Sword

"Longwei, wait."

When everyone was about to go back to their houses, Xing-Fu stopped Longwei. Closing the door, he said, "It was such a long day."

After everyone had left the hall became colder. The freezing wind was walking throughout it. Longwei sat by the fire, shivering a bit, he was so sleepy and after the last night, he had no energy to talk or walk.

Xing-Fu approached him, sighing with relief, he said, "Today, I convinced myself even more that you are the exact copy of your father. You are brave, bold, sometimes harsh, kind." Throwing a few more firewood right to the dancing flames of fire he continued, "Today's meeting is all because of you. I invited everyone here because I wanted to show you the head of the Second clan and the Third clan. I wanted you to see what kind of humans they are."

Closing his eyes and leaning back to a chair Longwei said, "They are simple soldiers."

"Yes. They are. But still they are the heads of the clans. And you must remember that. Longwei, you should be careful with your words. The coldness, the battle, these are in everyone's bones."

"What are you trying to say? Do you want me to be frightened? Or what?"

"You are the son of my best friend, I don't want you to get into a trouble."

"Don't worry. I am not that stupid." Looking at him, Longwei stood up and said, "If that's all then let me leave. I am very tired."

"Before you leave, let's go with me."

Walking ahead, Xing-Fu's quick steps had already led him to the second floor.

Following him through the long and dark corridor Longwei felt hunger and his wounds began to hurt again.

Xing-Fu stopped by the iron door on which was the drawing of some kind of flowers, opening it he said, "You must choose a sword and then you may leave."

The stone walls which were full of different kinds of swords mesmerized Longwei. After all he had never seen so many swords. There were silver swords, golden swords, curved swords, small swords which were more like a knives and a heavy, truly majestic ones which attracted his attention most of all.

Approaching the opposite wall with thousands of swords, he lifted his head up because the swords were even reaching the high ceiling.

"You can choose any sword you want. But look closely and don't choose in haste."

Sliding his hand over the shiny surface of the silver sword Longwei said, "These swords, where did you get them? There are so many of them."

"I have several masters. And you know that swords of my clan differ from the swords of other two clans. Forgive me for being a braggart, but in truth, these swords can do anything as long as you use it properly. The sword and the warrior are like Moon and ocean. And without each other, they can not exist. Especially the ocean."

"I don't think that it is sword which makes warrior great or powerful. I think everything is in warrior's hands, and sword is just a thing."

"Don't underestimate the power of the sword. In battlefield, it is not you who controls the sword, it is sword controls you. It gives you strength, it gives you confidence and it can even talk to you when you are lost. The sword is like a compass for warrior. Without it, you can lose your powers."

Longwei cast a glance at swords again and then turned around, looking at Xing-Fu very seriously he stubbornly said, "It your point of view. Not mine. I don't think that just a sword can decide whether you are a warrior or not. I, myself believe in only my powers. And I don't think that I need one. Master, let's break the rule. Let me go without any sword and I'll prove you that my point of view is right."

"Rules are rules. And you are the student of my clan. As long as you are here, you need to act like a soldier."

Longwei frowned and with a sigh went back to the swords. Closely looking at one of the sword which were shorter but sharper than others, he said, "I can choose any sword? Then I choose this one."

"But you already have a sword." The loud voice was heard from behind. Lei noiselessly walked towards Xing-Fu, his hand was holding the sword which Longwei found in the small stone house last night.

"Master, I don't think that he needs other sword. I think this one suits him more."

Giving the heavy, bronze sword with a wolf hilt to Xing-Fu, Lei looked at him but immediately turned around.

"It can't be! Lei, is it really…"

"Yes master. It is that sword."

"But how can it be? I thought it was destroyed."

"It was almost destroyed but I found it. I was keeping it in my house in the forest. Sorry for not telling you about it."

Xing-Fu slightly smiled and Longwei noticed that he even shed a tear. But in such a dark room with a few candles it was hard to tell.

After that, Xing-Fu stepped closer to Lei and whispered something to his ear. Lei too, said something but Longwei couldn't hear what he was saying. Standing away from them, he only wondered about that bronze sword which he found in the house. Because it looked somehow familiar to him even though he couldn't remember where he had seen it.

After whispering something Xing-Fu smilingly looked at him and said, "Longwei your teacher said that this sword can be yours. Well, if you don't want another one of course."

Looking at Lei who was holding the sword, he approached him. Without saying anything he cast one more glance at him and then said, "Alright then, the question of the sword if solved. Can I go now?"

"Of course."

Taking him by the hand, Lei stopped him which made Longwei's heart beat so fast that he got scared of such a strange feeling inside of him. Without looking at him he whispered, his own voice sounded so strange like it wasn't his voice at all. "What do you want?"

"Take your sword and tomorrow bring it."

Holding his hand, Lei's expression changed too but he quickly let him go.

Clutching the hilt of the sword, Longwei with very quick steps went downstairs and almost ran out of the house.

His heart was beating like mad.