KILIK, the next chapter
After many grueling battles, Kilik returned to the Proving Grounds to face the Edge Master.
"Kilik, my boy!" Edge Master said gleefully. "I see you have grown strong!"
Kilik said nothing, but only strode into the ring.
"But I also see that you yet bear the Dvrapa-Yuga," Edge Master said with disapproval, noting the mirrored bandolier resting on his student's shoulder. "Your quest is not yet completed."
Kilik avoided the elder man's intent gaze. "I am not yet ready to face my awakened destiny, master. There is something yet unfinished."
"That something is the fact that the Soul Edge continues to wreak havoc," the old master explained. "Why do you hesitate?"
"I still have questions, master. Troubling ones," Kilik said, his eyes still cast aside. "For example, I still do not understand why--"
"I told you, boy," the Edge Master broke in, "your answers lie in the completion of the quest."
At that, Kilik's gaze locked onto his master's. "Yes, the Quest. The quest to deal with the evil Soul Edge. You keep telling me of the havoc this weapon wreaks. You also told me that my own Kali-Yuga rod has also become a instrument of disaster, should it ever be separated from me.
"But why have you sent me, of all people, to deal with this Soul Edge? Without this," he rapped on the Dvrapa-Yuga on his shoulder, "I'm as much a terror as this 'Naito-meah' who wields the Soul Edge!"
Edge Master sighed. The boy was not yet a man complete. "You still have much to learn, my young Padaw--er, apprentice."
"And whose fault is that?" Kilik said, pointing his rod at the old warrior. "You're the Edge Master! You taught me everything I know! Maybe you're the problem here.
"In fact, maybe you ought to give this whole immortal master thing up," Kilik mused. "Pick up a new career, like, I don't know, like delivering toys to the children of the world." Kilik recalled his toyless childhood while being raised by the austere monks of the Ling Sheng Su temple.
"What kind of nonsense are you talking?" Edge Master said, approaching the rebellious youth. "You want me to teach you another lesson?"
"That's *my* line!" Kilik shouted. Without warning, he almost simultaneously kicked and struck Edge Master with Kali-Yuga right in the face, sending the old warrior tumbling back head over heels.
"I've had enough of your 'lessons,' old man," Kilik snarled. "The endless exercises, countless beatdowns, chores designed to break me...oh, NO. Payback, fool!"
Edge Master struggled to his feet, a bit dazed by the sucker punch. "Kilik..." he began.
"Shut up!" Kilik sidestepped and swung the rod in a wide circle, striking the old master in the back. The Edge Master tumbled again.
"That's for the 'correction' you so loved to administer when I dared to ask you a question," Kilik said, tapping his rod on the ground with a victorious sneer.
[And that's your last free hit, you little punk,] Edge Master thought as he instantly morphed his weapon into an unusual whip-sword, arcing it toward his student's ankles to trip him up and talk some sense into the impertinent little ass.
But Kilik wasn't there. He'd leapt into the air, coming down hard with the iron rod.
"And that," Kilik growled, " is for all those sucker punches you called 'special awareness training' on the Proving Grounds pools!"
[Idiot,] Edge Master thought both of himself and Kilik. "Without that training, you'd never have gotten away with that move!"
"Oh, I guess I ought to 'thank' you properly," Kilik said, throwing him back to the ground, with a massive ground hit added for good measure.
The Edge Master grimaced with the blows while seriously contemplating the idea of performing charity toward children (maybe once every year around his birthday). It'd sure beat dealing with ingrate students every century or so.
[I am too damn old for this crap,] he thought.
(Author's Note: Edge Master birthday is Jan. 1.)
After many grueling battles, Kilik returned to the Proving Grounds to face the Edge Master.
"Kilik, my boy!" Edge Master said gleefully. "I see you have grown strong!"
Kilik said nothing, but only strode into the ring.
"But I also see that you yet bear the Dvrapa-Yuga," Edge Master said with disapproval, noting the mirrored bandolier resting on his student's shoulder. "Your quest is not yet completed."
Kilik avoided the elder man's intent gaze. "I am not yet ready to face my awakened destiny, master. There is something yet unfinished."
"That something is the fact that the Soul Edge continues to wreak havoc," the old master explained. "Why do you hesitate?"
"I still have questions, master. Troubling ones," Kilik said, his eyes still cast aside. "For example, I still do not understand why--"
"I told you, boy," the Edge Master broke in, "your answers lie in the completion of the quest."
At that, Kilik's gaze locked onto his master's. "Yes, the Quest. The quest to deal with the evil Soul Edge. You keep telling me of the havoc this weapon wreaks. You also told me that my own Kali-Yuga rod has also become a instrument of disaster, should it ever be separated from me.
"But why have you sent me, of all people, to deal with this Soul Edge? Without this," he rapped on the Dvrapa-Yuga on his shoulder, "I'm as much a terror as this 'Naito-meah' who wields the Soul Edge!"
Edge Master sighed. The boy was not yet a man complete. "You still have much to learn, my young Padaw--er, apprentice."
"And whose fault is that?" Kilik said, pointing his rod at the old warrior. "You're the Edge Master! You taught me everything I know! Maybe you're the problem here.
"In fact, maybe you ought to give this whole immortal master thing up," Kilik mused. "Pick up a new career, like, I don't know, like delivering toys to the children of the world." Kilik recalled his toyless childhood while being raised by the austere monks of the Ling Sheng Su temple.
"What kind of nonsense are you talking?" Edge Master said, approaching the rebellious youth. "You want me to teach you another lesson?"
"That's *my* line!" Kilik shouted. Without warning, he almost simultaneously kicked and struck Edge Master with Kali-Yuga right in the face, sending the old warrior tumbling back head over heels.
"I've had enough of your 'lessons,' old man," Kilik snarled. "The endless exercises, countless beatdowns, chores designed to break me...oh, NO. Payback, fool!"
Edge Master struggled to his feet, a bit dazed by the sucker punch. "Kilik..." he began.
"Shut up!" Kilik sidestepped and swung the rod in a wide circle, striking the old master in the back. The Edge Master tumbled again.
"That's for the 'correction' you so loved to administer when I dared to ask you a question," Kilik said, tapping his rod on the ground with a victorious sneer.
[And that's your last free hit, you little punk,] Edge Master thought as he instantly morphed his weapon into an unusual whip-sword, arcing it toward his student's ankles to trip him up and talk some sense into the impertinent little ass.
But Kilik wasn't there. He'd leapt into the air, coming down hard with the iron rod.
"And that," Kilik growled, " is for all those sucker punches you called 'special awareness training' on the Proving Grounds pools!"
[Idiot,] Edge Master thought both of himself and Kilik. "Without that training, you'd never have gotten away with that move!"
"Oh, I guess I ought to 'thank' you properly," Kilik said, throwing him back to the ground, with a massive ground hit added for good measure.
The Edge Master grimaced with the blows while seriously contemplating the idea of performing charity toward children (maybe once every year around his birthday). It'd sure beat dealing with ingrate students every century or so.
[I am too damn old for this crap,] he thought.
(Author's Note: Edge Master birthday is Jan. 1.)