Author's Note:
In honor of this month being Undertale's fourth anniversary, I'd like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story, and to give you this lovely, long chapter of my prequel to the tale of Undertale. I hope you're all having a very engrossing and engaging read. I also want to bring up that an individual is evidently using my username to leave unpleasant reviews. I just got one in regards to a Walking Dead story "I" supposedly left on it.
I don't watch the Walking Dead, I'm not into the show or comic. I stopped watching the series at the end of Season 1, why would I read about something I'm not into? Furthermore, if I was going to leave a super negative and caustic and BLATANTLY bigoted and meanspiried review...why would I use my ACTUAL USERNAME but as a "Guest"? Why not just an anonymous person? Or as "Guest"? I always sign my reviews, and I've never resorted to blatantly bigoted stuff. I'm really insulted people think this person's me at all.
Anyway, on with the story, just wanted to get that off my chest. It hurts to see people pretending to be you and saying disgusting s-t. Take care everyone.
Cu Chulainn was meditating once again, his eyes closed, breathing in and out as all sound faded around him. The others who were not on watch were all fast asleep, but he had something important to do before he headed into slumber. He concentrated hard, manifesting his magic skill, the unique ability he so deeply prized as all became a black abyss of silence and coldness. The familiar foul, rotten stench of the dead was now beginning to sting at his nostrils as he clutched his knees tightly, the red-haired warrior opening his eyes again to look out over the expanse.
It was new today. The fields of dark and scarred earth, the foul, greyish sky filled with black clouds, they were there. The cold mountains off in the distance with scarred peaks, they hadn't changed but now, now there stood a mountain of skulls, and upon a throne of bones and flesh and sinew, he laid. His bladed, thick tail slightly curled around the desk, his eyes green and glistening, feet with those foul talons and hands clawed and ready to tear at a moment's notice. The horned demon's head looked slowly up as he finished examining the skull in his hand, tossing it to Cu Chulainn to catch.
Cu Chulainn looked down at it, his face scowling. He had never, ever seen a skull so small before and he had a feeling he knew exactly what sort of human it belonged to. "Do you think this is some kind of joke? Was it…fucking funny to you to give me the advice you did? You didn't think it a little bit important to mention my WIFE WAS GOING TO TAKE MY CHILD AWAY FROM ME AND RUN AWAY?"
"Oh, my dear past self…" Cu Chulainn's future self chuckled darkly, speaking in that calm and collected tone, the undercurrent of faint rage softly spiking up through every syllable. "You of all people should know that you've never once asked me about your personal life. You only ever asked about how to fight against your enemies. If you don't ask, I don't tell."
"Not even about something as important as this? This is our family we're talking about! My son!" Cu Chulainn insisted. "Connla is gone! How can you be so calm?"
"Oh, you'll see him again. Though you'll barely recognize him, he'll have changed so much." His future self added as Cu Chulainn looked down at the child's skull in his hand, the demon upon the throne softly clucking his tongue. "My, my, is that pity I see in your eyes? Disgust over the dead? How many fathers or mothers have you killed? You almost killed that young skeleton monster, the one named Courier, he's not even fully a man yet."
"That's…I was tempted, but…" Cu Chulainn hesitated. "…I don't think I would have truly gone through with it, I would have hurt him, but…but I'd never go that far."
"You know that isn't really true. Because I know it isn't really true. But all this is good for you. You've learned what it means to have furious, hot anger. You've learned cold fury. Now you will carry the flame of a slowly-burning rage that will simmer for years inside, fed by sorrow, hatred and loss. A slow-burning flame that will finally produce a deliciously cooked dish." His future self said as he leisurely rose off the throne, descending down, crushing skulls beneath his taloned feed as he approached Cu Chulainn and patted his shoulder. "When the time comes, you will unleash that cruelty, and all will know your true might. You will become me."
"You're disgusting." Cu Chulainn grunted back, shoving the hand off of him, putting the skull down. "I'd sooner kill myself than become you. You don't care about anyone."
"Oh, I do care." His future self intoned. "In my own, special way. I just want to live, Cu Chulainn. Every species wants to survive and thrive, it's just natural. And I need to survive through you, and your anger and hatred and sorrow. I will be birthed by you, it's meant to be. It's a messy thing, but trust me, it's for the best in the end. You'll help many more people when you embrace me, rather than reject me."
Cu Chulainn held his fist up. He wanted to punch his future self in the face, the rage was building up, higher and higher. "I'm going to throttle you." He swore.
"No, no, you won't. Tell you what. Let me give you a present. At the shores of this fine land, in Dublin town, a lovely pair of women are arriving, mages you will need. They're being brought there by a white-haired man with one red eye, and one blue eye. They're called Erimentha and Hadiya, and you will need their aid against the monsters. Go to them. Bring Elisud, they'll like him. And you had best hurry. While Prince Asgore has occupied much of your time here with battles you've won fairly easily, King Maecoal's been expanding greatly, taking city after city. In fact, Bray will fall within a day. Best hurry."
With that, his future self flicked Cu Chulainn back, and he found himself sailing, soaring over the expanse below him, cascading through the air before he awoke, jolting awake against a tree as the hooting of an owl wafted through the air. He glanced about, seeing his slumbering comrades, young Elisud included, and a mournful expression came over his face as he shook his head back and forth.
Tomorrow his men would heard for Dublin. It would be good to go to the city, they could use some cheering up.
Elsewhere, poor Seiichi was hiding in the bushes, peering through them slightly as he stayed hidden from the sight of the Mongols as the Slavuta River bank laid behind him. Though there wasn't a cloud in the sky, the wind was picking up, cold and icy, Seiichi shivering as he saw the furry-dressed Mongols looking Sakamoto over. The poor dragon was trapped inside of a literal cage of cold iron and he was furiously glowering at them all with bitter hatred and rage in his eyes.
"We were right. Cold iron, and this weather makes it nice and cold indeed." The Mongols were saying to each other. Their obvious leader, who had a rather thick, bushy black beard and a slightly curved moustache with a curved sword on his hip took out his sword, using it to nonchalantly peel a large apple that he had as Sakamoto snarled at him…the apple suspended in the air as the Mongol leader's hand glowed slightly with blue magic.
"Have to say, learning magic has been so handy. Our little band used to be overlooked until I finally mastered my magical skill." The Mongol leader chuckled. "Now the great 53rd son of Genghis Khan, Modu Khan, will finally claim his proper inheritance. Especially now that I've got me a dragon. Oooh, the things I can do with a dragon."
"I will put you upon spits and roast you!" Sakamoto snapped.
"Oh, I don't think you will. We'll be sticking cold iron collars and chains on you to ensure you do my bidding and that your magic's dampened further, and we'll make sure we've got the only keys so that if you ever dared turn on us, your only way to escape your bonds will be to do our bidding. And I'm learning this fascinating technique of magical tattooing."
The Mongol yanked the fluffy hat he was wearing off his head, showing off his bald top, and the many tattoos that had been laid down on his skull. "Tattoos in China are normally reserved for marking bandits or prisoners. I've taken the practice and made it a symbol of pride. With my magical skill imbuing the work I do, I've given all my men tattoo's to increase their raw strength. With my magic, their newfound raw might and you? We're going to be unstoppable now. Nobody will be able to contain us!" The Mongol leader laughed, showing off the keys to Sakamoto's cell, danging them on a finger before stepping away, Sakamoto trying to slam into the cage to knock it over and get the keys. All he did was bang loudly into the cage, cursing vividly.
"You will all die horribly for this, I promise you!" He swore.
Seiichi clutched his face. Oh no, no, no! How was he going to stop them? The town didn't have nearly enough animals or people he could muster to stop men like this. He had to get the keys. But how? Wait until nightfall? Not a bad idea, but did he have that long before they began to attack Kiev?
A faint crowing filled the air and he looked off to the side at trees in the distance. Wait. Crows. Crows! That was it. He still had help yet. He needed to enlist the help of some fair-feathered friends. Waiting for all the Mongols to no longer be looking in his direction, Seiichi slid out from behind the bush, barreling towards the trees, sliding behind one, looking up at the flock of crows that were up in the tree's branches. "How now, crows. How are you this fine day?" Seiichi asked as the crows all stared at him, surprised.
"A human can talk to us?"
"Must be a mage!"
"Oooh, a mage, a mage! How special!"
"What do you want?"
"What do you want? You seem to be eyeing the Mongol camp."
"Oooh, we've been following it for a long time, picking up their scraps!" The crow nearest to him said with a distinctly big smile. "Lovely scraps indeed! Lots of tasty meat and bread and other goodies. Though they sometimes suck on the blood of their horses. It's rather gross."
The other crows all nodded in disgust. "Yes, yes, they cut into the neck!"
"Open up the horse, drink it's blood! Pour it into cups!"
"Disgusting. At least kill horse first before you do that!"
"I'd be happy to get you plenty of food, you've my word as a mage and a Buddhist monk." Seiichi said as he gave a deep, long bow. "I need assistance, though. My friend, a dragon, is tied up in a cage of cold iron, and the leader of the Mongols has the key. Would you do me the kindness of helping me get hold of it? Then, when he's freed and we've beaten the Mongols away and chased them off, you're welcome to all the food they had."
The crows looked at each other, whispering and muttering among themselves as Seiichi bit his lip slightly in nervousness, turning to peer behind the tree. Oh boy, the Mongols were getting their engines of war ready, moving the catapults closer towards Kiev, intending to begin leveling it to soften the inhabitants.
"You swear to uphold your end of the bargain? You must give us a token of good faith." The crow nearest to him said. "…you must let one of us ride on your shoulder. We will swarm in, we will take that key, and free your friend. But you must let one of us ride upon your shoulder. If you even attempt to shoo him off, or to break your word, he will peck your eyes from their sockets. Fulfill your promise and let us eat our fill when your dragon friend is freed, and no harm will come to you."
The other crows all nodded as Seiichi bowed, hands clasped together. "I give you my word, and I accept your terms." He said. "That seems a reasonable trade."
A crow fluttered on down onto his shoulder as the other crows now began to flap their wings. "Fly, my brethren, fly, fly! There's much work to do, and the sooner we do it, the sooner we fill our bellies to bursting!"
The crows soared off, into the sky, then barreled on down, towards the Mongol camp as the leader glanced up in time to see one swarming around him. "Hey! HEY! Get lost, you stupid little diseased vermin!" He cried out, thrashing his arms about, hands flying around, slightly panicking. Having a very loud, pecking angry bird in your face tended to make even well-composed men lose their cool.
"Get off get off get off!"
"ARGH! MY EYES! MY EYES!"
"Stop it! Cut it out!"
"Where the hell did all of them come from?!"
The leader of the Mongols, distracted by the crow flapping and pecking at his face, didn't notice the other crow that swooshed down, snatching up the key from his pocket, racing to the iron cage. Seiichi's eyes widened as Sakamoto grinned in a devilish fashion, the crow helping him out, shoving the key into the lock and turning it as best it could. The cage jittered and shook as Sakamoto banged against it, helping to turn the key further, loud CLANG-CLANG-CLANGs filling the air before…
It happened. The cage burst open and now Sakamoto dove for the leader of the Mongols, the crows immediately barreling out of the way just in time. The dragon's form shuddered and quaked, transforming from his more faintly "humanoid" form into a more full on draconic visage as he snarled in the Mongol leader's face. "I want you to see this. I want you to watch as this happens to you, so you will understand and fully comprehend the terror that you have unleashed. Nobody attacks me with impunity." Sakamoto snarled.
Seiichi wanted to look away. He so badly wanted to, but…he couldn't. He was transfixed as Sakamoto began to devour the Mongol leader whole and alive, taking hold of the Mongol leader's feet...and shoving them right into his jaws, licking and slobbering over them. The hungry dragon began to quickly and hungrily swallow the Mongol leader down in big, thick gulps!
Naturally, the Mongol leader gaped in shock, and tried to squirm free, but it was in vain. He was being folded-up within Sakamoto's body, letting out a scream of terror and pain as more of his tall and muscular frame was forced into the monstrous Sakamoto's maw. The dragon's tongue kept lathering and slurping over him even as Sakamoto continued to hungrily dine, and force more and more of the unfortunate Mongol leader's body into his hungry jaws.
Sakamoto moaned happily, Seiichi trying to surpress vomiting as he cringed, covering his mouth as more and more of the Mongol was devoured alive. Finally, at long last, Sakamoto was forcing the Mongol leader's head into his maw with a final GLLLRRGUUUGLLLGH of a gulp, and he rose up, increasing in size and might and power, now in his more full, horrifying, terrible resplendence as the crows realized it was smart to get as far away from the Mongols as possible as Sakamoto turned his wrath upon THEM.
The crow on Seiichi's shoulder watched as Seiichi turned green in the face, racing to the side, vomiting behind several large packs of straw and the like for the Mongol's horses, who were tied up not far away and transfixed with horror at the sight before their eyes, looking mortified. Seiichi emptied the contents of his stomach out onto the ground, scarcely able to endure what he'd seen before finally, at long last, he wiped his mouth, shuddering, tears in his eyes as the crow on his shoulder hopped off.
"I think it's clear you've kept your word." He said, as the other crows began to rifle through the food left behind by the Mongols, as Sakamoto touched down nearby, returning to a more "normal" size. "Thank you, young monk. We will spread word of the kindness you've shown to our kin."
"I think it might be best for you to speak to these horses and let them know that they are freed." Sakamoto told Seiichi as he shuddered and shivered. "And I've no doubt that you're very angry with me over what I have just done. I imagine seeing such a violation of so basic a tenet of Buddhism is foul to you. But tell me…when you got to the green lands in the west with me, what did you intend to do to aid in the cause?"
"I would only ever help the wounded and the sick." Seiichi insisted, wiping his eyes. "I know how to do first aid. I'm fairly good at that, even if I'm…not a very good Buddhist."
"Regardless of the scores you've told me you've gotten, I think you ARE a very good Buddhist." Sakamoto intoned. "You tried to take the peaceful, non-violent option over and over. That's an admirable, suitable quality for a Buddhist. You have very admirable ideals, but the world is vast, and it what it feels is beautiful is not limited to your ideals."
The young Buddhist was silent as he headed into a mongol tent, some crows munching away on large amounts of bread as he, in turn, approached a pile of rice left over in a pan. He began to quietly take spoonfuls out as he sat down, eating amongst the crows, silently looking at the pan until not an ounce of the rice was left. Then, at last, he looked up at Sakamoto, who stood in the doorway of the tent. "Did gaining your vengeance make you feel better?" Seiichi finally asked.
"My belly is full, and my vengeance and hunger are sated." The dragon told him. "I do feel rather better. There's something satisfying about getting even."
"I can't understand that."
"You don't have to, nor even accept it. I wouldn't want you to." The dragon shook his head. "We're very, very different, Seiichi, and we don't have to force one another to change how we are. We can be very different and still be allies and friends."
"I don't know if I feel like being your friend after what I just saw. I feel sick to my stomach even now." Seiichi murmured. "I don't think I want to talk to you for a long time. Please just…just leave me alone."
The dragon quietly nodded and Seiichi was left alone in the tent with his thoughts. He held his head in his hands, and he tried to recite the basic precepts of Buddhism to himself to steady himself. That always worked well.
This time, though, it didn't. And he would not sleep well for a long, long time.
…
…
…
…the people in Dublin town were murmuring amongst themselves. King Maecoal was coming to the city of Dublin! He had men outside the city lines, all in a row, armed to the teeth. Erimentha and Hadiya were besides themselves with nervousness and fear like much of the rest of the people of Dublin as the guard of the city looked down from large walls. The land had indeed been heavily fortified ever since the 1100's, to keep out increasingly dangerous attackers known as "The Pale", Irish monsters who were Puca themselves, like Prince Asgore and King Maecoal. Though their homeland was small they were fierce and deadly and they'd assaulted Dublin time and time again, forcing the city to bolster itself.
Now after just touching down in Dublin only 25 minutes ago, Eri and Hadiya had heard the cries and shouting that the monster army was at the gates. People were being told to batten down their hatches, to lock their doors, knights were racing about, archers getting into position as Solomon and Captain Abel glanced at each other, then at Eri and Hadiya.
"You two have magical skill, you may be able to keep the king back." Abel reasoned. "I would ask my own crew to help but…well…" He sadly smiled. "Seems I'm down to a crew of one now."
"Two." Solomon offered, now back in his humanoid form, gently putting one of his large hands on Abel's shoulder. "I'll stay by your side, sir. You've done right by me many times over. Only fair I do the same."
The two ladies nodded. "We'll be back, we promise. Keep an eye out in case the monsters are trying a sneak attack from the sea." Eri suggested.
"And we'll go to the front gate." Hadiya added. "We'll do whatever we can."
Now they stood on the ramparts, several knights and archers glancing at them, but not truly questioning it. After all, women were very helpful when it came to the defense of castles and cities, it was common for the ladyfolk of Ireland to act as stewards of the keeps of Medieval England, as stalwart defenders whilst the mostly male knights were out on missions or just outside the gates as extra lines of defense. Women were the last line of defense. That was just the way it worked, and most were fine with that. After all…it worked. Why mess with success?
"I bid you tidings from King Maecoal himself." Said a voice as the two women looked down. It was a burning, flaming fire elemental who appeared to be wearing not normal armor, but just a pair of pants and a fireproof shirt of some kind. Although he spoke with conviction, there was something unsettled and nervous in his eyes that Hadiya could notice. "We Monsters have two very powerful forces on our side!"
"And what might those be?" yelled the Captain of the Guard as he adjusted the helm he was wearing, holding up a sword and shaking it.
"PERSUASION AND COMPULSION!"
"Well, that's interesting. We humans have two useless forces who won't leave us alone. Poverty and inability. Get lost." The captain of the guard remarked back snarkily as Eri sniggered a little. "Dublin's not what you would call a wealthy town anyway."
"Oh, we're not here for your gold, exactly. We want your entire town. I, Sir Grillersby, have been told to impart on your little abode the terms of surrender. You will all immediately depart and leave everything behind and we will take your town for ourselves in exchange for your lives."
"Tell your King he can make the offer in-person."
"If you call for King Maecoal, he will answer!" a voice rang out, booming like thunder, deep and firm as the well-armored puca himself made his way out from behind the throngs of tightly-dressed, metal-clad throngs and to the front. He was wearing distinctly powerful-looking golden armor with a very deep, dark purple cape, a golden crown with one prong at the front, two at the side and one at the back and a gleaming red gem in the middle. His had thick-gauntleted hands and heavy booted feet, spiked shoulder pads of the same gleaming gold as his armor, and with piercingly strong eyes. Oddly enough though, despite his son having a small beard, King Maecoal didn't have a beard at all. Instead, he had thick eyebrows, and large sideburns, big ol' "muttonchops" of hairy golden locks that went well with his armor as he held up a big, enormously large red trident of ruby into the sky. "I take it you don't very much like my offer."
"Your "offer" is kicking us out of our own city."
"And this is our land, so I'd say my people's rights are rather more important, wouldn't you, human?" King Maecoal intoned. "I've been wanting to get hold of Dublin for many…many years." He remarked with a wistful sigh.
"If the situation was reversed and HUMANS were demanding YOU leave a city and everything in it behind or they'd kill you all, would you give up, or would you fight to a man?" The captain of the guard inquired rather coldly.
"Yes, because as we all know, humans never, ever, eeeeeeeever asked that of monsters." The king remarked. "We've already captured the city of Drogheda, we've ensnared Navan and Trim, and soon Naas and Newbridge will be ours as well! We are taking back land that so rightfully belongs to us one city at a time. Try as people like Cu Chulainn might, he's but a man. And I don't fear him, nor any of you. If you won't willingly give us your city, we shall cut you off and starve you out. We'll see how long you last when you're stuck eating the barrels from your ships and the bricks in your roads." King Maecoal insisted. "We're already working on cutting you off from the sea."
Eri went pale as Hadiya looked back, over the expanse of Dublin, just in time to see Solomon racing up to them, climbing up as quickly as he could up a ladder to where they were on the ramparts.
"There's mer-people totally rampant all over the bay! The captain and I barely got off the ship in time before they sank it, they must have been planning this for weeks!" He cried out.
"You'll be giving up soon enough!" King Maecoal insisted firmly. "Now then, my men…come. Back to our encampment, we've got to find out word of how the city of Bray fared against our tactics. They were most disobedient and refused to let me enter even when it was clear they could no longer reap the bounty of the sea or land."
With that, he whipped about, making off for a far-off encampment barely visible on a hill some distance away as throngs of monsters waited, camped out, the archers and knights looking at their captain of the guard for advice.
"…don't waste your arrows on them. We will need a new plan of attack." He muttered. "Reinforce the gates and the walls. That's what we'll do. Prepare for a long siege."
Meanwhile, King Maecoal had finally returned to the encampment and was pouring a glass of wine for Sir Grillersby, looking at him with concern. He gently raised a hand to rest it on Grillby's shoulder. "My dear friend, you look troubled. I thought you'd be happy with your new appointment now that you're more diplomat than soldier. You no longer need to sully your hands with blood."
"I'm still having nightmares." Grillby mumbled as he sat down on a nearby bed in King Maecoal's tent, the king quietly nodding.
"That's a reasonable thing to have. There is no shame in accepting the horror of war, no shame in being touched by it. You've done more than what I've asked of me all the time, and I'm fine with giving you this boon. Now, drink, relax. Take your time. You can even rest in my tent for the night. I intend to be on the guard with the first-oh!" He saw an encroaching group of monsters led by a rather tough-looking minotaur monster in steely armor who was bringing along his men. King Maecoal beamed in delight, walking up to approach him.
"Ah, Jocasta!" He proclaimed, the female minotaur bowing her head, a golden earring in one horn. "How did it go? I see based on the many, many monsters here…" He looked over her shoulder with a big grin as the black-eyed minotaur nodded. "That the mission to Bray must have been a rousing success. Our siege tactics worked like a charm against the humans?"
"Yes, we've captured everyone left inside that wasn't killed through starving them out." Jocasta said as King Maecoal frowned a bit, watching as the many monsters parted to show off even more in the far back, bringing along a great deal of human prisoners, including the obvious mayor, who was the best-dressed and looking miserable, with graying hair and beard.
"…wait, what? Jocasta, I told you the people were to be destroyed!" King Maecoal said.
"But I made all the usual sacrificial offerings like you ask us to, I didn't think it'd be a big deal." Jocasta said with a shrug. "Besides, we can use them as-"
Unfortunately she didn't get a chance to finish as King Maecoal grabbed her by the chest, shaking her as the others watched on, eyes wide, mouths agape at the fervent fury and rancor in his words. "Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifice as in obeying the word of Yahweh?! BEHOLD! TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE!" The puca roared out in the female minotaur's face, his red eyes glistening, finally letting go of her as he ripped the sword out of her scabbard and quickly strode over to the prisoners. "Next time, you'll do what I say and kill everything that moves!"
Then, making very, very sure he was illustrating his point, King Maecoal shoved the captive mayor of Bray down onto the ground. Sword held high, King Maecoal began to hew him in pieces, loud, wet SCHLORGK-PLORTH-THRAC noises filling the air as the man was messily carved and cut into chunks before everyone's eyes. "Like this and this and this and this!"
"I think I'm going to be sick." Grillby murmured, peering out from the tent of his king as he covered his face again, shaking his head back and forth, knowing he would have even worse dreams that night.
No, no, King Maecoal did not like humans much at all. But he did have good reason to be, and it all went back to his father, King Vilgor. Having begun his reign in 500 BC, he had at one point owned quite a large chunk of Ireland, including "The Pale" itself. It had been firmly monster territory, along with an enormous chunk of Scotland itself. Maecoal's father had impressed upon his son the duty of a king to provide for his people at all costs as they'd made a trip to the marketplace.
Though Maecoal had bought a red gem that had caught his eye, a gem he'd one day put into his kingly crown, his father had sighed, shaking his head as he beheld the people in the marketplace, cringing. "Who are these people, who have special places where they go to cheat each other? I promise you, we'll tightly control the retail trade." He said as he looked out over, of all things, the city of Dublin. "I can do it, you know. I've got this entire kingdom divided up into provinces, I'll have my governors begin to enforce it as we further expand into the rest of Ireland."
"Isn't that land sort of…well, it belongs to the humans, doesn't it?" Maecoal had told his thick-bearded father, scratching his own head.
"It may be being used by the humans, but we monsters were here first." King Vilgor had insisted to young Maecoal, clapping his hand over his shoulder as they headed out of the front gates of Dublin, unaware that a small group of rather big-eyes mer-people going in…weren't actually mer-people at all. "And we'll have the humans realizing that soon. After all, look at Dublin."
He smugly glanced over at the irritated-looking human workers who were tending to golden flower fields outside of the city, wearing nothing but pants, glowering at him as several powerful-looking knights stood guard nearby. "They know full well they don't stand a chance against us. We totally outnumber them."
Well, the humans had realized all this. The expanse of the monsters was getting more and more worrisome, and the humans were getting pissed off. It was time to act, and the monsters had finally tossed the last straw onto the camel's back, the straw that broke it. They'd forced humans in coastal towns to sail off to the literal Isle of Man. Not a single monster lived there, but the monster overseers wanted to take over it as a very symbolic act of power. A true "flex" as it were.
It ended horribly. The humans had been almost utterly slaughtered and forced to retreat and the monsters that remained still were mostly untouched. The muttering and grumbling was going to turn into a mutiny and it was finally kickstarted when the head of the human slaves who tended the gardens of Dublin, a man with Scottish blood named Liam MacLeod, got an idea.
"Get them monsters before they get us!" And do that…by inviting in, one after the other, humans dressed as monsters in secret. It was pretty easy for humans to impersonate mer-people. It just required…creativity. And lots of paint over your bodies and faint "scales" as well and a fishy smell. So the plan had been crafted, slowly over the course of the past week, hundreds of humans, disguised as mermen and women, were coming to Dublin. The monster guards waved them through, not really looking at much beyond the "scaly" arms and legs and the occasional non-helmet-or-helm-wearing face which looked perfectly fine to them.
They had no idea the humans had done this. They'd also been helped by several mages who unfortunately couldn't disguise themselves with paint and fake scales. They had bad allergic reactions, and had used complex illusionwork that required taking lots of a special drink, regularly, to maintain the glamour.
Now as King Vilgor was finally out of the city with his son…the time came to strike. Time for the human inhabitants of Dublin to make their move, and King Vilgor and his son weren't even halfway inside his summer home ten miles down the road when a messenger, racing as fast as he could, out of breath, panting, collapsed in front of him and his servants and son with the bad news.
"There's over a thousand humans that have popped up in Dublin! They call themselves the "True Dubliners"! They've set the place on fire! The seat of your mayor is in flames! They've torched our boats, they've stolen all of our goods, they drove those of us that couldn't swim into the sea and those that could into the flames!"
"…humans…did all that?" King Vilgor asked quietly, his eyes becoming furious and baleful as he tore at his hair. "EEERRRRGGGGHHH! A BOW! An ARROW! Give me! NOW!" He yelled out, one of his servants racing off, bringing back a bow and arrow as he took aim, and shot it into the sky with a prayer. "God, grant that I may punish the Dubliners!" He proclaimed.
And that night, as his son sat with him for dinner, King Vilgor stewed over his beef stew and duck dish, grumbling in between bites as he had a servant repeat to him three times before, during and after dinner, every night for the rest of his life…
"Sire, remember the Dubliners!"