4 Path of a Hero

                                  Chapter 4: Path of a Hero

Next morning Josh wakes up realizing he slept peacefully the whole night. He took a quick shower and went into the hall for breakfast. He was still mourning with the hits he got yesterday, the pain in his stomach, the bruises on his face, and his back pain doesn't get better. When Josh hides his pain and tries to walk downstairs, he hears his father's voice exclaiming, "Kassandra did you hear about the boy who knocked down two Kara men. At least someone is taking initiative to put a stop to this Kara gang. May god be with this young hero?" A small inched smile came on to Josh's face. But he knew if he went downstairs with pain and bruises his father will definitely identify him. So he jumped off the window onto the compound trampoline. Then he walked out of his veranda easily seen by everyone. Josh's mother was always very worried about Josh.

Josh walked to Austin's house. Austin's house looks quite and humble from outside but it is totally different inside. His house is what a teenager needs. All kinds of facilities are available over here. Just as Austin needs it. Josh walks over the door. He purposely ignores the doorbell and enters the house and falls on the sofa in the hall. Austin came running for Josh and asked, "What the hell happened to you?" Josh said, "Please tell me your house has a first aid box." Austin asked again, "What happened to you?" Josh ignored and backfired with the same question, "Bro the first aid kit, with a little please if you want. I am not in a condition to answer these questions"

"Yeah fine!" Austin takes out painkillers and some bandage from a small green cupboard and gives it to Josh. He takes the painkillers and applies bandage around his stomach, abdomen and back. "Please take care of yourself and don't get into careless which can result to such injuries, I won't be helping time so better take care!!"

"Yeah dad!" Josh taunts him and leaves the house, He opens the front door for him.

Josh wanders the town thinking of his next fight against the Kara men.

He enters a grocery store to buy himself a snack. While he is searching for a good snack for himself, he notices an old man wearing a weird dress staring at him. The old man gestures Josh to follow him. Josh follows him confused. As he continues to follow him, they reach an old weak building's basement. The old man stops and rapidly turns around which scares Josh a little bit, he politely speaks, "I saw you the other day saving the tourist. You have guts to fight but no skill to win." "Excuse me!" Said Josh.

"You fight like a small baby"

"Huh, you say that just look at you old fool"

"Well then you say you can knock me down"

"Obviously"

"Then hit me"

"What? (Chuckles)You serious"

"Yes"

Josh runs forward and jumps with a slanting kick....the old man dodges it as if it was not even there. Josh starts to get angry

"Try again"

Josh tries once again but this time attempt's to punch him on the face. The old man catches his hand like a ball. Josh's anger magnifies. No matter how hard he tried to defeat the old man it was useless. He gets angrier and attacks at him only to be knocked out again. The old man orders Josh to stop and then says,

"You can't defeat me until you learn how to defeat me. Meet me every morning 7 am right here if you want to learn and defeat your enemy."

"You were there when I saved..."

"You are too weak against them. Tomorrow morning 7 am."

"Are you going to....."

"Leave now and before you come learn to control that anger in a useful way."

Josh leaves and returns his home still shocked by the fact that he was defeated by an old man but then he was happy that he found a master who would lead him the right way rather than choosing his own way.

Josh had to keep his entry anonymous so he climbed the water pipe and broke into his own house in Alex's room. Alex was chatting with his girlfriend on his mobile. Josh took the advantage and escaped into his room and went to sleep. He could not sleep the whole night as he was on an empty stomach. He had to go downstairs to eat. Kassandra caught Josh eating but did not interrupt so that he could eat peacefully.

The next morning 6:45 am when Josh was about to jump outside the window on the trampoline, he found the trampoline on other side far from his window. Jumping just like that would be dangerous so he had to find another way to sneak out of his house. Then he went into Alex's room to use his window when he found Alex SLEEPWALKING!!!! Actually sleepwalking was not the problem but Alex was walking near the window and Josh didn't want to wake him up. He had no option other than the using the main door. He knew that he cannot escape from the front door directly so he slapped Alex and he began to scream loudly which caught their attention, the both of them came upstairs that's when he quietly sneaked up the drawing room and went outside the door.

He reached the same old building where the old man had ordered him to come. The old man said he was going to train Josh to fight against the Kara men and stop those criminals. The old man was no more an old man for Josh. He was a Master who will teach him fighting skills just like the Master himself. They started training. The Master was too strict for Josh. He used to make punch walls and made him climb long pipes. He was teaching him Taekwondo, Kinjutsu, parkour and hand to hand combat. The training was so hard that his hands used to get swollen all the time. He used to run 10 km every day to maintain his stamina. For sword fight practice, his master used to hit him with wooden sword so that he could bear the pain of his enemies and then taught him the moves. They practiced 5 hours a day after college. Even his family began to doubt where he was going but he cleared that by lying that he was taking extra classes which his family believed easily. His master also helped him in channeling his anger in a useful way, though it didn't cured his PTSD, it reduced the effects a little.

                                  After few months Josh mastered all skills, techniques and moves and became better than The Master himself. No one was more proud than The Master himself. Josh bowed to The Master one last time. "Josh….. I fear we must depart from here now, I have some important work outside town and I don't think I will be able to come back again so I want you keep this little gift from me" He takes out a katana. Josh exclaims, "A sword!!?"

"Don't disrespect it, it's not "A" sword, it's "The" sword made by the legend Hanzo Hirashi"

"You mean the greatest swordsman ever to live "Hanzo Hirashi"!!!"

"Yes, this sword is one of its kind, its sharpness can even cut god into two pieces. It will help you in your path of redemption."

Josh (stuttering), "T-T-Thanks master, I will keep good care of this and I am sure it will help me in my path to redemption"

Both of them shared a smile and then Josh bows one last time before they say goodbye to each other and so they depart their separate ways.

                             Josh went to Austin's house the next moment. Austin greeted him in weird way. Austin said, "I saw your shit, what are you up to Josh?" "How did you get to know?" Josh asked. "I am one big hacker idiot. I hacked into the city cameras found a masked boy who was hit on the exact same body parts. What you are trying to do is a very big risk. You are risking not only your life but everyone around you. Take my advice and stop what you are doing…. Please!!"Said Austin.

"I can't"

"You can't or you won't!!!"

"I think this is the only way I can cure my PTSD and ….also…..take my grandpa's revenge"

"Why are you only thinking about yourself? Don't your family matter? Don't I matter? You are no hero Josh so stop playing this cape crusader stuff"

"I know!!! I am just doing what I think is right"

Josh leaves without answering goes back to his house and in frustration goes to bed only to be blocked by his mind from sleeping again.