Shadows Chapter 8

Alker cautiously walked down the steps which led to the lower complex. At the base of the stairs they both entered the first door on the right. Alec shut the door behind him.
"Congratulations, Alker. To be honest I didn't think that you would be able to do it, but I guess I somewhat underestimated your determination and ability"
Alker grinned. This was surely great praise from the big man himself.
"Thanks sir", Alker replied happily.
"So much so in fact that I am now going to train you myself. Properly"
"Wow!", Alker paused for a second before continuing," Does this mean that I'm a member of the team now?"
"Hm. We will see. I will allow you to become a more permanent part of this..setup, if after I train you, you can beat Jake"
"Okay. When do we start?"
"Now"
***
Alec was determined to train Alker properly. It was true. He saw a lot of potential in Alker - he estimated that with the right training, that he might be able to attain an energy level of at least 20,000 or so. From the start, Alker was given weighted clothing, with intial weightings of 100 kg or about 200 pounds. At first, Alker had objected, to Alec's slight annoyance. When Alec explained that actually everyone here wore weighted clothing, even Jake, Alker quickly changed his mind. The whole purpose of weighted clothing, as Alec had already explained was two fold. Firstly it was to build up muscles, and secondly it was to make him use his ki all of the time. Initially Alker had struggled with the weights, but he seemed to be getting more comfortable with the increased burden now. He was dismayed after almost a week of training to hear Alec state.
"I think this is getting too easy for you. Let's double the weight"
"Ah cra.."
After the initial complaints were once again over, Alker's power level began to increase dramatically. Eventually after a total of five weeks of training with weighted clothing, the weight was yet again increased to over 800 pounds. This was almost 6 times Alker's own weight. Because of the fact that he had to wear this clothing all the time, even when not training, he learned to increase his ki to help carry the load.
By now Alker recognised the difference between using high and low levels of ki and how to power up from a lower level to a higher one. Additionally, his sensing abilty also increased dramactically, so that he could now with reasonable accuracy detect Alec's power level to be about ten times his own, though he had not actually witnessed him at his full power yet. Over this time, Alker had also been taught how to raise an energy shield, which could be used to deflect potentially fatal attacks, and how to concentrate his energy into a ki blast, which whilst not as effective as the Masenko, was more flexible in that the beam direction could be more easily manipulated. Finally...
"Well Alker. You've done very well. No I shouldn't say that. In fact you've been amazing. I think that you're just about ready to fight Jake. How does tommorow sound?"
"I dunno. Sounds okay", Alker replied. He was quietly confident.
"Tommorow it is then. But first I want you to fight me. Common give it everything that you have got"
Alker powered up to his maximum and swiftly approached Alec, who had assumed a defensive stance. The first punch that he threw was deflected, the second made some contact, but did not seem to concern him much. After blocking another few punches, Alec disappered. Alker knew by now that he hadn't really disappered, but was merely employing the zanzouken. Sensing his energy signature, he immediately turned ninty degrees to the the left to block the furry punch that was coming his way.
"Good. See if you can stop this one", Alec leapt back and fired off a blast of ki at Alker. He had just enough time to activate a shield before it hit him.
"So you want to play with ki now do you?", Alker replied jokily and instantly began to charge a ball of ki in his right hand, with the intention of firing it. Just before he could let it go, Alec vanished yet again. Raising his head, just in time he spotted Alec directly above him powering up another blast. He rapidly dissipated the ki that he was holding in his hand to activate another shield. Just before he could manage this feat sucessfully, Alec's blast hit him, winded him and knocked him to the ground.
"Not a bad attempt I suppose", Alec turned his back, slightly disappointed that it had been all too easy.
Picking himself off the floor, Alker sensed that Alec had let his guard down, and began to charge up for a Masenko.
"Oh", Alec sensed his opponent get up and was somewhat surprised, "still got a bit of fight in you the.."
"MASENKO!", the dull red yet dangerously powerful beam burst forth from Alker's hands. He was putting all the energy that he had into this one shot.
As Alec sighted the beam, his power level began to rise ever so slightly, so that a distinct white aura engulfed him. Almost immediatly he fired off another Masenko in return. The two beams collided, with one struggling against the other. In a split second, Alker's Masenko began to retreat from the energy present in Alec's. In a massive explosion, Alker was hit. The sheer force of it hurled him against the wall. He fell to the floor, completely wasted.
"I think that's enough, don't you, Alker?", it was a statement, not a question.
"Yes. I think it is", Alker groaned.
***
Later on in the day, Alker was greeted by Jake.
"Hey Alker. Heard that I'm fighting you tommorow"
"Yeah. I know"
"Bad luck. And on your birthday of all days as well"
"Hm", Alker had told Jake several weeks ago the day that he was to turn 16. He hadn't quite expected Jake to remember it. Not of course that Alker actually minded having to fight tommorow. After all that he had been through over the previous year, such a small problem did not appear to be of much concern anymore.
"Want to go out tonight and celebrate it?"
"Huh?", Alker was completly stunned. In the last four and a half months that he had been here, he had never once left the building. Just about everyone had told him that it was too dangerous to do so, since half of the EWO's forces were still hunting for him.
"You know I can't Jake. Besides Alec would not allow it"
"Yah!", Jake grinned confidently, "He will never know. Common Alker I think that you can afford one night off in the year"
"But we are both to fight tommorrow. Not exactly great preparation is it?", Alker replied, not entirely convinced.
"Then we will be equally hungover and therefore at an equal disadvantage. Go on. I know the way"
What the hell? Alker considered. Surely one night in a whole year would not make any difference?
"Oh. Okay. If you know the way..."
"Great! Get up at ten o clock tonight and meet me by my room. I promise you a night to remember.."
Taken out of context that last statement might have sounded disturbing...

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