Hope: The Final Battle

Before I turned six my father started teaching me martial arts. At eight I learned how to hunt with a bow, by ten I was fighting with a sword. When I reached thirteen my father was hard-pressed to find me sparring partners, and at age fifteen, I met her.

In those days, everyone knew how to wield a sword, but true masters of weapons were rare. My father decided when I was young that I would grow to be a weapons master. I trained from that day on.

The day I met her was cold and rainy. Normally I like rain, it has a refreshing feeling to it, which is why I remember this rain distinctly. This rain was the least refreshing rain I have ever felt; it was freezing cold and more of a mist, or drizzle even, instead of an actual downpour. She stood there in the rain as I attempted my normal training, consisting of a dummy and a dull sword. I ran through moves and stances, exaggerating every one. The rain was causing the ground to turn to mud and I couldn’t find my footing. When I finally noticed her watching me, her beauty took me aback and I missed my footing and fell.

Her eyes were the first things I noticed, blue with a tint of green at times. Next was her hair, long, straight, and dark-blonde, which she had tucked behind her ears. As she smiled her whole face started to shine, her teeth peeked through her thin, but full lips. As I slowly struggled to my feet she started to laugh, nothing more than a soft giggle, but laughter none the less. I could feel my cheeks turn red even in the cold rain.

I stammered a greeting to her; she flashed a smile that melted my insides.

“I’m Katarina,” she told me and then ran off down the road.

“My name’s Joem,” I called out to her. I didn’t see her again for a week and a half.

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As normal I was going through my usual trainings, she was walking towards the market when I saw her. Once again she had been watching me as I trained alone.

“Do you always do this alone?” she asked me when she realized I had seen her watching.

“Well I used to work with my father, but once I regularly beat him, he just has me run through positions, styles and moves until he finds someone to spar with me.”

“What all can you do?” she asked softly.

“Well I learned to wield most weapons, and how to improvise in a time of need, of course one of the first things I learned was martial arts, so weapons aren’t always needed.”

“That’s incredible, I wish I knew how to do some of that,” she softly.

“Well it really isn’t that difficult, you just have to know what to do.”

“What do you do?” she asked in awe.

“Well come here, I’ll show you.” She walked over to me and I wondered what I should show her. “First, you have to get the proper stance down.”

I spent the rest of the day teaching her some of the basics of martial arts. She picked it up quickly, but it took a lot for me to keep teaching her. I finally started to realize what it means to move from student to teacher. It is one thing to know how, but another to be able to teach what you know. At the end of the afternoon, she was tired from training, and I was mentally exhausted.

“I want to learn more!” she said with enthusiasm.

“Well we can work some more tomorrow, until then, keep in mind what I said, and meet me here sometime tomorrow.”

“Sounds wonderful,” she said softly, half-skipping away.

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We worked everyday for nine months, and she quickly learned everything I taught her. Before I knew it, we started working on weapon training, which she picked up almost faster than the martial arts. The day before my sixteenth birthday my dad pulled me aside to talk.

“Son, tomorrow you turn sixteen. I have raised you to be a fighter, but what you do with your life is your choice. There are things I would like you to keep in mind. First, the Kings Army is always looking for fine fighters, like you. But second, and more importantly, you can always find people who will need your help. What you choose is up to you, just be sure that whatever you do, you enjoy it. That is all I can tell you. I’m proud of you son, no matter what. If I remember right though, you have a beautiful young woman to go train with!” He winked at me when he said this, and I felt myself flush.

“How did you…”

“You think I don’t watch you as you train?”

“I just didn’t,” I stammered.

“Everyone knows, now get out of here!” he hollered as I ran to my training grounds.

When I reached the grounds Katarina was already warming up.

“Hey beautiful, mind if I join you?” I yelled my typical greeting to her. We had become close friends through our training, and there was little about me she didn’t know.

“Do I ever?” she asked in return. My answer was to sprint down the slight decline to her, then show off with a few flips. After a few more minutes of warming up we started our usual training. After nine months of training we could read each other’s every move. There were no surprises anymore, just fluid transitions from one motion to the next. No matter what we threw at each other, neither of us could surprise the other.

Around noon when we took our short lunch break she asked me what I planned to do.

“What do you mean Katarina?” I wondered.

“Joem, tomorrow is your sixteenth birthday. Tomorrow you are officially an adult. What are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure, possibly go and become an adventurer of sorts and help those in need. I could join the King’s Army. Someday I might even open up a training studio, I just don’t know. Tomorrow came too soon for me to figure everything out.”

“Joem, you know I’ll be there for you, no matter what you choose, right?” she said hesitantly.

“I know. We are friends, good ones at that. I know you’ll be there for me.”

“Good, now finish eating, I’m ready to work some more!” she exclaimed with a fire in her eyes.

“Just don’t feel bad when I beat you again,” I said with a laugh, she just glared at me and picked up a discarded staff. I reached for the closest weapon and found a flail. She threw something at my head and I ducked, after that we dove into training once more.

As evening approached we stopped our endless training as said our goodnights.

“Are we going to train tomorrow?” Katarina asked.

“I think this will be our last training session unless you follow me where I end up heading.”

“Then yes, it is.”

“I’m sorry, Katarina, but it is time for me to leave this town and make something of my life. Hey, we will talk more tomorrow, I, just need…time. Time to think, and figure out what I’m going to do. I’ll find you tomorrow, I promise!” I said softly.

“Not if I find you first,” she said as an attempted joke, neither of us laughed. “Well, tomorrow then.”

“Yeah, tomorrow.”

We both walked away, obviously deep in thought. I still wonder what was on her mind that evening, but I guess I’ll never know.

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I woke up, the day of my birthday, to my father pounding on my door.

“Son! Get up, there’s trouble!”

I jumped out of bed and threw on the closest clothes to me. It just happened to be my fighting suit. Skin tight and dark red, I pulled it on as fast as I could and ran out to my father, still dressing.

“What’s wrong?” I yelled as I ducked an object that flew into our little home.

“Bandits!”

I let fly a slew of words that I didn’t even realize I knew.

“How many?”

“I don’t know. I can’t get a good count. All I do know is that the more that we take down, the more rise up to take their places,” he said in exasperation.

“Have you seen Katarina today?” I demanded.

“No,” came his answer, his expression told me more than a thousand words could have.

“I’m going to find her!” I said as I picked up the nearest weapon and ran out the door. It wasn’t until I killed the nearest bandit that I even realized what it was I had picked up. It was a chain covered in spikes. In that moment I realized that sixteen years of work was starting to finally pay off. I had reached for a weapon, grabbed one of the most obscure choices I can think of, and used it without thought. I had truly become the master of weapons my father had raised me to become.

I sprinted to Katarina’s home and burst through the door. I ducked as something whizzed by my head with a whistle.

“What took you so long!” she demanded when she realized it was me. “And why the hell didn’t you warn me it was you, I almost killed you.”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I was just worried about you,” I said yelling at first, but growing softer towards the end.

“Thanks for the sentiment, but we have bandits to take care of!” She picked up the weapons sitting next to her; two short sticks with curved blades on the end.

“Interesting choice!” I said.

“You sure are one to talk,” she said, noting my chain. “At least kamas’ are a little simpler than those damn chains!”

I just laughed as we flew out of the building. I watched her out of the corner of my eye, a tornado of blades and flesh, cutting through bandit after bandit. Now I did my part, you can be sure of that. Normally the best thing to do with a chain is to use one end to trip and the spikes on the other to make a killing blow, but both ends have spikes, so both can be used on different opponents at the same time. As fast as I went though, she went faster. To this day I haven’t seen anyone fight with greater control or speed; I was truly amazed. When I realized that she only did so thanks to my training I felt a pride I haven’t felt since.

By noon the few bandits left had fled to where they had come from. My father took charge of getting the town back to normal.

“Someone, count the casualties! Anyone who knows anything about healing, help the injured, I don’t care if they are bandit or our people. If you aren’t doing that, start getting rid of the bandit bodies, and do a quick count while you are at it.”

Both Katarina and I worked with the injured, healing where we could. We didn’t talk at all, for we both knew that I was supposed to have left already. She kept glancing towards me, but every time I looked at her she would turn her head quickly. That evening we were still treating injuries; she came over when the last one was done to talk to me. I stood up, and then staggered to gain my footing. Katarina immediately noticed something was wrong.

“Joem, let me see your leg,” she said softly.

“Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. I’m just tired from the day.” I tried a few steps to prove to her that I was fine, but almost fell over before I finished the first.

“Joem! Sit down before you fall down!” she scolded me. I sat down mumbling about how this was all unnecessary. As I sat down though, I noticed a growing pain in the back of my leg. The thing I love the most about my fighting outfit is the fact that it won’t stain from blood, it being the same color. The problem that arises though, is that it won’t show injury either. As Katarina inspected my leg she let out a startled gasp, then called for another healer. I slowly moved my hand to feel where the pain was growing and I noticed three metallic lumps. I slowly moved my leg to see what they were. I saw the tips of three spikes in my leg.

“Why didn’t you tell someone about this when we started working on the injuries?” Katarina was livid, I was afraid to say anything.

“I didn’t notice,” I stumbled after a few seconds.

“How could you not notice?” she demanded. Luckily for me that is when the healer arrived and I was saved from more questions, though the two of them continued to scold at me until almost midnight. Finally I was allowed to leave where I went home, the last place I expected to be, and slept.

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When I woke up the next morning I heard my father talking to someone in the next room. I dressed slowly and limped into the next room. When I saw Katarina sitting there with the healer and my father, I straightened up and walked regularly, despite the pain.

“So how do you feel?” the healer asked.

“I feel fine, in fact its time I left. I am sixteen, officially a man. It is time for me to leave and make something of myself,” I said strongly.

“You aren’t going anywhere in that condition. You can’t travel, your wounds still haven’t healed!” Katarina yelled irately.

“It is time, Katarina! I have to go, I can’t stay here forever.”

“Katarina, it is his choice. He can do whatever he wishes,” the healer said softly.

“But he can’t do it alone, not until that wound heals. Joem, you can’t survive like that for long.”

“Katarina, it is his choice. If you have a problem with it, then go with him. If he needs help, you go with him. If he wants to go, then he goes,” father said, obviously weary of the conversation.

“Come on, Katarina, I’m fine, and if it is really that much of a problem, you can come with me.”

“I can’t do this, if you want to go get yourself killed that’s fine, but I’m not dealing with it,” Katarina yelled, stood up and stormed out. I knew there was nothing to say to her, so I followed suit and finished my preparations for leaving. When I was finished I reached for my bow, sheathed my favorite sword and prepared to leave. Since I couldn’t find Katarina, I said farewell to my father and headed west on the road leading through our town, limping slightly, but too proud to let it slow me down.

“Joem, wait!”

A voice came from behind me just as I reached the top of the first rise out of town. As I turned I noticed a javelin flying towards me. Out of habit I ducked, grabbed the javelin out of the air and threw it back. Katarina caught it, and in one fluid motion stuck it in the ground.

“You can’t leave yet. I just wanted to say, well, I don’t know.”

“Katarina, don’t worry, I’m fine.”

“Joem, all I ask is that you come back to us. Don’t go dying on me.”

“Katarina, I’m not going to die. I’ll be just fine, and in a few years I’ll be back.” With that I left, and I didn’t look back.

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I traveled around the wilderness, helping where I could for three years. During that time I killed an evil wizard, ousted a brooding baron, stopped a conniving rogue, and ended a war between two heads of underworld crime circles. I had been sending letters home to father, but also to Katarina, and I had received two letters from them. Both had taken five or six months to reach me, because I kept moving, but eventually I got them. Finally a messenger found me personally.

Before he even spoke I knew there was trouble in my home, he only confirmed it. I immediately set out to go home for the first time in three years. It took me two weeks to reach the village. When I arrived I was dirty, I smelled horrid, and I needed to shave, but I was home. I started relaxing when I was a hundred yards from the first house, until a small object flew towards me. It missed my head by about a foot, but it was obvious that the one behind it could have killed me if that was their goal. I stopped where I was and waited patiently, instantly alert.

“Your kind truly is disgusting,” a call came from behind the nearest tree, the same place the object had come from. “You can’t fight very well, so you disguise yourselves as those we haven’t seen in years, hoping to gain an advantage.”

“What are you…”

“Quiet! I won’t listen to your lies anymore!” a woman stepped out from behind the tree, I couldn’t see her face, but her voice was unmistakable.

“Katarina, what are you talking about. Its me, Joem!” I cried.

“Do not try to trick me, I already saw through your disguise. You will leave now or you will die!” As she talked she grabbed a small metal object out of a pouch on her hip. I noticed it was a tiny throwing dagger that would rip skin and muscle to shreds. Before I could say or do anything she flicked the dagger at me with a speed I hadn’t seen in years. I ducked, but not quite soon enough; the dagger slid straight through the outer part of my arm. “The next one will be aimed for your head!”

“Katarina, its me! Stop this!” She just threw another one, which grazed my ribs as I dove out of the way. I drew my sword finally, desperate to not get hit again. As a fourth dagger flew, I hit it out of the air with my sword.

“I see, you wish to fight me. Then let me get my own weapon!” Katarina yelled, picking her favored kamas’ up from a nearby hiding spot. She sprinted towards me, and as she passed she struck with both kamas, I parried one of the kamas and dodged the other.

“Katarina, I don’t want to fight you.”

“Die!” she replied, attacking again. I could barely keep up with her attacks, I parried then dodged, dodged then parried, until both of us started to slow.

“Katarina, I see you continued to train, but if you want to kill me, then so be it,” I said. She stopped attacking for a few seconds and I sheathed my sword and dropped to my knees in front of her. “Make it quick at least, for old times sake.”

“Oh my god, Joem, you’re alive.” She squealed and dove at me, grasping as though she would never let go. “I was afraid you had died. We hadn’t heard from you for almost a year. Your father died, we needed you. I sent a messenger who hasn’t returned. I was so scared.”

“Father died?” I asked in shock.

“Yes, almost two months ago. We sent the messenger the next day,” she said softly, relaxing her grip just a bit. “I know who did it, but I need help to get to him. Together we can save this town, and avenge your father.”

“Who did it?”

“About a year ago a man came in and demanded payment to not destroy the town. He killed my father, but spared my mother and me. There was nothing I could do. One on one I could have killed him, but he had three very strong bodyguards,” she trailed off, deep in memory. “But now, together, we can avenge both of our fathers, and stop him from continuing to exploit the town.”

“Where is he?” I asked slowly.

“In a tower, not far from here. We’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll see you then,” I said in shock.

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The next morning I was waiting for Katarina before the sun even rose. I had on the same outfit I had worn the day the bandits attacked. My sword was in its sheath, my bow strapped to my back. I was ready for anything. I wanted revenge for my father, yes, but I was more interested in saving the town than revenge. I hadn’t quite expected to go looking for trouble, but I knew I didn’t have much of a choice.

We left as the sun rose, a beautiful, blood-red ball, slowly rising in the sky. I found the color fitting, after all, one way or another; spilt blood was in my future. We didn’t speak as I followed her to the tower. When we reached it she said a few words about what we were looking for. As we entered the building we drew our weapons, she had her kamas’, I drew my sword. Puetya, the one we were looking for, was standing at the top of the stairs as we entered; ten guards were standing at the base. He stood around six and a half feet tall, and had short brown hair. His face was gaunt, and looked like it hadn’t seen sun in years. Around the edges of the circular room were bookshelves lined with books. Other than the staircase taking up most of the room, and the bookshelves; it was empty.

“I knew you would come with him, Katarina. As you can clearly see, I am prepared for you,” Puetya said. “If you surrender now, I will let you live.”

“You killed our fathers. You took everything I had away, why would we surrender? You will die, Puetya,” Katarina screamed.

“And do you have anything to say for yourself Joem? I did kill your father yes, but he attacked me, don’t hate me, just grieve your father and be done. That town isn’t even your home anymore. Why do you even care?”

“I’m not here for revenge, I’m here because people need me and that is what I do. You are taking advantage of those I care about, you will stop, or you will perish. Make your choice.”

Puetya looked at me, then at Katarina, and walked up the stairs as his guards attacked. The closest guard fell to one of Katarina’s thrown daggers. The next fell at my feet when my blade entered his heart, seconds before he would have hit me. I didn’t watch the third and fourth, Katarina took care of them behind me. We were standing almost back-to-back, fighting for our lives once more. By the time I had killed the fifth they had us surrounded. The remaining five didn’t fall quite as easily. Ten minutes later there were two guards left.

“Katarina, go get Puetya, I’ll clean up down here,” I hollered, parrying one of the attacks. As she rushed up the stairs one of the guards tried to follow her, but I kicked the other and stabbed him in the back, leaving only one guard. “If you walk out now, I won’t kill you.”

“I’ll never run,” he growled, attacking once more, I blocked the attack, twirled around him and watched as my sword went through his ribs. He slackened and fell. From above me I heard a scream and I took off for the stairs. As I reached the top step I saw Katarina fall to the floor, without thinking I dived and knocked Puetya’s blade away from Katarina. I immediately attacked with a fury I didn’t think possible. I don’t remember much of the battle, but I do remember that when he fell I rushed to Katarina. I bent down and scooped her into my arms.

“Joem, I’m not going to make it,” she said softly.

“You’ll be just fine. You are going to make it,” I said soothingly.

“Joem, no…”

“Save your strength,” I pleaded.

“Listen, Joem, I am going to die here. I just want you to know. That the day you left, I wanted to come, I just.”

“I know, Katarina, I know.”

“Joem, listen, please, I don’t have much time. I love you, Joem, and I’m sorry I never told you before now.”

“I love you too, Katarina.”

“I’ll see you on the other side, Joem,” she whispered as her last breath escaped her lips. To this day I cannot tell you what happened after that. All I know for certain is that a week later I was back in my home. That night, I burned my house to the ground. I had lost everything but that building, so in honor of my father, my mother, and the woman of my dreams, I burned it down, never to return again. The hardest thing I’ve ever done was burning that house, because it meant admitting that they were all gone. Compared to the house, the quick funeral was easy. Love is a strange thing; it is one of the few things in life that hurts both when you find it and when you lose it.

After I burned my home I traveled for another four years, never really seeing people, just traveling. Finally I ended up in a far away city and opened up a training house, where I trained young boys and girls, starting at age six. I named it “House of the Kama” in memory of Katarina’s favorite weapon.

I’ve lived for almost eighty long years, and I’ve never found someone who made me feel the same as Katarina did. I finally gave my training house to the most promising student I had, she reminded me of Katarina, proud and strong. Recently I’ve wondered if maybe there is another life ahead of me. I can’t wait to see it. My time here is coming to an end, but I don’t regret a second of my life. I am proud of what I’ve done. All I can hope for is to meet Katarina again, whether it is in an afterlife, or a second life. I think I will.

I’ve realized that hope is what life is about, and also what death is about. Without hope we have nothing. Without hope we fear death, but we shouldn’t. Death is just another adventure, and I know I will be able to handle it. Even when I thought I had lost it all I had hope, so now I go on my final adventure, full of hope, and if I’m lucky, I’ll meet Katarina again, and all will be as it once was.