The Early Influence of Han-Glornux

If you attended to the previous page, then you would no doubt have learnt that Phloonins' Hung-Gung Snooleenos skills were prodigious from an early age; incredibly - and as was also mentioned previously - he was practicing Lornos-Kangs by the age of 6. Some reports in fact have him using the discipline even earlier. What was not explained, however, was how it could be that an infant could be proficient in a technique that even Glunlux Uungs failed to fully master. The answer is simple: Phloonins' father (Gleegs) had commisioned the legendary Han-Glornux to instruct his son in the arts of Hung-Gung Snooleenos. Apparently Han-Glornux took an especial shine to the youngster, perhaps seeing something of himself in Phloonins; certainly, his earnest, steadfast demeanour would have struck a chord with the old master.

So it was that Glornux began to impart his unparalled knowledge to the infant Phloonins. Apparently, Glornux was originally planning to just give Phloonins a grounding in Oooooooools; when he saw the ability that the youngster possessed, however, he took the brave decision to "upgrade" his teaching (as it were!), to include Lornos-Kangs. Certainly, anyone who has been privy to the things Phloonins achieved in his later career would have to agree that this was one of the wisest decisions ever made.

Trouble in Paradise

According to Greegax Lornis's seminal tome Gloo-Gans Krorns, the seeds of destruction (with reference to the turbulent period in Phloonins' teenage years) were sown at a very early age. In fact, Lornis suggests that - despite having a great reverence for his mentor - Phloonins came to see Hans-Glornux's presence as something that could be taken for granted. As such, Phloonins was reluctant to fend off Ganlos-Ooons' initial approach, which is documented to have been made around the time of the Great Krangos (which would make Phloonins about 10 years old (1)). However, a swift rebuttal to Ooons was made by Glornux on Phloonin's behalf...something that didn't sit too well with his increasingly impetuous student.

Despite Glornux's counsel - which was something to the effect of "Ooons is a bad seed" (again the source for this is Greegax Lornis; his brother Kruungs gives a somewhat different account (2)) - Phloonins resented what he perceived to be Glornux's interference in his own affairs. Thus, by the time Ganlos-Ooons reappeared on the scene some four years later - and this time with Klangon-Unglos in tow - Phloonins had already resolved to deal with the matter on his own terms. Perhaps recognising that it was no longer appropriate to make decisions on his student's behalf, Han-Glornux decided to let Phloonins offer his own rebuttal to Ooons and his odious companion. To Glornux's dismay, however, Phloonins offered no such thing. In fact, he welcomed Ooon's advance, and unwittingly set in motion the chain of events which very nearly led to his own downfall. Glornux could do nothing but watch from the sidelines; there was no way that he was going to continue to give counsel to Phloonins now that he had aligned himself with Ooons...not after the events at Glee-gans Hoolix, back during the days of Sun-Grung-Phleenlos.

A Storm is Brewing

Phloonins was said to have been deeply hurt by Han-Glornux's decision to sever his ties with him. That this was so merely confirmed in Glornux's mind the fact that, not only had Phloonins been taking him for granted, but that he was also losing touch with reality somewhat; after all, how could anyone have expected Glornux and Ooons to coexist after their extensive history of emnity (which, by common consensus, had its origins at Gan-Geens)? At least, that is the way that Greegax Lornis phrases it (1); once again, though, Kruungs sees matters rather differently (2). So it was that - with only the wayward counsel of Ganlos-Ooons and Klangon-Unglos to rely on, Phloonins slowly began to abandon the tenets of Lornos-Kangs which had been so painstakingly laid down by Hans-Glornux. Becoming ever more reckless, Phloonins - by the time of his 15th birthday - had alreadly resolved to combine Lornos-Kangs with Hoolix-Florns; not only was this forbidden under the ancient code of Hung-Gung Snooleenos (as stipulated by the Council of Kreeels several thousand years previously) but it was also highly dangerous. That Phloonins wasn't killed there and then says much for his extraordinary strength of character. Neveretheless, when Han-Glornux learnt of his former pupil's recklessness, he reportedly turned to Han-Glux and said simply: "UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!" (1).

What happened thereafter is perhaps one of the saddest tales in the history of Hun-Kroolos; ultimately, though (and as we all now know) the situation resolved itself in the end.