There are precisely seven stages of exhaustion that the human body can experience. The first is a pleasant tiredness, the kind that follows a brisk walk or light gardening. The seventh is the complete shutdown of all non-essential bodily functions, where even blinking seems like an unreasonable expenditure of energy. The students sprawled across the training ground of Starcrest Academy had discovered stages eight through fifteen, previously unknown to medical science.
"This... this is torture," Cecilia gasped, her normally regal composure utterly abandoned as sweat traced elaborate patterns down her flushed face. The princess of the Slatemark Empire, whose mere presence usually commanded respect across ballrooms and council chambers alike, now looked as dignified as a fish that had just discovered it had accidentally evolved lungs.
