Dark Chronicle: Long Live the Queen

Chapter 11: Dragon Season

Upon their arrival at Starlight Canyon, Monica and the Medici family beheld a landscape utterly transformed by the relentless march of time. It was a place reinvented, not solely by nature's whims but through the thread of continuity that human ingenuity had woven into it.

A century earlier, Monica had left behind a wild convocation of canyons, where the capricious rivers and waterfalls were the architects, carving their will into the land. Now, these same elements had sculpted the space anew, their erosive embrace deepening the canyons, expanding the valleys, and crafting new paths where once there were none. The relentless flow had swept away age-old earth to reveal fresh underbellies of stone and mineral, altered tableaus that spoke of the earth's deep history.

The pathways, once mere dirt tracks lining precarious edges, now gleamed with the innovation of the age. Advanced materials — resilient yet kind to the earth beneath them — snaked through the canyons, forming bridges where chasms yawned wide and erecting visitor centres like glass jewels nestled in the embrace of ancient rock. These human-made sinews connected not only the maze of canyons but also yesterday's heritage with tomorrow's promise.

This metamorphosis was not confined to the inert; it rippled through the living tapestry as well. The altered land spoke a different dialect of sustenance and survival, one that the canyon's native flora and fauna had either adapted to or fled from in search of kinder habitats. The grand dance of ecosystems had seen many of its old participants depart, seeking places where the earth and air better suited their needs. Thus, the canyon's menagerie of monsters, once teeming and diverse, had dwindled, leaving for richer lands.

Yet among the departures, the Germon remained, unyielding, stalwarts in the shifting narrative of the canyon. Their persistence had been an unexpected boon to the hunters; without the need to navigate the rivalries of a crowded predator hierarchy, the Germon had become a more accessible quarry, safe from the inter-species skirmishes that once beleaguered those who sought them.

The canyon had endured as an eternal lodestone, pulling at the threads of myriad lives with its transformative power. It stood as a testament to the quiet truth that both nature and humanity were capable of painting upon the same canvas, learning to co-create a masterpiece that balanced the essence of the wild with the touch of civilization.

Lady Medici and Monica divided into two groups as they prepared to venture forth. Monica would lead one team alongside Arnold and her handmaiden, Lisa, while Lady Medici chose to accompany her two eldest sons, Lawrance and Clive. The unspoken preference for her own sons over Arnold was evident as she assigned the queen's protection to him.

Armed with advanced rifles specifically crafted to exploit their enemies' elemental weaknesses, each member of the party carried a potent arsenal capable of turning any encounter in their favour. Monica, however, chose to retain a sword in its holster alongside her firearm, ensuring she was prepared for any eventuality that might arise during their expedition.

While Lady Medici continued to hunt the Germon whenever they spotted them, Monica, Lisa, and Arnold kept their distance.

Arnold engaged in a candid conversation with the Queen. "I must say, your majesty, I'm a little surprised that you would wish for me to join you and not my other brothers."

"Please call me Monica, Arnold," she gently interjected. "And the reason I chose for you to be with me is because you impressed me earlier on the ride here. While Lawrance and Clive may project strength, they are both still apprehensive about falling out of favour with their mother. You, on the other hand, speak your mind without fear."

"But compared to my brothers, I feel like a nobody," Arnold added with a tinge of vulnerability. "Lawrance is training to be a knight and Clive is determined to embark on his path as an entrepreneur. I, on the other hand, lack a clear ambition that could benefit my family. Not that they would approve of it anyway."