Jurian Saga
Chapter 2
A Hard Day of Training
Steven's head was turning a bit as he finally was beginning to wake up. His head hurt, it hurt really badly. Heck, his whole back was killing him, and a good foot sized part of his stomach and lower chest as well. She had kicked him hard, hard enough that the impact with the wall rendered him unconscious. A shake of his head caused his eyes to open slowly, letting those now potent emeralds get a glimpse of where he was at. A cell, at least, that's what it looked like. The bars were wooden, uneven, but close enough together to allow him little to no room to try to escape. He pulled his arm a bit, but found he couldn't move it at all. Turning his head upwards his gaze would spot why, tree roots seemed to be holding him at his wrists upwards over his head. They came straight from the wall and held him tightly to the wooden surface.
"I see you're finally awake. I hope you're not too comfortable in there." A voice came from the other side of the bars. Standing there was a man holding a staff of sorts, a blade on the edge of it. His outfit resembled an old Japanese attire, though it was mostly white and grey, the occasional off light purple mixed in. Upon his head was a slight crown, though it seemed more for decoration. Standing ever vigilantly in front of the prison that now held Steven, he just smiled as he looked through those bars. "Breaking and entering the First Princess's chambers is an act punishable by death you know. You're lucky. Those guards could have killed you on sight. Instead, the Emperor is curious about you. He wants you alive, for now at least. If I had been there, I would have killed you."
The headache wasn't going away, nor did it show any signs of it either. He hit his head harder than the thought apparently. A slight grunt was given by Steven before those eyes would meet the man once more.
"Where am I?" He managed to finally ask, a look of confusion was upon his face, along with that half tired look that one has after a long sleep.
"You are in the holding cells of the palace that you infiltrated. Did you think they would give you a room or something?" The man got a bit of a laugh out of that.
"I can see that much, but where am I? What planet? This place isn't like anything on Earth that I'm aware of." Steven sighed again, perhaps that wasn't the best question to ask, but he couldn't think straight, his only real concern was where he had ended up.
The guard canted his head a bit to the left, a puzzled look crossed his gaze a he stared at the prisoner for a moment. "You have got to be joking with me. You break into the most well guarded royal palace in all the galaxy and you don't even know where you're at? Either you hit your head really hard, or your just plain nuts."
Steven grunted a bit again, turning his head to fully look at the guard. A hard exhale was given from his nose as his eyes narrowed, getting a little angry with this man. "Just answer my question. Where am I?"
"You are on the planet of Jurai, the center point of the Jurai Empire, one of the largest galactic empires in existence. How you got on our planet without use knowing is still a mystery, and how you even got into the princess's chambers is even more mind boggling."
Steven could do much of nothing at this point, except sigh when he heard the words that the other had to say. No one here would believe his story, he knew that much. How could they? A man telling someone that God sent him to learn the sword, he just happened to end up in the bedroom of some royal princess. Like that was going to fly he kept telling himself in the back of his mind, but he had to do something.
"Now that you're awake, the Emperor had some questions he wished to ask you. I'm sure you're not going anywhere, so I'm just going to go and summon him here." With those words spoken the guard would turn and walk away, leaving Steven there alone.
Once again there was silence. Steven was growing to hate the absence of sound from around here he had lately. If it wasn't on Earth, it was here as well. Closing his eyes, he would just dangle there for what seemed like an eternity. That's what no sound would do, stretch out a period of time even further. This is why he hated silence.
Footsteps, coming towards the general holding cells would be heard after a while. His head would turn upwards, hoping to catch a glimpse of those who approached. Louder the sound would get slowly, building until a few people would enter the room. There was four guards, followed by a man in similar robes, but his were far more elegant and regal looking. They were also a different color. His hair was long, and his face, stern and fierce looking, covered only by a beard. He wore a head piece that was hidden mostly under his hair, dark, oddly colored eyes of the almost purest red shown back towards the man in the prison, Steven.
Along with him was a young woman, she didn't look too much younger than himself. Purple hair framed an almost angelic face, from which red eyes seemed to jump out from next to pale skin. Running down her back were two very long tails of the same color as the hair upon her head. She wore what looked like a Japanese style kimono, a lighter shade of purple, almost a bluish tent, than her hair. She had a headpiece as well, one that he had seen before, and that's when Steven knew she was the woman from last night. The look on her face wasn't anger though, it seemed more like curiosity, about why he had done it, while the man that would appear to rule over them, had a more aggressive look to his own.
The Emperor looks over Steven closely, and then looked to one of the guards. "He certainly doesn't look like someone who could manage to get in here. I'm sure if he had the ability to teleport, he would have done so by now."
"I agree m'lord, he looks like nothing but a child." The guard offered his reply.
The ruler of these people stepped forward, his eyes scanning the cage, then he brought his hand up and motioned something to the watch guard, about the same time the roots that held tightly to Steven's wrists would release him, and he fell back against the tree. Finally able to move, Steven pushed his legs out to let them feel the lack of his body pressing against them, though his emerald eyes would meet the gaze of the emperor now.
"Now tell me," the bearded man spoke as he looked through the wooden cage, "what were you doing in my palace, much less my daughter's very room?"
Steven looked down towards the ground, then back up to the man who now stood there. A hard sigh escaped his lips while he contemplated what to say. He wanted to lie, make up something and hope to get away with it, but something told him he was in far too much trouble as it is. A lingering of thought would pass over him, while he thought about things for just a moment, what could he tell them?
"Sir, I demand an answer," the king blurted out, this time more forced than his last request.
Closing his eyes Steven turned his head upwards, looking slowly as those emerald gems would scan the face of the man that was there, before finally giving him an answer. "I don't know."
The emperor's mouth just seemed to have dropped at the words which exited Steven's mouth. Those eyes became enraged a bit as he stepped up to the root bars. "What do you mean 'I don't know'? You don't break into a place without some form of motive. What were you after? Tell us. Tell us or we will force it out of you."
Steven's eyes looked down once more, then back up towards the man who was there at his cage of sorts, standing up and moving to the bars, he placed his hand upon them and looked directly to the emperor's eyes. "I just told you, I don't know. I was somewhere far away from here, then suddenly I was there on her bed." As he said that last part he canted his head in the direction of the young woman in the back of the group.
"You expect me to believe such a rubbish story such as that? Now, I am asking you one last time. Why were you in the palace?"
There was just a hush for a moment, and Steven sighed before he spoke once more. "I'm going to tell you this, though you won't believe me when I'm finished. I was told I was going to be sent to a place that would teach me how to fight using a sword. The voice of God, as he called himself, told me this. The next thing I knew, I found myself on your daughter's bed."
"You expect me to believe that story?"
"No, I don't. But whether you do or don't it's the truth, and it the only thing I know. I was sent here to be trained in the art of the sword, and I was put there in that room. Why there? I don't know. I was told that I was to become the greatest swordsman, for I'm supposed to be his champion. He sent me here, to learn. Said that you, the emperor would believe me, whilst others would not, though it's obvious that you don't believe me."
The emperor would take a step back and look at the human's eyes, studying them a bit, and their odd color. His head would cant lightly to the side as he did so. Something about this human was playing on his heart lightly, something about what he said seemed right for some reason. He would take a step backwards, and turn his back to the guard, motioning him to step forward.
The guard did as he was beckoned to do, leaning in as the emperor whispered lightly to him.
"If his story is true, then he must have some degree of potential. If there is any potential in him, we could use him, if nothing else as a guard. Tomorrow morning, take him to the training fields, give him to the advanced classes, the ones on the verge of graduation. Let them have fun with him. If he does anything that is in the least bit impressive, we train him. If he fails to do anything, we kill him for his crimes. First thing tomorrow, don't forget."
The emperor pulled away slowly and just nodded to the guard, a bit of a smile upon his face as he turned back to the cage of the prisoner. This time he wouldn't step forward, but just hold his smile. "Well, I've decided to give you a chance, however, if you don't keep up with those around you, you will be killed for your crimes. Good luck to you."
Turning back around he would snap his fingers. "Get him a room, and put a double batch of guards there. He doesn't leave until they fetch him in the morning. Understood?"
The guards there would nod and move over, the tree roots opening slowly to allow them to enter, grab him, and drag him out of there, a bit forcefully. Through many halls they lead him, a turn here and there, the occasional lift pod to carry them upwards. Eventually, they would arrive at a room that was certainly that of royalty. A large bed, clean, neat, and spacious. The guards would shut the door after he was pushed into it, and he was left there.
The morning sun wasn't even over the horizon; a dim light was all that illuminated the grassy field on this early day, giving it an almost grey overtone. A group of young men gathered in the field, their looks varying, though generally they all had long hair, usually of a unnatural color, and eyes of equal brilliance. Their clothing was a toned down version of the guard uniforms, without all the decorations. In their hands, each one had a wooden sword, much like the Japanese kendo practice swords.
In the middle of the entire group stood Steven, a wooden sword in hand, and a loose, but no where near as fancy training outfit on. He was isolated in the middle of the pack of students, each of them sneering at him, watching him with hateful eyes. He was nervous amongst them, and is showed in his emerald eyes.
A man with a beard and mustache, longer hair, kept back in a pony tail would step towards the center of the group. He started walking around Steven slowly as he looked around the group of 20 or more students.
"Good morning gentlemen. We have a special class today." Holding up his wooden sword he would point directly at Steven. "We have among us a common criminal. A man who wants to prove to us all that he has what it takes to use our fighting style. Our goal with this man is to do two things.
"First, we must test him to see if he has what it takes to begin training in the Jurai style. If he does anything that slightly impresses us, we have to move him to the start of training. After his wounds heal.
"Why that last line in there you all ask? Because, we have also been give permission to beat this man senseless for his crimes against our empire. He was caught in the princess's chambers, on the Lady Ayeka's bed.
"Now, I'm sure that sticking him in my most advanced class as a beating toy was a wish choice by our great emperor. What more could we want than to beat up this lowly criminal for doing what all of us wish we could do some day. Just one problem, we have to earn that right, and he felt he could just take it.
"I will call you out one at a time, you get one minute to do as you wish to this man. Hold nothing back." With those last words he would walk off the to the edge of the circle once more, those eyes had a bit of an evil glint. Hearing the stir that his words had had over that crowd he was proud, they would prove their worth today against this scum.
"Hyde, you're up first." He called out, and out stepped a man younger than Steven was. His bright red hair was held back in a tail as he pulled out his sword, and held it directly out in front of him, waiting for the man before him to do the same.
Steven brought that boken up slowly, letting wood touch would, but he had little time to react. Hyde pulled his sword back and around, and let out a scream. Steven moved his sword but nowhere near fast enough, as that piece of wood would smash across his left arm. The hit would cause him to stagger and fall to his knee slowly, dropping his sword to hold his arm. Hearing the charge of the other he would roll out of the way, grabbing his sword once more. Another swing, but this time the sound of wood on wood was heard as he managed to block this time. Though the satisfaction was short lived as the boken was brought down across his left shoulder. Steven let out a barbaric scream of pain as he dropped the sword once more and held his shoulder, the look of total pain upon his face.
"Hyde, you're done. Tetsuo, go."
A black, short haired individual came running in towards Steven. The man was huge, and moved quick for his size. His sword down and back, but gripped with two hands, his barreling motions would swing towards the ground, only to hit dirt. Steven had rolled out of the way, those eyes locked upon the man that was there, using his right hand to pick back up his swords, standing up slowly.
Another swing, and yet there was a block, the echo of wood to wood sounded throughout the field, the sun just starting to peek over the horizon. Yet another block, but the power of the swing sent Steven staggering backwards. Tetsuo would spin, and hit Steven in the gut with the hilt of the blade.
Steven hunched over at the hit, and when he would step backwards, those legs were taken out from under him, sending him towards the ground. A hard thud sounded as he slammed into his back, followed by a harsh cough, rolling to his side then his knees. That hand reached for the wooden device he needed for protection, only to have a hard shot to his ribs. His scream carried this time, even the sound of something breaking could be heard, and this cough would bring a bit of blood from his mouth.
"Tetsuo, that's enough," the instructor called out as Steven rolled on the ground in pain, "Shoji, you're up."
Shoji would walk slowly instead of charge the fallen man. His sandaled foot was placed over Steven's blade. A wicked grin would cross his lips. "Stand up fiend, stand up before I break your legs."
In a slow motion, Steven did as he asked, harsh breaths as he was trying to catch air in his lungs. Face contorting with bursts of pain through his body, those emerald eyes studying the man that was now before him.
The moment of peace wouldn't last long, Shoji would do a quick turn and bring that practice sword across the others face. A full force swing. Steven fell quickly, blood from his nose, blood from his mouth, his left eye had a cut over it as well. The impact was so hard it had the effect of a boxing punch. Then in spite, the piece of wood was brought down and over Steven's left arm, smashing it to his side, and him into the ground.
Steven wanted to scream, but he couldn't. There was nothing in him left to scream, his body was in such pain that it would hurt too much to allow himself the liberty. The sun now crept over the edge of horizon more, giving an orange over cast to the area that they were fighting in.
"Shoji, Times up. Hayao."
No more Steven thought to himself. He was now afraid, afraid for his life. He was going to die here, crawling slowly, his only attempt to get away. These people were monsters. Tears of pain were welling up in his eyes as he moved, wanting to get someplace else, but his pace was too slow. Then there was the laughter. The group of people were laughing at him as he struggled to get away. They were enjoying this, they were enjoying his suffering. Was each of these people so cold hearted that they didn't care. Part of him wanted to just lay there, sit there and call it off, doubting himself, wanting this next one to just kill him already.
"Don't worry my child, relax, let your body do what it needs to do. You will live through this day Steven." That voice, the same one that spoke to him before he found himself here. Hearing it again, time seemed to stand still for him. "Open your mind, open your heart, let your natural ability shine." Closing his eyes slowly, a long breath was released.
Hayao, a well cut individual, trim purple hair and yellow eyes, walked over to the boken and kicked it , sliding it over towards Steven. "Take it, its not as fun if there is no feeling that you could have at least defended yourself."
That battered body clutched the wooden hand and stood slowly, turning to face the man that was talking to him, his left eye now closed from the swelling that was beginning over the left side of his face. The swords was held down and back by his right hand, it was about the only way his tired body could manage to hold it, and he braced, preparing for the next onslaught to come his way.
Hayao charged, pulling his sword back, taking a swing towards Steven's punished left side.
The sound of wood smashing into wood sounded again, and almost the look of shock came over the crowd. With a graceful turn Steven had blocked the swing, and then brought that boken up quickly as he finished his turn, letting the rounded edge stop at the flesh of Hayao's neck. Hayao stepped back and swung again, only to get the same result, but Steven was still just as fluid, a different movement, but still one that arranged with his sword at the others neck.
The instructor looked awe struck. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. With a battered, beaten body, Steven had managed to best one of his students, and a better one at that. Twice on top of it all.
Steven's eyes would flicker closed, and his body would go limp. Falling towards the ground, he landed with a light rustle and thud. His body had had enough, and once more, he found himself unconscious.
Steven's head was turning a bit as he finally was beginning to wake up. His head hurt, it hurt really badly. Heck, his whole back was killing him, and a good foot sized part of his stomach and lower chest as well. She had kicked him hard, hard enough that the impact with the wall rendered him unconscious. A shake of his head caused his eyes to open slowly, letting those now potent emeralds get a glimpse of where he was at. A cell, at least, that's what it looked like. The bars were wooden, uneven, but close enough together to allow him little to no room to try to escape. He pulled his arm a bit, but found he couldn't move it at all. Turning his head upwards his gaze would spot why, tree roots seemed to be holding him at his wrists upwards over his head. They came straight from the wall and held him tightly to the wooden surface.
"I see you're finally awake. I hope you're not too comfortable in there." A voice came from the other side of the bars. Standing there was a man holding a staff of sorts, a blade on the edge of it. His outfit resembled an old Japanese attire, though it was mostly white and grey, the occasional off light purple mixed in. Upon his head was a slight crown, though it seemed more for decoration. Standing ever vigilantly in front of the prison that now held Steven, he just smiled as he looked through those bars. "Breaking and entering the First Princess's chambers is an act punishable by death you know. You're lucky. Those guards could have killed you on sight. Instead, the Emperor is curious about you. He wants you alive, for now at least. If I had been there, I would have killed you."
The headache wasn't going away, nor did it show any signs of it either. He hit his head harder than the thought apparently. A slight grunt was given by Steven before those eyes would meet the man once more.
"Where am I?" He managed to finally ask, a look of confusion was upon his face, along with that half tired look that one has after a long sleep.
"You are in the holding cells of the palace that you infiltrated. Did you think they would give you a room or something?" The man got a bit of a laugh out of that.
"I can see that much, but where am I? What planet? This place isn't like anything on Earth that I'm aware of." Steven sighed again, perhaps that wasn't the best question to ask, but he couldn't think straight, his only real concern was where he had ended up.
The guard canted his head a bit to the left, a puzzled look crossed his gaze a he stared at the prisoner for a moment. "You have got to be joking with me. You break into the most well guarded royal palace in all the galaxy and you don't even know where you're at? Either you hit your head really hard, or your just plain nuts."
Steven grunted a bit again, turning his head to fully look at the guard. A hard exhale was given from his nose as his eyes narrowed, getting a little angry with this man. "Just answer my question. Where am I?"
"You are on the planet of Jurai, the center point of the Jurai Empire, one of the largest galactic empires in existence. How you got on our planet without use knowing is still a mystery, and how you even got into the princess's chambers is even more mind boggling."
Steven could do much of nothing at this point, except sigh when he heard the words that the other had to say. No one here would believe his story, he knew that much. How could they? A man telling someone that God sent him to learn the sword, he just happened to end up in the bedroom of some royal princess. Like that was going to fly he kept telling himself in the back of his mind, but he had to do something.
"Now that you're awake, the Emperor had some questions he wished to ask you. I'm sure you're not going anywhere, so I'm just going to go and summon him here." With those words spoken the guard would turn and walk away, leaving Steven there alone.
Once again there was silence. Steven was growing to hate the absence of sound from around here he had lately. If it wasn't on Earth, it was here as well. Closing his eyes, he would just dangle there for what seemed like an eternity. That's what no sound would do, stretch out a period of time even further. This is why he hated silence.
Footsteps, coming towards the general holding cells would be heard after a while. His head would turn upwards, hoping to catch a glimpse of those who approached. Louder the sound would get slowly, building until a few people would enter the room. There was four guards, followed by a man in similar robes, but his were far more elegant and regal looking. They were also a different color. His hair was long, and his face, stern and fierce looking, covered only by a beard. He wore a head piece that was hidden mostly under his hair, dark, oddly colored eyes of the almost purest red shown back towards the man in the prison, Steven.
Along with him was a young woman, she didn't look too much younger than himself. Purple hair framed an almost angelic face, from which red eyes seemed to jump out from next to pale skin. Running down her back were two very long tails of the same color as the hair upon her head. She wore what looked like a Japanese style kimono, a lighter shade of purple, almost a bluish tent, than her hair. She had a headpiece as well, one that he had seen before, and that's when Steven knew she was the woman from last night. The look on her face wasn't anger though, it seemed more like curiosity, about why he had done it, while the man that would appear to rule over them, had a more aggressive look to his own.
The Emperor looks over Steven closely, and then looked to one of the guards. "He certainly doesn't look like someone who could manage to get in here. I'm sure if he had the ability to teleport, he would have done so by now."
"I agree m'lord, he looks like nothing but a child." The guard offered his reply.
The ruler of these people stepped forward, his eyes scanning the cage, then he brought his hand up and motioned something to the watch guard, about the same time the roots that held tightly to Steven's wrists would release him, and he fell back against the tree. Finally able to move, Steven pushed his legs out to let them feel the lack of his body pressing against them, though his emerald eyes would meet the gaze of the emperor now.
"Now tell me," the bearded man spoke as he looked through the wooden cage, "what were you doing in my palace, much less my daughter's very room?"
Steven looked down towards the ground, then back up to the man who now stood there. A hard sigh escaped his lips while he contemplated what to say. He wanted to lie, make up something and hope to get away with it, but something told him he was in far too much trouble as it is. A lingering of thought would pass over him, while he thought about things for just a moment, what could he tell them?
"Sir, I demand an answer," the king blurted out, this time more forced than his last request.
Closing his eyes Steven turned his head upwards, looking slowly as those emerald gems would scan the face of the man that was there, before finally giving him an answer. "I don't know."
The emperor's mouth just seemed to have dropped at the words which exited Steven's mouth. Those eyes became enraged a bit as he stepped up to the root bars. "What do you mean 'I don't know'? You don't break into a place without some form of motive. What were you after? Tell us. Tell us or we will force it out of you."
Steven's eyes looked down once more, then back up towards the man who was there at his cage of sorts, standing up and moving to the bars, he placed his hand upon them and looked directly to the emperor's eyes. "I just told you, I don't know. I was somewhere far away from here, then suddenly I was there on her bed." As he said that last part he canted his head in the direction of the young woman in the back of the group.
"You expect me to believe such a rubbish story such as that? Now, I am asking you one last time. Why were you in the palace?"
There was just a hush for a moment, and Steven sighed before he spoke once more. "I'm going to tell you this, though you won't believe me when I'm finished. I was told I was going to be sent to a place that would teach me how to fight using a sword. The voice of God, as he called himself, told me this. The next thing I knew, I found myself on your daughter's bed."
"You expect me to believe that story?"
"No, I don't. But whether you do or don't it's the truth, and it the only thing I know. I was sent here to be trained in the art of the sword, and I was put there in that room. Why there? I don't know. I was told that I was to become the greatest swordsman, for I'm supposed to be his champion. He sent me here, to learn. Said that you, the emperor would believe me, whilst others would not, though it's obvious that you don't believe me."
The emperor would take a step back and look at the human's eyes, studying them a bit, and their odd color. His head would cant lightly to the side as he did so. Something about this human was playing on his heart lightly, something about what he said seemed right for some reason. He would take a step backwards, and turn his back to the guard, motioning him to step forward.
The guard did as he was beckoned to do, leaning in as the emperor whispered lightly to him.
"If his story is true, then he must have some degree of potential. If there is any potential in him, we could use him, if nothing else as a guard. Tomorrow morning, take him to the training fields, give him to the advanced classes, the ones on the verge of graduation. Let them have fun with him. If he does anything that is in the least bit impressive, we train him. If he fails to do anything, we kill him for his crimes. First thing tomorrow, don't forget."
The emperor pulled away slowly and just nodded to the guard, a bit of a smile upon his face as he turned back to the cage of the prisoner. This time he wouldn't step forward, but just hold his smile. "Well, I've decided to give you a chance, however, if you don't keep up with those around you, you will be killed for your crimes. Good luck to you."
Turning back around he would snap his fingers. "Get him a room, and put a double batch of guards there. He doesn't leave until they fetch him in the morning. Understood?"
The guards there would nod and move over, the tree roots opening slowly to allow them to enter, grab him, and drag him out of there, a bit forcefully. Through many halls they lead him, a turn here and there, the occasional lift pod to carry them upwards. Eventually, they would arrive at a room that was certainly that of royalty. A large bed, clean, neat, and spacious. The guards would shut the door after he was pushed into it, and he was left there.
The morning sun wasn't even over the horizon; a dim light was all that illuminated the grassy field on this early day, giving it an almost grey overtone. A group of young men gathered in the field, their looks varying, though generally they all had long hair, usually of a unnatural color, and eyes of equal brilliance. Their clothing was a toned down version of the guard uniforms, without all the decorations. In their hands, each one had a wooden sword, much like the Japanese kendo practice swords.
In the middle of the entire group stood Steven, a wooden sword in hand, and a loose, but no where near as fancy training outfit on. He was isolated in the middle of the pack of students, each of them sneering at him, watching him with hateful eyes. He was nervous amongst them, and is showed in his emerald eyes.
A man with a beard and mustache, longer hair, kept back in a pony tail would step towards the center of the group. He started walking around Steven slowly as he looked around the group of 20 or more students.
"Good morning gentlemen. We have a special class today." Holding up his wooden sword he would point directly at Steven. "We have among us a common criminal. A man who wants to prove to us all that he has what it takes to use our fighting style. Our goal with this man is to do two things.
"First, we must test him to see if he has what it takes to begin training in the Jurai style. If he does anything that slightly impresses us, we have to move him to the start of training. After his wounds heal.
"Why that last line in there you all ask? Because, we have also been give permission to beat this man senseless for his crimes against our empire. He was caught in the princess's chambers, on the Lady Ayeka's bed.
"Now, I'm sure that sticking him in my most advanced class as a beating toy was a wish choice by our great emperor. What more could we want than to beat up this lowly criminal for doing what all of us wish we could do some day. Just one problem, we have to earn that right, and he felt he could just take it.
"I will call you out one at a time, you get one minute to do as you wish to this man. Hold nothing back." With those last words he would walk off the to the edge of the circle once more, those eyes had a bit of an evil glint. Hearing the stir that his words had had over that crowd he was proud, they would prove their worth today against this scum.
"Hyde, you're up first." He called out, and out stepped a man younger than Steven was. His bright red hair was held back in a tail as he pulled out his sword, and held it directly out in front of him, waiting for the man before him to do the same.
Steven brought that boken up slowly, letting wood touch would, but he had little time to react. Hyde pulled his sword back and around, and let out a scream. Steven moved his sword but nowhere near fast enough, as that piece of wood would smash across his left arm. The hit would cause him to stagger and fall to his knee slowly, dropping his sword to hold his arm. Hearing the charge of the other he would roll out of the way, grabbing his sword once more. Another swing, but this time the sound of wood on wood was heard as he managed to block this time. Though the satisfaction was short lived as the boken was brought down across his left shoulder. Steven let out a barbaric scream of pain as he dropped the sword once more and held his shoulder, the look of total pain upon his face.
"Hyde, you're done. Tetsuo, go."
A black, short haired individual came running in towards Steven. The man was huge, and moved quick for his size. His sword down and back, but gripped with two hands, his barreling motions would swing towards the ground, only to hit dirt. Steven had rolled out of the way, those eyes locked upon the man that was there, using his right hand to pick back up his swords, standing up slowly.
Another swing, and yet there was a block, the echo of wood to wood sounded throughout the field, the sun just starting to peek over the horizon. Yet another block, but the power of the swing sent Steven staggering backwards. Tetsuo would spin, and hit Steven in the gut with the hilt of the blade.
Steven hunched over at the hit, and when he would step backwards, those legs were taken out from under him, sending him towards the ground. A hard thud sounded as he slammed into his back, followed by a harsh cough, rolling to his side then his knees. That hand reached for the wooden device he needed for protection, only to have a hard shot to his ribs. His scream carried this time, even the sound of something breaking could be heard, and this cough would bring a bit of blood from his mouth.
"Tetsuo, that's enough," the instructor called out as Steven rolled on the ground in pain, "Shoji, you're up."
Shoji would walk slowly instead of charge the fallen man. His sandaled foot was placed over Steven's blade. A wicked grin would cross his lips. "Stand up fiend, stand up before I break your legs."
In a slow motion, Steven did as he asked, harsh breaths as he was trying to catch air in his lungs. Face contorting with bursts of pain through his body, those emerald eyes studying the man that was now before him.
The moment of peace wouldn't last long, Shoji would do a quick turn and bring that practice sword across the others face. A full force swing. Steven fell quickly, blood from his nose, blood from his mouth, his left eye had a cut over it as well. The impact was so hard it had the effect of a boxing punch. Then in spite, the piece of wood was brought down and over Steven's left arm, smashing it to his side, and him into the ground.
Steven wanted to scream, but he couldn't. There was nothing in him left to scream, his body was in such pain that it would hurt too much to allow himself the liberty. The sun now crept over the edge of horizon more, giving an orange over cast to the area that they were fighting in.
"Shoji, Times up. Hayao."
No more Steven thought to himself. He was now afraid, afraid for his life. He was going to die here, crawling slowly, his only attempt to get away. These people were monsters. Tears of pain were welling up in his eyes as he moved, wanting to get someplace else, but his pace was too slow. Then there was the laughter. The group of people were laughing at him as he struggled to get away. They were enjoying this, they were enjoying his suffering. Was each of these people so cold hearted that they didn't care. Part of him wanted to just lay there, sit there and call it off, doubting himself, wanting this next one to just kill him already.
"Don't worry my child, relax, let your body do what it needs to do. You will live through this day Steven." That voice, the same one that spoke to him before he found himself here. Hearing it again, time seemed to stand still for him. "Open your mind, open your heart, let your natural ability shine." Closing his eyes slowly, a long breath was released.
Hayao, a well cut individual, trim purple hair and yellow eyes, walked over to the boken and kicked it , sliding it over towards Steven. "Take it, its not as fun if there is no feeling that you could have at least defended yourself."
That battered body clutched the wooden hand and stood slowly, turning to face the man that was talking to him, his left eye now closed from the swelling that was beginning over the left side of his face. The swords was held down and back by his right hand, it was about the only way his tired body could manage to hold it, and he braced, preparing for the next onslaught to come his way.
Hayao charged, pulling his sword back, taking a swing towards Steven's punished left side.
The sound of wood smashing into wood sounded again, and almost the look of shock came over the crowd. With a graceful turn Steven had blocked the swing, and then brought that boken up quickly as he finished his turn, letting the rounded edge stop at the flesh of Hayao's neck. Hayao stepped back and swung again, only to get the same result, but Steven was still just as fluid, a different movement, but still one that arranged with his sword at the others neck.
The instructor looked awe struck. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. With a battered, beaten body, Steven had managed to best one of his students, and a better one at that. Twice on top of it all.
Steven's eyes would flicker closed, and his body would go limp. Falling towards the ground, he landed with a light rustle and thud. His body had had enough, and once more, he found himself unconscious.