“Hand-to-hand combat techniques are a lot like fencing. You seem to do innately well with avoidance maneuvers, but your balance is atrocious. A man can’t fight if he’s flat on his back,” his father stated, raising one eyebrow disapprovingly.
“It’s not my fault! You’re bigger and stronger! It’s not a fair fight!”
“No excuses! Find an advantage! Find a weakness! Every opponent has a weakness. Find mine and use it against me!” his father barked. “Now, just like in fencing, you can feint. You can feint a punch to the body in order to go in for a more devastating hook, uppercut, or jab to the face. And it goes without saying that the use of empowerments during a fight is very beneficial.”
“What? You want me to use my empowerments? The same empowerments I can’t control? Are you nuts?” he blared, suddenly very nervous about this training session.
“Eventually, yes. Xavier, calm down,” Jeremiah ordered softly. “Pay attention to what your body is telling you. Right now, you should be aware of the sensations in your fingertips and toes.”
Xavier took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Yes, he felt the surge of powers beginning again. How had his father known? His thoughts whirled and he started to panic. Wait, the focal point, his dad. Concentrating, he focused on seeing his father for the first time at the Institute and his commanding, reassuring voice saying, “Fear not, son. I’m here to free you. I am your father.” The tingling in his extremities stopped immediately. He opened his eyes, looked up at his father, and smiled triumphantly. “I did it. I got it to back off!”
“Well done, son,” Jeremiah commended, smiling and patting his shoulder.
“How did you know it was about to happen again?”
“Xavier, my telepathy has been connected with you since I entered your chamber. Didn’t you feel it?”
He shook his head, blushing at the implications. His father knew that he was his focal point.
“No matter. I’m sure the silence of your telepathy is just another symptom of the influx. Right now, we’re more concerned with the more violent effects,” his father stated simply. He picked up a pair of boxing gloves and began securing them to Xavier’s hands.
“So, the important thing to remember during this exercise is that no matter what is going on around you, be mindful of what your body is trying to tell you.”
He nodded. “Yes, sir.”
After securing his own gloves, Jeremiah bounced lightly from foot to foot. “Ready?”
Xavier mimicked his father’s actions and nodded. “Yeah.”
The king attacked suddenly and feinted a hard jab straight to Xavier’s face. He pulled the punch just before contact, but it had the desired effect. Xavier’s hands jerked up protectively and exposed his waist and ribs. The king hit him with a sharp uppercut to the ribs.
Xavier coughed and gasped, trying to catch his breath, but his father gave him no time to recover and barreled down on him again. Still wheezing, he struggled to counter his father’s aggressive moves.
“W…wait,” Xavier gasped. “Wait a second.”
But the king wasn’t waiting. He feigned an uppercut to Xavier’s sore abdomen before jabbing at his face. The punch grazed his right cheek. If he hadn’t stepped back and turned his head, the jab would have knocked him out cold. Fear and anger sprang him into action, and he tried to answer his father’s attack with a right hook. Jeremiah lazily batted his fist away, and then, using the boy’s momentum against him, he sent Xavier stumbling past him and gave him a swift, hard kick on the butt as he went.
“Ouch! HEY! That hurt!” he bellowed, rubbing his backside.
The king straightened, looking mildly amused. “Son, it’s not supposed to tickle. This is combat training. Now, stop opening yourself up and be prepared for your enemy to feint,” he commanded firmly and without pity.
He glared at his father. “But…”
“No buts! Now fight!” he shouted and lunged at the boy.
Xavier scrambled to avoid the attack but was caught off balance, and he fell hard to the floor. Why did he always end up falling on his butt?
“Dad!” he griped, standing and rubbing his sore backside. “Will you stop? God! You’re not my enemy! Give me a chance to prepare, would you?”
“Xavier, do you think Fox LeMasters will give you the courtesy of preparing?” he growled impatiently.
“No! But you’re not Fox! You’re my father!”
“Yes, I am, but I wouldn’t be doing my duty as your father if I didn’t prepare you for what you’ll face. Now, damn it, boy, stop whining and fight!” his father bellowed as he charged toward him again.
Xavier had barely raised his gloves when Jeremiah struck him with a force that rattled his teeth. Sloppily, he swung at his father, but the king simply pushed him away.
“Come on, boy!” his father shouted. “Move your feet, remember your avoidance techniques, and keep your balance!”
Xavier’s face ignited with anger. “I’m TRYING! Damn it!” he bellowed and suddenly, electro forces began to shower the room.
Jeremiah froze, looking both anxious and triumphant. “Xavier! Stop. Control it, son. Think of your focal point. Control the anger,” he ordered firmly.
Xavier tried. He really did, but the anger he felt toward his father had invaded his entire body, even his head hummed with it. The calming memory of his father didn’t seem so calming now. He vaguely heard his father’s voice before he felt the familiar warm, relaxing sensation and then, nothing.
Xavier awoke just moments later to find his head cradled in his father’s lap where he had caught him as he fell unconscious. Ephraim knelt next to them, his hands lingering above Xavier’s head, and Loren stood behind Ephraim, staring down with apprehension.
“Welcome back, son. How do you feel?” Jeremiah asked.
“Fine,” he muttered and tried to sit up, but his father stopped him.
“No, Xavier, not yet. I want Loren to check you first,” he commanded, holding him in his lap as Loren stepped forward and bent over them.
“God, this is stupid. I’m fine!” Xavier muttered.
“Quiet down, boy,” Jeremiah ordered with quiet authority.
Huffing indignantly, he lay quietly as Loren closed his eyes and slowly waved his hand over his head. As his hand moved over the span of Xavier’s upper body, a faint white light flooded over him, soothing his aches and relaxing him.
After a moment, Loren straightened. “He’s fine, Jer. His blood pressure is slightly above normal, but he’s fine.”
With a nod of satisfaction, Jeremiah released him and helped him to his feet.
“It doesn’t appear that I’m a good focal point since I’ll be the source of much of your anger over the next few months. I think you should find another.”
“No, really? You think?” he spat condescendingly. “Why would that cause me to need another focal point?” Agitatedly, he jerked out of his father’s grasp, but Jeremiah caught him by the arm and spun him to face him.
“Xavier, I understand that you’re under a lot of stress, but you are not permitted to talk to me or any other adult like that. You know better than that. Don’t be under the delusion that I won’t punish you if you’re disrespectful. Understand?”
“What are you going to do, Dad? Ground me? Lock me in my room? Oh, wait, you already do that!” he spat sarcastically.
“Xavier, do I need to take you over my knee while Loren and Ephraim look on?”
Xavier’s anger and irritability evaporated, and he muttered meekly, “No sir. Sorry, Dad. I’m…I’m just frustrated.”
“I know. It’ll get better,” Jeremiah acknowledged his expression relaxing. “But, you need another focal point for that to happen. Take a few minutes and determine one.”
With a nod, Xavier began the task of finding a new focal point. He knew he couldn’t use the calming memories of his mother for they always led to the memories and the premonition of her death. So he considered Robbie. He thought of her large doe-like eyes, her
laugh, and her soothing voice. He remembered visiting her bedroom a month ago. He had felt so at ease, so calm, so at home with her leaning against his shoulder listening to him. She was a piece of his soul. He thought about how he would someday marry her, and the thought made him smile as he looked back to his father, who had been waiting and watching silently.
“I’ve got one. I can do it,” he announced.
Jeremiah eyed him for a moment and then, smiled knowingly. “Excellent choice.”
Xavier blushed and grinned at his father sheepishly. Loren chuckled behind Jeremiah.
“Are you two ready, yet?” the general asked, mocking impatience.
The king gave a nod and began dancing from foot to foot. Xavier matched his movements and shortly his father swung at him, but this time, he was ready. He ducked under the punch, and unleashed a hard uppercut to the king’s ribs. Jeremiah coughed as his breath was forced from his lungs. Feeling triumphant, he stood relaxed as his father righted himself, but the king was a skilled, merciless fighter. He attacked Xavier with quick repetitive blows that sent him stumbling backwards until he slammed against the wall. Pain shot through his entire body, but he had no time to languish in it. He scrambled across the room and tried to prepare himself just as the king turned, yanked off his right glove, and propelled an electro force at him. He dove to the floor as the searing heat of the force passed over him. Livid, he jumped to his feet.
“Geez, Dad! What if you had hit me?”
“Both Loren and I can heal injuries,” Jeremiah responded and lunged another force at him.
Again, he dove to the floor as fear and anger overwhelmed his senses. Electro forces began ricocheting around the room and balls of fire fell from the ceiling.
His father lowered his hands. “Calm yourself, boy. Think of Robbie.”
He tried to picture Robbie and think of all the things that made him so content just moments ago, but he couldn’t. He closed his eyes and desperately tried to push away the anger, but it was still consuming his body.
“I… I can’t. I can’t!” Xavier moaned. “It’s too hard…too powerful.”
“Damn it, boy! Stop whining and concentrate!” Jeremiah barked loudly.
His father’s sudden, harsh order jolted him out of his pessimistic thoughts. He closed his eyes and concentrated on Robbie, starting with her eyes. They reminded him of chocolate. Her thick dark eyelashes curled on the ends and somehow made her eyes seem larger. Her skin was beautiful, creamy, and smooth. He itched to touch her soft, silky skin. Then there was her hot body. She was so beautiful, and he loved the new curves she had developed.
“Okay, son. I think you’d better stop there,” his father snickered interrupting the course of his thoughts. “We don’t need another influx that those thoughts would undoubtedly bring.”
He opened his eyes to his father’s smiling face. Slowly, he peered around the calm, tranquil room.
“I…I did it?” he questioned, looking back at his father.
“You sure did! Well done, son. Well done!” he exclaimed, pulling off his other glove and clapping the boy’s shoulder.
“Let’s see if he can repeat it,” Ephraim stated with a grim expression.
The king’s smile dropped marginally and he looked from Ephraim back to Xavier. “He’s right. Controlling your powers once is not what we’re aiming for here. You need to be able to command them easily, every time. Let’s have another go at it, but this time I want to spar only with powers.”
“What? You want me to intentionally conjure my powers and attack you?”
Jeremiah nodded, pulling off Xavier’s boxing gloves and tossing them aside. “Yes, that’s exactly what I want you to do.”
“But…what if I hurt you like last time?” he questioned, his brow furrowing with worry.
“You won’t. Not this time. I’m a very powerful blocker, thanks to the Kings’ Key,” Jeremiah noted, winking playfully down at him.
Xavier wasn’t convinced, but it appeared he had no choice in the matter. He would have to trust that his father was right. With a heavy sigh, he nodded.
“Don’t look so worried; it will be fine. Trust me.” His father laughed as he walked to the other end of the room and faced him.
“Well, if you’re wrong, at least I have witnesses that will testify on my behalf,” he retorted, attempting to make light of the anxiety he felt.
“That you do, young sire,” Loren remarked, nodding to him.
With a chuckle, Jeremiah warned, “Make ready, son.”
He got into a boxing stance, not knowing how else to stand during an empowerment spar.
“Okay, now conjure an electro force and attack me,” he ordered.
Xavier tried, he really did, but nothing more than a faint glow would materialize in his palm. After five minutes of trying to simply conjure the force, Jeremiah was growing impatient.
“Xavier, what in the Hell are you doing?” he spat out. “Stop worrying about me and conjure the bloody force already!”
He couldn’t help but worry about hurting his father and the other men in the room! He still had nightmares about the night he had nearly single-handedly destroyed his own kingdom. He still woke up in terror dreaming that his father had died and the council had banished him.
Jeremiah grazed his hip with a stinging force.
“Ouch! Bloody Hell, Dad. That hurt!”
“Good! Maybe it’ll snap you out of it!”
He peered down at his hand again, and sure enough, he found a spiraling, glowing electro force in his palm. Grimacing, he propelled it at his father.
The king ducked, easily avoiding the force, and sent another force barreling toward Xavier, who barely managed to sidestep the attack.
“Well, done! Now, again!” Jeremiah barked.
Concentrating greatly on conjuring another controlled electro force in his hand, Xavier didn’t see his father’s force until it was too late. The force hit him squarely in the chest and knocked him on his butt. Pain shot up his spine and a string of profanities slipped from his mouth before he glared at his father.
“Why did you do that?”
“You’re taking too long!”
He slowly got to his feet, gingerly dusting off his backside. “Well, excuse me if I can’t conjure forces easily anymore! I’m going through an influx after all!”
“No excuses! Just do it!”
“I am! Would you just give me a freaking minute!” he blared at his father before conjuring another force and launching it angrily at him. Jeremiah couldn’t duck to avoid this one and barely managed to lift his hand to block it.
“Wow!” Jeremiah exclaimed, grinning. “That was terrific, son!”
Still annoyed at his father, he barely managed a weak smile, but it quickly dropped from his face. Something was wrong! The tingling sensation still raged in his fingertips. He looked at his hands and recoiled at the force he saw swirling wildly there. It was gaining momentum and strength. He stumbled backwards.
“Control it, son. Pull it back.”
Xavier didn’t get the chance before the force shot sparks and eruptions across the room, narrowly missing Loren and Ephraim. Panic and terror filled every fiber of his being. The sensation felt eerie like the force that set fire to the woods and nearly killed Robbie.
“Xavier! Control your emotions!” his father shouted.
He couldn’t do it! The force was too strong!
“I…I…”
Another stream of pure energy erupted from his hand, and then another.
Suddenly, his body went cold, ice cold, and the force vanished. Shivering, he looked up at his father and then to the large hand on his shoulder.
“W...w…what was th…that?” he managed through chattering teeth.
“Negation. I wasn’t sure I would be able to wield it so easily the first time,” the king answered, staring at his hand in awe.
“I…I th…think I like the oth…other power bet…ter.”
The men laughed heartily at the b
oy’s declaration. Jeremiah pulled his cloak around the boy, still snickering. “I bet you do.”
“Sire? He won’t be able to acquire his abilities for at least an hour or two, until the negation wears off,” Loren told him. “Maybe this would be a good time for a hot meal?”
Jeremiah nodded. “I think you’re right, Loren. Come on, Xavier. Let’s get something warm and tasty in you. It’ll make you feel better.”
Chapter 30: Love Triangle
One morning during his third week at the mountain, Xavier awoke stiff and sore from the previous day’s training. Stretching, he sat up and yawned loudly. The clock on the shelf next to his bed read just after eight; his father would be coming soon for his morning lesson. He stood slowly and started to shuffle toward the toilet but stopped. A small yellow envelope was on the floor next to the door where someone had slid it under the crack. Xavier immediately recognized Robbie’s handwriting and lunged for the letter. He tore open the envelope, and the pendant Robbie had given him for his 13th birthday fell out onto the floor along with a piece of flowery yellow and blue paper. He picked up the pendant and looped it quickly over his head before reading the letter.
Dear Xavier,
I miss you so much! Of course I’m not mad at you for what happened in the woods. I know you’d never try to hurt me. It was an accident. So don’t worry about it. Ok? I was really honored that you decided to use me as your focal point in your training. I know it’s hard training, but maybe the pendant will help. It’ll be like a piece of me is with you. I wish your dad would let me come and visit. He won’t even consider it! He just says that it isn’t safe and there’s no discussion. You know how he gets.
Things here are going ok. Court got a new ability the other day when he was arguing with Erica. She got really angry with him and tried to slap him, but the next thing either of them knew, Erica was hanging upside down five feet in the air. It surprised Erica so much that she forgot she was mad at him and roped him into playing a practical joke on Sara. Every time Sara tried to put on lipstick, Court would make the lipstick jerk and horribly messed it up. He did it six times before Sara realized something dodgy was going on. It was funny. Erica seems to always be in trouble with Loren. I overheard Erica’s mom telling my mom that Loren’s cracking down on her inconsiderate, wild ways.
The Prince of Warwood and The Rise of the Chosen Page 24