Auria

Chapter 10 - Too Late

Two weeks passed.

“Where do I strike?” she asked.
“Cut off the lower-most tentacles.” said an older clone dressed in brown.

Auria ran, spear held taut, pointing forward and down.  A purple, writhing, tentacled beast, tall as two men and longer than four rolled gracefully between standing trees.  It grabbed branches and trunks, whipping suction-cupped tentacles through the air.  Huge eyes above each tentacle opened and closed, scanning every direction at once.  It moved rather quickly for such size.

Auria ran straight up the side of a tree near the beast and jumped very high, sideways, directly over its head.  She stabbed the metal-tipped spear deep into tentacles, tearing out flesh as gravity pulled her to the ground.  It whipped around, sucking the hurt appendage beneath it and lashed more massive tentacles, barely missing the young girl in a whirl of sonic wind.

She quickly darted behind a tree and made for another.  The purple monster rolled after, sliding around a tree-trunk as if it were never there.  Auria performed the same move again, running upside another tree and pouncing back onto the beast's top-side.

“Shame on you.” she yelled.
“You're doing great.” said a clone standing beside the monster.  The sky darkened, the light fading to shadows and whispers.  “Now, let's see what you can do in the dark.”

Pitch black set in.  Auria clicked three times to echo-locate a nearby tree.  She wrapped fingernails into the bark and climbed until finding a strong limb and tip-toed along its stiff branch.  The monster climbed behind her, pulsating and pounding deep within the tree, pulling its heavy body ever higher.

When the huge, dark beast slid tentacles onto her limb, she began to move erratically, taking the limb up and down with her.  Clinched toes and curled feet attached her for a while, until the minimal weight brought the springing limb to its limits.  She pounced.

“Hewahh.” she yelled.

Falling atop the monster's head, she shoved the spear deep into its enormous body and bounced off the fatty abdomen beneath.  The forest floor hit hard.

“You've lost your spear, injured yourself and it's dark.  The ground is not your friend.  You will die.”
“But, I've won.” she whispered, gasping staggered breaths.
“Someone will always watch your battles.  It's what I would do.” said a young clone walking toward her.  “Then, they will strike.”

The sun returned, revealing a dying creature stuck against a tree with a spear.  Purple and red goo dripped and pooled beneath.  The landscape transformed, turning it into a simple training room within the facility – white walls around a high ceiling.  No trees nor monster anywhere.

Several clones wearing brown stood beside Auria, and a few younglings.  She leaned, tried to get up and fell again, landing flat on her back.  Someone offered a hand.  It was a man dressed in black with a white and red criss-crossing bandage stuffed inside an open shirt.

“Master.” said Auria, holding open hands outstretched above her head.  “How are you, today?”
“I am alive.” said Gen.
“I am sorry.  The healing machine does not work well for you.”
“I am alive.”

Auria pushed feet into the air, touched the floor with both hands and pushed, throwing herself skyward and landed upright on bare feet.

“Master, I've learned so much.” she said.
“And yet, you've learned little.” said Gen.
“Master, have we not carried out your wishes?” said a clone.
“My wishes?  Do you want to know what I wish?”
“Master.  They can hear you.” said the clone.
“I don't care what they hear.  I want them...”
“But I care.” said Auria.

Master Gen slowly backed away and left.  She resumed training.  Swimming became the next exercise, not as the room filled with water, but it became water in the instant the clone spoke to begin training.

“It is not the same.” mouthed Gen from across the yard.  “Fighting must never become a simulated game.”

He entered the food hall, staggered and began breaking tables and chairs until finally collapsing from the pain, bleeding again from the gaping hole in the center of his chest.

He saw himself dreaming again of the days on Earth.  A tall metal cage stood in the center of a massive arena.  Many people chanted his name.  Lights flashed, as did a lone beam from the ceiling to highlight his position.  He raised arms to the crowd and kissed a hand, then pointed while spinning full-circle.

“Gen, Gen, Gen...”

Two, muscular men entered the cage door, arms raised and walking around defiantly.  Gen stood on one side and closed eyes.  When the bell rang, his head tilted, his mind clearing of static from the room's noise.  A man ran across the ring to Gen, fist cocked and stutter-stepping.  Gen moved in a mysterious fashion, tripping the man and watching him fall against the metal cage.  He curled into a ball.  The second fighter stood on the other side and waved hands for Gen to come closer.  He shut eyes once more, both arms relaxed to his side and breathing one deep breath.

“Come get me, asshole.” yelled the second fighter.

After a brief moment, Gen exhaled slowly, hearing only the sound of air hissing, almost certainly collapsing both lungs.  He pounced several feet through the air, descending with an elbow, hitting the man's left, collar bone.  Bones shattered.  A second blow struck the man's eye, then the other.  As he fell, Gen grabbed beneath the fighter's knee and pulled it skyward.  The man pivoted and became airborne, but not before Gen kicked him in the crotch, sending him hurtling into and almost over the top of the chain-linked fence.  Time began to speed up.  The crowd screamed, muffled at first, then increasing in tone.  Two men laid in complete shambles.

“Did you catch that?” asked the announcer.  “Let's watch this again in instant replay.  I know we'll watch this over and over and over.  Anyway, Gen'ichi has won the fight.  Is there anyone alive who could even think of toppling this champion?”

A well-dressed man carrying a microphone re-entered the ring and walked to Gen, Mic held prominently in front.

“Gen, we don't know how you do it.  Is there anything you can tell us about where or how this obvious super-power came about?”
“No, but I can tell you, I will fight anyone, any place, any time.  I'll even put up three to one.  For every million you wager, I'll give you three times as much if you beat me.”
“Three to one, eh?  That's one hell of a bet to risk on yourself.”
“Ten million minimum.”
“Wow, folks.  Can we say that Gen'ichi Yamagata is one, cocky individual?”

Later that night inside the Limousine, Gen's phone received a text message.
'One billion dollars to fight, nothing expected if you lose.'
“What is this, some kind of joke.” said Gen, quickly responding to the text with the same words.
'Meet me at the diner coming up on your right.  I'll be there.'
“Driver, if you see some kind of restaurant on the right, stop there.  I have to know what kind of bull-shit is going on here.”
“Hai.” said the Japanese driver.