The Guardians of Light

The Last Man Standing

I woke up and saw that it was still evening on Earth. I walked out of my room, and Mia was watching TV.   

She saw me coming out of my room, so she got up from her place and said, ' Ryan, I got a message from the school about a fest. Let's participate in something. '

I have never participated in anything before, so I wasn't sure what to reply.

' I know it's new for you, but you have improved a lot. It's time for you to involve in something that fascinates you. What do you say? '

' I guess I can give it a try. '

' Wonderful, let's head to the school right now and register our names in something. '

' What? Now? '

' The fest is tomorrow, psycho. I have been meaning to talk to you about it, but I seem to forget every time. '

' Okay then, let's go. '

Since the school was in the walk-able distance, I agreed to go. Though it was usually the time when students return to homes; however, that day, the school was crowded with students.

Most of them were decorating the school for the fest while the others were occupied in selfies.

Seeing them, Mia wanted to take a selfie with me. I reluctantly opened my phone, and we took a selfie.

Of course, she wasn't the kind of girl who would satisfy with one picture. She wanted me to take multiple pictures.

' Let's register ourselves first, and then we can get back to selfies, okay? '

She nodded, and we went inside the school, looking for the things that intrigued us.

She was interested in dance and music, but I sucked at both. Meanwhile, Mia spotted some of her friends and wanted to talk with them.

I continued my search for something intriguing. While I was walking, I overheard people screaming, "Kiai." I then remembered that we had a martial arts club.

I scampered to the martial arts club. It looked like the master was training them for tomorrow's fest. I went inside.

' Sensei? Can I have a moment of your time? '

He shifted his eyes from his students onto me. He signalled to approach him with his eyes. I walked to him.

' I want to enrol as your student in the Martial Arts Club and participate in tomorrow's event. '

' Martial arts isn't an easy thing, kid. It takes time to gain perfection. '

' I do know how to fight, Sensei. Please give me a chance. '

He yelled stop, and every student stopped what they were doing and stood still. He called one of his students and asked him to fight me.

I thought this is a chance to show him who I am.

Our fighting styles looked a bit different.

Anyway, the fight started, and the opponent I got was a very offensive one.

I kept blocking and defending his attacks, but I couldn't even land a single punch. When the Sensei asked me to go offensive, I ended up taking a punch or getting kicked.

He changed my opponents, but the results were the same.

The Sensei asked the students to resume their training.

' You know self-defence, kid. I have to admit that you have some impressive moves, but alas, it isn't enough to take part in combats. One improper block can knock you down. I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to participate in tomorrow's events.  '

' I'll at least sit and watch the events. Please take me in. '

The Sensei agreed, and he gave me a Martial Arts costume that I'll have to wear for tomorrow's event. By the time I came out, Mia also finished talking to her friends.

' I joined in a play that my friends are performing in. The script also sounded convincing. Did you find anything that looked interesting? '

' Yeah, I joined the Martial Arts Club. '

' You are kidding, right? '

' No. '

' Why would you even do that?  '

' I know how to fight, Mia. '

' They'll kick your a*s, Ryan. Mercy isn't their motto as far as I know. '

' Don't worry about me, alright? You wanted me to register, and I did. Case closed. '

' You are out of your mind. Whatever, let's head back home. '

We reached the home at around 8'o clock. I ate dinner very slightly because I had planned to practice all night.

After dinner, Mia asked me to rehearse the lines of her play.

' I'm really sorry, Mia. I have to get some sleep. '

She didn't reply to me. I went to my room and closed the door.

I couldn't understand why I was unable to fight properly. I did very well back in Orpheus. I wondered how I would take on the bad guys in Orpheus if I couldn't even handle students on the Earth.

These thoughts acted as boosters, igniting my spirits and helped me achieve sheer concentration on the practice.

I practised everything that I learnt from Day 1 on the Orpheus all night. Since sleep is out of option, I had to do something to keep myself distracted from sleepiness and the training helped me stay awake. 

Finally, it was morning, and the bath freshened my day up. I came out to eat as I was starving from all the practice. I quickly ate breakfast while Mia ate it slowly, observing my weird behaviour.

I had to wait 10 minutes for her to complete the breakfast.

She didn't talk to me, and I was wondering why, then it stuck my mind that I declined to rehearse the play with her yesterday night.

So, on our way to school, I said, ' Good Morning, Mia. I hope you memorised all your lines. '

' Yes, I did, all by myself. Thanks for asking anyway. '

' Shall we rehearse the lines of your play? '

' I don't think so. I went over the lines many times. '

' Come on. Again is a gain. '

She chuckled.

She opened the scripts and gave me my lines to read.

The funny thing was one of the character's name in the play is also Ryan.

The scene was Ryan sitting with a blue-collar bartender Allegra.

Mia was reading Allegra's lines, and I was doing Ryan's.

Allegra(Devastated): I am sorry. I just can't believe this. I was so happy when Matty walked in last night. I hadn't seen him in months, not since we toasted him off to the academy.

Ryan: Allegra, how do you know, Matty?

Allegra: Matty grew up near the bar. He lived with his aunt, who passed last summer of cancer.

Ryan: What happened to his parents?

Allegra: Died 10 years ago in a car accident. Matty went into a tailspin ad starting hanging around with a bunch of low life thugs. Half of his friends ended up in prison or fell in with that crook Jack Hannagan.

Ryan: The port authority crime boss?

Allegra: Yeah. He ran the neighbourhood for years. I wanted better for Matty, so I put him into work.

Ryan: Sounds like he turned a corner.

By this time, we reached the school.

' Listen, Mia. You did your part wonderfully. There's nothing to be afraid of. Just be confident. '

' I hope everything goes well and you just sit in a corner and watch them fight, alright? Don't engage with them. '

' Okey dokey. Let's go inside. The event might have already started in the Martial Arts Club, I guess. Let's hurry. '

We went inside, and Mia sat in the audience row while I sat along with the students. I still didn't have any idea of what the event is about..

I sat there silently, waiting for the event to start.

A guy on the stage, probably the commentator, started to talk.

' Ladies and Gentlemen, today you are going to witness an astounding event, unlike anything you have ever seen in the past years. ' 

' I present to you, " The Godzilla." '

The man is gigantic. He is at least 7 feet tall. He looked like a mini version of King Kong.

' The event is called, "The Last Man Standing." The fighter who survives 3 minutes in the ring with The Godzilla is considered the winner. But no martial artist of any school had survived for 3 minutes so far. Let's see if the martial artists of Sterling High would defeat the undefeated Godzilla today. '

All the students were pretty shaken up by looking at him. He was double their size. The Sensei sent one of his students to face the Godzilla.

' The contestant looks like a Lilliput before the big guy. I wonder how long he survives. Fight 1 starts. ' 

Godzilla thrust all of a sudden towards him but only to startle him. The student was terrified of him already. He kept mocking and savoured over the fear. Out of the blue moon, Godzilla slaps him off, and the student fell to the ground. 

No one expected his attack.

' One... Two... Three.. And the first contestant is down under 15 seconds by a single blow. '

Most of the students were afraid to even face him now. The Sensei sent another one of his students.

' Fight 2 starts. Let's see what the second contestant will do. '

The Godzilla stood still and asked the student to punch him. The student thought this was his chance to land a blow. He took a deep breath, pulled his hand back, and landed a direct hit to his stomach. The Godzilla stood there, unmoved like a wall. That's insane. Godzilla lifted the student and thrown him out of the ring.

' The second contestant is down too. It looks like it requires much more than landing a punch on the Godzilla to knock him out. '

Sensei: The opponent you are facing is way too strong for you. The only thing I could see that would work is to wear him out, and then we'll send our best.

All the students agreed to their Sensei as they had no other better idea.

The Sensei kept sending the students, who either got knocked off or thrown out of the ring. But the Godzilla didn't seem to tire instead he became more violent and more powerful.

Aito, the best student of Sensei, finally lost his temper.

Aito: Sensei. I have waited long enough. It's time to show him what we are truly made of.

Sensei didn't have any other alternative except to send him because all his other students were getting their asses kicked. Out of all the students, Aito is the only one who wasn't scared by the intimidating Godzilla.

Aito went onto the stage and stared Godzilla right in the eyes.

' Oh, no. The contestant no. 15, Aito is either foolish or stupid. Staring is one thing that Godzilla hates the most. I don't know if this is going to end well for him. Let's hope for the best. Fight 15 starts. '

Aito started to go full offensive on Godzilla. He started with a flying kick followed by punches and tried to maintain a chain of offence. Though Godzilla was enormous, he was agile enough to dodge Aito's attacks.

Aito continued to attack for one whole minute. A ray of hope for Sterling High to win, emerged among the audience. People started to cheer Aito, which made Godzilla crazier than ever.

Godzilla caught Aito by the neck and lifted him in the air. Aito tried to free himself but in vain. Godzilla strangled him till he lost consciousness. And finally, when he was unconscious, Godzilla threw him on the ground and placed his leg on his chest.

Sensei turned his eyes away from the stage.

Because it wasn't Aito he is stepping on, it was his pride.