Alkon grinned. ‘There was always a risk,’ he said. ‘Your most dangerous enemy is the one that claims to be your friend. Why would a general allow his unit to be destroyed? He would not. That is the answer even the High Council would give, no matter how much suspicion there was, as it is true, no sane man would put himself in that situation.’
‘Then you are insane,’ said Jaden.
‘I will not claim otherwise, but I will say that it is part of the fun, and I had no other choice, because of you. But you do not need to foolishly throw away your life if it is to avenge people who are still alive.’
Jaden nodded. And then his heart began to race. The people of Waikor were still alive. Alyssa was still alive. He could still get to her, to find her and stay with her. He could still save her from anything that might harm her.
‘You said you would meet them on the way,’ he said.
‘Yes, but first I will need a way of getting transport.’
‘If you promise to come back for me, I will protect you.’
Alkon considered the proposal. ‘You are not a sentinel,’ he said.
‘I can do it.’
‘Have you ever done this before?’
Jaden shook his head.
‘Then I cannot allow it,’ said Alkon. ‘We will both end up dead.’
‘What other choice do you have?’ asked Jaden.
Alkon was thoughtful. ‘Wait here,’ he said, and quickly ran back toward the city.
Jaden wondered if Alkon was finding some soldiers to help kill him, but dismissed the thought. Alkon’s story seemed true, for now, and for some strange reason, he felt he could trust him more than anyone else in the world. He wondered if it was some twisted and evil charm he used to persuade people to do his bidding, but there was something about him, something genuine and rarely seen. He was a man of sharp wit, but he knew his place, and his heart was on the side of good, no matter how much evil seemed to be attached to his name. It sounded crazy to Jaden, but it seemed that if anyone was going to be a true friend to him, it was the man that had saved his life without need, even after he had destroyed Jaden’s home and could have been killed by Jaden for those crimes. His most recent actions and words explaining what had happened spoke much louder than his past. And with that selfless act combined with the story, Jaden was now starting to feel completely at ease. Alkon’s calm manner was contagious.
Alkon returned almost half an hour later carrying an assortment of weapons and ammunition. ‘They won’t be needing these anymore,’ he said. ‘Follow me. We should get further away first.’
‘What are we doing?’ asked Jaden.
‘You’re going to show me what you can do,’ said Alkon.
‘We could use those to get the helicopter,’ said Jaden, pointing at the weaponry.
‘And we would be shot down as soon as we took off. No. I like your idea better. You will distract them and then I will pick you up later.’
They walked for almost ten minutes before Alkon seemed satisfied with the distance.
‘We’ll start easy,’ he said, putting the weapons down on the ground. ‘Make a shield. I’ll throw these knives at you. Slowly at first, then when I am convinced you cannot be harmed, I’ll try to hit you with them.’
‘Where do I stand?’ asked Jaden.
‘By that tree would be best,’ said Alkon, pointing fifteen yards away.
Jaden took his place and ignited a white shield around him as he had seen the Daijuar do.
‘Ready?’
Jaden nodded, and the first knife was thrown. It penetrated the shield for a second, but was then thrown out of it, as if it had bounced off something inside.
‘You will need to be stronger than that,’ said Alkon. ‘Here’s a faster one.’
Again the knife bounced away, this time before it had even made its way into the shield. Alkon proceeded as he said he would, throwing them harder and faster, and soon directing them at Jaden’s heart.
Jaden was starting to pass the tests without a problem, and Alkon decided it was time to make them a bit harder.
‘How about a bullet?’ he asked, picking up one of the rifles.
‘Try it,’ said Jaden.
‘I will aim to the left of your right hand.’
Jaden nodded, and Alkon took aim. He fired a single shot to the left, but unlike the knives, it passed straight through the shield and hit a tree behind it. Jaden let the shield fall away as he realised he had failed to stop it and Alkon let his shoulders slump.
‘It was a good idea,’ he said regretfully, ‘but we may need to find an alternative.’
‘No,’ said Jaden. ‘I can do this. Try again.’
‘I do not wish to kill you, Sentinel. I have wronged you enough already.’