Antonia Adventures Prologue: Sun & Moon

She waited outside the cave flanked by the two monkey guards unsure what to make of her, beyond the waterfall a third runs to report her arrival to their king. 

“What kinda monkey are you?” asked one of the guards, giving the woman an inquisitive look.

“It’s not a monkey,” rebuked the other, “It’s one of them Hoomuns.” The monkey gestured to her back-side with his spear. “See, no tail, and all their hair’s on their head.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” said the former clearly pleased about something. “Guess even Hoomuns have come to recognize the King.”

The woman let a smile cross her lips. “Talking monkeys,” she said to herself, as the third monkey returned.

“The king will see you.” He announced with an air of soldier’s discipline. 

“Impressive.” She admitted, noting to herself this adventure seemed to be panning out better than hoped.

The little monkey led her through the waterfall and across the iron bridge to the stone structure on the other side. Trees and flowers flanked the building, it gave it almost a paradisal look. It might be difficult to convince him to leave, she thought to herself.

By the front door stood two more monkeys on guard; these ones were clad in full military raiment, well as full as what could reasonably be used by a monkey; ill-fitting chain hauberks overly large helmets. Was he preparing for war? She pondered. They opened the door for her.

Inside ranged beds and kitchens, monkeys running around playing as humans; cooking at stoves, and eating at tables. The whole thing felt strange, or would, had she had the time to dwell on it. For the moment she entered she could feel his gaze catch her.

There is a throne against the back wall he sat, wearing a hauberk made of gold, a red-gold circlet with striped feathers secured to the front, flowing like ribbons over his head. His left arm was draped over the golden hooped bo staff resting on his shoulder. He appeared as much a general as a king, but also wholly more human-like than when she had last seen him.

Is this what our influence has had on that monkey? she wondered. Turned him towards war and conquest? Good. She needed a warrior, not a simian playing at being human.

The little monkey guard prostrated himself before the throne. “Your guest, as you requested, King Sun.”

The woman did not bow nor prostrate herself before the king, she looked him straight in the face and said nothing.

The surrounding monkeys stopped and watched as the tension grew in the room, “Is it not going to bow?” they chittered, “Does it disrespect our king?” 

The Monkey King stood from his throne, “Great King Sun will teach it manners” the monkeys continued with impish glee. Preparing themselves for the violence they suspected was to come.

Sun waved his staff through the air and with each wave it shrank when it was the size of a pin he tucked into his ear. The surrounding monkeys became excited, however, when the Monkey king locked his hands together and bowed, they were dismayed. Their great king, who barged into the dragon king’s palace to arm himself, who defeated and subdued the Havoc King, who went to Hell in his dreams and erased their names from Yama’s books, the Heaven-born Sage Sun Wukong, bowed to another.

“Master Lilith,” spoke the great King. “I welcome you to my home.”

The various monkeys’ mouths dropped open in shock, “Master?!”

The Monkey King clapped his hands loudly snapping all the gathered monkeys to attention. “Ma, Ba, Liu, Beng, prepare a banquet for our honored guest.”

Four monkeys took charge and organized the others, they cleaned tables, prepared food, and swept the floor. The monkeys moved practically and efficiently with little to no bickering. They seemed to work more peaceably than humans, Lilith noted, though that may be due to their great immortal King watching.

Lilith was led to the seat on the right of the table’s head where Sun himself sat. The Handsome Monkey King smiled magnanimously at his guest as the monkeys plate and serve the food. To her surprise, Lilith notices that somehow with all these monkeys preparing and serving the food not a single hair was found on her plate.

Taking a sip from the berry wine before her Lilith turns toward the Heaven-born sage savoring the taste before speaking. “You’ve become quite the leader since I last saw you.”

Sun puffed up his chest with pride “While Old Monkey’s kingdom might be modest it has influence across the neighboring mountains as well. We have six allied great kings and many more subjects besides.”

Lilith cast her gaze around at the gathered monkeys, who were hanging on their every word, waiting and watching to learn more of what she was or her intentions. She turned back toward the Great Sage, “You also appear armed and ready for war.”

The monkey king feigned modesty as he explained his recent conflict with a neighboring king who was terrorizing his people while he was learning the way of becoming an immortal. He explained that the battle taught him how under armed and ill-suited human and monster weapons were for him, so he sought out the dragon kings to arm himself properly.

“Your adventures are strange ones, Sun,” since she had seen him he has become a monster in his own right, a tamer of demons, dragons and animals alike or so he claimed. She stared deeply into the near-empty glass of berry wine. “I am in need of a great warrior.”

The great monkey King was taken aback surprised by the request while at the same time delighted at the chance to help one such as her. He stood from his chair and knelt before her, “Of course Old Monkey will help, just say the word and he will somersault across the clouds to your aid.”

Lilith let out a deep sigh, “A tragedy has occurred in an Empire to the east.” She took the last drink from her cup. “Someone has found the Book.”

Wukong sat back in his chair and leaned forward in rapt attention. He knew of what book she meant, the only book that either her or his teacher would hold in that level of importance to simply be called, the Book with a capital ‘B.’

“The man who found it is called Dio, he has used it to claim the Imperial throne of Aventine. When he claimed the book, he released Lilim into the world once more.”

The Monkey King leaned back recognizing the pain the name Lilim caused in her. 

“If left as things are, Lilim's power will grow, possibly powerful enough where not even you or the whole court of the Jade Emperor could take her down.”

Sun thought she must be joking, suggesting that anything could beat the Great Heaven-born Sage, but he caught her gaze and realized that such a boast would be ill-advised.

“The old guard is all gone; your teacher has left this world, his children are long since passed, Lilim’s children are almost extinct. So I’ve come to you, Sun, your teacher’s most prized student, to travel west and subdue this demon before more damage can be done.”

Before the great Sage could answer a monkey came in with a message, “Great king,” the monkey said, “There is an old man outside bearing a script on his back. He says he’s from Heaven and has an Imperial decree inviting you to the Jade Emperor’s court.”

“I was just thinking of taking a trip to heaven,” Wukong replied, he turned back to Lilith, “I will go and see what the Jade Emperor wants and maybe see if I can’t recruit an immortal or two to your cause.”

“It’s not my cause anymore,” answered Lilith getting up to leave, “I’m not the hero of this story. That falls to another.”

The Handsome Monkey King bowed deeply, “I will return as soon as I can, and set out West immediately.”

Lilith left Water-Curtain cave, and Flower-Fruit mountain, if that Monkey turns out to be half what he appeared to be, she thought, He might just be enough to tip the scales in favor of Antonia. That is the best I can do for her.