The woods of Lishire - The Marrish, the home of numerous ferobeasts and demonic beasts, a place tagged as one of the most dangerous place in the kingdom of Braman, yet most ventured.
' Zrruumm ' a blazing silhouette was currently racing to the nothernmost part of The Marrish at breakneck speed unaware of the danger or considering the obstacles and barriers just to fulfil a specific goal - to find a shady shelter away from the sun.
And this silhouette is none other than the smoking and almost disintegrated Prime.
Using the trees' shade as cover, he ran as fast as he could looking for a cave and [Crash] he found one.
Huuu, Huuu exhale."Please tell me, tell me, Tell ME this is NOT real. Oh God tell me I am not what I am thinking of. PLEASE.Yes. Yes I am not. I have just been locked away in the darkness for so long that my body reacted to the sudden exposure to sunlight. Yes that is more scientific. Yes that's it. That is just what it is. What it HAS to be." He said consolingly trying to believe that whatever is happening must be due to being locked away.
"Huu calm down, everything is going to be perfectly fine" he said looking at his body healing rapidly at a visible rate " and also perfectly normal and human. You are not some god damn disgusting blood sucking frea- oh my God" As he mentioned the word blood he was reminded of his constant hunger for blood during his wandering in the underworld and he could feel it once more and this time it is stronger than before.
"Oh God, this is n - Rwwarr - not r...Rwwarr real" He said as he teared up.
"My sun burnt skin and blood thirsty thoughts are not RWWARR!" He arched his back and roared as he fell on his knees, then he felt his nails grew longer and then his canines.
RWWAR! RWWARR! A resounding roar reverberated throughout the region startling some demonic beasts. And it continued for a very long time, drawing some daring ones towards it and a legendary hunting is about to begin.
...
The Lishire. A relatively small City in the Kingdom of Braman yet always lively and bustling as it is the closest settlement to one of the biggest hot spot in the Kingdom.
"Here we are, the gateway to the Marrish." A young handsome boy with a sword like eyebrows and a long dark hair dressed in an eye catching attire said with great enthusiasm.
"I have heard so much about this place. Every lad in Braman. knows a lot of the horrific Marrish a place where only true men can enter." He added as he look at the city in front of him.
"You are right your highness, only true men of honor like you can enter." one of his retainer said and he was pleased by the response. Thrusting out his chest he walked with an heroic gait as he approached a girl whose face was covered in veil.
"So where would you like to go first?" He asked with a sweet voice and a polite tone.
"I'll just take a look around" The girl replied as she proceeded into the city with her personal maid not bothering to wait for his response.
Down by the way he was treated, the boy said "Remind me why I am doing this again Matt?"
"As you know that you are the last in line to the throne with six capable elder brother before you. You have no chance at all. No future with the throne" A burly man in armor, Matt, said in response to the question directed to him.
"Yeah so unfortunate of me" the prince said to himself.
"But here is Lady Gaia, a lady even His Majesty the King of Braman has to honor, believed to be of a very powerful origin which Braman must answer to. And what's more, she is just 17. Three years younger than you are." Matt added with a straight face.
"My only chance to secure my bright future" the prince added.
Picking up the pace, he moved to the side of Gaia walking shoulder to shoulder.
"So what has got the eyes of Fairy Gaia, you know Lishire isn't just Lishire because of its geographic relevance but also its cultural relevance. It is a home to various people across the kingdom, it is a perfect tourist center." The prince said cheerfully as he sneak glances at the girl hoping to read her expression but it was futile as he couldn't see through the veil.
"Hmm" Gaia nodded.
' Always playing hard to get, huh? If only she could just - I must not give up. I believe the heaven will one day smile on me '
They continued their sightseeing, visiting every popular place in the city and once it was evening they arrived at the biggest restaurant in the city. The Golden Raven.
"Get us your bests. Food, wine everything you have to offer. We want the best treat." one of the prince retainer said to a waitress as the rest of the company find a suitable place to seat.
"Wow this is superb and unique. I don't need to be a gourmet to tell." The prince commented as he looked at the dishes they were served.
"You are right your highness, this are level 4 ferobeasts meats. Very invigorating."
"Hey fellas we are planning on hunting some ferobeasts, you care to give a hand. You can never tell, we might be lucky with a demonic core or two." A man two tables away from the prince and his company announced to the room.
"Oh that's a great idea, I mean this is Lishire and beyond this walls is the legendary Marrish. Where else can be better." Another man with a fair built said.
"I - I don't know"
"Come on Frederick, what bothers you. This ain't your first time in the Marrish." The fairly built man said to his partner.
" I'm not sure if I want in. Lishire's folks got a new terrifying legend Raymond. And it really is bothersome, I don't know Raymond I'm only a seventh level fighter. I want no trouble."
"Come on Frederick, don't chicken out because of some made up trash. This is a chance to up your level. Just think about that" Raymond goaded his partner.
"What legend?" The prince asked.
"Oh you must be new in town to not have heard of the 6 months old legend." An old man with just a limb responded.
"I here am a native of Lishire and can tell you that it is not a made up trash." The old man added as the people looked at him to hear what he has to say.
"Deep within the Marrish says the legend lies your greatest nightmare. It rarely hunts at day but watch out for the night for the great evil roams in the dead of the night." The old man said.
"So you mean it only hunt at night." One of the prince retainer asked.
"I never said so." He replied.
"So what is it" The prince asked partly because he was curious but majorly because he found out that Gaia was interested in the topic .
"Well my memory doesn't serve me well. Maybe a little keepsakes might help" The old man said with a sly smile.
The prince signalled to his retainer to give the man a money pouch.
Keeping it while chuckling he continued, "What it is exactly.None knows, for none had looked the evil in the eye and lived to tell the tale. Not even beasts." The countenance of the people darken. ' Isn't this clearly a trash legend.'
"But some say it is a dark nether wolf, other say it is a monstrous underworld serpent because it is mostly out at night. And the daring say it is a demonic ravenous beast." The old man paused.
"The first two beast are still probably suitable. But the last. Not likely. We all know that the Marrish has levels with a formation barrier at each levels with the first to seventh level occupied by ferobeasts. The Eighth to tenth level by Demonic beast - off limit. And no beast can cross those barriers only humans." Raymond said, voicing his objection to the tale's validity.
As if expecting such a thing the old man smirked then continued. " That is why the more daring say that the great evil is not just a demon but A SHAPESHIFTER."
"What? That is impossible no one is capable of that. Demons are demon, humans human. That is fictitious" Another man voiced out.
Giggling the old man said" Fiction or not I am not persuading you. All I know is that the most daring would say deep in the Marrish lies your greatest nightmare it rarely hunts at day but watch out for the night for the great evil roams in the dead of the night. And it is a wolf that never howls, a serpent that never hisses. It is as deadly as the grave and it sees the heart of man. Pray the crimson eyes that watches in the night never gaze at you."