Hey guys and gals! Sorry for that long wait, second semester is becoming a real biatch. I'll try to be more punctual now that we're getting into the mid-semester grind. You may or may not have noticed I changed the rating, don't worry, this isn't going to turn into a blood and guts filled sexcapade. I just wanted to be safe in case something gets slipped in there may be a wee too intense for a teenager audience. Anyways, on with the story!
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-Chapter 3, Stories of Home-
"I'm from an island a few miles south the shores here. I live in monastery with some monks, and there's a lot of really nice towns spread out all over the place. Like I said, summer all year, which is pretty freaking awesome." Spencer finished his description of home. After using wide motion with both hands, he sat back on his elbows on the foot of Finn's bed.
Finn was intrigued by the unknown land, and thought about all the adventures he could have there. Jake "ooh-d and ah-d" at the summer part.
"Summer would be awful nice year-round." Jake huffed as he thought about winter and those stupid knife storms that roll in during the spring. Spencer sighed and reminisced as he continued.
"Yeah, I owe everything to those monks. They raised me ever since Mom died and Dad skipped out. They can be pretty uptight, but they're really cool people! They taught me everything I know: medicine, smithing, enchanting, most what I know about fighting,-"
"Hold up!" Finn interjected with a shocked expression. Spencer looked back at his fellow human curiously. "What do a bunch of monks know about fighting like that, or any of that stuff you do?!"
"I'm glad you asked!" Spencer chuckled and got up as he pulled over a chair so he could see both Finn and Jake. He leaned back in the chair with his hands behind his head. "These peeps aren't your run-of-the-mill, pray-all-day, pacifist dudes…Ever heard of the War Monks?" Spencer finished with a grin.
"No, but they sound awesome…" Finn thoughtfully scratched his chin.
"No way!" Jake exclaimed after pondering that familiar title. "I know who they are! Dad used to tell me all kinds of stories from before the Rainicorn-Dog Wars! But, didn't they all disband after the Shogun Era?"
"Color me impressed, Jake! I didn't think they still put that stuff in the books." Spencer chuckled at Jake's response.
"Hey, I may not be the ripest apple in the tree, but history was my fave subject." Jake felt pretty good being ahead of the game.
Finn looked back and forth between Jake and Spencer with a very puzzled look on his face. "Can someone please tell me about this samurai-battle-monk jazz now?!" Finn felt pretty stupid being left out. Spencer thoughtfully clicked his tongue and looked from Finn to Jake and said,
"Jake, you want to take this one? It may make more sense coming from a friend." Spencer said as he leaned forward in the chair as he rummaged through his bag.
"It would be my pleasure milord." Jake sarcastically bowed his head. Spencer scoffed as he wiped his face and neck with a rag he wetted with his bottle.
"It was like this, bro…" Jake moved to sit against the wall with his pillow behind his still-sore head. "A way super long time ago, Ooo was ruled by shoguns and their samurais and all that." Finn pulled his knees close as Jake continued.
"All the land was split up between three lords. They acted as one governing body so no one could go totes power-hungry, and the only reason they never fought with each other was the War Monks. They were the high scholars AND divine peacekeepers of Ooo. Obviously, they were super smart and crazy strong."
"Whoa…" Finn simply replied in wonder. He was shocked people like monks could have such power and authority. "If they were so cool, then why did the band break up?" Finn asked his brother.
"I'm getting to that Mr. Impatient!" Jake huffed. Finn rolled his eyes at his always-dramatic brother. "One day, the lords got together and decided they would overthrow the monks so they would have absolute power over Ooo. It took a long time, but eventually the monks lost to sheer numbers. What I don't know is how the temple you came from survived, Spencer. More importantly, what are the monks doing on an island THAT far out?" A puzzled Jake looked over at his house guest.
"I can answer both questions with one epic story!" Spencer said with a grin and one finger held up. "Just like Jake said, our monasteries were being sacked one by one. The parish I'm from was on the end of a long peninsula not far south of here. Near the end of the conflict, the lords and the remainder of the three armies showed up at our doorstep. The three butt-lords themselves rode up front to talk with Gregor the Great, the arch-monk at that time, who was by himself in front of the monastery. They gave Gregor and the rest of the monks their ultimatum: surrender and live as the Lords' personal strike force, or resist and forever be forgotten."
"What'd they do?!" Finn asked with growing anticipation.
"The really cool part." Spencer said with a wink. "Gregor said they wish to simply leave in peace, and leave the lords to fight amongst themselves. They laughed at his face and asked how they were going to get past their combined armies. He just smiled, reared back, and kicked the ground so hard the entire width of the peninsula cracked, essentially separating the peninsula from the mainland. Then he dug his hands in the earth and kicked away, scooting the new island quite a ways away. Just as the lords signaled and archery attack, a huge ice wall rose up between the mainland and our island to protect it. On top of it was Gregor's wife, Maria the Mighty." Spencer continued.
"Then Maria tidal-waved the lords and a big portion of the army away and froze them where they stood. Those goons could just watch as she carried the island away with the tide. They called to lords as they drifted away and said, as long as you don't disturb us, you'll never see us again. The island thrived from all the good resources, some people left the mainland to colonize our new island, and the monks continued their way of life and whatnot. The end." Spencer finished with a sigh and light smile.
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I know this may seem like a weird place to end it, but I didn't want this big old backstory split between chapters. We'll find out the behind the scenes stuff next chapter. I'll try to beef up later chapters, I realize the first two chapters weren't as long compared to other stories here, contrary to what I first thought. Thanks for sticking around! Reviews would be like early Christmas, don't forget those always help. Until next time!