AN: I think chapter 1 didn't have enough "substance" to actually get people interested in this story. So, I've decided to go ahead and upload Chapter 2. Hopefully this chapter will start to make the story a little interesting.
Chapter 2- Powerful, yet awkward
Damien's blood was in full rush as he dashed through the jungle. Birds, insects, and small animals whizzed passed him as he continued his sprint. Any other person would probably be getting tired or would be wheezing after ten full minutes of all out running. But Damien was not any other person.
In order to properly channel Karma through one's being it is required not only to have a focused mind, but to have strong body as well. And that's exactly what he had. But alas, this as well as all of his other assets did not come without its price….
-Flashback-
"Oh, come on Damien darling, you're tired already?" Syd spoke in her signature motherly yet sarcastic manner.
A beat up, and noticeably less toned and muscular Damien was balancing on one foot, had both arms extended out to the side with a full bucket of water in each hand, three bricks stacked on top of his head, and a burning candle on top of his exposed foot.
"Ya think!? You made me run five laps nonstop around the village, swim against the current of a raging river, and climb the cliff overlooking the beach without gear. All of them back-to-back. And now you've got me doing THIS!? He wailed.
Syd looked at her apprentice without the smallest trace of sympathy in her eyes.
"You bet your ass I do." She said in an even tone.
"You honestly expect me not to be tired right now, don't you?" he asked in a half sigh.
"Yup, I made Edward go through the same thing and he didn't complain nearly as much as you have." She stated. "Now stop, squirming so much, if you drop one of those bricks I'm sending this boulder I'm sitting on straight at you. If you spill a bucket of water I'm throwing you in the river with weights this time." She paused. She held out her hand and formed a basketball sized crimson orb of fire in it. "And Karma help you if you somehow drop or cause that candle to go out…." She stated, eyes deadly serious.
Damien reflected on her words for a minute. His eyes shot open, fear as obvious as Syd's fireball emblazoned across his face.
"That's not fair! If I so much as drop ONE of them you'll hit me with something that will cause all of the others to drop!" he screamed in disbelief.
All his master did was smirk.
"Well tough titty Damien my boy, that just means you need to make sure none of them drop." Syd stated simply.
"This is ridiculous…" he muttered.
"Not really kid, this is the price you pay for becoming a Libra. How do you expect to even begin channeling Karma if your body can't even contain it? If you even tried to start channel it now you'd probably blow a chakra gate." She said coldly.
Syd's words cut Damien deeply.
"Fine…..whatever." he muttered eventually.
"Relax Damien, you'll do alright..." Came a voice from behind him.
Even though it was virtually impossible for Damien to turn around he knew who it was from the sound of their voice.
"Hello Eddy…" Damien said flatly.
"Good morning, Edward!" Syd cooed.
A slightly shorter and slightly less buff Eddy appeared out of the thickets behind Damien.
"How's it goin' Ma?" he said, slightly blushing at the use of his full first name.
"It's going fine Edward, little Damien here is finally getting the hang of the Triple threat." She teased.
"Ouch, I rememba' dat. I was sore for a week after dat…" Eddy cringed at the memory. "I dropped a brick and ya sent de boulder at me causing de candle to die, den you blasted me with dat very fireball your holding causing de buckets to spill, and den you bound de bricks to my feet and threw me in de river…" He muttered pain evident in his voice.
"Don't be that way sweetheart, I did it for your own good. Just look at that fabulous body you have now." She stated, her voice full of pride.
Eddy looked at the ground and kicked a rock.
"Aw shucks Ma…" he said as he blushed.
Damien laughed at that scene, which in turn caused the top most brick on his head to shift slightly and fall off, landing with a loud thud by his side.
All of the color drained from his face. He turned around carefully to ask Eddy for help. But Eddy was already gone. He turned back around to face his master.
Eyes as cold as ice glared at him lethally.
"Fuck…" he concluded.
-End Flashback-
"I am so glad that shit is over and done with..." He muttered to himself.
He continued to rush through the lush jungle and eventually started to see a cliff hanging over the distance up ahead, but he didn't slow down at this realization. In actuality, he sped up upon seeing this. As the cliff drew closer, he thought to himself: "Here we go…"
At the very edge of the cliff he gave a massive leap, propelling himself full force over the edge. He was in freefall for a full minute just enjoying the sensation of it all. When he saw the hard and jagged earth rapidly approaching him, he leaned forward into a spin. As he spun, a silvery energy began to stock pile in his right hand and legs. As soon as he was finished amassing enough energy, not a second later had he plowed into the ground. Although he had landed in a crouching position with a very loud shockwave, he wasn't injured or hurt in the slightest. However, strangely, his right hand and legs were buried in about six inches of sand. He pulled his limbs out and began to brush himself off.
"You're gonna forget to pull that little materialization trick one of these days Dee…" said a voice in front of him.
"Yeah, be careful. We really don't want you crippling yourself before you even get into the academy." came another.
Damien didn't even have to look up. "It's nice to see you guys too. Max and Lance." He said slightly amused.
Two medium sized, short blonde haired, twin boys dressed in identical gray jumpsuits stood in front of him.
"Yo." The gatekeepers both smiled and said in unison.
"I'll try to cut down on the freefalling from now on, ok?" Damien said with a smirk.
The gatekeepers exchanged glances.
"Yeah, that's exactly what you said last time." Max stated.
"And all of the times before that as well." Lance added pointing to the area around them.
Damien took a look at the ground around them. It was littered with patches of sand identical to the one he was still standing in.
"I have no idea where those other ones came from…" he said smiling.
"Yeah, sure." Max scoffed
"Whatever…" Lanced finished.
"Your master needed to speak to you about something, you should go see her." Max said.
"Yeah, I'm on my way to see her now. Take care guys." He said, walking through the village gate.
"Peace." They both said in unison.
Damien made his way through the village streets, the usual street vendors and children greeted him with smiles. He continued his trek down the streets until he came to a large and beautifully decorated white stone building. He sighed and entered the building.
A girl with green eyes, dark brown hair that had blond tips, and caramel skin greeted him at a desk in the center of the lobby. She was clad in a white button down shirt and red tie that did nothing to hide her bust. The black skirt and red tie didn't help to much either. And the stilettos revealing her perfectly manicured and pedicured feet only added to the sight.
"Hello sir, how can I help you?" she asked, her voice every bit as soft and gorgeous as her features were.
His heart gave a noticeable jump. Damien just stared at her, taking in her flawless features. The smell of cherry blossoms in the air made him a bit dizzy. Completely oblivious to what she had just said.
"Um, sir?" she repeated.
Damien instantly snapped back to his senses.
"Uh…yeah, I uh…um need to speak to Syd." He stammered uncontrollably.
The secretary quickly skimmed through some pages in a notebook on her desk.
"Oh yes, Damien Cross is it?" the woman asked.
"Y-yes" he stuttered again.
"The grand mistress has been waiting for you, go right in." she gestured to the door immediately behind her.
"Thank you ma'am" he said, mentally praising himself for not stuttering this time.
"No problem, Mr. Cross." She giggled
Damien turned scarlet red at the use of his last name. He made a break for the door.
He all but slammed it when he was finally behind it. He heard a faint chuckle coming from the other side.
"Damn my awkwardness…" he mentally scolded himself.
"Did you meet Eva sweetheart?" a sarcastic voice came from behind him.
He spun around to meet that voice.
A coffee skinned woman with light brown hair styled into a long ponytail with bangs covering her forehead, golden brown eyes, and clad in a red strapless one piece with matching heels was there smiling at him.
"Hi Syd…" Damien responded flatly.
AN: I have a good number of chapters finished right now, but I;m gonna upload a new chapter maybe once a week. This is due to my recurring problem of writers block. So if You have any Ideas or input, it would be greatly appreciated. R&R please.
