Chapter 2
The black stony cliffs were still and quiet except for the sound of the sea crashing softly against the Cliffside. The early morning was at complete peace under its blanket of fog.
A light stepping sound, slow and rhythmic, broke the silence. A blue Puffball who was crowned with a mane of ice stared over the edge as the fog dissipated.
His name was Ocean, he was named after very thing he stared at, which was known as The Endless Ocean. Ocean looked over the Sea, the fog began to lift and sun struck his ice-hair. Soon the temperature would reach that of Paradise, which befits tropical Seacraw Islands. Seacraw lies in the southern most edge of the empires control and the known world, that 'known' part being nothing at all in comparison to the unexplored rest of Magna Star.
Ocean's mind came to rest upon these things, like usual. He liked to imagine exploring the world, he dreamt of sailing to the other side of the Endless Ocean, if such a place existed. But he snapped back. He had a Job to do.
The Weather was beautiful and the tide was coming in as the world began to wake up at last. Soon the black cliffs would become white sandy shores, and Ocean set off inland. He was sent by the New Colonial Council (The Puffballs imediate government, run by them and second to the Emporer) on a mission of utmost importance, in honor of the Puffballs ancient promise to the empire. He, being one of their most trusted warriors.
You see, The many creatures of Magna Star never accepted the Puffballs. They may always be outsiders. but in the last generations; The people have gone from hateful, to murderous. No longer are they prejudice, now they assault them, now they demand the Emperor (who's name is King-Of-The-Hill, personal names being based off of your title is part of the natives culture.) destroy them, and leave no one behind.
But if there's one thing the Monsters have learned, it's that Puffballs are the ultimate natural warriors. And the last thing King-of-the-hill wants is to give up his personal militia of super-soldiers, he refused.
The outraged people have formed a rebellion, they call themselves The Uprising. And though no part of the empire actively supports them, the Seacraw Island Lotus' Landing is home to an active Rebel Fortress, or so the rumor is.
Walking toward the tree line Ocean saw an odd sight, though common here; A Bumbon sleeping in his poorly-made lean-to. Bumbons are a large, broad creature with a purplish complexion. They are known more simply as Bums, though their not particularly fond of the name. They're very lazy by nature, as their affectionate nickname implies, and in the paradise of Seacraw they need barely work. Their clothing usually consists of a huge straw hat (the bigger the better) and a simple manila poncho. He snuck past on his tiptoes; it needed not wake up yet, and Bumbons don't exactly have a 'Friendly' culture towards Ocean's kind. Ocean would rather avoid the confrontation and save the Bumbon the emotional duress.
Ocean had reached his way-point. He sat in a depression in the rock and watched as beach-dwellers lumbered from where they slept in the forest to where they will sleep in the sun. Ocean looked in amazement; He'd only been walking for about thirty minutes, but during that time the tide rose to cover the cliffs and enough sand to nap on has already accumulated on the shore. Ocean sat and let the sun rays warm his face. He sat waited for his contact from the empire.
Soon, he realized he misjudged the intensity of the sun. He opened his eyes and his body was searing in pain. Whenever the sun gets too powerful for Oceans flesh, which is partially ice, it fails to maintain its freeze and begins to melt, which is extremely painful. This is a consequence of his being not fully Puffball. His long-late mother, who passed away long ago when he was young, was an Ice-Que; a close biological cousin to Puffballs.
He looked over; to his side was a small, long forgotten straw hat half-buried in the mud. Ocean pulled out the hat and beat the dirt out. With the hat keeping out the sun, Ocean was able to enjoy the beach.
He sat for about an hour. "Blademaster Ocean, I presume?" Interrupted an Whispery, dry voice.