SAKYA PARAKA: THE LIBERATOR

Zasit Instructor

In front of Sakya was a small half-foot-tall stage. A middle-aged man climbed onto the stage and stopped in the middle of it. His mustache was thick with a scar on his cheek. His body was tall with a long sword on his waist.

"Nilaka Warriors... Listen Me! In seven days you will all die... Yeah, you're gonna be a corpse unless you listen to my words right now. My name is instructor Zasit and I will train you how to play a sword. So throw away your stupidity and start paying attention to whatever I'm going to teach you."

The voice of instructor Zasit echoed throughout the field. He stood firmly on the stage filled with dignity. Her self-confidence radiated from the romance of her face. It was seen that he was a sword instructor who had decades of experience.

On the stage he taught and practiced the basic sword-playing techniques. Starting from how to grasp the sword, the horses, attacking the four deadly points, fending off and dodging.

After Zasit's instructor finished giving the briefing, the soldiers began to practice the materials of grasping swords, horses and attacking techniques. A mannequin made of straw appeared in front of each soldier.

The Nilaka warrior was so enthusiastic and full of motivation when attacking the mannequin that was in front of him. Sakya admits that instructor Zasit is a good motivator. Through a series of words, Zasit's instructor was able to burn the spirit within Nilaka's warriors.

"Why are you so stupid... More stupid than a donkey. You'd rather kill yourself now than spend a week on royal food rations. You donkey!"

"..."

"You... Yes you are *****... You swung your sword like a woman... Why don't you just go home and get your wife here in your place. I'm sure he can swing a sword better than you..."

"..."

The Zasit instructor's suggestion permeated every soldier's heart. The longer, they attacked the mannequin the harder it got. As with Sakya, in her eyes, the mannequin in front of her began to resemble Zasit's instructor.

After practicing the mannequins, Zasit's instructor ordered them to pair up to practice duels in order to practice fending and dodging techniques.

After getting a partner and facing each other, Zasit's instructor's voice sounded, "if you think just because your uniform is the same makes you a friend then you're wrong. The one in front of you is the meat and egg thief of your rations today. For the losers you can only eat bread and spend motivational sessions with me all afternoon."

"******* ...." All cursed in their hearts. Eating only with bread does not matter, they lose and deserve the consequences. But, spending the entire afternoon for a motivational session with Zasit's instructor was simply unacceptable. They probably won't survive out complete with his pride.

Some soldiers feel ‘smart’ is starting to negotiate with their opponent. Some offer each other alternately succumbing, some even offer some coins for a win, but the answers of the opponents are all the same, "alternating/losing your head... Do you think you're the only one who can pay? I can even give my wife to you... But you must have rejected it, huh?"

"..."

They finally started fighting. Deep resentment is in their eyes, sorry man but today you have to lose.

The dueling session ended, instructor Zasit kept his promise. Some of the soldiers still tried to wipe away his tears as they came out of the motivational session room with instructor Zasit, while some still showed the face of the sanggar. They went straight to the barracks and got into the blankets. It is not known what they did under the covers. Faintly, Sakya could hear the sound of sobs.

Such was the situation in the palace courtyard during these seven days. Every day they train stronger and fight more fiercely than the day before. All because they cannot accept the consequences.

Today was the seventh day they spent in the palace courtyard. Today, they will be sent to the battlefield, including Sakya. They were lined up complete with armor, a shield and a sword in their hands.

Not long after that instructor Zasit took to the stage.

"Nilaka Warriors... For seven days you trained hard. Seven days is just a short time studying swordsmanship, so I teach you guys harder than anyone else, and I'm sorry." Instructor Zasit took a deep breath and continued his speech. "I don't hate you, your wife, your grandmother or any other family. I just want you to fight more savagely for today. I don't want you guys fighting for the kingdom. Fuck the kingdom! I just want you to fight for your family's safety. Because if you lose then your children, your wife and your family will suffer the consequences. The enemy will not let your family live in peace. But even if you die today make sure you bring two enemies to your grave..."

"Zazite Structure... Can I take three people to my grave?" One of the soldiers shouted out loudly.

"Stupid... Why three if you can bring four!"

"I'll bring six!"

"I'm taking seven!" And next…

Everything was silent as Instructor Zasit drew his sword and pointed it up and shouted, "We will fight for our children."

"For our children." The entire army followed Zasit's instructor.

 "For our family."

 "For our family."

"We're going to win this war."

"Win"

Then the war trumpet began to ring and the drums began to be pounded.

The Nilaka soldiers began to walk towards the battlefield.