The story begins in the twentieth year of the Dragon Emperor Suk Lam reign.

That night the moon hung high above the curve roofs of the city's buildings, so full and bright on the starry night. Its pale golden light radiant from the sky, shine upon all mortal life. The time is autumn, the breeze is gentle, and the air is cool. After paid their respect to the moon and gave offering to goddess Chan Gee, the lady of the moon, goddess of harvest, one of the old gods that still revere and worship by the peoples, to thank her for a generous harvest and pray for another next year. Families are gathered to enjoy a union meal. After the feast, the citizens of Jar Dee city took to the street to enjoy the Mid-Autumn festival. The city street is lit up by lanterns outside every house, and trips of lantern hung across the streets every few lias. At the city square, a lantern show is on display, with all kind of vibrant colourful lanterns, and with all shapes and size. Filled the city central square are street performers, fire breathers, sword swallowers, jugglers and acrobatic, street play and puppet show. There are also countless food vendor's stall selling all kind of things, from tasty steaming bun, smoking grilled meat skew, mouthwatering sweet treats, and colourful toy figure make of glutinous ride power for the kids. The children running up and down the streets, lantern in one hand, moon cake in other hand, munching on sweet with a brightest and biggest smile on their face like the moon on the sky. The cool autumn wind trolling along the busy streets, playing with the young maidens long flowing black hair, and dancing with their beautiful big sleeves cross-collard robe. Oh! The sight of a young Downers maiden, in their beautiful dress walking in the gentle breeze, can smelted the coldest of heart.

On the dike of the river where it ran through the city, everyone is gathering to drink tea, enjoy moon cake with various flavours, and moon gazing while wait for the firework show to start. Near the water margin, where the fireflies dancing among the vast sea of reeds, a young couple giving each other a passionate kiss and vow for their internal love under the witness of the full moon. But woefully, unbeknown to them, the full moon is not the only witness of their vow. Beneath the calm water, there is something watching them. Under the glittering moonlit water, it slithering, in silent it stalking the young lovers. And when they realized they are being watch. Its shadow lunging forward, the young men shielded his lover and be snatched away. The poor girl can only watch and let out desperate cries of help. When peoples came to aid it was already too late, all they saw was a young men struggling in the middle of the river. A few seconds late, a long shadow under the surface pulled him under.

"so that is when it started?" a man with a short goatee asked

"no, the mid-autumn incident last year was the first time it happened in front of more than one pair of eyes, also is the first time it cost a human life." A short middle-aged man answered with his hoarse voice, then gulp down his wine glass.

"it is an alligator? I heard there are a lot of them in the swampland." the goatee man said

"no one sure, some said they saw a shadow that resemblance an alligator. Some say they did saw something but not so sure what that thing is, and some assume the boy just fall into the water and drowned due to the strong current. But there are few, they claim that, what everyone saw was no alligator but "the creature" as they called is the perpetrator." The short middle-aged man said

"so some people think there is a monster in the river?" the man with the goatee said.

"not the river but the swamp." Another middle-aged man with a big bushy beard said

"the swamp?" the goatee man asked in curious

"you know Jar Dee is a new city right?" the beaded middle-man said.

"yes, I know, I'm from the capital, I had heard about the settler degree of the Great Delta." The man with the goatee said

"yeah, that one, by the will of the Dragon Emperor this city was build 7 years ago, I was one of the first settle wave..." the bearded middle-aged man said. "back then, this whole area is nothing but swampland and primordial forest. When we first came to renovate the land and build the first town, we have to battle with this wild untamed land. And fatal encounter with the local wildlife do happen time to time. And about 2 years ago, rumour start circling by the hunters and the swamp-angler, that there is something live in the swampland, some kind of creature..."

"Especially the area around an old Elvas ruin in the swamp. That is where I heard had the most sighting." the bearded middle-aged man said.

"yah... that place creepy at hell, man. A lot of hunters and anglers had told tale about their sighting of the monster in the swamp near that place." The short middle-aged man said "I know a guy, he uses to angling in the swamp, it happened about late October 2 years ago. When he was fishing near the ruin. His boat was attacked by an alligator. The damn beast capsized his boat, knocked him into the water, but when the alligator close in to finish him off, it suddenly being pull violently under the surface and disappeared." The short middle-age man said.

"did he see what attack the alligator?" the goatee man asked in anticipate.

"no, the water was too murky, he said he only had a glance of a long black shadowy figure moving under the water before the alligator been snatch off, and then he keep swimming for his life." The short middle-aged man said.

"I also heard another story of an old hunter, he said that, on one day 1 years ago, when stalking a deer in the forest, the animal's trail leads him to near the Elvas ruin. Eventually he spotted the animal in the dense reed, when he about to loose his arrow the deer disappeared from his sight in a blink of an eyes, like something snatched it. He then hears water splash and the deer shrieking for a second, after that is silent and then before his eyes the deer's lifeless body half submerge in the water moving through the Water Lily leafs like something under the surface was holding it body and carry it into the swamp leave behind a stream of blood, and on the wet mud at the water edge he found slithering mark haft a lia wide." The bushy beard man said.

"yea... a lot of weird things happened around that damn ruin, not just monster sighting, I tell ye." The short middle-aged man said, and stuff a big piece of fried tofu into his mouth. Then something caught his eyes make him fixed his gaze toward the tavern's door.

At the tavern entrance, there is a young woman standing there, waiting for someone. She seems to be in her mid-twenty with knee length long black bouncing hair, tied right at her nape by a red silk trip, she wearing a pale cyan loose sleeves cross-collard robe, with white floral pattern. The young women are quite tall and her skin tone is lighter compare to a typical Downer woman. Her face looks neither Downers nor Uppers, and have a strange ethereal beauty. Her grace and beauty turn every heads in the tavern, man and woman alike.

"Whoa, look at that beauty, man.... does she tall." The short middle-aged man said.

"man... can you find any creature more beautiful than that? I never saw anyone have a face like that. Wonder where she came from?" The bushy middle-aged man said.

"well... that is my wife." The goatee man said and wave at his wife.

"your wife? Well, ain't you the lucky man." The short middle-aged smile.

"wait, does women in the capital all look like that?" bushy bearded man asked

"well... all I can said is that.... She is a very rare gem." The goatee man smile.

"ye better be careful man, beauty like her is very easy to lose." The bushy bearded man laugh.

"of course I will." The goatee man said, then he took from his sleeves inner pocket a handful of coin and place them on the table "here for the food and drink, it a pleasure talk to you two." he stood up, interlock his fingers and politely bow then join his wife.

The couple leave the tavern and took a stroll on the street. This couple actually is the ruling couple of the Varlann Empire, Emperor Suk Lam and Empress Aucelen. They were travel incognito to inspecting the live of the common folk in the newly build Jar Dee city, and also as a mean to inspection on the local officials and see if there is any corruption going on without the awareness of the imperial court. But one must be curious that "why unordinary individuals like Emperor Lam and Empress Aucelen can walk among the common folk in broad daylight without drawing any attention?" that is because a small silver talisman they wearing on their neck. These talismans were made by Empress Aucelen herself, carved with ancient language script, imbedded with quasium stone and infused with her Elvas magic. The talismans can create a hologram image around them and made their appearance look just like ordinary Downers folk, not only that the talismans can even completely change their appearance if Empress Aucelen wish so.

"so, do you hear anything of interest, Lam?" Empress Aucelen asked.

"there is rumour about some kind of swamp monster, according to the folk around here there a lot of sighting of this monster around the Elvas ruin in the swap." Emperor Lam said, his left hand stroking his beard.

"monster in the swamp? That absurd." Empress Aucelen smirk.

"you do not believe it? After Qua Loh and Bai Ni?" Emperor Lam said.

"I do not "not believe". I know." Empress Aucelen said with a great certainty in her voice "my people had already thoroughly explored the swampland before the war, and I heard no monster ever been found."

"well, that was a long time ago, things changed." Emperor Lam said "there is no harm to check it out. A little monster hunt just the 2 of us, a little fun adventure."

"Lam, we are here to inspect on the people life and the local officials not on a vacation." Empress Aucelen sigh "for goodness sake, we are not normal people, we do not have time to go on a monster hunt adventure or having fun. We have a lot of responsibility, especially me..."

Emperor Lam put his index on her lips, interrupted his wife

"Aucelen, is there anything else in that pretty head of your beside work? I know our marriage is political, but my love for you is real and now I just want a little private time with you. No work, no politic, no responsibility. Just a little, just this time, can you do that for me?" Emperor Lam said.

"and..." Emperor Lam grin deviously, and grasp his wife by her hip pull her close and whispering in her ear "you can do whatever you want to me tonight." Then licked her ear.

"can you please not doing that in public space." Empress Aucelen push her husband away, her cheeks red with embarrassments.

"ehem... well... speaking of the ruin, I also have heard some strange things too." Empress Aucelen said.

"monster sighting?" Emperor Lam grin.

"no..." Empress Aucelen replied with an annoyed expression. "I heard some rumour about strange activities at the ruin especially on full moon days, some hunters saw light in the ruin, like there was some strange gathering at the ruin, and it seem this had been happening for a long time." Empress Aucelen said. "not only that there was a surge of missing person cases in the past 2 years. They are giving the city governor a headache."

"well then, look like a trip to the swamp is in order." Emperor Lam grin.

Morning the next day come, Emperor Lam keep complaining and moaning about those "scratches" on his back, and those "teeth-marks" on his shoulder, caused by a "very enthusiastic individual" last night, before the flustering and embarrassment of his wife. After breakfast, they go to the river port of the city asking if anyone can get them on a tour to the Elvas ruin in the swamp, to the surprise and dismay of the locals, some even advised them not to go there because of the so call swamp monster. After an hour they finally had convinced a local angler to be their guide and shortly after that start heading to the swamp. Their boat gently sliding along the current, Empress Aucelen sitting on the front of the boat with a cute smile on her face, enjoying the cool breeze flow through her hair, dipping her ivory feet in the cool glistering emerald water, plashing the water with her feet like a child. Rarely Emperor Lam can see his wife relax side in public like that, her face now completed difference from the seriousness she always wears in the palace.

After 30 minutes of boat ride, they arrived at the swamp edge, from there they follow a stream to go into the swamp, then another 15 minutes passed, their boat reached a dry open area high above the waterline. There are a lot of campfire remain on the place and even a wooden dock had been build. The angler said people around here call it "hunter's mound", this place is a usual campsite for hunters and anglers when they go in the swamp. The angler stops the boat and said this is the farthest he will go and direct them to go due east for about 10 to 15 more minutes and they will saw the Elvas ruin, he will wait here for them to return till midday.

The two of them continue head to the Elvas ruin, Empress Aucelen had borrow her husband clothes so she can easily maneuver in the swamp, she nimbly and elegantly leaping from branch to branch and dry dirt patch to dry dirt patch, while her husband struggling dragging his legs through the wet mud.

"wait for me Aucelen, stop show off your Elvas agility already." Emperor Lam grumbling.

"what?? Where is your enthusiasm yesterday? You are the one who want to explore the swamp, are you not?" Empress Aucelen said and laugh as her husband amusing attempt to pull his right foot off the sticky mud, then end up with him fell face first into the mud.

After 10 minutes, they can saw the ruin standing ominously on a large mound in the middle of an open area fill with Giant Reed, and a large stream run around the mount. The mount is over 15 - 20 square lia in acreages and 3 lia above the surrounding water stream, it seems to be artificial mount, likely raised by magic considering it was created by the Elvas, surrounding the mound is a long stone bulkhead and many dense tall Giant Reed tumps. The building is circular in shape, stone wall, with a small collapsed section due to a large tree ground out from one of its many tall windows, the tree root created a mesh like pattern on the ground and surrounding wall. The tiled roof slightly sloop, and a tall tower in the middle of the structure but not connect to the circular outer structure, it covered in thick vines, and likely 15 to 20 lias in high, many tall narrow windows spiraling up to the tiled rooftop and with the thick vines wrapping around it made the tower look like some strange tall tree made of stone. It amazes Emperor Lam, that how a tall building like this still stand firm and largely intact after those ages, "it likely had been build many hundreds years ago. Before the Hundred Years War? No, maybe even longer than that, aeon ago, before any human ever come to Varlaurea? The Elvas in one of the first to set foot on Varlaurea is it not?" Emperor Lam wonder. Seeing the ruin, Empress Aucelen inform him that this seem like it just an expedition outpost of her people, and seem to be abandoned long ago, may even before the war.

After tested the water stream, they concluded the water level can reach to their chest. So Empress Aucelen quickly demonstrating her magical skill, with a song in ancient language she had made those tumps of Giant Reed at the water edge near them, grew longer, thicker and weaving them self into a floating bridge. Crossed the stream, they quickly climb up the stone step lead to the ruin. Stand before the metal frame of the wooden gate, now all rotted of the ruin, Empress Aucelen face sadden, memories of her people once again fill her mind. Saw that, Emperor Lam wrap his arms around her, comforting her, she rubs her cheek against his chest whispering "I am fine.". Then pushed the door's metal frame open, they step inside the building, they saw many human footprints amid animal footprints on the thick layer of dust on the stone floor, indicate many people come and go at the ruin. "but for what purpose?" Emperor Lam thinking, then from the dense reeds a rustling sound caught their ears. Something is moving in the reeds, but Emperor Lam saw nothing in the reeds in front of him, no shadow nor any movement in the reeds.

"the sound seems to come front the other side." Empress Aucelen said, her sharp Elvas ears had located the source of the sound.

When they reached the other side of the ruin, they so not thing but a wall of thick Giant Reeds. "was that the wind??" Emperor Lam think, but there is no wind when they hear that rustling noise, so it must cause by something moving in the reeds. But the reeds are too thick and tall for them to see anything from the ground level. Invoke their qigun energy, the pair enhance their body and with a leap they set foot on the roof of the outer building of the ruin. From that vantage point they can a large area of view of the reeds, and before their eyes, not far from the ruin a rather big line of squashed Giant Reed run thought the reed tumps to the stream, something big must wedged its way through the reeds to leave such trace. They look at each other, eyes fill with surprise and curiosity, wondering what can cause such thing, is it the rumour monster?

From the roof top their jump into the inner yard between the outer building and the tower, and from that proceed to explore the ruin. When they look around the place there are telltale signs of recent activity in the ruin, like muddy foot print, trash and someone had fix some cracks on the wall with new mortar. Empress Aucelen also recognized the door that lead into the center tower is human design not Elvas, and it seems to be newly installed no longer than a few months. Go inside the tower, they follow the stone spiral stair up, and found something interesting while walking those step. Dark brown or reddish-brow drop stains, littered the stone steps up to the top floor.

"what is this? Blood?" Emperor Lam said, examine those stains.

"uhm.... Seem like it, look like something sinister is happening here." Empress Aucelen said.

On the top room of the tower they found more of the blood stain and rope stained with blood. After they leaved the tower Emperor Lam found an empty room with windows covered by the thick vines outside, the room it dimly lit by a few sunrays managed to squeeze through the thick vines. This room is stranger because, unlike other rooms full of dust and animal dropping, this room is clean. At the end of the room there are a small table covered with yellow cloth. The table seem to be used as an altar. On it, lied a baked clay statue of a serpentine creature with multi heads about a forearm high. The statue creature reminds Emperor Lam of his dragon form but minus the horns, legs, mane, and of course the multi heads things. Then in front of the statue, there are also a few blood stain on the cloth. On the wall behind the statue, strange symbols drawn on it, arranged in a circular pattern with the statue in the middle.

"what on earth is this?" Emperor Lam said. "some kind of language? Foreign script? The Upper's script? Or some form of the Ancient Language's script? Do you recognized any of this Aucelen?" he scratching his head staring at the strange symbols, he never saw anything like this, a few of them is just circles arrange in pattern with stick symbols mix in, and some of them are somewhat resembling a swimming tadpole, while some look kind of like a fusion of tadpole and human stick figure posing.

Staring at those symbol for a while, Empress Aucelen shake her head "no, I cannot read any of them, and this do not look like Ancient Language script neither, at least from my knowledge." She said, eyes still fixed on those symbol, and in her mind an uneasy feeling rising. But in fact she was lying with her husband, partially, yes, it is true that she cannot read any of those symbol, or neither they resembling Ancient Language script or any foreign script from other folks in Varlaurea continent. But still, in her mind, those symbol somehow look familiar. Empress Aucelen definitely had saw them before. A distain faded memory? Some old book? She cannot be sure, and that make her feel unease, dreaded even, and so she does not wish for her husband to know.

"look like those rumour about strange activities in the ruin was true." Emperor Lam said.

"yes it does, this is certainly making me curious. It seems some secret cult is using this ruin as a gathering place." Empress Aucelen replied, staring at the stain on the table cloth. "look at these stains, if they are human blood then maybe... I wonder... if the missing cases I have heard have anything to do with this secret cult."

"well, then we have to pay the governor a visit then." Emperor Lam said.

Afterward they leave the room without forget to erased all of their muddy footprint, Empress Aucelen even use her magic to return her "reed bridge" back to normal reed tumps, her master of magic and nature always amaze him, then they heading back to the waypoint. So like before, Emperor Lam dragging his legs through the wet mud again, but this time instead of leaping ahead his wife walks with him, stumbling through the mud together, dirty their clothes and laugh at each other muddy face.

When returned to Jar Dee city, they return to their hotel room to retrieve Emperor Lam's Imperial seal, then the two of them heading to Jar Dee's governor office. When meet the city governor they reveal their identity and ask to review all the missing cases happened in the past 2 year. From the governor's records, all of the missing cases happened throughout the city and its surrounding villages. These cases seemingly have no relation with each other, even the victims are various in background, age and gender. But then Empress Aucelen notice something. The very first case is in August, year 18th of Dragon Emperor Reign, at that point it only happened every 2 or 3 month, until October, year 19th of Dragon Emperor Reign, or the mid-autumn festival incident, the missing case surged up to every month. And another pattern that is that they are all happen before full moon day. This is very intriguing to Emperor Lam, form what he heard from the two middle-aged man in the tavern, the rumour about monster in the swamp also started around 2 year ago. Then there also one thing, in some case, the eyewitness said they saw the victim had meeting with some dubious individual.

As in this month, there are another case happened yesterday, the victim this time is a daughter of a wealthy rice merchant. According to the witness testimony of the girl's handmaiden. Before she went missing, the daughter of the rice merchant also had involved herself with some dubious man. The handmaid said, the daughter meets this man at the city central market early this month. A handsome, smooth talking man in his mid-20, and especially the man wearing a small pendant shape like a serpent with multi head. And because she is quite a hopeless romantic girl, she fell head over heels for him. Eventually her father found out and obviously forbid her to meeting with such shady man. And yesterday night, the daughter had order her handmaid to replace her in her bed, then sneak out of the house to meet her lover, for a romantic moon gazing date. But when midnight passed and her mistress had yet to return the handmaid woke the parent and told them everything.

"so... the man that the rice merchant's daughter met before her went missing is wearing a multi head serpent pendant, he maybe a member of the secret cult." Emperor Lam said, threw a thick report folder on the table.

"likely, look at this." Empress Aucelen put another report on her husband's desk. "this case happened at January last year, the report also mentions an unnamed person wear a similar pendant. Also the second missing case at October, year 18th Dragon Emperor Reign, and the case at January of year 19th. Finally, right before mid-autumn of year 19th, a young men reported several man try to kidnap him at a village just outside Jar Dee. While he struggling with the kidnapper he gets a glimpse of the similar pendant on one of the kidnapper neck."

"but how do we find these cultist? They all take initiative in approaching the victim, and we do not know how they select their victim" Emperor Lam said

"well... we know where they gathering, do we. Then all we need to do is wait until full moon." Empress Aucelen said

Afterward they inform the governor about the cultists gathering place, and order him to put constant surveillance on the ruin secretly. 2 days late, when twilight is turning into night, a messenger report gathering is happening at the ruin. Emperor Lam and Empress Aucelen set out with 30 city guards. When they reached the ruin, Emperor Lam can see light moving inside the ruin, Emperor Lam guess the cultist must inside the room with the serpent statue right now. So he orders the guards to split into 3 group, one group stay with him and his wife, the other 2 encircling the ruin and wait for his signal. While he will approach the ruin to take a peek and confirm if the rice merchant's daughter is inside. But Empress Aucelen insisting that she will do the task, because of her inherited Elvas agility, she is move quicker and quieter. Emperor Lam agreed and in just under a minute, Empress Aucelen made her way toward the wall cover in thick vines. When arrived, she carefully peeks through the vine and get a view inside the ritual room. The room was dim and only lit by 2 chandeliers on the table, and on the ground in front of the table, there lie the poor girl, a dozens of cultists surrounding her, wearing hooded cloak and mask. The girl seems only 16, cloth stuffed in her mouth, her legs and hands tied, stripped naked, and one of the cultist is carving symbols on her chest and belly with a small knife, while the other cultists pinning her down to the floor to preventing her from struggling. As Empress Aucelen signaling visual confirmation of the girl to her husband, and about to blow her whistle to call the guard, a scream pieced the air, it come from one of the guard group, startle the cultists, then many screams came as if the guard a being attack by something.

"rescue the girl Aucelen! I'll see what happened." Emperor Lam yelled and run toward the screams direction.

"Surrender and release the girl!!! You had been surrounded, resisting is futile!" Empress Aucelen yell out and bust through the vines, leap in the room.

The cultist freezes for a second, then the one with the knife charging at Empress Aucelen, but quickly being put down by her precise kick to the face. The rest of the cultist panicking and flee, but quickly being roundup by the city guard. After comforting the poor girl, Empress Aucelen leave her to the city guard and finds her husband. When she leaves the ruin, she saw 2 guards was caring an injured guard.

"Your Grace, he need healing!" a guard said and put the injure guard on the ground.

The man was gravely wounded, his nose and mouth is covering in blood, and he seemingly choking on his own blood. Empress Aucelen tell the other quickly remove the injured guard clothes, and found his chest and back was all bruised like he had been struck or crushed by big blunt object. After a quick examination to determine the extent of his wound, she quickly perform healing magic. What could cause such injure? His rib cage had been crushed, and his ribs punctured his lungs.

"What happened? Where is His Majesty?" Empress Aucelen asked.

"I'm fine!" Emperor Lam emerge from a tump of Giant Reed, half covered in mud. "the monster! It is real." He said with a glaring excitement in his eyes.

At midnight, they returned to Jar Dee city. After the girl had been examined and Empress tended to her wound, they return her to her family. The merchant was greatly graceful when they knew the emperor and the empress themselves had rescue his daughter, and said if ever needed. He will support the Imperial Court with all his fortune. After the merchant family had leave, they bring forth the cultists to the governor hall, and remove their mask. All of them are Downers but the twelfth his an Upper, with blonde hair and green eyes. When the governor questioning them for more information about their cult, each of them background and if there are any other member of their cult still hiding in the city, they remain uncooperative. The Upper appear to be their leader and stated that, nothing can waive their faith to the gods or betray their brothers and sisters, not even death. The Upper keep rambling about divine wrath, will of the gods, and hurling insults and slurs toward Empress Aucelen and Emperor Lam, calling her "pointed ears succubus", "Elvas whore", and he "filthy mutt", "the mistake of nature". A whole hour of interrogate pass without any progress, tired and irritating by the cultist's rambling, slurs and insults, Empress Aucelen then propose another "interrogate method", a very intrusive method.

"you dare! your forest freak!" the Upper yelled when he heard Empress Aucelen proposal.

"oh yes, I am very much dare, and you know who I am so you better try not to resist me, or it will be very painful." Empress Aucelen said grab his golden locks and pull down, her other hand press on his pressure point on his cheeks, holding his head still and look direct at her eyes. Empress Aucelen beautiful icy blue eyes turn milky white and staring at the Upper. Every muscles fiber in the Upper become tense as he trying to resist Empress Aucelen mind probe. But of course it is a very unwise decision. Soon he starting flinching and moaning out loud while their gaze connects. There is no human in recorded history ever could resist an Elvas mind probe. His effort proofed futile and result in extreme pain for him. A few second pass his flinching and moaning stop, the Upper is defeated and no longer able to resist Empress Aucelen anymore. 10 minutes late, Empress Aucelen disengage her telepathic link, the Upper collapse on the floor gasping for air, his mind gone blank and his body tripped of all strength. Empress Aucelen fumble away from the Upper, her breath and heart hasten, her eyes are wet, and she nearly drop to the floor if Emperor had not catch her.

"what is it, Aucelen? What did you see?" Emperor Lam asked.

Wipe away the sweats on her forehead and the tears swelled in her eyes, Empress Aucelen took a second to regulate her breath back to normal, then look at the Upper with unspeakable disgust but also great pity for him. "take him back to his cell." She said.

As the Upper being drag away back to his cell like a ragdoll by the guard, Empress Aucelen take a sip of tea to calm her down. Then she tells the other what she saw from the Upper memory. From the mind probe Empress Aucelen learned that his name was Touton Butonrix, he was a merchant from Livion, a city stated of the Uppers in northern Varlaurea continent. Touton was a very decent, well-educated, honourable man, an honest and generous merchant, often helping out those who poor and less fortune than him. He also is a man of faith, though still have some doubt about Quelas'Airuth and the Five. He married in young age, although his marriage was arranged by his parent, but he still treat his wife well with respect and love, a faithful husband care very much for his beautiful wife. From his memory, Empress Aucelen can saw and feel his overwhelming happiness when he holds his firstborn infant daughter in his arms. His feeling when he looks at her cute little face and how tiny and fragile the little infant is. The joy he had when he hears his daughter babbling the first word and when he saw she toddling for the first time in her life, and his dreams and plans for his children's future. His life was the dream life that every mortal man desire. Then on one faithful day, when on a trading trip to Varlann, he met a mysterious Downer man, that he only refers as "wise one" in his memory, and from him he learned about the old gods of yore, their glory and the splendorous "Age of Gods". How the old gods had been betrayed and trapped, and how those foolish, ungraceful sheep now follow the fault gods Quelas'Airuth and the Five. Thus from that day his life turned for a dark page. Indoctrinated and became that mysterious Downer man disciple, he forfeits all his fortune in pursue of the arcane and theology research with his master, when his wife finds out what he doing with the family fortune, his wife desperate try to persuading him to no avail and then when she threatening to leave him. Touton kill his wife in cold blood, then took what left of his family fortune, along with his 2 daughters, the oldest only fourteen and his infant son escape to Jar Dee City of Varlann Empire with his master. After arrived at Jar Dee, what left of his sanity is soon lost to his and his master obsession about the old gods. Eventually he sold his 2 daughters to the local brothel and sacrifice his infant son to create a holy beast, a champion for the old gods, to make way for their return. And that was 2 year ago, from that point on, by his master order he remain in Jar Dee to amass more follower, nurturing the beast by human sacrifice and wait for the day of reckoning, while his master travel to find a way to free the old gods.

"what kind of monster do that to his own children." Emperor Lam said, cannot hide his anger in his voice. "lord governor, publicly beheaded them and hung it on the city gate to deterrence other."

"Aucele, you have mention about the Downer man, master of this monster, do you see him in his memory?" Emperor Lam said.

"yes I do, bring me a brush and paper." Empress Aucelen said, then proceed to sketch the Downer man she saw in Touton's memory. When she finished and present to her husband, lay eyes upon the sketch Emperor Lam could not hide his surprise. That slanted, dark and baggie eyes of the man in her sketch still clear in his memory.

"he is still alive." Emperor Lam said.

"you know that man, Lam?" Empress Aucelen asked

"yes, he is the cultist leader that tried to assassinated me at Qua Loh." Emperor Lam throw the sketch on the table. "we will deal with them later, now we have a monster to slay, lord governor begin prepares for the hunt." Emperor Lam said then return to his chamber with his wife.

Minutes late, when they are on their way back to their chamber. Empress Aucelen said

"Lam, there a something I cannot tell you in front of the other."

"what is it?" Emperor Lam asked.

"the man, Touton, from his memory I discovered, he hearing the whisperings." Empress Aucelen said

"well, considerate his master. That is no surprise." Emperor Lam said "tomorrow I'll inform the governor about his new fate, so what are you going to do with him? Have him take to your people tomorrow?"

"I may have to be examine the rest of the cultists first then I will decide." Empress Aucelen said "and Lam, if we about to hunt the monster, then how will we find it? You are the only one who saw it."

"well... actually, I only saw a glimpse when I breath fire at it." Emperor Lam scratching his head.

"can you describe it?" Empress Aucelen asked

"uh... I don't think I had saw all of it, but I can tell that it has an elongate, and scaly body, kind of... like a reptile, uhm... maybe it is some kind of really, really big snake and I think... what I saw maybe just its tail. Because I don't see any eyes or mouth." Emperor Lam said, and let out a long yawn. "oh well, it is too late already, I am craving for a comfortable bed and your warm right now."

"then wash off those mud first." Empress Aucelen said.

"oh, ha ha, I forgot" Emperor Lam smile, look at his muddy lower half "hey, would you mind wash me." He deviously grins.

Without a word, Empress Aucelen just sigh, then she walks into their chamber and proceed straight to the bed.

Morning the next day, while the sky still dark, the sun yet to rise and everyone still snugging in their warm bed. Empress Aucelen being woke up by footstep in their chamber, she opens her eyes and saw her husband was walking in circle the room, with his left hand stroking his beard.

"goodness Lam, not one of your reckless idea again." Empress Aucelen sigh

"huh? Oh! you awake. Well... I have an Idea." he sits down on the bed and say "the report said, before the mid-autumn festival last year, the cultist failed to kidnap someone right. And so a few days late, at mid-autumn festival, a young man got attacked by something in the river, that must be the monster. The cultist failed to bring a sacrifice to it so it follows the river to go hunting on its own. And now we just busted their sacrificial ritual, so now the monster must be hungry, maybe we let the cultist to do their ritual, with me as the offering. To lure the beast to us, then all we need is set up an ambush..." but with the "absolutely not" look, appeared all over his wife face Emperor Lam modify his idea "...alright maybe scratch the part with me as the offering then"

"and ... if I use my dragon form it won't be much of a figh...." Emperor Lam stop in mid-sentence, like he realized he just said what he should not say in front of his wife.

"are you crazy? Lam, you may carrier your mother dragon blood and her power, but your body still of a mortal man, your body cannot withstand the power of dragon transformation magic, have you forget you were sick for entire month after Qua Loh." Empress Aucelen said with a horrified look on her face.

"alright, alright, I'm sorry, no transformation then." Emperor Lam smile, holding Empress Aucelen hand comforting her, he can feel her usually warm hand had gone cold with fear for his wellbeing.

"alright, then how do you going to make do cultist to help you slay their holy beast." Empress Aucelen sigh.

"well, I think "keeping one head" is motivating enough" Emperor Lam smile.

After breakfast they tell the city's governor to bring the cultist before them. And when Touton and his followers brought before them, Touton immediately start rambling on and on about the old gods, and call for the other to repent and reject the fault gods Quelas'Airuth and the Five. Ignoring him Emperor Lam offering the other cultist a deal. "help him slay the monster or the execution block.". Surprisingly they remain silent. But with her sharp Elvas eyes and ears, Empress Aucelen can detected a slight increase of sweat and heavy breathing in one of the cultist.

"Your Majesty, I think maybe the execution block is... too mercy for them, I think... to deserve their crime, maybe Dripping Boiling Oil or a method I heard from Chihan, what does they call it? "Burning Bronze Pile"? yes, that the name, they tied the convicted to a hollow bronze pile, then put charcoal in the pile and set fire to the charcoal, you can imagine the pain." Empress Aucelen said with a cold and almost sadistic voice. "how many families had lost their love one because of them for the past 2 years? let them suffer a little bit before they die." Empress Aucelen stare at them with her icy blue eyes.

"alright, good idea, lord governor." Emperor Lam turn to the governor.

"no, please, mercy Your Majesty." A young cultist yelled.

"silent, do not give in to their threatening. Strengthen your faith, do not falter. The old gods will grant you great reward in the afterlife" Touton yelled as his follower.

"fool of an emperor, if you dare lay harm to the holy beast of the old gods, their wrath will rain down on your empire in form of unthinkable calamities. You willing to put your subject through that kind of suffering for your fault gods?" Touton said

"yes, yes, old gods this and old gods that. I had done is one already, and they don't seem to mind." Emperor Lam said "I tired of your insults and blasphemies already, lord governor." Emperor Lam signal the governor to take the rest of the cultist back to their cell, leave behind the one that beg for merci. That young cultist stated his name is "Tsun Lin" an immigrant from Chihan, came here to seek a new life, but after failing to keep a stable job due to his gambling habit, he turns to crime, quickly became lackey for Touton. After an hour of persuasion and reassuring, Tsun Lin finally give in and agreed to help them slay the monster. From Stun Lin testimony, the Elvas ruin in the swamp is being use as a sacrificial site while they gathering at a small temple just outside the city walls. And so while the city's governor crack down on the remain hidden cultist, Empress Aucelen starting to mental examine the cultist that they had caught at the ruin and those who being rough up by the governor, to determine if anyone else of them hearing "the whisperings", thankfully there is none. After a public court session, all the cultists except of Touton and Tsun Lin had all being charged guilty of multi kidnaps, multi murders, evil worship, disturb public order and public safety and all of them was sentenced to death by hanging.

Moreover, Empress Aucelen also order men to track down Touton's two daughter. When they being present before Emperor Lam and Empress Aucelen, and learned who had brought their freedom the girls cry their eyes out, and kept kowtowing to Empress Aucelen to show their gratitude. But when they asking for their farther and their infant brother, Empress Aucelen have no heart to have them learn the degenerate state of their father and the cruel fate of their infant brother. So Empress Aucelen lie that their father had been executed with the rest of the cultists to pay for his crime, and their infant brother had die of tuberculosis not long after their father sold them to the brothel. Of course the girls are heartbroken. Oh, how cruel fate had submitted them to this tragedy in such young age. Pity for their fate, Emperor Lam took them in and have them stay at the servant's quarter of the Varlann Imperial Palace, there they will have a comfort life for the time being, until Emperor Lam had men to contact with the girl's grandparent, then he will have them return home safely.

A couple days late, the hunt begin, they set out to the swamp at morning arise via boat, accompany them is 100 men strong from the city guard, arm with long bow a big javelins. Not only that after the confirmation of the existence of the swamp monster been published, and heard about the hunt lead by the emperor, many local hunter has volunteer for what they called "a hunt of a lifetime". They arrived at Hunter's mound at later morning, and from there they reached the ruin quickly afterward. After an hour or two they finished set up the ambush, on the top window of the center tower of the ruin now hung a strawman, with those odd symbols painted on it with chicken blood, Empress Aucelen also infused an illusion spell on the strawman to make it look just like human. After all the preparation are finished, Tsun Lin starting to perform the summoning ritual. But observing Tsun Lin performing the ritual, seeing him fumbling around and stutter while chanting spell. Emperor Lam cannot help but have the feeling that Tsun Lin may have no idea what is he doing. And turn out it is true, after hours and hours of waiting and nothing happen, Emperor Lam asked why the ritual does not work. Tsun Lin finally admit he do not know how to do the ritual, he just lies to get out of the fate that befell his accomplices and said that the sacrificial ritual was always been done by Touton. Enraged, Emperor Lam order he be castrate and put in slavery. Emperor Lam then order the volunteer hunters search the surrounding area of the ruin, in hope of finding some track, after all the ruin is the place that have the most sighting of the monster. Few more hours pass, the hunters finally found something. About 200 lias from the ruin, a hunter found some slithering tracks on the mud near the water edge, but that was all they can find, the swampland it vast and difficult to traverse, Empress Aucelen said from her people expedition record, the swampland stretches all the way to the Great River's estuary, the monster can be anywhere, looking for it in this vast and thick vegetation, is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Finally, when twilight come they have no choice but to return to Jar Dee.

When they leave the ruin and returned to Hunter's Mound, there is a middle-aged man paddling his boat in a hurry toward the mound, seeing Emperor Lam and Empress Aucelen he immediately yells out to them and saying there is an attacked at a village near the swamp, just a few minute ago. Emperor Lam and Empress Aucelen quickly follow him and arrived shortly after to the scene, and saw a house at the riverbank with a large hole on the roof. The villagers said, about 15 minute ago, a gigantic serpent beast suddenly emerged from the river and smash a hole on the house's roof and swallows the residents kicking and screaming, then before anyone can react, it returns to the river and swim toward Jar Dee. Heard that Emperor Lam immediately invoke his qigun and heading back to Jar Dee on foot with his wife closely at his side. But they are not simply just running in a normal sense, with their magical enhancement, their body became light as a feather in the wind, they can run faster than a Velelis at its top speed, in one leap they can cover a distain tens and twenties of lias, jump over a three stories house with just one bounce, and even can run on water. The river route is the shortest route back to Jar Dee. So running on water they did, with a trail of splatting water behind them.

Just 15 minutes late, Jar Dee is in their sight, and they can see people are running in panic on the street trying to get away from the beast. Emperor Lam and Empress Aucelen land on the city wall, from there they can saw the monster swiftly slithering through the streets with an amazing speed for a limbless beast, crashing through houses, crushing anything on it way and anyone not fast enough to get out of it way, created a mass panic everywhere it goes. The serpent is gigantic, its head shape like a normal python but with an elongate snout resemblance an alligator's snout, its length is easily over 100 or 150 lias long, with half to one lia in diameter at its thickest part and covered in black and shiny scales under the twilight sun. Its tongue slipping in and out of it mouth smelling the air, like every normal serpent. The serpent seems to heading somewhere.

From the city wall, Emperor Lam and Empress Aucelen leaping from rooftop to rooftop. When they land on the roof of a temple's high tower, they realized it is heading toward the city prison. Why is it heading there? Is Touton have something to do with? Somehow he can contact the monster from there and order it to rescue him? Finally, they caught up with the serpent, it already crashed through the prison wall, quickly slither inside, and bust open a few cell looking for something, making the wardens and prisoners alike running in panic. Amid the chaos in the prison yard, there is a man, a mad man, he walking casually toward the serpent, naked, he laughing hysterically as he walks, his gaze devoid of any sanity, any life, anything indicate that this man was one a loving father and a honourable man. Touton somehow had escape his cell and kill a warden or an inmate and use their blood to drawn those strange symbols on his chest and belly.

"ha ha ha! witness! Witness the power of the old gods holy beast! Ha ha ha!" Touton laughing with a deranged expression on his face.

Noticed him, the serpent turns and stare at the crazy man.

"come, come my child, let show those infidels the glory of the old gods of yore." He laughing maniacally, yelling and put his hand on the air, spinning on where he standing. "let those foolish, ungraceful sheep, tremble in despair before the majestic of the old gods, make them cry out in remorse and begging for they forgivene..." Touton cannot finished his sentence, his crazy rambling had been abruptly disrupted. The so called "holy beast", just snatched him between its jaw, and with just one gulp, swallows him whole. Then the serpent starting to turn to the other prisoners still lock in their cell.

"how ironic, let end this madness." Emperor Lam said.

From the nearby rooftop, he quickly leaps ahead, drawn his sword and aim at the serpent head from behind. Unfortunately, the serpent saw him coming and its light fast tail, whip him in midair knocked him to the ground. The serpent stares at the peculiar Downer man with horns on his head, half conscious lying on the ground for a brief second. Then open wide jaw full of fangs arrange in circular pattern, and prepare to strike.

Blood pouring out from where the serpent's teeth sunk in the flesh, however the blood is not belonging to Emperor Lam but his wife. Seeing her husband is in danger, Empress Aucelen had leap in and push her husband away. And have her left forearm firmly lock between the serpent's jaw, its fangs pierced her flesh and crush her bone, her blood streaming from her wound, the upper part of her robe turn red by her own blood, the pain was agonizing. Even worse the serpent lifted her off the ground and flair her around, like a ragdoll.

"Aucelen, NOOOO!!!" Emperor Lam face turned pale likes every drop of blood had been drained from his face.

"Lam, stay away!" Empress Aucelen yelling, telling her husband to stay away from the beast, and instead of trying to escape the serpent jaw she turn to it and yell

"ezekpitav rekzaqi!" she yelled, her right hand fingers starting to give off static flash and soon a lightning bolt shoot out from her hand to the serpent snout. The beast convulsed violently from her lightning spell, the electric shock makes the beast bite down more and snap her hand clean off. Empress Aucelen land painfully from a several lias drop, her half bite off left arm slam to the ground first. But yet, she swallows the excruciating pain and quickly get back to her trembling feet, raised her right arm up right at the second the serpent had recover and lunging at her for another bite. Another lightning bolt launch from her hand after she chant the spell again. The serpent jolt backward at the lightning bolt strike, convulsing in agonize. Despite her wound is spraying rays of blood, she kept the spell going until the beast turn into a half burn, smoking corpse on the ground.

Emperor Lam catch his wife as she collapses due to bloody lost, and quickly perform healing magic to seal her wound and top the bleeding.

"Aucelen? Aucelen? Speak to me my love." Emperor Lam calling his wife

Empress Aucelen open her eyes and gently spoke "I am fine, Lam worry not, I just need a little rest..."

"thanks the gods, don't you scare me like that ever again." Emperor Lam smile in relief.

Empress Aucelen gently smile, then turns her head look at her, now only half of a left arm, mumbling in depress "oh...no, my.... Bracelet."

"wha... by the gods, Aucelen. You just had your forearm bite off and you worry about some bracelet?" Emperor Lam spoke, haft unbelieve about what he just hears

"oh.... I can grow it back in about a month. Besides, it is the bracelet you gave me, after we marry." Empress Aucelen brush off her husband's concern.

"that ugly, poorly made silk bracelet? I can buy you more expensive one" Emperor Lam said.

"but that bracelet was made by your hand, it means a lot to me." Empress Aucelen said

"oh alright, I'll make another for you. Can you stand?" Emperor Lam said

"I...can... cannot. Oh... my legs lost all of its strength due to the blood lost and the agonizing pain" Empress Aucelen moaning, look at her husband with her puppy eyes and an obvious "damsel in distress" act in her voice.

Emperor Lam rolled his eyes and sigh, after order the city reestablish security at the prison. He then carries his wife back to the governor mansion.

----------the end-----------

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