Chapter 22 : Train,Pain and Gain (Part 5) : Muscle and Mind!
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
Loud knocking echoed from the door leading from Kael's room back door.
Yawn… Ugh… it's still dark…
"Yeah! Who's there!?"
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
"Ugh! Who is that, huh!?"
KNOCK!
KNOCK!
"Ayo!" Kael grumbled as he pushed himself out of bed. Still half-asleep, he opened the back door that connected to the second-floor balcony facing the backyard. It wasn't impossible for someone to knock there, different races had different heights and strange ways of moving.
But to his surprise, it was Nibsken, hovering in the air using his Wind-Might ability.
"Yo, human. Ya ready?" the petite goblin grinned.
"Huh…? Yawn. Ready for what? The sun ain't even out yet, goblin."
Kael rubbed his eyes. "I'm goin' back to sleep…"
SWOOOOSH!
A sudden burst of wind shot straight toward Kael.
"Ayo—!!"
Kael yelped as a cold blast smacked him right in the face, jolting him awake.
"Did ya forget, human!? This is ya training for the Satu aspect!" Nibsken barked, still hovering in the air.
Kael's eyes widened as he finally remembered.
"Oh—yeah! Alright, alright!"
CLACK!
He pulled the wooden lever.
CREEEEK!
The retractable stairs unfolded and dropped down from his second-floor room.
Still wearing last night's shirt, Kael trudged down to the green backyard from the stairs, yawning.
"Yaaaawn… Sigh… I know it's training, Nibsken, but why so early?"
"Of course it needs to be early, human."
A deep voice rumbled behind him.
Kael turned and only then noticed Grak'Mar.
The ogre stood fully geared: silver metal armor with cold steel plates, blue crystals lining the edges, and his massive iron axe, double-bladed, with sharp red crystals embedded near the head. The weapon hummed with power.
"Woah… Grak'Mar, what's with all that armor? Where are we going?"
"HAHAHAHA!" Grak'Mar's deep laugh shook the air.
"This is my training armor, human! I always wore it when I trained under Commander Aeronis back then…"
His expression grew heavier for a moment, eyes falling on his armor as memories weighed on him.
But then he straightened, spirit flaring again.
"But! Today I am the one training you, human! Be ready! This Satu training… ain't gonna be easy!"
The ogre cracked his neck and tightened his grip on the axe.
Kael nodded, energy slowly returning to him.
"Alright! Grak'Mar,I'm ready!"
"YAHHH! That's the spirit, human!" Grak'Mar cheered.
"But spirit alone ain't enough… Goblin, bring him his armor!"
"Yah, Ogre!" Nibsken replied.
The goblin opened a wooden box and held up a heavy iron armor set toward Kael.
"Human… wear this."
Kael blinked. "Huh? What's this for?"
"Of course it's for ya training!" Nibsken puffed out his chest proudly.
"Ya need to wear this while we train the Satu aspect!"
"Wear this? For what? Are we fighting Mishanter this early in the morning?"
Kael looked up, the sky was still dark, moonlight faintly glowing. The nocturnal races were already retreating to their resting spots, ending their evening.
"Sigh… you're clueless, huh, human?" Grak'Mar rumbled.
"Well, yeah, Ogre, how am I supposed to know the training?!"
Grak'Mar paused, then nodded.
"Oh… yeah, you're right, human."
He cleared his throat.
"Anyway, let me explain it to ya."
He lifted one huge finger.
"Ya Satu training will start like this every single day… before even the sun rises. That means Satu is da first training of your day."
He tried to continue.
"Your schsu… scha… dallssc—"
"I think you mean schedule, Grak'Mar," Kael offered.
"Yeah! That thing. That sche-something." The ogre nodded.
"Your schedule will always begin with Satu training. After that is Bilah, and lastly Tawan at the end of your day. Maybe… maybe I'll let ya rest twice a week if ya get too tired."
He folded his arms, proud.
"And as ya already know… Satu aspect, the way Commander changed it, is to train ya physical body, right?"
"Yeah…" Kael mumbled.
"So today we'll do exactly that, Kael. Are ya ready?" Grak'Mar asked.
"Yap!"
"Okay then, wear your armor, Human"
"Wear this."
Nibsken handed him the wooden box with the iron armor inside.
"Alright…" Kael opened it and began putting the armor on piece by piece. The weight hit him instantly.
"Woah… this armor is heavy, Grak'Mar…"
"HAHAHA! That's the point, human!" Nibsken cackled.
"We want ya to wear that suit and follow Grak'Mar on his walk."
"Walk… huh?" Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, human," Grak'Mar said, adjusting his massive axe on his back. "This is our first day of training. And today, I want ya to follow me all the way to the shore… while wearing those iron plates."
Kael took a deep breath.
"Alright! Grak'Mar, I'm ready."
"Okay then, human, let's go!"
Nibsken pumped his fist, hovering beside them.
They began their walk toward the shore, Kael carrying almost 20 kilograms of iron armor on his body, heading out from the quiet outskirts of Kallidorra.
The white-brick path beneath their feet was cold from the night, still holding the last breath of darkness. Above them, the sky was shifting, no longer fully dark as the three suns of the realm slowly began to rise one after another, painting the horizon with layered gold, blue, and pale red.
Along the street, the flame-powered lamps, constructed using Flame-Might cores, flickered weakly before dying out one by one, overpowered by the chilling morning breeze.
Kael breathed in. Even through the iron helmet, he could smell the early-morning dew… the grass… the scent of fresh earth blown into his face.
The nocturnal races had already vanished into their homes, closing their shutters and retreating to their evening rest, while the morning races had begun their daily routine.
Some dragged wooden carts loaded with fruits.
Others were opening small stalls beside their houses.
Fishers were marching toward the river.
Hunters prepared their gear.
Winged races lifted off into the sky, their silhouettes gliding across the rising suns.
The Realm Protectors as usual begin patrolling around. Kael sees them and his spirit burns even stronger to carry on the training he is already in.
As they walked, they passed the familiar path leading to the Kallidorra Forgehold. As always, a long line of customers waited outside, warriors, farmers, merchants and even nobles from every race. some carrying broken tools, others waiting for new blades or armor pieces.
"Woah. Still so many people, as usual," Kael said, watching the line stretch around the corner.
"No need to be surprised. It's always like that, human," Grak'Mar replied.
Kael exhaled, shifting the weight of the armor.
"Hmmm… the shore's quite far from town, right, Grak'Mar?"
"Yah… still far," the ogre answered without slowing his massive steps.
"Oh. So that means it's more than a kilometer from my house…"
"Kilo… what?" Grak'Mar blinked.
"Kilometer, Ogre. It's a distance. Like… a measurement of how far something is."
"Cih! Human! Ya always saying weird science spells," Nibsken complained, irritated and confused.
Kael chuckled. "Heheheh… it's math, not science, Nibsken."
"Ceh—whatever!"
Grak'Mar couldn't help letting out a small smile.
He didn't understand the human's unusual words either.
But he didn't care.
He knew Kael was smart—smart enough to invent imaginary ways to measure distance.
So he simply let Kael be.
They continued walking.
To Grak'Mar's surprise… Kael didn't look exhausted at all.
Even with twenty kilos of iron weighing him down, the human kept up easily.
Grak'Mar narrowed his eyes.
This human… if they increase the pace, maybe… maybe he will be the one struggling to keep up with Kael and Nibsken's lean bodies…
The thought almost made the ogre snort.
The scenery slowly transformed as they left the town behind.
Crowded two-story homes, built tightly shoulder to shoulder, faded into the distance. In their place stood wider wooden houses, spaced generously apart, each shaped by different races and their unique craftsmanship. The air grew quieter—less chatter, more wind.
The white-brick road broadened, its edges slowly swallowed by patches of wild grass. Each step brought fewer signs of city life and more open sky.
By the time the heavens shifted fully into a bright morning blue, the world had opened into a vast green expanse. Rolling grasslands stretched as far as Kael could see, blades swaying like waves under the twin rising suns. Their footsteps softened, the cold brick path completely replaced by warm soil and thick grass beneath their boots.
They kept walking.
Eventually, the grass thinned… and each step landed on something softer, drier.
Sand.
Kael felt the change instantly beneath the weight of his armor.
He looked down.
Wait….Sand? We're close.
Suddenly Grak'Mar let out a heavy groan.
"We have arrived, human…"
Kael lifted his head. Through the narrow slit of the iron helmet, he saw it.
The shore.
A wide, breathtaking ocean expanding as far as the eye could see, three suns reflecting off the water, each spreading a different color across the gentle waves.
"Ha! I made it!" Kael shouted triumphantly.
"HAHAHAHA! Great, human!" Nibsken slapped the side of Kael's armor with a metallic clang.
Kael then noticed Grak'Mar raising a hand.
Might energy swirled, condensing into a large crystal, roughly the size of Nibsken's petite body. The ogre secured a thick rope around it, tugging to test its weight.
"Human!" Grak'Mar called out, his deep voice rolling across the shore.
"Yah!" Kael replied, fiery energy returning to his voice despite the long walk.
Grak'Mar pointed at the massive crystal he had just summoned. It was nearly the size of Nibsken's petite body, glowing faintly under the sunlight. A thick rope was tied securely around it.
"See this crystal?"
"Yes, Ogre!"
"I want ya to pull this crystal."
Huh? I just arrived. What are we doing exactly? Kael wondered.
But… never mind. This must be part of the training.
"Alright, Ogre!" he answered with an unyielding spirit, iron plates clanking as he stepped forward.
Without hesitation, Kael grabbed the rope with both gauntleted hands.
He leaned back and pulled with all his strength.
"HNNGGH—!"
The crystal scraped against the sand, shifting a little.
"It's… moving!" Kael gritted his teeth, tightening his arms.
"Where do you want me to pull this to, Grak'Mar?"
Grak'Mar grinned, baring a proud, toothy smile.
"Ha! I thought ya wouldn't ask, human…"
Grak'Mar tapped Kael's shoulder with a heavy hand. The ogre bent down, pointing back toward the faint groove in the sand, the spot where the crystal originally rested before Kael dragged it.
"Huh? Just back to that spot? That's too easy, Og—"
Before Kael could finish, Grak'Mar tapped his shoulder again, firmer this time.
"No, human…"
His voice dropped, deep and serious.
"I want ya to pull that crystal around this entire beach… until ya end up right where ya started."
Kael froze.
His mouth hung slightly open behind the helmet.
"What? Are you insane!? That'll take me forever!"
Grak'Mar burst into a booming laugh that shook the sand.
"Ha! That's exactly what I mean, human! Ya training ain't supposed to be quick!"
He crossed his massive arms.
"Ya have two years before the ceremony. Two years of Satu. Two years to forge your body."
Then he pointed at the vast shoreline, an arc stretching across the entire coast, curving around Kallidorra like the rim of a giant bowl.
"So before that ceremony arrives…
I want ya to complete this entire circle.
Every. Single. Morning."
Nibsken smirked, flapping lightly above the sand, watching Kael's reaction with playful satisfaction.
Kael didn't argue anymore.
He didn't complain.
He simply nodded once.
"…Alright."
He tightened his grip on the rope, leaned back, and pulled.
The crystal inched forward, heavy as a small boulder, carving a long trail through the sand. With every step, the weight dragged his legs deeper, forcing his muscles to bear the full burden.
Kael continued onward—slow, steady, determined—
leaving behind a clear trail of disturbed sand, marking the beginning of his long journey around the entire district of Kallidorra…
…before the Bilah aspect training even began.
Kael gritted his teeth as he pulled the massive crystal across the sand. The rope bit into his gauntleted hands, each step sending a shudder through his legs. Behind him, Nibsken hovered lightly, arms crossed, a sharp grin on his face, while Grak'Mar's massive form loomed steadily, every step shaking the ground beneath him.
The beach wasn't empty.
Morning light revealed a bustling, vibrant world. Land races, Etherians, Durvakians, Elemarit, FaunDrakin and even a few Garganta races, walked along the shoreline, some barefoot, others in light armor, carrying baskets of fish or tools. Children laughed and chased the tide, while their guardians kept a watchful eye. Occasionally, a child from a land race strayed too far; the coral reef people, humanoid beings with scales glinting in the sun, would emerge from the water to gently guide them back to safety.
Along the shore, sailors prepared their boats for the day, shouting to one another in a mix of languages, while humanoid sea creatures like crabfolk, octopoid beings, and clam-people ambled or swam along the shallow waves, mingling with the land races in surprising harmony. Some of them even waved at Kael as he dragged the crystal past, curious about the strange ritual.
Further out in the sea and along the coast, Realm Protectors patrolled silently, their silhouettes gleaming under the rising suns. One of them raised an eyebrow at Kael's laborious trek and approached Grak'Mar.
"What's… happening here?" the Protector asked.
Grak'Mar's deep voice rumbled across the sand.
"This is part of his training. Commander Aeronis said it must be done."
The name seemed to carry weight. The Protector's expression softened, and they nodded, letting Kael continue without interference.
This trust, this harmony, was not born overnight. It was the result of countless years of fighting a common enemy: the Mishanter. The endless conflicts and grudges that had once divided the races now felt meaningless, overshadowed by a shared history of survival and cooperation.
Hour after hour, Kael pulled the crystal, the sand shifting under its weight, leaving a long groove behind him. Sweat poured down his face, stinging his eyes beneath the iron helmet, and the morning sun climbed higher, warming the sand and making the armor feel heavier with every movement.
Finally, Grak'Mar's booming voice cut through the morning air.
"Alright, human. That's all for today."
Too long but soon will continue!