17 Luke

It was midafternoon. Somewhere around 4 or so. In the courtyard of the Hive, Danev had taken me out with 2 swords, seeming intend on showing me a thing or two.

He motioned me to where he wanted me to stand and tossed me a sword which I managed to catch by the hilt, pleasing me.

"Alright" he started. "You're one of us and we're on the street meaning you need to learn how to fight.

I had been waiting for this since I joined the Hornets. Being 10 on the street, you needed to learn how to fend for yourself. The only reason I was still breathing was because I had taken to avoiding confrontation rather than meeting it head on. Something instinctual seemed to tell me that avoiding and conflict as the right approach.

"Show me a fighting stance."

Not exactly knowing what that was, I moved my fight a bit farther apart than they were and raised by sword vertically, holding the hilt with two hands.

"Okay" he said, seemingly analyzing my footwork very thoroughly, "See the way your feet are too close together."

I looked down and not a second later did the flat of a sword come down on my wrist knocking the sword out of my hand, painfully.

The sting of the iron sent a shudder down my spine as the blow vibrated through me. I realized I was still looking at my feet where the sword lay 2 feet away. I looked up at Danev and shrugged, saying "What the hell?"

"Lesson number one, never take your eyes off an opponent. The second you do that is the second you leave yourself open to a finishing blow. Pick up the sword."

I looked to see the sword on the ground and bent to pick it up only to see a foot kick it way to the other end of the courtyard. I looked up with not the kindest eyes, but Danev seemed to busy chuckling to notice.

"What did I say about keeping your eyes on your opponent."

I sighed the entire time I walked over to pick up the sword. It was heavy. It was only iron and a short sword even more, but lack of nutrition didn't do good for anybody. It certainly didn't make them capable fighters.

By the time I returned to Danev, he seemed done amusing himself.

"Oh. You found it."

I just smiled and shook my head disapprovingly. It wasn't what I would have expected from when he said, "learning how to fight", but I was still hopeful that the useful part would be coming up soon.

"See the sword you're holding?"

I saw him already taking a few steps forward so I raised the sword in a way that I could see the blade without losing sight of him.

"Yeah. Shiny."

"Yep. The shinier the sharper. That's what my dad used to say."

"You knew your dad?"

"No, but it sounds like something he would say. Anyway, speaking of sharpness, that blade, or rather, the one your opponent is holding will be used to hack you to itty bitty pieces. Generally, you want to stop that from happening."

"And that's what you're here to teach me."

"Precisely." And with that, he lunged forward, bringing his sword coming in from above. I was lucky to have already had my sword at around that height and brought it up horizontally to meet his, but on impact, the blade merely fell out of my hands. The pure force of the blow was both shocking and too much for myself to handle. I thought that the sound of it clanging against the ground would be the end, but when he brought the blade up for another attack, I was forced to jump backwards to avoid his downward slash.

I fell backwards, landing ass first on the stone floor. He was standing atop my sword and his kick sent it sliding perfectly next to me.

"You're supposed to be fighting. A fighter isn't much good without a weapon, now is he?

It was kind of him to give me more than 5 seconds to recover. He was already back on me while I was standing up, sword in hand.

This time, he was swinging to my right, I brought my sword up with 2 hands to meet his blade. They met, and I managed to keep my hold on the weapon despite it being knocked to the complete other side from the force.

He was swinging downward against this time and I finally managed to lock blades with him, holding it up against him. It was obvious he wasn't putting much effort into it. It seemed, actually, like he was using it to show me some-

My train of though was cut off when his free hand was balled into a fist and used to punch me right in the stomach. I recoiled and almost felt as if I was going to puke out my nonexistent breakfast. I hunched over on the ground, coughing and heaving, sword on the ground until I finally managed to compose myself and stood up, still blurry of sight and nauseous of constitution.

"You good?" he asked, not seeming sarcastic for once.

It took me a moment to gather the air to say something. "Yeah. The fuck was that?"

He shrugged. "me fighting."

"Fighting? I thought we were training. That hurt. A lot."

His expression changed to something mockingly pitiful. "Aww. Boo hoo. Training with swords hurts." He went back to his normal tone. "Guess what. When I was out on the streets, learning to defend myself on my own, I didn't have any fancy 5-star tutors or lessons like you're getting right now."

I scoffed at that.

"I got cut" he said pulling down the collar of his shirt to reveal a gross scar going around his shoulder. "I got stabbed" he said lifting his shirt to reveal a stab wound a few inches right of his stomach. "And I got- "

"I get it." I cut him off. "You're incapable of defending yourself. I get it."

He ignored the insult. "Good. So, stop fucking whining and learn something for heaven's sake.

Things continued, expectedly. This wasn't a story where the hero learns, in one training session to master the art of combat nor was it a short period of time with ups and downs out of which a better man arose. This was real life, not some play or story. I got my ass handed to me on multiple occasions. There was some blood, a few non-permanent wounds, and a shit ton of swearing, but I survived.

I was sweaty and the sword seemed stuck to my hands when I realized 2 other hornets, Heddik and Lannit, were watching. Heddik approached, hands clapping, saying "Look. At you, Luke. You grabbed the sword by the right end. I'm shocked."

"Fuck you too, Heddik, how're you?"

"I'm great. Sun's setting and time's ticking."

"What's going on." Danev asked.

"We need the swords. Fire Nation caravan just came in on the grain road. We're going to hit it."

"First one that came in 2 weeks, I murmured."

"Good." Heddik said. "He can count too."

I flipped him off.

"Anyway" he said as Danev and I handed him the swords which he divided and passed one to Lannit, "We gonna hit it and take what we can get our hands on."

"You asked Riu?"

"Who do you think told us to go?"

"Okay. Just go and do the usual. Don't take it all or we'll have the Fire Nation on our ass. Just take enough."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. We got this."

As they left, I thought of how to say it, but said 'fuck it' and went for it. "Wait." I said, getting them to turn around mid-way out. "Can I come too."

"Why?" asked Lannit. "From what, I saw, you're not exactly the best fighter in Citadel."

"You could always use an extra set of hands carrying supplies."

Lannit turned to Heddik who merely shrugged and said "Fuck it. Come on."

The grain road was close, just 2 roads away. The Hive lay mid-way between the Arsenal road facing South and the Rich People Road facing East to the sea. The grain road faced west towards Ba Sing Se. The outskirts of the city, outside the outer wall was the home for many farmers who tried to take advantage of the fertile soil. The Fire Nation, on the other hand, took advantage of said farmers, extorting them for food that was then brought to cities such as Citadel.

Citadel couldn't exactly be considered a city. It was a military installation with a very impoverished human shield, but we didn't mind. Well, we did, but there wasn't much of an option. My future, at this point was looking to be one of three things. A, I stay with the hornets and rise in the ranks until somebody desires my place and kills me to get it. B, by the looks of how things are going in Citadel, I get sent to a factory for labor, but then again, there was always C, I get drafted into the army. Since Riu killed his potential recruiter, the Fire Nation became more careful on the street, explaining the amount of kids of older ages such as Riu, Danev, and a few others.

We had to be quick on our way to the Grain road. The caravans weren't fast, but they weren't slow either and this being the only importing of food in the last 2 weeks so far made it a target that we couldn't afford to miss. We were on the street where a small Hornet scout kid told us the good news that it didn't pass and that it was still on its way. Apparently, a small group of Hornets managed to stall it for a few minutes.

Thanks kid, Lannit said, tossing the kid a copper piece.

Heddik gathered us on the side of a building facing opposite of the direction the Caravan would come and he huddled to together as if to discuss a plan, which was the case.

"Okay. I'm going to get on the roof of this building. When the caravan comes by, Lannit, I want you and Luke to throw some stones and bricks at the soldiers. Get their attention. They'll chase you off and I'll jump on the back of the cart and grab what it can. Lose then in the maze of houses, come bac before they get back, grab what you can, and meet me back at Citadel, okay?"

We both nodded.

"Good."

We got into position. Lannit and I stood in an alley perpendicular to the street. We could see Heddik on the roof who was prone, watching the road. It wasn't long until he looked to us and nodded, meaning that the Caravan was near. Lannit and I stood ready, bricks in hand.

Heddik updated us again making a "3" with his fingers meaning 3 guards.

When the first crimson and black set of armor came into view, Lannit and I sprung out, immediately throwing debris at the 2 guards and the one driver who sat atop a carriage drawn by ostrich horses.

The first rock thrown by Lannit hit a soldier in the helmet sending it off his head and him falling down onto the pavement. I threw 2 at the driver, the first of which missed, but the second hitting him in the chest, hard, sending him off from atop his mount. The guards were onto us now. We dropped our loads and run, but they were quicker.

I was behind Lannit, being second to run, and had a hand pull me from the shoulder, bringing me to the ground, falling.

I saw Lannit run, oblivious of my falling. The guard stood in my sight, spear and hand and thought that I was going to be arrested until he brought the spear up, ready to strike.

Time seemed to slow and in an attempt to scurry to my foot and just get away, I rolled a bit to the left having the point of my spear rip across my right shoulder where my heart would have been had I not moved.

I don't remember screaming, but just looked to my right to see the blood flowing out of the sizable wound. I looked up to see the soldier as he prepared a more permanent strike, but was tackled from abode by Heddik who had jumped from his rooftop atop the attacker.

Lannit was back, most likely having seen I wasn't with him and was just in time to see the plan go south. The other 2 soldiers including the helmetless one who was hit in the head were now up. My attacker was down for the count.

Lannit helped be to my feet while both he and Heddik drew their weapons. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

The soldiers were better trained and disciplined, but the Hornets were adaptable. One minute they were fighting, the next they were throwing bricks, and the next they were tackling their buddie's opponent, aiding one another. It was a sight to behold. It wasn't long until 2 soldiers were knocked out with a third on his knees, trying to recover from the small skirmish.

He looked around to see the 3 of us, reached for a knife in its scabbard, but immediately had his wielded knife knocked aside with the blade of a spear to be followed with a butt of a sword to the head, knocking him down. Heddik, who wielded the spear, threw it to me, which I caught.

"He's the one who cut you. What do you want to do with him?"

I could barely remember being cut. It was only when I was reminded that the returned, but what did he mean by asking me what I wanted done with him. He couldn't have been suggesting killing him, right.

I looked up to the 2 of them who had their eyes on me, waiting for a response.

"Knock him out?"

And in a moment's notice, the hilt of Lannit's spear had sent the soldier to the ground in what seemed to be a rather anticipated action.

"Grab their weapons!" Heddik said while he checked some fresh blood that appeared to be on his arm.

"You good?" he asked me.

"Yeah. I guess. Hurts though. You?"

"I'll be fine. We'll put something on it back at the hive, alright?"

"Alright. Sounds good."

I was surprised to see Heddik jumping atop the carriage, taking the driver's position.

"What're you doing?" Lannit asked

"These soldiers broke the rules. They attacked us."

"Not shit, we attacked them."

"The agreement we had with them let us take food from them and make it look like thievery. In exchange, we deal with problems on the street. These soldiers broke the rules, so why can't we?!"

Lannit shook his head, finally submitting and said "Fuck it. Let's go."