The Face of Conviction [Zenshin and Aegis; Private]

Aegis walked along the edge. To his side was a vast crevice at the bottom of which lied the Calm Sea. It resembled a chasm filled with tears, but the colours of the golden dawn were smeared across its surface. It was, indeed, so very calm, a tranquillity enforced by the voice of nature singing in the dawning shimmer. The new day illuminated the world before the knight... and it was gorgeous. The rusty leaves that fell around him when he first arrived here were now replaced by the youthful greenery of spring. A gentle wind shook the delicate cups of nearby daffodils. Small spider webs could be seen wafting through the air, mounted by little spiders in search of a new place to call home.

"Home..." Indeed, these cliffs were his home for 6 months now. A home he shared with his friend and student, Zenshin. During all that time, he had been guiding him to the path of a knight. Liberty, faith, hope, determination, loyalty, wisdom and clairvoyance - all aspects of a hero. But, today their home would become something more than a place of peace and adopt a more bloody purpose.
"How ironic that my refuge once again becomes an arena." Aegis giggled off with a small smile.
"I wonder," he began saying to no one in particular, "Will he be able to pass his final trial?"
His voice trailed off after the rustle of leaves and a nostalgic giggle followed suit. His blue gaze slowly shifted upwards, towards the puffy clouds.
"It's really a great day to live today," his monologue continued with a tint of wistfulness "I hope he lives it to the fullest."

Six months... half a year had passed since he and Aegis met here and began training. Zenshin had learned many important things, including words like "impossible" and "law" or "fact" were meaningless. A few new scars could be found on his body and he was now able to perform much more rigorous tasks for a much longer period of time. I hope the guild is still standing when we get back he thought as he pulled himself up, his hands locked around the tree branch he was using. That's when he spotted Aegis, walking along the cliff side, looking off to the ocean that had been oh so familiar to him by now. I wonder what's in store today. Is he going to push me off the cliff and force me to climb back up again, or is he going to starve me? he thought while letting go of the limb.

After brushing off his hands on his pants, he walked over to Aegis. "How ironic that my refuge once again becomes an arena. Will he be able to pass his final trial? It's really a great day to live today. I hope he lives it to the fullest." Zen overheard him saying. Monologue again? Nice. Well, it's not like I don't do it... "So Aegis, what'll it be today? Another trip over the cliff side?" he asked, wanting to know what today's itinerary would be, but after hearing what he said, he was sure that today would be the last day. Another thing, his guard was in a perpetual state of being up, another trait he developed in the relatively short time he was here on the cliff. But, even after all of that, he stayed. At any time he could've left, as he knew that failing the final trial would probably kill him, but he didn't care.

He knew that if he followed Aegis' instructions to the letter and defied them at other turns, he would be fine. The lessons he was trying to teach through fight and very few, cryptic words were somehow interpreted by him in such a way where he believed that the story of Aegis was much more of a deep thing that met the eye. It was a lot like a rabbit hole, leaving Zen wondering how far down it went. Looks like today is the final day...

The knight briefly glanced over his shoulder as he heard Zen's voice call out to him. His smile didn't fade, in fact it further grew as another gust stroked his face with the morning's care. The swordsman's hands rested upon the smooth leather of Serenity's hilt as the blade stood driven into the ground.
"Tell me, Zen," he begun saying, his back facing his pupil, "What drove you to go through all the torture I forced on you?" Aegis asked as he turned around.
"Actually no, don't tell me. It's a truth only those whom you care for should understand." the knight stated with a small, caring smile he hadn't shown in a long time.

"It's no less a fact than your admirable willpower." The azure swordsman slowly gestured broadly, the sun shining from behind him.
"But here we are now, half a year has passed since you challenged me in that clearing in the Spooky Forest. Half a year of pain and training, of lies and deceit. Indeed, I've been guiding you for all that time, to a path none would truly wish to walk."
He drew a breath in tact with the gentle southern wind.
"Today is the last day. The last challenge you need to pass," Aegis continued, extending a hand towards Zen, "If you wish to discover who you truly are."
In the space between the two, a dim flash materialised itself. With the sound of glass hitting glass, a simplistic sword fell tip first against the ground. To its hilt a piece of cloth was tied. A crimson fabric dancing in the breeze, like flowing blood splashed against the vestige of the past.

"It is time for you to learn your final lesson, Zenshin." the knight's voice trailed behind as he glanced skyward. With a swift motion he then spun, drawing Serenity from the soft layer of dirt and grass roots. Splitting the wind, it's blade sung the trembling note of destiny as the teacher aimed the long katana forward. The early sun's golden rays glided along the flawless blade, forming a spot of sunlight on his friend's chest,


Aegis' grin never faded, yet his aura changed. Pressure could be felt, a malicious intent like that of a hunter stalking his pray. The grass at his feet bent opposite of him, as if in a futile attempt to escape him and a final warning.
"Today, out of us both only one will walk away."
The swordsman's gaze didn't tremble. It challenged Zenshin, dared him to come closer if he could. It challenged him...

"...To prove your strength. Come now, Zenshin of Sabertooth, show me what drives your heart!"
Slowly, he brought Serenity's handle to his right shoulder, his other hand finding it's way to the weapon's hilt.
"Lest I crack it open and find out myself!"

His smirk said it all. It was the final day, the final trial. It was time for Zenshin to show his master the true face of conviction.

"Today is the last day. The last challenge you need to pass," Aegis continued, extending a hand towards Zen, "If you wish to discover who you truly are. If you wish to discover who you truly are." Aegis said aloud as he summoned a weapon he'd come to become familiar with, Serenity. "Today, out of us both only one will walk away ...To prove your strength. Come now, Zenshin of Sabertooth, show me what drives your heart! Lest I crack it open and find out myself!" he threatened and challenged. As much as he doubted the fact that only one of them would walk out, he gladly accepted this challenge. Aegis didn't seem like he wanted to spar, he seemed like he wanted to kill, only he failed to realize that the one who could come closest to ending his life was standing right in front of him.

"Always so thematic Aegis. It's one of the traits I've come to like about you though. Though keep in mind. I. Will. Not. Falter. " he said, turning around and walking towards the weapon rack similar to the one that he had seen at the beginning of this six month regimen. Zenshin knew the ins and outs of the weapon rack, every spear, every sword, every weapon. He also knew which ones were considered "legendary" and which were considered "shoddily made". Even armed with this knowledge, he walked over to the sword section and took up a very simple, but sharpened katana. Not as long as Aegis', but a decent size as far as this particular kind of weapon goes.  

Zen then took off his hat and put it on the empty slot of the rack, I'll be back for you after... he thought towards one of his most valued possessions before turning to his guild master. "Try Aegis. If you want to see what's in my heart, come! But you have to know one thing. If you want to see what's in my heart, you might lose your head" he finished, a bit of a taunt towards his guildmaster. With his katana pointing in the direction of his opponent, but the tip pointing towards the sky, he was genuinely wondering how this would turn out. He crouched down a bit, putting himself in a position to take a blow, since he was playing it defensively this time. Both of his feet were parallel to each other, as eager to take a blow as he was eager to deliver one. Time for the final trial

[The rest can be found in the timeskip/history thread]