The days blurred together in a relentless cycle of exertion. Every few days, the cadets were handed off to a different guard or captain, each with their own grueling regimen.
Some mornings began with endless jogging, Collin’s feet pounding against the packed dirt as sweat dripped into his eyes. Other days, they were sent to the lake, swimming lap after lap until his limbs felt like lead. When the captains grew particularly cruel, they forced the cadets up and down the steep North Town hill, Collin’s legs burning with every climb, each breath tasted like acid as he struggled to keep pace. And then there were the days when they did nothing but rake the training grounds, the monotonous scrape of metal against sand stretching on for hours beneath the unrelenting sun.
No matter the task, the workouts were punishing—exhausting in ways that seeped into Collin’s bones. But there were moments, rare and fleeting, when the strain gave way to something almost enjoyable.
Whenever Captain Kyle took charge, the atmosphere shifted. He turned training into competition, dividing them into teams for relay races on land and in the water. Some days, he had them battle it out in lightweight canoes, their paddles slicing through the lake as they fought to outmaneuver one another.
Under Kyle’s command, the days felt less like grueling labor and more like a challenge—a game to win, a skill to prove.
Training under Captain Owen meant swords.
Collin’s grip tightened around the hilt of his sword, his fingers slick with sweat. His arms ached from repetition, his shoulders burning with every strike. Across the training grounds, the rhythmic clash of steel rang out, punctuated by Captain Owen’s sharp corrections.
“Again,” Owen barked. “Your stance is wrong. You’re leaving your ribs wide open.”
Aries exhaled sharply, adjusting his footing with visible reluctance. Nic muttered something under his breath but obeyed. Lekyi rolled his shoulders, his expression unreadable. But Gravis—Gravis bristled.
They were all exceptional swordsmen, trained since childhood, their movements honed through years of practice. But Owen demanded adjustments, forcing them to unlearn habits they had always relied on.
“I’ve been fighting this way for years,” Gravis snapped, his jaw tight. “It works.”
Owen’s response was swift—a controlled strike that slipped past Gravis’s guard and sent the hilt of his sword cracking against his nose.
Gravis staggered back, blood dripping onto the sand.
“It works,” Owen repeated, his voice calm, “until it doesn’t.”
Gravis wiped his nose with the back of his hand, his expression dark, but he said nothing. The others exchanged glances, their resistance tempered by the unspoken warning.
Collin flinched, but he watched the exchange with quiet focus. He had always wanted to improve, but until now, he had only trained with his peers—never under the guidance of a true master.
And now, as he stepped forward to face his best friend, his brother in everything but blood, he felt the earth tilt.
Aries lunged first, his blade slicing through the air. Collin reacted instinctively, parrying with precision, stepping into the movement rather than retreating.
Aries’s eyes flickered with surprise. “Not bad.”
Collin pressed forward, forcing Aries to adjust. Their swords clashed, the impact reverberating through Collin’s arms—but he held firm.
He caught the angle of Aries’s blade just in time and twisted, forcing his opponent to go wide. He stepped inside the strike, pivoted, and countered—just as Owen had taught him.
For the first time, Collin wasn’t just keeping up.
He was winning.
Aries narrowed his eyes, shifting his stance. He feinted left, then struck right, but Collin saw it coming. He parried smoothly, knocking Aries’s blade aside and struck.
Aries grinned, breathless. “Where the hell did this come from?”
Collin didn’t answer. He was too focused, too exhilarated.
Owen watched from the sidelines, arms crossed, expression unreadable. But when Collin landed a clean strike against Aries’s shoulder, the captain gave a small nod of approval.
Collin lowered his sword, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths.
He had spent years believing he would never catch up to Aries and Nic.
But now, under Owen’s expert guidance, he realized something.
