Hina panting heavily as she clenched her chest.
Her lungs burned, her heartbeat pounding against her ribs like a trapped animal. Sweat dripped down her jaw, her arms trembling.
A rinse and repeat — Asim was never kind with his training methods.
Asim sighed as he stared at her, his shadow falling long across the training ground.
"I cannot understand what power you obtain,"
Asim said, sighing as he held his head.
Hina continued to clench her chest as she breathed heavily, forcing air in, forcing air out.
Asim looked at Hina and sighed.
"Get up. We're not done."
His voice was firm, grounding.
Hina groaned but slowly stood up, summoning her katana again.
The void slowly formed into her hand — mist first, then weight — the cold handle settling against her palm. She gripped it tightly, falling into her fighting stance.
Asim stared at her before summoning his curved sword.
A cold breeze swept the field.
"Hmm."
Asim stared at her.
"Hina."
"What?" Hina said, looking up, her face drenched in sweat, strands of hair sticking to her forehead.
"What do you hate."
Hina squints at him with a confused look.
"None of your business?"
Asim sighs, getting into a fighting stance.
"All I want you to do is think about something you hate the most — to an extent it gives you a headache."
Asim waited for her first swing.
Hina looked at him.
Memory seeped in like poison.
Her stepfather.
What he did to her.
What he caused her.
What he stole from her.
Her chest tightened. She felt her pulse spike.
And adding Asim's attitude… her anger only stirred more.
As Hina looked at Asim with a deadly stare, she moved.
Her movements were quick — far quicker than before.
Her strikes were strong — sharp, heavy, driven.
Asim noticed instantly.
This was far better than her past performances.
Hina continued moving swiftly.
Each attack struck harder and harder as her anger built more and more.
Remembering the future she was stripped from — the life she could've had — if everything went well.
IF it went well.
It all angered her, pissed her off, hurt her head to even think about.
Asim saw her speed rising. Her strength rising.
He raised an eyebrow.
As Asim threw a simple attack, Hina easily blocked and instantly followed with a fast counterstrike. Their metal swords clashed sharply — the sound ringing through the air.
Asim stepped back slowly.
"I understand it now."
Hina's anger instantly faded as she stared at Asim.
"..?"
She tilted her head in confusion.
"The power you have," Asim said, looking at her.
"You get stronger and stronger the more pain is caused in your head."
Asim stepped slowly forward, staring at her.
"Explains little, still."
He said.
"I still do not understand how you survived a tendril strike through your head."
Hina tensed slightly, recalling the memory. Her stomach tightened, her fingers twitched around her katana. She sighed.
"So I get stronger the more pain is caused to my head?"
"I guess so. Did your head have pain while our fight?"
Hina nodded.
"Then that'll stay as a theory as I try to understand what you have within you."
Asim sighed before stretching.
"You are a we—"
Before Asim could finish his sentence, he felt a hand on top of his head, patting roughly.
A loud familiar laugh followed.
"Ah Asim habibi, how are you?"
Laith said loudly, looking at Asim with a warm grin.
"Well."
Laith looked at him with genuine gladness.
"Good to know, good to know."
Laith's tone was gentle as his eyes narrowed to Hina.
As Hina looked up at Laith, she tensed up.
The air seemed to thicken with his presence.
"Ivan's student, Hina — it's nice to meet again,"
he said, placing a hand on his chest as he nodded.
"I hope the recovery went smoothly. Mera was quite worried for you."
Hina nodded awkwardly.
"Nice to meet you too."
Asim sighed, looking at Laith.
"You need anything, Mister Laith?"
Laith looked at Asim.
"Heard you were participating in the upcoming tournament. You always hated participating. Always declined. What's the sudden change?"
Asim sighed and straightened himself.
"I wanted to get in the upper leagues. Is that an issue."
Laith patted Asim's back roughly.
"Ah, my boy."
Laith slowly stretched and stepped back.
"Let's have a quick spar, Asim. I haven't sparred with you since you left."
Asim sighed.
"I'm training a—"
"Have her take a break. You're already overworking her."
Laith cut him off, removing his coat, revealing his tightened shirt stretched over his broad upper body.
Hina looked slightly worried at what's going to happen.
Asim nodded at her.
Hina sat down on the grassy ground, watching closely.
Asim slightly stretched.
"I haven't fought hand to hand in a while."
Laith chuckled.
"Don't worry. I'll go easy."
They both got ready.
Laith scratched his long beard.
And suddenly — the fight began.
Asim gripped onto Laith's shirt as Laith gripped onto his.
Laith had the advantage — height, width, strength — but Asim stood his ground fiercely.
They moved, wrestled, feet sliding on the grass, breath heavy.
The fight hit the floor.
Asim mounted Laith, trying to find a submission hold.
Laith resisted easily, his larger frame shifting with practiced confidence.
Hina watched in amazement, eyes wide.
Asim's pure focus — the sharpness in it — was something she had never seen.
As Asim tried to shift his weight, Laith caught him — expertly — and instantly had Asim in a headlock.
Asim struggled, tried to escape, but failed.
He tapped out.
Laith laughed.
"Still moving strong."
He stood up, tapping Asim's head.
"Don't forget what I taught you."
Laith stretched, put his coat back on, and looked at Asim.
"Alright, I'll leave now. Good luck in the tournament. Be easy with the students there."
Laith walked off.
Hina sat there, processing everything.
She looked at Asim lying on the floor, breathless.
"Asim," Hina said.
"What was that..?"
Asim looked at her.
"What was what."
"The fight. It… it was just a normal fight."
Asim sighed and slowly sat up on the grass.
"Oh yeah."
He picked at the grass between his fingers.
"It was Mister Laith's way to teach me patience with martial arts."
Hina leaned forward slightly, listening.
"Patience and thinking," Asim said with a sigh.
"He used to easily handle me when I first started."
"It isn't easy fighting somebody hand-to-hand twice your size," Asim said.
Hina chuckled.
"You did get manhandled."
"Watch it," Asim said, but there was no threat in his tone.
As he stood up, he looked up at the sky.
"I guess training is done."
Hina nodded, standing up.
She looked at Asim before saying,
"Asim."
He turned his head toward her.
"Good luck on your tournament."
Hina smiled faintly.
Asim looked at her with a disgusted expression.
"The smile is creepy, stop that."
Hina's smile instantly faded into an annoyed look.
"Sorry then damn, I hope you get beaten."
Asim smiled and gave her a thumbs up.
"That's the Hina I know."
Hina sighed, looking at the other people training in the distance.
The tournament is tomorrow huh…
she thought to herself.
She wonders… how strong Asim really is.