A Commander's Strength (Chapter 8)

Emperor Kenmei closed his book and stood up.

"I will take my leave." Waving to the commander he says with annoyance on his face from being interrupted. "Oh, and commander try not to make a mess of the palace."

"Yes, your highness with a smirk on his face."- commander Benkei

"So why are you here cadet?"- Commander Benkei

"Nelen charges towards him gifting the commander with a punch covered in lightning to the gut."-Nelen

Commander Benkei doges the punch easily. He doesn't even move from his spot to do so.

"I see so you didn't come here to talk."- Commander Benkei

Nelen leaps toward the commander with a right hook and a knee to the chin.

"Too slow… nope too slow..." -Commander Benkei

The commander begins to get bored with this display as he dodges.

"You think those basic moves from cadets training is gonna faze me kid."- Commander Benkei

Nelens head: "Shittt I can't hit him, and I don't think I can sustain this state" What did that thing say: 'be one with lightning…'. Nelen couldn't comprehend what that meant. Until suddenly an image shot in his head.

"I expect more from my cadets. They get weaker and weaker every generation. Not like my day."-commander Benkei He turns away to walk towards the exit of the palace.

Hm..ha…hahahhha! I don't give a CRAP YOU BASTARD!!! I CAME HERE TO SAVE HISSORI!

Out of nowhere Nelen appears on the side of commander Benkei face ready to kick him... almost too fast for commander Benkei to react to it. However, the commander is quick

.

The commander put his hands up to block it, his face struck with a shocked grin "THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!"

as bits of lightning hit face. Just barely able to block it he kept his guard up. But there was a cost to the block, smoke came from the commander's hands, burns from the lightning stretched on them, and he smelt like burnt toast and anger… so much anger. It filled his heart and eyes so much.

He didn't realise until the last second that the kick was just a distraction, a lightning strike hit the commanders back so powerfully that it propelled the commander into one of the huge palace pillars breaking it in the process.

"That's some mighty lightning power you go there kid." Getting up from under the rubble smirking. "Guess I'm gonna have to get serious as well he took off his black kimono well...guess this will be a fun warmup after all." -commander Benkei.

Nelen didn't care. He felt great. This power going through him was…. what was that? He sees something new. He sees something that had never seen before countless scars deeper than you could imagine and weird symbols on the commander's arms,

地震 (Earthquake)

溶岩 (Lava)

石 (Stone)

火事 (Fire)

An odd feeling formed in Nelens stomach. The kind you get when you're facing something beyond you. He began to realise what those symbols were … They were … Masteries... But why were they on his body.

He ignored the fear overcome by the fiery rage to rescue Hissori and Nelen powered up even more he was ready... ready to fight

The commander's whole body was suddenly flashed with a violent roaring red aura, but that aura seemed to be strongly controlled in his left hand.

"There's one thing you need to remember kid You're a cadet and I am COMMANDER!" – commander Benkei.

"And he was gone vanished before Nelens eyes." Where is he? Nelen struck to his left and hit nothing. Every shadow looked like it could be him. Where was he?... when in fact he was Behind Nelen, holding his right arm out with the symbols stone and fire and putting his left hand on the symbol of stone covering it while closing his eyes.

At that moment in time all Nelen could do was hear the commander whisper two eerie words into his ear.

"Stone…Fortress…" - Commander Benkei

BOOOMMM!!

In a flash a huge stone constructed tower smashed into Nelens back crushing him into the palace wall all the way on the other side of the palace.

The commander swiftly ran across the tower he made all the way to Nelen.

His hand on his arm where the symbol of stone was again no hesitation in his movements.

"Stone! Collision!!"

BOOOOOOM!

Two huge, constructed towers one above Nelen and one below instantaneously crushed him with tremendous force.

Free blood oozed from Nelens body like water, his eyes rolled all the way to the back of his head while the lightning disappeared from his body." He was unconscious, unable to even think.

However, something the bizarre happened. A lightning bolt scar formed on the left side of Nelens forehead.

The stone went back into the ground and Nelen crashes into the palace floor, his body making a crumpling sound like paper.

"Time you took a nap kid" Picking him up "hmm... a lightning bolt huh just like that General Hatazō Adachi…"- Commander Benkei.