I sat at a table large enough for four or five people to sit comfortably without touching elbows. The smells coming from the kitchen were heavenly, seasoning, meat, even eggs. Cooking eggs was a smell I could remember from childhood, it was nostalgic. After the Void attacked, most flying creatures had been able to escape their destruction until flying Void beasts emerged from the portals. Eggs Were a relatively easy to get source of food during those times, as long as you found your way to a high nesting birds nest during nesting season. All good things eventually ended though, as we saw less and less eggs in the nests and we felt worse about taking the ones that were there. Eventually the birds were hunted to extinction too, just like everything else. Jim gingerly placed a plate in front of me and then walked back into the kitchen. His attitude towards me had changed completely since I brought down the thugs attacking his restaurant. He was afraid of me, and I was unsure how to reassure him. I was more used to being afraid of other things than being the one causing fear. I decided to just dig into my eggs and bacon and try not to think about it. Samuel was staring at me intently, watching me eat, but I didn't mind. Even if they were weird I was still just happy to have people to eat with.

  “So, you remember what we talked about before you, uh, passed out?” I nodded in agreement with his question and he continued.

  “You’re willing to be our fighter in The Arenas then?” He looked at me with hopeful enthusiasm, and I was glad I could make his hope a reality. At that moment a blue box appeared in front of me.

  “Convalescence: 4%.” The number went up for some reason, and the box appeared again because of that? Whatever the reason for these boxes, as soon as I wanted it to go away it did. I took a break from eating my food, savory and delicious, to answer properly.

  “Yes, I would like that Samuel.” He grinned at me, and then yawned and stretched.

  “Hell yeah!” I heard an exclamation from the kitchen and turned to see Herald pumping his fist.

  “See Jim? She's hella strong, I'm sure she can at least make it as a Brawler, maybe even Pit-Fighter or higher!” He wrapped his large arms around Jim's waist and Jim put his hands on his shoulders, pushing Herald away.

  “Okay, okay! I still don't like this plan. The restaurant was our baby, now it's gone. I just worry putting all our eggs, no pun intended, into one basket like this isn't the best plan.” He managed to push Herald away and Herald sighed and put a hand on Jim's shoulder.

  “I know how you feel, I know it feels like we have lost everything, but we haven't. We lost everything when those leeches started sucking us dry, and Kara is a lifeline we never expected to get! You promised you'd at least try with us.” Jim smiled very slightly and hugged Herald.

  “I know, I'm just scared. Last time…” He looked over at Samuel and sighed again, saying no more.

  “We have enough saved up to get some equipment and get Kara some clothes. We advertise her entrance into a Buy-In tournament in the Brawler tier, she cleans house and we make big bucks and go forward from there!” Heralds excitement was infectious and soon Jim and Samuel were also contributing to the planning. I finished my food and leaned back in my chair, listening. In the end they decided that first things first I needed more clothes. Jim measured me all over and asked if I had a specific kind of clothing I liked. I thought about it for a while and answered.

  “Well, as long as it's practical it should be fine.” Jim looked a bit appalled but he nodded and pulled out a laptop. I remembered what they were, but they had been pretty new before the Void attacked. Samuel came and got me from Jim and dragged me up to the roof. Jim and Herald lived in an apartment building with three floors, and the roof access door was usually supposed to be locked, but this was broken. I was tired by the time I reached the last step on the stairs and then Samuel turned me around.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  “You were sleeping for several days. You ate food we brought you and drank water, but you haven't gotten much movement for a while. Not long enough for real damage, but whatever you had exhausted you, we need to build up your stamina.” I looked at him as I breathed heavily and nodded. I was once far stronger than I am now and I wanted to be that strong again.

  “And listen, I don't know what you've gone through and I won't ask, but you seem to have been malnourished for a very long time. Trust me, I know what it looks like. If what you showed us at the restaurant is you in a weak state, I wanna see you strong again. Before we get you fighting we need to get you in shape again.” I nodded again and followed Samuel as he led me back to the apartment. Things were like that for a few days, and I was told I couldn’t leave the apartment much with Ollie looking for me. Jim found a shop on his computer and asked if I liked anything there. I picked out some black and gray clothing that looked like they moved well. He said that we would need to go and get me fitted for the clothes, since my size made it almost impossible to find a fit otherwise. Herald would feed me something delicious every day, burgers and eggs and one day he managed to get steak that we all shared. I knew I ate a lot, I kept promising I would pay it back some day. Samuel trained me easy in the beginning but the difficulty rose rapidly. I recovered quickly, color returning to my skin and muscle growing. Every day I saw the blue square show up and it'd have those same words and a higher number each time.

  “Convalescence: 8%.” I had started to feel better in those initial days, slowly improving and feeling stronger.

  “Convalescence: 45%.” It was around a month in when Samuel started me on weight training. I felt stronger, and my appetite had grown. I lifted heavier and heavier weight until the stuff Samuel provided me wasn't cutting it anymore.

  “Convalescence: 85%.” After three months I felt better than I ever had, and Jim had found me clothes that actually fit. Over that time I had noticed some things though. Stuff started going missing throughout the apartment. I asked Samuel about it, and he said that Jim and Herald were selling things to get some extra money. I felt bad, having them all work so hard to get me back to health and giving nothing in return. The day I spoke to Samuel about the missing things was also the day I decided it was time for my first fight. Samuel disagreed, he wasn’t sure I was ready quite yet, but I told him I needed to contribute something. He looked me in the eyes and nodded, acquiescing to my need to give back to them for what they did for me.

  “I understand Kara. I know you are strong, beyond strong even. The power you can output is honestly staggering. I saw you in the restaurant, I know you can fight at least a bit. You sure you're ready?” I nodded, I was more serious than he realized. I was almost back in my prime, as strong as I ever had been, if not stronger. Jim and Herald had been eating less to make sure I got enough, Samuel too. I had to make it up to them, and it had to be soon.

  “Okay, well, I'll get things set up and we'll get you in there. Just be careful alright?” I nodded again and he nodded back.

  “Okay then, I'll get that done now.” He moved off in the direction of the other guest bedroom across from mine and went inside. I stood and walked to the bed I had been sick in only a few months prior. I was stronger now, even stronger than on Lathea. Nightmares of the Conqueror came to me at times, and I knew it would still be too much to handle. I brushed those thoughts aside and shook my head to clear them away. I was finally going to fight. Samuel eventually came back as I was doing pushups in my room, sweat dripped down my now thick arms, the muscles under my skin playing back and forth as I moved.

  “The fights scheduled. Brawler Tier, The Rude Roundhouse was the guys fighting name. Speaking of which, you'll need a pseudonym yourself. Remember, The Arenas are anonymous, so you'll need a fighting name. A mask isn't necessary yet since most of these Brawler fights are put up on the website after they are done, and faces are blurred. And the people doing the recording and blurring can be trusted.” I wasn't sure what to call myself besides Kara, and decided to leave it to Samuel.

  “Well, you're massive Kara. Maybe we go She-Goliath? Nah, that sucks. Maybe Titaness? Eh, no. I'll figure something out.” He scratched the back of his head as he headed out to take a walk and think. As for the mask, Jim had an idea for what I'd wear for fighting.

  “I think doing just a full body suit is far too cliché. Maybe something like the old-school fighters? Are you comfortable doing a sports bra and some spats under fighting shorts?” He showed me what they all looked like and I agreed they would work. I would like some kind of armor but apparently the Brawler matches were just fights till knockout or give up, using only bodily martial arts and such. Though disappointed I couldn’t use a weapon or armor I was still excited to face a person. Fighting giant Void insects and other such monstrosities was not fun in any way. Those fights always had me on the losing side, no matter what it was run or die—not this time. The time to fight slowly neared and I just prepared myself physically and mentally as best I could. I was unsure if the fight would be with a worthy opponent, but I hoped this guy would put up a better fight than the other two from the restaurant. Eventually the time came and we all left the apartment, walking towards the downtown area between Westown and Nortown. It was time to use what I had rebuilt of myself, it was time to fight.