Chapter One

It Begins

"The mainland!" cried Flint excitedly. " You actually think we could go to the mainland?" "Shh…" whispered his brother Cleave, " We can if you can keep quiet about it!" " But it's impossible to get past the Enforcer guards, let alone…" " We're Zoran Heroes!" cut in Cleave. "We can do anything, including getting past those Enforcers!"

Flint had been pestering his older brother Cleave about his promise to take him out somewhere all day and now that he had found out where they were going he didn't feel as excited as before. Flint knew about the mainland, and all the hideous creatures that lived there. He had imagined going there only in his wildest dreams. The actual thought of going there seemed preposterous.

" Cleave, wont we dry up if we're there too long?" asked Flint. " How many times do I have to tell you this bro! We can do anything! You know that zoran heroes can survive out of water forever don't you! Now, can you think of any other excuses not to go or are you coming with me?" "Fine, I'll go", Flint reluctantly replied, as he didn't want to sound like a complete wimp in front of his 15-year-old brother. " Good, we'll go tomorrow. So get up early." And with that, Cleave walked up the stairs to his room, leaving Flint alone in the kitchen.

That night Flint started packing the things he might need for the next day. He didn't really know what to expect so he shovelled through all the junk that made up his room. He started looking under his bed when he saw an old drawing (zoras don't use pictographs) of his whole family before the accident. There was his mother, smiling as usual. She had dazzling blue fins and was wearing a red dress. Next to her stood his father. He had grey skin/scales and wore nothing, as it was accustomed in zoran society. His father was a zoran hero, and had both of his arm blades out at full length. As Flint looked at the photo, he remembered how happy his family had been before the accident happened that had left his family in pieces. A tear (zoras tears are made up of a liquid that is separate to water and it takes a while to dissolve) rolled down his cheek as he remembered his mother's screams as she was crushed by the landslide. He took one last glance at the picture, put it back on his bed and continued to pack.

Flint awoke early the next day, knowing it would take a few hours to get to the other side of the city. He raced up stairs and into his brother's room, only to find that he wasn't there. He then heard his brother shouting at someone from the front door. Flint jumped down the stairs again and was about to open the door to see what was happening when he recognised the voice of who Cleave was shouting at. It was the child protection agent. He had been bugging Cleave ever since he had decided to take care of Flint on his own after the accident, but this time he had two Enforcers with him. "Cleave listen to yourself! Your barely 15 and you think you can take care of your 11 year old brother? You don't even have a job- "I do so have a job!" butted in Cleave. "Like you can call selling fish a job!" Muttered the agent. "We live under the sea! Most zoras catch their own food! You barely get enough money for you to live on! Let alone provide for your younger brother! Now what do you think would be best for Flint! Living with great, supportive foster parents who can provide for him? Or staying here with you in this dump!" "How dare you call this house a dump! My grandparents built this house! And you will not take Flint away! I WONT LET YOU!"

Cleave went to slam the door in their faces, but one of the Enforcers quickly grabbed the door so it wouldn't budge. "Now look, I don't want any trouble, so can u please just bring Flint out now, or do I have to go in and get him myself?" Cleave tried to block the doorway, but the Enforcer was too quick and grabbed him. Cleave extended his arm blades and slipped out of the Enforcers grasp. He lunged at the agent, ready to slice his neck, when he was hit by a blast of electricity from the other Enforcers finger. Cleave screamed in agony, and fell to the ground. Then, suddenly out of nowhere, jumped Flint. He fired to volleys of electricity out of his fingers, which hit the Enforcers and left them sprawled against the ground. He then swam over to his brothers crumpled body, picked him up, and swam off towards the city's exit.

Flint swam like he had never swam before. He had no idea where he should go except for the mainland, but that was still a fair way off. After about an hour of swimming, Cleave awoke. "Flint, you look tired," murmured Cleave. " Don't worry Cleave! I'm fine!" replied Flint, though as much as he tried to hide it, he was becoming extremely weary, as his brother weighed a lot more than the average zora. A sweat drop landed on Cleave (zora's sweat is the same liquid that they cry with). "Listen…I need you to take me to an Inn…its called the Water Horn. I know someone there…he'll keep us safe…" " But Cleave! If we wait until tomorrow to get to the mainland, then by tomorrow the whole city will be filled with Enforcers!" But Cleave had already fallen back to sleep.

It was 6:00pm when Flint stumbled in to the Water Horn. He was greeted by a huge zora wearing a tie. " Well, what can I do for you young laddie…Oh my God! CLEAVE! What happened to him?" The huge zora helped Flint drag Cleave into the Inn. "He was hurt by some Enforcers earlier today. I think he needs some medicine." "Wait right here!" Yelled the zora. He came back five minutes later with a blue potion. "This is the best medicine for zoran heroes like yourselves!" said the zora happily, as he gave the potion to Cleave. "I'm the innkeeper of the Water Horn," said the zora, "They call me Birin. Now can you please tell me who you are, why you're with Cleave and what happened to him?" Flint explained for the next hour all that had happened, except that they were planning to go to the mainland. Birin brought Flint some of his finest fish, and a bit of squid. As soon as Flint had finished talking to Birin, Cleave awoke, and felt better than ever.

By this time it was 9:00pm, and Birin was about to go and find Flint and Cleave a room, when there was a knock on the door. Birin told them to hide upstairs, in case it was an Enforcer. Even though Birin and the Enforcer were whispering, Flint could here the whole conversation. "Excuse me sir, but I'm looking for two young zoran heroes. Though they are only at the ages of 11 and 15, they assaulted two Enforcers earlier today and escaped arrest. Have you seen these two by any chance?" "Sorry sir but I haven't seen any of the sort." Birin was just shutting the door when the Enforcer stopped him. "Can I please just look inside you're inn to make sure?" "Sorry sir but my guests are trying to sleep. Now Good Night." This time Birin did shut the door. But to his surprise the Enforce" used his electricity to zap the door of its hinges. "What the hell are you doing? That's my door-" The Enforcer pushed Birin to the ground and started walking up the stairs.

Cleave started to panic. "Flint, I think this would be a good time to get out of here!" yelled Cleave. Flint quickly smashed one of the windows and jumped out of it. Cleave quickly followed, just in time to see the Enforcer open their door. They'd started swimming before they hit the ground.

It was midnight when they arrived at the gate to the mainland. As they'd expected, there was an enforcer guarding the way out. Before the Enforcer spotted them, Cleave grabbed Flint and pulled him into an alley. "What are you doing!" yelled Flint in alarm. "Do expect to go marching up to him and saying 'excuse me sir but can I please go to the mainland?' What do you think he's reaction will be! In case you've been wondering I've figured out a plan! I'll distract the ogre while you sneak up behind him and giving him a swift whack to the head, knocking the oaf unconscious. Then we'll be able to get through the gate and onto the mainland with no trouble!" Before Flint could protest Cleave had swum right in front of the Enforcer. Flint knew that the Enforcer could recognise Cleave at any second, so he decided he should do his part of the plan. He quietly swam right around to the back of the Enforcer. Then slowly he extended his arm blades and crept right up behind the Enforcer. Cleave was watching his little brother lift his arm right up until it was higher then the Enforcers head. Then…SMACK! Flint winced as he hit the Enforcers head with all his might. But instead of falling to the ground unconscious, the Enforcer whirled so he was facing Flint. "HEY! What do you think that was for you little brat!" Flint panicked and swam at full speed out the gate, leaving Cleave with the massive Enforcer. Cleave quickly kicked the Enforcer in the shin and swam off laughing, leaving the Enforcer stunned.

Authors note:

I hoped you liked the first chapter of my story! I did write another version, but it sucked so I deleted and redid it! Ummm… I don't know what else to say so I think ill go now…GOODBYE!