Storytime
Part One
"Okay, here's a story I know... but you have to promise not to share it. It's for my family and my closest friends, about one of my own ancestors."
Sophie, Gemma, and Jennifer nod solemnly. You take on a sing-song cadence you picked up from your mother, and lift a line from a few of the handful Earth stories you've ever heard that
aren't a Goku story or a Z fighter story. You're pretty sure they got distorted in the early days of the Exiles, because parts of them sound kind of mixed up
with some of the Goku stories. But you at least remember the opening lines well enough to repurpose them, and somehow it feels right...
"Sing, spirits, of the valor of Marsden, son of Bok, dark-haired and bright-eyed, who walked in the years before the oceans drank the lost land of Mu..."
Jennifer glares. "Did you decide to name the hero of your story after your family?"
Grr. "No,
we're named after
him." You cross your arms and frown. "This really happened, even if it was hundreds and hundreds of years ago."
"Now, Marsden was found as a baby in a shipwreck on the realm's shore, by his foster father-" you smile to yourself- "Jii. It was Jii who saw Marsden's potential and trained him in the ways of ki. Though this was ages ago, in the time before the immortals saw fit to teach the secrets of the greater powers to mortals. Even heroes were weaker then."
"
Marsden had many adventures, beginning with his quest for the legendary-" you pause, suddenly thinking better of something you were about to say- "Eyes of the Snake, and rising to a climax when he saved the kingdom by slaying Ma the Elder, a terrible demon who had returned to the lands of mortals from the blackest depths of the Unknown Realms. The Younger Ma, the demon's vengeful son, rose to threaten the kingdom in turn, but Marsden bested him in a tournament of skill and prowess. He went on to marry his beloved, the Ox Princess, and have a healthy young son, whom he named Jii, after the kindly old man who raised him."
"Four years passed. The younger Ma had learned some honor when Marsden helped tend to his wounds after the tournament, and no longer threatened the land. Marsden grew complacent, and relaxed his training. How could anyone possibly defeat him, the greatest warrior in all of Mu?"
Sophie goggles. Jenny snorts. You shake your head. "Like I said, this was before the immortals revealed most of their secrets. And before anyone had ever heard of alien invasions, too!"
"Now, Marsden had gone to visit some of his friends from his adventures. He met with his best friend, a warrior named Dots. And his oldest friend, Bloom the... magician. They met at the home of the Turtle Man, the wise, ancient master who'd trained him after old Jii passed away."
"Wait, Turtle Man?"
"Are you saying he was a man, or a turtle?"
"A man with a pet turtle."
"Oh." Gemma looks satisfied, but Sophie looks slightly disappointed.
"
Anyway, Marsden had taken his son to visit Turtle Man and his other friends. And as they were speaking, Marsden suddenly looked worried. Bloom, who had been with him since the beginning of his journeys, asked him, "What is it?" "
"Marsden pointed into the sky. "I sense something coming! Something bad!" "
"Six Dots gulped "I feel it now, too... It's not Ma, is it?" "
"Turtle Man frowned and said "No, but I smell death in the air..." He was worried, for in Mu, in those days, the power of flight was rare, and only the strongest could use it."
"The approaching figure landed. He was tall and strong, and clad in armor the likes of which Marsden had never seen. His black hair was long and unbound, in a huge mane down his back. He stood proudly, every line of his body radiating arrogance and evil might. And his power was greater than any creature Marsden had ever seen- be they man, beast, or devil. Then he spoke to Marsden. "You may not recognize me, but I recognize
you, Karr!
For I am your older brother, Radd!" "
"Marsden had never heard this name, and was confused. And Dots, who was very brave, if sometimes foolish, approached the stranger. He challenged Radd, standing as tall and proud as he could, asking him if he was confused, or insane, or drunk. And then Radd slapped Dots through a tree! And he laughed, as Dots groaned, stunned. He looked back at Marsden."
"The stranger smiled. "I fight for-"
um... you stop to think. "-King Kevta, last prince of-"
um... "Greenland- our people's native home! Though we are few, now that Greenland is sunk into the sea, we are strong! Now, you may have neglected your training, little brother, but no matter! Come and join me, so that we may conquer in the name of the Last King!" "
"Marsden frowned. "I've never heard of Kevta or Greenland, and I don't want to go around conquering other people's countries. I'm Marsden, and I live here! Now leave us alone!" Then he realized that Radd was looking at little Jii."
"The foreigner smiled and folded his arms. "I see that you've fathered a son, Karr. Perhaps we can train
him up to fight for King Kevta, if you are afraid..." "
"Marsden was furious, and powered up, shouting "You're not taking my son anywhere!" Dots struggled to his feet and rushed to stand at Marsden's side. Marsden braced himself, and readied the powerful punches that had knocked down demons and monsters and armies in years before." Your friends' eyes are wide- expecting this to be where the fight starts. But that's not what happened, not the way you learned it.
"But Radd was too fast. He had more than twice as much power as his brother, and he did
this-" you phase quickly, launching a knee strike into the empty air. "Marsden went flying backwards and up into the air, and landed with a crash, sprawled in pain! Though Bloom tried to stop him, Jii ran to his father's side, crying out "Daddy, Daddy!" And Radd swooped in and grabbed the little boy."
"Then Radd sneered at his brother. "Weakling! I am taking your son, and if you ever want to see him alive again, you have one day to choose to join us! When you do, you must kill one hundred Murian peasants, to prove your loyalty and worthiness to fight by our side! Otherwise, you will never see your son- my nephew- again!" With a cruel smile and an evil laugh, Radd flew away, carrying little Jii in his arms as the boy waved his hands and screamed."
"It took Marsden a minute before he could even stand up again, so painful had been the blow Karr landed. When he recovered, he glared out over the land and sea, in the direction Radd had flown away in. Dots was the first to speak. He said, "We'll help you get him back!" "
"Now, Dots and Turtle Man were both strong, and had fought in some of the same tournaments as Marsden when he was younger. But they were nowhere near as powerful as Marsden was now, and not even a quarter as strong as Radd. "
"So Marsden said to his friend and his mentor, "No, don't come with me! He's much too strong! Stay here! Don't risk your lives; the only one strong enough to stand even a chance against him is me!" "
"Then Turtle Man pointed into the sky and said "You... or Young Ma." And when Marsden looked up, he sensed the energy of his old rival immediately. He braced himself, as the long-fanged, clawed, green demon touched down beside Turtle Man's home, expecting Ma to take advantage and attack."
"But instead of firing a blast or charging, Ma spoke. "The stranger came to me when I was meditating in the desert, mistaking my energy for yours. He challenged me, and I hit him full force with a blast- but it only singed his hair." Ma growled. "Then he flew off. He must have been looking for you, I thought. He's- very strong." "
"Marsden clenched his fists. "He's got my son." Ma simply nodded, and Marsden looked at the demon carefully. "Maybe together, we can beat him." And Ma nodded again, and took off into the sky. For the younger Ma was of the race of demons, and knew a few of the secrets of the immortals from his father, the elder Ma. Marsden, who had studied under an immortal for only a short time, couldn't fly very far, or fast- but he could. And so they flew off, in the direction they sensed that Radd had gone."
"So Dots and Turtle Man were troubled. They thought about following Marsden's advice to stay home. They thought, and they thought, and they made their decision. Since they couldn't fly, they started running as fast as they could after their friend."
