Humans have been at war with the cryptids, large terrifying creatures that live up to 500 years, since the beginning of time.
There was never any real reason.
They just hated each other because of their differences.
If they worked together, they could do wonderful things.
They could solve every problem.
Climb every mountain.
Sail every sea.
Soar through every sky.
However, in this world, that was absolutely not the case.
They could never get along.
They were too different, too strange to each other.
They thought they'd be better off on their own.
They thought they didn't need each other.
Tough that was not the case.
It all started with the first cryptid and the first human. They were friends at first.
Very good friends.
They would play in the great green fields.
Swim in the grand blue seas.
Then rest in their small home carved into the first tree.
But then they started to really realize something.
They were completely different.
One had soft, tan, flesh.
And the other had rough, black, scales.
They started to ask each other why they looked the way they did.
Then they started to hate each other.
They would say things like "I don't have scales! How could I trust you? You aren't even my kind!"
Then they fought for 10 days and 10 nights.
No rest.
No food.
No water.
Just pure brutal combat.
Though neither of them ended up killing each other.
They went their separate ways and planned to build a wall dividing the cryptid and human worlds.
Though they couldn't even agree on that.
They fought day and night over what land belonged to whom for eons.
Until today…
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"Charge!"
My commander bellowed. A loud battle cry erupted from my comrades as we ran towards the cryptid troops who also cried out in fury.
Swords clattered, arrows flew, and soldiers of both sides fell from their feet to their knees.
"Do not give up my men! We shall make quick work of these abominations!" My commander once again called out to us.
I couldn't help but let out a yell myself as my blade tore through cryptid flesh.
Then I felt a sharp, agonizing, pain in my back. I looked down to see if I'd been hit…
A sword protruded from my stomach. Oh no. I'm going to die, I thought.
This must be the end.
My vision went dark.
But I didn't lose consciousness.
I stayed awake even after I felt the pain leave my body along with my feelings and control.
Then I opened my eyes again, looking up at a cryptid.
But I wasn't on a battlefield.
No.
I was in a hospital room, crying my eyes out, wrapped in a blanket, and covered in blood.
I was just born.
But when I looked down at my body, it wasn't that of a human's.
I thought things couldn't get any worse, but they did.
I had the body of a cryptid.
I didn't only die.
I wasn't only reborn.
I died and was reborn as a cryptid.
What am I going to do?
The wonderful life that I had with my family is now gone.
I have to live as a disgusting beast for the next 500 years (for cryptids life lasts much longer than humans).
This will be one hell of a life.
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"Oh my, look at his horns! They are already so strong!"
A female voice from behind me exclaimed.
" Yes I see. He is a very strong boy, no doubt about it"
A man in front of me with more grey than black scales said with clinical interest.
I could sense that these people who are likely my "parents" do not really care about me as a child.
My strength must be all that matters to them.
I wonder why.
"Let's bring him upstairs"
The woman said in a firm tone.
She likely doesn't even care about her husband either.
Not surprising for a cryptid family.
My "father" picked me up roughly like I was spoiled goods and took me up the stairs, then he opened the door to what shouldn't be a kid's room.
It was a dark, wooden room with little to no furniture except for paintings on the wall, a toy horse, and a cot.
My father placed me down in the bed, roughly again, and my "mother" scolded him.
"Oi! Jarr! You'll break his bones! A prince with broken bones won't be able to rule our kingdom!"
That's when it hit me.
I was just born into the cryptid royal family.
I'm going to have to command armies?
And not only armies, but the very armies that killed me!
This must be a dream.
I'm sure I'm in my bed right now, at home.
But if it isn't… I am in the worst situation imaginable.
But all that matters is how I get out of it.