The tents were assembled already, the campfire was done after so much struggle, and their meal was settled in sticks and being cooked slowly.
The two slaves even needed to clean the ground, taking off the rocks and sticks that were all over the camp, so it would be better for their masters to walk around. Their equipment and bags needed to be carried to the respective tent of each one of the four.
They needed to do everything in a hurry because Rick's group had a specific hour to sleep. If they didn't get to eat beforehand, they both would be punished. If one of them stepped or laid onto a rock, stick, or anything of the sort, they would be punished as well, let alone lazily assemble the tents or badly cooked food.
They were punished even for things that were out of their control, like a strong wind making the campfire put out, a storm coming out of nowhere and forcing them to find another place to hide, or if their food rotted without them noticing.
It was not just cruelty. Rick's group was doing psychological management. It was a way to keep the slaves afraid of mistakes, even things that were out of their control, and to put them into their place as mere cockroaches.
They needed that kind of influence to make them keep their heads lowered and their bodies working at their peak, despite their exhaustion.
Paul was aware of it, but he ignored it and let those actions get him down. That boy was smart. Dean and Rick's group could notice it long ago. He had the potential to develop an amazing intellect, but he let himself be knocked down by all the actions that his masters took against him. Every single thing let a deep wound on his soul.
Nonetheless, Dean wasn't like this. He wouldn't lower his head no matter what.
After the three first weeks, when his hope began to rise again, he became bolder and rebel, which turned out to make him the main target of their wrath and punishments.
Anyway, these harsh times just served to make him get more focused, more resilient, and stronger. Before, he was just training his body and "Willpower", but now his mind was being trained. That naive and helpless Dean was vanishing each day more.
Slavery was surely the most torturing experience of his life, but also the one that was maturing his mind the most. Instead of crying and lamenting for what occurred, Dean was recognizing his mistakes and using that experience to reinforce himself.
After the two slaves finished everything, they were dismissed. However, they couldn't rest. That was another rule when you were a slave. You couldn't rest at all. If you were caught resting, you would be punished.
In fact, the reason why Rick dismissed them was to Paul and Dean make the guard of the camping.
They were slightly far away from each other, looking at the forest, but maintaining their ears attentive at the plain fields that were behind them.
That forest had trees more than twenty-five meters tall. They were thick and scary-looking. It was said that the types of Dread that lived in that forest were tricky ones. Probably mutations of monkeys or gorillas. There were also some types of mutated birds.
Animals who didn't use the trees in any way didn't live in that place, as it would be disadvantageous for them in both cases: being a predator or the prey.
Finally, the only time of the day when Dean could secretly enjoy without being bothered anymore began.
Despite his achy feet and his tired arms, he did a quick stretch and warmed up his muscles. Then, he took a thick stick on the ground. He positioned it in front of himself, closing his eyes and concentrating.
Even if that whole one month and a week were just torture and sadness, Dean's determination never vanished completely. He wasn't able to train as much as before because of his mental state and not even nowadays because of the lack of time, but he maintained constancy.
The boy began to move that stick around as if it was a sword in his hands. At first, fluidly, calmly, just like water. Then, his movements began more aggressive and stronger. Meanwhile, the "Willpower" inside his hearth spread across his body, then retracted repeatedly. It was just a small quantity since most of his "Willpower" was always stolen.
After nearly an hour practicing like that, he stopped, then put his hand on his heart, smiling faintly.
'It's getting easier. I am more concentrated and determined recently. This harsh situation is obliging my body to go beyond its limits. After all, I won't be able to run away if I don't get stronger.'
Dean began to train his body afterward. He already needed to do a lot of physical effort, but he wanted to develop pure strength in his muscles and fortify his joints and bones. He couldn't do the same intense train that he did before, but it was enough to give him some important progress.
After his physical train, he would finally go to the second step of the Art of Ascendance.
'I am glad that I could hide this book. I am not allowed to lie to my masters. Rick's power forces me to be indulgent. However, they never said anything about omit. If I keep this book well hide, then everything will be fine. I am glad that it isn't too big.'
He opened the book and went to the next pages, after the first pillar of the Art of Ascendance.
"Second pillar: Nourishment.
"After more than one month of training every day your Control, you will need to learn how to Nourish your "Willpower". This part is very important for every Ascendant because it will increase highly the quantity of "Willpower" that your heart produces and how much he can keep within. You can exemplify it as if it was a battery. You will just increase the battery's speed of recharge and how much energy it can store.
"So, to Nourish your "Willpower"...