|Zenii|
After we got ourselves situated my brothers thought that it would be nice to have a walk around the place until we found what they were looking for in this town. Everywhere I looked I could see villagers looking at us, each displaying a negative emotion on their face that showed that we are not welcome here. Some cursed at us, blaming me and my brothers for their situation. As we are walking a group of people come out and intercept us on the street. The Group consisted of very tall individuals with long legs and tall hats. These guys looked like a quartet singing group that lost their mode of transportation.
???|
"So you guys seem to be a bit of celebrities in this town. However, that does not mean you have to ignore the tax."
Lux then piped up and gave his inquiry about the situation.
Lux|
"Sir, the last time we were here, no such law was in place. Would you mind telling us what it is for? Also, while you're at it would you tell me your names?"
???|
"Certainly, we are the 3 ring leaders of the long leg gang: Division 9. My name is Mr.1, the strategist of the group. The burly man next to me is Mr.2,our group muscle. And the fellow behind me twisting his mustache in a rather cartoonish way is Mr.3, our wildcard. We are a gentleman gang who only affiliates and recruits the longest legged people. The tax is the "Short Tax." For all people who are not long legged enough to meet our standards they must pay a fine of 1000 silver each week. Every person who does not hold up to their end of the deal, will have a very bad time."
Zenii|
At this I pipe up as a way to wrap my head around this cockamamie tax.
"Wait, why are you taxing short legged people? Also how have you guys not gotten run out of town based on your tax? In fact an even better question is how have you guys enforced this law?"
Mr.3|
"Oh you don't know, short legged people's minds are of the devil. Also we took over this place's law enforcement. Apparently the sheriff of this town was an old decrepit man who I think was blind. I guess you could say, We ROBBED HIM BLIND!!!"
YOHOHOHOHO!
Zenii|
At this response I put on my wtf face as I try to recover from the absolute stupidity that has entered my ears. Normally I am a curious and eager cat when it comes to asking questions about weird stuff. However now my precious sanity has run thin. I like to think of my tolerance as a nice, cool iceberg. However now that these idiots have come spouting this idiocy, 50% of my sanity has melted away. The only thing in this world that stops me from beating the absolute crap out of these 3 stupid, wannabe cult leaders, is my ethics. Without those, these guys would not be guys anymore. They would just be ashes floating in the wind.
Also anyone who uses puns, and bad ones, do not deserve to speak to me.
At this point all I truly want is to go on our way and leave this place. However it seems that Gaia, in her infinite grace, has cursed me because my tone deaf brother with flame-like red and orange hair, Cherufe, came up and asked them a question.
Cherufe|
"Um excuse me but how are short legged people of the devil."
Zenii|
(Whispering)
"Cherufe, why did Gaia curse you with this tone deafness? I am honestly asking out of concern for ours, and your wellbeing."
Suddenly the smallest one of the gang leader, Mr.3 came up and gave an answer to my brothers stupid inquiry.
Mr.3|
"I am so glad you asked good sir. For you see our belief is that the closer someone's head is to heaven, the better they are. However If you are short and your mind being closer to the ground your mind is of the devil. We are here to make this town pay for their devil loving sins by taxing them. I mean, when we proposed this task we would only tax the small ones. But they protested the idea. So as divine punishment, we tax them all until they respect our doctrine."
Zenii|
Oh god the migraine has started. Okay all I have to do is just leave. That is all I have to do. I then walk by the trio, trying to ignore and escape the words, phrases, and sentences that come to my ears. However I am stopped before I can leave this place by a very strong arm.
Mr.2|
"Where do you think you're going, kid? Don't think that we would forget about you kid. Now how about you stay for a while?"
Zenii|
"Ha, you're funny, hey guys let's leave these idiots and get that thing you wanted before we all have our brains short circuited from being flooded with absolute stupidity."
Mr.2|
"Are you mocking me, partner?"
Zenii|
At this I put on a smirk.
"Oh no sir I would never mock, a big, strong, flappy mouth, crappy law enforcer, numbskull like you."
Mr.2|
"That's it, pipsqueak, seems like your parents did not teach you how to treat your betters. Fortunately, I am generous in my teachings on this subject."
Zenii|
Seeing his fist barreling towards me, I use my right leg to jump to his side and quickly pivot so I am still facing him. I then gave him a punch of my for the one he sent to me. As it comes into his face, it creates illustrating ripples across his face that emanate from the mark I made in his flesh. As he falls down from my attack I look at my brothers, and see them smirking at me in a look of approval. Looking to the left I see the guy I ko'd being taken away by the other tophat losers.
"Welp guys, let's go, don't want any other surprises until we find out about my future."
However it seems that our lord and savior Gaia really freaking hates me today because an old man comes out of a building as he limps towards my brothers. When he finally reaches our destination he begins to speak.
Old Man|
"Brave kings, we call for you in this hour of need to help us with the Long Leg Gang, we cannot handle the tax anymore, and we cannot fight back. Please you would surely help an old man in his endeavor."
Zenii|
To my surprise, Lux said something I was not expecting for that response. It shocked me to my core, since this was very out of character for him.
Lux|
"Sir, sorry to say this, but that is complete B.S. Also buddy, don't lie in front of my brother, he is easily swayed by sappy words coming out of liars."
Zenii|
After exclaiming this they all walk off and so I soon follow, with a now mixed opinion of my brother's ideals.
—————————————————————
Zenii|
After walking straight down the road my brothers finally take a left down an alleyway. Lux then opens up a trapdoor that he and everyone else jump into.
Well this is certainly a picture, minor in a dark alleyway going down a trapdoor that might have unspeakable horrors. Yeah, this is the start to a horror movie. You want to know why I am going to die when I come down here? Well, more often than not when these variables are set into place, usually you are about to be jump scared, and eaten by a crazy monster. And as you know if I don't come down there my chances of living are higher. But you wanna know something, I am an idiot, like every horror story victim before me.
As I jump down I look around to get a good understanding of my surroundings. It seems as If we are near some kind of bunker entrance. The walls are covered in a quartz like material, with a gold safe that is to the front of me. Surprisingly, my brothers are near the other side seemingly trying to type in some kind of password.
Suddenly, I heard a loud creaking sound as the handle parts of the safe started turning to the left. This ended abruptly as it seemed to be unlocked.
Adad then proceeds to push the safe with all of his might onto the safe door causing it to slam on the other side.
"Oh great now we are either messing with this person's grave or are just breaking and entering into a person's home. Either way it is too late to back out now, right?.
Lux|
"Right."
Zenii|
At this comment my face shows the embodiment of emotional despair.
As we look inside of the safe we see an old woman drinking a cup of tea while watching tv. She is relatively short for an old person. She has an extremely awkward expression face, while her tea is dripping on the table and down her shirt as she looks in our general direction. However, the elderly woman's face has seemed to calm down. She then places her cup down and wipes her face off, supposedly to wipe off the spilled tea.
After she gets situated, she walks towards Kiran. When she is up close to him she looks as if she is trying to touch him. She then yanks at Kiran's collar and pulls him down to her level. As her and Kiran's face meet. She then reels her right hand back, and then a loud slap sound is heard, as a red steaming slap mark appears on his cheek.
This old woman is definitely a person to be wary of. To be able to injure Kiran like that without overexerting herself. Then the old woman's mouth starts to open.
???|
"That was for breaking my granddaughter's heart. Now Lux, who is this young man you have brought to my bunker."
Lux|
"Oh he is my younger brother Zenii , we came here so we could find a nice place to sleep before this guy's Diver Exam. And since no one in this town likes us, we decided to trust the wise and venerable Baba Yaga's cellar for getting food."
Baba Yaga|
"Wow your father, Moria, really taught you how to get out of trouble, being a complete suck up. Fine, I will give you sanctuary for the night. But you're out of here by tomorrow."
Looking up at the kid, something seems oddly familiar about him. He looks like that friend I knew about 1 thousand years ago. Bah, it's just coincidence, right.
"Hey kid, are you perhaps related to the Giant's Silvamon, and Moria Newbreed.
Zenii|
"Oh yeah I am their adopted son. Do you know them?"
Baba Yaga|
"Yeah I knew them, used to be in their Diver party years ago. Hey, are they still trying to create a kingdom where all giants can live happily?"
Zenii Newbreed|
"Yeah it's a dream I share as well."
Baba Yaga|
"Well if you want to accomplish this goal so badly, why do you want to become a Diver? You do know that when you become one, you will become incredibly free, right, which means less devoted."
Zenii Newbreed|
"Well you see, I realized that. But I also realized that as a Diver I will become free enough to do what I want in life. My life does not have some set goal. My aims are adequate and can grow bigger, or smaller at my choosing. But for now I want to be a Diver."
As I tell her this reason she grows a face to shock, and then she grows a smirk on her face.
Baba Yaga|
"Brat, I have lived so long I have seen empires grow like a mighty oak tree, and see them crumble and wither away. One of the only reasons I have not chosen to die yet is because of various questions. What is the end? What will cause the end? Who will cause it? However, what I ask every day is this. Is this the day I meet an extraordinary person who is separated from most in this life? Separated from the ones coveting power, and wealth, for their own gains and pleasures. However looking at you today I realize that me staying alive until this time was not a mistake. I got to see that my friend's will has still not died. For showing me this, I will read your palm.
Zenii|
After Baba pulled my hand out, her eyes started to glow a color of white. She then starts to speak a collection of words or phrases I have never heard of. As she speaks this supposed dead language, several urns that she laid out in the back of her bunker started to shake and vibrate in a nervous manner.
Suddenly greasy oil streams shot out of the urns and pummeled their way towards the two of us. The streams of oil started to collect into a rotating orb that was placed in our collective palms. She then looks down at the orb. I can see that the light emitted from her eyes is being reflected outward, which inadvertently blinds me. After a minute of that blinding light, it turns off. Noticing that my sight has returned, I focus on Baba Yaga.
However the happy, and joyful expression I expected is replaced by a neutral shock.
Baba Yaga|
"So you have reawakened from death, and chosen this child as your protege in your pursuit of destruction. But why would you choose this child as your 999th vessel? Why did you choose him as your squire Shiva?!?!?!
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