Ascension of the elder

Chapter 21: I know kung fu!

"Sparring!"

Hearing Kyle both Miranda and Bruno looked towards him with a confused look. They didn't understand what he was planning as he had a smirk on his face and a glint in his eye which made them uncomfortable as if they could feel an incoming catastrophe.

"We'll spar together without the use of mana so I can get an idea of your preferred fighting style and we can tailor your training towards your strengths."

Saying this Kyle began to think of his own training. He learnt a few martial arts since he was young, some for only a few months and a couple for several years. He was most experienced in Aikido and Taekwondo as these were the ones he'd trained in for the longest, but when he was much younger he'd also spent some time learning karate, judo, jeet kune do and kick boxing. He'd also read manuals for several different other martial arts but never trained them himself as he didn't think they were a good match for him.

Kyle always believed it was better to focus on a single one once you found a good match and then expand your skill set by knowing about others. With the higher level his mind and body was already functioning at he didn't think this was going to be a problem as his memory and recall was now fearsome and the manuals he'd read could be recalled perfectly, so at least he could teach others these arts and allow them to then develop on their own. He didn't want these arts to spread to easily so he told the others.

"What we'll learn hear is no different than the technique I've given you, so this cannot be shared to anyone without my permission. Can you swear that to me?"

"Of course master I swear even unto death!"

Miranda responded instantly as she saw these two as her true friends as soon as they said they were a team. Bruno for his part was thinking hard, this may have been difficult for him but he was working his way through his thoughts.

"Kyle why do you want to keep this secret, surely these arts and techniques will help everyone in the family if you share them?"

Sighing to himself at how loyal and trusting Bruno is, Kyle decided to place his trust in him the same as he trusted Miranda.

"These can strengthen us but they can also destroy us. What do you think would happen if the other families or the empire found out about this? They wouldn't ask or trade we would be attacked from all sides. So until we are strong enough to resist we need to step carefully."

"Okay I understand that but why not tell the family at least the inner family?"

"This is a secret which only my parents, their aides Shawna and Isaiah with Miranda also know. The reason I was unable to proceed with my training was because I was poisoned. This wasn't a standard poison as it blocked my mana flow allowing it to build up and I would eventually become either crippled or I would just straight out die. The only people who could have given me this poison would be within the estate and the number would be further reduced as it must have been when I was a baby I was given it as it isn't easy to hide it. Miranda is in the clear just because of her age. The scary thing is the only people who would have access to me at that age are in the upper command of the family."

As Bruno listened to Kyle's monologue he was at first shocked then upset at how his friend was hurt and finally settled on anger realising there was at least one traitor in their midst. As resolution grew in his chest Bruno looked at Miranda and then Kyle deciding on the course his future would take.

"I swear I will follow your instructions and get revenge for you! No one messes with my team!!"

Hearing Bruno's vow Kyle was pleased he had made the right choice to trust him as it was good to have people to share the load.

"Alright then let's get started, I want you to come at me. Don't worry you won't hurt me but come at me like you want to hurt me."

Hearing this Miranda and Bruno were shocked. They didn't want to hurt their friend and master, but seeing his serious look they knew this was serious. Bruno was the first to move as he was the stronger of the two with the most training.

Bruno started off by throwing a straight punch towards Kyle's face with his full strength. Before he knew what happened he felt his stomach turn over before he found himself on his back looking straight at the clouds in the sky with just one thought 'what happened?'.

From Miranda's perspective it looked like Bruno was going to hit Kyle's face, but Kyle seemed to almost flow around him avoiding contact but being with centimetres of him. Then with a slight movement of his arms Bruno was flipping through the air, crashing to the ground about 3m away from where he started.

Miranda being smarter than Bruno chose this moment to attack, trying to catch Kyle off guard she ran up behind him and aimed a kick towards his crown jewels. Kyle had been conscious of Miranda making a move, but felt a cold sweat when he realised her plan, 'well that's just vicious'.

As her leg came up between his, Kyle did a low block with both hands. I mean who would want to risk that kind of pain just for some training. Catching Miranda's ankle Kyle held on while stepping over her leg and then raised it while stepping in. This pushed Miranda off balance which Kyle took advantage of by sweeping her leg and pushing her raised leg further up. Like Bruno, Miranda ended up on her back wondering how she would explain this if anyone asked.

"Hey Miranda can I just ask why you tried to kick me in that location?"

Choosing his words carefully Kyle questioned her about her tactics. Hearing Kyle Miranda scrambled back up and moved nearer to Bruno who was groaning as he stood up.

"Well mommy said if I get in a fight with a boy that's the best place to aim for."

Hearing Miranda's innocent reply Kyle chose not to ask further but he would step carefully around her Mother.

"Okay well anyway let's go again!"

This wasn't conventional training as it appeared Kyle was just beating the two. He was but he was also getting an understanding for the ways they fight and their respective strengths. Kyle had decided that Bruno should learn krav maga as this seemed to fit him the best as he was more of a power fighter. Miranda was a bit of a struggle as she was both a speed fighter and a control fighter who liked to manoeuvre their opponents into their tempo. She would suit jeet kune do but on fighting her a little more he settled on wing chun as this would seem to suit her personality more.

Kyle himself had never trained in either of these styles but he had read training manuals for both, so he could give them a rundown of both and train them in the correct forms, but they would have to develop them further themselves. For his choice of his martial art Kyle decided on aikido as this was the one he had trained in the most and it was the one he was most familiar with. Kyle decided to train in a single martial art from the start rather than mixing all that he knew so he could gain muscle memory and develop a correct style before incorporating other parts to better suit the situation he was in now.

Once the arts each would be training in were chosen Kyle began to drill them in the necessary stances and movements. This was something that Bruno had never experienced before, he fell into a daze repeating the same movement again and again before he felt a sudden impact on the back of his leg. Kyle had smacked him with a wooden broom handle he picked up from the side as his stance had begun to fall apart.

After they had practised for over two hours Kyle called them to stop. As Bruno and Miranda walked over feeling sweaty and disgruntled Kyle quickly threw a punch towards Bruno. As he was still in training mode he responded to Kyle's punch using the same technique he had just been practising, catching Kyle's wrist he pulled it down and to his side while raising his palm towards Kyle's chin. Kyle easily blocked this as he was expecting this strike. Bruno was amazed by this as it wasn't a conscious action but was due to the repetition still being active in his mind, Bruno just said the first thing that came to his mind.

"I know kung fu!"