The Initiate's Path

The Sword and the Go Stone, pt 4


He'd spent the bulk of his life savings and traveled for 48 days to reach Shinamo, so that he could face the Sword Masters' Challenge.

The Sword Masters accepted only newcomers to the sport who were in good physical condition. Shinamo itself was famous for its martial arts traditions, the Sword Masters being just one of many.

Jordan had heard from the other initiates that week one was designed to weed out a lot of them. One of the initiates bunking next to Jordan said he was trying out for a second time, but he wasn't allowed to share any of the surprises of the first two weeks with any of the others. He'd made it to the last day of Week 2 before falling out. Six months later he was trying again.

Jordan had no idea how he would fare, but he was determined to fight hard to stay in the program. They were standing by their bunks, two rows of men on each side. It was strange to find a program that didn't accept women. It had to be one of the last men only organizations.

A bald tanned man, wearing a sheath at his right hip and a clipboard in his arms walked in.

"Welcome maggots! The Sword Masters are eager to hear of your exploits and guffaw at your failures. Each day will be a severe challenge. There is no rest. While you are here, your name will be your animal and your level.You will answer to your new name, and it will change often. I am Coyote 9-1, and I will be your training director. My assistants will be assigned to you, one on one. You will respect your assistant and follow his instructions. I will give you your animal names, PAY ATTENTION!"

He then started walking across the room pointing at each person in turn.

"buzzard, peacock, partridge, nighthawk, goshawk, duck, gull, swan, goose, quail, hummingbird, hawk"

Jordan frowned. The bald man called me a hummingbird. Who's afraid of a hummingbird.

"You are all a bunch of worthless schmucks right now. Level 1-1. Tell me your names.

"Hummingbird 1-1," Jordan said reluctantly.

"Louder next time. You are all baby birds. We are all trying to find out if you can spread your wings and fly! Assistants, get to work with this lot," Coyote 9-1 said, and walked out.

Twelve assistants entered the bunkroom, one for each initiate. His trainer pointed towards the doorway and motioned. Jordan followed.

The twelve pairs spread out throughout the field, the morning sun streaming into their eyes.

Jordan's trainer had long jet black hair. His face was well worn. It was unclear how old the man was.

"I am Hare 5-3. I will test your will and your ability to follow my instructions. You were not called Hummingbird 1-1 for no reason. Uno has gained an understanding of your which surpasses your own. You will strike quickly, without being caught out in an awkward moment, that is our goal."

Hare 5-3 carried a sword sheathed on his hip, and also a thin wooden rod, which he tossed to Jordan. Jordan caught the rod on one end, barely preventing it from smashing into the dirt.

"This is your sword, Hummingbird. If it breaks, your run here will be over. Learn its weight, study its flexibility, practice with it. You may spar with the others when my time with you is done for the day, but do not let it break. This is the first commandment: protect your sword with your life.

"There are other ways to leave this program as well. If you need medical attention during your time here, you will be removed from the program. If you disobey my commands or those of anyone higher level than you, gone. If you aren't dressed, with sword and out of the bunk room by 400 each morning, gone."

"You will undergo a series of tests associated with your level. On each test you can either pass, progress, or fail. If you fail you are gone. If you pass, you will remain at your current level. If you progress, you will move up to the next level of the program. Some tests are progress or fail only.

"Go fight with the other 1-1s. I will correct your form when I can."

The other initiates were already forming up in the middle of the field.

"Who wants to fight!" Jordan yelled out.

"I will fight you, Hummingbird!"

His opponent was short, pudgy, and apparently took Jordan's animal name to mean he'd be easy prey.

Jordan chopped his sword downwards tomahawk style, and got poked in the stomach for his troubles. He stepped back, holding his side, and flailed at "Duck".

"Duck" found it easy to avoid his broad strokes, slamming his sword into Jordan's shoulder. Jordan crumbled to the ground trying to parry away Duck's relentless attacks. His own sword was slamming into his head as it took the full force of parrying Duck's blows.

"Well, ok," he said, and slid  his sword past Duck's wooden blade smashing it into the man's right side abdomen. In the same moment, his sword was out of position to parry Duck's attack and so he took a heavy blow to his forehead.

Hummingbirds must be flying around his face right now. This must be "Uno"s sick joke.

"Nice fight. Hummingbird!" Duck said, backing away holding his abdomen.

Jordan stood up, and automatically found himself backing away from the fights.

"Ow."

Hare yelled, "You fight one of them, or you're going to face me!"

"Oh Hummingbird, Let's fight," said Peacock, a big burly man who didn't fit the bird at all said.

His face was swelling, but if a new fighter could kick his ass, Hare would destroy him.

"Alright," he said, practicing a few steps. His feet had been locked in position against Duck.

He didn't try a big tomahawk chop this time. He scraped Peacock's sword away from his side, and noticed Peacock was fixed in position like he had been. Taking a step towards the right side, away from Peacock's sword, he brought his across Peacock's body smashing into his left armpit.

Peacock toppled over while trying to get another swing on Hummingbird.

Peacock crawled away. He yelled out, "whose next?"

Two wins, two losses, and he was in bad shape after losing to Buzzard. His face, his side and his left foot. were all swelling rapidly. He had never thought about going after someone's feet. Buzzard did. He wrapped his foot in gauze, and hobbled on to their first classroom lesson. He groaned at the idea of more schoolwork after he had left that all behind. His hope was that it would make him a better fighter, and lead to less pain.

"Peacock, Gull and Nighthawk have left the program. There are nine of you remaining, but there will be another group of initiates coming up in a few days, if you make it that far."

Coyote was there, teaching, but the assistants, include Hare, were off elsewhere.

"The program never stops. You will always have tests, and always have a trainer. Your trainers are off doing their own program work. Even I spend hours every day preparing for my next test. You have two days until your first one, but you will never know what your tests consist of until you are there. Be prepared for anything.

"Now the fighting out there was the rawest excuse for conflict I've ever seen. The first spars are always the rawest. Some of you started to learn, some had talent. And others failed. You will be driven to fight harder every day, because you can feel the pain of failure. That is just one of the reasons we don't fight in a holosuite. True dedication requires true danger.

"I can teach you a few things, but you must learn how to fight on your own."