Heroes Rising Fiction: The Missing Mythic Part 1

Pink petals wafted through the air as a sweet Spring breeze drifted by. Steam rose from the water’s surface of a small hot-spring as Gar plunged his feet in. Tourists around him gave him funny and fearful looks, but he understood their fear of the unknown. He has seen many things in this new land that surprised him.

Tourists walked around taking pictures of the park and distant volcanoes. A woman came closer to Gar and asked, “Why is there a statue here?”

A tour guide answered, “I do not know. That was not there yesterday.”

Gar looked back and said, “I am not a statue.”

“YAH!” The tourist ran screaming.

Just then a man in a green ninja-yoroi outfit stepped up to Gar, “Scaring the locals again?”

Gar smiled, “Hello Gamma, you know people get nervous around me. Chase told me to smile more, but that doesn’t seem to help.”

Gamma Ray laughed beneath his ninja mask, “Smiling doesn’t cover the giant wings or the stone skin. But don’t worry about them.”

Gar asked, “Did you find anything?”

“No. I searched all over this prefecture and still couldn’t find any sign of Lord Dragon or Lady Phoenix.”

“Be right back,” Gamma quickly left.

Gar followed him with his eyes and then stopped when he saw a couple near the cherry blossom filled trees. These people were holding hands, coyly kissing, and enjoying the lovely spring flowers together. Gar grew quiet as he watched them.

“Hey!” Gamma smacked him in the wing.

Gar shook his head, “Oh, uh, when did you get back?”

“Long enough to see you daydreaming. What were you looking at?”

“Uh...trees.” He lied.

Gamma shook his head and then held out a paper, which displayed the giant egg the heroes had attacked on Easter Island, “Looks like it’s everybody’s news.”

“At least the world is not panicking.” Gar took the paper.

“They will be if we don’t find this Hooded Man and stop him. We need to find Lord Dragon and Lady Phoenix and make sure they are safe. They might tell us more” Gamma looked at the distant peak, “I will check Sakurajima volcano.”

Gar shook his head, “I was up there last night. I didn’t find anything.”

“I will take another look. Read up on local legends, might give us a clue to go on.”

“Okay.” Gar watched him dash away. Using his ninja skills, he vanished from sight as he went.

Gar got up and retrieved all the brochures from the local tourist stand. Some were just ads for the attractions, others had historical information. He returned to the hot spring and sat down.

“Nice to sit and relax.” A voice said.

Gar ignored this, sure it wasn’t meant for him.

“I see you are interested in the history of Southern Japan.”

Gar looked up from the brochure titled, ‘History of Southern Japan’. He found a little old Japanese lady with a kind face. She dangled her small feet in the hot water across from him.
“May I help you?” He said.

“Maybe I can help you?”

“Are you not frightened by me?” He asked as he shrugged his wings.

She laughed, “Not in the least. You have a nice smile.”

He could not contain that smile as it grew. “Another person tells me that often. She said it would help people not be scared of me.”

“She was correct.”

Gar just about asked something when he watched a man present a twig filled with cherry blossoms to a woman. The woman smiled and gave him a quick kiss. The whole time Gar watched with intense curiosity.

The old woman asked, “Is there something wrong?”

“Oh, uh, no.” He looked down at his feet in the hot water.

“You seem curious about something, perhaps I can help.”

Gar thought about the many questions running around his mind. “I don’t understand something. How does a human know they like another enough to call it love?”

“Oh my, what a question.” She said.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Any honest question is worthy to be asked. Love is a strange and highly difficult subject to truly discuss. It has many levels and a lot of people mistake lust for love and make poor choices.”

Gar looked up at the cherry tree nearest them, “What does a person do when he feels something special for someone else? How can he know if it is love or not?”

“Oh, I cannot answer that. That is inside you to find out.”

“How?”

“Trust me, you will know.”

Gar smiled, “Then, perhaps, I will try.”

“That is a wise course of action.”

Gar asked, “Who are you?”

Just then Gamma Ray approached, seemingly out of nowhere. “I didn’t find anything. Maybe...Master!” He bowed toward the old woman. “What brings you here?”

“I was sent to find you. Lord Dragon and Lady Phoenix have decided you are welcome to visit them.” She stood from the waters and put her feet back in a set of wooden sandals. “Come, we have little time.”

***

Gar dove and landed in the middle of a bamboo forest. Next to him was Gamma Ray and Master Nanae. The master searched for something while Gar and Gamma followed behind.

Gamma quietly asked, “What were you and Master Nanae talking about?”

Gar spent a moment thinking and finally said, “Nothing important.”

“You’re a terrible liar,” Gamma stated.

Gar changed the subject, “Is she your teacher?”

Gamma shook his head, “No. Master Nanae is a well-known sensei among many schools.”

Just then Nanae called out, “I have found the path. Come!”

They joined her on a path that had decorations all around and people coming and going.

Gamma said to Nanae, “This is the path to the Nonomiya Shrine near Kyoto.”

“Correct,” Nanae stated.

“Uh, Master, we’ve done extensive searches throughout Kyoto and all the outlying areas. We found no sign of the Dragon or Phoenix.”

“Also correct.”

They ascended the path toward a bland-looking Torii Gate. Nanae had stopped and waited on them. They reached the Master, and she held a golden fan in her hand. She held the fan up and then sliced down through the air. A cut formed out of nothing and a bright light shone through it. Using the fan, she widened the cut and exposed an opening. With a gentle nod, she said, “Step through the gate, my friends.”

Gamma Ray walked through first, Gar followed behind. Nanae came through last and the cut sealed itself. They were still on the same path, leading up to the same temple. People walked by them as though they weren’t there.

Nanae said, “We have stepped into the domain of Lord Dragon and Lady Phoenix. Look.” She held a hand up and they now could see a translucent path going up a different direction toward a mountain that was not there a moment ago. At the top of that mountain rested a magnificent ancient Japanese Palace. Without another word, she led the way. As they ascended the path, the translucent mountain and trees grew more real.

They approached this grand palace. A long bridge stretched over placid waters filled with koi fish. Cherry blossoms filled the trees and wafted through the air, landing on the glassy surface below. The palace was white with blue accents. Golden Dragon and Phoenix statues decorated the gardens and rooftops of the stacked building.

Walking up to the palace, they had to go around the building, following a circuitous path through a blooming garden brimming with spring flowers neatly arranged.

Stepping up to a wooden floor, two servants opened the doors to reveal a grand throne room. The room was sparsely arranged, but ornately decorated. Every pillar and screen had intricate designs inscribed on them. There were a few pillows and seats for visitors. On a glorious Jade Throne sat a man wearing a golden Kimono.

Gamma stopped Gar as they approached this man, “Bow,” he commanded.

Both bowed low in respect.

Nanae made a slight bow and then approached him, “These are the ones you requested.”

The man spoke in a deep, commanding voice, “Greetings, Gargoyle of BADGE and Gamma Ray of the Shinobi. I am Lord Dragon. Please, stand.”

Gar straightened up, “We’ve been searching for you for well over a month now. BADGE sends concern that this Hooded Man could be seeking your power.”

Nanae nodded, “We know. We are very sorry for what he has done. We should have acted much sooner. We hoped that the others would have stopped him or that BADGE would have found a solution.”

Gamma was about to say something when Gar interrupted, “Who are you?”

Nanae smiled, “Forgive me, both of you. I did not mean to deceive. But, the situation being what it was, I had to conceal myself in case Jinn was out there seeking me.” She suddenly burst into flames. Both Gamma and Gar jumped, Gar took steps toward her to help but realized quickly it was unnecessary. The flames burned nothing around her and she transformed within the light of the fire into a taller, beautiful woman. She now wore a brilliant red, and orange Kimono with her hair decorated by golden ornaments. Her apparel had elements of Chinese design as well as Japanese, while Lord Dragon’s apparel was entirely Japanese.

Gamma gasped, “Lady Phoenix.”

“Welcome to my home.” She bowed to them.

Lord Dragon stood, “It is with great distress that I inform you our efforts to contain Jinn have failed. He has grown powerful. We need your help.”

“Why only now?” Gamma asked with a touch of rudeness in his tone.

Lady Phoenix answered, “We believe we have discerned his plans. They are darker than anyone can possibly imagine.”