The Sanctuary (1)

*Bonk!*

At the moment where I got distracted, I rammed into something hard that appeared wasn´t there a few moments.

"I think that is enough you two," spoke a calm voice in front of me.

Still a little dazed from the collision I looked up to see a humanoid being with leaves and branches all over his body. He even has leaves and vines wrapped around his body, forming a long robe, leaving his long wooden face and fingers bare, and making his glowing green eyes shine.

I didn´t know if this one was another monster or some kind of demi-human.

*Sigh*

"I think a round of disciplinary, is necessary again, for the both of you," spoke the humanoid being.

"What no no no no! Why should I be punished for this idiot's doing?" complained the cabbage monster while the leaves on her body franticly swayed.

"Ha, you call me an idiot? If you have just let me do my thing we wouldn´t be in such a position!" hissed the bush monster at her.

"ENOUGH! Both of you, go back for now. I will deal with you two later," spoke the man before turning back towards me.

"You surely must be confused," he paused for a second as his eyes glowed up before finishing his sentence, "Raas."

My eyes widen in shock, 'How does he know my name?!'

Seeing my shook expression covering his mouth with his sleeve while chuckling.

"This trick works every time."

I look at him in wariness and retreated a little bit.

"Ehem, I will answer all your questions in a short while, but first let us get you cleaned up and introduced to the others." said the man while walking deeper into the cave.

Having no other solution as to follow him I reluctantly slithered a few steps behind him.

The deeper we went the more vegetation I saw, till it eventually became a dense forest.

Walking through the undergrowth was a pain, especially when he is turning every few seconds and jumping across ravines where a ragging current is waiting. I don´t know how the plant dude manages to navigate through the dense trees and bushes, but I am pretty sure he isn´t aimlessly leading me around... right?

Just as I was about to complain to him, or hiss at him, he stopped.

"And here we are!" said the leaf man in a proud manner.

Slithering beside him my jaw fell open.

Standing on the edge of a cliff I looked down to see a massive clearing with a river running through it. But what stood out the most are the many small huts, nests, and even houses that littered around. Dozens of different types of monsters interact and live together, making it look like a small buzzing town. The space was so large that it could easily be a small town. On the edges of the giant cave that we are in are giant tunnels where a constant stream of monsters go in and out.

'Is- is this a monster city?'

Turning around the leaf man smiled while opening his arms wide "Welcome to The Sanctuary!"

I knew that monsters could be very intelligent, even reaching a human level of intelligence or surpassing them even, but I never knew they were social enough to build a whole town inside a cave that is inside a dungeon with so many diverse monsters. Well, it can also be somewhere completely different, as I have no idea where I am thanks to this monolith guy that teleported me.

"Enough with the starring, let us go now," said the leaf being, breaking me out of my thoughts. "Oh, I nearly forgot."

Putting two fingers inside his mouth and whistled. Hearing a high-pitched sound that was barely hearable coming from the distance I looked up to see a giant black bat flying at us at an incredible speed.

Landing in front of us it slightly tilted its head before a young child's voice sounded, "You called?"

Yup, my brain long stoped working after seeing the two plant monsters speaking. So I just took everything in as it was.

"Yes, we have another newcomer that Metalkill brought back. Carry him to the queen, she will surely like to talk to this one here."

"Ohhh, is he something special?" asked the giant bat with curiosity.

"You will know that soon enough, now go," said the leaf being and hushed the bad before turning back towards me, "I will see you later."

'What queen? Meeting her? Why would she want me to me- AHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

In the middle of my thoughts, the giant black bat grabbed me and lifted me off the ground.

Wrapping my tail tighter around the bat´s legs I looked down, seeing a few monsters curiously looking up at me I felt like prey being transported back to the hunter's nest before being eaten.

Flying towards a big stone castle that is situated in the middle of the town I gulped. 'This looks like an evil villain's lair....'

But as we got closer another problem arose, the bat wasn´t slowing down...

'Emm, aren´t you going to slow down...?' thought I as I looked at the bat.

...

'Nope doesn't look like it...'

...

'Okay, now it´s really time to slow down dude...' but as I couldn´t speak I just tightened my grip and hissed at him.

"Stop complaining we are almost there!"

'THIS IDIOT!' thought I as I bit him.

"Ouch, stop bitting me!" said the bat while looking down at me and not in front as he should while flying.

'Lookout! Lookout!' cried I.

"Heh? Oh, this is going to hurt he he he..." said the bat with a dry laugh.

*CRASH*

*BOOM!*

Crashing through the stone walls of the castle and being buried in debris I quickly wiggled out.

'Argh, this fucking idiot! Luckily I used harden just in time.' thought I while rubbing my head.

"Haaa~ not again. this is the third time this week..." spoke an elegant female voice in annoyance.

Turning my head to the voice, I was entranced by the view.

A beautiful woman sitting on a black and white throne. She had pitch-black irises with an enchanting purple gem-like eye and smooth black flowing hair that almost reached the ground. Her ashen white skin coupled with her slender, but plump figure made me gulp unconsciously. On her head were two long draconic horns that curled back while black and purple scales ran across her body, that barely hid her private parts, and a long scaled tail swaying next to her.

But despite her otherworldly good looks, she emitted an aura of royalty and pure might.

I didn´t dare to stare at her for too long and I immediately looked at the ground as if my instincts were telling me that I would get killed when I look at her for too long.

"Ugh, my head hurts..." grumbled the bat, not knowing in what situation he is in currently.

Shaking his head he looked up to see the woman on the throne before pailing. "Oh shit, I did it again!" gasped the bat in panic. "Time to flee!"

Flapping its wings it tried to fly out of the throne room but got covered in a black mist before disappearing.

"Hopefully this will teach him a lesson... So what do we have here?" said the elegant woman.

'Holy smokes, did she just kill him like that?' thought Raas as he flinched back when the horned woman looked at him with her purple eyes.

"Oh my, what a rare and cute monster you are and you are still so young, but already went through so much!" said the woman with a gasp at the last part.

'What does she mean by rare and cute monster and how does she know what I went through?'

"Hmm, you still haven´t gained the "Monster Communication" skill..."

She stood up from her seat and elegantly went towards Raas and tapped his forehead.

Raas didn´t move an inch as she closed in, well he couldn´t move a muscle when the woman looked at him.

*Ding*

[You received the skill "Monster Communication"!]

"You should be able to speak now with your thoughts alone." said the horned woman standing in front of me.

"Thank you, your highness..." my eyes widen as I for the first time heard my own voice. Well, it was a much younger childish voice, but nonetheless, I am very happy to finally being able to speak again. "Wow, it worked! Hahaha, I can finally speak now."

"Oh my, aren´t you a polite one, and what a cute voice, fufufufu~" laughed the queen in amusement. "But now that you can finally speak tell me your name and race."

"Ehem, yes, I am called Raas and I am a Menacing grey youngling serpent."

Hearing my answer the queen fell into silence, while mumbling, "Hmm, that can´t be right, but he is telling the truth... Well, anyway, I am Shandra the leader and queen of this small Sanctuary. I am sorry if my subordinates have kidnaped you out of nowhere, so let me give you something to compensate for the troubles I have caused. This may sting a little bit~" warned the gorgeous horned woman.

Taping my forehead again a blue hue surrounded me.

*Ding*

[You received shadow dragons' blessing!]

Feeling a slight sting on my right eye I winced a little.

"Wait she is a shadow dragon!?" said I out loud in shock as I looked at the notification.

"Fufufufu, yes I am, this is merely a form I took as it is more practical to interact with others in this form."

"Ah I see... so what does this blessing do?"

"That is a secret~"

...

"Ah! Can I leave now, I am in a hurry! I have to find someone!" said I a little bit louder than necessary.

"Hmmm? Who are you searching for? Maybe I can help you with that." said the shadow dragon while tilting her head cutely.

Seeing her wanting to help me a light shined in my eyes, "A Singing Stone type Sand, her name is Sahra!"

"Oh my, so you are the one that named her." wondered the dragon to herself, before showing a beautiful smile, "You are in luck Raas. She was just brought in yesterday and is in the Sanctuary."

My mood sored through the roof when I heard that, it was as if a stone was lifted from my shoulders.

Closing her eyes for a second she explained, "But it seems like she is currently outside searching for you. I will let send someone to call her back and let her know that you are here, in the meantime enjoy your stay here~"

"Yes, and thanks to you very much your highness!" said I with a beaming smile.

Smiling back she snapped her finger before two black mist-like creatures appeared next to her. "Go and search for Sahra the Singing Stone type sand and tell her Raas is in the Sanctuary."

"Yes, my queen." said one of the black smoke monster with a distorted voice

"And you, lead Raas out of the castle," said the queen, before the other one bowed, "Yes, my queen."

I thanked her again and followed the mist monster outside the castle. The castle was well decorated, not overly fancy, and with gold everywhere, but still more than what I expected from a dragon's castle. To my surprise, the monster that is leading me out of the castle is named Seba, and is very talkative. It told me how he was brought in the Sanctuary and his adventures or more like his struggles in the deeper floors of the dungeon.

I said goodbye and promised him to go visit him someday.

In front of the gate of the castle, the leaf man was waiting for me and waved at me. "It looks like your talk with the queen went smoothly."

"Yes, it went very well!" said I with a smile.

"Hoh, you sound younger than I thought... Anyway, let me show you around the place." said the leaf man as he smiled back.

___________

An: As promised, here is your Chapter, and it´s ~2000 words long, as an apology.