The sun rose lazily over Ravenshire, casting long shadows across the forest training ground. Mist lingered between the trees, curling around roots and rocks like spectral fingers. The damp grass sparkled faintly with dew, crunching softly underfoot. The quiet was broken only by the distant chatter of waking villagers and the faint creak of wooden structures in the breeze.
Elara stood at the edge of the clearing, bow left behind, hands pressed against her thighs as she stretched. Her muscles still burned from yesterday's drills, her calves tight, her arms trembling faintly just from warming up. She exhaled slowly, trying to calm her thumping heart.
[This is it. The real training begins today. No bow, no running away. Just me, my body, and the strength I don't have yet.]
Corwin towered in front of her, hammer resting casually against his shoulder, his expression unreadable. The faint morning mist clung to his frame, making him look more like a sentinel than a man. His eyes scanned her stance, posture, and breathing with clinical focus.
"Foundation training starts today," he said, voice firm and steady. "Stamina. Endurance. Speed. Strength. No bow, no shortcuts. If your base isn't solid, you'll collapse in battle."
He shifted the hammer down, letting its weight thud against the soil with a heavy sound that made her flinch.
[She's eager, but she thinks skill with the bow is enough. If I don't break that idea now, she'll freeze again the moment real danger comes.]
Elara straightened, nodding quickly. "I understand." Her fists clenched at her sides.
[I have to do this. I can't be the one who freezes again. Not when others put their lives on the line.]
On the nearby fence, Hunnt sat with Pyro, both looking far too amused for her liking. Hunnt rested his gauntlets on his knees, his smirk already tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Ready for your knightly drills, princess?" he teased, eyebrows raised.
[This'll be fun. Let's see how much grit she actually has.]
Pyro twitched his ears, tail flicking rapidly. "Nyaah, and I'll judge every step! Don't mess up, nyaah!"
[She looks nervous already. This is going to be hilarious…]
Elara flushed instantly. "S-stop calling me that!"
Corwin ignored them both, his gaze focused entirely on her. "First exercise. Run the perimeter. Ten laps. Keep your pace steady. Control your breathing. Push through until you finish."
Her jaw dropped. "T-Ten laps!?"
Hunnt let out a laugh. "What, already regretting this?"
She shot him a glare, chest rising sharply. [Ten laps… my legs will scream, but if I complain, they'll never take me seriously.]
Corwin's voice cut through her hesitation. "No complaints. A hunter's legs are their lifeline. If they fail, you die."
Elara swallowed hard and nodded. "I'll do it."
She broke into a jog, feet pounding against the dirt. Her steps were uneven at first, her stride awkward. She focused on her breathing. [In… out… in… out… just keep moving.]
By the third lap, her chest burned, sweat already trickling down her neck. Her braid stuck to her back, damp with perspiration. Her arms swung stiffly, and her thighs screamed in protest.
Hunnt leaned closer to Pyro, smirking. "Look at that. Sir Corwin, training his princess. How romantic."
[This is gold. But she's tougher than she looks—she hasn't quit yet.]
Pyro snickered. "Nyahaha! She's blushing already! Don't trip, princess!"
Elara stumbled at the word, her cheeks hot, but forced herself forward. "I-I'm not blushing!" she shouted between gasps.
[Focus, Elara. Don't listen to them. Keep your head down and finish.]
Corwin's voice rang out over the clearing. "Ignore them. Breathe with your steps. Don't burn out early. Control yourself."
By the sixth lap, her legs felt like lead. Each step jarred her bones. Her chest begged her to stop, but her mind screamed louder. [I can't quit. If I stop, they'll see me as weak. I won't fail here.]
Hunnt nodded, his grin fading into something more approving. "That's it. Keep going."
Pyro tilted his head. "Nyaah… even I wouldn't last this long."
Elara gritted her teeth, finishing the tenth lap with a final burst of strength before collapsing to her knees. Sweat poured down her face, soaking her tunic, her lungs heaving like bellows. "I… I did it."
[I thought I'd break… but I didn't… I actually finished.]
Corwin handed her a waterskin without a word. She accepted it gratefully, gulping down the cool liquid before looking up at him.
"Good," he said simply. "You didn't quit. That's the first step." His gaze lingered, not unkind but sharp, weighing her resolve.
[She's not just stubborn—there's steel underneath that fear. She'll grow.]
Elara's lips parted into a faint smile despite her exhaustion. "I'll keep going. I won't fall behind."
[This is only the start. But I'll rise to meet it.]
Hunnt clapped mockingly from the fence. "Well done. The knight and his princess, training together. What a story this'll make."
Corwin groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as Pyro cackled beside Hunnt.
"Nyahaha, Corwin's face is red again!" the Felyne howled, rolling on his back in laughter.
Elara sputtered, tossing the empty waterskin at them. "W-we're not like that!" Her face was scarlet, though her smile lingered despite herself.
[Why are they so insufferable? Just focus. Ignore them. Keep going.]
Corwin exhaled slowly, ignoring their antics. "Next—push-ups. Twenty. Full form. If your core collapses, your shots will too."
Elara groaned, lowering herself into position, arms shaking already. [Twenty… gods, I can barely breathe. But I'll manage. I'll prove myself.]
Her body trembled, sweat dripping from her nose as she pushed through. Her arms wavered by the fifteenth rep, her elbows locking awkwardly, but she gritted her teeth. [Don't stop. Don't show weakness. Not now.]
Corwin knelt, watching her carefully. "Back straighter. Engage your core. Don't just move—control the movement."
Elara obeyed, adjusting her form even as her body screamed. She hit twenty and collapsed flat on the dirt, panting heavily, dust clinging to her sweat-soaked tunic.
Corwin allowed a faint smile, rare but genuine. "Better. Proper form matters more than speed. You'll improve."
Hunnt smirked from the fence. "Careful, Corwin. Push her too hard and she might collapse into your arms. What will you do then?"
Corwin's ears twitched pink, and he muttered, "Hunnt. Silence."
Pyro cackled louder. "Nyahaha, knight in shining armor, nyaah!"
Elara buried her face in her arms with a muffled groan. [Why me… why do they never stop?]
Still, as the drills continued through the morning—squats, stretches, strikes without a bow—her form grew steadier. Her breathing slowed into rhythm, her stride became surer, and though exhaustion dragged at her limbs, her determination only grew sharper.
By midday, her foundation had already begun to take root. Stamina, strength, will—all hammered into her through sweat and dirt.
Elara collapsed against a stump at the end of training, chest rising and falling rapidly. Her bow rested beside her, untouched. She stared at her calloused hands, faint tremors running through them, and smiled weakly.
[This is just the start. But one step at a time… I'll become strong enough. I'll be ready.]
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📖 Final Fantasy: The Unwritten
Step into the vast multiverse of Final Fantasy—where heroes, destinies, and untold adventures intertwine in ways you've never seen before.
⚔️ Renegade: Arsenal of War
Follow the journey of a relentless tech soldier who forges groundbreaking weapons to end the war once and for all.
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