The monster was approaching slowly, circling around Hamza like a hunter watching his prey, ready to pounce at any moment, while Hamza was trying with difficulty to stand and balance on the wooden piece, alert.
Hamza touched the wrapped sword on his back, that sword which he had always avoided using.
Hamza felt his heart beating strongly, as he muttered in a desperate voice:
"I cannot defeat this monster with an ordinary sword..."
Hamza hesitated for moments while looking at the wrapping, before memories from the past attacked him...
He saw himself a small boy, lying on the ground, exhausted and wounded, and in front of him a strongly built man, carrying a large axe, and one of his eyes covered with a black patch.
The man said in an angry voice:
"Come on, get up and fight! You must be stronger!"
Hamza's body was exhausted, but the man's words penetrated his depths, so he began to stand slowly, overcoming the pain. Then the man added in a voice filled with pride:
"Did you forget that you are from the men who bend iron and strike with thunderbolts? Men of war whose banners have always preceded victory."
Hamza looked at the man with eyes filled with determination, then raised his head defiantly and said:
"I will become stronger! And I will prove to you that I am capable of that."
The teacher smiled with some satisfaction, and said:
"True strength comes from within, from solid will and determination that does not break. Courage is not in not feeling fear, but in facing it and overcoming it."
Hamza returned to his reality, and took a deep breath while looking at the sword, realizing that the time had come to face his fears, and use the weapon which he had avoided for a long time.
In faint hesitation he extended his hand to its hilt, then removed the wrapping that was covering it, and pulled the sword from its sheath. And as soon as he revealed its blade, dark red flames burst from it, surrounding it with fierce force.
Hamza tried to control it, while saying in a determined voice:
"I know that you are like a beast, and I must tame you."
Then he waved the sword in the air, and prepared to direct a strike to the monster.
With a swift movement and visible strength in his surge, he brought the sword down, directing a strong strike toward the sea, and released a scream expressing his will that does not soften, saying:
"Sparks Saqar"
From the blade launched a massive fiery flash, cutting its path through the waters with fierce force, until it struck the monster.
In a swift moment, the massive body of the monster split into two halves, and the place was flooded with a vortex of flame and steam, and the waves turned violently, while sparks of flame scattered on the surface of the sea, carrying the echo of the strike and the glow of the sword which had not yet gone out.
After moments, the waters began to calm, revealing Basil's unconscious form floating on the surface.
When Hamza saw Basil, he jumped toward him quickly, and held him before he drowned, then began to swim strongly toward the island, despite exhaustion and fatigue.
The sea remained disturbed, and its waves crashing around him, yet Hamza's determination did not weaken, as he said in a voice filled with determination:
"I will not let you die, Basil. We have come a long way together, and we will complete this journey whatever the cost."
Finally, Hamza reached the shore, and placed Basil on the sand, then began trying to wake him.
After moments Basil began to regain his consciousness, and opened his eyes slowly, and saw Hamza sitting beside him, smiling despite the signs of fatigue that were clear on him.