AN EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
The silence always woke Nubs up—it was a really loud brand of quiet, and you can’t get quieter than silent. Nubs Swapper was used to it. He has been living in the same kingdom for more than 40 years, traveling through the same maze of his life, annoying just about everyone he encounters. It isn’t a personality flaw, per sé, it is just his reality—people don’t like him. The silence, he knows, is only broken, when someone breaks it. For that, there needs to be intervention from a human, and that means trouble.
To understand Nubs today, you have to go back in time. Nubs, who was born in California, is not a human, and does not emanate any sound. For as long as he can remember, Nubs has lived in the same place. He has no memory of any family—and for decades has really only been associated with three others—brothers Yorgle, Grundle, and Rhindle Dragone. They all, in the most basic of terms, live and work in what for them has always seemed like a magical kingdom. If their roles need to be defined, the best description would probably be that they are sort of working as vigilante security guards. And sometimes, their work turns downright deadly. Not for Nubs, though, he is immortal—which is not always an advantage for him.
Yes, it is important to know that this “magical kingdom” these four call home is a dangerous place. The root cause of this danger—and this vigilante work that they have been forced into—is, of course, human intervention. Men, women, boys, girls—humans of all ages, sizes, races, nationalities, religions, and genders. Yeah, humans. They are the worst.
It was the humans who started this epic life for Nubs and the others, but to be fair, without it, they would be nothing. Back in the early 1980s, Nubs—short for his given name, Knubberrub, realized he had the ability to fly. This was his superpower. The others relied more on stealth movement, the element of surprise, and a vicious streak to do their jobs well. There was nothing vicious about Nubs—but being able to fly gave him an edge. The others will kill. However, the others can also die—at least temporarily.
Despite his mostly mild-mannered personality, Nubs wasn’t without his flaws—at times he would become suddenly agitated, seemingly for no reason at all. During these times, he acts unpredictably, even manic. His flights, while at most times seemed like gentle gliding, can and will turn erratic during times of agitation. Despite these moments of apparent chaos, Nubs is in control—it’s the humans who can’t figure out his code.
Nubs and his pals don’t really feel as if they are vigilantes as much as protectors. They are charged with stopping the humans who try to break into any of the castles in their land. This is not an easy task, there are many human interlopers, and just the four of them to keep the peace.
The leader of the quartet is Rhindle, who is the strongest, fastest, and—by far—most dangerous of the group. He combines his strength with speed and once he is engaged, he will—in most cases—prevail. Having said that, Yorgle and Grundle certainly have their own mean streaks, are extremely dangerous, and have their own special way of doing their jobs well.
Very often, Nubs needs to interact multiple times with the same problematic human. It’s not like the castles don’t have good security—they all have only one entrance, which is protected by a large black gate. However, the humans enjoy playing games—and know that if they can steal a key, they can gain the access that they need. Nubs’ job is to prevent that from happening. If Nubs can get in the way, the humans will be out of luck, get frustrated, and ultimately end their quest.
Adam the Pioneer was already a precocious teen when Nubs was born, and the two immediately became adversaries. The Dragone Brothers despised Adam. He was as brutal to them and they tried to be to him, slaying the brothers over and over for decades. Yes, they always came back to life, but Adam was never discouraged. Back when Nubs was very young, Adam first gained entrance to a previously undiscovered—and unknown—country. Only King Warren the Great knew of the place Adam had stumbled upon during that summer day. It was a test set upon the people of the land by King Warren the Great. Even the Gods themselves knew nothing of this land. King Warren the Great had hidden it from the Gods, and it was not until Adam came along and alerted the Gods—thus becoming Adam the Pioneer. Things would never be the same for Adam—or the world. But that was long ago.
Now, the day was coming to a close for Nubs and the silence once again returned. The sounds of the day had been sparing. Less and less humans visit the land these days, although Nubs knows his job will never end. Presently, Yorgle, Grundle, and Rhindle lie dead—killed by the last human to enter the land. That made the silence even louder for Nubs. He knew that his team would be back, they just needed a reset. However, for now his daily adventure would end. It was time for bed.
—Brett Topel