Chapter 6
♀ ♋️ 29° 14' 🏠11
Maine jumps from tree to tree through the Forest of Orphans.
Bright sun. No clouds. Windy as hell. His green cloak flaps in the wind like a flag.
"Hmph!" He grunts.
He perches himself on top of one of the highest trees in the forest. The sun beats down on his skin. Warming it up like leftovers from Thanksgiving.
Looking out toward the horizon of the desert, some sand hits his skin. Bouncing off.
The sky darkens. Clouds rush and form together.
BOOM!
The thunder booms, and the lightning whips across the sky, striking the middle of the desert.
It begins to get chilly. Windier. Drier air. Quite odd. This came out of nowhere.
The clouds let out their tears. The rain comes and pours down.
Maine is just watching everything unfold. Like a monk.
"The desert let out its rain in the summertime. Something unusual is brewing in Drokeo Bay," Maine said.
A stream of hot, warm air hits Maine's neck. The hairs on the back of his head raise up. Goosebumps.
"Not as unusual as you here!" shouted an unknown voice.
It sounded…
REPTILIAN.
Maine jumps from the tree branch, catapulting himself into the rain.
Clothes dampen. Cloak starts to feel a little heavier.
The rain is coming down heavier now. It's creating puddles and lakes. Almost flooding areas around him.
"Maiden Style: Purity Shield!" He commanded.
Miranda envelopes his body, and he is safely inside her energy field.
The wind keeps howling like coyotes. Maine safely descends himself to the earth. Looks at his hand.
Pruned up.
"Damn it! I didn't want to get wet! Who the hell creeped up behind me!" shouted Maine.
Suddenly the rain stops. The clouds leave, and the sun comes back out.
He instantly dried up. It smelled like stale tap water outside. And that's no exaggeration.
"I just wanted to see you, Maine. The gifted Virgo born on September 6," said the figure.
Maine's eyes shot up in the air, and there was his adversary. It lowered itself to the ground.
"So I see you came to pay us visit. Tell me, Maine, what really brought you here. Someone of your caliber doesn't wander around these parts," it said.
Maine chuckles. Looks it up and down.
Pale skin. Komodo dragon eyes. Half his body covered in brown, yellowish-gray scales like he has vitiligo. 6 pack abs. Bushy brown hair.
It blows down.
Chirp. Chirp.
Miranda's energy fades away. Now it's just him and the beastly man face to face.
"My name is Emmit. Welcome to my habit and your grave. And just to sweeten the pot, I have help. Hahaha!" squealing Emmit as if he is a madman.
A hand by Emmit on his left side BLASTS through the ground. Hand flailing. Steam pours out.
The other hand pops out. Then, using both of its pushes itself up to the surface.
Head first. Eyes small, deep-set. Black.
"Eeeee!!" It shrieked.
Opening its mouth showing honey badger teeth. Starts choking.
"Ough. Ough!"
Grunts some more and breaks free from underground. Sand tumbles down its body like mini waterfalls.
It has pale and green skin. Long, flowing beautiful hair down the back. Brown hair with a grey streak in the middle.
It's a male.
Black, grey fur covering a prominent area of his body. Primarily the torso with the belly free of hair. Farmer build. Like he works in the corn fields all day. Unserious look.
"Hello, friend. My name is Micah the honey badger. Welcome to your impending doom," Micah said.
"How do you know me, reptile?" questioned Maine.
The light shined in Maine's eyes. Illuminating them. Emmit notices.
"How pretty. I've heard of orphans getting zodiac powers, and you just happen to be one of them. I was there when you got yours," said Emmit.
"Oh really." Maine reacted calmly.
His hands were tense. Now loose. The breeze feels cool against his wavy scalp.
"Oh yes, it was glorious. It was a treat watching. Now I want you all to myself," Emmit said slickly.
"The black man. You look delicious," said Micah.
"Uhh, we can use a DIFFERENT choice of words," replied Maine.
"Hahahahaha!!! You think I would listen to a bastard?! How dare you even try, you little…"
Micah spoke in a low, droning tone near the end.
Gets on all fours.
"Oooooh, look who's made the honey badger mad! Haha! You should've thought that one through, Virgo," Emmit said evilly.
Maine's expression, however, has not changed. He looks unamused.
He sighs real big. Mouth wide open, covering it with his hand trying to still have some manners.
Micah's eyes are BLOOD RED. His body consumed by fire. His fur, however, has not burned at all. He turns into a human-sized honey badger on all fours.
The heat waves warm Emmit's body like he drank hot chocolate during the winter. Sweat drips from Maine's forehead.
Down his cheek and in his mouth it goes.
"Hmmm. Salty. Just like you two are," replied Maine.
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!" Emmit screeched.
Micah digs his hands in the desert sand. Sand spurs pricking his fur. It's painless for him. Damn honey badgers.
Micah charges toward Maine.
He rears back his front two paws.
Maine smells death and rotting carcasses from previous animals in his breath.
His eyes wild, his very eyeballs are moving in a small circular motion. Green foam comes out of his mouth. Bare teeth now showing.
It's attack mode. Lets out his battle cry.
"Argh!!! It's time to die, orphan!" screamed Micah.
Maine smirks. Widens his eyes.
"How pathetic. An animalistic attack won't work on me. I thought y'all were somewhat knowledgeable, but the beasts must be put down as they are. Maiden Style: Virgin…" whispered Maine.
He spreads out his hands towards Micah. A little sand gets caught in his eye, but he is still standing still. Unwavering.
5 green-looking sun rays manifest, stretch, and twirl in the middle of his palm.
Chirp. Chirp. Chirp.
"The hell is that chirping sound?!!?" Emmit bellowed.
"The sound of your doom and your friends, but I won't kill you or your friend. I'll spare you both for a favor… but first…" said Maine.
His Virgo zodiac sign forms in the middle of his hand.
Covering a large portion.
"Virgin…" Maine whispered.
A large sparkling green ball with stars moving and dancing on the surface is in his palm.
The green sun rays continue to rotate like a clock behind the energy ball.
"Cannon!!" shouted Maine.
The beam shoots from his hand like a dam when it first breaks. First hitting Micah in his face, then quickly covering his body.
The desert ground shakes beneath them. It's so intense it looks like everything is being shaken up and jarred everywhere.
"Eeeeaghhh!! Nooo-hoho-nooo!" said Micah.
Micah is caught inside the beam. His fur begins to burn. Smoke emits from it. Maine smells some of his flesh cooking.
"Honey badgers are notorious for being resilient and resistant to many types of venom and stings. Ruthless predators. But your tenacity does not faze me," said Maine.
Woosh!
Micah is flying backwards in the air.
BOOM.
15 feet away he lands. Hitting the desert ground.
Barrel rolling.
Sand is being lifted into the air. He finally stops rolling after about 10 more feet.
Micah is quivering, shaking. Eyes now closed. Smoke from Maine's technique rises from his body.
The green light completely vanishes from his hand. Smoke is coming from his palm. He's not smiling.
Lowers his arm.
"Never smelled cooked honey badger before. Not interested, but probably tastes like chicken. Maybe the buzzards would like to have a feast," said Maine.
Emmit looks at Micah's seemingly lifeless body. Teeth chattering. Body trembling. Breathing heavily. Faster. Deeper.
Maine feels Emmit's anxiety in his heart.
"Don't worry, he's not dead. I want to recruit the two of you. This could all be so easy, don't you say?" says Maine as he shrugs his shoulders.
The desert sun heats up. More sunrays hit the ground. Maine turns a little darker.
"You-you-you…" said Emmit softly.
"Spit it out. If I wanted to be darker, I would live closer to the equator of Drokeo Bay," replied Maine coldly.
"HOW COULD YOU DO THAT!! I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD, MAINE RICE!!! I'LL MAKE SURE YOU MATCH YOUR SIGN AND YOU DIE AS WHAT YOU CAME HERE AS… A VIRGIN!!!" screamed Emmit.
"He wanted to attack me. I had to defend myself. But I don't answer questions. I guess you want the smoke too, don't you?" said Maine.
"Now you want to talk all cool. Those words will be your last."
Emmit stops shaking. He takes a knee hugging Micah. Places his right ear on his chest area. Feels a pulse in his ear.
Gets back up. Faces Maine. Brings palms together.
"Desert Style: Heat Mirage!" shouted Emmit.
The rays get brighter, bigger, and more intense. The desert sand is moving and getting hotter. Too hot to touch skin without burning it.
Steam forms in the air. It thickens. Covering all of the desert.
The air temperature drops. The fog is so thick now that nothing can be seen but the fog.
Light beams from the sun shine in the area between them.
Maine sees a visual of what looks like Emmit in front him.
"Cool," said Maine.
The real Emmit can't be seen. Multiple versions of Emmit appear surrounding Maine. Some appear to be floating in the air.
He only sees their silhouettes illuminated by the shining sun.
It's a cool 72 degrees now. Nice, fresh, crispy air.
Maine takes a deep inhale. His chest expanding.
Exhales.
"Maiden Style: Virgo Rising Eyes," said Maine.
Maine's irises begin to look like the surface of planet Mercury. The hue of them light grey, blue, tan, and orange.
Mercury's sigil forms in each of his irises.
The one in his left iris sits on the left side of it. It looks penciled in.
His right iris mirrors the one on the left.
In his pupils is his signature Virgo glyph. Dark black. Heavy lines.
Lastly, in his scleras Virgo glyphs form in both of them in both corners of his eyes.
They begin to rotate clockwise. Medium speed.
The Mercury ones rotate in the same direction but slightly slower.
Maine sees the copies of Emmit. Only one has fated points. Fated points are locations in an individual's body that are unique to them.
Once these areas are hit 3 times in succession with the Virgo Rising Eyes can be fatal. However, that depends on Maine.
"With these eyes I can predict your next move based on the slightest movement you make in your bones. I know all of your weaknesses, Emmit."
The wind begins to blow in his direction.
"Fire Element: Rings of Fire!" he shouted as he is hidden in the mirage.
Giant rings of fire come towards Maine like frisbees.
He is surrounded by them.
As each ring gets closer, they get increasingly bigger in size. Using the air and sunlight as extra fuel.
"Earth Element: Boulder Shield!" commanded Maine.
Sand around him rises up quickly in a circular shape.
Covering him, it hardens and solidifies. The fire rings begin to pound at the boulder.
Now inside the boulder, Maine is sweating although not profusely.
Plenty of room inside the boulder, he hears the rings making contact with it. Searing into the surface.
The boulder moves and jiggles a little bit but not much. Small rocks fall down from the ceiling.
Inside it gets hotter. Humidity rising. Feeling sticky on the inside.
Emmit watches from above. The original copy of him. The rings continue to grow in size the more they make contact with Maine's defense.
"He just won't give. Fine, I have something else up my sleeve. Komodo Instinct: Monitor Melee!"
Begins morphing into his Komodo Dragon form.
"Ahhhh yes! This is it! My holy Komodo form," said Emmit.
His human skin forms into orange-looking osteoderms. Komodo paws.
Flames of fire cover his long, curved nails.
Sticks out his forked tongue. Tastes the air. Locks his sight on the boulder.
"There he goes. All mine," said Emmit.
"Boulder, take the rings with you. Dwindle those flames," said Maine.
The boulder begins to expand as a balloon would with hot air.
It explodes, and the air is blowing 60 mph in all directions outward. Embers of fire, sand, and rock fly in all directions.
Emmit and his mirage copies brace themselves.
"Perfect. Guard down," said Emmit.
Emmit comes down from above like a falcon. Opening his mouth.
Barely misses taking a chunk out of Maine's forearms.
"Got you!" said Emmit.
Face to face with Maine, he lets out a flurry of punches, kicks, and tail whips.
Unfortunately for him, he can't get a hit or tail whip in cleanly. Whatever doesn't connect is evaded easily.
Emmit is getting winded. Maine's Virgo Rising Eyes are still in effect. Rotating.
Maine catches his forearm. Squeezes it extremely tight. Emmit laughs it off.
"How weak of you," replied Emmit, appearing to mock him.
"That's just a place holder," said Maine.
Eyes widen. The glyphs rotate faster.
Emmit's body looks like a silhouette. Maine sees one of his fated points.
A Virgo glyph on Emmit's chest. Large, black, and pulsating.
Opens his hand. Black Virgo symbol in the palm. Makes a tight fist. Light green energy covers his hand like a flame.
The starry quality is apparent and prominent.
"First blow. Sep!" shouted Maine.
He connects.
"ARGHHHH!!!" he screamed and groaned as green vomit shot out of his mouth like a fire hydrant.
"Tember!" said Maine.
Maine kicks him again in the same spot.
Emmit begins to choke.
"Ough. Ough."
"Earth Element: Sand Rope!" said Maine.
A rope made up entirely of desert sand and white beach sand forms in his right palm.
His light green energy coursing through and dancing on it like lightning.
Closes around his mouth. Sand floats in the air near his eyes and nose.
The sand rope tightens.
Maine reins Emmit in.
This time knee first.
"Six!!" said Maine.
"Hargh!!!" groaned Emmit.
The mirage disappears. Emmit tumbles on the ground. Ends belly up.
"Where did you get this power? How is someone this capable?!" questioned Emmit.
He coughs more clutching his chest area. A wheezing, burning sensation fills his throat as cough goes through the wrong pipe.
"Am I going to die?" Emmit thought.
"You and your friend were way too cocky. Those who want to use the sword shall die by their own devices. I will repay," said Maine.
Maine walks methodically to Emmit. Shoes kicking up sand. Scraping.
"Please don't kill me. I'll do anything!" he pleaded.
Puts his hands up.
"If I wanted you dead, I would've killed you already. That's not my mission. Did I not tell you I want to recruit the two of you prior?"
"Grrrrr…" growls Emmit.
"That is unless you don't want to be a coward and continue to fight me. I held back on that last blow to not take your life. Be thankful. Now about my offer…"
The sand rope dissolves into the desert.
"Fine," Emmit replied begrudgingly.
"Perfect. Just what I want to hear. Rising Eyes, descend," said Maine.
His eyes revert back to normal.
"How did you get so powerful? I must know," asked Emmit.
"It's not solely my power that gives me strength and fighting prowess, but also my wisdom. That's what sets me apart," replied Maine.
"Fine. I respect it. You beat us fair and square. What's next?" asked Emmit.
"Meet me at the heart of the Earth sector this evening. Near 7th Avenue South. Here's some drip for y'all. That's also to hide your appearance so the locals won't categorize you as an outsider," said Maine.
He holds out his hands and manifests two bright reddish-orange cloaks. Grains of sand are etched into the design.
A large symbol of a blue flame burns itself on the back of them.
Tosses one to Emmit.
Emmit gets up. Looks at it. Smiles.
He's really digging it, especially the inside of it. He smells it.
"This looks good, I can't lie. Especially the inside material. It's black and smooth. Not bad, Virgo. But why us?" asked Emmit.
Maine smiles.
"I want two mutant orphans raised by animals from birth from a hot climate, one made up of water, in the air, and in the forest. You two are a piece of the puzzle," said Maine.
"So you want 8 of us, huh? Emmit and I make 2. Mutant orphans? Interesting thinking. But your purpose is bigger. I can sense it."
"I want to help my sister achieve her destiny, but I want her tested and refined under fire. Right now she's weak. She will die at the enemies' hands," Maine said.
"I'm in. You have our respect. We'll see you," replied Emmit.
"Thanks. I appreciate that."
"Respect is usually never given without being respected. Most of the time you don't have to fight for respect. But I fought to get yours."
"Incredible insight into the mutant orphan kingdom. We don't show respect to humans unless we are beaten in battle. Job well done," said Emmit.
Maine tosses him the other cloak.
Emmit catches it.
Maine turns around.
Bends his knees and jumps back towards the forest.
The forest is 350 feet away.
"Maine Rice," thought Emmit.