I'm studying the art of sword fighting and have defeated my opponents so far. During these rounds I carefully watch how my opponent moves and study every step they take to find ways to track their pattern.
As I finish my current round I come close to losing, but one well placed blow declares me the winner of the second last challenge.
The last challenge in this dojo is to fight the owner, someone who has never been beaten. His reputation has built up as someone who, despite how well each candidate has performed, defeats each new candidate within moments of stepping in the arena.
During my remembering of his style of fighting, my mind sees all the hopefuls lined up and "cut down" as he simply glides through them. [Note: they were lined up in two rows, with enough space for him to go between them. He is running through the space with two swords, essentially representing how easily they were beaten.]
I know I am different, because I have studied each fight, and I came to the conclusion that regardless of how many people have fought with him, he never needed to use the same moves. Mostly because the longest fight was just under five minutes, but even his footwork was never the same.
Learning this didn't worry me to much, after all he was a master. But I knew I would have little time to study him during our fight.
As I walk towards the rest area, I see him and his right hand man. Going over to greet him, a custom, I get stopped short by his friend grabbing my sword. Holding the sword about level with my forehead, I wait for him to make a move as we stare at each other a few seconds. I see the smallest twitch seconds before he pulls my sword out of the sheath and I swiftly block his attempt at a floor attack using the sheath.
The Master wasn't fazed, but his eyes did flick over from his tea to observe.
I was given my sword back with an approving nod from his friend.
I bow and turn to leave.
During my brief encounter I had watch the master calmly drink and had seen the way he moves his upper body.
From across the room I watch as he gets up and walks out of the room. Studying how he moves is something that proved to me that he was already moving differently than during previous initiations.
A drum is hit and I know it is time.
I enter the arena and the spectators and other observers are silent. Knowing full well that none of the other initiation candidates are even close to the masters level I exhale and calmly take my position. He enters the floor.
Looking at him from a distance I study how he holds himself, then as he gets closer I can see that he is mildly interested in me was well, more accurately, interested in why I didn't appear overwhelmed or nervous as a majority of the previous candidates did.
I stare into his eyes and I notice a brief and tiny taken aback look in them.
The drum sounds once more.
-I wake up-
