Mungus DeSeiro's Story

The morning was static with incoming and outgoing as the famed ports of Freeport sprang to life. It didn't matter that such was the routine, it was an impressive sight that the city was prideful to bear. Ships bearing goods bustled in while others made their way along and out to sea. Shouts filled the shoreline billows in the form of command, an almost electric bell rang in the distance, windows opened all over the city to greet the break of day, and somewhere a child cried for it's morning milk.

"I love Freeport," A man in heavy boots clunked down the gangplank of a smaller vessel. It hadn't come from too far off, for this man was never to be far from home. Around his wrist pulsed a red gem like object, which he touched absently as his feet made contact with the dock.

"As Freeport loves you, Sir DeSeiro," Greeted a young man, looking to be no more than seventeen, holding his arms out as if to receive a parcel. Sir DeSeiro grinned in return, looking out for the transport that would take him back to the guild hall. "Ah, it isn't yet here, Sir," The kid piped up, noticing his elder peering into the crowd.

"Well then, if you'd mind fetching a thing on board..." With a smile the young man scurried onto the ship. This was full permission to get a taste of the rum he was always boasting about having on such journeys. Sir DeSeiro settled himself onto a stout dock pole for some people watching while he waited for things to assemble. Yup, Freeport. He loved it.

A ghost was watching everything. A spectral eye zooming in and out of every single situation. Every bustle of commotion, every shouting argument, every early morning drunk singing and dancing, every merchant setting up shop. Though these things were tedious, boring, and uninteresting. The Moon would not be pleased that Uuik was wasting his time on such trivial recordings.

No. Now, it was time to find something, or someone, that would interest his Sigil. Someone worth following, recording, and documenting.

The demure spirit would weave through the crowds. Not a single person would be offset, pushed, or even slightly inconvenienced by the shade. When one ignored the laws of matter, and moved both unseen and unfelt, getting anywhere was easy. Soon though, the Monk had to stop. A guild? Ah, some sort of organization on this planet at last. Two days, and he had not heard of a thing yet, other than the name of this world, and of the city the Moon was currently residing in. Aberash. Freeport. He would watch this older...male...until he was alone, or until the man proved unworthy of documentation...

The Hunt? Was one of the Beasts here? Hmm...that could pose a probably. While not opposed to the Beast, those of the Moon almost never saw eye to eye with that Sigil. While not opposed in ideology, they often clashed heads when it came to practices...and methods. Still...Uuik was already learning.

Families. Organizations. Something called a core. Audio filters allowed the Monk to focus only on the conversation he was currently observing. All data was important, but at least this actually seemed to have meaning. It wasn't just prattle over wares and goods and docking rights.

It was bright here, on this planet. Uuik would give anything to go without his suit for at least a cycle of his Moon. However...the atmosphere would kill him, not to mention his Order's oath of secrecy. Other-worlders must never know the identity of the monks. Species. True names. Home world. All of it must be kept a secret, while collect the secrets of said other worlds. Such was his orders way.

The Monk would move closer, slowly, passing through boxes, people, and other such things as if it was water. With almost no real combat capabilities aside from trickery, the Monks of the Darksky Moon relied on other tactics to complete their goals, and he was growing curiouser and curiouser about this core...Soon, he stood but feet away, invisible, intangible...but there.

Oh well when he put it that way! Berentes grinned. He was, like most others, overwhelmed with excitement for this year's hunt, but didn't quite get what Sir DeSeiro was playing at. There was something he knew, like always, but what? He shook his headand still smiling said, "I swear, DeSeiro, you could hang a cliff from a cliff from a cliff."

Sir DeSeiro laughed out loud at that. He was shady as a fox it was true. Folding his arms and looking to Berentes the older man said, "And what would life be without a bit of suspense, eh?" With a stomp he pulled himself from his perch, stretching his elbows above his head. Berentes decided to give up prying. I'll just have to wait until I can make it to Vien myself.

"The Hunt comes all the time. Not every day your wife falls pregnant," Remarked Sir DeSeiro, to which Berentes flushed. It was true he was more excited about the Hunt sometimes than the coming of his own child, but that didn't mean he didn't care! Heck, he supposed he should spend more time with her. Pregnant women were just not fun to be around. DeSeiro wasn't about to let up, pressing the conversation away from the Hunt as if he was hiding something. "Go on, tell what names the woman's musing on. I know you've picked a favorite."

"Well," Berentes began hesitantly, "She's thinking very glamorously, wanting to name our child after Tien the Young or another historical figure-"

"Fine and well, isn't it?" Sir DeSeiro twisted in place as he listened.

"-For a middle name. The first name of the child we're at a minor standstill on. You see, she's exploring some seriously abstract naming concepts, while I figured we should stick to the more traditional sense of things, considering the birth is timed with the Hunt just perfectly, and-What's that look?" As Berentes rambled on, a strange sort of smile grew on Sir DeSeiro's face. He couldn't even help but laugh at the common quarrel among couples, himself often wondering exactly how bad his own parent's fight was that they settled on a name like Mungus.

"You could always mush two together," DeSeiro commented with a smirk. Berentes was opening his mouth to retort, still choking up on the absurdity of it all when a young lad scurried up. He smelled kinda salty and payed his respects to both of them in a lopsided manner.

"G'even' Sir Bernantus!" The kid swayed where he stood with a shit eating grin. Ah hell, figures the kid would get greedy. "Ishth'rihere?" He pointed drunkenly past Berentes, probably meaning to point at him. Sir DeSeiro grabbed his left arm, and without a word Berentes grabbed his right.

"S'been here for a bit," Berentes revealed to all, then to DeSeiro, "I was wondering what you were waiting for."

"Kid told me a vehicle hadn't arrived yet," Sir DeSeiro grunted back.

"Ah, I put 'em up to that."

"Wanted to get your shocks in first?" Berentes's silence answered the question well enough. Off they went through the crowds, hauling a drunken young lad between them. Sir DeSeiro was honestly just glad the kid had sense enough to find his way back through the crowds. Things at the Society must have gotten lax in his absence. I was only gone a week!

The helmet floated towards her, which was odd, but the whole scenario was odd, and it was beyond the time to be questioning matters. She quickly shoved her head into the thing. Woah! What?

It was odd - it seemed Niira could only see the one she'd met back at the mysterious smudge with her helmet on. Another puzzle for another minute. The current champion in the ring was floored, doing his best (which was not very well at all) to fend off the Gargantua which had gained the upper hand.

"We should getehellouttahere!" Niira screeched, dodging a big obsidian limb that came swinging in their general direction as the Hunt raged on. From high above, members of the royal court were watching the strange proceedings down below. Who the hell was that down there, interrupting the match?

"Kid's fast," Mungus DeSeiro, veteran of the Hunt, remarked to a woman clad in mauve silks to his right. She sniffed the air, unimpressed. Mungus crossed his arms and made himself more comfortable. Who gave a crap what noble house she was from, this was the worst date ever.

Koishi smiled wide once she knew Niira could see her once more! Which was good for many reasons, especially for the sake of communication. Though, once Niira screeched out, her own 'sixth sense' if you will made her shift out of the way, dodging as well...! Due to the surprise of needing to dodge, she was floating in the air now about a foot above the floor.

"Weeeeeell...how ruuuude!"

She pouted, and then looked towards Niira. "Yeah...let's get out before one of us gets hurt!" Koishi, in talking to her, was completely unaware of the nobles up above, and even if she was aware she didn't really know them.

"Agreed!" Niira dove after her new companion and fellow partner in survival, who was floating? How was she doing that? No time for questions! Niira ran at Koishi, fully intending to grab hands and book it for the nearest exit.

An inhuman roar shook the arena as the current champion of the stage landed a critical hit.

"Crit!- watch out red!" Mungus DeSiero leaped from his seat, much to the dismay of the noblewoman in mauve by his side. To hell with her, to hell with this date; The Hunt raged on!

This fight would be the talk of the town for days to come, and not just because the Champion was a natural born fighter. Mungus had all but forgotten about the Champion until his critical hit. He was much more invested in the scramble for life happening beneath the Gargantua beast.

Mungus was so invested, he didn't even notice his date leave. Where did that orange haired chick even come from? And wait a second-where did she get that helmet?!

Locking hands with Niira, Koishi decided one way to get away from the ensuing combat would be to go straight up first before trying to bolt in any one direction. "Hang on tight!" Was all she'd say as she raised further into the air, not going entirely slowly but trying to keep in mind that Niira probably wasn't used to flying, so going straight up really fast would make her sick or something...! Nothing good, certainly.

In the meantime, she tried to consider her options. "Um...do you know a way out of this place? I can bring us up to as far as the sky to look for a nice, safe place!"

Sitting within the balcony, the eponymous Plague Master sat. He had his hands folded together, eyes peering through his mask at the stage below. He wasn't royalty, or even truly a being of 'class and culture', and yet here he was watching the battle in the stage. It was entertaining despite everything. At first he thought it'd be boring, but alas he was wrong.

His eyes now followed Niira, the woman was strange. Like she had an aura of...peculiarity around her. This interested the Plague Doctor...

"The sky?!" Niira looked wildly around, and didn't see any other options. She swallowed hard.

"Get us out!"

Mungus would never forget what he saw in the arena, and was determined to find that red head girl. She had appeared from thin air and then shot into the sky. After that he had raced from the arena, but who was he kidding? If they ran into each other it would be by chance at this point. He sighed, took a drink from his mead, and looked to the television.

Another report of another Gargantua, moving too fast, too strong, and seemingly spooked. What the hell was going on with them this season? He continued to watch as the report continued. The camera followed the beast as it ambled across the countryside in a panic.

A small drone flew to where Mungus stood. In a text-to-speech voice, it said, "A letter for you"

Mungus,
You know not who I am.
I am C.H.A.R., and I know who you are.
It shouldn't come as a surprise, you leave quite the paper trail.
I will appear before you when the time comes.
No sooner
No later.
Attempt to find me, and you will not be a happy camper, nor will I.

To,

C.H.A.R Autonomous Unit

"What in the-"

A small drone bothered Mungus into taking a letter, reading it, and then promptly crumpling it. As if he needed one more complication to this years Hunt, someone had eyes on him that he didn't have eyes on. Mungus cursed under his breath and ordered another drink.

It wasn't a surprise that this charbroiled fellow knew who he was, or even where he was. As a former Champion of the Hunt and well decorated member of The Hunter Society, Mungus was something of a celebrity. But. This, this was unusual. He cursed again.

Tomorrow he would set out to help catch the Champion Garantua, and he needed to clear his head proper for that. Lest he might die. In the mean time, he'd keep an eye out for drones.

Mungus DeSeiro settled himself in at the long conference table, which was comprised of clear crystal with rainbow auras streaking through. He tapped his fingers, waiting for who he was here to meet. There were Gargantuan matters to discuss, and he wasn't about to go traipsing off to capture the Champion Gargantua without some resources from the governing body of Vien.

C.H.A.R.'s body lay dormant inside of a garage he commandeered. It's legs were folded into a crouching position, it's guns lay limp at it's sides, and it's 'brain' lay empty, waiting to be inhabited by C.H.A.R. when the tournament started. C.H.A.R. was busy entering the contest, while it's mindless robotic mechanics were at work, patching bullet holes, reapplying paint, and affixing more armor to the mech. It was like a scene out of a Daft Punk music video.

Finally, the day of the Arena Fight came. C.H.A.R. was loaded into a shipping crate, ready to go to the fight when it started. Its plan was to drop in the Arena when announced. The entrance would be grand and dramatic.

It was the third day of The Hunt and the stands were packed to the brim. The turnout was larger than usual this year, mostly due to the fact that the Gargantua were extra aggressive as of late. They had been seen nigh rabid, scampering across the countryside, and were particularly hard to catch. With danger came intrigue; the masses flocked. It was going to be a good show.


The ground shook as the arena lost it's mind, all eyes to the center, waiting for the Champion C.H.A.R. to appear. Behind a giant grate at one far end, a Gargantua could be heard scratching. The Gargantua was named Quadman and it was 40 feet tall. Quadman was ready to get out of his holding pen and give payment to those who put him there, or perish in his attempts.

Mortars in the distance fired 3 smoke mortars at the battlefield. The battlefield filled with smoke. A hush fell over the crowd, the deafening silence near unbearable. This continued for 6 minutes

Then, a helicopter zoomed overhead and dropped C.H.A.R. onto the battlefield. It's legs unfolded and his systems powered up. It looked different. Instead of the usual beige desert military look, C.H.A.R. was all black with a jolly roger flag under the 'cockpit', which looked like a bib. A badass bib.

The 12 large speakers coming from his back, spaced apart as not to impede the Trophy System, were blasting 'Manuel - Gas Gas Gas' on full blast. Sure, it was Eurobeat, but it had a sick guitar bit at the beginning.

"Foul Beast! I sentence you to death"

"Prepare to be..."

C.H.A.R. said as it cocked its weapons,

"C.H.A.R.-broiled"

Light's appearance was silent, yet definite. She merely shined into existence on the chair she chose to sit at, and leaned back, getting comfortable. She had her legs crossed at the knee, and was wearing regal and elegant robes of White and Gold. Her hair was braided back into a singular Pony-Tail, and her eyes were pure Gold.

She waited for a moment for her Daughter, Kanwar, to enter and find a spot to settle. "Greetings." Light said to Mungus, her voice crisp and youthful despite her acclaimed multi-million year-old age. They were here to officially appoint Light as Ruler over this place it seemed. Humans were always... intriguing.

Mungus rose when Light entered, taking his seat only after she was seated.

"Your Royal Highness," Mungus began, "We've many things to discuss, though I know neither of us has much the time. First things first."

Mungus put a small hinged case on the table. It was shiny, obsidian black, and made from the petrified shell of a Gargantua. From his pocket he pulled a key. On one end was a small core, sending energy through the key. He put the key into the case. The case shuddered once, clicked, and popped slightly open. Mungus opened the case and turned it to show Light what was inside.

A glorious crown, smithed entirely from silver. At the center of it was a glowing core, an ancient one.

"Before you accept this crown, the people of Vien ask three things..."

"Do you honor The Hunt and give blessing to The Champions?"
"Do you endorse The Hunt and give funding to it's execution?"
"Do you," and this was the important part, "Take the City of Vien to be second only to your health, protecting the people, working for the people, and keeping the promise of The Hunt to the people?"

Kanwar kept herself quiet in thoughtful contemplation, she had yet to tell her mother that her brother was alive and that Irral had met up with her at Tersi's gravesite. So her mind was on many other things, first learning her brother was a prisoner, of Draco, then that he was free as a bird and the two spoke and hugged. But she hadnt told her mother, no, not just yet.

She focused on the then and there for the remainder of the day however as the man spoke as he withdrew a silver crown. Though she had to smile when he actually referred to Light as highness, normally people referred to her as Mother, or All-Mother. Rarely as far as Kanwar could recall, did anyone call her, Highness.

However her gaze locked on the crown as the man spoke the words, asking three questions. Three important questions, they made sense. Kanwar herself enjoyed watching the Great Hunt as many called it, and it was enjoyable. A tournament of sort. that got her curious aside interested rather strongly.

Now she did get requests by one of the Tigris, a young woman named Whitemane had been wanting to hone her skills somewhere outside of just training and random easy missions. Maybe this was it ? She looked to Light for her answer

As the crown was revealed Light kept her eyes on the man, rather than the Crown. To be perfectly honest Light could care less about the Crown. However, for the sake of ceremony, she played along with the ceremony, a genuine smile on her face as the questions were asked to her.

"I do. To all three. The Hunt will go on as it always has, fully funded, and its Champion will receive a blessing from me. The City of Vien will never be more safe and happy. This I declare." she finished. She stood as she said it, hammering the metaphorical nail in to the coffin. The folk of the Mythic Realm were hardy peoples, and would be easy to defend and keep healthy. With something as fantastic as The Hunt, easy to keep happy. The people already here in Vien were similar, so really, Light had nothing to worry about.

Life was going to get much better for everyone though.

Mungus bowed his head and returned to his seat, leaving the crown on the table. There were more pressing matters which needed discussion, now that the crown had officially been passed.

“Now, to brief Your Highness on a pressing matter,” Mungus folded his hands on the table, looking directly to Light.

“ you have likely noticed a shift across the lands under your rule. The Gargantua are especially wild this year. News comes of a great beast – a rouge Gargantua storming the wilderness and coming dangerously close to the outskirts of Vien. It is very elusive despite its size. Our intelligence indicates that it is almost twice the size of the largest Gargantua in recorded history. So far it has killed no less than 16 citizens- and those are just what our reports indicate. Who knows how many of the recent missing persons are related to the beast.”

Mungus took a moment of silence for the fallen, continuing on gravely.

“ I am assembling an elite team. If you could provide your mightiest, so that we can find The great Gargantua. Apprehend it. We hope for capture.”

"Aprehend ?" Asked a voice, clearly male. a man seated near a pillar, in a dark coat, his face hidden within the hood. "Thios thing must be large. First I have heard of it" Trust Nara to get there so silently. Darkness Corridors were useful things to a Force Dragon. "Honestly this sounds like my kind of hunt" Nara was an odd duck at times.

Kanwar spoke up. "It has been brought to our attention yes, as our esteemed arrival in the dark coat so plainly puts it, So far only one of our own is reported missing, But I have a lead on him" Kanwar said, But it was the way that she said the word "him" that got Lights undevided attention.

Nara of course removed his hood by that point, the silver haired green eyed man seemed calm as he spoke. "Say we go after it right now, that could lead to issues with the local populace. The last time I was in the lower city, well, some danged shopkeeper touted to get rid of things, like me, he didnt like the look of me. So naturally I left the area. I do however have a possible Hunter who would like to be in on this though" He gave a look to Kanwar and nodded. Whitemane and her older sister Shadowmane both wanted in on this venture.

But still, Naras antics, his silence of his arrival. The whole thing was oddly confusing.

Then again, Nara was an odd duck.

He was after all married to Lights younger daughter Diamond