Chapter 23 – Who Is the Monster?

  It took only a single word from Lucian for the entire group to prepare themselves, both mentally and physically. They had not gathered only to relax and take a break; there was a key reason behind this meeting… a preventive reason.

  The atmosphere inside the room changed immediately. Conversations died down, bodies tensed, and everyone present understood that this would not be a light discussion.

  Garbard stepped forward, his brow furrowed and his voice deep.

  —Alright… I will give a summary of the events that have occurred —he said, crossing his arms—.

  // Garbard’s summary //

  The anomalies began when we traveled south, near the coastal territory… where the dividing walls between the forest and the remote cities and villages are separated…

  There were signs of damage that had not been caused by monsters or animals… it was almost as if someone had tested their strength to measure the wall’s resistance…

  At that same time, Kael was kidnapped. The bandits had strict orders to keep him alive, then take him to an unknown location and hand him over to House Termant and the other complicit houses…

  When these plans were dismantled and justice was carried out, resentment grew among some noble houses and others that had supported the judgment.

  At the Termant mansion, incriminating documents were found, classified by us as highly secret… information reserved only for those present… and it indicates that the Sacred Empire may have encouraged this attack.

  Suspicions increase even further because, according to information gathered from Galen’s last journey, the Empire has been trying to investigate in detail certain events that occurred in the Indomitable Forest. Investigator squads have been sent into the forest with an objective that is still unknown, but that could be closely related to the movement of extremely dangerous creatures toward our territory…

  // End of Garbard’s summary //

  A heavy silence settled after his words.

  —It’s not normal that you had to fight a Fire Racatros —said Laret, his arms crossed—, and that, just a few months later, an Earth Racatros nearly reached the city. This is clearly something abnormal.

  —Based on all of this —Garbard continued—, during this past year we have been coordinating and investigating this issue thoroughly. Galen and Lucian have been crucial… now then —he turned his head—, Lucian, what did you find?

  Lucian stepped forward. His expression was serious and tired, like someone who had seen too much in too little time.

  —Alright. As you already know, I spent several months inside the Indomitable Forest, looking for clues that could indicate whether there was something related to these events… —he began.

  // Lucian’s report //

  After a month of searching, I managed to locate an expedition of missionaries from the Sacred Empire. There were advanced-level sacred guards, but no commanders… they were trying to reach the heart of the forest…

  They used a large number of camouflage methods and scents to mislead most beasts; apparently, their only objective was to find something specific…

  With some effort and planning, I managed to make a pack of orcs notice the missionaries’ presence and begin an attack.

  Thanks to that, I was able to infiltrate their camp and steal all the information possible… then I set the place on fire…

  I have all the information here, but as I said before… it is deeply concerning…

  // End of report //

  Garbard took the documents and began to review them carefully. As he went on, his expression grew more tense, darker.

  —It says here that they were investigating the behavior and movement routes of the Teastrar, both humanoid and animal…

  Caria slightly tilted her head, thoughtful.

  —I remember they talked about them in biology classes… but I don’t remember them well —she said, uncertain.

  Liora spoke next, her tone more confident.

  —According to some explorers, the Teastrar are like the guardians of the Indomitable Forest… their magic is pure life type, even stronger than that of the elves. They are responsible for making sure the forest does not expand or shrink… they keep it reforested and keep internal conflicts within the forest under control…

  Lucian slowly nodded.

  —According to the report and what I overheard in conversations between the missionaries, they were looking for a way to interpret the nature of the Teastrar in order to dominate and control them.

  Freya clenched her fists, her face pale.

  —That sounds brutally horrible…

  Laret glanced at her.

  —You say that with more weight than expected.

  Freya raised her gaze, serious.

  —Of course. The Teastrar are vital to the forest. If they are removed or eliminated… we could say that the entire kingdom… no, the entire continent would disappear…

  —Are they really that powerful!? —Ken exclaimed, visibly shaken.

  Enta took a deep breath before speaking.

  —The Teastrar are powerful, but I understand what Lady Freya means… according to ancient stories and the oldest books… when the world was still growing… and the goddess was planting the seeds of her children, that was when the Indomitable Forest appeared…

  An expectant silence filled the room.

  —Not by the grace of the goddess —Enta continued—, but by the force of the corruption of two seeds she had planted…

  —Two…? —Ken murmured.

  —Those two seeds were meant to sprout and create two new species. When they became corrupted, they gave birth to two unique entities… —Enta repeated, his voice heavy with gravity.

  // First Book of Genesis //

  Xenroach was not born: it was produced.

  Its existence is the direct result of a sacred disaster, an impossible error within the divine order. At its origin, there was a Seed of the Goddess, a core of pure life that would normally have shaped a new species. However, this seed —whether due to external intervention, demonic presence, or an imbalance in the world— was corrupted before it could bloom.

  From that total corruption, a single being emerged. Not a race. Not a lineage.

  A living accident: Xenroach.

  Appearance

  Its body is a walking contradiction between divine creation and spiritual decay.

  The base structure appears “designed” to be majestic: a broad torso, an upright posture, wings that in another fate would have been radiant.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  But corruption twisted everything: now its wings are dark, enormous, noisy membranes that seem to be made of solid ash.

  Its four arms —two where they should be and another two formed as an aberrant diversion of energy— represent the collapse of perfect form into useful, but grotesque structures.

  Its head, sharp and crowned with horns that resemble shattered crystal, holds a mouth full of teeth that should never exist in something born of a goddess.

  It is a tall, heavy, silent being, whose shadow is more feared than its actual form.

  Xenroach emanates a contradictory presence:

  There is something ancient and sacred at its core.

  But that glow is buried beneath layers and layers of darkness, as if its soul were trapped under tons of spiritual mud.

  Around it, the air becomes colder and denser. Life avoids drawing near. Even demons feel both repulsion and curiosity when facing it.

  Xenroach is not evil by choice:

  it is evil because its birth was a distortion.

  It does not think like a human or a demon.

  Its mind functions like a broken echo of what would have been a divine spirit:

  It understands concepts such as hierarchy, protection, and territory…

  But it interprets them in a distorted way.

  It speaks little, if it speaks at all.

  Its sounds are cavernous echoes, like fragments of an ancient language that no longer exists.

  Purpose in the story

  As a unique being created by the corruption of a divine seed, Xenroach represents:

  The dark extreme of Creation.

  Living proof that even the work of a goddess can fail.

  A reminder that the corruption of the world can reach even the sacred.

  // End of book //

  Ken swallowed, clearly affected by the reading.

  —Hey… you describe it as if it were an extremely powerful threat —he said, without hiding his unease.

  Laret frowned.

  —But according to what Enta mentioned… there should be another seed.

  Freya slowly nodded.

  —That’s right. There were two seeds —she said firmly—. The second seed was Antalo.

  // Second Book of Genesis //

  Antalo — The Mountain That Breathes

  Antalo is not a monster.

  It is living geography.

  It was born the same way as Xenroach: from a corrupted Seed of the Goddess…

  but in its case, the corruption did not distort a body, but the very concept of scale. The seed was meant to give birth to a majestic race.

  However, corruption made it unstable, chaotic, and overflowing.

  The result was a being whose size surpassed all divine intention.

  Size and presence

  Antalo is as large as a young mountain. Not a hill, not a giant:

  a living mountain range, with a back that could be mistaken for a cliff and a silhouette that blends into the clouds.

  When it moves, the entire world feels it:

  The ground trembles like during an earthquake.

  Birds flee in flocks before its shadow even appears.

  The wind changes direction, as if the air itself avoided touching it.

  Its head, angular and predatory in shape, emerges from the mist like a myth made real. The features of its face are a mix of creature and terrain: cracks that look like scars, fangs that could be mistaken for stalactites, and eyes that shine like beacons in the middle of a storm.

  Its “skin” seems to be made of living rock, layers of thick plates that resemble the earth’s crust itself.

  In some areas, the corruption manifests as masses of dark flesh fused with stone, creating a hybrid appearance between organism and landscape.

  Each exhale from Antalo releases a dense cloud, similar to volcanic vapor.

  And its roar… is not a sound.

  It is a seismic wave.

  Unlike Xenroach, Antalo is almost unknowable. Its mind operates at an extremely slow pace, as if each thought took minutes to form. It does not experience small emotions like anger or fear; only massive impulses, comparable to natural disasters:

  Movement: flattening forests without intent.

  Awakening: triggering avalanches and storms.

  Confusion: causing landslides or environmental chaos.

  Antalo is an event, not a character.

  Its appearance marks critical moments in history, as if the land itself were trying to warn of an imbalance.

  For many peoples, Antalo is:

  A false deity.

  A divine punishment.

  Or a trial that only the strongest world could endure.

  Its monumental size makes it impossible to eliminate by normal means, and its existence is so ancient that even the oldest demons refer to it with superstition.

  // End of Genesis Book 2 //

  Freya slowly closed the imaginary book from which those words seemed to emerge and lifted her gaze toward those present.

  —The Indomitable Forest is not touched by any race, not even by demons —she said solemnly—, because disturbing this forest brings absolutely no benefit to anyone… only destruction.

  Her voice was firm, but beneath it there was something else: respect… and fear.

  —Of course, many believe these are just myths and stories —she continued—, but the facts and evidence are there. The Teastrar do not exist by chance; they keep those almost divine monsters asleep, and their energy strengthens other beasts, ensuring that the forest lives up to its name forever…

  Holley, who had remained silent until now, spoke cautiously.

  —These are supposed to be stories from the Genesis of our world’s creation… but if those beasts existed, how were they sealed…?

  Garbard let out a short, dry laugh.

  —Ha… well, the one who sealed them has a very special name… —he said, looking at everyone with intent.

  Laret and Caria reacted at the same time, their eyes wide open.

  —Kael…? —they said in unison.

  Garbard nodded.

  —That’s right. After years of destruction and pain caused by those beasts, it is said that the Velkas used their power to suppress the two creatures and, with the help of the goddess, they were sealed until this very day.

  The atmosphere grew even heavier.

  —Kael, the Light of the Legacy, was blessed by the goddess —Garbard continued—, and using the power of the fallen, he managed to seal the beasts.

  For several seconds, no one spoke.

  Until finally, Rowan said a single word. His voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade.

  —In short, the Sacred Empire is trying to control the Teastrar for an unknown objective… but it is extremely dangerous, because it could release those two monsters.

  Everyone looked at him at once, expectant, fully aware that a resolution was coming.

  —Alright —Rowan continued—. The plan is ready.

  His tone allowed no argument.

  —This is not something we can resolve in a single day. It will probably take years… many years. We must prepare thoroughly. We are facing a possible global catastrophe.

  Rowan turned his gaze firmly.

  —Lucian!

  Lucian straightened immediately.

  —Your Majesty?

  —Prepare all the shadows —Rowan ordered—. Their mission will be to eliminate every missionary who reaches the Indomitable Forest. They must die as if the forest itself had killed them.

  Some gazes hardened; others looked away.

  —Lord Garbard —Rowan continued—, keep the border at maximum alert. If you need soldiers or resources, we will fully provide them to keep the frontier secure. The stability of Cautares is an absolute priority.

  —At your command, Your Majesty! —Garbard replied without hesitation.

  Rowan took a deep breath before continuing.

  —Everyone present here knows very well that the Sacred Empire did not help during the Great War. Had they participated, many lives would have been saved. Even so, their army is the least of our concerns… the real danger lies in their imperial archbishops, who are on the same level of power as us.

  His gaze turned cold.

  —This is not about preparing an offensive or invading the Empire. For now, we will maintain an appearance of innocence and allow them to interfere with the forest.

  He paused briefly.

  —I deeply hate having to do this, but when the children turn seven years old… they will have completed their citizen rest. After that, we will fully prepare for a possible disaster.

  Rowan turned toward Freya and Liora.

  —Freya, Liora… you will be the personal informants. You must travel to the other three kingdoms to address this matter with the other heroes and the leaders in command.

  —Yes, Your Majesty —both answered in unison.

  —And Galen will be our bridge of information between the Empire and us —Rowan added.

  Freya stepped forward, visibly tense.

  —Rowan! —she said—. I understand the pressure, but please… do not force Galen. I understand Taratios’s needs, but he is also your friend, your companion… and my husband. If he makes even a single mistake, they could kill him.

  Rowan held her gaze for several seconds.

  —I understand your concern —he finally replied—. The moment the situation becomes too dangerous, I will declare him dead so they cannot search for him. I will not allow our friend to be harmed by this…

  His words were not cold… they were a harsh promise, made from responsibility.

  And so, plans and projects began to take shape in the face of a new and possible threat that could manifest in a not-so-distant future…

  Silence once again took over the room, heavy and dense, as if every spoken word had left an invisible mark in the air. No one spoke right away. There was no need to.

  The magnitude of what had been laid out was far too great to be answered with a simple phrase.

  Everyone present understood that this was not an immediate threat… but a long-term sentence.

  Years of preparation.

  Years of vigilance.

  Years of walking on a tightrope, hoping the world would not break too soon.

  Rowan remained standing, his gaze firm and fatigue visible in his eyes. It was not physical exhaustion, but the weariness of someone carrying decisions capable of condemning or saving entire continents.

  No one questioned his orders.

  No one asked for clarification.

  Because they all knew that, from that moment on, it was no longer a matter of whether the danger existed… but when it would decide to awaken.

  And so, while the children still rested, unaware of the weight of the world, the adults began to move invisible pieces, preparing the kingdom for a threat that did not roar, did not march, did not declare war…

  But that, if ever released, would not distinguish between guilty and innocent.

  The Indomitable Forest would continue to breathe.

  The Teastrar would continue to watch.

  And the shadows would begin to move, silent, among roots and leaves.

  Because when gods fail…

  it is mortals who must bear the consequences.