by Mark Swaine
“My manners!? You're the one who…”
“Silence child!” warns Yu-Huang. “Kao Lu, you will have no words with this one,” says Yu-Huang.
The troll spitefully ignores Yu-Huang's warning and redirects his attention back to the scrawny pale child.
“What is your name runt?” asks Kao Lu.
“Do not brand me a runt: my name is Xunsu, show some respect,” says Xunsu, confidently.
“She is brave, fearless,” chuckles the troll, nodding in approval to Yu-Huang.
“She is the most promising student I’ve have ever had the pleasure of teaching, even if she is foolish and reckless during the most crucial of times,” says Yu-Huang indirectly.
“Yet she stands by your side, regardless of consequence,” says the troll in Xunsu's favour. “Tell me child, what brings you to my domain?” asks King Kao Lu graciously.
Xunsu awaits her master’s approval to reply to the politely smiling beast, and Yu-Huang eventually gives his consent.
“Master Yu-Huang and I are journeying the trail to the Red Sun Village,” says Xunsu.
“Ahhh the legendary Red Sun village. My kind have always been forbidden from entering the sacred grounds of the Emperor's birthplace,” says Kao Lu, informatively.
“Due to your savage natures and numerous attacks,” replies Yu-Huang.
“Since the dawn of our existence we have been unwelcome amongst the humans, leaving us only the Kunlun mountains to dwell amongst. The mountains belong to us now, ‘tis our domain. ‘Tis here in the mountains where food was most scarce, and your people refused to share your wealth of livestock...”
“...so your father took it upon himself to lead raids and plunder my homeland, and your... people paid for his mistakes,” interjects Yu-Huang. “I can only imagine what state my dear home lies in, knowing how much hatred you harbour towards me and my kind,” says Yu-Huang, presumptuously.
“We have not returned to the Red Sun village, nor do I desire to. ‘Tis exactly as you and my father left it,” corrects King Kao Lu, “why have you returned, Yu-Huang?” asks Kao Lu.
“I am to be trained in the art of Wushu. I am to learn the Thousand Kicks of the Swift,” says Xunsu, boastfully.
“Are you up to the challenge little one?” asks Kao Lu, innocently.
“Yes King Kao Lu,” says Xunsu, unintentionally undermining her master's rule as Emperor.
King Kao Lu bellows a great laugh as Yu-Huang's student acknowledges his regal status and Xunsu looks down sheepishly as she is suddenly aware of her human error. King Kao Lu laughs at Yu-Huang's staid expression for a prolonged period of time while giant tear drops roll from his eyes in silent hysterical laughter.
“One thousand humble graces for your mistaken misplaced loyalty Xunsu,” says Yu-Huang, mordantly.
“Are you finished?!" asks Yu-Huang, growing impatient with his laughter.
King Kao Lu suddenly realises the extent of his bad manners as his laughter slows to a few chuckles. Observing Yu-Huang's lack of joy, he suddenly bursts into another fit of laughter whilst pounding his arm rest with his clenched, four-fingered fist. His second attempt to regain a serious composure is more successful as he stares quietly at Yu-Huang's apprentice. Pointing at her, he looks at the Emperor.
“I like this one,” says Kao Lu, admirably.
“What do you want Kao Lu?” asks Yu-Huang, growing restless in the Troll King's presence.
Kao Lu's face turns just as stern as his enemy's as he sits on his throne. Playfully twisting the handle of his broadsword, he spins the tip of the blade on its ground pointed tip.
“Fewer dragons in these skies of late, wouldn't you agree?” says Kao Lu, cryptically.
Yu-Huang needs not express words to Kao Lu, for his curious expression alone tells the King Troll that he has also noticed the absence of the winged beasts during the celebrations last year. Kao Lu taps his finger on his knee, contemplating the consequences of what he will next reveal to his father's old nemesis.
“We are born enemies you and I. Were it not for more pressing matters that require both our attention, I would slay where you stand for what you did to my people at the Red Sun village,” says Kao Lu, forthrightly.
“"Your father is a tyrant. I will slay as many of your kind as I must to prevent the oppression of my people,” replies Yu-Huang.
King Kao Lu grits his broken yellow teeth and his nostrils flare as plumes of steam escape them. He grips his sword so tightly his knuckles crack, then he breathes deeply and slowly to calm himself.
“You are fortunate, fortunate that we now share an enemy more powerful than the both of us combined. Come with me, I want to show you something. Your cub will remain here. You will want to see this,” says King Kao Lu, seriously.
“Master?” objects Xunsu, nervously.
“Remain here Xunsu. Fear not, they will not harm you,” assures Yu-Huang.
“Rest child, eat,” says Kao Lu, throwing a bloody cow's leg at her feet.
As King Kao Lu leads Yu-Huang to the large courtyard of the palace, he points out various areas of interest.
“Nursery,” says Kao Lu, pointing to a small recreation area.
Yu-Huang looks surprised as he watches packs of female trolls filleting meat from large bones before feeding them to chipped and wobbly gnashers of their chubby, wailing young. Infant trolls laugh as they hurl boulders at one another in play whilst babies crawl through pits of hot coal, the rolling babies appear mesmerised as their chubby four digits attempt to grab the cinders floating around them.
“Training grounds,” says Kao Lu pointing to a group of trolls clumsily attempting Wushu.
“You are training them in the art of Wushu?” asks Yu-Huang strangely.
“What better way to defeat my most sacrosanct opponent than to learn his techniques? Due to the limits of our agility, it will take some time,” says Kao Lu, grimacing as watches an overweight troll attempting to bring his leg over to perform a reverse kick.
“Archive and mausoleum, which you strangely left intact,” says Kao Lu proudly and gratefully.
“You are educating them,” says Yu-Huang, pleasantly surprised.
“As I said, gone are the old ways,” says King Kao Lu.
“Tell me Kao Lu, how is you came to be in possession of the spell that allows you to voice the undiscovered languages. Who passed on such sacred knowledge?” asks Yu-Huang, curiously.
“One who wishes to form an alliance between us,” says Kao Lu, vaguely.
The King troll leads the Emperor outside to a grassy and blood splashed courtyard to the high edge of a pit filled with brown and yellow sludge. Flies swarm above the surface, drawn to the stench and decay of rotting heads and rib cages bobbing halfway above the gaseous boiling festering mess as giant bubbles burst on the surface. Above the pit hangs a troll familiar to Yu-Huang with his hands and feet bound in twines of strong white silk.
“‘Tis your father Yeman Ren, what are you doing to him?” asks Yu-Huang recognising his old enemy.
The massive captive troll recognises Yu-Huang's voice and struggles to break his bonds as he lurches savagely in Yu-Huang's direction. Frothing and snarling, Yeman Ren cannot take his eyes off the divine mortal. Yu-Huang peers into the muddy bog and notices movement in the form of thick waves and occasional splashing.
“I wouldn't get too close. Wouldn't want you falling in now, would we?” says Kao Lu deviously.
Kao Lu blocks any further steps forward with his mammoth-sized muscled forearm, creating a barrier between the bog and the Emperor. Kao Lu notices Yeman Ren becoming more enraged at the sight of Yu-Huang and so signals a guard to release the slack on a stone wheel.
“Lower him in!” bellows Kao Lu.
The gentle splashing of the bog surface halts, as if whatever was lurking underneath that cesspit of rotting, putrid bodily fluids is suddenly aware that another occupant is soon to join them. Wave trails head toward the centre of the pool in all directions as Yeman Ren is lowered in. Yeman Ran
suddenly grunts in protest, all too aware of what will soon be upon him. As the massive hulking troll is lowered into the pool, large slippery smooth black creatures poke their circular flat heads above the surface as curved pronged teeth elongate from their sealed mouths. The slimy, black, yellow striped, obese flat creatures protrude three triangular fangs as they smell the troll’s flesh dipping into the cesspool. Shuddering with excitement, the plump and lengthy parasites coil tightly before sliding onto their generous feed. Feeding time is excruciating for Yeman Ren, for the leeches drain him of his blood to the point of death whilst paralysing his motor functions with their venomous saliva. As the bloodsuckers grow fatter with their yellow stripes glowing luminous with pleasure, Yeman Ren's furious gaze remains locked onto Yu-Huang's face as he twitches from the multiple fangs stabbing into his body.
“Why are you doing this to him?” asks Yu-Huang.
“Because he is not himself. ‘Tis strange, you seem almost…disappointed,” observes Kao Lu.
“I believe in discipline, not torture,” replies Yu-Huang.
“Draining my Father of his blood keeps him weak, prevents him from attacking us, and a select few of your precious humans,” replies Kao Lu.
“How long has he been this way? What damned curse has befallen the might of Yeman Ren?” asks Yu-Huang.
“Ten years ago he allowed an unnamed entity to claim control of his vessel,” says King Kao Lu.
“Yeman Ren allowed another into his vessel, this is most unlike him,” says Yu-Huang,
“You left my Father beaten, broken and shamed in defeat. He led us that day into the deep caves of the mountains just as you had commanded. Many years after his exile, something came to him. This entity vowed to exact revenge on his banisher in return for his vessel, countless times he denied this evil force. This evil worked on my father, draining him of his will. Soon after, he began to act strangely, different, until he could resist the temptations of this entity no longer. He claimed his prayers had been answered. He spoke of a force so strong it bestowed him the power to overthrow your rule and claim ownership of all the realms of earth,” says Kao Lu.
“Why did you defy him? ‘Tis the wish of all trolls to reign supreme is it not?” says Yu-Huang.
“No, all we wanted was to rule over the mountain realm. My father’s actions have already led us to ruin once, yet all under his leadership still stood by him. It was when he became in league with this otherworldly spectre we began to distrust him. The entity had begun to corrupt him, and then he began to speak of its intentions,” says Kao Lu.
“Intentions? What wicked deed had this entity asked of Yeman Ren?” asks Yu-Huang.
“He spoke of a strange task unnecessary to our victory. He spoke of a warrior from a faraway land that must be destroyed, a man that goes by the name… Kamui Li. Do you know of this warrior?” asks King Kao Lu.
“Yes, but I fail to see why such a force would take such lengths to destroy one man,” asks Yu-Huang.
“One day I followed my father to the depths of his place of worship. There I witnessed him conversing with a shadow on the cave wall. A horned shadow with a single red eye. The shadow reached out and touched him and from that day forth, he was not the same. Whoever this Kamui Li is, those of Diyu must desire his death above all else,” says King Kao Lu.
“This demon not once revealed its identity?” asks Yu-Huang.
“No, I never saw the demon again after that day, for it vanished when my presence was heeded due to my clumsy footing,” says King Kao Lu.
“The demon saw you?” asks Yu-Huang.
“Yes, and alerted my father to my presence before commanding him to kill me. He threw me about as if he no longer knew me. As much as I fought, his strength had doubled and was, and still is, incapable of reason. Something... had taken control of his mind. I survived, my mother did not. Were it not for her might and muscle, and the aid of... an assisting friend, I would not be here now. She sacrificed her life so that I may rise up and gather my people to combat this evil as the new King. We seek to overthrow this madness with your divine aid, if you would but seek reason,” says King Kao Lu.
“This form of possession sounds all too familiar, yet I still sense the presence of Yeman Ren raging inside. He is in there somewhere, the question is, why would I aid Yeman Ren when his purpose to destroy me yet remains? Regardless as to whether he is possessed, his need for vengeance against me and the humans he despises so much will never cease to exist,” says Yu-Huang.
“My father made repeated attempts to fight the Darkness within him until it robbed him of all will and fight. During his inner struggle he begged me to take his life and told me he had made a terrible mistake. The demon possessing him refuses to let him die, so we must drain him of his blood twice a day to keep him weak,” says King Kao Lu,
“Why should this matter concern me when all he desires is my death?” asks Yu-Huang.
“The demon within him cares not for the rule of the trolls; ‘tis obsessed with finding and destroying this Kamui Li. Restraining the demon within my father is becoming increasingly difficult. Do you wish for this possessed being to run riot amongst your people?” asks King Kao Lu.
“Do you not?” asks Yu-Huang.
“Not if it brings ruin to our new order. Should you choose not to aid us then your reputation as a merciful being is truly exaggerated,” says King Kao Lu.
“Perhaps,” replies Yu-Huang.
“This entity has anticipated your coming, and has grown stronger; we will not be able to contain him much longer. This dark force has eyes Yu-Huang, has ears, allies within the wilderness, ‘tis an elemental force of evil, maybe even more powerful than you. Yet I sense it fears you, why, I cannot say,” says King Kao Lu, a little arrogantly.
“So you anticipated my arrival,” says Yu-Huang.
“We have been expecting you for many weeks now, and more so than any troll present, Yeman Ren has begged for your arrival, for only you have the power to release him,” concludes King Kao Lu.
Kao Lu signals to the guards to raise Yeman Ren from the swamp. The trolls pull heavy on the wheel, lifting the unconscious former King out of the pit. Four bone-crafted bridges raise from within the depths of the cesspool as guards approach their prisoner with torches. The resilient leeches flap wildly off Yeman Ren, trying their hardest to resist the burning impact of fire upon their smooth greasy skin. Eventually their teeth unhook from their bountiful feed and the trolls kick each one of them back into the cesspool. Kao Lu goes on to inform Yu-Huang that even the leeches had grown in size since feeding of the possessed troll and had even begun to breed in greater numbers making them ideal foodstuffs. Until his trolls began dying as result of Yeman Ren's poisonous infected blood.
“This Kamui Li must survive what horrors lay in wait for him,” adds King Kao Lu,
“Why would you care what happens to Kamui Li, he is no acquaintance of yours?” says Yu-Huang, curiously.
“I care not for this man, but I do not wish a war waged against my people. Should my Father escape and carry out his mission, ‘tis my people that will pay the price. There is a plot against you Yu-Huang, I can sense it. I can feel it in my bones. My Kingdom lies within your great domain, you deal with your end, and I shall deal with mine, a truce, if you will. In exchange for our solitude, from my domain, we will keep the monsters from yours,” says King Kao Lu.
“You are your Father’s son: how can I trust you?" says Yu-Huang.
“Because you and your cub could have been roasting on a spit at this very moment. We are not the cause of this atrocity. We are not Priests. We know not how to exorcise demons and spirits. We are beasts of fist and stone. We know not of your arts in magic and sorcery,” says King Kao Lu.
“Very well Kao Lu, a truce, on one condition,” says Yu-Huang.
“What condition?” asks King Kao Lu.
“You will remain King,” replies Yu-Huang simply.
“That is not a condition,” scoffs King Kao Lu. “I am... King,�
� he adds arrogantly.
“Very well I absolve you and your people of your father's past transgressions. King Kao Lu, let me warn you, it would be unwise to betray me,” says Yu-Huang, looking up at the humble troll.
Kao Lu swallows his pride and simply nods to acknowledge Yu-Huang's warning.
“You say your father struggles to be free of this demon?” asks Yu-Huang, outstretching his hand to Yeman Ren.
“Sometimes the demon tires, allowing my father mere moments to speak,” says King Kao Lu.
“What does he speak of?” asks Yu-Huang.
“He begs only for the mercy of iron's edge to take his life. Many times I ran a blade through his heart. Blades will not sever his head nor pierce his heart. His wounds heal, much to the joy and amusement of the demon inside him,” says King Kao Lu.