"Me? Teach at an academy? Do you know who I am old man?"
Luke laughed bitterly, as a chain missed him by inches.
"What the hell ARE YOU BLABBERING ABOUT!?"
The Iron Thorn screamed as his attacks grew wild and even more avoidable.
"No one with a degree in teaching, and the passion to go along with it, has ever taught anything of use... Or even had anything of use to teach..."
Leander had told him once upon a time.
"Is that why?!"
Luke cried, as he struck the helmet of The Iron Thorn so hard that it began to crack.
"Is that why?"
He sobbed, as he pulled the bandana off of his face, revealing the sinister smile stretched across his lips.
The man in front of him changed shape, and an elderly man with a sad smile looked into Luke's eyes with a strange sort of acceptance.
"I'm not ready!"
Luke screamed as he ripped the chain out of the man's hand, using it to bash the man's knee in, as he collapsed to the ground looking up at him with a face that wasn't his.
"You were just a boy... Although I should have known better to force an amateur to spend his life teaching people that did not give a damn about him..."
The headmaster's voice trailed off as Luke cried out in pain, slamming down on the other kneecap of the man in front of him.
Looking up with tears in his eyes, Leander spoke...
"I am proud that I did..."
Luke grabbed the man's helmet, ripping it off of the mercenary's face.
Fourteen years ago...
Luke was standing outside of his humble home, as his best friend threw rocks into the stream nearby.
"I'm really happy for you ya know..."
Luke mumbled.
His friend with short black hair and hazel eyes smiled back.
"You don't gotta be... You should have gotten into the academy just as I..."
It was true, Luke was seeing his best friend off as he left for Phoenix Academy.
It was a terribly sad day for Luke, but he didn't show it, why would he? Why would he bring down his best friend's feelings because of his own selfishness.
The view was wonderful at least, the trees were of autumn colors and the stream gushed with clear water as the birds happily sang their morning songs.
The boy looked back up at Luke and sighed.
"I think that you should maybe try out a sword, ya know? I get ya don't like to see the faces of the people you hurt, so you practiced archery and all that... But you could always get into the academy next year..."
Luke chuckled.
"What point is there in being someone other than myself?"
The boy's smile faded and he quickly shook his head.
"Your right, sorry, I shouldn't have suggested that."
Then several carriages began to enter the small town of Willowmere...
Each marked with the sigil of Phoenix Academy, as the beautiful white horses carried the school carriages forward.
Luke's friend stood up, and waved to his friend as one of the carriages stopped in front of the house.
"See ya later Luke!"
His friend waved as he got onto the bus.
"Bye Var-"
But it was too late, as the carriage door had already began to close.
Luke felt a tear fall down his cheek as he flopped down onto his knees.
"I'm sorry..."
Present day...
Luke staggered back, as blood spilled from The Iron Thorn's lips.
"V-Varden..."