Ain’t no Rest for the Wicked

King Springpaw, Chieftain Ambermane, Clan leader Greathide, and Chief Shatterbrow were on flying mounts getting ready to land on Sun & Moon island. Each leader had brought two flying mounts, and a dozen members of the tribe with the exception of King Springpaw. He brought around three dozen of his tribe but like the other three leaders, all the people brought were advisors, aids, and personal servants.

Everyone was slightly on edge because they encountered the voice that greets anyone who enters the area, and were as little concerned about the more threatening parts of the message.

At first the group were unsure of the directions given to them, but eventually they noticed five flying boats that had entered the formation and docked at the pier. Spurring their mounts forward, they circled around a few times before coming in to land. They had noticed how the humans had exited the ships, and entered a nearby building.

As soon as King Springpaw jumped down from his seat, he heard a loud blaring noise for a second before his surroundings went silent. The other three leaders and all the other members of their traveling party saw as the rabbit king get surrounded by a large black sphere, and warning noises continue to sound, "WARNING, A CURSED ARTIFACT IS DETECTED. WARNING, A CURSED ARTIFACT IS DETECTED. CLEAR THE ARE AS THE ARTIFACT WILL BE ISOLATED."

The three leaders and the others drew their weapons to prepare to defend themselves against the coming attack.

"Is This How You Greet Guests?", Ambermane bellowed as he saw more people come out of the building to investigate the noise. After several minutes of silence from the crowds, the small group became distraught as they were thinking how to proceed next when they all heard an amplified voice, "Please calm down my friends, and holster your weapons. We don't mean you harm, but I'm have to inform you that the one captured is carrying a very dangerous cursed artifact on their person. I will show you what you have been traveling with, because that beastkin is not the one you thought he was."

As the crowds parted, Wei Huoran, Minister Xia and Minister Xel made their way towards the dark sphere.

All the beastkin that traveled with the rabbit king placed themselves between the sphere and Huoran, ready to battle for their king's life.

Just as Huoran prepared to suppress the opposition, the dark sphere expanded in size, knocking over many of beastkin trying to defend it.

Huoran shouted at the two Ministers, "It's too late, the stone has taken over and is trying to escape!"

He made a small hand sign, and caused the sphere to become transparent, "Here, why don't you see what has become of your ally or leader."

Inside was a rabbit the size of a normal sized horse, on its forehead was a giant horn, and its mouth housed a row of sharp teeth. The rabbit's body was very muscular, especially its hind legs, and its fur was bone white with pink eyes. It quickly accelerated inside the sphere, directing attacks towards the array imprisoning it using its horn or kicks with its legs. When it saw that the attacks were ineffective, it grew larger again, this time the size of an elephant. The horn on its head grew longer and thicker, and several more smaller horns grew underneath the first. The already muscular body of the rabbit became even stronger but it could seen this was too much for King Springpaw's body to handle. Blood began to seep out of the different offices of the rabbit's face, leaving red streaks staining its white fur.

King Springpaw continued to attack the sphere while everyone watched on. The other three leaders knew about the recent events on their continent, so they began to understand what had happened.

"I am Chieftain Ambermane of the Roaming Plain tribe", the horse lord appealed to Huoran, "Is there anyway you can release our friend?"

"I cannot", Huoran answered, "It's the protection formation of my master that found the cursed Stone of the Rabbit and should I release him, he will attempt to kill us all. He is no longer your friend, but a being possessed by the ghosts of all the prior owners of the stone. If we could have spoken to him before he was possessed, there would have been a chance. Unfortunately, we were too slow."

"Then I will have apologize to your master because I'll have to capture you in exchange for my friend's life", Ambermane said with a determined expression.

Minister Zel and Xia both made hand signs and Ambermane's face fell as a suppressive force covered not only him but the whole group lost all their strength.

"I'm sorry, Cheftian Ambermane", Zel apologized, "I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that."

Xia spoke next, "By the authority granted to us as the Minister of Law Enforcement, you will be given two choices. The first is the option to submit, then you will allowed entry into the island but everyone's cultivation will stay suppressed for the entirety of the visit. The second choice is if you wish to continue to pursue your current action, you will be forced out of the formation and if you try to return, the formation will attack you. How do you wish to proceed?"

Ambermane was thoroughly humiliated as freedom was one of his most important beliefs. If he chose the first, he could stay but he would still be restricted, and if he left, there would be a place in the world he couldn't visit.

"Would my bloodline be suppressed forever?", the horse lord asked.

"No", Xia replied, "as long as you show compliance with the rules and are no longer deemed as hostile, the bloodline suppression will no longer be applied. We have several beastkin that can speak on behalf having suffered similar conditions."

"I would like to stay", Ambermane relented, "What will happen to his body?"

"It will be released to your custody upon your departure", Huoran said, "We wanted to do the same with Chief Ironspurs, but unfortunately the Phoenix blood burned the body to ash."

Huoran looked at the giant rabbit furiously charging the array before adding, "Even though there will be a body this time, it will not be in a good condition once this over."

"What may I call you gentlemen?", Ambermane inquired.

"I am Wei Huoran", Huoran responded, "I am the disciple of the senior who owns this island. This is Minister Xia and Minister Zel of the Law Enforcement Department."

"Daoist Wei", Chief Greathide stepped forth, "Could you please hide the rabbit king again? I don't wish for his last moments to been seen by all like this."

The sphere darkened again and no one was able to peer inside anymore.

"That is a simple and reasonable request", Huoran stated, "I'm sorry we had to meet this way and also that your first visit here resulted in this situation."

Clan leader Shatterbrow stepped forward, "We also are sorry for how the current situation happened. Even though we recognized that our friend had been behaving odd lately, it didn't dawn on us that he was carrying such a dangerous artifact."

Huoran turned towards the crowds watching, "The situation is over, please return to your registration and allow these guests their privacy."

A few hours later, the sphere was dismissed and the bloody and broken body of the rabbit king came into view. Huoran quickly secured the Stone of the Rabbit before allowing his retainers to collect his body and belongings.

Afterwards the three dozen rabbits bowed the the three leaders, and the lead guard announced, "According to tradition, we must return his body to the homeland for the burial ritual. We have to fulfill our duty as this time, and we must leave, please excuse us."

Ambermane, Greathide, and Shatterbrow nodded in understanding, and watched as the rabbits returned to their flying mounts and left. The lines for registration had diminished greatly so Huoran and the three tribes walked over. The two ministers had left earlier to continue their work and had given their farewells at that time.

Once the beastkins entered the building with Huoran, they scanned the room only to see a familiar face.

"Chief Greathide, Chieftain Ambermane, Clan Leader Shatterbrow, Lord Merchant Tan sends his greetings", Xinyue said as he approached the group.

"Excellent timing Merchant Tan", Huoran expressed, "I have some things to deal with and you seem familiar with our new guests here. Can I bother you to guide them through registration?"

"I am already here guiding the entry for my people", Xinyue replied, "It would be an honor to help my friends as well."

"Then it's settled", Huoran smiled, "Please excuse my rudeness gentlemen, I must be going. There will be a big banquet tonight and I invite you to attend."

The three leaders accepted the invitation, and Huoran left to secure the stone in their isolation vault where the Stone of the Rooster was located.

A couple of men walks towards a car with 'Law Enforcement Bureau' displayed prominently on it. When they arrive at the doors of the car, it prompted them to show their identification cards and they complied. After scanning both, the doors popped open and a female voice greeted them, "Enforcer Peng Wei, Enforcer Shao Yun, welcome."

Yun activated the car, set it to the automatic patrol setting, and sat back as the car rose into the air and started moving.

"How is it tonight?", Wei asked as he drank some coffee.

"Same as always when a new group enters for the first time", Yun answered, "No matter how many times people get briefed, there is always those who think they can break the rules and not get caught."

"Bai Yun", Wei called out, "Display all incidents from the last shift."

The female voice replied, "Yes Enforcer Wei."

The screen in the front dash lit up as the entirety of Market Square was displayed. Five red dots appeared onscreen, and Bai Yun began to narrate the report for each one. The pair heard about three attempts to steal products, one case where a man attempted to coerce a woman, and the last case was when one cultivator who tried to kill another in a quiet alley to rob the other's possessions.

"Didn't thousands of cultivators arrive today?", Wei asked, "Why is there only five cases?"

"The are a few reasons", Yun retorted, "You just joined the department not too long ago right? I'll explain then, first, its day time, most of the ones with bad intentions will wait until night before they act. Second, this is unfamiliar territory and they don't know what's valuable or who has what, so they might wait a few days to gather information first. And lastly, not everyone is planning a crime, and when it does happen it will be unintentional situations."

Wei was thinking about Yun's explanation when the screen displayed a new red dot.

"Crime in progress, two male cultivators dueling", Bai Yun announced.

Yun activated the radio, "HQ, this is car zero-one-two. We have a zero-two-seven in progress at Market Square fountain. As the closest to the scene, we are responding."

The radio replied, "HQ copies."

Yun pressed a few buttons and the lights on the car started flashing, siren blared, and the car turned and flew in the direction of the incident.

"Alright rookie, buckle up", Yun laughed, "It's going to be a long night if we are starting this early."