CoH CoS (Chapter 34)

  The kids stared in open mouthed wonder.  They laughed and clapped.  The Knights moved swift and sure, the harmless training sabers moving and flowing in a dance of precision and practice.  They flowed from one move into the next.  Sparks flew that turned into birds, butterflies, or dragonflies floating over their heads. The Knights moved in complex routines of flips, jumps, and even hip hop moves.  Everytime one group finished their show, another took their place.  Damien smiled softly, watching the wonder on their faces.  The Knights did this every year and despite the war with the Randon, the Knights had taken this time out for the kids.  Every child in the audience had Elysian essence running through their veins.  As young children, sometimes picked on for being different than regular humans, the Knights did the Knight Fair to help remind them that their differences were not bad, were not freakish or strange.  Their differences were beautiful and wonderful and could do so much for others.  The Fair was large, taking place on the main Knight complex.  Knights did shows, gave talks, told stories, and gave demonstrations of their technology to groups of students ranging from as young as eight and just starting to show their abilities to high school seniors, old enough to sign up for the Knighthood if they wished.

“Damien!”

He turned at the sound of his voice and saw Honey waving and smiling.

“You’re up next.”

Damien waved back and nodded to her.  He was going to put on a show for the high school kids.  Elysian kids were usually better than their human counterparts in escaping the high school experience, but they still had many of the tendencies that came at that age.  Damien always enjoyed showing them you’re never too old to feel like a kid.  Honey stepped onto the platform after the last group finished their act and ran off.  There were a few whistles and yells.  Honey promptly blushed to the tips of her ears and waved for silence.  After a few moments they quieted down.

“I am proud to announce a special treat for the next show.  The one who started it all, the founder of the Knighthood, the greatest Knight in existance, the commander of the Knighthood…”

Damien smiled and shook his head at all her names.

“Knight Damien Lopez!!”

There was a large amount of applause.  Honey walked off the stage and there was silence. The kids started to look around confused when there was a flash of light Damien appeared on the stage.  He smiled as he put a finger to his lips.  He slowly opened one hand with a flourish and a small blue flame grew on his palm. He tilted his head back and ate the flame.  Still with his head thrown back he exhaled.  A large thick cloud of blue smoke flew out of his mouth and came to hover next to him.  He turned to the audience and gracefully moved to a martial arts cat stance. The cloud moved toward the ground and formed into the shape of a cat, there was a small flash inside the cloud like lightning and it turned into a real black cat.  The kids laughed and smiled as the cat meowed at them and sat next to Damien.  Damien smiled and moved into a tiger stance slowly.  The cat meowed once more before it turned back into the blue cloud.  The cloud changed shape and there was a flash once again before turning into a white tiger.  The kids jumped back as it roared at them and stretched gracefully.  There was scattered applause, Damien waited a few moments before putting his finger to his lips.  When there was silence again Damien slowly moved into a crane stance. The tiger changed into a blue cloud again and changed shape. There was another flash and a graceful white crane stood tall before them. It spread its wings out slowly to show feathers that flashed several different colors.  The kids applauded once more. He smiled and held up his hand once more.

‘Now for the grand finale…’ he thought as he moved into the last stance…

Damien