Papuru Star: Coalition Carnage

Chapter 16: Sync or Swim

Being a Sync is something I would not wish on my worst enemy. It's way too crude and unrefined. First of all, Syncs aren't treated with respect. They are often ignored and disregarded. Second, they are only used to fight for the masses, never partaking in the fame, fortune, or glory. Used to prolong the duration of Coalition Carnage, which only comes once a decade, so the year long tournament doesn't end prematurely with the death of the heroic Superstar. Third, if the Superstar a Sync is based on were to die, the Sync dies as well. If the Superstar survives, the Sync is disposed of any way, like flotsam. Finally, even if the Sync avoids execution by the competition and those who run it, he would only live another two years before he returned to the sludge from wince he came. Yes, being born a Sync is cruel and inhumane. The only advantage to being a Sync, at least for me, is having a Base that I believe is the strongest Klugh in Aphlis history.

Past

Morihilus was born on Conqueror's Day, which is seen as a sign of good fortune. It was on this date, over a thousand years ago, that Gammon the Conqueror subjugated every civilization within the seas of Aphlis. It was a feat never before attempted, so those born on that fateful day in the future were considered blessed by the very gods keeping the Great Conqueror alive to this day.

I took my first breath with this knowledge already in my head. I raised my hand, saw that it and my body were red and for a moment I thought it weird to have a scally, red skin. I was in a tube attached to a wall that emitted a heartbeat rhythm. A few feet ahead was a pool of tan liquid that bubbled and steamed and looked very thick. Continued examination of the area revealed my twin emerging from his birthing tube just as I was. Our violet eyes make contact; no words were spoken for we both knew we got the flat side of the fish. We knew of Syncs because our Base knew of Syncs. He had them before when competing ten years prior.

We were met by some of the Kujin, whose pointy ears, silky skin and beauty even I could admire. They took care of us for half a year, teaching some of the important events in the year it took to incubate us and to ensure we possessed no defects. We had to understand that we were not the real Morihilus. We were Syncs with a purpose. Our constant need for water, per the Klugh being a water dependent race, was nurtured; we were given magical suits of water, something that made my skin crawl.

We got to pick our own names, mine being Uorimilus, my twin opting for the unimaginative Korihilus before being shipped off to Aphlis. Despite the memories I had of Conqueror's Crown, the sight still brought a salty tear to my eye. Various sea life filled the city, both sentient and non sentient. The leg less Merpeople, big mouthed Bossasi, fin headed Swaks, rainbow skinned Rou, and so on, all going about their lives, paying little attention to the new arrivals swimming into their master's city. Except the Conquerors' Fist, the judges, jury, and executioners of Gammon's many decrees. The trio of squid men eyed us with distaste as we swam toward a mansion built into the side of a coral reef.

Morihilus welcomed us with open arms, brothers he never had. He already had quarters prepared for our arrival and local food, the fruits and berries provided by the Kujin was not for my taste buds. His staff, in contrast, ignored us and was always able to tell us apart from the master of the manor, only speaking to us after accomplishing some task related to our stay. We spent most of our time in Morihilus's private wing where he conducted his experiments involving papuru magic. My knowledge of it was finite; Morihilus obtaining the soul coal for it a few years back. To my surprise, he spent a great deal of time teaching us the ins and outs of the volatile magic. I was even more surprised to learn I would be wielding this magic in my battles. Apparently, Morihilus had increased his study of it in the past year and felt knowledgeable enough for us to use effectively. Truth be told, I was not looking forward to it.

One of his experiments concerning papuru magic was if it could be used to increase one's lifespan. His theory was papuru magic was a bit like wish fulfillment, responding to the desires of the subconscious. To test this, we took a trip back to the place of my birth. We had around a hundred days before the competition so efficiency was key. We needed a particular person from a particular race.