I Will Become A True Warrior

The Nebu soldiers slowly surrounded Kasib. He got his sword ready and took a deep breath. "I trained harder than anyone. I am WEAK and I do not deny it. I want to grow stronger. I want to be the greatest warrior, the strongest warrior. I will make it happen; I'll make it happen for you, brother."

Many years ago...

The sun's heat radiated through the sky; the eagle flew high with its scream echoing through out. A sudden cold breeze of air came about. Under a green tree, a kid slept, snoring loudly. It was young Kasib, aged 12.

"Hey, get up already, you bum! If you don't train, then you'll not become strong, and our dream of becoming great warriors will come to an end, Big brother!" said Kalib as he smacked Kasib on the head with a wooden sword.

"Hey, Kalib, why did you do that? Let me have some rest!" Kasib screamed as he tried to lay back down to get some rest.

"No! We promised Father that we will become great warriors, and to achieve that dream, we must train, Big brother! So pick up your sword and fight me!" screamed Kalib.

Kasib sat up straight, itching his head, and chanted, "You know I will win again, Kalib. There is no point. Furthermore, I am already strong."

"I know the score is 329 to 0, but I will win this time. I have been training my ass off for this," said Kalib with motivation in his eyes.

"Fine, let's begin," Kasib commanded as he stood up, grabbing the wooden sword beside him.

Kasib stood ready in his position, breathing calmly. Soon, Kalib screamed, attacking Kasib. The first clash of their swords was so strong that it pushed Kalib back. He was standing on one foot as he was about to fall down, but Kalib managed to get into position again. He soon went for a second attack, but Kasib predicted it and hit Kalib's sword so hard that it flew into the sky, out of Kalib's hands, spinning in the air like a fan before landing on the ground, tilted and engraved into the mud.

"This makes it what, 330?" joked Kasib.

"Don't worry; I'll get you next time, Big brother," cried Kalib as he picked his sword back up, wiping his tears with his right hand.

A scream of a woman in the distance could be heard. Kasib's face gloomed with worry, and he saw the fire rising from his village.

"Kalib, Mother, and Father, we must head back!" he hurried Kalib to follow him.

They ran through the woods fast, rushing to the fire and their village.

Kasib stopped to lookout for his family and saw some men from the Byzantine Empire who had attacked his home in Levant. The soldiers dressed in red stabbed a woman who was trying to protect her son from these people. The soldiers had no remorse. After finishing the killing of his mother, the soldier looked at the innocent child with anger in his eyes. He raised his sword to kill him. Feeling the urge to protect, Kasib grabbed the rusted sword from the ground of the soldiers who were dead, killed by the villagers, and went in front of the boy, clashing swords with the soldier, pushing him back with force. "You don't touch him, you tyrant!" Kasib shouted. "Thank you, Kasib," the boy cried as he spoke, running away into the woods. Kasib looked at the lifeless body of the boy's mother. His eyes nearly filled with tears as he realized that the course of one's life had truly changed due to the actions of this one man.

The soldier, impatient and annoyed that a 12-year-old boy pushed him back, went in for another attack, but as the soldier was on his horse, Kasib just dodged it by sliding to the side. Looking again at the village, trying to spot his brother Kalib who had already run toward his home, Kasib soon ditched his fight, running away from the soldier. Soon arriving near his home, all Kasib could see was terror on the people he lived with. His uncle was being killed, while the one man who taught him archery was fighting the soldiers but soon beheaded in front of Kasib as the soldiers ambushed him from behind, a move of a coward. Kasib thought.

Soon, his home was in sight. He saw his father, who was wearing a green shirt, while his mother was wearing a black burqa. However, his father was gravely injured. He rushed in with his sword, trying to aid his father. Kalib, Kasib's brother, was clinging onto their mother as she clung onto him, assuring him they would be fine.

Kasib's father, his head stained with blood, was breathing heavily. Kasib went in for an attack, thinking that he could defeat the soldier, but soon he realized that his swords had no effect, no meaning onto the soldiers. They were just far too strong. As Kasib managed to land a hit on one, their armour protected the soldier from being injured. Kasib froze as he realized what was happening, but the soldier took this opportunity and kicked Kasib near his kidney, and Kasib went flying into his father, who too fell to the ground. His mother cried, "Kasib, no!" Kasib's vision soon became one of a man who had just woken up from sleep, his head hazy and eyelids felt like they were closing.

The soldier's commander soon arrived, a man adorned in silver, his whole body surrounded in armour. His horse was a dark black with a muscular build. The commander himself was bulky, with a spear made of metal in his hand, of the highest quality which Kasib could have never hoped to touch due to its value. The commander had his eyes on Kasib's mother. He walked to her while Kasib tried to tell him to stop. No words could exit his mouth; his body was powerless due to the blow he took.

The commander grabbed Kalib and dashed him towards Kasib's father and Kasib, and grabbed Kasib's mother, telling her to follow him. She resisted and shouted, "I, the wife of Rahekhet, will not go with a tyrant like you."

The commander, clearly angry by his face, his veins started to show. He said, "One last time. Come with me." He commanded, but Kasib's mother denied and pulled the hand of the commander, then bit it, getting free and turning to Kasib to run away.

"You rebellious woman!" shouted the commander as he grabbed his spear and slashed Kasib's mother from behind, soon ending her life. Kasib saw his mother reach her arms out for him and his father, a gesture for help, but they were both powerless. Kasib's eyes were just opened without any emotion. Everything happened just too fast that Kasib's brain could not decipher all the killings.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Kasib's father got up and walked to the commander slowly. "Please, leave us alone," he said.

The soldiers all went silent. The only villagers who were left were men who used a sword to protect them, along with Kasib, his brother, and father.

Laughing with his hands on his head, the commander said, "Rahekhet, you were the greatest warrior of Levant at a time. Is this how you did it, without a sword?"

"Herses, I request you leave my two children alone. They don't deserve this. You took the life of their mother already, and I know you are here to take my life too because I killed the general of the Byzantine Empire. You can take my life, but I beg you, spare the life of my two children, Herses," Rahekhet pleaded.

"Why don't you pick up a sword?" shouted Herses as he took one from a soldier and dashed it towards Rahekhet, Kasib's father.

Rahekhet did not respond and said, "A true warrior does not use a sword as a weapon. His words and presence alone bring about change."

The soldiers once again entered a moment of silence and looked at Kasib's father. Herses, clearly annoyed, tried to attack Kasib's father, but Rahekhet held Herses spear with his bare hands as they bled. He repeated, "Herses, please leave this village."

Shaken by the strength of Rahekhet, Herses quickly gestured at one of his archers to shoot Kasib. Realizing what was going to happen, Kasib's father ran towards Kasib, shielding him from the arrows, holding Kasib close to him and bending Kasib's head down towards his chest so that none of the arrows reached him. However, due to the number of arrows which hit Rahekhet, he started to bleed more than before.

"Father, no!" Kasib could feel the strength which once held him tight slowly loosen. "Father!" Kasib cried. "No, Father!" Rahekhet spoke his last words. "Kasib, become a true warrior. Protect those whom you love," he then pointed at Kalib and said, "protect Kalib for me."

Kalib, filled with rage and anger, started to run towards Herses and shouted, "You will pay for this, you bastard!" But soon, he too would meet his end by one of Herses sidekicks who stabbed Kalib.

One of the soldiers on his horse started to make his way towards Herses, chanting, "Oh, that's the boy who ran away from the Duel." Herses then looked at Kasib.

Kasib, who finally realized what had happened, stood up, veins visible through his whole body. He shouted, "You bastards, you killers, you filth! Finish everything! I swear to kill you all!" He picked up the sword which Herses dashed at Kasib's father.

He walked slowly, his eyes filled with rage while he gripped the sword, his mouth drooling with the urge to kill. The soldier on his horse, whom Kasib ran away from, stepped off of his horse and requested, "Commander, if you will let me finish my duel with this boy."

Herses, smiling, agreed. "This will be entertaining," he said.

The soldier took his sword out and tried to hit Kasib. Without any resistance, Kasib managed to hit the soldier back but not causing any significant damage. He ran behind the soldier kicking the back of his leg, making him kneel down, and beheaded him on the spot.

Clearly annoyed and filled with anger, Herses took his spear out and used the bottom of the spear to hit Kasib, sending him flying once again. Kasib vomited blood out of his mouth, his nose leaking with more of it.

Kasib knew he couldn't fight anymore, no longer... He spoke in his mind. "Father, you saved me. Mother, you showed your righteousness. Kalib, you showed me your bravery. But what did I show you guys? I am weak. I cannot become a warrior. I wish I had trained all those days when I slept next to that tree." Tears fell from his eyes, his expression that of a child who had just seen terror. "I wish I was stronger. God, if you are there, give me one more chance. God, oh God, lend me a hand, oh Lord, the creator..."

However, before Kasib finished his inner thoughts, something unexpected happened. A vacuum of wind, which felt like a thousand tons, fell on his heart. From the sky, a shadow appeared with a sword in his hand. The man landed, shouting, "Absolute Death..."

The soldiers who once existed in front of Kasib bent and twisted as if a vortex had swallowed them. The ground cracked, the man's eyes were raging red, a power of darkness emitted from his body. Herses fell on the ground, shaking in fear.

"Who, who, who is this?" he asked, shaking.

"Sir, it's Menes, Commander Menes of the Royal Army. He's not alone! The Three Swords of Thebes are here too!"

Behind Kasib, two more men with comparable strength followed Menes. "Make sure to leave some for us," joked Setka.

"Don't you worry, I am only here to kill this commander," said Menes in anger.

Herses stood up, getting back his composure. He commanded his soldiers, "Kill them all!"

Menes, seeing the soldiers rushing towards him, directed Setka and another man. "Setka, take the right. Henu, take the left."

"Got you," they both repeated in unison.

"So, you. Why don't you pick someone your own size?" said Menes as he raised his sword.

"Menes, you will pay!" the commander shouted as he pulled his spear back in order to stab Menes.

However, before the spear reached Menes, Herses and the soldiers who stood there had their bodies severed in half by Menes...

Kasib's face was still not filled with any expressions, his mind still coming to the realization that a man so strong had just appeared in front of him out of thin air. His prayer to God had been answered; he was given a second chance.

Menes calmly turned around while Setka and the other man, Henu, who accompanied Menes, were finishing off their killings on the side. Menes walked over to Kasib as he lay bleeding on the ground. He stopped in front of Kasib and asked, "Is Rahekhet your father?"

Kasib, with tears in his eyes, replied, "Yes," as he looked at the lifeless body of his father on the ground.

"He was a great man. He was a warrior," Menes spoke.

Filled with anger and rage, Kasib replied, "What warrior doesn't use a sword?"

To which Menes said, "You'll soon know, kid. I owe a great debt to your father. In hand-to-hand combat, he probably was the only person who could match me, and sometimes I was even hesitant to fight him so I didn't lose my winning streaks," Menes laughed.

"Well, why are you here?" said Kasib, shivering.

"Ahh, I was just in the kingdom for some stuff, so I thought I would meet an old friend, but I was a little late," Menes sighed.

"Kid, you got any other family?" asked Menes.

"No, my uncle was the only one, and he too was killed in front of me," replied Kasib with attitude. He could not come to trust anyone after what he had just been through.

Menes sighed. "You're a tough one, kid. Why don't you join us? We'll give you all the food and even a house to live in. There is another boy similar to your age, Ramon. You two could get along very well."

Setka, in the background, imagined Ramon, a joyful kid, with Kasib, a gloomy child, and made a tired face. "Those two are completely different creatures."

Kasib stayed quiet for some moments, giving the idea some thought. He stood up and said, "I will come with you, only on one condition."

"Yeah, go ahead," cheered Menes.

"Only if you bury all the bodies of my fallen villagers and my family," Kasib demanded.

Menes, taken aback by this, laughed. "HAHAHAH! You definitely are Rahekhet's child."

"Soldiers, bury the bodies of the villagers and burn the bodies of these tyrants in the fire," Menes ordered, referring to the attackers.

"Yes, Commander," the soldiers replied.

"Hey, Henu, stop taking food from dead people's homes!" shouted Menes, while Setka said, "Isn't it better to finish it rather than letting it go to waste?"

Kasib looked at the three men fighting but with smiles. "Thanks. Thanks God you have given me another chance. Father, I wasn't able to protect Kalib, but I ensure you that I will protect anyone else whom I love, whom I cherish, from this point on." Kasib gripped his hands and cried while looking down onto the floor, trying to cover up his tears. "Father, I want to become a true warrior, so guide me through till the end."

Back at the battlefield in Thebes...

Kasib was surrounded by the Nebu soldiers with no way out. He had protected Jack and helped him get away, but now he had nowhere to go. Kasib got in position to show his true strength. "This is for you, brother! I will become a true warrior!" Kasib shouted. "Warriors, RAGE!" He raised his sword high, swinging it in all directions with swift and smooth turns as it sliced through the soldiers of the Nebu. He killed one, and as that soldier dropped to the ground, Kasib used him as a shield to avoid incoming arrows and blades from the enemy. He took the Nebu soldier's sword and used it to cut the hand of the second soldier he initiated a fight with. He jumped into the air and slashed two other Nebu soldiers, their blood splattering everywhere. His physical strength had increased, and he was going on a rampage like a beast hunting for its prey.

Menes, who could see the dead bodies of Nebu soldiers flying in the sky being dashed away, smiled as he knew who was involved. He spoke, "Kasib, boy, you are ever so close to becoming a warrior."

Ramon, who looked to his side, saw Kasib rampaging through the Nebu army and smiled. He said, "Go, go, Kasib! Take them all out!" Meanwhile, Ramon himself had just finished off the hunched Nebu soldier whom he fought. That soldier was able to use dark energy as well, but Ramon outpowered him, his fist still covered with darkness.

While Kamil, on his horse, wiped off the sweat from his forehead, he said, "At least Kasib won't be dying anytime soon."

And Memnon, who was just nonchalantly walking through the battlefield, using his power to mentally torture any soldier who came in his way, spoke, "I guess all that training finally paid off."

The other soldiers of the Nebu were mumbling while fighting. Some stood still, while others continued to clash swords. They spoke, "Is he really the son of Rahekhet? I don't believe it. He was one of the strongest warriors."