To use a sword to fight for my clan’s pride, or to pick a staff and protect the ones that remain and protect me back?
In my hands I held a double-edge sword, the one my father passed on to me the night before our clan was salvaged ten years ago. The bitter memories of that tragic event flashed back to me again and again, as if crushing my heart bit by bit. My family, my friends… everyone… vanished within that night in the hands of the heartless mountain bandits.
As I closed my eyes shut, my father’s words echoed to me as he gave me his memento — “To live by the sword is to sacrifice your everything for the sake of your beloved, but to die for that very sake is to make them suffer with your death.” I didn’t get it at all, until recently. My family defended me with their all. I survived because of their sacrifice. But now I’m endlessly agonizing with their loss. Am I about to do the same for the sake of the ones I cared for after?
I stared at the staff at the corner of my dim room. It became the symbol of my new life. All I ever felt before was vengeance and hatred, so much that I didn’t realize it was consuming me gradually. That staff belonged to my master, a Buddhist from the Heaven Sound Temple. He pulled me up from the depths of my agony and led me to a new life full of forgiveness and understanding. His warm eyes pierced through my frozen heart, his teachings enlightened my spirit, his principles and acts made me forget my painful past and led me to a new path. It made me realize that bloodshed, aggression and violence is not the only solution to survival… that defending the ones you care for without sacrificing oneself would be a better choice.
“It’s about time, Min Yang. They’re coming here tonight.”
I feel the impending doom approaching near. The tension between the Heaven Sound Temple and Ghost King Sect was building, to the point of declaring a territorial war. Everyone might die with this battle. Will I repeat my own history? No, I wish to fight back now. I want to defend my new life and everyone in this temple.
I once again looked at both weapons. Will I fight by the sword and die for their sake, or will I pick up the staff and protect everyone? I heard my father’s words again, this time it did not bring me any pain, instead I smiled stared ahead. I have found my answer.
As I headed out the temple, everyone was waiting for me, smiling although their anxiety is written all over their faces. I stood beside my master. He’s riding a white horse, chanting a mantra in deep concentration. His very presence inspired me to give my all for this battle. My mind is fully focused, and all my fears and doubts faded. Everything’s set now. All we’re waiting for is the signal to strike.
The silence is deafening. Few minutes have passed and suddenly my master bellowed — Ficus Religiosa!
It’s like an outburst of energy — we sprinted out, yelling with all our might towards the battlefield.