"Even the finest steel needs to be tempered well first." - Old Dwarven saying

Some further explanation from the mayor confirmed that most of the time, only the actually repentant and the dumber criminals walked out of their rehabilitation. Most of the smarter oned tended to be too smart for their own good and ended up made examples on the gallows.

Most of those that made it out were then either enrolled to the guards or served as laborers, while particularly repentant and skilled ones might be entrusted with jobs in the administrative staff. Which definitely explained why the guards in Sev-Galas had a lot of thuggish types in particular.

They had dinner that night at Azar'ēl's place, where his personal chef preened at another chance to serve the unliving legends and cooked up a storm in the kitchen. Paper-thin slices of seared meats drizzled with some oil infused with spices was served as an appetizer, which elicited a chuckle from the mayor as he commented that his chef was never so enthusiastic to cook for him.

What followed was a course of coarse wheaten noodles, cooked in broth until just right, where it was soft but still retained a pleasant bite, tossed with a sauce made from eggs, cheese, and bits of smoked meats. Thin shavings of prized mushroom - a rare ingredient chefs in the capital cities often bought for its weight in gold - then completed the dish, its pungent flavor complimented the savory sauce and balanced out by the noodles.

The main course was a whole river fish, baked in a salt crust, which the chef broke apart and sliced into portions for them. It was served with potatoes that were boiled, then mashed with milk, salt, copious amounts of butter, and cheese until it formed a goopy texture. A dollop of sour cream was placed on too of the fish to further accentuate its flavor.

A tray with seven kinds of cheeses, from soft fresh ones with mild taste, to pungent blue cheese, to strongly flavored, savory and nutty hard cheeses, was served next. Small dollops of jam and fruit preserves, as well as toasted bread were also prepared as accompaniment.

For dessert was served an unusual cake, which had a base of biscuits soaked in strong coffee tinged liquor, layered with a whipped mixture of eggs, sugar, and cream cheese, while fine tea powder was sieved on top. The admixture of sweet and bitter flavors brought an unusual, yet pleasant flavor in their mouths as they ate.

Once the students had settled in for the night Aideen explained to Cal that she - along with Salicia and Grünhildr - usually visited Sev-Galas every two decades and specially trained promising members of their guards. One of the methods they used so those with weak wills were weeded out was a training course they affectionately called the "gauntlet". One they planned to subject the students to for the remainder of their stay in town.

At first Cal felt slightly worried when she saw the grins on the three unliving women's faces, grins which very obviously meant some people were about to have a very bad time very soon. But then she shrugged and agreed, since those students of hers were pretty tough anyway. Might as well see if they really have what it takes.

Early the next morning, the group headed out of town together on horseback, with a group of fifty guards behind them. The guards were not there for their safety, but they were the fortunate - though some would have called them the unfortunate - ones chosen to undertake the trial ahead of schedule.

Their destination was a relatively large fortification not an hour's ride from the city itself. Near the fort was remnants of dense jungle, which used to cover most of the area before most of it was cleared for habitation. Sev-Galas, along with the cities of Ludveg to the north-west and Hassmeier to the east, formed a triangle that encapsulated a mana vein. The fertile lands within served as the breadbasket of the region, and since it was located deep within the union's territory, safety was of minimal concern.

It was near the jungle where the gauntlet was done.

The guards who rode with them lined up neatly, and Aideen had the four students line up with them as well. Cal told Willa, Giselle, and Ognar to put their armor and weights on, though Leila was spared from the same. Heavy backpacks were distributed to the entire line, full of sand and stones. Salicia especially requested sothat the blood mage students were given extra bags so make up for their greater physical capabilities.

With the weights secured, Grünhildr led the group into a jog around the fort. Guards in the fort cheered the joggers from atop the wall, as Aideen, Azar'ēl, and Salicia watched on with smirks on their faces. Everything went smoothly for the first five laps they ran around the fort.

By the seventh lap several of the guards had slowed down and fell behind the pack, which elicited mockery and jeers from the spectators. Grünhilde carried on with the run regardless, and as she caught up and lapped the ones who trailed she added to the insults, which at least motivated the guards to a momentary burst of effort.

By the tenth lap more than half the group had fallen behind the rest. The students were in the group that managed to hold on so far, which had not surprised Cal one bit. The blood mages notwithstanding, Leila was mostly elvish in heritage, and elves were by nature endurance runners. She was also quite used to running with weights as she had joined the other three in their training under Cal and Aideen.

Fifteen laps in, and only five of the guards kept up with Grünhildr and the students. Most of the rest trailed behind, while others had collapsed in exhaustion already, serenaded by the jeers and mockeries of the spectators from the fort. Even the five that managed to keep up so far had shown signs of fatigue.

By the twentieth lap only the students and a dog-therian guard still ran, as everybody else had given up and laid down to rest. They watched and were humbled by the five who still ran on. Fatigue had started to set in by then even for the students, but the training they were used to were harsh as well, and they kept on as they ignored it.

The last guard finally dropped out by the thirtieth lap, followed by Leila fifteen laps later. Giselle gave up next at the fiftieth lap, while Ognar followed her the next lap after. Grünhildr actually had to make some effort to tire Willa out though, as she increased her pace from a jog to a sprint. Willa followed suit as she dropped to all fours. Even then, it took another twenty-five laps before she managed to tire out Willa, and even Grünhildr herself felt tired from the exertion.

She looked at Willa and paid attention to her heavy armor and the weights she wore underneath it. She knew blood mages were capable of amazing physical feats, and the girl had combined Therian physical prowess with it, but what she was capable of - at such a young age no less - was quite absurd.