8 – Collar Marks

Prateek woke up feeling well-rested and refreshed after a good night's sleep with Ashia, his mother's loyal and devoted maid. As he began his morning drill and training routine, he couldn't help but feel energized and ready for the day ahead.

Prateek's morning drill and training routine was intense and demanding. He began with a series of vigorous physical exercises, pushing his body to its limits as he ran laps around the courtyard and performed a series of challenging calisthenics.

As he sweat and strained, he could feel his muscles burning and his heart pounding in his chest. But he pushed himself to keep going, determined to improve and become stronger.

After his physical training, Prateek moved on to his martial arts drills. He practiced a series of complex and graceful movements, executing each strike and kick with precision and power.

"Good form, Prateek," his instructor said, watching him with a critical eye. "But you need to put more force behind your strikes. Remember, your opponent won't go down easily."

After successfully completing his coming of age ceremony, Prateek was assigned a martial arts instructor as per his family's rules. The instructor would be responsible for teaching him the ways of combat and honing his skills as a warrior.

The instructor's name is Master Lee. He is a seasoned martial arts master with decades of experience in various fighting styles. He was born and raised in the Far East, where he trained with some of the greatest masters of his time.

Master Lee is strict but fair, and he demands the best from his students. He is known for his ability to push his students to their limits and help them unlock their true potential.

Despite his tough exterior, Master Lee has a deep respect for the traditions and history of martial arts, and he takes his role as an instructor very seriously. He is determined to pass on his knowledge and skills to the next generation of warriors, and he treats each of his students with the same level of dedication and care.

Prateek nodded, determined to improve. He focused his energy and unleashed a series of powerful strikes, each one landing with a satisfying thud.

After finishing his training, Prateek went to have breakfast with his mother. He looked around for Ashia, but she was nowhere to be found. He assumed that the events of the previous night must have been too taxing for her, and she was probably resting in her quarters.

As they sat down for breakfast, he was shocked and concerned to see faint collar marks on his mother's neck. "Mother, what happened?" he asked, his eyes wide with concern.

His mother hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. "It's nothing, Prateek," she said, trying to brush off the question.

"But the marks, Mother," Prateek pressed, his concern growing. "They look like someone tried to strangle you."

His mother sighed and looked down at her plate. "I don't want to talk about it, Prateek," she said quietly. "Just drop it, okay?"

Prateek was confused and worried, but he knew better than to push his mother too hard on the matter. Instead, he resolved to keep a close eye on her and to try to uncover the truth behind the mysterious collar marks.

As the day wore on, Prateek continued his training and tried to focus on his tasks at hand. But he couldn't shake the nagging feeling of concern for his mother, and the mystery of the collar marks weighed heavily on his mind.

Despite his best efforts to put it out of his head, Prateek couldn't help but feel frustrated and concerned about the strange situation. He longed for answers, but knew that he must be patient and wait for the truth to reveal itself in due time.

In the afternoon, Prateek decided to take a walk around the village. It was his first time exploring outside of the family compound, and he was eager to see what the village had to offer.

As he walked through the bustling streets, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. The sights and sounds of the village were so different from anything he had experienced on Earth, and he found himself constantly comparing the two worlds.

"Wow, this place is amazing," Prateek said to himself, taking in the colorful stalls and bustling crowds. "I can't believe how different it is from back home."

As he continued to wander, he came across a group of children playing in the street. They were laughing and chasing each other, completely carefree and happy.

"Hey, want to play with us?" one of the children asked, running up to Prateek with a smile.

"Sure, why not?" Prateek replied, joining in the game. He found himself laughing and smiling along with the children, feeling more at ease and happy than he had in a long time.

After a while, the children started to get tired and the game began to break up. Prateek said his goodbyes and continued on his way, feeling grateful for the unexpected moment of joy and connection.

As he walked back to the family compound, Prateek couldn't help but feel more at home in this strange new world. He was excited to explore more and to learn everything he could about his new home.