1 Chapter 1: Monkey Beginning
A head flown through the air. Piercing through the darkness was a pair of glowing red eyes. Desire, hunger. The sound of flesh, being torn and ripped apart. Monkey slowly woke up. His entire body, numb.
“that nightmare...haven't had that nightmare in a long time”
He heard a loud knock at the door. A young girl voice cheerfully greeted him behind it.
“brother!! HAPPY BIRTDAY TO YOU! HAAAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOOOU!!”
He couldn’t help but smile. His sister, Tiger. Could always brighten his day
“Morning Sis. I’ll be out in a minute.” but actually, he closed his eyes trying to go back to sleep.
Tiger knocked again in a rhythm this time
“ I know you’re still in bed”
“shit” he thought. He was. Just a few more minutes, but he knew that if Tiger didn’t get him up. Their mother would. Tiger was doing him a favor.
“alright, alright I’m up”
Satisfied with this he heard Tiger leave so he could get ready. Monkey slowly closed his eyes again, resting for a few more seconds
“GET YOUR ASS UP BOY!!” a loud, rough elderly voice was heard. Almost like a roar.
Monkey leapt out of bed, “yes, momma. I’m getting ready now” he quickly got dress and made his way out of the room.
Monkey looked at himself in the mirror. He always wondered why his hair was white. He once asked his uncle about it. He told Monkey that everyone in their family had white hair. It was part of their lineage. Monkey grabbed his shirt, A simple red and black tunic. He was going to be on his own from this day forward. He looked into the mirror one more time. His bright red eyes looking back at him. He placed a hand on his face, staring at the young boy that looked back at him. This is was it. Who knows how long he’ll be gone? What was he even going to do out in the world? What a silly question. He had options, yes. But only one thought was on his mind.
“Monkey!! Hurry or have you decided you’ll stay with us after all?” his mother called.
“yes!!” he heard his sister yell. “stay with us brother!!”
He grabbed his bag and left his room. “I just had to make sure I got everything!” he yelled back as he made his way to the dining hall.
Monkey entered the hall seeing many kids running around, he looked around till he saw the long blue hair he was searching for. He made his way towards his sister. She greeted him with a smile. Tiger dark blue eyes seemed to shine radiantly, he also noted how she was wearing her favorite kimono. She loved the tiger striped sash around it. She seemed to be more excited about this day than him.
“How, is it that you slept on your eighteenth birthday?” she teased him.
“How, is it that you sleep through every day?” he teased back.
“That a bad habit you both share” an elderly woman said behind them.
Monkey turned and gave his mother a hug.
“Dear child, if you hug me even tighter, you’ll squeeze the life right out of me” she said.
“Sorry momma” he could feel the voice tightening in his throat. “I’m just really going to miss you.”
Tiger, no longer able to hide how she felt, started to cry, the tears fell down the side of her face as she threw her arms around Monkey. Tiger barely came up to his chest as she held onto her brother. he could feel her grip shaking.
“do you have to go Monkey? You could stay here. Just three more years. Three more years and I’ll be able to join you!”
He patted Tiger on the head.
“Wouldn’t it be fun? You, me. Going on an adventure together. Hell, we could even get Wolf and Viper to come along with us. Well Wolf, yeah. Viper I don’t know.” he said
Tiger gave a small laugh as she finally let him go, using her hands to wipe her face as she pulled away.
“She would join us too; regardless how you two always fought. But they’re both gone. Wolf went back to his kingdom and viper to hers. You're all I got left now.”
Tiger head dropped as realizing that once Monkey leaves, she’ll be alone.
“That isn't true” monkey told her. “we’ll always be a family. The four of us. I promise that the four of us will be together again. But for now. I do need to go. There has been no word of the black beast but I know it's still out there. I have to find it”
Their mother cleared her throat. “As much as I disagree with the thought of revenge, I have to agree with him. The four of you always been thick as thieves. Nothing can break that bond. Now, enough talk. It's time to eat and give Monkey the proper going away party”
“Yes mother” Tiger said
Eddie. C. She ran the orphanage Monkey and Tiger lived it. The cathedral she called it. A place she built long ago after the hundred-year war. A place for children who lost their families and homes to war. Because of this she became known as “mother” to all the children. Even thou Eddie was born into the tiger kingdom the cathedral was built in the center of their world and was open to all races.
In our world, they’re many races of demi-humans. But the ones that ruled were the twelve.
Far to the north was the Ratte race, Rat Kingdom.
Their neighbor, the Ox Kingdom. The Lembu race.
The Lao hu race. The Tiger Kingdom,
The Draco’s Race. The Dragon Kingdom,
The Serpiente Race. The Snake kingdom,
The Cheval Race. The Horse Kingdom,
The Chevre Race. The Goat Kingdom
The Houzi Race. The Monkey Kingdom
The Haan Race. The Rooster Kingdom,
The Kutta Race. The Dog Kingdom
The Zhu Race. The Pig Kingdom.
Each of the Twelve agreed to a truce. Part of that agreement was that all orphans of the war be sent to the cathedral.
Though there was a catch. Once they hit the age of eighteen, they most choose to either stay in the orphanage. Becoming either guards of the cathedral or caretakers that look after the next generation of kids that appeared. Or venture out to their respective kingdom. Where they will be recruited into the military.
There was a third option though. Monsters also ran rampant in this world. And mercenaries existed to fight off these creatures. While certain kingdoms didn’t like other races venturing into their territory. Mercenaries was granted special privileges. No allegiance to any kingdom and only willing to risk their life for gold. Mercenaries are allowed to freely Travel to each region in order hunt down the creatures they were hired to kill. This was Monkey’s goal: to become a mercenary and hunt down the Black Beast.
Becoming a mercenary was simple enough. A fee of five gold must be paid and proof of accomplishment. From the head of any beast to a simple claw. Long as they had some form of proof that they were ready for the dangerous life that would come from being a mercenary, they would be given a badge. With this badge it will allow Monkey to freely travel each kingdom in his search for the black beast. It was what he trained eight years for. He couldn’t wait any longer. Though he will miss his home he knew he could always return someday.
After dinner, Eddie C. and Tiger went with Monkey to the gates. It slowly rose, Monkey’s eyes grew wide. It was the first time in years he looked past the walls of the cathedral. He took a deep breath.
“I can do this” he thought. He turned to give his mother one more hug. Then kneeled to hug his sister.
“This isn't goodbye. We'll met again” he said
“of course. Because I’m the best tracker there is. If you don’t find me, I’ll find you!” she said.
She was holding them back, but a few more tears were able to get through.
Tiger wiped the tears from her eyes and put on a brave face but monkey could tell she was still sad to see him go.
“I know you can sis. No one can escape you once you got their scent” Monkey replied.
He stood back up to be greeted by a pouch held to him from his mother.
“Momma...I can't” he started.
“You can and you will” Eddie insisted. “there's fifty gold in this pouch, that’ll be more than enough to help you get by for a while. And be careful, the kingdoms may be at peace for now but that doesn’t mean the people won't rob you blind if given the chance. Be careful on your travels back to the monkey kingdom.
“The monkey kingdom” he thought, his old home. His home before everything went to hell, before his uncle and father were murdered. Yeah. He will become a mercenary; he will travel the world itself to find the Black Beast and kill it. He says his final goodbye and as he turns away from the home he had known over the years. the smile he had vanished as rage filled his eyes. Eight years and he never forgot. Eight years of training, preparing for this moment when he would venture out. He felt that the nightmare was a reminder. But he didn’t need to be reminded. Now, revenge was the only thing he could think of. There was nowhere this beast could hide that he wouldn’t find it.
