AN: Don't get too pretentious about this guys. It's just a story I wrote for fun. It's supposed to be cheesy.
(somebody tell me if we are allowed to put movie quotes in fanfic, idk the rules of this website anymore):
"Legend tells of a legendary warrior, whose exploits were so legendary they were the stuff of legend. " - Kung Fu Panda
Legends
The warrior steeled himself, preparing for the steel that his steel weapon would have to steel in combat. He closed his eyes, visualizing the day when he no longer had to live every day in the heat of battle. That far away place of peace, seemingly unattainable and forbidden to him, where his friends waited for him with food and smiles.
But no.
The warrior's journey was a meant to be a lonely one. His only was the duty to protect the land. There was no room for friends in his line of work. Not now. Neither was there any romance he could fully commit to. His only "companions" would soon be done in by the stroke of his blade, for they were the evil filth of the land. Ratscum! If he would live to see sunset, he would make sure that none of the evil rat's army would make it into the woodland where the good creatures lived.
The warrior took one finally breathe of the valley in, as his enemies assembled in a ominous cluster before him. Thousands of rats lined up and there he was, a lone figure preparing to be swallowed whole by spears and gritty swords. He intended to take their wielders with him.
At last the warrior opened his eyes and beheld the gruesome sight in front of him. He unconsciously adjusted his armor on his shoulder. He untied his cloak and lifted it slowly in the air, letting it go. The wind blew harder and the cloak floated away, mixing in with the drifting leaves. It disappeared from sight as a giant rat, clearly the leader of the army of misfits, walked out to meet the warrior. Stopping a short distance away, the rat sized the warrior mouse up.
"They only sent you?" The giant rat could not help himself, and after a futile minute of trying to hold back, burst out laughing. "Impossible! There is no way they could except only one mouse to stop an entire army of rats!" He clenched over sniggering, as some of his underlings shifted nervously and some tried to give short unconvincing giggles.
All the while the warrior mouse stayed stoic. He stared, unchanging in his serious expression and stance. Every muscle of his body was tensed, preparing for the long unending battle ahead of him. He clenched his jaw and spat out viscously, "Are you done?"
The giant rat stopped immediately. He lifted his shifty eyes upward to read the warrior mouse once more and finally noticed the intense aura he was giving off. The giant rat straightened his back.
"So it's time to get serious then." The rat leader unsheathed his machete and gestured to his rats. "Rats! All that is standing between us the woodland kingdom is this warrior mouse. We did not fight our way through the enemy rabbits just to be killed now. The one to chop this mouse's head will never have to work another day of his life and have glorious sonnets written in his memory, as the one who finally defeated the greatest warrior mouse in history! Then, at last, we will spill the blood of the woodland creatures and take their land!" The army roared in response.
The warrior drew his sword slowly and lifted his shield off the ground. He took a battle stance. There would be blood spilt that day, but the rats would be mistaken if they thought it would be his own. "Let's just get this over with" he said cooly.
The giant rat gave his own battle cry and rushed foreword, his army following his example.
The warrior mouse allowed himself a small smirk before he cleanly sliced off the giant rat's head swiftly. Soon he set working upon the others, blood staining his fur and blurring his vision. The rat's flimsy weapons were of no use against his mystical blade and he cut through them like blades of grass.
In his wake he left nothing but death.
When the rats tried to jump the warrior at one time and attempted to defeat him with numbers, he made his new powers known! Fire raged from his eyes and lightening came off his blade….soon he abandoned his shield and shot fireballs…
"Gonff, what the bloody hell."
The mouse thief stopped mid-sentence and mid-paw gesture. He glanced around his shoulder slowly, dread setting in. Martin leaned in the doorway of the great hall. Gonff turned back to face his audience of travelers from the east. "We are going to have short intermission! Sorry folks, I'll be right back!" The travelers began to speak excitedly amongst themselves, discussing the possible symbolism of the flowing red cloak and if the mysterious warrior mouse could ever fully find love.
Gonff sauntered over to where Martin stood. He had a mocking smile on his face "Hey sweetie- gaah!" Martin seized Gonff by the collar of his shirt and dragged him outside hurriedly.
Making sure they were alone, Martin shook Gonff by the collar. "What. do. You. Think. You. Are. Doing." Gonff's smile never left his face and he pushed Martin's paws of his shirt, laughing heartily. "Relax! I am just telling the new travelers what happened last week in Mossflower woods! Remember those rats you stopped from attacking that village?"
"There was never an army of them though. And I didn't even wear a cloak or armor that day."
"You always dress stylishly! And you did fight a lot of them."
"There was only five, not an army."
"You handled them all on your own~"
"I am not that moody."
"You do have your moments…"
"And I don't have magical powers!"
"So I'm bending the truth a little."
"Gonff!" Martin was exasperated. "You cannot keep telling the travelers that stop by Redwall that I am some sort of super mouse! This is how rumors spread!"
Gonff laughed and threw his paw around Martin's shoulder. "D'aw, don't be so stressed out Martin. You are a hero and that's no lie! I'm not hurting anybeast. I want everybeast to know how cool you are."
He led Martin back inside and added snickering "And besides, as your best friend, I have complete bragging rights. When I go traveling and other travelers find out I know you, they give me free stuff!" They entered the Great Hall which was full of chatter.
"Want to meet your fans? Hey everybeast!" The travelers turned their attention back to the over the top story teller. "This is the warrior mouse from the story I told you all, Martin the warrior! He signs autographs!"
Before Martin had time to protest, he was set upon the travelers who began excitedly asking questions. Gonff slipped away and abandoned Martin, going outside to find his wife.
Columbine was on the ramparts and smiled when she saw him approach. Gonff hugged her and she asked him, slightly worried, "Where's Martin?"
Gonff allowed himself another snicker. "Oh, he's just with his fans."
Columbine sighed. "Telling your tall tales again? Poor Martin."
"He'll be fine. That mouse deserves it more than anybeast. Don't you think?"
Columbine smiled slightly and held a paw to mouth, in a struggle to stop her laughing. "Well, I am sure that these stories you tell will be passed down for generations. They're going to think Martin was some sort of god."
They spent the rest of the afternoon together silently, while Martin relayed the more truthful version of his battles to the travelers. The only way Gonff could get Martin to talk about the past was telling lies to travelers and forcing Martin to come down to tell the truth.
It was in this way how Redwall's fame was passed on, how Martin became known to countries even beyond the sea. Even the stuff that Gonff exaggerated.
It was in this way, Martin the Warrior became a legend.