The next day, after breakfast Emperor Lam leave his chamber, he go to the castle’s kitchen, and ordered the kitchen staff to prepare a meal, then took the food and head to the castle dungeon. At the dungeon, upon meeting the guards of the dungeon he commanded them to bring the cultist leader to the guard room. Some guards find this strange, because no one can survive the dark cell more than one or two week let along over a month. But to the surprise of the guards, somehow the cultist leader still alive after over a month in the dark cell with little to no food and water. After the cultist leader had been brought before Emperor Lam, he told the guards to leave him alone with the cultist leader. Then Emperor Lam put the food he brought on the table in the guardroom and told him to eat. The cultist leader wolfing down the food in a blink of eyes without a second thought.

-feeling better? Emperor Lam asked

-what is the meaning of this? Why are you here? Why am I here? Why the food? The cultist leader asked

-well… you see, in the past month I have been thinking a lot about…. What you had said on that night… now I just realized the wisdom in your words and I felted deeply sin… I just… I wish you could help me correct my way. Emperor Lam said

-so you have finally saw the wrong of your way and want to ask the old gods for forgiveness. The cultist leader smirk

-yes, Your Excellency. I shall issue an Imperial decree to make the worship of the old gods become the main religion of the empire. And you shall be the head priest of the first temple and help bring all the subjects of the empire back to the correct way. Emperor Lam said

-good, good my child. Your intention is good, but I am afraid that is not enough for you crime. The cultist leader said

-then how do I make an amendment, Your Excellency? Emperor Lam asked

- a sacrificial ritual is a must, bring me 100 virgin boys and 100 virgin girls, I will offer them to the gods through their agent. The cultist leader said.

-offer through the agent of the old gods? You mean the mon… the great fish? Will it heed your call? Emperor Lam said

-it will my child, have faith. The cultist leader said

-thank you, Your Excellency. It shall be done. Emperor Lam smile.

After that Emperor Lam ordered the guards that the cultist leader will be bathed, dress properly and being treat like an imperial guest. Then he return to his chamber and summon Lord Buh Huy and Admiral Huan Tah. Five days later, Emperor Lam informed the cultist leader that the offering and the ritual ship had been prepared. At the next day, when the sun have yet to rise and the morning fog still floating on Lake Kao Ren surface. They boarded a large 3 mast Junk ship and set up a ceremony altar on the deck. This ship will be use as a ritual ship, on it is Emperor Lam, the cultist leader, Lord Buh Huy and Admiral Huan Tah with 30 sailors to manned the ship. The “offering” boarded a difference vessel, it is a Junk ship with roof, decorated with colourful flag and bamboo blinds. Although the blinds cover much the cabin but they are quite thin and anyone can see the offering peoples inside it, dressed with white robe and large burlap hood, the attire of funeral. The offering ship sail right behind Emperor Lam’s Junk ship. They kept sailing till the sun is well above the horizon then drop anchor, the offering ship anchored 10 lias before the ritual ship. After the sailors who maned the offering ship return to the ritual ship, the cultist leader starting to perform the ritual. He stand before the altar and chanting something very strange, it is not ancient language neither any language anyone had heard. He kept chanting like that for the whole 5 minutes, after finished he cut hit palm and mix his blood with Quasium powder, then he walk to the ship bow and pour the mixture into the water, close his eyes and stand silently with his hands raise before his face, finger interlocked. 30 minute pass, nothing happened, Emperor Lam toing and froing impatiently behind the altar. Then a spotter on top of the ship mast saw movement in the water on starboard side, everyone rust to the starboard and saw a large reddish shadow approaching from a far.

-oh great herald of the gods of yore. I hereby presented this offering to you as an amendment for the sin that the Emperor had committed. Please accept this humble offering and ease you anger. The cultist leader shouted

The monster kept circling the ships for 5 minutes investigating the situation and do not have the intention to attack. Then it suddenly dive further down until it shadow barely visible from the surface. Everyone on the ritual ship were wondering what the monster is doing then it resurface next to the offering ship, haft it head is above water trying to bite through the ship hull, making the offering ship rocking intensively. But the strange thing is… although the ship a being attack and rocking intensively the people on the offering ship still stay motionless on their seat when normally they should be throw around in it. Then a loud crack resounded the offering ship’s hull subdued to the monster jaw, from the crack on the ship, black oil oozing out into it mouth. Before it can reacted Emperor Lam leap to the ritual ship bow, he shoved the cultist leader aside then take a deep breath and breathing fire on the offering ship. The oil vapor in the offering ship caught fire and exploded, engulfed the offering ship and the monster head in a fire ball 5 lias in diameter. Debris from the offering ship flying everywhere, and a pieces of them landed on the deck of the ritual ship, partially burned human figure made of cloth and stuffed with straw.

-wha…what is this? The cultist leader staring at Emperor Lam

-What is the meaning of this? Suk Lam? The cultist leader yelled

- Seize him! Emperor Lam point at the cultist leader

But when the sailors about to grab him, the cultist leader jump overboard from the ship bow. However they ignore him, for right now, in front of the ritual ship, the monster is floating leadenly on the surface. Look like the explosion had stunned it. Emperor Lam quickly order the sailor to throw hook ropes at it mouth to keep it from dive back to the water. After all the ropes had secured Emperor standing at the ship bow charging his lightning spell, ready to deliver a killing blow. But the monster suddenly regain consciousness, it jolted intensively trying to free itself from the hook ropes causing the ship to rock violently, the ship hull let out terrify cracking sounds every time the monster lugging on the ropes. Then the hook ropes starting to snap one by one. The situation is worsening. They have come this far and let the monster escapes again? Then without thinking Emperor Lam leaping to the port side and jump overboard.

A minute later, right at the spot where Emperor Lam jumped overboard, a large head rose up from the water, a dragon head. A blue dragon emerged from the water, it snout it long like an alligator and full of sharp teeth and a long black goatee under it chin. On top of it head is a pair of deer like antler and a black mane, it scales shine like polished blue marble, the dragon turn it swan like neck toward the ship bow and snap off all the rope with it sharp teeth, freed the ship. With all the rope snapped off the monster try to dive back to the depth but the blue dragon quickly intercept, it powerful jaw grabbed on one of the monster fin and tear it off, blood from the wound turned entire area red. The monster convulsing in pain and turn it body around try to bite at the dragon long neck, but the pain from it burned throat, blood lot from the wound and the shock from the explosion had made it slow and the dragon easy avoided. In return the dragon sank it teeth in the monster belly right at the area below the monster gill, and then sank it front claws under the monster gill cover, it rear legs clawed the monster belly. Finally, with it mighty strength, the dragon twist it neck and torn the monster head off, and with the monster head still in mouth, the dragon proceed to resurface. After emerged, the dragon threw the monster head on the ship deck while everyone cheering on upon seeing the dragon emerged victorious.

“THE SON OF DRAGON! THE SON OF DRAGON!” they chanted

As they cheering and chanting, the dragon eyes turn white, it body starting to convulsing and shrinking down until it turn into a figure of a man, emperor Suk Lam of Varlann empire. Exhausted after transform to his dragon form Emperor Lam cannot lip a limb, the crew have to pull him back to the ship and clothed him, after that they head back to Qua Loh with the news of the monster dead.

And that is the story of the monster of Kao Ren Lake.