Author's Note: I do not own Storm Hawks, etc.
Chapter Twenty-One – Pain and Joy
Steela was looking at herself in the mirror. She just turned thirteen a few weeks ago and wondered if she was looking any different. After all, this was the year girls started developing into women. She was also making sure her hair was good and she didn't look too tired. Since her birthday, Steela had been reading her new set of the Crystal Compendium, which had all crystals indexed and categorized by alphabetical order and told of each crystals' powers and how to activate them.
Another present she got was a sports jacket of the Blue Falcons, her favorite sky knight racing team. She wore it every chance she got and only took it off to sleep and getting it cleaned. Slinging her backpack over her shoulders, she walked downstairs to see a familiar face.
"Good morning, uncle Stork!"
"Good morning, Steela! Still wearing that jacket, I see."
"You bet. Thank you for getting this for me. Have I mentioned that?"
"About every second I live and breathe. Anyway, look what I have for you today."
"Pancakes, they're my favorite."
"You'll need your strength, sit down and eat. You're going to be late for school."
She did as she was told, Steela was hoping he wouldn't notice her tired look.
"So, reading that book all night again?"
Pulling her chair back, "Yes, I have been."
"You're going to need to take better care of yourself. I can't be there always, which reminds me I will be heading over to the garage early for the next couple of days. I have to meet up with some interesting clients."
She sat down, "How interesting?"
"Six-digits-worth interesting."
"Ooooo, your business is awesome."
"Doing something I love, that's a lesson to take to heart, Steela."
She nodded as her mouth was full. He smiled and continued preparing his breakfast. They ate in silence before Stork locked up the house and they got going.
"So, what's your plan for today?"
"Well, get to school, go through homeroom, go to class…oh, thank you, today is the final round of the Girls' Sky Fu tournament in gym. I know I'm going to take first place."
"Well, you won the last two rounds. Do you think you'll win?"
"I know I will. The others haven't had you as a fath…uncle."
He sighed, "It still hurts, huh?"
"Don't get me wrong, you've been the best parent a girl could ask for, but I would...I wish that I could be with my parents."
"I'm sorry, I wish I could have them be here for you, but at least, you have me. It takes more than blood to be called family."
"I know, but still…" She looked at the ground ahead.
They walked the rest of the way in silence as Stork thought it best for them.
"Piece of crap!" Tarek shouted as he cut in half the homemade skimmer he'd been riding.
After heaving his blade back to his shoulder, he stood on Terra Lushana, one of the most beautiful places in all the Atmos, but Tarek failed to see its beauty as he cut his way through. Though it had been months since his mother's death, Tarek still felt enraged and saddened by the loss.
Walking through the dense jungle, he had hoped to find something here that would help him in his search for Piper. Not knowing much of the world outside Deros, Tarek began to wonder as he cut down vines to clear his path.
"Why did it have to be this way? Mother, why didn't you tell me? If you did, we could have done something to prevent your death. But why?"
His stomach growled, it had been days since he had a meal. Hunger did nothing, but fuel his anger.
"I just want to kill something, this is driving me crazy! Please, anything…come on, I feel my blade is waiting for it's next victim, come on!" His roaring echoed through the jungle.
"Tarek…" He remembered a lesson from Mother, "Remember when we talked about emotions. Each one holds a certain power over your heart and each one if made too strong can make you weaker rather than stronger. Anger is particularly tricky, if you let it overwhelm you, you will be careless and sloppy. Emotions allow you freedom in life, but it must be you who is in control, not them."
"Yes, Mother!" He said aloud.
As he journeyed the path, he found himself atop a hill. From here, he could see much of the jungle. A short distance away was a small village nestled in the heart of this lush place. With joy that he was so close to a meal, Tarek ran down the hill at top speed.
He heard a snap, then a hiss and before he knew it, Tarek was feeling weak. He was feeling weaker than he's ever felt in his life. Looking behind him, Tarek saw nothing but the path he made with his own feet.
In a few minutes, he was on the outskirt of the village where he fell to the ground. He laid there, his sword just out of reach, and laid on the sword's case that was still strapped over his shoulder.
His vision blurred and figures stood around him. Tarek didn't know why, but he couldn't speak. His eyes glazed over and soon closed.
"Tarek, my handsome prince. Look how big you've grown."
"Mother…yes, I remember. It was four years ago, I just turned nine. Wait, why I'm I seeing these images?"
He opened his eyes to the darkness, finding himself suspended in mid-air. As he looked around, he saw the images before him playing out.
"Each memory…each one was of Mother…and how happy she was…still, she didn't tell me that she was about to die? Why did you pain me so much, why did you have to leave?"
He leaned his head back and saw an old blind woman wearing clothes made out of leaves standing there. She waved her hands, forming signs.
Then, Tarek found himself awake. He was laying on a woven mat in the center of this tent made from the largest jungle leaves he's ever seen.
"What happened? Where am I?" He asked to the circle of people sitting around him. A young woman in the group spoke up.
"You are in the village of Lushana, we are the Tribe of Lushana. You have been sent here for a reason."
"The only reason I'm here was because my piece-of-shit skimmer broke down on me."
He sat up, but the circle kept him from moving too much.
"You must lay still, you were bitten by a purple-tailed snake. If you didn't get to us, you would be dead now. Its venom is highly poisonous to humans such as we. You must have stepped on its tail or otherwise, it would have not bitten you."
"That's why I heard that strange snapping noise. But I don't care, I must continue with my search." He tried sitting up again, but they didn't let him.
"Let me go!" He shouted, when they didn't, he screamed, "Let me go now or I'll kill all of you!"
They froze, but not from fear, they were looking at someone he wasn't seeing. Leaning his head back, he saw the same old woman from his dream.
"You? You were in my dream."
The young woman said, "She is our leader and shaman of Lushana Tribe. She has long since told of your coming. You are a warrior, one who holds a purple blade. She's had visions of you for some time. Now you are here to listen and learn."
"I don't have time for this crap! I just want to go!" They held him in place.
"You must listen." She said and they all looked to the shaman.
She started weaving her hands around forming signs, the young woman translated.
"You are one chosen to do great things, but you now you bare a great darkness inside that intends to undo what has been written. You were raised to be a weapon and a weapon you need to be. Wait…this can't be right. I must be reading it wrong."
The shaman stopped and repeated her signs, but with a serious look on her face.
"You…you were raised to be a weapon and a weapon you will need to be. The weapon of destiny must be tempered like you must now be."
"What does she mean by that?" Tarek was more curious than afraid.
He then noticed the rows of jars that circled the shaman, her fingers felt over the lids until they stopped over a lid. She opened it and pulled out the blue dust inside.
"You must breathe it in."
"What are you people going to do to me?"
"We are here to help you. Once you breathe, remember that all you experience is all mind."
He looked as the dust sprinkled through the air over, his entire body felt like convulsing as Tarek felt enlightened and yet lost.
"Students, welcome to the final round of the Girls' Sky Fu Tournament. Earlier this year, everyone of you have fought together and now only two remain for the championship. The prize is…a 200 gold coupon to Ice Cream World. Now if we may have your attention, the match is about to begin. The two will be Marsha Graves and Steela."
"Go! Steela, whip her butt!" Lily shouted from the crowd, she had made it to the semi-finals, but Marsha had won. Still, this made all the other girls cheer.
They bowed to each other and got into their stance.
"Remember, I want a good clean fight. There will be no knockouts, only tapping out or me declaring winner will end the match. Now, begin!" shouted the gym teacher.
Marsha went in for a direct punch that landed in Steela's ribs, knocking the air out of them. Then, she was snap-kicked against the side of her head.
Elsewhere, Tarek was fighting his own battle. Behind him, he saw the image of his wounded heart. Turning to face what was in front, he saw thousands of black shadows with glowing white eyes and ravenous fangs.
They charged toward him.
"You must not let them touch your heart!" The voice of the young woman echoed.
He got into stance and started going through them. He punched one and an image of his dying mother came into his mind, then the shadow faded. He kicked one and an image of her smiling, rolling on the ground before it faded. Clawing a third, yet another memory played itself out in a flash before him.
"What are these things?"
"You're going down girl!" Marsha shouted as another blow landed, but was blocked by Steela crossing her arms. Still, it hurt. But there was no time to give into pain, Steela punched which was evaded and the counterattack connected on her hip.
"Damn, now I know why Lily lost to this girl, she's so skilled and strong."
Tarek winched, "There's too many! I can't stop them all!"
Steela felt weak as the blows continued, "I…I can't…win!"
"It's impossible! These things just keep coming!"
The temptation to give in was overwhelming to both of these combatants. Then…
"Steela, I've always been proud of you. You are one of the best people I know because you have a brilliant mind and the strength to see things through!"
"Handsome Prince, your will can be unstoppable when your heart is in the right place. You know you are to do great things and know rise up and prove yourself!"
"That's right!" They both said in their minds, "I can do this! I can win!"
Steela wiped off the blood from her lip and got back into her stance. Marsha growled and came at her, but each of her attacks was blocked or dodged perfectly. Steela threw a kick that landed in the ribs. Marsha pushed her foot away, only to have it come back into the ribs.
Tarek focused his will and a shimmering light filled the dark space, causing the shadows to cease and use their forearms to keep from being blind. When the light faded, Tarek stood there with his blade resting on his shoulder.
"Now, come at me!" He shouted and rushed into the shadowy horde.
Steela blocked every blow and punched Marsha across the face, who punched back and hit Steela in the face, but it didn't faze her as she kept going. Steela swept away her fist and with the other hand, made another powerful strike to the jaw.
Tarek slashed through five-at-a-time, each memory he was hit with, didn't stop him. Slowly, the shadows swarmed him, but his blade kept them at bay and away from his heart. Using this, he fought on.
Marsha was now weaker than before. Her attacks were sluggish and her insides burned as Steela once been her punching bag, now was looking victorious. Marsha ran forward and threw another punch, aimed for Steela's head. Steela sidestepped it and threw a strike that hit Marsha in the ribs. Landing on her back, the other girl laid there, looking incapable of fighting.
"Well, miss Graves, it seems that you've met your match! Winner! Steela!" The other girls shouted in excitement, more to the fact that Marsha lost than Steela winning, but she took their cheers with heart for she knew she was going to ice cream later. Still, something didn't feel right.
Tarek focused all of his will and threw one majestic slash that cut away all the darkness. Turning to his heart, a single shadow jumped into it and attached itself to the surface. There was a small dark patch on his heart, but that was it.
"Marsha, that was a really good match. Listen, how about my uncle and I take you and your family out to Ice Cream World. Our treat."
"I don't want your pity."
"It's not my pity I'm offering, it's my respect. You showed me a lot of what's inside you there and it wouldn't be fair to have come so far with getting nothing."
"If I'd won, you'd never hear this from me."
"I know, but still would you like to go get ice cream with me?" She extended her hand.
Marsha took it with a small smile and stood up with her help, "Okay."
Tarek awoke in the tent after his experience, he felt tons better than he had moments before, like an impossible weight was gone. The old shaman began making signs again and the young woman again translated.
"You've overcome the darknesses that have been plaguing your heart. The death of your mother was great, but the love she left behind for you was greater still. Now, you are free to go on your journey if you wish. We will provide a sky bat and a guide to take you to a nearby Terra where you will continue your journey. Go with the spirits, young warrior, for there is still much work for you to do."
Tarek stood up and thanked them for their help. He never felt so good in his life, Tarek saw a tribal man stand next to him and tap his shoulder. With a nod, he knew this was the guide spoken of. Without a single protest, Tarek left the tribe behind still thanking them.
"Shaman, didn't you see the darkness left behind? It may one day grow strong again and consume his spirit."
She translated, "All heroes must have a little darkness in them. They cannot all start out as pure light. This darkness he will have to overcome by the end of his journey. Fear not, my granddaughter, everything is as it should be."
"I hope you're right, grandmother. I hope you are."
Sorry for the long delay, real world stuff. I'll be finishing this story next chapter.