"You're hyped for training, aren't you?" Koby said taking a seat besides James by the fire.
"Is it that evident?" James replied with a tired smile as he threw some twigs into the flames.
"Not much but I know you.— Koby shrugged and then kept a serious face—"we need to be sure to get stronger, so we can protect each other."
James' expression shifted, becoming more serious
"Why do you think I'm hyped? I don't want what happened in the forest to ever happen again. I'll grow stronger and survive this hellhole and go back home—all of us."
Koby gave a soft laugh and then said.
"Well then Jammy, we had better work hard so that we can go back to our world. I'm sure your mom will miss you."
"I miss her too." James said and then snaked an arm and grabbed Koby's head into a headlock, suddenly as he playfully messed up Koby's fluffy brown hair.—"you'll see your family too."
Koby smiled at the thought.
"Well Nyxoria."—he said staring into the fire—"get ready for us."
The next morning, everyone arose to Rowan standing right outside the cottage— another figure besides him. Question piled on everyone's faces save for Axle.
"Are you all ready for training?" Rowan asked.
"Yes." they replied, though their eyes was still on the unfamiliar presence.
On cue, Rowan let the woman step forward to introduce herself.
"Rowan tells me that you three are players. And that you triggered a hidden scenario for you to show up before the others."— she said and turned to face Raya—" my name is Lyrielle Dawnblade and I'll be teaching you on how to use your healing abilities."
Raya stared at her in awe.
All she could focus on was the pair of pointed ears that Lyrielle had. A real elf was standing before her.
"You're an elf?" she asked quietly, still in disbelief.
"What gave it away?"— Lyrielle replied dryly—"the ears or the fact that I just mentioned it like a second ago? It's shocking that you humans still have some truths in your earth realm."
"Uhmm...sorry?" Raya said flustered, unsure of what to say to that.
"Don't worry about it, Raya. Lyrielle can be a bit... on the grumpy side." Rowan said as Lyrielle answered that with a kick to his gut.
"Wouldn't be grumpy, if you didn't tell me to help you."—she said before leading Raya down the dirt road leading away from the cottage.—"come on, human. We have got a lot to learn."
"Thank you, Lyrielle. Well then, the rest of you are with me." Rowan said clutching his gut in pain as he groaned quietly.
"What are we going to do?" James asked.
"We're going to run." Rowan replied, a smirk tugging at his lips.
And thus the training to prepare the group began.
They ran.
Miles blurred together beneath their feet. Time lost meaning. Rowan and Axle kept a relentless pace, never slowing, never looking back. Before long, Kai, Koby, and James were struggling just to breathe.
"What's the holdup?" Rowan called as he turned back towards where they lay, sprawled on the ground.
"I don't think I can move anymore." Kai complained, his muscles screaming, feeling like they could melt away at any second. Limbs threatening to give out at any second.
"Get up." Rowan's voice was flat.
He punctuated the command with a sharp kick to Kai's side.
"What was that for?" Kai said as he held his ribs in pain, approaching Rowan.
"You didn't think that this training would be a walk, did you?"—Rowan replied coldly—" you asked to be trained, and I'm delivering. Everyone better start moving or no dinner today." He threatened.
"Can he do that?" Koby asked Axle quietly.
"Well... that's his serious face so yes."— Axle said wiping sweat from his forehead—"I once went a full week without eating."
"Isn't that a little bit harsh?" Kai muttered as he watched Rowan take off running again.
"Rowan will push you to the brink of death, bring you back, and push you again."—Axle said before holding Kai's shoulder—" You did say you wanted this training."
With that he ran ahead of the trio. Looking at each other, the three friends forced themselves up and also continued running.
Breaths ragged and uneven.
They had wanted this and so they had to see it through—even if it kills them.
They came to a halt at the foot of a mountain. It wasn't very large and they could see the peak from where they stood— almost mockingly close.
They stood gasping for breath, lungs burning, legs trembling, as Rowan settled himself onto a fallen tree. He gave them a moment—just long enough for their vision to steady—before pushing himself back to his feet.
"The goal now is to get to the top of the mountain and get the bells that I've kept there." he said.
"You climbed up and back down before we got here?" James asked, staring at the looming slope.
"Yes.— Rowan replied— "And that's what I want you to do too. Get to it." He said pointing upwards.
Exhaustion from the earlier run set in quickly, turning every step into a fight. The mountain wasn't particularly steep, but the terrain was uneven—constant rises and drops, loose soil underfoot, and thick bushes that snagged at their clothes and skin, making navigation miserable.
Kai, Koby, and James stumbled through the unfamiliar environment, this being their first real time navigating the mountain. Axle, on the other hand, moved with ease. He clearly knew the terrain, gliding through it as if it were second nature, occasionally slowing just enough to mock them.
He laughed as he passed them, calling out encouragements that sounded suspiciously like insults.
By the time they reached the peak, their bodies were covered in bruises and shallow cuts. Their curses echoed into the open air as they collapsed near the summit, the sun already dipping low. The land below them was bathed in gold, the sunset stretching endlessly across the horizon.
"What a view," Koby panted, forcing himself upright as he bathed in the sunlight and took in the view.
"Yeah."— Kai said panting profusely.—"Raya must be having
it good."
Koby gave him a disappointed look.
"What?"