After work, Frei went back to the stables. To rest, it was already evening with the sun setting and silhouettes of birds flying back into the forest. Frei looked out from the big wide window, staring at the birds wondering if he too can fly like them someday. 

*creaks* 

He heard sounds of the door opening, the others came in, some looked more exhausted than others while some looked like they could take on another round of work. They were talking to each other in the same languages that Frei couldn’t understand. But some were crying and some looked empty inside. Frei paid no mind to it and continued looking outside, as time went on more footsteps appeared when the sun finally set every single person had gone into the stables. That night was very silent.

The next day Frei woke up to the sounds of a commotion outside far away from the stables. Frei got up and looked out. He saw countless people running towards a hill and so did he.

When he arrived at the sound originating from the hill he saw blood splattered all over the ground along a path, and sounds of men punching one another, the howling of dogs and the cheerings and screamings of men. 

As he walked and walked more blood splatters appeared and injured men started to appear. Then he saw a ‘cage’. Around the ‘cage’ was covered by fences and sharpened sticks, the ground was flat and rough like sand, completely different from the path he walked on or the hills he ran up to. Then on the right sat a couple dozens of Well-Dressed men cheering with an umbrella above them.  Inside the ‘cage’, there were two men, both with ragged clothing and chains and humps of iron on both their limbs just like Frei. Outside of it had armed guards holding a long spear on one hand and the other holding a wooden shield. Although the guard wasn’t particularly well dressed for combat, they were still a threat. On the left stood a lot of men that Frei often met or in other words others like him. Some of them looked quite excited at the sight even cheering and yelling but some were the opposite serious and cold. Some were worried and the others were sweating buckets.

Inside the ‘cage’ the two men engaged in combat. They gritted their teeth and started punching one another. One of them landed two, the other one landed none. One of them even used their legs, although it didn’t go well for him as he fell down onto the ground leaving the other man to have an opportunity to strike him. And that one strike landed on the jaws and knocked him out, but the other man didn’t stop there he continued punching and punching until the man on the ground stopped moving. The men outside of the cage didn’t bat an eye though, they continued cheering. 

When the fight ended, the Well-Dressed Men whispered to one other and then shouted something which Frei couldn’t understand. “Whipper” nodded and then dragged two of Frei’s “colleagues” into the ‘cage’ and had them fight. However one of them didn’t want to, which pissed off “Whipper” and started whipping him. 

The man cried for help and for “Whipper” to stop. Which didn’t work. He then in an attempt to defend himself, curled up and endured the whipping, which fortunately worked but then “Whipper” switched gears and started punching him. The man grunted and groaned then he stopped, his body stopped reacting. “Whipper” then had some of the guards drag him off onto a cart. 

The Well-Dressed men looked pleased and threw a loose bag onto the ground which spilled many coins then they signal “Whipper” to pick it up. Which he did. Like a dog.

Then “Whipper” , after picking up the coins, looks around and then he sees Frei. He walked towards him and when he reached out his hands Berg blocked him. Berg pointed to himself and then pointed at the ‘cage’, “Whipper” unpleased, threatened Berg to some whipping but it didn’t faze him, not at all.

“Whipper” looks back at the Well-Dressed Men, then sighs and brings Berg to the ’cage’. Berg’s opponent was intimidated by the Big tall hunk of a man that is Berg. As Berg's muscular build fills up his ragged clothes and the humps of iron look like mere shackles on Berg’s wrists. Nevertheless, the opponent still fights as he has seen what would happen if he didn’t. He striked 

Berg’s iron body, he didn’t do jack to Berg, fazed by this he stood still. Berg gently holds up his hand and then gets into striking position and as his opponent braces for impact Berg strikes him and knocks him out. 

Not a hint of blood nor any major injuries occurred in this fight. Both parties are safe and relieved however the “Whipper” and the Well-Dressed Men weren’t, they were in fact quite not pleased with how quick and peaceful the fight ended. 

“Whipper” had an idea, he looked towards Frei again and forcefully dragged him and threw him into the ‘cage’. Berg was shaken that he had to fight a kid, he looked at the Well-Dressed Men.

They were smiling and cheering.

“WOOOOOO!”

Berg looked at Frei again. HIs childlike face and manners colliding with Berg’s principles and morals, he does not allow himself to fight let alone punch a kid. Berg stood there alongside with Frei who too does not want to fight, he doesn’t even know how to even fight himself!

Both of them stood still for a minute, the crowd silent and “Whipper” looking at them, pissed off. He walked into the ‘cage’ holding a whip in his hands and then swung it at Frei, Berg reached out his hands and defended the boy from the whip. Of course this ticked “Whipper” off and then he started to swing it even harder, and faster. Berg hugged the boy tightly to protect him from any incoming whip attacks.

*crack*

*crack*

*crack*

As Frei listened to the sounds of whip and Berg’s grunting. He thought why is it happening, why is Berg being whipped, why is Berg hugging him. Why are they being forced to engage in combat? Then he figured out the reason for Berg to be this badly treated. It’s because of him not wanting to fight.  Then he uttered words which he had heard before.

“I.. will Fight.” 

“Whipper” stopped as the boy who he previously thought was a mute, talked. “Whipper” however cruel and brutal was partly satisfied that his wish was being fulfilled. With a smile on his face, he promptly left the ‘cage’ to resume the fighting. 

Even with Frei’s approval and desire to fight, the injured Berg still refuses to fight the kid. As accepting it would be a breach of his code and principles which he has practiced over the years. Or there is simply no honor and glory to win against a mere defenseless kid. 

Then the Frei in front of him, brings out both his hands shaking because of the weight of the irons and his legs one in front the other back like a boxer. This stance was a boxing stance though Frei does not know it yet as he is simply doing this by instincts.

Berg recognized this stance and immediately backed away from the boy instinctively. As he felt danger from the boy. 

“This boy know how to fight?” He thought to himself as he went into a defensive stance having both his hands up blocking his jaws. His opinion of Frei now changed because of Frei’s actions and now felt obligated to respond to his offer of fighting in order to honor him. However, Frei simply can’t handle the weight of the irons and because of the work from yesterday, he doesn’t have the energy to fight and falls onto the ground. But he put his hands on the ground and tried to force himself to get up. He tried but his frail and skinny arms refused to budge, it was really painful. 

“AHHHHHHHHH” shouted Frei. He slowly got back up and tried to get both his arms up but he couldn’t, he was exhausted and hungry, dehydrated too. But he didn’t realize that he continued trying until he couldn’t and he passed out. 

The bystanders weren't really surprised and some even mocked him. However those that knew how to fight, were impressed by Frei’s stance and perseverance. As they didn’t expect much from a skinny little boy, to manage to bring both of his hands up and his tenacity to fight despite the lack of energy to do so.

By the time Frei woke up, he was in the stables and it was already night time. He saw a light coming from west of the stables. He tried to get up but the pain stopped him, his wrist joints hurt and his legs tired, so he crawled. He crawled and he saw a bunch of logs piled up together and a big fire coming from the logs, and the smell of smoke was heavy and he saw bodies in fire burning, though some were unrecognizable. He recognized a body, the body belonged to a man who refused to fight in the ‘cage’. This sight sends a chill down Frei's spine.