The Iron Badger

Chapter 6

The Land of Masa

I can only write about the experiences I had growing up in Masa as a child. I still live in Masa to this very day. But like all lands with neighboring lands, there were conflicts. Masa and its neighboring lands were no exception. Boarders now prevail where boarders had not existed among the three lands known as Masa, Ghee, and Nod.

In this chapter, I hope to create an awareness of a place I called home for all of my life. The land and my people are not without their faults, but I hope to capture the hard-working men and women that have called Masa their home for these years.

And so, I give to you the story and the history of Masa.

Enjoy—

1

Before the birth of my parents, the lands had no borders and traders were free to trade their wears until a new king arose from the land of Ghee. People that lived there were known as giants during that time. King Raha fell ill and his son Sewra quickly replaced his father. The story goes Sewra poison his father to inherit the throne so that the land of Ghee could grow and blot out the two neighboring lands, riding of Masa and Nod forever.

The story of the giant king grows or diminishes depending on who tells it. Even Masa's historians have nothing written about King Raha or his son Sewra. But those who lived before my parents spoke of the giants and a man named Owen that saved Masa. Falsified or truth, it bears no never mind, for the story is and will always be a story of Masa. A Legend of times long ago and far away. Unable to be proven or disproven, thus adding a bit of lore to my people.

2

According to the story, news traveled quickly when the King of Ghee passed away. Fear, of course, came swiftly to the lands of Masa and Nod. It did not take long for the ruler of Nod to visit Masa, forming a counsel. The name of the counsel was never clear. To some, the counsel was named after Owen--while others in Masa said it bared no name. The reasoning behind this was to keep the counsel in private so the new king would not get wind of the alliance that formed between the two lands. But this was not true. News did in fact came to Ghee through a listener also known as a go-sipper. A go-sipper travels from tavern to tavern listening to the drinkers, getting a feel of what the town's peoples' opinions on the king or deaths that may have arose at some point. It is impossible to know who this "Go-Sipper" is, for there are many by the king's choosing. Once news is heard from the go-sipper, it is then whispered in the king's ear himself. Soon the name became known as gossip.

It is unclear that a go-sipper told the new king of Ghee of a counsel that formed between Masa and Nod. After all, there is no proof if the story is true or not. Some people in Masa call this story the "Gossip of Masa" for good reason.

The story continues that a Go-Sipper told King Sewra of a counsel between Masa and Nod. Of course, what you already figured that the king grew angry after hearing about the news. And if the story is true, then... It is possible that the one that told the news to the king might have died by the king's hand. Which is... Not entirely impossible.

3

According to the story, the history of Masa that the old King Raha was indeed peace loving, whereas his son was a tyrant. Some say that King Sewra wanted all of Masa and Nod dead, while others said that King Sewra wanted to enslave the younger men and women of Masa and Nod. Either way, a war broke out. So Sewra prepared for war. While men with gray beards were sitting in lofty places within the safety of the council's chambers. But Owen refused such luxuries. It was said that the same blade that my father gave to me when I defeated him during our training was, in fact, the same blade that Owen threw towards the elders of the counsel. According to the accounts of the ones that witnessed Owen's defiant actions towards Jar, the ruler of Masa and Sky, the ruler of Nod that the knife embedded itself in the wooden chair, thus dividing the leaders. But other witnesses stated that the blade, when thrown, made a distinct high-pitched sound that created a great confusion to the ones that heard it. "What is the meaning of this?" Said Jar, wiping wine from his face and clothing.

"I must say! This is not the time of foolishness!" Said Sky, chiming in.

Owen with eyes of fire spoke not. He stayed silent, clearing his throat. Then spoke. "What are we going to do when the giants come? Are we to sit and wait as the thunderous feet of Ghee marches its way to our lands? Does not Masa stand for home and comfort?" Then Owen's eyes fell sharply upon Sky. "Does not all lands mean home and comfort? Is our lands not worth dying for? I think it is. Until you old men of the counsel are ready for war, I will not step foot into this auditorium. Come to me when you have woken up and are ready to fight. Until then, good day."

This is the story of Owen that I remember as a child. It is unclear if any of the story was true. Four stories go from gossip to legend in a matter of years. Was Owen really the greatest warrior in Masa's history? And did he defy the counsel the way the story was taught to the children of Masa? Some of my questions had been answered over the years. And some had remained a mystery to this very day. But what I found interesting was the story of Owen being gifted weapons of great power from Lillian to fight the giants that came from Ghee. It was said that twelve of the mightiest men in Masa helped Owen placing Ghee's greatest warrior's head in a catapult, then hurled it over the castle walls as a reminder to King Raha. But like all stories of war, there were losses on both sides. It took years for Masa to rebuild; and many men to bury. It was through the rebuilding that people of Masa renamed themselves as the Owenites. The Owenites that live on the land called Masa.

It was also said that during the rebuild of Masa, Owen vanished. Some said he flew a dragon into the setting sun, while others believed the gods welcomed Owen as their own. But legend has it that Owen has been imprisoned in amethyst by Lillian herself. There are no answers why Owen left.

Boarders and walls were built during the rebuilding of the lands. Permission was needed to enter from one land to another. And King Raha stayed true to the demands that Owen set forth. And stayed a secret between them.

The three lands became a region known as Mir, which means treaty. And through that treaty Masa must ride once a month from boarder to boarder making the boarders safe. Rye, my father, met and became friends with other warriors that protect their borders. I still remember father bringing me home toys and wine from the boarders he rode to in keeping with the treaty.