The Wormholes of IO

There weren't always dragons in the valley, the sea wasn't full of Kaiju, and the mountains belonged to the goats before the Giants showed up. The world that would come to be known as IO was just an untamed wild forest planet, similar to terrain found on earth, full of perfectly normal animals that lead ordinary everyday lives. Sure the trees were always pan-dimensional beings that would whisper hints about the future, but are you sure that earth trees don't have that in common.

This calm soon changed when the wormholes started appearing; things from other times and different dimensions began to be displaced only to find themselves in this realm with whispering trees and perfectly normal animals. A dragon hunted on earth would take refuge in a cave only to come out the other side in this new world. Creatures, people, and random junk got displaced from their time and place and found a new home in this forest world by an endless sea.

No one is really sure where this place is because the only way to get there is by accident. However, we know it definitely isn't orbiting Jupiter or even in a galaxy we know. IO is similar to earth in some ways but has extra suns and a couple additional moons, which seems to mess with time and the tides.

How did this strange place come to be known as IO? It was the first initials of the co-founders of the kingdom that resides on the cliffs by the seashore. Igor, the Viking, and Ophelia, the mermaid, went from fearsome foes to fast friends and finally to forever in love. They built the "human" settlement on the shore and ruled together as equals, even though Ophelia was always the better swimmer.

Igor was lost at sea in a terrible storm and washed up on this unfamiliar shore with some of his crew. Being Vikings, they immediately set to waring with everything they encountered, including the fearless warrior fish folk led by Ophelia, who had also just arrived by the hurricane. Most war is stupid and pointless, this was no different, so I will spare you the sad and the heartbreaking details. No one won, everyone lost, but fast alliances formed when the venomous mammoth crabs attacked near the end of the fighting . United against their common arthropod foe, a bond between the weary wormhole travelers was formed. The settlers of this monster-filled world adopted a realistic view that "those who fight may end up as monster food."

Igor and Ophelia brought peace to the world they found themselves lost in, befriending the animals and even most of the monsters. The kingdom grew and prospered; the woodland creatures learned to talk and eventually joined the Queen and King in the court. So life went on in relative harmony, despite the random monster attacks and the mischief of the squirrels.

When the King and Queen finally died and went back to being stardust, their only son Jack took the helm as the king with the help of his brave knights. The most notable knight of the realm is Ptak Ptak Attack, a Compassionate, Clever man-sized Chicken who rode a noble steed with nine legs named Ralph. These heroes made their home in the great forest in a giant longhouse shaped like a hotdog. Here they spent their days gardening and carving toothpicks for giants until they were called upon by their king to save the day.

This day started like any other Thor's Day; the heroes ate breakfast and went to work in the Garden behind their hotdog house. Ralph sang as he pulled weeds by the turnips, and Ptak worked on collecting the zucchini to make his signature bread for the fair. Ptak closed his eyes to wipe the sweat from his brow feathers; while his eyes were closed, he heard a whoosh like a strong wind. Before him stood a well-dressed mouse standing on its hind legs at the height of a human toddler. This messenger mouse held a gold envelope in his outstretched paw for PTAK. Ptak reached out and grasped the letter with his feather fingers, and just like that, the messenger mouse vanished at speed.

"who is it from ?" asked Ralph with a smile

"Probably official realm business," Ptak answered. He used his beak to open the letter and unfolded its contents. The letter read:

Dear Ptak and Ralph, your kingdom and king are again in need of your expert assistance. The valley near the village to the north is on fire, and the villagers are terrified.

Ptak looked up from the letter and glanced at the sky. To the north, the sky was filling with black smoke. He read on

Please investigate and remedy.

Signed King Jack.

Ptak and Ralph hung up their gardening hats and put away their tools. Then they went to the house and began the laborious task of putting on their armor. The friends helped each other with buckles and belts, and in the end, the humble gardening duo was transformed into the formidable defenders of the realm. Lastly, Ptak grabbed his great shield from the wall and marched with Ralph to the road.

"Shall we then?" Ptak asked just before scampering precariously onto the armored horse.

"We shall, my friend," Ralph exclaimed as he turned and began down the road towards the north, towards the smoke and to whatever terror prompted their golden letter.