The rhythmic approaching and receding of waves is quite peaceful when it’s not heard alongside the discordant sounds of a stomach full of insects and slightly moldy berries. Latori hoisted himself off the ground. He stretched, yawned, and grinned with eyes still closed. The seaside cave might as well have been a five-star hotel at a place where childish adults worship a talking mouse.
“Ahhhhh… Goooood MORNING WORLD! Ex, we have a lot to do today. Are you ready, bud?”
Latori turned to his faithful blade stabbed into the dirt next to him. He awaited a response from it.
“...”
Excaliburn was silent. Very swordlike.
“Ex?”
“... zzz.”
“Divine sword Excaliburn. WAKE THE HELL UP!”
“.. Oh, apologies, Latori.”
“You sleep? You’re a sword…”
“Have you forgotten already? I have a soul, and all souls require respite in some form.”
“Eh, I guess so. Why were you snoring, though?”
“Must be a leftover fragment of when I had a body of flesh and blood.”
“Such a weird sword. Anyway, we’re going out and getting materials to build me a hut today.”
Latori snatched up Excaliburn and took swings at fake enemies.
“Man, my arms are tired from just carrying you around yesterday. Why couldn’t you have been buried with a scabbard?”
Litori dropped Excaliburn to the side and plopped down back on the floor.
“How about carrying me in your satchel?”
“This? My backpack? Hell no. You’re going to poke a hole through it. I’m going to need this to carry things around. Also, it’s the only thing I have left that hasn’t been ruined since I came here.”
“With what strength will you carry me and the supplies to build your shack then?”
“... That’s a good question. Maybe my beach house will have to wait a bit. Let’s go get some new food for me to eat at least.”
***
“Those look like they could be edible.”
Latori gazed up at the thick, blue bell pepper shaped fruit hanging from the palm trees around him. With great force, Latori swung Excaliburn into the trunk of the tree, leaving a huge gash that exposed the tree’s flesh. Surprised by the sword’s potency at cutting trees, he took four more heavy swings. The plant surrendered and crashed down. Latori approached one of the blue fruits and plucked it. The fruit had a smooth, sturdy exterior. It was so sturdy that it hadn’t even cracked during the fall. Latori placed the fruit atop the chopped tree’s trunk. He swung at the fruit with excessive force. And he whiffed.
“Ouch! I think I pulled a muscle.”
“Your form needs much work.”
“I know. Tch. Don’t backseat me.”
“At this rate, you are bound to injure yourself. We should start training.”
“Training for what? I’m probably just going to use you as an axe and as an oversized knife for now.”
“It does not hurt to be proficient with the sword. It shall also help your survival in a plethora of ways. How will you run from predators with that body of yours?”
“HEY, I look fine with my shirt on. Stop watching me change. If anything, you’re the only predator around here… But fine, I’ll start working out a bit. Made me feel bad…”
“Three hundred swings every morning at dawn. I will also educate you on two sword stances that I am sure will work well for you. With practice, I can turn you into a master swordsman, Latori.”
“Honestly, that sounds kind of cool. I’m down. Help me cut this fruit first.”
“The bobonut? First, relax your hands. You are gripping too tight. It is causing your body to stiff up. When wielding a sword, use your left hand for strength, and your right hand to control where the swing leads. To get a diagonal cut and prevent the fruit’s contents from spilling out, bring your left hand slightly past the right side of your head then swing.”
Latori followed Excaliburn’s instructions. The bobonut was slashed cleanly on the upper right of its body; the cut piece slid off onto the trunk. Latori lit up Excaliburn’s blade then quickly doused it. He took his free hand and slid his index finger across the metal to get some of the fruit’s sizzling blue juices that were left on the sword.
“Ow. Ow. Ouch. Whoops. That’s hot.”
Latori chucked Excaliburn to the side and licked his finger.
“...”
The divine longsword was not very pleased.
“Mmm. That tastes pretty good. I think this is how passion fruit tasted.”
Latori scooped up the fruit in his hands and guzzled the rest of the juice.
“Alright, time to get more.”
The boy strolled over to where he threw Excaliburn and shook the sand off him. He spent half of his day chopping down trees and drinking fruit juice. The bobonut open bar was becoming stale. It was time for a siesta. Latori trudged against the cumbersome sand towards the ocean’s edge. Near the ephemeral, popping foam that decorated the waves like tapestries, he caught a glimpse of a family of tiny, roosterlike animals with legs in the warrior two yoga pose.
“What are those, Ex?”
“Bravers. They get their name from their posture as well as the fact they rarely back down from a fight. They are also the most intrepid bird you will ever see. They are supposed to be a delicacy, but it is difficult to catch one with your hands without losing a finger or two.”
Latori tried to pat one playfully on its head with his sword, but it caught the blade midair with its beak. Latori jerked Excaliburn away from the bird and staggered backwards, caught off guard by the deft of the braver.
The rest of the birds turned their heads to Latori and menacingly creeped forward.
“Uh, okay. Time to go!”
Heeding mother nature’s warning, the idiot high-tailed it out of there.
***
Latori sat on a rock in the cave while he set Excaliburn aflame. He had skewered a fruit at the end of the blade and was attempting to cook the juices within. Within seconds, the fruit charred, and Latori panicked as he tried to get rid of the fire. He waited for the fruit to cool down then took a sip from his organic goblet.
“Ah… It’s kind of like a fruity broth.”
Latori put down his drink, and he started performing his downward sword strokes again.
“Do not use that technique in battle. Only use it for precise strikes against an object, or as a finishing blow. That form leaves you wide open. I will teach you ways to defend yourself, even against weapons that most swords would stand no chance against.”
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“Sure, sure. Swinging a sword is more fun than I thought it would be. Teach me some cool tricks.”
“Before I ended up in that hole. I had a previous master. Senile and dying of old age, he buried me along the beach. He foretold a prophecy that I would meet someone one day that would exceed him as a swordsman. I doubted his words. I thought they were just the ramblings of an old man. My master was unmatched at his prime. Sure enough, you were led to me and I could tell that my master spoke the truth.”
“I don’t know about all that. Cool bedtime story, though.”
“There are weapons in this world called maimers. They shoot out small, metal, fletching-less arrows. They can take a life within a blink of an eye. With my help, you can defend yourself against those as well as magical attacks.”
“Sounds like guns. Are you going to teach me to deflect bullets like a badass?”
“If you are willing to put in the work for it.”
“Sure, I don’t really have anything else to do on this beach. It would be cool to at least get good at something.”
“Good. Let us start off with basics. Take time to master your sword stance. Stand like a braver. Be fierce. Be flexible. Be intrepid. Allow yourself to pivot at a moment’s notice. Now, make your cut. Control the blade to stop near the front of your leg.”
Latori obediently executed each step and performed a basic slash.
“Good, good, Latori. There you go. We will do this every day for one month.”
“Every day for one month? Man, this sucks. I didn’t think it would take that long for a basic stance.”
“Have patience. It will be worth it. I promise.”
“I’m holding you to that, Ex.”
***
Months passed, and Latori’s primitive sword skills began to evolve. He was able to swing at a much faster speed than before. Excaliburn instructed him on basic attack patterns and guard positions. Latori’s default guard was his “braver stance”. He would hold his sword straight, with elbows bent. His sword was postured diagonal to his head. The blade was his beak, ready to stop any weapon coming his way with a thrust or a slash.
A simple offensive pattern, Latori’s favorite, was composed of two slashes that formed an "X" shape followed up by a spin into a downwards strike. Despite its simplicity, the speed at which the boy was able to perform the combo might be able to overwhelm an equally inexperienced fighter. His thrusting technique also grew. He learned a trick to extend his range by switching to a one handed strike midthrust as he used his backfoot for momentum to close the gap between him and an opponent.
At the same time, the boy learned skills that would assist him in surviving more comfortably on the beach. With Excaliburn’s sharp edge, the beach bum carved himself a sharp stone knife that was capable of shaving tree bark. He learned to take the sinews of the palm trees and weave them together. He did this for two hours a day. At first, he couldn’t create anything of practical use, but now he was able to weave himself a crude mat to sleep on.
Essential skills, such as gutting fish and crabs he caught, helped his quality of life and prevented foodborne illness. Latori hiked in a five mile radius around the beach to see if he could find any hints of civilization, to no avail. Discouraged, he gave up and headed back to his home. Social anxiety plagued him his entire life, and he would most likely keep to himself if he had the choice. Although, it would be nice to talk to someone besides a sword.
For now, he’d just have to keep himself busy.
***
“I have a great idea,” Latori’s voice was brimming with excitement from his new revelation.
“Do tell.”
“I’m going to punish those abominations disguised as berry bushes for almost killing me. One of them is going to be dinner tonight.”
“Do not underestimate the strength of wild creatures. Stronger swordsmen than you have paid with their life for making that mistake.”
”Fine, fine. I’ll be careful, but if I lose the fight with a divine sword, that can’t be entirely my fault. You need to put in some work to protect my ass, too.”
“I will not be using my magic to help you. If you were to rely on me in every battle you face, you are doomed to never improve as a fighter.”
“... I guess, but if I’m about to die, you’ll save me, right?”
“Yes, I will do what I can if it comes to that.”
Latori used landmarks to find where he first encountered the monstrous berry bushes. He found one along the border between the woods and the beach. It hugged several other shrubs, its leaves softly rustling in the ocean breeze. Its innocuous appearance concealed the creature’s ravenous nature. The bush patiently waited for an unsuspecting animal to try to pluck one of the berries off of it. As Latori approached it, he thought he saw the bush’s tendrils flick forward behind the leaves, overly eager at the sight of potential prey.
“Fair fight, okay?” Latori extended Excaliburn out and edged closer.
The bush, realizing Latori knew its intention, pounced forward to get a preemptive assault on the boy.
“Shit!” Latori reacted with finesse and slashed in front, predicting where the bush would be. His training had paid off.
The monster used five of its tentacles to push itself upwards. Its frontal attack turned into an lethal aerial dive. Did Latori really think it was going to be that easy?
Latori swung his sword upwards so that the tip faced the bush’s underbelly where its lamprey mouth was located. There was no speed or power behind the swing. It was supposed to be a deterrent against the beast landing straight on top of him.
Before getting skewered by the blade, the bush wrapped its tentacles around the tip of the sword and started sliding down.
Latori swung the blade downwards onto a nearby rock, slamming the flesh that lay behind the leaves onto the stone. The creature hissed and released the sword. Startled by its prey’s resistance, it backed up and assessed its situation. This bush was completely different than the previous one. It was agile and adept at combat.
“Latori, we should flee. This is a mature fallere bush. It is likely the oldest one I have seen, and it did not get this old without learning how to secure any prey it comes across.”
“No, I can do this. I’m not losing to a damn bush.”
“There is no shame in leaving to fight another day. I will not fault you for it.”
“... Okay, I trust you, Ex.”
Recognizing the opening he has from the bush’s current trepidation, Latori turned to run.
“LATORI, SWING.”
The bush saw weakness in Latori and regained its composure. It pounced forward once again. Latori, without hesitation, did a spinning swipe at where the bush had attacked the first time–then another flash of the blade above him. The bush animalistically shrilled and pushed itself off Latori’s blade with strength of a well built adult man. Surprised by the sudden force, Latori fell backwards and landed on his back. His hand slipped and dropped Excaliburn. The blade slid across the sand.
“AH,” the boy yelped more from astonishment than the pain. Realizing he didn’t have his sword, Latori quickly rolled over to it. The fallere bush was already charging towards him. The beast’s ravenous killing intent betrayed it though. Latori was able to reach his blade and thrust forward. The fallere bush was impaled from the mouth through the body. Blood splashed all over Latori’s face and clothes.
The monster screeched and slammed Latori’s sides with several tentacles, sending him flying. Latori’s left arm took the brunt of the blow and the fall. Multiple bones were broken. Dazed, Latori tried to push himself with his right hand but collapsed. He began to start blacking out from the pain. The bush dragged itself across the sand towards the boy. If it was going to die, it was going to take Latori with him.
“You did well, boy.”
Excaliburn ignited himself and enveloped the monster in flames, forcing the monster into a frenzied, fiery dance. Within a minute, the beast was turned into a charred corpse. The wind picked up the ashy remains of its leaves.
“Thanks… Ex…” Latori whispered before passing out. His last sight was the dying embers on the fallere bush’s burnt carcass.
***
By the time Latori came to, night had fallen. His head was throbbing. His throat was parched. His arm hurt like hell. It reminded him of his first day at the beach when he had passed out on the sand.
“Are you okay, Latori?”
Excaliburn glimmered under the moonlight. The blade was still halfway in the fallere bush’s corpse.
“I think my arm is broken, Ex.”
“If that is the worst of the damage, I am a bit relieved.”
“Yeah, but I use that arm to–Nevermind.”
“... Take us home.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
⌞⎯⎯⎯⊰ Bobonut Soup Recipe ⊱⎯⎯⎯⌟
This recipe got me through many cold and homeless nights at the beach. With all the ingredients being found by the seaside, you’ll feel a warm ocean breeze nuzzle your cheeks with every slurp. I’d recommend finding all the ingredients on your own if you ever have the time! Not only are ingredients that you scavenge or cultivate for yourself free, but they also are sustainable for the environment. Do your part in keeping our beaches (and my home) safe!
* Ingredients (serves two):
* 4½ Cups of Bobonut Juice
* ½ Cup of Bobonut shavings
* 2 Cups of Veggies Or A Protein of Your Choice (I recommend freshly caught sea fish)
* 1½ Cups of Rice
* 1 Tsp of Crushed Asge
* 1 Tsp of Crushed Hymthe
* 1 Tsp of Rikapap
* 2 Tsp of Crushed Rock Salt
Start cooking your rice in a rice cooker or in a container of boiling water. Now, move onto your bobonuts. Shave off the insides of your bobonuts. Simmer the bobonut juices over the fire in a large skillet or in two separate bobonut shells. While those heat up, mix a bowl of asge, hymthe, rikapap, and salt together. In another skillet or container, heat up veggies. After they start to grow aromatic, add your spices in. Once your veggies are cooked and mixed well with your spices, add them to the bobonut juices. Stir for fifteen minutes, disturbing the bobonut juices and the veggies so that the flavors get to know each other. Taste test every so often. After fifteen minutes, or when those flavors are well intermixed, take your bobonut soup off the heat. Serve over a plate of rice. Enjoy!