Chapter 9

An Art

Sai had returned home after a long day of throwing then picking up stone carved into the shape of a knife. Sai was very confused as to why we used stone weapons still even though the Chief knew about steel and that it was far more powerful. He was also confused as to why his tribe only had steel daggers, was my tribe so primitive that we couldn’t forge steel? Could we only take from those that did forge steel? If that was the case, being earth element oriented, why is it that we only had stone weapons as well? I was nearly capable of that and I had only reached the beginning of the elementary level. Why couldn’t we use stronger ore’s than stone? Sai’s mind was reeling, he continued about this line of thought until he had reached his house.

Sai had also noticed as he walked that even though his house was on the outskirts of the tribe, it was also one of the largest. It almost seemed like it was a bastion of resistance, Sai figured that this was something that had to be asked about when he got inside. Sai had an exciting day. He was excited to show his father what he had learned that day. Naturally Sai was proud of himself in both his ability in magic, and his ability with the knife dart, granted Sai didn’t have much practice with his shield, so he doubted he was any bit proficient in it. Sai walked in the door, his shield covered his entire arm and dragged on the ground, his rope dart was wrapped around his arm, bow was on his back, strung across the arm that wasn’t holding the shield. he had multiple throwing knives weighing down the pockets of a thick sack tied to his waist. his tiny body was covered in sweat and he was armed to the teeth. It was an amusing sight seeing a three year old, a child at an age that most children die from disease armed to look like they are going to war.

Sai opened the door to his house, Sai’s mother was cooking, his father was sitting at the kitchen table that was made of stone. Sai realized that compared to Earth, this planet that he hasn’t even discovered the name for was completely incomparable. On Earth, you would have a computer that could literally get you any amount of information in seconds, while on this planet, the people Sai knew of couldn’t even figure out how to work steel or wood. In this world, people used swords and magic, on Earth, people had guns, planes, ships as large as Sai’s entire tribe, it was really not comparable.

Sai was still confused as to why Orza wanted him here instead of someone else, Sai had been used to a leisurely life of computer work and schooling. Sai was not sure what Orza saw in him specifically. Sai continued to think about how he could have taken Jackie Chan, or anyone who would have been more used to this cultivation based lifestyle.

Sai greeted his dad as he began to disarm himself. Sai said hi to his mother, but she didn’t like to be bothered when she was cooking, so he left it as a mere greeting. Sai’s father watched as Sai unloaded nearly 30 pounds of armaments from himself. His weapons weighed nearly as much as he did. “So, you decided on a weapon today,” Sai’s father stated sarcastically.

“Yes, I am leaning towards just the shield and rope dart, but I would have preferred a whip.” Sai claimed, happy for his choices despite the teasing.

“Why would you choose weapons that our tribe doesn’t train in?” Sai’s father asks, Sai could feel him reprimanding through his question. His face was tight, Sai could tell he disapproved.

“A shield suits me better. I want to protect myself and others. I can’t do so if I am carrying a longsword, with that, I can only attack. I do realize that I may need to use something though that can be used to attack, so I can use my shield for close range, my rope dart for mid range, and the bow for long range. If I really need to, when I get a bit more powerful, I can use magic.” Sai claimed, He had thought through this very thoroughly,  

“That isn’t the point son,” Sai’s father began, “the tribe isn’t about you. It is about survival, we can best survive if we are a team, if we know each other’s strikes. With that rope dart, can you even hit the target? With that shield can you strike an enemy? With either of those will you fall in line with the rest of our army, or will you just get in the way? You are young, so you don’t have experience.” Sai felt ashamed about his choice. he thought that he had chose for the good of the tribe, for the good of those that he cared about, but Sai had not realized that there was a situation such as this, a situation where Sai was in truth being selfish.

“I will trade them in if it is that big of an issue. But, I was thinking about our army, I would need to see it before I decide what I want to do after that.” Sai lied that he had any intention to change his choice, but rather Sai intended to help our army. If the tribe’s army also used large shields, they could form a legion, no different from a roman army from ancient times on Earth. Of course Sai knew that the army would have to be convinced and that the only way to convince them would be to push himself harder and show them how effective having defense actually is.

In truth, at such a level attack power wasn't such a big deal, as long as you had a sharp blade and quick reflexes you had enough. The most important thing at this level is your agility and your defense. If Sai could explain this to the leader he could not only make the tribe stronger, Sai could help them to learn about absolute defense. Defense that is so strong that no matter what blade, it cannot break it. At that point, your enemies would be a stick and you a boulder, the only outcome would be their store hands and tired bodies after beating so much. After that, the only thing you would need to do is quickly finish your enemy and continue to advance. Sai would have to explain this to the Chief thoroughly when he saw him tomorrow. Hopefully he will see things my way and train or next generation to be more like a Roman legion.

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Sai sat quietly thinking these things while he waited for his mother to finish dinner. Sai pulled all of the energy around his body while waiting, Sai was not in a particular meditative stance, just sitting in a chair that is at least six inches taller than all the others. As Sai gathered the energy around him, he began to test his best ability, the ability that computer nerds are gifted with most, multitasking. This was a particular rarity since there was no one else in the tribe that could break away attention from drawing in energy at all or it would immediately stop flowing towards them. Sai asked his father while still drawing energy in visibly, specks of red, gold, and green hover about his body, “Before I give up my current weapons, can I spar with you? I really want to know if I was any good at them.” Sai tried to be as innocent as possible. He never actually planned on giving up any of those things laying on the floor between the table and the wall. He had rested them there because that area was one where no one sits since Sai’s grandmother never leaves her room.

Sai’s father answered, Sai knew he was going to teach Sai a lesson. “Sure son, we can do that after dinner.” He felt that even if Sai was a master at any of these that Sai would turn out no different than the fastest gazelle, eaten by the hoard of alligators, only in groups were you safe.

“Yay,” Sai exclaimed. he really wanted to show off his skills, even though Sai knew he couldn't win, and he knew that his father was going to teach him a lesson, Sai was excited to use his most formidable weapon, his shield.

Silent’s mother finished making supper, his father watched as he ate. Sai assumed that he was imagining how hard to discipline him for not following the status quo, but Sai didn't care. Sai was elated that he could spar with someone that wasn't a moldy sack of old grass.

As soon as supper was over, Sai grabbed his shield and rope dart, but left his bow behind, Sai’s father wouldn’t be upset if Sai learned the bow. Sai’s father went into his room and grabbed his spear. They met in the back yard near the woods.

“Are you ready son,” Sai’s father asked leisurely. Sai assented enthusiastically. “OK, then I'm coming.” Sai’s father thrusts his spear out in a one handed stance, not using any of his wind powers.

Sai however hefted his thick shield up and put all his strength behind it to block.

The spear resounded off the shield with a clang, Sai knew his father was holding back, but Sai could still see surprise in his face that Sai could even block that attack. He came again with a fraction more of his strength. Sai figured that if he held his shield at an angle the spear would follow the shield and only scrape it rather than Sai’s arm taking the full force.

Sai had figured correctly, the arrow fast spear slid past Sai’s shield and left his father's armpit open. Sai knew that he wasn't fast enough though to hit his father, and with a blink Sai’s father had retracted his arm. Lavits’s spear skills could be said to be the best within several miles yet he had never experienced such an odd situation. A situation where he wasted all the strength he put into a strike yet the opponent only needed a small flick to leave him vulnerable.

Sai’s father gave up on stabbing and instead swung from overhead. Sai hefted the shield up at a similar angle and the spear glanced off once again. This time, Sai’s father didn't finish with a single strike, but instead a combination of an overhead seeing and a sweep to the feet. Silent wasn't fast enough for such a change and the massive bruise that swelled up immediately proved it.

While laying on the ground, Silent’s father brought the spear back up and went again for an overhead strike, looking to duplicate his previous feat. Silent blocked once again and allowed his spear to fall to the ground as it barely hit its target. The sweep followed again and this time Silent jammed the shield down and caught his spear between the side and bottom of the cross. With a small twist Sai pulled it from his leisurely held grip.

Silent flicked his spear away with another twist and stood up. “You do have some skill with that shield son, but remember, this is a spar, and you shouldn't rely on something that your brothers in arms don't use. Your shield is a great tool for your own protection, but it won't help with your fellow soldier's, we need a wall of blades, not a wall that the enemy can climb.” Sai’s father reprimanded even though Sai had removed his weapon. He then created a swift gust of wind and his spear flew back into his hands. “I'm going to take this more seriously now.”

“I'm ready,” Sai answered. Silent knew that a world of hurt was coming, his father couldn't lose to his own toddler. He gripped the staff with both hands and thrusted. After Silent’s father used the same technique he spun around rapidly and struck Silent with the butt of his spear. Sai could already feel a welt growing next to his hip. Silent would remember this move as well.

Not even a second later Sai’s father struck again. He stood with his side facing Silent and gripped his spear at an odd angle one hand pulled one way while the other hand held it down, the spear acted like a bow with a cut string and flung its head towards Silent. It glanced off Silent’s shield again and again as my father used the momentum of the initial swing to loop the spear around his body and strike harder with each consecutive blow. No matter how hard he struck however it continued to be deflected. The faster they came, the harder they hit, the easier the shield ignored their power.

One final strike against the top and Sai’s father swung around the same as before, a swift twist around his whole body to bring a blow to the side. This time Sai was prepared however. As he spun around, so did Silent. Though Silent was weaker, he wasn’t any slower, having borrowed momentum from his father’s strike Sai met that spear again. Just as the spear and shield collided a thin knife darted out from under it. Sai allowed it to barely cut his father before grabbing the rope it was attached to and yanking back.

Sai would never harm his family. He would even do anything to protect them, but Sai was a child from Earth, he was not a fan of bending to other people's will. Especially when his deviation is for the good of others. If there is anything Sai was scared of, it was death and slavery. Not slavery in the literal sense, slavery like Stalin in the USSR, ‘you are free to do what you want, but only if I tell you It’s okay.’

After drawing the most minute amount of blood, Sai knew, he knew that his skill with these two weapons was an art.