A grand city stood tall, surrounded by a field dark as pitch. Wicked spirits roamed the barren waste, pining for an entryway into the metropolis. Towering walls manned by the nation's finest warriors encircled the city. The soldiers trembled in fear at a mere thought of the horrors lying beyond. Skyscrapers touched the clouds and shone with heavenly radiance, as sunlight danced along their surfaces leaving a pristine glaze. Multicolored light radiated from the prismatic palace standing proudly in the capital's center.
On an ordinary day, citizens zip across the city in beams of yellow energy to reach the sites of their illustrious occupations. By early morning, the children of affluence have already completed their fourth class of the day, preoccupied with youthful lusts and prideful ambitions. The slum children play together in the streets, until the quake of their hungry bellies grows too severe. They comfort each other by sharing delusions of grandeur, often centered around one day becoming warriors strong enough to slay the spirits that terrorize their nation.
Suddenly, the ground shook as powerful figures approached the city from the south, east and west. A man stood proudly as he rode a mass of earth that trampled all in its wake. Two others roared through the sky on a dragon of flames, leaving a crimson trail across the sky. A lone figure surfed on a tidal wave that flattened decrepit structures and withered trees as he approached the city. He brushed his teeth with an annoyed expression as the wave barreled over the waste. The earthen rider crouched down and launched himself through the air as his mass of rubble shattered. He soared clear over the wall, scattered skyscrapers, and crashed through the west side of the palace. Glass exploded as the dragon barreled through the south side of the prism, and its two riders stood on the ground unscathed. The final figure smashed the wave against the outer wall and utilized the momentum to propel himself across the sky, over the city, and through the east side of the palace.
The figures stood in a grand throne room forged from the finest silver and gold. Their eyes met, and they looked away in disdain. They approached the throne as soldiers rushed in and surrounded them, brandishing blades that gleamed with the sun's radiance. A flaming crimson blade of unprecedented craftsmanship was suspended above the throne, and the gentle warmth emanating from it could be felt throughout the kingdom. The king sat on his throne with an unbothered expression.
The wave rider spat toothpaste onto the palace floor. He yawned as he stepped forward, "Really? You're gonna give me that face? You had to know this day was coming, Basilas." He waved his toothbrush around the room, "You've wasted enough of our time by making us come here. Let's just get this over with, so your soldiers don't lose their lives on a Friday over a few missing shipments."
The king shouted, "Okpa! Does your disrespect have no bounds?! First, you insult us by damaging our outer wall! You have the nerve to vandalize our nation's fine Prism Palace! And to make matters worse, you possess the audacity to accuse me and my people of failing to honor our trade agreements?! I should have all of you tried as terrorists and executed by Milliard immediately!"
A young woman shouted, brandishing a flaming wooden dagger at the king, "Cut the crap 'your majesty'. We all know you've been shorting our shipments for years now. Why the hell do you think we came here in the first place? For a damn tourist trip? You will pay us what you owe or face the consequences…"
The king grimaced, "Young Kayla, I see that you have not gained a morsel of maturity since our last meeting. Is your foolish uncle still so lazy that he leaves his country's business affairs to a woman with such infantile knowledge as yourself?"
Kayla's hand trembled as her indignation flared, "That's it…"
The older man with her stepped forward, "King Basilas, choose your next words wisely. It would be best for you if this conflict was resolved without bloodshed. One of your boys may be a great warrior, but he cannot hope to stand against the might of three Archigos on this day, now, can he? It would be a shame if such a promising young life was cut short over a sour trade agreement." He gestured through the windows toward the bustling city around them, "Now, we can all see your people are thriving. Why do you withhold from us what is ours and then deny it in this way? There will certainly be consequences…"
A younger man materialized from thin air with an outstretched blade whose point protruded onto the older man's chest, inches from piercing his heart. He spoke in a shaking, furious voice, "Threaten my father again, and that breath will be your last!"
The older man raised his eyes to his foe with an expressionless face. Each person tensed in anticipation. They prepared their minds and hearts for battle.
Suddenly, a resounding, boisterous bellow of laughter rose from the depths of the older man's oversized belly, "BA-HA-HA! Young Milliard! It is so good to see you! You know that I would never bring any harm toward you!" Kayla's rage burned against him as he leaned over and whispered into Milliard's ear, "Unless of course you broke my young Kayla's heart. In fact, I have been thinking of you recently and I believe you and Kayla would be a perfect couple. Tell me, have you…"
The king sliced through his words, "KALARONO, I've had enough of your senile ramblings! Milliard, to my side!"
Milliard's body dematerialized into atoms, and he reappeared at the king's side.
The king resumed, "I will admit, I have held back from you a portion of what we agreed in our trade agreement. My motives will be disclosed later. You will receive what you are owed in a few months when our next production cycle is complete and not a day sooner."
The figure who rode the earth spoke in a gruff, measured voice, laced with such rage that it spread fear to the hearts of the entire room, "You bastard, my people have been starving for years because of your 'motives'." The guards were thrown from their feet as the palace trembled, "I should level this city and bring back its scraps to feed my starving widows and orphans. This is not the first time you have failed to uphold your promises. If you don't give us what we are owed right here, right now, you will face the full wrath of the Earth Tribe's fury."
The heat and energy from the blade mounted to the wall intensified as its radiance blinded the throne room. The king's figure was obscured by the blazing energy, "And just how much blood would you have me spill, Bazek? With the power of the Kai Fos, I would cut down such a multitude of your warriors that their blood would fill a ravine seven miles long! As I stated, you will be paid what you are owed at the appointed time and not a moment sooner. This meeting is adjourned."
All of the intruders made their way toward the exits, except Bazek. "No living soul has ever seen you do anything of that manner. There were no accolades to your name before your crowning, and you never even attempted the Archigos exam. You simply received this position out of tradition and respect for the great Sun Warriors of generations past. Some are beginning to question if you can even wield the Kai Fos, let alone cut down my…"
Kalarono placed a hand on Bazek's shoulder, "Bazek, it's best to leave this be for now. I will make sure your people are fed this quarter and if the king is as honorable as he claims…" He gave Basilas a disapproving glare, "…he will make good on his trade agreements in order to keep these kinds of suspicions far from him."
Bazek hesitated, "That will do for now Kalarono, but what will you do in three months, or in a year when the stomachs of your isles roar with hunger? I do not wish to bring up family matters, but you have your own affairs to contend with. It escapes me why one as revered as yourself would stoop so low to defend a dog such as this." He stepped forward, "My patience has run dry. As of this moment, the Earth Tribe formally secedes from the Union of Tribal Nations."
Shock filled the room.
Kalarono gripped his shoulder, "Bazek, I urge you to reconsider! Think about how this will appear to our enemies who lurk in the shadows…"
"Sounds good to me. Being in a union was a lot of paperwork. The Ocean Tribe also formally secedes from the Union of the Tribal Nations." Okpa smiled wildly, "This'll be fun!" He leapt through a hole in the wall onto a tidal wave.
Bazek exited as Kalarono cried out. "Okpa! Bazek! This is not…"
A voice rang out from one of the openings in the wall, "The Flame Tribe formally secedes from the Union of the Tribal Nations, you pompous bastard."
Kalarono swiftly turned, "Kayla, this is very unwise. Even if it is a shallow peace, we cannot lose our appearance of unity…"
"Uncle, you've always pandered to the king. Defending his mistakes, turning a blind eye to his terrible political decisions as he cheats us year after year. Our nation is strong enough to stand on its own. We don't need cancerous swine like him telling us how to handle our business."
She leapt out of the opening.
Kalarono gave the king a look of resounding disappointment, and his footsteps echoed as he followed Kayla out of the palace.
The king turned away and spoke in a somber tone, "This meeting is adjourned."