John had a shocked expression on his face. He stood there for a second, trying to process what she had just said. "What do you mean, 'the wife' of Uncle Zeno? Isn't he married to Aunt Cassandra?"
Reina smiled gently, her eyes glittering with amusement at his confusion. "Hehehehe, yes, Cassandra is his wife, but I am the first." She let that sink in for a moment before continuing. "Also, he sent a message to me, telling me that the mission he is on will take longer than expected, and he asked me to train you."
John's shock vanished, replaced immediately by excitement. If she was Zeno's first wife, she had to be incredibly powerful. "So when do we begin? Let's go!"
Reina smiled at John's enthusiasm, though her gaze became more clinical, like a predator sizing up its prey. "I heard that you are a special case a mix between a vampire and a werewolf but the strange thing is that you just awakened recently."
She moved forward with a grace that felt almost supernatural until she was standing right in front of him. She held up her hand, palm out, creating a target. "Punch my hand."
John was confused. He looked at her delicate looking hand and then back at her face. "Uhm, why must I punch you?"
"I want to see how powerful your punch is," she explained simply.
"Okay then," John replied. He didn't want to hurt her, so he threw a quick, standard punch, hitting Reina's hand with a light thud. She gave no reaction at all; her hand remained as perfectly still as a stone wall.
"Is that all you got?" she challenged, her eyebrow arching slightly.
"No, I got more where that came from," John retorted, his competitive side flaring up. He shifted his weight, digging his feet into the stone floor and channeling all his nascent strength into his fist. He swung with everything he had, hitting Reina's hand much harder than before.
BAM
The sound echoed through the hallway, but Reina didn't even flinch.
"Weak, you are weak," Reina stated. Even though her words were blunt, her eyes held a spark of interest, as if she could feel the potential hidden under his skin. "But we will start slow."
John felt a little disappointed that he had not gotten any reaction out of her after putting so much effort into that last hit, but the assessment only fueled his determination. He wasn't going to be weak for long.
Reina beckoned John to follow her to the training ground. This area was vast, filled with other young vampires kids and teenagers some training seriously and some playing. The air was thick with the sound of wooden swords clashing and the heavy breathing of young warriors in the making.
Reina called two boys over and introduced them to John. The first boy was Nate, who had a bald head and a sturdy build, and the second was Tip, who had long, braided hair that swung as he moved. Both boys were sixteen years old, two years older than John, and they looked much more seasoned.
Reina led the three of them to a fighting ring. "I want you to spar with these two boys, John. I want you to fight until you can't keep going, but you are going to push yourself to the limit."
"Is this going to help me get stronger, Aunt Reina?" John said nervously, looking at the two older boys who were already stretching.
"Yes, you need fighting experience. You have power, but you don't know how to use it yet."
Tip volunteered to spar first, but Reina told him not to take it too seriously and also not to use full power. First, the two boys showed John how to throw proper punches and kicks, correcting his technique and showing him how to shift his weight for more impact. Tip sparred with John for two intense hours until Nate took over and sparred with John for three hours straight.
John was utterly exhausted by the end of it. The training was brutal and intense. As a normal human being, he would have collapsed long ago, but he had managed to last due to his awakened strength and endurance.
The next day, Reina gave John instructions to do 600 push ups in one setting. John managed to do 200 push ups, struggling through the last repetitions until his arms felt like lead. Afterward, he was ordered to jog 35 km. John was able to complete 25 km through sheer willpower and a growing vampiric stamina that seemed to kick in just when he thought he was finished.
After three months of this grueling regimen, John got significantly better at everything and managed to execute all of Reina's difficult orders. His body was managing to adapt and evolve rapidly. In doing so, John became both faster and stronger than he ever thought possible.
"Splendid, John. You are becoming stronger," Reina said with a proud expression on her face as she watched him finish his set. "I have not seen anybody become stronger in such a short timespan except my firstborn."
"So, how many children do you have with Uncle Zeno, Aunt Reina?" John asked. He was sipping on blood from a plastic bottle that was clearly marked with an Earth brand, the familiar labeling looking strange in this ancient castle setting.
"I have three children with Zeno, two boys and one girl," Reina said.
"And what are my cousins' names?"
Reina began to giggle, a light sound that masked the power she held. "You will see them in due time, John. They are currently sleeping, preserving their strength, just like many of the knights we spoke of. Now, do another 100 push ups and go wash yourself. We are done for the day."
After training, John went to the sleeping chamber of his grandparents. When John entered the room, Leonidas and Anna were both there.
"Hi, Grandma, hi, Grandpa, how is it going?" John said, still feeling the rush of his successful training session.
Leonidas looked at John for a few seconds. His expression was cold and filled with visible disgust and contempt. Without a word, he turned and abruptly left the room, the heavy silence he left behind feeling like a physical weight.
John felt profoundly sad and disappointed. It could be clearly seen in his facial expression as the excitement from his workout drained away. He looked at his grandmother, his shoulders dropping. "He doesn't like me very much, does he, Grandma? It's probably because I am part werewolf."
Anna felt sadness for her grandson. She knew that her husband still harbored deep resentment toward werewolves, despite the fact that the Great War was over and the two races had formed a truce. The enmity still burned in some, and for Leonidas, it was a fire that refused to go out.
Anna stood up from the chair and walked up to John. She slowly stretched out her hands and tenderly caressed his cheeks, her touch warm and comforting. "Don't worry, honey. I am sure he will love you as much as I do, given time."
John gave Anna a warm smile, feeling a bit of the sting leave his heart. "Thanks, Grandma."
"Grandma, I want to go to visit the town again. Can I go?" John asked.
"Of course, honey, but you have to take someone with you. Do you have someone in mind?"
John smiled, already knowing exactly who he wanted by his side. "Yeah, Elena."