Mission 1 - Human Eyed Monster
Being accepted into the Ruler's apprentice group was a great honor for me. To you, it was practically guaranteed. After the first time we met we went our separate ways. I had never seen you since, until one day.
We were standing in the grand foyer of the Ruler's Palace as she gave us a speech about how we were to eventually be the Ruler's Dependents. Protagonists who were considered to be loyal, faithful and famous. This was the first year that the Ruler had allowed for commoners to audition for the Dependents. Standing amongst such great protagonists made my palms sweat and my heart beat fast. At this point, I hadn't even noticed that you were in the room. The Ruler looked stunning in her dark blue ball gown, her white hair falling straight to her waist. I had always been jealous of the ruler, not because of her looks, but because of the way that everyone looked up at her.
"Today is the day," spoke the Ruler in a deep but graceful tone, "that the Dependents shall be initiated." The room fell silent with anticipation, as if we were all absorbing the words she spoke. The she continued, "I shall pair you into partners. Your partner will be your company until the day you leave the Dependents. If you leave your partner, you leave us." Jaws dropped, including my own. Surely we should have expected something like this, but no one was the wiser. I did not look over to the others, instead I looked the Ruler right in the eye, and pretended that I didn't care. "You will be sent into the wilderness for one day. During that day you will find a monster, kill it, and return its head to me." The Ruler spoke with no emotion, she was a lady of business and I excepted that. If I was going to work for her, I would have to be strictly business too. After that she went through our group of 6 apprentices and chose partners.
If you guessed that I would be partnered with you, you're right.
A few hours later, all of us Junior Dependents were in the kingdoms forest looking for monsters to slay. Monsters in our kingdom could be anything, more species where being created everyday. In a world of protagonists there had to be enough antagonists to go around. Monsters where usually the cause of our problems, but they were also the reason why we were famous.
"Where do you want to look first?" I asked noticing your best feature. "Why don't we just stick with the group, that way are odds will be better when it comes to slaying it." you replied boredly. I shrugged and went along with your idea because i had never been one to argue. So, we did as you said and continued on with the group.
As the sky began to fall into a green colour (The colour of our sunset) everyone in the group began to get annoyed. Surely there were supposed to be more monsters in the woods. Maybe some had been called back, due to failure in performance. Just as we were going to head back, as disappointments to the leader, I noticed something. It was very unlikely that what I thought I saw was real, but my eyes rarely ever fooled me. I looked over to you to see if you noticed it too, and you did. Your look told me to go, to get the monster while it was unaware of our knowledge. At the same moment we sprung into action, pulling out hidden weapons and running straight towards the smallest and weakest of the apprentices. The girl let out a blood curdling scream, sending all of the other apprentices into a frenzy. The were unaware about what we were doing and they thought that protecting the girl was the best thing to do, they were wrong. Before my eyes could focus the girl was transforming. Growing, changing, developing unnatural body parts. Her nails had grown 2 feet, her hair had fallen out, her face had deformed into something I had never seen before and the worst part was that she was on top of me, positioning her arm in such a way that she could cut my head of with a single swipe of her deadly, black nails. I stayed quiet, hoping that the monster might be merciful, or that one of the apprentices could save me. Guess who saved me, you. You had skillfully beheaded the monster without killing me in the process. Although I had to prevent myself from getting sick because the head of the creature lay on my chest, leaking a blue goo that would definitely stain my jacket. The memory of the monsters human eyes would leave an image in my mind that I would not soon forget
Once we returned to the castle the Ruler entered the castle foyer. Again, she showed no expression, no pride, no shock, nothing. Holding the monster's head high between your gloves, you keeled down at the Rulers feet. "You have failed." Stated the Ruler. The groups faces fell flat, confused. Then I spoke, "But Ruler, we slayed the monster, and brought you its head." She replied, "Ah, but you did not do it within one days time." And she was right, we had returned just after midnight, making it officially the next day. We had all been foolish to overlook something so simple, but I was still proud with what we had accomplished and by the look on your face I knew you were too.
~ Not Not Knot