Nate Storms just left his camp for a few minutes for a stroll to a take a breather before he dived into his work. So, it came as a complete shock when he saw a boy tumbling down toward him from above. Luckily for Nate he was a charmer, a very strong one at that. He quickly manipulated the wind around the boy, so it would slow him down. Just as the boy came close to the ground, the wind around the boy had worked its magic. The boy stopped in mid air, a few feet above the ground, floating as the wind around him stopped him from sudden death.
Nate walked up to the boy who had his eyes closed tightly and coughed. The boy opened his eyes and a look of shock was plastered over his face. Nate wiped sweat off the boy's face and said. “Wah, that was a close one. You shouldn’t fall through the sky like that. It’s really bad manners to die in such a way” he said smiling, his pearly white teeth glistening in the night.
The boys eye widened in shock. “Who…who are you?” he asked looking from himself to Nate.
“I’m just a normal person out for a walk. But why are you falling from the sky?” Nate asked pointing upwards toward the clouds above the peaks.
“Wait, why am I not dead? And why am I floating? Wait, maybe I am dead, and you are a Shinigami?" The boy asked confused. The boy was Chace.
Nate laughed “You are really funny. Shinigami.” he choked on the word. “Who wants to be one of those boring old things. No, I am not a Shinigami.” He said finally stopping his laughter.
Chace starred at Nate. “If you aren’t a Shinigami. Then what are you?” he asked afraid. Afraid of the answer that he would get.
“Well, I’m just me. Not any one very important really.” Nate said. “Why are you falling from the sky?” he asked again. He was really curious. It was not every day that you meet a person falling from the sky.
“I was being chased.” Chace answered, his eyes wary from the long fall. It felt like a lifetime.
“Oh” Nate said seeing the boy for the first time. He wore very tattered clothing. There were rips and tears everywhere across his entire body. Shackles chained his ankles, wrist and even his neck. What could have happened to this boy? Was he a prisoner of some sort? He thought to himself.
“Why are you shackled?” Nate asked flinging the chains around Chace's ankle.
“Because I am a charmer” he answered sadly, his eyes sulking.
Nate raised his eye brow. “What kind of answer is that. Why would you be shackled because you are a charmer.” he asked perplexed. He really did not understand the logic behind this. He was a charmer and he was as free as a bird. Maybe not that free, but he was certainly no prisoner.
“That is the reason. Charmers are shunned by the kingdom. We are locked up the moment we are discovered” Chace explained. He was perplexed to. How could this boy not know basic knowledge?
“Oh, that is no good. Where exactly are we?” Nate asked. He really didn’t know. He and his people were sent here through a portal. He did not know what part of the continent he was on, or if he was still on the same continent. The boy was still speaking the same language as him, so perhaps they were still in the same continent.
“We are in Dright. Are you not from around here?” Chace asked skeptical about the boy identity. Yes, he was trying to get to the next kingdom, but there was no way they wouldn't know about Dright. Who was this boy?
“Dright? That is far. It’s all the way across the continent. I understand now. I’d heard Charmers were treated badly there. But I did not know it was to this extent. Let me have a look at these shackles.” He said pulling the Chace by the neck and peering down at his throat.
Their faces were so close together, Chace started to blush. “Huh, it can restrain a Charmers inner Chi. No wonder I don’t sense any Chi coming from you.” He said. Then he tapped the shackle and a strong force of electricity ran through the shackle. Suddenly it broke in half. Then he started ripping off the shackles from around Chace's wrist and ankles.
Chace hollered in shock. “You’re…you're a Charmer!” he yelled. He could not believe it. This boy standing in front of him was a Charmer. A free one at that. Wasn't this what he had dreamed all along? Finally, he'd met a Charmer who was free. He also just took his shackles off.
Nate laughed. “Of course, I am. What did you think I was?” he asked grinning pointing at Chace.
“I…I...” Chace was speechless. He should have guessed, the moment he'd met him. The boy had used some sort of magic to stop his fall. Shinigami, what the heck was he thinking. He was obviously a Charmer.
“Nate, stop playing with the boy and let him down already” said a girl's voice.
Nate jerked. Covering his eyes, he sighed. “Mar, you’re no fun. Why did you come looking for me?” He asked turning to face a girl who suddenly walked out from behind a tree. She looked to be about the same age as Nate. Her lush brown hair was braided into one long braid that hung down her left shoulders ending at her waist. She wore a pale green dress that seemed to shimmer in the night.
The girl looked over at the Nate and frowned. Then she pushed him aside and walked up to Chace. "Hi, I am Marlene. What is your name?" she asked smiling like the gentle sunshine.
Chace starred admiringly into the girl's eyes. They were an emerald green. It was not an eye color he'd seen very often. The girl was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. "I… I'm Chace. Chace Mettalum" he answered, his voice squeaky.
Marlene smiled, her smile could melt even the coldest of ice. "Nice to meet you Chace. I am Marlene Spirit, and this here is Nate Storms. You are from Dright huh?" she asked.
"Yes" Chace answered nodding his head.
"That is an awful place. I can't believe we are on Dright soil" She shook her head in disappointment.
"Actually, we are on the boarder of Dright." Chace answered still dazzled by Marlene's beauty.
Stolen novel; please report.
"Nate, let Chace down this instance" She ordered, looking sternly back at him.
"Okay, okay" said Nate waving his hands.
Chace suddenly found himself free once again. He fell to the ground. Dirt drifted up into the air as his body touched the rocks. Marlene coughed and helped Chace back on his feet. Chace wobbled as he stood. He found himself lost for strength. The ware on his legs from his escape finally caught up to him. The many aches and wounds over his body all started to throb. He groined and dropped back to the ground.
"Are you alright?" asked Marlene kneeling next to him. She was genuinely concerned.
"I…I don't think I can move for a while. I've been running for so long that I've acquired so many wounds. I don't think it will heal for a while" he said wincing from the pain. He took in a deep breath trying hard to withstand the throbbing.
Marlene pulled up Chace's pant legs, revealing deep gashes in his legs. Chace winced as Marlene placed her hands over his wounds. Then suddenly a white light started to glow from Marlene's palms and Chace's wounds started to heal.
Chace's jaw dropped. This was healing magic. Only Heal Charmers could perform it. He could not believe his eyes. This girl before him was a heal charmer. Not even the kingdom imprisoned heal Charmers. They were the only Charmers in the entire kingdom that were treated differently. He had always wished he was a heal charmer, instead of whatever he was. He did not even know what his charmer ability was. But he was sure it was not healing. In no time, all the wounds on his body closed up and he felt brand new once again. This was a feeling he has not felt for a very long time. It felt so good.
"Thank you." Chace said tears welling up in his eyes. This all felt like a dream, first Nate had taken off his shackles, now Marlene had healed him. This must be a dream. It was to good to be true. He never wanted to wake up if this was truely a dream.
"No problem, Chace" Marlene smiled. She stood up and turned to face Nate. "Nate, why did you leave the camp alone? Its dangerous out here." she admonished sternly pointing her finger at his forehead.
Nate chuckled, brushing her hand away. "Mar, if I hadn't gone for a walk, Chace here would have been dead. You wouldn't want him dead, would you?" he asked grinning.
Marlene crossed her arms, "No, I wouldn't. All life is important. But you should have at least told me where you were going" she said frowning.
"Alright, alright" Nate said jumping pass her and landing next to Chace. He held out his hand and lifted Chace up from the ground. "Chace do you want to join us?" he asked his smile infectious.
"Umm…yes" Chace answered. This was still so new, he did not know what else to say.
"Then its decided, we officially have a new member" Nate said pulling Chace across the rocks, leaving Marlene fuming from behind.
"Nate Storms! This is not over!" she yelled running after them.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
The bottom of the peaks was a place constantly shrouded in mysteries. Many have tried to explore the area, but None has ever lived to tell the tale of what was down here. Nate took Chace running across the jagged rocks of the peaks bottom until they reached a relatively flat area. The mist surrounding the area was less concentrated in this area. In the center of the area, a few men could be seen setting up tents. A bon fire was started with a cauldron hanging over. Two ladies stood over it, putting in carrots and all sorts of other foods.
Nate stopped in front of the camp. "Chace this is our camp. Welcome" he said spreading his arms out wide.
"Um… why are you guys here?" Chace asked finally breaking out of his daze.
"We are here to find something" he said.
"Nate, stop running" Marlene yelled from behind.
The people in the camp all looked up and over at Nate. They all shook their heads. When they discovered Chace. Their eyes grew perplexed, but they did not question his presence. They quickly all went back to work.
Chace was confused, these people didn't seem to care that Nate had bought back a stranger. What kind of people wouldn’t be curious about a stranger?
"Mar, you're to slow" Nate chuckled. His laughter echoing into the distance.
"Nate, I will kill you for this" Marlene threatened, breathing hard as she finally caught up to them.
"So, Chace how about it? Are you in?" Nate asked his face lit up into a grin.
"In?" Chace asked confused. "In for what?" Nate was not making sense.
"Never mind him" Marlene said rolling her eyes. "Chace, tell us about yourself?" she asked.
"I don't have much to tell." Chace said.
"Of course, you do" she said leading him into camp and sitting him down by a stone table. "So, how old are you? And why were you being chased? And how did you escape?" she asked.
"I am 16 this year. I think. I'm not to sure anymore. I've been imprisoned by the facility ever since I was discovered to be a charmer. I don't know for sure how many years have passed. I escaped the facility a few months ago when the skies were blackened. For some reason everything in the facility malfunctioned that day and I took the chance and ran. A few others also ran with me, but we've been separated ever since. I don't think any of them made it though. I survived through sheer luck. I don't even know how I made it here. The facility caught up me up on the bridge. I did not want to go back no matter what, so I jumped. That’s how I ended down here." he explained.
"This facility, what kind of a place is it?" asked Marlene.
"It’s a terrible place. The people there are awful. They are a group of scientists that studies Charmer abilities. There are close to 2000 Charmers imprisoned in the facility. Most can't survive through their first few years at the facility. The doctors, that’s what the lead scientist at the facility is called, has ways to strip a charmer of his abilities and put them in something called an item. These items can only be used once, but they can be very powerful. Luckily for me, the doctor had trouble stripping my powers away. That’s why I'm still alive to this day. But the doctor said that he was close to a break through. I really can't end up like all the others. I can't go back there" Chace said tears welling up in his eyes.
Marlene stroked her hands up and down Chace's back. "It's okay now. You are safe with us." She consoled.
"Yeah, you are safe with us. Forget the facility. They are now behind you. From now on, just worry about how to build your Charmer abilities up" Nate said cheerfully.
Chace looked up at him, "I…I don't know if I can live as a Charmer. I don't know anything about it at all."
"Don't worry, we can teach you. Give me your hands." She said holding out her left hand. Chace placed his hand over hers. "Do you know what a charmer is?" she asked.
"The doctors say that a Charmers ability is an abomination. That this power comes from the devil." Chace said his entire body shaking.
"No," Marlene said softly. "Close your eyes Chace" she said.
Chace closed his eyes.
"Chace, charmers are people of the gods. We are the people that have inherited the will of the gods. That is why we are born into this world. Long ago the gods fought in a war. The war shattered the world. In order for the world to be whole again, they sent down their children to the world and these children are the ancestors of the Charmers. That was a very long time ago. We Charmers are actually meant for greater things. We are destined to help save the world again. That is why we are here." she said.
"But, how do you know that is true?" Chace asked opening up his eyes.
"Chace there are things that all charmers can feel. This is one of them. Once you learn to touch the source. You will be able to feel our origins" she said smiling kindly.
"The source?" Chace asked.
"The source is the origin all charmer abilities. It is a place we can feel when we use our powers." She explained.
"How do I tap into the source?" Chace asked.
"Let your chi inside your body build up and when it has built up enough chi, your mind will touch the source. When the source is touched your true powers will awaken. " she explained.
"Chi? What is that?" he asked.
"Simple, let me show you" she said. Her hand started to glow once again. "Close your eyes"
Chace closed his eyes. Suddenly he felt a warm energy enter his body. It traveled through his veins, nerves, muscles, everything in his body until it reached his mind. The moment it touched his mind he felt a blinding blockade break. He screamed and lost consciousness.