Duel
As I entered the building, all I could see were a few
fires with men gathered around them. I
was walking slowly, making them understand I had nothing to fear about
them. We are in 1997 and I decided to
make a trip in Turkey. Long have had
waited for this moment and I wanted to fully live it. For the past years, I had trained myself, and I came here. Maybe I shouldn't… But a voice in my head keeps saying I did the right choice. I hope you are not making fun of me again
little voice.
The main field
was amazing. It was reminding him of
those antics arenas build by the many empires of Europe, who wanted to calm
their conquered populations. Except the
ring was rectangular and there was very few seats near the ring. Looking carefully I saw what looked like
rows of seats. Maybe more people would
come to look at this. The lights were
soft and everywhere you looked, you had this feeling of immense power. Of something greater looking down at you,
saying "Come on, impress me". I hope
the other who came here felt the same respect I am.
-Isn't it superbe ?! said a bright voice
behind me
-What ?
-Simon Devro, how are you doing ?
-Ah ! You're French ! Amadeus is my name.
-No…
I'm Canadian, but I do speak French. Happy to know you, you here for de
same sthing as me hein?
The French
had a weapon on him… An axe. We spoke
together for some times. We were on a
table eating and speaking about fighting techniques. We didn't care telling our abilities. Amazingly, he was very friendly.
I had heard of the Canadian in the World War II. Soldiers of the Wermacht had told to me
about some of their acts. Some were
impressive and this man was quite large.
His huge axe, moved by those hands must have been deadly if he wanted to
hurt you.
-Hahaha, it be a good fight.
-Indeed,
I always wanted to fight my brother too…
We were
speaking of various things and at a moment a shadow moved in the room. This shadow was in fact a woman, moving
silently and quickly. She was
intriguing me. For Simon had been here
for a long time, I asked him who she was.
-Ah, "La Jeune Femme
Mystérieuse"… I doesn't know who she is… I think his name is Kayla. Is it her or his for a woman ?
-It's her Marc… She came to fight?
-Oh yes!
Last week, a guy from Germany tried a move on her. I was watching the scene, it all happened so
fast. She have one of those Japon's
sword.
-A katana…
-Ah Oui!
She had a katana. When she used
it on the men, all I saw was a quick light line coming from the metal who makes
the sword.
-Intriguing…
-Ah yes… quoi? Intri…?
-I want to know more about her…
-Be carefull bacause she killed the
German guy…
We resumed
our dinner and talked about life. But I
wanted to know more about the strange woman.
Who she was and were she was from.
I had a little clue but wanted to be sure. For sure, meeting her in a
fight would be the most interesting thing they may have happen to him in the
last years.
The second
day I was here, it was dedicated to
training. All warriors assembled here
were fighting with each other. No one
wanted to kill is opponent for it was all made in respect. The competition that was soon to be started
wasn't a "kill the opponent" type of tournament. But a fight until you feel you have loose. I had long heard of it while I lived in
Japan. The Doru Numke, was very known
among high level fighters. I was still
with Simon, testing my counter-attacks.
He was very kind, trying to surprise me.
While we were
still training the counter-attacks, he made an attack, with incredible speed,
but it was a faint. While i was
blocking the lower right, I saw the quick direction changes. The huge axe was coming near. And starting
to look bigger at each 60th of a second.
And at 1 cm of my head, it stopped…
He had stop at the last fraction of second. He was now looking at me, a
big smile on him.
-Hopefully, I'm not here to kill… I hate to kill, and you?
-I will if I have too. But unnecessary death is a pain…
-Totally ok with that! Wanna try a new training game?
-Why not…
The new
training "game" consisted of a reflexes challenge. We were three. An Brazilian had join us, Adrian. One of us had to stand in the middle of a
circle while the two were launching small shots. The goal was of course not to be hit by the others. Each after the other, we pass in the centre
of the circle. I had stayed the longest
in it and after 15 minutes, I have to admit it was very difficult to stand the
constant attacks of those two great fighter.
Adrian had a particularly good legs technique, and he's the one one who
stopped my stretch.
After they
got me we had all agree for a 15 minutes pause. The sun was warm, and the air great in the country. A bright blue sky over us, we were about to
start again when, the strange black woman came back near us. But this time, she spoke to us…
-(Lady) I bet I can stay longer then you
did in the circle, against all of you.
-(Simon) I'm sure you can oh sweet
fighter, but this isn't a competition.
-(Adrian) Wer training… Yoau'll welcome
if you want.
-(Amadeus) What is your name?
-(Lady) But I wan't to do better then you
guys did…
-(Simon) This isn't a competition…
-(Amadeus) What is your name?
-(Lady) I'll beat all of you!!
-(Simon) I said…
-(Adrian) Cadela! We want to practice…
-(Amadeus) What's your name?
-(Lady) My name's Kayla, why do you keep
asking the same question squicky boy!
-(Amadeus) Greetings Kayla, my name is
Amadeus. I wish to make that training
with you.
-(Simon) Hein ?!
-(Adrian) Que…?
-(Amadeus) Yes we will, and keep in mind
this is a training, all of you….
As I finished
my sentence, I watched her. She wanted
to win. Wanted to win badly. We all positioned around the circle and
started moving. When she said "Ready",
we started to attack her. I must admit
she impressed me. She was quick, adapting her skills. I was seeing Simon in front of me and he was starting to loose
nerves. I had to look in his eyes
making him understand we were still in practice. But is look wasn't angry, it seems like he wanted to push his
limits with her. Some people had
gathered around us. I was looking at
her moves, and I thought she had to loose her bet… But it was clear we could not pass thru her without going to our
max. The crowd was making noises each
time we were trying a new faint… But
she had the skills. So I had an idea…
I launched an
attack write to her head and I aimed to miss, but also so she hit me. A very
small cut, nothing important, nothing to stop me fighting. But I played a game with her… I think she saw it looking in my cold
eyes. I was on my knees, inside the
circle. She was staring at me…
-(Kayla) You're in the circle…
-(Amadeus) I know…
-(Kayla) No, you ARE in the circle…
-(Amadeus) Sorry, but you did it me…
-(Kayla) Bah, it was a nice fight… Adrian did I beat the time?
-(Adrian) Nèh, short by 3 minutes.
-(Simon) Are you okay Amad ?
I
hated that nickname but the guy had been nice, so I choose to live with it.
-(Amadeus) Yeah it's all right…
-(Kayla) You would have been better, I
would have beat your time…
-(Amadeus) I'm sorry, again, you have
prove you are a worthy fighter Kayla.
I'll now leave to rest a little.
You coming? Me and Simon are
going to taste some beers.
-(Kayla) No, I won't come…
She was
amazing. And with next days fights, I
hoped I would have to chance to meet her in a regular fight. Putting my skills to the limit. Going where I had trained for in the last 45
years…
A very calm morning it was. The fights would start today and people were
sleeping, meditating or eating. All
those masters had their own way of preparing for the tournament. I saw two Spanish fighters practising a
last. Me, I was heading for the arena.
When I finally got there, I saw Adrian watching silently the whole room. His
eyes were wide open looking at the light sources. I sat near of him.
Analysing the arena as he was doing.
It was very strange arena. The
ground was of wood with some sand over it.
Around the room were displayed huge wood blocks. Ideal for jumping and defending your
position.
The room also had a great
phonetic. Sounds were well spread in
the room. Giving you a chance to locate
your enemy if you would loose your
sight. Damn sand, it had been putted there for that. Again, I could see the seats of the fighters, all around the
arena. Waiting like quiet statues for
the people to sit on them. I wonder how
great competitors they did saw.
According to my researches, this events was around four hundreds years
old. Each 15 years, a competition would
start, and you could only compete one time.
-(Kayla) What
are you looking for here?
-(Amadeus) A
confirmation.
-I see, and
what kind of confirmation…?
-A
confirmation.
-Okkayy.
Well, if you win your first fight, we'll meet in a fight. Hope you're ready.
-I might be…
-Okay…Well,
goodbye.
My opponent was Korean. On all sides of the arena, where sit 28
competitors. Including Kayla. Simon had fight today and crushed his opponent. He never touched him but the guy was so
afraid of the axe, swinging like a golf club, when he got near him, in one shot
he broke his sword and left the building.
Simon had win a match. Kayla was
fighting right after me against Adrian, the Brazilian. It should be a great match, I wonder if
Adrian's going to be aggressive against the woman who beaten him yesterday at 3
to 1…
I'm in the room, silence. I watch the little man train
a little yesterday, and my chances are very good. He's aggressive and tries to overwhelm you with hits. A good counter-attack should solve the
problem, I hope so…
In respect to this fight, everyone
in the circle clap their hands one time. With that sound, I close my
eyes, waiting for a sound from my opponent. I visualise the piece, the
ground and the objects around me. My sword always in its
socket. I can feel, the presence of the Korean. I can feel
his sword in the air. We both start to move, always facing each other, my
eyes still closed. The tension gets up. We're analysing each other.
In this strange dance, I feel he's
getting impatient. He knows he cannot go first against me. So he
waits. For 15 minutes he waits. And then, I hope my eyes, this weak
sense is now working with me. And I launch a quick draw to him.
||Sparks ||
We run, our body is working like a machine.
No thinking. All instincts
||Sparks ||
Never try to rush
things, fight with rhythm.
Sparks
And then, the small Korean tries to
overwhelm me with hits. Attacking each weak point I have. But my
defence is good... And when he puts a little too much strengths in his
attack, I faint it and place the edge of my sword at 2 cm of his heart.
There's no more sparks. We
both stopped moving.
My opponent brings back his sword
and bow to the crowd, admitting his defeat. He goes to the exit door,
knowing he did his best, but simply couldn't win.
As I leave the arena, they're
already preparing it for the next match, Adrian and Kayla…
-It was a nice fight you did…
-I thank you Kayla, I waiting to see your
fight too. You are an outstanding
fighter,
-Stop that, I know you're playing with
me.
-Ha… And why so?
-Because you want to me to believe I can
win against you.
-You'll win.
-Pessimist…
-Realist…
-Anyways, after I fight against Adrian if
I win…
-…And you will, he's angry after you, an
easy victory…
-…Well, after that, we may fight each
other.
-A nice fight it will be.
-Stop that!!
-I'm sorry what?
-Being so relaxed !
-Oh well…
-I said stop!!
-Alright…
-Tomorrow, we fight each other, and this
time, I don't want to see you giving me chances like you just did…
-I did? Oh that's flatering…
-Arrhh!
Can't stand that attitude. Sleep well, we will fight.
-Good match in …52 minutes…
While it was
a strange discussion, I had this feeling, this feeling we would both have a
great match.
I watched
Kayla's fighting with Adrian.
Impressive techniques, swift, agile and above all, a rage to win. She always looked in the eyes of her
opponent. Adrian, on his side, had
difficulties, he had try to finish her quickly and had drain most of his
energy, he was struggling and on defensive.
He was sweating, but still he seemed able to hold her attacks for quite
a long time. If she was to made one
mistake, he would be ready.
But him
waiting for a mistake was a mistake I think, he wasn't taking any chances, he
was afraid of testing his own limits.
