"Just give anything as a token, and it will be fine. You are my first disciple, after all."
Lara was troubled. She did not have anything valuable on her. She was pretty sure that if she had jewelry, then it might have been taken away by the people who abducted her.
"I don't have anything on right now, Master. But I'll make a token for you."
"Don't worry about that little girl. I said I have taken you as my disciple so you will be. Now go over there and start your training."
Jethru gestured towards a green patch of grass, just a few ters away from the plunge pool beneath the cascading waterfalls. He instructed Lara to stand with her back turned to the waterfalls, her gaze directed toward Mount Ourea. The mountain, with its jagged and imposing peaks, lood high above them. Its rugged silhouette, etched against the clear morning sky, added an awe-inspiring grandeur to the peaceful scene.
"You do warm-up exercises first," Jethru said gently.
Lara nodded and got ready to start her routine. She began by jogging in place. Next, she switched to shadow boxing, moving smoothly as her fists flew through the air with precision. Each punch helped boost her energy and focus. Then she did dynamic stretching, swinging her legs back and forth in a sweeping motion. Finally, she added spinal twists, working her core and making her body feel flexible and ready for anything.
Jetrhu watched her intently. After she finished her warm-up routine, he did not say anything, but he just started ditative breathing and then perford slow, flowing movents with his hands as he breathed in and out.
Lara's brows arched. 'What is he doing? Aren't those movents the sa one the elderlies in the public park do when exercising?' She noticed them every ti she did her morning runs.
Lara started another set of shadowboxing and kicking.
"What are you doing? Why aren't you following my lead?" Jethru paused his movents. "Stand beside and follow ." He commanded.
Lara reluctantly stood beside him and followed his movents. After the breathing exercises, she expected her master to teach her so explosive moves but was disappointed when she was made to do a horse stance for an hour. It was not that she had not done horse stances before, but she was past that.
Lara hesitated montarily, her heart heavy with reluctance as she positioned herself next to him, mirroring his every move. After the rhythmic breathing exercises, where she had focused on centering her mind and body, she anticipated that her master would introduce her to powerful, explosive moves. Instead, she felt a wave of disappointnt wash over her when she was made to do a horse stance, an exercise that felt all too familiar.
She had perford countless horse stances before—each one a stepping stone in her training—but now, this basic position felt beneath her. As she settled into the position, her legs spread wide, and knees bent low, an ache began to creep into her thighs.
Jetrhu set a small hour glass atop a tree stump, positioning it along Lara's line of sight. As the first quarter of the sand trickled through to the bottom, Lara's legs began to tremble. Her once steady posture faltered, and she finally succumbed to gravity, falling to the grassy patch with a soft thud.
"You are too weak! Let us resu tomorrow. By the way, I am going out. You asked Reya to cook so sweet potatoes for breakfast, and when Sandoz wakes up, teach him what I taught you today. The best way to learn is when you impart the knowledge to soone else."
Lara lay on the grass, her limbs stretched as if the earth beneath her were a soft bed. She gazed at the pristine waterfall tumbling over moss-covered rocks, glimring in the first rays of sunrise like liquid crystal. Each drop danced in the air before plunging into the pool below, filling the air with a soothing sound that echoed through the tranquility. Lost in the sight, she felt under a gentle spell, her senses enveloped by nature's enchanting symphony, and she was transported back to the future.
A sharp, searing pain shot through Lara's forehead, jolting her out of her daze.
"How many tis have I told you not to lose focus?" The voice was thunderous, reverberating through the gym like a storm.
Lara trembled as her eyes locked onto Rocky—broad-shouldered, towering, and unrelenting. He was her trainer, a professional boxer with a reputation for being rciless. Her father had hired him with one condition: no leniency, no matter what.
At twelve years old, Lara barely reached his chest. Her small, bruised fra looked fragile next to Rocky's hulking presence.
"Lose focus again," he growled, stepping closer, "and the next punch will break your nose. Don't think being a little girl will save you. Your father made it clear—I'm not here to pity you. Now kick !"
The command bood like a whip cracking, filling the gym with tension.
Blood trickled from the corner of Lara's mouth, and she wiped it away with her gloved hand, her motions shaky. Her right eye was nearly swollen shut, her vision blurring. The earlier punch had landed hard. She felt dizziness creep in, her balance teetering as she attempted a kick.
Weak and half-hearted, her leg swung out, only for Rocky to snatch her ankle mid-air with one massive hand. His grip tightened like a vice. Lara cried out in pain, sure her bones would snap if he squeezed even a fraction harder.
Then, as suddenly as he had grabbed her, Rocky released her ankle—but not without a parting gift. A powerful shove sent her flying backward. She crashed onto the unforgiving cent floor, sprawling in a heap.
The pain was overwhelming, radiating from every part of her body. Her face throbbed, a deep purple bruise forming. Her back ached, and her right ankle throbbed with sharp, searing agony. She couldn't tell which hurt more.
And then, as the relentless pain blurred into a haze, her mind gave way to darkness. Lara's small body lay motionless on the gym floor, her consciousness slipping away.
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