Battle

By William Anthony Tolliver-Bey Jr.

The silence was deafening as the two warriors stood facing each other. Each a skilled fighter in his own right. This day was a rite of passage for one of the two. Each one sizing the other up not wanting to give the other any sign of weakness. Alone in the desert standing ready to wage a battle that might take hours to complete. "This is it, Yun. This is the Day that I leave this Planet," Shon stated with a confidence that his master knew his young ward would need to make his way in the harsh reality that was the Universe. The old warrior looked at the younger and was instantly reminded of his own son that would be around the age of Shon and instantly thought of the selfish reason that he gave to keep his young charge. He thought of the day his pod crashed to the ground and the thoughts he had, the emotions, the anger he had for those that had taught him the one million ways to kill a being. His thoughts traveled back to his last assignment, the one that brought him to this world. The countless worlds he had destroyed the millions of souls he slaughtered all for his king his. His thoughts were on the Last survivor of the world on which he would make his own prison. His thought were on the soft, innocent brown eyes that looked to him, and with her dying breath asked, "Why?"

He stood before another of his race, one not so different from himself in size and strength. He cursed himself for not following his first instincts and killing the child on the spot for he knew what he was sent there to kill all sentient beings that lived on this planet. He cursed his own race for the barbaric culture that he once looked at as the only way of life. He thought of the many Elite soldiers that he trained to serve King Vegeta. He cursed his teaching his student of his heritage as blood drenched as it is. He cursed his Saiyajin blood. For he knew the day would come when Shon Yun would want to leave the planet and take to the stars and learn more about his heritage, his birthright, his destiny.

They stepped into stances of warriors that were bred for battle and began. "HAAAAAAAA!" Shon waded in with a series of punches that were easily blocked and countered. Yun showed no emotion though he was elated that his young charge had achieved such power in the years that he trained. I have to play this smart, Yun thought as he dodged a kick that was aimed for his head countering with his own kick that was blocked with force. With the initial blows thrown, the two separate and size each other up again. Though Shon was extremely strong wisdom and experience would win this fight and he knew it. I have to think like him in order to win this.

Yun smiled as he stepped into a stance preparing for the next wave. Shon did not let his facial expression distract him from his goal. With blinding speed he started another volley of punches and kicks that were thrown with much more intensity than the first but it was stopped short by Yun's fist to his stomach followed by an uppercut that sent him flying upwards. Yun followed Shon into the air, which is exactly what he wanted. Shon recovered but continued to fly as if out of control, timing his attack just right. "YAAA!" A ki ball flying directly for Yun's face flew from his hand. Knowing that his teacher would deflect it easily, he followed closely behind rearing back to send Yun flying to the ground. As predicted, Yun smacked it away and as Shon sent his right fist with full force to connect, he was surprised that Yun held his wrist and kneed him in his wide-open ribs. Still holding his wrist, Yun connects with a left cross to Shon's jaw bringing his elbow back connecting with his student's chin, releasing Shon's wrist to strike him in his chest with an open palm sending him flying back. Recovering from the blows, Shon flew back at Yun with a punch that was over extended purposely. Yun sidestepped pushing Shon's hapless strike away only to be met with a backfist followed by the first fist. Yun caught off guard was then pounded a series of punches in the stomach that dazed him. Shon elevated above his teacher and brought down both fists in a crushing blow that sent Yun plunging to the ground below.

Crashing to the ground on his back, Yun barely flips out of the way as Shon's fist Comes crashing down in the imprint he left upon impact. Yun immediately shot multiple ki balls at his student. Shon waded through the barrage and threw his body into his teacher imbedding him into the mountain. Shon began a furious barrage of punches into Yun's midsection. His strength increased with each punch as he continued to drive his master into rock. "YES!" Shon yelled as he punched. The beating continued. "It's over, Yun!" Shon exclaimed as he pulled back to finish his master. As his hand descended toward Yun, an open palm stopped it. "Truer words were never spoken", Yun replied. " HAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Yun's power increased tremendously. The power of his ki blew a ten-foot crater in the side of the mountain, sending Shon flying away in disbelief.

Shon stood as Yun walked toward him. The expression on his face was grim. "Now it's my turn." Yun was in front of Shon before he could blink. Shon was bent over by an uppercut followed by a left hook, and then Yun began a barrage of punches and kicks that were unanswered by his student. Each punch moved him back as Yun pushed forward. The older warrior jumped up and delivered a double axe blow to Shon sending him to his knees. Yun then kicked the younger in his the gut sending him Flying into the air. The more seasoned warrior jumped up to deliver the finish and end this foolish challenge. As he approached the still dazed Shon, he powered up holding a ki ball in each hand. He passed Shon and flew higher and descended on his student, detonating the balls sending him crashing through the very mountain that Shon attempted to make him a part of. When the smoke cleared the mountain was missing its peak and a trail was made to a pile of boulders.

Yun descended in front of the rubble. Regretting the use of the power that was plainly too much for his student. "I should have never powered up to my fullest. I have failed again. I destroyed my redemption, my hope of atonement. I..." Yun paused in his thought. He sensed a ki, lower than his but rising. The ground started to rumble slightly. He looked at the ground and saw a pebble move slightly. With each passing second the shaking got stronger. A low sound came from the pile and it steadily increased. "HaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" "It can't be." BOOM! The tons of boulders exploded freeing Shon and sending Yun flying back. Recovering from the blast and the debris, Yun stops to see Shon's power level rising as his yell increased. Feelings of fear and excitement flowed through Yun as he saw his student alive. This is it! He thought to himself as he prepared himself for the onslaught to come.

The enraged youth was instantly on his master delivering furious punch after punch. All of Yun's skill and experience did little to save him from the barrage of hits Shon delivered. Each blow more potent and faster then the last. His discipline was no more. The strategies and tactics that Yun taught him were not even a distant memory to him now. He was operating on instinct an automatic reaction that was triggered upon a near death experience. The need to destroy the immediate threat to his existence was so great that Yun was no longer Yun to him.

Yun's defense was holding but it was faltering with each missed counterblow. Their bodies were moving so fast that they would be a blur to bystanders if there were any. The speed of Shon's attack increased so much that Yun could only block fewer and fewer of his attacks. Yun caught a lucky break. As Shon threw yet another stunning left, Yun timed his counter move just right. He used both hands to block Shon's left, then blocked his upcoming knee leaving the younger warrior's midsection again wide open to a full powered ki blast that put twenty yards between them. Yun had more up his sleeve. The blast did nothing more than enrage Shon further as he bolted toward this mortal enemy. Yun flew back keeping some distance between them shooting ki balls at him trying to think of some sort of was to stop Shon before he killed him or was killed by him. It's as if I was a magnet and he was a metal bar... That's it! A thought came to him in that instant. It was crazy and risky but at the cost of his own life and that of his young charge it just might work. His thoughts were of a technique that was used to stop him years ago and he needed to use it to stop Shon.

He slowed his retreat and as was hoped, Shon Took the bate and speed to catch him. Concentration and timing was essential. Working well under stressful conditions was what Saiyajin were known for. The amount of his ki expended would be great to do this and if it didn't work his life was over and that was a fate he was resigned to from the time he killed the last soul on this planet. All he could do was try He shot a huge ki at a tower-like rock formation shattering it making a smoke screen between himself and Shon then stopped and mustered all the ki that was in him for this last-ditch effort. Shon blew right through the smoke and powered up to full to finish this once and for all, which is what Yun, was hoping for. The air around him was electrified as he stretched his hands at his sides to perform this Technique. His stance was unmovable. The look of grim determination was on his face. Closer, just a little closer, Yun seemed to be urging his young charge. Yun knew his body could not take much more of the punishment that was given by Shon but for this to work Shon had to be close enough to hit him.

Shon was near his target, his prey and moving in for the kill. His Last blow would be the death of his enemy. The next few actions were instantaneous. "HAAAAAAAAAA!" Shon Yelled as Yun Stepped in and exerted his remaining ki shouting, "SHO-SAN-XI-TSU!" Shon's blow missed as Yun stepped in and under his attack forcing his ki added to the ki Shon was exerting repelling them away from each other. A bright, blinding flash was exploded between them knocking both hundreds of yards away from each other sending them both into unconsciousness.

The war was over.

A gentle breeze danced across the desert as if it were the victor of the day. Both warriors were down. A small reptile crawled down Yun's and had almost made it across the hand but was instant imprisoned on a hand that was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of millions of people. Yun sat up an looked in his hand and released the lizard to go about its way. He looked to the west and tried to sense the ki of his student but was unable to. He stopped and concentrated and found Shon. He breathed a sigh of relief that it did not kill him. He flew to Shon. A bittersweet smile appeared on his face. He was glad Shon was alive, relieved that the ki redirection technique worked, proud that the youth had surpassed his power, and afraid that the boy would follow in the steps that he did. This was a confusing situation for him, because he did not know what to do. I'll do that is right whatever happens after this will happen. I know what I must do. He knew that the tremendous power that Shon possessed would get stronger and stronger with time but it was up to him to teach him to control it. Yun knew that what he was going to teach him next would prepare him for whatever came his way. He knew Shon would have an advantage over A great deal of Saiyajin out there.

He would have a soul.

Shon woke with a groan. He sat up realizing he was in Yun's house. His body ached all over and he knew that some of his bones were broken. Once again He had been defeated. "Damn!" He shouted wincing in pain as the sound vibrated painfully through his body. He stood up slow to regain his balance and heard grunting out side. As he stepped forward his knees buckled and he found himself catching his balance again. He slowly walked outside just in time to see Yun stop moving a boulder that was taller than the house and as wide as one of the rooms in it. Yun looked as bad as he felt and that gave him some satisfaction that he gave as good as he got, but Yun was peaking his interest as he sensed his power level increasing. His stance was normal except for the hands, which were positioned in front of his chest as his he was holding a ball. A small white ball of ki formed and was getting larger and Yun's power increased. "Sho..." the air was suddenly still. "Ten..." everything felt like it lightening was dancing around it. "HaaaaAAAAA..." Shon's hair felt like it was standing up in its own. "SE-KIIIIIIIIIII..." it was standing on end. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

A blinding beam of blue energy shot from Yun's hands exploding the boulder showering the area with dust and smoke. As it cleared, Shon saw that the Boulder was no more any rubble, no rocks, nothing. Yun walked to she door where Shon stood and looked at him in stern silence. Shon seeing that he still had much to learn nodded and walked out of the doorway holding his bandaged side and looked at his mentor. Yun walked to him and smiled. "Now the real training begins." 1