Two Weeks Later
Ulric stood before the assembled council, his expression grave. King Sylas sat at the head of the table, flanked by his closest advisors, Ser Roderick, the captain of the guard, and Duke Theron, representing the noble houses. Also present was Geoffrey, head of the Knights of Wyn, and a host of various kingdom representatives.
"I have gathered you all here to discuss the latest and biggest threat to this kingdom...the parasites," Ulric began, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of his words.
King Sylas leaned forward, his eyes sharp. "What more can you tell us, Ulric? What exactly are we dealing with?"
Ulric took a deep breath. "I'm sure you all have heard some details about the parasites, but I've been tracking and observing them with the Hawk Division for the past two months. The parasites are not like any monster that we have on record. They are coordinated, relentless, and while they aren't the most intelligent creatures, they do learn from their mistakes. Their structure is something like that of an insect colony where different types have different roles in combat, so we have reason to believe that they are led by a queen of some sort. Something or someone has to be creating more of these creatures constantly for them to expand so fast.”
Duke Theron raised his hand to speak. "First off, where did these creatures come from? We don't have any dungeons where they could have spawned.”
“We don't know,” Ulric responded. “We first heard of them two and a half months ago at Silverpine village. They requested aid from the adventurers' guild, but the request was ultimately left unanswered due to lack of pay. It never made sense in the first place considering we don't have any monsters here in Wyn.”
A murmur of concern rippled through the council. Ser Roderick clenched his fists, his voice a low growl. "And now Silverpine is gone. My nephew lived there. What do they do with their victims? What happens to those who are taken?"
Ulric's expression darkened. "Those who are captured are killed and eaten. We have yet to hear about or see any survivors, so anyone captured is presumed to be dead. While they eat almost anything, they seem to have a preference for meat, specifically human meat. We must find a way to stop them before they get a hold of any more people.”
“And how do you suggest we do that, Ulric? What do we know about their weaknesses? How can we get rid of them?" asked Pierre, head of the army's lion division.
Ulric nodded, acknowledging the gravity of the question. "They are vulnerable to heavy weapons and magic that can pierce their shells with ease. However, their sheer numbers, ability to fly, and their burrows make conventional tactics difficult. It's practically impossible to approach them normally like an army would when they reside and travel underground most of the time.”
“Do we know where they are now?” the Duke asked.
“Last we saw, they have holed themselves up in Mount Arden, where we believe that they have killed Arden himself to take control.”
“They killed Arden?” Ulric's words sent a ripple of shock through the room, the name Arden evoking both respect and fear. Arden wasn't just a formidable beast, but also a guardian of the mountain. They had stopped trying to kill him over a decade ago and just let him take cattle to eat as he pleased.
“If they have killed Arden… then our situation is more dire than we thought," Duke Theron finished, his grip on his cane tightening. "If the parasites could bring him down, it means they possess a strength we have vastly underestimated."
King Sylas looked around the table, his expression resolute. "We must act swiftly then and attack as soon-."
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“I would not recommend that,” Geoffrey interrupted.
The entire room went silent as everyone stared at the man who had just cut off the king. As much as anyone would like to say something, they all understood that Geoffrey likely knew more than them all. He was the strongest in the entirety of Wyn, after all.
“What would you recommend then?” the King asked.
“I do not know, but attacking upfront is not the right thing to do. Ulric just mentioned their capabilities and attributes. It would be foolish to send the army to fight them in the mountain that they now call home. Not only would it make a choke point where their numbers advantage can be pressed, but we do not know what lurks inside, or how they may have tailored it to their liking.
Ulric… what is your opinion on the matter?” Geoffrey asked.
“I think we should let the adventurers handle this. Our army is small and trained to fight against humans, not monsters. We shouldn't waste any more manpower and trade lives with these creatures that continue to reproduce nonstop. We need to eradicate them in one swift move, and the adventurers’ job is just that.”
Discussion once again broke out at the proposed optimal plan before the guildmaster himself spoke on what was on everyone's mind.
“Our own guild is far too small. We barely have five capable members. Wyn is the last place monsters would appear. It has never made sense for us to really have a guild aside from it serving as a branch for travelers. Why don't we let the Knights handle this?”
“It is the Knight’s duty to protect the king and the people of Wyn, not hunt monsters. They may take advantage of our absence if we let them. We shall only fight them if the need arises,” Ulric retorted.
“I have a solution,” Duke Theron spoke up. “Let us put out a request for overseas aid for a large-scale raid from other guilds. Adventurers will hop at the chance to make a profit, even if it means doing a bit of travel. I would know; I used to be one. The outsiders will bring an influx of goods in as well.”
“And how do you suppose we pay these adventurers?” the kingdom treasurer cut in. “We don't have the money to just give handouts to dozens of individuals. We are still dealing with the losses from the parasites' attack on the capital. Defense spending has been through the roof since they started roaming the roads. Besides, it will take more than a year to attract enough adventurers willing to come all the way here just for some pay.”
“We can offer them free artifacts in addition to a bit of pay,” King Sylas announced. “Wyn isn't what it once was. We have no need to hoard our enchanted tools and weaponry. There are plenty of low-ranking artifacts in the royal vaults that we could offer.”
“I second the king's proposal,” Ulric said.
The council members exchanged glances, weighing the king's suggestion. After a moment, Geoffrey spoke again.
"I agree with the king's proposal as well. If we can attract skilled adventurers with the promise of artifacts, we stand a better chance of dealing with this threat effectively despite the potential wait.”
Ser Roderick nodded. "It's a sound plan. Any objections?”
The room went silent.
Duke Theron leaned forward, his voice steady. "Very well. Let us put out the call for aid immediately. Time is of the essence."
"Then it's settled. We will draft the request and send it to every adventurer guild we can reach. In the meantime, we need to bolster our defenses, increase patrols along the forest borders, and gather intelligence on their movements."
Ser Roderick added on, "Our troops will be trained to recognize and combat these creatures. We cannot afford to be caught off guard again."
King Sylas looked to Ulric. "You and the Hawk Division will be our eyes and ears. Continue gathering information and report back with any findings. We need to understand our enemy if we are to defend against and ultimately defeat them.”
Ulric bowed his head. "Yes, Your Majesty."
King Sylas stood, signaling the end of the meeting, and the council members rose from their seats to leave.
Ulric lingered for a moment, catching Geoffrey's eye. "How was that?"
Geoffrey nodded. "You did a good job. Winnifred would be proud if she were here. Good luck."
“Thanks,” the young man replied, joining the thrall of people leaving the room.
Ulric knew they had to be ready for whatever horrors awaited them in the depths of Mount Arden. It was why he put so much emphasis on this meeting. If he only knew that the battle against the parasites was just beginning, and that quite frankly, the survival of their kingdom would depend on it.
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Metamorphosis
Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops, usually involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. Some insects, like butterflies, undergo metamorphosis, which is often accompanied by a change of nutrition source or behavior. The length and extent of metamorphosis can vary, where some finish in just a few days, while others take weeks, months, or even years.