Kazren stood near the doorway, his gaze fixed on the storm outside. The wind howled like a beast prowling, rattling the wooden walls of the hut. Rain lashed against the mountain in relentless sheets, flashes of lightning split the sky, followed by deafening cracks of thunder that made the ground tremble.
"Well," Kazren muttered, rolling his shoulders as he cracked his neck, "the storm's only getting worse... Let's get started, then."
Without hesitation, he strode over to a sword stand where seven katanas rested in a neat vertical row, each blade gleaming under the flashes of lightning. He reached for one before pausing, shaking his head.
"Actually, we won't be doing combat training just yet." He turned toward the door, and walked back over before gripping the handle. "Right now, we focus on your bodies."
Kazren pulled the door open, and instantly, a violent gust of wind tore through the room, sending loose papers and dust flying. He didn't flinch. Instead, he grabbed the collar of his newly acquired white T-shirt and ripped it off, tossing it aside. The wind immediately snatched it up, whipping it through the air before slamming it against the window with a muffled thud.
Zay followed him outside, bracing himself as the cold rain hammered against his skin. He kept his black T-shirt on, his body already soaked in seconds. Kazren dropped down onto the soaked rocky ground without a word and started doing push-ups, completely unfazed by the elements. The wind screamed around them, bending trees and sending loose debris skittering across the muddy terrain.
Zay exhaled and got down beside him, matching his pace. Thunder roared overhead, a jagged bolt of lightning splitting the sky behind the small hut, casting their silhouettes against the ground.
Renzo stood at the door, watching them for a few moments before scoffing. "Like hell either of you are beating me in push-ups."
With that, he stepped out into the chaos, the wind nearly pushing him back as he dropped to the ground beside Zay and started his own set.
Lily remained inside for a moment longer, her arms crossed as she observed the insanity before her. The storm was brutal—lightning flashed almost every other second, the booming thunder so loud it vibrated through the ground. The wind whistling through the trees below with an eerie wail, making it almost impossible to stand.
She sighed, shaking her head.
'Why do I get stuck with idiots for siblings?'
Tightening her robe to keep it from being ripped away by the wind, she stepped outside and dropped down next to Renzo, her hands hitting the wet ground as she joined in.
The storm raged on, growing more violent with each passing minute. Rain slammed against the mountaintop in relentless sheets. The wind began to howl like a vengeful spirit, tearing through the trees below them and whipping their soaked clothes against their bodies. Lightning flashed in the sky above, illuminating the scene in bursts of white, followed immediately by the deafening cracks of thunder that seemed to shake the entire peak.
Yet, despite their surroundings, the four of them remained in place, continuing their push-ups.
The cold air seeped into their bones. The wind threatened to knock them over with every passing second.
Forty minutes passed by as if it was a month's time.
Renzo and Lily, feeling their bodies strain against the unrelenting force of the storm, instinctively began channeling their aura—light Blue aura began to flicker around Lily, while a crimson glow wrapped around Renzo, stabilizing them against the brutal elements.
But Zay, drenched to the core, refused to do the same. His arms trembled, his muscles burned, and yet he didn't tap into his aura. He kept pushing through, relying solely on his body, on his sheer will.
Kazren glanced over at the three of them, unimpressed. He let out a scoff, shaking his head.
"Young people… so weak nowadays."
The words struck something deep in Renzo's pride. His crimson aura flickered and then vanished entirely as he clenched his jaw, his hazel eyes glowing under the intermittent flashes of lightning. His breath was ragged, his arms felt like lead, but he grit his teeth and forced himself to keep going.
"Screw off! I'll show you I can keep going no matter what!" he barked, slamming his hands against the ground as he picked up his pace.
Zay, catching the fire in his brother's voice, smirked. Without a word, he matched Renzo's speed, their arms moving in near-perfect sync. The storm roared around them, but neither backed down.
Kazren and Lily kept their steady rhythm, unmoved by the growing competition between the two. And so, the four of them continued—another twenty minutes, then thirty, then a full hour.
Finally, Kazren lifted himself off the ground and cracked his neck.
"Enough. On your feet." His voice cut through the wind like a blade.
One by one, they stood, their arms aching, their clothes heavy with water. The storm had not relented in the slightest; in fact, it felt worse now, the winds sharp enough to nearly topple them, the rain blinding as it crashed against their faces.
Kazren rolled his shoulders and looked over the three exhausted siblings.
"That was just a warm-up. Now, we move on to endurance."
He turned, walking toward a massive boulder sitting at the cliff's edge. Without hesitation, he placed his hands beneath it and, with a controlled breath, lifted the enormous slab of stone clear off the ground.
He turned back to them, the weight seemingly nothing in his grasp.
"Each of you will carry a boulder down this peak."
He dropped the boulder with a heavy thud and motioned to a set of two other boulders behind him.
Renzo groaned, his legs already burning from the last exercise. "You're insane..."
Kazren smirked. "You wanted to prove you could keep going, didn't you?"
Zay chuckled and stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. He walked over to a boulder and pressed his hands against its wet, cold surface. He exhaled, steadying his breath.
Lily, still dripping with rain, sighed, tucking a stray lock of soaked hair behind her ear. "This is ridiculous."
"Of course it is," Kazren said, his grin widening. "That's the point."
Zay exhaled sharply, rainwater dripping down his face as he crouched beside the massive boulder. His fingers dug into the slick, rough surface, channeling just enough aura to strengthen his grip. As he lifted, his muscles screamed in protest, his arms trembling from the sheer weight. He let out a grunt, adjusting his stance against the howling wind that threatened to knock him off balance.
"L-Let's get this over with," he muttered through clenched teeth, his voice barely audible.
He scanned his surroundings, his vision momentarily blurred by the relentless downpour. A winding stone pathway, partially obscured by mist and rain, led downward along the mountainside. He steadied himself, took a deep breath, and started forward. Each step was filled with pain, his boots slipping slightly against the wet stone as he carefully descended.
Renzo scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me..." he muttered under his breath.
He turned to one of the remaining boulders, planting his feet firmly before wrapping his fingers around its cold, uneven surface. The instant he lifted, a surge of pain shot through his arms, forcing him to instinctively channel aura into his hands.
"G-God damn..." he gritted out, his muscles tensing under the strain. The weight pressed down on his chest, making it hard to breathe. His face turned shades of red, then purple, before he finally forced himself into a steady breathing rhythm. Slowly, the color returned to his face, his vision clearing as he adjusted to the burden.
"Shit… this is way heavier than it looks," he muttered, clenching his teeth, hoisting the stone up more securely before trudging after Zay, his legs already burning from the effort.
Lily remained where she stood, arms crossed, watching her brothers struggle. She glanced between them and the last remaining boulder before slowly turning her gaze toward Kazren.
She flashed a hopeful smile. "...Is there any other way for me?"
Kazren met her expression with one of his own—a wide, amused grin that spoke volumes. The wind roared between them, lightning illuminating the smirk on his face as he placed his hands on his hips.
"Absolutely not a damn chance in hell or anywhere else," he said, his tone dripping with finality. "Get moving."
Lily's smile vanished in an instant.
"Figures," she muttered under her breath before trudging toward her boulder.