Answers
and Adventure
Darq got
his answers alright. The false Klikeno warrior king’s real name was Marlo. He
stood approximately 3.4 feet tall and wore a worn out red beanie with a fuzzball
on top. His golden feathers glistened in the sun and he had a smile on his
beak. Wrapped around both of his hands were leather straps that had three claws
on the palm (useful for ninja-stealth). Two white open-toed sandal-like shoes
covered his orange, clawed feet. Marlo was the son of the Chief elder of the
village and was sworn to pose as a massive chicken god to scare off all who
came to loot the village. Gello asked Marlo about the treasure and found out
soon enough, that there was no such thing. “WHAT?!? No treasure? That old guy
swindled us! But why?” Darq gave an unknowing shrug and smiled at Marlo.
“Where did
you guys say you were from again huh?” The young Klikeno asked as he scratched
his head through his red fuzz topped beanie.
“North Kronus…I’m
from Nanuse.” Darq told Marlo.
“Hmmm…never
heard of it…but whatever you seem very neat. Where did you learn all those cool
moves? I’ve never seen that sort of magic before…everyone around here just
knows a few minor water attacks…boooooooring!”
“We’re all
born with our own magic, young Marlo.” Ricarde said to him impetuously.
“Born with
it?”
“Yes,” Darq
replied, “look at our eyes. See Ricarde? His eyes are light brown with a hint
of yellow. That means he can manipulate rock and electric magic. Gello’s, on
the other hand, are green with a yellow circle around the center. He knows some
trivial healing spells and a bit of lightning magic.” Marlo was fascinated.
“What about
your eyes tall guy?”
“Well…”
Darq looked down slightly.
“Fire huh?
Fire is it huh, huh, huh?”
“Not
entirely Marlo…people who use fire magic are usually born with black eyes and
an orange rim. I, on the other hand…was born with these dark red puppies…I’m
not really sure what I am, but I guess fire’s good enough right now.” Darq
began to think a minute, and then looked to Manus in wonder. “Wait…wait, wait,
wait. Manus…Manus doesn’t just absorb things…something happened in our battle.
Maybe—“
Ricarde
looked at Darq, “Do you think it’s possible Valuere? A wielder of all magic? Or…wait.
Maybe you can just catch other people’s magic attacks.”
“We’ve got
to try it!” Darq looked to his mallet, and then dropped it. “Throw some
lightning my way Gello!”
Gello
looked at him, “What?”
“You heard
me…now. I’ve got to know!”
Gello
stretched his left hand out towards the sky and made a fist with his right.
Dark clouds gathered above them and a streak of lightning struck Gello’s
outstretched hand. Eureka…lightning! Gello looked at Darq and then to Ricarde.
They both nodded their assurance. Gello glared at Darq and threw his hand
outward. A small bolt was thrown from his hand, aimed directly at Darq.
“AHHHHHHH!”
Darq fell to the ground shaking impulsively. “Th…th..that
hurt…ah..ah….ah..hurt….ow.”
Gello
looked at Darq and began to laugh. “Idiot. No one can absorb my powerful
attack!”
Ricarde
smacked Gello in the back of the head and helped Darq up. “I’m afraid that your
conclusion was incorrect. Do you wish to attempt an experiment with the
mallet?”
Darq
nodded. He picked up Manus and raised it into the air. Ricarde’s body began to
shake violently and the ground beneath them cracked and rumbled. Rocks flew up
from the ground and launched towards Manus. THOOM! The rocks reflected off of
Manus and landed on the ground with small thudding noises. Darq was sorely
disappointed. “What happened back there damnit! I’m so angry…I want answers!”
The floor beneath Darq rumbled and shook. Suddenly, giant slabs of rock flew up
from under Ricarde and knocked him off his bean. Gello and Marlo looked on in amazement.
Ricarde stood up and rubbed his head.
“I think
I’ve got it Darq. I think I’ve really got it. But for now…please keep your
temper under control. It’d be in all of our best interests.” Ricarde sat down
and massaged the bump on his head.
“Hmmm. Cool!”
Marlo ran over to Darq and tugged on his baggy pants. “Hey tall fuzz! Lemme
come with ya huh? Please?”
Darq
snatched Marlo’s beanie and rubbed his feathery head. “I don’t know about that
little M., why don’t you ask your dad?” The guys were beat and sought out
quarters in the village for the night. The chief elder supplied them with comfy
suites. The ceiling was low and Darq could barely walk through the door, but it
was good enough. Dinner was served in a giant banquet hall. The chief elder sat
at the head of the table with Marlo at his side. Our three adventuresome
fellows sat at the very end, while everyone else sat in random spots and began
idle chitchat.
Ting.
“Fellow Klikeno. Hear my decree,” the chief elder said as tapped his fork to a
goblet and adjusted his war-bonnet (which consisted of golden klikeno feathers
and a bit of red paint), “On this day a special occasion has arisen. My dear
child, Marlo, has decided to represent this Klikeno tribe across the Continent.
He will speak of our great achievements and serve as an ambassador to other
kingdoms. The three champions who fought so bravely in our village today will
be his escorts. I ask for your humble support and solemn prayers. Hurrah for
Marlo.”
“HURRAH!”
the Klikeno tribe resounded. Marlo looked to Darq, Ricarde, and Gello with a
smile and began to drink from his chalice. The three others looked at each
other and sighed resignedly.
Later that
night, Darq tossed in his straw bed. He had a strange dream. A vision if you
will. There he was, he stood in the middle of a vast field of green. There was
nothing….nothing but the bright green grass, swaying all around him, and a
bright blue sky filled with beautiful white clouds. He began to walk forward,
absorbing the gentle sun’s rays. As he drew nearer, however, the green faded to
gray…. the sun transformed itself into a black nothingness. Dark clouds
surrounded and seemed to envelope him. In the middle of it all, laid a green
orb of light. A strange black hieroglyph was engraved upon it. The light was so
bright. Darq shielded his eyes and shuddered. Immense winds began to force him
back. Darq would not let them move him. He lunged forward and grabbed the orb.
“Partake of the wisdom that is mine. Knowledge is my power, my power is
knowledge. What is that you wish to know?” the orb said to him.
Darq awoke
with a gigantic THUD. His eyes opened up and his sat on the hard dusty floor.
“Ow…geez that hurt!” Darq rubbed his back and stood up. He walked back over to his
bed and hopped into it. He pulled a patchwork quilt over himself and went back
to sleep. No more strange visions awaited him, just pure solitude and rest.
THUD! “NOT
AGAIN!!!” Darq stood up in an instant and met Gello face to face. “Oh come on
Gello. Did you absolutely have to do that?”
“Yes I did,
you lazy oaf. We’ve got a long journey ahead and no doubt we’ve already been
passed up by several parties looking to gain OUR TREASURE!” Gello turned around
and walked to the door. “So hurry up, will you!!!”
Darq rubbed
his back, “Man….by the time I’m old and gray I won’t even have a back anymore…”
Darq reached up and untied the red ribbon that held his up in an outrageous
fashion. “This hair’s gotten out of hand. Winter’s coming…it’s time I let it be
good for some form of warmth.” Darq looked at his torn sleeves and sighed.
“Great…I can’t believe I didn’t notice this earlier…” He walked over to an
enormous black bag and pulled out another black, short sleeve shirt. “There we
go.” He took off his battered one and put the fresh one on. He nodded, tied the
red ribbon around his forehead, and picked up the black bag. With one movement,
he tossed it over his shoulder and walked out of his cozy Klikeno quarters.
“Well…Enjoy
yourself? Go fishing whilst we where waiting here eh? Urgh…let’s go!” Gello
seemed very disappointed; possibly because he found NO treasure, whatsoever, in
the Klikeno settlement.
“Shut up
you whiney little creep. Let’s go….Where’s Marlo?”
“How should
I know? Am I the Duke of Knowledgeburg?” Just then a surge of feathers and
battle equipment flew out of a giant hut. It flew towards them with incredible
speed and stopped in a screeching halt.
“Hiya
guys!” Marlo adjusted his beanie and tightened up his belt. “Ready to go? So
soon?”
Gello nodded
with a frown on his face. “What’s the point in staying in this miserable dirt
pile?”
Darq
slapped Gello squarely in the back of the head and then bent down to look at
Marlo. “Quite the little warrior, aren’t we?” Marlo nodded and smiled.
“What
happened to the fuzzy monster that used to nest on your head?” Marlo said with
a puzzled look on his face.
Darq sighed
and thought to himself. “Was it really that bad? That one girl in town said she
loved it…Couldn’t get enough!”
Marlo
laughed at Darq’s silence and smiled some more, “Well…it’s ok…I bet it was
probably digging into your head and you smashed it with your big hammer huh huh
huh?”
Darq
laughed and ruffled the feathers on Marlo’s head. “Let’s not worry about that
eh? We gotta go this instant, so make sure you have everything, and we’ll head
on out.”
Darq looked
around. He looked to Gello; he nodded. He looked to Ricarde; He nodded. He
looked back to Marlo; he rummaged in his rucksack and then nodded. “Ok then
comrades. Let’s be off!” Our four horseman…gluttony (Darq), beastliness
(Ricarde), sarcasm (Gello), and overjoy (Marlo), ran out of the Klikeno camp
and got on the forest trail.
“So….Where are
we going?” Marlo asked.
“Well,”
Ricarde replied and he pulled out a giant map, “currently…we’ve passed the Port
town of Natu…and we just left the Klikeno settlement…sooooo we should be headed
towards the beginning of the Kronu Kingdom….and the first city we’ll hit will
be….K’ron—another famous Port town…and the capital of Kronu no less.”
“WOW! You
really know your stuff huh Bear-man?” Marlo was truly astounded.
“Well…I’ve
always been interested in cartography…but…you know…” Ricarde put the map away
and the four traveled the rest of the forest trail in silence.