27 — The Golden-Winged Monster

Yuden had been visiting Princess Zahra frequently over the past few days, seeking solace from the turmoil surrounding him.

She was his refuge, the one person who could bring him peace amidst the chaos. Her light-hearted conversations and playful banter were a welcome distraction from the weight of his political responsibilities and the troubling rebellion that had sprung up in some villages.

The rebellion, fueled by an unknown person who financed arms and budgets, had deeply troubled Yuden.

Upon discovering that the villages involved were ones previously attacked by the Gralxs, ancient and formidable monsters known for their destructive capabilities, Yuden took it upon himself to investigate the matter diligently.

His determination was fueled by a deep-seated desire to uncover the truth and protect his kingdom and its people from the individual who was orchestrating the turmoil.

To begin his investigation, Yuden dispatched a team of his most skilled soldiers into the affected area.

Their mission was to closely examine the villages, gather intelligence, and report back to him with any findings that could shed light on the situation.

Yuden knew that the Gralxs' previous attacks had left these villages vulnerable and scarred, making them susceptible to further manipulation by malevolent forces. It was easier for them to believe the crown prince wasn't helping as a lot of his men lost their lives while trying to protect the villagers from the Gralx.

It was imperative for him to act quickly to prevent any further harm from befalling his kingdom and its inhabitants.

The Gralxs were monsters that had existed for billions of years. Everyone was aware of their existence; however, their region was in the northern area, just above the kingdom of Yurania, making them the first target of their attacks.

Yuden had encountered a few of these monsters during his battles.

These creatures were frightening, with dark wings that could not be pierced by even the brightest day, and each of its horns that could strike with deadly accuracy. Their scales were as thick as blood, resembling iron in their strength yet smooth like a snake's skin.

Adding to their intimidating presence, they occasionally bore two horns on their heads, and sometimes even three or four, making them a truly fearsome sight to behold.

Despite the progress humanity had made, they still couldn't find a way to defeat them. Humankind only had guns and swords to fight against them and protect themselves.

"Your Highness, I have detected a group of rebels in the forest near the border. They seem to be plotting to tame a few Gralxs to attack us. What should we do?" A man asked on the phone.

Yuden's white suit was tainted with the crimson colour of blood.

Yuden grabbed a pistol.

He held his phone with his left hand. "Gather a group of soldiers. Inform the army to stay alert in case the northern villages are attacked. They need to protect it at all costs," Yuden whispered as he hung up the phone and slid it inside his left pocket.

Then, he slowly headed inside a dark cave. Once he entered, darkness enveloped him, making it difficult to see. However, his vision gradually adjusted to the dark, and he could see a ray of light coming from the cave's depths. He cautiously moved toward the light.

Paying extra attention to his steps, Yuden clenched his gun firmly, and his heartbeat increased with each step, unsure of what he might find ahead.

He decided to come alone to check this cave as only a few rebels were inside. It was easy for him to take them down. He needed his army to be able to go whenever he needed them at the border or to protect the villages as it seemed like that's where they were most likely to attack first. And he was right!

Once he reached the light, Yuden's eyes widened at the sight of a monster on the ground.

It had two large wings glowing like a lamp.

Yuden gasped, realizing he had mistaken this dragon's wings for a lamp.

Before him stood a dark, gloomy being. It had three eyes. It was around 12 feet, twice the height of Yuden.

Yuden slowly stepped closer to examine the monster from nearby, trying to not catch its attention in case it would attack him. He stepped closer while looking left and right after making sure there was no one else there but him.

It seemed there was no one else inside but he needed to stay cautious.

There was now only one meter between Yuden and the monster. Unsure of whether he should kill it or keep it alive, Yuden leaned against the rocky wall of the cave.

However, he felt like he was sinking in the depths of somewhere.

He quickly retreated from there; however, he tripped on a rock, making him fall to the ground.

Not paying attention to his wound, Yuden quickly looked up, making sure the monster wasn't aware of his presence. To his surprise, the monster didn't move an inch.

"Is it deaf and blind?" Yuden wondered as he slowly stood up. "And the wall... I felt like I was sinking inside..." He mumbled.

Tempted by the desire to test the monster's consciousness and if the wall was soft enough to make him feel like sinking, Yuden threw a rock on the side of the cave he leaned against.

The monster showed no reaction to the noise produced by the rock hitting the wall, leaving Yuden dumbfounded.

"Was it my imagination?" Yuden looked around.

Additionally, the lack of human presence only raised his curiosity.

He was certain a group of five people entered the cave; however, three of them were nowhere to be seen. There was only one living being in that cave apart from Yuden, and it was that monster.

Yuden sighed and walked out of the cave, disappointed. He had hoped to get rid of a few more rebels, yet he again lost track of them. His gaze fell on the two men lying on the ground in a blood pond.

"Two less at least," he mumbled as he stared at the corpses in front of him.

It was so hard to find this location yet all in vain. He couldn't get rid of all the rebels. Instead, he found a weird monster he wasn't expecting.

Once Yuden gave it another thought, the monster was similar to a Grawlx but the golden wings were what distinguished them from one another.

Once Yuden entered his parked car a little further from the cave, he called Rei.

"Your Highness, greetings," Rei spoke. "How did it go?" He asked.

"Not good. I found a monster. Similar to those Gralx but..." Yuden sighed.

"But?" Rei inquired.

"But the men we tracked weren't all there. It seemed like they... just vanished! I only got to eliminate two that were standing guard."

"Vanished? But... How is that possible? And what will you do about that monster? Is it dangerous for us?"

"I don't know. The monster seemed to be blind and deaf. I doubt it will cause us any harm, but we need to get to the bottom of this before the yearly ball," Yuden sighed, placing his phone beside him as he started his car.

"I will try my best."

"Take a few men with you and investigate the cave properly."

"I will work on it right away."

After hanging up the phone, Yuden drove through the rocky roads of the forest, his thoughts swirling with confusion and conflict.

The events in the cavern had left him deeply unsettled. One particular detail replayed in his mind—the strange, almost soft texture of the cave walls.

He recalled how, when he had leaned against them, they had yielded slightly, unlike any rock surface should. Yet, when he had tried to test this oddity by throwing a rock, it had bounced off as if hitting a solid wall.

It was a baffling contradiction that only added to his sense of frustration and bewilderment.

"Was it... really just my illusion?" He wondered.