I practiced with the practice blade for a good while; then, I realized just how light the sword had started to become. It amazed me just how far I have come in just a year. I continued for another hour; then I put the blade away and picked up the larger sized sword.
This one was different in size as well as weight. It looked like a meat cleaver or something, but the blade was still as thin as a sheet of paper. I wasn't too entirely sure how this sword was used with a study yet flimsy-looking blade. This didn't detour me, however.
As I started to practice with this blade, my energy and strength began to drop dramatically. So, I stopped for a break. After a few minutes, I started again; after a while, the same thing occurred again.
This time, I stopped to think. "Okay either I don't have enough endurance yet, or I'm not yet strong enough yet," I said aloud to myself. I wanted to try again to figure it out, but when I looked at the clock, I knew I had to get home before supper.
So, I picked up the box and went on my way home. Knowing that my bike is broken. I was going to have to take a shortcut to get home.
So, I headed back through a small area in Oakland Country called Callean. As I was passing through, I started to see something strange. I then realized something was wrong in this town. For one, where are all the people and why are all the buildings either boarded up or damaged from fires or gunshots?
"Something is defiantly wrong here," I said to myself as I opened the box and drew the sword inside. I figure it's better to be safe than sorry. Whether I was ready or not to use, it doesn't matter to attackers. Before I knew it, I had reached the end of the town. I turned and looked back where I had passed. I still didn't see a soul, nor rats or any kind of food or living thing.
I wanted to check the buildings, but I knew I didn't have the time. Then I thought, "This was too easy even for me. Whoever had done this must have quite an army with him," or so I thought. As I reached the borders of the Oakland country to where I could see my hometown. Excited, I started running so I could home until I started seeing smoke in the distance. Alarmed by that, I ran as fast as I could to see what was going on. When I reached the city, it was on fire.
As I looked around, people were running everywhere, trying to evacuate the town or put out the flames. I tried to talk to one of the individuals in the city and ask them what was going on and who did this. Most of the people ignored me and kept going. I looked for one of the constables and asked him. "It was Crater Steve, he did this, and he was last seen heading toward the minor hills area," said the constable. "If you are smart kid, use that sword of yours there and get your family to safety. And don't antagonize him, and we all might survive."
However, fighting or antagonizing Steve was the last thing I wanted after what I just heard. Surprised by what I heard, I replied, "The…The…. The Minor Hills….!" I was so scared and upset that I raced down to the hillside.
With mixed emotions and raging adrenaline, I reached the peak; it was as I figured the houses were in flames, and people were either lying dead in the streets or on fire. I followed the trail till I reach my house. As I looked on it was in flames, and the garden was destroyed. There he stood with weapon in hand mist the garden.
Suddenly, I was overcome with anger and rage that I jumped the fence into the garden. I shouted at him. "Hey, are you Crater Steve? And was it you that did this?" I said furiously. He turned in my direction to see a young boy with a sword in hand, then the gunman replied, "Yes, I did, you like it? Ah-halakha!" "No, I do not. I want you to put out these fires now!" I demanded.
"Ha, you must be out of your mind child; who are you to be giving me orders tiny man?" he snapped back. Without too much thought I replied. "I'm Xeonix, the grandson of Xeon Clerics. You will fix this mess!" I told him. "Oh, so you're the grandson of that annoying swordsman, huh; then it will be a pleasure to wipe you off the face of the planet as we did him years ago," he replied. "Not if I stop you first," I said boldly.
"Oh, yeah, you and what army? You look like you could barely knock down a tree, let alone blow out a birthday candle!" he retorted. "Me and this sword shall bring you down!" I shouted back drawing the weapon. Thinking to myself at the same time: "Yeah, easier said than done; I don't even know how to use this thing yet."
Crater Steve looked at the sword, and my body shaking and laughed. "Ah-hahaha, beautiful sword, but from the looks of it, you probably don't even know how to use that thing. I doubt you could even hurt me with it!" laughed Steve. "You are almost as bad as the family that lived here, that I killed." I looked over at the house and saw my dad gone. Dead in cold blood and my mom captive by Steve's men. I yelled, "Let her go!" "I bet this is your mom, huh, well if you want her. You will have to fight me for her, but first, let's see you get through my men if you can," he said.
With adrenaline pumping, I charged at his men guarding him. He turned with a huge grin on his face, lifted his gun, and took aim at me. As I charged, I swung the blade with such force, taking as many of his men down as I could. Before going directly at him. I used everything I learned from basic training. Then I charged the gunner directly as he continued to take aim at me. I dodged many of his attacks as I attempted to hit him.
Blow for blow, we matched each other. He looks at me as we stand with a weapon in hand, then says, "I'll admit you're a tough little runt, but let's see how tough you really are." Within the few seconds, it took for him to say that, he had aimed his gun at my mother. I looked at her and yelled, "No…. no ...stop! Mom, you need to RUN!" in the same instance, I tried to halt the gunner before he fired, but I missed the blast went right by me.
As I looked at mom in her last seconds, I heard her say, "My dear son know that we love you always. Do your best and defeat him. Bring honor to our name once more." All I saw was a huge cloud of fire and smoke as my mom's body went flying. I ran to her corps and dropped on my knees next to my dying mother. As I held her in my hands, she looked at me and said as she faded away, "Do not worry son, we knew about your training. Finish your training and avenge us.
Head north there you shall learn the secret of your grandfather. This was the work of Eon Pax. You must defeat him to save your grandfather. But most of all, live on my son." I hugged my mom crying and then looked at her face. As I looked, I could see a smile on her face as she passed in my very arms.
The gunman laughed with glee at the sight he saw. "That dumb broad like the husband did not even dodge the attack. Your family must have a death wish, or they're incredibly stupid." I ignored him for the moment. "I am so sorry mom; I wish … I was home in time, maybe I could have saved the family or at least help fight them off. But don't worry, I will avenge you. I will avenge everyone here and our household," I said as I laid her body gently on the ground. With sword in hand, I stood with my back facing the gunner and my mother's blood running down my arms.
I turned to the gunner enraged by what he said and I yelled, "Eon Pax, you are as good as dead! But before that…. Crater Steve. COME MEET YOUR DESTRUCTION!" I gripped the sword enraged with anger that the very wind around me turned razor-sharp; then I charged at him with such speed and force. Steve raised his gun, upset with what I said and took aim once more at me saying, "Let's just see you just try that!"
Suddenly as I was charging at him while dodging his shots, the sword started vibrating again. It was then I remembered what a sensei told me. He said. "The whistling sword is a style that is guided by the wind. If an attack is made right, you will hear the whistle of the wind." Immediately I jumped in the air drawing back sword behind me with the blade facing out. I spun in midair while swinging the sword out from behind me straight down to toward Steve. I left him no time to retaliate.
It was at this very moment the same gust of wind encompassed me and the sword. As I swung down, one could hear the loud whistling sound of the wind. Right before impact, I said, "Whistling wind style, (Gyaku-Ushiro Sutoraiku) reverse rearward strike." In that same instance, I swung down with such force that the wind went down with the blade like a knife through butter. It was as if the wind was slicing him in two.
As I started to catch my breath and calm down, I looked up at the notorious Crater Steve. There on the ground lay a lifeless corpse split in half with such precision and force that even his armor was destroyed. At the sight of this, his remaining men looked at me trembling, then they dropped their weapons and took off running. Seeing this, the constables gathered up as many of them as they could.
Tired from the combat, I used my remaining strength to bury my family; then went inside the burnt house. I tried to sleep in what remained of my bed but ended up crying for many nights. Everything I had and known was gone in a flash. The only one I have left now was that swordsman. After a few days, I went back to the dojo.
There I told Kenshin what had happened. Sensei and his wife supplied me with a place to stay. There I tried to recover and continue my training tirelessly. Knowing my troubles have only begun; more will come for me and all I hold dear. The only way to end it was to defeat Eon Pax and settle the score.