I ran to the address. It was a few miles away and it started pouring rain by the time I got there. The metal ladder rattled as I climbed up it. Lucas and Kade sat on the wet rooftop as I emerged to the top.
A restless kid about Kade's age sat in a metal chair tied up. He kept squirming trying to get out.
"Who is Blade?" I asked through the sound of the rain.
Kade opened his mouth, but Lucas spoke first.
"It's some stupid alter ego he has."
Kade looked angered.
"No, it's not. It's what the assassins call me because I use katanas," Kade said.
I crossed my arms.
"Kade, nobody calls you that. Change your name, it's stupid," Lucas said.
Lucas and Kade locked eyes with each other and clenched their fists.
"Look, I don't care. What weapons does this guy have?" I asked.
"He had a knife and a pistol. We flanked him and disarmed him, he didn't put up much of a fight," Kade said.
"I knew you didn't want us to kill a kid, so we tied him up," Lucas added.
I walked over to the kid. I knelt down and looked in his eyes. He calmed down, looking into mine. The rain dripped from his brown hair into his eyes. Even though he was tied up, he didn't want to quit fighting, I could see an undying fire in his eyes. It reminded me of myself, having no skill but willing to fight despite logic. Even though we are beat, we would never accept it. I kept my eyes on the kid and opened my hand.
"Give me your knife, Lucas," I said.
Lucas approached me, knife in hand.
"Stay back, I'm the only one fighting him," I said, grabbing the knife.
Kade and Lucas nodded before backing up.
"Let's see if you're like me," I said, cutting the kids' restraints.
When the ropes around his hands went loose, he instantly threw an elbow at my head. I snapped my head back. He threw the chair behind him, lunging at me. I punched him in the nose, but instead he smashed his face into my hand. He threw an uppercut into my stomach, I lowered my legs and sent an elbow into his stomach.
His stomach came crushing into my elbow, he bent down. I put my right foot behind his leg, and grabbed his collar, throwing him on his back. He immediately got back to his feet, trying to tackle me. I used his momentum and threw him back onto the ground. He rose, looking hungry to win.
"You don't know when to quit. I like it," I said.
He ran at me throwing several punches at me. The force from each one brushed past my face before I ducked down near the left side of his stomach. I dug my fist into his liver, he dropped, clenching his stomach. I looked away at the sight of him in pain.
"You're not done yet, don't disappoint me…what's your name?" I asked.
He looked up with pure determination in his eyes. He rose slowly, from one knee, to his feet.
"Kyre, remember it, because I'll win."
He sprinted at me, he jumped and threw a punch at me. I bent down a little, and sent a straight punch into the center of his stomach. He dropped again. I picked up the metal chair, I felt bad, but I had to see if he was like me. I slowly walked over to him.
With him hunched over on the ground I slammed the chair into his back. My heart hurt, but I had to see his potential. He groaned, falling lifelessly to the ground. I threw the chair to the side. I picked Kyre up by his collar, I walked with him over to the edge of the rooftop.
I could feel Lucas and Kade's eyes piercing my back. I looked into Kyre's eyes as I brought over to the edge.
"How about now, Kyre? Still think you're going to win?"
The raindrops dripped from his shoes down many stories into the alleyway below. Any normal person would look down, piss their pants, crying and begging to be let down. He didn't look anywhere but deep into my eyes.
"Drop me. I'll go back up those stairs, and I'll still beat you."
I stared at him for a long time. A part of me did really miss the determination I once had. Now I had the opportunity to train this kid the right way, instead of the way my teacher trained me.
"I'm sorry, I had to see…see if you had potential…to be something great," I set him back down on the roof. "And you're so crazy, you aced the test."
He dropped and tried to tackle me again. I punched him again in the liver, grabbed his shoulders, and flipped him over. I stood over him as he groaned in pain.
"You're going to quit the guild, I'm going to train you to be great. You start tomorrow after I get off my shift," I said. "The guild isn't doing much for you, you're weak."
I wanted to be a good mentor to him. I saw the potential in him, but I wasn't going to take advantage of it. Now I had three very promising students, and three good kids I cared for.