Comet of Magic
Part 1
<Town of Parry>
BRRRR... "Yeah!".... RRRRRRRIIIIING! Before the alarm clock can even stop ringing, the boy jumps out of his bed and stands up.
"Yes! This is it! I needed some excitement! Today is the day your life really begins, A..." The boy blinks in confusion. "Artemis! That's it! Oh, boy, I'm really excited." Artemis says calming down. "Well, I better get prepared for the day."
Artemis gets into the bathroom, brushes his teeth and all that stuff and dresses in his favorite clothes: Bluejeans, a T-shirt, sport shoes and headband with his initial A, which is very fitting for the occasion. He combs his black short hair back as usual. His brown eyes shimmer with enthusiasm. His tall 1.70 m and thin 62 Kg figure seems 100 % ready as he goes down the stairs.
"Em, are you preparing for something special today?" His mother asks later in the kitchen, noticing his mood. "Don't do strange things as your dad won't be back from his trip within two weeks, remember?"
"What? Oh well, I had to..." Artemis tries to quickly think of an excuse, but the phone rings in the process. Artemis himself answers it.
"Artemis? It's Steven. Will you be out to play some ball and to fix the field?"
And idea formed in Artemis' mind. "What? That some friends are going to camp in the woods and you want me to come?" He said aloud.
"What are you talking about Artemis? You know the woods isn't the best place to go in summer." Steven answered in confusion.
"Oh, well Steven I would go, but my mom doesn't want me to do anything strange." He continues making sure his mom is listening.
"Artemis did you get crazy? I said just go to the baseball camp!"
"Yes, I know it wouldn't be the same without me but you know how things are around here... I can't just save some excellent and educative excursion from total fail if that's against my mom's wishes of staying here doing nothing."
"Know what? I'll call you when you're normal." Steven hanged from the other side.
"I'm sorry. Well, we may have to wait 10 years or so for the next time we can do something like that..."
"Ok, ok, you can go..." Artemis' mom sighed.
"Wait! Yes I'm going Steven. What? A week? I guess. See you there then." Artemis hanged the phone to nobody. "Thanks mom. I'll see you in a week."
"I wasn't doing anything anyway... what? Aren’t you going to pack a change of clothes or do anything to get prepared?"
"Uh... no... they have everything ready... well, gotta go!"
"Bye, sweetie... Tell Steven's parents to call me as soon as possible... Kids today..."
Artemis rolled his eyes as the door closed behind him. "Okay. I need to get to the Earth City Ginalia, joining the other powers on the way... Well, Ginalia's on the other side of the country, I have no idea where the other "powers" are and in this time of the year there's no way out of Parry... hmmm, just a few potholes for... Artemis! The beholder of the A crystal!" As he said this, he took between his hands the pendant he had carefully hanged around his neck and it started glowing once again.
"Do you sense it?"
"Yes. The fool is just releasing the power of his crystal."
"Let's go get it."
Down the streets of the town Artemis walked. "If I get to Doblan there's a road that goes all the way down to Paramount City, from there surely I can get to Ginalia. If I can get out of the town..."
"Hey you!"
He turned to see a pair of male adults, dressed in elegant gray suits.
"Hand over that crystal!"
"What?" He assumed his best combat posture.
"Ok, if you want it the hard way..." Making sure no one was around, the men emitted a freaking chill. Their eyes became red and they grew huge fangs and claws.
"Yikes!" Artemis was surprised, but then got calmed and narrowed his eyes. "Very well, attack me and you'll now the might of one of the 26 powers!"
The two creatures started running towards him, growling.
Artemis placed his hands one against the other then moved his fingers apart and folded his fingers pushing the tips against the rest of the finger. "You'll have it... A Pendant Energy Blast!!!" He moved his hands forward concentrating on the massive force that would come out of them and...
Nothing happened. Artemis looked at his pendant worried. "Ok, we'll fix that later, now I'll defend myself with my karate!" He jumped forward, his hands straight as knifes... "Wait a minute! I don't know any martial arts!" One of the beasts was close enough and slashed his shirt on the arm with its claws. "AAAAAIIIEEEEEEEE!!!" Artemis turned away and ran as fast as he could.
The evil monsters followed closely. He dashed into an alley and began to go up a ramp to the top of a house, not being able to lose the monsters. Artemis sprinted on the roof when he spotted a five-feet-tall wall just in front of him. With the beasts beside him he couldn't turn back.
"Okay Artemis, you either do this or..." He closed his eyes, ran and jumped with all his might. The pendant shined. Artemis soared in the air, and when he landed, he was over the wall, in other floor. "Yes, I did it!" but there was no much time. As the monsters came closer, he kept running and didn't notice the crumpled woodboard he walked on. It collapsed and Artemis fell into the unknown.
Plaffff! Dust was lifted as something dropped on the boxes.
"What your think you're doing?" An Asian old-aged man said startled as he swung the door of the room open.
A hand appeared on the mess. "Sorry Mr. Makoto. You wouldn't believe it if I told you..." Artemis started getting up.
The elderly man seemed upset, but he got more and more surprised as Artemis freed himself from the boxes. "Wh... where did you get that Aura?"
"Aura? What are you talking about?"
"You don't know about it... Hmmm... You have so much magical energy that you couldn't hide it even if you tried. Come here."
Artemis stared at his pendant and followed the old man.
Mr. Makoto took a wooden circle with both hands and moved it in front of Artemis. He suddenly stopped at some point. "That crystal. Where did you get it?"
"The pendant? It just fell from the sky... it came in the meteorite. I thought it was powerless."
"It is."
"You just said I had lots of... Aura energy!"
"Indeed. This pendant does nothing more than unlock your own inner power. As long you think of it as a power source it will do nothing."
"Are you telling me magic really exists?"
"If you want to call it magic... every living person has different amounts of inner energy. This energy is very difficult to bring into the material world. The few ones who are able to do it, can have it always on their bodies, forming some kind of cape, an Aura."
"And I have it?"
"A great quantity. If you allow me, I can try to teach you how to bring it into this reality. Had you not found that pendant, you would have never known of this power."
Artemis remembered Luna and her words. "Yes. I want you to teach me how to use this power, please."
"I would not do as easily, but you seem to be the kind of person who will use it for good. With that help it should be easy." Mr. Makoto got near to Artemis and pointed closely at the pendant. Then, he moved it away and with the other hand he touched the center of Artemis' chest with the tips of his fingers. "You power resides here. Just try to pull it outward all that you can."
"Ok." Artemis closed his eyes and concentrated. "Outward... outward..." He unconsciously extended his arms and opened his legs, but not too much. He began to think of every hair of his body moving away. He exhaled and inhaled. All his muscles became tense... every single cell of his body began to push outward and... A white energy came out of his body surrounding him!
"Whoa!" Artemis jumped startled and the energy also darted upward. When it collided with the ceiling it caused a blast of air and the wind made all the papers in the room fly in disorder.
"Watch out what you do when you're charged!" The man got upset again, but then, a little ashamed, kept on. "Okay, now would you calm down and try it again? Your Aura will follow all your impulses."
Artemis nodded. He allowed his heart to return from pumping at about 200 beats per minute back to normal speed and tried again. Since he knew how to do it, it was easier. Again a white cloud covered his body. He tried to move, and he did very slowly. "Oh... this is strange... it's like walking in mud..."
Mr. Makoto gave the boy some time to get used to the aura. "Yours is an strong aura. A white, pure one. As I said, you can control your aura, make it move, place it on other objects, etc. Try it. You may help yourself with your hands or any other part of your body, but try to not to make sudden moves."
Artemis stood still. He looked at the objects in the room and concentrated in an old, rusted, half-burnt table. He waved his hands forward to it. The white cloud left his body and drifted on the air towards the table. As soon the aura touched it, it surrounded the table, but small blasts started happening on it. When they finished, all the dirty, burnt parts of the table had disappeared and the remaining part was very clean. The aura then vanished.
"What was that?"
"Your aura is one of goodness. Then, it will try to consume everything it's rotten, damaged or evil. It could be strong enough to handle all the blades of magic."
"Blades? Now what's that?"
"Have you heard of a two-bladed sword? Well, then magic is a six-bladed sword. There are six ways you can use your aura, your magical energy, to defend from your enemies. Seven, if you count an aura as pure as yours will attack evil by itself."
"They are like the magic types?"
"Yes, they could be called that also. They are called: Fire, Ice, Lightning, and Heal, Protect and Matter."
"And I can get all of them?"
"Calm down. First, you have to learn them slowly, one by one or your Aura won't be able to adapt. Second, I only understand the way Fire, Lightning and Heal work, so they're the only ones I could possibly teach you how to use. Pick one."
"Hmmm... Give me Fire."
"The burning blade of heat. Very well, think of your Aura as a flammable element. Just by the contact with the air, it may burst into flames any moment... and you have to shoot it at something at the same moment, or you'll burn yourself. Do it with care."
"All right." Artemis concluded that it would be easier if he relaxed and followed his impulses. Again he closed his eyes and brought his aura. He moved his arms around him so they met in front. Artemis concentrated on firing forwards and he could feel how did his aura indeed got together surrounding his hands and arms.
He then felt stuck. He noted no progress. Artemis opened his eyes a little, Mr. Makoto's face was expressionless and he didn't look like doing anything. Artemis didn't know what to do. He was in some way ashamed about what had happened earlier. He had decided to take it easy, heroes, if he was really to become one, weren't like the comics, or were they? Stuck now, there was nothing to lose...
Artemis suddenly extended his arm above. He closed his hand tightly like trapping the air "FIRE!" He, with quick moves, placed it against his chest with the other hand, then proceed to push forward as strongly and quickly, with all the excitement and force he could. "SHOOT!" A cell of light, and also of energy as he felt, came out of his chest, driving through red aura that had gathered around his hands, now that he looked at them. The blast acquired red color when arrived there and as soon it left his hands at astounding speed, it bursted into a ball of scarlet flame.
It struck the same table, which catched into flames. Mr. Makoto, with a badly concealed smirk, took a fire extinguisher that was surprisingly near and took the fire out.
"So what? Am not I astonishing?"
"For what I expected from you, yes."
Artemis wasn't sure of if to take the comment as an insult or a compliment. "And what's next?"
"Eager, huh? Do we have a mission or something?"
Artemis kept his mouth shut, but he knew his expression was revealing enough, at least to Mr. Makoto.
"Well, I have something interesting that I never tried..." He said while taking another box from who-knows-where and taking a pair of white, thick bracelets out of it.
"You're not going to make me these, are you?"
"Any world-saver would find them useful..." Artemis gave him a side sly look. "... Just try them on, whatever."
Artemis put them on; at least they didn't bother on the wrists. As nothing happened, he produced his aura, then started to try the fireball again, but Mr. Makoto hastily stopped him from doing so.
"I told you I never tried them. As there are few true supernatural things on our world, there are even more fake."
"Too bad..." Artemis started to take off the bracelets, but as he did so, he touched each one with the other. A small with spark was seen and then a white sphere materialized in front of him and hovered over the air.
Artemis opened his mouth, looking for a way to react to another of the strange events he had experienced too many times this day. He moved his arms and the sphere moved too. Artemis realized he could completely control the sphere easily. He then slammed it into the table several times breaking it into pieces with little effort. At the groggy look of Mr. Makoto, he moved his arms apart, even when they weren't touching anymore, and they ball vanished. "Looks like it did serve for something. Anything else?"
"Well, since you have been learning a lot of secrets, something more won't matter." He reached some small green and blue flasks from a shelf. He handed Artemis the green ones. "This is the most ancient healing potion I know. Drink it, and your wounds will quickly heal by themselves."
"That does exist? It would be very useful in a hospital..."
"Men of this time and place aren't ready for something like it. Plus, it does nothing more than speed the body's own regenerative process, it won't save anyone from a fatal wound." Artemis took that into mind. Mr. Makoto handed him the blue bottles. "To call forth your aura into this world, you need spiritual energy that in time may exhaust. This ether will replenish it."
"Thanks a lot." Artemis said sincerely as he pulled everything into his pockets, realizing how much Mr. Makoto was revealing to him. "So..."
"Have you ever noticed the Kanji on my door?"
"Kanji? These Japanese letters like the ones that are engraved in the bracelets?"
"Yes. These ones, for example," Mr. Makoto said grasping the bracelet on Artemis' hand, "read: the power of the human soul," then the other one, "brought onto the material world."
"Wait a sec. The sphere is made of Aura too? Will it drain me faster if I use it?"
"No. I told you, you have more aura that you could possibly use. It is made of your aura yes, but you're not using your energy to call it. You may use it freely."
"That is good. Now about the kanji," Artemis glanced back. "There’s a lot of them at the entrance."
"I know, but the one alone in a red square means wisdom. Whatever you're going, enter where you see one of them, and show the bracelets. They will help you. And... Good luck."
"Thanks... a lot." Artemis didn't know what to do to give thanks to the old man, but then noticed by his look that Mr. Makoto knew more about him than he showed, and that he would have liked to help Artemis more than he did.
The street seemed empty as usual in Parry's summers, aside from the two people in their elegant gray suits that Artemis had faced earlier. He had no time to react as the fiends turned to him at the same time. They smiled strangely and again their eyes, teeth and hands changed into gruesome forms.
Artemis took them by surprise. He tapped his bracelets and the white sphere formed, then rammed it into one of the monster's head with all his might. "Wha...???" the other exclaimed looking at his partner. Taking the distraction to his own benefit, Artemis swung the sphere around him as a chainball, then used the momentum to give a demolishing hit on the other enemy's head, making him bleed some black substance and apparently stunning him.
"You're dead kid." The first beast said and tried to punch Artemis in the stomach, but the last managed to move so he only hit his left shoulder. The monster's strength was awesome and Artemis almost felt the shoulder breaking. The boy changed plans and decided to summon his aura, much to the monster's amazement. He, with a smirk, waved his right arm against his foe and his aura followed.
The energy surrounded the monster and instantly a series of white sparks blasted over the figure. The creature groaned in pain. "He is burning me!!!" The dazed monster snapped out and kicked Artemis as he still pointed at the other one. The aura vanished and the sparks stopped with it. The monster fell into his knees indeed looking wore down.
Artemis couldn't help smiling a little though the pain. He applied his aura now against the other foe and he suffered in the same way for seconds until the aura vanished. But then one of the monsters slashed Artemis exactly in the chest making him cry as the blood sprouted, and the other walloped him with his knee in the same place, doubling his pain and probably breaking a rib.
The hero-to-be knew that kind of pattern would finish off with him in a few more attacks but noticed the logic of it. He found a zone on the beast's body where his attack seemed to leave a large wound. Artemis raised his right arm with determination and his aura showed, becoming red. He then with the same move brought his arms and to his chest, taking care of not touching where it hurted, and pushed with all his will at the monster he had chosen. "Fire!!!" A red blaze soared through the air and impacted the target exactly in the wound, spreading in all directions after the hit.
"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!" That monster cried, and it even seemed like he was holding his pain. But then his look changed, his eyes glowed bloody red with higher intensity and vapor floated out of his mouth. He just uttered "Die." and then a big, thick spike came out in the center of his chest. In succession, spikes protruded to the left of his chest, all around his left arm and when they reached his hand, a spike long enough to reach Artemis came out. Artemis backed up rapidly, but the monster did slice him on the leg having him to fall on his knee. Then spikes grew up also on his right side as the beast lost trace of humanity and shot another big spike from his hand, right towards Artemis, who was defenseless now.
A mist covered the street side to side in a fraction of second. The spike was lost in the fog and vanished. Then a wind seemed to blow, and smoke was seen parting of the monsters, in some way as if they were dissolving on the air. "Very well, Mike. You won this time but the boy will never get out of here." One of the fiends said. Both of them glanced at Artemis with pure hate and jumped high so Artemis lost their sight.
"Climb Mt. Panthey..." A male, but young voice, Artemis heard as a wind blew taking the mist as fast as it came. The boy thought before all in his wounds and drank one of the potions. He closed his eyes and drank it, he felt nothing else than a relieve on his pain. Artemis stood up and found himself with no wounds or distress other than scars on the slash wound on his chest. He counted the flasks, four green and three blue.
"Well, I ought to get to Doblan or just out of here in some way. I know that if I can manage to cross the southern woods I will find myself there. Or I can follow some strange, ghostly voice that I think saved my life but asks me to do something totally illogical as Mt. Panthey is to the north. And, that who-knows-what are going to stop me at any cost. What a good situation, uh?"
Saul:
Are you enjoying it? I like to think of "Comet of Magic" as it were an actual game, so the prologue would be kind of what you'd see before pressing Start. Now after starting the new game, in this point you could choose if to go to the woods or to the mountain.
I found a way to do that. You have to tell me what would you like to see and I'll make next part on that scenario. The one most asked I'll do. If I get a lot of both requests I'll make both and I'll find a way of posting them so people can choose. But so all that can be done mail me at esaulgd@telcel.net.ve (Come on! Just click on the link! If you're not connected it will send when you are! Yes, I'm talking to YOU! If you ARE reading this just do it! E-mails are free, go on!)