The Way of Marthanda

I finally reached the summit of the mountain, and even though I was extremely tired, anticipation coursed through my veins. I walked past the statue that was at the front, carefully inspecting the surrounding pillars and ponds around me.

I was expecting to only see a small temple as it's at the peak of the mountain, but no, it's a type of flat land like a religious exercise. No wonder why Silvy said more students used to come here.

"Hello, is anybody here?" I said. "Sir Marthanda, are you here?'

Nobody gave any response; the tranquility of this place enveloped me like a warm embrace. I could only hear the gentle murmur of water flowing from ponds and the melodic chorus of birds and frogs. The silence was peaceful and relaxing at the same time.

I walked a little further inside; trees were covered in the misty atmosphere enveloping this elevated terrain.

A shrine came into view, and I felt that Sir must be in there. Stepping on the staircase, I entered the sanctum of the shrine, but apart from the god's statue, incense sticks, postcards, and one man's everyday stuff, I couldn't find anything much. Where must he have gone? I walked behind the shrine, and on the edge of the cliff, I finally saw someone meditating. A person in black attire, with long hair tied up and a big back, was facing me.

"Hello, Sir Marthanda?" I said, closing my distance to him, "My name is Eleanor j'Arc; Queen has sent me here."

Slowly, he stood and faced me. He's almost the same height as mine, probably in his early 60's, and even after being that old, there's muscle on his forearms. He stared right into my eyes for a moment, and I bowed to show respect.

"Master-"

And just then, his hand moved towards me, emanating a murderous aura. Without hesitation, I leaped back three steps, my heart pounding with fear.

Huff* Huff* What was that? He didn't attack; he just slightly raised it, probably to shake hands, but it felt dangerous.

Pfft* "Hahaha!" laughs Marthanda. "And Queen told me you are proficient in martial arts, and all I get to see here is a scaredy cat. Who jumps away on a slight murder intent?" He said.

Oh, he is testing me. I stood up, removed my bag, and dusted myself off.

"Come, attack me. Let me see what's worth a brat with nothing but worthless anger in her," he said.

I took my stance to attack and clenched my legs on the ground.

"My anger is not worthless!"

With that, I ran three steps and launched myself into the air, aiming a kick straight at him. With a swift motion, he sidestepped, narrowly avoiding my attack. Landing on impact, I turned to him and released a flurry of punches, claws, and kicks, but it was as if he could anticipate my every move, effortlessly dodging. His airtight stance was infuriating me, so I spun around, aiming a decisive kick at his leg to put him off balance, but he swiftly blocked it with one leg and, with the other leg, kicked me on the chin, sending me whirling backward.

"See, a worthless indeed." He said, looking down at me.

"It's N-not!" I yelled.

*Cough* The dust went inside my mouth, and I had to spit the little blood out.

I don't know about his true strength yet, but he is crazily experienced.

I again run towards him with an immense bloodlust in my eyes, making him see as if I won't stop until I have reached him, but while running, I kicked the ground, lifting the sand as a veil at him and his eyes. And with that, I changed my path from running straight at him to from a different side, and just after dust settled on him, I reached there and landed a fist on the place, but to my surprise, my fist landed on the open air without touching him.

—Where did he go?

I turned around in a hurry, and he was standing behind me. I spun and raised my fist on his face, but-

*Thud*

A brutal kick struck my stomach, sending me crashing into the trees with a resounding thud.

*Ahh-Argh* That one hurts.

I crouched in pain —Fuck

"You call that cheap way of fighting martial arts?" Marthanda said, and this time he wasn't laughing but in a very serious tone.

Huff* I couldn't say anything to him.

"You witnessed your parents dying by someone in front of you. That itself sounds like a big joke," he said. "What were you doing, Huh? Someone came into your house and killed your mother, and you were having your beautiful sleep."

Upon hearing that, the pain inside my heart suddenly felt more extreme than in my stomach and back.

"Then your sister came and killed your father, and seeing your hopeless ass, I can say you must be withering in confusion over what is happening. Why is it happening? like an idiot," he said. "Failing to protect your own family, and you say you know martial arts? You want to learn Infusion? Become a knight? You were a top student at your academy? *Spit** Pick your bag and go back to where you came from. You useless piece of shit wasting my time."

Gulps* What? How dare he mock me like that? So is it really all my fault that they are dead?

"People of your kingdom must be blind, or it must be run by some kids that they accept a person of your calibre to even become a knight."

My eyes burned red with anger. In that moment, I felt the rage to kill him.

"Take it back." I said, "My kingdom wasn't run by kids!"

"Haha.. Feeling angry?" He said it, smirking.

With rage burning in my veins, I charged towards him. Each attack I unleashed was met with swift defence, yet I persisted desperately in my pursuit. Then, in an instant, his knee connected with my chest, sending me to the ground. As I was standing back on my feet, I picked up a nearby long stone. With a surge of desperation, I lunged forward, aiming for his vulnerable back. But before I could strike, he spun around, holding my wrist. He jabbed my stomach and kicked my leg hard, sending me whirling through the air, and then, with a heart-stopping jolt, I found myself dangling from the cliff's edge, clinging desperately to that long rock while he stood firm above, holding the other side of that rock.

Aarhh!! gulps*

"Ohh God*...No, no, pick me up!!" I said, desperately trying to find a place where I could keep my legs on. But there was nothing beneath, just an endless, deep valley through the skies. I will fall down if he lets go of that rock.

"What happened, you useless brat? You thought you could pick up a stone and attack me? Huhh?" He said it fiercely.

"No.."

"Did I ask you to use a weapon?"

"NO, I AM SORRY!" I said, crying and begging for his mercy.

"I can kill you any second like a fucking ant on a road, even in my sleep, do you understand?"

"YES, I DO, MASTER!" I said.

Huffing and crying I was answering him. My fingers were slipping from the rock due to sweat, and there was nothing to hold on to. If I fall, it's over for me.

"Anger that makes you lose yourself is of no use." He said, "Do you understand?"

"YES, MASTER!" I said, "Please, now pick me up."

"Why should I?"

"I don't want to die here. Please, I am sorry!"

"So you accept that you are weak and useless?"

"YES SIR! I AM WEAK! I AM USELESS! I AM GOOD FOR NOTHING! *Sobs*"

I was pushing every word out with extreme shame.

"Hahaha.."

And in that moment, my hands slipped, and for a millisecond, I was in the air, thinking this was the end for me.

"AAA!-"

But before I could fall, he grabbed my sweater's collar with his other arm and threw me back on the ground.

*Huff*

I held myself on the ground in agony, shaking in fear as I had just witnessed death a few seconds away from me. *Gulps** I will never pull any stupid attacks on him again in my life.

Just then, he raises his right arm and clenches his fist.

"This is physical strength in its rawest essence. Something that all things in this universe have. to some extent. From a piece of paper to a rock and to the human."

Then he slowly raises his left hand, and before my eyes, with a deliberate charge, blue flames begin to dance and flicker around his hand.

"This is Infusion." He said. "Something that only a body that has a soul can possess. —A level when your soul blends with nature to produce divine energy."

I kept my focus on his hands and his explanations as he was stating them.

"You wish to have this power too?" He was staring into my eyes.

I slowly stood up properly and, in a respectful manner, nodded.

"Yes, I do."

"Come with me in the hall," he said, walking ahead.

Fwoooosh* Swirl*

The air turned hot, accompanied by the mesmerizing dance of blue flames. Before me, a weapon that looked like a snake swirled, its long, belt-like blades glinting in the light. Marthanda is wielding it, a gleam of pride in his eyes as he demonstrated his Infused weapon, Urumi, to me.

"There's no gap." I slowly murmured.

I couldn't see a single gap in its whirling blades; there was no space for intervention. If those razor-sharp edges were to make contact, I knew I'd be torn and shredded into pieces.

He slowly halted his moments with the spin and stopped. The blue flames were extinguished from his hand and his weapon. He seemed a little out of breath, but that was amazing.

"And this is an infused weapon." He said, "When your soul is now attached to a non-living object, it amplifies your strength. The combination of both the physical realm and a realm beyond our perception."

"I see.." I said.

"Your Witchcraft is different than my Urumi, but both weapons have a similar essence in nature." he said.

"Yes."

"Your training will start tomorrow morning; go and take rest," he said, picking up his clothes.

"Yes, Master," I said, bowing towards him.

I had questions to ask, but I don't know if I should. What if he gets angry and kicks me out? I don't want that to happen. So I turned my back and started walking out.

"It'll be hell from tomorrow onwards. I hope you won't chicken out." He said.

Chicken out, who? Me? After all that has happened until now —That Bitch who killed my mother, her haunting eyes—Elyana killing dad—Seeing my kingdom getting burned—Witnessing Marie almost ended up dying in the Murk by that creature.

What can be more hellish for me now?

I didn't turn myself towards him to answer because I didn't want him to again see the rage in my eyes, remembering all that, so at the entrance of the hall before leaving, I answered.

"I won't."