The morning air was cool, carrying the scent of wet soil and fading embers.
Zilon still had his eyes closed and his small breaths could be heard even outside his door.
Eyes opening slowly. The world greeted him with pale sunlight leaking through the cracks on the walls.
"It's already morning...." Zilon yawned jumping out of bed.
Completing his daily rounds of stretches, he felt some part of his body aching as if reminding of yesterday.
"Even I..... A Commander is impressed with your talent "
He stopped, hearing the words echo in his mind.
His eyes shone brightly.
"Aw yeah, I was able to impress a commander, maybe I might be the main character afterall" Zilon grinned from ear to ear.
Picking up some clothes, he stormed out to take a bath.
After that he proceeds to directly to the outside.
The first to greet him was of course the calm wind and the bright rays of the early morning.
"Hmm, I guess he's not here" a foot stepped onto the grass field.
"Oh well I guess I am just way to excited....in any case let me warm up at least"
Nodding to himself, he began his morning routine, which involved him running around the field, push ups and even trying to lift the huge bolder that lyla brought, which always ended up with his failure.
Rustle
Zilon fell on his back as he glanced to the sky, taking in deep cold air.
"Are you sure you want to tire yourself before we even begin?"
A voice in the distance made his eyes snap open.
Sitting up,he stared at the approaching figure.
"Rivor, you finally came" Zilon said with a smile.
"Hey" Rivor said with two fingers raised.
"The heck?...." Zilon raised an eyebrow.
"augh..... nevermind "
"Well Shall we begin,or do you need to rest?"
His head shook left to right.
"Don't worry I'm ready, it was just a warm up anyways".
"Fair enough, I should warn you though" Rivor responded with an eye closed.
"About....."
"The training.....it won't be all fun in games!"
"Okay...."
"This is to hone your skills, allow you to stand your ground against enemies.... You will be learning things that will help you in this world where strength matters more than anything " his expression hardened.
"Strength matters more than anything...." Those words echoed in his head
"I know all that, that's why I told him to train me" Zilon thought inwardly.
"So what makes it bad"
"Well.... depending on you actually, progress speed can be discouraging "
"I know you had passed my tests....but I still wanted to confirm, are you sure your up for this?"
Hit by this question, he feel in thought.
"The moment he spoke about his rank, I thought it was a joke...." His head slumped.
"I mean a commander in normal streets who saved me nonetheless....a total stranger?"
"But the moment I saw him stood his ground against those guys,I knew two things....." His fists clenched.
"Even if maybe it was a lie, there is one fact that cannot be denied....he is strong"
"How strong....I don't know....but I know he isn't strong enough to protect me forever"
The memory of his neck almost getting crossed by a blade flashed in his mind briefly.
"If just walking casually on the street can get you killed, then that's all I need to know " The image of Victor and Avaron flashed his eyes.
He felt a burning sensation in his chest, but released his grip with a sigh, realizing how tightly he was gripping.
"The second thing I learnt....." He thought while raising his head to look at Rivor.
"He is the source I can use for guidance in this foreign world!"
His eyes shone with a bright flame that danced within their black depths.
"I am ready for whatever you throw at me" he added firmly.
Rivor raised an eyebrow, and then sighed.
With a gesture, prompted Zilon to stand up.
"You have been warned"
But not seeing any trace of fear in his expression he could only sigh.
"Alright then"
"For starters, begin with 200 push ups" Rivor added calmly.
Zilon's expression froze, then shattered like glass.
"Did....did you mean 100 maybe" Zilon chuckled awkwardly.
"No, I meant 200, and that's me being generous" His brows furrowed as his voice rang deeper.
"This is what you will start with before I setup the remaining equipments" Rivor continued sharply.
"Now chop, chop, don't waste time, if I am done before you are,then I will make sure you know the consequences " a glint flashed across his eyes.
Zilon felt shivers run down his spine.
Reluctantly, he got down.
From 1-100 wasn't really all that bad, after all that was what it took him to get those points, and he had been consistent with it, the problem began when he crossed 110.
He started slowing down, then he started taking longer to go down, and harder to come up.
"Come on" Zilon gritted his teeth as tried to push harder.
At 150, he heard a cracking sound...
"Oh,no"
Zilon eyes bulged with at the side as he tried to hold up,his muscles tightening to the max with veins popping up.
But the moment he went down, all energy left his body, crashing hard to the ground.
He took deep breaths,and tried to get up and low and behold, he fell back to the ground almost eating grass this time.
"You can't be that weak " Rivor snorted.
Zilon's ears twitched at the distant mumble.
"Easy for you to say" Zilon groaned.
It took some time but Zilon was able to complete the remaining 50, right on time with Rivor.
Rivor wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead as he grinned.
He turned around, but his expression turned into confusion as he stared at Zilon.
The poor guy had his eyes rolled to the back and was completely unresponsive.
"Hey "
No response.
"Hey, get up already "
No response.
"Will you get up already!!!" Green waves spread out like shockwaves.
Zilon immediately pounced up.
"Yes, what did I miss....."
Rivor pointed behind him.
Looking past him, he was met with a surprising sight.
He noticed some pools that looked like obstacles, which sport runners jumped, although this was visibly wood.
But looking around him he the realized that they where spread around in the field in different places.
There were different stones here and there, while hidden cleverly, were obvious enough for a person to spot.
"This will be the training arena, I have setup hidden projectiles as well, so your task is simple..." Slowly raising a finger as he points towards the sky.
"You have to keep on going, running around, dodging or deflecting attacks, untill the second sun comes up"
Zilon mouth opened abruptly.
"I am cooked..."
"Begin!!!"
With no room for negotiations Zilon began a long hour of running.
Jumping the wood obstacles, barely dodging sticks that shaped like arrows and immediately falling down the moment he stepped on a stone.
"I just touched these damn stones....." Zilon cried inwardly.
While Zilon was being exercised and slowly losing stamina, Rivor noticed something distinct.
"Interesting " Rivor thought with a hand on his chin.
He watched as Zilon's body shifted slightly, accelerating and slowing down soon after.
"In my earlier test with the shifting minefields, the test was considerably easier so I wasn't able to notice much, however...."
"His moves are unnatural, just when you think he is about to get hit, he nearly dodges it, even.....even I can barely pull that off so cleanly, it's to narrow!" Rivor thought his frown getting heavier.
"It's as if he knows where it's gonna hit, and so he shifts that specific part and what supports it"
"Is it just insane reflexes?, or...." Rivor finally relaxed.
"The strength of a warrior, the mana control and mana capacity for a potential mage, the accuracy of a starting successful archer and the flexibility of an assassin.... Not to mention his recovery"
"I will find out what your hiding...." Rivor said with a frown.
---------
Inside a room dimly lit sat Lyla who had her eyes closed.
She had been like this for an unknown amount of time,but at some point she opened her eyes.
"That skill.....I don't get it though, why does he have it?" She thought.
She stood up and walked towards a small desk just beside her bed, drawing it open, she picked a book, which had visible specks of dust.
Brushing it off with her sleeves, she opened it near the first page and, there she stared clamly at a drawing of a man.
He held a spear raised above his head, with red armor that looked like it was made out of dragon scales, a helmet that hid his white hair which was visible because of there length behind him.
But all those were distinct enough, this man had red eyes, and an arrogant smirk plastered on his face, the background of him could only be described as chaos with skulls visible here and there, red drawings depicting of blood and some of the more detailed lines behind,shows fresh bodies of creatures which are unknown even by the normal standards.
Those were the images she got when she stared at the book, in reality there were no colors added to the book.
She got a full image of the scene and could only stare, slightly surprised of what was happening....
"This...."
Moving closer, she was able to see the skull of some monsters who she had encountered in great details.
Some she has seen in other books and are considered God-level beasts and some she can't even comprehend.
"This can only mean one thing...." She said her eyes trembling at the sight of the man who stood on those mountain of corpse.
"The chronico eyes....." She muttered under her breath.
Beds of sweat quickly formed on her forehead and, her clothes slowly started getting drenched in sweat.
The fragrance of sandwool began to increase in the room, her clothes clung to her, revealing some huge busts and plump ass that can cause anyone to drool.
Her eyes trembled with intensity and her hands shook, so much, it was a surprise that she still had her grip on the book.
She closed here eyes and quickly closed the book as she felt an unknown presence invading her senses and the feeling of dread invaded her from all directions.
She wasn't able to notice but at some point dark smoke was oozing from the books and was racing towards her head.
She had picked this up in one of her expeditions.
The book was written in a language that, despite her extensive knowledge, couldn't decipher, and it had a side effect of flooding ones mind with dark thoughts.
The book in itself was easier to read, except this particular page she had opened.
One had to imagine the power a person had to wield to be able to cause that in people, from a drawing no less.
With one last glance she dropped the book ontop the drawer and walked out of the room.
---------
Evening slowly came as the sky was slowly turning blue and the darkness of night was taking it's shade.
Zilon laid on the ground, gasping for air desperately.
His chest rose up and held for a second before falling back.
"So.....have you had enough" Rivor sat next to him as he stared at the orange sky that was slowly fading.
Zilon wasn't able to respond immediately, he was focused on catching his breath.
He really felt like he was about to die from lack of air.
He cleared his throat, and even though his body screams at him to give up.
Zilon turned his head slowly to face him.
"I....am.....just... getting started" He said in hoarse voice.
Rivor turned to look at him and seeing his sorry state, with sweat and lips pale.
He chuckled and handed him a sack.
Zilon stared at it for a while and stretched his hand.
He grabbed but it fell to his side.
"Damn it I can't even lift it...." Zilon said with annoyance.
Rivor immediately burst out laughing.
"You....." Zilon's eyes became bloodshot as he stared at Rivor in suppressed rage.
"Hahahah, Sorry.....I guess today wasn't easy after all " Rivor said as he cleaned his eyes.
"I went through hell today, don't give me that crap " Zilon gritted his teeth.
He was able to place the sack on his chest, he opened his mouth pouring the cold water on his face.
"Well what where you expecting, it was like I said the training was " Rivor said with pride.
Zilon couged as he remembered missing something that Rivor said.
"He said my training....my training....My training of hell begins today " Zilon felt the corner of his mouth twitch.
He endured sticks that hurt like bullet, stones that made him fall hard the moment he as much as touches it, and obstacles that seem to raise and drop ever so slightly.
"Well, the sticks were meant to replicate earth magic attacks, those sticks where enchanted with a special inscription that made it hurt 10× more on impact." Rivor said calmly.
"You have gotta be kidding...."
"Dear Rivor...." Zilon stood straight.
"Hm?" Rivor said slightly cautious.
"Can you enlighten me on something " Zilon smiled brightly, which made Rivor even more unsettled.
"Yeah...."
"Did you know that sticks that go that fast can pierce an ordinary human...."
"Uhh..."
"So tell me why did you had to add more damage to it!!!" Zilon barked.
"I..."
"I was hit 15 times..... 15 freaking times, did you know how painful those were" Zilon gave a cold smile
"Thats 150 times the pain, ouch"Rivor thought as his palms became sweaty even he knew how painful that will be.
"Well it wasn't consecutive so uhh" Rivor said nervously.
"Well you can always quit, if you aren't up to it "Rivor added with sigh.
Zilon smiled turned upside down.
"You should know, my training gets more intense day after day, and I won't be training you on strength alone.....I will be honing your mind and skills"
"Most kids don't stay with me up to a week" Rivor shook his head.
"Can you really handle increased difficulty everyday?" Rivor gave a side glance.
"*Sigh* Well believe it or not...." Zilon stood up.
"I am gonna take everything you throw at me" his gaze turned towards the slowly approaching night.
"Just you wait, I will show you I am not your average 'most kids' "
Rivor glaced towards him.
His lips curled.
"Well then...."
Rivor stood up and patted his shoulder.
"I am sure you will"
And with that Rivor started heading to the small gate.
Zilon watched his back and couldn't help but notice something.
"That's someone who had gone through a lot of missions, right there.....I guess I didn't make a mistake" Zilon nodes.
Stretching once more, his back immediately gave a cracking sound sending sharp pains that immediately discouraged him.
Dragging his soar bones back to the house and closing the door behind him he took a step back.
The moment he turned around his eyes immediately locked on to the brown eyes that stared back at his indifferently?.
"Lyla?"