The Promise

He closed his eyes to calm his nerves. He had no choice.

He stepped forward in the arena, a place he had sworn he would never step back on.

He strengthened his grip on both his swords as his persona swiftly transcended from a gentle farmer to menacing beast.

The crowd, noise, the cheers for the return of "the undefeated" warrior faded into oblivion. 

All he could sense was the enemy. All he could feel was his swords. His aura was enough to kill normal persons, such was his stance.

The undefeated warrior of the past, who had disappeared in the dark without a trace, stood against the present undefeated champion.

Unlike his several fights, today wasn't about the king's entertainment. 

His life was on the line today.

The man famed to even cut steel plunged forward and in seconds slid his swords back into their scabbards.

He continued to walk towards the end of the arena as the current champion fell to his knees. The crowd was bewildered as to why the current champion fell.

Only a fraction of people could decipher and catch the speed with which he cut the champion and put his swords back. 

"I have won. Keep your promise now", he furiously demanded to the king.

A soldier ran to him, scared for his life. The man regained his smile and melted to his former gentle self, as he took his life, his son, into his hands.

He wasn't a warrior anymore. He was just a farmer, a father.

He began to leave the arena as 10 or maybe 30 men surrounded him. 

He should have known better than to expect the king to keep his promise. He tied his son to his back and pulled out his swords.

Was it too much that the man was asking for? He had left, wanting to lead a peaceful life, promising that his son would never be raised as a warrior, would never be used by others as a source of entertainment. 

Be expected to kill others in meaningless fights for some king to swell with pride. No. There was a life beyond this senseless bloodshed.

One last time, the man roared his might out as every man took a step back, such was his determination and will.

Hours later, the sky cried and the earth bled red.

The child's cry echoed throughout the arena. There were very few men left to fight and they were afraid to approach the lifeless man, such was his bravery.

Even the king, who never let go of his false pride, bowed down to the strongest man in history ever.

He ordered to let go of the child and to see that he is safely delivered to his mother. 

The man with hundreds of wounds, just a hand, bathed with blood, still stood with his sword stuck to the ground. There wasn't a single scratch on his son.

He kept his promise to his son even after he lost his life. He is truly the "undefeated".