Three months passed in a flash, and it was soon the last week of training. The final week was used to assess the recruits. Out of two hundred recruits, only fifty would qualify to join the royal army of Towanda. The rest would be divided into groups and sent to the six regions as guards.
The first two days were a struggle within the group. Each recruit participated in battles against three opponents. A recruit could only move to the next stage if they won at least two out of three matches.
Those who joined the royal army needed to be proficient in all acts of war: wrestling, archery, swordsmanship, and strategy. Each recruit would compete in these three disciplines with their opponents. A recruit was considered a winner if they succeeded in two out of the three phases. Anyone who lost to two opponents in succession would be immediately disqualified.
On the first day, the recruits battled against two opponents each. That morning, Iyare woke up with severe pain in her stomach.
She held her stomach and carefully got out of the hut. Iyare was not accustomed to complaining about illness to anyone. Her mother had made her take care of herself since she was young.
Iyare hurried outdoors and tried to relieve herself, thinking she must have eaten something bad the previous day, causing the stomach upset. The first light of day had just appeared, so it was not too bright. Iyare finished her business and cleaned herself up. As she pulled up her underwear, she noticed a stain of blood.
Iyare frowned, wondering how she had suddenly gotten injured. She stood there, lost in thought, before it hit her: she had become a woman and was experiencing her first monthly flow.
Iyare took a deep breath. As a young girl, it was a bit late for her to start her period. Her mother had never cared to educate her, and since she had started acting like Efosa, she had forgotten about it. Fortunately, her time at the healer's mountain had taught her how to take care of herself during her flow. Iyare quickly cleaned up and got ready.
"Are you okay?" Edosa asked, noticing that his granddaughter looked pale.
"I am fine," Iyare replied, too embarrassed to tell her grandfather about the situation.
"Remember, do not hold back during the competition," Edosa instructed. He was also preparing to supervise the entire process.
"Yes, grandfather," Iyare replied before heading to the training field.
As she walked towards the field, Iyare felt waves of pain from time to time. The pain was excruciating, but she endured it. After all, she was used to bearing pain. What worried her was the weakness spreading through her body.
"Welcome, recruits. You have all trained well over the past few months. Today marks the beginning of testing how much you have learned. The rules have been explained earlier. If you go to the notice board, you will find your name and the number of your first opponent," General Edosa announced.
The recruits murmured among themselves. Iyare felt her throat dry up and swallowed hard. She felt sick and uncertain about her ability to handle the competition.
"Are you okay?" Uze asked as he walked over. Since Efosa had returned from the healer's mountain, he had become distant. Uze, who admired Efosa's skills, had always wanted to be friends but had kept his distance.
"I am okay," Iyare said, trying not to show any sign of discomfort.
"Ahh! So you're also nervous about the competition too," Uze remarked. Though skilled, he had been nervous since the previous night. His dream was to join the royal army, which was far more prestigious than becoming a regional guard. Moreover, royal army members had more opportunities for growth, and their contributions to the kingdom were recognized.
He didn't expect Efosa, who excelled in training even after missing seven days, to appear anxious.
"You should check the notice board for your name and match order," General Edosa continued. There were only ten instructors in a group, allowing ten wrestling and swordsmanship matches to take place simultaneously.
"Matches start in half an hour. Do your best," the General concluded.
The recruits hurried to the board. Iyare, feeling weak, decided to sit and wait for the crowd to thin.
"Are you not going to check your name?" Uze asked, noticing Iyare's behavior.
"I'll check later. The crowd is too much now," Iyare replied without looking at Uze.
She liked his behavior but knew she couldn't befriend anyone since she wasn't the real Efosa. She kept her distance.
Uze found her reasoning sensible—there was no need to rush since the board was overcrowded. It was impossible for a hundred people to see clearly at once.
Iyare was surprised by Uze's action but said nothing. She closed her eyes, enduring the pain while conserving her energy. Efosa just fully recovered and had missed the whole training. There was no way he could participate. Iyare felt a heavy weight on her shoulder. After all,she could not lose no matter what it takes.
As the competition drew closer, Iyare got up and approached the notice board.
"Asoro," she read aloud. She didn't recall who this was. Iyare could recognize faces after seeing them once but often forgot names. So although she knew everyone in the group by face, she only knows Uze's name.
Uze, who had followed her, was surprised by her confusion. After all Asoro was very popular in their group.
"He's the boy who always runs close to us during the morning runs," Uze clarified. Relieved that he wasn't paired with Efosa or Asoro, Uze believed his chances of winning were better with another opponent.
"Oh, thanks," Iyare said, relieved she wasn't facing Uze. First, because she considered him a friend in her heart. Second, because she wasn't feeling well and doubted she could beat his determination.
Although Asoro was skilled, his arrogance made Iyare believe he'd be an easier opponent.
Iyare checked the board and was relieved her match was in the third batch—not too early or too late.