Awakened: The Story of Maxwell Cain

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

                                                Training

        Max woke up long after everyone else did.  It had been years since he could remember sleeping as well as he did last night.  No dreams haunted him; just a long, peaceful sleep.  Yawning and stretching like a bear coming out of hibernation, Max slid out of bed.  Fully rejuvenated, he stepped into the bathroom to take his morning shower.  While in the shower, Max thought of what to expect with the coming day of training.  He imagined Marines running for miles a day and being pushed until they collapsed.

        Max stepped out of the shower after a few minutes and gave himself a look in the mirror, still shocked at his new appearance.  He wasn’t in bad shape (certainly no body builder) but he had stayed fit while he “sleepwalked”.  He grabbed the electric razor left there for him and shaved his well grown stubble for the first time ever in his life.  Clumsily he finished, and walked back into his room to get dressed.  The clothes provided turned out to be a perfect fit.  Malachi must have gone to a lot of trouble preparing everything for him.

        It was nearly noon by the time Max finished getting ready, and walked out of his room and down the hallway.  He heard noises still coming from the fourth room belonging to his mysterious roommate, and he was going to introduce himself, but thought otherwise.  Something told Max that it would not be a good idea for him to meet this person without a familiar face at his side.

        As Max walked outside, he noticed that everyone was already out performing their daily routines.  There were groups tending the plants in the gardens, a class was in session in the amphitheater, and many young adults his age were sparring in the battle stations.  Max looked over to where the trackers lived and saw the same thing he saw last night.  Two formidable men still guarded the one entrance through the ten foot gate surrounding their entire colony.

        Max, not knowing where to go, headed toward the pavilion in the center.  He walked around the pond in the garden, and noticed Will in the distance at the sparring station, fighting with another man.  The man was around the same age as Max and clearly was the one teaching.  Max walked up to the station and leaned against the fence, watching the graceful movements of the two of them.

        Will’s opponent was moving in a circle around Will, easily defending every attack Will launched at him.  Max noticed Will’s challenger was getting closer and closer to Will with each   rotation he made.  As soon as the man was in the position he wanted, he grabbed Will’s arm while it was in mid-swing.  He used Will’s own momentum in the punch to carry Will forward and face-first into the ground.

        The two had not noticed that Max was there until Will looked up from the ground and grinned, wearing a face full of dirt.  “Max, good to see you up, man!  We are just finishing up our lessons before we go eat some lunch.”  Will slapped his sparring partner on the back, a little harder than he should have.  “This here is Byron, martial arts trainer and the best sparring partner to have!”

        Byron didn't have exactly what you would call a "soldier look” about him.  He was of smaller stature with dark skin, and arms short enough that a boxer should have a field day with him.  But after what Max saw between Byron and Will, a professional boxer would not be able to touch the expert sparring partner.

        Byron nodded toward Max with a little uncertainty.  “I’ve heard a lot about you Max; hopefully you and I can get to do a little training.”

        Will enthusiastically approved.  “That’s a great idea!  Byron has the essence of some of the greatest hand-to-hand combat experts in history!  Hell, the Shaolin Monks and Bruce Lee had it for starters!”  Will was lost in wonder.  “So many amazing stories follow this essence.  I’ll have to tell you a few of them some time, Max.”