Eric deliberately held back, sticking to the rear of the group as they lined up to attempt the obstacle course. While most were grumbling about the demanding task they were about to face, he was preparing himself mentally as well as physically. It was the closest to meditation that he could manage in such a short time, but he didn’t care about all that zen nonsense anyway. He merely stretched, letting his breath come deeper and more easily, shifting his weight back and forth as he touched his toes. Finally, he stood upright. He was ready. It was time to test the results of his training.

Instructor Kahle’s whistle sounded, and he was off. Ducking around those who took their time getting going, he ran full-tilt at the first obstacle, a set of bars suspended over a pit of much. While the others took it one bar at a time, he jumped out as far as he could, seizing the middle bar and using the momentum to thrust his body further. He hit the opposite planks and kept going, ignoring the shouts and whoops from his fellow trainees.

Up next was the wall. They were expected to climb it using the worn handholds on its face, then clamber onto the ledge at the top. Eric kept his speed from the swing going and ran up the first quarter of the wall with ease. Then gravity took over and he was forced to use his hands, pulling his body up quickly. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Matthew and Welsik right behind him, their faces stiff with determination. It was the first time they’d seen a classmate as competition, as they’d merely struggled through the exercises before today.

Doing his best to ignore them, particularly the fact that, for this strength-based obstacle, Matthew and Welsik had the advantage. They swarmed up to catch up with him in no time and then passed him by, heaving themselves onto the platform above and out of sight. Forcing himself not to rush and risk falling, Eric kept to his reasonable pace. At the top, he pushed hard with his feet, rolling onto the platform with a little grace. After that, he just had to shimmy down the ropes hanging from the other side.

Now the nets. This section favored neither the fast nor the strong. It was about paying attention to your body, being careful to avoid sticking any limb through the gaps in the rope. The entire thing was a loose jumble that sank several feet, so if your hand or foot shot through, you’d waste several seconds trying to pull it free again. Eric had learned on the second day to take it slow.

He made his careful way across the nets, making sure to keep a close eye on where his hands and feet made contact. More than once he nearly missed, and the offending limb shot through a gap in the net, but he recovered quickly, bracing it against the ropes and continuing on. In front of him, Welsik and Matthew were faring about as well as him, both having to stop frequently to untangle a foot or arm. But they cleared it quickly enough, and they were off to the next challenge.

Panting by the time he reached the end of the nets, Eric took a moment to catch his breath, staring out across the next, and possibly worst of the many challenges. Instructor Kahle lovingly referred to them as the ‘Towers’. A broad section comprising of many pillars, platforms, bridges, and walls. It was like a parkour paradise, Eric thought, if you were into that kind of thing. Many ways across, or you could take the simple route and keep to the floor, clambering over the many obstacles in the way. Just like the two leaders were doing now.

Eric opted for a different route. Seizing a rope stretched across one long section of wall, he ran across the narrow ledge under it. The rope helped him keep his balance, and he was across in no time, leaping across to a platform several feet below him. He rolled to absorb most of the impact, feeling the hardwood bruise his shoulder. He kept going, scaling a short wall to bring him back up to a higher position. Up here above the ground, there were fewer things to get around, but it required more balance, speed, and nerve to leap from surface to surface.

A rope swung loosely in the faint evening breeze here. It was just long enough to reach from where he stood to another platform some thirty feet across, and he lunged for it. For a split second, he had only a hefty drop beneath him, and his stomach clenched, but then his hands found the rope and he clung on for his life. With his extra weight added on the rope swung back like a pendulum, rocketing him across the gap. He glanced down, noticing that he was pulling even with the other two.

After that, it was a relatively simple matter of getting back down. This he accomplished in short drops, aiming for platform after platform and letting himself fall carefully. The last drop was the furthest, almost fifteen feet, but by letting himself hang before falling and rolling again, he experienced only a light jolt to his ankles. But then he was up and sprinting again, mere inches in front of Matthew. His classmate gave a yell of surprise as he appeared out of nowhere, which quickly turned into a laugh of exhilaration.

“You’re a crazy bastard, alright!” He shouted, putting more power into his pace. Eric grinned back at him as he caught up, then took off himself, pulling ahead once again.

Last but not least were the ‘Pits and Poles’, as the previous trainees called them. Down at ground level, there were several holes of varying sizes dug into the ground. Eric knew from personal experience that some of them were quite deep, some preventing him from seeing out. And the ground was slick with mud, so footing wasn’t a sure thing. Then there were several horizontal poles propped up and spread throughout the section, also at varying heights. The entire section was a test of how fast you could jump, slid, or crawl, all while keeping your feet on uncertain ground.

It was also a test of both strength and speed, depending on the route you took. Matthew and Eric wasted no time in running forward, with Welsik not far behind. Matthew leaped over the first pole while Eric slid under, then both dodged in opposite directions around the first hole. Eric lost sight of his competitor among the forest of horizontal poles and focused himself on his own path.

It was the first time all week that he’d felt truly confident, up to the task set for him. He’d trained hard for five long days, worked himself to the bone, and was stronger for it. His ability to think and react quickly had been sharpened by Ehran’s training regime, and his overall stamina had greatly improved, letting him make bold moves without fear of stumbling or collapsing. He even enjoyed the challenge, now that he knew he was close to completion.

Just as he vaulted over one low log, using it as a brace to clear another, he heard a yell from behind him. Without looking, he knew that Welsik had fallen into one of the holes. He would be stuck in that problem for at least a minute. If he couldn’t get out quickly enough, he might even have to do the course again. He paid his classmate no mind, however, continuing on his way.

He took advantage of several closely placed poles to clear the worst of the holes, treating them like stairs, jumping between each with careful balance. After the last one, he pushed off once more, sailing right over a hole about eight feet wide and landing in a long roll on the other side. Just as he’d done the previous few days, he turned sharply to hug the side of the course, weaving his way through a labyrinth of pitfalls, knowing that this saved him a lot of time.

The wide path shifted to the left and narrowed considerably, bringing the end within sight. Eric pushed himself harder, jumping over the last two holes, leaving nothing but a simple stretch of muddy ground before him. It was the easiest distance he’d ever had to travel, and he let out a victorious laugh as he rocketed over the finish line and came to a halt before a mildly impressed Instructor Kahle.

“Not bad, Breeden,” Kahle said, glancing over his shoulder as Matthew came lumbering across the line. “Not bad at all. Excellent work, you two. You can leave.”

They didn’t set off at once, but walked to the side and flopped down on the soft grass, catching their breath. From this position, they could see the entire course and their fellow trainees who were still struggling through it in their own time. Eric was surprised to see that a few were still making their way across the nets, and even two were just now clearing the wall. He remarked on that to Matthew, who let out a deep, wheezy laugh.

“Not everyone passes their training,” he said with a nod to Kahle. “Some don’t take it seriously, and they’re failed for it.”

Eric followed his gaze and saw Kahle frowning slightly, scribbling a series of notes on his paper just as two more trainees came staggering over the finish line. He stared particularly at the two who had only now crossed the course, then at those who were in the back of the pack clearing the nets. Eric grimaced at the thought of failing and having wasted the eighty royal cost.

“So they’ll have to take the training again,” He asked. “Or will they be punished in some way?”

“Most are allowed to retake the training,” Matthew said. “Several of our classmates are on their second or third attempt, actually. That noble brat, he’s done it thirteen times.”

Matthew had gestured toward the group that had cleared the nets, now making their slow way across the towers. They could just make out the already mud-stained clothing of the noble boy in their class. Eric couldn’t entirely suppress a sneer, remembering Sergeant Moran’s words about people trying to pay for their promotions. He made a mental note to thank the Sergeant the next time he saw him.

They watched their classmates for a little while after that, commenting to each other the ones that they felt showed promise. It was a nice feeling, having finished far quicker than the others. It gave Eric a new perspective, one that he wasn’t used to. He’d only been really good at a few things in life, and those weren’t things really recognized. But now, he understood the rush athletes felt in competitions. The idea of excelling at something was addicting.

After Kahle had run most of the class through the course again until he was satisfied, Eric and Matthew set off for their temporary barracks to take a shower before the hot water was used up. As it was their final day, they both agreed to leave the compound and seek out one of the many comfortable bathhouses in Milagre, to enjoy a night of celebration for clearing their first training. But just as they reached the exit of the area that held the obstacle course, they were brought up short by someone calling for Eric.

Turning in place, Eric was surprised to see none other than Sergeant Moran approaching him. Somehow he’d made it over to the obstacle course without being noticed, but he stood out now in a new set of shiny armor, along with a broadsword that was slung on his back. Eric frowned at this, who knew that Moran disliked being armed if he wasn’t working.

“Hello again Sergeant Moran,” Eric said, signaling Matthew to go on without him. His classmate nodded, casting a curious glance over his shoulder as he disappeared from view. “Curious to see how my training went?”

“I just heard your results from Kahle,” Moran said. He looked very strained. “But that’s not why I’m really here. I got a new job, and I need your help to pull it off.”