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TRAINING FROM HELL PART 1!

Two days pass quickly, in which Slyfer and Aldowin barely have time to breathe. They were kept busy by sorting through all the applications. Slyfer also had to sort out a few disputes between the wolves and some minor clans. This was especially difficult for Slyfer since he needed to remain impartial towards both parties and he definitely felt more inclined toward the wolves, but he takes his job seriously, believing it will give him experience in dealing with diplomacy in the future.

That did not stop him from complaining about it. The two matters he had to solve was one where a wolf had eaten a Dark elf’s pet sheep, which to him was absurd since a sheep is supposed to be eaten, he is part dragon after all. Regardless, he solved it by having the wolf serve the elf until he had worked enough to pay twice the price the sheep is worth…. for emotional distress caused.

Despite feeling it was stupid he couldn’t help but relate and like countless days before his thoughts turned to Shcree, he felt worried, but what could he do?” If the fairies were unable to find her, he would never stand a chance in doing so. Depressed and tired he had returned only to find out an elfe was trying to shave a wolf in order to use its fur, for who knows what? When he arrived the wolf was already half sheared and basically wanted to eat the elf. Slyfer had then taken the sheers and cut off all the elf’s hair! People had formed a crowd as he sat with the man across his knee in public doing it, to prove a point. The elf tried to resist, but it was pretty much pointless.

News of the “enforcer” spread through camp and such meaningless events happened less frequently. Slyfer is sitting on a chair in the tent going over the last list of applicant along with Aldowin. “More women joined then I expected.” Says Slyfer to no-one in particular. Aldowin snorts at the ignorant student. “Women have far more to prove than men in the regard to warfare. Yes physically they are not as strong as men but strength is not the only thing that makes a good warrior. Most women are inherently more meticulous than men, so they notice more things. Many have had debates about this, but personally I don’t really care.”

Slyfer sits and thinks for a moment on what was said. He then shrugs and continues down the list. “Over, three hundred of them!” Aldowin nods and sits back stretching his aching back. “Don’t worry, we will be down to half by the end of the first week.” Slyfer looks a bit worried as he eyes the smiling Aldowin. He had been taught by the master swordsman from a young age and knew how bad the training could be. Slyfer is afraid of the answer, but he asks anyway. “Master, will I be receiving the same training?” Aldowin sits up, smiling endearingly, Slyfer had seen that expression before, and his insides start to churn. “Something, really, really, really bad is coming!”

“My dear student, don’t look so worried! I have special plans for your training, after all you are not like the others and will be the leader eventually so, in order to get their respect your training needs to be a teensy, tiny bit harder.” Slyfer looks at his master and smiles, a smile that’s fake as plain as day. Aldowin smiles back, a real smile but it’s because he is looking forward to making Slyfer suffer! Both have the same thought as they smile. “Bastard!”

The next morning, before the sun is up all the applicants are gathered together, not far from the main camp. They stand in groups chatting excitedly until Aldowin and Slyfer looking haggard arrives. He had not had a good night’s sleep since he kept seeing Aldowin’s smile inside his mind. The two stand in front of the three hundred plus candidates. At first Aldowin says nothing and only walks, hands behind his back looking at them, as if inspecting sheep for the slaughter.

“Right, I am so happy you all came!” he smiles that same smile that kept Slyfer out of sleep last night. Some elves that were excited, start to feel a sense of dread. “Today we are going to start with a light jog! We will be doing this for about a week.” The dark elves look at each other, confused. Most thinking; “Wasn’t this supposed to be hard.” While they are all confused Slyfer is swallowing hard sweat starting to bead on his forehead. Last time Aldowin had told him he has to go for a light jog. He had made Slyfer run along the floating mountain for three days without rest!

“We will be following the army since it is big, they are slower than us so it shouldn’t be a problem. Right I have received word that the army will be traveling towards the east…. Start!” The elves look at each other confused. Aldowin gets irritated and steps forward and stsrts shouting so hard veins start to pop out on his neck. “I said start, damn you! Do you want me to hold your hand while you run? Move ,move,mooooove!”

Slyfer had already started running, mostly to make an escape before Aldowin could give him his “special” training. But the elf already saw it and quickly calls him back. “Slyfer, you come here!” Some of the others stop and want to complain thinking he is getting special treatment. Aldowin points at to wagons standing to one side. “My dear student, you didn’t think I would forget about you did you?” Slyfer looks at them and he starts to wish he had run faster.

Infront of the wagons is a familiar harness only it’s been improved! Instead of braided leathers to pull with. Iron has been used and welded to a suite also made out of iron. It makes it a bit easier for Slyfer to take off but he can pull more. On the wagons is a makeshift little tent and the food the group will need on their “little jog”. The others, still standing around gets a look from Aldowin. “If you don’t start running now, you all are going to help him pull those wagons.” They turn pale and quickly start to run.

Slyfer doesn’t know, what he is going to do, the pain he felt that time is still fresh in his mind. The dragons inside him are quiet for once some only utter a few words now and then, mostly words of encouragement. “You can do it young one. This swordmaster is a bastard you should just eat him! Evil, so evil.” Slyfer gives them his thanks and starts to drag his feet towards the wagons. Aldowin hops onto the front one where the makeshift tent is and starts eating grapes leisurely.

Slyfer can’t stop swearing at him, in his mind. He grits his teeth and puts on the new and improved harness…..

Ban who started running first is making good pace. He feels confident in his prowess and is in second place. They had started running in the morning before the sun was even up and now it is already afternoon. He feels tired and stops for his second rest. He doesn’t sit down since it can cause his muscles to start cramping up, instead he walks up down his hands on his head while he starts to try and control his breathing. He hears a sound, rumbling and growing with every second. A flash of light, in the distance from where he came. Makes him squint his eyes, to try and make out what it is. It soon becomes clear to him. Two wagons one tied behind the other is being pulled by something….

“Is that a person… Impossible, it can’t be! What is this, how can this be possible?” He looks on in astonishment as Slyfer pulls past him. Aldowin sitting on top like a King shouts now and then, pointing out obstacles to the crazed tired Slyfer. Ban can see blood has run down the boy’s legs from under the harness. Every time Aldowin gives a command Slyfer moves to obey mindlessly like a zombie, but still he pushes onward. Ban starts to run after the wagon, but soon enough falls behind. He swears and clenches his teeth. “how can he do that, how can we be so weak compared to him! I won’t stand for it. Aldowin looks behind him and smiles. Every elf they had passed so far had stopped to look at the site. Many of them tried to follow, but all eventually fell behind.

That’s not why he is smiling. “Every time they see this wagon coming past they will be reminded of their weakness! It will drive some forward and make others give up. Let’s see who is left at the end of today.” Slyfer can’t think, he can’t feel, he just pulls, pulls and pulls. His mind is blank, his soul is empty. He only reacts to his master’s shouts now and then.

His muscles had pulled and ripped repeatedly, countless times, he can’t remember how many times, he does not care he just moves, step by step he moves, there is nothing else…. just move.

Aldowin, finally shouts for Slyer to stop, it takes a while for his zombie like mind to register the new command ,but eventually he starts to slow down while Aldowin brakes. When they stop, Slyfer just stands there. Aldowin gets down and walks over. “Fast asleep, Maybe I went a little too far this time? No turning back now.” After cleaning the sleeping Slyfer, Aldowin starts a fire that will draw the others out there to it. He had chosen an open patch of ground to make camp for this very reason.

It’s not long before the first runner arrives, Aldowin had seen her, as he and Slyfer went past. She had barely given them a glace so focused on her task she, did not stop for anything. She simply gives Aldowin a nod and gets started on making food, now and then giving Slyfer a glance with a mixture of respect and fear. Ban is the second to arrive. He heaves for breath but does not look too worse for wear. He is too tired to say anything and just joins the female in silence.

After a while he tries to start up a conversation, but her short and unresponsive answers, does not help leave room for continued conversation. She looks strange for a dark elf, her skin is light but the complexion is a little different. She is also tall for the dark elf race. Her hair is dark but Aldowin has a feeling that it’s been colored. She has graceful long limbs and is built elegantly. Her eyes are light blue, which makes the hair look completely out of place. They are kind and you can see she has laughed a lot in her life. She looks about twenty in human standards, but that does not mean much. “Is she running or hiding from someone? Why not just leave the army? Aldowin feels stupid for asking himself the question there are bandits everywhere, the scouts have seen them a few times but they never approached.

Another three arrive together, they look like hardened warriors their gazes sharp and muscles bulging. They also give curt nods and start workin. After that more and more arrive in drips and drabs. By the time its morning, a little less than two hundred are sleeping in the open on the sand and grass. Aldowin walks over to Slyfer in his ratty tattered clothes and gives him a shake.

Slyfer’s eyes pop open instantly. It’s always been like that, normally Aldowin would oly have to flare his aura a little to get Slyfer awake, but that caused Slyfer to go into battle mode instantly. Since he was small, Alric would do it before sending blasts of fire towards the little child, he was then. Alric called it training and in a sense it was. It woul be very difficult to sneak attack Slyfer because of this. Slyfer’s weakness now was only if someone could conceal their aura .Aldowin decides to start working on that tomorrow.

Aldowin props food, into Slyfer’s hand and he starts to eat ravenously. Slyfer wants to talk, but Aldowin holds his finger in front of his mouth for silence. Not understanding, but also not caring the boy shrugs and continues wolfing down his food.

Vanya wakes up, as she hears the soft drone and vibration of the wagons leaving. As soon, as she realizes where the sound is coming from she jumps up and starts to grab her measly amount of stuff. Others wake up because of the noise her frantic packing is causing. They look at her confused then turn and soon realize. “Wake up!, wake up the wagons are already moving!” Others jump up and start to move and soon they start filing behind each other as they start to try and catch up to it.

Vanya is in front again, but Ban is close on her heels. She keeps the wagons in site not willing to let it leave her, too far behind. Ban starts to fall back a bit, but pushes himself and soon he does the same with and keeps her in his site. “No way, I’ll lose to a woman.” Using something or someone else to set the pace is an old trick for runners. It keeps you motivated and your mind off, of your tired body. Many use it in races and then just before the end dig deep to unleash their last bit of strength to get past the one in front of them.

Another day passes and Slyfer is passed out again. This time Vanya does not arrive, long after the wagons. She is heaving for breath, unable to get enough. The last part of the run was unbearable and she had started to lose pace falling back little by little. Aldowin is busy washing the blood from Slyfer’s shoulders when she arrives. She stops at the site aghast. “How can something or someone push themselves so far?” She had first seen the strange boy while she was hiding in the decorated couch.

Templars had put anti magic wards on it to keep unwanted eyes away, the stronger your magic the bigger the effect would be. Somehow it only drove this one to come closer. She had been afraid to exit for a long time but her bladder and the need for food soon drove her out. She began stealing little bits to survive, but kept feeling anxious. “What if the strange boy comes back? What if he discovers her and she is unprepared?!” She had not seen what brought her to the strange place, she only remembers a loud roar and then such overpowering killing intent, it made her pass out.

When she woke up, she was surrounded by strange lizard creatures and what looked like dark elves. She was taught about them as a child. Strange barbaric people, that only live to kill, some even, eats their own young! She sat for a whole day crying. She was supposed to go meet up with her fiancé; James, in the great city Atlantia, but now this! She was afraid and feared for her life…. At first , but as she heard the guards speak about their lives and the politics behind of the clans she realized she had been taught wrong.

This brought on questions, questions she needed answered and so she snuck out for the first time, that night. She had been two days without food and when she found some she ate it ravenously. That’s when the strangest and most wonderful creature found her. A little monkey type thing with big ears and eyes so cute she couldn’t resist but take it back with her.

Since a young age she had, had a special connection to the forests and animals around her. Vicious beasts that would attack others became docile with but a few words from her. The small monkey was no exception and she soon had it eating out of the palm of her hand. She manipulated it like the way the beast master had taught her and when she couldn’t leave she sent the monkey out to steal food for her. She nearly got caught twice; once nearly by the strange boy and another by fairies!

They were clearly looking for something, but the wards held….barely. She heard little pieces of news, as she hid inside the wagon. Most of it was about someone called Slyfer. He was a hot topic among the people. Everywhere she went she heard his name. She nearly got caught while sneaking one night and realized it would only be a matter of time.

Then a chance came around, four days ago. She was sitting bored out of her mind when the talkative guards started to speak again. “Did you hear? Slyfer was awarded for saving the king with the right to start his own pack!” The other guard also started to talk excitedly. “I did and he apparently joined the special operations corps and will be recruiting, I want to go, but they say he is crazy. They say he blew up the barracks and burned eleven people to death, no way am I joining them.”

Her heart started to race. “My chance! If I can disguise myself a little and keep to myself, it won’t be a problem.” She put the monkey to sleep and headed out. It was not what she expected and now she was regretting it a little, but she can’t get over this strange boy. Even James would have a hard time keeping up and the boy is pulling two wagons! She is intrigued by him, but the High Elf that is always with him makes her, keep her distance. His eyes settle on her a lot with an enquiring gaze. She can’t help but feel, he is starting to suspect something.

Like the previous night she starts to cook immediately. Her gaze drifting to the bloody boy on the ground. Aldowin, chuckles. “You seem confused girl, or is it that you would like to wipe him down?” The mischievous smile and what it implies on the elf’s face makes her blush. “N…No, I am okay, thanks.” Aldowin sits up and looks at her. “You have an accent?” “Shit, I barely said anything and he noticed.” She nods, not saying anything else. He lifts an eyebrow, but does not inquire any further.

They wait for about an hour before Ban arrives. He looks a lot worse than yesterday, but Aldowin is pleased with the man. Most of the other guys from the barracks Slyfer burned down, had already given up. Ban looks at Vanya and says; “Tomorrow I will stay right behind you, just wait and see.” Vanya is surprised, she never thought of this as a competition. He stalks off to go make his own fire not wanting to share his.

Slyfer moans as he turns around, to lie on his stomach.

Aldowin wakes up the next morning to find, the girl, Ban and the three warriors sitting and waiting already. He smiles at them as he walks past towards Slyfer. They watch Aldowin carefully. To their surprise Aldowin goes into a crouch and those that can feels him drawing in on himself to hide his presence. Vanya expands her consciousness to sense what’s going on.

“He is trying to sneak up on the boy, but why?” They watch as Aldowin creeps closer and closer and as he does he slowly takes out a stout branch. Ban frowns and thinks; “He intends to beat him?” the other three start to grin hoping for a good show. Aldowin’s heart is racing, he doesn’t know, what will happen. “What if he changes? What if he attacks me? What if….

Aldowin reaches Slyfer and swings down with all his strength! Twwwaaak! Pillows of dust flow away from Slyfer, caused by the force of the swing. Slyfer looks at his sneaky master, eyes red. “I could have killed you.” Aldowin chuckles and stands back, rubbing his head. “You, kill me! It’s a thousand years too early.” The corner of Slyfer’s mouth lifts up and as it does the part of the branch in his hand starts to crack and with a snap it’s squeezed in two! Small splinters rain down as he opens his hand. The wood has been compresed so tightly, you can see his fingerprints on them. Aldowin’s smile disappears for an instant. “Well, maybe its eight hundred years too early.” Slyfer feels another presence around him and his gaze instantly nails down on Vanya.

She gets a start and pulls back as soon as possible. He still looks at her, his gaze measuring. His eyes go back to normal and his aura gets sucked back in, to appear as normal. Vanya still feels his gaze as he leans toward the High elf and says something softly. Her heart starts to race and she can feel her hair starting to stand on ends in worry and fear….to her surprise, Slyfer just gets up and Aldowin hands him food as if nothing happened. “False alarm!” She sighs and relaxes a little.

Slyfer on the other side is thinking. “What a strange aura, she is definitely not a dark elf, spy? Mmm, maybe.” He asked Aldowin to keep a close eye on her, but the sword master only asked him if he is stupid. “I have been watching the girl from day one. I am a thou-“ Slyfer interrupted, as he stood up. “Yeah I know, you’re a thousand years too old!” Aldowin’s face pulls into one of disbelief. “You will pay for that my little smart ass student.” He turns around, pointing at the small group that is awake.

“You there, go get me some boulders!” other dark elves snap awake at his sudden call. Behind Aldowin, Slyfer is making gestures with his hands. Holding his fingers a few centimetres apart, indicating they have to get small ones! Aldowin turns around and looks at him suspiciously he had seen the smile on the girl’s face. Slyfer looks at the sky playing in the sand with his foot. Aldowin snorts and while looking at Slyfer shouts. “If any of you come back without one, at least twice the size of your head. You won’t get any food tonight, you have two hours! The last twenty to return will also get no food.” The scatter and sprint of in different directions. Slyfer, doesn’t know if he should laugh or cry. He decides to do none of the two and continues to eat, deciding from now on to keep his mouth shut.

In truth Slyfer had felt his body was already getting the hang of it, but he was planning on training his magic today the way the white dragon had told him to. He feels frustrated and a little cheated. “If it wasn’t for Malgrobin, I would never have talked back.”

Two hours pass quickly and the rest return. Ban is the first this time and he looks, pretty proud about it. Vanya comes with the last twenty, sweating and tired she places the boulder with the rest. Despite being fit, she is a lady after all. Lifting boulders is not her thing. Slyfer looks at each of the boulders as they get put down and his heart sinks deeper into despair with every one.

They load them quickly and start off again. Slyfer is a bit slower and most keep up. Many look on in fear as blood rushes down his legs while he pulls. Vanya and Ban can’t lift their gazes from his face. It’s determined and serene he doesn’t show the pain he feels only the will to defeat it. His eyes soon go lifeless and they both think he has reached the limit, but that’s when it starts!

His speed starts to pick up causing everyone that thought it was going to be easy this time, to speed up with groans. Aldowin calls out obstacles and Slyfer follows. It transforms into a kind of, mindless drone. After a while the rest also get caught up in it. Slyfers thumping footsteps along with Aldowins voice takes away their wills and their minds. They run, there whole world becomes run, nothing matters but run. Go to the left avoid the ditch, but run, run, run!

It soon goes dark but no-one notices it but Aldowin, they just run. Some had collapsed long ago, some were about to, but they all still run. Aldwowin calls for a stop and the zombies follow his command. Vanya finds herself standing in the darkness along with most of the previous group her lungs are burning and some others collapse right where they stand. She looks behind her and there is now, barely eighty left. She starts to cough her lungs burning and legs itching with the increased blood flow.

Aldowin smiles at them. “Well done, you just learned what it feels like to push past your bodies’ limit. Remember it, love it!” Everyone is too tired to make food so they simply eat dried fruits and nuts. Slyfer can barely keep his eyes open but he forces it, to clean himself. Everyone looks at him differently now. He is still a monster but in some way he had become their monster.

Slyfer grabs some fruit and nuts and plonks down, leaning against a wheel. Vanya is not allowed to eat so can only swallow and look at the sky trying to avoid the sounds of other people eating. She suddenly feels something hit her head. “Ouch!” She looks around and sees Slyfer sitting there dog tired, but amused. He points down weekly and she sees what he through at her was a nut.

She moves closer, after he beckons for her to do so. “Here.” He hands her a handful of his own meagre amount of food. She wants to protest, but his head already hangs forward and he is fast asleep….

He smells soapy almost minty like the flower that gives of natural foam, he used to wash with. Underneath it is a slight musky smell, his own smell and she decides she likes it. These thoughts bring her mind to herself and she imagines she must smell terrible. She moves away a little a bit embarrassed. She quickly eats what’s left and soon falls asleep.

Twaaak! “Are you going to try and do this every morning?” His voice very close draws her out of her dreams. She opens her eyes to see the same scene from yesterday, only this time from a different angle. Aldowin, smiles and replies. “Yes I am and I look forward to the day your guard is down!” She sits up and both look at her at the same time, which makes her a little uncomfortable. She stands up and walks off, intending to try and wash a little at least.

They look at each other and smile both had seen it a slight gold was starting to creep out of her scalp near the roots of her hair. Aldowin has no need to wake the rest since most were waiting, before he even woke up. Half an hour later they start running again as the sun starts to peak over the horizon. Ban and Vanya look at Slyfer again. But this time not his face, but hands.

Before they left he had given Aldowin a few bottles of water that the Elf would throw at him when one explodes by accident. In Slyfer’s left is a ball of flame dancing as he runs in his right is a bottle of water that Slyfer is churning and swirling around. In front of him is a ball of air that he had summoned. Slyfer’s eyes are set in concentration and sweat is forming on his brow. The others have no idea what he is doing, so all keep up to try and see. Some fall back, but since Slyfer is focussing on the magic he is a lot slower.

Whenever he gets too slow he gets rewarded with a few harsh words from Aldowin. There are two reasons for this training. He wants to get used to the “feeling” like the white dragon called it, but he also wants to get more proficient and faster when casting magic. The main reason he hasn’t been using magic in combat is because he was simply too slow! He had to consciously think of doing magic before he did it and that caused a delay in the attacks.

He is basically trying to teach himself to multitask! The day goes by slowly but near the end of it the ground starts to get sandier. They wagons get stuck three time and each time Aldowin orders every to push it out. Slyfer hears something in the distance. The sound is familiar, not to him, but the dragons inside him. Slyfer takes of the harness in a daze and it makes everyone stop trying to push.

He takes an audible whif of the air and smiles, as he looks back. The smile catches Vanya off guard and she frowns. Aldowin starts to shout at him, but this time nothing is going to stop him. He bends down feeling his legs pumped with power, he takes a deep breath filling his lungs with precious air. His feet dig deeper into the ground getting a better grip. Aldwoin ses this and jumps down and starts running.

Slyfer releases…. Booom! He shoots off making the air around him bend the air rips with a scream as he travels through it and then he sees it. It stretches out below in all directions except the one he had come from. Flickers of light reflect everywhere almost blinding him but he doesn’t care. He takes a deep breath as he starts to drop towards it, towards the sea!

Behind him is mayhem. The others are buried in sand that shot back from his jump. About a hundred meters from where he started a ditch has been dug making it look like a huge snake had traveled through it. Vanya, finally gets out from under the sand swearing at the idiot. Sand is filled in places where she never thought there even were places. Its excruciatingly uncomfortable. “That’s why Aldowin ran! He could have warned us damn elf.” Others also get out, from under the mountain of sand, some laugh, some swear in anger but all don’t seem to notice, they were just buried in sand by the force of Slyfer’s jump!

Aldowin walks over. “Today you have learned an important lesson…. Don’t stand behind Slyfer when he smiles like that! I hope you guys brought trunks.” They all look at him confused. “We are close to the sea an-“ Before he can finish everyone is already running. They had pushed themselves for almost a week long. Sweat soaked them, dirt caked on them and not one dark elf has ever seen the sea! They all run not caring about anything, some men even start to undress butt naked!

The only two left, is Vanya and Aldowin. She looks at him skeptically and with a thick accent finally talks again. “You are hiding something.” Aldowin shakes his head, and looks at her. “They are the idiots that started running before I could finish talking. The sea is still at least a mile away.” She looks at him in disbelief. Then she starts to laugh with him until their stomachs can’t take it anymore.

Aldowin turns around and looks at the wagons almost entirely covered in sand. He shrugs not caring. Vanya still trying to recover from laughing so much, sees his behavior. Aldowin senses, her looking at him curiously.

“The army will be here around sun-down.”

Friday Afternoon and I need a beer. Enjoy the chap.