Ray was silent for a while, looking into his master's sharp green eyes. He waited for a moment before asking, "So, when will we start?"
Lucius turned to the side and replied, "Wait, I will be back." He walked away, leaving Ray puzzled. As Lucius moved through the main gate, he thought to himself, "Why would he leave me like this? Am I just supposed to sit down, or should I stand and wait for him?"
After a while, Lucius returned, holding a cup of tea and a long wooden stick. Ray wondered what was going to happen next. Lucius, still smiling, stood there waiting for Ray to approach him. He said, "After I finish this tea, I'll show you what we're going to do."
Ray was uncertain as to why the man had brought tea and a stick with him. Watching Lucius drink his tea slowly made Ray feel anxious, though he couldn't quite express it. He just stood there, trying to process his feelings.
Once Lucius finished his tea, he set the cup down on the ground and pointed the stick in Ray's direction. Suddenly, without warning, he struck Ray down. Ray fell to his knees, gasping for air. Lucius looked at him, a smirk growing wider on his face, and said, "You see, your body isn't ready for my training yet, so I'm going to build it back up. They say you should build something big brick by brick, but I'm going to do it bone by bone."
Ray, gripped by pain and confusion, struggled to understand the man's words as he lay there, unsure of what would happen next. As he tried to stand up, Lucius attacked him again, each blow breaking another part of his bones. The assault continued relentlessly, and Ray felt himself becoming lifeless, unable to move or respond. He was bleeding from multiple wounds and couldn't process the intense pain.
After a moment, Lucius knelt down and touched Ray's head, studying him with a mix of satisfaction and something else entirely.
Then he spoke, his voice resonating with an otherworldly quality, as if each word came from a realm beyond comprehension. The lesson he imparted seemed capable of alleviating pain, providing an understanding of the extraordinary events unfolding around him.
As Lucius uttered his final words, "Lord of Light, I call upon you from the depths of the unknown. Be my witness in this moment of great significance, as I seek your divine hand to manifest this miracle…heal." a sudden surge of iridescent particles swirled into existence, enveloping Ray's battered body like a gentle wind.
In that moment, something miraculous occurred; the wounds inflicted during the brutal beating began to close, and the blood coursing through his veins started to vanish. Each fracture and bruise on his body healed as if he were being transformed into a new being.
The enormity of this transformation left him momentarily stunned, grappling with disbelief as if he were caught in a fantasy.
His master encouraged him to rise, urging him to overcome the pain that still gripped him. Drawing upon his strength, he managed to stand but remained bewildered by the surreal nature of the experience. As the healing magic subsided, Lucius's voice returned to a more familiar tone, grounding him back in reality. "I see you are ready now," he said with a sense of purpose. "This is just the beginning of our training, so prepare yourself; our journey starts now."
**Ray's POV**
"It hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt! It hurt!"
"Why does it hurt so much? I wish I could die. It's been hours, maybe days, since he started hitting me. I had no food or water. Yet each time he heals me, I feel as if my energy is being rejuvenated. But why am I doing this? Why would I suffer this much?"
"I want to go home and sleep, never to wake up again. So please let me go home… Huh? Home… Where is home?"
My mind was filled with thoughts of someone I held dear came, but that person was far away. How can I be with someone I can't meet?
"Oh… I guess that's why I am suffering—so I can meet that person."
Each time he healed me, I stood up. I did not know for how long this would continue. As I lifted myself, I saw my master smiling. He then threw the stick away and clapped his hands once, saying in his casual voice, "Congratulations, you are now ready."
He walked away and signaled for me to follow. We left through the main gate, and outside, a huge forest stretched before us. I couldn't understand why he took me out there.
He stood in front of the largest tree in the forest and said, "Now, my dear student, punch this tree with all you've got."
I was baffled by his request. He wanted me to punch this massive, rough-looking tree. I calmed myself, lunged forward, and hit the tree with all my might.
Instantly, I was frozen, trying to comprehend what I had just done. I glanced to see my master's smile grow, as I felt I had accomplished the impossible. He turned toward me and said, "It seems I have managed to build your body. I knew I could succeed, but the fact that I managed to make you do something like this in a week is impressive."
He walked toward the tree, where I had made a hole, and then to the one next to it. I couldn't count how many I had struck down with one hit, but I knew that what I had done was beyond what I ever thought possible.
As I tried to assess what had happened, my master pulled me by my clothes and took me back to the main gate. "Well, let's get a move on. The faster you finish, the faster you'll fight him." Hearing his words shocked me.
Before I could say anything, he replied, "Oh, did they find your secret, or did I find the reason?"