Swordsman Chronicles: Art of the Sword

CHAPTER 1

It's the same dream. A baby in a crib and is hearing loud noises. What is causing those loud and piercing cries? What exactly is happening. And then, the same man, who has something red and thick trickling down his face is looking down at the baby in the crib. He was muttering something, but it was being muffled by the loud claps of thunder because of the storm outside. The man who has circular eyeglasses then placed a necklace around the neck of the baby and he then softly touched the face of this baby and then left the room by closing the door shut. A few more thunderous noises came outside and red light flashed through the holes of the door. Then, it went silent. Only the pouring rain can be heard and the flashes of lightning can be seen through the shattered windows. With one final shot of thunder, this blond boy woke up and opened his eyes that has the same color of the skies. He was sweating buckets and is breathing heavily again. The same dream, the same reaction. That dream is being so often these days. Back then, it only happens once a month. Now, it goes on almost every day. It might just be any other nightmare, but to Kendrick, it’s the reality. That was his memories of the past. He then stood up, looked up the fair sky and he took a deep breath as he stretched his limbs after snoozing after a half of a day of struggling in classes. He looked down at the students who are playing baseball at the field and some are just flirting under the shades of trees. Kendrick sighed as he then put his left hand inside his pocket and he left the rooftop. He walked down the bustling hallways of the South River’s Academy where he studies his 3rd year in high school. It was one of the famous schools here in River’s City where baseball is the main sport. Kendrick went in his room which is at the third floor of this main building and he sat at his seat which is at the last row, left side of the room that is next to the window. He loves it here. He can be entertained when the subject is as boring as ever, especially the ones with the complicated numbers. The boy looked out the window as the wind blows his blond hair. The lesson started and he couldn’t understand what the teacher was saying just as always. After 4 classes, it’s finally time to go home. Kendrick packed his things up and he flung his bag onto his shoulders. He went down the stairs along with his friends. Kendrick separated himself from his friends as he needs to get to the place he was staying at, because those are the rules. He rode the train and arrived at his destination. His home is just right in front of the station. A former church, but now it’s just another abandoned place that is being treated as the home of children like Kendrick. He entered through the big door as it let out a creaky sound.

“Big Bro!” yelled the children of this church simultaneously as they ran towards their not blood related big brother.

Kendrick smiled as he hugged the children which he is already considering as his siblings, despite not being blood related at all.

“Welcome home, Ken.” Greeted an old man who is slowly approaching the children with a smile that reaches his ears.

That old man is Edgar, he was the former priest of this rundown church and he is also the one who took every child here, including Kendrick in. He gave everyone warm clothes, food and shelter. He was coughing as he approached the children. Kendrick stood up to greet the person he considers as his own father figure. Kendrick is the oldest of the children here and is the first orphan who was left at the doorstep of the church.

“Father, here.” Says Kendrick as he took out money from his bag.

He earned it from his part-time job at a local store near their church. He earned 3,000 JEKS in 2 weeks of working.

“Oh, Ken. I can’t possibly accept the money you worked hard to earn—” Edgar then coughed so hard that it was like he was coughing up his organs.

“Hey, Father. You need it more than I do. Now, what’s our dinner?” Kendrick asked.

“We are having sardines!” cheered the children as they dragged their big brother into the dining room to eat.

The dining room was simple. It’s dimly lit as they have no electricity at all, just tap water. Candles are lit up at the middle of the table as the food is already ready. Sardines that are turned into a stew by Father’s creativeness. A different recipe of sardines after a month of eating just sardines and some chayote as vegetables. Everyone first washed their hands and sat around the table and then Father led the prayer. After praying, everybody digs in and ate their sardine stew with rice. They finished eating and Kendrick handled the dishes as everyone went to the other room because that’s where they sleep. Father Edgar was wiping the table as Kendrick washed the dishes at the sink,

“How’s your day, Ken?” Father asked.

Kendrick sighed as cold water and soap touched his hands as he washed the dirty dishes,

“Well, same old, same old. Nothing new actually, have a few people that I treat as my friends but I don’t even know what they think of me. And I miraculously passed a quiz in science. That’s all for today, Father.” Says Kendrick.

The priest stopped wiping the table as he turned around to look at one of his children. Kendrick’s body changed since he started to work as a storage worker for a certain store. His body got slightly better and buffed unlike before when he was still all scrawny. The boy’s been working hard for Edgar’s medicine to battle with his worsening pneumonia. He knows that he won’t last long, the days of him being in this world living with the family he built are now numbered.

“You have to do what you want to do, Ken. Not what you have to. Follow your heart not your conscience. You have a life to live. So can you promise me something?”

Kendrick stopped washing the dishes as he turned off the faucet and turned around to face Edgar,

“Promise me, that if I leave, you will not blame yourself. Live the life you are supposed to. You’re still young, Ken, the future has a lot in store for you. Remember to always live without having any regrets. Choose what your heart tells you, always follow your heart. Dream big, it’s free,” Says Edgar as he then gave his son a warm hug “No matter what happens, I will always love you children. Remember that, Ken.” The priest added as he then let go of Ken.

He placed the cloth he used to wipe the table as he reminded Kendrick to finish the dishes before sleeping. Kendrick grinned as he went back to finish the dishes. After finishing it, he went to his favorite spot at the bell tower of the church where he sits on a chair there and turn on the battery-powered radio and listen to it all night long as he looked at the beautiful view this bell tower gives. The sparkling lights of the buildings and the honking cars can be heard and see from this point. And as he looked down, a bunch of people wearing a blue uniform and has swords are walking down the streets. The Swordsmen and women. They are the ones in charge of the peace of this world. Due to the fact that there are demon lurking everywhere, they are here to protect the normal citizens. Since they are the only ones who has the power to actually kill a demon. Demons are the monstrous looking things that crawls in the shadows and attacks anyone it finds and then it devours them, leaving no trace behind. Despite the dangers of being a swordsman, Kendrick really wants to become one. Not because he wants to slay demons, but because of the big salary they have. Well, it still depends. These people who just went past their church are the patrolmen, they are the ones in charge of the cities. But the ones outside the city walls are called the slayers. They are the ones in charge of slaying demons from outside the walls of cities. As demons both thrive inside and outside of cities. However, the most dangerous ones are outside those big city walls. That’s why the Slayers are only accepting exceptionally powerful individuals to join their group. And in this country, there are only 10 Slayers when some countries have hundreds. Well, this country is just a small one compared to the others. Kendrick is now listening to his favorite radio station while drinking milk when it was suddenly interrupted by a news flash,

“Attention, to the people living in near the Westes Station. Lock your doors and windows shut. There’s a demon lurking near the station. This is not a drill. Please do the instructions in order to not be eaten. Thank you!” the radio announced.

Kendrick dropped his glass of milk as Westes Station is just right in front of their church. Terrified for their situation, Kendrick rushed down the bell tower as he quickly went in their church. He was hoping that he had locked the windows and doors before going up there, but to his utter shock, it wasn’t locked. So, he went in the church and locked all openings of their church to prevent the demons from entering their home. After shutting everything locked, Kendrick went to the room where they all sleep and was beyond relieved that they are okay. So, to also be safe, he laid at the middle of his siblings who were sleeping on a cushion on the floor and he slept into another night with the same dream. Without knowing that he left a crack open.

The next morning, Kendrick was woken up by his siblings as it was already time for school. Kendrick took a shower and changed into his uniforms after ironing it with traditional ironing tool. He ate some leftovers from last night as he went to school. Since he doesn’t have any money left, he just walked to school for today. He arrived at school just in time for the first subject to start. The day went by until it was time for PE time. Their PE for today is swordsmanship. Swordsmanship became part of the educational system, so that students will know if they are supposed to be swordsmen or women in the future. And this is one of Kendrick’s worst subjects. Despite training with swords in school for 3 years now, he still couldn’t get it. He kept on swinging at the wrong time and is always stumbling when dodging and ends up being defeated and getting an E on every sword subject. He’s quite capable of anything, like running, jumping and strength. Not to mention his flexibility and agility, especially his immense stamina that cannot be rivaled by any other student of this school. But still, he sucks at swords, and he doesn’t know why. But since he is failing this subject for 3 years now, he is the first to go and have a duel with the strongest swordsman of their class. The bald teacher told them to grab their wooden swords from the racks and the two grabbed their swords. The two went into the mat as the teacher will serve as the referee. It will be an embarrassing loss for Kendrick again as there are other students watching since this is the final swords duel in their 3rd year. And the results of this duel will determine your grades, fail or pass. The teacher first asked if the two are wearing proper equipment, and the two nodded. Kendrick is up against this buffed male that has brown hair and has determined green eyes. The boy was grinning as he is realizing that this is an absolute win.

“Raise your swords!” yelled the teacher as the two placed their swords in front of their chests to show that they are ready even though Kendrick is not.

“Formation!” yelled the teacher again as both of the students went to their b**e formation. “Start!” the teacher announced as a clash of swords is about to begin.