Chapter Thirty-Nine

Iris:

What was I thinking when I told Finn that I wanted to learn more in the ways of how to block out pain and the rest.

“When I said I wanted to not feel pain, I didn’t mean that you should beat it out of me.” I groaned, lying on the ground and refusing to stand up even as Finn stood above me. We were currently on the training field, and he was training my reflexes and threshold for surviving apparently.

“That is the best way not to let pain distract you during a fight, the idea that you are already used to it, and I am testing your threshold for pain, not survival so get that bleak look out of your eyes. I mean you are my princess; your mother will have my head if anything happens to her precious little cub.”

“I still did not sign up to have the crap beaten out of me.” I groaned once more but this time accepting the hand which Finn stretched out to me like a life line. It took me so time to be able to stand even using him as a support.

“Sure, you did, what do you think training is?” Finn asked and when I let my confusion show in my face he shrugged. “Training is just a fancy word for letting someone beat the shit out of his contender until the contender thinks of new or inventive ways to get back at the person and then learn how to be a pro on his or her own.”

“That is a surprising but truthful way to put it.”

“See, I am right. I always am. Think fast.” Finn smiled.

“What…” I tried to ask but Finn dropped into a low leg spin, knocking me off my feet again and hard on my back. “I am not doing this again.” I coughed rough, my voice sounding deep and raw like that of an advanced man. This I did when my ears stopped ringing and I could take in a deep breathe.

“That was easy, too easy. I thought I told you that as soon as we pass the doors of this place that you should not be distracted, and I am your enemy.”

“Hard to remember when you still talk like my friend.” I returned.

“Don’t you know that the best set of enemies are the well-kept friends?” Finn asked me and I snorted. I would have thought that Finn was trying to tell me something or that Finn was not to be trusted if I did not know that if he tried anything, my mother will be the first to kill him.

He stretched out his hands to me again and this time, I contemplated rolling into a ball and crying for my father just like I did at the playground in kindergarten when the other kids were being mean. Well… I was seriously contemplating it this time, more than the others.

“I don’t want to do this anymore.” I whimpered.

“Come on Iris, don’t be a big baby, Tell you what, we still have an hour of training, after freshening up, we get to hang out with Vine and Vane, you miss them too right?”

He did tangle a very good bait in front of me. Not only I have been missing the twins, but I understood why they left me though. They now move with Cirdan since we were separated since no one needed to ask Finn if he would go with Cirdan so he would not have to be alone always.

Although sometimes Vane seats with us, it is not the same without us being complete. And because this will be one of the rare times I get to see both of them together and by my side, I was highly motivated to push through this training session. They would also bring a message from Cirdan which was another reason.

I accepted Finn’s hand one more time and stood up, trying not to slouch, it was a good thing that the nurse repairs most damage done to me after each training session with Finn.

“You okay?”

“Is that a trick question?” I demanded.

“Think fast.” Finn called and my muscles braced themselves immediately despite the pain, Finn was right when he said training is until the contender had enough and learns new ways to overcome his opponent. It was why when Finn threw the first punch at my head, I was quick enough to deflect it, he followed it with a high kick that I quickly moved out of the way of and then he blurred to me and punched me in my stomach enough to remove the breathe I was holding and make me fall on my knees.

“What did I tell you about not letting go of the sight of your opponents, you get to know their next move through their eyes.” Finn sighed.

“I am done with this for the day.” I gritted out. “It is either we learn a new thing, or we cut practice short, and I get to stay alive.”

“This little jab was nothing, I even pulled in my punches.

I knew he did but it still hurt like a bitch.

“Okay, we could do mental relaxation practices, something that will strengthen your mental state, you need to do this before we start learning mental fighting and all that sly ways in which girls use to fight.”

“You don’t sound so happy about it.” I said to Finn who looked close to sulking.

“Because I am not a natural at it so I could never understand why if we wanted to fight, we couldn’t do it the old fashion way by rolling our own sleeves a getting down to it.”

“Huh,” was all I replied to Finn with, who rolled his eyes and wiggled his fingers at me.

I accepted his arm and was shocked when he led us further into the room and propped me on the floor with my legs crossed and eyes close.

“Now I want you to listen to my words and try to do what I say, you can also practice this on your own so that you can grab a hang of it.”

I proceeded to follow Finn’s instruction, trying my best to settle my mind and the presence that seems to be clawing at shields which Finn was instructing that I slowly let down. I informed Finn on this and with the way he stared at me, I apologized for stopping his class over nothing and we continued. Me ignoring the sensation and thinking that it was normal.

That was why I didn’t make mention of it ever again.