My first shot at a Teen Titans fiction, this story is based on the 2003 television series. Its continuity is entirely restricted to the television show, and bears no basis in the comics or DC Universe as a whole. I hope you all enjoy, please review. UPDATE: I've made some formatting edits to help with the flow of reading.
Chapter 1: Seriously?
Telekinesis, at its heart, is a paradox. It is a force driven by willpower, yet must, at the same time, be an act of surrender. It is an act of humility, to allow one's self to intermingle with that of a discrete, non-self object, in order to exert influence and control.
CRUNCH!
The young maiden took another bite of the apple she had in her hand and gave a light smile. Irony upon irony, she thought to herself. Reading an excerpt about the humility of telekinesis from a book that was floating in front of her, elevated by her own telekinetic power, indeed, carried a sort of irony to it.
"Thank you, sweet book, for allowing all of this," she said in spite of herself. Normally, she actually preferred the feel of a good book in her hands. The weight of knowledge and wisdom literally bearing down on her palms, the delicate caress of a centuries-old page turning gently between her long, tapered fingers. Today, however, the winds were quite brisk, and she couldn't tolerate repeatedly losing her place as the gusts whipped pages to and fro. Her telekinesis allowed her to read the book comfortably, with no aberrant page-turning. Naturally, she could have chosen to read at her study, in her small but comfortable apartment within the monastery's grounds, but the sun was simply too bright, the starblossoms of the gardens too fragrant, and the sky much too clear to be stuck inside!
Of course, windy days were common at the Monastery of the Mountain. Nestled in the heart of Lyviana, the city perched atop the High Mountain, the thin air often whipped about with great force. The city was well-designed to remain sturdy in the face of more severe weather, but unfortunately, the young girl's books were not so lucky. The wind whipped softly through her violet hair. She enjoyed the sensation, her equally violet eyes closed, basking in the moment. This moment of peace was broken as she heard her named called.
"Arella!"
The young maiden turned towards the sound. A young man, short, and stout, wearing long brown robes jogged towards her. She smiled at his approach.
"Good morning, Rydd. Everything alright?"
"Glorious, Arella! Everything is glorious. The birds are chirping, the wind is singing, the sun basks us in its heavenly warmth…" The young monk went on and on.
"Ah, Rydd, while I do love hearing epic poems about the weather, did you need anything specifically?" Arella inquired. She enjoyed Rydd's enthusiasm for the simple things, but she had a lot of study ahead of her, and would rather he get on to the point.
"Oh, yes, my apologies, it is just such a magnificent day! Look at all the wonderful people scattered round, reading, walking, engaging one another in the bonds of camaraderie…"
"Ah…Rydd? You called for…?" Arella began again.
"Ah! I did it again. Sorry! Yes, I was sent here by Master Eos. He would like to see you in his study."
Arella became very puzzled. Master Eos was a leader at the monastery, and supervised the instruction of those, like Arella, training to become Sentinels of Azar. The Sentinels were charged with discovering and archiving new developments in sorcery. They were much like scientists, but dealt with diligent study in supernatural fields, rather than the natural world. Here, in the Mountain City, peak of Azarath, there was much to be studied.
Arella had been studying here at the monastery since she was very young, and she had already demonstrated high aptitude in telekinesis, and was looking to further her skills in telepathy and psionics as well. A bookworm to the core, she looked forward to a life of intensive study, to bring about a wealth of understanding about the mind, the soul, and their roles in the life of an organism, and the impact they may have on the cosmos in toto.
She arrived at Eos' office, and knocked tentatively. She heard his deep voice beckon her in.
"Master Eos, you wanted to see me?"
"Yes, Arella! Come in, come in!" he boomed. She entered and he stood to embrace her. His light, cream colored robes were in stark contrast to his dark, ebony skin. His sharp eyes met hers, and scanned her face quickly.
"Something troubles you?" he inquired.
"Nothing as of yet, Master. Though I admit I am a little apprehensive. You've never summoned me directly to your study before"
"I don't suppose Rydd mentioned that I only wished to speak with you about a small matter, and not to be overly concerned?"
"Not really, no."
"…He went on another ballad about the weather, didn't he?"
Arella nodded, grinning. "He always seems to have his head in the clouds."
"Yes, where as you would prefer yours in a book." Eos teased. Arella grinned sheepishly.
"Arella, I wanted to discuss the advances you are making in your education here. You've done remarkably well in your studies. Your aptitude for incantations is superb, and I should hardly think there is a better telekinetic on these premises than you." Arella blushed at this sentiment. "Your skills in these areas should and can almost certainly guarantee you will make a fine addition to the Sentinels".
Score! This really is great news, Eos is about to offer to grant me the Rites of Initiation and make me a full-fledged Sentinel! At only 19 years old! Arella bubbled with excitement.
"However…" Eos began.
However? However?
"However, Arella, there is one field where, I'm afraid to say, you have demonstrated very limited aptitude: Combat."
"With all due respect, Master Eos, I don't really see myself as much of a fighter. That's why I want to become a Sentinel, I want to devote myself to a life of study. The Knights are far more suited to battle than I."
"Yes, Arella, the Knights of Azar exist primarily to protect, while the Sentinels of Azar exist primarily to study. However, these are not mutually exclusive roles. Knights are expected to study and have a solid foundation in magical theory and practice. And Sentinels are expected to have a basic set of combat skills, should the need for them arise."
"When would the need for them arise?" Eos was silent for a moment.
"I should hope that it never will. Nonetheless, you need to shore up your combat skills."
Arella's spirit sank. She was an excellent sorceress already, and certainly in good physical condition. But combat never really interested her, and as such, her gaze never really focused in that field.
"Now, don't look so down. I'm not going to let my prized protégé fall short because of combat skills. That's why I've enlisted help." Eos said, with a bright smile.
"And this help is…?" She let the question linger.
"At the base of the High Mountain, with the Knights of Azar!"
Arella and Eos were met at the entrance to the walled village by a short man with fiery red hair and a thick, long beard speckled with grey.
"Master Eos! Long time, no see. And this is the young protégé?"
"Yes, Pyrot, this is Arella. Arella? This is Sir Pyrot Tenere, of the Knights of Azar." Arella and Pyrot exchanged greetings. They followed Pyrot through the small but bustling village. The village of Oltec, situated at the base of the High Mountain, was among the busiest training sites for Knights of Azar. Arella hadn't left the monastery in years, and she found it surprisingly refreshing to get out and stretch her legs, so to speak.
The village consisted of a central market, with small, quant living quarters arranged radially from the market. At the northern edge of the village, at the farthest point from the base of the mountain, were various training grounds where the knights would employ their combat tactics.
The trio approached a non-descript housing quarters about mid-way into the village. As they approached, Pyrot spoke up.
"These guys are my shining pupils. They'll take excellent care of you, Arella. You'll soon be the best fighter the Sentinels have seen since Eos" he said with a wink at the tall Sentinel.
"So these guys are that good then?"
"Absolutely! I'd bet my life on them" Pyrot replied as he opened the door. Perhaps he spoke too soon…
The trio were met with absolute pandemonium. Chairs were knocked over. A small vase was smashed on the floor, with the soil and plant contents spilled out over the carpet. Scorch marks were scattered across the walls. In the center of the room, two young men were engaged in bizarre combat.
A thin, wiry man with long, white hair and vivid blue eyes, wearing a loose cloth over his face like a mask, was blurting curses and obscenities, as he was trapped in tight full-nelson.
"Ahhh! Fuck! Let me go, ya spark shooting mongrel!"
The other young man, slightly taller, with a broader frame, laughed maniacally, almost comically.
"Yeah? Then next time, stay OUT OF MY PANTRY! I paid for those snack cakes, and I will be the only one who eats the aforementioned SNACK CAKES!"
"Ah-hem" grunted Pyrot.
The two men abruptly halted their conflict, sweat dropping, and grinning sheepishly from ear to ear.
"Boys. This is Sentinel Master Eos of Lyviana. He has brought along his apprentice, Arella here, for combat training, that she might accelerate her progress in her studies and become a Sentinel herself. You two are going to help her with that, and I am hoping, against all hope, that you might actually learn something yourself. Like how to hold yourselves in the presence of guests instead of FIGHTING OVER SNACK CAKES!"
"A-hah…right, boss. Sorry about that," said the white-haired man. His voice was gruff and throaty. He gave a short bow to Eos and Arella. "My name is Rorek."
The taller man spoke up. He had jet black hair tied in a low ponytail. His eyes were a pale, jade-green. A steel mask with a honeycomb pattern covered his nose and mouth. "And I am called Shockwave".
"Shockwave? Kind of an unusual name for an Azaranean," said Arella. First impressions were very important, and so far, Arella was apprehensive, to say the least.
"Hn," he grunted. Arella could hear the smirk in his voice. "My birth name is not important. I go by Shockwave now. I just like the ring to it".
"Hmm, it must be a rather embarrassing name then, if 'Shockwave' is an improvement" Arella said curtly. Shockwave sweat-dropped, and almost fell over. A hoarse, howling laugh emanated from Rorek, who was clutching his side. Arella looked over at Eos. He could see the pleading in her eyes.
Seriously?