The Peacekeepers

Part Two; Chapter Thirty-Six

Peace Found

The walking. I find myself walking yet again. For someone like me having too much time to think can be dangerous. My thoughts start going in circles and I get madder and madder, trying to figure out what I could have done differently. I need to stop. Just keep walking. Don't think just move. One foot in front of the other.

It's almost night when I arrive at the old YMCA building. So much has happened since I was last here. I walk up and enter the old building.

"Master!" I call out. "Master, I have something important to tell you!" I waited but all I heard was the echo of my own voice. Something didn't feel right here. I cautiously walk through the building but he's nowhere to be found. The track? No. The court? No. I then decide to search the bedroom.

I open the door and see him laying there. Just laying comfortably in his cot. I wish I could have just woke him up. I walk over to the cot and kneel at it's side. I press my index and middle finger on his carroted artery right under his jaw. He's cold and gone. A final tear goes down my cheek. It's all I have.

"I beat Crimson master. I defeated him. Paralized him from the waist down. He'll never fight again, never use what you taught him to terrorize others. Thank you Master Ren." Were it not for him I don't know how this would have gone. I don't want to think about it.

I go to the gym and meditate one last time. I return to Ren and see something tucked under his body. I get curious and pull it out. It's a neatly folded peice of paper. I open it and see very neat, cursive handwriting. The letter is addressed to me. It read:

"Drake, if you're reading this then I am finally at peace with my students. You were not aware of my presence but I saw your entire fight with Crimson. I am so proud of you, my star pupil. Many souls have been brought to rest by your deeds, including mine. I cannot thank you enough. Until we meet again."

I fold it and tuck it in my pocket. "Thank you. Thank you so much master." I say to him. I bury him among his students. 

I feel the heat from my torch in my hand and smell gasoline thick in the air. I'm standing at the entrance at the end of a trail of gasoline. I toss in the torch and watch as the flames ignite. I close the thick steel door to hold the blaze and I walked off.

This is just one less thing I have to come back to. Nothing to hold me back. Nothing to hold back my rage against The Fallen Kings and my hate toward their leader.

I turn my back on the burning building. I start walking and don't look back...