Training in a forest cave

He stops eating to say " I was chained to a wall while my sisters took turns punching and kneeing me in the stomach for weeks before I finally got my stomach strong enough to take each hit without it knocking the wind out of me." Only my mother could still hit me hard enough to make me lost my breath each time she hit my stomach with a hard knee or punch." He sits there a moment trying to figure out what an alternative method to harden her abs without going through the brutality he had to go through. He says " most of my training was my mother or sisters battering till I was performing to my mothers standards which was extremely high standards for me to live by."

As Arasinya listened to Xerxan's story, she couldn't but feel sorry for him and his family. His family only used him and treated him poorly rather than loving him. She can only wish that she can help his sisters see that they don't have to keep using their brother as a punching bag in order to live up to their Mother's standards.

Arasinya would say, "Sorry to hear that. Life must've been tough on you."

"I don't care anymore about what they think of my I was mainly just a slave to be sold when they knew my value was high enough to sell to raise their rank in the city. "When the one who defeated me in that bet took me away it was the beginning of my new life where I would be free from them while only worrying about when other families will try and capture me for their own uses."

Arasinya would respond, "In my opinion, I think there's a way to get your sisters to understand. I am not much of a diplomat, but I want to try for a chance. I know you may think I might fail, but at least I tried." She was for Xerxan in this case and would be willing to help in any way she could. She would be close to finishing her fish and mushrooms.

" I wouldn't recommend even trying because if my sisters didn't capture you my mother will then strap you to an altar then sacrifice you to their goddess." " There would be no talking to them because according to the laws of their city it you are to be either killed on sight to sacrificed to their patron goddess. He stops and resumes eating his food slowly hoping what he said will convince her not to try and travel to his hometown because it would be a suicide.

Arasinya remained silence after that. She wouldn't want to be sacrificed in an attempt to make things right. Still, she felt that she can still try to talk to at least one of the sisters, but she didn't want to think about that now.

"Alright, if you say so," said Arasinya, finishing her plate.

He finished his food then takes a drink and says " If I were to follow the laws of the city I would of had to kill you that first day which is I always heard the feeling was mutual with the villages up here." " I turned away from those laws when I was liberated my sisters care when she brought me to a illegal fighting den to make some money for herself along with the family coffers." " That's the main reason I stay out here so far from the villages as to keep my distance so I don't make any of the neighboring villages uncomfortable with my presence so close while I am sure they know I am out here by now."

Arasinya cleaned out the scraps and tossed her bones far outside so that other wild animals can get to eat too. "I'm sorry to hear that, Xerxan...and sorry for trying to help." She would sadly look down on the ground when she felt like there was nothing she can do to mend her friend's family back together. But it was Xerxan's own business so there was no reason why to touch up on it further for now.

He notices her feeling sad as he says to her " don't feel bad just be happy you met me under these conditions when I am free over if I was still under my mothers rule which I wouldn't want to meet you at that time." " You got plenty to do organizing your own team for your cities tournament along with your other duties you handle to keep a good yourself busy." He looks outside at the rain getting an idea that is it late out as he turns and says " I think we should get some sleep so in the morning we can get a fresh start warming up to limber up for a fresh sparing session."

Arasinya was listening to Xerxan's response and took a few moments to take this all in. And with a deep breath she would face him and smile, "You're right, Xerxan. I have other pursuits and duties to attend to. I still need to prove that women have a place in the fighting world that is predominantly for men." She also heard the rain as she added, "Yeah, let's go get some sleep. I'll get enough energy to beat you this time."