Skyward Blade

Chapter 1

I got into it again today. Not that I didn't see it coming-Eiji has a way of pushing my buttons, and I guess I have a way of pushing his back. We were getting ready to duel, wooden practice swords in hand, standing in the academy's training courtyard. The sun hung lazily in the sky, casting long shadows over the stones as if it, too, was bored of our constant sparring. But that didn't stop me.

"Are you sure you want to do this again?" I asked, spinning my practice sword idly. "You've lost every time this week."

Eiji's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, the wooden sword gripped tightly in his hand. "This time's going to be different. Don't get cocky, Kirito."

I shrugged, stepping into my stance. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Eiji rushed me, and the fight was on. The wooden swords clacked together in quick, rhythmic strikes. Eiji was strong, no question, but predictable. Each of his swings came with a slight tell-a shift in his stance, the way his foot moved just before the strike. I dodged, countered, and parried each attack with ease.

A few exchanges later, I knocked the sword out of his hands, sending it clattering to the ground.

"And that's another win for me," I said, lowering my practice sword. "You're going to need a new strategy if you want to keep up."

Eiji grunted, picking up his sword, clearly frustrated but too proud to admit it. Before he could say anything, Asuna's voice called out from behind us.

"You two at it again?" she asked, walking toward us. There was a hint of amusement in her tone, the kind she always had when she watched us spar. Her presence alone was enough to make Eiji's scowl deepen. He tried to hide it, but I saw the way he glanced at her-there was more than just rivalry behind his challenges.

"As always," I replied, grinning. "Eiji keeps thinking he can take me down, but it never quite works out."

Asuna gave a soft laugh and shook her head. "One of these days, maybe. But with the gliding competition coming up, I think you'll have bigger things to worry about."

I nodded, already feeling the adrenaline that came with the thought of the competition. "I've got it in the bag."

She raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh, confident, are we? You think you're going to ace it?"

"I don't think," I corrected, sheathing the wooden sword over my shoulder as if it were a real blade. "I know."

We began walking together, leaving the training grounds behind as the wind picked up slightly, rustling the trees around the academy. The air was cool, and it carried the scent of the sea below the islands, faint but ever-present. Asuna fell in step beside me, her usual thoughtful expression on her face.

"So how's that new art coming?" she asked after a moment, her voice curious but casual. "The dual-wielding technique you've been working on."

I couldn't help but smile at the question. "It's coming along nicely," I said, grabbing a second wooden practice sword from the rack as we passed by. I twirled both swords in my hands and performed a few quick maneuvers, striking at the air with a fluid motion. The balance between the two swords felt natural in my hands, and even though it was still a work in progress, I could already tell it would give me an edge.

"I mean, look at this," I added, showing off a particularly fast combo. "It's like the swords are an extension of me. I'm getting faster every day."

Asuna watched, her eyes focused on my movements. "You really think you'll be able to pull that off during the competition? Gliding and fighting at the same time isn't exactly easy, even for a Sky Knight in training."

I nodded, confident. "Dual-wielding's going to give me the advantage. Everyone else will be focused on one sword, but with two, I can attack and defend simultaneously. Plus, the competition's more than just fighting. It's about maneuvering in the air, using every bit of skill you've got."

The gliding competition was unlike anything else. We'd strap on our wing gliders and soar through the skies above our home island, navigating through checkpoints and obstacles while simultaneously engaging in combat with other trainees. It was a test of speed, agility, and swordsmanship-all while keeping your balance mid-air.

"The real challenge," I continued, "is staying focused during the aerial battles. One wrong move, and you could lose control of your glider and go plummeting. Or worse, get knocked out of the sky by someone else. It's not just about being fast. It's about being smart."

Asuna nodded thoughtfully. "You've got the skill, that's for sure. But don't underestimate the others. There's a lot of talent this year."

I waved off her concern, though I knew she was right. The competition wasn't going to be easy, but I thrived on that kind of pressure. Ever since I started training to become a Sky Knight, I knew I was destined for something bigger. Protecting the islands, keeping the skies safe-that was the dream. But lately, it felt like there was something more. Something... looming.

Asuna broke the silence that had fallen between us. "You ever wonder what's really down there?" she asked, gesturing vaguely toward the surface far below.

I glanced at her, frowning. "The surface?"

She nodded. "I mean, we know what they've told us. Chaos, danger, monsters. But do you ever wonder if there's more to it? Maybe there's something they're not telling us."

I sighed, considering her words. Asuna had been bringing this up more often lately, and I could tell it was starting to weigh on her. "I don't know," I admitted. "But the surface is dangerous. That much we do know. It's why the Sky Knights exist-to protect the islands from whatever's down there."

She didn't look convinced. "But why did it get that way? What happened that caused all the chaos? Sometimes I wonder if the surface has answers we're not supposed to know about."

I glanced at her again, my mind flashing back to the stories we were told as children. The legends of the Goddess who saved what was left of humanity, raising them to the heavens to escape the destruction below. She had created the islands, the skies-the very world we lived in. And the surface had been left to rot in darkness and chaos.

"The stories are pretty clear," I said. "The Goddess saved us. Sent us to the sky to keep us safe from whatever was happening down below."

"I know," Asuna said, her voice soft. "But I feel like there's more to it. Like we're missing part of the story."

I didn't respond right away. Part of me wanted to brush off her concerns, but another part-an uneasy part-wondered if she was right. The surface, the stories, the dangers we were supposed to face as Sky Knights... there was something there. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

As we walked, I looked up at the sky. The competition was coming, and I needed to focus on that. But for the first time, I couldn't help but feel that Asuna's questions weren't entirely unfounded. What if there was more to our world than we knew? What if our role as Sky Knights was about more than just defending the islands?

Tomorrow, the gliding competition would begin, and with it, the first step toward becoming a true Sky Knight. But as the wind whispered through the trees, I couldn't shake the feeling that something far greater was on the horizon.

Something that would change everything.