Half Dead

Chapter 5: The Hunt

Ray's POV

Kullhan wasn't joking about the training.

I spared every night, trained with my guns and cross bow and learned to fight in mid air (which I constantly failed). Some weeks after I was sure I could hold my own against another vampire.

I was currently sparring with Max. Max is a faceless mannequin with the ability to speak and kick ass. Kullhan made me try out my moves on it. I did, not knowing that the thing was actually watching and recording my moves. Them one day Kullhan animated it and from that day, Max seriously wanted to beat me. Which developed into a heated rivalry.

"Ha! Hi-ya! Take this!"

"You know, you don't always have to shout those things when you're fighting." I told Max while blocking one of his attacks.

"Oh yea? You did it all the time when you were practicing on me!" Max replied as he shot another strike at me.

"Are you still sore about that?" I grunted as I deflected his attack and struck at him.

"Yes I am! How would you like it if you had to stay still while some tries out his moves on you like, a roundhouse kick! Or maybe an uppercut! Or maybe a keg sweep!" As he said each move, Max pulled them off.

Make no mistake, that mannequin was dangerous. Kullhan had made him super flexible and he could pull off any move Kullhan taught me, even the ones I was still struggling to master. Which gave him an advantage. And I was doing this without my abilities.

"Calm down you idiot! I didn't know that Kullhan would animate you!" I blocked a few more attacks and thought of the best way to beat him. He was obviously better because he could perfectly pull off all the moves I knew and was currently learning and the only reason I was on my feet was that the reflexes that Kullhan had drilled into my brain were saving me. To win I'd have to outsmart Max.

I jumped back and then leapt forward with a very fast roundhouse kick. Max raised his arms to block it, but the force knocked him off his feet and back. I reached up and grabbed his foot and pulled him down again while pulling off another roundhouse kick.

"Please let this connect." I thought.

It did. My foot smashed into where his lower jaw should be and he flew back. If he hit the mat on his back he would be out.

And of course, the damn mannequin had to flip over and land on his feet.

"You almost had me there Ray." He said rubbing where his mouth should be.

"You could have let me win." I grumbled.

"Not likely. I still have to kick your ass." Max took up his stance.

"It was worth a try." I took my stance as well."

We rushed towards each other and leaped. Like I said before, mid-air combat was not my strong suit but I had a plan.

Before we collided, I leant back and locked my legs around his chest.

"What the?!?" Max exclaimed.

"Tell me what the mat feels like down there." I grinned before throwing him to the ground.

"Please let him fall on his back, please, please, please." I desperately thought. I had started to spin wildly out of control because of the throw I'd made. If Max didn't land on his back, I would most likely fall on mine, meaning that the mannequin would win.