"What is your dream?"
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A long time ago, there was a village that was besieged by an army of fomors and bandits. Among the fires that burn the village was a small boy who was against a wall, unable to fight back as he saw the wet smile of a goblin approaching with a bloodied club.
As the goblin raised his club to strike the boy, he closed his eyes, afraid to see the weapon that would end his life. However, what he heard was not the slash or pain of a blade against his skin, but the yell of a goblin.
When he opened his eyes, he saw a woman standing infront of the slain Goblin's corpse, holding a very thin blade at her side. Seeing her back, he felt strength return to him as he watched the woman, Spellblade Master Senihara defeat the whole army of fomors and bandits by herself.
Saving the village and the boy's life, it was then that the boy wanted to be a hero, wanted to be someone who can defend against any bad guys who would come in the future.
He dedicated his life to the sword.
Every day and night the boy would train, swinging his sword and refining his techniques in order to become a hero. He was taught by many schools and likewise grew stronger from all the techniques he learned. As he grew older and refined his techniques to the best of his abilities, he felt that he lacked something.
Bidding farewell to his friends, family, and his village, he left in order to search for that strength. He would travel from land to land, challenging sword masters, defeating them and their titles, visiting other sword schools and crushing them on his path to become stronger.
One day he entered a new continent and met a Milletian who was studying the mystical blade arts of the Omnyoji. Wanting to test the strength of the Milletian, they entered a duel in which both the Milletian and the young swordsman fought.
Before the battle was over, a group of bandits and fomors appeared, wanting to take the head of both the Milletian and the young swordsman. Forming a truce, the Milletian and the young swordsman fought against the bandit and fomors, driving them away.
Not wanting to be in debt to the Milletian for his help, he taught the Milletian his technique, Parry Blow, as he bid the Milletian farewell and left.
As he traveled the continent, he heard news that Master Senihara was cursed and was on the verge between life and death, but because she had such a strong will, she could not pass into the afterlife, but remain rooted here upon Erinn as a wandering spirit.
Filled with despair that he could not match blades with Master Senihara, the young swordsman made a deal with a witch, that in exchange for his life, he would be given a cure that would rid Master Senihara of her curse.
However, he was unable to bring the cure to Master Senihara since he was too weak. He requested the Milletian he met earlier to meet him at his bed and give the cure to Master Senihara in his place.
While lying in bed, he heard news that Master Senihara's curse was lifted and she was restored back to her former self. Delighted at the news, he forced his body off his bed as he took up the blade and went to challenge Master Senihara.
After meeting with Master Senihara, she refused to duel with the young swordsman, lamenting that he was her benefactor and she does not wish to cross her sword with the one who saved her life.
The young swordsman refused to back down, saying that if Master Senihara wants to thank him, they should cross blades in battle.
After seeing the strong spirit in the young swordsman's eyes, Master Senihara accepts and begins to duel the young man.
After a grueling battle, the young swordsman fell to his knees and acknowledge that Master Senihara was superior and even with all his techniques and experience he accumulated, he was no match for her.
As he stood up and staggered his way to the door, Master Senihara called for him, wanting to treat his wound, but the young swordsman merely turned his head around and told Senihara that long ago, she saved his life and his village and if she remembers him.
Master Senihara stood silent as the boy smiled.
He knew she won't remember him. He was just one out of many lives she saved and she traveled the world to save as many lives as possible. She wouldn't remember just one face out of the many lives she saved.
As he coughed up blood, Master Senihara pleads once more to treat his wounds and that she will always remember him from now on.
But the young swordsman smiled and said that the price he paid to remove the curse from Master Senihara was his life and he doesn't have much time to live. As he stood weakly up, he faced Master Senihara as he realized something important.
During the fight, he saw how bright Master Senihara's eyes were and he saw that Senihara did not fight to become stronger, nor did she travel the continent in search of strength. She fought to live peacefully and to protect others through the blade.
He realized that all through his life, he abandoned his friends, family, and village in pursuit of strength and to become a better swordsman.
He forgot that he originally became a swordsman to become a hero like Senihara, that he lived his life only seeking power.
He smiled saying that his life, he finally understood...
... what he was missing and what Master Senihara had...
He turned around and said that his final wish...
... is to find a place he could die in honor.
He stumbled out the door and into a field of flowers and grass where he fell down among it, with a smile on his face as he died peacefully.
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~ Mabinogi Memorial Tale Collection No. 007
- Mabinogi Memoral Tale Collection Series -
A Mabinogi Tale
A Mabinogi Tale 2
A Mabinogi Tale 3
A Mabinogi Tale 4
A Mabinogi Tale 5
A Mabinogi Tale 6