Welcome to Gaia! ::

Sara couldn’t help but find herself blushing. Wow I must mean a lot to her… wait... what is this feeling?

As they entered Rydia filled them in on what was about to happen. The ship came to life. After it cleared its path with its pinchers. It rushed its way to the surface leaving something the sea life should be warry about and keep their distance.

Sara could sense the fear surrounding them from the sea creatures. Some were shocked to see this thing moving around as if it were alive. It was probably for their safety that this fear kept them at a distance.

She wached as streams of water rushed by. It didn't take much time at all to pierce the surface . The view was beautiful. It's not every day one gets to go from the bottom of the ocean to the tops of of the clouds. "Wow." was all she could utter as she looked down to where they came from, nothing but solid blue ocean. She took her seat as they continued their journey back to Valhalla.

It did not take Alec very long to find a way to make Freya's cockamamie idea work. The realm of death was infinite, and his control over it's faculties were near absolute. So he created pseudo realm within his realm. It would allow the living to sustain prolonged time in his realm without the life being drained from them, the environments could be altered to suit their needs, no one could be taken out in the midst of training, and everyone would have a healing factor similar to Liv's. However, there were still going to be challenges to his friends.

Sunlight was impossible to recreate. That meant vitamin D would need to be supplemented, and that everyone's mental health would suffer as a result of the conditions of being under artificial light. Though Liv was able to replicate sunlight, and Kerana raise the vitality of her friends with her powers, there were still some things that only the sun could provide.

While no one could be killed, it did not mean they could not die. A fatal injury would result in a short state of death that would be undone in seconds. It was one of the two compromises he had to make in order to keep everyone from withering away.

The other was that the healing factors granted to everyone would not be painless. They would feel every knit bone, closed wound, or regenerated limb. It was a side effect that would even affect Liv's abilities.

With all of that in mind, he and Freya gave everyone a week to prepare. There would be no opting out. As Freya put it, "The punishment for being unprepared in two months is that everyone dies. Remember that if you ever think of backing down. I know it's unfair. Believe me, I would rather you kids not have to go through this s**t, but we don't have a choice."

In that short time, the chosen felt the need to get their affairs in order. Kerana had one last talk with her dad that did not go well. Trinity managed to get back onto friendly terms with Dean. Ravan insisted on joining the eight when Sara told her about the training. Heather finally managed to clear things up with local law enforcement regarding her attempted assassination and subsequent witnessing of Roland's hmurder. Liv showed her how to have a days long party before they went into a Hell sesh. Theonis spent the week with his family, Theresa included, so she could experience what it's like to be in what passes for a normal family. Alec considered seeing his mother and father, but he opted to stay by Kerana's side instead.

Freya, her deceased relatives, and other volunteer trainers surmised that it would take about a year for everyone to be not only prepared physically, but mentally as well. That meant that their friends and families back home would not see them for only an hour.

The first week was spent getting used to the environment and living within the realm of death. It was low risk, and low energy. They were allowed to see and talk to whoever they felt like. Lost loved ones, ancestors, and even some historical figures. Alec, Kerana, and Lokelonni had worked out a way to temporarily manifest the spirits of the Ancients that had granted their boons to the chosen eight. Thus, they spent part of that first week getting to know their beneficiaries. Some got a long better than others, but they all agreed on the most important thing.

The next two months were spent doing the same exercises and training that they had been putting them through...times 100. Everyone was pushed to their limit, and there were many a time some of them broke. Even the most confident of them realized that they still had a lot to learn. Yet they got through it together.

The third month saw them being separated into their polar groups: life/death, shadow/light, fire/ice, and earth/wind.

Kotetsumaru saw to Trinity and Liv's test personally.

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Liv and Trinity stood within what looked like a scene from "The Backrooms." They were surrounded by drab, yellow hued walls and corridors that went everywhere and nowhere. Before them stood a stern Japanese man who's intense eyes matched his son's. Trinity would realize right away who he was. Next to him was a pitch black, bipedal wolf that stood at almost seven feet tall.

"Trinity Smith, and Liv Crystalion. I am Kotetsumaru; Freya and Teshoumaru's father, and the the proctor for what could be your last test. The shadow stalker beside me is Noiren. He is to me what Tsukiko is to Freya."

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Heather and Sara were sat on the most comfortable chairs either of them had ever experienced. The room they were in was vast, but it was also completely dark save for the two lights that illuminated them as they sat across from one another.

A voice chimed from what seemed like all around them. It was Heather's little brother, Lawrence. "Hey girls. I've been asked to watch over you guys since, apparently, my voice is so friendly. What you have to do is keep your respective element from hurting each other. Sara, you're going to keep freezing water from dousing Heather. Heather, you have to keep open flames away from Sara. Any questions before this test starts?"

Heather was happy to hear her brother's voice, but she was still very nervous about the prospect of losing concentration and letting Sara get burned. "Yeah, I've got one. How are we supposed to keep our elements from mixing for the next hour?"

Larry hummed as he rustled through some papers, "Oh! Ummmmm, just a sec. Ah, here it is! There is an invisible wall between you guys that will keep the elements apart while still letting you control them."

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Theonis and Theresa stood on the beach and looked into the island. It had a single, massive volcano at the center that released smoke from it's top. Surrounded by it were a mass of trees, mountains, and various other obstacles that dotted the island. Their test area was easily the size of Hawaii's largest island.

"Whooooa!" Theresa awed. "It's so green and hilly! It's just like the pictures!

She spun around and took in the sights.

The task the two of them were given was simple. Eliminate the threat. Theresa seemed more interested in the local flora.

"Do you think there'll be animals here to!? Maybe giraffes!?"

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Alec and Kerana's stood before Lokelonni and Euchre. The couple's task would be simple. Speak with the previous aspects of life and death.

Euchre looked to Kerana with old, warm, wise eyes. She smiled kindly to Kerana and asked, "It is an honor to finally meet you, Kerana. Many a soul here speaks highly of you, even though many have never so much as put eyes on you. I am Euchre, aspect of Death's peace."

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Freya was bored and restless. She had opted to stay away so that the chosen could focus on their new lessons. This meant she had an hour to kill. Time to think was new to her. She'd been sober for a week and it'd been her own kind of Hell. In that time something, aside from the withdrawal, had been eating at her. It took 15 minutes of downtime for her to realise what it was.

She went next door to Liam's room and entered without warning. She strode up to him as he sat on the couch with a book. She slapped the book out of his hands and put her hands against on either side of him against the back of the couch. She looked him dead in the eyes and said two words.

"Fight me!"

Kotetsumaru did not return the bow, he only nodded in acknowledgment. "My children speak highly of you, Trinity. I have watched you these last few months, and I am not impressed. Do not misunderstand me. You are skilled, and your tenacity is admirable, but that is the bare minimum of what I expect from you."

He looked to Liv next then back to Trinity while Noiren studied the both of them silently. "Tell me, Trinity. What do you think of Liv? Be completely honest. Know that I will not tolerate foolishness."

Trinity was not shocked nor disappointed. She knew the man would be hard to impress even with his kids backing. It seemed expected to her.

As Kotetsumaru posed his question, she sighed to herself, “Where do I begin…”

“Right. Let’s start with being a traitor to all of Valhalla. She will not admit it, even though Gidget and I have seen and know the evidence, she’s a traitor to Valhalla. Part of a whole scheme to sully my name, steel my power and set up a death trap. All because I had hurt some Daidalous a** hat’s ego for earning the job he wanted! It was way too convenient that I get thrown into some bullshit fight like I was on some damned coliseum shortly after she took my power.”

“It is for that reason that reason, that when Kerana and Alec went to Lekolonni to set up a door between the two to have some privacy. I went to her to ensure there was a safe. I cannot let a traitor or anyone have easy access to Valhalla’s security protocols.”

Kotetsumaru narrowed his eyes silently, and could tell there was something else she was holding back. “Is that all?”

Trinity really didn’t want to get personal, she hoped the professional explanation was enough. She knew at some point she would have to come to terms and find some way to connect with her as the others have done to some extent. She meditate about it to try to help deal with this conflict. A conflict that Theo, the time travelers and Liv are all in the center of that she was having trouble moving past. It didn’t help that she ended up growing up with destiny hanging over her head as a real tangible thing which in turn Dawn’s mere existence would be an unwavering point in time if she stuck with Theo. She thought breaking up with Theo would fix everything but by being near Liv it just stir things up all over again.

She sighed, “She doesn’t take saving the world seriously, it's all some flirty joke."

“She kept flirting with my boyfriend who is now my ex. To the extent I had to keep baby sitting him whenever she enters. Then again perhaps it’s not entirely her fault he may be weak willed whenever she enters. She kept joking on how she would steel him away from me and I knew if she tried she would have him. I didn’t want to continue dealing with this crap so I was going to break up with him. He may have had a chance to detour it but that was when their daughter from another timeline showed up and I had to end it there. The future confirmed it no matter how I look at it the eventuality is, she’s his happily ever after not me! … I was merely a delay of the inevitable.”

The week spent with his parents and sister was nice. Granted it wasn't ALL the time. Something he was grateful for. He did not want to spent 24/7 with them. He still had his work and enjoyed his free time. The realm of the Dead felt...odd. They've been there before but never for this long. Definitely something that would slowly grind down your sanity. It was also interesting to talk to Chinook, as he had never really done that before. But the training was...what he expected. Yes, it was hard but nothing he couldn't handle. In fact he was getting a bit bored of the repetition of it all. Even if it got more intense. With his ability to quickly learn, the challenge quickly fell of. That did not mean he did not get injured like the rest, just a lot less. Though he did greatly enjoy honing his power and control over wind. Even found a few new ways to use his normal power. Every now and then Theressa came for a sleepover because she wanted to. Theo didn't mind. It was a nice distraction.

Then the time came to be paired up with Theressa. Again, he didn't mind. He could be pretty in-sync with her. His eyes adjusted to the false sunlight as they were suddenly on a large island. A beautiful lush island. Putting up his hair in a ponytail as it had gotten long enough for it, he looked around. Seeing her all happy made him chuckle.

"I doubt that. I think the only thing here will be out to take us down."

Since that dinner things changed between Freya and Liam. There were more frequent hugs as she did enjoy getting spoiled. Ofcourse the food always helped to up her mood. But they hadn't moved further than that level of physical intimacy. She freely entered his place now whenever she pleased so she felt a lot more at ease around him and let her guard down more often than not. Liam was content as he told himself to keep himself believing that. Though he did desire more. But he refrained from making the first move as he did not want to force anything on her. The restlessness was a result of that. Reading was something he now did to fully focus on something else.

Then she entered the room and literally slapped the book out of his hands before almost pinning him against the couch. Her eyes were so beautiful even if she was serious. It was then that her words registered after a good 3 seconds of staring at her. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose before opening his eyes again. It might be good for him as well. His own eyes focused on hers, just as serious.

"Very well."

Theresa pouted and sighed, "Myeaaah, I knooow."

As they trekked through the jungle they both began to notice that it was strangely quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the rustling of leaves as the wind blew. There was an occasional hard gust, but other than that the island seemed peaceful.

While Theresa ignored the wind, Theonis would pick up on it's strange behavior. It did not come from the same direction, nor did it have a pattern akin to the build up of a storm. It was random, so much so that the breezes would sometimes gust up from below or down from above.

Theresa interrupted the silence with a question. "Hey, what do you think this is about?"

One of the large leaves at her eyes level ended at a perfectly clean edge. She recognized that it looked to have been cut. She gazed past it and saw that the cut went in a straight line from where she stood. Other leaves had been sheared, and there were evident slices taken out of some of the trees.

She looked over her shoulder to Theonis and commented, "It kind of reminds me of your power."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ten minutes later, Freya and Liam were in a training room with the highest level of reinforcement. Gidget would love to think that the room could handle anything thrown at them, but it was about to be put to the test.

Freya looked determined, but she was also incredibly anxious. She loosed up her arms, legs, and neck while she sized up her boyfriend. It still felt a little weird to think of him that way. She hugged him, she put her face in his chest, she even held his hand a few times, but it still felt weird.

Things were about to get weirder.

"It's time for round two ********> She said with the smack of her right fist into her left palm.

She knew hitting his pressure points would not work again, but she had not been able to produce the rainbow aura he had told her about. Without sharing a brain with Okami, she did not have the patience to pull it off. After a talking with Rydia for a few hours her niece came up with a theory.

"Rydia, you'd better be right about this. Even if you are, I'm still gonna make you pay for this." she whispered under her breath.

She hunched down and charged forward. Once she locked arms with Liam she blurted out, "I slept with a stuffed tiger until I was ten! Her name was Lady Fluffington, and I cried all night when Mom couldn't fix her!"

Theresa nodded turned to take one step forward. As soon as her foot hit the ground, she felt the earth beneath her shift. She whirled back around to face Theonis and used her bare foot to command the ground beneath him to pop into a six foot pedestal. Half a second after she did, four boulders folded up from around where he had just been standing and smashed the pedestal into dust.

That's when the wind shifted harshly in Theresa's direction. Dozens of invisible blades of air began to converge on her from every direction; slicing everything in their path to her.

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She blushed and waited a moment for something to happen that did not. She traded a few more blows and managed to get into another arm lock. "Wjen I was a teenager I had a poster of Roy Mustang on my bedroom wall! I kissed it every night until the lips on it wore out!"