Monster King

Chapter 24 - Curses

"That seems to be a common theme around here…" I mumbled. 

My dad chuckled and nodded. 

"That's monster lane for ya. It was a lot worse a while ago though. A time where we could barely hold shops around there." 

"Oh? Was that before you called The Horn?" 

“Y-yeah.” My father stuttered. “The Horns may be a bit difficult, but they do a lot for the district. A lot more than anybody knows.”

Before I could add another word to the topic, my thoughts were quickly whisked away. We left the cover of the woods and stepped out into a huge open yard, WITH A FREAKING CASTLE! The ancient gray bricks looked as if they all had a story to tell for the ages, while the black tattered curtains danced in the wind. Resembling ghouls haunting in the night. There was a moat surrounding the castle and a single pathway toward the front. My jaw hung open.

Dad glanced back at me and snickered.

“Hal tahbi?” He asked.

I turned back to him.

“What?” 

“I asked, do you like it?” 

“Of course! It's a freaking castle!” 

He laughed and walked over to the edge of the moat. Then gestured for me to follow him. Granted, he was my father, and he’s done nothing so far to prove he’d try to kill me. However, the chances are never zero. I carefully walked over to his left side, just out of arm's reach. He didn’t seem to mind the distance though, he just went into his pocket and pulled out a raw chicken wing. Because of course pocket chicken. 

“Check it out.” He said and tossed the chicken at the lake.

The surface of the water bubbled as I saw a shadow approach. Before the chicken was able to hit the water, something shot out after it. My stomach churned and my skin prickled at the sight. A woman's head breached the water! She had long matted raven locks and a golden scaled snake body. Her skin was porcelain and her lips were ruby red. The creature's teeth extended and snathced the chicken from the air, then dove back into the water. Disappearing from sight. I watched the waves that splashed around upon the creaturess descent back down. Accepting that, that thing I saw had to make the water move. So what I just saw had to be real. 

“Was that a Sar-”

“A Sara-hebi? Yes it was, neat right?”

“I’m horrified, yet intrigued.”

“Wanna get a video of it?” He asked with a smile. “I’ve got a couple more things in there.”

There was absolutely no way I was gonna turn this down. So I recorded on my phone while my dad pulled out his oddly infinite amount of raw food from his pocket. I decided that wasn’t one of the things I wanted answers for. After about my twentieth video we started to walk off toward the castle. 

“When you go visit your sister in japan, you can learn a whole lot more about these things and their curses.” My dad said.

“Curses? I asked.

“I don’t really get all of it myself. But your sister has figured out that some of these creatures are by-products of an immense build up of negative energy in a person.”

“Wait, so they're not natural?” 

“From what her research shows, not all of them. However, when a curse fully takes over a person and reproduces, what can we call natural?”

“So..this is like, demon possessions gone wrong?”

He nodded and stopped at his door, with a snap of his fingers the big mahoganee doors screeched open.

“Sounds like you're getting it.”

“So…they're not the same as the curses on us?”

He walked inside and shook his head.

“Asf Kek, but no.” 

He walked into the dark abyss that was his castle and I hurried in after him. However, after only a few steps, everything was just a faint shadow. Torches that were scattered around the room suddenly ignited with a white flame. Illuminating the room, and I can’t say I was, or wasn’t surprised. Posters lined my dad's walls, Star Wars, Led Zeppelin, Hellsing and Chuckie the doll. I looked around for dad and saw him at the left of the room, next to some ancient looking weapons. He removed his hand from the wall and I saw a gold panel underneath his fingers. Did, did this place have electricity? What? 

Dad walked closer to the weapons and kneeled down toward a sickle on the wall. It was golden with Obsidian trimming lining it. He picked it up and held it out in front of him. After a bit of inspecting he walked over to me and held the blade out.

“This is a Khopesh, a mark of my- I mean our homeland.” My father said,

“Are you giving this to me?”

He nodded.

“That monster that attacked you and your mom. It's only weakness is the Telum stone. Which is what this blade is made from. You’ll need it when you enter a guild soon.” 

I reached out and took the handle in my hand. It had rough wrapping around it, but it oddly felt right between my fingers. He let go and my arm dropped a bit, damn, it was kinda heavy! I lifted it up and looked it over. Honestly though, this was one of the coolest things I’ve ever gotten. 

“Thanks dad.” I mumbled and looked back at him.

He had a huge smile plastered on his face. I swear he was gonna cry. My heart started to race and I thought about the picture I made. I chewed on my lip and looked away from him.

“Hey dad, do you mind if, we talk?”