Chapter 131 - Ancient Beasts

Flesh was being ripped from limb to limb by two fierce competitors. Neither willing to back down even if they were both to meet their ends the very next moment.

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

Two beasts battled for domination over the same territory.

Territory was power, territory was respected, and in a world where Ancient Beasts stronger than yourself exists, power and respect are the only ways to live a little longer.

The two beasts were equally severely injured from the battle, but they knew to never let their guard down or the next bottom feeder who shows up will have the overall victory.

Can't work hard for the benefit of others in such a cruel world.

One of the beasts was Grendel, the beast of Hrothgar, or at least that's what it will be known as in the future.

The creature was as ugly as they come, but still quite beautiful in comparison to the other monstrosities that roamed the world in these times.

The next beast became known as The Legendary Nian, the full body of a bull but the head of a lion, fierce beyond any other of its ancient brethren – but fierceness does not translate to unbeatable.

As the battle was drawing to an end, The Nian and Grendel turn their eyes towards the skies as the crimson star once again flashed over the Earth.

This had become a new occurrence in the evolution of the Earth as if the Planet, itself, had grown tired of the Ancient Beasts.

The Crimson star weakened them more and more every night, the majority of the ancient beasts were forced into slumber deep beneath the Earth.

The Ancient Beasts were intelligent and had lifespans as long as the moons and stars in the night skies.

Amongst the Ancient Beasts were ten kings, those who held sway over the entire Earth – each owned a part of the whole that made up the entirety of the Earth.

The Ancient Beasts knew the crimson star could not shine over the Earth for all eternity, so the Kings came together and made a choice as one body – a body that could never disagree.

The Grendel, The Dragon, The Nian, The Naga, The Piasa, The Cipactli, The Griffin, The White Tiger, The Phoenix, and The Gigantape.

Each a King of their own territory, each came to the same decision – 'We should slumber beneath the Earth, and when the Crimson star fades from the surface of the Earth, we will make our appearance once more.

The Gigantapes were not weakened by the Crimson Star so they will roam the Earth in our absence, and wake us when the crimson star has passed'.

With that infallible agreement, the Kings each took their respective Kingdoms to slumber deep beneath the Earth.

Their only way out was points of convergence that later faded into obscurity, only one outlet remained – Skull Island.

The Gigantapes reigned king over the island for thousands of years until the crimson star finally left the Earth.

But by the time the crimson star had left, The Gigantapes had a change of heart in favor of the species that now ruled the world – The Humans.

The Last King of the Gigantapes knew that should the other Kings ever wake up, the humans who now roamed the Earth would die in great numbers.

Chaos will once again reign over the Earth, and chaos was what summoned the Crimson Star in the first place.

The King of the Gigantapes made a difficult decision, he severed the strongest aspect of their bloodline – their height. The king suppressed their heritage and gave birth to a son that would sire a completely new tribe – The Kong Tribe.

With the Kong Tribe being the next generation of kings, the Gigantapes slumbered beneath the Earth, intent on letting nature naturally choose when they should awaken, if ever they should once more.

The Ancient Beasts became stories, these stories became warning amongst the human tribes, these warnings became jokes, the jokes became legends, the legends became myths, and the myths faded into obscurity.

But Humans had a tendency to bring about their own downfall by waking sleeping giants.

The myths continued to be passed down amongst the greater of the human tribes. These tribes came villages, then towns, then enormous cities.

Human society became infinitely more complex, and with that complexity came the notion that 'seeing is believing'.

Myths became adventures that were sought after by the more daring of the human race. Amongst these myths, one shined brighter than all others – the borderline between what was real, and what could be proven.

Legends tell of an uncharted island in the South Pacific. During the dawn of technology, every part of the Earth was mapped and recorded. Man needed to know where their territories end, and where others began.

This Skull Island had defied discovery for many years, A feat not easy to do in a technological era.

It seemed to be cloaked by energies not known to man as yet, but even if you don't know about something – strange was strange wherever you venture.

Many civilizations spoke of it in legends - Skull Island. The land where Ancient Beasts and Kings of old, slumber in wait for a period of prosperity.

The legends had been passed down since time immemorial, to whom does the Earth belong? There were many answers but none that did not reference Skull Island in some way, shape, or form.

The land where God did not finish creation. It was notorious for the many ships and planes that have gone missing there.

Not unlike the Bermuda Triangle that was once home to the Kraken itself. As are many locations that once defied understanding – locations where the Kings once reigned and looked over their vast lands.

Humans tend to poke their noses into matters they do not fully understand, so when seismic sciences were invented – a new question was asked.

While we rule everything above the Earth – the skies, space, the surface… What reigns below the Earth where we have yet to venture?

With this question came new technology to map the Earth below. The Ancient Beasts were robbed of their Energy by the Crimson Star, but should their slumber be interrupted, they would still awake albeit not for long.

However, should a large enough power surge be caused… All Ancient Beasts may awake from below the depths of the Earth. Ready and longing to reclaim the Earth they once owned.