the legend of marl

Marl woke up suddenly, gasping for air. His eyes were swollen, his throat dry, and his body numb after a night of nightmares and sleeplessness. For hours, he had gone over every possibility in his mind, every path his sister might have taken, but none led to a concrete answer.

With a heavy sigh, he rubbed his eyes and grabbed the remote from the nightstand. He turned on the TV, clinging to the faint hope of finding some news about Rinn.

The screen lit up the room with a blue flash, and a serious voice echoed through the air:

—Breaking news! The dreaded villain Eggface continues to wreak havoc in the streets. The authorities have failed to contain him, and our great hero, Ergos, seems to have abandoned us. The city needs him now more than ever. Ergos, if you're listening... please, come back!

Marl watched the news until the end, but there was no mention of his sister.

—Damn it...— he muttered, slamming his fist on the table. The impact caused his phone to vibrate and fall to the floor. Cursing under his breath, he picked it up and noticed a notification on the screen.

It was a message from Mian:

"Marl, yesterday, when you asked us to look for Rinn, Lee and I split up. I found him... but he's not doing well. He's in critical condition. Please, come see him."

A shiver ran down his spine. His heart pounded, and without wasting a second, he threw on a sweater over the wrinkled T-shirt he had slept in. He opened the door to his apartment, and what he saw left him breathless.

The city was in ruins.

The buildings were covered in soot, the streets a chaotic mess of rubble and overturned vehicles. Gunfire echoed in the distance, and cries for help rose from the crumbling structures. It seemed as if every villain had come out of hiding upon hearing of Ergos's absence.

Marl moved quickly, staying in the shadows. He knew that one wrong move could attract the wrong kind of attention.

As he turned a corner, he came across a group of looters breaking the window of a store. He couldn't risk crossing there, so he opted for a shortcut through the alleys.

He moved cautiously when a noise to his right made him turn. A man with his face covered by a ragged cloth emerged from the garbage, brandishing a knife.

—Give me everything you've got, kid— the assailant growled, with a twisted smile.

Marl felt a knot in his stomach, but he couldn't afford to waste time. With a quick motion, he kicked a trash can toward the man and used the distraction to run. He weaved through the alleys without stopping until he reached the hospital.

When he entered, he was met with a scene worse than he had imagined. The reception area was packed with the wounded, some moaning on the floor while doctors rushed back and forth. The lack of resources was evident: stretchers were scarce, and the hallways looked more like a battlefield than a place of recovery.

A doctor, her uniform stained with blood, approached and guided him down the hallway to a room. Marl swallowed hard before entering.

The smell of blood and medicine hit him like a wave, turning his stomach. In the center of the room, on a stretcher, lay Lee.

—Hi, Lee...— Marl said, his voice barely a whisper.

Lee turned his head and gave him a weak smile.

—Hi, Marl...— his voice was barely audible—. I don't think I'm going to make it.

—Don't say that, buddy. The doctors will do something...— Marl tried to sound optimistic, but his voice trembled.

Lee shifted with effort and pulled back the sheet. Marl felt the air leave his lungs.

In the center of his chest was a hole, a gaping wound that went straight through his body. The flesh around it was blackened, with a putrid purple hue. Marl had to cover his mouth to keep from vomiting.

—Lee... that...— he whispered, staggering.

Lee looked down. His lips trembled before he spoke, but when he did, his voice was firm, with a hint of desperation.

—Shut up, Marl!— Tears streamed down his face—. I just need one thing from you... go to God Mountain and shout with all your might: 'Edgar, I'm here.'

Marl frowned, confused.

—But Lee, what...?

Before he could finish, a sharp sound froze him.

The monotonous beep of the heart monitor.

Marl turned slowly. The screen showed a flat line.

—No... no, no, no...— he whispered, shaking Lee's body—. Come on, Lee, wake up. Wake up!

But his friend was already gone.

The air felt heavier, as if the entire world had suddenly gone silent. Marl felt a knot in his stomach, a mix of despair and rage.

He could only watch as a doctor placed Lee's body in a bag and carried him away, only to replace him with another patient on the stretcher.

At that moment, Marl understood.

He had to go to God Mountain.

He had to find Edgar.

Without a second thought, Marl set off toward the mountain, carefully navigating the uneven terrain. Each step brought him closer to the summit, a flat point from which he could see the entire city. The air grew thicker as he climbed, making it harder to breathe. Still, he took a deep breath and shouted with all his might: 

—Edgar! I'm here!

His gaze fixed on the sky, waiting for some response. Nothing. Only the echo of his voice resonating in the vastness. His chest heaved with a stifled sob, and his body began to tremble. Helplessness consumed him. He fell to his knees, pounding the ground with all his strength.

—Edgar! Edgar! I'm… I'm here…— His voice weakened with each word.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him. Turning around, he saw a small boy with green hair watching him with a serene expression.

—What are you doing here, kid?— Marl asked, wiping his tears as he stood up.

The boy smiled softly.

—I came because I heard your shouts.

Marl scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed.

—I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean to bother you. It's just that…— His eyes widened in surprise as he noticed something unusual.— How… how did you climb the mountain?

The boy let out a playful chuckle.

—Hehe, that doesn't matter. I know you called for Edgar, but instead, I came. My name is Histor.

A shiver ran down Marl's spine.

—Histor! Like the third god of the Threedial!

—I'm glad you know me.— The boy took a step forward, locking his gaze with Marl.— I've been watching you.

Hearing those words, Marl knelt before him.

—Please, help me. My sister is missing. My friend died looking for her. I need your help.

Histor gently patted Marl's head in a comforting gesture.

—I'd love to help you, but I can't solve your problems. However, I can give you the power to solve them yourself.

Marl looked at him with doubt and distrust, but the god's gaze remained steady.

—The power I grant you won't be free, Marl Stimson Tial. From now on, you will be my champion. The Champion of Histor.

Suddenly, Marl's body began to glow with an unknown energy. His hair lifted against gravity, turning a dark color. His eyes, once pink, took on a deep blue hue.

—This is the Ego Body, the power I grant you.— Histor pointed to the collar around Marl's neck.— This object will be the vessel for your new strength. When you say, "Goodbye, Ego Body," the power will deactivate.

Marl felt his energy drain completely and collapsed to the ground, sinking into a deep sleep. His breathing became steady, his thoughts fading into the darkness of rest.

Histor watched him with a serene smile.

—I think that was too much for now. Rest. Tomorrow, you'll have a new chance.

In his room.

The silence was broken by the chaotic blaring of an alarm, which Marl turned off with an almost automatic slap. He woke up with his body still groggy, rubbing his eyes without realizing his transformation. With a yawn, he headed to the bathroom, its door left open, and turned on the light.

When he looked in the mirror, his eyes widened in shock.

—What…?— Stretching his eyelid, he observed his pupils, now a bright, intense blue.— My hair! Is my hair black?

Marl touched his hair, confused, until his gaze fell on the collar around his neck. A memory flashed through his mind like lightning: the words of Histor, the god who had granted him this power.

—Goodbye, Ego Body— he murmured, almost as an experiment.

In an instant, his figure began to change. His height decreased, his facial and physical features returned to normal, and his hair and eyes regained their pastel pink hue. Marl stared at himself in the mirror, amazed.

—Wow…— he whispered, and then, with a knowing smile at his reflection, said—: Hello, Ego Body.

His body transformed again. The deep blue returned to his eyes, and his hair darkened once more. This time, an idea sparked in his mind. He placed his hand on the bathroom door and, with a slight effort, ripped it off the wall as if it were paper.

—This is… incredible— he muttered, setting the door aside. He deactivated the Ego Body and stared at the collar hanging from his neck.— So this is the power you were talking about, god…

Suddenly, an explosion rumbled behind him, shaking the walls of his apartment. Marl turned toward the window, where a column of smoke rose on the horizon.

—I think this is what you meant by being your champion— he said in a low voice, gripping the collar with determination.— The Champion of Histor… a hero.