Chaos Redemption

2

   Chase woke with a start, Tyler sitting in a chair beside the door, looked up from his phone. As Tyler stood-up, he clicked the screen of his phone off and slid it into his pocket. He moved the chair beside the bed and sat down and asked, "What do you remember?"

      Chase tried to remember as he rubbed the crust from his eyes. "I remember walking through the woods. Sudden pain in my chest, a giant pair of golden eyes. Waking up here, listening to you talk to Cole and Carter. You calling them something else, and Carter calling you Zhi. Then I wake up with you sitting guard," Chase said in a morning grumble. Tyler nodded in contemplation. Chase looked at his hands and asked his own question, "So why am I so important to you?" Tyler visibly tensed, Chase kept his eyes locked on his own hands.

     "It's complicated, but to put it simply. I've known you a lot longer than you remember," Tyler said in a distant tone. Chase felt a wave of power wash over him as he grew more frustrated with each passing moment. Suddenly Chase's hands curled into fists and he slammed them into his legs a large gust of wind shooting up his forearm and a minor tremor shook the room. Tyler seemed only mildly surprised by this responding only with, "Well at least we know what your element is." Tyler laughed sheepishly before explaining, "Okay, remember how yesterday we said we could control elements based on different factors? Well since your zodiac is a Capricorn you have earth from there, but your personal element apparently is wind..." Chase just looked at his now uncurled hands in awe.

     After Chase and Tyler had talked for a while they came to an agreement. Three days a week, Chase would practice with one of the other three unless they had to work that day or had something more important to do. Tyler would teach how to summon and contact spiritual allies, Carter would be teaching how to control and use elemental energies, while Cole would help with physical conditioning. The rest of the week would be free for Chase to do as he wished. Whether that be to go out, practice techniques, workout, or just relax and rest. Tyler going to tell the others of the plan, left Chase to spend the day as he saw fit. Chase, wanting to do something, pulled out his phone and found numerous messages from Amber. He knew she would have been upset about having not heard from him in so long.

     Remembering what he had muttered to himself the day before, Chase sent her a message saying, "Meet me outside the high school @2." She responded shortly after saying that she would see him then. A wide grin crossed Chase's face as he got up and went to his own house to clean up and put on fresh clothes. Wanting to have everything on hand for his plan, Chase had packed everything he would need into a decent-sized knapsack and set it just inside the front door as he locked it and went to meet Amber.

     Chase was raised to always arrive a little early, so while dazed leaning against the school fence, he didn't notice Amber walking up. Her long dark hair paired exquisitely with her short slender figure. Amber, having noticed his daze used the opportunity to leap upon her boyfriend saying in a harsh but playful tone, "Where have you been?" Chase staggered at Amber's surprise attack. She hung from his neck as he steadied himself. He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning down and planting a kiss on her forehead. Her face gained a gentle red hue before she asked, "So what are your devious plans for me tonight?"

     Chase laughed at her as he grabbed her hand in his and started walking. He gave her a lame excuse to hide where he had been and why he hadn't messaged her back. They walked for a while, as she told him different ideas she had about stories she thought would be interesting. Amber hadn't noticed that they were walking to his house until Chase pulled the key out of his pocket.

     "Wait here for a second," Chase said as he opened the front door and stepped in. She watched as he turned around and relocked the door before reaching down to grab the large bag.