Sword

Author: Manuel Sieunarine

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Preamble:

Fascinated by the art of swordplay since young, I have given much thought as to what it means to be a warrior. Two movies have answered this question in part. Their quotes, outlined below, pertain to this story. Video games, books and people have inspired my imagination to produce this work I present to you now.

- the author

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It is not about anger, it is about peace.

It is not about power, it is about grace.

It is not about knowing your enemy, it is about knowing yourself.

- Bulletproof Monk

In the first stage the warrior and sword are interchangeable. Even a blade of grass can become a lethal weapon. Then the sword exists not in the hand, but in the heart, and the warrior can kill his enemy from a hundred paces without a weapon. The final stage is when the sword disappears, and the warrior embraces all around him. The need to kill is gone, and only peace remains.

- Hero

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Peace: the unifying idea of the bloodiest profession known to the galaxy. And it was a profession. Only the best were chosen, only the strongest survived the training, only the elite became students. Yet it was a necessary profession, and each planet in the galaxy sent one Verim-de, “Child of Blood”, every century. It was not a casual undertaking when one followed Sword. Of the ten thousand that the Blood Planet harboured, ten emerged with the name Jin-u, ‘Gifted of Sword’. Without Sword, there was no peace. Without peace, there was chaos. Determined not to repeat history, Sword persisted.

Among the youngest of sentient species populating the galaxy, humanity warred endlessly until Sword placed the stripling planet under martial law. It was the general consensus that evolution would not take place until the species participated more actively in peace than in war. After the first million years, resistance faded. Serenity of Sword pervaded the species’ collective consciousness.

Terra was altered under its billion-year Sword rule. The oceans were tamed and landmass dominated eighty percent of the surface, the extra water shipped to galactic neighbours as gestures of goodwill, to maintain peace. Humanity evolved to heights of mental and physical prowess that enabled its species to contribute a child to the Blood Planet.

Of the twenty billion individuals populating Terra, Will was the only one with his name. It was a single name, for the Verim-de must break all familial and political ties. Unanimously recognized by his planet for his achievements in the discipline of Sword, he was given that name, for his will was insurmountable. The most perfect product of humanity’s evolution, his was a sacred duty, and though he would no longer belong to Terra, the planet felt pride and accomplishment to have birthed him. The Emissaries would arrive within one month, Terra time, to claim Will.