Chapter 20

A loud crack resonated as Arrian's sheath and Greg's kamma met in front of them. They pushed their weapons against each other in a test of strength. A test Greg won, when he pushed Arrian back a few steps.

Greg got a smug smile in on his face after pushing Arrian back. It didn't last long. Arrian moved right back into his face. Greg was a bit shocked, this guy moved fast.

Arrian slowly withdrew his blade and tossed its sheath to the side. Quick as he would allow himself to move, he swung his sword at Greg. Greg, desperately trying to move as fast, brought his left kamma down to block and attacked with his right. Arrian rolled backwards to avoid the blow.

He smiled at Greg.

Greg knew this guy was good with a sword; he had to get it away. Suddenly, an idea hit him. He moved towards Arrian and began left and right slashes.

Arrian blocked blow after blow that Greg threw at him. Arrian wondered why he was using such a barbaric style of attack. He had just blocked a left slash when the left kamma was brought together with the right to hold the blade of Arrian's sword between its blades.

Greg had him now! All he had to do was pull the kamma's apart, and he would break the sword. He summoned his strength and pulled...

Nothing happened.

The sword didn't break, not even a slight crack. Arrian smiled as he realized Greg's strategy; Greg wanted to break his sword.

"That won't work," he told Greg.

Greg clenched his teeth and pulled even harder. Even with his augmented super human strength, he couldn't break the sword. Arrian, tired of the situation, and pulled the sword right out of the vice grip the kamma had on it.

They traded blows now. Arrian would move out of the way and deliver his own attack, only to be blocked and having to block himself. Twice again Greg tried to break Arrian's sword. Each time the result was the same; —not even one scratch.

"You're good," Greg commented.

Arrian gave a snort, then moved in close and delivered a stab at Greg's side. Greg dodged, and while turning, spun both kamma in a half circle motion.

Arrian leaned back as if doing the limbo, planted his sword in the mat, and as soon as the kamma passed over his head, used the sword as a catapult and jumped backwards.

Greg stood and turned. "This guy is really good," he thought.

Brandon watched as his son faced Arrian. He was impressed with Arrian's skills and even more so with his sword. It should have broken when Greg pulled at it with the kamma, but there it was without so much as a scratch. He winced when he saw Arrian's sword come too close to Greg. He relaxed when he saw Greg counter, only to be blocked again.

This match was very even; if Greg kept his temper from flaring, he might just win.

Angela was impressed too. She didn't believe anyone would ever last against her big brother, but this guy was good... and cute too.

Arrian was dodging all the attacks Greg was sending his way with impressive speed. He would use the sword to push himself away from the near hits Greg launched.

Arrian backed away from Greg and changed his stance from one of counter to one of speed.

He relaxed his muscles, spread his legs a bit more, held his sword more loosely, and began a slight bounce on his toes. Without warning he rushed Greg who held the kamma up to stave the blow that was coming down.

The kamma blocked the attack; at least the first one. The second attack was a spinning slash Arrian delivered as he recovered from the blocked blow. The blow was so strong that the sword's edge was embedded in the kamma's edge. Without missing a beat Arrian turned his sword in a circular, counter-clockwise turn and freed it from Greg's hand.

Greg was perplexed, his kamma were made from what he knew to be almost indestructible metal. Yet, this guy's sword cut the edge and got stuck in it. He should have been paying more attention.

Arrian, sensing Greg's lack of attention, planted the sword into the mat and grabbed the second kamma; using it as leverage, he savagely performed a throw on Greg. By the time Greg realized what was happening, he was already flying through the air.

Brandon was in complete awe.

Never, not since he had finished training Greg, had anyone managed to get close enough to throw him, or even get past his kamma. This Arrian had not only gotten past them, he had taken them away from him. This guy is good, really good. Could it be that this kid was just like Greg?

That is not possible, I was told the serum was destroyed after it was administered to Greg. What the fuck is going on here? Brandon thought to himself.

Angela gave a loud gasp as she watched her brother being tossed into the air like a sack of potatoes.

Helen and the others were on the edge of their seats. The kid Arrian was fighting was good. Sarah sat in Cindy's lap and watched on as her Daddy played with his stick. She didn't know what to think of the other boy. He had toys like her Daddy, but still her Daddy's was prettier.

Helen was calmer, but not by much. Her chat with Arrian before the match had removed the feeling of fear she was having. She knew he was happy about the baby. Their baby was a piece of her and a piece of him.

She watched as Arrian fought this kid and realized that if Arrian had not been holding back, this kid would have lost long ago.

Arrian had won the weapons exhibition, but now it was time for hand-to-hand combat. After bowing to the officials and each other, they took their stances.

Greg was upset; this guy had damaged his weapon; he knew it was wrong but when the time came he would add a little more juice to a punch or kick he landed.

When the signal came, both delivered punches at each other. Both fists connected with the opposite fist.

Arrian didn't visibly wince, but internally he admitted this guy was much stronger than he had given him credit for.

Greg was a bit stunned; the impact should have left this guy wincing in pain. He didn't have time to continue his thought as one of Arrian's legs flew at his head. He dodged to the side and launched his own attack, using his fist.

Arrian brought his hands down to block the blow or at least deflect it. He blocked the punch and turned to deliver an elbow into Greg's abdomen. Greg grabbed Arrian's abdomen, and launched him across the mat.

As he flew backwards Arrian slammed his right palm into the mat, forcing his momentum upwards. Spinning, he rotated until he had corrected his position and landed on his feet.

Once firmly on the mat, Arrian rushed into Greg and began a series of kicks, which Greg blocked. A roundhouse to the head was ducked, a left footed sweep was jumped over.

Arrian was impressed with this guy's grasp of martial arts. Using the momentum he had built from the sweep kick, he placed his palm on the mat and raised himself a bit and delivered four kicks to Greg's abdomen.

Greg blocked the first three; however, the last one got by his defense and knocked him back a bit.

Stuart waited in his office staring at nothing in particular. A knock on his door brought him back to the present. He yelled for the person to come in. A man with few distinguishable traits entered the room. He looked nervous and afraid.

"Where is it?" Stuart asked in a cold and emotionless voice.

"Boss, we did what you asked and we got it for you... but we ran into some trouble."

"I don't give a shit about anything but the shard! Now, give it to me."

The man reached into his pocket and withdrew a small pouch. With very shaky hands he gave it to Stuart. Wasting no time he opened it, and stared at the shard.

"Boss, the police showed up and were asking us questions."

"Do not waste my time with your pitiful complaints!" He said, all the while staring at the shard. Suddenly Stuart's eyes glowed redder than ever. He stood and walked over to the lackey.