Chapter 1: Talim of the Wind
A young girl of 15 sat in the grass of a small village. She had blue-black hair and fairly light skin. Talim... calm down, she said to herself and slowly but surely she began to take fuller breaths and stop shaking. She had just had battle practice and had accidently sliced her Master, Wonkan's, arm.
Talim had never been one for hurting people badly and Wonkan's arm had bled lots but he was not mortally wounded. She was practicing because she had a match in Bizen, Japan, the birthplace of her challenger, 'One Man Army'....or so, thats what he called himself. His real name was Heishiro Misurugi. A man of 29 and very well disciplined.
"Talim!! Come for dinner!" A man's voice boomed across the fields Talim had been sitting in.
"Coming, Sanput, my father!" In the village everyone always spoke to or about someone by saying a name then by saying my father, mother, friend, etc.
Sitting around the table, while her father thanked the Gods of the Winds for dinner and a wonderful village, The Village of the Wind, Talim thought once again of her to-come battle with Heishiro.
Will I win or lose? How will I prepare? Should i use Syi Sarika & Loka Luka or some other weapon? Syi Sarika & Loka Luka was her most balanced and familier weapon to her. It was the two elbow blades she used in her training and she was really good with them, she was almost perfect. But she has other weapons designed for better blocking, like Wind Guide and Double Cresent Blade, better offence, like Chaqu and Double Cresent Blade, powerful single strikes, like Tonfa and Side Harpe. All were a pair of of sharp and beautifully made elbow blades. All encarved with her name, TALIM.
As her father finished the prayer, Talim ended her thought. ".... Oh! and before every one starts eating," Sanput was saying. "Happy Birthday to Talim!"
"But my birthday's not for another week..." Talim protested
"We know, but you'll be at the matches so we decided to celebrate your birthday today, your mother even baked you a cake."
"Thank you Lidi, my mother."
"You're very welcome. you have gifts from us and your master. Wonkan will be her in an half an hour. He will be sharing cake and gift opening with us, okay?"
"Yes of course it is okay. Thank you again and I will be sure to thank Master Wonkan, too. I always enjoy seeing what kind of gift he comes up with. He he!" Talim responded.
They ate their dinner of fish and potatoes, washed and put away the dishes, all in twenty minutes. Talim had time to change out of her battle clothes and put on clean clothes. She helped her mother clean up the house and in 10 minutes a knock on the door of their small house was heard. Talim went to answer it.
"Hello Master Wonkan! in!"
"Thank you Talim." He handed her the gift he had brought and went to shake Sanput's and Lidi's hands. "Thank you for inviting me" He told Lidi.
"It was my pleasure. And I knew Talim would have wanted you to see her the night before she leaves for Bizen."
"Why must she leave so early?" asked Wonkan.
"She is staying with an old friend, Taki I believe her name is, in Fu-Ma No Sato, Japan for a few days and then they are going to the matches together."
"I see...but how can they be old friends if Taki is 30 I believe?" asked Wonkan.
"I've been friends with Taki since I was 7 years old, Master Wonkan. Oh... and I am sincerely sorry about your arm if I forgot to tell you." Talim answered for him. "And Taki is only 29 years."
"Oh okay." mumbled Wonkan.
Everyone got drinks and sat down to a birthday cake shaped as Talim's latest weapon, Chaqu. Wonkan congratulated Lidi on getting the cake to look exactly like the elbow blades. They all took a slice. Then it was time for gifts...the one from Sanput was first. It was a new bag to use on her trip...it matched ther green and white outfit that she wore during matches.
"It is very nice, thank you lots."
Next was the gift from Lidi. It was a pet bird...Talim immediately named it Alun. It was a lovebird...too bad she couldn't take it with her. her mom promised to take care of it for her while she was gone.
The last gift was from her master. She opened it...it was a new pair of elbow blades. Even more beautiful then all her others...they were called Cao Ankana. TALIM was carved on them already. Talim stood up and gave her master a huge hug.
"I will definitly use these. both for my battle and for training. Thank you so much."
The next morning...she was off.
