7 | Black and White

Chapter 7

lack and White

The shock of meeting a talking Ice fox had long passed. A sudden disturbance in the magnetic frequency that allowed the ship to navigate the open sea caused them to get … lost. “This had never happened before” could be heard from the defeated captain day in and day out. Finding their first stop, the northernmost part of the mainland had become impossible. Their best bet would be to keep sailing, hoping to be found by the Bionic mothership.

Alphice secluded himself in his hut. He did not even come to get back the Sword but ordered the sailor that summoned him on Brighteyes orders to fetch him the sword instead. While it was hard to communicate with his master, Brighteyes did not panic due to the circumstances because his master remained calm and at ease … and silent. They did seldomly see each other, only when Brighteyes brought him food and water. Instead, Brighteyes spent a lot of time with the remarkable but still youthful twins. He had learned about their story and his hate changed into compassion.

The story of Ky and Ubi

Ky, the talking Ice Fox, and Ubi, the Swamp Fox, are indeed twins. They are still growing into adulthood and were born into a divided world. Their mother, a daughter of an Ice Elder, travelled the world to seek wisdom and to learn about all the other tribes so that one day she could inherit her fathers’ place. But as in all great stories, love played its part. On her travels, the mother fell in love with a poor Swamp Fox with no House or gold. Blinded by her love, she took the Swamp Fox with her to meet her parents. On that fateful day, when the Swamp Fox met the Elder and his wife for the first time at a dance, he asked for the mother’s hand. The mother looked hopefully to her dear father, with tears of happiness in her eyes. The Ice Elder got up from his seat and raised his hand. Then the Elder lowered his hand in a quick and swift move and nodded. The Swamp Fox was so happy, as he understood the gesture as the Elder’s approval. But he didn’t see that the mother’s tears of happiness turned into tears of sorrow as she was held down by two strong-looking Ice Guards. The Swamp Fox got executed right on the spot. And as in all great stories, death played its part as well.

A few days later the mother found out she was pregnant. When her father found out, she was banned from her lineage and inheritance and was doomed to live a life alone with her child. Breeding amongst tribes was strictly forbidden, and thus the mother did not know what her child would be. An Ice Fox? A Swamp Fox? A white fox with black spots? Only days before giving birth she found shelter at an ice fishermen’s hut at the edge of a frozen lake. He and his wife were very kind and still wanted to keep her in after she shared her story. The mother was so delighted when she gave birth to her son. A beautiful and silent Ice pup. She held her son strongly to her chest. But the pain remained. She gave the fisherman’s wife a scared look and when their eyes met she knew it. Another pup was coming. The Swamp pup started crying immediately when he came into this world, but he became silent as well when he was held firmly by his loving mother. I want the Ice to be named Ky and the Swamp Ubi. I feel the world has something big for them in store. The fisherman’s wife smiled as she was cleaning the bloody sheets. You tell them yourself. When she turned around to check on the mother, she had already passed away and both pups started crying.

Brighteyes, leaning against the rails of the ship and staring into the depths of the water, thought about his youth and how fortunate he was. We are almost there. “LORD ALPHICE!!!” screamed the squire joyfully. “You’re out of your hut!” Only then the message that Alphice sent him came through. “What do you mean, we are almost there?” Alphice smiled, as at that exact moment Brighteyes mouth fell wide open. A humongous vessel became visible in the far distance, the biggest ship he had ever seen. If you could even call it a ship.

A few hours later, the ship docked on the Bionic ship and Brighteyes said goodbye to his newly made friends, the twins. “Good luck on your journey, Ky, Ubi. I hope Magmahorn will accept you into his Secret Alliance”. “Sttttt!!!!” Both Ubi and Ky jumped on Brighteyes to silence him. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Brighteyes laughed. “I’m going to miss you two.” Ky nodded towards the gangway. “Is that the Lord Alphice staring at you? I can’t believe you are going to meet a legend WITH a legend.” Brighteyes looked over his shoulder. “Yes, I better be going now.”

And while Alphice and Brighteyes walked over the gangway to the Bionic world, Ky and Ubi stayed behind on the ship that needed some repairs before they would head out to the mainland again.

Who were those younglings you were saying your goodbyes to? I feel like I recognized one of them. “The twins? They were the ones that stole your Sword. They are a fun bunch, full of energy and they have a tragic story. They are going to join some secret alliance they heard about from a traveler.” Brighteyes noticed he got Alphice’s full attention. What secret alliance? “They said it was called the Secret Alliance of Foxes and that their leader is the great Magmahorn.” Alphice stopped walking. “What’s the matter, Lord Alphice?” He saw Alphice was thinking hard. Twins … Secret Alliance of Foxes … Ice … Swamp … Magmahorn.

-You will find a path of Black and White-

Brighteyes! Go back to the ship immediately and order the captain to wait for me and Soulstice. We are going to meet the great Magmahorn.