2 Prologue 2 (2/2)
”Well… none.”
”Makes sense, today normal people usually don't fight. But you, since you want to learn soul arts, you will become a part of society that is different, a lot different then what you think is supposed to be normal.”
”What do you mean?”
”You will learn, in time. But for now, all you need to know is that being able to fight is a need if you want to go down this path. Back to fighting, you mentioned karate and Martial arts, I will not be teaching you anything of sorts. Martial arts, in particular, they are just flashy and honestly useless. Especially for you. What I will teach you is the most efficient way to defeat your opponent. Now… Attack me.”
Attack? Sure.
With my guard up, I slowly closed the distance, looking at him I paid attention to every small movement of his, where his eyes were looking, whether he seemed confident. I tried to predict when will he attack so I could block and the counter.
His right!
I saw it move at an incredible speed, I raised my left hand to block it, and when the punch was about to arrive… his palm opened, inside was sand it hit my hand, then my face and eyes. It was too fast, I could stop myself and my eyes shut.
'Bam!'
Feeling the heavy punch to the stomach my legs bent and I fell to the ground.
”This is your first lesson, there are no rules. Everyone learns this at one point, some die because they didn't know better. Remember this.”
'Bam! Bam! Bam!'
He didn't stop there, his foot landed on my face. I curled up sluggishly, trying to protect my head.
”Get up, if you don't want to die, you need to kill your enemy. This is lesson two, for the enemy, there is no mercy, he will kill you if there is a chance, so do the same.”
I opened my eye, looked the man that was supposed to teach me but was just beating me up. Master took few steps back and was now looking down on me with his arms crossed.
Listlessly I raised my body.
”Attack me.”
Is this what he meant? Is this going to be like this if I keep going down this 'path'?
I rushed forward and threw a punch which was blocked effortlessly by him. He smiled.
This was the moment, with my lungs full of air I blew the sand the was in my mouth at his face. Immediately followed by a kick to the crotch. You wanted me to be ruthless to the enemy? You are the enemy right now.
'Thump!'
The pain came through my knee as if I kicked a metal plate, followed by a palm strike to the chest that sent me flying.
'cough, cough, cough.'
I opened my eyed slightly too see light surrounding master's body when my vision cleared a bit a saw it in its full splendor again. Like a crystal armor, it covered every inch of his body, this was the only reason I was still here.
The only reason that I agreed to learn from him.
It was when I first met him, he showed it to me, the power that it can give.
Power to crush mountains and split seas.
All in a simple form of an armor…
”Well done kid, that surprised me. Now you just have to get up and attack me again.”
”…”
”Kid?”
”…”
”Did I overdo it?”
'Splatter.'
The cold water running down my face was more than enough to wake me up, I don't think there was any need to pour it on me twice.
”Are you awake kid?”
”Yes.”
”Good. Get up now, how is your chest? I don't think I hit you too hard.”
”It hurts, but it is bearable.”
”Good, Good. That's good. You did ok, I must give you credit for that…”
”Thank you, Master.”
”Ok. Listen, kid, what you experienced the past few weeks, especially yesterday and today, this is only the tip of the iceberg, pain, and suffering will become your norm. With some luck, it will continue for a month, maybe more. I don't know what is it that it propels you forward, and it honestly, I don't need to know. But now you know what it will take to do it.”
”You are asking me if I changed my mind? No, I did not.”
”That's good. Well then, you can go back upstairs for today, eat, try to search for your soul. Tomorrow you will start the 'real' training.”