Arriving at the Dojo
It had been 4 days since the night the Smash Champs fought against Rakan. After getting beaten down, Rakan took Ember and Al and disappeared into the night. The following morning, Lucia came to the dojo and explained who she and Rakan was, and their past. Rakan was exiled out of his clan and swore revenge. The Smash Champs had been resting and now they're fully ready for action. Right now, everyone was outside the dojo.
"I'd say you are all rested and ready."
"Yeah, glad to be back to my old self." Jag said and cracked his neck.
"So you really think we have powers like you?"
"Yes, I do." Lucia answered. "My clan can help you tap into that power to help you save your friends."
"Whoo-hoo! Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait!" Spike said and started swinging his arm rock and roll style.
"So how do they do it?"
"First, we conduct a ritual to help you open up the door to it. Then you undergo a trial that will help you awaken it. But these trials are no easy feat, it will test you, challenge you, and push you to your limit. When backed against the wall, you'll then truly awaken your potential and your powers will be revealed."
"Backed against the wall? What wall?" Teddy asked.
"No, big guy. It means when you're at your limit, about to be beaten."
"Oh."
"The other members of the clan went through the same thing and some of them had been pretty brutal."
"Well, I doubt it will be brutal for me." Jag boasted
"We shall see." Lucia said.
She then turned and walked a short distance away from the dojo. She then closed her eyes and concentrated her power. She then had a ball of energy in her hand and it flew up into the air. It then created a symbol on the ground, under her feet and it grew really big.
"Whoa!"
"MagnÃfico!"
"Lucia, what is this?" Sensei asked
"It's how we're gonna get there. The location is secret so this is how we get to it. Come on."
King was the first to step inside the symbol, followed by Jag, Spike, and Teddy. Sensei hesitated at first, but then he stepped in. Lucia then made a hand sign and the symbol turned into a dome just bi enough for the six of them. Then, they disappeared into thin air, like they were never there to begin with. The group then reappeared in front of another dojo, but this one was different than the Smash Champ's dojo. The roofs were white, it was bigger than theirs, and it had a barrier protecting it, but you couldn't see it.
"Whoa, another dojo?"
"In terms of meditations, we believe a dojo provides the best setting."
"I see." Sensei said. On the inside, he agreed 100%, but didn't want to show it so soon.
As they made their way to the dojo, Lucia passed through the barrier with no trouble, but the others bumped into it.
"Oof!"
"Ow!"
"Gah!"
"A shield?"
"Oops, forgot about that."
"Forgot about it?" Jag asked skeptically
"That happened to me my first time here, too. This barrier has been put up to protect the dojo and everyone in it from any harm. Those who have tapped into their potential, like me, can pass through it without any trouble. Those who haven't or don't have the potential at all can't."
"So how do we get in?" Teddy asked
"I believe i can answer that." echoed a voice. Before everyone knew it, the wind started to pick up and blow intensely. Everyone except Lucia covered their eyes, and then a mini-tornado appeared in front of Lucia. When the wind died down, and the tornado vanished, they saw a male adult human standing in between them. He was also a little elderly like Sensei. He was dressed the same way as Lucia.
"Master Avery!"
"Wait a minute, 'Master'?"
"We call him that because 1: He's the leader of our clan and 2: his skills are far beyond your imagination, despite all appearances."
"Indeed. Lucia, may i ask why you have brought outsiders to our secret location?"
"She was seeking help, sir." Jag spoke. "She told us about Rakan and what happened before his exile. How he's seeking revenge against your clan. He also kidnapped two of our friends, to help further his plans."
"Wha-"
"Lucia came to us asking for help, and we worked out a deal. If we help her and your clan deal with Rakan, she helps us rescue our friends."
"Really, Lucia?"
"It was more like they set the deal and i agreed to it, but yes. For one thing, it was the only way we could help each other."
"Hmm."
"Sir, if i may," Sensei said and approached "I made sure Lucia tells us everything she knows if she wants our help."
"How much did she tell you about us?"
"Only how to awaken our hidden potential. She says we have it like you and your clan." Teddy answered. Avery closed his eyes and concentrated. Lucia was right, because he could sense the potential within each of them, on a deeper level.
"She's right, you do and we can help awaken that with our ritual."
"She also said that a trial follows suit, and only we can unlock it during the trial."
"Agreed, but there's something you should know. When you undergo these trials, you can't rely on your allies. You have to accomplish this feat alone."
"Really?"
"Really. Only you can awaken your potential, and you alone. If you are still willing to go through with it, speak now or be sent back to where you came from."
"We gave our word that we would help her, and we're not going back on it. Not today."
"Yeah!"
"Si, senor."
"That's why we came here."
Avery could sense the potential rising within them. They were serious about this.
"I see. Your resolve is firm, and with every passing moment it could get stronger. Very well then."
Avery placed one hand on the barrier and a hole opened up, allowing them to come in.
"Only Master Avery can allow outsiders without the potential to get in."
"Yeah, we just saw that."
The Ritual
Avery and Lucia led them into the dojo and they were introduced to the whole clan. Some were humans, and others were animals. To be exact, 2 lions, a bear, a wolf, and a snow leopard.
"So they're like, the new recruits?"
"To a certain degree. Our enemy has become their enemy too. They have come to lent us their aid." Avery explained
"Really?"
Some of the clan members had skeptical looks on their faces.
"Our friends were taken by Rakan." Jag spoke. "He wants to use them in his revenge against you guys. We all want to stop him, but we can't stop him without your help. That's why we came, to ask for help and to help you."
"How can you help us?"
"We've been told that we have the potential just like all of you."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's awesome." Spike jeered
"It's true, I sensed it within these warriors and the ritual will help them unlock the potential."
Some of the clan members had looks of doubt on their faces. But later on in the day, the time for the ritual arrived. Everyone gathered in a spacious room. There was three circles written in the center on the floorboards. A star was drawn in the center circle and the outermost circle had lit candles around it.
"It is time. The time for the ritual is upon us. But we can't do you all at once. Which one of you is willing to go first?"
The others looked at each other as they had no idea how the ritual was gonna go. Finally, one of them worked up the courage to go.
"Let me go first."
"Whoa, really?"
"Teddy?"
"Big guy, you sure?"
"One of us has to go first."
"You are noble and brave, polar bear."
"Thank you."
"Step into the center of the circle, young one. Once inside, sit down and don't move."
"(deep breath) Okay."
Teddy made his way to the center of the room and sat down in the center of the circle. Immediately, Avery, Lucia, Callie the snow leopard, and 2 humans gathered in different spots around the circle.
"Now, let us begin."
They closed their eyes and started concentrating. They started radiating their energy and the circles on the floor started glowing light blue. The candle flames got bigger, changed color too and the star in the center lit up as well. Then, something extravagant began to happen to Teddy, the lines rose up from the floor and into him.
"(groans)"
"Whoa"
"Ay yi yi"
"Teddy?"
Members of the clan stepped in front of Jag, Spike, and King to keep them from getting close.
"You must let him finish."
Avery then began chanting an unknown language, that is, unknown to the Smash Champs.
"(chanting)"
As the ritual went on, it started getting intense. When Avery started chanting louder, Teddy started feeling the energy getting intense.
"(chanting louder)"
"(groaning louder)"
Unbeknownst to him, on his back, the chinese character for 'bear' appeared and his fur started to change color. All of his fur changed to a mix of light blue and dark blue.
"(chanting loudest of all)"
At that moment, the energy Teddy was feeling reached its peak.
"RAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
The five Crusaders standing around Teddy then lowered their hands and the radiating energy disappeared. The circles then got dark, the candle flames got small and returned back to their original colors. As for Teddy, his fur changed back to normal, the symbol disappeared, and then he collapsed on the ground.
"Teddy!"
"Let them come."
The other clan members stepped aside, allowing Jag, King and Spike to come to Teddy's side.
"Teddy, amigo. Despierta."
"Come on, wake up big guy."
"..."
"He'll be fine." Avery stated. "The ritual takes a serious toll on the body. His body isn't used to the energy currently coursing through his body. He will need time to adjust to his new status."
"How long?" Jag asked in a concerned tone
"We don't know." Lucia answered
"What? You don't know? How do we know he won't be okay?"
"Jaguar, stand down."
"What?"
"You need to calm down. We're guests here, and if Master Avery says the polar bear will be fine, we need to trust him."
"But...I..."
Jag was uneasy about Teddy's current state. But Sensei Wu was right about one thing, only Avery and his clan know how this situation works. They have no choice but to trust them.
"(sigh) Fine, but I'm staying by his side. If he's on bedrest, I staying with him so I can keep an eye on him."
"As you wish. Callie, Max, Jake, help him take our exhausted guest to recovery."
"Yes, Master." They said and helped carry Teddy to their medical room. It had a few medical tools, but the room was darker than the one at the Smash Champs dojo.
"Luckily, the ritual only exhausted your friend. No physical injuries so he'll just have to rest."
"I hope it's that easy."
They set him down on a bed and Callie lit up a couple candles and placed them near Teddy.
"You really care for the guy?" Max asked
"Yeah, he looks out for me and the others. You wouldn't know it, but he's got a big heart, bigger than we've seen. The month when we first met, we got into a nasty fight, and Teddy fought the hardest to protect us. He took the hardest blows, heaviest hits, the worst punishment."
"Really?" Max said. Listening to Jag telling Teddy's story of when they first met, he started to take a bit of interest.
'If he's got that big of a fighting spirit for his companions, I want to see how far he can go.'
"Quite a story Jag. Well, we'll leave you with him. Let us know if you need anything or when he wakes up."
"Got it."
The snow leopard, lion, and bear then left the room, leaving Jag and Teddy alone. Jag looked at Teddy with a sad look on his face, one he wouldn't show the others.
'Out of all the people and animals I met, you're the best one big guy. I don't know why, but somehow it's like you and I have a bond with each other. Come on Ted, pull through.'
Author's Note: Hope you enjoyed the chapter and please review.
