The Next King Fugly: The Exotic Superhero

Chapter 2: Wiping Out Salamanders

Caudata, Northern part of Mei

On the northern side of Mei, lies a small village of salamander called Caudata. The people lived there peacefully, keeping themselves distant from the capital of Mei, on the eastern part. Herds have hidden their family in the remote area of Mei, in fear of exterminating their race.

Mudpuppies, Newts, and Fire Salamanders were among the families. The place was near the water, and it's convenient for them to live nearby. They were half-human, half-amphibian, leaving silently in Caudata, without harming the villagers of Mei.

Unknown to them, Amphiuma, a snake-like salamander was entering the village of Holei, near the eastern capital of Mei, hungry, and looking for food. It was nighttime, and the moon was shining brightly. Amphiuma and its herds were crawling faster towards the small village of Holei. One by one, they entered the houses, and killed women, and children. They even eat some newborn babies.

The news reached the palace, and the king and queen were furious. They ordered their army to wipe out all salamanders in the entire Mei. The king planned to exterminate their species. And the peaceful Caudata was disturbed by the running horses headed towards their village.

Armed with fire, guns, swords, and salts, Mei's army set off and search all salamanders' hideout. They found Amphiuma, and it's herds on the road. Amphiuma, fearing the lives of his wife and son, he ordered his wife to send his son to the mortal realm. Hiding in the tall grasses behind a giant tree, Amphiuma's wife do as instructed. Using her power to open a portal from her head, he sends his son into the mortal world and returned fighting with her husband.

Amphiuma, his wife, and its herds were killed on the road. Then, the army moved out once again to look for another nest, and found the village of Caudata where mudpuppies, newts, and fire salamanders lived. They exterminate all salamanders in that village and ensured that none of them will survive. Poor salamanders, they were killed because of Amphiuma's negligence.

Mei's army annihilates all salamanders in the entire kingdom and returned in triumph in front of the king and queen. Both were glad to hear the triumphant news of the army on exterminating all salamanders that would become a threat to their kingdom.

...

Mortal world, Haro Plaza

It was eight in the evening. Abraham and Isaac were stuck in the Plaza of Haro, and were unable to beg for coins to pay for their fare back to La Pas. They decided to sleep in one of the old mansions erected at the center of the plaza. People start decreasing visiting that time and both were tired the whole day.

“Poor me. It was a tiring day singing in front of people begging for a piece of coins to sustain my hunger, but ended up using everything to buy our food,” Isaac's poetic voice began destroying the night.

“Just sleep. Okay? Both of us were tired of doing something to quench our hunger and thirst. We even forgot to save money for our fare. Let's hope that tomorrow will be a good day for both of us, Isaac.”

Abraham was waiting for Isaac to complain, but he only heard his snore. The kid immediately fall asleep while Abraham was watching him for a while. “You're just twelve, but you sounded like an adult, older than me.”

He was caressing his hair when a sudden ray of light appeared in front of him, making him unable to see what's in front. When it faded, Abraham looked and saw a boy standing naked.

“Are you an alien or something came from nowhere? Didn't your planet even dress you first before coming here on earth?” he was talking taking off his sleeves while the boy was figuring out what he was saying. “Here, let me put my sleeve on you.”

The boy's eyes roamed around his surrounding and saw another boy sleeping soundly in front of him. When Abraham finished putting on his sleeve on the kid, he faced him and ask where he came from.

“Are you from another planet? What is your name? Or do you even have a name?” The boy was staring at him, scrutinizing every inch of his ugliness. He even touched his face, and smiled.

“You have no name?” he asked again, but he just shook his head. “I see. Come here. You can sleep beside Isaac. Since you do not have a name, why don't I call you... Joseph?” The boy smiled after hearing the name Abraham made for him, and started lying beside Isaac.

Abraham watched the two kids sleeping. He'll be on guard for now, and if he falls asleep, he'll sleep beside them later on. The gentle breeze of the wind makes the two of them fall asleep easily while Abraham watches the stars visible at night. The church in front of the plaza, some stores, and supermarket's nearby were all closed for the night. The only sound he can hear were crickets, and a few cars, and motorcycles passing around Haro Plaza.

Abraham embraced himself. Still watching at the stars, he remembered how unlucky he was as a child compared to these kids sleeping in front of him. He never meet his parents. The Mother Superior of the orphanage he lived for twenty-five years does not know anything about his origin. Running away from that orphanage was the only way he can find out who he was, but still, he hasn't found any clue about his existence on earth. On how, he got his power, and strength to help humans in danger.

“Mother, father, if you're out there from those stars, tell me why you abandoned me? I won't mad. I just couldn't figure out why, in this cruel world, you let me live alone. Was it because of my face? But still, I want to know the very reason why you left me all alone.”

He was only asking it on his mind, but it has a huge impact on his emotion. Only when he remembered his unluckiness, his tears flowed endlessly from his eyes.