Renegade Reborn (37 page)

“Even in a morning as dark as this, I see our master. He’s in position, alone. Best get comfortable men! Musashi is no doubt going to be late again!” The man said. As soon as the word, “comfortable” was said, Musashi noticed every man in the bush relax.

Musashi smiled.

“Did I keep you waiting?” Musashi yelled, as he leapt from hiding, and fell the leader of the small ambush group in one blow.

The men, now completely thrown into disarray, screamed and began slicing at everything that moved in the darkness, as Musashi moved like a shadow, slaying all within his sword’s reach until the men began their retreat, running out into the open field.

Musashi gave chase, hacking down the lot of them, then sprinted right for the son of Seijuro, and ran him through, then, unsheathed another samurai sword, and now holding a blade in each hand, he placed a foot atop the man’s head.

“For those of you wanting death, COME! COME AND . . .” Musashi started, when suddenly, there was a thwip noise and an arrow pierced his arm, but Musashi took the blow, and continued, undeterred. “ . . . COME AND MEET MY BLADES! I AM MIYOMOTO MUSASHI! THE GREATEST SWORDSMAN OF MY TIME AND TIMES TO COME! THIS IS MY TITLE! YOU WANT IT? COME AND TAKE IT!”

No more arrows fired. No more swords flashed. All that could be heard, and seen, were the fleeting feet of lesser men garbed in white, the color of surrender.

Gisbo Falcon opened his eyes to see his grandfather seated before him. They stared at one another for a long moment.

“How do you feel?” Vadid asked.

“Unbeatable,” Gisbo said, and for the first time since the Rupture, before all his tragedies, Gisbo’s wicked, infectious smirk, returned.

“Prove it,” Vadid said, motioning to the Phoenix blade planted into the ground before them. Without hesitation, Gisbo rose to his feet, strolled over to it, gripped the handle, and without hesitation, pulled it from the ground, and raised it to the sky, igniting the entire area in blue white light in a rising battle cry as red, fiery letters formed down the side of the blade reading,
“Gisbo Falcon, Man-Phoenix.”

Gisbo then fell to one knee, woozy from the power surge, and saw Vadid standing over him with an outstretched hand.

“Now, we can begin,” Vadid said.

Chapter Eighteen: Train, Beer, Sleep . . .

There was a knock at the door. Rolce walked across the floor, garbed in golden bed robes and opened the door, having to look up at his guest.

“Lady Seveara?” Rolce asked.

“Greetings, Rolce. May I come in?” Seveara asked, her eyes twinkling in the holes of her mask.

“Ugh, yeah, yeah come on in,” Rolce said, motioning her forward. Lady Seveara had to duck under the archway to step inside then stood at full height.

“Is Jackobi here?” Lady Seveara asked.

“Sleeping upstairs.” Rolce said. “Um, if you don’t mind, may I ask the reason for your visit?”

“Well, let’s not wake him. Come on out here and we can talk.” Lady Seveara said.

“Oh, yeah, of course,” Rolce said as he they both walked outside, and Rolce closed the door behind him, joining Lady Seveara who looked out over a balcony where below, sat a giant auditorium and in the middle, was an arena, the very arena, that Rolce would put his life on the line. Rolce stared at it, transfixed.

“Beautiful. Isn’t it?” Lady Seveara asked.

“Sure, as arenas go . . .” Rolce said.

“No, no, look higher.” Lady Seveara said. Rolce looked up at Lady Seveara, only to see she wasn’t staring at the arena, but rather, she was staring at what lay above. Rolce raised his gaze to see a massive ball of golden energy with three halo’s that circled about it, keeping it contained.

“What is it?” Rolce asked.

“A self replicating energy field that acts as a beating heart for our city. It powers everything, and keeps our home afloat.” Lady Seveara.

“Energy that self replicates? How is that even possible?” Rolce asked.

“Much is possible when the greatest scientific minds the world has to offer come together as one.” Lady Seveara said.

“You realize, that such technology, could change this world, don’t you?” Rolce asked.

“It would only change a world that is not ready,” Lady Seveara said. “But, I have not come to debate with you. Instead, I’ve come, to make you an offer.”

“An, an offer?” Rolce asked.

“Yes, one I know you will take. I brought you here because I believe, in so many ways, you are everything that Purah doesn’t stand for, but there was also another reason . . .” Lady Seveara said, keeping her gaze on the spinning halos.

“Another?” Rolce asked. Lady Seveara, put a hand through her long, golden hair, and turned her gaze upon him.

“Do I make you nervous, Rolce?” Lady Seveara asked, as she stepped toward him, invading his personal space.

“Um, no, no, I . . . I just,” Rolce stammered, swallowing hard, but he did not retreat in his steps.

“I see the way you look at me, Rolce. I see the way every man looks at me. Their eyes, they give away so much,” Seveara said, suddenly reaching forward with a hand, and caressing the side of Rolce’s cheek. Rolce lost his breath upon her touch. “Some men look into my eyes and I see fear. They see the power of the sexes, reversed, and they know not how to take it, so, they lash out with hurtful words to cover their own insecurities. Then, there are others, men and woman included, who become so captivated, so drawn to me, they lose who they are and I become an unresistible object of desire and worship. But then, there are men like yourself . . .”

“I . . . you, I mean,” Rolce stammered again, his breath edgy, his mind racing.

“I don’t mince words, Rolce, and I don’t play games. You are as handsome as you are intelligent, as powerful as you are humble. Did you know I’ve been watching you for sometime? Up here, from the skies, I see all of Thera. I see how it connects, I see how it moves, but especially, I see those who stand out, and you, my dear, sweet, Rolce . . . you are what every man needs to be, should be,” Seveara said, suddenly moving her long arms around his neck and draping them over his shoulders. She then raised a finger under his chin, and raised up his face so they could look one another in the eyes.

“It must be hard for you, being so intelligent, able to see how everything connects, how the universe flows, and it must be equally hard to be around people who cannot see things the way you do. You are so alone. As am I, Rolce. Why not fix that?” Lady Seveara said as she wrapped her right hand around the back of his head, and gently, tugged his face toward her to rest upon her generous bosom. She then began to caress his thick, dirty blonde hair tenderly with her long, strong, fingers.

“Seveara . . . Lady Seveara, I . . .” Rolce stammered, but she shushed him, and continued massaging his head.

“Tonight could be the last night you have upon this world. Men such as you are so hard to find nowadays. Men are too full of venom and spite, and anger, and you, you are none of those things.” Lady Seveara said. She then lay both hands on his cheeks and raised up his face again to look him in the eyes. “Rolce? I would not have such a rare, beautiful individual as you put your life on the line. Instead, I would have you gaze upon me and rather than deny the pleasure you feel, I want you to embrace it. I would give you one taste, just one, and once you have it, I know you’ll want more . . . this is my offer . . . in a few moments; I will allow you to gaze upon my face. When you do, I will become your everything, I will become your addiction, I will become . . . your goddess, and once I do, I will cancel this silly bout my city wants . . . I will join your side, and together, we can bring order, and peace, and our love will shine as a beacon, for all to aspire to . . .” Lady Seveara said, as she then slid her fingers down Rolce’s face, then, lifted them to her mask, and slowly, lifted it. “Gaze upon me, Rolce, and tonight, become mine.”

Rolce wanted to look away, be he found he couldn’t, watched as every inch of her face appeared before his eyes, slowly, and then, she was revealed to him, and Rolce, felt his heart stop in his chest, and understood, fully, why the mask was needed. With it on, her body, while utterly captivating, felt as if it were missing something, as if the pieces of her were separate, unflowing, but right now, before him, and him alone, she stood as the complete, golden goddess that she was . . .

“What is your answer, my dear, sweet, Rolce? Will you become mine?” Seveara asked, flashing a smile that would have given most red blooded males cause to weep, but Rolce was not most men. It took him a few moments to catch his breath, to hide, and adjust the bulge in his drawers, but once completed, he swallowed hard, and found his voice.

“You are probably the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and will probably ever see again, but, that being said . . . I’m sorry. My heart, you see, it is already accounted for and, and I mean no offense with this next coming statement, but, I feel it needs to be said. . . .” Rolce said as a smile he did not predict, stretched across his face. “ . . . But, you’re nothing compared to my Kinny Kalloway.”

Seveara’s eyes grew large, and with a look of utter shock and embarrassment, she shackled her mask back on and stormed away with a whirl of her robes, without another word, or a look back.

Rolce let out a clenched breath, and found he needed the railing to support himself. He clutched it now, desperately, as if he were holding a life preserver after coming up for air from the bottom of the Aquarian ocean.

“You do like women, don’t you?” Jackobi asked. Rolce spun around, startled by the cold, gruff voice to see Jack leaning casually against the inside of the doorframe.

“Jack! I . . . how long have you been standing there?” Rolce asked.

“Long enough.” Jackobi said.

“What, what the hell was all that about!? I was just here minding my own business and, and in she walked and . . . whew! I, did that seriously just happen!?” Rolce asked, stupefied.

“She has a thing for younger men. Trust me, you weren’t the first guy she’s pulled that on. Why do you think she hates me so much?” Jackobi asked.

“She, tried to, with, with you!?” Rolce asked, surprised.

“Who said anything about trying?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You? You and she were . . . and you did . . . JACK!” Rolce scolded.

“Better get some sleep, Rolce. Tomorrow is the big day,” Jack said, as he turned his back on him and made his way inside for the stairs.

“Jack! Come on, tell me! Did you, did you really . . . you know . . .” Rolce asked.

“Did I what?” Jack asked, as Rolce caught up with him.

“You know . . .” Rolce said.

“Tap that?” Jack asked.

“Well, that’s one way of putting it . . .” Rolce said.

“Rolce, I’m Jackobi Foxblade.” Jack said as he turned his back on him again and climbed the stairs, only to stop halfway up, turning around with a rogue of a smile.

“ . . . You’re goddamn right I tapped that,”

“Three years, come and gone, and Gisbo? It’s showin’! You’re stronger, older and maybe even a little wiser!” Vadid said, dodging a falling, elemental charged kick from Gisbo, which shattered a stump. “You’ve learned much from my Apache friend, Geronimo. You have become fire under control!”

Vadid charged in on Gisbo with a tackle and Gisbo, seeing it coming, simply fell back to the right, did a spin and ended up behind Vadid, moving as swiftly and silently as the wind. He struck out, aiming for the back of Vadid’s knees, seeking to cripple him, but at the last moment, Vadid disappeared in a burst of fire and reappeared behind Gisbo, throwing two fingers forward, ready to go for a pressure point in Gisbo’ neck, when Gisbo, merely turned and caught his fingers in mid air. Vadid grinned wide with pride.

“You have learned much from the Spartan Likos, Gisbo. Every defense you take, simply, builds into an attack. You move without thought, without fear, relying only on instinct.” Vadid said. “Now, show me what you’ve learned from the greatest warrior of them all! Well, besides me of course . . .”

Vadid pulled his fingers from Gisbo’s grasp, but only because Gisbo let him. The original Man-Phoenix then charged forward with a roundhouse kick toward Gisbo’s groin, only to have Gisbo stand on his left leg in a crane pose while bringing up his right foot, heel up, to meet Vadid’s kick. His Grandfather’s foot struck hard against Gisbo’s heel, and to Vadid, it felt as if he had just struck a brick. Vadid cursed with amused pain, and stumbled back.

“Ah, Earth style, standing your ground, maintaining your space like a wall. Good, very good,” Vadid said as he shook off the pain in his leg and charged in with a rising right fist toward Gisbo’s chin, only to have Gisbo step back out of reach, leaving Vadid stretching forward, trying to hit him, in an awkward, off balance stance, and that’s when Gisbo changed his momentum from backward to forward, and like a crashing wave, struck Vadid with his right index knuckle in the soft spot beneath the sternum. Vadid stumbled back once more, coughing and laughing.

“Yes, YES! Water style, giving momentum and space to your opponent, before riding it back into him! Good, very good!” Vadid said. Then, without warning, Vadid leaned right and went at Gisbo with a right hook, but rather than defend, or block it, Gisbo moved in toward it, arms outstretched, moving his own face right past Vadid’s oncoming fist, and embraced him in a soft hug, absorbing the blow’s missed energy, before altering it, and tipping his own body forward which flipped Vadid off his feet and sent him into three neat somersaults, before he came back up in a crouched position.