The Adventures of Mighty Zander

King Vin lay in bed, sadness weighing heavily on him. He had lost his future wife, and the memory of the boy who ruined his chances haunted him. That gray boy Zander—he was the one who had taken everything from him. Sadness and anger surged through Vin’s veins.

Suddenly, there was a knock at his door, three sharp raps. A crimson soldier stood at the entrance when King Vin opened it.

“What is it?” Vin asked, his voice edged with frustration.

“My king! Aerolios is here!” said the soldier.

Vin's expression shifted from sorrow to surprise. Aerolios wasn’t expected for three more days, but now he was here early. Hastily, Vin threw on his royal red attire and rushed to the throne room. There, standing in all his might, was Aerolios, the God of Weather. Though he controlled all the elements of nature, Aerolios held the lowest rank among the gods, placing seventh in their ranks.

“Aerolios, your godliness,” King Vin said, bowing slightly. “What brings you here? You weren’t expected for another three days.”

“I know,” Aerolios replied, his tone sharp. “But Mercury sent me early. And when I arrived, there was no criminal for me to execute.”

“Well... he kind of... escaped,” Vin admitted.

“Of course he did,” Aerolios scoffed. “Now I have more work, hunting him down. I should raze this entire kingdom for your failure and that of your soldiers.”

“No, no! Please, Aerolios, that won’t be necessary,” King Vin pleaded. “I know where they went.”

Aerolios raised an eyebrow. “Where?”

The king hesitated, then finally said, “They... went north from here.”

“Really? North?” Aerolios asked, narrowing his eyes.

“Yes, your godliness,” King Vin replied, trying to sound confident.

“The fact that you hesitated before answering tells me you don’t know for sure,” Aerolios said coldly. “You just guessed.” He sighed, irritated. “But whatever. I’ll go find them myself.”

“Remember, Aerolios—he’s a white tiger,” King Vin called after him.

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Aerolios replied dismissively.

Without another word, he turned and strode out of the throne room, his wings unfurling as he soared into the sky, disappearing. Zander and Leo walk for what felt like hours and arrive at The great lands of waterfalls in a jungle.

“Whoa, this place is beautiful,” Zander marveled, pulling out his journal and beginning to sketch the scenery.

Leo, meanwhile, wandered closer to the waterfalls. He crouched by the river, leaning down and, in true feline fashion, used his tongue to lap at the water, tasting its freshness.The water was as fresh as ever, with no hint of salt.

“This water is incredible,” Leo remarked. “Tastes perfect.”

Zander, finishing his sketch, joined Leo by the river and drank as well. They continued to drink, savoring the cool refreshment, when suddenly a group of men in gear approached them.

“Hey, are you two drinking from the Rivers of Strength?” one of the men asked.

“Is that what it’s called? Tastes amazing!” Zander said, smiling.

“It does,” the man replied, his tone serious. “But anyone who drinks more than a few handfuls of it... dies.”

Leo and Zander’s faces went blank, and they both muttered in unison, “What?”

They immediately stopped drinking, both shocked and wide-eyed.

Zander, his voice shaky, asked, “Are we gonna die?”

“Not exactly,” one of the men said. “You see, if you drink from the River of Strength once, you’ll gain power. But the more you consume, the higher the risk. Two things can happen: one, you gain strength with no side effects. Or two, your muscles will start to tense up painfully, so much that you won’t be able to move. The pressure will overwhelm your body, and soon after... you’ll die.”

Leo and Zander exchanged horrified glances.

Zander asked, “How will we know if we’re safe?”

“Wait for ten minutes,” one of the guardians replied. “If nothing happens by then, you’ve gained the strength.”

Zander nodded. “Thanks. But, who are you guys?”

“We are the Guardians of the Great Lands of Waterfalls,” the leader said. Then, all the guardians took a sip from the river and walked away.

“Okay, so we just wait,” Zander said, looking uneasy.

Leo glanced around. “In the meantime, let’s get out of here.”

“Right,” Zander agreed. They quickly moved on, hoping the minutes would pass without trouble.

Outside, they walked on lush green terrain with soft, short grass beneath their feet, still feeling uneasy about the river's effects. To lighten the mood, they began telling jokes.

“Why did the tiger cross the road?” Zander asked, a grin forming on his face.

“Uh, I don’t know. Why?” Leo replied, raising an eyebrow.

“Because it was chasing after a chicken!” Zander burst out laughing.

Zander chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s a terrible joke! Okay, Hold on. What do you call a cat that loves to bowl?”

“What?”

“An alley cat!” Zander laughed at his own joke.

Leo rolled his eyes but couldn’t help but smile. “Alright, I’ll admit that one was better.”

They continued to joke and laugh, the unease fading as they enjoyed each other's company, embracing the beauty of their surroundings.

“Hey!” a voice called from above.

“Huh?” Zander looked up, squinting against the sunlight.

A man clad in black raven armor floated in the sky, his wings constantly flapping to keep him aloft. His face was hidden behind a crow mask, adding an air of mystery to his presence.

“Are you two lost?” the man asked, his tone casual yet authoritative.

“Not really,” Zander replied, a mix of curiosity and caution in his voice. “Just exploring.”

“Because I was in search of a big white tiger who should have waited to be executed,” Aerolios replied, his voice dripping with disdain.

Leo, sensing the threat, pulled out his massive sword, ready for a fight. Zander, unsure of what was happening, summoned his own sword as a precaution.

“Leo, I think—” Zander began, but before he could finish, Leo vanished in a flash.

Zander’s eyes widened as he watched Leo engage the god in mid-air, their swords clashing with a deafening ring. They clashed repeatedly, each strike resonating with raw power, as both combatants matched each other blow for blow.

“Are you the god they sent to kill me?” Leo shouted, clashing blades with the man in black.

“Aerolios, that is my name,” the figure replied, his voice cold and unyielding. “And I will end you here.”

Zander watched in awe as Leo and Aerolios clashed with raw strength. Leo swung his massive sword, but Aerolios dodged effortlessly, drawing raven-like daggers and hurling them at Leo. With a swift movement, Leo used the broad side of his sword to block the incoming projectiles.

Seizing the moment, Zander dashed forward, swinging his sword at Aerolios from behind. However, Aerolios anticipated the attack and dodged once more.

“I’m going to help you, Leo!” Zander shouted, determined.

“No, this is my fight!” Leo replied, gritting his teeth as he focused on Aerolios.

“Nonsense! I’m helping. You can’t do it alone. He’s a god, right? It’s better if we fight together!” Zander insisted.

After a moment of hesitation, Leo pondered Zander's words and finally agreed, “Fine. Let’s take him down together.”