Tak....... Tak.Tak... Tak....Tak.....Tak.....
The sound of wood on wood filled the woods. Kinabuhi felt confidence in his form now, his hands no longer hurt from the vibrations of the arnis when struck.
Tak.Tak... Tak..... Tak. Tak....... Tak. Tak... Tak... Tak....... Tak. Tak.......
He could strike faster now without flinching, he could hit harder now without fear of letting his weapon go. At first his hands would ache so badly he couldn't hold anything for days but now, he has let go of the pain instead.
When you are in a situation where the wrong move could mean death.... pain is nothing but an annoyance
That is what Manaul said when Kinabuhi complained, it was his fourteenth year when his training started. Manaul was relentless, any day that Kinabuhi was able, training would start from dawn till dusk with only two breaks.
Tak. Tak... Tak. Tak..... Tak. Tak..... Tak. Tak. Tak... Tak..... Tak.....
Then Kinabuhi saw it, an opening... Manauls' right arm is raised too high from his recent block. All Kinabuhi has to do was dash a bit forward and hit him in the ribs with his left arnis, both of their left hands were free but if he attacked first he could not retaliate. Kinabuhi went immediately with his plans, he could feel his blood rushing, as last he could beat his guro.
His left arm was on its way to deliver its strike when he felt a hand grab his right. With a counterclock-wise spin Manaul's back was now facing him, it was as if he was hugging his teacher when Manaul suddenly bent over and twisted his wrist. Kinabuhi felt the twisting pain in his arms and he himself flipped forward and found himself lying on his back.
"Well that was careless of you Kinabuhi." Manaul spoke "If you see an enemy with an obviously painful opening, be more attentive most likely its a trap."
"Opo, guro." Kinabuhi replied.
Manaul offered his hand and Kinabuhi grabbed it to lift himself up. Then Manaul put his arnis below Kinabuhi's chin and raised his face a bit.
"Remember, you have excellent eyes, it is your greatest weapon, never let your sight leave the enemy... with proper training I bet you could even dodge lightning." Manaul turned his back and walked away "...come before the rice is overcooked. The sun is at its peak, we must eat."
Manaul was the only person Kinabuhi ever knew in his life. He was his friend, parent and guro all in one. Ever since he was little he was taught everything about survival, how to find water, if the land would yield good crops, how the weather would fare till the end of the day and until by the morrow. Now he was being taught how to fight, his first lessons were bare handed fighting. Now he is being trained with weapons. They sat down and Kinabuhi began to eat. Manaul has always been a weird person, his most eye catching quality is that he is wearing a large bird's skull on his head. His whole identity screams questions, beneath his mask he could never tell wether Manaul was a man or a woman, even his voice could not betray him. Sometimes it is as soft and caring as a mother's and other times it was hard and stern as a father's. Manaul's body on the other hand is always covered in sari as white as the clouds which mysteriously, never seems to get dirty, but as long as they cared for each other Kinabuhi never cared, Manaul was everything he have after all.
"It looks like your body has now adapted to the arnis..." Manaul began while Kinabuhi was eating "Have you noticed why the arnis is a weapon with out an edge?"
Kinabuhi thought deeply then he swallowed his food "Because it was not meant to draw blood?" The cylindrical wooden weapon would never bite it's target.
