Tenner#

Within the gloom, the monkeys roam, Far away from their lauded home. Ensnared in traps, as troubles brew, In revenge's journey, what's cause, what's due?

Centuries ago, the troops of the Court razed Mount Huaguo once more. Upon hearing of the Great Sage's death, many monkeys left their home in sorrow and began searching for new sanctuaries for their practice. Given the Great Sage's past association with the Bull King, many sought his protection at Flaming Mountains.

The Bull King hated monkeys as the Great Sage had betrayed him, yet he offered shelter to these distressed refugees. But life in Flaming Mountains was harsh, afflicted with scorching heat and frequent harassment from outer yaoguais. Fortunately, the Keeper of the land treated them kindly, providing food and support, and earned the trust of the monkeys.

Soon, however, a plague struck. The monkeys' fur began to fall out, their skin festered with sores, and large black boils, horrifying and infectious, sprouted on their backs. The plague spread rapidly, leaving many in such agony that death seemed a preferable fate. The Macaque Chief, their leader, ordered the infected to be cast into the scorching Furnace Valley to fend for themselves there.

Abandoned and dying, these monkeys cursed their former kin. As death neared, the Keeper came and saved them with astounding cures. In weeks, their skin healed; in months, their boils burst, and revealed dark wings. The Keeper taught them to fly, accepted their loyalty, and enlisted them as his tenth-ranked minions, named the Tenners.

Their first task was to purge the camp of the Macaque Chief. Ruthlessly, they slaughtered their kin, sparing only the cunning Macaque Chief, who managed to escape to an unknown fate.