Alex struggled to keep his eyes open as he squinted at his laptop screen.
The Byzantine Empire in the 11th Century: From Apogee to Collapse… why didn't I pick a more narrow research topic? he mused to himself while scrolling through the Word document in front of him.
With the end of Fall Semester arriving tomorrow, Alex had decided to burn the midnight oil in order to wrap up his capstone research paper. After 3 and a half years of slaving away at the campus library and running to and fro trying to impress a myriad of college professors, he could not afford to screw everything up at the last moment.
Either I get that A and have something nice to put in my grad school application, or I'll find myself rotting away at some unfulfilling office job while my parents judge every move I make for the rest of my life.
Alex glanced over at his laptop's clock. It was 2:35AM.
Maybe I should finally turn in for the night. I have time to make some last-minute edits in the morning.
As he walked to his bed, he nearly tripped over the myriad of energy drink cans lying on the floor of his studio apartment. He also noticed that he hadn't bothered to clean up the snack wrappers strewn all over his unkempt bed.
Maybe now that I'll finally have some free time I can finally start cleaning this place up, he thought to himself. And maybe head out more, meet with some acquaintances, find someone special…
A pang of loneliness suddenly traveled through his body. Years of devoting himself to study had come at a cost- by putting all his energy into school, he'd neglected his social life. At the time it seemed like a rational decision- now he wondered if he had wasted his college years locked up alone in a 400sq ft box.
Meeting new people had never come easy for Alex. He rarely had the confidence to break the ice and get to know someone on a more personal level, and even when he did, part of him just wanted to crawl back into his personal shell and retreat to read in some quiet corner. Even thinking about breaking out of his long-held routine caused a pang of anxiety to well up inside.
Tomorrow is the day when I'll finally open myself up… I wonder how many times I've already said that to myself. As he laid down and shut his eyes to sleep, he tried his best to suppress the gnawing feeling of emptiness eating at his soul.
[]
Alex slowly stirred from his slumber to the sounds of birds chirping and sunlight shining on his face. He had slept far more soundly than most nights, not even feeling the effects of staying up too long while amped up on caffeine.
Wow, I don't think I've felt this refreshed since middle school. Finishing that paper is going to be a cakewalk now. As his eyes adjusted to the sunlight streaming upon him, he looked up and examined the morning sky, admiring the sight of the sun's rays glaring through the treeline…
Wait, treeline?
Alex suddenly shot out of his bed in a jolt of pure panic. Aside from his bed, his apartment and everything within it was gone. Looking around, it appeared that his bed was in the middle of a small forest clearing, with pine needles littering the forest floor and evergreens surrounding him in all directions. A blue jay perched on a nearby branch, singing its tune with no regard for the confused human beneath it.
"What the absolute hell!", he yelled out loud. Alex's brain struggled to comprehend his complete change in his surroundings. Did someone kidnap him and drop him off in the woods? But then wouldn't he have felt them carrying his bed off? And where was he exactly? There were no evergreen forests where he lived!
As a thousand questions raced through his mind, Alex realized another change- he was wearing different clothes than the ratty T-shirt and boxers he fell asleep in. He now wore a white buttoned shirt that felt like it was made of wool, along with a pair of black trousers and leather boots that were not entirely uncomfortable to wear. Whoever had clothed him knew his size, as he did not feel any chafing or tightness anywhere.
Wait, does this mean that someone undressed me in my slee- Alex decided to stop thinking about the darker implications of his situation and finally find out what was going on. It would do him no good to panic over his own apprehensions.
As he got out of bed and stretched his limbs, he noticed one more change- he felt more energetic than he had in years. He usually kept himself going on a daily basis with energy drinks only to feel trapped in a miasma of tiredness when they inevitably wore off. This, this felt good.
Finally, something I can get behind, Alex thought to himself. But how did I suddenly get so healthy in one nigh- oh, I'm doing it again. After silencing the deluge of questions pouring out of his confused mind, he thought about what he should do next in his bizarre situation.
Normally, you're supposed to stay put when finding yourself in a survival situation. At least, that's what Alex remembered from that survivalist workshop he attended back in freshman year. But this situation was anything but normal. He also feared what would happen if whoever left him in this forest decided to return and do who-knows-what..
After several minutes of ruminating, he decided to leave his bed behind and begin traveling through this unknown wilderness. He'd need to find water eventually if he wanted any hope of survival. And perhaps, if he were lucky, he could find some friendly people who'd help him out of this predicament.
Or they'll chain me up and sell my kidneys to the organ marke- I should really get going. With one final look behind him at his lonely bed, the only reminder of his old life, he set out into this unfamiliar world.
[]
The vast and mostly-deserted throne room had once given off an ecclesiastical air with its towering gray walls and arched vaults. Stained glass windows had lined both sides of the rectangular chamber and lit the room with multicolored beauty as they displayed the miraculous acts of saints and the legendary feats of heroes from ages past. Statues were placed between the windows to display a further assortment of celebrated individuals, painted in a myriad of colors and reinforced with preservation spells that would keep them intact from any would-be vandals. The throne itself sat upon a high dais, gilded in silver with ornate trimmings and ordained with a golden cross. The entire room radiated purity, and it was not difficult to imagine heroes arriving to pay homage to their monarch and requesting blessings for their future endeavors.
At least, that was the environment the previous owners were trying to implement. Now, under new management, the contrasts can not be understated. Gone were the statues of heroes and saints, safely stored away and replaced with sculptures all nude and posed in various lewd forms. The stained glass windows were also altered, now illustrating scenes of lewd obscenity that would have shocked their previous subjects. The throne itself remained mostly unchanged, but the golden cross had been taken out and replaced with a jewel resembling a glowing red eye. Gone were the days where the throneroom held canonizations and knightly ceremonies. Now it served as the setting for bacchanal feasting and orgies.
There was one occupant in the throne room, but she did not seat herself on the ornate throne. Despite the enormous amounts of power she possessed, it did not belong to her. As she floated just to the side of the dais atop a ball of pure dark energy, her thoughts were interrupted by a new arrival entering the throne room.
"Wilmarina my dear, it has been so long since you've visited the palace. You must be busy with training the newest batch of Dark Knights". She greeted the newcomer with a smile, glad to be visited by a familiar face.
"I apologize for not visiting you sooner, Lady Druella.", the Dark Hero replied, her spade tail quivering in mild embarrassment. "But we've had such talented monsters arrive over the past few weeks! One dullahan took only a week to earn herself a spot in the Order of the Ice Flower!"
"Fufu, no one can doubt your excitement, Wilmarina. And I'm positive that your dear Elt certainly won't".
Druella could not help but chuckle as Wilmarina blushed at the sound of her beloved's name. The ex-hero had thrown away her former life for the chance to be with her childhood love, and the two were now practically inseparable. Of course, this lovely tale would never have happened without Druella's personal assistance, and the lilim fondly remembered the night she liberated Lescatie's greatest hero by guiding her through the truest forms of pleasure.
They make such a happy couple, Druella mused to herself. But her nostalgic reminiscing was interrupted by a sudden intrusive thought- Why haven't I found myself someone to drown in happiness and love like them? Before she could dwell on that thought further, Wilmarina spoke up again.
"Yes, my husband has felt so wonderful these past few weeks," the succubus replied, her eyes beaming with pride. But then the joy faded from her gaze, and her expression turned somber. "Unfortunately, I didn't come here with just good news."
Druella straightened atop her dark energy sphere. As much as she enjoyed talking about ribald affairs and the lecherous exploits of her underlings, she was still the Fourth Princess of the Mamono Realm, daughter of the Mamono Lord herself. And that meant dealing with the responsibilities of power.
"Another group of refugees arrived this morning." Wilmarina reported, looking more and more downcast by the moment. "A flock of harpies flying from the southeast. Most of them managed to carry their husbands with them to safety, but a few… could not…get them in time." The succubus could not hold back a few tears as she finished her report.
Druella grimaced at the news. Ever since Lescatie had fallen to her, she had heard nothing but ill tidings coming from countries under the influence of The Order. It appeared that the theocratic organization had not taken kindly to the loss of one of its most powerful states and had adopted a harsher and crueler approach in its struggle against the forces of the Mamono Lord as a result. Monsters and their husbands were arriving at a consistent rate to find safety in Lescatie, but there were always those who could not get away in time.
To think that so many beautiful monster couples are being torn apart by the actions of self-righteous zealots…no, now was not the time to get emotional. As friendly and as open as she was with Wilmarina, Druella still had to present an air of authority. Besides, the Dark Hero looked like she could use a leader-figure in this moment of uncertainty.
"So the Kingdom of Ashura has accepted Order occupation, and they've gone after the harpy nests in the mountains. If they spread to any more neighboring countries, I may have to leave Lescatie earlier than intended." Druella had enjoyed her time transforming Lescatie from Theocratic Stronghold to pleasure-fueled Demon Realm, along with all the friends and allies she cultivated in the process, but if The Order were to continue on its destructive warpath only a Lilim as powerful as herself could halt their advance. "I'll have to meet with Queen Francisca tomorrow to discuss the defenses of the-"
Druella suddenly jerked back, surprise etched on her face. Wilmarina, who had been listening attentively the entire time, looked up with concern.
"My lady, is something wrong?"
This burst of magical energy, it is entirely alien to anything I've ever felt before! Who could have performed such magic?! Lilim were far more in tune with the magic of the known world than most monsters, so Druella could detect that some unknown magic had taken place within the frontiers of the Order-aligned state of Ashura.
It could just be a one-time anomaly. Or…perhaps The Order has developed some sort of deadly new weapon? Either way, this cannot go uninvestigated. Unwilling to take any chances, Druella quickly made her decision.
"Wilmarina, ignore my previous order. Tell Francesca that I will be absent on a scouting mission, hopefully for only a few days. I'm unlikely to be in any danger, but be on the lookout for any messages."
"Yes, my Lady." Wilmarina looked up at the lilim with some hesitation in her eyes. "But would it not be better if I accompanied you? If The Order found out where you were, they would stop at nothing to defeat you."
Druella smiled at her. "Your offer is appreciated, Wilmarina. But I can protect myself. Besides, you have a husband to attend to." At the mention of her beloved, Wilmarina straightened herself and nodded. The Dark Hero may have held a love for travel and adventure, but that love paled in comparison to the devotion she held towards Elt.
Druella finally placed both feet on the Throne Room floor, her dark energy sphere dissipating behind her. Although apprehensions about the future still lingered in her mind, perhaps investigating this anomalous energy burst would distract her for a little while. Then, she could return to painting the world in so many lovely shades of pleasure…
[]
If the situation were different, Alex might have enjoyed walking through this vast evergreen forest.
Pine needles crunched under his boots as he walked underneath the pines, the scent of sap permeating in the air. If he had to make any guesses from his limited knowledge of botany, he would compare them to the Ponderosa Pine forests he saw when visiting Flagstaff as a child. There was no end to them in sight, but he could see just enough between them to realize that he was walking in a valley between some forested hills. If someone were to place some trail markers, it would make for a decent hiking destination.
But Alex couldn't enjoy it, not when he had no idea when or where his hike would end. It had been two hours since he abandoned the clearing he woke up in, and already his mouth was getting dry.
I would much rather die of starvation than dehydration, Alex thought to himself as he continued his aimless trudge. What kind of sick game is this, dropping off someone in the forest to waste away? Why now, when everything was finally starting to work out for me?!
Before he could feel sorry for himself some more, his ears picked up a noise. There was a buzzing sound- low at first but getting louder the more he walked forward. And although he studied History and not Entomology at university, he could tell that flies did not buzz like that.
It sounds like bees. Is there a beehive close? Honey would definitely improve my situation, but being stung to death is also a pretty cruddy way to go. Maybe if I used these pine needles to start a fire and smoke them out…
As he approached closer though, the buzzing became more irregular. Instead of a swarm of bees buzzing at random, it sounded more like they were all buzzing in tandem with one another.
He then noticed a break in the evergreens up ahead, though a thick fallen log blocked the rest of his vision. As he peered above the log, he finally found the source of the buzzing.
Within the clearing were wildflowers of various shapes and colors, and examining those flowers was a young woman holding onto a small jar filled with some unknown colored liquid. She had medium-length brown hair and wore nothing but a yellow crop-top that exposed her toned body, something that resembled fuzzy white underwear, and black and yellow leggings that also ended in the same white fuzz. As she leaned down to reach at one of the flowers, Alex could not help but admire how well her bizarre get-up accentuated her curvy body, and how her grey eyes matched well with her antennae..
Wait, antennae?! There was no mistaking it, atop her brown hair were antennae one would expect from an insect, not a human. It was then that Alex noticed other inhuman features, such as a black and yellow abdomen and large transparent wings jutting out of her back.
Is she some sort of human-bee hybrid? She looks almost familiar…
As he pulled back in confusion and fear, he heard a twig snap underneath him, betraying his position. The bee girl looked up in surprise before quickly turning towards Alex's hiding spot. Before he could do anything else, she had quickly closed the distance between them through flight and tackled him to the ground.
"What's a young cutie like you doing this far out into the woods?", the bee girl asked Alex as her body shifted atop his in a suggestive manner. Alex's brain was too confused to formulate a reply.
"Aw, are you shy? That's okay, once I take you back to the hive, we can get to know each other a lot better! Good thing the Queen found herself a husband last spring, or else I'd have to hand you over first!" The honeybee leaned closer to Alex, her lips rapidly approaching his…
"Hey, who gave you permission to hunt in my territory!". A harsher female voice suddenly cut through the clearing, and both Alex and the bee girl turned to look at the speaker.
Hovering above the clearing with a scowl on her face was another woman with similar features to the one atop Alex. Her insect features were larger, however, and there was no fuzz present on her lithe body. Instead of a jar, she carried a rather large spear in both hands.
She almost looks like a wasp or hornet. With that spear, I definitely remember something like her in… no, it couldn't be…
"Since when was this hornet territory! And I claimed him first!". The bee girl reluctantly pulled herself off Alex and took on a fighting stance as she looked at the hornet girl with indignation. Alex could tell that the hornet held the upper hand in strength and weaponry, but the bee girl's face held an unmistakable determination.
"Hah, no you haven't. I can tell he hasn't been marked by you yet! But since you're unwilling to submit to your superiors, I guess I'll have to teach you a lesson!". The hornet girl raised her spear and prepared to charge.
In response, the honey bee hovered high in the air, looking for more room to maneuver. As the two insect girls got ready to fight, Alex suddenly realized that they had both stopped paying attention to him.
It was when both girls flew at each other at high speeds that Alex made a break for it. He could hear shouts of surprise and dismay behind him, but he didn't bother to look.
Bee girls, hornets, all fighting each other over husbands… there's no mistaking it now- I'm in the world of Monster Girl Encyclopedia! Alex was very familiar with the world of sex-crazed demihumans horny for human men- reading the entries was a guilty pleasure of his after a long day of studying.
So that's why I woke up in the middle of a forest with a whole new set of clothes- I've been Isekai'd! But does this mean I'm dead in the real world?! Did the thousands of expended energy drinks finally finish off my heart? Wait, that's less important than the fact I'm in a fictional universe!
As he continued running through the forest, the torrent of thoughts continued further. Well, I guess there are worse fictional settings to be reborn in. But what the hell should I do now? I still need to find water soon if I want to survive!
Part of him wondered if he should just turn around and let one of the monster girls take him. From what he remembered about MGE, monster girls, or mamono as they were sometimes called, wouldn't let their claimed husbands suffer or perish, no matter their type or disposition. But Alex wasn't sure if he wanted to make such a commitment just yet. Besides, if he had to choose, there were other MGE entries he would rate higher than the Honey Bee or Hornet.
After five minutes or so of constant running, Alex finally stopped to catch his breath. He could no longer hear the sounds of buzzing wings behind him- perhaps the insect girls had given up on catching him?
Before he could breathe a sigh of relief, he heard the unmistakable sound of a bow being strung. Turning to his right, Alex realized that he really should have been paying attention to where he was running.
There were about fifteen soldiers, all dressed in white armor and mail with a golden cross on the top right of their breastplates. Some carried swords, others spears. There were two that appeared different from their companions- the first one wore what appeared to be fabric gloves instead of the gauntlets the other soldiers were wearing, and held a wooden staff to his side. His curly auburn hair contrasted greatly with his brilliant verdant eyes. The second held a wooden bow that was now aimed right between Alex's eyes. His armor was lighter than his companions, likely to make it easier to maneuver and shoot, and he stared at Alex with sharp blue eyes as if daring him to try and run. Unlike his companion, his hair was black and cut short.
Three small campfires were smoldering in the clearing, with cook pots and pans lying on the forest floor nearby. It appeared that these men were stopping to take a lunch break before Alex had rudely interrupted their meal plans.
"Who are you, and what are you doing in the forest so far from the main road?" one of the soldiers asked Alex, his sword unsheathed and pointed towards him.
Alex was unsure how to respond. After his previous unexpected encounter, he had a good idea of who these people were, and he quickly realized that saying the wrong thing might get him into some deep trouble.
Armored men with a cross symbol, either I've suddenly teleported to 12th century Outremer, or these men are part of The Order! Considering their attitude towards monsters, it's probably best if I don't tell them I just encountered one. But I can't stay silent forever! What do I say?
After a brief moment of thought, Alex decided to tell them the truth about his situation. Their hatred of monsters aside, the Order was still supposedly made up of mostly good people and heroes willing to help out their fellow man. Maybe they'll take him to civilization?
"I wish I could tell you sir," Alex replied, struggling to hide the nervousness in his voice, "but I woke up in this forest with no idea how I got here. Please, I haven't had a sip of water in hours. If you could just lead me to the nearest town, I won't bother you any further".
After hearing his story, the soldier's eyes softened a bit, and his sword lowered a little. "I can tell from the tinge of desperation in your voice that you're not lying, though your story is certainly bizarre. Our scouting trip is wrapping up soon, so as long as you keep quiet and behave you can follow-"
"Wait!". The archer interrupted the soldier as he began to approach Alex. His blue eyes gazed with intensity as he reached out his arm and grabbed something from Alex's shoulder. It was a white, fibrous substance, and it certainly did not come from his shirt. The archer looked at the fibers for a few seconds before turning back to Alex, his gaze now one of absolute fury.
"Honey Bee fuzz, if I'm not mistaken. You're not a lost traveler, you're a monster-sympathizer, a traitor!"
At the mention of "traitor", the rest of the soldiers shot up brandishing their weapons, with looks of anger and hatred in their expressions. Barely containing the panic in his chest, Alex realized he had to defuse this situation quickly, before things got ugly.
"W-w-wait a minute! Yes, I encountered a Honey Bee earlier! But I didn't do anything with her! I took advantage of a distraction and made a run for it! That's why I practically tripped over your camp!"
"He's not lying, Captain". The auburn-haired staff-wielder had walked over to the archer and eyed Alex with an analytical gaze. "If he had been exposed to Demonic Energy, I would be able to detect it".
Hope sprang up in Alex. Maybe this soldier, who appeared to be some sort of magic-user, could get him out of this predicament?
"You know the rules, Tellack. Anyone touched by a monster cannot be allowed to live. It's tough, but we can't risk even the smallest chance of infiltration". At this, the Archer-Captain raised his bow and pointed it right at Alex's heart.
The panic in his chest returned with a fury. It hadn't even been a full 12 hours, and he was going to die here! There was a whole not-so-fictional world to see, and instead he was just going to be a forgotten corpse left abandoned in the woods. This…this was unfair!
"But Captai- Aram!", the magic-user named Tellack exclaimed. "Look at him, he's not a threat to us or anyone! Let's just get him to safety and put this whole incident under wraps!".
"You are too soft-hearted, Tellack. It's still your greatest weakness. And don't break rank when we're not off duty." After shooting down his subordinate, Aram pulled the bowstring back, and Alex prepared to die.
"Wait a moment.", Aram suddenly spoke, his bow lowering. Alex felt hope spring up for a moment, but then Aram crushed it back down. "It's been a while since we've reminded the citizens of this region of the consequences o dallying with monsters. Tie him up, we'll take him back to town and execute him tomorrow morning."
Alex didn't resist as two soldiers grabbed his arms and tied them with rope. If he tried to run, Aram would likely easily shoot him, and he was too terrified to think up an escape plan.
Well great! This was such an amazing adventure! Maybe next time I'll wake up in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone! Or right on top of Krakatoa in 1883! As the soldiers of The Order pushed him through the forest to their main base of operations, he couldn't help but feel a little bitter about his terrible luck.
[]
Druella was utterly confused.
Instead of encountering an Order camp constructing some magical superweapon, or some nefarious cult planning a secret ritual, the only thing present at the site of the anomalous energy burst was an empty bed.
The Lilim leaned forward and gave the covers a sniff. It appears that whoever slept in it was a human, and they had abandoned it hours ago.
A real shame, if they had stuck around we could have such a fun time together! After amusing herself with thoughts of all the lewd things she could have done on those sheets, she turned and examined the rest of the forest clearing.
There were tracks leading out of the clearing, and they were the only lead she had to this bed's mysterious occupant. And that occupant was likely responsible for that magical anomaly.
Druella began to follow the trail, leaving the lonely bed behind. No doubt some wild monster girl would be happy to find some free furniture left discarded in the forest. She, on the other hand, had a lost human to find.
[]
Authors Note: Thank you for giving chapter 1 of "Breaking the Cycle" a read! This is my first fic on the site, and while it may start slow I promise that things will get quite exciting in the near future. Comments and critiques are appreciated, and while I do have the general narrative planned out there'll still be opportunities to add new ideas!
I'll be mostly sticking to all canon information regarding the World of MGE, at least the info that has been translated to English. There will be a few deviations here and there though, but nothing lorebreaking.