Assassin's Ashes

Chapter 2

  During lunch, I always head into the woods. I meet my instructor there to practice melee skills. I've been working with all sorts of knives and swords. It may seem easy on television, but when you're holding that sword in your hands...It feels like you're swinging a cow! Believe me, they are hellish to swing. I don't joke around when it comes to this kind of stuff, and I definitely don't talk back to my instructor.

My instructor, Breach, is always saying, "A mentor has been through many things and failed, than his students have tried. So, be it experience or intelligence, they will always have the upper hand." He's always saying quotes like that, because they're what his instructor told him. "Again." He said, as I slash my sword at him.

"Yes sir!" I say, I only have respect for people like him. He's not scary, but if I ever think of screwing with him, he knows five thousand ways to kill someone. So...odds are I'm sticking to his side.

"Again." He says. I've been slashing at him for twenty minutes and he's not even out of breath. I, on the other hand, was huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf I was.

"Sir..." I said, breathing softly to slow it down.

"Again!" He says, grabbing a melee. He starts slashing his little knife at me. I dodge quickly only to turn back with a knife in my face. If I were any closer...my insides would be my out, starting with my left eye. My left eye is my most important eye. It's my shooting eye. I know I'm learning field tactics, but I'm a sniper, this was for just in case. You never know when your sniping spot, becomes the target for an ambush. "Again." He said, this time he strikes faster.

I dodge the first blow, then the second, again with a third. What I didn't expect, is that while I ducked the third blow, Breach swapped out himself for a dummy. As I went to attack, he strikes me from behind. That's when I realized the swap. I turn around, and brush his blade with my side. Blood leaks but not enough to be fatal. "What did I say about self defense?" He walks closer to me, head high.

"Sorry Sir, it won't happen again." He looked down with a blank face.

"Does it hurt?" I shake my head.

"Pain is temporary Sir." I say in response.

"Always treat your wounds, no matter how big, no matter how small." I nod, as he lifts my shirt and wraps my waist. "Tell me now." He said, never smiling. "How's it going at school?"

I laugh. "My teacher, Mr. Corduroy, must have something up his butt." He chuckles, still not smiling.

"Yeah, his head." He says. I like spending time with Breach, he's like the big brother I've always wanted. I know he's strict and abides by the rules, but he's one killer mentor.