Tales of a Time Forgotten Book 1: Earth

~Chapter 1: Bruises Before Dawn~

"Again." The sharp voice cracked through the air like a whip, stinging against Samantha Forest's (Otherwise known as Sammi) ears as she lay face down in the sand. Her body aching from the many bruises that had begun to bloom all over her bare arms. She slid her arms under her and pushed herself to her feet, shaking sand out her hair and wiping off her face. She stood in the middle of a large sandy arena that was used for training. Practice dummies were stacked against one of the walls and racks of weapons were lined up ready for use. Today Sammi was rehearsing on her favorite form of combat, hand to hand. No weapons were required for this sport, just old fashioned human muscles, the only problem was, her opponent.

Opposite from Sammi a mountain of a man stood as firm as stone, his legs spread apart at shoulder length and his bare arms folded tightly across his wide chest. His once black hair, now streaked with dark gray, was pulled back into a small ponytail on the back of his head. His bushy eyebrows grew out over his small eyes, that glittered a steely black, from the shadows of his scared and leathery face. He was the most intimidating person you could imagine glaring down with a permanent scowl scared across his face.

"Again!" The man snapped, without moving from his position. Sammi groaned internally and prepared herself for an attack raising her sore hands and balling them back into fists. She spread her legs out into a fighting stance, standing at the ready. Her foggy mind cleared as she honed in on her target, the man who loomed before her.

Sammi shifted her weight and lowered herself closer to the ground, bending her knees and tensing her muscles in anticipation. Barely a second ticked by and not a move was made by either of the two, then... Sammi darted to her left. Her feet struck the ground sending up a spray of sand. She ran as fast as she could in a zigzag pattern around the older man. Sometimes she darted in close to fake an attack, only to dance away again at the last second. Despite her unpredictable movements the older man did not waver from where he stood, his arms crossed across his chest and his eyes closed as if he was in a gentle slumber.

Sammi's mind began to grow impatient and she started to test her opponents limits, darting in closer and closer with each fib. To her annoyance the man did not seem to notice or even care about her tactics, he just stood there, like a stone. Sammi changed her direction and continued forward to the right, her eyes locked on her opponent. She had to do something sooner than later, before she tired herself out. With a quick glance she plotted out her course of action to take down her opponent. Her feet moved lightly across the ground, her eyes on target and fists at the ready. She raised her hand, putting all her energy in the last burst of speed propelling herself forward, straight for the man's gut.

A sharp pain flared in her abdomen and Sammi found herself sprawled back on the ground, the wind knocked out of her and her head throbbing in pain. Slowly she raised her head to look at the huge shadow looming above her, and the two disappointed black eyes glaring down at her.

"Too predictable." He stated "You're too obvious with your attacks, I can see you coming at me from a mile away. Up! Let's try this again."

"Like I have any choice." Sammi muttered under her breath. The older man raised one of his bushy eyebrows at the teen.

"What was that young lady?" He asked, with a stern glare.

"Nothing dad." Sammi answered her father, propping herself up to a sitting position.

"That's what I thought." He glared down at his daughter "Now on your feet, training isn't going to do itself!"

With a groan, Sammi stumbled slowly to her feet, massaging her stomach. Almost every day since she had turned seven her father would drag her out of bed before the sun had even risen and train her for hours a day or until her legs fell out from under her. Sammi was certain she had forgotten what it was like to not be sore anymore or to not hurt with every move she made. Her father was always pushing her to become the best she could be, stronger, faster, bigger, and greater than everyone else, and Sammi hated it. Sure it was nice to be in peak physical condition, to be able to defend oneself, but Sammi would've traded it all away for a normal life. To be just like any other young girl in Ninjago City, learning to sow, and cook, and most of all spend hours chatting with friend's. What Sammi would give for a friend.