THE LEGEND OF IKÓ

Chapter 1

   Navigating from one island to another is far from simple in seas filled with storms, cyclones, hurricanes, whirlpools, and sea monsters. However, it wouldn't be on this day that Ikó would face these challenges. One could say he sailed without major issues for the first ninety kilometers of open sea, with the Island of the End of the World being now just a distant memory. The wind was blowing strongly, at 16 knots, with gusts of up to 22 knots, causing immense waves. It was inevitable for Ikó to remember the days when his father accompanied him on this route, saying that one day he would have to do it by himself when the time came, and that time had arrived.

   Thus, from a certain point onwards, everything was new, even though for several miles the landscape had been nothing but sky and sea. It had been three or four hours since Ikó had left the island, and he had lost track of time during this time, his mind wandering off as the sun beat down on him, passing noon. Nonetheless, Iko continued steadfastly until he spotted an island on the horizon and headed toward it.

   As he approached the island, the wind and waves began to intensify. The gusts of wind became even stronger, and the menacing waves rocked his small board. However, Iko did not back down; he was determined to reach the island that was now before his eyes.

   Ikó surfed a giant wave, approaching the island's coast at breakneck speed where any mistake would be fatal. Fearlessly, he managed to land on the beach with an impressive leap, the other option being to crash into the coastal rocks with everything, with his head as the breakwater. Quickly, he lowered his kite and began to dismantle his equipment, relieved to have safely reached dry land.

   However, as he was winding up the lines on the bar, Iko heard distant screams of terror and pain echoing across the small island. The smell of blood wafted to him, filling the air with a sense of horror. Alarmed, he finished stowing his gear and hid it under a tree, leaving his sail and board there, taking only the essentials with him: a small backpack with dry food, water, and a sharp dagger his father had given him for protection. He moved quickly toward the screams, following the increasingly disturbing sounds.

   As he advanced through the dense vegetation of the island, the screams became clearer. Before his eyes was a scene of pure terror: a group of elves dressed in fine clothes and wielding whips were cornering the wretched inhabitants of the island. These wretched, looking almost bestial, acted like cattle as they screamed and bellowed, dressed in rags, forced to work in inhuman conditions, swimming in blood and filth while the seemingly wealthy whipped them mercilessly.

   Without hesitation, Ikó launched into battle. He used his dagger with skill and agility, facing the rich to protect the wretched. His movements were quick and precise, and his determination to end this injustice was unwavering. With swift strikes, he knocked out one and skillfully disarmed another, avoiding lethal blows while dodging the many attacks and preventing himself from being surrounded by the majority. However, the elves, upon seeing this intruder, fled in fear, shouting for help:

   "Intruder! Help!"

   Iko did not pursue them, satisfied to see the cowardly wealthy elves run away. Breathing heavily and relieved, Iko looked around, the smell of blood still lingering in the air. He knew that his journey on that island had only just begun, and he was ready to face the depths of this brutal social crisis unfolding before him.

   Iko looked incredulously at the group of wretched and asked them:

   "What the hell is going on here? Why are these well-dressed ones whipping you and forcing you to live like this?"

   One of the wretched, with tired eyes, skinny and covered in bruises and lashings all over his body, replied, "It's the cyclops, sir. He rules this island. He offers safety and privileges to those who can pay a hefty tax and agree to serve him."

   "Safety and privileges to those who can pay? And the rest of you?" Ikó asked.

   Another wretched, with sadness in his eyes and a mixture of fresh and coagulated blood on his chest, replied, "We are the ones who cannot pay or refuse to accept servitude. He treats us like cattle, fattening some of us up for him to eat and using the others as slaves to work on anything and everything he or the privileged ones need. It's a nightmare, sir."

   Ikó considered saying that he would do something about it but swallowed hard. One of the wretched began to speak:

   "And if before we were food and slave labor, now it's even worse. For about a month, the Cyclops has been depleting his entire reserve of cattle, that is, us we're telling you about. The rumor is that he senses he's going to die and wants to kill and eat everything that's his before that happens... But the fact is, before, he controlled slavery and cattle with a whole logistical method. As cruel as it was, it was always one death a week, never more, in a true diet of regulated death by force. But, as I told you, for the past month or so, they've already killed hundreds of us, and he doesn't seem satisfied until even the skinniest of us is served in banquets to...

However, before the explanation could be completed, a deafening noise of footsteps and roars approached, making the ground tremble. The much-talked-about Cyclops emerged from the trees, ripping one of them out as if it were a mere twig. Men were torn apart by the coming and going of this tree as the Cyclops roared and shouted, "Who delayed my dinner???"

Ikṕ was paralyzed by fear and shock at the terrifying sight of the Cyclops. He realized he had launched into a nightmare, facing not only the cruelty of the wealthy elves but also the unpredictable fury of the feared being who ruled the island. With his heart racing, Iko knew he would have to find a way to survive in this terrifying place and confront the Cyclops, if necessary, to protect those who were oppressed. His journey on the island had just become much more dangerous and challenging.

"Ah, it's you, you little human shit?" said the Cyclops upon seeing Iko. "You won't be able to steal my eye. I'll impale your ass on a stake and roast you to perfection, you bastard fuck." And he began to chase Ikó with heavy steps and the tree in hand.