FOUR AGES

“Figlio, son, you’ve been looking at that map for long enough. Come on, hop up; it’s bedtime.”

“Oh, just a moment, dad, I’m looking at the seas.”

“The seas? A mysterious place, our kind rarely travels across them.”

“Yes, and only with boats, we never go deep below the surface.”

“A lack of air does prevent us from doing that, yes. What’s got you thinking about the ocean tonight?”

“Our Nature Sciences teacher was talking today about jellyfish. He says they don’t even die when they get old; they go poof… and transform back into a baby again!”

“What a horrible fate it is for them to live forever.”

“Well, I guess they wouldn’t remember their past. Babies can’t think like we can, and jellyfish, well, they just float along in the sea. That’s what the teacher said.”

“What was that sigh about?”

“I just… I wish we could be an amphibian-kind and breathe air and water. We would go on an adventure to the very bottom of the sea!”

“Ha, amphibians can’t survive the pressure of the deep ocean. But I know a few tales from there if you’re willing to listen and then go to sleep.”

…

TWO OCTOPUSES AND A SHARK

Written by: Isabel Chiwibel (Fiverr name @Chiwibel)

Edited by: Celina Mike (Fiverr name @Celinawrite)

Deep below the oceans, where sunlight is scarce, and the flora is unrecognizable for land dwellers and warriors of Earth and Air, the Octopoda people made a home. They are solitary people, rarely traveling in packs of more than three individuals at a time and only joining in large groups for the yearly marriage rituals where males and females compete in mortal combat until the victorious warriors choose a compatible spouse to produce the next generation.

One night, a mother and father set their precious twin eggs in a coral, under the watery light of a blue moon, and they lovingly began their long watch over them, fanning them to keep them cool and free of bacteria. For months, they ate nothing, and as the eggs began to hatch they held hands together, smiled at each other and closing their eyes died as the currents of the ocean swept their bodies away from their hatching eggs.

Twin octopuses soon hatched. Bound together by flesh and blood, they grew together, learned, trained, and traveled the unending waters together. Even so, they developed in different ways. The octopus that had broken from his egg first had grown prideful and loud, while his younger twin became a quiet and more withdrawn sort.

With their combined strength and observation skills, the octopus twins ventured, intending to become stronger. The younger twin made his brother slow down, carefully watch, and carefully study the intent of others. He taught the older brother a new inventive way of fighting where during the fight he would change his arms to legs, and vice versa upon instinct, allowing the limbs to react to the opponent as if each limb had its own, individual mind. This was entirely different from any of the fighting styles of the warrior masters of the past.

His intelligence and resourcefulness left the older octopus twin jealous, and as the marriage season approached, he grew bolder and angrier. One night, under the light of the blue moon and in the middle of the coral fields, the older twin challenged his younger brother by attacking him fiercely and without any warning. Limbs flashed from legs to arms, punches became kicks and kicks to vicious punches in the blink of an eye. Never before had such a battle been seen under the watery depths of the sea.

Their combat was loud, with the older brother screaming in rage for his brother’s defeat. When the younger realized his twin meant to do him real physical harm, he was at a loss and fought more to defend himself and looked for a way to calm his raging brother and bring the fight to an end.

The younger twin suddenly conjured the vibrant colors of victory on his skin and this surprised his twin, who suddenly stopped fighting as his darker skin of aggression changed to a paleness of confusion. This was all the younger twin needed as he swam straight into his brother and pushed him out of the way as a large Shark narrowly missed them both.

The shark was quickly circling and would soon come around once more for another attack.

The older twin, seeing how his younger brother had just saved his life, and realizing that the Shark was quickly coming around for another pass at them said, “Little bro, you’re the best! I’m happy to have you by my side when we take down this Shark!”

The younger twin, grinning and realizing that he had his older brother on his side, readied himself. The two octopuses took on a darker color of aggression as they readied themselves to face the attacking shark.

…

“So did they beat the Shark, dad?”

“It doesn’t matter if they won or not, Figlio. Siblings can fight, it happens all the time, but at the end of the day as long as they realize they’re family and stand together to face the Predators of life that’s all that matters.”

“But… Did they beat up that Shark.”

“The lesson is that the siblings stood side by side when it mattered most.”

“So, dad, they fight each other but when anything threatens them they unite quickly to protect each other.”

“Sounds like you’re ready to be an older brother.”

“Nah! I just want to learn how to fight in water like the twins!”

“Whoa, whoa, now we’re getting ahead of ourselves. And a deal’s a deal. It’s time for bed, son.”

The End! Stay tuned for the next Fable in two weeks!

Artist: Raqvel (Fiverr name @Raqvelcano)

Artist: Endry (Fiverr name @Endry1)

Logo Designer: Nishi T (Fiverr name @Nishi_gfx_vfx)

Created by: Robert S.S. Gordon