Airfire Island.
A week ago the new Legend, Megas 'Lycaon' along with his crew landed on this island to recruit an old sleeping legend and a talented young pilot. A former Votronian soldier and pirate, Eric Metal, and Lycan's stepdaughter White, is a pilot and has many other talents.
Megas managed to convince the Mechaman, Metal to join his crew and let his daughter join as well. The decision taken by Metal was the decision of his fate and that of his daughter. Fate, or rather Megas, opened two paths for him. The one he had and was following was a slow death and an unknown and dangerous future for his daughter. While the second path, and the one that followed, was an even more dangerous and unknown one for him and his daughter. But in this one he would be able to be there to protect his beloved daughter.
But Destiny in the journey who will follow. The Destiny that Megas led them to. It is so dangerous that if they are not strong enough to face the obstacles they encounter, they will fall from the skies.
Right now, at this very moment. White helps Mega prepare her father for this destiny.
In the last week, Metal has been transformed. It's evolving. It's getting stronger than ever. Megas is taking out his old rusty tracks and giving him new upgraded ones. While at the same time teaching White.
He teaches her about her father's new mechanism. How to fly D-Jet 13. He's preparing her for what they'll face on their journey.
While Jotun, Inl, Karharion and Scarlet are touring the entire Airfire. They don't really have anything important to do. They're just waiting for the completion of the new Metal.
They saw the golden sunrise and the red sunset of the island. They explored its mountains and forests. They tasted the specialties of the land. They ate gyros. And they met its people. The residents were as White described them to him. Most were tribal and good to them. The rest were disgusted at the sight of them, hating them for being near them. Some pretended to be good to them just for show. While some threw tomatoes and stones at them. Especially Scarlet when they ran headlines about her release with her picture on it. They saw her and imagined her as a monster out of its cage. Several people were disappointed with Mega's decision.
"Why would a hero like Mega the Protector take a scum like Red Hawk into his crew?" "I'd kill myself out of shame if I knew Airslayer was my cousin." "It's disgusting the crew of the new legend. Has this Human no pride at all?"
These are expressions that came out of the mouths of some of the island's inhabitants. They were lucky that Scarlet restrained herself and didn't start pulling the triggers from her guns. Not because they responded harshly to her, but because they insulted her friends.
"It makes me nervous!" Scarlet says to her friends "It's such a beautiful island, with such nice people and there's such trash ruining our day."
"Calm down Scarlet." Karcharion tells her, "Inl will be back from his visit soon. Hopefully when he arrives he will tell us that the construction of the Metal is finished and we can leave the island."
"Witch's spell" Jotun tells them looking up at the sky "He's coming."
The two humans listen to the giant and look up at the sky. Inl comes flying towards them.
He lands in front of them.
"So?" Scarlet asks Inle with curiosity "What happened?" and Inl answers enthusiastically.
"Time to pack our bags and take off for new adventures in the Skies."
"Finally!" the Scarlet says loudly and happily "We're leaving! Nice, some action. I was getting bored!"
Jotun smiles and says "Time to chase our destiny."
And so the crew started heading towards the location where their captain was fixing Metal. In their aircraft. Queen Drakena.
The Queen Drakena for a week has been used as a mechaman construction lab. And now that the construction is over, it's time to fly to the skies again. Of course, if the tired aircraft pilots can fly.
"I'm dead." White says from exhaustion in a short voice and lying on the ground. "I can't take it."
"Stop playing dead White." Mega says, lifting her head, carrying cut chains and sweating. "We didn't work so hard that we could say we died from hard work."
He looks at Mega with an exhausted look and shouts "We worked so hard! And your reaction is unnatural! I'm exhausted with so little work you made me do. And it was almost as hard as building an airplane. And you! You worked ten times as hard as I did and you're on your feet. How?"
"My heart is the heart of a dragon. That's probably why." He tells her perfectly normal.
"HUH!?"
"I have a strong heart! That."
"You're in the mood for jokes, I see. With the kind of energy you have, Mr. Mega, I totally understand why people started calling you Dragonborn."
"That's not the reason. But it doesn't matter." He looks out of the aircraft "I see your father is very happy with the modifications I made to him."
"Only happy? I've never seen him so overjoyed. Even if he is slow, he walks quite fast."
"All mechamen are slow. It's the disadvantage of their weight and their mechanical add-ons. But your old man for his kind has to be the fastest."
White gets up and sits in a chair as Megas arranges the chains and other things scattered about. She watches her foster father strolling outside the aircraft. She smiles and says.
"You're a miracle worker."
"Excuse me?"
" You do miracles, Mr. Mega. Not only did you make him walk, but you gave him a new and more human voice. And his face. He is no longer the lifeless iron mask with an artificial mouth. It's almost human. I can see his emotions now. You made him cry tears of joy. He hasn't cried since the first time I called him Dad."
"If you consider me a miracle worker by what you have seen now, then you will call me a god in the future."
"What?"
"Nothing."
"MEGA!" A human wild voice is heard outside the plane with a metallic echoing sound. "You're a Mega miracle worker. You are what your name says you are. Great. I haven't spoken so clearly and felt so alive since I was human. Thank you, Captain."
It's Metal and he's admiring his new body. His voice is more human. His face is quite human-like. It is well designed and put together piece by piece like a puzzle. His green eyes looked better now. His neck was stronger and his sound gears were not visible externally now. His arms and legs were brand new. Stronger, stronger, sturdy, chesty and light. His appearance was not much different from the previous one. Simple is a better version of him. Exterior.
"I am glad you are pleased Metal with your new body. Just know this is not a miracle. A miracle is something incredible and unexpected. Just like the creation of your kind. Your upgrade is simply a step in the evolution of human science. By the way, have you tested your weapon system?"
"Are you kidding Mega? We are in a habitable area. I scared them by seeing me walking. If they saw me pulling guns out of me, they would hunt me down. Like a monster."
"Truth. Then we can wait for the others to come and try them out in the woods." Megas stops arranging his tools and sniffs at himself "But first I need to take a bath."
"Me too." White says with a little more strength returned to her.
Rumblings of a storm can be heard.
"What a nice timing!" Megas says.
He and White change their clothes, put on light thin clothes and go out to take a bath in the very strong rain.
Metal sees them and remembers his days as a pirate. Almost every time it rained, his crew members would take off their clothes and go out to the outside of the airship to bathe in the rainwater. But he wouldn't go out so he wouldn't get rusty. But now with his new mechanical body there is no danger. He also goes out and gets soaked by the rain. He can't feel the water running over his body. But he can hear the raindrops falling on him and feel the cold. The cold that the rain causes inside him by cooling his metal parts. It makes him feel more alive. More human.
Meanwhile. The rest of the crew continued on their way to their aircraft, paying no attention to the heavy rain. They didn't even shelter from the rain. They just keep moving forward, towards the Dragon Queen.
And by the time the rain had stopped they had reached their destination. The entire crew of the Dragon Queen was on board their aircraft. They sat in the cargo area and began to discuss how they had spent their week as they drank black tea that Inl had made for them. They are all very happy. And excited to make their first trip together. Until the Great One asked Metal a question that surprised them all.
"Mr. Metal. Do you know that now is your last chance to run away?"
"What did you say?" Metal responded in surprise.
"Mega what are you talking about?" Scarlett asks her cousin in surprise.
"I'm just saying that Mr. Metal now that he can walk and with his new weapon system he can run away."
"And go where?" Metal asked curiously.
"I don't know. Somewhere where you can hide from the Federation and White can grow up safely."
"Who said I want to live in safety?" White says loudly, drawing the attention of everyone to her "I want action. I want adventure. I want to live my life. Not just survive."
"That's exactly the only reason I agreed to join your crew, Captain." Says Megas Metal "My daughter's free spirit and her appetite for adventure is so great that only I can contain her. I am the reason she had not gone away until now and left behind her a written note saying. "Bye, Daddy! I'm off to have the adventure of my life. Funny! And damn it, she's already done it once."
"I was twelve!"
"Yes, you were. And you gave me a heart attack."
Everyone laughs at the father and daughter talk.
"And as I was saying. The reason she hadn't left yet is because of me. When she was little I used to stop her. When she got older she stayed to look after me. I had acquired a short expiration date. And when I was scrap she would pack up her things and sail off to the skies. And now that I'm walking again, she'll have no problem leaving. Isn't that right, daughter?"
"That's right, Daddy!" Says White with that conviction "Now that you can take care of yourself you don't need a nanny anymore." Everyone laughs at Whitey's sarcasm except Metal and Mega.
"See what I mean?" Metal says to Mega "She's a smart girl but she's also a risk-taker. And the fact that she's a Lycan leech puts her in an even more precarious position. She's number one on the prey list for the slavers. The world is too dangerous for a wolf like her. That's why I accepted. To keep an eye on her in the risky choices she makes. And I hope you won't forget your promise, Captain."
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on your only daughter."
"I want you to have." Metal looks at the rest of the crew and asks them "You fools, why did you join this crew?"
Scarlet says first "It was my childhood dream to sail with my cousins to the skies."
Jotun says next "Megas is someone worthy to be followed to the death. He has proved it too many times."
Inl says then "I like him very much, and I like adventures with him."
Karharion says "For exactly the same reason as Jotun. But also for redemption."
"Redemption from what?" Metal asks, confused and curious.
"I'm responsible for an accident that should normally by Atlantis law be a crime. Because it was an accident I was not punished therefore I have exiled myself and am seeking redemption. And I believe I will find it by following Mega."
Metal is really confused now and asks Karharion, "What kind of accident happened?"
Karharion replies "I almost killed someone I call my brother."
"What the fuck? How you almost killed your brother? "
"We were out hunting and I thought he was the prey we were hunting." Karharion replies sadly and Metal says to him.
"Damn. Thank goodness your brother is alive."
"The gods were truly watching over us that day. " mutters Karharion "We were really lucky."
"It's really tragic what happened to you, but I have a question." Metal asks Carcharion "Did your brother or someone else from your homeland hate you for what you did?"
"Huh; No!" Karcharion replies momentarily, "We are civilized people in Atlantis. We hold no grudge for a mistake made by one of our own. Even if I did kill my brother they would punish me but they wouldn't hate me because they all know I would never kill him on purpose."
"Then you are a fool!" Metal says insultingly of the Karcharion.
"What?" Karharion asks him.
"You didn't have any damn reason to leave your country. It was an accident and you were forgiven. Not only does no one hate you but still, out of shame you exiled yourself. You are the only one who has not forgiven you."
"I cannot call myself an Atlantean warrior having done such a thing. It may have been an accident, but what I did was a crime I cannot forgive. And I'm not the only one." says Shark, looking at Metal meaningfully.
"So we're both fucking fools." Metal says sarcastically.
"I'm glad I'm not the only fool in the crew anymore." Karharion says ironically and they both laugh.
They stop laughing and White ask Karharion.
"So... Since you're not normally exiled by law, does that mean you can return home whenever you want?"
"No White I can't." Karharion deceives her seriously "Whether you are banished by the king or self-exiled, in Atlantis it is the same thing. You don't return until you get your honor back."
Karharion answers her, and with wonder she asks him again.
"Meaning what? Do you have to become a great warrior hero to go back to Atlantis?"
"Yes," Karharion answers her in the affirmative.
"So then by accompanying Megas on his travels will make you a hero?"
"Certainly. In this crew we will all be known to history one day."
"The point is that day will come soon. And for it to come soon we must fly to the skies." says the Mehas and joyfully Jotun shouts.
"Is it time to sail to new Horizons?!" and Megas replies.
"Of course! But after you fight Mr. Metal first!"
" All right! Huh... What?"
"I want to test the new weapons Metal has. And you certainly won't say no to a fight. Right?"
"I was getting bored. Let's fight." Jotun says enthusiastically.
Metal smiles and tells him "Don't cry if it hurts."
"Ouch!" say everyone else except Scarlett and Lefties. "It's going to be a mess."
A little while later. In a clearing away from the airport and other people.
The mechaman Metal against the Giant Jotun. The union of war machine and man against the strongest brute forces of man. This will be a spectacular battle.
The rest of the company are at a distance and plan to watch this battle. Except for White. She has decided to sit with the Dragon Queen and watch her. Or maybe she's just too tired.
"So Mr. Metal" asks Jotun "Do you think it's a good idea to fight without having had a very good training session first?"
"I'm fine!" Metal replies "I tried them on when they were put on me. I haven't tried them in combat to see how useful they are to me."
Jotun smiles, picks up a rock from the ground and steps away from Metal a bit and says to him.
"I'm going to throw this stone in the air and when it hits the ground it will be the start."
"Who will be the winner?" Metal asks.
"Does it matter? We just want to fight."
"You're absolutely right."
They both smile and Jotun throws the stone into the air with all his might.
Jotun pulls out his axes and gets into a fighting stance. While from Metal his mechanisms make a very loud noise.
The stone falls to the ground.
Jotun raises his axes and swiftly attacks Metal. He goes to make the first attack but Metal's right hand punches him in the nose. Jotun takes two steps back and wipes the blood running down his nose. He watches Metal and sees his arm is out of place and joined to his main body with a chain that slowly picks up his arm and rejoins it. Jotun is impressed by the metal flying fist and smiles. He then attacks Metal again with a powerful kick. Metal flies away, flying five meters away. He lands calmly and smoothly and remains standing. Jotun takes three big steps and starts to hit Metal with his axes. The mechaman takes a few blows from the giant to his iron body without doing any damage. He then turns a gear on his right wrist and a knife appears from his wrist. The next time the giant attacks him as he brings his axe down towards his head, Metal steps back to avoid it and with his knife he makes a small cut on the back of his right hand. Jotun immediately responds with a hard kick with his left foot and pins Metal to a tree. But also Metal while being kicked stabbed in the leg. For a giant, stabs from such a small knife are just scratches. But he is mindful of the bruise caused to his leg by the kick to the metal man. He puts down his axes takes two steps backwards and grabs a big rock and starts to pick it up to throw it at the metal man.
"You've got to be kidding me now!" says a startled Metal.
He sees the size of the rock and is stunned. Hurriedly and quickly he starts unscrewing the wrist of his left hand. He pulls out the tip of his left hand and has turned his hand into a small cannonball. He signals Jotun and just as he throws the stone Metal fires the cannonball with a trigger in his armpit. He hits the stone and smashes it to pieces. Jotun is stunned at the possibility that his enemy used a cannon.
"Time out" says Jotun "No one told me my enemy could use a cannon." He says pointing to Qualified Metal and looking at Mega.
"I thought you didn't care what your opponent had in any battle." Big replies "Just fight him."
Jotun smiles. "This is going to be fun."
He lunges at Metal at full speed and throws a hard punch to his face. Specifically, he hit him with his left hand to his right jaw. The blow was so hard that it broke his middle finger. He didn't even scream, though. He didn't even feel it.
"Mr. Metal this battle just got more interesting. Stand up and shoot me with whatever other deadly weapon you have."
Jotun excitedly says to the lying Metal. There is no response.
"Metal?" Jotun asks him.
Metal doesn't respond.
Jotun thinks he's knocked his opponent out cold.
He gets in closer to control him. He's on his stomach and rolls him over onto his back. Then he sees Metal pointing a handmade pistol he pulled from a hidden holster inside his chest.
"Surrender." Metal tells him.
Jotun laughs and replies "Alright man. You won the first round."
"The first?" wonders Metal and asks Jotun after he stands up and screws his left arm into place "Will there be a second?"
"Yes." Jotun replies "Right now." He says and punches him with his left hand. "We'll fight the Old Good Way. Hand-to-hand combat."
Jotun says this and pulls the bearskin off of him.
Metal, who is back on the floor, stands up and takes off his coat.
"In my time, in Voltronia there was an area called the 'Bottom'. It was a large area within the sewers of the capital. Illegal wrestling matches were held there. The bets that were made there were so many that fucking fortunes were created and broken up. Gods. It was an outrageous thing. The people who placed the bets would send everything from fucking death row murderers on fucking death row to fight for them to wild beasts like bears and gorillas to fight for them."
Jotun hears Metal's monologue and asks him with too much curiosity.
"What are you getting at, Mr. Metal?"
He smiles at him and replies.
"Sometimes battles would end up being fought to the death. Most of the fighters of the 'Vortex' didn't fight more than once or twice. Win or lose. Those who ended up fighting ten times gained the title of gladiator. And there was a second title. The title of Champion. It was awarded to the gladiators who had gained more than twenty-five victories."
"Let me guess. You were champion."
"I wasn't just be a one. But I also created a new title."
"Oh... the iron bucket title? Where do you get it when you're a scrap iron?"
"Ha ha. That's a good joke, giant, but... no! I created the title of 'Invincible'. You only get it when you have a hundred wins in a row since you started fighting on the 'Bottom'."
"Impressive title you have, Champ." Jotun says impressed and readies his knuckles "We'll put the title to the test." And he gets set to wrestle.
Metal smiles "I was expecting you to say something derogatory." He takes a fighting stance "Thank you for your respect. But know I still hold that title for a hundred years."
"It would be an honor to destroy it for you." Jotun says proudly.
"You try it, warrior." Metal says proudly.
They both enthusiastically rush at each other and begin to exchange punches.
With the previous battle both of them knew each other's speed, reflexes and skills. Jotun knew that Metal could not dodge his quick and sudden attacks due to the slow reflexes of his mechanisms. But he had powerful attacks and his metallic body made him a humanoid pectoral.
Metal knew from his previous battles with giants that Jotun had good resistance to hits and was hard to exhaust. But attacks on weak points of the body or often in the same place worked. And Jotun's every punch gives it his all. Ida knows how to beat him.
For a while they were throwing random punches at each other. Jotun was trying to make Metal lose his balance. But the undefeated champion unlike their previous fight kept his balance and avoided some blows.
Metal's blows caused small bruises on the giant's abdomen. At first they didn't affect him but after several blows Jotun began to stir and feel a huge pain in his abdomen. That was the moment when Metal launched his final attack.
First he hit the knee of the giant's left leg with all his strength making it come out of its position a little and knock the giant down. With one knee on the ground Jotun is dazed from the excruciating pain. That's when Metal makes his second attack. With his right hand he throws a powerful punch to Jotun's left cheek and knocks him to the ground.
Drool and blood spurted from the giant's mouth at the time of the punch.
He feels like he was nauseous.
When he recovers he sees Metal above him, his right arm raised high and preparing to deliver the final blow. As he brings it down the lying giant goes to attack Metal with his right hand as well to defend himself.
But they both stop their attacks before they get to their opponent.
"Why did you stop?" Metal asks.
"Why did you stop first?" Jotun asks.
"I simply showed that I was the last standing fighter. That makes me the winner."
He listens to his fallen comrade's reply and his continued victory.
"Well done Mr. Invincible. Bravo! You are still worthy of your title."
"Thanks my friend. You were the hardest fight I've had in thirty years. Or forty? When did King Andronicus of Aeria die?"
"The who?" Jotun asked in complete ignorance.
"Never mind. Simple, shit. My memory problem is getting worse."
"That's how gramps are." Jotun tells him mockingly.
Metal moves away from Jotun to stand up and helps Inle put the gypsy's knee in its socket.
After this brief and impressive battle is over, the crew begins their journey back to the Dragon Queen.
On the way back there was discussion and observations about the battle. Laughter and disagreements. They did not look like a crew of mercenaries or pirates or heroes. They looked like childhood friends.
Everyone saw them as heroes or scum. Whereas they are just different people who crossed paths by chance or fate and have a strong bond with each other. A bond of friendship and a thirst for adventure.
-
Back to the Dragon Queen.
Everyone on the crew has returned to their aircraft. White is fully rested and everyone is chatting about various topics. About the aircraft. The island they are on. The news from today's newspapers. And anything else that comes up.
But everyone on the aircraft is drawn to Whitey's screams by the conversation she's having with her metal father and the injured giant.
"Seriously, Mr. Jotun! You broke your finger for fighting like a maniac with my father in a battle... training?! What the hell? Isn't that too much?"
"Not for a stubborn, proud giant, sweetheart." Metal replies to her and she responds.
"Is this the so-called pride of giants? Honor, glory and loyalty to the death? Always victorious, no matter the sacrifice. You do not let fate control you, but you choose it. Is that accurate as rumor? You wound yourself in a friendly battle for your honor."
And he answers her with earnestness and pride in his face.
"The fate of each of us has been chosen from the beginning of the world. But it has many crossroads and we choose the turn we take at each of them. Even our death. This is the Pride of Giants. Taming our fate. And I always choose to fight for victory. No matter how important or insignificant the battle. It's a shame I didn't win this battle. But since I lost to a friend, I don't mind. Next time I will win though." Smiles Jotun to Metal.
"Good luck!" Metal replies.
"But..." White asks Jotun "Why do you want this? I don't know if that sounds great or stupid?"
"I just want to be someone I can be proud of. Someone with an unbreakable will."
"Then why did you bend?" Metal asks him in a mocking manner.
"I bent because of physical trauma. My will to fight and conquer victory did not stop even when you defeated me."
"Huh..." Metal says ironically.
"If you want to make sure of my willpower, let's have a perseverance match."
"Perseverance match?"
"Haven't you heard of them, Mr. Invincible? They are notorious in Jotunheim, and in recent years they have spread to the skies of men. Megas has experience of such a struggle."
"Really?" Excited Metal turns to ask the Great One "Sir Captain could you..." but Megas is nowhere to be found. "Where is Megas?" He asks Scarlett who is cleaning her weapons.
"He went out a while ago." She tells them "He saw a silent raven that was at the door outside and immediately something changed on him. He said he was going to get some fresh air and when he came back we'd fly."
Metal was indifferent. He turns back to Jotun and asks him.
"Since the captain went out to get some fresh air in his head, I'd like you, boy, to explain these struggles of perseverance."
Metal does not get an answer to his question. Jotun is troubled by what Scarlett said.
"I'm sorry Scarlett, did you see anything unusual about that crow?"
Everyone is puzzled by Jotun's question. Except for Inl and Karharion, who has caught their attention.
"Uh... I don't know." The assassin replies to the giant's question, "I think he had something tied around his neck. A strap of... bone? I'm not sure. But it was something white."
Metal and White are puzzled by what they hear while Inl, Karharion and Jotun are horrified.
"It's her. Right?" Inl asks, making them all puzzled.
"It must be her. She always meets the Mega at fateful moments. I don't know if it's for good or bad?" Carcharion says and the others are more confused.
"Fate will see to that." Says Jotun and the three who are in ignorance can't understand what's going on.
"Excuse me!" Metal yell "Can someone explain to me what the hell is going on?"
Jotun takes the initiative and asks him.
"Tell me, Mr. Metal. Do you believe in witches?"
"What the fuck?" is Metal's reaction and Scarlett laughs out loud.
"Ha. Ha. Very nice, Jotun. Like my cousin is going to learn his fate from a Witch like in fairy tales!" Scarlett stops laughing when she sees the seriousness of the situation on their faces. "Guys cut the jokes. Witches don't exist."
"As the son of a witch, I'm going to disagree with that." Jotun says.
"Come again?" Scarlett is completely taken aback by this. "What kind of witches are you bashing me now? Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"
"We're talking about witches here." Says Inl "You'd think we were crazy."
"It's crazy." Airslayer says"You want me to believe my cousin is going to go chat with a witch?"
"Yes" replies the trio.
"Witches exist? Seriously? And your mother Mr. Jotun is one?" Asks an upset Whitey.
"Yes." Jotun answers her. "But the real witches are nothing like the ones in people's fairy tales."
"Your mother, Mr. Jotun, and the witch the captain will meet is a Norn?" Metal enters the conversation with his question. "One of the Norns the order of the fates? "
"Yes." The giant replies in surprise, "Do you know them?" And the Votronian replies.
"During the war, shortly after my transformation into a mechaman I met one."
"What?" They all say in surprise.
"She had told me the versions of my destinies. And she succeeded wholeheartedly in what I followed."
Jotun, Inl and Karharion expected a historical figure like Metal has met a Norn but they were surprised by the fight. Scarlett has lost it and White is scared and excited at the same time.
"Oh my God!" White says with great haste and enthusiasm, "Witches are real! And you met one daddy. Tell me more. And why when I was little did you tell me they didn't exist?"
"Easy little crazy girl. You talk too fast that I almost didn't understand anything. And I told you they didn't exist because you little weed thought you could be a witch if you copied her. And the first written thing you did was to take the fucking broomstick and jump off the fucking roof of the house to fly." Everyone laughs at Metal's words and White blushes in shame, "Good thing I caught you!"
Everyone is now all cracking up at Whitey. That was too much fun for them. Whitey covers her face in shame. Until she shuts up.
"SHUT UP! I was five at the time! You!" she points at Jotun "What's a Norn? Tell me the truth about the witch."
Jotun stops laughing and starts explaining to White and Scarlett what a witch is "Witches, the real ones, are not like the fairy tales of men. They don't fly with brooms. They don't change forms. They do not summon demons from hell. They don't talk to animals like they talk to normal people, and they can't do magic like in fairy tales either. Fire, shooting stars and all that."
"Sorry." Scarlett interrupted, "If they don't do what witches say they do then what do they do?"
"Witches are astronomers, botanists, zoologists, meteorologists, doctors and pharmacists, historians, scholars, philosophers, and the special category that exists only for Norn's is fate-tellers, they see fate."
"If witches do all the things you said then I understand why people have mythologized them. But what do you mean they see fate? As in fortune-tellers? And what are the differences between Norns and other witches?" Scarlett sighed.
"Witches have classes, each class with a unique idiosyncrasy. The Norn's is fate. There used to be many witches with different attributes from the Norns."
White and Scarlett listen to the words Jotun uses carefully and ask, "Once?"
"There were once witches other than the Norns." Jotun continues Jotun's speech, "But most of them died in the Colossal War. After the Renaissance Age there were persecutions and killing of witches for irrational reasons. Ordinary people and witch hunters burned at the stake or drowned witches or even ordinary women who were different from the society's standards of the time. Ironic, isn't it? The era that was supposed to be the rebirth of the world from the darkness of war eventually continued it. In some areas it lasted until after the start of the second world war. My people suffered greatly from this paranoia."
"Suffered? Did the Atlanteans have witches too?" White asked.
"And wizards we had. They were the Saints and the Priestesses of the Sea. They were the ones who passed on the traditions of our ancestors to future generations, the ones who baptized all the newborns of Atlantis and were protectors of peace and purity of the seas. They were forbidden to kill because they were called protectors of life. They harmed absolutely no one and yet they were hated by the sky people and slaughtered."
"Hunters invaded Atlantis?" White asks.
"Blessed if they did. They would have been eviscerated by the royal guard and my ancestors. But no, they should have wiped out dozens of families." Scarlett, White and Metal are surprised and slightly startled to hear this while they see sadness on the faces of Karharion and Jotun and Inl. "A hundred years ago. On the day of the sacred feast of Atlantis. The Oceanic Mysteries. A mystical ritual held every year in the capital city near the time of Atlantis' birthday. Unexpectedly, some people who hated the witches and wanted to wipe them out bombed the city and killed all the sacred people and hundreds of citizens."
"No way." White says, unable to stomach what she heard.
"You're kidding me now, right?" Says Scarlett too, trying to deny what she heard. "How come we haven't heard anything about this?"
"It is not in the interest of the kings of the heavens to let future generations know that their ancestors failed to hold their people back. And in no matter how many history books you read in the skies, you are not likely to find the actual events of the Cursed Day. That's what we call the destruction of that day and do you know what the history books of heaven call that crime? Brave crossroads of extermination of the dark heretics of Atlantis." Karharion pauses here and everyone can see the rage on his face, "The murderous initiators of the massacre were the heroes and my defenseless ancestors who didn't even have time to defend themselves or fight back are the evil darklings... My God. I'm angry now. Metal. Jotun. On your feet I will fight both of you."
Everyone is saddened by the bloody history of Atlantis. But they were all surprised by the Shark's claim.
"Wait, wait, wait." Says Inl "They just now fought. They can't become it through your outburst of anger."
"What about me now that I've got all that anger out of me?"
"Control your anger!"
"So you're lying." Slarlet says to loosen the vine "What's a Norn doing with my cousin?" Jotun replies.
"Norns appear and guide people to choose of their paths of destiny. But when they appear and give advice and guidance to a particular person multiple times then it means that person is a chosen one of destiny."
"What?" Scarlett asks, unable to process what
"A chosen one of fate is not like the fairy tales. A hero whose birth was foretold long ago and whose destiny is to save the world and other such nonsense. He is a person who has overcome all the difficulties in his life, physical and mental. He is a person who is moving forward and the path he has chosen to walk down at the end is a story-changing feat. That is why a Norn appears and guides this person when he makes his appearance in an era."
"Are you telling me that the Megas is an Chosen One?"
"From the first time we met him." Says Inl "Me, Jotun and Carcharion. We felt in the air around him something different from other people. When he suggested to follow him we felt it was fatal, but we accepted either it was or it wasn't fatal. I'm sure the rest of you felt something similar about him."
Inl says this and the young men of the crew think this. Metal didn't feel it, but he understood that Mega's destiny was something unreal, with the way he was recruited, the way he chose to live, and with his dream. Scarlett knew that Mega's destiny would be difficult and impressive from the unlikely dream he has and other events that happened when they were children. White believed that Mega's destiny was to become someone great who would be remembered by the newspapers she read about him and by the recent event of him becoming a Legend of Heaven.
"So..." is White and looks at Jotun "Now what?" he replies.
"Now we wait for the Great One to return and follow the decisions he makes."
A little further away.
The Megas follows the crow. He leads him towards an uninhabited area filled only with trees and rocks. It's a difficult route. He wanders through the woods for hours and passes many times through parts he's already passed. Wild animals run away from Big or try to scare him off.
Finally after a long time he comes to a large clearing. There is tall grass and in the centre there is a tent and a boiling cauldron outside. The crow lands over the tent. There is the Norn that the Mega knows and goes to meet. He walks slowly towards the tent, passing through the grasses that reach up to his waist.
As he approaches the tent he hears a song coming from there.
In the heavens I fly~
And I conquer them~
I put a golden crown on my head~
And I rule the world
But the Norns come and tell me
That my future is sealed
And it's something bleak
Ooh, ooh, the deeds of the past I curse
The path I chose and thought was a kingdom of one
But it was a tyrant's
Oh, I hate myself I hated myself
For now I and my successors
We are cursed to be destroyed by Heroes~
The singing stops.
"I've been waiting for you, Mega." It is heard from inside the tent and is directed to the Mega who is outside. "Come in, my friend, my chosen one. We have much to talk about." The Megas obeys and enters the tent.
It's him and Norn in there.
The witch is sitting on her bed knitting something. A large scarf covers her and hides her with only her thin arms with burn scars from knitting showing. She puts down her sewing and gives her right hand to Megas. Megas bows and kisses the hand out of courtesy. Norn stands up. She's smaller than Big. She takes off her handkerchief and reveals her face and body. She has black skin. Her hair is all in three long braids. She looks quite fit and has burn marks all over her body. She wears a veil of animal skins as a skirt, and a scarf tightly covers her chest. The abdomen is uncovered. On half of her burnt neck is a necklace of bones of bat, pigeon, raven, rabbit and shark teeth. Her face is beautiful, almost divine, with a burn mark on her forehead on her right side and a small one on her left jaw; she has in her right nostril of her nose a bone earring, with a chrysalis thread joining the silver earring on her right one and a bronze one on the lower left of her chilus.
"It's good to see you again, Mega." She says to him and hugs him for a moment.
"It's good to see you too, my Norn." He answers her.
"You came faster than I expected. I didn't have time to finish my knitting."
"Are you planning on giving me something again?"
"There's a wild winter coming. There will be snow and ice. People will die of cold this year. That's why I knitted for you and your crew warm and strong scarves." She pulls a sack out from under her bed and hands it to Mega. "Only the scarf for the Metal Warrior I haven't finished yet."
"For Metal?" Megas asks Norn, "These scarves aren't for the cold, are they?"
"What are clothes for humans?" Norn asks.
"They are the clothing of humans. They use them to protect them from the cold or heat. They are armor. But they show the people's way of life. They can also have sentimental value for the wearer." Megas replies and Norn smiles "And they can be used for other purposes. Depending on how the owner chooses to use them."
"Right. You never know what you'll need a garment for. Especially a scarf. I don't know how, where and when you will use them but I know you will need them."
The Megas opens the sack and sees the scarves "I'm sure my cousin will be disappointed that a witch instead of giving me a magic weapon gives me a scarf." She sees a red scarf with poles of little white diamonds. "Is that Scarlett's Kill Count?"
Norn covers herself with the veil she had and continues knitting. And by the look on her face you can tell she's saying 'Yes'. Megas gathers the scarves and the sack and waits for Norn to finish the last scarf. He waits as he listens to Norn sing the song she was singing again. The Megas thinks.
'The songs of the Norn speak of past events and are wishes and curses for the future. As well as I have come to know this Norn, her motives and her dreams. I can't understand her actions sometimes. Why would she share the scarves with the song of Cursed Mistakes? Mistakes fit with Metal but not tyranny and legacy. What's the point in that?'
"I Finish!"
'Fate will see to it.' Thank you very much!" Megas says as he takes the scarf. "Military scarf of the Botronian Air Force. I remember seeing a picture of Metal in a history book with an identical scarf. I don't know if he'll like it or hate it because something that will remind him of his bloody past."
"Since you're still alive, what are you afraid of?" Norn says to him.
"You're right," he replies.
"You know that yourself but I'll tell you. The fate of the past cannot be changed by anything. Not even a god can change it. But the future is a crossroads of endless possibilities. The path you have chosen to walk is very difficult and becomes more and more dangerous as you go down it. At some point there will be no street, then you will have to make one for yourself." After finishing in a commanding tone, Norn looks at Metal and says. "You already got what you need. You can continue to chase your destiny, Mega."
Megas puts the scarf in the bag and prepares to leave the stage. And before he exits, he asks Norn.
"My Norn. We've met so many times and I still don't know your name. Could you please reveal it to me." Norn smiles.
"I wasn't planning to reveal it to you yet, but since you've managed to become a Legend of Heaven, I'll reveal it to you." The Great One smiles and prepares to hear the name of the witch who favors him, "My name is Babayanga!"
"Babayanga?" The Great One is startled "'The famous Babayanga is your ancestor?"
"'She is my great-great-grandmother." He replies.
"'Aha. Interesting. Farewell, my Norn. Babayanga."
"Wait." Babayanga says to him.
"What is it?"
"Have you read today's papers?"
"Not yet. Why?"
"I was just asking if you could tell me the news of the world. But since you don't know the news, it doesn't matter. I'll find out when I go to town later."
Megas understood the meaning of Babayanka's words. He bids her farewell and leaves the tent. Babayanka gets up from her bed and lifts her blankets. She reveals a newspaper. She takes it and reads its front page.
"Now which of the two choices will you make, Chosen of Destiny?"