The quiet static echoed from the bleachers. The few spectators that came to watch the meager sport of kickboxing were few, but enough to keep Dimitri's company afloat.
Locke Zemlya wiped blood from his split lip as he stared at the meager stack of rubles in his hand. Five hundred. Not even enough for this month's rent. The kickboxing hall was nearly empty now, just the janitor mopping up sweat and, possibly, some of Locke's blood from the mat.
"You fight good, Locke," his manager Dimitri said, lighting a cigarette. "But not good enough. Need to be great to make money in Russia."
Locke shoved the bills into his pocket. Three fights in one night and this was all he had to show for it. His ribs ached where his last opponent had landed a vicious roundhouse. At twenty-eight, he was already feeling too old for this life. Too battered, too poor, with too few prospects.
"Listen, I have friends in Bratva, you can use your strength to help them. What do you say?" Dimitri asked. Locke remained silent. He didn't want anything to do with drugs. "Think about it, call Peter if you do,"
Dimitri shoved a small business card with Peter's number on it, leaving Locke to do the rest. Dimitri walked into the shadows, disappearing from the night. Then, all but was left was silence and the stoic Locke Zemlya.
"I can't believe I'm doing this…" Locke mumbled, his hands shivering. He dialled the number and left the stadium.
--
Lynette Florange was a perfectionist. She was the type of girl that would worry excessively. She was a lovely girl with an insatiable charm, undeniable for many men. She giggled into the microphone, her eyes locked into the digital screen.
"Why are you laughing Lynn?" Jasper asked. Jasper Stenn was perhaps Lynn's best friend, perhaps even her girlfriend might say. They had been talking online for the last 3 hours.
"I just can't believe you're actually finally coming to France," Lynn said.
"Well, I can't keep someone like you waiting forever," Jasper replied. Jasper had lived in Germany his whole life and was ready to move to France to live with Lynn. He believed that Lynn was the perfect girl, her personality and attitude shining bright like the stars. She had just radiated the aura Jasper had been looking for all his life.
"Have you seen the news?" Jasper asked.
"No, why?" Lynn replied curiously.
"Well, apparently there's a bunch of like superhero typa-villains that have come to Earth…I can't believe it has come to this…" Jasper explained. Lynn was immediately caught towards what Jasper had said and began digging on the internet.
"Ooh! I didn't know. Let me see what I can find about it!" Lynn smiled. As she scrolled article to article, a consistent name kept appearing alongside a term that always accompanied it. The two words? ISID and Zodiacs.
"Speaking of Zodiacs Jasper, you're a Capricorn, right?" Lynn asked.
"Yeah, but more! I'm a special Capricorn you see? My sun, moon and rising sign are all capricorn!" Jasper explained. "And when researching your's, I found you are also quite fascinating!"
"Fascinating? Haha!" Lynn chuckled, slightly blushing.
"Yeah," Jasper began. "Your sun, moon and rising sign are all Virgo…Such a good match as well."
Lynn laughed, accidentally knocking over a vase behind her.
"Oh shit! I'll be right back," Lynn panicked, hearing the vase shatter. As she bent down to pick up the fractured shards, she cut herself. "Ow!"
"Are you alright?" Jasper's voice whispered from the speaker.
"I'm fine!" Lynn replied, turning back to the vase. Somehow, the vase was back to normal, as if it was never broken. It stood upright on the ground, unharmed. But the cut remained. "What the…"
"What's wrong?" Jasper asked.
"I just fixed the broken vase…with nothing but my hand…" Lynn began. "I swear it broke…You heard it shatter right?"
"Yeah?" Jasper replied. Lynn walked in front of the webcam to present the vase, unbroken. Jasper was shocked. "No way…Is that…your ability? Virgo's ability?"
Lynn's eyes widened. "You're saying…I'm one of them? Should I call the ISID?"
"No. Don't do anything. I'm coming to France. Stay still, I'll be there tomorrow at noon," Jasper ordered, ending the call. Jasper knew this would begin some kind of threat so he had to protect Lynn at all costs. The world was ready to erupt with chaos, again.
---
Meanwhile, in Iceland, the ground shook. The ground cracked, a figure emerging. The townsfolk and local residents were terrified, the unknown entity reshaping the land.
"I'm sorry humans for disturbing your peace," Chaitra apologised.
"Sorry? You completely destroyed our town!" a local yelled.
"I'm terribly sorry, I can help fix it." Chaitra explained, using his powers to restore the land. "You see, I am a warrior of the Earth, I can control rocks that are of pureness."
Chaitra took the rocks beneath the Earth and remodelled the ground, shifting the landscape to be more flat, removing all large debris.
"Wow…I mean…that's impressive…Thank you…" locals thanked, appreciating the warrior's attitudes. Chaitra began to recall the events 2000 years ago, with hazy visions of 12 constellations raining justice from the cosmos. Malvorr. That impudent traitor. He created 12 strange cosmic forces that concentrated to seal the other underlords along with the kings away. But that seal was now gone. And Chaitra, one of the most respected underlords, was awake, again.
When Chaitra requested to travel to Europe, the locals aided his journey, paying for his plane ticket. Of course, Chaitra hated flying, the thought of travelling through the sky in a tubular vehicle made him sick. He puked at least 3 times.
"This is sick!" Chaitra exclaimed as he landed in England. As he stepped out of the airport, he overheard some news about a recent, unexplained earthquake.
"Not by me, surely, heh." Chaitra spat. Of course, the only person that could shift the tectonic plates was him, and perhaps it was the plane ride that made him accidentally move them without notice. Chaitra of course ignored it, claiming it as an accident for such a terrible experience.
"Excuse me young man," a stranger asked.
"Young man? Me? Oh my!" Chaitra laughed, blushing.
"Yes, you! Do you know the way to this warehouse?" the stranger asked again.
"Sorry, I'm a tourist," Chaitra replied.
"Do you have a phone? Mine is dead." the stranger replied.
"What's a phun…phone?" Chaitra asked, confused.
"Dammit, your looks are really a deception…you're older than you look old geezer…" the stranger remarked, walking off frustrated. What was a phone? Chaitra was still confused. What had humans achieved in just a mere 2000 years? Whatever it was, Chaitra pushed it aside and considered it insignificant.
The stranger moved to an alleyway, outside Chaitra's vision. But an unsettling aura emerged from the stranger. Chaitra could feel such a strong, indomitable force from him, his muscular structure screaming "I am a warrior".
"Locke Zemlya…" a voice whispered. Chaitra decided to overhear the two. "I'm sorry for forgetting to provide you with information. The location of the warehouse is in Limoges, France."
"Alright, I'll head over." Locke grunted, handing the man a bag of goods. A handful of green slips were exchanged and Chaitra was curious. Chaitra barged into a random shop, with a large glistening sign displaying the word "GUCCI" and walked up to a salesperson.
"I want a handful of thin green strips or what not, with a bag of white stuff!" Chaitra demanded.
"Sir, I'll have to ask you to leave. We cannot tolerate behaviour like that," the salesperson asked. Chaitra looked confused but obliged, leaving the store in frustration. Chaitra wandered the streets in his unique attire, catching the eyes of local residents. People thought lowly of him, believing his oversized robe and fibre strips were something otherworldly.
It was predetermined that Chaitra would return to the airport once last time, strongly remarking that this was his final time to ever ride an airplane. He wanted to get to France. It wasn't just to explore, but an opportunity to challenge that man with the mystical aura.
--
Locke soon arrived in France. It was a nice change of scenery for him, the weather now finally warm and peaceful. He had never felt such calmness in a city where millions called home. The gentle breeze swept against his rigid body, towering like an indomitable wall. Locke was determined to finish the job. He needed this money.
Outside the airport, the air was clean. Another silhouette stepped into view. This time, Jasper had arrived. He perceived Paris as a place where people ate the finest of foods, a place where French cuisine was at its pinnacle. He had always wanted to try the exquisite foods, especially with Lynn. It felt realistic for a first date and he was going to go through it. Then, a familiar voice rang in his ear.
"Jasper!" Lynn shouted. Jasper's face lit up as he saw Lynn, rushing over.
"Watch it man!" Locke exclaimed as Jasper almost ran into him.
"Sorry," Jasper replied, navigating his way to Lynn.
"Say, do you know how to get to this place?" Locke asked, turning to Jasper and Lynn. Jasper and Lynn, initially skeptical of helping, decided to help Locke anyway despite him asking nicely. It was second nature to just help those who needed it and Lynn knew where the location was.
Locke soon departed, greatly thanking Lynn for her help.
"Hey Locke, if you need help, just call me!" Lynn offered, writing her number on a piece of paper. Jasper didn't think much of this interaction, knowing that Lynn was just a kindhearted girl who would go out of her troubles to help others.
"Thank you lots, I greatly appreciate it," Locke replied, waving goodbye. He got into a rented vehicle and drove off. The warehouse became larger as Locke approached, its metallic exterior extruding out from the landscape of Saint-Gervais.
"Alan…It's me, Locke," Locke shouted. His voice reverberated through the warehouse, but all that replied to him was his echo, then silence. No one was there. Locke marched forward carefully, with each step being fragile and with purpose.
"Freeze! We were informed about a drug trade here. Put your hands where I can see them!" Police officers had surrounded Locke from behind. Locke slowly turned, trying to reason. The officers thought differently and interpreted his sign of turning as a method of attack, instantly shooting.
Locke's instincts forced him into his only defence pose, the x pose. Miraculously, he wasn't injured, rather the police fell like dominoes with bullet holes in their bodies, blood spewing out with flesh gushing out. The scene was grotesque, so Locke fled, knowing that the deal he was promised was all a setup. No one cared about him. No one had any respect for him.
--
Jasper and Lynn had a romantic date, spending time at a fancy restaurant and eating fresh seafood. Caviar, with other exotic foods was a first for Jasper and he savoured every moment and cherished every bite he took. It was a new experience. As dessert came around, Lynn received a call.
"Hold on, let me take this call real quick. I'll be back," Lynn replied. "Hello? Lynette Florange speaking?"
"Hey Lynn, it's me Locke. Uhm, I know this is a terrible time but do you know where a good hotel is?" Locke asked. While the two continued their call, a mysterious presence trudged along the road where Lynn and Jasper were dining.
It was none other than Chaitra, drawn towards Jasper and Lynn's mysterious auras. Were there more of these magical humans? Chaitra had to challenge them. He hadn't had a fight in ages. But first, he needed to feast.
"What? This menu is exorbitant!" Chaitra exclaimed.
"Sir, what are you going to order?" the waitress asked.
"This is ridiculous!" Chaitra demanded. "Give me some bread!"
The waitress brought a bowl of bread to Chaitra where he feasted quietly while the other customers watched in irk. Lynn couldn't help but notice Chaitra's unusual habits, unable to take her eye off him.
"What a poor guy…can only afford some bread…" Lynn remarked.
"Ignore him. You're going over," Jasper whispered, trying not to draw attention. But Lynn didn't listen. Suddenly, Chaitra stood up and snapped the table apart, throwing the tabletop away. A waitress rushed over.
"Sir, what is the matter?" the waitress asked.
"What is the matter? Are you trying to kill me? There was a bug in the food! It reminds me of scum and mold, something I haven't seen in 2000 years!" Chaitra yelled. Lynn being the perfectionist she always was, touched the table, allowing it to restore to its original form. The table was fixed and Chaitra watched in disbelief. "You're a bright young lady, I have to say. Wanna spar?"
"Here? Hell no!" Lynn exclaimed.
"Then the park?" Chaitra offered.
"Fine. But you're easy!" Lynn smiled.
As they transferred to the nearby park, Chaitra began first. At first, Lynn saw Chaitra as an easy target. She was immediately rendered wrong. Jasper watched in terror as Chaitra pulled out two massive boulders from the earth, aimed directly towards Lynn. She stood no chance.
"Surrender now or I will proceed to kill you. Do you wish to continue like a noble warrior, believing that death in battle is the only way forward?" Chaitra announced.
Lynn stepped back in terror, away from the two humongous rocks that were ready to squish her. She couldn't be the valiant hero, she was nothing but a mere coward.
Jasper entered next, not evening knowing his own power.
"What is this terribly strong presence I sense?" Chaitra questioned. Jasper was confused and gazed at Chaitra.
Suddenly, Chaitra felt darkness surrounding him, unable to move. As his senses returned, he found himself in a black dimension, with glistening white barriers in strange formations.
"What is this illusion?" Where is the truth?" Chaitra demanded. He tried to use his powers, but nothing worked.
"I guess you're in my playground…This is my domain!" Jasper yelled, guessing his own abilities. He had seen similar abilities like this in his favourite game, league of legends where champions could trap and duel enemies in an alternate space.
Jasper could feel Chaitra's power being strained from him, now seeping into himself as strength. No, it didn't grant him his abilities, rather just enhanced strength based on his powers.
"This feels…amazing!" Jasper pounced towards Chaitra, landing an elbow then a kick. Chaitra smiled.
"Nice moves. I respect that," Chaitra remarked.
"What? You tryna win via flattery?" Jasper scoffed.
"Fight like a warrior! No time to talk!" Chaitra shouted, knocking Jasper back with a kick. Chaitra followed, his physical strength still empowering Jasper.
Jasper froze. Though Chaitra was imprisoned for 2000 years, he was still far more experienced in combat than Jasper had. Jasper stood little to no chance. Another devastating uppercut followed, instantly rendering Jasper unconscious.
The illusion, or in Jasper's words his domain, was gone. The park was unharmed and the cool evening breeze swept through Chaitra's short,
"You two obviously have potential, so I'll give you an offer. Your boyfriend ain't dead, just passed out," Chaitra offered.
"You…you won't kill us?" Lynn stuttered.
"Of course not! What fun is it if a human battles an ant? Of course the fun in fighting is when you have great competition! Only then I can defeat you both with honour!" Chaitra explained. "So, I'll give you all exactly 1 year to grow stronger. Then you can challenge me…"
Chaitra plucked his earrings out, then with a quick push against Lynn and Jasper's necks, the rings attached onto both their aortas. "These rings will dissolve in your body and are made from the minerals found in the Earth. It is capable of turning you into stone. The antidotes are on my fingers, which you will get from defeating me in one year. I wish you luck."
Then, Chaitra disappeared. He sank into the Earth, the rocks carrying him away. Then, a stressed Locke emerged from the darkness.
"Lynn, I felt your presence and an overwhelming energy force…What happened?" Locke panicked. He saw Jasper passed out on the soft and damp grass.
"He…the…rock guy…he's powerful…" Lynn's voice was weak and she was stuttering as if she had seen a ghost. Just the thought of Chaitra haunted her.
Locke sighed, his eyes narrowing. "I'll avenge both of you. Myself."
"No, please! Locke, you don't know what you are getting yourself into!" Lynn cried.
"Yes, I may be walking in blind, but that doesn't cover my resolve. I'll do something till I die." Locke smiled, walking quietly away into the night.
--
Locke followed the thick, heavy energy trail Chaitra had emitted, following him to the Loire Plains. It was such a bizarre spot, but the energy dispersed there and Locke believed it was where Chaitra was.
"And you are?" Chaitra began. He stood quietly behind Locke's car, leaning on the trunk. "Your energy…It feels familiar…"
"You must be Chaitra…" Locke grumbled, slamming the car door shut.
"You don't answer questions with questions…" Chaitra smiled.
"Locke Zemlya. I'm here to avenge my friends." Locke stated, his voice firm.
"I do warn you, I won't go easy on you. Despite the fact that I held back with your friends, I did promise that I'd only rematch with them, not you. I will kill you." Chaitra explained.
"I'm the toughest competition you will ever have…" Locke mumbled. His voice was tense, his tone serious and gritted.
"Oh? Then let's have a battle to show it! Let's begin!" Chaitra announced, beginning to attack. He crushed two rocks together, trying to flatten Locke like a pancake but he dodged. Locke sneered.
"What is with your confidence? I've never seen anything like this! Most challengers fear me. I do have to respect you for that…" Chaitra remarked. Locke chuckled.
"Earth slam!" Chaitra yelled. Locke kept his distance, knowing that he didn't stand a chance at close range, despite himself as a prodigy kickboxer. He stepped back, unbeknownst to him it was a trap. "Very well."
A meteor had begun falling from the sky. Chaitra had planned this, knowing the meteor belt was just nearing these plains.
Just what was this guy's range? Locke thought.
Locke watched the meteor fall, unable to think properly.
"You see, meteors are pure rock and I have full control over them. I'm sorry Locke, but you were truly a great fighter. I almost thought I'd lost that to be honest," Chaitra commended.
The meteor pierced through the atmosphere, creating a devastating trail of fire. It began speeding faster and faster, directly aimed towards Locke.
"I'm not done!" Locke yelled as he leapt towards the meteor. He had remembered. He also possessed an ability. He just didn't realise it. He remembered when he was shot by the police before. He had reflected the bullet. It was indeed his favourite x-guard pose. It had something special about it. No, it wasn't any flashy ability anyone had, but one of the most useful abilities he could wish for.
As the meteor struck Locke, Chaitra took a deep breath. He clapped, even a tear falling from his eye. He was truly pleased and astonished by Locke's sense of sportsmanship and his fighting skills, identifying him as a "true" man. But it wasn't over. The meteor seemed to draw closer to him. Indeed it did hit Locke, but it had changed directory.
"Impossible!" Chaitra realised. "How did you…You jumped towards it on purpose, to change its trajectory?"
"Yes! And it's more powerful I believe…Thanks to you now you are assured dead. I do have to commend you for being such a worthy opponent. I've never had a fight like this before. You've pushed me to my absolute limits. I thank you for that!" Locke smiled. The rock was now touched and rendered impure, and Chaitra had no way of controlling it.
Chaitra stood there, jaw unhinged and wide open. He was wonderstruck. He had never seen anything this glorious before and Locke had embodied what it truly was to be a man. To never give up. Locke's ability didn't even fully counter him; if he had calculated and coordinated his attacks better, his victory was assured. But he never knew his ability. Neither did Locke.
He realised his fatal error in his own battle, accepting his own defeat. He had no honour left. "I'm sorry my dear underlords. My time has come. At least I will die in honour…"
His arms flailed, kneeling and accepting his fate. Perhaps he wanted someone as strong as Locke to beat him. The meteor struck, absolutely destroying Chaitra. It almost instantly incinerated his body, leaving no trace of life.
"This is for Lynnette and Jasper…Though you promised to fight them once they grew stronger, I guess you'll never live to fulfil that promise," Locke grunted towards the pile of ashes. He picked up the special antidotes that weren't incinerated by the meteor.
It had been done. Locke had beaten Chaitra all by himself. Once crowned as the king of planets, Chaitra was easily defeated by Locke himself. Chaitra's warrior attitude was something Locke looked up to. Someone as courageous and kind as that, how could they die so easily to a mere human with no experience in fighting, yet his own ability? Perhaps it had nothing to do with honour. Perhaps it depended on love and passion.
As Locke returned to France to find Lynn and Jasper, he felt proud of what he had done. Perhaps it was true that someday he would find his true purpose. A purpose so strong that it could reshape the earth, down to the tiniest of details. It's what the planet needed. Grounded, strong and realistic people who had strong motives and clear goals. Nothing of a fantasy, but something more direct and impactful. That is what the earth constellations had believed.