Another night had passed and another morning came. Tym and Kaioshin were up as usual as the sun peaked over the horizon. Today would be the final day of training. Today, would be the day Tym taught Kaioshin how to master the use of a sword.
During the night, however, Kaioshin had received a disturbing message. During the time he was outside with Nishi, a rolled up piece of paper had literally zoomed down into his head. The message written was from the evil queen herself.
My Prince,
I have given you more than enough time to think over you decision. You have until the night of the next full moon. If you do not come to me with your decision of whether to be my king or not, your people will feel my wrath. Choose wisely…
Your Queen,
Zenika
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Kaioshin had until that night to learn how to handle his grandfather’s sword. He held the weapon in his hand, not really sure what to do.
“That sword is no ordinary weapon,” Master Tym explained as he used his cane to help him walk around Kaioshin. “It can deflect small blasts of energy without shattering like any normal sword would. You’re grandfather had once told me that when he learned to use it, the sword seemed to become a part of him, almost helping him fight.”
Kaioshin turned the weapon over in his hand, eyeing the shiny gold handle. The blade itself was polished enough to see one’s own reflection. “How long will it take?”
“You must make it in less than twelve hours. If you haven’t learned by then, you’ll be forced to fight without it. Though it can’t win your battle, it can help you keep an arm or two.”
Nishi watched as Tym demonstrated with his own sword how to gracefully swing it back and forth without dropping it. Kaioshin had handled that fairly well, but when it came time to fight sword to sword with Tym, he couldn’t seem to keep his grip.
“You must hold tightly Kaioshin. Your opponent is liable to use full strength against you.” As he moved his sword, his shoulder cracked. “I wish I could show you how I was able to use these things. I was one of the best, so they say.” He went over to the rock and sat down next to Nishi, leaning his sword up against it.
“Master Tym, you must show me!” Kaioshin said. “You can’t be giving up now! I have less than ten hours!”
Master Tym held up his hand. “I will not show you, Kaioshin. I’m too old to play with weapons.”
Kaioshin threw his sword to the ground. “I will not let you give up!” He yelled. “I have spent a week preparing for this battle. I have run hundreds of miles carrying sand bags that weighed three times as much as I do, I have spent an entire day in the blazing heat fighting and training, and now the last thing I must learn to do, you’re too tired to teach me!?” Anger was very obvious in the prince’s eyes.
“Calm down, boy. I’m glad to see, and hear, that you have finally learn to appreciate everything you have done,” Tym said.
“So this was just a test? A test to see if I would become upset or let the whole ordeal drop?”
“Basically.”
Kaioshin frowned and then chuckled. “So, we’ll continue…”
“No,” Tym said, whipping the smile off of Kaioshin’s face once again. “You will continue. With Kibito.”
Kaioshin thought he heard wrong. “Kibito?”
“Surely you remember your own bodyguard,” Tym asked.
“Kibito is dead. Everyone in the castle was killed,” Kaioshin reminded him.
“Hmm, you’re right yet you are so wrong. Everyone except Kibito and yourself were killed in the castle fire.” At that moment, as if right on cue, a large pink skinned, white haired man flew in and landed on the ground.
“K-Kibito?” Kaioshin asked, thinking his eyes deceived him.
Kibito bowed at his young master. Tym smiled. “Took you long enough,” he said jokingly. “I had to keep the boy amused for two hours with that sword.”
“Forgive me, Master Tym,” Kibito said, picking up the sword Tym had used.
Nishi couldn’t help but giggle at Kaioshin’s confused face. “I…I don’t understand. You’re not a master swordsman then?”
“Of course I am! I was one of the best; I told you that! But I can’t use the sword as well as I used to. Arthritis you know,” he said. “And if you’re still wondering how Kibito survived, it was because he was bringing your grandfather’s sword to me the morning of the terrorism. He was lucky to have left when he did, otherwise I’d have to teach you.”
“I thought you had the sword already from long ago…”
“Nooo,” Tym said.
“Your father never would’ve parted with it. He felt the negative energy coming towards the planet the morning of your birthday,” Kibito explained. “He told me to take the sword to Master Tym, because he was to find you and teach you as he has done.”
Kaioshin was completely confused now. “So…let me get this straight. My father knew for a fact that Zenika was coming, yet he didn’t do anything about it?”
“He knew she was coming, but also knew that there would be a panic if he had let it be known. Besides, he had told me to hurry, and I wasn’t gone more than five minutes when I heard the first explosion. He didn’t have enough time to do anything about it,” Kibito informed.
“But…he knew that Zenika wouldn’t kill me right away because of how I was…”
“He also knew that you had left the castle,” Kibito pointed out.
“He…did?” Kaioshin had thought no one knew.
“Yes.” Kibito put the sword in his other hand and then back. “He wanted to talk to you before the ceremony, but no one could find you. One of the servants came and told him that your balcony doors were open. When your mother heard that you had left and that Zenika had come, she ran off to your room. I was being told my orders at the time she did so, but I figured she went up to warn you to leave when you came back.”
That explains why I found her in my room… Kaioshin lifted the sword up. “Kibito, you must show me. Now.” Kibito nodded and his training began.