Chapter 18:
“Indeed.” I said, gaping. Alright, so this boy could totally kill me in one slash of his sword…no need to be intimidated. Lucky for myself, I have my own imperial gold sword. Let’s go fight some evil demons and beat them to the death and live happily ever after. Wow I am one big walking cliché.
The fluffy clouds started lowering to the ground when it started to rain. Kyle slid down the cloud on a slide made of raindrops. He did not seem to be the slightest bit wet. I followed his ways on my own waterslide. I swear I feel like I am going to fall at any possible second. Somehow, water seems to be really sturdy. As soon as I hit the bottom, the scenery changed. We went from the clearing of a forest to a sandy beach. Shit, not another beach. Set up across the beach were dummies. All of them had the most beautiful faces ever, like angels. They looked so real. Hot girls in bikinis…my brain better stop thinking right now.
Kyle looked straight at the largest dummy that stood in front. This one, however, looked only like a black punching bag. All the other dummies suddenly had either the face of Brook, Rose, or a boy with blue and green hair. This, I assumed, must be Gavin. They were all wearing battle armor.
“Sword at the ready. Show no mercy to any of these assholes.” Kyle, as it seems, is furious. I am curious, as well as beginning to worry, that this is some sort of revenge plot. In which case, this could end up being much more brutal than I ever would have hoped. I only wish to maim, never kill.
“Kyle,” my curiosity is getting the better of me… “What do you wish to do once we actually find them? Like do you want to capture them or…”
“We are going to kill them, dumbass.”
“I never signed up for murder.”
“Murder or be murdered, man. I’ll teach you how to fight. Survival of the fittest, that’s how it works around here.”
I nodded my head, too crestfallen to say anything. I can’t cry in front of Kyle. Considering how short this kid is, he actually has quite a bit of muscle. I have the advantage of being taller, but that’s where the advantages end. I may be forgetting about what happened at the beach with Rose, but I keep telling myself that it was an optical allusion, that I am still some gangly kid who still hasn’t grown into his own skin. It has been so long since I’ve actually seen a mirror, how am I supposed to know what I look like? I could have a scar going across half of my head and I wouldn’t know it!
Life has gotten too weird. I picked up my gold sword with the silver hilt and Kyle picked up his own. “Just follow along with me.” He stepped forward with his left foot, lunged and jabbed with his right. Then he twisted around in the air, like a sideways somersault and stabbed the sword straight through the top of the dummies head. This one just happened to be Rose. I decided the best one to start with would be Gavin because I had never met him. I had no, well let’s just say, emotional baggage, with him.
Think, Owen, think. Alright, step, jab, lunge. No, that’s not right. Lunge, step, jab? No.
“Oh come on it’s not that hard. Step, lunge, jab. Simple moves. What’s holding you back?”
“I never wanted to kill anyone.” I said shyly.
“They’re demons, they’re a threat to society. Come on, where is your inner demon?”
“I thought we were fighting demons…”
“Really, dude? I’m trying to give a speech here, don’t ruin it.”
“Sorry,”
“God, you are so sensitive, I’m only messing with you, chillax. No but seriously, step, lunge, jab.”
I simply nodded again. I need to learn how to fight. Or, at least appear like I know how. I need a plan. A plan to not kill, but make it look like I can fight, make it look like I am strong. I will never kill Rose. Brook, I can deal with, Gavin, I’m not sure if he is even alive, but if I have to hurt Rose, I rather kill myself.
Oh I was angry. I was furious. Kyle can’t make me do this. Step, lunge, jab. A mark where his heart would be if he were real. The gold is making the plastic of the dummy smoke. Damn, I really don’t want to be struck by one of these…
The shock of the effect of the sword soon wore off when I saw the look on Kyle’s face. He was taking turns at gaping between me and the dummy. The hole in the chest of “Gavin” was getting larger as moments passed. It seemed as if blood were dripping down its body. Real human blood, not some cheap movie props like ketchup. This didn’t happen to Kyle. He finally closed his mouth but soon opened it again. He said three words.
“You’re the one.”