Breathing heavily, The man propped himself up against the large trunk of an ancient oak, the sound of his body impacting the rusted bark, rang muffled across the dense undergrowth and leaf litter of the forest. His body seemed chiseled from stone like a greek statue of ancient times, muscular to a perfection impossible for all but the gods. Though is hair was as grey as the clouds above, his face portrayed an age no older than thirty, in complete juxtoposition. His silvery chest armor was tattered and bloodstained, "but still functional" he noted whilst checking the shallow wound on his abdomen.
He wouldn't have more than few seconds to catch his breath.
The thought had barely fired across his neurons before the sounds of crunching tree limbs reached his ears. A sharp breath inward was followed by a burst of incredible speed faster than sound. Leaping from the tree he raised his arm holding a great sword, as long his legs and yet as thin and sharp as the leaves he danced upon.
The man clashed with his opponent, a great demonic creature carrying humanoid traits amongst it's monsterous visage. It's rippled, dark, crimson skin gleaming blackish in the late afternoon light that managed to seep through through the canopy of the dence forestry tree-tops. The creatures enormous size and ferocious teeth and horns were bearing down upon the Human in front. The creature clenched an immense machete-like blade in it's right hand, both as large and as sharp as its opponents. Battle broke out at a blistering speed. Their ferocious blows echoed through the forest and valley while an inferno of sparks flashed across them with each fresh collision of metal, igniting the forest floor as they moved.
"Ughhh"
The Powerful swing of the demonic figure had delt a blow that the knight-like man could not match. He flew through the forest, crashing through trees before finally coming to a sprawled stop at the base of an immense cliff, whose peak was hidden far above the clouds.
Trying to stand gingerly he reached his knees and looked down at his body, realizing the reality of the situation. He was broken, his armor destroyed, and his sword lost somewhere deep in the forest. This would be where he died.
The Demon seemingly warped to a stop in front of the man, leaving a vortex behind from its speed. It now stood a mere five meters away. Gazing upon the man briefly, assessing the situation, before concluding that this battle was over. A hellish grin appeared across its face, revealing a jaw lined with fangs evolved to tear flesh from bone, as it met the eyes of the broken man in front of it.
The man gazed back in a daze. He didn't want to die, he was afraid, but his body wouldn't allow the emotion to manifest, all he could feel was his rapid heartbeat and a slowly welling pain throughout his entire body. His mind was fading fast as the demon stepped forward with a raised arm preparing to finalize his kill.
The man looked upwards first at the raised arm, then above to the looming cliff and the whisps of pale cloud that seemed to cling to it, obscuring the peak and sapphire-blue afternoon sky far above.
I don't want to die he thought again as he took in this last scenery before his mind finally went blank. It's too nice of a day to die. He toppled sideways capturing one last sight before his mind fell into unconsciousness.
The Demons hand began to fall upon it's victim when a sudden whistle of the wind followed by a sickening crunch broke the silence of the moment. An old and rusted sword now stuck vertically through the demons skull. Blood poured from its mouth and chin as it fell to its knees, dead in an instant.
The man had not comprehended the sword from the sky or the Demons death before his body hit the ground and he fell into an unconscious, yet alive state.
***
Selwyn Tanaka Had lived a good life as far as he was concerned. Born from a post war marriage between a US marine and a japanese housewife, Selwyn had spent his formative years in Okinawa. The US military had begun its Pre-Cold war expansion and positioning through the establishment of military bases throughout Japan and south east asia and Selwyns father moved between these bases often leaving his mother and him to live a comfortable life on the island. They chose not to live in the military housing and instead stayed with Miko's mother who had lost her husband in the war. The house was a happy house, burried between palms and the hilsides of Kin and his childhood and teenage years passed by like any others. From Miko's and his efforts and the occaisional contributions from his father, he had never suffered financially.
At eigtheen, despite only having limited contact with his American father, Selwyn opted to join the US military efforts in vietnam, partly as he felt somewhat isolated from the people around him being half american himself but mostly to provide an income and support for his mother Miko. He enlisted through the local local military base and was shipped out to basic training in no time at all. He served his time in the Vietnam war and returned alive to Okinawa where he found a good wife and had 2 children, a son and a daughter, who eventually each married and gave him three grandchildren.
He knew it had been a good life and at 90 years of age, he knew he shouldn't have any reason to be unhappy in the end.
Yet as he lay in the hospital bed on a rainy September afternoon, Selwyn found himself reminiscing on past regrets that he had not thought on for decades.
I wish I had learnt to paint when I was younger.
I wish I had gone easier on my son when he was younger.
Thoughts like these crept to the surface every so often that afternoon, interrupted only by the occasional lightning strike in the distance or the clatter of a hospital bed moving through the hallway beyond his room.
"Can we get you anything for afternoon tea Selwyn?" Called a nurse through the open door.
I'm ok thank you.
Ok, please call out if you change your mind.
He looked back out the window at the gloomy grey skyline, beads of rain began to strike the glass leaving trails to distort the trees outside.
"Was there always a forest outside this hospital?" he mumbled quietly. "Perhaps I'll have a nap before the grand kids get here."
Rolling to his side to face the window Selwyn rested his weary eyelids, those were the last words he ever spoke, now lost to the ether.