The Monster walked through the large, grassy plains and blinked lazily. He had found the flying-serpent Grimm's previous nest and taken shelter in it. While it wasn't like his cave in the valley, this did provide some form of residence that would suit him for not. The entrance was large enough to fit his immense size and the deeper he went, the more he noticed that it was covered in flora.
At the very was a large rounded area with a large opening in the top. There appeared to be loose leaves and sticks, along with some sort of fur strewn around. It appeared to be a nest and must have belonged to the Grimm that the Monster killed previously. It was better than nothing and the opening at the top could be filled relatively easily by secreting the black sludge.
He looked up and noticed small holes in the walls above him, there were dozens of them and he slammed his shoulder against the wall a few times. Nothing but leaves and dirt fell from them and he snorted a few times before spinning around a few times and lying down on his newly acquired spot. It didn't take him long to fall asleep and his deep rumbled bounced off the walls.
His natural body heat started to raise the temperature of the cold nest. What was soggy, cold, and unpleasant to stay in, was now a warm place to take shelter in. As he slept, his snores were similar to vibrations beneath the earth. It was steady inhale and exhale of breaths that cycled air through his scorching hot lungs. Smoke seemed to exit his nostrils whenever he exhaled.
As he slept, dark storm clouds and heavy winds started to pick up outside. Droplets of rain began to fall and fall onto the ground below. He twitched in his sleep as the rain had pelted him but he didn't pay it any mind. Each drop would evaporate quickly whenever it would hit certain parts of him. The rain started to increase as did the winds outside and he woke up when a tree fell over and plummeted into the hole above his head.
It hit him and snapped in two as he let out an angry snarl as he looked up, seeing the rain fall. Water slid down the edges of the hole and he narrowed all seven of his eyes before rumbling loudly and making his way out of the nest. The ground shook in the immediate vicinity with each step he took and he made his way out, seeing the grassy plains flick around wildly. Dark storm clouds blanketed the sky but he didn't pay it any mind as he looked back at the nest and began to climb the mountain it was in.
Large chunks of rock tumbled and fell onto the ground as he climbed and idly pushed trees out of his way. Each tree he uprooted barreled down the side of the mountain and he finally saw the hole on top of his new nest. With the amount of water entering his new, temporary home, it was bound to be more annoying than anything.
He gurgled loudly and the grotesque sound of something shifting in his throat reverberated throughout the area. Boiling hot, black sludge erupted from his mouth like a geyser and he began to cover the hole and surrounding area in it. The substance was thick and he managed to figure out how to harden it quickly. A glob of magma dribbled from his mouth and into his right claws, allowing him to smear it on the substance. It heated up and started to rapidly harden.
Throwing up the sludge made him both hungry for Grimm and tired at the same time. His eyes started to become heavy and after watching the water slide off the surface of the hardened cover he made, he slowly retreated back to his new home. Instead of trying to slide down the mountain, he just tucked his body into a boulder and rolled off, coming down at the speed of a missile before untucking himself.
A large crater was left in his wake as he slowly retreated back to his domain and found the nest. It was dark and his eyes adjusted almost instantly as he made his way back. The nest was warm as he went to his spot and spun around several times before plopping onto the ground. He used his arms as a pillow and closed his eyes, snoring soundly as the storm outside raged on. His stomach was full, his new nest was warm, and there were no other gargantuan predators to challenge him.
While he was asleep, the nomadic tribe were drawn towards the cave due to the storm blowing down their round tents. It didn't help that during severe storms such as these, Grimm were known to roam around more frequently. Cold rain soaked their bodies and they managed to find the cave where the Monster retreated to. They froze the moment they heard his snoring inside, but the sound of snarling Grimm made them quickly rush inside with their children.
As soon as they made it inside, they were engulfed by a warm feeling and they turned to see the Grimm stop outside. They wouldn't enter the cave for some reason and it only made the tribe retreat further into the cave. If whatever was inside kept the Grimm from entering, they'd take advantage of it the best they could. All that remained was the wet clothes on their backs and a few bows and spears for defense.
The striking of tools against one another echoed across the tunnels of the cave. Sparks briefly illuminated the walls and after one final strike, a small flicker of a flame was ignited. The dim glow of the fire gave them enough light to navigate and they saw that nearly everyone in their group was there. A few of them breathed in relief and looked around, sliding their hands across the walls and hearing the rumble bounce off of them.
Every single one of them knew that the large beast was slumbering here. Between being ripped apart by Grimm and staying hidden from the colossal, slumbering beast that dwelled in this place, they would take the latter. Through hushed tones, they communicated with one another, discussing on their next course of action. However, a wave of fatigue worked its way into their systems and they found a spot where they could get somewhat comfortable. Luckily, it was warm inside the cave to where they could just form a sleeping pile and drift off.
Running from the Grimm had taken a lot of energy and they were dead tired. They would explore in the morning, but for now, they needed to get some rest and see what they could salvage from their camp. If they could, they would possibly find a way to stay inside these caves for protection.
That was if the Monster didn't find them and eat them...
Days and nights passed by in the blink of an eye as the nomadic tribe followed the Monster everywhere for a long time. He seemed to be aware that they were following him, but he didn't go after them. Compared to the Grimm in this area, they weren't worth the energy to chase after. They would barely fill his stomach unlike the city inhabitants from before. These people were more slippery in a sense and he quickly found out that they were living in the same place his nest was at. It filled him with a sense of territorial anger but the caves were too small for him to reach inside, not to mention they were too elaborate for his tongue to maneuver around in.
So he left them alone. Not out of a sense of companionship or anything like that, but they weren't worth his time. They were mere insects compared to him, annoying and loud during some nights, but ultimately harmless to him.
Wherever he went, the tribe would follow and hunt the local wildlife in the area. This was mainly due to him consuming the Grimm in the area and leaving nothing but regular wildlife. If he was feeling particularly hungry, he would steal their kill and move onto the next. A majority of their kills were rabbits, fish, and other small critters that was too little for him to feel satisfied with. They seemed to notice this and would mainly hunt these animals for food and their fur.
The only time they seemed to be able to bag large animals was when he was asleep. Elks, deer, even moose in rare cases, were usually seen as a rarity and those animals could feed the tribe for some time before they went on another hunting expedition. These usually lasted anywhere from a few days to a week at a time, but the rewards were usually worth the risks.
Over time, they started to make the caves one of the few places that they could return to and spoke with one another, claiming that if the Monster moved, they would as well. The pieces of armor he shed occasionally provided a substantial amount of warmth and allowed them to make weapons. While they weren't any cannons, they did allow them to make powerful bows, spears, and knives.
A Beowolf howled in agony as it was caught in between his teeth. It snapped and snarled at him but all it took was one savage bite with an unsettling amount of force to kill it. Before it could disappear, he swallowed its body and felt it start to slide down his throat. Several more Grimm were consumed and the Monster usually would break the legs of smaller Grimm to keep them from running off. He would then drag them back to his nest and consume them after throwing them in a pile.
He shook his head several times and snorted once before making his way towards the entrance of the nest. He stopped when he saw several of the villagers at the entrance. They were on their hands and knees, foreheads pressed to the ground and a few animal corpses in front of him. All seven of his eyes stared at the group unflinchingly and he bent down, sniffing the offerings to see if there was a scent of poison.
Gusts of hot air blew from his nostrils and the temperature of their bodies raised a bit. The sound of slithering was heard and his tongue slid out, scooping up the animal corpses and into his mouth. He raised his head and swallowed before making his way outside towards the river that was half a mile from the cave. He shook his body and shed a few chunks of his armor.
From a scientific standpoint, this would be seen mutualism. The Monster got animals and Grimm as offerings while the nomadic tribe got safer hunting grounds and the Monster's discarded armor pieces for their own use. They didn't try to tame the Monster in the slightest and mainly stayed out of his way while the Monster simply ignored them. There was no use in trying to hunt them when they brought him food.
Despite his bestial appearance, he was smart enough to remember faces and affiliate groups. As he grew older, his intelligence increased. It was how he knew that the city he destroyed a while ago wasn't the same village from before.
The group quickly retreated back into the cave system while he went to the river and went to the water. He looked at his reflection and dunked his mouth underneath the cool waves. Large gulps were heard and he looked up at the cloudy sky when he saw snow trickle down. The snow was always something he was curious about. It always filled his untamed mind with wonder and he surprisingly enjoyed rolling around in it.
Cool water rushed down his throat when he dunked his mouth back down. The crisp sensation relaxing his throat muscles and he lifted his head once more, barely paying attention to the large amounts of water that slid off his tusks and mouth. He gave a series of croaks and bellows, going quiet once he finished before listening closely. All that met him was silence and he tried again, this time a bit louder and still receiving nothing in return.
The concept of hope was a foreign feeling to him; his mind couldn't understand something like that. However, he did give out calls less and less as he wandered and claimed territory. Not a single call into the untamed wilderness was heard nor given back. There was an unknown feeling within him that he didn't understand in the slightest.
Loneliness.
All that ever greeted him was that infinite silence that always followed right after his calls. No matter how much he bellowed, croaked, chirped, or conjure any sound from his maw, nothing ever came back. Something like that would forever haunt his existence so long as he treaded this world. When he gave up croaking and rumbling, he slowly made his way back to his nest, barely sparing a second glance when a group of the tribe exited their honeycomb of cave systems and froze.
Almost instantly, they bowed before him and he barely spared them a second glance. Each step he took shook the ground, as if he was moving the planet itself with his presence. His movement was slow, but full of power and they all could tell that he was the strongest thing around.
They had quickly figured out that he wasn't a Grimm. If he was, then they would've been dead already. Not to mention Grimm rarely attacked one another and they never consumed each other either. No, the Monster was something else entirely and they couldn't put their fingers on it.
All they knew was that as time passed by, they started to practically worship him in some way.
Years started to go by surprisingly fast. The nomadic tribe continued to follow the Monster wherever he went. Sticking far enough away to where he barely acknowledged their presence enough to where he didn't step on them. Older tribe members constantly had to remind the younger ones that this beast could kill them simply by flicking them. It was also considered taboo to even attempt to dare consider attacking him.
As time went on, new customs were given birth to. One such is the consumption of the Monster's blood whenever he was injured in a battle. A few tribe members known as Blood Seekers would gather as much of the Monster's blood as possible and return to the others. They would then hold a battle in the Monster's name and fight one another to see who would be the one to have the opportunity to drink even a drop of the divine blood.
After a particularly harsh time where Grimm were rampant and scared off the wildlife, the tribe had to solely rely on the aftermath of the Monster's battles. For each drop of blood that fell, they were on it in an instant. All it took was one of the curiosity and boldness of one member to find out the effects of it.
The boiling blood from the Monster gave him strength, bringing out the untamed power of his Faunus trait. However, it came with a cost; drinking too much usually resulted in the individual suffering from extreme cases of hunger, aggressiveness, and eventually mania. The untold power of the blood from the beast was too much for the man's body and he eventually melted into a pile of steamy flesh. Something like that should have deterred the others from doing the same.
It didn't.
They kept trying, lowering the amount of blood that was consumed until they eventually got it right after years. All it took was a bowl the size of one's palm to find the right amount. That bestial power gave them the strength to kill any opposition in their way; just like the consumption incident, there was a drawback to this as well. They started to give into their most basic instincts, delving into savagery if they weren't careful.
Once they became nothing but mindless berserkers, they became bold and sought the strongest opponent. Unfortunately, they would always seek out the Monster in his cave. It all ended the same, a mutilated corpse stuck in between the sharp teeth of the Monster. This served as a reminder as to not lose themselves unless they ended up in the jaws of the very same beast that they worship.
One drop was all they needed and it was seen as an honor to have the blood of their worshiped figure coursing though their veins. Eventually they mixed the blood in with an herbal brew and given to the children who were transitioning to adulthood. They were tasked with hunting a Grimm, keeping it alive and use it as an offering for the Monster. It was an extremely difficult task but it was one they all had to do.
While they created an entire culture around him, the Monster simply just went about his business. Hunt, acquire new territory, rest, and call into the wild and still receive nothing in return.
He ignored the tribe, only keeping them alive because they seemed to respect the boundaries of him and gave him offerings. While it was nothing but a mere snack to him, he still took it. Eventually, the Monster started moving around. No destination in mind, and each area he encountered was met with civilization. He destroyed a kingdom in an entire night simply because one group of knights attacked him.
The survivors fled and spread negativity wherever they went, thus drawing hordes of Grimm. It was then the Monster figured out that causing panic drew out Grimm for him to consume. So he did, consumed until his stomach was full and he left for the next destination. The nomadic tribe were usually right behind, collecting anything that their idol dropped.
Each part of him was sacred and wherever he went, prosperity usually followed. In the harsh winter months, he provided warmth with each step. During those days where it was rainy and they had trouble getting a fire started, his armor provided the necessary cover to start one. Even when it came to Grimm, his constant consumption of them kept them in check and allowed the tribe to expand in numbers.
All the while he just did his own thing. Hunting, fighting, and conquering were his reasons for continuing to survive. Whatever territory was new, he killed the ancient Grimm that ruled it and claimed it for himself. Whenever he did conquer new land, he always gave that distant call into the wild and always received nothing in return. Staying in new territory always lasted either months or a year, possibly two. It all depended on how the Grimm population was like.
These days, he had been growing more tired and he felt the familiar call of the place of his birth beckon him. So he returned to it, trekking across mountains and valleys silently. The aftermath of his destructive nature was seen by the destroyed once great city. Nature had taken what was left of the ruins and it seemed to be forgotten in time. One of the first places to fall and the birth of his terrifying legend.
As always, the tribe followed him. Yet he didn't care about them as he made his way back to his original home. Some things had changed, more critters scuttled to and from different spots. Some fungi here and there, and bats hung upside down from their spots. The closer he got to his home, he saw the glowing crystals in his cave. Each one vibrated with power as he took steps.
He crooned when he saw the spot he had made into his home. That familiar spot where he slept time away, the crystals surrounding him that held untold power just waiting to be discovered. Even to the claw marks on the walls he had scratched when he first hatched. All of it came back to him and filled him with a sense of peace. His stomach was full, no Grimm were in the area due to his current feeding, and no humans after him.
The cave shook when he spun around a few times in his sleeping spot and then plopped down. He rumbled deeply as he closed his eyes. That feeling of fatigue hit him slowly and he started to relax his muscles bit by bit. Once he was finally asleep, he started to slowly dream. Memories of his race were disguised as dreams, filling his head with knowledge from a bygone era.
The memories of the ancient Grimm he's eaten filled his head as well. Consuming the giant serpent Grimm allowed him to sneak better, stalking his prey on another level; while eating a burrowing Grimm allowed him to dig holes and hide himself with the rocky environment. Each one of those creatures of darkness had a certain skill that they excelled in, and he consumed them to get their knowledge and use it for himself.
Prey began to get easier to hunt, while he could ambush the wandering knights that were after his head. He also started gaining more abilities as well. His lava bombs were now splitting after they landed, easily scorching the nearby area and denying any foes the area to successfully fight in. His armor had a bit more spikes that were sturdier than the ones before and not likely to fall off as easily.
Essentially, he was going through all these chances to increase his chances of survival. Anything else was just an obstacle in the way that he would crush in a heartbeat. Not a shred of mercy was shown to those who attacked him, and there never would be.
However, none of that mattered since he was finally slumbering in his home. A place where he knew that no one would dare enter, not even the tribe wanted to enter. They sealed off the entrance as best they could to keep people from finding this sacred place.
Gods needed rest too
Here you guys go. I apologize for not uploading in a while. Life was busy and about to get even more busy for me. See you later.