Shadow Warrior: Destiny of a Mutant

by Larry Townley

  “Impossible or not, that is what happened,” Will stated.

  “I must contact the doctor at once. Follow me please, Will,” said Portak.

  Will and Portak then returned to the medical wing to speak with Pak’tow.

  ***

  Pak’tow was equally as shocked at the discovery of Will’s new ability and the way in which he chose to test it.

  “The scientist in me would love to keep you here and spend the next several years studying you and your powers, but I’m sure that Portak has other plans for you,” Pak’tow said with a smile.

  “Yes, Will, the doctor is correct. I believe it is time for you to begin putting your powers to use as our newest Guardian,” agreed Portak.

  “I am ready,” replied Will.

  Portak smiled and said, “Good. I am happy to hear that. However, there are some other things that we need to discuss before you begin.”

  “Like what?” inquired Will.

  “It is apparent that you can fly with no problem in deep space without breathing, but for how long can you do this?”

  Will simply shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. “I don’t know.”

  “One thing I’ve been thinking about is the fact that you are the first Terran in history to become a Guardian. As you know, your planet was not due to be approached by an alien culture for several hundred years. Because the life forms you will be dealing with as a Guardian are often dangerous and unpredictable, it would not be wise to have them discover that you are a Terran, as they may attempt to extract revenge on you by destroying your native planet.”

  Will shook his head in concurrence. “I agree completely.”

  “All Guardians are required to wear a uniform that both identifies them as a Guardian and serves to hide their identity. With you it will also be utilized to hide your Terran origin,” Portak pointed out.

  “However, due to your unique abilities, it will need to be modified to withstand the punishment you will be subjecting it to,” said the doctor.

  Will again nodded his head in agreement. “I will begin modifying it immediately.”

  “Another issue is a mode of transportation,” added Portak. “As a Guardian, you will be expected to patrol and protect an entire star sector made up of hundreds of planets, some of which are light years from each other. Now, we know that you are able to fly, but at this point we are not sure what your maximum speed is, or if it will increase. Therefore, you will be given a starship cruiser to accomplish your travels.”

  Will nodded at this and then replied, “I’m sure your vessel is fine, but I may want to make some modifications to it once I find out its capabilities.”

  Portak nodded in agreement. “That will not be a problem. With your advanced engineering skills, I’m sure it will be something…unique. I will have the engineers provide you with its specifications. There is one waiting for you in the third level hangar, and your new uniform was placed in your closet this morning.”

  Will nodded and thanked Portak. He did have some ideas in mind and was eager to start turning them into action.

  “I will start tonight,” Will said

  “There is one other very important aspect of your training we need to discuss. Tomorrow you will begin your martial skills training with Master Dahl’tuhn.”

  “Martial skills?”

  “Yes. Your warrior and fighting skills.”

  “Portak, I don’t mean to sound overconfident, but with my super powers I’m pretty sure I can hold my own in a fight. Even without my new powers, I was a pretty good fighter with just my mutant abilities.”

  “I’m aware of that, but keep in mind that you are not the only superpowered being in the universe. Master Dahl’tuhn will teach you some additional skills that you may need at some point.”

  “Very well,” Will sighed. “Tell me when and where to be and I’ll be there.”

  Portak gave him the information he requested.

  With that, Will headed towards the engineering section of the facility to begin work on his starship cruiser‘s modifications.

  Chapter 49

  Master Dahl’tuhn

  The next morning Will entered the Altrusian equivalent of a martial arts dojo, but many times larger. Will was wearing a loose fitting, light-weight, black two-piece uniform that was similar to cotton in texture, but much more durable and flexible. As he entered the cavernous room, he observed a humanoid creature sitting in the center of a large floor, which had a soft spongy feel to it, in a meditation position.

  As he started to walk onto the floor, the humanoid said to him in a quiet voice, without turning around, “Remove your shoes, please.”

  Will stopped and removed his shoes and walked to within a few feet of the humanoid, whom he assumed was Master Dahl’tuhn, and stood quietly behind him.

  After a few minutes of silence, Master Dahl’tuhn stood up and looked at Will with an appraising eye. Dahl’tuhn was humanoid in appearance, with skin that was leathery-looking and had a light-purple hue to it. He was bald, about six feet tall, and powerfully built. It was difficult to tell his age. Portak had informed him that Dahl’tuhn was originally from the planet Ghal.

  “You are the new Guardian Portak spoke to me about - the Terran with super powers. I’m sure you think that with these powers you are wasting your time being here with me. Am I correct?” he said without introduction.

  Will did not rise to the obvious attempt to make him angry.

  “When Portak first mentioned it to me, I did have that reaction. But when he mentioned that I was not the only superpowered being in the universe, he advised me that you could help me improve on the skills I have already,” Will said truthfully.

  Dahl’tuhn nodded his head at this answer and smiled.

  “Very good, young one. Now attack me,” he said.

  Will was taken aback at this request.

  “I’m sorry, did you say for me to attack you?”

  “It will be difficult for me to train you when I don’t know where to start from.”

  “Understood,” Will said, nodding his head slightly.

  Without a further word, Will moved quickly towards Dahl’tuhn and executed a powerful spinning back kick with his left foot. He moved no quicker than he would have if he still had only his mutant powers to draw from, as he did not want to hurt Dahl’tuhn.

  Will needn’t have worried about that, for as Will began his spin to strike with the spinning back kick, Dahl’tuhn moved slightly to the right, intercepted his leg, spun 180 degrees, and threw Will onto the mat twenty feet from where they had started. Will was surprised at this. He looked at Dahl’tuhn, who was just standing there looking at him with his large, almond-shaped sapphire eyes.

  “I thought Portak said you were a skilled fighter?”

  “I did not want to hurt you. I am unfamiliar with your species and was not sure what to expect.”

  “I appreciate that, but let’s try that again shall we. You may move a little faster - if you can.”

  Will stood up and ran towards Dahl’tuhn. This time, at hyper-speed, he unleashed a combination of a front leg roundhouse kick, a jump spinning back kick, and an inside crescent kick. Dahl’tuhn parried, blocked, or evaded each of them with ease. As Will landed and planned to follow up with a double reverse punch, Dahl’tuhn did something unexpected - he hit Will in the sternum with a palm heel strike that knocked him back almost seventy-five feet.

  Although Will was invulnerable, and the blow didn’t actually hurt, he soon realized that he was having problems catching his breath. Dahl’tuhn walked over and using his thumb and forefinger, found the nerve bundle above his sternum, applied pressure to it, and immediately Will’s breathing became normal.

  “H-how did you do that?” Will sputtered in disbelief.

  “Every sentient being has a weak spot of some type. You just have to know where to find it. There are pressure points in each species bodies that if the proper technique is applied can incapacitate or kill easily and quickly. This
is one of the techniques I will show you. While my physical powers may not be on par with yours, I would also be considered to be superpowered on most worlds, but skill and knowledge of the various Martial Arts disciplines I have studied over the last 500 years helped me to defeat you. I have even studied all of the major Martial Arts systems on your home planet, particularly among them your Shaolin Monks and Ninja warriors.”

  Will looked surprised at this. “How did you manage to do that without the Terrans learning of your alien origin?”

  “My species are shape shifters. I am able to change my shape into almost any sentient humanoid being I come in contact with. It is my understanding that you have acquired this power, too. I will work with you on developing this skill as well so you are able to acquire these shapes more quickly. To make his point, Dahl’tuhn began to shift his shape and in a few seconds he looked like Will’s twin. Will was shocked, but before he could say anything, Dahl’tuhn returned to his original appearance.

  “In your role as a Guardian, you will come across other beings that have various degrees of super powers, none probably as advanced as yours, but you may not often find they will fight you one-on-one. I will show you how to disable multiple opponents that are superpowered as well. Come, there is much to learn.”

  ***

  Over the next several weeks, Will worked at night to modify the uniform Portak had provided him with, and to make the modifications to the sleek, black starship cruiser that Portak had given him, also. During the daytime, Will trained with Master Dahl‘tuhn. He was fortunate that with his new powers his body did not require much rest.

  Under Master Dahl’tuhn’s tutelage, Will proved to be an excellent student and a quick learner. He learned the stealth and weapons secrets of the Ninja, the flowing acrobatic techniques of the Shaolin Monks, the Ghalian pressure point and incapacitation techniques, all manner of modern and ancient Martial Arts weapons, and empty handed fighting and self-defense techniques from many worlds.

  Will mastered all of the techniques extremely quickly. One of the training tools that Master Dahl’tuhn utilized to test Will’s application of these techniques was the use of the solid-light holograms similar to the ones he fought in the cave inside of Sagarmatha during his initiation to become a Guardian, except these were much more advanced and were programmed to be almost as strong and fast as Will.

  During these training exercises, the inside of the cavernous training area was programmed to simulate any climate, world, or scenario Master Dahl’tuhn chose. Will outperformed Master Dahl’tuhn’s expectations each and every time.

  For his final exam, Master Dahl’tuhn programmed the hologram device to throw everything at Will randomly. It was an all day event, and Will handled himself superbly. Master Dahl’tuhn was pleased at his pupil’s progress, and soon realized he had nothing more to teach Will.

  Chapter 50

  Phenix City, Alabama

  1943 A.D.

  Columbus, Georgia was not known for its night life, so the men decided to be a little more adventurous and head north to Phenix City, which was only a mile or two from Columbus across the state line in Alabama, and was known for its bars, prostitutes, gambling and night life.

  Dressed in civilian attire Hauser and his men entered a large bar known as “Sassy Sadie’s,” which had a strip show that started every hour. They heard there was a brothel next door but decided they would steer clear of that. Hauser ordered a round of Budweisers on draft for the group.

  The bar was a converted warehouse and could comfortably house three hundred people. A large stage for the strip show took up a large portion of the floor space in the center of the bar. When the strippers weren’t performing, the jukebox was playing so people could dance if they chose. A Benny Goodman song was playing at the moment, but no one was dancing.

  Stale cigarette and cigar smoke hung like fog clouds in the air, making it hard to breathe at times. Most of Hauser’s men weren’t smokers, and the smoke was burning their eyes, but none of them complained. They were just happy to have a break from the training and the war.

  They had been in the place for about an hour, sipping on their beers and exchanging war stories and telling jokes. Several of the local women had joined them at their table and were laughing at their attempts to impress them with their war stories. A few minutes later a group of more than a dozen local rednecks walked into the bar. From the looks of them, they were already drunk and looking for trouble.

  Hauser noticed them first and nodded towards them.

  “Let’s keep an eye on them, boys. They look like trouble,” Hauser said.

  He got nods all around the table. The women at the table looked at the group nervously but said nothing. They continued with their conversations, trying to be heard above the raucous din.

  As Hauser watched the group, he saw them pinching the waitresses on the ass, knocking over the drinks of other bar patrons, bumping into other people hoping to start a fight, and just making a general nuisance of themselves. Hauser thought it odd that no one challenged them.

  Finally, one of the larger rednecks pinched a young, pretty waitress on the ass who had just delivered a round of beers to the table where Hauser and his men were sitting, and she turned around and slapped him. He called her a bitch and raised his arm to strike her. Without thinking, Hauser got up and grabbed his arm.

  “That’s no way to treat a lady there, buddy,” said Hauser.

  The redneck turned and looked at Hauser with daggers in his eyes.

  “What the fuck you think yore doin’ there, boy? I’m just tryin’ to teach this bitch here some fuckin’ manners.” Hauser smelled the fetid smell of the redneck’s breath. He then eyed the women at their table and yelled at them. “Sally! Doris! And the rest of you whores, get yore asses up and get the fuck outta here!”

  At the redneck’s words, the females at the table all got up and left as quickly as they could. The other bar patrons had lowered their voices and craned their necks to hear and see what was going on.

  “Not looking for any trouble there, chief. Just don’t like seeing a lady getting hit. Why don’t we all just sit down and have a beer, huh?”

  “I got me uh better idea there, boy. Why don’t ya just go fuck yoreself!” said the redneck as he spun and hit Hauser in the jaw. Hauser landed on the table where he and his men were sitting and knocked over their beers.

  At seeing Hauser get knocked down, the rest of his men stood up to challenge the redneck. However, most of the rest of the bar got up to show support for the redneck. Hauser then got up off of the table. The punch had only been a glancing blow as he had seen it coming, and it had not done any real damage.

  “Look guys. Let’s just get up and leave. We can’t afford any trouble here,” he said to his team. Hauser then turned to the redneck and said. “Look, pal. We’re just gonna be leavin’ now. We’re not looking for any trouble.”

  As Hauser started to walk past him, the redneck shoved Hauser back, pulled out a long bladed Bowie knife and said, “Well, it looks like trouble done found ya, boy. Ya see my daddy owns this here joint, along with just about everything else in this town. We don’t take too kindly to a bunch of assholes comin’ in here tryin’ to stir shit up, an‘ tryin’ to fuck our women. I think you boys need to be taught a little lesson.”

  Just then, the mob surged forward and grabbed Hauser and his men. They fought back valiantly, but there were too many of them. At least two or three people were holding each of them. Some of them had knives and a few had pistols tucked in their waistbands under their shirts, which they showed Hauser’s men to make them stop fighting.

  Two other rednecks had grabbed Hauser and were holding him by the arms when the redneck with the knife, whose name was Jimmy Ray Davis, Jr., said, “I’m gonna start by cuttin’ ya from head to toe there, pretty boy. Then we’re gonna have ourselves a little lynchin’ party.”

  Some of the women started yelling at Davis to stop because the men were soldiers and had just come in
for some drinks.

  “Soldiers, huh? Well, the United States Fuckin’ Army told me I weren’t good enough fer ‘em! I guess you boys think yore pretty fuckin’ tough, huh?”

  Davis then raised the knife so Hauser could see it and then stepped towards him with it. As Davis lunged at Hauser, Davis felt someone grab the hand that held the knife with a vise-like grip and turn him around. He came face-to-face with Will, who was dressed in civilian clothes as well. Will then took the knife from Davis‘ hand but still held onto his wrist with a grip of steel, causing Davis to drop to his knees.

  “Captain Hauser, I thought I told you not to get in any trouble tonight,” said Will nonchalantly.

  “Sorry, sir. These gentlemen had other ideas.”

  Davis, who was still on his knees in pain finally said, “Who the fuck are ya, ya sonofabitch?!”

  Will gave him a hard stare and said, “Someone that doesn’t like you and your girlfriends very much. Now, I would strongly suggest that you tell your friends to release my men before I break your arm into a hundred pieces.” To make his point, Will squeezed a little harder.

  Davis screamed, “Let ‘em go! Let ‘em go, dammit!”

  Upon hearing Davis’ agonized scream, the other rednecks released Hauser and his men, who quickly made their way to the door.

  Will then released Davis, who fell to the floor in tears.

  “Captain, take your men and return to base immediately.”

  “Yes, sir,” replied Hauser.

  Will then turned, threw the knife he had taken from Davis, and buried it to its hilt in a solid wooden support column in the center of the floor. They all exited the bar and started walking towards their cars when Davis and the rest of the rednecks came outside to finish what they had started. About a dozen of the rednecks surrounded Will, who appeared as calm as if he were reading a good book on the beach.

  “Gentlemen, I strongly advise you to go back inside and finish your drinks. Now!” Will warned the advancing group.

  Hauser and his men stopped in their tracks and started to go and help Will. Without looking over his shoulder, he said, “Back to base, gentlemen.”