ASWORDWITHOUTASHEATH

    BYJOELANSFORD

    Whatisaswordwithoutthemanbehindit?Teachingaswordsmantokillissimple.Thetruechallengeliesinteachinghimnottokill

    WhenIwatchedmyyoungbrotherbegintraining，hebreathedlifeintothebladeatfirsttouch.Oneheardwhispersinthehallscomparinghimtotheswordmastersofold.ButasYasuogrewandhisskillsincreased，sodidhisego.Hewasimpetuousandboastful.Heignoredourmasters’lessons，andknewnothingofpatience

    Fearingmybrotherhadstrayedtoofarfromtheway，Iwentnottowarnhim，buttomakeanappealtohishonor.Igavehimamapleseed，ourschool'shighestlessoninhumility...oneYasuoseemedtohaveforgotten.Aseedisjustaseed，butgiventimeonemaycometoknowthebeautyitholdswithin

    Yasuotookmygift，andthefollowingdayhepledgedhimselftotheElderSouma.Ihadhighhopeshewouldlearnthepatienceandvirtuerequiredofatrueswordsman

    Itwasnottobe

    Today，itseemscleartomethatYasuomurderedtheverypersonhewassworntoprotect.Hehasbetrayedhisnation，hisfriends，andhimself.Wereitnotformyactions，Iwonderifhewouldeverhavebeensweptdownthisdarkpath

    Butmytaskisnottoquestion.Imustbeartheburdenofmyduty

    Atfirstlighttomorrow，Iwillsetouttocaptureaswordwithoutasheath:mybrotherYasuo