Ascent of the Beast King

A Stranger Arrives in the Capital

Jershuin was a country which spanned the whole of a continent. It consisted of nine provinces, four outer, four inner, and one central province which held the capital of Jing. Night had fallen and the city was deathly quiet, if one looked closely enough they would see a mass of soldiers patrolling the labyrinthine maze of streets, like ants in a termite nest. There were no other signs of life, the city was not sleeping, it didn't even appear to have a pulse.

A lone, green-cloaked figure glided round corners and through alleys, dodging and weaving, hiding. As he paused at the edge of an alley, he looked up to the huge white tower in the distance, a massive stone python coiled round it bared its fangs at heavens, ready to strike at any moment. He shook his head, eyes furrowed. There was an air of resignation to his movements.

"... I'm sure master said the house was in this quarter."

...

A young boy, perhaps 10 years of age, lay in a small square field of grass, head resting back on his hands, staring at the moon. Just watching how it hung in the sky. He liked to imagine it was a looking glass, especially on nights as clear as this when its greyed face appeared almost see-through. And staring back down at him he imagined a version of himself, a celestial being who could topple the heavens and overturn the earth.

"Li Dan!" His fantasy fell aside, interrupted. He rolled his eyes.

"Li Dan! Come in, the food's ready and it's dark." This girl. Who made her the boss anyways? He cast a look to the small plain grave-stone besides him. Night, mum.

A young girl appeared in the doorway.

"Li Dan! Don't make me call you again!" He grunted extra loud, then stood up and trudged back into the house.

"Wash your hands then come and eat. I made your favourite!" He looked at the steaming bowls of fried rice and nodded his head, perhaps coming in wasn't such a bad idea.

Knock!

Was that the door...? He darted towards it.

"Li Dan! No!"

He opened it, just a crack, a green-cloaked shadow cloaked his vision. The slit of light escaping from within the house illuminated the tips of some ginger beard hairs and a set of alert, ebony eyes, but nothing more.

"Hello, I need a place to stay for the night." As he spoke, he stretched out a fist and turned it upside down to reveal a flat palm in which lay three gold coins. A gasp escaped from Li Dan's lips.

"Big sis... l-l-look." She watched from behind him in shock. A single gold coin was worth one hundred silver coins. That could provide for a small family, especially a poor one such as theirs, for ten years. To earn three in one night... but who knew what this figure wanted... he could not be simple...

"Come in!" Her train of throat crashed as Li Dan opened the door fully, snatching the three coins.