KING NAMOR #4
By: Stephen Kelley
The head of the Atlantean pantheon stared namor down "since you choose to "fight with honor", I will allow you time to prepare"the head God scuffed and in a very posh tone as if he thought namor was just a child trying to show off and was not impressed, "as much as it pains me, you will not listen to my words so you have forced me to show you with my actions, my sincerest hope is that you will not take this personally nor am I taking your judgment of me personally" namor said both calmly and sincerely. Both men circled each other around the Coliseum waiting for the other to make a mistake, then seeing his hesitation the head God charged the submariner only for him to dodge at the last moment and chop block his knee sending him tumbling headfirst into the sand "do not toy with me submariner, either fight me like a man or cower like a boy it matters not to me but YOU WILL FIGHT ME" he shrilled as he tried to fold the Sandy Earth on top of namor who barely dodged being buried.
"You mistake strategy with cowardice" namor said intently trying to find a weak point "you are too eager to attack me, a God you may be but such bravado is beneath you and will be your downfall"he said catching the head God off balance and hurling him into a column shoulder first "YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME OF BRAVADO, YOU WHO KIDNAPPED A MARRIED MAIDEN AND FORCED HER TO BE YOUR WIFE, YOU WHO WOULD ALIGN YOURSELF WITH THE VERY CRIMINALS WHO WISHED TO TAKE YOU OUT, AND YOU...WHO TRIED TO DESTROY A KINGDOM SO YOU WOULD HAVE NO RIVALS" the head Gods voice boomed as the very seafloor itself shook with his anger "YOU ARE NOT WORTHY OF THE LIFE YOU HAVE, THE AIR YOU BREATHE, THE GROUND YOU WALK ON, YOU...ARE...NOTHING..." giant whirlpools and seafloor typhoons erupted around the Coliseum and one of the other gods finally spoke up "u'alis are you mad, call off the storms and whirlpools before you destroy us all" "NEVER, NOT TILL THIS" the God then stopped as namor was on his knees in a meditative state showing no fear of the rising waters around him and the rocks skidding and scraping his skin, only wincing when his skin was scraped hard enough, this caused u'alis to bust out laughing "and what pray tell submariner will meditation do for you, you think you can "will"all this to stop" u'alis mocked, "no" namor said opening his eyes and lifting his head to look the God face-to-face.
"I would rather sit here in a meditational state thinking thoughts of happiness and peace rather than witness the destructive rampage and chaos that you unleash upon even your own people"he said pointing to the other gods and goddesses. "He is right u'alis, we look to you for strength and guidance but it seems the millennia have made you old and bitter, though we all demand tribute and cowardice respect from those who serve us you would bring an end to all sea life just to teach one denizen of the deep a lesson, there is more courage and bravery in him than even the mightiest of warriors in our heyday" "but bo'katu my sweet angelfish of the deep" "NO" she snapped "THIS "LESSON" IS OVER OR I WILL MAKE IT END". U'alis looked at namor with a hardened expression which then softened, "it is not often my love scolds me in such manner but perhaps submariner there is truth to your words"the head God said as he echoed throughout the Coliseum "let it be known on this day that we, the Atlantean gods of old have pardoned namor of Atlantis of any past transgressions that he had made against himself, against those in the deep, those on the land , and those in the air and the stars, and forever forth he will be our representative and our avatar should he prove himself worthy" namor stood before the pantheon "I know I do not deserve your mercy, if any of you were to strike me down now I would not take offense to it I have done evil things, things I regretted lives I have shattered, bridges I have burned and friendships I have alienated and alliances with forces who would see me undone, I know now that the ends do not justify the means, that the people of Atlantis and the waters around it have suffered because of my selfishness".
"I've also come to realize that those on the surface have suffered from my pride and my arrogance, though it will be a hard road and it might possibly be a road I will travel alone I will shoulder the burden with great pride, as I will do everything in my power even when I'm not at my strongest to prove to the surface world that I am a hero and a defender of all peoples no matter which part of the sea they come from, or part of land that they hail from, or even what possible star system. I was once told by Capt. America a mighty champion of the surface world that all people no matter what walk of life they come from or what species should be treated with the utmost and most sacred respect and care, but i was too prideful and arrogant to listen to his words truly but as I stand before you, as I stand before myself, and stand before my own people should I be allowed the chance I will heed those words, and I will pour my heart and soul into making it a reality. I do not wish to be a King as I do not deserve it, I have tarnished the crown of Atlantis but with your blessing and the blessing of the people of Atlantis I wish to go on a pilgrimage not just to prove to the surface world that Atlantis is willing to work with surface world, but to teach both the surface world and the Atlantean people as well as all denizens of the deep included that we must stand united less we be divided and fall as several, this pilgrimage will also serve as a journey for myself there are many aspects of myself that I did not explore when I was King, my father was from the surface world and I kept that part tucked away for many years. this pilgrimage will allow me to reconnect with the surface world to try to "understand it" for I only lived one half of myself and I wish to reconnect and discover the other half so that I may be one whole person again, this is the only thing that I ask and desire of you" namor said bowing respectfully "then submariner you have a lot to try and accomplish" u'alis said gruffly, "but time will tell if you truly will be able to back up what you claim"the head God said with a boastful smile.