(Michael’s POV)

After Andrew passed out that day, although I didn’t show that I was impressed by what Andrew did and his accomplishments, I still had to go out that day in the evening towards the forest in search of a herb, even though there was great risks of me getting killed since the more powerful beasts roamed the forest at night, I didn’t bother about all that and just took my cutlass and headed to the forest while feeling bright, I have finally found a good seed indeed and I intends to groom him to the best of my abilities. I enter into the forest and seems like it was my lucky day as i did not encounter any beast on my way to and fro the forest before and after acquiring the required herb. On getting back to the house, I mix the herb with other solutions before applying the herbs on Andrew’s legs, I still mixed some solutions which I had to make Andrew drink. They were all effective in stimulating the body’s cells for easier and quicker recovery. After feeding Andrew the herbs, I looked at Andrew with a tender smile on my face while saying without a care understanding that Andrew has passed his limits and was fully unconscious, “You did well kid. If master was to have seen you before, I am sure he would have taken you to be his most prized possession. Pity he is no longer around at this moment”. While saying those words I reminisced about the past when a man whom was advanced in age was tutoring me on the way to become a seasoned hunter. It was truly hellish that period not as difficult as that of Andrew though, I had wanted Andrew to quit his notion of wanting to become a hunter at his tender age and focus on what younger children do hence I had to set such a level of difficulty. On starting, I had thought Andrew would give up but he completed it at the end. Even if Andrew had collapsed quarter way he would have still fulfilled my requirements of training him cause if I was at his age, I am totally sure that I would not have been able to get to the quarter lap, when I had just started my training for being a hunter, I had started with a much more simpler training method before I got to the weighty stone running part(he named the training section with his obscure naming sense). When Andrew got to half, I was more than shocked and if Andrew has turned in my direction to look at me at that moment, he would have questioned if I was feeling okay because at that moment, I had my mouth wide agape forgetting to close it for a long while. When Andrew was at the third quarter mark, I have almost grown used to the surprises this kid could show me. But when Andrew was a bit away from the goal and was almost losing consciousness, my words towards him were actually words of encouragement albeit in the opposite form. I still saw lot of unused potential in Andrew which he has not yet burst forth with and hence decided to use such words to awaken him up to try his hardest and he didn’t fail me, as at the end, he struggled to complete it all. From that moment henceforth I had decided to train Andrew with all of my power and resources undermining how costly it would be at the end.

I took care of Andrew all through the whole time when he was unconscious from his bathing to his meals which was actually herbal soup to changing his clothes with some clothes which I bought nearby and obviously the herbs placed around the injury, and all through those moments I didn’t forget to train. I guess am truly a training freak. Hearing the sound of objects falling, I say to myself, ‘He must have woken up, let me just warm the porridge so he can eat a proper meal then’. I walk towards his kitchen to get the porridge ready for Andrew .

(Andrew’s POV)

Here I was, looking behind and in front of myself, all I could see was a huge war where powers greater than I could ever imagine was being thrown here and there. World ending powers where being used and seems like they were fighting for something but everything seems blurry to me. I had very few people on my side but they were able to hold their forte against the lots before them. They were all powerful and strong, the fight that could end worlds carried on for a very long time but gradually all those around me fell one by one although they were strong they couldn’t stop all of them. Time fast forwards and I could only find myself fighting against lots of people and I was even capable of overpowering them albeit I was having a tough time all on my own unlike when I was being assisted by others. Time fast forwards again and seems like there was something running down my face giving me a tickling sensation. I raise my hands to touch what was on my face and when I was able to get a good look at it clearly it seems to be a gold liquid it was on a huge whole on his chest too, ‘How did such a huge hole get there without my noticing’, I couldn’t help but wondering. Instead of blood the golden liquid seems to be running through me and from the way everything seems to be like, I have been fatally injured in this fight. The people all surrounding me whom their faces where still blurry at this moment seems to be saying something which was inaudible and come to an agreement before throwing their powers at me.

Waking up, I find my body all drenched in sweat, what a dream I had. I have been having such a dream once in a while even when in earth but am not still able to comprehend the meaning of it. The dreams all started after my father died, since then I would have a dream such like this once in a while which I couldn’t understand. The dreams might depict different scenarios but would always end up when I was about to be killed by a group of blurry looking people. I grab my head and shakes it up, the dreams just comes when I am totally exhausted I haven’t spoken about it to Audrey to tell how tight lipped I really was about the dreams I was having.

Looking around I seem to vaguely remember what happened and realize where I am right now from the memories. Trying to stand I realize my leg was strapped with something and it was giving me a stinging sensation on the part that has been bloodied formerly. The pains almost makes me pass out but I had to hold strong while gnashing my teeth in order to get by the pains. ‘Do I really have to pass through these pains regularly in order to get powerful? Just the first round of the training hurt my legs so badly that I am not sure when it would be able to recover. Is all this really necessary after all? Shouldn’t I just leave everything as it is and try another method of being rich? I don’t actually think I can handle all the training to come, I did die before everything is over and I am strong enough to take care of myself and handle the situations outside the forest. And presently am totally sure I did not pass the test, I should just give up at the end then’, I sigh in depression, clearly ready to give up on everything. ‘Even Michael does not believe in me. I guess this is the end of the road guess I should find something to support my walking so I can get out of here to my house and try recuperating over there. It’s good to know when to give up’, I say to myself once again while taking a look round the room where I was currently in but I ended up being disappointed due to the fact that apart from the mat on which I was currently lying, the only other things in the room would be the weapons which were arranged properly at the corner. ‘Guess I would have to make do with one of the weapons then. I did return it after I am through or even pay for them now to avoid coming back here just immediately as I find my money’, I say inwardly as I crawl towards the weapon rack in order to take a weapon to support myself out of the house. On getting close to the weapon rack, I manage to prop myself up halfway with the assistance of the weapon rack but I lose balance and falls while tumbling the weapons which creates a great disturbance since the weapons where arranged closely together, and so, falling some of them would cause a chain reaction which would result in most or all of them falling down on the floor and creating a huge disturbance.

There is a bit of stillness after the noise created from the weapons falling on the floor, I didn’t try standing up for a long while but I do not seem to be in more pains than before though, I just say down staring blankly into space like I was at a loss. The silence continues for a long while until I start crawling in an effort to put all the weapons which has fallen back in their original position, looking at my speed though, I did take a lot of time to be able to get by it all. ‘I can’t give up. I can’t give up. I can’t be mediocre this time too. I can’t be weak. I should train harder. I should be able to put some resistance against powerful forces this time around. I don’t want to have any more regrets. I wasn’t given a second chance to waste it. Even if I become a merchant, depending on other people’s power and connections would eventually lead to my doom. I want to rule. I want to be powerful. Since he gave me such a training, he doesn’t intend to kill me but instead develop me to the best of his abilities, after all he went through the same training and there were others of whom went through it too and Michael is a lot stronger now. I want to be like him and even surpass him’, a new wave of resolve has lightens my heart as I start saying inwardly with new fervor and great light in my eyes. It was not an easy decision but I had to make such a huge decision at this moment, and I didn’t know that this resolve which I gathered to make such a decision would sharpen my life and bring me to greater heights.