Post by darthlunchbox on Oct 1, 2019 12:07:50 GMT -8
Firelight danced off of the burnished metal of the armor Cade held in his hands. As he tilted it, first one way then the other, he could see his own faint reflection, his bruises and tattered and burned clothing. He ran his fingers over the thin plating... he had wondered how metal so thin could be used as protection; the old man who had given it to him, Ryiu, had told him it was made from katchin and would never fail him. Unlike the way I failed those people... He closed his eyes and let the memory wash over him.
Cade limped down the road, body aching and mind numb. He made it back to the tree that had overlooked the village and sat under it again... One, day I'll find that demon again... but next time I will be stronger. Next time I will WIN. He leaned back against the tree, trying to still his whirling thoughts... and passed out. He awoke to a small camp fire near to him shedding light on a group of villagers. The ones he had failed, he realized. He sat up and stared at the ground for a few moments, surreptitiously eyeing them from the side of his eyes... when a solid voice called out, "Good you're awake. Come on, scoot closer to the fire. We have some stew, if not much else for the night." Cade looked up at the figure and saw an old man sitting on a canvas bundle motioning him closer.
Made awkward by his soreness, he slowly scooted nearer to the fire. He sat there in silence for a few moments before the old man held out a bowl of stew for Cade. The younger man gingerly accepted it, feeling the warmth through the rough ceramic and enjoying the smell of the beef stew. The old man cleared his throat, "Warrior, my name is Ryiu, I was the mayor of Yarblek. We just wanted to thank you, stranger. No one has stood up to the demons for us in a long time." The others nearby nodded and murmured their agreement as Cade looked up startled.
"You can call me Cade. I appreciate it, Mayor Ryiu, but I failed, that dang demon still destroyed your village. You needed someone stronger than me."
The old man smiled and shook his head, "Just call me Ryiu. You were defeated today, Cade. True. The demon would have likely leveled the rest of our village in any case, truth be told. But did you learn more about fighting demons? If you can take something away from this, then maybe next time you can save a village. Or prevent them from doing much damage at all. You are still young, with much to learn after all."
Cade began to eat the stew slowly as he considered Ryiu's words. In a pause between bites he nodded, "I feel like I learned a lot actually. I have fought demons before.... but this one was something on a whole other level, let me tell ya. It felt like the whole shebang was almost just a joke for her until I hit her hard enough to get her fired up. I just couldn't take all the beating she was dishing out on my head."
Cade finished his stew up and one of the village women took the bowl to a boy with a bowl who started washing it. At their urging, Cade lay down to rest for the night under their watchful eyes. It felt good that there was someone there to watch out while he slept... but between the aches, pains, and racing thoughts it was a long time before he finally slept.
When he awoke, only Ryiu remained- the other villagers were off on one task or another looking to salvage what they couldn't rebuild. The old man hopped up, "Good you're awake. I've got something I wanted to give you in private before you went on your way. He lifted the canvas package and handed it to Cade. "This," he explained, "-was my great grandfathers. He was a mighty warrior from what I understand and this has been wasted just sitting around my family home for too long. It should go to someone who will use it to make these lands a better place."
Cade carefully unwrapped the bundle, revealing a piece of armor. It was a chestplate with a beautiful royal blue undertunic that had some armor plating sewn into the sleeve. Cade looked at Ryiu, "I.. I don't know what to say but thank ya."
"You're welcome. Now try it on! Family legend says nothing can cut this armor, it is supposedly made of something called Katchin."
Cade slipped into the armor... and it seemed to almost fit perfectly. He located some straps on the side and fine tuned the fit, then stood and started a kata. The armor was well balanced but his arms felt a little heavy. This would take some getting uses to after all. Still it was an unbelievable gift. "Thanks again, Ryiu. I can't even begin to repay ya for this."
The older man waved him off again, "Just use it like I said, to protect lands from threats like that demon and consider me re-payed in full."
He walked down the road soon after, much heavier physically but a bit lighter of heart.
* * *
Cade limped down the road, body aching and mind numb. He made it back to the tree that had overlooked the village and sat under it again... One, day I'll find that demon again... but next time I will be stronger. Next time I will WIN. He leaned back against the tree, trying to still his whirling thoughts... and passed out. He awoke to a small camp fire near to him shedding light on a group of villagers. The ones he had failed, he realized. He sat up and stared at the ground for a few moments, surreptitiously eyeing them from the side of his eyes... when a solid voice called out, "Good you're awake. Come on, scoot closer to the fire. We have some stew, if not much else for the night." Cade looked up at the figure and saw an old man sitting on a canvas bundle motioning him closer.
Made awkward by his soreness, he slowly scooted nearer to the fire. He sat there in silence for a few moments before the old man held out a bowl of stew for Cade. The younger man gingerly accepted it, feeling the warmth through the rough ceramic and enjoying the smell of the beef stew. The old man cleared his throat, "Warrior, my name is Ryiu, I was the mayor of Yarblek. We just wanted to thank you, stranger. No one has stood up to the demons for us in a long time." The others nearby nodded and murmured their agreement as Cade looked up startled.
"You can call me Cade. I appreciate it, Mayor Ryiu, but I failed, that dang demon still destroyed your village. You needed someone stronger than me."
The old man smiled and shook his head, "Just call me Ryiu. You were defeated today, Cade. True. The demon would have likely leveled the rest of our village in any case, truth be told. But did you learn more about fighting demons? If you can take something away from this, then maybe next time you can save a village. Or prevent them from doing much damage at all. You are still young, with much to learn after all."
Cade began to eat the stew slowly as he considered Ryiu's words. In a pause between bites he nodded, "I feel like I learned a lot actually. I have fought demons before.... but this one was something on a whole other level, let me tell ya. It felt like the whole shebang was almost just a joke for her until I hit her hard enough to get her fired up. I just couldn't take all the beating she was dishing out on my head."
Cade finished his stew up and one of the village women took the bowl to a boy with a bowl who started washing it. At their urging, Cade lay down to rest for the night under their watchful eyes. It felt good that there was someone there to watch out while he slept... but between the aches, pains, and racing thoughts it was a long time before he finally slept.
When he awoke, only Ryiu remained- the other villagers were off on one task or another looking to salvage what they couldn't rebuild. The old man hopped up, "Good you're awake. I've got something I wanted to give you in private before you went on your way. He lifted the canvas package and handed it to Cade. "This," he explained, "-was my great grandfathers. He was a mighty warrior from what I understand and this has been wasted just sitting around my family home for too long. It should go to someone who will use it to make these lands a better place."
Cade carefully unwrapped the bundle, revealing a piece of armor. It was a chestplate with a beautiful royal blue undertunic that had some armor plating sewn into the sleeve. Cade looked at Ryiu, "I.. I don't know what to say but thank ya."
"You're welcome. Now try it on! Family legend says nothing can cut this armor, it is supposedly made of something called Katchin."
Cade slipped into the armor... and it seemed to almost fit perfectly. He located some straps on the side and fine tuned the fit, then stood and started a kata. The armor was well balanced but his arms felt a little heavy. This would take some getting uses to after all. Still it was an unbelievable gift. "Thanks again, Ryiu. I can't even begin to repay ya for this."
The older man waved him off again, "Just use it like I said, to protect lands from threats like that demon and consider me re-payed in full."
He walked down the road soon after, much heavier physically but a bit lighter of heart.
* * *
He opened his eyes and looked back down at the armor. It really was an amazing gift... and it was time to train to use it with his fighting style. He glanced around at the dark forest he had traveled to... should be plenty of ways to train myself here. He set the armor to the side and crossed his legs, straightened his back, and closed his eyes. It was time for a short meditation before sleep and training in the morning. His mind drifted back... back to his grandfather...
His grandfather's gravelly voice rang in his mind, "Now listen boy, your mother has taught you some basic movements, but not what the Jaguar school is all about. OUr philosophy is simple; We use our speed to avoid and dodge attacks ot our strength to weather and block, and then wear our enemy down before we unleash one destructive flurry. Your body seems more built to speed, so we will focus on developing that first. Now, Erki over there is a bruiser through and through, so you all are going be doing a bit different stuff. Here's what I want you all to do..."
Cade smiled as he came back to himself; Granpa Morita would have know for sure how to tell him to train to mix this here armor in with his techniques... but he would figure it out. He could probably emulate some of what granpa had Erki do to build strength, and repeat some of what he had me do to build speed while wearing the armor... should work. He'd start at first light.
His grandfather's gravelly voice rang in his mind, "Now listen boy, your mother has taught you some basic movements, but not what the Jaguar school is all about. OUr philosophy is simple; We use our speed to avoid and dodge attacks ot our strength to weather and block, and then wear our enemy down before we unleash one destructive flurry. Your body seems more built to speed, so we will focus on developing that first. Now, Erki over there is a bruiser through and through, so you all are going be doing a bit different stuff. Here's what I want you all to do..."
Cade smiled as he came back to himself; Granpa Morita would have know for sure how to tell him to train to mix this here armor in with his techniques... but he would figure it out. He could probably emulate some of what granpa had Erki do to build strength, and repeat some of what he had me do to build speed while wearing the armor... should work. He'd start at first light.
* * *
Cade ran through the forest lit dimly by the grayish light of the false dawn. As he approached a likely limb, he leaped up, arms extended and grabbed it. He pulled his chin up over the branch 20 times grunting with strain each time, then dropped and started running again. He vaulted over a log in his way and then dropped and did 20 sit-ups. At the next log he set his hands on it and carefully went into a shaky handstand... holding it until he was steady for a few minutes before coming down again. He continued his run down the path, stopping to do pull-ups, sit-ups, or handstands at every obstacle. When he had finally circled back to the campsite, he launched into his kata, feet and hands working with precision. He pushed himself, Faster, Cade ol' boy, faster.. arms and legs burning and sweat dripping, he finished the kata and let himself collapse for a rest. After he caught his breath he stood and went for round 2...
For a week he trained in the forest, pushing himself to the edge of exhaustion every day. On the morning of the eighth day he got up and... he could definitely feel a difference. He was moving much easier in the armor. He stretched and got his blood flowing as he let his body go through the motions Punch, kick, punch, Roll to the side, dodge, weave... FLURRY...
His body was adapting. Getting used to the armor... he was almost as fast as he had been out of the armor and would make up the difference training along the way. It was time to get out there and start using the armor to pay his debt; by making a difference in the world and protecting people as he had promised Ryiu he would. He pulled a light cloak out of his pack and put it on over the armor. No need to tip of your opponents to your strength before you join the battle seriously. Another of his granpa Morita's teachings. One of the one's that had served him well, and allowed him to actually hurt the demon that was far more powerful than him. He adjusted the cloak and then raised the hood. It was time to get going. There were people that he was duty bound to protect now, not just for his own inclination but because of the armor. They would find Cade Kendrick, of the Jaguar school, in-between them and the danger at their doorstep.
1583 words.
For a week he trained in the forest, pushing himself to the edge of exhaustion every day. On the morning of the eighth day he got up and... he could definitely feel a difference. He was moving much easier in the armor. He stretched and got his blood flowing as he let his body go through the motions Punch, kick, punch, Roll to the side, dodge, weave... FLURRY...
His body was adapting. Getting used to the armor... he was almost as fast as he had been out of the armor and would make up the difference training along the way. It was time to get out there and start using the armor to pay his debt; by making a difference in the world and protecting people as he had promised Ryiu he would. He pulled a light cloak out of his pack and put it on over the armor. No need to tip of your opponents to your strength before you join the battle seriously. Another of his granpa Morita's teachings. One of the one's that had served him well, and allowed him to actually hurt the demon that was far more powerful than him. He adjusted the cloak and then raised the hood. It was time to get going. There were people that he was duty bound to protect now, not just for his own inclination but because of the armor. They would find Cade Kendrick, of the Jaguar school, in-between them and the danger at their doorstep.
1583 words.
