In the dead of night, Maria sleeps in the bed of a nearby hotel as Xander slowly rises from the sofa in the other room, making his way silently toward the window and climbing out, floating himself toward the roof, where the monkey spins and dances happily.
"OOH-OHH-EEK," 'Master, master, thank you for freeing me, master.'
The monkey cheers, jumping up and down.
Xander smiles, floating up a basket of fruit from the window and landing it next to the monkey. "You're a young one. What's your name?"
The monkey dances happily, eating the fruit.
"EEK-EEK-OOH," 'Quang, master. Me name be Quang.'
"Well, Quang," Xander says, grabbing a peach out of the basket, "who was the vendor, and how did he catch you?"
Quang eagerly grabs the peach and explains, "Me and the monkeys were training, and then a strange monkey came and broke the old temple where we pray to our monkey God, and he started attacking us and grabbed me and a few others in cages with his tail and ran."
Xander leans back on the roof. "How many non-mutants?"
"Five, master, including me," Quang says, grabbing another peach.
"Great, another rare animal collector. Strange monkey, you said? That's intriguing." Xander looks up at the sky. Never had he heard of an animal turning on its kind to help humans.
"Master, you know of the Great Monkeys, yes? They said they taught you." Quang hops on all fours closer to Xander, sitting next to him. "Tell me what they were like, and the Dragon Monk." Quang's eyes sparkle as he scratches his fur.
Xander sits up and faces Quang. "About seventeen years ago, before you, Quang, I did some bad things, and after I did those unforgivable actions, I ended up here." Xander gestures to the vast view of the King's Gambit.
His mind wanders back seventeen years ago, what really happened when he finally ended up here, when he was so close to death. He had wished for death, but instead he turned back toward the sound of cooing and witnessed life. A small basket sat near the steps of a bridge over a creek. Inside lay a small girl, only a few days old.
Xander limped over, glancing into the basket. The small girl, her hand outstretched, gripped his arm, like back then—but this time the grip was warm.
He saw no value in his own life anymore, but for this little girl who was left here to die, he would find value. He would save her.
And that's when he met him. From atop a lamppost stood a monkey, speaking out in perfect human speech. "Hey kid, it's not safe wandering alone. You lost?"
In this world, humans were the last to mutate. The sea life was first, and the animals of the world fell in the middle. Animals bore human-like bodies because of their mutation, allowing them to manifest their power, while only barely twenty percent of mankind had powers. More than ninety-eight percent of the animal world had mutated far beyond human comprehension.
This monkey, with a human-like stance, jumped down toward him. From afar he was nothing more than a chimp; up close he looked like a mix of man and animal. "Kid, you deaf? I said you shouldn't wander."
Xander slowed down, stepping closer to the basket, eyeing the monkey. "Stay back. Don't make me do this."
"You're battered and bruised," the monkey laughed with a howl. "The fact you're standing in that state is beyond me. You don't want to fight me son, so how about you let me help you?"
Xander stayed in defense, his legs wanting to give way.
"So," the monkey's grin spreads, "come with me, kid. I'm assuming you don't have anyone else other than that girl. She your sister or something?"
Xander paused, his voice stuck in his throat, body not wanting to move. For some reason, he let out a small breath. "Yes, she is."
The silence after was deafening as the monkey walked close and got to one knee.
"Right now, I feel like anything could kill you, but when I look into your eyes," he grins, gripping Xander's shoulder, "I can't see that happening. Come with me, kid. I got spare food."
And so he followed. For no reason whatsoever, no concrete reason at all, he simply followed the monkey through alleyways, carrying the basket on his back. How could Xander even lift it with that weak body of his? How could he even walk with that weak body of his? All of this was beyond what would be considered natural, what would be considered possible—and yet he kept walking, and for this, the monkey couldn't help but keep smiling.
After they finally arrived, Xander passed out. His senses deemed this place safe, so he slept. When he awoke hours later, he was lying in a hammock between two large trees. He turned his head right and saw the little girl sleeping in a new cradle decorated with fruits. More human-like monkeys stood and sat around, chattering as he lay still, sore.
The monkey he met in the streets sat at his left. "Never caught your name bud. Care to share?"
The monkey fed him peaches and nectar.
Xander's voice came out in a small whisper.
"Xander Kortez."
The monkey lowered the jug. "And the girl?"
Xander's eyes wandered. He had declared this girl his sister out of fear of the loss of his own, the name he had picked back then. Amber rang in his head, but he couldn't use it. He couldn't even think of that name without thinking of what hardships his actions had put his real sister through.
His head slowly tilted back, locking eyes with the monkey. "M… Maria," the word came out slow. "Maria Kortez."
Why this name, others may have thought, but Xander looked at the leaves, the old tree back outside his apartment played in his head. His mother, Maria Kortez, sat on a bench as he lay his head in her lap.
"One day, you will be greater than you'll ever think possible. Even if you resent it, remember your life, and your life will become greater."
He could not escape his past, so he would embrace it. He would name the girl after the very thing he lost, that he killed, that ruined his life—not a punishment, but a stepping stone.
The monkey smiled and glanced at the cradle. "I'm Dom. Welcome to my home in the Gambit, Xander and Maria Kortez."
His voice echoed in Xander's ear as Xander dozed off again. For once, he slept easy.
***
Xander rose from the hammock the next day, his arms wrapped thinly in bandages, his knees also wrapped, as he climbed out and looked into a mirror that hung on a tree. His face that was a bit bruised, had been treated, the scratches slowly healing.
He glanced back at the cradle where Maria lay awake. A few monkeys with human-like statures walked around her, cleaning the floor, feeding her, or doing other tasks.
One of them noticed him and called over, "Good morning, young master."
The words sounded strange to Xander. Was he really worthy of that title? He hadn't even talked to these people yet.
He felt a strange tingle behind him as he glanced back and noticed a strange shape in his shadow. It wriggled and twirled as Dom the monkey climbed out. "Good, you're awake."
Xander should've been startled, but his body was still too tired and weak to register what was going on. Instead, he slowly raised his head toward the large monkey.
Dom pulled him by the wrist over to a circular structure in the middle of the area, which Xander now realized he hadn't gotten a good look at. It seemed to be a mountain, but he could've sworn they were underground. A waterfall stood far in the back, rushing crystal-clear water into a large stream that circled around the mountain.
As Dom sat down cross-legged in the center, he urged Xander to follow, and so he did, getting low and sitting cross-legged.
"First we thank the Monkey God for everything good," Dom smirked, closing his eyes and saying a small prayer. "You don't have to do this part, just focus on meditation."
Xander cocked his head sideways slightly.
"Why am I supposed to be doing this?"
Dom interrupted him with a raised hand.
"As my student, you must learn the same way I did, of course." His smile widened as he snapped his fingers. "You get me."
Xander paused and glanced at Dom, confusion filling his mind. "Student? When did this happen?"
"Today, because I felt like it. Now meditate." He had a small chuckle in his voice. "It's not every day I meet someone with eyes as determined and strong as yours. If I pass up this chance, I might never find a good student."
"But I didn't want this," Xander stood up slowly before he froze and turned back to Dom. His gaze now harsh, golden eyes locked onto Xander's frame.
"Don't tell me you're denying my generous offer." He broke back into a smile, and Xander sat down with concern. "Anyway, I need a student eventually, do I not? And everyone who comes to me is either rude or weak. But you—your mind is simply strong. I want it." His golden eyes gleam. "Now let's train."
Xander sat and lifted his head slowly.
"I refuse."
The monkey paused, then laughed.
"Ha! Oh yes, OK. Yeah, this is great. You're making this hard, kid. Just learn from me. What do you got to lose?"
"I refuse to use my powers," his voice came out firm. "I used them once, and in doing so I ruined both mine and my family's lives."
Dom looked over at the cradle. He didn't know that child was not the family Xander spoke of, but what he did know was that Xander had a good reason. He was young, and if the first use of his powers was as bad as he let on, then it made sense why this boy would not be keen to learn.
"OK!" Dom clapped his hands. "OK! So it's your powers you hate. Well, good for me. I'll just teach you how to fight without your powers, so stop denying and become my student."
Xander stared into the golden eyes of the monkey. His own green eyes seemed to sparkle. Should he accept this offer? He wouldn't, he told himself—but when he glanced back at the cradle, he realized he had to grow stronger. Even if he rejected his powers, learning without them should be enough.
Xander faced his master. "Teach me."
The pupils in the monkey's eyes seemed to swirl as his grin grew. "No take backs."
He grabbed Xander and pulled him toward the waterfall. "You know how to swim?"
"No."
"Tch, alright."
Dom propped Xander on his shoulders and squatted down, then leapt into the air, swinging from tree branch to tree branch before shining through the waterfall into a cave, where on a hill stood a small cabin and a peach tree. Behind it was a statue of a monkey, big and tall. On his head sat a strange crown, and in his hands he held a staff pointed toward the sky.
Dom placed him down in front of the statue.
"This is the statue of our king. Long ago he was considered the strongest. Where he is now, we do not know, but we pray that he return."
"How long ago?" Xander asked, glancing up at the statue.
"Well, his legacy dates back to before powers. He was the only human-like monkey. We believe he may have been the first, or maybe more."
Xander looked at the statue, then the cabin, then the peaches. It made sense why his mother never mentioned this monkey. Her stories only dated back a few thousand years. If this warrior was of the far past, then he must've been strong to still be known.
"So… what do we do?"
"Well, normally the leader of the monkeys lives in the cabin with their student, like how I lived with my master, and we train day and night."
Quang interrupts the story. "Master, master, you've been to the cabin!" His eyes shone wide. "How was it? How were the peaches? How big was the statue? Was it as big as the outside one? Was there special nectar?"
Xander laughed a bit. "Slow down. No, the peaches and nectar were the same, and yeah, the statue was quite bigger than the one outside the waterfall. I didn't see it till I left, though, so I might underexagerate it."
Xander looked toward the Gambit again. Far off in the distance, at the southern district's edge, stood the mountain he trained on. Even from here, he felt he could still sense the cool breeze carrying the scent of peaches and other fruit.
His phone rang, and he answered. Maria had called, asking where he was, and he told her he was simply on the roof and would be down in a second.
He turned to Quang, ruffling the young monkey's head. "Sorry, bud. I've got to go now. Head back to the mountains, and we'll talk more one day."
"But you didn't tell me about the other masters yet, or the Dragon Monk," Quang pouted, eating more fruit.
"One day," Xander smiled, walking off the side of the hotel roof and floating to a stop at the window he came out of, climbing through to see Maria sitting on the sofa.
"Why are you awake? Sleep more," he said, sitting opposite her, and she simply pointed to the window. He turned back and saw the neon signs outside start to change, meaning the sun had come out above.
"You said you were going up to the east, did you not?" she asked, making breakfast.
"I'm not going straight away. I'm taking you near the northern border first," Xander said, walking into the other room, filling a bag and changing into a different shirt.
She called out from the main room, "Any rules, or?"
"Do whatever you want when you're there. Just don't die." Xander walked back into the room, tossing her a bag, and headed out the door. "Come down when you're done eating."
Maria sat in silence eating, playing around with her food, dissecting each fruit—the seeds of the strawberries and the white stringy bits of her oranges. She had always loved science.
She remembered back when she was five, sitting in a tree outside the cave while Xander trained with Dom the monkey. The other chimps around her taught her to read and write. At first she only spoke monkey, but soon learned human. The first book she read after that day was a science book about disease and infections, a medical guide, and she instantly fell in love.
Two monkeys had been sparring near her when one of them fell to one knee, panting. They assumed he was tired, but from the treetops Maria's keen eyes could tell—it was more.
She climbed down and walked over, examining the monkey, and he complied with a smile. He let the five-year-old play doctor; it was fun. He did not expect her to diagnose him and offer treatment. It was only after the chimp doctors who lived in the mountains took a look and, in astonishment, backed her words that this was more than simple fatigue. That day, a medical prodigy was born.
Maria looked down at her oranges, the strawberry beside them, and the rest of her food. In her mind, she could see them as organs and flesh, each part delicate and delicious.
She got up, taking the last bite, and headed downstairs, bag on her back, making her way to the hotel lobby where Xander stood. A small crowd of people had come to talk to him—why? Simply because he was Xander. Even those who didn't know the great feats he had done had heard stories that fascinated them.
After they exited, Maria held out her hand, but no snake riders stopped by. The same happened for others on the street. It was strange—maybe another feeding delay, or maybe the snakes were tired today.
Then Xander stood next to her and held out his hand. Twelve snakes appeared from down the streets in every direction. She knew her brother was amazing. She knew of the things he had done, but even she was impressed by how much people respected him.
"Hurry up," he called, climbing onto a snake as she walked over and climbed on.
The ride down the road was fast. The snake slithered down the road at what one would consider over the speed limit. Maria wondered if they would get pulled over—and they did.
The road was blocked, and the snake stopped. The guard who had put the block up walked over, but when his eyes fell on Xander, he stopped and waved the block away. It was removed, allowing them past.
Xander simply sat next to her on the snake, his expression bored as they rode through the underground. He questioned everything.
'Should I take her with me instead?'
'Maybe I should just stay in the Gambit.'
His mind wandered as they rode, nearing the border—and that's when they heard it.
A large explosion could be heard. Both of them spun around on the snake to the right. Wind coiled around Xander's ankles, ready to blast him in the direction of the sound, but he stopped. The wind died down as he looked up and saw… fireworks. Big, bright, multicolored, and loud, they lit up the roof of the underground.
Another roadblock, but this time the guard who walked over didn't stop when he saw Xander. "Sorry, no one may go through."
"Why not? We're in a rush," the snake rider called out, glancing around.
"You heard the fireworks, correct? It's the day of the yearly banquet. It's in the north district this year, so no one may enter or leave until it's over."
Before the rider could argue, Xander stepped off the snake and handed him the fare. "Don't worry, you've taken us far enough."
He turned to the guard. "I'm going through."
The guard didn't stop them—not because he didn't want to, but because there are only few people in the King's Gambit who can rival Xander, and he's not one of them.
Wind coiled around Xander's ankles as he wrapped his arm around Maria and picked her up. He crouched down, and people turned to watch him. In a single burst, the wind launched him high above the wall, and he jetted through the sky over and across to the center of the northern district.
The law bends around Xander, but it does not break. Within a few minutes, guards and hunters are sent after him. As he weaves around buildings, going lower, he stops in the middle of a street and walks through alleys into an old house.
The residents of the house see him walk in, but say nothing—because they know Xander wouldn't harm them.
He walks through to the corner, lifts a trapdoor, and pushes Maria through.
"When you get up to the North Kingdom, ask Lawrence for data and finish that thing you were working on."
He turns around and leaves before she can speak. She doesn't need to. There was nothing to say.
She walks through the tunnel and makes her way through the long passage that leads up above into a random shopping center. Climbing out, she sneaks down the alley into the streets, the sunlight almost blinding her as her eyes adjust, she's here.