Chương 436: Chapter 437: Monicerus

Adam followed Rowena as she happily flew through the air, occasionally looking back at him and laughing before trying to get even further ahead of him. [OracleRomy (Elysium): Why does it seem like she is having so much fun?] [OfficialAphrodite (Felinia 7): Probably because she is.] [NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): You wouldn't know this, Romy, but Rowena loves to fly and the only thing better than flying for her is flying with enjoyable company.] [OfficialAphrodite (Felinia 7): I guess she hasn't been able to let loose in quite a while from the happy smile on her face.] [Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): You wouldn't think that she was on her way to see her own granddaughter get stabbed.] [OrangeeyedStace (Felinia 7): …] [OfficialLorelie (Felinia 7): I doubt she is looking forward to seeing Stacey get stabbed. But do remember that she has already lived through this once and so she knows that Stacey will survive and, in fact, appear completely unharmed.] [Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): Diva Lorelie raises a good point, OrangeeyedStace. How did you survive the stabbing and come away completely unharmed?] [OrangeeyedStace (Felinia 7): I don't know. I was out walking in the gardens since my shitty parents had broken their word to my grandmother about taking me to the festival and the next thing I knew was a great pain in my back, just over where my heart was. I collapsed to the ground and heard the footsteps of someone running away and a voice I couldn't make out. As I lay there dying in my own pool of blood, my consciousness began to fade until I fainted. The next thing I knew, however, was that I awoke completely fine. I was still lying in the pool of my own blood and my clothes were soaked in it. But my body was fine with no evidence of a wound or even a scar.] [NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): How mysterious.] [OfficialLorelie (Felinia 7): Do you know anything about this Oracle Andromeda? Did you prophesize anything? Or see the event take place through your visions?] [OracleRomy (Elysium): I'm afraid I saw no prophecy of this occurring and it must have taken place as I was awake, as nothing came to me in a vision.] [DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): That or something more important was happening in the universe at the time.] [OfficialAphrodite (Felinia 7): Are you insinuating that Stacey getting stabbed was not of importance, Lord Malacoss?] [DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): Not at all, Diva Aphrodite. I'm just pointing out that on a universal scale, one five-year-old girl getting stabbed probably doesn't rate very highly.] [OracleRomy (Elysium): Although Lord Malacoss' words sound harsh, they are unfortunately true. Numerous people die every second in the universe and I only see a tiny number of those in my visions.] [CEOHopkins (Earth): That must be hard on you, Oracle Andromeda.] [OracleRomy (Elysium): 🤨 It's something you get used to. But thank you for your concern.] [CEOHopkins (Earth): I just can't imagine having to spend every night watching people die. I think if it were me, I would hate the idea of falling asleep.] [OracleRomy (Elysium): It's definitely something you have to get used to. Although sometimes I actually do see some nice things.]"So where do we find this friend of yours?" Adam asked as he caught up with Rowena. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"At this time, she should be operating her relatively new business out of a workshop on the edge of the Nyxburg business district," Rowena replied.

"Nyxburg? Is that the name of the city?" Adam asked curiously.

"That's right."

"So, I'm assuming this friend of yours is a Brood?"

"Actually, no," Rowena replied happily before saying, "You might be surprised to learn that she's actually a Monicerus." [Prestigious3horns (Vinox 2): You're kidding?] [HackerSu (Trillion): Aren't they supposed to have died out after the horn hunts?] [DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): Every so often, you hear rumours of one being seen; however, I had no idea one was living on Darah Five, eighteen years ago.] [Whostolemyduck (Earth): What's a Monicerus? And what are these horn hunts?] [Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): They were a very rare race of creatures that were almost impossible to encounter. In fact, most individuals went their entire lives without meeting one and that was before the horn hunts.] [Whostolemyduck (Earth): Thanks for that thoroughly unhelpful piece of information that completely failed to answer my question and instead only left me with more questions than answers.] [DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): Allow me. Monicerus are…]"A what?" Adam asked in confusion.

"I should have figured you wouldn't know what one was, but I'm still slightly shocked considering how famous they are," Rowena replied before she began to explain. Monicerus are extremely rare creatures that have four legs, wings and a horn on their head. They are exceptionally fast and also one of the long-lived races. While all Monicerus are born with a horn that grows bigger over time, only adult Monicerus have wings. Also, adult Monicerus have the ability to take on human form like the dragons or phoenix race."

"A horn and wings?"Adam replied before stating, "They sound like a cross between a unicorn and a pegasus." [RealOtaku (Earth): I was thinking the same thing, streamer.] [Lizziethetruepower (Palaxia): What are Unicorns and Pegasus?]"Unicorn? Pegasus?" Rowena asked.

"They are mythological creatures back on Earth that look very similar to horses. A unicorn has a single horn on its head, while a Pegasus has wings that allow it to fly. It is said that the blood of a unicorn could even save someone on the brink of death."

"Although their blood does taste very delicious, it doesn't have any healing properties like what you're suggesting," Rowena replied before adding, "Their horns, on the other hand, are a key ingredient in some of the most powerful drugs and medicines in the universe."

"I'm surprised you have had the opportunity to taste their blood if their race is so rare," Adam remarked.

"I have lived for over two thousand years. Back when I was young, Monicerus were a common sight in the universe," Rowean replied before saying, "Because their horns are used to make the most powerful medicines and drugs in the known universe, their kind was hunted to the brink of extinction and only a few now survive."

"Sounds like the Phoenix Hunts," Adam remarked with a frown. [Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): …]"You're not wrong," Rowena replied.

"You would think people would learn that they gain nothing from hunting a species or race to near extinction," Adam stated.

"Well, the majority of the universe is made up of races with finite lifespans and they generally only care about making as much as they can as quickly as they can and think of things in the time scale of decades. It's the long-lived races that consider things in the longer timeframe of centuries and above. I'm afraid many such hunts like those of the Phoenix and Monicerus have taken place throughout history and you will likely learn of them as you explore more of the universe."

Adam only nodded in understanding before changing the subject and asking, "So why is this Monicerus on the Brood homeworld if it's so rare?"

"The progenitor came across her as she was being hunted for her horn and decided to rescue her when she was young. Even though their horns are far smaller, young Monicerus are naturally much easier to hunt for their horns than adults. Not only are they less adept at defending themselves, but they also have yet to grow wings, which would help them to fly and escape."

"She must surely attract a lot of attention being from such a rare and hunted race. I imagine she is the only one of her kind on the entire planet."

"In the entire galaxy," Rowena replied before continuing, "You're right, she would, if she hadn't learnt how to hide her horn and wings."

"She can do that?" Adam asked in surprise. [OfficialMuriel (Aqua Primus): Monicerus can do that?] [Phoenixempress (Fenix Nest): It's the first I'm hearing of it.]"Apparently, though, she is the only one I have ever heard of managing to do it. When I asked her about it in the past, she explained that she wished she had the ability to hide her horn and wings, as we Brood can with our wings.

When she was finally old enough to assume her human form and could communicate with us directly, she asked how we did it and after much practice, she somehow managed to achieve it." [Beinglittleisnotadisadvantage (Strathorp 7): That's not how things work. You can't just do it because you really want to and practice enough. Your body needs to be capable of storing her wings and horn somewhere within her body. This means her race must have always had this ability.] [Handsome3horns (Vinox 2): I wonder why they never used it if that's the case.] [NonpareilRaphilia (Aaru): It could be that Rowena's friend is the first of her race to discover that her race had this ability.] [DeverinianLordMalacoss (Deverinian 9): Individuals often discover that they are capable of amazing things when their lives are in danger.]