The Sword Of The Fire Dragon

The Book of the Dragon King

Arya chuckled softly as he looked at Sarwana. "It turns out you weren’t lying, Sarwana. The Tundra Moss has made my bones incredibly strong," he said while shaking his head.

"I would never lie to you, Arya. Now come with me to a certain place!" Sarwana invited.

Arya nodded, having already placed his trust in the giant ape who also happened to be the king of the Panguripan Gorge inhabitants.

The two walked along paths filled with abundant Tundra Moss, thriving in the damp conditions of the gorge.

To Arya, the Panguripan Gorge felt like a paradise on earth—a dream come true for many warriors. In this gorge, where he had initially lacked any desire to learn martial arts, he felt as if he had been blessed beyond measure.

To him, the Tundra Moss was a guarantee that he could become a great warrior in the future. Although he still didn’t know how Sarwana planned to train him in martial arts, he felt hopeful.

After walking for some time, they reached a place that was unlike most areas within the gorge. Although still damp, there was no Tundra Moss or trees, large or small, growing there. All that stood was a single small tree with thick foliage shading a pile of stones about two meters long.

"We’re heading there," Sarwana pointed to the stone pile Arya was observing.

They continued walking together until they stopped beside the pile of stones.

"This is where I buried my late friend over 100 years ago. Since his death, no other humans have set foot in the Panguripan Gorge until my people found you unconscious near the cave leading upward," Sarwana said softly, his eyes somber as they gazed at the stone pile where his friend’s body lay buried.

"Do you know why my friend died?" Sarwana continued.

"Because his soul left his body," Arya replied curtly without thinking.

Sarwana glared at Arya, who didn’t seem to feel any guilt over his blunt response. "Of course, living beings die when their souls leave their bodies. What I mean is, what caused his death?"

"You’re a strange one, Sarwana. I didn’t even know him, yet you’re asking me why your friend died," Arya retorted.

Sarwana chuckled lightly. He realized Arya’s words held some truth. "He died of illness. What I regret to this day is that I couldn’t persuade him to eat the Tundra Moss like you did earlier. If only he had eaten it, perhaps he would still be alive today," he said with deep regret.

"Why didn’t he want to eat it? Isn’t it nice to have a long life?" Arya suddenly paused for a moment.

"Did you just say eating the moss can grant a long life?" Arya’s face now looked perplexed.

"That’s true. My people and I have lived for hundreds of years because we regularly consume Tundra Moss. I hope you’ll also eat it to live a long life like me," Sarwana replied.

"Then why did your friend die? Was he ill or something else?"

Sarwana sighed heavily, his expression turning somber as he thought of his late friend. "He died from the injuries he sustained in battle. I found him already deceased, right at the spot where my people found you."

"That wasn’t your fault, Sarwana. Perhaps he chose to live as an ordinary human—to experience sickness and death."

"True, Arya. As a warrior, he could always face trouble at any time. Long before his death, I asked him repeatedly to eat the Tundra Moss. His answer was always the same as yours earlier: he wanted to live as an ordinary human who could fall ill and eventually die."

Arya nodded in understanding. He could empathize with the sorrow Sarwana carried.

"So, what’s your purpose in bringing me here?" Arya asked.

Sarwana didn’t answer. He walked closer to the pile of stones, then began dismantling it before retrieving a book hidden inside.

He stared at the thick book for a while before handing it to Arya. "Take this book and study its contents. Memorize every movement described in it, and I’ll help you with the rest."

Arya took the book from Sarwana and read the title on the yellow cover before flipping through its pages.

"There are so many movements in this book. Can I even memorize them all?" he asked after closing it.

"Any goal, as long as it’s fueled by strong determination, is achievable. You just need to use your mind to memorize them. Once you’ve memorized all the movements, I’ll teach you the basics of martial arts," Sarwana said, trying to reassure Arya. Deep inside, he hoped the young man would carry on the legacy of his late friend’s techniques.

Arya felt a bit uncertain. In the book he briefly skimmed, he noticed two techniques that required a sword. However, he didn’t own one to practice with.

But he chose not to ask further questions. He thought he could train without a sword and substitute it with a wooden stick.

As if reading Arya’s thoughts, Sarwana dismantled the stone pile again and retrieved a sword with a brown scabbard.

"This is the sword my friend used. You may keep and use it as long as you need it. Once you have your own replacement, return it to me," he said, handing the sword to Arya.

The young man smiled, surprised that Sarwana seemed to have answered his unspoken question. Whether it was mere coincidence or Sarwana could somehow read his mind, he wasn’t sure.

After rebuilding the stone pile, they returned to Sarwana’s treehouse.

For several days, Arya remained inside the wooden house, only stepping out to relieve himself. Sarwana took care of all his needs while he focused on memorizing the movements in the book.

To help alleviate Arya’s boredom with the bland taste of Tundra Moss, Sarwana instructed his people to gather edible fruits to give to Arya.

Although Arya didn’t mind small details like that, Sarwana understood that the young man, being new to the place, needed time to adapt to life in the gorge, which was vastly different from human society.

Time passed quickly, and after two weeks, Arya had memorized all the movements from the book Sarwana had given him. Afterward, he stepped out of the house and leaped down to refresh his mind before starting his training.