The Adventures of Mighty Zander

A long time ago, 900,000 years ago, a sapling stood alone atop a mountain. It stayed there undisturbed as time passed, slowly growing into a magnificent tree. It took 540 days for the tree to fully mature, standing 540 feet tall. Its golden leaves shimmered in the sunlight, while its trunk was a deep, solid gray. Then, one day, a hole formed in the trunk, and from it, a small branch began to grow.

The branch started to change. Over the next 50 days, it shaped itself into a body. Arms sprouted after 45 days, followed by legs 30 days later. Finally, in the last 10 days, a head appeared. The transformation was complete. What once was just a tree was now a living, breathing being.

This figure looked human but had a strange, otherworldly appearance. Its skin was gray, covered in mysterious symbols that seemed to tell ancient stories. Its hair was as black as dark steel. For a while, it lay still, unmoving, before slowly rising and learning to stand. He began to climb down the mountain.

At first, he didn’t know how to do anything. it stumbled as he walked and fell as he crawled, but over time, it learned. it practiced moving, picking up objects, and understanding the world around him. it wandered through thick forests, beside rivers, and along waterfalls, never sure of where he was headed. Eventually, he began to understand speech. The first thing he did was build a home for himself. It took many days, but he managed to finish it. After that, he set off on adventures in the world, hoping to return one day.

Fourteenth years later. A little girl in the village walked home to her parents carrying a basket full of fruits and vegetables.

"I can't wait to get home and eat Mom's stew," she said, feeling great glee.

As she looked up at the sky while walking, she accidentally bumped into a man, dropping her basket of fruits and vegetables.

"Oh, sorry, little one," the man said.

"It's fine, I didn't see you," the girl replied, crouching down to gather the scattered fruits and vegetables. The man knelt down as well, offering his help to pick them up.

As the man helped put the fruits and vegetables back into the basket, he asked, "Um, little one, do you know where the priest is?"

The girl nodded and said, "Yeah, he's in the temple." She pointed west, where a tall structure stood in the distance.

Once all the fruits and vegetables were back in the basket, she picked it up again.

"Why do you need the priest, sir?" she asked.

"For healing my illness. I haven't been feeling well for a while," he replied.

"Oh, well, good luck! The priest can heal anything. When you get up there, he makes this purple powder that can heal anything it touches."

"Really? I guess I should go there now, then," the man said with a friendly smile.

"Yep. See you later, mister!" the girl said with a wave.

As the man walked toward the temple, he muttered under his breath, "Dumb kid. Now to get the shard." His expression turned serious. He reached the temple and saw the priest.

"Hello, priest," he greeted.

The priest turned around, and the man's appearance shifted, revealing a figure in a white robe that exposed his right arm. He had short white hair.

The priest stared at him in shock. "Mercury," he said, recognition dawning on his face.

“Yí Yù, see? I know your name,” Mercury said with a sly grin.

“Whatever you're seeking, you shall not obtain it,” Yí Yù replied firmly.

Mercury walked over and picked up the bowl of purple powder. “You see, Yí Yù, I envision a better world. This world is nothing but cruel, brutal, and wicked. This was not the vision my father had for it. So I seized his place to reshape it in my own way.”

Yí Yù said “ Reshape in what way?”.

Mercury smirked, “By erasing everything and forging a new world. A place where everything can be as it should be... Anyway, I came to inquire about the shard you’re safeguarding.”

Yí Yù, with little worry, replied, “I will not surrender it to you.”

Mercury laughed softly, “Now, Yí Yù, you know I can erase you and the entire village in an instant. So, I suggest you reconsider your words.”

Yí Yù stood firm, his gaze unwavering. “I will not bow to your request. You may wield power, Mercury, but your vision is flawed. I refuse to let fear dictate me”.

He took a step forward. “Your threats do not frighten me. I will not hand it over because of your vile ambitions.”

Mercury took a deep breath, his expression shifting. “Very well. Have it your way. I shall take my leave”. “He placed the bowl of purple powder on a table, casting one last, piercing glance at the priest.

In an instant, Mercury began to glow, and with a blinding flash, he disappeared, leaving the temple in an eerie silence.

Yí Yù began to wonder if Mercury's threats were truly genuine. Feeling a sense of uneasiness. But nonetheless, he carried on with his day, helping those in need.

The following night, everything in the village was quiet, with everyone sound asleep in their homes. The little girl from before nestled close to her parents. Until a loud boom echoed through the village, jolting everyone awake. The sound reverberated through the night.

“What was that?!” shouted the mother, her voice laced with fear as she jumped up alongside her husband both with worried faces.

“I don’t know. Stay behind me,” he said, his voice steady but urgent.

“ Mom dad what is happening”. The little girl.

“I don’t know. You and Mother stay behind and follow me,” he urged, gripping their hands tightly as they stepped outside.

In the village, panic spread as residents gazed up at a blinding light in the sky. From it descended thousands upon thousands of divine troopers, crashing to the ground with an earth-shaking thud.

What came out of the bright light was Mercury, the God of Creation and Destruction, along with seven other powerful gods. Korizma, the Goddness of Frost, brought a cold chill with her. Aerolios, the God of the Weather, controlled the winds easily. Kamaria, the Goddness of the Moon, shone with a soft, glowing light. Next to her was Leonidrax, a strong half-lion, half-man figure. Gengnar, the God of War, looked fierce and ready to fight. Ritika, the Goddess of the Sun, shone brightly, filling the darkness with warmth. Lastly, Vatrolius, the God of Fire, flickered with energy, his flames moving like wild spirits.

Mercury shouted, “Yí Yù! Come out here!”

Yí Yù stepped out from the shadows and walked into the village, ready to confront him. Their eyes locked—Yí Yù filled with anger, while Mercury stood with confidence, a smug smile playing on his lips.

Mercury said, “Now, I’m sure we’re all wondering why we’re here. I came for a shard, of course. But your priest refused to follow my command!”.

Yí Yù firmly said, “Mercury, leave at once. You have no purpose here.”

Mercury smirked, “Still refusing to obey, I see.” He began walking toward the priest.

The villagers watched in fear, their eyes wid. their gazes locked in silence.

“Now listen,” Mercury said, his voice calm but laced with a threat, “I don’t want to do anything…reckless. So I’ll give you one last chance to hand it over. Because what happens next won’t be pleasant.”

Yí Yù looked down for a moment, then raised his head with unwavering determination. "No," he said firmly. "You will not have it."

Mercury walked back toward his allies, a smirk on his face. "Don’t take too long," he said casually. "We still need time to enjoy the big feast. But let the priest live,". Under his breath.

All the troopers began to slaughter the villagers, one by one. Cries of fear and chaos filled the air. The little girl's parents grab her to run away. Yí Yù watched as the village was getting torn apart.

"Come on, honey, we have to run—far away!" the mother urged, her voice trembling as she grabbed her daughter's hand.

The dad was right behind them, his heart racing. The little girl turned and shouted, "Dad!”

"It’s fine! You two keep going!" he shouted back. They raced through the village, trying to escape the carnage. But Gengnar suddenly jumped in front of the father. In a single, fluid motion, he swung his weapon, slicing the father in half before he even had a chance to react. The little girl let out a blood-curdling scream, her heart dropping at the sight of such brutality.

“ Mo-mo-mo”. She stutters with fear. However, the mother kept running, a wave of sorrow crashing over her. She felt an overwhelming sadness swell within her. She tightly gripped her daughter's hand, determined to keep moving forward, until Leonidrax suddenly blocked their path.

“HA! A little girl with her mother,” he roared, a wicked grin spreading across his face.