Chapter Two: Stroke of Death

The next day, around noon, I was busy in one of my training sessions with Nobleman. These training sessions were never easy, I was pretty exhausted, and Nobleman hadn't even broken a sweat!

"Getting tired already?" Nobleman said, "Come on, you can do better than this."

He was right, I was ordinarily able to fight better than this, but this time he had me tired after the first five minutes. I decided to try something desperate. I was going to use my "special power", a power that I've had since I was little. It's an ability that heightens my senses, letting me fight faster and stronger. The only downside is that it can wear me down pretty quickly, usually in only ten minutes. But I had to try something; I wasn't going to let Nobleman best me that easily. So I focused my mind and focused my spiritual energy into my sword. Both my sword and my eyes glowed with a blue light.

I ran at Nobleman quicker than most people could follow, but Nobleman was ready. He managed to block my preemptive strike and thrust me back. I unleashed a barrage of attacks at him, but he managed to counter all of them. After the last strike, our swords were locked together. It was a contest of force. I kept my focus, attempting to knock him back. Neither of us was going to give in. But eventually, I was able to prevail, and knocked him backwards into the wall.

When I saw this, I returned to normal state, with a slightly satisfied smile on my face. However, when Nobleman got up, I saw that the expression on his face was the same as it always was: a look of indifference.

"You used your unnatural powers to win the battle. Have I not told you that you are forbidden from using them during training?" he asked rhetorically.

I had a feeling this would be his reaction. "What's the point in having this power if I'm not allowed to use it?!" I asked him.

"That kind of power is not to be used recklessly. That power was given to you by the Great Spirit, and should be used wisely." he said.

That's the response he would usually give to me whenever I did something wrong. It was starting to annoy me.

"The Spirit isn't real! Why can't you just tell me the truth!?" I shouted, hardly thinking.

That comment had an effect on Nobleman, as his expression changed from indifferent to angry.

"You ungrateful... the Spirit Lanayru most certainly is real. He is the guardian of our village and if it wasn't for him you wouldn't be here!" he said angrily.

"Maybe I don't want to be here!" I yelled, "I'd rather be with my parents!"

Hearing that, Nobleman's expression changed back to indifferent, but there was a hint of pity in his glance. I stood there with my head down, tears beginning to form in my eyes.

"Link," Nobleman said with a softer tone, "I apologize that you are unable to be with your own family. But what I said is true. Your power cannot be used recklessly. For if it is used recklessly, there could be dire consequences. Understood?"

I lifted my head up and wiped the tears from my eyes. Then I nodded and said, "Yes master."

"Good. I believe we have had enough training for one day. Go get some rest." he told me.

I nodded. But before I left, I heard something. It was like a faint beeping sound.

"Master, what is that sound?" I asked.

"Hmm? What sound?" he asked me back.

"It sounds like something beeping." I said.

"Beeping?" he asked.

It was only a few seconds before he realized what was happening.

"Get down!" he shouted while quickly moving me from where I was standing, as suddenly, the wall behind where I was standing exploded, leaving a giant hole in the wall surrounded by piles of wall rubble with smoke billowing out of it.

From the smoke, several men in black armor appeared. They said nothing while they attacked us. Reacting quickly I blocked my foe's punches with my sword, with Nobleman doing the same. Nobleman then swung at his enemy, cleanly slicing him in half. But instead of blood, I saw sparks come out of him, and his insides were machinery. These weren't real men, they were machines. Realizing this, I diagonally swung at my enemy and it fell apart cut in the same direction. But just after I beat it, another figure appeared, but this one was larger, and the mask he wore was different. I was too focused on this one that I wasn't paying attention when another one fired a laser at me, knocking me into the wall and causing some loose rubble to fall on top of me.

As I was struggling to get free, I witnessed the larger machine approach Nobleman rather calmly. But it was only after he spoke in his cold, demanding voice that I realized that this one was human.

"For a master swordsman I thought you'd put up more of a fight." he said, mockingly.

"Why are you here?! Who are you?!" Nobleman asked.

"I'm here for the boy," the man said. "Hand him over, and I'll be on my way."

He wanted me? Why did he want me? Nobleman apparently was not going to let him take me though, because he had his sword ready.

"Well then, I guess we'll have to do this the hard way." the man said.

The man changed to a battle ready position. Nobleman rushed at him, but the man dodged the attack with ease. He then pulled out a sword of his own. Its hilt was a faded dark-green color, and part of the blade had red stains. Nobleman attacked again using several special attacks. To my surprise, the man was able to dodge all of them. After he dodged the last strike, the man was behind Nobleman. Not being able to react fast enough, the man thrust his sword through Nobleman's abdomen, killing him. I witnessed this right after I got free from the rubble. I could hardly believe what I just saw. With Nobleman now dead, I was left to deal with this villain myself.