The Return of Shantae

The Djinns of Old

After Korah cooked a light breakfast for him and Shantae, they tried to enjoy the remainder of his vacation trying to relax and also trying to spruce up his suite. While Korah goes to get some literature for Shantae at Sniper's Grove (half of them being comic books by her request), she wanted to at least clean up some stuff while he's away. She suggested history books if possible, although those are scarce do to the Remnant Academy having clemency over world history knowledge, but he will strive to find something hidden from their own watch.

While finding some books for her at the Scribe's Emporium, Korah runs into Maxine in a Sunday outfit. It was good of her to see him for she wanted to tell Korah some information about the Djinns of the Past. She regaled about them being terrestrial spirits who were inadvertently created by man's innovate ideas and imaginations from the ash and soot, though he already knew that from Shantae. But what she showed him was a bit of a shock, Maxine found some artistic interpretations of Djinns from the Remnant Academy's archives, their only form of apology to Trove Snipe is to give them secrets.

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The headmaster was so distraught about his student's behavior that he had no choice but to give them information as compensation. Maxine took advantage of it for the Guild Master's sake of course. She showed him photographic copies of the artistry; showing small strange creatures. He asked her if this was accurate and if their were other depictions instead of these pictures of squishy and adorable things. Maxine reiterated that these are the first Djinns to have been born from the ashes of forest fires and natural wastes from the elements.

Each one looked like a squishy animal of some sort: red & yellow fox things, brown & beige porcupines, blue crowned beavers with a crab tail, a lavender bird thingies. This all seemed fictional in his eyes, that is until he finds a picture of four humanoids. This drew his full attention and asked Maxine who they are. She didn't want to say it out loud, but she wanted him to go somewhere private. This knowledge is far too dangerous to be told in the open, so they went to one of the empty sniper perches away from prying ears.

This perch in particular use to be hers which no one knew about, it was the highest point of the cavern that was located right above the entire grove. She was a skilled sniper in her day and is still as skilled now. But this is now her home away from home, there no one can bother them. Though she hardly comes up here ever since she joined Team Pincer she let the place go a bit, nothing but dust and cobwebs. As she tries to settle in for a while, she tells him about the for beings.

Korah"So Max, let me ask again. Who or what are those four creatures in this drawing?"
Maxine"Korah darling, the translation is a bit sorted but if I could guess it, they use to be the rulers of a realm overlooking this one. I know it sounds strange, but they represent to elements of nature."
Korah"Elements of Nature? You mean like the four elements?"
Maxine"Yes, something like that. The snake woman was called Leviathan, I suppose she represents water. This brown musclebound brute was I assume to be Titan? Probably related to the element of earth. And the third one, the harpy, it doesn't have a proper translation but it is called Garuda, represent air."
Korah"And this guy?"
Maxine"The red one? I'm not sure darling, he had a section of his own somewhere but it was burnt off and the name was scratched. All I can read is If- Ifff- Eff- eehh"
Korah"Ifrit?"
Maxine"Huh? How would you know this?"
Korah"D'ahh- D'umm... Lucky guess? But really, what are their roles in the world?"
Maxine"Well just by interpreting the art, they must have been the protectors of the world at one point, but the next drawing flowing it was disturbing."
Korah"Woah..."
Maxine"Woah, indeed."

The next drawing was on a panoramic photo of a scroll, depicting the four Djinns finding a young child fascinated by its appearance. Small sections show that each Djinn's influence on the child, from teaching them to use fire for survival to teaching them to cross the seas by boat. The next section showed them pulling the child for claim, the child was suffering. The section after that shows him kneeling in pain as the Djinns fault amongst each other. After that, a picture shows a Genie aiding the child turning them into a man.

Korah"The Djinns took care of a child?"
Maxine"I think the child represents man and every detail of this scrolls has a meaning, from left to right."
Korah"And the Genies were involved?"
Maxine"Genies?"
Korah"They uhh... Don't they look like Genies?"
Maxine"Hmm. Never thought about that. But keep looking the art dear."

The Genie falls in love with the man and three of the Djinns fought the Genie, it shows that she wasn't alone and the Djinns were defeated. All that was left was Ifrit, who ran away from them, hiding in a mountain peak. The next section shows Ifrit meeting Typhon all chained and mutilated as punishment. He makes a deal with him and sets him free, where Ifrit was granted power and seen at war with the Genies. Some monsters kidnapped genies in lamps and bottles while most of them were slain.

Korah"Typhon..."
Maxine"Hmm?"
Korah"That creature's Typhon, isn't he?"
Maxine"Yes. This Ifrit must have made a deal with him, power for freedom I think."

The most pitiful scene was Ifrit seeing man once again, but man was afraid of him. All men ran away from him, leaving him alone. Typhon grabs him and points at the Genies, interpreting that it's their fault for turning man against him. Right after the picture of their final clash, the scroll stops there, torn of its last half. The scroll itself was a collage of artistic genius and the last scene ended with a war, never know what happened to them. Korah imagined all that happening in his head, could the red being really be the same Ifrit? All he could do is contemplate, that is until Maxine shook him out of it.

Maxine"Korah? Are you alright?"
Korah"...Why?"
Maxine"Why what?"
Korah"Why did you show me this?"
Maxine"This is why." Maxine uses a magnifying glass on the back of Ifrit, showing Korah that he has the same markings as he does.
Korah"Am... Am I..."
Maxine"I don't know."

Out of fear, Korah, feels his back to find skin engravings that he never noticed. They were the markings burned into his back at the sacred cavern. He also recalls the messenger calling him, "Half-Djinn" before he lost consciousness. His fear came to a conclusion; he was the bastard child of the Djinn Ifrit. The shock made him to tremble and hyperventilating, nearly tearing the panoramic in two. She calmed him down before he could damage the evidence.

Maxine"Korah, what's wrong!?"
Korah"I... I... I-!!"
Maxine"Calm down, please. What is the matter?"
Korah"I... I..... I need to leave-"

Korah took his stuff from the market and used his hidden Hook Sword to latch onto another ledge, leaving Maxine behind in a tizzy. She kept on calling him back demanding an explanation, that is until she saw tears and stress building up in his eyes. She ceased as she collects her photos and papers, fearing that she might have triggered something in Korah that she shouldn't have. Maxine closed her perch and took her leave back to the grove continuing her own business, still worried of what she's done to him to make him cringe like that.
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I'm not a very subtle person when it comes to stuff about finding out that the character is this or that, I'm not sure how to tell it. But you guys can help by leaving comments about the story so far.
-Kanadzuchi

P.s. Yes those are the Djinns from the Golden Sun series and they rightfully belong to their respective creators.