscrapers that ‘Don’ talked about that littered the streets in every direction. It was honestly more shocking to see these skyscrapers that seem to touch heaven than the castle itself. Nothing in this world has ever seen such spectacular buildings that seem to stand tall and erect high up in the sky.

Even the King that had come down to meet Berry personally was shocked at the sight that he had seen. The others couldn’t even speak a single word and stayed silent to busy looking around for the spectacular sight.

The name of Don had already plastered on history books for his Architectural success. Even Berry’s name was written for being the founder of this city and the magic stone that revolutionized the world.

Though what was frightening was the name Phil that seemed to crop up in the dark shadows. They are rumors that he is creating weapons of mass destruction with the technology and magic that he had learned from Don and Berry. He had sent a message to the King about the mystical creations that Phil had created, but it seems that Phil had caught on. Though the letter was to warn the King about Phil himself, the strange darkness seemed to illuminate around him like the abyss.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Phil emerged from the shadows with the dead dove in his hands, bloodied up with its neck broken.

“What are you talking about?” Elcro pretended to look confused. He could feel a powerful energy sweeping through his body from Phil.

“I know it was you who sent this bird. Did you expect such a thing would go hidden behind my back?”

“How do you know it was me? I mean, you must have told everyone else.”

Phil deeply chuckled and suddenly stopped. His eyes gleamed dangerously red, and he glared.

“No. You are the only one. No idiot would dare break through my enchantments, nor would they be able too. Out of the only people I told, it was just you.”

“So, what of it?” Elcro didn’t back down nor seem to be phased by his intimation. There was no point in hiding it anymore.

“Listen closely; it’s straightforward, really. Tell anyone, and I’ll destroy your kingdom and the Drakel line. Then the supposed line of the Dragon Maiden and Heroes will be no more.” The Legendary Sword Laurel emitted dark flames and oppressive energy that was to the point of suffocation.

“Even Berry? I thought you were friends?!” Elcro cried out in an outburst. He didn’t see the sudden attack, even though he was considered one of the Divine's best fighters. Still, he was overcome by the sheer magical power of Phil’s dark magic. The stifling darkness was wrapping around his throat like a tightrope. Any tighter, he feared that his life was going to be over.

“That depends on how you see it.”

“What *cough cough* are you trying to get out of all of this?” Elcro grasped at his neck at the invisible dark smoke, hoping to dispel it but not succeeding.

“Simple. Its power. Power enough to destroy bastards like you that flutter around the delicious flower trying to taste its sweet nectar. Do you really think I can’t smell a dog in heat? Father, you say?” Phil burst out laughing. “What kind of sick joke are you playing at?”

Elcro fell on his knees, unable to stand up from the overbearing energy and felt fear for the first time in his whole life. Divine species were considered stronger and more powerful than the elves, but this half-elf was a whole different story.

“I have watched over her throughout her whole life. Who are you to stop that?”

“Me?” Phil licked his lips, and a sinister smile spread on his face. “That is up to your imagination. I can be your best friend or your worst nightmare. Sending the information that I told you out of supposed trust, but in reality, I never trusted you. I had expected this.”

“If you didn’t trust me, then why tell me?”

“To catch you, of course.”

“You have nothing to use against me.”

“Really? I think not. Didn’t you hear what I said about your kingdom and the Drakel line? I can smell loyalty a mile away. A swing of my sword and poof. There goes the kingdom.” Phil started to chuckle under his breath. “I even heard that you have a daughter that has just been born. What was it…she’s supposed to find you another Drakel line?”

Elcro eyes became wide. He only told the King about this, how was he even able to find such information? Other than the possibility that Berry’s real father might know, it was impossible.

“How?” Stupefied by Phil’s words. “That’s not possible.”

“Really? I heard the King talking to Olivo about it.”

This confirmed Elcro’s thoughts. He furrowed at his own prediction and cursed in his head.

“That’s not possible.”

“I have my ways. Plus, your reaction reassured it all.”

Elcro fell silent. Instead, he was starting to boil in anger. How dare this elf threaten him? A Divine to be exact!

“Think of it like this. You will be the cause that brings the downfall of all the future Dragon Maiden and the Heroes. Your name and your family line will be etched in history that killed the only hope against the six legendary monsters.” Phil’s voice was becoming evil by the second. Elcro felt his throat tightened, and his eyebrow furrow at the loss of the Drakel line. “Can you deal with it? The weight of the sin of billions of souls? Because I can.”

“You're not human! You’re an abomination!” Elcro hissed.

“Yes, your right. I’m not fully human. I’m a half-breed that all you people call abomination, but it’s alright. This abomination will make sure you taste despair.”

Phil’s words were like a knife that cut through his heart, making him shudder. All he could do was stay silent. He truly was a dangerous half-elf that shouldn’t be near Berry at all. Keeping them apart was a priority, but it seems that Phil was sharp. Instead, he stood closer to her even more, making it difficult to keep him away.

“What do you want?”

“Simple, really. I want you to be my hands and legs.”

“What are you after?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know? So do you accept?” Phil stuck out his hands for him to grab.

Elcro knew immediately what Phil was getting at and stared at Phil’s outstretched hand. The handshake that seals a contract and only a rare few would ever go through with it. One could state that it emphasizes the ultimate trust between each other’s words, but at the same time, when one breaks the deal, the force that equals one another will come back to the person who broke it.

His hands were sweating; he didn’t like this offer at all. It was a contract of slavery without a collar.

“You don’t have to worry about buzzing around Berry. I will allow it, but that will be all.” Phil words were like a cold splatter of water hitting his face. “Not only that, you will get benefits. I’ll help you find the second Drakel line.”

Elcro bit his lips and reached over towards his hands. When he was about to pull away, Phil grabbed him and shook.

“The deal is set. Remember not to say anything to your King. Let our little game begin.” Phil chuckled and let go. He turned around and left Velcro, standing in the dark alone.

Elcro couldn’t believe it, so he shook hands with Phil. This monster in a human form was more devilish than he thought. Just thinking about it made him have a headache. He didn’t know if he damned his own soul or damned the Drakel line, but all he could do was watch Phil like a hawk.

Days passed, and he went out to find the Black Gryphon children that he wanted to find. He had words that they were present near the western district of the city.

So far, he had scoured through many buildings, but he didn’t find a single trace of them so far. Night was setting as he sat down on top of the highest skyscraper, looking down at the beautiful lit up city. He enjoyed the soft breeze of the wind as he rested.

“Look what has dropped in. A Divine being.” A beautiful female’s voice spoke out.

Elcro turned around and saw two inhuman beings with black wings flutter down from the sky.

“The Black Gryphon's children.” He whispered under his breath. They were mesmerizingly beautiful, cold, and dark. Their wings were flapped behind them, causing the wind to blow around.

“What do you want to do, Raven? Should we kill him here or leave?”

“No. Wait, I smell an ancient magic on him.”

“Ancient magic?”

“Yes, the Seal of Trust.”

“Seal of Trust? You don’t mean that stupid handshake, right?”

“What do you think?”

“I don’t get why they do that. Seriously, is it even worth it?”

Raven smirked. “Depends on who it benefits and from the flow of magic, and apparently he doesn’t.” She fluttered down onto the floor, tucking her wings. “Do you want to be free from your curse?”

Elcro carefully watched the two. He was not too trusting of the threat that was in front of him.

“What would you offer me in exchange?”

“Simple. Kill someone for us, and we’ll break your bonds free.”

#####

P.O.V General Bastion of the Beastkin

“My lord, Sylvester Lion.” A handsome half-elf youth with blue hair walks up and gives the city lord a graceful bow. Something about this half-elf exudes power and grace, almost as if he was a king himself. Even the beauty that radiated off this man was shocking to the point where everyone stared at him with curiosity. Next to him was a human male a bit smaller than him with black hair and black eyes. He was a complete opposite of the half-elf, nothing powerful about him but the strange luminance of his aura that told him that this young man was different.

A black cat named Bastion Black stood on the Lord’s right-hand side and stared. Bastion Black was a famous General of the Beastkin and the right-hand man of the Lord Sylvester.

City Lord Silvester Lion is a very rare genetic breed of Cat’s. The Lion type Beastkin that only a rare few are alive today. Almost all royalty of the beast-kin tribes are ruled by the Lions clan considered one of the most powerful Beast-kins in existence. His golden mane glowed like the golden wheat underneath the sunlight, even his muscle bulge out of his golden armor that accentuated his body.

Even he who is considered a black cat could not help but gaze proudly at our king. No king like ours could rival monsters with his own bare hand. Still, this half-elf that appeared before us didn’t seem to be intimated by the Lord’s aura.

Who is this half-elf that stands so proudly? His curiosity was piqued by this young half-elf demeanor that was filled with confidence.

“Who might you be?” The Lord’s voice boomed outwards, causing the room to slightly shake.

“I am Philip Zemrick, and this is Don Dupote. We have come here as a messenger towards the Lord of all Beast-kin.”

“What would that be?”

“The Black Gryphon has appeared in the Forgotten Forest,” Phil spoke casually as if it was nothing big of news, but didn't seem a bit antsy.

“The Black Gryphon?!” The Lord's voice growled when he heard the word. He clenched his fist, ready to break the wooden seat that he was sitting in. “We've been searching for that damn monster for the past twenty-seven years, and it finally shows its ugly bird head.”

“Sir, I would have our best men ready to fight. Nya.” General Bastion replied quickly.

“No. No need.” The Lord waved his hands. “We’ll start moving our people down south.”

“Then what about the Black Gryphon, nya?”

“We leave them there for now.” The Lord waved his hand in indifference at the thought of fighting the Black Gryphon.

“But people need your help!” Don suddenly burst out, furious that the king wasn’t taking this seriously.

“Watch your mouth! Nya.” He growled. “You are speaking to the Lord. Nya.”

“We came here for a reason to ask for help against the Black Gryphon!”

“I don’t believe that’s true.” The Lord spoke with a smug smile on his face. “There has been a report that the three Great Generals of the Dragon Kingdom are moving towards the Forgotten Forest. Why do you need our help when they are already humans heading towards that direction? It would be a waste of our people to die with them.”

“That’s-!”

Phils suddenly stopped him from saying anything else, and instead, he spoke up. “We have information about the Legendary Claw Pulse. In exchange for your help, our city Lord will give you that information.”

Heavy silence followed after. All the Beast-kin present could not believe their ears. The Legendary Claw Pulse was every Beast-kin’s dream to see and possibly be chosen. Everyone had heard stories of the Legendary Claw since they were a child, it was even part of their culture to sing the song of its great power.

It has been five thousand years since they lost the Legendary Claw Pulse, making it a disgrace on their history to not protect such treasure. All Beast-kin has searched for the Legendary artifact throughout the world and still hasn't found a single clue.

This half-elf states that he knows the Legendary Claw Pulse's information, what ludicrous was he spouting? Bastion stared at Phil skeptically at what he had said.

“You’re saying that you know where the Legendary Claw Pulse is? Do you think we will believe such lies? Nya.” General Bastion spouted angry at the arrogance that the half-elf was stating.

“Our kind has been searching for the Legendary artifacts for five thousand years. Nya.”

“What I state is the truth. Our kind has lived for a long time, do you think we won’t know any such information?”

“So you’re saying that you kept such secrets from us, nya? We are the rightful heirs to the Legendary Claw Pulse. No one but us can wield it. Nya”

“We know. All six legendary weapons are tailored specifically for each species. The Divine, Humans, Beast-kin, Elves, Dwarves, and Orcs. Made from a special metal from a comet, tampered by dwarves, enchanted by elves, humans, orcs, and Divine. But the best part of it all is that it’s been forged with the fire of a Dragon.”

“What are you talking about, nya? Hidden from history? Forged by a Dragon’s fire? What kind of nonsense are you stating, nya?”

Phil shook his head. “This is not nonsense at all. The last part is not usually told because of the Legendary Black Dragon that causes chaos to the world. People have always associated the Dragon’s as evil, but what if not all dragons are evil.”

“Dragon’s not evil? That’s just a fairy tale. Nya.” He waved my hands.

Phil started to chuckle and then laugh. Startling everyone from the outburst, he threw back his hair and he finally calmed down. He let out a sigh as he shook his head.

General Bastion couldn’t help but feel that this half-elf was looking down on them as if we were

some insignificant bug. His anger started to boil at this arrogant half-elf that was present. Maybe it was better to put him into place right here and now. His hands started to scrunch up into a fist.

“Stand down, Bastion.” The Lord spoke, catching him off guard.

“Yes, nya.” General Bastion quickly dispelled my tension, but he was still ready to pounce on him at a moment’s notice.

“Tell me. Why must I believe your words?” The Lord leaned forward, looking at interest at Phil.

“Simple.”

Suddenly, he disappeared into thin air and appeared with a strange sword in his hand with the tip dangerously at the Lord’s neck.

“My Lord!” All the beast-kin yelled in shock. They could not move for the fear that the Lord would be killed.

“What are you doing, nya?” General Bastion shouted in anger. “Are you threatening our lord, nya?”

“What if I am?” Phil grinned evilly.

“This is preposterous! How dare you, nya!”

“Quite easily, you know.”

The Lord started to laugh out loud. He was not threatened by Phil at all. Everyone was stunned at what was happening, completely confused at the sudden outburst of the Lord. Instead, they all seem to be more relaxed by the Lord’s laugh.

The Lord placed one of his fingers on the edge of the sharp blade, cutting his finger. Blood seeped out and doused the side, tracing down onto the tip of the sword.

“So this is the Legendary Sword Laurel.”

“Legendary Sword Laurel?!”

People stared with surprise. Even General Bastion couldn’t believe that the Legendary Sword Laurel would be in the half elf’s possession. That could only mean one thing that he was half-human.

“So you can tell?” Phil pulled away his sword and stepped backward.

“I wouldn’t have believed it wasn't weird if I hadn't seen it up close. May I?”

“Laurel doesn’t like to be touched by just anyone,” Phil spoke with a frown. “I don’t mean to say I wouldn’t mind letting you see it, but I don’t want your soul sucked away from touching it.”

“Fascinating. Truly Fascinating. It's an exact replica of the sword in history. Is this the real thing?”

“If it wasn't, do you think I would’ve showed you?”

The Lord chuckled. “True, I could feel some extraordinary power coming out from it, though it's only subtle. Could you-”

“I could.”

Suddenly the sword glowed brightly with power, blinding everyone in the vicinity. General Bastion had to close his eyes, unable to move forward. The power emitting from the sword itself was frightening that it even gave him shivers. Something dark and heinous was coming out from the sword, but what was worse wasn’t the sword itself that gave off its terrifying power, they all felt the darkness eclipsing all around us.

They all felt fear, emptiness, and bone-chilling coldness. All this vast power was coming from one person, and it was the half-elf himself. Was this what a Hero was like? This vast amount of power that could shake the very foundation of one’s soul. How could a Hero feel so evil?

General Bastion’s hands were becoming sweaty, his legs and arms were shaking, and all his will to attack him were shattered in an instant. This was a demon, not a Hero. Who in the right mind could stand up to such atrocity that stood before us? Instead, he feared that all of our kind would die here and now if they didn’t listen to this half elf’s words.

All around me, the clatter of metal could be heard as Beast-kin fell on their knees from the heavy depressive energy. They all could not stand up for our legs and wouldn't allow them too. With great effort, he looked up to see both the half-elf and the human boy standing. The shocking thing was that the human boy was still standing without flinching a bit from this oppressive energy. How was this possible? Does the boy not feel this tremendous power from the half-elf at all?

Does this mean that the boy is a Hero as well? His eyes became wide with shock and awe. Even the king couldn’t withstand the pressure of the half-elf at all and dripped heavy with sweat. His head bowed halfway into his legs, trying desperately to keep his head held high, but he couldn’t because the oppressive energy was too strong.

How long will this last? Would he destroy us here and now? General Bastion’s life was flashing before my eyes in a blink. The love of his life, his children, and the promises that he couldn’t keep weighed intensely in his heart. Just as quickly as the energy arrived, it disappeared in a blink of an eye.

With a gulp, General Bastion breathed in a fresh breath of air as relief washed over his whole face. For once, he was glad that I was alive, but even still, the demon was still present before us.

“So, what do you think?” Phil casually stated without blinking an eye.

“This is definitely the Legendary Sword Laurel.” The king whizzed heavily for a breath. He didn’t deny or say anything else. Instead, he tried his best to recover his kingly demeanor but failed. One could tell who the real boss was here. “As the Hero and the owner of the Legendary Sword Laurel. Your words are proof enough. General Bastion.”

General Bastion got up and ran towards his call. “Yes, my Lord. Nya.”

“Bring in our elites and go with the young Hero. If he tells the truth, that means that one of you might become the Hero of our kind.”

Everyone ears perked from the word Hero.

“Yes, nya!” General Bastion quickly got up and headed out the door. He wasn’t going to stay another second in the same room as the demon. It was too suffocating to the point that he feared that we would all die. This was one rare occasion when he was glad that he was away from the powerful existence.

Instead, he focused on the task ahead and scouted out our elite team of our kind. In total they were one thousand, each were considered the best of the best. All of them had gone through rigorous training and tested through burning fire and raging thunder. Battling elements, fighting countless hordes of monsters, even put through the extreme, no one had given up and pulled through.

It took a couple of days for the messenger to be sent and another four days to come to the city, ready to leave. The words had gotten out that the Legendary Claw Pulse was possibly present inside the Forgotten Forest.

Many Beast-kin came streaming in from all over the country to have a chance to become accepted by the Claw. From commoners to nobles, all had the hopes to become what they dreamed of from different species.

Even he wanted to step forward and test his hands on such weapons. The army was quickly swelling up to over ten thousand and even more every hour. Compared to the human speed of delivering messages, the Beast-kin are known for their speed and endurance to run across from village to village, informing them of the Legendary Claw Pulse news.

Already, the news was being warped, stating that we have found the Legendary Claw Pulse in the Forgotten Forest. Even he couldn’t help but be caught up in the excitement that everyone was giving off from the hype.

Beastkin from different representatives all came forward, dividing into their own groups. From rabbits, cats, dogs, and serpents. They were even some rare Beast-kings also involved in the group that one would only hear stories about.

Everyone cleared the path when a deer Beast-kin walked into the camp. There were five in total. Antlers jutting out of their heads, soft curvy faces, and even walking on hooves. They were similar in a humanoid figure, while four out of five were in all black. Even their hair and eyes were sharp and deadly. One could tell that they were experts in how they held themselves, but what was shocking was that in their group, a small child with white hair and gray eyes walked in the middle of the group.

The child held himself, timidly looking around with fright. One could tell that he was not a warrior, but a child that was roughly taken out against their will. I couldn’t know if it was a boy or a girl from the ambiguous clothes that it was wearing. Widening his nose, he sniffed the air. It’s a girl for sure, the scent was unmistakable.

The group of five suddenly turned towards me. General Bastion stood still watching them, wondering what they wanted.

“Are you General Bastion?” A buff looking male walked up and spoke. For one, he didn’t have the sublime shape of the other deer, making him stand out from the rest.

“Yes, I am. Nya.”

“My name is Kylee. We are from the Deer Clan, and we hope to join your army.”

“Why should I let you, nya?” General Bastion folded his arms. Bringing children into war was not something that he wanted to do. War was not a place for kids anyways, so it was better to deny them such things.

“The true hero of the Beast-kin has arrived to claim the Legendary Claw Pulse.”

“So, are you claiming that you are the hero, nya?”

“No. I am not, but this child is.”

He was shocked. His mouth turned into a line as he squinted. Everyone had come to join the army for that specific reason, and, so far, he didn’t stop them from joining. The Lord had allowed it to happen, but this was a whole different story.

“Her name is Ginger, and from the moment of her birth, the stars had foretold her future.”

General Bastion sighed. Another crazy lunatic that would bring children to war. He thought the elusive Deer clan was better than this. They were famous for their astrology and seers, but this just tipped the scales on a whole different level. Wait, did he say she?

“You bring a child to war, nya? Children should stay home, nya.”

Kylee shook his head. “She has been trained for this day. We knew that this day would come.”

“You don’t understand. The future is set in stone. Even if you do not allow it, the world will move in her favor and take her there.”

“I don’t believe in such bogus things. Nya.”

Suddenly, Ginger broke away from the group and ran towards Don and Phil, who were walking by. General Bastion froze when he saw what happened. The walking demon that was enshrouded himself in the name of Hero.

Ginger grabbed Don’s hand, startling him. Phil cast his gaze down at Ginger and frowned.

“Whose child?” Phil's voice dropped an octave. His gaze shot around, looking for an answer. Many looked away out of fear and went about their business.

The four quickly ran up to her, but suddenly froze in fear. They could feel the same powerful baptism that we all had gotten once. Even General Bastion couldn’t help but want to scuttle away and hide.

Ginger shrank from the hot gaze that Phil gave her. “I-I’m not a child.”

One wouldn’t have been able to hear her voice speak if one wasn’t paying attention. It had a lovely ring to it that made everyone turn their gaze upon her.

“I’m sixteen.”

The word sixteen struck everyone dumbstruck. The human boy that had his hands grasped by Ginger was staring with wide eyes in disbelief.

“A legal loli.” Don said some strange words that even he didn’t understand. The words were quickly brushed aside, forgotten when Ginger spoke again.

“Can I stay by your side?” Ginger gazed up at Don with adorable eyes that seemed to strike everyone around him through the heart.

Don just nodded without thinking, and Ginger gave him a big smile.

“It seems you have a new admirer.” Phil chuckled at Don, who was speechless.

“W-what?” Don finally spoke stupefied. “Wait, why are you sticking so close.” He started to pull away from her, but it seems that she wouldn’t let him go.

Everyone present couldn’t help but cast a jealous gaze at the adorable child-like being in front of them. They all wanted to cuddle and pet her for her cute behavior, their instinct to protect was firmly rooted in their heart.

“Because you’re my future husband.” Ginger grinned. “I saw us together.”

“Hah?!” Don’s words escaped his mouth in disbelief. “I don’t like kids!”

“I told you I’m not a kid.” Ginger pouted.

Phil cracked a smile and burst into laughter. His laughter started everyone into a stupor, and the oppressive energy was gone. “Well, Don, it seems you have a wife.”

“Hey! I didn’t consent to this!”

“That doesn’t seem to be the case.” Phil pointed towards Ginger, who was not budging from his arm.

“Get off.” Don pulled but failed horribly. She was like a koala that didn’t want to let go.

Ginger shook her head furiously.

“So this is your so-called hero, nya?” General Bastion gave a stare at the bewildered four guards that seem to be unable to move from the strange sight. They had never seen Ginger react so strongly towards a human before.

“General!” A cat beastkin ran over. “The Lord said to head out towards the Forgotten Forest!”

General Bastion nodded. The journey towards the Legendary Claw Pulse was just starting, and already they were some strange complications entangled together. He sighed. This was truly going to be a long day.