{Wei Kingdom}
{Beeren mountainous forest}
The Wei kingdom is one of the four titan kingdoms, designated for the most prominent and dangerous land mass.
Within its territory is the Beeren mountainous forest. This area is dominated by monsters and beasts and is usually used for those who are ready to rank up from thirty-nine to forty.
Even if they do go from far away territories within the Wei kingdom, all must abide by one rule:
Before entering a thousand meters within range of the Beeren mountainous forest, all hover vehicles must be left behind and steed drawn carriages must be used.
This is a rule set between the alphas within the Beeren mountainous forest and the ruling emperor of the Wei kingdom set over twenty thousand years ago.
If this rule is broken, it will be the forfeiting of the offender's life and therefore the Wei King can not intervene, even if he so wished, this will result in a backlash upon him and all of his descendants, including a war depending on how severe the offense is.
King after King, alpha after alpha descended from the original area to retake the vows, which can only be broken by one at a universal rank.
With this intact, the Beeren mountainous forest and the Wei kingdom had surface peace.
Around the Beeren mountainous forest have small villages and cities, there have many who would bring unwanted children, males and females even some pets and toss them from the top of the North mountain down below, before they reach the bottom they are dead or almost so.
At this moment, an unfortunate person is present near the outskirts on the Eastern side.
A boy of about six had been running. His escorts had been attacked by bandits with all of their valuables stolen.
After each was slaughtered while the maids who took care of him were all raped and soon after their throats were cut.
Following that, monsters had appeared and tore them apart, causing chaos.
If it had not been for them, he would have died as well.
Now he walked in the deep mountains feeling cold and hungry.
His handmade shoes were damaged, his coat discarded, his thin silk shirt provided no warmth, was dirty and smelled.
He was filthy.
Nothing like the peerless boy who was pampered from birth.
His family may not be wealthy, merely a middle-class family, but they were a fair size comprising many family members.
The mother was the main wife but she could not have children, so father took in two other women who gave birth to his two elder siblings, it is just… he, the legal born son was born three years after which caused her death during childbirth, at least it is what he had believed.
What woman would die in this age of technology and power from childbirth?
He refused to believe such a thing.
The boy stared at that concubine who became the second wife, his father too foolish to truly care for his heir.
The mother had asked the father to care for him and he did but… the new madam had not been satisfied.
The boy laughed.
It was filled with ridicule and hate.
He hated his father for having those women and remarrying!
For his sake?
A woman who is a mother with her own son will always think of paving a way for them!
After all, it was this sort of era.
"Food is good, good, good, good.
Tasty it is, yum, yum, yum…"
The tired and hungry boy heard the soft milky voice and felt his heart thump in his chest.
The smell of roasted meat filled his nose, and he could not help but approach closer.
What he found was a girl roasting what looked like a wolf's corpse, her eyes focused while she continually licked her lips.
Her skin was dark, her lips plump, long hair a wild curly mass falling like a cloud behind her.
Her form was not chubby, like children usually her age, nor for the time he stood there did he see any adults.
He felt puzzled immediately because a child her age should not be able to light a fire.
Dazed, he stood there, watching her. His face did not betray him, but when she suddenly spoke, jolting him from his thoughts, the boy thought her voice seemed so angelic.
"Would you like to accompany me?"
Pausing a bit, the boy slowly approached her.
--
The young master, if I had not been here hunting and stuffing my face to sate my hunger I would have probably missed him.
Luckily, I had this time thought to bring him back with the scent of the roasting Wolf.
Even though I am human now and can tolerate fire, I am still part fish and lean more on staying closer to water while having a natural fear of fire.
Simply put, fire and myself don't agree.
Hot food neither, or rather cooked foods, but I suppose I can eat a few meals of it since my human half is still young.
Normally for a shark-kin my size, I would have eaten around forty bears, sixty wolves and about two hundred snakes to be sated, but I am reduced to less than half of that.
I am forced to survive five bears, ten wolves and forty snakes for the two days I am here.
When I depart this forest, how would I even survive in the world outside?
I have no money but skins. Can those skins be sold?
"Boy, I have skins. Can you tell me if they can be sold for money?"
I asked in a soft tone, making sure that the words were carefully pronounced.
Some were hard, but with practice, I can learn. After all, the human side learns quite fast.
Speaking the tongue of humans is frustrating. So many words, it made my mouth dry.
The boy walked closer, looking at the young air breather. I felt my mouth water. He smelled delicious.
I licked my lips, ignoring the wolf impaled and skinned in front of me to focus on him.
So human air breathers smelled so good.
I felt depressed suddenly, feeling regret for a moment. It is such a pity I have to hug his thigh.
The human air breather looked indifferent, his gaze cold, his taller stature looking extremely tall compared to my malnourished two-year-old form.
"Boy?"
~
Terms:
Titan kingdoms: four major kingdoms that rule over the sky, land, water and all three (will explain later, no spoilers)