The story begins in those last days of the Hundreds Years War.

In a beautiful day, the golden rays of sunlight showed the earth. Cool breezes blowing from Kao Ren Lake rustling the dense green grass on an empty street. On that empty street, there are a middle-aged Downer man dragging his feet forward, walking wobblingly. His posture wobbling side to side following each step he took, like he about to fall over anytime. On his body is a deep green cross-collard robe made with expensive silk, proof of his wealth and social status. His onion hair bun behind his head is loosed, his body is filthy and stink to high heaven, from days without bathing. The man kept walking forward, one step at a time, despite his exhausted legs, despite his knees is making weird noise from each step. The man dare not to stop, cause if he stops, and let his fatigued body have some rest even just a second, they may catch up to him and he'll be submitting to the disgusting fate that had befell his companions. He had walking like this on this empty street for three days. Three days without rest, without water, without food, his lips are all blistered and bloody, unstable breathing rhythm, grasping for air, his face emaciated, red sunken eyes with a lifeless gaze of a person being torturing by a fever. His mind clouded, no longer able to think straight anymore except for those stranger voices, kept whispering something in his head.

Suddenly, flapping sounds come from behind, his face contorted into a look of absolute fear and dread, he trying to speeds up his stride, but only after just 2 – 3 step, the man fell down on the road. His drained legs were barely able to help him kept walking so far, had gave up the moment his try to run. Gasping for air, he summons what left of his strength to pry his body up to look behind him.

There were blurry small shadows, the size of a cat, they are cautiously hopping on their hind legs toward him, tilting their head stare at him. Squinting his eyes and seconds late, his eyes adjusted to bring those shadow came into focus. Those were a murder of White Neck Crows; they stand there staring at him with their marble-like crystal clear eyes. The man struggling to get up on his knees then flaring his arm, waving his big loose sleeves to scare off the crows. Startled, the crows flew away but for a couple minutes, their come back, thought this time not just the crows but there were three big shadows just landed not far from the man, tilting their bald head staring at the man. Three Black-Back Tuves Vulture, big as a dog, watching the man with a great anticipation look in their eyes, in hoping the man will take his last breath shortly so they can feast on his corpse. Look at those scavengers, the man doesn't bother to react anymore and trying to stand up, continue to trudging his feet on the road with the scavengers follows closely behind. A hiccup came from his throat, his voice trembling in cries, but not one drop of tear came from his eyes. His body was so drained, it no longer can creates tear, kept trudging forward for about 30 minutes, he felt down on a mat of grass, grew in the middle of the road. The man lying there limply, mouth gasping, completed exhausted, eyes closed, accepted his fate. The scavengers still standing there watching him, waiting.

Cool breeze gliding across the emerald green water surface, dancing over the gentle waves, glistering under the sun of the Great River. This gigantic river, flow across the continent, from the mysterious forests, last bastions of the Elvas, in northern Varlaurea, swung around the East Tar'veen Sierra. Pouring it water into Kao Ren Lake, then swung to the west flow through Varlann Empire territory, and then a vast marshland before crash into the open sea. Carrier with it is countless fish and rich alluvial sediment, not only that it also a highway connects many folks across the continent.

On a harbor of a riverside city, anchored a large ship. Gorgeous that vessel is, double decks, hull painted in mahogany red, with 4 tall mast and sail neatly folded on deck. On its stern the colour of Varlann Empire proudly fly, the ship's bow painted a majestic dragon head. On the deck, near the bow sat a Downers man, his eyes fixed on the vast water of the Great River. Over fifty his age seems to be, clothed in deep blue crossed-collard robe, made of the finest of silk. His hair and beard had turned mostly white; wrinkle, hyper-pigmented and austere face, proof of years on the battlefield but opposite to his face, his eyes still bright with the fortitude and the toughness of a leader, an emperor. An emperor he is, for he is the head of Varlann Empire, and newly emerged power in the Hundred Years War, he is His Imperial Majesty Suk Luo Tu.

From the wharves came a strange young man of 18 – 19 of age, shorthair and a pair of small antler protruded from his forehead, followed by a few entourages the young man boarded the ship, then came before Emperor Tu, interlocking his finger and bow. That was the second son of Emperor Tu and the one will inherit the throne, Crown Prince Suk Lam.

"father, I've asked the local governor, he said uncle Toa's envoy did pass by the city over a week ago, right on schedule and have nothing out of ordinary that fail to mention in the reports." Crown Prince Lam said.

"uhm... then, any news from Fon Chu, Lam?" Emperor Tu said, his gaze still fixed on the vast water.

"still quiet, father. Seem like your words still hold effect." Crown Prince Lam answered.

Emperor Tu nodded then order the ship to push off. Five minutes late, the paddles had driven the ship off clear from port and to the open water, the three sail slowly climb up the masts and stretched up, catching the wind. Emperor Tu still sitting there on the ship's bow, still contemplating gaze upon the open water, worrying about the fate of his missing brother, fearing the worst may happen, and not only that, fear for his work in the past two years may went up in smoke if Prince Toa's envoy not have been found.

Watching his father sunk deep in his contemplation and worry, Crown Prince Lam know not what to say, the idea of the worst case scenario had crossed his mind from the start of this search. If that worst case scenario befell Prince Toa's envoy, then the Hundred Years War will drag on. And that's why Emperor Tu himself and his son must find out what befell the missing convoy of Prince Toa.

The Hundred Years War, a conflict that had last for over one hundred years between the Elvas – Dwarf Alliance, the Downers – Dragon Folks Alliance and the Orcs, created countless death, suffering and many atrocities from three side. The war dragging on into a stalemate, all three sides still twirling in the endless circler of bloodshed, sacrifice countless of soldier's life, yet none can have an upper hand over other. But two years ago, after days and years of stagnation, the Dragon – Downers Alliance's force lead by Varlann Empire, had a break through, a new magic has given them a major victory over the Elvas at the siege of Schivelon, grand citadel of the Elvas in the Emerald Forest. With this new "weapon" the stalemate broke, and the scale of power tilted toward the Dragon – Downers Alliance, not only that is also make the Orcs have to think twice before they take any action.

With that new magic, it will be easy for Emperor Tu to wipe out any force on the battlefield but strangely he did not. Instead, Emperor Tu and his second son Crown Prince Suk Lam, with the help of a general from the Elvas side, lady Derthelin, together they had appealed and urged to three side to cease all hostility and come together in a peace talks, to stop the suffering and bloodshed of the conflict that had plague the continent for the past century. After two years of effort, the peace talk finally will be held at Maseiron, a neutral free city of the Uppers, and Lord Suk Toa had been choosing to be Varlann Empire's representative. But three weeks after Lord Suk Toa and the envoys departure for the peace talk, they disappeared, the messenger pigeons, carry the routine report about the envoy progress through their rest stops, had stopped flying to the capital. When Varlann contact with the Elvas through General Derthelin, they learned that the Elvas side had not met Lord Suk Toa's envoys. This created an uproar in Varlann's court, those who do not favour the peace talk immediately concludes that Lord Suk Toa must have been harmed by the Elvas, and kept pressing Emperor Tu to take retaliation. With the day of the peace talk is drawing near, Emperor Tu must look to this matter himself. An absolute order had been issued by Emperor Tu to all his official, that, all of Varlann's forces will hold their position, and will not have any move without his approval, those who act against his order will be put to death on the spot, regardless one's position or social status. Then with his second son Crown Prince Suk Lam, set out to find Lord Suk Toa missing envoys.

For the past week, they had follow the convoy's route and asking folks along the road with no significant find nor anything abnormal that fail to be mention in the reports had been sent back to Fon Chu. After a day of sailing upstream the river, they arrived at Than Hua city, a small city on the bank of Kao Ren Lake and where the last routine report had been sent. After met the city's mayor, they learned that the convoy has took a rest stop in Than Hua, one week ago, and according to the mayor, the convoy have to change their course when they about to head out to the next stop, Lui Tsuy city on the northern bank of Kao Ren Lake, instead of crossing the lake by boat they switched to land route, due to a major storm is raging on the lake at that time.

The land route from Than Hua to Lui Tsuy, follow along Kao Ren Lake's bank, and cross the eastern end of the Eastern Tar'veen sierra through a difficult mountain pass. Maybe something had happened when they crossing the pass? With that new lead, they changed course in the next morning, Emperor Tu with his son and 100 Brocaded Cloak Guards, follows their new course on that empty road along the lake. Because crossing the lake via boat is the easiest and conveniences way, so the road is rarely being use, nor being maintain properly. The road was badly degraded, landslides gone unclean, falling trees, cracks and potholes that big as a carriage are littered everywhere. Causing their searching effort progress sluggishly, along the road also devoid of any sight of civilization, so they cannot ask for any information either. They searching for the whole day, hoping for some sight of the missing envoy. When late noon arrived, the search party stop before a big fallen tree on the roadside, the reason for their stop is the ruckus causing by a bunches of Black Back Tuves Vultures and a large murder of White Neck Crows fighting over a carcass. The big vultures devouring the carcass, and occasionally spreading their giant wings with a claw on the tip, screaming to chase off those Crows who trying to steal a piece of meat for themselves.

Emperor Tu and Crown Prince Lam quickly realized the carcass those scavengers are fighting over for is a human carcass. The Brocade Cloak Guards get off their velelis to chase away the scavenger, while they doing that Crown Prince Lam noticed some strange behaviors of those scavenger. Normally those scavengers will fly off if interrupted by human, but these Tuves Vultures and Crows are not, they walk wonkily like a drunker, some running like a headless chicken and suddenly drop dead, while some are just keep flapping their wings uncontrollingly, screaming nonstop, and kept spinning round and round at where they stand. And some went hyper-aggressive, charging at the Brocade Cloak Guards, forcing the guards to kill them.

After the scavengers had been deal with, they examine the corpse. The corpse is male wearing a deep green robe, already in the early state of decomposition, foul smell fills the surrounding air, and the corpse was badly mangle, and unidentifiable, but base on the small bronze talisman on the corpse's belt they're sure that this is one of the advisors follow the missing convoy. What had happened? Why is this man lay dead here? Where are the rest of the convoy? What is this man cause of death? Many question they have, but with the current condition of the corpse none can be answer. Quickly after, they burry what left of the ill fate person and resume the search.

They continue for two days, at late noon of the third day, the searching team came upon a road junction between the main road and a small dirt road lead to the northwest. For the dirt road, a woman suddenly appeared, hailing them. She seems to be in her mid-twenty to early-thirty, dressed like a normal peasant woman, hair tied up in a bun behind her head, and a nice looking round face. the woman seems very ordinary but somehow she makes Crown Prince Lam felt unease, because of her tone of voice when she speaks, a flat, steady, emotionless tone. And even after the Brocade Cloak Guards announced that she is standing before the present of the Emperor and the Crown Prince, the woman just bows with an expressionless face, she shows no surprise, not even disbelieve of what she heard, as if meeting the "head of the stated" and the "next in line of the crown" in the middle of nowhere like this is perfectly ordinary.

"answer me, do you saw an imperial convoy go pass here a week ago?" Emperor Tu asked her.

"yes, Your Majesty, there was an imperial convoy had come and stayed at my village about five day ago." The woman answered with a flat tone voice.

"really, then did you saw anything abnormal from the convoy?" Emperor Tu asked.

"I do not know, sire. But you can ask the elders for more information." She replied.

"when we on the way here, we spotted a corpse on the road, that corpse seem to be one of the convoy, do you know anything about that?" Crown Prince Lam asked.

"no." the woman answered bluntly with her flat tone, and a blank stare. Her gaze creeps the hell out of Crown Prince Lam, made the hairs on his neck suddenly stand right up.

Realized the dying daylight, and the crimson twilight sun is only a length of a hand from the horizon, Emperor Tu decided they will take rest at the woman village for the night and also to meet the village's elders to ask for more information and told her to lead the way. But Crown Prince Lam came to his father and whisper "father, I think we should just set camp here then go to village tomorrow." Crown Prince Lam said to his father and still kept watching out the peasant woman.

"huh? Why?" Emperor Lam asked.

"well... it's just... there is something from that woman make me feel... wrong, unease." Crown Prince said

"wrong? Unease? what do you mean? She's just a peasant woman." Emperor Tu frowning in confuse.

"uh... it's just the way she talks... it makes me feel strange." Crown Prince spoke, scratching his horn.

"well, I do admit that the way she speaks is strange, but what to worry about that? I think you overthinking too much. Besides, we need to find more information about your uncle as soon as possible, it can't be help it." Emperor Tu said then rowel his velelis after the peasant woman. Crown Prince Lam have to put aside his unease feeling aside.

About ten minutes following the path westward, and cross over a low hill, a green foliage of a big tree slowly come to their view behind the hilltop and then a village with 30 to 40 houses, surrounding the big tree. The tree seems very old and enormous, from a far Crown Prince Lam estimated its high must be about 80 lias tall, the trunk's diameter even bigger than some of the building in the village, its foliage stretched far, and roofed the entire village under its shadow, with many big branches hang low near the ground. Surrounding the village is a thick wall of bamboo trees, rustling in the wind, and act as the village nature barricade. To the southeast of the village is the main gate. Amaze with the gigantic tree, Crown Prince Lam ask one of the Brocade Cloak Guard next to him, if he know what tree it is. The guard took good long look and guess it maybe a Cerpidar tree, though he said he never saw any cerpidar tree this gigantic.

When they pass over the hill and through the farmland of the village, Crown Prince Lam notice some odd things, that is, one of the village rice paddies, was cover with weed mixing with rice, it was like someone was working on the field haft way, with only the seeding process was done, then left the field unattended and let the weeds grow all over the paddy. Curious, Crown Prince Lam ask the peasant women.

"hey, miss, why is the village rice field was left unattended and let the weeds grow all over like that?"

The woman still kept her steady pace, without even look at the paddy, and a monotone voice she answers "Your Grace, that field was unused for a very long time."

So she answered, but when they went past another paddy, Crown Prince Lam saw the same thing. In fact, all of the rice paddies are like that, all are over growing by weed. Furthermore, at this time of the year is when the harvest time begin, yet from when they reached the top of the hill, the Crown Prince saw no paddy is being harvest, neither any piles of straw, one use to see lying around the paddies at harvest time.

After a while, they get off their velelies and enter the village's gate, the gate was built in tri-gate style, arching shape, with the middle arch is the taller and wider than the two auxiliary side gate, a typical Varlann village's gate design. The gate was made of ready available bamboo, look poorly maintain with a lot of wear and tear went unfix in a long time, the thing slightly swaying in the wind, and cracking like a rusty door hinges, making Crown Prince Lam nervous and worry that it going to collapse on them in any moment. The atmosphere inside the village is no better, Crown Prince Lam can clearly hear the Brocade Cloak Guards whisper with each other. "why are this village is so quiet?" "these people make my skin crawl." They said.

Indeed, as they walk down the path lead into the village, they being greet with nothing but dead silent, the air somehow felt thick and heavy, and made them feel claustrophobic, even with all the wide space in front of their eyes. The village is awfully quiet, there is no sound of life to be hear, no dog barking, no rooter crowing, nor the sound of children playing, no nothing, there are only the sound of the group and the velelis footsteps on the gravel path, there are only the sound of wind and the rattling foliage of the giant cerpidar tree over their head. The houses and buildings in the village are no better, they were dusty and their windows are dark, there was no beam of light can be found emit from them, only dimly lit by the vanishing twilight sun, and their chimneys are smokeless. The village quiet like a ghost town. Especially the village's inhabitants, they are... strange to say the least, from the moment Crown Prince Lam and his father and the accompanied guards passed the gate, the group saw some villagers standing in front of their house, and some standing in the dim windows of their house, and they just standing there, motionless like a statue, adults and children alike. Slowly turn their head, watching the strangers just came into the village with their lifeless eyes. When the peasant woman leads them toward the village's common house, before Crown Prince Lam eyes there is a small lawn surround the cerpidar tree's trunk, on it there are three villagers, they sitting there motionless, knees pulled up to their chest, arms folded on their knee, and kept staring up at the tree's foliage.

Right now, even Emperor Tu have to admit the creepy strangeness of this village. His face now shows anxious and worry, and exchange a worrying looks with his son, then the peasant women spoke.

"we're here, please get inside, the elders are waiting."

They tied the velelises outside the common house and step inside. According to Varlann's village culture, these kind of building is the entire community property, use for meeting, discussing the village's important affairs, festival activities and feast, also is the ceremony hall, and where the village's guardiant mascot lie. The common house sat right next to the giant cepirdar tree's trunk, the building is rectangle, about 15 lias long and 7 lias wide, curved roof with fish scale tiled, its column painted red, the paint is faded and peeling, the building had molded brick wall at two end. The common house looks filthy and shabby, inside is dark, but with a little sunlight left Crown Prince Lam can saw there is people inside it. When they came inside, a group of 6 village elders kneel down to greet Emperor Tu and Crown Prince Lam

"stand up, I am here for urgent state matter, no need for formality." Emperor Tu said.

With a weird monotone voice, the elders say their thank simultaneously and stand up.

"I've been told that, one week ago, there's an imperial convoy had passed and took a rest stop at this village, do you elders have any information about them? Do tell me everything yours know, even the smallest detail, this is important matter." Emperor Tu asked.

An old man about 60 of age, with white beard and a wrinkle emaciated face, step before Emperor Tu, interlocking his finger, bow and spoke with a creepy monotone voice.

"Your Majesty, it is true that an imperial convoy, had took a rest stop at our village a week ago, after that they continue on their way to the north, we do not notice anything abnormality."

"nothing? When we on our way to here, we found a corpse of a man belong to the convoy, the body only about 30 kelias, south of here, do you know anything about that?" Crown Prince Lam said.

"maybe they ran into something after leaved the village?" the old man spoke "we don't know anything about dead body or what had happened to them after they leaved."

Emperor Tu sigh for running into another dead end, thinking for a bit, then he decided they will continue the search early in the morning and told the elders prepare a place for them to rest. The elders said they will prepare a small countryside feast for them. So while waiting for the meal and room to prepare, Crown Prince Lam and two Brocade Cloak Guards take a stroll around the village to stretching their limbs after three days sitting on velelis back. The eerie quiet atmosphere in this village still give Crown Prince Lam goosebumps, leaved the common house he goes toward the giant cerpidar tree, when he came near the small lawn he saw before, there, on the overgrown grass the three villagers he saw still sitting there, staring at the tree's foliage. Curious, Crown Prince come near a young man about his age, try to converse. When he is near, the young man has no reaction, he is too focus on what he looking at and fail to notice his surroundings. Seeing the young man payed the Crown Prince no notice, a Brocade Cloak Guard scorn him for his insolent but stopped by the Crown prince, then he friendly asks the young man.

"what're you staring at? Is there something on the tree?" Crown Prince Lam look up, follow the young man gaze. But all he saw were branches and leaves of the giant tree rattling in the wind. Crown Prince scan his eyes all over the foliage, down to the tree trunk, then up to the foliage again. But found nothing of particular interested, what are these people watching? That young man still sitting there in silent, still staring at the thing that only he and two other can saw, and still pay no attention to Crown Prince Lam present.

Waving his hand before the young man face, but the young man still gives no reaction, disappointed and creep out by these people. Crown Prince leave them alone, and come near the giant cerpidar tree and marvel at its magnificent size. Then when he touches the tree, a strange and weird feeling that cannot be describe by any word in any language, sending goosebumps rush through his fingertips to his body like electricity, yet that is not all, there is something in that split second when his skin touch the tree, he heard a voice, someone whisper in his ear.

Retreated his hand, and bewildered, Crown Prince Lam turn to the two guards and ask if they just said something, the guards confuse and claimed they has utter not a single word for the past minutes. Crown Prince Lam feel bizarre, he clearly had heard someone whispering in his ear, in that short second. Rubbing his fingers, he wondering if it is just his imagination? Then something caught the corner of his eyes, turn around he saw the middle-aged woman, one of the three people staring at the tree foliage. Now she is staring at him with a lifeless gaze. He also quickly noticed she not the only one, but the middle-aged man and the young man he trying to talk with from earlier, had now fixed their stare at him.

They still just sitting there, posture unchanged, staring the Crown Prince with their soulless eyes. Once again making Crown Prince Lam skin crawl, somehow from their gaze, some uncanny threat wiggling its way into his mind, triggered every primal fears inside his soul.

Irritated by those villager's soulless eyes, Crown Prince Lam quickly left.

"bruh...uh...uh... that creepy at hell, what wrong with these people? like they're possessed or something." One of the two guards accompanied Crown Prince Lam complain as they walk down an empty alleyway.

"Highness, I feel there're some kind of sinister evil in this village, we shouldn't wander along like this, better to return to the common house with His Majesty." An accompanied guard concern.

"uhm... agreed, right from the start I had feel something off when we met that peasant women." Crown Prince Lam said "and ...do you two feel strange? I mean... from the moment we enter the village to the time we reached the common house, we're with that peasant woman all the time, and we don't see her speak with anyone or have anyone run to notified the village's elders either. Then how does those elders know we a coming to have them wait in the common..." Crown Prince Lam stop mid-sentence, interrupted by a man appeared in front of his eyes from a narrow path left of the alley. The man is in his 30, fit and healthy, he wears nothing but a loincloth, and a pair of black boots. His mid-back length hair is a mess, he standing there in the middle of the alleyway, turn his lifeless and sunken eyes staring at the Crown Prince and his two guards. He standing there motionless for seconds, then, his face twitching, his head stiff and tense, tremble slightly, like something within him is fighting to come out.

"g... g... g... get... get out... of here..." the man struggling to utter a whisper, the whisper sound more like a moan of a dying beast, breathing it last breaths, Crown Prince Lam feel his eyes somehow came alive in that few short moments when his struggling to utter those words. After those whisper, the man keep rambling on with incomprehensible nonsenses, holding his head, rocking side to side then face up to the sky, his face shriveled into a mesh of wrinkles, as if he's enduring some unimaginable pain, his fingers pinching deep in his flesh like he about to tear his own face apart.

"hey, are you alright?" Crown Prince Lam worry and approaching the man. The man suddenly snapped and lunging toward Crown Prince Lam, grasp hold at his collard, his face only a few liamis away from the Crown Prince. The guards drawn their sword to intervene but stopped by the Crown Prince. The man's eyes maniacally rotating in those deep sunken eyes sockets of his, mouth flustering with each breath he took. Whisper hysterically the man said "h... hear... hear that... hear that?". He silences for a seconds, eyes still rolling mindlessly.

"hear... what?" Crown Prince Lam asked.

"you hear that?... the Old Gods... the Old Gods are whispering... they whisper... they want..." the man mumbling.

"the Old Gods? Whispering what? Want what?" Crown Prince Lam intrigued.

But suddenly, the man released his gasp, arms went limp and body became motionless again, face up to heaven, he maintaining that postures for several minutes, giving off soft whimpering exhale sounds. Moments after, he lowered his head, staring Crown Prince Lam with the lifeless eyes, and a freakish grin on his face, slowly he turns around and go back to the narrow path where he came from. Curious, Crown Prince Lam follows the man, the dark tiny path, lie between two molding wall and covered in moss, narrow enough for only one person to tightly fit through. After wiggler their way through the path for a while, Crown Prince Lam came upon an open area, surrounded by 4 houses, that man open a wooden door on the wall of the left house of the open area and walk inside.

The door leads to a small room, and a trap door at the end of the room, lanterns hang on the room walls. Behind that trap door, there a lantern light leaking through the crack between the door panels. Crown Prince Lam light 3 lanterns with a simple spell and open the trap door with the 2 guards. Beneath the door is a stone staircase, leading deep down to the ground about 4 – 5 lias, Crown Prince Lam still can see the faint lantern light and the shadow of that man at the base of the staircases. They press down the staircases to and narrow tuner. The tuner slightly slopes downward held up by wooden beams every 3 – 4 lias, it wider than the previous narrow path but still only have enough space for one person to maneuver.

As of now they had lost sight of that man, his lantern light has swallowed by the thick darkness of the tuner. Striding through the darkness, Crown Prince Lam do not sure which direction this tuner leads, but he guesses, maybe it run opposite to the direction from when he following the man. One of the guards concerning, but overwhelming with curious Crown Prince Lam still step forward. After 5 – 10 minutes or so, the tuner opens to a big cave, they cannot estimate how big that cave is, far from where they stand, there are wooden lantern poles arranged into a semicircle with a few lit lanterns on top of them. The lanterns shine punily, doing their best to withheld against the surround thick darkness of the cave, they light up a stone pedestal in the middle of the columns semicircle. With the two guards, Crown Prince Lam approaching the pedestal, this place looks like some kind of altar. About a few steps away from the pedestal is a small pond with tree roots, that 5 – 6 time bigger than a house's column, haft submerge in the water. Crown prince guesses these roots must belong to the gian cerpidar tree he saw on the surface.

When they came near the pond Crown Prince Lam realized he was wrong. The pond containing no water, but some kind of strange, stove's ash greyish colour and viscous liquid, right the moment he set eyes on that pond of liquid, once again, a sense of dread erupting inside Crown Prince Lam's mind. A brocade Cloak Guard come near the pond's edge and held his lantern forward, his lantern light run across the pond's surface to a big root near the middle of the pond and stumped all three of them. The lantern light lit up a shrinkage dry corpse, half submerge in the greyish liquid and enveloped by a web of smaller roots branched from that big root. Few seconds late, they realized that the corpse is wearing the yellow cloak of the Brocade Cloak Guard, not only that, scattered in the pond there were many corpses in the same condition, some dressed as a Brocade Cloak Guard, some dressed like an Imperial official. Furthermore, right at the middle of the pond, there is something look like a stone sarcophagus overgrowth with tree roots. The sarcophagus is about 1lia7 in length, seem to have carving with strange symbol, but most has worn out through time and Crown Prince Lam cannot make clear what are they look like.

The trio still overwhelming by surprise, and unknown to them, from the darkness of the cave, lantern lights appeared and silently creeping toward them.

"hear that?" a shadow spoke.

Startle by the voice, Crown Prince Lam turn around to find they had been surrounded by a crowd of people. They standing there, at the edge of the light of the lantern poles, some of them carry a small lantern but lowered them so that only their lower haft being lit, Crown Prince Lam can count about ten persons, standing at the light edge of the lantern poles the rest is obscured in darkness. Three men step forward into the light, one middle-aged and two quite young, only 20 – 30, the middle-aged man is bearded, with a van Dyke beard style about the length of a palm, tall and thin, emaciated and slightly long face, sunken eyes and lifeless gaze, wearing a red cross-collards robe. But yet, Crown Prince Lam still can recognize that familiar face, his uncle, the missing Prince Suk Toa. The other two, one is wearing Brocade Cloak Guard uniform, the other is just a man from the village.

"uncle? Is that you? Why are you here?" Crown prince lam asked.

Prince Suk Toa return no answer, turn his lifeless eyes staring at his nephew. His face, stiff, expressionless, look more like a mask than a face, dimly lit by lanterns, emitting an extremely eerie ghostly vibe. Slowly, Prince Suk Toa walk toward Crow Prince Lam.

"is that you, Lam? Do you hear that?" Prince Toa spoke in a creepy monotone voice.

"h...hear what, uncle?" Crown Prince Lam frowned answered.

"the Old Gods... the Old Gods are whispering... they whisper... they want..." Prince Suk Toa mumbled.

"w...want?" Crown Prince Lam starting to worry by his uncle behavior, a vague dreading sense raising in his mind.

Prince Toa stand before his nephew, he stands still in few seconds, then grab Crown Prince Lam collard out of sudden. "you... Lam, they want you." Put his face extremely close to his nephew face, Prince Suk Toa spoke with a freakish wide up to his ear grin. Just like that, Prince Toa hold on to his nephew collard, slowly push Crown Prince Lam toward that strange liquid pond, mumbling "they want you." with a creepy monotone voice as he goes, ignoring Crown Prince Lam told him to let go of his hand. Seeing that, the two Brocade Cloak Guards intervene but the villager and Prince Toa's Guard charge in, shoved them into that weird viscous greyish liquid. And the strange thing is the liquid cling to their skin like water do but do not cling on to or make their clothes wet. The two guard stand up, flush off the droplets on their skin, bewildered by what just happened, scolding the pair just shoved them into the pond. But one of the guard, abruptly stop, he gave off a gasp, like he just saw something startle him, then went silence, his face become dull-witted for a brief moment, then wrinkled and turned pale, grinding his teeth, he grasps hold at his head, body trembling, he screams out loud "STOP! MAKE it STOP! MAKE IT STOP!" Then collapsed and stop breathing.

Still shock from what just happened, then before Crown Prince Lam and the remaining guard, one of the giant tree's root slowly reaching toward the deceased Brocade Cloak Guard, and wraps his body with a web of smaller branches roots. Seeing that the remaining guard freak out and launched out of the pond, sword in hand ready to fend off those who just shove him to the pond. But Prince Toa's guard and the villager just standing where they are, staring him with their lifeless eyes.

"shame, he won't hear." Prince Toa spoke, still kept his freakish smile on his face.

"shame? What're you talking about, uncle? What wrong with you?" Crown Prince Lam said "let go of me." But Prince Toa still firmly grasp hold on Crown Prince Lam's collard and pull him toward the pond. The remaining guard of the crown prince quickly help his lord and put Prince Toa away, he stands between them pointing his sword at Prince Toa, make him keeping his distain. But his body starting to shaking out of sudden, his face convulsing, the guard drop his sword, bend down on his knees, holding his head, softly wimpling like having a fever.

"hey, are you alright?" Crown Prince Lam asked the guard. The man did not respond, just kept clenching his head and mumbling "stop it, please, someone stop it." He acting like that for a minute then roll over on the ground, curled up in fetal position, softly whining like a sick puppy.

"good, good, you see, Lam. He heard, soon you hear too." Prince Toa said and grasp his nephew collard again. Crown Prince Lam swiftly counter, grasp at his uncle collard and threw him on the ground. Witnessed that, the Brocade Cloak Guard of Prince Toa charging in with the crowd of people who stand in the dark this whole time, trying to apprehender the crown prince. Crown Prince Lam quickly retreat into the surrounding darkness. Many, the crowd maybe but with his powerful magic ability, an unarmed crowd of peoples are not much of a problem for him. But Crown Prince Lam not really sure what happened to them, especially his uncle, so he thinks, it is best to find a way out of the cave and inform his father. After a while fumbling in the dark with the lantern light of the crazy crowd closely behind. Finally, Crown Prince Lam found another cave tunnel that seem to lead to the surface. The tunnel slope upward for a short distain and stop at a bamboo ladder, waste no time, Crown Prince Lam launched up on the ladder, whilst the footstep sounds of the crowd approaching from the darkness behind. The ladder climbs up, up about 5 – 6 lias high to another trap door. Hit his shoulder at the trap door, Crown Prince Lam find it is not locked but there is something heavy lie on top of it. And so, with his telekinesis, Crown Prince Lam blast the door open and climb out.

When he poked his head out of the trap door, a figure and a flash of steel of a lunging sword aim right the crown prince's face. Fortunately, the sword's tip had stopped a few liamis from Crown Prince Lam face.

"Lam? Is that you?" Emperor Tu surprise, when he realized who's head just came out of the hole on the floor.

Jump out of the hole, Crown Prince Lam quickly seal the trap door shut with magic. Momently, a loud "thump" come from behind the trap door. Looking around, Crown Prince find himself in the village common house, scattered the floor is the dead bodies of the village's elders and some villagers, some Brocade Cloak Guards accompanied Emperor Tu were injured. The doors and windows of the common house are closed shut and blocked with the common house's furniture. Loud thumping kept sounding, as the villagers from the outside hitting the doors trying to get in.

"father, what happening here? Are you alright?" Crown Prince Lam concerned.

"I'm fine, the villagers sudden went berserk and attacked us, forced the Brocade Cloak Guard's hand." Emperor Tu explained "and you? where have you been? You making me worry. Why're you climb out from that hole?"

So Crown Prince Lam retold his strange encounter.

"so Toa and the convoy are here? And he trying to throw you into that strange pond? What is going on? I don't understand anything here." Emperor Tu's mind boggled with the things his son just told

"I'm not so sure neither, but... I think... Uncle is... no long himself anymore. And I guess what I found in that cave maybe the reason of this." Crown Prince Lam said. "I think... maybe that strange grey liquid had made the people of this village lose their mind? And when uncle and the convoy made a rest stop here and they got infected by it."

Silent, they realized the thumping just stopped, a minute of quiet passed. The ground suddenly rumbling slightly like a minor earthquake, and creaking sounds can be heard. The tremors and the creaking sounds cease after a few minutes, silence one again reign the air. Crown Prince Lam still wondering what just happened, then "BANG!!!" a loud noise come from above their head, a giant tree root just smacked through the common house's roof causing dust to filled the air. Next, another bigger root emerged from the base of the wall, destroyed it and quickly reaching into the common house, knocked over every column it touches, roof tiles and wooden beams crashing down on those who holding up inside the common house.

Some minutes late, Crown Prince Lam regain his consciousness amid a desperate scream of a man, after few seconds he realized a mesh of small roots are tying him to their giant main root, next to the Crown Prince is his father Emperor Tu, he is completed unconscious, with a badly bleeding wound on his head. Looking around, Crown Prince Lam find other survived Brocade Cloak Guards amid the rubbles of the common house, also tied into the same giant root like him and his father. The scream he heard earlier is from a Brocade Cloak Guard tied into the far end of the gian root, surrounding that poor man are Prince Toa, the villagers and some of the convoy members, the guard body is violently convulsing, eyes rolled up into his skull, mouth moaning "make it stop". Couple minutes late, he died, seeing he is dead the crowd turn to the guard tied next to that ill fate man. They forced his mouth open and pouring some of that grey liquid into his mouth, ignoring his plead for mercy. The guard anxious, breathing heavily, bracing for the awful fate about to befell him, sweat pouring down into small stream swept away the thick dust on his face, and turned it into some odd impressionist painting. Not long after, the guard starting to convulsing, screaming nonstop "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP." His eyes rolling up, face up to the sky and turned all pale, he creaking his teeth and wimpling for a moment then turn silence. The Brocade Cloak Guard sitting still like a statue, his face turned dull-witted and no long respond to anything. Knowing another ill fate soul had join their rank, the crazy crowd grin freakishly.

And so they turn to their next victim, soon Crown Prince Lam and his father will suffer the same fate. But tightly bound to the root Crown Prince Lam cannot do anything, thus the crown prince had to resort to the power of the dragon blood he inherits from his mother. Close his eyes to concentrate and invoke his dragon blood's power in his veins, seconds late his eyes turned milky white and his body starting to morphing. His clothes are all ripped along with the roots mesh as his body turn giant and elongating. Just in a few minutes, from a young man Crown Prince Lam now turned into a majestic marine dragon, nearly one hundred lias in length, with a magnificent black mane and antlers, and beautiful glossy sapphire blue scales, hard as stone covered the body. His dragon-form's roar, deafening like thunder, echoing the sky, a normal person will turn tail and run for his life, if hearing that roar, but those crazy peoples just standing there looking at the crown prince with their soulless eyes. With his giant razor sharp claws, Crown Prince Lam snapped the section of root which his father and all the survivors are tied to it. With a front leg firmly holding the root, lowered his head to the crazy crowd Crown Prince Lam breath down on them, gust of wind from his nose is like typhoon blowing those crazy people and that malevolent grey liquid away. When Crown Prince Lam lower his body ready to take off the ground, another big root suddenly emerged from the ground snatched on of his rear leg trying to stop him from escape. But right now, Crown Prince Lam is in his dragon from, a mere root is nothing too difficult to deal with. With his other rear leg, he quickly snapped that root off, then turn his swanlike neck toward the giant cerpidar tree, and breath fire on it. Quickly the evil tree entirely engulfed in fire like an enormous touch, lighten up a wide region. The heat emitting from the fire felt like it can melt anything, embers fly everywhere in the air, like the fireflies of doom, they land on the nearby houses, made them caught fire and quickly turn the entire village drowning in the searing flame. Done deed, Crown Prince Lam swiftly take off to the sky above, with the root that hold the survivors, tightly held in his claws, left behind him that sea of fire and the crazy people trying to stop the inferno.