King Palancar started out as a normal king of the Ryan empire. The Ryan empire was a normal country, constantly at war with this neighbor or that. Nothing was unusual when Palancar took the throne, and that was how he expected it to be, until there were rumors. Rumors of a strange creature that had black shells for skin, which had a yellow beak and ate human flesh. Rumors of the strange creature cracking open its shell and becoming a winged monster.

"Your majesty, there are another hundred and twenty seven people asking for help against the monster." one of his servants said.

"Again?" he sighed. They had been badgering him for months, "Oh, well. Send five hundred swordsman to take care of it. Tell them that they are free to kill if the people turn out to be lying." Palancar was just about to dismiss the servant when a guard announced the arrival of an ambassador.

"Greeting, your majesty." the ambassador said, "I come from Zenark." Zenark was the easternmost country, filled with forests.

"You may or may not have heard of the rumors about the strange creature that preys on human flesh. I am here to tell you the rumors are true. Our kingdom is under attack by those creatures, and we would be grateful if your majesty could send some of his warriors to join our ranks and fight this evil."

"Why should we?" the king asked.

"Because this creature won't just stop at our kingdom. It will march on, riding on the winged monster, to conquer every kingdom in the known world. The Ryan empire will be safe for a month, maybe even a year. But eventually those foul creatures will reach here, or they might be here already. They are not a united force, just a mix of monsters sweeping through the land. Every kingdom must unite to save what they hold dear." the ambassador said. Palancar was silent for a moment.

"I need time to think. If you do not find out warriors joining your ranks within the week, do not expect any help from us." the king said. The ambassador bowed and left.

zzz

The general was in the training arena when a boy came to him and said the king wished to speak to him.

"You are no doubt wondering why I called for you." Palancar said when the general arrived, "I believe you have heard of the rumors of a creature that preys on human flesh. Well, the rumors are true. Zenark has sent an ambassador this morning, asking us to help us against this evil. But one of the rumors concerning the creature is that no human being alive can smell its breath and live, that the creature is so fast even a horse can't catch it. I need you to send our most able warriors east, across the sea. They are not to return until they find land. Because if the rumors are true, we are doomed."