Sword Calls

Chapter 1: Sword Calls

When you were born into this world, you were assigned one of the four basic Sword Calls. Fire, water, earth or air. This is normally decided by how you were born or in which family you were born into, but when I was born, a villain was roaming around the universe, being a threat to all of humanity. The government sent out their most powerful people towards said threat, but all of them died trying to kill that... monstrosity. People believed that, instead of being assigned your Sword Call, it would be better to choose it yourself. Eventually when I was 6, I chose to make my Sword Call earth. Since that day, I've been training hard. Normally speaking, people will try to train hard because they want to fight against our villain, however, I train because I want to be helpful to people. With the earth powers I got, I'm able to treat people's wounds. I was told it had to do something with the healing properties of plants, which is a branch of earth powers. Not a lot of people have this 'plant' Sword Call. I guess that makes me special, but I feel just like a normal person. I'm not really fond of fighting, however, you need to fight in this world to survive. Eventually as I completed my training, I grew stronger faster than normal people around my age. Normally, you would finish your training and master your Sword Call when you are around the age of 21, but I grew and learned so fast that I mastered my Sword Call at the age of 18. Why this is I'm really not sure. Perhaps it is has to do with me being 'special' but who knows.

The only thing that is stopping me is the final test... This will determine if you really have mastered your Sword Call. You could see it as some sort of ceremony that everyone has to go through. The ceremony consists of a spar with a mentor. In that spar you must use your most powerful Sword Call skill perfectly at least once.

Skipping forward and here we are now... I am about to enter the arena that the spar is gonna take place in. Here we go...

I find myself standing in front of the entrance of the arena... People are already waiting for me inside. I can't let them wait any longer. ...Damn, I actually am kind of nervous... Come on Nathan... You can do this. I decide to walk forward and slowly enter the arena... As soon as I entered, I was met with a lot of noise and cheering. I stopped walking as I met the eyes of my opponent. It was a mentor that I've actually never seen before. He looked around the age of 30, but it seems he had plenty of experience.

"Are you ready to begin?" The man said.
"Yes." I said with a smirk. I know for a fact that I am ready for it, but I can feel my hand shaking slightly as I'm nervous.

The man and I took out our swords immediately. We were waiting for a bell to sound.
Bong!
That was the bell. I rushed at him and tried to slash him as fast as I could, but he blocked it with his sword. Our sword touched. I moved back slightly as he tried to push my sword out of my hands. He had a lot of power inside of him. It was easy to see he far outclassed me, but I do not actually have to beat him to win this spar.

"Sword Call: Nature's Blast!"

When I said that, my entire body and sword surrounded itself in some sort of green energy. I breathed in slowly as I was still being pushed backwards. When I realised I was almost at the edge of the arena, the green energy that surrounded me got shot forwards into some sort of beam, hitting the man because of the lack of distance between us. This made the man stumble backwards a bit, leaving an opening for me to rush back at him and try to hit him once more. I pointed my sword at him as I rushed. I was very close to him as I jabbed the sword into his side. Or, well, I tried to at least, but he regained his balance quite a bit faster than I anticipated. He blocked the point of my sword with the flat side of his sword. I was actually really impressed by the durability of his sword. It did not bend even slightly, which was highly suspicious because we both used a lot of force. I'm interested now... Is he using a special sword?

"Well, well, I did not expect you being able to even remotely push me back, but I guess I was wrong! Though, we both know you're totally outclassed." The man said a bit mockingly.

He is right. I am outclassed... Though, what is up with this guy's attitude? It's like he actively doesn't want me to win... Is it because of my age? Does he think I am too cocky? I will show him.

"I might be outclassed, but that does not mean I will lose!" I replied.
"If you truly think that, you might as well be delusional." He said to me as he put more power behind his sword. He succesfully pushed me back. Okay, I might have been a bit too cocky. He is physically more powerful than me, but is he magically also powerful? As I wondered that, I saw the stance of the man change whilst I was still trying to regain my balance. I might have spoken a bit too soon...

The man began to use a Sword Call. I saw his eyes change from brown to purple. I knew then and there that something was odd. My suspicions were proven correct as soon as I saw purple lightning surround his sword. I can tell that this man is very skilled. First of all, he is using a Sword Call that isn't one of the basic ones. Second of all, he can use a skill without saying the name of that skill out loud. Only the most experienced people can do that. It is quite strange though; your opponent should be in the same Sword Call branch as you. He clearly is not in the earth branch.

As more electricity surrounded the man, wings made out of electricity took form from his back. The audience gasped. We all knew that what the man was using was a highly advanced Sword Call. 'Angel's Judgement.' This Sword Call in particular increased your speed to be almost as fast as lightning itself. Shit, I have to think fast! The man took his feet off of the ground and shot forwards.

"Sword Call: Nature's Barrier!"

At the last possible moment, right before the man's sword could hit me, my barrier activated. It caused both of our energies to collide and get shot all across the arena. The audience was almost being blown away by the wind and pressure this clash created. I could feel my hands slowly start to slip from my sword. My sword was the source of my barrier and even it was pushing me away.

"Do you actually think that such a weak barrier can protect yourself? In a fight against Kairox, a barrier like that won't safe you!" The man yelled. I could barely even hear him above the sound of our energies clashing.

Kairox was the villain that has killed a lot of our kind... This ceremony is held to make sure of it that we have trained sufficiently to join the in the war against him. If you lost this fight, you will be locked up and forced to train brutally every day until you deemed as strong enough.

I really don't get what this guy's problem is and how this is even allowed in the first place! This guy is way out of my league! I began to struggle even more as his sword began to slowly but surely pierce into my barrier, almost touching my body. "O-Oh c-come on!" I said as I tried to put even more power behind my barrier. It wasn't all too bad though, as I could see the man begin to struggle as well.

"H-Hm! You know, you're not half as bad as you think you are, but even so..." He said as he put even more power behind his attack. My barrier began to crack.

I know that I can't hold out for long anymore... I have to do something, but what is there to do?! If I let go, I'm sure to die! I'm also almost out of energy... Where do I get energy from in the area? If only there was a source of energy near... me... Wait!

It suddenly clicked in my head. "Sword Call: Energy Recycling!" I said. My sword began to shine bright green as the electricity of the man's attack slowly but surely got absorbed by my sword.

"W-What?!" The man said as soon as he noticed this. The power of his attack lessened, but my barrier only got stronger and stronger. I have to carefully guide the energy inside of me as to not explode due to the suddenly gained energy. My green eyes began to shine brightly from all the energy I absorbed as I yelled and let my energy explode. The barrier increased in size and pushed the man back out of the arena. When my barrier disappeared, all that was standing there was me, but I now was in a green outfit of some sorts. It looked like a robe or cape of some sorts. As I closed my eyes and breathed out, the outfit vanished and I put my sword away.

The entire audience clapped and yelled in excitement as I just won this spar. Energy Recycling... That is my ultimate and strongest Sword Call. Confetti and fireworks flew through the air, but I couldn't help but wonder: why was this person so strong...? Also, why did nobody stop it? A lot of questions kept coming up in my mind, but it was only a matter of time before they were answered.