I assumed the third and final stance of the art form, bracing my wide blade against my shoulder and back in a defensive stance, keeping my eyes on Mara’s every movement as she grabbed a heavy sword of her own, securing the scabbard to ensure it stayed on as she walked back in front of me.

With every moment that passed, I could feel tension building in my body, knowing she would strike at any moment.

She looked completely relaxed, and her face was cold and emotionless, like she was ready to kill me. My only comfort was that her scabbard was tied on to her blade, but even that was fleeting. I wouldn't get skewered, but the extra weight would only make her strikes break ribs instead.

In the blink of an eye, she went from completely relaxed to lunging at me with full speed. She was fast, but my reflexes were just as sharp, and I managed to move just in time to block her thrust with the center of my wide blade.

‘YES!’

I spun and swung as hard as I could, trying my hardest to crush her into dust.

Just before my blade hit I felt a sharp pain in my stomach, and then suddenly she was behind me, striking at my neck.

My whole body went limp as I crashed to the ground and lost all feeling for a couple of seconds, unable to move at all.

I replayed the scene in my mind, ‘She was just too fast… No, I'm too slow.’

I gasped for air as I began to be able to move again. Within moments I regained feeling everywhere else, just in time to feel all of the pain.

My arms ached, my left one especially hurt. I had scraped my knee on the stone tiles when I fell, and I could already feel sick from the repeated strikes to the stomach. Luckily, she was holding back, otherwise, I would have probably shattered a few ribs.

I had to stop myself from vomiting as I rolled over, clutching my side. ‘What's even the point of this! Just to show me how weak I am! I already know that!’

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‘I won't let it end like this! Not without getting a single hit in.’

I struggled to even sit upright off the ground as I tried to get ahold of my breath. It only took those couple moments for all the anger inside me to vanish. ‘Maybe if I stay down it'll be over…’ I looked over at Lu who didn't even spare me a glance. ‘I guess I really am nothing to her. But it's not like I didn't already know that too…’

“Lu,” Mara called out, walking over to her. I didn't even have to look, I knew what was going to happen. Still, as much as I wanted to turn away, I couldn't stop myself from staring.

Mara struck out at her and Lu deflected the blow before attempting to retaliate just like I did. In an instant, a violent slash came from her blade nearly crushing Mara under its weight and speed.

With no other options, Mara was forced to jump backward and to the side, dodging. As soon as the blade passed her she launched forward again, but Lu was just as fast. Mara’s thrust was blocked just in time, and before she could jump back Mara’s face had a meeting with with Lu’s cross guard.

After connecting one hit she continued, striking again with full force. It looked like she had put Mara on her heels as she just narrowly dodged another attack before backing off.

“Well done,” Mara said, grabbing her nose and shaking her head in an attempt to reorient herself.

‘Did she lose? No, she never even tried to block any of Lu’s attacks, she was holding back again.’

I crawled to my feet, staring at them all the while. It was impossible to not notice their giant smiles. It seemed like Mara was genuinely happy, smiling ear to ear, despite just taking a hit to the face.

‘What's wrong with this family…’

I walked back over to my sword. ‘That was three… So what's next?’

My heart ached as Mara’s smile turned to a scowl almost immediately after turning back to face me.

“Pick up your sword. We're not done.”

‘Rinse and repeat then…’ I leaned down and grabbed the handle. It no longer felt good in my hands, it certainly didn't feel like an honor to hold. If anything it felt like they were mocking me. It didn't matter though.

I felt the color drain from my face as I turned off all my emotions and fell into a trance. ‘One way or another, this too will end. Either She will get tired of it, or I will lose the ability to stand. Either way, it won't last.’

Without so much as a word, she lunged at me again. My eyes widened and my whole body tensed as A reflexively blocked one strike after another until she overwhelmed me and struck me several times, sending me back to the ground.

“Get up, pick up your sword.”

Every time that phrase echoed through the damp air I could feel my brow furrow another inch, but as little point as there was in trying, there was even less in arguing with her.

I picked up the sword again, and again… and again… By the end of it, I was coughing up blood and covered in bruises. During one of the fights, I ended up biting into my tongue. I was beginning to feel dizzy too as I continuously staggered back to my feet.

I said nothing, but again and again, I picked up my sword. Somewhere along the way, Mara stopped hitting me so hard, but even her weaker strikes were enough to make me recoil.

She was starting to breathe heavily as I took one strike after another.

‘Come on. Just once. I just have to hit her one time.’