Two days later, Emperor Lam set out with the fleet one again. After hours and hours of searching, they finally spotted the monster at midday, but when the fleet changed course and approaching the monster, the beast immediately dives down and disappeared. When dust approaches, they have to return to port, the monster now actively avoiding the fleet, and only active at night. With every several weeks, in the dark of night it will suddenly resurface and attack coastal towns and villages. The situation fell into a stage of stalemate again. Emperor Lam cannot think of any way for the fleet to engage the monster, it had learned.
One month late, in a stormy night, Emperor Lam's chamber still lit, sitting at his desk and thinking while listening to the sound of thunder and rain. On his desk, is his dinner, partially eaten, in the past month he eats very little due to the disaster control effort and trying to find a way to kill the monster with minimum risk of human life cost. Then a soft voice broke the silence in the room, it coming from the small wooden chest on his bed. Empress Aucelen's voice calling for her husband from the magic mirror in the chest. Emperor Lam took the mirror and put it on a stand on his desk.
"Lam you look a little skinny, are you well? Have you eating properly?" Empress Aucelen worried.
"Oh, it… I just… overwork a little bit… it just… I having a hard time hunt down that damn monster… but don't worry I'm fine. Why are you calling me?" Emperor Lam answered.
"It is about those samples you sent me." Empress Aucelen said.
"You had analysed them? How is the result? Does it march my suspicion?" Emperor Lam asked.
"Well, good news, it is not?" Empress Aucelen softly smile.
"Phew… that's a relief." Emperor Lam sighed.
"But one question still remains though. Where does that monster come from?" Emperor Lam said
"Well, after analysed your samples I have found that, this monster is actually a gold fish but the thing is, those samples contained a significant amount of Quasium in them, even lingering trace of magic." Empress Aucelen said.
"You mean… someone… somehow… make a gold fish ingested Quasium powder, then use magic to make it mutated into that monstrosity? But why? How? Quasium is toxic to living things if ingested in raw form isn't it?" Emperor Lam said
"Hum… not exactly… I am not sure about how it exposed to Quasium, although that will explain how the monster possessed magic resistance ability. I mean the magic part, it is not like someone has used a spell on it but rather it has been exposed to a magical field, I think it maybe… from the Emerald Forest…"
Empress Aucelen pause for a minute, her eyes suddenly fill with sorrow and glistering when she mentioned that name "the Emerald Forest" the name only known by the Elvas, but to the rest of Varlaurea continent's inhabitants it only known as "the Laughing Forest". Her mind overflowed with memories, memory of events that happened years ago, centuries ago and of those whom no longer walk the earth, but to her it felt like yesterday. Without a word Emperor Lam know exactly what going on in his wife mind, his heart ached for seeing his wife's eyes fill with sorrow like this, he can saw a tear is about to escape her eyes. But before he can say anything Empress Aucelen take a deep breath and a warm smile bloom on her face.
"Are you alright Aucelen? I know how that place mean for you. If…" Emperor Lam whispered.
"I am fine, Lam. Thank you." Empress Aucelen smiled.
"Now, back to our topic. Like I said the monster came to be what it is today is because it has been exposed to Quasium and the magic in the Emerald Forest. It does not have anything to do with your earlier suspicion." Empress Aucelen said
"Hum… if that the case…" Emperor Lam sit back on his chair, his eyes gazing into nothingness, his left hand kept stroking his beard, his mind drowned in thought.
"Lam, please do not do anything reckless?" Empress Aucelen said
"What? Reckless? Me? What are you talking about?" Emperor Lam jolted, and snap back from his thought.
"Thirteen years I has spent with you, Lam. You think I do not know what are you thinking every time you stroking you beard continuously with you left hand like that." Empress Aucelen sighed.
"Lam, you are the emperor of Varlann, you cannot solve everything by yourself and by charging head on into danger like that. You have…"
"I know, I know, I have responsibility and the empire need me." Emperor Lam interrupted his wife.
"And me too, Lam. I need you. How can I live without you?" Empress Aucelen said.
"I am sorry, I will try not to do anything stupid, I promise." Emperor Lam softly spoke.
Empress Aucelen sigh and look at her husband lovingly.
"Well, do you have anything else on your mind, Lam?"
"Oh! The cultist leader, what should I do with him now? Do you need a sample of him?" Emperor Lam asked
"About him? I think you should bring him back to the capital, I will diagnose him to make sure if he is just delusional… or worse, if it is the worst case scenario I will have my people to take care of him." Empress Aucelen said
"Alright then, see you soon at the capital, goodbye Aucelen." Emperor Lam bid farewell to his wife then put the mirror back to the wooden chest, sitting on his bed staring at the storm outside the window, scratching his horns he murmured "Sorry Aucelen."