Chapter Six
Uriah was panting. He and his master, Doom, had been training for what felt like years.
"How much longer," Uriah gasped, "do we have to keep this up?"
"I'd usually say," Doom panted, "that we'd have to restart every time you complain. But you've been able to match my strength. Your physical training is over. Time for your psychological training."
Doom and Uriah sat on the floor of the arena. "Now," Doom said, "the first thing we must do is-" He stood up. When Uriah stood up, he waved his hand for him to sit back down. "The first thing we need to do is take care of that hair." He opened a cabinet and pulled out some hair clippers. "Don't move," he said.
When the cutters came on, Uriah started to flinch. He never did like getting his hair cut.
BZzzz! BZzzzzzzzz! BZZZZZzzz!
One by one, Uriah felt each of the spikes he had made his hair into being cut down. Finally the clippers turned off. Doom smiled, and handed him a mirror.
"When you fight our enemy," he said, "You don't want him to be able to grab you anywhere."
Uriah looked in the mirror. Why did he do this to me? he cried in his mind. How could he be so cruel? All the hair that Doom had left for Uriah was short, flat, and close to his head. He's ruined my image! He shouted in his head.
What "image" did you have?
The voice didn't even startle Uriah. "I had my own image, Doom," he said, "I was hated by teachers and feared by kids of all ages. I was-"
A fool.
Doom gave an eerie laugh, as he said, "Come on. We have much to do and so much time. After you showed me the time chamber your former teacher trained you in, time is a luxury that I now have." He smiled as he watched Uriah look at him in a confused way. "And unlike her," he added, "You will not betray me."
That's what you think, Uriah thought, smiling evilly. Then he stood up.
"You were taught the basics," Doom said, "I will teach you the advanced set of moves, and the Sacred Elements. Your training begins now."