Monster Age

by GR Griffin

  The air became thin, the wind as cold as the Antarctic. Fleck struggled to breathe. Their skin became riddled with goose bumps. They could literally feel their own body dying.

  Suddenly, a wave of light brushed over Fleck. They breathed deep, their lungs filled with oxygen. The freezing wind turned warm. Fleck opened their eyes, and that is when they saw it.

  Floating islands. Several hovering pieces of land, miles in length and also miles from the Earth. A new world, high in the sky. In the centre stood a gigantic castle, overlooking the separate islands. It was a thing of fairy tales, of fantasy, but there it was, as real as anything.

  It was like falling into the Underground all over again. Fleck knew what they were seeing. Another world. Another adventure.

  The sight of such a magical kingdom filled them with determination.

  Chapter 4: Out of this World

  A new world, high, high above the clouds, them looking like a world of snow and eternal winter down below. It did not seem possible, yet there it was. Fleck looked down at the lands, feeling as free as the birds.

  They could make out the surrounding lands. In the distance, beyond the scope of the castle’s peak, stood a mountain draped in snow, with acers of white trees at its feet like needy children.

  To the left, at the western side, was an island that was half beach and half ocean, sand so pale that it appeared like ivory, clashing against water that looked more suited to a bathtub that the open sea. The ocean poured from the corners of the island and constantly evaporated in the open air.

  To the east, a desolate island of barren, brown rock, yet from up high, Fleck could make out the roofs and smoking chimneys of houses and homes. It must have been a working town since they could make out the black skeletal structures of some kind of factory, a quarry maybe.

  In all, Fleck counted seven islands; the castle island in the centre, surrounded by six others of varying conditions.

  Fleck flew over the islands, drawing closer and closer to the grey stone castle. It was a sight to behold. It took up most of the island it occupied, to call it ‘big’ would have been an understatement. To call it such could likely earn someone a swift execution from the owner. Five towers – four on the corners and the tallest off-centre – added to its height. Light flickered from stained-glass windows, making them glow in luxurious colours. The entire castle had a perimeter of high, solid stone walls. It even had its own moat, except it was not a moat, it was a river; except it was not a river, it was a rapid. A castle guarded by high walls and raging river rapids, good luck to any aspiring invaders out there.

  As Fleck hovered over the wall, they spotted the guards patrolling it, all armed and dangerously protected in heavy, silver armour. The guards peered up at the human above, then began to whisper amongst themselves. They had probably never seen a human in their lives and had heard terrible things about them. In that case, Fleck would need to make a great first impression.

  Fleck began their descent, down toward the slanted roofs – with tiles so deep in red that they looked like they had been paved mere minutes ago, as if to welcome the human’s arrival. There was a flat section that opened up and the human child sloped into it.

  The light was taken away as Fleck dropped down a well of black, darkness cutting deep. They floated in a sea of black for what seemed like forever until they felt the soles of their boots make contact with a hard surface, hopefully the ground. The package had landed, it seemed. In the darkness, all the kid had as any kind of security was the magical bone that Sans had materialised back on Earth. The piece of collagen was cold in their hands.

  So cold, in fact, that it chilled them down to the bone.

  Ba-dum pish!

  Fleck had made a skeleton pun and a lame one at that, Sans and Toriel would be proud of them. The thought of their friends and family also brought some degree of comfort at a time like this, but also dread. Fleck hoped that they were alright and that they were not panicking in the wake of their unforeseen departure.

  Fleck staggered forward in the dark, blind, holding the bone out in front. Its whiteness almost illuminated the way ahead. After a few wary steps, the bone clanked against a solid bar, vibrating a metallic drone through the hollowness. Fleck waved the bone to the right and felt it clatter against four more bars, identical to the first. The human child followed it across for a few steps before they hit a corner. They turned and followed the second wall of bars before hitting another corner. Fleck repeated the process a further two times until they were back to where they started. Metal bars all around. They were in a cage, trapped like an animal.

  Suddenly, a door opened from the oblivion. Light poured in from the open passage, casting long shadows from the bars. From the door, a lanky figure was shrouded in shade. Fleck stared on silently as the shadow took their first steps inwards, each one clapping sharply against smooth stone.

  “My, oh my, is it dark in here,” the shadow spoke with a shrill voice. He adjusted something in his hands then clapped them twice.

  Two sharp claps filled the room with light, revealing everything. Even after spending all that time draped in darkness, the light did not hurt Fleck’s eyes. The first thing they realised was that, on all sides outside the cage, they were surrounded by a line of monsters of all shapes and sizes, male and female. Cats, dogs, bulls, horses, rabbits, fish, tigers, lizards; all outfitted in heavy armour and pointing spears and swords in the human’s direction.

  Fleck turned to the stranger who happened to be another monster, this one with the face of a white rat. His eyes were violet, his hair combed to one side, and his whiskers formed a mustachio that looped twice below his chin. His skinny body was clothed in a loose, umber robe, trimmed with black threads. In his thin arms was a clipboard and a nib.

  The rat monster’s eyes travelled all around the room, to those surrounding the cage. “Excellent work guarding the subject, men. You’ll all receive commendations for this.” His praise was met with silence as if he were not even present.

  Daring to get closer, the white rat leaned down to get a better look at the human. “So, this is what a human looks like up close. How fascinating. I must write this moment down for the records.” He scribbled frantically on the clipboard while whispering to himself, describing Fleck’s appearance, noting the date and time of their arrival, the temperature in the room, the number of guards present, the number of bars comprising the cell, even pointing out the bone that Fleck was holding, which made their grip around it tighten.

  “I believe introductions are in order,” the rat said, pulling away from the board. “I am Rickard, master scribe of Castle Highkeep and of the Outerworld Empire.” While Rickard spoke, the presence of a large threat marched down the hall. Every step was an earthquake, getting nearer. “I feel I must apologise for the crude methods in which were used to bring you here, not to mention contain you. Professor Haze’s technology have never displayed the greatest of tact. Nevertheless, on behalf of the citizens of the Outerworld, I would like to welcome you—”

  “Make it short, Scribe,” a booming voice echoed from the door. A frame of massive proportions eclipsed the light coming from there.

  Scribe Rickard snapped upright. “Without further ado…” He stepped to the side, graciously waving to the brute by the door. “Lord Zeus – Emperor of the Outerworld and successor to the late Emperor Juhi – shall see you now.”

  The brute shuffled his way in, all without tearing the doorframe from its rivets. The two silver eyes of the lion monster locked onto Fleck and refused to let go. His golden crown of hair rustled soundlessly as he took short, slow steps, closing in on his prey. A regal, red suit with gold trimmings – with a black cape, belt, gloves and boots – hugged his body tightly, accentuating his frame of pure muscle. There was not an ounce of fat on him.

  The loyal soldiers all dropped down on one knee while keeping the pointy ends on the human. Master Scribe Rickard went even further: he went down on both knees and slammed the palms of his hands and hi
s forehead on the cold floor. Fleck stood their ground, unmoving, watching as the lion emperor approached. They did not run away, nor could they.

  The second ruler of monsters Fleck had encountered, they remembered vivid memories of meeting King Asgore Dreemurr for the first time. That greeting and this one formed a deep contrast. All of Fleck’s senses were telling them one thing – from the way Emperor Zeus carried himself, from the way he spoke, and how he stared at them with those shiny eyes – this guy was bad news.

  Zeus stopped. He glared at the human as if he had just heard an incredibly sick joke. All Fleck could do from the comfort of their own holding cell was stare back.

  “This is Fleck?” Emperor Zeus hissed out. “This child is the creature they call Fleck? This is the thing my father placed in high regard before he died? This thing’s name was the last thing in which he said? Is this some kind of joke?”

  Rickard crawled up close to the cage and whispered from out the corner of their mouth, “Excuse me, human. It’s customary to bow before the emperor wh—”

  Zeus snapped around. “Be silent, Master Scribe,” he commanded. Rickard instantly shut up and resumed his pose on the floor.

  For all this shmuck and Asgore were rulers – or were rulers at some point – that was where the similarities ended. Within the first minute of meeting King Asgore, Fleck could tell that he was no diabolical villain, he was a friendly and caring guy. Emperor Zeus, on the other hand, was none of those things. Perhaps Fleck was judging too quickly? After all, Undyne started out mean, serious and mysterious, but after some digging around, she showed that she had a softer side. Perhaps this grumpy emperor could become their friend?

  Zeus turned back to Fleck. His head hot and confused. “Creature, you were brought here because you have something that I want.” He pointed at the human’s chest. “Locked away in that soul. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than tearing it out of you, but…”

  If this child was the one his late father spoke of, then he expected something more than that. If this human child held the key to his people’s salvation, then why was he hesitating? Emperor Zeus wanted nothing more than to step inside the cage and take the power of their soul for himself.

  “Promise me…” Emperor Juhi whispered in Zeus’s mind. “You’ll not act out of aggression or vengeance… you’ll only do what’s best for the empire… what’s best for our people.”

  Zeus looked away, clenching his eyes shut, seeing his father dying in his bed. “I… give you my word, father,” Zeus echoed the promise he made.

  Snapping back to reality, he faced the human once more. “Are you truly the thing that they talk about? The thing who escaped the Underground where all others failed?” he questioned. The human child stood there, staring back, clutching the bone in their hands. “Nothing to say?” Further silence followed. “No. You don’t have to say anything. There’s something special about you. I can feel it. Now, the only question is how to proceed…”

  Zeus went to walk out, his heavy stride heavier, yet faster. “Scribe Rickard, I am to be given time to reflect on my options until I can come to a firm conclusion on how to deal with… it.” Zeus glanced back at the human upon saying ‘it’. “And assign the guards to duties elsewhere.”

  The scribe shot a look at his ruler. “Assign the guards, my lord? But the human…”

  “I will not waste manpower guarding that thing, not when a greater threat could appear at any moment. Issue one guard if it will make you feel better.”

  Emperor Zeus heaved himself out the door, the frame survived for another day. Scribe Rickard stood up as did all the others.

  Rickard reached under his robe and pulled out a single key on a hoop. “Okay,” he said to the soldiers, “which one of you wants to do the honours?”

  One guard spoke from the line. “Get Private Perro to do it.” Followed by a unanimous agreement from the rest.

  The guards marched one by one out the door, all except the one who stepped up to the scribe. Private Perro was a hulking, grey and white husky, outfitted in silver armour that made him a bigger presence than he already was, wider than taller.

  Scribe Rickard held the key up to meet Perro’s mouth and said, “Open wide.” The Private opened his maw for the hoop to enter. “Now stay here and guard the human. Good boy.”

  Now it was the scribe’s turn to leave. Only two people stood in the cell room now: Fleck and Private Perro.

  It was almost as if they wanted the human to escape.

  * * *

  Emperor Zeus took a few breaths, choosing his words carefully. “I have encountered the human my father spoke of,” said he.

  “And?”

  “It is not what I expected.”

  “How so?”

  “It is a child. A hideous one, but still a child.”

  “And you are troubled by this. Why?”

  Zeus hesitated. His words formed a dam in his throat. “I promised Dad that I would do only what’s best for my people, but I find myself wondering whether my actions are truly just or if I’m still acting out of hate. I hate humans with every piece of my soul, but is it right to eradicate one child for the sake of thousands?”

  “Were there not children on the day of the great war, my lord? Did thousands of them not suffer the same fate as thousands of others, for reasons less justifiable?”

  Zeus sighed. “Yes, but this is different.”

  “On the contrary, this is more the same than you know.”

  “I don’t understand. Explain yourself.”

  “One human, child or not, has the strength to wipe out an entire monster kingdom. So you see, that human is as much an army as it is a child, an army that could bring unfathomable destruction to this great empire. Them just being—”

  “It,” Zeus interrupted. “That thing is an ‘it’.”

  “Then… it… just being here is a threat to us all. My apologies, my lord.”

  Emperor Zeus paused, allowing the newly gained knowledge to sink in. Something lingered deep down, something that he did not like.

  “Emperor Zeus, now is not the time for hesitation. If this child holds the means in which to free us all from the tyranny of mankind, then there is no easy way around it. Right and wrong have no meaning here, only what must be done for the future of this great empire. You must be as ruthless as those from the war, as those who destroyed families… including your own.”

  Zeus remembered those that he had lost, their lives so easily taken, and for no good reason at all.

  Zeus nodded his head as he rose slowly. “Yes… Yes, you are correct. I know now what must be done.” He bowed his head down. “Thank you for your guidance, Advisor.”

  “It was my pleasure, Emperor.”

  All of a sudden, a guard burst in. “My lord, my lord!”

  Zeus shot the guard a hard stare with bared teeth. “What is it? I’m not to be disturbed when speaking with the advisor.”

  The guard heaved his laboured breath. “My… my deepest apologies, my lord, b-but…” He swallowed hard. The sweat trickled down his armour. “The human has escaped from their cell.”

  * * *

  “…Bone…” Private Perro murmured trancelike. “…Bone… Bone…”

  Fleck held the skeleton piece out between the bars, while whistling in a beckoning manner. The husky edged closer with small steps, eyes mesmerised by the bone. Drool dripped from the key’s head. Private Perro came within inches of the bone. His snout flared, savouring the fresh smell and catching some of the human’s as well.

  Fleck offered to trade him his key for their bone.

  The private snapped back, suddenly looking alert. “Wait, what am I doing? I-I can’t do that… no matter how much I want to.”

  Fleck flashed a devious grin. Taking the bone back, they traced it under their nose and took a long, deep sniff, followed by a sigh of satisfaction. The sweat trickling from Perro was so intense that it fazed through his armour. His muscles trembled from his head to his toes. The hum
an kid opened their mouth and hovered the bone between their pearly whites. The tension was more than the husky guard could bear; the bone was so pure and untouched, nobody could have the first bite except him.

  Private Perro yanked the dribble-covered key from out his mouth. “Okay, you broke me, you broke me!” He inserted the key into the lock, twisted it and then swung the door open. “Just please, please let me have that bone!”

  Fleck pulled the bone away from their gob and hung it loosely beside them. They span in gently, paying close attention to how fixated the husky was to it, then tossed it into the far corner of the cage. While Perro charged for the bone, Fleck ran out the open door. They crashed the barred door shut and twisted the key, spreading husky dribble onto their hands. Private Perro was oblivious to his imprisonment as he sat in the corner and happily sank his teeth into his prize. While Fleck walked toward the door, they dropped the key and wiped their hands on their shorts.

  Poking their shaggy head out, Fleck peeked up and down the hall. Empty. High ceilings and walls decorated with tapestries, coats of arms and suits of armour. All the basics of a medieval castle, apparently. Up and down, a selection of branching hallways and doors to choose from; they stepped carefully to one end and found more hallways and doors, but no windows. There were no candles either, but the place was full of light. Fleck felt as lost as a rat in a maze.

  The human child took the route to their right. The idea being that if they travelled in one direction, eventually they would hit something.

  On the sixth monotonous chute of stone, they stopped, having seen something different. It was a suit of armour, but it was much, much smaller than the ones they had passed or the ones worn by the Emperor’s loyal sentries. This suit was either built for a dwarf or a youngster, with it being no bigger than three-feet-tall. It was dredged with rust and dust, yet it stood straight and dignified. It came complete with a blue and red, triangular shield and the empty gauntlets were clutched around the hilt of a dull broadsword.