Do Nothing

A mysterious figure watches from the brick building across the street, observing with an unnatural interest in this magical quarrel. Across from the train station parking lot, a chaotic scene of storefront fires rages on as damaged cars sit idly scattered, twisted, and bent beyond proportions along the cobblestone steps of old town Biloxi; now, New Coast City. Iron Jaguar faces off against danger from the deepest chasms of the Gulf of Mexico. 

BOOM! 

“The airbreathers will feel the sting of the sea for their crimes against the kingdoms that dwell beneath,” roars the mighty champion of the water realms, Mighty Mako.

Iron Jaguar flies across the street, crashing into the bus with inhuman force. His suit is critically damaged by the impact he felt from the webbed mauling of Mighty Mako's enormous fists. Iron Jaguar's loyal internal AI companion system critically analyzes his suit's condition as he climbs out of the now twisted metal bus. The ground was peppered with glass. 

"Would you like to hear the damage report?" asks AMI, Iron Jaguar's internal artificial intelligence companion.

"A little busy, AMI," says Iron Jaguar as he struggles to his feet.

The oils of Mighty Mako's fishy, smooth skin glimmered in the fires of the burning night, bringing to life the monster's truly terrifying physique. Mighty Mako's eyes carried with them the stare of death, a blank and terrifying void of endlessness. Where fins should be, Mighty Mako didn't have to flex to showcase the massive chiseled arms. The cracking of his webbed fists was replaced with the stretching of hard skin. Mighty Mako's tiger-like stripes exploded the night with blue bio-luminescent light, creating a flux of gravity that caused the ground to shake and flakes of pavement to float above the ground. 

"Here, here, kitty-kitty," taunts Mighty Mako.

Iron Jaguar engages the ground beneath his carbon fiber gel-filled robotic flanges, gripping the pavement with all his strength, and launches himself forward. Iron Jaguar, his fists clenched and glowing with the emerald's power, brings his electrostatic green paw maul down on Mako's head. 

The Mighty Mako grins the rows of his serrated teeth, smiling, unphased, in the reflection of Iron Jaguar's helm, "Impecunious feline."

Mighty Mako explodes with raw bio-electric power, his eyes bursting from endless black to infinite ocean blue. With impressive speed, Mighty Mako backspins, smashing Iron Jaguar in the center of his suited frame, sending him flying once more. 

“Your harmonic resonance is at 53%," echoes AMI in Iron Jaguar's ear.

Iron Jaguar climbs back out of the bus, "Ah! Damn it," he cries while patting out some of the electrical fires. "Bypass the critical systems and divert power to the capacitor." 

"You're a long way home from shark week, buddy, but your tour'de'vengenance ends now!" screams Iron Jaguar, his claws extended.

Mighty Mako roars under his breath. Iron Jaguar and Mighty Mako charge at one another. The two hyper-fixed heathen warriors converge on each other's strongest defenses. 

BA-BOOM!

Iron Jaguar and Mighty Mako are both knocked back by the inertia of yet a third competitor. Emanating a universal aura of power around his fists, he rises to his feet with a large mercury disc clasped around his waist. His visage is reminiscent of the Greek gods, despite the wicked and cruel stone-pointed leg decor he wore like boots around his feet as if they were connected to him anatomically. His arms were exposed, his skin a red color with a certain godly glow to it. His muscular arms were also clasped in gold ringlets, each side containing entangled stones within them; one side resembled several stones: orange, pink, and magenta. The other arm had only two stones entangled within its ring—a black and blue one. 

"Jaguar, have in your possession something that does not belong to you. Your display of its true power is unworthy," says the mysterious interloper. 

Mighty Mako roars to life from the building he was plunged into and rampages toward the man enshrouded by a cape. The mysterious man grins as he holds out his hand. The ground quakes, and Mighty Mako lunges forth, the most confident predator of the ocean's water realms. Iron Jaguar looks on in awe as the mysterious man paralyzes the humanoid shark but simply grabs at his nose. 

"Who are you?" asks Iron Jaguar. 

"A power was gifted to you long ago. Hidden away for good reason, I allowed it to dwell beneath the Mesoamerican kingdom by a worthier man. I've watched with intrigue since your claim to its power—and with much disappointment—you've abused its purpose," says the formidable man.

"I wield my power as I see fit to right the wrongs of justice and deliver to those who have it coming," jests Iron Jaguar. 

"And yet you lack the depth to comprehend my meaning. The stone that sits in your chest is bound to me, boy. I'm the shepherd of its power, The Antagonist." replies the man, his hands light up like a supernova bursting to life into the void of the cosmos. 

Iron Jaguar glares into the magnetizing light of his new foe through the luminescent eye holes in his helm. 

I can't look away. Is he right? Could this stranger know me better than me? No, I can't believe that. I have to fight. 

Iron Jaguar's suit roars to life, launching forward with all his might and pride. The jewel in his chest courses through his suit like an adrenaline injection, the lit inlays throughout his suit turn from gold to green, and the jaguar eyes on his jaguar-headed pauldrons surge to life. Iron Jaguar launches a furious assault of ethereal beams of energy. The antagonist whisked them away like pesky mosquitoes. The essence beams slim into shimmering ribbons of calm, still power. The ribbons of power dance toward the resonating armlet sucking toward the tanglings. The armored Greek-like cosmic God, a dystopian invader, stands expressionless. 

"No, the stone, it's mine! I need it! I'm the guardian now! I won't let you—" screams an outraged Iron Jaguar.

With ease, The Antagonist directs the power of the stone in Iron Jaguar's chest armor. Iron Jaguar flails about as he's lifted into the air. 

"Please, don't. I need this," pleads Iron Jaguar.

The Antagonist arches back with the other hand as the ribbons of energy intensify, thinning down but increasing their siphoning speed.

"And that is why you're unworthy," says The Antagonist.

BOOM!

Time freezes, and with one thunderous blow, Iron Jaguar is silenced. The force of the impact bursts Iron Jaguar's helm to pieces, partially revealing his bruised and bloodied face. AMI, the artificial companion, loses power as she tries to report a suit anomaly. Iron Jaguar hits the ground. Dazed, rocked, and shaken to his core, Iron Jaguar lies defeated, a premature ending to his nine lives as a thankless vigilante. 

Is this it? Is this how I end? A martyr for my city? Did I ask for this?

The ribbons of energy converge into the sustaining structure of the stone that once powered the suit of a symbolic defender of injustice. The Antagonist breathes in the balance that overwhelms him as he now stands as a guardian made whole. 

A foreign voice echoes into his streams of thought. The mysterious man stands righteously over Iron Jaguar's body; with pity, he measures the man within the suit. He looks into the soul of the defeated warrior with much empathy and emotionlessness but with renewed intrigue.

You possess potential yet young Miguel Fiorello; hence, I only come for the stone; however, should you show yourself to be worthy of its true power, then see my favor cast a shadow over the doubt that I now must rule out against your vessel. 

Iron Jaguar stares into the cosmos as the stars guide him to a black void; the whisperings of a dream voice echo as he closes his eyes.

When you have discovered the answer, young warrior, summon me by my name and sound to a true tone, The Antagonist.

In the months following Miguel's defeat, he impulsively acted on his desire to find a way back to his power. Miguel takes a leave of absence, explaining to the press that he suffered a horrible car accident and needs time to recover. The headlines would surely sound off his unorthodox withdrawal from the public limelight with much favor. The New Coast City Anthem did not appreciate his gaming empire impacting their cultural beach life economy. Miguel clinched by his tears as his fatigued hand barely grasped at his chest, where he used to keep the stone hanging safely. Watching his home shrink away through the window of his private plane, he mourned the weight of his empty hand. 

The plane lands at the La Aurora International Airport. Miguel is escorted into an H3 with tinted windows. Miguel further dwelled on the words of The Antagonist as he passed the breathless landscape Guatemala had hidden away from Western eyes. Some hours passed, and Miguel exited the vehicle, his body still bearing the scars of battle with The Antagonist. The Antagonist stated that the stone was left in the safeguard of an ancient people. Miguel remembers the first time he met the dangerous and capable king of New Tikal, known to him as Jade Jaguar, the first jaguar warrior, King Yikʼin Chan Kʼawiil. 

"Young Miguel. How far you have fallen, my friend. We have much to discuss and so little time," says Yik'in, sadness filling the undertone of his words. 

"I'm sorry, Yik'in. The stone is—" pauses Miguel. The thought of having to explain the stone being gone was almost unbearable.

"Reclaimed. I know. Emerald dream walked to me and spoke of your arrival," says Yik'in as he points toward a small, ruined temple. 

Miguel had made a short stop in Avaloria, home to another hidden civilization of the ancestors of Mu, where he consorted with Emerald. Emerald was an orphan of New Orleans, born of Creole, and sanctified in the holy waters of the Nile. She was chosen by spiritual master Thoth to protect his knowledge. Hoping that Emerald might have some accounting of The Antagonist's appearance buried in histories of the past, she was unable to provide Miguel with the answers he needed.

"There must be a way to get it back. A way to beat The Antagonist," says Miguel, as he stumbled step after step, his fatigue growing progressively worse by the hour.

"A king must do what he must to protect and serve his people, not himself. Not every enemy can be defeated, my friend," replies Tik'in.

Yik'in leads Miguel down a set of steps that unfold by ancient machinations slowly descending into a hole in the ground. By cover of darkness and by way of torchlight, they walked down a small limestone hall. They reach the entrance. Miguel soaks in the site of the subterranean city of New Tikal, an ancient marvel of dystopian stalagmite homes, stone towers, and warriors amassing the deep earth stone-carved roads. Women, children, and the elderly conduct business. 

"It is how I remember it," smiles Miguel, for the first time since his encounter with The Antagonist. 

Tik'in smirks at Miguel, glad to see his modern heart melt at the life of simplicity he's built for his people for hundreds of years. Tik'in places a hand on Miguel's back, then silently nods for him to follow. The weak Miguel through another stone corridor into the faint shadows of green light. The chamber they walk into causes Miguel's bloodshot eyes to widen in awe at the condition of the massive mother emerald. 

"Tik'in, is the mother stone, is it?" Miguel begins to ask but is cut off. 

"Yes—dying. And I believe you are as well," says Tik'in his hands tucked behind his back. 

Miguel's eyes rapidly tighten as he snaps his attention to Tik'in, then back to the stone. Miguel drops to his knees as if a weight has been added to his back. Tik'in softly approaches Miguel. Miguel attempts to grasp his stone, again forgetting it is gone. Like a ghost, his connection to the power is still tethered to him. How? How can this be? This feeling… I can't be—dying. No!

"The history of our power has been a lifelong guarded secret shared only among our ranks. My love for your grandmother is a shame I must bear, but I cannot bear the shame of your death, at least not while my love for her remains in my beating chest," explains Tik'in. 

"This is my fault, Tik'in. I was not strong enough," says Miguel. 

"Nor will you ever be strong enough to defeat the bearer of our life force. This power and will are bonded by the love and intention of the chosen heart. Summon me by my name and to a true tone, The Antagonist," says Tik'in.

"So you were the one he spoke of?" asks Miguel. 

After a heavy sigh, "Yes, but I cannot help you, but I can tell you how to get it back."

Miguel's ears perked up, lifting his head from the earth to stare into the reflection of the Tik'in as he was in the mother stone reflection. 

"Do nothing," says Tik'in. 

Miguel uses Tik'in as a cat scratch tower climbing up the fibers of his majestic Guatemalan garbs. Miguel's eyes are glazed over with anger. 

"Nothing! How does that prove my worth, huh?"

"Does a king not become king simply because he wins the right?" asks Tik'in, his tone steadfast and stern. 

"You knew this power would kill me if I lost it?" asks Miguel. 

"I trusted you enough not to lose it," replies Tik'in, turning away from Miguel with a cold intention. Defeated, Miguel retreats toward the corridor. 

"I'll see myself out," says Miguel.

Or does he call himself king because he believes himself to be king, whispers Tik'in?

The journey home was unkind to Miguel. Confirming that his bond to the stone was a life-and-death choice, the symptoms of his ghostly pain-like anxieties were as final as his defeat against The Antagonist. His skin began to yellow as green veins crept like spiders swept the surface of his skin. And it was about to get worse.

"Feline! My olfactory mastery has led me to you, tiny man. Or should I say, IRON JAGUAR!" roars a renewed Mighty Mako.

ROUND TWO FIGHT!

Miguel's stomach sank into his spine as he witnessed the hulking champion of the waterworlds strut forward. Mighty Mako unfurled a sea lasso from around its wrist. The lasso's lit up with radiant bioelectricity. Miguel tipped his head back as the two female attendants held hands behind the cabin door, tears streaming down their faces. 

Do nothing… NO! Power or no power. I have to do something. 

Miguel dropped his bags, clenched the strength he could, and struggled downward toward the tarmac. Mighty Mako whips at the front of the plane, cutting its nose off with ease. Miguel didn't seem phased or concerned by the lasso's display of power. Miguel knew what real power was, and the mind can act on your intentions even if you can't win. Not every foe can be defeated in battle.

"You think defeating me will stop humans from poisoning the world's waters or hunting ocean life?" screams Miguel. 

"I will defeat the air breathers champions. Are you prepared to die, little man?" taunts Mighty Mako.

Do nothing whispers his mentor's final words. 

Miguel smirks, not understanding why this plays in his mind now. "Can you say the same shark?" 

Mighty Mako, for the first time, looks at him confused. Miguel, spreading his arms open with a clear invitation. 

Antagonist…

Just as Mighty Mako was about to rip through Miguel, the sky shook to life. Thunder explodes as The Antagonist descends on a disc of solid light. Mighty Mako's olfactory senses are disoriented by the rays of light shining upon his skin, forcing him to his knees.

"What is happening!" cries out Mighty Mako. 

Mighty Mako's skin dries instantly from its infinite protective oils, blocking the bioelectric charges of his body marks. His whip dies into harmless lines of kelp and seaweed, which birch fast under such intense heat. Mighty Mako withers into a small fetal ball until he is silent and still, not dead but comatose.

"You faced the odds of death's outcome even though you had no power and were powerless to do nothing," says The Antagonist. 

"I have nothing left. I'm dying, but those women could live, so I did nothing but something," says Miguel humbly, as the attendants make a run for it from the chaotic scene.

The Antagonist smiles, "Your bond with the stone wasn't killing, young warrior. The way your mind wields intention while you tap into the stone's power is what makes your worth deadlier," says The Antagonist.

The Antagonist holds his hand out toward his shoulder. The stone magically unfurrows itself from the tangled spot on his ringlet. Hovering in The Antagonist's palm, he borrows the woven essence of his ringlet to create a unique necklace. Using his universal control over his ringlet's element places it over the head of Miguel. The essence of the stone reinvigorates the young jaguar warrior, bringing to life his body and mind. Miguel's eyes return to their youthful appearance, and the green veins retreat, revealing a healthy epidermis. 

"Does this mean I'm worthy?" asks Miguel. 

"That all depends on you, guardian," replies The Antagonist. 

"Will we ever meet again?" screams Miguel. 

The Antagonist stops mid-ascension and looks down on Miguel, the Iron Jaguar, with a universal grace, "Every hero needs an obstacle."

Miguel watches gratefully as his encounter with this galactic heavenly force rises like a new horizon in the journey of a vigilante-turned-hero.