* Sorry about the lack of updates, but balancing a job, college, and an
overbearing mother is a bit of a hassle, ya? *
Ch 6: The Apprentice
Shina sprung to the attack. Lunging all her strength at Kane's midsection. Her foot collided, but she found herself on the ground, while Kane stood above her. He went for a shot a Shina's head, but she rolled out of the way and up to her feet.
"Ok, what do I know about Kane?" she asked herself. "I know he's a tank, that's what. He just rolls right over his opponents. If he's so damn strong, why doesn't he kill Red Dragon?" Kane cracked his neck, almost to goad Shina into attacking. Finally, she had an idea. "I do know one thing, Kane's fast, but I'm faster. If I can get him to go on the offensive, I'll be able to outpace him."
Shina stretched her arm, and waved her fingers at Kane. He chuckled. He rushed to her, crouched, and rose for an uppercut. Shina waved back, avoiding his attack and countering with a kick of her own. Kane spun to the side, avoiding the kick and sending out another punch, which Shina ducked under. She responded with a flip kick that was dodged by Kane. He stood back, and glared at Shina.
"You're holding back," he said.
"Huh? What do you mean? I'm giving you everything I got!" she answered.
"If you do not break your limitations, Red Dragon will kill you."
Shina grew irritated. "If you're so damn strong, why don't you fight him? Then maybe Long wouldn't have had to die!!!"
"Because, Shina, I'm not eligible."
Kane walked away, leaving Shina seething in anger. He headed up the stairs of the temple, and to a long, torch lit corridor. He walked deliberately down it, and to a pair of massive, gold plated doors. Inside was an extravagant room, with a full table of food, a plush bed, and a fireplace. He walked past them all, through a small, hidden door and into another corridor. Molten lava flowed alongside the walkway, and the room reached temperatures hot enough to sear the flesh of most beings.
He approached a small, circular platform made of ice. Around it, inside the lave flow, a fence of electricity flowed through an old man's body. It dissipated as soon as Kane approached, revealing the man known as Red Dragon. Kane hit his knees and touched his forehead to the ground.
"Master, the woman is nearly ready."
"Good. I am pleased, my apprentice. You know how important it is that she is well-prepared."
"Yes, master, I know."
"And your teammates?" he asked.
"Aside from Kenji, they know only what they need."
"Good, good. Tell Kenji to proceed as planned. The same goes for you, apprentice."
"Thank you, master."
Kane rose and walked away, as Red Dragon resumed his torturous meditation. He walked out the same way he came in, sealing all the exits behind him. He grunted as he spotted Kenji down the hallway. He walked over to him.
"All goes according to plan. Proceed," He said. Kenji nodded.
***
Shina pounded a tree near her. What did Kane mean by "not eligible?" He was registered in this forsaken tournament too, wasn't he? If he had challenged Red Dragon at the start, Long would still be alive, and they all would be on their way home.
Home. she remembered that small little apartment, its claustrophobic walls, its creaky floors, and its leaky pipes. It all seemed so long ago she was there, but it was only what? A few days ago?
Even still, Kane should have done it. But why wasn't he "eligible"? What was he talking about? Why train her when he can just kill him himself?
It wads apparent that he was hiding something.
***
"You're hiding something." Sarah said coldly.
"What do you mean?" Kane asked.
"You could easily defeat Red Dragon. You know it, and I know it. Instead, you let Long challenge him and get himself killed! Now you're telling Shina to go after him? What's going on Kane?!" Sarah yelled.
"I can't tell you," Kane said, his voice betraying no emotion.
"Bullshit, Kane!" Sarah yelled even louder. "Tell me what is going on!"
Kane turned and walked away. "I'm sorry, Sarah, but I can't."
Sarah ran up to him and slapped him across the face. " Kane, I know you better than anybody..."
"That is why you need to trust me, Sarah."
"I don't know if I can anymore." She said. She walked into her room, and slammed the door.
Kane sighed as Irvine strutted by.
"Trouble in paradise?" he asked. "If you two are on the splits, then maybe I should..."
Kane grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. "Try it and I'll rip out your spine!"
"Whoa, Kane chill! You know I'm just goofing! I'd never try anything on Sarah. You've been like a brother to me, man!"
"I know," Kane said letting Irvine down.
"Man, you haven't been this high-strung since that mission we took in Thailand and Sarah got food poisoning. Look, I'll try talking to her, okay?"
Kane walked away, so his friend wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. "Go ahead. I'll be outside."
Ch 6: The Apprentice
Shina sprung to the attack. Lunging all her strength at Kane's midsection. Her foot collided, but she found herself on the ground, while Kane stood above her. He went for a shot a Shina's head, but she rolled out of the way and up to her feet.
"Ok, what do I know about Kane?" she asked herself. "I know he's a tank, that's what. He just rolls right over his opponents. If he's so damn strong, why doesn't he kill Red Dragon?" Kane cracked his neck, almost to goad Shina into attacking. Finally, she had an idea. "I do know one thing, Kane's fast, but I'm faster. If I can get him to go on the offensive, I'll be able to outpace him."
Shina stretched her arm, and waved her fingers at Kane. He chuckled. He rushed to her, crouched, and rose for an uppercut. Shina waved back, avoiding his attack and countering with a kick of her own. Kane spun to the side, avoiding the kick and sending out another punch, which Shina ducked under. She responded with a flip kick that was dodged by Kane. He stood back, and glared at Shina.
"You're holding back," he said.
"Huh? What do you mean? I'm giving you everything I got!" she answered.
"If you do not break your limitations, Red Dragon will kill you."
Shina grew irritated. "If you're so damn strong, why don't you fight him? Then maybe Long wouldn't have had to die!!!"
"Because, Shina, I'm not eligible."
Kane walked away, leaving Shina seething in anger. He headed up the stairs of the temple, and to a long, torch lit corridor. He walked deliberately down it, and to a pair of massive, gold plated doors. Inside was an extravagant room, with a full table of food, a plush bed, and a fireplace. He walked past them all, through a small, hidden door and into another corridor. Molten lava flowed alongside the walkway, and the room reached temperatures hot enough to sear the flesh of most beings.
He approached a small, circular platform made of ice. Around it, inside the lave flow, a fence of electricity flowed through an old man's body. It dissipated as soon as Kane approached, revealing the man known as Red Dragon. Kane hit his knees and touched his forehead to the ground.
"Master, the woman is nearly ready."
"Good. I am pleased, my apprentice. You know how important it is that she is well-prepared."
"Yes, master, I know."
"And your teammates?" he asked.
"Aside from Kenji, they know only what they need."
"Good, good. Tell Kenji to proceed as planned. The same goes for you, apprentice."
"Thank you, master."
Kane rose and walked away, as Red Dragon resumed his torturous meditation. He walked out the same way he came in, sealing all the exits behind him. He grunted as he spotted Kenji down the hallway. He walked over to him.
"All goes according to plan. Proceed," He said. Kenji nodded.
***
Shina pounded a tree near her. What did Kane mean by "not eligible?" He was registered in this forsaken tournament too, wasn't he? If he had challenged Red Dragon at the start, Long would still be alive, and they all would be on their way home.
Home. she remembered that small little apartment, its claustrophobic walls, its creaky floors, and its leaky pipes. It all seemed so long ago she was there, but it was only what? A few days ago?
Even still, Kane should have done it. But why wasn't he "eligible"? What was he talking about? Why train her when he can just kill him himself?
It wads apparent that he was hiding something.
***
"You're hiding something." Sarah said coldly.
"What do you mean?" Kane asked.
"You could easily defeat Red Dragon. You know it, and I know it. Instead, you let Long challenge him and get himself killed! Now you're telling Shina to go after him? What's going on Kane?!" Sarah yelled.
"I can't tell you," Kane said, his voice betraying no emotion.
"Bullshit, Kane!" Sarah yelled even louder. "Tell me what is going on!"
Kane turned and walked away. "I'm sorry, Sarah, but I can't."
Sarah ran up to him and slapped him across the face. " Kane, I know you better than anybody..."
"That is why you need to trust me, Sarah."
"I don't know if I can anymore." She said. She walked into her room, and slammed the door.
Kane sighed as Irvine strutted by.
"Trouble in paradise?" he asked. "If you two are on the splits, then maybe I should..."
Kane grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. "Try it and I'll rip out your spine!"
"Whoa, Kane chill! You know I'm just goofing! I'd never try anything on Sarah. You've been like a brother to me, man!"
"I know," Kane said letting Irvine down.
"Man, you haven't been this high-strung since that mission we took in Thailand and Sarah got food poisoning. Look, I'll try talking to her, okay?"
Kane walked away, so his friend wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. "Go ahead. I'll be outside."