After a really long night with no sleep I finally drifted off to sleep around 9 AM.  I rarely remember my dreams but this one is still crisp in my mind.  You just don’t forget getting your ass kicked in a sword fight. It’s story time!

 

The snow falls slowly and flurries around in a slight breeze.  It lightly coats the ground surrounding him (me) sitting on a bench with is eyes closed deep in thought.  The unique sound of metal on concrete approaches him from the rear and breaks his peaceful meditation.  He opens his eyes, stands, and turns around to face this potential threat.  Walking lightly as if floating she (a lady I know) draws near dragging a kutto katana (reverse-blade sword) with a red hilt .  Her graceful walk is betrayed by her awkward yet serious stare.  His expression doesn’t change as he draws his sword instinctively ready for any danger she might present.  She slows and finally stops an arm and sword’s length away as she tightens the grip on on her sword and removes the sheath from the waistband behind her back.  Her expression is calm masking the storm brewing within and he knows that he should prepare for the worst.  Their eyes lock as they both raise their swords parallel to each other.  The snow stops falling they draw their swords back and clash.  He is impressed and surprised by her strength and even more by her speed as she strikes him in the lower ribs with her sheath while he blocks her sword.  He kicks her back to gain some space.  He knows that he maybe faster but not fast enough to fight a two-pronged attack.  Her low center of gravity also gives her an advantage in any close range encounter.  He decides that both speed and strength are the solution as he assesses the damage done to his side.  He turns and runs to a nearby tree as she gives chase.  She is faster than she was a moment ago, his plan won’t be as effective as he had hoped.  Was she toying with him?  He jumps toward the tree, braces his feet as he uses it to launch himself back toward her, sword drawn.  His hope to finish this in one strike was thwarted as she dodged his lunge with a spin and a blow to his unguarded midsection.  He winces as he feels the pain from the brunt of her sword as it hits his other side.  Theses were calculated attacks, she was dismantling him piece by piece.  His body bounces as he hits the ground sending the unsettled snow swirling. While still on the ground, the pain slows him down but only slightly as he braces for and blocks a punch to his chest.  Her power is inhuman, he thinks as he feels his left forearm crack from the force.  He becomes confused because his body goes deeper into the ground and it feels like gravity disappeared.  He then realizes that the force of her last blow broke the ground below him.  Gravity grabs him as he falls through the ground as it breaks like ice below him.  They are both falling down as she tries to speed his descent with a stomp.  He has recovered enough in the two seconds to be able to evade her foot and respond with a swipe of his sword.  Even he is surprised to see that he cut her a little above the knee.  They both get their bearings and brace themselves before hitting the ground after falling about 20 feet.  They are now in a dojo and there is no trace of the snowglobed park where this encounter began.  All confusion aside his eyes stay locked on her as he takes in his new surroundings.  She doesn’t seem to care where she is and continues her onslaught by throwing her sheath at him as she charges in with her sword.  He fractures his wrist by blocking her iron sheath with his left hand in order to be ready with his right for her attack.  As their swords clash they are in a stalemate staring at each other over their sparking swords in a test of strength.  His damaged ribs scream out against him as he forces her down on her injured knee.  He lets his sword swing down into a parry as he kicks her in the stomach.  He doesn’t waste a moment as he rushes in at her for the finishing blow.  She is still stumbling back from the kick as she braces for his attack.  As his blow comes down he aims for the left of her neck he feels his sword strike flesh and sees blood squirt.  He only has a fraction of a second to realize that he has lost.  Her left hand gushes blood from catching his blade but is avenged by her right with a swing of her sword that sends his head to the ground with a half-shocked, half-pleased look forever impressed on his face.