Breaker
07-08-07, 03:09 PM
To my right and left, the Citadel's majestic hallways stretched as far as the eye could see. Floor, walls and ceiling all finished in smooth speckled marble, lit by the dancing flames of thousands of candles set in gold chandeliers. It was hard to imagine a building grander than the famous Radasanthian Citadel, where death was easier to overcome than most of the fighters. In front of me was a small oak door, bizarrely plain and out of place in the massive resplendent corridor. I did not pretend to understand the magical mysteries of the establishment, but I accepted them for what they were. As I reached for the brass doorknob, the monk at my side spoke. He had guided me patiently to this door, a knowing look playing about eyes all the while.
"Do you not wish to know what is behind the door, Joshua?" It was odd that he chose to use my full name. I always introduced myself as Josh. Perhaps the monks use whole names to show respect, or something like that.
"Not really," I replied, "All I'm looking for today is a challenge. I don't care who it is, or where I fight them, just so long as they're stronger than me."
In the past, I had fought opponents who, while equipped with an odd array of weapons and magical spells, were nowhere near my fighting caliber. Upon arriving at the Citadel that day, I had requested a more powerful opponent.
The monk nodded, as if I had confirmed something.
"It is the true champion who seeks out those above him, rather than those below." I raised an eyebrow at the statement. It seemed like something you might find written inside a fortune cookie. I waited a few seconds, to see if the monk had anything more to add. When it became obvious that he did not, I opened the door and crossed the threshold into a new world.
My vision was temporarily whited out as I stepped through the doorway, so the first thing I perceived was the roar and crash of the ocean. It was an unmistakable noise; long, flowing rhythms finished by splashing sounds as the wave broke upon the shore. Next came the salty smell of the air. A stiff breeze whipped into me from overtop the water, tugging at my clothing and hair, imbuing me with the scent of the ocean. It was a powerful smell, yet refreshing at the same time. I felt the sand shift beneath my shoes, and then my vision came back.
I was awed by the sight of the water. The beach matched the Citadel's corridor for length. A hundred yards behind me the sand stopped, and a dense treeline began. In three directions however, there was no hint of a horizon. Just sand, water, and more sand. Rocks dotted the beach at odd intervals, like pockmarks of the land. The water glistened, a thousand tiny mirrors riding and rolling, casting the sunlight in every direction. White froth topped each wave, and bubbled over when they eventually broke on the shore. It was a place of phenomenal beauty, and natural peace.
Unfortunately, it was about to see lots of bloodshed.
Breathing deeply through my nose, I jogged down the beach a short distance, then stopped and began stretching. My opponent would be arriving soon, surely, and I needed to be ready for a long hard duel. I felt my muscles tighten and stretch, loosening up my body and lending me a feeling of comfort and power. Stretching done, I sized up the conditions. After some thought, I kicked off my shoes, then removed my socks and stuck them inside the former. Bare feet gave me extra traction in the sand, and decreased my odds of being tripped up by a rock or mound of earth. I stared at my surroundings as I thought a little more, then stripped off my shirt, folded it, and set it on top of my shoes. Approaching the water's edge, I crouched and splashed water on my face, neck and hair. It was hot, hot enough that I had already broken into a light sweat. The water helped keep my body temperature down, and the simple act of removing my black shirt had drastically reduced the chance of overheating. I felt good, well prepared, and decided to finish waiting for my opponent comfortably.
I sat next to my shoes and shirt, examining my right forearm. Veins and tendons bulged against lightly tanned skin, the result of hard workouts each day. My nunchaku was attached by two straps between my elbow and wrist. Removing it, I dropped the straps into my pocket and tucked the chuck into my utility belt. I had customized the belt long ago, adding two loops of nylon just to the right of my tailbone. My nunchaku rode easily there, mostly out of sight until I needed it. It was a good weapon, particularly useful for its surprising range when an enemy thought you unarmed.
Left alone to think, my thoughts quickly returned to Earth, my home planet. It had been several months since a strange portal had left me stranded on Althanas, a primitive world where electricity was unheard of, but magic hid around every corner. I had adapted to my new lifestyle as only a well-trained Special Agent could. I had made contacts, found help where I needed it, and sought constructive ways to use my time. In truth, Earth did not have anything that I needed that I couldn't find on Althanas. However, I still missed it, horribly at times. I had seen beaches like this one on Earth, but they were always covered in people, umbrellas, chairs, picnic tables, and whatever else beach-goers brought with them. Another difference I noticed was that there were no dead fish in the water; a result of the lack of pollution. Hefting a handful of sand, I let it run slowly through my fingers. "This world seems so much better than the one I left behind... so why do I miss Earth so much?"
Tossing what sand was left in my hand to the water, I lay back with my head pillowed on my shirt and shoes. I breathed deep, letting thoughts of regret flow out of my mind like the tide washing away. I needed to focus, to win my most difficult Citadel duel yet. The sun beat down, baking my skin, heating my body and keeping my blood flowing strong. I relaxed and closed my eyes. I was ready.
"Do you not wish to know what is behind the door, Joshua?" It was odd that he chose to use my full name. I always introduced myself as Josh. Perhaps the monks use whole names to show respect, or something like that.
"Not really," I replied, "All I'm looking for today is a challenge. I don't care who it is, or where I fight them, just so long as they're stronger than me."
In the past, I had fought opponents who, while equipped with an odd array of weapons and magical spells, were nowhere near my fighting caliber. Upon arriving at the Citadel that day, I had requested a more powerful opponent.
The monk nodded, as if I had confirmed something.
"It is the true champion who seeks out those above him, rather than those below." I raised an eyebrow at the statement. It seemed like something you might find written inside a fortune cookie. I waited a few seconds, to see if the monk had anything more to add. When it became obvious that he did not, I opened the door and crossed the threshold into a new world.
My vision was temporarily whited out as I stepped through the doorway, so the first thing I perceived was the roar and crash of the ocean. It was an unmistakable noise; long, flowing rhythms finished by splashing sounds as the wave broke upon the shore. Next came the salty smell of the air. A stiff breeze whipped into me from overtop the water, tugging at my clothing and hair, imbuing me with the scent of the ocean. It was a powerful smell, yet refreshing at the same time. I felt the sand shift beneath my shoes, and then my vision came back.
I was awed by the sight of the water. The beach matched the Citadel's corridor for length. A hundred yards behind me the sand stopped, and a dense treeline began. In three directions however, there was no hint of a horizon. Just sand, water, and more sand. Rocks dotted the beach at odd intervals, like pockmarks of the land. The water glistened, a thousand tiny mirrors riding and rolling, casting the sunlight in every direction. White froth topped each wave, and bubbled over when they eventually broke on the shore. It was a place of phenomenal beauty, and natural peace.
Unfortunately, it was about to see lots of bloodshed.
Breathing deeply through my nose, I jogged down the beach a short distance, then stopped and began stretching. My opponent would be arriving soon, surely, and I needed to be ready for a long hard duel. I felt my muscles tighten and stretch, loosening up my body and lending me a feeling of comfort and power. Stretching done, I sized up the conditions. After some thought, I kicked off my shoes, then removed my socks and stuck them inside the former. Bare feet gave me extra traction in the sand, and decreased my odds of being tripped up by a rock or mound of earth. I stared at my surroundings as I thought a little more, then stripped off my shirt, folded it, and set it on top of my shoes. Approaching the water's edge, I crouched and splashed water on my face, neck and hair. It was hot, hot enough that I had already broken into a light sweat. The water helped keep my body temperature down, and the simple act of removing my black shirt had drastically reduced the chance of overheating. I felt good, well prepared, and decided to finish waiting for my opponent comfortably.
I sat next to my shoes and shirt, examining my right forearm. Veins and tendons bulged against lightly tanned skin, the result of hard workouts each day. My nunchaku was attached by two straps between my elbow and wrist. Removing it, I dropped the straps into my pocket and tucked the chuck into my utility belt. I had customized the belt long ago, adding two loops of nylon just to the right of my tailbone. My nunchaku rode easily there, mostly out of sight until I needed it. It was a good weapon, particularly useful for its surprising range when an enemy thought you unarmed.
Left alone to think, my thoughts quickly returned to Earth, my home planet. It had been several months since a strange portal had left me stranded on Althanas, a primitive world where electricity was unheard of, but magic hid around every corner. I had adapted to my new lifestyle as only a well-trained Special Agent could. I had made contacts, found help where I needed it, and sought constructive ways to use my time. In truth, Earth did not have anything that I needed that I couldn't find on Althanas. However, I still missed it, horribly at times. I had seen beaches like this one on Earth, but they were always covered in people, umbrellas, chairs, picnic tables, and whatever else beach-goers brought with them. Another difference I noticed was that there were no dead fish in the water; a result of the lack of pollution. Hefting a handful of sand, I let it run slowly through my fingers. "This world seems so much better than the one I left behind... so why do I miss Earth so much?"
Tossing what sand was left in my hand to the water, I lay back with my head pillowed on my shirt and shoes. I breathed deep, letting thoughts of regret flow out of my mind like the tide washing away. I needed to focus, to win my most difficult Citadel duel yet. The sun beat down, baking my skin, heating my body and keeping my blood flowing strong. I relaxed and closed my eyes. I was ready.