777: Seven Gates, Seven Vices, Seven Loves

[Thaelasan]

"We'll be off the boat quite shortly. Don't worry." Mr. Fenson assured, realizing the issue almost immediately. "There are quite a few others - Earth Saints mostly, like you probably are yourself - who have been having the same problem. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

He checked his tablet, clearing Flint's name from the roll sheet with a press of a finger.

"That's almost everyone. We have two more Saints to check for and then you and I will head back up. You can go yourself, if you wish." he suggested, pressing a few more keys on his tablet. "Rooms 189 and 193... right then."

He proceeded to walk off, leaving Flint to either follow, or go back the way Mr. Fenson came.

Edited January 26, 2015 by Thaelasan

[TehUltimateMage]

((Thanks for the edit.))

 

"Thank you, sir." Flint nodded respectfully as Mr. Fenson left to check on the remaining Saints in the lower deck. Normally he would have argued with the older man -- who seemed to be someone real important by his air and by the list of names he had in hand (not that Flint had a record of obeying authority anway) -- but the Saint simply did not want to bother with the trouble right now. Still, the man did imply he was an Earth element by a simple correlation (although Flint was relieved he wasn't the only one with boat troubles); known Earth students were sick, and he was sick, therefore he was an Earth element. Flint found that totally uncool -- the Earth element, that is. Who wanted to throw rocks anyway. He was kind of mad at the dude for even mentioning it.

 

He peered at the grey stripes on his cuffs. Undetermined element, according to the official records. That still offered hope, since no one knew what he was… yet. For years, Flint had been imagining his palms controlling flames and his attacks leaving demons ablaze with holy fire, or even explosions propelling him off walls like rocket power, but now his thoughts were cast in doubt. No way. No way! A Saint's element was tied to his personality, right? And his personality was as blazing as his soul. And the seasickness could be a simple coincidence, not some 'because you don't have earth under your feet' mumbo jumbo.

 

He refused to believe it.

 

Seeing that he had no choice but to face the crowd, the Saint clenched his jaw and climbed to upper deck with his baggage, the fresh air doing little to soothe his seasickness. He leaned his back onto a nearby wall and squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to fight the queasiness, hoping that none of the other students would notice him until they docked.

Edited January 26, 2015 by TehUltimateMage

[Thaelasan]

(( No problem friend. ))

 

Mr. Fenson continued down the path, sighing, as he checked each name on the list. The last door stood ahead of him. After Flint had left, he had checked the next person quickly. Room 193 - that was the next one.

He knocked pleasantly, sighing.

"Mr. Abercrombie?" he asked, frowning. "Are you alright?"

He opened the door slowly with the master key. Inside, of course, the boy was sleeping on his bed, absolutely out of it.

Mr. Fenson whacked his leg firmly but kindly with his hand.

"Wake up, boy. We're docking soon. Very soon."

"I'm already packed. Just let me sleep a little long..er..." the boy said, turning over.

"I'm not your damn father. GET UP." Mr. Fenson said sternly.

The boy obeyed, sighing, as he removed himself from the bed and got to his full height.

"I'm good...." the boy said, rubbing his eyes. "Are we... there yet?"

"Yes. We are. You're coming with me. Grab your things."

"...Aye aye.." the boy muttered, following disdainfully and reluctantly, his bags in tow.

[Lilraaos]

Nemesis's speed walking was FAST! Blair struggled to keep up with the other girl and even stumbled a couple of times as the girl headed at an alarming speed towards their rooms. The wooden flooring outside quickly turned to the marble of the inside of the ship and then shifted to soft red carpeting where suite doors with bronze colored plates and little three digit numbers were engraved in.

The names of whom Blair presumed were students started blaring out of the intercoms.

"Hey Nemesis, we're around 200. What was your room number again?" Blair asked, suddenly stopping and hoping that the girl wouldn't keep on moving while literally dragging him along.

"We should hurry. My rooms over there."

 

 

"David?" Cherisa mumbled. He didn't remember her? The girl was finding that hard to believe. "Its Cherisa! Don't you remember me?" She asked desperately, even shaking his face a little bit as if the situation could be solved like one in a story or movie where the character suffering from amnesia would suddenly recover from it if he heard the right person's voice.

The boy responded awkwardly, clearly not able to recall much from his past. It crossed Cherisa's mind that she was invading the boy's private space and quickly backed away, her toes feeling for her white cane.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, her heel touching something that was either her cane or the stand of the railing. She put a bit more pressure on the object and it shifted. Getting down to her knees, she blindly grabbed the area where her foot hit the object, knowing the general area. Names started yelling out of the intercom as her hand closed around the bottom of her cane.

"It looks like they're having attendance." Cherisa stood up, sliding her hand upwards along her cane until she reached the handle. "I should get going." A lump was forming in her throat. "I'm sorry." She whispered again, then tilted her head upwards a bit, where she assumed his head was and gave him a sunny smile.

"May we start again? I'm Cherisa. It is very nice to meet you David." She held out her hand for him to shake, fake smile and all.

[Millennium07]

"Owwww!" Robin groaned from the kick. "That kick! Mmmm! I love that passion!" He winked and waved cheerily at the pair as they walked away, before chuckling to himself and stretching, his face suddenly dropping into a more serious expression. He hadn't been able to identify who his potential partner was yet. That was a severe inconvenience... I mean, he was going to find out soon, but... He frowned, deep in thought. He had hoped it would have been obvious...

 

David smiled wryly. "No, no, please don't smile so falsely... It doesn't suit your beautiful face," He said slowly, reaching out and, before taking her hand, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. He then took her hand, and gave a firm squeeze. "I won't lie. I... I don't remember much. But I remember a girl. You're the one person whose face I can still remember, if only barely. You must have been important to me... So if I could, and I know this is asking a lot, given that, judging by your uniform, I'm two years your senior, but... Could you help me? Help me to remenber who I was? Who I am? If my hunch is correct... Then we're going to be partnered with each other... I don't want to live with the knowledge that I broke your heart," he said slowly, looking up at the sky. "The truth is... I've dreamed of meeting you again for as long as I can actually remenber... I fee like I made a promise of some sort..." He murmured, so softly she might not have heard it if her ears weren't so sensitive. He then turned to her and pulled her hand to his face, allowing her to trace the shape of his soft lips - the shadow of a smile. "You're probably the person thT knows me best in the world... Cherisa..." The word fell from his lips slowly, as the ghostly memories of a million uttering a of that name clawed at his mind. "I... I think I remember that name. I haven't remembered anything new in a long while... Perhaps being near you might jog my memory after all," he said as the boat rocked a lot the violently, as it hit the dock and was tied up.

 

"Greetings to all new students! The luggage not yet claimed has been taken to reception, and will be moved to the rooms of their respective owners when they are chosen! May all students please disembark, and welcome to Saint Alexandria's Academy!" The female voice from before cooed welcomingly, getting a little overexcited.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Millennium07

[Esko]

((So it begins....are we ready?))

 

Sasha

 

Did she hear correctly? They were docking? Sasha's grin widened until it could wrap around the moon. "YES YES YES YES WE ARE FINALLY HERE!!!!!!" Sasha could not tone down her excitement. "Come ON brother! We are here!" She grabbed her brother by the arm and started running. When her feet landed on the sand((I am assuming there is sand?)), she smiled even more. She was here. She was finally here. Her new life. Her new love. What she dreamed for. She was in the moment. The moment she waited and hoped and prayed for, it finally came. About time. I wonder how big brother feels. Well, this is his chance to find a love, so he must be excited. Sasha hopped around. "We are here! We are FINALLY here!!" When was orientation? The chance for her to get off the streets forever was under her nose.

No turning back now.

 

Esko

 

His sister was too excited. Of course, Esko was too, but he didn't let it out like she did. Sasha dragged Esko off the boat with her. "Easy there! Don't get WAY too excited!" But Esko could not help it. He was feeling like she felt. He just kept his straight face. He saw all the excited Saints around him. And one of them was going to be his partner. One of the faces in this crowd was his soulmate.

No turning back now.

[Thaelasan]

Verick stood to his full height, assisting Rose in standing as well as he moved from his seat to the front of the line, pushing past a few other students nonchalantly. A lot of them gave him looks. He honestly didn't care.

"Excited?" Rose asked, smiling slightly.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Verick asked, continuing to the front of the line. "A new adventure for you and I? I'm absolutely thrilled!"

"I'm pleased to hear it." Rose said softly, pressing against his side. "Very."

They continued to move through the crowd until they were at the front. The docking bridge began to descend, Mrs. Fenson keeping everyone back until the bridge finally connected with the pier. After they had made sure it was safe, she gestured for everyone to go across as she began to walk across as well.

Verick and Rose followed. Meanwhile, Vanessa held out her hand to Blake, motioning.

"Come on, buddy." she said. "Don't wanna be last, right? Let's go see what this has to offer, together."

 

----

 

Mr. Fenson exited the lower decks with the students he had gathered in tow and sighed.

"Well, now that that's handled..." he muttered, adjusting his glasses.

[TehUltimateMage]

The moment he felt the boat bump into the dock, Flint sprang forward towards the exit with his arms wrapped around his luggage so it wouldn't slow him down. The bridge hadn't even been lowered entirely and there was already an assembly of students waiting to be the first to touch ground on the island.

 

Sick or not sick, it was never in Flint's nature to wait. While he could have shouted for people to move -- and they would have if he put on his angriest face -- it just wasn't in his style. With the momentum of his run, the Saint jumped up and with his feet he pushed off of the railing of the ship's deck, flinging himself into the air and just barely landing on the wood of the dock. He dropped his luggage with a sigh. The shock of the impact jolted his knees, but already his head was feeling clearer now that the ground was no longer rocking under his feet. It was also nice to be able to stretch his limbs and feel his heart beating and---

 

Flint turned around and threw up into the ocean. Maybe that dangerous maneuver wasn't a good idea after all…

[KuroKishi]

Blake curiously lifted his eyebrows up at Vanessa as she continued to play on the handheld. He silently peered at the figures on the screen that were clashing with monsters using a myriad of skills and abilities. Interest filled his mind as he thought about playing such games. Maybe he'd borrow her DS later... when they were finally at their rooms.

"Looks cool. And sure, I might make use of the DS later." He clarified verbally, then turned back forward. Silently, he started to consider how he usually spent his time, back in the old days. Though he knew his way well with electronics, he didn't own a personal computer. Of course, he could recall the days of his youth well. He could remember playing titles of the old times on consoles - mainly action-oriented titles, as well as some tactical or strategic ones to develop his logical thought. However, he had grown out of that interest before he'd met Vanessa, and, well, with her, he didn't have a need to play. He spent most of his time doing something for, preparing for or having fun with her. The rest of his day didn't really matter, so it often went by like a breeze. Next thing he knew, after leaving the girl's side, he'd find himself lying on his bed and attempting to fall asleep. Oh, how he missed those days...

A rather sudden jolt caused by the boat's collision with the dock almost made him fly off where he was. However, by grabbing onto the bench's surface, he stopped himself from moving. After regaining his senses, Blake momentarily let go and turned to look at Rose and Verick. The two went forth and through the crowds in an attempt to reach the docking bridge. Deciding that it'd be good to head out as well, the young man turned around and looked at Vanessa. He noticed her outstretched hand, then softly smiled and took it in his own.

"Yes, let's go." He spoke out, then quietly helped the girl to his feet. Though he wished to remain in contact with her, he knew that there was luggage - and, well, he couldn't just make her grab what he could carry himself. So, silently, he let go and then took both bags from the ground. Then, he silently nodded at Vanessa, indicating that he'd let her go first and would follow behind.

[psyshock]

On the exterior, Chuan Li looked confident, calm and ready as the group of new Saints watched the bridge connect to the docks. In reality he was beginning to get antsy over this whole thing, but they were about to find out what they would actually be doing here rather than being given vague details. It appeared that the wait was too much for some of the people, as one of the other boys decided that it would be better to leap the gap themselves instead of waiting for the bridge to connect. He lightly shook his head in disapproval as the boy proceeded to to vomit into the ocean. Hopefully they didn’t decide to partner him up with that boy, someone who knew the concept of patience would be preferred. Adjusting his glasses, he set his eyes on the bridge as it connected, following the group after Mr. Fenson.

[ValidEmotions]

Finally!

 

Latoya smiled with excitement and apprehension, following the rest towards the expanding platform and across the dock. She felt a bit of a shove when one boy practically ran and sprang to the deck, appearing to relish being off the boat.

 

And, then he puked.

 

She shuddered, slightly gagging in reflex at the disgusting sight. Poor kid though. Couldn't have been any sort of fun being on the ship for so long. Shaking her head, Latoya kept moving.

 

~~~~

 

Land was a wonderful thing. With the boat no longer rocking as much, Thel felt more comfortable with being near the railings, looking out across the blue waters and seeing the waves sweep across the shore. When Mr. Fenson had told him to keep asking questions, the boy had simply nodded.

 

Now, the boat was docked and everyone was bustling about, anxious to be the first one upon the unknown island. Personally, Thel wanted to remain towards the rear, avoiding any and all pushing or shoving. He just hoped that things would run smoothly.

[Thaelasan]

Verick noticed the Thel boy from earlier as he pushed past everyone. He made a mental note to give him a wide berth. There was no reason to pursue the point with him. He'd probably end up getting even more irritated and both sides would just end up arguing.

It was better for the two sides if they didn't interact for now.

They continued across the bridge, admiring the architecture of the island as they did so. It seemed to be pretty bustling, for such an isolated area, but that was probably just due to new arrivals. Mrs. Fenson was greeting a few people as she led the group with her husband, moving to the pier as she left the bridge behind.

Verick leaped across the final step, pulling Rose across with him. They both landed on the pier, pleased. Now, it truly felt like they were somewhere new.

"Ms. Iori?" one man asked. Verick and Rose had just walked up to where Mrs. Fenson was talking with a man.

"Yes. Do you know where she is?"

"She's a little further up the way." the man pointed towards a direction, nodding. "You'll see her soon. She's been waiting for the new arrivals. Wouldn't let us hear the end of it."

"Well, it is one of the biggest sets of students we've had yet." Mrs. Fenson bowed politely and gestured to the group.

"As my husband said before.." she announced to the group, loudly but not unpleasantly. "Please be courteous to all the officials, though I don't think you won't be. But Ms. Iori deserves a bit extra respect, because of how difficult her job is. Please keep that in mind."

They continued to lead the group from there on, Verick and Rose near the front of the line.

 

----

 

Vanessa began to break into a sprint, leaving Blake to follow as fast as he could.

"Aren't you excited?" she called back, pushing gently past a few people. "C'mon Blake! Show me how excited you are to see me again! To join this school with me!"

[Lilraaos]

Blair quickly ducked into his room, piling many miscellaneous items into his suitcase, keeping anything of great importance or delicacy with him. The suitcase laid on it's back as Blair put his foot on it, pressing most of his weight on the foot on top of the suitcase in an attempt to lower the top. He pulled the zipper until his fingers were white, having to stop several times to push in loose articles of clothing.

The bed was messy, the sheets all messed up. Blair felt a twinge of regret for leaving it that way, but other then the bed, the room was clean and orderly. A chipper woman's voice announced that the ship had arrived as Blair pulled his suitcase out of his room and stood in wait for Nemesis.

 

Eirwen looked behind her shoulders as the ferry came to a stop. Where was her brother and best friend? Honestly, they were so slow. She lingered behind as everyone scrambled to get on land, letting others pass in front of her. She raised her hand over her eyes to shield them from the shining sun, eyes squinted a bit as she looked for a figure with blond hair or short brown hair.

 

Cherisa stumbled a bit as the ship came to a stop. Quickly recovering, she pulled back her hand and smiled.

"Of course."

[Millennium07]

And so, as the students trickled out into the dock, standing their waiting for them, was the silver-haired, strict-looking woman in her mid-to-late-twenties who had greeted them upon their mark appearing. She gave a rare smile and extended outward her arms in welcome. "Welcome to Eden Island, Saints of Heaven. My name, as you are all well aware, is Mary Karone. I am the deputy-head here at the academy, and also the one in charge of battle operations. You may call me, Chief Mary - everybody does, even the other members of staff," she gave a slight chuckle, before continuing. "There will be a welcome address for you all later today, but first of all, I'm sure you're all eager to stretch your limbs and use your powers. And do? Without further adieu, it's time for the combat tests. If you will please follow me..."

 

The woman led the Saints, flanked by guards so that none ran off, through the grounds and toward the rather large, beautifully built building at the centre of the island. She led them through the gates, and through several halls, until they reached a place more overtly mechanical than the rather cathedral-esque halls of the school itself.

There were awaiting two more staff members, both smiling warmly.

 

"Hiiiiii!" The female waved. "You heard me on the boat, yes? I went by 'Ms. Iori' on the boat, so that people wouldn't freak out, but now that you've seen my voice, you probably recognise me instantly, right? I'm a famous singer, Sonia Mao. It's very nice to meet you all in person," she bowed.

 

"Hey! Cool to meet you guys," the bespectacled male have a casual wave as well. "I'm Kyouhei Katayama, and I'm the one who designed the newest-generation Vice Breakers and Vice Reflectors you'll be granted after the trial. I can't wait to see what you can do with them," he grinned cheerily.

 

"These two are the other members of the administrative battle team - that is to say, it is the three of us that will be monitoring you when you are sent on missions. Miss Mao over there is actually a fairly rare case. Miss Mao, if you please?"

As instructed, Sonia raised her left hand, showing, quite distinctively... The mark of god.

"She's technically a Saint, however her partner died and they were at such a synch ratio we aren't able to reassign her. So she works with us as a member of staff. It does happen from time to time, and having an empowered individual as a member of staff can have it's benefits. "Kyouhei there usually works in the lab with me, and only recently lost his brand. He elected to stay here and help us with research and as a result, our Vice-series technology as taken leaps and bounds," Mary smiled gently. "Now, in a moment, you will each choose a door - it doesn't matter which - and fight against a drone within. You are to subdue it, not destroy it, and you are to note that it is harder to take down than you might think. With that, I bid you good luck and give you a few moments to compose yourselves," she said, nodding and walking over to convene with the other members of staff.

 

David sought out Cherisa's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Good luck," he whispered, something in his voice sounding distant and in pain now. It was as if all the anger and hurt that Cherisa had sealed so long ago had run amok at the sound of the word 'fight'. "... Make sure you stay safe, okay?" He offered a gentle smile, despite his unease being obvious to someone who knew him as well as Cherisa. Someone who knew him better than he did himself.

 

Robin smiled darkly from where he was standing and clenched his fist. It was about time something happened that would allow him to test just what it was this power would allow him to do. With a flick of his wrist, he produced another rose, blue this time, and took a deep inhale as he thought deeply.

 

Morgan, who had intentionally made sure she wound up standing near Eirwen, have the other girl a cheery smile. "Good luck out there, okay?" She said brightly, good will practically pouring off of her, like some kind of manic pixie dream girl, whilst within her thoughts were beginning to focus on one thing... Revenge against the demons.

[ValidEmotions]

[[Let me know if I got anything wrong. I'll fix things where needed.]]

 

Antonio turned his head as a woman approached the group, welcoming the Saints and introducing herself as Mary Karone. Chief Mary briefly explained her role and that there was going to be some welcoming event later before instructing everyone to follow her. As they walked, he took note of the guards to either side of the group and, beyond them, the lush land of the island. To be fair, the amount of trees and smell of life reminded him of Mexico a bit. It was certainly a welcoming experience when compared to the polluted stench of humanity's cities.

 

As they passed through the gates that gave them entry to the impressive school, Antonio gawked in awe at the structure, his footsteps slightly clapping against the hallway floor. A bright voice interrupted his staring and the boy refocused his gaze on the source of the voice. Sonia Mao? A singer? That was... That was unexpected really. Why? Saints were random teens all across the globe, right? So, why was it a surprise that some celebrity happened to be one?

 

He shook his head, listening to the introductions of Miss Mao and Mr. Katayama, followed promptly by Chief Mary's explanation of their roles. Then, she was instructing them about their combat tests and the drones, how they were to subdue and not destroy. Simple enough. Or, so Antonio thought until Chief Mary said it wouldn't be.

 

Rubbing his face briefly, Antonio sighed and rolled his shoulders back, effectively popping the top of his spine. That felt good. When given the all clear, he started for the closest room available, curling his fingers around the cool metal of the doorknob. Easing it open, he took a peek inside, greeted by a simple and plain room. At the far end hovered a strange looking drone.

 

Antonio hesitated, glancing over his shoulder towards the rest. Other students were finding rooms to test in and the instructors watched them. Looking into the room again, he pressed his lips into a thin line and stepped inside, letting the door close behind him.

 

~~~~

 

This was going to be interesting....

 

Thel worried his lower lip, staring at the drone across the room. Tentatively, he took a step forward, wondering when the thing might do something. It didn't seem like it was even on at the moment. Maybe Miss Karone needed to push a button or pull a lever to get the test started? It was a likely enough reason.

 

Except, when he was about at the center of the room, a series of lights flickered across the top of the drone, a whirring sound beginning to reach his ears as if someone had turned on a fan. Swallowing, he mumbled a few words under his breath, searching for reassurance. He wasn't fighting any sort of demon and this wasn't a life or death situation. It was just a simple test with just a simple drone. Not too frightening.

 

A hiss came from the machinery, much like air being released into or out of an air-lock. The pointed bottom of the drone split down the middle and began to spread apart, creating a pair of "legs" for the thing. Thel tilted his head, watching anxiously.

 

Then it started running, charging at him with its top spinning.

 

Yelping in surprise, Thel darted left, hurrying out of the drone's way before it could collide into him.

 

~~~~

 

Latoya wasn't much for fighting, even if it was just a test. Dodging the drone that rushed at her, she balled her fists and thought of what she could possibly do. Well, the simplest route was to just bash the thing, right? But, she hadn't really tested out her abilities after discovering she was a Saint. Maybe, if she just started hitting the thing, her powers would kick in? Yeah, that would likely be the case.

 

Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, she paused before running at the drone when it came back for a second pass. Pulling back her fist, she punched at the piece of metal working. For a brief second, there was stillness. However, that pause was interrupted as she whimpered, pulling her hand away and shaking it. "Ouch! Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch!"

 

Blinking back tears, she rubbed at her eyes and nursed her offended hand. The drone slammed into her side and she stumbled, shouting in shock as she hit the ground ungracefully.

Edited January 29, 2015 by Narvix

[Millennium07]

((That's great Narvix! Exactly what I had in mind, from the island being green and full of life, to his the drones behave! ^-^))

[Thaelasan]

Verick felt torn.

Sonia Mao.

Sonia. Mao.

Sonia. MAO.

SONIA. MAO.

Immediately, he began to shake anxiously. Though he didn't normally pay attention to vocalists or... pretty much anything other than Rose - especially women - he had heard songs by this beloved idol several times in his existence. He had admittedly enjoyed them.

And now, standing before him, was not only her, but she was going to be working with them?

Nervously, he shifted from foot to foot. He couldn't show Rose. He couldn't...

"Verick."

Verick immediately stood at attention, trying hard to avoid her gaze.

"Verick."

He swallowed, turning his head slightly.

"Yes, my princess?" he asked.

"Are you perhaps... attracted to that woman?" she confronted him, pointing at Sonia slightly.

"Not at all." Verick assured, holding up his hands in surrender.

"Is that so?" she rubbed her chin slightly. "The ring says otherwise...."

"Admittedly..." he sighed. "I know her... and.. I kinda like her... but definitely not as much as you. I swear. Besides, would I ever leave you?"

"No." Rose agreed. "No. You wouldn't."

"Any... Anyway.." Verick said, trying to change the subject. "We should probably begin our test."

"You mean your test. Your individual test."

Mr. Fenson stood behind the pair, adjusting his glasses.

"I thought you said we wouldn't be separated." Rose said, turning slightly, irritated.

"You won't. Your rooms will be adjacent. But this is an individual test." Mr. Fenson frowned, checking his tablet. "I can personally assure you, however, that this is only one of a few moments - if at all - you will be separated during the course of your stay here."

"Is that so?" Rose said, adjusting her own glasses as sort of a mocking gesture. "Then what should we expect?"

"Exactly what Ms. Iori.. or rather, Ms. Mao.. said you should expect... drones. Simple robots. But you are not allowed to cause terminal damage to them. Which of you shall be going first?"

Verick turned to Rose. She returned the motion. They stared at each other for a long while.

"I'll do it." Verick finally said, Rose nodding.

"Don't ... don't fail." she stated firmly. "Do it for me."

"I would never lose while you depended upon me." Verick grinned. "It wouldn't be heroic, would it?"

She smiled faintly and turned, following Mr. Fenson's directions to an empty room next to one he pointed at for Verick. Verick gave a motion of acceptance, placed the bags he was holding near the door and entered the room, the door closing firmly behind him. Rose entered hers as well, the two giving each other a parting glance before beginning.

 

------

 

"Test number 4 is commencing now." a robotic voice issued from a speaker above him.

"Sounds fine..." Verick cracked his knuckles. He wasn't a stranger to pain, or fighting. For many years, he'd had to protect himself and Rose from those who would try to use her, or him. He still had a few scars from those many conflicts.

He rubbed his ring from Rose fondly, feeling her hope for him welling inside him. He'd be damned if he made her watch him lose a simple test to a robot. After all, soon they'd be fighting demons and lords of hell, from what he understood. If he couldn't handle a machine built by people, how could he handle fiery beasts from the underworld?

Soon, a whirring noise accompanied the movement of a small, mechanized thing that came out of an opening opposite him. It entered, stopping when it reached the center of the room.

Verick frowned, confused. For a long moment, there was nothing but silence as Verick stared expectantly at the robotic creation.

Then, soon, from the depths of it came two, elongated, levitating legs, propelling it forward as it began to quickly shoot towards him. Quickly, he stood his ground and held out both hands, grasping the contraption. He slid backward with it, ramming against the door. The thrust of the thing kept going, threatening to crush him.

Grunting, he moved slightly with his right foot, releasing the thing so that it slammed itself into the wall. It seemed disoriented, but quickly put itself upright, spinning back around while Verick got back to his feet.

"Damn!" Verick swore, rolling aside as it shot past him again. The thing was fast, moving at almost 60 mph when revved fully. It had hit him almost like a small car when he'd been slammed. His arms were still numb.

As it rolled past him again, he frowned, charging at it. He grabbed both sides of it again, standing firmly. It tried to drag him with it as it pulled him to the right but he continued to restrain it as best he could. If he lost his footing, it'd be over. It fired darts into his flesh as he stood there, grasping it. He ignored it as best he could, using his increased pain and fury to hold it even more firmly.

It made noises as he held it, beginning to slow down. The gears within it began to whir in rebelliousness as it tried to break free of his grasp. But he continued to force it, dragging it backward.

"No.. not here... Not yet.." Verick grunted at the thing, as though it could understand. "I don't care what happens now... but you are all that is standing between me... and a life with Rose.. A life.. with my beloved..."

He grasped the robot with all of his force and ran the opposite way with it, each step taxing him. The beast began to smoke now, the gears within resisting with every movement. Verick continued to move with it, furious.

This drone was standing between him and his existence as a hero with Rose. The dream he'd had since he was young. No mechanization of humanity would stop him from achieving it - not now.. not ever.

He pulled the drone over to the wall and flipped it, slamming it into the wall and holding it down. Anger welled within him yet again as he held the mechanization down. It whirred angrily, trying to stand to its feet. It would not stay down, kicking with the metal legs that allowed it to levitate and avoid friction.

He grabbed them both, pinning them with his right hand. His abdomen and chest were painful now, where the thing had kicked him multiple times. But he wasn't done. He pinned it, holding it down with all the energy he had.

For a long moment, the two were suspended in a struggle, Verick grappling the robot to the ground, pressing him against the wall. It continued to whine, struggling with him, seemingly furious with his actions.

It began to spin as hard as it could, trying to break free of his grasp. He released the spinning part before it broke his hand with the force and instead grabbed the legs with both hands, holding on as hard as he could. He put all his weight on the machine.

Finally, after a long moment that seemed like eternity, it surrender, the spinning slowly coming to a halt.

"Test completed. Timed at 6 minutes, 37 seconds." the voice chimed. Verick slowly released the drone. It stood to its full height and seemingly bowed. It then began to roll back toward where it came, whirring pleasantly.

Verick coughed. He leaned over, placing his hands on his legs as sweat dripped from his face. All of the pain was hitting him now that he was allowed to relax. His chest, stomach, and arms were sore and shaking. His hands were slightly rugburned from the spinning of the creature as he had held it. He blew on them, his breath labored.

But Rose... Rose.. he couldn't let Rose do this. She couldn't fight this kind of thing. How would she...?

He pushed his fingers through his hair, trying hard to steady his breathing. He wanted to lay his head in Rose's lap and close his eyes while she read one of her books to him like she had done for all these years.. when they were together, and it was nice outside. Stories of heroes. Of legends. Of men and women who rose to meet the trials and tribulations of the world. Who stared death in the face and laughed or spat, refusing to allow his grasp to take them without a fight.

Those who looked at the sky and saw no clouds. Those who had firm hope in their hearts that the world they saved was worth saving, and it would become better for their actions.

And if they were to see him like this... if Rose...

He stood to his full height immediately, mustering a smile as he waved as the camera far above him. He wouldn't let her know the pain he was feeling. Never. To him, to show her suffering, to show her grief, to show her misery, or to show her pain... that was tantamount to blasphemy. It was a taboo. Because if he showed her those things, she felt them too...

And it tore him apart.

He stepped to the door, holding his left arm with his right, trying to pop it back into place. The drone had almost pulled it out of its socket when he had grabbed it. When he opened the door to exit, he stumbled - into Rose's arms.

"You were too brash again." she muttered.

For a long moment, he stood there, her arms supporting him as he tried to regain his breath.

"How'd yours go?" he asked after a long moment. She chuckled.

"I want a nap.." she finally said. "But..."

"You do know you can simply watch the recording of her fight over here, correct?" Mr. Fenson asked, gesturing to a nearby area with screens. "It should be playing now in her section."

Curious, Verick headed over there with their bags in hand, Rose leaning on him, half-asleep.

 

-----

 

Rose entered, frowning. Her hand was on her hip, her face annoyed. She stood still for a long moment as the drone entered the room, moving to the center.

"Test number 6 is commencing now." the familiar voice said from the speaker. Rose shrugged as the drone stared at her.

And continued to stare.

For a long moment, as it had with Verick, she stared at the drone coldly. It made no move to assault her or fight back. Then, as it had before, the thing transformed, propelling forward as it dashed at her at full speed.

"Rose..?" he asked, curious. Mr. Fenson nodded from behind him.

"It's quite interesting how close you both are." Mr. Fenson commented. "Fascinating, really. It reminds me of Mao's bond with her previous lover before..."

He trailed off, coughing. Verick looked at him with a vexed eye.

"Not to worry. What happened to them was fairly rare... You may hear the story later. But rest assured - the drone couldn't kill or hurt you or Rose seriously. You may have noticed that all parts of the drone are dull, and it is programmed to halt actions when the person would take fatal damage. Of course, this counts as a failure."

Verick turned back to the screen while Mr. Fenson continued to speak.

"They're marvelous, really." he said with approval. "They're hardy and powerful. They're actually derivatives of machines that we use against the demons in order to keep them somewhat at bay. The originals are - of course - deadly and far more efficient."

"Mao was a Light Saint, wasn't she?" Verick asked.

"You can ask her yourself." Mr. Fenson said. "I find that more polite."

 

----

 

As the thing flew at her again, Rose yet again moved similar to Verick, but slower. Her rolls were less agile, though still suitable. What really hurt her now was that she was feeling lethargic again. If she didn't hurry...

Her body rebelled as she rolled again, allowing the drone to hit the wall. But, that didn't phase it. It merely bumped off and reflected, coming back towards her and gaining speed. She fell backward, stumbling, as it passed again. All she could do was dodge. How could she stop it, she didn't know.

She slid by it again as it passed by. A neverending game of tag that continued to go back and forth. The machine showed no signs of relenting, but Rose was quickly becoming exhausted. She desperately needed to sleep. Her body was fighting against her. It was as though she was in a dream. Her thoughts were hazy.

As the recording continued, Verick began to feel for Rose. He watched in anticipation as she fluidly moved and dodged several of the drone's passes and projectile fire before it finally crashed into the wall, unmoving.

"She won." Mr. Fenson said, pleased. "And in a very 'watery' way. She used her stumbling to confuse the robot into slamming itself into the wall... Which is quite interesting. Rather than force, she used finesse. Fitting of a Water Saint."

Verick immediately turned to Rose, who was half-asleep beside him, and hugged her proudly, lifting her a bit off the ground.

For a good while they stood like this, Mr. Fenson turning away respectfully to look at his tablet, marking Rose's name off.

"Verick." Rose's voice was muffled.

"Hmm?" Verick replied.

"You smell of sweat. Could this wait until we get cleaned?" Rose asked.

"Oh. Yeah." Verick said, releasing her quickly. She brushed herself off and adjusted her hair.

"Well, that doesn't mean I'm not grateful.. but were you that worried?" she asked, yawning.

"But you looked like you were going to faint again.."

"I was." Rose said, rubbing her eyes a bit, her glasses in her right hand. "Very. But I noticed that the robot was having a hard time trying to hit me because of it. So I went with it. It was quite simple."

"But.."

"Verick you keep saying that and I don't like it. Don't say it anymore in my presence." she stated, crossing her arms. "At least, not when it comes to things I say are possible. I thought you had faith in me.."

"I do!" Verick said.

"Then show it, rather than say it. I'll try as hard as you are to keep us together. And if you can do something, then I will try to find a way to do it as well. Isn't that how we've always been?"

"Yes." Verick responded firmly. "You're right. That's how we'll always be, too."

She smiled lightly, grabbing her bag with her right hand and looping it back over her shoulder.

"Oh, and Verick..." she began, holding out a hand.

Verick reached out to grab it. She quickly placed it on his shoulder, watching him with displeasure as he winced.

"This... don't hide this from me." she said quietly. "Let me share it. It hurts me more to watch you suffer quietly than for you to lean on me... If we're.. if we're going to be in more danger.. then show me where it hurts.. and I'll help you as best I can. I promise you that. Always."

Verick rubbed his arm, ashamed, as she moved her hand away. She then grabbed his hand in her own, holding it firmly.

"Now, let's find a place where I can rest.. I really am tired.. and you don't look much better." she joked.

"There are benches for those who have completed their tests over there." Mr. Fenson pointed to the far side of the area, facing the screens. "If that will do. If you will excuse me, I have other children to handle as well.."

With that, he headed off, checking names off his tablet as he did so.

"I wonder what his story is." Verick commented as he and Rose headed towards the mentioned seating areas.

"Hmm?" Rose responded.

"Well.. it seems that he's got a neat past.. He seems to know a lot about relationships.. and such."

"He IS married."

"You're right about that."

"But, if you're curious, you should ask him yourself, later. For now, let's rest for as long as we can, before they make us start moving again."

 

---

 

Soon, Verick's eyes were closed as he was comfortably laying his head on Rose's lap, her own eyes the same as she had her head laid back, slumbering peacefully.

For now, to him, it felt like the past again.. if only for a while.. a brief while..

But he was sure, when they began the real conflict... these moments would be less likely.. for a long time.

 

(( Waiting for Kuro before I do Vanessa's. ))

 

EDIT: ((

)) Edited January 31, 2015 by Thaelasan

[ValidEmotions]

She was getting tired, feeling a little dizzy, and slightly battered.

 

Breathing heavily, Latoya brushed a strand of hair out of her face, dodging to the side as the drone flew past her once more. She hissed when something pierced her side, glancing down and pulling the dart out quickly. A throb of numbness emanated from the injection site, leaving her side feeling funny. Poking at the offended area disapprovingly, she glanced up at the drone and frowned. "Now, that's not very nice! Why must you shoot me with darts? What in the world is that all about?"

 

Of course, the drone didn't answer her, firing another dart that embedded in her shoulder. "Ouch!" Latoya cried, whimpering as her arm faintly grew numb. Knocking the dart away, she rubbed at her arm furiously and hurried out of the drone's path before it could slam into her.

 

"Okay! I've 'bout had enough of you!" she grumbled, eyes narrowed.

 

A tickling sensation entered her fingertips and legs, causing her to pause. Was this more of that numbing effect? Stun ammunition was something the instructors told them about but they hadn't explained all of their effects. However, there was doubt.

 

It felt familiar.

 

"Now I'm getting somewhere!" Latoya exclaimed, realizing what it was she felt.

 

Energy.

 

Shaking out her briefly numbed arm, she swallowed. Sweeping her arms back, she rushed at the drone, almost looking as if she might hit it with her head. The spinning top pointed at her in a similar fashion, both closing the gap between them. Suddenly, she skidded, angling her body in the opposite direction as she swung her arms forward and across, a wave of energy jumping from her body. The prickling sensation left her arms, manifesting into two tangible waves that raced towards the drone. The energy blasted into the contraption, hitting it back and sending it tumbling to the ground.

 

Latoya paused, standing straighter. “Oh… I hope I didn’t break it…,” she mumbled, watching it in worry. After a few heartbeats, the machine twitched, working itself back onto its “feet” before running at her again. With a huff, she slumped her shoulders briefly. “I was hoping to be done now,” she whined, flexing her fingers. Holding her arms out before her, she cupped her hands together, sucking in a breath as she brought her arms close to her chest. Her fingers tickled again and, grunting, she shoved her hands forward once more, feeling the mass of energy surge along her skin before firing from her hands and colliding with the drone.

 

She hesitated once more, watching and waiting. Suddenly, the drone got back up, its legs sealing together once more before drifting towards the far wall. The lights stopped blinking and Latoya frowned. Was that all? Did she pass? Waiting some moments longer, she finally stepped towards the door and exited the room. It felt like hours but only took some twenty or thirty minutes.

 

[[i'll be posting Thel and Antonio's next, one by one.]]

[Esko]

((Going to do Esko first, then wait some time while I think of a good fight sequence for Sasha. Please bear with me, I am pretty bad at fighting scenes... :| ))

 

Esko

 

Jump. Kick. Dodge. Repeat. That was what Esko thought as he fought the drone. He had more stealth then his sister. After all, Sasha was more of a melee fighter, and Esko focused more on stealth and strategy. Beating this drone without destroying it wouldn't be easy, but that was where strategy came in. Let's see...any weak points? How do I know if it is close to being subdued? Esko's mind worked as he continued his sequence. Jump. Kick. Dodge. Repeat. He thought he was fighting forever. Then, he noticed something. A little thing under the drone. Looks like a weak spot. He grinned. He dived, which resulted in getting a dart loosely stuck in his head. Sh*t. That might end badly. He found the spot and punched it, sending the drone into the wall. Did that do it?

The drone got up, this time slowly, and charged again. Esko simply kicked it. Is it over? Sure enough, the drone's legs sealed together again, and the lights shut off. How long was I in there?

Edited January 30, 2015 by Esko_the_Wolf

[Astrodeath311]

Atlas stepped into a dark room, alone. He looked around, examining his surroundings. Honestly, it looked like a room that only needed a light. He didn't see any switches around, but hung in the middle was a bulb. The man went over and screwed it in, momentarily blinded by the flash it gave off. But that flash had felt good.

 

Then it went out again. Somewhat odd, but Atlas was rejuvenated. He felt less tired than he had as he walked in. Then he realized why the bulb had been there. Something he'd missed in his first observation of the room, a solitary eye that hadn't been there before.

 

A machine voice said, clear as a bell, "Begin."

 

Atlas heard the unmistakable hum of machinery, and watched in horror as it rolled forward. It was easily a foot higher than him, wider and undoubtedly stronger in every aspect as well. The top began spinning, as it rolled forward, faster now.

 

He'd barely gotten out of the way in time. It practically flew forward, clipping him on the foot. Atlas had planned that, and even though it hurt, the force turned him about to face the beast.

 

The pair stared a moment, before each running forward. The drone stayed its course, but Atlas deviated. With a leap that could only be described as Herculean, Atlas flipped over the monster, blasting it in the back with a mighty kick.

 

It turned around, as angry as a machine could be. Atlas was, admittedly, in a bad situation. He could dodge to the right, but that was an easy way to lose the fight. He could also stay where he was, but he had a feeling the drone already formulated a plan for him.

 

But Atlas also had one. As it rushed forward, Atlas turned back to the wall, clambering up as high as he could, and as it came closer and closer, he flipped back, body control akin to Spiderman. Atlas laid his body out flat as he flew, pulling his legs up as soon as he could. The drone's head turned about as its body flew forward, hitting the wall with a great force. Tiny specks of dust fell from the ceiling, and Atlas tucked into a roll, coming up with a jump and a smile.

 

But still the drone came. It lowered its head, top spinning like a rotor blade, and rushing forward in the way that tracked beasts did.

 

Atlas stood there, like an entertainer facing down a bull. He'd have to move soon to avoid being crushed. "Soon... Just a bit closer... Now!" he said, energetically, then leaped to the right. But he fell hard on his right side, grunting as the wind had been knocked out of him. One of the the blades had smashed into him, and while it had assisted with getting him out of dodge, it had also hurt.

 

It turned over, rearing for another charge. But Atlas had an advantage that the machine did not. He'd seen the power box, tucked slyly underneath its backside.

 

He picked himself up, breaking into a dead run as it gave chase. Atlas reached the other side of the room, before performing the parkour maneuver once more, lowering himself almost onto the ground as its head shot around like a flash. He only had a moment to latch on, before all this had been a waste of time.

 

And he did. He even pulled out the supply. As it powered down, Atlas celebrated to himself. But something he didn't see coming was a wicked crack, as the last rotor, still going fast enough, had smacked him right in the side of the head.

 

This was enough to send him off the monster, but it wasn't quite of his own volition. He was slammed across the wall, hitting his head once more and falling to the ground, motionless.

 

The last thing those eyes saw before blackness, was that red eye winding down and going out.

[TehUltimateMage]

Flint slowly stood up straighter, aware of the weird looks some of the students were giving him. Now that it happened, he could only bear the resulting consequences with dignity: as if the incident never occurred in the first place and would never be mentioned again. On the other hand, he had the feeling that Vomit Boy might be a common nickname for him for the next few weeks.

 

Now that he got it out of his system, the Saint could finally take a moment to look around at the lush scenery of the island. For the first time since he stepped on the boat, he felt as excited as a kid on Christmas. It felt more like a tropical vacation rather than a school at first glance with the bright sun above, the many species of greenery he didn't recognize and the soft sand along the shore being touched by the waves. There wasn't much time to admire the scene, though, as the deputy head spoke up, commanding the attention of the crowd.

 

Having missed the briefing on deck, Flint was surprised to hear they would be having the combat tests so soon. Chief Mary was right -- now that he was feeling better, he was itching to burn some of his energy and stretch his limbs with something more than just a walking tour. He let himself be herded along with the others by guards from the school. It was a bit disconcerting to have them around to be honest; it kind of made Flint feel like they were prisoners for a split second. He banished the silly thought. Of course they wanted everyone to stay in the same place. Nothing worse than a hundred out-of-control teenagers in one place.

 

The building itself was impressive and like the first time through any new place, Flint thought it seemed like a maze as they were led through winding corridors to the training rooms. He hung towards the back of the group in a strategic attempt to be around people who hadn't seen him lose his breakfast, until the hall opened up to an industrial-looking room of steel and concrete in a sudden change of mood.

 

Ms. Iori's voice rang through the room. Or rather, a girl called Sonia Mao. Some idol he wasn't too invested in, Flint quickly concluded. The man beside her... He was a weapons specialist. That was many times more interesting. He was curious to see what those vice-thingamajigs were going to look like. He hoped it was something that looked cool and totally kicked butt.

 

He was snapped back to attention with the explanation of the battle test -- emphasis on subduing rather than destroying the training drones. Looks like he couldn't blow it to smithereens. That was the part Flint had trouble with. What a shame… At least Chief Mary assured them it wouldn't be a walk in the park. Flint cracked his knuckles, one by one. He patiently waited his turn, thinking about ways to outplay battle bot with a combination of eagerness and apprehension. He figured from the faces of everyone around him that they were all feeling the same way about the assessment.

 

And finally, after giving his credentials, he stepped into the nearest room.

 

~~~

((

.))

~~~

 

The door slid shut behind Flint. On the far end of the room was a single bot with blinking lights that began whirling and hovering the moment he reached the midpoint between it and the door. The saint watched it cautiously while reaching into his energy reserves, the power tingling at his fingertips. What was it going to do? He had played the scene out in his mind a few times, but even so, he wasn't sure how big the drone was or what were its capabilities. To be honest, he was expecting something...smaller. The machine towered over even him at over three meters tall, with its two claws that seemed too sharp for a training dummy. Flint had second doubts. Were they sure about this?

 

But there was no use questioning the safety of this test, now that he was here in front of it. Flint fully embraced the situation. Fighting was, to him, like the moment of meditation or hyperfocus he felt when he jumped from one rooftop to another, or when he rode a bike down a rocky hill at full speed, making minor adjustments to avoid slamming into trees. Thinking about his movements would only make him make mistakes; he knew he had to trust his reflexes and the adrenaline surging through his veins. Not to mention the powers bestowed on him as a Saint.

 

This was what he had been training for. No more time to think.

 

The drone charged with the help of its back thrusters, one of its claw-legs held forward to impale him. Flint parried it with his left forearm, his energy powers running from his feet to his hands like an electric tingle protecting his skin from getting cut. His energy shield then shifted to the offensive, coating his fist as he swung his body around and punched the bot with all his might.

 

The piece of scrap metal was stopped in its tracks, but was otherwise unfazed. Flint expected it to have taken more damage from that -- I mean, it should have at least dented the metal! In his split-second of shock, the drone had rushed again, smashing its head into Flint's chest and sending him flying backwards.

 

He was no stranger to pain. But he hadn't felt anything like this-- anything so strong, so invigorating since he got his holy mark.

 

And it excited him.

 

The young man tumbled and landed in a clump on the ground. The drone approached to finish him off, pointy bits gleaming, but Flint tumbled to the side and back onto his feet for a recovery that made his ribs ache. He charged, exchanging quick blows with the drone, leaping back to put some distance between them, then repeated the cycle. Again he ran over, this time sliding right under it and feeling the heat of its thrusters searing the top of his head before he came out the other side, battering it from behind.

 

He needed more power. Or at least, a different approach than what he was doing.

 

With a battle cry he met the the drone in a flying tackle in an attempt to wrestle it to the floor. Under his grip the robot shook and whirled and bucked like a wild horse that could fly, its thrusters pushing them both into the air in a flight path that neither of them controlled.

 

Flint held firm. He kicked the metal as hard as he could like a berserker, his strikes against it ringing through the empty room. He had no weapon, only the blunt force of his energy powers, and they just didn't seem to be enough. He shifted his weight, trying to bring the bot back onto the ground.

 

Searing pain suddenly shot up his arm. He let go of the drone's head, whose glowing eyes had just fired a laser, and fell the dozen feet the floor with a heavy thump. The Saint didn't move. He took a minute to regain his energy and banish the aches and bruises he was beginning to feel. He clenched his right hand, opening and closing it. It hurt, but all he had were superficial burns on his palm from getting fired at point-blank range. Seemed like the thing still had tricks in its metallic sleeves.

 

The more it made him hit the ground, the more he wanted to tear it it limb from limb. Forget the instructions! The thing deserved to be turned into scrap metal! Flint willed himself up again, his energy powers seeming to erupt from his head and his arms. He struggled onto his feet slower than usual, but when he did get up, he stood steady. He lifted his heels off the ground, light on the balls of his feet, anticipating the drone's next move.

 

When the bot fired again, this time with one of its claws morphed into a gatling gun, Flint was ready -- although he expected a laser, it was still a ranged attack. The saint jumped straight into the air, higher than any human, and let the bullets fly under him and plant themselves into the wall. He focused his energy on his feet again this time and instead of falling, he felt himself step on something solid yet invisible. It was one of the perks of a Saint's elementless powers: he created platforms that let him jump higher and higher, or the occasional energy wall he kicked off of to avoid another shower of darts. Nevertheless, some of the stun ammunition did strike him and numb his skin after a sharp sting, but it was nothing compared to his will to end the fight. The touched him, but he didn't feel them; or rather, he didn't care.

 

With a wrathful cry, he dispelled the energy platforms and dropped like a rock. He used the last of his energy in a final attack, diving straight for the robot head-first and slamming his hands into the metal.

 

The drone was forced to the ground in a deafening clatter.

 

A buzzer sounded in the distance. Flint barely heard it through the beating of his own heart and the air rushing through his lungs. He shivered. Were there more of them? There was a moment of silence before the voice spoke up. "…Six minutes and fourty-eight seconds."

 

Flint removed his fists from the drone's innards, his right hand throbbing because of the burn from earlier and both of his knuckles bleeding from trauma. He had pierced a hole into the thing's head, though he couldn't remember the details too clearly.

 

"I thought we made it clear that the objective was to subdue, not destroy, Mr. Albion."

 

He tried to rub the sweat off his brow with the back of his wrist, but it was just as wet. Man, yeah, he screwed up the test somehow, but couldn't they let him get a few minutes of sleep? Even though he had slept most of the way on the ship, Flint wanted nothing more than to take a long nap and sleep away the bruises on his body.

 

A sigh through the intercom. "Please report to my office after you are settled in." Sounded like Chief Mary, but through his sudden bout of dizziness, he wasn't sure. Never before had he used up so much of his energy in one go. He couldn't even stand up straight. Screw what they would say. Flint simply laid down and passed out from exhaustion right then and there.

Edited February 1, 2015 by TehUltimateMage

[Thaelasan]

Verick stared up at the ceiling of the arena in the academy, past Rose's sleeping face, and past all the obstacles that stood between him and the light that shone down from above.

 

Fire is not always cruel, you understand. The first fire, said to be given to man by Prometheus, was a gift, not a curse.

This fire was meant to be used however man saw fit to use it, whether it be the warmth of a home, or the destruction of a foe. Even the gods themselves coveted fire, which was said to be the second most-powerful element, the strongest being universe, the encompassing entity.

Fire is used as the wielder sees fit, the one who holds the power to form it from nothingness. It feeds upon the refuse that it is fed and yet shines brightly and flickers, giving a bounty to those who stare upon it.

But it cares not for what it burns. Always remember that fire is not always safe, and that holding it is a dangerous path. You choose what to do with it when you give it form.

Will you bring hell, or will you bring a light, a flickering sun of hope amongst the fires and ashes of a destroyed world?

Will you be a beacon, a shining, brilliant star of flame that protects and heals?

Or will you be an inferno, a destructive, uncontrolled force that decimates nations?

That choice, my son, determines what kind of man you are.

 

"Fire brings life...or takes it..." Verick thought quietly, his thoughts drifting as the aches of his body continued to pester him silently. He frowned, eyes flickering between closed and not.

Above him, Rose's sleeping face was peaceful, pleasant. She was completely asleep, vulnerable, yet she trusted him to watch her as she lay there. He'd always done that. Since they'd been young children.

He could remember now, clearly, the day he's seen her in the window, reading a book, on the second floor of her house. Her panes had been open slightly, so that she could get some air. He'd gone with Blake to get a ladder, and reach that second floor window, and meet this girl.

And so he had. As she lay there, he had open the window, and helped her sneak out, so they could play together. As young children, she had still been prone to fainting, so he'd normally end up carrying her tiny body home, back to her room.

When her parents had found out about her gallivanting, they'd locked the window and forbade her to go outside. But they had still found a way to sneak her out, whether with Vanessa's help, or another scheme.

As they'd gotten older, Verick had decided that his goal in life - his true destiny - was to keep this pearl of the ocean safe from the dark waters of the world. This light, brighter than the flames which he would (hopefully) soon wield. And he would wield them in her name, and for no one else.

He would be her fiery vanguard, her protector, her legionnaire. That was his purpose, his raison d'etre. Every morning he woke up was for her and her alone.

He grazed his fingers gently against her face, ignoring the sounds of the tests and the people chattering around them as they went about their business.

Her face moved slightly from the touch, then moved towards it, a slight smile moving onto her lips.

This is what he lived for. This sort of moment. He let his hand fall back down to his side, then turned back to the light with renewed motivation.

He would become like that light, and surpass it. He would be a testament to hope, to glory, to faith, and he would cull the shadows and evil of the world in a great, encompassing fire.

He would undergo the training. He would learn to master this power for what he needed it to become - a wall of living flame, a protective force that defended those who stood behind him and supported him.

His eyes began to close as he thought of this, his mind at peace. For now, he would enjoy these moments more than he had before.

He was sure, once they were upon the battlefield, put up against the demons which plagued humanity now, they would not be able to have these close moments as frequently as they could now.

This was a sad thought indeed.

[pudding]

She was starting to feel nervous. Alis crossed her arms over her chest as she stared up at the silver-haired woman addressing the crowd that had been herded off the boat. Maybe she just hadn't been paying attention but she hadn't heard that much about the combat tests. And honestly, she wasn't looking forward to that. From what she knew about the powers, they were supposed to manifest as some kind of element. There was fire, water, air and earth. But her powers never really did that. When the mark had first appeared and her parents had figured out what it meant, she had tried to do something. Anything. But something clearly was wrong with her technique because nothing remotely resembling an element appeared. And what was she supposed to do about that? Now she was being asked to fight something in an actual test when she couldn't even conjure up a flame…or something like that.

 

Moreover, what was she supposed to know about combat? Clearly not enough to subdue a drone. But everyone was taking the test and they were all just kids, like her. Maybe it would be easier than she was building it up to be. Either way, it didn't matter that much since there was an open door right in front of her. If this was a test, she needed to push her nervousness aside and just go in. So she took a deep breath, lifted her chin and walked inside.

 

The door slid shut behind her and Alis quickly turned her head to stare back in the direction she had come from. Okay. That wasn't mildly concerning. Turning forward again, she uncrossed her arms and awkwardly waited while a drone entered the room and moved towards the center. She watched it for a moment before the machine suddenly sprung to life again. Mechanical legs carried it quickly across the room while it's top spun around like a top. Alis hurled herself to the side, only managing to narrowly avoid the drone as it ran past her. She slid across the cold ground, scraping up her knees slightly but that was minimal compared to what would have happened if the drone had hit her. As the drone screeched to a halt, Alis climbed to her feet as quickly as possible and turned to face it. So was it like a bull fight or something? That was certainly what it seemed to be. But how was she supposed to disable a drone just by dodging it? Surely she would tire before it? And this was metal. There was no guarantee it would break enough to disable it even if she managed to get it to ram into walls by running past her.

 

Alis quickly bolted to the side as the drone ran at her again, this time skirting around the edges of the room to put some distance between her and the drone. But what other option did she have? The energy hadn't worked last time. Who was to say it would work now? She drew in a breath as the drone charged again, this time stepping to the side but not running away. As the drone rammed into the wall behind her, she quickly threw a punch at its back. Her fist bounced off with a loud clang and Alis quickly drew her hand back, cradling it.

Okay, that stung.

Bad idea.

She darted backwards quickly, trying to put more distance between her and the drone but it was quicker on the uptake this time and slammed into her. With a wheeze and a gasp for air, Alis hit the floor and slid across the ground a few inches, struggling to breathe. Okay, that really stung. The drone took a few steps backwards then charged again, much to Alis's shock. Where they trying to kill her? More than a few undesirable swears filled the air as she held out her hand to stop the drone-to do anything, turning her head away at the same time. This was clearly going to hurt. But instead of the drone plowing into her, her hand tingled.

Oh god, did the drone break it? She could remember cutting her hand open once on the lid to a can when she was younger and she hadn't actually felt it properly for a little while. It took a good hour for the pain to actually kick in and until that point, it was numb. Risking a look, she opened her eyes to find the drone whirring only a few feet in front of her. A bright, spear-like thing had skewered the drone's other leg, keeping it from advancing like it clearly wanted to. Her eyes followed the energy spear down, tracing it back to its source: her arm. Confusion filled her features as she looked at her arm from which the energy spear extended. But… what? This clearly wasn't natural but how had it managed to work? It hadn't worked when she tried on her own so she had no idea what to do with the energy spear coming from her arm. All she wanted to do was end this stupid fight!

The energy spear suddenly pulsed and extended further, tearing into the thin bar that connected the drone's hefty leg to it's main body. Without it's second leg to support it, the drone crashed to the ground and Alis scrambled backwards, the large energy spear fading from her arm. The drone whirred on the ground aggressively, still trying to attack her despite the fact it couldn't move very well. Looking around at the rest of the room, she frowned and slowly stood up, resting her hands on her scraped-up knees. "That counts, right?" she called out, waiting for something to happen. The drone couldn't attack her anymore so that was the end, right? Sure enough, the drone's struggling died down and the door slid open. Alis let out a loud sigh as she hobbled towards the door, her scraped up legs aching. She had gotten off pretty light, honestly. Although, she felt like she wanted to puke after the drone slammed into her gut. Pushing herself forward, she stepped through the doorway and hobbled outside before sitting down a few feet away from the door. Throwing up could very well happen. She felt sick.

[KuroKishi]

(( Apologies for the late reply. ))

 

A small smile appeared on Blake's face as he rushed past the people and followed Vanessa forward. He leaped off the dock's edge and somehow managed to land on both his feet without tumbling over and breaking not only his guitar, but also fragile items within the two bags he was carrying. With their quick pace, the two had gradually moved to the front row of students that were rapidly advancing toward the building. However, the two came to a sudden stop as a new figure appeared in front of them. One that seemed rather familiar.

"Mary Karone..." The young man mouthed as she introduced herself to the other students. So, this was the main figure of the Academy. He had read about her in the few Saints books that weren't kept in secret. All he knew about her, however, was that she had been a prodigy back when she could still use her element to fight. Now that he thought about it, information about these 'blessed' people was often scarce. It was a true rarity to find a book that was entirely about Saints, as most sources would be public speakings or quotes from books that often have a much, much different topic in mind.

Blake lifted his head up as he felt a nudge, then nodded softly and continued to follow Vanessa forward. Though he'd been lost in his thoughts yet again, he had picked up the part about their welcoming event, as well as the current activity in the list - combat practice. Slowly, the group of Saints approached a large building, built in the center of the island. A set of colossal gates swung open to allow the newcomers entry. This was the academy, and, well, it was truly awe-inspiring. He curiously observed the halls of the building as they entered it and waded through its corridors. Arches and columns that reminded him more of a cathedral than a modern building filled the many halls, but were suddenly replaced by a more rugged texture. At that moment, the young man lowered his head down and stared past the other students.

His eyes momentarily widened as he saw two new Saints, one of which he recognized - Sonia Mao. World-renowned musician prodigy that was revealed to be a rare Saint after her most important tour, during which she officially turned eighteen. He'd heard some of her songs and, well, they were quite nice. Of course, he preferred metal, but her serene, calming voice was also quite enjoyable. A quick glance toward Verick and Rose made the young man slightly smirk - it appeared that the former somehow liked the young singer. However, they soon quieted down, which made the young Saint turn back forward.

The other newcomer, however, was more interesting than the female singer. Kyouhei Katayama. Though Blake could only recall reading about this man once, he clearly remembered the details that were used to describe him. An exceptional Saint that shone through with his prowess in the creation of Vice gear, he had been described in the article as the 'Saint of Vice'. The young man felt a bit of excitement as thoughts spun around his head in an attempt to guess what his weapons would be. There were hundreds of options, because Saint energy could very well power anything that came to mind, as long as it was properly implemented - and he was sure that Kyouhei would have designed some magnificent pieces of equipment for the new Saints.

With the end of Chief Mary's words, however, one thing became apparent - it was time for the combat courses to take place. The trio went toward the side as the students' focus shfited to the wall that was once behind them, as well as the many doorways on it. Slowly, everyone approached and silently prepared for what was about to come. Then, one by one, the Saints entered the rooms and took up arms against whatever lay inside.

Silently, Blake turned toward Vanessa. He dropped both bags on the floor, then carefully took the case off his back and leaned it sideways next to his own sack. The young man approached the girl, then raised his arm and placed it on her shoulder.

"Good luck," He spoke out and softly smiled, then turned back forward. After quickly rolling back his shoulders and cracking his hands, he approached one of the unclaimed doors. He grasped the handle and stopped for a moment. So, this was to be his first confict... even if simulated, this would be the first moment he would make use of these newfound powers and training. Smirking slightly, Blake swung the door open and went inside.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Moments of silence passed by as the young Saint analyzed the room he was currently in. The length was bigger than the width, whilst the height went quite a bit over the average room's. A strange, dark material lined the walls and floor, formed together into segments that slightly reminded one of big tiles. The roof seemed to have the same texture, though he couldn't say for certain. Strange silver lines followed the paths made by the 'tiles', only to fade wherever two of the surfaces would meet. He could faintly hear the sound of high voltage, but it was too weak to really point out. Lastly, lone apparatuses lined each upper corner of the room and followed every single move that he made. Surveillance.

Blake immediately left his thoughts drift away as a new sound caught his attention. He noticed an indent on the floor somewhere opposite of him cause the tiles there to shift away. Slowly, they opened up to reveal a small compartment under the floor. A light humming sound resonated through the room as a lift brought something up and out of the cube. Finally, it emerged - a strange drone, made fully of metal. It had a main, disk-like shape, under which lied what appeared to be a main booster. Attached to the booster's sides were attached four appendiges that looked something like a spider's leg. Exhaust ports and different caps covered many of its segments, seeming to conceal either in-built boosters or offensive capability devices, such as weapons and scanners. What was expected to be around a meter at most was actually an almost three meter high behemoth. All in all, this truly seemed like a strange machine.

A loud, whirring sound came from the manmade drone as it seemed to activate, then momentarily detach the clamps that were holding it in place. Then, the thruster of the main body lit up and immediately made the thing hover a couple of inches off the ground. Seconds passed by as the lift sunk back into the cube, after which the tile plates slowly spread out and covered the entrance once again. Finally, after a minute, everything seemed to be in check.

"Commencing test number eleven. Go ahead, Mr. Cromwell." A male voice beckoned from somewhere within the room, momentarily drawing away the young man's attention. However, when the machine in front of him spun its central disk around, he quickly turned back to look at it, then prepared for combat. Blake gathered his breath as the machine engaged its full array of thrusters and used a few on the opposite side of his body to propel itself directly at the Saint. Three meters of metal flew at him as he quickly backed toward the door, as if panicked. However, when the machine lifted up a few inches more off the ground in anticipation of a leap-over flip, he immediately moved forward. Silently, he dashed toward it, then momentarily let himself slid onto the ground. By timing the rise of the machine, as well as its periodic main thruster stop so it wouldn't fly off into the ceiling, Blake managed to pass under the drone and let it slam into the place where the entrance had once been.

Immediately rising up after the move, the young Saint turned around and looked at the drone. It quickly recalibrated yet again, this time calcuating that it would be more probable to hit its opponent with ranged attacks. So, it came as a suprise when some of the ports on the side facing Blake opened up and started spewing a hail of darts.

"What the heck?!" He mouthed as he dashed toward the right in an attempt to lure their trajectory's change. Thankfully, the odds shone in his favor, as the machine attempted to compensate for his movement by moving its aim a few points in front of him. However, having reached the wall on his right, Blake instinctively ran along it. Then, he leaped off and over the rain of darts aimed at him, thus landing to the left side of the room instead.

Giving the robot no time to react to his actions, the young man dashed forward. Knowing that he was about to hit something akin to solid metal and carbon fibers, he instinctively steeled himself for the pain, then drove his right knee into the machine's central exhaust port. Moments passed by as the sound of the collision reverberated through the room, but it was soon silenced by a loud whirring sound.

Immediately pulling back his leg as the drone attempted to fire darts at him, Blake dashed forward, then placed a foot on one of the machine's appendages and used his newfound support to flip backward. Though he managed to avoid the brunt of the attack, a couple darts that were faster had dug into his skin near his arm joints. After landing, he immediately drew the objects from his arms, but could already feel how the area around his elbow went numb.

So far, he had lost a bit of the feeling in his arms and had hurt his kneecap, whilst the machine was only slightly troubled by his hit - the only effect of his attack was that the port was now smaller, forcing the drone to use the thruster more often to accomodate for the smaller nozzle size. This wouldn't work.

Go back to that time, Blake... focus on your energy... He silently thought to himself as time came to a crawl. The machine was charging at him again, but the moment it would take for it to reach him would be more than enough for a second of thinking. Blake silently turned to stare at his right hand as it slightly shook. He could feel something within him, but how was he to tap into it? There was-

Caught off guard by the sudden boost that the drone had used to quickly reach him, Blake's body momentarily slammed and then bounced off the room's left wall. The shock-absorbant material had been left with nary a scratch after the machine had collided within it, whilst the young Saint could barely feel his left shoulder. Grunting as pain flared out on the left side of his body, he shakily rose up and took a moment to gather his breath.

The drone was relentless, however, as it immediately moved for another attack. He heard gears tumble around and felt how the air toward his left shifted for a moment. That single moment was thankfully enough for him to escape the next attack from the metal behemoth as it slammed one of its appendages into the wall that had been pararrel to Blake's head.

A new feeling was apparent in the young Saint's eyes as he turned around to look at his opponent.

Anger.

He wished to end this thing. To completely remove it from this existence.

However, his order was to subdue it, so he knew there was to be some limit.

A single hit... that could stop it. A decisive blow.

Blake lifted his hand up as the machine recalculated and prepared for another move. This time, it seemed to be planning something spectacular. Sounds came from it as multiple ports swung open along its body. The exhausts immediately powered up and started to move it toward the young man, whilst the ones facing him started to fire off small shells. A torrent of metal balls flew toward him. However, instead of a solid reaction, the young man only grinned mischeviously.

The projectiles flying at him suddenly came to a halt as they slammed into an invisible forcefield. Bright, electricity-like energy sparked around as it trapped the pellets and dropped them on the floor. As the drone seemingly expended its ammunition, it decided to go directly through with its charge. The machine whirred loudly as its body started to spin around, whilst its boosters contined to speed it toward Blake. With its appendages chaotically twirling around and its shining center, the machine resembled a strange cyclone of metal and light.

However, instead of pulling aside, the young Saint merely smirked. He squeezed his hand into a ball, preparing for something truly impressive. First, he took a breath and prepared himself for the pain. Then, slowly, Blake moved toward the cyclone drone.

"Check..." He stated audibly as the metallic maelstrom approached him, then drew back his arm. Forming a fist with his hand, he came to a stop and dug his legs in. A powerful glow came from his fist, then coated his entire arm down to the elbow. Everything seemed to slow down for him as the machine came inches away from his face... and then, he slammed his hand forward. The powered fist went through the air like lighting as he delivered a powerful punch to the central exhaust of the machine, then detached its bottom portion with an almost clean, blade-like cut.

"...mate." Blake finished as the machine's appendage came to a crawl and then briefly touched his extended arm. For a few moments, the drone attempted to keep itself upright, but without a proper exhaust port, the hot gas was simply coming out and going everywhere. Unable to stay in the air because of the lack of a thermal port and a nozzle, the machine expended the reserves in its micro-boosters and then ungracefully fell on the ground. It attempted to stay up on its legs, but failed to do so and instead flipped to stand on a pair of its four appendages. The lights along its body dimmed down, indicating that it had given up.

"Test complete. A bit destructive, but it cannot move and its database is still relatively unharmed. The equivalent of an informant, shot in a limb to limit his escape capabilities but very much alive. Not bad." The male voice from earlier backoned as the tiles on the wall opposite of the door moved to reveal the exit. However, the young saint was merely left confused. How had he managed to use that power? At one point, he had truly thought that his hand would get caught in the spinning motion of the machine and his arm would be broken... but somehow, it all had come together.

Left with more questions than answers after his trial, Blake turned to look at his hand. The skin near the knuckes had parted and turned into open wounds, but somehow, the small channels and cracks that went along the surface were not bleeding. There was a ton of pain on a skeletal level, yes, but his wounds had been causterized. Maybe by the energy he had manifested?

"Mr. Cromwell?" The voice from somewhere within the room echoed out yet again, pulling Blake out of his thoughts. He silently nodded to himself, looked one last time at the broken machine and then proceeded to walk out of the room.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Blake quietly came out on the other side of the gauntlet, confusion evident in his expression. Although he was tired and both his left and right sides hurt, he was still concious, rational and physically capable. His gaze wandered along the wide arena room, then scoured the benches that had been lined opposite of the doors. Some were being used by people, others had unconcious bodies on them, and a third type was still empty. Sifting through the people that he could spot, Blake spotted Verick and Rose. Instinctively, he gathered his breath and approached them.

"Hey, Verick... how's Rose? Have you seen Vanessa?" The young man asked quietly in order to not wake up the sleeping female next to his friend. He worriedly turned his gaze toward the doors, then crossed his arms and continued to wait with the two lovers.

Edited February 2, 2015 by KuroKishi

[ValidEmotions]

It came at him again, propelled by boosters, with the intent of crushing him against the wall. Thel rolled out of its way, hurrying to his feet and to face the drone before it might try another pass. Except, ports opened from the back and darts fired from within. Surprised, he swept his arms downward in front of him and shielded himself from the brief barrage with a layer of energy.

 

The drone, however, got in a cheep shot.

 

As soon as the darts were done flying and Thel was dropping the barrier, the drone slammed into him, one of its metallic legs sweeping him aside and knocking him to the ground with a thud. Grunting, the young boy scrambled to his feet, moving away to put distance between himself and it. He could hear the thrusters powering up, giving the drone an added boost to it's speed.

 

Quickly, he whirled around and leapt, open hands finding the top of the drone. His elbows bent, muscles tensing and relaxing in his arms, as he pushed himself over the drone, flipping to land to its other side as it collided with the wall.

 

Clapping his hands together, Thel parted them and swept his arms outward before crouching, hitting his fists against the ground. Leaning forward, he swept his arms up and towards the drone, a rippling wave of energy racing from his body. Every inch of his flesh buzzed and tickled, his heart racing but his breathing steady as he remained focused.

 

The wave rushed beneath the drone as the contraption charged again, hitting the wall to be swept upward and back. It arched over the machine, crashing back to the ground in front of it, effectively trapping the drone in a sphere.

 

Thel grasped a beam of energy in his hands, hurrying forward to knock the drone away. The sound of smashing metal echoed in the room as it bounced across the ground and skidded into the wall. He held the beam like a baseball bat, watching as the drone picked itself back up. Ports slid open again, lasers darting forth from the sections.

 

With an upward sweep of his hand, the lasers were deflected by a barely visible shield of energy. Sliding his foot forward, he swept his other hand forward, causing a wave of energy to burst through the shield and slam into the drone. While it staggered and stumbled, Thel took another step forward, arms partially outstretched at his sides.

 

Breathing slowly, he spread his fingers and pushed his arms forward, causing spears of energy to launch from his finger tips and pierce thin areas of the drone, pinning it to the wall. Closing the gap quickly, he deflected more darts and lasers with another barrier, pulling one arm back as energy prickled along his skin. The hair on his skin stood on end as a sword-like beam of energy extended from his limb. With a thrust, he halted before the drone, the tip of the energy hovering just before the metal contraption, ready to slice the machine in two.

 

"Test completed. Time to complete: five minutes and thirteen seconds...."

 

Shaking out his arm, all traces of energy dissipated, leaving his skin crawling from the sensation. Brushing the back of his wrist against his forehead, Thel breathed deeply to slow his racing heartbeat as he left the room.