The making of a soldier

[Adam]

"But I'm already up to par." She suddenly zipped around behind him.

"No you're not." She whispered in his ear before pushing him forward. "Well good luck." She says as she vanishes.

"What is it with everyone and vanishing?" He says as he walks toward the camp. He was unarmed and vulnerable without a weapon at hand. Appearing in front of the entrance of the camp was a man with his arms folded, possible a body guard.

"What business do you have here?" The man asked, he seemed adamant about letting him through, he didn't exactly have a believable answer but it was the only one.

"I was sent by the heroes to learn how to defend myself as best as I can, that and if I don't then they won't give me my sword back..."

The guy steps aside"Fair enough, go in." Adam, feeling surprised that that was all it took he walked in. There were people going in step formation, every time a command was given out, the trainees would move into the next position.

As he makes gets ready to pass the man up he looks at him. "You're really letting me in?" He asked, suspicious of the man, that was unusual to him, being allowed to bypass security without having to fight them first.

"Yeah, go on in, I feel sorry for you."

"Oh yeah, and why is that?"

"You'll see when you get in." The man said as he rubs his chin as if he was contemplating something.

Adam shrugged his shoulders,"Fair enough," he said as he walked right on in, the sun was about midway into the sky but it was still fairly cloudy, he knew it wouldn't be long before it rained. He looked around, gathering everything that his eyes could gather, there were many people, they seemed to be eyeballing him. He gives them a look of pure hatred as if to say he would brutalize anyone who tries to mess with him.

They didn't say any, they only stared at him funny which only helped to provoke his anger, as he rowdies himself up he takes two deep breaths then starts power walking at them stiffly, planning to dish out some damage.

[Adam]

"Alright, you've irked my nerves!" He said as he went to draw his sword, but it wasn't there, he recalls being disarmed a while ago."I don't need a weapon, I have these." He said with such a cold voice, he just got here and he was already in trouble.

"Really, stand back, I got this." One said, he raised his guard as he gradually approached him. "You first." He said as he stood where he was, waiting on Adam to make his move.

"Let's go." He tries to jab the guy's gut but he was too quick, as he dodged he grabbed him by the wrist and tossed him over his shoulders. Being as agile as he was Adam was able to twist in the air to land feet first on the opposite side of the opponent only to get punched in the face. He purposely falls back on his knees to grab dust from the ground that he throws in at him, getting his eyes.

"Aaaaaah!" He yelled as he grasped his face, being in agony so suddenly. Now that he had the upper hand he planned on using it. One punch catches the guy in the face will another gets him in the ribs, he then jumps up and knees him in the face, knocking him back a few feet.

The crew that was with him decided to jump in and help, they surrounded him. Adam, figuring it'd be just like the mercenary's bar he stands confidently as he had no way to get away. "Alright, me first." He said calmly as he picked one to lung at, he throws a strait punch only to have it blocked.

A man behind him lays hands on him and before he had time to react another had grabbed hold of him, the rest began beating him, throwing in punches and kicks. Eventually he took so many hits that it put him to the ground, only being able to protect his head from further damage.

"Hey!" He heard Elizabeth's voice call out,"Get away from him!" The men, knowing who she was decided that Adam wasn't worth the trouble anymore, they leave him, returning to their posts where they had originally been. He was left bruised, battered and in horrible shape. "I should have told you about that, I don't exactly know how it started but the so called "Hero's Creed" isn't exactly perfect."

"It's fine, this is normal where I come from except, this usually doesn't happen." He said as he sluggishly rose to his feet, holding to his arm which had been injured in the fight."I need to find a group to get into." His eyes looked everywhere, there were crews everywhere, they seemed to all be looking at him as prey.

"Yeah.. About that, you will have a hard time fitting in since they know who you are, you've made a name for yourself ever since your people took over Unity, you probably have the tattoos that they all have." She looks him in the eyes,"What I'm saying is, be carful, I'd stay and help but I'm going to be busy removing the threat from power." He grabs her by the shoulder and connects eyes with hers.

"Just, whatever you do.. Don't harm Alice, she's my only family, if she dies then I'll be alone here."

"I don't know her."

"She's the one I was with before you kidnapped me."

"I know who your talking about, alright then, if I see her I'll make sure not to harm her.."

"There must be some kind of but." He said, knowing that there was going to be an exception to what she said.

"But, if she harms any of my friends then I will kill her, myself." Her eyes became more direct as if she was trying to pierce through his soul, the very feeling mad him feel nauseous. "If you understand and accept the circumstances then I will leave you to yourself." She turns away to get ready to leave."Oh and one more thing, try not to get yourself killed ok?"

"But wait, what about my--" Before he could ask she was gone again, leaving him in bad state. "I need to find a cleric before I pass out or worse." He said as he searched around, he was in unknown territory so it was going to be hard for him to find his way around, that and he was being watched by people who saw him as prey.

"You there, recruit." He looked in the direction of where the voice was coming from to see that a female In robes that had a cross on it to symbolize that she sure enough, she was a cleric. "Ok, I need you to come with me to Helen." She said as she assisted him to the location, on the way there she starts a conversation with him. "So who are you?"

"I'm Adam, swordsmen. Who are you?"

"I'm Isabell, as you can tell I'm a cleric. I'm guessing they beat you pretty badly."

"This is nothing, if I had my powers it'd be a different story."

"That's because you rely too much on those powers, if you're going to be a swordsmen you must first be a warrior."

"What? Swordsmen are already warriors."

"I mean you have to be able to be a good fighter with or without your magic or a weapon at that. Being a warrior starts with you." What she said made sense, but she was a cleric not a warrior so how could she be giving him a lecture on fighting?

"I can and will fight without it, I'll prove to everyone that I can... And you can quote me."

"That's much like it, but I'm going to have to fix you first." She said, he realized that that were in Helen, standing in front of a bed. "Ok now I need you to lay down for me, this will only take a minute." He complies, while he's in the bed she held her hands above him, suddenly a bluish, gold light shined over him, giving him a feeling of peace and comfort for the first time in a long time.

After a minute of reciprocation he was feeling better, in fact he was able to stand on his own. "Well, there you go." He began to crack his shoulders, loosening them.

"Thanks." He said as he walked out, his goal was to seek vengeance on those people who jumped him.

"Where are you going?"

"I don't know but I can't just wait around." He said, his life was dependent upon how well his training went. He would have to start as soon as possible if he was going to surpass everyone and make it out of this place.

As he walked around he noticed that people were looking at him again, as if they had already owned him. Just thinking about it infuriated him, he wanted to rip the life right out of then but he would end up getting surrounded again. He decides to move on, he wouldn't gain anything here.

After walking aimlessly he finds himself stumbling into the training facility where he saw many people working, there were three different people who were running the show. He watched how everyone trained in unison with on another, all acting on command.

He walks in unannounced, unsure of where he should go or even what he should do. He see one of the officers noticed him, they approached with a question. "You must be the new guy, welcome to the camp, I figure by now you've already met the sides."

"Yeah, I already owe one some pay back. I want to get started today."

"Alright," He then turned to people that were currently working out." Class is dismissed, you can go do what ever you want." Everyone left, leaving him to the three officers, he wasn't sure what was going on but he knew he was getting what he asked for.

"Now what?"

"Now we begin." He said."Go ahead and show me your stance, I'll tell you if you're ok or not." He assumes his stance, unsure if this was good or not, he would just have to find out. "No, that's all wrong, all of your weight is shifted to one foot." He said as he went to sweep his legs, Adam lifted his foot only to have his other taken down.

"Here, take a stance more like this." He stood with his feet shoulder length apart, one foot in front of the other. He copies the stance perfectly, when the guy tries the same sweep he moves his foot up again only to be hit in the knee knocking his balance off. "Another thing, if you're going to dodge a sweep move you should jump back like this."

He steps back with his dominant foot leaving his opposite foot forward."If you choose to block with your foot then it'd be better to block with from above the ankle and below the knee." He said. "I'm going to throw punches at you, I want to see how you handle them." He said as he threw a strait punch, he easily dodged it, but was wide open for a heavier attack, he attempts to block it but he gets knocked down.

"Another thing, you seem to be able to dodge the first punch but when you do you're left open for a heavier attack that you have to defend yourself against." He said."And you broke your stance, trust me, it helps to hold it." He then shows how to successfully block a punch."One more thing, when you block a punch it helps to protect your head while moving, it's the best way to reduce the most damage that you might take." He said as he attacked him, he threw two punches, he was able to successfully use the blocking dodge move that was taught to him. When he saw the heavy punch coming at him he back flips, kicking the punch in the air, he instinctively attacks with a double punch followed by a butterfly kick that knocks him to the ground.

"Whoa, what was that?" Adam asked with amazement, he never saw such a thing, the movements weren't of this world.

"It's a butterfly kick, you have to sweep your body up and kick your leg up at the same time, it takes training but after a while you can do it---" As if he's know the move his entire life pulls it off effortlessly."Alright, that's impressive."

"Ok, now what?"

"Train, I'll teach you more tomorrow, for now you have to remember what I already told you, it has to stick." He then leaves, followed by his assisting officers. He was left to train on his own.

[Adam]

Going through the motion of training with the technique that he learned from the officer. He recalled the stance and copied it as best he could after seeing it for the first time. "You're still here." It was the cleric from before, she must have been looking for him.

"Yeah, I can't get out of here just sitting down." He said as he punched the air a few times, he was going to force drill all the info into his head.

"But you also have to sleep to learn."

"There's no way I'm sleeping here." He said as he copied the spinning kick, butterfly kick combo. He pulls it off but just barely."Unless you can find a place for me then I'm not going to sleep."

"I can arrange that." She said as she clapped her hands twice. She suddenly grew an angry look on her face, she claps her hands twice, this time, louder than than the first, a person dressed in full armor walks out to her.

"How can I help you?" The soldier asked, ready to fulfill any command that she gave him.

"Give this man your room, he isn't safe in the normal resting quarters." The soldier stood confused, he wasn't expecting an order like that, it wasn't exactly in his job description to give up his bed.

"Yes ma'am, I will move my belongings to the watch tower."

"Thanks I suppose, I owe you one." He said paying his respect with a bow, he couldn't believe a random person would do that for him, an ordinary person from a harsh background, a criminal apart of a massive organization that would soon come to an end.

"Good then you can pay me back by going to sleep, now." Knowing that he had to be a man of his word he leaves to find his bed. After searching with no prevail he gets help funding the place, upon finding his new home he lay on the floor, completely ignoring the bed that was right next to him.

[Adam]

Feeling rejuvenated from his sleep he hand springs to his feet, making his way to the food room where he would eat. Making haste toward the room he made sure to be first one in, who knows what would happen if there were others. Grabbing a plat Adam sat at a table in a corner where he figured no one would be. "It pays to get up early."

"It certainly does doesn't it?" A familiar voice asked, suddenly he was face first in his food. "Get em boys." He said as he threw him to the floor."Teach him why people don't sit at our table without permission." The guy left to get his own food, leaving Adam with three opponents, two guys, one girl.

"I wasn't hungry anyway." He said, sliding the plate off of the table and throwing it at the girl who deflected it, hitting the guy in the face.

"Ouch!" The man rubbed the side of his face,"Watch it woman!" A dark-blue aura covered her as she grabbed the man by the throat.

"What was that, I didn't hear you." The man could hardly breath, let alone say words. Knowing the guy wouldn't last much longer she let go him, he coughed then gasped for air.

"You could of killed me!"

"I should of killed you." She said cold-heartedly, giving Adam chills for the first time.

"Oh no, I can take this anymore, I'm out of here." He ran, never to be seen again.

"Ma'am, I'm afraid that he won't be coming back." The guy said, she must be some kind of authority figure.

"I didn't need him any way." She walked up to him, wrapping an arm around Adam's neck."We have a replacement right here." He tried to escape her but failed as she tightened her hold, choking him. "You aren't going anywhere, for now on you're one of us, got it?" She tightened her grip even more while using her fearsome aura to intimidate him.

"Whatever." He said, she let him go.

"Good, welcome to our little group."

"Little is the right word, she scares just about everyone aw...aaa...y." The girl look at him with her viscous stare that instantly broke his will. "I mean... The people that left were incompetent, cowards who didn't deserve to be with us."

Her aura disappears and is replaced with a smile, "That's right, but you and your brother," The guy from earlier approached the group.

"Why is he still here?" He seemed to be confused, "And where's our guy?" The man in long black hair looked at him.

"Well Tyler, the other guy--"

"This right here is our guy, right ummmm..." She just realized that she didn't ask his name.

"Whatever... Call me Adam." He could use them for his own protection for as long as he could. The girl tightened her grip, bringing him closer to her chest. "Hey what are you doing?" He struggled, embarrassed by the woman's.... Friendly attitude.

"Adam, you and I are going to do great things, I can see it." She held her opposite hand in the form of a fist toward the sky. "Well go ahead, sit down with us." She said as she released him, went to grab a plate and came back to take a seat. "By the way- call me Sierra." She then began to eat.

"Hey new guy, come sit next to me."

"Actually, I have some training to do, I don't want to be late for it."

"That's fine, we'll meet you at the main field, med-sun." Adam left, wallowing within his past memories, when he used to be apart of the Deadly Six, he still was... but things were significantly different, he was with what he would call, the enemy.

Appearing on the the training grounds he searched for the one person who wold train him to be a more skilled fighter. Trainees were practicing, you could tell from the look on their faces that they've been here for a while, they were soaked in sweat, the trainer was yelling out commands and in synchronization, the people moved accordingly.

"Halt, practice is over, you are dismissed!" The trainees bow as the shouted, it was like their call to at ease, they walked in their own directions. "You, get over here." He approached the trainer.

"Yes?" He asked, he was quick witted enough to dodge his punch, dipping under and countering with a spinning face kick. Though it missed it still caught him off guard.

"Impressive, but." He power punched him, though Adam was able to block it it still shot him back. "You forgot balance, that's important when fighting, no matter how good of an attacker you are, you seem to be naturally balanced but that's not good enough against anyone skilled." He gets up, readying his stance. "Hold up now, I'm only trying to train you."

He lowers his guard. ".......Ok...."

"Alright, now stand like this." He stands with his feet in a balance like position. Adam tried his best to copy him but he had to be corrected a few times but he was able to get it down after a while. "There you, just like that." He said taking a sweep at his knees, he instinctively raised his knee up to defend with the leg that he used to push kick.

Though it wasn't effective it still allowed him to get a hit, he raised his leg over had, prepared to strike his head. Instead he grabbed him by the ankle and tackled him to the ground."You came close, if I had been a rookie you would have bested me." He gets up, helping Adam up as he did.

"I don't even know where that came from." He openly admitted, the guy smacks him on the forehead.

"Don't go around pulling high risk maneuvers without thinking first, or you may end up like that." Referring to the situation that could be fatal in a fight.

"Yeah, I see how that could be pretty bad." He folded his arms, that wouldn't be a problem if he had a sword, specifically his sword. His eyes widened, he really did rely on his sword too much, maybe being here was for his own good.

"I knew you were here, Adam." He turned back, it was the girl, he forgot her name but remembered that she was the cleric who saved his life. The sight of her made him tense up, for the first time he, a killer actually blushed, nonsensical maybe but she did it.

"Umm.. H-hey there..." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What are you doing out here, just the two of you?" She asked.

"You know.. The usual." He responded shyly.

"Is that so?" She folded her arms, smiling, "Well, good luck to you." She said going about her business. His trainer firmly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Kid, she's out of your league."

"Yeaaaaah." He said, focusing on learning the next lesson, he was ready to better himself. "I'm ready, sir." He held the stance that was given to him.

"Alright, now for punches, go ahead, try to land one." Adam cocked back his arm, then threw a heavy punch. "Right.." He then feigns midway and threw a fast strait punch, thought he caught it he still got his attention. "I'd give you a three out of five for that one but," He attacks his chest with three well placed strikes,"you'll need a to be rated three point five if you wanna hit me." He spun around, snake-whipping him in the face with the back of his hand.

"Alright, me first." He said, cleaning the blood from his mouth with his hand. He throws two quick punches, dips back avoiding a counter punch then lunges forward an up with an uppercut. If the guy wasn't so good that would of hit, being put in to an arm bar he watched as he threw him over the head and into his knee.

Down but not out he rolls away to his feet, ready with a bruise on his head. It's time to get pay back for the last time, he was itching to get back at him. With a two hooks in rapid succession he spins counter clockwise and kicks him across the head."Keep trying."

He threw a lunging strait punch which lead into a drop kick that hit him in the chest. "Nice one, for that you get a four out of five." He said."Ok, you're doing well so far, now for the fun part." He runs to him slugs him on the ribs the using his leg he jump up and elbowed the crown of his head lightly.

"That's a basic technique, use it when your opponent is stunned or it will not work, no exceptions." He said, walking out off the field.

"We're done here, move along." He said.

"Adam, get over here." Sierra, he made his way to her. "Get ready, we have a fight on our hands, just the three of us." People start running out, it was at least ten of them."against them."

Adam laughed out loud, nothing's changed no matter where he is- "LETS GO!" He said confidently.

"Hey, I like this guy already!" He said. As the group came closer he readied himself... "Go." The three sprinted into battle, with one strait punch he was able to set him up for a charging uppercut. The hit knocked him off balance, he finished the guy off with a jumping elbow to his head, knocking him out.

He looked around, there were still atleast eight of them. He finds himself out numbered by three of them, he dodges one of their punches, blocks another then takes a hit from the next person.

"No you don't!" He nimbly dodges the attacks the twist kicked ones head, followed by a cartwheel kick and finished with a diagonal, spinning kick, knocking the guy out with three head shots.

"Whoa, nice one Adam!" He acknowledged the praise, clumsily deflecting an attack long enough to spinning sweep kick his legs. The guy jumped over and tried to kick him but missed as he rolled away.

[Adam]

Recovering from his roll he he handsprings backwards. Before he had a chance to see anything he took a hit, getting knocked over by a kick in the face. "Adam, Noooo!" Sierra's yelled as she came to back him up, taking on at least four of them, he gets up to assist her. Five more of them came from out of no where, bring their total count to twelve, feeling that they were backed into a corner he feels his sanity slowly slipping into chaos.

"I'm not out just yet, if you want a fight..." His body was enveloped in darkness,"Then you've GOT ONE." He shoots toward them, attack one in their face with strait jabs, he then spun toward another on the tip of his toes, kicking the other three times, knocking him out. "You're next!" He grabbed a man by his face, effortlessly picked him up and crushed him into the ground, breaking almost every bone in his body.

"Now you!" He pointed his hand at him, a beam of shadows shot out of his hand and toward another enemy who tried to block it, unfortunately his arms broke in the process, so far there were nine and a half left. "Don't blink." He leaped toward a man at admirable speed, back hand punching his chest and breaking one of his legs with a shadow strike.

He looked around, his friends were beat pretty bad but were still fighting. He went to help them as he too a step the electric seal on his chest began to electrify him. "Aaaaaah!" He let out a blood girdling scream as he fell to the ground. Elizabeth appeared.

"You see-I knew this would happen, it looks like I'm going to have to train you myself." She picked him up, placing him over her shoulders.

"No way, it's one of the heroes... But here?" One of them said, without saying anything back she wisps away, leaving behind parting lightning. When she stopped they were outside of the Hero's HQ.

"What was that!"

He winced,"My friends where in trouble, I didn't know what to do so I--" She slapped him.

"You idiot, do you have any idea what you've done, you could of killed someone, you possibly paralyzed a man!" Adam looked away.

"Why do you care, they had it coming." He glared at her, only to get back handed.

"How dare you, you know, I should of killed you a long time ago!"

"Well why don't you, go ahead, take me out of my misery!" He stood with his hands out, knowing that she wouldn't actually try to kill him.

"Fine then, I will." She pulled out her swords, dashing toward him.

"No.. Wait a minute." He jumped back, avoiding a swing at his gut,"Stop." She ignored him, he was forced to retreat, he went inside, searching for his weapon to fight with.

"Are you looking for this thing?" He turned, there it was, his shadow blade was in her hand, was she going to use it on him?

"....." He lands on his knees, unsure what to do, he wasn't able to beat her yet, she was much better than him. "You're gonna kill me."

"Yup." She held his sword at his face. "With your weapon."He leaned back as she walked closer, eventually he was backed into a wall.

"Hold on.. Just, just tell me what you want, I swear I'll listen to you." He says, holding his hand out. "I'm sorry.. about earlier I'll admit, I lost my cool, I should of done better, forgive me, please." She held the blade to strike, he closed his eyes, awaiting death.

"Good bye Adam." Everything goes dark, was he dead, he didn't feel like it. Minutes later, he wakes up in bed with his sword on him.

"What?" He checked his chest to see if the seal was there, it was gone, what happened to it? He gets up, grabs his sword and walks out, unsure of what to think. "Fiona." He called out, for a few seconds nothing happened, suddenly a rip in space opened up and out came the girl.

"You need something?"

"Yeah, where's Elizabeth?"

"Umm, hold on." She was gone for a while then she came back. "Yeah she said she's going to kill you. Don't take her word for it, she's likely only going to leave you to die."

"And how's that going to help me?" He demanded an answer.

"At least she won't kill you, she's just going to make you wish she did." Before she left,"Oh, one more thing, run, she'll be looking for you." He scratched his head.

"Whatever, like she's going to catch Me." After emphasizing himself he vanished, shadows replaced the area that he was in, he was going home, he had many things to do.

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