First loss

After walking up I realized I was being dragged away from Ruben's tree, I momentarily panicked and looked around, only to see two figures pulling me on a makeshift sled. My body was still severely wounded. Looking down I saw there was a red butterfly shaped wound, visible through my clothes, on my chest. That was the last thing I saw before I passed out again.

Coming too once more sometime later, I tried my best to push my souls energy through my broken body. I started to feel better almost immediately, but the damage was still severe. It was then I remembered what happened. "Well shit... I lost."

I clenched my teeth and squeezed my hand into a fist. My body ached all over. I wanted to scream out in annoyance at my weakness and foolishness. Trying to relax, not even trying to move, I began to meditate, clearing my mind and reviewing the battle. It was truly one sided from start to finish. I barely stood a chance.

Well it's true that one doesn't become an unstoppable warrior overnight. On earth I failed at everything. I played a dozen sports and didn't stand out or succeed in any. Not that I was terrible or anything I just wasn't any good either. So I'm used to losing. It's nothing knew.

The difference is I won't just quit this time. If I didn't try to get up after stumbling would I really be living? Of course not!

'The difference between a master and a novice is that the master has failed more times than the novice has tried.'

Those words came to mind as I lay there wounded. It was true. One often learned more in defeat than in victory. I may loose far more than just once on the path to becoming a master, but as long as I don't quit and always get back up, I'll be able to stand tall without regret.

The thought of Ruben's club flashed through my mind. My muscles tightened, a drop of sweat rolled down my face, and yet I couldn't help but want to fight him again. Even if it's just once more. I knew it was stupid I knew I was afraid, but there is no courage without fear. Besides, I went about it all wrong the first time. The very reason I had practised strangling the cave bears was to practise for Copper Faced Ruben.

Yet I gave up on that the second I saw how thick his neck was. I'd never be able to wrap my arms around it. Then again I didn't need to. All I needed was a sturdy rope and a single chance. With that I could win. Assuming I could get past his defences and had the strength to hold on long enough for him to pass out.

As I continued to review the battle I realized that I could learn much more from failure than I could from victory. There were countless things to improve on. Speed, judgment, techniques, jumping ability, reaction time, and physical strength would all need vast increases should I want to compete with powerhouses like that.

I shut my eyes. I had no clue where I was, but i knew I wasn't in danger and my wounds had been bandaged. Albeit poorly. I thought back on the battle. I wasn't just looking for how I could improve in the future, but also how I could have done better in the past. Clenching my fists. I realized that even if I used everything in my arsenal I wouldn't have won a straight up fight with a fighter like Ruben. I never should have even tried it, but I was too arrogant. And in my arrogance I nearly lost my life.

I won't let that happen again. From here on out I'll treat every opponent as no less than my equal. Always assuming they are better than I am. That way I won't be taken by surprise. No more pointless clashes of strength and skill. Just a fight. Who wins in the end is the only thing that matters.

Relaxing my muscles as my soul rejuvenated my body. I could smell something being cooked somewhere out of my line of sight, it smelled almost like cornmeal porridge.

My mouth began to water as I wondered who It was that brought me here. That wonder didn't last long though as my 'saviour' had just walked through the bedroom curtains and looked right at me. It was Joe's groupie.

"Oh your up. Good. You should try to eat something. You've been asleep with a fever for nearly 12 hours. It's amazing your even conscious." Said the groupie. He had short spiky dark green hair and freckles dotting his round chubby face. He wore a simple pair of jeans and a grey shirt. He looked slightly more healthy than he did last time I saw him. Maybe he wasn't eating enough.

"Why'd you save me?" I struggled to ask.

The man seemed to pause before putting down the porridge next to me and looking into my eyes. "First my name is Stephen. And second I followed Joe before he became a criminal. Back when he was a boxer. I loved watching him fight, but after he killed a man in the ring he became wanted due to him running out after the fight. I tried to get him to go back, but he didn't seem to care and spent his days beating randoms in the streets. I admired his ability and hoped by sticking with him I could change myself and grow strong, but as he drank more and more he started treating me less like a friend and more like an errand boy. Even though I was the only one to stick by him. So when I saw you, someone shorter and skinnier than me, beat Joe with such skill. After that I seems to loose all purpose. I woke up without anything left and so I just started to wonder. The barkeep took pity on me after I got kicked out of her bar, so she gave me a job cleaning tables. That's when I saw you again, so I followed you around when ever you were in town. And after watching you fight and hunt bounties I realized what I truly wanted. It wasn't the strength to overcome all obstacles. It was the skill to protect myself and what matters to me. And I want to become a bounty hunter that can stand up to even the most vile of scum."

Wow. I did not expect this guy to tell me his life story. I mean seriously dude I'm Injured here. If your going tell a stranger your story before asking to be their disciple leave it to 20 words or less.

Damn does that porridge ever smell good. Couldn't he have given it to me before he started talking.

'Sigh' Ignoring my thoughts I struggled with the words before answering. "So that's why you saved me. You want me to teach you how to fight, so you can stand on your own." I said as I tried and failed to sit up.

"Your still injured, so you should take it easy. Here try to eat this." He said as he passed me the cornmeal porridge.

I almost started to drink straight from the bowl, but soon stopped myself and started to eat slowly.

"And yeah. I guess I do want you to teach me." Added Stephen as I ate the porridge. "But I don't just want to stand up on my own. I want the strength to face Joe and prove to him that I'm not just a follower. I'm his equal! He should spend no less than a year in jail for his crimes. That should be plenty of time for you to teach me how to fight. So what do you say?"

'Ha' I laughed out loud without realizing how much it would hurt. 'Cough, cough'

"Well I'm not one to tell someone what to do, so it's up to you if your want to follow me or not. I'll only continue to train myself, if you get I'm my way or slow me down I'll leave you behind. Understand?"

"Perfectly." Stephen almost seemed ready to burst into tears from my answer.

Just as I was about to ask about the second figure I saw pulling me after my fight with Ruben, a small boy burst into the room. He had clean flowing brow hair that pointed in every direction and rather nice green eyes. I didn't recognize him immediately because he had cleaned himself up, but it was definitely the boy I stopped from being sold as a slave. He was wearing simple red shorts, sandals and a black tank top. And unlike with Stephen I was sure he look much healthier. Not only that, but happier too.

I could still see the handle of the hunting knife I gave him sticking out of his shorts.

"And I supposed you'd like to be trained as well?" I asked as I calmly eyed the boy.

"Nope. I don't care why he wants to follow you. Only reason I do is that you seem strong and kind. Most just seem strong or kind rarely both. And I don't need to learn to fight, just how to run faster." Said the kid with an air of smugness and a slight chill surrounding him.

"Well I can't exactly turn you away after you helped me. And just like I told Stephen, wether you follow me or not is your choice. Just don't slow me down or get in my way."

And with that the kid nodded and ran off again.

"Hold up I don't even know your name?"

The kid stopped and turned. Smiling with those jagged teeth said "Mikayla" and ran off down the hall and out of sight.

"This is her place by the way. She rented this room herself. She was also the one who first tried to save you. When I saw her she was trying to drag you back to town herself. I only caught the end of the fight. You moved too fast for me too keep up with. But not her. She saw the whole thing. It was my idea to make the sled from tree park and my clothes though. But to think she was a girl. Who would have guessed."

"Honestly it doesn't matter what gender the kid is. Long as she keeps smiling. Seeing her so beat down when I first met her reminded me way too much of me as a child. I mean I wasn't a slave or anything, but I was treated as less than human by most people in my life. So it's good she can still trust. I definitely wouldn't have been that trusting after what she's been through. I'll have to find a way to thank you both for saving me though."

Stephen gazed at me with a strange look in his eyes. "You really are kind. Weird and dangerously stupid sometimes, but still kind." He said before turning and closing the door. "Now get some rest." I heard him call out just before the door shut.

Letting my eyelids fall I began coursing the energy from my meal through my body and towards my wounds. It was a slow, tedious process to repair my damaged bones, but it needed to be done. Otherwise who knows how long I would be in bed.

Thinking back to Lenora's challenge. I told her I'd be back by the end of the week. It's almost been a week since then and I'm too injured to fight right now.

'Sigh' I guess my boasting really backfired this time. Oh well, that was my proposition. She never gave me a specific time frame to work with. I would just need to retrain myself once I finished healing. That way I'll be ready to take on Ruben again. And this time I won't act like a moron. Fighting strength against strength can be fun, but it's not going to help me win this fight. Nor is it the only way to get stronger.

Raising my head a look of determination came over me. "I have work to do!"