Prologue
85 1 2
X
Reading Options
Font Size
A- 15px A+
Width
Reset
X
Table of Contents
Loading... please wait.

"Swordsmen."

"Since ancient times the art of the blade has been mastered by those who are worthy and passed down to generations. From its baptism forth, the sword is said to become the swordsman's lone friend, the embodiment of his soul, and using it correctly, a swordsman can become invincible. A swordsman always chooses the path that they themselves want to follow. There is no such thing as righteous or evil, there is only the path they chose. Because a swordsman knows that no matter what, this is what they wanted. And until that blade breaks, until their soul fades away, no matter what, they will keep walking forward. They will never look back..."

Reading the book's prologue out loud, I could feel my voice getting more excited every second.
"Look Pandora! They have more information about the newest<<Arm Masters>>! And oh! look!! There are even unique sword models displayed, like this one named<<Bloomed Clover>> or this <<God's Dawn>> one!"
"Are you done?" Sitting next to me was the all-time stubborn childhood friend of mine: Pandora Sayers. 

A rather tomboyish girl wearing blue jeans and a white shirt with a pink jacket on top.
She had brown eyes,medium-long light brown hair tied in a ponytail, and a silver necklace in the shape of an egg around her neck.
She was wearing a white baseball hat and was munching on a dry piece of grass.
That was my always fired up childhood friend, alright.

"What do you mean <<Are you done>> you pancake?! Isn't ze moi's narrating ability great enough for your tastes?"
Hearing her reply to my Godly narration was enough to light the fire.
"WHAT??!! Of course I would ask that! You have told me about this book of yours 50 times already! And for god's sake, don't call me pancake!!"
 Her almost delinquent-like expression wasn't new to me.

"Oh come on, I just wanted you to be ready for when you arrive"
"Ran, it's the school of your dreams too, you know"
"As always, you're wrong pancake"
"Don't call me pancake! I'll hit you" As she was complaining I started explaining.

"<<Tsurugi Academy>>  isn't just any regular school you know! It's a swordsman's dream! They have all the top-quality facilities for a young lad like me, to achieve his dreams! God!! I still remember watching their commercial, when I was younger over and over again while shouting their catchphrase"
Talking about it gave me a nostalgic feeling, and yet again I remembered the past.

"Tsurugi Academy! All the way back 70 years ago, the founder of the academy made a decision: Come! Come! I, Tsurugi Takagi will say just this! My academy will become the jewel of all swordsmanship! From now on and even after I die, it doesn't matter how experienced you are! If you carry a passion for swordsmanship, you can become the greatest, the most magnificent, the most outstanding swordsman!! This academy will make it happen! If you don't believe me, then do not worry! We accept 100 new students every year! Do not be afraid, and become a part of them! Do not give up! And if you believe you cannot do it, do not worry. When you say you can't, we say you can!! 
So all of you, fans of swordsmanship, you can be what you want to be! Just remember Tsurugi Academy's motto! When you say you can't, we say YOU CAN!!".

"When you say you can't, WE say you can...I remember it too, but if you like it so much why don't you come with me??" Upon her words, I frowned.
"Pandora we have talked about this already...I'm not cut out to be a swordsman! Since I was born my body was weak... Heck! I have never even wielded a sword before!"
"That's not right, we would always play sword fighting when we were younger"
"That's different! Swinging a stick around doesn't make you a swordsman!"
"Still...you seemed very good at it... You even beat me at it that time, when we had a fight and didn't want to talk to each other" Remembering the past I laughed a little.
"Yeah we were always like that, weren't we?" 
Afterwards, I let a sigh.

"My dad told me to support the family, so he decided to send me over to a law academy that he has connections with. It might have been my fault too though...Oh yeah before I forget! hold this for a minute"
Giving my application form to Pandora I quickly ran towards the bathrooms of the station to wash my hands.
"DAMN IT!" I pulled back my arm and gave a hard punch to the bathroom wall.

It was frustration, That was all I could feel.
My dream was taken out of my arms and it wasn't even my fault, of course, I would feel like that.
But it was futile, no matter the struggle I couldn't change what already had been done.
"ATTENTION! ATTENTION! Five minutes remaining until the departure of the trains with the destination of Cala Lilly and Minami city. Please each passenger may pass through the main gate."
"We have to go Pandora, Quick!" I wiped the frustration off my face and grabbed the application form that had my name on it, ready to start running when the speaker sounded again.

"Every student that wish to apply to their desired academy may show up at office 52 "
The sound that came out of it, made me frown again.
"Oh come on you big sissy we must hurry up" Grabbing my arm, Pandora ran with all her strength, which had as a result us being the first to arrive there.

"Good afternoon" Arriving at the office, we were greeted by a bald man wearing a black suit and sunglasses.
"You're here to apply for your desired academies are you not? If so then don't hesitate to come in"
"Yes we're ready, come on Ran" Pulling my arm Pandora dragged me inside the office.

"You two must be Sayers and Sugiyama...Welcome! My name is Borugh Shouji, but please just call me Mr.Shouji or Sir. Now...I should take those applications of yours, but I should warn you! If you have second thoughts, you better back down now."
He seemed rather muscular,The way a police officer or a bodyguard would look like.

Immediately the anxiety took over me.
It's normal for someone to be having second thoughts in a situation like this.
But I didn't have a choice.
Pandora quickly handed her application form as I nervously handed mine.

"Let's see now..." Mr.Shouji examined the application forms thoroughly as we were waiting for the time of departing.
And all so suddenly he stopped reading and looked towards us.
For some reason, I could feel the aura in the room changing completely.
I stared at him as my heart started beating faster by the second.

No...not only mine. Pandora's as well.
It was definitely beating faster, I could hear it.
Upon our nervousness, Mr. Shouji looked back at the paper sheets.
{Was he angry about something?}
I was still thinking when he slammed gently the bottom of the sheets on the table in front of him and smiled.

"Okay. You two are good to go!" Me and Pandora both gave a sigh of relief.
Afterwards Mr. Shouji put the paper sheets inside a drawer and opened the door for us to leave.
It was time for us to head outside towards the train platforms.
I felt that uneasiness again. 
My heart was still beating incredibly fast.

Knowing that our time to depart was just around the corner, I started thinking.
{Why don't I want me and Pandora to depart? What is she to me?} Questions like those filled my mind.
Pandora...she was my childhood friend! We were together since I could remember.
{I can still remember way back...we were always competing one another! It's funny. I can still remember the day we first met. I thought she was a guy at first and looked up to her like I would do to my own big brother...If I had one that is.}
It didn't matter though. This was something I could not avoid.
As we were walking towards the exit, I slapped my cheeks and took the first step.

It was sunset outside.
I could feel the afternoon breeze passing through me as I was looking at the orange sky.
"It's beautiful, that's really something I could see in a painting..."
The scenery was truly magnificent.
So much that I couldn't take my eyes off it.

Up until we arrived in front of the train I was going to take.
Tears started falling from my eyes.
I couldn't bear thinking about it.
The feeling of loneliness was growing with each passing second.
I couldn't help but cry until a chop on my head snapped me out of my sadness.
"YOU IDIOT!!" It really came to me as a surprise, so much that I fell on my back.
"The fact that we're going to different high schools, doesn't mean that we will never ever see each other again!!" That was just like her.

Stubborn, Loud, Tomboyish. Always Energetic and Optimistic.
{That's for sure my childhood friend.} And that was what I liked about her so much! What made me look up to her.
In my shock, she reached her hand and helped me stand up.
"But maaaan this mood is truly like a romance/drama movie. It really gets on my nerves."
I laughed at her comment.

"So? Have you calmed down a bit?"
That was rather unusual coming from her, she didn't even try to make fun of me, for being a crybaby like always.
"Yeah! Thank you Pandora" As I smiled she grabbed my hand and pulled me upwards.
"Try not to be so much of a crybaby next time." 
As I was looking at her, she made a huge grin on her face.
She ended up making fun of me after all.
"God you always make fun of me..." She then took something out of her pocket and placed it in the palm of my hand.

It looked like a green piece of cloth, which I found odd.
"It's a farewell present from me, but don't open it until you get inside the train. I hope you like it." Pandora doesn't usually give me gifts, so I was surprised as I put it in my pocket.
"Oh yeah and something else. Since we're about to get going I think this is the most appropriate time" I raised an eyebrow.

What else was there? That was something I wanted to find out.
It was still painful for me, to separate from the one person I adore more than anyone in this world.
What else could it be?
But what she had in store for me, was something I never would have expected.

As I was thinking about what could it be, she leaned towards me and kissed my lips.
My head was filled with questions.
Why did she do that? Why now? Why did she wait this long? We're about to depart.
But when I looked at her again a single question rose above the others.
{Was Pandora always this cute?} She pushed me back and with a quick jump, she landed inside the train.

I was shocked. I couldn't move nor think.
But a voice inside me was screaming.
Screaming for me to stand up.
Saying "Get your ass moving and catch up to her".
<<This cannot be the end>> 
And just like that, I started running.

Running fast without my mind being able to catch up.
I started shouting all these questions my mind was filled with.
"Why didn't you tell me before!!? Why me?? Why now??" I wanted to ask her that, but deep inside I was frustrated.
About me, I was mad with myself.

For how stupid I was, for not realizing her feelings quicker.
It was all my fault.
After some seconds, the train was gone... out of my sight.
I couldn't catch up...I wasn't able to get the answers I sought.
And thus, I fell on the ground. My legs wouldn't support me.

All I could hear now was the soft night breeze and the dead silence.
The noise of the train's whistle made me realize.
It was here at last. Mine as well, the time to depart.
I stood up, using the remaining of my strength to get inside the train.
I was tired. With all that happened this day, I couldn't help myself but walk inside the train.

A blond man who looked like a train conductor led me to my room where I fell asleep.
Still thinking hard about what happened and what's about to come.
But how could I know, that this day marked the start of my adventure to become the swordsman I so wished for.

                                                                                                                                        ---PROLOGUE END---

2