For the first time, the night passed so quickly. Even the nightmares became more bearable. I am incredibly fascinated by this. I want to sink into that vision once more, but a new day is dawning. I am still fastened to the wooden stake. I begin to hear the murmur of people gathering in the stands around the training grounds.

  The spectacle continues.

  I take a deep, slow breath, trying to calm my pounding heart. It's true that the Quartermaster had no restraint yesterday. I felt like he really wanted to finish me off.

  Idiot. Even with my slow healing, that's impossible.

  I hear his heavy footsteps. The fat man has helpers this time. Raspy panting and the sound of wood being dragged across the ground reach my ears.

  Even the one who hands me weapons for the arena showed up! They really look like brothers!

  I'll call the second one the Weaponmaster. I watch as they lay out thick poles around me.

  These are neither spears nor stakes like mine.

  They are thicker than regular polearms and have no sharp points. Flat metal fittings are fastened along their sides.

  First time I'm seeing something like this.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the Quartermaster and the Weaponmaster each grabbing a pole and heading my way.

  Gripping one end, they take a swing. Thud. Thud.

  The breath was knocked out of me. I can't draw air into my lungs. When I finally manage to, I hear that same whistle again. And again. Thud. Thud.

  * * *

  — Malvira. Why aren't you watching today's spectacle?

  I lower my head and don't know what to say. Since yesterday, I haven't been able to process what I saw.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  — I hope you aren't as worried today as you were yesterday.

  I see Kwiryn smiling, looking into my terrified eyes. There are so many questions I would like to ask, but I don't have the courage.

  — Yesterday you tended to slash wounds. Today you'll take care of crush injuries and broken bones.

  He said it so nonchalantly that it took my breath away. I don't reply to his verbal provocations. I turn completely away from the arena. It's enough that I can hear the loud blows in the distance. I will wait here as long as it takes until everyone finally leaves.

  After a few hours, I finally step down onto the sands of the training grounds with the same bundle as yesterday. They haven't untied him for a moment. He is kneeling in front of the stake again, so motionless that I feel like he might already be dead.

  I'm afraid to approach him...

  I see his chest rising and falling rhythmically.

  No one! No normal person would survive something like this!

  I wonder if he is even human. I remember how he fought two days earlier in the arena. At one point, he acted literally like a wild beast.

  I'll go straight up and introduce myself. I don't want him to attack me by accident.

  — I am Malvira. I came to wash you.

  I didn't know how to announce myself. I repeated the exact same thing as yesterday. It doesn't change the fact that my stomach is in knots and my body is tense as hell.

  — I'm having the same dream for the second night in a row!

  Shivers run down my entire body. He doesn't look at all like someone who was tortured for hours. Yes, he is exhausted, but alive.

  He acts like nothing happened!

  — I'm so glad to see you!

  He has such a ghastly smile on his face that my hair stands on end. He looks at me with madness in his eyes.

  This is the first time I've ever encountered such a... freak!

  I try not to think anymore. I quickly do my work without speaking. Whenever he opens his mouth, I immediately step a little to the side. Completely unfazed by my behavior, he just starts smiling.

  I feel sick...

  I can't think rationally. All the injuries he should have simply don't exist. I see faint outlines of bruises where the blows landed, but nothing is damaged, and not a single bone is broken.

  What the hell is he?!

  This is the last time I'm coming here. I don't care what they do to me tomorrow.

  He is a fucking monster! I don't know how much longer they'll be able to keep him on a leash!

  Without saying a word to him, I run away from this place.