Requiem for a Dream
"What is a Sword ? "
The old man asked , his face embellished by his white hair , shining with radiance as he gently caressed the fine sword in his lap.
The young lad seated in front of him showed a confused expression.
His immature face was a clear reflection of his inexperience and the consequent inability to understand the true meaning behind the question .
"It's just a weapon isn't it ?" he asked doubtfully.
The old man just laughed on hearing the youngster's reply.
"Watch this , then !"
He snapped his fingers causing the sword to rise into the air .
Its form shimmered like mist ascending after a morning drizzle slowly changing in a manner that was unbelievable to the young boy's eyes.
He rubbed his eyes to make sure that he wasn't dreaming .
The newly arrived fair maiden standing before him smiled on seeing his astounded expression.
She clapped her hands .
"Poof!"
After the smoke cleared there was an all-new white crane which stared at the young boy curiously.
"Enough ! You can stop playing now !"
The old man couldn't help but smiling on seeing the spectra of colours that was unveiled on the lad's face.
Following the old man's summons with a strange noise that gave the boy a misconception as if it were conveying its reluctance the freshly transformed sword once again returned to the lap of the old man.
His mouth was still wide open.
"Now , do you see ? The sword is not just a crude weapon it's an entire universe all in itself ."
The boy nodded his head vigorously showing an enthralled expression.
A smile of gratification spread across the old man's face.
"If a sword can hide an universe within , can the universe itself not be a sword ?"
The boy was stumped this time .
He showed a quizzical expression which when combined with his face appeared quite comical.
The old man laughed once more.
He pulled out a fine strand of hair from his dense eyebrow .
He held it aloft gently so that it was clearly visible to the boy.
What happened next shattered the boy's worldview completely.
The hair convulsed and writhed before changing into a sword that was identical to the one in the old man's lap.
Just from looking at it the boy knew it was no illusion.
As if sensing his thoughts the old man gently struck the ground with the newly materialised sword.
When the sword was drawn back all that remained was a pit that outwardly seemed to have no end , so dark was it from the inside.
"This.."
The old man smiled once more.
Many years passed by and the boy grew up.
He became a competent man in his own right , travelling all across and earning fame in many places near and far, even so there was a regret in his heart still.
For try as he might he was unable to replicate that scene from all these years ago .
It was not as if he was competent enough ; according to his own estimation , the power that he now possessed was sufficient to replicate the same feat .
The problem therefore lay elsewhere.
Wasn't his heart firm enough ?
Wasn't his comprehension on the [Way of the Sword] enough ?
Or perhaps did he simply not have the talent ?
He wasn't sure and the insecurity that followed ate him from the inside like rot spreading throughout his body
A black river of corruption now flowed along his veins .
The young man thus sought for an opportunity to promote his skill everywhere through means fair or foul ,blessed or cursed , righteous or evil .
It did not matter as long as it allowed him to fulfil his goal.
One day however the Heavens could no longer tolerate his wanton and unrestrained behaviour which left wide-spread desolation in its wake .
Thus dark clouds shrouded the horizon and golden lightning flickered high above in the firmament.
Even as Heavenly Punishment rained down , the man finally found an opportunity to realise his dream , but too late it was , for it came at a cost far too great.
He sat down cross-legged , closing his eyes , even as the sky rumbled and churned far above , waiting ever so patiently for the inevitable retribution he was going to face.
The last image in front of his eyes before the inexorable judgement rained upon him was the old man's smile from all those years ago.
Some memories try as you might you can never forget .
The young man was at peace as he faced his penance .
His form shimmered like a mist rising after a morning drizzle.
Faintly , a shape of a sword could be seen deep within the mist.
**************************************
The dead do not dream.
Neither do they walk under the light of the stars
They can do naught but dwell in a realm between the wakeful dawn and the slumbering twilight lamenting what was and what could have been.
*****************
The street was bustling with a renewed vigour , though the Sects' entrance examination had already begun it did not affect the thoroughfare in the slightest manner
Jin Wangsun walked purposely , his strides were firm and his back straight as he explored along the pathways of Zilin City.
His aura was restrained and his features ingeniously concealed by the means of a special technique he had learned ago , though low-ranked with the right method its potential could be fully unearthed .
Jin Wangsun after his long years of tempering certainly did not lack the capability to find the right means .
Now , he a solemn Clasping Core stage expert was disguised as a negligible Refining Qi stage cultivator , which suited his purposes just fine.
Unlike what his fellow colleagues believed , the endearing Mr Jiao was certainly not in a 'yet to arrive' status on the contrary he had undoubtedly arrived inside Zilin City.
Though the fellow had a rotten personality that matched very well with his 'beyond-horrifying' looks , his mind , unfortunately was not the same.
Twisted , yes but even so extremely crafty.
To use an analogy it resembled the malicious intelligence of a spider calmly weaving a trap , waiting for its prey to step right in.
Which the 'prey' was going to do this time.
Certainly.
Only this time the prey would turn the tables instead.
He reached inside his robes and brought out a curious looking contraption that resembled a cross between a compass , a hammer and a slingshot ; not the best of combinations , but one that would certainly do the job.
He cautiously placed a small vial filled with a black liquid inside an open slot following which the artifact began to stir and come to life with a whirring sound due to the countless unseen gears deep within it turning in a seamless fashion.
Soon it started to hum , the humming causing a smile of satisfaction to appear on his face.
But the feedback he received caused a frown to appear on his face which vanished after a brief moment.
His face turned stone cold mirroring the veneer of the sword sheathed by his side.
His form flickered and vanished into the ether .
The street was just as busy as before.
*****************************
Upon the shining blue sky , the mass of white clouds were akin to sheep grazing merrily in the pasture marked out for them.
The river being like a blue snake slowly winding away unto infinity .
Occasionally a boat or two could be seen rowing away with abandon , when they passed by under the bridge mischievous lads would toss apples , sticks or anything they happened to possess onto the deck earning a stream of curses of the most colourful sort in response.
A lone cloaked silhouette was stooped next to a clump of reeds on the riverbank providing a strange addition to an otherwise picturesque scene.
For all in the world he might be conversing with the reeds .
But how could he ?
No man could possibly not hold a rational dialogue with a plant with no spirit .
Emphasis on rational.
Irrational soliloquy was still possible .
Based on what Jin Wangsun knew about the person in question , such a scenario was certainly not far-fetched.
He clenched his teeth and bit his thumb drawing with great difficulty a drop of crimson blood that gleamed with radiance this he promptly dropped onto a ball shaped object that had already been held in his hand and before the silhouette could respond he chucked the ball between them .
Immediately the world seemed to spin and twist , the pleasant riverside scenery faded away to give way to a newly materialised flat plain
An endless plain under an unadorned blue sky , desolate save for the two forms that had suddenly appeared in its midst out of nowhere.
The curtain had fell.
The silhouette was still stooped in the same position its back turned towards Jin Wangsun's.
He finally began to speak in a voice that was all-too familiar to Jin Wangsun.
"These days even peaceful river watching appears to be a luxury ," , he noted drily.
Jin Wangsun snorted before replying
"It appears that after having a full meal not just your stomach even your senses have bloated as well."
"Hmm . You are making a mistake in that assumption . Maybe I just wanted to come here after all some places are just too good to be destroyed . I have yet to conclude my river-watching session."
He stood up after brushing down his clothes.
"Make it fast . "
Jin Wangsun's brow was raised but his heart was unaffected ; as still as a clear lake in the mountains.
He slowly unsheathed his sword .
The cloaked person turned towards him his face however was still shrouded in darkness.
Not for much longer though.
"That sword ," he said calmly , "I have seen it before."
"You have ," Jin Wangsun acknowledged.
"In that case , since you haven't defeated me before" scarlet eyes flashed under the adversary's hood bringing sudden palpitations to Jin Wangsun's heart like a ripple disturbing the surface of a clear lake .
"What are you prepared to surrender this time ? "
"That is if you have anything left to surrender to . I have shattered your body and ripped out your heart before. Your soul is worthless since I haven't devoured it already ."
"What then prompts you to find me once more? "
"Is it because of some misguided notion of revenge ? Do you perhaps seek to mend the heart once broken. If so , you are bound to be disappointed .My work is thorough . I can guarantee there is nothing left to mend . No pieces left to join together , No parts left to bring together . "
"I do not seek to mender a shattered heart on the contrary I would like to test my new one ."
Jin Wangsun smiled , lifting his sword and pointed its incomparably sharp tip straight at the other man.
"I see. "
"For better or worse your heart seems to have indeed grown stronger , in that case tearing you apart might actually be worthwhile . Only the best of eggs can yield the best yolk . You have got me excited now . Do not disappoint my regard."
"I won't . I guarantee that we can play to the fullest of our abilities , here in this space we need not fear any interruption!'
"Oh ."
Barely had their conversation had got over , in a flash Jin Wangsun's sword appeared instantaneously over Jiao San's head.
"Not bad , " his hood fell back and in a single swift movement his clawed paw reached the sword at the same instant that it reached him.
Clash !
With a sound of clashing metals the two weapons struck at each other for the briefest of moments at the very next instant the two opponents were staring at each other from a distance about a couple of metres .
This was it .
The dance had begun .
In a movement so synchronised that appeared to have been coordinated beforehand , both of them slowly lifted themselves into the air .
They hovered high above in the desolate sky appraising each other for a solemn moment that could be described as both long and short ; long perhaps for any observer witnessing the scene but extremely short for both of the parties involved.
The passage of time stops when the music pours in through the pores of the being.
Though the notes each heard was different the underlying melody was the same ; the tune for a solemn requiem , the last music that the dying would ever enjoy.
Except that here what was dying wasn't their selves , those in ways familiar and strange had perished long ago.
No , this was a requiem for a dream .
Whose it was uncertain all that could be said is when the symphony eventually begins and the tombstone is laid down spectres shall arrive all-over from their grey realm to dance to it.
The two of them leaned ahead , pushed their legs behind them and propelled themselves rapidly with a speed that left afterimages in the air ; their sheer force sufficient to cause the very air behind them to compress behind them for the brief moment when their legs pressed behind them and at the instant when their legs released the pressure :
Boom !
With an explosive sound both of them were already after each other.
This was the power of Clasping Core cultivators who had long since left their mortality behind !
This was the true strength of the [Path of Immortality] ; the strength that made uplifting seas and sinking mountains possible by a single palm !
Jin Wangsun's sword gleaming with the same excitement as its master had already sped ahead bringing a storm of aura along with it.
"Really ," Jiao San smiled as best as he could with his lax facial muscles .
His forked tongue vibrated in excitement.
The very air was awash with the scent of a sword !
His very being was vibrating in response to the sensation.
He couldn't stop himself from letting out a hiss of satisfaction.
This was the feeling that he wanted ; the feeling that conjured up memories long past , memories that he believed had already been buried far beneath the earth.
They were still alive , no to be more accurate they were like wraiths wandering about waiting for a final unfulfilled desire that on completion would finally release both them and him from his long enduring torment.
"AAAAHHH!"
He roared aloud in laughter .
"Then so be it . Enjoy the requiem I shall sing for you !"
His speed increased more and more as he reached for the sword that was rapidly nearing him.
His form shimmered like a mist rising after a morning drizzle.
Faintly , a shape of a sword could be seen dancing deep within the mist.