Janette lived her days like that for a long time.
In the morning Nana would look after her and teach her the basics as well as tell her stories about the outside.
After learning how to speak fluidly Janette started to make huge progress, she learned to read at the ripe age of one and a half, even tho her body was still too weak to do most things so writing took her a little more time.
After all... The mechanics of such a young female body were completely different than those of an adult male. Which she was, as Marcus, used to.
After living as a girl for two years Marcus started to accept the fact that this was his reality now. Still, some problems are bound to arise over time...
The world didn't have a concrete name at the moment, as different cultures referred to it in diverse ways. But only one thing was a certainty.
This new world of hers was vast.
Thousands of kilometers were nothing but a drop in the vast ocean of land that surrounded them.
Janette was mesmerized by this. Her last world was completely mapped out after all. And even though Marcus hadn't had the opportunity to travel before, he was set on living his best life as Janette and getting to be the first to completely travel across this seemingly infinite land.
But there was a catch. There's always a catch.
Unimaginable dangers plagued this world, spread far and wide, even in the most unassuming corners, anything could be waiting for you, since the beginning of time, with the only purpose of bringing your existence to a full stop.
Janette thought these were stories to make kids obedient at first. Yet she had to reevaluate her opinion when eric came back home with something that looked like a mix of a bison and an armadillo...
With four meters in length and the appearance of an angry bison with tactical armor and enormous horns, it was a killing machine of at least a few tons of raw physical power...
This not only gave Janette a very needed reality check but also fired her ambition even more...
If something so crazy could exist near this relatively safe forest then... What would the unknown bring to her doorstep?
At the end of the day time surely flies...
It was made even more clear on Janette's fifth birthday.
"I'm so happy for you my little sunshine." Said Eric while he looked at her and made a mess out of her hair...
"Today is your fifth birthday, it is also the fifth anniversary of your mother's passing, so in her memory, I will give you this."
Eric said while removing a necklace off himself and passing it to Janette.
"It's not really valuable but it's something your mother left for you, so it's priceless. take care of it ok?"
The necklace was made out of braided leather and it had a small pendant made out of an unknown dark blue material.
"And as for my gift, I will fulfill my promise and train you as well as I can, so be prepared, I will be waiting for you outside."
Eric's expression turned serious, he picked up his sword and left out the door without waiting for an answer.
Janette looked at Nana and she could see that Nana was looking out the door as well, after a few seconds she looked back at Janette and nodded.
"It's ok my dear, you are ready, don't make Eric wait any longer."
Janette could barely contain her excitement, she always tried to keep a nonchalant expression but it was not who she was after all.
~~~~~~~ Outside ~~~~~~~
"There are a few things you need to know Janette. I can understand your excitement but this is not going to be easy."
Eric sat on the grass in front of their home, his legs were folded in a lotus position and his back was upright.
"There are multiple paths you can choose from but all of them derive from the same principle. And that principle is our soul.
We warriors differentiate ourselves from others through our mastery of ourselves.
Only by mastering the energy from within ourselves can we call ourselves true warriors..."
At that moment Eric closed his eyes and started breathing rhythmically and profoundly.
A few instants later his body started exerting a weird kind of pressure, a feeling of danger perked Janette's senses but it was soon washed away when this pressure became a gentle breeze.
"Those that can control the energy that our souls emanate are able to do things our bodies alone could never accomplish."
"I need you to sit right in front of me and mimic my posture and breathing, this technic is the basis of all martial arts and is the first thing you need to start on this journey."
Janette sat on the grass as well and started to copy Eric's doings...
Her heart was beating way too fast and it was hindering her progress, and although Eric could tell he didn't say anything about it. At the end of the day, too much help will only hinder her progress in the long run...
Janette knew she was bound to make mistakes but after sitting still breathing in and out for three hours she was yet to understand what she was supposed to feel, or if she was even supposed to feel anything at all...
Another hour had passed and at that moment Eric stood up.
"It's enough for today, we will continue tomorrow at sunrise, I'm sure you are confused, I was at first when I was your age, but believe me you will understand soon enough."
"Let's go, I'm sure Nana has made something really good for both of us, I'm starving" Eric's white teeth shined through his smile, even though he wouldn't want his daughter to get hurt he was proud she was following her father's steps.