KINGDOM HEARTS 3.6 Chapter 148:
The Sailor, the Sea and the Ram's Horn.
The young individual from the previous Chapter, now identified as Orichalcum had resumed writing in his journal whilst further recalling the flashback within a flashback...
"After that old coot gave me this weird looking conch, I decided to examine it on a "what the hey, couldn't hurt" basis of feeling. I thought to myself that at the time, it was simply just an odd shaped seashell...I couldn't have been further far from the truth. It turns out, after I had both shaken it and even blew through it's nozzle, did nothing work...that suddenly. To my greatest surprise and especially shock...the conch had reacted to another cause entirely and then, ultimately...I was transported to a completely and utterly different surrounding to my entire island!" says Orichalcum, visually recalling what happened to him when he first used the conch given to him by the old man from before.
"I had finally obtained my Dream of exploring new horizons...and had ended up in a town of some kind. It was...enlightening, to say the least, as a term of expression. Turns out they had another name for this town, in truth, it was actually called a city. Regnum Stratera, they called it. The Kingdom of Balance...I didn't understand a thing at first and instead, just got into scuffles with warriors called knights. I nearly ended up executed as a result of my brass behaviour! talk about the curse attitude of being youthful at the time...oy vey." says Orichalcum before chuckling albeit hesitantly a little...
"I had used the mysterious power of the conch to make my escape before impending execution, ending right back up at my islands. I couldn't believe it's strange powers...but...to me, they were a blessing at the time. With them, I could finally leave my restricted homeland and find way to new places, never explored beyond my home itself. I had used the conch to travel to many a locale, first was a hot and humid desert, where I met a settler. He spoke of founding both a city and a palace upon the sands...I didn't believe he could pull it off though. And yet...I found myself intrigued by the idea. I had decided to lend my aid without taking no for an answer. Finally, a year on...we had finished building the great country that hopefully would become known to all...as Agrabah." says Orichalcum, revealing a certain revelation.
"I had said my goodbyes before taking my leave and took more time exploring other venues, as they were. The next place I ended up in...was underwater! I thought my life would flash before my eyes...and my breath would escape me the second I let go of it. Thankfully enough, however...I was saved by the magic of the conch. With it's power...I could breathe-even talk under the seas! it did not limit my physical abilities as well, most importantly in dire times of need. For the very 1st time, did I meet a whole other kind of species asides Humans...Mer-people! fancy my intrigue. With a sword in hand I received from my "founding" friend back at Agrabah, I used it to save the life of a young Merman...named Triton. Slightly younger then me and also far more obstinate, it was...like looking at a mirror." says Orichalcum, as he presents revelation after revelation.
"I was reminded of naivete but as a result, became more mature both in life and about it. Because I was the only unique creature that could walk on two legs just like the Humans above...I was treated like a freak and thrown into a castle dungeon. Triton was there too, having been thrown into a cell as a scolding by his father whom turned out to be the king of this underwater kingdom. Like the rest, he treated me as a freak too at first...but overtime, we saw our differences and thankfully, soon enough became friends from seeing our similarities too. Triton told me that he was trouble with his father because he refused to one day ascend to the throne, instead...he told me about wanting to explore the surface. I could relate immensely, even despite the difference of our respective backgrounds. Because Triton refused the throne and left behind the kingdom of Atlantica, he got into trouble with a fish like wizard of some kind. Thanks to my instincts from seeing and more so sensing the evil kind of person the fish sorcerer was, I used sword in hand and had forced him back. Saving Triton's life...only to be abandoned in the middle of the confrontation. I do not blame him though...and he apologised regardless. Either way, I was bound to find trouble with the merfolk, even if I did not meet Triton at all. But thanks to that chance encounter and a new bond of friendship...Triton spoke with his father and freed me from my prison. Apparently, his father could tell what kind of person I was too, having senses similar to my own. He had hoped that me serving as an example of "two-leggers" would both the Humans and the Mer-people could learn to one day coexist, despite as he put it being a "seemingly impossible Dream"...I thought naught otherwise about it being impossible." says Orichalcum, still narrating his backstory...
"Triton taught me how to swim properly in all my 18 years I had never even learned how to do so. Like my building days with Agrabah had strengthened my arm muscles, hulking around huge blocks each days after days. My leg muscles were strengthened too from these thankful experiences I got to participate in for myself. I nearly mistook again myself at one point for looking like an overgrown, muscle man, ha. That was a joke by the way...for those reading this journal of mine." says Orichalcum, momentarily pausing writing outside the flashback.
"But the experiences were helpful, all the same. Thanks to Triton, I had decided to name the conch that I had been using it's magic to travel everywhere with...the "Ram's Horn". After Triton pointed out that it resembled the horn of a land based animal he once saw and heard the name of whilst passing by around the surface. Just like in Agrabah, I had spent a whole year in Atlantica…under the sea. It was time for me to say goodbye, knowing...that I had other places to visit and my Dream that felt unaccomplished still. Making way, my next destination...was a spooky town filled with monsters!" says Orichalcum.
"The monsters, to my great wonder...were friendly! although they had tried to scare me, they did so only in happiness. They had told me it was part of their culture to scare people but not so in malice. Originally I had believed that fright and fear were detrimental to a person's living...but the monsters had taught me the exact opposite of that. By staying with them, did I learn that fear too could be used to bring joy towards others, for fear...brings out courage. Humans from their inner beings hunger for horror, wanting to be scared. To be surprised...the monsters had picked up on that and used their appearances for which they were shunned for to bring out the best in peoples. Their fears...learning from them and the courage to stand against all things that would bring harm. That was the lesson of fear I learned...the lesson that fear could empower me, so long as I did not think of the negatives...at least being negative 100% percent of the time. The monsters inspired me...and, soon enough...I found myself wanting to be like them! with a cape and cowl at my beck and call, I dressed to become a fearful figure of the night...to scare-inspire others. My friends-Dracula, Frankenstein, the Werewolf, the Mummy and everyone else were absolutely delighted by my idea to become like them, more or less. However...one person had visited the town of monsters and was not at all imposed by our frightful visages. He was named...Nicholas. Nick for short as we called him whilst finding our idea of fear to bring out the best in others for in turn the best of good intentions...would also work the reverse. Those that know fear...namely great fear. Would believe that fear is all encompassing and instead...despair finally would become created as the result..." says Orichalcum again.
"We were distraught...not knowing what to do. Nick proposed an idea to us, that instead of simply bringing about happy fear alone...we should learn how to be generous towards others. Simply, what he was trying to tell us at the time...was that we should mingle with those we wanted to cheer on through fright and learn what could better help them become happy. He believed gift gifting was a way to accomplish that...and, soon enough, we agreed. We didn't want to abandon our happy fear making...but instead balance it. We therefore balanced out the times between scaring others and being generous, to help everyone all around. Although quite a political dilemma of sorts at the time...we ultimately managed. With 12 months in a whole single year, one month would be dedicated each to the idea originally proposed by the monsters and the other idea proposed by Nick. The month of October for the monsters and the month of December for Nick. He was the one whom suggested the months and was okay with going "second place". It did not matter...it didn't even matter which month held more responses in terms of happiness. We were just glad to bring joy to others...not knowing any. Just like the monsters themselves were at the beginning..." says Orichalcum, revealing the circumstances...
"...Sudden though. Other people started to flock around both us and Nick, wanting to present their own monthly events of happiness too. We thought the best of the ideas that were presented and altogether. We agreed to hold our monthly events at respective times that hopefully differed apart in timing and would not become too crowded, overlapping with each other. The event called Easter for example was an event that had just the right timing to hold the event itself at. Instead of monthly events, soon enough, they were started to be called "holidays"...seven in total. The seven holidays...that's how we then decided to create a council of holidays that were never too far apart from one another. To reach the destinations between us quite easily...we found these mystical doors that were pointed out to us by Nick. For some reason...these doors were already in place at chosen spots that were able to Connect our locales...I myself found it very puzzling. The others paid it no mind but still...for me, something seemed off about these doors. Yet even so, we still used them to form our council and at last, the seven holidays of the four seasons were officially formed. I wonder how Nick himself is doing..." says Orichalcum, writing his friend Nicholas' name in his journal.
"Just like with the previous places I visited-Agrabah and Atlantica…I also spent another whole year at the home of my friends-the monsters known now as Halloween Town. 20 Years old...having first set out at 17, going back to 16 when I was still making countless rafts. After pondering on the thought...I realised that the only place that I never spent a whole year ago at...was Regnum Stratera. Back then, I was wild and running rampant. Unruly...well now? no longer. With the strengths I had learned-physical, mental and spiritual. The experiences I had learned from visiting the previous locations finally gave me the backbone...to pursue returning towards Regnum Stratera and finish making "a yearly stay" there, heh..." says Orichalcum lastly, moving on to the next Chapter within his journal...his chronicle of Regnum Stratera. The Kingdom of Balance...that still stands, even today.
To be Continued.