By the time they made it back from training, the camp had started to wake up with the rising sun. The area filled with activity as people hurried around to get ready for the day. They made it back in time for breakfast. Kaztos was thankful as that spar combined with last night’s battle worked up an enormous appetite. They walked by several Al’Yanda men who were completing some chores for the morning.

  It came as a surprise when one man gave them a friendly greeting as they passed. Kaztos barely remembered to return the gesture as his friends stayed silent. He would have been happy for it to be a one-off occurrence, but it happened two more times before they reached their camp. Kaztos smiled, but didn’t think about it too much.

  The three sat down around their extinguished firepit. Zeltara groaned as she rubbed her shoulder. Kaztos could sympathize, as he had his own collection of bruises. Dollanti didn’t hold back in their spars and had left the three of them worse for wear. Kaztos hadn’t expected they’d get dominated like that. It showed just how far they needed to go to become capable adventurers. He was ready to start that journey.

  A younger Al’Yanda woman came by with breakfast. She gave them their food and offered them a warm smile. Kaztos returned it and thanked her for the meal. As she left, Kaztos felt a sense of warmth from the friendliness everyone was now giving them. It brought a sense of belonging he hadn’t felt for a long time. Looking over at his friends, Kaztos could tell that they felt similarly.

  Breakfast this morning was a bowl of porridge. A simpler dish than Kaztos was used to, but he savored it all the same. The breakfast cooks likely had a slow morning as well after last night. Despite his hunger, he maintained polite eating habits. Bad manners reflected poorly on anyone. Saiya also ate at a sedate pace, seeming to enjoy the meal based on her expression. Was porridge a favorite of hers? He’ll have to remember that in the future.

  The same couldn’t be said for Zeltara, who devoured her meal. Kaztos grimaced at the lack of manners. It seemed negotiations weren’t the only area she was lacking in. She had eaten her rations quickly in the wasteland, so maybe it was just because of severe hunger. A lot had happened since dinner. But who was he to criticize how one conducted themselves? A few rough habits were nothing next to a heart of gold.

  Kaztos and Saiya were only halfway done by the time Zeltara finished her bowl. She let out a pleased sigh and set the bowl down beside her. “That was good. It’s been a while since I was that hungry.”

  “It was less than two weeks ago,” Saiya said between bites.

  “Exactly! Practically a lifetime ago.” Zeltara waved her hand dismissively. Kaztos guffawed as the other two smiled. Zeltara then winced and rubbed her shoulder again. “Did Dollanti have to hit us that hard? He knows we have to work today, right?”

  Kaztos said, “He’s just preparing us for the harsh life of adventuring. It sounds like it’ll be a challenging path, but I know we’ll be ready. What’s a little pain in the face of self-improvement?” Zeltara frowned, but nodded at the point.

  Saiya smirked at Zeltara. “You’re just mad that he so easily beat you.” Zeltara turned to glare at the blond girl.

  “Yeah? Well, you didn’t do so well either. In fact, I recall you going down after one hit.” Saiya only returned the irritated look with a smile.

  “Exactly, and you don’t see me complaining about it. So stop whining. It’s getting on our nerves.” Zeltara decided to sulk quietly rather than retaliate further. It caught Kaztos’ attention that she seemed to be truly upset.

  He realized how strangely she was acting. While she could be brash, Zeltara wasn’t someone to act this belligerent. Thinking about it, Kaztos recalled it had started during training. What could have made her act this way? Was it because she was brooding over her sparring loss, or something else? He resolved to keep an eye on her. If something troubled her, then it was his responsibility as a friend to help. For now, he’ll just have to cheer her up.

  After getting Zeltara’s attention, Kaztos said, “Don’t worry about this morning. I know we have the strength and will to get through whatever Dollanti throws at us. Before long, we’ll be real adventurers. Just think of the greetings we got this morning. That shows everything we’ve already accomplished.” His words charmed Zeltara into a smile.

  “You’re right. I should look at things positively. This morning was just a bump in the road.” She trailed off, but seemed to be in a better mood. Kaztos silently celebrated a job well done as he finished his breakfast. He and Saiya got done eating at about the same time and set their bowls aside. Not a moment too soon, as Kaztos saw Euronar and Pence approaching their camp.

  Pence raced toward the three. “Good morning!”

  “Morning,” Euronar said, walking up to join Pence. It surprised Kaztos to hear his tone absent of any scrutiny or suspicion of the past few days.

  “Morning Pence. Glad to see you’re doing okay,” Zeltara said. She then nodded to Euronar. “Good morning.” The elder brother returned the nod before getting serious.

  “I wanted to thank you three for saving Pence. I turned my back for a minute, and he was gone.” Euronar shot Pence a glare, which made him timidly raise his hands. “I also wish to give my apologies for how I treated you three. We’ve had bad luck before with outsiders, but that doesn’t excuse my treatment.”

  Kaztos said, “Your apologies aren’t necessary. You were just protecting your family from strangers.” Zeltara and Saiya nodded in agreement.

  “Thank you. I’ll do my best to treat three of you fairly. Now, Pence can visit them again. Just try to keep him out of trouble.” He gave his younger brother another pointed look, which was returned with a mischievous smile.

  Pence ran up to them. “I’m happy to spend time with you guys again.” He then turned to Saiya. “I’m guessing you’ll be glad to have me around. You saved me last night, after all. You must like me.”

  Crossing her arms, Saiya muttered, “You’re not that bad, I guess.” Pence laughed and moved closer. He froze at the resulting glare. “Don’t press it.” Pence nervously backed away.

  “Noted.” Zeltara giggled at the exchange while Kaztos smiled. Euronar looked entertained as well. He then got their attention.

  “Even though the caravan isn’t moving for a few days, we still have our jobs to do. Saiya, Yena needs your help in the medical wagon to treat the wounded. You should hurry.” Saiya nodded and jogged off. “Zeltara, you will work on weapons and defenses for the camp tonight. There will be others who will come by soon to help you. If you can’t finish by tonight, tell us, and we’ll figure something out.”

  “The camp will be perfectly safe by sundown. You can count on me,” Zeltara said. Euronar nodded, and she jumped into the tinker wagon to get started.

  Euronar then turned to Pence. “You know what you need to do. Stick by father today or you’ll be in more trouble.”

  “No need to worry, brother. I won’t find trouble. You can trust me.” Pence ran off before Euronar could respond. The elder brother sighed.

  “That kid, I swear. He’ll be a menace as he gets older.” Euronar then looked at Kaztos. “Come on. We need to head outside of camp today.” He turned around and walked away. Kaztos rushed to catch up.

  Walking beside Euronar through camp, Kaztos again felt the caravan’s warmer welcome. Before, it seemed like the three of them were stuck in a bubble. Everyone would act normally amongst themselves until they made their presence known. Then, a wall of suspicion and skepticism would rise until they left. For Kaztos, the experience proved both isolating and stressful. At least back in Urada, most didn’t give him a second look. There was a shield of anonymity, even in their smaller town. Here, there was no such reprieve as everyone knew who they were.

  Now, it appeared that they had proven themselves. The three risked their lives to protect the Al’Yanda from danger. Because of their efforts, they were now welcomed as another part of the caravan. It lifted a weight off Kaztos’ mind. He toyed with his family’s amulet. Even as a Molinar, the Al’Yanda accepted him. It felt like the first step on a long journey ahead towards his dream.

  Kaztos brought his attention back to Euronar as they left camp. Curious about what they’re doing, he asked, “What is our job for today? Will we be meeting up with anyone else?”

  “Ah, I guess I should explain.” Euronar glanced over at him. “We’re looking for the three men who are missing from the attack last night. It’ll just be the two of us. The caravan is running low on manpower as it is. Hopefully, finding them will help with that.” Kaztos grimaced at the explanation. It was unlikely they would find anyone still alive out here. The abominations killed quickly. Still, he could understand the need to check. Perhaps one or more could still be alive, hiding out somewhere. It was better to hold on to hope.

  “Is there anything we could do to help more around the caravan?” If there were jobs that needed to be done, then it was only right to ask for help. Euronar appeared surprised at the offer. He then gave him a reassuring smile.

  “I didn’t mean to say that to worry you. We’ll get through this fine. There’s no need for your group to do more. You’re just kids, after all. No sense in overworking you.” Euronar then chuckled. “Dollanti will give you guys enough to do. I noticed he was training you.”

  “He didn’t seem too bad this morning. Just rough around the edges.” Euronar shook his head and sighed.

  “All I have to say is, good luck. Dollanti is the toughest person I’ve ever trained with. He’s a hard-ass through and through.”

  Kaztos asked, “Could you tell me why that is? He was rather set on trying to convince us against being adventurers.”

  “I don’t know much, as he rarely talks about it. He was an adventurer back during the sixth crisis. Back when Lilathos Molinar started that war against the heavens. By the way, is he your grandfather or something?” Not wanting to answer, Kaztos only shrugged. “Anyway, that was a terrible time for any adventurer. So many died during that time. I can only imagine everything and everyone he’d lost back then. As far as I know, he doesn’t have any living family. That would harden anyone.” It started to make sense to Kaztos why Dollanti was so strict with them. “But beneath all that, he still has a soft spot. I’m sure you’ve already seen it poking through. Dollanti wouldn’t have agreed to take you on otherwise.”

  Silence overtook the pair as Kaztos considered Euronar’s words. He could now see why Dollanti seemed more willing to have them stop being adventurers than help train them. He had studied the sixth crisis in depth and knew just how brutal some parts of it could be. People often used adventurers as disposable mercenaries during war. Better them than their own soldiers was the thought process. Many met their deaths as a result. Dollanti would have spent much of the conflict on the battlefield. Surrounded by all that misery, it would be enough to warp anyone.

  Despite that, it left Kaztos with a sense of relief. There was nobody better they could be trained by. Recent events showed that the world had become a much more dangerous place. They needed to improve quickly to survive. Dollanti seemed like a teacher who would push them to their limits. Even if it was to make them quit. Kaztos knew they would persevere to reach greater heights. He wouldn’t accept anything less. Neither would Zeltara and Saiya.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  These thoughts and more preoccupied Kaztos as the duo searched the area. For hours, they combed through the lifeless wasteland they found themselves in. Aside from the occasional hill or burnt tree, nothing significant was visible for miles around. They had discovered the location of their battle the previous night, but hadn’t seen any sign of the missing men. Only a few abandoned weapons, scorch marks, and bloodstains remain. They drifted farther from camp as time passed. Not even a footprint of the abominations was to be found.

  Euronar halted them in the late afternoon. “Let’s stop for the day. There haven’t been any signs of them.”

  “What are we going to do then?” Kaztos asked.

  Euronar let out a despondent sigh. “We’ll keep looking for another few days. If we can’t find anything by the time the caravan starts moving again, then we’ll have to just consider them dead.” Kaztos felt appalled at the bleak answer.

  “We’re not going to abandon them out here, are we? Sure, their chances aren’t great, but that doesn’t mean we should leave them out here.” Kaztos paused at the anguished look Euronar gave him.

  “I know, kid. There’s nothing I want more than to find them. It’s unfortunately a necessary part of life in the caravan. You can’t endanger the lives of everyone trying to help those past saving. They would understand.” The words seemed almost painful for Euronar to utter. Kaztos' protest died as they walked back towards camp.

  Kaztos tried to lighten the mood. “I didn’t imagine becoming an adventurer would be like this.”

  “How so?”

  “I had the expectation that it would be more glorious. Much of my journey so far has been walking. I’ve never been so bored in my life.” His response caused Euronar to roar with laughter.

  After recovering, he said, “Walking isn’t the most engaging activity in the world. But I know what you really mean. The stories all make adventuring out to be something heroic, and it can be. But most of the time, it can be mundane, harsh, and gritty.” Euronar then shot Kaztos a curious look. “It makes me wonder something. Just why did you three start adventuring so young? Almost every adventurer I came across started in their late teens at the earliest.”

  “We had the same idea. The plan was to begin our journey when we came of age. But then the cataclysm happened. Now it feels like we’re unprepared, but are forced to keep going. Often, I’m not sure what we’re doing.” It almost hurt to admit that, but it was true. They truly had no idea what they were doing. Despite their progress so far, Kaztos felt they would eventually encounter a problem they couldn’t solve. What would they do if that happened? Euronar got his attention by putting a firm hand on his shoulder.

  “That sounds scary, faced with the unknown, feeling unready. But at least you have a place here. You can stay here until you three are ready.” Kaztos smiled at the assurance.

  “It’s not often I get to hear that, but thank you. We’ll never be able to repay your caravan’s hospitality.” Euronar shook his head.

  “You already have, and I’m sure you’ll continue to do so.” He then waved his hand. “But enough with the sentimentality. Let’s head back to camp for the evening.”

  The two began to walk back to camp when something caught Kaztos’ attention from the corner of his eye. Turning, he saw a boot sitting underneath the branches of a charred bush. “Look over there.”

  As the two walked closer, Euronar said, “It’s definitely from one of the missing men. The boot style is typical of what we wear.” As they got closer, Kaztos could make out more details on the footwear. What he saw made him sick to his stomach.

  Scratch marks stained with blood etched the ground. The boot had been soaked through and emitted a faint metallic smell. If he had to guess, whoever this was struggled before getting ripped into with sharp claws. While not enough to guarantee a death sentence, the boot’s owner was likely in terrible shape.

  Before Kaztos could get closer, Euronar raised his arm in front of him. “Don’t. I’ll take a look. You keep an eye out for anything. One of those things might be out there.” Kaztos wanted to protest but, seeing the serious look Euronar had, only nodded. The older man then walked over to the grizzly scene.

  Although he tried to stay aware of his surroundings, Kaztos couldn’t help but keep most of his attention on Euronar. The Al’Yanda man investigated the scene. He inspected the blood stains and searched for any tracks. Kaztos couldn’t see any from where he was standing. Based on the grimace Euronar had, he likely hadn’t found any either. Whoever this was probably didn’t have long from the amount of blood lost. Time was of the essence.

  Having finished investigating the surroundings, Euronar finally reached over and picked up the boot. He turned it in his hand, looking for any evidence that could help them. From where Kaztos was standing, he could now see four slashes indented into the side of the boot. While examining, Euronar turned it to look inside the boot.

  “Fuck!” Euronar exclaimed as he dropped the boot and backed away. Kaztos ran over to help. Was there some kind of trap on the boot? Did Euronar get hurt? As he approached, Kaztos noticed Euronar appeared physically fine. However, the look on his face held a mixture of shock, disgust, and dread. Curiosity getting the better of him, Kaztos reached down and picked up the boot. Behind him, Euronar said, “Kid, don’t.” It was too late, as Kaztos had already turned the boot to look inside.

  The boot held what remained of a human foot. From a top-down view, Kaztos could see everything from the skin to the bone in a cross section. The veins on the skin almost pulsed with that familiar ink substance. A sudden smell of early decay hit his nostrils, causing Kaztos to drop the boot. He backed away several feet, turned, and retched. That was one of the most horrible things he’d ever seen.

  A hand patted him on the back. “Damn it, kid. I tried to warn you. Just take deep breaths.” Kaztos obeyed and regained his equilibrium. He turned to see Euronar looking at him, concerned. “First time seeing something like that, huh? I did almost the same thing. You ok?” Kaztos nodded.

  Silence overtook them both as they processed what they had just seen. Kaztos knew that finding any of these men alive was unlikely. The abominations were lethal and killed indiscriminately. But he held out hope that perhaps the men were just lost or did just enough to escape those monsters. But finding that boot showed him the grim reality of the situation.

  “We’re not going to find any of those men, are we?” Kaztos asked. Euronar shook his head with a defeated expression. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. It made Kaztos wonder just how well Euronar knew these men. Were they only coworkers, or close enough to be friends? He tried to think of something to say to comfort the other man.

  Before he could, Euronar turned away. “Let’s head back to camp. We’ll keep searching tomorrow.” Under his breath, Kaztos heard him mutter, “Whatever good that’ll do.” He then walked away. Kaztos followed him.

  Silence fell as the two walked back to camp, lost in thought. Kaztos wondered just how dangerous his life had become. It was a miracle none of them were dead by now. It made him think back to Dollanti’s words from that morning. The life of an adventurer was harsh. It would demand everything from you. Only now did he see the truth of those words.

  Seeing that foot, Kaztos felt a part of his innocence get ripped away. It was a piece of him that would never come back. He knew that the world was perilous, and you could die at any time. But until that moment, something gave Kaztos the confidence that they would beat the odds. They would be the ones to rise above. The realization that the boot could have been any of theirs shattered that naivety. Just that morning, Kaztos knew they would be great adventurers. Now, he wasn’t so sure of anything.

  The two walked back to camp to see two Al’Yanda women placing down standing torches. Unlike the ones they used last night, these appeared better crafted. They looked suitable for long-term use, unlike the hobbled-together torches made of sticks and cloth before. Seeing them, one of the women ran up to them.

  “Euronar, you’re back. Did you find Escudos?” The hopeful look on her face made Kaztos’ stomach turn. What were they supposed to say?

  “We haven’t found any sign of anyone yet, but we’ll keep looking,” Euronar said with a straight face. Kaztos felt confused about why he had lied but said nothing. The woman sighed.

  “That brother of mine. No matter, I’m sure he’ll turn up soon. Thank you for looking.” Euronar nodded.

  “Of course. What are you two doing?”

  The woman said, “Ah, just setting up these torches around camp. That elf girl said they would ward off the monsters. A good head on her shoulders, that one. When I was her age, all I did was goof off.”

  “What Fana means is she followed around boys all day. I heard Escudos had to keep you out of trouble all day back then,” the other woman called out. Fana scoffed and turned to her.

  “And what do you know? It’s not like you were there. You know my brother exaggerates things.” She then turned back to them. “I have to get back to work. Thank you again for looking. I’m sure he’ll turn up soon.” Fana walked away.

  Once they were out of earshot, Kaztos asked, “Why didn’t you mention anything about the boot?”

  “Because that’s not how she should find out. If I told her we likely found her brother’s foot in the wilderness, it’ll be all she thought about. It’s more comforting to believe that he simply disappeared than to know he’d been torn apart. In a few days, I’ll break the news that he’s not coming back.” Kaztos nodded in understanding. He didn’t think of it that way. “But for now, we’re done for the day. You’re free to go.”

  “Thank you, sir. I hope you have a good rest of your day.” Euronar returned the sentiment and walked away. With it now being evening, Kaztos returned to their camp. Perhaps Zeltara and Saiya had also finished their work for the day.

  There was no one at camp when he arrived, so Kaztos completed their chores. Fortunately, there was little to do since they didn’t have to pack up for the day. Kaztos focused on getting their fire lit. The orange flames and warm air brought him comfort. The day had been exhausting, both physically and mentally. He sat down and basked in the feeling of safety the campfire brought.

  “Hey Kaztos!” Zeltara said. He turned to see her walk over. She sat down across from him. “So, how did your day go?”

  The image of the bloodied foot flashed in his mind. Kaztos hid his sudden discomfort under a smile. “Our search was fruitless, but we’re fine. How was yours?”

  Zeltara’s face lit up. “Oh, it was great. I worked all day to make sure the perimeter was secured. And I had several helpers to move things along. Finally, there was someone there to open the storage enchantments for me.” She sighed. “Being an elf sucks sometimes. I can’t even channel mana for simple things like turning on a light or using a stove.”

  “Perhaps you could invent something to help you with that,” Kaztos said. “Either way, I’m happy that you accomplished much today.”

  “Maybe I could. I’ll have to think about it. For now, it’s just work to keep the camp safe.” From the corner of his eye, Kaztos noticed Saiya approach with a tray.

  He turned to her and said, “Great to see you, Saiya. I hope your day was as good as ours.” She set down the tray and handed out dinner. Saiya then sat down and started eating.

  “It was fine. Most of the injured are going to recover. But that one man...” Saiya trailed off. Kaztos could understand. The man they had saved from the abomination. His wounds were horrible. It was a wonder he was still alive. “Yena and I have a lot of work ahead of us. I don’t think she slept last night.”

  Zeltara put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Well, at least she has you to help her. Try not to think about that one guy. We did everything we could.” Saiya shrugged but didn’t respond. The three then continued to eat their meals.

  The evening passed with the three exchanging small talk. Zeltara and Kaztos caught Saiya up on how their days went. He again refrained from telling them about the boot, not wanting to ruin the mood. Best to keep that quiet for now. Instead, they focused on lighter subjects. At one point, Kaztos told a story during his time in the academy.

  “The next day, I came across that bully harassing that boy, even after my warning. I knew that something needed to be done,” Kaztos said animatedly.

  Saiya said, “Let me guess, you went over and lectured him on the morality of bullying.” Zeltara giggled as Kaztos shot her a look.

  “No, I did not do that. How did you get that idea?” Saiya sighed.

  “Oh, I don’t know. The idea just came to me.” The sarcastic tone had Zeltara devolving into laughter.

  In-between laughs, she said, “Don’t tease him, Saiya. Let Kaztos finish his story.” The humor in her voice made the reprimand ineffective. Kaztos groaned.

  “Can I please continue?” Both of them nodded and quieted down. “Anyway, I went up there and got between the two of them. I told the bully if he wants to hurt that boy, then he’ll have to get through me.” Saiya looked ready to interrupt again when Zeltara nudged her on the shoulder. She received a glare in return. Kaztos ignored the exchange. “I thought that would solve things, but then he threw a punch. He had a mean right hook, but I was always better during our sparring matches together. By the time the instructors showed up, the bully was flat on his back.” As he finished speaking, Kaztos stood up and raised a fist in victory.

  Zeltara clapped and cheered while Saiya said, “Great job. You beat the guy up and got in trouble.”

  “How did you know I got in trouble?” Kaztos asked. “Besides, that doesn’t matter. The important thing is that I protected that kid. He even thanked me after the fact.”

  “Well, now that we've listened to the story about Kaztos beating up a bully, want to hear about when I almost blew up my father’s workshop?” Zeltara asked. Kaztos sat back down and sulked. His friends knew nothing about the honor of facing down an opponent to protect someone else. Even if they were only a school bully.

  Before she could start her story, an abomination screeched from far outside the camp. The noise had not just them, but everyone grabbing their weapons. People waited with anticipation as the guards patrolled the perimeter for any sign of attack. Another wail joined in from another direction. Kaztos could imagine multiple abominations stalking the camp, ready to attack.

  But as the minutes passed, no such assault happened. Slowly, the wails got further away as the camp settled back down. Kaztos watched Zeltara as she listened in on their movement. After a few minutes, she relaxed and nodded to them. He sighed in relief and put his hammer away. They were safe. Slowly, the camp returned to normal as people went back to their evening activities. The three saw Euronar walk up to them, smiling.

  “The perimeter worked perfectly. One of them approached, but turned away because of the torchlight,” he said. Euronar then turned to Zeltara. “Thank you for the work today. Everyone is safe because of you.” She beamed with gratitude.

  “It’s no problem. I’m just glad it worked out.” Zeltara paused as she seemed to think of something. “While you’re here, could I ask where Pence is? I haven’t seen him since this morning.” Euronar let out a huff of amusement.

  “My brother is still in trouble for his stunt last night. Don’t expect to see him for at least a week. I’m sorry I didn’t mention that this morning.” Kaztos sympathized with the other boy, even if the punishment was deserved. “Anyway, I’ll see you three tomorrow. Try to get some sleep.” As Euronar walked off, Zeltara got their attention.

  “He’s right. Who knows when Dollanti will wake us? I don’t know about you two, but I’d prefer not to get tied up first thing in the morning.” That was something Kaztos could agree with. Zeltara then yawned. “Besides, it’s been a long day. So let’s go to bed.” Kaztos and Saiya agreed and exchanged goodnights.

  Entering his tent, Kaztos got ready for bed. After removing his armor, he laid down and closed his eyes. His mind wandered back to that boot. It kept him up longer than he would have liked. But eventually, Kaztos drifted to sleep. Fortunately, his dreams were of happier times back in Urada. It allowed him to rest through the night uninterrupted.

  Kaztos woke up to being pulled out of his tent by the ankles. Before his mind processed this, he was tied up once again. Kaztos looked over to see Dollanti pull out Zeltara. She sputtered out curses as she was also bound. He then repeated the process with Saiya. The veteran adventurer looked down at the three of them.

  “Once again, you failed to react in time. Another day of you three being killed in your sleep.” While Kaztos and Saiya glared at him, Zeltara thrashed in her bindings.

  “What do you expect us to do? We can’t exactly react to something while we’re sleeping,” she said.

  Dollanti appeared frustrated. “Enough!” The tone caused Zeltara to stop her escape attempts. “You’re supposed to always be alert, even when sleeping. If there is so much as a footstep, you should wake up with weapons drawn. I’ve seen people die because they never learned this. Their possessions stolen as they drowned in their own blood.” He then untied the three of them. They stand in silence. “Meet me outside camp in five minutes.” Dollanti left, leaving them to consider his words.

  This time, they reached the training area within five minutes. The three stand across from Dollanti as he scrutinizes them. “You’re far from being ready. I don’t know how long we’ll have, but I plan to get you three to the bare minimum, at least. Our focus will be on getting you three in shape, improving your individual talents, and strengthening teamwork.” Zeltara shifts in anticipation as Kaztos grins.

  “Excellent! I can’t wait to start!” The sound of his voice caused Saiya to flinch and glare at him.

  “Quiet. You’ll wake up the camp,” Dollanti said. Kaztos blushed in embarrassment.

  Zeltara asked, “Where do we start?” The veteran adventurer grinned at them. The expression sent a chill down Kaztos’ back.

  “Twenty laps around the camp.” Zeltara squawked in surprise. Kaztos couldn’t blame her. That was a lot of running, even for him.

  “What do you mean? I thought we were going to do something cool, not run laps.” Dollanti’s grin widened.

  “Twenty-one laps.” Zeltara growled at him.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Twenty-two laps.” Saiya covered Zeltara’s mouth before she could say anything. “Twenty-two laps it is. Now get going. If you're not gone in the next ten seconds, I’ll add another five laps. And remember, it’s running, not jogging.”

  Kaztos immediately turned and started running. Saiya followed, pulling a grumbling Zeltara along. Determination filled him as he ran ahead of his friends. This wasn’t what Kaztos expected from training, but he would make the most of it. No matter what Dollanti threw at them, Kaztos vowed to persevere. Knowing what could happen to them if they failed, nothing less was acceptable.