The Gods Saga
Chapter Two - Freedom's Cloning Idea

Within Misk, there is a mountain that soars higher than any of the other mountains in the world of Misk. This is the headquarters of Freedom, God of Sky. Here, he makes plans with his two assistants, Burks and Andrew, on a daily basis.
In one of the rooms inside the mountain, Burks and Andrew were playing cards. Go Fish, to be exact. They sat across from each other on a round, medium-sized table. It was badly chipped and scratched from the eagles losing their temper and attacking the other players from across the table. Holding their cards greedily in their feathered wings, they eyed each other suspiciously.
"Got any Kings?" Burks asked Andrew with a deep, rough voice. Burks was larger than Andrew with prickly, ruffled feathers covering his whole body. He never liked to preen, so he was always a mess. The annoying feathers on his face caused his reddened eyes to burn and itch.
Andrew gave him a mean grin. "Go fish," he smiled. Andrew was a rather petite eagle with very well preened feathers and a slight sense of humor, which was not common in eagles back then. He looked pretty thin compared to Burks, which angered Burks at times. His beak and feet were a bright yellow-orange, showing they were always clean. If there had been female eagles in Misk, Andrew would have had no problem getting a date through his soft, copper eyes.
"Damn!" Burks slapped one of his large, slightly chubby wings on the table to grab the top card from the deck. "I know you're cheating, Andrew, I know you have at least one-"
"Say," Andrew interrupted coolly, waving a wing slightly. "Hasn't Freedom been up in his lab a lot lately?"
"Don't change the subject, you idiot!" Burks yelled impatiently. "You've got a lot nerve, pulling that one on me."
"But it's true, isn't it?" Andrew continued, looking more serious than show-off now. "We haven't seen him since Thursday night. Usually he only spends an hour or less per day up there making breakfast."
"Hm?" Burks looked over his cards again, trying to focus on the game while still continuing on with Andrew's stirred up conversation. "You know, you're right for once, Andrew. He's been up there for almost a week and I haven't even notice! Just goes to show how bad of an assistant I am. So what do you think he's doing in there? Creating something?"
"Don't you remember?" Andrew bobbed his head up from behind his cards. "Thursday night he told us he wouldn't come out of his lab until he was done making his cloning idea, whatever that means."
"Cloning, huh?" Burks laughed, boringly putting his playing cards in order in his wings. "Is that what he was talking about the few days before he went up there? Hell if I was playing attention. I doubt he'll be able to make anything anyway. He's no inventor, after all. He may have the lab, but he has no skills at what he owns. But what does cloning even mean?"
Almost direction after Andrew shrugged one shoulder; Freedom's loud voice was heard from over the intercom above. His voice was loud, death- threatening, and scary. So startling, Andrew dropped his playing cards.
"Burks! Andrew!" Came the loud yell. "Into my laboratory right now before I rip you both to pieces!"
They hastily left the table, causing it to knock over and spill the cards onto the floor. They ran up the stairs as fast as they could, slightly moving their wings, as they weren't allowed to fly inside the headquarters. They finally reached a large steel door, which automatically opened for them.
Racing down another case of stairs, Freedom wanted for them at the bottom, his wings folded behind his back. "It's about time you nitwits got in here!" he barked. "Hurry up and bow!"
Burks bowed down, showing off his wing span. "Burks, in your presence and at your service, Sir. It's an honor for me-" Andrew slightly bumped him, taking his own bow. "And don't forget me, Sir! Andrew, at your service." Seeing their wings side by side, you could easily tell that Andrew's feathers were a healthy brown, whereas Burks's wings were much darker, almost black.
"Rise, idiots, rise!" Freedom impatiently stomped his large yellow feet. "As you may not realize, I'm actually in a good mood today."
"Well there's a thumbs up," Andrew nudged Burks, who slapped his wing away angrily.
Freedom eyed Andrew, then cleared his throat. "Boys, I have finally completed my cloning chip."
"Oh, cloning!" Burks said, trying to sound interested. "Yes, cloning, what a wonderful thing. Cloning is such a beautiful word, would you agree, Andrew? Haha, cloning has got to be one of the-"
Before Andrew could add on, Freedom yelled. "Are you dimwitted dolts trying to tell me that you have no idea what I'm talking about!? Last week I told you all about my plan, and you weren't even listening!? Do you even know what the word cloning means!? I invented the word, you know!"
"Please tell us, Sir!" Burks stuttered.
Freedom sighed, but being in a good mood, he moved on. "Cloning is my own fancy word for 'a copy of something'. This device has been created by me, to succeed in the death of Tiger!"
"Can I see what this cloning chip looks like, please, Sir?" Andrew asked, seeming more interested than Burks.
"You most especially can, Andrew," Freedom smiled. "After all, I will be using this cloning device on you!"
Andrew froze. "Er.Sir Freedom, what would happen to me if you were to use such a foreign object on me? Shouldn't we test this out on lab rats first or something a little less.sacrificial?"
Freedom only laughed. "Don't be so stupid, Andrew. This will do nothing but create a copy of you!"
"Oh, well then!" Andrew grinned. "I'm all for it! I mean, what's the point in saving up to get me a mirror when I can have my very own clone walking around with me? Two handsome eagles is definitely better than one, I always say!"
"Do I really have to explain everything to you, Andrew?" Freedom sighed. "It takes nine months for a clone of you to be born, because it's born as a baby eagle. It will look just like you did when you were born, and grow up to look just like you look now as I'm talking to you."
Andrew froze again, scared. "Sir, I really think you should try the cloning chip out on Burks. I mean, as a baby, I was kind of."
"Oh, do you really think I care what you were like as a baby, Andrew?" Freedom rolled his eyes. "Burks, you're much too ugly to waste this cloning chip on, no offense. I need to create the cutest baby eagle ever out of the three of us, and as much as I hate to admit it, Andrew takes the cake."
"I don't care if you think I'm ugly, Freedom," Burks narrowed his eyes at him. "I'm just curious as to how creating a baby eagle is going to make it so that we can kill Tiger."
"What, are you expecting me to tell you of my plan, flat-out?" Freedom spat at Burks with a grin. "Just wait and you'll find out. All I'm going to tell either of you right now is that it will help us greatly in destroying Tiger. And when it does, that's when I will have control of both land and sky creatures. Then, we move on to the final God, the God of Sea! Now there's a challenge."
"Talk about bigger fish to fry!" Andrew remarked, still slightly nervous about the cloning chip.
"Quit stalling!" Freedom yelled impatiently again. "Andrew, stand in front of me, facing away from me to face Burks. I'm going to insert this teeny tiny chip into the back of your neck, and you won't feel a thing."
"That just took a load off my mind, Sir," Andrew stepped in front of Freedom, his back facing him. Freedom pulled out a small purple chip, slightly transparent. It looked extremely functional. Burks had a nasty grin on his face as he watched Freedom bring the device to the back of Andrew's tiny neck.

Tiger raced out of his small cave to find an odd-looking creature nearby, looking up at a tall mountain. A painful cry had just been heard from inside that mountain, and the creature stared wide-eyed and only slightly curious as to what the sound meant.
"Excuse me," Tiger spoke, looking ready to run. "Do you know where that scream came from just now?"
"Oh!" The creature turned around nervously. "God of Land, Sir, it came from atop that mountain, but I wouldn't worry about it, Sir!"
"Please don't be so formal," Tiger requested. "Just call me Tiger. Hm..I wonder if maybe I should go up there and see what's going on."
"Are you serious!?" The creature jumped. "That's the headquarters of the God of Sky! He's very dangerous; you know that. I have seen you fight with him many times around this area."
"Oh, I forgot that was Freedom's headquarters," Tiger said lazily, sitting down and getting a closer look at the creature. It was a very odd creature indeed. He had no arms, but a very short and pudgy body. He looked almost like a bird, except that he had fur instead of features. He had a short beak and short little feet without legs. Although he was a male, he had some very long eyelashes that shaded over his brilliantly blue eyes. He was gray with black spots all over him, but he had a bushy pink tail and bushy pink fur on his head. His belly was also pink. The strangest feature on him was a deep purple gem above his eyes, so deep of a color that it almost looked black.
"Say," Tiger spoke again, getting up and walking over to the edge of the cliff where the creature was looking down out. "What kind of species are you, anyway? Not to be rude. I'm just wondering."
"Oh, I'm a Furbie, Tiger," the Furbie smiled. "My name's Boo Boh- Bay, but you may call me Boo for short. And if you don't mind me saying, Tiger, I think you've got the destiny if a hero."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Tiger asked, confused.
"A hero is someone who gets an adrenaline rush when someone is in danger," Boo explained. "A feeling where you get this need to save anyone in danger, even when you don't have to. I think that describes you. You could be a very great hero, Tiger. Just think about it!"
Tiger looked down the cliff as Boo was. "You could be right, Boo. Just take a look at the sea. It's so calm and peaceful. It's sparkling clean and clear. I bet the God of Sea is a very peaceful and helpful guy. And look at the land! To think I have to live up to this piece of trash."
Tiger kicked at the flat, dry ground. "No grass, no life, no nothing! Even most of the creatures have run away because of the fighting going on! The land and sky aren't peaceful places to be. So dry and desolate, how can anyone stand it here? All I do is sit here and wait for something to happen, rather than taking action on my own. I've spent hundreds of years treating the world of Misk like shit. Boo, we've only just met, but I think you're about to change my life. In turn, I guess that means you're about to change the world of Misk as we know it."
"Are you serious, Tiger?" Boo looked teary eyed and honored.
"I don't think I've been this serious about anything in my life, Boo," Tiger responded.

"Are you hearing this!?" Freedom yelled from his headquarters, listening in through a speaker on the wall at what Boo and Tiger were talking about.
"Sorry, Sir, but no," Burks sighed. "I've been too busy tending to Andrew's emotional wounds. What's going on?"
"A total change of plans, that's what's going on, you idiot!" Freedom yelled. "Tiger and that weird thing were just talking and now Tiger's decided to become a hero! Like a super hero!"
Burks only laughed. "A God being a super hero? I can see that. Original? Yes. So what, does this mean you'll be the evil villain, Freedom?"
Freedom slapped him across the face with his sharper wing. "You'd better hush up! Burks! You of all eagles! And I thought you were the more serious and responsible one. Don't you think I get enough pathetic puns from Andrew!?"
"Sorry, Sir, just trying to lighten things up a little," Burks shuffled his feet nervously, but Freedom pushed him out the cliff of the mountain.
"Go now and get that creature for your lunch," Freedom said with a grin. "I know you'll love that plump little thing. Besides, I believe we should test Tiger's skills. Boys, I think I've found us a better plan, and I won't even have to let Andrew's clone go to waste!"
"That creature is called a Furbie, if you did your research!" Andrew muttered from the corner of the room.

"What's that eagle doing, leaving the mountain?" Boo wondered out loud as Burks flew toward them.
"Get back, Boo!" Tiger jumped in front of him. "That eagle's name is Burks. He can be just as dangerous as Freedom, and I know he's up to no good! Stay away, you stupid eagle! Go play somewhere else!"
Burks let out a screech and flew in for the kill, talons raking forward. Although Tiger jumped up to attack Burks, Burks made a sharp turn around and got at Boo from behind, quickly racing upward in the air, his talons pressing deeply into Boo's skin, staining his fur with blood.
"Let him go, you dirty bird!" Tiger raced after Burks at an incredible speed. At that moment, Burks knew he wouldn't be able to hang on for very long. His flight was poor and Boo was heavy. Tiger was hot on his tail.
Tiger finally pounced on Burks! Burks fell to the hard ground, dropping Boo. Tiger hurried up and scratched up Burks's back a little, then ran over to Boo to ask if he was okay. Tiger grasped Boo in his jaws and raced off, attempting to run away from Burks and any eagles that would follow.
"Tiger, stop!" Boo called out. Tiger immediately set Boo down and turned around. Burks was coming back at him! Thinking fast, Tiger lunged toward at Burks, pinning him to the ground and biting at his leg.
Snap! Could it be? Tiger broke one of Burks's legs! Burks let out a crying pain, angrily hustling away. Just when Tiger thought it was all over, Burks turned around and sat down on the ground. Although a leg was broken, he could still move his powerful wings. Burks's eyes seemed to grow redder and redder with rage. He was building something with those wind gusts, but what?
Without warning, Burks let go and shot a powerful small twister at Tiger! The wind swept by with an ear-splitting noise, so strong the tiger could barely keep his large paws on the dusty ground. As dust and sand spun in his face, causing him to shut his eyes, it finally happened - Boo watched in horror as Tiger flew through the giant twister and found himself squashed up against a wall of rock just yards behind his original location, the wind forcing him against this wall.
"Tiger!" Boo cried out, starting to race towards him.
"Stay back," Tiger managed to sputter, opening his eyes slowly and falling back to the ground, the wind stopping. Burks was almost completely out of energy, now looking as though he was about to fall asleep. "I'll take care of this."
Tiger charged at full speed, careful to keep at a distance from Boo. He pounced on Burks, running his claws along his wings, trashing at the layers of feathers and skin, forming a large puddle of blood. Before Burks could make anymore moves, if that was even possible, Tiger jumped away dizzily and brought Boo onto his back.
"Tiger, don't," Boo spoke nervously. "I'll get off your back, you're about to collapse!"
Tiger just shook his head and began walking. "I'm stronger than I look, Boo. Besides, if I want to be a hero, I should at least start acting like one. And if dedicating my life to saving the creatures of this pathetic Misk world from those dirty eagles is the only thing that'll make me a hero, then bring it on!"

For the next nine months, Tiger and Boo went on a very sore journey. They hadn't seen any eagles since Burks, so Tiger was dedicating his time to training for any danger to arrive. He could now run at tremendous speeds, roar fearfully, and jump higher than any land creature he knew. Boo also tried loads of fatal attempts to get Tiger to swim, but Tiger wouldn't go near any body of water unless it was for a drink.

Hey, sorry you had to wait almost a week for Chapter Two, but I was very busy with a huge poetry project for English I just finished today! I'm disappointed I only got one review, but glad it's a positive one. Please start reviewing you guys! The more reviews I get, the sooner I'll put up Chapter Three so you can all see what Freedom's big plan is after those nine months!