Siem's eyes darkened back to their usual brown and he sat down on an old tree stump that was on one side of the courtyard. The location could be considered perfect for training - the walls were sufficiently high to hide the old man and the young boy from prying eyes, and there was only one way to enter it – through the Wounder Warrior's kitchen, which was strictly off-limits for most customers. Besides the stump, there wasn't much in the courtyard. Actually, there was nothing else, except for a lot of trampled dirt. The sides had an uneven sort of grass all over and the occasional weed. The first word that came to mind when Dartelo saw it was barren.

Dartelo had decided to keep quiet, as he waited for Siem to further explain. It somehow felt wrong of him to be curious at a moment like this. He felt that what the old soldier was about to share was something very personal. Siem looked up at him after sitting still for a few minutes.

"Godspeed is something that has been passed down in my family for generations." he said, as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "When I said you were forbidden from ever sharing it, I meant it literally. Once you learn this technique, if you are not of my bloodline and try to share it - the technique itself will cause a backlash on your body. I have only heard stories of it, but trust me pup, it is far worse than dying."

The look in Siem's eyes frightened Dartelo. He had never felt such a primal fear in his entire life. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he felt as if he had fallen into a deep and icy river, swept away by its currents. Only when he averted his eyes from the old soldier did this feeling lessen.

After taking a few moments to strengthen his resolve, Dartelo once again met Siem's gaze.

"What does Godspeed do?"

"I have no idea," the old soldier said, with a cackle. "That is, I have no idea what it will do for you. The technique is very old and nobody knows how it works. Each person that has learned it has gained a certain type of ability, but no two are alike."

"Then what can you do with Godspeed?" Dartelo asked.

"Not much. I can see better in the night."

Dartelo, with a bewildered look plastered across his face, said, "Just that?"

Siem started laughing once again, so hard that it seemed as if he would grow short of breath. Finally, he stood up and, with a few steps, looked down on Dartelo, towering from above.

"Just that? Yes, just that. I can see in the dark, but I can see in the dark better than anyone can see when it is the brightest part of the day. Do you think that is a power not worth having?"

Dartelo gulped, barely containing the urge to step back and run away, and said, "N-No. It is definitely a wonderful power to have, master! Please teach me!"

Siem snorted, as he took a few steps back and changed his stance. His feet were one against another, toes pointing forward towards. He patiently waited for Dartelo, until he mimicked the stance. The old soldier's hands shot forward, muscles bulging, and he aimed his thumbs downward, before he brought the back and placed them on his own neck, lightly squeezing until the veins on his forehead bulged. The scene opposite him quickly became the same as the young lad imitated Siem's actions.

"Vu resh, van-dan. Virelo Voranda! VITUS!" the soldier's voice erupted, each word clearly said, seemingly hanging in the air.

Dartelo tried his best to say the words in the same way. He pronounced each syllable distinctly and with force, yet once he was done...

Nothing.

Nothing had happened whatsoever.

Dartelo was heartbroken as he looked at Siem, who was now coming toward him, and said, "I am sorry, master. I must have..."

And at that moment, something did happen.

Dartelo's whole body spasmed and just as his figure swayed and started falling, Siem's strong arms caught him midair. A pain like none other hit the young lad and it took all of his willpower just to keep his eyes open. Every fiber of his being was thrashing about, convulsions racking his body. He wanted to yell out, but his voice was gone and the only thing that escaped his mouth was a gasp.

'No! No! What did he do to me?!' Dartelo thought, tears flowing down his face as he looked at Siem.

The old soldier had a slight smile on his face.

"Don't fight it, pup, let it pass through you. This is what is supposed to happen, fear not!"

Dartelo somewhat foolishly obeyed his master's command and stopped trying to take control of his body. Suddenly, he could feel something pass through him and the pain was a bit less than before. With every beating of his heart, the same feeling would emerge and the agony started to slowly subside. He was covered in sweat and he seemed unable to even cry anymore. 'Just make it stop, please Holy Pietra, make it stop!'

The two stayed like this for quite some time. To Dartelo Vilruhn it felt like an eternity.

Finally, he felt some of his power come back and he lightly squeezed Siem's forehand. The soldier lifted him up and brought him to the stump he had sat on a while ago. Dartelo unsteadily sat down, gasping for air.

"Was that it, d-d-do I have Godspeed now?" he asked with a voice so hoarse he barely recognized it as his own.

Siem smiled as he lightly patted the teenager's shoulder. "You've done it, pup. Consider yourself lucky, the chances of you actually living through that were on the slim side."

Dartelo looked up, shocked by Siem's word. His hands were clutching at his trousers, as he asked, "Then why did you let me do it?!"

"It was either that or you having your head chopped off. Do you think Lord Alfors is kind to those that disobey him?" Siem answered matter-of-factly.

As young as the Vilruhn successor was, this one sentence almost broke his resolve. 'Am I that expendable? Do people mean nothing to Lord Alfors?'

He felt the shivers coming on and tightly hugged himself. It took him nearly a quarter of an hour to get himself together and stood up. It was pointless to think about what ifs and maybes. He had lived through this ordeal, so the only thing that made sense was to grow stronger.

'Strong enough to never be put in such a situation again!' he thought, a firm resolve forming within his soul.

"Okay, pup, play time's over. You can officially consider yourself my apprentice." Siem nodded as he looked over Dartelo. "We have to figure out what Godspeed power you've awakened."

Dartelo puffed out his chest, slowly feeling the muscles within his back that felt as if they had been massaged by a giant. "And how do I do that?" he asked.

"Close your eyes and try to feel if there is something different within your body."

The teenager did as he was told and tightly shut his eyelids. He concentrated fiercely, trying to look for any changed. When he came up with nothing, he started slowly flexing his muscles one by one. His ears, eyes, tongue, shoulders, arms, any muscle he had any control over would tighten and loosen, as he tested them one by one. There was a tinge of despair every time he tried and failed to notice anything.

But when he got to his legs, there was something. Something so ethereal he couldn't even explain it properly. It felt..., as if his muscles were a bit more springy? He restarted his testing, from the top of his head down to his toes, just to be sure.

"Master Siem, I feel something has changed with my legs."

His new teacher nodded absentmindedly, before casually saying, "Well then, try doing a few kicks."

Dartelo moved to the center of the courtyard and changed his posture, trying to kick out a few times. All the while Siem was giving him pointers. His posture was wrong, his shoulders were tight, the old soldier was continuously helping him fix his form. After a few minutes of rigorous attempts, even with the added help, the young lad had made no progress.

"Well, it seems your power is one that to be triggered."

"Triggered?" Dartelo asked.

"Indeed, triggered." Siem said as he walked next to him and unceremoniously lifted him up and threw him high up into the air across the courtyard.

"Oh damn, oh damn, oh damn!" Dartelo cried out as the ground raced towards him.