Published: 2025-10-26

At the top of the isle of Qub lived a creature as tall as a building, and fast as a cheetah, with claws sharper than blades. The people venerated it; they offered their crops and bowed before it. It protected the land and made the sun shine high in the sky; that’s how the island came to be known as The Effulgent Land.

Blessed by the sun, the farmers worked harder; they got up before sunrise and returned home after sunset. Food was plentiful, kids grew big and strong, and they played in the streets until dark. It was all harmony.

But The Creature grew hungrier and became more savage. It was it who brought the sun and made the soil fertile, thus it demanded more from the people. They were to work harder and offer more of their yield to it. Farmers protested that overworking the land would make it sterile, but its followers wouldn’t listen; they were afraid of what The Creature could do if they offended it.

Thus, the farmers offered what little they had set aside for later, but The Creature demanded more. Frightened, the farmers went back to the fields and worked even harder than before, but that wasn’t enough either. Soon, their wives and kids were forced to work in the fields; the sun now seemed merciless.

The once fertile soil, now dried up by the sun, which never ceased its shining, couldn’t bear fruit anymore. What took them blood and sweat to build was now destroyed, taken away by greed.

The farmers, unable to feed their families, cried to the heavens for help.

That was when a man of pale skin named Reagen Smitt, who had arrived many years ago from a richer land, turned to them.

“My friends,” he said, “turning to the heavens when the answer lies beyond is useless, and unwise. What we must do is turn to the seas.”

A crowd started to form around the foreign man, who spoke elegantly, using words the humble people of Qub had never heard before. The men murmured between themselves, bewildered by the eloquence of Mr. Smitt.

“What does lie beyond the sea, Mr. Smith?” Asked one of the farmers.
“Not beyond, inside. We must ask The Beast for help.”

People gasped, some covered their ears and shook their heads, others ran inside their houses.

“But The Creature, Mr. Smitt… It would ravage our land if we disobey it. It would kill our wives and children.” Said one farmer.

Other farmers nodded in agreement.

“This I ask you, isn’t the land ravaged already? Aren’t your children dying, bedridden in this precise moment? Aren’t your wives starving to feed your children? You must not fear. The Beast will help us.”

The crowd felt silent, tempted as they were to follow the foreign, they feared for their lives and those of their family.

“I won’t do it.” Finally, said someone. “Me neither. I swore loyalty to The Creature.” Said another. “Let’s go home.” Said a third one, and the crowd dispersed. Soon, Reagen Smitt found himself alone.

There in the middle of the street, Reagen, now alone, opened his arms and said, “I’ll go to the sea by myself and ask The Beast for help, but I won’t let this island perish.”

People peered through the windows as Reagen Smitt departed towards the sea.

Reagen Smitt walked into the ocean, only his torso remained above water, and opening his arms as wide as he could, started to pray.

He chanted and prayed nonstop. First for minutes, then hours. The fishermen who lived near the ocean, as men of the sea, had heard stories of The Beast, and their skin crawled at the idea of a man foolish enough to invoke it.

But Reagen Smitt was no fool, and his prayers grew stronger as a group of women and kids emerged from the forest to unite with him. They were followed by the men, who begged them to stop, but they wouldn’t listen.

Joining hands, they became a single voice, and the sea started shaking. The men who observed threw themselves to the floor, covering their heads with both hands; meanwhile, the fishermen ran to their houses and locked the doors.

A giant serpent-like creature emerged from the bottom of the sea, its aqua scales shone like sapphires, and its eyes were terrifying yet calming. It was The Beast.

Reagen Smitt bowed before it, and everyone followed his lead.

“Oh, mighty beast of the sea,” he said, “thanks for honoring us with your presence. We humbly come to you for help. Please bring justice to this land. Vanish The Creature and bring peace to this people.”

Everyone echoed Reagen Smitt words, even some of the men had joined in support of The Beast by then.

The Beast let a piercing scream out, and the sea became enraged. A wave as tall as a building, and then times its width rose. The island was about to get engulfed.

Reagen Smitt and the rest of the people remained together. They closed their eyes, resigned to die. But the wave didn’t hit them. It rose and it rose engulfing the island, but no person was harmed. When it splashed up in the mountains, The Creature writhed in pain and fled the island. The Creature was no more.

The people jumped in the air and cheered as The Creature fled. They were free.

The Beast approached Reagen Smitt, he was overjoyed and didn’t even notice it.

“This land is finally free. The people will rule it, no more kings, no more— waaaah.”

The Beast had lifted him with its teeth and, with a sudden motion, thrown him in the direction of his country. The rest of the people, caught up in the celebration, didn’t notice.

The sunlight became weaker as gray clouds settled in front of it. Rain fell over the land, and the farmers and their families rejoiced. The Beast went back to the bottom of the sea, and the waves became calm.

Watching from the inside of their homes, the fishermen cried. “What have you done?”

THE END.