Greatest Swordsman

The fire rose among the forest, yet the burning sensation that I could feel was from my mother.

"Liang, my son. Promise me you'll become a great swordsman. Just like your father." were my mother's words as I was placed in the back of the cart.

It soon drove, leaving my mom crying as she waved her goodbye.

The memories still feel like it happened today, that incident kept haunting me for years. The thought of not being able to do anything was heart breaking.

This exact memory, that scene was haunting me for sixteen years.

"Liang, rise up. The food is ready." a voice comes behind the door.

I wiped the sweat in my forehead and the door. Outside was a family of three, two elderly couples and a kid.

"Liang, come sit down with us." I was greeted with a warm smile from an elderly woman.

I sat beside her, looking at the food presented on the table. I couldn't help but to salivate.

The old man in front of me grabs a plate and gives it to me.

"You should eat before the food gets cold." He said.

As soon as I got everything on my plate, I started savoring my hunger.

The family that adopted me was a distant relative of my mother, despite living in a small shack it's still a nice place to be in.

"Liang, what do you think about applying for Wei Yang? His management in the farm has been good lately, and he's in need of workers, good young ones."

Wei Yang? Though it's not a bad offer, considering the pay is good. I'd rather stay in the house and help granny with chores.

However, as I was deciding about this. I noticed this kid staring at me.

He was gazing at me a long stare, it was starting to become annoying.

"What?" I asked but he simply looked away. Though, I could see that he's annoyed.

What's the deal with this brat?

After giving it a long pause.

"Gramps, I'm gonna find them." I said to him which surprised everyone, even causing gramps to drop his spoon.

"Are you hearing yourself? Have you not remembered what happened back then?!" He screamed at me. I could see him shaking, sweat falling in his face.

The fear in his eyes was the same as mine.

Suddenly, he was tearing up.

"We already lost your mother..." He was sobbing. Looking down at the table.

He was immediately comforted by the kid who shouted at me.

"Don't you have any respect?!" says the kid.

I can't help but to feel bad about it but I took a deep breath and held my grandpa's hand.

However, this isn't enough to keep me staying here and let the nightmares hunt me. That's why...

"I have to. It's been haunting me for years... I... I have to know what really happened."

There's no turning back to this and I have to know the truth, I deserve to know the truth. Nothing will stop me from doing so.

"Fine." The old man calmed down and his voice became softer.

I can't help but to sigh heavily, not only there would be danger ahead but there's also more people I didn't know were out there.

"I know this is selfish, but let me prepare myself here before I go, that way. I won't have any regrets."

The words made the old man smile for a bit and simply nodded his head.

During that afternoon, I headed to the mountain. I began to reminisce about the past.

Why are there flames? Why can't my mother go with us? Why? Just why?

Those questions are one of the many.

Meditating at the peak calmed my mind even for a while, thinking of where I should head to. A sudden rustling in the bushes caught my attention.

I quickly stood up to try and see what was inside the bushes but it only began to shake even more.

As I approached it, the rustling stopped.

As I put my hand around the bushes, I touched something soft.

That's when the culprit hiding in the bushes came out and tackled me.

I let out a groan as this was a bulky boar.

The force it puts out while pushing me is enough to send me rolling back.

"This bastard!" I said as I struggled to stand up.

The boar was grunting while keeping its eyes at me.

Soon enough, the boar rushes at me again at the same speed however there's a momentum now and receiving a hit from this again might leave me with broken bones.

Panicking, I quickly jumped on the right dodging its rush.

The boar quickly turned back and started to head again in my direction.

Laying on the ground, I found a stick beside me. A sharp one at that so my instinct told me to grab it and stab it at the boar's head. Aimed directly at its skull.

"Take that!" I said as the boar screamed in pain, the squeal was so loud it scared most of the bird out of the forest.

The blood slowly spills in the boar and the sight of it makes my heart race. My heart also tightens and makes me weak. Even making me almost puke.

But this was the right move. Is it though? That's what I asked myself as I slowly sit up, beside the dead boar.

"What a scene!" I looked up to see a guy who walks toward the boar and pokes it.

"If you can't even handle a boar, then you might as well forget leaving this place, no?" He looked at me with a grin on his face.

"Jian Liu, give me a break." I said as Jian laughed at me before helping me get up.

"Have you ever dream of becoming the strongest?" I looked at Jian with a clear confusion on my face. I even looked at him like he's a weird guy and sighed.

"Being the strongest? Not really, I just want to find the truth about my past." Jian Liu looked at my response with the most boring face.

"You're no fun. I wanted to be the greatest!" Jian Liu proudly said while holding his sword handle and bumping that fist in my chest.

"The greatest? The greatest of what?" I really wasn't impressed by his answer and became even more confused by his real intention.

"Get to the point."

"A swordsman! Having to wield the sword is the coolest! You see, in heroes. Swords are their very best friend. It also signifies the mighty power." He said it proudly in my face.

"Greatest swordsman?" a sudden headache filled my head as I suddenly lost balance and groaned in pain.

Jian Liu saw me fall and immediately checked on me. But the pain was severe, it's a flashback.

"Liang! Are you okay?" he was touching my forehead to see if I was sick but the headache stopped soon after.

For my nightmare to even haunt even when i'm wide awake. It's becoming alarming at this point. I should act quick.

I grab on Jian's hands to stand up, still wobbling.

"Greatest swordsmanship." those words started to imprint on my mind even more. The word that my mom left me behind. Those words.

As the wind brushes in my face, I look at Jian with a clear set of goals in my eyes.

"Then let's aim for it." I put my fist forward, asking for him to bump in return.

His eyes lit up, he couldn't contain his excitement and bumped my fist back.

"You betcha!"

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