Adrenaline coursed through his veins. His eyes kept darting around his vicinity as he sat in the bush. Every now and then he glanced behind himself. Making sure Thormoenia hadn’t seen him. What was this now? The fifteenth, sixteenth time he had tried to run. Every bone in Liam’s body screamed for him to run. By now he had lost track of how many bones had been broken by Thormoenia before immediately being healed and scent off to start his run again. One thing he was apparent though was that he could tell that each time his arms, legs, feet or any other body part was broken and healed was that once he was captured yet again, it took Thormoenia a little bit more of her strength to heal his bones. It really did seem that every time Thormoenia healed his broken bones, they became a little stronger. Mabey this was part of the training?

Sticks broke in the trees above Liam. Shakily he turned his head upwards. Widening his eyes, he concentrated all his senses onto the brush above. Nothing, just a few birds hopping and fluttering from tree to tree, from branch to branch. This wasn’t something to be worried about. No, he needed to keep focused on his surroundings. So far, he could barely make it two minutes at max into the forest before Thormoenia caught him. Currently, he was around that two-minute mark. He couldn’t outrun her. After all, Amazons had far superior speed. This also applied to why he couldn’t fight her. Her far superior Amazonian scenes always caught him before he could even land a hit.

Liam knew it was only a matter of time until the sadistic creature named Thormoenia found him. Amazonian scenes were incredibly strong, maybe a little too strong. If Liam somehow found a way to overload the Amazon's scenes, then he may have a chance at either beating her in a fight or getting to the other side of the forest.

“Hello there!” Liam froze as a hand wrapped around his arm. Sluggishly the thumb of the hand moved slightly up his arm until it pressed against his elbow.

“Oh fuck,” Liam muttered in defeat. Thormoenia only laughed as her thumb snapped his elbow. Now he thought about it, this was the first time she had broken that bone on him. Snapping and cracking filled Liam’s ears as his arm bent a good 90 decrease backwards.

Thormoenia’s strong arms pulled Liam closer. It had been a good 4 hours since they began this training. Knowing his mental state was something she couldn’t fix, and not wanting to accidentally break his mind through her training, she fixed his arm before throwing him over her shoulder. Liam stayed quiet as he stayed slumped over her shoulder. He knew that if he winced or made any sort of noise that it would only cause Thormoenia to hit him.

Like so many times before. Liam was carried out of the forest. New mental scars forged into his mind by Thormoenia that he knew he wasn’t bound to forget any time soon. Thormoenia walked over back to the now bloody, polka dot splattered grass where she had taken him back to each time he had failed. There she would either toucher him further, or simply heal his wounds and send him on the run again.

As soon as Liam was placed onto the ground. He went to stand up. Knowing that he was bound to have to start the run again. Before he could get onto his feet though. Thormoenia planted a stern hand onto his head, preventing him from escaping.

“Rest for a little while. You must be exhausted,” Thormoenia said as she kept her eyes looking to the sky and to the sun. Thormoenia measured with her free hand rough how far the sun had moved since they began their training. It seemed her theory was right. They had been training for a good 6 maybe 7 hours now.

Looking down to the morally and spiritually broken Liam. Thormoenia knew that if she was to train him any longer, she would be at risk of breaking him a little too much. Sitting down next to him. Liam allowed her hands to wander over him, looking for any more marks that could show signs of injury. Despite everything, he had just placed his body through. Thormoenia still couldn’t help but be amazed at the softness of his skin. It was much like Amazonian skin in the sense that no matter how much damage it took once it was healed it would be as smooth as the day they were born. One thing though that his skin didn’t carry over was how despite being so soft Amazonian skin was still extremely strong. It usually took many humans with their guns, which fired what she believed to be called bullets, fired to even break their skin. But if their skin got too injured in too many different places then their skin would start to become less durable and more prone to light attacks. As Thormoenia thought of this, she wondered if Liam had picked up on it. A small hand gently grabbed her arm. Looking down she saw Liam awkwardly gripping onto her. His battered eyes did not change from their position as they stared at the ground.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Go ahead,” Thormoenia answered as she placed an arm around him. She had heard the high priestess talking to Kenyanire about how this motion comforted humans.

“Why did you choose to train me?” Liam’s shaky voice asked.

“Because I thought it would be interesting to torment you,” Thormoenia responded light-heartedly.

“No, it can’t be just that. You're dumb but not an idiot,” Liam said, quite seriously despite what Thormoenia first assumed to be a joke from his phrasing. Noticing the look in his eyes though was enough to tell her all she needed.

He was smart, defiantly. He knew that due to her position in the tribe she had many more things to do rather than train a human who already had the protection of Kenyanire how to fight. But he still lacked experience even after spending what she guessed to be at least 2 or more months now on their island. He was naïve to how many of the older Amazons saw him as a possible threat. Despite all, he had done for them. Simply now as Thormoenia looked around them. She could see older, more orthodox in belief Amazons were watching them. They were smart to keep their distance as well as hide amongst the trees and tall grass of the hills. But their fatal flaw was underestimating her senses.

The reason she agreed to train Liam was because of them. Living strongly in their orthodox believes they saw having a human-like him in such a high position of influence to be borderline blasphemy. Despite the contrary to what the high priestess had said. All the new inventions he had brought them had given the high priestess to start placing in some of the human knowledge she had learnt. She was even talking about starting a school. Like a human school but for amazons? Thormoenia found the idea absurd. Many other of the older amazons though saw it as a sign of weakness. After all, they believed heavily that humans were weak. Thus, if they started using the knowledge of a human then they were bound to also become weak.

Liam’s life was threatened. Yet he didn’t even know it.

“The reason I decided to train you is because…” Thormoenia stopped and glanced around. Pointing she signalled to another group of warriors who sat a good 400 meters from them. Using the almost perfect hearing and sight of an amazon, she knew that they were watching them.

“Those over there, they wish to have you…eradicated,” Thormoenia said, not really knowing another way to place how severally these amazons wanted him dead or gone.

“What?” Liam’s eyes snapped to look where Thormoenia was pointing. He could see them well due to the distance. But he could see the amazons.

“They believe that what you are doing is changing the tribe a little too much. Before the mating season in a couple of weeks, they probably plan to kill you. Mabey even gift you to another tribe in exchange for joining them,”

“Why…” Liam went to ask why these amazons would do this. But he understood why.

Kenyanire had warned him of this. Many amazons believed he was taking their culture from them. Understandably they weren’t too happy about this. After all Amazonian culture is what formed them into such great fighters. It was the reason that they could survive and fight off monsters such as the Tatnak or fight off the humans. Liam knew the only reason the humans didn’t obliterate the amazons was merely so that they could have an excuse to keep fighting them and throwing the surplus population at them. Still, it was amazing how they used simple arrows and well-timed ambushes to hold off human armies. No wonder these amazons didn’t want this power that was given to them by their culture to be taken away.

They were genocidal monsters, but amazing ones at this devilish craft. Their species was a species that lived on battle, sex, and pillage. Being told that these things were no longer allowed was the equivalent of killing a child to these older Amazons. The vast majority of them were even originally from Kenyanire’s island. Meaning many of them were even older than Kenyanire. This was mostly a guess though on Liam’s part as most Amazons seemed quite contemptuous with the new rules. Many even celebrated them as it meant there was finally more to do now on the island due to all the things Liam added in as the alternatives for their usual occupations. Thinking of which, Liam wondered if the village hut was built by now? Also, how were the black pots he wanted coming along? Fuck he had been so caught up in the war he made no time for them in his life.

Smacking the side of his head. Liam stopped himself from thinking too much. Kenyanire was right, when he thought too much, he often overlooked things. For example, he was now overlooking his approaching death.

“I threaten Amazonian culture, right?” Liam said, focusing his mind on this one though. Sitting back, Thormoenia was a little surprised as to how quickly he accepted the situation. But then again Kenyanire wasn’t ignorant of the situation and probably told him about this.

“Indeed, this being the reason why I chose to train you. You need the help,” Liam stared at Thormoenia for a few seconds. What did she just say? She was training him simply from the goodness of her own heart. Liam stared at her for a while longer. Smiling, Liam fell back onto the grass. Putting a fist out. He bumped her arm.

“What’s your deal? Be honest, you just did this because you want to torture a human without Kenyanire having a go at you,” Liam said. No, at the end of the day Thormoenia was an amazon. No amazon was kind without a reason. Yantraki was nice to him because she wanted him, and even then, the only reason she wanted him was that she imprinted him as her husband. The same was for Kenyanire but on a lesser level, and God forbid Thorn thought the same.

“Why do you hate me human?” Liam sat stunned for a few seconds as Thormoenia’s words hit him.

“I don’t hate you,” Liam said as he unintentionally shuffled away from the amazon. Putting an arm out, Thormoenia scooped him in her arms. Dragging the now foul looking Liam closer.

“Don’t lie to me, you and I both know that is stupid,” Thormoenia said as she placed a hand around the back of Liam’s neck to stop him from scurrying away again.

She had felt this sense of tension ever since they first met. Whenever her back was turned to him, she could feel his eyes burning into the back of her head. She originally thought this hatred came from the fact she was an amazon. But then why was he nicer to Yantraki and Kenyanire? So, the fact she was an amazon wasn’t the problem. Her mind then thought it had to be the bodies on the trees and how he must have seen her as barbaric for that. Yet still, he walked through those woods Looking a little disgusted but still unbiased towards herself and her huntresses. There had to be something else, there had to be a deeper reason for his hatred.

“To be honest with you…” Liam muttered as he fell back onto the grass.

“You remind me of my mother. Same strong and fucking terrifying eyes. Alongside, the bloody superiority complex that just reeks off you like radiation reminds me too much of that bitch.” Liam’s eyes fixed onto the clouds above. He didn’t like talking about the time before he found Katlin and she took him in. Katlin didn’t even know about what his life was like before he arrived at her village.

“I thought you, humans, like you kin. You are not amazon who often try to kill/eat each other.” Thormoenia could just see from the look on his face that she must have struck a nerve. His smile was gone. Replaced by an emotionless face with stern, hateful eyes.

“Not all of us. The funny thing is I don’t remember much about her, just the fact she was the cause of my dad’s death and I fucking despise her for it. I guess I should thank Yantraki when she wakes for making me immortal like you lot, that way I can hope so out live that bitch that she slips from my memory entirely.” Liam chuckled as he tried to put more of a light-hearted spin onto what he was saying.

Watching Liam’s face as he narrowed his eyes and stared aimlessly into the distance. She could tell this wasn’t a subject he was going to discuss with someone in all reality was still a stranger to him. Unlike Yantraki, most amazons who had met Liam only knew Liam on only a basic level and Thormoenia knew she was one of these strangers.

“It’s nothing persona. I guess I don’t hate you,” Liam said as he turned onto his side. Laying the side of his body down onto the grass. Thormoenia placed a hand onto Liam’s side.

“Let’s try some different training,” Thormoenia said, wanting to move on from this subject. The joints of Liam’s body started to lock and tense at the idea of another section of brutal training. Thormoenia smiled as she could almost see the fear reeking off Liam in the form of purple flames. This was all just a little bit of her imagination though and Thormoenia was well aware of that.

“The training will be fighting.” Reaching behind her back she pulled out another long stone knife. So long in fact it seemed to be more of a short sword than a knife. Liam sat up. Staring down Thormoenia he watched as she twiddled the knife in her hands. Flipping the knife with one hand. Thormoenia held the blade and offered the handle to Liam.

“Fight me,” Liam laughed as he took the knife from her.

“You sadistic monster, you really are like my mother,” Liam said, his face growing serious as his strong gaze fixed onto her. Thormoenia smirked.

“Just take the knife and try to kill me,” Thormoenia responded, taking a few steps back to give Liam some distance. For a few seconds, he twiddled the knife in his hands. It wasn’t sharp, but with enough force behind it, it could probably do some damage. Probably not to an amazon though. Looking to the relaxed eyes of Thormoenia, and her subtle grin. She also seemed to realise how little of a threat Liam posed to her. Still, though, he guessed he could play her games a little if it meant that it may help him get stronger.

Keeping his eyes fixed on Thormoenia. Liam took a few steps back. His eyes watched her every movement. Attacking her probably wasn’t the best of ideas and Thormoenia probably also knew this. Using what little knowledge Liam had from the military. He placed his strongest foot back to give him support. Raising his hands, he was ready to block any attack. Seeing that Liam was wise enough not to do a frontal attack. Thormoenia decided to make the first move. Wanting to see how he planned to counter her.

Thormoenia was simply too quick for Liam. She was almost a blur to him. Blinking for only a few seconds, Liam soon came to the realisation of one of Thormoenia’s strong hands was wrapped around his neck.

“If my hand was a knife then you would be currently dead,” Sweat from Liam trickled over Thormoenia’s knuckles. Looking to the side she could see the realisation in Liam’s eyes. The realisation of how outmatched he was. Before he knew she was stronger, but now, he could truly see that it wasn’t just brute strength that Thormoenia had. She was also fast. Before when she was hunting him. He thought that was her at her best. But no, she had just simply been playing with him. Toying with her prey.

Thormoenia let go of Liam. Immediately upon release, he fell to his knees. Grasping his throat as he took in quick, frantic breaths. Walking away from Liam. She returned to her original place.

“I think I rushed this a little. We need to strengthen your body more first,” Thormoenia said as she took a few more steps away from Liam.

“Try running again, this time try to think of the culture problem while running. I want to see how good you are at multi-tasking.” Taking in a deep breath. Liam readied himself to run. Scanning the border of the forest. Liam used the knowledge of his previous runs to decide where he need to go next. He knew that this time he was going to be caught. So, he decided that the best cause of action was to try to get better at hiding and learning the layout of the terrain. If he could do that, he could probably learn how to become faster as well become better at hiding while he was at it. But then again if he was to get through the jungle…

"5," Thormoenia said, snapping Liam out of his thoughts as he began to sprint towards the jungle.

Not far from Thormoenia and Liam lay a small hill that overlooked the area. Upon the hill sat a cluster of trees. Under these trees sat Kenyanire and an exhausted Thorn. Kenyanire watched with intrigue as Liam finally reached the border of the jungle. Not long after his entry, Thormoenia gave chase.

“How long do you think he will survive?” Thorn asked as she watched Thormoenia crash into the forest after Liam.

“Mentally or physically?” Kenyanire joked, trying to lighten her thoughts on this otherwise very pessimistic thought.

“If it gets too out of hand I am going to step in,” Thorn proclaimed as she watched Thormoenia drag, Liam, out of the jungle by his ankle.

“Don’t worry, I have faith in Thormoenia,” Kenyanire said. Despite her faith though. Her caring for Liam prohibited her from pushing her feelings for his safety aside.

“FUCK!” Liam’s screams filled their ears as Thormoenia snapped whatever bone she had in God knows what part of him.

Together the two sat for what remained of the day. Each sitting and listening carefully to Liam’s screams. Amazons believed in the phrase trial by fire is not just a metaphorical term. Right now, this was Liam’s trial by fire. They both knew the importance that this training was going to have on making sure Liam could keep himself safe. Well as safe as a human can be around amazons near mating season. Or better yet just around Amazons in general.

Crack

Kenyanire shuddered as she heard Thormoenia break Liam’s legs. His screams made her cringe as Thormoenia healed his legs.

“Mabey I should place his training in the hands of the Head of Guards,” Kenyanire suggested as she watched Liam start his run again.

“Mabey even I can teach him a thing or two,” Thorn said. Kenyanire giggled slightly. She had seen first-hand how poor her teaching of the Borumas so she somehow doubted she could be able to tame such a quick to anger spirit of someone like Liam. Now though that she thought about it, it would probably be more likely that Liam would end up taming Thorn.

“Sure, you teach him in your people’s way of fighting. Thormoenia will keep him physically fit, and Aosliope will teach him archery,” Kenyanire suggested seeing a good opportunity to try and help Liam in as many fields as possible. Another loud crack of bone followed by a scream filled their ears as Liam was dragged back out of the jungle.

“I think he has had enough for today…” Kenyanire muttered as she saw the almost lifeless body lying at the feet of Thormoenia. Crouching by his side, Thormoenia prodded and poked at Liam to see if whether or not her training had finally killed him.

“Yeah, I think he has had enough,” Thorn agreed. Together the two got up and started their walk down the hill and towards the broken looking Liam.

“Oh, you bastard!” Liam cried as Thormoenia clicked one of his bones she had dislocated back into place.

“Don’t be such a child, it was only a few dislocated bones,” Thormoenia said as she clicked his leg back into place.

“Why the fuck does this hurt more than having my bones broken! It doesn’t make any sense!” Liam vented to the sky.

“Probably because you have gotten used to your bones being broken,” Thormoenia rationalised as she clicked his ankle back into place.

“We are probably going to do this for a good few months so you better get used to it,” Thormoenia explained as she applied the last of the healing magic to some cuts and scrapes along his legs. Before Liam could reply, a shadow of a woman fell over him.

“You alright down there? You have been gone for about 6 hours now, it is almost dark,” The voice was familiar but due to the overwhelming pain, Liam was currently feeling it took him a few seconds to realise the figure and voice both belonged to Kenyanire.

“We could hear your screams from the village,” the voice of Thorn chipped in.

“Come home, it’s getting late, and we have just finished setting up the hut you requested,” Kenyanire said as she leaned down to Liam. Putting her arms out she grabbed onto his shoulders.

“Fuck, wait, that hurts,” Liam said as Kenyanire placed him into her arms.

“We were watching you…train,” Kenyanire said as she emphasizes the word train and shot a look of what Liam could only assume to be anger to Thormoenia.

“And because of that, I think it is safe to say I have come to the conclusion you may have many bruises on your bones that will need a priestess to heal them. So, in other words, let's go and try to get you patched up,” Kenyanire continued as she proceeded to hold Liam in her arms like a new-born.

“Come on, I just need to do a little bit more training,” Liam tried to argue but Kenyanire placed her index finger onto his lips.

“You want to become strong right? Why what is the point when you have the most powerful amazon on the island by your side?” Kenyanire understood Liam’s lust for strength. She knew though that to get it he would need training. He would probably get nowhere near the strength of the amazons. But if they could turn the Boruma into a fighting force, then well Kenyanire was interested to see what he could do with himself. The head of guards though was going to train Liam without a reason. Even if the order came from Kenyanire to do so. Thus, why she had chosen to question him.

“What if you died?” Liam’s words hung in Kenyanire’s ears as her smug grin dropped from her face. Sighing Liam looked her in the eyes. His face relaxed as his eyes fixed on hers. He understood what she was thinking right now. Before it was only a guess, but now he could clearly see the weakness to amazons. The contemplation of their own deaths was something that never naturally crossed their minds. Their egos always allowed them to think of themselves as such mighty and unstoppable beings, so when the idea that one day they will be forgotten came into their minds, well, it was as you could expect. Liam didn’t know much about the emotions of an amazon. But what he could guess was that they could feel only a handful of the same emotions a human could. Sympathy, a sense of humanity, and a sense of humility. These where all things amazons didn’t have, and those that did only had them in small amounts. Besides that, every other emotion a human could possess so did they. The only difference was that whatever emotion they felt was probably hundreds of times stronger than that of what any human could feel. Again, it was just a theory, but from the look on Kenyanire’s face, Liam was starting to get a good idea of what they felt. He knew it was probably a little sadistic to do this to her, but if he was to try and solve the problem with the older amazons thinking he was threatening their culture. He was going to need to take every opportunity possible to understand how they thought.

“Sorry um… I didn’t mean it like that,” Liam quickly said to try and not cause any offence to Kenyanire. Now realising he may have just called/suggested that she was weak. Despite the apology, Liam could see he had bruised her ego.

“Don’t worry, let’s just go home and get something to eat,” Kenyanire muttered. Liam pulled his legs against his chest before burying his face into them. Fuck! What had he done? He had just wanted to give an explanation as well as see how she would react. But now he could almost see the disparity and sorrow radiating off her.

“I really didn’t mean it like that, I know you are really powerful,” Liam said, doing his best to cuddle into her arms to try and make her give in to her instincts of love. Kenyanire muttered angrily under her breath.

“You will have to make this up to me,” Kenyanire said as she started to strut back towards the village. An emotional unbalanced Liam in her arms. After all, she said she was alright, meaning he should be happy. But how she puffed out her cheeks like a pouting child told him she was upset. It seemed he really hadn’t gotten close to understanding Amazonian emotions…