The Illusion Sword part 2

*warning: Everything you read here are works of fiction

               "This will be your first test" said Kaleem as he ushered Varin into a empty building. "You will need to "defeat" someone before you  are can pass the first phase of your initiation. Remember what you have been taught. Use your opponent, never the other way around". He pats Varin's shoulder and kicked his back.

                Varin stumbled forward and fell sprawled on the dusty floor. The door behind him closed shut and a small window opened. "Drive your feelings, Varin, never let it drive you" said Kaleem from behind the door. A piece of metal slides and shuts the window, leaving the room grayed with only patches of light penetrating it.

                Varin picked himself up and dusts his body. He coughed, but it was halted by a strange thumping sound. He looked around and above, nothing. The sound boomed and the walls felt like it was shaking in fear. Varin gulped, his fists clenched and ready.

                The wall to his left exploded and an enormous figure barged in roaring like wild animal. It raised its hands and began to pounce every single thing it could reach. Thundering sound of chains banging at each other and at the walls explodes inside the room.

                Varin rolled, avoiding a falling wooden pillar. He spins himself to a crouch and jumped up the destroyed pillar launching himself towards the figure with his fist poised to strike.

               

                The metal plate slides open and Kaleem peeked inside the dust filled room. He slides the metal plate to a shut again and pulled the door open. The dusts quickly filled his nostril and lungs, forcing him to cough hard. He wave his hand around as he step inside.

                "Kid?" he said.

                Kaleem could feel a slight movement in the air in front of him. He frowned. "Kid?" he called out again.

                A dark figure appeared from the dusts and approached Kaleem before it fell on its knees..

                Kaleem approached the figure and crouched next to it. He smiled.

                "You did great, kid" he said.

                Varin looked to his hands. His world around him tumbled and his sight darkened.

                The stinging water slapped Varin to a wake. He gasped for air and opened his eyes to see a man standing at arm's length away from him with what he could make out as a bucket,  or something. His head spins like wheels, the world around him tumbles as he tries to regain some sort of direction to where he is.

                "Wake up!" a voice spank his ears. He winced but could only move his eyes so much. A slap struck his cheek but felt nothing to his numbed mind.

                "Who is your target?!" said the man in front of him. The man threw the bucket away and proceed to slap Varin again on the face. "Who is your target?!" he said again.

                Varin tried to look up but something behind his head prevented him from moving his head any further. He could only make out the strange drawing on the man's neck and the white pendant hanging just below it.

                "Who?" said Varin weak. He coughed and spat to the ground. Even that was a work for him. He winced and let his head hang down. Tired.

                "Insolent fool! You can't win against us!" the man punched Varin in the face, sending him flying halfway across the room.

              The fall pulled the air from Varin's lung but the smooth cold floor gave him relief to his pain. He coughed and smiled, hidden from the man's view.

                The man came closer and  grabbed Varin by his hair. He tugged him up and sat him back up.    "Tell me who is your target and I will spare your life. It's not worth it, you are not one of them yet. You can still back away." said the man, his voice milder with a touch of kindness.

                But Varin could only smirk. If a crooked smile can be counted as a smirk.

                "I'm sorry" he said and gave out a weak laugh.

                Immediately after saying the words, another slap came to Varin's face, sending his head snapped to one side. Yet he laughed. Even louder than before.

                The man grunts and punched Varin in the stomach, pushing air out of his lungs. Varin gasped and coughed. It was like someone rammed the trunk of a tree to him. "Shit, that hurts" said Varin in his head.

                "Again, I ask you. Who is your target!" said the man. No longer the kind voice he was earlier.

                Yet Varin persisted. He only carved what could be thought of as a smile on his bruised face. "You..." he said slow.

                "What?" said the man and bend forward. His face now visible to Varin.

                Varin smiled again.

                "You"

                Kaleem undid the chains around Varin's hands and pulled the metal bar that was strapped to his back. He shouldered Varin and escorted him out of the prison while the other members of the Guild acted as watchmen.