Trollex

Story

"In the beginning, there was only ocean until the Mother Island emerged: Te Ora.

Her heart held the greatest power ever known. It could create life itself.

And Te Ora shared it with the world.

But in time, some began to seek Te Ora's heart.

They believed that if they could possess it, the great power of creation would be theirs.

And one day, the most daring of them all voyaged across the vast ocean to take it.

He was a Demigod of the wind and sea.

He was a warrior.

A trickster.

A shapeshifter who could change form with the power of his magical fishhook.

And his name...was Maui. (For this version of Maui, try to imagine a Troll with the same build and tattoos.)

But without her heart, Te Ora began to crumble, giving birth to a terrible darkness.

Maui tried to escape, but was confronted by another who sought the heart: Te Mate, a demon of earth and fire.

Maui was struck from the sky, never to be seen again.

And his magical fishhook and the heart of Te Ora, were lost to the sea."

***

Trollex's grandfather, King Current, was telling the story to a batch of Techno Troll toddlers, including toddler Trollex.

"Where even now, 1000 years later, Te Mate and the demons of the deep still hunt for the heart, hiding in the darkness that will continue to spread, chasing away our fish, draining the life from reef after reef until every one of us is devoured by the bloodthirsty jaws of inescapable death!"

The other little ones were clearly freaked out, but the story fascinated young Trollex.

Current continued,

"But one day, the heart will be found by someone who would journey beyond the reef, find Maui, deliver him across the great ocean to restore Te Ora's heart and save us all."

Trollex's father, King Coral, came into the room, "Whoa. Whoa. Ok, Father. That's enough. No one goes outside the reef. We're safe here. There's no darkness. There are no monsters."

He then accidentally knocked down some curtains with monsters on them, frightening the children, with Coral trying to calm them down.

He said, "There's no monsters. There's nothing beyond our reef but storms and rough seas. As long as we say within the reef, we will be fine."

But, Current said, "The legends are true. Someone will have to go."

Coral just said, "Father, Techno Reef is paradise. Who would want to go?"

But, he didn't noticed that little Trollex went away from the group.

***

Young Prince Trollex swam to the edge of the reef.

He saw a conch shell on the ground and went to pick it up, but then noticed a little seahorse trying to get to a patch of kelp, but couldn't with a grouper trying to find him since he was camouflaged.

Trollex immediately went to help it.

He took the seahorse in his hands and hid it behind his back so it could hide from the grouper.

He then got it to the kelp, where it started to feed on some of it.

Just then, the ocean made a strange motion.

It suddenly made a current to carry the shell to Trollex.

Trollex grabbed it and noticed another conch.

When he gestured that he wanted it, the ocean made another current to carry it to him.

Trollex then swam a couple of inches outside the reef.

The ocean then rearranged itself, like it was looking at him.

It then made a few more playful currents.

The ocean then brought forth a small pink stone with a swirl.

Trollex grabbed it and admired it.

"Trollex!"

The ocean heard Trollex's father looking for him.

It quickly created another current to push Trollex safely back inside the reef.

But, Trollex lost the stone while being pushed back.

Coral saw him, "Oh, there you are, Trollex! What are you doing? You scared me."

Coral then picked him up and swam back towards the town.

Trollex said, "No, I wants go back."

Coral said, "I know. I know. But, we don't go out there. It's dangerous."

Coral then took his hand, "Come on."

Trollex followed his father looking back at the edge.

Coral said to Trollex, "My son, you are the next great king of our people."

They were joined by Trollex's mother, Queen Marine, "And you'll do wonderous things, my little minnow."

Coral continued, "But first, you must learn where you are meant to be."