5 years later
Terra's look had completely changed. She had long red hair. With her bangs being braided. The rest of her hair was a mess and was sticking up all over the place. She wore a black top like most of the other girls there. Leaving her midriff exposed. And she had long black pants as well. She had a ripped piece of her green tunic as a sort of scarf. Everyone was exhausted from the intense training of the day.
Stick: It's time for sparring. Who will go first?
Stick "looked" around at the many students in his class.
Stick: Terra, me and you.
Terra: *sigh*
Terra walked into the middle of the training field.
Stick: Show me what you got kid.
Terra and Stick circled around each other. Terra closed the gap between her and Stick slowly. She closed the gap with a step-side kick which Stick grabbed. He threw her on the ground. Terra fell on the ground and sprung up with a jumping kick. Stick dodged out of the way. Terra threw a flurry of well placed punches at Stick. Which he avoided. She hit Stick with a kick at the shin. Stick threw a punch at her face and she threw the punch off. She threw a front kick. Stick stepped back and punched her hard in her gut. She spun and went to nail Stick in the head. Stick caught her hand and sprained it. Terra fought on however. Stick threw a hook at her face and missed. Terra threw a punch at Sticks face but before she hit she was elbowed right in the chin and was knocked out cold on the ground. She woke right back up however and Stick helped her up.
Stick: Alright. Next up is Mina and Sae. Terra you get a 20k run.
Terra: Seriously?
Stick: Terra.
Terra: Okay, okay.
Terra started to run the huge perimeter of the field. She thought of the last 5 years. How she hates Stick for his abusive attitude but also loves him for saving her life. She thought about how, throughout the years she became even more skilled and strong all thanks to him.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
She ran and got back to her quarters. She was sweating and was exhausted from the long day. She felt her bed, ready to call it a day. She grabbed her Artemis book to settle down for the night. She got to the passage about Artemis's lost armor. This brought memories back to Terra.
"Carl: There is a relic out there. The Artemis Armor.
Terra: Really?
Carl: Yes. It's said that it's actually very close to us."
Terra: I wonder if the rumors are true.
Terra closed the book and went to bed. With a bunch of other mattresses being spread across the room. Everyone living in the dojo slept there. But she couldn't fall asleep. The image of the armor in the book coming back to her over and over. Eventually Terra got up and snuck out of the dojo. She was worried about what lurked in the dark. But that armor could help. She had her spear by her side. She looked at her book. It was said the armor laid in a cave. So Terra took off, looking for a cave of some sort.
???: Hey! What the hell are you doing ginger?
Terra turned around. It was Sae. Since she had arrived she worked closely with Stick.
Terra: Uh...I'm going hunting.
Sae: In the middle of the night? Don't lie to my face.
Sae had a dark green long coat over a black top. And had long sweatpants on. She had long white hair that looked as if it almost touched the ground. Like Terra, she wore no shoes.
Terra: I want to be ready for the morning.
Sae: If it's a simple hunt. Then I'll go with you.
Terra: Fine! I'm going to look for some sacred armor.
Sae: Why?
Terra: To...help me against the Hand.
Sae: I suppose if it's to help the Chaste then you are premitted. But I'm still going with you.
Terra started walking away. Sae followed.
Sae: I had no idea you were so dedicated to the Chaste. Almost like you're lying. You have other goals?
Terra: Why do you care?
Sae: So you do have ulterior motives?
Terra: My motive right now is to find the armor. You get to ask questions about me. So what's training with Stick so closely been like? You even sound like him.
Sae: I am a weapon. I am trained to be a weapon. The perfect weapon that will destroy the hand.
Terra: So what does that make me? A weapon too?
Sae laughed.
Sae: You are best compared to a confetti cannon. Weapon-wise.
Terra: Hey! Well you're best compared to a-
Sae: Shut it! Bushes! Now.
They both ducked into some bushes. Some of the MFI soldiers walked past. The same men that were riding in with Beck on motorcycles.
Soldier 1: Beck seriously thinks there's another organization operating out of here?
Soldier 2: Sometimes I wish it was anyone else in charge. Like the guy who controls the New York branch.
Soldier 3: This place is just creepy. Like that cave East. The weapon in there is said to be the weapon of a god. But Beck doesn't want us to go there.
Soldier 4: It's like he's scared of it.
Sae came out of the bushes and grabbed a guy by the face, pulled him back and stabbed him in the neck. Blood spilling out all over her. The soldiers took out small knives and lunges at Sae. One slashed at her face. She grabbed his arm and kneed him in the elbow. She took his knife out of his hand and stabbed him in both sides of the head with both of her knives. She kicked the last two men in the face and then jumped at them with her knives. Stabbing both of them in the chests. She wiped the blood off of her.
Sae: Thanks for helping, ginger.
Terra swallowed and got up off the ground.
Sae: Come on.
Terra: ...One of those guys said east. Maybe he's talking about the armor!
Sae: East it is. You didn't seem to like all that killing.
Terra: I mean, senseless killing is senseless killing. I mean killing is taking their life. All they were doing was walking by!
Sae: They said they were looking for the dojo,
Terra: I know, But I doubt they'd find it at night.
Sae: The sun's starting to come up. I bet they would've. It's just so fulfilling. To truly feel something like that.
Terra:...Now I see why Stick chose you to be his pupil.
Sae: Why would that be?
Terra: You're crazy to put it lightly.
Sae: If you weren't part of the Chaste. You might've been like one of those soldiers, ginger. The strong survive. That's why the only ones left are the MFI and the Chaste.
Terra: What is the MFI?
Sae: Meta/Mutant Facilities Incorporated. They make metas or mutants, lock them up. And more. There's a bunch of camps around the world.
Terra: They don't seem like good people. Why would they just burn down a random village?
Sae: You're still hung up about your village? It's been five years.
Terra: Look! There's a cave!
Sae: There's two. You take one. I'll take the other.
Terra went into one of the caves. She peeked into the cave. Only to see a pack of hounds around the armor. Terra took her spear out. All of the dogs jumped at her in sync. Terra was blown back by a big energy blast. She realized the dogs were gone. Like the poofed out of existence. She went back into the cave.
Terra was traveling through the woods. She got to a passage of trees. They all had scratches down them. Some that only an animal could've done.
She looked over and saw a giant inscription. It said "Cean was here"
Terra: Cean…?
A figure floated through the wall. And looked at Terra.
Terra: AHH! W-what the hell are you?!
???: Ah, I'm Cean. Did you not read my diabolical prank?
Terra: What?
Cean: My prank. Look it says "Cean was here."
Terra: Okay, okay. Just stop talking for a second.
Cean: Rude!
Terra: You are Cean. But what are you? Is this real?
Cean: To you and your puny mind, I'm a god.
Terra: A living god?! An olympian? YOU are an Olympian god?!
Cean: No. I'm much better than those people. Their assholes! Especially Artemis here.
Terra: Artemis is here?
Cean: No. But I like to imagine she is so I can yell insults at her.
Terra: I need this armor. It's for a cause.
Cean: What kind of cause?
Terra: I want to avenge my family. I want to hurt Beck.
Cean: Aren't you just...A girl?
Terra: Yeah. But I'm a skilled girl! And with that armor I could have the power to beat him!
Cean: Not my place. Take it. Try it on.
Terra lifted the armor off its pedestal. She put it on and it fitted to her. It was broken into multiple pieces. A helmet, a breastplate that went across her chest and a little into her upper chest, Wrist coverings, hip guards of some sort, kneepads and shinguards.
Cean: Looks like it was made for you.
Terra: Really?
Cean: Nah, it just fits to your body.
Sae came out of virtually nowhere and stood in front of Terra.
Sae: Ginger! You found the armor.
Terra: Yeah!
Sae: Let's go before it's morning time.
Terra: Okay.
A soldier's voice was heard in the distance.
Sae: Hide!
Sae and Terra hid in the cave. Cean had disappeared. Terra hoped and prayed they would just walk by. But alas, a soldier walked in. And Sae drew her knife and stabbed him in the side and got him in a chokehold. And snapped his neck. Two came in, Sae stabbed both of them in the necks. Then three. She stabbed two. But the third cried out. Calling all the soldiers in the area over.
Sae: Don't stand there! Do what you trained to do!
Sae tackled a couple soldiers and killed them swiftly. She got punched to the ground by another from behind. She threw a kunai straight into his neck. And then drew her sword. She started cutting through soldier after soldier.
Terra got attacked by a couple soldiers. She threw a one two punch. And nearly sent the soldier off the ground. She threw a kick and knocked one to the ground. She kicked him out cold. She turned and did a jump front kick. Sending one flying. She spun around and cut a couple soldiers across the chests. And then knocked them both out with the end of the spear. She realized there was something she always wanted to try in battle.
Terra: Sleap minos duinos!
A soldier that was running towards Terra fell on the ground. Asleep.
Terra: Is that all of them?
Sae: Terra. As the Chaste we're trained to kill.
Terra: *Sigh* I know.
Terra thought about Carl's words. To not kill innocents. With hate in her heart.
Terra: Killing so much like that. it hurts more people than you think Sae!
Sae: Do you expect me to care? Those are just soldiers.
Terra: Just soldiers?
Sae: You've been with the Chaste for five years. You know the rules.
Sae went over to a knocked out soldier and slit his neck.
Terra: Hey! He's defenseless! There's no reason!
Sae: Wouldn't want them spouting about us once they wake up.
She killed another. Terra got up and pushed her on the ground.
Terra: No! Leave them! They won't say anything!
Sae: ...Fine. Have it your way.
Sae got up and walked away.
Sae: Let's go back. Get a little sleep before morning.