No society stays a secret forever. And for the underground kingdom of Queen Qilanta, the time to be known had arrived…

CHAPTER 1: THE ONCE PRINCESS AND FUTURE COLONEL



South Africa - 1996

There was no time to celebrate. Topaz Division of Queen Qilanta's Gorilla forces was about to move to a base in North America. The new crown princess, Qilmara, yearned to visit the base in South Africa and oversee the beginnings of transfer—before she had to journey north to Ethiopia to become the new queen, at the original Qilantan Temple ruins.

But a dangerous criminal known as Brassandra was loose. She was rumored to be in the stretch of jungle that Qilmara and her bodyguards were trekking through. A stray arrow had all three of them on the run.



Qilmara: "Adonias! How close are we to the Topaz Base?"

Adonias: "A mile or two! We must move with caution! Brassandra the Cannibal will not…"



The completion of his sentence was not to be. The arrow went clean through his heart, killing him within seconds as he mustered the strength to yelp in pain before collapsing to the ground.



Qilmara and Mutable could only pause, horrified at the death of their friend. But Mutable knew he couldn't stay frozen in terror for long.

Mutable: "No time for honorable burial! We must keep moving!"



As another arrow whizzed past Qilmara, Mutable knew that Brassandra wasn't about to stop the pursuit. He prepared his energy Q-Shield in the event of another arrow.

Qilmara: "We have to take her down!"

Mutable: "We have to get you to Topaz! Keep running; I will fight her!"



Qilmara wasted no time ducking into the bushes and finding a pathway to her escape. She knew she'd have to shed a few layers of clothing to manage the rough jungle ahead. But at least Mutable was keeping Brassandra busy.

Meanwhile, Mutable could feel his heart palpitations getting worse. He lowered his Q-Shield briefly. The infamous Brassandra the Cannibal was now standing before him! He had to make the future queen proud!



Mutable: "Brassandra! You have finally gone too far!!!"

Brassandra: "Yes. It's me, Mutable! My, how the royal security detail's enrollment standards are slipping! I will get my taste of babies in that Topaz village yet! But a princess? Well, that's too good to pass up!"



Mutable: "Know this, vermin! On my honor, I will die this day, before I let you taste another Qilanta descendant's flesh!"



Brassandra: "The more the merrier, I say!"

She quickly blocked Mutable's Q-Shield, catching him off guard and readying herself to make the killing strike.

He knew he stood little chance in the fight against this terrible, sadistic monster. But he distracted her from the princess, and so he knew he was doing the right thing. Brassandra soon ran him through without an ounce of remorse, savoring the hunt for Qilmara.



Brassandra: "You can come out now, my dinner! Your security detail was as much a disappointment to me, as to you!"



Qilmara tried to wade slowly through the murky jungle creek, hoping Brassandra wouldn't grow wise to her location. She knew the base couldn't be far. But she heard in the distance something else headed her way. Two approachers.

Somehow, Brassandra knew her general location. Topaz Base's vicinity gave away Qilmara's intentions. But who or what was this other rustling of leaves?



In almost the blink of an eye, Brassandra appeared in front of Qilmara!

Brassandra: "Your attempt to live is cute! But I have a right to what pleases me!"



Qilmara: "Your hedonism and cruelty are never a right! Your way is a dead end! You have lived for little, and shall have little!"

Brassandra: "Keep quiet, my snack…and hold still!"

Qilmara knew that was all she had to do. The other party was approaching, and Brassandra had grown careless…



Stranger: "BRASSANDRA!!! LOOK HERE!!!"

The other party Qilmara heard had arrived! But she didn't recognize this purported rescuer. Who could he be, and what did he really want?



The stranger's initial attack failed to catch her; but did manage to give her something else to occupy her mind on.

Brassandra: "YOU!!!!"

Stranger: "Only a creator can make something an absolute right, Brassandra, not the creature! What you call a 'right' is only a want; and wants can be judged by a creator's standard! It is not the place of creatures to say otherwise!"



It was clear to Brassandra that this newcomer had been following her, since he caught wind of what she was doing. The Ape Devoid of Consequence was about to learn what it was.

Brassandra: "You DARE!!! Whoever you think you are; NEVER come between me and my meals again!!!"



Stranger: "That's the beauty of how today will end…I won't have to!"