"I fear the nights in this forest, more than my nightmares.
"Grandpa's words has definitely caused this; He had always said beasts dwells in the darkness of each parts of the shadows, he made these words clear by burning a yellow petal from an unknown flower, each time we were about sleeping. He always said, 'This would keep the darkness away.'.
"He also reminded me to always talk to myself each time I'm alone walking through the shadows of an unfamiliar path. Again, he would say, 'When you speak to yourself, the shadows would be confused about who exactly you're having a conversation with. If they don't see anyone beside or near you, then, surely, they wouldn't attack you, for the one you speak to, to be invisible even before their eyes, must be powerful enough.' And with that, you're safe.
"Crazy isn't it?." Valtor let out a weak laugh as he pushed pass the Snow.
The evening sun had long set, giving way to the silver moon which served as not only a natural torch, illuminating the snowy paths, but also a timekeeping to be able to know for sure when it would be next day.
The race had come to a stop, with slow strides his option for a walk.
What happened earlier didn't feel real, or rather still, not easy to understand or comprehend.
The entire villagers killed by what he didn't know of. The cottage burning, the entire incident felt like a scene out of a theater drama.
Unfortunately, this scene was reality.
Valtor stopped to take a rest, sliding down the trunk of a large tree, which had snow covering it branches, with an owl hooting endlessly while sitting on it.
Ever since, the winter's weather had been nicely calming. A soft wind blowing through, reducing the effect of a freezing cold, giving a closer feeling of fresh breeze during the summer time.
Apart from the weather, there was something else; Quietness.
Exception of the hooting owl, the cool night was quiet, seemingly mourning the dead, something Valtor found peaceful.
He rubbed the back of his palm on his forehead, at the same time, dusting down some snowflakes off his hair, when suddenly he felt a wiggle in his pocket.
He jumped up from the Snow, as this movement continued. And out of reflex, he dipped his hands into the pocket, throwing out the item his grandfather had given to him; the one which wiggled against the cloth.
Close by was a long stick, and Valtor decided to use this as an instrument of poking.
"What the heck is that?" He whispered, using the thin edge of the stick to remove off the cloth.
Carefully studying the wiggling stop, Valtor cautiously took a step forward, his head stretching out to see whatever that strange thing be.
And when he had thought strange, it came out as strange.
Two tiny arms and legs, not even a inch long stretched out of a bright blue blob body, which had large eyes, wide enough to fit its entire two inch height.
The creature stretched out, like a lazy child, twisting its body to every possible direction.
Valtor watched this with horror, intrigue and shock. "What are you?" He asked the creature, which dramatically turned to face him and started crawling forward.
Out of an ordinary motion, Valtor took a step back and the creature stopped. Blinked for two seconds, then, started crawling forward again.
One thing for sure, Valtor took a lot of steps backwards before his body came in contact with the tree trunk, and the creature paused for a moment, blinked again and continued crawling, dragging its body against the Snow until it reached where he stood horrified.
"Mama?"
Valtor raised a brow when the creature spoke, its voice as innocent as a new born child. "No! What? Wait! What?..." He asked out of shock, as the creature bent its blob body to see Valtor's reaction.
"Mama!" It reproduced those 'uncomfortable-to-the-sight' tiny limbs, which hugged Valtor's leg.
"No! I'm not your mother—. erm, Mama! What exactly are you!"
The creature blinked again, not letting go, and suddenly replied, "I'm the first being created from the Divine Ancient god, during the first creation of the one. My Kind was eradicated out of existence, from the heavens during the hundred days war against Chaos, who is now locked in the Divine lock to maintain the universe balance. I only survived, but my life force was almost depleted. Supreme god Mian shared some of his pure 'Ni' energy into me, and, gave me to Burnwood as a gift of loyalty and perseverance, but after his death, I'm now your guild throughout your journey as The Fifth Monarch!."
"WHAT THE HECK DID YOU JUST SAY?" Valtor bent his torso down, to face the creature who again blinked,
"Mama?."
At this moment, Valtor knew exactly what was wrong; his sanity.
He picked up the creature from his leg, up on his shoulder, "Yeah, I'm hallucinating! So much has happened, so little explained, I'm now seeing and hearing things!.."
"No Valtor Burnwood, you are not! You just don't understand that's why you think that much," The creature again said, "Don't worry! You would understand fully well when you meet with Master Gap at the Capital!."
Valtor eyes moved to see the creature clearly speaking on his shoulder, "Okay? When would we get to the capital?"
"Approximately a thousand sluggish steps of your human legs would get us to where you desire!"
Valtor pinched the bridge of his nose. If he wasn't seeing things, or hearing all all, then it would be a terminal illness. An illness which happens to affect the mind after trauma.
He nodded to this thoughts, "Yes! Exactly! I'll just continue with the drama!," He again turned to the creature, "Oh Divine talking blob, what is your name?"
"Mama?."
"Okay, I'm really—"
"I do not really have a name! What would you name me."
Valtor rubbed through his eyes. There was something he noticed about this creature. It answers any questions, so far so good, it speaks the word, 'Mama!' in-between.
This wasn't actually Why tho, but a false thinking crafted by his head.
The blob creature, did understand his words but the reason to its words, 'MaMa,' would be clearly seen as a way to process the environment and take in understanding of a previous question asked— it's a divine creature by the way, with a vast understanding of all the words spoken by the living and the dead.
Valtor however never knew this, his understanding of all which is happening is more like a grain of salt in a large beaker.
"Hmmm, a name? A name...." Valtor rubbed his chin. "What about blue?"
The blob creature's eyes slowly narrowed, it had a dismissive look.
"Okay! You don't like that name?" Valtor picked himself up and continued walking, if a thousand steps would take him to the capital, then, it better starts counting now. "What about bluey?"
The blob creature's eyes rolled in sarcasm.
A nervous bead of sweat rolled down Valtor's face. The creature really had an attitude.
"Oh! I get it now!" Valtor snapped his finger, "I'm not good with names, then what about I call you something which fits your physique?..."
The creature eyes went wide, "Mama?"
"Blobby?!"
"Valtor I take to my understanding your vast knowledge of naming is ineffective to your current state," The creature said, not giving Valtor a time to speak, "But I shall proceed to accepting the name, Blobby! We're on a path beyond another, and a simple name would be necessary for the journey ahead."
---(That same time, back in the Village)---
The sword dug into the snow, its bandaged hilt firm in his grasp as he pulled himself upright. His fingers tightened, the cold metal pressing into his palm.
The night was bitter, the air sharp, but nothing compared to what lay behind him.
Ruins. Broken homes. Lives erased in a single, merciless strike.
He cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders, shaking off the weight of battle like it was nothing more than an inconvenience.
"Tch… That was supposed to kill me?," His voice sounded low with a mix of amusement, like he'd just heard a joke only he understood.
He turned slowly, looking at the village—or what was left of it.
Buried. Gone.
He exhaled, watching his breath curl into the cold air.
"So let me guess? I'll have to make another sacrifice. What a drag."
He pushed himself fully upright, dusting the snow off his coat like he was brushing off a bad memory.
"The boy is in the capital. Probably going to take the Divine Academy entrance exam."
His expression barely shifted, but there was something in his tone—something unreadable, something deep.
"I should be the one teaching him, showing him how to control it. But no. His grandfather made sure I wouldn't."
A scoff, followed by a shake of his head.
"Fine. His choice. Now I've got to blend in with mortals."
The thought almost made him laugh.
"I could find him if I wanted to. But that damn Blob is with him. And even I know better than to try outsmarting a Blob creature. Annoying! If it was a dragon, it could have been easier!."
He sighed, running a hand through his black hair, pushing it back from his face.
"But, I guess, the sacrifice wasn't a waste."
His eyes flicked back to the ruins, to the mass grave that had once been a village.
"I can feel it! Their souls aren't gone yet. Two hundred should be enough for the first ritual."
And then—his voice dropped, softer, sharper, dripping with power.
"Awaken. Serve. Obey. Return from the abyss, Forsaken ones. You won't rest yet. Your souls belong to me."
The area shifted.
A sudden, sharp cry tore through the silence—the sound of something unnatural waking from death.
Soon, the screaming souls lifted up from the buried village, only to be twisted, in a weaving manner, spiraled through the air, pulled toward his blade, sinking into the steel like blood into water.
He gripped the sword tighter, rolling his shoulders, letting the energy settle into him.
Then, as if stating a simple fact, he said—
"Where I stand, no god can challenge me."
And after a beat—
"I am the First Monarch—rival to the gods! And I would gladly sacrifice my last life force to see the heavens crumble to destruction. I would partake in the end of the universe, and shed my last breath until nothing remains...
"But, that would be all after I find the boy."
He turned, leaving behind nothing but silence, stepping forward like he already owned whatever came next.