Disclaimer: See previous chapters

AN: Sorry for the delay. My computer totally crashed on me and I had to start over on the stories that I'm working on (including this one), which is really messed up seeing as how I had almost finished this chapter. But nevertheless, it is here. Enjoy.

Chap. 40

Cagliari, Italy

"Ha! Hiya! HAAAAA!"

In the woods outside of the town, a lone warrior trained in the midst of the woodland. His cries and shouts echoed through the tree and his energy pulsed through, causing a few leaves to fall around him. Finishing with a final punch, the fighter stomped back in a neutral stance and breathed, taking in all life around him as he calmed down. But then his eyes snapped open, the calm in his body now gone and replaced with caution. There was another presence nearby, one with a great power. Not only that, but one other thing was noticeable

The presence was immortal...

Without hesitation, the warrior quickly went for his sword, a sheathed katana that was settled down on the grass nearby. Strapping it to his side, he prepared himself for whomever it was that showed up. If someone came looking for his head, they would be in for one hell of a fight. The branches parted and surprise flashed on the warrior's face upon seeing who it was.

"Ryu-sensei?"

Ryu, too, displayed the same surprise on his face upon seeing the person before him, dressed in similar clothing except his was colored in a dark golden shade. Moving his hand away from his own sword, Ryu addressed him as well.

"Sean..."

United States, 1860

"Don't worry. You're safe here."

After the incident outside and everyone had cleared away, Ken brought the young man into the house from the back where he had been hiding. He knew he would have to move fast before this became an issue for him. Harboring runaway slaves was illegal that part of the States and the only reason he got away with it was because the pursuer was an immortal. Oddly enough, that was a simpler matter to deal with. Pushing the thought aside for the time being, Ken focused his attention on the boy as they entered the living room.

"My name is Ken. What's yours?"

The boy didn't answer him and merely stared forward in silence. Ken gave a slight frown, mostly at his own lack of experience with children. It was only limited to watching them play on the streets and homes and babysitting once or twice (how those happened is beyond him), but in all that time, he never really learned how to take care of children. As an immortal, it was never an issue, with him being unable to have a child and all. It was at that moment that he heard a very distinct lurching sound coming from him. With a knowing smile, he bent down to the child's level.

"Oh, I see. You're hungry." Standing back up, he motioned to the child. "Come. This way."

A couple of minutes later, Ken was in complete shock as he watched the boy literally inhale the plates and bowls of food before him. Initially Ken thought he had brought too much, but now it seems that it may not be enough. Ken even gave up his meal just to have the ravenous boy devour it in seconds.

"Wow. I haven't anyone eat like since Ryu."

Despite the joke, there was a dark truth to the statement. Usually those who came through the Underground Railroad were in such condition, given their near constant running and hiding to escape from their cruel masters. To think that this boy made it as far as he did by himself was a miracle. Or perhaps the boy's parents simply didn't make it as far as he did. Perhaps that was why the boy was so quiet.

"Sean..."

"Hm?"

"My name...is Sean..."

Another smile graced the lips of the blond immortal. "It's good to meet you, Sean."

"So you've been searching for me?"

A few minutes after their meeting, the two immortals sat down underneath the trees to talk. Ryu had not seen the young apprentice in quite some time. Since then, the youth had grown significantly stronger, at least from what Ryu can sense. It would be good for Sakura to have a sparring partner and Ryu had always thought Sean made the match. It was the way of their art to have a constant rival in order to improve their skills. It was just such a topic that Sean brought up.

"Yes. Ken had sent me to find you." Sean answered. "He spoke of some kind of final test."

"I see. In that case..." At this, Ryu rose up and, turning around, walked a few steps away. Sean gave him a confused glance until Ryu stopped a few yards away, wheeled around, and settled in a fighting stance.

"Ready yourself, Sean!"

Sean slowly rose to his feet, stunned by Ryu's action as well as the hardened stare he was getting from the elder immortal. 'Is this...what you meant, Master?' Slowly, his face turned solid with determination and he lowered into his own fighting stance.

"Yes."

No sooner was the word out of his mouth did Ryu charge at Sean, surprising the youth once again, but this time into action. With a cry, Sean rushed at Ryu, hopped up and launched a short fist downward. Cutting his rush, Ryu quickly lifted his arm in defense, successfully blocking the attack. Sean landed and quickly snapped his foot up in a sharp kick, catching Ryu in the gut and causing him to stagger back. Sean rushed in to press the attack, but his rush may have been premature as Ryu returned with a heavy blow to Sean's solar plexus.

"Guhh."

Sean faltered back, surprised by the force of Ryu's blow. During his spars with the Ryu, he'd taken blows, but never one with such force. Ryu followed up with slashing roundhouse kick, to which Sean was barely able to duck. Sean blinked at the sound of the whirl overhead. If that had hit him, that would have done serious damage, immortal or not. He had enough experience to know that this was no sparring match.

This was a real fight...

Rolling forward to get some distance, Sean turned around and took back up his stance. If Ryu was going to fight seriously, then he had to do no less. That also meant he had to be cautious. He was facing an opponent with more skill, strength and experience than he did. But that didn't make him invincible. "When it's all said and done, your opponent is just as human as you are", Ken had taught him long before. Beating Ryu would not be impossible for him.

Just difficult...

With a short grunt, Sean rushed toward Ryu again. Ryu took a defensive stance, waiting for whatever the younger immortal was preparing to attack him with. Moving faster, Sean soon ducked down and charged, tackling Ryu down. But Ryu managed to kick up just as he hit the ground, flipping Sean backward. Sean flew through the air and hit the ground hard, but he managed to roll around and get back on his feet just as Ryu flipped up to his. Seeing his back exposed, Sean pressed the attack, rushing in and attacking with a side kick. Ryu managed to turn halfway and lift his arm up to block the kick, push the leg away, and attack with sakotsu-wari. The diving fist hit Sean's shoulder hard and the young immortal reeled back in pain.

"Gh!"

Ryu was far from done as he pressed further, hitting Sean with a 2-hit punch combination that backed him away into a tree. Sean forced himself to push away the pain and duck off to the side. And not a moment too soon as Ryu came in with a heavy fist, smashing it into the bark of the tree. Backing away again, Sean cupped his hands together, summoning the force of ki together.

"Hado...Burst!"

Ryu turned just in time to see the energy surge flying at him at high speed. With no time to dodge or block, Ryu turned toward the energy sphere and set his hands forward, catching the energy in his hands and parrying it harmlessly. But while the sphere no longer posed a threat, it did leave Ryu open for a moment; an moment Sean didn't miss.

"Ha!"

After firing his Burst, Sean rushed through again, attacking Ryu with a forceful blow from behind his own attack. Ryu was knocked down and backward on the grass. But he didn't stand there long as he pushed back ino a roll and rose up, but only halfway and on one knee. As Sean pondered this, he saw Ryu's hand slip over to the sheathed sword at his side. Nodding at this, Sean reached over to his own blade and, unsheathing it, held it toward the kneeling, but still battle-ready Ryu.

'Guess the warm-up is over.'

United States, 1863

"Okay. Now that the warm-up is over, let's start with the basics."

In the training section on the mansion, Ken stood off to the side, clothed in his red gi with his arms folded, while he watched Sean going about with his exercises. For three years since taking him in, he had training Sean in the way of his art and so far, Sean was learning his lessens well. Although he had yet to learn the advanced techniques, it wouldn't be long before he would teach them to him. But upon looking at the hardened gaze of his apprentice, the thought of future lessons were dismissed and turning to concern in the present.

"What is it?"

Sean's eyes, which were turned toward the window, refocused on Ken. "Not to sound ungrateful, but will I ever leave this place, master?"

"In time." Ken replied. "But not now. It isn't safe for you out there now."

"You always say that. When will it be safe for me?"

Ken sighed. Obviously, this wasn't the first time Sean had asked this and other related questions. It has been a few years since the youth had come into his home, but the war still raged on the outside. Fortunately, it hadn't come to his home here yet, but Ken knew how quickly that could change. Normally, he would have left the country and traveled abroad until it blew over. But that would mean taking Sean along with him and he wasn't ready to travel with him just yet.

"I can't say."

"What do you mean by that?!" the boy suddenly snapped out. "You don't know? Then how do you know it isn't safe already? How do you know I can't just leave now?"

"Sean!"

The youth suddenly stopped at Ken's sharp outburst, a rarity for the normally laid-back immortal. But Ken knew there were times when he'd have to be serious. This teaching was one of them, for he knew the boy was a potential immortal. When the time comes, he will be on his own, with only the lessons here to guide and save him. But in the meantime, it was his job to protect him. But even still, he had to understand Sean's feelings. Bending down to Sean's level, he made eye-contact with the youth.

"Listen Sean. The world is a very dangerous place if you're not careful. That much, I do know. You have to be patient, Sean. It's hard right now, I know. Learning all these new things makes you feel like you can take on anything. I was like that too." He chuckled a bit on the last one and then kept going." And one day, you'll go out to face the world on your own. But don't rush it."

"...I'm sorry, master." the young boy said after a moment. "I'll try to be patient."

"No worries. Now let's pick up where we left off."

The sounds of battle echoed throughout the forest. Clashes of forged steel accompanied by loud shouts rang in the tree land area as the two immortals battled. But as suddenly as the battle started, it ended. Silence ensued for a long moment and then...

*gasp!*

With a sharp intake of air, Sean shop up from the ground, immediately reaching up to grasp his chest from where he had been stabbed. Stabbed through...by Ryu... But, he was still alive? Lifting his head up, he saw Ryu sitting cross-legged on the grass not too far from him and looking down at him.

"You fought your finest today."

Sean blinked, half-surprised by this. With the way Ryu was fighting him, he was certain that he was trying to kill him. Well, he did technically 'kill' him, but his head was still intact. Not that he was complaining at still being alive, but he was left in confusion.

"Huh. But you..."

"For you to truly know your limits, I had to fight you with everything." Ryu replied. "So much so that there would be no difference between this fight and one that endangered your very life."

"But I still lost."

"True. And as immortals, this would have been your end. But you must remember that we are warriors of honor first. Our power lies not in our experience or Quickenings, but in our strength of will. When one has the courage and will, one can overcome any obstacle.

Sean thought upon the truth of that statement. In the years that he was alive, Sean has faced a good deal of opponents, many or all of who exceeded him in either strength or experience. But he managed to forge through, defeating them on his own. And as Ryu stated, it was because of his courage and the fact that he refused to quit. Noting on the last part, Ryu rose up and continued.

"And you're still holding your sword, aren't you?"

Looking to his side, Sean blinked again upon seeing the sword still in his grasp. Ryu moved over the young immortal and lent his hand down.

"You didn't yield. That is what is important."

Reaching up, Sean grabbed hold of his secondary teachers' hand and lifted off of the grass after which, he sheathed his sword, finally releasing it from his grasp. With a lance, Sean bent his head down deeply.

"Thank you, Ryu-sensei. I've learned much today thanks to you."

Stepping forward, Ryu place a hand on Sean's shoulder. "It's nothing really. You know these lessons already and you haven't lived this long for nothing. But at times, we need to be reminded." Removing his hand, Ryu backed away as Sean lifted his head. "One more thing. While I am honored that you would call me master, there is no need for it. We are equals, as well as rivals. It has been so since your first Quickening."

"True. But that shouldn't change who we are." Sean replied with a grin; a very-Ken-like grin. "Warriors of honor, right?"

"Right."