Training After Training After training

Sai woke up. He looked around and said quietly, "How did he beat me that quick? I thought I'd be stronger than him by now."

He looked again and saw a message drawn in the dirt. He read it slowly:

Sai, I'm sorry. I had to go. I will return.

Sai's face dropped. "Why did he go?" he whispered, tears welling up. "Did I fail him?" He stood up suddenly and screamed into the air, "Xei! I will find you!"

Meanwhile, Amal and Tai were still running for their lives as lava chased them down the side of the training mountain.

"What kind of training is this?!" Amal shouted, panting. "We've been running for nearly three hours!"

"I'm starting to get tired," Tai said, sweat pouring down his face.

"I'm already tired!" Amal replied.

High above them, Trasam stood watching. "If they can't last a few more minutes, they'll die the moment they face the top guardians. They're still too slow."

Xei jumped from tree to tree, searching for Shi. He finally spotted him in the distance—fighting off wild beasts. Shi looked weak and tired. He had chained himself to a rocky mountain with only a few meters to move. Bears, wolves, even large ants attacked him—but they all failed. He barely slept and his movements had become sloppy.

From the shadows, a snake-like creature appeared. It resembled Tai's true form and slithered toward Shi, fangs ready.

Shi narrowed his eyes. "This forest... full of outcasts from broken kingdoms. You must be from the Snake Kingdom."

The snake didn't respond. It lunged forward.

Shi waited calmly, then raised his leg and slammed it down. Bang! He crushed the snake into the dirt.

Xei jumped down in front of Shi.

"Master Shi… please," Xei said. "My mind led me to you. I know you're the right person."

Shi looked at him, breathing heavily. "You're fast and strong, Xei. What do you need to learn from me?"

Xei lowered his head. "Anything you can offer."

Back at the lava mountain, Sai searched for Xei.

"I can't lose him again," Sai said.

Trasam suddenly appeared in front of him. "Why did you stop training?"

"I was looking for my brother. Xei—he left!"

Trasam nodded. "He left to find himself. He'll return stronger. Mentally and physically."

Sai fell to his knees, tears falling. "Why didn't he ask for my help?"

"Simple," Trasam said. "You weren't the right person to help him stand up."

Sai clenched his fists. "When he returns, he'll be strong. So I must be stronger."

Trasam smiled. "That's what I like to hear. Now come. Let's check on your friends."

He grabbed Sai, and in a flash they appeared near the lava mountain. Tai was about to collapse. Amal could barely move.

Trasam clapped. "Training is over."

He grabbed both of them and transported everyone back to the house.

Shi stood with Xei. "Your training today is simple. Hit that mountain. Hit it until it breaks. Don't move from your spot until that mountain is gone."

Xei looked at the towering stone. He remembered what he'd done. His eyes blazed with sorrow.

He sprinted forward and punched the mountain with everything he had. The rock cracked. Then again. And again. He kept going, punching trees, breaking logs.

Shi watched in silence. Then he stepped forward and stopped him.

"That's enough. Stop hating yourself. Find peace with your old self."

Xei shook his head. "I've been trying."

Shi pointed to a nearby waterfall. "Then talk to yourself. That's where it starts."

Trasam walked to Sai, Tai, and Amal.

"Today's training is simple," he said. "Tai and Amal—you must dodge Sai's flames. Sai—your job is to hit them with fire. Ten times."

Amal blinked. "So we're the targets?"

"Yes," Trasam said.

"How long does he have?" Tai asked.

"All day. If he fails to hit you ten times before sunset, he fails."

"That's unfair," Tai grumbled. "He has all day and we just have to run?"

"It will help your speed," Trasam said calmly.

Sai launched a blast of flame. Tai dodged but got hit twice. Amal stumbled and took three hits early on.

"It hasn't even been an hour and you already lost," Trasam said. "Now imagine Sai was your enemy."

They repeated this every day for two months.

Xei trained by meditating alone, clearing his mind. He improved, but full recovery was still far. One morning, Shi stood beside him.

"Let's train."

"How?" Xei asked.

Shi smiled. "I'm tired of camp life. We're going to build a house."

"That's training?"

"I'm your master," Shi said. "Start chopping wood with your hands. Dig with your hands."

Every day, they raced. Cut. Built. Xei always won.

One day, as they rested by the waterfall, Shi looked at Xei.

"Let me tell you a story… about your mother. Before she vowed to never use the Hell Flames again."

Xei looked up, surprised