Melog, The Child of Stone

Melog was born just like any other Stonechild: through a union of mortal and stone. Melog’s biological father was an Earth Elemental, and his mother a common human. Sadly, he never met either of them. Although the details remain to be made known to him, all Melog knows is that his father left shortly after impregnating his mother, and that his mother died giving birth to Melog because his stone-like skin caused too much damage during the birthing process. Knowing well in advance that she would die, she told her husband to raise the child well and love him as his own. But how could he? Melog’s step-father hated him for taking his wife away, and for being the bastard son of the Earth Elemental that caused it all. He never even gave Melog a name. Living on nothing but water and table scraps, Melog grew rapidly in both size and strength. His step-father treated him like an ox, whipping him or hitting him with clubs in order to get him to work. He saw how other fathers in the village treated their sons, and realized that there was no love in his life, only anger and hatred. One day, however, Melog had enough. As his step-father went to swing his club at Melog, the Stonechild swiped at the wooden stick with his hand and shattered it into nothing but splinters. He then reached out for his “father’s” throat and squeezed. Realizing finally what he was doing, he let go. But it was too late. He had crushed his step-father’s windpipe in his hand. There was no saving him. Melog stood there and watched as his step-father suffocated to death. A little girl had been watching curiously around a wooden cart, hoping to get a look at the giant stone man. When she saw what happened, she ran and told as many people as she could what happened. When the villagers arrived with their torches and pitchforks, Melog was already walking towards the main gate. The villagers lined up on either side of him, but dared not to attack him. Melog lifted the village gate with his own two hands above his head, walked under it, and then let it smash to the ground behind him, never to step foot in his home village again.

For years, Melog spent his life in the forest, trying to stay away from as many people as possible. Any who came across him confused him to a Stone Golem. Claiming they had it backwards, Melog decided to give himself his own name: Golem, spelt backwards. Melog fought whatever came his way and threatened him, never backing down from a challenge. Being as strong as he was and raised only knowing how to utilize his massive strength, it only seemed proper that Melog fight with everything he had. He would bring down trees with his fists, rip animals apart with his bare hands and cook the meat for his meals, and even lift large rocks to help his strength grow. He constantly looked for new challenges and for ways to improve his power. One day, a prime opportunity came his way. From out of nowhere, a group of ogres attacked Melog. The first ogre was greeted by having his lower jaw ripped away from his face. The other ogres stood there in shock as they watched their comrade bleed to death through his now guttural screams of pain. The others moved in together as a group. Crushed skulls, broken spines, ripped out throats, decapitation. These were some of the fates that Melog inflicted upon his attackers. But the more he killed, the more came out of nowhere to attack him. Although he managed to take out whole scores of ogres, eventually Melog was too heavily outnumbered and was knocked unconscious.

He awoke sometime later to find himself sealed inside of a metal box, barely large enough for him to shift his body in. He tried to flex his way out, but there wasn’t enough room to move. He decided to bide his time. There was no real way to tell how many days had passes because the box didn’t even have a window. The stops the ogres made to rest were his only clue. Eventually, during what was to be the final stop, he heard metal clicking and scratching against more metal. They were about to open the box. Five locks and five dead bolts...That’s what it took to hold him captive inside. As the door swung open, Melog sprung out to attack whatever was in front of him. But before he could even leave the box, he was knocked unconscious once again, this time by bolts of lightening shooting through his body. When he awoke the next time, it was inside of a massive cell, sitting on the ground and chained up against a stone wall. Once again, a lack of windows, or any light at all kept Melog from telling the passage of time, although his eyes allowed him to see in the dark quite well. This time, the only indication of the passage of time are the visits he receives from a human woman that constantly talks to him, and even sometimes spends the night writing songs and stories. Recently though, she hasn’t been around. In her place has been a human that constantly tries to talk his way out of his cell to the guards. Melog has never spoken to anyone since his arrival, and has no intention of doing so. He sits, quietly with his eyes closed, even when he’s not asleep. Melog knows he must have been brought here for a reason. There would have been no purpose in trying to capture him otherwise. Even though that reason has yet to be revealed, he stills waits for his opportunity to escape. If he tried now, he knows he would fail. There’s a difference between a challenge and suicide, and he has no intentions to trying to escape until he knows exactly what he’s up against. For now, he bides his time, silently listening and watching all those around him. If there’s one thing living in the forest has taught him, its how to be patient, and to be as silent and as still as a rock.

M.I.A.
01-27-2010