Papuru Star: Coalition Carnage

Chapter 6: Stronger Than Ever

How is the story so far? Engaging, I hope. For this chapter, I want you to use your imagination a little different than usual. Imagine you lived in this galaxy. That you were born a Dagon, one of those muscular, gray skinned behemoths with permanent scowls and 'kick your ass' depositions. By age ten a typical Dagon can lift the car you probably have in your driveway over its head. Imagine that when you entered your teens you boldly declare to all who would listen that you would enter the Coalition Carnage Competition one day and win. You train day and night to accomplish said goal, even braving the terror behind the door that is the Dark World. Finally, at age twenty-five, you enter the 97th tournament as Superstar of Unity, beating out thousands of other Dagon eager for the role. Imagine you are so strong you can bend the very air around you. Imagine you are Prisma and you are the strongest Dagon alive.

Now, imagine you lost so bad, you failed to make Finals. How would you feel? Know how Prisma felt? Pretty pissed. So pissed, he trained day and night once again for eight straight years, until he felt strong enough to compete in the 98th Coalition Carnage. As you can imagine, he did much better, even made it to Finals. Yet he was beaten first round. Would you be angry at yourself? Or would you just brush yourself off and be content on the fact that you did your best. What if you had a serious irrational need for victory? Exactly.

But let us fast forward a bit to the date 1049-097-TC, two weeks before the start of this current competition. You see, the planet Unity has exactly three million inhabitants equally made up of Dagons, Kujin, and Risen. Why you ask? Don't ask. Anyway, the Trinity rule over the populace and represent the one million people of their respective races so the remaining population don't go extinct. This is not easy when, in the distant past, Dagon were a race of conquerors, the Kujin, intellectual lovers of order, and the Risen, slaves who rebelled. Even now, they are constantly at odds. And these Trinity guys, Lagan, Millijur, and Ulmesh, are something else. Here, let's see what they have to say:

Ulmesh
And you will see, Itum is stronger then any Dagon you could have chosen.

Lagan
You keep insulting us, Ulmesh. Have you forgotten that you were born Dagon?

Ulmesh
And reborn Risen, a race much superior to you and yours. Or have you forgotten.

These are fighting words to a guy like Lagan. He rose to his feet, but a soft spoken voice is sharp enough to cut the tension.

Millijur
Lagan, please, not today. This meeting is important. Should we interfere in the tournament to ensure victory?

Ulmesh
No, Itum is strong enough to not need aid.

Lagan
So you say. But he and his race were wiped out during the Great Cleansing. By the Dagons of that distant time. By you, in fact.

Ulmesh
That was a long, long, time ago. When I died, my life as a Dagon died as well. What we were before, we no longer are. We have Risen.

The double doors leading to the chamber crash in, knocked right off their hinges by the powerful leg of Prisma. Ulmesh and Lagon stood ready to rumble, Millijur, in comparison, went under the conference table. Prisma marched into their midst, carrying a brown sack over one shoulder, dripping some blue-green liquid- whoa! I forget all about that! Prisma is missing his right arm! He lost it when- wait, he's speaking:

Prisma
I'm the Superstar this year.

Ulmesh
Prisma? Is that you? Ha! I thought you dead.

Lagan
You are a disgrace to all Dagons. You have failed twice. You will not-

Prisma
I'm the Superstar this year.

He tossed the sack on the table and a polka dot green head rolled free to stare dead eyed at Millijur, who released a high pitched scream, long and loud.