On and on

Chanaka slept in the caves. But before he slept, a lot of doubts crossed his mind. He wondered if it was not for Master Maroshi, could Hikari have killed him. All this training and perseverance, only to get killed by a wolf clan member, who he totally detested. Chanaka even put the viper clan members above them. He looked at Master Maroshi. He saw him meditate and concentrating on his efforts. The memory of him killing Hikari would have been long forgotten. He must have been like me once, weak and full of self pity once, thought Chanaka. Some men are born different, he concluded. They go on and on. Nothing stops them, nothing deters them. Every obstacle changes into a challenge. Every block turns into opportunity. And every fight gives more strength.

He surely must have been like me once. But he never stopped. He kept going. That is why he is so strong that I refuse to believe that he is even human. But there was a scar on his face, healed in time. But I can see the scar, concealed in time. He is surely human. I can become like him, said Chanaka. Fearless and strong! I just have to keep going, on and on. Without ever giving up!

But he too never gave up. When all his friends and even his brother had developed some power and were being out into different clans, Chanaka had felt different. He was not built with any special power, he only had the Kikku. When he showed the Kikku to everyone, they laughed at him. We have fangs, snake tongue and are able to create water dragons. You have the Kikku! they would laugh at him. Chanaka had no other choice but to join the other gang. The gang made up of no good people, the one without any powers. The misfits. Chanaka joined them and hid his Kikku strength from them as well, mostly not willing to get ridiculed. The gang was up to no good, stealing and other things that hit you into trouble. Even though Chanaka did not want to be with them and do criminal activities, he had no choice. No one understood him. Except his sister.

"You be with them, but train alone," she said to him. "Cheat and steal, but practice your kicks and arts," she said. "Do bad now so one day you can do some good,"

Chanaka agreed to her. "Atleast you are standing by my side," he said to her. "Always ," she replied. "Even when there is no one on your side, I will be there,"

"Even if I'am not alive, my spirit would guide you," she said.

"Don't say things like that little Azuki," said Chanaka. He got up from his slumber and searched for his sister. Azuki, Azuki, he said searching for her. Only after a couple of minutes did he he realise where he was and that little Azuki had passed on. He did not know who killed her. But he was certain that it was a clan member, either the wolf or the viper. Because they were the only one who truly hated him. They hated him with all their hearts because he had grown stronger than them without any extra powers. He could beat them all with only his Kikku.