GK had managed to make the headlines of various newspapers again. The mysterious hero who single-handedly killed a demoness visited the local library yesterday and activated Sylvia Ravenhide's masterpiece "The Book of Monsters".
Footage of the beautiful illustration appearing on the pages was posted on social media and people were going crazy with their own theories on who GK was. Their most prominent theory was that he was a reincarnation of Sylvia or perhaps a distant relative. His phone was flooded with calls and messages from fangirls, fanboys, pranks, and disturbing images. He decided to just ignore them as there was no way to know who was genuinely in danger.
The book was currently in his possession since he was the only one who could touch it. He wondered what kind of magic it was imbued with. A promise was made to return the book to the library once it was complete…..if it could be completed. His phone beeped and fell off the coffee table. The open laptop on his desk displayed the front page of Ravenhide Press. There was a headline update and a new article sprung up with a soft "Boink" sound which caught his attention. He slid into the comfy second-hand maroon office chair and clicked on the article.
New Eden was hosting its yearly "Fight your way to the top" tournament. There were pictures of many intimidating opponents that were mostly comprised of non-humans and hybrids. Last year's champion was a woman with lizard-like skin. She spotted a yellow Mohawk and sleeveless yellow jacket paired with a tight black tank top with exposed midriffs, piercings, and leather pants. Her codename was Lyzz.
Hmmm…, a tournament? Something to entertain the rich and powerful? There was a loud buzz and he noticed that it wasn't his phone but the huge leather-bound book that was vibrating. He flipped open the cover and it turned to the last page on its own. Fill the book from A to Z, You will recover your lost memory, Follow the clues, and regain your identity, Soon you will unveil your destiny.
The golden words appeared and vanished slowly, fading back into the pages. GK froze; he felt strong energy flowing towards him, its warmth engulfing him. Flashes of memory played in his mind; some were blurry while others were crystal clear. He saw himself as a kid, running around the monastery with the other monks in training, warming up, practicing with a sword. He got bigger, taller. The warmth of the sun on his skin, the sound of birds chirping and singing the tune that was permanently embedded in his brain - the same tune that he loved to whistle.
He felt the cool morning air sweep through his hair, as he sat under a banyan tree reading and writing rhymes or just playing solitaire. He saw his guru, Master Dakshi's loving smile. The man had taught him everything he knew. He was the parent GK never had. He saw himself sparring with the other monks. Stylishly spinning a staff above his head and defeating five apprentices, one by one.
A high kick to the shoulder, a low sweep to the shin, and a swift grab and throw for the win. He won all his fights, only losing to his Master. However, he did manage to outsmart his Master once. He boasted to everyone full of pride, his smugness now amplified. When he got older, he had an argument with Master Dakshi, and soon after that, he left the monastery.
He was stubborn and refused to heed his master's words, "Your pride will only bring you more harm than good," his master had said as he shifted his gaze downwards. He was back after a few years of traveling when Master Dakshi was on his deathbed, weak and immobile. He didn't say a word when GK apologized to him, but before he took his last breath he whispered, "The fire burns brightly within you. Use it, and remember what I taught you," his master's last words were now etched in his mind.
He snapped back to the present, something within him had changed. He felt different. There was a calming warmth spreading through his body up to his fingers. Sparklets of flame emerged from his fingertips. It was brighter, and stronger than before.
A new flame came into sight,
It emitted a golden light,
Swaying gracefully from left to right,
Piercing the darkness left by the night.
If the book could make him stronger and help him regain his memories, fighting monsters and other unknown creatures at the tournament was a jackpot. He could fill the pages easily as long as his enemies, he hoped, didn't have to be killed. He was astonished by the memories that were revealed, how could he forget them? He decided to sign up. He filled up his credentials and clicked the signup button without hesitation.
The hilt of his golden sword glowed slightly as if in agreement. GK was excited, too excited to fall asleep. He paced about the dimly lit room thinking of a way to pass the time. He grabbed his coat from behind the door and made his way to Kepp's. And as usual, it was eerily dark and quiet in Ravenhide. All the liveliness during the day ceases at night. The streetlights illuminated the path in front of him, casting just enough light to see a few meters ahead.
The rest of the surrounding areas were pitch black and it felt like black tendrils were reaching out trying to swallow anyone who got close. He felt as if he was being watched. He trotted along the alleyway at a steady pace regardless. If there were indeed enemies waiting to pounce at him, it didn't matter much. Maybe he could try out his new upgrades. He felt the cold steel of his blade through the sheath along his back. The night was particularly chilly and windy. There was a brisk movement on the left. It felt like a shadow just zoomed ahead of him. He wondered if it was just his imagination but he was pretty sure it wasn't.
He sighed and called them out. "If you want to pick a fight, Why don't you come into the light? Worry not, I'll go easy on you tonight." He heard a faint growl behind him and knew what was up immediately. He dodged to the right as something barely grazed his arm. A weird-looking creature, like a severely deformed human-dog-hybrid.
Hunched and ugly, with a wide jawbone and sharp teeth, visible nostrils, pointed ears, and claws. It was wearing a brown tattered robe. It had long limbs. The creature rushed past him after missing, vanishing behind some shrubs. GK shook his head annoyed. It was very quick and it seemed as if the creature was being very careful.
GK drew his sword and waited for it to emerge and it did. It walked out into the light and stood directly in front of him. There was something different about this monster. Its huge eyes looked sad like it had lost everything. Through the worn-out, torn robes he could see the protruding rib cage. The creature was just skin and bones. Weak and deprived. It was probably looking for something to eat. It was fast, but its attack was weak.
He was having second thoughts about fighting this creature. It was in a pitiful state and he couldn't quite make up his mind whether to just ignore it or maybe treat it to a good meal at Kepp's. He wondered if the creature understood and spoke the same language he did. He was about to sheath his sword when he noticed the area get brighter. The huge full moon that was obscured by the thick clouds peered over both of them amused. A strong gush of wind cleared out the clouds and the moon shone brightly in all its glory. He heard howling and swiftly turned towards the creature that was quickly transforming. All he could say was…. "Holy…..crap."