| abstract | - Jets roared as the plane took off into the sky. Shaking both the earth and heaven's, almost commanding the gods to respect the innovative nature of humans. Perhaps that served as the reason humans were creatures obsessed with creating things of grandiose. The largest buildings, vehicles, weapons of mass destruction; humans possessed a subconscious understanding of how vast the sky was in comparison. That they are nothing but specks of sand. And even beyond the endless heaven's lied realms they would never comprehend. Life. Death. The ocean. Mysteries surrounded humans. So they could only create beacons in the endless darkness. Perhaps he was no different. There he stood, staring through the wide glass of the airport, watching planes ascend into an ocean of blue. Bang felt like an insect in the presence of large metallic birds. Heart pounding. He felt weak, insignificant before them. "My love! How was your flight?" A man questioned from behind, which was followed by the uncomfortable sound of a kiss. Bang peered from his peripherals. The sickening display of two who overcame distance to rekindle love. "How can they," He thought. be so happy? Maybe his stomach twisted and churned for different reasons. Like watching someone else enjoy a magnificent meal while snacking on a piece of bread. Bang turned away swiftly, touching the hilt of the silver epee hanging from his waist in a crimson sleeve. He felt the energy within raging. But remained calm amongst a furious storm. His eyes lowered. Memories of silver blades crossing, the exhilarating sensation of dueling. Of battle. Blood. The pounding of steps advancing and retreating. His racing heartbeat picking up speed, igniting the blood in his veins as he lunges forward. From the storm came a certain warmth. A warmth that allowed him to break the chains binding him to the couple embracing, and walk towards the exit. "I haven't been here in years." said Bang, reminiscing the day he decided to leave his home in Beijing. The city was as overcrowded as ever, and the poor swordsman could barely understand the Cantonese speaking natives. So he decided to use the traditional signs for guidance. Exiting the airport and heading towards the street. Bang saw the gambling casino's and tourist attractions from a considerable distance. Not a bad place to have a vacation before heading back to class in Japan. But gambling was his last idea. No. He wanted to duel. To battle. "Macau Fencing School." Silver pounding against silver, reeling wire, the occasional buzzer and a green light. The smell of cloth and euphoric trace of metal. Bang felt at home. He watched men and women dressed in white with only a black mask dance to and from, across the piste. Different conversations, various intentions. He could read them; understand the language that duelers spoke. Unspoken words yet powerful emotions. His blood started to rush, he almost leapt onto the piste like a wild man. But Bang managed to restrain himself and left to get dress. Upon returning, he noticed the other fencers watch him move towards an empty piste with eyes of confusion. Bang gathered through his own broken comprehension of Cantonese. But he only smiled at the spectators while grasping a mask beneath his arm. Painted on it was a beastly face that belonged to something beyond human. "Rènhé tiǎozhànzhě ma. (Any challengers?)" "Wǒ shòu. (I accept.)" A reply that broke the tense, thick, choking silence surrounding the spectators. Bang turned towards his opponent and smiled. The man was taller, built like a tank. No doubt older than Bang and in his prime. The masked opponent stepped onto the piste, hooked up the wiring and met at the first line where both opponents checked the guards of their blades. "Wǒ jiào wáng jūn, wǒ shì cóng chéngdū. Nǐ jiào shènme mìngzi. (My name is Zhang Jun, I'm from Chengdu. What is your name?)" Ironic. The man who could cast a shadow over Bang to be named Zhang Jun. But Bang has defeated an army before. A horde of demons and beast from the darkest nightmares. "Wǒ jiào Wèi Mèng. wǒ shì cóng Niǔyuē (My name is Wei Meng. I am from New York.) The two fencers went to the beginning positions and saluted one another. Zhang Jun, before putting on his mask smiled and spoke in a thick voice. "Your mandarin is excellent. Not what I expect from a westerner." "Thank you, but I was born and raised in Beijing. My parents are the one's from New York." Bang corrected politely. "I see. Well you're a refreshing visitor. So what do you say we start the show. The first to fifteen?" Zhang Jun galloped forward with an impressive boost in his step. Both feet pounding against the strip as he approached. But Bang smirked behind the darkened screen of his mask. He stood in proper stance, widened and lowered, with his feet forming a perpendicular formation. Bang's elbow was kept about a fist's distance away from his hip, with an arm pointed towards his opponent. To the fencer, his sword was an extended attachment to his body. Within measure, Zhang Jun extended into a half-hearted thrust aimed at Bang's upper right. "Dueling is rarely like they show in Anime." He remembered. "It's a dance, a conversation between two swordsman without the necessity of words. Powering up and charging at the enemy is spewing nonsense; thus creating holes in the argument for the opponent to exploit." Bang found Zhang Jun's forte with his own foible and added pressure. The familiar sensation of colliding metal, vibration of two swords gliding against one another was orgasmic. He guided the approaching epee into the outside line and prepared to retort with a counter. But Zhang Jun had halted his step and leapt out of Bang's reach. Narrowly avoiding the touch. Bang advanced Zhang Jun retreated, remaining outside of Bang's middle measure. Yet Zhang Jun's incredibly long arm managed to command more distance. "The more he keeps me back, the harder it is for me to strike." Bang thought. He took a half-step forward, leaning into the beginning stance of a lunge but halted and returned into normal En Garde. Zhang Jun had took the bait and shot outwards into a full extension, keeping Bang at the mercy of the tip. . "That's how long his reach is without lunging." Bang advanced, parried the extension and attempted to gain more distance by stepping forward. But Zhang Jun, who already commanded the gap between the two, answered with another retreat. "Now!" Bang's sword shot outwards as his front foot followed shortly. A powerful lunge but Zhang Jun had already prepared for it. "You can't evade this." Bang thought, smiling as Zhang Jun realized the inevitable truth. He was cornered. Another step would result in falling off the piste. So he was forced to parry the strike. Bang manipulated his fingers masterfully, dropping the blade beneath the oncoming sword and repositioning it towards Zhang Jun's upper left arm. Beep. The first touch belonged to Bang. Both combatants returned to the starting line and stepped into En Garde. "Allez." A mountain standing firmly against raging winds. Zhang Jun was unmoving. Even though Bang extended his blade continuously, the monstrous fencer kept a solid composure. Zhang Jun launched himself forward into a lunge, but Bang leapt backwards out of range. Bang focused upon maintaining his footing against the mountain standing before him. Light footwork that resembled a leaf in a tornado, yet firm as the tree from which it fell. He would approach Zhang Jun's blade, bait a thrust, and jump out of range. His body constantly bopping, prepared to shift from stillness to motion without a second thought. Although his opponent's reach was massive enough to grasp a portion of the piste, Bang had faced larger enemies in more restricting situations. And he knew how to handle opponents who relied on overwhelming size. "I'm all yours!" Bang launched forwards, entering the opponent's measure without a sign of halting. He kept his epee downwards, revealing a crucial opening. An easy point. Zhang Jun extended hungrily at his throat but Bang, using the forte of the epee, guided the oncoming sword away from his body and continued onwards. Now he was within the area between the tip of the sword and his enemy's body. While Zhang Jun attempted to escape, Bang shifted his wrist and fell into an explosive lunge Sending the sword plummeting into the panicking mountain's stomach. Beep. "He's...he's so fast." Onlookers started to whisper in awe, not quite sure of what they had witnessed. Bang quickly returned to the starting line and smiled. "Allez." Bang advanced but kept out of measure, analyzing Zhang Jun's posture. His body bopped forward and backwards, kept in an eternal loop of hyperactive mess. "Hm. Taller opponents tend to be top heavy. Which means..." His feet started to bang lightly against the piste as he leapt forwards into position. But his opponent ignored the bait and remained unmoving, only maneuvering the epee so that it would keep Bang a certain distance away. Bang continued dancing with Zhang Jun's sword, forcing him to move it into different positions. Yet returned to the starting position. He retreated, forcing Zhang Jun to advance in order to remain within a specific measure. "So you're not entirely scared." Bang thought. "No you're waiting for me to become aggressive so that you can counter from afar." "Fine. If you want to dance, then I'll be your partner." "Second-intention. A fencer's greatest technique." Bang advanced rapidly but kept the tip pointed towards the ground, revealing the porcelain thread of his jacket. His back foot remained only connected to the ground by the tip, pushing the fencer into his active formation. The world shifted around Bang. No longer was he embraced in a friendly duel. The metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils. He could taste the coppery liquid. Twisted and distorted bodies impaled with silver blades, chopped into pieces. Was this war? Was this battle? Monsters crept from crevices and attacked the spectators. Flames flickered around the two fencer's who remained unfazed by the hellish scenery. Instead, Bang's eyes were locked onto the massive demon who wielded an epee similar in design to his own. It goaded him with its size. Sharp teeth. A tongue that would choke anything caught in its grasp. Claws covered in blood. He should be afraid...But for some odd reason he felt something else. Alone in this strange world, faced with a monster, his heart began to accelerate. Blood igniting. Fire within. Power. He felt alive. Zhang Jun jumped forward off his front foot into an forceful extension. His body propelling itself as the epee shot towards the revealed chest. The demon approached Bang like an arrow shot from a tense bow. Soaring through the air towards the fencer's chest. However, he me the approaching monstrosity with a calm visage. Bang sprung backwards and fell into a squat; kneeling beneath its sword he extended his arm upwards. Sending the sword into the demon's wrist. Beep. Bang watched as Zhang Jun and the onlookers stood in shock. A sea of whispers emerged, hinting of awe and fear. Confusion and admiration. "How could someone dodge a Flèche so easily?" Spectators were in shock. "Did you see that green flicker?" "Perhaps I...kind of went overboard with that one." Bang noted, calming the rustling power within. "I'm supposed to be on vacation anyway." Both opponents returned to their previous stance. Allez. And such the match began once more. Blades clashing, footsteps tapping lightly during strikes. The sound of clashing guards and the occasional beep after a skillful touch. "This seems like a decent place to grab something to eat." said Bang. While his uniform was left at the hotel, he kept the epee wrapped tightly upon his waist. He felt helpless without it. The silver weapon resonated the fencer's influence. They shared the same memories, same existence. Bang could never step outside without being nearby. "Welcome." A hostess greeted Bang as he opened the door. He noted her accent and smiled. Bang found a nearby empty space at the bar and sat, ordering a soda.
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