The Steel Ring by Jones R. A

Author:Jones, R. A. [Jones, R. A.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Westerntainment
Published: 2014-10-01T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XX

Summer, 1926

The Great Question settled back easily into his stately chair. To his left sat the woman Prahmasung. To his right, Brother Han smoothed his robes as he, too, took his seat.

Below them was a small, circular enclosure, forming an arena of sorts. Though resting inside one of the lower levels of the temple, its floor was bare earth, covered with a thin, cushioning layer of sawdust.

Four young men stood on the arena floor, looking up expectantly. Each was clad only in a form-fitting loincloth. Prahmasung was neither so old nor so jaded that she did not appreciate their finely chiseled bodies. There was no sign of fat upon them, and their musculature was bold and well defined. She smiled as one turned his eyes to gaze at her.

The four pivoted as one as a soft whooshing sound came from behind them. A portal set in one wall of the arena slid quickly upward, and a figure moved confidently from the darkness beyond.

Prahmasung knew instantly that it was her son, Aman, even though his features were partially hidden by a red silken blindfold that covered his eyes.

He was otherwise dressed identically to the four men who awaited him inside the arena. Prahmasung could not help but notice that, though he was only twelve years old, Aman was nearly as tall as any of the four men. His body showed none of the softness one would expect in a child; it seemed almost to ripple as he walked, as well developed muscles slithered under his skin in coordination with each other.

Prahmasung’s smile faded.

The four young men raised their eyes to look at the three spectators above them. The Great Question made a short, chopping motion downward with his right hand.

One of the men below swiveled and launched himself toward Aman, shrieking loudly as he aimed a blow at the boy’s head.

As if he could see clearly through the cloth of the blindfold, Aman twisted his body, causing the intended blow to slash harmlessly past him. As it did, he grabbed the man’s wrist and spun him. When he released him, the man flew into the path of a second attacker, causing both to fall to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.

A third warrior came from the side and slightly behind. He launched a straight kick that caught Aman behind the left knee and dropped him to the floor.

The man followed this up with an overhead fist, but Aman brought both arms over his head, crossing them at the wrist and blocking the blow. He let himself fall backwards, rolled and brought both feet up into his attacker’s midsection. The man was sent flying through the air, until he slammed into the wall of the arena and slumped to the floor.

Aman kicked up with his legs, flipping himself up off the floor and back onto his feet in a single move. No sooner had he done so, though, than he swiftly squatted down, thus avoiding a side kick from his fourth opponent.

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