The Last Time

Truth

Hey guys, extremely sorry for the really late update, been about two months. But the story goes on. Enjoy!

I was so confused. What's going on? Does Thomas have some sort of relationship with my dad or my family? I kept thinking to myself all day.

Should I ask him why and what this whole story is??

I decided not to, and continued on anyways.

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"Nico, come with me. I think it's time to teach you how to defend yourself in tough situations." says Thomas.

"Wait for real?! I can't wait! What will we be learning first?" I scream.

"Patience, boy. You will find out soon enough." We walk down the corridor past the main room where Thomas's prized possessions and sword Excalibur were placed. He places his hands on the head of a statue and pushes it back. The bookshelf moves by itself, and reveals a big room behind it. "Welcome to my training dojo. I've been taught by your--I mean I've been taught by many great masters to learn how to defend myself and now I'll pass it down to you."

I stared at the open wide room in awe. It was immensely intimidating. Why need so much space for two people training?

"So to begin our training, I want you to start off easy. This first lesson will teach you something very important when handling a sword."

Did he just say sword??

"No way, I'll get to use a sword??!!" I yell excitedly.

"Not until you complete this first lesson, and believe me, it's not as easy as it sounds." Thomas tells me to come with him, and we walk outside to his lawn behind the house, where a huge tree sat. "I need you to do one thing today. Break a leaf."

"Break..a leaf?..." I asked dumbfounded.

"Yes you heard me correctly. I will shake the tree and as a leaf falls to the ground you have to break it in midair, with one finger. Just like this." He punched the tree and a few leaves started to fall and he focused himself one a single leaf and he moved his hand so quickly I barely saw it, and hit the leaf with one finger, and the leaf didn't get pushed back, it shattered into tiny little pieces.

"Wouldn't be a lot easier if I just did this?" I took a leaf and ripped it up into several pieces.

"Ow!" Thomas smacked me on the head.

"No, that is not how I told you to do it. Though it works, you are reducing the leaf to small shreds, the power in ripping the leaf and the power in shattering the leaf are very different." I started to understand what he meant, but I didn't get how this would help me use a sword.

I gave it a try anyway, punched the tree and some leaves began to fall. As I watched a single leaf coming down, I used all my force and punched the leaf.

..Nothing happened. The leaf just got pushed back and fell to the ground.

"Nope, try again." Thomas told me.

I didn't get what I did wrong. I tried once again. Still nothing. I've been at it for hours and I couldn't break a single leaf. (Surprisingly the tree was still full of many leaves)

Thomas was in the corner of the backyard on his lawnchair relaxing under the shade, waiting for me to break a leaf. I was starting to get frustrated. Then I realized I was trying to break the leaf with sheer force.

"Use a single finger, and focus all your energy and concentration on point and blast that energy with all your speed and power, and the leaf will break." says Thomas.