Rising To My Grave

            I took the blade in my hand.  It was light and yet heavy, or perhaps it was my heart that was heavy.  The coming events were more than enough to fill a heart with lead.  They were enough to make the mind whirl and roar unrighteously before abruptly coming to a standstill. 

            I ran my forefinger gently along the sharp edge of the sword.  A cut thin as paper appeared on the pad of my finger and a drop of blood welled onto the cold, harsh metal.  I wiped the blood off along the flat edge of my weapon and contemplated the sharp contrast between the two, red blood glistening in the shadows set against the painfully austere metal that gleamed in the flickering light of the thousand candles.  I sighed and lifted my sword up and around in a mock parry.

            This; this motion, the feel of this weapon in all the stances of battle; this was natural.  My blade became an extension of my arms, no it was more than that still, it became an extension of my entire existence.  Now I knew why my parents had sent me to this school, sent me away for so many years to endure the torturous training of “The Blade”.  Of course that training always reached a point, a point which they were fully aware of even when they sent me away all those years ago. 

            I let these thoughts roll around in my mind as I went through the motions.  I had to do well today.  Honor depended on my doing well; my life depended on my skill.  They were out there today, my parents, the first time I had seen them since they sent me to this forsaken place fifteen years ago, and if I failed I would never look on their faces again.  This realization forced me to mock battle even more fiercely than before.

            “Carliana?” The monotonous voice dragged me uncharitably back to the present moment.  I immediately turned and dropped into the expected bow at the sight of my master.

            “Yes Master Tatsuzo?” My eyes never left the patch of dirt a few feet in front of me.

            “The match is to begin any moment. The moment of your reckoning has come.” Even his normal monotone was broken in this moment and I heard a deep sorrow underneath the force of honor. Honor, it was always honor that drove our actions on.  Honor for our family, honor for “The Blade”, honor earned for everything but ourselves.

            “Yes Master I am ‘rising to my grave’.” The traditional words sounded dead on my tongue.  How true were they?  My only consolation was that soon I would find out. I heard my master quietly turn and pad up the stairs; I could feel the unoccupied space he left behind.  I had not yet risen when another voice startled me out of my reverie.

            “Carliana?” The voice warm as the summer sun and sweet as honey enveloped me. I looked up at the comforting figure before me.

            “Yes dongie?”

            “I wish you luck. This match is the making of a soul. Are you ready for your fate my chalie?” My head fell back to the ground in front of me at her words.  I rolled my response around in my head for many moments before I responded.

            “I am ‘rising to my grave’ dongie.” I looked into her eyes and saw sadness there.  However, the words had found the strength they had lacked before.

            “If that is your determination chalie I wish you the luck of a thousand moons and stars.” She turned and left the room.  Once she had departed I stood.  I put my weapon back into its sheath and climbed the stairs to potentially meet my complete and utter annihilation.  No matter what the outcome of the match today was to be I knew fully that I was doing the most honorable act by rising to my grave.

Author's Note

I actually wrote this for an English assignment. I hope it gets a good grade :)

Reviews

[N. Van Avery]

Seems incomplete to me. I like the idea that you have, I think with a little refining you could do much better. I see some good potential, keep up the good work! As always, return the favor!

[silverfox]

This was great, the imagery was fantastic; I was hooked all the way through. I'm sure you'll get a worthy grade! :)

[C.E.Grey]

Thank you very much!! And it did get a worthy grade haha but I don't think my teacher is used to getting imaginative work XD