Chapter 2
"SINGLE STRIKE OF THE LEAF!"
This bold declaration was made from a six-year-old Karel wielding a wooden sword. The wooden sword was brought down upon a straw dummy with all of the little boy's strength, which was quite a lot for such a small boy.
A large snap was heard from the dummy. It cracked and buckled then fell.
"Yes! I did it…" Karel started.
-Flashback-
'Twas after Krael had demonstrated this technique to Karel, when he instructed him,
"Karel, when you can make this dummy snap with this technique, you have done every movement correctly. When you can do what I can, you have mastered it."
-End Flashback-
A morose calm reached Karel as the signature west wind of the Sacae plains swept up dried leaves left over from autumn, making them fly overhead for effect.
"I did it, but I have not come even close to mastering it."
As harbinger, a chilly breeze signaled the arrival of Karel's father and mentor.
"And that is because you do not understand."
"Yes – I do not understand. Please… tell me how."
"This is a subject that cannot be told – you must discover it on your own."
"But…"
"The only help I offer is that you must relax your muscles to do this technique – preferably on every action using a sword."
"What…?"
But Krael had already disappeared.
Sighing, Karel went back to hard work. While trying to perfect his technique, his father's words kept echoing in his mind.
"…must discover it on your own…"
"…must relax your muscles…"
Needless to say, Karel's mind was going haywire.
"Relax and master the technique? Has Father gone mad?" Karel thought, "I have to tense my muscles and flex to be strong… don't I?"
Karel kept on practicing.
Change of scene
"I, Krael, request a formal division between the Kraein style and the Ken style."
"You are denied," said one elder almost immediately.
Krael stood up.
"This is ridiculous! Time and time again have I asked for this simple task and yet you deny. The last pathetic link that our styles share is the single strike of the leaf, a most basic technique in your eyes. The only reason you cannot allow the divide is because you are afraid of our power!"
"This issue has been brought up repeatedly and our stance still remains that-" the elder trailed off, "you have a son correct?"
"Yes, he's six, but what does this have to do with-"
"Does he practice swordsmanship?" interrupted the elder.
"Of course, but he has had started recently and-"
"Well, then," interrupted the elder yet again, "we can be lenient. If your son is willing to face someone from the Ken dojo in a 'friendly' duel, and win, your entire style will be liberated. However, were he to lose…" a crazed glint of greed shined in the elder's eyes, and his voice became rising and dark, "not only will your style be forcefully assimilated into the Ken style, but you son's life will be forfeit!"
The other elders shifted nervously in their seats. This issue had surely come up before, but nothing like this had ever happened. Krael's words had obviously reached a tender point in the arrogant teachings of this particular elder. You see, the Ken dojo was supposedly the first school of swords in Sacae and became very famous for its use of parries and special techniques-that is, blocking and using sword techniques that have names. In other words, it merely had just the few basic slashes and thrusts, but powerful blocking and special techniques. They say that every sword style originated from the Ken style, but that's just myth. However, what's not a myth is the fact that the Kraein style, that of Krael and his ancestors did in fact break off of the Ken style – evident by the fact that they share certain techniques. However, in Krael's lifetime, he has slowly been destroying every link they share until there was but one left: the single strike of the leaf.
There was no way that Krael's son who's only six, could defeat the person they had in store. All the elders knew that and wanted the Kraein style for their own. But, good cop bad cop…
"Krael, don't listen to this fool. He knows nothing. We can easily settle this matter through words-"
"I accept the terms," stated Krael
"Well of course you couldn't… what?"
"I accept the terms, must I repeat myself?"
The elders shifted glances excitedly.
"Then the duel will be 7 sunsets from today in the practice fields. That is all."
Krael spun around, faced away from the conference and left with the usual calm façade that he so often held. But… deep inside he was seething.
Change of scene
"A duel? Really? Where is it?" asked an excited Karel.
"It will be at the training fields. It will be a good chance for you to gain experience.
"Wow. A real live duel. I can only imagine the participants."
Karel's mind was visualizing two broad men with steel swords clashing visciously, sparking ruby and sapphire.
"Oh yes, the participants… You're one of them."
"………………………………………WHAT? WHO AM I FIGHTING?"
"I have not the faintest idea, but guessing from the foolish elders' looks, it was someone strong, so train fast and hard."
"I don't even know how to use my sword besides swinging it around and the single strike of the leaf."
"Well, use what you know-master the only technique you know."
"How… can I use only one technique to defeat a foe?"
Back at the Ken dojo…
"Please Lloyd, fight this boy – it's for the good of the clan."
"Hmph. I refuse."
"But why?"
"I shall not do battle with a boy half my age."
"If you defeat him, all the techniques of the Kraein style will be ours."
"Hm… He's six…"
"Yes, an easy win – the boy in all likelihood hasn't the slightest appreciation for the Kraein style."
A brief silence.
"…I will fight him then… Now leave me!"
"Of course."
The elder turned facing away from Lloyd, the genius of the clan, as well as the heir. The elder's face quickly contorted from a placating expression to a severely annoyed one.
"It was wearisome convincing him – I'm glad I avoided telling him the consequence of that boy's defeat, or he would have refused outright. Hm… Lloyd doesn't seem to display the character traits that usually appear at about his age. Anyone else, besides his father, would have immediately accepted. Lloyd seems not to be an opportunist. Why does he care about fairness?"
Back at the training grounds, Karel had been training for six consecutive days and nights, increasing his physical strength and speed, as well as perfecting his technique.
"I've trained so long, but I haven't moved another step in mastering this technique…"
A dummy fell.
"Darn! Single strike of the leaf!"
Crack
"Single strike of the leaf!"
Crack
"Grarr!"
From a distance away, Krael buried his face in his hands and sighed,
"If he progresses at this rate, our clan will be forcefully absorbed. And he will surely…"
CRACK Another dummy split in two as if lightning had struck.
"…die."