The loaded police car hit the deep blue ocean with a loud, disastrous splash. The metal sounded as if it was imploding as it sank into the white and blue haze. Before I could take a deep breath, I was sunk into the ocean, salt water blinding me. I couldn’t see anything for a moment. The water rushing into my mouth caused me to feel nausea. Attempting to hold onto my composure, I gripped my blade tightly and tried to find my way to the surface, but my air ran out. I watched the sun in the glare of the water slowly disappear. Drifting down, blackness over took my vision and before I knew it, everything was dark. My last thought was Damn...
“Michael... You’ll never amount to anything if you don’t rid of your self doubt.” A deep, unusual accent spoke strictly. I looked up from the sunlight and into the face of my master. He was a blonde man, shorter than myself. He wore a long pony-tail, his face pale, but hidden by the shadow cast by the sun. His face seemed like a void, as I stared into the dark abyss. “Get up a try again.”
I grunted to myself and felt a sharp pain spread across my lower back. Slowly, I regained my footing and readied the long wooden sword in my hands. My feet sank into the soft-grass plain, and I readied my eyes on his darkened face. He seemed invisible, standing there with no weapon, he wore a pair of black hakama, the kimono top hanging from his waist line. His body seemed so thin and frail, yet muscle tone was apparent. I had learned to fear the sight of him standing before me, despite the fact that I was much larger than he.
I brought the wooden blade down in front of me and gritted my teeth. With a burst of energy, my body jetted forward and slashed down onto his body. To my great surprise, I made a heavy contact, the wooden blade feeling as though it was sinking into his body. A big smile spread across my face in triumph.
Then I looked to my master’s face. That black void, unmoving. Not a hint of pain, or even sensation. With an ungodly speed, he grabbed my wrist with a vice grip and slung my body to the ground viciously. “You still carry self doubt. You struck me, but didn’t believe you could... therefore, your strike was weak and uninspired. You must learn to strike true every time you swing the blade, Michael....” his voice trailed off, as if he was speaking to the ether, and not to me. I’d begun to understand that his experience and deep mind caused this. But damned if it didn’t get on my nerves when he was beating my ass.
“What’s the point? The problem is that your just better than me.” I spoke from the ground. My body hurt to much to move, so I just lay there. I looked up to the sky back into the sun.
I could hear my master walking towards me. He stood above me yet again and looked down into my face with his shadowy void. “Stop doubting yourself, Michael. You give up far too easily... the heart of the warrior never falters. Never give up, under any circumstance. Only then will you find your true potential. And only then will you broaden your limits in mind, body, and soul...” His hand extended down to me and I gripped it tight. He raised me back up and the sun blinded me.
Suddenly, I began coughing uncontrollably. I was floating on the surface of the water. Blood surrounded me, the police cruiser sunken deep, I saw two well dressed bodies floating face down in the water. Crimson liquid surrounded them. Two down... one to go...
I searched the horizon desperately, but couldn’t find Zeke. With a deep breath and a shrug, I began swimming for the beach. Luckily it wasn’t too far out. My mind continued to wander on what had just happened, and my past. Two people were dead. My body count was growing, and despite myself, my conscious felt guilty. I eventually reached the beach, my body feeling heavy from the soaking wet clothing on my back. Sopping, I stepped onto the white sand and fell onto my stomach, sword in hand. I was so tired.... so, so tired. But something didn’t seem right. I felt a presence approaching, but I just didn’t care. My exhaustion was too great. I knew who it was before she even said the words.
“Get up, ya coward. Time to finish this...” spoke that tiresome British voice.
For a moment, I considered playing dead. Or just letting her kill me on the ground. But I couldn’t. My master’s memory wouldn’t let me. I slowly pushed myself up and cursed underneath my breathe. “Damn it, Des... this is all your fault...” I breathed deep and looked at Zeke’s bloody character. She looked awful, but I wasn’t gonna win a beauty pageant any time soon either. Lazily swinging my sword in front of me, I readied for the final battle.
Man... I really hope she just kills me...
